🔊 TTS Settings
chapter 21
The next day.
As expected, the Kreuz Ducal Castle was in an uproar.
“I have no excuse. It seems to have been a plan prepared with great care for a long time. We found things like this all over the castle.”
What Gerard handed to Kenig, who was reclining against the bed, was a common marble ornament.
“At first glance, it looks like an ordinary decoration, but once the set time comes, it burns with sleep-inducing incense and melts away.”
In short, it was a sleeping incense candle disguised as a decorative object.
“Once it served its purpose, no trace would remain. They must have dreamed of the perfect crime.”
It wasn’t hard to guess who had the audacity to cause such a stir.
Erjin Astrahan.
That brazen uninvited guest who shamelessly occupied a guest room.
“What lengths he goes to.”
The sleep-incense crumbled to dust in Barjun’s clenched fist.
In truth, they had long known he was sneaking out of his room at night and wandering the Black Dragon Castle.
From the very first day Erjin Astrahan had stepped into the castle, Kenig had already planted watchers.
“I thought he would at most rummage through the duke’s office, but…”
To think he would come himself, with a blade to Kenig’s throat.
Kenig’s lips curled in a crooked smile.
Meanwhile, Gerard’s head sank lower and lower toward the floor.
“I don’t think he acted alone.”
“Even after the purge, there are still some left, hm.”
Kenig’s reply was flat.
After the poisoning incident, the Kreuz castle had undergone a massive purge.
Anyone even slightly connected to the case was removed, and only those with thoroughly verified identities and records were allowed to remain.
And yet, traitors continued to crawl out of the cracks.
To Kenig, they were like cockroaches.
But that wasn’t the most important problem.
The true question was—
“Why?”
That was the fundamental doubt.
For the past ten years or more…
Kenig had never seen Erjin Astrahan make a decision and act of his own will.
No drive, no desire.
Just a pathetic little stray cat, drifting wherever life carried him.
That was Kenig’s opinion of Erjin Astrahan.
So why was he now posturing as the emperor’s hound?
Kenig wanted to know the reason.
“There are reports that, for some reason, he’s still staying in the guest room. Should we seize him now?”
“He dared to target my life, yet hasn’t even fled. What could he be thinking? Let’s watch a little longer.”
“My lord, but still…”
Gerard closed his mouth without finishing the question of whether that wasn’t too dangerous.
The unchanged expression on his lord’s face left him no words.
‘Dangerous’—that was only in the measure of an ordinary Gerard Viper.
Unbeknownst to the world, dragonkin were different.
Among them, the heart of the black dragonkin was made of a structure harder than any known substance.
No ordinary means could harm them.
‘He knows that truth well. That’s why he’s so calm.’
“There are many ways to twist the neck of a runaway cat.”
Kenig’s gaze fell to his own palm.
Or more precisely—to Cherry, sound asleep with her cheek pressed against his stomach.
Had she gone through some ordeal last night?
The little squirrel was in such a deep sleep, she wouldn’t notice if someone carried her away.
“Do you think Lady Cherry was trying to protect you again?”
“…Who knows.”
Kenig answered Gerard’s question indifferently.
When he had first opened his eyes, it had felt as if his heart had plunged into the abyss.
The bedroom door was half-smashed and hanging open, and Cherry was nowhere to be found.
For the first time in his life, Kenig experienced his vision going blank with shock.
The only thought that tangled through his frantic mind was one name:
Erjin Astrahan.
The wretch who dared break into his room and steal his squirrel—Kenig swore to cut his head off.
But then—
“M-my lord, we found her! Lady Cherry is safe!”
She had been asleep under the blanket that had slipped beneath the bed.
“The blanket is heavy; Lady Cherry couldn’t have pulled it down herself…”
Gerard’s voice trailed off.
It was strange enough that Erjin had risked breaking in only to leave with nothing.
One inexplicable event after another.
“My lord, shall we run another mana test?”
Gerard asked cautiously, gauging Kenig’s expression.
“Surely Lady Cherry bravely fought off the intruder herself.”
The foolish words carried a trace of genuine belief.
For otherwise, none of this could be explained.
But Kenig’s answer was firm.
“I think we’ve done more than enough.”
“Yes, I know that, but…”
In truth, countless mana tests had already been performed on the suspicious squirrel.
The result was always the same: no mana detected.
Gerard no longer cared whether she was secretly a shapeshifter or not.
He only desperately wished to solve this riddle that refused to yield.
Still, he had no intention of disobeying his lord’s will.
“No more mana tests. You may withdraw.”
“By your command.”
Thus Gerard departed, and the matter seemed to settle for the time being.
“Cherry, how much longer do you plan to pretend to sleep?”
Until the low voice brushed over her raised fur.
“Chyuut!”
Caught off guard, I leapt straight into the air.
Truthfully, I had been awake for a while already.
But when Gerard suggested another mana test, I pretended to sleep for dear life.
Unfortunately, a greater trial awaited me—
Kenig Kreuz himself.
‘Or rather…’
The dizzying display of bare skin I glimpsed through the slits of my half-open eyes.
Deep, carved muscle lines, like furrows plowed by a farmer.
Clearly visible abs through the silk robe he wore so loosely.
‘Why on earth am I sleeping here?!’
My head spun so wildly I thought it might explode.
After all—
My memory ended with me throwing myself at Erjin with everything I had.
After that, total blackout.
‘I feel like I heard Erjin say something, but…’
No matter how I tried, I couldn’t recall it.
All I knew for certain was that, for the briefest moment, Erjin’s spell of fascination had been broken.
How, I had no idea.
Because I immediately reverted to my squirrel form.
And when I next opened my eyes—this.
‘I-I need to get some distance.’
I couldn’t cling to him like a barnacle forever.
I tried to roll away as if shifting in my sleep, but my body quickly returned to place.
Kenig’s firm hand held me cupped in his palm.
‘So that mocking sound I kept hearing… he must have known I was awake all along.’
“Tch.”
This wicked dragon!
I lifted my head fiercely, and his figure came into view.
Reclining against the bed’s headboard, his posture was dangerously alluring.
Half-lidded eyes fixed on me, lips tilted in a sly smirk.
‘That expression means only one thing—’
“Perverted squirrel.”
Yes, I knew he’d say that.
“Chyuut.”
I jerked my head away, but escape was impossible.
He held me aloft as though I were a wine glass.
“Cherry, don’t you have anything to say to me?”
‘Say something? And would you even understand?’
I gave a sharp little scoff.
‘It was just a joke, but of course you don’t get it.’
If anything, I seemed to have made things worse.
Kenig’s face darkened.
“Last night, I could swear I heard your voice.”
What was he talking about now?
I blinked in confusion.
“I might even have seen you.”
“Ch-chyuut…?”
He had heard my voice?
But it seemed that was only the beginning.
