⊱⋅ ─────────────────────────── ⋅⊰

My ears twitched. So far she has been explaining about the Bird Clan, so I thought the contents of the class would flow in a similar direction as a matter of course.

But that wasn’t the case.

How can I live like a Black Mamba in the future?

“…What to do? I am a bird.”

“Werebeasts can transform their pheromones and use them in many ways. The most basic ability is to transform their bodies, and if you use it in a more intricate method, you will be able to defend and attack…… like this. “

While explaining, Kasana threw the leaves that had fallen on the floor into the air.

Tak. Tak. Tak.

Several leaves flew through the hard bark of the trees and more than half were stuck on it.

I doubted my eyes. Wh-what is this now?

The leaves are stuck in the tree, right?

“Depending on how much pheromone you can handle, the uses are endless. This is the ultimate direction of the classes Miss Irene will receive in the future.”

“Wow…”

I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. Will I be able to practice and do such amazing things?

“But it’s still too early for Miss Irene. Of course, it’s a necessary learning factor to protect your body, but…”

Kasana looked at me with a serious face. This is where the main point seems to start, so I listened carefully.

“You have to be careful when using pheromones. It’s especially dangerous for young beasts.”

“Why?”

“Pheromones are like a life force to beasts. When everything is consumed, one dies without exception.”

“……”

“If you’re still young, just trying to shapeshift can consume a lot of pheromones.”

Does this mean that I can die while practicing shapeshifting?

I was at a loss for words at the unexpected warning.

I can’t believe the class I’ve been waiting for is so dangerous!

As I gave a worried look, Kasana shook her head.

“You don’t have to worry too much. It’s not too dangerous if you have a guardian around.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. But I have one thing you need to promise me before we start.”

“What?”

“Promise me that you will practice shapeshifting only when you are with me.”

That was a matter of course. I had already heard the explanation, so I understood enough. I nodded my head, telling her I understood.

“Then shall we start the class?”

“Yes.”

“First of all, you need some external stimulation to feel pheromones.”

“External stimulation?”

“Yes. The method is the same as the last time you gave me your hand, but it will sting a little.”

…How stingy will it be?

Kasana walked closer to me and gently grabbed my hand. Soon pheromones entered my fingertips.

I felt a slight pain in the tip of my fingers, and at that moment, a strange feeling seized me. It felt like something inside me didn’t like Kasana’s pheromone moving secretly.

It was full of cold energy as if it was spinning in the dark. It felt a little creepy.

……What is this? It feels weird.

I reflexively leaned back. It was then.

“Huh?”

“What is this…”

Kasana’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Because her pheromone had completely disappeared. Both I and Kasana blankly looked at each other in surprise.

I don’t know, but if what I felt was right, Kasana’s pheromones were eaten up at once.

“…Miss Irene. Did you happen to feel what pheromones… what it was?”

“No. I don’t know.”

It happened so suddenly that there was no time to figure it out.

Kasana slowly looked at me and took my hand once more.

“I’ll try one more time. If you feel something strange, please tell me right away.”

“Ah, okay.”

“If you feel pheromones in your body, you have to remember that sensation.”

“Yes.”

Kasana’s pheromones began to cautiously enter my body once again. This time, the energy was weaker than before.

As the quantity of pheromones Kasana released gradually increased, a sweet scent began to emanate from the surroundings.

“Huh?”

“It looks like we’ve succeeded this time.”

“Wow. Is this my pheromone?!”

“Yes. This is the pheromone that Irene was born with.”

“Wow!”

t felt like a warm, sweet pheromone wrapped around my body. I jumped all over the place with joy. This allowed me to learn the basics of shapeshifting.

But on the other hand, I couldn’t get rid of a strange, tiny feeling. It was because it was a completely different kind of pheromone from the first one.

I don’t think it was like this before. It’s like there are two pheromones in my body. Even though it wasn’t something possible to happen.

Should I say it’s like there’s something else lurking down there?

***

On the way home after class, I entered the mansion with brisk steps.

I didn’t do much, but the feeling of accomplishment that I finally did something made me feel good.

Growl.

It’s been a while since I ate lunch, and I already felt hungry.

“Huh. Why am I hungry already?”

My belly clock was so accurate that I didn’t have to check the time. Maybe it was like that because I was using pheromones.

Will frequent use of pheromone make you hungry sooner?

“Miss. Would you like to eat this?”

Messi appeared from somewhere and held out something in his hand.

“Candy?”

“When you don’t have enough energy, you have to eat sweet things.”

It was a milk-flavored candy wrapped in transparent paper.

“That’s my favorite!”

I mumbled with the candy in my mouth. Since the size was not large to begin with, the candy melted and quickly disappeared.

As I entered the lobby of the mansion, I saw the elders gathering one by one.

“Seems like they were having a meeting today.”

“Is that so? They always start in the morning.”

“Sometimes they do it in the afternoon.”

I stared inside the meeting room, which was seen in a glance.

I haven’t been there yet. For some reason, I felt that I had to get Cade’s permission to enter, so I put it off as the lowest priority place to explore.

But because he said it was an important place, I snooped around the conference room as if I were being led by the nose.

I hid behind the door while sneaking a peek inside. Messi followed my actions and hid his body.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen someone act stealthily to spy in plain sight. Are you doing this on purpose?”

“Oh, I’m hiding.”

“…That’s understandable.”

Messi had a look on his face that did not understand the word ‘hiding’, but he answered the exact opposite.

In the conference room, a long glass table was placed in the center.

There was a large window on the wall, and flags bearing the family seal were placed at regular intervals.

It was similar to Cade’s office but had a different feel.

What was a little strange was that the floor and walls seemed to be built with slightly different material when compared to other places.

From the start, I knew that the inside of the mansion was firmly built, but the conference room seemed exceptionally sturdy.

…It looked as if it was used to prevent some kind of mishaps that may happen in advance.

No way. This should be just a conference room. There is no way they will be fighting in here while using brute force.

I tried to ignore such thoughts that popped into my head.

By the time I had finished looking through the cracks in the door, the table was almost full, I turned around and around in place thinking it was best to leave now.

Tuk.

“Hm?”

Someone was standing behind me. At first, I thought I had bumped into Messi, but he was standing by my side.

I turned to check who it was, and Cade was looking down at me.

“Daddy?!”

“What are you doing here?”

“Taking a look.”

“Why are you hiding like this? It looks more suspicious.”

“…I’m not suspicious.”

I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on the meeting, but I felt wronged because he said I was suspicious.

I was just going to take a quick look around!

When I shook my head strongly saying I wasn’t suspicious, Cade laughed.

Then he turned to Messi.

“It seems you are the afternoon escort for Irene.”

“Yes, it is.”

“I see. You received a letter that I have never received before, right?”

“……”

“It must have been great. Irene even wrote the letter herself.”

Messi’s face turned white.

…That’s right. I had not written a letter to Cade yet.

The longer Cade’s eyes stayed, the more troubled Messi felt and the more cold sweat he shed.

Does Cade also want to receive a letter too?

I thought he wasn’t very interested in things like that. I even thought he wouldn’t like it as his daily job was to read correspondence from outside.

I must write to him next time.

“You haven’t entered yet, what are you doing here, my lord?”

Baon, who was the last to enter the conference room, stopped walking inside and asked.

It seems like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Baon. How long has it been?

“Baon! Hello!”

“Oh, isn’t it the Miss? …By the way, what are you all doing here? It’s time for the meeting to begin soon.”

Baon showed me the watch he was wearing on his wrist. It was just past four o’clock.

Now it’s really time for the meeting to begin. It’s a pity, but I’ll have to stop looking around and go back for now.

When I get to my room, I’ll ask Rosaria for a snack. I waved to Cade and said goodbye to him.

“Goodbye, Daddy. I’m going back.”

However, Cade did not accept my farewells and just stared at me.