Ch.215Great Chief (1)

Originally, cats are proud, prickly, and independent. They’re also quite wary and generally have quiet personalities.

Normally, they don’t approach others easily, but those commonly called “doglike cats” are sociable and affectionate. Some even go for walks.

And Leona, who had expressed affection(?) toward me, was similar. At first, she was cynical and prone to growling, but after I helped her, we became much closer, and today I even stroked her head.

Of course, she’s not a cat but a lion, though they’re both felines, so let’s overlook that detail. She takes great pride in being a lion beastkin, so mentioning it might lead to trouble.

Anyway, due to certain circumstances, I’ve been chosen by her. I plan to tell Marie and Cecilly about it, but resolving the Warchief issue is the priority.

The problem is that this is the most difficult part. Looking at the current situation in Animus, Leona absolutely must become the next Warchief.

She’s the only one who can perfectly satisfy the desires of both the royal family and the opposition.

“When will the decision be made?”

“Probably in three days from the higher-ups? It would be better if they decided after graduation from the academy, but that’s unlikely. Since there’s no Warchief, they need to install someone as quickly as possible.”

“Will the final decision be made then?”

“Yes.”

“What about the academy?”

“They’ll just transfer the authority to you and let you focus on your studies. Think of it as just keeping the seat vacant.”

Three days makes for a very tight schedule. Somehow, I need to find a way to prevent Leona from becoming Warchief during that time.

Of course, I plan to tell Marie and Cecilly too. If Leona becomes Warchief, it won’t affect them, but if not, they absolutely need to know.

Being kept in the dark and then suddenly introducing Leona would be throwing respect and consideration out the window, so I have a duty to inform them.

“Do you have class tomorrow at 3?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s meet then. I need to tell Marie and Cecilly too.”

“Okay.”

“But…”

I trailed off as I looked at Leona. Currently, she wasn’t sitting across from me but right beside me.

As if showing off her affection, she was rubbing her head against my arm and even purring.

She even had a happy smile on her face, clearly pleased. What kind of change of heart had she experienced in such a short time?

“…Leona?”

“Yes?”

“Can you tell me why you’re being so clingy? You’ve already expressed your affection.”

“I just like your scent. Actually, I wanted to do this since we first met.”

Leona said this while vigorously rubbing her cheek against my arm. It seems she’s intoxicated by the lilac scent emanating from my body.

I barely suppressed a sigh and gently pushed her head away. When I pushed her, she moved away without resistance.

Instead, her face showed confusion as to why I was pushing her away.

“That’s enough now. You should also think about how to escape the position of Warchief. Is there really no suitable candidate?”

“Hmm…”

“First, tell me who represents the opposition. Seeing how they lead the opposition, they must be quite formidable. You said there’s no central figure, but there must be someone skillfully coordinating things.”

“…You mean that bitch?”

When I asked about the opposition, Leona frowned and expressed displeasure. Given that she used “bitch” rather than “bastard,” it seems the person is female and not particularly well-regarded.

However, beastkin society widely embraces strength-centered ideologies, leading to widespread discrimination. So I shouldn’t take Leona’s words at face value.

“I don’t know who ‘that bitch’ is. Can you explain properly?”

“…Fine. The bitch’s name is Chinoa Crochuker. She’s a hyena beastkin.”

“A hyena beastkin?”

I opened my eyes wide upon hearing “hyena beastkin.” I don’t remember clearly, but I’ve heard that hyena beastkin are poorly regarded even among other beastkin.

It’s so bad that if you ask someone, “Are you a hyena beastkin?” you’re likely to get challenged to a duel immediately. It’s discriminatory, but I assumed there must be a reason.

From my past life memories, hyenas don’t have a good image either. They seemed vile and wicked, fitting the image of a treacherous official.

But this is just an image; in reality, hyenas play a crucial role in the ecosystem. Moreover, even as scavengers, they’re strong enough to compete with lions, the apex predators.

And now a hyena is the leader of the opposition. I had a feeling there were complicated circumstances involved.

“You said hyena beastkin have a bad image even among your kind, right? To the point where you might get challenged to a duel if you mention it.”

“That’s right.”

“Can you tell me why they got such an image?”

“Historically, they’ve been troublemakers. They use underhanded tactics to create rifts within tribes, and if given the chance, they’ll do whatever it takes to bring you down. Because of this, hyena beastkin lived as wanderers until Lord Hick invited them to join Animus. But their nature didn’t change for long, leading to the current situation.”

“Hmm…”

Just from hearing this, all sorts of negative elements emerge. It’s not much different from the image I had in my past life.

However, to truly understand someone, you need to meet them directly. After pondering while stroking my chin, I asked Leona one thing.

“Have you ever met her?”

“No. I’ve only heard about her. Historically, hyenas have never been well-regarded.”

“I see.”

I found myself nodding at Leona’s answer. While I’d need to meet her to know for sure, hyena beastkin could be seen as a miniature version of demons.

As with demons, prejudice exists everywhere. Hyena beastkin might have lived under pressure due to prejudice, just like demons.

Despite this, the fact that she rose to become the center of the opposition suggests she must be an extraordinary individual. I’d like to meet her sometime.

“Leona, it’s not right to judge someone just from hearsay. Look at the demons. Until the Biography of Xenon came out, they were persecuted as devils and whatnot. Couldn’t it be similar for hyenas?”

“That may be true, but they’ve brought great chaos to Animus. As a member of the lions, it’s hard to view them favorably.”

“You’re right. But I’m a bit caught on the fact that Hick personally brought the hyena beastkin. If hyenas were truly vile, Hick wouldn’t have brought them.”

“…”

Hick is the founding king of Animus and the father of the beastkin nation. After the racial war, he gathered scattered tribes to establish Animus, making him worthy of being called a hero.

Yet this heroic figure personally incorporated hyena beastkin into Animus. If they were as wicked and vile as Leona says, they would have been obstacles to nation-building, but they weren’t.

History tells us many facts, but not everything. For instance, it’s said that humans learned to use magic during the racial war against elves, but in reality, it was demons who taught them.

Similarly, there might be untold circumstances regarding the hyenas. This is just from a third-party perspective.

“Of course, this is just my opinion, so take it as a reference. I’m not suggesting you promote a hyena as Warchief either. I’m just saying to set aside prejudice.”

“…Alright. I’ll take it to heart.”

“Good. Then…”

I smiled contentedly and gently stroked Leona’s head, which had become downcast. It was an unconscious action because she looked so dejected.

Her drooping ears perked up with a twitch, and she stared at me with a dazed expression.

Realizing my mistake, I quickly withdrew my hand, but her gaze remained fixed on my face.

“Ah, sorry. If that was uncomfortable…”

“Hey.”

“I apologize… Huh?”

As I was hurriedly apologizing, Leona stared intently at my face and then made a strange request.

“Can I bite you once?”

“…No.”

With those sharp fangs? Is she trying to kill someone?

****

The next day arrived, the day for the three-way meeting(?) between Marie, Cecilly, and Leona. I had steeled myself, but the thought of receiving a barrage of curses made me consider not telling them at all.

But Leona has almost given up on the position of Warchief. Since I promised to help her, she’s already gleefully thinking about abandoning the position.

Given this, it’s obvious she’ll declare her intention to become my wife. To reduce the shock, I need to inform them in advance. There’s a saying that it’s better to take the beating early.

Fortunately, Rina seemed to have sensed something and excused herself, saying she had business to attend to. Thus, I, Marie, Cecilly, and finally Leona sat down for a cozy meal.

“I’m Leona Lions, who will be Issac’s third wife from now on. Nice to meet you.”

“Pfft!!”

And before the ordered meal arrived, Leona boldly made a statement, omitting all context.

I was so tense that my throat was parched, and upon hearing her words, I couldn’t help but spray out what I was drinking.

While I was having this reaction, how were the others responding?

“…Marie? Did I… mishear?”

“No, I think we heard it clearly.”

Both Marie and Cecilly showed evident signs of bewilderment. Especially Cecilly, who looked like she was trying to discern if what she heard was real.

Marie already knew Leona and had some understanding of the cultural differences between humans and beastkin, whereas Cecilly was meeting her for the first time. She couldn’t help but be more than just surprised—she was dumbfounded.

“No… cough! cough! That… cough!”

Sensing the awkward atmosphere created by Leona’s statement, I hurriedly tried to speak, but I seemed to have choked and could only cough.

It was only after Marie patted my back that I finally calmed down. Still, I couldn’t help the occasional cough.

“Cough. Hey. That’s… cough. Too abrupt. How can you just say that out of nowhere?”

“It’s going to be a fact once things are resolved, so what’s the problem?”

“…Issac?”

As soon as Leona said that, Marie called my name in a chilling voice from beside me. I flinched and turned my head to find Marie glaring at me fiercely.

Seeing that expression, I couldn’t say anything. While I was unable to speak, Marie stared at me for a while and then finally sighed. Guilt towards her weighed heavily on my chest, making it hard to speak.

Meanwhile, Cecilly, who still couldn’t grasp the situation, asked us with an expression demanding an explanation.

“Can someone tell me what’s going on? Marie, you seem to know Leona?”

“Ah, right. I didn’t tell the princess. Look at me.”

In response to Cecilly’s question, Leona answered by showing her ears. She even wiggled them.

Cecilly was surprised for a moment upon seeing the animal ears protruding from Leona’s head, but soon nodded with a composed expression.

“So you are a beastkin as I thought. I had a hunch from the beginning.”

“Oh? You knew?”

“The ‘frame’ doesn’t change just because you hide it.”

As expected of the next Demon King, Cecilly seemed to have already identified Leona’s true nature. In a world with mana and magic, identifying someone’s true nature wouldn’t be difficult.

She kept her gaze on Leona’s ears for a moment before directly questioning me.

“Setting aside the fact that Leona is a beastkin, what’s this about being the third wife? Can you explain in detail?”

“I’d also like a detailed explanation, Issac. I heard something similar before, but why do I have to hear it again?”

My lovers each applied pressure in their own way. However, I had anticipated this, so I could gather myself sufficiently.

With this, I managed to suppress my pounding heart and began to explain step by step. From the publication of Volume 16 to the story of Leona being on the verge of becoming Warchief.

I told them everything without omitting even the smallest detail, as there could be misunderstandings. Having prepared thoroughly, I could continue without interruption.

After all the explanations were done, as expected, a long silence followed. At first, Marie and Cecilly neither answered nor reacted to my story.

For me, waiting for their response, it was a nerve-wracking situation. Even Leona, who seemed to have some tact, rolled her eyes and waited quietly without uttering a word.

“…Haah.”

How long had the heavy silence lasted? Marie let out a long sigh as if the ground would cave in.

Then, resting her chin on her hand, she quietly grumbled in a somewhat lamenting tone.

“First, some cardinal asking for his seed, and now someone openly declaring she’ll be his wife…”

“…”

“I expected the number of women to increase, but I never dreamed it would increase like this… That damn Biography of Xenon…”

As she lamented, she shifted her gaze to Leona while still resting her chin on her hand. When Leona met Marie’s gaze, she flinched and assumed a demure posture.

The confidence with which she had proudly declared she would become my wife had vanished, leaving only a perceptive cat. The aura emanating from Marie seemed formidable.

Marie stared at Leona for a while, and eventually removed her hand from her chin and spoke.

“I understand the situation. If you become Warchief, you’ll not only bear Issac’s child but also receive seeds from other men to increase your descendants, and if not, you’ll become Issac’s wife?”

“Y-yes!”

“That’s how beastkin repay debts of gratitude. If refused, it would be taken as an insult. Is that right?”

“Exactly.”

It seems Marie can’t easily accept this. I felt similarly when I first heard it.

Beastkin customs can seem barbaric to humans and treat people like objects, which is uncomfortable.

Demons were originally humans who transformed, so while there are cultural differences, their common sense isn’t vastly different. In contrast, beastkin have stronger instinctual aspects, like animals.

“Leona, do you think that’s a normal culture? Treating people as a kind of trophy?”

“At least for us beastkin, it’s perfectly normal. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t disparage other cultures.”

Leona, who had high pride in being a beastkin, immediately retorted. Not only did she look displeased, but her words were also thorny.

Marie, recognizing her mistake, apologized right away. It seems she made an error due to her astonishment.

“I’m sorry. But it’s so absurd… isn’t it a bit… odd to proudly declare you’ll be the third wife?”

“What’s strange about it? I don’t find it strange at all.”

“No, I mean… ugh…”

Marie clutches her head and groans. She doesn’t have confidence in persuading someone who doesn’t understand. This must be exactly how she feels right now.

Cecilly looked at her with pity and then shifted her gaze to Leona. Then, in her distinctively charming voice, she began to speak.

“Leona, I can respect that this is beastkin culture. But I’d also like you to respect human culture. Suddenly declaring you’ll be the third wife is somewhat off-putting to humans.”

“But Princess, you became Issac’s second wife, didn’t you? Isn’t that similar?”

“That’s possible because I love Issac, and Issac loves me. Do you love Issac?”

“I like him as a male. I really like his ambition to exclusively possess females without sharing them with anyone.”

“…”

Now it was Cecilly’s turn to be at a loss for words. Her expression showed she was dumbfounded by the statement, which was very characteristic of a beastkin.

If this continues, we’ll just be going in circles. As an awkward atmosphere settled, I spoke in a cautious tone.

“…I may have said that, but nothing is confirmed yet. We still need to resolve Leona’s Warchief situation. I just wanted to let you know about this situation.”

“Yes, it’s good you told us. If you hadn’t, I would have squeezed you to prevent you from associating with other women.”

“I agree.”

Marie growls like a fierce dog, and Cecilly acts as proudly as a cat. The terrifying statements contained within were enough to make my thighs clench.

Fortunately, there’s no mention of breaking up, so it seems somewhat resolved. Of course, I’ll have to deal with the aftermath.

While I was shivering from the goosebumps, Marie, who had been groaning, suddenly raised her head and offered a solution.

“Alright. I understand Leona’s story. You said you don’t want to be Warchief, right?”

“Yes, I hate it.”

“I agree. I wouldn’t want to be a seed receptacle either. As a fellow woman, I can sympathize with that. But let’s consider you becoming Issac’s wife gradually. While respecting beastkin culture, you also need to understand human culture in detail. Understand?”

“Hmm… Alright. We have plenty of time.”

“That seems resolved. And Issac.”

“Y-yes?”

Marie called me and stared at me with fiery blue eyes. As I was overwhelmed by that gaze and remained still…

“Issac?”

From beside me, Cecilly called my name in a seductive voice. When I turned my head, I caught sight of her red eyes filled with sensuality.

Two pairs of different eyes were staring at me as if they were going to devour me. Who could withstand such gazes?

As I swallowed nervously, Marie and Cecilly spoke simultaneously.

“I’ll make sure you can’t think of other women today.”

“So this is what happens when you look elsewhere. I understand now.”

At the same time, Marie gently placed her hand on my thigh, and Cecilly softly wrapped her arm around mine. Those who know will understand what this means.

The situation has been resolved amicably, but it seems I’ll have to sacrifice my waist.

‘…Thankfully, I received holy power.’

Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to get up tomorrow. As I was inwardly shedding tears…

“…Two lionesses.”

Leona expressed her admiration, or perhaps not, from across the table.