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Chapter 19
After dancing with Lucy, Bartholomew no longer had any reason to remain in the banquet hall, so he wandered through the garden outside the Imperial Palace.
As he was catching his breath in a deserted spot, someone called out to him.
“Young Master Bartholomew!”
It was Lucy’s voice, one that had already become familiar to him.
When he turned around, he saw Lucy running toward him with a small white puppy in her arms.
“Thank you so much!”
Lucy suddenly threw her arms around Bartholomew.
Caught between the two of them, Cerberus barked loudly.
“Woof!”
Bartholomew’s body stiffened at Lucy’s unexpected embrace.
“Thanks to you, Young Master Bartholomew, the imperial banquet ended successfully.”
“I understand. But first…”
“And for the first time ever, I was invited to dine with His Majesty the Emperor!”
Lucy lifted her head and looked up at Bartholomew.
Her amber eyes sparkled brilliantly.
Her cheeks were flushed like flower petals, and her bright smile overflowed with vitality.
Lucy was genuinely happy.
Because of his help.
“If it weren’t for you, Young Master Bartholomew, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything.”
The corners of Bartholomew’s lips lifted faintly.
“I see. I’m truly glad I was of help.”
The two of them smiled at each other.
Bartholomew, who had smiled without realizing it, suddenly caught himself.
He lightly pushed Lucy away by the shoulders.
Lucy obediently stepped back from his arms.
Then she noticed the clear smear of Cerberus’s snot on Bartholomew’s chest.
“Oh, right. This puppy was a gift bestowed upon me by His Majesty the Emperor.”
“This puppy?”
Bartholomew looked puzzled.
Instead of some rare jewel or precious treasure, it was merely an ordinary puppy.
“His name is Cerberus!”
“Cerberus?”
And on top of that, such an ill-fitting name.
Thinking that, Bartholomew looked at Cerberus.
Sensing his gaze, Cerberus narrowed his eyes slightly.
As if he had read Bartholomew’s thoughts, the puppy wrinkled his nose and let out a low growl.
“Cerberus! You mustn’t growl. It’s thanks to this person that you and I met.”
Lucy scolded Cerberus.
Then she held him out toward Bartholomew.
“Try holding him. He’s the result of both our efforts.”
Bartholomew thought Lucy’s wording could easily lead to misunderstandings, but he chose not to point it out.
Instead, he simply stared at Cerberus for a moment without taking him immediately.
Lucy tilted her head.
“Do you perhaps dislike dogs? Or are you afraid of them?”
Bartholomew shook his head.
It was simply his first time ever encountering such a tiny dog, so he found it unfamiliar.
“If not, then you really should hold him. He feels like a soft, squishy rice cake.”
A soft, squishy rice cake? What was that supposed to mean?
Though Bartholomew couldn’t fully understand the things Lucy said, he still reached out his hands.
When Cerberus tried wrinkling his nose again, Lucy made a sharp “Tsk!” sound.
Bartholomew carefully took Cerberus into his arms.
The way he held the puppy looked awkward, almost as though he were cradling a newborn baby.
Still, he thought he understood why Lucy had insisted he try it.
The puppy was fluffy and warm.
As though entranced, Bartholomew stroked Cerberus’s head.
Cerberus let out a small growl, but he didn’t seem intent on biting him.
Bartholomew cautiously petted Cerberus’s back and even gently squeezed his soft belly.
“……”
“……”
Lucy became slightly awkward.
She had only handed Cerberus over so he could hold him for a moment, but Bartholomew was completely absorbed in petting the puppy.
“He’s cute, right?”
“Cute?”
Bartholomew’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Rather than cute… he feels comforting.”
“Huh?”
Lucy looked at Cerberus, who was still baring his fangs with a wrinkled snout.
No matter how anyone looked at it, Cerberus was openly hostile toward Bartholomew, yet Bartholomew seemed to feel comforted while petting him.
“Stroking Cerberus makes the tightness in my chest feel as though it’s disappearing.”
Bartholomew looked at Cerberus openly, unable to hide his amazement.
Apparently displeased by the attention, Cerberus barked sharply and snapped at Bartholomew’s hand.
More accurately, Bartholomew twisted his wrist just in time, causing Cerberus to bite only his sleeve.
“Cerberus!”
Startled, Lucy quickly took Cerberus back into her arms.
She lifted him to eye level and spoke sternly.
“Young Master Bartholomew is my friend. You mustn’t behave rudely.”
Whine…
Cerberus let out a pitiful little sound.
“Young Master Bartholomew, are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Adjusting his sleeve, he answered calmly.
His attitude made it seem as though the bite of a tiny puppy was nothing to fear.
“By the way… how can I ever repay this kindness?”
Cradling Cerberus in her arms, Lucy looked at Bartholomew.
“I owe you a great debt. Is there anything you need help with, Young Master Bartholomew?”
At this moment, Lucy felt as though if Bartholomew asked her to pluck stars from the sky, she would at least pretend she could do it.
At the same time, she was afraid he might reject her and say that since they had repaid each other’s debts, they should stop associating altogether.
That would be exactly like Bartholomew.
Yet Bartholomew said something unexpected.
“If that is truly the case…”
After hesitating briefly, he continued,
“Then please allow me to see Cerberus from time to time.”
Lucy’s eyes widened into circles.
‘He must really like Cerberus.’
The emotional comfort pets provided was truly remarkable.
“Of course! Young Master Bartholomew is welcome anytime.”
When Lucy answered readily, Bartholomew nodded.
“Then, since my business here is done, I shall take my leave.”
“Wait!”
Lucy called out to Bartholomew as he turned to leave.
“Actually…”
Carefully gauging his reaction, Lucy continued cautiously.
“His Majesty the Emperor wishes for you to join us for the meal as well.”
“Me?”
Lucy nodded, looking apologetic.
Making someone like him, who avoided social interactions, dance in a crowded banquet hall already seemed like a tremendous burden.
And now he was being asked to dine with the Emperor himself.
Wouldn’t Bartholomew cough up blood trying to refuse?
“I personally think you should rest, Young Master Bartholomew, but it’s practically an imperial command…”
Lucy trailed off.
That was right.
It was an invitation from His Majesty the Emperor himself.
An ordinary person would consider it the greatest honor for their family.
The Emperor had likely invited Bartholomew personally for precisely that reason.
Bartholomew became troubled.
He had never expected things to go so far as a private audience with the Emperor.
Even attending the imperial banquet had been done without Duke Faraday’s permission.
How would the Duke react if he learned Bartholomew had met the Emperor personally?
Just thinking about it already gave him a headache.
Then he remembered the poison he still had not thrown away.
Why should I keep watching the mood of the man who drove me into suffering?
For the first time, such a rebellious thought surfaced in Bartholomew’s mind.
It truly was the first time.
The first time he had ever felt rebellious toward Duke Faraday.
‘Perhaps it’s because of the woman standing before me.’
Ever since meeting Lucy, Bartholomew had gradually begun to change.
He was experiencing various emotions and acting differently from his usual self because of them.
“Since it is His Majesty the Emperor’s invitation, naturally I must attend.”
“Really?”
Lucy brightened immediately.
‘Thank goodness!’
Truthfully, Lucy had felt troubled when the Emperor invited her to dine.
She worried her negative-status curse might cause problems during a private audience with him.
But if Bartholomew stayed by her side, it would feel like having a powerful ally with her.
“Young Master Bartholomew, do you remember when I told you about my curse?”
“I remember.”
“You may have noticed already, but whenever I interact with people other than you, I become extremely…”
Lucy trailed off as she carefully searched for the right words.
“…less intelligent.”
“……”
“I can only respond with short answers. Because of the curse.”
Bartholomew recalled the way Lucy behaved around other people.
Because of that, this absurd explanation somehow sounded convincing.
“So… when we dine with His Majesty the Emperor, if I seem troubled, could you speak on my behalf?”
Seeing Bartholomew’s stiff expression, Lucy hurriedly added,
“I’ll let you pet Cerberus as much as you want, anytime! No— I’ll even let you become Cerberus’s father.”
“…Please do not phrase it like that.”
“Huh?”
Bartholomew let out a small sigh.
“Very well. If there is any way I can help, then I will do so.”
