BL: The Northern Grand Duke’s Hamster (Novel Translation)

There were fifteen days remaining until the predicted danger. During this period, Shu resolved to prevent the spread of the 'stigma of frost'—his injury—and to enjoy a peaceful life.

In truth, there was little to distinguish their daily lives from that of a close couple. Aside from the Templars' training, everything proceeded almost as usual. Shu had spent his entire human life with Kyle, so in that respect, he felt things were even better now.

"So, why the serious expression?" Shu asked, leaning against Kyle, his voice a soft murmur.

"Perhaps it's the anxiety of knowing there isn't much time left, isn't it?" Kyle replied, his gaze distant.

Shu would sit on the elongated sofa, his head resting on Kyle's shoulder, lost in thought, then doze off for a while, only to awaken and fall back into contemplation. It was a position he had no choice but to adopt, as his shoulder ached when he tossed and turned while lying down.

"How much time is left?" Kyle asked, his voice low.

"Yes, I had a dream that Your Highness might be in danger in about ten days," Shu confirmed.

[Kyle Jane Meinhardt. Approximately 10 days remaining from the estimated time of death.]

The half-month of time Shu had painstakingly earned was rapidly diminishing. Kyle's life was still threatened for numerous reasons, and the safety of the North remained precarious.

"Can you not discern the cause?" Kyle pressed.

"No, I wish I could know it precisely, but unfortunately, I cannot see it."

"If you don't know the cause, how do you know I'm going to die?" Kyle, who had been reviewing papers, turned his head slightly towards Shu. "Do you even see me dying?"

"No, that's not it either."

"If you don't know my cause of death or the circumstances, do you simply know that I will die?"

Shu flinched, pondering Kyle's words. But contrary to his concerns, Kyle didn't doubt his words. He merely frowned slightly, as if something felt strange about the information.

"It's not so much a precognitive dream… It seems more like a kind of notice."

You're truly quick-witted, Shu thought. Even though he had deliberately obscured the truth—that this world existed within a novel, and that it was a system communicating the future to him—Kyle somehow managed to pierce through to the essence of the matter. Will he also discover that this is merely a world within a novel?

"What could be dangerous for Your Highness in ten days?" Shu quickly changed the subject, and Kyle began to consider it seriously.

"Well, I don't plan to leave the territory for the time being. If so, it must be something invading this place. Is there anything that threatens both the territory and me… A group of mutant demons?"

"Perhaps. Or Knox himself might appear in person."

"I wouldn't like that."

"Me neither."

No matter what, would he really come all the way here? Shu shrugged his shoulders and pointed to the document Kyle had been carefully reviewing. "But what is this?"

"This is intelligence from outside the territory. It seems problems are gradually emerging throughout Meinhardt."

"Problems?"

Shu lowered his head slightly to peer at the writing, and Kyle tilted the document so he could examine it in more detail.

"Let's see. That's…"

People are disappearing. If Shu were to condense this lengthy report into a single line, that would be it. Poor villagers, those oppressed by tyrannical lords, or local residents caught in the bloody power struggles of the nobility—they were gradually vanishing. There was no trace of the impoverished, war refugees, orphans, and wanderers who had lost their families.

It might sound like welcome news at first glance to those who had seen them as a thorn in their side, but in fact, it was not. It meant that they were being systematically 'cut out' from the world.

"There's no way a person can simply vanish, neither ascending to the sky nor sinking into the ground, but just suddenly disappear?" Shu mused aloud.

"It's safe to say it's a mass disappearance," Kyle confirmed. "According to the reports that have reached us, the scale is considerable. Some slums reported that all their inhabitants had vanished, leaving only traces of the village behind. Dealing with the affairs of the territory has been urgent, so all I've been able to do is keep abreast of the news…"

It's definitely suspicious, Shu thought, touching his chin and lowering his head a little longer. Kyle cleverly shifted his shoulder, the one Shu wasn't leaning on, and handed him the papers.

The disappearances had been occurring throughout Meinhardt for about three months, more precisely, ever since Lorenz officially ascended the throne. Of course, if people had simply vanished, the report wouldn't have been so detailed. Sometimes, lords, family members, or colleagues from nearby areas had petitioned the emperor to uncover the truth. However, there was no progress. The imperial contingent merely stated that people had left or disappeared somewhere after conducting a perfunctory search.

Unable to find answers, some followed the imperial contingent to the capital. However, most of them also disappeared. The imperial court only repeated the same words: "They were helped to settle in a new place, but then they disappeared."

"Those who survived or fled hoped for asylum in the North," Kyle said seriously. "I don't know why this is happening, but it must have something to do with Lorenz. It must be because those who chose Blake Territory also vaguely realized that fact."

Now that Belial's fate was unclear and the neutral nobles near the capital were being purged one by one, Kyle's territory was the only place they could trust. In any case, when Lorenz ascended the throne, he had declared that he would honor Kyle as a member of the royal family.

"I think I will be able to hold on to some extent before winter comes. However, the situation in the North is not so easy, so we need to take countermeasures."

Shu had thought he would only have to deal with the mages of the lawless zone, but that wasn't the case. Every time he saw Kyle handling his duties as a lord, he realized how burdensome and troublesome his position truly was.

"You're having a lot of trouble," Shu said, a soft comfort in his voice.

Kyle tilted his head, his soft black eyelashes moving slowly. "It's just what we have to do for this place."

"That's why. I don't think it's annoying, frustrating, or troublesome…" Shu yawned widely, leaning more heavily on Kyle's shoulder. "It's great that you take it for granted and are happy."

"..."

"Me too…" Shu tried to say that he didn't want Kyle's small, cold world to be ruined. He hoped that this land would be the warmest and most affectionate haven for Kyle, who had survived a 'setting' that would have left him unhappy and lonely all his life. If the season of flowers could bloom even in barren land. If a future arrived where no one would trample this place with dirty feet. Then Shu would be able to return to his original world with peace of mind.

"I'm just going to doze a little." Even though he had slept so much when he was a hamster, Shu felt drowsy. There was a slight ingredient in the medicinal tea, which had the effect of preventing the progression of his frost stigma, and he definitely dozed off more often than usual.

"I'm going to go back to being a demon after this…"

"Yes, it's alright."

"What if you look at all the documents?"

"I have to go to training. Because you can't get stiff."

"Hmm…"

Now, Shu was answering as if half-asleep, his eyes almost closed. Then Kyle smiled slightly, his voice resonating softly and reaching Shu.

"I don't want to be alone."

"Let's go together."

"..."

Shu nodded, drifting off. He didn't understand. He fell soundly asleep.

"Wow, is it the same companion demon you only heard about in stories?"

"I think it's been a while since His Highness brought him in, but he hasn't grown…"

"I heard from the wizard that the magic power in his heart hasn't gathered."

"So, he'll be in cub form for the rest of his life? It would be difficult to send him out."

"Send him out? His Highness spoils him so much, where would he send him? Besides, if he went out in this form, he wouldn't be able to get along with his own kind and would freeze to death."

A humming sound spread softly overhead. Shu also felt a stinging gaze upon him.

What is it? He thought he had fallen asleep in the study, leaning on Kyle's shoulder. Since there wasn't much time left until he would be 'recalled' (transformed), he must have reverted to his hamster form…

"Can I touch it?" James's voice made Shu squint his eyes. His eyes were swollen from sleeping so soundly. Through his narrow field of vision, he could see the faces of the knights looking down at him.

…I'm sorry, but it's a bit unsightly from this low angle. After all, the fact that Kyle is the standard of comparison is a bit harsh on these people.

Shu had just woken up and was trembling slightly when someone's hand approached him. It was a rough, stiff hand, bearing many wounds and scars from long years of gripping a sword. Judging from the way the large man hesitated, unbefitting his size, it seemed he had never touched a demon beast in this manner in his life.

Of course, neither have I. It's like a clumsy person hesitating before touching something delicate.

—Chirp! (Turn it off!)

Shu demanded, flicking at the approaching finger. Of course, his fragile front teeth wouldn't have been able to scratch the thick skin of the knight's hand, but the mere attempt to bite made James yelp and withdraw his hand.

"D-did he… ask…?" James stammered.

Don't you ask? Don't touch it. Just look at it with your eyes, Shu thought.

"He asked? He's a good boy." From a distance, Kyle, who had been wielding his sword with fierce force, approached. He wiped off his sweat with a towel handed to him by another attendant and reached out to Shu, who was still pouting.

"Cashew nuts, come here."

Shu was lying on a small cushion, and he quickly moved because the other knights were still bothering him. He turned his face towards Kyle and curled up, and Kyle stroked his head with his index finger.

"Yes. You're good."

—Scratch. (Don't let others touch me.)

"It looks like you're hiding your face."

"..."

No, it's just a nuisance, Shu thought. No matter how much he had grown accustomed to his rat-like life and made dramatic compromises with his existing human rights, should he really be passed back and forth between people's palms, treated like a mere hamster? Be a picky master for the sake of the rest of my life. Don't give me to anyone else.

"Yes. I like you too." Kyle smiled warmly and rubbed his cheek against Shu's forehead. Not only the attendants, but even Shu himself was startled.

Wait, wait! Such a kind face is unfair!