A Shinsu and a royal were loversâŚ. They didnât 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 relationship with the two of them may have started badly, but now, they were close enough to allow him access to the guest palace without fuss.
It would be very helpful if I became the emperor.
To become the next emperor, heâd have to win a battle against the existing forces. Maybe this relationship would prove useful then.
Thinking of that day, Lart nodded with a serious look.
***
âWhy is this progressing so slowly?!â
Adelai 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 Barahanâs descendant and win the Emperorâs trust, but people with blonde hair and golden eyes were few and far between.
It wasnât nearly as easy as sheâd thought, and her secret proceedings slowed things down even further.
The Count bent over to pick up the fan and held it out politely.
âIâm sorry, Princess. I will try harder.â
Adelai, 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 Emperorâs eyes looking at her.
This couldnât be. There needed to be a turnaround.
Belinda Ryn Athez. She hated her from the first moment and never accepted her as a sister. Belindaâs existence was intrusive, no, maddening.
At first, she didnât 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 lowly commoner.
âHow do you dareâŚâ
Adelai threw her fan at the mirror.
âIâm from the true line of descent. Iâm the only princess of the Empire.â
Still looking at herself in the mirror, she shouted out the door.
âGet my things ready! Iâm going to visit Duke Rodson.â
To secretly find Barahanâs descendant, and to officially have Duke Rodson in her hands â that was Adelaiâs goal.
To start with what she could do, Adelai grabbed the hand of the maid who was brushing her hair.
***
âThis vacation wonât be easy.â
Belinda said to Lucy in a somber voice. Theyâd been planning to go on a summer vacation together, but everything fell flat when the Emperor called her in a few days ago.
âBreedee, weâre going on a trip to the northern Gerban Peninsula. Get ready for it.â
It was the first time she would go on a vacation with the royal family.
âWe have to go to the Gerban Peninsula with the royal family for an ice festival.â
Of course, she wasnât very happy about the prospect. Sheâd have to endure Adelaiâs and the Empressâs death gazes, and it would be more like torture than a vacation.
Fortunately, Lucy could accompany her as a maid. Her improved relationship with Lart was also somewhat comforting.
Lart will love this.
Heâd 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.
âMe too! Iâm going too!â
âHuh? Mazetto? You want to come?â
âYes! Iâm going with you! To the north! To see ice!â
He left prints on the floor every time he hopped and shouted.
âWill you be able to stand not being able to talk?â
âYes! I can! Iâm good at that! Iâm coming!â
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 palace more often, didnât talk about his girlfriend, and more importantly, looked very gloomy for a few days. More talkative and fussy than anyone, he was deeply melancholic, 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.
âBy the way, Mazetto. Is Aymon at home?â
Aymonâs visits had become more sporadic again. She couldnât 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.
âI think he went to Sam!â
âSam?â
âYes! Yes! But could he be back already? Mazetto will go check!â
Mazetto suddenly flew out the window, and Belindaâs attempts to catch him were futile.
âI didnât tell you to go right awayâŚ.â
A few hours later, he returned.
Traveling to the forest and back twice in a day was too much for a tiny sparrow. Exhausted, he sat on Belindaâs shoulder.
âAymon is at home.â
He said in a lifeless whisper.
Suddenly feeling sorry for him, Belinda hurriedly fetched him some sugar cubes. After a few pecks, he laid down.
âIâm sleepy. Can I sleep here?â
âOf course. Whatever you want.â
Belinda replied affectionately, gently rubbing the small sparrowâs head with her fingertips. Mazetto had never slept at the palace before, but strangely, it put her in a good mood.
Mazetto roughly finished off the sugar and had some water before flying over to Belindaâs bed to plop down on the pillow.
âI like it here. Iâll sleep here.â
He quickly fell asleep. His white feathers fluttered in the wind coming in.
Belinda shut the window and covered his body with a small handkerchief.
âYou cute little thing.â
She carefully brushed some sugar off his beak and laid down next to the bed, afraid to crush Mazetto in her sleep.
âGood night.â
She whispered inaudibly before closing her eyes.
The next day, Belinda went into the Shinsu forest by herself. She was planning a surprise visit because she missed Aymon so much she couldnât bear it.
Mazetto, sitting on her shoulder, chirped away in a good mood.
âLetâs visit my nest later! I worked very hard on it!â
After a good while playing with Belindaâs hair, the continuous movement made him doze off.
âMazetto, isnât it better to fly?â
She asked, taking him into her palm.
âMazetto is comfortable. I had a very tiring day yesterday.â
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 wasnât equipped to handle it.
She could ask Mazetto to fetch Aymon⌠But he was sleeping so soundly that sheâd 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 relaxed her tense shoulders. Surely, a normal animal wouldnât dare approach a place with Aymonâs traces.
Indeed, it wasnât 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.
âAck!â
Belinda leaped back, startled. Mazetto also woke up.
âWhat? What is it? What happened all of sudden?â
He flew up and screamed again when he saw the leopard in front of him.
âShanti!â
He recognized him but didnât seem to be pleased.
The Shinsu scoured them with an intrigued look, approaching Belinda.
ăOh, I see a small snack with an even smaller snack!ă
âIâm not an even smaller snack! Iâm a sparrow!â
Mazetto squeaked fearlessly.
Belinda was not so fearless.
Maybe because it wasnât 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 couldnât be bold in front of an opponent who could kill them with a single swipe.
Shanti stopped in front of her with a smile.
ăYouâre a royal, arenât you? The one who attended our ceremony.ă
Only then could Belinda muster a nod.
âYes, thatâs right.â
He might have recognized her, but she didnât 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.
ăItâs hard to distinguish you humans since you all look the same. You donât smell like Aymon. How come he hasnât imprinted you yet?ă
While Belinda wondered about the meaning of that word, the leopard laughed.
ăHi. We met last time, but Iâm Shanti.ă
âHi. We met last time, but Iâm Belinda. Belinda Ryn Athez.â
ăWhy did you come all this way? Are you here to eat strawberries?ă
âIâm looking for Aymon.â
Shanti sniffed her as she stiffened up.
He wagged his tail, muttering to himself.
ăMeet him? But heâs dangerous now since heâs out of control. Well⌠Itâs not my business.ă