CH 13

The horse was so frightened that Asha raised both hands in the air, even more surprised.

“Oh, I’m sorry…. Today, Mr. Jackal, no, your master taught me how to be friendly with a horse, but  I’m still not good at it…….”

Asha felt sorry, but she did what she learned today. 

It was he who had the strange reaction. 

Jackal sighed to himself.

When he moved closer to her again, Asha rejoiced and began to caress his neck and face.

“Your master told me that I could name you. So I thought about it…….”

Asha said solemnly.

“I found a perfect name for you.”

Jackal raised his head and his ears pricked up, looking at her with curiosity and anticipation. 

Then, Asha smiled and softly called his name.

“Sheppy.”

Sheppy…….?

He thought it was a strange name, but Asha explained it when he made a sour face.

“It means naked.”

“…….!”

Jackal’s eyes widened. And Asha just smiled.

“Aside from that, it also has the meaning of a ‘mountain with a collapsed slope’ or ‘hill road’. I named you like that because I thought it fit the situation when I met you, what do you think? Do you like it?”

After pondering for a moment, Jackal answered because it seemed to be a meaningful name in its own way.

“Purung.”

He didn’t mean to say he didn’t like the name she came up with, even though it was a name she worked hard on.

“It’s a relief.”

Asha was delighted and put his face on her chest. 

Jackal’s eyes widened as he hugged her soft, soft chest.

Asha, unaware of it, closed her eyes and muttered while caressing his face in satisfaction.

“How can my Shepy be so gentle and pretty!”

“……”

He was a fierce wild horse that could never be considered a gentle horse, but somehow he didn’t want to deny it, so he closed his eyes and gently embraced her. 

A small blush rose to his cheeks.

Asha suddenly opened one eye and asked mischievously.

“But your master said that you often go out alone. Where have you been? Did you really go looking for a wife?”

Jackal quickly shook his head. 

Asha smiled in response and grabbed his face with both hands.

“Why? You’re so handsome.”

Jackal’s face heated. 

Unaware of his feelings, Asha said with determination.

“Okay, then, let’s start brushing you to make you more handsome!”

“……?”

“If your fur is smooth, pretty mares will fall in love with you!”

Asha laughed, holding a brush, and waited for him to come to her. 

She was only looking for a chance to get closer to Sheppy when Jackal said that horses love to be brushed.

Jackal missed the chance to escape and was dragged into the middle of the room by his long tail.

“………Heeing!”

Her violent behavior caused his eyes to widen and he inadvertently cried, but Asha refused to let him go.

Eventually, he was forced to be brushed by her……. 

Asha brushed his mane precisely as she had learned. 

Jackal shuddered every time her hand touched his bare body. 

…….. This is driving me crazy.

Only then did he regret doing something unnecessary to Sosa.

After finishing brushing his mane, she tied a handkerchief cutely around his head and then started trimming his fur. 

The moment she put her hand on his smooth, firm hips, Jackal jumped up and jerked around.

This relationship is dangerous. 

He felt like he could no longer get closer to her like a horse. 

When the horse suddenly turned seriously towards the door, Asha asked, blinking.

“By any chance, are you embarrassed……?”

“……….”

Asha chuckled, laughing.

“All right. I won’t touch you. You’re such a gentleman, I was too careless.”

Jackal nodded his head up and down, as if in response.

The reaction caused Asha to burst out laughing once more. 

She felt like she was talking to a person. 

Asha stopped laughing and spoke quietly.

“Take me with you the next time you go out.”

When Jackal glanced back, Asha said with a bit of bitterness.

“I was always locked up in the Palace, so I don’t remember what the world was like. I want to see the world you see.”

“……..Purung.”

After replying, Jackal left the room with a determined expression on his face.

Asha smiled and waved goodbye until the door closed.

Like a wandering horse, he always came and left without warning. 

Jackal returned to the tree where he had previously removed his clothes and turned back to his human form. 

However, even after dressing, he remained motionless for a long time.

….. He’s a very special horse to me.

Asha’s words kept ringing in his ears. 

He untied the red handkerchief, which was still cutely tied around his head, and stared at it. 

He recalled Asha fiddling with his mane, but suddenly an angry voice was heard from behind.

“Captain.”

Jackal was slightly startled. He turned around, touching his head. 

Due to his beast’s senses, he was highly sensitive to the presence of others and would notice whenever someone approached him. 

It had been a really long time since he had been careless when someone approached him right behind him without realizing it. 

Sosa looked very angry and just looked at him without saying a word.

Jackal asked casually.

“Why are you so angry? Like an angry horse.”

“Do not make fun of me! You know how embarrassed I was today!”

Sosa screamed. 

Jackal still spoke calmly.

“You just had to act like a horse, but if you acted like a human, you end up that way.”

“What kind of bullshit is that! Who forced a normal person to transform into a horse!”

“……..bullshit?”

Sosa flinched at Jackal’s grim expression, but didn’t back down and confront him.

“If you’re going to do that, why don’t you take Miss Asha as your wife!”

Jackal was startled. 

Whenever Asha’s name is mentioned, he feels embarrassed.

Sosa was so excited that he spoke to himself.

“What, did I speak bravely? But I don’t know if I’m brave because I don’t have the courage.”

“……Sosa.”

Sosa flinched again at his somber voice.

“Next time, teach her how to ride a horse. It was her first time riding a horse, so I left it to you in case she was in danger, but I didn’t like when she touched another man. I’m sorry.”

Not knowing if it was jealousy, a grudge, or an apology, Sosa looked at him with a puzzled look. 

Jackal ignored him and fiddled with the handkerchief, thinking back to the conversation he had with Asha.

Before he knew it, he turned into a horse and became addicted to talking to her.

Seeing him tie a handkerchief to his wrist with an excited face, Sosa just sighed as if he couldn’t stop him.

* * * * *

After the riding training progressed to a certain point, Asha learned hunting techniques from Jackal in earnest. 

Even though she was not good at swordsmanship, if she wanted to catch wild animals, she had to know archery. 

Jackal first showed a demonstration with a bow. 

His blue eyes that stared at the target were as sharp as a wolf’s. 

Asha paid close attention to his stance as he aimed with a bow.

She thought he had a very nice body. 

No, this isn’t…….. 

Asha slapped her cheeks with both hands, quickly regained consciousness, and observed him again. 

When Jackal released the arrow, it hit exactly the center of the target.

Asha clapped her hands enthusiastically from the side. 

Jackal was somewhat embarrassed by the compliment and turned around.

“Now you try it.”

He stood next to Asha like an instructor.

“You should keep in mind that in practice your target does not move but never forget that you have to hit a moving opponent in real life. Always look a few moves ahead and wait until the target reaches the correct position before shooting.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Asha looked seriously at the target and drew the bow.

Jackal corrected the angle of her arm, the direction of her body, the position of her chin and gaze, and the width and waist of her legs. 

From a distance, it was as if a beast had wrapped around a slender woman from behind. 

As soon as his large, rough hands touched her waist, Asha unknowingly shivered again. 

It was a slight reaction, but Jackal felt it and stopped.

There was a strange tension between the two. 

Their heartbeats were very close. 

Jackal said, gently removing his hand from his waist.

“……maintain this position and angle at all times. To pull the bow, you have to constantly increase your arm strength.”

“Yes.”

As he moved on casually, Asha forcibly erased her thoughts and tried to focus only on the training. 

Jackal looked with satisfaction at Asha, who was perfectly absorbed in his teaching.

He doesn’t know if she had the correct posture or if she learned it in etiquette classes at the Royal Palace. But the way she pointed the bow was very straight and elegant. 

He didn’t see any of the shortcomings that first-time archers do.

It was also because she was completely following his advice. 

Jackal liked it a lot.

Asha looked at the target gracefully.

Her eyes were serious and fierce.

Finally, when the bow was placed, the arrow flew fiercely. 

As soon as the arrow hit its target, Asha jumped in surprise.

Jackal’s eyes widened slightly.

The arrow was right in the middle of the target without an inch of error…….

Some people, who were watching the two from afar, were startled and chatted among themselves. 

After that, Asha fired a few more arrows, proving that her first shot wasn’t luck. 

Now, more people came out onto the vacant lot and stared blankly at the scene. 

Asha also looked down at the bow in her hand, puzzled. 

But at that moment, suddenly the wind blew around the bow causing her golden hair to flutter.

Jackal noticed it, and his eyes widened even more. 

He led her somewhere, gently wrapping his hand around her shoulder.

“……..captain?”

Asha walked along, embarrassed. Jackal looked ahead and said seriously.

“I will tell you later. Just follow me.”