JSOML 06

Chapter 06

Stubborn as always. Was he going to resort to threats now?

Theodore pressed his forehead again. He had wanted to spend the remaining time with Lery, but given the circumstances, he could no longer postpone it.

Luke, receiving no answer, asked anxiously.

“Your Highness…?”

“Let’s go.”

He scooped up Lery, who had been tapping the floor with his paw, into his arms. Then he began to prepare to leave.

Just as he was about to take a step, Bella waved her hand like a wildflower.

“Your Highness, please be careful on your way back!”

Bella blushed shyly on her white cheeks and wiggled her fingers.

“Ah, and….”

Theodore asked in a flat tone.

“Yes?”

“Your Highness’s cat is so cute! Could I possibly see it again later…?”

For a moment, Theodore looked puzzled. She had always acted as if she had no interest in pets. Even when she first saw Lery, she had deliberately ignored him.

‘What is she talking about?’

Lery, held in his arms, also seemed dumbfounded, his small mouth agape.

Theodore glanced at Lery. Lery, looking rather reluctant, bared his small teeth.

“Our Lery is very shy with strangers. That might be difficult.”

At the blunt refusal, Bella’s sparkling eyes lost their light.

“Oh…. That’s too bad. I’ll have to get closer to him as soon as possible!”

“I wasn’t aware the Princess liked my cat so much.”

With that dry reply, Theodore turned his back.

Only then did Luke come to his senses and look around. He had been so busy delivering urgent news that he hadn’t had a chance to survey his surroundings.

After giving Bella a slight nod of greeting, Luke asked everyone.

“By the way, why is everyone here?”

“Oh, Lery was in the flower bed….”

“Meow meow! (Just try saying more!)”

Lery pressed his front paw firmly against Theodore’s mouth. The gaze he shot as a warning was more chilling than ever.

Interpreting the situation to his own liking, Theodore whispered affectionately.

“Yes, let’s keep this our little secret.”

Secret, my foot. There are four witnesses!

Once they were ready to head to the temple and seated in the carriage, the coachman called out loudly.

“We’re departing!”

Soon, iron wheels advanced over the stone-paved road, emitting a clattering friction sound. Lery’s eyes widened at the faster-than-expected speed.

‘Interesting.’

The carriage was spacious enough to hold many people. Almost embarrassingly so for three men and one small cat.

Before long, they had left the capital, and quaint country roads passed by outside the window.

The body jolted frequently due to the winding, unpaved roads, but the scenery was different from the palace, making it refreshing.

Lery looked at the knights following in unison and wondered.

‘Do we really need this many people just to go to a temple?’

I guess a Crown Prince is a Crown Prince.

After gazing absentmindedly at a windmill turning endlessly on a hill, Lery grew bored and turned his head.

Theodore, who had been shuffling through a pile of documents, spoke affectionately.

“Lery, this is your first time out.”

“Meow. (It’s nice.)”

“Yes. Right now, we’re going to the temple that enshrines the guardian deity, Lycaon.”

…Of course, there’s no way he understands me.

Lery casually ignored him and leaned back toward the window.

Meanwhile, Theodore couldn’t hide his pride. It was the first time in a while he’d seen Lery so lively since being chosen by him.

When he’d heard from Sonia that Lery had eaten all his food, he’d been so moved.

“Your Highness, do you think Lery even knows what a temple is?”

Luke, checking the schedule, wiped his brow. In response to Luke’s question, Theodore smiled languidly and said.

“Then you explain it to him. He’s so smart, he’ll understand perfectly.”

Here he goes again. I should have just kept quiet.

Luke chastised himself for the mistake of having opened his mouth just a few minutes ago.

‘…How pitiful.’

Lery even felt sympathy for Luke. So he decided to do his best to listen.

Luke opened his mouth reluctantly, as if eating mustard while crying.

“…Lery. The place we’re going to now is a temple. You saw it in the garden earlier, right? The figure in the shape of a wolf is the Empire’s guardian deity, Lycaon. The temple is where He is enshrined.”

“Meow. (I see.)”

Was that actually a response, or was it just impeccable timing?

Luke felt a sense of self-deprecation. On the other hand, he also wondered if Lery truly was a genius.

His explanation continued.

“…Uh, His Highness Theodore must visit the temple once a year to receive Lycaon’s energy. It’s typically a ritual that should be performed every New Year, but he’s been putting it off until now.”

“I was too busy to go.”

Theodore firmly pointed out Luke’s error.

‘Busy watching your cat, you mean?’

Luke maintained his superior’s dignity through silence. There were many things he wanted to say, but it was better to let the words that rose to his throat rot inside.

‘So it seems the setting is medieval. There’s a temple and a guardian deity.’

Lery was slowly getting a grasp on this world. He learned that unlike ‘South Korea,’ this place operated under a ‘monarchy’ and worshipped a guardian deity.

Lery’s tail flicked with curiosity.

Just as silence was about to descend again,

“…But why am I being brought along?”

Ian, who had been keeping his eyes closed all along, subtly joined the conversation.

Ian had been about to return to work a moment ago. But Theodore had forcibly dragged him along, saying, ‘I need you, so get in.’

Theodore stopped his hand from turning the page and replied slyly.

“You’re not busy, are you?”

“Did you ever see the Commander of the Knights being idle?”

“It seemed to run just fine without you, so what’s the problem.”

“…Is that something you should say?”

I’m the fool for trying to start a conversation.

Ian, like Luke, felt a surge of regret for not staying quiet.

Theodore sent him a meaningful gaze.

“With you around, the High Priest tends to stay quiet.”

“….”

“And aren’t you mine?”

He added, cackling like a demon. Teasing the unyielding Ian was one of his daily pleasures.

‘What’s with this strange conversation? It’s starting to feel like a different genre.’

Lery, resting his body on Theodore’s lap, observed Ian’s expression.

Sure enough, due to the odd choice of words, Ian’s handsome brow was furrowing mercilessly.

Ian muttered threateningly.

“If you keep this up, I’ll defect.”

“No, Commander! If the Empire’s greatest sword disappears, who will protect this nation!”

Luke, who had been silently watching the situation, grabbed Ian’s arm and dissuaded him. It seemed he was afraid Ian’s joke might be taken seriously.

Fearing what outrageous thing Theodore might say next, Ian hastily changed the subject.

“But isn’t the High Priest allergic to cat fur?”

“That’s right.”

“Then why are you bringing it? That cat.”

‘Exactly. Why am I going?’

Lery also spilled question marks. He didn’t seem to be a central figure in this procession, and if the High Priest had allergies, it made even less sense for him to come along.

Theodore gave a very simple and clear answer.

“That’s precisely why I’m bringing him.”

“Meow? (Are you a demon?)”

At the entrance to the temple they had now reached, wolf statues stood in a row.

They were called the guardian deity, Lycaon. Their howling postures exuded bravery and dignity.

‘How curious. Don’t most people worship gods like Zeus?’

Lery was becoming increasingly curious about the mythology of this place.

As they got off the carriage, priests in pristine white robes simultaneously bowed their heads. Among them, one elderly priest stepped forward and paid his respects.

“We greet the Sun of the Empire. May the blessings of Lord Lycaon be with you.”

“May the grace of Lord Lycaon be abundant. It’s been a while, High Priest.”

“A whole year, Your Highness.”

Theodore looked at the priest and crooked the corner of his mouth. The letter had said his energy wasn’t what it used to be, but his complexion seemed quite vibrant.

“I see you’ve developed a bit of a sharp tongue in the year I haven’t seen you.”

“As I’m getting older, just taking one step makes my knees ache.”

“Pfft.”

It was around the time when the High Priest and Theodore were engaged in a subtle war of nerves.

Suddenly, Ian burst out laughing.

The cause was that Ian had hidden Lery in his bosom, as part of a plan to annoy the High Priest.

Unable to bear the stuffiness, Lery squirmed like an earthworm, and since Ian was very ticklish, the laughter he had been holding back eventually exploded.

The atmosphere instantly turned cold, and everyone rolled their eyes.

Theodore gazed at Lery’s sparkling eyes from within Ian’s embrace.

‘My lucky charm.’

Then he winked one eye. Caught off guard by the unexpected killer wink, Lery flinched, forgetting to breathe for a moment.

‘What? Did he just wink at me?’

Unnecessarily handsome and showing off his charm.

“…Let’s continue our conversation inside.”

Unable to watch any longer, Luke wrapped up the situation. His conclusion was that they couldn’t afford to waste time here.

Immediately, everyone except Ian and Lery headed inside the temple.

Ian tightly closed his open jacket and whispered lowly.

“Stay still.”

Just until the sound of their footsteps fades away.

Lery, sulking, looked up at him. Every time he wiggled his toes, Ian’s lips twitched, suggesting he was quite ticklish.

When the group’s presence had completely vanished, he finally set Lery free.

‘Ugh, my bones….’

Lery stretched his limbs out long. Having been in a cramped space for so long, his whole body felt stiff.

Watching this, Ian lightly tapped Lery’s head.

“Cat.”

“Meow. (What.)”

“You can go anywhere, but not too far.”

“Meow. (Mind your own business.)”

“So talkative.”

Lery was so surprised by the fairly smooth communication that he nearly fainted.

This guy was more of a butler than the Crown Prince. How did he understand so well?

Lery decided to explore the outskirts a bit more. As the small cat trotted ahead, Ian followed behind.

Even though it was an unfamiliar path, Lery wasn’t scared at all.

“Meow meow? (You’re following me okay, right?)”

Just in case, he looked back,

“Yeah.”

Because he had stopped walking and answered.

Ian found Lery, who was leading the way with his tail held high and wagging, quite endearing.

Does that cat even know where he’s going?

A faint smile, like a watercolor painting, bloomed on his once colorless lips.

Just as they had been walking for a while and were passing by the prayer room. A bell tolled clearly from the spire, signaling the end of the afternoon session.

Immediately, the prayer room doors swung wide open, and a crowd of people poured through the gap.

‘Huh? Huh?!’

And so, Lery disappeared into the throng of priests that came surging out.