IBTBD 24

chapter 24

Despite his gentle tone, he was unbelievably careless.

My vision spun, and it felt like my brain was being shaken around.

“Chit, chuuut…!”

This crazy tiger!

I couldn’t help but let out a shriek.

At that moment, the grip that had been sealing the opening loosened, and a faint breeze slipped through above my upturned backside.

Soon, just enough space opened up for my head to squeeze through.

“Wouldn’t this still be a little too tight?”

‘…Who do you think I am, some chipmunk with a giant boulder for a face?’

The insulting remark almost made me stick my head right out of the handkerchief, just to spite him.

But no—it was clearly a trap.

This was the same man who had pretended to be asleep to deceive me. Who knew what other tricks he had prepared?

‘What in the world is he after?’

I twitched my tail and thought it over for a long while.

In the end, there was no other choice inside this pouch.

“Chuut…”

Keeping my guard up, I cautiously pushed my face out—only to lock eyes directly with Erjin Astrahan.

Under the sunlight, his golden hair shone even more brilliantly, his eyes curved gently beneath it.

As Gerard had said, it was a face that had reportedly made many noble ladies of the Empire weep.

If not for those utterly vacant eyes, even I might have turned around for a second look once upon a time.

But before I could finish that thought—

“So I wasn’t mistaken after all.”

Erjin’s blue eyes flashed chillingly.

And then—

“Haven’t we met before?”

He asked with a friendly smile, but the gaze behind it was unsettling.

The very same eyes I remembered from three years ago.

My body froze like stone.

I wanted to crawl back inside the handkerchief, but Erjin’s grip around my body held me firmly in place.

“Chit, chuuit…!”

I couldn’t breathe.

My breath quickened, my mind went blank, and my body trembled in terror.

‘He said we’ve met before…?’

What could that mean?

Could Erjin Astrahan truly be the one who massacred my family and drove me to the cliff’s edge?

Speculations tumbled one after another through my mind.

‘Whatever the case…’

I had to escape immediately.

Every instinct screamed at me.

I struggled desperately to wriggle free from Erjin’s grasp.

I even shoved my arms out of the handkerchief to scratch at the back of his hand.

To a top predator like him, it must have been no more than an egg striking a boulder—laughably weak. But it was the best resistance I could muster.

“Ah…”

Erjin only parted his lips slightly and stared down at my desperate struggle.

Fortunately, his expression softened, just a little.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

The strength in his grip eased.

Not enough for me to escape, but enough to let me breathe again.

I didn’t try to force a breakaway; that would only tighten his guard.

For now, I’d wait and try to figure out his intentions.

“Chit.”

“I never imagined you’d be a squirrel…” Erjin said, sounding somewhat surprised.

He went on to explain that, a few days ago, he had caught sight of my shadow through a window.

“I thought, as a servant of the Black Dragon Castle, you’d look like some hideous fish doll—covered in scales and bristling with teeth. But this… was completely unexpected.”

He looked genuinely bewildered.

‘What kind of fish even looks like that?’

I had no idea if such a creature even existed, but at least I now understood what this tiger thought of the Black Dragon Castle.

“Chuut.”

At least it wasn’t anything too important.

For a moment, I had feared he had discovered my true identity as Muriel Aymond, combing through the Imperial Palace.

But I couldn’t relax yet.

“…”

The way his sharp gaze bore into every detail of my face was unsettling.

“Truly… astonishing.”

“Chuut?!”

What now?!

“You really look like a living squirrel.”

His fingers toyed with my ears, and the look of childlike wonder on his face made him seem like he’d just received a surprise birthday present.

“Chuu…ut?”

That was when I realized something was terribly wrong.

“To think the Black Dragon Castle would make a surveillance doll in the form of a squirrel. Life must be very peaceful there.” Erjin murmured cryptically.

‘The Black Dragon Castle?’

So he wasn’t suggesting I was from Astrahan?

No—wait. Surveillance doll? Cursed doll?

What on earth was he talking about?

I blinked at him blankly, and soon, he explained:

“Gerard Viper—that wretched man—even went so far as to create cursed dolls that move on their own.”

So this tiger…

He thought I was one of those cursed dolls (mission: VIP surveillance) made by that lunatic Gerard Viper?

I gawked at him in shock, and his fingers slowly brushed against my cheek.

“Well, I don’t mind. It just so happens this surveillance doll is very much to my taste.”

To his taste.

To his taste—

TO HIS TASTE—?!

“Chit, chuuut!!”

What kind of rotten acorn nonsense was that?!

I leapt in place, then forced myself to calm down and think.

‘So he sees me like a witch’s familiar or something?’

Clearly, he couldn’t imagine a frail little creature like me actually living inside the terrifying Black Dragon Castle.

And he continued examining me with fascinated eyes, as though that belief was unshakable.

“Is it powered by mana? I don’t sense any, though.”

Such foolish words.

But to me, it was perfect.

If he believed I was one of König’s surveillance dolls, he couldn’t do anything reckless with me.

“Chit, chit.”

I couldn’t help but smirk.

“As expected of a cursed doll from the Black Dragon Castle—you smile so wickedly.”

‘…This idiot tiger, really?’

I quickly jerked my head away, dodging his finger as he tried to poke my cheek.

He frowned, disappointed, but I wasn’t about to give him another chance.

‘Now I just need the right moment to escape.’

I hadn’t gained much, but it was nearly lunchtime.

Which meant König would soon return to his chambers after training.

I had, at best, fifteen minutes.

‘Even if I ran flat out, it would take at least five minutes to get back to his room…’

Yes. I had to deal with this sly tiger within five minutes.

[I’ll go check.]

I glanced up at the ceiling, and sure enough, Sebi’s quick reply came.

Our little lizard was always sharp.

I couldn’t help but chuckle in relief.

Then—clang, clang.

The sound of armored footsteps made both Erjin and me turn our heads toward the door.

Heavy, oppressive steps, like knights marching off to behead an enemy.

At least seven distinct presences.

Why would fully armed knights be heading for a guest’s chambers?

‘Whatever the reason, it can’t be good.’

Erjin’s brow twitched as he seemed to realize the same thing.

I strained my senses to catch more details.

“Sir Keni… you mustn’t…!”

A faint but familiar voice.

It was Gerard, without a doubt.

Piecing together the few words I caught, I understood:

‘König is coming…’

And from the sound of it, ready to cut down Erjin Astrahan on the spot.

“Chit, chuuut—!”

No, no, no!

If I got caught outside the handkerchief—let alone together with the enemy—this time I really might end up taxidermied!

I completely forgot my plan to trick Erjin into lowering his guard. All I wanted now was to escape the handkerchief.

But Erjin only stared at me with a thoughtful expression.

“Hm… would it be troublesome for you if your identity were exposed?”

‘Are you seriously asking that now?!’

Then let me go!

I stretched my neck like a turtle, pretending I was about to bite his hand.

That was when Erjin’s lips curled into a strange smile.

His mouth smiled, but his eyes did not.

“If you fail your mission, will you be discarded? Then… could I keep you instead?”

“Chit.”

This lunatic.

Dragon or tiger, they’re both insane.

Are all predators like this?

I froze with my mouth hanging open, and Erjin softened his smile again.

“I’m joking. How about we make a deal instead?”

“Chuu, chuut…”

A deal? In this situation?