Chapter 34 – The prince trapped in the tower

Translator: SKAIS Editor: SKAIS

I grabbed his head, stopping him from what he was about to do.

 “No, wait. Stop!”

Ricdorian blinked his eyes and then quivered the moment I held his head.

“Arfff. Grrrrrrr. Grrrrr.”

“No, you can’t eat those.” What a stubborn man!

“Arfff. Arfff.”

“Stop pretending like a cute puppy. Stay still and wait.”

Even though the floor is filthy, he’s still trying to pick up the fallen cookie crumbs.  I scanned the ground and it seemed like it was never touched by a cleaner for like decades. I doubt if it was even cleaned at all… 

But, this is not the right time to think about cleanliness. 

“Come on, I’ll give you a new one. Eat this instead.” I said as I offered another pocket of cookies. “Why are you trying to eat something that fell on the floor, huh?”

“Arfff!”

“…do you think you can stop people from talking if you bark like that?”

Isn’t it ironic that he was talking to me with dog words but I can still understand him? Maybe I’m already turning into a dog, too! No way! I shook away that horrible thought.

As I settled my sight at Ricdorian who had already eaten half of the cookie,  I remembered the thing I brought aside from those treats.

“Hey, wanna see this? Ta-da! Guess what this is!”

This is what I’ve been trying to do with Ricdorian recently.

“It’s a book, a book!” I said happily. 

It was a fairy tale book with occasional paintings that I took from a small library inside the prison. I have no idea why there’s a library inside but according to Baron, a noble aristocrat’s hobby is reading various books. However, I haven’t read about that in the novel. 

Anyway, the limited recreation built for noble prisoners is a wonderful idea. I guess that’s the reason why most of them are not bored spending their sentenced time in jail. 

“Well, come to think of it, I know you listen and understand what I read, but it doesn’t make sense that you can’t talk when your other side is awake.”

“Arfff?”

“Hmmm? Not that crap. What I mean is talking using the language people use, not the way a dog talks.”

Come to think of it, I’m sure that the Ricdorian I read in the novel is still a human being whenever he turns into a beast. Moreover, it was said that he learned or was trained to talk until he met the heroine. But it doesn’t seem like that when I met him. Well, obviously I’m not the heroine but if you’re talking to people anyways, wouldn’t it be better to understand each other?

“But it’s strange that you’re still acting like a dog.” Can I keep up with these when all he does is act like a puppy?

”No, don’t lick.”

“Arff! Arfff!”

“…wait.”

Cluck.

No. Why don’t you listen to me?

I sighed heavily and opened the book. Right, he might change if I try to teach him. After all, it wouldn’t be long until I would be released from prison anyway. I reminded myself.

“Come on, listen. No. Don’t turn around hastily. You don’t even have a tail. Stop and sit down!”

Thud.

“…Good job. Sit right here.”

I can’t understand what he was trying to express by spinning around, acting like a dog when he doesn’t even have a tail. I thought his behavior was getting better and better. I sighed. I guess not. He still has a long way to go.

“This is a star, and this is a moon. That’s it. Let’s start with something simple. Now, do the moon.”

“Arfff!”

“…now do the sun”

“Arff! Arff”

“…you don’t have the will, do you?

I grabbed his cheek and pinched it really hard. He groaned at my grasp. After walking and being together with him for months, I’ve found out that he no longer shows his teeth or grits it.  Of course, his eyes are still fierce, but through time, I got used to it. Furthermore, he doesn’t bite me whenever I pinch him like this.

“No, that’s wrong. Not a big star!”

“Arrff?”

“No, stop acting like a dog.”

I’ve tried teaching him a few times, but he just can’t get it right. Soon, I heard him growl like a mad dog, so I decided to put down the book. 

But I still didn’t give up so I opened a fairy tale book that has more stories than pictures. That’s it, if he keeps listening, maybe he’ll talk in the near future.

“…so she finally met the prince who was born with a curse.”

I glanced at Ricdorian and for some reason, he just sat quietly, listening to the story. 

I tilted my head and continued looking at him. That’s amazing. A few minutes ago, he couldn’t stay still but look at him now, he’s like a very disciplined little kid listening to bedtime stories. He seemed to be very indulged with it.

Not long after, I turned my eyes back to the book and continued reading the story. 

“The prince was bitten by a dragon. His wounds were worse, and his clothes were burning. The girl asked the prince if he was in pain. And the prince asked in response to her question, ‘What is pain?’”

Fairy tales are of typical content. But this story was about a prince who was locked in the tower, and the warriors came to the rescue. Usually, the princess is locked in the tower, however this fairytale story is unique. How odd.

In fact, this story was a little different because the main character went to save the male lead as if she was his destined queen. 

“‘I don’t know what it’s like to be in pain.’ The prince’s words made the girl cry and grieve in sadness. ‘What the prince is feeling right now. Something hot and stingy. That means you’re in pain.’ This time, the girl decided to save the prince. But in order to save him, she has to defeat a bad and mighty dragon.” 

Eventually, the girl defeated the dragon with nothing but wisdom as her weapon. And the moment the dragon collapsed, the girl rescued the prince lifting the curse and they lived happily ever after. That was the end of the story.

As soon as I read the last passage, I lifted my head slightly and thought of something.. It turns out Ricdorian has the same situation as that prince trapped in a tower.  

Only that, he was in prison. Behind these rotten cell bars that separates him from his freedom.

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