Chapter 470 - 471: Misremembering.

Chapter 470: Chapter 471: Misremembering.

Even ones who used to be one of them.

That’s hard. They were his friends, too. And Binny would be a fool to think that none of them envied him. Unfortunately, that is one of the things his eyes can see. Even his own sister won’t talk freely with him in the halls unless they know they’re alone, even though he’s told her not to worry so much about it. Easy for him to say when he’s the one wearing the uniform, though. Not quite a servant, and not quite a Lord, but rather some weird in between.

But this is the life he wanted, and what he wanted to be. So he still goes down to the kitchens when he has time; helps them cook, and cleans up after without complaint, and he makes sure to clean his own boots and run his own baths so that they don’t have to.

Hopefully there’ll come a time when they don’t have to worry so much. After all, there used to be a time where Binny would hold his tongue around soldiers, and now look at him; casually lying on a nobleman’s bed wearing his clothes and snacking on the dinner he’s let go cold.

Okay, so they have history, but who’s keeping score?

"...I guess you’ve heard about Rogard and Drogger, right?" Binny remarks conversationally, polishing off the last grape on the plate sitting next to him. Vector looks up from the notebook he’s poring over just long enough to give him a dry look. Binny’s pretty good at deciphering his many looks, but this one could be utter disinterest, or it could be a nonverbal warning not to get crumbs in his bed.

"...What about them?"

Both. It’s both.

"Oh, c’mon ," Binny prods, because as much as Vector likes to think he’s above all the little whispers that everyone hates but secretly listens in on, there comes a time when whispers just become common knowledge. This is one of them. "That they’re involved ."

Vogrid adjusts his glasses, then flips to the next page. Loudly, so that Binny knows that he’s disturbing him while he’s working. Again.

"...That’s their business." And then, another page-turn later, "I warned Rogard to be more careful. And like usual, he didn’t listen."

"That sounds like Rogard," Binny admits, because he’s very good at ignoring Vector’s passive aggressive hints. As it is he’s a little preoccupied with deciding which part of his dinner he’s going to eat next. The beans he has to leave; those are Vector’s favourite even when they’re stone cold, but the carrots seem like fair game. " Wait , are you saying you knew ?"

"...I may have had my suspicions."

And people think Vector doesn’t notice things. Rogard would be overjoyed to know that his old friend still pays attention to him. Although Binny’s pretty sure that Vector wouldn’t see it that way and would rather throw himself from the ramparts than ever let him learn of it.

"I think it’s all worked out for him," he muses aloud, "...We’re going to go out and celebrate sometime." It feels kind of dangerous and exciting to be able to include himself in that statement. The soldiers have been chattering about it for a while now but haven’t had the heart to make firm plans. What with how much trouble Khobi has been in recently, sneaking him out for a night on the town had seemed inadvisable.

(Loac seems under the impression that the king knows a little more about the last time than they thought.)

Binny’s gonna go with them, this time. Just like Khobi said they should.

He’s got a lot to answer for, that Khobi Frost. At the very least Binny owes him a drink. Maybe his life?

"...Would you come with me?" he finds himself asking, curious.

"Drinking with those fools?" Vogrid scoffs, looking politely affronted by the suggestion, "What would I want to do that for?"

Binny gives him a meaningful look. So convenient, how Vector likes to misunderstand on purpose. That’s usually his job. "That’s not the question I asked, Vector."

Vector considers this, and then frowns, seeming quite genuinely confused, "...Why would you want me to come with you?"

"Because I like you, Vector." Binny cannot get over how flustered it makes him when he says things like that. "And they’re my friends," he adds with a small shrug. "They were your friends, too."

There’s a brief moment of hesitation before Vogrid’s attention shifts back to his paperwork. "...You’re misremembering again."

Ah, Vector, always so stubborn. He’d never been very good at playing with friends. It’s a good thing that Binny had always been quite good at leading him along, and if Vector really hated being led so much he never would have let him. He’s pretty sure he still knows how to do it, but a little less sure if he’ll still let him. Not to mention that this feels like the sort of thing that he shouldn’t push.

As much as Binny likes to push, there are limits. And while he hasn’t specifically said as much, coming along to a rowdy tavern for an even rowdier night with even rowdier soldiers isn’t just Vector’s idea of a terrible time; it would be openly admitting that they –much like Rogard and Drogger –are involved . In fairness, to a room of soldiers who Binny is quite fond of and who have never really seemed to care that he was a servant to begin with, but once one person knows, everyone in the castle will know. And it’s not fair of him to ask that of Vector just yet. They’ll cross that bridge some other day –or at least, that’s what he hopes –but for now he’ll settle for what they have within the privacy of Vector’s room and let the dust settle on his appointment to the guard before stirring up another scandal.

"Are you gonna eat any of this, Vector?" he inquires casually to redirect the flow of conversation, holding up the plate he’s been picking at for the last hour since having finished his own. Vogrid glances up from the papers he’s been working on instead of paying attention to him and his jaw drops.

"Wha – Binny there’s nothing left ."

"Hah? What are you talking about? I left you the beans~"