TEB Ch 35

I’m not ignoring anyone specifically. I just dislike all humans equally.

Although he is also a human being, his misanthropic^[1] nature misanthropy deepened further when he went on an internship and started experiencing the work firsthand. Suhyuk’s misanthropy evolved each time he encountered wild animals rescued from man-made traps with severed limbs or met guardians who requested euthanasia for their pets due to high medical bills, claiming it would be better to buy a new one.

Liev’s decision to grow his hair was the result of various experiences. 

“…There isn’t any particular reason for it.”

As Liev paused in thought before speaking, the maid smiled brightly and said,

“Then shall we cut it short? I think it would look much neater if we cut it.”

Then suddenly, the maid casually reached for the back of his head. Liev was startled and shook his head. 

“No, it’s fine. Just trim the ends slightly, please.”

Even Liev himself had to admit it looked too messy now. When working buried in hay piles at the lab, it didn’t matter as he could just tie it back, but here it seemed like it might draw too much attention if left too unkempt, so trimming it a bit didn’t seem like a bad idea.

“Yes, then I’ll just cut the bottom. On the day of the ceremony, you’ll need to raise your hair, so it might be better to cut it shorter then.” 

Whatever. Liev swallowed a sigh and just wished for this bothersome ceremony to be over soon.

By the time he was finally released from the two maids, a considerable amount of time had passed.

“Your height makes the uniform look great on you.” 

It was just a polite comment. Liev just nodded indifferently, grateful only to be free.

“Yes, thank you.” 

It was a mechanical tone that didn’t sound grateful at all. One of the maids, who had been composed and dry throughout, couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Liev didn’t understand what was funny, but since he had no intention of starting an argument, he decided to just ignore it.

“I’ll bring the tailored clothes to you in two days. You can choose the one you like the most, and we’ll finish it up from there. It’s not too far off, but please be careful not to change your body measurements.”

In that short time, there was no way he would be overeating or gaining weight, so that wouldn’t happen. After Liev nodded appropriately, he was finally able to completely escape, and before he knew it, it was time for dinner.

The dining room, which he was led to by the steward, was excessively spacious for just one person to dine alone. Not that he particularly wished for Renard to be there, but somehow, gazing at the lonely, empty space, a trivial curiosity suddenly crossed his mind.

“Um…” 

For once, when Liev made the first move to speak, the steward’s eyes lit up as he asked,

“Yes, is there something you need?”

It was a bit embarrassing to receive such a reaction to something not particularly significant. Liev answered, suppressing a fake cough. 

“Renard, by any chance, does he usually eat human food?” 

When Liev was with him, Renard would eat human food as a kind of snack. His main diet was, of course, fresh meat from magical beasts, but he couldn’t resist taking a bite of whatever Liev was eating. It was as if Renard believed that if Liev ate something, he had to eat it too. Though Liev couldn’t quite understand the logic behind it, it was a common trait seen in many pets. “If you’re eating it, give me some too.” Fortunately, Renard wasn’t a dog or a cat but a dragon, and he could digest anything humans ate.

“There are gourmet dragons among dragons, so…” 

However, most dragons generally did not enjoy human food. To be exact, it was almost unnecessary for them, much like how humans could eat hay but didn’t consume what horses or rabbits ate. Renard also did not consider human food to be a regular meal. He simply tasted it while Liev was eating, as he could eat it. I wonder if he still stares and snatches a bite of what his colleagues are eating. Remembering this, the steward shook his head.

“No, he always has his meals outside.”

Eating outside likely meant that he was hunting and feasting on magical beasts that had attacked villages or something similar. Liev slowly nodded.

“I see.”

With nothing more to say or ask, he quietly focused on his meal again, and a calm silence filled the dining room. Occasionally, the sound of clashing cutlery echoed like background noise, creating a serene atmosphere. Finally, after quickly finishing his meal, Liev stood up hurriedly.

“Then, I’ll go upstairs first.”

“Yes, have a comfortable night.”

With a brief farewell, he returned to his room. There, clothes to change into and a warm bath were prepared. It seemed the servants had heard in advance that he had refused help with his clothes and bath.

They’re quite meticulous.

He was too competent to be serving someone as insignificant and shabby as himself. Since there wasn’t much to do anyway, he wondered if he should prepare his own bathwater. If the steward heard this, he would jump up and say such a thing was impossible. While he was thinking about this, pitch-black darkness had already fallen outside the window. Even if Renard were to fly in through the window, nothing would be visible in this darkness. The vast open space in the direction of the deserted courtyard seemed strangely lonely compared to the lively opposite side of the royal palace. 

Enough. My body’s comfortable, so I’m thinking unnecessary thoughts.

With a cynical sneer, as he finished preparing, the room somehow felt too spacious. In fact, it was. The room Liev had lived in as a Carter researcher was as humble as any shabby dormitory. And so, the first night in the mansion passed without the presence of its great owner, leaving only the guest behind. 

*** 

The next day, and the day after that, Renard still did not return. When Liev discreetly asked the steward, he was told that no one knew when Renard would be back, but that he would definitely return before the ceremony. However, after a week passed, the story changed again.

“Renard’s return has been postponed, and the schedule for the ceremony has also been delayed. Please rest comfortably. 

What is this? Is he trying to annoy me? For Liev, it was actually a relief not to have to face Renard, but as the days of being left alone dragged on, boredom began to deepen without end. His belongings were supposed to arrive the next day, but even when they did, they were all things he had already seen, so they wouldn’t do much to pass the time. Maybe he should ask for permission to visit the library instead. While he was contemplating it over, something caught his eye through the window.

“Oh.” 

A black cat was rolling around in the dirt of the empty lot, rubbing its whole body and basking in the sunlight. If Renard were to see this, he would be furious, saying that a cheeky cat was attempting to leave its traces in his territory. However, the current owner of this land was absent, leaving no way to stop the bold intruder right now. 

Liev, thinking this was a good distraction from his boredom, quickly rushed out the door. Despite the sudden appearance of a person, the cat seemed unbothered and continued rolling, even leisurely greeting him.

“Meow~” 

The cat’s voice was still high-pitched, indicating it hadn’t been long since it separated from its mother. Liev extended his hand toward the cat that was slowly approaching him.

“Hello, little one. How old are you?”

It was a greeting he always gave, even though he knew there would be no reply. 

“Meow~” 

When the cat blinked slowly and meowed, Liev interpreted it in his own way and replied,

“Oh, not even a year old yet.”

Then he lifted the cat, which willingly let itself be held, with his hand tucked between the fluffy hind legs. Whether it was used to human hands or had no fear, the cat did not resist much and simply allowed itself to be lifted. Flipping the cat upside down, Liev saw a fuzzy pair of testicles. It was a perfect peanut that could be sutured with a dissolving thread in a neutering surgery in less than ten minutes. 

“It’s been a while since my professional consciousness woke up, hasn’t it?” 

Did the cat realize that Liev was having sinister(?) thoughts? The cat suddenly kicked Liev’s arm and jumped down towards the floor.