Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Because I Feel Like She'll Take It Away If I'm Not Careful
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There, a man with black wings made his appearance.
His features were so enchantingly beautiful they could captivate anyone, and an intensely dark power emanated from him, strong enough to raise goosebumps all over the body.
The man, who had prostrated himself immediately, seemed to sense Khan's sharpened mood and spoke up.
"If you give the order, I'll drag that bastard here."
Having realized that Khan's discomfort stemmed from Tail, the man's voice was thick with anger.
"No need."
With that curt reply, a pale and slender arm reached out first, unlatching the bolt.
And then, a girl slowly stepped out from behind the door.
A girl who appeared to be around ten years old.
Her silver hair sparkled like moonlight, flowing long and gracefully, while her black eyes held the depth of a moonlit night.
Her vividly red lips contrasted sharply with her almost ghostly pale skin, giving the impression that she wasn't entirely human.
She was the true form of this information guild's master, Khan.
"Cecilia Duvier..."
Her voice was cold as frost.
Murmuring softly to herself, she issued a command to the man.
"Go find out everything about Marquis Duvier of this empire right now."
"I shall obey your command."
The man bowed deeply, his expression filled with awe.
"Demon Lord."
Tail, having returned to the monastery, headed straight to Abbot Noha's room after hearing that he had been summoned.
Upon arriving at the abbot's room, just as he raised his hand to knock...
The door flew open.
And what came into view was a cascade of shimmering golden hair.
"Eek!"
Beautiful sapphire-blue eyes widened in surprise.
"What is it, Lady Chloe? Did you do something naughty?"
Chloe's face flushed red at Tail's words.
"W-What do you mean, something naughty!"
Her voice trembled.
"You look so startled... it seems like you did something."
A low chuckle laced his voice.
Chloe's face grew even redder.
For some reason, his voice made her chest tingle deep inside.
The back of her neck grew hot, her heart pounded wildly, and her ears rang.
That was when it happened.
"Lady Chloe."
Her name had slipped from his lips.
"Want to try one of these? I hear it's the latest trendy bread."
Tail handed her something.
Chloe accepted it in a daze.
"Well then, have a good day. See you later."
With those words, Tail entered Noha's room.
Click.
The door closed, and Chloe snapped back to her senses.
Looking down at her hand, she saw a bread she'd never seen before.
"A fish?"
The bread was unmistakably shaped like a fish.
Chloe brought the fish-shaped bread slowly to her reddened lips and took a bite.
A sweet, subtly caramelized flavor filled her mouth.
The thick red bean paste inside was rich, yet oddly addictive.
Without realizing it, Chloe took another bite.
'It's delicious.'
She had tried all sorts of precious breads from across the empire, but none tasted better than this.
It was like a burst of color in her gray world, much like Tail himself.
'He always brings something just like him.'
A smile tugged at Chloe's lips.
She took another bite of the fish bread and murmured to herself.
"Hehe. It's sweet."
The bread was truly sweet and sugary.
Just like this feeling she had right now.
Entering Noha's room, Tail first pulled out the item he had been asked for and placed it on the desk.
Noha watched him silently, hesitating and glancing around awkwardly.
Unable to stand it any longer, Tail spoke up.
"What is it? Why are you looking at me like a puppy desperate to poop?"
Noha's face crumpled at Tail's words.
He looked indignant for a moment, but it didn't last.
Noha closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Normally, he would have already barked, "How dare you compare an adult to a desperate puppy!" but strangely, he said nothing.
Only then did Tail sense something was off, tilting his head.
"What's going on?"
"What's going on, you brat."
At Noha's cynical remark, Tail furrowed his brow deeply, as if it were truly bizarre, and spoke.
"They say people who change suddenly die early. Are you feeling unwell?"
A vein bulged on Noha's forehead at Tail's words.
"Y-You little punk!"
Seeing Noha erupt in fury, Tail finally smiled in relief.
"So, what is it?"
Noha grimaced and replied.
"What do you mean, what."
"You have something to say. You've been glancing at me ever since."
"You're annoyingly sharp about useless things."
Tail grinned broadly at Noha's grumbling.
"Thanks for the compliment."
Giving up on retorting, Noha let out a long sigh and spoke.
"Listen well."
And Noha's expression hardened.
"You..."
Tail tensed up at Noha's serious demeanor as he trailed off.
'What's he going to say so seriously?'
Was he being transferred to another monastery?
All sorts of thoughts raced through his mind when Noha continued.
"Is there anything you want?"
Tail's face twisted in disbelief at the question.
"What? Have you really caught some terminal illness? Is this about a will or something?"
"Hey now! What do you mean, dying!"
Noha raised his voice.
His eyes blazed with anger.
Watching Noha fume, Tail muttered softly, "It's not terminal, though..."
As Noha glared daggers again, Tail waved his hands and replied.
"Alright, alright. If it's something I want..."
Tail's eyes sparkled like stars for a moment.
"Will you give me everything?"
"Just answer the damn question!"
At Noha's urging, Tail let out a small hum.
"Hmm. If it's something I want, obviously..."
At that moment, Tail curved his thumb and index finger to form a circle.
Then, flashing a cheeky wink and a bright smile, he said,
"Money."
And Tail added a fine detail.
"The more, the better. And the higher the purity, the best."
"Oh, heavens."
It was only natural that Noha sighed and clutched the back of his neck at Tail's response.
After meeting with Noha and quickly gathering a few things, Tail stepped out of the building.
"Hey, Tail. Back from the city?"
The worker Charles, who had been chatting with a colleague, called out to Tail as he headed somewhere.
"Off to see Miss Duvier now?"
"Yes, Mr. Charles. How have you been?"
Holding a basket full of red bean bread in his arms, Tail smiled faintly and replied.
"Me? Same as always. Well, take care."
"Yes! Have a good day!"
Tail headed straight for Cecilia's tent.
Watching from behind the building was someone with golden hair that gleamed like the sun and beautiful sapphire eyes.
"Again... again, Cecilia."
It was Chloe.
She bit her lower lip hard.
Today too, without fail, he was going to see Cecilia.
It seemed he had even won Cecilia's heart in the end.
'This can't go on.'
If things continued like this, his heart would be completely stolen away.
Glared at Tail as he disappeared into the tent, Chloe hurriedly set off somewhere.
Straight to Abbot Noha's room.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
After a quick knock, Chloe entered the room as soon as she heard Noha's reply.
Noha, who had been handling paperwork inside, looked up at the entering Chloe and smiled warmly.
"Imperial Princess. You've come for the answer."
The only one in the monastery besides Tail who knew her true identity as the Imperial Princess was Abbot Noha.
"Yes. Can you tell me now?"
Chloe asked with an anxious expression.
Around the time Tail returned from the city, after much agonizing, Chloe had come to the abbot.
The reason was to pick a gift for Tail.
She always felt grateful yet sorry for making him angry, so Chloe wanted to give him something, but the problem was she didn't know what Tail liked.
She didn't want to ask him directly, so she ended up seeking out Noha, who had known Tail the longest and was closest to him.
'He said he'd tell me if I came back in the evening.'
And now it was evening.
She was determined to get an answer somehow.
Seeing Chloe like that, Noha smiled faintly.
"You seem quite urgent."
"Because I feel like she'll take it away if I'm not careful."
Noha slowly stroked his beard as he gazed at Chloe, whose eyes trembled with anxiety.
Noha recalled the first time he saw Tail.
In the midst of a desolate space, a lone child stood out.
Even amid his disheveled, grubby appearance, those sparkling eyes were intensely striking.
It was like a dying flame flaring up one last time.
Death and life coexisted in the child's eyes.
Unable to ignore those eyes and walk away, Noha had brought Tail with him right then.
And indeed, Tail was a truly peculiar boy.
He had talent enough to do anything, yet he did nothing.
Still, his magnetic pull was strong, drawing everyone—young and old, men and women—to like him.
Recalling those old memories, Noha said,
"Hearts aren't something you possess, Imperial Princess. Especially that one, Tail—he's freer than most kids."
"I know. I know. But... however..."
At Noha's negative words, Chloe bit her lower lip again.
She knew she couldn't fully claim someone as her own, yet every time Tail went to see Cecilia, her insides twisted painfully.
It was too hard to define this emotion.
This elusive feeling that seemed just within grasp yet slipped away.