Chapter 41
“It was actually a gift from my uncle.”
Erjin spoke calmly. He was talking about Pavel Astrahan, the man who was acting as Duke Astrahan for now.
“He wasn’t a warm person, but he wasn’t bad either. Before I became an adult, he said he’d watch over the duchy for a while, and gave me this watch.”
I sat quietly beside Erjin, just listening.
“He told me, ‘You’ll be the head of Astrahan one day. Treasure your time.’”
That’s how it usually goes, I thought.
The ones who say “I don’t want power” are often the scariest.
“In the underground prison, I thought about it all day. Was my uncle really behind all this? No matter how I turned it over in my head…”
His fist clenched tight around the pocket watch.
“The only person who could forge my father’s letters… was him.”
Many people could copy the duke’s handwriting, but his way of speaking, his style—only someone very close could imitate that.
His own blood.
“My uncle must have wanted me gone. And he tried to do it by someone else’s hand.”
Erjin forced a bitter smile.
I could understand. With his father sick, his only family to lean on was that same uncle. Even if he sensed something was wrong, he probably chose to look away.
Because…
I did the same once.
There was a time I wanted to get closer to my half-sister, Rania. Even though I knew she hated me. I was lonely—no friends, ignored in my own house.
But once I realized Rania was at the center of that… I gave up fast.
Being betrayed by family… I knew how painful that was.
So I gently tapped the back of Erjin’s hand.
“Are you… trying to comfort me?”
“Chit.”
Well, yes. Something like that.
I gave a small nod.
Erjin covered his face with both hands and sighed deeply.
Did I make him angry? Getting comfort from a squirrel?
But instead he muttered:
“Should I just run away with you…?”
Huh? Run away? With what? …With me?!
“Chuuut?!”
I jumped up in shock.
“…I was joking.”
That didn’t sound like a joke…
Erjin smiled with his eyes, as if nothing happened.
“But I kept my promise. Don’t worry.”
Yeah, I know.
He was talking about the deal we made in the dungeon.
If I found the brainwashing tool, he’d expose the Astrahan spy hiding here in the Black Dragon Castle.
“By now, all the spies my uncle planted are probably gone.”
There were still spies from the emperor, of course.
Erjin shrugged, meaning that was all he knew.
Annoying snake.
Still, I sighed. My peaceful home is still far away.
“With so many removed, things will stay quiet for a while. Oh, and…”
He suddenly looked at me, eyes flashing blue in the dim light.
“I never told anyone about meeting the squirrel who’s favored by the Black Dragon Duke. Though… I think they suspect already.”
“Chit.”
I frowned, but it was nice of him to keep silent.
Too late, though. Thanks to you, I’ve already been found out.
According to König, Erjin had left his mana on me. I still didn’t know why.
“Chuut, chit?”
Why did you do that?
I exaggerated my gestures, pointing from him to me.
Erjin blinked, surprised, then seemed to think hard. Somehow, he understood.
“Did you mean… you got exposed because of my mana?”
“Chuuut!”
Exactly.
Wait—how did this tiger understand me?! Can he actually hear me?
I closed my eyes and tried sending him my voice, like telepathy. But unlike Bishop or Sevi, he didn’t seem to hear. He was just… sharp. Unlike those slow-witted reptiles.
“Maybe it’s a misunderstanding. I hate those cowardly lizards, but I do know how to notice things.”
So he didn’t know how his mana got on me either.
“Maybe…”
Maybe?
I swallowed nervously.
“That day… when I searched for you, some of my mana rubbed off.”
That day meant the first time we met in the dungeon.
Wait—searched?
Me? Search for him?!
“Chuu, chu-chuuut!”
I wasn’t groping him! It was just to find the letter!
My tail flicked in panic.
“You mean it was a misunderstanding, right?”
Erjin just laughed with crescent-moon eyes. Slimy snake of a man.
But then his smile softened, genuine for once.
“Late, but… thank you. You saved me.”
In his uncle’s trap, and here in this castle.
This time, his thanks felt real.
Don’t mention it. It was just a deal.
He cleared out the spies, and I learned that someone from my family was still alive.
Though… that survivor had betrayed us.
With the emperor hunting us down, there were only two ways we could survive: hide our identity, like I did… or join the ones who destroyed us.
If they sided with the assassins who killed my family… I’ll never forgive them.
My fist tightened unconsciously.
Then Erjin asked:
“Are you planning to stay here in the Black Dragon Castle?”
Why ask that?
I stared at him.
“If you want, I can find you another place. Somewhere the emperor can’t reach.”
The emperor?
At that word, my blood ran cold. My head spun.
He knows… He knows who I am.
I tried to back away, but Erjin caught my hand first.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.”
His blue eyes locked on me.
“That day… I remembered something. When you broke into the duke’s chamber under brainwashing… I saw you.”
He held my gaze.
“I saw you turn back into a human.”
And then he said it.
“Muriel Aymond.”
My real name.
I froze like stone.
But he didn’t stop.
“A squirrel beastman, hiding in this castle while pretending to be a pet… it’s too obvious.”
In his eyes, I could almost see my true self reflected.
Maybe… I should’ve let him die back then.
he could help you. it’s good to have a backup plan~