Chapter 20: How old are you?

Evan frowned as he looked at Nihil, who seemed to have no lingering attachment to life in the Royal Palace.

He said he never expected much from kids’ fickleness, but it sounded more like a kind of self-defense.

Yeah.

It’s a way to comfort himself, so he won’t get hurt even if he’s kicked out at any moment.

He seemed to adapt quickly, but maybe he never expected anything from the start.

‘…Has this happened to him often before?’

Evan was lost in serious thought, not answering for a long time.

Perhaps interpreting his silence differently, Nihil opened his mouth as if to make an excuse.

“It’s not like I was telling you to trust me. But for your Prince’s sake, you should at least find a trustworthy apothecary.”

“No, I’m asking because there’s nothing else I can do right now. What do you want me to do?”

“I’ll write down several extra medicines so the illness can’t be identified. If you bring plenty and store them up, even if Lian gets sick a few times, you’ll be able to solve it right away. If you bring them in an unprepared state, you’ll be able to spot if something’s been mixed in wrong, so there’s no need to worry even if there are Poisonous Herbs mixed in. If you still don’t trust me, go and get a Magical Contract.”

“…I see.”

Evan felt strange.

Is that it? Is it resolved with this?

There was no need for something like a Magical Contract.

The kid didn’t seem to be lying.

He didn’t like being under anyone, nor did he care for money or fame.

He might act soft around the Prince, but if he were thrown out right now, he’d just turn away with an indifferent expression, without asking or arguing.

If there ever came a reason for him to harm the Prince, it would probably only be if someone had something to hold over him.

Evan glanced at the Wildcat sprawled lazily on the sofa, as if he’d said all he needed to say.

He wondered if the kid even had any weaknesses, but in truth, he knew almost nothing about him.

Maybe I should try probing him.

“What’s your weakness?”

Evan laughed at himself, finding the question ridiculous even as he asked it. Probe, huh. Was he always this dumb?

No one would reveal their weakness if you asked outright.

“Weakness?”

“You just ask something like that so directly?”

“….”

Evan didn’t bother replying, since he knew it was a stupid question even as he asked it.

But contrary to his expectation that Nihil would mock him, Nihil began to seriously think about it.

“Did you want to find my weakness before I hurt your master? Or did you think that if someone found my weakness, I might harm Lian?”

‘Sharp kid…’

Evan felt as if his thoughts had been seen through, and he averted his eyes, mumbling. If he had to say, it was the latter…

Nihil, hearing his mumbling, muttered like it was nothing.

“A weakness, huh. It’s true there’s not enough trust yet to leave the medicine to me.”

Nihil nodded, as if he completely understood, even though he could have been offended by Evan’s words.

He was remarkably objective about himself.

It really seemed like Nihil might actually reveal something, so Evan pretended not to care but listened intently.

He didn’t know whether this kind of revealed weakness would be real or fake, but there was no harm in listening.

“But can you really trust information you get this way?”

“….”

‘Is this kid a mind reader or what!’

When Evan glared at Nihil with cold eyes, Nihil just let out a small laugh and considered the question.

Evan stared in fascination, realizing Nihil actually laughed more often than he’d thought.

But when Nihil suddenly raised his head, Evan flinched in surprise.

“But usually, if your life is threatened, wouldn’t you do something?”

“Well…, that’s true, but…”

“If my life were threatened, I’d probably threaten Lian out of fear.”

“……You? Afraid?”

Evan tried to imagine Nihil trembling in fear at a death threat.

‘If he cried with those eyes, shaking and tearing up, I don’t think I could go through with it.’

Thinking that, Evan decided to play the role of the one making the threat, and drew a dagger from his coat.

He placed the blade against Nihil’s thin, pale neck, and Nihil’s eyes widened slightly.

But that was all the reaction there was.

Nihil just stared at Evan, as if to say, ‘So what?’

Evan threatened him with the blade.

“Cry.”

“…..”

“What’s wrong? Cry.”

“….”

Nihil let out a hollow laugh, as if Evan’s request was truly absurd, and instead pressed his neck closer to the blade.

Just before his neck touched the knife, Evan ended up withdrawing the dagger first.

“At least pretend to be scared.”

“I’m sensitive to murderous intent and hostility. Something this vague isn’t a threat.”

“Normally, when a knife comes at your neck, even if it’s a joke, your body tenses up. But you—nothing at all.”

“Really?”

Nihil nodded, saying he’d keep that in mind. As if he’d learned something, and would act that way next time someone threatened his life.

Then, to put his learning to immediate use, Nihil turned his head toward the bathroom and took a deep breath.

“Li… mmph! Mm-mm!”

Just as the sound was about to escape, Evan realized Nihil’s intention and quickly clamped his hand over Nihil’s mouth.

And whispered through gritted teeth.

“Shut your mouth while I’m asking nicely.”

“!!!”

“……?”

But then, the Wildcat whose mouth was covered started trembling all over, looking up at Evan with eyes full of fear.

“….???”

Evan was confused. Looking into those big, trembling eyes, he felt like he’d become the world’s greatest villain.

Wondering how to comfort him, Evan decided to apologize first.

“S-sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you…, …yeah.”

But the longer he apologized, the more those mysterious eyes curved into thin, round lines, and he quickly changed his words.

“…You weren’t actually scared, were you?”

A soft laugh came in response.

“Don’t pretend to be scared from now on.”

When Evan, feeling teased, ruffled his hair in irritation, Nihil grinned slyly and replied.

“Didn’t you just ask me to at least pretend to be scared?”

“…This is annoying.”

“You’re too much, not even praising me for learning so well.”

“….”

Nihil, muttering that you should always praise kids, suddenly brought up the topic Evan thought had ended.

“If I have a weakness, it’s probably that child.”

“The one whose life or death you don’t even know?”

“Yes.”

“If, by chance, that child is already dead and someone tries to threaten you with the ashes…”

“I don’t care about a soulless shell. Life is only valuable while it’s alive. If I liked corpses or bones, I wouldn’t have struggled so hard to save that child. Isn’t it stranger to harm the living for the sake of the dead?”

Nihil replied, frowning.

The tone was as if asking what kind of question that was. It was certainly a perfectly normal answer, but the world was full of abnormal people.

Evan scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward.

“Then, what if the child is alive and taken hostage…?”

“I’d rescue them.”

“How can you be so sure you could? Someone could take that child hostage and order you to harm the Prince, couldn’t they?”

Nihil thought for a moment, then spoke.

“…No matter how I think about it, I doubt anyone could take that child hostage. And for anyone to threaten me that way, it would mean I have the power to harm Lian in the first place. Frankly, whatever the outcome, I’d probably just lose my head. It’s obvious that kind of threat is just trying to use me and throw me away, so I wouldn’t quietly do as they say.”

“…I see.”

Evan felt a bit deflated by Nihil’s consistently sharp answers.

It was as if Nihil was criticizing him for not being able to think of anything else.

“…But what if the mastermind is someone you absolutely can’t go against, like Royal Family, or Nobles… even the Imperial Family…”

“Did Lian offend the Empire?”

“That’s… not the case.”

“Well, I don’t care if it’s the Imperial Family, Harpens Royalty, or Nobles.”

Evan found himself growing more and more respectful of Nihil’s simple attitude, who didn’t even consider the aftermath. Maybe he was starting to resemble his own master.

“Then what would it take for you to harm the Prince?”

“Hmm, if Lian became the kidnapper…?”

“…There’s no way the Prince would do something like that.”

“Then I wouldn’t harm Lian either. Even if Lian did become the kidnapper, I’d try to talk him down.”

“…But what if, one day, you had to choose between the Prince and the child you raised…?”

As Evan mumbled, a bit gloomily, Nihil narrowed his eyes and observed him, then lightly slapped the back of Evan’s hand as if it was nothing and spoke.

“Don’t worry about things that haven’t happened yet. Think about it when the time comes. If that day ever comes, just stall for time. I’ll help.”

At Nihil’s overconfident words, Evan couldn’t help but laugh. He didn’t even know who was helping whom anymore.

He felt pathetic, sitting here discussing his worries with a child who looked no more than five or six, but at least one problem seemed solved, so he was relieved.

But Nihil, perhaps serious about helping, began to give earnest advice.

“There’s no need to tremble just because someone’s got your weakness. Just grab theirs, too.”

“…..”

“Or, it’s not bad to reveal your own weakness yourself. Once it’s out in the open, it can even become a chance to exploit the flaws of those who try to use it against you.”

“…I’ll remember that.”

He didn’t know how helpful a Wildcat’s advice would be, but Nihil wouldn’t act so confident without reason.

“And just in case, get some books on herbs or medicine. The latest editions.”

“Books?”

“Yes. There might be newly discovered herbs or Poisonous Herbs, and since you’ll be giving them to the child, it’s better to double-check before you do.”

“Well, that’s true.”

It was odd for someone so young to treat the Prince like a child, but it felt so natural that Evan couldn’t argue.

After all, whenever he talked with Nihil, it never felt like talking to a kid.

They say children with younger siblings grow up a little faster, but maybe Nihil was like that because he’d raised a child.

Since the Prince was so slow to develop, Evan had assumed that Nihil, who was about the same height, must be even younger than the Prince. But Nihil himself said he was older than he looked, and he really did seem mature for his age.

“…How old are you?”

The Wildcat kept his mouth shut.