“How would you know?”
Shish kissed my cheek with a slurping sound.
“I know because the guard in charge of the castle entrance told me.”
That guy from before, right? I guess I'll have to cut him off.
“After the master disappeared, I gave orders to the entire country. Black hair, black eyes.”
Shish slowly raised his head and met my gaze.
“If her name is Retri Extra, or something similar, then they must inform the Prime Minister or the Imperial Palace.”
So, my identity has been put on the national map.
He's a scary guy.
Reflected in his crimson eyes, my expression was no different from usual, but Shish must have read my mind like a ghost. Judging by the way his lips twisted into a smile.
“Why? You ran away, but now you’re being caught, and it’s a shame?”
“You have to speak properly. Is that why I ran away?”
I lifted my chin and opened my eyes wide.
“Yuno got involved in an accident.”
If he hadn't blown up the tower while experimenting, I wouldn't have ended up in that damn monastery.
Since there was nothing wrong with what I said, Shish seemed to agree with it without question.
“To be exact, it was the stupid Knight Commander who was making the potion that caused the explosion... So the damn Knight Commander is the problem?”
Why does that happen?
Since I was the one who created Dietrich's strange desires, I decided to pretend not to know.
“Shish, aren’t you hungry?”
“I’m not hungry.”
Despite his sly reply, Shish called someone over and ordered them to prepare a meal. The attendant followed Shish's orders without question.
I wonder if he is the mad minister who controls the palace.
“Sish, since you’re here, why don’t you eat before you go?”
I sat down at the table at the edge of the room. Shish followed me.
“You didn’t eat well while I was away, did you?”
The crimson eyes stared at me silently, and for some reason, I found it difficult to meet them, so I quickly turned my head away.
“You’re so skinny, I don’t want to look at you.”
I glanced over, wondering if I'd been too harsh, and saw Shish biting his lips. I lightly placed my hand on the corner of his mouth.
“I told you not to. The scab hasn’t even formed yet. If you do it again, it’ll rip.”
Shish, who had been looking down at me, seemed to grab my hand that had touched his lips, and then hugged my neck.
"Shish-"
My voice, trying to call his name, was instantly eaten.
On the tip of my tongue, I felt a pungent taste that I hadn't noticed before.
"Why?"
“I missed you.”
Shish whispers as he takes my hand and places it on his cheek.
“I missed you, Master...”
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
The red alert is going off like crazy.
I have to avoid it!
"Shish, shall we go out and see our courtyard? No, let's go! To the world of dreams and hope!"
“Master, didn’t you want to see me?”
Oh, Shish Milan. Please ignore me.
A mixture of emotions washed over me, whether it was anxiety or excitement.
“Answer me. Have I never once come to mind?”
No, I should blurt out without a soul that I've thought a lot about you, but why won't my mouth open?
In the end, I just kept opening and closing my mouth like an idiot, and Shish...
I laughed. I laughed very bitterly.
Before the red alert could even sound, I could hear my heart pounding and plummeting.
Knock knock.
It was a knock on the door that broke the awkward atmosphere.
“Come in.”
“I will bring you some food.”
The attendant came in pushing a cart. On it were steaming dishes.
“I’m in a hurry to prepare this, so there aren’t many options. I’ll bring more if you’re ready to eat.”
"It's okay."
I waved my hand to indicate that it was enough, and the attendant took a look at Shish.
“Do as she says.”
The attendant bowed deeply and left the room.
“Eat. Eat quickly.”
I put the food in front of Shish before I could even eat it.
“It is you, Master.”
“I can eat well on my own, so don’t worry about it and just eat.”
“Am I an idiot who doesn’t know how to eat by myself?”
"Yes."
I answered absentmindedly and then shook my head vigorously.
"No!"
Then I continued to place food in front of Shish and gave him a fork and spoon in his hand.
“Let’s eat quickly.”
I was worried about this nervous prime minister's diet, so I acted confidently.
“Yeah, if I don’t eat it, my master will say you won’t eat it either.”
Shish, who was scooping up soup with a spoon, seemed strangely pleased.
But Shish, that's not it. I would have eaten even if you didn't.
Shish took a bite, looked at me, took another bite, looked at me, but didn't ask any particularly difficult questions.
Thank goodness we're sitting next to each other.
If I were across from him, I would have been sick of that gaze and just eaten... well.
“Master, you’ve lost a lot of weight, too. Come eat.”
Shish pushed the plates I had placed in front of him towards me.
Come to think of it, how long has it been since I last ate?
It's not like I didn't eat rice over there either, but I usually ate as much as bird feed. It's been a while since I've had such a grand meal.
As I realized this, my hands that were reaching for the food slowed down.
“You’re not going to eat it just because I recommended it?”
"Yes?"
“‘Yes.’? Master, aren’t you trusting His Highness the Crown Prince too much?”
Shish started laughing dangerously.
Wait, I don't even know what I answered.
“Do you think I can’t take you out of here?”
I was startled by the fleeting glimpse of Shish's patience.
“Master, you still don’t know that much about me?”
The atmosphere that had been relaxed just a moment ago seemed fake as the crimson eyes shone sharply.
“Hey, Shish.”
The crimson eyes looking at me were clearly expressing some fierce emotion, but I couldn't read them.
No, it was so unexpected that I'm not sure if I read it correctly.
“I’m listening.”
What should I say?
To you who is so hurt but doesn't know how to say it hurts.
Shish, who had been so openly expressing his emotions, was so unfamiliar that I couldn't even guess what words to utter.
So instead of speaking, I cupped his cheeks with both hands, just like I had done before.
“Like I'd do that.”
Shish kissed my cheek with a slurping sound.
“I know because the guard in charge of the castle entrance told me.”
That guy from before, right? I guess I'll have to cut him off.
“After the master disappeared, I gave orders to the entire country. Black hair, black eyes.”
Shish slowly raised his head and met my gaze.
“If her name is Retri Extra, or something similar, then they must inform the Prime Minister or the Imperial Palace.”
So, my identity has been put on the national map.
He's a scary guy.
Reflected in his crimson eyes, my expression was no different from usual, but Shish must have read my mind like a ghost. Judging by the way his lips twisted into a smile.
“Why? You ran away, but now you’re being caught, and it’s a shame?”
“You have to speak properly. Is that why I ran away?”
I lifted my chin and opened my eyes wide.
“Yuno got involved in an accident.”
If he hadn't blown up the tower while experimenting, I wouldn't have ended up in that damn monastery.
Since there was nothing wrong with what I said, Shish seemed to agree with it without question.
“To be exact, it was the stupid Knight Commander who was making the potion that caused the explosion... So the damn Knight Commander is the problem?”
Why does that happen?
Since I was the one who created Dietrich's strange desires, I decided to pretend not to know.
“Shish, aren’t you hungry?”
“I’m not hungry.”
Despite his sly reply, Shish called someone over and ordered them to prepare a meal. The attendant followed Shish's orders without question.
I wonder if he is the mad minister who controls the palace.
“Sish, since you’re here, why don’t you eat before you go?”
I sat down at the table at the edge of the room. Shish followed me.
“You didn’t eat well while I was away, did you?”
The crimson eyes stared at me silently, and for some reason, I found it difficult to meet them, so I quickly turned my head away.
“You’re so skinny, I don’t want to look at you.”
I glanced over, wondering if I'd been too harsh, and saw Shish biting his lips. I lightly placed my hand on the corner of his mouth.
“I told you not to. The scab hasn’t even formed yet. If you do it again, it’ll rip.”
Shish, who had been looking down at me, seemed to grab my hand that had touched his lips, and then hugged my neck.
"Shish-"
My voice, trying to call his name, was instantly eaten.
On the tip of my tongue, I felt a pungent taste that I hadn't noticed before.
This time, the freshly fallen snowflake eyes appeared again and met my gaze.
“I missed you.”
Shish whispers as he takes my hand and places it on his cheek.
“I missed you, Master...”
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
The red alert is going off like crazy.
I have to avoid it!
"Shish, shall we go out and see our courtyard? No, let's go! To the world of dreams and hope!"
“Master, didn’t you want to see me?”
Oh, Shish Milan. Please ignore me.
A mixture of emotions washed over me, whether it was anxiety or excitement.
“Answer me. Have I never once come to mind?”
No, I should blurt out without a soul that I've thought a lot about you, but why won't my mouth open?
In the end, I just kept opening and closing my mouth like an idiot, and Shish...
I laughed. I laughed very bitterly.
Before the red alert could even sound, I could hear my heart pounding and plummeting.
Knock knock.
It was a knock on the door that broke the awkward atmosphere.
“Come in.”
“I will bring you some food.”
The attendant came in pushing a cart. On it were steaming dishes.
“I’m in a hurry to prepare this, so there aren’t many options. I’ll bring more if you’re ready to eat.”
"It's okay."
I waved my hand to indicate that it was enough, and the attendant took a look at Shish.
“Do as she says.”
The attendant bowed deeply and left the room.
“Eat. Eat quickly.”
I put the food in front of Shish before I could even eat it.
“It is you, Master.”
“I can eat well on my own, so don’t worry about it and just eat.”
“Am I an idiot who doesn’t know how to eat by myself?”
"Yes."
I answered absentmindedly and then shook my head vigorously.
"No!"
Then I continued to place food in front of Shish and gave him a fork and spoon in his hand.
“Let’s eat quickly.”
I was worried about this nervous prime minister's diet, so I acted confidently.
“Yeah, if I don’t eat it, my master will say you won’t eat it either.”
Shish, who was scooping up soup with a spoon, seemed strangely pleased.
But Shish, that's not it. I would have eaten even if you didn't.
Shish took a bite, looked at me, took another bite, looked at me, but didn't ask any particularly difficult questions.
Thank goodness we're sitting next to each other.
If I were across from him, I would have been sick of that gaze and just eaten... well.
“Master, you’ve lost a lot of weight, too. Come eat.”
Shish pushed the plates I had placed in front of him towards me.
Come to think of it, how long has it been since I last ate?
It's not like I didn't eat rice over there either, but I usually ate as much as bird feed. It's been a while since I've had such a grand meal.
As I realized this, my hands that were reaching for the food slowed down.
“You’re not going to eat it just because I recommended it?”
"Yes?"
“‘Yes.’? Master, aren’t you trusting His Highness the Crown Prince too much?”
Shish started laughing dangerously.
Wait, I don't even know what I answered.
“Do you think I can’t take you out of here?”
I was startled by the fleeting glimpse of Shish's patience.
“Master, you still don’t know that much about me?”
The atmosphere that had been relaxed just a moment ago seemed fake as the crimson eyes shone sharply.
“Hey, Shish.”
The crimson eyes looking at me were clearly expressing some fierce emotion, but I couldn't read them.
No, it was so unexpected that I'm not sure if I read it correctly.
“I’m listening.”
What should I say?
To you who is so hurt but doesn't know how to say it hurts.
Shish, who had been so openly expressing his emotions, was so unfamiliar that I couldn't even guess what words to utter.
So instead of speaking, I cupped his cheeks with both hands, just like I had done before.
“Like I'd do that.”
Shish gritted his teeth. But it was clear that he wasn't angry or trying to threaten anyone.
Because his eyes were red.
"I..."
"It's not that I didn't eat it because you recommended it. It's because something I'd forgotten came to mind."
“What is it?”
“I was trying to lose weight.”
No.
“It’ll all show that you’re lying, but I’ll pretend not to notice.”
Wow, that's quite a nice story, isn't it?
...Yeah, actually, thank you so much for just letting it go.
As the newly restored Bilau came to mind, Shish felt like a real man.
We started eating again and were almost finished with our plates.
“Hey, junior. Aren’t you being too carefree?”
My senior appeared through the door that opened silently.
“Your Highness!”
Unlike me, who jumped up from my seat, Shish stood up slowly, as if a troublesome opponent had appeared.
“Welcome, Your Highness. I was entertaining her because she seemed bored.”
“Yes, thanks to the Prime Minister, I was able to have an in-depth conversation with His Majesty.”
Is it just my imagination that I feel a prickle in my senior's words?
“From now on, I will serve the guests, so you may go ahead, Prime Minister.”
He made it clear to Shish's face that he was annoyed by his senior.
The expression and tone of his speech are perfectly courteous to the prime minister, but the content of his words is that. What is that man doing to the prime minister, who is the mastermind?
As expected, Shish smiles brightly.
It roughly meant, 'You die tonight.'
“You can’t kill that person! You can’t make him mad or cripple him!”
Shish rolled his eyes and avoided my gaze.
“You promised me.”
I grabbed his clothes and shook them, and only then did he look at me again.
“I don’t like it, but okay.”
"You're kind."
As I stroked Shish's head, his eyelashes fluttered.
The senior was leaning against the door with his arms crossed and staring at Shish and me, was no different from usual.
Shish, who openly wants to kill the Crown Prince in front of him, and my senior, who responds to it nonchalantly, are both out of their minds.
Who made this?
Me.
“I’ll come again tomorrow.”
Shish, who had lightly kissed my cheek, surprisingly retreated obediently.
As Shish left the room, my senior closed the door. His attire had changed.
In a uniform fit for the Crown Prince of the empire.
“What about dinner?”
“I ate.”
Even though I hadn't asked, the senior sitting on the chair loosened his cravat as if he was tired.
“I have a younger sibling I never had before.”
“Three younger sisters?”
“Yeah. I would have panicked if I hadn’t heard from you.”
The tone was light, but there was a bitterness to it, so I kept my mouth shut. My heart felt heavy, as if I had caused this.
The senior didn't bother to break the silence. He stared into space for a moment, then rose from his chair.
“It’s late today, so I’ll come back tomorrow.”
"Is it so?"
So when he said he was leaving, I was secretly relieved.
“This is on the outskirts of the palace, so it’s unlikely to be noticed, but just in case.”
I don't want to be exposed to people's gaze. If you don't want to see me either...
I felt a strange, inexplicable feeling. Could it be because the environment had changed?
"Senior."
"Yes?"
I was about to ask if he was thinking about me.
“Take care. Don’t get lost.”
“Haha, I’ve called this place home most of my life. I don’t recall ever being away for a few months.”
“That’s good then.”
The senior also left, and only silence descended on the room.
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