#107

At my firm denial, Ivan let out a sigh of relief.

“Phew, thank goodness. I almost had to execute that guy on the spot, you know?”

“How did you even get here?”

“I could ask you the same, Lady Cersia. A wedding? If Lord Zerakiel hears about this, it’ll be a disaster.”

“It’s… a long story.”

I rubbed my throbbing temples and let out a heavy sigh.

“Anyway, let’s go back.”

Just as Ivan was about to approach me, Keinhrih’s men suddenly surrounded him. The burliest-looking one gave a warning.

“If you surrender quietly, we’ll let you keep your life.”

“That’s supposed to be my line.”

Ivan rolled his wrist and loosened his neck, then flashed a wide grin. That same airheaded expression of his somehow made the other guy even more pissed off.

Honestly, Ivan had the kind of face that provoked people by just existing. He was a naturally mischievous beastman.

“What’s so funny?”

“Hahaha! I just have a friendly face. Never seen such a handsome beastman before?”

“What the hell are you saying?!”

“Everyone denies it at first~ But once you fall for my charm, there’s no going back!”

Ivan kept teasing his opponent with a cocky smirk. And the fact that he didn’t even mean to be annoying made it worse for them.

“Shut up!”

One of the men couldn’t take it anymore and lunged at Ivan.

Thud—!

With a loud crash, the beastman who charged was instantly slammed to the ground, his face meeting the floor. Ivan stepped on the guy’s back and cheerfully added:

“Alright, everyone freeze. Anyone who moves from now on dies~ I’m in a real hurry, so I don’t have time to hold back. Just surrender quietly, okay?”

Before he even finished speaking, Keinhrih’s men all rushed in at once.

The surprising thing? Not a single one of them managed to lay a hand on Ivan. Instead, they got tangled up with each other and toppled over like clowns.

And in the middle of that chaos, Ivan strolled through them like he was out for a walk. His words were playful, but the look in his eyes was sharp and deadly, like a predator.

“Oh?”

I clapped silently at the rare sight of Ivan being serious. So he didn’t become Zerakiel’s aide by chance after all.

Just then, Ayla came up beside me and looked me over in concern.

“Are you hurt anywhere? What happened here? Do you have any idea how shocked I was to see the carriage that carried you parked outside this place?”

“Uwaaah, I missed you, Ayla!”

I threw myself into Ayla’s arms and whined. She had always been by my side, and seeing her face made all the bottled-up emotion burst out.

Honestly, being in prison was rough.

I never wanted to step foot in a damp, moldy underground cell ever again.

And on top of that, I nearly got married off against my will. That pushed me over the edge.

“There, there, my dear Lady Chichi. You’ve been through so much, haven’t you? Poor thing.”

Ayla was frantically patting my back and fake-eating her fist in sympathy. Whether she chewed her fist or sucked her toes at this point—I didn’t care. I was just happy she was here.

Then Keinhrih spoke.

“So you’ve finally arrived from Jabis, huh?”

At that moment, a terrifying pressure surged from Ayla’s body. I tried to look up at her in shock, but she was holding my head down, so I couldn’t see her face.

“How dare you abduct our precious lady? You dog-faced bastard, I ought to chew you up and spit you out.”

“How’d she know I kidnapped her?”

Hey now, that’s not what I meant!

I scowled at Keinhrih, who had just poured gasoline on an already blazing fire.

“Frankly, I’d rip you to pieces right here and now… but you’re not the one I came here for…”

Ayla paused mid-sentence.

“Huh? Where’d he go?”

She looked toward the officiant’s podium with a baffled face. Victor, who had been standing there pale as a ghost just moments ago, was completely gone.

Apparently, he’d taken the opportunity to slip away while Ayla and I were caught in our emotional reunion.

“Oh, that guy? I saw him running off that way earlier.”

Keinhrih smirked as he pointed in the direction Victor had fled, and Ayla let out a dry laugh.

“What a rat.”

Still holding me in her arms, she moved to go after him—but Keinhrih stepped in her way.

“You’ll have to leave that behind.”

“…What?”

“Crashing the wedding wasn’t enough? Now you’re going to kidnap the bride too?”

Someone watching might actually believe him.

Excuse me, you’re the one who kidnapped me in the first place!

“Ayla, don’t worry about me—go after Victor.”

“What? What are you saying, my lady? You’re here! How could I leave you?”

“Ivan’s here too. What if Victor gets away?”

“But…”

“It’s fine. And besides, that guy—he wasn’t actually all bad.”

He was a thief, sure, but a friendly one toward Jabis. That was rare. I couldn’t just leave him to get beat to a pulp.

If we raise him right, he could make a fine doormat for Jabis.

If we trained him properly, this unpredictable Keinhrih might just become a very loyal footstool.

Ayla was still hesitating when—

“I’ll chase after Victor,”

Ivan chimed in brightly, having already knocked out all the thieves. Keinhrih jumped in shock.

“When did you finish?!”

“Oh, they were such lightweights, it just took a little longer since I was playing around with them.”

Yep, definitely a master of provoking people.

The only problem was… Keinhrih wasn’t your average opponent.

“Incredible! I want to fight you!”

He clearly had a thing for strong beastfolk.

Ivan frowned, unimpressed by how unaffected Keinhrih was by his usual taunts. Then, as if to ditch the whole hassle, he turned to Ayla.

“Well, I don’t mind sparring, but I’m kind of busy right now. Miss Ayla’s way stronger than me—why don’t you try her?”

“Oh? Really?”

“Hey! Why are you dragging me into this?!”

Ayla screamed in protest, but true to form, Ivan had already vanished down the hallway.

“Well then, I’ll be off for justice!”

He even winked as he ran, and Ayla grabbed her neck in frustration.

“Ugh, how much longer do I have to deal with that guy…”

She grit her teeth so hard it looked like she wanted to rip out her own eyes just from having seen that wink.

“So I just have to knock you out first, huh?”

Keinhrih said smugly, ready for a fight. Already seething from Ivan, Ayla gently set me down to one side and spoke calmly.

“Close your eyes and count to ten.”

“You sure? That guy’s tougher than he looks.”

“For stubborn mutts, a good beating is the best medicine.”

…Ayla’s terrifying.

I hesitated at the sight of this fierce version of Ayla I’d never seen before. Of course, she was part of Jabis.

She’d once been a warrior on the front lines before becoming my maid, after all.

And to think this same Ayla once bashfully knitted a hat for me and fed me snacks…

When I had to wear a hat because my weasel ears wouldn’t stay down, Ayla had been so earnest knitting me one with her own hands.

I gently cupped her cheeks.

“Don’t get hurt.”

“Ugh, please don’t look at me like that… You’ll sap my strength.”

“Wha—no, that’s bad!”

I panicked and tried to pull back, but Ayla shook her head quickly.

“Don’t worry. When I feel weak, I actually get stronger. Cute things make my power explode!”

She turned me around and added boldly,

“Alright. Ears covered, eyes closed, and count to ten!”

“M’kay!”

I obediently covered my ears with my hands.

Then Ayla, determined, seemed to eat one last imaginary fist and stepped forward to face Keinhrih.

Just as she’d said, I closed my eyes and began counting.

“One.”

BAM—!

“Twooo.”

CRACK!

“Threee!”

CRASH THUD CLANG!

“Four!”

WHAM—!

“Five!”

YIPE! YELP! WHINE!

Before I even reached ten, I heard the unmistakable sound of Keinhrih whimpering in defeat through my hands.

I opened my eyes in shock.

The ground shook from the impact, and all the floral decorations in the wedding hall were flying through the air.

And floating among them… was a dog.

Keinhrih, having reverted to his beast form from sheer exhaustion, was now a pitiful mutt, whimpering up at me from midair.

“Yip!”

See? That’s what you get for messing with just anyone.

I pretended not to see him, closed my eyes again, and resumed counting.

“Siiix…”