Evil-like Duke Household - Chapter 49: Idle talk: Nivu and Neko

Let’s rewind the time a little bit. Right now is the engagement party of Jake=Ractos and Anessa=Nizzet.

In the middle of such an event, one could see that there is one snake and one big spider idling in the Ractos mansion’s garden.

Of course, that snake is the familiar of Jake=Ractos and the big spider is the friend of Liliane=Ractos, Mary-chan.

As expected, they who are not human weren’t allowed to come in to the hall with the other guests inside. So they are just looking at the party that’s full with the bustle of from afar through a window.

[ Aah, Jake is finally engaged, heh … Looking at the crowded hall like this… It’s really moving, right? ] – Mary

Mary-chan who is from the species called Crimson eyes, has the same lifespan as a human. So, now, her age is not really far apart from Liliane=Ractos’.

And so, she knew Jake since the time he was born.

Thus, when she saw Jake’s engagement party like this, she felt like she is his aunt. She squinted her eyes, fondly remembering the time in the past when Jake is still a little child.

Well, since she is a spider, of course she doesn’t have an eyelid, and her expression also doesn’t change… in other words, this is some figurative expression. Don’t think too much about it.

[ … is that so ] – Neko

Compared to that, Neko gave her some half-assed answer whilst looking distracted.

Aah, that’s right. I forgot.

Of course, these two animal didn’t speak with human language. They’re communicating with each other without words. It’s something like an animal space, or something like that, yeah.

Don’t think to deeply about it. We’re still at the beginning of the story, right?

[ Oh my? Neko, you’ve been absentminded all this time. Do you have another problem? Did your worry from last time come back? ] – Mary.

Previously, Neko was consulting Mary-chan about what will happen if Jake got engaged and married.

Mary-chan asked about Neko’s condition who’s just like what Mary-chan said, absentminded. Mary-chan is worried whether Neko’s previous worry returned … But it seems that Neko is thinking about a completely different thing.

[ No , it’s not that … how should I say it, umm ] – Neko

Neko’s voice withered at the end as an unclear answer came out from her mouth.

As Mary-chan tilted her head in confusion, one white shadow came closer to their place.

[ Oh, Neko-san and… the Mary-chan-sama that I often hear in the rumours, I presume? Lady, you also have a pair of beautiful red eyes. It seems that all of the ladies in the Ractos household has the brightness of ruby inside their eyes, huh? ] – Nivu

[ Ah ! You … You are ] – Neko

White scales with amber colored eyes. Remembering his appearance, Neko’s voice became rough as she answered his question.

That’s right. He is the familiar of one of the main actors of the engagement party today, Anessa=Nizzet.

A white lizard with a bow tie who talked to Neko yesterday with a pompous tone.

The Amber Lizard, Nivu is his name.

He is also the reason why Neko have been in daze today. For the first time of this life, to meet the opposite sex of the same species as her … well, strictly speaking, they’re not from the same species. But both are reptiles and are also familiars. So, in a wide meaning, they’re indeed the same species.

Because of being confessed by someone who’s from the same species as her, Neko became excessively conscious about him exceeding what she would’ve thought.

And now of all days, even if her partner, Jake=Ractos, is having a engagement party, her maiden in love mind is wondering if she could see the opposite party’s familiar again, which is him. What they would talk about when they meet, and so on.

By the way, Erza has jet black eyes with a tinge of red and not just pure scarlet. Perhaps Erza is not into the category of a lady in Nivu eyes… But let’s leave that to your own personal judgment.

[ Oh my, are you Neko’s acquaintance? It seems you’re a gentleman who’s really good at treating lady, huh. May I know who is your name? ] – Mary

Mary-chan asked the visitor who seems to have already known about them… especially since he seems to be Neko’s acquaintance.

[ Sorry for the late introduction. How do you do, Mary-chan-sama. I am the familiar of Jake=Ractos-sama’s fiancée known as Miss Anessa=Nizzet… Nivu the amber Lizard it is. —- Neko-san it’s been a while since the day of marriage interview, yes?] – Nivu

After apologizing for his late introduction, Nivu started his introduction with a respectful, gentlemanly, and splendid bow towards Mary-chan who is meeting him for yhe first time.

No matter how many times people see it, it’s a high class’s bow, a splendid movement. There’s nothing to be pointed out. Nothing. To. Be. Pointed. Out.

[ Ah, uuh… That’s right. Long time no see… ]- Neko

[ My, how do you do. I am the best friend of the mistress of the Duke Household, Liliane=Ractos. My name is Mary-chan of the crimson eye… Neko, what’s wrong? It’s rude in front of Nivu-san if you hide behind my back like this, right?]- Mary

The moment Nivu appeared, Neko hid herself behind Mary-chan that is unlike herself, looking all flustered and shy. Though Mary-chan reprimanded her for her act, Neko didn’t show any sign to come out from Mary-chan’s back.

[ Auuh, umm, this is has some deep, but not so deep reason. That’s right, it’s my mental problem that caused this, well … ] – Neko

Behind Mary-chan, Neko weirdly tampered with her fingers as she answered Mary-chan’s question with an answer that didn’t answer anything.

Neko is a snake, so she doesn’t have a finger. But she’s tampering with her finger.

How exactly that happened is not important. Anyway, she is tampering her finger.

[ Well, what~ It’s just several days ago when our master had an marriage meeting and I ended up making a move on her … It seems that I made her embarrassed instead ] – Nivu

[ Oh my … ] – Mary

[ Wha, wait, Nivu-san! Are you seriously saying that to Big sis ! Uuh, embarrassing ] – Neko

Neko raised her voice in protest when she heard Nivu telling the act that happened several days ago so easily.

Because of embarrassment, her face become beet red and she hanged her head.

[ … That’s right. Neko, it seems that I became a bit hungry, I’ll leave my seat now. While I’m at it, please accompany Nivu-san ] – Marry

Hearing Nivu’s speech and seeing how Neko acts, Mary-chan, who understands the current situation, made an excuse that she is hungry to leave her seat. And so asking Neko to accompanying the guest Nivu.

She made it so that they can be together alone naturally. Marry-chan is a capable girl.

And then without saying much, she pinched the tip of her dress, made a bow that’s fitting of a noble lady and left the place …

Dress?

Why dress, eh !?

How… ?

[ Fwaah ! ? Wait, Wait a moment ! Big sis ! ! ] – Neko

[ Oh, it seems she’s taking consideration for us. I still have long way to go, eh. Fufu… ] – Nivu

Due to Mary-chan’s plan, the two is now left together naturally made Neko flustered.

On the other hand, Nivu is saying that he is still a greenhorn as a gentleman, but he still has composure with daring smile surfacing on his face.

[ … … Neko-san] – Nivu

[ Ywes ! ?] – Neko

The moment they became alone, Nivu called her name with a slightly charming voice, Neko answered in confusion.Her heart is beating fast that she felt it’s about to explode.

Seemingly realizing Neko’s condition, Nivu gently and kindly said something to calm her down.

[ It’s me who made a move on you. But before this matter about us, won’t it be tiring for you to always be nervous like that now that both of our masters are engaged to each other? How about take it easier? ] – Nivu

Unlike how he did last time, during the marriage interview, Nivu isn’t looking aggressively and trying to make a move on her. But is talking to her as someone who is older than her, trying to remove Neko’s nervousness.

[ … That’s right. Well, it seems that I got too conscious about it ] – Neko

While her heartbeat is still beating fast while looking at Nivu who is acting differently to his usual pompous act, she still felt a bit calmer now.

She slowly patted her chest.

[ Yeah, let’s take it more relaxing and enjoy our conversation. For the sake of knowing each other more, right? ] – Nivu

As Nivu is trying to coax her again, now that Neko is already calming down and is able to hold a conversation with him, an unexpected guest appeared.

[ Hyuuh ! Ain’t’ there quite a nice gurl over there !? As expected of capital ! ] – ???

With a crude way of talking, unbefitting to the place, some watery, muddy, soft thing came between Nivu and Neko. It’s the so called slime.

… Slime, heh, let alone hands or feet, face and innards, that thing doesn’t have it all.

I have a bad feeling about this.

[ Beautiful snake gurl over there~ How bout it? Let’s ditch this damn boring party and do something good with me!!! ] – Slime dude

[ Eh? Eh ? ] – Neko

Suddenly slimy thing appearing as it covers its nucleus and is trembling, the slime is inviting Neko into something vulgar. Neko, then, raised her voice in confusion.

This slime is the familiar of one of the guests that’s attending the engagement party today.

However, this familiar doesn’t have a high society attitude compared to the other familiars that came.

That’s a matter of course since the master of this familiar is not someone who is pursuing the way of magic.

In other words, this familiar is the familiar of someone who wants to make prestige and thus became the familiar under some kind of circumstance.

Because of that, the master couldn’t completely control it. And now just like how you see it, it has a bad attitude.

[ Oh, it seems that some crude fella slipped in, heh. What a bother. ] – Nivu

Towards that frivolous slime who suddenly appeared and became a hindrance as Nivu tried to deepen the relationship between he and Neko, Nivu pointed a cold gaze toward him while excluding a sigh of disappointment.

[ Haaah ? Crude ! ? Like hell I know about that damn thing. You old lizard just need to shut your damn mouth ! … Oi, Snake Nee-chan, come here ! ! ] – Slime dude

The slime raised his voice in rage, seemingly isn’t liking what Nivu said about him. With his damp hand, he forcefully took Neko’s hand with a vulgar smile plastered on his face.

Now, look … Face, finger, it’s not even ….

[ Wha ! ? Let me go, now ! ! ] – Neko

Neko clearly showing her displease at the slime’s characteristic damp hand, his uncontrollable nature, and the fact that he forcibly took her hand, she could hardly resist in hatefully looking at what he did. She tries to remove his hand… but the slime unexpectedly exerted more force that she thought and so she couldn’t remove his hand.

[ Good grief, you really don’t know how to handle a girl at all, don’t yo . Perhaps you need some scolding, no?]- Nivu

Of course Nivu couldn’t just stand in silence looking at all that had happened.

Different from the flirting gaze when he tried to coax Neko, the expression that’s totally different from the kind and affectionate look towards Neko, Nivu’s expression is cold and is filled with anger as his sharp gaze pierced the slime. He grabbed the hand that grasped Neko’s hand and twisted it up.

[ Ouch … its hurts dammit ! Let go, you lizard bastard ! ! ] – Slime

Nivu kept on strengthening his grasp, looking like he wanted to smash the wrist of that slime. Then he twisted the slime’s hand to the extreme as turned backwards.

The slime felt that from the joint of his body, a cracking sound could be heard as the pain surged out from it. Because of too much pain, the slime ended up removing his hand from Neko.

Amazing! Nivu-san was able to twist slime’s joint.

I don’t know how in the world he did it, but, amazing.

Super respect.

[ It seems you still didn’t learn anything from this, you soft body boy. Perhaps I still need teach you a manners?] – Nivu

[ I, I understand, I’m in the wrong here ! I’ll apologize, but let me go ! ! My bones will break ! ! ] – Slime dood

Toward that slime who didn’t show any slight of remorse, Nivu put more power into his hand. The slime, then, felt that the pain is not only limited to his wrist anymore, it even come up toward his shoulder until Nivu finally felt that the pain the slime starts to apologize in tears.

The heck this slime is saying, even though he doesn’t have any bone in the first place.

[ Hmph, well whatever. Now, learn from this and don’t do something stupid anymore, you hear me?] – Nivu

Nivu threw away the hand as he released the slime who is pathetically looking in pain.

By the force, the slime’s balance crumbled as he stumbled on his own foot and unsightly fell down on place.

Nivu just looked down on him with a cold gaze.

[ Da, damn! Remember this, bastard ! ! ] – Slime dude

While caressing his painful joint, the slime ran away while spouting some parting threat towards them.

Though he said “remember this”, I wonder if the slime can even remember thing that happened just now?

He doesn’t have any brain after all. Isn’t it impossible for him?

[ Are you alright, Neko-san? ]- Nivu

After he seeing the slime go away, Nivu went to confirm Neko’s condition who has been standing still in daze.

Nivu’s gaze is clearly different from the one that he pointed towards the slime, his gaze now is full of kindness that’s seems to worry about Neko It looks really kind.

[ Ah, umm . I, I’m alright ! That’s … Thank you ] – Neko

As she stood in daze after witnessing the unexpected other side of Nivu, how he is a capable man when one needs it. But seeing that Nivu looked really worried about her, she, in panic, said her thanks.

She felt that her face is hot.

Neko absentmindedly looked at Nivu’s kind gaze as if entranced by it. But then, she camr back to her senses when a sudden voice called her from a far place.

[ Neko, what happened? I felt something happened over here, anything wrong? ] – Mary-chan

It’s Mary-chan’s voice that perceived the quarrel some time ago.

It seems that the quarrel became something quite big. Marry-chan who left the place was even able to hear it.

[ It’s, it’s alright, Big sis ! Nothing … yeah, nothing happened. ] – Neko

Nothing happened.

Neko answered such to Mary-chan who seems to be worried about her well-being. But there can’t be nothing that happened.

The thing that Neko just realized, in the end, since she has a really scarce experience of love and that it’s the first time someone whispered sweet words of love towards her.

Vaguely, she felt curious about Nivu. But it’s a feeling that’s not close or far from love.

However, because he saved her from the grasp of the slime some time ago, that feeling certainly changed.

Neko felt love toward Nivu who saved her from that slime.

She felt like Nivu is the prince on a white horse for her.

Feeling embarrassed if this fact is known to Mary-chan, Neko ended up answering that nothing is happened.

But, inside her heart, something so big, but also gentle, is happening.

—- Before long, at the same day as the marriage between Jake=Ractos and Anessa=Nizzet, Nivu and Neko will be tied together.

And then after this, too, the familiars will be inherited for generations. They will be protecting the Ractos House’s descendants in happiness for a long time.

( TL : This is a love story between lizard and Snake, don’t forget that )