Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: The Little Liar
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"...You might want to tone down the chatter a bit."
"Oh dear, if my dear friend says so, then I shall! The Marquis did tell me to behave myself, after all. But... could I give you just one hug?"
Bella didn't even wait for Nihil's reply before charging at him like she was about to scoop him up right then and there. Sir Evan, who'd been watching her like she was a walking noise machine, swiftly snatched Nihil into his arms and growled at her.
"Don't touch him carelessly."
"What's your deal, knight? It's not like he'll wear out from a little hug!"
"That's rude for a first meeting."
"I'm not trying to hug the prince or anything! I just want to hold the cute little thing!"
Sir Evan glared at her with a furrowed brow before carefully setting Nihil down beside Lianus. In the process, Lianus seemed delighted to have his friend back in his grasp and eagerly pulled Nihil into a tight embrace.
Nihil was a bit dazed by Sir Evan's overprotectiveness but savored the moment, stroking Lianus's soft hair and feeling like a teddy bear.
Sir Evan shot Bella another glare before grumbling discontentedly.
"Your Highness, I'm more than enough as your guard."
"Oh my, you're being too much after I came all this way! I'm quite the precious lady, you know?"
"Quiet down. Do something about that mouth of yours."
"You two, no fighting. Nil called her here, so let's let Nil decide."
Unable to stand it any longer, Lianus stepped in to mediate.
With the turn passed to him, Nihil naturally tilted his chin toward Bella, gesturing for her to make her case.
"Hmm~ My dear young friend! Don't you want to be with a pretty knight sister like me?"
"...Are you saying that while looking at my face, hoping to call yourself pretty?"
Sir Evan recoiled in disgust as Bella struck a flowery pose to flaunt her beauty.
"Oh, this knight sure is picky! Ahem, I'm not as pretty as you, young master, but surely better than this gloomy knight, right? So, how about just one hug?"
"Not if it means getting your scent all over me."
"Hmm?"
"A cat, though... I might pretend not to notice and hold it."
"Hmm?"
"I don't like liars much."
"......"
Bella realized this tiny young master was warning her and let out a hollow laugh.
She should have known from the moment he'd flung open the curtains without a sound.
"Ha, so that's why the Marquis warned me not to test you."
Nihil just smiled wordlessly. Lianus, completely lost, tilted his head beside him.
The quick-witted Sir Evan pieced it together after mulling over Nihil's words.
"A cat beastkin, huh."
"Oh my, knight, you're sharper than you look! Correct!"
With that, Bella popped like a bubble and vanished, replaced by a sleek black tuxedo cat swishing its tail.
"The person turned into a cat!"
Lianus, seeing a beastkin for the first time, stared wide-eyed in fascination.
The cat meowed a few times and paced at Nihil's feet, begging to be picked up. But even after a while, Nihil didn't oblige.
"I told you."
"Meow~"
"I don't like liars."
"......"
The cat froze, gazing up at Nihil. Then it lunged.
"Nil!"
Lianus cried out in shock, but a blade was already pressed to Nihil's throat.
"What do you think you're doing!"
Sir Evan had drawn his sword in an instant, golden aura flickering around the blade as killing intent filled the room.
"So you bare your claws after all, kitty. Didn't your master warn you?"
Nihil, with the knife at his neck, remained utterly calm, as if he'd seen it all coming.
"Young master, you'd better watch your mouth. What if that pretty face gets scarred? How did you figure out our Marquis's weakness, anyway?"
Bella, her demeanor shifted, pressed the dagger closer to his face threateningly.
"If you upset me, your master suffers."
"Hmph, I heard you're just a commoner with no backing."
"Could our house dog dodge the fallout?"
"The prince's sole guard knight can't be away forever, can he?"
"If I die, your master might cry."
"She'd be so moved by my actions, she'd weep with joy."
"We'll see about that. Why not check for yourself?"
Nihil smiled and nodded toward the door. As all eyes turned,
Bang! Crash!
"Ta-da! Surprise... Bella?"
It was Karus's grand entrance.
Everyone but Nihil froze at Karus's sudden appearance.
Karus himself was equally stunned. The prince's dear friend was being threatened by the guard knight he'd sent, the prince was frozen solid staring at his friend, and his secret friend Sir Evan was radiating killing intent with aura cloaking his sword.
The butler who'd escorted Karus to Lianus's room finally peeked inside and shouted in alarm.
"M-Master Nil!"
Snapping to his senses at the butler's voice, Karus bellowed.
"Bella! What is the meaning of this! Release him at once!"
Karus strode forward, wresting Nihil from Bella's grasp and scooping him up.
"I should have known when you insisted on going! Didn't I warn you explicitly? No testing, no provoking! And yet you threaten him with a blade at his throat—what did you take my words for!"
Karus unleashed a torrent of words at the dumbfounded Bella. Sir Evan finally sheathed his sword and moved to protect Lianus first.
"M-My lord, how did you...?"
"Is that what matters now? What were you thinking, threatening a child with a sword...!"
"Teacher, enough."
"Dear friend!"
Nihil intervened quickly before things escalated further. He thanked the butler for the guidance and asked him to bring tea for the guest, assuring him it was nothing serious.
Karus began inspecting Nihil for injuries, checking him all over.
"Dear friend, are you hurt anywhere? I'm truly sorry. It's all my fault."
"I'm fine."
"Dear friend, you must have been so scared. I, uh, dear friend..."
"Looks like you're the one who's shaken. Try some deep breaths."
Karus took several deep breaths as instructed, then gently set Nihil down.
"Dear friend, did you know I was coming? The butler guided me right away."
"I just told them in advance that anyone your teacher sent would come honestly through the door. Didn't expect you personally, though."
"Dear friend, I brought cookies..."
"Teacher, I'm okay, so don't worry. Greet everyone first."
"Ah!"
Only then did Karus realize he hadn't greeted the prince yet.
"Your Highness, forgive me. I was so startled. Sir Evan, my apologies to you too. My guard made you draw your sword."
"Karus, sit down first. We're all shaken. Nil... doesn't seem fazed at all, though."
Nihil gave Lianus a reassuring smile, but Lianus—having truly thought his friend was in mortal danger—still felt his heart pounding.
The bristled kitten warily eyed the adult cat Bella while tugging Nihil's hand, dragging him hurriedly to Sir Evan's side.
"Sir Evan! Keep him safe!"
"......"
Sir Evan pondered if he had to guard the lynx-kin while leaving the prince, but his master's intense gaze left him no choice. He picked up the lynx-kin, then thought better of it and scooped up Lianus too, ending up with a child on each arm.
Now eye-level with Nihil again, Lianus gripped his hand tightly. Nihil linked their pinkies for reassurance and chuckled softly at the anxious prince.
"Rian, no need to be so on guard."
"But she held a knife to you!"
"Something like that can't threaten me. She had hostility, but no killing intent—she wasn't planning to kill."
"But, but, I can't forgive her!"
"Teacher's caught in the middle and feeling sorry, so let's let it slide this once. I egged on her wariness anyway."
Lianus glanced at Karus.
Karus flinched and meekly knelt on the floor.
Bella, rigid with tension, yelped in surprise as her master knelt.
"My lord!"
"Quiet. You know drawing a weapon before royalty is attempted regicide, right? Apologize now."
"No, Teacher, stand up. The butler's coming. Kitty, you reflect a bit."
Hearing the butler's footsteps, Nihil quickly pulled Karus up. It didn't look good to have a marquis kneeling, no matter what. Knowing his place, Karus fidgeted before sitting obediently on the sofa, head bowed.
Bella slumped fully, kneeling on the floor. She glanced at the trio opposite, then shifted to cat form and raised her front paws in a penalty stand.
"Clever one."
Nihil chuckled. The cat standing at attention was both hilarious and adorable. Even wary Lianus stared with rounded eyes.
Sir Evan sat opposite Karus, still eyeing the cat suspiciously. With the two children on his thighs, Karus eyed the scene enviously.
Knock knock. The bedroom door sounded twice, and the butler entered. He blinked wide-eyed at Evan cradling the children but smiled kindly, assuming all was well, and poured tea.
"Where did that lady go?"
"She's reflecting hard."
Nihil answered, glancing at the cat. The sharp butler guessed the oddly posed cat was her and set a cup before it too before withdrawing.
The cat eyed the teacup in front of her, then sneaked a peek at Nihil.
"Drink up, kitty. We need to talk."
At Nihil's permission, Bella shifted back to human form and bowed her head politely.
Lianus relaxed somewhat at her meekness and picked up his teacup. Karus carefully slid over the cookies he'd brought.
"Better if you explain it yourself. I'll give you a chance—make your excuse."
Nihil nodded, and Bella cautiously spoke.
"A-At first, when my lord said he was sending a guard knight, I was curious and insisted on coming."
"And?"
"I didn't come to threaten. But you appeared without a sound, your looks, and spotting I'm a beastkin right away... No matter how I thought about it, you didn't seem like an ordinary human, so I got wary without realizing. Worried you'd really grasped my lord's weakness. I tried a little charm to test, but you didn't budge, so I... lost control."
"Charm?"
Sir Evan scowled at the word, hugging the children in his arms tighter protectively. Lianus and Nihil's faces smooshed against his firm chest.
But was Evan the only one taking it seriously? Nihil poked Lianus's cheek, eliciting a burst of giggles.
Karus grinned at the sight before catching himself and waving his hands frantically.
"No misunderstanding, Sir Evan. It's not that powerful to call 'charm.' I'm not even sure it really works. It barely affects children, so it's... ambiguous at best."
Sir Evan narrowed his eyes at Bella and muttered.
"So, not real charm—just putting on a show for kids to win favor."
"......"
Bella deflated at Sir Evan's blunt words. She'd believed it was charm, but it was indeed feeble.
Then, Nihil, playing with Lianus's hand, spoke softly.
"Try it."