chapter 43
The oath of loyalty had been passed down since the time of the first family head.
Except for that old promise — that the blood of Kreutz would never harm Wigdnia — there was no mana that affected Kreutz.
Then one day Cherry appeared.
She was clearly an ordinary squirrel that didn’t give off even a speck of mana.
Only in a very small part, the squirrel absorbed his mana.
And that tiny speck of mana she used on me.
‘She probably doesn’t know it herself yet.’
When I heard that strange lullaby, my mind calmed, and before I knew it I fell into a deep sleep.
Everything must have happened then.
So—
“Make a medicine that wakes him within an hour?”
“How many times do I have to tell you?”
“No matter how you say it, even if it’s the lord’s order, medicine doesn’t just appear quickly… but I’ll try. If we slightly modify a poison that suppresses mana, it might be possible.”
I took the medicine made that way and went to bed as usual.
I couldn’t rely solely on the drug, so I tried to concentrate.
But it failed.
The moment I patted the small warm body, I fell into a deep sleep.
When I opened my eyes again—
Dong, dong, da-aang—
It was when the tower bell struck the hour twelve times.
Everything around was perfectly still.
“Cherry…”
Kenihe reached out slowly.
The bed next to the pillow was empty.
It felt like the owner had been gone a long time; there was no warmth.
My teeth ground together.
I don’t even remember how I left the bedroom and made it to the guest room on the west side.
My head was filled with only one thought.
‘I’ll kill Erjin Astrahan.’
If that happened, everything would go back to how it was.
I gritted my teeth and opened the door—and what I saw was—
“You insane cub…”
A huge tiger was lying on its back like a cat that had finally lost its mind, belly exposed.
‘Erjin Astrahan! I won’t forget your sacrifice.’
At a time when a weird atmosphere hung between the crazed dragon and the tiger lying on its back, I was running frantically across the ceiling.
It was thanks to Erjin willingly sacrificing herself to draw Kenih’s attention.
‘Of course, she probably didn’t intend it…’
Actually, Erjin had rolled onto her back because of me.
A little earlier—
“Chu, chuut…”
A ti-ger, a real tiger…
Seeing a gigantic tiger, its entire body covered in golden fur, the size of a house, I froze without realizing it.
‘You’re… so big…’
I’d seen many bears and packs of wild dogs or wolves while living around Bear Mountain, but I’d never felt such an overwhelming presence.
Except for the day I lost my mother three years ago.
My vision was spinning already, and even breathing was hard.
‘I need to get away before Kenihe bursts in…’
But my legs wouldn’t obey.
Kyā—ong—
A sound like a cat’s meow echoed.
‘Kyaa…ong…?’
Could that sound really be coming from that tiger?
I looked at Geumho—no, at Erjin.
Then something even more surprising happened.
The tiger stretched out its front paws and then, in an instant, flipped onto its back.
I’d heard that cats do that to show they’re not a threat.
Was it trying to reassure me?
[Hmm, will that make you trust me a bit?]
A voice resonated in my head.
It was Erjin’s voice, the one who’d been chatting a moment ago.
That snapped me awake.
‘Now is not the time for this.’
I had to get out, right away.
Before Kenihe barged in, before I turned fully into a human.
I needed to find somewhere safe, quickly.
“Chuut!”
I’ll trust you!
[Just now… you spoke in my head? How?]
When I sent a telepathic message, Erjin flicked her tail in surprise.
It’s natural Erjin would be surprised — animals and demi-humans usually can’t communicate telepathically.
But time was not on my side.
Angry footsteps finally halted at the door.
‘Explain later. Please!’
That was all I could say.
[Explain later? Fine. Meet me—“later.”]
Erjin’s voice echoed in my head.
Her tone sounded significant somehow, but I didn’t dwell on it.
Using the tree-climbing skills from when I was little, I scaled the wall and ran on, breathless.
From experience, the moment I’d shift back into human form was not far off.
Darkness was closing in before my eyes and I didn’t even know where I was going.
But one thing was certain.
‘I must get somewhere safe.’
After running for a long time, the place where I opened my eyes was—
“Why did you come this way… of all places?”
It was a place too familiar.
The spot where I’d spent the most time in the Black Dragon Castle.
Kenihe’s bedroom.
‘You idiot, idiot! Why on earth would you come here?!’
I smacked my head and hurriedly crawled into the futon.
Because I’d suddenly turned human, I was in a primitive state, and more importantly—
“Pueechu—! Ugh, cold…”
Without my fur, the Black Dragon Castle felt freezing.
I curled up in the fluffy blanket and turned toward the window.
‘Even for humans it’s high here.’
I glanced down from the window—how dizzying the drop was.
But I had to hide before the room’s owner returned.
‘He’s definitely going to hate it.’
Kenihe had once said he liked me because I was weak.
Unlike others who tried to take his things, as a squirrel I couldn’t do anything.
That must be why he’d given me the bed beside his.
I couldn’t stay in Black Dragon Castle in human form.
‘Where do I go, then…?’
I couldn’t return to Bear Mountain like this.
If I left the castle, I’d surely be caught by the royal court.
I forced the worry from my mind and gripped the windowsill.
Srrrk.
A chill ran down my neck.
Under the moonlight that passed through the window, a blade gleamed.
And at the tip—
“Who sent you?”
Kenihe stood there with a look I hadn’t seen before.
“Are you deaf? I asked who sent you.”
He asked in a low voice, as if his patience had run out.
Clearly there wouldn’t be another chance.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t answer.
Because I—
“It’s not that someone sent me—”
“Not?”
Kenihe repeated, bewildered.
No one here in Black Dragon Castle would speak casually to him, so it was natural.
‘This is bad…’
It looked like Kenihe had mistaken me for an assassin.
The sword that had been pointed at my throat was raised upright.
The sharp blade touched my skin; a sting of pain on my neck.
It seemed I’d been nicked a bit.
“…yo.”
I hurriedly bowed and shrank back.
I’d been speaking informally to myself for so long that polite speech felt awkward.
“So, your answer?”
“A-a answer is…”
I racked my brain but couldn’t think of an excuse; stupidly, I’d come here of my own accord.
Over the ceiling from there—
“If you’re thinking of running, you’d better forget it.”
When I looked up toward the ceiling, Kenihe tightened his grip on the sword again.
Each time he did, the blade seemed to bite deeper and the pain increased.
I could see annoyance creeping over his face reflected in the window.
If I didn’t give a proper answer, it seemed he might actually try to kill me.
“C-couldn’t you just let me go… please?”
I stammered.
I didn’t want to reveal that I was Cherry.
It would be better for both of us if I just left like this.
I tried to pull the blanket higher to hide my distress, but Kenihe wouldn’t even allow that.
“Do you want to die? Who told you it was okay to move about?”
His flat voice and the cold blade touched my hand.
Then the tip of the sword slowly traced along the back of my hand.
“Daringly breaking into my bedroom and shamelessly asking me to just let you go. Usually people at least ask to be killed instead.”
“I- I don’t want to die…”
“You don’t want to die—again. I’ll have to see that shameless face of yours.”
