ORCA 51

It was Niah—who had fallen into a deep, unconscious sleep the night before—who woke Orca up this morning. It was early for Orca to be waking up. Of course, since he hadn’t slept at all throughout the night, it was technically a misnomer to say he was “woken up.” To be precise, Niah, who had woken up after a full night’s rest, was the one causing Orca to move. It was later than usual for Niah.

He felt somewhat refreshed. Although opening his eyes was a bit difficult, for some reason, the rest of his body felt light. It was a pleasant feeling after such a good, long sleep. Niah straightened out the back he had been curling into a ball and rubbed his puffy eyes. Still, his eyes felt gritty and stung, so he squeezed them shut again. A yawn spilled out.

“So sleeeepy…”

As he tossed and turned to lie on his side, the plush bed bounced softly. The space under the blankets was filled with a warm heat. Muttering his desire to sleep more out of habit, he pushed his eyelids up. After blinking several times, light filtered into his murky field of vision, which soon cleared up.

The first thought that crossed his mind was a simple question of what this was. Staring blankly at the massive object blocking his path, Niah swallowed a gasp. His sleepiness vanished in an instant. Only then did he feel the weight of the thick forearm resting over his body.

Orca effortlessly pulled Niah back down just as he was trying to scramble up. Niah’s gaze traveled upward toward him. Upon discovering those weary eyes, he realized he had been sleeping using the young master’s arm as a pillow. His cheeks flushed bright red.

Niah, startled repeatedly, bowed his head low and shrank back. He had intended to run away, but instead, he had ended up curled in an embrace. He resented the fact that his dazed mind had become so sharp. His heart was pounding incessantly. He felt so embarrassed he wanted to simply vanish, with the premonition that the young master would surely hear it.

“Sleep more.”

The low, resonant voice tickled his neck. The hand that had traveled up his back to the nape of his neck calmly ruffled his hair. Slow, lingering movements continued. The chest that had puffed up with anxiety settled, and his eyes began to close. It smelled of the forest.

At the sound of cheery water splashing from beyond the bathroom door, Niah whimpered and burrowed inward. A neediness he had never indulged in before spilled out naturally. Even then, he couldn’t get comfortable, so he inadvertently tossed and turned. As soon as he turned around, his chest was pressed firmly. A wide, hard wall met his back.

Leaning against that wall, he drew his legs in, rounding himself like an egg. He wondered if this was what a chick felt like in its mother hen’s embrace. For some reason, his whole body felt cozy. Daydreaming in a daze, Niah slowly drifted into consciousness.

Every time he blinked, his vision flickered and brightened repeatedly. The sound of water continued. As he lay there vacantly, the noise from the bathroom suddenly cut off.

“Mm…”

A moan escaped him at the heavy weight resting on his neck and shoulders. Though he had gradually woken up from his sleep, he wasn’t quite clear-headed. Orca held Niah trapped in his two arms. He was full of the goldfish that had rounded out like an orange.

The skin surrounded by the collar stood out more than it had in the dim lighting last night. As he pressed his nose into the powdered-sugar-like skin and took a breath, a fresh scent filled his lungs. It felt strange that the sensation seemed so familiar.

“Young master. Your bath is ready.”

The servant standing behind the bathroom door finished speaking along with a knock. The servant did not wait long for Orca’s response. He simply hurried out and dashed down the hallway as fast as he could. It was a fact that he had never once heard a reply, and it was honestly a bit scary to stay for too long.

Rumors about Orca drifted into every corner of the mansion, inflating and eventually becoming grotesque. Stories spread from mouth to mouth that the young master didn’t just kill people indiscriminately, but also practiced cannibalism. It was a rumor that had grown with more details added since Niah’s “stroll” in blood-stained clothes. Thanks to the servants who had worked for the Wair family since the days when Orca was sweeping through the hunting grounds, the rumors gained quite a bit of credibility.

Orca knew it all and left it alone. It wasn’t entirely wrong. Moreover, he felt no need to correct the “fear” that had already taken root. It seemed ridiculous to point out that while it was true he killed indiscriminately, he didn’t eat them.

It was absurd how they would revere him as a hero one moment and then tremble in fear the next. Wherever he went, he became a hero who protected the country, then a vicious murderer. That gap sometimes made him look foolish.

He hadn’t become a soldier to protect the imperial citizens in the first place, but as a result, he had fended off enemy invasions time and time again. He prioritized instinct over a sense of duty, and private desire over loyalty and oaths, but at the very least, he thought he had given as much blood and flesh as the imperial citizens and the imperial family wanted.

But now, even cannibalism. If he had actually done it, that would be one thing, but being slandered was bothersome. Above all, it was dirty, and he didn’t want to put it in his mouth. He loathed anything filthy. Just the thought made him want to retch. But well, since he had felt an idle appetite for the goldfish, he couldn’t deny even that entirely. So, he had no choice but to stand by and let them chatter as they pleased.

Orca took another breath. It was after the servant who had scurried away from the room had left the fourth floor.

Niah chewed over the situation while held in place. He went over the noisy stream of water, the knock announcing the bath, the breath felt against his neck and the feeling of being tightly constricted, the warm temperature, and the faint memories from before falling asleep, one by one. A lightning bolt suddenly struck his dazed mind, ringing loudly.

“Huh?”

Setting aside the fact that the scenery in front of him was the young master’s room, the fact that morning had already broken was extremely troublesome. He was someone who always woke up in the dark, early hours of the morning.

“Y-Young master… Please let me go. …I have to go.”

It was a huge problem if he went down to wash now, as there would be many other servants in the basement. Since he had overslept, he would surely be scolded. Furthermore, he was afraid that Pepe might still be there. Adrian would probably be in the kitchen preparing breakfast, but Pepe might be in the basement.

Niah, looking like he was about to cry, pushed slightly against the forearm holding him. However, no matter how much strength he put into it, he couldn’t shake it off. It was as if a massive boulder had been placed on him. At this, Niah looked even more tearful. After repeating his struggles a few times, he gave up and grabbed the fingers wrapped around his chest and shoulders. They were easier to peel off than the arm, but it was just the same—he still couldn’t escape the embrace. Complaints spilled out of their own accord. On top of that, after he removed one finger and grabbed another, the one he had removed earlier would squeeze his chest and shoulder tightly again. It was exhausting with no reward.

“Young master. Please let me go. Please? I’m begging you.”

Looking at it now, he felt hurt because it seemed like he was doing it on purpose. Perhaps he was being punished for falling asleep in the young master’s room yesterday without permission. As that thought crossed his mind, he grew increasingly anxious. If he didn’t leave even now, he couldn’t fathom how much Pepe would scold him. It was also time to start his daily routine. No, it was time he should have started long ago.

“Where are you going?”

Niah shuddered at the low question heard right against his ear. Only then did he realize that the distance between him and the young master was far too close. He was even in a position where he was completely cradled. Being preoccupied with the worry of being scolded, he had only realized his position properly after hearing the young master’s voice. Even though he had struggled to get out, he hadn’t been conscious of where he was trapped.

Heat rose sharply up his back. Startled belatedly, he let go of the fingers he had been holding. He felt ashamed anew of the young master’s body heat felt against his shoulders and bare skin. His mind, after waking from a deep sleep, felt both sharp and, at the same time, still dense. He felt as if he were still wandering in a dream.

In any case, the important thing right now was the fact that he had overslept. Lately, Pepe had been angry with him constantly. He was sure to be poked in the side again. He had been overworked every day before the bruises could even fade. It stung and ached even if touched lightly. A mist settled over Niah’s face.

“To wash, to wash and quickly… I overslept so I have to go quickly.”

“…”

“If I’m late, I’ll get scolded…”

“…”

“No, I’m already late… I’m late. …Young master. Are you asleep…?”