Episode 116

Aiden pulled out a small pouch from his coat. Inside was the wolf’s claw. He held it up, and we exchanged a glance, silently nodding at each other.

The lake spirit had said to leave it where the wolves lived, and that was exactly what we intended to do.

Instead of tossing it into the forest, I gently placed the claw on a rock. We stood there for a moment, waiting for something to happen.

Perhaps a wolf would appear, or the claw would vanish. But nothing extraordinary occurred. The forest remained eerily still.

“Is that it?” I asked.

“I’m not entirely sure,” Aiden replied, scanning the forest. “But we did as the spirit instructed, so it should be fine.”

“Do you feel anything?”

He shook his head.

Was this really the end? It seemed anticlimactic after such a long journey.

Since there wasn’t anything else we could do, we turned to head back. But the moment we did, the knights and guide who had been stationed behind us were nowhere to be seen.

“What is the meaning of this, humans?”

A cold, elegant voice rang out behind us.

Oh, no. Please, not this.

Aiden and I sighed in unison before turning around.

Standing before us was a woman as pale and shimmering as ice, accompanied by a massive gray wolf.

Oh. The wolf actually showed up.

“You dare leave a spirit’s possession on my land? What do you think you’re doing?”

Unlike the youthful lake spirit who resembled Lottie, this spirit appeared fully mature. Her frosty tone and sharp demeanor made it clear she was not to be trifled with.

Drawing upon every ounce of imperial poise I had, I lifted my chin slightly and responded, “Are you the spirit Olina?”

“How dare a mere human utter my name!”

At her outburst, a fierce snowstorm swirled around us.

The wolf by her side bared its teeth, growling menacingly.

Aiden immediately stepped forward, wrapping his mantle around me to shield me from the icy gale. His eyes glinted dangerously as he glared at Olina, matching the wolf’s intensity.

With Aiden at my side, neither the spirit nor the wolf seemed frightening.

As I endured the snowstorm without flinching, a spark of curiosity lit up in Olina’s icy gaze.

“How do you know my name? And where did you get that?” she demanded, now holding the wolf’s claw.

“We brought it here at the request of the lake spirit. It was the spirit who told us your name,” I explained calmly.

“The lake spirit asked humans for a favor?”

“She asked us to return the claw to the wolves.”

Olina examined the claw in her hand, appearing deep in thought.

With a dissatisfied sigh, she placed the claw before the wolf accompanying her. The claw began to float, glowing faintly before it dropped back to the ground with a dull thud.

Both the wolf and Olina stared at the claw in confusion. Clicking her tongue, Olina muttered, “That wretched lake spirit. She’s gone and complicated things again.”

Whatever “complications” she referred to, they didn’t sound good.

This was my cue to leave. I had no desire to get further entangled with spirits.

“We’ve done our part. We’ll be on our way now,” I announced, hoping she’d take the hint and let us leave peacefully.

But Olina shook her head.

“That is no longer a wolf’s claw. It has become the claw of a dog. I cannot return it to the wolves. Take it with you.”

The claw floated up again, this time drifting toward Aiden.

Oh, no. Not happening.

Without thinking, I swatted the claw mid-air, sending it crashing to the ground.

Olina opened her mouth to protest, but I cut her off sharply.

“This man is neither a dog nor a wolf—he is human! The pact has been broken, and we have no need for such things!”

I glared fiercely at Olina.

What was it with spirits and their obsession with turning people into beasts?

If she dared try to make Aiden a dog again, I was ready to take on not just her but any god or spirit standing in my way.

Olina, clearly not accustomed to being defied by a human, stared at me in stunned silence. Then, after a moment, she said, “I am well aware he is human. I only meant for you to keep the claw safe, as it remains tied to the spirits.”

“That makes it even less desirable,” I shot back. “We want no further dealings with spirits.”

My unwavering glare and Aiden’s solemn nod must have convinced her, as Olina let out a small, incredulous laugh.

She ruffled the wolf’s fur and chuckled, her shoulders shaking slightly before her expression softened.

“You two are unusual humans. Most would leap at the chance to seek a favor from a spirit.”

“It wasn’t a favor, but a transaction,” I replied.

“A transaction?” Olina’s brows furrowed.

“How can it be called a favor after taking such a hefty price?”

On that day, half of the heirloom jewels passed down through the empresses of Belpator sank to the bottom of the lake.

If it meant freeing Aiden from the shackles of the oath, I wouldn’t have hesitated to throw in the remaining half. But if I had, Tito might not have survived the ordeal with just a stiff neck.

Never again, I thought, shaking my head at the memory.

Olina’s expression darkened, her sharp features hardening.

“Are you telling me Beryl dared covet human possessions once again?”

“I paid a price of countless jewels to sever the oath.”

“Even after losing her daylight, she’s still hopelessly foolish….”

Olina’s aura grew fierce, sending a chilling wind through the forest.

It wasn’t just cold—it was the kind of frost that pierced through bone and soul.

The wolf beside her whined softly, its ears pinned back as it glanced anxiously at its mistress.

Even Aiden, who was shielding me, shivered against the frigid air. For the first time since encountering these spirits, I felt genuine fear.

Fortunately, the wolf’s quiet whimpers seemed to reach her. Olina’s icy presence gradually receded, and her voice became calm once more.

“From now on, Beryl will be confined to her lake whenever the sun or moon illuminates its waters. There will be no more meddling with humans, nor lusting after their treasures.”

I almost cheered aloud.

I had been worrying over how to handle the greedy spirit of Beryl Lake, and Olina had just resolved the matter for me.

Suppressing the urge to smile too broadly, I gave a small nod of acknowledgment. Olina, satisfied, turned away.

Without a sound, the spirit disappeared as quietly as she had arrived.

The wolf that had accompanied her lingered for a moment, staring intently at Aiden before vanishing into the depths of the forest.

Once the wolf’s shadow faded completely, familiar voices echoed through the trees.

“Your Grace! Your Grace!”

It was Amy, frantically calling for me.

The moment she saw me, she ran forward, tears brimming in her eyes.

I patted her trembling shoulders, soothing her as she tried to wipe her tears away with her sleeve, only to burst into sobs.

After calming the thoroughly shaken Amy, we trudged back to the village, the snow crunching beneath our feet.

When we finally returned to the familiar world, Aiden and I couldn’t help but glance at the claw lying in the snow.

But as if by mutual agreement, neither of us picked it up.

It wasn’t ours to claim.

I wondered if the claw’s owner, who had abandoned the pride of a wolf to become a dog for Emperor Barbados I, had found happiness in that choice.

And even after shedding that claw and returning to human form—had they been truly content?

I could only hope they had.

Taking Aiden’s hand, I thought, I hope Aiden, who has cast off the chains of being a dog and become my person, will also be happy.

“I love you, Aiden.”

“I love you more,” he replied, his fierce expression softening into a smile so radiant it chased away the lingering chill.

* * *

After spending another day in the village, the imperial army dispatched to the northern outpost finally arrived, accompanied by the messenger knight I had sent.

Ten thousand soldiers, bearing the banner of the Belpator Empire high, knelt before me.

Technically, as the Dowager Empress, I should have first sought the approval of the current emperor, Lothania, to mobilize imperial forces.

It wasn’t against military law for commanders to refuse a request from the Dowager Empress if it wasn’t officially sanctioned.

And yet, here they were—ten thousand troops, fully armed and ready to act.

Their swift and unquestioning response to my summons felt like a testament to the years I had faithfully safeguarded the empire during Lothania’s formative years. It filled me with a quiet sense of pride.

Turning to the commander who had brought the troops, I addressed him with a wry smile.

“I regret that I’ve summoned such a force only to have you serve as mere spectators. But the imperial army should not have to directly intervene here.”

“I understand completely, Your Highness. If the imperial army meddles in the affairs of a noble’s territory, it would surely stir up controversy.”

“Exactly. And yet, you’ve come—thank you for that.”

“Our captain was hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed that if it was Tilender Duchy, it would be fine.”

I furrowed my brows at his peculiar choice of words. “What do you mean, ‘if it was Tilender Duchy, it would be fine’?”

The commander offered a sheepish grin before explaining.

“Well, Your Highness, it’s bound to soon become both Duke Tilender’s land and your own. Protecting your domain is naturally part of our duty as the imperial army!”

The casual proclamation left me stunned. What in the empire was he implying about ownership of the duchy?

Discussions about my and Aiden’s titles and statuses following our eventual marriage were still unresolved. I had no intentions of sharing or laying claim to the land under Aiden’s care.

And yet, the land’s rightful owner—Duke Tilender himself—was nodding along as though the arrangement was the most logical thing in the world.

I shot Aiden a pointed look, raising a brow in exasperation.

“Aiden. Care to explain why you seem so agreeable to this?”

He met my gaze calmly, his expression as steady as ever.

“Because it’s true, Your Highness. Once we are wed, what’s mine will naturally be yours.”

My hand flew to my temple as I massaged the growing headache. “That’s not how this works, and you know it.”

The commander coughed politely, clearly trying to stifle his amusement, as I turned my attention back to the troops.

“Regardless of the matter of ownership, your presence here is appreciated. Stand ready, but remain observant only. This is not a matter for direct intervention by the empire.”

“Understood, Your Highness!”

With a crisp salute, the commander relayed my orders to his troops.

As the imperial soldiers took their positions along the fringes of Tilender Duchy, I couldn’t help but shake my head.

It seemed, whether I liked it or not, everyone—including Aiden—had already decided on what was “mine.”

“Well,” I muttered under my breath, “let’s hope this cleanup effort is worth the trouble.”