#19.

Zerakiel alternated glances between Hiscleif and me before striding over and pulling me away. His swift movement left me no time to react.

“Stay away from my Chichi.”

He snarled at Hiscleif, who stood up and brushed off his clothes.

“Don’t misunderstand. I was just helping her after she fell down the slope.”

“And why would you do that?”

“Well…”

Hiscleif trailed off, seemingly realizing he had no good reason.

“Indeed. Why did I do that?”

He frowned as if deep in thought, looking genuinely puzzled.

The longer his answer took, the more sinister Zerakiel’s smile became. His golden eyes then turned to me.

Dangerous.

I involuntarily shrank back under his scrutinizing gaze. Not only had I gone out without permission, but now he also knew I’d been with Hiscleif. I had no excuse.

As I opened my mouth to speak, Zerakiel muttered softly enough for only me to hear.

“I can’t just bite you to keep you from going anywhere.”

“Chi!”

His threatening words made me yelp. Coming from Zerakiel, who had a reputation for being a budding villain, it was truly terrifying.

He might actually bite my feet to keep me immobilized. I curled up instinctively, hiding my feet.

Zerakiel, watching me with a disdainful look, added briefly.

“If I intended to, I would’ve done it already.”

“…”

Well, thank you, I suppose.

I glared at him for his constant threats, and Zerakiel spoke again.

“I told you not to hang around with that hyena.”

When?

I had never heard such a thing before, but denying it now would likely get me devoured by him. As I hesitated, Zerakiel continued.

“Do you think it’s appropriate for a member of the Jabisi family to associate with a hyena?”

“Chuuu.”

I lowered my head obediently, and Zerakiel pressed his forehead against mine, his face still filled with displeasure.

It seemed he was more upset about me being with Hiscleif than me sneaking out without permission.

It was just a brief conversation. His possessiveness was over the top, as expected of someone with a dark obsession.

Hiscleif, noticing my discomfort, spoke up.

“I only followed because she seemed to be going out alone.”

“So, you were spying on my Chichi?”

“Sorry if it seemed that way.”

Hiscleif nodded slightly, his expression neutral. Silver eyes met gold in midair.

Why did it feel like the atmosphere was becoming increasingly hostile?

The tension wasn’t just my imagination. It wasn’t long before I realized the prickling sensation in the air was due to pheromones.

Sparks seemed to fly, making the situation intensely threatening. Even here in Hebel, their presence exuded such pressure, befitting the heirs of their respective families.

But do that kind of thing at home!

Suddenly, as if engaged in a pheromone battle, the space filled with their pheromones.

As an ordinary weasel beastman, I felt like I was going to die.

I shivered. Just being caught between them made me feel chilly. Though Zerakiel blocked some of the pheromones, it didn’t completely shield me from the effects.

Stop it, you crazy idiots.

At this rate, I’m going to die…

* * *

Meanwhile, Hiscleif was puzzled by his excessive interest in Zerakiel’s pet.

The most confusing part was how difficult it was to see them together. An inexplicable surge of frustration welled up inside him.

Maybe that was why his disturbed pheromones threatened his opponent. Naturally, Zerakiel responded with his own pheromones. They were pushing and pulling when…

“That’s enough.”

Zerakiel, unable to bear it, repelled Hiscleif’s pheromones and muttered coldly.

“My pet is having a hard time.”

“Oh.”

Hiscleif finally realized that Chichi was scared and retracted his pheromones. To have recklessly unleashed his power in front of a weasel who had only recently arrived in Hebel—if she had been any weaker, she might have fainted. The fact that he hadn’t noticed her distress showed just how much the situation had unsettled him. This realization left him even more confused.

Meanwhile, Zerakiel held the trembling Chichi in his arms, patting her gently. She was shaking so much that it was clear she was terrified.

I tried to shield her from most of it.

Zerakiel carefully examined Chichi, who had yet to calm down. Normally, by now she would have been nibbling on his fingers in protest, but instead, she lay limp, trembling all over.

“Chichi?”

No matter how he called her, she didn’t respond. Sensing something was wrong, Zerakiel touched her cheek.

At that moment, his face hardened.

Chichi’s body had become feverishly hot.

* * *

With the signs of transformation appearing in Chichi, Zerakiel quickly returned to their quarters and woke Ivan.

“Huh?”

Ivan, who had been lounging around like a boiled cabbage, had his blanket yanked away by Zerakiel and was sent to fetch Melina.

Grumbling but moving quickly, it was clear that Ivan was worried about Chichi.

It was fortunate he brought Melina along. She hurried to Zerakiel’s quarters and examined Chichi’s condition.

Her flushed face struggled to withstand the fever, alternately heating up to boiling point and then cooling down like a glacier.

Her internal pheromones were in turmoil, causing her body temperature to fluctuate wildly. Of all times, her transformation had to begin here in Hebel.

This place was far from an ordinary environment, imposing various constraints on beastmen. Chichi was struggling mightily against her own pheromones.

“Her pheromones are dispersing due to the mist. When did the fever start?” Melina murmured, wiping her own cold sweat with a handkerchief. Zerakiel frowned at the question.

Thinking back, he realized Chichi’s temperature had been higher than usual since they arrived. At the time, it seemed just mildly warm, so he hadn’t thought much of it.

Moreover, she had been energetically running around, so he assumed she was fine. But now it was clear she had been pushing herself without understanding her own condition.

Unfortunately, he had been too lethargic to notice Chichi’s changes quickly. Zerakiel sighed deeply.

“Probably since we arrived here.”

“Then tonight will be crucial,” Melina said, looking down at Chichi with pity.

As her primary caretaker, Melina should have been more attentive. But she, too, had found Hebel challenging and had let her guard down.

At that moment, Ivan discovered a note Chichi had left and muttered softly. His cheerful comment was ill-suited to the heavy atmosphere.

“Could this be a dying message?”

The tiny footprints smudging the note could almost look like a dying message, hence his remark.

“Don’t say such ominous things!” Melina scolded, though Ivan continued his detective play.

“If that’s the case, then the culprit is…”

Zerakiel finally intervened.

“It might end up being your will, Ivan.”

“What a frightening thought. I can’t die like this. I haven’t even gotten married, had kids, or seen my grandchildren yet,” Ivan said, panicking as he set the note down.

Melina glared at Ivan with exasperation. He was the type who would keep talking even if he were drowning.

If only he hadn’t made such a comment in the first place.

It seemed that his words were pushing Chichi to the brink, but he himself was oblivious to it.

Ivan looked at Chichi, who was struggling to catch his breath, with a sense of pity. His voice, usually playful, was now laced with concern.

“I’ve never seen you so drained, Chichi. Even now, it feels like you might jump out of that blanket and show me your fangs.”

Zerakiel, seeing Chichi’s struggle, turned to Melina and asked,

“Is there anything I can do to help?”