The Servant in the Horror Game is Suspicious Chapter 71

“Is that so? I can’t really tell.”

Jade got up from the bed and approached them. Dan was holding Bluey on his palm, inspecting him from every angle. Bluey swayed from side to side, stretching his arms toward the bread.

‘Hmm…’

As expected. It didn’t seem like he had grown at all. After all, those flailing arms were still just as stubby as ever.

In fact, Jade had been questioning why Bluey wasn’t growing past his “baby mountain ginseng” appearance.

Ian had explained the nature of Blue Woods to him a long time ago. According to Ian, Blue Woods grow bit by bit over time, and once they reach maturity, they live rooted in the ground. From the moment they take root, they shoot up at a crazy pace and become massive trees.

Hadn’t he said the growth period required to sprout roots was about ten years? If that were the case, he should have been a proper Blue Wood and ready for independence by now.

“Woong?”

Bluey hadn’t grown even a single centimeter. Fearing he might have just missed it because he saw him every day, Jade had even measured him with a tape. But Jade’s eyes hadn’t deceived him.

Because of that, Bluey still had leaves that were far too large for his body. He still fell flat on his face at least once a day while waddling around, trying to keep his balance on those short legs.

“Do you really think he grew?”

Jade asked with a glimmer of hope. It was true he’d grown very attached to Bluey, but he hadn’t expected to be looking after him for this long. He needed to grow up fast so he could take root and live on his own; at this rate, it looked like Jade would be carrying him around forever.

“Maybe it’s just my imagination? His body looks a bit chubbier.”

“That’s just because he eats well.”

By now, there was nothing Bluey couldn’t eat. He was a slow eater, but he chewed and swallowed whatever he was given. Jade made sure to feed him well at every meal, hoping it would help him grow.

But what do you know. Instead of getting taller, his body just got rounder. While Jade felt proud seeing the leaves turn glossy from good food, it was truly a mystery why the height wouldn’t budge.

“Bluey, why aren’t you growing?”

“Auh?”

When Jade asked while scratching his belly with an index finger, Bluey fumbled at his own white torso with his short arms.

If there was one thing that had changed, it was his healing power. This part matched Ian’s explanation perfectly.

It was said that a healing Blue Wood raised for about ten years would emit healthy air and energy whenever he was in a good mood.

Fortunately, Bluey was happy just sitting still in the sunlight, slowly swaying his body. If Jade placed a pretty flowerpot nearby, he would dig into the soil and take a nap; the sight of him looking like a person taking a half-body bath made Jade laugh every time he saw it.

Having grown into a happy, pale ginseng, Bluey had started emitting a subtle, refreshing energy since about last month. Thanks to that, Jade felt refreshed even after a short sleep. The crisp air was a bonus, and it simply made him feel good for no reason.

“Here, have a bite.”

Dan, who knew the abilities of a Blue Wood well due to his work with herbs, popped a piece of bread into Bluey’s mouth.

Bluey’s tastes were similar to Buster’s. He particularly loved sweet things. As he ate the sweet garlic baguette, Bluey’s leaves bobbed up and down rhythmically. Dan buried his nose in Bluey’s leaves and took a deep breath.

“Whoa, that’s refreshing.”

“Hua? Huaaa—!”

When Dan inhaled with a loud sniffing sound, Bluey flailed his arms as if telling him to go away. However, his arms were too short to reach Dan. Frustrated by that fact, Bluey kicked his legs out. But since they were equally short, it only doubled his indignation.

Bluey was surprisingly picky about people. When Jade held him and buried his face in him, he would move his leaves to pat Jade, but if Dan picked him up, he would struggle and eventually burst into tears.

“See, this is total discrimination. I’m telling you, this little guy is discriminating against me because I’m bald.”

“He’s just shy.”

“He’s seen me for years and he’s still shy? Is it my face he’s shy of?”

“Waaaaah—”

Bluey had climbed onto Dan’s palm because of the bread, but he clearly didn’t want anything more than that. Eventually, his face crumpled and he started to sob, then began to cry in earnest. Ever since he developed facial features, actual teardrops would fall whenever he cried.

“Meow-ack!”

When Bluey started crying, Buster, who had been lingering nearby eating bread, approached angrily.

Buster used his front paws to pull Bluey away, then fluttered his wings toward the window. He placed Bluey on a wide flowerpot. Lying on the fluffy soil, Bluey giggled happily.

“Those two are getting closer by the day, huh? He really looks out for him.”

Dan smacked his lips, looking a bit disappointed. He stuffed another piece of bread into his mouth to soothe the empty feeling of Bluey escaping him.

“Do you think they see each other as brothers?”

“No. Buster probably thinks Bluey is his underling.”

“Myang!”

Buster looked back and nodded, confirming the statement.

“See? I told you.”

The relationship between Buster and Bluey was different from that of family or friends. If you had to define it, well, it was closer to a neighborhood bully acting all smug because of a lackey following in his footsteps.

You could say they were compatible. Bluey was so innocent that he was delighted just by Buster flapping his wings, and Buster felt empowered and puffed out his chest in front of him.

In fact, Bluey listened to Buster very well. When Jade went out to work, the two were naturally left alone for long periods. Jade didn’t know how Buster had trained him during those times, but whenever Buster called with a “meow,” Bluey would follow him, and if Buster pointed at the flowerpot, Bluey would climb in and lie down on his own. The fact that it made childcare easier was a bonus.

“But hey.”

Dan, still smacking his lips, sidled up next to Jade. He covered his mouth with his hand and whispered.

“Yeah?”

“You said that one is a magical beast, so is flying his only ability? You said he’s not just any beast, but one hatched from an egg.”

“Meow?!”

As soon as Dan finished speaking, Buster whipped his head around. His ears were sharp whenever he was the topic of conversation.

“Meow-ack!”

Flying over in an instant, Buster pummeled Dan’s shoulder with his back paws. That didn’t seem enough to vent his anger, so he landed a few blows on Dan’s head with his front paws. Because Dan was bald, every time Buster’s paws hit his head, they made a thwack, thwack sound.

“This brat, what a temper.”

“Meow…”

After drumming on Dan’s bald head to his heart’s content until his anger subsided, Buster licked his claws. Having beaten Dan’s head until it was red, he felt much better.

“What does ability matter? As long as he’s healthy.”

Jade shrugged and stroked Buster’s fur. While enjoying the touch, Buster let out a silent sigh.

In truth, Buster had a lot on his mind too.

Buster possessed the ability to manipulate the human mind. it was a power he was born with as a high-ranking magical beast. It was a strength he could sense instinctively without anyone having to tell him.

However, Buster hadn’t been able to use that ability properly yet. He tried whenever he had the chance, but he failed every time.

Back at the villa, he had been able to channel the power. It just hadn’t worked on Ian or Jade. But after leaving the North, he couldn’t channel it at all.

“Meow…”

‘I think it’s because of the box.’

Buster was a creature created by a dragon. Therefore, Buster’s power was also connected to the energy of the Black Dragon.

Long ago, the Black Dragon used a portion of his power to create several eggs, ensuring that only one egg would hatch in each generation.

And Buster’s siblings, who had hatched in order before him, had lived using their abilities fueled by a portion of the Black Dragon’s power.

However, the moment the Black Dragon met his end, Buster’s immediate predecessor lost his power. This was because the dragon’s mana, the source of their strength, had vanished.

Buster was the last living member of his kind. So, right before the previously hatched sibling reached the end of his lifespan, he used his final strength to manipulate a human into creating a box.

He made the box out of the skin of the dead dragon and attached the dragon’s claws to each corner. It was an artifact imbued with the Black Dragon’s power, intended to sustain their abilities.

However, upon leaving the North, Buster had been separated from the box. During the time they were wandering the East, he could still faintly sense the location of the box, but now he couldn’t feel where it was at all.

Actually, regardless of the box, Buster had felt his mana weakening the further they moved from the North.

The North was a land optimized for magical beasts. This was because the mana inherent in the soil created a synergy when it met a beast’s power.

But now, staying in the South—the furthest point from the North—without the box, Buster was nothing more than a cat with wings.

‘I wish I could be helpful to Jade.’

Buster glanced at Jade.

In truth, Buster was quite satisfied with his current life. If he only thought of himself, he didn’t feel the need to use his abilities.

When he spent all day rolling around the house, Jade would cook delicious food and tuck him in with warm blankets. Buster loved Jade for that.

Besides, Jade was the first being Buster had ever seen after hatching from his egg. It was the instinct of Buster and his siblings to follow the first being they witnessed at the moment of birth. Had the Black Dragon been alive, he would have been the one Buster followed.

‘I’m glad it wasn’t that brat.’

Buster had started growing inside the egg about a hundred years ago. But during those hundred years, no one had ever touched the egg. If the first thing he had seen was Ian… it was horrifying. He really didn’t even want to imagine it.

Anyway, Buster knew that Jade was a man on the run.

If only he could exercise his original power to manipulate the minds of humans, Jade could have traveled much more comfortably long ago.

“Meow-ung…”

With his shoulders slumped, Buster flew weakly through the air and draped himself listlessly over Jade’s shoulder. Dan chuckled at the sight of him looking like a stuffed animal.

“Man, you guys are fun to watch.”

“Hardly.”

“Oh, it’s fun alright. Where else am I going to see creatures like that? I’m having a blast thanks to you, and my stomach is full to boot.”

Dan, who had been busily snacking on bread, patted his stomach. Even though he was full, he couldn’t help himself and licked the leftover garlic sauce off his fingers.

“Whoops, did I eat too much? You have to take these to the port to sell.”

“You can eat more. Take some for Callie, too. I’ll just sell what’s left.”

“No, forget it. If I do that, the people who missed out on your bread will resent me. How am I supposed to deal with all that complaining?”

He said that, but Dan’s eyes wouldn’t leave the bread. When he finally forced his gaze away, it landed on the broom leaning against the doorframe.

“Hey. Isn’t it about time you threw that thing away?”