Chapter 44
“Pippi?” (Didn’t you say before that we couldn’t go?)
Asil tilted her head.
It seemed like he had said that the mana here was too thin to use teleportation magic to reach the Beastmen’s Forest, so was there some other method now?
“It was like that back then. But now that I know Asil is my daughter, there’s a way we can use.”
With a gentle smile, Arcian kissed Asil’s cheek repeatedly, as if she was the cutest thing in the world.
It felt good but overwhelming, awkward yet embarrassing. Asil gently pushed his handsome face away with her front paw.
Then, a question popped into her mind, and Asil asked,
“Pippiya pippii?” (If we go home, does that mean I can’t see my husband and the other humans?)
“Hm? Of course not. Humans can’t enter the Beastmen’s Forest.”
Oh no, that won’t do. Asil couldn’t just say goodbye to the humans like that.
At the very least, it wanted to say proper farewells.
“Pipyatppi.” (Then Asil wants to stay a bit longer.)
“What? For how long?”
“Pippii-” (Hmm-)
Asil, deep in thought, counted with its front paws.
A hundred nights felt a bit too long, but ninety-eight nights seemed too short to part with the humans-
“Pippiya.” (Ninety-nine nights.)
Asil spread both front paws wide.
“I didn’t expect you to say you wouldn’t leave right away.”
Muttering with a bewildered expression, Arcian pondered something before asking,
“Do you like the humans here?”
“Pippi! Pipyatppi.” (Yes! Especially my husband, he’s the best.)
“…Husband?”
Arcian’s eyes momentarily grew cold.
“Who are you calling your husband?”
“Pippiya.” (The human boy I was talking to with you.)
“Why is he your husband?”
“Pipyatppiya.” (Mom said the boy who summoned Asil is my husband.)
“Briana? No way.”
There was no way she, who adored her child to death, would pair her daughter with a human.
But since Briana wasn’t the type to act recklessly, there must be a valid reason, so he held his tongue.
Instead, he tried to steer Asil’s attachment away from Edenber.
“There are far kinder and better beastmen in the Beastmen’s Forest than that grumpy little human.”
“Pipyatppii.” (My husband is kind and a good human too.)
“Ahem. Did you ever call him your husband in front of Duke Monlepe?”
“Pippii.” (Yes.)
“…What did the Duke say?”
“Pipyatppiya.” (He said he’d give Asil a name.)
“What?!”
Arcian raised his voice in shock.
Giving a name? That meant he intended to formally marry Asil!
Unlike beastmen, who allowed polygamy, humans married only one person.
‘What kind of guy dares to flirt with my daughter, who hasn’t even shed her eggshell yet?!’
Arcian felt his feelings toward Edenber rapidly sour.
“I’ll deal with that guy!”
“Pippiya.” (You can’t scold my husband.)
Asil, fidgeting with the white scarf Edenber had given it, placed a paw on Arcian’s cheek.
“Pippiyatppi. Pipyaa……” (He gave Asil a scarf and tasty strawberries. Though he did try to bury Asil in the ground……)
“What?!”
“Pippiyatppi. Pippiya.” (You can’t scold him. Promise.)
Unaware of what she had said wrong, Asil raised her tiny paw.
Arcian fell into deep contemplation.
This guy not only kidnapped his daughter but sweet-talked her, flirted with her, and even tried to bury her in the ground. Should he really make this promise?
“Pipyaaa.” (Proooomise.)
“…Fine. A promise with my daughter. Sealed with a pinky swear.”
Reluctantly, he linked his pinky with Asil’s.
Then he clicked his tongue briefly.
“For now, let’s practice human transformation.”
* * *
Arcian explained his plan for Asil’s escape from the human world.
First, transform Asil into a human.
Second, introduce Asil as his daughter, who had been recovering in the countryside.
Third, after spending some time together, claim her health worsened and send her back to the countryside.
At that point, Asil would return to the Beastmen’s Forest instead.
“This way, we can get you back to the forest without Duke Monlepe noticing.”
If the Duke realized the divine beast disappeared with him, he’d likely come after them in a frenzy.
‘If the Duke interferes, it’ll cause major disruptions to my original mission of observing human affairs.’
In truth, they could skip to the second step and send Asil back to the forest right after human transformation.
But since Asil didn’t want to leave immediately, he added the extra step of the countryside recovery story.
‘I need to make up for the parenting I couldn’t do, even just a little.’
Above all, it was customary for beastmen parents to guide their children through human transformation.
‘I’ll be the first to see Asil’s human form before Briana does.’
With that thought, Arcian brightly asked,
“So, shall we practice human transformation with Dad?”
“Pippiya.” (Asil’s eggshell hasn’t fully come off yet.)
Asil pointed to the eggshell dangling on her head.
The eggshell falling off was a sign that the mana in its body had stabilized and could be controlled.
To transform into a human, one needed the ability to skillfully control a large amount of mana.
In other words, it was too soon for Asil, whose eggshell hadn’t fully detached.
Fiddling with the eggshell stuck to her head like glue, Asil suddenly felt glum.
‘If this is gone, Asil will be bald.’
Fear had said bald people couldn’t be the boss of Monlepe.
Though after the friendly match, Selena had whispered that wigs or hair growth treatments could fix it.
For a young dragon just beginning to care about appearances, being bald was a flaw hard to ignore.
‘I’m upset.’
Mom has hair, big brother has hair, so why doesn’t Asil have any?
With a sudden question in mind, Asil looked up at Arcian and asked,
“Pippiya?” (Are you bald too, mister?)
“…Huh?”
“Pipyatppi?” (Is that a wig?)
Since the topic came up, Asil wanted to check. She reached out with her front paw toward Arcian’s hair.
Though confused about why Asil was doing this, Arcian knelt down and brought his head closer.
With a serious expression, Asil tugged at Arcian’s hair.
‘Is it a wig?’
It didn’t seem like it. Aside from a few strands coming loose, it didn’t budge.
“Ouch, Asil. That hurts Dad.”
“Pippiya?” (Not a wig?)
“No, it’s really Dad’s hair.”
“Pippiya?” (Did you use hair growth treatment?)
“No, Dad’s hair has always been like this. But why the sudden interest in hair…”
Instead of answering, Asil let go of his hair.
Soon, an image of a majestic black dragon with glossy hair filled Asil’s mind.
‘Asil is bald.’
Even as a human, it would probably be bald. Why didn’t Asil have hair? With that thought, it grew dejected.
Noticing Asil’s mood, Arcian cautiously spoke up,
“Is something bothering you about human transformation?”
“Pippiya.” (No.)
“Should we skip practice for today?”
“Pippiya.” (No.)
“There’s no rush, so you don’t have to force yourself.”
“Pippiya. Pipyatppiya.” (No. Asil wants to practice human transformation.)
If it was something inevitable, it was better to face it sooner.
Asil decided to bravely accept her shiny appearance.
‘Asil is a cool black dragon beastman, so it doesn’t need hair.’
“Alright, got it. If you don’t want to do it, just say so.”
Hesitating, Arcian gently placed his hand on Asil’s head. Then, very slowly, he infused mana.
“This is to forcibly transform you into a human.”
“Pippi……”
“Remember this feeling well.”
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By Anna 💓
