#16

In that brief moment, seeing that he also recognized my identity, he was indeed a successor of the Page family.

Zerakiel responded as if it didn’t matter at all. “It seems like it’s not your concern.”

“I’m worried about that kid.”

Hiscleif looked at me and spoke firmly. It was a textbook answer that seemed like a model student.

With a tilted head, Zerakiel said, “It’s unnecessary worry. Strictly speaking, it’s the one who chose me. It came to our house. Right, Chichi?”

Zerakiel looked at me and laughed slowly. Technically, I was caught while raiding their house’s warehouse, but if I wagged my tail here, I’d either be thrown away or served as today’s lunch menu.

When I nodded eagerly, Hiscleif frowned. It was like the condemning gaze of someone looking at a person who condones wrongdoing.

Feeling a chill from his gaze, I involuntarily sniffed and diverted my attention.

Ella, who had broken down the iron wall like that, felt incredibly impressive.

Then Zerakiel blocked my view.

“Stop staring at strangers, Chichi.”

“Chu?”

“Am I not enough for you?”

What’s this crazy guy saying?

Once again, I bristled at the capricious joke of Zerakiel. It was a desolate face as if looking at a fickle wife.

“I told you not to look at other guys. Do you want to see me kill everyone?”

Kill everyone!

I raised my voice at the craziness of Zerakiel, who was about to bite my foreleg again. When he finally stuck his arm into his mouth, he recoiled.

He had to confront me for a long time because he didn’t let go of my foreleg. Even when I kicked with fire, he didn’t blink, so he hung loosely on my mouth, exhausted.

Yeah, do whatever you want, whether you eat me or drink me!

Then I met eyes with Hiscleif. In his eyes, an incredible earthquake was happening, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

In the meantime, how should I deal with this crazy black lion who chewed my foreleg like an octopus?

It was when I glanced at Zerakiel, who showed off in front of the male lead.

Just then, someone else came out from behind Hiscleif.

“Hiscleif, what are you still doing here?”

The man, who seemed to be his assistant, stopped talking and froze. He rolled his eyes as if understanding the situation.

Then Ivan stepped forward, blocking Zerakiel, and said, “Please continue on your way. It seems your young master has some business with our young master.”

“Hiscleif wouldn’t do such a thing, right?”

“Enough, Rudy.”

Hiscleif raised his head, seemingly annoyed at the situation, and grabbed his assistant Rudy’s arm.

Then, as he passed by Zerakiel, Hiscleif dropped a bombshell of words.

“Well then, enjoy your cute love.”

What, what should I do?

Feeling dumbfounded, I could only dive into my pocket.

***

“Was there really nothing going on with the successor of the Jabisi?”

“I just found it interesting.”

Hiscleif responded slowly with a pensive expression on his face.

News had already spread to the northern region that Zerakiel Rune Jabisi had found a new toy.

Despite not feeling any affection for anything in particular, when he suddenly started raising a pet, I considered it a momentary whim.

Zerakiel was accustomed to suddenly pouring all his interest into something, despite being indifferent to everything else, like a typical whimsical person.

And it turned out that the pet he had picked up was a discarded humanoid.

It seemed pitiful, so I tried to help, nodding my head in agreement with Zerakiel without knowing my place.

Remembering Zerakiel’s disdainful expression as if he was mocking me, I felt embarrassed.

It was the first time I had seen such an expression. Despite always acting as if everything was a bother, he was an overwhelming individual who could achieve anything once he set his mind to it.

And now, a discarded pet was receiving all his attention.

That too, seemed like Zerakiel was taking sides against Hiscleif, which made Hiscleif feel odd.

“Surely Zerakiel must have blown his fuse.”

“Yes? W-who would do such a crazy thing?”

Rudy jumped in after hearing Hiscleif’s muttering. It was because no humanoid had ever survived after doing something like that to the little master of the Jabisi.

“He’s alive, right?”

“Uh-huh. He seems fine.”

“Huh?”

Rudy seemed bewildered, wondering if that even made sense. After a moment, he speculated about the most likely suspect.

“Could it be the young master himself?”

“If that were the case, wouldn’t the entire area have been razed to the ground by now?”

“Then maybe Ivan?”

“But he’s not that bold, Rudy.”

“T-then who on earth…?”

Rudy looked at Hiscleif with a puzzled expression. Since he had gone this far without mentioning the White ferret, it seemed he didn’t even consider it as a suspect.

Even Hiscleif himself couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Allowing that much leniency meant that Zerakiel was a precious existence to him. Perhaps he didn’t just see him as a mere toy.

‘Moreover, that guy definitely seemed to enjoy it, even when he got hit.’

Zerakiel, who had been radiating jealousy even to his cheeks, seemed unfamiliar for some reason. Hiscleif, with a serious expression, muttered to Rudy, who was deducing the culprit.

“There was, a very brave and cute little guy.”

“Can bravery and cuteness be equated?”

“It happened so quickly that I couldn’t believe it even when I saw it with my own eyes.”

“A creature so fast that the Lord couldn’t keep up with it? Are there any others besides Zerakiel Rune Jabisi?”

The seriousness in Rudy’s eyes turned into confusion as the situation continued to spiral into a mystery. His face became more opaque as he failed to grasp what was happening.

However, Hiscleif let Rudy continue to wander in the wrong direction, knowing full well that he was deducing things in an increasingly strange manner.

Just because the White ferret acted that way, it could end up reaching the ears of his father for no reason.

It was just a White ferret.

They were widely known throughout the north. Why did they hold such special significance?

In Hiscleif’s eyes, who had always been taught to uphold proper behavior as the successor, their behavior seemed frivolous.

What was strange was that he felt envious of them when he looked at them. Although there was not an ounce of envy, a corner of his heart felt strangely empty, as if there had been such a presence for him as well.

After contemplating for a while, Hiscleif called Rudy, who was walking with him.

“Rudy.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Should I raise a pet too?”

“Suddenly? Ah, is it because you liked that White ferret from earlier?”

“Just…”

“If I saw Zerakiel chewing on it earlier, it seems it might end up on the Jabisi dinner table soon. Should I secretly grab it for you?”

“Before that, you’d be snapped up.”

Although Hiscleif offered a cautious advice, Rudy casually responded as if it couldn’t happen to him.

“Would I really be targeted just for a mere White ferret? If you asked, I might even give it away. You’re someone who doesn’t feel interested in anything, after all.”

Well, Zerakiel’s entire interest seemed to be focused on that White ferret now. Knowing this, Rudy would also fall behind.

“No need for that. I don’t have a hobby of stealing what others have in the first place.”

“Well, a common White ferret like that is widely found in the north.”

“Yeah. Because it’s common.”

Hiscleif, who said so, casually continued to walk as if nothing had happened, while suppressing the emptiness in his heart.