Chapter 38
Barry’s House looked just like you’d expect.
Every shelf was filled with honey jars, and all the decorations were modeled after salmon.
Barry Tail, the bear beastman, was the same eccentric person Perea had come to know at the academy.
“Here, here. Sit down,” he said, pointing to a cluttered table.
Ray, Perea, and Theo exchanged confused looks as they followed him.
Seeing their puzzled expressions, Barry quickly realized his mistake.
He hastily moved things from the table to a nearby shelf. The sound of objects clattering loudly filled the small room, but Barry seemed completely unbothered.
“Is this good now? Come on, sit! Theo, this seat’s the best!”
Laughing, Barry picked Theo up and placed him in the seat of honor.
But Theo immediately jumped down and grabbed Perea’s skirt.
“I don’t want to sit there! I want to sit with Perea!”
“Shall we?”
Perea, used to Theo’s stubbornness, gently picked him up and sat down. Theo wrapped his arms around her neck and wiggled happily.
Barry’s eyes widened in surprise as he watched the scene.
Theo, the youngest prince, had always been known for his strong-willed nature since he was a baby.
But now, he seemed completely soft and pliable, like a little rabbit.
Barry was more curious about why his old friend Ray was wearing a heavy black cloak than anything else.
Barry scratched his rough beard and pulled off Ray’s dark cloak.
When it fell away, Ray’s striking features were revealed, still shining after a year.
Barry met Ray’s piercing blue eyes, which always made him feel a little cold.
“You’re wearing a cloak that doesn’t even suit you,” Barry commented.
“There’s a reason for this, which I’ll explain soon.”
“Oh, right. Wait! Wait!”
Barry, in his large frame, scurried to the kitchen.
He quickly stirred a spoon around in a small cup, then brought back four cups of honey tea.
Perea smiled brightly when she saw the familiar tea.
“Wow! Special Barry honey tea!”
“Been a while, huh?”
“Yes, it’s been so long!”
Perea took a sip of the warm honey tea, shivering slightly from the sweetness.
It was so sweet that it almost made her tongue tingle, but it felt so comforting.
Theo also took a sip, but his face scrunched up from the intense sweetness.
Being a young beastman, he wasn’t used to such strong flavors, and he immediately put the cup down. Ray didn’t drink any at all.
Seeing Ray ignore the tea, Barry stared at him.
“Well? Now tell me, what happened?”
Ray gave a short nod and began explaining.
In a clear, factual manner, Ray recounted everything that had happened over the past month, making it easy for Barry to understand the events.
Barry, despite his lazy, honey-loving ways, was sharp enough to grasp the situation.
“So, you’re planning to stay here and keep an eye on the royal family’s movements?”
“Exactly.”
Ray nodded again, and Barry let out a sharp breath.
He had always thought that his simple, peaceful life in Eclit would go on forever, as he was content with his quiet existence.
But this? This was exciting!
“Damn, this is way too interesting!”
Barry slapped his chest with excitement. His loud voice shook the room, causing everyone, even Ray and Theo, to cover their ears.
Barry couldn’t hide his enthusiasm, even if his guests were uncomfortable.
“So, how are you planning to surprise them?” Barry asked eagerly.
“We’ve already been a surprise by just being alive,” Ray replied flatly.
Ray, who had already cleaned up the situation, casually pushed his silver hair back.
The light reflected off his hair, making him even more striking.
Barry found himself staring at Ray’s beauty again, his lips curling into a faint frown.
He shifted his gaze to Perea and saw the same reaction — it seemed like she had been charmed too.
‘Oh, great. This damn guy is just as captivating as always.’
Barry thought about how everyone around him always seemed to fall for Ray’s charm. He was a knight from the royal family, after all, and his sparkling looks were irresistible to anyone.
But there was something different about Ray.
His eyes seemed disinterested in everything around him, except for the young prince, the only one who caught his attention.
Barry’s pity for his dear friend, Perea’s childhood friend, grew even stronger.
Just then, Ray handed Perea his cup.
“Is this good? Here, drink this too.”
“Really? Thank you!”
Perea beamed at him, and Ray’s lips curled slightly, almost like a shy smile.
Perea took a sip, and Barry’s eyes widened. He stared, astonished at the way Ray’s eyes softened when he watched Perea drink.
“Cough, cough!”
Barry’s sudden loud cough broke the silence, and Ray’s face shifted into an annoyed expression.
But Barry couldn’t stop thinking about what he had just seen.
Perea’s genuine smile was enough to make Ray look… almost vulnerable.
With a flushed face, Barry quickly finished his honey tea in one gulp.
“Are you alright, Barry?”
“I’m fine. I’m fine.”
Perea’s worried voice barely reached him. He was too focused on the strange, unspoken change in his friend’s demeanor to really respond.
The reality of Ray’s feelings was more complicated than he had thought.
Barry leaned forward, tapping Ray’s shoulder lightly.
“Can I join you on this royal mission?”
“You have no reason to.”
“I don’t? But I want to go, just to see how it all goes down. Besides, I can help make things easier, right?”
Barry was acting like a door-to-door salesman, listing all the things he could help with.
Perea couldn’t help but smile at Barry’s playful, curious expression.
Back in the academy, when anything interesting happened, Barry was always the first to run toward it.
“Sorry, but no. I told you already. You need to go to Timi Village, to help with the lack of doctors.”
“Ah, the rabbit beastman village… well, fine! Going to the royal palace is still way more exciting!”
With exaggerated gestures, Barry gave in reluctantly. The way he acted was so comical that Perea couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Well, at least let me send a doctor there,” Barry said as he stood up.
He walked over to the cluttered shelf, searching through the pile of things until he finally found a letter.
“Do you know a doctor who’s not so busy?”
“You mean other than you?”
“Yep! But this one’s a young baron’s son.”
Barry confidently handed the letter to Ray, who quickly sent it off using a magical delivery tool.
Before Perea or Ray could stop him, Barry had already sent the letter.
Now they just had to wait for the response.
