(EP-95.1) Pet #2

095 – Master and Pet #2

I asked Aira.

“Queen Aira, are you perhaps hiding something from me…?”

Then Aira, who had been stroking my hair as if she was petting a dog or cat, took her hand away and askingly looked down at me on what I meant.

“Do I have something to hide from you, Theo? What do you mean?”

“It is literally what I said. Do you, perhaps, have any concerns or things that you didn’t tell me? Perhaps some important details or stories….”

I tried not to offend Aira as much as possible.

“It might be about politics that the Queen is shouldering alone, it could be an event or it could be something personal. I can help to discuss things and help ease the burden.”

“Pfft.. fuhuhu.”

Aira suddenly laughed, as if finding this amusing.

“It seems that I really can’t hide it from you, Theo. I do have a secret that I’ve been keeping from you. I was going to let you know when the time comes.”

“You really have one!?”

I was shocked.

Would Aira really tell me?

She’d never done anything like this before.

Could it be a variable created from changing the main story? Naturally, there was no other reason than that.

Seuk-.

“Wait.”

Aira then began to rummage under her bed. Meanwhile, I started to feel a little nervous.

Finally, Aira held out a wrapped box.

It was about the size of a person’s head, and for some reason, I could feel something rattling inside.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a present I’ve prepared for you, Theo. I wanted to keep it a secret longer, but you’re too sharp.”

What was this?

A gift?

I was nervous because, who knew if she actually put a real human head inside…

I very carefully opened it, which revealed a transparent glass box underneath.

Inside the glass box was a miniature model house, some sawdust and an animal-?

━Keongkeong!

It barked.

From the sound it made, it was clearly a dog squirrel. However, this one specifically had a scar on its right eye just like me-. It was Keongkeong!

“What’s going on? Why are you here?”

I was delighted to see Keongkeong lively moving inside the glass box.

━Keongkeong!

It was once my only family and pet. Unfortunately, I was unable to check on it before leaving for Ark because we were in a rush.

“I thought you’d like it, Theo.”

Seeing me happy, Aira looked satisfied with herself.

In fact, I was surprised by the fact that Aira had made such a gift to me, as well as having Keongkeong again.

Exchanging gifts had been unlocked!

* * *

Aira said while laying on the bed.

“Theo, investigate that man who called himself ‘guide’. He seemed to know about my family’s death, at least he wasn’t lying with what he said.”

“…….”

“However, I don’t want to hear the story from that man’s mouth. You figure it out, and then you tell me.”

“Okay.”

“And Theo.”

Aira suddenly called me as I was about to leave the room.

“Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Theo, are you hiding anything from me?”

“No, there is none.”

I immediately answered.

After all, the more you thought, the more you slipped.

My current answer was more truthful than any other answer because of this Actor plus no-thought synergy.

“I see… As expected of you, Theo. You’re indeed the only person in the world I can trust~.”

After saying those words, Aira slowly closed her eyes.

Thud, giiik-.

After that conversation with Aira, I left her room. I didn’t mean to, but thinking about it now, this was pretty good timing.

Otherwise, how could I have discovered these facts? Things might’ve gone terribly wrong.

━Keongkeong!

“Hu.”

After some sigh, since I was already here, I might as well check Elga’s condition.

It’d been a few days since I gave Elga the leash.

How was she doing?

Did the stubborn Elga accept my offer?

So, I knocked on Elga’s door.

─No one’s here.

“It’s me, Elga-nim. It’s Theo Gospel.”

I heard loud rustling before the door finally opened. Only Elga’s blue eyes shining in the darkness could be seen through the crack of the door like some ghost.

“What, why are you here!?”

“I just wanted to check how Elga-nim is doing. How was your weekend? Can I come in?”

“No!”

“Thank you.”

“Ya, you can’t just—”

I invited myself inside Elga’s room. All the lights in the room were turned off, hence the darkness. I couldn’t even see my feet.

“Why is it so dark?”

“Because I wanted it to!”

Elga was as blunt as ever. But, as soon as I turned on a nearby lamp, I shook in surprise.

Wasn’t that a buckled leather collar on Elga’s neck? I suddenly found myself getting tickled with laughter.

Meanwhile, seeing me holding back a chuckle, Elga trembled and furrowed her brows in anger.

“I’ll kiII you if you laugh!”

“Is that your attitude towards your master~?”

I jokingly poked at her. However, Elga couldn’t say anything as she had no comeback.

Then, her angry eyes turned to the glass box I was holding in my hand.

“What’s that?”

━Keongkeong!