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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Guard Dog's Bark
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Nihil stared at the seaweed soup that had vanished in an instant, momentarily at a loss for words. He let out a deep sigh and bowed his head.
The cloak spread out beneath him entered his field of vision.
The mantle he'd been sitting on was covered in grimy stains.
Knowing full well that all those filth had come from his own body, Nihil couldn't bring himself to move from the spot. If he stepped onto the pristine white rug, he'd leave stark black footprints behind.
"Hey, you beggar."
"What."
Nihil shot back curtly.
Sure enough, no sooner had the seaweed soup disappeared than the knight resembling a pale gray-brown dog started barking.
You have any idea how precious that elixir is? You couldn't repay that kindness in a lifetime of work. Just because His Highness is being nice, calling you a friend, do you think you're a real one? Know your place. Show some respect to His Highness...
His nagging went on for quite a while. But it was like a dog's jealousy toward a lynx that had stolen its master's attention, or a grown cat's resentment toward a kitten.
Nihil watched the big gray-brown dog yapping away with a blank expression and fired back flatly.
"You're the one who should be ashamed. That precious elixir gets dumped on a total stranger, and you, the sole guard knight, don't even try to stop it—what were you doing, just standing there?"
Uluk.
The knight's voice dropped an octave, his words turning into sharp daggers that stabbed into Evan's chest. Evan unwittingly took a step back. In his anger, he let his emotions slip.
"I'll get rid of you one way or another!"
"If you can chase me off, then do it. If I get kicked out, that prince might just burst into tears and wither away for real this time."
As Nihil pushed back hard, Evan flinched.
His Highness had definitely acted out of character today. Gone was the lonely little prince who always stifled his sobs alone to hide his fragility—instead, all Evan could picture was the pitiful, heartbreaking image of a mewling kitten.
That kitten was oddly fixated on this lynx before him. His Highness, who was soft-hearted but strictly separated duty from personal matters and observed rank impeccably, made exceptions for this wild beast.
But the guy was dangerous. Evan's instincts screamed it.
This ash-gray lynx was suspicious from head to toe. Jumping out in front of a speeding carriage like he could fly, coming back from the dead (though he hadn't actually died), and now lounging so casually in unfamiliar surroundings—it all reeked of trouble.
The risks of letting him stay with the delicate kitten were far too high. Especially because...
"Insolent brat."
"Hmph."
Evan ground his teeth.
The kid was far too rude. That was the biggest problem. He wasn't the type who could be fixed with discipline—he knew exactly what he was doing and did it anyway.
Even if you tried to crush him with force, he'd bolt rather than submit. Though if he did submit, His Highness might end up disappointed anyway.
Either way, keeping him around was bound to cause issues. It pained Evan that half a lifetime's worth of elixir had been wasted on him, but he couldn't shake the thought that he needed to expose this creature's true nature to His Highness and pry them apart.
Unlike the cute, lovable prince, this wasn't a fellow cat—it was a lynx. They might look similar, but it was fiercer, filthier, a completely different beast.
If His Highness wouldn't let go of the lynx himself, Evan would have to maneuver things so it wandered off on its own. The longer he delayed separating them, the harder it would be.
"Know your place. We saved you from freezing to death on the streets—if you have any conscience, crawl out on your own."
His voice came out chillingly cold, startling even himself.
Scared now? No, that was the point—but why was he worrying?
Yet in Evan's calm, pale brown eyes reflected Nihil, who had slyly lifted one corner of his mouth.
Sitting on the dirty cloak in the middle of the floor, looking up—but somehow not really looking up.
Evan's jaw clenched at the sight of him, still infuriatingly at ease, utterly incomprehensible.
The lynx started needling him.
"If I don't feel like leaving on my own, what're you gonna do about it?"
"If you cause His Highness even a scratch, I'll hang you from a tree and beat you senseless."
"Is that right."
Such a soft touch.
Beating him up—that was the best he could come up with?
Nihil's face returned to its blank mask, as if the threat had nothing to do with him. He leisurely, oh so casually, brushed off the cloak he was sitting on with careful strokes.
The soft texture tickled between his fingers. It was filthy because of him, but it was clearly a high-end garment.
The prince had complained about being bullied, but supplies seemed plentiful—his lifestyle didn't lack for anything.
Just then, the image of that round, dark green head bawling after his friend request got rejected flashed by, and Nihil let out an involuntary chuckle.
"A royal knight in a tizzy because he can't catch one harmless beggar. Guess I'll have to stick to the prince's side out of fear."
"Hmph, if you don't wanna get chased off, just fawn over His Highness like a good pet."
"Fawn, huh..."
He was about to retort that the prince was the one doing the fawning when the sound of cart wheels rumbling from outside the bedroom reached his ears. It was getting louder, drawing nearer.
Nihil glanced at the bedroom door, then shot to his feet and snatched up the cloak.
"What do you think you're doing!"
Evan's eyes narrowed at the filthy footprints marring the white rug. He grabbed Nihil by the scruff of the neck and hoisted him up. He was so light that Nihil dangled there, swaying gently, his blank expression unbroken even then.
"Someone's coming."
"What?"
Evan perked his ears at Nihil's words. He'd been so fixated on this lynx that he'd ignored the outside—but sure enough, the trolley wheels were approaching steadily.
"Well? Aren't you gonna hide me quick?"
Evan's gut twisted at the sight of the beggar brazenly crossing his arms and cocking his head, despite being held aloft by the scruff. But he had to hide him.
The trolley approaching now probably carried the "lots of meat" meal that punk had insolently ordered for His Highness.
One thing was clear: His Highness really liked this guy.
With that thought, Evan grumbled in an uncharacteristically surly tone.
"Why should I?"
"Hurry up? If I get caught, the one in real trouble will be that cute little prince you dote on so much."
Evan's brows furrowed at the jibe, about to snap back, when he realized the trolley wheels had reached the door. He strode quickly to the terrace, flung open the window, and tossed out what he held.
Then he slammed the window shut, locked it to keep him out, and for good measure—to punish the insolence—drew the blackout curtains tight, ensuring not a sliver of light escaped.
From outside, Nihil watched the bedroom light get meticulously blocked off. Guessing he'd be exiled until the prince emerged from the bath, he neatly folded the cloak over his shoulders and settled into a crouch in the terrace corner.
Having fasted for so long, the aroma of food made his stomach clench painfully.
With Nihil banished to the terrace, the bedroom fell quiet—until a knock echoed soon after. Evan opened the door, and in came not the usual single maid with the trolley, but three in a row.
The innocent kitten was hungry, so he'd ordered lots and lots of "meat, lots of meat."
Evan watched the foods (especially the meats) filling the table one by one, a mix of laughter and tears rising in him. He glared toward the terrace for no reason.
The terrace window rattled faintly as a breeze picked up.
Wishing the outside was freezing cold, Evan pondered what to do with the lynx he'd banished even after the food was served and the maids gone.
Part of him wanted to lie and say the beggar had run off, banishing him for good—but it'd be an obvious fib, and even if it worked, the kitten might be so heartbroken he'd never mingle with peers again.
That decided it: better to expose every savage trait until the kitten rejected him on his own, rather than force him out now.
Still, it irked him. Evan considered letting him back in just before His Highness exited the bath, then shook his head. If that lynx decided to tattle, he'd be the one in hot water.
Whiiiiiing—
The wind howled like a ghost, battering the window harder.
Aw, screw it.
After hesitating, Evan's feet carried him straight to the terrace as if resigned.
Shwaak—click, clunk!
He yanked back the blackout curtains, swiftly undid the lock, and threw open the terrace window. But the lynx he expected to see was gone, leaving him momentarily flustered.
Did he run off already?
Evan's lips twitched upward in faint excitement at the hope—until, through the clear terrace glass, his eyes met the lynx's enigmatic black gaze, crouched in the corner and staring up silently.
"..."
"..."
So close.
Evan looked down at the heap that resembled a pile of trash with thoroughly cooled eyes.
The lynx had wrapped himself tightly in His Highness's precious cloak, pinning the end under his feet, curling up to block the wind completely.
Evan realized he'd underestimated the beggar's survival instincts. This one would survive even if kicked out now.
Evan grabbed the bundle by the scruff and hauled it back inside.
Setting it down exactly where it had been, he watched the lynx glance at the table laden with meats of every kind, flash a faint smile, then look up at him.
"Unexpected."
"What is?"
"I figured you'd leave me out there till the prince showed up."
Yeah, that had been the plan.
He was about to say he'd hoped the guy vanished for good when—
"Guess you're not as petty as I thought."
Evan clamped his mouth shut, swallowing his retort at the lynx's remark.
He'd nearly painted himself as the narrow-minded one.