CH 32

The servant who was guarding the door trembled greatly. 

The Chief's condition has been strange lately. 

The roughness was still the same, but somehow…Now, it was like a knife that would bleed just by brushing against it. (TL/N: I guess this means he has gotten more sensitive than usual.)

And what are those strange books…?

“Hey.”

“Yes!”

The servant, who was thinking nonsense, hurriedly straightened up at Noelier's call.

"Are there any other books besides this one? It doesn't work at all." 

“Th, That book is the only one!”

“Damn it.” 

Noelier muttered a curse. 

The servant kept his mouth shut. He doesn’t know what's going on, but the Chief kept on practicing how to cry. 

Why? Is there something in your eye?

The servant thought.

‘I’ll take a look.’

But he can’t possibly say that to him. To bring his face closer to the Chief? That was unthinkable for a Southerner. No, all su-in couldn’t even dream of it. How would something like them dare. 

The servant shook his head without realizing it.

“I can’t…” 

Then Noelier muttered a little. 

When the Chief punished someone, he used that kind of voice! 

The fear-stricken servant wanted to give up his work and run away. 

At that moment, Noelier stood up. He approached the servant with fierce strides without hesitation. 

His legs trembled. When he saw the Chief’s red eyes, the mistakes he had made so far passed by like an afterimage.

"Are there any...." 

"So, sorry!" 

Are there any other books, look for more, that's what he was trying to say. The frightened servant cut off Noelier's words. The servant closed his eyes tightly and began to shout in a loud voice. 

"A, actually, I've touched the statue in the hallway! I've clearly seen it written to be seen only with my own eyes, but I touched it. I thought I would be able to get the Chief's energy by touching it. I'm really sorry. Really......" 

It was a sudden confession. From start to finish, he was absurd. 

Stop it, you bastard! 

He scolded himself, but his mouth did not stop fluttering. 

"I'll do better in the future. I'll adjust my glasses again. That's right. I bought eyedrops a few days ago. I carry it with me all the time. I brought it today, too…"

"Wait." 

Noelier raised his hand. 

The servant shut his mouth. 

He [Noelier] asked, furrowing his eyebrows. 

"What did you just say?" 

"...I touched the statue." 

"Next." 

"...I brought it today." 

"Before that." 

"...I bought eye drops."

"Yeah, that." 

Noelier reached out his hand. 

"......?" 

The servant looked down at the large palms with a puzzled face. He didn't know what it meant, but his body moved instinctively to find the eyedrops deep in his pocket. 

His [Noelier] eyes lit up as he saw the small eyedrops in his hand. 

This will do. 

‘If it’s this, I can make Eve like me.’ 

Noelier smiled brightly. It was a smile that came from the heart. It was a blindingly beautiful smile. 

At the expression he saw for the first time, the servant opened his eyes in disbelief. 

It was then. 

"Chief!" 

Another servant, standing outside the door, rushed in. 

"What is it?"

The beautiful smile disappeared in an instant. 

It was a terrifyingly cold voice. 

The servant, who had rushed in, said in a very frightened voice. 

"La, Lady Rachel...? 

"Rachel?" 

Noelier looked at the clock in front of him. It was well past dawn. 

'What's going on?'

He frowned and nodded. 

The servant opened the door. 

As if waiting, a red bird flew into the room. 

It was Rachel's phoenix. 

Noelier looked at the firebird with astonished eyes. A fluttering and flapping firebird landed on his hand. After the firebird blinked a few times, a shimmering figure appeared in front of him.

"This···!" 

His red eyes trembled in shock. Then Rachel’s voice rang out from the firebird’s mouth.

- I found it in Sister’s book. All other books are about the human realm. 

At the end of those words, the firebird shut its mouth. 

Then it pecked Noelier's finger.

“.....”

Noelier's face turned red in shock. What the firebird showed him was one of the novel illustrations that Eve had never even read.

A well-crafted manly body, copper-colored skin, a thick chin line, and sharp eyes. 

It was an illustration of a hyena.

He can't believe this was Eve's taste...…! 

Of all things, hyenas!

It was very different from him. 

Noelier had, if being honest, the face of a doll. His skin was a little whiter than the others, his chin line was not thick. The only part that resembled a hyena was his physique and sharp eyes. 

His head throbbed. 

Because he concentrated on having a ‘pretty crying face’, he forgot about anything else. 

'Besides, the human world.' 

Uncontrollable surges of emotions began to invade his mind. His red eyes darkened. A large flame that could not even be compared with Rachel erupted. The restraints worn around his neck did not even stand a chance. 

Ppag!

The frightened firebird quickly ran out of the room. 

"Ch, Chief…!”

One of the servants looked at Noelier with a fearful face. 

The Chief he served seemed to want to burn everyone, no, everything that existed. The Chief’s mana had enough power to do so. 

‘I have to be more active and become the person Eve would want.’

Noelier recalled Eve’s ideals and wishes, which Rachel had told him: A handsome man, surname, money, and a warm place. 

But ideals and tastes are different things.

Noelier recalled the illustration he had just seen. 

He didn’t expect she’d like a guy like that. 

Hey, I have to have tanned skin full of vitality. 

Noelier resented himself for flinching whenever she touched him. To make matters worse, even his face blushes. Because his skin was fair, it showed more evidently. Looking at here and there, he was far from a hyena. 

Noelier stared at the books on his side. 

He’s been studying hard, so now it’s time to show off. 

Noelier quickly left the office.

A startled servant followed him. 

“Ch, Chief! Where are you going!" 

"North." 

“Didn’t you leave before? Are you going again? No way!”

The servant quickly followed him.

“Chief!” 

“Don't follow me!” 

“Chief!” 

Why the hell do you keep going North! 

The servant thought that their Chief had gone crazy, and he wept in his heart.

* * *

After that day, I often went out with Zion and Rachel. It was all about buying food and books to read often. 

I taught Zion to study in earnest. It was fortunate that I could teach him how to write without any hitch. Of course, Zion grumbled that he did not want to study, but he had no choice but to do so. This level of education was essential to get into the human realm. 

“Sister, here again, today!”

“Okay, but don’t cause any trouble.”

The general store was Zion’s favorite place. 

So our last destination was definitely there. 

"Go." 

"Yes!" 

I let go of Zion's hand as a sign to take a look. 

Ha! As if waiting, he ran like a puppy without fail.

"Rachel, aren't you going?" 

"Ugh. No. I've seen so much that there's nothing to see." 

"Then even if it's something else..." 

"No. I won't leave my sister's side." 

Saying so, Rachel clung to me. 

Cute! 

I bent my knees and hugged Rachel. 

"Sister, I can’t breathe.”

Rachel closed her eyes and smiled brightly. 

I couldn't find the gloom I had read in the original novel. 

I felt a bit emotional and stroked Rachel's head.

"Sister, sister." 

"Why, our mouse drop?" 

“I want to see something.” 

"What do you want to see?" 

Rachel nodded her head and led me.

“Here it is.”

The place Rachel led me to was a bookshelf in the general store. 

Where I found the red book and books about the human territories. 

“Wow, why here…?” 

I looked at Rachel with a guilty heart. 

Our pure Rachel, unlike me, lit up her eyes and pointed to the fairy tale book up there. 

"I want to see that!" 

"Is that all?"

"Yes!" Rachel nodded, saying so.