How the Prince Makes Friends Chapter 51

“Try it.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Use your charm.”

“Are you sure?”

“Who knows? Maybe the kitty will start spilling everything she’s curious about.”

“What are you talking about, wildcat? What if you really get enchanted by her charm magic?”

Evan lightly tugged Nihil’s cheek, scolding him for suggesting something so dangerous.

“It probably isn’t magic. Cat beastkin are born with their own unique abilities. Honestly, if you only want to enchant a little kid, wouldn’t using your looks be more effective?”

Nihil tossed out the remark indifferently, then glanced up at Evan. As if to demonstrate his point, he clasped Evan’s hand tightly.

Evan narrowed his eyes, thinking the wildcat was about to show off his pretty face. But then Nihil rubbed his cheek against Evan’s palm and flashed him a sweet smile.

“……!”

Hit by this sudden barrage of affection, Evan froze stiff, unable even to think.

Watching from right beside them, Rianus was horrified. He grabbed Nihil by both cheeks and turned his face away.

“Neil! You mustn’t enchant Sir Evan!”

“Okay.”

Back to his usual expressionless self, Nihil lifted his teacup to his lips as though nothing had happened.

Beside him, Rianus sighed and muttered, “It’s a good thing Neil usually has such a blank expression.”

“…My lord, I think I might have to ask that young master to teach me his charming techniques.”

Completely defeated, Bella hung her head.

Just then, Evan finally snapped out of it. Horrified, he grabbed Nihil by the nape, lifted him into the air, and dropped him onto the floor with a plop.

“You—you! Don’t ever do that to anyone again!”

“What did I do?”

“Get away from me!”

Having genuinely thought he was about to be enchanted, Evan realized how serious the situation was. He even waved both hands to shoo Nihil away.

But Rianus was the one who seemed disappointed. Nihil merely snorted and approached Carus.

Carus, who had been enviously watching Evan hold the two little boys, welcomed Nihil with open arms. He scooped him up and settled him on his lap.

“Haha! My dear friend, you’re surprisingly comfortable with physical affection.”

“I quite like the warmth of other people.”

With that, Nihil leaned comfortably against Carus and closed his eyes.

Everyone stared at him with wide eyes at this unexpected declaration, but Nihil remained perfectly still, his eyes shut.

He looked almost like a beautifully crafted doll.

For some reason, a sense of tension filled the room. Everyone watched Nihil in breathless silence when a breeze suddenly swept through from somewhere, gently stirring his snow-white hair.

Growing increasingly uneasy, Carus called to him in a low voice.

“My dear friend…?”

At Carus’s call, those snow-white eyelids slowly lifted.

Carus had worried that his friend’s warmth might disappear at any moment, leaving him stiff and lifeless. He breathed a short sigh of relief.

“There’s been no real progress. I suppose that’s only natural after a single day.”

“…Pardon?”

Carus tilted his head, wondering what Nihil meant. Then, suddenly, his expression changed.

“Wait. Surely you didn’t try to peer into it again? What if you got hurt?! Do you have any idea how frightened I was last time?”

Carus sat Nihil down facing him and carefully inspected his cheeks for any new scratches. Then, unable to restrain his affection, he started squishing and kneading Nihil’s cheeks with an absurdly delighted grin.

Nihil didn’t resist. He merely tilted his head.

“Isn’t that why you came?”

“Well, sending Bella made me a little uneasy, and I also wondered whether yesterday’s events had really happened or if I’d just dreamed them…”

“What kind of dream is that chaotic?”

From Nihil’s perspective, yesterday had certainly been chaotic. He’d been drenched in tea, forced to eat cookies that tasted like coal, had a marquess tugging at his trousers, and had nearly lost his eyes after being attacked by spirits.

Carus couldn’t bring himself to admit that he was even more anxious because he couldn’t clearly remember his friend’s face. Now that he was looking directly at Nihil, the boy’s features were so vivid that he couldn’t understand how he could ever have forgotten them.

“Still, my dear friend, you have a certain presence that draws everyone’s attention. Yet there’s something strange about you, as though it wouldn’t be surprising if you suddenly vanished somewhere without a trace…”

At those words, Rianus and Evan nodded in agreement.

Seeing their reactions, Nihil felt a mischievous impulse stir within him. He let out a peculiar chuckle.

“Hmm. You have good instincts.”

“Y-Yes?”

“…Huh?”

“What?”

At their bewildered reactions, Nihil merely shrugged before returning to his usual expressionless face.

“I’m joking.”

But Rianus didn’t seem to think it was a joke. His face turned deathly pale, and he clung tightly to Nihil as though hugging his teddy bear.

“Neil, you’re not going anywhere, right?”

“Right.”

“Really?”

“Don’t worry. Unless you hate me and kick me out, I’ll stay by your side.”

“No! Even if I kick you out, you have to stay!”

Nihil paused at those words, then murmured softly, “…You’ll regret that.”

Rianus firmly shook his head.

There was no way he would regret it. If anything, he would regret kicking Nihil out.

“I won’t.”

Nihil hesitated for a moment at Rianus’s resolute answer, then nodded. But Rianus wasn’t satisfied with a simple nod. He stared intently into Nihil’s eyes, urging him to give a proper answer.

“Neil, promise me properly!”

“…All right, Rian. But let’s set a time limit. If you kick me out, I’ll give you exactly one year. If you haven’t changed your mind within that year, I’ll… leave.”

Rianus’s eyes widened at the unexpectedly specific terms. Somehow, this felt more trustworthy than a vague promise that Nihil would stay.

As long as he didn’t kick Nihil out, he could be sure they would remain together.

And even if he did kick him out, Nihil was giving him an entire year to change his mind! A year was plenty of time for even sworn enemies to become friends. His friend must surely be a saint.

“So even if I bully you as much as I want, you won’t leave for a whole year, right?”

“Rian, are you already planning to bully me?”

“N-no! It’s not like I’d ever bully you!”

Startled, Rianus hurriedly shook his head back and forth.

He was still clinging tightly to Nihil, and his dark green hair tickled Nihil’s face. Nihil chuckled softly and stroked the boy’s head.

“I promise, Rian. No matter how much you hate me, kick me out, hit me, or curse at me, I’ll cling to you like a leech for an entire year and never let go. It might turn out to be a very miserable year for you.”

At Nihil’s firm assurance, Rianus immediately lifted his head and planted his hands on Nihil’s shoulders. His eyes shone with determination.

“What are you talking about?! You’d be the one suffering more, having to cling to someone who hates you for an entire year. Neil, even if it’s hard, you’ll endure it for one year, okay?”

Nihil’s eyes widened at Rianus’s words. Then he smiled so beautifully that it was almost dazzling.

“All right.”

At that smile, Evan felt that Nihil’s strange presence—the sort that seemed capable of fading away like a dream at any moment—might finally become something real, something that would remain by the prince’s side.

Perhaps feeling mischievous again, Nihil gently covered both of Rianus’s hands with his own. He tilted his head slightly and smiled sweetly at him, just as he had done to Evan.

“%@@#!”

Rianus let out a strange shriek, jerked his hands away, and threw himself into Evan’s arms. His ears and the back of his neck had turned bright red.

Nihil chuckled softly at the sight.

“Don’t enchant the prince, wildcat.”

Evan narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Nihil, having nearly fallen victim to the same trick himself.

“It would be a shame to use such a pretty face only for getting kidnapped.”

After composing himself, Nihil approached Bella.

“Oh! Pretty young master, are you going to enchant me, too? I’m ready!”

Bella beamed and spread her arms wide.

“The kitty is the one who should be using her charm, not me. I’ll check it for you, so give it a try.”

Bella had been expecting Nihil to rub his hands together and flash her a sweet smile, but she looked disappointed instead. Still, she seemed eager to test her ability, so she transformed into a cat with a poof.

“Meeeeow~!”

Nihil picked up the cat. Since Bella had kept trying to get him to hold her, he suspected that physical contact might be a condition for activating her ability.

Bella rubbed her face against him, nuzzling him enthusiastically.

“…You are cute, I’ll give you that.”

Nihil stroked her fur, enjoying its softness. But when nothing seemed to change even after some time had passed, he tilted his head in confusion.

“Meeeeow~!”

As though she’d decided that was enough, the cat pressed her muzzle firmly against Nihil’s lips, then jumped out of his arms.

“……!”

The moment she did, a powerful fragrance struck Nihil. He covered his mouth and nose, staggering slightly.

“My dear friend!”

Carus, sitting closest to him, hurriedly supported the staggering Nihil. Rianus and Evan also jumped to their feet.

Bella had already transformed back into a human. She gazed at Nihil with eager anticipation.

“There’s no need to look so worried, everyone! My charm doesn’t harm people, and its effects don’t last long, either! Pretty young master, what do you think? That was the strongest I could manage. Do you think you’re falling for me? If you are, don’t hesitate to come into my arms as much as you like!”

Without answering, Nihil clutched Carus’s clothes tightly and shook his head.

Delighted that her charm had finally worked, Bella bounced up and down.

“Come on, young master! Come here! Your pretty big sister will give you a hug!”

“…Don’t…”

“Hm?”

Buried in Carus’s arms, Nihil mumbled something, but his words were too faint to make out.

Carus gently patted his back, looking worried.

“My dear friend, are you all right?”

“…Stop… patting…”

“Pardon? I didn’t catch that.”

“I’m… getting sleepy, so… don’t… pat me…”

“Huh?”

Confusion spread across everyone’s faces. Three pairs of eyes turned toward Bella.

Under their collective gaze, Bella instinctively took several hesitant steps backward.

Nihil drove the point home once more.

“It’s… not… charm. It’s… sleeping… fragrance…”

“Oh dear…”

Bella darted her eyes around nervously. Unable to bear everyone’s stares, she transformed into a cat and slipped underneath the sofa.

“…Has she really been living all this time without even knowing what her own ability does?”

Evan let out a hollow laugh, utterly dumbfounded.

Worried about his friend, Rianus cautiously approached Nihil.

“Neil, are you okay?”

Only then did Nihil slip out of Carus’s arms and turn toward him. His eyes were heavy with sleep.

Rubbing his eyes, Nihil replied, “I’m fine. The fragrance won’t last long. If she uses her ability on several people at once, the effect will probably be even weaker. I think the kitty mistook the drowsiness of children in a semi-sleeping state for being enchanted. The activation conditions are also pretty strict, and the effects wear off quickly. Anyone determined to resist should be able to hold out. For now, it might only be useful for people with insomnia.”

“Meow~”

A slightly mournful cat’s cry came from beneath the sofa.

Evan snorted.

“Isn’t a sleeping fragrance more useful than something that only charms children?”

“Cat beastkin don’t fully awaken their abilities until they reach adulthood. The duration will probably increase, and the ability will become stronger. Or it might even change into something else.”

“Meeeeeeeeow~!”