TWLW 38

chapter 38

“Wait a minute. Did you just grab a whole clump of my hair?”

I looked at him with trembling eyes.
He tilted his head several times, then let go of the hair he’d grabbed, leaving just a few strands.

I spread my fingers and said,

“Th-three strands…”
“Hm… three is too few—”
“Three! Three is enough for now! I’ll ask you for more later! Just that much! Just that!”

Smiling awkwardly, I reached out my shaking hand toward him as he offered me the three strands.
As I watched the hairs fall into my palm, I felt as if I had aged ten years.

What had I even done? I had just accepted a new contract and received the advance payment… so why was I so exhausted? Why?

Like a newborn fawn, my legs trembled as I stepped closer to him and bowed.

“Th-then I’ll be going now.”

The moment I finished speaking, Rudels turned his body, crossed his legs, and smiled at me.

“But our teacher—I heard you stayed up all night again.”

What the—how did he know that?

My eyes widened in surprise as I looked at him.
Though the corners of his lips were curled into a smile, his eyes… were cold as ice.

“Do you plan on pulling another all-nighter this time?”

His voice was warm, but his gaze was chilling. I swallowed hard and forced a smile.

“Ahaha! No, no. This experiment is almost finished, so I was only planning to run a few more tests and then stop! O-oh, and today I have to meet Master Qureil to check the results of the drug tests using Frostlate, too!”

I avoided his eyes and chattered on.
It wasn’t exactly a lie—just a small part of the truth. So I wasn’t really wrong, right?

But it seemed that his beastly instincts, sharp as a wolf’s, had caught my deception.

“Doesn’t seem that way to me…”

He studied my face closely as he slowly rose from his seat.

“W-what do you mean, not true? It is true!”

Flustered, I forgot to speak politely and stepped back.
Rudels, with a faint smirk on his lips as though amused by my behavior, advanced slowly.

“Iriel. You do know that telling only part of the truth is still a bad thing, don’t you?”

Beast instincts really are terrifying.

That was all that went through my mind as I gulped nervously.

Rudels stopped just two steps away, no closer.
With his hands in his pockets, he simply stared at me.
His eyes carried a strange emotion—like he was both smiling and crying at the same time.

Did I just imagine that?

When I rubbed my eyes and looked again, he was smiling brightly as though nothing had happened.

“Our teacher holds one of the most important positions among the healers in the family, so you must take care of yourself, understood?”

Otherwise, everyone would be saddened.

He added that with a cheerful smile.
I slowly nodded, gripping tightly the glass vial containing his hair.

Seeing the familiar little bottle now filled with strands of his hair felt strangely unsettling.
After giving him a quick bow, I hurried back to the castle.

Surely, Master Qureil was checking on Merina’s recovery by now.

And depending on the treatment’s success, my research might be judged differently by the beastkin! I need to work hard!

Clenching both fists, I quickened my pace.

As Rudels watched the spot where she had disappeared, the sound of movement stirred behind him.

Snap!

He flicked his fingers, and the figure rustling behind him floated helplessly into view.

The pitiful man dangling in midair was none other than Rusell Kedric.

Adjusting his glasses with a sullen look, Rusell said,

“You’ve done it now. Congratulations, young master. Things went just the way you wanted.”

No sooner had he spoken than the magic released, and he crashed to the floor.

“Ghk!”

Perhaps punished for his impertinence, the pain in his jaw jolted his mind awake.

“Keep mouthing off, you black cat.”

Rudels stood, sipping his tea, treating his only loyal vassal with disdain.

Rusell pushed back his tied-up hair with obvious dissatisfaction, glaring at him.

“Judging from your look, you were eavesdropping.”

Rudels chuckled softly as he glanced at him.

“So, what did you think?”
“You looked like a swindler tricking a child.”

Rusell answered clearly, his eyes bright with unvarnished truth.

Rudels turned his gaze away, his lips drooping.

“Harsh, but true. Still… it hurts.”
“Since you’ve been granted investigative authority, I assume you’ve already informed His Majesty about the witch’s existence.”

At his grumbling, Rudels set his teacup down and replied,

“That’s right.”
“The opposition must have been fierce.”
“I handled it… tactfully.”
“You really are impressive in every way, young master.”

Rusell clicked his tongue at his master’s ruthless composure.
Even though Rudels was his sworn lord, seeing him act so coldly toward someone he clearly liked made his affection for him waver.

Running a rough hand through his hair, Rusell asked,

“Why exactly are you so intent on staying by Teacher Iriel’s side?”
“My reasons, huh…”

Rudels hesitated, tapping the back of his hand with a finger.
Watching his deliberation, Rusell narrowed his eyes.

“Don’t tell me… because of that incident back then. Rudels, no matter what, using her is—!”
“Rusell Kedric.”

Rudels’s deep voice reverberated through the room.
The weight of it made Rusell’s pupils dilate—like a beast caught in tension.

Rudels’s eyes glowed blue as he fixed his gaze on him.

“Have you forgotten that under no circumstances are we ever to speak of that matter?”

Unleashing the primal aura of a beast, he crushed Rusell’s resistance.
Clutching his throat, Rusell gagged and gasped.

Rudels revealed his black ears and tail as he glared down at him.
The fury in his cold gaze was unmistakable.

Rusell collapsed to the floor, nearly fainting.

Only then did Rudels withdraw his aura, hiding his ears and tail again.
I went too far, he admitted inwardly, sighing.

“Sorry. I lost my temper.”

He helped Rusell up with an apologetic tone.

Still coughing, Rusell rubbed at his neck.

“No, I was at fault. I should never have brought up that incident. Forgive me.”

Admitting his mistake, Rusell bowed his head.
To speak of that day—the nightmare that had scarred not only Rudels but all of Iphinga—was an act of self-reproach for any retainer.

Seeing him like that, Rudels gave a bitter smile.

“How are Volefino and Tyres doing?”

Rusell straightened respectfully as he answered,

“No suspicious activity has been reported. In fact, they seem busy preparing for the council.”

“And Radiance?”

Rusell shook his head.

“Strangely quiet, isn’t it.”

Rudels muttered, gazing at the sky.
Yes—too quiet.
Like the calm morning before a storm.

He ground his teeth.

“The one Merina captured—is he still alive?”
“Yes. He’s locked in the underground prison.”
“I’ll need to pay him a visit.”

There was simply too little information.

Stretching, Rudels murmured,

“We’ll need something—anything—to keep the investigation moving, right?”

At his crooked grin, Rusell finally allowed a faint smile and nodded.

“Shall we teleport for the first time in a while?”
“I’ll pass.”
“Why? It’s faster this way.”

Rusell furrowed his brow deeply.

“I’m a beastkin, young master.”
“So am I.”
“You’re special. For me, exposure to magic makes my whole body ache.”

Ignoring his complaints, Rudels clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Then you should go see Teacher Iriel. I’ll allow it.”
“No, don’t—! Wa-wait—!”

Snap!

The moment his fingers flicked, the two men vanished.
Teleportation took only an instant.

After parting from Rudels, I rushed to Master Qureil’s apothecary.

“H-here I am, teacher!”

Inside, Master Qureil and her assistant, Martin, were enjoying tea.

“Oh my, sir. Welcome, welcome. Look at you, sweating buckets! Sit, sit. I’ll fetch some more tea leaves.”

Martin flitted off, wings fluttering, to fetch supplies.

Clicking her tongue at the sight of me, Master Qureil pointed her staff at a chair.

“Tsk, tsk. Sit down already!”
“Yes, ma’am!”

Catching my breath, I sat where she indicated.
She sipped her warm tea, casting me a not-unfriendly glare.

“Tsk tsk. I suppose you ran all the way here because of that, didn’t you?”
“Have the results already come out?”

I asked eagerly, eyes shining.
She sighed.

“Two days after I sent the report on Lady Merina’s condition, the association sent their reply.”

She handed me a letter.

“See for yourself what it says.”

The envelope had already been opened, as if she’d read it once.
Heart pounding, I picked it up.

“T-teacher… do you think the application was rejected because of distrust between species?”

My trembling words only made her chuckle.

“Read it yourself and judge.”

With eyes squeezed shut, I opened the letter.
But—I couldn’t bring myself to look.