TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 34

Albin had been asleep for a long time before finally waking up. Without a clock nearby, he couldn’t tell the time, but his body felt heavier the longer he slept.

The room felt so warm, suggesting the weather must be quite nice today.

Rubbing his eyes, he rolled around in bed, turning a full three hundred and sixty degrees under the covers. As his mind cleared a little, he sleepily glanced out the window to judge the time — only to spot a white-haired man seated by the window.

The man was holding Albin’s homework from the day before, his long lashes lowered as he read. Hearing the sounds of Albin stirring, the man looked over with crimson eyes filled with deep emotion.

Albin’s eyes widened in surprise. Without bothering to put on his shoes, he leapt out of bed barefoot and dashed over.

“Dad!” He flung himself into Zeman’s arms, grinning brightly and full of life. “Good morning! Am I still dreaming?”

He was so happy that he couldn’t quite tell if this was reality or a dream. His smile was pure and carefree, devoid of any worries or burdens, and his youthful face radiated the promise of a long future ahead.

“It’s not a dream.”

Zeman tried to steady the energetic boy, but the moment his fingers touched Albin’s skin, he flinched back as though burned.

His body stiffened in a way that felt different from his earlier awkwardness in handling children — this time, it was more like he was retreating, as though afraid to make contact. The bright sunlight cast a shadow from his lashes, hiding his uneasy gaze.

Albin, still riding his wave of excitement, didn’t notice. Confirming this was real only seemed to boost his spirits. His crimson eyes shone with warmth as he clung to his father’s neck.

“Hehe, I must’ve sensed you were coming home today! That’s why I dreamed about you last night!” He spoke in a mock-accusatory tone. “You scolded me in my dream.”

He deliberately said this while sneaking a glance at Zeman’s expression, expecting to see surprise — but none came.

The cold, sharp-featured man remained tense, his face etched with a sternness that seemed impossible to read.

“Did you… hate that version of me, the one who scolded you?” Zeman’s voice wavered like a kite about to snap from its string, as if Albin’s answer might push him away for good.

“Of course not!” Albin declared without hesitation. “I know you were just worried about me — and besides, that was just a dream.” He poked his father’s cheek with his finger. “Dad, are you feeling down today?”

They had just reunited, yet his father didn’t seem happy at all. Albin’s mood dropped a little too.

Watching his vibrant little sun start to retreat behind the clouds, Zeman realized his own emotions were out of control. Suppressing his self-reproach, his tense face gradually softened under Albin’s touch, and the turmoil in his eyes faded away.

“No… I just noticed your homework. Was someone else helping you?” Zeman asked, deliberately changing the subject.

The parchment bore elegant handwriting, clearly belonging to an adult — but not the bookseller they had met before.

Albin’s own clumsy handwriting was close beside it, gradually showing hints of similarity, as if silently saying that even without his father’s presence, someone else had stepped in to fill the void.

“Oh, that?” Albin brightened again. “Padma taught me how to write it!”

No sooner had he mentioned Padma than there was a knock at the guest room door.

With permission granted, Padma himself stepped inside — a straight-backed man with pink hair, carrying a tray.

“Good morning, Brother Padma!” Albin called out cheerfully, reassured by Padma’s calm demeanor.

On the tray was a hearty meal. Padma smiled warmly. “Good morning, but it’s already lunchtime. The tavern downstairs is crowded, so I brought your food up here. Go wash up and get dressed first, then eat.”

The tavern, after all, was a place for drinking — rowdy drunks often caused trouble.

“Thanks, Brother Padma!” Albin beamed, then remembered his father hadn’t met Padma yet. He turned to introduce them. “Dad, this is my friend Padma. He helped me yesterday and before that too — he’s really nice!”

Zeman’s wary gaze locked onto Padma. The fox-eyed man narrowed his eyes and smiled faintly. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

Zeman remained cold and distant, not lowering his guard. He knew Padma was a fox demon — someone with questionable intentions toward Albin.

A cunning fox indeed. The one who had escaped before was now trying to cozy up to Albin while he was away.

Yet Zeman couldn’t shake the memory of that dream — the white-haired boy had seemed close with the fox, almost like trusted companions.

Perhaps that was why he hadn’t attacked Padma when they crossed paths the night before.

Still, when Padma moved to help Albin change clothes, Zeman stepped in first.

Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, Albin wiggled out of his pajamas and began buttoning his shirt with Zeman’s help.

“Dad, I dreamed about you again!” Albin said proudly. “Did you dream about me too?”

His smug little grin seemed to say, That’s two to zero!

Zeman’s heart clenched tightly. Remembering that dreadful dream, his gaze shifted to Albin’s smooth, unscarred arm.

“I… I did,” Zeman admitted hoarsely.

Albin spun around eagerly, eyes shining with curiosity. Padma, watching nearby, seemed to catch on.

“What was I like in your dream?” Albin asked expectantly.

Zeman stared into his innocent eyes. He couldn’t bring himself to describe that brutal vision.

Even if Albin knew the truth, he would probably make the same choice.

“You were… a very good child.”

It wasn’t much detail, but Albin still grinned brightly. “I dreamed of a really great dad too!”

Once Albin went off to wash up, Padma stayed behind, watching Zeman thoughtfully.

“You had that dream too, didn’t you?” Padma’s voice was quieter now, the usual polite tone replaced with something far more serious. “That lifelike dream about that kid.”

Zeman’s head snapped toward him.

Padma nodded grimly. “Yeah, I thought so.”

He let out a breath, dropping his butler’s facade. Folding his arms, he tilted his head and studied Zeman.

“By the usual pattern… you probably dreamed of that kid coming to find you. Did you drink his blood?” Padma’s grin sharpened, tongue flicking over his lips. “Sweet stuff, isn’t it?”

Zeman’s expression darkened instantly. His hand shot out and gripped Padma’s throat, fingers tightening steadily. His crimson eyes blazed with murderous intent.

“You touched him?” Zeman’s voice was ice.

Padma clawed at his hand, choking. A tiny green snake slithered out of his pocket, lunging at Zeman — only for Zeman to easily swat it away.

With a brief gasp of breath, Padma rasped, “It was… a test…”

Zeman’s fingers loosened just enough for him to speak.

“I just… wanted to see if you had bad intentions toward that kid…” Padma coughed. “You’re dangerous… I can’t leave that boy with someone like you.”

Zeman’s gaze stayed cold, but after a moment, he let go.

Padma staggered back, clutching his throat. The little green snake rapidly expanded into a massive emerald serpent, coiling protectively around Padma, its star-like eyes glaring at Zeman.

Zeman scoffed. “Still alive, huh?” He recognized the snake. “I remember you wanted to make Albin a blood slave.”

“He’s my friend!” the serpent hissed indignantly. “I’d never hurt a friend. But you… you’ll harm Albin if you’re trying to ‘protect’ him. I won’t let you get away with it.”

Zeman snorted coldly.

Both sides believed the other had ulterior motives, and the atmosphere became tense for a moment.

Padma cleared his throat and looked up, his voice hoarse: “Foolish Emerald, it seems like this guy, just like us, won’t harm Albin.”

Emerald was stunned: “Huh? You didn’t say that yesterday! Didn’t you say we needed to save Albin from him?”

“You can tell from his attitude just now.” Padma rubbed his neck, still feeling uneasy. “He’s protecting Albin.”

“Oh… alright. So now he’s on our side?” Emerald shook his head, trying to understand the situation, then returned to the form of a small emerald snake.

Though they now understood each other’s stance, the atmosphere in the room didn’t improve. There was still a faint tension in the air.

Zeman was still watching them.

Until Albin’s return broke the unnatural tension. He walked in briskly, quickly noticing Emerald curled up on the low cabinet and cried out in delight, “Emerald!”

Upon seeing him, Emerald happily stuck out his tongue.

Albin rushed over: “What are you doing here? Is it safe for a snake like you to be in a human city?”

There are priests here!

“Of course, I’m fine! I’m Lord Emerald!” Emerald tried to stay calm, wanting to maintain a majestic image in front of Albin.

Though Padma often called him a fool, to Emerald, Albin was the real idiot.

“Wow, Emerald is amazing! A snake can come all the way here, that’s awesome!”

Emerald basked in Albin’s praise.

It was no big deal; after all, Lord Emerald was a high-level magical beast.

Emerald smugly thought to himself.

“Did you come here just to find me?” Albin asked eagerly.

Emerald twisted his body and said, “Not at all! I was just passing through…”

Albin didn’t feel the slightest bit disappointed. He excitedly said, “Wow, it must be fate! Meeting you, Emerald, today is definitely going to be a lucky day.”

Emerald awkwardly turned away from his gaze: “Well, I suppose I’ll reluctantly let you have a few more lucky days.”

Padma cleared his throat and gave Emerald a sidelong glance.

Zeman asked, “Albin, when did you meet this creature?”

Albin immediately felt guilty: “Um… it was in the hunting cabin earlier.”

Zeman frowned deeply.

Albin had secretly befriended such a dangerous creature.

Albin worried that Zeman would reject magical beasts, so he quickly explained: “Back then, I didn’t know Emerald was a magical beast, and besides, Emerald isn’t that kind of dangerous creature! Dad, look!”

He reached out to hold Emerald, who obediently curled up in his hand, like a harmless pet snake.

Albin gazed at his father eagerly, like a child secretly bringing home a pet, hoping to charm him into letting it slide.

Zeman: …

If he hadn’t just witnessed the snake’s size and magical aura increase, he might have almost believed it.

On the surface, this snake seemed unremarkable, weak and small, but for a moment, even he had sensed a hint of danger.

As he watched Padma and Emerald by Albin’s side, Zeman recalled that dream.

Creatures of darkness were always drawn to Albin.

In the dream, the fox and emerald snake gathered around the silver-haired boy, and in reality, they were now at his side.

It felt like fate.

The thought sent a chill through his heart.

Zeman remembered his conversation with Moon last night.

Moon had informed him that Albin would be killed by a dragon-shaped magical creature in the future.

Though Zeman wasn’t familiar with all magical beasts, dragon-shaped ones, with their distinct forms, were usually easy to detect by humans, and the reports would reach him.

But according to the information he had received, there were no other dragon-shaped magical creatures in the world except for him. Even the Abyss, which ordinary humans could not touch, he would regularly clean up to avoid missing such special beasts.

The dragon that would kill Albin could only be himself.

He didn’t believe it.

How could he kill Albin?

If it weren’t for Moon’s trust, he would almost suspect this was some kind of absurd, shallow attempt to sow discord.

A wave of unease rose in his chest, and he questioned the source of Moon’s information.

Unaware that the dragon was right in front of him, Moon had answered him: “It’s possible that it’s a prophecy from the God of Love and Fate. I will gather more information, but before that, you need to protect him.”

His words struck like a thunderbolt.

Zeman stood frozen, still unwilling to believe, but he understood Moon wouldn’t speak without reason.

The prophecy of the God of Love and Fate would eventually come true. That was destiny, an inevitable future, which is why it was called fate.

Would he kill Albin? Was that also an unavoidable part of destiny?

Just thinking about this possibility, it felt as if an invisible hand was tightly choking his throat, making it hard to breathe. His fingers trembled as he tried to grasp a hold of reality, but only grasped at emptiness.

His thoughts became a tangled mess of doubt, anxiety, and unease, seemingly pushing him toward a deeper abyss.

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