How to Make a Sinner Sleep - Chapter 58: Chapter 58

"What became of that skinny boy—the pretty one from that bar? What was it called... the Inky Tavern?" wondered Niklas suddenly at their table, adding onto the pile of chopped vegetables to Arlo's plate as the boy eyed them unwillingly.
"I don't like them."
"You'll start growing backwards if you're picky."
Arlo scowled, prodding at the assortment of greens with a sulk. "I'm not stupid. You're lying."
"Am I? Perhaps I'm trying to trick you into thinking I'm lying, so that you won't eat your vegetables and will shrink instead."
"...!" Arlo jerked and squinted. "That'd be evil."
"Yeah. I never claimed myself to be a good person, kid."
Arlo spun his head to stare imploringly at Kaden, large eyes sparkling as if looking at his saviour. "Kaden..."
"Hm?" The other looked up, half-listening. "You left your vegetables on the side, Arlo? Eat them. Don't waste food—you know what it's like to want mere scraps. Don't take it for granted."
His simple words made the child straighten as he quickly hurried to eat. "I won't, I won't! I'm a good boy!"
Kaden smiled endearingly. "Mn."
Niklas shook his head. "Not listening to me, but listening to him, is that right? Anyway, Kaden, did you hear me? What happened to that boy?"
The boy in question, who Kaden currently continued paying in order to have the other be his ears and eyes in the Tavern, monitoring any suspicious behaviour, hadn't given up much interesting information.
A few scandalous affairs that were useful to know if Kaden needed to stir up trouble later, a few illegal trades that weren't anything dramatic.
The boy was rather diligent, extremely eager to please. Kaden had mostly communicated through letters, sparing a visit once—too many visits, and the boy would become too reliant, too hopeful towards Kaden.
Kaden knew that; he'd been in that position, once before.
It was satisfying enough, seeing some flesh build over the skeleton of malnourished that the youth had once been, to see the bruises that had faded, and no new ones to cover them.
Occasionally, the youth still slept with other patrons, for extra money, or to seek information. Kaden had already told him not to, if it was for the sake of information.
If the youth wanted to save up for an eventual life where he didn't need to cling to the ironed trousers of nobles, then Kaden wouldn't stop him. If he continued in order to get on Kaden's good graces, then he would stop it.
It was almost time to visit again, to check up on things.
"I'll be paying him a visit sometime soon. Do you want to come with me?"
Niklas' eyes sparkled in attention. "Another mission? How could I possibly say no to one as charming as you?"
"A 'yes' would've sufficed."
"I wouldn't dare give merely the bare minimum."
Your Majesty meowed loudly, as if agreeing and even Arlo nodded his head, pleased that Niklas worshiped his important saviour as well. If Arlo had said those words allowed, Niklas would've exclaimed, 'Who's worshiping who?!"
Unknowingly, the little boy's opinion of Niklas rose slightly with the misunderstanding.
Kaden pulled the cat onto his lap with one hand as it rubbed its face against him, satisfied with the attention it was receiving. Shuffling around, Your Majesty positioned himself comfortably and barreled into Kaden's body, closing its eyes.
When Kaden looked up, Arlo was staring at the cat with wide eyes.
He must be mistaken... but why did Arlo look a little envious of the cat?
"Keep eating. Stop staring at me." said Kaden.
Arlo responded immediately. "Yes!"
While the boy demolished his vegetables with a newfound enthusiasm, Niklas lowered his voice. "You've heard of the upcoming expedition? To the Land of the Fae. Although we generalize it as that, the Fae like to live in various places."
"It's the Fae that communicate with humans, right? I've heard of it. All students are required to go—in order to gain a sense of community."
"Yeah, that's the whole point. Considering the various species that are in the Academy to begin with. I'm not really certain what we'll even be doing... but I've heard that they're all pretty, handsome, hot—"
"...you want to find yourself a relationship with one of the Fae?"
"Do you have a problem with that?" Niklas suddenly clasped his hand over his mouth, shocked. "Don't tell me... Kaden, I'm sorry, but even if you're jealous, I only think of you as a..."
Kaden shoved a piece of bread into Niklas' mouth, grimacing as the other respond by chewing it without hesitation. He moved his hand away.
Niklas inhaled it, much to Kaden's amazement, and then sighed.
"Actually, I'd like to see Noah's hometown. Dragons tend to stay around one another, until they're ready to live independently, wandering to make their own space. However, once settling, most don't dare to leave the comfort of their lair, or home."
Kaden had heard little of the Land of the Dragon's, known as the Dragon's Treasure. More than the jewels or gold that they were suspected to have, the most valuable thing they guarded was their home.
Little was known about it, and neither Kaden nor Niklas had thought of asking Noah about the details.
Dragons were secretive creatures—secrets, once spoken, no longer remained a secret. No matter to whom they were told.
"Well, visiting the Dragon's Treasure is as likely as you staying healthy." Niklas took a bite of his food, passing a few more vegetables to Arlo. "They're possessive over what they own—it's in their blood to be."
Kaden dismissed the woven jab towards his health, and tilted his head. "Possessive?" He'd yet to read up on the dragon species.
"If a dragon claims a treasure—whatever they deem one to be—they won't allow it to be stolen or taken. They'll want to hide it somewhere only they could see, lest it be polluted by the gazes of another. It's one of the more well-known traits."
Niklas' gaze flicked up, food half-way to his mouth in the noisy space. Kaden was looking at his hands, distracted.
He spoke slowly, "That's why they're known to be dangerous, you know. If you make an enemy of a dragon, or take what they've claimed, there's no escaping."
"You're over-exaggerating."
"Am I? I suppose there's a particular person you could ask."
Kaden was actually a little curious—learning things he wanted to know was vastly more interesting than forcing himself to study things he had to know. Not to mention, discovering more about Noah could never be a bad thing.
He nodded quietly. "Yeah, maybe I'll ask him."
"....." Niklas paused, feeling a little apologetic. "I was joking. Although I'm absolutely sure that Noah would answer any question you could toss him, even if it was something like, how possessive are you, don't you think the wording is a little odd?"
Not to mention, if Kaden explained that Niklas had been running his mouth, Noah would probably come to scold Niklas, warning him not to gossip so much.
He shivered. Noah was wonderful, naturally, but a scolding from that dragon was like a scolding from his father—firm, and unable to be refuted.
Thinking about it, he'd ought to visit his father too. Their relationship, since the death of his mother, had been slightly strained, but there was nothing that a good meal and conversation could do.
That was a lie—it would be awful and awkward, but Niklas could endure it. He wanted to endure it. So there would never come a day he regretted not.
Kaden frowned. "I guess it would be."
"...you guess?"
Kaden thought of it in another way, if he were to ask it to anybody other than Noah, then it would be uncomfortable. To Noah, Kaden had long thrown out his shame and moved in a straightforward manner. For the things that he could, at least.
Arlo shuffled his chair closer to Kaden, eying the cat with an envious stare once again. "Are you going somewhere again?"
There was some bitter undertones to the question. Kaden looked over, ruffling the boy's head as he watched the child's eyes light up with joy, pressing his head closer to Kaden.
With all the things that he needed to do, he couldn't spend all his time with Arlo. Guilt stirred in his chest. Had taking Arlo away really been the correct decision?
Although Arlo had made his choice, chosen Kaden despite knowing nothing but the shell of the man Kaden pretended to be, he couldn't help but doubt it.
He couldn't give the boy a childhood that he deserved.
When things grew more dangerous, he wouldn't be able to spend time like this anymore. Raymond and Alexander could likely care for the boy, or an orphanage, after being thoroughly investigated, would suffice.
"....." His hand lifted, hovering inches away from the boy's head.
Distance. He needed to put distance, didn't he?
Arlo pouted at the hand that left him. "Did I do something?"
"Ah? No, you didn't?"
"Then, why are you looking at me like that?" The child, clingy and silly, was one who survived starvation and abuse. "Why... are you looking at me with regret? Papa would sometimes look at me like that too..."
Something flickered in Arlo's eyes and he leaped forward, grasping onto Kaden's fingers with desperate, small hands. "You're not... you're not leaving me, right? You don't regret taking me right? I-I'll, I can be better! I'll be good!"
He was shaking, a tremble wracked over his small body, still yet to grow. Kaden caught the child, startled as tears begun to spring up in the boy's stare.
Awkwardly, he patted Arlo's shivering back, holding him closer. Hugs, he really didn't know how to do them. It was slightly uncomfortable and stiff, but the boy didn't seem to mind.
"I don't regret it, Arlo. Do you regret coming with me?"
"No! No, no I don't!"
"Then, so long as you don't regret being here with me, even if I can't always be with you, then I would never regret taking you with me. No, even if you don't like me anymore, I will never regret bringing you in."
"Then... never! I will never dislike you! So like me too, okay?"
"Mhm, okay."
He soothed the shaking boy until Arlo's sobs settled, glancing at Niklas across the table who'd also been surprised by the sudden turn of actions.
Your Majesty, thrown off during the ordeal, squeezed itself between the two bodies, meowing for attention. It offered a light lick to the child's cheek, rubbing away the tears with a heavy paw.
"Meow~"
Kaden was completely rooted to his seat, bound by both child and feline. He smiled helplessly, patting Arlo's back slowly, and rubbing Jest with the other hand.
Niklas scratched the back of his neck. "Hm, I'm feeling a little left out. Should I cling to you as well?"
"Attempt to, and you'll find yourself missing an arm."
"You see, that only tempts me more."
Their exchange faded into the background of the noisy room, among the various conversations spoken between friends, classmates and lovers. In the far corner, a man sat alone.
Several students approached him, politely turned away with a regal smile, and an excuse of being busy with student council work. Eventually, he was let to his work and to eat his meal in solitude.
The man was gazing at something in a faraway distance, at a trio that included a brown cat.
At that moment, a heavy hand slammed on the table, but the man didn't even blink. Lux gritted his teeth, furrowing his eyebrows in dislike.
"Reed, you— what sort of brother are you?"
Reed calmly took a bite of his food, turning his gaze to the rowdy noble. "Do you have the right to judge me? It isn't my sibling that's missing."
"I saw them, Reed. His scars. The beatings, the injuries. How can you look at him and continue your abuse? How can you—"
"...they weren't all from me." The words were muttered, but he shook his head as if mocking himself for even saying them. "The way I discipline my dog isn't any of your business."
"You— I...! I'd might as well ally with your father, than continue following you around with no results."
"Allying with my father is equivalent to allying with me. But please, do waste away your energy as you'd like."
"What? You, with a desire for the throne, couldn't be on the same side as—"
"I never said he wanted to give up the throne. In fact, he should be quite optimistic if you betrayed me, it would be an amusing play to witness."
Lux paled, watching as Reed slowly lifted his chilling blue stare, smiling faintly. He'd always known that the relationship between the Crown Prince and the King was tense, neither being very fond of the other.
But Reed had never been too concerned about his father, despite him being the main obstacle to the throne.
"Reed... what did you do?"
"Nothing worth that silly expression you're wearing." He pulled back his chair, food left mostly uneaten. "I'm sure Kaden told you already. This is only the beginning—if you're already frightened, I'll be disappointed."
Lux gripped the edge of the chair, a faint tremour from the pressure he was exerting. In the next second, calm washed over his mood, and a light smile replaced the thin frown.
He pulled the chair out, a grating scrape that was drowned by the surrounding sounds, and slid into the seat.
Leaning back, his aura exuded carelessness.
"Of course not, Your Highness. I've already bound myself to you. The moment I took your hand, I knew there was no going back."
Reed laughed sharply, leaving his tray as he spun on his heels. "For your benefit, I hope that's true."