Oh, you didn’t know?
Leiya smiled mockingly.
It was a smile full of ridicule rather than a loving one for someone she liked, so no one present could believe that Leiya liked Alek.
‘Even I, with no sense, can tell.’
Alek gasped in shock beside me, scoffing at her.
“No way. Do I not know you? The person you like is bi-”
Alek’s words were cut off as the wine glass Leiya was holding fell and hit his plate.
“Gyaaang?”
Oh, that was a surprise!
“Seesaaang!!”
Amid everyone’s surprise, she suddenly stood up and exaggerated her gestures, making a fuss.
As if she was deliberately not hiding that she was doing it on purpose.
Soon, all traces of her mistake were cleaned up, and she sat down with a bright smile, acting natural.
“Please forgive me, Duke of Lycan.”
“…It’s okay.”
Does she not know? Farhenheit slowly finished his sentence.
“Even for the sword master. I… I made a mistake.”
Leiya looked at Alek and spoke clearly. Her tone was sharp, as if her claws were embedded in her words.
‘Hmm, I get the gist.’
Leiya is the eldest daughter of the Aquila family. But even within her family, there is fierce power struggle, so it’s crucial to establish her own authority.
In that regard, marrying Alek, the sword master she likes, would be much better than just liking someone.
Alek, who was her friend, knew who she liked and was about to say it just now.
“…Woof.”
And probably, that person. I subtly turned my head to Bietze and looked at him. Somehow, he kept sipping his wine glass.
“…Woof.”
Haha, what a mess… no, arking is in charge here.
Let’s just ignore power and romantic relationships. I decided to enjoy this meal time.
Yes, I wanted to enjoy it, but…
‘Only I can’t.’
In front of me, a bowl of boiled vegetables and meat was still placed. Heaily picked one and brought it close to her mouth.
“E-please eat.”
“Woo-”
Of course, it’s pretty good… but everyone else is eating steak or pasta, and I’m just nibbling on these soggy things, which makes me sad.
“Woof-woof…”
“Now, drink your milk through the straw.”
Slurp!
“Good job.”
Yeah, that’s my fate.
While sighing and chewing, I felt someone’s gaze on me.
“Woo?”
Leiya suddenly stopped eating and stared at me intently.
“Do noble ladies not eat human food?”
“Yes. For health reasons.”
“But even among beastkin, I think it’s okay to eat a little. Isn’t steak cooked almost raw?”
“…Woof?!”
Leiya’s tail and ears stood upright at her words. Her eyes suddenly sharpened, and her nose twitched.
—Is it true?
“Oh, um… yes.”
Leiya seemed slightly flustered and avoided eye contact. After wiping her mouth with a napkin, she continued.
“When I was about fourteen, I acted as a messenger. I ate whatever food was available, regardless of whether it was cooked or not. Because on the battlefield, you can’t really pick what to eat.”
“Woof!!!”
I looked up at Heaily with angry eyes. If that’s true, Heaily, you’ve been teasing me?!
Heaily casually avoided my gaze and muttered.
“You’re talking about times when you couldn’t choose your food. Besides, Lady Bieche is a brave messenger, isn’t she? She can digest anything.”
“But it seems like she really wants to eat that. Just a piece of steak…”
“Woof! Woof-woof-woof-woof-woof-woof!!”
Right, right.
Who would get diarrhea from just a small piece of cooked beef?
It’s like giving a puppy a piece of bossam or pork belly when eating.
I nodded urgently.
“…Phew. It can’t be helped. Just a few pieces.”
Heaily looked at Leiya with resentment and then picked up her fork to order a steak that the chef hadn’t seasoned.
‘Lady Leiya, you are my benefactor…’
My heart instantly lifted Leiya’s status.
Maybe marrying Alek wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all.
Honestly, I didn’t care much about Alek’s opinion.
“Woof…”
Feeling grateful, I clasped my two front paws tightly and my eyes sparkled.
“You don’t have to be so grateful. It’s just my experience.”
Leiya suddenly fanned herself, looking hot, then put down her fork and moved her lips.
“…Noble lady, really…”
“Woof?”
“…It’s nothing.”
What was she about to say all of a sudden?
In my curiosity, I tried to ask, but just then, my steak appeared on the table.
It was bigger than both my paws put together. My eyes widened at the size of the meat. My tail wagged naturally, and my ears moved back and forth.
I’m not usually this light-hearted, but I guess I can’t help myself when it comes to meat.
~·~·* . * . *·~·~
The meal was over.
On command from Baron Farhenheit, Alek, escorting Leiya to the guesthouse, looked at her intently before reaching the entrance and asked.
“Leiya. Are you really going to marry me?”
Her luminous golden eyes slightly furrowed, showing a somewhat annoyed light.
“Why do you keep asking? It might not be, or it might be. And if I say I’ll marry you, will you agree easily?”
That was true.
Alek sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, but now was not the time to hesitate about his marriage.
“But you like Bietze, don’t you?”
“…You really have a loose tongue, don’t you? If you fall into water, that mouth will just float on top.”
Leiya lowered her eyes slightly and then sharply stomped her high heel onto Alek’s shoe.
“Ugh—! This girl… with her temper…!!”
“Shut up. Who’s calling whom temperamental?”
Alek grimaced as he clutched his foot, then looked at Leiya and smirked.
“So, you’re not denying it, huh?”
“I’m not a childish lady anymore. I’m someone who’s about to become a lady of the house. If that’s the case, isn’t marriage for the sake of the family?”
“So, your decision is to marry me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why not Bietze? That guy is also the master of a great estate. Even though he’s from the south, marrying him could bring enormous wealth to the Aquila family.”
“Fool. The Squalus family supports the First Prince. We support the Crown Prince.”
A powerful strike hit her head like an eagle’s talon on the wolf’s crown.
“We’re looking at other options. Besides…”
“Besides?”
Leiya clenched her lips, about to speak, but then she stopped. Actually, there was one more reason.
But she saw no need to tell her friend, who knew nothing of her past that she had let drift away in the wind. She finished her words with a somewhat bitter tone.
“It’s nothing. Anyway, I have no reason to be with Bieche anymore. So, you should mind your own business.”
She thought she explained clearly, but Alek stared at Leiya for a long moment and then casually threw out a remark.
“…But I think neither of you are worthy of the Emperor.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think you’re suitable for the throne—either the Crown Prince or the First Prince? The First Prince is spoiled… and the Crown Prince seems shady, like a sinister type.”
For some reason, Leiya, who supported the Crown Prince, did not deny it. Instead, she asked another question.
“So, is that why Lycan is still neutral and not supporting anyone? Are you waiting for some hero-like prince to appear?”
Leiya chuckled mockingly.
“Wake up, Alek.”
“…”
“Igor is the one who achieved many feats in this empire. The First Prince lost the succession fight. No one else can be as meritorious as Igors.”
Alek frowned. Watching him, Leiya smirked and concluded.
“Of course, that’s if Igors didn’t do it himself.”
Yes, in truth, the world of the Split is a brutal natural realm where the strong prey on the weak. The strongest becomes the emperor. So, if there exists an even stronger beast than Igors, and that beast’s merits are actually the deeds of another predator, then naturally, that beast would be the emperor.
~·~·* . * . *·~·~
The next day.
It was customary for the mistress of the barony to guide guests around the estate.
Since Fahrenheit was not yet married, Ichel was in charge of the mistress’s duties, so I was naturally responsible for giving the tour.
Early in the morning, dressed lightly in a casual dress, I went to the eastern guesthouse where the two were staying.
Leiya was sitting in the reception room.
“Woo-woof. Woo-woof-woof.”
Good morning, Your Highness.
I approached and barked softly. She, enjoying her espresso, suddenly widened her eyes.
“Oh…”
Was it so small that she couldn’t see it? My pride was hurt, and I furrowed my brows. She then stood up and crouched down.
In an instant, our eye levels matched.
“Woo, woof?”
“Good morning, Lady Noble.”
“Woo…woof-woof.”
“I hear Lady Bieche will be talking business with Duke of Lycan today. So I’m only here.”
Although there was only a one-year age difference, Leiya and Ichel were not at all close.
Partly because of their vastly different personalities, and also because Ichel felt it was hard to advance in social circles, whereas Leiya had been meeting many people to become a lady of the house.
Moreover, she engaged more in external activities than socializing—namely, the activities of the imperial messenger.
Her flying ability and physical prowess were the best among the Aquila, and she was favored by the emperor and her mother, the lady of the house, and was quickly designated as the heir.
So, was there a chance for Ichel to bond with her in a friendly way?
‘But… I don’t think it’s bad.’
Seeing her bow and match eye levels shows some degree of sincerity.
-Actually, I came to introduce Lady Leiya to Estara Castle.
~·~·* . * . *·~·~
Hey there, It’s Green Rose 😉
Since I human I might have make some mistakes while translating so please if you find them let me know here in the comments or in the Discord group so I can correct them and be careful in the future so they do not repeat.
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
~~~Next Chapter~~~
Next chapter will be released on August, 6.
See you then!!
