MTLNOVEL 32
“Huff… Ugh. Ugh. I’m gonna die…”
After leaving the study, I ran like a madman. I poured in every last ounce of strength, sprinting with desperate urgency.
Thankfully, my room wasn’t far. If it had been, I might have vanished into thin air, leaving only my clothes behind once my “Reload” time ran out. Or worse, I could’ve collapsed from sheer exhaustion, ending my second life right then and there.
After making a full-speed dash and diving into bed, I pulled the blanket over myself and immediately deactivated “Reload.” Without any unnecessary delay, I was summoned back underneath the bedding I had prepared in advance.
— Squeak. (Ahh, seriously.)
If I keep living like this, I’ll probably die again before I even get the chance to revive…
I staggered toward the center of my hamster house and collapsed flat on my back. The ceiling looked yellow, so damn yellow.
“Did you exercise or something? You look exhausted.”
Kyle had crept up close without me noticing. He picked up my panting body and immediately started smothering me with kisses. I was too drained to lift a paw, completely limp as I helplessly endured his barrage of affection.
— Squeak… (You carefree bastard…)
“Yes, yes. I like you too.”
— Squeak… (Clueless bastard…)
“Today, I’ll make you a present.”
After setting me down, Kyle took a handful of down feathers and placed them inside the handkerchief he had laid out for me last night. Then, with surprisingly delicate fingers, he began sewing.
The stitches were a bit uneven, and some loose threads stuck out here and there, but compared to the yarn scrubber he made before, this one actually looked decent. Had he been practicing?
I forced my heavy eyelids open and looked up at him. A warm smile, completely unfitting for the endless winter outside, was spread across his face.
What the hell are you so happy about?
I’m just some beast.
As I felt the handkerchief carefully draped over me, handled as if I were something precious, my eyes slowly closed.
— Squeak… (Hardworking, clueless, and way too kind…)
If I make it back alive, will this day become just another memory someday?
If so, then it will surely be a happy one.
***
— …
“……”
“……”
A suffocating silence filled the room.
Clutching a cashew nut like a shield, I alternated my gaze between Kyle and the magician, who were both staring down at me.
Thirty minutes had passed since I entered the study. They had been observing me non-stop, as if I were some kind of lab rat. Seriously, stop staring already. You’re gonna burn a hole through me.
Gulp.
The sound of someone swallowing rang out loud and clear.
The culprit was the magician, who had been more nervous than me ever since we started.
“T-Then, I’ll begin.”
Finally mustering his resolve, the middle-aged magician cautiously picked me up.
The ride was anything but smooth. His hands were shaking like an earthquake was happening beneath me.
— Squeak… (Hey, mister…)
Is this supposed to be a ride or something?
Perched on his trembling palm, I shot him a wary look.
I mean, I get it. Kyle’s glaring at him like he’s about to rip him to shreds. Of course, the guy’s on edge. But dude, Kyle’s not doing it because he hates you or anything. He’s just worried. The guy’s a total beast-lover, that’s all.
As I stared up at him indifferently, the magician wiped the sweat off his hand and began channeling a soft blue light into my body. I squeezed my eyes shut and clung tighter to the cashew nut in my arms.
I had no idea how my body would react to this mysterious power—not even the system had an answer. But I had no way to stop it, so taking a gamble was my best bet. If I didn’t grow, Kyle would’ve found a way to try this sooner or later anyway.
Alright. Better to rip the bandage off now.
— …?
Thunk.
Suddenly, there was a dull thud, and my body was pushed back slightly.
Almost dropping my cashew nut, I hugged it tighter and stuck my head out like a meerkat, darting my eyes around. What… what the hell was that? Something just hit me, right?
“…Did it work?”
“It… It did, but…”
A dry, withered silence filled the room again. The magician swallowed nervously and reached for me once more.
“T-This time, I’ll use more force.”
Bold words, but his hands were still shaking like a leaf.
Man, your life’s rough.
I patted his hand lightly with my paw and took a deep breath. Alright, come at me. I’m ready.
“…Hup!”
The magician let out a strange battle cry as a surge of blue energy gathered in his palm. Then, with great determination, he sent it coursing into my body.
Ting.
Ting.
Tok.
My body rolled twice before crashing into the wall and getting buried in the yarn Kyle had left unfinished.
“Cashew Nut!”
Kyle quickly scooped me up. As I gathered my dazed thoughts, I shook my body to rid myself of the static-like sensation coursing through me.
‘What the hell was that?’
Was magic always this electrifying?
[The un□stable power has □ted with □.]
I stared blankly at the system window floating before me. The letters were fragmented, pixelated beyond recognition, yet I could vaguely understand what it was trying to say.
‘So, my body and the magic of this world are clashing? Just like how an unexpected beast showed up during reconnaissance?’
As I rubbed my chin, lost in serious thought, Kyle was busy checking every inch of my body for injuries.
“…Your Highness. This… doesn’t seem to be an ordinary beast.”
The magician, sweating buckets, muttered in a barely audible voice.
“What the hell do you mean, ‘not an ordinary beast’?!”
Kyle gestured at me with his palm, his voice booming. The magician flinched, his already pale face turning ghostly white.
Hey, hey. Don’t be too hard on the guy. It’s not his fault.
“B-But it’s not absorbing magic at all. It’s r-r-repelling it…”
As the magician continued stammering, I retrieved the cashew nut that had been sent flying. The edge had chipped from the impact, and a bit of dust had stuck to it.
— ……
Annoyed, I threw the cashew nut to the ground. Screw it, I’m not eating that. Too dirty, too humiliating. I’ll just use “Reload” and get a fresh meal.
Slumping onto the floor, I watched as the two men continued their struggle—well, one was struggling while the other was mercilessly grilling him. I couldn’t interfere in this body, so I just had to wait for it to end on its own.
As I turned my gaze back to the system window, still displaying garbled text—
“Your Highness!”
A loud voice suddenly rang out, making me snap my head toward the study door, which swung open with a bang.
A familiar face. One of Kyle’s knights from the reconnaissance unit.
“What’s the matter? We have a guest, and you barge in like this?”
“I-I apologize! But a letter just arrived—Prince Belial has been attacked…!”
“…Attacked?”
…What? Attacked?
I shot up on my feet.
Kyle dismissed the magician and placed me back inside my house. Then, he shut the lid firmly and walked toward the knight.
Hey. Do this inside! Let me listen too!
I pressed myself against the transparent barrier, ears perked up. Thankfully, the study door wasn’t completely closed, so I could just barely make out their conversation.
To summarize: While returning to the capital, Belial had been ambushed by an unknown group of assailants. The attack was severe enough to overturn his carriage, but since the incident occurred closer to the capital, it took time for the news to reach Blake territory.
I crossed my arms and paced around my hamster house.
This was early in The Heart of Winter’s story. At this point in the original, the only ambush I knew of was the one where Kyle was wounded in his right arm by mysterious soldiers hiding in the North.
But now, that incident hadn’t happened to Kyle. Instead, Belial had been attacked?
‘…Something’s off.’
So, the faction that targeted Kyle in the original story wasn’t Belial’s? I rocked back and forth on my hind legs, deep in thought.
The dominant force in the capital right now was undoubtedly the second prince, Belial. As much as I hated to admit it, he had an exceptional leadership ability and a bewitching smile that had won over the entire city.
The imperial court was no different. As far as I knew, some officials already considered him the true emperor, even though the first prince was still alive.
‘Wait… what was his name again?’
Just then, a system window flashed before me.
[Lorenz Serena Meinhardt was weak-willed and cowardly. He could not surpass Kyle in strength nor Belial in intelligence, leaving him with nothing but the pride of being the first prince.]
‘Right. Lorenz.’
His name was so unpleasant I had erased it from my memory.
I recalled his description from the book—hair lighter than Belial’s, sharp features inherited from his mother, Serena, and bold brows with well-defined facial features reminiscent of the emperor.
[Eye_Eyes]
Yeah. That kind of look.
But in the imperial family, where legitimacy was paramount, no matter how strong Belial’s faction was, he couldn’t claim the throne.
Moreover, Lorenz wasn’t without support. And the emperor likely preferred passing the crown to his eldest son.
That’s why I had assumed Lorenz didn’t interfere, despite Belial’s growing influence. There was no need to stir the pot when he could become emperor simply by waiting.
— Squeak. (This is complicated as hell.)
As I absentmindedly spun my exercise wheel, Kyle returned to the study, his face visibly darkened.
Yeah, you’re worried, aren’t you? Even after treating him like an enemy. You sentimental bastard.
With a short sigh, I retreated to a secluded corner and activated “Reload.”
Kyle wouldn’t be in the right mindset to take care of a hamster right now.
And more importantly, in this small body, I couldn’t offer him the comfort he needed.
Right now, I wanted to be by his side as a human.