Episode 183.
News that the beastmen who intended to court Asil were defeated by some mysterious beastman spread throughout the entire forest.
Those who had fallen were all beastmen known to be quite influential within their respective tribes.
At the news that such individuals had been helplessly defeated by a single person, the beastmen, who idolize strength, wondered who that wonderful beastman could possibly be.
A few persistent ones even went around digging for information to uncover the identity of the ‘mysterious beastman.’
Rumors circulated that it was a lion or a fox beastman, but it was not certain.
Because inquiries flooded the two tribes to find this out, innocent people had to suffer for no reason.
And one of those inconvenienced beastmen was Snowa.
“Ah, these guys really aren’t giving an answer.”
Snowa was one of the beastmen who had sent inquiries until the mailboxes of the two tribes—the lions and the foxes—were bursting.
However, feeling the limit of his patience at the lack of a reply despite waiting and waiting, he barged into Asil’s room.
“Who is it?”
“What is?”
Asil was in the middle of washing the faces of Ari and Arin, who had come to find her as soon as they woke up.
Asil tilted her head while looking at Snowa through the mirror. She didn’t know what he was talking about, coming in so abruptly.
The snow leopard in the mirror jumped up and puffed out fire.
“What else could it be, I mean that beastman who might be a fox or a lion! Asil, you know, don’t you?”
“Byaa?!” (You know?!)
“Ppik!”
Ari and Arin, who were in the middle of having their faces washed, also shouted.
It seemed they had also visited since morning for the same reason as Snowa.
“Why?”
“What do you mean why, I’m going to go find him right away and—”
“Find him and?”
“……Hmm.”
Snowa, who had been furious as if he would grab the opponent by the collar right then and there, suddenly became quiet.
And after a fairly long silence, having agonized seriously, he opened his mouth.
“I’m not saying you should marry that beastman, but if marriage must be considered, I think it should at least be someone of that beastman’s caliber.”
“Then is it okay to marry that beastman?”
“No!”
“Byaa!”
“Ppik!”
One snow leopard and two baby dragons jumped up as if to ask what she was saying.
“I’m saying that only at that level can it even be considered.”
“Byaa.”
“Ppik.”
The two baby dragons nodded their heads as if in agreement.
“Since he could be a beastman who is only strong but has a bad personality. We have to see everything, like how he grew up, if he has siblings, what his hobbies and specialties are, how he releases his anger, how he changes when he drinks, and so on.”
“If I know all of that, is it okay to marry him?”
“…….”
Snowa, who had been listing the conditions for a good spouse one after another, shut his mouth.
However, that was only for a moment; he held his chin up stiffly and spoke with an attitude that he had nothing to be ashamed of.
“It’s not good to test your brother when you aren’t even interested in that beastman.”
“If I know everything you just said, is it okay to marry him?”
“……Ahem, I’ll consider it positively.”
He fell for it.
Asil looked back at Snowa and smiled brightly.
“That’s Edenber.”
“……What?”
“I said that’s Edenber.”
Snowa froze right where he was.
Meanwhile, the baby dragons, who had not yet grasped the situation, looked at each other.
What is Edenber? What is that?
Snowa, having regained his senses late, shouted.
“A human is not allowed!!!”
“Oh my, why are you shouting like that. Ari, what kind of beastman did I say a beastman who goes back on his word is?”
“Byaa.” (You said he’s a bad beastman.)
“That’s right. Brother Snowa is a bad beastman.”
“Byaaaa.” (You shouldn’t play with a bad beastman.)
“Ppik! Ppikppik!”
With a face saying ‘Bad beastman, go away!’, Arin pulled a flower stalk from the vase and shook it.
Regardless, Snowa hurriedly blocked the door.
“You can’t go out until you say you won’t marry that human!”
“Ari, Arin. Shall we play a game of breaking through the door with Sister?”
“Ari, Arin! Right now, Sister is saying she’s going to marry a human boyfriend!”
“We’re going to roll Brother Snowa all the way out to that hallway with a body slam. How about it, sounds fun, right?”
“Byaa? Byaaa?” (Sister getting married? Are you leaving Ari and Arin behind?)
“No, Sister will always be by your side. Now, let’s go roll Brother Snowa!”
“Byaa!” (Let’s go!)
“Ppik!”
The eyes that were welling up at the word ‘marriage’ returned to being sparkling at the words that she would always be by their side.
Ari and Arin, their energy surging, stood side by side in front of Snowa.
The flustered Snowa shook his head side to side.
“Don’t do it, don’t do it!”
However, he could not stop the two baby dragons who were full of mischief.
Byaa! Ppik!
The two baby dragons rushed at Snowa with every bit of strength they had.
“Aaaaaaaakh!”
It was not long after that when someone’s scream echoed throughout the castle.
* * *
Since the courtship dance, Asil had hardly been able to meet Edenber.
This was because he became extremely busy as the meetings began in earnest after the welcoming party ended.
As if to take revenge for being left in charge of Ari and Arin, Fear made Edenber run all sorts of errands.
Thus, Asil could not see Edenber except for briefly running into him while passing by.
It was upsetting, but it was okay since they had confirmed each other’s feelings.
Asil decided to think positively.
‘Because just seeing Edenber like this is good.’
In that way, time passed like flowing water.
Before she knew it, the meetings ended successfully and the day came for the delegation to return to the Empire.
“When are they coming?”
“They said they started a while ago, so they’ll be here soon.”
The beastmen, who had become much more favorable toward humans, followed them to the entrance of the forest to see them off.
Asil also came to the entrance to see them off.
And she peeked here and there to find Edenber, who would be among Fear’s attendants.
Brianna, who had come secretly in the form of a parrot-bill, let out a sigh as she watched Asil.
“Sigh. Anyway, that damn male lead guy has influenced our daughter completely. That so-called mysterious beastman is that guy too, isn’t it?”
As expected, there’s nothing Mom doesn’t know. Asil expressed her affirmation by smiling brightly instead of answering.
Arcian, who had Brianna perched on his shoulder, muttered.
“I should have participated in the courtship dance……”
“Why, which female were you planning to court?”
“I’m talking about Asil. What do you mean, which female. For me, there is only you.”
Since his feelings had already been caught, perhaps he had decided not to hide them anymore, as he had been like this ever since returning from the Empire 8 years ago.
At the cringeworthy conversation, the surrounding beastmen who had followed Brianna’s undercover outing quietly covered their ears.
Asil smiled happily looking at her parents having a sweet conversation.
On their wing feathers and ring fingers, respectively, sat shining rings.
Beside them, Ion whimpered for no reason.
“Sniff…… I only have one too……”
Unfortunately, Ion’s goal of eliminating competitors, for which he had gone as far as giving up his mane, ended in failure.
This was because as the popularity of the ‘mysterious beastman’ surged, the popularity of Asil, the party involved, also rose along with it.
The beastmen talked about Asil whenever two or more gathered.
“If such an amazing beastman would court her, isn’t Asil really a great girl?”
“She was great from the beginning, but I’m seeing her in a new light……”
“Is the spot for a second husband still open? I’m fine with being the third or fourth.”
Ion ended up becoming a pitiful beastman who suddenly lost his mane and saw an increase in rivals in love.
Asil, unaware of these circumstances, only looked wonderingly at Ion, who was grieving alone.
Just then, someone shouted.
“They’re coming!”
The delegation that had started from the castle was coming from afar.
With the Duke of Starafit standing at the lead, Fear followed behind.
Asil, having discovered Edenber riding a horse near Fear, moved her lips silently.
‘Edenber!’
Having sensed her presence, he looked exactly where Asil was.
Asil waved her hand to him.
‘Goodbye! Next time, I will visit the Empire!’
She heard from Mom. That through this meeting, the road to the Empire had opened.
Edenber curved his eyes gracefully.
‘I’ll wait. I won’t forget the Star Tulips either.’
‘No, don’t worry about the Star Tulips!’
However, before he could even hear that answer, Edenber moved further away.
He twitched as if he wanted to look back.
Asil also suppressed her urge to call out in a loud voice.
It felt like she might cry, but she decided to smile brightly.
Because this would not be a parting, but the beginning of a happy future.
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
