STABLE BOY ; Trash of the Count's Family

41. FREEDOM TO EXPERIENCE

Vicross made South help in the kitchen. He absolutely was not going to babysit all these feral kids on his own.

After he made South bathed like, twice first, of course. South had to help the wolf beastchildren wash up with the youngests kids, who had difficulty doing it on their own. Vicross had to search around their shopping hauls and ask the Ubarr for enough supplies to clothe all of them for kitchenwork, which was horrid.

"Uncle, Horse-oppa fell asleep in the bathtub," said one of the youngests girls, dressed in a shirt too big for her, her hair still damp.

"Let him drown," Vicross said instinctively. He was busy trying to help half of these kids wear something and— Then, he realized and turned around, "wait, no."

He asked South to help take care of the children, but somehow instead, South needed to be taken care of by the children.

And he couldn't even get mad about South not eating his medicine. The Young Master's potion would've made it ineffective anyway.

-

"South should be fine to come with us to the Central Island, but are you sure? We're sailing into the sea."

The medicine was still quite effective even a day later. He could feel the pain coming back as they approached the shore, but South didn't mind.

"Our horses aren't feeling well because they're not used to the environment," he said. "I heard from the other stablehands that there's some herbs only found on those offshore islands that help, so I thought I'd at least go check it out in case we need any more than what they have in stock."

Cale sighed deeply. So he didn't have to go.

Honestly this reminded Cale of that time South was picking up herbs around a supposed man-eating tree without shoes on, seriously. Why does he like doing annoying things so much?

Vicross looked like he wanted to manhandle South and shove him into the horse feed. Terrifying. How did South ignore that?

Well, if he wanted to come, Cale supposed he couldn't stop him. The kittens didn't like large bodies of water, so they crawled all over Hans whining about being brought out here. What a contrast.

-

"...how are you not seasick?"

"I love boats, Young Master!" South was absolutely hyperactive on the ship. "Though I've only ever done it on sand. When it snows, I used to go boardgliding too!"

Well, that was just ridiculous.

Even Cale felt mildly nauseated, and Hillsman was hunched over the boxes praying for mercy. Vicross was just carefully trailing after South as he swung around the mast's ropelines, wary that he'd swing himself right off the ship with one wrong breeze.

"Aren't the whirlpools so cool?" the captain boasted.

"They are!" South beamed, coming up beside the helm, "they look so scarryyy!!"

"You get it, kid!"

South grinned. And then winced. "Ow ow ow, I'm going to go run that way," South muttered, scampering off to the other end of the boat once more.

Vicross groaned and followed.

South whined, clutching at his chest, "each time I stop moving the pain hits."

"South..." that's Hillsman, who just got rejected by the Young Master in his request for comfort. "Aren't you scared, it's rocking so violently, the ship's going to capsize..."

"Eh, it's better than Joycequine when anyone other than you tries to get on her," South said. "There was a time she threw me off and then stomped on me because she's a bi—"

"Huh?! My horse is the sweetest, don't lie to me!"

"She is so mean she just likes you—"

Well. At least that got Hillsman's mind off how sick and terrified he felt.

-

"I'll bring South with me. You hold him back and don't follow," Cale ordered Vicross around easily. Hillsman, still feeling awfully seasick, ended up having to stay behind.

South followed.

"You can go do whatever you want," Cale said. "Once we're out of sight, leave me with the dragon."

"Okay, Young Master."

As expected, Cale preferred to leave annoying jobs to someone like Vicross, who would obey him— and he was willing to use people like South, who wouldn't ask questions, around as a cover so he could move freely.

"Cold Human, this Great Dragon is learning to read!" the Black Dragon declared, pointing at him, proudly. "I may teach you if you so wish!"

South blinked up surprised at that.

But his face melted into a thoughtful smile, "it's fine, Great Dragon. I am content not learning how to read."

"What? Why?! You will remain a dumb human forever!" the dragon protested, nudging his paw at South's head and shaking it about like a bobble toy. "I will lower myself down to your level and learn with you!"

South chuckled, "really, I want to stay dumb!"

"That's not sensible!"

"I know, but it was a promise I made with someone."

"Well, that someone was a villain, it is a foolish promise!"

"Even then, I don't like breaking promises."

South simply looked up at the dragon with a confident smile that conveyed just how his decision was final— and the dragon huffed, annoyed and unable to understand that unreasonable desire to not learn.

Cale glanced over as well, curious.

It seemed odd. South could understand signs, maps, and numbers— but not letters. Perhaps that was the bare minimum to survive, but even slumchildren picked up a little more than that with newspapers or shop signs.

Yet, it seemed like South was actively trying not to learn more.

Perhaps this was another one of those situations, where South limited himself so he wouldn't be a threat to the person he served. Maybe it's been conditioned in him to never learn words, so he would always blindly follow verbal orders.

Or maybe...

"You could read a book to me, Great Dragon," South compromised. "I have never been able to read a story on my own. You could help me."

And that made the dragon perk up.

"Yes!" he declared, "this Great Dragon shall give you the honour of listening as I read a story to you! I will tell you what I learned!"

South nodded. "I will look forward to it, Great Dragon."

Cale sighed.

At least they're getting along.