Episode 147
‘It’s been so long!’
I missed you so much, Grandfather!
Asil, who recognized him instantly despite it being a long time since their last meeting, ran toward him at full speed.
She was about to dive right into his arms but stopped just inches away.
‘Ah, right. From Grandfather’s perspective, he doesn’t know that I am the divine beast Asil, right?’
From Elcai’s point of view, knowing nothing, it would likely look like some unknown young lady was performing a body slam on him.
However, it was too disappointing to just pretend not to know him and greet him formally.
As Asil looked up at Elcai and stomped her feet in hesitation, he suddenly lifted her up high.
Then, chuckling heartily, he whispered in a small voice.
“In the past, you were light even when hanging onto my feet, but now I have to lift you with two hands.”
“……! Do you know who I am?”
“Of course. Aren’t you the little snot-nose who left a hair restorer in my care?”
“Hey, I told you I’m not a snot-nose!”
Even while saying that, Asil hugged his neck tightly and rubbed her head against him.
Oh my goodness, to think he even remembered her leaving the hair restorer!
Did Edenber or the Duke give him a hint about who she was?
Since the Duke had told her last time that he knew she wasn’t actually sick, it was highly likely he was the one this time as well.
‘Oh, right. Since Edenber isn’t my husband anymore, I shouldn’t call him Grandfather.’
Just as she referred to Ikart as the Duke, it was correct to call Elcai the Duke.
‘While I’m correcting the title, I should introduce myself properly.’
Asil, having made up her mind, spoke dignifiedly.
“My name is Asilian Erzébet. Duke of Monlepe.”
“What is this heartless title? Call me Grandfather like you used to.”
“No. Since Edenber and I aren’t anything to each other now, it’s right for me to call Grandfather the Duke too.”
“……Nothing to each other? What on earth……”
Elcai, genuinely flustered, looked troubled.
“Did you perhaps have a fight?”
“No.”
“Then why are you saying you’re nothing to each other?”
“Well, because Edenber and I aren’t married? I was told you only call someone husband when you are married. So,the Duke isn’t my grandfather anymore either.”
“But you are going to get married someday, aren’t you?”
It was a comment he threw out without much thought, but Asil’s face turned red in an instant.
Marriage. Marriage with Edenber!
She had played house and “married” (?) many other shifters back in the Forest of Shifters, but her heart was thumping at a level incomparable to those times.
‘No, I shouldn’t let this show on the outside.’
It was said that a great shifter must know how to manage their emotions well.
Asil quickly cleared her throat and spoke primly. Of course, her two cheeks were still flushed.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Do the thinking later; just call me Grandfather. ‘ Duke’ and ‘Grandfather’—isn’t there a difference of several syllables?”
“Uhm……. That is true.”
“It’s easier and more comfortable to call me Grandfather, so do so. Understood?”
“I understand, Grandfather.”
Asil ultimately yielded to the pressure of the syllable count.
Certainly, calling him Grandfather was more comfortable than the difficult ‘Duke’ which didn’t roll off the
tongue.
“Yes, you cute little thing.”
Elcai, having succeeded in defending the affectionate title, laughed happily. At the same time, he pulled a gift for Asil out from his coat.
It was a renewed version of the limited edition hair restorer that Asil had left with him seven years ago.
“Really now, where else is there a fellow who leaves a hair restorer behind? The one from seven years ago rotted away long ago and I threw it out; this is the latest product. Not that it seems you particularly need it, though……”
His gaze landed on Asil’s thick hair.
Recalling what happened yesterday, a startled Asil quickly took the hair restorer.
Since her brother said he would pluck all her hair out, it was exactly what she needed.
“No. I’ll use it well, Grandfather!”
“Hahaha, yes. I am glad if you need it.”
“Asil!”
Right then, Snowa, who had woken up late and was looking for Asil, appeared.
He had just arrived after hearing there was a guest looking for Asil since early morning, but he asked with a bewildered expression when he saw Asil stuck to Elcai like a cicada on an old tree.
“Who is that you’re hanging onto like that?”
“Grandfather.”
“Huh?”
“He is Edenber’s grandfather. He even gave me hair restorer.”
So now I’m not scared of Oppa at all, so there.
Asil stuck out her tongue while shaking the hair restorer boastfully.
There was a private reason Elcai, who had been at the Monlepe fief, came to the capital after a long time to see Asil, but there was also a public reason.
It was to ask a favor of the only shifter he knew; since this was something difficult for Asil to judge alone, Arcian and Snowa joined the meeting as well.
And so, in the drawing room of the Count Erzébet household.
Elcai looked carefully at the two shifters sitting across from him.
“If you are Asil’s family……”
“We are exactly who you think. What business brings you to us?”
No matter if he was a human acquainted with Asil, Arcian took a cautious stance as this was the first meeting between shifter and human.
Brianna was also waiting outside in case of an emergency.
Elcai took a sip of tea to moisten his dry mouth and then began speaking in a polite tone.
“I do not know if you are aware that the Empire is currently requesting exchange with your side.”
“We are aware. You have been making contact through the Monlepe ducal house, which had contact with our messenger.”
Arcian narrowed his eyes.
“Of course, I didn’t expect to receive contact from a vassal rather than the Duke of Monlepe himself.”
“I would like to say I am sorry about that.”
They had started a battle as they pleased, and even the request for exchange after the battle ended was made through a mere vassal, so it was naturally offensive.
Even though he was not the family head, Elcai apologized sincerely as someone who also represented the position of Monlepe.
“If I may add a side note since this is a private setting, it was the Imperial Family, not the ducal house, that decided on the exchange with you. Contacting you through a vassal was also the Imperial Family’s independent action.”
“I understand that human families, unlike shifters, obey the family head strictly.”
“Hmm……”
Elcai groaned with a troubled face.
He felt embarrassed to speak about the detailed internal affairs of the family to someone he didn’t even know.
However, since Asil could not be said to be uninvolved in this matter, he had no choice but to open his mouth.
“That is because of the divine beast.”
“Divine beast? Didn’t Monlepe’s divine beast return seven years ago? I understand it remains by the family head’s side even now, though the oath was broken.”
“To be precise, it stays by the side of the former head, Ikart, not the current head, Edenber.”
After a short pause, Elcai continued.
“From the perspective of the vassals, it is bound to be uncomfortable to see the divine beast following the former head more than the current head. Not to mention the current head even lost the divine beast he summoned.”
“So, are you saying a faction has formed within the family? And the vassal who contacted us first is on the side that hopes for the Duke’s reinstatement according to the Imperial Family’s will?”
“Mmm.”
Elcai groaned, having been hit on the mark by Arcian.
Only then did Asil realize why there had been a dispute between Ikart and the others yesterday.
‘So the Duke doesn’t like that.’
Perhaps the reason Grandfather hadn’t been in the capital until now was that he had been in seclusion on purpose to avoid further dividing the power within the family.
Arcian, having reached a similar conclusion, asked back somewhat arrogantly.
“Then, is the reason the Duke has traveled here from early morning to convey the wish that the exchange with our side be carried out through the current Duke of Monlepe, rather than the Imperial
Family?”
“That is correct.”
“The Imperial Family side promised that if the exchange happens through them, they would give us plants that do not grow in the Forest of Shifters and vast treasures. What can the Duke of Monlepe give us?”
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