Translator/editor: ruby
Oh my God. You really do like Lucy.
“Lucy’s fine. I told her to rest today.”
“I’m actually liking you a little today. Belinda.”
“That doesn’t cheer me up at all.”
She answered flatly and took a sip of her flower tea. It was amazing to be having such a normal conversation with Lart.
Adelai watched the two’s conversation with sharp eyes.
When did it all start? The Emperor’s attitude towards Belinda had softened, and so had Lart’s. He still made blunt remarks, but growing close to him meant she was getting used to it.
Adelai bit her lips. It was strange, but she felt like Belinda was gradually encroaching on her territory.
“Why don’t you invite the Shinsu to the palace, Belinda? It’s good that we have that opportunity now.”
Belinda nodded, assuring him that she’d deliver the message when they next met.
She couldn’t tell him that the Shinsu in question had already come by to eat cookies and sleep next to her bed yesterday. Fortunately, she thought, the guest palace Aymon frequented was far from the main one.
Lart, already knowing of a Shinsu named Aymon who tended to visit the guest palace, looked at Belinda.
Can’t I say it now?
He asked with his eyes.
Since Belinda didn’t answer, he didn’t push it further. Adelai also kept her mouth shut.
She knew about Lart’s humiliating incident with a Shinsu as a child, as well as the special relationship between that Shinsu and Belinda. It was easy to infer that her invitation to the ceremony came by way of this acquaintance.
Adelai wasn’t about to say that herself. Just imagining all the strength in the Shinsu Belinda had behind her was upsetting.
She’d hide it until the end if she could, and if the Shinsu ever ended up in the palace, she’d find a way to get them on her side.
And of course, make sure to find Barahan’s descendant…
Adelai quickly stopped herself from frowning. On the other side of the table, Lart spoke about the most recent happenings with a lively face.
“I heard that Duke Rodson, the one who left for another kingdom a few years ago, is coming back.”
Phillip Rodson, the person who invited Belinda to his birthday party. The one who gifted her the red brooch.
He was coming back.
Belinda could vaguely recall his face, sticking out even among all the showy nobles. Remembering his elegant air, she thought of Aymon laughingly.
No matter how handsome he is, he won’t be good enough when compared to Aymon.
Of course, Aymon was still the most beautiful person she could think of. He had the strange natural charm of a Shinsu that a human couldn’t imitate.
After the tea party, Lart offered to see her off to the palace, though probably looking for an opportunity to meet Lucy more so than wanting to spend time with her. Belinda was too tired to accept.
She washed up and laid down on a rug. The memories of yesterday hadn’t gone away. Lucy and Lart weren’t the ones who had to face a bear just inches from them.
Belinda looked up at Lucy, humming while brushing her hair. After some rest, Lucy ended up coming in the evening, bringing Mazetto with her.
“Belinda! I heard you almost got eaten by a bear! I heard you almost never got to meet Mazetto again?!”
Flying around the room busily, Mazetto finally dove into Belinda’s hair to avoid Lucy while flapping his small wings and shouting endlessly.
“I heard all the rumors! Of all times, you went into the forest while the Shinsu were growing up! Even I was hiding in my nest that day! Dummy! Dummy!”
Strangely, the sparrow’s insults didn’t make her feel too bad.
“Were you worried, Mazetto?”
“Of course! The only humans Mazetto worries about are you and Lucy! Because you give me yummy things!”
Was he more worried about them or his snacks? Belinda patted the small sparrow poking around in her hair.
“Thanks for worrying about me.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t do anything like that ever again! Mazetto missed you very much while you were traveling! It will be a big deal if you die, and I can’t see you anymore!”
“Yes, yes, I got it.”
She answered affectionately and looked back at Lucy. She was about to ask her a question before Mazetto had cut her off.
“Lucy?”
“Yes, Princess?”
Lucy replied with a smile, giggling at Mazetto and Belinda’s conversation.
“Can I ask you a difficult question?”
“You can ask me two if you want.”
“Who do you like better, Aymon or Lart?”
Belinda asked in a serious tone. Knowing that both Aymon and Lart liked Lucy, she was now curious how she felt. Of course, this didn’t mean she would give up if she found out that Lucy liked Aymon too.
“Aymon.”
Lucy answered without much thought.
“Hmm.”
As expected. Belinda, with a troubled expression, got lost in thought. What should she do? She didn’t want to compete with Lucy. Her precious Lucy.
Mazetto popped out from Belinda’s hair.
“Lucy’s a really strange human too! How could you like Aymon more? The gangster Shinsu?”
Belinda tucked the bird back into her hair, ignoring his squeaky protests as she asked another serious question.
“Then who would you choose if they both liked you?”
Although the question was very personal, Lucy, once again, answered without hesitation.
“Lart.”
Mazetto stuck his head out again.
“What? What’s wrong with you? Why would you choose Lart if you like Aymon? Why?!”
Lucy reached into the cookie jar and offered the incomprehensibly babbling bird a cookie. At least he’d stop meddling with them while eating. Indeed, Mazetto finally went silent, pecking at a dried cherry.
Only then could Lucy and Belinda have a proper conversation.
“Why did you choose Lart if you like Aymon more?”
“He’s a Shinsu.”
Lucy answered briefly with a soft smile.
“Huh?”
“Shinsu don’t see humans as their equals. Who knows if I’d become prey…”
“Umm…”
“I like Aymon in the sense that I respect him a lot, but not like that. It couldn’t be that way in the first place.”
“What do you mean?”
How couldn’t she like a Shinsu as handsome and gorgeous as Aymon? Lucy smiled awkwardly at the confusing question.
“Well, he has a different attitude with the two of us. So… I’m still a little afraid of him…”
Afraid of Aymon? Hearing that somehow made Belinda want to jump to his defense, but she didn’t know what he was really like while she wasn’t around. Aymon didn’t act cute with her gone, and she never noticed his dirty looks towards Lucy.
Instead of defending him, Belinda tried to soothe herself.
Maybe his changing behavior was because he liked Lucy. Because he cared about her.
Anyways, she didn’t like him… Well. Was she alone in her feelings?
My poor cat.
Belinda licked her lips, suddenly feeling bad.
“Princess?”
Lucy looked at her curiously.
***
Belinda stared out the window at the night sky from her bed.
Talking about Aymon with Lucy made her miss him even more. He came by a while ago, but how many days would it be until he showed up again? It was unknown, as always.
The forest was too dangerous for her to enter. Now that she thought about it, their relationship was very one-sided. Aymon could come and go as he pleased, but she couldn’t find him. She’d already learned that entering the forest would only leave her dead.
She ended up calling his name thoughtlessly.
“Aymon.”
「Yeah?」
An answer came from the dark.
Belinda jumped out of her seat in surprise, noticing the owner of the voice. She rushed to the window and threw it open to see a big beast curled up outside.
“Aymon?!”
「Hm?」
He stood up. His body, big even while curled up, was now even more monumental. His surroundings dimmed in the obscured moonlight.
Belinda cautiously responded from the dark bedroom.
“How long have you been there?”
「Just a little while.」
“I didn’t hear you coming.”
「I’ve always told you that stealth and seclusion are my specialties.」
He replied casually.
He had secretly visited since he was a little leopard, but how could he sneak in with such a large body? It was really a relief that the guest palace was in a remote corner of the imperial grounds.
“Do you want to come in?”
Belinda asked, opening the windows wider.
「I can’t get in through there.」
Aymon replied with a slight embarrassment.
It was an unexpected answer. Looking at the size of Aymon, then the size of the window, Belinda nodded. He’d probably crush half the wall if he tried to go in through there.
She smiled at him, still lovely in a bigger size. Him, curling up outside without telling her, was so cute that she couldn’t stand in.
She stretched her arms out towards him, as always.
“Come here.”
She wanted to hug and love him as she did in the past, but instead of jumping into her arms, Aymon stared at her quizzically. She leaned further out the window.
“Come on.”
「…….」
He took a step back and rubbed his face with his front paws. After some hesitation, he sighed and approached Belinda.
Soon there was a massive beast in her arms. All she could hold was his head.
Belinda patted the back of his neck, his fur sticking up with every touch as if he was nervous before flattening back down.
The leopard’s body was firm and smooth. He rubbed his face into her arms. His breathing got more sporadic, and his body seemed to heat up.
“Are you sick?”
Belinda asked in a worried voice.
「…No.」
He murmured.
“Are you sure? You’re really warm.”
「Growth… It’s just because I’ve grown. Ignore it.」
“You’re short of breath too.”
「I said ignore it.」
The purring in her arms sounded more like pampering than a threat.
Belinda rubbed her cheek against his head. His body stiffened up.
Aymon got more restless every time she moved, his breath continuing to quicken.
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