By Zephyria 
Isaac simply laughed, and the Prince, letting go of Isaac’s hand and leaning back against the sofa, watched him in silence. Isaac was surprised to realize that he had grown so accustomed to that expressionless face—one that betrayed nothing of his thoughts—that it now felt comfortable.
That handsome brat must be in a good mood again. Like I said, his mood has been swinging lately. Why is he like that? Isaac felt as if he could hear the distant chattering of cats, but he let the thoughts drift past him and looked out the window. The clear weather of Hailen filled the view outside.
The nights in Hailen were terrifyingly full of life force.
It was as if everything hidden during the day was revealed without reserve once night fell. The atmosphere, which boasted a refreshing vitality amidst the lush greenery by day, exhaled a scent of life so thick it was suffocating by night. The air, a blend of brush, earth, and water, was so dense it felt intoxicating. Especially on a Dark Moon, a night when the blood of a witch awakens.
Such thick air… It felt as though the stories that Hailen had been a sanctuary for non-human entities since ancient times were true. He felt that if he ventured into the forest, he would surely encounter something not human.
A pitch-black night without a moon.
His body felt light. He felt as if he were drunk.
As Isaac felt the sensation of his blood being drained while the nape of his neck was bitten, he thought that even this sensation, which he once believed he would never get used to, was becoming somewhat familiar.
The terror of the first time the Prince sucked his blood—a fear that felt like facing death—had vanished. In its place, other senses that had been buried under that fear awakened. Amidst the languid, sleepy sensation of blood being drawn from his body, there was an indescribable feeling, an occasional chill at the very bottom of his heart.
The Prince also seemed to have grown accustomed to this blood-drinking during the Dark Moon. Unlike the first time, when he only regained his reason after swallowing blood for a long while until the excitement caused by pain subsided, he now seemed to regain a clear mind after only a few gulps.
Even now, after his Adam’s apple bobbed four or five times, his breathing, which had been like that of a wild beast, settled calmly. However, even though the pain had vanished and his reason had clearly returned, the Prince did not pull his lips away from Isaac’s neck. As if drinking an irresistibly seductive and sweet liquor, the Prince was slowly savoring the taste.
“The taste is exceptionally rich during the Dark Moon. It’s deeper and sweeter than any strong liquor.”
Having quenched his thirst to some extent, the Prince stopped sucking his neck and murmured softly. The lips still lingering on the skin of his nape felt ticklish, making Isaac shrink his shoulders. In response, the Prince suddenly bit his shoulder, making him flinch. I’ve never in my life looked forward to a Dark Moon… The Prince’s whisper faintly brushed against his ear.
“Yes, I am glad you feel that way. Since it is the Dark Moon, please drink your fill.”
“More than half of that—most of it—is a lie.”
Isaac shut his mouth upon hearing those words, which seemed to contain a faint hint of a laugh. He had tried to sound sincere in his own way, but it seemed it hadn’t worked. This person is occasionally—often, frequently—like a ghost… His intuition was alarmingly good.
Isaac murmured, “Well, not necessarily,” but he suspected the Prince already knew that was a pathetic lie. Fortunately, the Prince said nothing more. He simply bit Isaac’s shoulder hard enough to bring tears to his eyes.
People with good intuition are convenient sometimes, but a nuisance at others, Isaac clicked his tongue inwardly, then suddenly thought, Come to think of it, there was one other person like that.
In the afternoon, the Lord’s daughter had visited. She said she had come to find that particular sachet. She claimed it was a cherished gift from her parents and that she must have accidentally dropped it. When she arrived, the servants of the Star Palace—perhaps having been tipped off by the Lord—seated her in the drawing room and left, saying they would look for it. They did not return for a long time.
Isaac thought that the sachet the Prince had carelessly tossed out the window couldn’t possibly be that hard to find, but of course, he said nothing. Everyone present likely knew the truth, even if they didn’t speak it aloud. It seemed the people of Hailen were united in their support for the Lord’s daughter.
The Lord’s daughter didn’t seem to be motivated solely by ambitions of rising in status; she appeared genuinely fond of the Prince. Her gaze was full of affection as she watched the Prince flip through piles of worn ancient documents on a table, set against the beautiful landscape of Hailen visible beyond the terrace that opened up the entire wall.
“I had heard much about how Lord Kaieon was a hero of the age who defeated terrifying monsters in the borderlands, and I was curious about what kind of person he was.”
Her voice, as she spoke softly, was incredibly gentle.
“Since you boasted such immense prestige, I thought you would surely be grim and rugged. To be honest, when I first saw your portrait, I didn’t believe it. I thought, ‘He is a noble, but isn’t this too much of an idealization?’… but I was wrong. The portrait actually failed to capture you. I never imagined you would be this beautiful.”
Listening to her, one might think she was merely flattering him to the point of making one’s face flush, but judging by her earnest expression, she meant it. Her slightly flushed face was the very picture of someone gazing upon a prince who had stepped out of a painting—and was even better than the painting.
The face of a beautiful woman filled with pure affection and admiration was heartwarming and pleasant to behold, but…
“…You should have come after the Dark Moon passed…”
Isaac muttered to himself. Why on earth did she have to come on the day of the Dark Moon? It was the day of the month when the Prince’s condition was at its worst. Although the Prince had become much calmer during the Dark Moon recently, a Dark Moon was still a Dark Moon. Even with a beauty sitting before him, praising him with an ecstatic face, the Prince didn’t seem to be listening. He didn’t even take his eyes off the ancient documents that looked as if they would crumble at any moment.
Just as Isaac let out a quiet sigh, thinking how pitiful it was to watch, he felt someone approaching his side. Turning his head, he locked eyes with a petite young lady looking up at him.
It was the lady who served as the Lord’s daughter’s constant companion.
Seeing her smile brightly the moment their eyes met, Isaac gave a small, reflexive nod.
“Do you like Hailen?”
Isaac searched his memory, wondering if her name was Ellie, when she spoke to him. Contrary to her elegant and lovely appearance, her voice had an unexpected, low weight to it that strangely caught his ear.
“Yes. It’s a peaceful and comfortable, wonderful place. Isn’t it?”
Finding Isaac’s question amusing, she let out a small laugh. Her tone was indeed uniquely captivating.
“That’s right. I love Hailen very much. I enjoy traveling and have been to many places, but nowhere has pleased me as much as here. Everything is nearly perfect… except for the fact that there is no one as wonderful as you, soldier.”
As she added those words, looking up at Isaac with a smile, Isaac smiled back naturally and replied, “Thank you. I think Hailen shines all the more because of you, miss.” He was used to the playful banter exchanged with the girls at the regular pubs he visited with colleagues in the capital, or the maids he was on decent terms with in the palace. However,
“I meant that sincerely.”
She wiped the smile from her face and looked up at Isaac, appearing slightly hurt. Isaac, who hadn’t expected this, was taken aback. He thought he could just brush it off as a light joke, but it seemed he was wrong.
“Thank you. You are beautiful as well, miss.”
This time, he answered seriously. Only then did she smile brightly again.
“Thank you. But it’s true. I thought you were wonderful from the first time I saw you. That’s why I was excited to visit again today.”
What do I do? I’ve never had a serious conversation like this, so I don’t know how to respond. Surely she isn’t confessing right now. Right, she isn’t. I shouldn’t get ahead of myself.
“Ah, haha, yes… Hailen is famous for having many beautiful men and women, so I’m both happy and shy to be called wonderful.”
“There are many handsome and beautiful people, but don’t you think there are some people who just draw your eye and stay on your mind for no particular reason?”
“I suppose that’s true…”
What now? No matter how hard I try not to jump to conclusions, it feels like someone is forcing me to drink the Kool-Aid. Did this lady really fall for him? Is she testing the waters? Any other man’s heart would have raced a hundred times. Well, he was a normal man too. …Wait, get a grip. He said there were four men. Recalling that thought, Isaac’s flustered heart finally seemed to calm down, but looking at the lovely lady gazing up at him, he felt he might fall for it even knowing everything.
“If we’re talking about someone who naturally draws the eye, there’s no one quite like Lord Kaieon.”
He didn’t even know what he was saying. Part of it was a desire to shift the topic elsewhere. However, as she followed Isaac’s gaze to the Prince sitting far off, her expression suddenly clouded.
“True. He is peerlessly beautiful. But… he’s scary.”
Adding those words in a whisper, she slightly shrugged her shoulders. Watching the Prince with a faint frown between her brows, she seemed genuinely afraid.
“Ah, well, there are many scary rumors, but he’s actually a good person once you get to know him.”
I must be really flustered right now. I don’t even know what nonsense I’m spouting, Isaac thought to himself as he cobbled together random words.
“No, I don’t believe in rumors. The more a story passes through people’s mouths, the more the truth falls away. So I don’t believe the rumors, but… I’m somehow afraid of him.”
She whispered, shaking her head. Her complexion turning slightly pale looked so pitiful and sorrowful that Isaac almost reached out to her shoulder before quickly stopping himself. Then, she suddenly looked up and peered into Isaac’s face, as if examining every detail.
“That’s why I feel more relieved with you, soldier. I have a feeling that if… for some reason, I become terribly afraid of him, you might be able to protect me…”
The way she whispered it sounded almost like she was talking to herself. After murmuring as if reciting it to herself, she soon met Isaac’s eyes and smiled shyly, saying, “I’m sorry, I said something strange. Please forget it.”
Isaac was a bit surprised.
Perhaps it was because the Dark Moon was approaching. Even though she likely meant nothing by it, it sounded as if she were speaking about the contract of the Dark Moon night.
“I’m truly glad to have met you, soldier. I want to become closer to you.”
She whispered. It was a very sweet and heart-stirring resonance. He wondered if a human voice could be this attractive.
Then, suddenly,
“—”
Feeling a sting on his cheek, Isaac looked up and locked eyes with the Prince. At the same time, his heart sank.
If bloodlust could be seen, it would look like that. The Prince, looking this way indifferently, had no expression, yet he gave off an exceptionally chilling vibe.
“I need to rest.”
The Prince stood up. The Lord’s daughter, who had been sitting before him, seemed flustered by the sudden movement and stood up after him, calling, “Lord Kaieon,” but he did not look back. Instead, the Prince turned his head and gave Isaac a look, and Isaac quickly moved his feet. Hearing the soft whisper from behind, “Soldier, I’ll see you again soon,” he gave a light nod and hurried to catch up with the Prince as he left the drawing room.
He’s probably in a bad state because it’s the Dark Moon, but he seems exceptionally moody, Isaac thought while gauging the Prince’s mood as he walked ahead. Suddenly, the Prince looked back at Isaac.
“From now on, that is your place.”
The Prince spoke. And Isaac, standing a couple of steps behind him, blinked. He couldn’t immediately understand what “that place” meant. Was he referring to the middle of the hallway where they were standing, the spot two steps behind the Prince, or the fact that he would remain as a royal guard for the rest of his life?
Without further clarification, the Prince turned away. Despite saying he would rest, he entered the study and pulled out a book from another mountain of texts. Isaac spent the entire afternoon standing beside him, thinking about his “place.”
“…”
That place might be a place where he can bite me at any time…
Isaac thought as he lay pinned beneath the Prince, who was pressing his teeth into the area from his shoulder down to his collarbone. The Prince nibbled the skin just enough not to tear it, and upon reaching the collarbone, he licked the skin. In moments like this, Isaac felt that the person on top of him was truly a predator or a beast. No matter how much he had told him to eat his fill, he really wouldn’t let go today…
“Sweet.”
The Prince suddenly whispered.
“Is that so?”
“I wonder what the flesh tastes like.”
“…”
This person is saying scary things… A chill running down his spine, Isaac looked at the Prince with lowered eyes.
“Even the skin smells incredibly sweet.”
“I think it would hurt a lot to have my flesh chewed while alive…”
“I could give you some anesthetic.”
He’s saying even scarier things now… Praying that he wasn’t being serious, Isaac heightened his senses to the lips tracing his collarbone. The sensation of the slowly licking tongue felt exceptionally vivid.
Suddenly, Isaac flinched at the sensation of his collarbone being sucked hard. Fortunately, he wasn’t bitten, but it was certain that a red bruise had formed where the skin had been sucked as strongly as a bite.
“It really is sweet. …I must taste it.”
“Could you please spare me? Right now, the space is isolated from the outside by magic, so I can’t even ask for anesthetic to be brought in.”
Please let me take a numbing drug before the next time I’m bitten; I don’t want to be eaten raw, Isaac pleaded miserably.
「Selling medicine~!」
「Selling effective medicine that you can buy with just one wish~! Medicine, medicine~!」
“…”
A giant shadow cast over his head. Three heads poked in, rolling eyes as large as the giant shadow.
「Don’t need it?」
「Don’t need it? Don’t need it?」
「Medicine that makes it not hurt even if you’re sucked or chewed~!」
“…I need it.”
Since his identity had already been exposed to the Prince, he had wishes left anyway. He had only used one to isolate the space so that other people wouldn’t see and spread strange rumors; two remained.
At Isaac’s words, one tiger’s giant eye flashed. A low, humming voice burrowed into Isaac’s ear: 「I shall grant your second wish.」 He felt something invisible spread instantly through his entire body via his ears. For a moment, he felt as if his body were floating. However, that sensation soon vanished, leaving no feeling in his body, and Isaac moved his hand skeptically, wondering, Is it true that I can’t feel pain?
“It would be nice if I could understand those things even when it’s not the Dark Moon.”
The Prince, who had been watching in silence, spoke. Isaac immediately narrowed his eyes and murmured, “It would be a hundred times better if you didn’t.” It’s better to only understand them within this magical space; if you understood them normally, either Lord Kaieon’s stomach would turn or their heads would roll… probably the latter.
“I didn’t actually intend to chew and eat you.”
“…”
You can understand them now, so you should have told me beforehand so I wouldn’t waste a wish… Isaac thought for a moment, but he erased that thought upon seeing the Prince lower his head toward his collarbone, saying, “However, I did intend to drink more blood.” In any case, if he was going to be bitten and sucked more, there was no loss in not feeling pain.
As if to prove there was no loss, perhaps because of the wish to not feel pain, the Prince bit Isaac’s chest exceptionally roughly, and
“—”
Flinch; Isaac’s body jolted. Short, shallow breaths escaped him. Perhaps the sound of that breathing was particularly foreign, for the Prince stopped his movements. Isaac met the eyes of the Prince as he lifted his head. Facing the Prince, who looked down at him expressionlessly yet intently, Isaac became flustered. What is this? It doesn’t hurt, but…
The Prince slowly lowered his head again and bit into Isaac’s neck. This time, his teeth sank in slowly. Isaac let out a short, sharp “Ugh.”
It didn’t hurt. It didn’t hurt, but the sensation didn’t feel like pain; it felt as if it were manifesting in a different direction. It was a strangely tingling feeling. A sensation like a languid wave sweeping through his body. …It felt good. At the same time, his breathing grew labored.
“Ah,”
As the Prince sucked on his neck, Isaac’s body jerked. The voice that escaped him unconsciously was low and husky. For a moment, it felt as if the teeth gripping his neck tightened further, and then the Prince lifted his head.
As his neck was liberated from the bite, the sensation vanished as if it were a lie. Like waking from a dream, the feeling suddenly fell silent.
“The medicine seems to be working well,” the Prince said, looking down at Isaac. Isaac blinked and murmured like a sigh, “Yes, a bit… though it’s different from what I expected.”
This isn’t right. This feels a bit dangerous. It was fine that it didn’t hurt, but this sensation felt subtly dangerous and awkward.
“If you’ve had enough, let’s stop here for today…”
Isaac mumbled vaguely and tried to push himself up. However, midway through,
“No.”
The Prince’s low voice reached his ears. Pushed back down, Isaac felt the heavy weight of the Prince settle over him.
“I haven’t drunk enough yet.”
The whispering voice immediately burrowed into the nape of his neck. The touch of the teeth piercing his skin was unexpectedly soft. So was the feeling of the skin being slowly sucked and the blood swallowed. A sensation like a slow, gentle caress.
It felt good. It felt as if his mind were being pleasantly submerged in warm water. Without realizing it, Isaac reached out and hugged the Prince, who was pressing heavily down on him. The Prince seemed to glance at him, but said nothing. He simply sucked harder on Isaac’s neck—hard enough that Isaac’s arms, wrapped around the Prince, instinctively tightened.
Feeling the torso filling his arms, Isaac thought it was surprising. He had an impression of being leaner, but now that he was holding him, the Prince’s build was larger than he had thought. It was unexpected.
“…I thought you’d be firmer.”
Just then, the Prince’s lips moved slightly against the nape of his neck. Isaac thought he heard a faint, whispered monologue, as if the Prince were surprised, but before Isaac could ask anything, the Prince buried his face back into Isaac’s neck, and the languid sensation of blood flowing out resumed.
It felt good. It felt as if his entire body were submerged in warm water, drifting slowly. In between, it felt as if ripples were lightly brushing against his skin. This was almost like—yes, a gentle caress.
The moment that thought occurred to him, Isaac flinched. It was because the Prince’s lips, which had been gliding down his neck, reached his chest and touched a small protrusion. At that unfamiliar stimulation, the moment he instinctively jolted, the Prince bit down on it and sucked hard.
Gasp. A loud intake of breath burst out. His body thrashed reflexively. Only then did he realize that his body had become extremely sensitive amidst these gentle stimulations.
“Kai,”
He hadn’t known that the act of sucking on a chest could provide such a distinct sexual feeling. Nor that his body could heat up so instantly.
He tried to push himself up unconsciously, but once again, Isaac failed to achieve his goal. The heavy pressing weight increased. The Prince’s breathing had grown rough. The low breath sounded like the suppressed growl of a beast.
Teeth sank into his chest. He could hear the sound of blood being swallowed—gulp, gulp—sweetly, near his heart. The force sucking the blood and the chest grew stronger. A tongue pressed down on the small protrusion. The arms wrapped firmly around Isaac’s waist tightened.
It felt like a dream.
The sensation of blood draining away, the stimulation of being sucked so hard it almost hurt, and the suffocating clarity were all there, yet on the other hand, his consciousness felt as if he were dreaming. A dream where only rough breathing and hot sensations intersected.
Suddenly, he remembered a dream where the Prince had appeared. A dream where he had shared pleasure with him.
His heart thudded.
Dangerous.
He suddenly felt that, whatever this was, it was dangerous. He felt he shouldn’t delve any deeper into this sensation. Yet, the feeling of being swept away by a warm, soft torrent was too pleasant to stop.
The sound of the Prince’s breathing grew progressively rougher. Contrary to how he had gradually found stability while drinking blood, he now sucked more and more greedily. Strength surged into the arms embracing Isaac and the hand gripping his waist.
As if drawn by that, Isaac’s heart was also beating wildly. When the sound of the heartbeat and the sound of breathing blurred together and became indistinguishable,
“—.”
Suddenly, it felt as if sparks flew before his eyes. Simultaneously, as if something that had been stretched tight in his mind snapped all at once, his vision went black.
“…Ugh,”
Isaac let out a short, powerless sound and went limp. His consciousness faded as if he were fainting, and his vision became dark and dizzy. It felt as if a light that had been as bright as midday had suddenly been extinguished. The sensation that had been shimmering hazily vanished in an instant. That was…
“…Blood… not enough…”
Anemia.
When Isaac suddenly went limp in his arms, the Prince, who had paused and looked down at him with a frightening gaze, twitched his brow in disbelief upon hearing the words Isaac barely managed to mutter.
「Wow, he held out for a long time.」
「He really drank it down. He was drinking as if he intended to suck every last drop. Like a kid who’d starved for three days.」
「What do you mean three days? It’s a week.」
「Why does a Prince always seem like a kid who’s constantly starving?」
At the head of the bed, cats wearing tiger masks were chattering.
「Does Manbang have half his blood left in his body right now?」
「Probably more than that. They say humans die if they lose a third of their blood, but he’s still alive. Though it looks like he’ll die soon.」
“Blood… give me blood…”
Isaac forced his spinning vision to fix on the tigers and barely managed to move his bluish lips. Yes, today he definitely seemed to have been drained more excessively and quickly than other times. Death by blood loss was imminent.
“Hurry up and give me…”
「Blood for sale~!」
「Unbelievable low prices! Just one wish and we’ll refill the blood you lost~!」
“Hurry up… I feel like I’m actually going to die…”
If I had the strength to move even a single finger right now, I would have grabbed those brats by their whiskers and shaken them violently, Isaac lamented inwardly.
「I think he just had a suspicious thought? I don’t think we should refill his blood right now?」 The tigers whispered with their heads together, but they ultimately fulfilled the final wish, and Isaac was barely able to escape from his fading consciousness.
As his dizzying vision stabilized and his mind cleared, that hazy, dreamlike sensation also vanished. However, the memory remained vivid.
The sensation of the heart and the pulse of the entire body throbbing, the feeling of warm currents flowing through his body, the stimulation that probed inside him heavily yet softly. Along with that pleasant sensation, a feeling revived in his mind—embarrassment.
No, it might be more accurate to call it awkwardness.
Isaac, leaning obliquely against the sofa, glanced at the Prince with only his eyes. He didn’t know what the other was thinking. But for some reason, the Prince looked like he was in a bad mood, which made Isaac very anxious.
“Um… have you had enough?”
These were the first words he uttered after much deliberation. The Prince’s eyebrow arched slightly.
“I am full.”
While Isaac pondered how to interpret the nuance that he was only full, the Prince stood up. Every Dark Moon, after drinking his fill of blood, the Prince customarily washed his entire body with water. Watching the back of him heading toward the bathroom, Isaac relaxed his tense shoulders.
「The medicine definitely works, right? It didn’t hurt at all, did it?」
「He looked like he really enjoyed it. Want to buy some for the next Dark Moon too?」
「Medicine for sale~! Selling medicine at a low price~!」
“…”
Toward the voices echoing behind his head, Isaac threw whatever his hand could grab. A single shoe flew past the tigers, who dodged it like ghosts, and hit the wall before falling. A series of grumbles followed: He’s making a fuss even after we granted his wish, this kid is so ungrateful, grrr.
Once left alone, his heart calmed down a bit. Isaac let out a quiet sigh and looked out the window. Since the space was currently isolated by magic, this place and the world outside that window were different realms, so he couldn’t go out, but the presence of the lush leaves rustling in the wind under the pitch-black night sky was vividly audible.
As expected, the air was thick. It felt as if the atmosphere itself were alive.
「It’s because the Great Dark Moon is approaching.」
A tiger lifted its head and flared its nostrils as if smelling the night.
「Those who love the darkness are gaining more life force day by day.」
Everything that moves at night is like that, another one said.
「It’s almost time.」
And then came the heavy words of the last one, who poked its head out by Isaac’s side.
「Flint jar.」
「Bring the flint jar.」
Isaac lightly patted the large head as if stroking it and looked up at the night sky.
As they said, it was almost time.
No matter how temperate Hailen was, time was still passing here, and winter would soon arrive. If they missed that window, the three who longed for their hometown would have to wait another seven years.
“How can I be of useful help to Lord Kaieon?”
Isaac murmured, thinking it over. There was only one thing that would satisfy the Prince. Likely, capturing that mage—the witch who had taken over that body. And Isaac might actually be able to provide great help with that. If only he had enough energy.
“…The problem is that I can’t…”
Isaac scratched his head vigorously. Even though he had managed to gain eyes that could see where that witch was, it was useless if he couldn’t use them.
But what about now? Now, on the night of the Dark Moon.
This was when Isaac’s condition was at its best. Since his energy was more abundant now than at any other time, he should be able to use his eyes a bit more than usual.
Just as Isaac was gauging his physical state to see how much he could see, the Prince walked back from the bathroom. Walking over and sitting down with water still dripping from his body, he still looked somehow displeased. It was completely different from the times he would return refreshed after sucking Isaac’s blood and dousing himself in water on a typical Dark Moon.
“…Was the blood not tasty today?”
When Isaac asked cautiously, the Prince gave him a puzzled look.
“Because you look upset,” Isaac added. The Prince looked at Isaac for a moment and then shook his head.
“No, it was delicious. The taste was beyond reproach… but something is lacking.”
A faint wrinkle formed between the Prince’s brows. He seemed lost in thought about what that “something” was. Surely he’s not about to say that next time he needs to eat flesh as well as blood… Isaac felt a chill in his chest and quickly brought up another topic.
“More importantly, today is the day of the month when my energy is at its peak.”
The Prince, who had been staring at Isaac, lightly arched an eyebrow. “Right, that’s true.” Hearing him say that, Isaac felt relieved that the Prince seemed to have set aside his thoughts for now and was following the conversation.
“How much do you think you can see?” the Prince asked bluntly. In response to that clarity of cutting to the chase, Isaac answered concisely.
“I won’t know until I try, but I think it will be better than last time. In any case, since this is when I’m in the best condition, I’ll give it a try.”
Isaac spread a blanket on the empty floor and sat upright. With this, I won’t get hurt even if I happen to collapse. …But how did he see the witch again…?
Sitting surrounded by the Prince, who was watching him in silence, and the three creatures who were staring with their large, rolling eyes, Isaac felt a bit burdened as he searched his memory. How did he do it before?
He thinks he had to think about seeing the witch.
That he must know where the witch, the mage, was. That he must hunt them down. He had focused his consciousness on where they were, keeping only them in his mind. And then—.
“—.”
His heart thudded. He could feel the beat gradually accelerating. Along with it, his eyes grew throbbing and hot.
Even though it wasn’t the first time, Isaac covered his face at the unfamiliar and painful sensation.
His heart raced as if it were sprinting. His eyes felt as hot as if they were on fire. Even with his eyes closed, he felt his vision shimmering and shaking. The world before him swayed enough to make him dizzy. His stomach churned. His eyes felt like they were burning. His heart was heating up to a dangerous degree.
“Ugh, …”
A groan escaped from between the hands covering his face.
And then, behind his tightly closed eyelids, an image began to emerge blurrily.
As if a faint light were being lit in the pitch-black darkness, his vision brightened very slowly, bit by bit. Even when it reached the limit of its brightness, it remained dim, like a single small candle lit in a dark room.
It was a scene seen through someone else’s eyes.
He could see exactly what was reflected in someone’s eyes—likely the mage’s eyes. It was inside a dim room. It looked like an old, dusty barn.
This won’t do, Isaac clicked his tongue. They seemed to be indoors. If they were indoors, he couldn’t see the surrounding scenery. If he couldn’t see the terrain or buildings to gauge which region they were in, there was no point in struggling to see them.
Time was short. Cold sweat had already begun to bead on his forehead. He could vividly feel his energy, his life force, flowing out like water. His consciousness blurred dizzily. He wouldn’t be able to hold on for long.
I wish they’d just go outside. What are they doing in this shabby, dark place where there’s nothing to see?
It was then. Isaac saw a man being held by his own—no, the mage’s—hand. The one being held, as if by the throat, was a young man. A man who had only just transitioned from a boy to a youth, with a lingering flush on his cheeks. That young man was staring at the mage with wide, startled eyes.
Isaac flinched, feeling as if the man had made eye contact with him. The youth’s hazel eyes were filled with terror and pain, and no sound could escape his open mouth. And in an instant—the youth’s face began to wrinkle. His face distorted, shriveling as if he were aging in a single moment, filled only with horrific agony.
The youth was being eaten.
Right before Isaac’s eyes, the youth was being eaten alive.
—Hey.
He heard the Prince calling him. The voice, sounding as if it were coming from far away, was low. He could also feel the Prince grabbing his shoulder. It seemed he was trying to call him back to reality.
However, Isaac could not open his eyes and could only watch the scene unfolding behind his eyelids. Cold sweat was not just dripping but pouring down like rain. His complexion must have turned pale blue.
His body trembled. His chest felt cold, as if ice water had been poured into it. It was skin-crawling. The sight of a person being eaten alive was unfolding vividly before him. The youth’s pain, terror, and silent screams filled Isaac’s head.
The youth, who had shriveled up like a centuries-old man in an instant, only stopped moving when even the skin, which had become like dry parchment, vanished. Shortly after, the white bones that had been exposed also disappeared like dust. All that remained were the clothes. As if there had never been a person there to begin with, the youth vanished without a trace. In that short span of time.
—Hey. …Stop it. Open your eyes.
The Prince’s voice was heard again. The voice, which usually lacked tone and emotion, had grown slightly harsh.
Isaac’s body shook violently. His heart was overheating and beating frantically, and he didn’t know how to stop it. Nor how to open his eyes.
He was dizzy. He felt like vomiting. His entire body was drenched in cold sweat. His eyes, which felt as if they were being seared by fire, seemed to have already burned black, and his life force was scattering into pieces.
At that moment, the vision shifted beneath his eyelids. The creature looked at the broken mirror hanging in the corner of the shed. Its face was reflected in that mirror. It was the face of the young mage remaining in Isaac’s memory. The expressionless face slowly curled its lips upward. The smile, stretching all the way to the ears, was not that of a witch, but of a mage. One who had maintained consciousness by devouring humans. He—was smiling at Isaac.
Suddenly, the vision went black, as if a light had been extinguished. He could see nothing. All that remained was a sensation as if his eyes were burning. His body, unable to move even a single finger, sprawled across the floor. His throat felt tight, making it difficult to breathe. He felt as if he were dying.
A sudden surge of terror washed over him. He might actually die—.
“Isaac!”
Then.
Like cold water being poured over a burning sensation, a cold and harsh voice poured in. Ah. It was his name. With a feeling both unfamiliar and nostalgic, as if his name were being called for the first time since birth, Isaac opened his eyes.
The world filled the pitch-black vision once more. Unlike that dim shed, he was inside a bedroom brightly lit. And right before his eyes, the Prince was looking down at him with a grim expression. Isaac stared blankly at the face before him, motionless, with his eyes wide open.
He was a fearsome and imposing man. This man, more terrifying than anything Isaac knew, was the only existence who could support him as firmly as a massive rocky mountain. The only one he could cling to in this death-like terror.
“—.”
Isaac instinctively reached out. He barely managed to lift his arm, which felt endlessly limp as all his strength had drained away, and draped it around the Prince’s neck. Then, he hugged that neck just like that. Like a child who had barely escaped from the depths of a hellish pit, he clung to the Prince’s neck.
He could feel the Prince’s movement falter within his arms. Isaac clung to him blindly, while the man remained frozen, not budging an inch.
No thoughts entered his mind. As if he had narrowly escaped the death that had pursued him to his very heels, he gasped for air that had risen to his chin and embraced this terrifying yet dependable man.
“…….”
The frozen Prince slowly began to move. Moving only his arms, he embraced Isaac’s back. The arms that held him ordinarily, without much tenderness or kindness, were nonetheless firm, as if he would never let go.
Isaac rested his forehead against the nape of the Prince’s neck. He felt he could be safe here. Such a sense of relief washed over him.
“……Lord Kaieon.”
That sigh-like call was closer to a monologue. Only the faint sign of his lips fluttering was present.
Nevertheless, as if he had heard the sound, the arms embracing Isaac’s back tightened slightly. Within that suffocatingly firm sense of security, Isaac lost consciousness.
The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was the ceiling bathed in yellowish sunlight. It was the color of late afternoon sunlight, when people begin to catch their breath after finishing their busy work. It was also the time of day Isaac liked most.
Blinking, Isaac lay there blankly staring at the ceiling, and it was the sound of a cat’s “meow” that finally brought his consciousness clearly back. Hearing the cry that seemed to tell him to wake up, the thought that flashed through his mind was, ‘I should feed those things.’ Wondering how long he had been lying there and how long they had been starving, he quickly sat up. And what he witnessed was,
“…….”
「…….」
Three cats, who had been happily lapping up meat broth from plates that looked more luxurious than Isaac’s own tableware, stopped dead in their tracks the moment their eyes met his.
A sense of indignation that those things were eating so well while a human lay unconscious, a sense of relief that someone had taken care of them so they weren’t starving, and a massive wave of exhaustion that suddenly pressed down on his entire body all rushed in at once. Simultaneously, he remembered why he had been lying down.
Right, that was it. He had tried to see the witch and lost consciousness after exhausting his life force. How much time had passed since then—
“Your condition during the Dark Moon seems to be quite good. You woke up sooner than I expected.”
Isaac flinched at the voice coming from over his shoulder.
There had been no sign of anyone, so he thought he was alone. Turning around, he saw the Prince sitting with his back to the window. He didn’t know how long he had been there, but leaning languidly against a large chair, he was gazing silently at Isaac.
“……How long was I out?”
“A day and a half.”
I see, Isaac nodded. He felt he had watched the witch longer than the previous time he collapsed, yet he had been out for less time. Indeed, his life force must have been abundant because of the Dark Moon. Although, even now, immediately after waking, he felt deathly tired and his whole body felt as limp as water-soaked cotton.
As Isaac sat there half-slumped and dazed, the Prince rang a bell. The door opened quietly, and a servant peeked inside; seeing that Isaac was awake, the servant disappeared again. Shortly after, the servant returned, pushing in a steaming tray and placing it beside the bed.
“Is your mind not fully back yet?”
The Prince asked Isaac, who was staring blankly at the food. The way he lightly rolled up his sleeve looked as if he were about to slap him across the cheek, so Isaac quickly lifted his head and replied, “No, I’m awake.” Following the Prince’s gesture with his eyes, Isaac picked up a spoon and pulled the soup bowl toward him.
However, the hand stirring the fragrant soup a couple of times soon slowed down, and Isaac, who had been silently casting his gaze downward, quietly covered his face with his hand. A groan, like a moan of pain, was suppressed in his throat.
“He was eating people,” Isaac murmured in a suppressed voice.
“He was sucking people in alive. ……Because that mage’s consciousness remained.”
Speaking it aloud made the memory even more vivid. The face of the young man, distorted by pain and terror, withering away in an instant. That dark space where skin shriveled and even bones crumbled until not a trace remained. The mage’s smile, curling the corners of the mouth in the mirror.
All of it tore through his mind in a chilling way—.
“Eat.”
Then, a cold voice pierced his ear. That awl-like tone punctured the dark and muddy memories in his head.
Startled, Isaac looked up and met the eyes of the Prince, who was watching him expressionlessly. The Prince gestured with his chin toward the soup bowl on Isaac’s lap. It seemed as if he didn’t care about what Isaac had said at all; rather, he seemed more annoyed that the soup was getting cold.
Fearing that if he hesitated any longer, he might be eaten starting from the head, Isaac quickly brought the spoon to his mouth. As the warm soup flowed down his throat, his heart seemed to settle a bit. Only then did the forgotten hunger rush in.
But what should he do? That mage likely hadn’t eaten a person for the first time. And it wouldn’t be the last. He couldn’t just leave it be.
“Don’t think.”
At that moment, another cold remark from the Prince flew in.
Isaac flinched and looked up. The Prince’s blue eyes were gazing steadily at Isaac.
“You just need to move as I tell you. Don’t think any more about them. Just eat and build up your life force, if you want to be useful.”
“……. ……I suppose so.”
Isaac chewed his words along with the soup. While he grumbled inwardly about being moved like a chess piece, he tried his best to empty his mind as the man suggested. Right now, he was actually grateful for that.
“I suppose that mage can no longer be called human.”
Isaac suddenly murmured in the middle of eating his soup. The Prince, who had been watching Isaac the whole time, slightly arched an eyebrow.
“From the moment he contracted with a witch, he likely had no intention of remaining human.”
“……. I wonder why.”
Was the desire to remain human something that could be discarded so easily? Even he, who was half-witch by blood, wasn’t sure if he could let go of the thread of humanity if the time actually came.
“Being human isn’t exactly an identity worth grieving over, is it?” the Prince said.
Hearing those indifferent words, Isaac gazed blankly at the Prince. After a short silence, he murmured as if to himself,
“I find it a pity.”
Having lived at a crossroads, neither fully human nor fully witch, Isaac had felt a sense of loss for either side. He had hoped for something sturdy to hold onto.
That was why it felt pitiful and regrettable that someone would discard such a thing so easily.
“That doesn’t sound like something a witch should say,” the Prince said, staring at Isaac. Whether he was mocking him or scoffing, it was impossible to tell from those indifferent words alone.
“It can’t be helped that I’m not a complete human…… but please don’t hate me too much just because I’m a witch,” Isaac murmured like a sigh, causing the Prince to arch an eyebrow.
“You needn’t worry about that for now. I have no intention of harming you immediately.”
Does that mean you do intend to in the future…… no, more than that,
“It’s not that I’m worried about you harming me, Lord Kaieon, but I hate the idea of you hating me.”
“And why is that?”
“Why is it that, …….”
He was at a loss for words. Isaac looked at the Prince. He felt as if he were captured by those blue eyes that stared intently at him without wavering for a second.
“Does it bother you that others dislike you?”
“……No…… of course, it’s not a pleasant feeling when someone dislikes me, but it doesn’t matter much.”
One cannot be loved by everyone, nor can one be hated by everyone. Just as there is love without reason, there is hate without reason. He had realized that long ago. He didn’t let himself be swayed by someone’s baseless emotions. So it wasn’t that.
He simply felt that he wished this man would not hate him. Every time he felt the man’s hatred for witches, he felt drained. Because,
“…….”
Isaac gazed silently at the Prince. He looked at the Prince, who was meeting his gaze in silence as if waiting for the rest of the sentence, taking him in slowly and carefully. The perfectly sculpted face and the hair reflecting the sunlight. The clasped hands and the languid expression, the low breath, the slow tilt of the head.
Even though these were things he already knew, it felt as if he were seeing them for the first time.
Then, suddenly,
“I think I need to think about it a bit more,” Isaac murmured, dropping his gaze.
The fingertips fiddling with the spoon were inexplicably nervous. It was because his heart was racing. Quite suddenly.
The Prince seemed dissatisfied that no answer had returned, but he did not press further. Perhaps he simply wasn’t that interested.
After watching Isaac silently swallow the soup, the Prince checked the clock and stood up.
“Come to the study once you’ve finished eating. There is a lot of work piled up.”
“Eh? ……Ah, yes.”
Isaac looked up at the Prince in bewilderment, and upon meeting his cold gaze, he quickly nodded. The Prince soon left the room. Isaac stared blankly at the door that had closed behind him.
Work piled up…… well, the Prince was always busy. Aside from his unapproachable personality, the Prince was unrivaled in his competence. Just as he had perfectly subdued the soldiers of the border—who were so rough and wild that even the most seasoned veterans struggled to lead them—at such a young age and used them as his own limbs to achieve brilliant success, he was equally outstanding in handling the various documents and general administration that poured before him after returning to the capital, to the point that even administrative officers with decades of experience were left in awe.
Work naturally gravitates toward those who do it well, so tasks that could only proceed with his seal piled up daily. In such a state, even though he had come to Hailen for recuperation, he couldn’t just sit idle; he had to attend to significant official duties even here at the Star Palace, though not as much as in the capital. Considering the sheer volume of ancient documents and literature he took an interest in studying, one might wonder if he even had enough time to sleep.
But that was the Prince’s work, and a guard’s job was simple. To protect the Prince. It was a task that was easy if you will, and difficult if you will, but it wasn’t complex. Standing by the Prince’s side and protecting him in dangerous situations was the entirety of Isaac’s duty. Moreover, that Prince—aside from the unfortunate incidents recently—rarely ever found himself in danger, so the perception of a ‘Prince’s guard’ was either that of a child or a position for those who just played and ate.
Yet, to tell him to come to the study because work was piled up…… The one whose work was piled up was the Prince himself, and all Isaac would have to do was stand there blankly behind him. He had truly heard a strange thing. A man who didn’t care whether he had a guard or not—since when had he started carrying a guard around so diligently? However,
“…….”
Isaac diligently worked his spoon. He decided he should quickly empty the soup bowl and go.
「Wasn’t the handsome one just idling around?」
「Right? What work could be piled up?」
「Now that you mention it, some official-looking guy came by about a dozen times with a face like he really needed to pee, begging him to check the documents he’d submitted.」
「I see. Since he was just perched here the whole time, I thought he was a guy with absolutely nothing to do, but it seems he was slacking off here while letting his work pile up.」
The cats, who had already finished the meat broth that had filled a plate larger than a washbasin, chatted while licking their lips. Isaac, who had been scooping soup, paused and looked at them strangely.
“He was here the whole time? He’s not the kind of person to postpone his work.”
「Maybe he was free.」
“He’s not the type to be free.”
When it was announced that he was coming to Hailen, more than a few officials from the regional offices had expressed reluctance. Many had followed him to Hailen because of work.
「He was here the whole time! He just sat in that chair and played around doing nothing!」
「I noticed he didn’t eat much even when the underlings brought food; I guess he was a bit hungry. The way he was staring at you was terrifying, like he was contemplating which part of you to bite off.」
「If we hadn’t been by your side to protect you, you’d be nothing but bones by now.」
「That’s right, that’s right. Be grateful!」
“……You things, who would’ve just rubbed your faces on his shins and happily drunk meat broth whether I woke up or not…….”
As Isaac murmured while glaring at them with cold eyes, the cats immediately shut their mouths. He had been guessing, and it seemed he was right. Isaac stared intently at the cats, who were avoiding his gaze by licking their paws, washing their faces, or chasing non-existent flies, before finally turning his head with a sigh. Fine, what could he expect from them. More importantly,
“……Why?”
Isaac tilted his head and looked at the chair by the window. He thought of the man who had been sitting in that empty chair where only the yellow sunlight now shone.
Was he curious about how long it would take this time, since he had been unconscious for three full days last time? But there was no need to sit and guard him. Was he worried that he might just die? That he might lose the eyes that see witches. Or perhaps that chair was simply the most comfortable chair in the world.
He racked his brain in several directions, but he couldn’t find a plausible reason why the Prince would have stayed there.
“It would be nice if he were worrying about me.”
He murmured it impulsively.
At the same time, the sensation from a moment ago, which he had briefly forgotten, returned. The sudden sensation of his heart racing. “Hey, hey, what’s wrong with me?” As he murmured to himself and awkwardly thumped his chest, the three cats watching from a distance narrowed their eyes.
「He must have hit his head pretty hard.」
「Right. He couldn’t wake up for a long time.」
「Manbang-a, can you even recognize who we are……?」
“Shut up, you damn cats.”
「That nasty and insolent way of speaking—it’s definitely our Manbang.」
「But why is he suddenly beating his own chest?」
Isaac stopped the hand that was thumping his chest. When he whipped around to look at the cats, they flinched, their fur standing on end, and looked back with wary eyes.
“I mean Lord Kaieon.”
「The handsome one?」
“Yes, he’s handsome. But was he always that handsome?”
「…….」
The cats’ eyes narrowed even further.
「Well, he is the greatest beauty in this country.」
“Ah, right, that’s true. He was.”
「…….」
Isaac nodded and let out a quiet breath. In the distance, the three cats seemed to be huddling together and whispering something, but he couldn’t hear them.
――Isaac.
What came back vividly was the image of him calling his name in a low voice. The face that had looked at him with those deep blue eyes, staring with a frightening intensity, was clearly etched into his mind. In the midst of that terrible horror, he was the only person Isaac could hold onto for comfort. A man as immense as a great mountain.
That face, that expression, that voice—everything returned with startling clarity.
…Why does my heart keep racing?
Isaac brushed a hand over his chest and took a deep breath.
「Hey, hey, if you’re just going to indulge in idle thoughts, just go to sleep.」
「Of course, lack of sleep inevitably clouds one’s judgment.」
「Sleep tight, sleep tight.」
The cats meowed in a decidedly dissatisfied tone. Regardless of their complaints, Isaac, who had been standing still with his hand on his chest as if barely listening, set down his spoon and rose from the bed.
“No, I should hurry to the study. I can’t afford to neglect my duties.”
And I want to see that sculpted face more, Isaac added only in his mind as he quickly dressed. His body felt languid and lacked strength, but he was still able to move well enough.
「What are you doing, staggering around when your energy hasn’t even returned?」
「You should just sleep and replenish your strength.」
The cats chattered spitefully. Isaac wondered what on earth they were grumpy about now, their voices thick with malice, when he suddenly paused. He stood there frozen, motionless for a long while. He remained lost in thought with his gaze cast downward until the cats began to roll their eyes, asking, 「What is he doing?」
“If I only take enough life force so as not to harm the person, how many people would I need to draw from to see Alikisa without any trouble?”
「Alikisa? To see where Alikisa is?」
「Well, assuming you want to look for about thirty seconds, and keeping your energy just enough so you don’t faint… maybe twenty people? Thirty?」
「But more importantly, if you only take a tiny bit of energy like that, it’ll just scatter after a while, won’t it?」
“What if I call several people at once and collect small amounts from them in one place?”
「You want to gather multiple people in one spot and feed on them simultaneously?」
「Are you planning to advertise that you’re a witch?」
「I guess he’s made up his mind to leave the human world?」
Isaac fell silent.
If he truly did that—if he sought to divide and receive energy from several people in a short span of time—he would not be able to hide the fact that he was not human. With many mouths involved, word would inevitably leak out, and from then on, Isaac would have to live openly as a non-human entity.
Could he truly coexist with people in the human world like that?
He didn’t know. He couldn’t be sure. However,
“For now, it would be better to know. How exactly one can obtain life force from a human.”
The terrified expression of the young man who had been consumed in an instant would not fade from a corner of his mind. And that young man’s image was likely spreading to someone Isaac didn’t know, somewhere Isaac didn’t know.
“Let me meet a dream demon,” Isaac told the cats. The cats looked at each other, rolling their eyes, and tapped the floor with their tails. 「If that’s what you want.」
The place where the Lord lived was an incredibly vast estate.
While not as opulent or flamboyant as the Royal Palace, if one included the forest stretching directly behind the Lord’s manor, the size of the grounds was almost rivaled by the Royal Palace. However, the buildings looked old, elegant, and neat, appearing to blend well into the natural scenery of Hailen.
“It is a magnificent estate, no matter how many times I see it. It is very refined and atmospheric.”
As a middle-aged man, an acquaintance of the Lord, spoke in admiration, the Lord nodded with a very proud and pleased expression.
“Haha, I am merely grateful that you say so. To tell the truth, while this estate passed down through generations of ancestors may not be something to boast about before a distinguished guest, it is indeed one of my greatest prides.”
“Haha, and rightly so.”
The people surrounding the massive table at the banquet nodded, each adding a word of agreement. However, the guest of honor at the head of the table, whom the Lord was most concerned with, merely moistened his lips with wine, showing little reaction.
It was a banquet hosted by the Lord in honor of the Prince. Most of the attendees were prominent figures from the vicinity. There wasn’t a single person there who would be looked down upon, yet even as they conversed casually, it was clearly felt that their attention was focused on the Prince. Their eyes followed the Prince’s every move.
Having received an extraordinary oracle from birth and growing up with beauty and power as if blessed by the gods, the Prince had gone to the border before reaching adulthood, achieved legendary military feats, and returned. Stories of the Prince were widely known not only within the kingdom but across the entire continent. Thus, wherever he went, there were countless people who wished to see the Prince, even from a distance, but…
“Right, he was that kind of person…”
Having been by his side constantly, Isaac had forgotten. Feeling the subtly excited atmosphere against his skin, Isaac muttered to himself.
This was a banquet arranged after several earnest requests from the Lord. After enjoying the dinner late into the evening, they were scheduled to stay the night at the manor and return to the Star Palace tomorrow. And tonight would likely be the decisive day for the Lord to make his move.
The subject of that gamble, the Lord’s daughter Grace, who sat right next to the Prince, was as beautiful as a flower tonight. Her already lovely beauty was dazzling, having been meticulously adorned and groomed. Sitting side by side with the Prince, they were truly a stunning pair… though, of course, our Prince is far more beautiful… Isaac muttered, blinded by his fan-like devotion.
Just then, the Prince casually shifted his gaze. His eyes locked exactly with Isaac’s, who had been staring blankly at him. Immediately, Isaac averted his eyes. He felt the Prince’s gaze piercing through him, his eyebrows slightly arched, but he absolutely refused to make eye contact.
It had been like this for a while. Whenever his eyes met the Prince’s, who would occasionally look his way, Isaac would quickly lower his gaze or turn his head. At first, the Prince looked at Isaac with curiosity, but as this happened several times, his gaze seemed to gradually grow cold.
So, Isaac thought he should just face him naturally, but it didn’t work as planned. The moment their eyes met, he felt inexplicably flustered and shy for no reason, and he ended up avoiding the gaze. Because,
Strange… I knew he was handsome, but was he always this handsome? He seems to be glowing—these thoughts filled his head.
It was embarrassing. Isaac himself was the most bewildered of all.
Rubbing the area around his cheeks that felt unnecessarily warm, Isaac stole a glance at the Prince, who was facing the crowd with a bored expression. He looked somewhat displeased for some reason… but he’s still like a sculpture.
At that moment, the Lord’s daughter said something, and the Prince, who had been listening quietly, replied. It didn’t seem to be an important conversation, as the Lord’s daughter laughed happily.
I see. It is about time for him to marry. Isaac thought, his shoulders slumping as if he had lost energy. For royalty, marriage is like a duty, and since the Prince’s younger siblings already had spouses, the Prince was actually on the later side. No matter who he married, it wouldn’t be strange if it were that lady.
“…”
For some reason, he felt a bit depressed. Isaac sighed quietly and dropped his gaze to his feet.
Then, suddenly, something black zipped across the top of his foot. After stepping firmly on his foot and flashing by like lightning, two more similar things zipped past. Huh? Following them with his eyes, he saw three black balls of fur. Seeing the three of them sprinting through the banquet hall, Isaac’s jaw dropped. No, those brats…!
“Whoops! What is this!”
“Cats?! Why are there cats in here?!”
The banquet hall instantly became chaotic upon seeing the balls of fur darting around. The wide-eyed Lord turned to the soldiers and shouted, “How did three cats get in here?! Who brought them in?! Catch them at once!” The soldiers, also flustered, stepped forward with their spears. Isaac was even more urgent. I told those brats so many times not to run around anywhere…!
For a brief moment, he thought, Should I just pretend not to know? But as soon as the soldiers stepped forward with their spears, the three of them scurried over and hid behind Isaac, and the quiet gazes of the people converged on him. His world turned dark.
“I’m sorr—”
“They are creatures I occasionally feed.”
It was just as Isaac opened his mouth with a feeling of despair. The Prince spoke. Those who were about to frown at Isaac quickly smoothed their expressions and looked back at him.
“I thought if they acted too wildly, I should put them in a cage and not let them out,”
I should look for a suitable cage, the Prince muttered, glancing indifferently at the three. The three flinched, their tail hairs standing on end, and became as still as dead mice. Even when Isaac scooped all three up at once, they remained still like dolls.
Baffled that the Prince would provide such help, Isaac bowed his head, and in doing so, his eyes met the Prince’s again. And once more, he instinctively dropped his gaze. Oh, not this again. Why can’t I keep eye contact?
Rubbing his face, which was heating up for no reason, Isaac avoided the gaze aimlessly, and the Prince’s expressionless face sank even further into a chill.
Why did you guys come all the way here, you brats? If you followed me, you should have just run around in the grass outside; why did you come into the banquet hall? Isaac hugged the hateful brats very, very tightly. It was absurd how they rolled their eyes, looking proud as if they had done something great.
“Please make sure they don’t run around too much and keep them quiet.”
The Lord spoke after clearing his throat a couple of times, and Isaac muttered, “I am sorry,” while bowing his head. He vowed not to let go of the three until the banquet ended.
Just then, he noticed a small laugh beside him. Turning his head in curiosity, he found Ellie standing there. He didn’t know how long she had been there, but she gave a small nod and smiled brightly.
“Are you alright? You’re having quite a hard time because of the cats.”
“Yes… it’s nothing new.”
As Isaac answered with a sigh, she laughed silently as if she had heard a funny story and stepped a couple of paces closer to him. They were now close enough that even a whisper would be heard. Just by leaning, their shoulders would touch. A pleasant scent brushed the tip of his nose. It felt familiar, but he couldn’t tell what scent it was. For some reason, he felt the urge to smell it from closer.
“I’m glad to see you again, soldier. I really wanted to see you again. I’ve been waiting with excitement since this morning.”
Isaac chuckled at her, who spoke boldly yet with a hint of shyness, and replied, “Yes, thank you.” Still, having seen her a few times, it was a bit easier to talk.
She was a peculiar lady, even seeing her again. She wasn’t strikingly beautiful, yet there was something about her that kept drawing his eyes. Her low voice, which uniquely clung to the ears, was like that scent. Somehow familiar, yet pleasant, making him naturally listen.
“I heard the Prince is staying here today?”
“Yes, if nothing happens, he will.”
“Then you’ll be staying overnight too, soldier.”
“That’s right.”
“We’ll have plenty of time to talk tonight.”
She whispered, looking up at Isaac intently. Her softly curving eyes did not leave him, and Isaac, while smiling back, became a bit flustered again. Was she really just asking to talk, or was there another hidden meaning…
“Haha, I suppose so. I wonder if there’s anything interesting to talk about…”
“Does there have to be a topic? It’s enough just to be together and be happy.”
No matter how I think about it, those words are very open to misunderstanding. Surely it’s just a misunderstanding, Isaac thought with a smile.
It was then. As Isaac glanced away, his eyes met the Prince’s. Since when had the Prince been casting a chilly gaze this way? It didn’t seem to be just from the last moment. Two or three people followed the Prince’s gaze and glanced at Isaac.
“You.”
Before Isaac could drop his gaze, the Prince spoke. The piercing blue eyes were like blades.
“Stop lowering your eyes.”
“… …, yes.”
Isaac stammered for a moment before answering. He broke into a cold sweat.
The Prince didn’t like that he had been avoiding his gaze. But even so, facing him continuously made him feel lost, and an awkward feeling seemed to simmer in his chest.
The Prince stared intently for a while at Isaac, who was struggling not to show how flustered he was, and then his gaze suddenly shifted to Ellie. In an instant, Ellie flinched and shrugged her shoulders. Having looked back and forth between Isaac and the Prince with an anxious look for a while, her complexion turned pale the moment she met the Prince’s eyes.
The Prince looked at Ellie as if holding her with his gaze. Ellie, who faced the Prince as if she were a small animal before a predator, unable to even avoid his gaze, seemed to instinctively want to hide and began to move behind Isaac. Just then, the Lord, perhaps thinking he should quickly lift the subtly stagnant atmosphere of the banquet, turned his head toward where the Prince’s gaze was directed and spoke with a bright smile.
“Now let’s see, you were the direct guard serving Lord Kaieon.”
“Yes, that is correct. I am called Isaac.”
This was perfect. Isaac answered quickly, both to turn his eyes away from the Prince and to cover for Ellie, who was turning pale.
“Haha, what a sturdy and handsome young man. You work hard serving such a distinguished person. So, are you staying comfortably in Hailen?”
“Yes, thanks to your care in many ways, I am staying more than comfortably. Thank you.”
As Isaac recited a model answer, the Lord nodded with a benevolent smile and examined him closely. Then, abruptly,
“So, do you have a partner? Since you are such a handsome young man, you must already have a partner in the capital, right?”
“Pardon? Ah, no. Not yet…”
When Isaac answered with a slightly ambiguous smile to the Lord’s question, the Lord laughed even more heartily and nodded deeply.
“Yes, yes. That is a good thing. Looking at you now, you seem to suit Ellie quite well. If my daughter moves to the capital, Ellie would have to follow.”
To the other people present, the first thing they heard was the subtle hint that the daughter would—or was hoped to—go to the capital, but Isaac, to whom the literal meaning of the words reached directly, froze with his smiling face.
“Yes, you seem to get along quite well with Ellie, don’t you? What do you think?”
Oh no. What do I do? These were words spoken by the Lord himself; he couldn’t say ‘I don’t like it,’ nor could he say ‘I do.’
“She is, of course, a lovely person. Far too much for someone like me…”
Isaac replied, almost mumbling into his mouth, with a sweat-mixed smile. Voices joined in like a trivial amusement at a banquet, half-joking, saying, ‘That’s quite good,’ ‘They suit each other.’
“What do you think, Lord Kaieon?”
The Lord turned the conversation to the Prince—hoping for an answer to the subtle hint from before—and the Prince tilted his head slightly and looked at Ellie. And under that expressionless gaze, Ellie was becoming increasingly pale. To Isaac, who stood right beside her, it was visible that she had begun to tremble.
“It seems the destination of your daughter must be decided first.”
Finally, the Prince spoke, and upon hearing that low response, the Lord’s eyes rolled for a moment. He seemed unable to immediately discern what this implied for his daughter’s future, whether it was in a positive direction or not. The others were the same, and for a brief moment, gazes flitted busily across the wide table.
However, regardless of those countless calculations, Ellie, who had been trembling noticeably, suddenly collapsed to the floor as if crumbling. Startled by the sudden event, Isaac rushed to her side.
“Are you alright?”
“… Anemia… I’ve always been in poor health… I’ll be better after resting a bit.”