#32
“Who’s that little one? I haven’t seen him before.”
Seeing people approaching who seemed to be students that usually hung out with him, Noah pushed Matthew’s shoulders with both hands.
Let me down!
“Hmm. A person I like?”
“What?”
“Huh?”
Noah, who had been pushing Matthew with all his might, stared at him with a dumbfounded expression. What nonsense are you talking about? When did we ever do anything together? This is only the second time in my life that I’ve seen you, Your Highness.
After dropping this bombshell, Matthew set Noah down with a smirk, and Noah hastily stepped a few paces away from him. Everyone was watching the situation with bated breath—both those who were leaving the classroom and those who had followed after seeing the prince suddenly show interest in someone and rush into the lecture hall.
“Right, Noah?”
What do you mean “right”? You’re blocking my path right now.
I have Raymond, and that angel I saw in my dream!
Fine. Let’s say the angel might not actually exist and I might never meet him again, but I still have Raymond!
Instead of answering, Noah just shook his head repeatedly.
“Noah!”
Why are there so many people calling me today? While Noah was facing off with Matthew, he turned his head toward the sound of another voice calling him.
The moment he saw the sky-blue hair and blue eyes that were impossible to forget once seen, Noah unconsciously let out a small sigh. The only two people Noah had any kind of social connection with had appeared simultaneously.
To be honest, Matthew wasn’t really a social connection but more of someone he’d met once, but either way, Matthew and James were the only people around Noah’s age that he had met.
“James?”
Unlike Matthew and his friends, who wore the same school uniform as Noah but with long pants instead of shorts and neckties that Noah didn’t wear, James was wearing light armor.
James, aren’t you the merchant boss’s son? So why are you wearing light armor? It does look pretty cool the way it sparkles in the sunlight. Plus, his sky-blue hair was wet with sweat, turning a deeper blue and creating a strange atmosphere.
“I heard during training that a very cute new student with platinum blonde curly hair and green eyes had arrived, so I came running just in case, and it really is you.”
Ah. You guys still haven’t fixed that habit?
Do I still look like I’m three years old? I’m seven, you know?
Despite his internal protests, Noah kept his mouth firmly shut as James picked him up after Matthew. Suddenly, the atmosphere was turning strange.
“Who are you?”
Matthew, who had been standing right in front, made no effort to hide his discomfort as he glared at James with sharp eyes.
“I’m someone who meets our Noah every quarter.”
Although James was clearly three years older than Matthew, he didn’t speak casually to Matthew. Meanwhile, watching Matthew speak so casually, Noah felt like he was seeing the true nature of the Academy.
His thoughts were confirmed. On the surface, they claimed everyone was equal, but unavoidable relationships still existed.
“Why?”
“Because our Noah wants to see me.”
When did I ever want to see you? Your merchant group has consistently delivered goods every quarter, and you came each time. At first, you taught me how to ride a hoverboard, and after that, well, I played with you whenever you came.
“Noah. Do you like me? Or do you like him?”
“……”
Your Highness, please maintain your dignity. You realize what you’re saying is extremely childish, right? It might be appropriate for your age of eleven, but this will definitely become a serious embarrassment for you later.
“Why would you ask something like that? You’re making our Noah uncomfortable.”
James, who despite being fourteen had a build that could pass for an adult, was holding Noah with one arm. As he tried to sweep back his own disheveled curly hair with his hand, Noah raised his hand and smacked James’s away.
“My goodness… what’s going on here?”
Is there anyone else who’s going to show up? While Noah was batting away James’s hand as he tried to pat his head, he heard a female student’s voice.
“Is James really in the humanities lecture hall? Ah, he must have come straight from training.”
“His wet hair… why is he holding that child?”
“I know, and is that child a boy or a girl?”
Matthew demanding James to put “our Noah” down, and James ignoring him completely while continuing to struggle with Noah.
It was a situation where two of the most popular people in the Academy had suddenly appeared, personally seeking out a small child.
Crown Prince Matthew, whose very birth drew attention, and James, who despite his age had outstanding skills in the knight department and had become an idol for teenagers with his exceptional appearance.
It was only natural that all eyes turned to Noah, who was sharply batting away James’s hands that others would have loved to grab even once, while also ignoring Matthew’s demands to come to him instead.
The child, smaller than others his age with platinum blonde curly hair that seemed to float, deep double eyelids, and large green eyes in a pale face, was simply too adorable on his own.
“Noah, come here now.”
Still held in James’s arms and making eye contact with Matthew, Noah suddenly found himself surrounded by many students.
As Matthew, who had been looking between James and Noah with a displeased expression, urged him with outstretched arms, Noah heaved a deep sigh. He definitely hasn’t gotten over his childhood habits.
It made sense—after only their second meeting, he had abruptly hugged Noah and tried to kiss him on the lips, then told others Noah was someone he liked, and now he was asking Noah to come to him voluntarily. This was ridiculous.
“But Noah, weren’t you supposed to enter the Academy next semester?”
Good grief, this is chaotic.
Ignoring whatever Matthew was saying, James was only saying what he wanted to say.
Feeling that getting out of James’s arms should be the priority, Noah pushed James’s shoulders with both hands, just as he had done with Matthew.
“That’s right. Our Noah is seven years old. How did he get in?”
Although Noah hadn’t answered either Matthew or James, strangely, the two were having a conversation about Noah while excluding him.
“Nyaaang~”
At first, Matthew and James seemed to be in opposition, but now they were checking information with each other about why Noah was already here, amid the voices of students murmuring with curious gazes at Noah, a cheerful animal sound could be heard.
Hey, why are you here again? Just how many minutes is this break? It feels like it’s been over 10 minutes already.
Why hasn’t the bell rung? Where’s the professor? Can someone please sort out this situation!
“Aeongi.”
“Nyaang~”
Making eye contact with Aeongi, Noah raised his right hand to touch the ring on his left ring finger.
“Grow.”
With Noah’s single word, a heavy silence fell over the previously bustling classroom. Aeongi, who until just now had been circling around without being able to properly enter through the crowd of students while meowing, had suddenly revealed his true form completely.
“Haaah…”
Unlike the threatening sound one might expect, Aeongi let out a leisurely yawn, causing the students’ faces to turn pale white, unlike Noah who was grinning. How often would one get to see a snow leopard, which only lives in cold regions, this close?
Moreover, the sight of the huge beast opening its mouth wide and unabashedly showing its long, sharp teeth while stretching was enough to frighten the young students.
“Grrr.”
“……”
Should I have called Aeongi earlier? As Aeongi finished yawning and shook his head with a purring sound, the students who had gathered screamed and rushed out of the classroom.
And the only ones left in that space were Matthew, Noah, and James.
“Hyungs, this is my pet Aeongi. Say hello.”
The fierce-eyed huge beast that had been looking around at the students just moments ago was nowhere to be seen, and Matthew and James’s expressions changed from surprise to shock as they saw what looked like a small cat-like animal. Noah shouldn’t be able to use magic, right?
“Isn’t he cute? James hyung, you’ve played with Aeongi a lot.”
Escaping from James’s frozen embrace, Noah picked up Aeongi with both hands and held him out to them with a mischievous smile on his face. If he was going to be the talk of the town and receive attention regardless, he might as well make it definitive.
Of course, bundled together with Aeongi as a set.
“Noah, what kind of animal is this?”
“Huh?”
“A snow leopard.”
“Why isn’t there one in the Imperial Palace?”
Unlike James, who was shocked to see the true form of the snow leopard that he had thought was just a small cat he’d been teasing with food, Matthew, who was still immature, was more surprised by the fact that there was an animal he didn’t know about.
“Noah Schwein!”
And their time alone ended with the stern voice of the Dean.
On his first day of classes, immediately after his first class ended, Noah was called to the Dean’s office and could only stroke the back of the now sleeping Aeongi.
“Noah, do you know the rules regarding pets at the Academy?”
“Dean, one pet per student is allowed. Noah hasn’t violated any rules.”
Raymond, who had been called to the Dean’s office along with Noah, quickly answered on Noah’s behalf.
“Along with the limit on the number of animals that can be brought in, there are also size restrictions in the rules.”
“Yes. As you can see, Aeongi hasn’t violated any rules.”
“According to the students, that’s not the case.”
In the tense standoff between Raymond and the Dean, Noah just rolled his large eyes to look at them.
“Children tend to exaggerate small things.”
“I’m sorry.”
The quickest way to resolve this situation—Noah pinched his thigh again. Maybe it’s time to find a different method. He had pinched his thigh so many times to force tears that he seemed to have developed an immunity, as tears weren’t coming properly anymore.
“Do I have to send our Aeongi away?”
Receiving looks from Raymond and the Dean, Noah continued pitifully.
“Are you certain that the animal you have now can change its size? Think carefully before you answer. You shouldn’t lie.”
At the Dean’s firm words, Noah nodded weakly.
“Then, can you change its size in front of me? I think I need to see it myself.”
At the Dean’s words, Noah quickly looked at Raymond sitting beside him. This is the end. Would he have to send Aeongi away? Raymond couldn’t add anything more.
For whatever reason, Raymond gave a small nod, so Noah put the sleeping Aeongi down on the floor while whimpering.
And then he muttered softly.
“Grow.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
