CH 71

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

“Master, be strong.”

While in a hug, a muscular man touched Kyle’s shoulder with his chin and spoke words of comfort.

The vicious-looking men were all throwing words of consolation to their master.

—That was the only thing they could do.

It was the first time.

That their master looked so down.

“…….”

Kyle was frustrated and rested one hand on his forehead.

Annette looked at the present he had prepared, and with a very hurried tone and pose—

“H-Here, it’s a gift. See you next time.”

She ran away from headquarters (leaving behind a cute cookie basket).

Kyle said with regret.

“I didn’t even know there was blood on my face… She must be surprised.”

The one-eyed man nodded his head. Now matter how naive his master was and how he kept failing to meet her eyes, he could guess the reason why the lady ran away.

What a great development.

“Oh, I should have wiped the blood on my face when giving the ‘pet gift’.”

—Kyle knocked the breath out of the one-eyed man.

His only pupil trembled terribly.

‘…Master, do you really think that’s the only problem?’

‘Don’t you think that the gift itself is a problem?!’

The one-eyed man realized the importance of the environment in which a ‘growing boy’ grew up in. 

This man spent half his life on the battlefield, seeing only the worst, and sometimes he did not understand the ‘sensibility of ordinary people’ at all.

So, it was his duty to tell the truth to this poor, dispirited man.

One-eye said seriously.

“Master, you gifted humans to be ‘pets’…? Usually people will think you’re crazy.”

Kyle tapped his chin and rolled his green eyes.

“But Luiman was happy. When I gave a human as a gift.”

“The sensibility of the furry beast slave trader and the lady who runs Little Bakery are different.”

“Is it different?”

“Yes.”

In response to the one-eyed man’s resolute answer, the muscular body next to him shuddered.

With an expression of ‘what’s different?’

But he soon raised the corners of his lips and nodded his head well, as if he understood (but he did not understand).

“Ha.”

Kyle felt like he had been hit in the head.

“I made a mistake.”

It was because he was too obsessed with one thing.

“Well, she wanted to raise a smart pet. That’s what she wants to do the most right now.”

Concentrating on that ‘smart pet’, he just wanted to give her the best gift.

The smartest animal?

—Isn’t it human?

He thought it would be very useful to keep the Delphi guys as pets.

She could use them as a watchdog, or make them work.

There was no need to clean up the poop.

Besides, he taught them to bark so that they wouldn’t bother talking unnecessarily (although Annette dropped the cookie basket when she saw people barking).

Kyle rubbed his lips and shifted his eyes.

“She was afraid and disgusted. She will only think of me as a madman like in the rumors.”

“…….”

“I will never have a second chance.”

He dug a tunnel.

Very, very deep.

The men of Larva, who were watching the scene, thought, ‘Tsk, our master is also pitiful’.

They had seen all of Kyle’s lifelong love.

Their master was a man who endured excruciating headaches instead of forgetting her.

Was that all?

He fell in love from a very young age, and in order to protect the lady, he spent all of his childhood on the battlefield.

When talking about ‘Miss Annette’, his handsome face always shone.

For six months, he carefully hovered around her and bought flowers and chocolate every day.

But because of a momentary mistake, now there is no chance?

How could he not be pitiful?

“It’s all my fault.”

“…….”

“I don’t know why I’m always making a fool of myself in front of her like this.”

Then there was someone who patted him on his shoulder.

It was the one-eyed man.

He said, making eye contact.

“I’ve learned that such a thing is love, Master.”

‘You like the person so much that you feel like a fool in front of the other person.’

One-eye spoke.

“Why don’t you just tell her everything frankly and without embellishment? Don’t make any preparations. You were just cleaning the house, preparing roses and gifts, but your image was ruined.”

The people of Larva nodded their heads. It’s not just that it’s ruined, it’s f*cking ruined.

Two men of the Larva gave encouragement, one after another.

“You must not give up, Master!”

“He’s right. You’ve been hiding your identity and only had an unrequited love for half your life, right?”

The muscular man who had been silently listening to their words also came forward.

“Are you sure Miss Annette knows everything?”

“Right!”

Voices of support erupted from among the Larva.

He was their master who saved their lives on the battlefield, a total of 100 times.

Kyle was the bravest and most wonderful man they knew (and, of course, also the scariest man).

The men had a deep desire for Miss Annette to know a little bit about Kyle, who was so well-liked by them.

“I don’t know if she’ll give me a chance to speak.”

At Kyle’s words, the muscular man (who was happily eating Annette’s cookies) smiled and mumbled.

“Wouldn’t she give you a chance?”

“Why?”

“Yes, the ‘Miss Annette’ the Master spoke of is a thoughtful, kind, and warm person.”

“Hahahahaha!” The big guy laughed.

“If that is the case, she will definitely give you a chance. At least once, for sure.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

The next day.

I had been nervous since morning.

I feared that the ‘meat-eating stag’ who had spread roses to make the place more romantic before punching would come to my little bakery.

‘Please don’t come, please don’t come.’

Just looking at brown hair made my heart race.

But luckily, he didn’t come.

He always stopped by the bakery during his free time when there were no customers, but today there was no sign of him at all.

“Whew…”

In relief, I changed the sign of the bakery to ‘Closed’ and muttered.

“Well, I went out like that.”

Last night, he called my name as I quickly ran away. The voice sounded really desperate, but I ran as if I had not heard it.

—He would know if he had sense.

That I hated it.

Yesterday was quite a shock.

How could such an innocent and kind handsome man be the madman in the rumors?

No, it was more frightening than the rumors.

Trapped in a cage, going, ‘Bow! Wow! Woof!’ I felt dizzy again when I thought of the barking slave men.

They even seemed terrified when they were barking… 

I shook my head.

‘It’s the season for crazy people.’

I shouldn’t get involved anymore.

“No, but.”

I muttered as I picked up the newspaper in front of the door.

“The image he had shown me so far, then, was all a lie…?”

How good was he at acting?

I went back in with the World Daily, folded in half, with a frown.

This was the last newspaper.

On the front page of the newspaper was a large piece of paper that looked like it had been written by hand.

“What?”

「 If you extend your newspaper subscription, you’ll get a bicycle, a pot set, and… We’ll give you another bicycle!

Two bicycles ♥」

“…….”

It’s growing.

I shook my head.

He was a salesperson who really tries to make a living. It was like a self-employed flamethrower who firmly opened the store door even after confirming the existence of a crazy carnivorous deer.

‘I’m sorry, but this one’s defense is too strong.’

It was at that time when this self-employed person, who had neither blood nor tears, clicked her tongue and mercilessly tossed the paper.

Again, tok tok—

“…….?”

There was a knock that caught my attention.

It was a sound from the window.

Like something like a small pea was hitting the window. The guest who came to me was a very small… 

…Squirrel with both hands neatly put together.

‘Ah, ah. My heart. So cute.’

Whoops, did you knock, Squirrel? With those little paws?

I quickly went to the window and opened it.

Then it greeted me with a smile.

“Hi?”

Then, the squirrel with a lot of tail fur sprang inside and held out a letter.

“Are you the former squirrel?”

I smiled and accepted the letter.

Then I took the nuts out of the cupboard and handed them to the squirrel.

The polite squirrel nodded — it tilted its head, then grabbed a walnut with its paws and ate it.

Until its cheeks were plump.

‘Aww, it’s cute.’

Is there anyone else who uses squirrels instead of a pigeon? Suddenly, I remembered the past.

The first adult who cared for me, kindly invited me home, and made me feel warm.

The Marquis of Winston.

‘What is he doing now?’

But unlike back then, this was without any seal, it was just an ordinary letter.

Swhiik, I opened the letter.

“……!”

I know this handwriting.

A letter came from the crazy carnivorous stag!

The contents were as follows;