/

Chapter 41




Translator/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.」
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.」
Belinda tilted her head at the sudden jump of logic.
“….Oh, really?”
「You also have to get used to my new self.」
“Hm. I’ve already gotten used to it a bit, though.”
「I know you’re scared of me.」
“I can’t help it. Your fangs are so big. I would instantly die if you bit me.”
Belinda smiled, stroking his snout – quite a fearless move, but she was confident that he wouldn’t bite her hand.
「I’m sleeping here either way.」
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…」
Belinda ignored his grumblings and pushed open the door, beckoning the big cat.
“Aymon. Come here.”
「…….」
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 slammed 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 splashed 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?」
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 glanced up at her.
「What do you mean? I’ll just switch to my human form, and we can sleep together.」
He said it as if it was completely 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 playful comment, 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.」
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?」
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 and comfortable to be around, but she was so excited to be with him at the same time…
How can I come 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 places.
Aymon, who stared at her curiously, quickly turned away in surprise when he saw her collarbone poking out.
His hair stood on end and he laid down.
「I must be crazy. Why the hell did I come in here?」
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.
“–and 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 blank look, ignoring the fierce looks from Adelai, 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 blame.
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 playful 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 Adelai and the Empress.
A low-blooded, vulgar woman leading the next emperor into a forest wouldn’t be taken lightly. Adelai and the Empress might pounce on her. She decided to go with Lart’s plan this time around.
Listening to Lart’s story, the Emperor put down his cup.
“Your rash behavior could have caused a big clash. 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 accidents, and he didn’t want to make the issue bigger than required.
It was Belinda who answered him with a relaxed 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 relationship, only collaborating for the safety of them all. Their trust was as brittle as a sandcastle. They didn’t even communicate 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 relationship 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 glanced 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 quietly laughed.
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?”\n