After transforming a few times during the festival, it was now easy for me to avoid Kyle's gaze and shift into my human form. Since that day, I had been spending all my time with Sen, except for the moments I was with Kyle, so I no longer worried about being caught.
"A Demon Mathematician?" Kyle asked.
"Yes, I don't know much about it; I just observe them vaguely..." I replied, trailing off.
"I see."
I drank the tea he prepared and ate the scones he had laid out. And I lied nonchalantly.
I'm sorry, but it's better to say this for later.
If I happened to have a reason to accompany Kyle when he traveled to another area, I'd be able to secure a place when he went to subjugate demons. It's said that a demon mathematician accompanies the regular subjugation of demon beasts, just as it was in Heart of Winter.
"Instead, can you stay with me without working?" Kyle asked.
"Where are you going again?" I countered.
"No..." Kyle began, then clarified, "I'm not going anywhere; I'm asking if you're okay with it. It seems our Grand Duke has grown suspicious after I disappeared a few times."
I turned my head away. Then his hand reached out and gently turned my face back.
"It is polite to look at the other person's face when talking."
"I don't know about aristocratic etiquette," I muttered.
"You'll have to learn from now on."
"Why me?"
Then he said in a hushed tone, "Aren't we companions?"
A slip of the tongue lasts a lifetime. I was speechless, looking at him with a miserable expression.
How many times had this happened? I wouldn't be as lucky as Kyle's companion. Whenever I tried to avoid answering or leave the room, he always insisted that he was my companion.
What kind of companion is a man who never even had a lover until he died? It's not that he couldn't have been in a relationship, but he didn't? So what? My mouth itched with the desire to retort, but I held it back.
And Kyle, who was looking at my face, let out a soft laugh. It was a strangely relaxed smile, and I unknowingly let my glare soften.
"I'm comfortable with you."
"..."
"I know it sounds strange, but I just mean that."
If you laugh like that, I have nothing to say.
Are you doing this on purpose? I looked at him with a blank expression, and Kyle held out a plate of scones to me, still smiling.
"Since you're a mathematician, could you take a look at my demon beasts? I'll make sure it's on a day that's convenient for you."
I was about to put the scone into my mouth, but Kyle's unexpected words stopped my hand. ...Strange. Did I hear that wrong? Are you asking me to look at them now?
With my hand still empty of the scone, I asked stupidly, "…Yes?"
"I asked you to look at my demon beast. In the study."
I guess I didn't hear it wrong.
I looked alternately at the scone in my hand and at Kyle, and my appetite vanished. I put the scone down. Even though the glossy dessert looked delicious, I felt like I'd be forcing myself to eat it right now.
However, Kyle didn't seem to notice and continued in a concerned voice, "I'm worried that it doesn't seem to have a good appetite recently. It refused to eat, and it didn't move well. It used to be such a lively creature..."
Don't add memory correction! At first, it just lay around all the time except when I was riding the wyvern. Doesn't he even know the joy of a relaxed life? This is why they're such 'diligent' creatures.
"I think it's because its core is slow to form, so I've decided to periodically inject it with magic."
"...Magic?"
What the heck? Who's doing that?
"It's your body, so I think it's better for you to see it at least once."
"What...!"
What is this...!
There was no reason to refuse. I shut my mouth, utterly speechless. And I urgently called the system.
'Hey! Hey hey! Come out!'
[... (*￣０￣)ノ]
Why do you look like you woke up from sleep? I clenched my fists as I stared at the blue system window in front of me.
'Hurry up and open it, what kind of shop is this?'
[....]
[....]
[☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆]
[!NUTS SHOP!]
After a little loading, a shiny emoticon came to mind. And I clicked my tongue as I looked at the name underneath it, decorated like a signboard. Were you tired of making this?
Ignoring the small letters that said "Renewal Opening," I quickly scanned the store.
[Minimini Brazil Nut Madeleine | Miracle Consumption 2% | 30 minutes Smaller than a hamster!]
[Hurry Almond Financier |Miracle value consumed by 3%|Run speed increases.]
What's the use of an item that makes you smaller than a hamster? I'd just turn back into the hamster anyway.
It was time to skip page 1 and head to page 2.
"Demon mathematician..." Kyle pondered something and let out a sigh of relief.
I pushed the system window aside and leaned over to look up at his face. "What are you thinking so intently?"
"I thought it was a good thing."
"Why?"
"There was always a shortage of Demon Mathematicians in Blake's estate. There hasn't been one in a long time, and we suffered a lot last year because of an accident during the wyvern nest survey."
His expectant gaze turned to me.
No, it's really because I have nothing to examine. Don't look so hopeful. Don't look like you're already trying to figure out how to keep me.
I raised my hand slightly, intending to block his gaze. Of course, my meager efforts were useless; within three seconds, Kyle grabbed my wrist and gently lowered it.
"It's hard to help the territory. I'm so busy," I said, trying to pre-empt him.
No matter how much the 'loading' time has increased, it's only two hours. There's no way I can do anything substantial. I can't even excuse myself to go to the bathroom and disappear.
"…I see."
There was a faint disappointment on Kyle's face. He usually maintained such a stoic expression that seeing him display such a range of emotions now almost took me aback.
Why are you so disappointed? He's a fake mathematician who only has knowledge from the original novel. The only demon beast I've ever truly seen in my life is Cashew. Oh, isn't Cashew a beast? I was just a hamster.
Anyway, he's probably more aware of its actual condition than I am. But what if he regrets it? I added softly, "There will be time to accompany the demon beast subjugation once or twice."
After I said that, something suddenly came to my mind.
Northern festivals are held in the coldest and darkest winter. After the hustle and bustle, Blake's territory prepares for a large-scale reconnaissance.
There were many reasons, but the main purpose was to relieve the tension that had been slightly relaxed due to the festival. Even though it has become a livable place, the north is still a land infested with demons and has long, harsh winters.
Another reason was likely the training of new knights. Around this time, the knights who had just finished their apprenticeship were going to practice for the first time after the ordination ceremony.
"When is the ordination ceremony for new knights...?" I asked.
Kyle replied slowly, "It was held before the festival. I recall there were quite a lot of new hires this year, so we made it a grand affair."
"Haha. I was a little busy at the time," I said, trying to brush it off.
Kyle openly looked suspicious. What would I be busy with at that time? Just move on, I thought. I tried my best to ignore his gaze.
The ceremony was larger than usual.
A chandelier that fell from the grand banquet.
And, after that, large-scale reconnaissance.
I'm sure. At this time, Kyle was...
[Archduke Blake is ambushed during reconnaissance and is severely wounded in his right arm.]
The system informed me of the contents of the original work.
I quietly asked, "Will this injury affect his death?"
After a moment of silence, the system replied succinctly, [Yes.]
One sentence that glowed pale blue sent chills down my spine. The vividness of his impending death was reaffirmed.
Yes, I did. Kyle's death is imminent.
According to the original, he began to confront Belial through the chandelier incident, and was attacked while on a reconnaissance trip. Later, he was stabbed in the heart by Sen in the Imperial Castle.
Just because I averted one incident doesn't mean his death will be completely reversed. Miracles don't happen so easily.
So, what do you do now...?
"Hey."
"..."
"Hey, Shu."
"..."
"Shu."
Kyle wrapped his palm around my cheek. The slight chill of his touch brought me back to my senses.
"Oh."
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes, what..." I took a quick breath. His cold fingertips felt cool against my skin.
"It's okay." He didn't seem to believe it, but I told him so anyway. "I was thinking about it for a while."
Kyle frowned. "What were you thinking that made your face so pale?"
I couldn't answer honestly, so I kept my mouth shut.
Come to think of it, I always avoided the truth this way. I'd talk around it, lie to him, or just shut up, even though I knew it looked suspicious.
But it couldn't be helped. How could I possibly say that? I turned the topic around as naturally as possible, and the plan I had made in advance unfolded naturally.
"Your Highness. Can I follow you on this large-scale reconnaissance?"
He replied straight away, as if it wasn't difficult. "Yes. But have you ever been outside the territory?"
"No, I haven't."
"The North is a much more dangerous place than you think. In that snowy field, humans are the first to learn how weak they are."
"..."
Coming from Archduke Blake himself, the weight of his words was different.
I swallowed hard. Then, I looked him straight in the eye and said, "Then Your Highness can protect me."
Watch me, Kyle. Then I'll protect you. You may not understand it yet, but our survival isn't separate.
Kyle whispered low, "Do you believe me?"
"Isn't it natural for the people of this land to believe in His Highness?" I countered.
"I mean," a mischievous smile appeared on his face, "I was asking if your belief was natural."
Feigning innocence, yet knowing all the answers. I squinted my eyes and glanced at him.
"Of course."
"Good. I'll protect you. No matter what, you'll be safe. However... what about horseback riding?"
"Oh."
...Do I know how to do it? Others talked about riding ponies on school trips to Jeju Island, but at that time, I was stuck doing overdue homework at school.
Before I could say anything, he added, "Well, my wound hasn't healed, so it's hard for me to ride a horse alone."
Fortunately, there was no mention of leaving me behind.
He didn't mean to let me ride in front of him, did he? Right? No? He said the ordination ceremony was bigger than usual. He said there were many new knights. Large-scale! And now I'm being forced to go? I twisted my lips into a forced smile, ignoring the goosebumps.
"...Thank you for your... overwhelming consideration."
When I go back, I'll definitely learn horseback riding.