Chapter 15

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Choosing Sides
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#15

The transition from a fierce expression to a slack one was instantaneous. Zen, his jaw agape, let out a single, sharp bark.

“Good heavens! I’ve never eaten a dragon bone before!”

“No… Of course not. There’s only one dragon, and it’s in the neighboring country. This must be a fake from some swindler at the market.”

“This is…! Absolutely incredible. It smells like a mix of dried lizard and bat—it’s perfect!”

He rattled on, completely lost in his excitement. It was clear he wasn’t listening anymore.

Saliva pooled between his glistening teeth, looking as if it would drip down at any moment. His tail wagged so fast it was a blur, thumping against his thigh.

“…Excuse me….”

Zen paid her no mind, his eyes fixed solely on the bone.

Her own eyes darting about as she pondered what to do, Lucy slowly raised the bone into the air. His yellow eyes followed its trajectory, his gaze fixed on the space above.

The sound of his panting and the thudding of his tail created a steady rhythm. Lucy moved the bone back and forth, lost in thought.

…What does it feel like to take one’s first step in life?

Every first is accompanied by euphoria. But as anyone knows, repeating the same act dulls the feeling, and soon, walking becomes a mere tool for movement.

As the years paint over us, emotions too wear away. Perhaps the increasing playfulness of the old, who grow indifferent to the world’s affairs, is a desperate struggle to revive those dead feelings.

But I’m not old.

She denied it, but she couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from turning up. At the crossroads of mischief and reason, she desperately tried to choose the latter.

And yet, her instincts kept pulling her toward mischief.

The panting Lycan before her no longer looked like an instructor but like the puppy she had raised as a child. The way his eyes darted back and forth, following the bone’s movement, was truly….

If I throw it, will he chase it or not?

Despite her serious expression, the thought consuming her mind was utterly trivial.

Shouting ‘Fetch!’ would be the icing on the cake. Just as she was deciding where to throw the bone she’d been waving side to side, a voice interrupted.

“My apologies for the wait. It will be dinnertime soon, where would you like to…”

Walter, who had just opened the door, froze upon seeing the two of them.

Lucy’s eyes widened, darting between Walter, the bone, and Zen before she quickly shoved the bone into Zen’s mouth.

“Ah, you’re here.”

She wiped her saliva-covered hand and greeted him as if nothing had happened. Zen, busy gnawing on the bone, seemed not to have noticed Walter’s arrival.

Blinking as he observed them, Walter seemed to grasp the situation. He gave a slight nod and stepped forward. Belatedly spotting him, Zen, unable to either spit out or swallow the bone, saluted from an awkward posture.

“So this is where you were. Are you here for my approval?”

“Yeth, thir.”

“The full moon just passed, so you must still be tired. Return to your quarters and rest. I will sign the documents and send them with Whees.”

Zen snapped his feet together and offered a crisp, formal salute.

When Walter gestured for him to leave, Zen hesitated, shuffling his feet a couple of times before slowly making his way out.

As he was about to pass Lucy, Zen suddenly grabbed her arm and brought his snout close to her ear. With a loud crunching sound, he moved the bone to the corner of his mouth and whispered in a voice barely audible.

“That stone you have.”

“The stone… you mean the one that was in my pocket?”

“Yes. This is a secret only a few people know.”

The grave atmosphere made Lucy raise her eyebrows. Zen continued whispering as quickly as he could.

“If you don’t have a use for it, try giving it to the Grand General. You’ll see something interesting.”

She thought he was about to reveal some grand secret, but all that came out was nonsense.

However, judging by his expression, Zen didn’t seem to have an ounce of intention to tease or play a prank on her. With another crunch and crackle, the sounds of teeth and bone locked in battle, Zen left the room with a grin.

Walter, who had been watching Zen depart, let out what might have been a sigh and approached Lucy.

“If my adjutant was rude in any way, I apologize on his behalf. As Your Majesty knows, a Lycan who has just passed the full moon has difficulty with even basic daily functions.”

“No, if anyone was being rude, it was probably me. Please don’t worry about it. About that… the title ‘Your Majesty.’”

“Yes.”

“It’s fine in public, but let’s not use it when we’re alone.”

Walter, who had maintained a porcelain-doll-like expression until now, twitched an eyebrow and his eyes widened. This, it seemed, was his most dramatic expression of surprise.

“I cannot do that. The chain of command is clear. It would be an act of insubordination.”

“No, it’s just… uncomfortable. I don’t mind acting all high and mighty in front of the lords, but I’d rather not do it in front of you, Grand General.”

“Titles are closer to a moral principle than simple etiquette. Please, withdraw your request.”

Lucy rubbed her brow, feeling weary.

For vanity and pretension to transform into dignity, enough time must pass for that vanity to become second nature. But Lucy had bounced between the heavens and the gutter countless times, and as a result, she had become a muddle of a person, neither noble nor commoner.

It was funny when she thought about it.

Just a few days ago, she was a woman chopping firewood in Pomnos, and today, she was striking a pose as queen in front of the great lords of Parnas.

Then again, recalling her chaotic past—from a concubine’s daughter to a princess, then the Crown Princess of the Empire, then a traitor, then a condemned prisoner—this seemed like nothing.

Having drifted through various stations in life, she had learned only one thing: people were all the same. Everyone grew old; drawing lines of hierarchy even in private was just tiring.

As she mulled over how to persuade Walter, Lucy lowered her voice and gave him a conspiratorial look.

“Grand General. Be honest. Was I a bit obnoxious earlier?”

Walter’s lips parted, but seeing he couldn’t bring himself to lie, he was left with his mouth agape, an awkward look in his eyes. Lucy nodded as if to say it was all right, and he finally spoke, letting out a sigh of relief.

“I thought you were fine… but I won’t deny that you took a rather provocative stance.”

“I plan on being rude to them for the time being, so I’d like to be comfortable in private. So, please, let’s be casual.”

“But.”

“By the way, when is dinner? I’m hungry after my bath.”

Startled, Walter realized he had come for that very reason and quickly led the way to the dining hall. Unaware that he had been drawn into her pace, he earnestly recited the menu in response to Lucy’s questions.

Their conversation, filled with trivialities, echoed through the deserted corridor.

Walter informed her that she would have to stay at the command headquarters for a while since the royal palace was sealed off. As he was giving her a tour, he suddenly fell silent, a troubled look on his face.

“Your handling of the lords today was truly excellent.”

For someone giving a compliment, his expression was quite grim. Before Lucy could thank him, Walter cut in.

“The way you overwhelmed the lords with your elegant speech is certainly commendable. However, Duke Kill is a man of great pride. I am concerned about the repercussions of provoking him.”

“What do you think Duke Kill will do, Grand General?”

She had expected an immediate answer, but Walter pressed his thumb against his lower lip and remained silent for a moment.

“Your Majesty.”

“I told you not to call me that. I’ll call you by your name, so please call me Lucy.”

“…What is your assessment of the future, Lucy?”

“Well… after wounding his pride like that, I doubt he’ll be joining hands with me. The meeting room will have many empty seats tomorrow.”

Walter’s eyes narrowed at her casual reply.

“As you know, he was the most trusted elder among the lords. He is also an excellent statesman who knows how to manage both internal and external affairs. Dealing with him will not be an easy task.”

“Do you think we can’t win?”

It was an overly impudent question to ask a general who had supposedly never known defeat. But Walter simply tilted his head, his gaze vaguely fixed on the space before him.

“It is a commander’s duty to create a winning scenario even when the odds are against us. You need not worry about that. However, I believe it would be more rational to conciliate him rather than confront him.”

“You’re worried there’s no one to unite the lords.”

“That is correct.”

“Hmm….”

Lucy twisted her mostly dry hair into a bun, securing it with a worn ribbon from her pocket. Unlike the worried Walter, she remained perfectly calm.

“It’s not like we’re out of time. Let’s not worry too much and see how the lords react at tomorrow’s meeting before we decide. For now, more importantly!”

“Yes.”

“Shall we eat?”

At her earnest plea, Walter realized he had been making a grave mistake and quickened his pace.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The clicking of heels shattered the silence of the cloister.

The jewel-encrusted mule sandals stood in stark contrast to her simple dress. Marquess Rutherford always preferred a relaxed attire, but given the circumstances, she had no choice but to dress formally.

The bustling of yesterday was gone, and the command headquarters was eerily quiet. The nobles had all sealed their lips, their faces solemn.

She understood they were tense, but did they have to be this quiet? she wondered.

“Everyone looks grim. They should be acting with more composure at a time like this.”

Duke Witten dismissed his attendant and approached her.

His attire was as neat and elegant as ever, but the smile on his face, creased by a furrowed brow, revealed his own tension.

But he wasn’t the type to strike up a conversation with the equally silent Marquess Rutherford merely to ease his own nerves.

The probing look in his eyes was proof of that. Marquess Rutherford, too, masked her own probing gaze with a gentle smile.

“After the incident yesterday, it’s understandable that everyone is being careful with their words. I can’t seem to get a read on what the atmosphere will be like at today’s meeting.”

“Whether we choose Duke Kill or that woman, it’s certain blood will be shed, which is concerning. Which side do you intend to support, my lady Marquess?”

At the direct question, Marquess Rutherford raised one corner of her lips, an ambiguous smile gracing her face.