Chapter 54
* * *
As soon as she escaped from the infirmary and met Arcian, Asil returned to her original baby form.
“Yaaawn.”
Because she had overexerted herself by maintaining her human form for so long, a yawn came out right away.
As she kept rubbing her eyes that were trying to close, she felt Arcian’s hands carefully lifting her up.
“You did so well today, my daughter.”
“Pii……”
“Sleep for a bit.”
He gently patted her back.
Just as he said, Asil slowly closed her eyes.
When she briefly opened them afterward, it was the divine beast’s room in Monlepe.
Arcian had sent her back using spatial transfer magic.
Thanks to the illusion magic he had set up, it seemed no one had noticed Asil’s absence.
Instead, she saw a basket full of strawberries that the maid must have left behind.
They looked delicious, but her stomach was full from eating too much at the banquet hall.
‘I want to sleep more.’
Asil tightly closed her eyes.
And hugging the squirming baby rabbit next to her, she fiddled with its white fur.
Knock knock knock, it was then that someone carefully entered the room along with the sound of knocking.
It was Edenber.
With every step he took, the scent of fresh wind wafted in.
It seemed he had come here right after arriving at the ducal residence without even changing his clothes.
Asil, who had slightly opened her eyes, absentmindedly looked at his hand.
‘It’s still attached well.’
The four bandages were still perfectly stuck on without any coming off.
With a slight smile of pride, she closed her eyes again to sleep, but he, who had come closer while muffling his footsteps, asked in a whisper.
“Sleepy?”
She wasn’t sleeping yet, but she would soon.
Asil wagged her tail lightly without opening her eyes.
Normally, he would have seen that and said good night before leaving.
But today, Edenber was persistent.
“I meant to come sooner, but something came up and I was late. You slept all day, so you must be hungry. Want to eat some of this?”
Edenber pushed the strawberry basket toward her.
‘I’m not eating, I’m full.’
Asil wagged her tail lightly again.
While trying to ask for a deep sleep like that, she just couldn’t fall asleep.
It was because of Edenber.
In the darkness, she felt his persistent gaze poking at her cheek.
‘Does he have something to say to Asil?’
When she lifted her sleepily drooping eyelids, she saw him with worried eyes.
“You’re not hurting anywhere, are you?”
“Pi-ya.” (Yeah, I’m not hurting.)
She hesitated while trying to close her eyes again.
Asil would worry if her husband slept all day, so he probably felt the same.
She didn’t want to see Edenber worrying needlessly. So, she made up an excuse meaning she was fine and said,
“Pi-ya-pi pi-ya.” (Asil is in the middle of hibernating.)
“Winter’s already over.”
“Pi-ya.” (It’s not over yet, so I’ll sleep a bit more.)
Asil pulled the blanket toward her and curled up into a ball.
But at the touch that kept poking her front paw, she opened her half-closed eyes once more.
Edenber was poking at Asil’s front paw like a cat inspecting a ball of yarn.
He muttered.
“Front paw.”
“Pi-ya?”
“Your front paw.”
What about Asil’s front paw.
Wondering if something was on it, she checked, but it was still clean as before. Asil tilted her head and then sat up.
She was sleepy, but since her husband showed no sign of leaving, she figured she should play with him.
When she stared at him intently, Edenber, who was likewise gazing silently, moved his lips.
“Aren’t you curious about how the banquet went today?”
“Pii.” (I am.)
He had gone too, so there wasn’t much to be curious about, but if she said she wasn’t, he’d definitely look at her strangely.
“Were you upset that you couldn’t go together?”
“Pi-ya.” (Yeah.)
“Then let’s eat a strawberry first.”
As he took out a large strawberry from the basket and held it out to her, what connection did the banquet have with strawberries?
While she just blinked her eyes in bewilderment, Edenber, who had picked up a strawberry of his own, explained.
“They say when you’re upset, you should eat something delicious.”
In an instant, Asil’s pink eyes widened enormously. That was what Asil had said earlier!
For a moment, their eyes met. No, she’d get caught like this!
Pretending to focus on the strawberry, Asil hurriedly bowed her head. And she bit into the strawberry with her mouth full.
As she chewed diligently, Edenber, who had eaten a whole strawberry in one bite, asked,
“Delicious?”
“Pii!” (Yeah!)
“Yeah, this strawberry is delicious.”
He picked up another strawberry and said lightly, as if passing by.
“The banquet wasn’t anything special. Oh, the lighting and decorations were really flashy. I thought you would have loved it if you’d come.”
The second strawberry disappeared into his mouth in an instant. Edenber reached for the strawberry basket again.
“I’ll eat just one more as the last one. I promised to eat three delicious things.”
“Pi……”
“Aren’t you curious who I made the promise with?”
“Qua qua.” (Not curious.)
To avoid getting caught trembling from tension, she shoved the remaining strawberry into her mouth all at once.
Because of that, her face crumpled strangely.
‘At times like this, you can’t avoid eye contact.’
With her face still crumpled, Asil looked up at him.
She put strength into her front and back paws that were breaking out in cold sweat, and into her belly too!
Edenber, who had been looking at her without any particular expression, answered straightforwardly.
“Lady Erzébet of Count Erzébet.”
“……Qua qua-ya?” (……Who’s that?)
“The daughter of Count Erzébet.”
“Qua-ya.” (Ah.)
After nodding as if she understood well, there was nothing more to say.
Asil racked her brain so hard steam seemed to rise from it.
‘What should I say here if Asil hadn’t gone to the banquet?’
After pondering, she gulped down the strawberry in her mouth and said,
“Pi-ya-pi-ya?” (Why did you promise?)
“Because I received some help. I fought with the young lord of Staraffit today. The lady helped me.”
“Pi-ya-a-a!” (Asil will scold him more!)
Pretending to know nothing, Asil fiercely opened her eyes wide and threw a punch toward an imaginary enemy. She even jumped and did a sharp kick.
Bad young lord of Starafit! I won’t let you get away with it!
But at Edenber’s following words, she tripped and fell over.
“I was thinking of having a meal together sometime soon. She resembles you quite a bit, so I’m sure she’d like you if you met.”
……!!!
“I’m thinking of inviting Count Erzébet, whom you like, and making a gathering of four. Is that okay?”
There was no way it was okay.
‘What do I do.’
Unable to even think of getting up, Asil, still sprawled out, suffered pupil earthquakes.
Meeting as four was realistically impossible.
But if she said no to meeting, her husband would look at her strangely.
What to do about this?
It was then that a past event flashed through her mind.
On the day she first went to Count Erjebet’s residence, Arshian had dealt with Edenber while turning into a black lizard too.
‘If only I could learn that magic!’
Asil shot up and placed both front paws on her waist, shouting,
“Pi-ya. Pi-i-ya pi pi-ya.” (It’s fine. Asil has no problem.)
“……Yeah, then. I’ll send an invitation to Count Erzébet.”
“Pi.” (Yeah.)
Good, good. It seems to have gone over well. As expected, Asil is a quick-witted dragon!
Asil, inwardly praising herself, nodded proudly.
Because of that, she missed Edenber’s muttering that followed in a whisper.
“She’s not asking about the bandages.”
He stared at the third strawberry in his hand with a hardened face, then soon returned to his usual gentle expression and ate the strawberry in one bite.
After that, he laid Asil down to sleep and covered her with the blanket.
“Sorry for holding you when you’re sleepy for so long.”
“Pi-ya-pi.” (No. Husband should sleep soon too.)
“Yeah.”
He replied softly and turned to leave the room, but then turned back around and hesitated before saying,
“Asil.”
“Pi?”
“No matter what form you take, I’ll accept you as you are, and I’ll love you.”
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
Aghhhhh I’m in lovee🥺
By Anna 💓
