Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Blind Man's Buff
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Lianus froze with his patting hand suspended in midair, and Karus's face drained of all color.
Sir Evan let out a yelp, convinced the little wildcat had stirred up some new mishap and blurted out nonsense.
"Wh-what do you mean, something about eyeballs?!"
"I misspoke. Tone it down since the kid's here."
"You said it first. And don't change the subject. How do you misppeak something into that?"
"I said I misspoke. Just apologize."
"Forget apologizing. Explain what you meant."
Sir Evan was hopping mad, but Nihil acted like he wanted nothing to do with it. He picked up the fallen blanket, rolled it around himself until even his face was covered, then flopped over with his back turned. He looked just like a caterpillar curled up tight to protect itself.
Sir Evan tried to yank the blanket away, but the little thing was surprisingly strong. He could have lifted the whole bundle, but the blanket wouldn't budge. Evan shook the caterpillar bundle a bit, but that just made the baby kitten's eyes jiggle along with it, so he gave up and set it back down beside his young master.
The baby kitten carefully lifted the head end of the wildcat-turned-caterpillar and pillowed it on his own lap. When Lianus timidly peeled back the blanket, Nihil—unlike with Evan—let go without a fight and revealed his face.
Sir Evan slumped onto the sofa, feeling oddly deflated from having used his strength in vain. He propped his chin on his hand and let out a hollow chuckle.
Worried his friend might burrow back into the blanket, Lianus opened his mouth cautiously.
"Nil. Do you mean the scratch on your cheek?"
Those night-sky eyes blinked up at Lianus slowly.
"Don't worry. It won't happen again."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Can't you tell me why it happened?"
"……."
"Yeah?"
Nihil met the worried heterochromatic gaze steadily, then raised a hand to cover Lianus's eyes. Puzzled by the sudden darkness but patient, Lianus waited for his friend to speak.
Nihil turned his head slightly to meet Karus's eyes.
"Rian."
"Yeah."
"My eyes are really sharp..."
"Yeah."
"...so I can see things I shouldn't."
"Things... I shouldn't see?"
"Yeah. Your eyes are sharp too, so if you ever see more than you should, tell me."
"Okay, I will."
"And no peeking out of curiosity, no matter what."
"Okay."
"Don't listen in either."
"Okay."
"And if you do see or hear something, don't let on that you did."
"Got it. I'll remember."
Nihil watched Lianus nod obediently, then removed his hand from the boy's eyes. Lianus blinked a few times, adjusting to the sudden light.
The conversation felt utterly out of place, but Karus realized from its calm tone that Nihil had spied on something about him to confirm a suspicion—and nearly gotten caught and roughed up for it.
Nihil had indirectly warned Karus not to pry too deep, or it could get dangerous.
"Teacher."
Nihil had risen and approached Karus before he knew it. Instinctively lowering himself to the boy's eye level—like he always did with his younger siblings—Karus crouched.
"Yes, my friend."
"When the time comes... no, invite me to your estate next time I ask. And whatever you do, don't even think about learning magic in the meantime."
"Understood."
"And one last thing about your mother."
"...About my mother...?"
"Don't breathe a word of it. Don't go looking for her either. Just pretend you know nothing and carry on. Mess it up, and all your father's efforts will go to waste."
Karus's turquoise eyes widened behind his round glasses. He hadn't expected his mother to come up.
"Promise me, and I'll tell you."
"I promise! I swear I won't say a word or go looking!"
Karus's face grew deadly serious. Nihil grabbed his collar, pulling him lower, and whispered right in his ear.
Very, very quietly—so the spirits lurking somewhere in this space wouldn't hear.
His warm breath tickled Karus's ear.
"Your mother is..."
...a spiritist.
Those misunderstood as monster tamers and hunted down. Wiped out so long ago they're now just fairy-tale villains.
The new generation, huddled in hiding, awaited their awakening.
Karus's face went stark white as the words sank in. As a scholar, he knew exactly how spiritists had been treated—and how they'd vanished from history's pages.
Nihil reminded him once more to keep it in mind. Karus nodded solemnly, as if steeling himself, bowed to Lianus, and took his leave.
"Nil, what'd you talk about?"
As soon as the tutor was gone, Lianus scampered over and whispered right up against him.
A faint chuckle escaped at the boy's lingering caution, even though it wasn't spirit-related.
"Rian, I can't tell you yet. When the time's right."
"Is it about that ancient language his mother taught him? Wait, no, you said it wasn't ancient."
"I didn't translate the phrase. Told him something else instead."
"But how'd you know the language?"
"Rian, my eyes are sharp, but my ears are too. Remember that. If you see or hear more than you should, tell me right away."
"Okay, got it."
Even oblivious Lianus caught on that this tied back to their earlier talk and dropped it.
His friend had eyes and ears too keen by half—he'd clearly overheard what he shouldn't have, just like he'd seen what he shouldn't.
Don't look. Don't listen. If you do, tell Nil.
Nihil murmured to himself softly, watching Lianus repeat the words under his breath. Something flickered in his eyes, then he smiled gently.
"Rian."
"Yeah?"
"Wanna play now?"
At the word "play," Lianus's eyes went wide, then sparkled. His lips curved up in a sunny grin.
Nihil smiled back—and it was so disarmingly pretty that cold sweat trickled down Sir Evan's back.
When the little wildcat smiled like that, unease crept in. It felt like the calm before he caused some chaos.
"Nil, what're we playing?"
The baby kitten, buzzing with excitement, urged him on. Nihil took Lianus's hand and led him to the sofa.
"Blind man's buff. Since it's your first time, we'll simplify the rules."
"Blind man's buff?"
"Like tag, but the 'it' closes their eyes and chases. You ever played tag?"
"Uh, no."
Nihil explained the rules simply.
Blind man's buff was perfect for testing Lianus's sensory acuity.
The innocent prince listened eagerly, eyes shining at the thought of playing with his friend. When he finished, though, Lianus tilted his head.
"But Nil, with three of us?"
He'd naturally included his knight. Glancing up at Evan, who hadn't expected to join and had half-ignored the rules. Evan regretted it now.
"It's more fun with more people. Let's grab a few. The butler's on vacation, so he's probably bored. I'm shy around strangers, so you explain for me."
Nihil flashed a sweet smile, smooth as a salesman.
Sir Evan's jaw dropped.
Shy? The little wildcat? That guy who never gave a damn about reading the room?
Unlike stunned Evan, the gullible baby kitten bought it hook, line, and sinker. Nil must get shy easily, he thought, nodding along.
"I'll explain great! 'It' closes their eyes and chases the next 'it.' Everyone else moves in bounds and claps to distract, right?"
"Exactly. No running in cluttered spots—the 'it' might get hurt."
"Got it!"
Nihil pondered spots for blind man's buff, then dragged Lianus and Evan to the butler's office. Along the way, he roped in two maids, the cook, and the coachman they passed.
"N-no, Your Highness, what brings you here...?"
The butler, embodying insubordination in the office, fumbled to hide his papers at Lianus's arrival.
"Here to play, butler. Busy? Why're you in the office on vacation?"
"B-busy? No, sir. I'm on vacation right now. Heh heh..."
"Right? Play with us!"
Cold sweat beaded down the butler's back. Nihil peeked from behind Lianus with a grin.
Thus, the butler's office became Lianus's playground. Not huge, but sparsely furnished, perfect for play.
As discussed, Nihil volunteered as first "it."
Nihil grinned at Lianus and mouthed without sound:
Rian, I'm catching you.
Lianus's eyes went round; he bolted away.
Run good.
With that, Nihil blindfolded himself with a black cloth.
Footsteps scattered busily. Light, bouncy pitter-patter—Lianus.
Nihil stood still, staring at the floor, tapping his toes slowly: tap, tap.
Tap, tap, tap...
Once, twice, thrice...
Ten taps. Nihil raised his head.
And moved.
Straight for Lianus, without hesitation.
The servants clapped to draw attention, fearing for their prince—but it was useless.
As Lianus dashed away, he called out,
"Nil, you can see, can't you?!"
Nihil just grinned and tapped his ear.
"Whoa, even sharp ears can't pick me out in this racket!"
The maids giggled.
Sir Evan, standing dumbstruck in the corner, marveled at Nihil's senses. He knew the ears were keen, but homing in on one presence amid chaos? That went beyond good hearing. Might as well say there were holes in the blindfold.
Still silent, Nihil tapped his nose.
In a single room—not some vast hall—tracking that faint forest scent was child's play.
"You smell me?!"
Lianus skidded to a halt, mouth agape in shock. He'd forgotten his own woodsy smell.
"Your Highness, that one's got your forest scent locked."
With the kitten frozen in horror at his own odor, Evan quickly cleared the air. But the servants reeled instead.
Tracking by smell? Like a beast pup!
It was the clincher for the theory that the prince's friend was a beastkin.