Tamed Monster - Chapter 133

After listening to Kuinan’s long-winded account of his eventful day, Hector looked utterly dumbfounded.

“That plan actually worked? No one suspected you? Unless they’re complete idiots, how could they let the culprit slip away so easily?”

Because they were idiots, obviously.

After replying as much, Kuinan stared at Hector’s face in silence for a long moment. When the staring dragged on unbearably, Hector finally asked curtly,

“What.”

It was Hector asking why that struck Kuinan as strange.

“What do you mean, why? You disappear without a trace for ages, don’t show your face once, and the moment I say I’m returning your arm you suddenly pop up like this. That’s all you have to say to me?”

Kuinan wasn’t someone who strung together long sentences just to criticize others. He wasn’t the type to let grievances pile up. But lately he’d been so preoccupied with worrying about his mate that even his own irritation had taken a back seat. He’d simply bottled it up until now.

Hector answered bluntly.

“No matter how reckless I act, I’m not as reckless as you. I still have the trust of the underlings, you know. I hear that’s no longer the case for you.”

The tension between them hadn’t faded. As long as Kuinan kept shielding Sylvia, things would never return to what they once were. Grinding his teeth, Kuinan glared at Hector and asked what kind of nonsense that red-haired bastard had been spouting.

“That you’re a traitor to your own kind.”

The monsters had apparently already reached a conclusion. without even knowing whether Kuinan would retrieve the poison or run off somewhere with his female. Desperate to know if Hector believed it too, Kuinan cut off whatever Hector was about to add and demanded,

“You believe that too?”

“Hm. I don’t fully trust you… but considering the irresponsible way you’ve been acting lately, I can’t exactly say I don’t have doubts.”

Yes, Kuinan hadn’t exactly listened to Hector much in recent months. But it wasn’t as if he’d abandoned everything altogether. At least in his own mind, he’d been plenty diligent. Even without explaining every detail to Hector, he’d still carried out the duties of a grand duke, if only occasionally, so as not to arouse suspicion.

He felt wronged. Yet he hadn’t done enough to loudly declare his innocence either. As he clenched his teeth, searching for words, Hector observed his shifting expression with interest and added:

“That’s a look of anger, isn’t it?”

Kuinan had never shown such a transparent expression back in the swamp. Intrigued, Hector studied him closely.

“Your face isn’t awkward or stiff like usual. It’s very natural. Almost human.”

Was that a jab? Or genuine admiration? Kuinan couldn’t tell, so he stayed silent.

Hector said Kuinan had changed. But the moment they met, Kuinan had sensed it too. Something about Hector had shifted drastically.

What was that faint, unsettling smile lingering at the corners of his mouth? And what was that insignificant red berry he kept hidden in his hand?

It looked like a mulberry, possibly poisonous. Was Hector actually planning to eat it despite knowing it might upset his stomach? That made Kuinan curious.

After nearly a year living among humans, Kuinan realized there was much he no longer knew about Hector. He was about to start asking questions when he suddenly felt the strand-of-hair clone he had left in the castle get crushed under something.

He stiffened, shoulders twitching.

“…Ha. I need to go. I’ve returned your arm, so we’re square now, right?”

Protecting and monitoring his female was more important than satisfying his curiosity. With that calculation, Kuinan decisively let go of his questions.

Hector, who seemed equally ready to end the conversation and return to the swamp, ignored Kuinan’s words entirely and warned coldly:

“Once you retrieve the poison, we’ll discuss what to do with the woman. After that, we’ll decide where we stand.”

This time, Kuinan ignored Hector completely. Hector stared at him for a few seconds, expression clearly saying I’m not listening to a word you say, then turned away first. Slowly bending and straightening his newly reattached arm, testing it. Before long, the motion became smooth.

‘Ungrateful bastard. Cold-hearted as ever.’

Cursing Hector for being cold—though monsters were cold by nature, and Kuinan was one himself—he quickly made his way back home, unaware of what had already transpired in the castle.

The hostage situation that had erupted in the dead of night was enough to shock even the usually expressionless Kuinan.

And Sylvia, with her life threatened as she was held by Rossa, faced him with an unexpectedly calm expression, studying him closely, watching to see how he would react.