Collector’s Cage - Chapter 18

Froy had one hand covering his mouth. His pupils were trembling uncontrollably, and his vividly flushed face was clearly visible.

‘What’s with him?’

He looked more shocked than pleased. Hermie was equally flustered by the unexpected reaction.

Hermie retreated as if fleeing. Then, she hid her body inside the hideout house Froy had given her last night.

‘Phew, I finally passed a stage.’

Hermie, who had to approach slowly to maintain the fairy image, let out a sigh of relief. It seemed she was smoothly progressing through the steps of opening up.

The hideout house was made of a soft, squishy material, so it didn’t hold its shape perfectly, but it was usable enough.

You wouldn’t believe how startled she was when it fell through the wide gaps in the iron cage ceiling. At first, she didn’t want to touch the strange object of unknown origin.

But Froy was watching with such an expectant look that she had no choice but to touch it. She unfolded it this way and that, finally realizing it was a round house.

Inside, a comfortable, dome-shaped little space was created where Hermie could curl up, crawl in, lie down, or sit. It was a great space to escape Froy’s persistent and tenacious gaze.

The cage was too exposed, so hiding under the handkerchief was the best she could do, but the handkerchief was thin, so her every squirm inside was plainly visible.

‘Privacy is so important.’

Hermie ate her cookie inside the hideout house and let out a small sigh. It felt like her nearly depleted humanity was being restored, just a little.

While Hermie thought she was carefully progressing step by step, Froy, unable to calm his excitement, went to find Jobern and recounted the touching situation.

It was so moving he felt he couldn’t bear it without boasting to someone.

“She touched me with a palm the size of a speck. The kid who wouldn’t even show her face came right up close to me. And she touched me first. Can you believe it?”
“I don’t think believability is the point here. I just find it unexpected that you’re such a doting fool.”
Jobern shook his head, looking at Froy, who was late to succumb to the charm of an animal and was now acting foolish.
“Her hand is so tiny. And unbelievably soft and ticklish.”
“Yeah, well. It’s a hamster, so of course it’s small. Wouldn’t it be weirder if a hamster had big hands?”
“You don’t understand. She’s so cute.”
“If she’s that cute, why not show her to me sometime?”
“No.”

Froy shook his head without a hint of hesitation. At this, Jobern, who had been listening to his foolish talk for a while, felt a surge of anger rising within him.

He brags like that and then says he won’t show her? If that’s the case, he shouldn’t brag at all! He felt like he was going crazy wondering about the true identity of the hamster that had stolen Froy’s heart.

“I’ll barge in tomorrow.”
“Don’t be absurd. You’re banned from entering now. I’ll have to tell the guards in advance.”
He had long known about Froy’s possessiveness and obsession, but today it was particularly infuriating.
“I hate that about you.”
“I have no desire to appear good in your eyes.”
“Your personality is pure trash.”
“Well, isn’t that news to me.”
“I shouldn’t have helped you! I won’t help you ever again!”
“I don’t need your help anymore. Hermie has opened her heart to me.”
Jobern let out a dumbfounded laugh.
“Hermie? You gave it a name?”
“What, should I raise her without a name?”
“……I really can’t believe it.”

He couldn’t believe that Froy, famous for being emotionless and cold-hearted, had fallen for a mere hamster. He didn’t just dislike animals; he fundamentally disliked people too.

Having suffered discrimination and abuse from his stepmother in his childhood, his misanthropy deepened. Watching his father neglect his abused son, he grew into a man who couldn’t trust others.

Later, he entered the academy and built new relationships, seeming to regain his humanity, but then he suffered a fall from a horse due to a group who envied and resented him.