AEIRSMLAG Chapter 035

A short while later.

Ludwin, after asking a few more questions, finished his business and slipped out of the tower while the guard nodded off.

He hadn’t laid a hand on the bandit, merely issuing a mild threat to keep his visit a secret. There was little chance that anyone would discover he had been there.

Though the bandit had foamed at the mouth and fainted in the end, it wasn’t a significant issue.

Ludwin’s expression was darker than when he entered.

‘As I thought, the beastmen are targeting Tia.’

Though he suspected it, confirming the fact left him quite shaken.

What was even more troubling was that they were enlisting even Imperial citizens to go after Tyria. If things continued like this, he would need to be wary of everyone who approached her, not just the beastmen.

A prolonged conflict would not be to their advantage.

‘I’ll have to deal with that rabbit.’

He thought of the damn rabbit, now curled up asleep in Tyria’s room. Unlike Ludwin, who was a half breed, that wretched rabbit seemed capable of limited communication even in its animal form.

Yet it refused to answer Tyria’s questions and merely evaded her, which irritated Ludwin.

Since beastmen responded well to the law of the jungle, a little pressure should coax the information out.

With these thoughts in mind, Ludwin arrived at the garden in front of the annex.

A clear voice called out.

“Huh? Lu?”

Lost in his thoughts, Ludwin stopped in his tracks.

His eyes widened.

“Tia?”

She was supposed to be asleep in her room, but here she was, in the garden, draped in a light green shawl.

The unexpected encounter made Ludwin feel as if he were dreaming.

Her silver hair and pale skin gleamed softly in the moonlight, her slender frame clothed in a thin white dress that fluttered in the night breeze. She looked almost ethereal, not quite human.

As soon as she saw him, Tyria’s violet eyes widened, and she hurried over to him.

Then, placing her hands on his cheeks, she smiled brightly.

“W-wait, Tia…”

Ludwin was startled by the sudden touch, but he somehow managed to stop himself from pulling away.

Trapped between her small, soft hands, Ludwin’s pale face turned bright red in an instant. The fierce expression he had worn when he left the prison was nowhere to be seen.

“You disappeared and I got scared.”

For some reason, Tyria looked relieved.

“When I woke up and you weren’t there… You’ve been sleeping next to my bed every night recently. I thought you left without telling me…”

Tyria was smiling warmly, showing none of her usual discomfort with his human form.

But her voice sounded a bit drowsy.

It was only after hearing her words that Ludwin realized he left the room without saying anything.

“I’m sorry for worrying you, Tia.”

Ludwin, now feeling a bit down, apologized to her.

She continued to look up at him, studying his face.

“Tia?”

“You’re even more beautiful in your human form, Lu.”

At those words, Ludwin’s face flushed an even deeper shade of red. No apple could ever be this red. It felt like he might burst if someone poked him.

‘Tia said I’m beautiful…’

His mind went blank, the words Tyria had just spoken playing on an endless loop.

At that moment, Tyria let out a long yawn.

“Yawn… I’m sleepy.”

Ludwin, who had been lost in his thoughts, suddenly realized why she seemed less guarded than usual. The slightly off-kilter conversation earlier made sense now.

‘She’s still half-asleep.’

A closer look revealed that Tyria’s violet eyes were heavy with sleep. Her oddly languid voice was likely due to being only half-awake.

Tyria, who seemed perfect in every way, had one weakness: her sleep habits.

It was something Ludwin discovered during their time together as children.

Once she fell asleep, she was usually out cold, to the point where she wouldn’t even notice if someone carried her away. Not only did she sleep deeply, but her sleep habits were rough, and on rare occasions, she would wake up in the middle of the night, smiling dreamily while still half-asleep.

 

‘My Lu, you’re so pretty, so pretty.’

 

Before falling asleep again, she would hold and cuddle young Ludwin tightly.

And the next day, she wouldn’t remember any of it.

Ludwin gently lifted the now wobbly Tyria into his arms.

She was a bit surprised at first but soon settled comfortably against his chest, nodding off.

“Tomorrow is the eve of the festival… If I oversleep, Lena will…”

She mumbled, her head drooping as she finally drifted back to sleep.

Ludwin smiled softly as he gazed at the peacefully sleeping Tyria. Despite having grown up, her sleeping face was still the same as when they were children, which reassured him.

As he carried Tyria back to her room, he recalled what she just said.

‘The eve of the festival.’

Someone came to mind.

That redhead who clung to Tyria under the pretext of being her guide ever since they arrived at the estate, even securing the spot as her partner for the ball.

Ludwin’s brow twitched.

“That redhead…”

He felt like something had been taken from him.

He always longed to stay by Tyria’s side and protect her, and now that he finally had the chance, something still felt lacking.

He spent all day with her, yet he couldn’t understand why that guy, who had only been with her for a short while, bothered him so much.

It was also shocking that Tyria did not refuse the redhead’s request to be her partner.

In his animal form, unable to hide his feelings, he sulked in the corner all evening because of it.

It bothered him that he worried Tyria so much throughout the evening because of it.

‘This is strange. What is this feeling?’

Ludwin, who had spent much of his growth period in isolation, wasn’t very emotional.

There were far more emotions he had yet to experience than those he had experienced. And most of the emotions he had experienced originated from Tyria.

To him, the world was usually colorless. Even when he became the Crown Prince’s aide or was chosen as heir by Duke Rivolte, he felt little. He just accepted things as they were.

‘But it’s different when I’m with Tia.’

When she was around, his world finally gained color.

Ludwin looked down at the sleeping silver-haired fairy in his arms.

Thump, thump.

His heart raced just looking at Tyria.

He had simply wanted to stay by her side, but now, even that didn’t feel like enough.

Ludwin wasn’t sure what exactly was missing.

But one thing was clear.

That redhead annoyed him.

‘The Gu Kai Mountains are known for their grizzly bears.’

He wanted to bite that sleeping guy’s neck and toss him into grizzly bear territory right now.

It would be satisfying to see that big oaf crying and running away from a bear…

“…Lu, you’re so cute.”

A sweet mutter from Tyria suddenly erased all his savage thoughts.

“Hmm.”

With a slight blush on his cheeks, Ludwin looked down at Tyria and murmured to himself.

“…Since Tia seems to care about him, should I let it slide just this once?”

Having suddenly become very compassionate, Ludwin carried Tyria back to her room.

 

***

 

The spring hunting festival, an annual event hosted by a family chosen by the Emperor and sponsored by the Imperial Household, always had at least one member of the royal family in attendance.

This year, it was the Crown Prince and Princess who were attending.

As a result, this event was not only a rare opportunity to see royalty up close but also famous for its lavish and grand eve-of-the-festival celebration, funded by the immense support of the Imperial Household.

And tonight was the night of that eve-of-the-festival celebration. Naturally, the Leon family, the hosts, must have been incredibly busy preparing for the event.

‘They must be, but…’

I looked at him, standing before me in the pavilion in the garden where few guests visited.

“Boris, aren’t you really busy?”

The eldest son of the Leon family had been popping up to see me constantly since morning.

 

‘Sister! Did you sleep well? My mother asked if you were comfortable in your room.’

‘Sister! Would you like to have lunch together? They’re making your favorite cheese omelet.’

‘Sister! I heard you’re good at making bouquets. Could you take a look at the decorations?’

‘Sister! This… maybe…’

 

And now he was here again, supposedly to ask if I needed anything.

I just finished a light tea time with Lilian in the morning and was taking a stroll in the quiet garden with Ludwin before resting in the pavilion. Somehow Boris found me here, bringing tea and cheese tarts.

Unable to tear my gaze away from my favorite snack, I asked, and Boris grinned.

“Yes, I’m busy. I haven’t sat down once since morning.”

“Then stop following me around and get back to work.”

“Come on, what could be more important than looking after you, Sister?”

It was rather baffling.

Why was I, and not the Crown Prince and Princess, the most important guest here?

As I wondered if something was off with him, Boris asked.

“Mind if I sit for a moment?”

“Bringing tea and tarts is hardly asking.”

“Haha, that’s true.”

“Well, tarts made from Leon goat cheese is a rare treat. Have a seat.”

For some reason, he seemed to have grown a bit more sly.

At that moment, Ludwin, who had been dozing at my feet, noticed Boris sitting next to me and let out a low growl.

Grrr.

Ludwin had been in a foul mood since yesterday. He seemed cheerful this morning, but now he was upset again.

“Lu, do you want to head inside?”

Thinking he might be tired, I asked, but Ludwin instead moved closer to me, pressing against my side and snorting at Boris.

Don’t come any closer.

He seemed to be saying.

Boris, watching this, raised an eyebrow.

“Does that dog not like people?”

“It’s not that; he’s just not used to you yet.”

I found Ludwin, who was stiffly standing guard, rather cute, so I gave him a gentle pat on the back.

“Hm, even so, he’s been keeping a close eye on me since yesterday… When did you start keeping a dog, anyway?”

“A few days ago. I received him as a gift.”

Boris’s eyes widened at my words.