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“Hurry up and change! Yes! Yes? Now! Come on!”

The overexcited little bird never changed, no matter how many times he was met with an angry Aymon. That in itself was pretty amazing.

Belinda was lost and thought, looking on as Aymon began to growl and chase Mazetto, who was already flapping his wings and fleeing.

Yes. It will be reassuring to go with human Aymon.

Even though he looked like a regular human boy, he was still a Shinsu. If that was revealed… Well, surely people’s attitudes towards the forgotten princess would change.

Didn’t he say that himself, though? That he didn’t want to deal with the elders finding out he was spending time with her?

Even though she couldn’t control that, she didn’t want to be a burden for him. Besides, she’d been studying the ancient language so hard and preparing herself mentally. She knew enough to hold up small talk… Enough to take over the situation by herself.

“Leave it, Aymon. I’ll go alone. It’s okay.”

She said to him, still busy squeezing the poor bird between his paws. He quickly turned around and stared at her.

Mazetto, still pressed in his paws, was wildly flapping his wings and screaming at her to save him. Ignoring it, Aymon looked at her calmly.

「Why? Are you also one of those people that doesn’t want to show their face at a party with a beast?」

“Huh?”

So you don’t want to be seen with a beast either, huh?

Belinda, trying to figure out what his word meant, glanced down at his paws. Mazetto had escaped and flown out the window.

“He might be really handsome, but he’s crazy!!”

The bird’s babbling voice resounded from far away. Clearly he’d been getting more and more shameless.

Belinda tapped Aymon, who was still staring after Mazetto in disbelief.

“Aymon.”

His ears pricked. He didn’t speak, but Belinda knew it meant he was listening.

She began to stroke his back gently.

“Aymon, look at me. What do you mean, that I don’t want to be with beasts?”

「You humans are all like that. With beasts…… Leave it.」

“Huh?”

She lowered her body and turned Aymon’s head to look at her. He gently pushed her away with his front paws, sighing.

「Anyways…… If someone bothers you at that party, just bite them. Even humans have strong jaws. Or you can scratch them with your nails. They’re long.」

“Mhm. Okay. I’m sorry I have to go now when you’re here after so long. Play with Lucy, alright?”

Aymon growled at her words.

「Playing with Lucy? What am I, a baby?」

But when Lucy, who’d been listening to their conversation, rolled in a ball of yarn, Aymon immediately grabbed it. It was, so to speak, an instinct. Like a cat pouncing at a bird on a tree.

「…….」

“…….”

“…….”

There was a deep silence between the three of them. Belinda, smiling widely, Lucy looking on with a poker face, and Aymon with a sheepish expression.

He muttered, scratching at the yarn with his claws.

「This is a terrible instinct.」

It really was a damn instinct.

***

Are Lucy and Aymon doing okay?

Belinda stood in front of the huge doors of the ballroom, trying to stifle her racing heart. Her thoughts went to Aymon.

Right before she left, he was playing with Lucy gruffly. Unlike her, who was always teasing, hugging and tormenting him, Lucy was always nice and friendly with him. Aymon was also careful with Lucy, never tapping her cheeks or resting his paws on her hands like he did with Belinda.

Lucy was always a bit jealous of how close the two were, but what could she do? In the end… It was all just greed.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the doors opening. The bright lights of the party poured down on her. She had to blink a few times to get her eyes used to it.

“Belinda Ryn Athez, Princess of Athez!”

The butler’s voice resounded.

Belinda Ryn Athez.

Yes.

That’s me.

Belinda pulled herself upright. Even if no one cared about her, she could be confident for only herself to see.

She felt hundreds of eyes on her. Even though she had been invited like everyone else, they were all wondering what she was doing there.

She stood beside a table trying to look as relaxed as possible, repeatedly muttering all the bits of the ancient language she’d learned over the past two months.

Duke Phillip, obviously the star of the party, began to approach her and bowed.

“You’ve come, Princess.”

Belinda quickly curtsied.

“Yes. Thankfully, you invited me yourself.”

Phillip smirked at her slightly sarcastic response. Just as he was about to reply, someone popped in and cut him off.

“Oh, you’ve come, Unnie. I’m surprised to see you here, to be honest.”

It was, of course, Princess Adelai.

She stood in front of Phillip as she stared Belinda down with wary eyes. Before long, her brother Lart appeared behind her.

Belinda, unwavered, greeted her casually.

“Hi, Adelai. How have you been?”

Adelai squinted and snapped at her with a short “Well.”

I didn’t know she was here. Obviously Phillip invited her.

She almost felt as if she was being invaded by her. It was a very belittling feeling that she couldn’t exactly put her finger on.

Come on, don’t you have any self-respect left?

What Lart said next really made her raise an eyebrow.

“Oh! Look at Belinda noona’s brooch! Isn’t it the same as yours?”

He tilted his head and pointed at Belinda’s bejeweled brooch. It was the one Duke Phillip had gifted her.

Everyone’s eyes gathered on the brooch. Adelai, too, stared at it with a stiff face.

It’s the same one. I’m sure. The same one Phillip gave me. For the empire’s princess.

Was he saying that Belinda was a princess just as much as she was? Was he admitting that?

Adelai tightly bit her lips in shame.

Lart, standing next to her, kept on with the conversation, blissfully unaware that he was embarrassing his sister.

“Didn’t you say this jewel is really rare? I thought you only gave one to Adelai. Anyways, if you’re gonna give one to her, give me one too! I like red as well, it looks good on me!”

Phillip shook his head, smiling.

If we discover any more rare jewels, I’ll be sure to gift you one, Highness.”

“You don’t have any more of this one?”

“No, those two brooches have the only stones.”

“Really? Too bad. By the way, Bel- I mean, noona, it looks good on you. I thought he’d give you something cheap.”

The young prince was simple, straightforward, and perhaps a little tactless. With someone like him around, Belinda could manage perfectly well even without Aymon’s help.

Adelai glared at him with an irritated face.

What are you on about?! Pretending to be best friends… Don’t you have any pride??

However, Lart was still oblivious to his sister’s furious eyes. Twirling around Belinda, he was just making her more and more frustrated.

“Belinda. Lend me that brooch later. I want to try it but Adelai never lends me hers.”

That was the last straw for Adelai. She snapped her fan shut as a warning.

That’s when Lart finally stopped talking. The look on his twin’s face was unusual. As tactless as he was, even he could tell that it was a cue for him to shut his mouth.

Adelai tightened her grip on the fan and turned to Phillip, who’d been observing the situation.

[Phillip, you’ll have to choose next time. Her or me.]

She was speaking the ancient language, of course.

Belinda didn’t say anything for the moment – she had to pretend she didn’t understand.

Adelai stiffened her neck even more.

[This is a warning. You’ve seen my sister’s been wagging her tail like a dog to blend in with us. I’m not letting that happen.]

Philip smiled softly instead of answering. Adeleai was speaking calmly even as he threatened her to hide her intent.

The duke’s status may not have been as high as the imperial family’s, but it wasn’t low enough for him to have to submit to Adelia.

Lart tried to lighten up the atmosphere, butting in.

[Yes! Next time only Adeleai and I will be invited! And you can gift me a brooch!]

Philip was still silent. It was Belinda who finally answered.

[Go ahead and do it, Duke Phillip. I don’t care.]

Everyone turned to stare at her. Even she was a bit surprised by how fluent she sounded.

I thought she just got lucky last time!

[Adelai. I don’t have to wag my tail like a dog to be around you. You and me have the same blood.]

Adeleai bit her lips at the words but didn’t reply.

The same bloodline. Isn’t that blasphemy towards the emperor?

Lart butted in again.

“Yes, blood is blood. That’s true!”

Belinda smirked and continued.

[If you have something to say, tell me yourself instead of scheming behind my back and trying to hide your words from me.]

The remark contained a faint anger.

The second time. It was the second time she’d done it, trying to alienate and ignore her.

Twice. Twice in front of me, trying to alienate me and ignore me. How could she not be a little angry at the ignorant and vulgar origins of such childish schemes?

Belinda continued in the ancient language, just to drive the dagger in deeper.

“And if I wanted to be friends with you, I would express it myself instead of wagging my tail like a dog.”

“…….”

“In words you can understand, surely.”

At that moment Adeleai’s neck was burning hot.

Belinda’s pointed words made her feel ashamed. She had no choice but to fan herself and act unaffected.

Prince Lart intervened yet again.

“Hey, but where did you learn the ancient language?! Only high-ranking aristocrats and the imperial family speak it!”

“I’m also part of the imperial family.

“….Wait, you’re right! You’re my sister after all.”

Adelai gritted her teeth and stabbed him in the back with the fan. She was beyond annoyed by how he’d been acting the whole night.

Lart closed his mouth again. Phillip could barely stop himself from bursting out laughing.