CHAPTER 33
CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT
I’m on my way to the dining hall for lunch, when I notice something outside the window. There’s a tousle of leaves by the bushes and I hear an angry cry, “Stop being so difficult!”
Hmn? The voice sounds familiar.
With my interest peaked, I change course to fly down the flight of stairs and out the emergency exit. Nearing the source of scuffle, there’s nowhere to look except behind the bushes. Stepping through the bramble, I see a path hidden by years of mangled growth. To think there was a larger area concealed here all this time…
Pushing leaves out the way, my vision is completely filled with the color of ochre-brown. Stunned in silence, I don’t even notice when something slaps me squarely in the chest.
“Guh!” Falling on my behind, I look towards my assailant and instead of a person, only a giant tail wags in the air. My eyes slowly follows it and I see it’s attached to the body of a large beast.
“!”
It stands well over the height of a Human, covered in brown fur and a mane the color of just-dried parchment. With the face and body of a lion, it lauds over another person who’s complaining. His paw suddenly stomps downwards onto the figure, its claws sharp and dangerous.
I-I can't bear to look...!
“You…! How dare you-! Gfuh-” The Hellion smothers Nott’s face with its other paw.
T-This is… My breath hitches and the Hellion turns to look at me. Its deep black eyes seem to appraise me for a second before continuing to playfully bat at the Prince.
Nott’s arm emerges from underneath and clutches at the beast’s talons. “This disrespectful…!” With effort, he pushes up the paw. Slowly standing even under the Hellion’s heavy weight, I can’t tell if he’s shaking from the strain or from anger. “Listen when your owner commands you!”
“Uhm…”
“Hah!?” Nott whips his face around and glares, “Y-You-!?” The shock at seeing me evidently causes his strength to let up, the Hellion’s paw immediately crushing him against the dirt again. “Gwfwuh!”
My shoulders loosen up since I sense no immediate danger. I even chuckle a bit at this absurd sight.
Eventually, the Hellion seems to get tired from playing around and eases up on the offensive. However, instead of letting Nott from under its feet, it plops down, laying on top of the boy and purring contentedly.
Nott crawls himself out from under the beast, panting in exhaustion. “You… What are you doing here…”
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Feeling just a touch of pity at his own pet bullying him, I swallow any smart-alack comments and answer normally. “I heard some sounds and came to see what it was.”
“...You’re so nosy.”
“Haha, I suppose so. Is this Hellion your pet?”
“…I’m not sure.” He walks over and flops down onto the grass beside me. Groaning, he looks drained. “Pets normally respect their owners, but this girl is absolutely uncontrollable…”
The colossal lion is fast asleep.
“What’s her name?”
“Laelap.” He goes to pet her neck, stroking her fur gently. A soft smile suddenly buds from his face.
I choke at the sight, causing a violent storm of coughing. My eyes feel like they’re about to burst from their sockets.
W-W-What!? This guy can actually make an expression like that!? Even my heart is pounding at the incongruity of it all!
He just looks at me with an irritated expression. “Shut up. If you wake her up, you’ll be the one to play with her.”
I instantly stifle down the rest of my coughs and whisper. “So, that’s why you’re always covered in fur, huh?”
“Mm.” He answers absentmindedly, “My parents forbade pets, but I’ve been keeping her secretly ever since she was a no bigger than a kitten.”
He’s so tired, his aggressive behavior even did a 180°!
“She was so tiny and cute back then… Ravens, what happened? How am I supposed to keep you on campus when you’re so energetic now?” Nott sighs. “They’ll definitely take you away if you cause too much of a stir…”
“Well... Hellions are wild beasts. The older they get, the more they’ll want to run free. ” His face darkens even more at my comment. Feeling a pang of sympathetic guilt, I offer, “A-Ah! But maybe if you let it roam and hunt a bit, it may calm down a little…!”
Suddenly propping himself onto his elbows, he glares at me.
I have a bad feeling about this…
“Y-Yes?”
“You… You always have your nose in some book. You must know, how do I train her?”
“H-Huh?” Gulping, I try to explain as logically as possible. “L-Like I said, Hellions are wild beasts so it’s not as if there are any training guides on them…”
“But there must be some information on taming other wild animals. It should roughly be the same, so just research it all and tell me what you find.”
“W-What!?”
I’m flabbergasted, I offer a bit of compassion and you take it in spades!?
“Do it yourself! I’m not your servant!”
“It’s not like you’re doing anything else worthwhile, except stuffing your face all the time!”
Uwah!
That direct hit hurts!
Glowering at him, a low rumbling in my throat comes out as I feel something snap. “Is that any way to ask for a favor…”
He suddenly twitches, “That- Well, you’re already in the library most of the time anyways! I’m just saying, what’s a bit more?”
“Fufufu…” A smirk starts to form on my mouth as I think of something wicked. “I’ll only help you if you get on your knees and beg, you idiotic bat prince!”
“W-Wha-!?”
I hold all the power in this situation! My voice steadily rising along with my confidence.
“That’s right! This is revenge for all those times you made those appalling comments on my weight! Beg for forgiveness and I might even assist you!”
“As if I would do that!”
“Ah, I see! Then good luck by yourself, your pride is obviously much more important than the risk of having your precious pet taken from you.” I cross my arms and harumph.
Nott’s eyes swim in turmoil. Before his fist smashes the ground, dirt sprays everywhere and a wide hole opens up.
“!?”
“Ha...Haha… As I thought, you’re one insane girl… To be so arrogant and imperious towards a Kindred Prince…”
U-Uwah… Did I go too far…?
“Very well…” He seems to take great pains in lowering his head. “Please help me out, Aeriea.”
“H-Huh? Ah, I didn’t- I-I was going to help either way-”
His silver irises suddenly flick upwards towards my own. “But if even after all this, you can’t deliver on your promise…” I see a vein popping out on his neck, as the unsaid threat falls silent like a guillotine to a criminal. “To even go so far as to make me bow down, you really must be confident. I’m expecting nothing short of flawless, Aey.”
A downpour of cold-sweat runs along my spine.
O-Oh Twice, w-why did I say all that!?