CH 25

The hunting competition was completely ruined.

A planned raid on the heir of a family was not an incident that could be passed off as an accident.

Especially since it happened at a hunting competition held for harmony between the various families.

In the end, the hunting competition was immediately stopped.

The great families joined forces and launched an investigation, but no clues were left by the bodies of the assassins found in the mountains.

Since there was no winner in this hunting competition, the half-elixir returned to Suradel’s hand.

He said he didn’t want to give it to anyone, so it might not be bad news for him.

The day after the hunting competition, the Wulf family announced Theodore’s safety, saying, “The blood on his clothes caused a misunderstanding. He was not poisoned or fatally injured.”

Of course, in reality, he was poisoned and mortally wounded, but… 

He was treated with the half-elixir before anyone else saw him, so his physical condition should be fine.

Except for the bruise on his head.

After getting ready to go out as usual, I was about to leave the Weil residence with my escort, Hanu.

As soon as I opened the door, my eyes met Suradel’s, who was raising his hand awkwardly as if he was about to knock on my door.

He titled his head.

“Lia, where are you going?”

I couldn’t say that I was going to see Iprus, so I mumbled the first reply I thought of.

“To meet my lover.”

Then Suradel paused for a moment and stared me in the eye.

‘…Don’t tell me you’re jealous of that.’

Right when I was regretting what I had said…

“…When did Lia promise me a date?”

‘Huh. You think it’s you?’

This time too, Suradel exceeded my imagination.

It was when I was looking at him with dumbfounded eyes.

Clearly misunderstanding Suradel’s words, Hanu asked with bewilderment apparent on his face.

“Have you two been dating?”

Due to the absurd misunderstanding, Suradel and I simultaneously ‘attacked’ Hanu.

“Sir Hanu, did you just know that?”

“Sir Hanu, do you seriously believe that?”

Hanu looked at us alternately, confused as to who to trust.

As though to prove his relationship with me, Suradel proudly raised his hand.

“Look at this. Lia and I already have matching couple rings.”

“When did I…!”

With my eyebrows joined, I was about to retort, but when I saw the familiar ring on his finger, I was at a loss for words.

It was because he was wearing a platinum ring that looked exactly like the one he had given me the other day.

That, too, on the left ring finger.

Staring at the platinum ring on my index finger, Suradel closed his eyes in regret.

“Lia, I want the couple ring to be worn on the left ring finger.”

“What are you saying… You’re the one who got down on your knees and put it directly on my index finger…!”

Hearing my rebuttal, Hanu’s expression strangely changed.

“Sir Suradel knelt down…?”

Oops. The words just said were words that Hanu could misunderstand.

I decided that this situation should be sorted out before Hanu’s misunderstanding deepened. And so I pointed to the ring that Suradel was wearing.

“Sir Hanu will misunderstand. Why are you wearing it?”

“Because it’s the ring I share with Lia.”

“Did you pretend it’s an extra ring when it’s really a couple ring?”

Suradel glanced at Hanu. Then, as if he thought he had been teased enough to make fun of him in the future, he grinned and told the truth.

“Ah, I found out later that the ring I gave you was made as a pair. I liked the design, so I put on the spare one.”

“Ah…?”

Only then did Hanu let out a dazed sound, realizing the truth. It seemed that the misunderstanding had finally been resolved.

With eyes full of disbelief, I stared at Suradel.

“You knew it was a couple ring from the beginning, right?”

“You don’t trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, you’re quick to notice.”

A wry smile stretched across Suradel’s lips as his words continued.

“Then, Lia, did you say you’re going to meet your lover to indirectly ask me out on a date?”

“You’re too delusional.”

I took the ring off and put it in my pocket.

I didn’t mean to cause any misunderstanding by wearing the same ring as him.

“Our couple rings…”

Suradel stared at my empty fingers with a sullen expression.

I shook my head and asked why he was here.

“Anyway, why did you come?”

However, like he had come for no apparent reason, he continued to speak nonsense.

“Since I haven’t been able to spend time with Lia lately, I think that the level of Lia in my blood has dropped.”

“You won’t die even if it falls.”

“I won’t die, but what about the pleasures of my life?”

The bold statement made me speechless for a moment.

Why should I be responsible for that…?

I was about to retort, but I settled with grumbling to myself because I knew he wouldn’t budge anyway.

“How the hell were you doing when I wasn’t around?”

“Haha, that’s right.”

Hearing my mumbling, Suradel meekly affirmed and continued speaking as if he had remembered something.

“Lia, can I tell you something interesting?”

I shouldn’t be like that, but when I heard that it was something, I was very much intrigued.

“Something interesting?”

“Does the human form remain the same even after changing into an animal and then returning?”

“…Isn’t that obvious?”

It’s not a magical girl, so of course, if a demibeast cuts off its hair or fingernails, it would maintain the changed length when it became human again.

(TL/N: magical girls typically have alter egos when they transform.)

Of course, this also applied to illness or injury.

If it was possible to heal wounds at once in that way, Theodore would not have fallen into danger.

Suradel smiled and looked at me with expectant eyes.

“In that sense, I have a favor to ask of you, Lia.”

“What?”

Normally, I would have rejected it before I even heard it, but I thought I should listen to quite a few things since he gave me a half-elixir.

“First of all, can I have Sir Hanu go to another place, Lia?”

Even though I had doubts, I did what he asked.

“Sir Hanu, please leave for now. I’ll go out when we’re done talking.”

“All right.”

After confirming that Hanu had disappeared from sight, I put both hands on my waist.

“So what is it that you want to ask me?”

“That…”

He shyly blushed and mumbled his response, which was uncharacteristic. Feeling burdened, I quickly changed my mind and took a step back.

“I will refuse…”

“For a long time, I’ve wanted to braid Lia’s white hair.”

“Hair?”

I fiddled with the white parts amidst the black hair.

Did he just want to braid my hair?

…Phew, it’s not a big deal.

“Braid it.”

“Really?”

When I gave permission, Suradel smiled broadly and reached out to me.

Perhaps because of our large height difference, he did not ask me to lower my head.

As his hand approached, a unique refreshing scent hit my nose.

He ran his fingers through my hair, combing it, seemingly separating my overlapping white and black hair.

Swah.

Every time his cool hand touched my scalp, I flinched without realizing it.

Unlike the cold temperature, it was a very friendly touch, so a corner of my heart tickled.

It was unfamiliar, but it was a soft feeling that wasn’t too bad.

How much time had passed?

Suradel, who had braided both sides of my white hair, gave me a once over with a proud expression.

“It looks good on you? It’s prettier than I thought.”

“Thank you. You look pretty today too.”

“Ahahahaha! Thanks for the compliment.”

“What. I was just telling the truth.”

Suradel laughed with a pleasant expression, then stared intently at me.

“It’s a waste that only I can see it, why don’t you look in the mirror?”

As though he wanted to show it quickly, he took out a mirror from the subspace before he even got an answer.

“Here. How is my skill?”

“Oh?”

I braided it more evenly and prettier than I thought he would. It seemed he had good dexterity.

The braids were fixed well without a hair tie. I guess he used magic without me noticing.

Stroking the tightly braided hair, I said,

“Originally, this is what a maid should do.”

“I’m quite glad that I could do it myself.”

“Then…”

I acted like I was going to say something but immediately closed my mouth. In response, Suradel called my name with a questioning expression.

“Lia?”

I wondered if I was doing something wrong, and I spit out the words impulsively.

“Then you can tie it up tomorrow too.”

Unexpectedly, his eyes widened.

A pretty smile slowly formed on Suradel’s lips.

“It’s an honor.”

Looking at that smile, I suddenly had the absurd idea that Suradel’s affection for me would never change.

Even if I didn’t try to look good.

I wouldn’t have to suffer from anxiety because I didn’t know when the interest would end.

As Iprus said, he might like it even more if he knew that I was a penguin demibeast.

His bright smile was somehow hard to see, so I lowered my gaze.

Certainly, it was hard to look at.

As Suradel disappeared from sight, a contradictory feeling of wanting to see him smile once again came to mind.

“Then, Lia, I’ll come back tomorrow at this time to tie your hair.”

I grabbed Suradel’s sleeve, uttering in a very low voice.

“…Thank you, Su.”

‘I want you to smile again’

I looked up carefully, and a smile that was more radiant than before appeared on his face.

It was a moment when the worry about whether he would smile again was nonexistent.