CH 97

“I hope he is happy…”

“Then, may I ask you a favor?”

She could feel the calm shock as the Emperor muttered to himself. She didn’t miss the time and intervened in the shock.

“Please. What?”

“Please look at Lord Leone as he is. Please don’t fit him into the human frame. Please try to find out what Leone wants, his heart, and his condition. Because you’re human, in fact, you’re a family, and because you’re members of the royal family, things you did and took for granted. Everything, please think again.”

“…”

“This, more than just one meal, is something you should do as a family for Leone.”

She was finally able to tell him the purpose of the day. The Emperor looked at her face to face, and he said nothing. The silence continued for a long time. She desperately wanted to avert her eyes and lower her head, but she held back. It seemed that any movement would interfere with the Emperor’s thoughts.

Because this is a very important moment.

“You…”

The Emperor’s voice, which opened at the end of the silence, was more pensive than when they first met. It was only a short time, but the Emperor’s face was clearly tired. He looked ten years older. Even so, every wrinkle on his face was beautiful, as if to prove that the blood of the royal family did not go anywhere.

“The first time you met Leone. How was Leone?”

“He tried to kill me. I thought he was an intruder.”

It was a bit funny even though she answered it without hesitation. At first, she thought she was going to die right away, but she thought it smelled like a familiar dog, and now it has become a precious existence that she couldn’t be without.

“Weren’t you scared?”

“I was scared.”

“But why… why?”

“Because Lord Leone was scared too.”

“…Were you afraid, were you?”

“Yes. I was afraid I only recently found out what it was. Lord Leone was always afraid of everything.”

The Emperor’s face deepened. He propped up his body with both hands on the desk as if his strength had declined.

“Your majesty. Shall we call someone from outside?”

“No, no… It’s okay. You should go out and see.”

“But.”

“It’s fine. Come out and see.”

“…yes. Thank you for your time.”

She didn’t know the etiquette, so she chose the politest greeting she could and got up. She didn’t know it, but she was still holding her fist. Her reddened palms were full of sweat. Her clothes were damp as if a cold sweat had run down her back. Before grabbing the doorknob and leaving, the Emperor, who looked back for the last time, sat motionless with his hand on his forehead, like a person in despair.

“Trixie?”

As soon as she opened the door and came out, a familiar body approached her. To stand right in front of the door like this and wait the whole time. She felt sorry and thankful, and she looked up at him with a smile on her face. There was a beautiful prince looking down at her with worried eyes. At the same time, the accident stopped.

“Are you okay?”

They had definitely walked together before, but why did it feel so strange? Was it because he had just been arguing with the Emperor and thinking about Leone the whole time? He glanced over at her. It was in front of the Emperor’s room, and maybe there were many people watching, so he didn’t ask too much or ask more questions. She came to her senses thanks to the distance she had slightly opened. When she saw the worry-filled eyes, her heart fluttered again.

“Leone.”

“Huh. Are there any problems?”

“Sure. Shall we go? Did you procrastinate a lot later?”

It was a little too much to talk about this and that here, and if we talked right away, it seemed like tears would flow. The emotional aftershock was significant. As she stepped out, Adler, who was standing behind Leone, came out to lead. Ever since he moved his abode to the Emperor’s palace, Adler stuck close to Leone’s side and didn’t fall off, as if he was worried about Leone’s safety. Thanks to this, he often acted as a guide for Leone, who was not familiar with the geography of the Emperor’s palace. Actually, that was what the attendants would do.

They moved on to the next class as an excuse, but both Leone and Adler seemed curious. Instead of going to the designated place, they headed to the drawing room next to Leone’s room.

“Class is-”

“Is the class the problem? Lord Leone and I thought we were going to die of anxiety.”

As soon as he closed the door, Adler spewed out his words as if he were about to rap. Concern and curiosity intertwined in Leone’s eyes, but Adler’s eyes were crazy, curious about the outcome.

“Fortunately, seeing that you came out unharmed, it seems that there is no problem with your mind and body.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Then tell me quickly.”

Anyway, wasn’t it too much to brush up on his subordinates, who had a hard time coming out alone with the Emperor? Still, since he was a boss, he held back the desire to look down on Adler.

“Knight. Quietly.”

Did he understand her heart? Leone glanced at Adler and said coldly. Adler, who had opened his mouth as if to brush it off, closed it again.

“Trixie, sit down.”

“Uh?”

“Your face is a bit pale.”

“No, I’m fine!”

Concerned about Leone’s paleness, out of habit, the words that it was okay came out.

“Sit down.”

Leone, who had spoken firmly, approached abruptly, probably taking her saying that it was okay as a refusal to the invitation to sit down. She was taken aback by the distance she was getting so close. Another step, Leone came closer and she stepped back again. It was like playing a game. A few more steps later, Leone approached and she had no choice but to continue walking backwards. Before she knew it, the bottom of the sofa hit her calf. Leone smiled and pressed her shoulders and sat her down on the soft sofa.

“I was able to sit just fine…”

“Trixie always said it was okay. Because I do.”

Leone let out a small sigh. She felt strange because she felt like she was being treated like a stubborn child.

“So, how did it go?”

Perhaps expecting the bickering to be prolonged, Adler intervened again. He must have been quite curious to see him stepping out like that despite Leone’s order.

“Hmm. I think I solved it well. His Majesty…  asked him to not try to treat him only as a human or a prince, and to find out about Leone’s condition.”

“Status? What condition is he in?”

“I explained it at length, but in conclusion, Leone is a human, a wolf, and a dog… I was talking about something like that.”

Adler made a face of astonishment.

“I said that, but how did you get your throat right? He must have been sensitive because His Majesty said that the thing he hates the most is the beast prince.”

“No wonder. He was angry.”

“Every time His Majesty heard those words, he felt sorry for Leone… Almost like that, just talking about that kind of thing to Leone is tantamount to landmines.”

The Emperor hated the word ‘beast prince’ the most. But considering that after bringing Leone, he must listen to his beloved family being laughed at for a long time… It was hard for him to admit that Leone had grown up to be a beast. He must have insisted, ‘My child is a human!’ But wouldn’t it be too much for Leone to understand that? Concerned, she slightly rolled her eyes and looked at Leone.

‘Omg.’

But Leone was smiling at her. With a natural, friendly, and affectionate face. Since when did he have that expression? It was a gaze full of affection, like a man looking at his lover. As much as she would like to think that Leone loves her.

‘Leone doesn’t know that kind of heart… Right?’

Didn’t Adler say a long time ago that even a child knows love? Wouldn’t Leone know about her love? When he lived as a wolf, he might have loved some female… 

‘Ah. I don’t like it the way it is.’

No matter how open-minded she was, who was she jealous of right now… ? The wolf…? It was absurd. They say falling in love makes you a fool, in her case it was more than a fool. This was because the opponent was too complicated. 

It would be better if Leone didn’t know about her love so that he wouldn’t have to feel this sense of shame.

‘Calm down, Trixie. That’s Leone’s.’ Devil’s Whispers. Being possessed by demons, black magic. hypnosis. All sorts of bad things! She worked hard to calm her down, but Leone’s hot gaze was still there. Thanks to that, her face steadily heated up and even her ears were hot.

“Ha ha ha. Anyway, because it ended well. Haha. Let’s go now.”

She wanted to run away. She snapped sharply, she said. But Adler wouldn’t let her go. In the end, she had to be caught by an excited Adler, asked a few more questions, and reenacted her face-to-face with the Emperor for a while.

“Huh… I’m so glad Trixie didn’t live as a cheater. It’s not enough for me to convince even His Majesty.”

“Hmm. That’s a compliment… Right?”

“Of course. I am relieved that it worked out.”

Thanks to that, the hot face subsided. However, she couldn’t see Leone’s side.

“Still, I’m a little worried, so I’ll have to see how your Majesty is. Trixie, Lord Leone’s afternoon schedule, please.”

“Knight.”

“Yes, Lord Leone!”

“Schedule, cancel.”

“Yes?”

“It’s a nice day.”

She looked outside. The sky was visibly overcast. It was a cloudy day in the middle of autumn, so a chilly wind blew and it was cold. It was difficult to call it a good day.

“Yes? The weather…”

Adler seemed to have the same idea, and looked out of his window and blurted out his words. It was the same weather as when he suddenly picked me up in class in the Meto Mountains and made an excuse for the weather. At the time, she thought it was an excuse. Seeing that today was good, she wondered if he really liked this weather…

“Leone likes this kind of weather. Even in the Meto Mountains, he went for a walk on a day like this.”

At her words, Adler nodded. She couldn’t say it’s good based on common sense, but if it’s his taste, it’s different.

“Then I will cancel class today! You’ve been overdoing it so far, so I’m in favor. Then I’ll meet Leone. After seeing him rest, even if I go to His Majesty-”

“The knight, go. I don’t want to interfere with your work.”

Leone told Adler that… Was he saying something considerate? It got a lot closer, but it wasn’t that smooth. Adler seemed embarrassed as well, and his face blushed slightly.

‘No. Why is his face red…’

“I will go, thank you. Lord Leone!”

“Okay.”

Adler bowed his head with moved eyes and left the parlor. Adler went out and a servant came in.

“Lord Leone says he’s canceling his schedule and taking a break, so get ready-”

She jumped up and, like a habit, she was about to ask the attendant for a few things, but Leone lightly grabbed her shoulder and pressed it.

“I will tell you, Trixie.”

“Yes?”

Leone smiled and approached the attendant, ordering various things. It looked like there was something up. She couldn’t figure it out.