Chapter 20
The Wolf Pup
“….”
Blake stood in front of the bed, still holding Liche, and looked down at the basket.
Zickbert, fully awake now, was on guard with his fur bristling, eyeing Blake.
“Animal scent.”
Deon stood next to Blake, holding his breath.
There was only one source of such a strong animal scent.
“He’s from the Sardia side, isn’t he?”
Even Blake’s father would have known that. The Sardia’s characteristics were not just the scent.
However, Blake, still gazing at the wolf, spoke up suddenly.
“Liche brought him?”
“Oh, my lord. That’s right.”
Jed spoke up.
He met Liche’s anxious gaze, then blinked one eye as if to say, “Just trust me.”
“Lady Liche just followed a squirrel, and I’m the one who brought him-.”
“I, I brought him! I’m sorry….”
Interrupting Jed, Liche hastily admitted to being the culprit.
The day they returned from the Forest of Beasts.
She left Zickbert near the castle gate and went back to the room to deal with Python, knowing it was her own decision.
“Does Dad know that Zickbert is from Sardia?”
Liche looked at Blake with a pounding heart.
She hoped he didn’t know.
She didn’t regret her choice to save Zickbert from the Forest of Beasts, but she didn’t want to cause trouble for Blake or anyone else.
“…Wolf pups.”
Jed echoed Blake’s mutterings with an understanding tone.
Red-furred wolf pups were quite common. They looked alike.
“Yes, wolf pups. Wouldn’t you agree, Doctor?”
“The lord’s words seem to be correct. It’s true. I thought I only dealt with people; I made a mistake because I didn’t know about animals.”
Clang also joined in the agreement.
Fully aware of Liche’s presence, their remarks about the wolf pup made Deon snicker.
Blake turned to Liche.
“Liche, since you brought him, you should decide how to handle him. Do you want to keep him?”
“Me, raise him?”
Deon interjected with a furrowed brow, surprising Liche as she looked up at Blake.
Despite the unexpected question, Liche was only momentarily flustered. She shook her head.
“No.”
“Then?”
“I just want to take care of him until he’s better.”
Upon hearing Liche’s words, Zickbert made a pitiful sound and lowered his tail.
However, Liche’s decision remained unchanged.
She couldn’t keep Zickbert in Lordwick Manor.
“He’s from the Sardia family. Keeping him here will only cause trouble for Dad.”
Although she brought Zickbert home because she couldn’t leave him in pain, she couldn’t keep him at Lordwick Manor indefinitely.
Above all, as a supernatural being, his disappearance would surely cause chaos in the Sardia noble family.
“When he recovers, I’ll send him back to where he belongs. He must have a family too.”
Blake nodded in response.
“If that’s what you want. Let’s just keep this animal until he’s better.”
“Thank you!”
As Liche smiled broadly, Blake patted her head.
Observing Blake like that, Liche hesitated to ask him something.
“But Dad….”
“Go on, ask.”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Liche shook her head.
She wanted to ask if he was alright, but it seemed like too abrupt a question.
Liche’s silvery eyes turned to Blake’s figure.
The energy that had experienced several purifications now remained calm and didn’t rush towards Liche as before.
The day before Blake left, she had purified several days’ worth of residual energy, considering he wouldn’t see her for over two weeks.
She didn’t purify more than that because if Blake felt something amiss, he might start suspecting himself, so that amount was the best she could do.
Still, even so.
“The aura has intensified.”
Blake’s aura was now more accumulated than Liche had anticipated, almost as if he had been using his abilities.
“Jed said he doesn’t use his abilities during hunts.”
It was a rule for the Gerwehr family with noble and non-combat abilities.
She wanted to ask if there had been something dangerous enough to warrant using abilities, but she couldn’t pretend to know.
“Liche.”
Blake addressed Liche, whose head was filled with worries.
When Liche met his gaze, he opened his mouth with a peculiar look of anticipation on his face.
“I brought a gift.”
He had wanted to say those words since buying the gifts in Hwango. Of course, his expressionless face didn’t give it away, but he had been itching to say it.
Under Blake’s guidance, Liche and the others moved to the living room to view the gifts together.
Once they unpacked one box, the living room floor was filled with other boxes that had arrived from the carriage.
The overwhelming flood of gifts made Liche feel like her head was spinning.
Then, Deon, looking rather dull, tossed a puppy doll to Liche, saying it looked like her.
“….”
“Does it resemble me?”
His smirk looked more like teasing.
Was he serious? Liche wondered, feeling irritated by Deon’s actions.
At that moment, Python, who had been rustling nearby, looked at Deon and remarked internally.
[The little one pretending to be tough is cute.]
Liche couldn’t believe her ears. Fighting with Deon was pointless.
“Deon is nine years old.”
[And you’re seven.]
Fighting with a nine-year-old in earnest wasn’t very mature.
Liche hugged the doll and smiled brightly.
“Did you pick it out for me? Thank you, big brother. I love it!”
“….Uh.”
Taken aback by her unexpected reaction, Deon nodded awkwardly.
His cheeks flushed slightly.
“….”
“Wolf, you mean? What are you going to do?”
Jed asked Blake, who was sitting at his desk.
They had entered Blake’s study after receiving the order to discuss the hunt.
“Wolf?”
“…Pup. Lady Liche brought him.”
At Jed’s answer, Blake chuckled softly.
As he sifted through the papers that had accumulated in his absence, he spoke.
“We should send it back. Is Traphet in good condition?”
“He’s busy preparing for the next season’s collection. He seems to have given up on wolf fur. He said he got inspiration elsewhere, so fur is no longer necessary.”
“Elsewhere?”
“Our lady.”
Jed shrugged.
Traphet had given up on wolf fur. The Sardia aristocrat would no longer take interest in her.
“It’s unlikely anyone from the Duke’s side will switch over here.”
After pondering for a moment, Blake asked Jed.
“Do we have our spies planted in the Sardia Manor?”
“We do.”
“Let the Duke of Sardia know that we have a red wolf with us. Keep it discreet, so the eldest son’s faction doesn’t catch wind of it.”
“Alright. But, my lord.”
Jed expressed his concerns.
“Wouldn’t the Duke of Sardia go berserk if he found out and use his son as leverage? He doesn’t seem like the type to quietly leave with just his son, especially given his temperament.”
“It’s fine for now.”
Blake thought of himself as a fool wearing the crown of victory from the tournament. After ten years, he was reveling in the glory of restoration, enough to readily agree to the enemy’s request for the time being.
He was a simple man, overly simplifying succession issues as well.
“When Zeikberth was found in front of the castle, it was said his leg was broken, right?”
“Yes.”
“How he got there is also questionable.”
Blake said as he shuffled through documents.
It was understandable how a young wolf, severely injured, had made it all the way to Lordwick Castle. But why it had collapsed in front of the castle was beyond comprehension.
It seemed like someone had orchestrated it.
“It could be a trap set by the Duke of Sardia’s eldest son’s faction. Maybe it’s a ploy to involve Lordwick, which has a strained relationship with Sardia, in succession matters.”
Jed scratched his head. He hadn’t thought along those lines when he found Zeikberth in front of the castle either.
“Jed, if we leave him like this, he’ll die…?”
How could he turn away from those eyes looking up at him?
‘Could it be that I’ve become Lady Liche’s fool? …No, no. I haven’t succumbed to her.’
Blake had already crossed the threshold of being a doting father. If there came a moment when he had to stop Lady Liche from overusing her abilities for Zeikberth’s sake, he would have to intervene.
He needed to keep his wits about him.
As Jed earnestly prepared himself, Blake spoke up.
“In any case, the fact that the wolf, who’s an ability user, is injured like this must be the doing of the eldest son’s faction. They must have taken advantage of the Duke of Sardia’s absence during the hunt.”
“But getting involved will only bring headaches. It might be better to secretly bring the Duke of Sardia’s youngest son to Sardia Manor and pretend we don’t know…”
“No.”
Blake asserted firmly.
Following Jed’s suggestion might only result in placing Zeikberth in the hands of the eldest son’s faction. The Duke of Sardia left all matters concerning his children to his wife.
“Even so, he should know who hurt his son and how. It’s his successor’s matter. He can’t just keep turning a blind eye forever. Oh, and convey this message: Lordwick won’t involve itself in anything other than the wolf’s treatment.”
“Yes.”
“But the Gerwehr Duke is the real issue here.”
“The Gerwehr Duke?”
Blake recalled Gerwehr’s words to Deon about needing him for something.
Although he hadn’t approached Deon because of the hunt, he hadn’t expected Gerwehr’s eyes to stray from Deon at the tournament.
“He’s taken an interest in Deon again.”
“Again?”
Jed furrowed his brow.
Three years ago, Gerwer Duke had a history of attempting to kidnap 6-year-old Deon.
The reason was to learn the source of Deon’s power.
Although it was unsuccessful, Blake harbored resentment towards Gerwer Duke for the incident at that time.
“He’s lost his mind. That man. It’s embarrassing to even say that Gerwer is a family of sages.”
A lunatic with insight.
It was a reference to the current Gerwer Duke.
It was more of a headache because his actions couldn’t be predicted.
He even considered making him a companion until the end of his life.
But there was still some time left.
Blake’s gaze turned cold.
“Assign more surveillance personnel to Gerwer’s side.”
“Yes.”
* * *
It was a cool afternoon breeze.
Liche visited Clang’s clinic to check on Zigbert’s condition.
“Hello.”
[Oh, you look fine?]
As Liche climbed onto the bed, Zigbert wagged his tail in greeting.
Although Zigbert had become a dog, it was necessary to refrain from exposure, so the area around the bed was still covered with curtains.
“…?”
During their playtime, there was a commotion beyond the curtain.
The voices of knights visiting the clinic and Clang greeting them.
Liche peeked through the curtain to see the situation outside.
Two knights supported another knight who seemed to be groaning in pain.
Blood dripped from the injured knight’s half-bent torso onto the floor.
“Doctor! I’m sorry! I got injured during training, but I don’t think I can hold out until the village doctor arrives…!”
“Looks serious. Lay him on the empty bed over there.”
“Thank you! Come on, Philip. Hang in there a little longer!”
While Clang was Blake’s family physician, he occasionally attended to urgent patients.
The injured knight occupied one of the clinic beds. It was far from Liche’s bed.
After the tense treatment, the two knights excluding the patient left the clinic.
“Darn it. That guy has to survive…”
Upon hearing a sniffle, it seemed the injured knight and Philip were quite close.
The clinic fell silent.
Clang gently pulled back the curtain of Liche’s bed and whispered to her.
“Miss, I’ll go get some herbs. Or would you like to come with me now? I can escort you to your room.”
“I’ll stay here. Just until you come back.”
Worried about Zigbert being left alone in the unfamiliar clinic with the strange knight, Clang turned to look behind.
On the bed, the unconscious knight was expected to wake up only after a night due to his severe injuries.
“I’ll be back soon then. It shouldn’t take more than ten minutes.”
Clang closed the curtain and left.
A moment later, the sound of the door closing was heard. The clinic, supposed to be quiet, still echoed with footsteps.
Thump. Thump.
A silhouette stood tall beyond the curtain.
‘Who is it?’
Liche watched the silhouette silently.
“Creak-.”
Zigbert puffed up his fur, threatening fiercely.
Someone’s hand pulled back the curtain. It was the injured knight with bandages and dark green hair that Liche had checked on beyond the curtain earlier.
However, his eyes were different colors. A brown left eye and a golden right eye.
[Contractor!]
Python’s voice screamed in Liche’s mind.
One corner of the knight’s mouth, who silently stared down at Liche, lifted.
“Retyom.”
Thanks for the translation!