CHAPTER 18
“Theo, no!”
“Huh?”
“Poppy isnāt a bad monster!”
“…Poppyā¦?”
Though Theo looked at Jayna with a completely bewildered expression, he slowly lowered his hand.
“Here, watch. Poppy, sit.”
“Woof!”
At Jaynaās command, Poppy lay down.
“Roll!”
“Woof!”
Poppy barked energetically and rolled on the floor. This time, Jayna formed her fingers into the shape of a gun.
“Bang!”
“Grrā¦ whimperā¦”
Poppy pretended to be shot and collapsed on the ground.
Watching a monster perform tricks like a dog on command left Theoris dumbfounded. He even wondered if heād lost his mind and was hallucinating.
The monster Jayna had given the ridiculously cute name āPoppyā was, in fact, a Cyus Wolf ā a creature infamous for its ferocity.
Cyus Wolves were notoriously aggressive and violent, almost as strong as high-ranking monsters. They would attack anything in sight: humans, smaller monsters, even injured high-level beasts. And yet, one of these āmad monstersā was now rolling over cutely before Jayna. No wonder Theoris was questioning his sanity.
āFirst that baby monsterā¦ now this? What is going on?ā
“Well? What do you think, Theo?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, what do you think of our Poppy?”
“If you meanā¦ what do I thinkā¦”
Theoris trailed off, unsure what to say. Jayna leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“ā¦Cute?”
Recalling how Jayna had constantly called her previous baby monster “cute, cute” every day, Theoris answered hesitantly.
The word ācuteā didnāt suit this monster at all. But if that was the answer Jayna wanted, Theoris would call it cute a hundred times over.
It wasnāt the right answer. Jayna pouted, displeased.
“Not like that. I meant, does it seem suitable to keep as a pet?”
“ā¦A petā¦?”
“Yes. A pet.”
Jayna didnāt look like she was joking, which only made Theoris more troubled.
āShe wants to raiseā¦ a Cyus Wolf?ā
He was about to say no, but then he looked into Jaynaās pleading eyes and sighed, touching his forehead.
“ā¦Yes.”
At his answer, Jayna beamed brightly.
“But until weāve fitted it with a restraint, donāt get too close.”
“What?! Why? Poppy doesnāt bite people!”
“ā¦Itās still dangerous.”
“But look how calm he is!”
“ā¦Still no.”
Theorisās firm tone left no room for negotiation. Jayna finally took a step back.
Having achieved her goal of keeping Poppy, Jayna finally looked around.
It was a mess.
The walls were destroyed, and the building looked like it could collapse at any moment.
In their rushed escape, she hadnāt checked what this building was used for or how many people were involved.
Jayna turned to Theoris, who was absentmindedly playing with her hair.
“Theo, do you know what this place is?”
“Yes. It’s an illegal trafficking site for slaves and monsters. I had intel about their recent movements and came to confirm it today.”
Jayna nodded.
“You should head back to the village first. Iāll finish things up here.”
“Letās just wait and go together.”
“You might run into some of the traffickers nearby.”
Jayna was about to insist that sheād be fine with Poppy, but seeing Lily looking nervous, she nodded instead.
The sun, painting the sky red, was now setting. It would soon be dark. Jayna didnāt know exactly where they were, but she was sure this wasnāt the spot where Theo had been ambushed.
āWell, at least we avoided the dead ending.ā
“Alright, Iāll go ahead. Hurry back.”
“Yes, Iāll be quick.”
Jayna headed toward the village with Poppy and Lily.
Lily, who had been silent in the presence of a stranger, glanced at Theoris and whispered to Jayna:
“Sis, is that man your husband?”
“Yup. Handsome, right?”
“Yeahā¦ a little scary thoughā¦”
Lily trailed off. Encouraged by Jaynaās warm smile, she hesitated but finally said:
“Heās pretty. Like a fairy.”
Jayna chuckled at Lilyās honest observation.
āWell, Theo does look more āprettyā than āhandsome.ā Though sometimes, when he touches me with that serious expressionā¦ā
Jayna blushed, recalling a particularly heated night.
“Sis, are you okay? Your face is red.”
“H-Huh? Itās nothing. Iām fine.”
Both Lily and Poppy tilted their heads in confusion. Jayna laughed awkwardly and fanned her face while looking up at the sky.
The sunset melted into hues of violet, mixing red and blue like a cocktail. Wisps of clouds floated like a painted illustration.
āWait a minuteā¦ā
A strange unease crept over Jayna. She looked back. The building was half-destroyed and barely recognizable. But the color of the sky behind it matched exactly with the illustration she remembered.
āDonāt tell me this isā¦ā
“Lily, stay here for a moment. Poppy, come with me.”
Though puzzled, Lily nodded. Jayna ran back to the building with Poppy.
She spotted Theoris inspecting something under a wall. Not far from him, an assassin with a dagger crept forward.
Just as she was about to call out, the assassin lunged.
It was too late for Theoris to react.
Jayna shouted:
“Bite!”
āPoppy doesnāt bite people,ā I saidā¦
Jayna recalled her words from just five minutes ago.
The assassin had vanished without a trace. Having swallowed him whole, Poppy wagged his tail innocently, looking at Jayna. Theoris, watching the scene without even blinking, turned to her.
“Didnāt you say it doesnāt bite people?”
“Uhā¦ wellā¦ that wasnāt a person.”
“Then what was it?”
“An assassin?”
Jayna gave an awkward smile.
The assassin wouldāve been killed by Theoris anyway, so the outcome didnāt really change anythingā¦
“More importantly, Theo, what were you looking at so closely you didnāt notice someone sneaking up on you?”
“I noticed.”
“But you didnāt draw your sword!”
“If I had, I wouldāve killed him instantly. I wanted to subdue him barehanded and interrogate him.”
He didnāt seem to be making excuses out of pride.
āThenā¦ did I mess up? Even if I tell Poppy to spit it out nowā¦ā
Jayna glanced at Theoris nervously and apologized.
“Sorry. I butted in.”
Seeing her so dejected, Theoris quickly shook his head.
“No. You saved my life, Jayna.”
“But stillā¦”
He gently comforted her, stopping her from apologizing further.
Everything else went smoothly.
All the imprisoned people were freed, and the illegally bred monsters were handed over to the imperial monster control unit. Most were mid- or low-tier creatures. The more dangerous ones were handled quietly.
Lily also returned home safely. The older brother sheād always called āuglyā burst into tears the moment he saw her. Lily, sobbing in her motherās arms, laughed at the sight.
She was startled when she finally learned Jaynaās status.
“Your Grace, please forgive my rudeness!”
“Itās okay, Lily. No need to be so formal. Just call me like before.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Iāll visit sometimes.”
“Okay, sis!”
After saying goodbye, Jayna and Theoris returned to the ducal estate. Smuggling the massive Poppy in was no easy feat.
Eventually, Poppy was housed in a monster-only enclosure behind the castle. Theoris fitted him with a specially crafted restraint and sealed the area with a powerful barrier.
Honestly, Poppy didnāt seem interested in escaping anyway.
Raising two monsters wasnāt easy. Especially walking them separately every day was such a hassle.
Cotton Candy, who preferred lounging in bed like her owner, had started begging for walks ever since Poppy arrived. After walks with Poppy, sheād cling to Jayna, trying to erase his scent from her.
āIf only Poppy and Cotton Candy got alongā¦ then I wouldnāt have to suffer like this.ā
Jayna brought Cotton Candy to the monster enclosure.
The resultā¦
“Grrrrā¦”
“Kyururuā¦”
“Woof! Growl, woof!”
“Kyu, kyuaung!”
Poppy bared his teeth and barked furiously. Cotton Candy, undaunted despite the size difference, puffed up bravely ā then leapt into Jaynaās arms.
“Poppy, no.”
Jayna calmed Poppy down while stroking the trembling Cotton Candy. The monster who just moments ago looked ready to tear her apart now sat quietly.
āI guess itās not going to work.ā
She was about to give up when Ellie called out.
“My lady, His Grace is calling for you.”
“Hm? Theo?”
Theoris didnāt particularly like seeing Jayna carrying Cotton Candy.
At first, she thought he just didnāt like monsters. But the way he glared at Cotton Candy ā like a jealous child who had his toy taken ā made it clear: he was jealous. Jayna found that utterly adorable.
“Ellie, could you take Cotton Candy to my room?”
Jayna held out the fluffy ball. Ellie reached out, but Cotton Candy turned her head away and jumped to the ground.
“Whatās wrong, Cotton Candy?”
She fluffed her fur and dashed forward.
“You want to play more?”
“Kyuaung!”
Jayna looked between the two monsters. Poppy didnāt seem pleased with Cotton Candy rolling around on the floor.
A bit risky, butā¦ Theo had designed the restraint himself. Surely it wouldn’t break.
“Okay, Cotton Candy. Play a little, then go back to the room quietly, alright?”
“Kyu!”
Cotton Candy often wandered around the garden alone, after all. Leaving her there, Jayna headed to Theorisās room with Ellie.
