Raise Me, So That I Can Eat You Up - Chapter 31

‘Why are you coming out of there?’

It was Oscar.

My eyes widened at the appearance of an unexpected figure.

Regardless, Oscar was staring intently at Henry.

It was a gaze like that of a predator discovering its prey.

‘I should intervene for now.’

Startled, I reflexively stood up and strode towards Oscar.

And as if nothing was wrong, I swiftly picked him up.

“Hehe.”

Oscar, as if he had been waiting, wrapped his arms around my neck.

“I thought you were supposed to wait quietly.”

“But Jenny and Laura said it was okay to go.”

When I playfully chided him, Oscar hurriedly made an excuse.

“Jenny and Laura?”

“Yeah. They asked me to pull the string.”

That.

Oscar muttered, pointing at the bell pull.

‘…These kids. Really.’

To think they’d dispatch Oscar to satisfy their curiosity. Just you wait, I gritted my teeth inwardly.

“Ari.”

Oscar made an adorable gesture, as if he had something secret to say, motioning for me to lend him my ear.

“Don’t scold Jenny and Laura. Oscar insisted on seeing you first.”

As if he was making some grand confession. He must have sensed my mood was off.

So he wanted to protect Jenny and Laura in his own way, but that appearance was so cute that I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

“Were you bored waiting?”

“Yeah.”

While he looked outwardly calm, he was sucking on a lollipop, which somehow seemed ominous.

Why, you ask? Because the person who taught him to eat sweets when in a bad mood was none other than me.

“You’re not angry, are you?”

“No. Oscar’s not angry.”

Oscar smiled brightly.

Well, a child’s patience is extremely short after all. It can’t be helped.

I stroked Oscar’s hair and hugged him tightly.

“Ari. Who’s that mister?”

Oscar asked with an innocent face.

‘How should I answer?’

It was a natural question, but my mind went blank all the same.

Until just 30 minutes ago, Oscar meeting Henry wasn’t in the plans.

“This is my former fiancé. He came to ask for another chance.”

In fact, this would be the most honest answer, but.

That seems too much like ‘adult business’.

If so, then the choice was simple.

I glanced at Henry and answered.

“This person is my friend.”

This was the best answer I could give.

At least Oscar wouldn’t be hostile towards someone who had a friendly relationship with me.

And Henry wanted to be friends with me, so he wouldn’t deny it.

“Ari’s friend?”

“Yes.”

At the word ‘friend’, for a moment I thought I saw a hint of murderous intent in his eyes. Must be my imagination.

Was it because he was a Black Dragon? Oscar could be endlessly cute, but there were times when he gave off a strangely raw feeling.

Right now was one of those times.

“I like Ari’s friend.”

Oscar narrowed his eyes prettily as if nothing had happened.

“Oscar wants to say hello too. Put me down.”

He even flapped his short arms, saying he wanted to greet him.

‘…Will it be okay?’

He had formed a friendship with Benedict, but there was no guarantee it would be the same with Henry.

‘Somehow, these two seem a bit ominous.’

The combination of the sensitive and prickly Oscar with the charge-ahead Henry. They seemed like they might get along well.

…Of course, in the worst possible way.

Especially now, Oscar would be sensitive from not having his nap. I was worried.

‘If Oscar were to become a hatchling, it would be a big problem.’

Even if only in name, Henry was still royalty.

As I always said, the Imperial family is sensitive about dragon issues. Especially if he found out Oscar was a dragon, it could lead to quite a headache.

“I’ll just say hello and go. Okay?”

Sensing my hesitation, Oscar pleaded with a face like a rain-soaked cat.

“Who is this? He’s cute.”

By now, Henry had also approached and showed interest in Oscar.

It would certainly be stranger not to let them greet each other in this situation.

“Oscar.”

“Yes, Ari.”

“Then you have to be polite, okay?”

“Yeah!”

Unable to resist the pressure from both men, I put Oscar down with a brief admonition.

Henry lowered himself with a kind face and met Oscar’s gaze.

“Hello. What’s your name?”

“Oscar.”

He said he’d greet him, but. Oscar only answered with his name, rather coolly.

“That’s a pretty name.”

Does he like babies?

Despite the somewhat curt response, Henry’s eyes were dripping with honey.

Oscar still showed no particular expression.

“Introduction. Revealing each other’s names.”

I wonder when he learned such a difficult word.

It meant, why aren’t you telling me your name? Oscar shot at Henry as if scolding him.

Sensing the not-so-good atmosphere, I tried to step in and mediate.

“Um, well, the baby is a bit…”

“It’s okay, Noona.”

Henry smiled freshly and offered a handshake to Oscar.

“I’m Henry Grant.”

“Henry Grant?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, I know who you are, mister!”

Oscar ignored Henry’s hand and started jumping up and down by himself. Henry, left hanging, scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“You promised to be polite, Oscar.”

When I reprimanded him in a low voice, he finally extended his maple leaf-like hand and accepted the handshake.

“Mister. Handshake.”

“You know me?”

“Yeah. I saw you in the newspaper. Mister, you’re a super famous person! A prince!”

Henry looked a bit dumbfounded at the answer.

Given that he looks every bit a five-year-old, it must be strange to hear he reads newspapers.

‘But, has Oscar ever read something like a newspaper?’

It was just as unfamiliar to me.

‘Remembering Henry from the newspaper. Then…’

We’re doomed. I felt a chill down my spine, sensing something had gone terribly wrong.

Sure enough, Oscar suddenly turned his body and smiled, narrowing his eyes.

“But Ari, what’s a broken engagement?”

My face turned bright red.

To hear such a word from a child’s mouth. It was the most awkward topic I wanted to avoid regarding Henry.

“W-well, isn’t it time for your nap now? Right?”

I tried to salvage the situation by pretending not to have heard.

“No, Oscar’s curious. When I’m curious, I can’t sleep.”

“……”

“Mister knows, right?”

When I avoided giving an immediate answer, he changed his target to Henry this time.

It seems he’s determined to keep asking until he gets an answer.

“W-well, it means canceling a promise to get married.”

I quickly answered before Henry could feel awkward.

“Why cancel it?”

“Because Ari dumped me.”

This time Henry answered directly.

At that, Oscar clapped his hands as if he found it extremely amusing.

“Then mister. What’s lovesickness?”

“It’s when I only think of Ari when I open my eyes.”

“Is it a mental illness?”

He’s smiling on the outside, but somehow it feels like he’s subtly mocking. Is it just my imagination? I started to feel uneasy.

“No. It’s a sickness of the heart because it’s been hurt.”

Regardless, Henry remained steadfast, like someone completely unaffected.

It seemed I was the only one whose face was burning up between the two men.

“This is Ari’s house. No doctor here. If you’re sick, go to the hospital. Mister.”

Oh no. He was definitely being sarcastic on purpose.

‘For now, separating them would be the best strategy.’

Right now, they were just smirking and bantering, but it felt like a time bomb that could go off at any moment.

So I had to quickly remove Oscar from this place.

“Oscar. Now that you’ve said hello, let’s go to your room. It’s nap time, right?”

“Why- Eh. Oscar likes that mister. I want to be friends with mister.”

When I swiftly picked Oscar up, he flailed his arms and legs, not wanting to go.

[System: ‘Black Dragon’ wants to make a new ‘friend’.]

At that moment, the system announced unexpected news.

‘Even though you don’t mean it. Don’t decide on friends on your own!’

My head throbbed even more as Oscar displayed his friendliness in a strange direction.

“I like you too. Friend.”

Henry responded with a bright smile.

[System: Congratulations!

‘Black Dragon’ has made a new ‘friend’!

-As a reward, the Sociability skill has increased to Lv.2.

-Title ‘Popular Hatchling’ acquired]

No sooner had those words ended than a notification rang from the system.

At this point, I was curious about what Oscar’s ‘criteria for friends’ might be.

‘Friend or whatever. When the atmosphere gets tense, it’s best to avoid it.’

With a mind to survive first, I quickly apologized to Henry.

“Your Highness. I’m really sorry, but it seems the child is having a nap tantrum. He’s an unstoppable little rascal. I’ll put him to sleep for now.”

And I left the room without looking back.

***

‘As expected, all that fussiness was just from being sleepy.’

Once back in the room, Oscar succumbed helplessly to my nap-inducing skill.

‘It’s not like I’ve only put him to sleep once or twice. This much is a piece of cake.’

I could send him to dreamland by holding him, patting him, and singing his favorite lullaby while walking around the room a few times.

I laid Oscar on the bed and let out a soft sigh.

‘I wonder if Henry left. Or is he still in the drawing room?’

I felt uneasy about leaving in such a hurry without properly tidying up.

‘I should go check, just in case.’

As I opened the door to go back to the drawing room, someone was standing in front of it.

“Is the little one asleep now?”

It was Henry. I froze with a bewildered look.

“Yes. What brings you here……”

“I thought our conversation wasn’t over yet. I asked the maids, and they said you’d be here.”

“Ah, please come in for now.”

Father and Leon would be back soon, and if he was still in the house then, that would be more problematic. So it was an issue that needed to be resolved somehow.

Therefore, I hurriedly let Henry into the room.

“Is he asleep?”

“Yes. I just put him to sleep.”

“Looking at him sleeping, he’s just like an angel.”

Is it because he’s a baby? Despite Oscar asking quite rude questions, Henry didn’t seem to mind particularly.

After checking on the sleeping Oscar, he started looking around in earnest.

“So this is Noona’s room. It smells nice. It’s my first time in a woman’s room.”

“Watch what you’re saying.”

“It’s true. I might have a reputation, but I’m more innocent than I look.”

When I chided him, he protested as if wronged.

“Alright, Your Highness. Let’s sit over here since it’s urgent.”

After offering Henry a seat, I lowered my voice and spoke carefully, worried that Oscar might wake up.

“Okay. I’ll accept Your Highness’s proposal.”

“That’s a wise decision.”

“But there’s one thing I need to clarify first.”

“What is it?”