TOPWL 65

“After one bite, it seems you’ve come up with a good idea.”

Yudit gave a quiet smile instead of replying.

“You got the answer right, so you deserve a reward. Can you walk?”

“…Yes.”

To be honest, the ankle where the poison goblin had bitten him wasn’t in great shape, but he thought he could manage to walk.

“Follow me.”

Khalid left those words behind and walked ahead. Yudit limped after him. By the time Yudit stepped out of the room, Khalid was already far down the corridor. He hurried to catch up, but it wasn’t easy. The pain in his ankle grew worse the more he pushed himself. When Khalid turned and looked back, arms crossed, he stood there watching Yudit struggle. As Yudit tried to walk faster in embarrassment, Khalid began walking toward him.

“…!”

Before Yudit could stop him, Khalid hoisted him up. He slung him over his shoulder, placing Yudit’s hips across it like one might carry a sack of grain rather than a person.

“P-Please put me down…”

“Then stop being such a nuisance.”

Khalid cut Yudit off with a curt reply and strode forward. Yudit squirmed several times, but all it did was cause Khalid to grip his thigh even tighter. Afraid he might meet eyes with the servants, Yudit squeezed his eyes shut.

The place where Khalid finally set Yudit down was in his office. Sitting on the sofa, Yudit looked around with a puzzled expression. Wooden bookshelves lined the walls, filled to the brim with books. By the window stood a long desk. About seven paces from the desk sat a table flanked by two sofas. That was where Khalid had put him down. As Yudit quietly looked around from the sofa, Khalid brought something from his desk and laid it on the table in front of him.

“This is…”

What Khalid showed him was none other than a map. It took up half the table, with the capital’s center and outskirts drawn in exquisite detail. Even Bern 3, which Yudit had visited, was marked on it. Khalid drew a line across it without hesitation, using a fountain pen.

“This is the Bern 3 you’ll be managing from now on.”

Khalid circled a spot a bit away from the central region.

“This here is District 2 of Rio, assigned to Prince Azil. And this one is District 3 of Rio, under Prince Hiore.”

Finally, Khalid circled the Seoban District 2, right in the heart of the capital.

“And this is where the swordsmanship tournament will be held—and the district managed by Prince Reginald.”

Khalid even wrote everyone’s initials on the map before handing it to Yudit.

“Well? That’s a pretty decent gift, isn’t it?”

He said with a self-satisfied smile. Yudit hugged the map to his chest and nodded.

“Truly… thank you.”

“Then give me a smile.”

“…Pardon?”

“If you’re thankful, show me a smile.”

It was an odd request. After some hesitation, Yudit lifted the corners of his lips into a faint smile, just as Khalid had said. Khalid clicked his tongue while looking at him.

“Forget it. You look better when you’re in pain.”

For a second, Yudit thought he might kick his ankle or something, but that wasn’t the case. As Yudit looked to Khalid nervously, he put the pen down and leaned back on the sofa.

“Relax. Didn’t I tell you? I’ve no intention of harming you for a while.”

“…Yes.”

Sitting still, Yudit suddenly felt something missing.

“Um, Your Grace. Where is Shane?”

Since the day he arrived, Shane had always been by his side. He wasn’t the kind to leave a sick person alone. The fact that he wasn’t here now made Yudit fear that Shane might’ve also been hurt by the poison goblin.

“He’s probably at the training grounds by now.”

“He’s not injured, is he?”

“Even if he were, it’s no concern of yours.”

“Shane is my guard. What’s strange about being worried?”

“His duty has been revoked. Someone else will take over guarding you.”

Khalid’s words left Yudit visibly flustered. It wasn’t strange, since it was Khalid who had assigned Shane to him, but the decision still came abruptly.

“That’s… quite sudden.”

“He failed to protect you. It’s only natural.”

“That was an accident. Shane isn’t to blame.”

At Yudit’s defense, Khalid let out a scoff.

“His duty was to protect you. Accident or not, he should have laid down his life for you. When the master lies half-dead, but the guard’s perfectly fine—that’s where the problem lies.”

“…”

He wasn’t wrong. But Yudit liked Shane. Even when faced with troublesome matters, Shane never asked questions. Beneath his blunt exterior, there was a quiet kindness Yudit appreciated.

“…You look like you’re about to cry.”

Khalid, staring up at Yudit’s face, remarked.

“Seems you’ve grown quite attached.”

“…Yes.”

“First Bashur, and now Shane. Is everyone who gets near our little prince destined to win his affection? How easy.”

His tone was mocking, and Yudit glared at him.

“Your Grace kept them close because they were good people too, did you not?”

“No. I kept them close because they were competent in their respective fields.”

“Everyone makes mistakes. I don’t want to part ways with Shane over something like this.”

“Do you like him?”

“…Not in that way, but yes. I do like him.”

Khalid burst into laughter at Yudit’s answer. For some reason, his face looked distorted. He stared at Yudit for a while before looking away.

“You really do have a talent for ruining someone’s mood.”

“…”

“Do as you please.”

Yudit’s face brightened at the permission to bring Shane back.

“…Thank you.”

“But let me say this—Shane’s a Beta.”

“…Pardon? Yes.”

It wasn’t like he liked Shane romantically, so what did his designation matter? Though puzzled by the sudden information, Yudit still nodded. A brief silence followed. Yudit glanced at the desk, stacked high with documents. If he stayed any longer, he’d be in the way.

“I think I’m disturbing you when you’re busy. I should take my—”

Just as he stood to bow and excuse himself, his stomach let out a loud growl. Embarrassed, Yudit looked up at Khalid. The stiffness on Khalid’s face melted into a softer expression.

“You’re full of surprises.”

“…”

“It’s mealtime anyway. Eat before you go.”

“…It’s really fine.”

“Just eat. The ducal house won’t go broke for setting one more plate.”

Khalid raised his voice and called for the servant. Butler Wender entered and gave a respectful bow.

“Bring two servings here.”

“As you command.”

“Any foods you dislike?”

Yudit shook his head at Khalid’s question.

“No, nothing in particular.”

“Good. Eat everything—you’ll need it to grow taller.”

Yudit briefly considered telling him he was already fully grown. But from the mischievous look on Khalid’s face, it was clear he was just teasing. Unsure how to respond, Yudit looked up at him, and Khalid suddenly laughed. It was a smile unlike any Yudit had ever seen. He stared at Khalid in a daze.

***

“Shane. Are you going to stay like that all night?”

Yudit spoke, but Shane remained silent. Yudit let out a soft sigh. Though night had fallen, he was still in Khalid’s mansion. The poison had strained his heart, and the physician had said he needed to be monitored for a day or two.

After dinner, Shane had returned to his side. He’d knelt before Yudit and apologized repeatedly. No matter how many times Yudit told him it was okay, Shane wouldn’t stop. Only after Yudit half-scolded him did he finally rise to his feet. Since then, he had remained at Yudit’s side, unmoving. It was making it impossible to sleep.

“I told you I’m fine.”

“…But I’m not.”

“Then at least sit. This isn’t the palace—it’s the duke’s residence.”

“Better safe than sorry.”

Shane was resolute. Yudit let out a heavy sigh. Annoyance aside, Yudit’s mind felt clearer than it had in a long time.

It must’ve been thanks to the medicine prescribed by the physician. The haze in his head had lifted. Still, to have improved so much in just half a day—it almost made all the time he’d spent suffering before feel like a waste.