Chapter 13: Defeat

Evan’s soft, ash-brown hair, already pulled and tugged at more times than he could count, stuck out in wild tufts like someone who’d just rolled out of bed.

Lianus gazed regretfully at the strands falling onto his bed, then turned to Nihil.

“Nihil, you’re really amazing. How do you always know? Sir Evan doesn’t usually hide his emotions, but when he does try, it’s honestly hard to tell.”

“I can just see it.”

“Hm, do you need me for this?”

“Take the second one.”

Without hesitation, Lianus pulled out the second card from the right, just as Nihil said.

“….”

It was the old maid (Q).

“Ah, I meant the second from my right, though.”

Nihil’s face remained indifferent, but Lianus couldn’t hide his expression after drawing the Q—his features stiffened instantly.

Thinking he was likely to lose at this rate, Lianus quickly shuffled his own hand and laid the cards face down on the bed, so even he wouldn’t know their positions.

“Sir Evan, pick one!”

“If you do this, there’s no room for mind games.”

“I have to, or I’ll never beat Nihil, not even once.”

“…I see.”

Evan nodded as if he understood. It was the moment when the alliance of kitten and Guard Dog was forged.

“But, for that brat to lose, I need to take the old maid first, don’t I?”

“…If I give it to you, will you take it?”

“…No.”

The alliance was shattered in a matter of seconds.

Nihil snorted at their banter, as if it was laughable.

With a serious look, Evan drew a card from Lianus’s face-down spread and added it to his own hand.

No cards were discarded, and Lianus saw no change in Evan’s expression, so he assumed the old maid hadn’t changed hands.

Just as he was about to gather his cards, Nihil spoke up.

“It’s moved.”

“What, really?”

At Nihil’s words, Lianus hurriedly scooped up his cards from the bed.

Evan’s face twisted in frustration.

Checking his hand, Lianus saw the Q was indeed gone, and he grinned.

Evan, feigning a blank expression, cursed the wretched wildcat in his heart as he shuffled his cards.

Just like Lianus had done, he laid them face down on the bed.

There really was no other way to win.

“You’re determined, aren’t you?”

“Shut up and pick.”

Nihil nonchalantly picked a card from those scattered on the bed, checked it, and matched a pair, setting two cards down with a tap.

Now only two cards remained in his hand.

“Lian, it’s your turn. By the way, do you have a 3?”

“Um, no.”

Nihil laughed lightly at the honest answer.

“Lian, you shouldn’t tell just because you’re asked.”

“What? Then you shouldn’t have asked!”

Lianus insisted it wasn’t his fault—how could he not answer when a friend asked?

Nihil, pleased by Lianus’s transparency, smiled faintly and offered him a card.

“It’s a Jack. Here, take it.”

Lianus stared at the card, hesitating.

Was this a trick, or was it genuine?

Having just been handed the Queen (Q) in the previous round, Lianus hesitated to accept it.

He tried to read Nihil’s expression, but all he realized was how pretty Nihil looked.

“Give me something else.”

“Are you sure you won’t regret it?”

He hesitated again at those words, but soon nodded with determination.

Nihil gave him the three of clubs as requested, mumbling, “Guess we’ll have to go a few more rounds.”

“…Hng.”

“You should’ve trusted your friend.”

“Yeah…”

Lianus muttered, then shuffled his hand and laid the cards down again.

“Sir Evan, your turn.”

“I’d appreciate it if you picked the Jack.”

Evan decided firmly not to pick the Jack Nihil wanted and drew the card closest to him, checked it, and discarded a pair.

Now Evan had three cards left in his hand.

The old maid was still among them.

With a dramatic gesture, Evan laid his three remaining cards on the bed and signaled for Nihil to pick.

Nihil, knowing the game wouldn’t end on this turn no matter what he drew, selected a card without much thought and checked it.

The Queen’s eyes met Nihil’s.

The old maid had returned to Nihil once more.

Evan, realizing the old maid was gone from his hand, was visibly delighted, but Lianus, focused on Nihil’s expression, failed to notice the Q had moved into Nihil’s hand.

Nihil kept his face blank as he shuffled his last two cards.

“Lian, it’s fifty-fifty now.”

Lianus groaned. Of the two cards, one was the Jack, and the other was the card Nihil had just drawn from Evan.

“Want me to pick for you?”

“…Yeah.”

Nihil held out a card. This time, Lianus took it without suspicion.

If he’d known Nihil had the old maid, he would have been more careful, but it was too late—the old maid had just landed in Lianus’s hand.

“Aaagh!”

The game ended with Lianus’s defeat.

Nihil finished his turn immediately after, and Evan, using the keen eyesight honed from knight training, fiercely tracked the old maid’s movements, dodging it every time.

Since the old maid never left Lianus’s hand again, his loss was inevitable.

Nihil looked coldly at Evan.

“I doubt knight training was meant for tracking the old maid.”

“……Be quiet.”

“Do you really want to win that badly against a child?”

“You should try losing for once before you talk!”

Evan huffed at Nihil, questioning whether he had any conscience at all.

Lianus quietly gathered the cards from the bed.

“In the end, I didn’t win even once against Nihil.”

“Bring a game you’re good at next time.”

At that, Lianus wondered what kind of game he was good at.

But not having many friends, he hadn’t played many games before. In fact, this was his first time playing old maid.

And no matter what game he tried, he had a feeling he wouldn’t be better than Nihil.

It wasn’t logical, but that’s how it felt.

“Lian.”

As he was lost in thought, Nihil called him.

“Yeah?”

“Lunch is here.”

“Ah!”

Food.

That’s important.

It was a very important mealtime.

***

Lianus felt relieved that Nihil seemed to have an appetite.

After all, truly ill people often lost their appetite.

Besides, he’d resolved yesterday to make sure his friend ate properly, yet he hadn’t managed to do so this morning.

So, since Nihil seemed much better, he’d ordered three servings to help him recover quickly.

The servants, only now realizing their master had been ill, widened their eyes in surprise.

Lianus was also surprised they hadn’t known he’d been sick.

It turned out Evan hadn’t told the servants about Lianus’s illness.

He’d simply asked them to prepare easily digestible food, saying Lianus had overeaten the day before.

Nihil, apparently too lazy to hide anymore, tapped Evan’s foot with his own and jerked his chin toward the door—meaning, hurry up and bring the food.

Evan squinted, but since the boy had been up all night and only had a piece of bread for breakfast, he got up without complaint to fetch the meal.

When everything was set and Nihil stabbed a piece of steak with his knife, Lianus spoke up.

“What should we do for fun this afternoon?”

“Anything you want.”

“Hmm, hmm, I’ve never really had time to play because of lessons… Ah, lessons!”

Lianus’s face froze.

‘My lessons… what did I do?’

He jumped up from his seat, remembering only now—after spending the morning playing cards at his friend’s request—that he was supposed to have lessons.

“Sit.”

“Ah, okay.”

At Nihil’s firm command, Lianus obediently sat back down.

If a friend asks you to sit, you sit. It’s not polite to jump up during a meal. Yes, absolutely.

Evan was so dumbfounded by the sight, his mouth fell open.

There had never been such a blatant reversal of ranks.

“Your Highness, you had a fever all night. Please rest for today. I’ve already contacted your tutors.”

“I… see.”

Lianus’s mood fell, and he put a piece of meat in his mouth.

His chewing slowed, and his expression grew more and more tense.

“At this rate, I’ll fall behind again. Maybe I should at least go to the afternoon lesson…”

“No.”

At Nihil’s resolute answer, Lianus lifted his head, then bowed it again.

The mood grew heavy. Worry flickered in Evan’s eyes as well.

Lianus chewed, then spoke quietly.

“Nihil, I’m sorry. I can’t play with you anymore today.”

“Rest.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

I miss lessons a lot because I get sick so often.

My grades are a mess, too… My brother is…

I always fall behind… What should I do…

I can barely keep up, the lessons keep going on, and I’m… I’m just an idiot. Skipping class to play…

Without realizing that Nihil had purposely led the conversation this way, Lianus buried his face in his hands, blaming himself.

Nihil glanced at Evan. Evan’s face was tense.

Whether it was trauma or something else, Lianus’s yellow-green eyes trembled nonstop.

His eyes reddened, and moisture welled up, ready to fall.

His hands, now clammy, wandered restlessly on the table, and his seaweed-like hair drooped limply.

Nihil watched him quietly.

So this was why the Guard Dog was yapping about lessons at dawn, Nihil thought, blinking slowly.

He’d had no intention of listening to the mutt’s nonsense for interrupting his sleep, but if he left Lianus like this, the seaweed would get all sticky with tears.

‘I hate playing into the mutt’s plans, but there’s no helping it.’

“Lian.”

“…Yeah?”

“Do you have lessons every day? With the First Prince?”

“Yeah, no. Only on weekdays. Some days are busy, some aren’t…”

“Lian, if you go to lessons, what am I supposed to do? The only things I know here are that dog and you, my friend.”

The dog in question was indignant, but knowing Nihil was trying to help the prince, he quietly clenched his fist under the table.

“Um, uh, sorry, Nihil. But even so, I have to go to lessons…”

“Lian, could I come with you? I’ll just watch quietly from the side.”

“Uh, huh?”

Lianus’s face brightened a little. If Nihil was with him during lessons, they could stay together. That would be good for both of them—Lianus wouldn’t feel alone, and Nihil wouldn’t be lonely either.

Maybe Nihil could learn something too; he’d heard that even a single book was precious for commoners, so it would be a good experience.

Just as Lianus was about to nod in agreement—

“Oh, but the First Prince would probably hate having a commoner like me there… Lian, you don’t treat me any differently, but the other royals aren’t as kind as you…”

At Nihil’s melancholy words, Evan’s lips parted in shock.

The wildcat was selling snake oil again.