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He wanted to become the Shinsu chief, and now he was. After receiving the emperor’s permission, he only had one wish left.

「You look like you’re in a good mood. You’re happy with the power, aren’t you?」

Shanti muttered from next to him, quickly closing his mouth when Aymon opened his eyes and glared at him.

What did I say wrong, you….

He swallowed his complaints.

Meanwhile, the Emperor’s speech was ending.

“…I hereby declare the Empire under the possession of Aymon Arkin.”

Cheerful melodies began to fill the space, signaling the start of the party after the coronation.

As soon as people started laughing and chatting, Belinda left her seat and ran to Aymon.

“Aymon!”

She was immediately dangling from his neck, her manners thrown aside.

Aymon wouldn’t ever have dreamt that Belinda would come running at him at such an official event but was soon rubbing his cheek against her neck.

“Congratulations, Chief!”

She said happily, hugging Aymon’s head and rubbing his cheeks.

「……Mhm.」

Aymon’s awkward answer resonated quietly.

In front of Belinda, sometimes the ever-present, elegant Shinsu would become a big cat.

A sparrow who had been chirping on a nearby tree flew down. Flapping his wings, he recklessly stopped between Belinda and Aymon.

“Are you done? Hm? Are you really the chief now?”

Mazetto shouted, poking in his small head.

Belinda giggled and scratched the little bird’s neck. He was the only one who wouldn’t be scolded by Aymon even if he came between him and Belinda.

“Mazetto also congratulates you! Please protect Mazetto, not the Empire!”

The lovely, cute animal shouted, snapping his beak.

“You greedy sparrow.”

Mazetto chirped cheerfully as Belinda smiled and stroked him, rubbing his beak against the back of her hand.

“Yes! Now bring me cookies! With cherries in them!”

Meanwhile, the nobles chattered on with smiles. They tried to hide their glares towards Aymon, the giant leopard being embraced by a tiny human.

“It looks like the rumor about the Princess being close with a Shinsu is true.”

“Yes. A while ago, the Princess attended a Shinsu ceremony, which is where they met.”

“I’ve also heard that the Shinsu visited the Emperor not too long ago.”

“I’ve heard rumors too. Everyone has high expectations, right? Maybe that beautiful Shinsu will be around the palace more often.”

The nobles turned around to look at the Shinsu.

They were leopards with proud and elegant figures. There were envious gazes glued to them, who stood as if they were defending the empire.

“They’re beautiful, by the way. I wish I could also see them up close like the Princess…”

“Honestly, I’m too scared to get close. I’m satisfied with watching from this distance.”

Realizing that such a noble and sacred clan was protecting them, they were overwhelmed with pride.

However, within the joyful atmosphere, there was still a person who was lost in thought, with a blank face.

Adelai grabbed a glass and bit the inside of her cheek. Her face was heated with the anger boiling inside her.

She was recalling her recent actions.

She got down on her knees for those beasts to show an example. The great imperial family bowed their heads to them.

What made her angrier was that she was alone in her feelings.

She wanted to scream, saying that this was absolutely unacceptable.

She clutched the fancy clothes that wrapped her body.

Lart, His Majesty, and everyone else must have been possessed by that despicable beast!

The Emperor had even asked her to find the descendant of Barahan. What happened to that?

She couldn’t accept it, and she didn’t want to.

As she tried to force her feelings down, with a drink Prince Lart approached laughing.

“What’s on your mind?”

With a cheerful smile, he playfully clinked his glass against Adelai’s. Though she whipped her glass away, Lart only responded with a leisurely laugh.

“It’s a nice sight, isn’t it?”

“What is?”

“Belinda and that Shinsu.”

Lart loosely pointed to the black animal and the human woman, holding his glass.

Adelai only grumbled as an answer. Simply seeing someone, including Lart, praise and admire Aymon put her in a bad mood.

No matter how strong an animal was, it was still just that. There was no reason human power couldn’t destroy it.

If the number of Shinsu was a little lower, and if they were a little weaker, humans could’ve destroyed them with force alone.

Then they might not have gone through the humiliation of bowing down to them.

While she was lost in thought, frowning to herself, Lart continued with the laughter gone from his voice.

“Don’t make it so obvious, Adelai.”

“What?”

She looked up nervously.

Lart was looking at her with a serious face.

“The relationship between the imperial family and the Shinsu has changed, no matter how you feel about them.”

“……”

“I will live in peace with them. When I’m the Emperor, I will join hands with the great clan for the sake of human prosperity and stability.”

Adelai listened to him with a whimper.

The next Emperor. The next Emperor.

Her stupid twin brother knew nothing. Not what the Emperor expected of her, nor what he had given her.

Adelai’s hand unconsciously raised up to clasp the golden key around her neck.

Lart went on.

“So, Adelai, relax a little. We’ll be seeing them often now.”

“What if I don’t want that?”

Adelai gave a rebellious answer, but Lart still replied lightly, with a shrug.

“There’s nothing to be done if you don’t. Humans and Shinsu might become very close soon.”

“What do you mean?”

Lowering his body, Lart peered into her eyes.

“I mean that the imperial family will gain peace with the Shinsu through blood, just as you’re trying to gain power through Duke Rodson.”

“…..”

She had to have been an idiot to miss Lart’s message. Adelai turned back towards Aymon and Belinda. She was right there, leaning on his body while petting a sparrow.

What? The imperial family and those beasts? No matter how lowly Belinda was, the imperial family was still the imperial family. With a beast?!

There had never been a union between humans and beasts in history, and there never should be.

Swallowing an irresistible scream, Adelai stared back at Lart with shock in her eyes.

Lart grinned.

“Even His Majesty gave his permission for it. And, Adelai, I don’t exactly know what the key you have is for, but…”

Lart calmly laid out his innermost thoughts as he looked for the key around Adelai’s neck.

“I… I’m not as stupid as you think I am. I know you’ve been up to something lately.”

“…..”

“I won’t dig too deep. But be warned… If you try to ruin the future that I dream of, I won’t just stay put anymore.”

Adelai’s eyes trembled.

The threat in her twin’s eyes was directed straight towards her.

She wondered if this Lart, pressuring her with a smile, was the same one she knew.

In her mind, he’d always be a halfwit, an idiot who could never fill the Emperor’s place.

A clueless moron who tactlessly interfered here and there, not knowing anything about seriousness. That was her brother.

That’s why she’d always thought of herself as the best candidate.

When had things changed?

Did she just not realize? Or did she force herself to ignore the truth?

The person in front of her wasn’t the stupid Lart she knew. There was intelligence in his eyes and even intimidation.

Adelai gulped.

Lart opened his mouth again.

“What did I tell you, Adelai? Hm? Hm?”

As lightly as ever, he chuckled. He was still the lighthearted prince.

However, his sharp eyes bore into Adelai’s mind.

She clenched the golden key around her neck again. It was now the only hope left for her.

***

The noisy boundary of the Shinsu forest was finally silent.

When everyone left the palace, the Shinsu returned to the forest, leaving nothing else.

The tranquil moonlight shone over the guest palace’s window. After washing up, Belinda leaned out against the black fur.

Aymon crouched under the window, lowering himself to allow Belinda to lean on him, and rubbed her ankle with his tail.

Belinda giggled at the ticklish sensation.

“Today was really cool.”

「What about it?」

“It just was. The way the Shinsu all walked out at once…”

Belinda began to murmur about the coronation as a black tail curled up her calf. Touching her knee, it crept up farther into her dress.

“That tickles. Anyways, the way all the Shinsu broke the swords like they were branches…”

When she grabbed the tail, Aymon gave up.

He slowly pulled back, Belinda’s body naturally moving with him.

By the time she came to her senses, she was wrapped in the arms of the beast.

Looking at the ceiling, she brushed her fingers through his fur.

“It was cool how Halla and Shanti roared and growled. Why didn’t you do that?”

Aymon buried his face in Belinda’s neck and deeply inhaled her scent.

「Only my subordinates do that.」

“Um… That tickles, Aymon.”

The animal’s hot breath and fur brushed against her skin. It wasn’t really a ticklish feeling, but Belinda didn’t know what else to call it.

However, the stone-like beast didn’t budge.

Instead, he pulled Belinda closer to him, burying her in his fur.

「Wasn’t I cool? Hm?」

Aymon asked in a deep voice.