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n“I said no.”

nI brushed off my hands, wiping the water from his head.

nChaser grabbed my fingertips waving in the air. He brought my hand to his mouth and buried his lips.

n“It’s still in my hands.”

nHe wiped the remaining water from my fingertips with his mouth. As I trembled at the soft touch, his red eyes were darkly folded in half.

n“Can I do it?”

n“No.”

n“Well, this isn’t my cup of tea either.”

nChaser tilted his head.

n“Then what would you like?”

nI didn’t even get excited as I looked at the man who looked at me as if he had done a good job.

nIt’s as natural as breathing.

n“I thought you would be mad. Iana.”

n“Why?”

nChaser rubbed his cheek against my hand, adding without giving me time to speak.

n“Because I was forced to bring you.”

nForced to bring me?

nI remembered what happened at Schirmela three days ago.

n“You want to go outside, don’t you? I interrupted that.”

nIt wasn’t a very Chaser word. However, the red eyes looking up at me again were full of doubts. Maybe he was hiding his plan.

n“Aren’t you mad?”

n“.…no.”

n“Why? I think you’re going to feel bad about being forcibly brought back.”

nIf it were normal, it would be.

nI pulled my hand out of Chaser’s hand.

n“I don’t. I don’t even want to.”

nI clasped my hands, stretched them out, and whispered quietly.

n“I know who you are.”

nWhile Marshmel was so terrified, I felt sorry for him, but I didn’t think what would happen to me.

n“I don’t do anything useless even if I say it.”

nChaser slightly curved his eyebrows at my indifferent reply.

nIt also had a friendly smile as if it had been like that for a while.

n“If you were going to do anything to Marshmel, I might have stopped you…”

nI know that this is not out of love.

n“Ah,” he mumbled a little.

n“Because you don’t want him to die?”

n“…..”

n“My dear sister, you always blocked my sword.”

nComplaining and anger are of no use to a human who has already been turned away.

nIf I had been able to appeal to him emotionally, many of his former people would not have been taken into slavery in a distant coal mine.

nHe was a human who didn’t blink an eye even though I cried so much.

n“It’s strange.”

nChaser’s face moved closer.

nHe stared intently into my face.

nThe red eyes might surprise you, but it wasn’t unfamiliar anymore.

n“…I thought it was okay to be hated.”

nDrop. Drops of water falling from him fell from the floor. Wet eyes stared at me.

n“Maybe this is good.”

nChaser smiled for a moment and lowered his eyes. He pulled back soon.

n“Now, I don’t want to.”

nBut as soon as he lifted it up, he bowed his head and grinned.

n“I really want to ask.”

nLooking at him, I brought out the question I had been holding back.

n“I thought I was going to be tied up and sent to the tower somewhere this time.”

n“I will not.”

nHe smiled playfully.

n“I don’t want to be hated.”

nThe seriousness between us lasted less than a few minutes. This has always been what Chaser intended.

n“And.”

nChaser bowed his head, removed my hand from his neck, kissed the inside of my wrist, and let it go.

nWhen he lifted his head again, the glistening madness of the day passed as he smiled softly and tenderly.

n“Because I’ll get rid of it.”

nHe said so in my ear. Have a good day, and whispered.

nWith the promise of coming back tomorrow afternoon. He said this, but he will appear tonight or early in the morning. To get a moment’s sleep.

nI’m just going to say that it’s only hard on his body, but….

nI stared at the door that Chaser had closed. Chewing on the words he left behind.

nGet rid….

nNo way.

n……Is he talking about getting rid of Ricdorian?

n***

n“You’re still alive today.”

nHello, Mr. Marshmallow. The little warlock did not respond to my calm greeting, but frowned at the words that followed.

n“I-that! I’ll say ! Don’t say it!”

nAs a child with plump cheeks, it wasn’t scary for him to get angry.

nInstead, I walked over to his side, squatted at eye level, and grinned.

n“It’s because I’m happy, happy. The joy of being able to see you today.”

n“Kiik!”

n“It’s a joke, joke.”

nI knew he was already out of Chaser’s range. Even so, the little warlock was worried about it.

n“Don’t worry too much.”

nI let go of the joke and patted his slender shoulder.

nIn fact, I had both regret and gratitude. I was most worried about Marshmel when I returned because I thought we wouldn’t be found out.

nIt was also a substitute for this kind of regret to keep joking around.

n“Don’t be too afraid. If you do, I’ll jump in front of that sword.

nI said with a pat.

n“I was going to do it when I came back.”

nIt didn’t happen though. Of course, the subject of that sword is Chaser.

n“I’ll be ready to die. Don’t worry. I’ll save you.”

nMarshmel put down the thesis he was reading and looked at me with a strange expression.

nI tilted my head.

n“why?”

n“….Lady’s is. Even if you’re here, I don’t know.”

nWhat do you mean? Who is full of affection and love like me? I handed it like a joke, and he came back saying that I had no conscience.

n“By the way, please teach me that magic.”

nI smiled moderately and brought out the main point. Marshmel had an unexpected face.

n“You say you’re not interested in magic anymore?”

n“The human heart is like a reed. Originally.”

nChaser taught me a lot. The subject of teaching, that is, the teacher, was Marshmel in front of me and taught me more than I expected.

nThe problem was that I didn’t really have the will to do anything.

nSome of the things I quit about two years ago were black magic.

nAt that time, I quit so quickly, I don’t know, but there are many things that black magic can do more than I thought.

n“I think I’ll become an archmage.”

n“Lady, do you have a lifespan of about 240 years?”

n“Why, is it possible if I can live until then?”

n“Right.”

nContrary to commonly known magic, black magic was also related to work behind the scenes, secret things, and life research.

n“Yes, it’s a joke, and my passion isn’t burning anymore. It’s just because of this friend.”

nI picked up the cat that was in my hand. It has grown quite a bit since three years have passed, and now it is quite heavy.

n“This…”

nIt looked different, but he seemed to recognize it at a glance.

n“Is it the guardian deity of the unlucky rose?”

n“That’s right.”

nMarshmel was also aware of Pudding’s existence .The appearance of the snow leopard was so unique that there would have been no way of not knowing.

nIn addition, Marshmel seemed to know who brought Pudding and how. I didn’t tell him though.

nMarshmel rolled his eyes. He tilted his head as if puzzled.

n“Why did it look like this?”

n“You mean the condition?”

nI glanced at Pudding and shrugged.

n“I don’t know.”

nPudding was quietly held by me without making a single cry. But the pointy eyes seemed full of dissatisfaction at a glance.

nIt seems that even that little warlock can see it.

n“It’s the third day. It’s been like this.”

nIn fact, it has already been 3 days since Pudding was in this state. It’s been like that since the day I separated with Ricdorian.

nDid he just do that? Weeping all night long, I thought it was some kind of lost person.

nEven when I asked what was going on, I couldn’t hear a voice, only crying, so I had no way of knowing.

nIf it wanted to fall asleep, it dug into my arms and slept. In the morning, it was found between the legs or between the arms.

nI put Pudding down on the desk and pinched it’s cheeks.

n“Stop and talk.”

nPudding glared at me.

n“How do I know if you don’t talk?”

nAfter saying that, I hesitated a bit and then asked.

n“Are you in pain?”

nI would say nothing if it’s only been a day or two, but on the third day, I was a little worried.

nPudding’s bulging eyes seemed to slide down. Soon after, Pudding’s hand hit me hard.

nIt doesn’t hurt…. The feeling was odd. Why am I hit?

n-Really, are you worried about me, Nyang? That’s right!

n“Oh, it hurts. Then you think I’m really not worried, or am I faking?”

n– Human, you have no affection! It does not exist!

n“I’m always full of love and affection…”

n“Not that.”

nMarshmel broke into the conversation. He probably won’t hear Pudding’s voice, and he wants to refute what I said.

n– How can you throw away this body so easily, Nyan! Heartless! Ruthless! Cold blooded! Ummoral!

n“…that would be immoral.”

nWhat did I do? I got a little embarrassed.

n-If I didn’t say no, you just… will you try to send me, Nyang?

nAs time passed, Pudding’s vocabulary increased remarkably. It was still a child’s voice, and it wasn’t far from that level, but it was like a child growing up.

nIt’s been three years since he’s done such a thing.

nAnd it wasn’t just words. Unlike in the past, Pudding now understands emotions.

n– You didn’t even say goodbye?

nSometimes I felt like it was more sensitive than I am. Right, just like now.

nFor me, I was just being faithful to Pudding’s words .

nThree years ago, it told me that if it didn’t return, Ricdorian might die, and Pudding would disappear. I didn’t want Ricdorian to die, and I didn’t want the cat to disappear.

nBut on the contrary, it seemed that my faithful efforts felt cold to Pudding.

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