I Became the Wicked Beastmen’s Catnip - Chapter 27

“…Wichth, are you angry?” (Licht, are you angry?)

 

Perhaps it was a side effect of the brief nightmare, but a strong sense of exhaustion came over me.

 

When I blinked, Licht’s face in front of me became clearer and then blurred again.

 

Maybe it’s because I’m still half asleep. Licht’s mood seemed as low as at Askari’s birthday party.

 

“…Mir.”

 

“I’ll be back.”

 

After exchanging an inexplicable conversation, Mir looked back at me with worried eyes, and he was gone.

 

‘What? Did he go to call Noha?’

 

I flinched as I tried to grab my sore throat.

 

I couldn’t even lift a hand, as if my sensory organs were messed up.

 

“Yernian.”

 

“Yesh…”

 

Licht, who sat down beside me as I weakly answered, gently removed my sweaty hair.

 

My body slumped at the occasional pleasant touch on my forehead.

 

“Are you tired of living in the Myo World?”

 

“Huh? Why, all of a sudden?”

 

Giving strength to my eyelids that kept trying to close, I looked up at Licht. His stiff lips stood out.

 

“Noha said that. You’re not sick, you’re heartbroken.”

 

I blinked and stared blankly at Licht.

 

His mood was very strange. My heart ached like when Noha asked me to go back when I was in my dream.

 

My chapped lips couldn’t form a proper sentence.

 

Licht’s large hand covered my eyes.

 

“Just don’t answer.”

 

“…”

 

“Don’t cry, too. And Noha is next to me.”

 

It was only then that I noticed the wet corner of my eyes, and I pressed my lips together.

 

The sensations in my body, which had been dulled by the heat, began to slowly awaken.

 

I held onto the unfamiliar body temperature that I had been feeling on my right hand for a while.

 

“Why hasn’t Noha woke up yet?”

 

“…Magic that invades other people’s dreams consumes not only mana but also his energy. He will wake up soon.”

 

A magic that invades other people’s dreams.

 

It was something that felt unfamiliar to me, who was still learning basic magic formulas.

 

‘The real Noha came to pick me up.’

 

It was strange. Although it’s for a specific purpose, there are beastmen who are worried about my absence and I have a place to return to.

 

After regressing, the compulsion that had been following me all the time faded a little for the first time.

 

A smile that I didn’t even recognize came to my lips.

 

“Licht, you know.”

 

“Why.”

 

“Did you wait for me?”

 

Licht’s fingertips, which were covering my eyes, slightly flinched. I didn’t rush and waited for his answer.

 

“…Yernian.”

 

“Yesh.”

 

I became nervous at the seriousness of his voice, staring blankly at the neat face I could see through the gap between his fingers.

 

Licht’s hand slowly rubbed my eyes, which were still wet.

 

“Do you like me, or Noha.”

 

Ah, he starts doing this again.

 

Swallowing my sigh and turning my head slightly to the side, I saw Noha’s side face, sleeping like a doll.

 

I moved my lips impulsively.

 

“I like Noha better today.”

 

“Today?”

 

“A human’s heawt is originally like a weed.” (A human’s heart is originally like a reed: humans keep changing their minds)

 

“…Did Mir tell you that too?”

 

When I nodded, Licht’s atmosphere turned fierce. At that time, Mir returned with a pale-skinned doctor.

 

“Your Highness the Princess! You’re awake.”

 

What. Why is this beastman like this again?

 

The doctor, whose condition seemed more serious than I had seen a while ago, hurriedly ran towards me.

 

“I-I really thought that Her Highness the Princess, wouldn’t wake up like this…!”

 

He’s not crying like this, is he…?

 

I followed the tail protruding through the doctor’s blue coat with devastated eyes.

 

Licht clicked his tongue in annoyance.

 

“Lime. You talk a lot today.”

 

“…I will begin the examination right away.”

 

The doctor, clearing his throat as if he was embarrassed, carefully raised my wrist with a trembling hand.

 

‘What the hell happened after I was kidnapped?’

 

The doctor, who had carefully examined me several times, let out a sigh of relief.

 

“You suffered from a fever and your energy was very damaged, but if you take absolute rest for the time being, you will soon recover.”

 

The doctor, who gave me a similar prescription the other day, set a box of several vials on a nearby table.

 

“It’s a pill to be taken twice a day after meals. You haven’t eaten for two days, so you’d better eat porridge for a whileㅡ”

 

“Two days?”

 

Confused at the unexpected date, I looked back at Licht with shaking eyes.

 

Licht, who grabbed one of the vials in the box, raised a corner of his lips.

 

“You worked hard for two days, I will feed you this.”

 

“No nweed.” (No need.)

 

Licht’s expression became strange at the thought that I had casually uttered.

 

I quickly corrected my words.

 

“Yeni can eat by myself.”

 

“You’re still sick.”

 

“My hand isn’t hurt.”

 

I stretched out my intact hands toward Licht.

 

No, just as I was about to straighten myself up, my trembling arm fell down without strength.

 

“Look at that.”

 

The scorn at the corners of Licht’s lips deepened even more.

 

“It’s better for you to stay here for a while, Yernian.”

 

“…Again?”

 

I want to check with my own eyes to see if the nanny, Alice, and Loen are safe.

 

Having already had a history of suffocating cohabitation with Licht, I sent him a desperate look.

 

However, the heartless Licht didn’t listen to my request this time either.

 

“Yeah. Here.”

 

“…What about the nanny and the maids?”

 

“They’ll be here if necessary.”

 

Fortunately, everyone seemed to be unharmed without getting caught in the attack.

 

“Rather than that, the escort I put on you is more useless than I thought, so I’m thinking about what to do with it.”

 

I twitched my lips as I recalled the shadow beastman I saw on the carriage.

 

“Did you put the escort in my shadow all this time?”

 

“Because that way is the safest.”

 

Then what has become of my private life!

 

As my gaze became fierce, the doctor, who was watching between us, moved his butt.

 

“T-Then, I will step back, Your Majesty.”

 

“Wait.”

 

I tugged at the doctor’s blue gown, which seemed to disappear in a hurry.

 

“Excwuse me.” (Excuse me.)

 

Biting my tongue at the pronunciation that would be disturbed if I let my guard down a little, I quickly continued.

 

“Is Noha fine?”

 

The doctor’s eyes fell on Noha, who was sleeping next to me.

 

Licht nodded at the doctor who was perplexed.

 

“Take a look.”

 

“Then excuse me.”

 

‘I think he has lost some weight.’

 

Surely nothing happened during the two days I was asleep.

 

I waited for the doctor’s diagnosis, unable to hide my nervousness.

 

I couldn’t help but be worried even though I knew that I had fallen asleep to recover my energy from using high-difficulty magic.

 

The moment I was about to bite my nails, Licht grabbed my hand with a firm hand.

 

“From now on, if you bite your nails, you’ll be able to dye them all red.”

 

“…Red?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Frightened by the bizarre appearance just by imagining it, and I calmly lowered my hand.

 

The doctor, who had just finished examining Noha, looked back at me and smiled faintly.

 

“Your Highness the Princess. His Highness the Third Prince is simply asleep, so don’t worry. If he recovers the energy consumed while using magic, he will wake up naturally.”

 

Feeling relieved, I nodded with a smile on my face.

 

“Alwight. Thanhks.” (Alright. Thanks.)

 

After the doctor, who muttered that he would be able to stretch out his feet and fall asleep today, left the bedroom, I rested my chin on my hand and looked into Noha’s sleeping face.

 

“His complexion doesn’t look good.”

 

“Mine is worse than him.”

 

As usual, Licht thrust his sharp chin in front of me.

 

“See? I’m skinny.”

 

Where did he get his real age?

 

‘Phew. Just don’t talk.’

 

As I turned my head from rapidly rising fatigue, Licht’s bluntly cut fingernails pressed down on my nostrils.

 

“Ah! It huuurts.”

 

“You just cursed with your eyes again.”

 

“W-When did I!”

 

“I think you’re still doing that.”

 

After having a childish scuffle with Licht for a while, I pulled on his collar while Mir went to get the porridge.

 

“…But what is the identity of the shadow escort?”

 

“An alter ego created with my mana.”

 

Somehow, the shape was completely reminiscent of Licht.

 

“Then does it continue to live in my shadow?”

 

“Why? You don’t want it? Shall I just kill him, then.”

 

Why is this beastman so extreme…

 

Blinking my eyes, I recalled the shadow beastman crouching in front of Licht.

 

‘Still, it’ll be better than nothing.’

 

“No. Don’t kill it.”

 

Instead, I decided to fully learn how to use the shadow beastman seal that Licht had attached.

 

***

 

I just woke up from the strong sunlight piercing my eyelids and buried my face in the soft pillow.

 

‘When did I fall asleep?’

 

I was so tired that I must have fallen asleep while Licht was teaching me how to use the shadow beastman seal.

 

‘Well, I’ve heard roughly all the important things.’

 

In case a similar situation arises, I think I will be able to protect myself more efficiently this time.

 

It was easier to move my body than yesterday, perhaps thanks to the medicine my doctor made for me.

 

‘Ah, I’m hungry.’

 

The belated hunger set in. I yawned, poking my head out of the blanket.

 

I couldn’t see where Licht, who had cleverly scratched my nerves until I fell asleep, had gone.

 

Then I looked back at Noha, who was still in a sound sleep.

 

“Good morning, Noha.”

 

It was purely my stubbornness that Noha stayed in Licht’s bedroom.

 

I was stubborn as I didn’t want Noha’s side to be empty when he opened his eyes.

 

Rubbing my sore eyes, I got off the bed, pulled up the curtains, and headed for the living room.

 

Then I stopped at the commotion I felt outside the door.

 

“Do you all really want to die?”

 

A bloody voice leaked through the tightly closed door.

 

“I apologize, Your Highness the Fourth Prince. His Majesty has given strict orders not to let anyone in for the time being.”

 

It seemed that Askari, who came to visit me, was arguing with the knights guarding the door.

 

“How long will that damn bastard be…!”

 

I hurriedly opened the door, judging that if it continued like this, Askari, who had lost his temper, might act again.

 

“Askari.”

 

The red mana that had risen from his body faded like a lie.

 

A red tail protruded from the wide-eyed Askari.

 

“You…!”

 

“You woke up so early.”

 

“… When did you wake up?”

 

“Just now. Were you worried?”

 

His tail stood on end. So were the pair of fuzzy ears perched atop his head.

 

“Do you think I would have done something like that?”

 

“I’m fine now. Don’t worry.”

 

“Hey! I never did anything like worry about you!”

 

“Alright, then. Let’s just say so.”

 

I made eye contact with the screaming Askari and smiled brightly. One of his eyebrows rose.

 

“Breakfast.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Have you had breakfast?”

 

“…No, not yet.”

 

Why is he suddenly asking this?

 

It was when I tilted my head at his unusual question.

 

Askari, whose forehead was dyed red, spat out words without making eye contact with me.

 

“Then let’s have breakfast together.”

 

I looked at Askari with slightly widened eyes, then nodded with a grin.

 

“Yeah. Great.”

 

I looked up at the knights who were looking at us in a puzzled way.

 

“Can I have breakfast with Askari inside?”

 

“That is…”

 

After exchanging glances for a moment, they stepped aside as if they couldn’t help it.

 

“After I report to His Majesty, I will call the lady-in-waiting and her attendant to serve.”

 

“Yesh. Thanhks.” (Yes. Thanks.)

 

I left a habitual greeting and took Askari into Licht’s bedroom.

 

He was looking around with unfamiliar eyes, probably because it was his first time entering Licht’s bedroom.

 

‘It won’t be another strange misunderstanding again, right?’

 

Askari’s affection for Licht is so extraordinary that I needed to be careful.

 

“Ascari, the reason I’m staying here isㅡ”

 

“Doesn’t matter.”

 

“…Huh?”

 

“It doesn’t matter. Rather, you and I will do swordsmanship together…”

 

Askari, who was about to nag at me, hesitated.

 

His pale sky blue eyes were attached on Noha beyond the veil.

 

“Why is that thing here again?”

 

His smooth eyes were distorted.