TEB Ch 71
by STAR“What’s going on?”
As Liev welcomed her with a dry expression, the girl’s expression quickly darkened. Liev, who was also taller than average, blocked the girl’s view, making her think that Renard had left the room.
“Um, excuse me, do you happen to know where Lord Renard is?”
Why are you asking about him? Liev thought nonchalantly and stepped aside. Renard, who had been hidden behind Liev’s back, was lying down in a very relaxed posture, just as he had been rolling around on the bed with Liev a moment ago. Liev, who had expected Renard to at least sit up, turned around, blocking the girl’s view once more.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
Renard, who was behind them, spoke in a blunt tone. The girl’s face quickly flushed, and Liev felt embarrassed to reveal this unfamiliar side of Renard to the young girl, whom she was meeting for the first time. Liev then stepped aside, as if he didn’t exist in the first place.
“Oh…! It’s an honor to meet you! I am Margret, the second daughter of the Talik family.”
However, the girl’s introduction did not end as she had planned. This was because Renard had cut her off with an expression that showed he had no interest in such matters.
“So? What do you want to say?”
“Uh, just…”
Renard was known to have no interest in anyone other than him, but he still thought it was too much for a child. He should at least be able to listen to an introduction. Liev, who was standing awkwardly in the middle of them, glared at him. Renard looked at Liev with an expression that seemed to say, “What?! Me?” The girl, whose words were interrupted, opened her mouth again with a flustered expression.
“I, um, I have something to ask for…!”
“……?”
I’m sure she didn’t come just out of curiosity for no particular reason. What could a girl who still wasn’t an adult possibly ask for? Liev had a question mark above his head and asked.
“What’s going on?”
First of all, not wanting to treat a girl from a noble family like a child, Liev, who had been in a position of a servant for a long time, started talking to her. The girl, however, didn’t even notice Liev, treating him like air, and spoke to Renard as if he were invisible.
“Um, something strange has been happening in our castle these days…!”
The girl had a determined expression on her face. Why am I being ignored for some reason? Liev noticed it unconsciously, but he was worried that Renard might say something harsh and make the girl cry, so he kept struggling between the two.
“You need to explain more with a detailed explanation for him to understand…”
But Liev’s efforts soon turned into a failure. Renard, who had been rolling around lazily on the bed without a care in the world, suddenly stood up to separate Liev from the girl, and the girl flinched back, surprised by his huge figure. Meanwhile, the sentences he said did not show a slight hint of consideration.
“Go tell the others. Because it’s not something I need to know.”
Instead of being gentle and calm, Renard had a cold temperament, and Liev even hit Renard’s back.
“Ow.”
Even though it wouldn’t have been that painful of a hit, Renard made a face as if it were.
“What, she bothered me, why?”
“Why do you have to be like this? Can’t you say it nicely?”‘
“It doesn’t matter. Sigrid will solve it quickly anyway. He’s the expert in handling complaints.”
Anyway, he kept talking and talking. Liev wanted to pinch his lips, which weren’t listening, with his fingers, but he held back because there were eyes watching. Anyway, what Renard said wasn’t wrong. No matter what kind of strange things were going on, Renard was an expert in large-scale destruction or combat, so it would be best to go through Sigrid for simple searches or explorations.
“I’m sorry. Miss… I mean, Renard may speak a little roughly, but if there’s anything we can do to help, he will gladly lend his strength. First of all, if you tell Sigrid, we’ll see if he can be of some help.”
Liev spoke in a professional and tidy manner, trying to calm Renard down, but he was still completely dissatisfied.
“If you’re going to care so much…ow.”
Renard was about to whine as if he didn’t like the fact that Liev was showing consideration for someone other than himself, but Liev stamped Renard’s foot and covered his mouth. The girl, who was momentarily overwhelmed by Renard’s size, blinked her eyes a few times with a tense expression before bowing her head.
“Ah, I understand…!”
Then, quickly, she moved her small feet and ran down the hallway, but before the girl’s back disappeared, Renard quickly closed the door. Then he shot a look at Liev.
“Okay, it’s resolved, so hurry up and go wash up.”
Why did he suddenly get angry again? Although Liev felt something was not right, he didn’t want to postpone washing up, so he obediently walked away.
And that night, just like the night before, Renard kept his promise. He slept all night, tightly embracing Liev with his whole body, so the bed was a little uncomfortable, but after that promise, he didn’t do anything naughty. Well, it was a good thing, but he couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.
“If I have that “kind” of dream again…”
Recently, I had been so exhausted from traveling that I would pass out without even dreaming. However, once I got used to this, my body might start reacting on its own again. Then, who knows, maybe Renard would say, “See? You wanted me first!” and start teasing me. The moment I unconsciously imagined such a situation, my lower abdomen tensed up, and Liev, who had been lazily enjoying the half-awake state of the morning, suddenly had to jolt upright.
“……?”
Because Liev jerked his body, Renard looked at him with his head tilted as if asking what was going on.
“Why does it matter? Is something wrong?”
Liev, who was surprised himself, shook his head with a pale face.
“I just had a dream about falling from a high place.”
Since childhood, Renard had been taught that “a dream of falling from a high place means you’re growing taller,” a saying Liev heard from the real world. Liev gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
“There are also those like you who grow until they die.”
As the saying goes, the dragon’s true body grows until the moment it chooses its own death. The human form seemed to stop growing and aging after reaching its maximum growth, but now, having spent just one season with Renard, it was impossible to predict what would happen in the future. Liev had vaguely hoped that he would not exceed two meters, but it wasn’t that important.
As soon as Liev started to talk, the bell installed in the room rang, meaning that it was time to come down for breakfast. After tidying up the bed with Renard and changing into clean clothes, they went down to the dining hall. Their companions, as well as the lord’s family, were waiting for Renard and Liev. More accurately, they were only waiting for Renard.
“What is it?”
Without much thought, Renard asked in a nonchalant manner, disregarding the stares directed at him.
“Well, let’s have breakfast first, and then we’ll talk.”
The Lord suggested that Renard have breakfast first. Perhaps because it was the family that served a dragon, there was a separate plate prepared just for Renard. Although it was not enough to fill the stomach of a dragon.
“We have prepared fresh meat especially for you, Renard. It may not be enough for you, so the rest of the meal is set up in the garden. Please come and stop by whenever it’s convenient for you.”
“Oh…”
Until now, they had stayed in the homes of local nobles for several days to avoid being homeless, but this was the first time a separate meal had been prepared for Renard. Everyone was impressed by the attention to detail. However, Renard himself didn’t seem to think much of it. In fact, he appeared rather indifferent.