“Can you pretend to be dead, Tarn?”
A calm voice echoed through the Papal underground. The question flowed from Pope Salvanel’s lovely lips.
The large dog called ‘Tarn’ looked up at Salvanel with contempt.
“I know too. There’s no way the Commander wouldn’t be able to distinguish between a living body and a corpse.”
Salvanel smiled while running their index finger along the teapot handle.
A request had come from the Holy One to see his brother’s corpse. Though they had asked for patience as usual, his determination was different this time.
“Who’s this Commander?”
“Someone who was close to the original owner of the body you now occupy. Though not anymore.”
Salvanel answered Tarn’s question.
“The person I truly love. You’ll meet them soon. You’ll be the flower child at our wedding, won’t you?”
“Ugh.”
Tarn sharply turned away. Then grabbing the white doll that looked most like Salvanel, they tore it to shreds.
“Disgusting. White bad people are too nasty to pair with anyone.”
“You speak so well now. You learn everything quickly—it’s enjoyable to teach you. Is there anything else you want besides toy dolls?”
“Let me out of here.”
“Except that.”
“Let me meet my friend.”
“That too.”
“Then don’t ask! When you won’t give me anything anyway!”
Tarn snorted while taking another doll in their mouth and shaking it. Salvanel’s violet eyes gazed down at Tarn thoughtfully.
“Does Tarn want to meet the Commander too?”
“What’s with that suddenly? You said you couldn’t show me in the first place…”
“Well, let’s just show you.”
“What?”
Salvanel laughed while pouring hot tea. Their white, luxuriant eyelashes, like freshly fallen snow, sparkled slightly with each blink.
“What could go wrong? I was actually thinking of moving your soul to a different body, but having you in that one might make it easier for the Commander to give up. Just stay quiet, okay?”
“I-I can go into bodies other than my friend’s?”
“Of course. More importantly, you should stop your nighttime adventures. Strange rumors are starting to circulate in the Papal quarters.”
“…How long have you known?”
“Oh, if I’d wanted to, Tarn wouldn’t have been able to move an inch from the underground.”
Salvanel set down the teapot with a gentle smile. They had known from the beginning.
“But you seemed to enjoy going outside to play. I’ve been watching you carefully.”
Tarn unconsciously gulped. They must have noticed their nightly escapes searching for exit routes.
“By the way, can you sense it?”
“…What?”
“Whether your crybaby friend is dead or alive.”
It was before Tarn could properly understand the meaning of the calm question. Salvanel lightly tapped Tarn’s nose with their index finger. Though their face remained smiling, sharp killing intent showed behind their violet eyes.
“Has he already reincarnated?”
“…”
Tension began circling in Tarn’s eyes.
“You used to ask me to save your friend, but lately you’ve been asking to meet them.”
Tarn quickly averted their gaze at Salvanel’s words. And immediately regretted it.
I should have acted like nothing was wrong…!
Though there wasn’t a single plausible answer, Salvanel stepped back as if they’d heard enough.
“Unfortunately, that’s why I can’t send you elsewhere. If I need to track someone down, I might need Tarn’s help.”
“Hmph, who says I’ll help?”
Despite the gentle tone, Tarn’s expression soured. It couldn’t be helped. Salvanel was the evil murderer who killed their friend.
“Why! Planning to kill again?”
“If necessary.”
Clink. Salvanel spoke while lifting their teacup.
“Anytime.”
“…”
“More importantly, I’ll set up an appointment for tomorrow evening, Tarn. Get cleaned up and ready.”
Salvanel spoke while leisurely rising, setting down the carefully prepared tea without drinking it.
“What appointment!”
Thinking their moves had been completely read again, Tarn raised their voice needlessly. Salvanel turned back to look at Tarn. Their pristine white cassock flowed smoothly down behind their thighs.
“We must meet our proud Commander. I do hope you’ll take to each other.”
Salvanel looked down at Tarn affectionately. Their violet eyes, glinting darkly, filled with a pale green figure.
“Then I’ll come back down tomorrow.”
“Don’t come back! Just go far away and die!”
Salvanel patted Tarn’s head and left.
“Bad person! White bad person!”
After being unable to contain their excitement for a while, Tarn suddenly became gloomy and whimpered. Tarn looked at their reflection in the laboratory glass.
Dark brown hair, amber eyes, light green pointed ears.
Tarn touched the face of their friend whose body they had unwillingly stolen.
Was it because they shared the same body? Though they must look different now, Tarn could feel them breathing somewhere in the same world.
“Where are you, my friend…”
They missed their precious friend, Egru.
***
Egru woke up stretching vigorously. A week had already passed since coming to the Alliance.
“Oh, you’re up! Good morning, Egru!”
“Good morning, Mr. Philip!”
“Are the kids still sleeping?”
“Yes, they played late last night.”
Egru exchanged cheerful greetings with Philip, the orc guard. Philip was an elderly soldier who had become friendly after chatting for the past few days. As the meal attendant, he delivered delicious meals and positive energy.
“I wonder if the other demons are still being detoxified?”
“Hmm, they’ll probably come here today. I heard they’re starting to wake up in the infirmary.”
“That’s such a relief.”
“Indeed. Those damned slave traders must have used quite strong sleeping medicine.”
He was also a tireless chatterbox. Today too, Philip pulled up a chair and sat in front of the bars while delivering breakfast.
“By the way, surprisingly we got contact from the elf side. You’ll be out soon, Egru.”
“R-really?”
“Of course! Elves treasure their own kind terribly.”
“I hope so…”
“You wouldn’t believe how protective they are. They rarely even leave their territory to begin with. I’m quite old myself, but I’ve never even seen an elf before. Ah, now I have one though. You said you grew up completely outside?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Egru smiled softly. Through the bars, they chatted warmly. Though Egru mostly just listened, his face showed pure enjoyment.
“Oh right, those kids called Tim or Tam…”
Philip suddenly looked past Egru while speaking. The twins were sprawled on the cot, sleeping soundly.
“Kam and Kum.”
“Right, whatever their names are. I just can’t figure out what race they are.”
Philip stroked his chin while examining the twins from different angles.
“Egru, are you planning to raise them?”
“I’m not sure what will happen yet…”
Egru spoke while covering the peacefully sleeping twins with a blanket.
“But if the children would allow it, I’d like to be their guardian.”
“What are you saying? Parenting is reality. Have you ever raised children before?”
“Ah, m-maybe. My younger brother…”
“Oh? Where is he now?”
“That’s…”
When Egru’s shoulders drooped, Philip quickly apologized.
“You must have your circumstances. Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Egru smiled as if it really was fine.
“Don’t you want to go for walks? I could go with you as your supervisor.”
“Well, it’s so comfortable and nice here…”
“You’re quite strange. Others go crazy if we keep them here just three days.”
Egru just smiled at Philip’s words.
“Anyway, parenting is really unpredictable. I have a daughter too—seems like just yesterday she wanted to be a ‘magnificent’ soldier like her father.”
Philip particularly puffed up his shoulders at the word ‘magnificent’.
“These days she barely talks and acts so cold. Makes me quite sad. Come to think of it, you might have met her?”
“Pardon?”
Philip’s gaze, which had been studying Egru intently, suddenly turned to the table.
“Ah, look at me! The breakfast will get cold at this rate!”
Philip spoke while jumping up.
“I’ll be going now, so eat quickly. Want help waking the kids?”
“Ah, no! But thank you for offering!”
Egru saw Philip off with a bright smile.
“See you at lunch, Mr. Philip.”
“Yeah, stay healthy, Egru.”
“You too, Mr. Philip.”
He’d make quite a good son-in-law. That’s what Philip thought.
The blood tests definitely showed he’s a recessive omega. Our Lin is a recessive alpha, so they should match well.
With lingering regret, Philip walked away, rattling the food cart.