HRB 37

“…Isn’t that an insult to cats?”

Sebastian finally couldn’t hold back and grumbled. It was a protest on behalf of Beth and Natilda, who would be spending a leisurely afternoon in their mother’s arms at his home.

However, Eddie didn’t care about Sebastian’s protest in the slightest and asked something else.

“By the way, when was the tournament again?”

“Next weekend.”

Sebastian reflexively answered, caught up in Eddie’s conversational flow. Then, as if remembering something, he flinched.

“You’ll come back in a day after watching the tournament, right?”

“Well, I’m not sure.”

Eddie answered ambiguously.

The Colosseum where the tournament was being held was in the neighboring city of Sandern. Though called a neighboring city, it was a distance that required several hours by carriage. It would be difficult to make a round trip in a single day.

“I don’t think that would be easy.”

“Gasp!”

Sebastian tried to clutch his heart, then realized he was wearing rubber gloves covered in kimchi seasoning and flailed his hands.

“Then we’ll be left alone…! This is driving me crazy!”

Sebastian mumbled quietly. Of course, it was in a voice too soft for Eddie to hear clearly.

As the tournament was mentioned, Eddie’s concerns were elsewhere.

“Hmm.”

A neighboring city. Eddie’s radius of activity was still limited to the vicinity of the inn. At most, it extended to going to the market with Ketron, or visiting a nearby park.

Just the thought of being exposed among numerous people made Eddie’s fingertips feel cold.

But a promise had already been made to go see the tournament.

What courage had welled up then? Eddie thought that perhaps there hadn’t been much thought put into it at all.

This wouldn’t do.

If just imagining it made Eddie’s fingertips grow cold, there was no way to easily navigate a tournament crowded with people.

Since they were going to watch the tournament, not have Ketron participate, Ketron would stay by Eddie’s side, but would that really be enough?

After pondering briefly, Eddie turned to Sebastian and asked,

“Is there something like a library nearby?”

“Well, yes. Though it’s useless to commoners like me who can barely read, but this is the capital after all.”

Since the capital had quite a few of what were commonly called educated commoners, there was naturally a library. Of course, Sebastian wasn’t an educated commoner. He had no interest in studying.

“I can read a little.”

He wasn’t completely illiterate. He just didn’t know difficult words. Sebastian, secretly emphasizing this point, glanced at Eddie and asked,

“How about you, Eddie? Can you read?”

Eddie nodded without particular doubt.

“Yes. I wrote the menu too.”

For some reason, Sebastian clicked his tongue at that.

“No wonder it sounded like nobility talk.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Nothing, nothing at all.”

Although he wasn’t good with writing, surely he could understand the simple noble language on the menu. But Sebastian played dumb at Eddie’s question.

It seemed like Eddie didn’t want to show off being of noble origin, and Sebastian wasn’t so tactless as to point out that fact.

After thinking for a moment, Eddie firmed up the decision. The park wasn’t very crowded, and at the market, Eddie only went to familiar places, so the tension was gradually easing.

Before visiting the neighboring city, it seemed better to get used to being outside by visiting other places.

Eddie left the kitchen and approached Ketron. Ketron, who had been killing time by quietly watching in Eddie’s direction, stared expressionlessly at the approaching Eddie.

But Eddie knew. Feeling like an invisible tail was wagging slightly, Eddie smiled brightly.

“Ket, I’m going to the library.”

Eddie wanted to go out. Ketron knew what he needed to say. Though Ketron was silent for a moment, looking at Eddie and thinking about something, it wasn’t long before he eagerly stood up from his seat.

“Let’s go together.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Tsk. Sebastian, who had been listening to the conversation from inside, clicked his tongue. Eddie had said that Ketron was like a rookie employee just like Sebastian. But the treatment was completely different.

Of course, Ketron wasn’t literally an employee getting paid like Sebastian, but still, the difference in treatment seemed excessive.

Unlike Sebastian the worker, the other was clearly a beloved cat in everyone’s eyes.

Of course, he was far from being a cat by anyone’s standards, but thanks to Eddie’s brainwashing over the past few days, Sebastian had such thoughts. It was cat-lighting. Of course, Sebastian the victim didn’t properly recognize that he was a victim.

“I’ll be back.”

Since the two going out together wasn’t a rare occurrence, Sebastian absentmindedly nodded and focused back on the cabbage. Cabbage, my nemesis.

Since they were just going to a nearby library, the two left the inn without much preparation. As Eddie’s hand fidgeted with Ketron’s collar, Ketron silently took Eddie’s hand in his.

Neither seemed to have any aversion to the action. Rather, Eddie smiled as if pleased, and Ketron turned his head away without a word, though even Sebastian could see that it wasn’t because he disliked it.

Oh my? Looks like they’re not even trying to hide it anymore.

“Isn’t that totally a date?”

“Sebastian.”

“Eek!”

Sebastian, who had been muttering habitually while making kimchi, jumped with a start.

Of course, the sudden voice was startling, but the owner of that voice was someone who, in just a few days, had made Sebastian shiver at the mere sound of his voice.

Sure enough, those characteristically cold blue eyes were looking down at Sebastian.

“Y-yes, yes, what is it, Mr. Gerold?”

“I heard.”

“Heard what?”

“That you cannot read.”

…How did this gentleman hear about that?

Hmm-hmm, Sebastian cleared his throat. It wasn’t that he couldn’t read at all. But Sebastian instinctively felt it would be better not to say that.

“Um, yes… so what?”

“I’ll make you read.”

“Pardon?”

It wasn’t that he didn’t understand the meaning—that Gerold would teach him to read. But in his bewilderment, Sebastian reflexively asked again.

Usually people would say, “I’ll teach you how to read,” wouldn’t they? Saying he’d “make him read” was such a Gerold-like expression.

Gerold had a stern face, as if he couldn’t even imagine that someone under him would be unable to read.

Well, learning to read would be a good thing, wouldn’t it? Sebastian nodded, albeit reluctantly, thinking that good things were good things.

The fact that he would master reading in just a few days through insane Spartan education was something he didn’t know yet—this was a peaceful moment before that storm.

* * *

These days, Eddie was quite a celebrity.

As Eddie’s inn itself gained fame for various reasons, naturally its owner Eddie became famous too.

Even with an ordinary appearance, Eddie would have become famous, but Eddie didn’t look ordinary at all. A noble appearance that anyone could recognize, paired with a kind personality. Everyone gossiped that Eddie must be either a hidden noble or an illegitimate child of a noble family.

It wasn’t difficult to deduce. Silver blonde—that brilliant hair color rare even among nobles, along with stunning beauty that must have been passed down through generations, added weight to the rumors.

After all, nobles typically monopolized all precious things.

On top of that, Eddie had a kind personality.

The characteristic kindness of those in the service industry and that gentle smile were, of course, key factors that led people to evaluate him positively in addition to his appealing appearance.

In a word, he was popular.

“Oh my, I think this is my first time seeing you here! Where are you going, Eddie?”

“I’m heading to the library.”

“Ah, I see.”

People who recognized him struck up conversations. When asked where he was going, Eddie replied honestly. There was no reason to hide something as simple as going to the library.

But he created yet another misunderstanding among the people.

Libraries were places distant to commoners. Indeed, he must be a noble without doubt. He must be going to the library to pursue academic studies. Everyone thought this way.

People’s gazes naturally shifted to Ketron beside him, or more precisely, to Ketron who was firmly holding Eddie’s hand.

Even those who easily spoke to Eddie couldn’t do the same with Ketron.

While Eddie was a friendly neighbor, that man who had settled in Eddie’s inn at some point was far from such a thing.

First of all, before considering friendliness, he was frightening.

It wasn’t that his appearance was scary. Rather, judging solely by appearance, he was quite smooth-featured.

Though his eye color and hair color were common black, perhaps due to his unique atmosphere, even those exuded a decadent aura. Some people liked him, calling him sexy.

However, no one expressed this to Ketron.

Because he was scary. And moreover, before that, anyone could see that this man was… undoubtedly Eddie’s lover.

It was plainly visible how the sharp man who seemed to bristle with thorns in all directions softened exclusively for Eddie. It was so obvious that even the most tactless person couldn’t miss it.

Eddie also seemed to have no intention of hiding it, constantly holding the man in his hands and fidgeting with him. He would touch his cheeks, massage his hands. The affectionate displays were so blatant that it was impossible not to notice.

Sometimes, people would blush with embarrassment just watching the two of them.

Since they were so open about it, rumors naturally followed.

That Eddie was hiding and living away from his noble status because of that man, his lover. That wasn’t too different from what Sebastian had thought.

Of course, for someone in hiding, he was living quite boldly in a good location, but rumors didn’t concern themselves with such details.

What was certain was that even now, the two were holding hands tightly.

People whispered but maintained silence. Eddie, the noble in hiding, and the man, his secret lover.

They quietly agreed among themselves to keep the secret of this kind neighbor.

In their hearts was enough loyalty that if people from a noble family ever came looking for Eddie, asking if they had seen someone like him, they would feign ignorance and say they had never seen such a person.

There was no one to unravel these layers of misunderstanding. Anyway, good things were good things.