A Stuffed Cheonma in my Head - Chapter 76



Only Noblemtl

Episode 076. Cat Party

* * *

The square window was filled with pitch-black darkness, but moonlight was streaming in from somewhere.

The silver moonlight shimmered on her hair, which was as black as the night sky.

“… … .”

“… … .”

I looked out the window with blurry eyes.

Shushuruta, who was sitting by the window as if it were her own home, looked at me.

Dreaming.

During the morning rush, you often have dreams.

It may still be one of them.

I stared blankly at Shushuruta and tilted my head to one side.

‘You mean I thought this guy would appear in my dreams?’

A snicker came out.

‘That can’t be true.’

I am a very cold-blooded man.

A heartless iron man, a merciless swordsman, a cold-hearted and taciturn traveler who has no regard for humanity.

All those adjectives refer to me.

So is this reality?

… … That also doesn’t make sense.

So what on earth is this?

“… … Are you laughing?”

Shushuruta, who was sitting by the window, raised one eyebrow.

Well, he was still a funny guy.

When I thought about it, it didn’t really matter whether it was reality or a dream.

What does it matter if it’s a dream or reality?

I decided to just accept the Shushuruta in front of me as it was.

There was something I wanted to ask this guy.

I opened my mouth with a sleepy smile.

“Hey, Shushuruta.”

“Something.”

“What the hell are you doing?”

Shushuruta looked at me blankly.

“Weren’t you after the dagger? But why didn’t you take the dagger when you had the chance? Then why were you after the dagger again? It doesn’t make sense, you cat. What on earth do you want from me? Why did you keep following me around?”

Shushuruta looked at me blankly.

“Still… …you don’t know?”

“I don’t know, so I’ll ask. You idiot.”

“I am not a stupid idiot.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s a thieving cat.”

I looked at the thieving cat, my eyes wide with sleep.

Then the guy hesitated for a moment, then clenched his fist and brought it next to the ball.

“meow.”

“… … .”

“… … .”

I was sure.

This was a dream.

“Cat burglar.”

“meow.”

“Please speak in human language. It’s hard for me to understand cat language.”

“i get it.”

Shushuruta, whose body had been temporarily taken over by the cat spirit, regained consciousness and explained.

“I can steal everything.”

“… … ?”

“It was the inspiration that said that. I learned how to steal from the inspiration before I could even fully learn how to speak human language.”

“That’s a great thing.”

“I learned quickly. I followed my inspiration and stole everything. Treasures, money, keys, information, people’s lives.”

I nodded and listened to her in silence.

“I said to the inspiration, I can steal everything. But the inspiration smiled and shook his head. And said, There is something in the world that is the hardest to steal, and you haven’t stolen it yet, so it doesn’t make sense to say that you can steal everything.”

“hmm.”

“I asked, ‘What is it?’ Then the inspiration answered, ‘It is the human heart.’”

The human heart.

He couldn’t have been anything other than a romantic thief.

“It was a sad but true statement. I had no colleagues who had given their hearts to me. I asked, “How can you steal?” The old man answered, “To steal a heart, you must first give your heart to me.” I didn’t understand. I argued, “How can you steal?” The old man just laughed.”

The inspiration that Shushuruta was talking about was, once again, the head of the Thieves Guild.

“I didn’t understand the words of inspiration. So I tried to steal people’s hearts in my own way. I gave them money, I shared stolen treasures, I threatened them, and I asked them honestly.”

“Did you succeed?”

Shushuruta shook his head.

“I failed. People looked at me strangely and ran away. Some people faked a smile and asked for more money.”

“Oh, like that.”

“I went to my father and told him about it, and he laughed. He laughed at me, saying that a person’s heart is not something that can be stolen like an object.”

“You can’t even laugh at me… … .”

“I don’t know. Maybe the inspiration was just laughing, but I felt like I was laughing.”

Shushuruta’s expression slightly frowned as he remembered that moment.

“So I decided to give my heart as the inspiration said. But when I actually tried it, I didn’t know how to give my heart. It was very difficult. I tried it with my close brothers… … but it didn’t work out. And you know the final result.”

“hmm.”

He betrayed me and tried to kill Shushuruta.

But in the end, it was he who died.

“I went back to the old man and said, ‘I can steal everything except a person’s heart.’ Then the old man said, ‘If I can’t steal a person’s heart, what’s the point of all this?’ The old man laughed at me. I got angry, hit the old man, and ran away.”

“… … .”

You said you ran away from home because you didn’t want to hear gossip.

In any case, it was a truly turbulent reason for running away.

“I wanted to steal your heart.”

Shushuruta looked at me.

There seemed to be a light shining in her eyes as she looked at me.

“Everyone else has left me, but you alone have not. This time, I felt like I could steal it. I gave you my heart. I felt like I could be your true comrade. I felt like I could receive your trust.”

I thought for a moment on the border between dream and reality and then asked.

“Then… …what did you want?”

Shushuruta nodded.

“It is your heart.”

“hmm.”

“But, it was my mistake to think that I could steal it. You ended up saying bad things to me and leaving.”

“… … .”

I had nothing to say.

As the sun sets and the moon sets, my head also tilts.

Did I consider Shushuruta a colleague?

Even when he realized that Shushuruta would not steal the dagger, he did not entrust it to her completely.

He gave me a dagger while carrying a dagger because he felt something was off, and even though it was uncomfortable to hold the dagger, he put it in his mouth and went into the stream.

The reason Shushuruta asked for the dagger was not because he coveted it.

It was my god who coveted my right to readily hand over the dagger.

It was an attempt to steal my heart.

I smiled faintly.

Stealing people’s hearts.

… … He must have been a truly frightening thief.

I looked at the ghost in the window seat.

Moonlight was streaming down her hair.

Shushuruta spoke while surrounded by soft moonlight.

“But I am here, Ashvan. Even when you were sleeping for a week, and when you were up and wandering around, I was here. Because you did not return my heart.”

“… … .”

“Why didn’t you return my heart? Why did you give me the dagger at the end? Why… … .”

I looked down at the fluffy blanket on the bed.

The shadow of Shushuruta sitting by the window was reflected on the blanket.

The shadows were as blurry as my hazy mind.

“Do you remember what I said last?”

no.

I shook my head slowly.

“I said I would wait. Why don’t you remember? Is it because you don’t want to remember?”

“… … .”

“I was afraid you would get angry again, so I just watched from afar even after you got up. I was so happy that I could jump for joy when you got up, but on the other hand, I felt a sharp pain here.”

Shushuruta rubbed my chest… … .

“So let me ask.”

Bam!

He took a dagger out of his bosom and thrust it into the window frame.

“What do you mean when you say you didn’t mean it?”

I checked the dagger stuck in the windowsill.

The constellations carved into the pitch-black mask like the night sky were shining softly as if they were glaring at me.

I stared at it blankly and opened my mouth.

“I didn’t mean it… ….”

“What.”

“I told you to get out.”

“……then?”

I nodded slowly.

“Come to think of it, I like cats better than dogs.”

Shushuruta laughed.

In the hazy border between dreams and reality, I smiled back.

I just leaned back and closed my eyes.

I felt incredibly at ease.

I heard a rustling sound, and a cat came over and laid its head on my lap.

I slowly fell asleep, feeling that small warmth.

‘I’m originally a puppy person… … .’

I felt a bit guilty towards Bangul and sent her a deep apology in my heart.

It seemed as if I heard Cheonma’s low laughter in my sleep.

* * *

The next day.

As soon as I woke up, I found Shushuruta rolling around on my lap.

Shushuruta looked up at me shamelessly.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“… … .”

I looked at her, blinking my sleepy eyes.

The words we exchanged during breakfast last night came to mind vaguely.

“……hmm.”

I couldn’t tell how much was a dream and how much was reality.

But I didn’t bother to check it because there was no need to.

At that moment, the sound of urgent footsteps was heard outside the door, and the door opened wide.

“Good morning, sir!”

Joey opened the door with a bang and came in, then froze when he saw Shushuruta rolling around on the bed.

“……uh?”

Joy asked with a surprised face.

“who are you?”

Shushuruta didn’t answer and just stared at me, as if he was expecting me to answer.

Then Joy looked at me with a face that naturally demanded an answer.

I thought for a moment and then answered.

“He’s my colleague.”

Then Shushuruta smiled and repeated what I said to Joy.

“Joy. He’s your future husband’s colleague.”

I grabbed Shushuruta’s head.

F*ck!

“Ugh!”

“This thing has picked up all sorts of things.”

I introduced Shushuruta to Hans and Julia, who followed me, and then sent a servant to tell the Count that I had something to say about the proposal I had made last night.

The count came running in, out of breath, shortly after.

Judging from his unusually disheveled hair and disheveled clothes, he seemed to have come running as soon as he heard the news.

He looked puzzled at the sight of the new figure.

“This person is… … ?”

I also introduced the burglar cat to the count.

“This is my colleague, Shushuruta.”

Shushuruta nodded with a smug look on his face, his arms folded.

I don’t know why I feel so proud.

“I am Shushuruta, the shadowless demon slayer and comrade of the red-eyed demon Ashvan.”

I said, tapping Shushuruta.

“Hey, show me.”

Shushuruta took out a dagger and showed it to the count.

The count’s eyes grew as big as lanterns.

“T-this is it.”

“It is the dagger of Oposus.”

“Can I take a look for a moment?”

Shushuruta looked at me as if asking for permission, and I nodded.

Shushuruta handed the dagger to the Count, still looking smug.

“Take it.”

The count stared intently at the dagger he was handed.

“Oh… … .”

The count examined the dagger for a while and then asked me.

“then……?”

I nodded.

“I accept the second offer.”

He said with a snicker.

“Let’s go find the magic sword.”