CH 8

Chapter 8

Among the other branches, Terrun was born with the thickest blood of a wolf. It would be enough to already say that he was expected to be Thersion’s Head of the Knights in the future. As a result, his nature as a wolf was strong and he was very wary. It was the first time that Terrun had such a soft expression towards someone, and to receive and eat the food he was given without any qualms. Besides, egg fried rice wasn’t his favourite food. 

That kid Alexa, she was a better kid than I thought.

Visten rubbed his lips, involuntarily letting go of that heartwarming scene. Though he pretended to be strict, Alexa was barely a girl yet. Just looking at the three of them getting along made his heart happy. 

(T/N: It meant that  Alexa was barely a girl with the right track of mind. She was only 15 so she has tendencies of being a child.)

It was a pity that Alexa had to go soon. He had already prepared the money he will pay her. In the meantime, he observed Alexa and wrote down everything. It wouldn’t be that difficult to control Ysildus if they also did that, and it seemed like there was no need to stop leaning on the little girl – even for Alexa’s sake. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

It was well past 11 in the morning when Alexa, who had not slept enough to feed Terrun and the dog until late at night, woke up.

“Alexa.”

“Yes?”

The maid gently shook her to wake her from sleeping on the bed, and Alexa looked at her while rubbing her eyes. 

“Lieutenant Visten wants to see you.”

“Yes….”

Nodding her head, the maid helped her wash and change before sitting her down in front of the vanity table. It was actually fun to style this cute little girl’s hair after taking care of the only troublesome Ysildus. Plus, Alexa’s luscious reddish-brown hair was soft to touch, and the maids loved that all the time. Moreover, Alexa looked good in any hairstyle. 

“What style are we going to do with her hair today?”

“Let’s do pigtails. She will be wearing a yellow dress.” 

“No, she’ll be cuter with a single braid.”

“Then what about tying it high and putting a tiara on her? Look at this! Isn’t this so cute?”

“Oh oh oh…!”

The maids clapped when they saw a pink tiara that one maid had pulled out of her jewellery box. Under Alexa’s feet was the dozing off the puppy. 

“Aaaang…” Yawning.

“It’s done, Miss Alexa. Miss Alexa…?”

The maids laughed and shook Alexa to wake her up.

“You need to go there and eat lunch because the chef said that he cooked Miss Alexa’s favourite tomato seafood spaghetti.”

“Uh… Really?”

“Yes. So, you need to wake up now and go there, alright?”

Alexa nodded and stood up. When she started to move, the dog scrambled to follow her. The maids followed the trudging Alexa. They were worried about her bumping into a wall. And, Visten delivered a piece of news to all of them like a bolt out of blue. 

“Alexa, I know you’ve been very good to us all this time, but you also know that it was  very dangerous for you to stay here.” “

Alexa blinked at Visten’s soft tone. In fact, she also knew that she was going to stay here until the puppy had fully grown up. Not only did it obediently follow her, but he also treated people well now.

‘Is it too much of a dream?’

However, Alexa was well aware of her situation, and instead of reacting to Visten’s words, she nodded her head.

“Yes. Then where do I go? Can I go back to the inn?”

“That’s good too, and if you want, I will get you a house and a job too.”

“If it’s a job….”

“I think it would be a little dangerous for you to get a job outside Thersion.”

Ah, you mean you are afraid that I will divulge your secret to others? Alexa pursed her lips. 

“So I am thinking of hiring you here…. I heard that there was a need for an errand runner in the telegram office, what do you think?” 

“…I would love to.”

Alexa actually had no reason to refuse when the Temporary Headmaster asked her to leave. Though it was a little sad to part with the dog she came to love. 

“When can I leave?”

“Actually, I have already prepared a place for you to go. If anything…”

“The sooner the better, right?”

Visten nodded calmly.

In fact, the more Alexa continues to live here, the more her traces become visible. That being said, the Grand Duke and his wife were more likely to notice those traces when they returned to this place. That is going to be dangerous for Alexa. This was also a decision for Alexa’s sake…. 

[‘That was too much!’

‘How can someone who is so soft…….’

‘Can you kick the little girl out?’]

The maids that were following Alexa were protesting staring at him with hatred. They were used to acting him as a villain, but he was too much this time around. 

Visten furrowed his eyebrows. Fortunately, Alexa was willing to leave without any qualms. 

Alexa grabbed the whining Ysildus and lifted him up. 

“Now, let’s see. Our puppy, is someone prettier than you?” 

Alexa rubbed her cheek against the puppy’s cheek and kissed him.

“Ysu, I had a lot of fun during this time. You must never forget about me, understand?”

She now has a habit of telling him not to forget about her. What if the cruel future Grand Duke swung his sword at her mistakenly because he couldn’t remember her? That one-year time limit kept haunting her. 

Alexa doesn’t know what will happen if she goes against him. Even if she tried to run away, she probably couldn’t as the staunch Baron Visten will probably watch Alexa to the end. 

“?”

Alexa kissed the puppy’s cheek once more, tilting her head. It’s a pity that she wouldn’t be able to see hic cute figure anymore… 

“Bye.”

Alexa said goodbye softly.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Baron Visten never changed his decision. There was still no disagreement that sending out Alexa was everyone’s choice. However, 

“Krrrrrr! Woof! Arrrrrrrrrr!”

“Kyaah! ¡No, no!”

“!!”

The vicious and making people suffer, Ysildus, scraped and crushed the furniture and wallpaper. 

“Sit down! No, you can’t!!”

Unlike with Alexa, a rebel that doesn’t listen to anyone’s words even if he had to die – the real Ysildus was back – as if everything he had acted naïve until now was a lie. Was that all? 

“Alexa……. Egg fried rice… Meat…”

What about the silent guy Terrun who was everyday mumbling about Alexa and the egg fried rice all day long? What on earth was on that egg fried rice? Visten shook his head. 

It has been a week ever since he sent Alexa out. The Grand Duke’s castle was devastated in just one week. He could no longer take the maids that came to him crying, the cost of astronomical repairs needed, and Ysildus that was roaming the Grand Duke’s castle as a ferocious wolf. 

He didn’t know where she belonged, but Visten deeply felt the importance of Alexa. It seemed better to let go of her after Ysildus became an adult. But if the Grand Duke and his wife return before that…. 

‘Well, I will try my best to stop them.’

Even if it means that he would have to stick his head in front of their fangs, it would be alright to save Alexa. Sigh. 

‘What the hell is that girl?’

Visten thought that he didn’t know what to do with this chaos with empty eyes. Even the iron-blooded Visten couldn’t beat Ysildus inside the house. 

With a trembling hand, he gestured to a knight, “Bring Alexa.”

“… Well thought out, Lieutenant.”

It was ironic. Alexa’s only been here for a week or so, but she was very much needed. Visten exhaled a sigh of relief. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Fortunately, Alexa accepted the Grand Duke’s Lieutenant’s offer. Instead, she agreed to receive ten more times the salary she was receiving. 

The moment Alexa opened the front door and walked in, tatatata, Ysildus flew 2m and landed on her arms. 

“Kyaaah!”

The knight supported Alexa as she was about to fall over.

“Th-thank you… kyaah! Ysu! Okay, okay!”

Visten shook his head as he saw Ysildus flicking his tail while licking Alexa’s face. He was just like… an abominable dog. He didn’t mean to give him to his caretaker, but he doesn’t have any choice. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Peace came to the mansion after Visten brought Alexa back. Ysildus didn’t act like a demon, and Terrun returned to being a meek child. Furthermore, 

Alexa was a smarter, more nimble and lovable child than Visten had expected. In fact, he has more confidence in maintaining the status quo, but he wasn’t very talented at governing the territory. 

Visten was called Iron-Blood Baron because he was only doing certain things. He should’ve gone to the war. He would have gone to the battlefield had he not been in charge of raising Terrun and Ysildus and had he not been one of the meticulous members of the Grand Duke’s family. 

He was said to be the most sensitive amongst the wolves, but a wolf is still a wolf. When he was aggressive, he was more aggressive than any wolf. If the cluster was built bigger and strong toothed, he might be the one standing still against a cluster.