TVCWB Chapter 47

Chapter 047

To start with the conclusion—during the performance, Theo would stay with Berry.

However, unlike Ray’s expectation that it would be easily settled, it took far more effort than he thought.

Theo had his own reasons for refusing, and Berry had plenty of reasons as well.
By the time Ray finished coaxing, persuading, and even threatening the two of them, he was completely exhausted.

He had bragged to Perea that he would handle it himself, so anyway… it was really hard.

Right now, Ray had been dragged out alone to fulfill Berry’s request: in exchange for watching Theo today, Berry demanded five days’ worth of natural first-aid honey.

Ray desperately wanted to flick Berry on the forehead as he ate top-grade natural honey right in front of him with an annoying expression—preferably with his fist wrapped in mana.

“Hey, don’t worry! You know how popular I am with my nieces and nephews? They cling to me like ‘Uncle! Uncle!’ so much that I can’t even go home, huh?”

“Don’t talk while eating. It’s disgusting.”

With a serious face, Ray tossed a napkin in front of Berry.
Pouting at Ray’s cold attitude, Berry wiped the honey off his beard.

That said, top-grade natural honey was… heavenly.

The honey he harvested himself was good too, but something had always felt missing.
Natural honey really was on another level.

Completely captivated by the taste nature provided, Berry wiggled his massive body so much that the chair creaked loudly.

People nearby cast worried glances, wondering if the chair might break, but Berry was too busy enjoying the honey to notice.

Resting his chin on one hand, Ray watched his friend’s honey performance with a flat expression.

“Hey, just because you’re hiding behind a cloak doesn’t mean you can glare at me like that, you know?”

Berry complained, having somehow read Ray’s sour expression even though only his philtrum was visible.

Then he casually lifted Ray’s cloak with a finger.

“Whew, must be frustrating to have to hide a face like that.”

“Not really.”

Ray pulled the cloak back down and shrugged. He meant it.

Not having to deal with curious stares—and not needing to control his expressions—was very comfortable.

He even regretted not wearing a cloak all the time back at the imperial palace.

Seeing Ray’s reaction, Berry suddenly exploded.

“Having that face with such a crappy personality is a crime! Huh?!”

“What are you even saying?”

“You said you want to win over Perea! Then use that handsome face instead of hiding it every single day!”

“W-win over…?”

Ray, who had been unmoved no matter what, suddenly malfunctioned like a broken clock the moment Perea’s name came up.

Seeing his foolish friend, Berry snorted.

“You’re not planning to wear that cloak to the opera in a few days too, right?”

“……”

He was planning to.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake!”

Berry slapped his chest in frustration.
Every time his fist hit, a deep booming sound echoed like a drum.

Putting down the spoon he had used for honey, Berry gave Ray a lecture.

“It’s an opera performance—at the biggest theater in Eclit! You think they’ll let in some suspicious guy wearing a cloak?”

“What’s suspicious about it… I have an invitation.”

“Even with an invitation, you’ll get kicked out! And you’ll embarrass Perea too if you go dressed like that!”

It was true that the hem of the cloak had become quite worn after everything Ray had been through.

Still, it wasn’t gloomy… or so he thought.

Instead of arguing, Ray stayed quiet. He knew it wouldn’t help.

“Ray—no, Raven! Wake up! Even if you dress up properly, it still won’t be enough right now!”

“Khm!”

Berry using Ray’s real name showed just how serious he was.

Berry snapped that Ray should go look at himself properly in the bathroom right now.

Even though Berry himself had a bushy beard and had been wearing the same shirt for days—it was truly the pot calling the kettle black—but Ray didn’t bother pointing it out.

“Look at peacocks and fish! The males are all flashy! That’s because they’re doing their absolute best to appeal to others!”

“……”

“And you—you’re already dazzling even without trying, yet you want to cover it up?! You’re hopeless!”

Ray swore he had never insulted his subordinates this harshly.

‘Hopeless…?’

All he did was wear a cloak, yet it sounded like a capital crime.

Thinking Berry might keep cursing him endlessly, Ray reached out and covered Berry’s mouth.

“Then what do you want me to do? If I don’t wear this, I’ll get caught immediately by the pursuit team from the palace.”

“Mm! Mm!”

Berry’s eyes widened as if he already had a solution and struggled for Ray to let go.

After sighing, Ray removed his hand and wiped his sticky palm with a wet towel.

How someone who wasn’t even three years old could eat so messily was beyond him.

“Damn. Still stupidly strong, huh.”

Ray ignored Berry’s grumbling as he rubbed his sore jaw.

“So, you do have a solution?”

“Of course I do!”

With a confident grin, Berry pointed across the street at a mask shop.

The shop was packed with customers, impossible to even step inside.

Sitting on the second floor, they could clearly see the crowd—it was exhausting just to look at.

Ray frowned openly and muttered, ‘Don’t tell me…?’

“Ding-dong! That ‘don’t tell me’ is the right answer!”

“Ah… please…”

Ray shook his head. After all that talk about peacocks, was Berry really planning to turn him into one?

The extremely flashy masks were the complete opposite of Ray’s taste.
Unfortunately, his taste meant nothing to his friend.

“They allow masks at the opera, right? Then first, buy the flashiest mask possible. Preferably one with lots of feathers.”

“You want me to wear that? Will it even hide my ears or hair?”

“Of course not! But who do you think I am? Berry Tail, graduate of the Imperial Academy! I can make dye with my eyes closed!”

Berry laughed loudly and pulled several glass bottles from his clothes.

Dyes in colors more varied than a rainbow sparkled in the sunlight.

Ray had been sent to the academy to become a veterinarian who saved beastfolk—yet here his friend was, making fashion dye instead.

No wonder Baron Tail would clutch his neck and collapse.

“Making antidotes every day got boring, so I made these in my spare time. But it’s fascinating! Look—this one even has honey in it to protect your hair!”

Berry selected a few bottles and handed them to Ray.
As he said, thick liquid had settled at the bottom of the bottles.

Berry shook them enthusiastically, as if asking for applause.
Naturally, Ray completely ignored that request.

Still, Berry’s plan wasn’t bad.

Dye and a mask—change his noticeable hair color, and hide his unchangeable eye color with a mask.

And since he would attend the performance alone with Perea, it wouldn’t look suspicious.

“So? Which color do you want?”

Seeing that Ray didn’t immediately object, Berry grinned widely.

He was sure Ray would pick one.

“Something plain. This one will do.”

Ray didn’t want to overthink it and fuel Berry’s interest any further.

He pointed immediately—to a black color so ordinary it barely had any charm at all.

Berry’s excitement deflated instantly. He even regretted bringing that color out—but it was too late.