give me a sign ;; reading

[Romulus]

ROMULUS MALUS - KINGPIN - COTC

The kingpin's head craned. So, not an original? A new novel for him to look into, it appeared. Romulus continued to peek over the child's side as they spoke, nodding along with their words. "Good for you," came his genuine response. "Keep your brain sharp, kiddo. It'll help in the long run." A paw attempted to come up and place itself on Caspian's noggin, trying to encouraging rub their head.

Whether or not he was successful, he pulled back and away from their shoulder. He couldn't be nosy for long. Instead, the lion rounded out towards their front and sat down in front of them. "I read to feel..." His words drifted off, yet he felt he could end his response there. Romulus read to feel... different. To feel alive. To feel 'free,' as they said. There was something about it that he couldn't describe in words. He merely let himself trail off, only to realign his mindset in favor of being kid-friendly. He couldn't exactly get philosophically deep with them. That would be depressing. "To feel 'free,' I suppose."

The kingpin tried to shift away from the subject before he let his mind wander and mouth spatter something ridiculous. "Tell me," he muttered. "What's that about?" A paw raised and a singular claw pointed at the book cover.