Chapter 40

A few days later, Rudy found out that Lirika was cultivating sugar beets.

“Lirika!”

“Mother? Suddenly—”

Before she could ask what was going on, Rudy hugged her tightly.

“You adorable thing!”

“Huh?”

Though bewildered by being suddenly embraced by her mother, Lirika couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re so smart, my daughter. So capable.”

After praising her several times, Rudy said with a smile.

“You chose the sugar beets from the list Uba gave you, right?”

“Yes? Yes, I did.”

“Let’s share it with Mom.”

“Yes?”

Rudy smiled gently and said,

“Mom will find a place to invest, and if there’s a profit, we’ll share it.”

“That’s fine, you can take it all if you need it.”

“Oh, no.”

Rudy pretended to frown and pressed her daughter’s lips.

“There are things that need to be clear even among family.”

Lirika smiled at her mother’s words. Seeing her daughter smile so maturely, Rudy felt as if they had switched roles. It was as if Lirika was indulging her mother’s stubbornness.

Lirika nodded.

“I understand.”

Rudy held Lirika’s hand tightly and said,

“Sugar beets grow well in the north. You have a fief, right? It seems like it would be suitable to plant them there.”

“Oh!”

Only then did Lirika remember her fief, and she nodded. Rudy smiled faintly.

“Shall we discuss the details then?”

“Yes!”

* * *

The full moon was larger than usual.

The summer night air was stifling with a variety of scents. Laub hid in the shadows, breathing heavily.

Even though he tried not to look at the moon, his gaze kept drifting towards it. The blood in his body seemed to boil and bubble, threatening to explode.

He knew his duty was to guard, and he shouldn’t leave his post. Even though he knew this, he couldn’t help it.

He thought that coming out to the garden instead of staying in the castle surrounded by stone walls might help, but it didn’t.

Sitting on the cold marble chair did nothing.

Squeak squeak

He lifted his head at the sound of small footsteps. He knew who it was without looking, but he couldn’t help it.

A raven stood there, holding a lantern.

The lantern, glowing with a purple light, was undoubtedly an artifact passed down in the Sol family.

Laub thought this as he looked at Breen. Breen approached without hesitation and thrust the lantern in front of him.

The flame was not hot but rather cold.

“You’re unfit, aren’t you?”

The words from Breen’s mouth were as cold as the flame. Laub couldn’t say anything.

His inability to speak was an admission, but the raven wanted an answer. The wolf turned his gaze from the flame and nodded slightly.

“Tan Wolf, that guy!”

Breen gritted her teeth and shouted in a small, sharp voice. The Empress must have known, yet she allowed it!

“Yet you’re shamelessly here?”

“The Princess—”

“Don’t even think about taking advantage of the Princess’s ignorance.”

Laub turned his head to look at Breen. A wild animal’s characteristic blank expression appeared. Breen snorted.

“If you’re thinking of killing me and burying me deep, forget it.”

“...I wasn’t—”

“Just for a moment, right?”

“...”

Yes, just for a moment. But he couldn’t harm a maid the Princess cherished.

“That’s why you’re unfit.”

Breen narrowed her eyes.

Laub looked at the shameless raven standing there.

What do you know?

A human born perfectly.

Those words rose to his throat.

The beast within his blood laughing joyfully.

Want to try?

He saw her finger on the trigger tighten slightly.

In that moment, when all sounds and colors seemed to be sucked into the tension, a voice came.

“What are the two of you doing out here?”

Both the raven and the wolf turned their heads in surprise. Lirika stood there, holding a pendulum in one hand. A faint light was emanating from the pendulum, illuminating her.

Too sudden, neither of them could say anything. Lirika sighed deeply, looking at both of them.

Both lowered their eyes, unsure of what to do.

“Princess, you shouldn’t be out here alone at night.”

Breen slipped the gun back into her pocket and said. Lirika puffed her cheeks and frowned.

“Her Majesty said—”

She stopped speaking.

—The full moon is larger tonight, so keep a close eye on Laub.

If Her Majesty hadn’t mentioned this during the lesson, she wouldn’t have known they were out here.

Lirika asked,

“Both of you have something to tell me, right?”

She looked at Breen, then at Laub, and said,

“I’ll listen to Breen first, then to Laub.”

Breen glanced at Laub. Seeing his pale face, she snorted and approached Lirika.

Lirika frowned slightly at Breen and said,

“Let’s go over there and talk.”

“Yes, Princess.”

Lirika sat at a stone table hidden by trees. She took off the silver ring on her pinky and placed it on the table, and the surroundings became quiet.

Breen looked at the ring in surprise. Lirika said,

“I received this from Her Majesty today. It prevents sound from leaking out.”

Actually, she had made it herself.

Did Her Majesty know this would happen and ask her to make it? Lirika looked at the ring and then raised her head.

“So?”

“First, please forgive me for leaving my post without permission.”

“Okay, so?”

Lirika asked, and Breen sighed softly, placing the lantern on the table. The purple flame had already gone out.

“Do you remember when I told you how each family started?”

“Yes, the story about mixing with monsters, right?”

“Yes. And as proof of that, there are fierce individuals. We call them unfit.”

“Unfit?”

“Yes, unsuitable to mingle with humans.”

Lirika crossed her arms. It was cute when the small Princess did this, but Breen lowered her gaze slightly.

After all, she was her master.

Knowing how unpleasant it was, Breen explained,

“We can’t have such a person as the Princess’s guard. I don’t know what Sir Tan was thinking.”

“Hmm.”

Lirika thought, ‘Was the bell ringing then about this?’ and looked at Breen. She asked,

“So, what did you plan to do, Breen? What was that thing you had pointed at Sir Laub’s head?”

“It’s an artifact called a Magic Bullet Gun. I wasn’t going to attack. I just wanted to make him confess the truth to you tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Yes. After all, you chose your own guard, what could I do?”

Lirika nodded and asked,

“Is being unfit really that bad?”

“They’re like defective artifacts that could explode at any moment. No matter how well-trained a dog is, it’s still a beast. There are times when it can’t be controlled, and I hope those times don’t come when you’re around.”

The tone was so cutting that Lirika swallowed hard.

“I understand for now.”

Lirika nodded and said,

“Can you go get Laub for me?”

“Just the two of you at a time like this...”

Lirika tapped her pendulum and said,

“It’s fine.”

“I understand.”

Breen stepped back and called Laub. Laub approached the stone table slowly.

Lirika told him to sit, but he couldn’t bring himself to sit in the chair and instead knelt on one knee in front of her.

He couldn’t look at his master directly. He knew what Breen had said.

“Laub, I heard from Breen. You’re unfit, right?”

His voice was soft, but the content made his jaw tighten.

“Yes, that’s right.”

The answer came out like a sigh. Lirika smiled bitterly.

“It must be tough for you.”

Laub’s head snapped up.