The Last Shade VI: Illusory Dream

Chapter 6

Kiel's monitor had never seen such an uninteresting yet puzzling character in all his years observing various targets. Unlike what he had previously thought, the Shade did not even make an attempt to ingratiate himself with the countess, and the couple of times they had meals together felt more like a business meeting than an actual one.

It could not be said that the Shade was feeling restricted in such an environment, however, for the monitor could not help but feel that Kiel did not have much awareness that he was in a great noble's house. He freely explored the Narfidort residence, ate and slept comfortably, and though at the beginning he would only write in his notebook or read his own books, when he discovered the library he just spent most of his time enjoying the collection there instead.

Kiel would take long baths by himself, and rotate between three outfits- his usual one, a semi-elaborate green set, and an oversized bluish-green tunic that fit him like a dress. Wrapping his belt around his waist, Kiel would forfeit trousers altogether and go about his business, nonchalant of his strange form of dress.

The monitor had never seen Kiel talk to anyone unless they engaged him first. Occasionally, the Shade would look nostalgic when he observed the servants congregating for meals or respectfully greeting him in hallways. Sometimes, an uncontrollably despondent air would hang over him, but for some reason, his back would always be facing the monitor during those times.

Once, Kiel made direct eye contact with the shadowy corner the monitor was ensconced in, making him break out in cold sweat. Strangely, though, despite the fact that the monitor was certain that his observation target knew of his existence, he never mentioned it or took any action.

Perhaps, this innocuous-looking teenager had already gleaned the reason behind him having a tail, but didn't do anything as he didn't have a guilty conscience. The monitor shivered at the thought- he didn't know if that was a boon or bane.

During the last night of the monitor's Shade observation task, he happened to see Kiel walking half-undressed to his table, pulling out his chair which gave the monitor a full view of his exposed back.

The monitor nearly lost his balance on the ceiling beam in shock, his eyes glued to an unimaginable sight. On the Shade's back, numerous unrecognisable pale blue hieroglyphs spread from his shoulder blades to his waist, interlaced with snaking lines that curled and branched out, seemingly forming a deliberate pattern which disappeared down past the band of his shorts.

Kiel, seated at his table and mending the hem of his green coat, was oblivious to his monitor's unstable state of mind above him. The man had recoiled, those markings seared into his brain, primal fear pooling in his heart as the pattern seemed to whisper in his ear knowledge about the very fabric of the universe, mythical things beyond any world's comprehension and holy beings around since time immemorial.

The feeling of his mind getting scrambled and organs rearranged vanished abruptly when he turned away, and those strange maniacal whispers evaporated like a passing flight of fancy.

Looking back at Kiel after gathering his courage, the monitor saw that the pattern had become hidden by Kiel's chair. All mystery had now been stripped from his newfound knowledge, and the image in his mind had degenerated into a mess of incomprehensible scribbles.

When Kiel slipped on his clothes and went to bed, the monitor waited till he was asleep before slipping out the room silently. In the darkness, a pair of purple-green eyes watched him leave.