Chapter 261
Chapter 261
Thinking that things were tangled, and thoroughly tangled at that, they all sat around the campfire together for a time of self-reflection... or rather,
They ended up doing something similar to that anyway.
Yurik, who had implicitly become the temporary leader of the reflection meeting, sat alone in a crooked manner and spoke in a stiff tone.
"Explain the situation."
"...The kid said he had business to attend to."
"Not kid, but Yesung."
"Right, Yesung said he had business to attend to, so I let him go and went to sleep. That's all I did."
Once his status was revealed, even Bailies, who normally had a mouth full of curses, was showing Yurik proper respect.
When Bailies' confession ended, the gaze was fixed on him. Him? His turn? So suddenly?
"I, I went into the forest and got lost, then met an old man with an axe and a man with glasses. I was dragged back here?"
"Next."
Walter, who was sitting next to him, made an embarrassed "tsk" sound.
"While returning from a mission, I discovered a suspicious person and captured him according to protocol before returning. And I raised my voice thinking Bailies was being lazy. I apologize for waking everyone."
"Dardin."
"...I'm sorry, Your Highness... I have nothing to say."
Dardin was burying his face in both hands.
Well, in the end, Dardin carelessly revealing clues about Yurik's identity was the biggest problem.
While everyone was looking at Dardin pathetically and throwing out comments like "well done" or "how careless," he quietly raised his hand.
"I'm curious about something. You said the Young Master is His Highness the 3rd Prince. Why isn't he in the royal palace but here instead?"
As soon as the question came out, the atmosphere cooled slightly.
Cellinne was rolling her eyes and Evana turned her head pretending not to know.
Bailies stared at the campfire as if he didn't have the confidence to explain and summarize.
Only Yurik was looking directly at him.
As subtle silence continued, Dardin slightly interjected.
"Your Highness."
Only then did Yurik turn his head away from him.
Dardin showed a grateful nod at Yurik's gesture of letting it slide and spoke to him.
It was a much more friendly and gentle voice than before.
"You said your name was Yesung? I'm sorry for the unintentional rudeness earlier. As you heard, this person is a descendant of Aquilonia's royal family, His Highness the 3rd Prince. I formally apologize for the sensitive reaction due to circumstances."
"That's fine. I wasn't hurt either."
"Thank you for saying that."
If it had been intentional, he might have thought it was outrageous once,
But since it seemed like a real mistake, it seemed fine to just let it go.
"You asked why His Highness the 3rd Prince is in such a place. His Royal Highness came all the way here to observe the circumstances of the kingdom's people and report to the royal family."
In other words, an inspection.
When he quietly nodded, Dardin smiled politely.
"But due to circumstances, he's currently disguised as a wealthy merchant's son while touring villages. So Yesung, don't worry and just call him 'Young Master.' Nothing will change."
"I understand. I'll call him that."
"Thank you for understanding so quickly."
When the story roughly ended, Walter patted his back with his thick hand.
"This turned out unfortunate. Young man, you said your name was Yesung? Let's get along well from now on. Let's continue talking tomorrow. How about we rest now?"
"Sir, but the remaining matters."
"Can't that be reported to His Highness tomorrow? Isn't that right, Your Royal Highness?"
"...It wasn't urgent business."
When Yurik gave permission, Walter burst into hearty laughter and stood up.
Seeing this, Bailies spoke as if just remembering.
"Dardin and old man Walter returned, but what about him?"
"Him?"
"The kid."
Thanks to his pointing it out, he remembered that he had borrowed bedding for Dardin and Walter.
Evana spoke with difficulty.
"I remember we couldn't replenish after throwing away two blankets that were torn last time. Isn't there any remaining space?"
"Would there be? Because of the old man's build, this side also needs two blankets."
"Ha ha ha! Why fuss over such things? Men should sleep all tangled up together!"
"My Adonis won't do such things! Adonis, this won't do. Just come to this tent instead!"
"Cellinne. No matter how young Yesung is, he's still a man. Besides, our tent has no space because we brought luggage in too."
"The situation is similar whether it's that side or our side, right? If there's currently only one tent with ample space, it would probably be- Ah!"
Cellinne suddenly looked like she had realized something.
Something felt ominous.
"Your Royal Highness, isn't the sleeping space there quite spacious?"
"No no! It doesn't have to be that way! I'll just sleep outside!"
"What are you saying, Adonis? You already look sickly, and if you sleep outside you'll catch a cold right away. Your Highness, you took away this child's meal earlier. Please show mercy."
"Wouldn't it be fine? Can't we just let him sleep outside?"
Cellinne was driving him to the edge of a cliff!
He understood her heart wanting him to sleep in a comfortable place without getting dew on him,
But since he couldn't sleep well anyway, tents and blankets were all useless.
Moreover, what was he supposed to do alone with Yurik at night?
He desperately tried to stop Cellinne, but she was looking at him with affectionate eyes instead.
No, Cellinne. That's not it!
"You did treat this child badly earlier. I'm not asking for an apology. So until we can prepare extra blankets, wouldn't it be fine to share the tent?"
Damn. She had done it.
He was glancing toward where Yurik was standing and preparing to say he'd rather stand night watch.
But the next moment, a refreshing answer was heard.
"Let's do that."
"Wow! Your Highness, thank you! Yesung, what are you doing? Hurry and go lie down in a good spot! Make sure to say thank you!"
"Heh heh. Is it all finished? I'll finally get a good sleep. Now when I stay up all night, my whole body aches."
"Having to hear the old man snore again means I've already finished sleeping tonight."
"Since it turned out this way, I'll rest too. See you tomorrow morning."
"Who's on breakfast duty tomorrow?"
...Everyone said what they wanted to say and went into their tents.
Only Yurik and he were left frozen by the campfire that was growing smaller.
Yurik pretended not to see him, got up and entered the tent, and he also forced his reluctant feet to move.
Yurik's tent was smaller than the others', but it definitely looked spacious for one person to use.
Going inside, he could see an interior similar to what he had seen during the day.
The difference was that a sleeping area was laid out in one corner.
A large black snake was coiled on the sleeping area and just slightly raised its head.
That snake, he thought its name was Naga.
Yurik picked up the snake with a white spot remaining on its head and put it into a wooden box in the corner.
Then he lay down on the sleeping area without saying a word.
He just stood near the entrance, reading the mood.
Would it be better to go out? Or since there were watching eyes, would it be better to sit inside?
As he was pondering and secretly stepped one foot outside the tent, a cold remark flew at him.
"Aren't you coming right now?"
"...Aren't you sleeping?"
Wasn't he sleeping?
Was this neighborhood's specialty pretending to sleep while not sleeping?
Reluctantly dragging his feet to approach beside the sleeping area, he could see Yurik had moved slightly outward and was lying down.
Being careful not to step on him and lying down in the empty space, faint warmth was transmitted from within the blanket.
As he lay stiffly in an awkward position just rolling his eyes,
Soon even breathing sounds began to be heard from beside him.
It was natural since Yurik also needed to sleep, but for some reason he felt like he would wake up the moment he tried to escape this place, so he couldn't move carelessly.
It would be better to sit somewhere else and think,
Or it would be better to walk around this area for a change of mood.
To have to stay still and spend the night like this.
And he would have to keep doing this until extra blankets became available.
He was thinking whether he should voluntarily volunteer to roll around sleeping in the men's tent together tomorrow, when it happened.
Something like a hook suddenly grabbed his waist firmly.
"Kugh!"
It was a sound he made because his chest was suddenly pressed, but fortunately there was no sign of Yurik waking up.
Looking under the blanket, he could see the familiar white arm embracing his upper body.
It was holding so firmly that he couldn't even turn his body.
It wasn't an octopus sucker, so why was it clinging so disgustingly?
Most of all, breathing was uncomfortable, so when he tapped Yurik's arm, Yurik suddenly frowned deeply.
Then he pushed his remaining arm under his waist and began squeezing him with both arms.
His ribs made an ominous creaking sound.
Air! He couldn't breathe! Air!
"Kghhhh..."
"......"
When he made dying sounds, his expression relaxed slightly.
At the same time, the strength in his arms lessened slightly so he could barely survive.
But that didn't mean now was comfortable.
He felt exactly like a teddy bear being hugged by an 8-year-old.
The difference was that this wasn't an 8-year-old but a grown adult,
And he wasn't a teddy bear but felt like a gummy bear that had become tattered from being squeezed tight like wringing a rag.
While going back and forth between the verge of fainting and reality due to difficulty breathing,
Yurik beside him grumbled in incomprehensible words and did something like sleep-talking irritably.
What had he heard?
Swept by the impulse to run away from this place and simultaneously the desire to make himself faint,
He spent the night wide awake like that.
* * *
The next morning.
When morning sunlight gently shone through the gaps in the tent.
Yurik was having a pleasantly good sleep for once.
In his arms, Naga, the large snake he had raised for a long time, wriggled lightly and transmitted warm heat.
He had had the habit of hugging Naga while sleeping for quite a long time.
It wasn't to prevent his body temperature from dropping during sleep.
It was for the fulfillment that could only be felt from the act of sleeping with someone.
But it wasn't something that could be felt by hugging just anyone while sleeping.
Clearly the creatures that could transmit that sensation were limited, and Yurik knew who the most suitable candidate was.
But what he hoped for would never happen.
Yurik had no choice but to go to bed with Naga. This was also quite a good choice.
It might be more so because there weren't many animals he could keep this close.
He hadn't disliked hugging Naga from the beginning, but today was especially so.
Yurik habitually reached out his hand to stroke from the snake's head downward.
The place he touched thinking it would be here was full of fluffy fur.
Was this the blanket? Where were the scales?
Yurik, who had been groping this unpleasant fur, suddenly sat up bolt upright as if electrocuted.
It wasn't scales.
What he had been hugging wasn't a black snake either.
Disheveled red hair was scattered on the floor,
And its owner, Yesung, was curled up with a very uncomfortable expression.
Yurik was flustered unusually and grabbed his shoulder before even speaking,
But Yesung coldly brushed his hand away.
Yurik was both bewildered and hurt in his pride.
He had only been worried because Yesung's condition didn't look good!
But just before Yurik could get angry, Yesung suddenly got up from his place and rushed out.
Almost rolling toward outside the tent, loud sounds were heard right after.
"Uwehhhhhh-"
Yurik, blinking his red eyes, looked down at his hands.
On the arms that had been hugging him all night long, red marks had appeared from holding so tightly.
Rather than gaining points with Yesung,
Yurik felt like he was somehow losing more and more.