Chapter 10
Surely that had happened, but at some point, Asher had fallen asleep. He felt his body growing heavy. As if being pressed down by sleep paralysis, Asher struggled to move, but the more he did, the heavier the weight on his body became.
“…Ugh.”
Asher let out a groan. Feeling that this couldn’t continue, he used all his strength to open his eyes and realized someone was looking down at him. Startled, Asher reacted with alarm, but soon felt that the man had no hostile intent.
The man, with sky-blue hair flowing like waves and mysterious purple eyes, possessed a strange charm. Perhaps the most eye-catching man after Luke? Seeing this unfamiliar man, Asher widened his eyes in surprise and said:
“…Who are you?”
“Hello?”
The man’s voice, answering Asher’s question with a greeting, flowed into his ears. It was such a sweet voice that Asher would have loved to hear him sing.
“That’s the first thing you’ve said to me.”
It was then that Asher realized the person before him was the rabbit he’d spent the night with.
“R-rabbit?”
“Caleb.”
“…”
“That’s my name.”
Though he already knew it, hearing the name from his lips was meltingly beautiful. Asher knew such a description might not suit a man, but there seemed no better expression for it.
“I wanted to say thank you. Thanks to you, I’m alive like this.”
Caleb took Asher’s hand and pulled it toward his chest. As if inviting him to listen to his heartbeat, he placed Asher’s hand near his heart and smoothly raised the corners of his lips. The sight was so stimulating that Asher felt his vision turning white.
“Thank you. For saving my life.”
Even at Caleb’s words, Asher could only move his lips like a fool. He should say “please move aside” or “get off,” but Caleb held his hand firmly and wouldn’t budge. If only he could read emotions, but perhaps because Caleb was a beast-person, Asher couldn’t read any emotions from him.
“I never forget a debt of gratitude for the rest of my life.”
“No, wait…! I wasn’t the one who found you first. It was my brother. He was also the one who gave you medicine.”
“So?”
“If my brother hadn’t found you, I wouldn’t have known about you. So you should thank my brother…!”
“Asher.”
Asher had been trying desperately to avoid creating any connection with him. After all, it wasn’t his responsibility to take care of him, but Braden’s. However, Caleb dismissed his words by calling his name.
“I’m not talking about your brother. Regardless of who found me, it was you who didn’t let go of me and healed me. I’m grateful to you for that.”
“…”
“If you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation, I will help you. As I said, we beast-people never forget a favor once received. Even if it means giving up our lives.”
He was still holding Asher’s hand and meeting his gaze. With a steady gaze that was almost burdensome, Caleb kissed the back of Asher’s hand and curved his eyes pleasantly. Flustered, Asher quickly pulled his hand away and asked:
“W-what are you doing?”
“A vow of oath.”
He chuckled with a sly smile. Then, noticing Caleb’s body, Asher was startled and pushed him away. He hadn’t realized because of the fact that Caleb had transformed into a human, but looking more closely, he was naked. Asher quickly averted his gaze and handed him a blanket.
“You looked at me just fine when I was a rabbit, but now you’re shy?”
As if asking the obvious, the tips of Asher’s ears turned red. Feeling this couldn’t continue, Asher got up and held out a robe hanging on the bed, his eyes still tightly closed.
“Please put it on.”
“Do you really think this will fit me?”
“Whether it fits or not, could you just wear it for now? I’ll ask for clothes to be brought later…”
“I’ll soon return to my rabbit form, so there’s no need.”
Caleb put on the robe Asher offered, as if saying there was no need to get clothes that fit him. Only then did Asher slowly open his eyes and look at Caleb.
Unlike the cute appearance he had as a rabbit, Caleb’s body was full of muscle. Contrary to what he had expected, the intense masculinity he exuded made Asher unconsciously tense.
“The clothes are shorter than I thought.”
“Well, that’s because you’re larger…”
“Still, it’s not bad. I feel good because your scent is coming from these clothes.”
Asher waved his hands at Caleb’s suggestive words, asking what he was saying. It was the kind of statement that could easily be misunderstood if someone heard it. Although Asher said such things shouldn’t be said carelessly, Caleb merely chuckled.
“By the way… is your way of speaking always like this?”
“Is it strange?”
“…A-a little?”
It was a speaking style that could easily seem disrespectful. It would be a bit better if he just fixed the sentences that ended with “da.” Asher carefully watched Caleb’s reaction, trying not to offend him.
“It would be fine when you’re with me, but when you’re with others, wouldn’t it be better to slightly change your speech style that ends with ‘da’?”
“Then there’s no need to change.”
“What?”
“What reason would I have to be with other people?”
“No, I mean…”
In the future, he would have to meet Braden, the main beast character, and Luke, the main character. After all, Caleb was a significant sub-character who would oppose the main character. But Asher had no way to explain this, so he just made a sound like “Hmm…” out loud.
“Anyway, this robe seems too tight. It’s definitely smaller than my body.”
At the word “body,” Asher lowered his gaze. Then he quickly looked away and picked up the fallen blanket to wrap it around Caleb’s waist. It seemed like he would need to prepare a few sets of larger-sized clothes soon.
“Hmm… shall we sit down and talk?”
As if changing the atmosphere, Asher had Caleb sit down. If he was going to stay here for a while, there were things Caleb needed to know. First was the absolute necessity of not revealing that he was a beast-person, and second was that he shouldn’t speak in such a casual way. Of course, he had said he wouldn’t meet other people, but no one could predict the future. Asher told Caleb these two rules and stared into his eyes.
“And lastly, I’d prefer if you didn’t stay here for too long. It might be okay until your wounds heal, but if you keep staying here, something might happen to you.”
“Something?”
“Well, you never know what might happen. So, why don’t you stay somewhere safe and come back here next spring, when it’s warmer?”
Duke Anest was a famous merchant known for his greed and ambition. Asher judged that if Caleb were to stay here, it would be safer to be by Braden’s side than with himself, whose position was unstable. But Caleb, not understanding his concern, firmly refused.
“No.”
“This isn’t something that ends with just saying no. It’s also inconvenient for me to be with you in this form…”
“So you’re going to abandon me?”
“That’s not it. I can’t guarantee your safety here.”
“It was you who reached out your hand to me, promising to protect me to the end.”
That was when he was a rabbit. Asher had only extended his hand to reassure him when he looked scared and wary. Asher let out a dry sigh at Caleb’s stubborn behavior.
“Alright, I was wrong… But Caleb, it’s not safe here. If my father were to find out that you’re a beast-person, he might do something bad to you.”
“…You’re not getting rid of me because you dislike me?”
“Why would I dislike you?”
Only then did Caleb relax the tension around his eyes and give a weak smile.
“So I just need to come back exactly a year from now?”
“Yes.”
“And at that time, you won’t drive me away like you’re doing now?”
By then, Braden would surely welcome Caleb. And the two would form a bond according to the original story. Asher didn’t want to change that fate. So he answered vaguely with a smile.
“…Perhaps?”
“Then I’ll do that. I don’t want to cause you trouble.”
Caleb agreed readily with a positive answer. Seeing him no longer being stubborn, Asher gave a small smile of gratitude.
“But there’s one condition. On the day I return, don’t tell me to leave again like you are now.”
“…”
“One betrayal is enough.”
He smiled bitterly, like someone who had been betrayed before. Although Asher didn’t know for what reason that had happened, he believed that when Braden returned, Caleb would find a comfortable sanctuary with him. Asher smiled warmly, as if to reassure him.
*
After this conversation, Caleb disappeared without a trace. Looking at the empty space left by him, who had vanished without even saying goodbye, Asher wore a lonely expression.
“I thought he would at least stay for a few days…”
Asher approached the window where Caleb had disappeared and looked outside. It was quite a high floor to have jumped as a rabbit. And the security at the Duke’s residence was too strict to escape easily in human form. Considering the height from which it would have been difficult to escape in either form, Asher rang the bell attached to the side.
“Did you call for me?”
“Was there any mention of someone being caught or injured last night?”
“No. I haven’t heard anything like that. Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing…”
Asher spoke vaguely and gestured for them to leave. It seemed like he had already grown attached to Caleb despite the short time he had been there.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
