The sound of water splashing in the indoor fountain permeated the stillness of the Imperial Palace.
The emperor moved a chess piece with a languid 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 a complete clone of her.
Lily, too, had the golden hair and eyes, but no ability.
Â
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 palace 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 to come back one day, but the promise was quickly forgotten as the tasks of the palace 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 place was in the palace.
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 palace out of view than be plagued 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 play backgammon. Mademoiselle Lucy came to play 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 palace, but she still couldn’t fully understand that she was a princess. It was only natural, after so many years living as a commoner.
She roughly tossed away her blanket and answered.
“Come in.”
The maid came in carrying a large golden box, followed by a little girl. It was Lucy, the daughter of Earl Herb, who had become Belinda’s companion maid three months ago. She was the last 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.
“Welcome 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 playing.
“Why isn’t Aymon coming?”
Aymon’s visits had always been irregular.
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 and laughed 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 black fur and sparkling eyes. His eyes almost look like jewels, don’t they?
The two girls talked and joked around affectionately as they played.
They were interrupted by a fluffy black 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 old lady 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?」
Her strange reaction made his ears prick up.
「Are you afraid of sparrows?」
“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?」
“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.」
“That’s – That’s true, but-“
「But?」
“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.」
“…….”
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!」
“…….”
Silence. Aymon scratched the table with his razor-sharp claws as a final warning.
「Hey, if you keep playing dead, I guarantee you won’t have to pretend much longer.」
Then, a miracle.
“Yes, sir!”
The dead sparrow sprang up, shouting in a high-pitched voice.
Belinda stared at it blankly.
It was amazing that Aymon had brought the sparrow, it was amazing that the sparrow had played dead, it was amazing that Aymon threatened it, it was amazing that the sparrow talked..
He pressed down roughly on the sparrow.
「Now play with that girl.」
The sparrow again answered, “Yes, sir!” and flew over Belinda’s shoulder. She glanced 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 to come 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 plastered 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 here lately?”
「I was at the sacred mountain.」
“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.」
Aymon answered furtively and raised his chin a little.