“…I’m back.”
It wasn’t long after he’d gone off with Sefiut that Ketir reappeared. Ries glanced at him without much thought—then froze.
He looks at least five years older…
Exhaustion clung to his face in thick layers, and it wasn’t just fatigue. It was as though the passing years had battered him all at once.
By contrast, Sefiut burst from his arms with a flutter.
—Hoo, now that was refreshing!
He looked like he’d just come back from the best bath of his life, his fins gleaming, soft, and clean, wagging happily from side to side.
The sight was comical, but Ries’s attention was fixed elsewhere. His eyes flicked sideways, gauging Justyn’s reaction.
As expected.
His guess was right. Even with Sefiut darting around and openly talking, Justyn showed no particular response.
Then again, their relationship was complicated: ancestor and descendant, hero and heir, the one who spread the curse and the one who carried it. A situation where resentment flowing one way wouldn’t be strange at all.
Yet Justyn looked utterly serene. Ries even thought he’d seemed more emotional when he’d spoken privately with him, digging up the past.
“If you’re satisfied, I’ll leave him to you from now on.”
“…!”
—Hooh.
Clearly, there was no grudge. If there had been, Justyn would never have said something like that.
And with that, man and doll showed sharply contrasting fortunes. Ketir’s already worn-out face grew paler by the second, while Sefiut looked positively cheerful, zipping about and chattering with satisfaction.
—Yes, I’d say he can keep looking after me. I already thought well of him, but his hands are skilled, too. He’s fit to serve.
Ketir’s expression slipped past resignation into numb acceptance. He seemed to have simply given up.
But then he stiffened and sighed when his gaze locked with Ries’s, who had been staring at him all the while.
“My apologies. I was too unsettled to greet you properly. As you likely know, I’m Ketir Ribote. This is the first time I’ve formally introduced myself.”
His tone was polite, his head bowed. He even seemed regretful for not having greeted him sooner.
That left Ries flustered instead.
“Y-you really don’t need to go that far…”
On top of it all, he stammered. He wanted to bite his tongue off.
But it couldn’t be helped. When he’d been a cat, he’d only ever spoken casually to him.
Whatever he said, it all came across to human ears as nothing more than “meow meow.” Why bother with courtesy?
And that habit had carried over. Noticing how awkwardly Ries handled polite speech, Ketir added knowingly,
“You can speak casually with me.”
“…Then you too, Ketir.”
“I’ll keep using honorifics. I’ve got a sense about these things, and I suspect a time will come soon when I’ll have no choice but to speak formally. I’d rather get used to it now, so don’t mind me.”
“…”
Ries couldn’t guess what he meant. Still, it wasn’t a chance to waste, so he quickly nodded.
Meanwhile, Ketir seemed to be recalling the past, murmuring almost to himself,
“I did sometimes find it odd. You were far too clever for just a spirit beast. And this is the first I’ve ever heard of beastkin.”
His voice carried layers of wonder, unfamiliarity, and even shock. Ries averted his eyes, suddenly self-conscious.
But at least Ketir wasn’t upset.
He’s not offended at all…
For all Ries had done in his cat form, Ketir didn’t seem to mind. He was kinder than Ries had expected.
At that point, Justyn quietly spoke.
“Ketir is the only one who knows your true identity. He’s trustworthy and capable enough to act as your hands and feet. If I’m ever not by your side, ask him for help. I’ll try to make sure it never comes to that.”
The brief spark of life Ketir had shown during introductions quickly faded again. He must already be thinking about the mountain of extra work ahead, his head throbbing at the thought.
Ries felt both sympathy and curiosity. He turned his gaze from Ketir to Justyn.
He hadn’t misheard—Justyn’s eyes were heavy with guilt.
“Beastkin are a hidden race. And whether people know of them or not, you possess abilities so extraordinary that anyone would covet them. For now, hiding who you are is the safest way to avoid danger.”
He drew a breath, then went as far as to apologize.
“I’m sorry for stealing your freedom.”
“…?”
Why was he apologizing? Moments like this made Ries want to pry into his master’s head.
Yes, he had to stay hidden for a while—but wasn’t that for his own protection? It wasn’t as if he was being shut away in a dusty storeroom. That much was nothing to endure.
Honestly, nothing really changes for me.
He’d keep living his pet-like life at Justyn’s side, just as before.
…Though now that his true nature was exposed, he couldn’t just play cat all the time. He had some pride, after all.
But one thing was clear: none of this was Justyn’s fault. Ries opened his mouth to say so—only for Sefiut to jump in first, bristling.
—That’s exactly your problem. Why apologize for something that isn’t even your fault?
Right, Ries agreed with a nod.
—Humans have been greedy since the very beginning. It’s in their nature to chase what’s precious, to covet beyond their means. Are you going to beg forgiveness for every sin of theirs? Hah, what a fool.
The words were sharp, scathing. To top it off, Sefiut clicked his tongue, tsk, tsk, his rebuke full of force.
And strangely…
…He looks almost pleased?
Ries, who had been feigning concern, finally felt reassured.
Sefiut and Justyn were alike.
Though he’d never said it, it was plain that Sefiut carried deep guilt for the tragedy born of him—even knowing it had been unavoidable.
So the moment his identity was revealed, he must have laid bare that guilt.
“…Aren’t you afraid of me?”
Just like Justyn, who asked questions that hurt himself while hoping for no answer, Sefiut must have asked: Don’t you resent me?
And since he could now speak so freely… clearly things with Justyn had gone well.
Sefiut scolding, Justyn listening quietly—watching them, Ries found himself smiling.
But not everyone could share in that peace.
“…”
Ketir, of course.
He had scrubbed clean the doll that housed the late Duke Laufe’s soul. He had even greeted Ries, who had turned human overnight.
Outwardly, he seemed fully adapted. Inwardly, not at all.
A talking doll? A ghost inside it? And that ghost was none other than his master’s ancestor?
—Cold, boy! Do you mean to freeze me to death? Trying to kill me again? The water needs to be hotter!
—You’re holding too hard. Ease your grip.
—Hmm, there’s still grime on the fins. Be more thorough with the soap.
…If not for that relentless stream of nagging, Ketir would never have managed to bathe him at all. Even now, he shuddered silently at the memory.
More than once, he doubted reality itself. That noisy doll contained the spirit of the late Duke Laufe, the very man who had once saved the empire from disaster.
The shock of it dulled even his fear of being left alone with a ghost.
And that wasn’t the only problem.
The Myo tribe…?
He had never once heard of such beastkin. It wasn’t betrayal he felt, but sheer confusion from being flooded with too much information.
His head throbbed, his duties piled up, and his body ached from bath-turned-scrubbing duty.
Vision swimming, Ketir began calculating the perfect moment to slip away.
But—
—Well, you seem to understand enough. Now, it’s time we return to unfinished business. Since everyone who shares the secret is gathered here…
Sefiut’s declaration dashed all hope of escape.
Ketir shut his eyes tight. There’s no getting out of this.
***
Ketir’s instincts were spot on. The issue Sefiut raised next was anything but simple.
—Edler Laufe. That bastard sealed inside the doll—we need to drive him out of this world.
Edler.
Ries jolted. Between the whirlwind of events and his tense back-and-forth with Justyn, he had completely forgotten about him.
But how was he supposed to deal with it?
He’d only managed to help before because of his knack for unraveling curses. Beyond that, he was completely inexperienced.
Sefiut answered in his stead.
—That thing’s been nothing but a wraith of pure malice for a long time. Just do what you’ve been doing. It’ll purify itself and fade away.
“Hm…”
—And since your power gave it form, some of Justyn’s curse will unravel along with it.
“Then let’s do it right now.”
A curse was something that couldn’t be ignored. Though Ries had worried whether he could actually manage it, his resolve shifted in an instant and he sprang to his feet.
But Justyn stepped in front of him.
“Ries. You only just woke up. You still need more rest.”
“It’s no different than dozing off from being tired. I’m perfectly fine.”
“You didn’t doze off—you collapsed. You might feel fine now, but if you push yourself again, your condition could worsen.”
“I’ve done something like this before. I’ve rested plenty. I’m not going to collapse again.”
“…Before? So this isn’t the first time? When exactly…?”
“Uh—well, I didn’t collapse that time.”
“Ries…”
The exchange volleyed back and forth without pause.
One determined to move forward, the other desperate to hold him back. Justyn’s eyes brimmed with frustration and worry, and for a moment, Ries faltered.
“It’s nothing like sealing. I don’t have to use much power at all—just a few good hits, that’s it. Right, Sefi? I’m right, aren’t I?”
—That’s correct.
“See? If you’re still worried, you can support me. Stick close. I’ll even let you hold my paw—ah, no, my hand.”
In the end, it was Justyn who yielded. Ries’s earnest persuasion, their ancestor’s agreement, and the small concession of staying close by his side all worked together to tip the scales.
where’s Ketir’s raise???