《I Raised the Beast Well》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Trantor/editor: ruby Someone walked up to the blond man who was feeding a parrot, giving him a quick bow before shouting; ¡°Your Majesty! I have something very important to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The blond man let the parrot fly away and turned around to face his servant. He shook off the bits of birdseed left on his fingertips with an indifferent expression. The sunlight hit his beautiful face. ¡°The ring has been found!¡± The man¡¯s eyes lit up once he heard that word. *** ¡°You useless little girl!¡± The nosebleed wouldn¡¯t stop. The voice that she was so ustomed to hearing was especially harsh today. The child bit her lips and wiped her nose hastily with a dirty sleeve . ¡°You pitiful little bitch! I hired you out of in generosity, the least you can do is do your job right!¡± The girl clutched her shoulder, mocking the man under her breath. ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake¡­ You pay me two shillings a week. I¡¯m the only person you could possibly hire.¡±, she muttered. He raised his hand again. Blondina clenched her teeth and shut her eyes tightly. She felt a blow to her head. The blood from her nose dripped down her chin and stained her filthy cor. As the man raised his hand one more time, she decided to run. Run away from the inn and from that man as fast as her little legs would take her. The child¡¯s name was Blondina. She¡¯d been working as a clerk at the inn ever since her mother¡¯s death. The work wasn¡¯t easy ¨C her hands were swollen from her slow and tedious tasks. But it was the only option she had. For a young orphan like her, it was either this or being sold to some rich pedophile. She let out a wheezing breath. Blondina didn¡¯t stop until she reached the entrance of the vige. She held on to her ne tightly, her mother¡¯s voice ringing in her head. ¡°Blondina. This is a gift from your father. Always keep it with you.¡± Her mother handed her a small pouch with a ne in it. Inside the worn little bag, along with the ne, was a shiny ring. It was her sole reminder of a father she never got to know. Her mother always told her that it was the only thing her father left behind, fleeing as soon as Blondina was born. Tears started streaming down her face as she caught her breath, but she forced herself to hold them back. I have pride. This can¡¯t make me cry. She felt the ring, safely in the pouch. She desperately wanted to protect her mother¡¯s legacy. The ne. But¡­ ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t do this.¡± This was it for her. She had to put her own survival before a ring given to her by a father that abandoned her and her mother. Blondina started running through the winding streets of the vige. She was going to sell the damn ring. Right now. The jewelry store was at the end of a small alley. The smell of perfume hit her nose as she pushed open the heavy wooden door. It smelled exactly like a ce fancydies would visit. Blondina¡¯s heart was in her throat. She still couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty for selling her mother¡¯s legacy like this. An old man holding a magnifying ss, the owner, stood behind the counter. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Good morning, mister.¡± ¡°Ah, I assume Nordi sent you to sell something again. He¡¯s got to stop with his funny business if he doesn¡¯t want his hands cut off.¡± Nordi, the innkeeper, often asked Blondina to sell jewelry so he would have money for gambling. Blondina slipped off the ne and took the ring out of the pouch. The owner finally raised his head as the jewelry nked against the ss countertop. ¡°I¡¯m here to sell my own things today, mister.¡± ¡°Yours?¡± ¡°Yes. My mother left them to me¡­¡­.¡± Just that simple sentence was very hard to say. The owner put his magnifying ss down and inspected the pouch, handling it with a disgusted face as if it was infectious. He frowned and threw it back at Blondina. ¡°Untie it. By the way, hasn¡¯t it already been three years since Lily died? Just wait for a man you can hang on to¡­¡­ Such a pitiful girl you are.¡± Blondina¡¯s mother, Lily, was widely known in the area for her beauty. Nomon woman, what, not even any aristocrat, had her stunning golden hair and blue eyes. Blondina took the ring out of the pouch with an expressionless face. The ring sparkled as light hit it, even after this many years. The owner picked it up roughly to take a closer look. ¡°I¡¯ll let you off the hook on this one, it looks real, but don¡¯t expect too much, alright?¡± ¡°Yes, mister.¡± ¡°Looks cheap, but somehow well made¡­¡­.¡± He suddenly went silent. His eyes dted as if he had seen something extraordinary. He stood up. Blondina was following his every movement. His hands were trembling. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the ring. Scrawling for his magnifying ss, he inspected it closely. His expression quickly went from surprised, to doubtful, to astonished. The man took a deep breath. ¡°You, where did you steal this from! You bitch!¡± Blondina could instantly tell that the atmosphere had changed. She was afraid she¡¯d get hit again, shaking her head aggressively. ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it!¡± ¡°Then where, where¡­¡­!¡± ¡°My mother gave it to me. She¡­ she said it was the only thing my father left me!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this! This shape¡­¡­.¡±, the man muttered with a nk stare. He motioned Blondina to a chair. ¡°Stay right here! I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± Blondina didn¡¯t say anything. She still didn¡¯t know what was going on. Rushing like some sort of madman, the owner locked the door and put out the closed sign. Blondina called after him quietly. ¡°Mister?¡± He had already disappeared. What a mystery¡­ Blondina just stared nkly at the closed door. The dim interior of the store was illuminated with nothing but a candle. *** Blondina entered the guest room in the imperial castle, carefully lying down on the luxurious king bed. She was still in disbelief of what was going on. How could she, of all people, be staying in the castle? Two days ago, at the jewelry store, the owner returned not long after he left, with the Emperor. Blondina couldn¡¯t bow deep enough ¨C she had just seen a nobleman¡­ She was driven to the castle in a carriage. That¡¯s how Blondina had been staying in the castle for days now, still not knowing the reason for anything that had happened to her. She fiddled with the ring in her hand and looked out the window. The sun was setting on the horizon. It bathed the fields outside the window in an orange light as the sky darkened. Blondina slowly drifted away into daydreaming. Before she knew it, the moon and stars were the only things left to light up the room. She was interrupted by the rattling of the door. It was usually never opened except for mealtimes¡­ Who could it be? Uneasily, she picked up a candlestick, the only useful weapon she could think of. The door opened with an eerie creaking noise. Blondina put down the candlestick as she saw the gigantic male figures that stood at the door. It would be useless to try and fight them, she thought. By a nce of their spotless skin and imposing walk, she could tell they weren¡¯t just ordinary people. After all the tall men filed in, a strikingly beautiful young man entered. He walked in gracefully, followed by his servants. His blond hair shone softly under the light of a torch in the dark room. He soon caught Blondina¡¯s eye and raised an eyebrow. Blondina sped her nket tightly as he approached. ¡°Tell me your name.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡±, Blondina asked, avoiding the man¡¯s question. He asked again, in a slightly irritated tone. ¡°Your mother¡¯s name is Lily, right?¡± ¡°Do you know my mother?¡± Blondina gulped and raised her head to look at the man. . He gestured at the servant next to him, who gave him a candle. He lifted Blondina¡¯s chin with a hand, as if he were observing a toy, and examined her facial features closely. A bit of wax dripped on the girl¡¯s corbone. ¡°Ow!¡± She yelped, but didn¡¯t really seem to care much about the pain. Only then did the man¡¯s expression change. ¡°You look very simr to your mother, you know.¡±, he said in a low, emotionless voice. His sharp eyes shot through Blondina. ¡°A mirror image, almost.¡± She asked him, in a much kinder voice this time. ¡°Who are you, sir?¡± Instead of answering, the man scanned Blondina¡¯s face again. The blond hair and pretty, twinkling eyes. He could see that she had a very upright character. He startedughing and stroked Blondina¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m Tris¨¦ Ryn Haberti Atez. Your father¡­¡­ Emperor of Athes.¡± Blondina¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Trantor/editor: ruby Blondina opened her eyes wide. A fragrant, flowery smell enveloped the room and a fresh breeze came in through the window. The child looked at the stunning patterns on the ceiling and the expensive vase on the table next to her, blinking. She murmured in a sleepy voice, ¡°¡­¡­yes, this is the Imperial Pce.¡± She should have opened her eyes in the attic of the old inn. The shy decorations all around her couldn¡¯t have been more different. Blondina¡¯s fate turned around in the blink of an eye From an unknown, small vige in the countryside to the royal family of the Empire, she was now Blondina Ryn Atez. Her father. The day she met her father, the emperor, she was transported to the royal castle. The jewelry shop¡¯s owner remained the only person who knew of her secret identity, and rumors began circting in the vige that she had been kidnapped. In this era of rampant human trafficking, it didn¡¯t take too long for all the vigers to ept Blondina¡¯s ill fate. She had no one to feel sorry for her. Her half-asleep daze was interrupted by a voice outside the door. ¡°Highness, if you¡¯re up, I¡¯lle in.¡± ¡°Yes,e in.¡± Blondina sat up on the bed and stretched out her limbs as the door opened. The maid came in alone, with no escort. ¡®It¡¯s probably because I¡¯m from low birth.¡¯ The details were somewhat foggy, but it seemed that she was a sort of bastard daughter, the result of a one-time rendezvous. She also knew very well that her lowly blood was a disgrace to the royal family. Those were the only things she could be sure of, for now. ¡°Your Majesty invited you to a tea party today. I¡¯ll guide you to the Imperial Pce¡¯s garden.¡± ¡°Yes. I see.¡± It was strange. Blondina was on her way to meet her father, yet she didn¡¯t feel happy about it. ¡°Princess Blondina has arrived.¡± A chill ran through her body as the maid called out over the garden door. I can¡¯t possibly face the royal family like this after living as amoner my whole life. An attendant took her inside. ¡°Come in, Princess.¡± She carefully entered, feeling the carefully cut grass under her feet and the pleasant aroma that hovered by her. There was a huge stone statue of a leopard at the entrance, bigger than a bear. A statuememorating the sacred leopard n that was in charge of protecting the Empire. Blondina unthinkingly cowered away. The statue reminded her of the innkeeper who hit her, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit afraid. It was an instinctive fear she¡¯d acquired from experience. ¡°Princess?¡± The attendant stopped and turned around to call her. Blondina sunk her feet into the grass again and cautiously walked toward her ¡°family.¡± There were four people sitting in the sunny garden. They were the emperor and his wife, along with Blondina¡¯s half-brother and half-sister. They were almost seething with arrogance. The emperor put down his teacup and called her. ¡°Closer.¡± Blondina tottered towards him. The emperor walked up to her and slowly started to examine her face Their eyes met. ¡°I wish my eyes were as golden as your hair¡­¡± The emperor roughly smoothed out Blondina¡¯s hair. A smile showed in the corner of his lips. At first nce, it looked like a very dry smile. ¡°Keep this in mind, Princess. Your descendance may be¡­plicated, but no one needs to know that .¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡°You must not reveal your embarrassing past to anyone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Embarrassing. You tell me I shouldn¡¯t reveal your secret, but¡­ You¡¯re the one that should carry your past embarrassment, not me. Blondina looked up at him silently. The emperor continued on, smiling, disregarding the girl. ¡°You were found in another kingdom in a sickly state and brought back to the pce.¡± Blondina bowed her head, just for politeness. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even if others don¡¯t believe it, that¡¯s the truth. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I will be careful of what I say and do, and live as if I were dead.¡± ¡°Yes. You must be humble, but you¡¯re not a stupid girl.¡± She already knew that for the emperor, she was nothing but some scum of low birth. Maybe that¡¯s why his harsh words didn¡¯t hurt all that much. They were nothingpared to the sharp pain of the innkeeper¡¯s blows. The emperor shooed Blondina away as he returned to his seat. He paused to say hisst words to her. ¡°Oh, I forgot to say ¨C wee to the pce. My daughter.¡± Blondina thanked him with a bow before turning around. My daughter. Could his voice have been any colder saying those words? She walked away lost in thought. Why did my father ask to see me today? The answer was a no-brainer for her. Dealing with the aggressive mood swings of the innkeeper had taught her how to read a room. It was a clear warning from the emperor. It would be tooplicated for him if she were to reveal the real truth. So she was destined to live as if she were dead, in a separate pce. That was it, because she was nothing but the emperor¡¯s servant. It reminded her of the childhood feelings of the Empress staring at her silently, with that look of disgust and contempt. Blondina set off towards her pce. At that moment, she heard a little boy¡¯s voice. ¡°Hey, you.¡± She stopped and turned back. Lart, Blondina¡¯s brother and the prince of the empire, stood behind her. Blondina instinctively bowed. She wasn¡¯t used to being a princess, after all¡­ The boy smiled. ¡°Well, well, it doesn¡¯t take noble blood to get here, apparently.¡± He was actually younger than Blondina, but she didn¡¯t know that. She just smiled. ¡°You. Blondina, was it?¡± The girl nodded instead of answering. ¡°I see your empty head has enough space for some manners, at least. Bowing and all!.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Where did you learn that? In a barn? Did the cows teach you?¡± The prince¡¯s voice was filled with contempt and ridicule. Why would youe up to me all of a sudden and start a fight? I¡¯m worth less than an ant in your view. It became clear to her upon seeing the hateful look in his eyes. It was an act of nothing but unconditional contempt. Blondina answered unthinkingly. ¡°Cows cannot teach humans. Don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Prince Lart¡¯s eyes narrowed . ¡°How dare you make fun of the royal family with your vulgarity! You know very well you belong in a back alley!¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never been shy.¡± ¡°A royal? With your blood? I won¡¯t stand for it!¡± Blondina scoffed. It was good to finally be able to escape the innkeeper, sure. Still, she was convinced she¡¯d be a million times happier living alone with the money from selling the ring than among all these people that loathed her. Blondina looked around before loudly whispering her answer to the prince. ¡°My blood may be dirty¡­ But half of it is the emperor¡¯s.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If you deny me, you deny the emperor. That¡¯s also known as treason. You don¡¯t want that, now, do you?¡± Blondina may not have received a proper education, but she was more quick-witted than any nobledy around. The prince just stared at her dumbfounded. However, he was not about to let a street rat have thest word. ¡°Well, I¡¯m denying you.¡± A girl, a dirt-poor girl at that, pretending to be naive! It¡¯s no ordinary thing to see someone so unimportant with this little respect. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake yourself for a member of the imperial family, you low-born scum!¡± ¡°His Majesty the Emperor weed me personally.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything! You¡­! If you are going to be disrespectful to me, I¡¯ll¡­¡­!¡± Prince Lart pointed a trembling finger at Blondina. The girl knew the prince¡¯s threats were just empty words, the consequence of being surrounded by an illusion of infinite power at his young age. Either way, she just watched the child¡¯s anger bemusedly. It was difficult for her to believe that she¡¯d have to constantly stand up for herself, worried that was the attitude of the imperial family. ¡°What do you want me to do? Be angry, shout, and toss a cup of tea at you¡­?¡¯ At this point, all she wanted was for her brother to leave her alone so she could go to her quarters. Besides, her father¡¯s warning was clear ¨C live like a dead man. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m sorry for everything. I¡¯m sorry, let¡¯s stop. Okay? ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little tired today, so¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Go.¡± The emperor said to live as if she were dead. She would live up to that. Even though she didn¡¯t do anything wrong, she apologized first, and it hurt to be treated like this. I don¡¯t want to be kicked out yet. Unlike Blondina, lost in thought with a serious expression, Prince Lart was redder than a tomato. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°How dare a low-born leave the table before anyone else!¡± Blondina sighed. Even a million apologies wouldn¡¯t get her anywhere. The royal family was just tooplicated for anymoner to understand. Then a girl butted in. ¡°Lart. Stop it.¡± She was Blondina¡¯s half-sister and Lart¡¯s twin, Princess Adi. Gracefully signaling at her maid to leave, Princess Adi stared at Blondina quietly. Rather than the overly emotional Prince Lart, whom Blondina could easily read, the princess seemed to have much more deeply ingrained contempt in her silent eyes. ¡°You should stop now, too.¡± An awkward yet powerful silence settled over them. Prince Larte shut his mouth, and Blondina, too, was silent. The twins really couldn¡¯t have been any more different, in appearance or personality ¨C it seemed impossible that they had the same parents. Adelei nced over at Blondina, pointing a finger at her with an arrogant smirk. ¡°Unnie. If you ever insult the royal family, or even Lart, in front of me ever again, I will not stand up for you. This is thest time I¡¯m turning a blind eye to this kind of unpleasant disturbance.¡± Blondina was already too tired to care, both mentally and physically. She shook her head with a quiet sigh. ¡°I was just walking. I came here and all of sudden I¡¯m confronted by my angry brother, stomping around and pointing fingers at me. I wouldn¡¯t exactly ssify myself as an unpleasant disturbance.¡± Princess Adi¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you saying that Lart is the unpleasant disturbance here?¡± Blondina stayed silent. She knew the answer very well. Still, she decided to hold it in for fear angering the twins again. What strange twins. Every word I say makes them all angry and defensive. Their behaviour was definitely a matter of good manners¡­ But, well, Blondina¡¯s father wasn¡¯t the best at educating his children on manners. You should have been trying to get to know me ever since you abandoned me. Adi skimmed through the girl¡¯s expressionless face with a sharp look. There was cold, cold rage shing in her eyes. As she saw with Lart earlier, the princess made a mental note of Blondina¡¯s unusual sarcastic demeanor, muttering under her breath, ¡®I won¡¯t be letting this go all that easy.¡¯ She bit her lips and tried her best to put on a poker face. Being emotional would never win you a fight. ¡°Well, Princess Blondina. I mean, unnie. Do your best from now on. Don¡¯t tarnish the values of the imperial family.¡± Blondina nodded. No matter which way she looked at it, it was actually the twins, and not her, defaming the imperial family, but she decided to keep her mouth shut. ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Blondina smiled lightly, again somehow irritating Lart. ¡°What¡¯s that look on your face? Are youughing at me?!¡± Blondina was quick to return to her usual expression. Adi quickly restrained her brother a bit before he got too out of hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lart.¡± The bright colours of Adi¡¯s dress faded away into the distance as the bickering twins walked off. Before she knew it, only Blondina remained standing on the grass. ¡°¡­¡­weird kids.¡± Blondina turned around with a shrug. All she wanted at that point was some rest. She walked alone to the guest pce ¨C originally a ce where nature-loving foreign envoys would stay. For this reason, unlike the main pces, they were adjacent to the hunting ground, and the flower beds were reced by whole fields of flowers. After the finelyid tulips and rose beds, clusters of trees began to appear here and there. Blondina¡¯s thoughts trailed off to the twins she had just faced. She never thought they¡¯d give her a wee party¡­. But she never thought they¡¯d hate her so much, either. ¡°Why are you making such a fuss of me when I¡¯m your father¡¯s ¡®embarrassing past¡¯?¡± Instead of letting her feelings of injustice take over, she just smiled. You¡¯re really just gonna treat me like some uninvited guest, huh? She walked on, letting the lush grass tickle her feet and her thoughts roam free. Blondina heard a small cry from the bushes a few steps away. She stopped walking and listened for it. As soon as she heard it again, she started rummaging in the bushes without hesitation. A small ck creature crawled towards her. Ah¡­¡­ pretty. It was an angelic ck kitten. It looked like its hind legs had been injured, His forehead was studded with jewels the same colour as his eyes. Blondina bent down to examine the cat¡¯s wounds. ¡°What an amazing cat.¡± ¡¸I¡¯m not a cat.¡¹ Surprised, Blondina pulled back. Could it be? ¡­.Magic? I can¡¯t believe a cat talks to a man¡­.! It must have been a magic cat. She couldn¡¯t believe it. The pce had already felt mysterious to her, but this was on another level. ¡°The cat is talking?¡± ¡¸I told you I¡¯m not a cat!¡¹ ¡°But you¡¯re such a cute little thing, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡¸You¡¯re a kid who can¡¯tmunicate properly, aren¡¯t you?¡¹ The ¡°cat¡± pped the ground with his tail, sending up a flurry of fallen leaves. Blondina just smiled in surprise. A child who can¡¯tmunicate, huh? Quite a thing to be told by a talking cat. ¡°Did you hurt your leg?¡± ¡¸What does it matter to you?¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m afraid you have an injury.¡± She picked up one of its legs very carefully, deciding that tending to him was more important than all the questions crossing her mind. The cat pped Blondina on the back of her hand with his front paws. It didn¡¯t do much to deter her ¨C rather, she found it very endearing. The cat was afraid Blondina would call him cute again if he bared his teeth, so he decided to do his best to stay silent. The displeasure that lingered in Blondina¡¯s mind after the meeting with her half-siblings had disappeared. ¡°How did you get hurt?¡± The cat didn¡¯t answer. There was a small cliff behind the bushes. A tree was sticking out in the middle, with one branch slightly bent ¨C it seemed to be the thing that injured the cat. Blondina turned her head back. As she looked at the wound again, she heard a rustling sound behind her. She looked around to see two cats trying to hide behind a tree. ¡°Hmm.¡± Blondina didn¡¯t take long to realise that those cats were the ones that had done the harm. Their attitudes were exactly like those of the town boys that had chased Blondina into a ditch years ago. She approached them confidently/ ¡°Would you like toe over here for a moment?¡± They froze upon hearing her words. Blondina¡¯s low-pitched voice apparently held the power to tame beasts. Strangely, there was no need for human speech. The cats creeped towards her and she hastily bowed. ¡°Hey! You guys understand me, too?¡± ¡¸¡­.meow.¡¹ The cat was pretending not to understand her, but she could see from the guilt in its eyes that it was bluffing. Oh, cute. She chuckled, but soon regained her seriousness as she thought of the injured kitten. ¡°Did you guys bother that ck cat?¡± The cat stole a nce at Blondina before ducking behind the bushes again. Blondina peered over the bushes. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t bully your friends, hey. That¡¯s really mean.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but see herself and her half-siblings in the same situation. ¡¸Hey, he was the one that bit our tail!¡¹ A nervous voice snapped back from behind Blondina¡¯s back. ¡¸Hey! You guys hit me from behind first!¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re so strong, that couldn¡¯t have hurt you!¡¹ Blondina grabbed the cat¡¯s tail in a hurry, before it could try to hurt the other more. Moving on an injured leg only causes pain. Blondina knew this very well from her ample experience of beatings from the innkeeper. ¡°Calm down, cat. If you move, you¡¯ll bleed more.¡± ¡¸I told you I wasn¡¯t a cat!¡¹ In the meantime, the two other cats took the opportunity to escape. Blondina screamed after them. ¡°Are you just going? You must apologizeter, huh?¡± She heard a faraway meow in response. Blondina approached the wounded kitty again. He was still wagging his tail. He must have been angry. Blondina sat on her knees. She lowered her head to look at the cat, whose expression softened a bit. ¡°Come with me, cat.¡± ¡¸No.¡¹ ¡°What are you going to do with that leg alone? I¡¯ll cure you.¡± ¡¸Why should I follow a stranger?¡¹ ¡°That¡¯s all you need to know? I¡¯m Blondina. Blondina Ryn Athez.¡± ¡¸I didn¡¯t ask for your name.¡¹ The cat jerked its head away, but Blondina wasn¡¯t about to give up. ¡°Be friends with me. You don¡¯t have any friends anyway, do you?¡± ¡¸Who said that?! You disagreeable, saucy man!¡¹ The cat groaned. The girl was right and he knew it, so he was even more annoyed by thement . Blondina could tell by the appearance of the cat that he had grown up in the streets just like her. ¡°Can you be my friend? I¡¯m alone.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ The cat flinched at Blondina¡¯s sudden change of tone. ¡°My mom¡¯s dead and my dad got to know me days ago, but I don¡¯t think he likes me. Even my supposed brother and hate me. I got really angry at them earlier.¡± She tried to lighten the mood with a forced smile. She was trying to instill some sympathy in the cat. She actually didn¡¯t care that much ¨C she¡¯d gotten used to loneliness and bad treatment over the years. ¡°So please be friends with me. Let¡¯s y together.¡± The cat¡¯s ears pricked up again as their eyes met and he unconsciously began wagging his tail again. T/N: Hi guys! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve noticed you all hate the name Blondina just as much as I do. So, I¡¯m doing a poll to ask you guys what you want her name to be! Please vote in thements below and I¡¯ll tally your votes up. This closes Saturday and a valid vote is ament on this chapter clearly mentioning your pick. The names I¡¯ve thought of are: Belinda, Be, Brianna, Dina, Diana, and Lina. Of course, you can also vote to keep the name as it is. If you have any other ideas, feel free to suggest those too, but if you can also pick one of the above mentioned names so I have an easier time counting votes. Thank you! P.S also wanted to apologize for the irregr posting schedule ¨C I will try my best to even it out from now on. Chapter 4 Trantor/editor: ruby T/N: Hello everyone! For those of you that aren¡¯t on Discord ¨C I have tallied up your votes for our MC¡¯s new name! Thanks to everyone for voting ?? Blondina will be Belinda from now on! Belinda immediately sensed that the cat had let his guard down a little. She carefully reached her hand out to him. ¡°Come with me, hmmm? I can ask my maid for bandages and medicine. You¡¯ll get sick if you go home in this condition.¡± The cat remained silent as he sniffed Belinda¡¯s hand. He put his tiny paw on her palm, letting her feel his sleek ck fur. Belinda¡¯s heart was fluttering. The cat nuzzled her hand and climbed on her arm without warning. ¡°Ah¡­¡­!¡± The warm, soft ball of fur made himselffortable in her embrace. She had to stop herself from letting out a cry of joy. ¡¸Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m going home as soon as I get treated.¡¹ ¡°All right, all right, juste so we can get you treated already.¡± ¡¸This doesn¡¯t make us friends.¡¹ The cat¡¯s muffled voice was so cute that Belinda couldn¡¯t help but smile . ¡°Hey, but how can you talk if you¡¯re a cat?¡± ¡¸Because I¡¯m not a cat.¡¹ ¡°What are you then?¡± ¡¸That¡¯s forter. You¡¯ll faint from the shock.¡¹ Belinda looked down at the cat,fortably nestled in her arms with his eyes closed. She asked him to be friends because of how lonely he looked, but now that she held him he actually looked very loveable. Yes, I know we aren¡¯t friends yet. She thought of the cats she¡¯d seen earlier, the ones who were bullying this kitten. She had been somewhat nosy, honestly¡­ But seeing the cat reminded her so much of being bullied by the vige children and her siblings that she couldn¡¯t just pass by. ¡°My mom used to scold all the kids that bullied me.¡­.¡¯ Mom. All the repressed pain stabbed her in the heart. Her mother who held her just like she was holding this cat now. Coming to the unfamiliar pce alone, she missed her mother more than ever. It had gotten a little better over time, or so she thought. A muted longing spread through her like ocean waves. The rosy cheeks and motherly smile. The freezing winter wind, the warmth of lying in a shabby bed hugging each other tightly. And then there was the disgusted expression of the empress, the maliciousness of her step-siblings. That¡¯s all she was ¨C an unwee being. It wasn¡¯t exactly new information to her, yet the feelings began to flow in. Something that could almost be called sadness. The cat looked up at her as she tried her hardest to stop herself from showing her emotions. His pretty purple eyes were filled with questions. ¡¸Are you crying? What is it?¡¹ ¡± I¡¯m not crying.¡± ¡¸No? Then what are those tears?¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± Belinda touched her eyes and felt tears. As she blinked, the fat droplets rolled down her face. Where did thosee from? She¡¯d pretended to be okay andughed it off, but, well, it looked like this was really sadness. The sudden tears were proof of that. ¡°Oh. I cried, huh? I don¡¯t know why either.¡± The cat tapped Belinda¡¯s face with his front paw. ¡¸What a strange girl. Humans are impossible to understand.¡¹ Belinda nodded in agreement. He could see that she sympathized with him¡­ attempting to make friends, even offering to cure his leg. Maybe the strange girl wasn¡¯t all that bad. Having almost arrived at the guest pce, Belinda spotted a huge man in a shiny knight suit. Belinda lost her footing before she could ask him who he was. Her face turned pale as a ghost ¨C there was an uncanny resemnce between him and the innkeeper who hit her. She unconsciously squeezed the cat even tighter. ¡¸Hey!¡¹ ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m sorry, the man surprised me. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Belinda loosened her grip and stroked the cat¡¯s fur, whispering an apology. The cat hit her arm with his tail ¨C it seemed to be a sign of discontent. It didn¡¯t hurt much, of course. The knight approached Belinda. ¡°Good morning, Princess. I¡­.¡± His words were cut short when he saw the cat in Belinda¡¯s arms and caught his eye on the purple jewel on its forehead. He flopped his giant body onto the ground, his face pale. ¡°Humble greetings to the Great Leopard Shinsu!¡± Belinda was confused. For once, she couldn¡¯t read the room. The cat jumped off of her. But it wasn¡¯t the beast¡¯s ck foot thatnded on the floor. White, clean human feet touched down softly on the grass. The light filtering through the tree leaves glittered on his neat face and the shiny ck bangs on his forehead. The breathtakingly beautiful boy smirked at Belinda. ¡°I told you I wasn¡¯t a cat.¡± The shining amethyst-colored eyes flickered mischievously. He looked about ten years old. Belinda was so amazed by his beauty, she almost thought he was a girl. The shimmering cloth enveloped his body gracefully. The flowy white fabricplemented his elegant face. Even his ankles, slightly visible under his gown, were pretty. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda was speechless for a moment. She was still a young 11-year-old girl, but her mouth opened wide when she saw a beautiful boy of her age. She forgot that he was a cat pawing at her just a few minutes ago. He tilted his head slightly and fluttered his long eyshes. ¡°Human?¡± Belinda finally returned to reality. It seemed like a dream, but now that she thought about it, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for a cat to talk like a human, would it? The pce still didn¡¯t fail to amaze her. The cat must have been under its spell. But that was not it¡­. Belinda fiddled with her red-hot ears. ¡°By the way¡­¡­cat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a cat.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your leg?¡± The boy nced away. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all right?¡± He replied in a tiny voice, still staring at the ground and ying with his hair. ¡°¡­¡­it hurts a little.¡± Belinda bit her lips. Cute. Even if he¡¯d turned human, she could instantly recognize the little cat in his expression. The knight was still on the floor, not sure of when to stand up. He could tell at a nce ¨C the small animal in the princess¡¯s arms, a fierce and cruel leopard of the Shinsu n. Not to mention, the worst ck leopard out there. Even at his young age, his physical abilities had already surpassed the knight¡¯s. He had no idea how long he¡¯d been on the ground. Sneakily looking up, he could see the boy pointing at his ankle and grumbling at the princess. Belinda lowered her gaze and backed away unconsciously. She could see therge man lying down in front of her and again recalled the figure of the innkeeper. Belinda hurriedly hid behind the boy, who turned his head to look at her.. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Good morning, Princess. I¡¯m here to give you the bracelet of the Imperial Family.¡± He reached out his hand carefully and pulled something out. A bracelet indicating the status of the imperial family, a very special item that would usually be presented by the emperor. A token of the imperial family, not just something to be handed out like this. Considering the emperor¡¯s attitude towards her, Belinda wasn¡¯t all that surprised. She stomped her foot, indicating to the knight that he could stand up. He stood up, his eyes fixed on the ground. It should be okay to stand up now¡­ Shinsu didn¡¯t say anything either. He was relieved to get out of that ufortable position. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll get going now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As he was about to leave, the boy stepped him on the shoulder. ¡°Hey. Don¡¯t tell anyone I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± The knight nodded firmly. Shinsu was not a person to take lightly. He and his people were, perhaps, even more difficult to deal with than the royal family was. Belinda let out a relieved sigh. With the man gone, she felt like she could finally loosen up. She looked up at the boy, who had a very proud look stered on his face. ¡°Now, now. How does it feel to see me in my true form?¡± Belinda answered without hesitation. ¡°Pretty. It¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The boy¡¯s expressionpletely changed upon hearing her blunt words. His usual arrogance was nowhere to be found and his cheeks flushed. ¡°Not that. Don¡¯t you see the greatness of this body?¡± Belinda smiled. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re a human now. You were a cat before. It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°No, not even that. I don¡¯t mean the surprising part¡­¡­.¡± He shook his head and opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. ¡°I am the strongest and the greatest leopard in the world!¡± ¨C he could say it himself, but then it wouldn¡¯t sound as impressive, would it¡­ Chapter 5 Trantor/editor: ruby A bodyrger than a bear, an iparable destructive force, an almost God-like species. The leopard Shinsu had been a king ruling over people since he was born. He was not raised to confront petty, weak humans. Such a great species. The boy crossed his arms. ¡°You¡¯re more afraid of that useless speck of a human being than this noble body?¡± ¡°Yes. First off, he was gigantic, not a speck.¡± ¡°Why? Looks are deceiving. I could tear his heart out with a swipe of a paw, you know.¡± ¡°Lord Rohadi is just really big, you can see that too. It¡¯s just scary.¡± He looks like the innkeeper that used to beat me. She couldn¡¯t say that, obviously. He gave her a questioning look after the evasive remark. The answer didn¡¯t seem to please him. Belinda hurriedly changed the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my room. You need to heal.¡± When she looked down, there was a little ck beast before her eyes. He hit the floor with his tail. ¡¸Take me in your arms. My ankle hurts¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda lowered herself without a word and held out her hands. The face of the cat, sorry, leopard, looking up at her sulkily was irresistibly cute. But she couldn¡¯t say that either, could she¡­ He scampered onto her arm. Belinda gently smoothed out the soft hair on his back as she walked inside. You said you could take out the knight with a single swipe, and now you want to snuggle up against me because your ankle hurts. Belinda snickered at the thought. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡¸Aymon. Aymon Arkin.¡±¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m Belinda. You heard it earlier, right? You can call me Birdy, though. That¡¯s what my mom used to call me.¡± ¡°All right, Birdy.¡± Aymon looked up at her. ¡¸A humble human should not dare to make eye contact with me.¡¹ ¡°Then won¡¯t you be friends with me, a humble human?¡± ¡¸ That¡¯s not what I meant.¡¹ Aymon sighed defeatedly. He just couldn¡¯t make sense of the girl. He tapped her arm and almost recoiled at the feel of her skin. It was much softer than he¡¯d assumed. He pricked his ears and started ying around with it. Belinda grinned. ¡°It tickles. But you¡¯re so cute. The soles of your feet are soft.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Aymon snatched his paw away and looked at the floor. As soon as they arrived to the pce, Belinda asked the maid for ointment and bandages. She carefully washed the blood off the leopard¡¯s legs with clean water.. There was no serious injury. Only a slight cut remained. ¡°It¡¯s not a big wound. That¡¯s a relief.¡± Belinda smiled to herself as she applied ointment to Aymon¡¯s hind legs and bandaged them. I can¡¯t believe you asked me to hug you because of such a slight wound. Isn¡¯t that the cutest thing ever? She didn¡¯t know the whole truth, though. When they first saw each other, Aymon was badly hurt from having fallen off the cliff and torn open his leg on a branch ¨C that¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t move for a while and was in pain. However, Shinsu¡¯s healing powers were excellent By the time they came across the knight Rohadi, only a slight throbbing pain remained. Still, he didn¡¯t mind Belinda¡¯s careful touch, sohe just remained silent. ¡°There. You¡¯re good. The sun¡¯s already set¡­ Can you go back in the dark?¡± It was a cloudy day. Outside, even with the slivers of moonlight that shone through, everything was enveloped in a dreary darkness. Only the sound of the wind could be hearding from the deste forest. Aymon answered in a t tone. ¡¸What are you talking about? My attack abilities are superior. I¡¯m Shinsu, for crying out loud. The night is my time.¡¹ ¡°Oh, really? Have a safe trip home, then.¡± Belinda started putting away all the ointments and bandages. Aymon nced at her with a sharp look before leaning on a soft cushion. His ck tail moved gently. ¡¸I¡¯ll just sleep here.¡¹ ¡°Yeah. Okay. Of course.¡± Belinda nodded absentmindedly. It was Aymon who was embarrassed by her repeated affirmation. ¡¸What do you know about me to let me stay here just like that?¡¹ ¡°You? Just that you¡¯re a cute cat.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ He didn¡¯t even bother to correct her again. He pped his tail around rather nervously, which was rather strange for someone that could usually fall asleep anywhere. ¡¸You¡¯ve treated me very kindly, so I¡¯m sleeping here. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ll sleep in a human habitat.¡¹ ¡°Howe?¡± ¡¸Because we¡¯re not friendly with human beings.¡¹ ¡°And why would that be?¡± ¡¸We don¡¯t like humans.¡±¡¹ ¡°Why don¡¯t you like them?¡± Belinda continued to prod away like a nosy child. Aymon scratched away at the pillow nervously as if he was expecting it to give him an answer. ¡¸Human beings smell cunning and foolish.¡¹ ¡°Do I smell like that too?¡±, Belinda asked, concernedly sniffing her wrist. All she could smell was expensive perfume. She wasn¡¯t a girl living on the streets anymore, she was a princess. ¡¸You¡¯re fine.¡¹ Aymon answeredzily, his chin rested on a cushion. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a relief. What is that smell like, though?¡± ¡¸It¡¯s a thing, it really is. You¡¯re just a human kid, you don¡¯t need to know.¡¹ He wasn¡¯t talking about an actual scent. It was just the easiestparison to, well, simply human nature, which any animal like him could feel by instinct. Most of the people he¡¯d met before Belinda were high-ranking nobles and royals, cunning and arrogant. To a beast like him, it was easier understood as a stench that surrounded them wherever they went. However, Belinda couldn¡¯t wrap her head around his words. She went into her dressing room and changed into a silk chemise. Instinctive smell? She, a human, couldn¡¯t know. She came back into the room, turning on the soft lights beforeying down on a rug on the floor. The feeling was familiar to her ¨C so much so that it was way morefortable than the bed. She shuffled a bit to get closer to Aymon. He frowned when he felt a hand stroking his nose and moved his long whiskers slightly. Even that is cute about him. He was so tiny and cute as a kitten. Great Leopard Shinsu¡­.. in Belinda¡¯s eyes he was just an adorable ck kitten. ¡°Aymon.¡± ¡¸What.¡¹ Belinda couldn¡¯t help but giggle a bit about hiszy voice, answering even while he was half-asleep. ¡°How old are you? I¡¯m eleven.¡± ¡¸Nine.¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m your noona, then?¡± ¡¸Noona?¡¹ Aymonughed. She certainly spoke like a noona. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be an adult already, if you¡¯re nine? Since you¡¯re an animal. But you¡¯re still¡­¡­.¡± ¡¸We¡¯re not like ordinary leopards. We grow all at once, when we are about eighteen or neen. That¡¯s when we have ouring-of-age ceremony.¡¹ ¡°I see.¡± So you¡¯re going to stay this cute for another 10 years? Belinda rubbed Aymon¡¯s forehead, suddenly in a good mood. Her fingertips brushed slightly against the purple stone on his forehead. He pped her hand away, barely remembering to retract his ws. ¡¸Hey, don¡¯t touch me.¡¹ ¡°Huh? Are you in a bad mood? I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­¡± I must have gotten too touchy. . Belinda pulled away with a sullen face. ¡¸No, I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just¡­¡­ we¡¯re sensitive here.¡¹ ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± ¡¸¡±It feels a little¡­ ¡­ Anyways, don¡¯t touch it.¡¹ He was relieved he was in cat form ¨C if he were human his ears would have been burning red. Belinda nodded understandingly. ¡°Can I touch anything else?¡± ¡¸¡­¡­What are you saying?¡¹ Aymon sighed again. ¡°By the way, Aymon. How did you get here? Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t go near humans?¡± ¡¸You saw them. Those kids with the spotted fur¡¹ ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡¸Well, this is where I ended up after they chased me.¡¹ ¡°But why did you fall off the cliff?¡± ¡¸I didn¡¯t see it behind me. It was a stupid mistake.¡¹ Belinda looked at the pretty beast, taking her hand off Aymon¡¯s forehead. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get along with those cats, if they¡¯re just like you? Did you fight?¡± Aymon didn¡¯t answer. The problem was that he was born a ck leopard. It wasn¡¯t his fault that the colour of his fur was so dark, but most leopards still avoided him. He was born from a bloodline of ruthlessness, and they were afraid that Aymon would kill them just as the ck leopard did 500 years ago. Although he had the title of Shinsu, he was still just nine years old. He approached the cats because he was lonely and wanted a friend. They couldn¡¯t be friends, so they ended up fighting instead. That was it. Better to stay lonely and fight than have a fake friend. It was just his personality. ¡¸¡­Just because.¡¹ Aymon yawned and turned around. It seemed to mean ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me, I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Belinda gently swept down the fur on the back of his head. The cat sighed, as if he were annoyed. However, he didn¡¯t resist her. He smiled. That¡¯s so cute. A little rough around the edges, but¡­¡­ she had a friend that was a cute little leopard and a breathtaking boy. That alone made Belinda happy After that day, Aymon went in and out of Belinda¡¯s pce like it was his own home. He always excused himself with something along the lines of onlying for food, but they were already friends. More or less. Belinda was very happy with her new friend. Chapter 6 Trantor/editor: ruby The sound of water sshing in the indoor fountain permeated the stillness of the Imperial Pce. The emperor moved a chess piece with anguid expression. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the right one this time either, was it?¡± ¡°Yes, I was expecting golden hair and golden eyes¡­¡­.¡± The Duke fiddled with his mustache, eyes firmly on the floor. The emperor held on to his wife. ¡°What happened to the one you found the other day?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t respond to the spirit stone.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve failed. Again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty!¡± He pushed away the chess board, lost in thought sprawled on the sofa. Finding the secret ability of golden-haired people was of utmost importance. It was the only thing that could make beasts bow to the emperor¡¯s authority. Including the leopards that had been toying with the imperial family for so long. And Belinda? With her blonde hair, she resembled her mother, but luckily not enough to be aplete clone of her. Lily, too, had the golden hair and eyes, but no ability. He¡¯d had a child with her, just in case, but Belinda¡¯s grey eyes left no hope of the ability. Her eyes looked exactly like her father¡¯s. As soon as he made sure that the child didn¡¯t have the ability, he abandoned the woman and returned to the pce as if nothing had happened. The beauty of a poor woman could shake him, but not make him change his ways. Leaving a ring, he promised toe back one day, but the promise was quickly forgotten as the tasks of the pce brought him back to his normal lifestyle. He didn¡¯t forget, no. He just¡­. Deleted it from his memory. Lily and everything surrounding her was just a mirage. His ce was in the pce. Even his decision to seek out Belinda was just a childish impulse. It was still his blood¡­ Either ways, he thought it was better to have her be in the pce out of view than be gued by what-ifs. They might bring on setbacks¡­..but he couldn¡¯t just go and kill them. ¡°What can I do with those Shinsu bastards¡­¡­.¡± The emperor slowly put on a sly smile. He might have been impatient, but there was just no way. If their god disappeared, the humans themselves would have no choice but to bow their heads to someone else¡­ *** ¡°Princess.¡± The maid¡¯s voice could be heard from behind the door. A fresh breeze blew through the room, carrying the smell of earth. Belinda stirred slightly. ¡°You mentioned the other day that you wanted to y backgammon. Mademoiselle Lucy came to y with you.¡± This time she sat up in bed. Princess. Princess Belinda. Oh my god. Wait. That¡¯s me. I¡¯m a princess. The more she thought of it, the more amazing it was. It¡¯s been months since she¡¯d entered the pce, but she still couldn¡¯t fully understand that she was a princess. It was only natural, after so many years living as amoner. She roughly tossed away her nket and answered. ¡°Come in.¡± The maid came in carrying arge golden box, followed by a little girl. It was Lucy, the daughter of Earl Herb, who had be Belinda¡¯spanion maid three months ago. She was thest descendant of a crumbling noble family. ¡°Good morning, Princess.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Aymon isn¡¯t here, is he? It¡¯s been over two weeks since he came.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Lucy had met Aymon for the first time a few months ago, and it didn¡¯t take her long to figure out his real identity. Belinda recalled it with a smile. Lucy fell onto the floor bowing with a white face as soon as she spotted the spirit stone on his forehead. ¡°Wee to the Great Leopard Shinsu!¡± She was so afraid,she couldn¡¯t even raise her head. But that only happened once. She softened up and now she absolutely adored the kitten. Lucy brought some cookies and they began ying. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Aymoning?¡± Aymon¡¯s visits had always been irregr. There were times when he stayed for a whole week, and times where he disappeared hunting in the forest for ten days. But this time, he hadn¡¯t been around for fifteen days. ¡°Well, well, where could he be¡­¡­¡­ Curious, Lucy? What do you like so much about him?¡± Of course, Belinda thought every little detail of him was perfect, but she doubted that Lucy thought so, too. Lucy fiddled with her ears andughed awkwardly. ¡°Uh, you know, he¡¯s cute¡­¡­¡± It was a vague reply, as if she was ashamed. ¡°That¡¯s true, he¡¯s very cute. The ck fur and sparkling eyes. His eyes almost look like jewels, don¡¯t they? The two girls talked and joked around affectionately as they yed. They were interrupted by a fluffy ck paw stepping onto the game board. He indifferently scratched at the board, seeming to signal that he wanted some attention. ¡°Aymon?!¡± Lucy lit up at his brazen reappearance of the leopard, but her face soon stiffened as she saw something sticking out of his mouth. Belinda carefully pried it out. Aymon had casually picked it up on the way as a present. Lucy screamed. ¡°Argh! It¡¯s a sparrow!!¡± It was indeed a small, plump sparrow. A cute, lovely creature. Lucy covered her face with a trembling hand so she wouldn¡¯t see it. Belinda also couldn¡¯t help but look away. She gulped. Come to think of it, the olddy at the mill always told her that the alley cat she used to feed would start bringing her dead mice if she wasn¡¯t careful. And she turned out to be right. A thoughtful, yet horrible, show of gratitude from a cat. Did he bring it as a gift? But he¡¯s not a cat! Belinda carefully opened her eyes. The sparrow was still there, lying on the table dead. Lucy had already fled to the other side of the room. Aymon tilted his head and looked up at Belinda. ¡¸Why¡¯d you close your eyes?¡¹ Her strange reaction made his ears prick up. ¡¸Are you afraid of sparrows?¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m not scared. It¡¯s just¡­¡± The dead sparrow was just pathetic, not scary. But she couldn¡¯t say that. She didn¡¯t know what to say. Someone of such a great importance had caught a sparrow for her, but¡­. ¡¸Don¡¯t humans like this kind of thing?¡¹ ¡°Um¡­¡­.¡± I like it. It¡¯s cute¡­¡­.but when it¡¯s alive. How can I say this without hurting him¡­ How can I teach an animal kindness from a human¡¯s perspective? Belinda was quite desperate. ¡¸You¡¯re cute, like a little sparrow.¡¹ ¡°That¡¯s ¨C That¡¯s true, but-¡° ¡¸But?¡¹ ¡°I¡¯d rather have this alive than dead¡­¡­.¡± Aymon switched his gaze from Belinda to the dead sparrow on the table. He poked its plump body with his paw. ¡¸Wake up.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was a firm order. Obviously the sparrow did not answer. It was dead, after all, wasn¡¯t it? Aymon tried again, this time in a sweet yet gangster-like voice. ¡¸I said wake up!¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Silence. Aymon scratched the table with his razor-sharp ws as a final warning. ¡¸Hey, if you keep ying dead, I guarantee you won¡¯t have to pretend much longer.¡¹ Then, a miracle. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The dead sparrow sprang up, shouting in a high-pitched voice. Belinda stared at it nkly. It was amazing that Aymon had brought the sparrow, it was amazing that the sparrow had yed dead, it was amazing that Aymon threatened it, it was amazing that the sparrow talked.. He pressed down roughly on the sparrow. ¡¸Now y with that girl.¡¹ The sparrow again answered, ¡°Yes, sir!¡± and flew over Belinda¡¯s shoulder. She nced at it awkwardly. The twittering voice rang in her eyes. ¡°Hello! I didn¡¯t pretend to be dead because I hated you! I swear! It really hurt! Aymon¡¯s teeth are so sharp that he could stab you with them. I didn¡¯t even want toe here! I¡¯m telling you, again, it¡¯s not because I hate you-¡° Belinda quickly gave up on listening and turned back to face Aymon. The little leopard had an arrogant smirk stered on his face. Come on. Compliment me. Say thank you for the gift. He wagged his tail adorably. Forgetting about the talking sparrow for a moment, she reached out to him, gently rubbing his chin with her fingertips. The fur was incredibly soft to the touch after so much time. ¡°I haven¡¯t greeted you properly. Hi.¡± The sparrow butted in. ¡°Yes! Hello!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda awkwardly scratched its head and tried again with Aymon. ¡°Aymon, long time no see. Why haven¡¯t you been heretely?¡± ¡¸I was at the sacred mountain.¡¹ ¡°The sacred mountain?¡± ¡¸Yes, I have to go there to regain my strength¡­¡­don¡¯t keep prying. You make me answer like that, without me even wanting to.¡¹ Aymon answered furtively and raised his chin a little. Now,e on. Pat me some more. More. More. Chapter 7 Trantor/editor: ruby Belinda kept on patting the both of them as she continued to talk. ¡°By the way, Aymon. Howe the bird can talk? Is it a Shinsu, too?¡± Instead of Aymon, the sparrow answered enthusiastically. ¡°No! I¡¯m not a Shinsu! I can talk because Aymon shared the sacred power with me, but it¡¯s true that I¡¯m a little smarter than others-¡° It wouldn¡¯t stop twittering and pping its wings. Belinda gently stroked its neck to try and calm it down. Aymon simply growled. Shut your mouth already. Only then did the sparrow quiet down, understanding the implication of his simple action. However, his mood quickly shifted as he turned to Belinda, wagging his tail. ¡¸Well? What do you think? Do you like my present?¡¹ ¡°Yes. It¡¯s really cute. But what¡¯s his name?¡± The sparrow chimed up again. ¡°I don¡¯t have a name yet-¡± He shut up again as soon as Aymon¡¯s eyes narrowed warningly. ¡¸No name yet. You name it for me.¡¹ ¡°Shall we name him Mazetto, then?¡± Aymonzily wagged his tail in approval and Mazetto tweeted in a shrill voice, pping his wings, ¡°Okay!¡± *** ¡¸Don¡¯t be absurd!!¡¹ Aymon pped the piece of fabric out of Belinda¡¯s hand. She just shook her head and put it back on his awfully well-set head. Before they knew it, lush, green nts were sprouting up again, announcing the arrival of spring. As the thick nket of snow on the hunting ground melted and the frigid wind chill turned to a fresh breeze, the imperial court was ready to host an archerypetition. Aymon was intrigued by it. ¡¸An archerypetition?¡± I¡¯ll have a look around, too.¡¹ ¡°You¡¯ve always said you weren¡¯t interested in what humans do, what happened?¡± ¡¸The weak human race took over this whole continent, driving out powerful beasts with ws and fangs.¡¹ ¡°Yeah, they did.¡± ¡¸It¡¯s all thanks to their weapons. I need to see that power. How strong they really are.¡¹ The elder Shinsu leopards had always said to Aymon and his three siblings to never underestimate the power of the mere human. That they are ill-intentioned and cunning creatures, yet they couldn¡¯t possibly bring them down¡­ So he wanted to see it for himself. Even so, though¡­. It was embarrassing to have to wear such an ugly hat. He needed it to cover the spirit stone on his forehead, but it was more than enough topletely destroy the Shinsu¡¯s confidence. He couldn¡¯t deny, even to himself, that he was a cute kitty. ¡°Aymon. You can¡¯t go without this. No one will believe you¡¯re my pet cat if they can see the spirit stone.¡± Lucy chimed in. ¡°That¡¯s right. Or do you want to miss it?¡± Aymon, sprawled on the floor, pawed at the end of the ribbon on the hat. It¡¯s not difficult to identally reveal my identity. He wouldn¡¯t want to be caught in or near the pce by another Shinsu, close to humans, and have rumours spread about him¡­ Not just that, also¡­ Also, Belinda has golden hair. Shinsu leopards absolutely detested golden hair and golden eyes. Well, Belinda didn¡¯t have golden eyes, but still. Just because of the hair, he was sure he¡¯d be told that he would be stuck with a pathetic human his whole life. With the ensuing nagging from the elder Shinsu, he doubted he¡¯d be able to roam around the pce as freely as he could now. ¡¸Allright.¡¹ Aymon murmured in a small voice, finally deciding to put on the hat. I am absolutely not going to look at the mirror, a ss, or the fountain water. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! It looks good on you! You should wear it all the time!¡± Mazetto flew around, twittering at him. Aymon shot him a dirty look, not knowing whether the sparrow was giving him apliment or making fun of him. ¡¸¡­¡­I¡¯m gonna get rid of that bastard bird right now¡­¡­.¡¹ Soon, they couldn¡¯t stop him from going after . Some timeter, Belinda held on to him tightly as they arrived at the hunting ground. She awkwardly stretched out her legs, standing around at the entrance. She couldn¡¯t help butugh at the sheer absurdity of cradling a leopard pretending to be a cat and having a sparrow sitting on her head. ¡°His Majesty The Emperor is entering!¡± The booming voice of a servant rang through the grounds and the royal family entered ¨C well, except Belinda, of course. ¡¸Why aren¡¯t you going in with them?¡±¡¹ ¡°Hmm. Isn¡¯t the real star supposed to enter alone?¡± I can¡¯t go with them because I havemoner blood. She couldn¡¯t say that, so she just made a joke instead. They were of pure, noble blood, and she was just a mixed-blood street rat princess. It couldn¡¯t They were of noble descent from the empire, and they were half-penny princesses mixed withmoner blood. It was worlds apart. So she could only trail after them like a ghost. However, Aymon didn¡¯t need to know that. She just smiled as they went in quietly. No one cared where she went, or with whom. She definitely didn¡¯t mind, though. Attention for her would mean attention for Aymon, not to mention the very noisy sparrow on her head. ¡°Let the games begin!¡± The emperor announced, lying carelessly on a fur rug. The nobles in fancy hunting clothes stood in a line, smiling. They got ready to shoot. The rules were simple ¨C they had to hit pigeons with their arrows, and whoever hit the most would win. A pigeon was released into the sky, swiftly followed by a flurry of arrows. Mazetto quickly burrowed himself into Belinda¡¯s hair. ¡°This is not a sparrow-hunting contest, right¡­¡­?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± He poked his head through Belinda¡¯s hair, quickly going back into hiding once he saw the arrows. ¡°Bah! Humans are cruel¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry, Majetto.¡± Belinda gave a gentle sigh and patted the bird buried in her hair. Hunting, just a game for humans, must be a very cruel and frightening event for Mazetto. Meanwhile, Aymon was carefully observing the hunters¡¯ every movement, trying to figure out their methods. His ears twitched as he followed the path of one arrow after another. The event seemed to be dragging on forever. Aymon was paying careful attention at first, but as groups of hunters rotated and repeated the same actions, he got somewhat restless. He jumped on Belinda¡¯s shoulder and quietly whispered to her, pretending to rub his face on the back of her neck. ¡¸Breedee. I¡¯m sick of this.¡¹ ¡°Hang in there. It¡¯s almost over.¡± ¡¸What the hell does this stupid human entertainment form even mean?¡¹ ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± ¡¸Then why are they doing it, like some sort of idiots?¡¹ ¡°It¡¯s just for fun. Like you ying with a ball of yarn.¡±, she responded, teasing. He slightly bit her earlobe as a retortion. ¡¸You don¡¯t know much, Breedee. My best entertainment is hunting,not yarn balls. You know, leopards sink their ws into their prey and rip them apart.¡¹ How dare you treat me like a cat ying with yarn? That¡¯s what he meant, but Belinda wasn¡¯t swayed. She trusted him not to sink his ws into her body and rip off her flesh. ¡°You¡¯re saying some really creepy things in that cute little voice of yours.¡± Aymon¡¯s hair stood on end at theck of reaction from the girl. The dignity and authority of the Shinsu had never affected her, but this was different. She couldn¡¯t exactly threaten him¡­ He was just a nuisance. She smoothed out the fur on his tail that fell down on her back. Soft. ¡°If you¡¯re bored, how about we look around this tree behind us?¡± ¡¸What¡¯s the use of looking at trees?¡¹ ¡°What¡¯s the use of looking at people shoot arrows?¡± Aymon climbed back down into her arms, indicating his approval. They looked around without speaking at all. Just sightseeing, so to say. ¡°Look, there¡¯s ants climbing up the tree.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°You¡¯re good at climbing trees, too, right? Since you¡¯re a leopard. If you¡¯re bored, why don¡¯t you climb up there?¡± ¡¸Breedee, if you don¡¯t know what to say, it¡¯s okay to just stay quiet.¡¹ Belinda smiled awkwardly at his words. It was her who suggested they go see the tree rather than thepetition. She racked her mind for some way to lighten the mood, but¡­. It would be better to stay quiet. They continued staring at the ants, not saying a word. Then, suddenly¡­ Woosh! An arrow hit the tree just inches from Belinda¡¯s head. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± She let out a shrill scream and held on to Aymon tightly ¨C it was almost instinctive to protect him. A little twist in the trajectory of the arrow, and it could have pierced my head. I almost died. Her entire body tensed up, as if someone poured a bucket of ice over her. Aymon, too, heard her heartbeat clearly before he opened his eyes. His face hardened ¨C he was definitely not pleased by the sudden role reversal. A soft sound of crunching leaves could be heard. It was none other than Prince Lart, approaching them with a sly smile. He seemed to be the one who had fired the arrow. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you! ¡°You¡¯re so shabby, I couldn¡¯t even tell you apart from an animal-.¡± He couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. Aymon lunged out of Belinda¡¯s arms, straight at the prince. A small gust blew around him, and soon he was on top of the boy¡¯s body. Lart was paralyzed by fear. ¡°What a lowlife, how dare you¡­¡­.¡± The chilling voice of Aymon¡¯s human self rang out. He emitted a heavenly glow as he kept a firm hold on the prince. Chapter 8 Trantor/editor: ruby Lart let out a shaky breath. Looking at the face of the boy stepping on his neck, a shiver ran through his whole body. Just now, that cat in Belinda¡¯s arms jumped at me. And he turned into a human and now he¡¯s stepping on my neck¡­ He knew from the glittering spirit stone on his forehead ¨C a Shinsu leopard. A beast in human form. He didn¡¯t know why the leopard was there, or why he was there with Belinda¡­ But knowing that wouldn¡¯t help him anyways. The fear was choking his whole body. He wanted to close his eyes and escape. Run away screaming. But he couldn¡¯t do anything. Aymon lowered even farther onto the prince. As his facial expression so clearly indicated, he was serious. ¡°How dare a human being threaten what¡¯s mine¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Huk¡­¡± No, he did want to answer, but he couldn¡¯t since he was being held down by the neck. He wanted to shake his head, but, again, he couldn¡¯t move his neck. A pained groan escaped his slightly open mouth. Aymon pressed down even harder, not taking his feet off until the prince was out of breath. Killing a fragile human being was very simple. There was nothing to hesitate about. What worried him was all the nagging he¡¯d get from his elders for killing a member of the royal family. Also¡­ Also, if I kill this little boy, Belinda and I will no longer¡­¡­. Aymon looked down at him, holding his neck and rolling around on the ground/ Belinda was still clinging onto the tree with an astonished face. ¡°You.¡± ¡°Hahah¡­¡± Instead of answering, the prince moaned in pain. Aymon knocked him back down onto the grass. ¡°You humans are very weak. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡­ Yes, yes.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re hit by an arrow, you¡¯ll obviously die.¡± Lart looked back at him with a terrified gaze. Are there thorns in the air? Why is it so hard to breathe? ¡°But you fired an arrow at Belinda.¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know.. ¡­ I didn¡¯t know Princess Belinda was there.¡­.¡± He was trying his hardest to deny it, but they both knew it wasn¡¯t true. A faint smile appeared on Aymon¡¯s face. ¡°You didn¡¯t know¡­¡­ Sure. You might not have known. Maybe.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Well, here¡¯s what I don¡¯t know. How much strength do I need to waste for you to die?¡± Thump. Aymon¡¯s feet were straining. Prince Lart took another sharp breath. He felt like all his ribs might break. ¡°Will this be enough to kill you?¡± ¡°Cough¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Or this much?¡± Whenever Aymon increased the pressure on his chest, his eyes blurred with pain. Maybe his bones were already broken. Before they knew it, Mazetto twirled around their heads, chirping. ¡°Kill him! Kill him!¡± Lart, in terror, did not hear it, and Aymon pretended not to hear it either. Lart¡¯s intense breathing caught in his throat. A damp liquid flowed down between his trembling legs. It was embarrassing, but he didn¡¯t even have time to feel ashamed about it. He grabbed Aymon¡¯s ankles and shook his head desperately. ¡°No, no! No¡­! Save me. I was wrong. I, I, uh¡­¡­! Save me¡­¡± The royal child, more arrogant than anyone else, was now clinging desperately onto Aymon with tears and snot all over his face. But there was an even more arrogant beast above him. Aymonughed. His smile seemed to hide a lot of cruelty. He whispered in a small voice, so Belinda couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°Belinda is my human.¡± ¡°Hahah¡­¡± ¡°You see what I mean? You¡¯re a smart, great member of the royal family.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­! Yes!¡± Prince Lart replied obediently, nodding his head wildly. He was desperate to get out of this threatening situation somehow. Mazetto, sat on Belinda¡¯s shoulder, was twittering excitedly. ¡°Bite him, Aymon! He killed a pigeon, too!¡± Only then did Belindae to her senses. She hurriedly stepped in, afraid that a cruel incident would soon unfold if she didn¡¯t. ¡°Aymon.¡± She grabbed his cor with trembling hands. Aymon slowly turned to face her. He skimmed over Belinda¡¯s scared, confused face. She couldn¡¯t speak. The sight of Aymon stepping on Lart made her think too much off the innkeeper that would beat her. Unknowingly, her hands trembled and her mouth was closed so tight, it felt like her jaw would break. ¡°Are you scared? Should I stop?¡± Aymon asked tenderly. She shook her head, and softly grabbed Aymon¡¯s shoulders, whispering in a thin voice. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Mhmm.¡± ¡°Just in case¡­¡­¡­ pick a spot where the wound wouldn¡¯t show¡­¡­.¡± She didn¡¯t want him to be killed ¨C he was her half-brother after all ¨C but still, it would be okay to punish him a little bit for almost shooting her, right? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aymon almostughed, but managed to hold it back. I know the situation is scaring you, but are you really asking me to bite him somewhere it wouldn¡¯t be seen? This girl is really clueless. Aymon thought a little about what to do with the prince. Belinda told me to not be gentle, so I think I shouldn¡¯t be. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m some sort of domestic cat, but this still feels weird¡­ He shook his head and stepped away from the prince. He knew that Belinda was still afraid, even if she pretended to be fine. Aymon was well aware of when it was time to end his act. Lart crouched on the ground holding his chest, coughing. Mazetto chirpedmentably. ¡°Hng. Why don¡¯t you kill him?¡± Belinda hushed him and smoothed down his wings with her fingertips, which were still trembling. Aymon sighed, once again sensing her fear. A little leopard appeared on the grass. Aymon slowly approached Lart, now in his animal form. He whispered in his ear. ¡¸Just so you know, if you try to retaliate against Breedee for what happened today, that will be the day your life ends.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡± Prince Lart nodded with his eyes bathed in tears. ¡¸Don¡¯t talk about today, either. It¡¯s embarrassing, isn¡¯t it? For someone of the royal family.¡¹ ¡°Yes¡­¡­.¡± ¡¸Good. You¡¯re smart.¡¹ Aymon pricked his ears, satisfied He didn¡¯t want to be nagged by his elders because of the boy. Elder Aysha¡¯s lectures had always been long and boring. He strode towards Belinda, who was still frozen in shock. When she felt him rubbing up against her shoes, she looked down. ¡¸The archerypetition is over already. Let¡¯s go to your pce and have some snacks.¡¹ Aymon said, wagging his tail. ¡°All right.¡± ¡¸Pick me up, Breedee.¡¹ He rubbed against Belinda¡¯s legs, acting cute, perhaps to threaten the prince just a bit more. Don¡¯t be afraid of me. I¡¯m your cute little beast. Belinda crouched down to pick him up. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go.¡± She stretched out her arms and the expectant Aymon jumped right into them. A warm, soft creature that I can hold in my arms. A cute and scary little friend who scolded Larte for me¡­ Aymon. Leaving behind Lart, who still hadn¡¯t stopped panting, they turned around to return to the guest pce. No one would care about the mixed-descent princess, even if she had not made any effort at all to hide. Her father wouldn¡¯t have cared either. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill him, Aymon?¡± He swiped at the bird with his front paw as a response, and it flew away before he could catch it. Belinda stared in the direction of the pce, still some distance away, and lifted up Aymon by his torso. Dangling in the air, he looked at her with a puzzled expression. ¡°Aymon.¡± ¡¸Hm?¡¹ ¡°You threatening the prince was really cool.¡± He rubbed his nose with his front paw to hide his embarrassment. ¡¸ Next time I step on someone I¡¯ll be even cooler. I can do it.¡¹ He promised better acts of violence against Prince Lart. ¡¸I¡¯ve done this a lot in animal form, but it¡¯s my first time doing it as a human.¡­.¡¹ He murmured awkwardly. Belinda smiled brightly and nodded. ¡°But aren¡¯t you going to get into trouble if you act like this?¡± ¡¸Trouble? What trouble?¡¹ ¡°He¡¯s from the royal family. What if he wants to get back at you?¡± Aymon could see the worry in her eyes. He slightly licked the back of her hand. Surprised, Belinda identally dropped him. The texture of his tongue was unfamiliar. Hended lightly on his feet and looked up at her. ¡¸Breedee. I¡¯m strong.¡¹ ¡°Yes. I know. But¡­¡­.¡± ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t care what rank a person is. I¡¯ll step on the Emperor if you want.¡¹ ¡°That emperor is my father, though!¡± ¡¸True. Shall we exclude the Emperor, then?¡¹ Belinda put off answering and smiled lightly. ¡¸Anyway, what I¡¯m saying is¡­¡­ You just need to be next to me. Hugging and petting me.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda choked up. I keep getting emotional. She tried to hold back her tears. She just made a joke about the emperor, but the way Aymon couldfort her without saying a word made her emotional again. A friend who is always nervous but kind. Great and noble, but just a cute leopard for me. My dear friend, Amon. Belinda slowly knelt down and made eye contact with him. She reached out her hand, and Aymon rubbed up against it. ¡¸So, Breedee. Take care of me now.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡± She blinked over and over again. She felt like crying, but tried to hold back her tears ¨C she didn¡¯t want Aymon to see her crying. She stroked his head gently. Satisfied, Aymon closed his eyes. After some time, he looked up at her. His eyes glittered beautifully in the sunlight. Belinda smiled. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn¡¯t know why she was crying. Chapter 9 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°Those wicked, arrogant Shinsu bastards¡­¡­!¡± Prince Lart said, fists clenched and still crying in frustration. He was busyining to his twin, Princess Adi ¨C he couldn¡¯t reveal the neck-trampling incident to their father. The royal family didn¡¯t see much beyond threatening and making fun of the beasts. Well, it wasn¡¯t his fault, but he knew the emperor would be angry with him for showing weakness. He hated it when his father was disappointed in him. ¡°So he threatened you to stick up for Belinda?¡± ¡°Yes! He stepped on my neck and tried to break my ribs! It really hurt!¡± He shouted, hitting his chest. An intense feeling of disgrace rose up his body. Adi tried her hardest to keep a calm expression. I don¡¯t care how strong you are, you insulted Lart and the royal family by extension. This alone was enough to make her outraged, but worst of all, she couldn¡¯t bear that Belinda, with her vulgar veins, was the reason for all of it. It was a disgrace, in and simple. ¡°Youpletely forgot about the attitude of the royal family, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been humiliated, but all that traces back to the whole family. When are you going to stop being so thoughtless?¡± ¡°¡­..Adi.¡± Cold sweat trailed down her face. ¡°Imagine you shot the arrow that killed that stupid thing. What do you think our father would have said? It would be hot gossip¡± The prince remarked calmly while still wiping away his tears. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Adeleai sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You were just trying to make fun of her. I understand your feelings, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The vulgar blood that puts our mother into misery! I¡­.!¡± His sister wiped his face with a handkerchief. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s be careful now. Don¡¯t go near Belinda when she¡¯s with that Shinsu. It¡¯s true that they¡¯re strong. Allright?¡± She said in a friendly voice. She was just a child, but she knew perfectly well how to twist Lart around her little finger. He nodded and responded with a long ¡°Yeahhhhhh.¡± She patted him on the back, as if to console him. ¡°Lart, I will avenge them for humiliating you.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find a way somehow. I¡¯m sure they have a weakness.¡± ¡°Yes. They must have one!¡± ¡°Trust me.¡± She shed a cold smile. ¡°Your Majesty, are you very busy?¡± The princess went up to her father, doing paperwork at his desk. Her attitude was very different from the one she¡¯d shown Lart. She clung to her father¡¯s arms with twinkling pleady eyes. The emperor gave in andid down his quill pen. ¡°Come here.¡± With his arms wide open, he held Adi tightly ¨C a loving father that Belinda would never get to know. Adi sighed deeply to draw his attention. ¡°Is something troubling you?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty¡­ ¡­.¡± ¡°What is it to make you sigh so deeply?¡± Heughed, as if the princess¡¯s worries were cute. She responded in a somber voice while fiddling with his cor. ¡°I was learning about the history of the empire yesterday, and it made me really sad.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the imperial family that has built an empire, and the great emperor who leads the people, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But¡­ ¡­it¡¯s so sad to see the Shinsu leopards, who have nothing but power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The emperor¡¯s expression changed. He gazed softly into the child¡¯s eyes. Adi didn¡¯t look away. ¡°Adi. You¡¯re a lot like me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea for you to be our next empress, since we¡¯re so simr.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡± Adeleai¡¯s eyes widened. She could barely open her mouth to speak. Emperors had all been men for generations back. Female rulers existed, but they could only rule because there was no other sessor. I didn¡¯t dare to think that I could be emperor with Lart around.¡­. Adeleai¡¯s cute eyes filled with greed. The prospect of getting a position she didn¡¯t even expect herself was exciting. However, she pushed away these thoughts and instead stared at her father calmly. ¡°Adi. You have to look for golden hair and golden eyes.¡± ¡°Blonde¡­¡­ gold eyes¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The only way we can defeat the Shinsu is to find the Descendant of God.¡± The Shinsu leopards had never been defeated, no matter how many times humans charged at them with their knives and spears. A ruler the size of a house. Tough skin that could bounce off arrows. The only one who could deal with these fearfully strong beings was the Descendant of God. The first god made people and Shinsu, but also a human god, Barhan. The only one who could deal with the Shinsu was Barhan. The original god had died and Barhan had also disappeared, but¡­ Five hundred years ago, a descendant of Barhan appeared. He was killed by a leopard, but he had a child, so a descendant of his must be out there somewhere. Once we find him, humans will rule the world. The emperor stroked his daughter¡¯s cheeks affectionately.. ¡°Adi. If you find Barhan¡¯s descendant¡­¡­.¡± He smiled. ¡°You will have the crown.¡± She sucked in a sharp breath. *** Spring was slowlying to an end at the pce. The blooming trees outside Belinda¡¯s window shed their petals one by one. Aymon came to visit for the first time in nearly a month. ¡¸Belinda, give me some cookies¡­¡­.¡¹ He sat down by the window with his ears drooping. Both Belinda and Lucy dropped the embroidery they¡¯d been doing and ran to him. ¡°Aymon. Why haven¡¯t you been here in so long? I missed you.¡± ¡°Aymon! I¡¯ve collected a lot of wool for you!¡± He looked up at the two girls and yanked away from Belinda¡¯s hand. ¡¸A ball of wool¡­¡­ I¡¯m not a kid. Plus, I¡¯m a leopard. I¡¯m not young enough to be ying with wool, and I¡¯m not a cat to be ying with it either¡­.¡¹ Aymon said, not revealing any of his upset. Who do they think I am? There goes my authority¡­. This isn¡¯t easy. Mazetto appeared, fluttering around Aymon¡¯s head ¡°Yes! You are the greatest and most wonderful person in the world! Definitely not a cat!¡± Ten minutester, though¡­. ¡°He¡¯s having a great time, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yeah, Lucy. I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d like it that much either.¡± The once-grumpy Aymon was having the time of his life with the ball of wool. He was really a beast whose words never matched his actions. The two girls just watched the scene unfold from a table at the opposite side of the room. Belinda smiled. How can someone be so lovely? It feels like he¡¯s my own baby. Aymon the beautiful boy who stepped on Prince Lart¡¯s neck and Aymon emitting a cool glow after casually kicking the prince away were nowhere to be seen. There was just a little leopard running around on a rug, ying with a bunch of wool. After a long while, he stopped ying, ws entangled in the wool. ¡¸I¡¯m stuck. Get it off.¡¹ ¡°How cute¡­.¡± Belinda blurted out without thinking. Aymon hissed at her. ¡¸This is really ufortable!¡¹ Of course, Belinda just toyed around with his paws without any attempt to untangle him. Aymon pulled away. ¡¸Hurry up and do it. Stop acting cute.¡¹ She could hear the desperation in his voice, but didn¡¯t care much. Lucy ended up getting his ws out of the wool and throwing it aside. ¡¸You¡¯re the only one for me, Lucy.¡¹ ¡°What about me? Am I not one for you?¡± Asked Belinda in a griefing tone. He looked up at her, flustered. ¡¸What¡­ you¡¯re here too. Always here.¡¹ She responded with a quick butt pat. Amon lurched back. ¡¸Do you want to live without hands??¡¹ ¡°What are you, a cannibal? ¡° ¡¸There¡¯s nothing you can do. I could eat you whole!¡¹ It was meant to be a threat, but didn¡¯t sound threatening at all. Mazetto also flew over, chirping in support of Aymon. ¡°Of course! You can eat her! You can eat it all!¡± Ignoring him, Belinda embraced Aymon and rubbed their cheeks together. ¡°Don¡¯t eat me. It won¡¯t taste good. I ate nothing but food waste until I was 11.¡± ¡°Waste?¡± ¡°Yes. Leftover rice from the restaurant dumpster, or moldy hard bread. So if you want to eat, eat Lucy.¡± Lucy, who was next to him, shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll taste that good either¡­ It¡¯s been quite a while since my father went into ruin and we couldn¡¯t eat meat¡­¡­.¡± There was even a little tinge of fear to her voice. . Lucy and Aymon got along well by now, but it still scared her to be reminded of his status. Unlike Belinda, just amoner, Lucy responded instinctively to a supposedly cruel and ferocious Shinsu. She was the daughter of a count, after all. ¡°Aymon. You choose. Do you want to eat me or Lucy?¡± ¡¸I¡¯ll think about it when both of you gain more weight. Too many bones are hard on the teeth.¡¹ He answered, with a serious tone. Lucy flinched and Belinda also started pondering whether or not she should really gain weight. Chapter 10 Trantor/editor: ruby Aymon, having dered bloody murder ¨C well, cannibalism at least -, circled around Belinda. However, instead of sinking his fangs into her neck, he softly touched her cheek with a paw. ¡¸Let me ask onest question before I eat you.¡¹ ¡°And what is that?¡± ¡°Tell me about your life. Before you came here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda clenched her jaw. Once again. Always the exact same question ¨C and she always had the same cookie cutter answer. Her usual happy expression, no, the happy expression she faked for everyone, melted off her face. ¡°Well, I spent it like anymon person, you know.¡± ¡¸What the hell was it really like?¡¹ Belinda lowered her gaze. Beat and kicked by the innkeeper, wandering around town crying, looking for scraps of bread on the ground to eat. It was a scar and a disgrace. Even in the pce, she would wake up crying and screaming after nightmares, reliving all of it. She still needed time to heal and to talk about it to anyone, even Aymon. ¡°I just picked up bread from the ground because I didn¡¯t have any money¡­. So what¡­¡± Hearing Belinda¡¯s words, Mazetto started chirping eagerly. ¡°Beggar! Were you a beggar?¡± He quickly stopped and flew to safety on Lucy¡¯s shoulder after Aymon swatted at him. Why does Aymon hate me so much¡­ Hmph. Aymon slowly went up to Belinda. Uncharacteristically for him, he scanned her expression with serious eyes. ¡¸Breedee, you always keep quiet when the topices up.¡¹ ¡°Ah, really?¡± Sheughed in an effort to lighten the mood. ¡¸It¡¯s why all those big men scare you, right?¡¹ Her eyelids trembled and her pupils dted the slightest amount ¨C indistinguishable for a human, but an instant indicator of fear for Aymon. He¡¯d seen it many times, in the eyes of all themon beasts that had faced him. Fear, restlessness, panic. It was apparent in the girl¡¯s entire body. He sneaked up on Belinda from behind and touched her cheek again. ¡¸Tell me, Breedee. I¡¯ll kill all the remnants of the past that haunts you.¡¹ He said in a seductive whisper. It sounded almost magical. Belinda paused to think for a moment. Yeah, Aymon will take care of everything for me. He¡¯s so strong, after all. They¡¯d avenge the innkeeper one day¡­ But not yet. In the future, when she¡¯s a bit broken. It would be better to talk about itter. It took thest bits of an 11-year old girl¡¯s pride to reply with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°It¡¯s really nothing. It¡¯s not a big deal. Just¡­ter.¡± Amon was lost in thought. He wanted to know right away, but¡­ For now, rather than pressuring her, it would be better to wait until she can talk about it. Maybe that¡¯s the best thing I can do for her. ¡¸Take your time. You can tell me anytime you want. ¡¹ ¡°Okay.¡± She said in a thin voice, trying her best to suppress all the old memories taking over her mind. Aymon sighed and rubbed his soft cheeks on her forearm. This tiny ball of fluff could kill all the remnants of my past, huh? She giggled a bit at the thought. *** ¡¸What are you doing?¡¹ Aymon was over to y, but Belinda was too busy to pay him any mind. She was preparing for a huge party the duchy would hold for some foreign visitors. ¡°Aymon, I have to leave for the party soon. y with Lucy and Mazetto today.¡± ¡¸Do I look like a kid who can¡¯t even y alone?¡¹ Aymon pped the table with his paw, displeased. Belinda just continued dressing up, ignoring him. Before they knew it, it was time for her to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, Aymon.¡± She hastily waved to him before scurrying outside to her carriage. Aymon waved back with his tail¡­ But as soon as the carriage started moving, he bolted after it. ¡°Aymon! Where are you going?¡± Mazetto flew by and poked his nose. Aymon growled at him. ¡¸Don¡¯t youe. If you-.¡¹ If youe, you die. Mazetto disappeared before Aymon could finish his sentence. Content with having scared the bird off, he concealed himself again and continued running after the carriage. After all, easy concealment during the night was his specialty. The party was located inside the main pce, not too far from Belinda¡¯s guest pce. Standing at the entrance of the pce, Belinda took a deep breath. It was not her first time at a party by any means, but the momentary nerves standing at the entrance never quite went away. It probably had to do with her¡­ slightlycking party etiquette. There was also Prince Lart and Princess Adi, who would always stare at her with contempt and sneer at her slightest mistake. ¡°Princess Belinda has arrived!¡± The doors opened to let her in, and the colourful lights of the ballroom flooded over her. Bright and shiny and fancy ¨C as she¡¯d always felt, it was not a world she could seamlessly fit into. A whileter, Belinda was sipping on some apple juice, leaning against a column. ¡°You¡¯re being treated like some idiot again today, huh?¡± She whispered to herself. Nothing much to see around, just some duke¡¯s daughter. And then there was her, just a princess who was treated like an outcast by the emperor. She was alone again. Aristocratic circles were not all that easy to break into. Not to mention the royal twins were standing right there with the group, along with all the noble families of the duchy. It felt like an unscble wall to Belinda. ¡°If you¡¯re going to be like this, why even invite me? Sheesh.¡± To put it inly, she wasn¡¯t enjoying herself too much. Also¡­ The stunning blue dress she was wearing, with a bejeweled cor and luxurious fabric, seemed really out of ce. Everyone else was dressed in yellow. Could it have been a dress code they decided on themselves? Of course, she wouldn¡¯t have known either ways. She¡¯d never as much exchanged a word with any of the noble children. They were whispering, then turning around to nce at Belinda before going back to whispering again, as if they were telling a joke. From time to time, Princess Adi, stood in the center of their little circle,ughed loudly. It didn¡¯t take a genius to discern who the conversation was about. ¡°They must beughing about me. Like it¡¯s such a big deal to put on a luxurious fancy blue dress instead of a luxurious fancy yellow one¡­¡± Looking around, she noticed that she was indeed the only person not wearing yellow clothes. Even so, she raised her head high and kept on eating hors d¡¯oeuvres with a smug look on her face, just to show them she didn¡¯t care. How could she be hurt by something like this when the memory of the innkeeper¡¯s blows was still so insistent in the back of her mind? She got sucked out of her thoughts when the music suddenly stopped and the servant shouted an announcement. ¡°All wee His Majesty the Emperor, the shining sun of our empire!¡± The dramaticte entry of the main character. Shiny and imposing with a huge red cape, yet with a rxed smile perched on a beautiful face. And, of course, the unmissable arrogant expression that was the trademark of the royal family. He looked awe-inspiring even to Belinda. She couldn¡¯t help but notice how simr he looked to Lart and Adi. Unlike her¡­ She just saw more and more distinctions between them. A man who was her father, but not really her father. Roughly shoving away the crowd that had gathered around him, the emperor cracked a huge smile when he saw the twins. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°There you are!¡± With a brisk bow, the two approached the emperor quickly. The warm affection was obvious in the emperor¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been so busytely, I haven¡¯t seen you properly. How have you been?¡± ¡°I saw you a week ago, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°A week without seeing you feels like a month to me!¡± Natural affection, unconditional love. The emotion between them was clear, and Belindaughed bitterly. The empress, who usually had on a sour expression, was also looking at the scene like a loving mother. ¡°Your Majesty, stop greeting the children! You have to greet the visitors to our duchy!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be with them a little more. I haven¡¯t seen them in so long since I¡¯ve been touring the empire.¡± A harmonious family, bound together by love. Belinda burst into tears watching it. She couldn¡¯t possibly intrude on that. She¡¯d never dared to think she could be included in that family. She had no choice but to rip that piece of her heart out so as to not deal with the pain so much. She was just an unnecessary disturbance to them, like a nasty piece of rotten food. It¡¯s not that she was bothered by their happiness¡­ But it broke her heart to think she had no one that could love her unconditionally like that. Hiding behind a column, she thought of her mother. I can¡¯t be thinking of my mother here. I can¡¯t just randomly start crying¡­ They were her ¡°family¡±. A family that always turned a blind eye to her. A family that rejected her. Hearing Adi¡¯s happy, lovingugh hurt so much more than her mocking one. After he¡¯d finished greeting his children, something suddenly caught his eye ¨C the hem of a blue dress sticking out from behind a column. He could recognize it instantly. It was the dress that he¡¯d gifted Belinda. Well, it¡¯s not like he gave it to her out of affection ¨C it was just a sort of appeasement to the girl he¡¯d trapped in a guest pce, hid away from everyone. He called out her name. ¡°Princess Belinda. Are you doing well?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± The royal twins looked on with a sour face. The emperor smiled and gestured invitingly at Belinda. ¡°Go and talk to the children. It makes me sad to see you with no one to talk to.¡± He was pretending to care, as if it erased the fact that he¡¯d dragged her to the pce, only to hide her away. Of course, it was a consideration not at all appreciated by Belinda. Soon four or five children gathered in front of her, including the twins. ¡°Come on! Talk to us.¡± Belinda just stared at them. There was clear displeasure and contempt in their eyes. It felt like she was an uninvited guest being forced into a social situation she didn¡¯t fit into. ¡°I don¡¯t like you very much either.¡± She said, whispering to herself. Chapter 11 Trantor/editor: ruby The Princess Adeleai tilted her head. Instead of greeting Belinda, she started talking in anguage she didn¡¯t understand at all. [Linell, I heard you got a new horse for your birthday?] So that¡¯s why I can¡¯t understand them¡­ It¡¯s not an Imperialnguage. Soon a conversation unintelligible to Belinda was in full swing. [Yes, mydy. It¡¯s a child of the horse that won thest equestrianpetition, and I waited half a year to get it.] [Can you let me ride it sometime?]] [Of course!] Thenguage they were using was ancient. A deadnguage that only the royal family and high-ranking aristocrats knew. They were intentionally disregarding her, only using it to show her that they were superior. Belinda saw these intentions. But rather than being ashamed, sheughed at them. ¡°You¡¯re childish.¡± It reveals a lot about nobility, doesn¡¯t it? Anyone would assume they¡¯re graceful and polite because of their noble blood, but their shameful behavior was worse than anymon person¡¯s. The children¡¯s conversation went on. [I¡¯ve decided to take painting sses from Finnelly.] [Finnelly? Isn¡¯t he such a famous artist these days? I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s impossible to get a painting from him because he¡¯s such a wild spirit.] [My family has decided to sponsor him this time.] Belinda poured herself another drink. It was a little sweet, just to her taste. How long are you going to keep this up? Hasn¡¯t it been enough picking on me to satisfy you yet? Adi looked up and smiled as if she had finally found Belinda. ¡°Oh, look. I guess we¡¯ve forgotten my sister is here, haven¡¯t we?¡± Belinda put down her drink and smiled back faintly. ¡°I guess you have.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Adi was embarrassed for a second by her rude reply, but soon a malicious smile spread across her face. ¡°It must be boring for you to hear us talk about the things that we know¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Join us.¡± Anguage you can only use between yourselves, you mean. Everyone noticed her expression. They were cruel children ¨C they wanted her to be hurt. To feel shame and to mourn. Belinda shook her head and answered casually. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I have nothing to boast about. Even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t want to stoop that low.¡± She talked in a calm tone, as if addressing toddlers. Adi was embarrassed once again. Did you understand? Did you learn ancientnguages? That can¡¯t be true. How could one learn an ancientnguage rolling in the dirt on the street? Belinda gazed out the window indifferently, then turned around with a polite smile. ¡°The weather¡¯s very good, I think I¡¯d better get some air¡­.I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± She turned around and left, still showing absolutely no interest in them. She had to admit, her manners were rather bad around Adi, but¡­ They were just aristocrats looking to blend in. All of them were in a gentle mood, so Belinda had to be too. Her role was to lie low and be obedient. To leave just like that, unprompted, was not exactly good manners. When did that vulgar thing ever learn an ancientnguage? As she watched Belinda disappear in the crowd, Adi tried to put her pleasant face back on, but no matter how much she thought about it¡­. It was iprehensible. The prince leaned over to whisper in her ear. ¡°Adi! Belinda must know ancientnguages, too!¡± That can¡¯t be true, you idiot! She almost let herself yell out the thought, but held back just in time. The forever calm and elegant princess was tipped off bnce at the drop of a hat with Belinda involved. ¡°Ah¡­ ..there¡¯s no way, Lart.¡± She forced out the words, trying to sound as sweet as possible. ¡°I understand, though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I just came to tease you a bit, but instead you start bragging like there¡¯s no tomorrow¡­ What was that? I think we were really childish.¡± Lart scratched his head. Wait, am I on the wrong side? This doesn¡¯t even make any sense! The princess hid her irritation from him, but clenched her fists tightly. Meanwhile, a boy standing near her caught his eye on Belinda. He was the second son of the Duke of Rodson, also mingling with the noble children. However, he was the only one among them who didn¡¯t speak any ancientnguages and remained neutral. Belinda burst outughing as soon as she stepped out into the garden. Of course, she didn¡¯t know a word of any ancientnguage. It was so easy to tell what those little kids were talking about! Some things really don¡¯t change ¨C it had been the same when she was amoner.The boys bragged about their horse-riding skills and the girls bragged about the new clothes they¡¯d got for their birthdays. That¡¯s why she could guess what the earlier conversation was about. ¡°If you want to screw me up, p me in the face! It hurts more.¡± Walking through the neat flower beds, she approached the window where she¡¯d been standing earlier with the other children.She took out a cherry tart that she¡¯d swiped from the party and wrapped in a handkerchief. ¡°This is so delicious.¡± With no one except Belinda, the garden was perfectly still and quiet. She continued to talk to herself as she strolled around. ¡°Such a unique taste. I¡¯ve never had anything like this before¡± She would have looked like a madman to anyone that saw her, but she justughed to herself, thinking of what a relief it was that her chauffeur wasn¡¯t with her. There was no one around to call her crazy. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want even a bite? I¡¯ll eat it all! Huh?¡± As soon as she finished the sentence, a bush rustled to reveal a small ball of ck fluff. ¡¸No! Gimme!¡¹ It was Aymon. ¡®¡­¡­as expected.¡¯ Belinda pursed her lips tightly to avoid bursting outughing. That¡¯s right. Aymon can¡¯t resist the thought of dessert. She sat down on the ground with him. Her beautiful dress would be crumpled, but she didn¡¯t care. A ridiculous-looking scene unfolded: a tea party between a girl and a beast. Aymon curled up on the hem of her dress and began munching at the tart. ¡¸How did you know I was here?¡¹ ¡°I heard a growl and saw a cute little kitten outside the window.¡± ¡¸Little and cute??¡¹ He said in an embarrassed tone, face buried in the tart. She brushed the crumbs off his face, smiling. It¡¯s certainly alright to be small and cute, isn¡¯t it? ¡°You¡¯re here because you¡¯re worried about me, right?¡± Aymon flinched and hid his face in the tart again. ¡¸No¡­ I was just wondering what a human party was like, you know¡­ That¡¯s why I came¡­¡¹ He muttered as an excuse before going back to the food. Belinda had had a feeling for a long time ¨C that there was something different about him. He wasn¡¯t bragging constantly like those kids at the party, he was actually so shy and humble¡­ The sound of leaves falling and the soft breeze was the only thing to interrupt their peaceful stillness. Belinda looked down at the cat and they held eye contact for a few moments. He might not have seemed like much, but he had a real knack of making an impression on people. Belinda didn¡¯t actually notice him at first. That was a lie. She only discovered him in a tense moment, his tail swinging nervously outside the window as she stood around the group of noble children. She saw his pointy ears pop out when she talked back to Adi. A bit more time, and he would have lurched straight in through the window. That¡¯s why she tried to get out into the garden as soon as she could. To meet this stout, tender-hearted gentleman. ¡°Aymon.¡± ¡¸What.¡¹ ¡°Nothing. Just because.¡± Aymon replied, wagging his tail slowly. ¡¸What is it? Honestly.¡¹ Honestly, Belinda wanted to thank him. There were so many things to thank him for, she was embarrassed to express all she was feeling. It was really hard at the party. The heartbreak of seeing the emperor¡¯s perfect family, a stable, loving rtionship she envied yet couldn¡¯t ever have. Well, not anymore. No one there to love her unconditionally ¨C the sad reality of a de facto orphan. Just because she expected all of it to happen, didn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t hurt. She was still always lonely and sad. She could only run away from the feelings for so much time. But¡­ But there¡¯s Aymon. At that moment, just having him right there next to her was perfectly consoling. How could such a little thing be so lovely? ¡¸This is delicious. Bring more~¡¹ Belinda couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She picked up the little leopard and hugged him tightly. Surprised, Aymon screeched but didn¡¯t let her go. ¡°Pretty. You¡¯re really pretty.¡± ¡¸What? What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡¹ He couldn¡¯t stay still for long. He tried to push her away with his paws. Without sticking his ws out, of course. Soon he stopped for fear of hurting her, with an annoyed look. ¡¸Whatever, do as you please¡­¡­.¡¹ I¡¯m sick and tired of being loved and adored. Where had his dignity gone? With this girl, he was nothing but a cute little kitty. Belinda rubbed their cheeks together and smoothed out his fluffy fur. He smelled of cherries. He sighed deeply. Belinda just booped his nose andughed again. ¡°What a cute sigh.¡± Aymon looked away. Belinda squeezed him again. Soft and warm. Thank you for Aymon. So self-conscious and always pretending to be manly. Sweet, threatening without ever showing his ws. There was a lonely cliff facing Belinda, but there was still hard ground under her feet. Aymon. That was enough. Chapter 12 Trantor/editor: ruby A yellow butterfly hovered over the blooming flowers and flew away. Warm sunshine fell down on the Duke of Rodson¡¯s garden, where four people were gathered for a tea party. The protagonists were, of course, the royal twins, apanied by the Marquis¡¯s daughter and the Duke himself. Phillip Rodson put down his teacup and turned to face Princess Adi ¡°Miss, where does Princess Belinda live? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had the chance to meet her on any of my visits to the pce.¡± ¡°Why are you so interested in vulgar blood, Phillip?¡± Her face hardened immediately. All the more so hearing Phillip say the unpleasant name. Belinda was known officially as a ¡°dwarf woman who recently returned to the kingdom after recuperating from a grave illness¡±, but it was an open secret that it was just an excuse to hide her away. The hidden, unofficial embarrassment of the royal family ¨C that¡¯s all Belinda was. ¡°Vulgar blood, maybe, but there¡¯s a very confident air to her.¡± ¡°Confident? You can¡¯t even tell the difference between confidence and coarseness. You¡¯re mixing up your words. How ignorant.¡± ¡°Mmmmm.¡± ¡°See, you don¡¯t even pay attention. What a sorry addition to the imperial household.¡± She said in a stifled voice. But Philip was lost in thought, smiling. He was reminded of Belinda at the party ¨C standing alone, but head held high, looking rxed, even avoiding the children¡¯s meanness so easily. What kind of life could she have? Phillip was inexplicably drawn to her. *** It was an ordinary afternoon in the guest pce. Lucy and Belinda were sat on the floor, immersed in a game of chess. She¡¯d learned to y it recently from Lucy, and although a bit moreplicated than the games they usually yed, she found it very fun. ¡°Wait. Lucy. Isn¡¯t it a checkmate? Because of my queen?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a tie.¡± ¡°Not a checkmate?¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that with one queen against a king.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± As Belinda stared at the board trying to figure out the queen¡¯s position, a maid¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°Princess, you have a visitor. It¡¯s Phillip, Duke of Rodson.¡± ¡°Huh? Who?¡± She¡¯d never heard the name before. She¡¯d definitely heard of the Duke of Rodson, though. One of the four Dukes of the empire. A founding contributor and at the height of his power among the imperial family. ¡°Tell him toe in.¡± In any case, he is a royal family when ites to a visit from a duke. It was half a penny, but there was no need to shrink unless it was now amoner. Rather, it was Lucy who was nervous about the guest. She might have been the daughter of an earl, but that was no match for a duke. Not to mention, she¡¯d never met Phillip Rodson. The door opened and anky boy came in. He walked very stiffly, with the restraint typical of the high nobility, Belinda skimmed over him. She¡¯d been expecting an adult since he was a duke, so she was surprised to see a boy two or three years older than her. She was familiar with his face, even though she didn¡¯t know his name til then. Soft dark brown hair, beautiful sparkly blue eyes. A very handsome boy with a noble air. Wait, isn¡¯t he one of Adi¡¯s friends that wasughing at me at that party the other day? ¡°Are you here to pick a fight with me? Did Adi send you?¡± The tension was obvious in her expression. It was somewhat overwhelming to have to deal with someone like this without Aymon. ¡°Good afternoon, Princess. My name is Philip Rodson.¡± ¡°Yes. Duke Philip Rodson.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t greet you properly when we first met at the party some time ago. Pleasure to meet you.¡± The boy smiled calmly. Belinda, fiddling around with a chess piece, looked him in the eye and smiled back. She wanted to be straightforward and say she didn¡¯t want to see him, but she couldn¡¯t do that. She wanted to live her life with as little conflict as she could. Even so, though, her emotions were quite easily visible on her face. Phillip nced at her silently, in a flurry of thoughts. Is that it? There¡¯s no way she would wee me if she thought I was making fun of her at the party¡­ Belinda was unlike any other person he¡¯d met. She demanded respect, but in a very different way from the snobby aristocrats that usually surrounded him. In any case, she was nothing like the ignorant and vulgar person Adi described her as. He decided to get to the point quickly before she could kick him out. He pulled out a small gold box. It was embossed and looked valuable at first nce. ¡°I came here to give you this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Belinda opened the box. It was a flower-shaped brooch with tiny pink diamonds wrapping around a huge ruby. It glistened beautifully under the sunlight. ¡°Pretty.¡± Belinda¡¯s reaction was blunt. It was a rather vulgar response, as Adi would say, but she didn¡¯t want to give the fake, shallow reaction that the duke had probably expected. ¡°This is made out of a veryrge gem that was found at our mine.¡± ¡°But why give me this?¡± ¡°There was also one made for Princess Adi¡­. Bute to think of it, there¡¯s more than one princess in the empire, isn¡¯t there?¡± Belinda blinked. So the Duke made this for the princess of the Empire¡­ And so I have one too¡­ Because I¡¯m the daughter of the Emperor¡­ It felt very¡­ strange. She was a princess, sure, but she was always treated as lesser by everyone. Always. It was hard to believe she was actually considered one of the two princesses by someone. She handed the box to Lucy to put away. Phillip was holding another box, as well ¨C it had neatly stacked ss bottles filled with flower tea. ¡°I got this as a gift from a foreign merchant. Please make good use of it.¡± It was time for her to express her gratitude for the gifts. Then, suddenly, she heard a snarl outside the window and something leaped in. It was Aymon. Lucy, startled, hurried over and spoke to him in a shrill, nervous voice. ¡°Candy! You¡¯re back! How was your walk?¡± Making a big fuss, she snatched him up and forced him to put a hat on. It was a defensive measure to hide his spirit stone whenever he met someone. When rumors started spreading that a Shinsu was going back and forth from Belinda¡¯s residence, they decided to start pretending he was her pet cat, Candy. No matter how young, Belinda was ady. And Aymon was a beast. Lucy, who had grown up in the nobility, knew better than anyone that there was a lot of vulgarity hiding behind the elegant face of the nobility that everyone saw. They might be cursing Belinda out behind her back, saying that she was still dirty-blooded even being protected by the Shinsu.. She couldn¡¯t let that happen. Aymon finally dashed across the room to Belinda after reluctantly agreeing to put on a hat. He didn¡¯t speak, instead simply ring at Phillip with harsh, threatening eyes. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Belinda put down the box of teas and greeted him. Aymon jumped up onto the table without answering, not taking his eyes off the duke for even a second. Phillip felt somewhat strange. What he thought was a house cat was staring at him like it would kill him any moment. A chill ran down his neck.It looked like such a cute cat, but it had very sharp eyes. He felt like he was standing in front of a predator, not a pet. He unwittingly avoided Aymon¡¯s gaze and held out a small letter. ¡°What is this?¡± Belinda opened the envelope and saw a sheet of glossy paper with luxurious embossed writing. ¡°It¡¯s an invitation to my birthday party.¡± Belinda was conflicted by the friendly gesture. What should I take this for? Maybe it¡¯s a trick, to make fun of me again. Phillip grinned. ¡°Belinda, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could co-¡± He couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. Grrrrrrr! Skkkkkkkt. Everyone turned their heads at the sudden noise. Aymon straightened his neck. He was holding the open box of tea bottles over the table. ¡°Aym- Candy, you can¡¯t drop that. It might break.¡± Meow. Aymon gave a single cute meow, just to live up to the expectations of being a cat. Phillip coughed awkwardly and continued the conversation. ¡°It would be a great honor if you ca- AAAAHHHHHH!¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence this time either, because Aymon, now standing on the floor, dropkicked the box straight at Phillip¡¯s shin. The duke¡¯s face went dark red with embarrassment. The blow hurt like crazy, but the worst part was that it was caused by a cat¡­. But he couldn¡¯t exactly me it. It was just a pet cat¡­. Right? He swallowed the pain and looked up with his best fake smile. Belinda swatted at Aymon lightly before turning around to apologize. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. My cat must be in a bad mood today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s- okay.¡± Aymon pawed at the back of her legs, but she ignored him. ¡°I¡¯ll think about your invitation.¡± ¡°Thank you. Have a good day, Your Highness.¡± He bowed and turned around to leave. He caught the cat staring at him again and lowered his gaze. It seemed like it was¡­ughing? No, that couldn¡¯t be true. It couldn¡¯t have thrown the box out of malice, right¡­? ¡°I¡¯ll leave then. Infinite glory to the Empire.¡± ¡°Indeed. Goodbye.¡± As soon as Phillip disappeared into the garden, Belinda grabbed Aymon. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you!?¡± ¡¸What.¡¹ His tail was twitching, like he was in a good mood. God, he doesn¡¯t need to feel this unnecessarily imposing¡­ Chapter 13 Trantor/editor: ruby Belinda put the box of tea back onto the table and sighed. One day she would understand this unruly Shinsu¡¯s behavior. Maybe he was just in a bad mood. Lucy brought in a te of cookies and pushed them in front of Aymon. Paying no attention to them, he kept rolling around a ss bottle of tea. ¡¸This was a gift, huh?¡¹ Lucy answered. ¡°Aymon, it¡¯s a tea made of rare dried flowers. It¡¯s really expensive.¡± ¡¸What? That¡¯s ridiculous. Even the flowers from the flower bed outside are prettier than this.¡¹ He pushed down on it with his front paw. The thick ss bottle, intact even after falling on the floor, shattered like cheap candy. It was an amazing feat, but instead of being surprised, Belinda ran over to him with a concerned face. ¡°Aymon! Is your paw all right? Are you hurt?¡± She was much more worried about his paws than the bottle. She couldn¡¯t let him hurt his cute little feet. He lifted up his paws for her to examine. Aymon started to pounce on Belinda with questions while she had his front paws in hand and was looking through them. ¡¸What the hell was he here for? Why¡¯d he give you that invitation? And the flower teas?¡¹ Instead of answering, Belinda moved her lips slightly. She was caught off guard by the stream of questions and didn¡¯t even know what to answer first. Lucy answered, smiling. ¡°Aymon, I think you¡¯ll have to ask her one by one if you want an answer.¡± That didn¡¯t calm him down. ¡¸Is itmon for humans to invite people to their birthday parties?¡¹ ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it¡¯s just to be polite, since I¡¯m a princess?¡± ¡¸And why would he give you all these expensive teas as a gift!?¡¹ ¡°It¡¯s a polite thing to do when you visit someone¡­?¡± She couldn¡¯t exactly take out the brooch now ¨C she was afraid it wouldn¡¯tst long in Aymon¡¯s hands if he found out about it. ¡¸What! What¡¯s wrong with him?? Justing around to see you like that??¡¹ ¡°Well¡­¡± Is he reading my mind right now? She shook her head. She was more worried about Aymon rather than herself ¨C could the Duke be trying to make fun of her again with Adi, or is it really just kindness? Aymon growled and snapped back roughly. ¡¸How could you not know that!?¡¹ As he hit the table with his paw, the ivory chess horse that Belinda had left there flew up andnded on the floor. He may have been violent at the chess piece, but somehow he managed to look cute even while acting like a gangster. It was one of the many positives of natural cute charm. Belinda stared at his angry expression nkly, then approached him and stretched her arms out. He jumped into them unknowingly even though he was angry. It was really an instinct for him, so to speak. It wasn¡¯t until he was snuggled up in her arms that he rolled his pretty eyes as if the situation was a disaster. Weird. Why am I in Belinda¡¯s arms even when I¡¯m angry? Damn habit! How the tables turned ¨C a great Shinsu leopard acting like a human girl¡¯s pet cat. Without even realizing, Aymon started wagging his tail. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve forgotten about the anger just like that! I don¡¯t even want to leave here. Why am I leaning my head against a human girl?? This is a disgrace¡­ Belinda smiled and stroked Aymon¡¯s smooth fur. The nervous little leopard¡¯s anger melted away at her touch. ¡°Aymon, calm down. Why are you so angry all of sudden?¡± He sighed and rubbed his nose against her chest. ¡¸I know. Why am I angry?¡¹ ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Aymon, lost in thought for a moment, looked up at Belinda. ¡¸Are you going to the party?¡¹ ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. You know I¡¯m a princess anyway, so it might be rude for me not to go.¡± Even though she said that to Aymon, she thought it would be better not to go ¨C she still remembered thest time very clearly. If Adi and her friends ignored her by speaking ancientnguages again, she¡¯d be very hurt. Belinda had heard somewhere that ancientnguages were a symbol of the nobility, so nobles and royals were taught to speak them only by oral tradition. She couldn¡¯t exactly ask the Emperor or the Empress or her half-siblings to teach her¡­ So she¡¯d have to ept that she could never learn them. She couldn¡¯t avoid them forever though. She felt bitter. What could she possibly do in the future so she wouldn¡¯t be ignored anymore? As if reading her mind, Aymon patted her. ¡¸Breedee.¡¹ ¡°Hm?¡± ¡¸Do you want to learn the ancientnguages?¡¹ Belinda was surprised. Can he read my mind because he¡¯s a Shinsu? It was clear that he was being so considerate because of the time he followed her to a party and saw her be excluded by the others speaking an ancientnguage. Still, ancientnguages were not easy to learn at all. ¡°I want to, but I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t even have a book.¡± ¡¸I¡¯ll teach you.¡¹ ¡°Aymon, you know the ancientnguages?¡± She asked, eyes wide open. He lifted his chin and replied with a pompous expression. ¡¸Of course I can. I¡¯m a great leopard of the Shinsu n who¡¯ve been of noble blood since ancient times.¡¹ ¡°Oh my God! Yes! Yes! Great! Thank you!¡± She squeezed him tightly. Aymon was surprised but quickly gave in to the shower of affection. The maid at Belinda¡¯s pce was soon busy with fetching a pen and paper, as per Aymon¡¯s request. She came back with a pot of ink, a pretty feather pen and a stack of fine paper. Aymon patted the pile of paper with his front paws as the feather pen was ced on the table. Belinda smiled cheerfully at the sight. Can you hold a pen with those cute front paws? She imagined Aymon writing with the feather pen in his mouth. Just imagining it was cute. If he got ink on his paws, it would leave little prints all over the paper¡­ Oh, my. So cute. So cute. She really wanted to see the baby leopard¡¯s footprints strewn across the paper, but she was also imagining him sitting gracefully, quill pen held firmly in his front paw. I can¡¯t wait to see it. Cute and lovely, but able to bite¡­ Things went a little differently than Belinda expected. The breeze lifted up the thin curtains. The leopard jumped off the table, but human feetnded on the rug. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda and Lucy stared dreamily at the beautiful boy who stood before them. It was Aymon, who was a cute leopard cub until just now. Aymon slowly grasped the white paper and looked at it with a still face. The boy¡¯s lowershes gracefully caught the sun. Belinda gazed at his pretty lips. Strangely enough, looking at him made her heart flutter. Aymon picked up a sheet of paper. ¡°Come on, Breedee. Now you can make me do anything you want.¡± He whispered sweetly. Belinda gulped. At this pace, she was going to forget even the scraps of ancientnguage that she knew. A soft wind flowed in as they sat down at the table. Then, suddenly, Mazetto burst in the window. ¡°Wow! Aymon! Handsome! Cool! Pretty!¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Why are you so handsome? Hm? Hm? I like the type of person that looks good in all their forms!¡± He chirped wildly, flying around before finallynding on Aymon¡¯s hand. ¡°Can¡¯t you just stay human? Please?¡± Aymon slightly squeezed the bird between his fingers, annoyed. ¡°Go away. I¡¯m studying with Breedee now.¡± When Mazetto didn¡¯t move, he tightened his grip. The little creature screamed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Don¡¯t eat me! Help!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Aymon looked down at him with pity before hurling him out the window. Mazetto¡¯s distant cry rang in the air. ¡°AYMONNNNN!¡± ¡°Noisy bastard.¡± He picked the pen back up. Belinda swallowed nervously. Why am I this nervous? Is it just because he¡¯s handsome? ¡°Aymon. Why¡¯d you suddenly turn into a human? You¡¯re always a leopard usually.¡± ¡°Would you prefer if I switched back?¡± Aymon muttered, bored. At least Mazetto loved it. ¡°No, not that.¡± It¡¯s not that. She was just strangely embarrassed about it. But she didn¡¯t say that out loud. It was the same Aymon, leopard or boy, but why was it suddenly so hard to look him in the eyes? Every time he tilted his head to look at her, every time his pretty fingers touched the pen, her heart skipped a beat. ¡°I can¡¯t write with leopard paws. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± She answered vaguely. Aymon, paying little attention to her reaction, dipped the quill into the ink and began to write curly letters on the paper ¨C ancientnguage. Even though ancient script was lost, thenguage could still be written with modern letters. ¡°Let¡¯s not think about grammar for now and just memorize simple words first.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Here. This is ¡®teacup¡¯. This is ¡®te¡¯. This is ¡®knife¡¯. And thest one is ¡®fork¡¯.¡± Aymon pointed to the words on the paper as he exined. Belinda smiled faintly. What should I do¡­ I¡¯m too nervous¡­ ¡°We should start with something practical, since you¡¯re going to be using ancientnguage at tea parties.¡± Belinda silently bit her lips. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t what?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t read.¡± She revealed her embarrassing secret quickly. She¡¯d only ever lived as amoner with no money in the back alleys¡­ When one¡¯s struggling to survive, learning to read is not exactly a top priority. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m this ignorant.¡± Aymon, looking at her contemtively, shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s just letters. You can learn it, step by step.¡± ¡°Still.¡± She lowered her head in despair. Aymon smiled softly and stroked her cheek. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Belinda stiffened up. It was just a small touch, but her whole body reacted instantly. Chapter 14 Trantor/editor: ruby When he was a baby leopard, Belinda had always approached Aymon first, but as a human, her attitude towards him changed. Aymon turned around to speak to Lucy. ¡°Lucy. You can write in the ancientnguage, right?¡± Lucy, still starstruck by the boy in front of her, quickly came to her senses. He really looked like someone out of a dream. ¡°Oh! Yes! Of course!¡± ¡°Teach Breedee the alphabet while I¡¯m away.¡± Lucy nodded, and Aymon looked back at Belinda. ¡°Breedee.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°While I¡¯m not around, start with learning the alphabet from Lucy. It¡¯splicated, so step by step.¡± ¡°Yes. I see.¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up with you? Since earlier¡­¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Aymon leaned towards her and smiled slyly. He took her hands, and she instantly looked away. The boy¡¯s face was filled with mischief. Eamon smiled, sneaking my fingers between Blondina¡¯s fingers. ¡°What. Am I that handsome?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Thementable reality was that she couldn¡¯t deny it. The warmth of Aymon¡¯s hands on hers made her heart pound out of control. How many times had his cute front paws touched her hands and clung on to her ankles? The only difference was that they were human hands this time. Even though it was the same touch as usual, she felt butterflies. Aymon, still staring at her, pulled away his hands. Soon the boy disappeared and a cute little leopard was sitting in the chair. He jumped up onto the table and tapped Belinda¡¯s hand with his front paw. She quickly unfolded it without giving it a second thought. Aymon rubbed his cheek against it as usual. Just a warm little ball of fur. He rolled around wagging his tail, satisfied with the pets. ¡¸I can read just fine not being a human.¡¹ ¡°¡­..Yes.¡± ¡¸Then pet me now.¡¹ Belinda obliged happily. She smiled, gently rubbing the leopard¡¯s chin with her finger. Only then did the tension between them subside. He was just her cute leopard. She could finally be with himfortably. Of course, human Aymon was very nice, but strangely, he made her feel lost and confused. I guess I¡¯m not fully used to having a pretty boy around. It¡¯s probably because I don¡¯t see it often. She left it at that, focusing on Aymon¡¯s teaching instead of her feelings. *** A strong smell of lilies lingered in the air. Belinda was alone ¨C Lucy was sick and Aymon hadn¡¯t shown up either. She was walking through the pce gardens alone. It¡¯s not like anyone cared whether or not the leftover princess took walks properly. She walked along the beautifully decorated paths to arrive at the little ce behind the library. Plopped down on the lush grass in front of the fountain, sheid out the papers she¡¯d been carrying. They were all exnations of the alphabet, written by Lucy. ¡°This is ¡®ah¡¯. The next one is ¡®oh¡¯. ¡®Oh.¡¯¡± She tried to memorize the unfamiliar characters sounding them out over and over. I might have a headache now, but if I work hard, I¡¯ll be able to read books soon. Come to think of it, it was rather ironic. Aymon, who was a ¡°beast¡±, spoke the ancientnguage perfectly, and here she was, a human, still struggling to learn to read. Her studying wasn¡¯t interrupted until she heard footsteps on the grass. She nced back to see who it was and her face went nk. She hurriedly stood up and curtsied, remembering the etiquette rules she had learned so far. ¡°Your Majesty the Emperor, shining sun of the Empire.¡± The emperor was steadily approaching her. He sat down on the edge of the fountain and beckoned her over. Belinda forced herself to put on a poker face and sat down softly, making sure to think of etiquette. ¡°Well, we finally meet. It has made me very sad how you¡¯ve been hiding from me all the time.¡± He said it barely even pretending to be upset. It seemed like he didn¡¯t care at all. His blunt tone reminded her of the distance between them. Belinda smiled faintly. Hiding? I¡¯m not exactly in a position to hide from you, am I? Wouldn¡¯t it be more urate to say that you¡¯ve never once visited me? ¡°Have you adapted well to the pce?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your question. I am doing fine.¡± ¡°Is there anything making you ufortable?¡± ¡°No, everything is perfect.¡± She replied just as dully and emotionlessly as the emperor. The conversation didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of love or affection mixed in. An ufortable silence settled on them. Considering the absoluteck ofmon conversation topics, this was only to be expected. The emperor ran his fingers across Belinda¡¯s shiny hair. ¡°You look like Lily.¡± ¡°Yes, many people have told me that I look simr to my mother.¡± Lily ¨C her mother and once the emperor¡¯s lover. There they had theirmon topic. ¡°Did you live at that lord¡¯s castle? Was Lily his mistress? She was beautiful enough for it. She managed to possess me, even.¡± Ah, right. The emperor first met Belinda at the lord¡¯s castle. He didn¡¯t seem to know that she had lived in the old attic of an inn and only stayed at the castle to meet him. Belinda stared at him with a puzzled expression. My mother? A lord¡¯s mistress? He doesn¡¯t even have any idea of how she lived after he left¡­ It wasn¡¯t exactly a light topic. All theplicated emotions got tangled ¨C sadness, sorrow,passion. ¡°Your Majesty, my mother was never a lord¡¯s mistress.¡± ¡°Really? Whom did she remarry to, then?¡± ¡°She never did. You were always the only one for her, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The emperor¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Belinda stared at him coldly. You don¡¯t know anything. You don¡¯t know anything about my mother. My mother rejected everyone and raised me by herself. I waited for you my whole life, trying to fill the hole you left. As you sat in your shiny trone and raised your perfect family, she died alone. She could recall her mother¡¯s voice, whispering to her in a pained, harsh string of a voice. ¡°Breedee, your father was a beautiful man. He may have lied about his identity. I knew it, but I closed my eyes and epted it, because I really loved him. Belinda, you¡¯re the precious result of our love.¡± She knew. She knew that he was cheating and would probably leave her some day. But she epted it and gave birth to his child. She knew everything, but chose to close her eyes to it. How dare you talk about being a lord¡¯s mistress when it¡¯s my mother? My mother who did all this for you? ¡°My mother was a beautiful woman. Even with a burden as big as I was, she flooded me with love. She never once faltered.¡± The emperor listened to her silently, with an uncharacteristically stiff expression. Belinda continued. ¡°As hard as her life was, she never stopped missing you. She had to raise me by herself, yet she never forgot you until she died of lung disease.¡± The emperor¡¯s face went nk. He clearly wasn¡¯t expecting that remark. ¡°She never even thought of selling the ring you left behind. She held it dear until the very end, always saying that it was herst lifeline connecting her to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the kind of woman my mother was, Your Majesty.¡± She spoke calmly, looking the emperor directly in the eyes. She was appealing with her heart, all these things that were so painful to dig up. A deep silence filled the space between them. A cool wind whirled by. The emperor stayed silent. Belinda was right there in front of him ¨C Lily¡¯s daughter. His daughter. His blood. He asked in a roaring voice. ¡°How did Lily die?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Belinda kept a straight face, as if she didn¡¯t know the intent of the question. He only asked after months and months, so he probably didn¡¯t really care at all. She replied calmly, still ming him on the inside. ¡°Lung disease. Alone, while I was working at the inn.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°She was holding the ring you gave her.¡± Her voice trembled. Despite her best efforts to stay calm, the memory of the day brought a sharp pain with it. The onest time she grabbed her hand before leaving in the morning. Now all that was left for her was a faded memory of a loving face. The emperor stared down at her nkly. Behind the girl¡¯s face, he remembered how Lily had smiled at him that day. Looking at her daughter¡¯s golden hair, he remembered running his fingers through hers. The Pandora¡¯s box of their shared past was unleashed. The garden was still deste. *** ¡¸You¡¯re going over to the Duke¡¯s house?¡¹ ¡°Yes. Duke Phillip invited me to his birthday party.¡± Belinda replied to her maid, busy fixing her hair. She seemed to be looking forward to leaving the pce after so long. Aymon sat on the windowsill, ignoring the bird pping around him. ¡¸Are you going to be alright?¡¹ ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± ¡¸Just¡­ Everything.¡¹ He seemed to be worried that everyone would ignore her again. Belinda smiled. She was not a child, and couldn¡¯t use Aymon to protect her forever. ¡¸Do you want me toe with you?¡¹ ¡°You¡¯d get bored quickly hiding in the grass.¡± Aymon rubbed his spirit stone with a paw. ¡¸I can always turn into a human.¡¹ Mazetto twittered excitedly, barely even letting him finish his sentence. ¡°Yes! Good! Great! How can you say no to that handsome face! I¡¯m in favor! I¡¯m all for it!¡± Chapter 15 Trantor/editor: ruby Mazetto lurched at Aymon, not sure whether he was trying to attack him or woo him. ¡°Hurry up and change! Yes! Yes? Now! Come on!¡± The overexcited little bird never changed, no matter how many times he was met with an angry Aymon. That in itself was pretty amazing. Belinda was lost and thought, looking on as Aymon began to growl and chase Mazetto, who was already pping his wings and fleeing. Yes. It will be reassuring to go with human Aymon. Even though he looked like a regr human boy, he was still a Shinsu. If that was revealed¡­ Well, surely people¡¯s attitudes towards the forgotten princess would change. Didn¡¯t he say that himself, though? That he didn¡¯t want to deal with the elders finding out he was spending time with her? Even though she couldn¡¯t control that, she didn¡¯t want to be a burden for him. Besides, she¡¯d been studying the ancientnguage so hard and preparing herself mentally. She knew enough to hold up small talk¡­ Enough to take over the situation by herself. ¡°Leave it, Aymon. I¡¯ll go alone. It¡¯s okay.¡± She said to him, still busy squeezing the poor bird between his paws. He quickly turned around and stared at her. Mazetto, still pressed in his paws, was wildly pping his wings and screaming at her to save him. Ignoring it, Aymon looked at her calmly. ¡¸Why? Are you also one of those people that doesn¡¯t want to show their face at a party with a beast?¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± So you don¡¯t want to be seen with a beast either, huh? Belinda, trying to figure out what his word meant, nced down at his paws. Mazetto had escaped and flown out the window. ¡°He might be really handsome, but he¡¯s crazy!!¡± The bird¡¯s babbling voice resounded from far away. Clearly he¡¯d been getting more and more shameless. Belinda tapped Aymon, who was still staring after Mazetto in disbelief. ¡°Aymon.¡± His ears pricked. He didn¡¯t speak, but Belinda knew it meant he was listening. She began to stroke his back gently. ¡°Aymon, look at me. What do you mean, that I don¡¯t want to be with beasts?¡± ¡¸You humans are all like that. With beasts¡­¡­ Leave it.¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± She lowered her body and turned Aymon¡¯s head to look at her. He gently pushed her away with his front paws, sighing. ¡¸Anyways¡­¡­ If someone bothers you at that party, just bite them. Even humans have strong jaws. Or you can scratch them with your nails. They¡¯re long.¡¹ ¡°Mhm. Okay. I¡¯m sorry I have to go now when you¡¯re here after so long. y with Lucy, alright?¡± Aymon growled at her words. ¡¸ying with Lucy? What am I, a baby?¡¹ But when Lucy, who¡¯d been listening to their conversation, rolled in a ball of yarn, Aymon immediately grabbed it. It was, so to speak, an instinct. Like a cat pouncing at a bird on a tree. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There was a deep silence between the three of them. Belinda, smiling widely, Lucy looking on with a poker face, and Aymon with a sheepish expression. He muttered, scratching at the yarn with his ws. ¡¸This is a terrible instinct.¡¹ It really was a damn instinct. *** Are Lucy and Aymon doing okay? Belinda stood in front of the huge doors of the ballroom, trying to stifle her racing heart. Her thoughts went to Aymon. Right before she left, he was ying with Lucy gruffly. Unlike her, who was always teasing, hugging and tormenting him, Lucy was always nice and friendly with him. Aymon was also careful with Lucy, never tapping her cheeks or resting his paws on her hands like he did with Belinda. Lucy was always a bit jealous of how close the two were, but what could she do? In the end¡­ It was all just greed. Her thoughts were interrupted by the doors opening. The bright lights of the party poured down on her. She had to blink a few times to get her eyes used to it. ¡°Belinda Ryn Athez, Princess of Athez!¡± The butler¡¯s voice resounded. Belinda Ryn Athez. Yes. That¡¯s me. Belinda pulled herself upright. Even if no one cared about her, she could be confident for only herself to see. She felt hundreds of eyes on her. Even though she had been invited like everyone else, they were all wondering what she was doing there. She stood beside a table trying to look as rxed as possible, repeatedly muttering all the bits of the ancientnguage she¡¯d learned over the past two months. Duke Phillip, obviously the star of the party, began to approach her and bowed. ¡°You¡¯vee, Princess.¡± Belinda quickly curtsied. ¡°Yes. Thankfully, you invited me yourself.¡± Phillip smirked at her slightly sarcastic response. Just as he was about to reply, someone popped in and cut him off. ¡°Oh, you¡¯vee, Unnie. I¡¯m surprised to see you here, to be honest.¡± It was, of course, Princess Adi. She stood in front of Phillip as she stared Belinda down with wary eyes. Before long, her brother Lart appeared behind her. Belinda, unwavered, greeted her casually. ¡°Hi, Adi. How have you been?¡± Adi squinted and snapped at her with a short ¡°Well.¡± I didn¡¯t know she was here. Obviously Phillip invited her. She almost felt as if she was being invaded by her. It was a very belittling feeling that she couldn¡¯t exactly put her finger on. Come on, don¡¯t you have any self-respect left? What Lart said next really made her raise an eyebrow. ¡°Oh! Look at Belinda noona¡¯s brooch! Isn¡¯t it the same as yours?¡± He tilted his head and pointed at Belinda¡¯s bejeweled brooch. It was the one Duke Phillip had gifted her. Everyone¡¯s eyes gathered on the brooch. Adi, too, stared at it with a stiff face. It¡¯s the same one. I¡¯m sure. The same one Phillip gave me. For the empire¡¯s princess. Was he saying that Belinda was a princess just as much as she was? Was he admitting that? Adi tightly bit her lips in shame. Lart, standing next to her, kept on with the conversation, blissfully unaware that he was embarrassing his sister. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say this jewel is really rare? I thought you only gave one to Adi. Anyways, if you¡¯re gonna give one to her, give me one too! I like red as well, it looks good on me!¡± Phillip shook his head, smiling. If we discover any more rare jewels, I¡¯ll be sure to gift you one, Highness.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any more of this one?¡± ¡°No, those two brooches have the only stones.¡± ¡°Really? Too bad. By the way, Bel- I mean, noona, it looks good on you. I thought he¡¯d give you something cheap.¡± The young prince was simple, straightforward, and perhaps a little tactless. With someone like him around, Belinda could manage perfectly well even without Aymon¡¯s help. Adi red at him with an irritated face. What are you on about?! Pretending to be best friends¡­ Don¡¯t you have any pride?? However, Lart was still oblivious to his sister¡¯s furious eyes. Twirling around Belinda, he was just making her more and more frustrated. ¡°Belinda. Lend me that broochter. I want to try it but Adi never lends me hers.¡± That was thest straw for Adi. She snapped her fan shut as a warning. That¡¯s when Lart finally stopped talking. The look on his twin¡¯s face was unusual. As tactless as he was, even he could tell that it was a cue for him to shut his mouth. Adi tightened her grip on the fan and turned to Phillip, who¡¯d been observing the situation. [Phillip, you¡¯ll have to choose next time. Her or me.] She was speaking the ancientnguage, of course. Belinda didn¡¯t say anything for the moment ¨C she had to pretend she didn¡¯t understand. Adi stiffened her neck even more. [This is a warning. You¡¯ve seen my sister¡¯s been wagging her tail like a dog to blend in with us. I¡¯m not letting that happen.] Philip smiled softly instead of answering. Adeleai was speaking calmly even as he threatened her to hide her intent. The duke¡¯s status may not have been as high as the imperial family¡¯s, but it wasn¡¯t low enough for him to have to submit to Adelia. Lart tried to lighten up the atmosphere, butting in. [Yes! Next time only Adeleai and I will be invited! And you can gift me a brooch!] Philip was still silent. It was Belinda who finally answered. [Go ahead and do it, Duke Phillip. I don¡¯t care.] Everyone turned to stare at her. Even she was a bit surprised by how fluent she sounded. I thought she just got luckyst time! [Adi. I don¡¯t have to wag my tail like a dog to be around you. You and me have the same blood.] Adeleai bit her lips at the words but didn¡¯t reply. The same bloodline. Isn¡¯t that sphemy towards the emperor? Lart butted in again. ¡°Yes, blood is blood. That¡¯s true!¡± Belinda smirked and continued. [If you have something to say, tell me yourself instead of scheming behind my back and trying to hide your words from me.] The remark contained a faint anger. The second time. It was the second time she¡¯d done it, trying to alienate and ignore her. Twice. Twice in front of me, trying to alienate me and ignore me. How could she not be a little angry at the ignorant and vulgar origins of such childish schemes? Belinda continued in the ancientnguage, just to drive the dagger in deeper. ¡°And if I wanted to be friends with you, I would express it myself instead of wagging my tail like a dog.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In words you can understand, surely.¡± At that moment Adeleai¡¯s neck was burning hot. Belinda¡¯s pointed words made her feel ashamed. She had no choice but to fan herself and act unaffected. Prince Lart intervened yet again. ¡°Hey, but where did you learn the ancientnguage?! Only high-ranking aristocrats and the imperial family speak it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m also part of the imperial family. ¡°¡­.Wait, you¡¯re right! You¡¯re my sister after all.¡± Adi gritted her teeth and stabbed him in the back with the fan. She was beyond annoyed by how he¡¯d been acting the whole night. Lart closed his mouth again. Phillip could barely stop himself from bursting outughing. Chapter 16 Trantor/editor: ruby Adi loudly snorted before picking up the hem of her dress and turning around. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll leave first.¡± She left the ballroom without hesitation, trying to maintain her gracefulposure. It was true that she felt really tired ¨C all the more so because nothing seemed to be going her way. Why am I always pushed into a corner by that vulgar princess¡¯s calm words? After Adi stood up, Belinda picked up an hors d¡¯oeuvre and muttered a goodbye under her breath, knowing she wouldn¡¯t hear it. Knowing that maybe her half-sister wouldn¡¯t even want that greeting. Adi¡¯s angry steps faded into the noise of the party. Phillip was still standing right beside Belinda. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Duke Phillip.¡± ¡°What for?¡± He nced at her quizzically. ¡°For causing friction on your birthday.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your fault, Princess.¡± ¡°Is it Princess Adi¡¯s fault, then?¡± It was quite a straightforward question. Phillip shrugged and shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s mine for inviting the both of you without expecting this would happen.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda gulped down a walnut tart lost in thought, before quickly reaching for another. Phillip looked on with his eyebrows slightly raised, as if the sight of Belinda gulping down dessert was the most interesting thing in the world. ¡°Well, you¡¯re braver than I thought.¡± ¡°Brave? In this situation? ¡­It¡¯s just because I¡¯m used to it.¡± ¡°Used to it?¡± Phillip¡¯s eyes caught hers. Belinda, not paying attention, continued eating tarts while going over the events in her head. She couldugh off the twins¡¯ments and pretend they didn¡¯t affect her, but on the inside, it wasn¡¯t that simple. She wasn¡¯t that shameless or tactless. However, she thought it would be the best way to deal with the situation. She was tired of dealing with their pointed words, but definitely not weak enough to be disgraced by mere words from Adi. ¡°You already know my descendance is not great, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I know of all the rumours going around about me. How everyone sees me. Amusing¡­ Loathsome.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t despise you, Princess.¡± ¡°All that doesn¡¯t mean that noble-blooded people have the right to ignore me and trample on me.¡± Phillip just looked at her as she talked. She moved her hand over the table, trying to decide between the almond cookies and cherries. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m very happy with my life now. I can eat as much as I want and have afortable ce to sleep.¡± I don¡¯t have to wash the inn¡¯s sheets in the freezing cold or go to sleep on an empty stomach crying. That alone was enough to satisfy her. The bar for her happiness was that low. She chose the cherries, picking some up from the dish. ¡°Anyways, I like things the way they are. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m threatening Adi¡¯s position or so absorbed in mine that I ignore my surroundings.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I want you to know how I feel, but it¡¯s not easy.¡± She muttered to herself, taking another handful of cherries. It wasn¡¯t easy, not having anyone but herself to confide in. Belinda looked up again as if she hade to a decision. ¡°Phillip, if you want to visit me or invite me to parties in the future¡­ please be careful with these things.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I understand Adi. You¡¯re trespassing over into my world. So I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll have to decline your goodwill from now on.¡± It was the manners of someone that grew up in a back alley. In any case, their rtionship forming was as simple as picking up a tissue from the floor. She could see it in Adi¡¯s eyes, trying to get her away from Phillip. Her feelings for him. Her half-sister obviously had feelings for the boy, and no intention of sharing him with her. She was the only one hurt here, but she was too satisfied with the life she had built to be disturbed. Duke Phillip was trying to gather his words. Don¡¯t visit me. Don¡¯t invite me. Rejection was a brand-new feeling for him. Belinda grinned at him, still with a nk expression. Herst words just rubbed salt into the wound. ¡°May today be thest day we meet.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Princess.¡± Phillip muttered his simple answer looking away ¨C he couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say. He¡¯d just been rejected, but¡­ somehow his heart was still beating like crazy. The overwhelming sadness washed over the emotionless boy¡¯s heart. *** Princess Adi stepped into the carriage, fuming. Next to her, Lart was chattering endlessly. ¡°Adi! Adi, I¡¯m sure she spoke in the ancientnguage! She did, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Where could she have learnt!? It¡¯s not written down, so there are no books! She sounded really fluent though, right? Even the vulgarities.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Maybe the emperor himself-¡± ¡°Shut up! Please!¡± Adi, who¡¯d been ignoring the prince all along, finally squealed. She¡¯d been trying to control her anger all evening, but Lart kept adding fuel to the fire. She finally calmed down and looked around. Luckily, there was no one around except for some guards. A relief for her ¨C it was a disgrace to use such casual words as an imperialdy. She turned around again to see Lart with his shoulders lowered and a sullen look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lart. I couldn¡¯t control my feelings for a moment. I shouldn¡¯t have snapped at you¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I guess I¡¯ve been a bit too excited.¡± She patted him in constion. As mad as she was, he was still the next emperor and her brother. Until she could be the ruler herself, she had to build up her strength by pretending to encourage Lart. A guard approached them. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with the carriage¡¯s wheels, so I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to leave right away.¡± Adi walked up to the bottom of the carriage with a furious expression. She just wanted to return to the pce already and rx, so why was everything making things difficult? She bent down and examined the wheel. It had deep scratch marks across it as if an animal had damaged it. If only the wheels were damaged, the problem could have been solved easily, but that wasn¡¯t the biggest problem. The joint between the wheel and the carriage was crushed by what had to be a terrifying amount of force. The guard tried to exin himself awkwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. It couldn¡¯t have been done with human power. This is a fenced private garden, so there¡¯s no way a wild animal coulde in¡­¡± Adi couldn¡¯t even think of a way to criticize the guard. Everything was stacking up horribly. ¡°You know the problem, so solve it quick!¡± A nervous voice came from inside the carriage. ¡°Princess! I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re having a very bad day today-¡± ¡°Shut up, you idiot!¡± She again took her anger out on Lart, who¡¯d stepped in suddenly. He looked down with a somber face. It really was the worst day ever. *** It was a sunny day. Belinda absentmindedly listened to Lucy¡¯s story and sat down at the table. ¡°¡­and Aymon¡¯s ears pricked up when he smelled the flowers the other day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, even his tail did. It was so cute. I wanted to grab it.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Lucy shook her head. ¡°How could I dare¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t a concern for Belinda, who was used to touching him all the time. However, unlike her, who was brought up as amoner, Lucy had been hearing about the Shinsu¡¯s notoriety all her life. She¡¯d be very close to Aymon, but never quite as much as Belinda ¨C the fear of the Shinsu was still engraved in her brain. ¡°By the way, Lucy, are the Shinsu on good terms with people?¡± The answer came from Mazetto who looked up from the cookie basket. ¡°Of course not! Why would you ask such an obvious question?¡± He jumped onto the table, sending crumbs flying everywhere as he pped his wings and chirped excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s a hell of a bad rtionship! Humans fought the Shinsu in bloody battles! Everyone remembers it with horror!¡± Belinda wiped some crumbs off the bird. ¡°Why did they fight?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that! I didn¡¯t learn! Sparrows don¡¯t go to school!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Mazetto, proud of his smartment, hopped back into the cookie basket. He only liked the chocte chips, so he was picking all of them out with his beak. Belinda turned to Lucy. ¡°Do you know why they fought?¡± ¡°Yes, princess. When the gods in control of the Shinsu disappeared, it caused a war to erupt between humans and the Shinsu.¡± ¡°A war? But the humans aren¡¯t a match for them, are they?¡± Hearing Belinda¡¯s remark, Mazetto hopped out of the basket again. His beak was covered in chocte. ¡°Of course not! They¡¯re no match! Humans are stupid and Shinsu are very strong!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda put away the basket. Surely, stupid man-made cookies wouldn¡¯t be good for him then. Mazetto didn¡¯t hesitate to run after it, twittering. ¡°The cookies are baked well! Humans are much better at baking than Shinsu are! That¡¯s for sure!¡± Lucyughed at the spineless sparrow before continuing. ¡°Humans may not be strong, but there are a lot of them. Anyways, after a lot of meaningless conflicts, we came to an agreement. Both sides just ended up hurt by the war.¡± Mazetto butted in again. ¡°The humans were just annoying ants to the Shinsu! Easy to step on and kill, but annoying!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda grabbed him and carefully threw him out the window, as Aymon usually did. ¡°Hey! Belindaaa!!¡± The shrill scream sounded from afar, apanied by a smattering of crumbs. Only then did the table finally quiet down. Belinda turned to face the awkwardlyughing Lucy again to ask one more question. Chapter 17 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°We made a peace agreement so we would get along ¨C then why don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°It was 500 years ago. The only thing that can control the Shinsu is the appearance Barahan¡¯s descendant.¡± ¡°Barahan¡¯s descendant?¡± ¡°The royal family that made the treaty started to kill Shinsu recklessly and almost drove them to extinction.¡± Almost drove them to extinction. Belinda¡¯s face went pale thinking of Aymon. If they¡¯d all been killed back then, Aymon wouldn¡¯t exist either. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. ¡°But then, a Shinsu who¡¯d been a cub when it happened grew up¡­. That Shinsu killed Barahan¡¯s descendant.¡± Lucy stopped speaking and looked around them. They were the only people in the room, but she closed the window tightly before continuing. ¡°And¡­.. It was a ck leopard who did it.¡± ¡°A ck leopard?¡± ¡°Yes. Like Aymon.¡± She could have dismissed it as a baseless legend, but knowing Aymon¡­ Lucy looked around again. ¡°But the ck leopard was possessed by madness as he fought against the god¡¯s descendants. Even after killing Barahan¡¯s descendant, he killed many humans and even some of his fellow Shinsu.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So in the end, the warring humans and Shinsu joined forces to subdue the ck leopard. It was the only way he could be stopped.¡± ¡°Because of just one leopard?¡± ¡°Yes. He was a terrible force that killed the descendants of God. Anyways¡­ The humans and Shinsu established a peace agreement with themon goal of suppressing that ck leopard. It¡¯s a strange kind of peace.¡± Belinda had always assumed that the Shinsu were there to protect the empire. She couldn¡¯t have learnt about this, never having gone to school. Maybe that¡¯s why the leopards that were bothering Aymon when they first met didn¡¯t like him. A flurry of questions crossed her mind. ¡°What happened to the¡­ overly powerful ck leopard?¡± ¡°No one knows. Some say he died, some say he lost his powers and became a normal beast¡­ All we know is that he hid himself.¡± Belinda nodded with a clouded expression. A ck leopard who killed the descendant of God, carried away by madness¡­ The thought of Aymon being one made her strangely ufortable. Lucy opened the window. Now that they¡¯d finished talking, they didn¡¯t have to worry that a certain little ck leopard could hear them. Mazetto burst in, this time looking at Belinda with a feigned serious expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t talk badly about humans ever again! I¡¯ll do all those things I think are weak and stupid!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda wiped off the remnants of chocte on his beak with a handkerchief. However provoking he may have acted, both him and Aymon were just cute little creatures. As she was folding up the handkerchief, a maid¡¯s voice came from behind the door. ¡°Princess, a gift has arrived for you.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± She invited the maid in. Who could¡¯ve sent it? No one¡¯s going to send gifts to the forgotten princess living out of sight. It¡¯s not like I care anyways. The maid carefullyid down a small box. It was obviously a very luxurious case, even if not a very big one. ¡°It¡¯s from the Duke of Rodson.¡± ¡°The Duke of Rodson?¡± That means it¡¯s from Phillip. The one who invited me to his birthday party. The maid handed her a blue envelope. Inside, Belinda found a neat letter written in what she recognized as Phillip¡¯s handwriting. It was long, but simply said that he¡¯d be leaving to attend the academy of the Kingdom of Carnivan soon. He wouldn¡¯t being back even to visit, only when he was looking to get married after graduating. ¡°What is it? What does it say? Huh? Who sent it?¡± Mazetto started throwing questions at her the moment the maid left. Belinda shrugged, handing the letter to Lucy. ¡°It¡¯s from some guy named Duke Phillip. He says he¡¯s going abroad to study.¡± Belinda opened the box to reveal a bracelet iid with gray jewels resembling her eyes. ¡°Wow! It looks expensive! So cool! Can I have it?¡± Mazetto started pecking at the stones curiously. Belinda was not sure what to think ¨C it definitely looked very expensive, so the Duke must have been very rich to gift such precious things not even being an adult. Duke Phillip himself was already crossing the border in his carriage. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s received it by now. Does she like it? Princess Belinda ¨C the princess withmon blood running through her veins, but beautiful eyes. Perhaps ignorant for all herck of knowledge, but surprisingly confident nheless. To top it off, she learned the ancientnguage perfectly in just a few months and used it against Adi like that. It was definitely an interesting scene to watch. She even pushed him away smiling. He¡¯d never seen such a daring rejection. No, there was no such thing as rejecting a handsome duke. It was enough to fill even Adi with envy. What really mattered was that he felt like his heart was beating for the first time. That was all he needed ¨C he wasn¡¯t going to let go of the first real emotion he¡¯d felt in his boring life. When he came back, visiting her would be the first thing he did. It might not have been for years, but that didn¡¯t worry him. No man would be foolish enough to marry someone like Belinda, with no power or honor. The high nobility would avoid her because of her lineage, and the Emperor would never ept her because of his pride. In the end, she¡¯d end up living alone and secluded. Duke Phillip rested his chin on the window frame of the carriage. A warm wind swept through his hair. ¡°But¡­¡± But he could give Belinda all that. A noble lineage. Power. Wealth. A woman abandoned by her father and neglected by her family would surely live happily with him. He had no doubt in that. The Duke grinned arrogantly. Nothing had ever not gone his way. This wouldn¡¯t be an exception. Belinda finally put on the bracelet. It was only polite to do considering it was a gift. The cold metal against her skin jingled every time she moved her hand. How the tables had turned ¨C who would have guessed that the starving servant girl washing dishes would one day live in a huge pce and receive luxurious gifts? ¡°Life¡¯s strange.¡± Her voice made her sound like she¡¯d experienced everything there was to experience. Lucy giggled slightly but stopped herself ¨C what did she know about what Belinda had been through? Additionally, she knew something Belinda didn¡¯t; Duke Phillip was clearly implying that he¡¯d propose after he returned. It was an exciting thought to Lucy, but being so far in the future, she decided it would be better not to make a fuss about it. Suddenly, a soft voice whispered beside her. ¡¸What¡¯s that shiny thing?¡¹ It was Aymon, who¡¯d somehowe in without making the slightest noise. Of course, it was Mazetto who he scared the most. ¡°Ah! You!¡± Belinda looked up, surprised. ¡°You¡¯re here? You¡¯ve been around a lot nowadays. ¡¸What¡¯s that?¡¹ ¡°A gift.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ Aymon¡¯s eyes narrowed. He tilted his head slightly, spotting the wax seal on the letter. It was strangely familiar. It was the seal of that man that came to invite Belinda somewhere once. Seeing that the man who¡¯d been interested in her now gave her fancy gifts, he got even more angry. ¡¸Did he gift it to you?¡¹ ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡¸Why?¡¹ ¡°I don¡¯t know. He just did.¡± She shook her wrist, smiling, as if she was bragging. Aymon stared at the glittering jewels. They seemed to make her happy, but he couldn¡¯t figure out why. Thest time he threw a chess piece, but unfortunately there was nothing around now. He resorted to scratching the wooden table with his ws. ¡¸Do you like it that much?¡¹ ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a gift, anyways.¡± ¡¸You screamed when I brought you Mazetto as a gift.¡¹ ¡°That¡¯s right! You weren¡¯t happy to see me!¡± Mazettomented, flying around them. Belinda smiled awkwardly. ¡°Well, I thought he was dead. Anyways, what do you think? Does it look good on me?¡± Aymon answered softly. ¡¸You¡¯re pretty.¡¹ Belinda nodded. ¡°I wish I had a lot of money. Then I could buy you jewelry too¡±, she said with a smile. Aymon, lost in thought, didn¡¯t hear her. ¡¸Why would he give this to her?¡¹ He whispered to himself. Mazetto answered brightly. ¡°It¡¯s obvious! Human gifts are full of love. It¡¯s a sign of the Duke¡¯s courtship! Don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ Aymon looked up and red at the bird, who quickly flew away to safety. Then, to everyone¡¯s surprise¡­ ¡°Aymon?¡± The leopard settled in Belinda¡¯s arms. Ignoring the jingling sound of her bracelet, he wrapped a paw around her wrist. ng! With a swish of his w, the string of jewels ttered onto the floor. Aymon made his escape through the window before he could see the reaction. Belinda didn¡¯t even have time to call after him. The only thing to be seen was the curtains fluttering in the breeze. Belinda stared after him, lost for words. Did her great and noble Shinsu just run off like that? Chapter 18 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°Lucy, who am I supposed toin to if a Shinsu steals my jewels?¡± Belinda asked, absentmindedly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lucy didn¡¯t have an answer, but Belinda wasn¡¯t expecting one. They continued to stare out the window at the beautiful red sun setting across the field. *** It had been a week since Aymon ran off with the bracelet. He didn¡¯te every day, but usually showed up at least twice a week or so ¨C however, they hadn¡¯t seen a single sign of him. Belinda spent her days hanging around the window just in case he did appear. Why did he do that? What did he do with the bracelet? Is he noting back because he feels sorry for stealing it? It¡¯s okay. I care a lot more about him than the bracelet. ¡°Why did you steal my bracelet¡­.?¡± She muttered to herself, not going unheard by Mazetto, who screamed from among the rose bushes. ¡°Desire! Greed! Avarice!¡± Belinda nodded a bit to shrug him off. That couldn¡¯t be it. As the sun rose on the field, rays catching on the leaves, Aymon was still nowhere to be seen. It seemed like another day would pass before that cute furball showed himself. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, Princess.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Belinda said goodbye to them and drew the curtains. That night, with no one to apany her but the moonlight filtering into the room, she felt lonely. The distinct cricket-chirping from the field kept her awake. ¡°He won¡¯te tomorrow either, will he¡­. Come to think of it, where does he even live¡­.¡± She muttered in a sleepy voice. The chirping gradually quieted down, and her firm grip on the bedsheet rxed. Belinda fell asleep, breathing softly. How long could she have slept? Her chest was stuffy and she could barely breathe, tossing and turning. She opened her eyes slowly. There was a ball of fur sitting on her chest. ¡°Aymon?¡± When could he havee? The little animal was loafed, sleeping on her. His ck fur shined beautifully in the moonlight. She reached up to stroke his cheek. Aymon just burrowed himself further into her arms and fell back asleep. Knowing that it was Belinda, there was no sign of his instinctive tension. There¡¯d been times when Aymon came during the night to sleep, but he always curled up at the far end of the bed or the rug. Why would he get so close after disappearing for so long? Belinda justughed quietly ¨C she wasn¡¯t about toin. I¡¯ve really missed you, and here you are, as if you understood my feelings. Or maybe you actually do. Either one¡¯s fine. Belinda brushed her hair out of her eyes. She didn¡¯t ever want to get up. Suddenly, she felt something soft touch her lips. Warm and fluffy. Belinda opened her eyes. It was Aymon. ¡¸Get up.¡¹ ¡°¡­.Huh?¡± He patted her lips again. It was a strange feeling. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice¡­. So soft.¡± It was easy for him to put her in a good mood like this. She¡¯d assumed that seeing Aymonst night was just a dream, but apparently not. She couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d wake her up this early¡­. Aymon rxed his front paws, letting go of her hands, and rolled onto the bed before she sat up. Belinda ordered the maid to prepare hot water. ¡¸Where are you going?¡¹ ¡°To wash up.¡± Aymon leaped onto the table. He looked just like a pet cat waiting for its owner. Belinda came into the room, brushing back her neatlybed hair. Aymon was still sitting on the table, looking out the window. ¡°Aymon, why¡¯d youe so suddenly yesterday?¡± ¡¸Just because.¡¹ Belinda sat down and took a cup of tea from the maid. As soon as she disappeared, Aymon approached Belinda and dropped something on herp. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡¸Just take a look.¡¹ He didn¡¯t seem keen on giving exnations today. Belinda picked it up. Small and sparkly. It was a ring. The golden-colored diamond shone brilliantly in the sunlight. It was gracefully set with smaller diamonds. ¡°Are you giving this to me?¡± ¡¸What¡­ just take it.¡¹ Aymon blurted out, rubbing his face. He was saying it as if he¡¯d just picked it up on his way. A little shy and awkward. Belinda put it on, smiling. It was a little loose, probably because it wasn¡¯t meant to be worn by a child. ¡°Where¡¯d you get this? You didn¡¯t steal it, did you?¡± ¡¸Do you really think I¡¯d do something like that?¡¹ He answered, raising his head proudly. You already did. You stole my bracelet. She didn¡¯t say it out loud so she wouldn¡¯t offend him. Belinda fiddled around with the ring. Maybe he lost the bracelet? And he felt guilty, that¡¯s why he didn¡¯te? And he even brought this instead? That had to be it. Apparently, even Aymon could feel guilt. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s a little big and I don¡¯t want to lose it, so I¡¯ll have to make it into a ne.¡± Belinda carefully put the ring away into her jewelry box. ¡¸Do you want a ne?¡¹ ¡°What? No. It¡¯s okay. I have something I can use.¡± Where would Aymon get the money to buy her a ne? Belinda was curious, but stayed silent. Aymon¡¯s house was filled to the brim with gold and silver treasures offered to the Shinsu, but she didn¡¯t know that. She was nning to put the ring on a ne the emperor gave her. Her father had been acting rather strange recently. He¡¯d suddenly have the whole pce refurbished or give her gifts. Although he was never friendly with her in public, he had definitely changed. It all started when they met in the gardens that day. He can do whatever he feels like. Belinda quickly brushed off the thought. Nothing had changed for her ¨C she still just wanted to eat well, sleep well, and stick to the pce. She would¡¯ve liked to ignore everything else, but that wasn¡¯t possible. She stared down nkly, lost in the thoughts of her father. Aymonid his head on the back of her hand. ¡¸Don¡¯t meet him again.¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± She snapped back into reality and looked at Aymon. He avoided her gaze. ¡¸That human man.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± ¡¸I gave you a gift too, so now don¡¯t think of even opening his letters.¡¹ She was too confused to reply. Aymon softly shoved her with his paw. ¡¸Why aren¡¯t you answering? It¡¯s me or him.¡¹ Belindaughed. What is this cute little beast talking about? He must have hated strangersing onto his territory since he was an animal. Especially since he was such a sensitive animal. Belinda picked him up. So cute. So cute. My Aymon. ¡°It¡¯s me or it¡¯s him.¡± He¡¯s the cutest thing in the world. As usual, Aymon rxed his body and gave up. However, he didn¡¯t stop talking. ¡¸Tell him not toe near you. You¡¯re a princess. You can do that.¡¹ ¡°The Duke has more power than I do.¡± ¡¸I can make up for that.¡¹ ¡°How?¡± ¡¸You can just say I¡¯m backing you and will destroy everything if he doesn¡¯t obey.¡¹ Belindaughed again. How could something be this cute? This pretty? At first, she thought his personality waspletely different from his appearance, but seeing him like this, they were exactly the same. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s noting. He left.¡± ¡®He¡¯s gone?¡± ¡°Yes. He traveled far away to study. Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t be back for a long time.¡± He twitched slightly, as if he was holding backughter. He just rubbed against Belinda¡¯s arm, very satisfied. ¡°And how could Ipare him to you?¡± ¡¸That means you choose me, right?¡¹ ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t say such nonsense.¡± Aymon nodded. If he considers this his territory¡­ I¡¯m willing to work with that. The little Shinsu was precious to her. With a satisfied expression, Aymonid down. He quickly turned around at a familiar noise. Chapter 19 Trantor/editor: ruby Lucy stepped in. ¡°Good morning, Princess. The weather¡¯s so nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is. Did you sleep well? What¡¯s that you¡¯re holding?¡± It was a thin branch with blue leaves. ¡°My servant brought that thing you asked forst time¡­.¡± Lucy smiled and approached Aymon cautiously. ¡°How have you been? I haven¡¯t seen you in so long, I missed you.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± He answered roughly and ced his paw on Lucy¡¯s hand as a greeting. Before she could say anything, Aymon quickly interjected. ¡¸He¡¯s gone.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± ¡¸He left.¡¹ ¡°Ah, okay.¡± She had no idea what he meant, but she knew Aymon expected an answer. She put the branch down and pushed it towards him. ¡¸What is this¡­¡¹ His pupils dted as the scent hit his nose. He started patting it with his paws. ¡°You know, the nt cats really like. Just in case¡­.¡± Aymon was already rolling around with the branch as if he¡¯d been possessed. He tried to stay vignt, but the urge was irresistible. He scratched away at the branch with his sharp teeth. He might not have been a cat, but he was acting just like one. ¡°Aymon, are your teeth okay?¡± Belinda asked nervously. She knew he couldn¡¯t get hurt, but she was still worried. Aymon was wagging his tail gently. It was amazing how quickly he¡¯d transformed into a yful cat. Belinda asked another question mischievously. ¡°Aymon, me or the twig?¡± It was an impulse she had after thinking of what he¡¯d asked her earlier. Aymon looked up. He immediately threw away the branch, and in a soft breeze, a beautiful boy appeared. Belinda flinched. She couldn¡¯t get used to human Aymon. Her heart was pounding like crazy. Hey down in herp and her whole body stiffened up. The face looking up at her was so beautiful. Long eyshes, big, sparkly eyes¡­. He twisted a lock of her hair around his finger and smiled. ¡°Obviously you, Breedee¡­¡± The voice, seemingly more tired than usual, whispered softly. Every time Aymon¡¯s fingertips brushed over her, she felt as if her skin was on fire. Was it because his body temperature was above a human¡¯s? Aymon looked up at her. There was something different about him. She never felt like this when she saw other human boys. Surely the branch must have done something to Aymon. She gulped. Aymon gently stroked her cheek and somehow a chill ran through her spine. She turned away, trying to ignore the feeling. ¡°You¡¯re lying. You really liked that.¡± She said in a low voice, stammering for perhaps the first time in front of him. ¡°No, Breedee, it¡¯s you. Only you¡­.¡± She closed her eyes. It was a strange feeling, whenever he touched her ¨C what exactly, she didn¡¯t know. It was strange, but not bad. She restlessly endured Aymon¡¯s touch. That is, until Lucy butted in with important news. *** ¡°I present the shining royal family of the Empire.¡± Belinda nodded to the envoy. ¡°Wee, from the kingdom of Sychi. I hope to enjoy my stay.¡± She spoke and reached out her hand confidently. The envoy kissed it before bowing again. The Empire and the kingdom of Sychi had signed a trade agreement not long ago, so the royal family and some aristocrats were visiting tomemorate it. It wasn¡¯t a big event, but the whole royal family had gathered to wee the visitors, including Belinda. Belinda¡¯s elegant gestures with the envoy were so elegant and natural, no one could doubt her status as a princess. Slow, calm gestures all in the right moment, those of a proper royal. It must be said that this was the result of Lucy¡¯s efforts more than skills Belinda acquired naturally. She made sure Belinda wouldn¡¯t be ignored by anyone. Although they were now a low-status family, the Herbs had been a historic family for generations. Lucy¡¯s mother, Marquess Herb, was once a high-ranking aristocrat¡¯s etiquette teacher. Therefore, Lucy was naturally a great teacher to Belinda. The envoy, after being greeted by Belinda, Princess Adi and Prince Lart, bowed to the emperor andmented cheerfully. ¡°Your Majesty should be d to have such graceful women.¡± The emperor put his hands on the envoy¡¯s shoulders without answering. He stole a nce at Belinda ¨C head slightly raised, back straight. Who would have thought that she was amoner rolling in dirt not too long ago? He smiled. He was proud of having taken amoner and making a nobledy out of her. He felt as if he¡¯d saved his daughter¡¯s life himself. He was satisfied, so satisfied that he wanted to show her off. Then¡­ ¡°Oh my God!¡± Adi couldn¡¯t help but exim when a big snake passed by them. She blushed, quickly readjusting herself. The people of Sychi treated snakes like cats. Therefore they were hard to ignore, even if not dangerous. Since they always carried them around, the visitors came with snakes wrapped around their necks, shoulders, and wrists. It took a lot of guts to keep calm in the face of the hissing reptiles. The envoy spoke to Adi sounding a bit offended. ¡°They don¡¯t bite. You don¡¯t have to be afraid of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Adi tried to pretend everything was fine, but she couldn¡¯t hide her quivering lips. There were only two people that weren¡¯t afraid. The Emperor and Belinda. Apart from them, even the most dignified knights were a little scared. Looking at the unfazed Belinda, the emperor was even more satisfied. That was the attitude of a proper royal ¨C unshakable boldness. Belinda had it. She shooed away a cobra as if it were just an annoying fly. She¡¯d have been scared if it wasn¡¯t for her knowing Aymon. No matter how cute a leopard is, humans are instinctively afraid. But Belinda, who was so used to having him around, wasn¡¯t shaken by an ordinary snake. She was more determined and bold than anyone else, and she had Aymon to thank for it. The Emperor tapped her on the shoulder and whispered. ¡°See? You¡¯re almost a royal.¡± ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s all thanks to your teaching.¡± Satisfied with the answer, heughed. Adi wasn¡¯t pleased to see the rxed atmosphere between them. Belinda¡¯s unaffected expression as a snake coiled around her made her even more annoyed. ¡°So gross! You wouldn¡¯t be afraid of anything growing up like you did!¡± She muttered in an attempt to justify her behavior. However, she knew that she had lost. She knew how highly her father thought of proper royal qualities. At this rate, she was afraid he¡¯d end up considering Belinda more suitable than her. Belinda, with her dirty blood, as an emperor? She didn¡¯t even care about the Empire. Belinda felt good. Being praised by her father almost made her nervous. For the first time, she felt like she was within the league of the family. But not for long. ¡°Your Grace¡­ I¡¯m so ashamed¡­ I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not used to this kind of situation¡­¡± The Emperor hugged Adi, who was obviously trying to appeal to him by acting cute. ¡°You still need to grow up. You can be protected in my arms.¡± Belinda turned away and looked out the window. ¡°Almost a royal.¡± She recalled the Emperor¡¯s words, but also his gentle voice towards Adi. ¡°You can be protected in my arms.¡± She was momentarily happy to be recognized by her father, but that was it. She was still just an uninvited visitor intruding on a family. No one would love her unconditionally, no matter how much they praised her. That was the bitter reality. Then she saw a ck figure moving on the window frame. Chapter 20 Trantor/editor: ruby Belinda narrowed her gaze then quietlyughed to herself. ¡°Aymon must be watching.¡± Is he worried? That I¡¯ll be ignored and left out likest time? A pair of small ears peeked out for a moment before disappearing again. Belinda¡¯s momentary sadness washed away in an instant. How can he possibly be like this? He took care of everything he had without ever making himself known or expectingpensation. It was somendable¡­ Grateful¡­ Lovely. Thinking of a Shinsu this cute was rather irreverent and sphemous, but that was the only way she could see him. Belinda looked up again to see the Emperor and Adi. She did not feel the pit in her stomach this time. Smiling leisurely to the envoy speaking to her, Belinda was more confident than anyone. She was like a real nobledy. The Emperor turned around to stare at Belinda. Once again, he smiled, satisfied. His impression of her had changedpletely. Before he knew it, his smile was one of trust and affection. He absentmindedly patted Adi on the shoulder. A few hourster, back at the pce, Belinda shouted out the window as soon as the maid left. ¡°Where are you?¡± It was not addressed to anyone. Her loud voice echoed, but there was no answer. She grinned and tried again. ¡°Aymon! I know you¡¯re there! Come in here for a moment!¡± Only then was there a rustle in the tall grass. A leopard, cker than coal, popped out. Although his body was not visible, the beast¡¯s eyes twinkled like jewels. ¡¸How did you know I was here?¡¹ ¡°How could I not? I know you.¡± Stealthy hiding and tailing might have been what a leopard did best, but definitely not concealing their ears. Belinda giggled and stretched her arms out to him. He jumped into them without any hesitation. She began to gently rub his back. ¡°Were you worried about me? Is that why you followed me again?¡± He replied by shamelessly licking her arm. The ticklish Belinda lowered her head and rested it on his. ¡°You¡¯re like my personal escort knight. It was good to see you there¡­ Otherwise, I would have been alone.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°I was a little lonely at the party, but as soon as I saw you, all that disappeared. Because of you.¡± Her words slowly died down. Aymon jumped out of her arms, and a beautiful boy appeared in the darkness. Smiling, he spread out his arms to her. You said you wanted me to hug you. Belinda froze. It felt like her feet were tied down. Aymon smiled calmly. There was a distinctive warmth in his sparkling eyes. ¡°What are you waiting for? Come here.¡± She unwittingly walked over, as if she had been ced under a spell. The ball of fur she was used to cradling was now holding her in his arms. It was so unfamiliar ¨C she could hardly breathe. He¡¯s a boy. He¡¯s a boy, but still the same animal. Wait, how can he look younger than me¡­. Her head was spinning, full of all the nonsensical ideas that were hitting her. Aymon swept back her hair and whispered calmly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Belinda, you are infinitely loved by the most wonderful, powerful, and great race in the world.¡± ¡°¡­.Aren¡¯t you just saying that you¡¯re wonderful, powerful, and great?¡± She could hear his lowughter from just inches away. You¡¯re the same little leopard, so why are you so¡­.! He whispered again, pulling her in tighter. ¡°Don¡¯t feel lonely, Breedee. You¡¯re all I have.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda shut her eyes tightly. She could not bear to answer. That small warmth in her chest he always caused ¨C why was it so big today? That night, even the moonlight pouring through the window felt warm. *** Belinda always wore a ne ¨C a ring pendant on a thin gold chain. The ring given to her mother by her father, the Emperor, was stowed away deep in a drawer, but the one Aymon gave her was always with her. After so many years wearing it, it felt strange to take it off. She was just as used to it as to the little leopard rolling around beside her. Twenty years old. An adult. She was grown enough to wear the ring without it falling off. The grown-up Belinda was beautiful. An elegant face said by some to be entrancing, a calm voice, a smile as beautiful as the morning sun. She looked eerily simr to her mother, Lily. It was the same appearance the Emperor had fallen in love with once, and though not going into details, even hemented on her beauty. She was rarely present at small parties and gatherings, unlike Adi, who was the center of attention wherever she went. But, even in her absence, people always whispered about ¡°the secretive Princess.¡± All grown up, she was still spending her afternoons ying with a little leopard. She was a messy-haired girl far from people¡¯s image of the ¡°beautiful mystery princess.¡± ¡°Aymon, when will you grow up?¡± She asked, lounging on a colorful carpet. He answered quietly, trying to sound dismissive. ¡¸Well¡­ Some time¡­¡¹ It was not a proper answer. She rubbed Aymon¡¯s back with her feet and yed with Lucy¡¯s hair. Lucy was lying right next to her, asleep. Perhaps the warm sun had tired her. She tapped Lucy on the cheek and whispered affectionately. ¡°Lucy, get up. The sun¡¯s already setting.¡± She was trying to wake up Lucy, but instead, the sparrow sleeping in her hair did. ¡°What? Is the sun down? Already? Why didn¡¯t you wake me up? I haven¡¯t even eaten yet!¡± Mazetto, who already had a plump belly, ran around on the floor untiringly until something pressed down on him. ¡°Ah! Save the sparrow! A bad Shinsu can kill a good bird! Oh my God!¡± Mazetto pped his small wings, powerless against Aymon¡¯s strong grip. These many years together emboldened him to be more and more cheeky to Aymon ¨C probably the only animal with that power. Only then did Lucy wake up, rubbing her eyes. Belinda kindly spoke to her, stroking her hair. ¡°Go home and get some rest before it gets toote, Lucy. You must be tired.¡± Although she was perhaps too friendly to someone of such high status, Lucy¡¯s rtionship with Belinda was very tight-knit. She was more of a long-time friend to her than a maid. Lucyughed awkwardly. ¡°Oh, I have no reason to be tired, Princess. It¡¯s just that the tea made me¡­.¡± ¡°You must be tired these days. You can¡¯t even rest on weekends.¡± Recently, Lucy had started taking marriage preparation sses. In the pce, she spent all night working on embroidery, and back home on holidays, she spent it with the butlers and attendants constantly bothering her. Although there was no groom yet, it was natural for her to do all this as the eldest child of a noble family. Belinda sent her back early because she knew this well. Aymon perked up. ¡¸Are you¡­ Are you leaving already, Lucy?¡¹ Hearing his voice so thin and uncertain was strange. It was always the case with him these days, though. He got nervous whenever Lucy left, and he was alone with Belinda, circling the room aimlessly. It always made Belinda think. Are you ufortable being with me? Do you like Lucy? She had always considered him her best friend, but it felt like his priorities changed at some point. Inferring from hisments, she found it hard to believe that it could be some sort of misunderstanding. Hm. I can¡¯t help but be a little disappointed. She pouted. ¡°Are you that upset Lucy¡¯s leaving? I¡¯ll y with you.¡± She hugged Aymon¡¯s small body to hers. ¡¸Ahhhhhh!¡¹ Aymon pushed her away with his front paws. Why did you push me that hard? Belinda picked him up again. In the end, amotion ensued ¨C Aymon, lurching and twisting around, tried to escape but still made sure he would not identally hurt her. Aymon rushed to the window, only just poking out from behind the curtain. Belinda felt hurt inside as she watched his movements. I can¡¯t believe I can¡¯t express my love anymore. It was always like thattely. He would find a way to avoid it. In the past, he had always let her, but why not now? Now that she was older, her little leopard always found a way to escape her arms. It felt like she was being deprived of her most precious thing, the thing she had raised so carefully. He¡¯s still a cute little leopard in my eyes. He would not even show his human form recently. She wanted to see it, but he would not let her. It was hard to face each other as a boy and a girl. However, as she grew up and gained more experience, she gradually started to like Aymon as a boy. His pretty eyshes and still face while drinking tea. When faced with him, a feeling in the bottom of her heart begged to be released, but she turned it away. What do you feel for that kid? Chapter 21 Trantor/editor: ruby Anyways, now that she noticed the beautiful smile in the boy¡¯s eyes, he was refusing to show himself to her. She was in a bad mood these days and about to make a grumpyment. She was already twenty, and Aymon eighteen ¨C well past the age of acting like a little kid. However, she couldn¡¯t help but feel childishly jealous and disappointed in herself. Aymon finally emerged from the curtains andnded on the carpet, ordering Mazetto. ¡¸Stay.¡¹ ¡°Why?¡± He asked, with his head slightly tilted, still securely tucked away in Belinda¡¯s clothes. ¡¸Eat first. I¡¯ll catch a roe deer for you.¡¹ ¡°Hey! I¡¯m a vegetarian now!¡± ¡¸¡­.I¡¯ll get you an apple, then.¡¹ Mazetto stared down at his ck paws. An apple? With those? He shouted back at him. ¡°No! I¡¯m leaving!¡± ¡¸Why!¡¹ ¡°I have a girlfriend now!¡± ¡¸You what?¡¹ Everyone turned to stare at him. Mazetto sprawled out his wings, satisfied with the attention, and announced proudly. ¡°We will meet under the por tree when the moones up!¡± ¡°Por tree?¡± ¡°We promised to kiss today!¡± Belinda burst intoughter. Kiss? Would they just poke each other¡¯s beaks? Mazetto flew over and started pulling her hair in protest. ¡°What¡¯s so funny? What is it? What? Why are youughing!!¡± Belinda couldn¡¯t control herself and keptughing. ¡°I hate you, Princess!¡± Mazetto said before flying out the window. He was very offended. Belinda shouted after him. ¡°Mazetto, I¡¯m sorry for teasing you! I¡¯ll get you cherries tomorrow, so don¡¯t stay angry with me!¡± Instead of answering, he chirped three times and disappeared into the woods, towards the tree where his fianc¨¦e was waiting for him. She turned around, still giggling. Lucy wasughing out loud while packing, seemingly about to go back home. ¡°I¡¯m going to go now, Princess.¡± ¡°Mhm. See you tomorrow.¡± When Lucy left, the only ones left in the room were Belinda, who couldn¡¯t stop giggling, and Aymon, who seemed somewhat¡­ nervous? Belinda closed the window and turned to him. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s funny? Mazetto going off to kiss his girlfriend. He¡¯s so tiny.¡± Aymon looked up suddenly. ¡¸Why. Can¡¯t they do it even if they¡¯re small?¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± Belinda¡¯s eyebrows shot up in response to his agitated reaction. He started to hit the floor with his front paws. ¡¸And I¡¯m not small. You don¡¯t know about it, buttely¡­.¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¸Forget it!¡¹ He was nervous for no reason. Belinda sat down on the bed tob her hair. He¡¯s been acting so strangetely. It¡¯s what happens at his age. Belinda was now twenty, but he was still in his stormy teenage years. 18 year-olds¡¯ emotions fluctuate a lot, right? She picked up the nket and patted the spot next to her. ¡°Aymon,e here.¡± Aymon wagged his tail nervously, not answering. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡± There was no answer. Belinda put down the nket, disappointed. ¡°Is it that you don¡¯t want to be alone with me?¡± Her disappointment slowly faded away as he looked her in the eyes. His ears drooped. ¡¸It¡¯s not that¡­.¡¹ Belinda muttered to herself quietly so he wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s that my feelings are so strange. When I¡¯m with you, my heart just¡­.¡± Aymon buried his face in his front paws, not knowing what to say. Belinda sighed. ¡°He¡¯s really been weirdtely.¡± She muttered to herself sadly. *** A tree whose branches seemed to reach the clouds stood in the middle of the forest. The smell of fresh grass and soil intermingled, and the sunlight filtered through its twisted branches. This ce was Aymon¡¯s territory. The Shinsu Forest. The smell of roses surrounded Aymon, who was taking a nap in a flower bush. ¡¸Aymon.¡¹ He opened his eyes when he heard his name called. He¡¯d already noticed someone approaching and knew very well who it was but pretended not to know because he was annoyed. He saw a spotted leopard ¨C an elder of the leopard Shinsu tribe. Who knew what could lie in the depth of those eyes? ¡¸Hello, Elder Aisha.¡¹ Aymon greeted them in an unweing voice. They touched his forehead with a paw to reciprocate the greeting. ¡¸Have you decided on an observer for your ceremony yet?¡¹ They didn¡¯t hesitate to get to the point. Aymon pricked his ears and rolled around in the bush a few more times. It was not exactly polite in front of an elder, but neither he, the elders, nor anyone else cared about his attitude. They¡¯d already given up on trying to change it. How could you fix someone who¡¯d been like that his whole life? Aisha had long stopped cracking down on his habits. ¡¸If you don¡¯t have anyone, I can do it.¡¹ It was customary for one of the parents to observe the ceremony, but Aymon didn¡¯t have any. As the ceremony got closer, the elder just came to him directly. ¡¸I¡¯d like a royal to do it.¡¹ ¡¸Someone from the royal family?¡¹ They weren¡¯t expecting the reply. ¡¸Yes. I thought it would be fun to have a human do it.¡¹ Aymon looked at them, trying to maintain a casual voice so he could gauge their reaction. Fortunately, the elder didn¡¯t detect anything strange. Aymon was satisfied ¨C this meant Belinda could really be his observer. ¡¸It¡¯s not like this has never happened¡­ Can I give the honor to someone from the royal family?¡¹ ¡¸Sure. It¡¯s not that important to me.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Also, it isn¡¯t a bad idea to create a situation where one of them needs toe here. Just to remind them what we really are.¡¹ The elder nodded. Humans had been acting like they¡¯d forgotten how to obey themtely. They didn¡¯t want a conflict, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to point that out. ¡¸How about asking the Emperor to do it, then?¡¹ ¡¸No, I¡¯ll ask the Emperor¡¯s first child. I was the Shinsu chief¡¯s first child too.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Okay.¡¹ The elder¡¯s eyes were filled with bitterness, brought on by the thought of Aymon¡¯s parents. Aymon went back to rolling around in the bush, apparently finished talking. ¡¸When your ceremony is over, we¡¯ll have to decide on a chief. There¡¯s also Ha and Shanti.¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ The position had been vacant for more than a decade since the death of thest chief, Aymon¡¯s mother. It would now be time for Aymon¡¯s generation to fight for it once they grew up¡­. The elder continued to speak seriously. ¡¸Don¡¯t kill your opponents.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Why me? Are you worried I¡¯ll go crazy like that beast just because I¡¯m a ck leopard?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ They couldn¡¯t bear to lie to him. ¡¸If you think I¡¯m going to kill anyone, you might as well lie down and wag your tail.¡¹ He answered roughly. He meant it ¨C he was just like any other leopard, only ck. Blood alone wouldn¡¯t make an animal go mad. He wasn¡¯t about to murder anyone. The elder stayed silent for a while before asking. ¡¸How long do you n on staying like this? Why do you still¡­¡¹ Aymon rolled back around and answered softly. ¡¸I want to look cute. And it¡¯s easier to get around being this small.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­.¡¹ They shook their head, unable to understand him. When had that little leopard ever done something rational? They touched Aymon¡¯s forehead with a paw, signaling that they¡¯d be leaving. ¡¸Good night, little leopard.¡¹ ¡¸The cute little leopard will rest well, don¡¯t worry.¡¹ The elder chuckled at his rude answer and left. He was alone again. The sun had now hidden behind the mountainspletely. Aymon considered going inside but decided to stay and enjoy the warm breeze of the fresh evening. Heid down and thought of the approaching ceremony. The ceremony through which leopard Shinsu became adults. Only after that ceremony would the cute little leopard grow into a giant beast and adult human. But¡­ Aymon closed his eyes. ¡°But why me?¡± He could hear the grasshoppers chirping. Bits of the dark blue sky ¨C who knew what was up there ¨C peeked through the leaves. Aymon stopped thinking and curled up. Most of the children of the n were born at the same time. Ha and Shanti were the other two leopards who were his age. The ceremony would be held for the three of them. Those two would surely just have their parents as observers. Nothing special. Aymon wasn¡¯t lonely. At least he didn¡¯t think he was. But still¡­ I really hope Belinda wille. Aymon imagined bringing her to the forest. Since leopard Shinsu were very individualistic beasts, they lived far apart in the vast forest and only met at the regr gatherings of the tribe. That¡¯s how Aymon could spend time in Belinda¡¯s pce unnoticed. Behind the flower bushes stood a temple-like building; it was Aymon¡¯s house. A quiet, mysterious ce in the middle of the beautiful forest. He couldn¡¯t invite her till now, but if she participated as an observer, he could take her here with the pretext of them having a close rtionship. Aymon curled up even tighter. The huge forest around him seemed to grow even bigger. Heid alone for a long time before slowly opening his eyes. After a while, the small animal left the forest. *** The cold wind brushed up against Lucy¡¯s neck. It was still before sunrise and quiet everywhere. She tiptoed to Belinda¡¯s room. She usually woke up at around noon, but today she had ns. They were going to the hunting ground at dawn. They decided to go back early in the morning today after finding some glowing mushrooms there a few nights ago. It was a small break from the boring life of the pce for the two girls. ¡°Princess¡­¡± Lucy called out in front of the door. There was no answer, so she opted to just open the door. The room was still. The blue moon shone peacefully onto Belinda¡¯s bed under the window. She walked up to her silently, but then¡­ ¡°Wha-¡± She quickly covered her mouth. Her heart was beating like crazy, full of surprise and fear. A stranger was sitting on the chair next to Belinda¡¯s bed, stroking her hair. He had broad shoulders, a firm body, and a tall figure noticeable even as he was sitting. Asrge as he was, he still looked very agile. Lucy wanted to scream and run to the maid sleeping in the other room, but her mouth wouldn¡¯t open. Her head was filled with questions and fear. Who is it? Who could it be? Who? Her body trembled with fear. She was afraid that it would hurt her or the Princess. Well, it wasn¡¯t really that. She was just nervous looking at the man¡¯s still face. It was like an instinct. He turned his head. Their eyes met in the darkness. The man¡¯s beautiful face was calm. He looked rxed as if he already knew she was there. But there was something about his beastly eyes that sparkled like fireworks¡­ Lucy pursed her lips. Her anxiety only rose, but the man strangely reminded her of someone. Those eyes. They were so strange but so familiar. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± He put his finger on his lips, shushing Belinda. Lucy gulped and managed to nod. The man smiled. It was an ecstatic smile illuminated by the moonlight. Chapter 22 Trantor/editor: ruby The emperor scratched the tip of his chin. There was worry hidden in the small gesture. Recently, the Shinsu had given him an unpleasant notice. ¡°We will be having a ceremony. Send your firstborn child as an observer.¡± It was an order disguised as a suggestion, thrown at him out of the blue. Firstborn child ¨C that meant Belinda. There was a time when he¡¯d regrly gone to ceremonies as a means of providingmunication between the royal family and the Shinsu n. But that was before their rtions drifted into the state they were in now. It was originally possible because they¡¯d been close to each other. But now? They were far from close friends. He only met the elders of the n once a year for a silent meal. His stomach tightened. ¡°What¡¯s worrying you, Your Majesty?¡± The empress ¨C could she read his mind? ¨C whispered from her seat opposite him, drinking tea. ¡°I don¡¯t want to send a royal to be an observer for the beasts.¡± ¡°They might be beasts, but we can¡¯tpete with their power. It¡¯s best to do what they ask of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Instead of answering, the emperor scratched his chin again. ¡°It¡¯s a relief they didn¡¯t ask for one of our children to be sent to that forest.¡± The emperor¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Belinda Ryn Athez is also my child.¡± The look on the empress¡¯s face hardened as if someone had sshed her with icy water. She knew that he¡¯d cared about the child in the past few years, unlike when he first brought her to the pce, but she wasn¡¯t expecting him to cross this line, calling her his own. Then¡­ ¡°Your Majesty, Princess Belinda has arrived.¡± The servant announced from behind the door. It seemed to be Belinda, whom he¡¯d told to visit in the morning. ¡°Come in.¡± The poised princess entered, elegantly curtsying. From her graceful steps, it was clear that the shabby, crude girl from years ago was nowhere in sight. ¡°May the great Emperor and Empress possess the infinite glory of the Empire. Have you called for me?¡± The emperor got to the point without hesitation. ¡°The leopard Shinsu n will be having a ceremony soon.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°And they have expressed a desire to have you as their observer.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Belinda looked up. The emperor, unhappy with the situation, sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a dangerous ce, but they¡¯ve been set on you the whole time, so you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Will you go?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Belinda lowered her eyes again and replied submissively. She didn¡¯t utter a single word of protest. That just increased the emperor¡¯s concern. Bringing her to the pce at all was a rather impulsive decision. He wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to kick her out on a whim. However, she lived in the guest pce quietly, never making her presence known. Even those times she had the emperor¡¯s attention, she didn¡¯t abuse it. Like a flower blooming in the corner of the flowerbed, quietly sticking to its ce, she was quiet but confident, resolute and bold. The empress broke the silence. ¡°What are you still doing here? Leave now.¡± Having said all there was to say, the lowly princess was dismissed. ¡°May the Emperor and Empress always be filled with glory.¡± After all the usual formalities, Belinda quietly left the room. Looking after the skirt disappearing into the hallway, the emperor sighed again. He didn¡¯t want to push his daughter into a dangerous situation, but he couldn¡¯t refuse. *** ¡°An observer? What¡¯s that?¡± Belinda grabbed Aymon¡¯s front paw and pressed it into the pad of green ink. The calm demeanor she¡¯d shown to the emperor was nowhere to be seen ¨C the mischievous sparkle in her eyes made her look like she was still just a child. ¡¸It just means that you¡¯ll sit next to me at the ceremony, help out a bit and nod sometimes.¡¹ ¡°How would I dare to do such a marvelous and important thing?¡± ¡¸It¡¯s not marvelous or important. Every other Shinsu has to do it too.¡¹ Aymon answered with a s¨¦ attitude. Belinda firmly pushed the ink-covered paw onto the bottom of the silver letter paper. It left a cute footprint. There was still a small stack of letters to be stamped with Aymon¡¯s paw. However much she lived up to her ¡°secretive princess¡± title, she had aristocratic friends now. Well, sort of. She was sending all of them letters. ¡°You should have told me about it earlier. I was so nervous when they called me in, and it came as a surprise that you suddenly asked me to go to the Shinsu forest.¡± ¡¸I did tell you about it. You were just too busy trying to tie a ribbon around my neck to listen.¡¹ ¡°Did you? Anyways, is there anything I need to prepare? It¡¯s important. I don¡¯t want to make any mistakes.¡± ¡¸No. Trust me and juste. Leave the rest to me.¡¹ Belindaughed and stamped another letter. ¡°It feels like you¡¯re taking me there to get married. Hey! Why¡¯d you move all of sudden? The print got smudged.¡± Aymon immediately sprang up when he heard her words. Belinda patted him on the back a few times, like she was trying to calm him down, then went back to stamping. The cute beast next to her seemed to be very shaken up by the word ¡°marriage¡±. ¡°Why are you so surprised? I¡¯ll give your elders six geese, two cows, and four bags of flour. You juste and we¡¯ll get married. I¡¯ll take care of everything,¡± she joked, ¡°because that¡¯s how people get married, you know.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re not a human?¡± Aymon didn¡¯t answer. She looked up. ¡°I was just joking because everyone¡¯s so obsessed with marriage. Why are you so stiff?¡± ¡¸No reason¡­¡¹ He finally replied. ¡°Lucy¡¯s taking a marriage preparation ss, too. Even though she doesn¡¯t have any candidates for marriage yet.¡± ¡¸Lucy? Our Lucy!?¡¹ Aymon jumped again. Lucy wasn¡¯t around that day because of a family event. Aren¡¯t you being too dramatic? Belinda was about to ask him out loud but decided not to. She had a bad feeling about this. Aymon¡¯s attitude towards Lucy had be a little strangetely. ¡°Yeah, Lucy¡­. Anyways.¡± Aymon red at the floor with a serious expression. His ears pricked up as if he was lost in thought. He nced at the ring on Belinda¡¯s finger and yanked his foot out of her grasp. ¡¸Are you and Lucy the right age for marriage?¡¹ ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡¸Already!?¡¹ ¡°Yeah, already.¡± For a moment, it looked like the ck leopard¡¯s face turned white. He began to mutter with a nk stare. It was hard to tell if he was talking to himself or Belinda. ¡¸If you¡¯re old enough to get married¡­.. Then after the ceremony¡­.¡¹ ¡°What? I can¡¯t hear you.¡± He quickly came to his senses. ¡¸Why would you get married so early?¡¹ ¡°What do you mean, early? I¡¯m an adult.¡± ¡¸I mean, we don¡¯t mate that early.¡¹ ¡°Huh? Why?¡± He started muttering to himself again. ¡¸Our purpose is to see children¡­. Well, when the seasones¡­. Of course, it¡¯s possible before that, but¡­.. Would Breedee be okay¡­.¡¹ Aymon recited, as serious as ever. Belinda tried to get closer so she could hear, but eventually gave up and went back to fiddling with a letter. Maybe it¡¯s because of his age. I guess animals have turbulent emotional phases too. *** It waste at night ¨C the time for humans to sleep and beasts to be awake. Aymon¡¯s ceremony was being held in the Shinsu forest, shrouded in darkness under the full moon. It almost felt like the forest was breathing. Belinda was sitting in front of a brazier, trying to take in the moment. The animals moved around without a single sound, except for the asional purr from around the brazier. Belinda tightened up whenever she felt something pass by. I¡¯m not afraid. I¡¯m not afraid. It was strange and scary, but she didn¡¯t want to ruin this precious day for Aymon. Two grown leopards stood opposite to the three little ones, sat in a row. The red mes of the fire reflected in their eyes. The rest of the leopards, circling around the brazier, approached them one by one. They would only be recognized once they received the blood of the chief. Then they could be adults. Since Aymon¡¯s mother died, the position of the chief had been empty. All of the baby leopards whopleted the ceremony were about to select a new chief as they turned into adults. Aisha, who was fulfilling the role of the chief, stared at Belinda. ¡°You¡¯re the royal that¡¯s Aymon¡¯s observer.¡± Instinctively, they could tell that she was scared. But she was looking at Aymon calmly. After all, that was the duty of an observer. The forest had eyes everywhere ¨C the birds sitting on branches, the snakes slithering by. That¡¯s the role of an observer. To remember the protagonist of the ceremony and see them be a new member of the n on behalf of all the creatures watching on. By all means, Belinda was doing her job. Aisha¡¯s eyes fell on her trembling fingertips. They got up from their seat. The rest of the leopards circling around stopped. They all turned their eyes to therge leopard descending from the tform. Is that the elder Aymon was talking about? If he smears his blood on him, the ceremony will beplete. She gulped, thinking of the exnation Aymon had given her. The mysterious elder walked up to Aymon and the other two baby leopards. He bit his paw with his sharp fangs and rubbed the blood on Aymon¡¯s forehead. ¡¸Wee to the n.¡¹ The beasts surrounding them cried out and bowed down to the roar of the ruler that shook the ground. Belinda closed her eyes out of instinctive fear. A cold sweat ran down her forehead. At that moment, she realized fully that Aymon, who had alwaysid next to her, was a feared and great animal. Chapter 23 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡¸Hey, is this what a human looks like?¡¹ The spotted baby leopard next to Aymon climbed onto Belinda¡¯sp. Not sure what to do, she looked at him uncertainly. Aymon pushed him off firmly like what Belinda usually did to him. The leopard rolled onto the floor. ¡¸You¡¯ve met humans before.¡¹ ¡¸Who, me?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Shanti. I heard you telling them not to bother you.¡¹ ¡¸¡­.Oh? Wait, you¡¯re right! I did!¡¹ He quickly remembered, pounding the floor with his tail. The mere thought seemed to anger him. ¡¸I was just avoiding your attack! So I wouldn¡¯t get in trouble!¡¹ ¡¸You tried to pounce on me secretly a few hours before that.¡¹ ¡¸That¡­ I¡­ I was scared¡­.¡¹ Shanti scratched at the ground, slurring his words. ¡¸I was young back then! You know that! You were just as strong back then, too! You didn¡¯t get hurt at all, did you? That¡¯s right!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not true. I was hurt, in the heart.¡¹ Aymon replied in a calm tone. Shanti stared at the indifferent leopard and straightened his shoulders. ¡¸Aymon! Your fur looks so cool today! Look how nicely the light shines on it! Amazing!¡¹ Aymon responded to thement by hitting Shanti on the nose. ¡¸Ow!¡¹ He rolled onto the floor with an exaggerated scream. Aymon hit him again. Belinda smiled awkwardly at the confrontation. I think they¡¯re talking about me. He doesn¡¯t seem to notice, though. When she first met Aymon, there were two other leopards there bullying him. If they¡¯d known that he was a Shinsu, they never would¡¯ve dared. They¡¯d have been lying t on the floor, shivering with fear. In other words, ignorance gave them courage. Still, it was amazing that it led Belinda to be friends with Aymon. ¡¸Shanti. Wee to the n, son.¡¹ Arge leopard crept up and pulled Shanti out of Aymon¡¯s grip. It looked like he was used to his son¡¯s yful behavior with Aymon. He rubbed his head against Aymon¡¯s cheek. ¡¸Congrattions to you, too. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you grow.¡¹ In contrast to hisrge body and rugged appearance, his voice was gentle. However, Belinda turned away her eyes and stiffened up. She was already twenty, but she still had that reaction to anyrge animal or person. They were scary ¨C her traumatic childhood memories of the innkeeper still came to her. The past was embedded deep in her. She almost pitied herself, but couldn¡¯t help it. Aymon approached her and tilted his head. He scanned her expression, also spotting her whitened knuckles, and leaped up onto herp. It was a hug-like gesture. ¡¸Breedee. Let¡¯s go now.¡¹ She got up from her seat, holding Aymon. It felt as if the celebrating leopards were pretending she wasn¡¯t there. She quickly bowed, confusing everyone ¨C why would they imitate human greetings? Aymon climbed up onto her shoulder. I said I invited her because she was a royal, I shouldn¡¯t make it look like we¡¯re this close. Being on her shoulder was still rather intimate, but much better than being carried out like a pet cat. ¡¸You have to go to sleep. Humans are always tired around these hours.¡¹ He said sweetly. He meant that he¡¯d invite Belinda since she was their special guest. The rest of the leopards purred knowingly and sent them off. ¡¸Bye, Aymon.¡¹ ¡¸Good night.¡¹ Belinda left as if she was escaping a fire. The leopards¡¯ eyes trailed after her before she disappeared. The deste forest unfolded right outside of their empty spot. ¡°By the way, Aymon. Where are you going to sleep now?¡± ¡¸At my house.¡¹ ¡°You have a house?!¡± The surprised Belinda stopped. ¡¸We have houses. We¡¯re different from regr animals. We live in houses, just like humans, because no one wants to sleep outside.¡¹ ¡°Ah.¡± She hadn¡¯t ever thought of Aymon having a house. She always just assumed he lived like any other animal in the Shinsu forest, but apparently, he did have a house. The forest grew thicker and thicker. Belinda walked through the darkness with the leopard in her arms. You¡¯d expect one to be scared on a dark mountain road deep in the forest, but she wasn¡¯t. The only thing to fear in the forest were the beasts, and she was well aware that no animal would dare to touch a person protected by a Shinsu. ¡°Do you live alone?¡± She held back on asking about his parents. She didn¡¯t see them in the group earlier, so¡­ She¡¯d known him for years, but never found out that he was alone until today. ¡¸Yeah, alone.¡¹ ¡°I see. Come to think of it, that little leopard ¨C you were with him that time at the cliff, right?¡± She forced herself to change the subject. ¡¸Yep.¡¹ It worked, fortunately. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem to recognize me.¡± ¡¸He probably didn¡¯t. Humans all look alike in our eyes.¡¹ ¡°Really? Do I look like everyone else to you, then?¡± Aymon looked up at her, then lowered his head back into her arms. ¡¸Of course not. You¡¯re you.¡¹ He muttered, embarrassed. The touch of his soft fur made Belinda smile. It felt good to think that she was a precious being to him. It was just a silly thought. Aymon¡¯s house was surprisingly simr to a human¡¯s. She was expecting just a in roof ¨C Aymon had been able to fall asleepying on the grass only until not too long ago¡­ She was wrong. She wandered around the center of the house in the moonlight, admiring it. ¡°It¡¯s really pretty.¡± It looked more like a temple than a regr house with its marble columns and domed ceiling. The wind blew in an asional petal through the open window. The extinguished chandelier twinkled in the moonlight. It felt like she had entered a fantasy world. ¡°Do you clean it?¡± ¡¸Of course. When I was younger, the elders did it, but I do now.¡¹ ¡°How?¡± ¡¸By turning human.¡¹ Aymon rubbed his eyes sleepily. He was sitting on a huge cushion, looking up at Belinda. ¡¸You must be tired. Go wash up. The bathroom¡¯s over there.¡¹ ¡°Mhm.¡± Belinda nodded, loosening the shoulder strap of her dress. As she had spent the whole night sitting on her knees, her whole body was sore. She was hoping some warm water would help. ¡¸Why are you taking your clothes off all of sudden?!¡¹ Aymon yelled, bewildered. Belinda turned back to see him hiding under the cushion. The cute little leopard was suddenly shy. She smirked. ¡°What do you mean? I need to wash it.¡± ¡¸I know that! Why here??¡¹ Aymon shouted into the cushion. ¡°I just untied the back. My shoulders are sore because it was so tight. Aymon just twitched his tail nervously with no answer, face still buried in the cushion. Belinda¡¯s eyes shed with mischief. He must be so embarrassed right now. Obviously, she didn¡¯t mean to take all her clothes off. She just loosened the strap. But seeing Aymon¡¯s reaction, she wasn¡¯t about to pass up on teasing him for it. He was so cute. She really wanted to keep on bothering him. And he wasn¡¯t the only one with a dirty mind, either. ¡°Why so shyyy?¡± ¡¸¡­..¡¹ He kept on twiddling with his tail. ¡°By that logic, you¡¯re naked too.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ You have nothing on you except fur. ¡¸¡­..You can leave the stripping for when I¡¯m really a human¡­..!¡¹ He mumbled into the cushion, not managing to sound too threatening. Belinda grinned. Her thoughts went to human Aymon. She hasn¡¯t seen it recently, but it was still clear in her memory. ck hair, beautiful purple eyes, plump red lips. A beautiful boy. She was sure she wouldn¡¯t be so intimidated by him anymore, though. ¡°Sure. Whatever you¡¯d like.¡± She said teasingly,ughing as she saw Aymon still hiding in the cushion when she entered the bathroom. He didn¡¯t move until she disappeared behind the door and heard it close. He sighed deeply, a serious look on his face. ¡¸You don¡¯t understand why I can¡¯t show my human form to you.¡¹ He whispered in a low voice. He was holding back his urge to devour her from head to toe. The smell of grass permeated therge living room. Belindaid downfortably on the carpet. Aymon was curled up in a circle, maybe trying to sleep. She reached out to him and stroked his chin. The mere sight of the little animal made her want to pet him. So cute and pretty. Aymon slowly opened his eyes. ¡¸Breedee, you really have to be careful.¡¹ The beast¡¯s eyes glimmered in the darkness. Chapter 24 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¸Like earlier. I¡¯m an animal, you know. I don¡¯t have anything to go by except for instinct.¡¹ ¡°Hmmm.¡± What¡¯s this cute little thing talking about? He must be upset that I made fun of him. ¡¸I have some self-control, so I can suppress it, but¡­ Anyways, it¡¯s just how I was born.¡¹ He was giving an undetectable warning. Belinda didn¡¯t know what to say, so she reached out to stroke his cheek again. The soft fur felt veryfortable against her fingers. He stared at her gently. She still thinks I¡¯m cute. There seemed to be a hidden emotion deep in those pretty purple eyes. Belinda couldn¡¯t look away from them. Aymon closed his eyes and rubbed against Belinda¡¯s palm. It was a gesture of resignation. ¡¸You really don¡¯t know me, Breedee.¡¹ She smiled faintly. ¡°But I know you¡¯ll always be by my side.¡± She meant it. She knew better than anyone that the nervous little leopard cared for her immensely, as much as he pretended to be tough. Didn¡¯t his actions show everything? His soft gaze? He even made her the observer of this ceremony. Aymonid his head back onto her palm. He didn¡¯t answer, a statement of such a simple fact didn¡¯t require any. Belinda already felt better. She kept on staring at him, feeling the warmth of his little body. He began to slowly lick her palm, and she squirmed, grinning. The ticklish sensation was strange. ¡¸You were scared earlier, right?¡¹ ¡°Earlier?¡± ¡¸You were really stiff at the ceremony. With all the big Shinsu.¡¹ ¡°Ummm¡­.¡± Aymon didn¡¯t need to hear the rest to know the answer. ¡¸Thank you.¡¹ ¡°What for?¡± ¡¸Enduring that for me.¡¹ Belinda scratched her chin. She wasn¡¯t used to Aymon ¨C the big braggart who considered himself the greatest in the world ¨C thanking her. It was unbearably embarrassing somehow. ¡°Oh, that¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡¸It¡¯s just my greed, but¡­ I wanted to be congratted by you more than anyone.¡¹ ¡°It¡¯s okay. I liked it, too. Thanks for inviting me.¡± He gently pulled Belinda¡¯s hand in, staring at her with an uncharacteristically serious face. His eyes were cold. ¡¸By the way, Breedee.¡¹ ¡°Yes?¡± ¡¸Who is it? The big guy that gave you a hard time?¡¹ Belinda pursed her lips. It seemed like an innocent question, but it tore down her defences in a single blow. It had been years since her arrival at the pce. Now she was a princess in her own right. She lived happily enough for memories of the past to barely ever cross her mind. However, she still had her fear ofrge people and animals to face. It was the one thing that made her into an intimidated child. She took in a deep breath and stretched out her tense muscles. As hard as she tried to push it away, the deep-rooted fear of the past still lurked in her mind. It was why she sent back every single bodyguard that the emperor tried to give her. She paused to think for a moment. Should I say it? He¡¯s part of my life now. I can tell him. She was ready to face the past and let it go, with Aymon. ¡°Well, you know I grew up poor, right?¡± ¡¸Mhm.¡¹ ¡°Poor humans, especially young orphaned girls, don¡¯t really get opportunities to grow up normally. We could choose between working at an inn to make a living or being sold to a sex trafficker.¡± ¡¸¡­..¡¹ ¡°And that¡¯s worse than death itself.¡± Aymon¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°The innkeeper I worked for knew all this. That¡¯s why he could do anything he wanted to me. He knew I couldn¡¯t leave.¡± Belinda murmured, trying to smile. She stroked Aymon¡¯s cheek again to feel his warmth. ¡°He kicked and hit me like I was a pebble in his path.¡± Unnoticed by her, Aymon extended his ws for a moment before controlling himself. Murder shed through his eyes. ¡°My eighth birthday was the worst. Misha gave me some cookies as a present, but I ran into Mr. Nordi on my way home. He was drunk and started to kick me. I ended up on the floor, along with the cookies.¡± Aymon closed his eyes, trying to remain calm. ¡°But you know the funniest part? While I was running away, I stopped to scoop up the cookies from the ground. And when I got home, instead of wiping the blood off my nose, I ate them. They had some dirt on them still, and eating them made my teeth hurt, but they were delicious anyway.¡± She closed her eyes too. ¡°They were delicious. Really delicious¡­¡± She tried to keep a matter-of-fact tone, but her voice cracked. She bit her lips. It felt like she was acting like a spoiled child to Aymon. Herints lost control, pouring out freely. She closed her mouth to stop herself from crying. I thought I¡¯d forgotten. I thought only fear was left over, that the wounds were gone. But, I guess not. All those wounds must have been tucked away inside. She thought they¡¯d healed, but they were just hidden. ¡¸Breedee.¡¹ It was allid out before she knew it. The little leopard rubbed against her as constion. She couldn¡¯t open her mouth to answer. She felt that if she did, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop herself from crying from all that warmth and affection. ¡¸Go back there with me.¡¹ ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡¸Check it out for yourself. See how weak and shabby he is now.¡¹ Without thinking, Belinda nodded at his almost seductive-sounding words. Her face was hot. She felt the soft tip of his tail brush past. ¡¸If that fear goes away¡­ I¡¯ll show you.¡¹ She had no idea what he was trying to tell her. The animal¡¯s quiet gaze hit her as she gently opened her eyes. Those eyes were so deep, they were barely visible. It wasn¡¯t until he cupped her face that he figured out she was crying. Belinda couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. She buried her face in her hands and heaved with sobs as Aymon quietly held on. His presence alone wasforting. She cried for a long time. At the very least, releasing all those things she¡¯d been carrying for years was relieving. She softly called out his names and pulled him in tighter, smiling as he rubbed the back of her handfortingly. Then she cried more. By the time she stopped, the moon had moved from above their heads, and the wind had stopped. Aymon stayed quiet, but the silence wasforting in itself. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted now from all the crying.¡± She mumbled yfully. Aymon stared up at her and held her face. ¡¸Thank you for telling me.¡¹ His voice was calm, but Belinda could pick out the mixture of worry and affection behind it. It made her feel like crying again. She bit her lips. ¡¸Come on. You should sleep.¡¹ The low voice was like a spell. The crying made her head hurt and her body limp, but she felt relieved. She let her heavy eyelids shut, and her breathing slowed down. Sleep flooded over her. After a while, Aymon wriggled out of her tight embrace. He looked at her face. Her cheeks still had heat left in them. ¡¸I¡¯m definitely going to be the chief. I¡¯m going to be the chief, Breedee¡­¡¹ He said, talking more to himself than to her. He slowly licked a tear off her face. He still didn¡¯t quite understand the deep constion of the sleeping girl. *** Belinda opened her eyes. When did she fall asleep? Judging from the glow in the window, it was already morning. She looked around ¨C it was her first proper look at the rugs and the ceiling ¨C but they weren¡¯t unfamiliar. It was where Aymon lived. The ce she was so surprised to see yesterday, inhabited by someone she thought only cared to lie around on trees and sleep in the grass. The sound of rustling leaves and the asional cricket was pleasant. The ce was so cozy andfortable, Belinda almost wanted to move there. She stretched out her body and something hit her foot. It was Aymon. She carefully moved away to avoid waking up the pretty leopard. You must be tired after the ceremony. She felt an almost motherly urge to protect him, who was peacefully sleeping. To her dismay, he opened his eyes as soon as she moved aside. The morning sun filled in. ¡¸Are you leaving?¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. Just to wash up.¡± ¡¸Yeah¡­.¡¹ He answered in a sleepy voice and fell right back asleep, still holding on to Belinda¡¯s ankles as if his life depended on it. Belinda slightly tickled his neck to get him to let go. She felt like she was his favorite stuffed animal. Aymon frowned and mumbled something incoherently. ¡¸Stop moving already¡­..¡¹ ¡°Let me go. I want to take a walk outside or something.¡± The forest outside of the window was very inviting, but Aymon didn¡¯t let go. ¡¸I don¡¯t want to¡­ Stay here and sleep with me¡­¡¹ His voice was very rxed for how tightly he was holding on. Chapter 25 Trantor/editor: ruby She was still sometimes surprised by the amount of power contained in the tiny body. The warm sunid gently onto Aymon¡¯s fur as she looked down at him with an unfaltering smile. As beautiful as the forest was, Aymon¡¯s cuteness and prettiness made up for it. When Belinda finally stopped trying to escape, he loosened his grip and sleepily rubbed his face. The soft fur touched the back of her foot. That tickles¡­. Belinda giggled at the touch. It wasn¡¯t just a ticklish feeling physically ¨C her heart fluttered along with it. After all his rolling around, Aymon started to slowly lick her ankle. He was careful not to hurt her with his fangs. ¡°Ack.¡± Belinda flinched. Her heart was pounding so fast it could have jumped out of her chest. It was a very strange feeling. Aymon opened his eyes at the sound. The purple orbs shone innocently in the sunlight. He didn¡¯t look like someone who had just woken up. Belinda flushed but soon regained herposure. ¡°That tickles, Aymon.¡± ¡¸I don¡¯t feel it, though.¡¹ Of course, you don¡¯t. You¡¯re the one licking. Belinda looked at him incredulously. He kept smiling. ¡¸Human flesh is so soft. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d need to bite hard at all for blood to seep out.¡¹ Aymon nibbled on her ankle painlessly, slowly following its curve with his tongue. Belinda flinched again. ¡¸Leopards can easily bite through animal hide, even without getting hurt.¡¹ He murmured with an unfamiliar warmth. Aymon¡¯s power overwhelmed her. She couldn¡¯t control the strange sounds she made whenever she opened her mouth. It was too ticklish. ¡¸Sometimes I want to sink my teeth into your skin. Just touching it makes them itch.¡¹ ¡°I¡¯ll let you, just a little bit. I hope it won¡¯t hurt, though.¡± She just barely managed to keep her voice steady. She meant it, though ¨C if he wanted it that much, she¡¯d let him. If only it didn¡¯t hurt. ¡¸No. The sight of blood excites beasts too much.¡¹ Aymon tly refused in a self-pitying voice and sighed. Seeming to have made up his mind, he pulled away. ¡¸Breedee, let¡¯s go to your hometown. How about we leave today?¡¹ Belinda recalled the vige, looking at the tree outside the window. It was a beautiful ce with blooming flowers and children swimming in the clearke. It was also the painful ce where her mother died, spiraling her into that miserable life. As if he could sense her hesitation, Aymon sat down next to her. ¡¸It¡¯s really nothing. You¡¯ll realize it isn¡¯t a big deal once you see it for yourself.¡¹ ¡°But¡­¡± ¡¸And then I¡¯ll be able to do what I want.¡¹ ¡°Huh? What¡¯s stopping you from doing that now?¡± Aymon was really the most unpredictable person in the world. Just say what you want to say and do what you want to do. Without that burden on your mind, you should live a long time. Even for a Shinsu. Instead of answering, he twisted around a strand of her hair. ¡¸Let¡¯s go. Hmm? Let¡¯s do it, Breedee.¡¹ He still had about three months until Ha and Shanti grew up, and the chief would have been appointed by then. Belinda had a good excuse to be away from the pce. It was the perfect opportunity. Belinda soon nodded. She had to face it one day. Although she ignored it, she couldn¡¯t hang on to that broken shell of herself forever. It would have to be ripped off like a band-aid someday. That time was now. And Aymon¡¯sing with me anyways¡­ There was nothing to be afraid of. She had the strongest beast in the world with her. Okay, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go and get it over with. Agreeing to go put her at ease. ¡¸What should you pack? Clothes? We can buy some on the way. Don¡¯t you need an escort?¡¹ She couldn¡¯t believe that Aymon, the Shinsu, wanted a human to protect her. It would be really funny if someone found out. ¡¸Then all we have to do is leave.¡¹ Belinda, whose thoughts had already trailed off, smiled as she recalled her memories with Aymon. ¡°You know what? I¡¯m looking forward to this a little.¡± ¡¸To what?¡¹ ¡°It¡¯s my first time traveling with a friend.¡± She hadn¡¯t ever been out sinceing to the pce, except for the asional birthday party. It always felt like she was being trapped in a fancy storybook. Of course, it was a good lifepared to rolling around in a back alley, but it was still a little frustrating. ¡°I want to tryying in bed with a friend and talking all night.¡± ¡¸¡­.Huh?¡¹ ¡°It was in a book I read. The heroine, Anne, was so excited for her first trip that she couldn¡¯t sleep and talked to her friend all night. Can¡¯t we do that too?¡± ¡¸¡­..¡¹ ¡°And observe those constetions that you can only see right before sunrise!¡± There were many things she wanted to do, but Aymon didn¡¯t have any answers. He just blinked. ¡¸I didn¡¯t think of that.¡¹ ¡°Think of what?¡± She asked, puzzled. ¡¸Well¡­ I mean¡­ Sleeping together¡­¡¹ Aymon muttered to himself. He slowly shook his head before finally looking at her. ¡¸How about bringing Lucy too?¡¹ ¡°Lucy?¡± What does Lucy have to do with this all of sudden? Her excited mood died down. She felt like all her expectations had dried up and crumbled. She liked Lucy. She was a precious friend that she wouldn¡¯t give up for the world. But when Aymon came into the picture, things changed a bit. He was her own cute cat. They were both precious to her, but strangely, she felt possessive over Aymon. I can¡¯t stop myself from feeling like this. I¡¯m sorry, Lucy. She swept her guilty conscience aside and spoke. ¡°Aymon, do you really like her that much?¡± He seemed to mull over the answer for a bit and nodded. ¡¸Sure, what about it?¡¹ ¡°But¡­ Lucy didn¡¯t participate in the ceremony¡­ She doesn¡¯t even have an excuse to leave¡­ She¡¯d find it difficult to travel without an attendant¡­¡± She was making it up. It was a lie. Why would a maid need a maid for herself? Belinda wasn¡¯t even sure why she was thinking of all this. She was acting like she was desperate to exclude Lucy. Aymon didn¡¯t seem to notice that, though. He nodded. ¡°Why do you want her toe so badly?¡± ¡¸I don¡¯t think I can take it anymore.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± ¡¸I¡¯m a beast after all.¡¹ ¡°Huh? What?¡± Aymon sighed deeply and scratched away at the rug. Belinda looked down at him nervously, not knowing how to interpret his cryptic answer. After a while, he looked up as if he¡¯d made a big decision. ¡¸Okay! Just us two! I¡¯ll hold it in! I¡¯ll hold it in¡­¡¹ His tone was almost solemn. Belinda nodded happily. ¡°Good! I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± At the words, Aymon crumpled and started murmuring to himself again. ¡¸I¡¯m worried I¡¯ll go crazy¡­. I must be going crazy¡­¡¹ *** Well, this is a bit embarrassing. Belinda looked at the giant creature standing proudly in front of her. Shimmering white fur, strong legs, bulging muscles. The horse looked three times her size. ¡°You want me to get on this¡­.?¡± She asked, taking a step back. The horse turned around and stared at her. Mazetto shouted from her left shoulder. ¡°Her name¡¯s Daisy! She¡¯s asking for yours!¡± I think she¡¯s angry. Her expression is really scary¡­ ¡°Just Daisy! She doesn¡¯t have ast name! ¡®Cause, she¡¯s a horse!¡± She carefully stretched out a hand and stroked the animal, trying to build some intimacy. Her fur was stiff and rough to Belinda, who was familiar with Aymon¡¯s softness. ¡°Hi, Daisy. You have a pretty name. I¡¯m Belinda.¡± Daisy nced at her for a second before lowering her gaze back to the ground. As Belinda kept stroking her, Aymon tapped her on the shoulder. ¡¸Stop. I¡¯m the only male you can love.¡¹ ¡°What? Male?¡± Daisy was¡­ male? Mazetto replied from the other shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m a male too! The princess is touching me right now!¡± He wasn¡¯t sure if he meant to tease Aymon or boast. The leopard growled and leaped into the air. ¡¸Yes, you are. Do you want to die?¡¹ ¡°Ah! What did I do? You started it!¡± Belinda shook her head at the sight of them. It¡¯d been a long time since they routinely fought like this. ¡°Oh my God, you¡¯re killing me!! The sparrow will die!¡± Ignoring them, Belinda turned back to Daisy. Her whispers were met with a loud neigh. Mazetto hid in Belinda¡¯s hair and shouted again. ¡°I heard him! Aymon just called the horse Daisy!¡± Belinda¡¯s hair was, so to say, Mazetto¡¯s unique sanctuary where he could escape Aymon¡¯s ws and fangs. It allowed him to keep on chirping wildly. Chapter 26 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°Aymon threatened Daisy with his ws out! To choose between ¡°Almond¡±, ¡°Chandelier¡±, ¡°Croissant¡± and ¡°Daisy¡±! I heard it all!¡± Belinda turned around to scold Aymon. ¡°Aymon. Why did you just pick a random name?¡± Daisy was a pretty name, but could you really choose just any pretty name? Naming a horse like this Daisy¡­ If she decided to just start calling Aymon ¡°Rose¡±, he¡¯d probably respond with scratches. He grumbled, pawing at the grass. ¡¸I didn¡¯t.¡¹ ¡°How did you choose this one, then?¡± ¡¸It was just what came to mind.¡¹ So she was right. Belinda stroked Daisy¡¯s mane, smiling at the ridiculous situation. ¡°You can just live your life without knowing what it means.¡± Whatever the name, the beautiful wild horse in front of her was grateful to pick her up. Aymon had brought him that morning, along with a shiny saddle to ride on. Belinda hated carriages, but they couldn¡¯t walk all the way to her vige, so they had to think of something else. ¡°Aymon¡­ I don¡¯t know how to ride a horse, though.¡± That was the only problem. Princess Adi rode horses often, but Belinda lived in a separate pce spending her days with Aymon. ¡¸It¡¯s okay. Just sit down.¡¹ Aymon leaped onto the horse and walked to their neck. ¡¸If you drop Breedee, you¡¯re going to die. I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡¹ He whispered the concise threat. Daisy pretentiously neighed in response, but his legs were shaking a little. Mazetto started to shout, flying over their head. ¡°A Shinsu is threatening me! A Shinsu, who should be protecting animals, bites sparrows and threatens horses!¡± ¡¸That son of a bitch bird!¡¹ Aymon jumped after him, but Mazetto had already settled on a tall branch. The fact was, he could easily climb up and catch the bird, but he never did. Knowing this, Belinda took the small leopard into her arms and whispered to him affectionately. ¡°Good job holding it in. You¡¯re really sweet.¡± Aymon waved his tail slowly, happy to be praised. *** Fortunately, Aymon¡¯s threat worked. Daisy was trying his hardest to keep Belinda in the saddle. Belinda was the one that felt ufortable as this was a new experience and all, not the horse. Daisy was more scared than ufortable ¨C if he dropped the human woman, the leopard would turn him into horse sausages. ¡¸You¡¯re good at this, Breedee. You look cool.¡¹ Aymon followed the ttering statement with a satisfied chuckle. The sharp-witted horse, quickly understanding the intentions of his words, was itching to throw the little beast off, but had no choice except to keep going. Wasn¡¯t it obvious how he would react? Daisy was born a wonderful white horse in a field with nothing scary in it ¨C well, that was, until he got tangled up with a certain little leopard. Daisy resolved to move to another area as soon as the trip was over, and went back to trotting ahead diligently. *** Birdsong drifted over from the trees, apanied by a fickle wind that tickled the tip of Belinda¡¯s nose. She happily hummed as the breeze swept through her hair. Aymon, Daisy and Belinda were traveling through a lush forest. Mazetto refused their offer to join them, saying he couldn¡¯t spend that much time apart from his girlfriend. ¡°Smile, Aymon. It looks good on you. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Contrary to what his aggressive mood would suggest, he was submissively tucked away in Belinda¡¯s arms. He didn¡¯t have a very substantial reason to be upset ¨C the cute wool hat tied under his chin with a ribbon was the culprit. Even though he now wore it every day, it still annoyed him. It couldn¡¯t be helped though as he couldn¡¯t pass for a pet cat with the spirit stone on his forehead showing. ¡¸I¡¯m already eighteen too, you know.¡¹ He groaned. Belinda scratched his chin as constion, then put her hands back on the reins. ¡°I know, but you¡¯re still this cute. The hat looks good on you.¡± Now that he¡¯d had his ceremony, he¡¯d grow soon. Belinda was a little disappointed. She couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d never see him this cute again. ¡°Aymon, did you say you¡¯d grow up in three months?¡± ¡¸Well, maybe.¡¹ He quickly blurted out the vague answer, as he usually did when he didn¡¯t want to exin something. What else is there bothering him? Belinda continued with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m a little sad that soon I won¡¯t be able to see this cuteness.¡± ¡¸You will.¡¹ ¡°How?¡± ¡¸If someone bears my child.¡¹(Note: I know this sounds strange af but it needs to be phrased in a way that can be put into her next thought¡­) ¡°Huh?¡± Aymon stared up at her. ¡¸They¡¯d look like me, obviously.¡¹ Belinda blinked. What do you mean, a child? ¡°If someone bears my child¡±¡­ So to put it, her heart dropped as she heard the words. She didn¡¯t think he was referring to her bearing his child but still didn¡¯t expect to hear that from the cute little beast in herp. The breeze disappeared. Belinda smiled awkwardly. ¡°Yeah, I can look at your child¡­¡± Aymon lowered his head again, and Belinda tightened her grip on the reins even more. The sound of Daisy¡¯s hooves striking the dirt road filled the silence. Belinda¡¯s expression turned serious. Why had they touched on something so unexpected all of a sudden? Well, it was already Aymon¡¯s time to grow up. He¡¯d be a big adult leopard. Surely they mated and had children like other animals. That was nature¡¯s order. Then why do I feel so horrible? Uneasiness settled in. Aymon was still a child in her eyes. It felt immensely odd to imagine him pairing up with someone, having babies, living happily in that magnificent house in the forest. She soon snapped out of the thought. What kind of thoughts are you having about this little meow? He was evening with her to her vige. What could such a thoughtful and kind¡­ She attempted to strike up another conversation. ¡°If you really hate the hat so much, why don¡¯t you just turn human?¡± Aymon looked up, still nervously nibbling on the ribbon strap. ¡°Come to think of it, wouldn¡¯t it be much more natural to see a woman traveling with her younger brother than with a cat.¡± ¡¸Younger brother!?¡¹ He must¡¯ve been offended again. He nervously hit the back of her hand, which she ignored. ¡°I¡¯m an adult, and you¡¯re still a 12-year old boy.¡± ¡¸No.¡¹ ¡°Why not?¡± Aymon¡¯s eyes trailed off in thought for a second. ¡¸Then Daisy would have to carry two people.¡¹ It was an unexpected answer. Belinda yanked the ribbon from his mouth. Since when did Daisy interest you that much? You just told him in the field that he was going too fast. ¡°Isn¡¯t there supposed to be two people on a horse? I¡¯ve seen the royal twins do it.¡± ¡¸It must have been a very strong horse. Daisy is actually very weak. It may not look like it, but with two people, he might fall in less than a day.¡¹ As soon as Aymon finished the sentence, Daisy stopped and turned around with a death re. He was furious at the remarks. Why would the little leopard say that he¡¯s weak? He was a wonderful, strong, athletic horse. Belinda sensed a strange wittiness in that expression. She¡¯d seen it before when she annoyed Aymon. ¡¸Hey, go on.¡¹ Daisy didn¡¯t budge. ¡¸You really want to be weak after all, huh?¡¹ This, in turn, garnered a strong reaction. Daisy continued to walk up the path. If Aymon was just any leopard, he¡¯d have thrown him off a thousand times. But he was a Shinsu, so Daisy was doomed. Thank god he wasn¡¯t born a human, or he wouldn¡¯t have survived with that personality. He must¡¯ve had many enemies ¨C he was lucky the emperor didn¡¯t find out about him snooping around. Belinda looked down at the leopard in her arms. He seemed to be trying to sleep. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty¡­ You almost look like a gangster.¡± Chapter 27 Trantor/editor: ruby They were crossing through the mountain as a shortcut. The steep cliffs and bumpy roads had already transitioned into a smoother path. The forest around it was marked with scarlet, referring to the dangerous animals and magical creatures that hid among the woods feeding off the power left behind by the descendants of God. However, there wasn¡¯t a lone rabbit in sight, let alone a dangerous beast. They all hid when they felt Aymon nearing. Of course, Belinda didn¡¯t know that. She was happily humming, thinking to herself how smooth and pleasant the trip was. ¡°Aymon, let¡¯s eat something.¡± Dusk was approaching. Soon they¡¯d be able to eat at their next resting ce, but sitting on a horse all day had already made Belinda ufortable and hungry. They sat down on a mushroom-like rock and spread out a handkerchief. The cool wind threatened to blow it away before Belinda put down the cookies, apples, and water. ¡°Do you want some jerky?¡± Aymon shuddered at the sight of the dried meat. Aymon shook his head in fright when she took out the dried meat piece. ¡¸I¡¯d rather hunt than eat that.¡¹ He turned to Daisy. Daisy looked like a good chunk of meat at that moment. ¡°¡­..¡± Daisy blinked a few times, then sneered and instinctively stepped back. His pride seemed to have been hurt. Belinda stood up, approaching the nervous horse with a chopped apple. ¡°Eat this. It¡¯s a snack.¡± Instead of dropping it on the ground for Daisy to pick up, she carefully held a slice out on her palm. She was still a bit scared, even after riding Daisy all this way. Unlike the pretty name suggested, she was standing in front of a veryrge, dignified animal. She tried to ignore the fear. Daisy ate the slice, then the rest of the apple. Soon all the apples were gone. Belinda came back holding some sugar cubes. ¡°Try this too.¡± Seeing Daisy so calm and epting relieved her. The sugar was gone in a single gulp, followed by the horse eagerly licking the remaining grains off Belinda¡¯s palm. ¡°That¡¯s wet!¡± Belinda¡¯sughter echoed through the forest. It was a very different feeling from Aymon¡¯s licking. That made her heart flutter, but this just caused a wet palm. Rather than pleasant, this felt strange, but not enough to push him away. Aymon hadn¡¯t moved from his spot on the rock. Observing them, he looked like he¡¯d just witnessed an affair. Belinda brushed the crumbs off the handkerchiefs and folded it up, getting ready to leave. As she packed up, Aymon followed her around, muttering to himself. ¡¸Come on, don¡¯t be so rude to Daisy.¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± She turned around and saw Aymon toying with a peach pit. ¡¸Daisy¡¯s a male, too.¡¹ ¡°He¡¯s a beast. Why would gender matter? I¡¯m a human, and he¡¯s a horse. It¡¯s irrelevant whether they¡¯re male or female.¡± Aymon tossed aside the peach pit and looked up. ¡¸I¡¯m just as much of a beast as he is.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± ¡¸Does the same apply to me? Is it irrelevant for me too?¡¹ Belinda was too busy with packing to answer, so Aymon went up to Daisy. ¡¸You¡¯re a horse. You¡¯re meant to graze. Why do you ept everything a human gives you? So spineless.¡¹ He seemed to be redirecting his anger to Daisy now. Daisy huffed. Isn¡¯t it this little leopard right here that feeds off human food? ¡°You like the cookies that human girl gives you.¡± Daisy whinnied, stomping down on the grass. It was Belinda who shut off the confrontation. ¡°Hold it in.¡± She said to Daisy as she adjusted her saddle. ¡°Aymon¡¯s certainly something, isn¡¯t he?¡± Daisy waved their tail, perhaps in agreement. ¡°He¡¯s nice, though. Trust me. He¡¯ll be more friendly when you get closer.¡± She finally took a side. Daisy huffed in disapproval. Belinda got up into the saddle and Aymon settled in her arms. Motivated by Aymon¡¯s snide remarks, Daisy galloped down the darkening forest path faster than usual. At this pace, they could arrive at the next vige before sunset. Belinda looked at Daisy¡¯s mane flying in the wind as she struggled to hold her bnce. No matter how much she thought about it, she didn¡¯t understand how a little leopard could provoke a huge horse. Surely Daisy could tten him into the ground in a split second. Rank was what mattered in the animal kingdom. Could Aymon really be stronger than Daisy? Even if he was a Shinsu, the size difference between them was really big? Thinking about these mysteries, she stroked Aymon¡¯s fur. It was amazing to consider that the small beast in her arms held such an important position. They arrived at the small vige around dusk, finally finding the torn signboard marking Hugo¡¯s Inn among the cluster of in houses. Belinda got off Daisy¡¯s back and stretched out. Her whole body was exhausted; she just wanted some rest. ¡¸Take a rest and we¡¯ll continue in the morning.¡¹ Aymon said to Daisy. Daisy hadn¡¯t grown up in a stable, so he needed somewhere else to go. Daisy was surprised at the leopard¡¯s sudden consideratements, but his niceness didn¡¯tst long. ¡¸I can smell you anywhere. If you try to run off¡­¡¹ Then you¡¯ll die, he meant. Belinda quickly understood this. ¡°You¡¯re really like a viin, Aymon.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡¸Breedee, as soon as we met, he tried to crush me with their hind legs!¡¹ ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡¸If I were a regr leopard, I¡¯d have died!¡¹ ¡°Got it.¡± ¡¸I¡¯m not treating him harshly. We¡¯ve been on bad terms since we first met, but that¡¯s not my fault!¡¹ ¡°Your first meeting didn¡¯t go well, I get it.¡± Aymon tried to defend himself with empty excuses all the way up to their room on the second floor. ¡°Be nicer to Daisy. He¡¯s giving us a ride.¡± She responded, with a smile. Aymon wandered around the room noisily. Belinda went up the creaky wooden stairs, afraid that someone would hear him talking. Fortunately, it seemed like they were the only ones staying at the inn. She absentmindedly dismissed Aymon, who was still talking to himself and opened the door. She was expecting something shabby, but the room was surprisingly tidy. It would only be Aymon and her today. Belinda draped her clothes on a chair. Aymon was sitting on the sofa, nervously nibbling at his hat. He¡¯d forgotten he was even wearing it. Belinda stretched out her back. ¡°Oh, that hurts¡­¡± No matter how carefully Daisy galloped, it was still her first time on a horse. It felt like her whole body had shrunk down. She opened the bathroom door to look inside. ¡°It¡¯s cleaner than I expected.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯tparable to the pce, butpared to where she grew up, it was heavenly. ¡°Aymon, I¡¯ll go shower first.¡± She stepped inside. It was cool inside because of the open window, but the warm water soon fixed that. Her muscles finally rxed and the heat turned her face pink. After the well-deserved shower, she threw on a pyjama. It was made of rougher cloth since she bought it on their way here. It reminded her of her life before the pce, and strangely, she felt nostalgic. Steam poured out into the main room, where Aymon was pacing to and fro. He was anxious, so he leaped up onto the windowsill and started scratching the railing. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Belinda asked, drying her hair with a towel. ¡¸I just¡­. Nothing.¡¹ He replied in a nervous tone. Chapter 28 Trantor/editor: ruby Belinda sat down on the sofa, drying her long hair with a towel. She finally got a chance to look around the room properly. Apart from the faded, old sofa, all the cramped room contained was a small bed, a narrow table with chipped edges, and a clothes hanger. Now she understood why Aymon, used to the vast forest and his luxurious house, was so uneasy. He¡¯d probably never been in such a confined, stuffy space. It was natural that he¡¯d feel trapped. ¡°Aymon, are you nervous?¡± ¡¸Yes. This is small. Too narrow. For what I¡¯m used to.¡¹ Aymon awkwardly said in broken sentences. ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡± There was no answer. Aymon kept on scratching the window frame, producing a sharp metallic noise. The moon rose above the chimney smoke of the vige. Its light reflected on Aymon¡¯s fur, making him look like the cutest beast in the world. I¡¯ll book the biggest room at a nice inn the next time I have to stay in a vige. ¡°Aymon, you should go wash up too.¡± Belinda said to the leopard, still lost in thought. He took his paw off the window frame. ¡°Do you want me to wash you? You wouldn¡¯t be able to turn on the tap with your paw.¡± ¡¸Wash me! What do you take me for!?¡¹ Aymon suddenly burst out angrily. Belinda was dumbfounded. I was just going to pour some water over you and give you soap, why are you being so defensive? He started screaming, ears folded back, as he ran around. The funny thing was, the angrier he got, the cuter he looked. He went back to scratching the window frame. ¡¸You don¡¯t know anything, Breedee!¡¹ More w marks appeared on the thick pir. We better pay the repair fees for that before we leave. The pet cat had a bit of a tantrum. ¡°Why are you so angry?¡± ¡¸You¡¯re just so¡­¡¹ Belinda sighed and extended her arms. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong, but I¡¯m sorry. Calm down ande here.¡± She said softly. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡°Hmmm?¡± Aymon didn¡¯t need to be coaxed much. He leaped onto the floor and walked over to her. ¡¸You really don¡¯t know anything¡­¡¹ Before he knew it, he¡¯d resignedly curled up in Belinda¡¯s arms. She smiled. The little animal was warm, and even his grumbling sounded like a luby. So maybe she didn¡¯t know anything, but she could still see that Aymon was lovely. His cuteness was irresistible. But any attempt of nose-booping would surely be met by a (harmless) punch. Aymon also washed up and quickly dried his fur. Belinda started to turn off the lights until all that was left was a candle next to the bed. The silent darkness made the deste room feel even more deste. Belinda put Aymon onto the bed and pulled the nket over them. Already half-asleep, she saw the small beast still standing up on the bed. ¡°What are you doing? Won¡¯t you sleep?¡± The room was so dark that she couldn¡¯t pick out Aymon¡¯s figure. All she could see was a pair of eyes. After some contemtion, Aymon turned around and silently headed to the other end of the bed, settling down at Belinda¡¯s feet. ¡°Do you really like feet that much?¡± You perv. Aymon sat up. ¡¸Who??¡¹ He burst out again before lying back down. Belinda slightly pushed his soft back with her foot. ¡°Are you upset?¡± He pretended not to hear. Instead, he replied with a very unthreatening growl. ¡°Aymon. Aymoooooon.¡± She gave him another push. He scooted away in protest but soon wrapped his tail around Belinda¡¯s ankle. God, he¡¯s so cute. Belinda suppressed her urge tough. That would really make him sulky. The little bundle of warmth next to her was the loveliest thing in the world. After a while, Aymon raised his head and silently scampered across the nket. He looked at Belinda¡¯s face and pondered for a moment. The spot under the nket next to her looked very cozy. He could sleep in her arms if he only took another step. The impulse was about to outweigh his worries as he lifted his foot to take a step, but he stopped. Lying down by her feet again, he gently sighed, tossing and turning. He mmed down the nket and covered his face. ¡¸I¡¯m going insane¡­¡¹ It was a sleepless night for him. *** ¡°Are you tired?¡± Belinda asked as she put a hat on the leopard. ¡¸Yeah¡­¡¹ He replied halfheartedly, in a dreamy voice. His usually sparkling eyes were ovee with exhaustion. ¡°You must have had a hard time sleeping in a different bed ¡®cause you¡¯re so sensitive.¡± ¡¸I¡¯m not. You¡¯re the one that¡¯s too easygoing.¡¹ ¡°I sleep well everywhere! Where I used to live, whenever it rained, we¡¯d just get water pouring down on us while we slept.¡± Belinda replied jokingly, recalling the old inn. They stepped out to see Daisy standing proudly, ready to go. His fur seemed especially glossy. ¡°You¡¯re early. Did you sleep well, Daisy?¡± He looked happy. Clearly a night away from Aymon had done him good. He leaned down to allow Belinda to get on. Then he saw the leopard in Belinda¡¯s arms,plete with a pouty expression and cute hat. He couldn¡¯t help butugh every time he saw them like that. ¡¸You! ¡¹ Daisy turned around and set off before they could start a dispute. *** It was already afternoon. Aymon¡¯s sleep-deprived state was apparent from hisck of provokingments towards Daisy. Although it was daytime, the thick pine forest didn¡¯t let much light in. Before they left, the owner of the inn where they stayed the night warned of bandits, but Belinda didn¡¯t care much. She had Aymon. If a bandit appeared, they¡¯d have to worry about getting hurt, not her. Aymon had been on edgetely, so she doubted the bandits would stick around long. Daisy walked along a narrow path, trying to avoid the tangled vines of the forest. Aymon was dozing off. The smell of crushed grass surrounded them. ording to the map, they¡¯d be traveling through the forest the entire day. Belinda was used to traveling on bumpy roads, but¡­ Aymon must be having a hard time. She always thought he lived out in the forest, but seeing hisvish house proved otherwise. Would a noble Shinsu, used to sleeping on soft pillows, be able to get by with no option but the floor? Daisy was a wild horse, so he¡¯d be fine, but¡­ Her head was filled with these thoughts. In a way, she was using them to distract herself from them nearing their destination. They only needed to cross a canyon before arriving at the vige. Just a few days until she¡¯d need to face her buried trauma. Her heart was constantly pounding with nerves. She looked up from stroking Aymon¡¯s fur for a moment and saw a huge log on the road. It was then. Daisy suddenly stopped. The stomping noise came closer and closer. ¡°Huh?¡± Belinda looked around. There seemed to be someone waiting for them. Bandits. The noise surrounded them. It seemed like there were a lot of them approaching. Only then did Aymon open his eyes. Chapter 29 Trantor/editor: ruby The beast in Belinda¡¯s arms only turned his head. He looked very rxed despite the urgent situation. The feel of the wind, the strangers¡¯ voices and their smell of sweat and blood, all surrounded them at once. ¡¸Belinda, get off the horse.¡¹ Aymon said, still rubbing his eyes. Belinda quickly jumped off the horse and crouched down behind a tree. The small beast remained in her arms. Soon, imposing figures started to pop out from the dense forest one after the other. ¡°Someone¡¯s traveling alone! Unbelievable!¡± A joyous voice eximed. It was the prey he¡¯d been looking for a good while. An easy, delicious meal, walking around all these mountains. The bandits looked scruffy with their unbrushed hair and dull weapons. However, unlike their physique, the clothes they were wearing were elegant and refined. The detailed embroidery on the heavy fabric proved them to be aristocrats¡¯ garments. Stolen, surely. The incongruity between their clothing and physical appearance made their strange appearance even scarier. Are the people they stole those clothes from still alive? Someone yelled a conventional threat. ¡°Empty your pockets and hand me everything!¡± ¡°Oh, leave it to us to take everything off and see for ourselves!¡± The bandits vulgarly smiled at each other. Belinda was covering her body with a robe, but her pale skin and small hands must have given her away as a woman. She stiffened. She wasn¡¯t afraid. Well, she was, and she wasn¡¯t. It was a relief to have Aymon, but she was still scared to death. This is all because of my broken mind. As she tried to hide her trembling fingers, Aymon spoke to Daisy in a whisper. ¡¸Hey,e have some fun with me.¡¹ He didn¡¯t need to say it twice. ¡°AHHHHHHHHH!¡± The bandit¡¯s scream tore through the silence of the dark forest. The man on the receiving end of Daisy¡¯s destructive kick flew right into an oak tree. ¡°Is that horse crazy!?¡± The rest of the bandits froze in ce. Daisy took the opportunity to go wild, neighing with joy. He kicked and trampled on the men, making sure none of them got away. Being able to finally spill out his anger towards Aymon (with Aymon¡¯s own blessing!) excited Daisy. The bandits didn¡¯t even have time to reach for their weapons. ¡°AHHHH!¡± ¡°Do something about that thing!!¡± ¡°What the hell is that!?¡± It was none less than a crazy horse. They crawled on the ground in an attempt to avoid Daisy, but the small space heavily limited their defense abilities. Even their chance to retreat was blocked. ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°Ow!¡± Three of the men flew into trees and the remaining two passed out after well-timed kicks in the chest. The only thing that left them alive was their heavy iron armor. The forest became silent again as thest of the men copsed at the courtesy of the fast, overpowering horse. A birdsong could be heard from here, and a gentle breeze stirred in the air. The peace was broken by a loud celebratory neigh. Belinda stared at Daisy, dumbstruck. ¡°Is this what you call too weak to carry two humans?¡± ¡¸This was very exciting, really.¡¹ Aymon muttered, avoiding the question. A bitter, Belinda walked over to a bandit and started undressing him. They were a lot less scary passed out on the ground. She searched through their clothes for money and valuables, with no ulterior motive ¨C what could one feel for a person like this anyways? ¡¸Do you really have to?¡¹ ¡°Yes. These people would have stolen my money, and they would have done worse things if they could.¡± Belinda was still fearful as she scoured pockets for money, but she kept telling herself that she¡¯d donate it as soon as she could. Aymon looked on with a sour expression. ¡¸I¡¯ll do it.¡¹ ¡°No. Leave it to me.¡± Firstly, the bandits didn¡¯t attack them because they were interested in a cat. It was her ce for revenge. Secondly, how could Aymon undo a button with his paws? Having searched through all the men¡¯s jackets, Belinda moved down to start taking off their pants. ¡¸You don¡¯t have to take everything off, do you? What do you want to see?¡¹ She brushed away Aymon¡¯s foot as he tried to hold her back. ¡°What would I want to see? I just want to make them suffer a bit more. They¡¯ll be cold.¡± ¡¸I¡¯ll take that off! Just let me do it!¡¹ Well, talk about an awkward topic. Belinda finally gave up after seeing Aymon¡¯s toughened eyes. She knew that he was impossible to convince of anything when he looked at her like that. ¡°Go ahead, then.¡± She took a step back, interested to see how Aymon would manage with the task. Even Daisy peered over his shoulder to look. There was not much to Aymon¡¯s strategy ¨C he simply scratched and wed away until all the buttons came undone. There was nothing to be found on the men except their underwear, which wasn¡¯t a very pleasant sight. Belinda wanted to put all their pants back on just so she wouldn¡¯t have to look, but she decided to endure the sight for the sake of making them suffer some more. One of the men slowly opened his eyes. He¡¯d fainted after a kick from Daisy but seemed to being to his senses. ¡°Now¡­ This¡­¡± The man tried to speak in a dry voice. Thest thing he remembered was the backside of a horse, and now he was lying on the floor in his underwear. He kept on trying to form an articte sentence without much sess. ¡¸What are you saying?¡¹ It only took a swish of Aymon¡¯s paw to knock him out again. Belinda lowered her gaze slightly as she watched. All the bandit¡¯s eyes were beautifully golden as if the sun had melted down into them. She¡¯d never seen eyes like that¡­ Except for her mother¡¯s. She considered going up to them to get a better look but was held back by the sight of the abhorrent naked bodies. ¡°Aymon, take the bracelet and the ring.¡± So she decided to focus on stripping the bandits of their jewelry. It felt good to be the thief stealing from the real thieves. Aymon quickly gave up on trying to get the ring off with his paw. ¡¸Should I just take the whole finger?¡¹ ¡°¡­..¡± Belinda silently shook her head. It was a beast¡¯s way of thinking, simple and cruel. She couldn¡¯t believe that thought would even cross someone¡¯s mind. She decided to take the ring herself. It came off easily with a hard pull. She tossed it in her pocket and approached Daisy. ¡°Good job, Daisy.¡± The horse gave a satisfiedugh as Belinda stroked his back. She never thought that horses couldugh, but apparently¡­ Daisy didn¡¯t get to have much attention to himself, since Aymon was soon at Belinda¡¯s feet whining to be picked up. ¡¸I want pets too!! Pick me up!¡¹ What a needy leopard. *** A few nights had passed. Aymon either didn¡¯t sleep at all, or he¡¯d move as far away as possible from Belinda who was on the bed. Even the previous day, Belinda woke up in the middle of the night to drink water only to see Aymon staring right at her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He flinched in surprise when he noticed she was awake. ¡°Why are you awake??¡± Is it that surprising? Sheesh, only dead people never open their eyes. She felt Aymon¡¯s fluffy paw against her cheek. Why would he do that if he just wanted to touch me? He knows I don¡¯t mind it. Aymon wasn¡¯t usually like this, but whenever she asked him to sleep in a bed with her, he ran away to hide in a corner, only to stare at her all night. Is he trying to say that he likes me or that he wants to avoid me? I don¡¯t get him. He was a strange creature indeed. ¡°Aymon, do I smell weird or something?¡± ¡¸Huh?¡¹ They were eating in a quiet field. Aymon looked up from his almond cookies on the grass. Belinda asked again, also munching on a snack. ¡°You haven¡¯t even hugged me today.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ It was true. All he did was annoy Daisy. It upset Belinda a lot. Still, she was worried that she might have a smell. Aymon was sensitive to that. Earlier that day, he picked out the smell of rotten leaves in the forest ahead of either her or Daisy¡­ Well, it wasn¡¯t clear whether he was just being affected by theck of sleep, or it actually smelled like rotten leaves. ¡°I always wash myself thoroughly, but you keep avoiding me.¡± ¡¸You do smell.¡¹ Belinda hurriedly raised her arm and checked. Could he hate the smell of humans so much that he¡¯d notice even after a wash? ¡¸It¡¯s getting thicker, actually.¡¹ Aymon bit into a cookie with a sigh. Belinda felt even worse after hearing that. What if Aymon wouldn¡¯t want to be around her after he grew up? Should she at least use perfume? ¡¸But don¡¯t worry, Breedee. I¡¯m patient. I promise I won¡¯t hurt you or take you by surprise.¡¹ ¡°¡­..¡± She knew Aymon was trying tofort her, but it didn¡¯t register in her brain. All she could think about was having to shower more. Daisy, who¡¯d been listening to their conversation, went up to Belinda to take a sniff himself. The ticklish feeling made Belindaugh. Aymon started to get nervous. ¡¸What is he doing over here!?¡¹ Daisy stepped back with a discontented look after he received a push from Aymon. Even the crazy horse that did away with five men in a forest seemed like a meek foal next to this crazy leopard. Chapter 30 Trantor/editor: ruby Belinda wiped her forehead with a sleeve. She felt like she was breaking out in a cold sweat, but her skin was dry. Her grip on the reins only kept on tightening. Arge windmill appeared beyond the hill, surrounded by a field of wheat that gave way to a stream winding around the peaceful and still vige. Belinda was faced with her hometown. A precious yet scary ce, holding memories of her mother but still giving her nightmares. The long grass brushed her calves. Aymon looked back from his spot on Daisy¡¯s head and, for the first time in a while, scooted up to Belinda. ¡¸Breedee, give me a hug.¡¹ She quickly obeyed, and though it was her holding Aymon rather than the other way around, she instantly feltforted. She knew that Aymon had figured out how she was feeling, and for once, he justforted her with warmth instead of making a weirdment. My hot-tempered, thoughtful little cat. She sighed. Daisy also slowed down when he sensed Belinda¡¯s fluctuating emotions. Animal instincts really were that great. Belinda closed her eyes as the once faraway field of wildflowers got closer and closer. Everything was the same. The strange longing and fear in her heart, the stream flowing by, the sound of the grass rippling in the wind. Just a quiet-looking small vige. Before she knew it, they were standing at the entrance. A massive oak tree stood at the end of the intermingling fields of flowers and wheat. Riding under its shadow really made Belinda feel like she was back in her hometown. The sound of a horse nearing caught the attention of a man working in the field. His face was filled with wonder ¨C in such a small vige, visitors were a rare sight. ¡°Hello there! You must be a traveler!¡± He said in a cheerful voice. Belinda stopped Daisy and pulled up the hood of her robe. The man¡¯s expression changed slightly as he examined them. The visitor wasn¡¯t a girl but not quite a woman either. Simple, neat clothes, a thoroughbred horse but no attendants, and¡­ a cat. They were a rather curious sight. Belinda immediately recognized the man. It¡¯s Hans. The boy from the shoe store at the end of the alley. The mischievous kid who would drop frogs down her cor. Now that she thought about it, the stupid jokes and offers of sharing food were probably just his misguided way of saying he liked her. If she¡¯d known back then, she probably would¡¯ve cried like an idiot, thinking everyone hated her. Either way, she couldn¡¯t believe that he¡¯d be a grown man. It made her realize how long it had been since she left. She wanted to say ¡°It¡¯s me, Hans¡±, but she decided not to. He wouldn¡¯t recognize her. ¡°Hello.¡± Instead, she responded with a simple smile. Hans flushed for some reason, then readjusted his straw hat and wiped his hands on his pants. ¡°Are you here to visit a rtive? Or just for a trip?¡± ¡°Just for a trip.¡± She couldn¡¯t exactly say she was visiting a rtive ¨C there weren¡¯t any of them left for her here. ¡°You¡¯re looking for somewhere to stay, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you around, then. The inn is a bit hard to find.¡± ¡°¡­..Thank you.¡± Belinda started to worry a little. The town only had one inn. It was the ce where she washed dirty nkets and scrubbed grease off tes every day, the root of the trauma that still gued her. Hans grinned and took Daisy¡¯s reins. The proud wild horse wasn¡¯t too pleased by a human trying to drag him along by the reins. He tried to resist. ¡¸Hold it. You can¡¯t even take this much?¡¹ ¡­But he had no choice but to suppress his impulse with Aymonughing at him. Observing the conversation between Hans and Belinda, however, soon put Aymon in the same mood. ¡°That¡¯s a nice horse you have there.¡± ¡°Thank you. He looks even better running with the wind blowing into his mane.¡± Thepliment to Daisy made Aymon flinch. ¡°The cat is really cool, too.¡± ¡°I know, right? Head to tail. The little fangs, the soft fur, the shivers when you touch their tail¡­ All so cute.¡± Belinda¡¯s raving about his cuteness made him feel a little embarrassed. ¡°And you are beautiful, miss. More beautiful than the daffodils that are the pride of our vige.¡± After buttering her up, Hans finally started to be more direct. ¡¸What?! What did you jus¨C Hngphm??¡¹ Aymon shouted angrily. Hans turned around in surprise and saw the cat with its hair standing on end, furious, next to Belinda. She quickly covered the cat¡¯s mouth and smiled awkwardly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear someone shouting?¡± ¡°That was just my cat. He must have seen a sparrow flying by.¡± ¡°It sounded like a human voice, though¡­.¡± ¡°You must have misheard, then.¡± Belinda replied calmly. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hans nodded. Seeing Belinda¡¯s smile made his ears red again. He turned around, pulling along the horse. Aymon fumed at him. Did I really just tease Daisy about his patience? Aymon¡¯s own patience seemed to be nonexistent right now. Belinda had no time to be immersed in the sentiment of having returned to her hometown. She was busy soothing Aymon all the way to the inn. She gently rubbed his pouty nose and smoothed down his fur. In the meantime, Daisy had already crossed the vige to the inn. ¡­.Should I be the one thanking Aymon? The heart-wrenching anxiety she felt at the entrance of the vige was gone. Focusing on Aymon left her no time to think about it. ¡°We¡¯re here, miss.¡± Hans stopped in front of arge wooden door. Belinda tensed up at the familiar sight. As she got off Daisy¡¯s back and stepped onto the ground, an unpleasant agitation washed over her. ¡°Thank you for your kind guidance.¡± Hans chuckled at the conventional phrase. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. By the way, if you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate toe to find me at the shoe store. I¡¯m here to help.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Hans hesitated for a moment, as if he was looking for the right thing to say, and eventually left with a gaze of lingering affection. ¡°It¡¯s a small vige, but still a nice ce in its own way. I hope you have a pleasant journey.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Sweet dreams, miss. Good night to your cute cat, too.¡± He smiled at Aymon, only to be met with a nk stare. Did he just call me cute? It was a disgraceful surprise. When Hans disappeared from sight, Aymon finally came to his senses. He wouldn¡¯t be happy even if he got to sink his teeth into his neck. ¡¸Breedee, can¡¯t I just get rid of him for good?¡¹ Aymon¡¯s voice was very calm and quiet, perhaps because of how angry he was. ¡°No.¡± Belinda shook her head firmly. ¡°Daisy,e back in the evening, and I¡¯ll give you an apple.¡± She sent the horse off and pushed open the inn¡¯s door. The rusty hingesined with a loud squeak. She used to oil the hinges very often, but seemingly no one bothered with it anymore. The bell that once hung on the door was also gone. She wasn¡¯t the only one that had grown older. Behind the corner at the end of the narrow passage was arge desk. Belinda bit her lips tensely and wiped her palms on her dress. There was a big man right in front of her. Not just anyone, either ¨C he was the cause of all the umted fear and anxiety, all the traumatic memories. Nordi. Even she couldn¡¯t exin all the emotions that were passing through her head at that moment. ¡°Wee.¡± Nordi looked up from the stack of money he was counting. ¡°Ahhhh¡­!¡± Belinda froze. Her heart was racing nervously. The man was a little older than she remembered, with a scruffy beard, but the exact same stubbornness and pride in his eyes. He doesn¡¯t recognize me. He couldn¡¯t recognize her. Hans didn¡¯t. She must have looked very different from the tired, skinny young girl Nordi knew her as. Even if he did somehow remember, how would he know how to react? Was he supposed to say, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up, you¡¯re not the weak kid I used to hit anymore?¡± She looked at his bulging belly and calloused hands. His sturdy body, which had looked like an imposing tree to her as a child, was covered with fat. His broad shoulders were slouched. Was this the cause of all that fear? It felt very insignificant now. She wanted to cry. Tears started to well up. All this time, I¡­ She felt all the emotions that had been suppressed were flowing out now. Aymon looked up at her. Her expression hardened, she bit her lips and unconsciously started to brush through her hair with her trembling hands. It was a simple reaction, but the emotions she was feeling were nowhere near simple. If they were, she¡¯d have pped Nordi right away. The weight of her emotions made it hard to do anything. ¡¸Breedee, I can kill him right now, if you want.¡¹ Aymon whispered, rubbing his face against her neck. Chapter 31 Trantor/editor: ruby Aymon made the suggestion for Belinda¡¯s sake, though not unaffected by his own impulses. Belinda smiled bitterly at the words. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Nordi quizzically tried to catch the attention of the girl, seemingly rooted to the ground. Belinda quietly replied to Aymon. ¡°It¡¯s all right. No need to kill anyone.¡± She managed a stable tone. As she ran her hand through Aymon¡¯s fur, she slowly calmed down. It¡¯s a relief I have Aymon. ¡°I wanted to stay here tonight. Give me yourrgest room, please.¡± She said, slightly lifting her chin. She¡¯d get used to seeing his face. She¡¯d admit, after seeing it for herself, that he was nothingpared to his past self. ¡°How many days are you nning to stay?¡± Despite the much younger woman¡¯s arrogant tone, Nordi smiled, rubbing his hands together. He looked at her quiet yet confident eyes and clearplexion,mon indicators of a wealthy upbringing. Although she wore in clothes, she couldn¡¯t hide her aura of elegance. Obviously, she was just an immature aristocrat girl traveling by. He had to be as servile as possible. Belinda handed over a few silver coins. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll stay, but take this for today. You can keep the change.¡± Nordi bowed deeply at the sight of the money, far exceeding the cost of a night¡¯s board. The absence of an escort driver outside the door made him even happier. He delighted in the thought of draining everyst cent from the clueless girl. ¡°I¡¯ll show you to your room, then. Come with me.¡± Belinda followed him without much hesitation, listening to his useless ramblings about the Daffodil Festival and the local lord¡¯s kindness as they walked down the dark hallway. The simple fact that she was still with Nordi kept her tense. That longstanding fear in her heart was very persistent, she felt better about it now, but back in the field, she couldn¡¯t shake it off. Still, she¡¯d get used to it in a few days. And then she¡¯d be able tough at herself for struggling so much with a foolish fear of such an insignificant man. ¡¸Breedee, are you sure you don¡¯t want me to cut off his arms or his legs?¡¹ Before she knew it, Aymon had wrapped around her shoulders. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Not bad¡­ Aymon bit a strand of her hair, not satisfied with theck of an answer. There were many things he could do right then, and many things he wanted to do. He could bite him on the neck, and then he¡¯d bleed. Aymon hated the smell of human blood, but if that made Belinda happy, he¡¯d make sure there were pools of the innkeeper¡¯s blood on the hallway floor daily. Well, she didn¡¯t want that. Aymon rubbed against Belinda¡¯s neck instead of continuing to think about his impulses. Soft skin¡­ A sweet smell¡­ Even the blood in her thin veins was fragrant. He slowly exhaled. Belinda smiled, shrugging her shoulders, and Aymon¡¯s expression hardened. He was trying to suppress his instincts, but they were only getting more urgent. Instead, he burrowed under her arm, not tofort her, but to try and calm himself down. He closed his eyes and drew in a breath. His heart that had felt like a volcano threatening to erupt gradually calmed down. Aymon was reminded of the smell of the man who was constantly turning around to say something to Belinda. Well, as long as Breedee doesn¡¯t know. Aymon smiled as he imagined something. ¡°You¡¯ll be staying in the best room we have at the inn, as you requested.¡± Nordi said as he led them to the spacious third-floor room with views of the whole vige. Belinda recognized it ¨C the room they always gave to wealthy-looking guests. On the adjoining terrace, someone was watering the flowers. She turned around and headed towards them, wiping her hands on an apron. It was Nordi¡¯s wife, Mrs. Ribera. Belinda observed her as she neared. She never beat or abused her, but she didn¡¯t stop Nordi from doing it, either. Mrs. Ribera¡¯s stone-cold gaze remained a vivid memory for Belinda. ¡°Are you a guest? The vases on the third floor are empty, I¡¯ll go fill them up now.¡± She said in a cheerful voice. Belinda silently nodded. ¡°Do you have any preferences for flowers?¡± Mrs. Rivera pressed on. Belinda, awkwardly trying to avoid eye contact, looked up again. She was about to tell her not to worry about the flowers, but¡­ Mrs. Ribera¡¯s eyes filled with surprise. So that¡¯s why she looked familiar! She looked at Belinda¡¯s face more closely. Strange feelings had been settling in. Surprise. Shock. Suspicion. She didn¡¯t know what to say. But the moment Belinda looked at her, all her doubts hardened into conviction. ¡°Belinda?¡± Nordi whipped around as soon as the word left her mouth. ¡°Belinda?¡± He was dumbfounded. Belinda? Belinda, the poor, shabby girl who used to work in the inn? He looked at her, astonished. But soon a malicious smile set in. He saw it now. The sparkling grey eyes and golden hair gave her away, even though there was little else left of her past appearance. Yep. Belinda, without a doubt. ¡°It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it? Oh my God, what are you doing here? Are you moving back?¡± Mrs. Ribera asked. No wonder that voice sounded so unpleasant. The child who used to work at the inn was back, all grown up, but she didn¡¯t like the way she arrogantly came in, pretending to be a regr customer. Nordi straightened up. It was Belinda, an aristocrat, no, who¡¯d made him think she was one. He didn¡¯t know where she came from or how she got here, but as soon as he realized that he was facing a filthy homeless orphan, his whole attitude changed. How dare she live off him for so long, thene back pretending to be an aristocrat? Even though she never said she was one, Nordi felt wronged. ¡°Belinda. It¡¯s you.¡± Heughed. Now he was indistinguishable from the person Belinda once knew. Belinda pursed her lips and turned away. There was a strange tension in the air. Nordi never got smaller ¨C he just hid from who she thought he was. He grabbed her forearm. ¡°After you disappeared, there were some rumors that you were sold to traffickers. You got sold to a rich nobleman and properly loved, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°You must have been thrown out again if you¡¯re back here.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°But you still have enough pride toe in here with your head held high.¡± Nordi kept on talking, gaining no reaction from Belinda. Her expression gradually calmed down, along with Aymon¡¯s. This was exactly why Aymon hated humans. Everyone said that animals were always cruel to the weak and submissive to the powerful, but the truth was that none of them coulde near human cruelty. He wanted to pounce right that moment. Breedee told me not to. Aymon held onto that religiously ¨C if Belinda told him not to do something, he wouldn¡¯t. And she wanted him to be a nice house cat. For now. Belinda took a big breath and stepped closer to Nordi. She got the opportunity to look at him more closely, with his smug know-it-all expression. He was the one who inflicted all that misery on her, alright. Now she felt like she was facing him properly. ¡°Just show me to my room. I¡¯m tired.¡± Ignoring her, Nordi came closer with a grin. ¡°I know exactly what happened to you. Some aristocrat kicked you out, right? And now you want to keep on bragging about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Then you had no choice but toe here because you don¡¯t have any connections or any other ce to go. You¡¯re too proud to sell your body, and now you¡¯vee right back like a runaway dog.¡± Belinda listened with a stiff face before finally smiling. She was grateful for Nordi¡¯s behavior. Now that he was acting like that, she could do whatever she wanted. He crossed his arms and continued in an arrogant tone. ¡°Aren¡¯t I right? If you didn¡¯t get kicked out, you¡¯d have an escort instead of just hanging around by yourself.¡± He was ignorant, but notpletely stupid ¨C or at least, so he thought. He smiled, convinced that he¡¯d understood the situation. Belinda strode towards him, about to do something no one expected of her. p! Her palm left a red mark on the man¡¯s face. ¡°Oh my God!¡± Mrs. Ribera cried out from behind her. Nordi was surprised to feel the hand against his face. What¡¯s going on? He didn¡¯t quite grasp the situation. What nonsense is this?! His surprise made him slow to react. Just when the anger took over him, Belinda swiftly kicked him in the shin. ¡°Argh!¡± Aymon looked on, interested in the debacle, as Nordi stumbled back and screamed. Chapter 32 Trantor/editor: ruby Shin throbbing and cheeks burning, Nordi was distracted by the attacks. His face was white with rage. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± He approached Belinda and raised his hand. Although she flinched, she didn¡¯t avoid the iing blow. She just stared up into his eyes. ¡°Go ahead and hit me if you can deal with the consequences.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nordi¡¯s hand froze. Don¡¯t be afraid, Breedee. I¡¯ll kill him if heys a finger on you. ¡°You think I¡¯m an abandoned mistress, huh?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Nordi still couldn¡¯t move. All he needed to do was deal a blow to the spoiled wench, but strangely he couldn¡¯t. What consequences? Why would an aristocrat¡¯s rejected ex-mistress be so proud? It was ridiculously absurd. However, what was even more absurd was that such obvious bluffing would stop him. Looking at Belinda¡¯s sneer, a doubt sprang up in his mind. If there was absolutely no truth to what she said, there was no way she¡¯d be pulling out all these crazy lies. ¡°Well, won¡¯t you hit me? Or are you scared? Intimidated?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± He certainly couldn¡¯t deny that. ¡°Lower your hand if you don¡¯t have the guts to do it. If you do, I guarantee I won¡¯t just let you beat me up like I did when I was a kid.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have your tongue pulled out forughing at me and your hands cut off for hitting me.¡± Belinda warned in a cold voice. Nordi¡¯s hand trembled. He was angry at himself, but he had no choice but to begrudgingly lower it. He couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation. It had to be a lie. It was probably just a case of a scared dog barking aggressively. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t be harsh with the girl. He didn¡¯t want to put his neck on a simple suspicion. The aristocracy was so cruel and impulsive. There wouldn¡¯t be any hesitation to snuff out amoner for a feud with a mistress. Belinda crumpled her eyebrows in disgust at Nordi¡¯s submission. Were a meek woman¡¯s threats all it took to scare him? Sheughed. ¡°Weird. You used to be so enthusiastic in wanting to hit me.¡± Nordi gulped. ¡°Have you ever regretted any of that? Have you ever reflected on yourself?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I thought so.¡± He may not have hit Belinda, but he was far from feeling remorseful. What little pride remained in him showed through. Belinda crossed her arms and warned him clearly. ¡°Bad people who can¡¯t reflect should be punished¡­ Shall I do it? Or not?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Maybe I will. No, I certainly will.¡± Nordi gulped again. There was still no answer, but Belinda had little hope for one anyways. She took the key from his hand and chuckled. ¡°Well, it will be nice having you around for the next four days.¡± As she said herst words and grabbed the door, a loud shout rang through the hallway. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± It was Nordi¡¯s voice. Belinda calmly turned around. ¡°Please forgive me for what I¡¯ve done in the past!¡± It didn¡¯t seem like hypocrisy. The weak never needed much to end up bowing down. Belinda replied quietly. ¡°No. I can¡¯t forgive you.¡± Nordi looked at her, dumbfounded, and Mrs. Ribera again wiped her damp palms on her apron. After a few seconds of silently staring at them, Belinda closed the door behind her. As soon as the girl and the cat were out of sight, Nordi clenched his fist with rage. He couldn¡¯t ept that a little girl, someone less than, had swayed him. He let out a miserable groan. Belinda leaned against the door and stared at the ceiling. ¡°Whew¡­¡± She slowly slid to the floor with a sigh, still stiff. Aymon approached her silently. The Belinda, who would leisurely smile, was nowhere to be seen. She propped herself up with a sweaty palm. The touch of the cold floor ran a chill through her. She pped Nordi and kicked him in the shin so hard he even apologized. Still, that inexplicable fear enveloped her more than ever. She closed her eyes. ¡¸You tried, Breedee.¡¹ Aymon tilted his head and looked at her with concern. Instead of answering, Belinda softly stroked his cheek. Just hearing him call her name was endlesslyforting. Without Aymon, what just happened wouldn¡¯t have been possible. But she believed Aymon would protect her even if Nordi tried to hit her again. She could be confident knowing that Aymon was right by her side. ¡°Thank you, Aymon.¡± She managed to blurt out a coherent sentence. Aymon, I¡¯m so lucky to have met you. She swallowed those words and drew in a breath. Aymon was still silent, observing her emotions. ¡¸Let¡¯s just kill him.¡¹ He said in a grinding whisper. Belinda couldn¡¯t pick out the pent-up impulses behind the phrase. She tried to rx her trembling hands. Aymon stayed silent the whole time. He didn¡¯t even try to console her beyond rubbing his face against her arm. She took another deep breath. Belinda¡¯s erratic heartbeat finally started to calm down. She didn¡¯t know when this fear would end, but at least she was moving forward for certain. She sat up from her slouched position. Nordi. That¡¯s who she was scared of. He was doing better than she expected. It¡¯s a good thing you came here. After avoiding it all her life, taking that first step made it all seem easier. That was a start. *** ¡°Remake it.¡± Belinda pushed the te away. Mrs. Ribera bit her lip without saying a word. It was the fourth time Belinda had sent the dish back. That shameless little¡­! Why would she want so much from a small inn? Couldn¡¯t she just go to a fancy restaurant and eat to her liking? Apparently not. Belinda had spent thest two days ordering her and her husband around. It wasn¡¯t just the meal. That must have been her thousandth critique for the day. The te was too dirty, the food tasted bad¡­ Come to think of it, her method of revenge was very light and childishpared to the brutality one would expect of an aristocrat. Well, she was amoner once. She probably couldn¡¯t help it. Still, it infuriated Nordi and Mrs. Ribera. Not only did she not thank them for taking her in as a penniless beggar, but she was trying to take revenge on them! Disobedient children had to be taught with beatings. Wasn¡¯t that the master¡¯s duty? Where was that inn clerk now? Did she not realize what grace she¡¯d been given? Mrs. Ribera picked up the te. One more round of cooking carrot soup awaited. After finally finishing the meal, Belinda smugly wiped her mouth with a napkin. A wave of mild anger filtered through Mrs. Ribera¡¯s sweet enquiries about the food. Belinda shook her head as if she didn¡¯t know exactly the position she was putting the woman in. Don¡¯t assume this is the end of my revenge. Did they really think this was all it took to make up for the years of beatings? She hadn¡¯t even started yet. Belinda put the napkin down and stood up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to make me dinner. I¡¯m eating somewhere else.¡± Mrs. Ribera and Nordi sighed with relief. You won¡¯t be so relieved when you find out what I¡¯m about to do. Belinda called Daisy to the inn¡¯s door. It was time to start doing the right thing. Daisy, Aymon, and her crossed the mountain headed for the neighboring vige. It was a steep mountain path that had taken her more than half a day to walk as a child, but now, Daisy was standing at their destination before she knew it. If only she could¡¯ve traveled that fast back then, it would have saved her lots of nights of crying over blistered feet. She walked through the market alley for the first time in ten years. The stores¡¯ signs had changed, and the buildings had undergone renovation. ¡°Daisy, turn left right there.¡± The road narrowed down, and the neatlyid cobblestones merged into a dirt path. They brushed against the building¡¯s wall and passed under a clothesline. It was an area inhabited by only the poor and the backstreet thugs. It should¡¯ve been scary for a weak woman, but not for Belinda ¨C she had a Shinsu with her. They went deeper and deeper into the neighborhood. ¡°Daisy, stop.¡± The moss-covered door smelled like rusted iron. It was the entrance to the gambling den Nordi once frequented. Belinda often had to visit under his orders. There was no one around yet. It was a ce that flourished at night, where men in blood-stained shirts would talk andugh while smoking cigarettes. Now, there was nothing but silence. Belinda hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door. Chapter 33 Trantor/editor: ruby There was no answer. Belinda looked around before knocking again. This time with the secret signal requesting entry. Soon, a sleepy voice spoke from behind the door. ¡°We aren¡¯t opening anytime soon. Who¡¯s there?¡± Apparently, the signal had stayed the same. It was a great relief to Belinda, who was just about to get Daisy to kick the door down. The door creaked open, and a man with disheveled hair appeared. The thick door opened with a harsh sound of iron. The man with disheveled hair stuck out his face. ¡°What the¡­¡± The sight of a girl on a horse raised a lot of questions. Although he often saw Belinda when she was a child, he didn¡¯t recognize her. She was now cuter and prettier than any woman he knew. ¡°What are you here for?¡± A neighborhood swarming with vulgar people wasn¡¯t the best ce to run into a noble girl ¨C weren¡¯t aristocrats supposed to shudder at the sight of someone lowly and dirty? Belinda simply smiled. ¡°Take me inside.¡± The man blinked. ¡°¡­So, is it true that you¡¯re going to settle the inn¡¯s mortgage?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Belinda replied calmly, sitting on the sofa. The room was shabby but organized. The building¡¯s owner, who let her in, offered her the only seat. You had to be born with a good sense of the back alleys, know to bow down to the strong and to trample on the weak. Otherwise, your life would be left up to others. Judging from the man¡¯s deferential attitude, Belinda was likely toe out on top this time. ¡°Why on earth¡­ Well, he should be very grateful.¡± He looked at her with wonder. The moment Belinda came in, she had started to ask about a certain Nordi from the next town over and whether he had any unsettled debts. She was already more than certain of the answer. During her time at the inn, Nordi always spent his nights gambling. Then she¡¯d have to visit to pay back the stakes he lost, mostly with money from jewelry left ¡°unattended¡± in the inn, but¡­ By now, Nordi would be umting huge debts here. She was sure of it, and her guess was right. Not only was he in debt, but even the inn that had been owned by his family for generations was being held as coteral. He¡¯ll be grateful, all right. She originally nned to pay off his debts and thus have an excuse to take over the inn. The inn that held all of Nordi¡¯s savings, work, and pride. The inn already being coteral for his debts was a stroke of luck. The gambling den¡¯s owner carefully questioned Belinda. Of course, it was a no-brainer to hand over the coteral to an aristocrat girl willing to pay extra money way above the interests, but if she got him in trouble¡­ Aristocrats were prone to change their minds on a whim. ¡°Lady, you know that Nordi couldn¡¯t pay his debts, and I can¡¯t be the one to me for that.¡± ¡°What can you do with the pennies he gives you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What is there to think about? You have nothing to lose.¡± The man thought for a while before responding to Belinda¡¯s calmments. ¡°There¡¯s just one thing I want to ask you. Why would youe all the way here? What¡¯s so special¡­.¡± ¡°The daffodil field behind the inn is beautiful. I want it.¡± The man chuckled. It didn¡¯t surprise him to hear such immature reasoning from an aristocrat. He shook his head and wondered how anyone coulde to understand their thinking. The aristocrats he knew of would cut an orphan boy¡¯s feet off for stepping in their shadow and demanded to have the milliner¡¯s daughter on her wedding night for no reason other than her prettiness. Buying an inn because of a daffodil field behind it didn¡¯t seem like much of a stretch inparison. Nordi¡¯s inn was a bit of a waste since the interest was so high. Despite the debt being repaid properly, it didn¡¯te near to the amount of money this girl was offering. The man smiled weakly. ¡°But¡­ How are you going to make the payments?¡± Belinda unsped her ne and tossed it onto the table. It seemed like a nuisance to her, but its worth easily surpassed a couple of inns. ¡°What about this? Of course, I can give you more if it¡¯s not enough.¡± She rolled up her sleeve to show a bracelet and took out a small bag of money. The man lifted the ne to examine it. Authentic. His greed was evident. A deal would be made in no time. *** Nordi couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°T-this¡­¡± He tried to speak in a trembling voice. The paper in his hands was his inn¡¯s certificate of ownership. Belinda reached out her hand, and Nordi gave it back to her willingly as if possessed. ¡°As I said, the inn¡¯s payments and therefore the inn itself have been transferred to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belinda¡¯s words went in one ear and out the other. His inn was being held by Sechs from the neighboring vige. He was paying his debt and the interest in full, and although it was due to expire soon, Sechs said he would let it go. He couldn¡¯t pay off his debt without the inn, after all. Of course, in truth, he was de facto banned from the gambling table. But this situation¡­ The little girl in front of him¡­ He didn¡¯t understand how someone that once worked for him could have such nerve. She had to be lying. ¡°I c-can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°It says so right here. It¡¯s not my problem if you don¡¯t believe the certificate.¡± Belinda smiled innocently, leaning back against a chair. Nordi shook his head. His alert eyes and clenched fists let on his fear and shock. ¡°Again! Show me one more time!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be any different¡­¡± Belinda murmured casually before handing over the paper. Nordi stared at it with bloodshot eyes, holding on to it so tightly it was about to crumple. ¡°But this doesn¡¯t say ¡®Belinda¡¯!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my maid¡¯s name. She¡¯s been working hard for her reward.¡± She couldn¡¯t just write ¡°Belinda Ryn Athez¡± on the certificate. Although the emperor had been gentle with her thest few years, she didn¡¯t want to push the limits. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t believe¡­¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t make a difference whether or not you believe it.¡± Nordi picked the certificate up again. She was right ¨C nothing had changed. It said that aplete stranger owned his inn. Arin Sheil. Belinda¡¯s maid? What the hell¡­ Even if all this turned out to be a lie, it wouldn¡¯t end with a beating as it would¡¯ve in the past. It became clear that Belinda was untouchable. Nordi fell to his knees. ¡°Have mercy on me, I beg you! I can¡¯t pay all my debt back by the expiry date!¡± ¡°Exactly. You¡¯ll have to get out of here before then. You could sell yourself to pay off your debts instead of the inn.¡± ¡°Please!¡± He appealed again desperately. The begging didn¡¯t inspire any sympathy in Belinda for her abuser. Her heart only got colder. She was once in his same exact position, crying and begging not to be hit again. In his view, she was a dumb child that needed to be taught with violence, and when her blood started to stain her clothes, he kicked her again, because he was in a bad mood. ¡°Why me?¡± Nordi sobbed. His tears started to collect in a puddle on the floor. Mrs. Ribera was right next to him. ¡°For my family¡¯s sake, have mercy!¡± He shouted passionately. The inn was the pride of his family, passed down through the generations. It gave him food and shelter. Without it, he¡¯d be left to the streets. ¡°Where should we go now, with nothing to our names?¡± He tried with an emotional appeal. Belinda yed with Aymon¡¯s feet, smiling. She raised her head and answered with an emotionless expression. ¡°Is that my problem?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± The softness in Belinda¡¯s voice made her sound even crueler. It was still vivid in her memory. It was the middle of winter. The constant cold wind which she was exposed to while she did theundry had made her sick. A high fever dried up her whole body, and she was dizzy and disoriented. ¡°Madam, let me take a day off, please. I¡¯m really sick.¡± She could barely get her trembling body to stand up as she begged. But Nordi replied apathetically. ¡°Is that my problem?¡± He shoved her into the kitchen, saying he¡¯d kick her out if she didn¡¯t wash all the dishes right then. And if she ¨C a young and ignorant girl ¨C was kicked out, she¡¯d be sold to a pedophile or end up at a brothel. Belinda stopped reminiscing and looked back at the owners with cold eyes. Mrs. Ribera eventually copsed, still whimpering. A rough whine escaped Nordi. It was the sound of despair. *** It was a dark and deste night. Nordi¡¯srge figure was crawling along like a shadow. All that could be heard was his shallow breathing. The wooden floor weakly creaked. He stopped and held his breath for a moment, but he was safe. He was heading to the third floor of the inn. To the room with a view of the daffodil field. It was where Belinda was staying. ¡°Stupid bitch¡­. God damn you¡­ How dare..!¡± The man¡¯s eyes suddenly filled with malice. Chapter 34 Trantor/editor: ruby Since the day before, when Belinda presented Nordi with a certificate of ownership, everything had be a living hell. He could barely keep his wife from fainting every five minutes. Surely there was some way out. There had to be. He chased after Belinda, begging her to reconsider as he kneeled on the floor, grasping at the hem of her dress. The little girl stayed cruel and cold. ¡°All you have to do is pay me your debt. You still have time.¡± Sheughed at him condescendingly, as if he were just any othermoner. If it were that easy, Nordi wouldn¡¯t have been begging on the ground! Clearly, he was faced with a wicked, mean witch who entertained herself byughing at others¡¯ misfortune. She left him with only one option. Belinda had said that she would leave the next day and send someone to look over the inn on her behalf by the time the debt expired. After that happened¡­ He didn¡¯t need to imagine much. He¡¯d lose everything and roll around in the dirt in despair. Even if he found work elsewhere, wouldn¡¯t she reappear and demand payment for some other debt? It was a hopeless cycle ¨C there was nothing left for him. His best shot was settling down somewhere else. That made Belinda¡¯sck of escort a perfect opportunity for the innkeeper, and he was already enraged by her foolishness. He was going to kill her today. Belinda, aren¡¯t you just a know-it-all blindly trusting in the power backing you¡­? He¡¯d kill that harsh, heartless woman and run away. Then he would be content even if he lost it all. Of course, he had no intention to make it quick and painless. He¡¯d take his time and ensure a torturous death that wouldst until the sun rose. He checked his knife and hungrily licked his dry lips. His eyes were filled with hatred. As he neared the room¡¯s door, he reveled in the thought of the arrogant girl, fast asleep andpletely clueless. She had no idea that today would be herst day alive. He carefully pushed open the door. Then, he heard a thump sound from the darkened window. ¡°Come on in. Just as I expected.¡± It was a rxing, sweet voice but carried a hint of danger. Nordi stopped in surprise and turned his head. Who could it be? Soon he faced the strange figure sitting on the windowsill. As their eyes met, an electrifying fear ran down Nordi¡¯s spine. The sight of the beast paralyzed him. The cold moonlight lingering over his beautiful face gave him a unique atmosphere. There was a spark in his purple eyes. The stranger smirked. His time hade. He could finally secretly avenge Breedee, who was still asleep. *** It was already around dawn. The unfamiliar smell in the air made Belinda toss and turn in bed. The cold night air blew in through the open window, mingling with the scent of blood. Someone pulled up the nket to cover her shoulders. Belinda smiled at the warmth and grabbed the corner of the fabric, still asleep. She felt something brush against her cheek. Before she could react, the big hand covered her face. ¡°Close your eyes, Breedee. Good girl.¡± A soft voice joined the stranger¡¯s affectionate touch, and all her arising doubts melted away. Soon, she fell back to sleep. The man began to carefully stroke her head. His beautiful features radiated a calm atmosphere. His cool gaze flickered through his long eyshes. After a long moment of observing Belinda, he stood up. The muted sound of flowing water broke the silence, and the distinct bloody smell washed away from the man¡¯s body. The sun was beginning to rise over the vige. *** ¡¸Breedee. Wake up.¡¹ ¡°Hnghhhh¡­¡± ¡¸Come on. I¡¯m hungry.¡¹ He started to nibble her earlobe before she could answer. She turned away, trying to avoid the annoying ball of fluff, but was forced to get up by the small tongue licking her neck. ¡°I was going to sleep in¡­¡± Aymon was sitting on her long hair and was pretending to brush it with his ws, but he eventually jumped back down to the floor. ¡¸If you¡¯re up, take a shower and let¡¯s go get some food. I¡¯m hungry.¡¹ ¡°If you¡¯re that hungry, go eat a rat. There must be tons in the alley.¡± ¡¸That¡¯s a shameful thing for a leopard to eat. A great body like mine can¡¯t be fed with just anything.¡¹ Aymon stomped for emphasis. Belinda finally sat up,ughing at the sharpment. ¡°Howe you¡¯re so hungry today? Were you working out at dawn or something?¡± Aymon suddenly stopped. Instead of answering, he rubbed his face with a paw. ¡¸Hurry and wash up.¡¹ ¡°Mhm. I¡¯m going.¡± ¡¸Hurry!¡¹ ¡°I said, I¡¯m going!¡± Belinda got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. Usually, Aymon would have yed around and circled her legs, but today, the little leopard was sitting still in the middle of the room. Belinda turned around as she opened the door. ¡°By the way, did anyonee in here during the night?¡± ¡¸Not that I know of.¡¹ ¡°Ah, really? It must have been a dream, then.¡± She had a dream about someone petting her head and a weird smell. It reminded her of the scent of blood that often surrounded her as a child. But that stuff couldn¡¯t happen now. Not with Aymon around. Nothing could escape the senses of a Shinsu. Belinda entered the bathroom with Aymon still staring at her. A bitter, Belinda stepped into the noisy lobby. There were four or five men wearing guard uniforms walking around on the first floor and examining the door lock along with footprints on the ground. Something must have happened. Mrs. Ribera also stood in the room, crying. ¡°In the morning¡­ I just saw it in the morning¡­ Uh¡­ It¡­ Blood¡­ All over the ce¡­¡± Her sobs made the rambled words unintelligible. The serious garrison men nodded, listening carefully. What¡¯s going on? She cautiously moved closer, fiddling with Aymon¡¯s tail on her shoulder. She didn¡¯t know what the fuss was about. They¡¯d onlye down to eat, but it seemed like something had happened. A soldier approached her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Good morning, miss. There¡¯s been an incident.¡± ¡°An incident?¡± ¡°Yes. The owner is seriously injured. It¡¯s a very cruel thing, so you don¡¯t have to know the details.¡± Belinda was surprised to find out that it had been someone more serious than a petty thief. ¡°What? Who did it?¡± ¡°It looks like a robber was responsible, but nothing is clear yet.¡± Belinda shuddered. She had no sympathy for Nordi, nor was she sad, but she was certainly surprised.¡± She didn¡¯t know what was going on. It was unbelievable as Nordi had been finest night, but he suddenly ended up like this. Maybe karma really did exist. Aymon¡¯s fluffy fur brushed against her stiff neck. ¡¸Don¡¯t mind it. Let¡¯s go eat.¡¹ He whispered, rubbing against her face. After a few moments, he asked again. ¡¸Breedee, are you sad because of what happened?¡¹ Belinda answered quietly. ¡°No. Of course not. I¡¯m just worried.¡± ¡¸Worried about him?¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll die quickly. I didn¡¯t want that to happen before he saw the inn slip away.¡± Nordi was always very cruel to the poor. Belinda was kicked and beaten by him countless times as a child. If she¡¯d been just a little slower to react, or if she hadn¡¯t been able to avoid his merciless beatings, she would have died. One day, she was walking with Nordi when a beggar boy grabbed his sleeve. Nordi had lost arge sum at the gambling den that day. The boy got a hard kick and badly injured his ankle. Too poor to afford treatment, he was probably still limping. It would have taken a day just to recite all of Nordi¡¯s wrongdoings. What happened seemed like a punishment for all that. ¡°It would be a waste if he died just like that. I wanted to see him suffer.¡± Aymon wagged his tail at the half-hearted statement. ¡¸He¡¯s alive and well, don¡¯t worry.¡¹ ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯ll die?¡± ¡¸No. It takes more to do away with someone his size.¡¹ Belinda turned to a soldier. ¡°Excuse me¡­ the owner isn¡¯t dead, is he?¡± The man looked up from the floor and shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s not dead. The robber seems to have had a conscience. He won¡¯t be able to use one of his arms and a leg, but he should survive. No need to worry, miss.¡± Belinda nodded roughly. She was never worried at all. Aymon was right ¨C it must have been the Shinsu senses. He couldn¡¯t die that easily without pain. His survival was fortunate to her, too, but for a different reason. The guard neared her again. ¡°What were you doingst night?¡± It was more of a formality than an actual interrogation. ¡°I was sleeping.¡± The man asked a few more questions, rxed. ¡°Did you hear anything strange or see someone you didn¡¯t recognize?¡± ¡°Well, no¡­ I slept soundly.¡± ¡°I understand. In that case, please be careful.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± She bowed politely, putting an end to the generic conversation. A noble-looking woman with a pet cat looked like thest person tomit a crime to the soldiers. Belinda left the inn. Yesterday¡¯s strange dream came to her mind. The warm touch of someone stroking her¡­ Chapter 35 Trantor/editor: ruby She immediately shook her head. It was a dream. Yes. If Aymon said no one came in, no one did. ¡°Aymon, didn¡¯t you hear anything strange yesterday night?¡± ¡¸I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s go eat.¡¹ ¡°Okay.¡± Belinda walked down the dirt road in search of the restaurant. She had a hungry little beast to feed. It was just Nordi¡¯s punishment for his evil deeds. All these misfortunes had crashed down on him like a tidal wave, but that didn¡¯t mean Belinda owed him sympathy. She wouldn¡¯t bepassionate and return the inn to him ¨C not to satisfy her need for revenge but for the people who suffered as she did and for those she could save from that fate. It would never happen. Daisy had taken them to the neighboring vige so they could eat at a good restaurant. They took the best table and ordered the best dish off the menu: amb steak for Belinda and an undercooked one for Aymon. He also ate his fill and even got a separate te for himself. As they were returning to the inn after finishing the meal, Belinda thought to herself that the best thing about being a princess was that she could spend all the money she wanted. Even better, it had allowed her to meet Aymon. They came back to find the inn empty, without a single guest. Evidently, everyone had left for the neighboring vige after the fiasco, and there was no one around to book in new guests. Belinda heard a faint sob. She looked around and took a step towards the sound. The sound grew louder, and before she knew it, she found herself on the third floor. A door was open, revealing the innkeepers¡¯ spacious bedroomplete with silk bedding and antique furniture. Down to the expensive chandelier hanging in the middle, it looked like an aristocrat¡¯s room. Nordi was lying on the bed, wrapped in bandages and taking strained breaths. He seemed to be unconscious still. Belinda sighed and stepped inside. As if she sensed her presence, Mrs. Ribera sprang up from her seat and went up to Belinda. ¡°My husband is hurt!¡± Belinda stared at the agitated woman rigidly. ¡°You¡¯re not going to kick us out in this state, are you? Have some conscience!¡± The debt was expiring soon, meaning they¡¯d have to leave. Although Belinda hadn¡¯t done anything to hurt her, Mrs. Ribera¡¯s eyes were filled with resentment and anger. ¡°Why are you directing your anger at me? I haven¡¯t done anything to him.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, you came and¡­ You came and screwed everything up!¡± Self-absorbed bitch. She muttered thetter to herself, grinding her teeth. Belinda didn¡¯t falter at her stare. She was reminded of Mrs. Ribera¡¯s emotionless expression as shey bleeding on the floor after a beating. It was a vivid memory ¨C she¡¯d just started working at the inn, and Nordi had beat her up without warning. Her head was spinning, and she felt nauseous while on the floor in pain until Mrs. Ribera passed by. ¡°It hurts so much¡­¡± She groaned, reaching her hand out. Mrs. Ribera¡¯s response was cold. ¡°If a guest sees you like this, they¡¯ll think this is a bad ce and leave.¡± She pulled her into the corner and left her there on a chair. She had shown nopassion for the small child. Now Belinda would give her the exact same amount of sympathy. Mrs. Ribera pulled away from her skirt and gritted her teeth. ¡°You cold-blooded wench. If I¡¯d known that you would repay my kindness like this, I wouldn¡¯t ever have helped you.¡± There was a long sigh. ¡°You never helped me. You just took advantage of a little kid.¡± ¡°Do you think you could¡¯ve eaten if it weren¡¯t for us? How merciful did I need to be to pick some worthless thing off the street that might have just died in a back alley otherwise?¡± There it was. She thought that all the abuse was a form of justice. Belinda shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re really just trash.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The food you gave me was half rotten. Those two shillings a week you owed me, I didn¡¯t get them on time even once.¡± ¡°¡­That, well, I gave it to youter!¡± ¡°You know you trapped me. All you did was abuse a clueless child.¡± Mrs. Ribera opened her mouth to make another excuse, but nothing came out. Belinda continued calmly. ¡°Think about it, Ribera. If I was a little crueler, you¡¯d already been dead. Do you really think taking away your inn and forcing you onto the street is enough to make up for all that you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°What does that me¡­¡± Belinda¡¯s face was wiped of all emotion. ¡°It means that you¡¯d better not provoke me anymore if you want to hang on to your flimsy life.¡± Belinda stroked Aymon¡¯s chin with her fingertips. His breathing had been unusual since they went into the room. It was his way of controlling his body so he wouldn¡¯t pounce right then ¨C just for Belinda. She patted him, and he calmed down as usual. He knew she wouldn¡¯t let them die so easily. She chose such cumbersome revenge by not revealing her identity so that those two would have to live through the depths of despair. Aymon sank his head into Belinda¡¯s arm, breathing choppily. Mrs. Ribera felt her whole body burning with anger as she stared at Belinda, but she knew that she couldn¡¯ty a finger on her. Belinda wasn¡¯t someone she could easily control now. For all she knew, she could end her life with a flick of the wrist. What was certain was that Belinda held her debt, and therefore her future, in her hands. She bit at her lips until they started to bleed. Belinda talked to her calmly. ¡°All the things you¡¯re trying to me me for are ultimately your fault. They all stem from your own decisions, don¡¯t they?¡± She turned around to leave as she finished the sentence. Mrs. Ribera¡¯s voice followed, dripping with resentment. ¡°You¡¯re the devil! I know about all the grace it took to raise a beast! You don¡¯t even deserve to be called that, you demon!¡± Belinda¡¯s steps came to a stop. She slowly turned around and stared at the woman. ¡°All that grace andpassion you¡¯re talking about. Howe you didn¡¯t ever show it to me if you felt that sorry?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Belinda smiled bitterly. ¡°Then we wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± She turned back around and left without hesitation. Mrs. Ribera only trailed after her with an insincere look. Belinda was nning to stay for a few more days to ensure that all her work wasplete, but she¡¯d had enough. She wanted to leave this disgusting ce. She was going back to the pce and gift the inn to a trusted maid. She couldn¡¯t even make sense of her own thoughts as she walked down the hallway. She walked up the spiral staircase. The cold air seemed to be sticking to her ¨C was that the reason she was shaking? Her masked expression only broke when she entered her room. She put Aymon down and fell onto the bed. The tears soon came as she buried her face in her hands. Soon, she felt a soft hair touch the back of her hand. It was Aymon, trying to rub her cheek. ¡¸Breedee.¡¹ ¡°Yeah?¡± Her voice seemed to break right away. She forced her tears out ¨C they weren¡¯t happy or sad, but perhaps relieved. She wasn¡¯t really sure what all those emotions were. All of it was just so confusing. ¡¸Breedee.¡¹ He called her name one more time and gently wiggled his head under her hand. He could¡¯ve pushed it aside, but instead, he quietly waited, licking her fingers. Belinda eventually uncovered her face and was suddenly met with a pair of purple eyes. The moment she saw the small leopard, her feelings melted away. The damp, gloomy shadows evaporated into Aymon¡¯s glowing ambiance. ¡¸Feeling better?¡¹ ¡°I don¡¯t know. Would you rather just kill them?¡± ¡¸Staying alive is a worse punishment for them. You did a good job, Breedee.¡¹ ¡°I did?¡± ¡¸Yes, you really did. So don¡¯t regret anything.¡¹ Belinda finally smiled. It felt good to know that Aymon thought she¡¯d done a good job. ¡°You know, Aymon, I¡¯m not afraid of Nordi anymore. ¡¸¡­..¡¹ ¡°I saw him lying down right there, but I wasn¡¯t afraid at all. I guess it¡¯s really over.¡± Aymon quietly approached and rubbed his cheek against hers as if he was pampering her. She started to stroke his ck fur, and soon Aymon¡¯s pampering turned into an affectionate whisper. ¡¸The end, you say. I¡¯m just getting started, Breedee.¡¹ ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡¸It will all be fulfilled soon.¡¹ It was a vague answer. Belinda just stayed silent. As the sun went down and the evening glow began to shine through the window, Belinda softly spoke, staring at the chandelier. ¡°Aymon, are you sleeping?¡± No answer came except for a low snore. Belinda decided to close her eyes too. The day that marked an end for her and a beginning for Aymon steadily shifted into a new one. *** Their journey back to the pce was smooth. After being away from Aymon for a few days, Daisy was in his best spirits. The relief of having finished her work also made Belinda feel good. Aymon was left to groan by himself. Every single night, when they arrived at an amodation, Aymon made the same demand. ¡¸Take two rooms, Breedee.¡¹ However, she couldn¡¯t do that. Apart from theck of extra rooms, she had no reason to sleep apart from him. Not to mention, she didn¡¯t want to give up thefort of a little ball of fur sleeping by her side. So, Aymon was left with no choice but to make Daisy run to the pce even faster. He couldn¡¯t handle even one more inn. Thanks to Aymon¡¯s threats, the three of them were able to reach the capital city earlier than expected. Chapter 36 Trantor/editor: ruby Birch trees lined the narrow road towards the capital. As they passed under the long branches¡¯ shadow, Aymon broke the silence. ¡¸Breedee. I have to stop meeting you for a while.¡¹ ¡°Why? Where are you going?¡± ¡¸There¡¯s just something I need to take care of. I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡¹ ¡°How long won¡¯t we be able to see each other?¡± Aymon stared up at the sky as if trying to estimate his schedule. ¡¸A month or so?¡¹ Belinda didn¡¯t need to ask more questions. She already knew what was going on. Aymon, along with Shanti and H ¨C who he shared his ritual with ¨C would soon be adults. Then they¡¯d fight tooth and nail for the vacant chief position. Full of worries, Belinda tightened her grip on the reins. Even she didn¡¯t know why she was so upset inparison to the easygoing little leopard. She knew they wouldn¡¯t kill each other, but she was still afraid that he¡¯d get hurt. Instead of entering through the pce¡¯s main gate, they inconspicuously sneaked back in through the Shinsu forest and the imperial hunting grounds. Belinda wasn¡¯t eager to face the unnecessary questions that would have inevitably followed a less secretive return. Her official reason for leaving was to participate in another ceremony, which she obviously didn¡¯t have much to say about. When they reached the far end of the hunting grounds, the time finally came to separate from Daisy. ¡°Bye, Daisy. Thanks for the ride.¡± Belinda felt a lingering sadness as she stroked his white mane. They¡¯d grown quite close in their short time together. Daisy responded with a few taps on the ground. There was a glimmer of sorrow visible in his eyes. He¡¯d also be attached to them in his own way. ¡°See that building? I live there. Come and see me if you have the time.¡± Belinda said, pointing to a faraway spire. He rubbed his nose into her palm, eliciting a small giggle. Seeing the two¡¯s farewell seemed to irk Aymon, whose expression had turned sour. He walked up to Daisy and whispered a final message into his ear. ¡¸Don¡¯t go anywhere near her.¡¹ Daisy turned away, pretending not to have heard. Soon, with vigorous leaps from his toned muscles, he disappeared over the field. Belinda continued to wave him off for a few moments. At first, she was scared of Daisy because of his size, but now, incredibly, she saw him as cool and cute¡­. Was it because she got used to him or because she finished her work with Nordi? As she turned around, shaking the dust off her shoes, she spotted Aymon, with only his tail sticking out of a pile of leaves. ¡°Do you want to stay at the pce tonight? Since you won¡¯t be able toe for a while.¡± ¡¸No. No more torture.¡¹ Aymon grumbled, stomping on the leaves. Belinda didn¡¯t know what the ¡°torture¡± was referring to but nodded. So if we separate here, we won¡¯t see each other for a month? She was faced with a short goodbye. Why was she so upset when it was just a month? She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything, so she resorted to kicking around dirt. Aymon finally approached her and shook off the bits of leaves covering his fur. Belinda finally delivered herst words. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± ¡¸Yes. I have work to do.¡¹ ¡°I get it. It¡¯s kind of a shame.¡± Aymon slipped away from Belinda¡¯s touch. ¡¸I¡¯lle back for you soon, so be patient.¡¹ He wrapped his tail around Belinda¡¯s calf. She could feel the soft hairs on her skin. ¡¸Well, it won¡¯t be in this form.¡¹ That was the end of his goodbyes. Belinda didn¡¯t even have a chance to answer before he disappeared into the forest, looking like he had no regrets. All that remained was the distant sound of rustling grass. ¡°Bye.¡± Belinda waved at him, who was already out of sight. Her eyes followed the trail of leaves that he left on the road. ¡°Thank you, Aymon.¡± Her mumbling voice died down, leaving behind a lingering feeling. *** The day after her return, Belinda was invited to a tea party. It was not a special event, just a gathering to celebrate the glory of the Empire and look at the blooming tulips. ¡°I¡¯ll show you inside, Princess.¡± The familiar faces of her family and some high-ranking nobles greeted her. She slowly approached, first greeting Princess Adi and Prince Lart, followed by the rest of the royal family. The tea party, which would prove to be a rather unpleasant experience for Belinda, began. ¡°How was the ritual viewing?¡± The Emperor asked, pouring tea for Belinda. She replied with a smile. ¡°It was a mysterious experience.¡± ¡°What have you been doing all this time? It was quite frustrating not being able to ask the beasts about you. It wasn¡¯t too scary, right?¡± The concern in his voice was sincere. The act of Belinda attending the ritual had made him treat her almost as if she was his real daughter. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as much affection as he showed Lart and Adi, but at least he¡¯d lost his perpetual coldness. ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t scared, but it was okay. The Shinsu were considerate.¡± She wasn¡¯t nning to tell the emperor that her stay in the Shinsu forest had only made up a few days of her absence. She didn¡¯t want to reveal her trauma or her rtionship with Aymon. Soon, they moved on to the topic of uing hunting contests and newly bought statues. Belinda contributed softly and gracefully, listening absentmindedly to their stories. After they finished their tea, they gathered around the tulip beds. Belinda broke away from them, pretending to observe the flowers. Being alone was better than putting on a fake smile for the emperor. Lart spotted her and soon began to approach. ¡°Hey! Belinda!¡± As always, he greeted her casually. ¡°Hi, Lart. Long time no see.¡± ¡°Well, long time. It¡¯s only been a few months.¡± Belinda didn¡¯t respond to his blunt statement, simply shrugging her shoulder. By now, she was used to his way of speaking. Lart nced back at Adi before ¡°Well, how was the ritual? How many Shinsu were there? Weren¡¯t they drooling over you? They¡¯re beasts, after all.¡± He must have been curious since he kept following her with more questions. Belindaughed slightly. The Shinsu forest had always captured people¡¯s interest, including, apparently, Lart¡¯s, because of its mystery and secretive aura. Humans hadn¡¯t been allowed ess since ancient times. ¡°I think there were about 30 of them, but I didn¡¯t count. They didn¡¯t drool over me. They¡¯re rather polite, actually. After all, they¡¯re not just beasts, they¡¯re Shinsu.¡± ¡°Really? And is it true that an adult Shinsu is as big as a boulder? Are they really that big?¡± The questions continued incessantly. There was currently nomunication between the Shinsu and the imperial family. They only met once a year for a formal conference. All other means ofmunication had been closed off for a long time, and even the emperor hadn¡¯t seen a Shinsu in their animal form. The same was true for Lart. He¡¯d ran into Aymon once, but only as a leopard cub. The only ce he could have seen an adult Shinsu was in a book or as a statue. Belinda continued replying. ¡°They¡¯re actually very big. The leader was bigger than any Shinsu statue you¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°I wanted to go to the Shinsu forest too. Why were you the only one invited? I¡¯m the heir, so they should have invited me instead of someone that¡¯s only half royal like you, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Belinda shook her head, baffled. She didn¡¯t even know what to say¡­ His contempt for her was so direct that he didn¡¯t even realize it. It was typical of him, but what was more surprising was his genuine innocence about his remarks. He didn¡¯t even use it to mean anything. He just threw it around because he really thought that she was ¡°half royal¡±. Still, despite all the things he said, Lart was the mostfortable royal to be around. He was arrogant and rude, but innocent. Instead of sly sarcasm, he openly said whatever was on his mind. Him, knowing her secrets was much more tolerable than Adi, who despised her. ¡°Why was I invited? Because one of the Shinsu is my friend. You¡¯ve met him, too. Or are you going to pretend you didn¡¯t cry over a little beast?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Lart pursed his lips. The humiliating encounter was an embarrassment that he¡¯d never forgotten ¨C it was a story that had never been brought up. Both Lart and Adi knew about Belinda and Aymon¡¯s rtionship. The only reason they didn¡¯t tell anyone was due to the fear of the Shinsu. ¡°How many petals does a tulip have¡­.¡± Lart tried to divert the conversation with awkward muttering. It wasn¡¯t long till the embarrassment got the better of him, and he left. Coincidentally, he was soon reced by the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Belinda bowed to him again. Although the emperor was slowly bing middle-aged, his face was still beautiful. He slowly reached out and tilted up Belinda¡¯s chin. Chapter 37 Trantor/editor: ruby Calmly scanning her face, he looked like a worried father. ¡°Weren¡¯t those Shinsu bastards rude to you?¡± The emperor turned Belinda¡¯s head to the left to examine her cheeks before looking back into her eyes. ¡°No. They were truly weing.¡± Her glowing cheeks didn¡¯t have a scratch on them. Having confirmed that she was safe, the emperor pulled his hand back. His blue eyes lingered on his daughter, who¡¯d grown up before he knew it. Her charming blond hair and brilliant eyes, her slightly closed lips that resembled a rose¡­ And with her, his faraway past love. ¡°You¡¯re bing more and more alike.¡± ¡°What?¡± Not answering, the emperor stroked Belinda¡¯s head with a smile and left. Belinda bowed, but he¡¯d already mixed into the crowd. Princess Adi observed the scene immersed in gloom. Her shameful jealousy and anger were deeply embedded in her eyes. At some point, the amount of affection that the emperor showed to Belinda became unusual. His affectionate touch and warm eyes had always been reserved for Adi, so why would she lose them to that mixed-blood princess she had to call her sister? I have no intentions to share my power or my father¡¯s affection with you. Despite her thoughts, she kept a bright smile on her face. After the party, Belinda went straight home. After taking a bath that the maid prepared for her, she sat down staring out the window,ying her hair on the bed. Was it because she poured all her energy into others? The forced smiles and small talk of social gatherings always exhausted her, both mentally and physically, though one would assume that she¡¯d be used to them by now. Among the stars dotting the sky outside the window, she spotted a bright glimmer behind a cloud. Suddenly, her thoughts wandered to Aymon. She had no reason to think of him, but the idea of not seeing him for a month seemed impossible. The conversation she had with Lart just made her miss Aymon even more. She recalled a conversation she¡¯d overheard between some nobles. ¡°Now that the ritual is over, the Shinsu are going to pick a new chief, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard there were three candidates¡­ Is that right, Princess Belinda?¡± Belinda nodded quietly. Since she participated in the ceremony, everyone knew that she had the most knowledge about the Shinsu. ¡°How are they going to choose? Will it be through a duel?¡± ¡°It seems so. I heard they fight to the death¡­¡± ¡°Until one of them dies? Ah, that¡¯s scary.¡± Belinda rolled over to the other side of the bed, repeating the Countess¡¯sst words. Until one of them dies¡­. That wasn¡¯t true. It might have been that way in the past, but Aymon said that it would be over when the opponent surrendered. He also said that he wouldn¡¯t suppress his instincts, and there would be blood. But even then, he wouldn¡¯t die. ¡°I¡¯m the strongest, Breedee. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Belinda couldn¡¯t help but smile at his confidence. What if he got hurt? Where could my cute little Aymon have gone¡­ Concerns kepting, gradually crushing her like an avnche. She sighed and tightly hugged a pillow. I hope this time passes quickly. I hope Aymon will leap in with high spirits soon, saying he¡¯s okay and that he won. ¡°I can¡¯t let my cat get hurt¡­¡± She murmured, as if praying, while she looked out at the moon. Her anxious heartbeat would take a while to calm down. *** The forest looked even more deste than usual that night, with a thick nket of clouds covering the moon and stars. Ha, who had just be an adult, crouched down by the fountain of life and stared into the darkness. Not much time remained until Shanti grew up and their duel would begin. The sound of branches rustling in the wind cut through the heavy atmosphere. Ha looked on nervously as something emerged from the fountain. Shanti walked out slowly, water dripping from his brown fur. He¡¯d be an adult too. Even Shanti¡¯s an adult now, so soon¡­ Ha¡¯s heartbeat quickened. Since Aymon became an adult, just his presence in the forest radiated a certain strength. The atmosphere of fear was palpable. Ha felt it weighing down his whole body. After growing up, the Shinsu usually had a hard time controlling their instincts, but Ha did, and so would Aymon. He was probably hiding in the woods, barely suppressing his bloodthirsty excitement. This is a meaningless fight. The result was already determined, but they had to stick to tradition. Shanti sat down next to Ha. Not even greeting each other, they continued to stare into the forest in dead silence. Something wasing. A cold chill swept through them, and even the wind seemed to be violent. The usual crickets¡¯ chirping was nowhere to be heard. The silence was broken by crunching leaves, a deliberate signal from someone that could have just as well approached without a single sound. A beast wasing from the forest. Ha and Shanti¡¯s pupils expanded with instinctive fear. Something slowly appeared. A pair of purple eyes shed through the darkness, which hid the rest of therge body. The two leopardsid t on the floor. Their instincts were screaming at them. Hide. Escape. An animal¡¯s instincts were meant to protect them from stronger enemies. Running away wasn¡¯t shameful, but¡­ But now we have to fight. It was Ha who came to his senses first. He rose, fear still weighing on his body, staring at the giant beast. I¡¯m a Shinsu. He wasn¡¯t an animal. He needed to stand up and face his opponent, even if they were worthy of being avoided. He was a Shinsu. He couldn¡¯t break this tradition. Shanti slowly stood up after him. The two spotted leopards stared fearfully at the giant ck panther, who looked back at them impassively in silence. They put aside their fears and rushed towards Aymon. A swarm of birds flew away, trusting their instincts, unlike them. The duel to pick a new chief had begun. *** A few hours earlier¡­ The music box¡¯s melody on the nightstand filled the room. Belinda was sprawled out on a rug. ¡°Lucy.¡± ¡°Yes, mydy. Are you bored?¡± She didn¡¯t need much to be able to tell. Lately, Belinda had spent all her timeying around, unable to concentrate on anything because of her worries about Aymon. She made mistakes in her embroidery and knocked over her chess pieces. Sometimes she wouldn¡¯t even eat. Suddenly, she sprang up. ¡°Lucy, let¡¯s go to the Shinsu forest.¡± ¡°The forest?¡± ¡°Yeah. We could pick mushrooms and strawberries.¡± Physicalbor was the best distraction. She wanted to wash dishes or plow a field, but princesses couldn¡¯t do that. She nced out the window to see the sun. It would probably set in a few hours. Just enough time to go and pick strawberries before it got dark. She put on a simple navy dress. Lucy was already waiting for her with a basket. Before they could even pass the pce¡¯s flower beds, they ran into someone. ¡°Huh? What are you doing here, Lart?¡± The boy looked up from the roses in surprise. ¡°You scared me. Where are you going?¡± ¡°To the forest with Lucy.¡± Belinda answered, nodding to their entwined hands. ¡°The two of you? Without an escort?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have one. His Majesty only sends someone when I¡¯m going away.¡± Sheughed, dumbfounded. Why would she need an escort, stuck here? The only people around her were Lucy, her maid, and some servants. She was used to the two of them walking alone. ¡°What are you going there for?¡± ¡°We wanted to pick mushrooms and strawberries.¡± Lart nced at their empty basket and looked up again. Lucy finally took the opportunity to bow to him. ¡°Greetings to the noble star of the Empire.¡± ¡°¡­you too, Lucy.¡± Lart blushed. It was a rarity for the prince, more confident and arrogant than anyone, to feel embarrassed. Belinda raised an eyebrow. Lart¡¯s behavior had been suspicioustely. He kept hanging around the pce. He practiced horseback riding at the hunting ground, stopped by to drink tea for no reason, and came on visits without an escort only to give them cookies. She suddenly realized his reason. He must like Lucy. Belinda was convinced that she¡¯d discovered the source of his strange behavior. Well, she¡¯s really sweet and nice after all. That wasn¡¯t what confused her about Lart. A few months ago, she saw him alone on his horse at the hunting grounds. He¡¯d made an embarrassing mistake while riding in the forest with some nobles a few days earlier, so he was now training. He was alone, too embarrassed to bring an escort. The hunting grounds were close to the Shinsu forest but far enough to be safe. No sane person would dare to go anywhere near the Shinsu forest. Chapter 38 Trantor/editor: ruby There was actually a massive fortress meant to protect the pce right next to the Shinsu forest. Anyways, Prince Lart was busy riding his horse. He practiced until sunset. But when he got off, he identally stepped on a loose stone and sprained his ankle. There were no guards or attendants nearby, but luckily for him, Belinda and Lucy were out eating and drinking. Lucy ran over to him right away, and by the time Belinda got there, she¡¯d already wrapped a handkerchief around his ankle and made a makeshift splint with a bit of wood. Belinda still vividly remembered his burning cheeks. It was the first time she¡¯d seen him embarrassed, and it was an unfamiliar ¨C but funny ¨C sight. Even the arrogant prince could turn gentle when he fell in love. Belinda snapped herself back to the present. Lart, pressing down on the grass with the nose of his shoe, suddenly took the basket from Lucy¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The forest.¡± With the short reply, Lart was already walking ahead. He was rather confident for someone who did not even receive a response. ¡°You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Lucy nodded with an awkward smile. How could she refuse the prince? Thus Belinda, the sessor to the empire, and the maid set off towards the hunting grounds ¨C not exactly a typical everyday group. The sound of the pebbles under their feet was pleasant. Belinda nced at Lart, wondering what was going on with him. ¡°The floor¡¯s dirty. You¡¯re a royal! Why did you sit there?¡± ¡°Why are youining about everything? Go back if you don¡¯t want to be here.¡± Belinda snapped back at his grumbling. ¡°Who said I don¡¯t?¡± Lart shook his head, brushing dirt off his shoes. Soon they reached the boundary of the Shinsu forest and gathered around arge tree to look for mushrooms. The prince didn¡¯t seem to be happy with the fallen leaves and mud. Belinda held a brown mushroom to Lucy¡¯s nose. ¡°Smells good, right?¡± ¡°Yes. What kind of mushroom is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Larium. They taste sweet dried out.¡± ¡°It smells really nice. How do you know all these things?¡± Belinda smiled. How would I? We always went to the mountain behind the vige when we were hungry. Prince Lartughed, listening in on their conversation. ¡°How she knows? I¡¯m sure that vulgar girl walked around in the mountains picking up and eating whatever she found.¡± Bingo. Belinda nodded and picked up a red mushroom next to her, nning to give it to Lart. He would probably suffer from diarrhea for a week. Just the thought of him pale-faced and constantly going to the bathroom was hrious. Lucy looked up at Belinda, on the verge of tears. Vulgar¡­ Eating whatever she found¡­ She couldn¡¯t believe the prince¡¯s cruel words towards her precious princess. ¡°You¡¯re not vulgar¡­. That¡¯s not true¡­¡± She stuttered, whispering softly, so Lart wouldn¡¯t hear her. A noble countess-turned-maid couldn¡¯t just directly tell him off, but she wanted tofort the person she was meant to serve. Lart¡¯s expression hardened, and excuses started pouring out. ¡°I, I didn¡¯t mean to be rude¡­. It¡¯s just the truth¡­ So¡­¡± He never thought of his contempt as strange or bad. Belinda¡¯s ancestry was still undeniable, but seeing Lucy¡¯s reaction made him rethink his actions. Belinda tilted her head and looked at the pale-faced boy. Well, that¡¯s not the reaction I was expecting. Lart¡¯s visible embarrassment made the situation even more awkward. At this rate, if he actually said the word ¡°sorry¡±, it would be unbearable. Belinda couldn¡¯t believe that he was hesitating. Perhaps his feelings for Lucy were more serious than she¡¯d given him credit for. She stood up and shook the dirt off her skirt. ¡°Let¡¯s go pick some strawberries, Lucy.¡± She grabbed her hands and pulled her away, nning to leave the idiotic boy behind. ¡°Come along if you want. Otherwise, goodbye.¡± She offered, ncing back at Lart. He quickly broke out of his frozen stance and caught up. ¡°I-I¡¯ming!¡± ¡°You can start with an apology, then.¡± ¡°What?¡± It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Belinda to get an apology out of him, which she wanted even more now that he didn¡¯t react to her first request. It looked like he was too proud to do it. Belinda turned around. She wasn¡¯t too offended ¨C her expectations were already low. As she walked away with Lucy, she heard Lart¡¯s stuttering voice. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What?¡± She turned back, suppressing her triumphant smile. Lart¡¯s face waspletely red. ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re apologizing for slighting me?¡± Instead of replying, he slowly nodded. Wow, he must really want to be with Lucy. The prince of arrogance himself. Amazing. Belindaughed. ¡°That¡¯s good. Quick,e and take the basket.¡± Belinda¡¯s smile stuck around as they walked on. Lart¡¯s pout even seemed cute now. He really was honest. By now, the bushes along the path were up to their waist, along with some small trees. ¡°Can we really go this deep in? It¡¯s dangerous to cross the forest line¡­¡± Lart asked. ¡°Hmmm¡­ Usually, we shouldn¡¯t, but Aymon said it was okay to go as far as the strawberries grew.¡± Aymon had marked off the line between the areas with raspberries and the rest of the forest with w marks. No sane person would ignore a Shinsu¡¯s warning, but he assured that this road was just as safe as the pce garden. ¡°How is it? Yummy?¡± ¡°Mmmm, not bad.¡± Lart replied, stuffing his face with strawberries. ¡°Just admit you like it. Don¡¯t be so grumpy.¡± Belinda told him as if speaking to a sickly child. Lart picked off anotherrge strawberry. It was his first time picking them himself instead of eating one as a decoration on a dessert, so the taste was especially refreshing. Belinda smiled as she spotted him eating behind a bush. Cute. Lart reached for the biggest berry through the leaves, scratching his hand on a thorn. ¡°Blood! I¡¯m bleeding!¡± Although the wound was very small, he leaped up yelling. A scar on the body of a royal! Belinda and Lucy quickly walked over, trying to see the urgency of the situation. ¡°Don¡¯t be so fussy, Lart.¡± Belinda shook her head with a sigh. Surprised, Lucy approached him in a hurry and wrapped a handkerchief around his hand. ¡°Press on the wound, Your Highness, and the bleeding will stop.¡± Belinda wanted tough at the ridiculous situation but decided to shut up after seeing Lart¡¯s face. He looked down at Lucy, ashamed and sniffling. That¡¯s really a sight¡­ When Belinda stopped talking, the forest becamepletely silent. She observed the other two quietly. Suddenly, a strange feeling set in. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel a bit¡­¡± It was somehow too quiet. The usual sound of birds and crickets was gone. Aymon had just be an adult. His energy paralyzed the forest. Even the birds in the trees stopped moving. Only Belinda and herpanions, not as sensitive as animals, didn¡¯t feel the energy. But no matter how dull their senses were, they could tell that the forest felt very different. The three raised their heads and looked around. There was nothing to be seen, but they were getting chills. ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know what it is, but something¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too quiet.¡± Lart and Lucy murmured. Belinda pulled her shawl over her shoulder and picked up the basket. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± They quickly got moving, uncharacteristically nervous. They had to get out before sunset. After some time of silent walking, they felt something strange again. ¡°¡­.What¡¯s up with this road?¡± Belinda whispered in an uneasy voice. Although no other humans had ess, Belinda and Lucy were ustomed to walking in the area. If anyone, they knew it well, but as they went on, the scenery unfolding in front of them became less and less familiar. Chapter 39 They seemed to be probing deeper into the forest with every step they took away from it. With the growth of the Shinsu, its energy was warped. The only ones who didn¡¯t know that were the three humans wandering by. Belinda¡¯s hands began to sweat. The chilling atmosphere of her surroundings, as if covered in thick smoke, made her tremble. The forest that had always felt safe when she was with Aymon was now dry and cold. ¡°The sun¡¯s set¡­¡± The trio¡¯s faces became more serious. Belinda spread her shawl over the shuddering Lucy¡¯s shoulders. Lart dropped his basket and ran over to them, clutching Belinda. ¡°¡­.What¡¯s¡­.going¡­.on?¡± He looked up at her. His face stiffened. ¡°Something dangerous. I¡¯m the strongest one here, so stay with me.¡± He firmly grabbed his sword. There was no trace of his usual cynical self. Looking up at the sky, he saw the moon disappear behind the fluffy clouds. They continued to walk down a narrow path, looking for a light they could follow. There was nothing but trees in the darkness, and Lart finally dered the obvious. ¡°I think we¡¯re lost.¡± The three stopped in their tracks and stared at the darkness ahead. No one knew which way to go. It felt like danger could pounce at any moment. ¡°Belinda, you have a Shinsu friend. Try calling him.¡± Lart asked. She shook her head. ¡°He might not hear it, and besides, if we make any noise, a wild animal might notice us. Aymon hasn¡¯t even put any marks down here. We don¡¯t know when some beast might attack us.¡± Lart bit his lip nervously. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any form of signal? Like a whistle or something?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Belinda sighed with a gloomy expression. She had no knowledge of the forest outside of where the strawberries grew. Aymon always visited her first, so she wasn¡¯t prepared for an emergency like this. It¡¯s all my fault. Always being with Aymon made her forget about fear. She shouldn¡¯t have taken them here. No matter how safe it was,ing to the forest without Aymon was a careless decision. Lart sighed, sloughing. ¡°They must be looking for us in the pce.¡± By now, the absence of two royals would have caused a frenzy. They could be uselessly searching the pce grounds or nervously standing around the Shinsu forest¡¯s bounds. They wouldn¡¯t dare invade the Shinsu realm. One hasty step could mean a collision between the Shinsu and them, which would of course end in their favor. If the Shinsu decided to break into the pce and ughter everyone, the whole royal family would be destroyed. The risk of that wasn¡¯t worth just two lives. Lart started to rub his temples. ¡°This is my fault. I should have stopped you when you said you wereing here.¡± Unexpectedly, even he started to me himself with a serious face. Belinda shook her head and reassuringly gave him a few pats on the back. ¡°I was the one who came up with this idea in the first ce, so if there¡¯s anyone to me, it¡¯s me. But we can talk after we get out of here, okay?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Lart nodded obediently. Normally, he might have told her off for lecturing him, but a crisis like thispletely changed him. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous out here. Belinda, Lucy, stick together.¡± He murmured in a subdued voice. As they walked on, Belinda suddenly turned around. The cold wind swept through her, but Lart was still firmly holding on to her shoulders. Strangely, it was the first time she felt that he was her ¡°real¡± brother. The night dragged on. The sky started to be cloudy. They didn¡¯t even run into a single rabbit, let alone a dangerous animal, but that was somehow even more disturbing. Even the crickets were nowhere to be heard. They walked carefully, trying to not make any sound. ¡°Grrrrrrr¡­¡± They heard a threatening noise and froze. Belinda gulped and turned around to see an animal walking out of a dark cave with shing eyes, ck fur, and arge body. ¡°It¡¯s a bear.¡± Lart tried to speak calmly. Belinda squeezed her damp hands. ¡°Let¡¯s separate and run away. You and Lucy go left, I¡¯ll go right.¡± Splitting up would help them escape. At least one side could stay alive, so Belinda would try to save the other two. She concluded that, since it was her who brought them here, she had to take responsibility. ¡°Go!¡± Belinda quickly shouted and pushed the other two to the left. They couldn¡¯t refuse. She dashed off in the other direction, quickly followed by the bear. ¡°Aymon¨C!¡± Belinda¡¯s desperate voice roared through the forest. She called out the name without even realizing it, to no answer. The bear began to pick up speed. ¡°Aymon! Aymon¡­!¡± She yelled again and again. There was no vain hope that Aymon woulde and save her ¨C she just wanted to draw the bear¡¯s attention. All this happened because of her. Her death would be a deserved one. If only Lart and Lucy stayed safe¡­ She called out Aymon¡¯s name like a dying wish. Remembering something she¡¯d heard about bears not being able to run downhill, she decided to risk her life upon it as she staggered down a hill. Her throat burned with her short breaths and her heart pounded like it was about to jump out of her chest. A twig brushed against her arm. As she ran on without stopping, the bear only seemed to get closer. Usually, it would have gone after her straight away, but it started to stumble and stop as it ran. Belinda¡¯s sight was blurry, but she ran on into the forest like a madman. Before she knew it, tears were pouring down her cheeks. She scooped up her cumbersome dress and went on, but the bear was after her. The chase continued on the bare hill for who knows how long until Belinda finally tripped over a tree root. She tried to get up, but her exhausted muscles wouldn¡¯t let her. Her trembling body fell onto the ground, and the angry beast came closer and closer. Was it the end? Tears dripped down her dirty cheeks and fell onto the floor. Gasping for breath as the bear ran towards her, she closed her eyes. Aymon came to mind. It was a nice coincidence that herst memories would be of traveling with him. She smiled, thinking of stroking the little leopard¡¯s back as they slept on a small inn bed. Entering the pce was a good thing after all. It let her meet that little cat who became the light in her tiring life. I wanted to be your strength, as much as you made me happy. I¡¯m sorry for always leaning on you, Aymon. Just as she drew onest breath, the bear suddenly roared. Belinda flinched, still numb. There was a loud thump, followed by another roar. She could hear branches breaking. Belinda couldn¡¯t bear to open her eyes. She curled up against the tree, shaking from the cold and unable to move. With a big breath, she somehow opened her eyes. ¡°Agh¡­¡± She swallowed a groan. A giant leopard pounced on the bear, weighing it down. ¡°Grrrrrr¡­¡± It gave a low warning. The wounded bear panted under its body, in danger of a lethal bite at any moment. Belinda blinked. Her stifled tears fell, and a sob slipped out. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Only then did the leopard slowly lift its head, eyes flickering. The awe-inspiring beast was unfamiliar, but Belinda could recognize him at a nce. It was Aymon. Chapter 40 Trantor/editor: ruby Aymon sucked in a shallow breath, filled with anger and excitement. It was hard to control his killer instinct once he saw blood. He¡¯d juste to the forest for a fight with the other leopards. It wasn¡¯t tough, but as soon as Shanti surrendered to him, he heard a voice. ¡°Aymon!¡± Belinda¡¯s voice. Neither Shanti, who he was pinning down, nor Ha, nor the rest of the Shinsu had heard it, but Aymon did ¨C Belinda¡¯s desperate call. He didn¡¯t remember much of what had happened since then. He just wildly charged through the forest, following her scent and the sounds. His mind, calm even during the duel, was now overtaken with anxiety and fear. Breedee. Breedee! When he eventually reached Belinda, instinct took over reason. He grabbed the bear that was about to attack her and tore it away by its skin. He was about to kill it in one blow, but¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t kill it, Aymon¡­.¡± The faint whisper brought him to his senses. All those explosive emotions disappeared with the indefinable fear in her tone. Aymon drew in his ws. ¡¸It tried to kill you, but you¡¯re telling me¡­¡¹ His deep tone was calm now. Belinda cowered upon hearing the abyss-like voice. Faced with his chilly gaze, for a moment, she forgot that it was Aymon. The leopard¡¯s huge body awoke her instinctual fear of the unknown. Belinda slowly nodded with a scared expression. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want to get blood on your hands for no reason.¡± Unlike humans, animals didn¡¯t kill for fun. Aymon had always said he hated human hunting, and she didn¡¯t want him to kill a bear that was only there because of her stupidity. Aymon slowly approached her. The moonlight revealed shimmering, smooth ck fur covering an elegant body and two beautiful eyes with a dangerous twinkle. He was no longer a tiny leopard rubbing his face against her. He¡¯d be unfamiliar. The dark shadow stopped in front of her. ¡¸You¡¯re hurt, Breedee.¡¹ He lowered his head to lick her wounds. Belinda took a breath. Her fear was starting to subside, but her body waspletely stiff, even though she knew it was just Aymon. She never got this feeling from the rest of the Shinsu she met at the ceremony. Aymon smelled faintly of blood ¨C the results of his fight with Ha and Shanti. He forced himself to hide his fangs as the droplets of Belinda¡¯s blood on his tongue drove him closer to madness. It had only been hours since the fight, and Aymon was having a hard time just controlling his urges and the force that was violently tearing him up. ¡¸If I hadn¡¯te, you wouldn¡¯t have got away with just a scratch.¡¹ His hot breath clung to her skin, and he bit her shoulder. Belinda flinched, and Aymon quickly went back to licking her wound. ¡¸That thing was going to kill you, Breedee.¡¹ He said in a heavy tone, rubbing against her with closed eyes. Belinda hardened again at the feeling of his soft fur tickling her skin. The silent tension didn¡¯t even let her move. The moon was nowhere in sight through the dark forest. She had an unconscious fear of Aymon attacking her if she moved. But that couldn¡¯t happen. Belinda gulped. Aymon slowly pulled away, his warmth reced with the cool night air. She looked up at him in a daze, his eyes like flickering mes. Belinda¡¯s lips trembled as if she was under a spell. ¡°Lucy¡­ I needed¡­ To protect Lucy¡­¡± A breath caught in her throat. Lucy came to mind, probably somewhere in the dark, in danger. The intimidating presence in front of her worried her even more. Aymon looked away from her, ncing in the direction of the wind. ¡¸My good Breedee, always worried about me.¡¹ Aymon¡¯s calm and gentle voice hid a trace of exasperation, easily noticeable to Belinda. He looked up again, purring. A sharp w dug into the ground. ¡¸If I hadn¡¯t noticed, this ce would be covered in human blood by now.¡¹ He quickly hid his exposed fangs again. ¡¸Why the hell did youe all the way here? This is a dangerous forest, especially in the middle of the night full of wild animals.¡¹ He made a conscious effort to calm himself, to see whether he could control his emotions. However, he wasn¡¯t able to keep his ring anger out of his exasperated voice. ¡¸Even a seven-year-old wouldn¡¯t do such a dangerous thing!¡¹ The beast¡¯s anger filled the forest. The unfamiliar figure frightened her, his dry gaze paralyzing and the sharp air crushing her body. Belinda just barely opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aymon. We came too far.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ Aymon stared at her piercingly and eventually turned around, approaching Belinda. ¡¸Let¡¯s go.¡¹ He leaned down onto the ground and nodded at his back. Quickly understanding themand, Belinda carefully climbed onto his back. Aymon¡¯s body slightly hardened as she clung on. She buried her face in his fur. The muscles of the beast under her were firm and hot. Belinda¡¯s nervous heartbeat began to settle down. His warmth alone wasforting. Aymon took off through the forest. Belinda pulled him closer to stop herself from slipping off as the cold breeze swept past. What happened at the duel, Aymon? Did you get hurt? I¡¯m so sorry for making you worry. You look so handsome grown-up¡­ There were many things she wanted to say, but she couldn¡¯t do anything. Her mind was upied with the thought of his dry voice and frosty gaze. Soon, Aymon caught onto Lucy¡¯s trace. Lucy and Lart were hiding behind a small boulder, stiff with fear and hugging each other tightly. Aymon approached them silently. The two looked up, and their faces hardened. Perhaps because of Aymon¡¯s unfamiliarity, they were terrified. After Belinda got off, he walked towards them with an angry growl and roughly separated them. ¡°Aaaahhhh!¡± He threw Prince Lart away like a broken doll. ¡¸Why are you two together?¡¹ He asked, grinding his teeth. Lart could barely raise himself up. The fear in his eyes was visible through his messy hair. He¡¯d gone out hunting with arrows countless times and had many experiences with massive bears and lions chasing him down, but by God, this was the first time he¡¯d felt this afraid. Aymon stared at him with burning eyes, murmuring to himself. Why the heck did you leave Breedee alone¡­ No one could hear his soft whispers. Aymon soon drifted his threatening eyes away from Lart and slowly walked up to Lucy after regaining hisposure. ¡¸Lucy, are you okay?¡¹ He asked sternly, though without the anger that he¡¯d taken out on Belinda. ¡°You¡¯re Aymon?¡± ¡¸Yes.¡¹ Only then did Lucy¡¯s fear let up slightly. ¡°I¡­ Well, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡¸That¡¯s a relief.¡¹ Lucy smiled at him faintly. Watching their interaction suddenly made Belinda want to cry. She looked up at the clouds covering the dark sky, vision obscured by her bleary eyes. Aymon is here. We¡¯re safe now. She should have been relieved, but her eyes kept on burning. She¡¯d shed tears of fear, but now, other emotions were getting involved. She felt like her heart was being ripped to pieces. Unfamiliar jealousy was arising. Aymon, why are you mad at me but sweet to Lucy? He was even angry when he saw Lart and Lucy together. He shouted at him for being near her, then asked her if she was okay¡­ The meaning of Aymon¡¯s actions seemed clear. Maybe Aymon likes Lucy. Was that the reason he wanted Lucy toe with them on their trip? Was that the reason why he was so surprised to hear about her bridal preparation sses? Belinda tightly squeezed the hem of her dress. Leaves brushed against her body as the two girls left the forest on Aymon¡¯s back. The terrifying forest seemed peaceful again with his presence. Prince Lart was right behind them, trying to match Aymon¡¯s pace. ¡°Um, sir Shinsu, could you maybe go a little slower¡­¡± Aymon didn¡¯t care to slow down for the boy chasing after him. Although he was walking at a slow pace, the difference in size made it very hard for Lart to keep up. After some more strained walking, he reached the border of the Shinsu forest. They could see the lights surrounding it from a distance. It¡¯s the imperial knights. The light shed on a knight¡¯s armor. They were all pacing around, not daring to go into the forest itself. Aymon stopped as soon as he saw their identifying armor and nudged Lart. ¡¸Lead those humans away and beat it.¡¹ There was still hostility in his voice. Lart gave Belinda and Lucy a wink before walking away towards the forest boundary. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°Are you hurt?!¡± ¡°The Princess¡­ Where¡­¡± The group of knights swarmed around him. After he exined the situation, his voice soon died out, and the knights¡¯ nking weapons faded as they started to return to the pce. The Prince and Princess were safe, and some Shinsu might still be hanging around, so they decided to wrap up the situation. As soon as they disappeared from sight, Aymon slowly continued towards the guest pce with Belinda on his back. Belinda breathed a sigh of relief. Her surroundings were finally familiar again: the flower beds and the green leaves, the narrow gravel roads she used to walk on with Aymon¡­ She felt like she¡¯d been pulled back to the peaceful reality from a chilling dream. They soon arrived at Lucy¡¯s quarters right outside the pce, and the two girls got off. ¡°Good night, Lucy.¡± Lucy bowed. ¡°Thank you, mydy.¡± Then she straightened up again and bowed to Aymon. ¡°Thank you for saving me today.¡± ¡¸Yeah, you have plenty to thank me for. We didn¡¯t even finish the duel properly.¡¹ He gave a vague reply. Since Belinda saw them talking again, she¡¯d kept her eyes glued to the ground. ¡°May you receive the infinite glory of the Empire.¡± With a final greeting, Lucy disappeared behind a door. Aymon continued walking towards the pce. There was dead silence between them. Belinda wanted to say something, but she didn¡¯t dare open her mouth. After they finally arrived, Belinda stood in the doorway, looking at Aymon. She could finally see him properly. Except for the sparkling purple eyes, there was no resemnce to his previous self. ¡°Thanks for the ride. Goodbye.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Aymon didn¡¯t answer. Belinda started to take a step towards him but quickly backed away. Even though she knew the beast wouldn¡¯t hurt her, the thought of his expression in the forest, cold as ice, made her hesitate. Aymon stared at her. ¡¸Are you afraid of me?¡¹ ¡°¡­.No, no. It¡¯s not that, Aymon.¡± Belinda smiled awkwardly. She was afraid but getting used to the idea of a new Aymon. Aymon¡¯s face, in contrast, was serious. ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter if you are. I have no intention of ever separating from you.¡¹ ¡°¡­..¡± ¡¸Even if you get scared and run away, I¡¯ll catch you. Because you¡¯re my Breedee.¡¹ Is this threatening or reassuring? Belinda smiled at the mysterious words. Hearing them made Aymon be familiar again. Yeah, that was the usual blunt Aymon. Chapter 41 Trantor/editor: ruby Breedee waved at the blunt Aymon. ¡°All right. Anyways. Get home safe.¡± Aymon waved before heaving down on the hem of her dress with his front paws. ¡¸I¡¯m sleeping here today.¡¹ He announced, just like that. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¸I¡¯m tired after saving you, and you¡¯re just going to send me off? You¡¯re really a human with no conscience.¡¹ Belinda tilted her head at the sudden jump of logic. ¡°¡­.Oh, really?¡± ¡¸You also have to get used to my new self.¡¹ ¡°Hm. I¡¯ve already gotten used to it a bit, though.¡± ¡¸I know you¡¯re scared of me.¡¹ ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Your fangs are so big. I would instantly die if you bit me.¡± Belinda smiled, stroking his snout ¨C quite a fearless move, but she was confident that he wouldn¡¯t bite her hand. ¡¸I¡¯m sleeping here either way.¡¹ Aymon continued to be stubborn. Belinda finally shook her head, admitting defeat, as he tapped his tail on the floor. His threatening bloody odor had scared her earlier, but seeing that tail and his stubborn persistence, she could be sure that it was really her Aymon. Her cute and lovely leopard had grown up. Yeah. My Aymon alright. ¡°Okay. But won¡¯t you crush me while we sleep? I might die then.¡± ¡¸¡­..I never said we were going to sleep in the same bed¡­. We shouldn¡¯t sleep together. I¡¯m all grown up now¡­¡¹ Belinda ignored his grumblings and pushed open the door, beckoning the big cat. ¡°Aymon. Come here.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Aymon¡¯s whiskers trembled slightly. Despite saying it himself that he would stay there, there was hesitation in his footsteps. Then, seemingly having made up his mind, he mmed down his tail and slowly began to walk. It was the grown-up Aymon¡¯s first time inside. Belinda poured the warm water over her tired body. Her chills gradually subsided. For the first time in a while, she could stop pretending to be okay and let all the fear surged in. A bear was going to attack her. She came out alive. It was a relief that Aymon had saved her, but she was that close to death. It was Aymon that I wanted to see at the end, and he saved me. She sshed aside the water with her fingers, now thinking about the adult Aymon. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cheating for someone to just grow that handsome¡­People don¡¯t just¡­¡± She mumbled to herself for a long time. ¡¸Breedee, did you drown in there?¡¹ She only got out of the bath after Aymon¡¯s nervous queries, scratching at the door. Stepping into the room, she saw Aymon curled up in front of the bed. All she could see of him were his shining purple eyes. Belinda climbed into bed and pulled the quilt up to her neck, smiling. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep with you anymore. You¡¯re bigger than the whole bed.¡± Aymon nced up at her. ¡¸What do you mean? I¡¯ll just switch to my human form, and we can sleep together.¡¹ He said it as if it waspletely normal. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Human form? Belinda gulped. She hadn¡¯t thought of that part¡­. It was¡­ Strange¡­ How could you put it? Something felt off. Usually, she would have snapped back with a yfulment, but the air between the two stopped her. She forced out the thought of his human form. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything. She decided on another topic to alleviate the lingering awkwardness. ¡°Aymon, do you like Lucy?¡± ¡¸Of course.¡¹ He replied boldly. Belinda clenched her fists under the covers and asked again, grinding her teeth. ¡°Are you going to confess, then?¡± ¡¸What are you talking about?¡¹ Aymon raised his head. Belinda was still staring at the curtains behind him with a grim expression. How could I make him change his mind? The thought of Aymon liking Lucy made her realize her own feelings. So the reason she always waited for Aymon¡¯s visits was love, not friendly affection. The reason he was so precious andfortable to be around, but she was so excited to be with him at the same time¡­ How can Ie on to that cat¡­ Belinda didn¡¯t even think of giving up at first. Should she take the branches of that tree he liked that much and wrap them around herself? Her imagination took her to ridiculous ces. Aymon, who stared at her curiously, quickly turned away in surprise when he saw her corbone poking out. His hair stood on end and heid down. ¡¸I must be crazy. Why the hell did Ie in here?¡¹ Aymon muttered, burying his face in his front paws. It was an agonizing night for both of them. *** A butterfly fluttered by. Belinda, Lart, and the other members of the imperial family were gathering in the indoor garden for tea. A troubled-looking Lart was speaking to the Emperor. ¡°¨Cand we were so deep in after. I didn¡¯t expect this to happen to me either¡­. I beg your pardon, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor took a sip of tea, not answering. Belinda stared down into her cup with a nk look, ignoring the fierce looks from Adi, sitting opposite her. Prince Lart was trying to make excuses for yesterday¡¯s incident. Why would they go into the forest without saying a word, and how did they get lost? The story was simple. He met Belinda at the hunting ground. They followed a deer to the forest and then got lost because of the strange energy. In short, Lart was the one to me. He¡¯d assured her before they went into the garden. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± Belinda shook her head, biting her lips. ¡°Why? It¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°Your fault? No, it¡¯s everyone¡¯s fault, technically.¡± ¡°Why do you want to deal with it by yourself, then?¡± Lart squeezed her cheek with a yful smile. ¡°You lured that bear away. I have nothing to contribute, but you risked your life, so I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± He finished with a wink. ¡°I¡¯m the careless prince anyways. It won¡¯t be a big deal if I say I dragged you with me.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve done well to lead an irresponsible life.¡± If he lived responsibly, this might have been a big problem. At first, Belinda refused. Why should the next emperor bear the burden instead of her, who no one cared about? However, she had to concede when Lart brought up Adi and the Empress. A low-blooded, vulgar woman leading the next emperor into a forest wouldn¡¯t be taken lightly. Adi and the Empress might pounce on her. She decided to go with Lart¡¯s n this time around. Listening to Lart¡¯s story, the Emperor put down his cup. ¡°Your rash behavior could have caused a big sh. We were about to send knights into the forest to look for you and Belinda.¡± His voice revealed some past wounds. Lart just shrugged. ¡°If they came, they could have tasted the strawberries there. The ones I picked were really the best, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor smirked, not sure how to react to his son¡¯s obvious lies. After a while, he smiled. Even though he was well over forty, there wasn¡¯t a single wrinkle on his face. ¡°I heard a Shinsu came out with you. How did that happen?¡± He seemed to have moved on. There were no idents, and he didn¡¯t want to make the issue bigger than required. It was Belinda who answered him with a rxed expression. ¡°I met him at the ceremony. He helped us when we got lost.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re close¡­¡± The Emperor¡¯s expression was strange. The Shinsu and the imperial family had always had a broken rtionship, only coborating for the safety of them all. Their trust was as brittle as a sandcastle. They didn¡¯t evenmunicate by now¡­ That¡¯s why he was looking for the descendant of Barahan so he could destroy them for the sake of humankind¡­ He stared at Belinda. Maybe getting acquainted with the Shinsu was a better option. Their enemy countries never dared to cross their borders because of the Shinsu forest, and even if he found the descendant of Barahan, a battle with the Shinsu could damage the royal family. If we could improve our rtionship around Belinda¡­ The Emperor got lost in thought. Many theories passed through his head. The only person invited to the Shinsu ritual and protected in the Shinsu forest was Belinda. With the Emperor quiet, the table calmed down. Prince Lart nced at Belinda. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± His tone was worried but still cheeky. That was just Lart. Now that she was used to him, it felt strange to treat him with courtesy. ¡°Yeah. You?¡± ¡°I slept like a log.¡± Lart¡¯s face didn¡¯t let on a single sign of yesterday¡¯s happenings. He seemed to have forgotten hiding with Lucy and Aymon throwing him to the ground. His personality never ran out of fun. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± She quietlyughed. Was it just an illusion that they¡¯d gotten closer? She didn¡¯t hate the rude, arrogant, and honest Lart anymore. He even looked a little cute. Lart turned to Belinda, fiddling with a spoon before finally asking carefully. ¡°And Lucy? How is she?¡± Chapter 42 Trantor/editor: ruby Oh my God. You really do like Lucy. ¡°Lucy¡¯s fine. I told her to rest today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually liking you a little today. Belinda.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t cheer me up at all.¡± She answered tly and took a sip of her flower tea. It was amazing to be having such a normal conversation with Lart. Adi watched the two¡¯s conversation with sharp eyes. When did it all start? The Emperor¡¯s attitude towards Belinda had softened, and so had Lart¡¯s. He still made blunt remarks, but growing close to him meant she was getting used to it. Adi bit her lips. It was strange, but she felt like Belinda was gradually encroaching on her territory. ¡°Why don¡¯t you invite the Shinsu to the pce, Belinda? It¡¯s good that we have that opportunity now.¡± Belinda nodded, assuring him that she¡¯d deliver the message when they next met. She couldn¡¯t tell him that the Shinsu in question had alreadye by to eat cookies and sleep next to her bed yesterday. Fortunately, she thought, the guest pce Aymon frequented was far from the main one. Lart, already knowing of a Shinsu named Aymon who tended to visit the guest pce, looked at Belinda. Can¡¯t I say it now? He asked with his eyes. Since Belinda didn¡¯t answer, he didn¡¯t push it further. Adi also kept her mouth shut. She knew about Lart¡¯s humiliating incident with a Shinsu as a child, as well as the special rtionship between that Shinsu and Belinda. It was easy to infer that her invitation to the ceremony came by way of this acquaintance. Adi wasn¡¯t about to say that herself. Just imagining all the strength in the Shinsu Belinda had behind her was upsetting. She¡¯d hide it until the end if she could, and if the Shinsu ever ended up in the pce, she¡¯d find a way to get them on her side. And of course, make sure to find Barahan¡¯s descendant¡­ Adi quickly stopped herself from frowning. On the other side of the table, Lart spoke about the most recent happenings with a lively face. ¡°I heard that Duke Rodson, the one who left for another kingdom a few years ago, ising back.¡± Phillip Rodson, the person who invited Belinda to his birthday party. The one who gifted her the red brooch. He wasing back. Belinda could vaguely recall his face, sticking out even among all the showy nobles. Remembering his elegant air, she thought of Aymonughingly. No matter how handsome he is, he won¡¯t be good enough whenpared to Aymon. Of course, Aymon was still the most beautiful person she could think of. He had the strange natural charm of a Shinsu that a human couldn¡¯t imitate. After the tea party, Lart offered to see her off to the pce, though probably looking for an opportunity to meet Lucy more so than wanting to spend time with her. Belinda was too tired to ept. She washed up andid down on a rug. The memories of yesterday hadn¡¯t gone away. Lucy and Lart weren¡¯t the ones who had to face a bear just inches from them. Belinda looked up at Lucy, humming while brushing her hair. After some rest, Lucy ended uping in the evening, bringing Mazetto with her. ¡°Belinda! I heard you almost got eaten by a bear! I heard you almost never got to meet Mazetto again?!¡± Flying around the room busily, Mazetto finally dove into Belinda¡¯s hair to avoid Lucy while pping his small wings and shouting endlessly. ¡°I heard all the rumors! Of all times, you went into the forest while the Shinsu were growing up! Even I was hiding in my nest that day! Dummy! Dummy!¡± Strangely, the sparrow¡¯s insults didn¡¯t make her feel too bad. ¡°Were you worried, Mazetto?¡± ¡°Of course! The only humans Mazetto worries about are you and Lucy! Because you give me yummy things!¡± Was he more worried about them or his snacks? Belinda patted the small sparrow poking around in her hair. ¡°Thanks for worrying about me.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Don¡¯t do anything like that ever again! Mazetto missed you very much while you were traveling! It will be a big deal if you die, and I can¡¯t see you anymore!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I got it.¡± She answered affectionately and looked back at Lucy. She was about to ask her a question before Mazetto had cut her off. ¡°Lucy?¡± ¡°Yes, Princess?¡± Lucy replied with a smile, giggling at Mazetto and Belinda¡¯s conversation. ¡°Can I ask you a difficult question?¡± ¡°You can ask me two if you want.¡± ¡°Who do you like better, Aymon or Lart?¡± Belinda asked in a serious tone. Knowing that both Aymon and Lart liked Lucy, she was now curious how she felt. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean she would give up if she found out that Lucy liked Aymon too. ¡°Aymon.¡± Lucy answered without much thought. ¡°Hmm.¡± As expected. Belinda, with a troubled expression, got lost in thought. What should she do? She didn¡¯t want topete with Lucy. Her precious Lucy. Mazetto popped out from Belinda¡¯s hair. ¡°Lucy¡¯s a really strange human too! How could you like Aymon more? The gangster Shinsu?¡± Belinda tucked the bird back into her hair, ignoring his squeaky protests as she asked another serious question. ¡°Then who would you choose if they both liked you?¡± Although the question was very personal, Lucy, once again, answered without hesitation. ¡°Lart.¡± Mazetto stuck his head out again. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong with you? Why would you choose Lart if you like Aymon? Why?!¡± Lucy reached into the cookie jar and offered the iprehensibly babbling bird a cookie. At least he¡¯d stop meddling with them while eating. Indeed, Mazetto finally went silent, pecking at a dried cherry. Only then could Lucy and Belinda have a proper conversation. ¡°Why did you choose Lart if you like Aymon more?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Shinsu.¡± Lucy answered briefly with a soft smile. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Shinsu don¡¯t see humans as their equals. Who knows if I¡¯d be prey¡­¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°I like Aymon in the sense that I respect him a lot, but not like that. It couldn¡¯t be that way in the first ce.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± How couldn¡¯t she like a Shinsu as handsome and gorgeous as Aymon? Lucy smiled awkwardly at the confusing question. ¡°Well, he has a different attitude with the two of us. So¡­ I¡¯m still a little afraid of him¡­¡± Afraid of Aymon? Hearing that somehow made Belinda want to jump to his defense, but she didn¡¯t know what he was really like while she wasn¡¯t around. Aymon didn¡¯t act cute with her gone, and she never noticed his dirty looks towards Lucy. Instead of defending him, Belinda tried to soothe herself. Maybe his changing behavior was because he liked Lucy. Because he cared about her. Anyways, she didn¡¯t like him¡­ Well. Was she alone in her feelings? My poor cat. Belinda licked her lips, suddenly feeling bad. ¡°Princess?¡± Lucy looked at her curiously. *** Belinda stared out the window at the night sky from her bed. Talking about Aymon with Lucy made her miss him even more. He came by a while ago, but how many days would it be until he showed up again? It was unknown, as always. The forest was too dangerous for her to enter. Now that she thought about it, their rtionship was very one-sided. Aymon coulde and go as he pleased, but she couldn¡¯t find him. She¡¯d already learned that entering the forest would only leave her dead. She ended up calling his name thoughtlessly. ¡°Aymon.¡± ¡¸Yeah?¡¹ An answer came from the dark. Belinda jumped out of her seat in surprise, noticing the owner of the voice. She rushed to the window and threw it open to see a big beast curled up outside. ¡°Aymon?!¡± ¡¸Hm?¡¹ He stood up. His body, big even while curled up, was now even more monumental. His surroundings dimmed in the obscured moonlight. Belinda cautiously responded from the dark bedroom. ¡°How long have you been there?¡± ¡¸Just a little while.¡¹ ¡°I didn¡¯t hear youing.¡± ¡¸I¡¯ve always told you that stealth and seclusion are my specialties.¡¹ He replied casually. He had secretly visited since he was a little leopard, but how could he sneak in with such arge body? It was really a relief that the guest pce was in a remote corner of the imperial grounds. ¡°Do you want toe in?¡± Belinda asked, opening the windows wider. ¡¸I can¡¯t get in through there.¡¹ Aymon replied with a slight embarrassment. It was an unexpected answer. Looking at the size of Aymon, then the size of the window, Belinda nodded. He¡¯d probably crush half the wall if he tried to go in through there. She smiled at him, still lovely in a bigger size. Him, curling up outside without telling her, was so cute that she couldn¡¯t stand in. She stretched her arms out towards him, as always. ¡°Come here.¡± She wanted to hug and love him as she did in the past, but instead of jumping into her arms, Aymon stared at her quizzically. She leaned further out the window. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ He took a step back and rubbed his face with his front paws. After some hesitation, he sighed and approached Belinda. Soon there was a massive beast in her arms. All she could hold was his head. Belinda patted the back of his neck, his fur sticking up with every touch as if he was nervous before ttening back down. The leopard¡¯s body was firm and smooth. He rubbed his face into her arms. His breathing got more sporadic, and his body seemed to heat up. ¡°Are you sick?¡± Belinda asked in a worried voice. ¡¸¡­No.¡¹ He murmured. ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re really warm.¡± ¡¸Growth¡­ It¡¯s just because I¡¯ve grown. Ignore it.¡¹ ¡°You¡¯re short of breath too.¡± ¡¸I said ignore it.¡¹ The purring in her arms sounded more like pampering than a threat. Belinda rubbed her cheek against his head. His body stiffened up. Aymon got more restless every time she moved, his breath continuing to quicken. Chapter 43 Trantor/editor: ruby His front paws pressed down onto the floor, crushing the grass under him. Finally, he pulled away from Belinda with a groan. Belinda felt very sad to see him already moving away. He doesn¡¯t even curl up in my arms anymore like he used to. The cold night wind reced the heat of his body. Aymon, with his thoughts drifting, turned to look up at the moon. Belinda stared at him, his eyshes sparkling in the moonlight, and sighed. Beautiful even when he was young, the animal shone even more grown-up. The simple sight of the leopard standing still was as elegant and stunning as an artfully crafted masterpiece. Could a leopard really be that handsome? After some time, Aymon turned his jewel-like eyes to Belinda. ¡¸I¡¯m going to sleep with you today.¡¹ Belinda stepped back, startled by the sudden remark. ¡°Oh? Hm? Huh?¡± She knew he wasn¡¯t referring to that, but his directness was still surprising. Her whole face flushed. It¡¯s all because of me. Because I looked at Aymon in an obscene way. It¡¯s clear I¡¯d feel like that since I like him. Aymon seemed very surprised by her flushed face and stuttering. He stumbled back and hit the floor with a thud. ¡¸No! It¡¯s not that!¡¹ ¡°Oh¡­ Oh?¡± ¡¸You¡¯re misunderstanding! That¡¯s not what I meant, I would never¡­ I mean, not never! Anyways, not now!¡¹ He himself didn¡¯t seem to know what he was saying. Aymon¡¯s words were hasty and as messy as a scrambled puzzle. White dust flew up into the air with every bewildered swing of his tail. Belinda was the first toe to her senses. She blinked and btedlyughed, dumbfounded. Even for his standard, Aymon¡¯s embarrassment due to his single slip was quite strange. Belinda shook her head and shrugged, smiling. ¡°Aymon, calm down. I didn¡¯t misunderstand anything. I know you would never say that.¡± She spoke in a soothing voice, but Aymon still seemed to have a lot on his mind. ¡¸Do you really need to make it that definite?¡¹ ¡°Anyways, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to sleep here?¡± Belinda asked, still smiling. He nodded slowly. After the silent affirmation, Belinda waved him back so he could go in through the door. After some hesitation, Aymon started approaching, seeming to have made up his mind. Without a sound, therge animal walked across the path and entered the room like a shadow. Belinda, lying on the bed, waved at him. Aymon walked on after the harmless gesture and curled up next to the bed. Belinda stared at the ball of fur, smiling. Looking at Aymon lying down like that gave her butterflies. She passed her fingers through his soft fur, as she always used to do. ¡°By the way, you didn¡¯t get hurt during the duel, did you?¡± She was worried that it was already toote to ask since a few days had passed. Aymon said that he¡¯d left the duel behind and came running to her, but the smell of blood on him was clear. He did say it wasn¡¯t his blood, but still. ¡¸I didn¡¯t get a single scratch.¡¹ Aymon snapped. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get in trouble? You said you couldn¡¯t finish the duel because you were looking for us¡­¡± ¡¸Trouble?¡¹ Aymon asked back in an amused voice and rubbed his cheek on Belinda¡¯s calf. ¡¸Breedee, not even the elders can hold anything against me now.¡¹ Belinda curled up her toes. The soft fur was pleasant but itchy. Every time Aymon moved, her pajamas slightly slid up her leg. His breath lingered on her, giving her a chill. She eventually pushed him away with her foot. Just as much as he clung to her, her heart fluttered. It was a strange feeling. Aymon gently leaned onto her feet. ¡¸Breedee, I¡¯m the chief now.¡¹ ¡°¡­.¡± ¡¸There¡¯s no animal stronger than me now. I can do whatever I want.¡¹ He purred, seemingly in a good mood, and rubbed his cheek against her skin. Belinda gulped, filled with an inexplicable tension, and pushed away from the ¡°Great Shinsu Chief¡± again. ¡°Stop, it tickles.¡± He hugged her legs and rubbed them with his paws as if she were a stuffed toy. It didn¡¯t help with all the turmoil she was already feeling. You don¡¯t even know how I feel¡­.! She was starting to resent him. She was already flustered when he said he would sleep there, so how could she handle this? Now that I like you, my heart flutters even when you¡¯re acting like an animal. You don¡¯t even know how I feel. What a foolish leopard. Being pushed away didn¡¯t deter Aymon. Belinda put her hand on her chest. How much would she have to wrap up her heart and hide it deep inside from Aymon? Would she be able to hold out with Aymon acting like this? His attitude was still the same. The only thing that changed was his image. He wasn¡¯t a baby leopard anymore. However, as she epted his new self, her feelings evolved, deeper and stranger than before. Belinda sighed and pulled up her nket. For some reason, it felt like tough days were toe. In the meantime, Aymon¡¯s rough tongue slowly passed over her calf. An unfamiliar sensation ran down her spine. Tossing around, Belinda ended up kicking him. Whether Aymon was in a good mood or a mysterious one like now, it was no secret. Belinda wasn¡¯t used to this feeling. ¡°You perv cat!¡± Even when she kicked him, Aymon responded with a happy purr. *** Looking at the trees outside the carriage¡¯s window, Phillip moved his arm. How many years had it been since hest saw the empire? Although there was nothing new to wee him, it was refreshing. ¡°Has it changed a lot, Duke?¡± ¡°Yes, it has.¡± ¡°The roads leading into the capital have been renovated, and the central clock tower was rebuilt.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Phillip Rodson nodded roughly, still staring outside. He wasn¡¯t listening much to the friendly attempts at conversation. Phillip, an old friend of Prince Lart and Princess Adi, had returned to the empire just a few days ago after he graduated from his academy. Even for vacations, he hadn¡¯t been back so he could focus on his studies. After all those years, returning was more freeing than one of happiness. Phillip, with his chin propped on the windowsill, quietly scanned through the capital. His glowing blue eyes lookednguid. Looking at the trees brushing by the carriage, someone came to his mind. Belinda. That gaze, staring down at him proudly. How would she, never having been malicious, fit into the pce? He had high expectations. Phillip drummed on the windowsill with his graceful fingers. It would be a lie to say that he thought of her throughout his whole time at the academy, but sometimes, that beautiful face would still cross his mind. He silently smiled as he looked at the pce¡¯s spire, reaching up beyond the clouds. ¡°Is there something nice on your mind, sir?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go as far as to call it a nice thing, but it¡¯s definitely interesting.¡± He folded his arms, leaning back into the seat. He was going to visit Belinda soon. *** Spring was already starting. A refreshing gust of wind blew a flurry of pink petals outside the window. ¡°Belinda!¡± Someone was knocking on the pce¡¯s door with no regard to manners. Belinda didn¡¯t need to ask who it was. It had to be Lart. She could visualize the servant¡¯s nervous squirming next to him, not daring to stop the prince. ¡°Come in, Lart.¡± She answered, brushing petals off her shoulder. Lart hurried inside as soon as she let him in. Well, it¡¯s still better than just charging in without permission. Belinda thought, trying to see the bright side. ¡°You came?¡± Belinda¡¯s messy hair fell onto her shoulders. Lart¡¯s escort, standing behind the open door, stared at her nkly before catching himself and disappearing outside. It had been ten years since hest met the princess, who had blossomed into a vivid beauty from the skinny, rough girl she once was. She was a true masterpiece. However, his stepsister¡¯s beauty didn¡¯t seem to affect Lart. He put down the envelope he¡¯d been holding and plopped onto a chair. ¡°Lucy¡¯s not here yet?¡± ¡°No. Look at the time.¡± It was still early in the morning. Unlike a typical noble, who could party all night, Belinda usually woke up early. Still, knowing Lart, he probably wouldn¡¯t have cared if she was asleep either. Lart snapped at the maid to bring them tea. Once she was gone, he leaned over the table. ¡°Does Lucy know about my feelings?¡± ¡°Feelings? What feelings?¡± Belinda asked, even though she knew everything as if to poke fun at him. Prince Lart flushed. ¡°You know¡­¡± ¡°What would I know?¡± ¡°Well, the¡­wanting to be with someone¡­. Um¡­that kind of feelings.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Lucy. I don¡¯t know.¡± Belinda leaned back against the chair with a rxed smile. Lart patted the table with his palm. ¡°But you should have a sense. The kind you get why rolling around in a back alley!¡± When the maid came with the tea, he quickly went back to pretending to be elegant. It was useless anyway since everyone knew what he was like. ¡°Go.¡± Belinda spoke lightly. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lart didn¡¯t seem to understand the neat order. ¡°You¡¯re saying I rolled around in a back alley just like that, thinking I¡¯d want to hear it. Well, I don¡¯t, brother.¡± Lart¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­No¡­. It¡¯s a habit¡­.¡± ¡°Then you can also leave like a habit. Bye.¡± Belinda grinned. Chapter 44 Trantor/editor: ruby After some embarrassed coughing, Lart began to make excuses with a red face. ¡°It just came out. I didn¡¯t mean it. Really. It¡¯s a bad habit.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± ¡°¡­.I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll try harder to not do it.¡± A lifeless apology slipped out. Belinda tapped the table with her fingertips. ¡°If you keep doing that, I¡¯ll tell Lucy that you peed yourself in front of me once.¡± ¡°What? When did I do that!¡± ¡°Ten years ago¡­ When you were crying because you got trampled on by a Shinsu.¡± ¡°Come on, you have to forget that! We¡¯re family now.¡± Lart, huffing and puffing, really did look upset. Wasn¡¯t that true? It meant that no one would speak of his embarrassing behavior while threatened by a Shinsu. Surely everyone would have reacted the same, unless their heart was made of solid diamond. Belindaughed out loud. ¡°That¡¯s not what someone that¡¯s been treating me like a halfway family member should say, Lart.¡± ¡°¡­.Oh¡­.I apologize again, then¡­.But please don¡¯t tell Lucy¡­.¡± Lart slouched. He was like a mimosa, making Belinda want to tease him even more. However, she decided to stop. ¡°Why did youe today, though?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­Um¡­Could you let Lucy go outside today?¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be much trouble. Why?¡± Belinda asked, pushing aside her empty teacup. Lart opened the envelope on the table, revealing a ticket, then closed it again. ¡°I¡¯m going to see an opera.¡± Belinda raised an eyebrow. You¡¯re really giving it your all, huh? It was amazing. Lart, while in love, wasn¡¯t the arrogant prince she knew. She was really hoping that he didn¡¯t take it lightly, and wouldn¡¯t hurt Lucy. Belinda scanned through him with a serious look and nodded. At least, he was sincere. ¡°Okay. You can leave together when Lucy gets here.¡± ¡°How about I go pick her up?¡± ¡°Lucy won¡¯t go anywhere without my express permission.¡± They both nodded. In the meantime, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Thedy has arrived, Princess.¡± Lucy was going to be arriving soon. Lart straightened his posture, trying to look elegant. He had to make up for the image of him rolling around in the dirt in a forest from a few days ago. ¡°Good morning, Princess!¡± Lucy came in with a cheerful greeting, bringing a scent of fresh flowers. Seeing Lart was a surprise. ¡°Your Highness?¡± After regaining herposure and bowing, she was left to stand around awkwardly ¨C there were only two chairs in the room. Belinda stood up, wondering what to do. She wanted to walk around a bit because she was dizzy, but she also thought that Lart deserved a chance. ¡°Sit down, Lucy.¡± Belinda walked over to the window, catching a nce of Lart and Lucy at the table. The sight of Lart¡¯s embarrassed expression was really something. The sun filtering through the leaves warmed her. Her body could tell that spring wasing before she could. She stood below the window frame, looking at the two smiling faces. Lart crumpling the opera tickets¡¯ envelope with a stiff face, asking about a date red-faced and stuttering, Lucy¡¯s surprised face also blushing. Belinda closed her eyes and stood in the sunlight. Aymon came to mind. She hoped he liked her, but at the same time, she didn¡¯t want him to get hurt. She didn¡¯t want Aymon to see Lart and Lucy together. So that her big cat wouldn¡¯t have to suffer. These concerns are ridiculous anyways. Even if Aymon liked Lucy, they could never be together. He was a beast and she was a human. To put it differently, even if Aymon liked her, their chances were slim. Even if they were friends. Of course, that wouldn¡¯t stop her from thinking about him. Her heart could do as it liked. ¡°A human and a beast are hopeless in the first ce.¡± At that moment, before she could even close her mouth, there was a sudden growl from behind her. ¡¸What are you talking about?¡¹ The low voice was full of annoyance. Belinda lurched back in surprise and turned her head to see the animal staring at her. The white sunlight scattered behind him, creating a dreamlike sight. His eyes were so chaotic that they could have dismantled her. ¡°Aymon? Are you here?¡± Instead of Aymon, it was Mazetto who cheerfully chirped back. ¡°Mazetto is here too!¡± He was the only flying animal that could treat a Shinsu like transport. Aymon briefly growled at him. ¡¸What are you talking about, that a human and a beast are hopeless? Do you mean me?¡¹ Aymon asked, grinding his teeth. Belindaughed awkwardly but didn¡¯t answer. She knew he liked Lucy and didn¡¯t want to break his heart. She hated to see the lovely big cat sad. Aymon¡¯s eyes narrowed. Belinda leaned out the window, ignoring his sharp gaze. The first thing she needed to do was calm him down, so she reached out to gently rub his nose. However, he showed no sign of calming down. ¡¸Why can¡¯t a human and a beast work? What¡¯s the reason? Why couldn¡¯t they?¡¹ Aymon asked, continuing to grill her. He couldn¡¯t hide that he was heated, and it bubbled up in his voice. Belinda, not knowing what to say, stayed silent. ¡¸There¡¯s nothing impossible about it. Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll make it happen! Why did I be the chief, if not for this?¡¹ He continued to huff and puff like a child. Once again, it was Mazetto who answered. ¡°Why you became the chief? Well, why did you, Aymon? Hm? Is there a reason? Wasn¡¯t it because you¡¯re the strongest?¡± Aymon continued to ignore him, along with Belinda, but Mazetto went on relentlessly, circling them. ¡°Why? Why are you the chief? Why? Why? Why, Aymon?¡± He flew away, startled, when a dangerous growl came out from Aymon. ¡°What the hell! Why are you suddenly angry! You surprised the sparrow!¡± Of course, the anger wasn¡¯t exactly sudden, but Mazetto fumingly dered that he was leaving and disappeared into the woods. Mazetto or no Mazetto, Aymon hit the floor with his paws, shouting. ¡¸I¡¯m the chief now! I¡¯ll do as I please! No beast or human can stop me!¡¹ Belinda nodded at his childlike ramblings. ¡°Yeah. When have you not just done that¡­¡± Aymon, still panting, tried to growl to relieve his anger, then addressed the royal snooping around the window in a low voice. ¡¸Get out. This is my territory.¡¹ ¡°¡­..¡± Lart, apparently on the receiving and of his anger, was forced out of the room after his snooping. He nodded towards the tickets to Belinda before carefully heading outside with Lucy. He couldn¡¯t be scolded by a Shinsu, especially one showing his fangs. Aymon¡¯s expression only softened when he was the only man remaining in ¡°his territory¡± with Belinda. He raised his head proudly. ¡¸I¡¯m going to sleep here today.¡¹ He really was acting like it was his territory. Belinda scratched his chin with a puzzled look. ¡°Whatever you want.¡± Her pretty cat¡¯s temperament seemed to have gotten worse as an adult. The night air was still cold. Belinda nced at the moon and took a deep breath of fresh air before closing the window. Normally, this would have been a dreand. She closed her eyes, listening to the crickets¡¯ chirping in the otherwise silent room, and leaned back onto Aymon. Even when she used to dream of being held in the arms of a beast, she never imagined that she¡¯d be buried like this. ¡°Aymon, can I touch your paws?¡± In response, Aymon slowly moved closer to her and stuck out his big front paw. Seeing him hesitate, Belinda asked again. ¡°Give me your paws.¡± This time, it was an imposing demand, to which Aymon silently pushed his paws forward. What a good boy. Belinda fiddled with the huge paw on her thighs. Even holding just one, it was terribly heavy. This beast is really so big and heavy. She¡¯d already found out when she saw him crushing a bear as if it was a grasshopper. She pressed down on his feet and gently stroked his fur, making him flinch and wiggle. Belinda lightly pped his paw. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡¸I¡¯m trying.¡¹ Aymon closed his eyes, murmuring moreints. Chapter 45 Trantor/editor: ruby TL/N: Sorry for thete chapter guys! My PR is very busy, so there¡¯s been a bit of a dy, but I¡¯ll be trying to get chapters out as consistently as possible ?? ¡°Show me your ws too.¡± ¡¸They¡¯re dangerous, though.¡¹ ¡°Now.¡± Once again, Aymon nicely handed over his paw. Pulling back just in case, Belinda began to fiddle with his ws as soon as he let them out. Like big hooks, they were hard, heavy and looked like they could tear apart flesh with a simple snag. However, even seeing them, he was still a lovely, big cat to Belinda. She yed around with the leopard¡¯s front paws as if she¡¯d never been scared of him. Now that she was used to him, they were more interesting than scary. Aymon, purposefully observing her, asked a question. ¡¸Well, Breedee. Aren¡¯t you scared of this form now?¡¹ ¡°No. I was a bit at first, to be honest, but¡­. I¡¯m really okay now. It¡¯s nothing. Maybe because I met Nordi.¡± Big bodies used to scare her because of the abuse she experienced as a child, but when she went back with Aymon, those fears stopped controlling her. Also¡­ Aymon is Aymon. Of course I¡¯m not afraid if it¡¯s him. Her feelings for Aymon were too deep to be afraid of him, and the knowledge that he thought of her as a precious friend even more so. She turned around and hugged him with a smile. I like you, Aymon. I hope we can stay together forever. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ Aymon gasped. Belinda felt his body stiffen under her arm. As if he¡¯d forgotten how to breathe, he was as still as a statue. He finally took a deep breath. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Belinda rubbed her cheek against him with a sigh of relief. The texture of his fur felt so nice. The warm, affectionate touch made her feel like she was melting into peace. On the other hand, the panic-stricken Aymon was barely breathing. When Belinda pulled him further into her arms, he suddenly sprang up. ¡°Aymon?¡± She stumbled, with nothing to lean on. Aymon propped her up with his paws and gentlyid her onto the floor. Then, he ran outside without a single word. He leaped over the table, knocked over a chair, and dashed straight ahead. Aymon, supposedly the specialist in sneaking around like a shadow, was now more violent and noisy than anyone. ¡°Aymon? Where are you going?!¡± Aymon ran on without answering her agitated question until he hit the door. Seemingly, he couldn¡¯t open it with his paws. The heavy door, now crushed, was open, allowing Aymon to run off. ¡°Aymon?¡± Only awkward silence remained in the darkness. The door, about half of it gone, swung in with a creak. It looked like a hurricane had struck it. ¡°Is your head okay?¡± Belinda was concerned for him after his altercation with the door. It was obviously the door that broke first, but she was still worried. After some struggling to get the broken door closed, she approached the window and stared out at the hunting grounds just in time to spot Aymon running towards the Shinsu forest. He crashed against a big tree, sending shattered bits flying everywhere along with the startled birds that had been sleeping in it. There were a few more crash sounds here and there. A Shinsu who was supposed to protect the forest, the chief none less, was recklessly destroying it. After some time absentmindedly looking at his behavior, Belindaid onto the bed. Did Aymon ever do anything that made sense? He¡¯de back sometime. Soon, Aymon carefully pushed in the broken door. He was still panting, but looked calmer. ¡°You¡¯re back? What happened all of sudden? How¡¯s your head?¡± Belinda asked. He wandered around the room for a bit, embarrassed, beforeying down next to the bed again. ¡¸It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve grown up.¡¹ He said, as Belinda brushed through his fur with her toes. Growth. Of course, it was again the magic word that could exin anything. *** While Lart and Lucy were on a date at the hunting grounds, Belinda yed chess with Mazetto. After she moved the white knight, it was Mazetto¡¯s turn to scamper over the board and peck a square. ¡°Here! Here! I¡¯m moving it here!¡± Belinda grinned as she moved the piece over. It felt a bit strange to be ying chess with a talking sparrow. Anyone would think she was crazy. She was friends with the talking leopard and the talking sparrow. ¡°I really have made all the strange friends¡­¡± She muttered, staring through the window out of habit. It was where Aymon used to jump in as a little leopard. However, the beast she was waiting for wasn¡¯t there. The only thing to be seen were leaves on the drooping branches outside. That day he ran off and wreaked havoc in the forest, he wasn¡¯t able to sleep after he came back and left before the sun rose. That was two weeks ago. I miss you, though. Belinda was lost in thought. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you moving anything? It¡¯s your turn!¡± Mazetto¡¯s chirping suddenly brought her to her senses and she moved the white knight again. Then, a strange sound rang through the wind: wooden wheels against the ground. Someone seemed to be approaching the pce. Since they wereing from the other direction, Belinda turned to the door. The maid¡¯s voice sounded, as expected, announcing a visitor. ¡°Princess, you have a visitor.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± A slightly unfamiliar name came from the maid. ¡°Duke Phillip Rodson.¡± It was still somehow familiar. Duke of Rodson¡­ Phillip Rodson¡­ Belinda mumbled the names. She¡¯d heard them somewhere, but she wasn¡¯t sure who it was. Before Belinda could recall him, Mazetto was already pping around shouting. ¡°Phillip? Who is it? Who¡¯s Phillip?¡± Only then did Belindae to her senses and pinch his beak shut. ¡°Mazetto. You can¡¯t talk. It could be dangerous if someone finds out about you.¡± Although she was used to it by now, wouldn¡¯t a talking sparrow be considered a rarity? If rumors spread, the little sparrow might be put in danger. The MInistry of Magic might want to dissect him to find out how the hell it¡¯s possible. When Belinda put a finger to her lips to shush him, Mazetto replied loudly. ¡°I got it! No talking!¡± ¡°I just said you can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°¡­Chirp!¡± Mazetto was already itching to talk again. In the meantime, Phillip strode inside, the handsome young man covered by the huge bouquet of roses he was carrying. Belinda was only then able to properly direct her thoughts to him. Oh, it¡¯s Phillip. He invited me to his birthday party once. Phillip got down onto one knee and offered her the roses, then bowed to greet her. ¡°Greetings to the great blood of the Empire, Princess Belinda.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you again, Duke Phillip.¡± Belinda thanked him for the flowers and took the bouquet. What¡¯s all this for? The visit was already surprising, but him getting down on one knee was even more so. Wasn¡¯t that for proposing? When Belinda took the flowers, Phillip shed a smile that could make anyone¡¯s heart flutter. Then, a voice rang from the corner of the room. ¡°What? What are you doing? Are you crazy?¡± It was Mazetto. Surprised, Phillip turned around, followed by Belinda. All she asked was for him to stay quiet for a while, but he couldn¡¯t resist. Mazetto, startled, hid in arge potted nt. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear something strange just now?¡± Phillip asked in a serious voice. He¡¯d heard a cute child¡¯s voice, but there was no child to be seen, only a sparrow babbling next to a pot. It would have seemed strange to anyone. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear a thing, though.¡± Belinda replied brazenly. ¡°Oh, is that so¡­.¡± Phillip dragged out the word, consciously fixing his expression and turning back around. He¡¯de dreaming of a dramatic romantic reunion, but for some reason, the atmosphere was a little strange. Phillip stepped back awkwardly, but soon smiled again. ¡®Why don¡¯t we take a walk together, to celebrate meeting again?¡± Belinda nced over at the pot. Just a walk wouldn¡¯t be difficult, but Mazetto was bound to follow them to chirp around and meddle. She didn¡¯t want to deal with that, for the sake of Mazetto and the sake of her sanity. Belinda gently refused, putting the roses in a vase. ¡°I can¡¯t. I already have ns.¡± Those ns were ying chess with a sparrow, of course. Taking a sniff of the flowers, she continued. ¡°Well, get home safe.¡± Phillip was met with a firm refusal before he¡¯d made any progress. He was clearly embarrassed ¨C no one had ever rejected him. He was rich, handsome and powerful. He never expected to get such a determined rejection when he was being the savior for a low-blooded woman. He soon came to his senses and softly smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll ask in advance next time.¡± ¡°Yes, please do.¡± Belinda, with all her attention already shifted to Mazetto, gave an insincere answer.. Chapter 46 Trantor/editor: ruby Phillip looked at Belinda for a few more seconds and sighed to himself. He¡¯d have to remember next time. ¡°I¡¯ll get going, then.¡± ¡°Ah, khm, yeah.¡± Belinda nodded, not too reluctant to let him go. Would he end uping back? Well, as long as he came when Mazetto wasn¡¯t around. Belinda turned around to quieten the bird without Phillip noticing. All his chirping and spinning around in the pot drew too much attention. What a noisy creature! He was too noisy even for his role as an ordinary sparrow. Amid all the chirping, Phillip greeted Belinda. ¡°May you have the infinite glory of the Empire.¡± He bowed and walked out of the room. That voice from earlier really didn¡¯t feel like something he imagined. Phillip strode along. However you put it, it had been a strange day. *** Their chess game eventually ended in a victory for Mazetto. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because Belinda¡¯s skills were inferior, but rather because of Mazetto¡¯s cute acts every time he got cornered. ¡°Can¡¯t you let Mazetto off just one time? Hm?¡± His cuteness finally made Belinda lose. She stood up to close the window after him,ughing. ¡°I¡¯m too weak towards cuteness.¡± She treated Aymon¡¯s injuries back then because he was cute. Now she lost to Mazetto because he was cute. Cuteness was the problem. Of course, her little leopard, that incarnation of cuteness, had be a dangerous cat with pointed fangs. Belinda stared out at the vast forest beyond the hunting grounds. Since it was already dark outside, its shape blurred into the shadows. The scent of flowers drifted over to her from the vase right by the window, filled with the roses Phillip brought. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± She brushed her fingertips against the petals. She¡¯d be a fool not to know what those flowers meant. She was already at a marriageable age, plenty old enough to meet men. However, Phillip¡¯s approaches couldn¡¯t be taken seriously; another creature already had her heart. ¡°But there are so many difficulties for that love. Too many.¡± She didn¡¯t even know where to start. First of all, she¡¯d have to win Aymon¡¯s heart. Then she¡¯d have to design a future where humans and Shinsu could be together. How should she start? It would be better to seduce Aymon before all else. After all, the heart always came first. Filled with determination, she fiddled with the petals until she was interrupted by the sound of scratching that came from the door. ¡°Aymon? Is that you?¡± In the past, the baby leopard would have jumped in through the window, but now he was scratching the door as if asking for permission. Soon, Aymon¡¯s voice answered. ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s me. Can Ie in?¡¹ ¡°Of course!¡± The door swung open before she could grab the doorknob. The ck animal walked in like a shadow, with subtle movements that did not match his massive size. Belinda stumbled back. ¡¸Oh, you fixed the do- Breedee?¡¹ Aymon stopped talking and moved forwards before he could think. He stopped her fall with his head. Belinda smiled, rubbing her cheek on his forehead as she hugged him. ¡°You came? Why haven¡¯t you been here for so long?¡± Unable to properly express how much she¡¯d missed him in thesest two weeks, she resorted to a hug. The beast nervously blinked, not wanting to face her. He put his chin on her shoulder, finally able to breathe again. Whenever she tried toe closer, he wriggled away. Aymon¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡¸¡­¡­..¡¹ He raised his head and put Belinda down. ¡¸What¡¯s this?¡¹ ¡°Huh? What¡¯s what?¡± ¡¸This¡­¡¹ Aymon slowly wandered inside, following the scent, and turned to the window. The wind blowing in was carrying the flowers¡¯ scent, along with a hint of Phillip¡¯s. A wave of slight anger filled Aymon¡¯s eyes. ¡¸That little rat again.¡¹ It had been a long time since he faced Phillip, but the scent engraved in his senses wasn¡¯t easily erased. Hostility and wariness were shining in his eyes. Belinda approached the angry beast and rubbed his neck. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Aymon pushed her back and poked the vase. The crack of ss echoed through the empty room. He trampled on the remnants, making sure to break it all. His heavy front paw shattered the vase into pieces. Belinda ran over in a hurry. ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt!¡± She grabbed him by the tail and dragged him away, getting on her knees to take a look at his paws. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re injured¡­¡± There wasn¡¯t even a scratch, let alone a drop of blood, on the huge paws. That just came with being a Shinsu, seemingly. Aymon looked down at her, lowered his head, and slowly rubbed his nose around her ears. A soothing whisper flowed around her. ¡¸I hate to have my territory invaded on.¡¹ Belinda let down her shoulders and nodded as if she were possessed. That was the reason the Shinsu lived so far apart from each other in the first ce, to avoid invading each other¡¯s personal sphere. ¡¸If there¡¯s someone I don¡¯t like in my territory, Breedee, I¡¯ll want to kill him.¡¹ His low voice was scratchy. Belinda took a deep breath after the calm, slow remark. Why was it so scary, even though he was whispering that softly? Aymon rubbed his forehead against her corbone. ¡¸What should you do if you don¡¯t want to see other people¡¯s blood here? Hm?¡¹ His voice was calm as if talking to a child. Belinda blinked, answering hesitantly. ¡°Um. Not let them in?¡± Aymonughed, satisfied with the answer, and replied with an unwavering smile. ¡¸That¡¯s right. This is my territory. And you are mine, from head to toe.¡¹ ¡°Mhmm.¡± Belinda nodded obediently, thinking about how stubbornly possessive he was over a friend. Aymon was a big cat with a temper to match, but he stayed calm if he got what he wanted. Belinda knew that very well, so she decided to go along with him once again. It was probably like how people didn¡¯t like it when someone else showed up at a ce they¡¯d been visiting since childhood. She rubbed Aymon¡¯s nose, mumbling inwardly. ¡°Aymon. I¡¯m sleepy.¡± She turned around and moved towards the bed, slowly followed by Aymon, settling downfortably. Instead ofying down next to the bed, as usual, Aymon rubbed his cheek against her knee. It was like he was asking her to pet him. Belinda grinned and smacked his forehead. There¡¯s no other cat like you. After a long time stroking his soft fur, Belinda spoke impulsively. ¡°Aymon, can¡¯t you show me your human form? I¡¯m curious.¡± Aymon slowly opened his eyes. His purple pupils shrunk. ¡°You grew up as a beast, but what about your human form?¡± Aymon stared at her and snapped back. ¡¸Will you be able to handle it?¡¹ ¡°Handle¡­Handle what?¡± Without answering, Aymon transformed himself, and soon a man appeared. Although he was an adult, his face had a boyish look to it. Aymon wrapped his arm around Belinda¡¯s waist, finally answering her question. ¡°Handle this.¡± His body was warm. Belinda cut her breath short. All she could hear was the sound of the leaves swaying in the wind. Strangely, the silence felt precarious. ¡°Or¡­. This.¡± He grabbed her waist and looked up at her. This is me. That¡¯s what the purple eyes that resembled petals soaked in the rain seemed to say. Thump. Thump. A wave of emotion swept over Belinda. It felt like a small fish was swimming around in her heart, creating ripples. Even though it was Aymon, she felt nervous. His bright eyes were visible through his hair. His skin was smooth, his eyshes so long they reflected the moonlight, smooth lines drawn out over his face, just like his childhood self. However¡­. There was no sign of a child anywhere in his beautiful appearance. However you looked at it, he was a man. Sitting against Belinda, his broad shoulders and delicate bones could be seen. Pretty. So pretty. Belinda reached for his hair before pulling back. She felt like she was facing a sacred being that she shouldn¡¯t touch. Aymon rubbed his cheek against her stomach like a child. He was so simr to that cute little cat, so why did it all feel strange? Chapter 47 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°Aymon.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Can I touch just a little?¡± Belinda asked after much thought. The corners of Aymon¡¯s eyes crinkled up, shining like jewels. The beautiful pupils that were now clearly revealed belonged to a beast. ¡°You don¡¯t need to ask unnecessary questions, Breedee.¡± He answered slowly. No wonder his voice was raspy. Belinda carefully reached out and touched his face, starting with his eyshes and eyes. His smooth skin stuck to her fingertips. Aymon, in a good mood, rxed himself, slowly blinking and not taking his eyes off Belinda. Although the chilling gaze seemed to pierce through her, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from touching the pretty face. She smoothed down his eyebrows, ran down his nose, and lightly brushed his cheek. His moonlit skin was as fine as marble. Aymon held his breath for a while, finally breathing out when her fingertips touched his chin. He rubbed against her palm as if he was a baby leopard again. Belinda smiled when she felt the warmth against her palm. It was just like they used to do. My pretty and cute cat. She smiled to herself for a little while but soon hardened up. It was because of a sloppy sound. Aymon was slowly nting kisses onto her hands. Every time his lips gently touched her, she felt like there was a ball of fire tearing into her heart. It¡¯s just a habit. A habit Aymon has. Just a habit. The only thing that had changed was his appearance. She couldn¡¯t believe that just that would make her feel like this. How stupid. Wasn¡¯t it just like this when he was a leopard? He bit her fingers, licked her, and poked around. Belinda tried to collect her dazed mind. ¡°That tickles, Aymon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always ticklish.¡± Just a little more. Good girl. Aymon mumbled. He grabbed her hand and took a breath, following the scent. Belinda¡¯s soft, thin fingers interlocked with Aymon¡¯srge, rough hand. He traced his fingers up her arm. Belinda felt his breath on the back of her neck as he slowly raised his head. ¡°I want to touch too.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.Oh¡­.Ummm¡­.¡± Belinda, speechless, wasn¡¯t sure whether that was an answer. She was the one who¡¯d asked first, so why was it so strange for him to do the same? As soon as she nodded, after some agonizing, Aymon reached out. Belinda closed her eyes. Just looking at his face made her feel like her body and paralyzed her mind. Any more, and she would melt. She could feel Aymon¡¯s warmth over her cheeks before he touched her and squeezed her lips shut. The fingers against her skin were yful rather than stealthy. An index finger poked her cheek and pitched the other one. The tension Belinda felt was greatly relieved. I had no reason to be nervous. She smiled and tried to open her eyes, closing them again in surprise when Aymon covered them. Sitting on her knees, Aymon swept over her cheeks with his palms and fumbled with her earlobes. Belinda endured it with a stiff body, unable to find the right time to open her eyes. Every time his palm passed by her cheek, she felt like there was flowing electricity between them. ¡°Ack¨C¡± Without realizing it, she made a sound when he slid his thumb under her eyes. At the same time, her body was thrown back, and before she knew it, she wasying down on the bed. He hovered over her, obscuring her vision. Aymon¡¯s zing gaze hit her. The strange tension in the air made it hard to breathe. Instinctively, Belinda withdrew, but Aymon moved right with her. He swept over her cheek, whispering in a sweet voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been holding back a long time, wanting to touch you in this form.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I was afraid to face it.¡± That maybe you¡¯d be scared of me. His low-pitched voice brushed against her skin. Belinda pressed down on her chest with her pale hands. Since earlier, her heart had been pounding like it was about to break. She tried to keep it down, hoping and praying that Aymon wouldn¡¯t hear anything. It¡¯s just like a kitten. Just like when he was a kitten! Still, she couldn¡¯t calm herself as he kept touching her, and she began to blush. It felt like she was getting a fever. Whenever he touched her, her shoulders trembled with chills. Why did she feel like this at just a touch? Slowly, a shadow covered her face as Aymon came closer. Ah¡­.! Belinda sped at the bedsheet. Aymon¡¯s elegant eyshes were right in front of her wide-open eyes. As he got even closer, their lips seemed to ovep. ¡°Breedee, can I lick a little?¡± He asked with an innocent face, like a child about to be given candy. Belinda panicked, opened her mouth, and gulped before slightly nodding. Taking it as permission, Aymon smiled and slightly bit her cheek. The yful touch of his lips was soft and hot. Belinda¡¯s heart was burning up, too. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a bit, i-itchy.¡± She tried to gather herself, but her voice was trembling. As different as humans and beasts were, this¡­. I¡¯m nervous. This is so nice. Should I just stay still and pretend not to know? Aymon didn¡¯t seem to know what this kind of contact meant to humans¡­ He did the same thing, licking around, as a young leopard. So, maybe if she pretended to be oblivious, they could have deeper contact. For a moment, she wanted to take advantage of Aymon¡¯s innocence, but it wasn¡¯t right. Tempting the innocent leopard would weigh on her conscience too much. Meanwhile, Aymon kept licking her as if she was sugar. Torn between her instincts and her conscience, Belinda gently pushed him away from her. ¡°Get out of the way for a bit, Aymon. I feel weird¡­¡± Aymon, who¡¯d been nibbling on her cheek, fell off. She could feel his warm body under the cloth, along with his heartbeat, and lowered her hand. Aymon looked up at Belinda and asked her pitifully, like a child who had their candy taken away. ¡°What was that for?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I do more?¡± For some reason, Aymon¡¯s face now reminded her of Mazetto. Just like the sparrow asking her to let his mistakes slide earlier, Aymon¡¯s pretty face tugged at her sense ofpassion. Just as she let Mazetto win at chess, she felt like giving in to Aymon¡¯s beauty. Belinda pulled herself together and shook her head firmly. ¡°You can¡¯t. Stop.¡± Aymon obviously didn¡¯t know. It was clear that he had no idea that doing any more would be a strange act for a human. He really didn¡¯t know that he shouldn¡¯t do the things he did as a baby leopard. Belinda continued, stuttering with a serious face. ¡°Aymon. Later. Later.¡± She meant to exin what these actions meant, but Aymon understood it differently. ¡°Can I do moreter?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°How much? How much more? Hm?¡± He smiled beautifully and buried his face in Belinda¡¯s neck, with the excited expression of a child about to receive an award. His forehead felt hot against her neck. Belinda took a breath and tried to piece together a sentence. ¡°That¡­ How far¡­. Well, at that time, um¡­. Later, bit by bit¡­.¡± Aymonughed. You¡¯re too soft with me. So nice and naive. His quiet muttering didn¡¯t reach Belinda. ¡°Breedee, I¡¯m going to sleep in bed with you today since I¡¯m human.¡± ¡°Uh, sure¡­.¡± Was the bedsheet clumped up? The hard lump against her thigh had been there for a while. ¡°That means I¡¯ll hold you, and you¡¯ll sleep in my arms.¡± Aymon added. ¡°Well, yes¡­.¡± Belinda replied, trembling. They used to sleep together all the time. Of course, back then, it was a baby leopard, and not this person, with her. As she nodded, Aymon lifted himself and looked down at her. He deeply stared into the innocent human eyes and sighed. Aymon grabbed her waist and put her down. The two that had been touching were now getting farther away from each other. Aymon, lying on his back with his head propped up, whispered. ¡°I see you¡¯re still a child.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± He carefully swept aside her hair with a gentle, affectionate touch. Belinda trembled every time she felt him brushing up against her skin. yfully twisting around her hair, Aymon softly smiled. ¡°So I¡¯ll let you off for now.¡± Chapter 48 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°Your Majesty, Princess Adi hase to see you.¡± There was an immediate answer to the servant¡¯s words from inside the office. ¡°Bring her in.¡± Adi¡¯s visits were always a priority for the Emperor. Soon, the princess entered, her dress fluttering. The Emperor was sitting by a window under a tree¡¯s shadow, reading a document. He looked up when he felt her presence. Shortly, a smile appeared on the face of the most powerful man in the Empire. ¡°What a pleasant surprise visit.¡± He said in a cheerful tone. Princess Adi sat down on the sofa with a coy expression. ¡°I came because I¡¯ve been feeling really distant from Your Majestytely. You¡¯re always so busy, it makes me sad.¡± Since the appointment of the new Shinsu chief, the Emperor¡¯s workload had increased in preparation for the inauguration ceremony they¡¯d have to hold. Even if the two parties weren¡¯t close by now, it had always been the Empire¡¯s duty to announce the inauguration of a new chief to the continent. As the Empire¡¯s honor was on the line, it had to be morevish than any other event, meaning the Emperor was so busy he barely even got to sleep. At the princess¡¯s sulky words, he put down his pen, stood up, and sat down opposite Adi. Then he spoke to hernguidly, rubbing his tired eyes. ¡°I was thinking of going on a trip after the event. What do you think, Princess?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adi replied with an exaggerated smile. The Emperor nodded and signaled the servant to pour him tea. ¡°For a trip¡­ How about we go to the North Gerban Penins, Your Majesty? I remember the ice festival there was interesting!¡± Her expression was as excited as it could possibly be. ¡°Wherever you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not a definite promise, is it? I wanted to go right away¡­¡± Adi¡¯s face became gloomier before she continued, fidgeting with her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s just a new chief for the beasts. I don¡¯t understand why you care so much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an event to demonstrate the honor of the Empire, so there can¡¯t be anything missing.¡± The Emperor wasn¡¯t interested in the event either, but it was a matter of imperial pride. Princess Adi pouted and turned towards the servant, giving him an arrogant nod. Quickly recognizing her intention, he bowed and hurried out of the office. Now, the only people in the office were father and daughter. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± Adi leaned forwards slightly, whispering so that no one else could overhear her. ¡°Howe you haven¡¯t been looking for the descendant of Barahantely?¡± The only being that could kill the arrogant beasts. After years of searching, the Emperor¡¯s behavior had changed recently ¨C progressing at a snail¡¯s pace, it looked like he¡¯d let go of his past regrets. This attitude was caused by Belinda¡¯s rtionship with a Shinsu. Well aware of that fact, Adi was even more upset. The imperial family¡¯s power could only increase if the Shinsus¡¯ were destroyed. That way, I will have all the power when I be Empress. Adi was already imagining herself wearing the imperial crown. The Emperor sunk into the sofa and propped up his chin, quietly scanning her face. Adi bit her lips. ¡°Your Majesty. I will find the descendant.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The Emperor¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Once I do, the whole continent will know who the true ruler of the Empire is.¡± Adi¡¯s face was filled with haughty conviction. Destroy the arrogant beasts, take over the throne. That was her grand n. The Emperor looked at his daughter and smiled softly. Didn¡¯t he suggest that in the first ce? He would hand over the throne to the person who found the descendant of Barahan and removed the Shinsu. He stood up and walked over to a portrait on the wall. With a touch at the bottom of the frame, it clicked open to reveal space. After a moment of careful searching, he grabbed the golden key and gracefully ced it onto the puzzled Adi¡¯s palm. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± She looked up at the Emperor, unable to tell what it was. The Emperor turned to the portrait, followed by Adi. It depicted a beautiful man sitting on the throne with the imperial sword. As long as he ruled the Empire, that portrait would hang in the office, just like his father¡¯s before him. He gently swept aside his daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°Adi.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°The search for the descendant of Barahan is now out of my hands.¡± ¡°What?¡± The Emperor justughed at her question. ¡°May it be your portrait hanging here in the future.¡± Adi clutched the key tightly, staring at her father¡¯s portrait. Her cheeks flushed with joy at the thought of it being her one day. *** The season was slowly passing by, the wind felt warmer, and the color of the garden¡¯s flowers changed. Belinda stretched out, looking up at the sky. It was the day of the hunting contest. The Empire¡¯s huntingpetition in the Shinsu forest was only held twice a year. Although hunting outside the capital was a daily routine, everyone was in high spirits for one of the rare times that the Shinsu forest, full of rare nts and animals, opened. The Shinsu hated hunting, but they decided to show their respect for human culture by allowing ess about twice a year. Although they didn¡¯t get along very well with humans, the tolerance required to live in harmony remained. Belinda was sitting on a ledge with Lucy as the Emperor gave a short speech. Mazetto was off eating snacks ¨C he didn¡¯t want toe because human hunting was too scary and cruel for him. Aymon, who was probably somewhere in the woods, wasn¡¯t around either. Belinda¡¯s daily life was pretty dull without her two animal friends. Pretending to listen to the speech, she turned her head and yawned. How boring¡­. I¡¯m sure no one will dedicate their prey to me this year either. It had been more than a decade since she¡¯d entered the pce, and though she¡¯d adapted to imperial life in her own way, there was still an insurmountable gap in status between Belinda and the royal family. When Belinda and Adi were together, all the nobles knew very well who to stand behind. Once again, Belinda wouldn¡¯t receive any of the prey. There will be a whole pile of deer and rabbits in front of Adi. Well, as always. By then, the Emperor¡¯s speech was over. The nobles gathered before him, also on a white horse, with their horses. ¡°Begin the hunt!¡± He shouted, grabbing his reins. The sound of hooves against the ground covered the field. Belinda went on fanning herself, unimpressed. As she turned her head, her eyes met the rider of a brown horse. It was Duke Phillip Rodson. He¡¯d been staring at her for some time. Is he looking at me? Belinda looked around before nodding as a greeting. Then, he turned away and followed behind the rest of the party. What was that? Belinda leaned forward to see him disappearing into the forest. After the hunters were gone, those who stayed behind also began with their own entertainment. Belinda watched the clown¡¯s performance and listened to the music as people gathered in small groups to drink tea and talk. Belinda also talked with some noblewomen, making sure to avoid Adi. A countess, who had been fiddling with herrge pearl ring, spoke. ¡°There are rumors that elephants were brought up from the southern kingdoms for the event¡­ Do you think it¡¯s true?¡± A duchess, standing opposite, folded away her fan with surprise. ¡°Elephants? How big are they?¡± ¡°His Majesty has announced that he will hold a banquet more spectacr than ever before.¡± ¡°So, he may¡­.¡± The duchess nodded with a faint smile. It was a golden age, with the imperial treasury richer than ever and no shortage in finance. The Emperor had publicly dered a banquet for the new Shinsu chief. The fragility of the rtionship between the Shinsu and the royal family was a truth that hadn¡¯t been revealed, and the banquet would be a stepping stone for improving rtions. The key to finding the descendant of Barahan had been handed over to Adi, but that was just thest piece ¨C a possibility that had to be guarded. For now, the focus was restoring rtions with the Shinsu, led by Belinda. Belinda had an odd expression. Shinsu, chief ¨C those words were familiar but unfamiliar at the same time. Just yesterday, she was with the exact Shinsu they were talking about, but whenever he came up in conversations, Belinda felt as if she didn¡¯t know him at all. The countess lowered her head to whisper something. ¡°Oh, speaking of that, there¡¯s been a strange rumor in the pce¡­¡± ¡°What rumor?¡± She carefully asked after looking around. ¡°There are rumors that someone saw a big ck leopard in the pce. It was so fast that the shape wasn¡¯t clear, but a servant saw it a few days ago. Near the temple.¡± That temple was right next to the guest pce. Belinda lifted up her ss to awkwardly cover her face. The ck panther they were talking about must have been Aymon. How could he have gotten caught when he was supposed to be so good at hiding? Well, it would be more difficult to hide with hisrge size than when he was a baby leopard. Come to think of it, it was amazing that they¡¯d kept the secret for so long. It was only possible because the few maids she did have wouldn¡¯t talk, and Lucy, her personal maid, was trustworthy. Belinda stared over at the forest, thinking of Aymon, who was probably deep inside. As the hunt continued, the sound of the hounds and hunting whistles rang out over them. Chapter 49 Trantor/editor: ruby How long had it been? Thedies standing around on the grass all went back to their seats, including Belinda. ¡°Lucy, how about a summer vacation to Coral? The valley there is pretty.¡± She asked, taking Lucy¡¯s hand. ¡°That sounds nice. But will it be okay for me to go?¡± ¡°Yeah, why wouldn¡¯t it?¡± The Emperor and the other royal family members said they would travel to the Gerban penins after the event. Of course, that had nothing to do with Belinda. Neither she nor they wanted her to hang around like an uninvited guest. The Empress and Princess Adi, in particr, would obviously not be pleased. It would be a thousand times better to travel with Lucy than sit around in some unttering ce trying to be polite. Belinda concluded to herself, nodding. Meanwhile, the sound of the approaching hounds got louder. The first group seemed to be back, their white and ck horses popping out of the forest. It was Prince Lart in the lead, with a red cape around his shoulders, looking excited. He hurriedly got off his horse and walked up to Belinda. Well, not precisely to Belinda. He was interested in her maid, Esteemed Daughter of Count Herb, Lucy. ¡°A gift for Lady Herb.¡± He said in an uncharacteristically serious voice. He easily lost hisposure among themselves but evidently was able to uphold his manners as a prince. With a gesture, he carefullyid down the fox with glossy red fur. The nobles started a silent conversation with their looks. The Prince was giving a gift to a count¡¯s daughter, not to mention one that was pushed out to serve a neglected princess? Whatever his character, Lart was the Crown Prince of the empire, meaning he¡¯d be the next Emperor. A duke who usually coveted his position took a breath, and the Empress and Princess Adi¡¯s expressions hardened. Lucy, perplexed, stood up. Even after expressing her gratitude, she could barely bring herself to straighten back up. Lart might not have been good at understanding social cues, but he wasn¡¯tpletely tactless. Knowing that Lucy¡¯s thanks marked his exit, he frowned and got back onto his horse. ¡°I will catch a better game in the future.¡± He headed back to the hunting grounds but was stopped by Adi grabbing his horse¡¯s reins. ¡°Lart, did you forget about me? How disappointing.¡± She said, approaching before he knew it. There was a firm reproach in her grumbling voice. Lart took a look around, got off his horse, and walked with Adi. The two¡¯s conversation continued in a whisper after a few steps. ¡°Lart, what was that?¡± ¡°What was what?¡± ¡°You gave the animal you caught to Belinda¡¯s maid.¡± Adi said in a knife-sharp tone, though still smiling. Lartfortably sat down on a rug andughed. ¡°Her name is Lucy Herb, not Belinda¡¯s maid.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me that vulgar name.¡± ¡°Vulgar? She could be the next Empress.¡± ¡°What?!¡± This time, her voice got a little louder. Adi aggressively fanned her face, though the heat rising to her head was evident. Fiddling with his dirty sleeve, Lart alsoid bare his thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell the Emperor that I have her in mind.¡± ¡°You what?¡± Adi¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know about how I feel? I thought you¡¯d notice for sure since we¡¯re twins.¡± How was I supposed to know, idiot! Princess Adi stopped herself from screaming out her thoughts, clenching her fan. Really, this had nothing to do with who Lart liked. He would remain a shielded prince until she became Empress. Yes. If he was going to be the crown prince, maybe he¡¯d be better off marrying into a mixed-blood family than a high-ranking noble one. But more importantly¡­. That lowly thing was Belinda¡¯s attendant. The royal family bing involved with her in such a strange manner would be unpleasant. Adi swallowed her mounting irritation andughed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? Then I wouldn¡¯t have been this surprised.¡± The Empress, who¡¯d been listening in, also probed in with a low voice. ¡°Prince. You can have as much fun as you¡¯d like, but you have to be careful in public.¡± Lart stretched out andughed. ¡°Fun? You must not know how often I rush off to the guest pce to win her heart, Mother!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Adi again internally screamed at Lart¡¯s rxed words. Not know about it?! There are many more important things to do than keeping track of you! Even if she had two bodies, searching for Barahan¡¯s descendant would¡¯ve been too much. But she couldn¡¯t say that. Adi internally let out a disapproving sigh. Let¡¯s calm down and think through this step by step. All that isn¡¯t really right. Lucy Herb was from a mixed-blood family. There was no way that such poison would benefit the prince. Positioning love before power was simple nonsense. It was self-exnatory that she¡¯d be the one to benefit from it. Even if the Emperor chooses me as his sessor, there might be objections, right? It didn¡¯t take much thought to see whose position would be stronger ¨C Lart, married into a crumbling count¡¯s family, versus herself, with a powerful man. She¡¯d even have a strong backing against the Shinsu while looking for Barahan¡¯s descendant in the future. Soon, Adi sat down beside Lart, now with a more rxed face. ¡°Anyways, you know His Majesty won¡¯t be satisfied with this, right? No matter how¡­ No matter how free-spirited you are, there are things you can¡¯t do that easily.¡± She said in her usual whisper. Adi inwardlyughed at her twin and lowered her eyebrows, pretending to be worried. By ¡°free-spirited¡±, she really just meant ¡°an idiot who didn¡¯t think before acting¡±. ¡°But even so, I¡¯ll always be on your side, Lart.¡± ¡°She buried her thoughts that slithered around like snakes at the bottom of her heart.¡± Stupid boy. See, you¡¯re not cut out to be Emperor. Lart just smiled, cheerful as usual. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, Adi. Thanks for worrying about me.¡± Adi nodded with a smile, unaware that she wasn¡¯t talking to the foolish and weak Lart she used to know. The sun gradually traveled over the sky, and the sound of horses began to approach from the forest. Everyone seemed to be returning from the hunt. The Emperor was in the lead, his grinning face still looking like a young man¡¯s. He was the first to ride up to the Empress, blond hair waving in the wind. ¡°Empress.¡± He smiled without saying much. With a simple gesture, he called over his attendant and arge ck deer, with horns like a beautiful tree, was ced down. Many nobles began to p. ¡°Empress, it looks like I still have my skills.¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing, Your Majesty. A deer this big.¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to stuff it and send it to Duke Lucen. What do you think?¡± ¡°That would be an infinite honor, Your Majesty.¡± Duke Lucen was the Empress¡¯s rtive. She bowed, rejoicing at the affection that the Emperor was publicly showing her. While they conversed, thest group started to arrive, just before sunset. The lively-faced children of nobles entered the hunting grounds with their game, including martens, small roe deer, and birds. Some devoted their prey to their lovers, some older ones to their fianc¨¦e, and most without a lover or fianc¨¦e devoted it to Princess Adi. They look like they¡¯re having a good time. Belinda watched the scene as if she was a spectator at the theater. She¡¯d always been excluded, so the alienation was natural and familiar. She sighed, stretching out in boredom. A murmur began to be heard from the edges of the hunting grounds. As Belinda looked up over the crowd, she saw arge ck bear on a cart. ¡°Princess, someone must have caught a bear!¡± Belinda also perked up. Catching a predator was extremely rare in hunting contests. But¡­ Why are theying this way? She was surprised to notice that it wasing towards her. It was a new situation. It was the first time someone had devoted their prey to her, and she didn¡¯t even know what expression to have. The great hunter finally appeared. It was Phillip Rodson. He smiled at Belinda, not a single hair out of ce. ¡°A gift for the Empire¡¯s beautiful star, the Princess.¡± He got down onto one knee. It was dead quiet. Even the Emperor didn¡¯t open his mouth, and the nobles just looked at each other with curious eyes. It was already surprising that Duke Phillip had such great ability, but he also devoted his prey to Belinda, not the Empress or Adi. Phillip Rodson¡¯s attitude seemed to have one meaning ¨C courtesy and likability. What happened? The Emperor broke the silent confusion with a loudugh. ¡°Today¡¯s winner is Duke Rodson. I thought I had it in the bag with my deer!¡± His voice was filled with happiness. He approached Phillip, who didn¡¯t raise his head, with a cheerful smile. Instead of telling him to look up, he talked to himself humorously. ¡°Well, I guess Belinda isn¡¯t only pretty in my eyes.¡± The Duke was more eager about her hair. The huntingpetition seemed to have ended. Without question, the winner would be Phillip Rodson, who caught a ck bear. Furthermore, it was evident that Belinda would be viewed quite differently now. Everyone knew that Duke Rodson¡¯s family was a great one that would seed the royals, and the fact that their heir offered his prey to Belinda was significant. Right as the Emperor was going to pick up the trophy, there was amotion in the background. ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Sporadic screams were heard as the people in the back lost their bnce. Those who looked back were soon screaming as well. A giant ck leopard was slowly walking through the crowd. The people¡¯s eyes zed over with fear. Knights pulled out their swords, and the nobles their bows. However, they were forced to lower their weapons upon seeing the spirit stone embedded in the leopard¡¯s forehead. It wasn¡¯t just any animal. It was a Shinsu. Chapter 50 Trantor/editor: ruby The beast walked through the crowd with fluid movements, like a shadow. People lowered their heads as he passed but looked after his tracks as he went on. Expectant gazes following behind his footsteps, the hunting grounds were already frozen in stillness. The ck leopard stopped next to Belinda. The Emperor lowered his head. ¡°I wee Shinsu, the great protector of the Empire.¡± Only then did the heavy air break. Following the Emperor, all the nobles bowed down to the ground. ¡°I wee Shinsu, the great protector of the Empire.¡± ¡°I wee Shinsu.¡± The servants, lying t on the floor, trembled. Aymon looked around and approached Belinda, who was looking up at him from her chair. He slowly settled down, resting his chin on her thigh. The ck beast curled up in front of a human woman on the grass. ¡¸I¡¯m here. The prey you caught.¡¹ There was pin-drop silence. There were some gasps and widened eyes at the word ¡°prey¡±. Like a habit, Belinda patted his head with a bemused face. She was d about Aymon¡¯s sudden appearance, but she didn¡¯t know what kind of ¡°official¡± attitude she should have towards the great Shinsu. All the same, the situation was questionable. The Emperor was no different. The sight of a Shinsu as a big ck beast caught his eye. ¡°The prey you caught¡­. Does that mean Belinda has captured you?¡± The Emperor said, not sure whether it was a question or a joke. Aymon slowly blinked and rubbed his face against Belinda¡¯s waist. ¡¸Of course, from the very beginning till now.¡¹ The crowd stirred again. What could the Shinsu mean? The nobles looked around, trying to assess the situation. The Emperor¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Then today¡¯s victory must belong to Princess Belinda.¡± Instead of answering, Aymon closed his eyes and enjoyed Belinda¡¯s touch. He didn¡¯t seem to mind being treated as prey by the Emperor. Aymon being here and showing up to this uselesspetition was all because of Belinda. He remembered her words that she felt bad because no one would devote their prey to her. So he always wished to grow up. He dreamed of today when he could be her prey. Bigger, nobler, and more dashing than any other beast. The Emperor returned to his seat and called over a servant. After a loud blow of a horn, the tumultuous crowd quieted down again. ¡°Let¡¯s announce the winner of this hunt.¡± The Emperor spoke in a pleasant voice and nced around. Everyone gulped. ¡°Belinda Ryn Athez. I am pleased to announce that my eldest daughter is the winner of the huntingpetition.¡± ¡°I dere Belinda Ryn Athez the winner!¡± The servant shouted. Cheerful music filled the field. ¡°Congrattions, Princess!¡± ¡°Honor to the glorious victor!¡± The crowd erupted in praise. Belinda stayed in her seat with a puzzled face, only getting up when Lucy gave her a signal. With Aymon rubbing against her legs, she awkwardly waved at the crowd. What the hell is going on here? I must be out of my mind. All I wanted was a single piece of game devoted to me, and now I¡¯m the winner. It was all thanks to a big Shinsu, who was now licking the back of her leg. The nobles were shouting praise. However, they were prevented froming close by Aymon, lying at her feet. He¡¯d growl and show his fangs instantly. Meanwhile, the Emperor called over the man next to him. His faithful aide, the Duke of Marche, humbly bowed. ¡°Have you ever seen a princess who hunted Shinsu?¡± He whispered to his ear. ¡°No, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Watch carefully. That¡¯s exactly what my daughter does.¡± She deserved praise for being a princess with a sacred n under her feet. It was an unprecedented event. Everyone congratted her happily. Although the unfamiliar situation flustered them, their celebration was genuine. There were only two people whose faces were downcast ¨C Princess Adi and Phillip Rodson. In particr, the always-rxed Phillip now felt the humiliation unique to those with injured pride. With his noble status, exceptional looks, and rxed, virtuous personality, he was a duke worthy of praise. He didn¡¯t expect the situation facing him while he returned triumphantly with his prey. He should have yed the role in saving the lowly princess that was circling in the abyss. Merely an insignificant being¡­ Phillip¡¯s smile was wiped off his face for a long time. A few steps away from him, Adi smiled as she looked at his expression and approached him. ¡°Well¡­ You should have just devoted it to me.¡± She was referring to the ck bear he devoted to Belinda. Phillip stared at her calmly, and she put down her ss with a smirk. ¡°I like you, Phillip. Your useless stubbornness and handsome face.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just imagine, Phillip. The things you¡¯d get for marrying a princess.¡± Adi pointed at herself and left without hesitation. ¡°Of course, a true noble-blooded princess, not a mixed-blooded one.¡± Phillip stared at her retreating figure. Soon, another crowd filled the space she left. He might not have won, but he recalled Adi¡¯s words amid the praise he got for catching the ck bear. ¡°¡­..¡± He smiled and raised his ss. The banquet had started. Belinda rubbed Aymon¡¯s nose. The nobles all dispersed to congratte people, leaving Aymon and Belinda alone. Comfortably sitting on arge rug, Belinda was still worried. ¡°Aymon, is this okay?¡± ¡¸Is what okay?¡¹ He answered roughly without opening his eyes. He nudged her with his face, protesting theck of pets. ¡°You said the elders would scold you if they saw you around humans.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ Only then did he open his eyes. ¡¸Breedee, have you forgotten who I am?¡¹ ¡°You¡¯re you. Aymon.¡± ¡¸Not that.¡¹ ¡°Aymon Arkin.¡± ¡¸¡­..Not that either.¡¹ Aymon pressed his head into her waist, forcing her to answer. Stroking him, she finally squeezed out the answer he wanted to hear. ¡°The great chief?¡± ¡¸There you go.¡¹ He responded coolly, tickling her ankle with his tail. Belinda pulled away with a surprised shriek. ¡¸I don¡¯t care about others¡¯ interests anymore. Whether human or Shinsu.¡¹ ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll be able toe in and out of the pce?¡± His tail crept up her calf. Startled again, Belinda held her dress down. Him, stealthily moving under her clothes, was quite unusual. When stopped, Aymon brought his tail back down, defeated, and wrapped it around her ankle again. ¡¸Of course. Why would you doubt that?¡¹ Aymon gently knocked her back and hovered over her, softly biting her exposed shoulder. Belinda opened her eyes and rxed. Even just Aymon¡¯s head was very heavy. ¡¸I¡¯ll go into your room at night too.¡¹ His rough tongue brushed against Belinda¡¯s supple skin. She rubbed his cheek. ¡°Good. It would be hard to sneak around otherwise because you¡¯re so big now. Hasn¡¯t it been difficult?¡± She said in a cheerful voice,ughing. Aymon stopped. ¡¸Because you¡¯re this innocent¡­.¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¸Because you keep epting me like this¡­. My habits are getting worse.¡¹ Belinda gently patted him. ¡°So what if your habits are a bit bad. As long as you don¡¯t eat me.¡± If Aymon failed to control his strength in a yful bite, he could probably devour her in a single bite. Aymon buried his face in her neck, sniffing and rubbing. ¡¸You smell so delicious, though.¡¹ ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t eat me.¡± ¡¸Did I really?¡¹ Aymon answered shamelessly as his soft hair kept tickling her. Eventually, she pushed him off. ¡°Liar.¡± ¡¸That¡¯s right. I¡¯m also good at changing my words around.¡¹ When she pushed back his snout as hard as she could, he finally fell back. Belinda could see everything now. She felt very good. Her world seemed brilliant with this ck leopard in it. Meanwhile, Prince Lart, watching them from a distance, whispered to Lucy. ¡°Lucy.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Those two. Well¡­. Those two.¡± Lart¡¯s eyes were fixed on them. ¡°Are they in a rtionship like that?¡± Lucy shot him a look. Didn¡¯t you know that? However, she soon smiled again. ¡°Maybe not. They haven¡¯t said anything, but based on their actions¡­..¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? I think they¡¯ve forgotten where they are.¡± Someone else might not have recognized it, but Lart could easily see what was between the two. Chapter 51 Trantor/editor: ruby Lart got lost in thought for a moment. A Shinsu and a royal were lovers¡­. They didn¡¯t even seem to want to keep it a secret, at that. Belinda, his half-sister, and Aymon, the Shinsu who appeared to be her lover. His rtionship with the two of them may have started badly, but now, they were close enough to allow him ess to the guest pce without fuss. It would be very helpful if I became the emperor. To be the next emperor, he¡¯d have to win a battle against the existing forces. Maybe this rtionship would prove useful then. Thinking of that day, Lart nodded with a serious look. *** ¡°Why is this progressing so slowly?!¡± Adi threw her fan angrily, watching it roll away on the floor after hitting the Count. She took another quick breath. She thought she could easily find Barahan¡¯s descendant and win the Emperor¡¯s trust, but people with blonde hair and golden eyes were few and far between. It wasn¡¯t nearly as easy as she¡¯d thought, and her secret proceedings slowed things down even further. The Count bent over to pick up the fan and held it out politely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess. I will try harder.¡± Adi, now alone after he left, fanned her hot face. She recalled seeing the lowly princess with a Shinsu a few days ago, along with the Emperor¡¯s eyes looking at her. This couldn¡¯t be. There needed to be a turnaround. Belinda Ryn Athez. She hated her from the first moment and never epted her as a sister. Belinda¡¯s existence was intrusive, no, maddening. At first, she didn¡¯t like her humble origins, which demeaned the royal family, and her pretending to be elegant and regal. Not to mention, half her blood was that of a lowlymoner. ¡°How do you dare¡­¡± Adi threw her fan at the mirror. ¡°I¡¯m from the true line of descent. I¡¯m the only princess of the Empire.¡± Still looking at herself in the mirror, she shouted out the door. ¡°Get my things ready! I¡¯m going to visit Duke Rodson.¡± To secretly find Barahan¡¯s descendant, and to officially have Duke Rodson in her hands ¨C that was Adi¡¯s goal. To start with what she could do, Adi grabbed the hand of the maid who was brushing her hair. *** ¡°This vacation won¡¯t be easy.¡± Belinda said to Lucy in a somber voice. They¡¯d been nning to go on a summer vacation together, but everything fell t when the Emperor called her in a few days ago. ¡°Breedee, we¡¯re going on a trip to the northern Gerban Penins. Get ready for it.¡± It was the first time she would go on a vacation with the royal family. ¡°We have to go to the Gerban Penins with the royal family for an ice festival.¡± Of course, she wasn¡¯t very happy about the prospect. She¡¯d have to endure Adi¡¯s and the Empress¡¯s death gazes, and it would be more like torture than a vacation. Fortunately, Lucy could apany her as a maid. Her improved rtionship with Lart was also somewhatforting. Lart will love this. He¡¯d be over the moon to find out that he was going on a trip with Lucy and call it a blessing from the heavens. Mazetto popped out from the bucket he was washing himself in. ¡°Me too! I¡¯m going too!¡± ¡°Huh? Mazetto? You want toe?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m going with you! To the north! To see ice!¡± He left prints on the floor every time he hopped and shouted. ¡°Will you be able to stand not being able to talk?¡± ¡°Yes! I can! I¡¯m good at that! I¡¯ming!¡± Belinda smiled and carefully wiped off his wet feathers. She thought to ask about his sparrow girlfriend but stopped herself. Recently, Mazetto had been visiting the pce more often, didn¡¯t talk about his girlfriend, and more importantly, looked very gloomy for a few days. More talkative and fussy than anyone, he was deeply mncholic, helplessly chirping at the sky. They must have broken up. Were breakups hard for sparrows, just like for humans? Belinda dried him off more carefully than usual and handed the wet cloth to the maid. ¡°By the way, Mazetto. Is Aymon at home?¡± Aymon¡¯s visits had be more sporadic again. She couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on, so she asked Mazetto, whose nest was close to where Aymon lived. He stopped fiddling with his feathers and looked up. ¡°I think he went to Sam!¡± ¡°Sam?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! But could he be back already? Mazetto will go check!¡± Mazetto suddenly flew out the window, and Belinda¡¯s attempts to catch him were futile. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you to go right away¡­.¡± A few hourster, he returned. Traveling to the forest and back twice in a day was too much for a tiny sparrow. Exhausted, he sat on Belinda¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Aymon is at home.¡± He said in a lifeless whisper. Suddenly feeling sorry for him, Belinda hurriedly fetched him some sugar cubes. After a few pecks, heid down. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy. Can I sleep here?¡± ¡°Of course. Whatever you want.¡± Belinda replied affectionately, gently rubbing the small sparrow¡¯s head with her fingertips. Mazetto had never slept at the pce before, but strangely, it put her in a good mood. Mazetto roughly finished off the sugar and had some water before flying over to Belinda¡¯s bed to plop down on the pillow. ¡°I like it here. I¡¯ll sleep here.¡± He quickly fell asleep. His white feathers fluttered in the winding in. Belinda shut the window and covered his body with a small handkerchief. ¡°You cute little thing.¡± She carefully brushed some sugar off his beak andid down next to the bed, afraid to crush Mazetto in her sleep. ¡°Good night.¡± She whispered inaudibly before closing her eyes. The next day, Belinda went into the Shinsu forest by herself. She was nning a surprise visit because she missed Aymon so much she couldn¡¯t bear it. Mazetto, sitting on her shoulder, chirped away in a good mood. ¡°Let¡¯s visit my nestter! I worked very hard on it!¡± After a good while ying with Belinda¡¯s hair, the continuous movement made him doze off. ¡°Mazetto, isn¡¯t it better to fly?¡± She asked, taking him into her palm. ¡°Mazetto isfortable. I had a very tiring day yesterday.¡± He said, settling down on her palm. Belinda walked on, now with the sleeping sparrow in her hand. After a long walk, she reached the border of the strawberry bushes. The boundary that Aymon set. Belinda looked down at the sleeping bird in agony. Crossing the limit was dangerous. The human body wasn¡¯t equipped to handle it. She could ask Mazetto to fetch Aymon¡­ But he was sleeping so soundly that she¡¯d have felt bad waking him up. She sat down and decided to wait for a little while to see if Mazetto woke up by himself. She brushed through the wild flowers with her hand to kill some time. Then, she heard a crunching sound. A beast was approaching. She soon rxed her tense shoulders. Surely, a normal animal wouldn¡¯t dare approach a ce with Aymon¡¯s traces. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t a mountain animal that came out. It was a giant brown leopard with spots that suddenly appeared. Judging from the spirit stone on his forehead, he was clearly a Shinsu. ¡°Ack!¡± Belinda leaped back, startled. Mazetto also woke up. ¡°What? What is it? What happened all of sudden?¡± He flew up and screamed again when he saw the leopard in front of him. ¡°Shanti!¡± He recognized him but didn¡¯t seem to be pleased. The Shinsu scoured them with an intrigued look, approaching Belinda. ¡¸Oh, I see a small snack with an even smaller snack!¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m not an even smaller snack! I¡¯m a sparrow!¡± Mazetto squeaked fearlessly. Belinda was not so fearless. Maybe because it wasn¡¯t Aymon, she was shivering like a mouse. The creature facing her was a beast before he was a Shinsu, a beast even among beasts. A human couldn¡¯t be bold in front of an opponent who could kill them with a single swipe. Shanti stopped in front of her with a smile. ¡¸You¡¯re a royal, aren¡¯t you? The one who attended our ceremony.¡¹ Only then could Belinda muster a nod. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± He might have recognized her, but she didn¡¯t recognize him. In the eyes of a human, all the Shinsu looked the same with their muscled build and brown fur. Aymon was an exception. ¡¸It¡¯s hard to distinguish you humans since you all look the same. You don¡¯t smell like Aymon. Howe he hasn¡¯t imprinted you yet?¡¹ While Belinda wondered about the meaning of that word, the leopardughed. ¡¸Hi. We metst time, but I¡¯m Shanti.¡¹ ¡°Hi. We metst time, but I¡¯m Belinda. Belinda Ryn Athez.¡± ¡¸Why did youe all this way? Are you here to eat strawberries?¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m looking for Aymon.¡± Shanti sniffed her as she stiffened up. He wagged his tail, muttering to himself. ¡¸Meet him? But he¡¯s dangerous now since he¡¯s out of control. Well¡­ It¡¯s not my business.¡¹ Shanti circled her busily. Chapter 52 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡¸You smell good, though. Delicious.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Belinda quickly turned pale. A leopard circling her was enough to be nerve-racking, but a leopard who thought she smelled delicious? She¡¯d been friends with Aymon for long enough to trust him, but that didn¡¯t apply to Shanti. That Shinsu was obviously a meat-eating beast. Belinda pulled Mazetto to her face, whispering so that Shanti wouldn¡¯t hear her question. ¡°Mazetto, have you ever seen a Shinsu eat a human?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! I heard they hated the smell of humans!¡± Despite Belinda¡¯s best efforts, Shanti interrupted, understanding the conversation. ¡¸I¡¯ve never tried, but maybe I should now that I have the opportunity?¡¹ ¡°¡­..¡± Belinda could only gape in bewilderment. Shanti erupted inughter. ¡¸I¡¯m kidding! What do you need Aymon for, anyway?¡¹ Some couldugh so flippantly while another¡¯s life was at stake. Belinda pulled away her arms, full of goosebumps. ¡°Shanti, can you take me to see Aymon by any chance?¡± ¡¸That won¡¯t be difficult, but Aymon always starts acting weird when he gets back from Sam. Um, will that be okay?¡¹ ¡°Will that be okay?¡± For a moment, worry passed through Shanti¡¯s childlike, yful eyes, but he soon mmed down on the ground with his front paw. ¡¸Good! Screw it, let¡¯s have a little fun! You get on too, sparrow!¡¹ Shanti bent down with an excited expression, seemingly inviting them to get on his back. After a brief hesitation, Belinda got on. ¡°My name is Mazetto! Belinda named me that!¡± Mazetto flew onto Belinda¡¯s shoulder, screaming in protest. The leopard set off into the forest. A twig scratched Belinda¡¯s calf every time they passed under a tree. She sped onto Shanti¡¯s fur to keep herself from falling off. As he ran through the trees, Shanti didn¡¯t stop talking. ¡¸Are all humans this light?¡¹ ¡°Maybe? They¡¯re smaller than Shinsu, after all.¡± Belinda replied, squinting her eyes in the face of the cold wind. Aymon weighed so much, even just taking his front paws¡­ In the eyes of a Shinsu like that, she would probably seem very light. ¡¸When did you meet Aymon? It didn¡¯t seem like you first saw each other at the ceremony.¡¹ ¡°We just happened to grow close as kids.¡± Belinda gave an insincere answer. All her energy focused on hanging on to Shanti. However, he didn¡¯t stop talking. He was surely born talkative. ¡¸Is this as big as you¡¯re going to get? Has Aymon not imprinted you yet because you¡¯re this small?¡¹ I¡¯m not that small. And all grown up, too. It¡¯s you Shinsu that are ignorant. ¡°What¡¯s imprinting?¡± Belinda asked back. ¡¸What?! You don¡¯t even know what imprinting is yet? I see there¡¯s a reason Aymon still hasn¡¯t done it!¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± The leopard sped up even more. Belinda grabbed on tighter, so shaken that she couldn¡¯t even remember the conversation. This never happened when Aymon was giving her a ride. At that moment, she realized just how considerate he was of her. ¡°Aigoo! Aigooooo! The sparrow is dying!¡± Mazetto shouted, tightly clutching onto Belinda¡¯s hair with his feet. Eventually, he flew away, unable to withstand the shaking. ¡°Mazetto is leaving! See youter, Belinda!¡± ¡­.Good on you. Belinda looked at him enviously and readjusted her grip. It was good to have a fast and safe means of transport, but it was very ufortable. After some more shaking on Shanti¡¯s back, they arrived before she knew it. ¡¸We¡¯re here, human! Ah, what did you say your name was?¡¹ Shanti asked, bending down. He must have forgotten already. ¡°Belinda Ryn Athez. Aymon calls me Breedee.¡± Belinda murmured, covering her mouth as she nauseously got off his back. ¡¸Got it, Breedee!¡¹ Belinda took a breath and rearranged her crumpled dress, brushing off bits of leaves and Shanti¡¯s fur. As she stared at the brown leopard, someone swooped over him. He fell to the ground with a thump, Aymon tightly pinning him down. Shanti grunted. ¡°Ack!¡± Belinda clung to the nearest tree in surprise. Suddenly, the difference in size between the intertwined leopards became clear. Shanti uttered out a greeting from under the giant ck animal. ¡¸What¡¯s up, Chief?¡¹ Because of Aymon¡¯s tight grip, his voice cracked. Aymon kept his cold gaze on him as if he was being stripped apart. However, Shanti ¨C who faced such an attack ¨C somehow didn¡¯t seem too scared. It was as if he had anticipated the reaction. ¡¸What¡¯s with the sudden anger! It¡¯s not like I was hunting down that Breedee human!¡¹ Shanti cried, wagging his tail. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸She came to see you, so I kindly guided her here!¡¹ Only then did Aymon slightly rx his grip. As much as Shanti tried to push him away, he didn¡¯t budge. ¡¸Who do you think you are?¡¹ Aymon roared. ¡¸Huh?¡¹ ¡¸Who do you think you are to call her that?¡¹ His hold tightened again. Shanti struggled to get himself out as Aymon pressed down on him harder. ¡¸That hurts! Ow! I said it hurts!¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s ¡®Belinda¡¯.¡¹ There was a bluish twinkle in Aymon¡¯s eyes as if he was about to bite down on his neck. ¡¸What?¡¹ ¡¸I said it¡¯s ¡®Belinda¡¯.¡¹ Only then did Shanti realize what he meant. ¡¸What the heck? Was it just that? Okay, okay, I won¡¯t use your pet name!¡¹ After that answer, Aymon finally rxed. Shanti pulled himself out as soon as Aymon¡¯s grip loosened and distanced himself from him, finally taking a breath. He might not have been able to outfight him, but he could at least outrun him at this distance. ¡¸Thug!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸You jerk of a thug!¡¹ He shouted with resentment, but to no reaction. Shanti shouted at him again, with somewhat less angry eyes. ¡¸What is it? Huh?¡¹ ¡¸¡­..¡¹ Aymon was still silent. Shanti backed away, scratching the ground with his front paw as if Aymon had beat him down with his gaze. ¡¸I came in the first ce because I wanted to see something like that¡­ But aren¡¯t you going overboard? Either way, Chief, it¡¯s only Belinda or whatever the human¡¯s name is that¡¯s going to end up dead because of your possessiveness. ¡¹ Angrily groaning to himself, Shanti disappeared over the grass, followed by hisints that no one would hear. Are you avoiding me because you¡¯re scared? Because you¡¯re the chief. What a¡­ The murmurs grew farther away. An awkward silence settled in among just the two of them, standing among the bushes in front of Aymon¡¯s mansion. It was always Aymon who ran over and rubbed against her, calling her name, first. The leopard, standing as tall as a mountain, felt like the most unfamiliar creature in the world. Why did she feel this overwhelming pressure all over her body? Belinda walked towards him, step by step. The afternoon sun hung over the bushes as she approached the beast, beautifully basking in the light. ¡°Aymon, am I not supposed toe here?¡± ¡¸¡­..¡¹ As Aymon stared at her, not giving an answer, she licked her lips tensely. His eyes followed the tip of her tongue before it disappeared. ¡°I came here, but you didn¡¯t even say hi¡­¡± Belinda carefully reached out and rubbed his cheek. She hesitated with the thought of being an uninvited guest, but Aymon always liked to be petted. Aymon let out a breath and rubbed against her palm. The childlike Shanti would have, no doubt, gaped at the sight. ¡¸It¡¯s not that¡­. It¡¯s dangerous.¡¹ He closed his eyes and kept rubbing against her. The heat of her body was too nice to endure. Aymon breathed out again. It looked like he was letting go of all his ring emotions. The heat in his eyes rose every time she brushed by. ¡°What¡¯s dangerous?¡± ¡¸I am. To you.¡¹ Aymon answered, closing his eyes. The ck fur under Belinda¡¯s hand disappeared, and with a fragrant breeze, a beautiful young man with broad shoulders took the beast¡¯s ce. Belinda fell back, squeezed against his body. He let out a long breath, looking down at her. ¡°It¡¯s hard to control.¡± Aymon¡¯s face was scarily devoid of emotion, scanning Belinda. Only then did she see the uneasiness in his eyes. Aymon pulled away her hand and buried his face in it. ¡°Don¡¯t stain your body with the smell of another beast, Breedee.¡± In contrast to his soft voice, Aymon had a sly atmosphere to him. Those eyes were probably the reason her whole body was shaking. He stared down at her like he was about to eat her up. ¡°The wait will be very hard if you act like this.¡± Aymon continued, slightly biting her hand. Belinda awkwardly froze. In his animal form, he was easy to approach, but like this, she was careful in just moving a finger. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Belinda had no choice but to ask about his vague words, as he¡¯d been saying these mysterious things since earlier. ¡°To leave an imprint on your body.¡± Aymon smiled, grabbing her wrist. There was a bright red sunset burning in his eyes. Strangely, the soft voice sent a shiver up her spine. Aymon hovered over her, casting a dim shadow. Under the hazy light, he was smiling. Their eyes met as he lowered himself. Belinda, blinking with tension, forced out a thin voice. ¡°What¡¯s an imprint¡­.?¡± ¡°Are you curious about that?¡± He said in a quiet tone, like a calmke. Perhaps because of the distance between them, Belinda¡¯s heart started to beat harder. Aymon¡¯s smile grew broader. He put his finger against hers and tightly squeezed it. He slowly lowered his face, looking into her eyes. ¡°An imprint is putting two bodies together like this.¡± His steady gaze touched her lips, his body hot against hers. ¡°While sharing the bodies¡¯ heat.¡± His arms wrapped around her waist. Their bodies got closer, and a heated breath passed through the small space as their lips slightly touched. ¡°Let¡¯s spend the night together.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± For a moment, Belinda forgot how to breathe. Aymon slowly rubbed his hot palm against her lower abdomen. ¡°You imprint me in here.¡± His quiet voice slowly wrapped around her. ¡°Do you know what that means?¡± Belinda shivered as she felt his breath against her. Aymon¡¯s sweetugh sounded briefly. ¡°Are you ready for me to imprint you, Breedee?¡± His eyes stopped on her as he lowered his face, a soft smile contrasting with his intense gaze. Chapter 53 Trantor/editor: ruby The sun¡¯s rays scattered on Aymon¡¯s hair. He, who always seemed yful and rxed, now had the chilling eyes of a beast. Belinda nodded as if she was possessed. She didn¡¯t quite understand his unfamiliar words but couldn¡¯t resist its seductiveness. All she could do was nod like she¡¯d been enchanted. Aymon¡¯s eyes were dangerously locked with hers, like those of a beast about to catch its prey. A warm hand carefully brushed her lips, and Belinda¡¯s cheeks burned up. It felt like her skin flushed everywhere his fingertips touched. A long, delicate finger pressed against her lips. Only a small gap remained between them. A shadow was cast over her face. Ah¡­. Belinda tightly grabbed his shirt. The face in front of her was beautiful, as if it had been painstakingly crafted by a master. Their lips slowly interlocked. There was a quiet sticky sound. He kissed carefully, as if biting into a sweet, crumbly snack. Their lips brushed with a hot breath. Unable to go inside, his tongue licked her lips. Belinda couldn¡¯t close her eyes until then. Her hands, holding on to his cor, trembled. Aymon lightly smiled as if he noticed her nervousness. She felt the corners of his mouth creep up. As she looked at Aymon¡¯s elegant eyshes, his calm gaze came down on her. Belinda¡¯s vision dimmed. Aymon had covered her eyes. Although she couldn¡¯t see, the rest of her senses became clearer. The sticky sounds as their lips slightly touched, separated, and the tip of his tongue pulled away. The hand that had been covering her eyes moved down to cup her left cheek, the right one also in Aymon¡¯s firm grasp. Holding her, he lightly tilted her head aside. Their lips touched, the bridges of their noses and their hot cheeks brushing. ¡°Mmmmmh¡­¡± Belinda let out a muffled moan. She felt the beast¡¯s heat as she wrapped her trembling hand around his waist. Is this a dream? Am I dreaming? It has to be. Something this good couldn¡¯t happen in reality. Belinda closed her eyes tighter. Aymon licked her lips and rubbed his tongue between them. Belinda¡¯s body reeled back. Chills ran down all the way to her toes every time their lips met. It would have been better to push on aggressively, but the tantalizing kiss was like an unquenchable thirst. Aymon, who¡¯d slowly been raining kisses on her, put his knee between Belinda¡¯s legs. Their bodies tightly ovepping, heat hovering between them. He slightly tilted up her chin and pushed his tongue into her mouth. Their breaths and wet skin melted together. The warmth gently probing into Belinda¡¯s mouth felt like she had swallowed a ball of fire. Aymon licked her like a piece of candy. With every gentle suck, their sensitive skin rubbed together. Belinda¡¯s hair stood on edge with an unfamiliar feeling. The more she pulled back, the more Aymon pushed inside. She let out a soft moan. A sloppy sound apanied his movements. Her body slowly copsed under the pressure on her chest. A fragrant grassy smell surrounded them. Belinda couldn¡¯t think of anything, her head overtaken with heat. All she could do was hold Aymon even tighter. She flinched with every heartbeat. It was a soft and sweet kiss. Aymon¡¯s hand began to sweep up her back, gently rubbing her waistline, and as her stiff body loosened up, he reached below her ample chest. Understanding the apparent purpose of the touch, Belinda solidified herself. She had no intention of pushing Aymon away, but her body, which had never touched the opposite sex, didn¡¯t listen to its owner¡¯s intentions. Belinda flinched in surprise, and the hand under her chest went back up to her cheek. Aymon slowly stroked her face, like he was calming a child, as an apology for scaring her. After a long, apologetic kiss, he pulled away. Their tangled lips and bodies separated. Belinda opened her eyes to see Aymon nearby. His eyes twinkled under his pretty eyshes, seeming to hold a mysterious mix of emotions. ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Their breaths lingered. Looking at Belinda, Aymon gave her a short, yful kiss. Belinda shuddered. The heat hadn¡¯t gone away, and she still hadn¡¯te to her senses after the sweet, dessert-like kiss afterward. The corners of Aymon¡¯s eyes crinkled up beautifully. ¡°It could have been really dangerous this time, Breedee.¡± He whispered with a grin. He slowly removed the red petals tangled in her hair. ¡°You¡¯re a human, so let¡¯s take it slow. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­.¡± Belinda nodded dreamily, not even knowing what he was saying. Aymon slowly hugged her from the back and wrapped around her. ¡°You¡¯re always warm.¡± Aymon¡¯s voice flowed through her ears like a hallucination. ¡°¡­.¡± Belinda was too distracted by her dizziness to respond. The heat of the kiss was still vivid. Aymon rubbed his cheek against her neck with a whisper. ¡°Why are you so soft, Breedee¡­¡± The scent of flowers drifted by. The hot feeling of Aymon¡¯s body against her neck was too much to bear. *** Belinda was lying down on her bed. Perhaps, because she¡¯d sat in the tub for a long time, the hazy heat seemed to be wrapped around her body. She closed her eyes and put a finger against her lips, a strange sensation settling in. Belinda had been in this state ever since her kiss with Aymon. It was like she was dreaming like she had a slight fever under her stomach. What should I do? What is there to do? Her insides were burning up again. She shook her head and recalled the Shinsu forest, trying to erase the afterimage. The scarlet sunset between the trees. The fragrant wind sweeping through my hair¡­ However, what came to mind more clearly was Aymon¡¯s beautiful face. It was nice, sure, but¡­ Why did he be such a beast all of a sudden¡­? Questions arose. She was sure that Aymon liked Lucy. Why was this happening? Was it all a misunderstanding? Could she have been mistaken for¡­. The warm eyes that looked down at her were real. So were the soft lips kissing her, and the embrace, and the whispers. Everything came from a sincere intention. There was nothing else she could know. ¡°Do humans and beasts have different notions of chastity¡­.?¡± She didn¡¯t like that. Belinda buried her face in her hands and faintlyughed. She was happy that night, whatever the humans and beasts¡¯ notions of chastity were. *** It was a lovely day, with the sun creeping out from behind the clouds. Lucy watched as Belinda drank tea with a nk face. As she curiously scanned her, she couldn¡¯t resist her curiosity. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Princess?¡± ¡°¡­.Huh?¡± Belinda barely answered the second time she was called. The reason she wasn¡¯t fully at her senses was obvious. It was due to the series of events with Aymon. Belinda was too innocent and clueless to forget that heat. She had tossed and turned all night. The power of a first kiss was too strong for the naive girl. Meanwhile, Lucy leaned over the table. Of course, this was the Belinda that had visited Aymon yesterday, triumphantly heading to the Shinsu forest with Mazetto on her shoulder. Since then, the princess¡¯s behavior had be strange. As if she was imagining something, she flushed and shook her head, lips pursed. Lucy had also noticed. Something is going on with Aymon! ¡°Did you have a good time with Aymon?¡± She asked with a serious face, hiding a smirk. ¡°What would be special about it? It was just the usual.¡± Belinda replied, stuttering. I¡¯m sure of it! Lucy smiled with conviction. It was clear that something had happened. Aymon was closer to the princess than anyone else. From her altered state, it was easy to see that they had a different kind of rtionship. Lucy had many questions. However, instead of saying anything, she just held Belinda¡¯s hand. I¡¯m the most reliable and faithful maid in the world. If you have anything to talk about, tell me. Lucy sent a strong message with her gaze. And it seemed to connect. Belinda put down her already cold tea and opened her mouth as if she was really about to say something. However, she quickly closed it again as a maid¡¯s voice came from outside the door, announcing a visitor. Chapter 54 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°Princess, Prince Lart is here to visit.¡± ¡°Tell him toe in.¡± Whatever Belinda was about to say was retracted back like a snail¡¯s eyes. Her open lips were tightly closed again. Lart came in with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Lucy almost answered with a rude, ¡°Then go back out!¡±. She put on a displeased expression. Come backter! Why did youe now of all times and stop Belinda from talking to me?! However, she soon put aside her inner thoughts and bowed. ¡°I greet the Great Star of the Empire, Your Highness.¡± ¡°You came, Lart?¡± Belinda greeted him with a wave. As soon as he came in, Lart plopped down on a chair and began talking. Belinda listened to him with a half-dazed face, surprised that he still had so many new things to say even though they met almost every day. ¡°Belinda, remember ckwind? I¡¯ve shown him to you. My gorgeous ck horse.¡± ckwind was his favorite horse. ording to Lart, he was the fastest and most beautiful horse in the world. Even the prince, who could have everything he wanted, held some things special to him, and ckwind was one of them. ¡°ckwind turned six this year, you know. It¡¯s time for breeding!¡± Lart continued with an excited face. ¡°Ahh. I see, Your Highness.¡± While Lucy gave a disinterested reply, Lart was still excited. ¡°We¡¯re in between spring and summer now, right? It¡¯s breeding season.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a beautiful season.¡± Lucy replied in a kind tone but with dull eyes like she was doing homework. Still, Lart didn¡¯t notice the boredom of his beloved. Not paying attention to others was an attitude he¡¯d developed as a royal. ¡°Fertility rates are the highest now, so I decided to give ckwind a chance to have children!¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°Lucy, you know that ckwind¡¯s lineage is the best in the Empire, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lucy had no idea. Lart arrogantly raised his chin with a noble¡¯s pride and honor of owning a well-descended horse. ¡°Do you know how fiercely the nobles arepeting for ckwind¡¯s foals?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all coveting them.¡± ¡°Mhm. That¡¯s why I was nning to give Count Herb the first chance to get a foal¡­¡± Lart eventually said the word ¡°Herb¡±. It had been his goal all along: to tell her that he¡¯d decided to give her a horse which even money couldn¡¯t buy. It was a great favor to bestow upon the girl he loved. Lart held out his chest proudly, but it was Belinda, not Lucy, who responded to hisment. ¡°Lart, did you say it was the breeding season?¡± Belinda asked wide-eyed. ¡°Huh?¡± Lart replied to the sudden question. ¡°Is it the season?¡± ¡°Yeah, the right time to raise babies is from spring to summer, and¡­.¡± ¡°Is it like that for other animals? I mean, animals besides your gorgeous ckworld.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ckwind.¡± ¡°Yes or no, then?!¡± Belinda asked fiercely. ¡°Yes, most likely.¡± Lart replied ndly with a shrug. Soon, he began to spout all his knowledge. Although no one was curious about the feeding quantity of stallions, breeding costs, or ckwind¡¯s value, it was a topic of great interest for him. Belinda, who, of course, had no interest in the information, half-heartedly let the words slip by. It felt like something was taking shape. The reason he was behaving like that¡­ Because it was dangerous and hard to control. Yes! It was because it¡¯s the breeding season! It was now clear why Aymon didn¡¯te to see her and stayed in the forest alone, avoiding her. Had she really gone out to find him not knowing that? Imprinting must be what the Shinsu call mating. Seemingly, she¡¯d tactlessly gone after him while he was keeping to himself because he couldn¡¯t stand his urges. His kiss under the pretext of constion, his warm body, his scarily strange gaze¡­ It¡¯s all because of instinct. Aymon is an animal too, after all. She¡¯d been agonizing over why he suddenly started to act like that, but it was the chatty Lart that gave her the answer. Yes. It was because of instinct and because it was mating season for all the beasts. Aymon was the beast among beasts, a Shinsu with stronger instincts and desires than anyone. For the first time, Belinda thanked the heavens infinitely for his instincts. The breeding season has given me a gift! ¡°Even if humans and beasts¡¯ ideas of chastity were different. She wouldn¡¯t let him get away with just a kiss. She¡¯d keep him by her side.¡± Aymon was epting and responsible. Besides, he cared about her, so he¡¯d surely take responsibility. Everything seemed to be going well. If things didn¡¯t work out, why couldn¡¯t she just run away and live in the Shinsu forest? Neatly ordering her future, Belinda stared out the window with a smile. The scenery was beautiful. The brilliant sun filtered through the clouds like cotton balls, just as bright as her mood. She was very grateful for the season. *** ¡¸Breedee.¡¹ The big leopard sneaked through the door, closing it with his tail and making sure there was no one inside beforenguidly walking up. Since Lart and Lucy had gone to the library to borrow some books, Belinda was alone. She leaped out of her seat and ran straight to him. ¡°You came?¡± Before Aymon could answer, she hugged him and rubbed her cheek against his forehead. Perhaps because of the flower bushes near his house, Aymon always smelled of wild flowers and trees. After a long while of petting, the stiffened Aymon finally breathed out. He used to say it was because he¡¯d grown up, but this time, it seemed to be because he was in heat. He¡¯s a very sensitive beast for being a Shinsu. Belinda hung on to him as he slowly walked away, and soon, they were lying on the rug. Lying on her stomach with her chin propped up on the floor, she stretched out her hand towards Aymon, who was staring at her. As usual, she rubbed his nose, and he closed his eyes with a purr. How did he turn out this beautiful? Aymon¡¯s ck fur glistened under the sun, showing his soft curves and firm jaw. The reason for his pride in his appearance was again undeniable. Not to mention how pretty his eyes were. The sparkling vivid purple always made her feel like she¡¯d been possessed. ¡°Aymon, you¡¯re in heat now, right?¡± Belinda asked quietly, stroking his forehead and ears. ¡¸¡­.What?¡¹ The leopard¡¯s fur stood on end. As innocent as she was, Belinda¡¯s question was straightforward. Aymon slowly blinked. ¡¸Where did you learn that?¡¹ Belinda tugged on his ear. He was younger than her! In any case, she¡¯d have learned it two years earlier. ¡°I¡¯m not ten years old. I don¡¯t need to learn these things anywhere, I just know. Anyways, I heard it¡¯s breeding season for beasts. Doesn¡¯t that include leopards too?¡± Aymon frowned, dumbfounded. ¡¸Am I an ordinary beast?¡¹ ¡°No. You¡¯re the majestic and solemn Shinsu.¡± Aymon sighed at the joke. He didn¡¯t want special treatment in the first ce. ¡°Anyways, what I meant¡­ You don¡¯t know this, but¡­¡± Belinda said, stroking his head soothingly. She gulped tensely and unraveled the thoughts she¡¯d been having sincest night. ¡°Humans don¡¯t do such things with just anyone. Animals don¡¯t care who they¡¯re with in that season, but, um¡­ I mean¡­¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°Those people are often called yboys or lechers. They¡¯re treated like very bad guys.¡± Belinda whispered firmly as if she was teaching him. Aymon stared at Belinda and her red lips, not answering. ¡°You¡¯re not a human, but I¡¯m talking from my point of view as one. Anyway, you¡¯re in your human form, and I¡¯m like¡­. Because of that contact, if you act like an animal, you¡¯ll be one of them too.¡± You touched me, so take responsibility. Struggling to formte her thoughts, Belinda was grabbing at smoke. Aymon wagged his tail slowly. ¡¸So if I don¡¯t want to be a bad beast, I can only be in heat with you?¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± That was exactly right, but Belinda was too embarrassed to answer. Aymon smiled as if he was having fun. ¡¸Breedee, you thought I was thinking¡­¡¹ Belinda bit her lips and looked down at his feet, embarrassed and speechless. Something sneaked into her dress. It was Aymon¡¯s tail, creeping up her calf. The dress rolled up, revealing her white calves. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Belinda asked, pulling away her leg to avoid the ticklish feeling. ¡¸Slowly adapting you.¡¹ After the mysterious words, he rubbed his tail on her thigh. Then, trying to sneak in, he finally stopped when Belinda smashed him on the nose. ¡°What are you talking about all of sudden?¡± ¡¸It¡¯s because you¡¯re so innocent.¡¹ His sticky tongue came against Belinda¡¯s skin. ¡°Stop it, you stupid cat!¡± Belinda eximed with a red face, pulling back her thighs. As much as anyone was in heat, this was a bit embarrassing to do. She didn¡¯t like her reaction to Aymon¡¯s tail touching her. Aymon blinked at the words and showed his fangs. ¡¸Meow.¡¹ His deep purr didn¡¯t fit. Belinda huffed and tugged on his ear. ¡°The big cat is pretending to be small.¡± ¡¸You said I was a cat.¡¹ Aymon answered with a smile, pushing his face into the back of Belinda¡¯s neck as he slowly began to lick and tease her skin. Chapter 55 Trantor/editor: ruby Feeling frustrated, Belinda pushed Aymon off, but he was stronger than her. The beast wasn¡¯t shaken at all ¨C rather, his hot breath only stuck to her more. Belinda whined and struggled under him. It was just that she¡¯d had enough of Aymon licking her, but why did she feel so strange today? Was it because of what happened? Aymon¡¯s attitude hadn¡¯t changed, and it was her, on the receiving end, that was different. She got chills every time his breath touched her. ¡°You¡¯re heavy. Why do you always do these things in your leopard form?¡± ¡¸It would be more difficult in my human form.¡¹ Aymon whispered, brushing her corbone. ¡¸I¡¯m giving you time in case there¡¯s trouble, Breedee.¡¹ Aymon mumbled, still clinging onto Belinda¡¯s body. ¡°Ah, Aymon¡­ Mmmhhhh¡­ Wait¡­¡± ¡¸Please understand. It¡¯s mating season.¡¹ Rather than calling him cute as usual, Belinda just tried to escape from the big cat. Of course, Aymon didn¡¯t let her go. He was a predator that never missed a single prey. He pressed the hem of Belinda¡¯s dress down with his front paws and swooped over the now immobile girl with his whole body. ¡°I feel weird, Aymon¡­¡± She grabbed his ear, on the verge of tears. His hair tickled her every time it brushed past. It wasn¡¯t that she felt bad, but she wasn¡¯t exactly happy either. Those unexinable chills rose up from her toes. ¡°Ah, ah. Stop¡­.¡± Belinda, fed up from head to toe, finally escaped Aymon¡¯s arms. ¡¸Shall I turn into a human so we can continue?¡¹ He said, half out of his mind, only reacting to a kick to his snout. *** ¡°I¡¯m going to visit Phillip, so get ready.¡± Adi said impulsively, standing up from her seat. With a flick of a hand, her maid immediately understood her and started to dress her up. ¡°What if the Duke won¡¯t be there because you haven¡¯t announced your visit?¡± The maid asked nervously, brushing her hair. It really was a sudden visit. Phillip Rodson was the heir to the duke who was propping up the Empire. No matter how high Adi¡¯s status was, he was not an easy person to visit without an appointment. Adi¡¯s expression crumpled. ¡°It is his duty to return by order of a royal family member, even if he¡¯s attending a previous engagement.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness.¡± Adi shoved the maid who was brushing her hair and threw the brush at her. The brush rolled away on the floor with a cold sound. Leave right now. With the silentmand, she left the room, deathly pale. Adi looked into the mirror and let out a long, angry sigh. There¡¯s nothing good about this. There really wasn¡¯t ¨C Belinda¡¯s rtionship with her father, her rtionship with Lart, the Shinsu beasts threatening the royal family¡­ She didn¡¯t like her maid either. She didn¡¯t want someone that was blindly obedient, just someone that wasn¡¯t stupid. Adide red at the mirror and saw a dazzlingly beautiful woman with morous, flowing hair and glowing eyes. One¡¯s appearance withered over time. What Adi wanted was to shine like this until she died. She wanted the ever-glowing honor of bing Emperor. Belinda will never take that ce away from me. No matter how much she stole her father¡¯s or brother¡¯s hearts, it was the one thing Belinda could never take from her. Even though she was a princess, her mother¡¯s origins were humble. After finding Barahan¡¯s descendant, I will be Empress with the support of Duke Rodson. Her mood was lifted again as she thought of the throne she would one day sit on. Adi smiled at her reflection and began to brush her hair with another brush, humming. Knock, knock, knock. There was a careful knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± A man in silver-framed sses entered. It was Count Otoman, one of Adi¡¯s loyal helpers and the current empress¡¯s cousin. Hisst task was simple. ¡°I have found it.¡± It was to look for Barahan¡¯s descendant, with golden hair and golden eyes. ¡°Who is it this time?¡± ¡°He is a notorious bandit, currently in hiding because of his injuries from an ident with a horse.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± There was something Adi didn¡¯t like, but she turned to him. ¡°Well, I doubt those Shinsu bastards will be caught with physical strength.¡± ¡°Should I take him to the Golden Room?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adi nodded, fiddling with the gold key around her neck. How much effort had it been already for her to look for the descendant of Barahan for her father? Yet, none of them could even pluck a string on the harp and died like dogs. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t react, kill him right away.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After giving the order to kill as effortlessly as squashing an ant, Adi turned her back again. Count Otoman bowed and left the room. *** ¡¸Mazetto.¡¹ Aymon called him quietly, and the bird, ying with his tail, slipped off in surprise. ¡°I won¡¯t do that anymore! I¡¯m sorry! It¡¯s my fault!¡± Mazetto threw up his chubby body, yelling an apology even though Aymon had never really threatened him. If Mazetto had really felt threatened, he would have fled instead of ying with his tail. Still pretending to be dead, Mazetto finally opened his eyes and lifted himself up towards Aymon, who was still staring at him. ¡°Aymon?¡± He tilted his head, wondering why the Shinsu would look at him like that, and excitedly hopped around. ¡°Why did you call Mazetto?¡± Aymon stared at him and crumpled his nose. Mazetto jumped back. ¡°Why are you suddenly angry? I haven¡¯t done anything!¡± However, Aymon¡¯s state of mind seemed to be more of hesitation than anger. ¡¸I¡¯ve heard that humans generally can¡¯t mate before marriage. Because it¡¯s a custom.¡¹ He asked in a subdued voice, rubbing his face with his front paws. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¸I¡¯m asking how human marriage works.¡¹ Mazetto tilted his head with a chirp. What was he talking about all of a sudden? ¡°Is Aymon, a leopard, asking Mazetto, a sparrow, about human marriage?¡± ¡¸¡­..¡¹ Aymon didn¡¯t reply. Indeed, as Mazetto put it, it was a question transcending species. After a while, lost in thought, he curled up again, wagging his tail. ¡¸Okay, okay, go ahead.¡¹ Mazetto climbed onto his back and ran around,ughing. ¡°Go ahead where? My house is up there! You¡¯re so weird today, Aymon!¡± Mazetto¡¯s nest was in a tree right next to Aymon¡¯s house. Aymon wagged his tail and shed his fangs at the sparrow, but he¡¯d already have taken his nest somewhere else if that scared him. Mazetto flew up, pretending to escape, and climbed back onto Aymon¡¯s back, scurrying up to his ears. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go ask a human? Why don¡¯t you go ask Belinda how humans have s¨C¡± ¡¸Don¡¯t do that! Ever!¡¹ Before Mazetto could even finish the sentence, Aymon cut him off and crashed against a bush. ¡¸Don¡¯t you ever dare!¡¹ Pink petals fell onto the ground from a flower that fell victim to Aymon¡¯s temper. Aymon¡¯s purple eyes shed. ¡¸If you say a single word, I will gulp you up down to thest feather.¡¹ The giant leopard was threatening a sparrow smaller than its w. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Mazetto stared at him. ¡°Chirp!¡± He pecked Aymon¡¯s nose with his beak and flew up into the sky as if he was running away. It was a fearless attack from the small bird, a great act of rebellion that he could now do because he knew that Aymon wouldn¡¯t hurt him. ¡°You want to eat me every day! Bad! I¡¯m going to tell Belinda!¡± Comints poured out against Aymon in the chirping protest. ¡°Is it enough for a bird to be strong? I¡¯m moving! I¡¯m not going to live here!¡± Mazetto flew into the sky, apparently offended, after a good while chirping near Aymon. ¡¸I¡¯m serious! I¡¯ll kill you if you tell her! I¡¯ll destroy your nest!¡¹ At the Shinsu¡¯s childish threats, Mazetto vanished with ast chirp of protest. After a long time agonizing in a flower bush, Aymon thought about something and slowly lifted himself. He reached a dark pine forest within half an hour of running. There were no green leaves under his feet anymore, and a fresh smell tickled his nose. A butterfly passed by the trees and reached a grassy open space. Shanti¡¯s marble mansion was visible. Aymon approached without hesitation and opened the door, not thinking to knock. There were two intertwined Shinsu ¨C Ha and Shanti, who had recently started dating. Shanti leaped up in surprise at the sudden visitor. ¡¸Wh, what, all of sudden?!¡¹ Leopards were very individualistic creatures, sensitive to invasions of privacy. If it hadn¡¯t been Aymon that came in, he would have had to deal with some fangs. But it was Aymon. Shanti stood still, only gawking at the powerful yet tactless chief. ¡¸You. Come out here.¡¹ Aymon called him as if he was starting a fight. Shanti didn¡¯t answer, and Aymon soon dragged him out by the neck. ¡¸There he goes again.¡¹ Ha, left alone, muttered, dumbfounded. He was referring to Aymon just as much as his lover. However, he¡¯d been used to seeing it since he was a child, so he just shook his head and curled back up as always. Outside, Aymon put Shanti down and asked a question out of the blue. Chapter 56 Trantor/editor: ruby ¡¸How do humans get married?¡¹ ¡¸What¡­ Why are you asking about that all of a sudden?¡¹ Shanti got up and brushed some dirt off his forehead. Was Aymon asking him, a leopard, about human marriage? ¡¸I said, how do they get married?¡¹ Shanti was still looking at him with a puzzled face. Iprehensible behavior had always been Aymon¡¯s thing, but he really couldn¡¯t figure out what on earth was going on this time. Have you really dragged me out here by my neck to ask that? How would I know? All I know about humans is that they¡¯re weak. The pine trees that extended into the sky stretched out endlessly into the vast forest. The wind blowing through it whistled. Aymon stepped on a runaway leaf in front of him and asked again in annoyance. ¡¸You¡¯re in a rtionship. With Ha.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Sure am.¡¹ ¡¸And you¡¯re going to mate at some point.¡¹ ¡¸We already did.¡¹ Shanti answered all the questions Aymon threw at him, as usual. ¡¸How did you do it?¡¹ ¡¸Huh?¡¹ Are you really asking me how to mate? No matter how close we are, that¡¯s a pretty personal question¡­ No way, maybe he really doesn¡¯t know how? Is our chief the most innocent beast in the forest? Shanti wondered whether he should exin it to him seriously. ¡¸You don¡¯t know about marriage? Then how did you start dating?¡¹ He came to his senses when Aymon nervously bared his fangs. It was a warning ¨C if he gave one more confused reaction, he¡¯d end up on the ground. He¡¯s like a gangster, trying to get his way with only strength. I really thought you didn¡¯t know how to mate. Shanti mutteredints to himself. ¡¸First, I confessed to Ha, and brought a pretty antler and picked strawberries for Ha¡¯s mother becau¨C ¡¹ Shanti didn¡¯t get to finish the sentence. Aymon leaped up as if he had remembered something and disappeared like smoke. ¡¸Because she liked them¡­¡¹ He went on in vain, staring at the already empty spot where Aymon had been. Soon after, when he was absolutely sure that Aymon was far gone, he hit the ground with his front paw. ¡¸That idiot! Why ask if you¡¯re not even going to listen to the answer? Is that all for the chief?¡¹ Still, he didn¡¯t forget to whisper very quietly, afraid that Aymon would hear him. After reproach from both a sparrow and a leopard, Aymon ran off like the wind. He was heading to the pce to see Belinda¡¯s father, that is, the Emperor. Aymon switched to his human form once he arrived at the hunting grounds ¨C if he hung around in his leopard form, he¡¯d only draw attention and get distracted. He strolled under the trees and the zing sun in a good mood. The pce grounds were so big that he still couldn¡¯t see a single person even after a long time. He was used to visiting Belinda¡¯s guest pce, so he couldn¡¯t tell where the Emperor lived. He spotted a servant passing by with a watering can and called him over. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The servant answered politely and turned around. There tended to be two types of people walking around the pce: those who looked down on others and those who looked up to them. The servant with a watering was the type who looked up, and the person speaking to him so naturally was undeniably one who looked down. Although it was impossible to know the identity of everyone that entered and left the pce, it was clear that the man¡¯s voice had a natural high-handedness to it. ¡°Where does the Emperor live?¡± The servant, surprised by the words, lifted his shoulders. How dare he ask where the ¡°Emperor¡± lives?! No one in the Empire, no, no one on the continent, can speak about the Emperor informally! He is the most important person in thergest nation on the continent, the Athez Empire. ¡°How dare you, bastard!¡± The servant raised his head in anger, trying to identify the face of the reckless man who should surely be imprisoned and caned. However, when he saw Aymon¡¯s ck hair flowing in the wind and his calm purple eyes, he had no choice but to lie face down on the floor, astounded. ¡°I-I greet the majestic Shinsu!¡± It was clear now. The superiority in those sparkling eyes was proof of him being a Shinsu. Rumor had it that a Shinsu sometimes came and went through the pce to visit Prince Lart, whom he was acquainted with, but the servant never expected to bump into him like this. It all happened because he was in his human form. If he wasn¡¯t, no one would have opposed him speaking about the Emperor informally. The servant even went as far as to call him a bastard. Would the Shinsu end up killing him? He felt a rush of fear. As for Aymon, he¡¯d merely just asked where the Emperor was, and suddenly there was a frightened man on the ground in front of him. ¡°So¡­. Where does the Emperor live?¡± He slowly asked, looking down at the servant. However you put it, humans were strange beings. ¡°There, the highest spire¡­ His Majesty is there¡­.¡± The servant responded, pointing in the direction with a trembling hand. Aymon turned his head and smirked. I¡¯ve finally found it. The Emperor¡¯s pce was so far away that he couldn¡¯t even see the g on the spire. Aymon thanked the servant, still lying down, and set off. The servant finally raised his head and stared at the Shinsu as he moved away. A gigantic ck leopard was running towards the Emperor¡¯s pce, steadily moving his strong muscles. Soon he leaped up and followed Aymon with his eyes as if he was possessed. Before he knew it, the fear in his eyes had washed away, leaving only awe. ¡°Wow¡­. Really¡­. Woooow¡­.¡± After some admiration, he began to hurry away. He was nning to brag about seeing a Shinsu today, and the ck leopard at that, who was the leader of the group and just asrge and beautiful as rumored. This would have taken me all day if I walked in my human form. Looking at the Emperor¡¯s pce steadily approaching, he purred, satisfied. For a human¡¯s pce, it was almost the size of the Shinsu forest. Aymon was d to have been born a leopard. Passing behind arge tree, he changed back into a human. After running here on four feet, he set off towards the Emperor¡¯s pce slowly and leisurely. Servants all bowed to him as Aymon walked by proudly, receiving their greetings naturally. His arrogant expression and attitude were so natural that he looked like he¡¯d lived in the pce his whole life. At the perfect time, the Emperor¡¯s pce was full of envoys from other kingdoms. They were there to determine the amount of tribute paid to the Empire and its diplomatic rtions for the next year, with delegations from the Empire, its allies, and other kingdoms. It was an annual event held in the Empire. Around the fountain in front of the Emperor¡¯s Hall, more than 40 delegates gathered around a small party table to converse. They could go in for a meeting with the Emperor, one by one, when their names were called, and then return. They continued a polite conversation, bragging about their kingdoms while secretly keeping each other in check. After being guided to the Emperor¡¯s Hall by a servant, Aymon blended in easily. He¡¯d never seen someone with ck hair and purple eyes in the pce, a rarity in the Empire. Although Aymon¡¯s distinctive hair and eyes would have made him instantly recognized as a Shinsu at the outskirts of the pce, this ce was full of people of all kinds of appearance. Everyone was shy and varied ¨C red hair, blue hair, brown eyes, green eyes, white skin, red skin. Therefore, the servant politely escorted Aymon to the party, assuming he was a delegate who¡¯d got lost while walking in the pce. Following the servant, Aymon soon arrived at the outdoor party around the fountain. ¡°I¡¯ll step away, then. I hope you enjoy your visit.¡± Aymon gave a brief nod to the servant and casually picked up a slice of cherry pie from the table. Does he know who I am? Humans really are something else. Will I have to wait here every time I want to meet the Emperor? However, he didn¡¯t know humanws, so he decided to do what he was told ¨C to wait nicely so he could meet the Emperor. Either way, the Emperor was Belinda¡¯s father, so he had no intention to ignore him or be violent. As much as Aymon lived life on his own terms, it wasmon sense to respect the father of someone whose heart he wanted to win. ¡°Delegates from the Kingdom of Oraphine, please wait here!¡± The servant in the door shouted. A woman who had been ying a harp in front of the fountain approached the hall with a pleased expression. Aymon shot her a bitter look and picked up another slice of pie. When will I be called? I don¡¯t want to wait for long, but I can¡¯t just break the door down and charge in. He was lost in his wild thoughts, his pretty eyes on the ground. Suddenly, arge shadow appeared next to him. It was a big man, slightly shorter than Aymon, with rough back muscles and rock-hard forearms. Aymon didn¡¯t even turn his head. ¡°Hello. My name is Maharin, and I¡¯m from Tarkan.¡± A smiling man bumped against Aymon¡¯s shoulder. Of course, he wasn¡¯t pushed away by a single inch. Aymon nced down and quietly looked at the man. He unknowingly tilted his head down, feeling an instinctive threat from Aymon, but soon shook his head and stretched out his shoulders. He was part of the Tarkan people, who loved hunting and were proud of their unique physique and strength. Therefore, Aymon¡¯s size and energy had drawn him over. The man who¡¯d introduced himself as Maharin smiled again. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you before. Where are you from?¡± It wasmon for delegates to meet each other and build friendships, so Maharin didn¡¯t hesitate to ask Aymon his name. Aymon recalled his introduction, ¡°I¡¯m Maharin Tish from Tarkan,¡± and just came up with a simr answer. ¡°Aymon Arkin from the forest.¡± It was true that he was from the Shinsu forest, though, of course, he omitted that he was a Shinsu and not a human. Chapter 57 Trantor/editor: ruby Aymon¡¯s speech was so natural that Maharin didn¡¯t even notice something was off. ¡°Aha. From the forest.¡± Maharin nced up at the sky to the east as if thinking about something. I heard that the Empire recently subjugated the forested areas of the eastern border, so he must be from there. Haven¡¯t they decided on the property transfer yet? Aymon looked down at Maharin¡¯s hand and gently took it. He¡¯d never studied human etiquette, but he could make do with his sloppy manners. ¡°Nice to meet you, Aymon. If there¡¯s anything you¡¯re confused about around here, you can ask me. I don¡¯t know my way around well either yet, but the Empire is very tricky in itself.¡± He said in a friendly yet inwardly dismissive tone, grinning. He tightly squeezed Aymon¡¯s hand. No one could beat me when ites to strength. They would probably be meeting at banquets or conferences in the future, so it would be good to start keeping him suppressed now. It was among the delegates from the belligerent kingdom, not those of writing and smarts, that the pecking order was secretly decided. Therefore, Maharin was fighting a psychological battle, although one he had to fight alone because Aymon didn¡¯t notice it. Aymon looked down at Maharin¡¯s hand, still tightly clutching his own. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± What kind of strange greeting is this? The man¡¯s hand was as rough and hard as a rock. To Aymon, used to Belinda¡¯s soft, delicate hands, the bumpy handshake was very unpleasant. Humans are strange. Coming to a simple conclusion, he roughly squeezed back. If a human greeting was like this, he was going to do the same. ¡°Argh!¡± Maharin roared as his bones broke with a cracking sound. Aymon let him go, frowning at the sudden noise. Would he have to hear this loud shout every time he greeted someone? Humans with their annoying greetings. Maharin tried to smile as if nothing had happened. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re very strong!¡± He groaned, popping back his dangling fingers. ¡°This much pain is nothing to me! I hunt for fun!¡± He said, enduring the pain to salvage thest bit of pride he had left. A representative from another kingdom¡¯s delegation, who had been watching Aymon and Maharin¡¯s greetings, also approached them with a curious expression. Since Aymon and Maharin were a simr size, he¡¯d been wondering who would have the upper hand, but it was confirmed just now. At the same time, he had a strangepetitiveness in him, as a man of nomadic descent whomanded the steppes. ¡°I¡¯m Robil. That was amazing, and you look so young too! I suppose you¡¯re the heir of your tribe since you came here?¡± Aymon looked down at him again, sighed inwardly, and took his hand. ¡°Aymon Arkin. Eighteen years old. Not an heir.¡± Aymon muttered all the answers politely. He was a chief, not an heir. One must go through all these things to meet the Emperor. His elder, who met the Emperor once a year, must have also experienced this situation. The man named Robil threw his head back andughed. ¡°Eighteen years old! This guy! You aren¡¯t a young man, you¡¯re a boy!¡± Robil clutched his hand tightly. He couldn¡¯t be beaten with strength. Maharin from Tarkan might not have, but he was confident that he could endure it. Aymon sighed to himself and squeezed his hand. ¡°¡­.That really was amazing!¡± The sound of bones breaking came again. Robil¡¯s stiff face trembled. This isn¡¯t any ordinary guy! The boy¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t that great, but it was enough to give him cold sweats. At least he hadn¡¯t screamed as Maharin did, so he was superior to him in that respect. That was how Robil justified himself. Soon, delegations from around the continent began to gather around Aymon. ¡°Boy! I¡¯m from the Kingdom of Riksha, my name¨C¡± ¡°Hello! I¡¯m a visitor from Lowry¨C¡± Aymon broke all of their finger bones with a look of annoyance. Meanwhile, Prince Lart was bored. It was a three-day event to coordinate thoughts with over forty delegates face to face ¨C in what way, what kind, and how much tribute they would offer, and how the Empire would use them. His father, the Emperor, was handling them skillfully, but once he became emperor, it was something he would have to do. In order to handle the cunning delegates, he had to learn from his father¡¯s attitude towards them. That¡¯s why the empty-eyed Lart was watching his father¡¯s meetings with the delegates. To make matters worse, in a month, they¡¯d have to bring together all the lords in the Empire for a meeting that wouldn¡¯t really be a meeting. Suddenly, he heard amotion outside the window. He didn¡¯t pay it thought at first but finally turned his head to the men¡¯sughter and aggressive screaming. Why were they being so loud? Didn¡¯t they know that they were in the imperial pce of a great empire? Soon, Lart forgot where he was and jumped out of his seat. ¡°Aymon?¡± Aymon was standing outside the window, steadily breaking finger bones in his human form. What the hell is Aymon doing over there?! It was an iprehensible situation. He didn¡¯t like humans, and Lart knew very well that he only visited Belinda¡¯s guest pce, so why was he here? Lart suspected that he might¡¯ve just been a delegate that resembled Aymon but was soon hit by the se expression and overpowering gaze. He was now even more convinced that such a beautiful, smooth face wasn¡¯t an everyday sight. It was Aymon. It was definitely Aymon, though Lart had no idea what he was doing there. As he gaped with a dumbfounded face, there was a sharp reproval from the other side. ¡°Prince, what kind of flippant behavior was that?¡± The Emperor scolded him in a cold voice. Only then did Lart understand the situation and go back to his seat calmly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my suddenness, Your Majesty.¡± He said quietly, with an awkwardugh. ¡®What is it?¡± ¡°The Shinsu chief seems to be standing in the middle of the delegation.¡± And he was hurting the humans a lot. The Emperor, like Lart, jumped out of his seat at the exact right moment. Aymon had just smashed about seven of a delegate¡¯s finger bones. Starting from the entrance, silence spread over the crowd. Everyone was paying attention to the Emperor who had juste out of the hall. Aymon, the ¡°heir from the forest¡±, was no longer the subject of attention, as eyes were glued to every one of the Emperor¡¯s steps. The man next to Aymon tapped him on the shoulder and whispered. ¡°He is the Emperor. Have you ever seen him?¡± Aymon also tapped him on the shoulder, almost making him lose his bnce. ¡°I have.¡± He nodded coolly, with his arms crossed. He didn¡¯t know the Emperor. Seeing him at the huntingpetition and a party he secretly followed Belinda to was already enough for him. Already quite annoyed by the wait, Aymon had a thought that he should just kidnap the Emperor so he could talk to him alone. The Emperor briefly caught Aymon¡¯s eyes and bowed his head. Exmations broke out everywhere. ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The Emperor, who had always been arrogant and confident, had just bowed to someone. Even the Prince next to him, who was more arrogant and unruly still, was setting an example and bowing downpletely. Everyone looked to where the greetings were directed. It was at a boy with a disinterested expression, the one from the forest who had excitedly broken everyone¡¯s bones. A servant lying on the floor coughed, sending a message to those who were still standing up, frozen. As the delegates bowed down, everyone else also came to their senses and began bowing btedly. After the Emperor had set an example, they couldn¡¯t just stay standing up. No one knew what the hell was going on or who that person was, but this was what they had to do. ¡°I greet Shinsu, the great sun, the ruler of the forest.¡± The Emperor said with a smile, looking down. More astonished gasps came from the delegation. A Shinsu? He was a Shinsu?! The Shinsu were the only tribe to which the Emperor bowed his head. They were the heirs of the power of God, the leopard Shinsu. Everyone gulped with a pale face. ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of this¡­ Do I have to wait here for any longer?¡± Aymon asked insensitively, standing alone among the bowed men. For a moment, the man next to Aymon gulped. He hadn¡¯t expected that. However, his behavior towards the Emperor had made it clear. He was really that Shinsu! The person he¡¯d been talking to and tapping on the shoulder was that violent, cruel Shinsu! It was fortunate that he had grabbed his hand and not his neck. In that case, he could have ended his life on the spot. A cold sweat ran down his neck. He didn¡¯t even dare steal a sideways look at Aymon for fear of causing trouble. The Emperor beckoned Aymon towards the pce. ¡°If you had told me in advance, I would have made preparations, so I¡¯m sorry this is so little. Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Aymon was guided towards the hall. Everyone¡¯s eyes followed him like shadows, especially those who¡¯d talked to him. Lart grinned and addressed Aymon in a friendly voice. ¡°What brings you all the way here?¡± ¡°Inside.¡± They would talk inside. Aymon continued on without a word. The delegation breathed a long sigh after they saw them off into the pce. What had just happened? The boy eating cherry pie, who introduced himself as an heir of the forest, suddenly became a great Shinsu and was invited into the pce by the Emperor himself. It was like they had been possessed. The first one to speak was Maharin from Tarkan. He excitedly gave a loud shout. ¡°I was the first one to shake the Shinsu¡¯s hand!¡± Heughed with a flushed face, unable to stand the happiness. ¡°I was the first one whose bones he broke!¡± As absurd as it might sound, some stared at him with genuine envy. Chapter 58 Trantor/editor: ruby The servant¡¯s trembling hand ced a teacup onto the table. Aymon, the Emperor, and Prince Lart were gathered in the meeting room to ask all their questions and have a conversation. What was the reason for Aymon¡¯s sudden visit? Why had hee all this way? Apart from their forced yearly meetings, this was their first official meeting, not to mention that the chief, instead of the elder, hade to meet the Emperor himself. What is going on? The Emperor observed Aymon with a stiff face. Aymon, looking at the white steam rising from the teacup, asked him a sudden question. ¡°What things do you like?¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± The emperor had reacted a beatte, not having figured out what the question was about. After skillfully handling all the delegates, he was now embarrassing himself in front of a Shinsu. Aymonfortably leaned back into his chair. ¡°I mean, what should I give to you to make you happy?¡± He asked casually, resting his chin. He had to do something, just as Shanti picked strawberries for Ha¡¯s mother and got her permission. The thin sun rays melted into Aymon¡¯s apathetic eyes. The emperor stared at the twinkling eyes of the beast in human form, pensively humming to buy himself time. Then, when Aymon slightly frowned, he opened his mouth, seeming to have decided. ¡°My greatest wish is peace and good rtions with the Shinsu.¡± Although the reason for Aymon¡¯s question remained unknown, this was an opportunity that couldn¡¯t be missed. The Emperor¡¯s answer was inly sincere. The only thing that the imperial family, in power on the continent, feared and couldn¡¯t control, were the Shinsu ¨C whenever he looked at the Shinsu forest, he couldn¡¯t help but feel threatened, knowing how weak a human being was inparison. It felt like a shadow constantly following him. However, their rtionship had changed recently. Since Belinda attended the ceremony, there had been rumors that her rtionship with the boyish chief in front of him had be very close. In order to exterminate the Shinsu, who threatened the authority of the imperial family, they needed to find Barahan¡­ For now, it was better to keep them close than to risk trying to get rid of them. The empire was more protected than any other ce because the Shinsu forest was right next to it ¨C a sacred ce no one could invade or attack. If the Shinsu disappeared, their threat would disappear with them, but so would the Shinsu forest, a huge fortress protecting the imperial pce. His goal was to get rid of the Shinsu, who hated humans, but it would be better now to reconnect with them using Belinda. It was both for the imperial family and his own authority. How great would an empire under the protection of Shinsu be? Meanwhile, Aymon tilted his head, seemingly disapproving of the emperor¡¯s request. It was an unexpected, philosophical answer. Was this an unique way of talking that humans had? The most Aymon had seriously considered was free ess to the Shinsu forest. ¡°Peace and good rtions?¡± ¡°Yes, peace and good rtions.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Aymon gave it serious thought. Were peace and good rtions things that could be gift-wrapped and handed over? Obviously, he had to give the emperor something satisfying enough to be able to confidently ask for Belinda¡¯s hand, but he was upset to hear such a vague wish. Humans and Shinsu had never been connected in the first ce. They were beasts and people ¨C their race itself was different. Even though Belinda was a neglected princess, her being part of the imperial family might have made things more difficult. Of course, all this would be possible if he went straight to using force, but Aymon didn¡¯t want to do that. He couldn¡¯t do it. He was an arrogant Shinsu who had lived his whole life his own way, but not this time. He wanted to stay on everyone¡¯s good side. Belinda possibly feeling the slightest uneasiness would be uneptable. Therefore, he was willing to give the Emperor anything he wanted. ¡°Peace and good rtions. How can I give those to you?¡± The emperor was still lost in thought after the slow, serious question. Aymon had answered that, but he didn¡¯t know what to do either. Should they have regr meetings instead of yearly ones? Or what else¡­ Prince Lart carefully intervened. ¡°Um, Your Majesty, Shinsu, sir.¡± The beautiful middle-aged emperor and the beautiful Shinsu with a boyish face turned their heads at the same time. Lart smiled. ¡°I have something to say, will you please allow it?¡± ¡°So be it.¡± Aymon also nodded. Lart tilted his upper body towards them, whispering. ¡°There is a precedent in the empire for peace and good rtions.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The emperor asked. Lart went on lightly. ¡°To achieve peace, the first emperor of the empire married the princess of the kingdom of Wilhel, which he¡¯d fought to the end to reach his goal. He was my forefather.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°And Your Majesty appointed the Duke of Vinteum¡¯s daughter as Empress, my mother, for power.¡± The Emperor¡¯s puzzled expression faded as he understood what his son meant. Marriage was the easiest way to maintain union and prosperity, a custommonly used as a tool for peace. However, he hadn¡¯t thought of marriage as a simple solution in this case, because the being in front of him was not a human, but a beast and a Shinsu. Would the Shinsu, who hated humans, ever allow marriage to them? No, before that. Before that, why did that Shinsu offer reconciliation first? Suddenly, the bted but fundamental question hit the emperor. He carefully spoke to Aymon. ¡°If I may ask you a rude question, I was wondering why you suddenly offered reconciliation.¡± However, Aymon couldn¡¯t respond properly. His emotions burst out as he jumped up from his seat and spoke to the Emperor firmly. ¡°Good. If Belinda and I marrying is the way to peace and good rtions, great. I¡¯ll make sure it happens that way.¡± It was a very incoherent answer. ¡°¡­What?¡± Obviously, everyone had understood the nuance, but the word Belinda hadn¡¯t been mentioned a single time. She was the only person they could have meant. The Emperor rubbed his chin at the words. It was very embarrassing for the Shinsu, who¡¯d been sitting around with a bored expression the whole time, to suddenly respond so violently. Aymon, who could barely get his emotions in order, pretended to be calm with his hands behind his back. ¡°But I don¡¯t want anyone to mention marriage to Belinda, ever.¡± The marriage already seemed to have be a done deal. Aymon felt like he had the permission of the emperor and the whole world ¨C ironically, everyone¡¯s except Belinda¡¯s. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Belinda will marry me because she wants me. That means that the marriage can never be pushed ahead because of peace.¡± Aymon said to the emperor, in the calmest voice in the world. ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°So never say a word about this to Belinda.¡± The emperor looked up at Aymon and nodded silently. He couldn¡¯t get himself to speak ¨C the situation was so strange that even the deft emperor, who had been in politics his whole life, was confused. In any case, a sort of deal was made in the absence of Belinda. In both the Emperor¡¯s and Aymon¡¯s own ways, it was a happy ending. *** The empire was in a flurry, in anticipation for Aymon¡¯s uing coronation ceremony. Recently, after bing an adult, Aymon had also be chief. Every time a new chief rose to the throne, the empire threw a big celebration. The coronation ceremony formalized the new chief¡¯s position and offered them avish and rare gift. Outside the pce, festivals in celebration would continue for various days and nights. The coronation was due to be held tomorrow. Belinda leaned out the window and hugged Aymon, who was sitting in front of her. ¡°You¡¯re really going to be chief now, Aymon?¡± ¡¸I already am, Breedee.¡¹ ¡°Even so, it will be officially recognized now.¡± ¡¸I don¡¯t need human recognition.¡¹ To his reply, Belinda gave his ear a tug. ¡°It was crooked. Anyways, aren¡¯t you happy you¡¯re bing chief?¡± Aymon purred. ¡¸Being the chief isn¡¯t what makes me happy.¡¹ ¡°What is, then?¡± Therge leopard in Belinda¡¯s arms soon changed his appearance with a glow. Before she knew it, a broad-shouldered young man was holding her. Instead of answering, he rubbed her cheek and slowly swept her hair back. Belinda¡¯s heart pounded every time Aymon brushed against her. Her heartbeat was racing. Chapter 59 Trantor/editor: ruby It all made her heart pound ¨C the chest broadly hugging her, the entrancing face she saw every time she looked up, even the moonlight pouring in the window. Soon Aymon was holding her cheeks. The firm, big hands were warm, and just their touch made her feel like her body was going to melt. Aymon smiled affectionately as she looked down into her eyes, so softly that she couldn¡¯t imagine him as a leopard with sharp ws and fangs. ¡°Breedee, my happiness doesn¡¯te from being the chief.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± He slowly kissed her nose. It was an infinitely tender kiss, making Belinda¡¯s heart race as if it had fallen off a cliff. Aymon continued quietly, lightly kissing her cheeks. ¡°What makes me happy is what I can have as the chief.¡± Whispering the mysterious words, the corners of his mouth slowly rose, as if he was truly happy. In the dark, Belinda could only distinguish that genuine smile by touch. Aymon pulled away, turned back into a leopard, and left for the forest with ast sentence. Belinda recalled those words as she looked at the ck panther drifting away. ¡°It really won¡¯t be long, Breedee. Wait just a little.¡± The sound of crickets came from somewhere. Every time the grass swayed in the night breeze, a fresh smell apanied the pleasant noise. Belinda didn¡¯t know exactly what Aymon meant, but she smiled, chasing the afterimage of the leopard that had already disappeared. If Aymon was happy, so was she. *** It was an exceptionally sunny day with fresh air, perhaps because of the light rain at dawn. The empire¡¯s main square was crowded with people celebrating the coronation. They had gathered from not only the empire, but also neighboring kingdoms. The most important nobles were waiting at the boundary between the imperial pce and the Shinsu forest, while the ones who couldn¡¯t enter stood in a row on the road between the main square and the pce. Everyone, from the nobles living in the capital to lords of small estates and vige chiefs, was dressed in their best clothes. The square was packed to the brim, and those who hadn¡¯t gone out had climbed onto the roofs of their houses or the hill next to the city, awaiting the coronation ceremony. All the people of the empire looked on with eyes glistening from excitement. Celebrating a new Shinsu chief was a rare experience that wouldn¡¯t be repeated for decades. ¡°I heard the new chief is a ck leopard.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve heard rumours that he¡¯s so scary in person that you won¡¯t even be able to stand up properly. My cousin, the imperial servant, said he met him at the hunting grounds. He says he¡¯s incredibly big.¡± The faces of the two silently conversing people were filled with joy. The chief position had been vacant for quite some time, so the appointment of a new one to protect the empire was a great source of happiness. When the sun was at its highest, a huge trumpet sounded from the pce. The coronation ceremony was about to begin. The huge gates opened, along with the golden pce doors, followed by gs with golden roses on them. Guards appeared with the g of the imperial family, eliciting cheers from all over the square. The Emperor followed behind them, looking like the protagonist of a myth on his white horse. The cheers grew even louder. The clothes he was wearing were reserved for the most important days: embroidered roses, the symbol of the imperial family, on the left shoulder, and an embroidered leopard on the right. There was a dazzling sparkle whenever they moved, perhaps because of the jewels covering them. Petals were scattered into the sky with a loud roar from the square. Behind the Emperor, Adi, Lart, and Belinda, also dressed in their best, followed on white horses. Protected by the imperial knights, the leader of the empire and the family who would seed him proudly walked around the square¡¯s fountain. ¡°Glory to the Shinsu!¡± ¡°Glory to the Emperor!¡± The empire¡¯s people cheered as the beautiful family passed by them. It was a very happy day. The row of nobles, all dressed in knight uniforms, bowed in unison to the imperial family and raised their swords to the sky as they passed. The four horses swung back in the direction of the pce. It was time to head to the Shinsu forest. Belinda sped her horse¡¯s reins tightly and stared at the pce door, which was beginning toe into sight again. The real coronation ceremony would begin now, when they crossed the pce to the boundary of the Shinsu forest. She was happy to be able to y a role in the celebrations for Aymon¡¯s ascension to the throne. In a good mood, she felt her heart pounding. The imperial family crossed the pce without haste. With the musicians following behind them, they traveled for two hours before seeing the boundary of the forest. When the emperor¡¯s party came into sight, the nobles, who had been waiting in advance, pulled out their swords in unison and pointed them to the sky. The music stopped, reced by the beat of a drum. In the breathless stillness, everyone¡¯s hearts began to beat at the same pace. The sound of the horses¡¯ hooves spread over them. Passing the row of nobles, the Emperor stopped his horse in front of the border. He got off and gave a quick sign with his hand. The drum¡¯s beating stopped. All the nobles reverentlyid their swords onto the ground, symbolizing a pledge of allegiance to the Shinsu and a pledge to not raise swords towards them. The Emperor also pulled out a sword from his holster, holding out the de adorned with rubies and amethysts. The rest of the imperial family behind him also knelt down. The nobles were already kneeling down, with their foreheads against the ground. All that was left was the sound of the gentle wind and the wait for the Shinsu to emerge. The Emperor stared at the forest calmly. Through the silence, the sound of a beast¡¯s steps came. They were Shinsu. Everyone gulped with tension. The first to appear were Ha and Shanti, two beautiful brown Shinsu. As they walked along, they approached the Emperor and bowed to the ground. A little whileter, the Emperor held his breath. From the dark forest, an even darker presence walked out steadily. Slowly and confidently, an arrogant beast, the master of the sacred forest, approached the human. It was Aymon. Everyone bowed down even lower. They couldn¡¯t raise their heads under the heavy pressure. The sun¡¯s dazzling glow poured onto the ck leopard, his glossy fur glittering like the night sky. In spite of his rxed gestures, his eyes were clearly shining. More Shinsu followed behind the slow-moving Aymon as he reached the humans, his heavy, proud steps as silent as a shadow¡¯s. Only then did everyone raise their heads. Bigger than any other Shinsu, with ck fur that couldn¡¯t be seen anywhere else, the brown leopards standing behind him protectively. This noble beauty was before their eyes. They internally let out an exmation towards the Shinsu full of grace and dignity. This included Belinda. Raising her head, she stared at Aymon, in front of her father, as if he had be a stranger. A step away, Aymon felt holy and noble, as if he were a mythical being. Even though he was the same big cat who rubbed his face against her, the same beast that had jumped on her in heat. In this moment, it was the overload of emotions making her heart pound. The Emperor took out his sword, which glistened under the sun, and put it onto the ground. Aymon pressed down on the de with his front paw, snapping the hard metal. The human weapon crumbled under the force of a Shinsu. Long ago, after the war, an agreement was reached between the Shinsu and the humans. Humans vowed not to raise their swords at Shinsu, and Shinsu also agreed to stop their meaningless killing. The ritual was simple. The nobles put their swords down and the Emperor offered them to Aymon, who broke them. The ritual symbolized that human safety was in the hands of the Shinsu. After the swords were broken, the music started again and the crowd cheered with joy. Just like when the pce doors opened, the sound of a trumpet rang, spreading into the square outside the pce. A loud roar broke out, and a cry of joy shook the whole empire, celebrating the harmony of man and beast. Belinda looked at Aymon with a big smile, briefly catching his eyes. He also seemed to be smiling slightly. The coronation ceremony had been peaceful. ¡°The great Shinsu, the conqueror of the continent. To the masters of the sacred forest, and all the people of the Athez-¡­¡± The Emperor¡¯s gentle voice sounded. Aymonid his chin on the floor with a drowsy face, not hearing or seeing anything. In this moment, all he could focus on was the Emperor¡¯s daughter standing behind him, Belinda, his one and only precious human. Chapter 60: Translator/editor: ruby Trantor/editor: ruby Everything he¡¯d dreamed of since he met Belinda wasing true. He wanted to be the Shinsu chief, and now he was. After receiving the emperor¡¯s permission, he only had one wish left. ¡¸You look like you¡¯re in a good mood. You¡¯re happy with the power, aren¡¯t you?¡¹ Shanti muttered from next to him, quickly closing his mouth when Aymon opened his eyes and red at him. What did I say wrong, you¡­. He swallowed hisints. Meanwhile, the Emperor¡¯s speech was ending. ¡°¡­I hereby dere the Empire under the possession of Aymon Arkin.¡± Cheerful melodies began to fill the space, signaling the start of the party after the coronation. As soon as people startedughing and chatting, Belinda left her seat and ran to Aymon. ¡°Aymon!¡± She was immediately dangling from his neck, her manners thrown aside. Aymon wouldn¡¯t ever have dreamt that Belinda woulde running at him at such an official event but was soon rubbing his cheek against her neck. ¡°Congrattions, Chief!¡± She said happily, hugging Aymon¡¯s head and rubbing his cheeks. ¡¸¡­¡­Mhm.¡¹ Aymon¡¯s awkward answer resonated quietly. In front of Belinda, sometimes the ever-present, elegant Shinsu would be a big cat. A sparrow who had been chirping on a nearby tree flew down. pping his wings, he recklessly stopped between Belinda and Aymon. ¡°Are you done? Hm? Are you really the chief now?¡± Mazetto shouted, poking in his small head. Belinda giggled and scratched the little bird¡¯s neck. He was the only one who wouldn¡¯t be scolded by Aymon even if he came between him and Belinda. ¡°Mazetto also congrattes you! Please protect Mazetto, not the Empire!¡± The lovely, cute animal shouted, snapping his beak. ¡°You greedy sparrow.¡± Mazetto chirped cheerfully as Belinda smiled and stroked him, rubbing his beak against the back of her hand. ¡°Yes! Now bring me cookies! With cherries in them!¡± Meanwhile, the nobles chattered on with smiles. They tried to hide their res towards Aymon, the giant leopard being embraced by a tiny human. ¡°It looks like the rumor about the Princess being close with a Shinsu is true.¡± ¡°Yes. A while ago, the Princess attended a Shinsu ceremony, which is where they met.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also heard that the Shinsu visited the Emperor not too long ago.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors too. Everyone has high expectations, right? Maybe that beautiful Shinsu will be around the pce more often.¡± The nobles turned around to look at the Shinsu. They were leopards with proud and elegant figures. There were envious gazes glued to them, who stood as if they were defending the empire. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful, by the way. I wish I could also see them up close like the Princess¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m too scared to get close. I¡¯m satisfied with watching from this distance.¡± Realizing that such a noble and sacred n was protecting them, they were overwhelmed with pride. However, within the joyful atmosphere, there was still a person who was lost in thought, with a nk face. Adi grabbed a ss and bit the inside of her cheek. Her face was heated with the anger boiling inside her. She was recalling her recent actions. She got down on her knees for those beasts to show an example. The great imperial family bowed their heads to them. What made her angrier was that she was alone in her feelings. She wanted to scream, saying that this was absolutely uneptable. She clutched the fancy clothes that wrapped her body. Lart, His Majesty, and everyone else must have been possessed by that despicable beast! The Emperor had even asked her to find the descendant of Barahan. What happened to that? She couldn¡¯t ept it, and she didn¡¯t want to. As she tried to force her feelings down, with a drink Prince Lart approachedughing. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± With a cheerful smile, he yfully clinked his ss against Adi¡¯s. Though she whipped her ss away, Lart only responded with a leisurelyugh. ¡°It¡¯s a nice sight, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Belinda and that Shinsu.¡± Lart loosely pointed to the ck animal and the human woman, holding his ss. Adi only grumbled as an answer. Simply seeing someone, including Lart, praise and admire Aymon put her in a bad mood. No matter how strong an animal was, it was still just that. There was no reason human power couldn¡¯t destroy it. If the number of Shinsu was a little lower, and if they were a little weaker, humans could¡¯ve destroyed them with force alone. Then they might not have gone through the humiliation of bowing down to them. While she was lost in thought, frowning to herself, Lart continued with theughter gone from his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t make it so obvious, Adi.¡± ¡°What?¡± She looked up nervously. Lart was looking at her with a serious face. ¡°The rtionship between the imperial family and the Shinsu has changed, no matter how you feel about them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will live in peace with them. When I¡¯m the Emperor, I will join hands with the great n for the sake of human prosperity and stability.¡± Adi listened to him with a whimper. The next Emperor. The next Emperor. Her stupid twin brother knew nothing. Not what the Emperor expected of her, nor what he had given her. Adi¡¯s hand unconsciously raised up to sp the golden key around her neck. Lart went on. ¡°So, Adi, rx a little. We¡¯ll be seeing them often now.¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t want that?¡± Adi gave a rebellious answer, but Lart still replied lightly, with a shrug. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be done if you don¡¯t. Humans and Shinsu might be very close soon.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lowering his body, Lart peered into her eyes. ¡°I mean that the imperial family will gain peace with the Shinsu through blood, just as you¡¯re trying to gain power through Duke Rodson.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± She had to have been an idiot to miss Lart¡¯s message. Adi turned back towards Aymon and Belinda. She was right there, leaning on his body while petting a sparrow. What? The imperial family and those beasts? No matter how lowly Belinda was, the imperial family was still the imperial family. With a beast?! There had never been a union between humans and beasts in history, and there never should be. Swallowing an irresistible scream, Adi stared back at Lart with shock in her eyes. Lart grinned. ¡°Even His Majesty gave his permission for it. And, Adi, I don¡¯t exactly know what the key you have is for, but¡­¡± Lart calmlyid out his innermost thoughts as he looked for the key around Adi¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not as stupid as you think I am. I know you¡¯ve been up to somethingtely.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I won¡¯t dig too deep. But be warned¡­ If you try to ruin the future that I dream of, I won¡¯t just stay put anymore.¡± Adi¡¯s eyes trembled. The threat in her twin¡¯s eyes was directed straight towards her. She wondered if this Lart, pressuring her with a smile, was the same one she knew. In her mind, he¡¯d always be a halfwit, an idiot who could never fill the Emperor¡¯s ce. A clueless moron who tactlessly interfered here and there, not knowing anything about seriousness. That was her brother. That¡¯s why she¡¯d always thought of herself as the best candidate. When had things changed? Did she just not realize? Or did she force herself to ignore the truth? The person in front of her wasn¡¯t the stupid Lart she knew. There was intelligence in his eyes and even intimidation. Adi gulped. Lart opened his mouth again. ¡°What did I tell you, Adi? Hm? Hm?¡± As lightly as ever, he chuckled. He was still the lighthearted prince. However, his sharp eyes bore into Adi¡¯s mind. She clenched the golden key around her neck again. It was now the only hope left for her. *** The noisy boundary of the Shinsu forest was finally silent. When everyone left the pce, the Shinsu returned to the forest, leaving nothing else. The tranquil moonlight shone over the guest pce¡¯s window. After washing up, Belinda leaned out against the ck fur. Aymon crouched under the window, lowering himself to allow Belinda to lean on him, and rubbed her ankle with his tail. Belinda giggled at the ticklish sensation. ¡°Today was really cool.¡± ¡¸What about it?¡¹ ¡°It just was. The way the Shinsu all walked out at once¡­¡± Belinda began to murmur about the coronation as a ck tail curled up her calf. Touching her knee, it crept up farther into her dress. ¡°That tickles. Anyways, the way all the Shinsu broke the swords like they were branches¡­¡± When she grabbed the tail, Aymon gave up. He slowly pulled back, Belinda¡¯s body naturally moving with him. By the time she came to her senses, she was wrapped in the arms of the beast. Looking at the ceiling, she brushed her fingers through his fur. ¡°It was cool how Ha and Shanti roared and growled. Why didn¡¯t you do that?¡± Aymon buried his face in Belinda¡¯s neck and deeply inhaled her scent. ¡¸Only my subordinates do that.¡¹ ¡°Um¡­ That tickles, Aymon.¡± The animal¡¯s hot breath and fur brushed against her skin. It wasn¡¯t really a ticklish feeling, but Belinda didn¡¯t know what else to call it. However, the stone-like beast didn¡¯t budge. Instead, he pulled Belinda closer to him, burying her in his fur. ¡¸Wasn¡¯t I cool? Hm?¡¹ Aymon asked in a deep voice. Chapter 61: Translator/editor: ruby Trantor/editor: ruby The Shinsu, in awe of the human, rubbed his nose against her chin like a child. He then continued in a whiney voice. ¡¸Tell me I was cool. The coolest in the world.¡¹ ¡°Mhmm¡­ You were cool¡­. Very cool¡­¡± Ack. That tickles so much. With Aymon¡¯s rubbing, the thin chemise softly slid down. Soon, Belinda¡¯s smooth, white shoulders were exposed. Aymon¡¯s breathing grew a little louder. He lightly pressed against her shoulder with his fangs as if he was stepping into the fresh white snow. Struggling to resist the urge, he very lightly bit her shoulder before quickly pulling back. ¡°That hurt!¡± Belinda lifted back her chemise and pped him on the nose. He wasn¡¯t just a teething kitten¡­ Aymon had been biting and licking all over her bodytely, but maybe that wasn¡¯t proper. It seemed like she needed to break his habit. There was no way he would hurt her or eat her, but just in case. If he unintentionally failed to control his strength, she might bleed. He said he got very excited when he saw blood, so if she didn¡¯t want to be eaten, it would be best to nip it in the bud. There was a red scratch on her smooth skin. Belinda rubbed the fine red line and pulled back. ¡¸Did it hurt? I¡¯m sorry, Breedee. I¡¯m having a hard time holding it in nowadays.¡¹ Aymon whispered, licking the wound. Belinda shrugged as the tingling sensation spread through her. Aymon slowly moved down to her corbone, going down further and approaching the chemise covering her chest. A soft curve was revealed when he lifted it with his nose. Aymon¡¯s restless breathing and hot body became unusual. As his face touched Belinda¡¯s rounded curves, she grabbed his face and looked at him, asking a serious question without noticing the burning heat in his eyes. ¡°Are you having a hard time holding it in? Are you teething again?¡± Did Shinsu teethe several times? Aymon answered the innocent question slowly. ¡¸¡­.No.¡¹ Belinda rubbed his nose, lifting her chemise back over her chest. ¡°You finished teething a long time ago. Did you know I still have your old fangs in my jewelry box? They¡¯re very cute.¡± She said in a gentle, friendly whisper as if talking to a kitten. Aymon exhaled quietly, still not cooled down, and blinked. In the dark night, his purple eyes glowed like sparks. He rubbed against Belinda¡¯s hand, murmuring with a sigh. ¡¸I became the chief today, so when the hell are you going to grow up?¡¹ Not hearing him, Belinda looked out the window. Between the brightly shining stars, there was a blue moon. ¡°It¡¯ste. You must be tired, right? You should go.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡¹ ¡°Are you going to sleep before you leave?¡± Aymon stared at her and eventually sighed, rubbing his cheeks against her. ¡¸Whatever. I¡¯ll wait a little longer¡­.¡¹ Now that he even had permission, there was no rush. He was determined to obey thews of humans, not those of beasts. *** In a secluded spot west of the imperial pce, there stood a small temple in honor of a god who didn¡¯t exist anymore. Before the Empire was founded, the being who ruled the continent wasn¡¯t a human or a Shinsu, but the God of the Beginning. However, as the river dried up over time, the God of the Beginning also disappeared. The only thing left behind was the temple where he lived. In memory of the god who once ruled the continent, and in hopes of gaining his glory, the imperial pce was built on that site. Princess Adi was briskly approaching the small white building, without her usual escorts around her. She held up her fine dress and rushed ahead, only apanied by the Count of Otoman. Finally! I finally found it! Her eyes glowed with excitement. The temple appeared in the distance. A ce no one approached even though its existence was, a matter of fact, rooted down in the empire. Adi passed by a stone pir and entered the center of the temple, where sunlight poured in. The dirty, dry air entered her nose. It was a whole other world, cut off from everything outside. She walked towards the Window of Truth without hesitation, where no light entered. It was luxurious, with red jewels iid on the golden frame. Even after so much time, it was so shiny that its age couldn¡¯t be seen. Signaling to the Count of Otoman, the man managed to take off the window and put it on the floor. Even the power of an adult man was barely enough to hold it. Adi took the key from around her neck. She pushed the key into the wall, where the window was, and it magically slid in. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Adi let out a long breath. She slowly stepped inside through the old dust. Under the sun scattering through the ceiling, there was a man with a beard lying down. The harp in the center of the space sounded as if reacting to an unknown force. Adi approached the vision without hesitation. ¡°This is it, Princess.¡± Adi swallowed the blue jewel the Count of Otoman handed her and shouted the spell. Then, she forced the same jewel into the mouth of the mysterious man lying down. When they both swallowed the same jewel, it started heating up in her stomach. The two jewels were connected. Finally! Adi¡¯s face was distorted by her deep joy. *** ¡¸Why. Why can¡¯t I¡­ I want to go too¡­.¡¹ The big ck leopard whined, rubbing against Belinda¡¯s waist. ¡°Firstly, you¡¯re too big, and¡­ and¡­¡± Belinda replied quietly, stroking his head. You¡¯re in heat. Belinda swallowed those words, only repeating her sole excuse. She was in an endless battle with Aymon. Belinda had decided to go on a vacation to the Gerban Penins in the summer. This time with the royal family instead of just Lucy. As soon as he heard the news, Aymon suddenly began to insist on going with her, but Belinda couldn¡¯t allow it. There was only one reason why Aymon couldn¡¯t go. He was a beast, in heat, who couldn¡¯t control himself and was dangerous. These days, Aymon was like a child rushing back and forth to the river on a very hot summer¡¯s day. Whether or not Lart and Lucy were at the guest pce, or if the maid had just entered, he was always clinging to Belinda. She was embarrassed by his whining, flustered to see Lart and Lucy turn away with red faces, and abashed by her own pathetic self, who heated up at Aymon¡¯s childish behavior. She could understand that it was a time of uncontroble impulses, but how could he act like this in front of the royal family? He was still a revered Shinsu. Every time Aymon rushed in, Belinda resorted to giving him a p or a tug on the chin, knowing she couldn¡¯t win over him by force. No one should see the insolent behavior of the new Shinsu chief. ¡°Just hang in there for a little bit. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± The vacation would be quite long, so by the time she returned, he wouldn¡¯t be in heat anymore. She coulde back to a cute, big cat. Aymon drooped his ears at the words said to soothe him. ¡¸But there¡¯s so much to do.¡¹ He wagged his tail weakly. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Belinda gently asked, stroking his ears. ¡¸There are things!¡¹ Aymon burst out. He had a cute habit of screaming when he got shy. Belinda looked at the huffing Aymon with a smile and held on to him. The leopard was so huge that she couldn¡¯t even cover half of him, no matter how tightly she held on, but Aymon easily gave in to her weak force. She kissed him on the nose, making his hair stand up. ¡°Be good and wait for me. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± She spoke to him as if he was a puppy guarding a house. Aymon nodded with gleaming eyes. ¡¸Yeah. You have to hurry back¡­.¡¹ ¡°All right.¡± Belinda grinned. He looked like an obedient pet cat. Although he could have bitten through a human¡¯s neck with a single fang and cut down a tree with a w, he was now just a cute cat. Belinda smiled, but her face suddenly hardened. A strange thought had passed through her mind. She hesitated to speak for a moment, staring into Aymon¡¯s eyes. ¡°Aymon, you can¡¯t just go and jump on anyone while I¡¯m not here.¡± ¡¸Huh?¡¹ ¡°What did I say about men who only care about their instincts and go around with anyone?¡± ¡¸That they are yboys and lechers.¡¹ He had heard it so many times that he couldn¡¯t even choose a single answer. Belinda, now with a serious expression, nodded. Good boy, Aymon. ¡°That¡¯s right. You might be a beast, but you¡¯re stuck with me now, so watch your behavior, all right?¡± If you don¡¯t want to be a bad beast, you have to spend the breeding season with me. He was a Shinsu but a beast before that. His instinct outweighed reason. Strangely uneasy, Belinda scolded him with a stern tone. Aymonughed. ¡¸You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s really like to be stuck together.¡¹ A ck figure swooped over Belinda. Chapter 62: Translator/editor: ruby Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°Ack!¡± After Belinda¡¯s shriek, Aymon rubbed his cheeks against the back of her neck and sighed. His breath hovered over her skin. Belinda pushed the ck beast away, her shoulders trembling with a tingling sensation. ¡¸Should I just eat you up here and now¡­.¡¹ He slowly sniffed around her chest as if he wanted to remember her scent; it would be gone for a long time. *** Looking back at the pce, Belinda waved from the carriage. No one would see it, but still. Aymon would be in the Shinsu forest, visible behind the imperial pce, probably rolling around in a flower bush. I miss him already. To this degree, it was like a disease. She should have been tired of being stuck with him since she was a kid. But as time passed, she only enjoyed it more. He was cute when he licked her toes like a pervert and when he cheekily bit her shoulder, saying that his teeth were itchy. They¡¯d even met yesterday and rolled around to their hearts¡¯ content¡­ Belinda sighed as she looked back in the direction of the pce, which was no longer visible. I should¡¯ve just asked him toe with me. The more she thought about it, the more regretful and anxious she felt. Aymon was so cool. His overwhelming body as a leopard and his handsomeness as a human made her flush just by looking at him. Thanks to them being childhood friends, she could hold on to the ridiculous argument of ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be a yboy¡±¡­¡­ Everyone was trying to find a mate like crazy, and it was even the breeding season. Belinda sighed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Belinda?¡± Mazetto asked, lying on a handkerchief and ying with her ring. He leaped up, asking again. ¡°Huh? Why are you sighing? Do you think Mazetto will take your ring? Hm?¡± He chirped, looking like he was really going to ask for it. Belindaughed. He was cute. He was a cute animal, just like Aymon, so why did it feel so different? She shook her head, scratching Mazetto¡¯s chin, who¡¯d hopped onto her knees. ¡°Keep the ring, Mazetto.¡± She wasn¡¯t interested in jewelry in the first ce, and except for the ring that Aymon gifted her, they all just felt like mere belongings. No matter how expensive they were, she always felt burdened by them, like they didn¡¯t fit her ¨C even after all her time as a princess. ¡°Really? Can I have it? Can I?¡± ¡°Yeah. Really.¡± ¡°Thank you! You¡¯re the best! My favorite!¡± He raced over her shoulders, making a fuss in her hair. It was amazing that one could win a sparrow¡¯s heart with jewelry. Belinda scratched his chubby belly, elicitingughter. The carriage stopped for about twenty minutes whenever they found a ce to rest. Now, they were in front of argeke with a field of wildflowers. As soon as the carriage stopped, its door burst open. Few people could open a princess¡¯s carriage without even knocking. ¡°Lucy! Are you all right?!¡± Lart, who was one of them, asked. Lucy¡¯s face had begun to turn white a few hours ago, probably because of the carriage¡¯s rattling on the bumpy mountain paths. After discovering this at a rest stop, Lart began making a fuss, saying that they needed to slow down and take a smoother path. He even tried to move to Lucy¡¯s carriage but eventually shut up after a scolding from the Emperor. Belinda nced at Lucy and Lart, holding a sleeping sparrow in her hands. She wasn¡¯t the only one observing the two of them. The prince clinging to a princess¡¯s maid was quite an intriguing scene. The eyes of the nobles traveling with them were all focused on it. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to lie down?¡± Lart asked, looking into Lucy¡¯s eyes while stroking her back. There was no hesitation in brushing her hair behind her ears; it was a natural touch that neither Lucy nor Lart seemed to care about. Belinda tilted her head. How long have those two been so close? Their touches and looks were strangely different from before. There was a heavy, deep emotion in Lart¡¯s eyes. Oh well, I guess it was while I was with Aymon. Stretching out over the grass, Belinda blew her thoughts away. A ck butterfly fluttered by her, making her think of Aymon. Her beautiful ck leopard. *** ¡°Snow! Snow! Belinda! There¡¯s snow!¡± Mazetto shouted, sticking to the carriage window. Every time he tapped his beak against it, he could see his breath. After a few days of travel, they arrived at their resort on the Gerban Penins, met with the beautiful sight of the sun setting over the white snow. ¡°Mazetto. Come here.¡± Mazetto flew over to Lucy¡¯s hand and was soon wrapped with a small wool cloth. ¡°A gift. In case it gets cold.¡± ¡°But Mazetto doesn¡¯t get cold¡­ I fare well even in winter¡­.¡± Mazetto looked down at the clothes, moved, and dug into her hair. ¡°Lucyyyy!¡± Belinda leaned down. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was the best when I gave you the ring, Mazetto?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, and Lucy is the best! Mazetto likes both of you very much!¡± While Lucy patted the sparrow in white wool, Belinda looked out the window with a smile. The white building they¡¯d be staying in for the next few weeks was passing by. There would be nothing different about this vacation. She stepped out into the snow in her thick fur coat and looked at the ice sculpture out front. She wished she could soak her feet in the water. The endless white cold just bored her. Having to travel with elegant nobles was even more suffocating; she had to pay careful attention to every one of her gestures. Even the way she grabbed the hem of her dress had to be graceful in order to not be ridiculed as a half-blooded princess. She felt like she was being controlled by an invisible string. In the semicircle ss building, Belinda drank tea, staring at the raging snowstorm outside. It was unbelievable that they could have tea parties in this weather. Belinda again realized how much luxury the imperial family could enjoy. Lart and Lucy were sitting opposite her, Lart with a worried expression over Lucy saying she felt too sick to eat her cookies. ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat all the cookies!¡± Mazetto buried his beak in the cookies with an excited face. As Lucy smoothed down his feathers, she felt someone approach from behind. Lart looked up but didn¡¯t respond, even though he knew who it was. Belinda didn¡¯t turn back either. The only people who could visit them were the royal family and the high-ranking nobles who traveled with them. Unless it was the Emperor or Empress visiting, Belinda, a princess, had no reason to turn around first. ¡°I greet the noble royal family.¡± Belinda turned around btedly, recognizing the owner of the high-pitched voice. The Duke¡¯s brother and sister, both with soft, brown hair, were standing there. Their eyes were, as expected, full of the dignity and confidence unique to high-ranking nobles. Duke Ruberos DeHill, the older of the two, bowed and spoke audaciously. ¡°I hope I haven¡¯t interrupted your good time.¡± Belinda didn¡¯t say anything, while Lart grinned and gave a rxed reply. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I stopped by because you seemed to be having fun in here.¡± Duke DeHill naturally gestured to his sister, ire DeHill, to sit in the empty chair. They had been close to Adi and Lart since childhood, so they had a calm attitude. As soon as ire sat down, the duke turned around to look at Lucy. In contrast with his tender eyes towards Lart and Belinda, he shot her a stark, arrogant look. There were no chairs left at the table. How dare she? How could Lucy, the daughter of a count who had no power at all, have a good seat, but not the duke? The quick-witted Lucy leaped up from her chair and stepped behind Belinda as if it had always been her rightful ce. When Duke Ruberos took the seat next to him, Lart¡¯s eyebrow shot up. Duke DeHill. He had two exceptional children, including Ruberos DeHill, whom everyone had high expectations of because of hisbat skills, and ire DeHill, who would undoubtedly be the next Empress. ire DeHill, who¡¯d known Lart since childhood, was a beautiful and intelligent woman who rivaled even the current Empress. No one doubted that she would be the next Crown Princess. With her power and wealth, she was the perfect candidate. That conviction began to crack when Lart dedicated his prey to a maid, a humble daughter of a count, at the huntingpetition ¨C to Lucy Herb, the only person willing to take the role of the half-blooded princess¡¯s maid. Chapter 63: Translator/editor: ruby Trantor/editor: ruby However, back then, everyone thought it would just be a passing interest. The situation became strange when rumors started to circte about Prince Lart¡¯s daily visits to Belinda¡¯s pce to see Lucy and when he was eventually sighted hanging around with the maid even on the trip. Could Prince Lart be serious? After hearing about the fuss, the DeHill siblings couldn¡¯t just look on idly. It was a matter of pride. The lowly daughter of a count dared topete with a highly powerful duke. Duchess DeHill was even the current Empress¡¯s cousin. Looking at it again as justification, it was only proper that the Duke of DeHill¡¯s beautiful daughter would be the Crown Princess rather than that of a crumbling count. ¡­Dirty thing. Duke DeHill scoffed at Lucy, who was standing behind Belinda. Lucy Herb. She was beautiful, but nothing else. You could find a beautiful flower anywhere. Lucy was just a lowly woman without a single advantage over his sister. She seduced the prince with those beautiful lips and humiliated his sister by flirting with him? How dare she? ¡°Brother, Prince Lart no longer replies to my letters¡­¡± Recalling his sister¡¯s dismal whisper, Duke DeHill red at Lucy. It was his sister that had set her sights on Prince Lart since childhood, waiting for the day when she could be a princess. He had no intention of forgiving Lucy Herb for hurting his beloved sister. He¡¯d been silent because they couldn¡¯te face to face, but this trip was an opportunity. Lucy Herb. If you harbor greed for an undeserved ce, I will show you what a disastrous end you¡¯ll have. Arrogant hostility burned in Duke Ruberos DeHill¡¯s eyes. *** In Shanti¡¯s mansion, in the Shinsu forest, a strange silence was swirling around in the bushes. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Pretending they didn¡¯t see the eyes watching them, the two brown leopards who had been rolling around togetherzily raised their bodies with awkward expressions. Shanti, the slightly bigger one, sighed and rubbed his face with his front paws. ¡¸Chief.¡¹ ¡¸Yes?¡¹ Aymon replied calmly from a faraway bush. He had settled in quite naturally as if the front yard of Shanti¡¯s mansion was his own, and the two leopards fooling around tried not to mind him. ¡¸What the hell are you doing there?¡¹ Shanti asked with a frown. ¡¸I¡¯m watching.¡¹ ¡¸Watching what?¡¹ ¡¸You two.¡¹ Shanti blinked at the casual response. That¡¯s right. All Aymon was doing was lying down there and looking at them. It had already been a week. It was hard to understand why Aymon was hanging around. ¡¸Why? Why are you watching?¡¹ ¡¸Because I¡¯m bored.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡¹ Shanti sighed. Bored? Hanging around with nothing to do was really Aymon¡¯s specialty. Every time Shanti went to look for him, Aymon relentlessly hit him and told him to go away, and when he asked if he was bored after lying down all day, he closed his eyes and didn¡¯t answer. Why did that same Aymon suddenly show up saying he was bored? Well, he coulde if he wanted to, but why did he have to interrupt others¡¯ rtionships? ¡¸I¡¯m bored. I want to see you so much that I¡¯m going crazy.¡¹ Aymon muttered, pressing down on the grass. ¡¸What? What are you bored about and what do you want to see?¡¹ Aymon pressed down on the grass a few more times before replying with his head buried in his front paws. ¡¸You¡¯re annoying. Don¡¯t talk to me.¡¹ ¡¸You little¡­.!¡¹ In a fury that overtook his instinctive fear of the chief, Shanti nearly inadvertently jumped on Aymon. However, Ha swiftly stepped on his tail and stopped him. ¡¸Hold yourself back if you don¡¯t want to get beaten up.¡¹ He¡¯d almost lost his head for a moment, but on second thought, getting hit by Aymon hurt a lot. He was a stupidly strong bastard. Shanti hit the ground with his front paw, his fur standing up. ¡¸What the hell is wrong with him?!¡¹ Maybe Aymon, his friend and the new chief, was the most shameless beast out there. He came to someone else¡¯s house, interrupted their good times, muttered something about being bored, then when nicely asked why he was bored, he told him to leave him alone. How could someone fully grown have such a wayward personality?! ¡¸Let¡¯s attack together and kick that shameless chief out of here!¡¹ Shantiined sincerely, showing his fangs. Ha shook her head at her lover with a sour expression. ¡¸You know a surprise attack won¡¯t work, and yet you still want to go at him? Do you want to die? Go do it alone. I won¡¯t do it.¡¹ Ha replied. The Shinsu pecking order was rigorous. Elders were favored, but that was it. Otherwise, they were ranked solely by strength, regardless of gender or age, and no one could outdo Aymon¡¯s power. Even with his personality, that was the way things were. Shanti twitched nervously when he heard Ha¡¯s answer. ¡¸Really, what is wrong with Aymon?!¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t know. When have we ever understood him?¡¹ Even among the unruly beasts, Aymon was always the most self-indulgent. If he was only less powerful, he would have had a very rough childhood, but like a gangster, he didn¡¯t have any w marks on him and eventually became the chief. Shanti¡¯s tail fluttered restlessly as heined about the unfair situation. ¡¸Go away, go! I¡¯m in a rtionship, too! Someone has to make Shinsu descendants!¡¹ ¡¸It isn¡¯t even the breeding season. What descendants are you talking about?¡¹ Aymon¡¯s answer was as calm as ever, despite Shanti¡¯s heated words and fangs. ¡¸It might not be, but does that mean you have to see all of my personal life? Huh?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s up to you what you show. Why are you asking me?¡¹ Aymon replied sternly to his angry friend. His rxed appearance only fired up Shanti further. ¡¸Why did youe here and make a fuss?! If you¡¯re so bored, go find your precious human and look at her all day instead!¡¹ Aymon¡¯s eyes changed when he heard that phrase, quickly going from lying around with a bored face to standing up with sparkling eyes. ¡¸Can I do that?¡¹ ¡¸What? Do what?¡¹ Shanti asked back foolishly with a confused expression. What would he want to do? Why was Aymon so happy with just the prospect of watching a human? Aymon ran out of Shanti¡¯s yard with a happy look on his face, leaving no answers to Shanti¡¯s confusion. He just stood nkly staring at the bushes Aymon had been sitting in a moment ago. What was the matter with the chief for him to leave so suddenly after ignoring his previous pleas to leave? ¡¸What the hell, seriously.¡¹ He should¡¯ve been happy to finally get rid of the annoyance, but instead, he was left with his whiskers twitching in confusion. The giant ck leopard that had just left sprang out of a bush again. ¡¸Hey.¡¹ ¡¸What?! What is it?!¡¹ Shanti yelled back in surprise when he saw Aymon, quickly pulling his tail back to avoid a possible strike from his front foot. However, instead of a smack, he received an imposing demand from Aymon. ¡¸Find out where the resort on the Gerban Penins is.¡¹ ¡¸The Gerban Penins? What is that? Where is it?¡¹ Shanti pulled his neck back. What was this again, out of the blue? Why would a Shinsu who had spent his whole life in the Shinsu forest know where the Gerban Penins was? ¡¸You don¡¯t know, right? That¡¯s why you¡¯re going to go and find out.¡¹ ¡¸Who, me?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, you.¡¹ Aymon said, holding down his throat as if he was annoyed to have to say it a second time. Judging by his scrunched nose, he was likely to show his fangs if he had to repeat himself again. What a gangster! Shanti, dragging around his front paw in the face of the injustice, eventually had to stretch out his tail and trudge away towards the pce. If he was told to do it, he had to do it. Even if it was dirty. It was the chief in question here who knew nothing but force. He had no idea where to go or who to ask, but he had to go anyway. It felt like he was paying for having bullied Aymon as a child. Leopards had to lead a good-natured life too. ¡¸Run.¡¹ Aymon¡¯s calm voice rang behind his back. ¡¸¡­..Ack¡­.!¡¹ Shanti turned around to re at Aymon and started to run for his life. He¡¯d find out the location of the Gerban Penins, or whatever it was, and tell the damned chief what he wanted so he¡¯d leave him alone! Just leave me alone for a bit, I beg you! Shanti¡¯s head was filled with thoughts of injustice. *** Duke Ruberos DeHill smiled at his younger sister, who was sitting in front of a mirror with a dazed expression. ¡°No matter what anyone says, you shine the brightest, ire. There might be lots of beautiful women out there, but not one that is as clever and thoughtful as you are.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Keep your chin up, ire. You know that the prince¡¯s whims all pass in a day. Soon, he¡¯ll lose interest in that maid ande back, so don¡¯t worry.¡± A confident smile appeared on Ruberos¡¯s face. He was obviously right. Lart, always as whimsical as ever, still behaved like that. Perhaps because he grew up withoutcking anything, Prince Lart often paid shallow attention to things, and by the time his interest grew more profound, he already moved on to something else. The same was true of his love life. He¡¯d never had a serious rtionship with anyone. They were all passing encounters, and it was only Ruberos¡¯s sister, ire DeHill, who was always around. Of course, it was all under the excuse of being friends, but it was clear a rtionship that umted like theirs would only be closer over time. It wasn¡¯tparable to some boring maid who was only passing by. Duke Ruberos looked down fondly at his sister. The reason she was so down was what had happened yesterday. Things had gone in an unexpected direction when Ruberos took the maid¡¯s seat. As Lucy got up and hurried away, Lart, too, got up to speak to him. ¡°Was your journey so tiring that you have to force Lucy out of her seat, Ruberos?¡± Chapter 64 Trantor/editor: ruby It was a light joke, but it had a hidden meaning inside. Lart led the embarrassed Lucy to her seat and tapped Ruberos on the shoulder. ¡°Your shoulders are so hard. I assume being an heir to a great knight family isn¡¯t as big of a deal these days?¡± Lartughed at him. Though knowing his habit of spitting out insults without considering others¡¯ feelings, Ruberos wasn¡¯t too concerned. He¡¯d just realized an important fact. The prince had an astray, twisted personality. The more Ruberos ignored and mistreated Lucy, the more he would cling to her. Wind only made a fire grow stronger. Before setting Lart on fire, a different direction needed to be taken. Ruberos slipped out of his thoughts, having settled on a conclusion. He stroked his lovely sister¡¯s head and reached out. ¡°Wake up. Let¡¯s go give the lowly maid a scolding.¡± ¡°Yes, brother.¡± ire DeHill took her brother¡¯s hand and stood up with a determined look. This trip was an opportunity. Without her even realizing it, she had a chance to overtake the maid and reserve the seat next to Prince Lart again. Belinda was in a horrible mood. Duke DeHill had appeared out of nowhere during her tea time with Lucy, just after Prince Lart left to see the ice statue with Adi. ¡°I greet the great royal family, the princess.¡± They gave a polite greeting and sat down at the table next to theirs. Although they didn¡¯t bother to pick a fight, Belinda observed them with sharp eyes, remembering their gazes yesterday. Howe all high-ranking nobles have such dirty eyes? Their eyes had an indescribable contempt in them, pouring out towards the half-blooded princess and her maid. One would have to be a fool to not notice. However, she couldn¡¯t just ask the two, who were very well-mannered on the outside, why they were ignoring her. That would have been ridiculous. Moreover, those looks were nothing new to her ¨C she¡¯d been getting them since she was a child. However she thought of it, it was better to act openly like Lart did than be so ambivalently polite. ¡°You¡¯re sleeping well.¡± Belindaughed as she stroked Mazetto¡¯s chubby stomach. He had fallen asleep after filling up on lemon tarts. Petting small animals always helped with a bad mood. Belinda smiled as she felt the warmth from the bird. As she sat in peace with Lucy while drinking tea, Duke Ruberos suddenly called her name. ¡°Come to think of it, princess. Would you please visit the duchy of DeHill after this trip?¡± ¡°The duchy? Why?¡± ¡°We have decided to hold an exhibition for Rowl with the support of the duchy. We¡¯re also holding a charity party, so we should enjoy it together.¡± Belinda rarely appeared outside, unlike Adi, who went to events here and there. She wasn¡¯t greedy to increase her power, so she resorted to sticking in her separate pce. Duke DeHill¡¯s family was close to Adi, always taking her side and ignoring Belinda. Instead of asking, ¡°Why are you inviting me all of sudden,¡± Belinda smiled. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go if I can.¡± Of course, that was a lie. ¡°I really hope youe. May I tell you about our artist, Mr. Rowl?¡± Laughing, Duke Ruberos moved on without waiting for an answer. He naturally brought along his sister, and they both sat down at the table, demonstrating his skills at getting across to an opponent and the impertinence of a noble. ¡°Rowl is a gem of a painter that we discovered. He usually draws impressive, colorful things¡­¡± Staring at the duke, who had just begun his exnation, Belinda let herself slip. She was bored because she had nothing to do, but it was still better than listening to the exnation. However, she didn¡¯t want to take the me for not listening, so she smiled back. It was still better for them to ridicule her for not liking art rather than for being low-blooded. After a long rant to himself, Duke Ruberos finally stopped talking. ¡°¨Cthat¡¯s why we¡¯re sponsoring the exhibition. I¡¯m sure it will start a new trend in the art world, princess.¡± He put down his teacup and turned to Lucy. ¡°Come to think of it, does the Herb family have an artist they patronize?¡¯ ¡°Pardon?¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes grew. Among nobles, patronizing artists had nothing to do with a love for art ¨C it was a status symbol. This luxury yed a tremendous role in those social circles ¨C in that sense, Lucy¡¯s family had nothing to provide. Count Herb himself was in a position to be patronized, let alone patronize someone else. It was this situation that made Lucy take the position of Belinda¡¯s maid, even though no one else was willing to do so. ¡°If you don¡¯t patronize an artist, do you have a private collection?¡± Duke Ruberos¡¯s questions went on as if he was deliberately trying to embarrass Lucy even further. Lucyughed awkwardly and shook her head. ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have a patronized artist nor a collection.¡± At that moment, ire DeHill, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, butted in. ¡°His Highness particrly likes Orphe¡¯s style. Did you know that? He used to go to exhibitions with me.¡± Lucy quietly lowered her eyes. A style the prince liked? How would she know? When she took walks around the flower beds with him, they always made jokes instead of talking about luxury. Despite Lucy¡¯s silence, ire continued calmly. ¡°Despite being in the pce for so long, you don¡¯t seem to be used to this culture.¡± ¡°No, unfortunately.¡± She gave a modest answer. Not being as extravagant as a noble was something to be ashamed of. Regardless of one¡¯s own ideas on the matter, that was still the reality. At a nce, the DeHill siblings¡¯ eyes were filled with scorn. ¡°I heard rumors that Count Herb has sold the family manor. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Not even with a stable left over? All of it sold?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, my¡­.¡± How pathetic. ire,ughing at her silently, continued. ¡°So the count¡¯s only house is the one in the capital?¡± Lucy slowly nodded. She bit her lips instead of answering. Although the siblings weren¡¯t courteous, neither of them cared. She just bit her tongue. ¡°It¡¯s a shame to even call this a noble family.¡± Belinda could do nothing but stare the two down with cold eyes. She could already see that the exhibition they¡¯d invited her to would only be a chance to embarrass Lucy further. It was a warning. You¡¯re not suited for the upper ss, so don¡¯t cross the line. However, if she got riled up by their words and clumsily tried to defend Lucy, she would only get Lucy into more trouble. Ignoring Belinda¡¯s silent re, the siblings continued the attack. They were showing their territory and authority indirectly, digging into Lucy¡¯s wounds and roughly making them deeper. ¡°Do you know this? Being a noble is more than just having a pretty face. You need an innate nobility that can¡¯t be imitated. Without it, you¡¯d only be ridiculed.¡± ire said, poking Lucy painfully under the guise of advice. ¡°Will you be able to adapt? Won¡¯t you be a shame for His Highness, miss?¡± In other words, ¡°You should step down on your own.¡± It was a contemptuous warning to not cross the line and return to her rightful ce ¨C to not be a stumbling block for the prince. Belinda bit her cheek in displeasure. Lucy¡¯s only sin was to be her helpless maid. And to let Prince Lart approach her. Belinda was hiding a lot of anger. If she just had a little more power, Lucy wouldn¡¯t have faced this disgraceful situation. She decided to intervene. She wanted to protect Lucy somehow, even if that meant revealing her feelings towards the siblings. Belinda roughly put down her teacup. ¡°This is unpleasant.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Looking up and scanning the two, Belinda detected a hint of nervousness in their eyes. ¡°You sat down here without an invitation. You dare insult me, the Emperor¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°¡­.What? In¡­ Sult¡­.?¡± Their faces quickly stiffened up after hearing the usation. All they¡¯d done was poke at the maid. What was she saying? Even though they could have a go at the maid, they didn¡¯t have the guts to insult the princess. She might have been from a humble bloodline, but she was still from the royal family. ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding. We never insulted¡­.¡± Belinda cut into ire¡¯s excuses. ¡°I thought you said that one needed an innate nobility. I clearly remember you poking fun at my origins and asking if I could adapt. Are you telling me that I heard you wrong?¡± Duke Ruberos urgently shook his head. The siblings, always with tender smiles, were now embarrassed. They were talking about Lucy, the maid, not the princess. Of course, they also thought Princess Belinda was from humble origins but had no intention of saying that aloud. Again, she was a princess. ¡°No, of course not. We weren¡¯t talking about you.¡± ¡°You nobles aren¡¯t fooling anyone by beating around the bush. You¡¯re pretending to insult my maid, but you mean to say that you despise me because of my humble origins.¡± Belinda¡¯s cold eyes shot at them. Despite the almost far-fetched criticism, the siblings¡¯ faces were ghostly white. Chapter 65: Translator/editor: ruby Trantor/editor: ruby They had never even dreamed of a situation like this. Only knowing a timid and withdrawn princess, they had never imagined her showing her thorns. His smug attacks on Lucy were long gone. Duke Ruberos began to stutter and his hands began to shake. ¡°No! Please understand, Princess! I¡¯m just worried about the prince¨C¡± Belinda poked back coldly before he could finish his excuse. ¡°Then you¡¯re saying I¡¯m an idiot who can¡¯t understand a conversation.¡± ¡°No, absolutely not¨C!¡± The forced excuse was again cut off. ¡°If not, then I¡¯m a brutal princess who¡¯s using ridiculous arguments.¡± The siblings gave up on trying to cover their mistakes and leaped up from their seats, bowing to Belinda. ¡°Please forgive us!¡± They had to get themselves out of trouble somehow. As long as Belinda was the Emperor¡¯s daughter, she was always right, even if she was just a princess with no power. Either way, it was correct that they had tried to humiliate the princess¡¯s maid. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for creating a situation that Your Highness could misunderstand! Forgive me for my rudeness!¡± A cold sweat ran down his back. He felt like he¡¯d just glimpsed a new aspect of the princess. They¡¯d done it because they thought that the maid was too timid to defend herself, but what was going on here¡­. They¡¯d heard that she was very close to a Shinsu. Could that have anything to do with it? Belinda, turning a blind eye to the white-faced siblings, stood up. ¡°The duke¡¯s children need to watch theirnguage and behavior. I won¡¯t stop at a verbal warning next time. Remember that.¡± Holding the helpless Lucy¡¯s hand, she turned around coldly without saying goodbye. She left confidently and gracefully, leaving the siblings to look down with a relieved sigh. However, they soon stiffened up again as she came back. Belinda grabbed the bird lying on the table and left, again with no goodbye. The siblings sighed again as she walked away for thest time. Belinda strode calmly, holding Lucy¡¯s hand with one hand and Mazetto with the other as if she had never been angrier. While she left pretending to be angry, she¡¯d almost forgotten about the napping Mazetto. The bird, who had been still sleeping despite themotion, opened his eyes and fluttered his feathers. ¡°Huh? What happened¡­ What? Where is my tart¡­? Where are we going¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake? I¡¯ll give you a tart when we get to my room.¡± Belinda replied to him gently, smiling. ¡°Okay, okay¡­ I¡¯ll go back to sleep.¡± Mazetto fell back asleep in Belinda¡¯s palm. Only then did Lucy hesitantly speak. ¡°Princess, I¡­ Because of me, you¡­¡± She looked like she was about to cry. Belinda¡¯s anger at the mention of ¡°innate nobility¡± was in defense of her. Lucy instinctively felt that. It was clear that she wasn¡¯t angry because of a misunderstanding, but because she couldn¡¯t bear to watch Lucy getting hurt. She was upset and sorry that her precious princess had protected her at the cost of creating a disgraceful situation for herself. ¡°Princess, I¡­ I¡­¡± Lucy couldn¡¯t speak properly, but Belinda understood her heart. I¡¯m sorry. Thank you. That¡¯s what she meant. Even though defending her wasn¡¯t a big deal to Belinda, it was Lucy ¨C the one who had always stood by her lonely self ¨C in question. If it weren¡¯t for Aymon and Lucy, she couldn¡¯t have found enjoyment in her fierce and exhausting imperial life. She yfully squeezed Lucy¡¯s hand, whispering with a light voice. ¡°Keep your chin up, Lucy. There¡¯s no reason for you to be intimidated by them.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m right behind you. I, Belinda Ryn Athez, the daughter of His Majesty the Emperor, who has unlimited power.¡± ¡°Princess¡­¡± ¡°And behind me, I have Aymon. I even have a Shinsu. Lord, how much more dependable could I be?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Belinda talked in a yful tone to lighten the mood. ¡°And you even have an airheaded prince behind you, don¡¯t you?¡± Lucy raised her bowed head and stared at Belinda, her eyes watery. Tenderly squeezing her hand, Belinda smiled at her. ¡°Lucy Herb. Never mind what others say. You¡¯re my person, so listen to me. You¡¯re my lovely, pretty, precious Lucy.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Lucy pouted. She wanted to thank andfort Belinda but forced herself to swallow the words. She feared that if she opened her mouth, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop her tears. Who would dare to mock Belinda¡¯s origins? Belinda Ryn Athez was more of a princess than anyone else. She didn¡¯t just mean it because she was her maid ¨C there was no one so sweet, generous, and loving elsewhere in the Empire. Belinda was her light and the Empire¡¯s light. Lucy had no doubt that bing the maid of the princess whom everyone else avoided had been the luckiest thing to happen to her. While walking hand in hand with Belinda, even the cold of the Gerban Penins grazing her ears felt warm. *** Adi, who was standing in the snow-covered field, pulled the small bow¡¯s string. Coldness radiated from her calm, widely open eyes. ¡°This is why I warned you to be careful.¡± She let go of the string, and the arrow shed over the white field. Inside the hunting area, it hit a ck rabbit between the skeletal trees, which fell to the floor without a sound. Duke Ruberos DeHill and ire DeHill, the two DeHill siblings, showered her in praise. ¡°That was great, princess!¡± The scarlet blood of the rabbit began to spill onto the frozen snow. Adi turned away from the trees scattered between the rocky cliffs of a rugged mountain and a steep hill. ¡°I told you not to disdain that weak thing, Belinda. I¡¯m telling you that she¡¯s extremely evil, but she¡¯s pretending to be innocent.¡± Adi took off her gloves and threw them at Ruberos¡¯s chest. She gestured towards a faraway carriage, which slowly began to approach. ¡°I don¡¯t need an escort.¡± She opened the door for herself and got into the carriage, followed by the DeHill siblings. The boundary between the harsh winter and the cozy carriage was evident after it closed. Adi flushed with the warm air. That morning, the siblings confessed everything that had happened with Belinda to Adi ¨C how they got a merciless talk from her after insulting Lucy. Usually, Adi would have been furiously grinding her teeth at Belinda¡¯s actions. But this time, she had a more calm reaction. She was confident in the hand she¡¯d been dealt, letting her rx. Barahan¡¯s descendant had fallen into her hands. It would take some time for the magic stone nted in his stomach to work properly, but it would happen soon. After finishing the ¡°secret mission¡±, she could enjoy a life of wealth and honor. It seemed foolish to be distracted by the jewels that were just something to show off. Adi pulled herself back from her thoughts, leaning into the carriage seat. ¡°You¡¯re angry, Ruberos, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because she has a Shinsu backing her up ¨C she¡¯s very confident. Princess Belinda is untouchable because of that beast.¡± Adi snorted andid her arms on the windowsill, gesturing at ire. ¡°Do you still like that idiot Lart?¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± She nodded serenely. He had been with her since childhood. She had grown up convinced that she would be a crown princess and wasn¡¯t ready to ept his rejection. Adi tutted disapprovingly. What good was there about that stupid kid? ¡°Without the Shinsu, Belinda means nothing. Trivial and insignificant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± But while that Shinsu was as powerful as he was, getting to that ¡°means nothing¡± would be a problem. Adi would always frown at that fact. However, she now talked about the Shinsu with a bright face as she tapped on the window. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, DeHill. You will marry Prince Lart.¡± ¡°Huh? But he seems to want that maid so badly.¡± The princess, and the Shinsu standing behind her, were too big of an obstacle for them to get rid of the maid. ire couldn¡¯t bring herself to say that and only bit her lips. Knowing what she wanted to say, Adi justughed. She touched her neck out of habit, though the key wasn¡¯t there. Now that she didn¡¯t need it, she wasn¡¯t wearing it, but her hand still wandered, touching nothing but air. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adi pleasantly cleared her throat as she fumbled around the empty seat. She smiled at the thought of Joseph, the descendant of Barahan that had been disguised as her servant. Sooner orter, the day she¡¯d been intently looking forward to woulde. The day she became the crown princess after clearing out everything blocking her. What do you want me to do? Even if you were Lart¡¯s wife, you¡¯ll never be the empress. The throne is reserved for me. Staring at ire with a sneer in her eyes, she looked out the window. A white field swept by with the sound of the horses¡¯ hooves. Adi picked up a small pouch next to her and handed it to Ruberos. ¡°You said you were going to the river to paint a portrait tomorrow, right? When Belinda gets onto the sled¡­¡± Malicious words came out of Adi¡¯s red lips. Though everything was going her way, she couldn¡¯t bear standing back and watching the conceited and cocky Belinda. I¡¯m sure a little prank will be all right. She hadn¡¯t managed to manipte a Shinsu into their death yet, but she could do this much. Adiughed, satisfied, as she imagined what would happen the next day. Duke Ruberos sniffed Adi¡¯s pouch with a curious face. *** ¡°Raise your head a little more, princess.¡± Belinda stiffly moved her head at the painter¡¯s distant words, trying to swallow a sigh. She had already spent an hour sitting on the frozen river in a luxurious dog sled. Prince Lart and Princess Adi were also sitting on sleds, staring forward with haughty faces. They were getting their portraits painted ¨C Belinda didn¡¯t understand why they hade all this way for it when they could have done it in the pce. She was told that the portraits would be painted against the backdrop of a beautiful snowfield to highlight the ancient beauty of the royal family. What the hell did that even mean? She nced over at Lart, who, despite looking annoyed to death as well, was sitting up properly. Belinda sped the reins on the sled. Large white dogs were standing majestically in front of it. I wish I could pet those dogs and y with them. And that I could finally go back inside. Even though she was wearing gloves, she felt the cold wind between her fingers. The weather was getting colder, and the work was finishing up smoothly. It was towards the end that the incident happened. Chapter 66: Translator/editor: ruby Trantor/editor: ruby It was around the time Belinda¡¯s eyes were being painted. There was a change in the eyes of two of the dogs tied to Belinda¡¯s sled. Blinking with bloodshot eyes, they scratched the snow with their front feet. They were well-trained dogs, but even though they had faithfully stood still while they got painted, they now began to show signs of nerves. No one noticed anything at first until the first dog in the left row suddenly opened its eyes. Growl! When it bit the dog standing to the right on its neck, everyone backed off in surprise. A few screams burst out. ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Before the dog on the right could grasp the situation, it also started running wild in a feverish state, its bloody eyes meeting another dog¡¯s and body trembling. Chaos swallowed up the field. Saliva dripped off the dogs¡¯ exposed teeth. ¡°Stop right there!¡± ¡°Get the princess!¡± There was amotion. Prince Lart and Princess Adi quickly fled from the ferocious, growling dogs, and Belinda tightly gripped the sled, struggling not to fall off as it swayed. Growl, growl! The dogs trampled away in the snow as if they had been enchanted. ¡°Attack the dogs!¡± The knights pulled out their swords and arrows, but the dogs were iling so violently that the situation was uncontroble. It would have been a problem if an arrow went the wrong way and hit Belinda. Everyone hesitated, unable to bring themselves to shoot at a member of the royal family. However, after a few attempts, they managed to overpower the two dogs in the front that were running wildly. They tore the dogs off and cut the line connecting them to the rest. This time, it was the rest of the dogs that ran off. They dashed across the snow, their eyes red with excitement. ¡°No! Princess!¡± Lucy ran after them with a look of astonishment. By the time the knights rushed in, Belinda¡¯s sled was already surprisingly far away. Ice sshed around the sled as it ran down the river. Belinda gripped the reins, crying out in horror. ¡°Guys! Stop! Please! I beg you!¡± She was far from stopping the dogs from pulling the wobbly sled as it was hard to even control herself. Although she could hear people chasing her from behind, she didn¡¯t dare turn around to check. The cold wind swept into her face, making her feel as if her skin were tearing off, and her hands, gripping the reins fearfully, trembled. It was clear that if she fell off, she¡¯d break a bone. She held on even tighter. Mazetto flew in and began to peck the bridges of the dogs¡¯ noses with his beak. ¡°Stop, you stupid dogs! Belinda will get hurt!¡± However, he was hit by a dog and fell into the snow before he could fly away from it. ¡°Mazetto!¡± The sled went on towards the icy sea that the river ended in ¨C not leaving a moment for Belinda to reach out after him. Meanwhile, the knights began to prepare their own sleds. They had to go after Belinda quickly, which some of them had already done on foot. However, a human couldn¡¯t possibly catch up with a dog, and they quickly lost their trail. ¡°Go along the sled¡¯s marks!¡± The sled started off at the cry of the driver. Lucy bawled as it disappeared into the distance. ¡°Princess, princess¡­¡± Her sobbing voice faltered. ¡°Calm down, Lucy.¡± Lart stroked her backfortingly, with a pale face. He bit his lips nervously. Although he was the one telling her to calm down, he was also worried. Even if Belinda didn¡¯t fall off the sled, if it kept going, it would reach the sea. The boundary between the river and the sea had very thin ice, which could easily copse under the weight of the sled. Beyond the boundary, a sea full of floating ice unfolded. The vast, cold sea. If Belinda ended up falling in it, she would be a lost cause ¨C her body couldn¡¯t be found. ¡°I¡¯m leaving too. Get a sled ready!¡± Lart turned around and shouted an order, assuming the worst. Meanwhile, Adi covered her face with a gloved hand as she watched the situation. She was trying to hide her expression. The embarrassment that she first felt had gradually developed. I didn¡¯t think something like this would happen¡­ At best, she had imagined the dogs running around and throwing Belinda into the snow or maybe biting her. This is a slightly bigger problem than I was expecting. She nced around. The perpetrator of the incident, Duke Ruberos DeHill pursed his lips impatiently, fiddling with his cufflinks. The bag that Adi had handed him yesterday contained a stimnt that excited dogs. It flowed into their bloodstream after a set time and made them go berserk. It was his job to feed it to the dogs and create a funny situation. He¡¯d done his part well ¨C he hid the drugs in some treats and fed them to the dogs. The n had definitely gone as intended, though the dogs running off to a dangerous ce with Belinda on board didn¡¯t form part of it. Duke Ruberos gave Adi a sideways look. ¡°You must be worried about Princess Belinda.¡± Adi whispered reassuringly. ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± He replied with a gulp. He looked around, fearing that someone would hear them, but everyone was too swept up by the urgent situation to pay attention. Duke Ruberos was miserable. What he had done was a murder attempt on a member of the royal family. It wasn¡¯t just a light joke on Belinda that Adi had pushed on him anymore. It was serious. As he stood in the cold field, anxiety soared up to his throat hotly. Adi patted him on the shoulder as if trying to reassure him. ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen. Even if something goes wrong, you¡¯re not in any danger.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes, princess.¡± Duke Ruberos pretended to be calm, but his smile was frozen. ire reeled back, on the verge of copse, and grabbed onto her brother. Adi was the only person who was rxed. Three sleds, including Lart¡¯s, had set off following Belinda¡¯s trails. As the wind grew stronger, the snow concealed the sled¡¯s marks. The forks of the river stretched ahead of them like a maze. ¡°Split up!¡± Lart shouted urgently and drove off towards the middle of the river, his heart pounding. Although his rtionship with Belinda may have started with himughing at her for being vulgar, she was his sister. She was the precious princess with whom he¡¯d built a strong rtionship. However, to his disappointment, the fork he had picked wasn¡¯t the correct one. ¡°Eek¡­!¡± After a long while running with no result, he turned the sled around. He had to try again and take a different route. The knights, who had gone in different directions, stopped their sleds. The ice below them was starting to crack. At this rate, they would die before they could save the princess. They took a nce at each other and turned their sleds to drynd. They¡¯d have better luck following the river from its banks. Meanwhile, Belinda¡¯s reckless sled rattled more and more. Mazetto, who had been ttened into the snow, flew back, clinging to her hair. ¡°Belinda! Don¡¯t fall! Hold on tight, yeah?¡± He held onto Belinda with his tiny feet. It was the only thing the little bird could do. She couldn¡¯t even reply, struggling to keep her bnce. The boundary between the river and the sea was approaching rapidly. The sled rattled with a squeaky noise whenever it scratched against a bump in the ice. Crrrrrr! The ice began to crack. Belinda¡¯s face was pale. Cold blood trickled off her lips, perhaps from biting them. What should I do? First, she shook her shoulders, trying to get Mazetto to fly away. She¡¯d be in trouble if she fell into the water, but shouldn¡¯t Mazetto at least survive? If he got caught, they¡¯d be stuck in the icy water together. The sea inched closer, so vast that there was no end to be seen. The dogs, unafraid of the water, ran on in extreme excitement. Belinda squeezed the reins, examining the situation. She looked at the condition of the ground and the speed of the sled. Then, the moment the rattling slightly stopped, she threw herself off. It would be better to survive with broken bones than get stuck in the sea. ¡°Ack!¡± Thending wasn¡¯t as smooth as expected. Belinda tripped on the edge of the sled and fell onto her shoulder. There was a sharp pain in her head. She stared ahead in vain. The dogs were still running towards the sea, dragging the empty sled. Her arm trembled on the ice. Coldness rose up from the tips of her toes, and pain flowed through her body, along with anxiety and embarrassment. Belinda reeled back, overwhelmed with fear. She somehow managed to stand up and stood still for a little while. There was a crack under her feet. She threw off her cumbersome cape and limped towards drynd. She didn¡¯t want to die a dog¡¯s death, struggling in a cold, icy river. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The ankle that had caught on the sled earlier was throbbing, but she continued on, ignoring it. Mazetto flew around her, crying at her. ¡°Come on, Belinda,e on! Hurry up and run!¡± Belinda kept at his tail, but just before she reached the snow-covered ground, she heard a snap. ¡°Aaaah!¡± She fell into a crack in the ice, leaving her no time to be surprised. There was a pile of snow covering it, making it invisible. ¡°Belinda!¡± Ssh! Her feet gave out. She reached for something, but only a sharp piece of ice slipped out of her hand. A coldness that seemed to freeze every one of her cells covered her body. Even her scream froze. She felt swallowed up by the chills filling her throat. The terrible fear and cold ate away at her as she shuddered and struggled to climb out. ¡°Ugh¡­.!¡± Her face hit a sharp bit of ice while she continued to slip, flounder and struggle. Her vision blurred. The cold made it hard to move, and she couldn¡¯t feel anything. ¡°Belinda, get up, get out! Belinda, you¡¯ll¡­¡± Tears dripping from his ck eyes, Mazetto tugged Belinda¡¯s hair with his beak. He struggled to pull the single strand that had frozen to his small body. ¡°Come on! Quickly! Belinda, you¡¯ll die if you don¡¯t¡­!¡± He pecked her cheeks and grabbed her cor, but her body was drained. Even the sparrow¡¯s wings had hardened with the cold. His feathers lost power with the snow weighing them down. Mazetto circled around her, not leaving her side, and eventually clung to her as he poked her ears. ¡°Wake up. Wake up¡­!¡± Mazetto¡¯s voice was faint. She stopped breathing. No, she just felt like she stopped breathing. As the extreme situation took over her, all her senses seemed to be paralyzed. Was this how she would die? The sound of the running water and cracking ice faded away. Her sight wavered. Her arms, barely clinging onto the ice, slipped away. ¡¸No¨C! Breedee¨C!¡¹ She felt like she¡¯d heard Aymon¡¯s voice. The sound of her precious leopard¡¯s unsteady voice would probably be thest thing she heard. At that moment, she missed him so much. She missed Aymon so much. Chapter 67 Trantor/editor: ruby Everything was submerged deep under the water. Belinda listened to the sound of the ice breaking around her as she sank and felt a violent wave. When she felt something wrap around her body, she lost consciousness. *** ¡°Find her right now!¡± The furious emperor¡¯s chin trembled. He shouted at the men, their heads lowered and fists tightly clenched, again. ¡°Look all over the sea!¡± He threw a vase at the window. After a ng, the angry wind blew in through the shattered window. The darkness of the night seemed to be flooding inside. The Emperor¡¯s throat dried up with his nerves. He groaned and soon sank into his seat, looking out the window with an angry face. There was a sky-blue cape on the table. The knights who had been out searching on the ice brought it ¨C it was thest thing Belinda had been wearing. The Emperor knew the meaning of the cape, found in the snow by itself. He already knew his daughter¡¯s whereabouts, though she was nowhere to be seen. He squeezed the cloth with a helpless face. ¡°¡­.All of you, leave.¡± Contrary to his passionate burst-out, now there was no strength left in his voice as he gave amand to the knights. Even in his angry yelling for them to go out and search, he already knew what might be locked under the icy blue sea. He clenched his jaw until it hurt and lowered his head. His daughter, whom he¡¯d taken on a trip for the first time, was now lost forever, buried deep under the sea. Lart was also pacing around the room. He forced himself to sit in a chair, fiddling with a teacup with his trembling hands, before leaping back to his feet. He approached the window, clenched the window frame, and stared out nkly, though nothing was visible. Out in the darkness, there was a white field of snow ¨C who knew how deep. It was the same cold snow that had swallowed his sister. After a few whimpery breaths, Lart ran out of the room. He had to do something. He had to find something, even if it was a dead body. Even if that wasn¡¯t possible, he had to do it somehow. For sure. He felt like it would make his burning heart quiet down. ¡°Have a sled ready.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, Your Highness!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for your advice. I ordered something. Prepare it quickly.¡± ¡°Do you want to be stuck in the ice, too?¡± Adi¡¯s voice came from behind him as he was nervously fastening up his coat. Lart¡¯s hand stopped, and he turned around quietly. Adi was approaching, her face deeply shadowed. She didn¡¯t like the situation. Belinda wasn¡¯t even a family member. She was only forced into the farthest corner of the pce because she couldn¡¯t be kicked out altogether. She was a useless princess, worth no more than a discarded hand of cards. So why was everyone so nervous? Adi had more anger than concern for Belinda. She was the princess that had stolen all the love from her, along with her father¡¯s and brother¡¯s attention, even in death. Adi forced Lart back into the room. ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless. Wait patiently until that woman¡¯s bodyes.¡± If Lart also died, she would be the emperor, so that may have been a benefit, but she didn¡¯t want to ascend to the throne in such a cheap way. She preferred to rise to the position through her skills and confidence while suppressing Lart and the Shinsu. Lart stared at her and gave a hollow smile as he looked into her emotionless eyes, not containing an ounce of worry. ¡°We¡¯re of the same blood. How am I supposed to wait calmly?¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s of the Emperor¡¯s blood, not ours.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t even supposed to exist in the first ce. Collect your thoughts and get your act together.¡± Adi warned him with an indifferent, cold-hearted expression. Lart could only stare at his sister as burning anger rose in his eyes. *** ¡°Mmmmm¡­¡± A weak moan came through Belinda¡¯s lips. It felt like they were covered in a thinyer of cold air. She felt a cruel pain, making her body twist all over. ¡°Breedee.¡± A voice seemed to be calling her name anxiously. Belinda wanted to open her mouth and reply, but she couldn¡¯t. Her throat was stuffy as if she was thirsty. Arge hand brushed down her exposed back, its heat patting against her frozen body. Somehow, she softened up as it distributed warmth. Whenever the trembling hand passed over her, it left behind a slight heat. She felt the chill filling up her body slowly slip away. Even the hard breaths hitting her seemed to be warm. How long had it been? Her body, shaking uncontrobly from the cold, began to stretch out, and the stiff tension began to ease. As her fingers warmed up, Aymon kissed them. She heard a voice that seemed to be fading away with every moment. ¡°Open your eyes, Breedee¡­. Okay?¡± But Belinda couldn¡¯t open her eyes. Her consciousness slid away, endlessly dragging down deep to the other side. In the hazy abyss, Belinda came across a fragment of a memory hidden in her subconscious. It was in the very distant past. A girl strolled slowly through the forest, her blonde hair waving around. She yawned, bored. It was a beautiful forest that she owned, but it seemed like even something so pleasant was bound to get boring at some point. Were the seasons changing? Green leaves were sprouting like smudges of paint. It was when she walked along the path with its green grasses, cutting through the hanging trees, at the spot where the ice had melted. Grrrrrrrr¡­ It was the cry of a wounded animal. The girl stopped walking. Even at first impression, she could tell it came from a beast. A wooded forest was just the right ce for dangerous beasts to emerge. She should have turned around and run immediately, but there was no trace of fear in the girl¡¯s silver-grey eyes. She passed through a bush and slowly stepped inside. [Hmmm¡­. It¡¯s you.] The girl tilted her head and stared at the crouching beast. A ck leopard the size of the house silently stared back. There was blood on its front feet ¨C the girl wasn¡¯t sure if it was another beast¡¯s or its own. Grrrrrr¡­.. Another threatening sound came from the leopard, but the girl still didn¡¯t show any sign of fear. She approached the ck leopard as it showed its ws at her. Sticking out its fangs, it tried to attack violently. [Good boy.] The girl quietly raised her hand and patted the leopard¡¯s forehead as it was just about to run at her. It suddenly stopped, standing tall. As if it was bound by an unknown force, it couldn¡¯t move a single toe. In the forest, no, on the continent, there was no beast stronger than it. Itsrge purple eyes glistened under the sunlight filtering through the leaves. The girl rubbed the bridge of the beast¡¯s nose. [I¡¯ve never seen ck fur like this. It¡¯s pretty.] She continued, stroking it as if it were a child. [I¡¯ve heard rumors about you. Considering you were born like this¡­ It looks like you¡¯re influenced by the power of my forest.] [¡­¡­] [Are you well off by yourself? If you see everyone as your enemy, you¡¯ll only get hurt. Look, you¡¯re bleeding.] The leopard¡¯s eyes were filled with wild violence. As its nose trembled, the girl tapped its forehead as if she¡¯d just realized something. [I forgot you couldn¡¯t speak. Is that good enough?] Even though the leopard was angry, it couldn¡¯t rush towards her. [Who do you think you are?] He just growled with a voice that made it clear he wanted to sink his fangs into her neck. The girl pointed at herself. [Me? Who I am?] She replied gently, staring into the leopard¡¯s threatening eyes. [The light and protector of the continent, your ¡ª. You cute cat.] The leopard¡¯s arrogant eyes were now filled with feeble reverence. Small leaves swirled around them in gusts. She heard the sound of a crackling firece. It was a night where she held back both her tears and her breath. Belinda opened her eyes wide. She felt like she¡¯d had a dream¡­ Not exactly a dream, but rather something strangely memory-like. However, as soon as she woke up, everything lost color like an old painting again. There was fog-like faint darkness and a sh of red somewhere. Where could she be? She had just been in a forest. As she fumbled through her dim dream, Belinda¡¯s fingertips winced. Instead of the scent of fresh grass, and the smell of heavy ash permeated her nose. But clearer than that came the familiar smell of Aymon, one that made her feelfortable wherever she came across it. She blinked and closed her eyes slowly before waking up. Someone¡¯s forearm was hugging her so hard that her back hurt. As if it had been cooled down, her body was now swirling with heat. The two bodies were in perfect contact, a slight heat flowing through the nket wrapping both of them. The person¡¯s chest was firm against her cheek, and she felt a slow heartbeat. It was obviously a man hugging her with his whole body, though it somehow felt like he was hanging onto her. A stranger. But Belinda wasn¡¯t surprised. She looked up at him, rxed. ¡°Aymon.¡± The scent and body temperature were obviously Aymon¡¯s. It was her big cat hugging her. Was this heaven? A hallucination bestowed by God so she could have her happiest memory before she died? She wouldn¡¯t have minded even if it was one. At this moment, the reality of facing Aymon was more important. Every time I think of him as I¡¯m about to die, I really do meet him. What kind of magic is this? First in the woods, facing the bear, and now after falling into an icy river. Aymon opened his eyes to her voice. ¡°¡­..¡± He wondered if he¡¯d really heard her voice. He gulped, and his emotionless face slowly distorted. A dark shadowy under his eyes, which reddened with his overwhelming emotions. ¡°Breedee.¡± There was a desperate fear in his voice as he struggled to spit the name out. I thought I was going to lose you. I thought you were dead. You weren¡¯t opening your eyes, so¡­ What couldn¡¯te out of his mouth was boiling hot in his chest. Aymon¡¯s eyes grew hotter and hotter because of his overpowering emotions. Belinda slowly raised her hand and touched his face. There was a deep shadow under his eyes that looked at her. It was as if he was about to shed all his hidden tears. Chapter 68 Only then did Aymon close his eyes as she touched him. His bruised eyes were buried in the dark. Aymon blindly dug into her neck, tightening the already close hug and slowly kissing her on the ear. Therge man crumpled into her arms helplessly like a lost child who¡¯d found his mother. Belinda smiled as she ran her fingers through Aymon¡¯s hair while he dug into her. He had a warm, mellow scent of wood and a cold one of snow. ¡°Is this heaven? I¡¯m not dead, am I?¡± Her fear and shivers melted away. As she realized that Aymon was in front of her, sheughed. How ridiculous was that? The first thing she did after nearly dying was tough? ¡°Breedee. Breedee¡­..¡± Aymon kept whispering her name. He hugged her tightly and rubbed his cheek against her, fearing that she would disappear. A hot, wet breath soaked Belinda¡¯s skin. She smoothed his hair down and patted him on the back. With every affectionate, gentle touch, Aymon¡¯s breathing gradually stabilized. His lips, which had been moving along Belinda¡¯s neck, descended as he licked her soft skin. Her body stiffened up. The feeling of his wet tongue was very clear. After having died anding back to life, she couldn¡¯t understand that they were intertwined, facing each other. Once she did, she flinched at Aymon¡¯s frantic touching. ¡°Why¡­ Why did you go to such a dangerous ce alone, huh¡­.?¡± Mumbling, he passed over her corbone with his lips. She felt a chill in her throat. As she remembered the situation they were in, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°I didn¡¯t go alone¡­ The ident¡­ Mmmmm¡­¡± He¡¯d wallowed around like this a lot, but that was only in his animal form. The one time she was with him in his human form, she was wearing clothes, so her feelings were different from now. She was so excited she couldn¡¯t stand it, but now it was even more¡­ She knew why they were tangled together, naked. To restore her body¡¯s warmth. However, she was so feverish now that she could barely see in front of her. Once she became conscious of the situation, her heart began to beat mercilessly. ¡°What would I do without you¡­ If I lost you, I¡¯d¡­¡± Aymon¡¯s whispers, permeating her body, had faint anger to them. The more he thought of it, the more emotional he got. He roughly bit her tender flesh. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Belinda lightly moaned but soon shut up and swallowed the pain. Her excitement was much more potent than it. Every time he put his body against hers, every time he dug in like a child, her fingertips ached. It was a harsh thing to feel right after returning to life. Aymon¡¯s heavy body weighed onto hers. Belinda held her breath, suppressing her voice for fear of making a strange sound, but the sensation that followed forced her to groan again. Aymon had grabbed a soft bit of flesh and put his lips against it. ¡°I knew you were gone, but I couldn¡¯t find you.¡± ¡°Mmmmm¡­¡± There was a faint whisper under her chest, but she didn¡¯t understand it, too distracted by the sensations pouring in. His hot breath passed a sensitive climax. Under the nket, which covered a human and a beast, wet sounds rang. ¡°If I had imprinted you, I¡¯d have found you¡­ I regretted waiting calmly. I regretted it a lot, Breedee.¡± Though she could clearly feel his biting and sucking, her head was spinning. ¡°Ah¡­ Aymon, mmmm¡­¡± It was the strangest excitement she had ever felt. Her waist shaking, she pushed Aymon¡¯s shoulder away, but instead of moving back, Aymon just clung to her tighter. With an urgent gesture, he hugged her to him, tightly pulling her to his chest. He clung to her like a child and sucked her up. After wandering around a desert constantly, he was rushing to find an oasis. Aymon¡¯s heavy breaths clung to her skin. ¡°I thought I would go crazy when you didn¡¯t open your eyes. I thought I¡¯d go crazy.¡± Aymon licked and rubbed her greedily and impatiently. ¡°Ugh!¡± A short sound erupted from Belinda as he bit her sensitive skin. There was a red stain on her skin ¨C not just on her chest, but everywhere Aymon touched. Her white skin was covered in reddish marks. Aymon bit roughly again. His body ran off like a hungry beast with his desire to imprint on Belinda¡¯s body. Aymon sighed with a growl. ¡°If you die, I¡¯ll kill them all. I will mercilessly kill your father, your brother, and the people of your empire.¡± Belinda stiffened up, not answering. Was this the same cat she knew, talking of murder in a low voice? Before she knew it, she was staring nkly at the shoulders covering her body, big and hard. Heavy pleasure engulfed her. Every time Aymon hastily clung to her, his soft hair fell apart over her skin. It tickled, but not as much as his lips passing over her. Belinda twisted away. Her head was a mess. ¡°Aymon¡­ Mmmm¡­ Aymon, wait¡­.¡± He couldn¡¯t be stopped. Belinda sped his white naked body and hair. Aymon¡¯s hot, rough breathclung to her constantly. Her pleasure and fear soared. She didn¡¯t want to reject him, but she kept pushing away his shoulder to escape from this strange feeling. She felt like her reason had gone out the window. She wanted to leave her whole body to this feeling but still had a strange sense of anxiety. Every time Aymon¡¯s lips touched her, every time his tongue slipped over her skin, she flinched. She didn¡¯t even know how to define this feeling. Belinda threw her head back and gasped. A tear rolled down her cheek from all these strange pleasures. She felt like she was crushed by the ck beast covering her, as she was stuck in this bottomless sense of excitement. But as soon as Aymon¡¯s hard hand sped her thigh and dug in¡­ ¡°Belinda is crying! Don¡¯t bother her, you bad beast!¡± The scampering was stopped by Mazetto¡¯s sudden appearance. He pecked Aymon¡¯s shoulder and shouted again. ¡°Why are you bothering her again? She came back from the dead!¡± His wings pped busily. The tension between Aymon and Belinda broke with a cling. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Both of them stiffened up and stopped what they¡¯d been doing. Aymon¡¯s hotly entering hand also lost direction. There was a deep silence, interrupted by nothing but the faint sound of a crackling fire. Belinda didn¡¯t miss the opportunity of that moment for Aymon, who didn¡¯t budge even to all her force, to regain his senses a little. She pushed Aymon off her thigh and hurriedly covered herself with the nket. She breathed out a warm breath and stepped back. Aymon sat back, slouching as he nkly gazed at her. There was still a lingering feverishness in his blue eyes that shone blue in the dark. Every time he took a breath, his six-packs reflecting the light moved handsomely. Looking at his tight chest muscles and firm shoulders, Belinda blushed as she saw Aymon¡¯s greedily clumped desire down there. She lifted her foot and started to kick him on the nose relentlessly. ¡°You perv cat!¡± Of course, Aymon¡¯s body didn¡¯t move a single inch with the woman¡¯s faint kicks. He was like a wooden pir, rooted to the ground. ¡°¡­..¡± Aymon sat on his knees and stared at Belinda with forlorn eyes, like a lost puppy. He watched as she went through a wooden drawer, still wrapped in the nket, and put on a clean tunic, and as she got rid of the tangles in her hair with her fingers. She covered the red mark on the back of her neck with her hair. ¡°Whew¡­.¡± Aymon sighed and stroked her face, looking like he still hadn¡¯t fully returned to his senses. She could feel his dejectedness between his fingers. *** One human, one leopard pretending to be a human, and one small bird. The threeid on a rug in the wooden hut, talking. ¡°Anyways, Aymon, how did you get here?¡± Aymon sped Belinda¡¯s hand and murmured back. ¡°I just wanted to see you.¡± That was right. It was the only way to exin it. He¡¯d missed her ever since she left, so he spent his time observing Shanti and Ha but came running excitedly after Shanti told him to go see her. But he couldn¡¯t say that, could he? ¡°How did you know I¡¯d fallen into the water?¡± ¡°I arrived here and looked for the royal family, but when I got to theke, you were nowhere in sight, and everyone¡¯s faces were pale.¡± As if just trying to recall the events was a challenge, every one of Aymon¡¯s words was filled with pain. He looked down and continued. ¡°I sensed that you were in danger, so I followed your scent.¡± ¡°Could you smell me from that far away?¡± ¡°The scent was so faint that it was hard to find. I should¡¯ve imprinted you earlier.¡± Aymon turned away from looking at the ceiling and looked at Belinda with hazy eyes. Sheid still and nced back at him. Facing her innocent gaze, heughed bitterly. He gently swept down her hair with his hand and stroked her cheek, managing to swallow a breath despite his nervousness about the ident. She was warm. Her skin was warm. She was his soft, warm Belinda. She wasn¡¯t cold and blue anymore. Aymon closed his eyes. It pained him to recall it. He¡¯d never forget that moment when the world turned upside down, and the sky copsed on him. He lowered his face and gently kissed her on the eyes. His warm lips touched them like petals. ¡°I was so scared, Breedee. You didn¡¯t open your eyes¡­.¡± Chapter 69 Trantor/editor: ruby If he¡¯d made a mistake then, Belinda would have sunk deep into the cold water, trapped under the ice, never to be seen again. She would have left him alone in this world. His heart tightened just imagining it. The pain, like a shard of ice piercing his chest, spread out. Belinda smiled with a loving face as if she wasn¡¯t considering the ident at all. ¡°Thank you, Aymon.¡± Now that he was facing her, all Aymon¡¯s fear and nervousness melted away. He stretched out his arms and pulled Belinda to him. He hugged her small body tightly and buried his face in her neck. If you¡¯re gone, I will be too. If you die, I¡¯ll follow you to death. He repeated it mentally so she wouldn¡¯t hear, and he closed his eyes. His nervous heartbeat slowly returned to normal. Then, Mazetto, who had been lying on the floor, got up. ¡°Aymon saved my life, so I¡¯ll be sure to return the favor!¡± The heavy air lightened up again. Belinda¡¯sughter rang from Aymon¡¯s chest. Belinda pushed Aymon away with her palm and smiled at Mazetto. ¡°Come to think of it, Mazetto tried to save me. Thank you.¡± ¡°I thought I was going to die, Belinda¡­! I was so scared!¡± Belinda fully turned around and scratched Mazetto¡¯s stomach. He chirped again and thenid back onto the floor, looking at the ceiling. He was veryfortable with his back on the floor. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how sparrows normally behave. His chubby belly was too cute. A hot body touched against hers from behind. Aymon hugged her. Their bodies ovepped again, and his breath came down onto her neck. He stuck to her when she fell and pulled her back when she went away. Like a baby bird chasing its mother, Aymon could never stray too far away from Belinda. She wondered how surprised he must have been. If it had been Aymon that fell into the water and lost consciousness, the world would have copsed onto her. She wouldn¡¯t let go of him the instant he barely opened his eyes, afraid of losing him. She¡¯d be nervous. Scared. Arge hand crept under the oversized tunic that she¡¯d pulled out of the drawer. The hot hand slowly rubbed Belinda¡¯s lower abdomen, climbed up her waist, and carefully crawled farther up. ¡°Stop!¡± She pped Aymon on the arm, and he quietly pulled away. Earlier, she¡¯d been rolling around naked because she wasn¡¯t at her senses, but on second thought, she was very shy. Even telling Aymon to stop touching her now was embarrassing, after he¡¯d already touched all those ces. Even if Mazetto hadn¡¯t interrupted them, she eventually would¡¯ve had to stop him Anyway, the past was the past, and the present was the present. Belinda had no choice but to keep pushing him off because leaving her strangely clingy Aymon alone would lead to an uncontroble situation. She looked around. There was a burning firece, deer heads mounted on the thick wooden walls, exotic rugs, and oldmps. When she asked where they were, Aymon just said that he didn¡¯t know. He¡¯d dragged her out of the water and looked for a ce to lie down. It was probably a forest keeper¡¯s cabin, but he said it was empty when he found it. If he hadn¡¯t, he would¡¯ve been left to wander through the snow hopelessly. Belinda wriggled into afortable position. The chest behind her back was hard, and it was strangely cozy in Aymon¡¯s arms. She almost sighed at the deep satisfaction and stability. Even though she was lying down fearlessly in a strange ce, she felt veryfortable with two animals next to her. Her eyes closed drowsily. Aymon kissed her ears. ¡°You must be tired, Breedee. Get some more sleep.¡± His heavy, low tone was like a luby, making her body rx more and more. She felt rxed as she leaned back. Aymon embraced her with more strength in his arms. It was like she¡¯d fallen into aa. It was veryfortable and sweet, unlike when she lost her consciousness in the icy water. *** Belinda searched the wooden cupboard. ¡°Nothing.¡± After a long night, it was morning again. Sunlight filled the house through the wood-framed windows. Aymon, Mazetto, and Belinda had decided to stay for a few days ¨C Belinda had sprained her ankle when she fell off the sled, and the cold wind hurt her. No matter how many nkets they wrapped around her, the pain wouldn¡¯t go away, so they had to settle for this amodation. As soon as she woke up in Aymon¡¯s arms, she emptied the jewelry in her pockets onto the table and began to search the house. First and foremost, she was hungry. Perhaps because of the ident, she was more hungry than usual. As she busily searched the house, Aymon went outside, telling her to trust him. Of course, he hadn¡¯t forgotten to leave warning marks on the house and nearby trees. ¡°Anything?¡± Belinda stood on her tiptoes and opened the drawers one by one. All she could see was a bottle of alcohol. The cabin¡¯s owner would probably be away all winter, so he¡¯d have had no reason to leave food behind. Belinda had no choice but to wait for Aymon toe back. She sat down in front of the firece and hugged her knees to her body. After a long while looking at the crackling wood, she eventually stood up because she was thirsty. ¡°I need to drink, even if it¡¯s just alcohol.¡± She¡¯d seen a bottle of pink alcohol with cherries in it in the cupboard earlier. Even that would do ¨C she couldn¡¯t stand her thirst anymore. She took another jeweled button off her clothes, put it on the table, and carefully lowered the bottle. ¡°What¡¯s that, Belinda? Something delicious?¡± Mazetto flew in. Belinda filled a wooden ss about halfway and drank it in one gulp. The fragrant, sweet drink passed down nicely. She¡¯d get drunk because she was drinking on an empty stomach, but it tasted good. Her chest seemed to be burning, so she rubbed it and held out the ss. ¡°Do you want to try?¡± Mazetto took a drop of the drink and flew back to the window. ¡°It¡¯s not good! Mazetto doesn¡¯t like alcohol!¡± The drink had left an aftertaste in Belinda¡¯s mouth, which seemed strangely attractive again. She filled the ss again, this time savoring the alcohol carefully. It left behind a sweet, fruity taste on her tongue. Mazetto, who was sitting by the window, squeaked. ¡°Huh? Belinda,e here, here!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Belinda replied, slightly slurring her words, and slowly approached the window. A leopard was standing on the snow behind a tree. Of course, it wasn¡¯t Aymon. It wasn¡¯t even like the brown, spotted ones Belinda had met. It was a snow leopard with ck dots on its white body. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a leopard like that before.¡± Its fur glittered in the sun. It must have been a predator, but its beauty hit them before its danger did. The bleak sunlight shone on its fur through the branches. The leopard, who looked at Belinda with shining eyes, kept its ears open for any sign of Aymon approaching. Its figure was somehow cute, making Belinda smile. The rtively small size made it seem cute to her, who was used to the Shinsu. Now that she thought about it, it was a perfectly normal size for the leopard ¨C it was the Shinsu that were so big that one could barely believe they were real. And Aymon was the scariest of them all. Was it possible for an animal to be so big? Belinda grinned as she rubbed her flushed cheeks. Then, the leopard¡¯s fur stood up. It raised its tail and winced as if surprised by something. Was my smile that strange? She tilted her head. However, it wasn¡¯t because of her that the white leopard was surprised. Behind it, a giant leopard, several timesrger, crept up. Its body was as ck as the night sky, contrasting to the white snow. The ck beast glittered beautifully, a reflection of darkness. It was Aymon. He walked up slowly, with a piece of game in his mouth, stared at the snow leopard, and moved on, ignoring it. It seemed like he had already noticed it from a distance by the smell. The snow leopard quickly hid behind a tree, its urgent footsteps throwing up snow. Aymon perked up his ears as he moved as if he was nervous. After it observed him for a while, Aymon turned into a human and began to separate the meat from his prey, lowering his body and approaching carefully. Belinda only observed the scene with a strange expression. Sniffing around, the snow leopard approached Aymon. Then, as if worshipping him, it fell t and slowly wagged its tail, dragging on the ground. Of course, Aymon didn¡¯t care about it. It sneaked closer to him, sniffing. Only then did Aymon raise his head. He murmured something with an expressionless face and pushed it away. Belinda didn¡¯t hear what it was through the window, but it looked like a ¡°Get out of the way¡±. It tried to hold out, but Aymon¡¯s strength pushed it back. However, the snow leopard didn¡¯t give up. It fell down and crept up again, lying t and wagging its tail. Belinda, looking on nkly, filled her ss. She felt like her insides were burning ¨C she needed a drink. She exhaled and strode towards the door, then threw it open, shouting at Aymon. ¡°What are you doing?¡± There was a tinge of feeble jealousy in her eyes. There was only a ck-haired Shinsu in its human form and a snow leopard outside, but somehow she felt like she was witnessing her lover having an affair. Chapter 70 Trantor/editor: ruby It was pretty. She had to admit it. The snow leopard was pretty. Not as much as Aymon, but the smooth lines of its body and ears were all cute and pretty. Aymon was a Shinsu, but wasn¡¯t he closer to being a leopard than a human? He might take a fancy to a new, pretty leopard. Belinda was filled with anxiety and jealousy. What she couldn¡¯t quite express was that she, as a human, couldn¡¯t expect to contend with a leopard over a Shinsu. She had to swallow her nerves. When she stepped out, Aymon¡¯s apathetic expression shifted. He smiled at her tenderly as she crept out of the house. ¡°I¡¯m back from hunting. I¡¯ll prepare it for you, so wait inside.¡± However, Belinda had no intention of nicely waiting inside as he¡¯d suggested. She wrapped the nket tighter around her and stomped up to Aymon. After a few steps, leaving footprints behind her, the snow leopard popped out from behind Aymon. ¡°Huh?¡± It wasn¡¯t threatening her. The leopard began to purr, rubbing its face on Belinda¡¯s thighs. Aymon dropped the piece of meat he was preparing. His once smiling face stiffened up, and he approached without hesitation. ¡°How dare you.¡± Aymon murmured faintly in a scratchy voice. Then, he picked up the squirming snow leopard and tossed it away mercilessly. The beast that had been cast off like a burden rolled away in the snow, crying in pain. Flustered, Belinda grabbed his hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She didn¡¯t know what had happened to Aymon, but he didn¡¯t seem interested in the snow leopard. That was a relief. Instead of answering, Aymon turned around and shot a look at the leopard as it struggled on the ground. Go away. You won¡¯t leave? A beast-like growl sounded from his chest. The small snow leopard couldn¡¯t bring itself to go near them. Aymon turned to Belinda, looking down at her seriously, and asked through his grinding teeth. ¡°Is it prettier than me?¡± ¡°What?¡± What was that question all of sudden? Belinda only looked back at him with a puzzled face. ¡°You¡¯ve said I was cute and pretty every day. That I¡¯m the most beautiful creature in the world.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Are you more interested in that animal now?¡± Aymon had apparently misunderstood her flushed cheeks caused by the alcohol. Belindaughed, halfway because of the drinks, halfway because she felt for Aymon. What was he on about? She thought she was just going to smile, but hearing herughter, she really seemed to be drunk. How could such a cute beast exist? His body was as cute as the kitten she used to hold in her arms, no, even cuter. Belinda grabbed his cor as he nervously looked down at her and took a breath, stillughing. Belinda straightened her back and replied with a big smile. ¡°I prefer the ck night to the white snow.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°These eyes that shine like stars are the prettiest in the world. Just my style.¡± When she raised her hands to feel around Aymon¡¯s eyes, his cold expression softened. ¡°¡­.Really?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the best.¡± Aymon leaned down slightly. He ced his hands behind his back to make it easier for her to reach up. He lowered his eyes, pretending to look at the ground, and the corners of his mouth twitched down. He looked awkward because he couldn¡¯t handle his rising emotions. Belinda couldn¡¯t stop smiling. How could he still be cute with such broad shoulders, a big body, and bloody hands? As a ticklish feeling rose from her stomach, Aymon leaned down and kissed her cheek, smelling her. ¡°Have you drunk?¡± ¡°Yeah, a little.¡± So that¡¯s why she was red. Aymon straightened back up and smiled. Aymon, standing in the white snow, smiled with sparkling eyes, yet somehow seemed dim. The reality of standing with him in the cold forest, rather than the pce, was new. For some reason, Belinda felt overwhelmed. She stared up at Aymon, who didn¡¯t even know how she felt. He looked down at her ankle and picked her up to move inside. ¡°It¡¯s cold. Stay inside. Your ankle must be burning.¡± ¡°But I want to be next to you.¡± ¡°Later.¡± The leopard, who had been whining until recently, was now pretending to be mature again and soothed her. Belinda was holding onto his neck when he pushed her into the cabin. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Wait a bit.¡± With Aymon¡¯s tender words, the door closed. The room, blocked from the cold outside, was full of heavy warmth. Mazetto flew in from the windowsill. ¡°I¡¯m bored, Belinda, spend some time with me! Why do you keep going outside when you say your ankle hurts?¡± Belinda rubbed the sparrow against her cold cheeks. How could she phrase it¡­ Waiting for Aymon with Mazetto, she felt like she was in a harmonious home. It was a strange feeling that warmed her heart. Aymon quickly finished with the grilled meat. Perhaps because she was so hungry, even the simple grilled meat seemed more delicious than her meals at the pce. After setting the table, she washed up with lukewarm water. She would¡¯ve had to use ice-cold water, but thanks to Aymon, she avoided the shivering. Aymon suddenly started to insist that he would wash her because she¡¯d have trouble with her ankle, and he was very hard to stop. What did a sore ankle have to do with washing up? After finishing her wash alone, Belinda sat down by the window, bathing drowsily in the sun. There was a small doll on the table, perhaps belonging to the cabin¡¯s owner. Looking at it quietly, Aymon kneeled down in front of Belinda. Without saying a word, he began to massage her ankle. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so you get better quickly.¡± Belinda wriggled her toes out but remained still. Well, you really are strong. Belinda looked down at Aymon, rubbing her ankle, then started staring at the doll again. She decided to ignore it. Mazetto, who was eating some fruits that Aymon picked, flew up. ¡°Belinda! That pretty leopard is here again!¡± Mazetto tapped the window with his beak. Belinda put the doll down and inched towards the window. Somehow Aymon¡¯s grip on her seemed to be getting stronger. ¡°You know, Aymon.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Aymon answered bluntly without taking a single look out the window. ¡°Isn¡¯t that leoparding here because it likes you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He dropped his gaze and went back to massaging her ankles. He burst intoughter. It¡¯s a male. It¡¯s a male, Breedee. It came because it likes your smell. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to tell her that and instead grabbed her ankle. Looking at the pale skin, he carefully lifted it and kissed it. ¡°Huh? What are you doing?¡± Surprised, Belinda grabbed his hair, but Aymon kept kissing her, moving up her calf. He recalled what Shanti had told him. ¡°Why does that human smell so good?¡± It wasn¡¯t just Shanti ¨C when he first brought Belinda into the woods, her smell became even more attractive. He had no idea why. Aymon wasn¡¯t the only one that was crazy about Breedee¡¯s smell. Her delicate skin looked like it would seep blood with a light bite. A strange impulse that tickled his heart hit him whenever he smelled that scent. Sometimes, when he got this violent urge, he wanted to sink his teeth in and chew on the white flesh¡­ He kissed Belinda¡¯s knee. Her white legs were revealed under the hem of her dress, which easily slid up. He could never hurt this gentle human. Belinda only wiggled her toes, her face flushed. ¡°You said you were going to give me a massage. What kind of massage is this?¡± His teasing kisses made her feel extremely strange. ¡°Leave me be. I¡¯m just doing it because you smell good.¡± Aymon replied calmly as if he was talking about something else. He put his face on her thigh and bit the soft flesh, her body trembling whenever his breath brushed against it. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, soft, and fragrant. No wonder anyone would like it.¡± The words fell with a light kiss ¨C he wasn¡¯t sure if he was talking to her or to himself. Thinking of the snow leopard outside the window, Aymon bit her thighs and pulled on the skin painfully. He chuckled. Belinda¡¯s legs flinched with a pricklish sensation. ¡°That stings, Aymon.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t give it to anyone.¡± As he slowly removed his lips, a red mark was left on Belinda¡¯s thigh. Aymon began to creep along and leave them further upwards. He didn¡¯t want a human or a leopard. He couldn¡¯t even tolerate a bug showing interest in Belinda. His jealousy was unbiased and epassed all genders and species. Aymon¡¯s hair was scattered over her thigh, dust glistening on it. Mazetto flew in from somewhere onto the table and tilted his head. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Aymon immediately reached out and clenched the bird in his fist. He smoothed Belinda¡¯s dress back down. ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at what? What?¡± pping in Aymon¡¯s grasp, Mazetto rebelled. ¡°Don¡¯t look at Breedee¡¯s legs.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to look! I¡¯m going to look! I¡¯m going to lo¨C ack! Aigoooo! The leopard is attacking the sparrow!¡± Mazetto, teasingly rebellious, giggled and struggled. Aymon had to straighten his grip. Of course, he didn¡¯t mean to hurt the bird, but Mazetto kept twisting around in frustration. Aymon was patting down Belinda¡¯s dress with one hand and holding Mazetto in the other. Through his loose grip, Mazetto flew away. ¡°You thug! You Shinsu thug!¡± Sitting down on the taxidermied deer¡¯s horns, Mazetto shouted down at him. Of course, Aymon didn¡¯t bother to listen. It had been a long time since someone called him a thug, but it rolled right off of him. Belinda rubbed her thighs. Aymon¡¯s bite marks stung, and she felt strange whenever she touched them. Earlier, she hadn¡¯t been able to push him away because there was a strange feeling in her other than the pain. He was hurting her, but she felt good. Was she a pervert too? Chapter 71: Translator/editor: ruby Trantor/editor: ruby ¡°Should we go back to the empire or where you were?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the resort in Gerban first, and if there¡¯s no one there, we can go to the empire.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Going back was an inconvenience, but Aymon nodded. He, Belinda, and Mazetto were walking along a snowy forest road. Well, Aymon was the only one walking ¨C Mazetto was on his head and Belinda was in his arms. The forest terrain was rough, so he would carry her until they reached the wide ins and he could turn into a leopard. They stayed in the forest hut for a week. They had thought that Belinda would recover in three days, but after what happened to her, her trembling body and depleted force couldn¡¯t be helped in face of the cold wind. After being taken care of by Aymon the whole week, she finally improved. Everyone must be worried¡­ Lucy, in particr. She recalled Lucy¡¯sst cries after her, making her worry even more. A quiet voice suddenly came from above her head. ¡°Calm down ¨C worrying won¡¯t change anything.¡± He was always so childlike, but he had to pretend to be an adult at these times. Nodding at Aymon¡¯s advice, she hugged his neck tighter. She rocked around pleasantly with every step as she stopped thinking and closed her tired eyes. ¡°Could it¡­ Could it still¡­¡± The Emperor asked in a gloomy voice. The knight who¡¯d searched the river and the sea for Belinda bowed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± A heavy silence fell as the Emperor sat down and rested his chin. ¡°Am I forcing them? I said to find a clue, but it¡¯s so¡­!¡± He stopped talking and slowly stood up. Was it a mistake to bring her in the first ce? He believed that he¡¯d saved her from the slums and given her a new life, but he never expected that his choice would lead to her death. The royal family¡¯s vacation period wasing to an end. He¡¯d return to the empire, and the poor child locked in the river would float with the ice forever. He pulled aside the curtain and stared out the window. Even the blizzard had stopped over the field¡¯s shivering trees. After a long time looking out the window, chasing an afterimage, the Emperor hardened. He narrowed his eyes, then opened them in surprise. A giant ck leopard was walking through the snowy field leisurely. The brightly shining, vivid spirit stone on his forehead was visible in the distance. It was a Shinsu. And there was a woman sitting on its back. ¡°Belinda!¡± The Emperor rushed out of his spot. ¡°Your Majesty?!¡± The servant behind him picked up a thick cape with a confused expression. Belinda wasn¡¯t conscious. She arrived at the resort lying on Aymon¡¯s back, wondering if the royal family could still be there. They¡¯de without much thinking. She wasn¡¯t an important person ¨C who would be sad at the death of a princess living as if locked up in a separate pce? Of course, Lucy would be very sad, but she¡¯d be the only one. Now that Lart was friends with her, he even might let out a sad sigh. Since she was a royal, she¡¯d have a grand funeral, but no one would really be sad. Then, something strange happened. The white-faced knights rushed in. ¡°Princess?¡± ¡°Are you all right, princess?!¡± Worries mixed with fury erupted. A big man went up to Belinda and told her he was d she¡¯d made it back alive. She greeted them all with a nk face. Very friendly for a royal, Belinda was popr among the knights and pce workers, though she didn¡¯t know it. There were frantic cries of ¡°Princess!¡± everywhere as Lart came running in. After he heard themotion, he looked out to spot Belinda and ran in a frenzy. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± Lart suddenly became angry, his face distorting as if he was about to cry. Belinda stared at him with a puzzled look. ¡°No, I said I¡¯m not angry! I¡­¡± Lart swallowed his breath, along with his emotions. Unable to hide them, he dropped his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re alive. Really. I¡¯m so d to hear it.¡± His voice cracked. Although he didn¡¯t cry, his voice revealed relief and sadness. ¡°What the hell happened¡­ I thought you fell into the river¡­¡± Belinda cautiously got off Aymon¡¯s back, revealing that he was very tallpared to her, but especiallypared to the downcast Lart with his slumped shoulders as she patted him. His reaction might have been awkward, but his feelings seemed very sincere, making Belinda upset too. ¡°Did you worry a lot? I¡¯m sorry. I fell into the water, lost consciousness, and got hurt, so¡­ I wasn¡¯t in the condition toe any earlier.¡± It was weird. She was the one who¡¯d almost died, but her brother neededforting. Consoling the shivering Lart, she whispered to him in a low voice, trying to get him to stop. ¡®Your expression is no joke. Can a great royal do this?¡± Lart murmured back jokingly, resting his forehead on her shoulder. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ve already cried in front of you and begged you for mercy.¡± He was talking about the childhood incident of Aymon beating him up. In spite of his light jokes, he still seemed a little emotional. The ck leopard scratched the icy floor with his ws, carving sharp marks in the hard ice. His whiskers twitched, as if he didn¡¯t like what he was seeing. He had no intention of interfering with the siblings¡¯ dramatic reunion, but seeing Belinda so closely attached to someone else was an eyesore. Belinda let go of Lart and looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s Lucy?¡± ¡°She passed out.¡± ¡°Passed out? Why?!¡± ¡°She¡¯s been crying since you disappeared and can¡¯t even get up.¡± His voice died down, as if he still had something to add. Thinking of Lucy seemed to be painful for him. As Belinda patted his shoulder, there was amotion behind him. ¡°Belinda Ryn Athez.¡± She heard a heavy voice calling her. It was her father, the Emperor. Belinda hesitantly turned around. The Emperor, who was rarely seen excited, approached with a contorted face. The servant following him tried to put a cape onto his shoulders, but he threw it off and walked on. The knights behind his back greeted him. Belinda stared at him and gave a hasty greeting as he came nearer. ¡°Your Majesty, I am sorry to have troubled you. I should have contacted-¡± She was cut off by a tight hug from him. ¡°You survived, Princess. My daughter is alive.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if he was talking to her or to himself. ¡°¡­..¡± Belinda barely nodded, awkwardly cringing her fingers. Was this real? Had he really called her his daughter? She never thought her father would recognize her as his daughter. It took hering back from death. She thought he would only ever show affection for Lart and Adi, but it seemed like a weak something was left over for her too. Belinda clenched her fist as she felt the Emperor¡¯s endless worries, with no idea of how Aymon felt, standing behind her alone. After so much time only receiving crumbs of attention, it was hard to figure out how to react with everyone focused on her. ¡°Princess!¡± Belinda gently stroked Lucy¡¯s back as she hugged her tightly. Her shoulders were wet with Lucy¡¯s hot tears. She was told that since her disappearance, Lucy spent her days crying, neither eating nor sleeping properly. Her shoulder bones were exceptionally visible. Lucy cried, hugging Belinda so hard that it hurt. ¡°I knew it. I knew you weren¡¯t dead¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯ve been worrying a lot, Lucy, haven¡¯t you?¡± Belinda, also heartbroken, leaned her head onto her shoulder. If she had known that she wasn¡¯t even eating, she would¡¯ve run regardless of what happened to her ankle. As her arms shook, Lucy told her how d she was to see her back. Belinda closed her eyes and listened to Lucy¡¯s wet breaths. Then, remembering something, she bit her lips and patted her on the back. With the thought, her eyes shone sharply. Later, as soon as she changed her clothes, she left her room looking for the person she had in mind. Aymon, who was sitting right next to Lucy, pouted. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Are you bored, Aymon?¡± ¡¸Yeah. I¡¯m going with you.¡¹ ¡°No.¡± Belinda pushed the ck beast back, but he didn¡¯t budge an inch. ¡¸I want to go, too. What if it¡¯s dangerous to go alone?¡¹ ¡°We¡¯re in the hotel. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I have to go and threaten someone. She murmured inwardly and tapped him on the nose. When Aymon¡¯s expression didn¡¯t rx, she looked around, rubbed her cheek against his and kissed him on the nose. The leopard¡¯s body stiffened. Not missing his embarrassment, she pushed him back in, closed the door, and left before he could follow her. She soon arrived at Duke DeHill¡¯s room. ¡°Princess Belinda is here.¡± An urgent voice rang as the servant announced her. ¡°Le-let her inside!¡± She followed the vignt servant into Duke Ruberos DeHill¡¯s room. He was sitting on the sofa, looking at Belinda as she approached him, dumbfounded. The royal daughter who came back from death after his actions was approaching him. There was no evidence of what he¡¯d done, and no one doubted him, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling nervous. ¡°What brings you here¡­?¡± ¡°Why, is there a reason I shouldn¡¯t be here?¡± There were sharp spikes in her words. ¡°No, of course not! I¡¯m just so d you personally came here.¡± Duke DeHill shook his head and invited her to sit on the sofa. Afterfortably settling in, she got to the point. She thoughtlessly pulled out a knife to show the duke, who had turned blue. ¡°Do you really hate me that much, Duke?¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± His body stiffened at the sudden words. He stood still as he was about to sit down. Chapter 72 Trantor/editor: ruby Belinda waved to the servant behind her ¨C a sign that she wanted to talk privately with the duke. Although he wasn¡¯t her servant, he took the order because of her higher status. The duke sat down and raised his teacup with a trembling hand. However, he coughed before he could drink any because of Belinda¡¯s next remark. ¡°What did you do to my sled?¡± Belinda¡¯s doubts turned into conviction when she saw his reaction. No matter how much she thought about it, it was strange. They were dogs in charge of the royal family¡¯s sleds, so surely they would have selected the best trained ones. Their violent reaction was a sudden, unexpected incident. Belinda recalled that day at the forest cabin, then remembered how long Duke DeHill spent looking at her dogs. It could¡¯ve been a trivial thing, but the fact that he was Adi¡¯s closest ally and had negative feelings for her troubled her. ¡°The dogs were running around like crazy, with bloodshot eyes! It was like they were drugged or something!¡± Mazetto¡¯s past words were also very concerning. She was testing the duke. If he gave a nonchnt response, she¡¯d leave, but otherwise¡­ ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to the sled! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± The Duke sprang up from his seat and answered with a bit too much excitement. It wasn¡¯t difficult for Belinda to read the horror and embarrassment in his eyes. After all, how many years had she spent in the back alleys? Reading people¡¯s emotions was an art form, one she had to understand to avoid the innkeeper¡¯s blows. Belinda put down her cup. As expected, her suspicions seemed to be correct. ¡°Did it bother you that I humiliated you?¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not true at all!¡± ¡°It must have made you feel very bad.¡± ¡°No! Absolutely not!¡± Duke DeHill shook his head as she went on. The self-control of the powerful man, who had always lived an easy life, began to disintegrate when faced with an unforeseen situation. ¡°You must have tried to kill me because you felt so bad.¡± The duke¡¯s eyes widened and he urgently waved his hands around. ¡°As far as killing?! I would never! Huck¡­.¡± He stopped talking and took a step back. He realized the meaning of what he¡¯d just blurted out without thinking. Belinda had led him to confess his sins with his own mouth. She nodded and sat up. All her doubts were resolved. She never meant to ask him what he had done ¨C she didn¡¯t doubt that for a second. Maybe he was just a fool who¡¯d fallen for Adi¡¯s tricks. Turning around, he desperately shouted at Belinda. ¡°Please forgive me! I didn¡¯t do it out of malice! I never meant to do it!¡± Belinda turned around and stared at him as he kneeled on the floor and put his forehead against it. Both of his hands were shaking. Knowing the gravity of his crime ¨C murder of the toyal family ¨C he couldn¡¯t even keep his body in check for fear of being pushed out. Belinda left the room without saying a word. Even after she left, the duke couldn¡¯t get up. He was frustrated. As soon as she left the room, Belinda¡¯s expression hardened. Duke DeHill wasn¡¯t acting alone. It could¡¯ve been one of Adi¡¯s tricks. She could have found out if she pushed the duke further, but he didn¡¯t reach his limits. It didn¡¯t matter ¨C the truth would be revealed anyway. The half-blood princess and the princess who earned all of her father¡¯s love. After the facts were revealed, would the Emperor throw Adi out for her? No. Maybe it would be the other way around. Even if he¡¯s started showing affection for her, it was nowhere near that level. Knowing that, she decided to keep it under key and lock at first. However, the resentment in her heart was too great to forgive. She recalled Lucy¡¯s crying and Aymon¡¯s face as he copsed into a hug. She made her person sad. She tried to kill her. Adi. Belinda swished the name around in her mouth and took a quiet step, her lips sealed. *** Adi calmly shouted towards the door as she wandered around the room nervously. ¡°Call in Count Otoman.¡± Soon, the Count entered the room, where she was standing by the second-floor window looking down at the royal family¡¯s tearful reunion. Sensing someone behind her, Adi turned around. ¡°I should kill Belinda right now.¡± ¡°Princess.¡± The count looked up and saw Adi¡¯s face, frozen with anger. She sweeped the curtains shut to block the view. ¡°We could use Joseph to control the leopard who was with the lowly princess! So that the beast kills her!¡± Count Otoman turned around to make sure the door was closed, then shook his head. ¡°The jewel hasn¡¯t settled into Joseph¡¯s stomach properly yet. What if he maniptes the Shinsu into starting a rebellion, knowing my power? When we can¡¯t control him, he¡¯s just as dangerous as the Shinsu.¡± ¡°Just kill them, then! Kill them all!¡± Adi picked up her dress and huffed. In spite of her nervous yelling, she knew that it wasn¡¯t the right time yet. The jewel nted in Joseph¡¯s stomach was connected to the one she¡¯d swallowed, but they weren¡¯t properly established yet. It was boring to wait until the jewels could root properly and their lives would be connected, letting Adi use him freely. It was obvious why they¡¯d used the jewel, the price of which could¡¯ve bought a mansion, in such a man ¨C so she could control him effectively before telling him he was the only person who could control the Shinsu. They had no way of knowing if he¡¯d be a dog that bit its owner. Adi took a deep breath to calm herself down. Even with her status, if it got out that the incident stemmed from her malice, she¡¯d be in danger. She wished Belinda had died. Her returning alive justplicated the situation, without Adi gaining anything. ¡°We should kill the DeHill siblings first, princess. We have to get rid of any seed of uncertainty.¡± ¡°The siblings? They¡¯re my people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than killing the royal family. If you go for Belinda, who¡¯s already in danger, and really kill her, wouldn¡¯t His Majesty start investigating?¡± Adi thought about Count Otoman¡¯s advice for a moment. Soon, she realized he was right and nodded. She¡¯d been impatient and tried to make a hasty decision. ¡°All right. We have to stop the DeHill siblings before they cause a fuss.¡± They¡¯d kill them with no rush, when the opportune moment arose. After Belinda disappeared, Adi thought she was dead and tried to take it easy, but¡­.. The slightest slip can put me in big trouble. Seeing the reaction of the Emperor, her father, would be an extraordinary feeling. If they discovered her trails, she¡¯d have trouble fixing the situation. She¡¯d have to be the emperor in the future, and she didn¡¯t want any blemishes on her track record. The best opportunity to kill the siblings would be the moment when they stopped hiding behind the shield of being a duke¡¯s children. ¡°Yes, we should kill them first.¡± Count Otoman had been silent for a while, thinking about something. He bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it right away.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to cover up the murder with an ident. Finishing them off properly so no one could trace it to them would also be easy. The count left his seat. Left alone, Adi massaged her temples, as if she had a headache. She bit her tongue as she thought of Ruberos and ire DeHill, the siblings she¡¯d just told the count to kill. They might have been on my side, but it can¡¯t be helped. There¡¯s many others out there. Trying to rationalize her decision, she drummed on the chair¡¯s armrest. The wrinkles on her forehead smoothed out and she stood up. *** During a two-day extension of their stay on the penins, Belinda fed Lucy herself. It wasn¡¯t something a princess was supposed to do for her maid, but she didn¡¯t care. Belinda held her hand as she ate and when she took walks outside. As if she couldn¡¯t believe that she¡¯d returned, she held onto Belinda¡¯s hand in pain, as if it was herst lifeline. Just like Aymon, Lucy was devastated by her absence and seemed to have developed trauma. However, Belinda stuck to her the whole two days, smiling and reassuring her until she rxed, like ice melting after a long winter. While Prince Lart breathed a sigh of relief, Aymon, unhappy with the situation, sulked. Two days ago, he was jealous of the emperor hugging Belinda, and now he felt like he had topete with her maid. He was dumbfounded by his own behavior. The route back to the empire was smooth. At least it seemed smooth ¨C they went back by the same route they came and stopped to rest once in a while. The unfortunate incident happened towards the end of the journey. It happened while they were passing through a road high in the mountains. After the usual 20-minute rest, the DeHill siblings approached the edge of the cliff for some reason. The servant exined that they must have gone to admire the view. And that was the end for them. They went to look for them since they¡¯d been gone for a long time, but only found one of ire¡¯s gloves caught in a bush. They didn¡¯t even find their escort driver. After searching for the siblings all day long, the knights came to a sad conclusion. The DeHill siblings had tripped and fallen off a cliff, along with the escort who tried to save them. First Belinda, and now the DeHill siblings ¨C it was proving to be a difficult trip in many ways. The Emperor consoled the duchess with a somber expression, along with Adi. ¡°This might be nofort at all, but¡­ I¡¯ll take very special care of Berthe DeHill, who¡¯s next in session, for the sake of my dead friends.¡± The duchess wept loudly at Adi¡¯s words, wetting her handkerchief. Adi¡¯s expression was more cruel than ever. Chapter 73: Translator/editor: ruby Trantor/editor: ruby Joseph thought of Adi as he walked through the waist-high grass ¨C the sweet voice that whispered in his ear and the brilliant jewel that she left on his cor. ¡°What is it? Are you afraid of having the jewel in your stomach?¡± So the rumor he heard about being selected as her servant, for no apparent reason, was true; the jewel would be nted in his stomach, connected to Adi¡¯s own life. The truth was that Adi could always die or weigh down his life like he was a fly. However, there was also the imposing reality of being able to control the Shinsu. Adi¡¯s smile only got brighter as he nodded with a fearful face. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of if you listen to me obediently.¡± Joseph looked down at the red jewel and swallowed it. The sudden offer had disoriented him. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The malicious greed in his shiny eyes was the only thing to be seen. ¡°Make the beasts move, Joseph. Once you kill them all, I¡¯ll have a lot to offer you.¡± As he took a breath, Adi raised his chin and whispered to him. ¡°When you finish, you¡¯ll have all kinds of riches. You won¡¯t have to worry about the jewel anymore, either.¡± Just trust me. Hernguid whisper was poisonously sweet. He¡¯d now arrived at the forest, following her orders. It was the Shinsu forest, which humans weren¡¯t allowed entry into, and Joseph looked around nervously before continuing. He¡¯d put powder on himself to get rid of his human smell, but his fingertips still trembled out of fear of the dangerous beasts. It was strange. He¡¯d lived as a bandit in a forest his whole life, yet when he entered the Shinsu forest, he felt like he was going into one for the first time. It gave him an uncanny feeling ¨C it was just a green forest without a sly atmosphere, but he felt like it was swallowing him up. The fearful, unpleasant numbness rose in his fingertips. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± After Count Otoman¡¯s order, Joseph picked up the pace again. There were also four knights with giant spears following behind him with nervous faces. They had bows and arrows on their backs, as a minimum amount of backup just in case. At first nce, they seemed like they were going hunting, but their intentions were of course different. Thoseds will have to prove their valor today. Count Otoman treaded through the grass, assessing the route with his cold eyes. They were heading to the mansion closest to the forest boundary, to the Shinsu who ruled over the forest. Joseph¡¯s heart was pounding incessantly. He saw a Shinsu with brown spots in the distance, lying on a branch and wagging its tail. A butterfly quietly fluttered by them, like a petal. Luckily, the Shinsu was rxed, not having any natural enemies to be wary of, but if it had paid a little attention, they clearly would¡¯ve been caught. ¡°Come on.¡± Count Otoman grunted quietly. Joseph took a breath and focused his attention onto the leopard, which looked like a dot in the distance. If he failed, he would have no gold, silver, or treasures. If he failed, the jewel in his stomach would devour him. Even when he was so nervous, he thought of a rosy future. Joseph¡¯s fingertips and toes began to heat up. As he mustered all his strength, the color of his eyes faded from the usual gold that shined like the sun to sparkly silver moons. Just like Belinda¡¯s eyes. It was at that moment when the brown Shinsu¡¯s pupils also expanded. It stopped wagging its tail. A silent scream broke out from Joseph. I did it! I did it! Panting with joy, he looked at Count Otoman, his face filled with excitement. However, all he got was a cold-bloodedmand. ¡°¡­.More.¡± Joseph nodded and looked back at the leopard. It jumped down from the tree and looked at the butterfly, resting on a flower bush. Without hesitation, it struck down and killed it. At that moment, the leopard¡¯s eyes changed back. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ It looked down at its front paw, not understanding what it had just done. Count Otoman and Joseph had already left their posts as soon as they were caught. There was joy in between their quick steps. ¡°Why did you stop there?¡± The count asked, clearly revealing his agitation. ¡°That was the limit.¡± The answer came in a cautious, yet prideful, voice. Now that they had started, they could develop the skill gradually. Count Otoman put on a rarely seen smile. ¡°I¡¯ll go see Princess Adi right now. I¡¯ll tell her the good news ande back here so the Shinsu-¡± He spoke in a fervent voice. Joseph nodded along with anticipation. The faces of the two men had a bad energy to them. Even in the lush green forest, every one of their steps was followed by a dark shadow. *** ¡°Get me more of this.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Aymon¡¯smand, the maid left to bring green grapes. Lucy, who was ying ball with Mazetto, stared at Aymon with a thoughtful face. Lying on the sofa, resting his chin, he looked like the most lonesome, bored person in the world. He was so elegant and graceful, yet so headstrong. As if the only thing he could do was observe Belinda. ¡°Lucy! I¡¯m passing the ball!¡± Mazetto came running with a chirp. Lucy carefully spoke to Aymon after rolling the ball back. ¡°Aymon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He replied slowly, still staring at Belinda as she read a book. ¡°Do you know court etiquette?¡± ¡°Etiquette?¡± ¡°Yes. Table manners, dancing and such.¡± Soon, a ball would be held at the pce with the Shinsu. Of course, they had always visited the pce once a year, but that wasn¡¯t out of free will, just a reluctant act for the sake of their agreement. However, this time, it was different. All Shinsu were invited, and the Emperor would wee them happily. The goal of promoting harmony between humans and Shinsu made the event even more important. Of course, ¡°harmony¡± wasn¡¯t the only reason for the ball. But that was a secret for now. Aymon answered Lucy with a straight face. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. So I have to?¡± Holding the knife with both hands, having to wait before eating meat¡­ Aymon took the te of grapes from the maid. He ate them while staring at Lucy, who stared back. Because of his good looks, even the slight gesture of picking up a grape stood out¡­ But the social world wasn¡¯t easy. It was an elegant jungle, a silent battlefield. A ce where one could dig into anyone¡¯s weak points with a smile. A ce where the smallest w could result in an elegant banishment. It wouldn¡¯t be any different for a Shinsu. If he acted out at the ball, the me might end up falling on Belinda. Everyone knew that Aymon and Belinda were close. Lucy recalled the DeHill siblings¡¯ words. ¡°Natural nobility cannot be imitated. Without it, you¡¯ll only get ridiculed.¡± An aristocrat would spot the tiniest crack. ¡°Aymon! You should learn from the Princess!¡± ¡°Learn what?¡± ¡°Anything!¡± He had to learn everything from how to hold a knife, to how to dance at a ball, down to sitting on a chair. Aymon nodded with a serious face. ¡°Should I? There¡¯s a lot of things she needs to teach me, and a lot of things I need to teach her too.¡± His serious face had a hint of slyness in it. ¡°¡­Aymon, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but I was talking about court etiquette.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Aymonughedzily, indicating his disinterest. Lucy massaged her temples. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you throwing me the ball?¡± Lucy rolled the ball back when Mazetto started toin. Two dayster, Aymon was eating a tart. Belinda grabbed his arm and hit him on the back, standing next to him, like she was straightening bent iron with a hammer. ¡°Straighten up. Never put your elbows on the table.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s bad manners.¡± With a look of discontent, though still obeying her, Aymon asked again. ¡°Why is it bad manners?¡± ¡°Humans have rules. If you don¡¯t keep them, they will think you¡¯re impolite and gossip about you.¡± That was also the reason she learned it when she was young. As he listened to her muttering, Aymon unhappily folded his arms. ¡°So the reason I have to learn this is so humans won¡¯t criticize me?¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Because of what humans think of me? Me? Why? Why would I do that?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Belinda was left speechless. Come to think of it, Aymon wasn¡¯t someone that needed to give a good impression. Even if he were to lie onto the table to eat or buried his face in the te in his leopard form, no one could say a word. After all, he was the greatest, most powerful Shinsu. Belinda¡¯s triumphant spirit quickly subsided. ¡°Is that true? It must be? Aymon can do whatever he wants¡­ He doesn¡¯t have to learn¡­¡± She lost confidence in her teachings, mumbling. At that point, Lucy, who had been watching them, had no choice but to step in. This couldn¡¯t be. She knew the princess was getting tangled up with Aymon, but she had to draw the line somewhere. Lucy stood in front of Aymon, her back against Belinda. ¡°Aymon.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aymon got some tart filling on his chin again. Belinda¡¯s teaching seemed to be in vain. Lucy just winked at him instead of speaking. Aymon answered with his eyes. What? Why? Chapter 74: Translator/editor: ruby Trantor/editor: ruby Lucy sighed and stole a pointed nce at Belinda. ¡°Just in case.¡± After the vague answer, she motioned to Belinda again. What she meant to tell him was to be considerate ¨C otherwise Belinda could end up being ridiculed. She tried to use bodynguage he¡¯d understand. Despite Lucy¡¯s equivocal persuasion, Aymon surprisingly understood. He changed his posture, straightening out his back and lowering his arms. Just with those small changes, it felt like the whole table¡¯s presence had changed. Belinda stroked Aymon¡¯s back. ¡°Lucy, how did you manage to convince this stubborn mule?¡± Instead of an answer, Lucy gave an unnatural smile. Belinda leaned down next to Aymon to start exining. ¡°Aymon, when you sit down at the table, you¡¯ll see knives and forks set up like this. You use them one by one.¡± She exined the cutlery to him step by step as he sat still and watched her. It looked like her words went in one ear and came out the other. Their faces were very close together, enough to hear even the faintest breath. He could feel Belinda¡¯s unique scent. Her peach fuzz sparkled in the sun. Then there were her soft cheeks, her cute nose, and her diligently moving lips. ¡°This kind of ss is usually for serving alcohol-¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Aymon slowly gazed at her. Her sparkling eyshes. Her hair flowing down the back of her neck. Even her delicate corbone. He swallowed a nervous breath. ¡°All these little things are going to be annoying. You have to eat the snacks with a fork, too. You can¡¯t just pick them up with your hands, all right?¡± Belinda continued, forcing the tart out of his hand. ¡°Now, step by step, like I told y- ack!¡± She tried to make him go through the steps again, but couldn¡¯t even finish her sentence. He grabbed her face with both hands and bit her cheek. ¡°Ah!¡± She pushed him away in surprise. Aymon rained kisses on her cheeks and bit her earlobe. Then, he squeezed her face again. ¡°You¡¯re craz- ow, Aymon!¡± He had the power of a beast. Huffing, Belinda pulled his ear. She didn¡¯t hate it. She certainly didn¡¯t not like it. The problem wasn¡¯t Aymon¡¯s behavior, but rather the ce. A certain human named Lucy and an animal, Mazetto, were watching them. ¡°Lucy! Aymon¡¯s trying to eat Belinda!¡± ¡°Pretend you didn¡¯t notice, Mazetto.¡± Lucy turned around and gestured to him. Aymon and Belinda decided to go out for a walk, trying to avoid the situation. However, the tactless bird proudly blocked their way instead of answering Lucy¡¯s call and scolded Aymon, who was in another world. ¡°Stop! You already did this with Belinda in the cabin, and here you are again- eep!¡± Mazetto was stopped by Lucy¡¯s hurried approach. She held his beak shut. ¡°Shush!¡± ¡°Eep! Hmph!¡± Lucy left with the rebelling sparrow. Belinda pulled on Aymon¡¯s hair as hard as she could and dropped her eyes. She felt like she was about to die of joy, was overwhelmed by the hug, and wanted to die of shame. Aymon groaned and drew closer to her, but she pushed him away. However, he stuck to her tirelessly, giving her no choice but to hug him back. ¡°I was just telling you how to hold a fork, why would you¡­ all of sudden¡­¡± She could feel Aymon¡¯s relentless heartbeat and sweet fragrance. Her heartbeat also went up. She didn¡¯t know why he¡¯d done it, but he was still just like a kitten. ¡°When did you say the ball was, Breedee?¡± His voice rang above her head. Belinda mentally counted the days before replying. ¡°In ten days?¡± ¡°Ten days¡­ I will announce it in ten days¡­ How much longer will I have to put up with this¡­¡± Aymon muttered to himself in a self-pitying voice. Belinda stroked his back, rxing his tense muscles. As sheforted him, almost copsing in her arms, she looked down at the fork. When he stopped acting like a spoiled child, she¡¯d continue their lesson. Finally, Aymon didn¡¯t end up learning any aristocratic manners from her. Nothing she tried worked. Belinda¡¯s efforts went nowhere ¨C all she could do was get him to stand up properly. Every time, Aymon would make it very difficult for her to teach. Lucy became his teacher for dance and posture, but Belinda somehow felt ufortable. ¡°Yes, Aymon, put your hands around my waist like that. Facing each other, the two of them looked very close. Well, no wonder they were. Ball dancing consisted of men and women sticking together in the first ce, and to teach it, they would have to stick together too. Aymon put a stiff hand on Lucy¡¯s waist, with an expressionless face. Lucy taught him with no ulterior motive, and also a static expression. Anyone could¡¯ve seen that they were embarrassed. Isn¡¯t this a bit too close? Belinda¡¯s viewpoint was distorted ¨C to her, it looked like they were hugging. It was all because she liked Aymon, and her earlier misunderstanding. That he might like Lucy. What if they get close again after sticking together like that? Even if not, what if he came up with a ridiculous exnation like ¡°You have to take responsibility for touching me while I was in heat¡±? She was very thirsty. She nervously picked up her tea and put it back down. The movement was reciprocated from the other side of the table. Lart lowered his cup uneasily, with trembling fingers. He hadn¡¯t been able toe and see Lucy because of a recent flood of work, but he had finallye today. ¡°Lucy! I¡¯m here!¡± He walked in happily, only to be met with Lucy hugging the beautiful Shinsu. Of course, they weren¡¯t hugging. Even Aymon¡¯s hand near Lucy¡¯s waist was suspended a few inches in the air. However, in Lart¡¯s jealous eyes, they were firmly together. He fiddled with his chin nervously. Evenpared to himself, the Shinsu was surprisingly handsome. He was a good match in terms of his appearance, physique, and being a Shinsu. If he was so close to Lucy and they liked each other¡­ Eventually, Lart leapt out of his seat, unable to stand it. ¡°I¡¯d rather do it! I¡¯ll teach you!¡± His loud voice rang out. Aymon and Lucy stopped moving. Belinda, who was sitting across from him, also stared at him with a curious expression. ¡°I know ball dance better than Lucy does!¡± He gently pushed Lucy away and smoothed into Aymon¡¯s arms. He couldn¡¯t teach Aymon the female role, so he would teach from Lucy¡¯s position. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± There was an awkward silence between Lart and Aymon. Aymon, with his hands on Lart¡¯s waist, looked at him indifferently. Lart avoided looking back ¨C even though he¡¯d initiated it, he was embarrassed. Lucy stepped back without saying a word. The two men facing each other were a Shinsu and a prince. One couldn¡¯t meddle in the doings of two great men, even if they weren¡¯t quite understandable. Belinda moved her teacup, muttering to herself. ¡°He¡¯s my brother, but he¡¯s weird, too.¡± Aymon nodded indifferently. He didn¡¯t care whether it was Lucy or Lart teaching him to dance. Soon, Aymon began to swirl Lart around as Lucy had taught him. The two bodies joined and fell, and their hands touched and moved away. With no music and dull faces, the two moved quietly. It was the most emotionless and stiff dancing in the world. Lucy stood awkwardly before sitting down opposite Belinda. Unexpectedly, Lart was teaching Aymon well. As the beast and the man moved silently in the pce, all that could be heard was the blunt sound of their feet shuffling. ¡°These two are¡­¡± Lucy muttered. She couldn¡¯t bear to say anything, so she trailed off. However, Belinda understood her easily. She was thinking the exact same thing. Both of them were strange people. Or rather, a strange person and a strange beast. Aymon was leading Lart, her handsome younger brother. The footsteps of the two men continued to ring in the pce for days. *** That day, Aymon was twirling Lart slowly. ¡°You¡¯re perfect, Shinsu.¡± Lart gave him a dullpliment. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re good at spinning, too.¡± Aymon answered back. After a few days of dancing together, one would have thought that they¡¯d get a little closer, but they were still embarrassed. At the end of each dance, they pulled apart like they had to escape. When they finished, Lart and Lucy left the pce, leaving Belinda and Aymon alone under the soft lights. ¡°I¡¯m good now.¡± Aymon said proudly as he washed up, wearing a gown the maid gave him. The guest pce¡¯s maid had already been with them for five years. Thanks to her quickness, everything Aymon needed was put out. ¡°Good job.¡± Belinda grinned, praising him as she looked out onto the moonlitndscape. However, Aymon was more beautiful than the scenery. She sighed without realizing it. Sweeping aside his wet hair, he gestured to her. ¡°Come here, Breedee.¡± Belinda stood up as if she was possessed. The calm, powerful voice seemed to be able to givemands humans couldn¡¯t resist. His infinitely sweet voice sometimes made her feel like that. She approached and looked up at him, and his arms were soon around his waist. Aymon suddenly hugged her and let out a long sigh, as if pleased. ¡°There¡¯s no one here now, so can we stick together?¡± TL/N: Hi! In case you didn¡¯t see on Discord, I took a break both for health andptop ess reasons, but I¡¯m back now! I know this isn¡¯t much considering the amount of time you¡¯ve had to wait, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Sorry for leaving everyone in the dark! will be out Saturday, as usual ?? Chapter 75 Trantor/editor: ruby This was exactly why Belinda didn¡¯t teach him to dance. She couldn¡¯t stop Aymon from sticking to her and hugging her all the time. But now, it was just the two of them. Belinda nodded. ¡°It starts with my hand on your waist like this. His hand lightly crept up onto her waist. Belinda looked down and rxed her shoulders. Ah. She wants to dance. ¡°Did Lart teach you well?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, sure.¡± After the vague answer, he grabbed her hand, slowly rubbing her palms in a tight, affectionate hold. Belinda gulped and began to move as he led. It was her hand that he was squeezing, so why did her heart feel so tight? They stepped through the cold night air. As the hem of her chemise moved, it made a whooshing sound. Belinda couldn¡¯t stop herselfughing as they shifted smoothly. It all felt like a dream, him in a gown and her in a chemise in the dark pce. The scent of grass came in through the window and the soft moonlight seeped in along with the sound of leaves swaying in the gentle wind. They moved quietly, stepping through the shadows on the floor. Their shadows faced each other, melted into the darkness, then ovepped again. Though there was no music, Belinda¡¯s asionalughter filled the space. The scent of flowers permeated the room. Belinda took a step back, and then turned around to hold Aymon¡¯s hand again. Aymon¡¯s gaze sunk dangerously low. As Belinda¡¯s waist moved away and came back, Aymon pulled her to himself forcefully. ¡°Umh.¡± Belinda stopped due to the suffocatingly tight grip. When she hesitantly looked up at him, a strange heat rose in his eyes before disappearing. She licked her dry lips. Soon, a firm finger touched them. Slowly rubbing her red lips with his thumb, Aymon asked her a question. ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± She didn¡¯t know why the casual question made her so nervous. Aymon¡¯s eyes crinkled up as he smiled. ¡°I¡¯m always thirsty. I don¡¯t know why, but seeing you makes me feel dry on the inside.¡± In contrast with the earlier friendly smile, Aymon¡¯s gaze was dark. It was hard to guess what he was feeling. Belinda nervously lowered her eyes, and Aymon brought his face closer. His body felt warm across her thin chemise, his breathing in from near. She just stood still and looked at him, but her breath was racing. ¡°It¡¯s been like that since the day we met. When I¡¯m with you, I don¡¯t know what to do. All my impatience and nervousness makes me thirsty.¡± His hand moved from her lips to slowly sweep her cheek. Although his hands were big enough to crack her thin neck with one hand, his touch was soft and affectionate. Although he was supposed to be the nervous and thirsty ones, Belinda¡¯s stomach was in knots. She hesitated whenever his hands and eyes met her. Her shoulders slouched. Aymon smiled lightly, grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug. Belinda hugged him back like a baby bird, wrapping her stiff arms around his neck. Aymon let out a long sigh. ¡°For you, I can wear a heat with a ribbon on my chin and dance in front of humans in clown clothes. I¡¯ll do everything you tell me to.¡± Aymonid his face on the back of her neck. ¡°You were the one who took me in.¡± Aymon¡¯s lips gently fell onto her skin. ¡°You were the one who kept me by your side.¡± Perhaps because of the unexinable tension ¨C in spite of his sweet, soft whisper ¨C Belinda¡¯s arms were trembling. Heat rose in Aymon¡¯s eyes whenever his lips touched the back of her neck. A thinyer of excitement wrapped around his whole body. Only the moist sound of his falling lips was audible in the moonlit space. Belinda closed her eyes and took a weak breath. Aymon rubbed his nose on her neck, as if he was trying to smell her. ¡°So¡­ You have to take care of me till the end, Breedee.¡± After the sweet whisper, he finally bit her skin. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Belinda uttered a weak moan. Aymon managed to suppress his urge to bite again. He clung to what rational thought he had left and pulled away. The small body shaking under his shoulders, her pulsing veins and the sweet smell of her blood always fueled his urges. Aymon moved away to put her down on the bed and immediately covered her up. He rxed his hands, hiding the urge to bite her. Instead of releasing his instincts, Aymon held her gently. ¡°Please keep on loving me, Breedee.¡± After his whispered confession, Belinda looked up at him. The moonlight pouring down onto his back made him look dark. She wasn¡¯t afraid of him at all. He might have been a mighty Shinsu, but he was always lovely with her. Aymon spoke again. ¡°If you nod, I¡¯ll never let you go.¡± Of course, he wouldn¡¯t let go whatever the answer was. There was a deep sincerity in the sentence. Belinda raised her hand to his cheek. When had her cat grown this big? However big, he was still her cat. The most beautiful beast in the world. How could she refuse? Belinda nodded without hesitation. I¡¯ll always be by your side, Aymon. That¡¯s my job. When he saw her small gesture, Aymon copsed into a hug, pressing her down into him. ¡°You¡¯re heavy , Aymon. You¡¯re too strong¡­¡± Despite Belinda¡¯s struggling, he didn¡¯t loosen his hold. ¡°Breedee. Breedee.¡± His voice was drenched in joy. Belinda smiled softly. On second thought, this was new. They had always been together. The spot next to Aymon was hers, and the spot next to her was his. That would never change. Belinda hugged him. She could feel his hot breath on her face and his tension. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aymon. I took you in, so I¡¯ll take responsibility and care for you forever.¡± ¡°¡­.Yeah.¡± Aymon rubbed his cheek against her neck and silentlyughed. His lips swept across the back of her neck, down her corbone and onto her chemise¡¯s neckline. Then, without even leaving her time to be surprised, he bit the strap to release it and buried his face. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Belinda struggled against him, surprised by the sudden contact. Aymon¡¯s arm under her waist pulled her closer. His lower body, which he¡¯d intentionally separated, was now in contact with the bare mass of heat, rubbing slowly. Belinda felt a prickling sensation through the fabric and blushed. Aymon¡¯s low voice came from her lower chest. ¡°What can I do? I like this.¡± After having raised him so well, he turned out to be this kind of a beast. In a dream, Belinda was walking through a spring. With its subtly rising fog and cloudy white sunlight, the scenery was unfamiliar and familiar at the same time. It was like she¡¯d been sucked into the distant past, but also like she was here just yesterday. She savored the scent of the grass. As she reached out, she felt the fur of the leopard following her. [Why are you so angry?] The ck leopard scrunched up his nose. [Because he¡¯sing.] [Do you really hate him that much?] [I don¡¯t hate him. He¡¯s just¡­] A gentle wind passed by. When she caressed the leopard¡¯s neck, his anger melted away. It closed its eyes and rubbed its face into her palm. Her smile softened. [Come here instead of being angry, cat.] [I told you I¡¯m not a cat.] The leopard answered bluntly but didn¡¯t oppose more. It tackled her into the grass, burying its face in her neck. Knowing it wasn¡¯t a threat, the girl affectionately swept down its fur. Belinda smiled as she felt it against her hand. It was a piece of a warm, gentle memory. She felt the leopard vividly, as if it was real. Struggling under the weight of the leopard embracing her, Belinda left her dream. By the morning, she had forgotten all of it. Chapter 76 Trantor/editor: ruby A ball-party was being held in the courtyard of the imperial pce ¨C one in honor of the Shinsu. Spread out against the backdrop of the luxurious pce, the space looked more like a za than a courtyard. It was clear that a party was being held here, demonstrating the Emperor¡¯s power; that meant that he valued this ball, and that the rtionship between the Shinsu and the humans would be close in the future. ¡°A guest has arrived.¡± Belinda calmly passed between the officers holding up gs, wearing a mask with painted roses. The endless garden opened up to her, with a splendid table ced between elegant statues. Water soared out of the fountain sculpture with a refreshing sound. Warm yellow sunlight caught on people¡¯s masks. As long as she wore her mask, she was no longer Princess Belinda. She wasn¡¯t the only one, either: the Shinsu chief, the prince, the Emperor and everyone in between was wearing a mask. Humans and Shinsu unknowingly mixed, making easy conversation. The reason for the masquerade ball was clear ¨C it would stop prejudice and make everyone get along naturally. However, even with the masks, everyone roughly knew the others¡¯ identities.The Shinsu could pick out humans by smell and humans recognized voices and gestures. In the first ce, it was a ball which only the highest-ranking nobles were invited to. However, they pretended to not recognize each other and enjoyed the evening. Belinda did the same. ¡°Why do you always smell this good?¡± The voice was too cheerful, and Belinda easily recognized it. Clearly Shanti. She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Why could it be?¡± Going back and forth with him, she looked at the three people sitting under a statue in the distance. All of them wore masks, two of them having blond hair, and one, ck. Seeing thetter, wearing a blue mask, Belinda took a sip of her drink happily. Although his face was thoroughly covered, with his mask reaching under his nose, it was impossible not to recognize his wide, firm shoulders and loose position leaning against the fountain. It was definitely Aymon. One of the blondes was Lart, recognizable by his behavior, and the other was the Emperor, her father, with a straight back. He was smiling under his mask. Are those three normally that close? When had they grown together so much? How on earth could that happen with the leopard always lying around in her pce? She wondered what they were talking about, but her attention was soon drawn back to Shanti, who was still talking to her. He wouldn¡¯t leave her alone. ¡°¡­That¡¯s why I¡¯m curious. If a human and a Shinsu had a child, would it be a human or a Shinsu?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what that would look like. Can you hurry up and have a kid already? The curiosity is killing me.¡± Shanti was suddenly urging Belinda to have Aymon¡¯s child. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but I¡¯m ashamed to hear that.¡± Belinda tried to change the subject. Even though they knew each other¡¯s identities, she tried to avoid his questions by leaning on the masks. Shanti had been very insistent since earlier. No person with an ounce ofmon sense would casually bring up such a sensitive topic, but Shanti had none of that, apart from being a beast and not a person. It seemed like a conversation like this meant nothing to a beast. Belinda avoided his gaze, embarrassed. She hadn¡¯t done anything with Aymon that would allow her to answer the questions. ¡°What the hell are you doing, still not imprinted?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°My partner is pregnant. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so curious. What kind of kid would you and Aym- Ouch!¡± Shanti¡¯s excited questions were cut off by a sudden yank on his ear. Ha had left the group she was in toe closer. The pregnant partner he¡¯d mentioned began to scold him. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense again, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t! I¡¯d never!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see the shock this human¡¯s in? What did you say?¡± ¡°I was just asking, what if she had a kid with Ay-¡± ¡°Aish, you idiot!¡± Ha started yelling at him before he could even finish his sentence. She didn¡¯t need to hear it all to tell that he was just embarrassing himself. She greeted Belinda before dragging Shanti away. ¡°Ow! That hurts! Honey, it hurts!¡± Shanti¡¯s voice rang behind them. Of course, ha pretended not to hear him, plopping him down at a corner table before picking the scolding back up. She warned him to keep some of his dignity. Shanti looked around and asked a question out of the blue, trying to change the subject. ¡°Howe O¡¯Malley¡¯s not here?¡± ¡°He must have gone on another trip.¡± ¡°Really? But today¡¯s an important day.¡± ¡°Well, he likes to be alone.¡± ¡°Right, right.¡± Agreeing with her answer, Shanti grinned. Topic changed. The O¡¯Malley that he¡¯d asked about was a prisoner that Joseph and Count Otoman secretly saw a few days ago. The leopard was known to be a personal and unpredictable beast, so no one questioned his absence, thinking he¡¯d gone on a trip. Meanwhile, Belinda, left alone, ate raisins, her face still burning with unexpected embarrassment. Marriage. Children. Shanti¡¯s words lingered in her head. That happening between Aymon and her seemed like a far call. Aymon¡¯s body was so big, even though he just had hising-of-age ceremony, and though he¡¯d been acting a little strange recently, he was still a lovely leopard in her eyes. Besides, wasn¡¯t he being silly with her a few days ago? He asked her to love him forever. Making children with such a love-hungry little cat? How could she¡­ Belinda drank a sip of alcohol to quench her thirst. Weirdly, her blushing didn¡¯t go away. That strange heat kept hovering around her. She heard the sound of a bell. The nobles all stopped talking and turned their heads. Five or six people in masks were standing in front of the pce. They were the imperial family, with the empress and the children standing beside the Emperor. The masked emperor lifted his ss andughed. ¡°Today is a happy day. We finally have a moment to enjoy true peace. The vast Shinsu forest will embrace the Empire, and the Empire will revere them.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the duke standing behind him beckoned and everyone raised their sses. ¡°Just as this garden has blossomed beautifully, the rtionship between humans and Shinsu will bloom into prosperity.¡± The Emperor turned towards the fountain, where a figure was sitting with folded arms. It was Aymon. The Emperor smiled at him before continuing. ¡°To the wellbeing of humans and the sacredness of Shinsu! To the holy journey that we will walk towards peace!¡± The nobles raised their sses and repeated the toast. ¡°To the holy journey!¡± Under the warm sunlight, their voices filled the courtyard. Surprised by the sudden noise, Mazetto burrowed into Aymon¡¯s cor, pping his wings. ¡°Oh my God! Why is everyone screaming out of nowhere?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Aymon also lifted his ss. Harmony between Shinsu and humans. Not long ago, he would have thought it was ridiculous, but considering his rtionship with belinda, nothing was impossible. ¡°To humans! To Shinsu!¡± Humans seemed to enjoy shouting. Belinda also lifted her ss with an overwhelmed heart. Lartughed, putting his arm around her shoulders. Even the Empress was smiling. Only Princess Adi¡¯s face was frozen. She trembled, and an angry breath came out. The reason for her anger was simple ¨C she was furious that she had to stand next to Belinda. The empress and Lart were beside the Emperor in the center. Adi could ept that; since Lart was ted to be the next emperor, she had no intention of showing her true colors to the Emperor byining. The problem was the spot next to Lart. It was upied by Belinda instead of herself. That was a big issue. Why? Adi turned away with pursed lips. She could see Belinda and Lart talking. Not knowing what I have in my grasp and your contributions end here. She walked over to her faithful ally, Count Otoman. ¡°How is work progressing?¡± She asked in a quiet voice so no one would hear them. ¡°It¡¯s going smoothly, Princess.¡± ¡°Smoothly? What I want is a clear result. How did practicing control go with the people we kidnapped?¡± Count Otoman winked at Joseph, who noticed the signal and stuttered. ¡°Um, it¡¯s embarrassing to tell you myself. But my abilities are growing remarkably by the day. Previously, my water control was weak, but now, I can control it freely.¡± Adi finally put on a satisfied expression. Recently, they had kidnapped a brown Shinsu, made possible by their solitary nature. They practiced control on him after trapping him in a deep pit, and work was going smoothly. Joseph was also gaining confidence. Adi, lost in thought, asked. ¡°Will you use your power today, then?¡± Today was their chance. The day when all the Shinsu were gathered at the imperial pce. Today, when the steps towards harmony would begin. It wasn¡¯t a pre-arranged n, so it wouldn¡¯t be perfect, but the timing was perfect. Joseph asked back, surprised. ¡°What? Today?¡± ¡°Yes, today.¡± Joseph carefully nced at Count Otoman, who nodded. He replied carefully. ¡°It¡¯s possible, Princess.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Adi began to whisper quietly, the corners of her mouth rising with satisfaction. Today. The most enjoyable and peaceful day. She almostughed out loud just imagining the terrible thing that today¡¯s events would do to peace. After finishing talking to Count Otoman, she walked awayfortably and approached the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Princess.¡± He turned around gleefully. ¡°Congrattions for wrapping the beasts around your finger.¡± Adi smiled brightly, meanwhile the Emperor¡¯s face hardened for a moment. He shook his head. ¡°Adi, you have to be careful of what you say and do. Our rtionship with the Shinsu has changed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Adi couldn¡¯t answer, taken aback by the unexpected response. Chapter 77 Trantor/editor: ruby Didn¡¯t the Emperor despise the Shinsu more than anyone else? She¡¯d thought that he was only using them for superficial peace. She thought he still felt the same on the inside. The Emperor warmly held Adi¡¯s stiff shoulders. ¡°Adi, you haven¡¯t looked like you were feeling well since earlier. What¡¯s worrying you?¡± Adi finally pouted when she heard hisforting voice. Yes, even if her father¡¯s feelings towards the beasts had changed, his affection for her remained. ¡°I¡¯m hurt, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hurt? Why?¡± ¡°Because you don¡¯t love me as much as you used to.¡± ¡°Me?¡± The emperor asked back with a surprised look. Adi dropped her shoulders and repeated herself. ¡°Like today. My spot is always next to Your Majesty or Lart, but today, that lowly thing¡­¡± She slurred the end of the sentence with a sigh and nced at the emperor. He remained silent for a while. Noticing what his daughter was getting at right away, he was lost in thought. Looking down at Adi, he leaned down and silently looked into her eyes. ¡°Adi. Today is a day for harmony between humans and Shinsu.¡± ¡°I understand, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°It is my daughter Belinda at the center of that harmony.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± My daughter. Adi stiffened at the unfamiliar words. ¡°Therefore, it¡¯s only right for Princess Belinda, not Prince Lart, to stand next to me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adi¡¯s eyes trembled in shock. The lowly Belinda taking a seat next to His Majesty? It was a disgrace to the royal family. ¡°Belinda is your older sister.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°And she¡¯s my noble first daughter.¡± The emperor coolly cut her off. Adi could barely swallow her breaths. She noticed that he was warning her. He finally struck thest nail on the coffin. ¡°Adi, you should never forget that.¡± She stared at her father with trembling eyes and nodded, as if possessed. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, Your Majesty.¡± She unconsciously felt around the gold ne that was no longer around her neck. Nobles gathered around her while she stayed silent. Although they were gathered to honor the harmony between humans and Shinsu, not everyone agreed with the sentiment. Contempt for the Shinsu was visible in the eyes of most of the nobles surrounding Adi. However, as long as the spot was there, she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to reveal anything. However, she could still look down on others with a smile as she hid her feelings. They whispered under their sses. ¡°As expected, beasts are beasts.¡± The marquis, wearing a pearl mask, continued. ¡°Just look at them. Even a mask can¡¯t hide their vulgarity.¡± Everyone followed his gaze. He was looking at Shanti, standing over the fondue bowl and smiling at the boiling cheese. This is really cool. He mumbled to himself, getting closer to the bowl. Cats were prone to simple, illogical movements. In the eyes of the nobles, Shanti¡¯s amazement over the melted cheese was quite frivolous. He observed people dipping skewers of meat and bread into the cheese. Without thinking, he dipped his finger in. ¡°Ah!¡± He screamed loudly and jumped back in surprise. In the suddenmotion, the bowl of fondue also rolled onto the floor. The nobles went back to gossiping with satisfied smiles. ¡°Look how flippant he is. Undoubtedly a beast.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s rolling around in the forest either. They have no foundation.¡± ¡°Exactly! What on earth is His Majesty thinking?¡± They continued to whisper maliciously, but their voices were fortunately buried in the music. The Shinsu were usually feared, but seeing them in person today changed people¡¯s perspectives. They seemed more peaceful than expected, and despite theirrge size, they had gentle smiles and mingled with humans easily. Not to mention the so-called frivolous actions of Shanti and the others, amazed by human objects and making silly mistakes. Some people, mainly Adi¡¯s aides, had developed an illusion. Maybe they¡¯re not as dangerous as we thought. They thought that their fear of the Shinsu was nothing but an ingrained belief, leading them to spit out gossip fearlessly. As theyughed, Shanti licked the cheese off his hands and grinned. ¡®Can you hear me, Chief?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Aymon, who was feeding Mazetto cherries, replied inly. Shanti scratched his ear, murmuring yfully. ¡°Look, that bite of food thinks it¡¯s being cute.¡± Thanks to his hearing, far superior to a human¡¯s, he understood their whole conversation, from the talk of him being vulgar to their gossip. ¡°Hey, Chief.¡± Aymon nodded roughly. He knew the reason Shanti was looking for him ¨C it was a request for his permission. ¡°Sure. Go bite it.¡± As soon as he answered, a huge leopard leapt away from where Shanti just stood. Unsurprisingly, he jumped through the nobles until he reached the one in the center that had been insulting him. It was a covert, but surprisingly agile attack. ¡°Aaaahhh!!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The startled group hurriedly stepped back, dropping their sses. The marquis rolled onto his back, looking up at Shanti with a confused expression. The table toppled over, breaking all the sses that were on top. Everyone stared at the sudden disturbance with stiff, pale faces. A brown leopard was pressing down on the marquis¡¯s chest with its huge front foot. Grrrrrrrrr¡­ A dangerous sound rang from Shanti¡¯s throat. He stuck his ws out, as if he was just about to rip into the flesh. Everyone gulped tensely. Ha came over and gently touched his head. Well, he finally went for it. The chief had thest word, so she looked over to Aymon¡¯s movements. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw hisck of reaction. He must have given permission. Meanwhile, pressed down by Shanti, the marquis couldn¡¯t even scream. He trembled under the heavy foot. An instinctive wave of fear crashed over him as he faced the beast. He¡¯d foolishly forgotten the fact that the Shinsus¡¯ true selves were the ones they feared. ¡¸My attitude is frivolous? How does it feel being overwhelmed by a frivolous beast, then?¡¹ Sensing human fear, Shanti smiled, revealing his fangs. He couldn¡¯t believe how much the marquis had underestimated him. ¡¸Very well, where should I bite first¡­?¡¹ His eyes twinkled yfully. The humans still hadn¡¯t responded. What was he talking about? The smell of fear came from behind him in the breathless silence. Shanti looked back lightly. As expected, a ck leopard was cutting through the crowd, approaching calmly. When he reached Shanti and the marquis, Aymon lowered his head. The marquis stared at him numbly, trying to grab anything in his reach. ¡¸Human, how much do you know about the customs of beasts?¡¹ His tone was cool and calm. He spoke quietly, but the marquis trembled in fear. Instead of an answer, the only thing that he could muster was a moan. He could barely breathe. Shanti pressed down harder and grinned. ¡¸Following the strong is standard etiquette for beasts.That¡¯s why I follow the Chief. If I didn¡¯t, you¡¯d be dead by now.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡¸Now, are you ready to follow beast etiquette?¡¹ It was a warning that he should be ready to die after daring to insult a Shinsu. The marquis¡¯s eyes ckened in fear. He felt like the beast¡¯s gaze was ttening him into the ground. ¡°I¡¯m so- hng- I¡¯m sorry!¡± The marquis prayed to himself, coughing under the pressure. His triumphant attitudeughing at the Shinsu was nowhere to be found. Lart, who was watching the scene from afar, muttered to himself. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve seen this before.¡± He¡¯d been through it, too. Wasn¡¯t it him who shot an arrow at Belinda and got beaten up by Aymon when they were young? Thinking about it now, it was a ridiculous thing to do, but what was it that made him do it? I was a kid, but the marquis is all grown up. Lart murmured to himself with a chuckle. He didn¡¯t need an exnation ¨C he could figure it out with a single look. The marquis was being scolded for acting fearlessly, just like he was back then. It was one of Adi¡¯s close aides this time. One of those people that didn¡¯t agree with the objective of the ball. They didn¡¯t need to talk too long toe to a conclusion. I¡¯m grateful it¡¯s him they¡¯re scolding instead of me. As close as they were to Adi, Lart didn¡¯t know them well. Lart turned to the emperor. Since their rtionship with the Shinsu changed, he could shut up any naysayers, at the risk of their life. However, wasn¡¯t this still a gathering for the sake of harmony? If themotion went on much longer, he¡¯d get in trouble. Catching Lart¡¯s gaze, the emperor finally handed his ss to a servant. Those who were watching turned to stare at him. How would things end now? It was at that moment that Shanti¡¯s eyes towards the marquis changed. With his pupils expanding, he stuck out his fangs and bit him. Chapter 78: Translator/editor:ruby Trantor/editor:ruby Adi noticed when themotion broke out that it was the perfect moment to take advantage of the Shinsu and start trouble. She wanted to implement her n at dinner and tell the emperor after manipting a Shinsu to harm a human. Look, Your Majesty. Beasts aren¡¯t trustable beings. Thankfully, however, it was the Shinsu that made the first move. Now all she had to do was wee it with open arms. Adi ordered Joseph to attack, and he faithfully followed. They had one goal: manipte Shanti into killing the marquis, then attacking Aymon. She wanted to achieve that. To manipte the Shinsu and gain power. To let humans escape from their sweet illusion of peace and face reality. Shanti began to crumble under Joseph¡¯s will. He revealed his sharp fangs and violently threw himself onto the marquis. He stuck out his strong ws. The marquis¡¯s death seemed to be near. However, Shanti¡¯s attack was just an attempt. As soon as Aymon noticed a change, heunched himself at them. The two animals rolled on the floor, grass flying around them. Aymon bit through Shanti¡¯s skin just enough to not fatally injure him. ¡°Shanti.¡± Adi noticed when themotion broke out. That now is the right time to take advantage of Shinsu and start an incident. I tried to implement it when I sat at the dinner. He tried to tell the emperor after manipting the god and harming humans. Look, Your Majesty. Beasts are not reliable beings. Thankfully, however, Shin-soo moved first. Now all we have left is to wee with open arms. Adi ordered Joseph to attack, and Joseph faithfully followed. Their goal is one. Controlling Shanti to kill the marquis, and attacking Eamon next to him to hurt him. So I wanted to achieve it. May I manipte my god to gain my power. May humans escape from the sweet illusion of peace and face reality. Shanti began to be manipted by Joseph. He revealed his sharp fangs and rushed violently toward the marquis. The toenails sticking out are strong. Perhaps the marquis will die soon. However, Shanti¡¯s attack was only an attempt. This is because Emon, who noticed a hint, attacked Shanti like a shot. The two animals rolled violently on the floor. The green grass flies like dust. Eamon, who bit Shanti¡¯s thick skin to the extent that he would not be fatally injured, grumbled. ¡¸Shanti.¡¹ The simple call was an order in itself. The pranks were over. Aymon, who regarded his actions as simple mischief, warned him. It was a reasonable misunderstanding ¨C after all, Shanti was always unpredictable. Sweat dripped down Joseph¡¯s forehead as he struggled to maintain control. Soon, Shanti had slipped out of his grip. ¡¸Huh¡­..?¡¹ Having regained consciousness, Shanti blinked. He didn¡¯t understand what was going on. Yes, he¡¯d been yfully threatening the marquis, but what was he doing under Aymon? He could think about itter. He tapped Aymon¡¯s front paw and dropped, surrendering. Aymon finally loosened up. He quickly stood aside, and before he knew it, Ha was hitting him. ¡°You and your jokes! And here of all ces! Are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡¸Ow! That hurts! I¡¯m sorry!¡¹ From an outside perspective, she was a human woman hitting a beast whose tail barely trembled in response, but he had no room for excuses. He was only trying to scare a human that had insulted them. He had absolutely no intention to kill. As reckless as he was, he wasn¡¯t such an idiot that he couldn¡¯t even tell where he was. Yet somehow, when he came to his senses, Aymon was overpowering him. After apologizing for a while, Shanti shook off his thoughts. I must¡¯ve just got drunk on my instincts, right? He might have been a Shinsu, but at his core, he was still just a beast. He must have let his instincts take over unintendedly. Meanwhile, the emperor approached Aymon calmly. Hey on the floor to look at the pathetically trembling marquis, then gently asked Aymon¡¯s permission. ¡°Do you mind if I ask the marquis some questions?¡± Aymon shook his head, rxed. The emperor turned to the pale marquis. ¡°Marquis Domine.¡± ¡°Y-yes, Your Majesty.¡± Barely answering, the marquis pleaded for help with his gaze. He hurriedly stood up and bowed. However, the emperor¡¯s expression remained stony. ¡°As the emperor, I must protect humans and embrace my people, including you.¡± At his words, the marquis nced up, deeply relieved to hear that the emperor had taken his side and not the Shinsus¡¯. ¡°To protect my people, I would take responsibility for the Shinsu. Even if I have to bleed under their ws, I will fight to death for you.¡± He continued to talk to the marquis, whose hopes were rising. ¡°However, his actions may have been justified. So tell me. Why were you pressed under his feet?¡± The marquis¡¯s face returned to gloom. He rolled his eyes and recalled the details of the incident. It was simple ¨C he called the Shinsu frivolous, and the angry beast attacked him. He didn¡¯t know how the Shinsu saw it, but that wasn¡¯t important. What was important were the measures that could be taken against him. Now, the emperor was giving him a warning. If his actions weren¡¯t justified, a terrifying responsibility would fall onto his shoulders. Afraid of it, the marquis couldn¡¯t say a word. There was a hard silence. Everyone swallowed the tension. How would this end now? Ironically, Shanti was the first to break the silence. ncing at Ha, he peeled the marquis¡¯s ripped clothes off his ws and tossed them aside. The marquis crumpled under the table. ¡¸I¡¯m fine now, so can we ignore this human and continue the party?¡¹ Shanti murmured awkwardly, ignoring the marquis on the ground. Changing back into a human, he passed the marquis and walked toward the fondue pot. He dipped a piece of bread in as everyone watched silently as he ate the cheesy bread with a shameless, natural expression. ¡°I messed with a human for no reason, so Aymon and Ha put me in my ce. I¡¯ll just eat this¡­¡± He said in a resentful, yet disturbed voice. The humans nced at each other. The emperor approached Marquis Domine as he crawled up from the ground. A cold voice sounded over his head. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you how this happened, and the marquis can go home to rest.¡± It sounded like he was being considerate, but the marquis was clearly being kicked out. The count knew it was a warning to stay away from high society. The crime of making fun of someone so great so easily was too severe. He wasn¡¯t even the only one to make fun of the Shinsu. Howe it was only him that was picked out? It was unfair, but that was an impossible im to make here. After the marquis trudged off, the emperor bowed to Aymon and nced up at him ¨C it was a good day, so he hoped he could let this slide. Aymon stretched out and soon slipped away to another ce. It was a good message to transmit. Honestly, if he was going to do something, he wouldn¡¯t even have waited as long as Shanti did to jump. This was good enough. The situation had been dealt with. The emperor winked at the servant behind him. As soon as he noticed the order, he gestured to the band, and music began to fill the silent space. He was slowly getting calmer. Walking through the crowds and making conversation again, the emperor clenched his fist. He must think I¡¯m an idiot. A violent anger at the marquis rose in him. All his preparations were almost ruined by the marquis. Their rtionship with the Shinsu was already shaky enough as is. The marquis would be punished severely. Meanwhile, the emperor wasn¡¯t the only one who was passionately angry. Adi stared at Count Otoman with a stony face. What the hell is going on? Why isn¡¯t the marquis dead? Despite her eyes shooting daggers at him, the count had no excuse. ¡°Princess, people are watching.¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± Instead of answering, the count turned on Joseph. ¡°Joseph! Why¡¯d you suddenly lose control in the middle of it all?¡± ording to their n, Shanti should have killed the marquis. Receiving the pair¡¯s frosty gazes, Joseph tried to make excuses. ¡°I had no problem controlling that brown leopard. But as soon as the ck beast moved in, things got much harder¡­¡± His earlier confident attitude was fading away. Count Otoman tried tofort Adi. ¡°He must have run out of force because it happened so suddenly. Please don¡¯t be so angry, Princess.¡± After thinking for a while, he continued. ¡°And that ck leopard hundreds of years ago¡­¡± He quickly cut the sentence off, noticing it wasn¡¯t the ce to say such a thing. Adi, understanding his message, turned around and left. As she walked on the grass, she recalled it. 500 years ago, when the descendant of Barahan appeared, it was a ck leopard. Could all this be a coincidence? She walked on, slowing down. Adi, staring into space while lost in thought, shook her head. She was going to win this time. That¡¯s how it would go. If the ball was wrecked, the secret operation could continue. Adi¡¯s eyes were filled with malice. Adjusting her mask, Belinda approached Aymon. The soft atmosphere around them made it all feel like a dream. Shanti was still lurking around the fondue, and the emperor was dancing with the empress. The nobles had also gathered to dance and chat. The party continued peacefully. ¡°Aymon, what happened to Shanti?¡± Belinda sked, rubbing his nose. Aymon swung his tail and turned into his human form. ¡°Someone called him a frivolous beast.¡± Aymon looked down at the mask Belinda handed him and threw it aside. He proceeded to take Belinda¡¯s mask off and threw it away, too. ¡°I want to see your face, not this.¡± The two masks rolled away on the floor with a thump. Chapter 79 Trantor/editor: ruby Belinda was trying to figure out what to do, but soon gave up. Didn¡¯t everyone already know who they were anyways? It was just a pretend blindfold. ¡°Anyway, good job. You controlled yourself well, Aymon. My cat¡¯s grown up well.¡± She looked up at the tall young man and praised him as if he was a child. Well, this was something he deserved praise for. When Aymon was young, he would have made a fuss. A ¡°frivolous beast¡±? The marquis would have been left with at least a missing leg. However, today, he endured it very maturely. Belinda was proud to have raised the hot-tempered baby cat so well. When he heard thepliments, Aymonughed and dragged her along by her hand. They soon settled into the crowd. Feeling Aymon¡¯s hand between her fingers, Belinda looked up at him. ¡°You want to dance?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to hold your hand and use what I learned.¡± Aymon gently pulled her in. Wasn¡¯t his practice with Lart all for the sake of this moment? Belinda was also reminded of their awkward dancing, making her chuckle. The two began to move to the minuet in the subtle afternoon light, a soft breeze brushing against them as they stepped on the fresh grass. Belinda kept getting nervous for some reason. Aymon¡¯s warm hands were against her waist. Why¡­ Why do I feel so¡­ Aymon¡¯s constant gaze felt very burdensome, so she looked down. The people around them had been giving them sideways nces since they noticed Aymon¡¯s eyes, now that he had taken his mask off. His dark ck hair flowed down over his forehead, elegant like fine china. Although they had all seen a ck leopard while at the hunting grounds, it was their first time seeing his human form, making all the nobles gulp. He was beautiful enough to attract looks, but it was his aura that really drew attention to him. There was pride engraved in his eyes, an overwhelming quality that made his position as the chief of the forest clear. Belinda and Aymon were lost in their own world, not even noticing the stares. Aymon led naturally. ¡°I¡¯d mistake you for a human now.¡± Belindaughed lightly. ¡°For you, I can pretend to be a human a hundred times. A thousand times.¡± He held Belinda¡¯s hand, leading the small body smoothly. Passing by a human who was secretly stealing nces, they brushed a rosebush. By the time Belinda came to her senses, they were next to a marble statue of an angel, far from the rest of the dancers. Aymon lifted Belinda and put her down onto the base of a tall statue, causing her to stomp her feet like a child. ¡°Aymon! Put me down!¡± People were staring. She really did feel like a little kid. Even sitting up high, her eye level was still lower than Aymon¡¯s. She looked up at him. Standing against the sun, he somehow felt stronger and more reliable today. A dark shadow came over her. Facing him, Belinda asked in a cheerful voice. ¡°Why did you put me up here all of sudden?¡± However, she was soon cut off. The shadow covering her swallowed her up. Aymon lowered his head and kissed her slowly. Surprised, Belinda stiffened up. The sudden kiss made her heart skip a beat. She couldn¡¯t think of anything. She just grabbed Aymon¡¯s cor. The nobles around them gasped and stopped talking. Their view was covered by Aymon¡¯s back, but they noticed the ovepping bodies. Unable to respond, they just pretended not to notice. The Princess? That Shinsu? Those two?! Whether or not he noticed the humans¡¯ embarrassment, Aymon only licked Belinda¡¯s lips. Unable to react, she epted him. He lowered his body more and drew her in, slowly stroking her back as if he was soothing her. Belinda sighed without realizing. Aymon didn¡¯t miss the opportunity to dig his tongue in. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Belinda¡¯s grip loosened. Their bodies melted into each other. The slow kiss, unlike Aymon, made her heart beat faster. The minuet quietly subsided. The soft afternoon sun seemed to embrace them. Belinda, trapped in Aymon¡¯s arms, curled her toes. Heat rose from their entangled flesh. Another enchanting kiss followed. Belinda epted him, struggling to breathe, forgetting where she was. Aymon gently pulled her chin up and deepened the kiss. Their wet tongues entwined. Their faces ovepped and separated as they slowly moved their heads. It was like a dream, but the moment that the music changed, Belinda finally came to her senses. What the hell am I doing? She brightened up. Her heart was beating fast for another reason now. She was revealing a secret to everyone and embarrassing herself. Aymon, you really are crazy! Belinda pulled away from him. However, Aymon soon pulled her back into the kiss. Belinda shook her head, pushing him away. ¡°Mhmph-!¡± Even her attempt to stop him was swallowed. Amused by her reaction, Aymon smiled. Soon, he calmly separated from her. A short breath escaped from Belinda¡¯s lips. Her cheeks were just as red as her lips, swollen after Aymon¡¯s biting and sucking. Belinda shouted at him in a whisper. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Letting everyone know you¡¯re mine.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aymon¡¯s answer as he rubbed her lips with his thumb sounded easygoing, but Belinda was dumbfounded. ¡°I had no choice ¨C these humans needed to know that you¡¯re mine.: ¡°Still, this is a little..¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like how the nobles steal nces at you. If I had my way¡­¡± Aymon stopped talking. He wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed Belinda¡¯s beauty. He was a beast and Belinda was a human, so he couldn¡¯t stand the other humans¡¯ gazes. But he couldn¡¯t tell her how he felt, so he had no choice but to keep on struggling alone. Aymon lowered his face again, this time to whisper into her ear. ¡°Are you ashamed of me, Breedee?¡± ¡°No, I just¡­¡± Belinda slurred the end of her sentence, unable to answer properly. Of course, she wasn¡¯t ashamed of him. How could she be ashamed of this tall, dark and handsome young man? The shameful thing was what he¡¯d done, not him. She couldn¡¯t understand why he¡¯d kiss her for so long in front of everyone. ¡°You didn¡¯t like it?¡± Aymon whispered back. Belinda, dumbfounded, burst intoughter. His face against hers was soothing. Aymon had been acting strange for a day or two. She really should have been used to it now, considering that making no sense was Aymon¡¯s specialty, but it was also nice to be surprised every moment. Aish, I don¡¯t even know. Belinda closed her eyes and carefully hugged him, reaching out to the light that filled her world. His palm was hard against her back. She could hear his quietughter. She wondered if she should be doing this, but what else could she do? He¡¯d already kissed her. It would be impossible to get to know Aymon well enough to not be surprised by these things. She had already adapted to him as much as she could. If His Majesty scolds me for this, I can just go to Aymon¡¯s house. Belindaughed. What did it matter? They could just leave if he told them to. His reliable figure seemed ever more reliable. His face against hers was warm. All she wanted to do was lean onto his chest. A whileter, when they sat down to eat, everyone took off their masks. When the nobles noticed where Belinda was sitting, silent questions shot everywhere. This meal was much more than just that ¨C everyone¡¯s power and status was revealed through the seating arrangements. Each and every seat was meaningful. What am I doing here? Belinda squirmed under the table and took a sip of water. She seemed calm, but was very embarrassed. She was sitting with the Shinsu instead of the imperial family. Right next to Aymon, too. The nobles exchanged knowing looks. Their little incident from earlier was already flying around. No one directly saw them, but it wasn¡¯t too difficult to infer what they were doing. Right after they left, everyone started to gossip. ¡°Did you see that, Count?¡± ¡°I saw it, madame!¡± ¡°Does that mean what I think it does?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± The flusheddy soon leapt up from her seat and ran to a friend nearby. Soon, the gasps of shock had spread all around the garden. It had been revealed. Seeing that the Emperor didn¡¯t look surprised, it was clear that the imperial family already knew of the rtionship. A joining of the Shinsu and the royal family was unprecedented, a huge event that prated themunity. For that reason, the nobles were observing the situation at the dinner table with great interest. The Emperor raised his ss to toast. Everyone looked over at him with anticipation, hoping to hear about the topic that everyone had been talking about today. Chapter 80: Translator/Proofreader: Nesta / Yoru No Tsuki Trantor/Proofreader: Nesta / Yoru No Tsuki TL/N: Greetings! New TL here. I hope I can bring justice to this lovely novel, to the previous TL who did an amazing job, and to the readers who have been waiting earnestly. Enjoy! ¡°I¡¯d like to say again that I¡¯m delighted to have you here with me today.¡± Surprisingly, a formal expression of gratitude came out of his mouth. Those words were meant for Aymon, whereas Aymon only listened to the emperor¡¯s greeting unconcerned. The emperor continued. ¡°Today, right now on this hearty reunion, I would be delighted to make a big announcement.¡± A big announcement? The nobles began to stick their necks out. The emperor turned his gaze to Belinda and smiled at her. ¡°Congrattions on your uing engagement, Belinda. May you be always happy with the Shinsu.¡± Gasp! With bated breaths, the nobles opened their eyes wide. Everyone turned their heads toward Belinda in unison. All eyes were on her, but Belinda answered quite calmly. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± A hushed, elegant answer came from her. But in reality, Belinda¡¯s heart was in turmoil. ¡®Engagement? Me?¡­.Me?!¡¯ If it weren¡¯t for the hellish table manners lesson she went through, she would¡¯ve leaped out of her seat immediately with eyes wide open in shock. She had never been so grateful for learning table manners. At least, she was able to conceal that she was a half-blood princess with dignified manners. Aymon casually lifted his ss. Sitting next to the emperor, Lart lifted his ss as well. Quickly followed by the nobles who also lifted their own, all at once. Aymon¡¯s breath brushed against Belinda¡¯s ear. ¡°Breedee. Lift your ss.¡± ¡°¡­..Huh?¡± Though she acted allposed, in reality, it was very overwhelming for her. As everyone was waiting for her next move, she was too distracted by the news to lift her ss. Aymon motioned toward the ss, with his eyes. ¡°Humans raise a toast together to celebrate happy days, is what you taught me.¡± Belinda btedly raised her ss with vacant eyes, but her gesture was still more graceful than anybody else at the table. Soon, starting from the emperor and empress, everyone clinked sses to the uing engagement. ¡°Congrattions, princess!¡± ¡°May your future bring lots of happiness, cheers!¡± Belinda was swept by a congrattory speeches¡¯ inundation. She smiled and nodded calmly through it. Turning her head, she whispered through her grinding teeth with lips still mped together. ¡°Aymon. Are you¡­.getting engaged?¡± With me? Aymon replied as if the answer was obvious. ¡°Yeah.¡± Why are you asking for such an obvious thing? His calm, and curt, answer sounded like a nagging to her. Belinda froze, still holding her ss up. Even her elegant smile turned stiff. But soon, she lowered her gaze and burst intoughter. ¡®What is this¡­.¡¯ As the confusion and bewilderment heightened, her mind went nk. Only an unintelligible murmur escaped her lips. Watching her intently, Aymon tilted his head. ¡°We kissed earlier, too.¡± His hushed voice seeped into her. Belinda self-consciously nodded. Yeah. We did. We totally did. We almost got in an ident. ¡°Are you ying with me, Breedee?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ying with you? It was so absurd that it rendered her speechless. However, Aymon began to aggressively urge her to answer. ¡°You said it before. Humans don¡¯t do such things with just anyone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There should be only one mate, and if you meet many partners behind one¡¯s back, that¡¯ll make you a yboy, a cheater, and a debauchee.¡± ¡°I did say that¡­¡± At the urging that felt as fluid as flowing water, Belinda replied vacantly. Just like luring an innocent sheep, Aymon slowly drove her into a corner. ¡°We have no choice but to get married to avoid turning into a yboy, a cheater, and a debauchee.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± While fumbling with the answer, a soft kissnded on her lips and then moved away. Surprised, she withdrew just as quickly as soldiers would act under a military attack. All it took was a very light kiss to get her lips burning, and the sensation spread through her body as if a fireball had flown past her. No, it really wasn¡¯t just her lips. Her ears had turned red too, bing visible to the eye. While caressing Belinda¡¯s cheek, Aymon¡¯s eyes crinkled up as he smiled. ¡°Then there¡¯s no reason for you to be so surprised. We¡¯ve been doing what a married couple normally does.¡± Belinda noddedpliantly. Indeed, they even shared a deep kiss earlier. At that moment, Shanti¡¯sughter was heard from afar. It wasn¡¯t clear what she talked about with people, but herugh was certainly loud. Thatughter brought Belinda back to reality. Belinda pinched Aymon¡¯s waist under the table. Of course, her fingers were barely able to pinch his hard flesh. ¡°Still! You should¡¯ve told me beforehand! I was so surprised!¡± The scolding came veryte. ¡°I told you already. You said yes when I proposed.¡± ¡°What? When did I do that?¡± Belinda almost jumped from her seat. No matter how much she thought about it, Aymon never proposed to her. Each time spent with Aymon had been a blessing that basked her inplete happiness and joy. As she stared at Aymon innocently, Aymon sulked, and disappointment was clearly visible on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I keep asking you to only love me, and you said you¡¯d love me forever.¡± As if to express his disappointment, he looked down and muttered under his breath. ¡°You said you¡¯d take care of me for the rest of my life. Did you not mean it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Shinsu who had been confident and proud until recently was now turned into a cat again. Looking at Aymon who seemed to drop his invisible ears, a smile and a reassuring sigh escaped Belinda¡¯s lips. Oh my. What should I do with this lovely cat? That night. The night when the two held their private ball at the guest pce. His desperate plea to take care of him until the end sounded like a threat rather than a proposal. Completely unaware of that, sheughed it off, saying ¡®My cat wants me to spoil him¡¯. He jumped out of joy because she epted his proposal, which she was unaware of. No wonder he couldn¡¯t sleep that night; groaning and tossing restlessly for a long time. If she had known that, she would¡¯ve rejoiced with him and stroked his hair all night, but she was cruelly sleeping alone. As Aymon began to feel genuinely disappointed, Belinda reached out to him. After interlocking her fingers with his, she added strength to her grip. Aymon slowly looked up. ¡°Congrattions on your engagement, Aymon. Congrattion on your uing marriage, too.¡± ¡°¡­.Breedee¡­.¡± Only then did Aymon¡¯s expression loosen up. The marriage was already decided, but it sounded fresh when Belinda herself confirmed it. As he slowly closed his eyes, the ends of Aymon¡¯s eyes nt upwards beautifully, and he smiled gently. It was a radiant and pure smile akin to that of a blooming flower bud under the spring sun. It wasn¡¯t even the first time she saw it, but Belinda¡¯s heart was pounding all of sudden. In an effort to cover the sudden blush on her cheeks, Belinda bowed her head. Aymon reached out and grabbed her hand ever so tightly. He dug his fingers through hers and interlocked his fingers with hers tight. When their warmth mingled, only then did she breathe a long sigh of relief. A gust of wind from nowhere sends a flurry of flower petals swirling through the air. Belinda rubbed her flushed cheeks. Amid the warm and rxing wind, the grip on her hand was perfectly reliable. As if telling her that this very figure would always hold her anytime, everywhere. *** ¡°Hm, I feel good.¡± Belinda opened the window wide and was greeted by the night air. After the ball, the Shinsu returned to the forest in packs. The nobles came all the way to the forest border to see them off and bowed to them as they disappeared into the dark forest. It was such an eventful day. Peace had arrived between humans and the Shinsu that allowing them to coexist together. ¡°¡­.I guess I¡¯m really getting married.¡± Her marriage had been confirmed. Kyaaa! Belinda screamed joyfully and jumped around before throwing herself on the bed. Of course, she was puzzled by the unexpected news, but she was happy. She had always been looking forward to this moment, so it felt more like a dream to her. ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore! Oh my gosh! I¡¯m so happy!¡± Belinda, who was kicking the air as shey down, buried her face on the pillow and closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so happy, really¡­.¡± She exerted herself so much today, which caused her to quickly fall asleep. Soon, her rough breathing found its regr pace. How long has it been? Seems like I¡¯m dozing off or dreaming briefly. When her consciousness was on the brink of fading away, an affectionate warmth came by. As the drowsiness slowly took over her, someone¡¯s subdued voice rang in her ears. ¡°Breedee.¡± Belinda pushed her drowsiness away and slowly open up her eyes. Affectionate eyes were seen through her blurred vision. Pretty eyes that shone brightly under the moonlight- it was Aymon. He carefully swept Belinda¡¯s hair. ¡°Hmm¡­ this must be a dream.¡± Belinda mumbled to herself. Obviously, Aymon returned to the forest. Why would he be in front of her now? ¡°Dream? Absolutely not. We still have a lot to do tonight.¡± The touch of caressing her hair was particrly gentle. Sheid down in a daze, blinking rapidly, but the hand that was stroking her hair came down and caressed her eyes slowly. The touch was odd. Perhaps because her senses were only fixated on Aymon now, but his calm and slow touch was enough to influence her. Whenever his fingertips brushed her eyshes and cheeks, the soft hair on her nape shot up. ¡°Aymon. Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d have a meeting with the Shinsu today¡­?¡± ¡°I went and came here.¡± The gaze that fell on Belinda was gentle. He stroked her with infinite care just like dealing with fragile stuff, then lowered his face to kiss her cheek. Along with a soft kiss, a low breath tickled her ear. ¡°Breedee. Humans have to get married first before spending the night, so I¡¯ve always waited.¡± The drowsiness that almost took over her gradually subsided. Her shoulders shrunk by the ticklish sensation of soft breath, and the kiss slowly fell off her cheek. Aymon kissed the tip of her chin and breathed a slow whisper that sounded like a monologue. ¡°It¡¯s practically the same thing, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯ve announced it in front of everyone. Right?¡± The arms wrapped around her waist, pulled her gently in his embrace, leaving no gap between them. Chapter 81 Trantor/PR: Nesta/ Yoru No Tsuki Trigger Warning! This chapter contains Bestiality (around the end of the steamy moment) and rape (rape is a non-consented sexual assault, not necessarily only including lower parts pration, but here, there is one described and more suggested). If rape triggers you, do not read this chapter until the ¡° ***** ¡± shows up. Read this chapter at your own risk. Belinda winced and squirmed under his body that was firmly pressed against her. It was stifling, yet strangelyforting. His hot body temperature, the sensation lingering between his and her own body, and even the dizzying rush on her senses, it was almost too much. Did he mistake her movement for a different meaning? ¡°Don¡¯t run away from me, okay?¡± Aymon, who was pulling down a side of her nightshirt with his lips, squeezed her even closer. Belinda was buried in his arms ever so tightly that only her fingers could move. Smooch, smooch! The wet sound of kissing rang in the quiet room. Belinda put her palm on her chest and pressed it hard. This is because she thought her heart was beating louder than the sound of Aymon¡¯s rain of kisses. She did it because it¡¯d be embarrassing if he heard the sound, but somehow Aymon seemed to misunderstand the gesture even more. Sliding his tongue down her corbone, Aymon mumbled. ¡°When I see my opponent running away, I want to hunt them. I¡¯m a beast after all.¡± ¡°¡­.Uhh¡­.¡± While smoothly licking her corbone, he also sometimes bit her flesh quite hard, perhaps due to his rising urge. ¡°Let me do as much as I want today, okay?¡± Aymon seemed to be demanding something, but she couldn¡¯t give a proper answer as he endlessly pressed his lips on her corbone, neck and breastbone. Each time she opened her mouth, it felt like a moan woulde out instead of an answer. Aymon drew his face closer to the thin nightgown that was barely covering the rest of her body. A wet tongue slipped over it. Belinda swallowed a strangled breath at the strange sensation traveling through her spine. ¡°Aaah¡­..!¡± As heat spread through his face rapidly, an unfamiliar ticklish feeling rose up from her stomach, so Belinda pushed Aymon¡¯s shoulder. Her hands lost all strength and were unable to push his strong body away. Although, even if she did have the strength, it would be the same result, a futile attempt. ¡°Aymon¡­wait¡­¡± Gasping for air, her voice called out to him shakily. Her nightshirt rustled as he slid it down swiftly with his mouth. In an instant, the cool night air touched her naked skin. A chill rushed over her skin. Aymon hugged Belinda¡¯s waist strongly, pressing himself against her tender bosom. The stifling contactsted for a long time. Almost like he was soothing the shivering prey in front of him. Aymon¡¯s spine-tingling hot breath gently lingered on Belinda¡¯s skin. If he could, he wanted to pounce on her right away, but Aymon advanced slowly out of fear that Belinda would run away. He wanted to carefully hold that sweet honebs so it wouldn¡¯t crumble. ¡°Ah¡­hng¡­.¡± Belinda dug through Aymon¡¯s hair. They were tickling her body while he was kissing her. On her waist, Aymon¡¯s clutch became even stronger, but Belinda only felt his lips that intertwined affectionately. Their bodies were so close to each other that there wasn¡¯t any gap left between them, and there was a hot and heavy bulge that was touching the lower part of her body. Aymon¡¯s breathy voice lingered on her skin. The two bodies got even closer. ¡°Breedee, Breedee¡­.¡± Belinda whispered ¡°Yes¡­¡±, barely able to squeeze out an answer. It felt like she was washed away by the slow current of his passion. He pressed her down, crushing Belinda underneath him. ¡°Ah! Uh¡­!¡± ¡°Sorry, Breedee. Don¡¯t cry, okay¡­.?¡± Unlike his wild behavior, a very sweet voice came out. he gasped, buried under his body. But Belinda couldn¡¯t answer properly. She couldn¡¯t let out her voice under the strength that crushed her and left her breathless. However, contrary to how quickly he apologized, his aggressive gesture hardly subsided. Her face turned whiter than the white pillow she used to bury her face in. Her body hunched over in a sensation that was close to pain. She wanted to run away, but it was difficult since he did not leave her any opening. A tearful moan that sounded like a sob emerged from her. ¡°Ugh, uh, hng¡­!¡± Belinda twisted weakly as she couldn¡¯t rebel against the force that was holding her body so strongly. Her body shook like a broken doll. Her head was muddled with the pain and pleasure that pierced her senses. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Soon, her vision blurred like in a hallucination . Her stomach was suddenly filled with the heat of his root that filled her depths, and when his stem began to swell up and try to deeply root itself inside, her inner parts squeezed it like it didn¡¯t want to leave a drop out. It felt like her body was burned by the tingling heat sensation that was running through her blood. The faint dawn light rose outside the window. ¡°Ah¡­.!¡± Belinda¡¯s body slumped in his arms. She didn¡¯t know how many times it had been already. Belinda couldn¡¯t even speak properly anymore in the midst of the heated pleasure. Her voice got hoarse from all the moaning. Belinda arched her back with a face drenched in tears. Her body, sensitive to the repeated stimuli, copsed again. ¡°Aymon, Aymon¡­hic¡­.¡± Aymon¡¯s lips touched her under her eyes instead of answering. Even after releasing his desire, instead of leaving her body, he stayed and licked, and kissed, her eyelids as if to calm her down. A tearful plea came out from Belinda. ¡°Stop it already¡­.¡± The cracked voice rang pitifully, asking for a rest. The frail hand that pushed Aymon fell helplessly when he did not budge. The lips were roaming around her eyes, then pressed against her lips and gently kissed them. He tilted his head and pushed his tongue inside to soothe her. The flesh that intruded slowly made moist sounds as it tangled with hers. Belinda¡¯s body melted again when the beast, which had been imploring her hungrily, became affectionate suddenly. ¡°Uhmm¡­.¡± Aymon tilted his head to deepen the kiss, simultaneously rubbing her cheeks wet from the tears, against his own. He stuck himself to her skin as if she was unbearably adorable and endearing and he couldn¡¯t get enough of her. An enticing moan escaped her mouth. It felt like her body hadpletely melted as she couldn¡¯t resist the sweltering heat. It was hard for Belinda¡¯s body not to shake in his arms. Belinda let out a faint moan and tapped on Aymon¡¯s shoulder weakly. The kiss that followed took her breath away. Perhaps he noticed how she was gasping for air, as his lips fell off finally. Kissing Belinda¡¯s eyelids, Aymon whispered. ¡°Belinda, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°For what¡­.?¡± ¡°It probably hurt a lot.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Belinda cried so much that she was barely able to open her swollen eyes. Through her fatigued gaze, she could see Aymon¡¯s worried gaze. ¡°What are you worried about?¡± When she stammered out the question, he replied in a soft voice as if soothing a child. ¡°I can¡¯t imprint you with this body.¡± ¡°Imprint?¡± Then, a different kind of weight pressed against her suddenly and was wrapped around her whole body, followed immediately by a beast¡¯s breathing sound. At one point, she started to lose consciousness slowly. When she turned her head to the side, she could see the dawn¡¯s pinkish glow outside the window, before a huge ck beast obstructed her vision. It seemed like she tried to push him away while she was crying even more, but eventually returned to hug him, and it appears like she was clinging to a leopard that was after her body. Every cell and DNA imprinting her after that, made her body ignite. Herst memory after that was that she twisted her body due to the burning sensation tingling up from her toes to her fingertips, and then almost fainted from the pressure that filled her inside. In the meantime, she heard the voice that anxiously called her and whispered apologies in her head. [Breedee, I¡¯m sorry. Breedee¡­.] Aymon¡¯s call made her feel content, just like a luby, before she let her body sink weakly onto the bed. His voice calling her was so pitiful that she raised her feeble hand in the midst of her fading consciousness, but her hand fell back on the bed even before she could touch his fur. Even though she wanted to hug him. ***** Belinda woke up at the familiar warmth that rubbed her closed eyes and cheeks. Barely pushed up her swollen eyelids, and her eyes were red due to the excessive crying. Her body was hurting as if she had been hit all over. She must have sweated from the heat the night before, but seeing that her body was clean, Aymon must¡¯ve wiped her off. ¡°Breedee.¡± A gentle touch brushed her eyes. Hearing the low whisper that called her name, Belinda finally sighed. After standing dangerously in a line between dreams and reality, she felt like his call finally woke her up. As she blinked slowly, Aymon¡¯s face became clearer. With a face full of worries, Aymon asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Belinda opened her mouth to answer, but she couldn¡¯t respond properly because of her sore throat. Aymon carefully raised Belinda up and put a cup of water against her lips. The water flowed between her lips and went down her throat. Anxiously looking at Belinda who closed her eyes, Aymon suddenly acted like a parent to a child. After Belinda drank all the water, Aymon, who roughly ced the cup on the bedside table, bent himself and licked the water dripping from her mouth. ¡°Is it cold? Should I get you warm water instead?¡± The water was lukewarm. It had been heated up especially for Belinda, but it seemed to have cooled down while she was still unconscious. Belinda shook her head weakly. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Aymon.¡± Only now the answer from the preceding question came out. As expected, her voice sounded hoarse. It wasn¡¯t really that surprising, in fact, her voice had rested a bit during the night. Aymon dropped his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. All I needed to do was to imprint you and then finish, but I couldn¡¯t control myself.¡± He got drunk on the sweetness that he tasted for the first time. The instinct that had been suppressed and hidden away exploded, coercing and pushing her hard, forgetting that his opponent was only a human being. Perhaps, it was because he has been waiting desperately since childhood. It wouldn¡¯t even cross Belinda¡¯s mind, as it was an impulse he had to desperately suppress for that long. As a result, Belinda was resting on the bed. Belinda smiled softly, feeling Aymon¡¯s touch as hey her down again. How ridiculous. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I got sick only after spending one night with him¡­ How could this happen?¡¯ She gazed out at the window. The sunset light illuminated the fallen leaves. ¡®I drifted off at dawn, so I guess I fell asleep for about half a day.¡¯ When she thought about it, fainting would be more appropriate to describe it rather than sleeping. ¡°Did I sleep until dinner?¡± Right after she could barely ask out the question in a quiet voice, Aymon paused slightly. Soon, he swept Belinda¡¯s fingers and muttered awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s true that it¡¯s dinner now. But it¡¯s been two days already since that night.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± With an awkward side nce, Aymon lowered his gaze. ¡°Normally you¡¯d get a fever after being imprinted¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Breedee. I¡¯ll be careful next time.¡± He mumbled, looking like a boy who was caught making a big mistake. He trailed off the end of his words and lowered his invisible tail. If he was in his leopard form, it would¡¯ve been obvious that he would be crouched in front of Belinda and whining. Belinda stared up at him nkly. Two days. Two days¡­..she got scared of what would happen if there was a next time. ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 82 Trantor/Proofreader: Nesta/ Yoru No Tsuki When Aymon watched out for her with a tearful expression, Belinda gestured weakly toward him. He dropped his head like an obedient puppy. Soon, she stroked his head gently. ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯ She said with her mind with a gentle gesture. A perverted cat, or a reckless fool who couldn¡¯t control himself. Aymon flinched, waiting to hear those words from her. However, when the loving touch came unexpectedly, he embraced her as if all his tension disappears. ¡°Breedee!¡± In fact, Aymon had barely repressed his desire to hug her tightly earlier. He was sad that he couldn¡¯t hold her in his arms and kiss her everywhere sooner. When Aymon¡¯s hair tickled her cheeks, Belinda dug her fingers through his hair. His hair was soft, but felt somehow cold. The familiar feeling brought a smile to her face. ¡°Aymon, I¡¯m hungry. Give me something to eat.¡± As she didn¡¯t eat anything in thest two days. At her order, Aymon quickly got up and ran out of the door like the wind. But when he came back with a tray, he found Belinda sleeping as if she had passed out again. Even as she started to drift off as if she was being sucked into the darkness, she started to feel more and more distant but still present. Warmth touched her eyelids, cheeks, and lips. His tender kiss. A loving touch that gently swept up her sweaty hair. ¡®I like you so much that I don¡¯t know what to do¡­.¡¯ And thus, his desperate confession soaked her heart as if it was heavily rained on. She wanted to answer, but her fading consciousness wouldn¡¯t allow it. A careful and desperate confession was instilled in her dream before falling back into a deeper sleep. *** A weekter, her body finally regained some energy back. It¡¯s all thanks to the nutritious mushroom and another bunch of medicinal herbs that Lucy had been feeding her. Even now, Lucy sat next to Belinda and forced the dried mushrooms into her mouth. ¡°Please, you should eat more, okay?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°No. You really should eat more! I¡¯m going to hold it like this until you finish it!¡± ¡°¡­.Okay.¡± Belinda kindly opened her mouth despite the grumbling of the maid who was constantly threatening and coercing the princess! Oh. How embarrassing. This is driving me crazy. I don¡¯t know why he makes such a big fuss about it. Aymon did say that normally a mild fever might arise in the process of imprinting, but ¨C was it because she¡¯s a human? ¨C Instead of mild fever, she suffered from an increasing fever that made everyone busy taking care of her. Aymon was rubbing her feet while making a face like the greatest sinner in the world. Belinda was sitting on the sofa with her feet on top of Aymon¡¯s thigh. A ss suddenly appeared in front of her. ¡°Are you done eating? You have to drink this too, Princess.¡± ¡°Lucy, do I really need to drink that?¡± ¡°Yes, you really need to.¡± At Lucy¡¯s firm words, Belinda sighed before finally drinking the bitter tea. Belinda¡¯s face became as red as the color of the tea. I think I know the effect of this tea. Isn¡¯t this tea made of Daumni berry, which is good for recuperation? When Belinda woke up after being sick in bed for several days, she heard people arguing. As the sunlight poured in, the voice of an angry woman resounded loudly. ¡°I was about to hold back, but I can¡¯t do that anymore! I¡¯m still going to say this even if I¡¯m crossing the line! Aren¡¯t you being too much? How can you make the princess fall unconscious for days¡­.!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You should have been mindful of who is your partner! Look! Don¡¯t you see how fragile the Princess is! You have to consider the physical difference between the two of you!¡± Even if she again closed her eyes for a moment, she could imagine a human and an animal staring down at her. In their eyes, she must look like a saggy wet pile of clothes. Soon after Lucy¡¯s fiery tirade, Aymon tried toe up with an excuse in a subdued tone. ¡°I restrained myself a lot. I swear.¡± ¡°Is this the result of restraining yourself a lot?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Normally, Lucy didn¡¯t dare to raise her voice to Aymon. It was Aymon who held his head high and talked down to Lucy. However, now their roles werepletely reversed, like a mother-inw who scolded her son-inw. Lucy had noticed why Belinda had been groaning in pain for several days, and why Aymon couldn¡¯t stop whining and worrying about Belinda with his puppy eyes. Lucy scolded him not to do that again. About how, unlike the Shinsu, the Princess had a very weak constitution inparison. She kept warning him, saying that he shouldn¡¯t do as he pleased now. Belinda, who listened to their conversation ¨C or Lucy¡¯s scream to be exact ¨C closed her eyes even more tightly. How embarrassing¡­can¡¯t you both stop it already?¡­. I also have shame, you know¡­.? In any case, that¡¯s how the situation came to this point. Lucy kept feeding her something, and Aymon anxiously followed her everywhere. Anybody will think that I¡¯m seriously ill. As this situation continued, it reached a point where she gave up dissuading them from arguing about her wellbeing. Both of you. Please stop protecting me as if I am a baby bird! Fortunately, Lucy was the only one around them who knew the truth. Lart also expressed his concern every day and asked if she had a fever due to the cold wind. As for Mazetto, he was puzzled that Belinda smelled like Aymon and was busy going around to find the reason. It was truly a relief. If everyone knew the real reason behind her ¡®serious illness¡¯, she would have wanted to hide under the bed out of shame. *** ¡°Is everything going smoothly?¡± In a field about one hour away from the Imperial Pce. In front of arge rock where no one woulde, Adi asked. Count Ottoman stood with his arms folded and smiled satisfactorily. ¡°Yes. He had practiced how to catch and control one more Shinsu at the same time.¡± ¡°But is it okay to let Joseph go down there alone? If he dies¡­¡± Count Ottoman shook his head at Adi¡¯s worry. ¡°His ability has improved a lot. He can control about two Shinsu now even with his eyes closed.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s down there alone with two Shinsu.¡± Inside a very deep pit. There should have been two Shinsu in the space thaty in ruins. Joseph climbed down alone with a rope. He was training to control the Shinsu. There was no exit. Neither the humans nor the Shinsu could escape. The only thing that could rescue Joseph now was the rope that woulde back down in an hour. Count ottoman smiled leisurely and patted his belly out of habit. ¡°Please rest assured, Princess. Joseph is going to get out of there alive and well.¡± Adi¡¯s eyes were filled with anxiety, but she soonughed it off. Count Ottoman wasn¡¯t someone who went around spouting nonsense. There was always some basis behind his confident attitude. With that in mind, she decided to wait patiently for Joseph with a rxed mind. A precious ve, who would have a dangerous existence called the Shinsu, in the palm of his hand just like a pet cat. *** Recently, Aymon walked in and out of the Guest Pce as if it was his own house. In the past, he pretended to be considerate by visiting once or twice a week, but now he was no different from living in the Guest Pce. They were to be engaged in two months and get married a yearter. The wedding was decided, but practically nothing had been prepared until now. Yet after the imprinting, there was never a day when he wanted to be away from her. He endured it for so long, and he rushed at her with lightning speed as soon as he was released from restraining himself. ¡°Now you¡¯re truly mine. You¡¯re mine.¡± Whenever he visited, he smelled her scent and was very happy, then proceeded to follow her everywhere. Today was the same. He approached Belinda, who was ying with Mazetto, and as he was trying to interfere with them for no reason, he was pecked by Mazetto¡¯s beak. While rubbing the back of his stinging hand, Aymon asked. ¡°Breedee. There¡¯s a market outside the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°Market? Yes, there is.¡± Before Belinda became a princess, the market was a ce she was so sick of. Because she used to run on its dirt floor so often while doing various errands. Aymon bowed his head towards Belinda, whose backy on his chest. He kissed her nose bridge andughed. ¡°Let¡¯s get out and have some fun. I¡¯m bored.¡± Belinda opened her eyes wide as if it were an unexpected proposal, but she soon nodded. Come to think of it, I think I hardly ever go out with Aymon. She only stayed at the Guest Pce, after all. She thought very briefly whether she should get permission from His Majesty or ask for escorts, but soon she shook her head. If a dangerous situation urred even when she was with Aymon, she was as good as dead, no matter how many skilled escorts were attached to her. She got up from her seat as if she was ready to move right away and grabbed Aymon¡¯s hand. A date with just the two of them was about to begin. There was arge cart filled with red roses. A fragrant scent gushed out from the piles of flowers. ¡°Two sn for one flower! 15 sn for 10 flowers!¡± The loud voice of the florist sounded amicable. Belinda, who came to thergest market in the center of the capital, stopped in front of a cart full of roses and rummaged through it. ¡°Please give me one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only 15 sns if you buy 10 flowers. Will you still only buy one?¡± ¡°Yes. Just one, please.¡± Belinda asked the florist to cut the stalk off the rose. Then, as soon as she received the flower, she tucked it between Aymon¡¯s brooch and cape. ¡°Pretty.¡± Aymon lowered his head and fiddled with the rose. He felt a bit unfamiliar with the pretty flower which adorned him, but he would never reject it because it was a gift from Belinda. Belinda began to walk again, pulling down Aymon¡¯s hand and holding it tight. Aymon¡¯s embarrassed face was too cute. When she first met him, he was a stubborn child who grumpily rejected anything he didn¡¯t like, but since when did he be so loveable? Chapter 83 Trantor/Nesta Later on, they came across a street vendor selling essories. A child next to his mother yed with ornamental stones, and a cat whipped themp with its tail and scurried away in surprise when the seller yelled at it. Belinda smiled merrily as she felt the warmth of Aymon¡¯s tight grip on her hand. She thought it would be a regr walk through the market, but it was more exciting when she actually stepped outside. It was a market she was so sick of. However, the smell of various antiques, colorfulmps, and sweet fruits pervading her nose were new. All because she was with Aymon. ¡°I¡¯m happy to be out after a long time. Let¡¯se out more often.¡± Aymon nodded as he walked slowly to match her pace. ¡°If you like it here, should we get married and live outside the Imperial Pce?¡± As the flush spread across her face, she paused briefly before answering. Marriage. Marriage. Even though she already knew it, the thrill in her heart was new. Because the uing reality felt like a mirage to her. ¡°Hey, Aymon. Later¡­um¡­if we do that¡­marriage¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She was embarrassed to say the word ¡®marriage¡¯ aloud, so she kind of slurred her words. As if amused by her cuteness, Aymon nodded and smiled. ¡°Should I move to the forests after we get married? You like forests more, right? And you¡¯re also the head¡­.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Huh? No?¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re the one I like. I will go anywhere you want. I will sleep on the street if you say so.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She was touched by what he said. The sweet words that fell like a cascading waterfall made her speechless. Do I have to answer jokingly or seriously? She was at a loss about what to do next, so she just fiddled with her flushed ears. I like you, too. I will go anywhere you want. Marrying you is like a dream. Those were the words she wanted to give back, but she swallowed them, fearing that her voice would tremble when she opened her mouth. Why is my heart pounding so much when we¡¯ve been in a rtionship for quite some time? Looking back on it, it has always been like this. It was Aymon who proposed to her, even though Belinda herself wasn¡¯t aware of that fact. Aymon also confessed to her. It was always Aymon who pursued her first. To make it worse, she only pushed him away after the imprinting, saying that it hurt her. Now she rushed up to him willingly, saying that she was d to be connected to each other. She had to express her heart sooner orter, but it was upsetting because she didn¡¯t know when or where to let her feelings out. Hey, Aymon. When she was about to open her mouth, she heard a bell ringing. Belinda stopped walking. Aymon also stopped next to her and slowly lowered his gaze. She could see a stand with a bunch of tiny bells hanging off its fabric. The seller did not miss a chance and immediately talked to her. ¡°It¡¯s an essory for cats and dogs. You can hear a cute ringing sound every time your pet moves.¡± Belinda squatted down and touched the ceramic bells. If I put this on Aymon, he won¡¯t like it, right? And now that he¡¯s all grown up, he¡¯s no longer a kitten¡­. For some reason, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off it. The seller quickly put the bell in her hand. The cold ceramic bell quickly warmed up in the palm of her hand. ¡°Do you have a cat or a dog?¡± ¡°Yes. A cat.¡± She took a sneaky look at Aymon before answering. Aymon flinched as if he was dumbfounded, but he did not snap at her or anything. ¡°Then this bell is perfect for you, miss! What color is your cat?¡± ¡°ck. Whenever the light shines on him, his ck fur glitters prettily. He¡¯s a little bit vicious¡­but I guess pretty cats usually are kinda bossy, right?¡± Aymon chuckled at her words. Meanwhile, the seller smiled and nodded. ¡°Of course! If roses have thorns, then cats have ws! It will be 3 silvers and 2 sns, miss! It¡¯s a little expensive because I brought it from abroad.¡± The seller sneakily brought up the price. Belinda was hesitating for a while, but eventually decided to buy the bell. If I can¡¯t put it on Aymon¡¯s neck, I can just attach it like an essory, right? Because it¡¯s pretty. When she handed 4 silvers, saying that he could keep the change, the seller smiled and waved his hand happily. ¡°Thank you! Take care!¡± ¡°I hope you sell a lot.¡± She grabbed Aymon¡¯s hand again and slowly walked through the crowd. The bell¡¯s refreshing sound somehow put her in a good mood. As they walked, she randomly put the bell on Aymon¡¯s neck. ¡°It looks good on you.¡± Aymon only rolled his eyes and looked down at the bell. Then, he took the bell from her hand and put it in his pocket. ¡°Okay. I want you to put this on the kitten of the vicious cat you mentioned earlier.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kitten? Belinda looked up at him. His gaze shifted momentarily on the street ahead as if he was having fun. ¡°That¡¯s why you need to give birth quickly.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± Leaving her perplexed, Aymon bowed his head to kiss Belinda¡¯s eyelids. A sweet kiss brieflynded on her skin. Ady walking down the street blushed and passed by them. Aymon leaned over to kiss her and raised the corners of his mouth up after he broke the kiss. ¡°He needs to work hard day and night to have a kitten. I¡¯m talking about that vicious cat you mentioned earlier. Right, Breedee?¡± He whispered quietly. She felt the rise and fall of his hot breath from his parted lips. Belinda was silent as the heat crept up and dyed her cheeks red. Although she was naive, she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to not know the meaning of his words. She even had a hard time because of him not too long ago. Soon after, she pushed his face away and shouted ¡®Perverted cat!¡¯. As she walked away from Aymon, what he just said stayed in her mind like an afterimage. Words he whispered so casually while rubbing her stomach. ¡°Who knows¡­ maybe you¡¯re already expecting. Since we did it a lot.¡± Aymon looked like he was having fun. Belinda quickly brushed off her embarrassment earlier and happily walked through the crowd again. She bought and ate candied fruits, and marveled at bananas ripening to a brown color as it was grilled. Throughout all that, Aymon held her hand and stood by her side. Belinda, who was looking through the embroidery bracelet, shook her hands and stood up. She hold Aymon¡¯s hand again and pulled him into a narrow alley. ¡°Hey, Aymon. Have you always been alone?¡± Amid the lively atmosphere, Belinda asked a quite serious question casually. She had already shown everything about herself to Aymon. About her past and trauma. But she didn¡¯t know much about Aymon. All she knew was that he was always alone, and lived in a mansion in the Shinsu Forest, alone, like a deserted ind. Aymon answered casually. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. My father died without any exnation, and my mother died as soon as she gave birth to me.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± Rather, she felt even more guilty because he said it so casually. That might be the reason why Aymon always rubbed his cheeks on hers, saying, ¡®I only need you¡¯. Because all he had was Belinda and himself. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t the only one. They said the birth of a ck leopard would cost everybody their lives.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aymon turned his head and smiled at Belinda. ¡°That¡¯s why everyone calls me the seed of misfortune and chases me away.¡± Belinda creased her forehead. What do you mean, the seed of misfortune? Aymon was just born ck! She thought the Shinsu were noble beings, but they were so narrow-minded. She was quite aware of that fact, but when she heard it directly from Aymon, she became furious. ¡°Who said that? The seed of misfortune, huh? Did they say that to your face? Those mindless elder beasts!¡± ¡°Yeah. Everyone did it to me at first. Scold them for me, please.¡± Aymon replied in a yful but gentle voice. He rubbed the back of Belinda¡¯s hand gently with his thumb and said. ¡°But I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s all in the past.¡± Aymon¡¯s voice dispersed in a breezy wind. Belinda pouted her lips because she felt like she was about to cry. ¡°Is this the reason why? Did you alwayse to me because you were lonely and struggling?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. I just went because I missed you.¡± Aymon said teasingly. Listening to his half-joking and half-serious answer, Belinda squeezed his fingers tightly. Now is the time to express my heart! I like you, too. I was really happy when you proposed. I will always be by your side from now on. While pondering about what to say first, she grabbed Aymon¡¯s hands and looked up at him with all sincerity. The light that shined through the cracks of the building hovered over them. ¡°Aymon. If you marry me, I promise I will always be there for you. I promise I will make you happy.¡± Her words, which flowed out like a proposal, were filled with sincerity. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aymon gazed down at her. Outside the alley, the street was bustling with people, and inside the narrow alley, it was quiet enough to hear their breathing. Aymon closed his eyes slowly and opened them. Belinda¡¯s blonde hair was especially bright today. It was shining enchantingly under the faint sunlight. Aymon gazed upon Belinda as if he were in a dream. Then he slowly reached out and held Belinda in his arms. Thump, thump. Just above Belinda¡¯s cheeks, the sound of Aymon¡¯s heartbeat resounded. Suddenly, she felt at ease. Even though his body was solid and firm, her body rxed as if it were absorbed in a deep sleep. Above her head, his low voice flowed like a monologue. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t met you when I was young, I would never be who I am today.¡± Perhaps, he would be a twisted man and fall apart in loneliness. It wouldn¡¯t be possible to be bathed in happiness while embracing his lovely human as he was now. Aymon put more strength into his arms. He locked her in his embrace. ¡°Breedee. I became the head solely for you. The forest or my position as the head, everything means nothing if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡± Aymon brushed his lips around her ear and whispered low. ¡°You¡¯re really the only one for me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m always nervous. I feel like you¡¯re about to disappear.¡± Chapter 84 Trantor/ Proofreader : Nesta/ Yoru No Tsuki Belinda rubbed his back to soothe him. ¡°Why would I disappear? I¡¯m hugging you right here.¡± His robust back became a little stiff as he couldn¡¯t ovee his anxiety. A voice mixed with anxiety rang out. ¡°Humans are too small and fragile. I¡¯m scared.¡± Belinda smiled in his embrace. Look at this scaredy-cat. She rubbed her cheek on his chest, smelling his nice scent. ¡°You can just protect me. You¡¯re the world¡¯s greatest Shinsu, after all.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± Aymon smiled and replied as if it was a given. He breathed deeply atst and smoothed her hair. His anxiety seemed to lower a bit. ¡°Breedee. I¡¯ll protect you. That¡¯s why¡­.you should always be next to me so that I don¡¯t feel anxious. Okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Promise me.¡± ¡°Yeah, I promise.¡± Belinda was patting him. She was about to take her hand back, because it was quite embarrassing to hug for a long time in a narrow alley. It was time to end this shameful confession. However, Aymon wrapped her body in his embrace with trembling hands. They firmly hugged each other for a long time, not wanting to let go. *** Bathing into a distant moonlight, Belinda was falling into unconsciousness, wandering in a space that she couldn¡¯t tell whether it was a dream or a shback. Stepping back into a very distant past that she didn¡¯t know about, Belinda¡¯s vision blurred as she dived further into the darkness. A secret box in her mind seemed to gradually open the more she was connected with Aymon. In her vision, she was lying on the cold dirt floor. In a dense forest, a faint moonlight was shining through the branches just above her head. And a leopard filled her line of sight. A big ck leopard thatpleted her life. The beast¡¯s tears dripped down over her face. Strength left her body slowly before fading away into nothingness. The light scattered like grainy sand and swarmed around her body. A clear voice rang from the leopard, clearing away theplete darkness. [You said you would always be by my side. You said you would always protect me.] Even in her strange vision, Belinda felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤-vu all of sudden. ¡°Breedee. I¡¯ll protect you. That¡¯s why¡­ You should always be next to me so that I don¡¯t feel anxious.¡± Because Aymon¡¯s voice who vowed to protect her, and the voice of the leopard she just heard, ovepped. Who is the leopard in front of me? Who is the person he is facing that made him look this sad? Belinda wasn¡¯t sure whether the woman¡¯s hand she was suddenly raising was hers or not. She stroked the leopard¡¯s chin with a bloody hand. [We will meet again. So, don¡¯t cry. Be a good boy, okay?] Whispering to the leopard in a soothing tone, she soon closed her eyes. She wanted to stroke this leopard forever, but she just used thest bit of strength she had. Plop. Her hand fell helplessly. In her distant consciousness, the leopard¡®s cry full of anguish seemed to resonate endlessly. You must stay alive. Live and meet me again, pretty cat. Everything was over. After Belinda¡¯s vision disappeared without a trace, her view was only covered by darkness. Wandering through the dark abyss, she was suddenly brought back to reality as if she had been grabbed by the cor. ¡°Gasp!¡± She opened her eyes wide as she gasped for breath. Thump. Thump. The sound of her chaotic heartbeat rang loudly in her ears. She was wetting her lips as she struggled to breathe, but soon, arge and warm hand touched her forehead. ¡°Breedee?¡± Aymon called her name worriedly, sweeping up her sweaty hair. Belinda stared at Aymon with her eyes shaking and slowly raised her hand. She carefully stroked his smooth cheeks as if possessed. The warmth she felt on her trembling fingertips felt real. It was really Aymon. Atst, she returned back to reality. On this quiet night, she was sleeping with Aymon on the bed. ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡± His gentle voice resounded in the bedroom. Belinda tightly pressed her lips together. Yes, Aymon. I had a nightmare. Words simr to a child¡¯s whine couldn¡¯te out and got stuck in her throat. It was a very sad dream, and she felt like she was going to cry just by thinking about it, but after waking up, she couldn¡¯t remember any of it. Aymon cuddled her tightly in his arms. Inside the warm nket, their bodies were enveloping each otherpletely. As his warm body touched hers, he whispered. ¡°You must be tired. Go back to sleep, Breedee.¡± His low voice relieved her anxiety. Belinda curled up and leaned more against the warmth that enveloped her. Thump.Thump. Her anxious heart slowly subsided. Why am I so anxious¡­. Belinda wriggled toward his arms, burrowing herself deeper into his embrace. Hard chest, a familiar scent, hot body temperature. Whenever her soft skin touched him, her anxiety subdued. A small sigh and a voice mixed withughter came out. ¡°Stop moving like that.¡± ¡°Why¡­¡­oh¡­.¡± Belinda, who grasped the meaning shortly after, blurred the end of her words. She hurriedly let go of her embrace and pushed him away, but he pulled her back into his arms. ¡°Aymon. It¡¯s going up again ¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s going up again.¡± Aymon, who replied honestly, spread her body gently and came up to her passionately. He sucked her lips and gently inserted his tongue in. Belinda¡¯s body reeled back on the bed. The tender flesh covering her was extremely warm. As if giving herfort, his kiss was able to distract her from her anxiety. Upon feeling the sensation of his tongue passionately searching her mouth, Belinda loosened up her body again. As soon as Aymon filled her up, she brushed off her previous feelings. She pushed away the remains of the depressing dream, that she couldn¡¯t even remember, from her mind. In the quiet silence, the rustling of the nkets sounded louder. Listening to the creaking of the bed, Belinda suddenly moaned embarrassingly. ¡°Aaaah, ahh¡­!¡± As her body was jerking wildly, she urgently stretched her arms to cling to his neck. Aymon hugged her even more at her enticing gesture. They warmed up each other¡¯s bodies. It was a long, passionate night in thepany of one another. *** [Speaking of which, I didn¡¯t see the elder, chief.] Shanti said as he rolled around below the window. Aymon was lying sluggishly on Belinda¡¯s thigh. At those words, he slowly got up. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you couldn¡¯t see O¡¯Malley before too?¡± There was a slight doubt on his face. Leopards were very private and secretive in the first ce. But the Elder was different. The times they went out of the forest could be counted by fingers. ¡°Something seems off.¡± Aymon murmured, frowning. His instinct gave him this ominous feeling. It wasn¡¯t that surprising for O¡¯Malley to do that, but something was suspicious because the elder was nowhere to be seen. Shanti, the one who first brought it up, yawned and stretched his front paws. [What¡¯s weird about it? It would be weirder if they did tell you where they were going.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± [It¡¯s nothing important. I talked about it because I thought the chief should know that information. You should not worry too much.] Meanwhile, Lart was quietly listening to Shanti and Aymon¡¯s conversation. His face was extremely stiff as he was absorbed into a deep thought alone. He didn¡¯t even hear Lucy speaking in front of him. Mazetto, who nced at Shanti, approached him and asked. ¡°By the way, Shanti-nim. What brings you here?¡± It was natural for Aymon to go in and out of the Guest Pce like his own home, but not for Shanti. He was a beast who had nevere near where humans lived since he was a kitten. [Me? I¡¯m here to watch Aymon.] ¡°Watch?¡± [Yeah. I¡¯m going to bother him since the chief is bothering me every day.] ¡°What are you talking about?¡± [There¡¯s something like that.] ¡°I don¡¯t understand why the Shinsu speaks so vaguely.¡± Ignoring the sparrow who grumbled fearlessly, Shanti rubbed his snout with his front paw. Aymon used to visit him only at important moments. For example, when he was ying with Ha, rolling around with Ha, or being affectionate with Ha. Only during those times. It was such perfect timing that Shanti thought Aymon was doing it on purpose. Each time that happened, he always vowed to himself. I will also keep an eye on that bastard and watch him carefully. I will disturb that bastard¡¯s happy time, too. He came here with that intention, but it turned out very boring. All Aymon did was lie next to Belinda and y all day. ¡®The expression he makes each time Belinda tells him to go away was kinda funny, though.¡¯ It was the first time he became aware that Aymon could make such a pitiful expression like a puppy. Anyway, it was boring and he had no more business here. It¡¯d be much better to go home than bothering the chief. [I¡¯m leaving, chief.] Shanti slowly turned around. Following his words, Belinda¡¯s voice rang quietly. ¡°You go too, Aymon.¡± Aymon replied right away. ¡°Why should I? No.¡± Shanti¡¯s ears perked up. He thought he was about to hear something interesting. It was quite difficult to turn around and just listen openly, so he quietly slowed down his step toward the door. Their quarrel continued. ¡°You used toe only once a week, but why do you stay so long these days?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I stay?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why.¡± Aymon asked back as if he felt it was unfair. Belinda closed the book and sighed with a troubled face. ¡°Then stay during the day and leave at night.¡± ¡°Why? I don¡¯t want to.¡± Just like a stubborn child, Aymon only replied with ¡®why¡¯ and ¡®no¡¯. Her lips quivered. She fiddled with her reddening ears then with her hair. After pondering for a while, she whispered low. ¡°I¡¯m having a hard time.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Anyway, leave. Hurry up.¡± Belinda, who stuttered for no apparent reason, pushed him away. However, Aymon only knelt down and cupped her face to examine her. ¡°Why? Why are you having a hard time? Are you feeling unwell, Breedee¡­.¡± He looked into Belinda¡¯s eyes with a face full of worries and checked herplexion. In the midst of Aymon¡¯s sincere worries, Belinda couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak. I want to say that I¡¯m tired because of yourck of self-control! ¡ª¡ª¡ª PR/N: Poor Belinda xD I would not want to be in your ce right now lol what about you Nesta xD? TL/N : Nesta said, put a leash on his doofus PR/N: Agreeeeeeeeeeeeed! XD xD Chapter 85 Trantor/Proofreader : Nesta/ Yoru No Tsuki It seemed impossible to bring out those embarrassing words to this tactless but sweet beast. ¡°Humans sometimes need to distance themselves a little before marriage, Aymon.¡± ¡°But, I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°In any case, you¡¯re not allowed to enter my room until the engagement ceremony.¡± ¡°But still-¡± Aymon¡¯s words were cut off abruptly. Mainly because Belinda grabbed his hand and dragged him out. As she pulled him, Belinda continued. ¡°I think I also need some time by myself.¡± A time to regain her energy back. Aymon was dragged away helplessly even though he could easily shake off her small hand. A momentter, he arrived in front of the entrance door. Aymon¡¯sint rang without stopping, however, it didn¡¯t stop Belinda and the next thing he knew, the door was mmed in his face. Bang! The only door to enter the Guest Pce was closed now. Aymon muttered sadly as he looked at the firmly shut door. ¡°¡­.Why¡­..¡± A pitiful voice resounded in front of the door. Shanti, who saw his chief getting kicked out pathetically,ughed inwardly. ¡®What the hell is this!? This is so much fun!¡¯ She was undoubtedly the strongest human on earth. Where in the world can you find any living being who can kick out a noble existence ruling allnds, called the Shinsu? Mazetto, who watched the poor Shinsu getting kicked out while perching on Shanti¡¯s back, chirped as ifughing at Aymon. ¡°Aymon was kicked out. Kicked out!¡± Of course, Mazetto flew away as soon as Aymon turned his head menacingly as if he was going to devour him. ¡°The bed seems very spacious now that Aymon isn¡¯t here anymore,¡± Belinda muttered to herself, as she rolled around the bed. She missed him already even though it hadn¡¯t been a day since thest time she slept in his arms. Humans¡¯ adaptability was truly impressive. Now the same bed looked especially big, and the cozy nket felt chilly for some reason. Aymon¡¯s tight embrace was like a warm andrge carapace. When he disappeared, that shell shattered and she became lonely like a chick without its mother in a cold snowy field. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have told you to leave¡­.¡± Belinda shut her eyes while rubbing her cheeks against a cozy nket instead of a cozy Aymon. I miss you. In fact, she missed him very much. As her longing for Aymon got greater, she started to drift off. Soon her breathing slowed down, and her consciousness subsided. She often dreamed after she made love with Aymon. Almost like he awakened something that was asleep inside her. As she got further and further away from consciousness, a familiar, yet unfamiliar,ndscape unfolded before her eyes. Drifting into an unknown period in time. A girl was seen humming as she soaked her feet in the spring water. Whenever the water poured down, she could feel the raging power around her feet. From her outer appearance, she seemed to be at the age between a girl and a woman, but her clear and bottomless eyes made it difficult to really deduce her age. ¡°Humhmm~¡± After humming for a long time, she turned her head upon feeling someone¡¯s presence. No one could ess this ce except those with divine powers, so it must be the infamous hero, Barahan. A younger brother whose origin was different from her and a God who controlled humans. ¡°Lapyan. Do you think it¡¯s enough to just dip your feet?¡± Barahan asked, sitting next to her. He raised his hand to touch her wet hair, but Lapyan quickly moved her head to avoid him. Barahanid his hand down as if nothing had happened. There were many emotions in his eyes that only saw her. There was a sense of admiration for his beautiful sister. At the same time, there were ipatible feelings of jealousy and envy. Lapyan nodded. Then, as if it just urred to her, she unfastened the sword around her waist and handed it over to Barahan. ¡°Here, it¡¯s all yours.¡± ¡°¡­Can I really have it?¡± Lapyan only nodded indifferently and closed her eyes again. ¡°Yeah. Because you¡¯ll need it more than me.¡± The sound of birds chirping resounded throughout the forest. Barahan slowly looked down at the sword. His eyes glistened greedily. The sword she gave him was no regr sword. It was a sword imbued with Lapyan¡¯s divine power, it was used to protect thend and subdue impure darkness. It might be nothing but a tool for Lapyan, but it was something Barahan had envied so much. Once upon a time, the watersing from underground ¨C springs ¨C gave birth to the first god, Lapyan. As soon as Lapyan came to understand her true self, she cultivated the earth after she drove out the creatures that put the continent into chaos. And the god who was born after that was Barahan. Unlike Rapian, who controlled the earth, Barahan ruled over humans. Barahan¡¯s body was powerful, but that was all. His power was iparable to the powerful deity called Lapyan. They also had a different appearance. Unlike Lapyan, who had golden hair symbolizing the sun and silver eyes symbolizing the moon, his hair was sandy and he had golden eyes. Barahan always lived in her shadow. Secretly harboring a sense of inferiorityplex, misced jealousy, and twisted affection toward her. ¡°Barahan, is it true that another war broke out?¡± Lapyan asked in a worried voice. She drove out the ck shadow and achieved peace on the continent, but the war between humans broke out afterward. The existence of God was meaningless to humans. They thought of God only as a danger beyond the wall, not a visible terror. ¡°I¡¯m giving you my sword, so you should bring back the peace, Barahan. For the sake of humans, Please lend them your strength.¡± I¡¯m so tired now. As she mumbled quietly, Barahan nodded. ¡°Trust me, Lapyan.¡± Barahan bowed his head with the sword in his hand. He felt the power rush up inside his body. Each time the power surged, his golden eyes turned into silver and then returned back to their original color again. He was convinced. If his body and her sword¡¯s divine power werebined, he would be a greater God than he is now. Everyone will look up to me and worship me. For 10 years, Barahan used her sword to conquer the entire continent. Lapyan quietly protected his back. She used invisible force to support Barahan and maintained the public order on behalf of hercking brother. After the situation started to return to normal in some measure, she came back to live quietly in the forest. Doing nothing but growing flowers and mingling with animals in peace. With her divine power, the forest grew denser and a bit of her power was slowly infused into the blood of animals. She was often praised here and there on the continent, but that was pretty much all. She was always alone. It wasn¡¯t to the point of suffering from loneliness, but there was a bit of emptiness somewhere in her heart. Did I live too long? Sometimes, she noticed that Barahan gazed at her with a rather strange look. However, he was like a younger brother who was born from the same springs as her. She couldn¡¯t possibly have feelings for such a child. All she could do was pretend not to know Barahan¡¯s heart. Lapyan was slowly walking through the forest path. Is the season changing? The leaves leisurely turned green as if it was smudged with paint. There were traces of melted ice everywhere. But suddenly, when it was time to walk through the grassy path across the deste woond with enormous bushes here and there¡­ ¡°Growl¡­.¡± The growly sound of a beast could be heard from somewhere and she stopped walking. It sounded like a groan of a wounded beast. Lapyan slowly entered the bushes. What cute things may be hidden here? Along with a mixture of tension and anticipation, she pushed the bushes away and saw a ck beast. ¡°Hmm¡­.so it¡¯s you.¡± Lapyan tilted her head to see the ck beast closely. A huge ck leopard was ring at her. Its front leg was soiled with red blood. She couldn¡¯t really tell whether the blood belonged to the ck leopard or to another beast. The area below its neck trembled and a terrifying sound rumbled again. Lapyan approached the ck leopard without any hesitation. She heard the birds chirping some time ago. A very big ck leopard appeared the other day, and they said the ck leopard was making enemies here and there because of his nasty personality. Perhaps because of the forest¡¯s energy, his inherent strength was superior to everyone else, which is why he didn¡¯t die yet, but he might soon. At least that¡¯s what she heard about the wild beast that entered her forest. As she got closer, the leopard¡¯s eyes shone dangerously as he revealed his sharp ws. The leopard, who had been waiting for the prey toe close, was about to charge at her as soon as she came within his range. However¡­ ¡°Good boy.¡± When Lapyan patted his forehead, he stayed still like a statue. He couldn¡¯t move a single muscle as if he was bound by an unknown force. The leopard blinked in a daze. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no beast stronger than me in this forest, no, even on this whole continent. The wide-open purple eyes gleamed under the sunlight shining through the cracks between leaves. Lapyan rubbed the powerful beast¡¯s nose as if she were dealing with a cute kitten. ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing a ck fur like this one. How pretty.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°I heard some rumors about you. Seeing that you were born like this¡­ You must have been influenced by the power of my forest, right?¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°Do you like being alone? If you make everyone your enemy, you¡¯ll only get hurt. Look, you¡¯re bleeding.¡± Lapyan thought that the leopard in front of her was a pitiful animal. She heard he had been rejected by those near him since birth because of his unusual appearance and strength. Still, he¡¯d be very lonely if he kept on making everyone his enemies and getting ostracized. Just like me. The leopard eyes shot up aggressively at her when she smoothed his fur. When the leopard wrinkled its nose fiercely, Lapyan touched the beast¡¯s forehead as if she just remembered something. ¡°I forgot that you couldn¡¯t talk¡­.how about now?¡± At the same time, just like magic, the leopard¡¯s body loosened up. However, due to the unknown pressure, the leopard didn¡¯t dare to rush toward Lapyan. [Who the hell are you?] He growled as if he was ready to drive his fangs into her thin neck at any moment. Lapyan pointed a finger at her own chest. ¡°Me? What about me?¡± Staring right at the leopard¡¯s fierce eyes, she answered gently. ¡°I am the light of the continent, the guardian of the forest, and your ruler, adorable cat.¡± Suddenly, there was a gleam of respect in the leopard¡¯s arrogant eyes. Swish- Thin leaves swirled by gusts of wind and flew around them. Ssh! Lapyan dipped her feet in the spring water up to her knees and sshed the water. If it had been before, only soaking her feet would have been enough, but as she was giving her divine powers here and there, she was often at her limittely. Even more so after giving Barahan her sword. She pushed the petals floating on the water and yed with the falling leaves. Around the stream, was a huge ck leopard crouching as if to guard her. She ran out of energy each time she was in contact with the springs. It was her most vulnerable state. Previously, Barahan was the one who stayed next to her, but she was now apanied by a ck leopard. The leopard, who had his eyes closed with a bored expression, asked. [By the way, what is this stream for?] TL/N: Honestly, I¡¯m not sure how Lapyan/Rapien was called in the previous TL, so if anyone knows, please write it down in thement so I can change it~ Thank you! Chapter 86 TL/PR: Nesta/Yoru No Tsuki He finally asked that question after 10 years with her. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It¡¯s just where I was born.¡± ¡¸When were you born?¡¹ ¡°Um¡­.I don¡¯t know that either.¡± Come to think of it, when was I born again? ¡­.she curled her lips as she was thinking, but nothing came to her mind. When she opened her eyes, all she could see was darkness. She drove out the darkness above thend and simply started to protect humans and animals as if that was her fate. For a really long time, her true self did not exist. After all, she only existed as a force to purify thend. Humans and animals worshipped her as ¡®the first god¡¯, but who knows? What if the real ¡®first god¡¯ created her? Even as a god, she knew nothing about herself. Almost like an order, things were engraved in her cells, she only needed to do her part and sacrifice her body for peace. She was out of energy after driving out the shadows, but she regained her power when she came back to this stream. Seeing that Barahan did not have the same condition, it seemed like it only applied to her power. Now that the peace hase back, she won¡¯t lose her energy anymore. However, shecked power because she had shared her power across thend. Humans who began to upy the continent were still unskilled, and it was difficult to sustain the world with their power alone. She thought she¡¯d be better off if she just released all her power. Every time she imagined herself losing her power, she felt relieved and dejected at the same time. I don¡¯t have any power, right? If I don¡¯t have power, what will be the reason for my existence? The ck leopard rose up calmly and rubbed his cheeks slowly against her. ¡¸Can you save up your power?¡¹ ¡°Um¡­.¡± Lapyan smiled bitterly and smoothed the leopard¡¯s cheek. But this is my duty. She mumbled to herself and soothed him. She felt his soft yet thick fur. ¡¸Just fully give him the sword. You¡¯re having a hard time because you have to interfere here and there using your energy.¡¹ ¡°Um¡­..¡± Lapyan blurred the end of her words. She was feeling sorry that she kept giving him ambiguous answers since earlier, but there was really nothing more to say. She was aware of the anxiety and nervousness of this cute cat. Perhaps because he treasured her. Or because he cherished her more than anyone else. Because he loved her. Lapyan, who turned around and hugged the leopard tightly, buried her face in the fur of the beast¡¯s neck. The smell of an old tree permeated her nose. It was a scent that made her feelfortable whenever she smelled it. The ck leopard also rubbed his cheeks on her and purred as if he was in a good mood. ¡°Hey, if Ipletely lose my power, will you leave me?¡± ¡¸What?¡¹ The leopard¡¯s body was frozen. As she calmly moved away, the leopard didn¡¯t take his gaze off her and twitched his whiskers, bewildered. ¡¸Why would I ever do that?¡¹ His expression looked like it wasn¡¯t even worth reacting to. ¡°Is it really okay?¡± ¡¸Yeah. If you want to release it, just release your power all at once. Stop making me worry¡­ by staying in this ambiguous situation, just like right now.] ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m not a god anymore?¡± ¡¸Why would I care about that?¡¹ Lapyan burst intoughter when the leopard wrinkled his nose, annoyed. The only thing you could see in the beast¡¯s purple eyes was pure candor. Such clear and deep eyes. It was upright, honest, and clean. Ten years with the beast was a very short periodpared to the entire time she lived. However, how can this beast in front of her seem more reliable than Barahan, who had been with her for way longer? One day, she asked Barahan a simr question. ¡°Barahan, what if I release all my power?¡± What was Barahan¡¯s reaction then? He said it didn¡¯t matter as long as she was happy, but he couldn¡¯t hide the greed in his eyes. In the end, she just couldn¡¯t give in her power as an unknown anxiety rose up within her. She couldn¡¯t offer her affection toward a being who was like a little brother to her, but she couldn¡¯t fully resent him either. ¡°Ack, it hurts!¡± As she was contemting, something rough licked her soft cheek. Lapyan burst intoughter, pushing the leopard¡¯s face away from her. ¡°Go away. Your tongue is prickly.¡± ¡¸It¡¯s because you keep having weird thoughts.¡¹ It looked like he noticed her troubled face. He was such a quick-witted beast. ¡°I said go away.¡± Although she pushed away the leopard with her strength, the leopard still got to nibble her ear. Before she knew it, Lapyan was already falling backward on the ground. Is it because he¡¯s with me? Unknowingly, the leopard had grown so strong that she couldn¡¯t push him away without using her power. He enveloped her in hisrge animal¡¯s forelimbs. She always hugged other beings, but she never had anyone hold her like this. So, Lapyan smiled broadly as her heart was filled with happiness and affection. My cat¡­.I¡¯m d I picked you up in the forest. It was very satisfying. *** The path around the spring was so beautiful. The damp mist was rising up, and the white sunlight shone hazily on the fresh leaves of the tree. Lapyan smelled the scent of grass and naturally reached out her hand. She could feel the leopard¡¯s ck fur sticking close to her. However, unlike before, the leopard¡¯s hard muscles were stiffened. ¡°Why are you so angry?¡± She asked casually, but she already knew. It was clear that he recognized the scent from afar. The scent of her brother, Barahan, whom he particrly disliked. Barahan¡¯s faint smell was mixed in the wind, so it seemed that he had arrived from the forest. Sooner orter, he would appear in front of the two. Lapyan pretended not to know and asked that question in a voice mixed withughter, so the leopard wrinkled his nose again and replied. ¡¸Because he¡¯sing.¡¹ As expected. She knew already, but when she heard him whining, she wasn¡¯t sure how to soothe him this time. Barahan is my younger brother, so I can¡¯t let go of him. He¡¯s greedy but cute. I don¡¯t know what to do if you said you hate him. You are more precious to me, after all, my adorable cat. Just as she protected humans, beasts, and the earth, Barahan was also a precious being she had to protect. However, it was a very different feeling from how much she cherished the ck beast, but does this leopard know that? She couldn¡¯t express her feelings, so she just smiled bitterly. ¡°Do you hate that child so much?¡± ¡¸It¡¯s not that I hate him. But he¡¯s¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡¸The way he looks at you is unpleasant. There¡¯s an inexplicable slyness about him.¡¹ Shwaaa- A gentle wind shook the grass as it passed by. The sudden gust of wind covered the beast¡¯s quiet murmur. Lapyan stroked the leopard¡¯s neck. The beast¡¯s ferocious expression seemed to loosen up at her touch, and soon he began to get drowsy. The leopard soon closed his eyes and rubbed his face against her palm. Her smile also became softer. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry ande here, cat.¡± ¡¸¡­I told you I¡¯m not a cat.¡¹ Despite the ck leopard¡¯s grumpy reply, he didn¡¯t refuse her call. He immediately jumped on her body and pushed her into the grass. A growl rang from the leopard¡¯s neck as he buried his face in her nape. Knowing that it wasn¡¯t a threat, Lapyan affectionately swept down the fur of the beast that affected her so much. As she stroked the leopard¡¯s fur, she soon tried to push him away because she was struggling to breathe. But the beast¡¯s body did not budge. She was suppressed by the weight of the leopard who desperately enveloped her, so she soon gave up and loosened her body. ¡°You know what? You¡¯re really heavy.¡± ¡¸I know.¡¹ ¡°Why don¡¯t you get off if you know?¡± When she yfully spoke in a stern voice, the leopard only wiggled his tail. It¡¯s a problem that you don¡¯t treat a god like they should be treated. How dare you! But soon he turned into his human form to fully embrace her. Lapyan stared nkly at the dazzling light. The being who struck her with his back against the light was dark, but only his eyes shone vividly. So beautiful like a cluster of immacte light. She thought she¡¯d seen everything beautiful in the world. Quietly holding out her hand, she patted the cheek of the leopard in his human form. ¡°Because you said I¡¯m heavy, so I changed to my human form that is less heavy-¡­¡± His yful voice diminished due to the warmth that touched his cheeks. A gentle breeze blew. His smile gradually disappeared from his face. ¡°Lapyan.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The hand next to her face came up and caressed her cheek. ¡°Just give up if you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Throw it all away.¡± ¡°No. There is something I must protect.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Humans, beasts, and you.¡± Lapyan answered as if she was reminding herself. Her eyes contained regret. ¡°I can protect myself. If you want to protect me, you just have to stay with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You already left your sword to him, so your power is gone right now, as well. Humans and beasts can protect themselves, so just let yourself free, alright?¡± His loving hands fumbled around her eyes and rubbed them with his thumbs. Lapyan only blinked and groaned. Hot liquid ran down her cheeks whenever his fingertips touched the tail of her eyes. Her face was heating up. He is simplyforting me, so why am I crying? She couldn¡¯t tell exactly, but she got a vague idea why. I¡¯m so tired now. I want to hide myself away in your arms, my cat. She couldn¡¯t say that and all she could do was to endure no matter how difficult it was. She had always hid her innermost thoughts deeply and walked through the forest pretending to be alright. It¡¯s only been 10 years since we met, so what do you actually know about me? But no voice came out no matter how hard she tried, so she just blinked again. Her blurry vision became clear and then blurred again. So she blinked again. As her vision cleared up, there was a face right in front of her. And then a warm sensation touched her lips. Frivolously, their lips parted against each other again, but this time, he thrust his tongue inside her mouth and licked her gently. He swept through her wet flesh and hooked her tongue, rubbing her gently. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Lapyan epted him with her whole body and wrapped her arms around his neck, their warm bodies pressed tly against each other without a gap. You beast. You¡¯re just a kid with arge body, where did you learn to do this? It felt like that from the beginning. From the very first time they met. Ever since arge, injured beast stared straight into her eyes. Since then, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. As if she was imprinted. Just as it was her fate to protect the earth, it seemed that it was her fate to meet this leopard. His existence in her life was natural and only to be expected. However, the shivers she felt each time their lips met was still unfamiliar to her. She just grabbed him tightly, listening to her heart beating due to the strange sensation. Their lips parted as soon as she was gasping for air. He slowly trailed his lips on her cheek and kissed her around her eyes, licking the tear marks away. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C PR/N: 100% sure they are gonna be cockblocked by Baharan that ising up lol xD like guyyys don¡¯t start to steam things up when you know you are gonna be stopped soon xD xD you JUST talked about the fact that he wasing xD now it¡¯s us that you are making frustrated lol Chapter 87 Trantor/PR : Nesta/Yoru No Tsuki ¡°It tickles.¡± ¡°You stopped crying though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His lips roamed around her eyelids and slowly moved down to bite her earlobe. ¡°I should do this whenever you¡¯re about to cry. Seems to be effective.¡± ¡°Does it seem like the Great Goddess will ever cry again?¡± ¡°Who knows. You might cry because you wish to do this again with me.¡± A baritone voice full of mischief rang ever so sweetly. The dumbfounded Lapyan shook her shoulders withughter. Up to this point, she couldn¡¯t really tell the cause of her tears, but the cause of herughter was just as ambiguous. She just adored the pure beast in front of her. She was content just having hispany right now. That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t hold back her smile. ***** After a bit, she met up with Barahan whose face was brimming with displeasure. His grimly crumpled eyebrows and twitching lips were enough to show his anger. Lapyan lifted her teacup without saying a word. The tip of her nose was tickled by the fragrance of flowering tea. Contrary to the resentment that Barahan omitted throughout his body, the fragrance was giving off a calming and peaceful feeling. She already knew the reason behind Barahan¡¯s emotion. She smelled anger when she was rolling around with the ck leopard in the forest earlier. A short while ago, he must have entered the forest and came all the way here to look for her. That¡¯s when he probably found out. The two that were so close to each other. However, Lapyan pretended to be clueless by not showing any reaction, and the ck leopard did the same, since he smelled him at that time too. It was an unspoken deration to Barahan. A cold rejection to Barahan because she already knew how he looked at her. Although she holds affection for Barahan as her younger brother, it never goes beyond that. Barahan also knew that very well, so he didn¡¯t let his greed get the best of him. But when he saw the existence next to her, a lowly beast at that, his head exploded in madness driven by immature jealousy. He had a bad impression from the very first time they met. That beast-like thing. Barahan, who was staring out the window, suddenly swerved his gaze to Lapyan. ¡°How long are you going to keep that beast?¡± ¡°Until I die?¡± Barahan put down the cup rigorously. ¡°I hated him from the start! How dare a lowly beast stare at me with such arrogant eyes!¡± Lapyan only smiled ndly. Arrogant eyes, you say? My cat says the exact thing about you¡­. My cat hates your eyes, too, Barahan. Barahan¡¯s anger will be quenched soon enough. He might be satisfied when she entirely gives her power to the world. After all, he will be the strongest being on earth after that. Barahan was feeling a greed that was beyond his ability, but she only regarded it as the cuteness of her immature brother. ¡°That beast, I will never let him go¡­.!¡± However, Barahan who grinded his teeth throughout his outburst, instantly hardened his expression. Lapyan was staring at Barahan with cold eyes. No matter how much she adored Barahan, there was a line he shouldn¡¯t cross. The ck leopard was one of those lines. ¡°Barahan. He¡¯s my cat.¡± ¡°What?¡± Barahan only shrugged his shoulders at the mild warning. Lapyan looked straight into his eyes and spoke firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t touch him. He¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Barahan couldn¡¯t bring himself to say another word. Knowing the sincerity in her eyes, he just breathed roughly to release the anger brewing inside. Like nothing happened, Lapyan was going to lift her teacup up again and ignored Barahan¡¯s eyes. But just when her fingertips touched the cup handle, a thought popped up in her mind. ¡®I think my cat¡¯s power should be simr to Barahan¡¯s now¡­..¡¯ She had decided to give her entire power willingly, but there was one problem left. Something that she must protect. Her ck cat. Her adorable leopard. It was necessary to boost his power to match Barahan¡¯s level in order to protect him from the god¡¯s malice. If she gives her adorable cat too much power, it¡¯ll give him a hard time. The leopard already started to match Barahan¡¯s power which was also growing stronger¡­. Lapyan suddenly forgot about Barahan¡¯s presence and started dreaming of the future. After throwing away her burden, she would turn into a normal being and stay next to her tall leopard. The moment when she was free from all responsibilities and duties, then she and he would be able to spend the time alone. She didn¡¯t have the slightest idea about Barahan feelings, which she thought were going to be quenched, and how sinister his twisted love turned out to be. *** ¡¸Please tell me that it ends today.¡¹ When his worried voice rang out, Lapyen noddednguidly. ¡°Okay. It ends today .¡± ¡¸You really need to rest¡¹ ¡°Yes. I got it.¡± Recently, she has been very busy. After making up her mind, she started to finish very quickly what she needed to do. She traveled around the continent, drove out the remnant of shadows, and then released her power. The scattered divine power firmly bound the earth and enveloped it abundantly. Now, it could grow naturally even without her supervision. She also granted her power to the leopard family, and released a lot of them in the forest where she would be staying in the future. Even though she couldn¡¯t give more power to the leopard crouching next to her. Because she knew that the greater the strength, the greater the responsibility. Ssh. She raised her body that was about to sink into the spring water and slowly raised her arm. When she rubbed the leopard¡¯s nose with her wet hand, a sighing beast rubbed his cheeks against her palm, ¡°You¡¯re not upset because I didn¡¯t give you power, are you?¡± Because you¡¯re already very strong. Having omitted thest sentence, she smiled softly. Is it because we¡¯re always so close to each other? Even when she didn¡¯t share her power, his strength had grown enough to protect her. ¡¸What i¡¯m upset about is the fact that you don¡¯t lean on me when you¡¯re having it rough.¡¹ ¡°Am I not leaning on you right now?¡± ¡¸You know that¡¯s not what I mean.¡¹ She tilted her head and leaned against the leopard¡¯s cheek, and even when the beast groaned in protest, he was still rubbing his cheek on her in response. She could feel the warmth under his soft fur. Even though her divine power was gone and she has now be a fictional god now, this warmth was more than enough for her. ¡®What will happen to me in the future? Will I wither and die over time just like humans, because I lost my divine power?¡¯ She thought it was fine regardless. As a god herself, she didn¡¯t know what lies beyond death. She wasn¡¯t in charge of death, after all. On second thought, she was clearlycking as a god. She was weaker than before, but her heart was freer than ever. ¡°I¡¯m very weak now.¡± ¡¸I know.¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m going to live with you for a long time with this weak body. Living without worry and just being happy.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°You¡¯re the only one I need.¡± The leopard, who was rubbing his face on Lapyan¡¯s palm, seemed flustered by her words so much that he didn¡¯t know what to reply. Because his feelings for her were too deep to be conveyed with the tool called words. Even if he remained silent, Lapyan could easily read his mind. ¡°But don¡¯t be cheeky just because I¡¯m weak. I¡¯m still stronger than you, kitty.¡± She let out a stern voice filled with yfulness, and the ck leopard just nodded casually. ¡¸Alright. I¡¯ll always heed your orders only¡¹ ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± Lapyan made an indistinct sound, answering him vaguely. She didn¡¯t want this kind of response from him. She wanted him to whine for calling him a kitty, or teasing her that he was stronger than her even when she dipped herself in the spring water just like right now. But his reaction was too serious. Lapyan stretched her feet in the warm spring water. It might take some time to return to a normal life. Just like that, she closed her tired eyes. A fresh scent of grass emerged from all directions. And then. ¡¸Lapyan.¡¹ And Barahan¡¯s scent as well. Lapyan rubbed the jaw of the leopard who was on alert, and turned her head. When did he arrive? Perhaps he ran so fast to the point she couldn¡¯t sense his presence but right now Barahan was picking up his breath with his back against the forest. The shadow that spread over the trees behind him was especially dark today. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± Barahan responded to her casual greeting with clenched teeth. His tone was filled with rage. Why is that child so angry? Lapyan tilted her head and beckoned him toe closer. Barahan did not move a single step. ¡°I just released my power around the continent.¡± ¡°Why? Is it because you want to be human? Is that why you¡¯re abandoning our dignity?!¡± His calm tone began to heighten. Lapyan stroked the leopard who contorted his nose, and replied calmly. ¡°Yeah. I want to be human.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a god!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to quit now. No, I quit. I will lead an ordinary life happily with the one by my side.¡± Her voice was subdued by the ripple of spring water. Barahan couldn¡¯t bring himself to answer. Gulp. His adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down. Meanwhile, his gaze starts to be covered with ck malice. He breathed rapidly in a wild rage. I will live happily with the one next to me, she said. And surely, he wasn¡¯t the one she was talking about. However, it has always been him who stayed with Lapyan for a very long time. He was also her most precious being. He thought the reason she gave him her sword was because she trusted and embraced him. But, at some point, their rtionship went awry. That ck leopard hadpletely ruined it. The jealousy he had to suppress and the disappointment toward someone he envied. Unknown emotions whirled tumultuously inside Barahan. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Lapyan, you should¡¯ve given your power to me! Your younger brother who was born in the same spring, it¡¯s me!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lapyan smiled faintly. His greed was nothing new to her. Barahan always believed that he would seed her as the ruler. Therefore, he just quietly watched Lapyan distribute sime of her power here and there. Just as she gave him her sword, he believed that she would pour all of her remaining divinity to him in the end. But what was the result now? Lapyan distributed most of her power vainly without leaving anything to him. That fact extremely angered Barahan. On the other side, Lapyan sped the beast¡¯s forepaw. The beast facing Barahan was unting his sharp ws, ready to strike him at any moment. ¡°Shhh, don¡¯t be angry. Good boy.¡± Lapyan stroked the beast¡¯s forepaw slowly. The leopard still red at Barahan with an enraged look and even bared his fangs. ¡°Stop it. He¡¯s still my brother.¡± Along with a tender speech, Lapyan got out of the spring water. She was stillcking energy, but she needed tofort her selfish, although still precious, brother. They were in a rtionship thatsted for a long time. Somewhere inside her, there was still a deep sense of affection left, telling her to not dismiss and throw Barahan away just like that. Understanding her meaning, the ck leopard let out a defeated sigh and retracted his ws. No matter how much he liked to act as he pleased, he had no choice but to give in to her. Lapyan came closer to Barahan, leaving watermarks on the floor. He looked at her with the gaze of someone who had been betrayed by his most trusted person. ¡°Are you upset?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Tears welled up in his eyes. Lapyan patted Barahan¡¯s shoulder to soothe him. ¡°Now, you and I aren¡¯t needed anymore. The world will thrive without us.¡± ¡°¡­.Then, what about us? Why are we here?¡± Barahan¡¯s answer was very spiteful. Lapyan smiled bitterly. They were gods who were born to serve thisnd. Since from here on, the living things on thend could survive on their own, it was time for the now irrelevant gods to disappear and be part of history. ¡°Find your own precious being, Barahan.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Find your own happiness. Because I can¡¯t be by your side anymore.¡± It was herst deration and rejection toward him. Only then did Barahanugh. His wounded smile looked somewhat creepy. Lapyan¡¯s expression hardened when she sensed the strange air around him. The crouching leopard who desperately rushed toward them, Lapyan who stepped back to avoid Barahan, and Barahan who drew a sword to attack her. It all happened at the same time. ¡¸No-!¡¹ The thunderous roar sent the mountain birds flying into the sky. After that, an erratic groan could be heard. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 88 Trantor/PR : Nesta/Yoru No Tsuki Gash¨C Barahan slowly withdrew the sword that pierced the leopard¡¯s neck. He wasn¡¯t aiming for Lapyan in the first ce. His attack was meant to defeat the beast who was ring at him rmingly. Barahan knew the beast would rush forwardpletely off-guard if Lapyan¡¯s life was in danger. However strong the beast was, he was nothing but a foolish creature who only knew how to throw himself in front of Lapyan to protect her. Warmblood spurted out when Barahan pulled out the sword. Blood sttered all over Lapyan¡¯s ghostly pale face. Lapyan¡¯s mind drifted into frantic chaos. The situation hadn¡¯t fully sunk in. Barahan, you are my brother and friend. A family and an ally who stayed by my side for a long time. How could you do something like this? She reeled away devastated before slowly copsing. ¡°No way, no way, Barahan. No way¡­.¡± She was at her most vulnerable state now. Lapyan grievously clung to Barahan¡¯s arm, resenting her powerless state. ¡°No, Barahan, please¡­.!¡± Only then did reality strike her when arge beast body fell on top of her feet and she saw the cruel glint in Barahan¡¯s eyes; the reality was utterly vile to her. Undeterred by her scream, Barahan lifted his sword once again. The sword with divine power was able to pierce through the ck leopard¡¯s hard skin without trouble. Watching him swinging his weapon, Lapyan cried out to him. ¡°Stop, Barahan. Please, I¡¯ll give you everything you want¡­¡± After pulling out the sword stuck in the ck leopard¡¯s chest, Barahan turned his head. Watching her desperate plea for a while, he then raised his blood-soaked hand and grabbed her neck. A suffocated groan escaped Lapyan. ¡°Lapyan. Is this what you wanted?¡± His murderous intent was put in his grip. Through his scornful remarks, it was clear that he didn¡¯t want to hear any reply. He leaned toward the haggard Lapyan and uttered with a distorted face. ¡°I respected you, Lapyan. I loved you so much.¡± He sneered at her, dejectedly. He had no idea that she would abandon the honor of a God. Hatred was raging in his eyes. He had no idea that she¡¯d abandon him for a mere beast. A mixture of love, jealousy, and hatred drove him into pure madness. He took out a dagger and thrust it into her unhesitatingly. Thud. Lapyan copsed without letting out a scream. Still holding the dagger nted on her chest, Barahan whispered in her ear. ¡°You should have chosen me, Lapyan.¡± Pushing the dagger even deeper, a stream of crimson blood flowed from the gash. He continued making insidious remarks, all the while taking out the dagger that was plunged deep into her flesh. ¡°If you had, we could¡¯ve done a lot of things together. Maybe giving birth to our descendants and happily-¡± But his revolting remarks stopped there. Because the ck beast pounced on him and bit his nape. ¡°Argh!¡± Barahan¡¯s painful scream echoed through the forest. Along with a roaring growl, Barahan and the beast rolled on the ground. Thud! Hard fragments of the tree they crashed into fell to the ground and formed a dust cloud. Barahan stumbled to attack the leopard who bit him. There was no escape from his sharp fangs. If Barahan was a human, he would¡¯ve already been dead. ¡°You damned beast! Uaaagh!¡± It was the first time he felt physical pain in his entire life. Barahan howled as he rolled on the ground. I¡¯m sure that leopard couldn¡¯t move because of a fatal wound, but where did his strength He swung his arm to attack back and stabbed the leopard in the exact ce as earlier. As Barahan dug deeper into the wound, the beast should have copsed due to the pain at least, yet the leopard did not even groan. After all, he never misses a prey he caught once. The leopard¡¯s fangs fiercely dug into Barahan¡¯s neck this time. ¡°Arghh!¡± Barahan iled his arms wildly with a frantic scream. Blood sttered everywhere each time he moved. The injured leopard endured the torturous pain. However, when Lapyan¡¯s sword sunk through his heart, the pain eventually made him lose his strength. Barahan did not miss such an opportunity and evaded the attack. The leopard tried to rush after him, but stumbled and copsed. His head was spinning as he lost too much blood. At this rate, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to protect Lapyan, let alone kill Barahan. Holding back the pain, the leopard quickly put Lapyan into his mouth and fled. He instinctively knew that his end woulde soon. Since he couldn¡¯t guess how much strength Barahan had left, moving Lapyan to a safe ce was his priority. He could feel her life force slowly fading away. However, the ck leopard had no intention to stop. Lapyan, you¡¯re a Goddess, aren¡¯t you? You must survive! Because you¡¯re a Goddess. You said you¡¯d give up everything for my sake, and you wanted to live together with me. It¡¯s all my fault. If only you hadn¡¯t met me. He sprinted through the pitch-ck night. He didn¡¯t even care if Barahan was chasing them down. He just wanted to take her farther and farther away from that god. He ran like crazy, as long as his legs could carry him. *** Sometimeter, at the crack of dawn. Lapyan was barely able to open her eyes. Getting up, surrounded by darkness, she barely recognized blurry shapes in front of her. She wasying on top of cold ground, in the forest that sheltered her. Thin rays of moonlight were shining through the branches and leaves. And a leopard was looking down at her. The leopard, who was running wildly and nervously around right until now, stopped. Because her body was shining through the dark night. Realizing the meaning of such appearance, the leopard lost all strength in his legs. ¡¸No way, please no¡­¡¹ Lapyan looked up at him with an empty expression. As the leopard¡¯s tears fell down, a warm watery liquid also rolled down her face. She was losing her strength and her life force gradually waned. Specks of light simr to grainy sands surrounded her body. ¡¸Lapyan. Don¡¯t close your eyes, okay¡­.? Please¡­..¡¹ Instead of answering, she pressed the leopard¡¯s wound with her palm. Blood gushed out through her fingers. But the Leopard did not care about his wound at all and held her as if she was his dearest treasure. She couldn¡¯t even perform simple healing as she was now out of power. She felt regretful about that, more than the fact that her existence was sooning to an end. You got hurt because of me. You cried because of me. Because I trusted Barahan and it¡¯s my fault you ended up like this. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ She whispered with much difficulty and secretly passed herst remaining divine power to the leopard. She desperately forced her power in the beast¡¯s body. ¡®I can¡¯t make it, but you can still survive.¡¯ The ck leopard did not even notice the few drops of power flowing inside him. He was too distressed by the fear of losing her. ¡¸You said you¡¯d always be by my side. You said you¡¯d always protect me.¡¹ A shrill voice escaped the leopard as if piercing through theplete darkness. It was a painful plea, full of agony. Lapyan raised her bloodstained hand again and stroked the leopard¡¯s head. ¡°We can meet again. So don¡¯t cry. Be a good boy, alright?¡± She whispered tofort the leopard and slowly closed her eyes. She said that to try to ease him, but she herself couldn¡¯t know for sure. Will we be able to meet again after death? What actually lies beyond death? I couldn¡¯t even say I love you. She wanted to pet her leopard forever, but she waspletely useless after sharing herst bit of power. Plop. Her hand fell helplessly. Through her fading consciousness, the mournful cry of a leopard seemed to echo endlessly. The Goddess had ceased to exist. *** Barahan flicked the harp in a good mood. He was enjoying life without a single hardship. After ¡®the Goddess ceased to exist¡¯, he managed to restore his power. It was only after enduring so much that he finally became the strongest being on earth. He could no longer feel Lapyan¡¯s vestiges. Seeing that the string leading to divine power was cut off, she probably ran out of life force. As he would have expected, she died with the ck beast. Lapyan. I loved her. I respected her more than anyone else. That¡¯s why her death was quite heartbreaking and painful for him. However, Barahan soon erased those emotions from his heart. Now there was not an ounce of sympathy left for the person who trampled on his feelings. She paid the price for her sins. The price she must pay by foolishly not choosing him. Divine power flowed along with the soft melody. When he opened the head of the huge harp, a hidden secret space was revealed. And a shining sword was hidden inside the ¡®column¡¯ of the harp. Lapyan¡¯s. Thest divinity she left behind. With this, Barahan would be able to rule over all beings for eternity. Humans started to worship him as the God who seeded the First Goddess. He was called the savior of humanity. Not to mention the leopard. Even if Lapyan shared her divinity with the leopard tribe, nothing in this world could match Barahan¡¯s divine power. Rather, he could locate them due to their faint divinity. Barahan led a satisfactory life by subduing the leopards and ruling over humans. Around the time when frost flowers melted, when the harsh winter finally passed, and spring was approaching, a beautiful harp melody rang through the forest full of budding sprouts. Slipping past the melody, a beast quietly made a move. The gaze that could melt the darkness was calm, just as the water was before a storm. He held his breath in cold wrath. Taking one step at a time, the beast entered Barahan¡¯s space like a moving silent shadow. Before Barahan could notice, the beast bit the back of his neck at once. He bored his sharp fangs into Barahan¡¯s flesh until the god lost his breath. Was it because of Lapyan¡¯s remaining divine power she gave him? The beast was able to face off against Barahan, sending the god to demise easily. Fresh blood sttered all over the white marble floor. Barahan couldn¡¯t even prevent the sudden attack. With a gaping mouth and eyes-wide-open in shock, no sound could escape him due to the pain that bored through his neck. Only a trailed-off groan left his lips when Barahan¡¯sst remaining light was finally extinguished. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± It was such an easy and pathetic death that overshadowed the glory he was so proud of. Chapter 89 Trantor / Nesta After putting an end to Barahan¡¯s life, the leopard returned to the forest with the leopard tribe and lived as if they were dead. He had to endure a painful and lonely life as he could always feel Lapyan¡¯s subtle power flowing inside the leopards. ¡°We can meet again. So don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re a good boy, right?¡± Believing in herst words like religion, remembering her over and over again until he closed his eyes alone. Born over and over for hundreds of years, until his memories were faded and erased. The leopard died many times while longing for something unknown. A baby ck leopard was born and lived a lonely life until he met a princess called Belinda. ¡°Now I can handle around two Shinsu easily.¡± Joseph¡¯s face was brimming with confidence. Adi tapped Joseph¡¯s face with a fan while he was sitting on one knee. ¡°Are you really confident?¡± There was a faint doubt in Adi¡¯s voice. Joseph was the one who lost control while handling Shanti in the banquet hall, after all. Joseph shook his head. ¡°Please trust me!¡± ¡°You can only make one mistake. ves who make mistakes twice deserve to die.¡± ¡°¡­..I understand.¡± Joseph replied glumly. No matter how skilled he was in handling the Great Shinsu, he was only a puppet as long as the magic stone embedded in his stomach. ¡°Get out.¡± Adi dismissed him with a chin gesture and leaned back deeper into the sofa. She was feeling impatient. Even if that guy was confident, nothing had gone the way she wanted so far. She was still the Princess, and if Lart became the next emperor, the rtionship between the Shinsu and humans would be strengthened. There should be a turning point. ¡°Joseph¡¯s ability has improved, it¡¯s time to move now.¡± Adi tapped the table with a serious face. Count Otoman watched her carefully as he waited for her order. Adi raised her head as if she had made up her mind. ¡°We need to form public opinion. Destroy people¡¯s faith in the Shinsu and instill fear into them.¡± Adi looked toward the sky where Shinsu forest would be. A ce where the sky was still as blue as ever and the clouds moving so slowly. It was pure and crystal-clear, unlike the evilmand that was about to escape her mouth. ¡°His Majesty wants peace and I want the emperor¡¯s seat¡­.inevitable turmoil¡¯s about to begin.¡± Adi lowered her eyes that looking up at the sky, finally facing Count Otoman. ¡°Tell Joseph to do it. Tell him to control that Shinsu tomorrow¡­..¡± A dry voice quietly rang. If it¡¯s for her goal, things like bloodline did not matter anymore. Otoman bowed his head and answered her order. ¡°Yes. I will heed your order, Princess.¡± On the other side, Joseph grumbled as he walked through the garden. ¡°Why is the Princess so full of herself? Talk about being so arrogant when all she did was nt a little magic stone in me,¡± After confirming that no one was around, he kicked a pot of flowers. ¡°I¡¯m a man who can control the Shinsu!¡± He made a fuss and trampled on the fallen petals for no reason. Shinsu is a great being. And it¡¯s me who controlled them! How can you treat me like this? He heaved a sigh. ¡°What¡¯s the point of controlling the Shinsu when she held my life hostage like this?¡± There was always a slight heat inside his stomach. The magic stone that always exuded heat, told him this. Your life is not yours, it belongs to the great Royal Family. He spent time circling the garden and began to roam around the exit as he waited for the Count toe out. The conversation was getting longer. He was going to walk up in the pce to kill his boredom. Humming some tone under his breath, he walked toward the west side of the Imperial Pce. Thump, thump, thump. His heart began to palpitate rapidly all of sudden. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Joseph rubbed his chest when a cold sensation flooded into him. Nervousness built up like a white frost. It was such an unfamiliar sensation that he never felt before. He began to stumble as if he was sleep-walking. Just like someone who got possessed. A white temple was visible from a distance. His heart palpitating even more wildly. Even though he walked slowly, he gasped for air as if he had run for a long time. ¡®I think I¡¯ve been here before.¡¯ He had been there before. The first time he entered the pce, Count Otoman brought him here, introduced him to the Princess, and fed him the damn magic stone. The deste temple, which seemed to be abandoned, was well-maintained without a speck of dust. Passing by the stone pirs, he entered the temple. As if it was reserved by time, the heavy smell scattered in disarray. Gulp. He gulped and arrived in front of a white marble wall. He put his palm on the wall where there was nothing. It was an action that he did unintentionally. The chilly air that flowed from the marble wall made him tremble. He prompted his mind just like how he controlled the Shinsu, and the wall eventually copsed with a loud sound. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Joseph just stared at something beyond the shattered debris. A huge harp was seen through the swirling dust. It reverberated as if calling out to him. Joseph went inside with a careful step and examined the harp. The harp that greeted its owner seemed to cry alone. Joseph unconsciously grabbed the head of the harp. Perhaps there was ¡®Lapyan¡¯s sword¡¯ that was hidden by Barahan inside. The hand that grabbed the lid trembled. A tiny electric current flowed through the gap in his fingers. Joseph gritted his teeth and gave strength to his grip as if bewitched. ¡°Ahhh!¡± He took a step back, tried to catch his breath. The sudden outpour of divine power covered him in white. *** A terrible rumor started to spread in the Imperial Pce. Words traveled fast from someone carrying aundry basket, to someone who was cleaning the dishes orbing the horse¡¯s mane. The whispers instilled fear in everyone. The red-haired maid wiped the fountain and whispered to the freckled maid. ¡°Did you hear the rumor?¡± ¡°Is it about the servants that went missing?¡± ¡°Yes. Laura, Hans, and Morita are all gone. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a lot more than that.¡± ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s really true. I¡¯m scared to death. Because this ce is close to the forest.¡± The red-haired maid roughly threw the rag and sat down. The freckled maid also sat next to her and sighed. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s true that we were sacrifices.¡± They were Imperial maids who were stationed near the Shinsu forest. Recently, eerie rumors came upon them. Maids and servants who were on duty alone often went missing. At first, no one was really bothered by it. It wasn¡¯t that umon for servants to sneak away. But the number increased to two and three. Not to mention, the testimony from the traumatized survivor. ¡°S-Shinsu caught and took them away¡­.!¡± It seemed like he had lost the strength in his legs, so he couldn¡¯t stand upright and his pupils trembled violently. It was still vivid in his mind. The moment when the beast snatched humans like prey and disappeared beyond the forest. The servants and the maids were nervous. So many people went missing, yet the higher-ups did not say anything about it. Wouldn¡¯t it only mean one thing? Surely, the Imperial Family was turning a blind eye, even though they knew about the Shinsu¡¯s atrocities. Is it true that we were sacrificed? In the cruel Kingdom of Sicilia, it was said that ten virgins were sacrificed every year to the Snake God they serve. So they would naturally have such thoughts. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have trusted the Shinsu in the first ce.¡± The red-haired maid muttered, tossing and grabbing the rag. The freckled maid agreed with a serious expression. ¡°I saw it in person at the banquet. At that time, a Shinsu attacked the marquis.¡± ¡°I heard about that, too.¡± ¡°It was really scary. I should¡¯ve noticed back then¡­.I only thought the Shinsu was such a cool being, and they only got too excited at that time.¡± The Marquis, who was attacked by Shanti for bbering nonsense, was notorious among the servants. There were times when he looked at the servants as lesser than bugs under his feet. The Shinsu, who taught the likes of him a lesson, was admired by a lot of people. But their minds changed when their lives were threatened. As expected, beasts weren¡¯t reliable beings. At that time, the Emperor was sitting across Lart, looking deeply troubled. ¡°You must have heard the vicious rumor, Prince.¡± ¡°Yes. But that rumor¡­.¡± Lart just scratched his nose as if he found it difficult to speak. He heaved a sigh before continuing. ¡°I think the rumor is true.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Emperor leaned his back on the sofa with a distressed look. Lart just gulped down water as if his throat was parched. ¡°ording to the survivors¡¯ testimony, there were bloodstains all the way to the forest, Your Majesty. Not to mention, the w marks that we found in the vicinity only lead to one conclusion. It wasn¡¯t that hard to notice.¡± What Lart meant about ¡®one conclusion¡¯ was simple. The Shinsu¡¯s attack. Betrayal. In reality, the death of servants or maids wasn¡¯t a big deal for the Imperial family. The Imperial family stepped on the lower ones to reign. The Emperor was the highest of them all. However, it was a very big problem that the incident involved ¡®the Shinsu¡¯. The Emperor pressed his temple. He knew this peacefulness wasn¡¯t something that could be maintained so easily, but he didn¡¯t expect it to twist this way. ¡°How many people were missing in total?¡± ¡°Six.¡± ¡°Did all of them disappear near the Shinsu forest?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The Emperor did not continue talking. He just pressed his temple with a troubled face. Lart, who was watching his father silently, leaned his body closer. ¡°But, Your Majesty. I can¡¯t trust the rumor at all. There¡¯s no reason for the Shinshu to do such things.¡± The Shinsu had never acted in such a malicious way. They didn¡¯t have to show off their power in this way. They were beings who reign above from birth, after all. ¡°Have you had any contact with the Shinsu?¡± ¡°Yes. I think they may not know yet. Because they are indifferent to things outside the forest.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ll try to meet the chief. I¡¯d like to ask him directly about his intentions.¡± At Lart¡¯s words, the Emperor raised his head. Chapter 90 Trantor/Proofreader : Nesta/ Yoru No Tsuki Lart thought of Aymon. If Aymon had visited Belinda as often as before, Lart would have asked him sooner. What was the reason behind this heinous incident? Was the loyalty between the royal family and the Shinsu truly broken? The Aymon he knew may have been a little twisted, but Aymon wasn¡¯t evil at heart. Instead of beating around the bush, he would give a direct yes or no answer. However, for some reason, Aymon¡¯s light steps that always found their way to the Guest Pce suddenly stoppeding. That¡¯s why the case got even moreplicated. ¡°Your Majesty. I¡¯m suspicious about something. As Your Majesty said, Adi might-¡± Lart, who was trying to unravel his suspicions, soon stopped talking. Because a violent uproar resounded from outside the door. A chaotic noise followed by a loud bang. Arge beast showed up beyond the copsing door. The existence that Prince Lart was trying to find appeared right in front of his eyes. But he, whose appearance was like a gift, seemed to have an unusual aura. ¡¸Where¡¯s Breedee?¡¹ Aymon huffed and began to approach calmly. Blue mes seemed to burn his eyes in anger. ¡¸If this is your trick, I¡¯ll kill you all.¡¹ It was a warning that reeked of fish blood. *** A few hours before. Lucy was finally away after a long time. Belinda looked outside the window. The birch tree was trembling gently by a gust of wind. Aymon was probably somewhere in that forest. She kept staring at the forest because she missed the beast she told not toe before the wedding. Not to mention, terrible rumors had been circting recently. Even the maid who knew that Aymon was her lover, came to her with a pale face and said, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, please refrain from going near the forest, Princess.¡± The same was true for Prince Lart. He assigned some unknown knights to the Guest Pce and said with a voice full of worries. ¡°Until Aymones back first, stay inside.¡± She was going to ask Aymon about this matter when he came back. However, when she told him not toe, he really did note for days. He behaved like an obedient beast only at times like this. Belinda ¨C not being aware of Aymon sometimesing around midnight to peep at her like a thief ¨C took a firm decision. ¡®I¡¯m going to look for Aymon.¡¯ She heard that leopards were territorial animals. They might have acted individually and discreetly behind Aymon. Wouldn¡¯t it be impossible for Aymon to control all animals? The moment when she made up her mind and was about to stand up, a raucous disturbance was heard from outside the door. Sounds of something breaking sharply, loud shouts of knights, and the maids¡¯ piercing scream. Belinda stiffened in tension as she stood up. Withstanding the anxiety that crept behind her neck, she held the back of a chair firmly while keeping her eyes on the door. Shortly after, the door burst open and revealed a Shinsu. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She slowly stepped back toward the window. The sight behind the beast was horrifying. The Guest Pce was turned upside down and painted in red. The knights and the maids were scattered around like broken dolls. She slowly raised her frightened gaze toward the intruder. The one she saw in front of her wasn¡¯t Aymon whom she had been waiting for. It was a brown leopard which was approaching her with bloodshot eyes. Grrrr¡­..A violent warning resounded low. It felt different from when she faced a bear in the forest. Fear sunk in quickly like a cmity. ¡°Ay¡­.Aymon¡­.¡± Calling his name like a habit, Belinda stepped back. She wanted to run out by the window, but she couldn¡¯t move due to the fear that struck her body. Is this Shinsu the culprit behind the hideous rumor spread in the Imperial Pce? Why on earth? Does Aymon know about this Shinsu¡¯s atrocities? However, a human appeared from behind the beast. ¡°Let¡¯s carry the Princess to the wagon.¡± It was Joseph. He, who treated the Shinsu like pet cats, approached Belinda. As Belinda watched him, suddenly she felt a strange sense of deja vu. But before she could remember anything, her mouth was gagged by the intruder who raided the Guest Pce. But before being gagged, she felt something unknown enter her mouth. ¡°Uh¡­.mmph!¡± She struggled for a while, but she ended up swallowing the unknown substance. Soon enough, her vision became dark. The intruder killed the knights and the maids and left with the unconscious Belinda. Then she was loaded into a wagon waiting outside. ¡°Kill her as soon as you leave the capital.¡± Recalling Adi¡¯s order, the horseman swung the whip hastily. The wagon fled quickly through the dusty wind. By the time Belinda¡¯s wagon was far out of the capital, Aymon finally visited the Guest Pce. He had been killing time in the Shinsu forest aimlessly, but he couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore and came to visit Belinda. ¡®As long as I don¡¯t bother you at night.¡¯ He purposely walked there in his human form. Subduing the steps that were about to be impatient, he tried to reenact in his head what he would do if Belinda kicked him out again. ¡®I have to keep hanging on. I¡¯m going to beg and swear that I won¡¯t do anything.¡¯ Having imagined himself being servile, Aymon smiled satisfactorily. But his face hardened when he reached the Guest ce. The smile he had just now cooled down. There was fish blood scent everywhere. The smell of death that should not be released near Belinda. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aymon gulped down anxiously. A fear that he never learned to cope with ever since he was born as a Shinsu, re-emerged. The same feeling he bore when he met Belinda who stood dangerously in front of the bear. It resembled the fear of that time. Aymon turned into his beast form and sprinted toward the Guest Pce. All the humans in the Guest Pce were dead. Anxiety spread like poison. ¡®Breedee. Breedee!¡¯ Aymon ran frantically toward where Belinda should be. He slipped in a pool of blood and stepped on ss shards before arriving at her door, but what greeted him wasn¡¯t her smiling face. The window curtain fluttered in the wind and then fell. There was a mix of heavy breathing and heartbeat sounds. It was the moment when Aymon¡¯s world was turned upside down. It felt like the heavy breathing belonged to another person. He couldn¡¯t even tell whether he was running or staggering. Aymon ran across the Imperial Pce toward the spire that could be seen from a distance. The Emperor may know something. Belinda might have been saved from danger and was in safe hands. He was very aware that it was a dangerous situation, but Aymon turned a blind eye to it. He was holding on to faint hope. Running recklessly, he barged into the Emperor¡¯s office as if he was attacking. ¡¸Where¡¯s Breedee.¡¹ The hostility which he did not know who it was directed to erupted likeva. ¡¸If this is your trick, I¡¯ll kill you all.¡¹ Deep in his eyes, anyone could see the blue color sparkling in anger. It was his shout of desperation because he couldn¡¯t ept Belinda¡¯s disappearance. Lart and the Emperor, whose space was suddenly invaded, looked dumbfounded. Shortly after, they jumped out from their seats with a look of bewilderment and confusion. ¡°What happened to Belinda?!¡± Lart shouted. The Emperor also had the same expression as Lart. With eyes filled with an unknown fear, he began to approach Aymon. ¡°What happened to Belinda?¡± Aymon¡¯s fear heightened. The look of terror and concern on their faces were real. They were surprised by Aymon¡¯s question. The faint hope that they might know Belinda¡¯s whereabouts copsed. Aymon turned around without giving an answer. He had to go find Belinda. Aymon stepped on the ground and started running wildly. My mate. He sprinted toward an unknown ce where the imprint mark led him to. The Emperor¡¯s fierce voice resounded as Aymon was moving away. ¡°Go to Belinda¡¯s pce immediately! Find out the truth!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot to find the missing Princess. *** The Imperial g changed to red. The red color fluttering in the wind meant the Imperial Pce was in danger. Someone attacked the Imperial Pce and kidnapped a member of the Imperial Family. The attacker ransacked the Imperial Pce and killed the servants and the knights. It was treason. The people outside the pce were anxious at the sight of the g. They were certain that something happened inside the Imperial Pce, but nothing was announced so far. The nobles weren¡¯t summoned either. Everyone was swallowing their anxiety because they couldn¡¯t grasp this situation at all. ¡°The servants, the maids, and the knights were all dead, and we couldn¡¯t find the Princess!¡± The Emperor clenched his fists when he heard the knight who delivered news about the Guest Pce. ¡°After sealing up the Guest Pce and blocking the news from going out, find traces of Belinda!¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± The knights rushed outside. The Emperor clenched his teeth, cing his hand on the armchair to pick up his breath. Belinda has really been kidnapped. Anxietypletely enveloped him. First, he ordered his men to prevent the news from going out. The red gs were raised, but he hadn¡¯t gathered everyone for an emergency meeting. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Emperor looked up carefully. At the end of his gaze, he could see Lart barely able to suppress his nervousness. Lart looked like he wanted to rush out right away, but since he could not, he seemed anxious. The Emperor¡¯s eyes moved slowly to the side. Next to Lart, Adi stood up straight. She looked clueless, as if finding this situation strange and not understanding it. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Your Majesty?¡± The Princess pretended to be anxious as she spoke to the Emperor. She appeared puzzled as her father had been looking only at her even though she had been silent all this time. Chapter 91 Trantor / Proofreader : Nesta / YoruNoTsuki She could guess why the Emperor called her in. They should have found out about Belinda¡¯s kidnapping by now. It wasn¡¯t surprising her because everything was going as she originally nned. Even if it progressed faster than expected, the Shinsu would be med as the conspirator of this incident. She wondered why the Emperor called her in at first, but she soon nodded and stopped thinking about it, thinking that he wanted to keep the royal family out of harm¡¯s way. ¡®If Belinda dies, I¡¯ll tell His Majesty that I found Barahan¡¯s descendants. I¡¯ll make the Shinsu yield to us and gain His Majesty¡¯s trust.¡¯ The n sounded perfect. Belinda is probably dead by now. She will now live forever in God¡¯s embrace rather than in the grandiose Imperial Pce. Meanwhile, the Emperor slowly walked up toward Adi. A low tone escaped through his grinding teeth. ¡°The Imperial Pce is in danger, Adi. We were attacked by unknown forces.¡± Adi¡¯s eyes widened in an exaggerated expression. ¡°Is that true? That¡¯s why there¡¯s a red g! Who is responsible for this, Your Majesty? How dare they attack the Imperial Pce!¡± ¡°It was the Shinsu¡¯s fault.¡± The Emperor looked to his daughter with burning eyes. Almost like he wanted to dig deep into her. Adi staggered and slumped on the sofa. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Shinsu did this¡­.!¡± Her eyshes trembled due to shock. However, the Emperor who faced her looked cold. ¡°As expected, the Shinsu is an untrustworthy beast. It must be the reason why Your Majesty despised them.¡± The Emperor narrowed his eyes as she spoke. Adi looked up at the Emperor and muttered sorrowfully. ¡°You must not forgive the Shinsu who repaid your trust with betrayal, Your Majesty. Now that you have discovered their true color, you must get revenge on them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The Chief of Shinsu is also very foolish. It¡¯s a pity that he loses someone who will be hispanion just because he failed to manage his subordinates properly.¡± The Emperor and Lart¡¯s expressions changed at the same time. Just like the surface of ake that began to cool down to the point of freezing. Adi, who tried to drive a wedge between them, gritted her teeth and said. ¡°Your Majesty. You have to avenge Belinda Unnie!¡± ¡°Adi!¡± Lart sprung up from his seat with bloodshot eyes. The Emperor grabbed Adi¡¯s shoulder firmly and pressed her down. His eyes, which began to burn with anger, dug into Adi¡¯s. ¡°Adi, how dare you!¡± ¡°¡­Your Majesty?¡± Adi called her father in bewilderment. She couldn¡¯t fully grasp the situation. Her father¡¯s gaze, which was now filled with disgust, waspletely unfamiliar to her. The hands that wed her shoulders were heavy and painful. Why are you suddenly doing this, your Majesty? The Emperor desperately tried to maintain his facial expression while saying to Adi: ¡°Princess. I have never told you that Belinda was attacked.¡± Adi¡¯s eyes shook violently. ¡®You never told me that it was Belinda who got attacked.¡¯ That¡¯s right. The Emperor never told Adi that the Guest Pce and Belinda were attacked. She was so much swept up in happiness and joy that she failed to notice something that important. She paid no attention to the words she spouted so naturally right after hearing the news. Adi quivered her lips awkwardly, and soon calmly made excuses. ¡°I, I heard the news. The Guest Pce was attacked¡­.¡± ¡°Who told you that? Say the name right away!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Her eyes trembled as she couldn¡¯t name anyone. Looking at Adi¡¯s reaction, the Emperor released his grip on her shoulders. It was the moment when a painful suspicion became a cruel truth. So, it was really Adi¡¯s scheme. What¡¯s got into you, my daughter? ¡°So it is all your fault, Adi. Your fault.¡± A sense of discouragement and betrayal was mixed in his trembling voice. The reason why he did not call up a noble council. The reason why he sealed the Guest Pce to prevent rumors from leaking out. Because he suspected that he knew the conspirator who tried to overthrow the Imperial Pce. My daughter, Adi Rune Atiz. Lart, who had been watching on the side, grabbed her forearms and shook it violently. ¡°You! What have you done to Belinda!?¡± Adi was so petrified that she couldn¡¯t even speak. She didn¡¯t even know how to react. She wanted to make an excuse, but she was already caught red-handed. No, even if she insisted, nobody would believe her. She staggered back clumsily while shaking her head. ¡°Why did you do that, why!? Tell me where Belinda is, right now!¡± Adi looked around slowly. Two pairs of eyes struck her maliciously. One belonged to the Emperor, her father who loved her dearly, and the other belonged to her brother, Lart. Adelia¡¯s heart cooled down. A bted resentment revealed itself. Why¡¯re you making a fuss over a half-breed princess¡¯ disappearance! Why¡¯re you pressuring me when all I did was get rid of that lowly thing! Does it mean that Belinda is more important than me? She felt extremely betrayed. This almost felt like they were abandoning her. My father and brother shouldn¡¯t have reacted like this. The right thing to do was to be understanding and embrace me, not Belinda. Adi stared at Lart with tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°You¡­ Are you going to treat me like this just because an insignificant half-breed is missing?¡± And shouted with a voice full of resentment to the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re supposed to love me! How can you treat me like this just because of that lowly being?!¡± The piled up sorrow finally exploded and her jaw trembled in shame. Despite her anger, the Emperor did not lose his cold gaze. The princess in front of her looked like an unknown being, not his precious daughter. The ever so lovely princess was boiling mad after crafting that vicious scheme. Why would Adi make this choice? I don¡¯t even have a clue. The Emperor has been watching Joseph. He couldn¡¯t keep his eyes off that particr servant. Blonde and golden eyes. Every time he saw that servant, he was filled with unfounded doubts and anxiety. Even more so when the Emperor connected the golden key he gave to his daughter to her greed for power. He imagined what had happened, and had connected the dots, through his instinct. ¡®Adi may have found Barahan¡¯s descendants. I wonder if she¡¯s plotting something.¡¯ He was going to warn her that Barahan¡¯s descendants were no longer needed by the empire. He was about to persuade her to give up once and for all. But the situation swept in a different direction like a rapid current. It was even more shocking because he didn¡¯t imagine Adi would do something so extreme and unforgivable. ¡°Tell me where Belinda is, Adi!¡± Adi shot a silent gaze at Lart and her father. Soon after, she shed tears of betrayal and shouted viciously. ¡°She¡¯s dead! I already killed her! Your Majesty! Your real daughter is alive right here, but why are you looking for that lowly thing?!¡± Each of her words were imbued with madness. The Emperor dropped his gaze sharply. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She¡¯s dead? What do you mean, dead? His fingertips trembled. The Emperor gripped his fists together and was lost in thought for a few seconds. Atst, he raised his head and ordered with a stern voice. ¡°Put down the red g and lock up Princess Adi. Interrogate both her right-hand and servants to find out Belinda¡¯s whereabouts right away!¡± He couldn¡¯t kill Adi, so he had to lock her up first and dig up the truth. He maintained hisposure with all his might. Getting swept by emotion now would only obscure his judgment. The most important thing right now was Belinda¡¯s safety. Adi said that she was already dead, but he couldn¡¯t believe it. He wanted to hang even on the faintest hope. That can¡¯t be true. My daughter couldn¡¯t have died. The knights approached and snatched Adelia¡¯s arms strongly, whereas Adi struggled hard for them to let go. ¡°How dare you! Don¡¯t you know who I am!?¡± She pped one of the knight¡¯s cheeks, but the knight didn¡¯t budge a bit despite his swollen face. As she was dragged out, Adi shouted with a face full of resentment. ¡°Your Majesty! Are you really going to abandon me!?¡± The Emperor received her piercing gaze with an indifferent look. ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Are you really trying to kill me?!¡± ¡°How can I kill my daughter? However, you have to pay for your sins in prison.¡± Adi clenched her teeth. All because of Belinda! The knights who held her,pletely overpowered her. Raging emotion red up uncontrobly. ¡°You will regret it. You¡¯ll really regret it!¡± The shrilling scream slowly became more and more distant. The Emperor grimaced in sorrow before loosening his face again. There was no time to be immersed in emotions. The main priority was to find the missing Belinda. Prince Lart was ready to bolt out right away. He had to do anything he could. He had to go to the Guest Pce and find traces¡­ He would do anything to get any possible clue. Meanwhile, Adi, who was dragged outside, looked around her surroundings. Count Otoman must be somewhere near. We can¡¯t end it like this. He¡¯s always been wise, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯d have some solution.. He must have a way out, whether it is by summoning the Shinsu or overthrowing the Imperial Pce. Rather, now, that second option could be an opportunity. She already threw away all the respect she had for her father, the Emperor. She would attack without hesitation even if it meant she had to take his life. Count Otoman was seen in the distance. ¡°Otoman! Summon all of them right away!¡± Adi struggled and screamed at the top of her lungs. Even though she made a vague order, Count Otoman bowed his head as if he understood the task. ¡°Yes. As you wish, Princess.¡± He only looked coldly at the knights who tried to suppress her. And he whispered to Joseph without any sign of fear or nervousness. ¡°Joseph. Summon all the Shinsu who have been put on standby. And kill everyone.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 92 TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki ¡°Yes, Count.¡± Joseph replied with a glint of excitement in his eyes. It was a rare chance for amoner to trample the Imperial Pce. His heart pounded at the thought that this great imperial pce copse under his grasp. All the Shinsu, who were hiding like a shadow in the Imperial Pce, began to ransack the ce. It was a secret weapon prepared in advance by Count Otoman, who sensed danger when Adi was called by the Emperor. Dozens of Shinsu rushed in wildly, and began to attack humans. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Argh! Save me-!¡± ¡°Raise your shields at once!¡± Sound of cries and screams echoed here and there. The iron armor worn by the knights fell to pieces whenever it was pierced by the huge fangs. Humans were mauled and thrown to the floor. The Imperial Pce was enveloped with screams of pain. ¡°Aaaaaargh!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t retreat! Aim for their hearts!¡± Standing in the midst of chaos, Adelia started tough. As expected, Count Otoman didn¡¯t disappoint and met my expectations. When did he prepare this endearing n? How can there be such a faithful and reliable person like you? The knight¡¯s hand trembled as he held her. In a sh of light, some Shinsu charged at the two knights who were holding Adi. Knights¡¯ bodies sprawled gruesomely on the floor as they died without a single groan. Joseph approached Adi, bowed down and then asked her. ¡°Are you alright, Princess?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Adi raised her head and looked around. The Emperor¡¯s pce was now all painted in red. From now on, she would stand over this pool of blood and rise as the new owner of this Imperial ce. The number of guards surrounding the Emperor and Lart was significantly decreasing. Inside her head, Adiughed at them. You should¡¯ve chosen me. Joseph looked rxed even when he was taking care of Adi. He held the reins of numerous Shinsu without difficulty. He didn¡¯t even break a single sweat while controlling them all. ¡°How impressive. I didn¡¯t know you were this skilled.¡± At Adi¡¯s praise, Joseph smoothed the sword, which was the source of his power. ¡°Shinsu are just toys in my hand now.¡± ¡°But, Joseph. Don¡¯t forget what¡¯s inside your stomach.¡± She gave him a warning by mentioning the magic stone. You¡¯re just a servant. Don¡¯t forget that your life is in my hands. Joseph¡¯s expression sank in an instant. Princess Adi smiled leisurely and tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°When we¡¯re done with this, I¡¯ll give you enormous wealth and power so you can enjoy a good life. You can look forward to it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Princess!¡± Joseph replied eagerly by raising his voice. Let¡¯s forget the magic stone and just think about a happy future! If the woman in front of me bes the reigning empress, power will flow to me enormously! His heart was going to burst from excitement, and his greedy eyes were shining brightly. It was when the painful groans of humans werepletely filling the Imperial Pce that¡­. Boooooooo- A trumpet sound rang loudly, making the ground tremble. Adi, who was talking to Joseph, hardened her face. As her body bolted upright stiffly, she slowly turned around toward the source of the sound. When the trumpet sound stopped, the sound of drums began to roll. Adi¡¯splexion turned white out of fear. The same was happening with Count Otoman¡¯s face. Joseph, who did not know the meaning of the sound, proudly looked alternately between the two. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Princess? Count?¡± They shut their mouths tight at Joseph¡¯s question. Even every single one of the Shinsu stopped moving at the unusual sound. A glint of hope shone in the eyes of the injured knights. Thump. Thump. Thump. The ground shook as something drew nearer. The sound of coordinated footsteps was heard among the trumpets and drums, and it came together like teror. As the sound drew nearer, Count Otoman¡¯s fingertips trembled. And then unknown beings made their entrance. ¡°Gasp¡­¡± Adi swallowed her breath in tension. ¡®Why are they here? When did they prepare all of this!¡¯ Golden armors shone blindingly under the bright yellow sunset. The darkness that enveloped the pce until now quickly cleared out as if reced by a vast dazzling forest. It was the Imperial Knights. At the sudden turn of events, Count Otoman urgently ordered. ¡°Stop attacking the Emperor and the Prince! Disperse to fight the Imperial Army first! Divide the Shinsu into two groups, half to destroy the defense corps, and another half to destroy the archer corps!¡± ¡°Sorry?¡­.Ah, yes!¡± Joseph gave the Shinsu orders, with a puzzled expression. The robust bodies of Shinsu flew at the Imperial Army and passed by him like a strong wind. Following the Shinsu¡¯s attack, humans¡¯ groans rang everywhere. Although people were still crushed easily, it was better than before, where it was a one-sided massacre by the beasts. Several knights attacked the leopard who tried to break through the siege. ¡°Trap this one! Corner it to one ce!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t win by strength only! Attack their legs and knock them down!¡± Leopards and humans shed. Human screams, the screeching sound of metal weapons and ws shing at each other, and the nking sound of metal armor rang at the same time. The beats still moved ferociously, but humans formed battle formations and retaliated. A push-and-pull battle ensued. Adi bit her nails anxiously. How could the Imperial Army appear? But the Shinsu will win the battle. Because humans are weak. It took a long time to prepare the knights into a battle. In other words, an order must be issued in advance for them to arrive like this. Adi was flustered. There¡¯s no way His Majesty and Lart knew about the Shinsu¡¯s attack ahead of time, though, right? The trumpet sound that shook the Imperial Pce just now was a warning from the Empire to the enemy before the war. The strongest troops on the continent. A bloody warning that the Imperial Army would brutally shake the battlefield. Adi and Otoman¡¯s faces turned white. The emergence of the Imperial Army was totally unexpected. Of course, it was thanks to Lart¡¯s sharp judgement, as he warned and prepared the Imperial Army in advance. ¡°Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t see the elder, Chief.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you couldn¡¯t see O¡¯malley too before?¡± After carefully listening to the conversation between Aymon and Shanti that ¡®a few Shinsu have disappeared¡¯ the other day, Lart had always kept an eye on the situation in the Imperial Pce. Somehow he couldn¡¯t shake off his uneasiness.. After that, rumors spread that the Imperial servants were disappearing one by one because of the Shinsu. So he visited the Emperor to talk about it. ¡°Your Majesty. I can feel something is odd with all of this.¡± A groundless anxiety emerged. Something disturbing seemed to lurk in the depth of the Imperial Pce. Thus, with the Emperor¡¯s permission, he prepared the Imperial Army in secret. It may be a hasty judgment, but it is better to make a vain effort than to regret it after it happened. And whether it was fortunate or not, Lart¡¯s prediction was right. The incident took ce and some Shinsu attacked the Imperial Pce. Atst, a one-sided massacre began. If it weren¡¯t for the troops prepared in advance, the Imperial Family couldn¡¯t avoid extinction. Breaking through the bloody battlefield, the knights¡¯mander shouted to the top of his lungs. ¡°Don¡¯t break the formation!¡± Fire arrows flew everywhere. The beautiful Imperial Pce garden was mercilessly trampled. However, it was different from the battle that broke out 500 years ago between Shinsu and humans. If the battle in the past was close to a one-sided massacre by the leopards¡¯ side, now it was quite neck and neck. Humans were weaker than Shinsu, but they came in arge number and human technology is more advanced now. The face to face battle between the Shinsu and humans was so ruthless that it became hard to determine the oue. Beasts and humans left clouds of dust behind them as they collided in battle. Loud shouts, screams, and roars filled the Imperial Pce. ng! Ear-splitting sounds rang whenever the knight¡¯s metal armor and Shinsu¡¯s hard muscle collided. The Imperial Pce turned into a bloody battlefield. ¡°Don¡¯t fight the Shinsu alone! You¡¯ll die in vain once you scatter!¡± The Imperial Army wielded their swords in unison without losing their spirit. A fierce battle ensued, aiming for theplete annihtion of the opposite side. Lart¡¯s sword hit a w that was directed at his face. ng! Even though toenails and metals collided with each other, it produced a screeching sound like two irons shing. As I thought, Adi found Barahan¡¯s descendants. It¡¯s clear that the Shinsu are being manipted. As soon as he faced the Shinsu, who attacked wildly, Lart was convinced that his hypothesis was correct. The Shinsu¡¯s eyes were blood red. Lart could easily tell as he had seen the Shinsu closely before. Obviously, the Shinsu gaze in front of him did not look sane at all. Its fierce attack was erratic. I heard from His Majesty about ¡®Barahan¡¯s descendants¡¯. I¡¯m sure Adi had found one of them to control the beasts.¡¯ ¡®Where¡¯s Aymon? Screech! As his sword shed against a w, Lart bit his lips. If Aymon was here, the situation might not have gotten this bad. The situation became this serious because he was away from the Imperial Pce to search for Belinda. However, it was difficult to know whether Aymon¡¯s absence was positive or negative. If Aymon was also controlled by Barahan¡¯s descendants¡­ Lart twisted his sword, enduring the pain of muscle strain. How will this situation end? If even Aymon ends up being manipted by Barahan¡¯s descendants, should we kill him? Then what about Belinda? The sh between Shinsu and humans was still intense. Lart let go of his worries and focused on the present. All he had to do now was protect the Imperial Pce from the beasts. On the other side, Adi was still biting her nails anxiously. Her jagged nails revealed her innermost feelings. ¡°Why can¡¯t they defeat the Imperial army?!¡± She pressured Joseph, but Joseph could not do anything about it. While Joseph controlled the Shinsu, the battle was dependent only on the Shinsu¡¯s ability. Count Otoman was also unable to hide his anxiety. ¡°We have to reverse the situation quickly!¡± He, who was always calm in every circumstance, had his face flushed red. Otoman gritted his teeth through the anxiety that overturned his stomach. The Shinsu are strong. They won¡¯t easily lose to humans. However, it was difficult for him to ascertain that victory was going to be on their side. If the victory wreath ended up belonging to the Imperial Pce, he would face the worst consequences : death. Even his whole family won¡¯t be spared. I¡¯ve abandoned everything for power! When the Shinsu were brought out and attacked the Imperial Pce, it seemed like a happy future awaited him. But what¡¯s this situation? For what do you think I be the faithful dog of that arrogant Adi¡¯s for, huh! Because he dreamed of reaping enormous wealth and power in the future. But the dream was about to copse due to the unexpected intervention of the Imperial Army. Otoman grabbed Joseph¡¯s shoulders and ordered him with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Direct the Shinsu¡¯s attack to one ce! Focus on killing the Emperor and Prince Lart!¡± I have to reverse the situation no matter what! Upon hearing him, Adi turned her head in surprise. T/N : Let me guess, the poor daughter is not that evil and loves her family dearly so she will try to protect them and die tragically (Not spoiler) PR/N: for a green tea b*tch, she miss some vor and power lmao xD she is so meh for a viiness ¡­ or am I too used to strong, cunning and powerful green tea b*tch ? Chapter 93 TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki ¡°What are you talking about, Otoman! What do you mean by killing my brother and father?!¡± Her slurred voice was trembling at the end of her sentence. She wished to overthrow the Imperial Pce, but she had no intention of killing her own bloodline. At best, she wanted to capture them alive and imprison them, if not, then send them to other territories, away from power. She wanted to be an emperor, but she never thought of standing on top of a pool of blood belonging to her family. Joseph only watched the two fighting and clenched Lapyan¡¯s sword. He couldn¡¯t decide who to side with nor what action he should take. He was just a small fry manipted by their hands. Count Otoman burst into a fit of rage. ¡°We have to kill them, Princess!¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense is that!? No way!¡± ¡°The Imperial Army is attacking the Shinsu now! If the Emperor and his sessor died, whom do you think they would be loyal to?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Adi didn¡¯t reply to hisst words. If both the Emperor and Lart were killed, the third in line to ascend would be Princess Adi. The Imperial Army, who lost their master, might put down their sword and swear allegiance to Adi. History always favours the winners. She was lost in thought for a moment. After getting back to her senses, Adi pped Otoman and shouted with all her might. ¡°How dare you try to attack the royal family?!¡± ¡°Please understand the situation, Princess!¡± ¡°All of this happened because you couldn¡¯t foresee the Imperial Armying to their rescue! If you had prepared well, I could sit on the throne with all the Shinsu backing me up!¡± Touching his reddened face, Count Otoman¡¯s face distorted in anger. The pupils that shook violently burned like a fireball. ¡°You fool!¡± p! Count Otoman ruthlessly pped Adi¡¯s cheeks. Adi stumbled back due to the shock. ¡°This¡­.Y-You¡­¡­How dare you!¡± Adi covered her burning cheeks. Adi raised her hand toward Count Otoman with shing eyes. How dare you, Otoman! How can my faithful dog behave so rudely? You clearly went insane because of how the situation unfolded right now. After spouting nonsense about killing the Emperor and the Prince, howe you even pped me, the Princess? However, her wrist was snatched by the man¡¯srge hand. ¡°Have you gone crazy, Otoman!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re the crazy one, little girl. At this point, I gotta take out all those damn scoundrels to save my own life.¡± ¡°Wh-what?!¡± Adi staggered, her eyes were filled with shame and anger. He was out of his mind. She didn¡¯t know that her faithful count would change so quickly. It¡¯s like he wasn¡¯t the same Count Otoman who was always smiling, speaking to her respectfully and putting up with her patiently. Now Otoman looked down at her red cheeks and fretted. ¡°You¡¯re useless now, Princess Adi.¡± Adi could only quivered her lips. She couldn¡¯t understand any words that went into her ears. She couldn¡¯t even retort as she was dizzy from the feeling of betrayal that she felt for the second time that day. ¡°Is there anything you achieved on your own, Adi? Nothing, nothing at all.¡± Count Otoman¡¯s eyes were filled with mockery and contempt. The malice he had been holding back toward Adi slowly morphed his face and eyes. ¡°A fool who doesn¡¯t know how to do anything like you, must be thinking that you can own everything.¡± The foolish princess believed in her noble blood which was given to her by luck only to run around like a wild foal. He had to swallow shame and resentment every time he had to bow down, pretending to obey Adi. She was just a scarecrow. Everything was nned by Otoman. Everything was aplished with his own ability. From finding Barahan¡¯s descendant and coaxing that descendant into doing what Count Otoman wanted, like a puppet in his hand. This incident was also thanks to his effort of manipting the situation. Gathering Shinsu to attack the Imperial Pce was all due to his ability. Adi didn¡¯t have any ability. So even if she had power, he had a right to take it. ¡°H-How dare you¡­.!¡± ¡°How dare, huh? My blood is also mixed with royal blood. It means if the emperor, the prince, and you die too, I can be the emperor.¡± ¡°You!!¡± Adi was stupefied. What happened to the man who was busy chasing after me like an obedient dog? I thought you were my faithful follower, but to think you stab my back like that. This shouldn¡¯t have happened. However, she couldn¡¯t deny what Otoman said. Count Otoman was the coteral rtives of the royal family, so if he took the power of all the Shinsu controlled and ascended as the Emperor, his legitimacy would be recognized. Deception after deception, it seemed like Otoman would win at the end of this foul race. Adi¡¯s hands shook faintly, and she finally vented her overflowing anger. ¡°No. You will never achieve your goal! I¡¯d rather kill Joseph! If Joseph dies, the control over the Shinsu will be lost, and the battle will end with my father¡¯s victory!¡± It was thest threat she could make. However, there was no sign of anxiety in Otoman¡¯s face. Rather, he justughed at her. ¡°Do as you like.¡± Looking at him raising the end of his lips, Adi felt extremely humiliated. Now she truly concentrated her power to kill Joseph. ¡°I will kill that guy! I¡¯ll kill you too! I¡¯m going to kill you all! I will watch you being ripped to pieces by His Majesty!¡± Meanwhile, Joseph, who had been watching Otoman and Adi, was extremely confused. Killing me? All I did was listen to the Princess and the Count obediently! So Joseph tried to dissuade Adi with a panicked expression. ¡°Princess! I pledged my loyalty to you only! Please don¡¯t kill me! Please!¡± It was a situation that Joseph¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t fully process norprehend. Count Otoman dared to p the Princess in the face and bbered absurd remarks that he¡¯d be an emperor. Only death would await them at the end of this frightening internal fight. I thought I¡¯d be living extravagantly after this! Isn¡¯t this only a vain death?! As his face was swept by fear, Joseph cried for dear life. ¡°Please spare my life!¡± He gasped in fear as his life was about to end in Adi¡¯s hands. However, he didn¡¯t feel the pain of death even after some time passed. Since Princess Adi said she¡¯d be going to kill him, the magic stone in his stomach should¡¯ve exploded by now. Joseph calmly lowered his hands that covered his eyes. As soon he faced the situation in front of him, he gasped and stumbled back. A bloodied Adi was staggering weakly in front of him. ¡°Otoman, you¡­..¡± Adi grabbed Count Otoman¡¯s wrist with eyes full of pain. Blood dripped from the nails that dug into his flesh. Thick blood flowed out from Adi¡¯s chest and was beginning to color the elegant dress in red. Otoman thrusted the dagger deeper into her chest, pulled Adi¡¯s waist closer to his body and whispered in her ear. ¡°Sorry, you are not the one who holds the life of the Barahan¡¯s descendant, Joseph.¡± She couldn¡¯t even answer anymore. Only a groan came out when she tried. Otomanughed like a snake. ¡°The magic stone you ate was fake.¡± His hands also began to turn red with blood. He held the body of a woman who was close to her death, and continued to whisper. ¡°The real one is in my stomach.¡± *** A few hours ago. Belinda barely came to her senses. A familiar sound of a bird was splitting the air like a scream. ¡°Belinda, wake up! wake up!¡± p, p! Small wings pped her in the face. Belinda struggled to lift her eyelids. An old wooden ceiling appeared at the end of her blurry vision. A ceiling without a single pattern, and there was a small opened window underneath it. She slowly turned her head and looked out the window. The dark coniferous forest passed by quickly. Where is this? Is it a carriage? The tip of her tongue tasted like medicine. It was something that she was forced to eat before she fainted. She swallowed the bitter taste and got up. She felt nauseous whenever the carriage shook. She hadn¡¯t properly grasped the situation, but based on herst memory, it seemed like she was being kidnapped. A brown-haired Shinsu attacked the Guest Pce, and someone knocked her out soon after. Pressing her throbbing temple, Belinda shook her head. ¡°Belinda, Belinda, are you alright?!¡± She could hear Mazetto¡¯s voice next to her. Surprised, Belinda pinched Mazetto¡¯s beak with two fingers. She was afraid that the talking little bird would also be harmed. ¡°Mazetto? What are you doing here? It¡¯s dangerous.¡± When she asked in a whisper, the bird who couldn¡¯t open its beak was pping its wings. Belinda finally let go of her fingers. Mazetto pouted and began to ramble. ¡°I went to the Guest Pce to see Belinda, and now, Mazetto is so scared! There¡¯s blood everywhere and the Shinsu I saw there, his energy is strange! Belinda suddenly copsed! I was so scared that Belinda would die, too!¡± Amid his chaotic rambling, Mazetto¡¯s tiny body trembled. The Shinsu killed humans in the Guest Pce. She could see how traumatized Mazetto was upon seeing the pool of blood everywhere and humans falling on the floor of the Guest Pce like broken dolls . Mazetto always came up against Aymon or Shanti fearlessly, but Mazetto never actually faced a real threat from them. Both were dangerous Shinsu, but they were always friendly toward the small bird. It was the first time Mazetto experienced real fear. Still, the reason Mazetto didn¡¯t run away and stuck next to Belinda was because he treasured her so much. ¡°Belinda, are you awake? Hmm? Hmmm? Let¡¯s run away now!¡± As she tried to soothe the crying bird, she looked around. The carriage was running toward an unknown ce. ¡°Mazetto. How long has it been since I passed out?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Belinda just sleeps a lot. Mazetto thought Belinda was dead! So, Mazetto was really miserably sad!¡± ¡°Mazetto, calm down.¡± Belinda hugged the trembling sparrow and tried to soothe it. Mazetto clung to her arms. ¡°I wanted to bring Aymon here, but I didn¡¯t know where this carriage was going, so I couldn¡¯t go because I was afraid I¡¯d lose it! This stupid horse keep running, and Belinda didn¡¯t wake up!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay¡­¡± Belinda stroked the tiny bird shaking with her fingertips. As he slowly calmed down, the bird who kept squeaking and panicking earlier, breathed now more steadily. Oh, you poor thing. How scary it must have been. It would have been better if you just flew away pretending to not know anything. Belinda looked up at the sky from the window. The sun¡¯s position had changed. It seemed like some time had passed. She held her breath and listened to the sounds around her. The sound of horse galloping through a rough forest path, and the sound of friction on the carriage wheels. And two other sounds in the midst of that. Two unknown sounds. Chapter 94 TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki ¡°Take a look at the map! I told you to turn left at the crossroad! Are you blind or something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking at it, too! My eyes are blurry because I¡¯m too scared! There¡¯s a fainted princess in the back!¡± ¡°Shhh! Quiet! What are you going to do if someone hears it?!¡± ¡°Who would listen to us in this forest? Anyway, I¡¯m scared to death. I really don¡¯t want to follow this order!¡± ¡°Be quiet! I¡¯m scared, too! But everyone will die if we don¡¯t do it! Do you want to see your wife die? I don¡¯t want that!¡± Soon, they went down a rough road, and the two bickering voices were covered by the rattling noise of the wheels. Belinda was still deeply concentrating. Those two who sat in the horseman¡¯s seat seemed to have kidnapped her under someone else¡¯s order. If those two were going to kill me, they would¡¯ve eliminated me already. There must be a reason to keep me alive and take me somewhere else. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t run away like this while still keeping the princess breathing life. It would have been easier for them to kill her and bury her somewhere than to take the risk to keep her alive. Belinda, who was ruminating over something all alone, stroked the now calmed down sparrow. ¡°Mazetto. You should fly outside.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll go with Belinda.¡± ¡°No. We can¡¯t beat them, it¡¯s dangerous. Mazzeto, you should go and call Aymon.¡± ¡°But, but, the carriage will be further away when Ie back! What if I can¡¯t find Belinda?!¡± Mazzeto squeaked and cried. He should have called Aymon as Belinda said, but if he did, he would inevitably lose the carriage. And so, he may lose Belinda forever. ¡°Aymon will find me somehow. If we go farther away like this, we might really die, but together, without Aymon having any clues. Please, Mazetto.¡± Belinda gently persuaded the little bird. The two horsemen didn¡¯t have any intention to kill her right away, but no one knows what would happen next. Assuming the worst case scenario, Belinda opened the window. Perhaps Mazetto thought that Belinda was right about that, and so flew out the window with determination. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± Mazetto¡¯sst words dissipated along with the sound of his fluttering wings. Not long ago, Adi ordered the two Imperial horsemen to: ¡®Kill Belinda as soon as you leave the capital.¡¯ The two horsemen were shaking in fear when they heard that. Now matter how loyal I am to Princess Adi, the one I was told to kidnap is still a member of the royal family, right? What should I do with that order? ¡®If any of you disobey me, I¡¯ll kill you and your entire family. The same goes if you spread the words around.¡¯ That threat, to put their family¡¯s lives in danger, absolutely terrified them. As they were contemting what to do, Count Otoman secretly came to them and whispered ominously. ¡®I¡¯ll persuade Princess Adi, so keep Princess Belinda alive. Take her to the vi I tell you about and just keep an eye on her after.¡¯ Then he handed over a map. Thus, the horsemen ran so wildly and quickly toward the vi that Otoman told them about. They kidnapped the Princess, but it felt a little relieving that they didn¡¯t have to kill her in the end. Adi tried to kill Belinda out of malice, but Count Otoman secretly blocked her n. Because he assumed that Belinda was a good tool that shouldn¡¯t be killed. Princess Belinda was the only weakness that could hold and shake the ck leopard. Hence, he was so certain that if he saved Belinda, she would be useful for him. Rattle. The carriage shook greatly again. At some point, the carriage reached a crossroad. By that time, Belinda decided to put her life at stake, holding onto the faith that the horsemen wouldn¡¯t kill her. After violently flung the window open, she let out a muffled scream. ¡°Stop the carriage right now.¡± The two men were surprised and turned behind. The voice came from the Princess, who was supposed to be unconscious as if she were dead until they arrived at the vi. But they didn¡¯t stop the carriage despite her order. So Belinda grabbed the door handle, and poked her body out of the window. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop, I¡¯ll jump right here. I don¡¯t care if I fall and die!¡± One of the the temporary coach drivers, startled by what she said, abruptly pulled the bridle. However, the brown-haired man, who quickly realized something, stopped the other man. He turned his head and whispered while ncing at Belinda. ¡°Don¡¯t stop! She might run away! Do you really think she would jump down?¡± ¡°What if she gets hurt?!¡± ¡°She¡¯s just scaring you with words. How could such a precious and spoiled person do th- No, no! wait, Stop!¡± The man, who was dissuading the other man to stop, was surprised and stopped the horse himself by pulling the bridle. Because Belinda suddenly poked her upper body out of the window. Her body was on the verge of falling, at any minute now. If she felt that way, she¡¯d snap her neck bone or gotten injured in another area. ¡°Please don¡¯t jump out!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stop! I¡¯ll stop!¡± The urgent scream of the horsemen was mixed with the horse neighs. The carriage stopped right after that. Belinda secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As I thought. I¡¯m d that I was right. She almost fell off the carriage and died, just because of an assumption. When the horsepletely stopped, the two men jumped down from the horse¡¯s seat. ¡°What the hell are you doing!?¡± The subjects who kidnapped the Princess were scolding her for acting dangerously. Belinda smiled and pulled her upper body back inside the carriage. ¡°I see that you have no intention to kill me.¡± Soon, she sat leisurely and leaned against the carriage chair, gesturing arrogantly toward them. It was an order to open the carriage door and face her. The two men opened the carriage door, facing her as they stood in front of the carriage. She was kidnapped and she was in danger, but for some reason, they were stunned by her deliberately overbearing attitude. Belinda asked in a voice as calm as possible. ¡°Did you need money?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I see that you were bold enough to kidnap a royal. Alright, how much are you supposed to get? I will give you five times the amount you are supposed to receive unconditionally.¡± Of course, she knew well that this kidnapping was not simply because of money. It was impossible that such a dangerous thing would happen for such a simple reason. Wasn¡¯t she from the royal family, not just any noble? Once they get caught, it won¡¯t only end with their death. Furthermore, their crouched shoulders was a clear indication of fear. There was no confidence in their act. ¡®¡®Then why? If not for money, then what for? And why did the brown haired Shinsu attack my pce earlier?¡¯ There were lots of things she didn¡¯t understand. However, Belindamenced her original n to threaten them and buy time until Aymon arrived. She had to drag out the situation even by spouting nonsense. This ce was still close enough to the ce where she parted ways with Mazetto earlier. ¡°Who¡¯s your owner? I don¡¯t think you were moving on your own.¡± The two startled men remained silent. Only then did Belinda slowly get up. With overflowing elegance, she took a step out of the carriage, while the two flustered men approached her. ¡°P, Please don¡¯te out!¡± However, Belinda didn¡¯t even pretend to hear and held out her hand. She asked to be escorted. There¡¯s no way these stunned men could even think of being courteous toward a royal family. Whether they were frozen in ce or not, Belinda came down from the carriage. They werepletely swayed by her. Were all the royal family members this confident? They weren¡¯t able to respond as they seemed to be suppressed by her overbearing elegance. In the end, the brown-haired man took out a dagger. ¡°I told you not to move!¡± The tip of the dagger trembled. It¡¯s sharp tip touched Belinda¡¯s neck. He dared to raise the de against a royal. Belinda lifted her chin haughtily without a single crack on her expression. ¡°Do you want to stab me? Fine. Go ahead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it if you are so brave?¡± The brown-haired man eventually lowered the dagger. Only then did Belinda gulp down her shaking breath. Thank god. As I thought, they can¡¯t kill me. Then how can I waste more time? She swallowed the lump of nervousness in her throat. She acted so brave and exposed her neck, but she was scared. How can I appear brave when my lifey in the hands of these men? What should I do now? I have to drag out more time without overly agitating them. Belinda looked around and quietly spoke to the two men. ¡°I don¡¯t feel good. Let¡¯s take a rest before we go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The two men nced at each other and hesitated on what to do. Belinda stared at them. ¡°Isn¡¯t this all because of the drugs you forced me to eat? If you had asked me to follow you, I would have followed you. I¡¯m sure you fed me a cheap drug.¡± ¡°T,That¡¯s not true!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get in the carriage when I feel better after getting some fresh air. I¡¯ll follow you, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Her voice was as low as a calmke. Her peaceful tone sounded like a request, but it was actually close to amand. The men exchanged nces and nodded as if they understood. Their opponent was a beautiful princess with a frail body. No matter what she attempts to do with that body, there won¡¯t be anything dangerous. ¡°But don¡¯t take too long, Princess.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Belinda walked past them and approached the tree. The nervous horsemen followed her closely with dagger on their hands. Should I just run away like this? The thought passed her mind briefly, but soon she shook her head. Her mind was disoriented after taking the drug and her physical condition wasn¡¯t good. Even if she ran away in this state, she¡¯d agitate them rather than push them away. Grabbing a tree, she breathed shallowly. After sending Mazetto off, there was a crossroad¡­ She tore her sleevece and tied it tightly to a branch. The human scent, which only animals could smell, was scattered in the wind. ¡°Princess?!¡± ¡°What are you doing! If you¡¯re trying to do something useless, we won¡¯t wait any longer!¡± The men who watched her closely from behind, shouted. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t seem to notice what she was trying to do. Belinda turned around with a smile, and touched the ribbon she tied beautifully. ¡°What do you think? Isn¡¯t it simr to the vase ribbon I saw in my pce?¡± It was a carefree attitude, just like a child who feared nothing. The men sighed and approached her. It was absurd to waste time on a child¡¯s y. Belinda ripped off two jewels on her chest and threw it lightly to them. The men only blinked at these jewels they randomly received for no reason. ¡°It¡¯s ufortable because the carriage is so cheap that it rattles like crazy. You should pay attention to the carriage you use to serve the royal family.¡± Belinda continued, lifting her chin haughtily. ¡°This time, I¡¯d like it if you drive slowly, gently, and courteously. You must never forget that the one you serve is a member of the royal family.¡± Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m a member of the royal family. That was a warning for them by emphasizing on her status. I¡¯m not an easy target for you to kill. I¡¯m a member of the great imperial family. ¡®Imperial family.¡¯ The weight of those words is something that you guys should never overlook. Chapter 95 TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki Belinda walked past the two men as arrogantly as possible and got into the carriage. She got a whiff of the humid and musty smell of the old carriage as soon as she set her foot on the rickety interior. Thud. The carriage door was closed shortly after. ¡°Haa.¡± Only then did Belinda exhale her shaky breath. The carriage set off again. However, unlike before, it was moving carefully. They tried to reduce the jolting and rattling sound by moving at a slow speed. Giving an order while throwing jewels at them seemed to be effective, in the end. If they keep going with this speed, it¡¯d be possible for Aymon to catch up to us. Belinda rubbed the spot where the jewel used to be and took a deep breath. Her fingertips trembled as anxiety swallowed her whole. ¡°I¡¯m scared, Aymon. Hurry up¡­¡± The bold and cheeky Princess was nowhere to be found. There was only the figure of a fragile Princess with trembling shoulders, earnestly waiting for her beast-lover toe. ***** Aymon was running without stopping. He was out of breath all the way down to his lungs. Whether it was anger, anxiety or fear, this indistinguishable emotion took his breath away. ¡°Aymon,e on! Hurry up! Hurry! Hurry!¡± Mazetto hung over Aymon¡¯s head by sping his feet to Aymon¡¯s fur. The sparrow¡¯s little body bounced as the leopard ran wildly. Aymon¡¯s running speed was way faster than Mazetto can ever be, so the small sparrow held on for dear life as he guided Aymon to Belinda. ¡°Now turn around the cliff up ahead, aghh! Aymon! Ackk!¡± Mazetto, who was guiding the way, pped his wings in shock. It¡¯s because Aymon jumped down the cliff all of sudden. A screeching sound came out when the ws scratched the cliff surface. A cloud of dust arose as the rocks were cut ruthlessly, and Aymon arrived at the bottom of the cliff. He picked up the speed again, body covered in dust. He knocked down the trees when he sprinted across the valley, literally clearing up the path. How much did I run? Letting out a strained grunt, Aymon stood on the road. ¡°Mazetto and Belinda separated here!¡± This is the end of the road Mazetto knows. From now on, he had to track Belinda down purely using his instinct. Aymon began to run again as there was only one road ahead. But soon he stopped in front of the crossroad. ¡°I don¡¯t know where they went! What should we do? Huh? What should I do? Where did Belinda go?¡± Mazetto couldn¡¯t stop running his beak restlessly, voicing out his worry. Aymon ignored him and brought his gaze to the ground. There were carriage marks carved sporadically on the soil ground. It was not clear which of them belonged to the carriage that left with Belinda. ¡°Hurry! Hurry find Belinda! Hurry!¡± The anxious Mazetto kept whining and rushed Aymon. Aymon closed his eyes and calmly tracked the smell of wind. It smelled like Belinda, but the direction was ambiguous because the wind blew from all directions. After a while, Aymon started running again. ¡°Did you find her? Hmm? Did you find where Belinda went?¡± The ck leopard kept moving his feet without a word. He left clouds of dust behind as he ran along the dirt road. He seemed to be getting closer to her. As a proof, his heart began to palpitate so hard like it was broken. She¡¯s still alive. Aymon calmly suppressed his anxiety. Anxiety was a poison that blocked one¡¯s vision and distracted one¡¯s mind. Although the anxiety ate him away, he kept running with all his might. Am I making the right judgment? Soon, her smell spread even stronger. Aymon stood in front of a tree, gasping heavily. A whitece fabric was swaying in the gentle breeze. It was tied up by Belinda. There were traces of her getting off the carriage, taking a breather, leaned on the tree and left the fabric on the branch. It was to tell him the direction. Aymon overcame his heart splitting open with concern and started running again. Worrying is just a waste of time right now. He sprinted all the way down the road. From a distance, he began to see the tail of an old and shabby carriage. That¡¯s it. He was certain that Belinda was in that carriage. As the distance between him and the carriage narrowed, a sudden rush of blood pumped up his whole body. ¡°Aymon! Over there! Over there!¡± Aymon kicked the ground and leaped through the wind. The carriage was running slowly. ***** Belinda felt her heart pounding rapidly. Why is my heart pounding so fast? As if possessed, she opened the window and looked behind the carriage. Her eyes widened in an instant. With a look of relief and tension, Belinda shouted direly. ¡°Aymon!¡± Aymon is here! She had been waiting for him toe, but when he actually arrived in front of her, she felt like bursting into tears. Surprised by her voice, the horseman pulled the reins. Neigh! The carriage rattled heavily along with the horse¡¯s nicker. The ck leopard, which looked like a dot from afar, now was close enough to have a discernable shape. Belinda held tight to the carriage window and shouted. ¡°No, Aymon! Don¡¯t kill them!¡± Aymon¡¯s eyes were filled with an intense urge to murder. He looked as if he would crush the two horsemen right away. I have to stop him for now. It¡¯s true that they kidnapped and threatened her, but it didn¡¯t sit right with her to kill them. Belinda recalled the horseman who aimed a dagger at her with a trembling hand, and how their stuttering voices filled with uncertainty. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m scared to death. I really don¡¯t want to follow this order!¡± ¡°Be quiet! I¡¯m scared, too! But everyone will die if we don¡¯t do it! Do you want to see your wife die? I don¡¯t want that!¡± They are poor people who were unable to defy the orders of the one that had powers over them. Belinda had witnessed such people in the alley when she was young. Those who were forced to follow orders from evil people in order to live and eventually, faced a tragic death. Those pitiful people who were foolish but couldn¡¯t be said aspletely foolish either due to their circumstances. In the meantime, Aymon came even closer. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Beast! It¡¯s the beast!¡± A horseman turned his head back before whipping the horse erratically. Come on! Gallop! Hurry! But even the horse was frightened. It¡¯s feet were strained by the divine energying from behind. Eventually, the carriage slowed down. ¡°What are you doing! Can¡¯t you run fast?!¡± He waspelling the horse with eyes full of fear, but to no avail. The carriage eventually stopped rattling. Aymon charged at the horsemen and tossed them away. He went straight to the carriage door and tore it open. Inside the carriage, Belinda¡¯s blonde hair came into sight. Only then his mind, that had been chaotic and only driven by anger, anxiety and madness since he heard of her situation, finally returned. His madly burning eyes gradually calmed down. ¡°Aymon!¡± Belinda flung herself to the beast¡¯s arms. ¡°Aymon, Aymon!¡± She called and called his name frantically. Aymon breathed heavily as he identified the woman in his arms. It¡¯s Belinda. It¡¯s really Belinda. Even after confirming that Belinda was safe, his heartbeat was still beating dreadfully quick. For a moment, he felt like his whole body was numb with dizziness and the fear that engulfed him whole. Aymon bowed his head and rubbed his cheek on top of Belinda¡¯s head. ¡¸You must be very shocked. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯te sooner¡¹ It was a low voice as if he never went berserk before. Low and calm, like whispering a luby to a sleeping baby. Belinda broke out in tears. She was sitting with her back straight, pretending to be confident as she dealt with the horsemen, but her mind was actually foggy with confusion and fear. She was scared. She barely collected her thoughts back together, hanging in the hope that Aymon was going toe. In other words, she had almost reached her limit. But Aymon really came. As always, he appeared like a gift and saved her. As she was held in his warm andrge arms, she cried like a child in her father¡¯s arms. Actually, I was scared. I was so scared that I wouldn¡¯t see you again. The fear she did her best suppressing this whole time began to pour out only when she finally saw Aymon¡¯s face. ¡°Aymon, Aymon¡­..¡± ¡¸Yes. I¡¯m here, Belinda.¡¹ Aymon soothed Belinda, whose tiny body was trembling, with a quiet murmur. Aymon rubbed his cheek on Belinda¡¯s neck, licked her wet eyes, and soothed her with words. He held her even tighter as the fear emanated from her, embracing every emotion that came from her. Belinda loosened her body. The warmth and affection from Aymon melted the tension. She muttered weakly. ¡°Aymon. It was a Shinsu who attacked me.¡± ¡°¡­.I know.¡± Aymon replied in a voice that seemed to have been crushed by a stone. After Belinda disappeared, Aymon found a Shinsu¡¯s w marks in her pce. So, the attacker was definitely a Shinsu. Both the traces and smell they left had ascertained his doubt. It was difficult to catch a clue about this incident. Why on earth? Why did a Shinsu do that? As he was lost in thought, a cruel malice dropped from his eyes. ***** Again, presently. The Imperial Pce was a brutal battlefield. The des of the swords and the head of the spears nged noisily, not to mention the rampant screams everywhere. The humans and the beasts¡¯ shouts were intertwined from time to time. Humans trapped and cornered each Shinsu relentlessly, and the Shinsu were also attacking the Imperial Army going through the battle formation. The injured were everywhere. The Imperial Pce which once was bathed in beautiful sunlight, was now covered with the remains of violence and became ruins filled with pain and despair. ¡°Move two Shinsu to attack over there.¡± With hands stained with Adi¡¯s blood, Otoman pointed at the Imperial Army. When Joseph bowed his head to gather his strength, two Shinshu soon charged wildly toward the Imperial Army. After Adi died in Otoman¡¯s hands, Josephpletely became Otoman¡¯s hand and feet. ording to Otoman¡¯s order, he controlled the two Shinsu needed and began to attack the Imperial Army also with the other Shinsu. Otoman did not even hide his festering greed. Now that he killed Adi, he had nothing to be afraid of anymore. He even smiled, revealing his ugly cupidity. If I win this battle, all the power will be mine. And be an emperor. The desire that he had been hidden when serving Adi was wiggling and spreading its wings. ¡°Now! Throw the b!¡± At themand of the knightmander, the knights behind the spearmen came out and upied specific spots. Under the protection of the archer, they swung the balls of iron and threw it toward the Shinsu. Most of the Shinsu could evade the attack, but it also hit a few of them. In addition, some strings were tied on Shinsu¡¯s foot. Thump! When a Shinsu fell down with a heavy sound, the knightmander shouted immediately. ¡°Spread the!¡± When all the knights who threw the b stepped back, the knights withs took over their ce. Under the other squad¡¯s protection, they cast theirs toward the fallen Shinsu. It was a firm made ofpact rope and whale tendon. The Shinsu that fell because of the b wrapped around its feet, was now trapped in a and struggled wildly. When the was cut off with its sharp ws, others were thrown over the first one again and again, until severalyers of ropes eventually immobilized them. Normally, a Shinsu wouldn¡¯t be this weak. However, as the Shinsu were under Joseph¡¯s control rather than fighting in their own free will, their speed and ability were significantly lower than usual. ¡°Joseph! Hurry up and get the Shinsu out!¡± ¡°But the rope is too hard¡­.!¡± When Count Otoman pressuring him, Joseph added strength again. A drop of sweat flowed over his forehead. However, despite Joseph¡¯s solid control, the Shinsu could not easily cut off the ropes. Charged toward the fallen Shinsu, the magician knight shouted. ¡°Kill it!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t even scratch their hard skin with a regr sword or spear! Bring the magic spear!¡± ¡°We have to know exactly where their heart is!¡± All the other Shinsu didn¡¯t even care to save the captured Shinsu. They only ravaged the area with empty eyes under Joseph¡¯s control. A monster who had their will stripped off and moved only to orders. Harming humans had be their only purpose, they were puppets, murderous ones. The magician knight carefully approached the fallen Shinsu under the protection of the Imperial Army. The overpowered beast was struggling hard, scratching the ground with its ws as it was trapped in the. The red magic emanated from the spear. The knight tightened his grip as he lifted the spear. The moment when he was about to stab the Shinsu with it, he heard, from a distance, the roar of a beast. ¡­..Grrrrrr! The sound spread through the ground and firmly tied the foot of the human on the battlefield with fear. The knights who tried to attack the beasts were frozen in ce. Their fingertips trembled as the chill flowed down their spin. The roaring noise was getting closer and closer. A ck beast appeared on the battlefield that was shrouded in silence. The guardian of the empire, the ruler of the forest, and the king of the Shinsu. It was Aymon. Chapter 96 TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki ng! The knight¡¯s spear, which was raised to stab the Shinsu, fell to the floor. When he met Aymon¡¯s re, it felt like Aymon¡¯s eyes were piercing through that knight¡¯s soul, and the strength naturally left his hands. The humans on what became a battlefield, were all frozen as if they were struck by magic. The ones who tried to attack the fallen Shinsu could only evade his gaze with an ashen face as if their blood was sucked dry. Their trembling bodies were also unable to move. Even Joseph, who was controlling the beast, looked stiff. An iprehensible sense soared within him. It was a feeling that was not enough to be described as fear. There seemed to be a tingling electricity fizzing on his fingertips. Amid the silence, the ck beast leaped to his feet. He easily entered the Imperial Pce, passing by the Imperial Army who were frozen like statues. The startled Imperial Army eventually raised their swords. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Where Aymon headed was the farthest part of the Imperial army. Towards the emperor¡¯s location. ¡°Protect His Majesty!¡± The Imperial Army raised their swords and spears and charged toward Aymon. Aymon¡¯s movements through the battlefield were swift and gentle. Unlike the other Shinsu, who lost their reasons and went on a rampage, his movement was as peaceful and fluid as the flowing water. ¡¸Hold on tight. Don¡¯t fall down, Breedee.¡¹ Instead of answering, Belinda grabbed his fur tightly. She wasn¡¯t sure why he directly jumped into danger, but all she had to do was believe his words. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get close to His Majesty!¡± Bows flew from all directions. Aymon swiftly avoided it and lightly attacked the Imperial Army knight who charged toward him. It was an agile movement that didn¡¯t fit his size. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± The knight was hit by Aymon¡¯s front paw without protruding his ws, and thrown to the floor. The hard iron armor was dented as if it had been hit with steel. Belinda turned her body to confirm that the knight was still alive, and then hugged Aymon¡¯s neck again. Attacks flew from all sides, but strangely, she wasn¡¯t scared. Even though this situation was much more dangerous than when she was kidnapped, she wasn¡¯t afraid at all. The beast she held tightly was more reliable than anyone else, so she just fully leaned on him. Aymon had noticed the danger even before arriving at the Imperial Pce. This is because the smell of fishy blood permeated the wind that blew from afar. The Shinsu howls and the humans screams, the noises of their weapons and beast¡¯s ws shed. Amotion that could only be felt by a beast¡¯s sensitive senses, which even Belinda couldn¡¯t hear. His instinct has spoken. Something dangerous happened. Something evil and cruel that brings about the smell of blood. He agonized for a moment as he stared at the cloud of dust swelling over the Imperial Pce. It was only right for the chief of the Shinsu to jump into a dangerous situation right away. But Belinda was right next to him. A precious mate that should not even have a scratch on her body. First, let¡¯s take Bredee to my mansion in the forest¡­. Aymon, who was thinking of hiding her in the Shinsu Forest, shook his head immediately. It was a Shinsu who attacked the Guest Pce. Although he didn¡¯t know the reason and circumstances behind that incident, the Shinsu forest definitely wasn¡¯t a safe ce in this situation. However, it was impossible to leave Belinda alone here or take her to the wrecked Guest Pce. Even if he hid her deep in the corner of the Imperial Pce, the ce which had turned into a battlefield couldn¡¯t be safe for her either. His worries onlysted for a short time, and he made a firm decision. Aymon sprinted back toward the Imperial Pce. So that¡¯s how it came to this. As soon as he arrived at the Imperial Pce, he began to approach the direction of the Imperial family members. He did so while swiftly avoiding swords and spears that were thrown roughly at him. ¡°Catch him!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t miss him!¡± ¡°He¡¯s with the Princess! Be careful not to hurt her!¡± The restless Imperial Army blocked him with all their might, but Aymon eventually reached the farthest part of the Imperial army. He knocked down the Imperial Army who raised their spears against him and simply jumped over them. Until he finally reached the Emperor and Lart, who was visibly nervous. Lart agonized over the situation while holding a sword. Should I attack or not? His face looked distressed as he couldn¡¯t make a quick decision. Right in front of him was Aymon, the king of Shinsu who became crazy and ran wild. Did youe to harm us, too? Gulp. Lart swallowed his tension and carefully looked at Aymon. The beast¡¯s eyes looked calm and rational. It was different from all the other Shinsu who were running wild back there. There was a sharp tension in the air. But the tension broke when someone jumped down from Aymon¡¯s back and stepped on the floor lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t attack, Lart.¡± At Belinda¡¯s calm dissuasion, the tip of Lart¡¯s sword slipped down. The Emperor, who was quietly watching the situation next to Lart, gestured to Aymon. Upon understanding the meaning, Aymon nodded and rubbed his cheek against Belinda. ¡¸Stay here, Breedee.¡¹ Soon after, he moved to a ce where he would have a secret conversation with the Emperor. Belinda stared at the back of her mate and father. From a distance, they could hear the fierce battle between the Shinsu and the Imperial Army still going on. ¡°Be careful.¡± The worries that couldn¡¯t reach him diminished in bitterness. Perhaps Aymon will jump back into the battlefield after talking to the Emperor. To a ce full of blood and ughter. Her face became pale from anxiety and sadness. ¡°Belinda. Come here.¡± Before she knew it, Lart approached her and wrapped his arm around her trembling shoulders. He began to guide her toward a safer ce in the inner pce. On the other hand, Count Otoman cried out desperately with a cracked voice. ¡°Control that ck leopard right now! Kill the Imperial family all together!¡± He ordered when Aymon was busy driving through the Imperial Army. Come on! Control that Shinsu and end this all for good! However, Joseph only let out a groan with a drop of sweat falling on his temple. Even when he focused all his strength, he couldn¡¯t control the ck Shinsu. It was really strange. I thought it was a coincidence when I couldn¡¯t control him at the banquet before, but was it really just a coincidence? ¡°My power is not working, Count!¡± He only fiddled with his sword anxiously. After acquiring the mysterious sword, he even had a hard time holding the overwhelming power that leaked out from his body. However, this great power did not work for the King of Shinsu. As if facing a huge wall. ***** ¡°I think the Shinsu are being controlled.¡± Due to the urgent situation, the Emperor went straight to the point. It was possible because he recognized Aymon as his ally rather than enemy. ¡°And they¡¯re invading my pce and killing the Imperial Army.¡± Aymon also saw that earlier. He still couldn¡¯t grasp the reason behind this incident, but even at first nce, he could tell that the Shinsu¡¯s energy waspletely different from before. The Emperor continued to speak with a face full of dignity even in such an urgent situation. ¡°I ask you as the king of humans. Please stop the ughter.¡± The Emperor judged that Aymon held the key in stopping this crisis. Isn¡¯t that how it was in the past? ck leopard couldn¡¯t be controlled by Barahan¡¯s descendants. His power was essential to prevent further sacrifices. Lastly, the Emperor put emphasis on his words. ¡°And¡­.please make sure to kill the descendants of Barahan who caused this turmoil.¡± Clenched his teeth, his words were filled with intense anger. It¡¯s a crime that Adimitted. As a result of her action, Barahan¡¯s descendants invaded and destroyed the Imperial Pce. They dared to kill his people and harm the great Imperial Pce. At the Emperor¡¯s request, Aymon uttered briefly before turning around. ¡¸You have to protect Breedee.¡¹ And he jumped right into the brutal battlefield. Unknown anger rushed up Aymon¡¯s body. I¡¯ll make sure to kill the descendant of Barahan. Even if the Emperor didn¡¯t ask him, he would have dly done it. Barahan. As soon as he heard that name, his anger soared up. An enemy whose existence he didn¡¯t know about. The Imperial Pce was in a horrendous state. Aymon turned his gaze away from the empty pupils of the dead human on the floor and faced a cruel sight. He could see a corpse with all their blood dried up. This was not the sight dreamed of when he said he wanted to marry Belinda. The blood rushed through his body. The smell of blood and ruthless battle ran through his senses. The beast instinct kicked in, and his breath gradually began to speed up. However, Aymon calmly observed the situation after suppressing his urge. He examined the fallen Shinsu who attacked the Imperial Army. He could see a different energy in its eyes. The beast hadpletely lost its reason. Fully driven by instinct, it was running crazily. Aymon made a quick leap toward the Shinsu right after observing that. Shanti, who fiercely rushed toward a knight, was attacked from behind. The two animals got entangled and rolled in the dust. Shanti twisted his body in pain after being struck by arge fang. ¡¸Shanti,e to your senses.¡¹ ¡¸Grrrrrrrr¡­¡­.¡¹ It was rather easy to overpower the opponent who had lost his reason. Shanti was weaker than him, but if it were as usual, a fierce battle would have taken ce. Aymon bit Shanti on the back of his neck and restrained him from struggling. He would die right away if he was a normal beast, but a Shinsu wouldn¡¯t die just from that. Shanti scratched Aymon¡¯s hard skin each time he swung his front paws. However, Aymon didn¡¯t move away. He held Shanti down and put his fangs in the back of Shanti¡¯s neck, but that was it. It was impossible for Aymon to inflict fatal injury. No matter how much he went crazy, Shanti was still his friend. The controlled Shinsu could kill the innocent humans near them. But it was a situation where he couldn¡¯t kill his fellow Shinsu that was like family to him. That¡¯s why Aymon threw himself to suppress the Shinsu directly. The Imperial Army surrounded the two Shinsu and looked confused. They didn¡¯t know whether to attack the two beasts or not. Why was that ck leopard attacking and suppressing his own ally? They were confused because they couldn¡¯t tell if Aymon was on their side or if he was their enemy. Then, suddenly, a loud horn trumpet rang in the distance. Chapter 97 TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki ¡°Assist the Chief of Shinsu to subdue the Shinsu that was under thes! Even if we have to kill the Shinsu, none of you can die! Everyone! Take up battle position!¡± The Emperor ordered the Imperial Army and jumped directly into the battlefield after shouting that. Only then did the Imperial Army begin to move. ¡°If the Chief of Shinsu subdued a Shinsu, throw a at it to trap it!¡± Themander shouted as he ran across the battlefield, the knights threw their swords and grabbed the b. Aymon removed his paws that pressed down Shanti¡¯s neck and quickly backed away. Soon, the flew in and trapped Shanti¡¯s body. Bam! Aymon left behind the deranged Shanti and left his spot. He charged toward another Shinsu who was also running wild. ¡°Kill that ck leopard! Kill that beast first!¡± Madness shed in Count Otoman¡¯s eyes as he kept spouting wicked vociferations. The man who always appeared calm until then,pletely changed his attitude when he was driven to a dead end. Inside the peeled off skin, hideous flesh was revealed. His greedy, ugly soul. This will probably be hisst battle. There will only be two options after this battle. Whether he will rise to be the emperor, or his life will end at the guillotine. Everything was progressing in a calm and orderly manner. After making Adi the emperor, he nned to take away her position. But now, everything was about to fall apart! All because of that damned ck beast! He would be sessful if it weren¡¯t for that ck leopard! Joseph asked urgently. ¡°S, Should I attack the ck leopard by moving all the Shinsu at once?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Gather them all! You have to kill that beast first to get rid of the Imperial Army!¡± Joseph nodded and drove all the Shinsu to one direction as per Otoman¡¯s order. The Shinsu bare their sharp teeth and charged toward Aymon. Their goal was Aymon. The one who teamed with humans to subdue the Shinsu one by one. He was their chief. Grrrr¡­The Shinsu who was bitten in the nape by Aymon was knocked down helplessly. The Shinsu tried to struggle, but he couldn¡¯t resist under Aymon¡¯s immense power. Aymon pressed down the Shinsu¡¯s body as well as pierce his sharp teeth into the neck of Shinsu. The Shinsu scratched the floor as he floundered wildly and eventually all his body suddenly cked. When Aymon felt the Shinsu¡¯s stiff muscles loosen up, he lifted his blood-soaked head. ¡¸After you bind him safely, treat him right away¡¹ And after leaving the rest to humans, he jumped out again to subdue other Shinsu. His body was already full of wounds. In order to subdue the Shinsu without killing them, he had no choice but to sacrifice his body. He had to endure when he was attacked by the Shinsu who struggled wildly, and knocked them down until they fell unconscious. As time went by, the scars on Aymon¡¯s hard skin increased significantly. Blood leaked out of the torn wounds everytime he moved. The ck fur that usually shone brilliantly was now stained with fresh blood all over. Aymon swallowed a bated breath as he charged toward another wild Shinsu and rolled on the ground. The wild brown leopard soon began to copse with a growl. Aymon soon released the strength he put in his jaws to subdue the body under him. As he was trying to pick up his breath, he could feel an unusual energy. When he turned around, he saw dozens of Shinsu running toward him. Aymon jumped over the humans near him without a hitch. In order to reduce the number of victims, it was better to move away from them. Brown leopards were catching up to Aymon, forming a cloud of dust. Humans wielded their swords with a pale face. In an empty ground away from the battlefield. The beasts were intertwined in a fierce fight. No, it was very disadvantageous for one side to call this a fight. This is because it was a one-sided attack in which several beasts rushed on one. Aymon struck the Shinsu who flew at him. Even though Aymon hid his toenails, the Shinsu fell to the floor with a loud shriek, perhaps shocked by the heavy blow. But that onlysted for a bit. Under Joseph¡¯s control, he jumped back up. He didn¡¯t seem to feel any pain. He jumped back up when he fell and charged right away when Aymon pushed him away. The sound of the growling beast scattered in the air. Humans managed toe closer with fearful eyes. They had to help the ck leopard to subdue all the other Shinsu, but their terrifying power made the humans cower. As he bit the Shinsu¡¯s leg before throwing its copsing body, Aymon roared. ¡¸Everyone, back off!!¡¹ It was a battle between the Shinsu. Humans would only die in vain if they intervened. Aymon didn¡¯t have a capability to protect humans while fighting. ¡°Everyone, back off! You¡¯ll just disturb the chief!¡± As the Emperor ordered loudly, the Imperial Army quickly retreated. The ruler watched the situation keenly. If Aymon faced a dangerous situation, he was about to attack them at once, regardless of whether the Shinsu¡¯s lives were in danger or not. Aymon roamed among the Shinsu all by himself. He bit the neck of the leopard that charged at him and threw it away. He trampled at the Shinsu who jumped at him. Blood flowed down and his eyes were blurred. The battle between Aymon, who wanted to save the Shinsu by all means, and the Shinsu, who were controlled by Joseph, was brutal. Those who want to protect and those who want to hurt others. It was pretty easy to guess who would be at disadvantage in this battle. Aymon¡¯s wound increased as the battle continued. Every time he stepped on the ground and leaped, the blood dripped down and left a mark on the ground. Aymon rolled around with the Shinsu that were clung to him. He threw all of them away with a distorted face. Grrrrr-! A sharp roar vibrated and spread around the space. It was a violent warning. Even the Shinsu under Joseph¡¯s control flinched and hardened their bodies. Aymon stood tall with a wounded body and breathed heavily. He barely endured his burning flesh. Blood was dripping from his strong jaw. Count Otoman urged Joseph with a fearful look. ¡°Why can¡¯t you beat the ck leopard!¡± At this rate, it will really be the end for him. The flowery path to power has not bloomed even once yet, and he would die like a hero, leaving only a pile of ashes behind. Joseph also shook his head tearfully. ¡°I just control the Shinsu. Beyond that, it¡¯s up to them!¡± Joseph was scared just as much as the count was. If that ck leopard subdues all the Shinsu, the shields protecting them will disappear. And what came after that was only death. A punishment for attacking the Imperial Pce. His body will be ripped apart and thrown away. Joseph suppressed his anxious mind and grabbed the sword handle. ¡°Argh!¡± And soon, he was shocked and dropped the sword. It was because the sword handle seemed to vibrate, and white light crept up to his wrist. ¡°Wh,What the hell?¡± It was a strange feeling that he had never felt before. An unpleasant energy flowed inside him as if piercing each of his cells. Lapyan¡¯s sword was ringing by itself. As if ordering Joseph, it trembled and shone on Joseph. Joseph couldn¡¯t refuse the order for some reason. He soon started walking away from Count Otoman. He left his spot quietly like a shadow, bringing a Shinsu with him. He passed by the Shinsu who fought against Aymon violently. Joseph walked through the chaos with a calm expression that he didn¡¯t have before. He stepped on the crushed flowers and the wreckage of the building as if he were possessed. The sword was leading him somewhere. The closer he got somewhere, the stronger the sword shook. The sword cried so sadly and shone so brightly as if it had a life. It was not long before Joseph arrived in a small building. It should be empty because there was nothing but an indoor garden, but the Imperial Army was guarding it. Joseph felt his heart pounding hard and gave order to the Shinsu. ¡°Kill them all.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the Shinsu passed by him quickly. After that, the sound of armor and screams entwined in the air, followed by a dead silence. Joseph stepped on the pool of blood and walked like he was possessed. Stomp. He left red footprints on the white marble floor. After biting and killing the Imperial Army that guarded the door, the Shinsu burst through the firmly closed door. Joseph headed inside and went through the cold silent building. . Inside it was where the Imperial women gathered. They only looked at a stranger who suddenly appeared in front of them with frightened faces. The sword Joseph grabbed shook even more. One of the women slowly got up from her seat and calmly spoke. ¡°What do you want?¡± It was Belinda who bravely stood up as ifforting the woman. In order not to be a burden on the battle, she hid in a corner of the Imperial Pce with the other women. Joseph breathed heavily as soon as he heard her voice. She was Princess Belinda whom he had met several times while working for Adi. But unlike before, he felt strange. His heart pounded anxiously. There was a mixture of anxiety, and a little bit of anger. Unknown emotions were mixed together in a mess. Uuuung- Lapyan¡¯s sword continued to tremble and spread light. After waiting a long time, it seemed to be happy to have met its owner again, Lapyan. Soon, Joseph thought to himself. Why is my heart beating so fast? What is the source of this anxiety that crept all over my body? The sword sensed its owner and led him to this temple. It was clear that it led him to break through any obstacles easily. Belinda, who held her head high, did not cower at all in front of Joseph. Even if there was anxiety inside, she had to maintain her dignity as a princess. Joseph calmly walked toward Belinda. The Shinsu who had blood on its snout also followed like a shadow. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± Joseph smiled, narrowing his eyes slightly. It was the sword that guided him here. Isn¡¯t the Princess in front of me the breakthrough that the sword told me about? She was ck leopard¡¯s only weakness. Thus, it was clear that the sword led him to her. It was to take this woman hostage and kill the ck leopard. ¡°Kill everyone except this woman.¡± Joseph stared intently at Belinda and ordered the Shinsu. At the same time, frightened screams spread here and there. However, Joseph was forced to withdraw his order soon. Crash! Because the sharp sound of a vase breaking rang in the air. PR/N: lemme guess= one of the women broke the vase on his head lol xD I want one of the women to be a badass ! break the head if that crazy mf! Chapter 98 TL/PR :Nesta/YoruNoTsuki ¡°If you¡¯re going to kill them, then I¡¯d kill myself first.¡± Belinda pointed a sharp piece of ceramics at her own chest. ¡°If even one person dies, then I will die too.¡± Belinda put her life on the line to save the otherdies. She was convinced. Just as the coachmen spared her life, this man should also spare her life. There was no doubt about it since that man just ordered the Shinsu to kill everyone except Belinda. Even if she was mistaken, she¡¯d dly die in this. But her judgment was correct. Joseph eventually stopped the Shinsu. ¡°How foolish are you!¡± ¡°Foolish?¡± Belinda scoffed as she mulled over his words. Soon after she wiped the smirk off her face. ¡°If you don¡¯t hurt others, I¡¯ll follow you unconditionally. But if anyone gets hurt, I¡¯ll take my life immediately.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you thinking I can¡¯t do it?¡± Belinda gave strength to her trembling hands. When she pierced her chest, a small stream of blood flowed from the wound. She lived in poverty from a young age and had seen all kinds of horrendous things. She was scared stiff at the sight of the inn owner who liked to beat her up. She saw countless swindlers who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to hurt others and ripped off people¡¯s money. I¡¯ve learned bad things throughout my life. But my people¡¯s lives are at stake here, so what¡¯s stopping me from doing this? Blood dripped from Belinda¡¯s palm as she tightened her grip on the ceramic piece. Joseph tried to dissuade Belinda with a puzzled face. ¡°Hold on! Stop it!¡± Is there any woman crazier than her in the world? Even the rogue who roamed around the back alley had something to fear. Not to mention that the woman in front of him was a precious Princess in an elegant dress. Judging from her expression alone, she didn¡¯t seem to be bluffing. Following the sword¡¯s guidance, the Princess must be a ¡®practical card¡¯ that he could use. If she died here, all his hope would be shattered. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll spare everyone, so put that down right now!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Just then Belinda slowly lowered the piece aimed at her chest, but she didn¡¯t loosen her grip at all. It meant she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to put her life on the line again if necessary. Joseph yanked her arm fearfully. ¡°Stop being foolish! I said I will spare you all!¡± Belinda nodded lightly with a determined gaze. She let go of Lucy¡¯s hand that clung to her. ¡°Princess! No! He¡¯s going to kill you! Please don¡¯t go!¡± Belinda smiled lightly at Lucy¡¯s tearful plea. But Lucy, you will die if I don¡¯t do this. I¡¯m sure Aymon will save me somehow. I believe so. Belinda calmly shook off Lucy who cried and started to cling to her again. And she passed by the woman who was now frozen in fear, and went outside. She followed Joseph down the bloody path. She tried to maintain a hard expression even though her body was stiff due to fear. She¡¯d rather die than show him her miserable side. Joseph, who led the way, seemed to be in a good mood. ¡°You¡¯re pretty cute, aren¡¯t you?¡± He patted the sword that shook finely on his waist. The sword granted him a great power which eventually put the Princess in his hands. He, who seemed to be under delusion, even hummed a tune before he arrived in front of the Emperor¡¯s ransacked garden. ***** Meanwhile, Aymon was enduring a lonely battle. He would have been bitten on the neck right away if he had let his guard down even for a moment. Aymon faced a barrage of attacks from the beasts. The Shinsu jumped on Aymon, fully extending their sharp ws that were simr to a well-honed de. Belinda, who was walking with Joseph, staggered to her feet. Why? Why are you alone, Aymon? Why are you bleeding all alone after moving me to a safe ce? She was filled with resentment. I¡¯d rather you run away! I¡¯d rather you look away and survive all alone! Just why!? Why would you go this far!? A selfish grudge, caused by worry, soared up. Joseph held Belinda¡¯s staggering forearms roughly. Before she copsed, he dragged her roughly toward Otoman. Just as Joseph left his seat like a shadow, no one paid attention to him when he returned. ¡°Everyone, stop!¡± Joseph shouted loudly. But no one paid attention to the yelling of a lowly servant. However, the situationpletely changed when a knight turned his head and found the Princess, who was supposed to be in a safe ce, struggling to stand with a pale face. ¡°Princess!¡± ¡°The Princess was caught by traitors!¡± Everyone began to turn their gazes in her direction. Even the ck beast that was in the middle of a fierce battle. As soon as he heard people talking about the princess, Aymon raised his blood-soaked face. After he confirmed that Belinda was truly there with them, his face lit up in anger. ¡°Stop! If youe here, the Princess will die!¡± Joseph shouted, putting a dagger on Belinda¡¯s neck. Aymon was furious. His muscles tensed up as if he was ready to leap out right away. The stunned knights lowered their swords, and all the other Shinsu hid their ws on Joseph¡¯s order. Joseph whispered in Count Otoman¡¯s ear. ¡°I brought a hostage for you. The Princess who will soon be the count¡¯s war trophy.¡± It was a pledge of loyalty to the count. It wasn¡¯t just because the magic stone was in his stomach. He had various reasons to obey Count Otoman. He would never be able to be an emperor even if he wasn¡¯t Barahan¡¯s descendant anyway. He learned first hand as a bandit that having greed beyond your means was nothing but a vain dream. Even when he was stealing the noble¡¯s clothes, he¡¯d instinctively knew that he¡¯d never be them. In fact, he didn¡¯t even covet the emperor¡¯s seat at all. His only goal was to fully exercise his rights rather than being bound by duties. Today, he helped Count Otoman rise to the throne. And then he would enjoy the power for the rest of his life by standing next to the Count. The future full of roses that Joseph always dreamed of. Otoman took a step forward after receiving Joseph¡¯s gift of loyalty. Only breathing sounds rang amid the silence that descended upon the bloody battlefield. As the battle came to halt, he shouted with a rxed tone while pointing at Joseph next to him. ¡°This person who pleads loyalty to me has the power to control them, the Shinsu. He¡¯s the descendant of Barahan, the Great God!¡± As a proof of his words, all the Shinsu suddenlyid down to show their obedience. The knights gasped. They couldn¡¯t believe that that lowly servant was Barahan¡¯s descendant. ¡°Make your choice now! Will you follow the current emperor and die in vain? Or will you wee me, the new emperor, and prosper under my authority!¡± Count Otoman was also a royal descendant and held the right to be an emperor. Not to mention he was backed by the Great God¡¯s descendants. However, the Imperial Army did not easily switch their loyalty to others, just like that. ¡°Stop your nonsense! We won¡¯t pledge our loyalty to the traitor who attacked the Imperial Pce!¡± The Knights Commander lifted up his sword against Count Otoman. Otoman bit his lips nervously and thought to himself. I must bring the Imperial Army on my side. Simply defeating the ck leopard did not end the situation. Wouldn¡¯t it be a great failure if the Shinsu was defeated by the Imperial Army? It means i¡¯d be driven to the brink of death along with those beasts! To control the Shinsu, kill the ck leopard, and pull the Imperial Army to his side. That was the only way to sit on the throne. ¡°I was born with royal blood!¡± The Imperial Army hesitated again at Otoman¡¯s passionate voice. Otoman turned his head and whispered to Joseph. ¡°Go ahead and tell the Shinsu to attack the ck leopard again.¡± Soon, all the Shinsu rushed back toward Aymon. Aymon couldn¡¯t counter their attack properly. Mainly because Belinda was still in Count Otoman¡¯s hands. Otoman grinned. He was satisfied that the situation seemed to go in his favor. ¡°You are not betraying the Imperial family. Don¡¯t feel guilty! Think of it as weing the new owner of the Imperial Family!¡± He shouted to win the Imperial Army over. ¡°The current Emperor has brought danger with his clouded judgment. He preached about making peace with the Shinsu, and brought bloodshed to the human race! He has to repay that sin with death!¡± Some of the Imperial army¡¯s eyes shook and some swallowed their saliva. ¡°But I¡¯m different. Instead of preaching about worthless peace, I will make humans rule over the Shinsu and create the greatest history of this empire!¡± Otomanughed confidently. It felt like the victory g was already within his grasp. Upon feeling his heart calming down, he delivered the final blow. ¡°If you pledge your loyalty to me, there will be no more human sacrifice! Kill that ck leopard and restore the peace of the Imperial Pce!¡± Otoman appealed. Put down your sword that you raise against me and pledge your loyalty to me. Only then can we regain peace again. Some Imperial Army agonized. The ck leopard who was on their side now became a scarecrow because his mate, Princess Belinda, was taken hostage. As long as her life was at stake, the ck leopard wouldn¡¯t be able to move and eventually lose or die. Whates next would be a battle between the Imperial Army and the Shinsu again. Meanwhile, Aymon was watching the situation calmly while bleeding a lot. Even if he dies, Count Otoman will kill Belinda in the end. He could tell instinctively. Otoman. He was inherently a mean and cruel human being. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Aymon made up his mind after thinking quickly but carefully. Then, the ck beast began to move. He pushed away all the Shinsu that rushed toward him and leaped forward. As he already took his decision, there was no hesitation in his action. He ran across a pool of blood, jumped over the Imperial Army and began to charge at Joseph and Count Otoman. ¡°Don¡¯t rebel if you want to save the princess!¡± Otoman clearly said that, but whether Aymon rebelled or not, Otoman would surely kill Belinda. That¡¯s why Aymon had to choose the worst and best method. Kill them at any cost and save Belinda. Aymon¡¯s eyes were burned with rage. Every time he ran past Shinsu and humans, the distance between him and the two frightened humans reduced slowly but surely. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 99 TL/PR :Nesta/YoruNoTsuki Getting the gist of Aymon¡¯s mind, the Emperor lifted his sword and shouted. ¡°Stop all the other Shinsu from chasing the chief! Form a barrier and protect him from any attacks!¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± As he moved across the battlefield, the Imperial Army just behind Aymon firmly blocked the way. They held their sword with unwavering resolve and attacked all the other Shinsu. They¡¯ve be a solid barrier to protect Aymon¡¯s back. Count Otoman tried to persuade the Imperial Army to pledge loyalty to him, but the Emperor remained as their sole object of loyalty. In the meantime, Aymon became closer and closer to the two humans. The flustered Otoman desperately yelled. ¡°D-Don¡¯te near! Or else the Princess will die!¡± It didn¡¯t cross his mind that Aymon would ignore his warning and attack him head-on. He gradually lost hisposure. ¡°If youe closer, I¡¯ll really kill her!!¡± Otoman pressed the dagger on Belinda¡¯s neck. But he couldn¡¯t hurt her because she was the only shield that could protect him from the ck leopard. Even the Shinsu, one that was supposed to protect them, was trampled under the paws of that ck leopard. The Princess was hisst card to control the beast. If he killed her, he would also die, right after. Unsure of what to do, this situation drove him to extreme hesitation. Sweat dripped from the palm that held the dagger. Otoman adjusted the dagger that almost slipped from his hand and exhaled nervously. Belinda didn¡¯t miss the opportunity as soon as he got confused. I have no intention of dying quietly in your hands. She pushed Count Otoman with all her might. Otoman, who only focused on the ck leopard, was caught off guard by Belinda¡¯s sudden rebellion. ¡°You crazy b*tch!¡± When Otoman lost his bnce, he clenched his teeth and swung the dagger. Blood suddenly burst out of Belinda¡¯s deeply cut corbone. Belinda pressed the wound tightly with her palm and stared down at him. ¡°You will never be the emperor!¡± The moment Belinda said thest word of that sentence, the ck beast attacked him. A huge shadow covered his body at once, and red blood spurted out without giving him time to discern the situation. Just once. It ended with just one attack. ¡°Argh!¡± Otoman struggled with pain as the sharp fangs and dagger-like ws pierced his body. But soon his scream stopped as death came over him. His breathing was cut off along with a growling sound. Aymon growled with murderous intent as he trampled on Count Otoman¡¯s corpse. His eyes lit up a violent spark as if to mirror his burning rage. Joseph also copsed as soon as Count Otoman died. This is because their lives were connected through the magic stone in his stomach. Thud. Joseph¡¯s lifeless body rolled on the ground. At the same time, the Shinsu stopped running wild. Reason began to return to their frenzied eyes. The ce that once reeked of violence was now enshrouded with bone-chilling silence. Shanti muttered nkly. ¡¸What the hell ¡­¡­.¡¹ An iprehensible situation unfolded in front of him. Humans he didn¡¯t kill were dead, and the bloody smell covered his whole body. His wounded body was throbbing with pain. All the Shinsu who were released from control began to retract their ws with confused faces. Aware of this change, the Imperial Army also lowered their swords. Through the silence, the Emperor and Lard approached. They came straight to Belinda and expressed their worries at the same time. ¡°Are you alright, Princess?¡± ¡°Belinda, are you okay?¡¯ Lart took off his clothes and pressed Belinda¡¯s wound with it. He grimaced as if he was holding off his tears. He was very tough and determined when the war broke out, but he felt guilty over the fact that he failed to protect his sister which resulted in her being taken hostage. The Emperor also watched his daughter and son anxiously. Both the prince and the emperor wanted to save Belinda before, but they couldn¡¯t break through the Shinsu that had protected the two humans and only stamped their feet in frustration. The Imperial Army who wanted to clear up the devastated area, approached Joseph¡¯s copsed body. They put their hand on Joseph¡¯s neck, but they couldn¡¯t feel the pulse. However, to ensure Joseph¡¯s passing, one of the knights picked up Lapyan¡¯s sword next to Joseph¡¯s body and used it to stab him deeply. But the army left without seeing the light leaking from Joseph¡¯s wound gradually. As soon as Aymon confirmed Count Otoman¡¯s death, he ran toward Belinda while transforming back into human. He then embraced her tiny body tightly, ran his trembling fingers through her hair, and rubbed her cheeks. ¡°Breedee.¡± Just to embrace her warmth. As if making sure she was breathing was the only source of relief to him right now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have let you get hurt.¡± The pained voice rang over in Belinda¡¯s ears. Belinda hugged Aymon in tears. She wrapped her arms around his strong back and felt the warmth. She let her entire body sink in the embrace of his blood-soaked body. ¡°Aymon.¡± She was dizzy from the overflowing emotions. Who cares about who when you¡¯re hurt like this? Why are you worried about me when your body is full of scars? You have no idea how precious your body is! The beast in front of her was miserable. Obviously, his arms were as wide as a mountain, and even though he was the one who held her in his arms, she was the one that wanted to hold him andfort him. She felt sad and resentful at the same time. If he hadn¡¯t persisted to protect humans and the Shinsu, he wouldn¡¯t have been hurt this much. It was selfish, but she couldn¡¯t help it as the fact ripped her heart to pieces. ¡°You, worry about yourself. You¡­..¡± She knew that she shouldn¡¯t let out her resentment like this, but her resentment broke out uncontrobly. She faced the wounded man for a moment and buried her face on his chest. He reeked of blood, but she hugged him without any hesitation. Aymon lowered his gaze in silence as he was exhausted. He kissed her ear ardently, and only then the tightening tension of his body slowly subsided. Belinda calmly pulled away. ¡°But Aymon. The blood¡­¡± She originally thought the dizzying blood smell from him belonged to others. However, the blood that soaked his body was so hot that her fingertips were shaking. It was your blood. Belinda frowned as she caressed his cheeks. She even had to watch where she touched him. How many wounds do you have? A smile rose on Aymon¡¯s bloodied face. He read the worries in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡¯ll get well in no time. I¡¯m the Great Shinsu, after all.¡± He whispered yfully, but Belinda couldn¡¯t even bear to face his smile. ¡°Oh, my god. What to do¡­.¡± He paid a huge price for trying to protect everyone. A wound that did not heal easily even with the Shinsu¡¯s regenerative ability was deeply engraved on his body. ¡°What should I do with this¡­.¡± Belinda fumbled around Aymon¡¯s hem clumsily. Just the small scratch that I got from Count Otoman hurts so much, but look at you. Her trembling eyshes were wet. Hot tears welled up her eyes and fell down. ¡°I¡¯m really okay, Breedee.¡± Aymon pulled her into his embrace again, but Belinda carefully pushed him away. She was terrified to touch Aymon¡¯s open wound and hurt him now that she became aware of his wounds¡¯ state. However, despite her rejection, Aymon spread his arms again to embrace her. ¡°Hug me again please, hmm?¡± There was even a weak plea in his yful voice. Belinda couldn¡¯t push him away twice and rxed her body. She also spread her arms carefully and hugged him back. ¡°Aymon, Aymon.¡± She called his name with all her might. However, her mournful voice didn¡¯tst until the end. ¡°Ah¡­.!¡± Belinda¡¯s body stumbled before copsing. It happened in a blink of an eye. She copsed slowly without a single groan at the pain that pierced her body. She looked down to her chest and saw her dress starting to turn red and the tip of the spear sticking out of her chest. ¡°I remember everything! You punks! All of you who deceived me and killed me!¡± A vicious voice rang behind her back. It came from Joseph, the man who stabbed Belinda with a spear. Joseph, the man who was supposed to be dead. Lapyan¡¯s sword was stuck in his chest. He was stabbed by a knight to confirm his death not too long ago. However, that very act brought his life back. The divine power flowing from the sword healed his wound and replenished his blood. Joseph¡¯s memory returned along with his new life. A very long time ago. About Lapyan¡¯s betrayal and Barahan¡¯s death. His death. Joseph looked at Belinda¡¯s back and adjusted his blurry vision. When he saw her copsing in Aymon¡¯s arms, he let out an exhrated cry. A wicked triumph took over him. This time, I will finish them for good! Lapyan, who became a weak human being, and ck leopard, who was covered with wounds. An evil smile spread over the fact that he could send these two to the afterlife this time. Neither the magic stone in his stomach or any wounds inflicted to his human form could hold him back now that he had achieved his true power. ¡°You must have thought you won, right?¡± Barahanughed hysterically. The seeds of hatred that he sowed after being trapped in the cycle of life and death, finally bore fruit. Atst, it was time for a definite victory. Aymon couldn¡¯t even speak. He just stared vacantly at Belinda, who copsed in his arms. ¡°Breedee¡­.?¡± Why is Belinda¡¯s face so pale? I don¡¯t know why you stumbled weakly like this. No, I don¡¯t even want to know! His vision was blurred. ¡°Belinda..!¡± ¡°Grab that man!¡± Lart, who btedly grasped the situation, roared. Aymon couldn¡¯t hear anything. It felt like someone hit his head strongly. ¡°Breedee.¡± Aymon barely whispered her name. But there was no answer again. He stroked her cheeks with trembling fingers. It was still warm. But she didn¡¯t open her eyes to look at him, nor opened her dry lips to answer him until the end. His heart beat went very slowly like a dead man. His body trembled at the sudden chill. His head was throbbing as if someone was grabbing him by the cor and shaking him up. Chapter 100 TL/PR: Nesta/YoruNoTsuki Lart screamed in horror as he tried to reach Belinda. ¡°Aymon! We need to treat Belinda first¡­.!¡± But Aymon was hugging her even tighter, refusing to let go of her body. In his mind, he knew that it wasn¡¯t necessary to treat her anymore. He knew that this was really the end. The mate¡¯s imprint that connected them together was cut off. He was forced to feel with his whole body, the cruel fact that Belinda¡¯s life had reallye to an end. ¡°Breedee.¡± Denying the truth until the end, Aymon held Belinda in desperation. He rubbed his cheeks to her cold cheeks and called out her name absentmindedly. All he could do was hug her body and flop down helplessly like a broken doll. The knights screamed in unison to attack Joseph. ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°Attack that traitor!¡± They raised their swords against the human who dared to kill the Princess. The Emperor and Lart also rushed toward him like crazy persons. But everyone bounced back through the air like fallen leaves caught in a storm after Joseph swung his hand lightly in front of him. It was a divine power beyond one the humans could ever have. Joseph built arge barrier from his power and centered it around himself, with Aymon and Belinda still inside it. He built a solid shield that no human could go through and approached Aymon, who was still holding Belinda in his arms. He wanted to punish the damned beast who killed him in the past. Today was payback time for what they did to him back then. ¡°Serves you right.¡± Joseph¡¯s eyes shone eerily as he stared down at Aymon. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the same scene I¡¯ve already seen somewhere? Ah, it¡¯s the same as then. Yeah, so Lapyan died again. It¡¯s because she chose you again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You killed her.¡± Joseph grinned before bursting intoughter. But Aymon did not respond as his mind was only directed at Belinda. Belinda is still so warm, but why wasn¡¯t she breathing? Why aren¡¯t you opening your mouth and answering me, Belinda? Joseph circled around Aymon and kept on talking. ¡°In the past, you attacked me while I was off-guard and then killed me. But now it¡¯s different. You will be the one who dies this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will tear your soul apart so you can¡¯t even reincarnate anymore. Both you and Lapyan!¡± A voice imbued with madness rang uncontrobly from his mouth. Joseph¡¯s voice barely echoed faintly in Aymon¡¯s ears. However, Aymon only recalled Belinda¡¯sst whisper before she closed her eyes in weing death. Did you worry about me even during your final moment, Belinda? Did you call my name? Did I answer you? Who is Lapyan? What happened in the past? All of those questions were meaningless now, so Aymon just shut down his mind. Now, his gaze swerved down at the unconscious Belinda. It was all my fault. If I had stayed still from the start. If only I just silently waited for my death when Belinda was taken hostage, perhaps Belinda will still be alive right now¡­. It¡¯s all my fault. Because I made a wrong judgment. He carefully pulled out the spear that had prated her chest. His hand was soaked with blood. It felt like his body was soaked in hot blood, too, now. The sight was utterly suffocating that it felt like he was strangled. Aymon slowlyid down Belinda on the ground. ¡°Breedee.¡± Atst, he came back to ept the reality that he would never get answers from her. He gently swept up Belinda¡¯s hair with blood-soaked hands. The beautifully shiny blonde turned crimson. No warmth was felt from her cold skin now. Because of me again. I lost you again because of me. Deep anger encroached on him as soon as he realized her death. Irrational emotions spiked up coldly like a winter storm. Aymon slowly raised his head. Now he finally met head on with Joseph¡¯s amused face. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Tears dropped sharply over Aymon¡¯s expressionless face. His wet eyes contained unimaginable sorrow. A storm was brewing beneath his seemingly stony face. A sudden rush of blood came over him. There was madness hidden behind his coldly sunken eyes. Soon enough, Aymon¡¯s stony expression finally broke. He grimaced in pain while transforming back, and then suddenly a huge leopard jumped in a sh. The ck beast immediately attacked Joseph. He exposed his fangs and thrusted his ws. Barahan floundered for a while andughed. ¡°Finally!¡± Finally he could see the end. After seeing the blood of the beast who killed him, he felt like he was able to win. Both Lapyan and the beast would sink into the darkness without a chance to reincarnate ever again. That would be his ultimate revenge against Lapyan and the beast who betrayed him. As burning pleasure enraptured him, he summoned all the Shinsu that he had put on stand by just behind the barrier. The ground trembled along with the Shinsu¡¯s roars. They charged at Aymon all at once. ¡°It¡¯s different from back then. I¡¯m not alone anymore.¡± He raised a smirk on his face as he watched Aymon. Why do I need to deal with you directly? When I can just watch you getting killed by them. That ck beast was already wounded to the point of death. Even his remaining willpower waspletely crushed due to the death of his lover. It was a battle with a visible end. Some of the Shinsu¡¯s sharp ws narrowly passed by Aymon. Bang! A force that could easily crush hard armor hit the ground. The dust swirled violently. Pushing his way through a blurry view, Aymon¡¯s gaze only fixated on Joseph. ¡°Barahan!¡± Barahan, it was him. It was him again. What happened in the past yed out vividly as if it were just yesterday. He failed to protect Lapyan, and this time again but as Belinda. All the Shinsu revealed their sharp fangs and began to surround Aymon. Some of the fallen Shinsu jumped right back up and bit Aymon¡¯s legs. Blood flowed out again from Aymon¡¯s wounded legs. Aymon leaped without hesitation. He charged toward Joseph, dragging with him a Shinsu who was still hanging on his feet. Regardless of his feet getting bitten or not, he only focused on dashing toward Joseph. He stepped on one of the Shinsu who attacked his neck. As a result, the sound of ribs breaking rang along with a painful roar from the Shinsu. But they won¡¯t easily die as long as they were a Shinsu. Aymon threw away the Shinsu who were stuck to him and continued rushing toward Joseph. The gaze that could now only see Joseph was zing with pure rage. ¡°Hey! Why aren¡¯t you stopping him!¡± The flustered Joseph began to retreat. The killing intent inside the beast¡¯s eyes was too thick, so he instinctively ran away in fear. Didn¡¯t he already run out of energy? Joseph, who was running away, btedly realized that he could use his divine power and uttered curses as he let out his power all at once. However, the bloodthirsty beast took his blows as if it were nothing. It seemed like he slipped into madness to the point he didn¡¯t care about his own life anymore. A desperate struggle in which his goal was only to attack in the intent to kill Joseph. ¡°Y-You crazy!¡± Joseph recklessly fired divine power. It flew like an arrow toward the beast and pierced his hard flesh, but the beast did not stagger. Bam! Bam! The divine power was thrown in all directions. Aymon¡¯s movements were too fast for him to limit his attack range. Before he knew it, the two became even closer. A strong gust of wind passed by as Aymon¡¯s front paws narrowly hit him. ¡°Argh!¡± A chill ran down Joseph¡¯s body. He barely avoided the first attack, but he couldn¡¯t avoid the next ws that came after him. ¡°AAAAGH!¡± Red blood gushed out from Joseph¡¯s shoulder. It was quite a big wound, but he could easily heal it with divine power. However, Joseph¡¯s mentality began to shrink due to him panicking at the sudden turns of events. Whenever Aymon¡¯s attack brushed past him, it felt like a vicious killing intent grazed him like a sharp de. A deep fear engulfed Joseph¡¯s entire body. ¡°You damned beast!¡± Joseph swung his arms recklessly to unleash his power. Unlike Joseph, who was getting out of control, Aymon was calmly dealing with him. He bit Joseph in the cold and controlled rage state he was in. The furious Joseph trembled and bit his lips in anxiety. Cold sweat flowed over his forehead. ¡°Go away!¡± The sweat that fell down from his brows blurred his vision. He could see sharp fangs rushing toward him through his blurry vision. He managed to turn his upper body to avoid them. This time, ws that could pierce him brushed his ears. ¡°Ack! How dare you damn beast!¡± He tried to fight back with everyst bit of his power, but that was the end. Joseph staggered and got thrown off by the impact that prated his chest. ¡°ARGGGH!¡± There was an eerie sound of bones breaking. His body flung in the air before it hit the barrier and flopped on the side pathetically. Tuk. One of his arms, that was cut off, fell afterwards. ¡°Aaargh!¡± Joseph held onto his pained shoulder leftover. There was a glint of despair in his frightened eyes. He struggled with unbearable agony, and began to spew vicious remarks. ¡°You! To a scoundrel like you! How can I¡­.! But his snake-like tongue soon stopped, too. Crack. The eerie sound rang. Aymon¡¯s fangs were lodged in the back of his neck. He could feel the bones cracking. There was not even a scream apanied his death. ¡°Ugh¡­uh¡­.¡± The sound of a blood gurgle came from Barahan, while his body drooped helplessly. That was the end. A human, who acquired the power of God, once again met his humble death as he rolled around in the dirt. The smell of blood and deafening silence lingered in the air. Bloodied Aymon slowly raised his head. After Joseph¡¯s death, the Shinsu regained their senses. But they couldn¡¯t get close to Aymon. Stomp, stomp. Aymon barely pulled his foot and painfully made his way to Belinda. He slowly bowed his head to touch her cheek. Tuk. Her face moved, lifeless. Crouching on the ground, Aymon stared nkly at Belinda for a while and licked her blood-soaked cheek. He could feel the coldness that belonged to someone who lost their life. A painful howl rang from Aymon¡¯s throat. He agonized in a pain that was no different than torture. Shanti, who was watching the scene, also howled with sorrow. ¡¸Aymon¡­.we were controlled by Joseph.¡¹ But it didn¡¯t erase the sense of guilt they had. They hurt Aymon and drove him to the edge of the cliff. Aymon, who had been licking Belinda¡¯s cheeks for a long time, rubbed Belinda¡¯s neck with his nose. Her bloodied hair was stuck over her skin, which was starting to feel chilly. ¡¸Breedee.¡¹ Aymon quietly called out her name. Still, there was no answer. Aymon blinked slowly, letting his eyes get engulfed in darkness. At that moment, there was the sound of something vibrating. Aymon slowly turned his head. Lapyan¡¯s sword was trembling and bursting with white light. Aymon, who knew what that light was, swallowed his breath. Happy valentines day everyone<3 This is not exactly a happy chapter but I hope it can brighten your valentine even a little! Please look forward to the s~ Chapter 101 TL/PR :Nesta/YoruNoTsuki **Before** A faint shape of moon reflected on the spring water. A firefly flew in from somewhere with a light on its tail. ¡¸We, the Shinsu, regrly visited this spring and held rituals to gain strength from it. In fact, the ritual doesn¡¯t really give me strength, but I used to feel a little strange every time I came here.¡¹ A hushed and low voice resonated weakly. It was sweet and gentle as if whispering a luby deep into the night. There was no strength left in his already exhausted body. ¡¸Whenever I came here, I got so emotional that it was hard to control myself. It¡¯s probably because of you, Lapyan¡­no, Breedee. I guess it was because of the power you gave me.¡¹ Aymon sat next to the spring water and gently swept up Belinda¡¯s hair. He watched her body slowly shine in the dark. The blood that got washed away in the spring water slowly disappeared. Instead, the spring was now filled with pure white light. **Now** It was the power that Belinda had since birth. Lapyan¡¯s great divine power contained in the sword. A few hours ago, he thought to himself when he saw the light emerging from Lapyan¡¯s sword. If there¡¯s a divine power in that sword in addition to my own divine power, wouldn¡¯t I be able to revive her? Just as Lapyan in his previous life saved him by squeezing out herst drop of divinity. Hanging into faint hope, Aymon ran in hurry in the goal to hug a warm and full of life Belinda. Blood dripped every step he made as he dragged his exhausted body, climbing the hill without ever stopping. Atst, they arrived at the spring. Aymon carefully put Belinda in the spring along with Lapyan¡¯s sword. It was hisst hope. ¡¸You always die because of me. If you hadn¡¯t met me, you could have lived happily this time.¡¹ His quiet voice sounded so sorrowful. Belinda wanted to open her eyes and answer that it wasn¡¯t true, but she couldn¡¯t. It was hard to move a finger as if every nerve on her body were cut off. ¡¸You could have lived your life happily as a Goddess and this time as a Princess. But I always ruin it. If only I hadn¡¯t been greedy for you.¡¹ Aymon smiled quietly and rubbed his cheeks against her. The sword and spring power filled up some of her life force, but that was all. ¡¸I love you, Breedee¡¹ As he kissed the corner of her teary eyes, he pushed all his power into her. Even grasshoppers held their breath in the quietness of the water ripple. The gust of wind shook the grass until it bent tly. A long time ago, when Belinda was Lapyan, she squeezed everyst bit of her power to give it to him. How much he regretted not being able to find her soul? How hard it was to endure this desperate longing? Foolishly taking her divine power and forgetting about it right after for almost eternity. He pushed her to her death with his foolishness. ¡°We can meet again. So don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re a good boy, right?¡± Lapyan¡¯sst words rang in his mind like an old lover¡¯s letter. It burnt faintly, leaving only painful ashes before flying away. Just like what she said, the two met again. Spending time together like the old times, getting drowned in happiness during the short time they had. Aymon was already satisfied with that. And with the warmth that embraced him. The warmth in his arms. Thinking about the time he was loved by Belinda was more than enough. He lost her again because he was always greedy for something beyond his means. It was time to cut the foolish repetition caused by his greed. The divine power Lapyan gave right before her death, it was time to return that power to its rightful owner. Belinda¡¯s cheeks regained it¡¯s rosy color slowly. Aymon stroked her cheek and whispered in agony. ¡¸I don¡¯t mind if you will forget me, but as long as you can be happy¡­¡¹ Hisst words, which trembled finely, were so weak as if it was going to disappear into thin air. He nose-kissed Belinda to return the power she had given him, the divine power inside him. He kissed her for a long time as if he didn¡¯t want to forget the warmth that touched his jowl. A night where even the starlight was dimmed by the darkness. Aymon closed his eyes, all alone.Suddenly, a weak breath leaked through Belinda¡¯s lips. She could see the murky sky behind the grayish cloud. Belinda looked up at the clouds that covered the sky and blinked her eyes slowly. Her body, which was filled with a strange power, was unable to move well for now. Overwhelming sensation prated her whole body. ¡°Uh¡­..¡± She struggled to get up and crawled out of the spring water. She didn¡¯t even know how she ended up in this unfamiliar spring. Even the dark shadows of trees that covered the forest felt unreal¡­. I think I heard Aymon¡¯s voice somewhere¡­. Blink, blink. Whenever she closed and opened her eyes, a familiar force wrapped around her body. It was hers, but not hers at the same time. An uncontroble power suddenly grabbed each of her cells so tightly. ¡°Ugh.¡± Belinda grabbed her throbbing chest and crouched down. The sleeping memories slowly flooded in like a wave. A long time ago, there was a ck leopard that she met for the first time. Then Death. Reincarnation. The time when she lost touch with him. Then, the time when they met again and spent time happily. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± She managed to get up and move slowly. Her head was spinning. She stumbled and leaned against a tree to catch her breath. At that time, the moonlight poured down recing the endless darkness. When the grim sky shone brightly and her blurry vision became clearer, Belinda finally came to realize: ¡°¡­.Aymon?¡± A ck beast that was covered in darkness. ¡°Aymon!¡± She ran frantically to him and hugged the leopard¡¯s neck. He was lying down as if he were dead, but he was alive. She could feel life from the pulse beneath his neck. Belinda could not believe it for a long time and then, wayter, an overwhelming sorrow just suddenly poured down on her. ¡°Aymon. Aymon.¡± Misery and despair made her break into tears. She sobbed and recited his name as if she was chanting a spell. Her mate was definitely alive, but she was deeply anxious for some reason. She couldn¡¯t tell exactly where that anxiety stemmed from. Belinda finally understood everything. The existence in front of her was a memory that connected the past and the present. He was her life, her dream, her past and present. ¡°Aymon¡­Aymon¡­..It was you all along. It was you¡­.My cat¡­.¡± She finally met him after a long time, yet she was not able to recognize him before now. She med herself for not realizing it sooner and only shed tears. How much did she cry under the moonlight? When some of the hot tears fell down on the beast, he opened his eyes once more. Belinda felt Aymon¡¯s subtle movement. ¡°Aymon?¡± She was surprised and straightened her back. Then she got up and stared at the lover she finally met again. However. Grrrr¡­.. In front of her was a ck leopard unting its fangs like a hungry beast toward her. The beast, who lost his intelligence, was radiating cold hostility toward the unfamiliar human. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Belinda¡¯s eyes shook violently. A sharp glowing from Aymon¡¯s blue eyes as he lost both his divinity and memory. He emitted a strong killing intent, so much so that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he rushed into her and bit her neck to death right away. ¡°Aymon¡­.¡± She called out his name breathlessly and managed to raise her hand. She grabbed the beast with her trembling hands and rubbed her cheek against his stiff muscles. She leaned on him as if she wasn¡¯t afraid of his sharp fangs and de-like ws. Her whole world turned upside down at the thought of her lover forgetting her. That couldn¡¯t be possible. Even her tears had stopped in shock. Aymon bit her body and dropped her forcefully. He then crouched on the ground and growled, revealing his fangs at her, who was staring nkly at him. However, the reason why there was no blood even when he bit the human in front of him was because a vague and strange instinct had kicked in. You mustn¡¯t hurt her. An instinct that warned each and every cell he had. ¡°Aymon, please¡­.¡± Belinda begged with trembling lips. However, even after hearing her sorrowful voice, Aymon didn¡¯t flinch at all. A blue me sparked in the eyes of the beast who lowered its neck dangerously. The beast, who had been staring at her for a while, soon turned his back and left her. ¡°No, No!¡± Only then did Belinda, who came to her senses, stumbled to get up. However, the ck beast had already disappeared into the dark forest. ¡°Aymon, please! Don¡¯t go!¡± We just met. I barely found you again. We finally met after another cycle of reincarnation. Belinda moved her feet frantically to follow Aymon¡¯s bloodstains. The forest was densely covered with trees, and it was dark without any light. After going through the dark path, she stepped on damp fallen leaves. ¡°Aymon! Aymon!¡± Tears fell down every time she took a step strenuously. Even his blood, which had been scattered everywhere, disappeared. The deep night was slowly going to sleep and dawn approached. The mountain birds flew up at Belinda¡¯s cry. Aymon might die Belinda continued to run even when the branches scratched her body and blood was dripping here and there from the freshly newly made wounds. Aymon was full of injuries too. It was too much for a beast to handle. He¡¯d be driven into death soon with that wounded body. As she wandered through the forest barefooted, her feet started to be covered in blood. The divine power, which was not fully established yet inside her, went out of control and ran through her body. ¡°No, no, Aymon¡­.¡± She muttered like a crazy person and eventually tripped over the tree roots and fell. Sheid there, still, and swallowed her endless tears. I lost him again. I lost my cat again. She didn¡¯t even cry. Even silence was filled with a deadly despair now. After a while, Belinda covered her face with her hands and sobbed. Tears spilled down from between her fingers. T/N : Once again, another heartbreak. T.T PR/N: My cry for despair is different. I¡¯m sorry for all the heartbreak and all, but author-nim annoyed me A LOT in that chappy! Author-nim is always forgetting important details like Aymons¡¯s transformation and then just mixes up human body parts words for when in beast form and vice versa when in human form. So we just never know when he transformed or IF he is still in beast form doing all the things only humans are supposed to be able to do¡­ (like hugging a person while running, mmh!!??! T__T lemme cry in the corner with my bad headaches this Proofreading left me with¡­ Chapter 102 Chapter 102 TL/PR : Nesta/Yoru Upon returning to the Imperial Pce, she looked for Joseph¡¯s corpse right away. She extracted his dead soul and shred it to pieces. Atst, the god¡¯s spirit was scattered in the air now. Perhaps, Barahan wouldn¡¯t appear ever again. But her newly restored power was very flimsy. Her body has been devoid of any divinity for a long time which caused her to be unable to handle the overflowing flower. This unruly power had been hiding deep within her like a seed under the soil. *** The Imperial Pce restored its splendid appearance once again after some time passed. The ce that used to be filled with blood stters and dead bodies everywhere on the ground had returned to its luxurious appearance. The joint funeral of the fallen soldiers was held magnificently. The people outside of the Imperial Pce were kept in the dark about the incident. The meaning of the red g, the source of the terrifying roars, and the sound of horns and drums that marked the start of the battle were also being kept under wraps. An unknown ident took ce, and all that remained was the fact that the Imperial Pce had covered it up. It was true that a battle took ce for the sake of the empire¡¯s glory, but the Imperial family only gave a vague announcement to the public. Adi¡¯s rebellion and the Shinsu¡¯s attack were also deeply buried. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to prevent rumors from spreading. Rumors blew through the narrow alleys like a wind and escaped from gossipers¡¯ mouths. ¡°Did you hear the rumors? I¡¯m talking about what happened in the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°Yeah. Is it true that Princess Adi tried to overthrow the Imperial Pce with the count¡¯s help?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. But I guess His Majesty already saw thising and defeated the rebels with the help of Shinsu.¡± ¡°But why are there so many victims?¡± ¡°His Majesty didn¡¯t expect Princess Adi to suddenly make a move. She¡¯s his daughter, after all. So he probably put his guard down a little.¡± They clinked their ss and began to converse about the first god. ¡°Princess Adi brought Barahan¡¯s descendant and tried to control the Shinsu, you know?¡± ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡°But the Emperor already had someone who could deal with everything in one fell swoop!¡± ¡°Someone who could deal with everything? Who is this person?¡± ¡°The First God! His ancestor!¡± ¡°What? Oh my god!¡± The person listening to the story was very surprised judging by how wide he opened his eyes. I can¡¯t believe the First God really appeared! ¡°Anyways, the Imperial Pce remained safe because of His Majesty¡¯s insight and thorough preparation. I think the First God already tore the soul of Barahan¡¯s descendants to pieces.¡± ¡°Does that mean Barahan¡¯s descendants will never appear again?¡± ¡°Of course! Those descendants, whose existence could only wreak havoc, have finally ceased to exist! And humans will live peacefully again from now on! In the future and forever!¡± Atst, everyoneughed freely while praising the Emperor. ¡°All the Shinsu have His Majesty¡¯s back and cut off the seed of evil! The greatest honor belongs to His Majesty the Emperor!¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± The truth was mixed with some falsehood. It elevated the emperor¡¯s reputation and strengthened people¡¯s faith in the Shinsu. It was a peaceful and perfect ending, but only on the surface. *** Adi¡¯s funeral was held in a shabby manner. It was very different from the grand funeral held for the Imperial Army¡¯s knights fallen on the battlefield. The truth did not change even if they hide Adi¡¯s crime from public. ¡®Treason.¡¯ The traitor¡¯s corpse had to be crushed until its form waspletely unrecognizable and fed to wild dogs¡­ The Emperor shook his head. He could never bring himself to do that. She was still his daughter despite her betrayal. He loved her enough to hold a funeral while concealing the truth. On a windy evening. Lart¡¯s shoulders trembled as if he was hit by the chilly winter breeze. He watched Adi¡¯s shabby coffin enter a dark pit. Not even a funeral march was heard to send her off. Not even the nobles attended the funeral and only the Imperial Family appeared with flowers on their hands. It was a shabby and lonely death. ¡°Your Highness.¡± The Duke quietly approached and called Lart. Lart finally came back to his senses and threw the flower in his hand to the coffin. Tak, tak, tak. The Empress and other rtives were also throwing flowers onto the coffin. They began to bury the coffin. The Empress leaned on Lart as she saw her daughter for thest time. No drop of tears could be shed in her immense agony. Her fair skin and hair have be as dry as hay in the past few days. She was prohibited to mourn her daughter, so she deliberately endured the grueling pain inside. ¡°Mother¡­.¡± Lart embraced the Empress¡¯ shoulder and tried to soothe her. Although she ended up as a traitor, he did share the same blood as Adi. To him, she had always been his sister and his other half when he was born. The attempt to kidnap and kill Belinda. The attempt to overthrow the Imperial Pce. He had no intention of forgiving such a horrendous crime. However, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sadness due to the remaining affection that stayed behind. Now the coffin waspletely buried in the soil. ¡°¡­.Adi.¡± Tears rolled down Lart¡¯s cheeks and dropped from his chin. He embraced the grief and muttered to himself. ¡°Good bye.¡± It was hisst farewell to the person who was born with him. *** ¡°Do I have to swallow it first?¡± Shanti asked in a serious tone. He held a small and bright red stone on his palm. It was a magic stone. The object that Count Otoman and Joseph shared and consumed. ¡°The order doesn¡¯t matter. After we both eat it, we must cast the spell to conclude the pact.¡± Lart calmly said and then swallowed the magic stone. Lapyan, the First God, made the magic stone for Barahan. It was a very precious item because only a pair of it existed in all the Empire. The magic stones that were removed from Count Otoman and Joseph¡¯s body would now be moved to Shanti and Lart¡¯s body. Shanti began to swallow the magic stone. Gulp. The heat that settled in his throat was strange. Shanti frowned at the unpleasant sensation. ¡°You can start now.¡± At Shanti¡¯s approval, Lart began to cast the spell. The two stones that glow faintly inside their stomach began to settle along with a hot sensation when the spell was over. Feeling the increasing heat, Shanti muttered low. ¡°Now I put my life in the hands of a human.¡± His voice was filled with resignation. He offered his life to Lart on his own volition to make amends for what all the Shinsu, except Aymon, had done. Even if they were controlled by Barahan¡¯s descendant, the fact that they had attacked the Imperial Pce did not change. The Shinsu were not shameless enough to turn a blind eye to the blood they spilled They were quite prideful, but at least they could take responsibility and apologize for their mistakes. As a result, Shanti became the representative to be restrained by the magic stone. ¡°Because of what happened, I will protect you with all my body.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Lart nodded with a mournful look. His power would be very solid. The beasts had his back, and this Shinsu already vowed to be his weapon in the future. But Lart didn¡¯t feel energized by that fact for many reasons. Adi¡¯s death and the fallen soldiers. Belinda and Aymon. It felt like he was walking through a hazy fog with a lot of thoughts swirling on his head. Slowly getting up to return to the forest, Shanti asked. ¡°Are you the next emperor?¡± ¡°Yes. His Majesty ordered me to inherit the throne as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Shanti nodded with an uninterested expression even though he asked first. He heard that humans have a great desire for power, so he found it quite strange. How can he be so impatient to bequeath his position as the emperor? Wasn¡¯t the war between humans and the Shinsu in the past also caused by human¡¯s desire to be the best and the most powerful being on earth? But he nodded as if realizing something. He could understand why the Emperor wanted to put down power and honor. He must be mourning his daughter¡¯s death. The Emperor¡¯s daughter, Princess Adi. She was the conspirator of this incident that cost her own life. The mournful emperor wanted to put down all his luggage and live in seclusion. He was tired of everything. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, future emperor. Don¡¯t identally kill me by ying around with the magic stone.¡± Shanti, who waved his hand, soon transformed into a leopard and slid out the door. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Lart muttered bitterly as he looked at Shanti¡¯s back. *** After some time, a grand ceremony was held. The enthronement ceremony of Emperor Lart Rune Ateez, the new sun that would light up the empire, took ce. The citizens cheered in joy, and the nobles bowed their heads out of respect. ¡°I believe the rising sun will illuminate the empire abundantly!¡± ¡°For the endless glory of His Majesty the Emperor!¡± The Imperial family released the national funds and held the festival for several days and nights. They opened the food granary and fed everyone including the beggars. There was only joy in the air, forgetting the painful past withughter. The lives of those left behind flowed smoothly as if nothing had happened. *** ¡°Belinda! Look out for that branch!¡± ¡°Yeah, Mazetto.¡± Belinda pushed aside the small branch that got in her way. ¡°Belinda! Beware of the rocks below!¡± ¡°Okay, Mazetto.¡± Belinda kicked the stone at Mazetto¡¯s cry. The stone rolled and went under the bushes. ¡°Belinda, Belinda! Beware of butterflies in front of you!¡± ¡°Mazetto. You don¡¯t have to worry to that extent.¡± Belinda smiled and looked back at the butterfly passing by her. The butterflies pped their tiny wings and flew through the sunlight. Belinda continued to walk forward. Since Aymon¡¯s change and disappearance, Mazetto never stopped worrying. A small sparrow kept poking her nose, telling a human being who was much bigger than him to pay attention to the reality. She didn¡¯t have any choice but to smile knowing Mazetto¡¯s sincerity. The tiny sparrow was very worried about her. She just lost her mate and sumbed to sorrow. And then¡­. Belinda lowered her head and touched her stomach. She could feel warmth every time her hands brushed against it. Belinda raised her head and walked again. She tried to ignore the heat that welled up around her eyes. Longing and sorrow mixed up, bing a sort of routine now. *** Belinda opened her eyes. It seemed like morning hade. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She unconsciously touched the spot next to her, but she could only feel coldness. She got up and walked slowly toward the window. ¡°Good morning.¡± Mumbling alone, she opened the window and a refreshing breeze blew in, caressing her skin. The morning sun shone through the gently waving curtains. Outside that window was a dense forest. A lonely forest full of silence. How long has it been since I came here? It was a pretty familiarndscape now. There was grass full of dew and a mysterious mist. After looking outside for a while, Belinda put a shawl over her shoulder and went for a walk. She inhaled the morning air as she walked through the green vegetation. The cold air brushed her eyelids. Belinda rubbed her eyes and walked for quite a while. One step at a time. She never stopped walking as she was waiting. Where are you, Aymon? Will I ever see you again? Can I really meet my lovely cat ever again? He¡¯s not dead. I believe it, he¡¯s not dead. She waited for him with vain hope that one day she would meet him again. She stayed in the mansion that lost its owner, and spent every night missing him. After tossing and turning all night, she barely fell asleep until dawn, and every time she did fall asleep, she always had a nightmare. Of the day when the leopard forgot her and left her alone. It was already morning once more when she opened her eyes again. And she had to face an empty space full of coldness again, not warm arms that hugged her. ¡°Aymon.¡± She whispered quietly. She wasn¡¯t even in a snowy field, but her body trembled as if walking through one. ¡°Aymon¡­.¡± In the end, Belinda copsed. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C PR/N: the feels¡­. this novel is getting sadder and sadder¡­ Chapter 103 Chapter 103 ¡°Aymon. Aymon¡­.¡± How nice would it be if my torn heart and deep longing flowed away like a river and withered like a flower petal? Days by days, the seasons passed and only the longing became clearer. Several times a day, the chill seeped in my body. What if it just ends like this? What if we can¡¯t ever meet again? I wanted to die because I couldn¡¯t stop resenting this bitter reality. Can we really meet again? Whether he was alive or dead, I couldn¡¯t give up on waiting because of the faint hope that we could ever meet again someday. There was an overwhelming desire to see Aymon again, at least once. That was the only reason. Belinda clenched her fists and let go. Her divinity lightens up only to be shattered a momentter. If only she could properly build her divinity up, she may be able to find him. Far from feeling Aymon¡¯s energy, she had a hard time controlling that power. Belinda closed her eyes with a bitter smile. Hot drops of water fell and left a mark on the soil. After dropping those tears that marked her prolonged and painful longing, she got up. Amid the chilly winter, she wrapped the shawl over her neck and continued walking toward the mansion. She continued walking down the road of endless waiting. *** The beast opened his eyes slowly. It just woke up from a nap. The beast got up from its spot, stretched its body, then leapt out. As it wandered through the forest, it came across a field at one point. The field where the breeze was blowing was turning golden. Is the season starting to change already? The ck leopard crouched and stared vacantly at the grass. The cool wind shook the grass leaves and made a cacophonous noise. It felt like he had been reminded of something. He always feels an unknown fever inside him. He felt anxiety and longing for no reason. Suchplex emotions didn¡¯t fit a beast whose main jobs were to eat, sleep, and hunt. The beast was engulfed in unknown emotions from the moment he woke up until he fell asleep. He was reminded of something every night, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything, so he just closed his eyes quietly. Swaaaa- The grass shook in the wind. His life was peaceful and quiet, but he felt like he lost something precious. But he had no idea what he lost, so the leopard just crouched down and rested his chin on his front feet. Grrrr¡­ A miserable groan echoed low before diminishing. It was just as weak as his forgotten longing. *** The ck leopard couldn¡¯t resist his rising anger, so he ran wildly across the forest. He didn¡¯t even know the source of that anger. Unable to resolve the exploding emotions, he ran through the forest with a rough breath. The cold morning breeze brushed against his ears, and the cold air pressured him as if piercing his lungs. The leopard, who had been running aimlessly for a long time, finally slowed down when he began to gasp for air. He looked around carefully, catching his breath. The grass and flowers were shining candidly as the sunlight poured over them. He definitely had never been to his ce, yet he was filled with strange feelings. An unfamiliar tree. It was his first time seeing it. And the smell that he smelled for the first time. The fragrance rushed into his senses like an old memory. The leopard stopped moving as the fur on his back perked up. He moved as if possessed and came across a small meadow in the forest. There was a building standing tall in the middle of it, and beautiful flowers and bushes encircled it like a fortress. It stood there elegantly like a temple. The white marble reflecting the morning sun. The smell that messed up his senses gradually deepened. The leopard, who roamed around the mansion anxiously, decided to look around the window after a long time. A familiar yet unfamiliar scent permeated through the window gap. It strangely prickled his senses. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ The leopard stopped breathing for a second. A warm sun showered down on a woman who was asleep in bed. Her white shoulders were lightened up by the pouring sunlight sparkling through the window. Long eyshes and naturally disheveled blonde hair. The subtle line along her corbone was seen between her cluttered hair. He caught a glimpse of her figure through his blurry gaze. His heart ached as if it was shredding. As if it was dragged across a road full of broken ss. No matter how many thorns stuck into his paws, he never felt this miserable. No hunting ever churned his blood this much. He didn¡¯t know anything about the woman in front of him, but his instinct to own her was strong. It was a different kind of obsession he had with his prey. Instead of biting her nape, he wanted to hug her. The ck leopard couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her as if bewitched. When the human body tossed and turned, he got surprised and stepped back. And then he turned around and ran away. Thump, thump. He concluded that his erratic heartbeat was due to wariness, and ended up escaping out of fear, far away. But, the leopard started to visit the ce every day. In a ce that was already filled with flower scents, there was a creature more fragrant than any flower odor there. Strangely enough, it piqued his curiosity. He felt chills down his spine each time he caught sight of that blonde hair. Afraid of this unknown feeling, he ran away for hours, only toe back thereter on. He hid in the shadows and peeked at her secretly. Sometimes that sweet creature moves or drinks something. She kept walking quietly without getting tired. Is it because that creature is dense? Or is it because the leopard was really good at hiding? He was able to watch her undetected for a month. It was the same that day. The ck leopard hid in the distant bushes and observed the creature, only swinging his tail. It was much more fun than climbing trees or taking a nap. A sweet but gloomy expression. He fixed his gaze on her cloudy face. Strangely enough, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. She definitely wasn¡¯t a prey. But his secret observation soon came to an abrupt end. ¡°Ah.¡± The woman, who was touching flower petals all by herself, stepped back in surprise. There was a small drop of blood at the tip of her finger. Startled by the smell of blood, the ck leopard popped out of the bushes. A momentter he was stunned by his own act, frozen there like a statue. He didn¡¯t know why he jumped out, so he brood over his behavior and wrinkled his nose, but then he sensed some movement. The ck leopard raised his head without lowering his guard. And soon, he was shocked and stepped back. ¡°Aymon? Is that you?¡± This is because that unknown creature approached him. Her eyes were burning red as if about to cry. The ck leopard stumbled as he stepped back. His fur pricked up along with his heightened anxiety. ¡°Aymon, Aymon¡­..¡± Her trembling voice soon turned into a sob. The sight of the female human crying silently took his breath away. It felt like his emotion was thrown into a burning me. This unfamiliar feeling was simr to fear. He wanted to run right away, but he hesitated because he couldn¡¯t find a reason for it. Eventually, the leopard turned around and left. ¡°Aymon, don¡¯t go!¡± He heard the sound that was chasing him. He kept running away from it. His eyes sting everytime the wind brushes past him. ¡°Aymon. Please¡­.!¡± The desperate cry grew farther and farther away. Even the sound of human footsteps stopped. The ck beast continued to run away aimlessly, enduring his erratic and painful heartache. He also crumpled his face as if he was about to cry. *** The beast hid himself in the bushes. He cleverly hid his footsteps and watched the opponent¡¯s movements. As the bluish light shone at dawn, his blue eyes also shone sharply. However, his sharp gaze flinched in surprise upon hearing a faint sound from the mansion. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ The leopard, who had been holding his breath for a long time, carefully raised his head again. As he hid himself in the bushes, his slightly protruding ears flinched. Nervousness came over him just like that. Now the beast wasn¡¯t hunting. He observed the mansion, waiting for the blonde creature that he had left behind yesterday. Not even a day had passed, and the beast had returned to that ce again. Yesterday, he ran away from her because of fear, but his instinct kicked in again. I have to go back. He couldn¡¯t erase thest image of that human from his mind. A face wet with tears and a voice that called out to him desperately. The leopard sighed and rubbed his face with his forefoot. It felt like he was hit by a wave of emotion just thinking about it. He only scratched the ground with his toenails and looked at the mansion. How long has it been? When the leaves wetted by the dew at dawn became dry again, the door finally opened. The ck leopard was surprised and hid himself again. The sound of human footsteps resounded quietly. It seemed like she took a walk. He pricked his ears and followed the sound for a long time. After a while, he mustered his courage to look over the grass and saw a human sitting in a small chair reading a book, perhaps the walk was over. That day, the leopard watched the human all day long. As if that¡¯s all he needed to do. A dark night came again, and a new morning came. Another day had passed. The leopard found the bushes again. Today was a little closer to her than yesterday. The human was no different from yesterday. She got upte and wandered around the mansion for a long time. ¡°Aymon¡­.Aymon¡­?¡± She muttered strange words for a long time. *** ¡°Will youe back if I keep waiting?¡± She muttered to herself with a tearful face, sitting in a chair as if losing motivation in living. And after thinking for a while, she picked up a book on the table. ¡°You wille. Yeah, I¡¯m sure you¡¯lle back.¡± She murmured as if chanting the vow that she made to herself, and forcing the letters into her head with much difficulty. She sat down to read the book and finally got up at lunch. ¡°Are you being mean because I told you not toe often before we got married? Since when did you really listen to me so well¡­?¡± She muttered low with a smile, but her voice gradually became watery. After staring nkly over the forest for a while, she soon entered her mansion. That day also ended like that. The leopard hid himself as he watched the mansion and the human, then returned. Even though he didn¡¯t do anything, he was strangely satisfied. When he saw her face, he felt full even if he didn¡¯t hunt. *** The next day, the beast visited the mansion again. This time, he decided to be brave. After hiding his presence, he crept closer to the human reading the book in the same posture as yesterday. Very carefully, as if approaching a rxed prey. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 He was able to showcase his stealth ability again. The leopard got into position just behind the prey without much difficulty. He stayed still just a few steps away from the chair, looking intently at her back. He trailed the lines of her elegant back and thought of how it looked weaker than a baby deer and rabbit. If he attacked now, surely she¡¯d die right away. However, instead of drawing his ws out toward the weak prey, the beast was busy exploring with his gaze, her soft-looking shoulders. His prey waspletely unaware of his presence even though he was sitting right behind her, in in sight. Being this defenseless, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be an easy prey for wild animals. Such a foolish prey. Don¡¯t you sense something is lurking right behind you? It was hard to believe that such a weakling lived alone in the middle of the forest. Even now, he could finish her off in one bite. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Aymon rested his head on his front paws. He openly seated behind her. He felt like he had to protect that weak figure. Thus, the beast sat there like a statue all day long to protect her from this dangerous forest. Until the sun slipped down from the sky and the surrounding area colored itself golden by the sunset. Belinda finally got up after spending the day eating cookies and reading books. ¡°Uhhm.¡± sping her hands together, she stretched her arms up. Perhaps she was going to return, so she began to pack up her belongings. ¡°Kyaaa!¡± After coincidentally looking back, she then screamed in surprise. It was the beast that surprised her the most. The ck leopard was startled by her scream, so he scurried away to hide behind the bushes. But itsrge body was still out in the open because it didn¡¯t mean to hide in the first ce. Why am I so surprised by that weakling? By a weak prey who seems like it could die just by getting hit by my paws? Why has my heart been beating so fast since earlier? The human made a strange face. It was a face full of emotion, a mixture of resentment and happiness, and she seemed to be on the verge of tears. It wasn¡¯t long before she began to advance slowly. The leopard backed away to avoid her. Their distance had grown again. Belinda stopped her advance. She just stood from a distance without taking her eyes off Aymon. A pair of eyes that he knew somehow were once highlighted in golden color, were now burning red. Her eyes were wet as if tears were going to drop soon. As she stood still, a faint smile rose on her face when the leopard crept up to her. Perhaps it¡¯d be the same as before even if he lost his memory, after all. A warm greeting and eyes full of affection. ¡°Are you wary because it¡¯s your first time seeing me?¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°I see my cat turned into a real cat again.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°Just like when we first met. Right?¡± There was no reaction from the beast, but she didn¡¯t stop talking for long. She couldn¡¯t help it as his presence itself was too overwhelming for her. ¡°Thank you foring. Thank you so much, Aymon.¡± Aymon, who couldn¡¯t understand humannguage, only swung his tail gently without lowering his guard. *** The warm sunlight streamed through the lush trees in the quiet forest. Only the sound of leaves shook by the soft breeze and chirping birds broke the silence. Leisurely sitting on the grass, Belinda held a book in one hand and arge stick with feathers at the tip in the other hand. Aymon¡¯s eyes were stuck toward the swaying feathers. At first, his two pupils followed the movement slowly. However, when Belinda threw the branch he jumped right away and caught it with his muzzle at once. In a swift and clean movement as if preying on a running deer. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Then he froze for a while, perhaps stunned by his own act. What the hell am I doing right now? It felt like he was teased by this golden creature. But he couldn¡¯t help it. His mind and body kept moving out of control whenever he was right next to her. He could feel the blonde woman smiled at him. Meanwhile, Aymon just walked through fallen leaves and sat behind her as if nothing happened. ¡°You used to y like this.¡± The woman muttered unknown words again. He couldn¡¯t understand humannguage. Aymon pretended not to hear it and buried his face on his front paws. He wanted to protect this weak prey who yed with him. It became a routine thatsted for more than two weeks. A routine that became his goal in life for no apparent reason. Aymon, who had beenzing around, jumped up all of a sudden. He felt an unfamiliar smell from a distance. It was different from Belinda¡¯s sweet scent. Grrr¡­¡­ Aymon bared his fangs toward the forest. Belinda carefully approached him when he hardened his muscle as if to leap out right away. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for them toe.¡± Aymon didn¡¯t loosen his guard despite her gentle tone that rang as if to soothe him. I can¡¯t help it. The human next to me is living alone in this dangerous forest. I must protect her. ¡°Aymon. Don¡¯t attack them. Those who will arrive soon are my precious people.¡± Atst, Aymon hid his fangs due to his gentlemand. Aymon. His heart fluttered wildly each time she said that strange word. His throat felt itchy thanks to the unknown emotion that rose within him. Belinda hesitated for a while before raising her hand. It was an attempt to smooth Aymon¡¯s fur. But she flinched because the leopard bared his fangs once again as if threatening her. She wasn¡¯t allowed to touch him yet. ¡°Why are you sticking to me when you don¡¯t want me to touch you? So you cane closer but I can¡¯t do the same?¡± Grrrr¡­.. ¡°Alright. Alright. I got it, so stop being angry, Aymon.¡± ¡®Aymon.¡¯ As soon as he heard that sweet word, he loosened his tense expression again as if he was bewitched. ¡°Geez, you¡¯re so feisty.¡± Belinda smiled, prepared to wee the guests. She shielded him in case the others were startled to see this big cat. The others would recognize him right away, but right now he was only a beast who relied on his instinct, not a Shinsu. ¡°Princess!¡± Lucy, who was rushing toward Belinda originally wanted to hug her tightly, but then she gave up on the urge. Because she knew about Belinda¡¯s physical condition. So instead of hugging the princess, Lucy bagan to nag. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten thinner.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just the same as ever.¡± Lucy carefully patted Belinda¡¯s forearms with a sad look. ¡°Look at how much you got thinner! Are you eating well? Should I just take care of you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Ore back to the imperial pce. Please?¡± Belinda shook her head slowly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I feel like my heart will break if I stay in the pce.¡± Belinda¡¯s days in the Imperial Pce were only filled with suffering. She missed Aymon so much. Atst, she came here. If Aymon was still alive, he might visit this ce. She barely hung on to that weak expectation, so she couldn¡¯t possibly return to the pce. After calming down Lucy who kept crying at her departure, she came here to live by herself. She lived in solitude and received food once every fifteen days. She endured her longing, wishing Aymon woulde back someday. ¡°I¡¯m really the same. It¡¯s only been fifteen days since west saw each other.¡± ¡°But, but¡­.¡± Lucy stammered. She originally had a lot to say. She wanted to persuade Belinda so she would return to the pce, move on and regain her life. But Lucy couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak more because she knew Belinda¡¯s feelings. She just bowed her head deeply in sadness. She recalled how Belinda was no different than a withering flower while living in the pce. Day by day passed, she only sat by the window and cried looking at the forest. She teared up as she missed the one who got away. When Belinda came to this small mansion, she seemed to regain her energy little by little, so Lucy couldn¡¯t dissuade her from living alone. Lart, who stood next to Lucy like a wooden stone, sighed deeply and put down the basket. It was filled with freshly baked bread, cookies, fruits, dried meat and some cooked food. Amid his busy schedule as the new emperor, he never skipped going back and forth to deliver the food for his half-sister. ¡°Lucy is right. I¡¯d be best if you return, Belinda. ¡°I¡¯m not going back.¡± Belinda answered so firmly that it made Lart heave another sigh. ¡°What¡¯s the point of waiting for a beast that won¡¯te back? We don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s alive or not.¡± His sentence was filled with bitterness. It pained him whenever he saw Belinda waiting for a beast, that no-one knew if it was alive or not. He wished for her to forget everything and start anew. He felt suffocated whenever he saw Belinda enduring everything alone in a secluded ce. He felt pity for her. He couldn¡¯t imagine how hard it would be to endure everything alone. But Belinda just smiled. ¡°No. He¡¯s not dead.¡± ¡°What do you mean? You don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s alive or not.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. He¡¯s back.¡± ¡°He¡¯s¡­what?¡± Lart asked back in bewilderment. Who¡¯s back? Don¡¯t tell me¡­. No way! Come to think of it, Belinda¡¯s expression look brighter than . So Lart looked around in a hurry. ¡°Agh!¡± Then he staggered in surprise. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 105 Chapter 105 TL/PR : Nesta/ YoruNoTsuki It was a very undignified attitudeing from the emperor of this great nation, but he couldn¡¯t help it. There was a ck beast who was staring back at him. A ck beast crouched in the shadow below the white mansion. His eyes shone brightly in the darkness as if threatening the emperor. Aymon was just there watching the human reunion. Before Lart and Lucy arrived, Belinda pointed toward one corner. ¡°Just stay there for a second, okay? Do you understand?¡± That¡¯s what she said. Of course, Aymon didn¡¯t understand a single word she said. He barely understood when Belinda kept pointing somewhere and using hand gestures to imitate crouching. Are you telling me to wait here? Strangely enough, Aymon followed this weak prey¡¯s order obediently. He trudged defeatedly and plopped down there. The voice of that weak and pretty golden creature seemed to have an unknown power on him. In any case, Lart hopped to hide Lucy behind his back. Aymon didn¡¯t even react. He just closed his eyesnguidly and swung his tail as if annoyed. ¡°S-Since when¡­.?¡± When Lart stuttered the question, Belinda looked up at the tree on the left and began to count with her fingers. ¡°Um¡­about fifteen days ago?¡± ¡°Does he remember you?¡± ¡°No. But he¡¯s still as nice as before. He¡¯s a good boy.¡± Lart smiled vainly. He can¡¯t be as nice as before, though. You talk like he¡¯s always been nice in the past. That ck leopard is the most impudent creature I¡¯ve ever met. Lart nced at Aymon again, and once their gaze met, he hurriedly looked away. Looking at the transformation stone embedded in his forehead or his majestic form, he was definitely Aymon. The ck leopard who once ruled over the forest, Aymon. Only then did Lart ask in a saddened voice. ¡°Then, will youe back to the pce?¡± ¡°Um¡­..¡± Belinda looked back at Aymon. He was still there with her now, but it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he left all of a sudden. The current Aymon was driven by instincts instead of intelligence, and right now, he was a beast, not a Shinsu. An untamed beast. ¡°I¡¯ll just stay here.¡± In response to Belinda¡¯s calm answer, Lart sighed for a long time. ¡°But with that body¡­.you¡­.gosh¡­¡± He heaved a deep sigh after mumbling anxiously, thinking that he wouldn¡¯t be able to dissuade her. Belinda stroked her abdomen gently as if it became a habit of hers and smiled with ease. ¡°The sun is going down. You should return now.¡± Lart and Lucy had to return by themselves again this time, leaving Belinda alone. But there was something different than before; Belinda didn¡¯t look lonely anymore. Aymon approached arge basket and sniffed it. It seemed like he was going to check first before she ate it. He poked the basket with his nose. Fortunately, there was nothing dangerous inside. Inside it was apples, bread and dried meat, which Lucy prepared after considering the nutritional value. However, Aymon stared at it with a dissatisfied gaze. He couldn¡¯t smell the raw blood. You¡¯re weak because you have only eaten things like this. Belinda saw that he looked unhappy with something and was growling right after, wrinkling his nose. Belinda walked up to the angry beast and calmly reached out to the back of Aymon¡¯s neck as he was upied with the basket. This is my chance! I¡¯m gonna touch him! However, she couldn¡¯t even touch the tip of his fur. Grrrrrr¡­¡­ Because the ck leopard growled dangerously. He allowed her to get close, but it seemed like he hadn¡¯t allowed her to touch her yet. When on earth are you going to let me touch you again? However, Belinda smiled patiently. ¡°You know, when you were a very small cat, your front paws were so cute that it felt like a cotton ball. Because you never used your ws against me.¡± Aymon didn¡¯t even pretend to listen, and crouched down again after checking the basket. ¡°But now, I feel like I¡¯m going to die if I get hit by your paws. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t hug you like I used to do.¡± She mumbled words that he couldn¡¯t understand, but he felt rxed for some reason and closed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t hit me, okay? Because I¡¯m not the only one who will be hurt if you do that, you see.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Aymon curled up more as he was feeling rxed by Belinda¡¯s gentle tone. He couldn¡¯t understand her words, but he knew that he shouldn¡¯t hurt that human. Belinda took one step away and sat on the ground. The only thing that lingered between them was silence, yet it wasn¡¯t awkward. It was a calm evening between a beast and a human. *** As the morning sun shone over the curtains, Belinda woke up due to the blinding lights. The cool morning breeze permeated through the window, but the warm sun gently melted her body. Like a sort of habit, she touched the empty spot next to her. It was cold as always, but it didn¡¯t feel lonely anymore because she knew what waited for her just over the window. Belinda stretched her body and went into the bathroom. After she took a refreshing bath, she squeezed her wet hair gently and opened the door. She couldn¡¯t wait to see her ck panther. The air outside was cool, furthermore the green and yellow leaves looked especially vibrant. Facing the lively morning forest, her heart glowed warmly as if it got sprinkled by gold powder. She felt like only good things will happen from now on. Until she saw a wild boar lying dead on her doorstep. ¡°Kyaaa!¡± The mountain birds scattered in the air at her scream. Mazetto, who perched on a branch of the nearby tree, also flew up in the air. ¡°What the? What the hell! What is that!!¡± Belinda pressed her pounding heart. There was a wild boar in front of her and Mazzeto, who¡¯d flown back, was now on her shoulder. Surprisingly, there seemed to be a big simrity between the two. Both are preys that Aymon probably brought as a gift. But, there was also a big difference: Mazzeto was alive, unlike the wild boar. Aymon was the only beast who could do this. It was clear that her cute and fierce leopard brought it to take care of her. Just as he used to y-bite Mazetto then drop him. Belinda closed her eyes and slowly rubbed Mazetto¡¯s chubby belly. When she stroked the warm feathers, her shocked heart began to calm down. ¡°What brings you here, Mazetto?¡± ¡°I heard Aymon is here! But Mazetto was shocked to see him here! I love it! I¡¯m really, really happy!¡± Mazetto made a fuss and pped his tiny wings in excitement. The wind blew to Belinda¡¯s ear whenever he pped his tiny wings. Recently, the small sparrow settled in Lucy¡¯s room. He used to stay in Aymon¡¯s mansion, but the sadness was unbearable whenever he felt Aymon¡¯s absence. He just bawled and eventually left his nest. He seemed to have flown immediately after he heard the news yesterday, that Aymon had returned. ¡°I¡¯m going to live here now! I¡¯m going to stay with Aymon and Belinda! Mazetto is not sad anymore!¡± Ignoring Mazetto¡¯s chatter, Belinda looked at the tree trunk behind the flower bush. Aymon sat rxedly while looking at her. What do you think of my present? You¡¯re thankful, right? Was the thought he conveyed through his gaze. That¡¯s right. Aymon used to give Mazetto as a gift. But the size of the boar was too much. She was worried about how to react to this. It was difficult to tell him to stop doing this with a straight face. She was happy¡­.but she was scared that he¡¯d bring another preyter. Belinda, who was agonizing over it, carefully approached Aymon. She gently soothed the leopard who was looking at her. ¡°Aymon. I¡¯m thankful, but¡­¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°I have my own food. You can have all of this for yourself. You don¡¯t have to bring me food anymore.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°Do you understand? Hmm? Don¡¯t just listen. Please give me an answer. Can you pretend to meow or something?¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ A one-sided conversation continued between a quiet leopard and a human who kept talking to herself. Belinda began to exin to Aymon using hand and foot gestures. Saying that she appreciated his gift, but she didn¡¯t need a wild boar and wanted to decline his gift. Aymon didn¡¯t seem to understand despite her effort tomunicate, so Belinda only shook her head without erasing her smile. Meanwhile, Aymon was troubled. He pitied her for being skinny since she couldn¡¯t hunt for herself, so he gave her food. But the reaction was ambiguous. At first, she screamed and then muttered iprehensible words. It seemed like she was thankful, but he also felt like she wanted to say something else, so it made him feel frustrated. Whatever. Justpliment me. Aymon raised his chin gracefully. He meant to ask for a head pat. He unconsciously was making an old habit gesture. It made the human being in front of him open her eyes wide and soon reached out to him carefully. Aymon could feel that her white fingertips were shaking. The emotion felt in the tremor was different from fear. Soon, a warm hand stroked his chin and then began rubbing the back of his neck. Feeling good about her gentle touch, Aymon closed his eyes and rubbed his cheeks against her feet. He didn¡¯t hate it. That human was quite impudent forying her hand on him, but his body melted by her touch. It made him want to roll on the ground and rub his cheek at her feet more. He let go of his pride and swayed his tail uncontrobly. Every touch of that human exuded a sweet scent. It was a scent that made him miss something very much. His heart was itching, he wanted to pounce on her right away, but he endured it. His blood rushed wildly each time he saw the creature in front of him. His heart was pounding, and a feeling simr to nervousness made him shudder, but he couldn¡¯t even define what this emotion was. He wanted to pounce on her right away. He wanted to rub his face on that slender neck. He wanted to feel the soft skin while smelling the fragrant scent. But that doesn¡¯t mean that he wanted to sink his fangs in that skin¡­.he wanted to tease her by licking her soft skin¡­. The prey in front of him incited a different desire of conquest in him. ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 106 Chapter 106 TL/PR Nesta/YoruNoTsuki Aymon didn¡¯t want to admit these strange feelings, so he just bared his fangs. Grrr¡­.. Belinda¡¯s hand flinched at the face of threat. She wondered whether it was a sign to stop and slowly withdraw her fingers. If she treats him carelessly like she did in the past, he might really bite her nape. But Aymon went after Belinda¡¯s retreating hand, shoved his head to it and rubbed his cheek on her palm. Even so, he didn¡¯t forget to growl for the sake of the little pride he had left. Atst, Belinda burst outughing. ¡°You¡¯re really adorable. Why are you rubbing your cheeks while baring your teeth?¡± Such a mismatched attitude where he growled but bluntly followed her was something that resembled his old self, and it brought her joy. ¡°You¡¯re really the same. You¡¯re really the same as before.¡± Her shoulders trembled as she giggled. But that cheerful gesture soon came to a stop. Tears welled up in her eyes following theughter. She tried to swallow the tears from spilling over, but tears streamed down her face. Belinda sniffled back some tears and rubbed her wet cheeks with sleeve. Her eyes quickly turned red. My sweetheart is right in front of me, but he¡¯s not who he used to be. She could only remember the warm arms that embraced her and thenguid whispers to her ears. He was right in front of her, but he was not here at the same time, and she wondered if she could touch him, but her spirit crumbled like grains of sand. Aymon could only blink as he was stunned by the sudden twist. ¡°You fool!¡± Mazetto, who had been watching quietly, flew at Aymon as he couldn¡¯t hold back his anger anymore. ¡°Fool! Fool!¡± He let fly at Aymon with his wings and trampled on Aymon¡¯s shoulder. The small sparrow¡¯s feet wouldn¡¯t make a scratch on Aymon¡¯s hard muscle, but it was the best attack Mazeto could make. ¡°You like to act smart, but you forgot everything! You don¡¯t even know that Belinda cried everyday!¡± He trampled and even jabbed his beak on Aymon. Aymon could only stare nkly at Belinda without caring whether Mazetto hit him or not. He couldn¡¯t tell why it was so suffocating to watch this gentle golden woman shaking her shoulders and dropping water from her eyes. ¡°Fool! You foolish idiot! Now that you¡¯ve forgotten everything, are you going to eat me too, huh! Why?!¡± Since then, Mazetto¡¯s angry scream did not stop. Despite that, Aymon didn¡¯t even think of chasing the little bird away. All he did was staring and staring at the tears falling through her fingers. *** Aymon looked at the brown-haired man fiercely. His eyes looked like he¡¯d pounce on that man 10 times or more if he could, but he endured it because of Belinda. ¡°T,Then I¡¯ll be on my way, Princess!¡± After examining Belinda, the man ran in a cold sweat and disappeared into the forest. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. He¡¯s a doctor. That means he¡¯s a good person.¡± When Belinda whispered as she came close, Aymon let out a growl instead of answering. It hadn¡¯t been long since they were together, but he became a pretty obedient cat. Even if a stranger came in and out, he only threatened and watched them closely. Perhaps he disliked the lingering smell around the mansion, Aymon paced around the area and wed the tree. It was his way to vent his anger. Belinda also hummed as she followed Aymon around, and only stopped when his anger seemed to have subsided a little. ¡°Aymon. You don¡¯t have to give me your preys anymore. I can¡¯t eat those.¡± Belinda said, sitting with her legs stretched near Aymon, who crouched next to a flower bushes. Aymon, who first brought a boar,ter brought a smaller animal. He seemed to have misunderstood that her scream at the sight of a wild boar signifies something else. For example, ¡®It was too big to eat!¡¯ She wanted to ept Aymon¡¯s gift no matter what it was, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for the small animal. Aymon closed his eyesnguidly, perhaps because he couldn¡¯t understand a word she said. Belinda shook her head again because Aymon seemed to be seriously thinking, ¡®What kind of delicious meal I can get you next time?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m serious. You don¡¯t have to bring those anymore. You¡¯ve been doing it before¡­.but I really should refrain from getting surprised now. Because I get surprised every morning when I see the animal you bring, you see.¡± She lifted Aymon¡¯s front paw ever so carefully. His fur pricked up due to the shock, but he made no threatening gesture. Perhaps he was already ustomed to her touch to some degree. ¡°Do you want to touch it?¡± Belinda ced Aymon¡¯s front paws carefully on her stomach. ¡°How is it? Do you feel anything? The doctor said there should be some movement by now.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°You¡¯ll be able to feel it more than I do. You¡¯re more sensitive than a human, after all.¡± Aymon, who couldn¡¯t even understand a simple word like ¡®Hello¡¯, just stared nkly at his paw while she was talking. Something feels strange. Something¡¯s very strange, but¡­.. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Your paw is too heavy.¡± Belinda then removed the paw that moved awkwardly around her belly and began to stroke his beautiful and shiny fur gently. ¡°You are going to stay next to me like this, right?¡± Grrr. A growl rising in his throat as if responding to her positively. The corner of Belinda¡¯s mouth rose up. How could you act like you were answering me when you don¡¯t even understand what I said? ¡°Yes, thanks. You don¡¯t have to remember me. You just need to stay by my side like this. Please watch over me like that. Then I, I mean we could ¡­.¡± Belinda swallowed the words that were rising in her throat. An overwhelming emotion made her unable to finish the sentence. She couldn¡¯t bear to face Aymon when he only looked at his front paw with a clueless expression and gently touching her lower belly. She wanted to hide the eyes that started getting moist. That night. The time when the moonlight began to fuse into halo. The beast stepped through the enveloping darkness. Shadow as ck as his fur was covering the forest. Only the beautiful shining eyes of the beast emerge to pierce the night. Aymon walked through the tall trees that seemed to towering into the sky, then proceeded to enter the mansion. As soon as he got in, someone¡¯s fragrant smell weed him. It was a ticklish smell that incited a strange urge every time he smelled it. He cast a long shadow as he stood quietly beside her. He always hovered around her, but he never actually came in here. Belinda¡¯s golden hair scattered messily on the bed. It was so dark that outside the window looked like a bottomless pit, but the human who was bathed in the moonlight sparkled brightly. Since the mansion was a closed space, only her smell lingered everywhere. It was calm and still, undisturbed by the winds. Aymon bowed to rub his nose against her nape. A fragrant smell rose as their warmth mingled. He could feel a sweet quiver running through his body. Perhaps it was ticklish, she lightly pushed him back in her sleep and chuckled. ¡°It tickles, Aymon¡­.¡± It was a voice which blended vaguely between reality and dream. Just like before, she thought that her cat was tickling her like a dream. Aymon pretended to mull over something for a moment, and then lowered his head again. Unlike before, her stomach was bulging a little. It gives off a strange feeling, so he just scratches his paws on the floor for no reason. Aymon looked down at her messy nightgown and put his face closer on that thin cloth. He put his cheek on her stomach as if he was possessed. The warmth felt under the thin silk, a sweet smell of flesh, and¡­.. Aymon backed off in surprise. Even the crickets slept in silence, and only a beating heart was heard. But what struck him like a thunderbolt was the heartbeat of an unknown creature. It¡¯s not his or that blonde woman¡¯s, but it was a very small and delicate sound. Just hearing it makes every strand of his fur stand on end. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Aymon couldn¡¯t even move for a while. Standing silently under the moonlight, he stared at Belinda in daze as if facing an unknown creature. He stood there like a lost child, listening to her breathing. ¡°Aymon?¡± Belinda, who slowly opened her eyes, called him while rubbing her eyes. She glimpsed the ck beast standing by the window when she was tossing and turning in her sleep. ¡°How did you get inside? Thank you foring.¡± Mumbling softly, she reached out toward Aymon. Come here. At her low whisper, Aymon approached quietly as if pulled by a leash. Then he stared at her stomach, bowed his nose to sniff it. As if he did it involuntarily. Belinda held the beast¡¯s head over her thin cloth. Although he was currently a beast that lost its intelligence, she had a faith that he wouldn¡¯t attack her. And her faith was right. Before, he would have shown his fangs and threatened her, but the huge beast did not rebel and allowed her touch. Did he feel something instinctively? The stiff and stern beast was obedient to her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡± Belinda pushed him closer to her belly and began to whisper quietly. ¡°I feel a bubbleing up from my stomach earlier, but the doctor said, oh my-¡± Belinda, who was speaking cherfully, shook her shoulders in surprise. She felt a slight movement in her stomach as if it was reacting to her words. A tiny movement that she would never have felt if she didn¡¯t pay attention. Aymon froze in bewilderment. He lifted up his face stiffly and twitched his ears. In the darkness, among her breathing sounds, the ¡®thud¡¯ sound that he heard earlier resonated again. The hot blood rushed up his body, and the strange feelings seemed to stir and poke each cell in his body, as if dug into the divinity that hidden deep within him. ¡°Aymon?¡± Aymon froze in ce with a shaky eyes, but he turned his back in surprise as soon as his name was called. The bewildered beast ended up running away. ¡°Aymon¡­.¡± Belinda, who was left behind, stared nkly at the empty room. Then she bowed her head and gently stroked her stomach. It seemed that Aymon¡¯s warmth still lingered on her skin. A bitter smile descended over her gloomy face. She decided to get used to it. She was supposed to wait. Keep living by embracing the longing and feelings alone, so getting a cold response shouldn¡¯t be a big deal. ¡°Daddy must have been very surprised. Right, baby?¡± What a foolish cat¡­. She murmured to herself along with a sigh. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki The beast ran and ran. A raging anxiety lurked close by just like the moonlight shadow pursuing him. Huff, huff. As he panted heavily, a voice inside was speaking out to him. A voice that connected the past and present and was sharply piercing his mind. ¡°I only need you.¡± As if an old fossil came back to life, someone¡¯s voice that had been hiding in his innermost self melted and dripped down. ¡°We can meet again. So don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re a good boy, right?¡± He heard the voice of an unknown person from a distant past. The voice of someone who had to forsake their life because they chose him. Even at death¡¯s door, with a bloodied body, she spoke softly as she pushed all her remaining divinity into him. The throbbing pain was squeezing his heart. Suddenly, Aymon stopped running. His rough breathing echoed through the quiet forest. ¡°You are going to stay by my side, right?¡± Atst, he recalled the human¡¯s whisper as she stroked him. A low voice that was engraved deeply with pain and longing. The beast slowly lowered his head. Thump, thump. A voice that filled up his mind like a hallucination was lighting up his heart. *** When did I fall asleep again? Belinda blinked vacantly. Just now, she was staring nkly at the door from where Aymon left and wasid down. They said that being pregnant would make one fall asleep all day, and it seems to be especially true for her. After calling Aymon a foolish cat, she just closed her eyes and suddenly fell into slumber. Until now. Rustling on the bed, she raised her aching body only to discover two bright blue eyes. ¡°¡­.Aymon?¡± When she called him, he, who looked down at her, pulled out a wry face. Veins were bulging over the back of his clenched hands due to unbearable emotions. Belinda finally smiled lightly. Ahh, this must be a dream. She easily concluded that it was a dream. For Aymon, who wasn¡¯t a ck beast but a human, to be around like this. The eyes that looked down at her painfully were wet under the moonlight. It was unmistakably a dream, but still a pleasant one regardless. Belinda slowly stretched her arms toward her mate, whom she met again in a daydream. ¡°Why are you crying? This is supposed to be a sweet dream.¡± I¡¯ve never met you even once in my dream before like this, so you¡¯re supposed to be happy. Only the blood-soaked Aymon appeared in her dream. Only thest image of him turning his back on her appeared in her dream. Each time, she would wake up from her dream with a cold sweat, reaching out her hand. But it was different this time. Aymon was right in front of her. It was a happy dream from which she didn¡¯t want to wake up. Soon a solid arm pulled her and embraced her tightly. Aymon buried his face on Belinda¡¯s neck and rubbed his lips, arms trembling a bit. As if afraid of getting separated again, they desperately found each other and shared a heartfelt embrace. He faced her again, with a pleading look as if he was some sort of devout believer of god. A hot lump rose from his throat. ¡°Breedee. Breedee.¡± So many words were swirling within him, but none of them were able toe out. If he opened his mouth, he was afraid that these irrepressible emotions would cascade down like a waterfall, so he was barely able to call out her name. Pieces of jumbled memories flooded back. Just like the water filling the empty spring, only relief and joy filled him to the brim once again. This body. It was Belinda¡¯s. Even though he wandered around the forest as a beast, his throat was always dry of the burning thirst as if walking aimlessly through the deste desert. But he was always filled with confusion. Because she wasn¡¯t present in his life. Because he forgot her like a fool. ¡°Aymon?¡± In disbelief, Belinda nced down at him, who buried himself in her neck. Embracing her earnestly, he then nestled in her chest as if slowly copsing. Belinda hugged him and relished herself in the warmth that touched her. He clung to her and asked to be spoiled like he did in the past. Can a dream be this vivid? It feels like Aymon is really back. If she just wake up from her dream right now, she didn¡¯t think she can handle the overflowing sorrow. The happiness that she tasted for a moment was so vivid. Belinda smiled bitterly and swept his hair. She patted him very gently like soothing a child who trembled in anxiety. ¡°You know. Even when I died a long time ago¡­. You had the exact same face as the one I¡¯m seeing now. You look like you¡¯re about to cry.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°You haven¡¯t changed, my dear cat.¡± Belinda recited like a whisper, and soon leaned her cheek against his head. It was rather sad because of how vivid the touch was. She pretended to be alright, but all of that was something she wanted the most. She wanted to be hugged by Aymon more than anything else right now. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you both in our previous life and this life. You won¡¯t know unless I express it, but I kept it hidden in my heart then and still nowadays.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°I love you, Aymon. I always loved you. When I was Lapyan, and when I met you again in this life.¡± Belinda blurted out a confession she couldn¡¯t say for a long time, and hugged him tightly in her chest. Tears dripped down one by one. ¡°You must have a hard time by yourself, right? You must be very lonely.¡± Belinda pulled him deeper into her embrace, showing sympathy of Aymon, who wandered alone in his past life. Losing him now was nothingpared to what he went through. Aymon struggled through a few dreadful reincarnation all by himself. He had to endure the longing for Belinda until he closed his eyes again in loneliness. Hundreds of years ago, Aymon went on a rampage, even going as far as killing the Shinsu and humans all because of her. Like a fool, she only remembered it now after all this time. Even at that time, Belinda, who was born again, this time as a member of the Imperial family, was unable to recognize her true self and caused him to run rampage again after she got killed in an ident. If she had known beforehand, she¡¯d probably be able to prevent it. She left her beast sumbs in sorrow and guilt all alone, resulting in him going crazy. At that time, too, she left him so easily. She always took up the role of leaving Aymon. And it is always Aymon¡¯s role to be left behind. So it¡¯s only right for me to miss you in this life. If this was indeed her sin, all she needed to do was to wait until her end came. It was her bitter share of this life. The sin she had to pay for pushing him into the depths of loneliness. Oh my pitiful cat. Because of me, you¡­ But before she could utter her apology inwardly, Aymon whispered an apology first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, so sorry.¡± Belinda¡¯s body tensed up. His voice was too realistic to be a dream. The hot tears that fell were also very realistic. Tears welled up on his eyes and it seemed to cut through her heart. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for being greedy for you in the first ce. It¡¯s my fault that I was helpless when you died, that I died countless times without recognizing you, and forgot everything when I met you again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for dumping everything on you and running away by myself. Forgive me, Breedee.¡± His confession shocked her like a tree caught in a storm, and wreaked havoc in her mind like it was a battlefield. But the sincerity contained in his words prickled Belinda¡¯s heart like a thorn. So she grabbed her sinking heart and clenched it painfully. Ah¡­. Only then she realized. It was really Aymon. His tears seeped into her thin nightgown. Her shoulders were getting wet with the hot water streaming from his eyes. It wasn¡¯t a dream. The beast, who had been staring at her with an unfamiliar gaze as if he was meeting her for the first time everytime they met in the garden, finally turned into her lover and returned to her. As if pouring out his love, he hugged her and cried in silence. ¡°Aymon.¡± She recited his name in disbelief. It seemed like an illusion, but the warmth she felt throughout her body was unmistakably his. It was Aymon. The precious cat who loved and treasured her more than anyone else. Mypanion is back! ¡°Aymon. Aymon.¡± She repeatedly called her name while sobbing. Aymon, raised his body, and hugged Belinda tightly in his arms. With much difficulty, Belinda finally let out a choked out breath. His solid arms swept up her trembling back to soothe her. Each time his big, warm palms grazed her gently, Belinda dropped a tear. ¡°Why, why¡­¡± Why did only youe back now? She wanted to be angry at him, but she couldn¡¯t do that because her joy overflowed her anger. She was so happy, but she kept crying due to the pain of the endless waiting. So many months of intense longing. She believed he woulde back, but she also struggled in the anxiety of losing him forever. But he appeared in front of her again. She didn¡¯t have to pretend to be strong anymore. She didn¡¯t have to feign a smile as if everything was alright. Even if she burst into tears and copsed, she once again had someone to lean on . ¡°Foolish cat¡­.¡± The repressed anger began to seethe. So Belinda raised her fist and swung it to his chest. Aymon carefully wrapped her hand and pushed his fingers between hers. Upon feeling the ovepping warmth, Belinda shrunk her shoulder and cried again and again. Uwaaaa- She cried loudly like a child. The repressed emotion flooded in as if it just exploded. ¡°Why did only youe back now? Why¡­?!¡± You don¡¯t even know what I felt while waiting for you. You don¡¯t even know how much my heart broke watching you growling at me without remembering anything. Aymon fully took in all the pouring resentment in his heart and kissed her eyelids. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Breedee. You must have suffered a lot. Please forgive me.¡± Along with a gentle kiss, he whispered. Throughout the night, his confession was calm but hot. Every sentence was apanied with tears. Belinda fell down and grabbed his fingers. She pulled his fingers close to her and leaned on him as if clinging. Watching such Belinda, Aymon embraced her endlessly. Only then their cold fingertips began to warm up. The two were silent. Her trembling shoulders and asional sobbing was the only thing disturbing the sorrowful silence of that night. They did not separate until the moon went down and the morning sun came. As if they didn¡¯t want to be away from each other again. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 TL/PR: Nesta/YoruNoTsuki Belinda was mesmerized by the beauty of the man she hadn¡¯t seen for a long time. The midday light rays fell over the man¡¯s hair like an illusion. As she tilted her head slightly, the eyes that were seen through his long eyshes were shining. That delicately-crafted man had been attacked mercilessly by a small sparrow. ¡°Fool!¡± In a voice full of anger, the sparrow stomped on the top of his head. The man only looked down and did not retaliate at all. ¡°Stupid!!¡± The sparrow yanked the man¡¯s ck hair with his tiny feet. The sparrow then shouted again as he messed up the man¡¯s hair. ¡°You bastard!¡± Only then the man reacted after so long. ¡°¡­..Aren¡¯t you going overboard, Mazetto?¡± ¡°You bastard! You cowardly beast!¡± pping his wings, Mazetto snatched a bundle of Aymon¡¯s hair. He pulled it up and messed it up again. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aymon couldn¡¯t refute him. He had no choice but to ept the sparrow¡¯s attack, making an expression as if he was some sort of notorious criminal. In other words, he had a big sense of resignation. Anyway, he didmit a crime. So wasn¡¯t Mazetto¡¯s anger very justified? Because he knew his sins better than anyone else, the forest¡¯s apex predator endured the attack from his prey. Mazetto had almost fainted this morning. He woke up after sleepingfortably in a soft nest made by secretly pulling out Aymon¡¯s fur. ¡®The Shinsu who turned into an idiot has turned into an amazing human again!¡¯ Aymon is back! He turned into a very dignified human whose eyes were filled with intelligence. He was a beast who dared to growl at Belinda just yesterday. A beast who pettily raised his guard using his fangs whenever she tried to touch him. You¡¯d surely regret it once you remember, you know! Anyway, he flew to the backyard today in hopes to secretly peck at Aymon¡¯s tail again. But then he saw Aymon sitting against a tree with Belinda leaning on his chest. For a brief moment, Mazetto wondered if this was a dream and mmed his body to the tree nearby. It hurt like hell. So it was a reality, after all. So Mazetto flew frantically and cried out ¡®Aymoooooon¡¯, repeatedly calling out his name. Belinda already prepared cookies for the hysterical Mazetto and moved it to the table so he could eat it. Soon enough, Mazetto, who returned to his senses, began to attack Aymon again, funneling his anger on his feet. ¡°Stupid! Fool!¡± You don¡¯t even know how much Belinda cried! He was a bird who had been watching her closer than anyone else as she lived in Aymon¡¯s mansion, to be precise, the mansion which Aymon left and was upied by Belinda alone. Then she waited for Aymon to regain his memory in desperation. Even after the cold moon began to vanish, Belinda couldn¡¯t sleep and cried all night. He watched how she struggled to swallow her sadness. That¡¯s why he attacked Aymon relentlessly. ¡®Aymon deserves to be scolded! Belinda forgave him too easily, but I can¡¯t do that!¡¯ Mazetto pped his wings and kept on attacking Aymon, until he was exhausted in the end. Lying on Belinda¡¯s palm, he kept ring at Aymon. ¡°Are you not mad anymore, Mazetto?¡± Aymon asked very carefully and tried to pet Mazetto. ¡°Chirp!¡± The little bird pecked on the back of his hand mercilessly, so he had no choice but to withdraw his hand. ¡°Fool! Foolish Aymon!¡± Mazetto¡¯s pent up anger didn¡¯t seem to dissipate easily. The one who used to rule over the Shinsu, and also the king of the forest, was looking anxiously at the small sparrow. Belinda watched such a scene without missing anything and smiled while rubbing her stomach. ¡°Did you see that? Daddy is being scolded by a cute sparrow.¡± Both the timid Aymon or the angry Mazetto were very lovely. *** It was time for the sun to disappear over the mountain, but the final spark of the sun was still as dazzling as ever. The radiant golden sunlight declined over the window. ¡°Princess!¡± ¡°Belinda!¡± Two people barged in at dusk, panting heavily. Unable to keep their bnce, one held the shelf and the other held the table for a support. They were Lart and Lucy. The two rushed wildly after hearing from Mazetto that ¡®Aymon is back¡¯. The great Emperor and his fiancee abandoned dignity or such and rushed here frantically. Lart¡¯s shoes were covered with dirt and Lucy¡¯s dress was wrinkled all over the ce. The two breathed heavily as they couldn¡¯t regain theirposure yet. Then they saw a man quietly give them a ss of water and screamed at the same time. ¡°Aymon!¡± ¡°Aymon?!¡± Aymon slightly narrowed his forehead, perhaps their scream had given him a headache. After calming down a bit, Lucy and Lart sat on the chairs with elegance. As if they were never making a fuss in the first ce, they straighten their back and take a firm posture. Although they came running like crazy upon hearing Aymon had regained his memory, in reality they held the most dignified position in the empire. Lart was the Emperor, and Lucy was going to be the next empress. Outside the mansion, hidden in the bushes, there would have been guards who followed them. They probably watched over Lart and Lucy with a puzzled expression. Lucy took the cup Belinda gave her and put it slowly on her lips. She nced at Aymon as if digging through him. There was a glint of resentment in Lucy¡¯s calm gaze. At first, she came running with joy, but there¡¯s no way she could bring herself to wee Aymon who hurt the Princess. If she could, she wanted to give him a hell of a curse, but of course it was impossible. Her stomach was boiling. All she could do was to stare at him with the most condescending gaze as much as possible. She swallowed the warm tea and looked at Aymon. She stretched out her hand at the cookie and looked at him again. Aymon calmly held out against Lucy¡¯s gaze, but in the end, he picked up the tea cup to avoid her gaze. But it was Lart¡¯s tea that Aymon drank in fact. So Lart, who got his tea stolen, only blinks with a puzzled expression. But Aymon didn¡¯t even bat an eye. ¡°Excuse me, Aymon.¡± Tak. Lucy, who put down her tea cup, called him with a trembling voice. Instead of answering, he only looked up after putting down Lart¡¯s teacup ¡°I¡¯m really¡­really sorry, Aymon. But can I ask you one thing?¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± When Aymon calmly gave permission, Lucy looked over Aymon¡¯s head. Chirp! Chirp! Mazetto had been pulling up Aymon¡¯s hair without mercy. Mazetto stopped his attack when Belinda and Aymon returned to the mansion at dusk. However, the attack resumed as soon as Lart and Lucy appeared. Chirp, chirp! Lucy, who was looking at Mazetto with envious eyes, mustered her courage. ¡°Aymon. Can I curse at you too just once? I don¡¯t think I can sleep well at this rate¡­.¡± Lucy pleaded with the most serious expression, though there was a great fear written all over her face, but she also wore a determined expression as if she could never back down. In fact, from the first time they met, she had a strong urge to swear at him and use violence. However, Lucy couldn¡¯t do any of those, so all she could do was curse with her eyes and envied the small sparrow who could attack so freely. How hard was it for the Princess? She cried so much watching the animal that lost his memory even though her body wasn¡¯t her own only, now. If it went on like this, it felt like she would only live with a beating heart but empty of her soul. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aymon¡¯s calm eyes shook finely. Her sudden deration of war took him by surprise. Meanwhile Mazetto continued to yank Aymon¡¯s hair and attack him violently. Aymon contemted for a while and finally nodded. It was a permission to do as she wanted. It was something that he normally wouldn¡¯t even consider, but unfortunately, he was a sinner now. Didn¡¯t he just erase his mate from his memory? Even if a small bird pulled out his hair, or if he was cursed by a mere human, he had no choice but to keep his mouth shut. The world greatest Shinsu was extremely generous to those who were angry at him. Lucy stood up and approached Aymon slowly. She clenched her skirt with a stiff face and whispered. ¡°You bastard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The worst bastard on earth.¡± Unlike the first time when she murmured quite carefully, the second ¡®bastard¡¯ was quite intense and louder. Rather, Lart was the one puzzled by Lucy¡¯s curse. Completely at a loss, he looked around in a cold sweat. Oh my god! What did he just say to the Shinsu? Right after there¡¯s finally peace between the Shinsu and humans! If he had said ¡®bastard¡¯ to Aymon, he¡¯d probably already be hanging on a tree half-dead. Lucy was totally unaware of the Emperor¡¯s troubled mind, so she tried to open her mouth again with tears in her eyes. Aymon calmly stopped her. ¡°You said, just once.¡± Lucy had cursed him twice already. Aymon immediately turned his head to the side where Belinda had been sitting and hugged her. He bowed to kiss her ear and whispered gently. ¡°You canugh if you want.¡± A sweet suggestion whispered in Belinda¡¯s ear. She had been keeping her head down for a while. Her hand that held the handkerchief, and her small shoulders trembled to suppressughter. Belinda eventually raised her head when Aymon, whose hair was pulled out by Mazetto, whispered to her that she couldugh if she wanted. Then she burst intoughter while burying her face in Aymon¡¯s arms. She would have felt terrible tough in this situation, so she managed to hold it in to some degree, but she couldn¡¯t suppress the joy that tickled her from the inside. The best she could do was bury her face in Aymon¡¯s chest to hide herughter. Aymon calmly patted Belinda¡¯s back as she wasughing while clenching his clothes. Mazetto was still sitting on top of his head and attacked Aymon as always. He did that in an imposing manner as if he was the one who ruled over the Shinsu. Chirp! The sparrow cried, Lucy throwing a re at Aymon and Belindaughed until she was out of breath. She asionally rubbed her belly andughed pleasantly. Ever since Aymon returned to her, everything she saw or heard had been very delightful. It felt like the pitch ck reality had finally bloomed beautifully. Because she had Aymon. Aymon is back. Now they were back together. ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 109 Chapter 109 TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki The wedding ceremony started at noon and went on until sunset. It was now time for the forest creatures to return back to their nests for the night. Belinda sat near the burning bonfire, watching the sparks flickered under the sunset glow. A pretty colored ne assembled from mountain birds¡¯ feathers was hung around Belinda¡¯s neck, but it was toorge for her as it was meant to fit a leopard¡¯s physique. Um. I think it¡¯s more like a cape than a ne. The ne, which easily hung around a leopard¡¯s neck, turned into a huge ornament that draped over her entire shoulders. Belinda leaned back in a chair made of ited grass and squirmed her shouldersnguidly. It was good that they made afy chair for her out of consideration, who was pregnant, but she couldn¡¯t help but squirm. Growl! Groowl! In the meantime, there was an ongoing fight between many of the Shinsu in the nearest empty ground. On one side, a Shinsu who turned into its human form was beating the drum, and on the other side, leopards bared their fangs before colliding with each other. Belinda leaned to one side and spoke to the ck leopard next to her. ¡°By the way, Aymon. Why are those Shinsu fighting at our wedding ceremony?¡± Only now she asked after holding in for a while. The fight has been ongoing since noon. It was probably a tournament where they fought to decide the winning team, and that team advanced to fight another team. It¡¯s definitely my wedding, so why are they fighting? Why did Aymon watch them fight from his honorable seat? Why are the Shinsu eagerly beating drums and wagging their tails when their folks are fighting? Of course, leopards with their ears pricked up and tails wagging are pretty cute, but still¡­ This was Aymon and Belinda¡¯s wedding ceremony. The ceremony, which did not conform to human standards but was based upon the Shinsu¡¯s custom, was held in a forest instead of the imperial pce. There were not many attending the wedding. All the Shinsu. The stars of the wedding, Belinda and Aymon. Emperor Lart and his lover, Lucy. Andstly, the Grand Emperor, Belinda¡¯s father. And as one would expect, Belinda¡¯s stepmother, the Grand Empress, did not attend. The forest rumbled every time the Shinsu fought violently and roared at each other. It shook the leaves and scared off wild animals. It was a festival for all the Shinsu and a rather frightening event for humans. The Grand Emperor sat quietly behind Belinda, pretending to be calm, but his hands were clenching the cane quite strongly. Lucy was clearly trembling, and Lart watched the leopards getting knocked down with a look of terror. ¡°I mean, they fought in the Imperial Pce because of war, but isn¡¯t this a wedding¡­.?¡± Lart¡¯s perplexed murmurs got buried by the Shinsu¡¯s growls. It was a wedding that was beyond humanprehension. Aymon rubbed his cheek on Belinda¡¯s head, finding her question about ¡®Why are those Shinsu fighting?¡¯ super cute, and replied solemnly. [I don¡¯t know either.] His voice disyed too much confidence for someone who just revealed his ignorance. ¡°What do we do if even the head of Shinsu doesn¡¯t know?¡± ¡¸I heard it¡¯s always like this everytime a Shinsu gets married, but honestly it¡¯s also my first time seeing this since I¡¯ve never been married before] ¡°Hmm.¡± Seeing as her question turned out to be fruitless, Belinda shrugged. Indeed, Aymon is not even that old, and most Shinsu have long life spans, so it was possible for him to have never seen it before. Still, isn¡¯t it weird that he doesn¡¯t know about his own history? Well¡­.It¡¯s fine as long as Aymon doesn¡¯t fight. But soon she nodded, paying no heed to it anymore. Aymon, who yfully nibbled her hair, suddenly flinched. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± As she nced up at him, Aymon began to pour out his bted worries with a troubled face. ¡¸Are you okay, Breedee?¡¹ Come to think of it, isn¡¯t Belinda a human? Since Aymon himself was a Shinsu, he didn¡¯t care whether the Shinsu fights or not, but it might be different for his precious and vulnerable Belinda. There was even a cute little life in her belly now. How could I be this stupid? I can¡¯t believe I forgot about such an important thing. Aymon, who med himself, sat up suddenly. Then he buried her in her arms, treating her like a baby duck. Don¡¯t look at those stupid beasts. You should only look at pretty and lovely things. That¡¯s basically what his actions meant. Belinda chuckled and stroked his fur slowly. ¡°My cat, I¡¯m Lapyan.¡± Aymon was frozen. Indeed, no matter how powerful he was, he was only a big cat in front of the Goddess. Of course, that fact didn¡¯t change even if Lapyan had lost her power since then, while he got stronger. ¡°Well, even though I¡¯ve lost all of my divine power now¡­¡± Belinda blurted out lightly as she fiddled with the ck fur in front of her. Even though her glory and power were all long gone, it didn¡¯t upset her that much. Didn¡¯t she want to put everything down and live happily with the ck leopard when she was Lapyan, anyway? Even though she took a long way back due to Barahan¡¯s interference, she had achieved her simple yet difficult wish atst. She was more than happy and satisfied to have a child, and to even hold a wedding like this. ¡°In any case, such a childish fight doesn¡¯t scare me at all. I¡¯m fine.¡± Aymon purred as if feeling relieved, and he pulled Belinda into a tight hug again as she tried to pull away. ¡¸Still, let me hold you like this. I like this.] He licked her cheeks, rubbed his face against her nape, and exhaled a long breath. He tried to remain seated in a dignified manner, and only stole a nce at her all day long, so this was rather good. Belinda chuckled lightly. It felt as if she was a kitten, getting spoiled so much. Just like the child in her belly, that was going to be Aymon¡¯s kitten. Belinda lowered her hand to rub her stomach slowly. The bump was now visible to the eye. ¡°You are alright too, baby, aren¡¯t you?¡± A child between a mother who was once a Goddess, and a father who was still incredibly strong despite losing his power when he died, will definitely be strong as well. She thought the baby would not be shocked by this kind ofmotion, so she asked the baby that way. Thump. Whether it was really an answer or just a coincidence, she could feel the baby kick. Belinda clenched her hand at that moment, just like Aymon. Both of them looked down at Belinda¡¯s belly at the same time, jokingly saying ¡°seems like the baby is quick to understand¡± and bursting intoughter. Aymon was very surprised when he first discovered the womb movement. He, who was very anxious about that, raised his trembling paw and ced it over her belly before retreating it in shock. Then with a nervous gulp, he put his paw over her belly ever so carefully again. He rubbed his snout on her belly and ced his cheeks lightly, treating it like a very precious thing. As carefully as if he touched a breakable sugar candy, with a face that looked unable to hold back the amazement and affection. As the child in her stomach grew, Belinda also clearly felt a change in her body. It wasn¡¯t the pregnancy alone that brought change to her though. Along with the child, the divine power that roamed around her body gradually calmed down. She hadn¡¯t told Aymon because the power hadn¡¯t fully established yet, but Aymon probably noticed already. ¡°By the way, how long are those Shinsu gonna fight?¡± ¡¸Until the winneres out.] ¡°What happens if there¡¯s a winner? Is the wedding over?¡± ¡¸Yeah. The winner will announce our wedding to the whole forest. They would howl into the forest a few times.] Did they fight to death just to be able to announce the wedding? She wondered if it was necessary to go that far, but how can a human understand beasts, anyway, right? Who knows if they celebrate the marriage this way because they were the Shinsu who always wanted to disy their strength? From the leopards perspective, they might not understand why humans held a festival just for harvesting a lot of wheat either. The sun had sunk below the field, leaving only the glow on its edge. The fight was alsoing to an end. The winner title belonged to Elder Aisha. It was a neck-to-neck battle against the hot-blooded Shanti, but eventually years of experience brought victory to him. After the beast howled for a really long time, Aymon and Belinda¡¯s marriage announcement spread throughout the forest. ¡°Congrattions on your wedding!¡± ¡°Congrattions on your wedding, princess!¡± ¡°Congrattions, my daughter.¡± While humans offered their congrattions with happy tears, the beasts¡¯ roar shook the forest. The sunset light diminished, reced by the night. The darkness became the start of a serene festivity. Laughter spread out under the translucent moonlight. Originally, a Shinsu¡¯ wedding festival would end with the fight and the winner announcing the wedding, but that was insufficient as long as humans were invited as guests. So a simple wedding reception tailored to humans was held. A white table was set up above the green bushes, and human appetizers were served above it. Shanti offered to give his hunting prey to humans, but he abandoned that idea after Belinda and Aymon disuadded him. It was a relief that he asked them first. Aymon tried to appear dignified, but as soon as they were dered as true mates, he took a huge leap and pounced on Belinda. Of course, he didn¡¯t pounce on her wildly in consideration of the tiny creature in her belly. However, he couldn¡¯t calm down easily as he kept circling around her chair, rubbing his cheek against her neck, and even licking her foot for no reason. Was our leader not a leopard, but a dog all along¡­..? Shanti muttered to himself. The other Shinsu also watched nkly as they followed Aymon¡¯s restless movement with their eyes. As expected, Belinda smiled quietly as she looked at him. You already have a child, so how can you be this happy¡­? When Aymon curled up at her feet and rubbed his cheek against her calf, she lowered her hand to stroke the leopard¡¯s head. It melted her heart softly. A ceaseless warmth could be felt right under her palm. The leopard who will be with her forever was surprisingly lovely. After a while, Belinda, who barely got the clingy Aymon off her, slowly stood up. She walked up to the man sitting tall under the shadow of a three. That man was her father and the former emperor. He became the Grand Emperor after leaving the throne to Lart, but he seemed a little different from when he was still an emperor. His expression and behavior were still as dignified as ever, but it felt like he was much more free. He chose to live in seclusion after Adi¡¯s death. He gave up his position as an emperor and moved away from any political matter. Adi¡¯s death was linked to her terrible lust for power. After getting disillusioned by familial love and honor, he handed his position, and everything rted, over to Lart. Still as youthful and beautiful as ever, the man was talking to Shanti with a pair of sunken gaze. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ Father.¡± Belinda called him carefully. He turned his head to see Belinda and rose up from his seat quietly. He spread his arms with eyes full of warmth. ¡°Come here.¡± She trudged awkwardly into his arms. She hesitated a little, but she no longer felt ufortable toward her father like in the past. Because he still thought of her as his daughter, he was, in his own way, sincerely expressing the love he couldn¡¯t give her before . ¡°Congrattions, my daughter.¡± A low voice rang over her head. ¡°Thank you.¡± Belinda also replied quietly. An extra warmth flooded in as she listened to the sound of burning firewood. Worried about Belinda¡¯s physical condition, the Grand Emperor released the arms that held her. He lowered his head, trying to match her gaze as he stroked Belinda¡¯s head affectionately. It was a gesture that he never did to her when she was little. ¡°Lily must be happy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lily. The name of Belinda¡¯s mother and his past lover. ¡°The blood of Ateez in your stomach will surely lead a happy life. Because they have such a gentle mother and kind father.¡± After saying that, he paused for a while and let out a nervousugh. A bitter sense of guilt crossed his smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I ruined your childhood.¡± He turned over his deeply buried feelings with an honest apology. He abandoned Belinda, as a result, she had to endure a difficult time alone after her mother¡¯s death. She was thrown into a violent and harsh world and struggled alone. It was still vivid in his memory, when he first met Belinda as the owner of the pce. She was wearing dirty clothes and her forearms were so thin. He wasn¡¯t even worthy of asking forgiveness from his daughter, nor was he hoping to get forgiveness from her. All he could only hope for was that Belinda would be truly happy. Belindaughed lightly. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m going to be happy now.¡± She was confident that she could truly be happy. Happy with Aymon, who crouched behind the emperor and watched them with a disgruntled expression. Happy with the beast, who childishly got jealous of a father and daughter interaction. She thought the world would always be a flowery path. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 110: (End) Chapter 110 TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Even before the wedding reception for the human was in full-swing, Aymon took Belinda to leave their seat and go back home. The reception, which already livened up to the height of joyousness, would have to run smoothly without the main characters. The most important thing for Aymon was Belinda¡¯s health, the second would be Belinda¡¯s health, and the third was Belinda¡¯s health. Aymon cautiously put her, with her clothes still on, down in the bathtub filled with warm water, looking anxiously into Belinda. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°Why would I be tired when ites to our wedding? I had a lot of fun.¡± Aymon answered with a gentle smile, silently checking out her countenance. The moonlight that melted into the thick darkness was seeping through the window. And Belinda was right under it. Lips that smiled at him and a cute nose bridge. Even her gray eyes that shone softly. Blonde hair, which hung below her shoulders, shone brightly amidst the scattering lights. She was the woman he dreamed of for a long time. Someone he loved, wanted, and was greedy for. He¡¯d always been anxious to drift apart from the person he was so greedy for: His one and only Goddess. When she was Lapyan, and when she was Belinda now, just looking at her made him antsy and nervous. She was also the only being that made his blood boil. His precious mate was so irresistibly cute. One part of his heart always got ticklish whenever he gazed at his precious mate. ¡°Aymon?¡± Belinda cautiously called him. Only then did Aymon let out a long breath. Only now he realized that she, who always felt like an invention of his imagination, was actually real, right in front of him. Belinda reached out and patted his cheeks. The tip of her fingers that were just soaked in the water, felt warm. ¡°Youe in too, Aymon.¡± He diligently washed up early in the morning and went out, then sat on top of the clean bushes all day long. He didn¡¯t have any dirt on him, but he must be super tired by now. She meant to say for him to rest up in hot water. But Aymon hesitated for a moment. ¡°Can I do that?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Belinda flicked water at him andughed. Aymon stood up and began to take off his loose clothes one by one. Belinda¡¯s pupils, which had been rxed, suddenly froze. Tuk, tuk. She could hear the cloth falling on the floor. Her throat got all choked up upon hearing that unfamiliar sound. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ah. So that¡¯s why Aymon hesitated for a while. She didn¡¯t even realize that he put her in the water without taking off her clothes. Aymon was being considerate of Belinda in case she was feeling shy. That¡¯s right. Naturally, we must take off our clothes when getting into the water. Even though it was such a normal fact, a strange tension arose within her when she saw Aymon naked in front of her. ¡­You¡¯re just like a sculpture. Manly broad shoulders and solid-looking chest. His abs looked so hard that it felt like her fingers would bounce off them if she flicked his chest muscles. This wasn¡¯t what she expected to see when she casually told him to get in. She could feel a movement as she was busy fiddled with her reddening ears. And just like that, Belinda closed her eyes. The water surface rippled gently, then followed a lingering warmth over her skin. Aymon faced her slowly before putting her on top of his legs. As for Belinda, she slowly opened her eyes as she felt the firm hand on her back. She glimpsed at beautiful eyes gleaming softly under the moonlight. Soon, his eyes bent slightly as he smiled, sessfully taking her breath away. Is it because the water is hot? I feel so dizzy. How weird. It¡¯s just Aymon. It¡¯s the usual Aymon. So, why? He was so close. Was it possible to feel this way just because he took off his clothes? Belinda climbed higher onto Aymon¡¯s leg and nced down at his submerged body. She didn¡¯t intend to, but her gaze instinctively kept moving in that direction. Of course, the baby didn¡¯t just enter her stomach on their own. She had to mate with the body in front of her, and basically, doing all sorts of things before finally conceiving the baby. But still¡­ Maybe it¡¯s because we haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time¡­ His toned body that she saw for the first time in a few months was firm and captivating . ¡°Aren¡¯t you ufortable?¡± Aymon whispered softly as he traced his fingers on her corbone. His fingertips went down from her corbone to her breastbone, until it arrived at a delicately tied string. The sound of rippling water echoed soothingly along his touch. Belinda¡¯s mouth became dry. She wanted to swallow her saliva, but she barely held in it because she didn¡¯t want to create a weird atmosphere. There was no way that she could resist opening her mouth and moaning. Then it¡¯d be obvious that Aymon would hear her voice cracking like a goat. Aymon began to loosen her corset strap very gently. ¡°You must be very ufortable with that on. Our baby, too, must be feeling stuffy.¡± Her white skin slightly revealed as he undid the tight garment on her body. But the garment did not slip down yet, as it was wet. Aymon began to peel off Belinda¡¯s clothes one by one. He freed each button fastened on the damp and hot fabric carefully, akin to peeling off flower petals. He looked down after releasing all the buttons fastened on her body. ¡°Can I take it off?¡± His lips, that whispered and then nipped her earlobe, brought goose bumps to her skin. She could feel the touch of his hot tongue followed by a moist sound. And of course, the gentle and soft voice that he breathed into her ears. ¡°I want to take it off. Can I?¡± As if begging and demanding, the voice he breathed out sunk into her deeply, as if attempting to seduce her. Bathump, bathump. The sound of her heart beated, almost like drums, mercilessly into her head. Belinda tried to keep her breath steady so as to hide her nervousness, and opened her mouth. ¡°B-But¡­what about our baby¡­..?¡± After he removed all her clothes, their bare bodies would inevitably ovep. Belinda bit her lips as her cheeks became slowly flushed, wondering if they were allowed to do this with the baby in her stomach. Soon, his low chuckle rang in her ear. ¡°I was told that it should be safe at this point. As long as we don¡¯t y it rough.¡± Belinda finally gulped down her saliva. Wh¡­who told you that¡­..? Belinda wanted to ask at first, but she knew too clearly who told him about it. His lips climbed down to her cheek. The heated warmth of their lips pressed together, and the solid thing down there that had been poking on her thigh since earlier, they only meant one thing. She turned her head to avoid him, who had been licking her lips to please her. However, she couldn¡¯t escape in the end because he caught both of her cheeks. He gently sucked her lips and slipped his wet tongue between her parted lips. Belinda squirmed her lips, slightly parting their locked lips and whispered. ¡°Where did you ask that?¡± He continued to devour Belinda¡¯s lips, giving no reply at all. A little smirk rose up on each corner of his mouth. How can I tell her that I ran all the way from the forest to the pce in order to find the doctor and ask him directly? He smoothly lowered his hand to grab Belinda¡¯s skirt and began to strip off the wet cloth. When the clothes, which had been stubbornly stuck to her body, finally fell off, a white and beautiful chest came into sight. Aymon, who had been pretending to be calm, was out of breath. He then put his face closer to her tender flesh impatiently. ¡°It looks a little different from the chest I remember.¡± His hot breath brushed against her chest. Gently grabbing the tender flesh, he put his lips closer over the swollen spot and bit it right away. ¡°Ahhh¡­.!¡± Belinda lifted up her head slightly. Each time he bit and sucked the sensitive spot, a wet moan echoed through the space. It was really a raunchy sound. Belinda pulled his messy hair which sprawled all over her chest. The tip of his tongue that fondled her flesh was hot and damp. It felt like she wouldn¡¯t be able to stand the arousing sensation unless she grabbed onto something. Then she remembered what he had said. ¡°It¡¯s a little different from the chest I remember.¡± Perhaps because she had a child, her chest seemed a bit bigger than before. And she seemed to be more sensitive, too. ¡°Ahn!¡± As he gently bit her sensitive peak between his teeth, a sight of pleasure shed before her eyes. The water sshed every time she twisted her body due to the unbearable sensation. ¡°Haaa¡­.I missed you so much.¡± Her body melted as she listened to his whisper. The body pressed against her was so hard and hot. His low voice sounded so sweet. Aymon grabbed Belinda¡¯s waist carefully. Then he gently pulled her closer before pushing his member inside her. ¡°Ahhh¡­.¡± The slow and gentle entry was as hot as scalding stone. Belinda unwittingly rubbed her lower abdomen. Noticing her worry, Aymon gentlyforted Belinda. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best not to shock our baby.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ ¡± Belinda breathed heavily with a frown on her face. Aymon, who gently swept the crease on her eyelids, kissed her cheek and whispered. ¡°Take a breath, Breedee. Yeah¡­ Good job¡­ ¡± Aymon did not move recklessly. He had to bear with only thrusting it slowly deep inside her. Resisting his urge to ram his member into her, he slowly swept Belinda¡¯s back. He tried to loosen up her stiff body, just like melting a frozenke. Their breathing was getting heated up rapidly. ¡°Aymon¡­.¡± Belinda wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her body towards him. As her soft chest met his hard chest, Aymon exhaled a long, ted breath as if he was about to lose his mind. His arms trembled a bit. Unable to resist the emerging pleasure inside her belly, Belinda whispered impatiently. ¡°A little¡­ Just a little¡­ ¡± Even Belinda was at her limit now. It was only a simple sentence without any exnation, but Aymon understood what she meant right away. Belinda then closed her eyes and bit her lips. ¡°Ahhh¡­.ahh¡­..¡± Her stomach trembled due to the slow, flooding sensation. But, she also became impatient because of how slow and considerate it was. Aymon kissed her lips in order to hold himself back. Whenever her body bounced up and down, Belinda got aroused and began to bite Aymon¡¯s lips or tongue. She bit Aymon¡¯s lips tightly, and their action progressed slowly until blood began to drip from his lips. Very slowly until the moon set and the morning star rose. *** The peaceful afternoon sun came down. Belinda had just woken up from her long nap. Perhaps because of the pregnancy, she was getting more and more sleepy as time went by. ¡°Are you up?¡± A big hand came closer and gently swept her hair up. Belinda, who was lying down and barely able to open her eyes, smiled quietly as she saw the man who was looking down at her. He¡¯d always be at the end of her gaze. Even if she just woke up from sleep, or when she raised her head while eating. She always found him looking at her all the time. ¡°Did you have a nice dream or something?¡± Aymon asked, stroking Belinda¡¯s stomach carefully. Her round belly was bulging as if it was about to burst. The delivery date was just around the corner. Feeling his tender touch, Belinda justughed. Yeah, I had a dream. A very nice dream. A dream where I lived happily with you, Aymon. She wrapped her hand over the back of Aymon¡¯s hand that touched her stomach. She then gently locked their fingers to share each other¡¯s warmth. ¡°Yeah. I had a sweet dream¡­.¡± ¡°Was it that nice? Did I appear there?¡± Hearing him asking that with a yful voice, Belinda lifted Aymon¡¯s hand and kissed it on the back. ¡°Yeah. It was very nice. But I like reality better. I¡¯m the happiest whenever I¡¯m with you like this. No matter what I dream, I won¡¯t be happier than I am now.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Aymon just blinked as if he had been attacked unexpectedly. Her confession appears to be something new for him. He smiled and put a kiss on Belinda¡¯s forehead. ¡°No. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll be happier than today. As long as you stay with me, Breedee.¡± His remark was followed by Belinda¡¯sughter. The scent of wet grass arises. The sunlight that streamed through the trees lightly stroked them like a gentle breeze. The peaceful days that wouldst forever were gently blown away by the wind. I Raised the Beast Well ¨C FIN ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TL/N : Dear readers, as you can see, this is the end of Belinda and Aymon¡¯s journey. I hope you enjoyed the story and the trantion. Thank you for sticking with us despite the irregr updates and all your kindments. This is officially the end of IRTBW but you don¡¯t need to worry as we still have side story chapters. So please looking forward to it <3 Chapter 111: Side Story 1 Side story 1 : I Raised the Beast Well TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki Belinda walked carefully with one hand supporting her back. As the doctor advised her to exercise quite a bit, she was now taking a walk along the main path of the reed forest. She waddles through the path with her cute bulging belly. Each time the wind blew across the field of reeds, the sound of rustling grass rang so pleasingly. ¡®How refreshing.¡¯ Belinda chuckled as she lifted the hair off her neck. It was dangerous to walk through the forest when she was heavily pregnant. Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous if she trips over tree branches or tree roots protruding from the soil? So she started walking in a field near the Shinsu forest, and it was the wild horses that made the path which previously wasn¡¯t there. It was the work of Daisy¡¯s n, the family of the white horse who traveled with Aymon and Belinda in the past. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your leg hurt?¡± At Aymon¡¯s worried remarks, Belinda simply shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m all right. The wind is so fresh today. Right?¡± Aymon anxiously followed Belinda from behind. He looked worried sick that Belinda would fall or get hurt. And a white foal chased after Aymon. Aymon nced back and tapped the white foal¡¯s nose as it was constantly nuzzled up against his waist. ¡°Your dad is looking sharply at me right now.¡± Neigh- The white foal whined once as if it didn¡¯t care. The foal was Daisy¡¯s offspring. Unlike its daddy, Daisy, it liked Aymon unconditionally and followed him around. As he tapped the foal¡¯s nose once again, it jumped around excitedly as if liking his touch. Aymon chuckled and turned his head again to follow Belinda. ¡°Walk slowly, Breedee. You¡¯re going to fall at this rate.¡± ¡°Stop worrying. People will think you¡¯re my dad or something.¡± It was a peaceful and quiet afternoon. It was so quiet if not for a white foal jumping around on the reeds. Belinda stopped taking a stroll only after the field was covered by sunset glow. It¡¯d be better to return before the wind gets cooler. So she set off with Aymon, who was stroking the foal¡¯s mane as it followed him closely. Then she saw a white horse standing imposingly on the border between the field and the forest. It was the foal¡¯s dad, Daisy. Its white mane was shining luminously. ¡°Dad is waiting for you, Ollie.¡± Belinda smiled as she waved at Daisy. Daisy naturally raised its front foot and showed its teeth as if d to see her, but his eyes turned sharp once he made eye contact with Aymon, who was right behind her. Because he saw his daughter, Ollie, was chasing after Aymon. He seemed to be very displeased that Ollie liked Aymon. Why does she like such a rowdy Shinsu? Small or big, he¡¯s the nastiest guy on earth. I can¡¯t understand it no matter how much I think about it, but my child doesn¡¯t always behave as I wanted in the first ce. Belinda approached Daisy and stroked his mane slowly. ¡°How can Daisy get cooler as days pass by?¡± Hard and nice leg muscles, white hair that glitters under the sun, and steadfast gaze. He was a very elegant and dashing wild horse all the time. Just like now. ¡°Hey you.¡± Aymon began to taunt Daisy out of nowhere. As usual, Daisy turned away from him. It was a gesture that he didn¡¯t want to deal with Aymon. ¡°Hey.¡± But when a low voice resounded once again, he eventually turned his head to face Aymon. Because a word as simple as ¡®hey¡¯ was enough to induce chills. Aymon grinned and smoothed Daisy¡¯s mane. ¡°Hey. You hate me, right?¡± Neigh- Daisy didn¡¯t admit or deny it in his reply. His body trembled as if horrified by Aymon¡¯s touch. Obviously, Aymon couldn¡¯t care less about it. In contrast, all he did was stroking Daisy¡¯s mane gently and softly. Do you think I¡¯ll stop touching you if you hate it? I¡¯ll just touch you more. ¡°But what can I do? Your child likes me.¡± And a lot, at that. Very much so. Neigh-! Daisy grunted angrily at Aymon¡¯s provocative remarks. Even at that moment, Daisy¡¯s child, Ollie, cluelessly chewed on Aymon¡¯s clothes. Belinda shook her head as she yed with Daisy¡¯s mane. Somehow, Aymon was so caught up in teasing Daisy recently. Perhaps it was fun to see Daisy¡¯s ring reaction, but¡­. How are you still the same bully whether you were a kitten or an adult now? ¡®My baby. That vile beast is your daddy. Great, right?¡¯ Belinda said to the baby in her stomach and approached Aymon. ¡°Aymon. Stop it.¡± It was time to put an end to Aymon¡¯s fun time. Stop teasing Daisy and let¡¯s get going. When she gestured toward the forest, only then Aymon pressed Daisy¡¯s back firmly. At the silent signal, the big horse finally bent its knees. Belinda rubbed on Daisy¡¯s mane as he lowered his head and whispered. ¡°This time, too, please take good care of me.¡± Belinda carefully climbed on Daisy¡¯s back as he lowered his body further. Careful footsteps began to move across the forest. Belinda positioned herself on the center of the saddle and grabbed the bridle. It was definitely more stable andfortable than Aymon¡¯s back. She¡¯d always received help from Daisy whenever she came out of the field and into the forest. Mainly because it was dangerous to walk through the mountain, and riding on Aymon¡¯s back wasn¡¯t a good idea either as his movement was too rough. Thankfully, Daisy liked Belinda so much that he had no qualm about giving her a ride. ¡°Daisy. Thank you, as always.¡± She smoothed his mane as she thanked him. At her gesture, Daisy nickered and shook its head as if he was in a good mood. It would have been a very happy and perfect journey without that rowdy Shinsu, Aymon. When she came back, she saw Mazetto flopping about on top of the table all by himself. Belinda waved to Daisy and Ollie as they left the mansion, and then approached Mazetto with eyes full of worries. A dark shadow covered the sparrow¡¯s face. ¡°Mazetto. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mazetto¡¯s tail sprawling helplessly. Belinda sat on the chair, tickling Mazetto¡¯s belly and asked again. ¡°My pretty bird. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± He said he had a girlfriend recently and couldn¡¯t stop chirping and whistling all day. It seemed like they broke up. Mazetto, who scowled as if he was thinking so hard, soon pped his wings and asked. ¡°Belinda. Am I too loud? Am I talking too much? Hmm?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was hard to deny his words for sure. Mazetto was the most talkative sparrow among all the sparrows, no, even among all the creatures she knew. The cutest and sweetest chatterbox in the world. ¡°Hm? Am I like that? Do you hate to be with me and are tired of me? Hm? Hmmm?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not true at all.¡± Belinda shook her head and denied strongly. Although Mazetto chirped too much sometimes, he was always such a cute and lovely sparrow. How can anyone ever say that they hate him or are tired of him? Belinda tapped Mazetto¡¯s head with her fingers. ¡°Mazetto. What¡¯s really going on?¡± She already knew the reason, but wanted to ask first. He definitely broke up with his girlfriend. Was it because he built a nest near Aymon¡¯s mansion that he got influenced by Aymon¡¯s power? Mazetto was smarter and more talkative than a regr sparrow, so everyone felt burdened by him. He wasn¡¯t an ordinary bird no matter how you look at him. ¡°Everyone keeps flying away when they¡¯re with me. I guess they hate me.¡± As upset as he sounded, the sparrow tucked his head under his feather weakly. And Belinda had to suppress her sadness. As expected, they broke up. ¡°That¡¯s not true, Mazetto. You are the cutest, sweetest, and the most precious bird in the world. Don¡¯t think like that.¡± Chirp¡­. Mazetto once again scowled and tucked his head in even more. ¡°You know, Belinda.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening, Mazetto.¡± ¡°When the child is born, will you only love that child? ¡°Huh?¡± Belinda was frozen for a moment as she was unable to grasp his words. When there was no answer from Belinda, Mazetto sank under his own feathers even more. Tuk- Aymon put down the teacup filled with warm tea and sat next to Belinda. A low whisper rang in her ear as his lips brushed against her cheek. ¡°Breedee. Mazetto must be upset.¡± He wrapped his big hand around her belly and stroked it gently. He then continued. ¡°He must be worried that you won¡¯t be paying attention to him after our child is born. What a cute guy.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± ¡°Mazetto likes you a lot, after all.¡± Ah! Belinda opened her mouth in realization. I thought he was depressed because he broke up with his girlfriend, but I guess that wasn¡¯t the case. Why didn¡¯t I notice it? Even Aymon could easily notice it, but why am I the only one who is clueless? It was to the point where I got upset with myself. That¡¯s why this cute sparrow was feeling downtely! Belinda became sad, too. Her emotions were often intensified without her realizing it, and that seems to be the case now. Mazetto. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve been having those thoughts. I waspletely clueless even when my lovely sparrow was so sad. I¡¯m such an idiot. ¡°Mazetto. Were you worried that you would lose my affection once our child is born?¡± Belinda held Mazetto with both hands and rubbed her cheeks against him. The sparrow¡¯s feathers on her cheeks were soft. ¡°That can¡¯t be true, Mazetto. You are the sparrow that I cherish and love the most!¡± Then Mazetto held Belinda¡¯s cheeks with his wings. ¡°But everything changes when a child is born. Look what happened to Shanti and Ha¡­.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not true, Mazetto. Mazetto is so precious to me. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t know how you felt. Have you been so worried? Were you upset? Hmm?¡± What was Mazetto to me? He was a cute sparrow that I have known since I was young, and also the sparrow who jumped into the icy river for me. When I was kidnapped by the horsemen, he even followed me in order to save me. How could I hurt Mazetto like this? I¡¯m really the worst. Belinda got so emotional for some reason. She cried and rubbed Mazetto¡¯s soft belly on her cheek. Mazetto also pped his wings and clung to Belinda¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Mazetto.¡± ¡°Belinda!¡± And on the other side¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Watching a human and a sparrow rub their cheeks on each other, the leopard in his human form quietly scratched his chin. What am I supposed to do now? Can I just sit still like this? That¡¯s kinda awkward. Aymon, who was watching both of them, spread his arms to embrace Mazetto and Belinda at once. Belinda was his beloved mate, and Mazetto was his precious sparrow. So he had tofort the two precious beings somehow. ¡°I love you Breedee, and I love you Mazetto. So don¡¯t be sad.¡± But even with Aymon¡¯s constion, Belinda and Mazetto cried for a long time in his arms. Chapter 112: Side story 2 TL/PR : Nestaelle / YoruNoTsuki ¡°Mazetto must¡¯ve been very upset. I don¡¯t even realize that.¡± ¡°Of course, he¡¯d be very upset. Mazetto has always been loved by you, after all. ¡± Aymon said as he caressed Belinda¡¯s cheek. Belinda rested her head on Aymon¡¯s arm and snuggled into his embrace. ¡°I don¡¯t even realize that Mazetto has been very stressed about that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Mazetto didn¡¯t tell you. It¡¯s only natural that you weren¡¯t aware of it.¡± Belindaughed in his arms. Aymon made it out like it was only a trifling matter, but that made her more emotional than if others answered seriously. Because she already knew there was sincerity in each word he blurted out so casually. How can there be such a handsome and reliable being? As the emotional rush swept her again, Belinda pouted her lips. ¡°Are you sad again?¡± Aymon kissed her lips lightly as if finding her action cute. Then he slowly pulled Belinda closer into his embrace and began to pat her on the back. Belinda took a long breath whenever his gentle palm brushed against her back. In the past, he¡¯dfort her with a smile, saying that her worry toward Mazetto was cute. But why did I cry along with Mazetto today? And why am I so sad now? Pregnancy is surely weird. Blink, blink- Her eyes flutterednguidly as shey in Aymon¡¯s arms. Even at that moment, Aymon never stopped to ce a gentle kiss on her, and the gentle touch sweeping down her back slowly pulled her into sleep. His arms wererge and she was feeling warm under the nket. ¡®I¡¯m d I picked up my kitty..¡¯ With tears welled up in her eyes, Belinda slowly fell asleep. Her breathing was getting quieter, so Aymon stopped sweeping her back and bowed to check Belinda¡¯s face for a while. A smile formed on his lips. She was unbearably cute, even just looking at her sleeping face. ¡°Good night.¡± He looked very happy when he kissed the wet corner of Belinda¡¯s eyes. *** Belindaid down absent-mindedly. Laying obliquely in the arms of sleeping Aymon, she looked down at her shiny dress. Chirp! Mazetto chirped from the top of her head once, Thump-! And she could feel the baby kicking. Chirp, chirp! Mazetto chirped again. Thump, thump! As if the child inside her stomach was responding, the sound was heard again. ¡®¡­..My baby seems to like Mazetto.¡¯ Belinda stroked her belly affectionately. Those cute little kicks made her feel like she was truly bing a mother now. There really isn¡¯t much time left now. Her stomach was bloated and hard. The baby will be born soon. ¡®I feel strange.¡¯ It¡¯s fascinating, and a bit scary as well. What will my baby look like? Will they be born human, or¡­. Belinda lowered her gaze and looked at Aymon¡¯s paw. A trace of silhouette shone on top of his beautiful silky fur. ¡®Maybe they¡¯ll be a leopard just like Aymon. I¡¯ll find out after I give birth anyway.¡¯ She was ready to love her baby, whether they were daughters, sons, humans, or animals. They¡¯d be undoubtedly lovely whether they resemble Aymon or herself. ¡®And they¡¯ll probably be very strong.¡¯ It was the life that survived even after she was stabbed to death by Joseph. They must be as strong as Aymon because they continued living healthily inside a lifeless body. ¡°Ow.¡± Belinda stretched her arms upwards. Aymon slowly opened his eyes upon feeling the movement as she stretched her legs as well. His fuchsia-colored eyes were shining under the sunlight, glowing like a melted jewel. Even if Aymon was awake, he stayed still in fear of shaking Belinda. ¡¸What are you doing?¡¹ ¡°I was just watching my belly. Doesn¡¯t it seem like they¡¯re trying to match the beat of Mazetto¡¯s chirp? ¡¸That¡¯s adorable.¡¹ Aymon gradually got up. While Belinda sat up again, the beast with ck fur turned into his human form, and his firm arms hugged her from behind. Just like how she leaned against the ck leopard, Belinday down on the man¡¯s hard chest. His warm hand slipped from behind and began to rub Belinda¡¯s belly. A firm hand full of warmth slowly swept down her belly. Belinda caressed the back of his hand. ¡°I think mybor is really near.¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Belinda hunched her shoulders upon feeling the ticklish sensation from his low whisper. ¡°Will they be born as a leopard? A cute ck leopard like you.¡± Aymon¡¯s fingers halted, frozen at once. Belinda¡¯s fingertips swept his stiff hand gently. She knew the cause of his anxiety. A ck leopard. Ever since he realized that a ck leopard like him might¡¯ve been born, he always had the same reaction each time he heard ¡®a ck leopard might¡¯ve been born¡¯. Always anxious, restless, and uneasy. The mother who gave birth to him. Even the mothers in his past lives had all died. They were normal beasts who couldn¡¯t cope with Aymon¡¯s divinity, so they shut their eyes after giving birth to Aymon. ¡®He must be afraid the same thing will happen to me. Even though he knew it¡¯s not true.¡¯ Belinda raised her head up, fiddling with his cold fingertips. Worry and anxiety were deeply ingrained in the eyes that stared down at her. Now that mybor is really near, I need to fix his chaotic mind. I need to tell him that I¡¯m really, really fine. ¡°Aymon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Belinda learned more, putting most of her weight on him. ¡°You¡¯re anxious, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re afraid that I¡¯d die, too.¡± Aymon couldn¡¯t even refute. He was scared that the wordsing out of his mouth might¡¯vee true. ¡°I know what you feel. You¡¯ve seen me die several times already.¡± In his past life, or even in this life, he always witnessed the moment I closed my eyes forever. Every time that happened, he broke down in desperation. Perhaps, the fear was always so intense that it was ingrained in his blood. Belinda wriggled to turn her body around. And then she met his trembling, pretty eyes. The creature who is mightier than anyone turned into a delicate flower fluttering in the wind each time he faced me. That part of him was lovely and heartwarming. ¡°Aymon. I won¡¯t die giving birth, and I won¡¯t die, leaving you first.¡± Where am I going without my pretty husband? Almost like uttering a deration, Belinda waved her hand. The white light flew about in the air, drawing a light before it scattered away and leaving only the afterimage. The light spread in the air like crumbling sand. The light reminiscent of the milky way was her divine power. Aymon¡¯s eyes grew bigger in surprise. Belinda stroked the area around his eyes and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m starting to stabilize the divine power in my body properly now.¡± The divine power that Aymon gave me. The ability of the original god who lived in the past. That power has enrooted again. With this power, none of what Aymon worried about will happen. She wanted to soothe the anxiety that always enshrouded him. However, the only thing she felt bad about was the fact that she couldn¡¯t wield her power freely. But it was a different story now. Since she was able to manage some portion of her power, she¡¯d be able to catch up to him if she trains properly after the delivery, even if she might not be as strong as herself in the past. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aymon couldn¡¯t bring out the words easily. His astonished gaze was fixed on the air where the light left its traces, but then he lowered his head to find Belinda again. His eyes were filled with overwhelming joy. Belinda was also overwhelmed with happiness that the flush rushed up to her cheeks. Rest assured, Aymon. I¡¯ll live happily forever with you. Aymon carefully wrapped his arms around her and let out a long breath. As if he was relieved now. As peaceful as someone who greeted the morning after a very long night. *** Grr¡­. The ck leopard wed the mansion door. But the door never opened despite his desperate gesture. Aymon curled up on the floor, baring his canine teeth. The sound of a faint groan escaping through the door was deepening the crease on his already crumpled forehead. ¡°How is it? Can you hear anything, Aymon?!¡± Mazetto asked, perching on Aymon¡¯s neck with his wings pping about. Aymon nodded weakly as if affirming that he heard something. So what if I can hear it? It¡¯s not like I can enter the room. The groaning from inside was Belinda¡¯s voice. To be exact, the groan of the Shinsu¡¯s partner who went throughbor. This morning, Belinda suddenly had a contraction. Lucy and the doctor who set up a temporary lodging near the mansion came running, and even H, who already went throughbor, visited the mansion in a hurry. Aymon, who will be the child¡¯s father, and Mazetto were in the room together. ¡°Both of you, please leave!¡± Soon after, they got kicked out by Lucy¡¯s stern order. Mazetto was charged with ¡®a crime of flying haphazardly, making a great fuss and disturb Belinda¡¯s psychology¡¯. And Aymon was charged with ¡®a crime of inducing Belinda¡¯s anxiety by looking nervous all day long.¡¯ Mazetto was flying around the ceiling and squeaked loudly. Aymon stayed next to Belinda and wiped the cold sweat on her forehead, asionally stroking her hand. With a trembling hand, he couldn¡¯t let go of her as if begging. Belinda got annoyed by those two and drove them away atst. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but I want you both to leave¡­.¡± Thus, they didn¡¯t have a choice but get out under Lucy¡¯s order. But can you me me for that? I¡¯m so worried that it¡¯s driving me crazy. The thought of her being in pain or having a hard time makes me anxious to death. Aymon, who had been waging his tail as if revealing his anxiousness, abruptly got up. And he moved to the window with Mazetto on his back. Aymon slowly brought his face to peek through the window, very carefully so as not to be caught. He tried to watch closely with his ears all perked up, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t see anything because of the lowered curtain. ¡¸Breedee¡­¡­.¡¹ Aymon¡¯s ears twitched as he called out Belinda¡¯s name. His eyes were pinned on the blocked interior. ¡°Belindyaa¡­.¡± Even Mazetto chirped helplessly as he perched on top of Aymon¡¯s head. How long has it been? As the sun rose up to the sky, Aymon, who had been watching the curtain nkly, suddenly moved his tail. The movement inside was unusual. The atmosphere inside became chaotic and urgent. The sluggish Aymon, as one would expect, hurriedly held back his nervousness as he watched their movement closely. ¡°Uwaaah!¡± ¡°Uaaah!¡± And before long, strange noises began to fly out from within. A voice that burst out loudly as if tearing the air. It was the cry of two pups who had just been born. ¡¸Breedee!¡¹ Eventually, Aymon couldn¡¯t stop himself from breaking the window and entering. It was the moment when the ck leopard became a father of two children. Chapter 113: Side Story 3 Trantor : Nesta Side Story 3 *** Aymon slowly wagged his tail. The ck-haired baby, Anish, giggled as he iled his hands to catch his father¡¯s tail. The blonde baby, Thi, also iled his limbs with a giggle when the tip of Aymon¡¯s tail brushed his forehead. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Aymon stared nkly at the babies¡¯ glistening hair. How can there be such cute, little creatures in this world? None of this made sense to him, even if they were his own babies. Belinda, who leaned on Aymon¡¯s body, lifted his tail and began to tickle the babies¡¯ necks gently. The babies giggled all day long as if they never got tired. ¡°Incredible, isn¡¯t it?¡± Belinda asked with a voice filled withughter. ¡°Ammama!¡± ¡°Mamama!¡± The babies were babbling as if answering her. The baby with ck hair and purple eyes is Anish. The baby with blond hair and silver eyes is Thi. It had been months since Aymon and Belinda¡¯s children, Anish and Thi, were born. Contrary to baby deer who run right after it is born, the babies who couldn¡¯t even il their limbs at first had grown into considerable size now. The babies usually like to touch Aymon. The babies¡¯ favorite hobbies were yanking their father¡¯s fur all of a sudden or hitting him in the snout. At first, the children were born in human form, which was most likely influenced by Belinda¡¯s divine power. Lucy was so moved that she even cried when she first saw the child beaming in divine power. ¡°Belinda! I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful sight in the world!¡± She eximed as if she had given birth to her own child. Soft rays fell over the babies. Perhaps it felt good to them, Anish and Thi looked around the surroundings with their wide eyes and wriggled their toes. Then they fell asleep shortly after Belinda sang them a luby and patted them on the chest. Belinda stroked the babies¡¯ plump belly with a gentle touch. The babies¡¯ bodies were tiny, warm, and fluffy. ¡°So pretty.¡± Belinda, who watched the babies with loving eyes, soon closed her eyes as well. Leaning heavily on Aymon, she buried herself into his dark fur. The sun was warm and the house was filled with the sweet smell of milk. It was such a beautiful day. *** The peacefulness was short-lived. A year after Anish and Thi were born. The babies who smiled like an angel began to rebel. ¡°Ababababa!¡± ¡°Bubaba! Uwaa!¡± A flood of gibberish sounds broke out between the babies who faced each other. The two were pointing their fingers at something. A small sparrow was seen at the end of their fingers. Mazetto was sitting nkly between them, half of his soul left his eyes. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Mazetto, who had always been talkative, was rendered speechless by the babies¡¯ gibberish attack. His cattery beak was also closed shut. Before the babies were born, Mazetto was depressed. What if the affection for me disappeared? What if you don¡¯t love me now? But when the babies were actually born, it became a problem when he received too much love. Because Mazetto always got caught in the middle of fights between Anish and Thi. The two swung their arms and cried in order to get the little sparrow¡¯s affection. ¡°Umyaa! Umya! Bwa bwa!¡± ¡°Woowabwa!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The babies stomp their tiny feet to the ground. Mazetto¡¯s feather was slightly blown up by the gentle breeze. Anish and Thi reached their arms toward Mazetto. ¡°Ayayaya!¡± This cute, little uncle sparrow is my uncle, not your uncle! When Anish reached his hands to Mazetto, Thii pushed his hand away, and when Thi bent over to Mazetto, Anish hit Thii¡¯s head with his tiny hand. And then. ¡°Uaaaang! Mama!¡± ¡°Aaaaaaaa! Pampaa!¡± An inevitable uproar urred. The babies¡¯ cheeks were blushing like peaches as they called out Belinda and Aymon, and then began to cry. When Anish, with his hands clenched, burst into tears because he was unable to own Mazetto, Thi also began to cry along with him. ¡°Belinda, Aymon, save me¡­..¡± Mazetto couldn¡¯t possibly leave the crying children alone, so he flew around to soothe the children. At that time, with full confidence, Mazetto said, ¡®Leave the children to me!¡¯ because he was being thoughtful of Belinda and Aymon, who was up all night to take care of the children. But they are only able to close their eyes for a while. As soon as the children burst into tears, they opened their eyes as if they were hypnotized. Because the children¡¯s cries struck them like lightning even at the moment when their consciousness faded. ¡¸Are you hungry!¡¹ ¡°Are you sleepy?!¡± Arge ck leopard and a human ran toward the children in a hurry. They didn¡¯t even realize that their eyes were still blurry from sleepiness. But what they saw after running in a hurry was two ck leopard cubs, not human babies. ¡¸Meoww!¡¹ ¡¸Meow!¡¹ Two baby leopards, which are a little bigger than Belinda¡¯s palm, were attacking each other. The two cotton balls were hitting each other with their paws and rolled around the floor. They were born as humans, but a Shinsu is still a Shinsu, after all. Anish and Thi would turn into ck leopards whenever their emotions intensified. For example, when they were hungry, sleepy, or annoyed. It was during those moments. They were so surprised when Thi, who was giggling as he yed with Aymon¡¯s tail, suddenly turned into a leopard and bit Aymon¡¯s tail. Since they were born as humans, she thought they¡¯d walk on two feet for the rest of their life. Unlike the Shinsu, they don¡¯t have transformation jewels on their forehead. Meow! Meow! The babies were still rolling around, baring their fangs that were smaller than their own nails. They wrinkled their noses to look as threatening as possible, but the problem was they became cuter than anything else. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Belinda and Aymon stared vacantly at their sons. They pped each other with their small paws. Every time that happened, a growling sound burst out of them. Should I stop them or not? Should I just leave them be for now since they¡¯re cute? Should I just drop them off somewhere to y when their rage dies down? What should I do? What do beasts do at times like this? ¡°Aymon. Shouldn¡¯t you stop them?¡± I don¡¯t really know about the beast¡¯s approach. I¡¯d stop them first if they were human, but aren¡¯t they leopards? As if noticed her worries, Aymon whirled his tail around Belinda¡¯s calf and answered. ¡¸Let them be. That¡¯s how they grow up.¡¹ ¡°Indeed, you fought a lot with Shanti and H when you were a baby.¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Belindaughed as she recalled her first meeting with Aymon. A small cat was growling alone in a small grass. She picked him up as he was groaning from his injured leg and treated him. If Aymon didn¡¯t get hurt while fighting with his friends back then, they probably wouldn¡¯t have met. ¡°Isn¡¯t it fortunate that you fought with H and Shanti back then?¡± That¡¯s how you were able to meet me. She said with a smile. Perhaps feeling nostalgic, Aymon also smiled as he tickled Belinda¡¯s ankle with his tail. ¡¸ You¡¯re right. I did a good job rolling down the cliff ¡¹ Even at that moment, the small beasts were biting each other¡¯s tails. Mazetto was twittering as he flew around on top of the babies¡¯ heads. ¡°Stop it! Stop it, you beasts!¡± Belinda nudged Aymon¡¯s tail gently. It was a signal to stop those little beasts. Recognizing her intention, Aymon began to move slowly. Aymon approached the children, who were rolling and tangled up on the carpet, and pushed the cubs lightly with his front paw. Meoww! The two cotton balls that were ovepping fell off. ck little beasts were rolling over the floor. Grrrr¡­..Aymon purred. Perhaps they were startled by their father¡¯s warning, the cub¡¯s fur stood on end as they cowered in fear. It seemed like those little munchkins are a beast after all because they seemed to instinctively fear Aymon¡¯s light warning. Soon Aymon bit their necks and moved slowly. He was thinking of taking them to the meadow and dropping them there to chase butterflies. When Aymon left the mansion, Mazetto settled on Belinda¡¯s shoulder. An exhausted voice rang next to her neck. ¡°Ah¡­.raising children is really tough¡­.¡± Mazetto¡¯s cutement finally made Belindaugh out loud. *** Shanti closed his eyes as if praying. ¡¸It can be overwhelming sometimes¡­.¡¹ Shanti mumbled alone as a small baby leopard was hanging on his paw. The baby was clinging to Shanti¡¯s front paw, which was as big as a wooden bucket, and chewed on it. That small beast was his two years old daughter, Carrie. When the Shinsu raided the Imperial Pce under Joseph¡¯s control, Ha, who was pregnant with Carrie, was in a nursing home away from the forest. This timely coincidence had brought the child into the world safely. ¡¸I don¡¯t mind, though.¡¹ As Aymon answered casually, something fell on Aymon¡¯s head. It was his son, Anish. Thi was currently climbing on top of his head, down to his neck, and finally sliding down his back. Aymon¡¯s nose was twitching briefly. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ Shanti with a nk expression and Aymon with a t expression, both looking at each other in silence. They could sympathize with each other simply by exchanging implicit nces. Child-rearing pain. Other beasts would feed themselves and grow up well simply by leaving them alone, but as for Shinsu¡¯s cubs, they were highly intelligent and need lots of attention, so babysitting them one by one was necessary. Shanti¡¯s child, in particr, has learned to speak and ask questions without a break. Shanti even whined that his energy was depleted and his body became listless each time he answered. ¡¸Daddy! There are raspberries over there! ¡¹ Carrie yelled, gliding past Shanti¡¯s foot. ¡¸ Ah, okay. Let¡¯s go.¡¹ Shanti trudged slowly with a dazed expression. He even forgot that he was talking to Aymon. If his precious daughter wants to pick raspberries, then he should do it. She seemed to really fond of raspberries just like her mom. ¡¸ Daddy! There are raspberries over there! But what is raspberry?¡¹ ¡¸Raspberry, food. You know what is it¡¹ ¡¸What is raspberry?¡¹ As the child vivaciously repeated the question, Shanti gave in and dazedly answered. ¡¸Food. It¡¯s sour and sweet¡­.delicious¡­.¡¹ ¡¸ What is raspberryyyy?¡¹ ¡¸But more than raspberries, a leopard should eat meat¡­.¡¹ With such a monotonous answer, Shanti led his daughter for a walk. His giant body staggered off as if he was sleepwalking. Aymon watched Shanti walk away and then turned his head. He saw his children jumping around on top of his body. So Aymon asked his sons. ¡¸Do you want to eat raspberries, too?¡¹ ¡¸Meow!¡¹ ¡¸Meeeow!¡¹ The children responded first without even knowing what a raspberry is. Recently, they began to babble and speak, actually, they were probably closer to meowing rather than speaking. Atst, Aymon got up. A big shadow fell on the ground, and two cotton balls rolling on his body fell to the ground. Aymon lightly nudged the children with his front paw and walked off first. With their small fangs, the children bit Aymon¡¯s tail as he walked away and clung to him. Two small bodies that were hanging on Aymon¡¯s tail began to move as if they were getting dragged along. Perhaps they were having so much fun, that the children wagged their tails andughed. Aymon kept walking without a care in the world, even if his tail was bitten. It seemed like having two cotton balls on his tail was his daily routine now. The feeling of grass leaves tickling the bodies. The wild scent of greenery. A huge dad who resembles a mountain in front of them. There were many reasons for the children tough happily today. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 114: Side Story 4 Side Story 4 TL : Nesta 10 years ago. Lart, who findsfort in horseback riding, naturally headed to the hunting ground behind the royal vi that day. The line where thewn met the forest was tinged with soft-blue, whereas the vast sky was perfectly blue. Lart galloped off without a rest. As the horse galloped away, he could hear its hooves stepping on the grass. His father¡¯s scornful gaze, and even Adi, who treated him as inferior deep inside and kept hurling out harsh insults, flew away with the wind that brushed against his ears. How far did I run? Lart approached the tent after making four round trips through the entire hunting ground. He noticed two girls sitting on the forest border in the distance. ¡°What are they doing?¡± Lart got off the horse, shaking the dirt from one of his boots, and asked, His attendant handed him a handkerchief and responded lightly. ¡°Princess Belinda and a maid from the royal vi. It seems like they were on a pic.¡± ¡°A maid? Is Belinda getting a maid as well? My father must be very generous. Why on earth would he push a child from some noble family into the pit like this?¡± (TL/N : The pit is a metaphor for ¡®a difficult environment to escape from¡¯. He was feeling sorry for the maid who had no choice but got stuck with Belinda.) Lart was very hostile toward Belinda at the time, so he twisted the corner of his mouth and sneered at Belinda and Lucy. ¡°Which family is that maid from?¡± ¡°Haleb family.¡± ¡°Haleb? Isn¡¯t it another district in a very remote area?¡± Haleb. It¡¯s a name I¡¯ve never heard before. Maybe their name is not powerful enough to be acquainted with me, or even if I met them, I simply erased their name from my memory because I didn¡¯t think they were worth remembering. ¡°They used to have a name before, but they have been ousted from power¡­..¡± By clearing his throat, the attendant left the end of his words as vague as possible, and added quietly. ¡°The stronger the tree, the easier it will copse in a storm.¡± Lucy¡¯s father, Count Haleb, was as righteous as Lucy. A man with a gentle soul and high ethics. Such a person cannot survive in the midst of infigtings and a bunch of conformists. Lart fixed his gaze at the brown-haired girl with a bright smile. Her clear and pure smile drew him in for an unknown reason. Lart, who was staring at Lucy with astonished expression, soon turned his head. ¡°It means she¡¯s not worth my attention. As one might expect from someone who serves Belinda.¡± He was an arrogant prince sitting at the pinnacle of power from the start. Lart had no interest in anything below him; he only remembered the names of powerful families, and treated everyone else as if they were dirt. ¡°What¡¯s her personality like?¡± Even if everyone treated him like a stupid prince, he couldn¡¯t ignore what was going on in the imperial pce. He had to look into it first no matter how insignificant it may be. Usually, things start rotting from inside out. ¡°I heard that she took special care of Princess Belinda. A spoiled dessert was served to Princess Belinda, and the maid went to the kitchen to confront the chef in charge of the royal vi.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Isn¡¯t she also some kind of migratory bird that keeps drifting toward where the power is? Indeed, what does she hope to gain by taking special care of a half-breed who has been abandoned in the royal vi? Most of the servants gained power by clinging to their owner¡¯s power like a parasyte. In that sense, Lucy was in a position where she had no one to cling to within the pce. Far from having power, Belinda was abandoned in the royal pce despite being a princess. An abandoned princess and a daughter of a fallen noble. ¡°I guess birds of a feather flock together.¡± Lart shook the dust off his clothes and got on the horse. A thick cloud of dust billowed behind the horse¡¯s tail as it began galloping on the hunting ground. *** Lart met Lucy for the second time in the garden near the royal vi. He wandered aimlessly in a gloomy mood for quite some time after his mother, the empress, reprimanded him for his careless behavior. He had walked for a long time before arriving at the royal vi near the hunting grounds. ¡°How can a prince lose control of his emotions? How do you expect to carry the future of the empire on your back if you¡¯re taking it so lightly?!¡± Lart could only sigh inwardly as he remembered the Empress¡¯ voice. But he had no other choice. That bearded marquis kept getting on his nerves. It was no secret that Lart struggled learning ancientnguages. Why would that man brag about his son¡¯s ancientnguage skill if not to make fun of Lart? If he bragged without knowing it, he should apologize for being senseless, and if he did it with a malicious purpose, it was only right to scold him harshly. That¡¯s why Lart became enraged and poured juice on him. I would rather curse him out in public. What a cunning bastard. The insides of the nobles are as murky and filthy as a pond full of moss. He felt frustrated again upon remembering the faces of some high-ranking nobles. He heard many people had been sticking to Adi recently. They¡¯ve turned into dogs who suck up to powerful people. They would bow their heads and tter me in front of everyone, but I knew they were mocking me with their heads down the whole time. Those rotten bastards!! ¡°So what if I was born with a foul temper, huh?¡± Thud! Lart kicked a pebble nearby. At the same time, a girl¡¯s solemn voice could be heard from within the rose garden. ¡°I heard you wanted to leave the royal vi.¡± It was Lucy¡¯s voice. Lart stopped walking without realizing it. As a prince, he was the owner of the pce, and he was free to appear confidently whether they were in the middle of conversation or not. But his legs stopped for some reason. Lucy¡¯s voice was heard again. ¡°Are you feeling ufortable here?¡± The other person remained silent. Judging by the situation, the person who spoke to Lucy appeared to be Belinda¡¯s servant. And it seemed like she would leave the royal vi and go somewhere else. Lart could figure out the situation roughly without having to listen for a long time. ¡®Isn¡¯t this what power can do to people?¡¯ The servants¡¯ hierarchy was determined by who they served. That made everyone who served Belinda wanted to leave the royal vi. They must cling to power like a parasite and try to pick up crumbs of that power no matter how small it is. It was nothing out of the ordinary. It really was¡­.but he felt bad for an unknown reason. Moreover, this problem belonged to Belinda, the person that he never cared about. ¡®Whether nobles or servants, their eyes turned red just to fill up their stomach. Even they will abandon their own master who is not useful to them. Ugh, disgusting people!¡¯ Fine. I¡¯m going to do it even if it means venting my anger on her. I¡¯ll expose that maid and p her across the face! Just when he thought about it and was about to jump in, Lucy¡¯s elegant voice caught his ankle. ¡°Vilte. The Princess has always been nice to you, right? Did you forget that the Princess did not rebuke you for breaking her precious ss? Didn¡¯t she always tell you to bring home snacks for your little sister?¡± The maid named Vilte could not answer. ¡°The Princess will be upset to hear about you. It¡¯s easy to know why you left. Instead of ming you, she¡¯ll me herself for being a bad owner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Will you still leave?¡± Lart, hiding in the bushes as he was eavesdropping, shook his head instead of Vilte. It¡¯s useless, girl. A faithful person won¡¯t even think of leaving in the first ce. I don¡¯t think that maid is listening to you right now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t change my mind.¡± Vilte answered quietly, and she sounded a little annoyed. As if she were saying that such talk was unnecessary. ¡®As expected.¡¯ Lart walked away with a sad look on his face. He didn¡¯t want to do things like jump in front of them or interfere with them anymore. That feeling subsided for some reason. Lart, who left the Royal Vi, recalled Lucy¡¯s voice that he heard earlier. She was still a young girl, but her voice was solemn and dignified. Her speech was gentle but firm at the same time. ¡®Do you think everyone is like you? Why are you trying to persuade her with such a fanciful story? You¡¯re the weird one. You¡¯re really weird.¡¯ Thud! Lart kicked the pebbles as he was lost in thought. ¡­.By the way, Is the maid¡¯s name Rosie? *** A poor noble. The daughter of the fallen Haleb family. The maid of an abandoned princess. Not Rosie, but Lucy. Lucy Haleb. Lart muttered Lucy¡¯s name as hey in bed. For a long time, the boy was not aware that a girl named Lucy had pulled the string in his heart, In fact, he never met her properly. He made countless excuses, saying he needed to get some fresh air from the forest, but he had been snooping around the royal vi and peeking at her face from afar. Even when the royals were dining with Belinda. Lart only nced at Lucy, who was following Belinda, and secretly observed her. Calm gestures. Lips that always form a gentle smile. Eyshes which always slightly lowered whenever she faced the royal family. Lucy Haleb. ¡°¡­..Damn it!¡± Lart turned over and buried his face in the pillow. He knew how he felt. He wanted to turn a blind eye, but he knew it for sure. He fell in love like a fool to a maid who had nothing but an upright personality and pretty face. And he was deeply in love, too! ¡®No way. No!¡¯ Lart punched the pillow for no reason. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t date someone like that!¡¯ He was choked up. That child. I shouldn¡¯t have liked that kind of child. Adi is already threatening my position, shouldn¡¯t I find a good wife who can be beneficial for me? Just like how His Majesty took mother as his wife. I need to meet ady who is like my mother; elegant, powerful, anding from a strong family. So I could rule the empire peacefully after inheriting the throne from my father. Nothing threatens an empire more than a powerless emperor. Sincerity, love or genuine feelings were unnecessary in this situation. Even for a royal, marriage is just part of negotiation. Liking Lucy is like ying a losing game. Chapter 115: Side Story 5 Side story 5 TL : Nestaelle *** Lart tried to suppress his feelings to death. But he couldn¡¯t escape his secret, unrequited love. He¡¯d be snooping around the royal vi just to catch a glimpse of her face. He¡¯d listen to her lovely voice quietly. He kept following the maid in secret. He really felt like he was bing a pervert. No one noticed Lart¡¯s feelings. Who would have guessed that an arrogant and rebellious prince could harbor such a genuine love? That¡¯s how many years were wasted. There were numerous temptations for the newly appointed Crown Prince. At the party, Countess Wen groped his thigh with a perverted gaze, and Young Lady Wen called him to the garden, saying that she had something to say, but then abruptly lifted her skirt. The Countess, who groped his thigh, purposely spilled the wine on the Young Lady Wen¡¯s dress, and sighed to her as a signal to leave. In Lart¡¯s opinion, the nobles were utterly rubbish. They pretended to be elegant and ssy as they stroked their beards, but they made a huge mess behind the scenes. They swore on their sword to protect chastity before marriage, but every weekend they would attend a promiscuous masquerade ball. Though he had to gnash his teeth at their behavior, Lart tried to protect the purity of his mind and body in his own way. It wasn¡¯t like he was faithful to a certain principle. It¡¯s just¡­.Lucy was the one he held dearly in his heart. Lucy Haleb, who is more upright, virtuous, and honest than anyone has ever been. That motivated him to lead an honest life, even if it was only half as much as Lucy¡¯s. He¡¯d feel guilty for no reason simply by thinking about doing something bad. How strange. It¡¯s not like he was being watched. If anything, he was the only one watching Lucy. After years of bitter unrequited love, he finally spoke to Lucy in person. He frequented the hunting grounds under the guise of practicing jumping obstacles. He does, after all, need to practice horseback riding. So it was like doing two things at once. The horseback riding practicested for several days. Lucy and Belinda, who often hung out in the vicinity of the hunting ground, had found their favorite spot. They started watching him while eating their snacks. Lart got nervous for no apparent reason. Lucy could be seen in the distance. She didn¡¯te out to see him; she came out to y, but he was sweating profusely. He kept fidgeting around like a ten-year-old. I wanted to show my cool side to you. I¡¯m actually really good at horseback riding. I¡¯m practicing a lot. not because I¡¯m bad at it, but to improve my skill. He only made an absurd excuse in his head. He straightened his back and raised his chin. He dismounted the horse at sunset after practicing so hard for a long time. But could he have been nervous? He wanted to proudly jump down, but he stepped on a small stone. When his body lost its bnce and staggered, he struggled to keep himself from falling and twist his ankle in an unsightly manner. ¡°Your Highness the Prince, are you okay?¡± When he got back on his senses, he could see Lucy¡¯s face up close. She was staring anxiously at his sprained ankle which got him to fall on his back. Although it was embarrassing and awkward, he was d that he got hurt anyway. The way her head moved around was adorable. ¡°Why are youing here without a servant?¡± Lucy asked, raising her head. Lart, who was observing the crown of her head, naturally turned his head away to avoid her gaze and replied curtly. ¡°I¡¯m not a child, and a prince will ride alone if he wants to. There¡¯s no reason to have them stick with me.¡± He had no idea what he was saying. His heart was pounding so hard that he blurted out words he didn¡¯t mean sharply. Despite his sharp answer, Lucy smiled and nodded. There was not even a sign of displeasure. He was always a selfish and entric prince, wasn¡¯t he? There was nothing surprising about his reaction. ¡°Please wait for a moment, Your Highness.¡± Lucy got up and picked up some wood for splinting. She quietly whispered ¡°Excuse me, Your Highness,¡± as if she was going to give him first aid, and began to touch Lart¡¯s ankle carefully. Lart felt as if he had stopped breathing. He swallowed hard whenever her soft fingers brushed against him. What the hell is this? His heart stopped breathing when a namelessdy caught his heart with her determination, but it began to beat again as if it was broken due to Lucy¡¯s gesture. Perhaps she had finished splinting his leg, Lucy took her hand off and looked up at him with a gentle expression. That made Lart feel disappointed for some reason. ¡°Your Highness. It¡¯s a simple treatment, so you must treat it as soon as you return.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Lart answered curtly and turned his head away. Lucy smiled calmly as usual and ignored his curt reply. Soon, Lart began to walk at the same pace as the woman who supported him. Lart resisted the urge to p himself in the face the entire time he walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Lucy. ¡®Am I crazy? Is something wrong with me? Why am I acting this way?¡¯ How can I regain myposure? However, Lart couldn¡¯t regain hisposure even until they met the knights waiting outside the hunting grounds. His face reddened as he breathed heavily. He then went back to the prince pce and copsed on the floor. His nervousness had subsided after parting ways with Lucy, so he had lost all his strength. When the doctor was trying to fix Lucy¡¯s sloppy splint, Lart kicked him in the chest. How dare you touch Lucy¡¯s splint! After kicking the doctor out, he sat still and fiddled with ankle for a long time. Exactly where Lucy had touched him. When the sun went down and the servant came in to light themp, he limped to the bed andy on his stomach. In therge room, a low voice echoed. ¡°What should I do¡­.¡± The fever on his face didn¡¯t go away easily. It was nice to see her up close. He wanted to keep talking to Lucy. He was feeling happy, frustrated, and ecstatic at the same time. Larty absentmindedly for a while before rolling over and staring at the ornament in the ceiling. What should I do, Father? I have to seed you as the Emperor, but I like Lucy. I¡¯m madly in love with her. *** ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Lart visited the Emperor¡¯s office with much deliberation. Maybe talking to someone about this confusing situation would make him feel better. And that role belonged to his father, His Majesty the Emperor. The Emperor, who was enjoying his refreshment alone, smiled at Lart. ¡°Why did youe to see your father?¡± Adi went in and out of his room all the time, but Lart rarely paid him a visit. As in the case of a typical father and son. ¡°Your Majesty. I have a question.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Lart sat down on the sofa and fixed his gaze on the Emperor seated across from him. Then, all of a sudden, he asked a very sharp question. ¡°Why did you throw away Belinda¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Emperor was speechless for a brief moment. He was stammering in confusion, unlike his usual self, who was always able to deal with his opponent calmly. Mainly because the wordsing from his son¡¯s mouth were not at all what he expected. Lart gave the Emperor a tense look. I¡¯m sure my father loved Belinda¡¯s mother. He loved her, so he left the pce for two years and even had a child. But why did he leave her ande back alone? Was it because his feelings for her subsided? Was it for the sake of gaining power? Or was it due to her humble upbringing? Lart couldn¡¯t understand his father¡¯s mind. If he asked the Emperor who pursued power and eventually married his mother, the Empress, then he might be able to steer away from Lucy. That¡¯s what he initially thought. ¡°Were you happy to abandon her?¡± In response to Lart¡¯s question, the Emperor put down the tea cup. nk- The clinking sound of the tea cup against the saucer rang out, and darkness fell on the Emperor¡¯s face. Belinda¡¯s mother, Lily. It was a name that the Emperor deliberately tried to erase from his mind. He cut her off in order to forget. He dug her out of his memory, believing that his true life was in the pce. He thought he had forgotten everything, not realizing that she had rooted in the deepest part of his heart, no matter how hard he tried to cut her off or dig her out of his memory. He didn¡¯t even know he was rotting inside. Lart¡¯s question was rather audacious. The Emperor, on the other hand, was not offended by Lart¡¯s question because he had seen his behavior and speech. He was always a selfish and entric prince, wasn¡¯t he? There was nothing surprising about his question. In the meantime, Lart tried to guess the answer from the Emperor¡¯s expression. My father doesn¡¯t seem happy. What about me? How long can I be happy if I erase my feelings? Even my father, who is the coldest person I know, was regretting it. ¡°Your Majesty. If you ever go back to that time-¡± ¡°Lart.¡± Lart was going to ask if the Emperor would still make the same choice if he could go back in time. But he decided not to when the Emperor cut him off by calling his name. Lart shifted his gaze to check his father¡¯s expression. Will he get angry? Fortunately, he couldn¡¯t find anger in his father¡¯s face. Perhaps thirsty, the Emperor took another sip of tea and put it down again. ¡°Lart, do you have someone in your heart?¡± Perhaps his years of experience is showing, the Emperor was aware of the reason for Lart¡¯s visit. That young and immature prince must have fallen in love. But he must be conflicted because of his lover¡¯s status. When did my son grow up to be a man who worries about love? The Emperor, who leaned on the sofa with his chin propped on his hands, said kindly to Lart. ¡°Do you have someone you want to keep next to you?¡± Lart was unable to respond hastily. Because he wasn¡¯t sure what his father was thinking. ¡°Do you want to own her?¡± He didn¡¯t have a proper answer for this either. He wanted to be with her rather than own her. Wasn¡¯t it a bit much to express Lucy with words like ¡®owning¡¯ or ¡®throw away¡¯¡¯? She wasn¡¯t an object. ¡°If not, do you want to protect her?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± But he could bring himself to answer this question after some thought. I want to protect her. I want to be there for her so she doesn¡¯t get hurt. That is my truth. The Emperor smiled as he gently moved his fingers to stroke his cheeks. He wasn¡¯t bothered by the fact that his son barely answered his question. ¡°Then go out right now and do what you can, step by step.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Perform your duties as a Prince. You must work hard from now on in order to sit on the throne that no one dares to challenge.¡± Lart only blinked at the Emperor¡¯s words. He vaguely understood what the Emperor was trying to say. So what exactly was he saying again? The Emperor continued to speak slowly toward his son, who appeared to be nervous. ¡°If you be an Emperor who is as strong as rock¡­¡± The Emperor turned his head to look out the window for a moment, and returned to Lart with a serious expression. ¡°You will be able to protect your woman.¡± Ah. Lart¡¯s face brightened when he realized something. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 116: Side story 6 Side story 6 TL : Nestaelle Lart strode toward the library as soon as he left the Emperor¡¯s office. Why didn¡¯t I think of that? There is a very simple way. I¡¯m such a fool. Right. I just need to get smarter and stronger. If the Empress¡¯ power is not enough to secure my position as the next sessor, then I must build up my own power, right? Stronger than anyone. Amanding presence unrivaled to anyone. The solution was so simple which made his efforts all this time seem worthless. At least, that¡¯s what Lart thought. Lart then began to visit the Royal Vi after he had made up his mind. The man who had been following Lucy like a shadow finally appeared in the sunlight. Now that he had set his goal, all that left was for him to win Lucy¡¯s heart. It might be the most difficult part of all, but he decided to put himself out there first. He was known as a selfish and entric prince, so his reputation couldn¡¯t get any dirtier than this. ¡°His Highness the Prince is flirting with Princess Belinda¡¯s maid.¡± That meant he would be unharmed even if such rumors spread. I can¡¯t believe I reaped the benefits of living frivolously. I¡¯m d to live as I pleased. After much effort, Lart was able to win Lucy¡¯s heart. His sincerity could also get through to her. Lucy was so sweet and kind that she couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to a man who clung to her and made pitiful advances on her. Maybe he turned into a wise person as his father advised, he seeded in rallying the aristocratic forces to side with him. His other significant achievement was gaining the support of the Imperial Army. ¡®I need to get my act together.¡¯ In addition, even the Shinsu became his reliable supporter in the end. He grew strong enough to have Lucy as his Empress without difficulty. *** On a clear day. The Emperor¡¯s garden was full of flowers. The white clouds slowly drifted away, and the g waved gently in the breeze. Lart lifted the veil covering Lucy¡¯s face. He paused as he looked at her. His eyes, which had always radiated the innocence of a mischievous boy, shone with sincerity. Today was Lucy and Lart¡¯s wedding day. They finally got married two years after he became an emperor. Lart¡¯s long-desired marriage was always pushed back. The nobles objected with reasons such as it wasn¡¯t the right time yet. They gave him shady advice, saying that it wasn¡¯t toote to get married after he established his position. The nobles were clearly opposed to the marriage. They secretly wanted to rece Lucy with their own daughters since Lucy wasn¡¯t a powerful figure. The Emperor¡¯s love will surely wither soon. Love is a fleeting emotion that will perish over time. They believed so. But Lart was adamant. He always held Lucy¡¯s hand wherever he went and whatever he did. Lart smoothly feigned ignorance to the advice of the nobles who opposed their marriage, and set the wedding date as soon as he established imperial power. On a particrly sunny day. A sunny day where the sunlight gently wrapped around them. Lart locked his gaze on Lucy¡¯s. Her eyes reflected the soft sunlight. He couldn¡¯t stop looking as he was in disbelief that the person wearing the bride¡¯s veil was really Lucy. Only after Shanti cleared his throat, Lart lowered his face. Soon after, Lucy and Lart¡¯s lips touched and cheers began to erupt at the same time. ¡°Congrattions on the Emperor¡¯s marriage!¡± ¡°May His Majesty and Her Majesty always be filled with infinite happiness!¡± ¡°Congrattions!¡± Shanti, the nobles, and countless others celebrated their marriage. Huge apuse, cheers, and the sound of a stringed instrument meant to jazz up the venue were mixed harmoniously and joyously. Everyone smiled happily as they congratted the couple. It was such a happy day. *** An arrow was shot and hit the target. Belinda eyesy on the fallen target. ¡°Princess Belinda popped 5 balloons and is the winner of this group!¡± Five dogs wagged their tails as they ran. As she watched the dogs begin to bring each balloon piece, Belinda took a step back following the servant¡¯s guidance. She satfortably on the carpet, watching the next group of archers fly their arrows. From a distance, an air-filled pocket rose up into the sky. That group started to shoot arrows. Half of the arrows missed and the rest hit the target. ¡°Ha is the winner of this group!!¡± Belinda threw a smiling nce at Ha, the winner of this round, as she walked back triumphant expression. The archery contest was held today. Archery targets were gas-filled bags instead of pigeons. It may look like a childish game, but it was an annual event overseen by the Imperial Family. Mazetto pped his wings and screamed in Belinda¡¯s ears. ¡°Did you see that, Belinda? Did you see? His Majesty only got one point!¡± Mazetto chirped gleefully,ughing at Lart. The target changed from pigeon to balloon because of Mazetto. A little consideration for the little bird who yelled, ¡®Human is cruel!¡¯ ¡°I won the fourth group, and you won the third group. I guess I¡¯ll see you in the final, Princess.¡± H said this while lying down and munching on green grapes. Belinda nodded toward the Shinsu, who took the form of a beautiful woman with her chin raised in triumph. ¡°Seems like I¡¯ll be the winner today. I have a good feeling about this.¡± ¡°Who knows. Shall we try then? It¡¯s clear that I¡¯m going to win,¡± Belinda leaned back on the carpet. In the distance, she could see Lucy pulling her bow with a loud grunt. The group in this archery contest was decided by drawing lots, and the noble Empress was put to the final group. ¡°His Majesty looks quite nervous.¡± ¡°Lart is always like that.¡± The great emperor was fidgety as he tried to protect his wife. He fumbled with his hand, worried about his wife, who was struggling to pull the bow. Lucy¡¯s arrow barely made it. Lart¡¯s face lit up as the arrow hit the balloon. ¡°y the celebration music this instant! The Empress hit it!¡± Belinda smiled warmly when she saw Lart went straight to hug his wife without any shame. Oh well, when did Lart care about people¡¯s stares? The gossipers would make a big deal out of it, calling it shameless behavior unbefitting of a noble, but Lart didn¡¯t care. He has always been like that. High clouds, pristine sky. It was a joyous asion for both humans and beasts. Except for Shanti, sprawling on the forest border as if he was dying. ¡¸Stop it, these little¡­.!¡¹ Shanti growled helplessly at the three children sliding on his back. Shanti¡¯s daughter, Carrie, as well as Belinda and Aymon¡¯s twins, Anish and Thi, were all ying on Shanti¡¯s back. Shanti didn¡¯t mind being trampled on his back because their faces were as cute as angels. Shanti¡¯s whiskers twitched every time the children yanked his fur with their tiny hands. ¡°Daddy! I want to go there and y with balloons!¡± ¡°Me too, Uncle!¡± ¡°Uncle, me too!¡± The children¡¯s eyes glistened as they squirmed to catch Shanti¡¯s tail. His brown fur was blown up each time he swirled his tail. ¡¸ No.¡¹ Shanti shook his head with a menacing look. The children, on the other hand, were not afraid of the Shinsu that they had stepped on. He thought he heard them giggling, followed by the sound of children¡¯s footsteps. They started running toward the hunting ground whether Shanti allowed it or not. ¡¸These cute kids!¡¹ Shanti rose to his feet. Before he knew it, the children had transformed into brown and ck cotton balls and were running around wildly. These small creatures were indeed fast looking at how their twirling tails were already far away. ¡¸Sigh¡­¡­.¡¹ Shanti just stood still. He was too tired to chase after them. They were still babies, but Shinsu was a Shinsu. Flying arrows don¡¯t pose a dangerous threat to them. But wouldn¡¯t it be embarrassing if they show their belly in front of humans and act like babies? A Shinsu had to maintain its dignity. Shanti thought for a moment before turning his gaze to the trunk of a tree. ¡¸Aymon¡­¡­. Chief¡­It¡¯s your turn now¡­¡­.¡¹ Aymon finally opened his eyes after hearing his murmur. Aymon was dozing off while leaning against the trunk of a tree. They agreed to take turns watching the children every hour, but it seemed that an hour had already passed. Why does this wonderful break have to end so soon? Aymon stretched his arms out and slowly raised himself. His gaze was drawn to three baby leopards, who appeared as small as dots from a great distance. Even though they were running on small feet, they pounced on each other, jumped back up and ran again. ¡°Why are those little creatures there?¡± ¡¸You know what they were like. They want to y there¡¹ Shanti let out an exhausted voice before crouching down. After taking care of three children alone, he seemed to have lost his energy, and soon he was burying his head in his front legs. Aymon started walking slowly. He nned to catch the three leopards as they ran wildly like foals. But the kids were faster than he expected. Their distance kept growing further. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Tsk. Aymon clicked his tongue. Arge ck leopard leapt from where a human used to stand and began to dash smoothly across the hunting ground. At that time, Belinda, who was chatting with Lucy and Ha, raised her eyebrows. ¡°Hm? Isn¡¯t that my kids?¡± Because the beasts that used to y in the hunting grounds appeared in the middle of the hunting contest. They were her sons and Ha¡¯s daughter. Three young leopards were trampling and rolling among the deted balloons. Their little tails fluttered wildly as if they were excited. The humans who were supposed to shoot the arrows were perplexed and set their bows down. ¡°Belinda! Belinda!¡± Mazetto, who also saw the children, called out to Belinda. Belinda rubbed Mazetto¡¯s stomach to tell that she saw them as well. ¡°I saw them, Mazetto. My children are over there.¡± Aymon and Shanti were definitely keeping an eye on them. But why are they having such a good time over there? Of course, I don¡¯t mind because they were adorable. Belinda, who was agonizing about what to do,id back in a rxed manner. Because she saw a ck leopard running toward the cubs. The Shinsu Chief, her husband, the father and uncle of the children. ¡®I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do well on your own.¡¯ As soon as Ha saw Aymon, sheid down again. The children ran away and Aymon chased after them. She wasn¡¯t surprised as it wasn¡¯t the only time she saw this scene. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 117: Side Story 7 TL : Nestaelle Side story 117 The cubs ran through the hunting grounds. Moving quickly with their small body, chewed on balloon shards, and lunged at dogs. They seemed to misunderstand that the dogs wanted to y with them. ¡¸Hi! What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Carrie! ¡¹ Woof! ¡¸My name is Anish! Did you know that my Daddy is a Shinsu Chief?¡¹ Woof, woof! ¡¸I¡¯m Thii, your spots are really pretty!¡¹ Woof! Woof! Woof! The cubs clung to the dog¡¯s neck and began rolling around in excitement. The confused dogs lowered their tails and stiffened like statues, but the cubs did not notice. The dogs began to flee, which enthralled the cubs even more. They hopped around as they were chasing the fleeing dogs. Those little Shinsu weren¡¯t dangerous since they didn¡¯t draw their ws, but the energy they emitted was enough to make anyone cower. That was the beast¡¯s natural instinct. But the dogs¡¯ savior arrived shortly. Aymon stood in the middle of the chaotic hunting grounds, his lower neck trembling as he growled. In the face of an overwhelming threat, the dogs froze like ice stones. Only the ignorant little leopards were still excited. Aymon approached the Shinsu¡¯ cubs. The cubs were clinging to the terrified dogs and nibbling on them yfully. Aymon shoved them forward with his front paw. [Nyaang!¡¹ ¡¸Kyaang!¡¹ Tiny cotton balls fell to the ground. They rolled on the ground like a fallen chess horse. Aymon slowly picked up three leopard cubs that were curled on the grass with his mouth. The dogs then dashed off to their owners. Arge beast bit the small beasts and began to smoothly exit the hunting ground. The little beast in its mouth rebelled by swinging their little paws, but it was useless. The archery contest resumed after the Shinsu disappeared. After following the trajectory of the arrow flying over the hunting ground, Belinda turned her head. Aymon was seen tossing the three cubs onto Shanti¡¯s hunched body. The cubsughed as they rolled on Shanti¡¯s body. Shanti pretended not to know and buried his face in his front legs, but he eventually got up when the cubs hanging on his head pestered him. Shanti¡¯s shoulders dropped further down. Ha, next to Belinda, muttered with a chuckle. ¡°Seems like they¡¯re having fun.¡± ¡°I know right.¡± Belindaughed cheerily, half agreeing, half sympathetic. *** ¡°Today must be hard for you, right?¡± When Belinda asked as she burrowed herself into his arms, Aymon answered nonchntly. ¡°Not at all.¡± After his answer, hended a kiss on Belinda¡¯s forehead. Today was their first night without the children in a long time. After the archerypetition, the children yed at Shanti¡¯s house and fell asleep there. ¡°It¡¯s your birthday soon, Aymon.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve been thinking that we¡­Aymon, can you please listen?¡± Belinda twisted her waist and shoved Aymon¡¯s face away from her as he desperately clinging to her. The kiss that hadnded on her forehead trailed down to the back of her neck before she knew it. She could feel the warmth of a big hand fumbling into her clothes. Aymon¡¯s birthday was just around the corner. Aymon didn¡¯t seem to care much, but she wanted to indulge him as it was her precious husband¡¯s birthday. ¡°Wait a minute, Aymon.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was difficult to talk while Aymon was showering her with kisses without even listening. Aymon¡¯s hands were also slowly pulling down her chemise, which was already halfway removed. ¡°Listen to me please.¡± Belinda held on to her slipping dress with one hand, and pped Aymon¡¯s shoulder with the other. It was a punishment for a big beast who didn¡¯t listen. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m listening.¡± Aymonpliantly responded to her plea. Her fluttering chemise had slid down to her waist before she realized it. Her nipple perked up as the cool air touched her skin. Belinda¡¯s fingers trembled the moment Aymon bent his head and bit it. ¡°Ah, uhm¡­¡± Belinda lowered her jaw slightly. Her hands fumbled for his hair in a hurry. How did he get worse day by day? Is my husband a snake rather than a leopard? How do you take off my clothes so deftly and cling to me so tenaciously? The hot breath linger over her sensitive skin. Wet noises could be heard in the dark. The ticklish, feverish sensation in her lower stomach became increasingly hotter each time he sucked her skin. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± She let go of her grip on Aymon¡¯s hair. She tried pushing Aymon again, but his body was as hot and firm as a burning coal, and did not budge at all. The wind pushed the tree branches against the window. When she woke up to the sound and looked down, she discovered Aymon¡¯s hair through her blurry vision. His messy dark hair glistened in the moonlight. His straight nose sunk into the tender mountain, and his hot lips began to devour its peak. When the wet tongue brushed against her nipple, she let out a strange moan and bit her lips afterwards. You¡¯re not a real beast, are you? This is so ridiculously unfair. How does this beast be this skilled day by day? He made me moan like that and swept me away easily. Belinda gathered white light on her fingertips. As the divine power gathered with a crackling sound, Belinda pped Aymon¡¯s shoulder. And then, ¡°Ah!¡± Belinda screamed even though she was the one who hit him. Mainly because Aymon bit her hard in surprise when he was hit. At Belinda¡¯s scream, Aymon raised his head in hurry. ¡°Are you okay, Breedee?¡± He looked more surprised than the victim herself. Aymon¡¯s teeth marks were discovered above the chest, which was dimly illuminated by the moonlight. Her white skin made the red scar stand out even more. There was no blood or torn skin, but the redness made it appear painful. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was surprised.¡± With a worried expression, Aymon carefully smoothed her scar. Regret filled his eyes as he felt the teeth mark on his fingertips. ¡°It must be painful.¡± Belinda couldn¡¯t respond even though Aymon showed his concern. Because every time his hand trailed gently, a faint mixture of pain and pleasure made her moan. ¡®So, why have you been so horny until now?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t evenin. Wasn¡¯t it her who hit Aymon first? ¡°Stop touching¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re in pain.¡± When she was barely able to squeeze out her voice, Aymon replied weakly. Belinda tried to pull away quietly. It was painful, but there was a bigger issue at hand. The fact that she kept breathing heavily as he touched her wound with a worried face. She despised her body for getting turned on at times like this. He just stroked the teeth mark. He simply caressed the surrounding area and patted it affectionately, but the electrifying sensation ran through her body, possibly because it was her sensitive area. Perhaps by mistake, his fingertips brushed past her nipple. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Does it hurt a lot? I¡¯m sorry.¡± Belinda swallowed her saliva and turned her head around. Her ears were burning red. ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, take your hands off.¡± Aymon looked at her flushed neck and obediently put his hand down. But he lowered his face this time. Belinda breathed loudly when the wet sensation clung to her flesh again. Aymon¡¯s hand gently swept down her belly, which had drawn back due to the tension. Even her clumsy reaction was adorable. He, who was burying his face in her chest, licked the wound with his tongue. His tongue glided over it slowly, but Belinda was getting more anxious rather than rxed. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± The moan she was trying so hard to suppress came out like a whimper. Belinda finally let go of herself when his lips, which had been scouring her wound, bit her nipple again. She grabbed Aymon¡¯s ck hair, which was strewn across her chest. It was difficult to resist the urge that raced through her body if she didn¡¯t hold on to something. Only heat filled the space where pleasure flew by. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Belinda let out a loud cry. Her eyes were blurred due to the stimtion that poked her insides. The arms clinging to Aymon¡¯s neck were trembling. Aymon drew her waist in closer. He bound the small body that tried to flee him and poured all of his desire into her. Then he slowly bowed down and gently kissed Belinda¡¯s face that was wet with tears. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, Breedee.¡± He tasted the salty tears as he licked her warm cheeks. The small body trapped beneath him had no way of pushing him away and could only bite her lips. He kept kissing her because he found her adorable, and an impatient breath swirled between their lips. After kissing affectionately, he eventually opened her soft lips and pushed his tongue in. The two lips interlocked, just like their connected bodies. ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± Belinda pushed Aymon¡¯s shoulder weakly. Instead of pulling himself back, Aymon only parted their lips slightly. Even now, the warm body that was wrapped around him was unbearably lovely. Again, he felt the urge to ram her and bite her skin roughly. Whenever he was connected with her, his head was overrun by his instinct. But he couldn¡¯t possibly do that, so Aymon just thrust into her gently. He constantly put so much effort to suppress his violent impulses. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 118: Side Story 8 Chapter 118 ¡°The weather is nice.¡± Aymon gently wrapped his arms around Belinda¡¯s shoulders. Belinda patted the back of Aymon¡¯s hand on her shoulder and replied. ¡°But it¡¯s cloudy, Aymon.¡± Of course, Aymon acted like he didn¡¯t hear her. The low-lying clouds that seemed to be reflected on theke slowly drifted away. Belinda inhaled the cool air as she gazed at the white fog. A damp smell tickled the tip of her nose as they strolled down the riverside. They were out for a walk in a ce near the capital. Jansen Lake was a popr destination for both nobles andmoners throughout the Empire. Looking into the turquoise-colouredke, a white snowy mountain glistened beautifully on the water¡¯s surface. The forest where she and Aymon lived was beautiful, but this forest had a different beauty. Belinda went on a trip with Aymon for his birthday. It was to show theke to Aymon, who rarely left the forest, and to spend time with just the two of them. ¡°The kids must be having fun, right?¡± ¡°They¡¯re always having fun.¡± Belinda¡¯s words were tinged with concern, but Aymon responded insipidly as he tightened his grip on their interlocking hands. As she watched him pressing her hand, he seemed to express to her that she should forget about the children and focus solely on the two of them. Belinda thought of Anish and Thi. Two mischievous boys. Normally, they remained in their human forms, but when their emotions became intense or they became overly agitated, they often transformed into beasts. They were more difficult to control as beasts than as children because of their strong instinct. That was the main reason she couldn¡¯t hire a human nanny. The little leopards were so powerful that humans would tremble in shock at their little pranks. ¡®But I¡¯m d that Aymon is here.¡¯ Belinda saw Aymon in a new light. Perhaps he was in a good mood, but Aymon was smiling as he walked beside her. Since the children were born, parenting had been almost entirely his responsibility. It was always his responsibility to catch the children who were running away or rolling around thewn to entertain the children. Belinda had also regained some of her divine energy. It meant that the mischievous little kittens was like a toy in her hands. Aymon, on the other hand, who had dedicated his entire life to ¡®protecting¡¯ Belinda in this life, did not easily relinquish parental responsibility to Belinda. He worried about Belinda getting a scratch from the children¡¯ ws. But I¡¯m stronger now. Anyway, it was difficult to spend time alone for that reason, and the opportunity to celebrate Aymon¡¯s birthday actually came by a stroke of luck. It was thanks to a man who visited the Empire this time. Maharin. A giant from the Tarcan Kingdom. A hunter with gigantic skeletal muscles and arms the size of a wooden barrel. He agreed to babysit the children for a few days. Maharin was formerly a diplomat, but he is now the Tarcan Kingdom¡¯s Minister of State. He had a good rtionship with Aymon, but didn¡¯t he say Aymon was the ¡®first person to break my hand in the past¡¯? She wasn¡¯t sure what that meant. But watching him looking at Aymon with astonished gaze meant that something had clearly happened between the two. ¡°Will Maharin be okay?¡± Belinda voiced her concern with a crease on her forehead. Aymon knitted his brows and whined as soon as she finished speaking. ¡°Are you thinking about another guy when I¡¯m right here?¡± That yful tone of his actually came from the depth of his heart, so Belindaughed incredulously. Simultaneusly, at the white mansion in the Shinsu Forest. Maharin was chasing two little beasts with a ghastly look on his face in the house where Belinda and Aymon lived. ¡°Kids! You¡¯ll break the table! Ugh!¡± Two small leopards, scratching the legs of the table, leaped toward Maharin. ng, ng. When his armour made a loud ng, Maharin hurriedly ran away. There was a reason he put up with the difort of wearing armour and even running away. Of course, Maharin was dressed normally at first. However, they were having a st climbing his body, and the leopard¡¯s ws tore the fabric, stripped him naked again and again. Maharin eventually wore his armour after bing naked in front of the children several times. Despite the fact that it was only a mansion and not a battlefield. [Meow!] ¡°Agh! Anish! My armour!¡± However, the armour did notpletely protect him. This is due to the fact that when Anish leaped on Maharin¡¯s armour, the surface was peeled like a scrap of paper. Thud. Anish, who had fallen to the ground clutching a shard of his armour, clung to Maharin¡¯s feet without showing any signs of pain. And Anish clung to his ankle and meowed as if he was having a good time. Maharin looked down at the scraped armour, knelt down and stroked the little leopard. The ck fur of the beast glistened. His tiny squirming paws were adorable. He was far too lovely and adorable to be referred to as the Great Shinsu. ¡®He looks so cute¡­¡¯ When Anish purred in delight, Thi plopped down next to him. Maharin alternately stroked the two beasts¡¯ fur with hisrge hand. The way they meowed was undoubtedly simr to a cute cat. Who would have imagined ? The fact that his clothes ripped apart every time these tiny creatures swung their front paws, or that his armour was scratched every time they trampled on him. ¡®I should have expected it considering Aymon broke the bone in my hand.¡¯ He thought he should¡¯ve known their power since then, but he agreed to be a baby sitter for a few days, holding a sweet fantasy of seeing the baby Shinsu closely. He dug himself into a hole. [Chin. Rub under my chin.] [Don¡¯t rub my belly!] Maharin stroked them cautiously when the two Shinsu ordered him with their tails swinging back and forth. The leopard cubs¡¯ belly was soft and warm. Maharin¡¯s grim face began to soften up. ¡®But I¡¯m d I came. I¡¯ll bring iron gloves the next time I visit.¡¯ Maharinughed when he saw the w marks at the back of his hand. It was a painful happiness. Unlike his rugged appearance, Maharin, who was especially weak in cute and adorable things, was happy beyond words now. *** ¡°How can a flower bloom on a cliff like that?¡± Belinda muttered as she sat on top of Aymon¡¯s coat. Red flowers were blooming on the cliff of the snowy mountain that oversaw theke. Life was truly a wonder to behold. How could life grow in those dry rock crevices? Even if it was thend she had built in her previous life, it was full of strange and new things. Aymon, who was only blinking at the bunch of flowers, stood up from his seat. ¡°Where are you going, Aymon?¡± Instead of answering, Aymon pointed at the grass. It was to tell her to sit down and wait. Belinda, who was getting up after him, nodded and sat down again. ¡®I¡¯ll just stay here, then.¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t be in danger if he went alone, she wouldn¡¯t be in danger if she was left alone, and it was highly unlikely that he¡¯d gotten lost. She fumbled over Aymon¡¯s empty seat, made her way down the grass, and removed her shoes. Ssh. ¡®Ah, how refreshing.¡¯ The water was clear, and the breeze was refreshing. It was even better because she was apanied by the man she adored. Belinda closed her eyes and relished the sensation. When was thest time she felt so at ease? Her life was in a frenzy because of her two troublemakers. The kids needed to grow up a bit more before she could go on another date with Aymon alone. ¡®Come to think of it, Aymon grew up alone¡­¡¯ She suddenly wondered about Aymon¡¯s childhood. A small cat who always approached her. He was supposed to be protected and loved as a child, just like Anish and Thi, but he grew up alone in the vast forest. He must be lonely. That might be the reason he always came to the royal vi. Although he said he just came due to boredom. Her heart ached like never before. Because of his upbringing, he may have developed a particrly possessive desire for her and clung to her like a child. ¡®I¡¯ll be sure to hug youter. My pretty and kind- no, not exactly kind¡­but you grow up well anyway.¡¯ Ssh, ssh. She was lost in thought while stirring the water with her feet when she felt a movement behind her. It wasn¡¯t Aymon. Perhaps because of the divine power she possessed, recently she was able to urately detect Aymon¡¯s energy whenever he approached. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ The stranger soon sat next to her, proving that he wasn¡¯t just a passerby. When she turned around, she saw an unknown man who smiled at her. Delicate features and an inviting smile. The material of his blouse that wrapped around his neck was quite luxurious. One servant was waiting behind him. Nevertheless, he seemed to be a noble who came here to have fun. ¡°Hello.¡± Even the light voice he let out was confident. ¡°Yes, hello.¡± Belinda also replied without reluctance. He looked at her dress with interest. She was dressedfortably in a navy dress. It was a dress she chose to befortable while going out with Aymon, but it wasn¡¯t tant enough to show anyone that she was the Empress. But, given that he greeted her with courtesy, she knew that the man in front of her was sincere. He was not an overbearing or arrogant individual. ¡°Theke is beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± Belinda replied politely because her opponent was polite. The man ced his palm on the grass and settled down. His charmingly curved eyes looked gentle and kind. Chapter 119: Side Story 19 TL : Nestaelle Chapter 119 ¡®Was it because I got toofortable with Aymon? Otherwise, why would his expression bother me so much?¡¯ The man in front of her was undoubtedly a noble who hade for leisure, but he did not appear to be a high-ranking noble, as he appeared unfamiliar to her. Wouldn¡¯t she recognize every noble who came to the pce? The same can be said for the nobles who supposedly recognize her. Except for the nobles who visited the pce, few people recognized Belinda¡¯s face because she rarely interacted with people outside the pce. She was a private and reclusive individual, so to speak. With a polite tone, the man began to introduce himself. ¡°Please excuse my dyed introduction. I¡¯m Ronan Kingsford. I¡¯m not a dangerous person, so please don¡¯t be wary of me.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Kingsford, then¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Count Kingsford, my father, is the lord of thisnd.¡± He squared his shoulders with a face brimming with confidence. No surprise there. Belinda knew about Count Kingsford because Kingsford County was quite a powerful territory. Didn¡¯t she just meet the Count at the royal banquet a month ago? Belinda took a closer look at the man with fascination. He was unfamiliar, no matter how much she looked. She heard that the count¡¯s youngest son went to study abroad, but has hee back already? ¡®Come to think of it, I¡¯ve met the Count¡¯s child once.¡¯ A lovely boy with dark brown hair appeared out of nowhere in her mind. ¡®Oh! That¡¯s right!¡¯ In hindsight, she noticed a resemnce between that child and the man in front of her. That¡¯s right. She was certain now. She initially thought it was their first meeting, but she had actually met him before. Was it seven years ago? Count Kingsford brought his third son to the Imperial Pce. The child was about to leave for another country. I can¡¯t believe that child is all grown up and even flirted with me. How fast time flies. Belinda looked at him amicably. The man smiled from ear to ear, as if he mistook Belinda¡¯s gaze for a sign of attraction. ¡®Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡¯ Of course, he¡¯d have trouble recognizing her. He hadn¡¯t seen her for a long time. Not to mention that her divine power enabled her to remain youthful even after giving birth, and she appeared to be somewhere between a girl and an adult woman. He wouldn¡¯t expect that the Princess she met a few years ago looked this young. ¡°But where is your escort?¡± Ronan asked, looking around. ¡°I don¡¯t bring an escort with me.¡± Because I¡¯m stronger than all of you. Aymon is strong, too. Ronan took another look at Belinda¡¯s clothes after hearing her concise answer. It was not shabby, but it wasn¡¯t an attire fit for a noble. He was convinced that Belinda was a noble based on her fair skin and eloquence. He assumed she dressed modestly to conceal her identity, but was he mistaken? She waspletely alone, with no servant or escort. But he remained as courteous as before. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for a beautifuldy such as yourself to be alone in this ce. The sun will set soon. Would you mind if I take you to your amodation? Oh, please don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m not helping you with any ulterior motives.¡± Belinda chuckled at his fastidiousness. His words were in no way deceitful. She could get a glimpse of the atmosphere in Kingsford Country by seeing how polite he was even though he was speaking with amoner. ¡®I have to get Lart closer to Count Kingsford and his sons.¡¯ Belinda was overjoyed over finding a good person who could be of help for Lart. She smiled and decided to be honest abouting here with her husband rather than alone. From behind, arge shadow engulfed the two, and Ronan¡¯s body was soon floating in the air. ¡°Aymon?¡± There was no time for Belinda to warn them not to be surprised, and the guard behind them had no way of intervening. Aymon flung the heavy man back and sat next to Belinda as if nothing had happened. He then held out the red flower in his hand. ¡°Here. Take it.¡± His eyes glistened, as if he wanted to be praised. Belinda took the flower mindlessly. Did Aymon go out of his way to get this? All because I said it was pretty? She likely guessed right based on a petal stuck in his hair. Which made her wonder how hard he had to struggle in that dangerous cliff just to pick this out. The sunset light melted in his gaze. How could someone who looked this graceful be this violent? It is simply hard to believe that he just tossed the count¡¯s son away effortlessly. The lovers¡¯ flower-giving ceremony was quickly shattered by a loud roar. ¡°You punk!¡± Kingsford family¡¯s guard charged from behind and strongly pressed Aymon¡¯s shoulder. Ronan, who had been sent rolling on the grass, staggered over to his guard with a puzzled expression. Aymon grabbed the hand on his shoulder and whipped him off. He went on to smile beautifully toward Belinda without caring whether the guard stumbled or fell. ¡°I picked this because you said it was pretty, but you are prettier in my eyes.¡± The guard, who got up right away, shouted with his face flushed red. ¡°You punk! Do you know who my lord is?!¡± Only then did Aymon spare him a nce. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°Wh, what did you say?¡± The guard was taken aback by Aymon¡¯s boldness. ¡®Is he just a snobbish peasant, or is he a real big shot?¡¯ But Aymon and Belinda¡¯s clothes were not that luxurious, so he straightened his shoulders again. Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m a Knight of Great Kingsford County. ¡°My lord is Ronan Kingsford, son of Count Kingsford, who ruled over the Kingsfordnd!¡± The guard roared proudly. Kingsford was a county, but its influence wasparable to that of a marquisate or duchy. All that left was for that burly, ck-haired man to lie t and tremble. Aymon crossed his arms with his head tilted. ¡°Are you saying that Count Kingsford¡¯s son is free to make a move on a married woman? How can a distinguished noble do something so deplorable?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The knight took a step back as he was ovee by confusion. Ronan, who was standing next to him, stepped forward. A married woman, you say? Making a move on a married woman, you say? If his father, the count, learned about this he¡¯d surely be appalled and scold him harshly. But there was something unfair about this. The young-looking woman didn¡¯t even have a wedding ring on her finger. ¡°If I had known you were married, I would never have approached you.¡± He couldn¡¯t ask for pardon with his head down to save his noble dignity. It was straight out taboo. Ronan, who was making an excuse instead of apologising, heaved a deep sigh. And that¡¯s when Belinda¡¯s eyes were sparkling. As expected, her eyes weren¡¯t deceiving her. He was a man of great character. These days, Lart had vented out his trouble finding a faithful and honest person, so it¡¯d be the best move to introduce Ronan. A young talent aiding a young emperor. Wouldn¡¯t they match perfectly? After introducing himself, Ronan cast a stern gaze toward Aymon. ¡°I¡¯ve revealed my name, now tell me who you are.¡± That man arrived without saying anything and just threw a noble away. If he was amoner, Ronan has the right to cut off his wrist; if he was a noble, Ronan must file a formalint to his family. Let¡¯s say he was a high-ranking noble, were there any asions when someone acted this impertinently? Even His Majesty the Emperor wouldn¡¯t do this either. When Ronan asked his identity, Aymon¡¯s gaze turned even more crooked. He replied in an exceptionally confident voice. ¡°I am the husband of a royal family member.¡± Ronan finally got the answer he demanded so badly, yet he really doubted his ears upon hearing it. ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Ronan asked back, raising his eyebrows in bewilderment. Belinda rubbed her temple. Hey, Aymon. Wouldn¡¯t it be more sensible to tell him that you are a Shinsu rather than bragging about your royal wife? Sometimes, she didn¡¯t know how to react whenever Aymon acted like a dunce. ¡®He¡¯s adorable nevertheless.¡¯ Belinda took a deep breath and rose from her seat. She had to step up and end this awkward situation properly. Belinda cleared her throat to get Ronan¡¯s attention because he was still staring at Aymon as if he was looking at a madman. She smiled gracefully when his shaking pupils finally met hers. ¡°Didn¡¯t we meet once at the Imperial Pce, Ronan Kingsford?¡± ¡°Ah¡­pardon? Did we¡­.?¡± Ronan unintentionally used honorifics with Belinda because of herid-back tone. Belinda rubbed her palms together to brush off dust and extended her hand toward him. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Belinda Lou Ateez. The Royal Princess and that big Shinsu¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± Ronan¡¯s guard screamed in surprise as soon she ended her introduction. *** ¡°He just talked to me because I looked bored. We simply socialise.¡± Belinda said as she turned around the corner. ¡°But his gaze said otherwise. It¡¯s filled with ill-intention.¡± Pulling Belinda by the waist, Aymon replied discontentedly. The two had been bickering in front of theke. Obviously, only Aymon wasining without an end. Belinda was only smiling softly and taking his rambling with a grain of salt. ¡°My face didn¡¯t even look like I¡¯m married, though.¡± ¡°Why did you take off your wedding ring?¡± ¡°It broke after Anish bit it. Don¡¯t you remember leaving it to a craftsman?¡± ¡°What takes him this long to fix it? I¡¯m gonna find that craftsman and hang him upside down. That¡¯s what happens when you don¡¯t do your job and arezy.¡± Aymon was dead serious as he grumbled and grit his teeth.There was no such thing asposure for him. _____________________________________________¨C Chapter 120: Side Story 10 Side Story 10 TL : Nestaelle Belinda shook her head dazedly. Aymon acted like a beast desperate to stick the ¡®I¡¯m married¡¯ sign on Belinda¡¯s back immediately. To the point she was fascinated. ¡®Do you like me that much?¡¯ Belindaughed at herself when she realized how much of a narcissist she was. Then she recalled what happened earlier. As soon as she identified herself, Ronan and his guard¡¯s face turned white. The guard was startled and fell face down on the ground, while Ronan bowed deeply to apologize. ¡°Please pardon my impoliteness, Lord Shinsu! Princess!¡± His cold sweat dripped on top of the grass, showing how utterly flustered he was. His reaction was understandable. He sat next to a girl and even made a move on her which turned out to be the Princess, and the arrogant man next to him was the Shinsu. Not to mention, he was the Princess¡¯ husband and the chief of Shinsu, who was famous for his violent personality. What if Kingsford County faces a severe punishment due to his action? I can¡¯t believe I got myself into this mess as soon as I returned to the empire. Even if I acted in that manner because of my ignorance, the consequences would not be simple. However, as Ronan was at a loss, she patted his shoulder gently instead of scolding him. ¡°I¡¯m going to send an invitation to the County soon, so I hope you can visit the pce. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to rebuke you.¡± Ronan was polite to Belinda even though he mistook her for amoner. He was also able to deal with Aymon¡¯s rudeness in a dignified manner. As much as she recalled, Count Kingsford also had a praiseworthy personality. As expected, like father, like son. It must be hard for those born into noble families not to be arrogant. In that regard, Ronan¡¯s character was already proven. He¡¯d be a good source of strength for Lart. She was walking around the alley hand-in-hand with the sulky Aymon when someone approached them. He seemed to be a traveler judging by how looked around with a small map. ¡°Excuse me, by any chance¨C¡± But before Belinda could respond, Aymon lost his temper. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± The man shuddered at Aymon¡¯s sharp growl. Aymon asked again menacingly. ¡°What¡¯s your problem, huh?¡± The man sped his mouth shut, clutched the map tightly and stammered. ¡°W-Where do I h-have to go to get to P-Parthen Lake¡­.¡± Aymon grouchily furrowed his eyebrows, pointing to the back alley with a foam at his mouth. ¡°Get lost over there. Don¡¯t make a move on my wife.¡± ¡°Yes! T-Thank you!¡± With fast steps, the man who bent his waist vanished. He had no idea that woman was the wife of that ill-tempered man. He felt a little unfair, but there was nothing he could do. Get lost, huh? I¡¯m sure telling me to get lost nicely won¡¯t hurt. Belinda, who had been left behind, shook her head. Aymon, you punk¡­ Isn¡¯t that man just a passerby? He did nothing wrong. Just where did you learn to have tantrums like this? ¡®Well, at least you still showed him the way.¡¯ In any case, Aymon told him the right way. The two began walking hand-in-hand again. ¡°Aymon, why are you so angry?¡± ¡°When did I?¡± Aymon replied after taking a nervous nce at Belinda. ¡°You did it before, and you¡¯re doing it again. You act like you must encase me in a gold-ted frame so that nothing can get near me.¡± Aymon brushed his hair down and smiled warmly at Belinda. ¡°But it is true that you are encased in a gold-ted frame. Because in my eyes, you shine brighter than the gold-ted frame.¡± ¡°¡­.Oh.¡± Belinda was so embarrassed that she began mimicking the passerby earlier by quivering her mouth, seemingly forgetting what to say. She heard those heart-fluttering words all the time. But it was his beautiful lips that made her ears flush red every time he said it. He was so handsome when he said those words. She wondered if she was a sucker for beauty. Belinda wiggled her fingers. Divinity started oozing from her fingers. But no matter how much Aymon liked me, wouldn¡¯t it be a problem if he kept doing this? He¡¯d always grown his ws, ready to destroy anyone who had anything to do with Belinda or himself. It was concerning at this point. ¡°What a grumpy cat you are.¡± She murmured to herself and tapped Aymon¡¯s forehead. She wanted to wrap her divinity around Aymon¡¯s body¡­ Meow? A ck baby leopard fell on the floor. The baby leopard without a transformation stone was so small, so if one didn¡¯t see it properly it looked just like a ck kitten on the side road. [Me¡­ow?] The small beast was going to say something, but he shut his mouth because he couldn¡¯t believe what wasing out of his mouth. The beautiful magenta eyes trembled uncontrobly, possibly due to the shock. Belinda sat down on the ground to make eye contact with Aymon. Since her divinity had settled down, it was now possible to transform a huge leopard into a kitten. Aymon might not be able to return to his ¡®original body¡¯ until she freed him. Belinda tapped Aymon¡¯s snout and said sternly. ¡°This is a punishment. Reflect on yourself.¡± [Meow!] But Aymon wrinkled his snout and protested angrily. Belinda almostughed due to his cuteness. Aymon has always been this adorable. He¡¯s just lovely. I hadn¡¯t seen him like this in a long time, so I forgot. She held back her amusement and extended out her hands. When she grabbed the baby leopard¡¯s body, the beast was embarrassed and squirmed its front feet, but he soon gave up. She then lifted the listless leopard and met his eyes. ¡°You acted like a child so much that I turned you into a kitten for real.¡± [¡­.] ¡°How can you keep being rude to people who approached me? You¡¯re not even a child.¡± [¡­] ¡°I know that you are the great Shinsu, but as long as you live with me, you¡¯ll have to get used to mingling with others. Do you get it?¡± [¡­] Aymon was unable to respond. It hurt his pride. He jerked his front feet to escape Belinda¡¯s grasp, but he was held even more tightly in her arms. Aymon tapped the back of her hand with his front foot while simultaneously rxing his body, as if he found Belinda¡¯s armsfortable. It had been a while since she hugged him like this. His body had be so big that he was always the one to hug Belinda. It really had been a very long time since he was held in this way. A human body that stayed warm and tender. It made him happy. He bared his teeth in vain because he didn¡¯t want her to know how he felt. Belinda stood up and wandered about with a small beast in her arms. He was a good cat who didn¡¯t even stick out his ws despite all of his attacks and protests. A chain of meows rang out endlessly in her arms. It was Aymon¡¯s subdued protests. He seemed to want to say ¡®Let me talk¡¯. Belinda¡¯s fingers tickled Aymon¡¯s chin. At one point, Aymon¡¯s ongoingints developed into a snarl. ¡°Wait. Learn to be patient.¡± Belinda said gently as if she were dealing with a real kitten. The beast smacked his tail on Belinda¡¯s forearm right after she said that. It was the most effective way he could demonstrate his rebellion without hurting Belinda. Belindaughed aloud as she walked through the alley. The warmth in her arms was refreshing. A girl with frecklesid the teacup and cookies with care. The girl cast a nce at the kitty curled up on the table. ¡°It¡¯s a very pretty cat.¡± ¡°Cute, isn¡¯t it?¡± Aymon¡¯s whiskers twitched, as if he didn¡¯t like being praised as pretty and cute. It just made him look even more cute. Aymon turned his head to avoid her when she reached out to pet him. He had been silent since earlier. He seemed to be very upset. Now that ites to this, shall I return you to your original body? That¡¯s what she thought, but she chose to drop that idea for the time being because he was so cute. Aymon¡¯s angry appearance was cute anyway, so it was still bearable. ¡°Aymon.¡± Aymon, who movednguidly, turned his backpletely. ¡°Aymon, did you reflect on yourself?¡± Aymon merely wagged his tail instead of responding. It was a rebellion. Once he said he had reflected, Belinda was about to release her divinity, but his pride held her back from doing so. Belinda poked Aymon ¡®s back with her finger. The touch felt so good that she kept touching him, but Aymon moved to the end of the table to avoid her. Belinda lowered the corners of her mouth, barely able to hold back herughter. You¡¯re so cute. But being cute doesn¡¯t excuse you from doing things you shouldn¡¯t do. ¡°If you don¡¯t reflect on yourself, I¡¯ll let you stay like that throughout the trip.¡± [¡­.] ¡°You¡¯ll also return home in that condition. Anish and Thi will really adore you. Because they have a brother to y with. Right?¡± Only then Aymon turned around. He wiggled his front feet and opened his mouth as if he had something to say. He eventually jumped beneath the table without even meowing. Then he walked out of the cafe with a proud step. ¡°Hmm. You must be really upset.¡± Actually, she wanted to release him and have cookies with him. Belinda thought of the small beast as she took a bite of the almond cookie. He was so upset that he even turned his back and just listened. She didn¡¯t know it was so fun to tease Aymon. His cute fangs and small paws were so adorable. Belindaughed, knowing that if Aymon heard her thought, he would undoubtedly give out an angry meow. ¡®I wonder when my cat will stop being angry?¡¯ She thought of him as she stirred the teaspoon, when a shadow loomed on the table. And when she looked up. ¡°Ronan Kingsford?¡± Ronan, the youngest son of Count Kingsford, was standing there. He was looking around with his hands behind his back and an embarrassed look on his face. Chapter 121: Side Story 11 TL : Nestaelle Side Story 11 ¡°Greetings, Princess. Where did Lord Shinsu go on his own¡­¡± ¡°My husband went for a short walk.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± He nced around nervously, wondering what to say. He spotted Belinda sitting on the caf¨¦ terrace as he was passing by, so he stopped the carriage and hurried over. He was unable to handle the situation properly at that time because of the confusion. He wanted to use this chance to express his regret properly and resolve the matter. ¡°Sit down, Ronan.¡± Belinda pointed to an empty seat in front of her. Ronan pondered for a moment before nodding and gently took a seat. ¡°I couldn¡¯t apologize properly because of the confusion earlier, Princess.¡± ¡°Why must you apologize? Rather¡­um¡­I should be the one apologizing for my husband¡¯s violent behavior.¡± Rather, she wanted to apologize on her husband¡¯s behalf for grabbing him by the neck and tossing him away, but she said it vaguely because she didn¡¯t want to embarrass him. Ronan shook his hands and head at the same time. ¡°No, I was rude from the beginning. If I had known you were the Princess, no, if I had known you were married, I would never have approached you in that manner.¡± Please don¡¯t get me wrong, Princess! I¡¯m not that kind of person! As Ronan spouted those words with a look of desperation, Belinda gave him a nod as if understood him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand.¡± Only then Ronan¡¯s expression rxed. ¡°I saw the Princess on the way, so I came to greet you even though it might be impolite to do. Could it be that I disturbed you, Princess?¡± ¡°No, thank you foring. I also wanted to apologize for what happened earlier.¡± Ronan seemedpletely relieved by her words. He rxed his tensed shoulders. ¡°If you had given me a word before you came here, I would have prepared to wee you.¡± ¡°I came without a notice because I wanted to spend the time quietly with my husband. It¡¯s all right.¡± Throughout their friendly conversation, Belinda stared deeply into Ronan¡¯s eyes. His clear and honest eyes were a reflection of his upright nature. As expected, he gave off the same vibes as before. It was when she inclined her upper body in his direction, thinking that she wanted to get closer to him for Lart¡¯s sake. She felt something fluffy below her ankle. ¡°Hmm?¡± Wondering what it was, she moved her feet. [Nya-] A small bundle of fur meowed from below. It was Aymon. He came out of nowhere and rubbed his cheeks against her ankle. He, who was running away angrily, immediately ran back when he saw Belinda with Ronan. Belinda pushed Aymon away with her foot. ¡°Is that your cat, Princess?¡± ¡°No. It must be a stray cat.¡± As Belinda pretended to not know him, Aymon was taken aback and got busy by himself. The small beast slipped between her legs and pacing restlessly. Belinda battled the impulse to pick him up and cuddle him in her arms every time his soft fur touched her ankles. When Belinda refused to give him attention, Aymon crouched at her feet and nibbled at her ankle bone. The fangs that graze her skin lightly felt ticklish. Belinda pressed her lips together to refrain from smiling. Ronan opened his mouth again. ¡°In that case, Princess. Why don¡¯t you have dinner at our castle tonight?¡± Aymon, who was attacking her ankle fiercely, suddenly tensed up. Of course, Ronan meant to say ¡®I¡¯m inviting the Princess and Lord Shinsu to dinner¡¯, but Aymon wasn¡¯t aware of the whole situation. What dinner? Have you gotten close enough to invite her to dinner? When I¡¯m not around? This fast?!¡± Belinda held back herughter. She didn¡¯t need to look down or ask Aymon to know what he was thinking. She could tell by the way his paws attacked her foot. Don¡¯t do that. Don¡¯t do that, Belinda. Your husband is right here. It was really clear what Aymon wanted to say. Ignoring his protest, Belinda jerked her shoes before turning toward Ronan. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I¡¯d have to decline.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you bothe and stay at our castle? I¡¯m sure my father will be very delighted.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration, but I have to decline that, too.¡± After refusing with a smile, Belinda bent over at the waist. She opened her arms to the ck cotton ball who was staring at her with resentment. Come here. Aymon perked up his ears and hesitated a bit, before jumping into her arms. He was angry and resentful, but he couldn¡¯t refuse her embrace. Belinda stroked the little beast in her arms, and murmured quietly. ¡°I know you¡¯re cute.¡± Ronan, who managed to hear her voice, smiled broadly. ¡°I don¡¯t think it has an owner. But if you like it, you can take it with you and raise it.¡± Belinda tickled Aymon¡¯s chin and nodded. ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll see youter at the Imperial Pce.¡± I¡¯ll see youter at the Imperial Pce. Ronan, who grasped the meaning of her words right away, stood up from his seat. He bowed respectfully as he uttered farewell. ¡°Yes. May your journey be peaceful, Princess.¡± After Ronan left, only a person and an animal remained at the caf¨¦ with a lovely setting. Belinda picked up Aymon. Meow- Aymon whimpered as if asking Belinda to let him go. As the sun had set, the road was very dark. Aymon¡¯s ck fur was hidden by the darkness, but his purple eyes shone brilliantly in it, shining even brighter than the recently turned-on streetmps. ¡°But if you like it, you can take it with you and raise it.¡± Ronan¡¯s words suddenly came to her mind. Belinda kissed the tip of Aymon¡¯s nose and whispered. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll raise you well for the rest of my life.¡± [Nya.] Whether the small beast enjoyed the kiss on the tip of his nose, which felt like a falling petal, he clutched her face with his front paws with a short whimper. *** The cool breeze danced through her hair. The white moon shone brightly on the water¡¯s surface. Belinda leaned her backfortably against the firm chest. ¡°Theke is cool, isn¡¯t it?¡± On the terrace of their lodging, she and Aymon were enjoying the view of theke. Belinda moved her head to face Aymon, who remained silent. ¡°Are you still upset?¡± His jaw was stiff. It seemed what happened earlier was still bothering his mind. Belinda patted his cheek. She could see his eyshes twitching. So she turned around, wrapping her arms around Aymon¡¯s neck and kissed his chin. ¡°Stop being angry, okay?¡± Chu- Aymon¡¯s clenched jaw rxed at the sensation of her soft lips. He chuckled in defeat before pulling Belinda into his embrace. He embraced her tightly, pressing her up against him, and showered her soft cheeks with kisses. ¡°What¡¯s with you suddenly?¡± Belinda giggled and pushed his shoulders away, but to no avail. In the end, she decided to enjoy the endless kisses. Even when the kisses fell on her like feathers, or when he bit her cheek. Even if he licked her lips slowly. As their temperatures steadily mixed, Belinda¡¯s breath started to be hotter. The lighthearted kiss gradually evolved into an intimate one. His low whispers flowed between his erratic and hot breath. ¡°Bredee. I can live as a kitten forever if you want.¡± A solid arm wrapped around her even tighter. ¡°But I can¡¯t say that I won¡¯t be jealous. I cannot help getting mad when I see it. I want you to only look at me.¡± Chu- Hended a soft kiss in the middle ofining. ¡°Even if you turn me into a cat, I will be jealous again and again. It doesn¡¯t matter even if I have to live as your kitten for the rest of my life.¡± He kissed the tip of her nose, above her lips, and her lips. Feeling ticklish, Belinda narrowed her eyes. Then a tender kiss fell briefly on her eyelids. She felt a tingle in her chest, as if each of his words and kisses sent tiny feathers fluttering through her heart. Belinda reached out and caressed his cheek. The skin on her fingertips were as smooth as a marble. Everything about those beautiful, yet persistent, deep gazes that were only fixed on her was lovely. Even though he was a beast with broad shoulders who encircled her entire body, he looked like the prettiest man in the world. ¡°Do as you please, Aymon.¡± Belinda caressed his cheek slowly. His skin was imbued with heat. I adore you so much. I like you so much. She was confident that he would only love Aymon no matter what he did. Even if he turned into a small cat who curled its tail around her ankle, or even if turn into a big beast who pounced on her violently, Aymon was still Aymon. The one who always loved her. The one who dug into her heart with such endearing eyes. Belinda slowly touched his fineshes. The moonlight hung on the tips of hisshes. Even his eyshes were pretty. ¡°Ah, how pretty.¡± Aymon curled up his lips. It didn¡¯t matter if she called him pretty or treated him like a cute kitten. He was willing to act cute for the rest of his life if she wanted to. Aymon hugged her tightly and buried her lips on her white nape. A sweet smell of her skin rushed in. The faint sound of her pulse made him dizzy. Belinda. My wife. My dear Bredee. Each time he felt that she was alive, each time he felt her warmth stayed close to him, overwhelming happiness pounded on his heart. He always felt like he was walking in a dream because reality was too good to be true. ¡°Bredee. I love you. I love you so much.¡± Whispering to her, Aymon rubbed his cheek against hers slowly. A warm scent oozed each time he rubbed himself against her smooth skin. ¡°I love you, too, Aymon. You are my prettiest cat in the world.¡± Belinda replied affectionately as she stroking Aymon¡¯s hair. It was a warm night where their bodies ovepped under the moonlight. [I raised the beast well ¨C fin.] Dear readers, I appreciate your love and support for IRTBW thus far. Taking over the trantion from the previous TL and finishing it off has been a genuine pleasure for me. It was a lot of fun for me to trante, and I hope it was equally enjoyable for the readers. Cheers, and I hope to see you in another projects! -Nestaelle The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!