I Don’t Want to Be Loved (Web Novel)
chapter-107

Chapter 107: Basil

“I-I was jesting, Your Majesty! All the rooms inside the palace are perfectly soundproof! Th-there’s no way I’d be able to hear anything…! It’s the honest truth! Cross my heart! Your Majesty, I couldn’t even hear footsteps from there! If doubt crosses your mind, you can check later for any noise in the room!”

Igor’s stern look loosened, though somewhat.

Thereafter, Basil went down to his knees and grabbed it. It throbbed in searing pain. The damn beast kicked his leg while naked with his thing dangling off.

“If you make jokes like that again, I won’t go easy on you next time.”

Igor turned around and went to the bathing room. He slammed the door close. 

Basil blew and huffed and rubbed his knee while not forgetting to swear under his breath towards that bad-tempered, nasty king.

Seeing how horrid the beast reacted to his simplistic joke, cold sweat formed on his temples. Had he made a blunder of mistake last night to open the door, he really would have been executed on the spot. But he doubted it. The Goddess Queen would be there to protect his life.

‘That brat, he was only little when I saw him. Now he’s all grown up and finally married to a beautiful lady,’ Basil chuckled.

Their first meeting occurred not long after the civil war that spread across Arundell ended in a bloody concession. 

Coincidently, Basil’s mother, who had recently given birth, was taken in as a wet nurse in the palace. She breastmilk not to her daughter but the newborn prince. No one knew whether the prince would become Arundell’s king or that he’d be labeled as the son of a traitor.

As the civil war came to an end, it was proclaimed that the newborn prince would become Arundell’s next king. 

Basil was on his way to see his mother when he chanced upon the baby boy waddling around the garden. He had many young siblings at the time and saw the lone baby looked pitifully lonely.

He lingered around, coddling and playing with the baby boy instead. The queen was passing by at the time and saw his interactions with Igor. Not long after, Basil was given a living quarter in the palace.

While tending and caring for Igor, Basil received higher education inside the corridors of the palace. 

As time passed and the preceding king passed away, Igor ascended the throne at an early age.

His mother had long returned back to her family home, but Basil stayed. He was not of noble title, but living inside the palace court with a humble duty to his name was fulfilling. When Igor grew of age and was able to give out orders properly as king, he raised Basil’s status from a commoner to the title of Grand Chamberlain. 

The feat shocked the nobility.

The Grand Chamberlain’s position we’re only given to the king’s favorite retainer amongst the loftiest of nobles.

Many made derisive comments and went against Igor’s decisions. He did not have much power at the time. Even the Queen Mother who thought highly of Basil disapproved of Igor’s decision.

But the truth was… the true reason why Igor placed Basil at a high position and allowed him to stay by his side was because he trusted the big oaf. Everyone else was unworthy and could not be trusted for they had ulterior motives.

Basil was aware of this reason. 

It was an indication of their long and past history. 

Though Igor had grown up a little crooked, a little mean, and a little tyrant compared to his young, innocent self, Basil looked after Igor in his own way despite his inner cursing.

And so Basil was moved. It was like his own youngest brother had grown of age and was now marrying a girl. But most of all, he was glad that Igor is able to be with the girl he had feelings for since long ago.