TWLW 51

chapter 51

After I finished scratching him all over, Kels rubbed his head against my hand—and not just that, he even licked my palm.

“Eek! Don’t lick my hand—it’s dirty!”

At my words, I heard a quiet giggle from across the room.

I lifted my head slightly and saw two men covering their mouths with their hands, barely suppressing their laughter.

Rudels turned his head, his shoulders trembling, while Akin faced forward, hand over his mouth, eyes cast to the floor.

Whatever their expressions meant, it was clear they weren’t exactly flattering from my perspective.

“A-hem. Teacher Iriel.”

Akin had suppressed his laughter faster than Rudels and called out to me.

“What kind of treatment do you usually provide, Teacher Iriel?”

“Huh? Uh… I specialize in internal medicine. Back in the Human Kingdom, I handled just about every common illness.”

“Hmm… really? Then herbal medicine too?”

“I don’t know the details… but yes.”

“My family’s physician went into a frenzy over the work involving a medicine without side effects—was that also done by you, Teacher Iriel?”

“Huh? H-How did you…?”

I was flustered, and he laughed heartily.

“Of course… there are ways to know these things.”

At that, Rudels glared at him, muttering under his breath.

“Akin Radiance… have you planted something in our house?”

He muttered so quietly that I wasn’t sure if I heard him correctly, but it seemed along those lines.

Akin smirked at Rudels briefly, then turned his gaze back to me.

“Truly… Teacher Iriel, you are a precious presence our kingdom cannot do without, as Confucius said.”

He rested his hand against his face and asked me directly.

“Teacher, if I offered you better conditions and pay here, would you consider joining us?”

Rudels glared at Akin as if he were looking at a madman.

I was so shocked that I opened my eyes wide and couldn’t speak.

“Uh…”

“Akin Radiance. That’s enough.”

Rudels growled at him, then turned to me, biting his lips to suppress a rising sound of frustration.

But Akin seemed unfazed by Rudels’ warning and continued his offer.

“No matter what the Epin family offered, I’ll double it. My family is not lacking in wealth to the point of losing to theirs.”

“Uh…”

“And if you wish, I can provide a personal residence as well.”

“Uh…”

“Ah! If the contract with the Epin family is an issue, don’t worry. My household has competent lawyers. And I’ll cover all the costs involved in breaking the contract.”

I was confused by Akin’s bold offer, his cheerful smile almost blinding me.

“Akin… Radiance…”

Rudels gritted his teeth at Akin’s growing proposition toward me.

At that moment, Rudels’ eyes seemed to spark with blue flames—flames of the highest intensity.

But Akin was no less fierce. He too smiled, his eyes igniting with sparks of challenge.

Caught between their silent struggle of wills, I finally managed to open my mouth to intervene.

“Uh… Lord Radiance?”

“You may call me Akin.”

“What kind of trickery is this… ahem.”

Rudels clenched his teeth, about to show his anger, but stopped himself.

“Thank you for the offer, but I don’t think I can accept it.”

“Really? Too little? If there’s anything you want, I can provide it all.”

I shook my head.

“It’s not that… I’ve already pledged myself to the Epin family, and I feel more comfortable there.”

“Hmm… is it… because of ‘affection’?”

I hesitated at his question.

“Maybe….”

“But the world doesn’t operate on affection alone, Teacher Iriel.”

I nodded at his words.

“That’s true. But… I’ve decided to stay here regardless. Even if I show affection, it won’t change anything. It might even make me look foolish.”

I spoke quietly, looking at Akin.

His eyes, which I expected to seem indifferent, were sparkling.

Curiosity about me? That wasn’t all—it was something that provoked his interest.

And it was not a friendly emotion.

A mixture of incompatible emotions had settled into those brown eyes.

“But affection is just one factor for making choices. And it’s because of that factor that I made this decision.”

I scratched my cheek with an embarrassed smile.

“So… I can’t accept your offer. I apologize.”

As I politely declined, Rudels’ lips twitched slightly. I guessed it meant he was relieved—and I felt secretly reassured.

‘Thank goodness!’

I was truly relieved that I didn’t get swept up by Akin’s excessive offer. Honestly, it was overwhelming that he suddenly showed this much interest in me.

‘No matter how I think about it, I haven’t really shown him my healer’s side that much.’

Moreover, Akin was paying even more attention after knowing I belonged to Rudels’ household.

In short, what I could conclude was…

‘I’ve been dragged into the conflict between Radiance and the Epin family.’

That was all.

Even as a newly-adult 19-year-old, I understood this perfectly. Such events were not uncommon in the Witch Kingdom either.

‘Of course… it wasn’t as nonviolent there.’

That place… was a group more animalistic than beastmen.

‘No thinking about fights that make heads burst… no, no. Don’t think.’

Still haunted by visions of blood spraying from people’s heads, I shook my head and turned back to Akin.

He looked regretful, yet his eyes held a certain liveliness.

“How unfortunate.”

He said, sighing with a deflating smile, and drank his tea.

Meanwhile, Rudels twitched his nose as he looked at me, a strange mix of excitement and delight on his face. I felt relieved, thinking I had handled the situation well.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Rudels spoke confidently, as if it were his own home, and someone entered the room.

“Hello. I am Melenophre, Kels’ attending physician. I apologize for intruding, but I came for Kels’ dressing today.”

An older man bowed slightly, holding a medicine box.

And Kels…

“Kyaaaak!”

He reacted violently.

“Mr… Kels.”

“Haak! Kyaaaak!”

Kels expressed his displeasure with his entire body, even using his sore hind leg, crying violently.

The attending physician wiped cold sweat from his brow.

“Sir, if we change the bandage today, your leg won’t hurt.”

“Kyaaak!”

Kels howled while baring his tiny teeth, glaring at him.

I held Kels close, stroking his back.

“Now, now. Calm down, calm down!”

“Grrr.”

“If you move too much here, it will hurt. Ouch!”

I spoke sternly, looking Kels straight in the eyes.

He tilted his ears back and gave me a pleading look. Please, not him, his eyes seemed to say.

“Th-That still won’t do…”

“Kiiing…”

“No…”

“Hiiing, hiiing.”

Kels stared at me intently, knowing his cuteness worked on me, sparkling in his eyes as he pleaded. He even lightly scratched my arm with his paw.

Truly, I had heard that foxes were sly creatures… I had heard, but still!

I suppressed the twitch at my lips and sighed. It was unavoidable.

“Uh… may I do the dressing?”

In the end, the fox guided the witch exactly where he wanted.

“Keng! Keng!”

Kels wagged his tail happily, tongue out, while the physician handed me the medicine box. He seemed eager for me to do it, making me feel almost tricked.

‘What can I do… he’s my patient first.’

With the responsibility of a healer, I began preparing for the dressing.

Unlike the servant had suggested, Kels remained calm until the dressing was completely finished.

“Hmm… shouldn’t we give an injection too?”

I looked at Kels’ deep wound and asked the physician.

He nodded.

“As you said, the antibiotics were administered beforehand. Truly… it was thrilling, haha.”

He smiled wistfully, recalling something, and laughed heartily.

Hearing him, I felt sorry for him. This little fox must have struggled greatly when receiving the injection.

“Kiiing?”

Yet the little fox seemed oblivious.

‘Cute.’

Still, all of that was outweighed by his adorable face and wagging tail.

Snuggling close, Kels rested his face against my waist, rubbing against me.

“Ah! I-It tickles…!”

I giggled, pretending to scold him while petting the spoiled fox.

“Hmm, hmm! Kels seems to like young teachers.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes… even the marquis avoids approaching him, yet you seem favored…”

“Ah…”

Hearing that, I felt a tinge of pity.