TEB Ch 28

Liev broke the silence again.  

“Renard is just one of the many beings I’ve taken care of to return to nature, as I’ve done too many as I’ve been working at the Lobelia Research Institute. I think it’s irresponsible to carelessly give love back to a being that has left my hand without any intention of taking responsibility for the rest of its life.”  

Exhaling, Liev, without hiding his tiredness, took a breath and then said he really wanted to stay.  

“Then, can I go back now?”  

At that moment, Reinhart, with a contemplative expression, immediately shook his head.  

“That’s difficult. We need to have an internal meeting and inform His Majesty the King. So, for now, please wait in the place we provide. We’ll make sure you’re as comfortable as possible during your stay.”  

The bushy-bearded man, with a strong appearance, seemed more drained than after an extremely tough battle. Regardless, only one thought filled Liev’s mind.

Even during his time at the Animal Rescue Center, he had fallen into swamps and ended up a mess in the mountains many times, but he had never experienced his entire body being soaked in animal saliva. He wanted to wash quickly!

With strong determination, guided by an attendant, Liev burst open the meeting room door. However, Renard blocked his way.

“Hey, where are you going?!”  

In situations like this, there was one best way to deal with it: simply ignoring it. Liev pretended not to see Renard standing in front of him and turned aside to walk away.

“I’m talking to you! Why are you ignoring me…?”

This was not the time to give in. If he softened and started asking if everything had really been okay, if it hadn’t been too hard, like one would coddle a puppy, Renard would never grow and would just cling to him even more. Liev forced himself to ignore the pang in his heart and said coldly, “Move. You’ve soiled my entire body, and it’s disgusting and unpleasant.”

“Move. I feel uncomfortable and upset because you’ve dirtied my entire body.”  

Then Renard took a step back, surprised by Liev’s indifferent attitude. Even though he had strong strength and physique, it seemed like he was taken aback by Liev’s cold attitude. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Liev passed by Renard and said to the attendant.  

“Can you please guide me quickly? I need to wash up soon because it’s cold outside.”  

“Oh, yes…! I’ll escort you right away!”  

In truth, he wasn’t in a position to make demands with his head held high like this, but by pushing with momentum, he was somehow managing to force his way through. They were in a position where they needed to ask him to cooperate with Renard’s request, and Liev was refusing that request.

Is it okay to do this…

The reason Liev could be this bold was because they were proven to be good people through their actions in the novel. If Liev stubbornly refused, they were the kind of people who wouldn’t harm or lay a hand on him.

…Maybe. 

Moreover, he had just mentioned his contribution in protecting the kingdom’s guardian dragon from the Count’s schemes. Considering that, they probably wouldn’t treat him carelessly. For now, he could only desperately hope that the protagonists had at least that much basic decency.

“……”  

How far had they walked? The room guided by the servant was far more comfortable than the room at the Research Institute, where he stayed. Not only the spacious area, but sturdy furniture was prepared, and there was even a bell installed to call servants or maids at any time. And furthermore…

There’s a private bath.

It was a room with a personal bathroom, a luxury Liev had long bid farewell to during his time as a researcher. While not comparable to the facilities of nobles in romantic novels, having a simple wooden bathtub and facilities for draining water was a huge step forward.

“I’ll prepare the bath right away. Would you also need a bath attendant?”

If Liev were a descendant of a noble family, he would probably have valued such things without needing to be asked. However, Liev was a commoner, even though he had a surname. While situations might differ in other regions, in the Airen Kingdom, most commoners had their own surnames that didn’t overlap with noble families’ names. It was common for people to create their surnames. Hearing a surname like Carter, which they had never heard of, the steward likely judged him not to be a noble and thus not in need of a servant. Liev immediately shook his head.

“No, it’s okay.”  

“Alright, then I’ll go prepare for the bath. If you need anything else, just shake the bell.”  

The attendant, who seemed slightly younger than Liev, left the room after those words. Alone in the empty room, Liev’s headache started to return. What should he do now? Even if the main characters offered a temporary solution to appease Renard, what could he do? If that happened, Liev would have no more cards to play. Despite trying to lift his head proudly, the truth was that he had nothing. Moreover, in this era of monarchy, there was no way he could refuse if they pushed him on the topic of commoners.

“Ha…”

As he tried to stay still, a sigh escaped involuntarily. Maybe it would be better to let Renard vent his frustration and eventually lose interest in him. After all, Renard wouldn’t kill him. Even if he tried, the protagonists would intervene.

“But…”  

Even if that happened, would he be okay? It wasn’t just Renard who was left with scars from their parting. It hurt me too. He suffered to the point of lying in bed like a sick person for almost a month, even though he lost his ability to speak. Still, he endured it. The confused look in his eyes, the lost gaze, the desperate voice calling for help despite being hurt by his own hands. Like a hellish nightmare, it lingered. If he had a special ability, if he had the power to be a confident companion by his side, would they have had such a messy breakup? There was a lot of resentment.

If he were to possess a character in a novel, he would choose to be a noble with wealth and power or a character with hidden strength, like a hero. Instead, he became an ordinary person with no special abilities, only skills learned from caring for wounded animals since he was Suhyuk. He could do nothing but watch Renard move forward. Thanks to that, he could meet Renard at a very young age, but he still had regrets about him.

He had no ability to take responsibility for Renard in the future. So, it was right to push him away this time as well. Turning around would only lead to growing attachment and resentment.

The long sigh didn’t stop. Unable to sit anywhere with his whole body a mess, Liev stood waiting for the attendant. When the attendant came, he said,

“I’ll leave the meal right outside.”  

Liev was left alone again.  

“You seem to have been doing well. Perfectly fine with nothing wrong.”  

Ha. A bitter laugh escaped this time. No. You can say that because you don’t know anything. You don’t know how much the fact that I’m weak and unable to stand by your side has pained me.  

“I can’t endure it twice.”  

At first, the pain was so overwhelming that he had no choice but to accept it. If it weren’t for Mr. Lambert becoming his new family member, he might have died a long time ago. However, the second time, he couldn’t handle it. When the moment came to send him away again, realizing his helplessness and feeling once again that he couldn’t be with him, he couldn’t bear it a second time. He didn’t want to do something and regret it twice.

In an attempt to shake off these thoughts, he decided to wash himself first. As the attendant had mentioned, a simple meal was placed outside the door. The meal consisted of bread, soup, a piece of cheese, and a few pieces of well-cooked meat. It was modest but enough to satisfy his hunger. Barely finishing the meal and placing the empty plate outside, the expression from that day, which he thought he had forgotten, resurfaced in his mind. Overwhelmed by nausea, Liev vomited what he had eaten.

“Who are you to say I seem to be doing well?”  

Only resentment, with no place to go, echoed in the room.