RODH Side Story Chapter 4

Side Story 4. I Became a Ferret

Got you!

Crying out “Kki-ang! Kki-ang!”, Ian scrambled up Nevan’s leg and perched swiftly on his shoulder.

“Looks like we’ve found the culprit.”

“Kki-ang!”

“We’ll have to interrogate him.”

Nevan sat the crow-like man on a chair and bound him tightly with rope.

He did it all so smoothly and without hesitation that Ian wondered if Nevan had done torture before.

But then again, with his striking, radiant looks, it seemed far more likely Nevan would be the one tortured than the one torturing.

It was a ridiculous thought, but Ian believed it anyway.

Soon, with a groan, the man opened his eyes.

The moment his gaze met Nevan’s, he flinched so violently that he toppled over with the chair.

“Ow, ow, ow…”

We didn’t even do anything yet. Is he reacting like that just because Nevan is too handsome?

Ian stretched his head out to look at Nevan’s face.

As always, it was expressionless.

“Kki-ang?”

“Let’s see if we can find a way to make him talk.”

“W-wait! Wait a second! I don’t know anything! Spare me!”

When Nevan set the chair upright, the man squeezed his eyes shut.

“Open them.”

“……”

Acting as if he would never open them again, the man finally cracked his lids and peeked out.

“Where is this?”

He stayed silent for a long time even when Nevan questioned him.

Nevan had interrogated palace agents more tight-lipped than this, so he wasn’t in a hurry.

But Ian couldn’t just sit by and watch this insolent man.

He launched himself and raked his tiny claws over the man’s head.

“Aagh! Ack! Spare me!”

He hadn’t even scratched that hard, but the man howled dramatically.

So are you going to talk or not?

“Kki-ang!”

“I’ll talk! I’ll talk, just get this thing off me!”

As Ian continued to scratch at his forehead, the man finally caved.

Nevan carefully pulled Ian away and settled him back on his shoulder.

“Why did you steal from the imperial palace?”

“Th-that’s….”

Ian glared at the man.

Wilting under the threat of being attacked again, he swallowed hard.

“A few months ago… there was an injured dwarf lying in front of my house. I almost left him there, but I couldn’t ignore it, so I brought him in and treated him.”

Ian had thought all dwarves were greedy and stupid, but apparently this man and the dwarf had gotten along well.

“Truth is, I’m a thief.”

At the confession, Ian’s eyes widened.

Of course!

“Kki-ang!”

There’s nothing more to hear. Nevan, just drag him away!

Ian was about to tug on Nevan’s collar when the man continued.

“But I wasn’t always a thief! If the White Dragon hadn’t gone on a rampage, I would’ve stayed a simple merchant!”

He shouted in frustration, as though truly wronged.

Nevan asked,

“Do you have any thought of returning to your homeland now?”

“Why would I ever go back to a wretched place like—”

An indescribable killing aura pressed down on the man, enough to make Ian’s fur stand on end.

“A-are you… a knight of the North?”

“Think of it that way.”

“Oh gods, oh gods! I’ve committed a grave sin!”

“Then finish what you were saying.”

“Y-yes, yes…”

The man explained that one night he had a drinking contest with the dwarf he had taken in.

“The dwarf told me this: if I gathered shiny things, more than what I already owned, he’d share some of his wealth with me.”

It was a ridiculous wager, but the man had gone along—and even received a magical tool from the dwarf that let him travel between dimensions.

The dwarf was bad, and so was this man. Neither of them normal.

“Kki-ang!”

“No matter the reason, stealing is never justified.”

“Yes, yes, from now on I’ll live with clean hands.”

“You will face proper judgment, and then I’ll take you back to your land.”

“Judgment? What judgment?”

The man looked at Nevan with confusion.

“You stole the imperial seals. If the Crown Prince had caught you, you would not have escaped execution.”

“Guh…”

The man’s face turned pale as death.

If you’re afraid of dying, why steal imperial property in the first place?

Ian shook his head.

“I’ll make sure you get the fair punishment you deserve.”

At first the man looked doubtful.

But imagining himself turned over to the Crown Prince, Nevan appeared to him like a lifeline.

“Sir Knight, I’ll do anything if you just spare my life.”

He’s not a knight, he’s His Grace the Grand Duke!

“Kki-ang!”

Seeing Ian squirm and squeak, the man hurriedly promised to return even the cage he had stolen.

Nevan ordered him to return all of the stolen goods.

Back at the imperial palace.

After hearing the full account, Seor frowned slightly.

“This is absurd.”

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, the man has committed a grave crime, but he was once a subject of my land. May I be allowed to pass judgment on him myself?”

“Do as you wish.”

“Thank you.”

Since the missing items had been recovered anyway, Seor had little interest in the culprit.

There was, however, one thing that caught his attention.

“That ferret. Its name was Jewel, was it not?”

Ian, though he had done nothing wrong, felt a pang of guilt.

Nevan replied,

“It has no name.”

“Then call it Jewel. I’d like to borrow Jewel for a day.”

“That will not be possible.”

“And why not?”

“Because Lord Ian—”

“And what if I say I already got Ian’s permission?”

“…What?”

Ian, listening, was dumbfounded.

I am Ian. Who exactly did you get permission from?

At that moment, as though on cue, Peter and Bain appeared from behind.

“Ah, apologies, Your Grace. We were told to inform the young lord, but he kept shouting at us…”

“When did I ever shout?”

“But you acted… quite frighteningly.”

“You’re just a servant. Mind your tongue.”

“M-my apologies.”

At Seor’s rebuke, Bain hurriedly bowed his head.

“I’ll borrow Jewel for just one day.”

“That is not possible.”

“Jewel’s owner is Ian. By imperial law, animals belong to their master.”

“……”

Because of Seor’s bullheaded persistence, Ian was carried off in a brand new golden cage to the crown prince’s palace.

* * *

“Kki-ang! Kki-ang!”

You cursed little sun of the empire!

Ian bit furiously at the golden bars, fighting to get out.

And then the strange sensation of floating came to an abrupt stop.

He stilled and looked around.

The ceiling was covered in golden vine patterns, and a faint musk fragrance drifted in the air.

This was Seor’s chamber.

What’s your plan, bringing me here?

“Kki-ang!”

“Be quiet.”

“Shall I move it to another room?” Peter asked.

Seor merely shook his head lightly.

“No need. Peter, you may leave.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

When the sound of the door opening and closing faded, Seor undid the latch of the golden cage.

“Come out.”

Ian hesitated.

Does he know?

Feeling oddly guilty, he crept out slowly—only to be caught in an instant.

“Kki-ang!”

That startled me!

Seor’s golden eyes, burning like the sun, curved with a hint of laughter.

“Perhaps because you resemble your master, you’re easily frightened.”

“Kki-ang!”

You picking a fight with me?

Using the flexibility of his ferret body, Ian slipped free from Seor’s grasp.

He darted quickly up and perched on top of Seor’s head.

“Kki-ang!”

Victory is mine!

While Ian reveled in his tiny triumph, Seor made no effort to pull him down.

“Even the way you act is exactly like your master.”

What nonsense is this?

Saying such things to an animal that can’t even talk.

No matter that Ian snorted through his tiny nose, Seor muttered on to himself.

“Your master is playing atop my head too. Though now he’s become someone else’s entirely….”

And what do you plan to do about it?

“I won’t give up. When I become Emperor, he’ll accept me. Even if only pretending not to resist.”

What a joke.

Ian seized a fistful of Seor’s golden hair and yanked it fiercely.

Unable to endure the ferret’s tyranny any longer, Seor tried to capture him again and shut him in the cage.

But Ian was too quick to be caught, and in the end Seor surrendered.

“I thought spending a day with you might improve my mood, but it’s only tiring.”

Stretching out his legs, Seor lay down on the sofa and drifted off to sleep.

Seeing him so defenseless, Ian climbed onto the table nearby.

Being crown prince of the empire must indeed be exhausting.

Might as well let him sleep deeply, at least for a while.

But before long, a servant entered.

It was time for his next appointment.

The servant, noting Seor’s weary face, asked if the schedule should be adjusted. But Seor had already risen, straightened his appearance, and shook his head.

“No. I’ll leave in ten minutes.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Seor called out to Ian.

“Jewel. I must go. Come here.”

As though drawn by a magnet, Ian meekly slipped back into the golden cage.

And then—

“I said I would spend a day with you, so you’re coming along.”

The cage was lifted whole.