TEB Ch 36

But did this place really need a TNR^[1] program? As far as Liev knew, in this place, most of the pets were left to fend for themselves. Whether they disappeared, reproduced, or were eaten by wild animals, it was all considered part of the natural order. While this approach was understandable from a certain perspective, unlike in modern times, the food pyramid for top predators appeared to be well-established here, ensuring that their population remained stable without exceeding a certain number. 

Whether Liev was lost in unnecessary thoughts or not, the cat that leaped down immediately began grooming itself to remove his scent.

“Hey, you’re dirtier. I have to change clothes because of you.”  

When Liev complained in a dissatisfied voice, a loud applause was heard from somewhere.  

Who was it? His face turned red as he spoke softly to the cat. When Liev looked away from the cat and turned around, he saw a young man with a familiar face, laughing, even though he had never seen him before.

“Ah, I’m sorry. You seem quite different from what I’ve heard from my colleagues.”

Even without a proper introduction, Liev seemed to know who he was. Liev cleared his throat and replied.

“Well, I’m not sure what you’re talking about…”  

As Liev spoke, avoiding eye contact, the young man continued to introduce himself with a still-smiling expression. 

“I’m Sigrid, the vice commander of the White Eagle Knights. I thought I would meet you during the appointment ceremony, but my schedule got changed, so I have the opportunity to talk now.” 

He was a character who could never overlook injustice and was sometimes excessively straightforward, which tired those around him. However, he was determined to sacrifice himself to protect his colleagues, ensuring not a single hair on their heads was harmed. This made him a protagonist the world couldn’t help but love. Although he was slightly smaller than Liev, his physique looked much more solid. With his cheerful and likable impression, a friendly and easy-going smile was felt at a glance.  

“Yes, I am Liev Carter.”

He was fundamentally different from Liev. Even when he worked as a veterinarian, Liev was far from friendly. Though he was known for being competent at his job and affectionate towards animals, there was no talk of him being friendly and kind to people.

“Hey, a veterinarian is ultimately in the service industry. If you’re good only to animals, what’s the use? You should be good to people too.” 

Some colleagues mocked Liev for being tactless or unlucky, but it didn’t matter to him. He believed that what was inside mattered more than appearances. However, the young man in front of Liev was not just anyone, but a true hero who sacrificed himself to help others.

Would he have felt better if Sigrid had been a bad person? It might be a lowly form of self-comfort to boost one’s self-esteem by comparing oneself to others, but it was natural to feel uneasy when faced with someone who seemed destined to surpass you in every way.

What if he had been the protagonist? He would have had the strength to confidently establish himself as a companion by Renard’s side. Meeting him didn’t feel pleasant because he kept having the same pointless thoughts. He tried his best to hide his emotions as he looked at the young man.

“Feel free to call me Sig. We’ll be seeing each other often from now on in the future.” 

Well, Liev inwardly reacted indifferently and replied, 

“No. You’re the most trusted knight by His Majesty, I can’t treat you lightly.” 

When Liev flatly refused, the young man immediately made a disappointed expression and replied, 

“Sir Liev! Please don’t push me away like that. I was just lucky.” 

That’s probably not it. Rather, it was the Kingdom of Airen and his colleagues who were lucky. Thanks to his willingness to sacrifice himself in times of crisis, the country could be saved from destruction.  

“But by any chance, do you have any business with me?” Liev asked bluntly.

“If you don’t have anything to talk about, I’ll be on my way.”

The young man laughed again.

“No, it’s not like that. I was just curious about what kind of person you were. I heard that you’re someone Renard likes very much.”

What kind of talk is this? Liev momentarily doubted his ears and furrowed his brow. Seeing Liev’s reaction, Sigrid burst into laughter again and added, 

“Do you know how much Renard talks about you? Even when eating something delicious, he says, “Liev would like this too.” And when seeing beautiful scenery, he says, “I want to show this to Liev.” So, both I and the colleagues were curious about who this Liev person is.” 

What on hell has he been going around talking about? Liev couldn’t lift his head because his face was burning. 

“Even if you ask Renard what kind of person Liev is, he just says Liev is the most handsome, cool, and kind person in the world. Rowena offered to make a mirror that shows his memories, but he refused. “He doesn’t want to show it because it belongs to only him.” 

Liev’s face felt hot, and he couldn’t raise his head. 

“I’m sorry, it seems I was rude unintentionally.” 

When Liev apologized, covering his face with the back of his hand, Sigrid waved his hand.  

“No, that is not something for Sir Liev to apologize for. I just wanted to have a conversation and learn more about what kind of person you were. It seems you’re even better than what I heard from Renard.” 

Either way, Liev now wanted to hide wherever there was a hole. Not only did Liev get caught using an embarrassing voice to speak to animals, but now Renard had also said something strange about him, and he didn’t know what kind of stories his colleagues had heard. Still, he had no intention of continuing this awkward situation any longer. 

“Yes, thank you… I do… I don’t tend to talk much, so unless you have some other business to attend to, can I go in first?” 

As Liev looked around to find an opportunity to run away, the young man burst into laughter once more. His cheeks continued to burn, as if he felt like he was being made fun of. But the young man smiled again, as if he were not planning to let him go easily. 

“Aren’t you curious about how Renard has been doing lately?” 

Needless to say, he would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little tempted by the question that was thrown out like bait. However, it wasn’t a very reasonable idea to be curious about it when he had decided not to show any more affection to him. Liev immediately raised his head and asked, 

“Should I be curious?” 

“Well, just… I thought you might be interested.” 

“No, but….” 

Despite Liev’s firm response, the young man seemed relentless. 

“Really? Well… then, let’s just consider it as me talking to myself.”  

Why is he going to such lengths? Even if Liev wanted to avoid people, he couldn’t just be rude to someone, so he couldn’t leave without permission. It’s true that he was curious on the inside. While Liev was speechless, the young man continued speaking. 

“At first, Renard didn’t show any interest in us at all. He left Lord Mahatra’s land solely because he had someone he needed to find. Oh, but aside from that, he was still a valuable ally to us.”

I didn’t want to hear it from him. Renard’s story, which he didn’t know, stimulated a pathetic sense of jealousy deeply rooted in Liev’s heart. Either way, Sigird continued talking. 

“But he must have spent a long time with Mahatra all this time, and yet he seemed familiar with human customs during meals and daily life. Since Mahatra doesn’t take on a human form, I think someone else must have taught him.” 

“……” 

Is this a compliment? Somehow feeling embarrassed by the story, Liev unconsciously took a step back while his ears remained wide open.