Ticklish

When Miel tossed the rat into the bushes, he had decided to come clean after a while. However, he didn't know that Larkin would catch him red-handed. Moreover, the rat might still be around. Even if he could choose to lie to Larkin, he knew it very well that Larkin could detect lies. If he dared to lie, he would be in more trouble.

That was why he geared up his courage in his heart. It was better to just tell the archduke his real thoughts about having the rat around and how dangerous it was for the archduke to begin with. As long as he didn't lie or twist his words, he was already taking half the punishment.

"Your Grace, I…" Miel opened his mouth, but he forgot to rehearse what to say first. Should he greet the archduke, or should he jump into the question already? Regardless of his choice, how should he put his actions? Should he sound defensive or matter-of-factly?

It's just that… before he could speak, a familiar figure in a blue dress popped out of nowhere, her snood holding onto a few leaves since she shot out of the bushes. The angel came out like a protester and stood between the two men. "He was just trying to protect you!"

"...Lady Shen? Why are you in the bushes?" Miel was more horrified. Didn't he throw the rat at that part of the bushes? Did he accidentally dump a rat on the future archduchess's face?

"Oh? Really?" Larkin's impassive face soon degraded into an unamused look. "Not only did you break your promise, but you had also harmed Sir Princesley. Artie Shen, do you have any preferred location for your punishment? It seemed that being sent to the stables did nothing to your rebellious nature."

Artie froze. She was waiting for the notification, but nothing came in the end. She only dropped her hand to her side. "I… The thing with Sir Princesley was an accident. I was indeed very careful, but I miscalculated the most vital points of my… uh, I was looking for you!" Artie ended up stomping, disguising her frustration as unreasonableness. "I… I thought I should do it covertly, but Sir Princesley found me… caught me…

"Brought me to Miel..." She clenched her teeth in uncertainty. The future archduchess took a deep breath. "This is all my fault, and I am accepting my punishment. Throw me in the dungeons if you like, but spare Miel this time.

"He saw what the rat did, and he was scared it would do the same to you. He didn't like it as much as the very idea of it near you. Let him… leave him alone. If you're upset, take it all out on me." Artie placed a hand on her chest. Hopefully, her insert wasn't such a very forced one. However, the rising brows of the archduke made her believe that she had failed to keep it down.

Larkin's face was changing the entire time Artie was talking. Now that it's back to his impassive face with a hint of intrigue, he only glanced at Miel before addressing Artie again. He also reached out his hand, his other one hooking the sleeve as if letting something inside. "Change back. I have better plans."

The archduchess jerked back. What happened to not showing Miel that form? However, the ice in Larkin's eyes made Artie bit her lip and openly change back into the smooth and curvy sewer rat. It's just that, right now, Miel didn't freeze. He even ducked down to grab Artie before bringing her to the archduke's hand.

"...so… it was Lady Shen…? I… I must apologize for throwing you away, Lady Shen..." Miel's eyes flickered. He didn't like rats because they were scary and monstrous in nature. Perhaps, now that he knew it was Artie, his brain refused to categorize it as the monstrous rats of Tetroka. "...you must have been… in distress..."

"I have yet to find out why she opted to change forms today, but the distress can be attributed to you." Larkin recalled his glare at Artie as the rat crept inside his sleeve. "In under no circumstance must she be shown to you. However, it was too late to regret it now. How… how are you?"

Miel was more focused on the lump hidden inside the sleeve. It was the first time he held a rat after all those years, and he could admit that Artie's fur was too smooth for a sewer-grown one. It was just a rat by nature, but it didn't deserve his dread. Neither did the rat ask for it. He was still safe… as long as he was in his father's home.

When he heard Larkin's voice, he forgot to process the words spoken. He only looked into the silver eyes of the archduke. "I beg your pardon, Your Grace. You were saying something?"

Larkin's eyes blinked in disappointment. He wanted to brush it off, but Artie squeaked from inside the sleeve: "Say it again! Come on! Daddy! I believe in you!"

"...your body stalls at the sight of the creature… please work on that." Larkin changed his wording, yes… but even the approach had been shattered. He then heard the rat's whining from his sleeve. "Shush, Artie..."

He just patted against the lump, but Artie decided to crawl up his arm and into the armhole to arrive nearby the neck. Larkin was already rotating his shoulder when he felt the rat crawl up his shoulder. When Artie reached his collarbone, he had already looked down to check on the bulge just above his chest. However, Artie was still not content and climbed just next to the neck. It's just that Larkin was wearing a closed-neck shirt.

Artie knew that she wouldn't be able to poke her nose out now and that almost meant that he wouldn't be able to take her out easily. She then rubbed her teeth against his skin. "Apologize! That's not how you express your worry! Come on! You can do a better job!"

In a sudden movement, Larkin quickly pulled on his collar—snapping it open—and grabbed the rat out of his shirt. Even if he looked very panicked and angry at her action—the moment he brought her to his face, she noticed a faint blush on the archduke's cheeks. For some reason, the look on Larkin's face was more of slight humiliation… just because she made him jerk and panic.

Artie then laughed, the rat squeaking: "Aww, ticklish?"

Larkin only closed his eyes as he cleared the expression on his face. He brought his hand and the rat to the side… and tossed Artie Shen back into the bushes. Miel, who just finished dwelling on his words, caught the action and widened his eyes. Did the archduke just literally throw his prospective wife like a piece of rubbish?

"See to it that she would be spending the night in the dungeon just as she requested." Larkin was quite angry, but he didn't open his eyes and risk glaring at Miel. He then rubbed the part of his neck that Artie scratched with her teeth. "Forget about what I said, Miel. Deal with your stalls at your own pace. However, if you gaze upon that rat once more, I'd advise you to kick it."

"...I understand, Your Grace."

Artie actually transformed back as she was half-laughing, half-cursing. However, when she heard that Miel would be kicking her, she only pouted. More when the notification came.

[You have gained a sliver of trust! Active task completion: 65%. Veneration + 15. Total meter points: 126; Veneration 79, Apostasy 47.]

"You've got to be kidding me..."