Rigel was not a moody person. Even before his confinement, he was described as a stable mature young man. Always so well mannered and being a favorite son role model for the aunties in his neighborhood. Looking back, it was such a good memory. The aunties and old lady would always call him while he was on his way to work and offer him at least an apple or a bottle of fresh milk. Young maidens would blush at the sight of him. And some even dare themselves asking him out. From a fancy dinner to a cute picnic on the hill, he was invited  everywhere. 

Who would imagine that three years later, he would be offered a basket of bestest spring fruits and a pot of the finest black tea with lemon. He could enjoy all of it while seeing the view of the palace back garden through a massive window with an ebony frame.

All that luxury and yet he was unable to relax. The piercing gaze of several men guarding the door made him irritated. If they thought that he did not deserve such treatment then why bring him there? To have a conversation with his new master in this place and in the waiting room of the court would make no difference for him. This was just work he had to do so his debt could be cleared. 

"You better enjoy the treats while it lasts." Said a big buff guy stood beside him. One glance and Rigel could see this man is all muscle but no brain.  No offense, it was his face that told Rigel so.  "The prince will meet you in a moment. No matter how long have you been in jail, you must still remember basic manners, right?"

Rigel picked a grape and ate it wholeheartedly. The sweetness of the little red fruit filled his mouth. 

“One question, sir? If I may…”

“What?”

“Are you guys so incompetent that the prince has to form a contract with me?" A mocking smile curved on Rigel’s thin lip. He then added, "A lowly criminal who usually does not deserve to sit together even with a prison guard?”

What a provocation. Rigel could see the vein bulged on the man’s temple.

“You better watch your mouth.” The guard clenched his fist, ready to throw a punch anytime.

“Would appreciate it if you could do the same first. Senior.” Rigel intentionally pressed the word ‘senior’.

"You–!"

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the door being opened. The door guard let the young prince come to his own study. . 

“What happened here?” Cain could sense there was something unusual. The expression of the imperial guard showed undisguised anger. But Rigel continued to eat as if nothing happened. 

“Nothing. Your majesty.” 

The guard then glared at Rigel. “Hey.”–you better pay respect to the prince–was the sentence his eyes would like to relay.

Rigel knew his place. He stood up without a fuss and then placed his right palm on his left chest. “Your majesty the prince.”

What an act. Any fool could tell there was no sincerity in Rigel’s gesture. Cain snorted. He was a little bit offended by this kind of behavior. But it was also a refreshing attitude; if he had to be honest. Nobody really dared to openly act so disobedient ever since he was brought to the palace as a prince.

“Sit.”

Both of them sit face to face. Rigel continued to slowly savor the snacks and fruits in front of him. This kind of act made some guards wanna punch him in the head. Seriously, what would this lowly criminal do before? To the point of not knowing how to act in front of royalty?

Cain observed Rigel slowly. This red haired man with a tall and slim build really did not give any clue about how strong he actually is. His face was handsome with a high nose bridge, deep amber eyes, and thin pale lips. If anything, he looked more like a scholar than a knight. 

After a while, Cain sighed. “Won’t you introduce yourself to me?”

Rigel had just taken a sip of water when the question was thrown at him. His eyes rolled lazily. “Have not you read my information?”

Why bother asking for more explaination?

“My sister read it. I did not.” Cain picked an apple from the fruit basket. After a few seconds, he seemed to remember something. “Ah I remember.”

“What?” Rigel asked back in a manner that would be considered rude. In his defense, he’d say he also did not like the way this blonde prince spoke to him. His tone insinuated that he did not think Rigel’s worth his attention. 

Then why hire him?

“I remember what charge the court pressed on you.” Cain’s eyes shined brightly for unknown reasons. “You wiped clean the house of Barnard. You did not even spare a baby who is just one year old.”

An old news Cain read when he was sixteen ever made him tremble in fear. He was just a naive teenager that time. While studying under the great mentor and general to master offensive magic, Cain at that time did not have any thought to kill anybody. But the young man he saw on the news not only killed the Duke and Duchess Barnard, but also stabbed their youngest heir–a nine months old baby–to death. To make it worse, he burned the whole Barnard mansion with a raging fire that lasted for three days straight and it took four water elementalist to extinguish the fire. 

Rigel clenched his fist under the table. While it was true, he killed the whole clan of Barnard and spared none, the mention of his sin still made him uncomfortable. 

It was as if the temperature of the room dropped suddenly. The door guards all tighten their grip on their spear. Some holding the sword, grip the handle, ready to fight any time the lowly criminal tried to attack their prince.

“Any complaint, your majesty?” Rigel smiled softly. But his amber eyes seemed cold and distant. Cain did hurt him physically when they performed the ritual before. And now this brat touched his emotional wound.

“No, I am just glad.” Cain put his right elbow on the table, palm supporting his cheek.

“Sorry…” 

“That means you would take a risk to kill whoever tried to attack me right?” 

Silence. All the guards felt uncomfortable hearing such things from their prince.

“The palace had not found out yet who might target me.” Cain’s left fingers knocked on the wooden table lightly. His eyes seemed empty as if he’s entering a void state. “You might have to kill a Count, an Earl, or whomever the noble sent to my way.” 

“I do not have a hobby of slaughtering the nobleman nor their pawn.” Rigel replied firmly. “I am not a psychopath, if that’s what you have imagined about me..”

“But you can be one when you have to.” Cain looked at Rigel. “That’s all I need to know, and the only thing I know about you.”

Rigel could sense that even to the guards surrounding them in the room at the moment, Cain did have severe trust issues. To mention such a matter in front of the royal guards, he must not mind to offend anyone. 

“Well…” Rigel sighed. “I am twenty nine. My main magic element is fire. And my career before…”

After a few seconds of pause, Rigel finally continued, “I am an apothecary.”

Cain’s eyes widened. An apothecary? Nobody with a fire energy as their main element ever chooses such a calm job. The image of someone being alone in a laboratory and sorting out herbs is not fitting to Rigel at all. 

“You are lying…” Cain accused him innocently. “You? An apothecary?”

“What’s the point of me lying about this?” Irritated, Rigel sighed. “You can think of me as a poison master if you want. I do indeed know how to make an undetectable poison. Strong enough to kill an elephant with just a small dosage.”

An implicit threat? 

Cain scoffed. “The pact won’t allow you to hurt me.”

“Physically, yes. But you sure the pact will know if I harm you in that way?” Rigel mocked. He was still kind of angry that Cain hurt him badly before while carving the seal on his back. Even after applying a generous amount of wound ointment, it still hurt. “The Canticum Iustitiae could be broken by force, you know?”

Just like any curse, Canticum Iustitiae would lose its power once the master who cast it died. 

“Do not belittle me.” Cain was angry. Rigel’s subtle provocation told Cain that in his opinion that the prince was weak. “I am more than strong enough to put a leash on you.”

Rigel gave a little smile. The corner of his lip turned upward slightly. The heir of a nobleman is always like this, he thought. The same old pattern of rich bratty young masters who react at the slightest mockery because they overestimate themselves. Rigel did feel that Cain is stronger compared to his previous contractor. But if they were to spare one by one, he’s sure he would still win. 

A soft meow interrupted the tense atmosphere. Rigel was kinda surprised when a fat orange fur ball jumped from a corner of the room, to the empty chair and then to the table, approaching Cain. 

“Nara!” Cain welcomed the orange tabby cat into his embrace. The image of an arrogant man Cain displayed before, disappeared instantly. The prince landed a few soft kisses to the top of the fur ball’s head. “You are awake. You should nap longer so you can grow up well.”

Grow up well? 

Rigel observed the cat. In his opinion, the cat was already fat enough. Couldn’t Cain hear how the orange cat’s steps made the table shake lightly? 

  “Oh you must know this as my new guard.” Cain looked back at Rigel, his hand still busy scratching Nara’s chin. The cat now lay comfortably in front of the prince. “This is Nara. My cat. He’d be a second master you serve aside from me. I hope you know how to treat him well. He’s really sensitive.”

“... Okay?”

Rigel’s eye met the cat’s. The cat then looked away and continued to purr, enjoying Cain’s touch.

“Aside from the king, me, and my sister, you can only take orders from Nara.”

And this time Rigel was sure Cain was making fun of him. Why would he be placed lower than a cat?

As if knowing Rigel’s unsaid complaint, Cain added, “Nara is a magical beast.”

“Oh… right.” Whatever. Rigel reminded himself that he’s only here to pay his sin debt. He looked again at the cat which now showed Cain his fat furry belly. “Nara, right? Or should I also call him ‘your majesty’ also?”

“If you want, feel free to.”

Rigel stood, lifted his hand wanting to try petting the soft orange fur. Nara slapped his hand, clearly not allowing Rigel to touch him.

“For a cat named ‘happiness’, he doesn’t seem to like other people much.”

“What do you mean ‘happiness’?”

“His name is Nara right?” Rigel ever had one acquaintance in his village, a little girl named Nara. The parents said the name means happiness, and it was also a prayer for their child to bring smiles to other people.

“His full name is Carbonara.”

It feels like not every noble man has an art sense. Rigel’s always thought noble had this superficiality that made them do anything just for the purpose of aesthetics. No wonder they collect art which probably they don’t understand, or naming their children and pets with artsy names.

But then in front of him, a prince who named his cat over his probably favorite food. 

“Anyway… Do you like cats?”

 “I do not mind them but….”

“...”

“To be honest, I simply prefer dogs.” Rigel shrugged. “Cats have an attitude problem sometimes.” Just like you.