#38

There was an inexplicable chill in his smiling face.

It was me who felt a shiver at Zerakiel’s attitude, as if everything related to me belonged to him.

If I jokingly asked, ‘Would you say that even with a knife in your stomach?’ he seemed like he would hand me a knife right away.

Flustered, I tried to gather myself and change the situation.

“Uh, uh, uh, anyway!”

“You can just ask if I’m okay, Chichi.”

Zerakiel, perceptive as always, had already figured out my thoughts. Regaining my composure, I glanced at him.

Come to think of it, I had just landed a punch. The fact that he seemed completely unfazed made me almost forget.

“…Are you okay?”

I asked quietly, and Zerakiel mumbled as he rubbed his chin.

“No, I don’t think I am.”

“…”

“So, kiss it better.”

He shamelessly pushed his chin towards me, feigning an exaggerated illness. I gave up thinking.

What good is reasoning in front of this crazy black lion!

We might as well go mad together!

“Enough!”

Unable to hold back, I sent a punch to his other chin, smiling widely.

* * *

Zerakiel was still rubbing his tingling jaw, chuckling to himself. Chichi declared she would marry him, landed a punch, and ran away.

Her already pale face turned even redder, making her stand out more. Remembering Chichi running away like a weasel, Zerakiel couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ha.”

Meanwhile, Ivan, who had been watching, shivered and rubbed his arms. It was hard to breathe with Zerakiel chuckling and rubbing his jaw since earlier.

“Why do you keep fondling your jaw?”

“Can you see?”

“See what?”

“Here, Chichi’s handprint.”

Zerakiel proudly pointed to his chin. There was a faint red mark visible only upon close inspection.

It seemed like the mark was from him constantly touching it.

“Did Chichi hit you again?”

“Yes, twice.”

“What was it this time?”

By now, it was almost routine for Chichi to hit Zerakiel. Initially surprising, it had become reassuring to see them bicker.

At least since Chichi came to this house, Zerakiel hadn’t caused any unmanageable trouble.

However, Ivan started to worry about something else. It seemed like Chichi was gradually becoming like their crazy master.

‘A crazy black lion and a crazy white weasel… hmm, not bad.’

Of course, Ivan himself fit perfectly as a member of the Jabisi household, with the term ‘crazy’ suiting him well too.

Zerakiel, rubbing his chin, replied triumphantly.

“It was her answer to my proposal.”

“So you were rejected? It must hurt to be slapped.”

Ivan patted Zerakiel’s shoulder as if to console a heartbroken master. Zerakiel quietly watched his hand and said,

“…Why do you think I was rejected?”

“Because you got slapped.”

“You can get slapped and still get accepted.”

“That’s true.”

Ivan tilted his head and agreed lightly. Considering Zerakiel and Chichi’s relationship, it seemed plausible.

“The council of elders will be convened soon.”

Since Chichi had accepted his proposal, all that remained was to persuade the family’s old foxes.

Though he said persuade, it would actually be more of a one-sided notification and threat.

Once Zerakiel makes a decision, he never backs down. And if it’s something that the family head, Zakari, has approved? There’s nothing to stop him.

“Prepare everything without missing anything.”

Ivan grinned at Zerakiel’s command.

The proposal was to bring a white weasel as the successor’s wife.

The elders would definitely not stay quiet. It was certain that there would be quite a commotion.

But what kind of family is Jabisi? It’s a slightly crazy family, isn’t it? When the master is crazy, it’s only natural that the subordinates aren’t normal either.

If the aides of other families heard that, they would be troubled, but Ivan was the only aide capable of handling Zerakiel.

“It seems Jabisi Castle will be bustling after a long time.”

Ivan’s face, filled with expectation, seemed to even show a hint of wickedness.

* * *

Balzac Kali, an elder of Jabisi and Ivan’s father, was in a panic after reading the letter from the main castle.

It wasn’t surprising that there was an urgent council meeting. The direct lineage of Jabisi never gave notice due to their spontaneous nature.

The problem was that the reason for the meeting was the successor’s mate. He had ignored all attempts to arrange a marriage before.

But now, what? A white weasel?

Where did they find such an unknown scarecrow to deceive the elders?

He even thought there might have been a communication error. The content was that unbelievable.

Holding on to a shred of hope, Balzac asked.

“I must have read it wrong, right?”

“You read it correctly.”

“Is there a chance of an error?”

“No way.”

“…Ha! Has he finally gone mad? No, he was always mad. Is it possible he had more madness left? Ha.”

Balzac, unable to comprehend the situation, rambled. The butler awkwardly smiled and said,

“Shall I ask the young master?”

“No way will Ivan give a sane answer.”

Balzac, filled with distrust towards his youngest son, immediately rejected the butler’s suggestion. Asking would only yield an obvious response.

‘Are you finally getting old and blind? Everything is written in the letter, what’s the point? Just come and nod along like an old man!’

Somehow, he felt like he could hear his son’s mocking voice. After all, Ivan, selected as an aide to the successor, was as crazy as the direct line.

If he were sane, he would have long run away!

Balzac, pressing his forehead, said,

“Anyway, we’ll find out when we go there.”

Just how exceptional must this weasel be to catch the eye of Zerakiel Rune Jabisi, known as the most ruthless among the black lions.

Due to the short lifespan of Jabisi’s direct line, the sooner the marriage, the better.

But all the elders had already failed to marry off their granddaughters, leading to a temporary halt. Now, many allied families and branches shunned even the mention of Zerakiel’s name.

Thus, this sudden talk of marriage from the main castle was unexpected.

While it would be great to have someone by his side, there was anxiety that it might end in disaster like last time.

Previously, letting the family head choose his own marriage had worsened relations with the west. This time, a thorough verification was necessary.

‘Back then, it was at least a family from the west. Where did this white weasel suddenly pop up from?’

It seemed likely they would soon be begging for a divorce, crying and pleading.

The seat next to the brutal Zerakiel, which even the formidable Rachel from a grand family couldn’t endure.

It was clear they were trying to bring in just any weasel as a scarecrow due to the elders’ insistence.

What fault did the captured white weasel have?

“Gather everyone. This time, we won’t let it go easily!”

With determination, Balzac headed to the main castle with the other elders.

What they witnessed there was a brave white weasel kicking Zerakiel in the face.

This was an entirely unexpected development.

* * *

“My ears won’t disappear…”

I looked at my reflection in the mirror with a sullen face. My cute, furry white ears twitched mockingly at me.

It had been over a week since we returned to Jabisi territory. But the ears on my head showed no signs of disappearing.

As I kept touching my ears sullenly, Ayla, who was eating, responded,

“How about asking Lord Zerakiel for help?”