Ch.293Doubt (3)

When I received the letter, I had already suspected it was Hyria’s doing, but I became certain after Cherry visited me immediately afterward and shared what she knew.

Hyria currently suspects that I am Xenon. According to Cherry’s explanation, there’s a woman investigating me—a beautiful woman with brown hair and brown eyes.

She wears glasses that don’t suit her to somewhat disguise her appearance, and her attire is utterly ordinary. But I immediately recognized that it was Hyria.

With all the circumstances piling up, there’s hardly anyone else who would send me a letter.

No matter how clumsy and scatterbrained I might seem, it doesn’t show on the surface unless someone digs deep.

Except for Marie, those who have noticed my true identity did so because they dug deep; most people don’t realize it.

Unlike some others, I’m not particularly sociable and prefer forming deep relationships with a few people rather than shallow connections with many.

For a nobleman, where connections are more important than anything else, this is a significant flaw, but I have “abilities” that make up for it.

In any case, Hyria taking a different kind of interest in me is neither good nor bad. To be honest, I don’t have strong feelings about it.

If she sees through my identity, she’ll tread carefully on her own, and if she wrongly concludes otherwise, she’ll behave the same way.

Both scenarios have their pros and cons.

In the former case, Hyria personally might not be able to do anything, but if it becomes a national matter, that’s a different story.

Predictably, they’ll either prod the Empire of Minerva or someone high up will get involved directly. Adelia might be a thorn in their side, but they can endure it for national interests.

After all, those people will consider Adelia as a concubine or trophy. The variable is Marie, my fiancée and the daughter of House Reckyless.

Even now there’s fierce competition, and if they discover my identity, the Kingdom of Teres will likely become more aggressive.

Of course, I’ll reject all their proposals, but it won’t just be annoying—the situation will become complicated. That’s the first scenario.

The second scenario will proceed much more smoothly than expected. As the saying goes, “Know yourself and your enemy, and you’ll never be defeated”—it will unfold similarly to the Senate incident.

Given Hyria’s personality, if she realizes I have no backing, she’ll predictably harass me more persistently than before. It might even affect Adelia.

However, like with the Senate situation, I could use this appropriately to properly humiliate the Kingdom of Teres.

But this comes with the prerequisite that my identity must be revealed in front of everyone. The aftermath is something we all know.

Either way, things will become troublesome once Hyria starts suspecting me. Perhaps this is the choice Mora mentioned.

Should I make Hyria realize I am Xenon, or should I maintain my everyday life through acting?

Moreover, with Cherry’s testimony that she’s stalking me, it’s difficult even to meet with Rina to coordinate our opinions.

To make matters worse, Rina is currently away due to Cecilly’s speech, Arwen’s announcement, and the impersonation that followed.

Especially with the rapid growth of Helium and Alfheim’s vigilance against it, she’s fulfilling her duties as a princess.

In other words, Marie is practically the only person I can discuss this with face-to-face. Additionally, Hyria believes her stalking hasn’t been discovered.

‘This is giving me a headache.’

It’s headache-inducing to try to use this to my advantage, but ignoring it might make Hyria notice.

Especially since I don’t know when, where, and how she’s stalking me, I need to be careful in everything I do.

For now, it’s probably best to pretend not to know and focus on my studies, while acting in ways that confuse her.

“Nom nom nom.”

“Is it delicious?”

“Yes!”

First, let me take care of my pet… no, I mean Leona, who will be joining me as a teaching assistant.

I was planning to meet her at least once since we’ve hardly seen each other since the exhibition.

And sure enough, as soon as I invited her to the restaurant, she comfortably ordered a T-bone steak and began eating it deliciously.

If she had been born on Earth, she would have been an amazing food broadcaster. She eats so well that I feel full just watching her.

“Crunch. Munch.”

Leona chews even the bones with a crunching sound. Seeing her happy face with her ears twitching on top of her head naturally brings a smile to my face.

But that smile turns awkward when I see the plates neatly stacked on the table.

It’s fortunate that I’m the only one watching; I can’t even imagine how the waiter would react if they saw this.

Regardless, Leona doesn’t seem to care and continues to wag her tail that’s sticking out.

“Whew. That was good.”

After cleanly finishing her fifth plate of steak, Leona leans back in her chair with a satisfied expression.

She doesn’t even think about wiping the steak sauce around her mouth, which shows how truly full she is.

I chuckled at the sight and then got up to wipe it for her with a napkin.

“You should wipe with a napkin after finishing your meal.”

“Ah. Sorry.”

As I wipe for her, Leona obediently follows my touch. At times like this, she really does feel like a pet.

It’s been several months since she declared in front of Marie that she would become my wife, but Marie doesn’t consider Leona a “competitor.”

Unlike Cecilly and Adelia, she gives off the impression of a cute pet.

I shouldn’t think this way, but she really does feel like a trophy, making me question if this is right.

‘Her mother didn’t look too pleased either.’

While wiping Leona’s mouth, I recalled her mother who visited the mansion during the exhibition.

Leona’s mother resembled her so much they could be sisters—she was just Leona without the ears and tail.

But unlike the cynical yet playful Leona, her mother exuded a very kind and elegant atmosphere.

It was immediately clear why Leona’s father, the former chief, accepted her—she had such a virtuous image.

‘If she raised her daughter like a precious treasure, and now some nobleman is taking her…’

The chief’s wife only has authority as a wife, while all power is concentrated in the chief.

Of course, as they say, “Men rule the world, but women rule men,” so if she has excellent political skills, she can certainly wield influence.

This applies to Leona’s mother as well. Although she was human, she gained recognition among the beastkin through her outstanding wisdom.

Conversely, without that wisdom, she would have lived quite a difficult life. Due to the beastkin massacres during the racial war, beastkin don’t view humans favorably.

After raising Leona like a precious treasure, it must be complicated for her mother to see her daughter enter not as a legal wife but as a concubine.

Especially since she herself was a concubine, she probably feels uneasy about it.

‘When should I reveal to her that I am Xenon?’

Returning to my seat, I faced Leona, who was waiting quietly with her golden eyes sparkling.

She’s exuding the unique charm of an animal with her tail wagging behind the chair and her animal ears standing straight up.

Originally, I had planned to reveal to Leona that I am Xenon, but after meeting her mother, I had to put it on hold for a while.

Even if it’s a misunderstanding arising from cultural differences, proceeding so smoothly feels somewhat unsettling.

Marie, Cecilly, and Adelia all formed connections with me because they liked me as a person, but Leona merely acquiesced to her “culture.”

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

After we had been facing each other for a while, Leona blinked and spoke up.

It’s her characteristically cynical tone, but she’s genuinely asking why I’m staring at her. That’s just how she talks.

But when you actually touch her, she rubs her face against you like a cat-dog and acts cute—that’s Leona’s charm.

Looking at her animal ears, which are truly charming for a beastkin, I smiled weakly and answered.

“Leona.”

“Yes?”

“This might annoy you, but I’ll ask once more. Do you really not regret becoming my wife?”

“Again, again, again with that question. As I’ve said before, this is beastkin culture…”

“Even considering your mother?”

“… …”

As soon as I mentioned her mother, Leona froze. She remained in the position of having opened her mouth to answer.

As everyone knows, Leona is a filial daughter full of devotion. The reason she’s trying to graduate from the academy while hiding her identity is to make her mother happy.

But strangely, there’s almost no mention of her father—that is, her biological father. This suggests she has little affection for him.

In beastkin culture, males dominate females as a matter of course, and they even regard their own children as rewards.

They exhibit behavioral patterns and culture befitting “beasts” in many ways, which is why humans, including myself, find them difficult to understand.

Consider the insult “beast-like person” in the first place. That’s how hard it is for both sides to understand each other.

“…Can I be honest?”

After hearing my question, Leona showed signs of contemplation and then spoke with a cautious tone.

I nodded and extended my hand, indicating she should speak. The fact that it’s not her usual confident and cynical tone makes me more interested.

She let out a sigh filled with complex emotions and then began to talk about what had happened.

“…During the exhibition, my mother told me. That I don’t necessarily have to follow beastkin culture. If I want to live my life as neither beastkin nor human, that’s fine, but it seems she prefers living a human life.”

“Why is that?”

“Because my mother is human.”

A straightforward answer that requires no lengthy explanation. While beastkin and humans can mix, their cultures absolutely cannot.

To beastkin, human culture probably seems like a fussy, overly complicated thing, while humans would view beastkin culture as barbaric.

Culture forms simple yet complex relationships of understanding, and in the worst case, can even lead to war.

Even I consider beastkin culture barbaric, so how much more would other humans?

I can “understand” it because my past life’s memories are clearly embedded, but other humans would find it difficult to even comprehend.

“Besides, my father… I can’t even say he was a good father, not even as a white lie. He was capable as a ruler, but he had almost no interest in his children. Especially me, since I’m mixed-blood and not pretty.”

“What are you talking about? You’re extremely pretty.”

“I-I meant by beastkin standards!”

When I calmly complimented her appearance, Leona blushed and hastily exclaimed. Even that reaction is cute.

“…Anyway, my mother suggested I reconsider once more. She might visit the academy soon. She was busy playing with me during the exhibition.”

“Hmm… what do you think?”

“…Honestly, I’m not sure. I want to follow my mother’s words, but I like you. Seeing that you have several females, you’re not lacking in strength or ability. But it seems that’s not what my mother wants.”

That’s probably true. Even as a concubine, being a nobleman’s concubine is different.

There would be no material lack, nor would there be any risk of dying away from home. What her mother is probably concerned about is “politics.”

Strictly speaking, it could be called a love triangle. She must have experienced such things herself.

Parents naturally want their children to live better lives than they did. So she would want her only daughter to marry a man she truly loves, without any worries.

A problem that’s both complex and simple. It seems I need to meet with Leona’s mother, not Leona herself, to discuss this.

“I understand for now. Then there’s no choice.”

“So…”

“It’s probably best to put this on hold for a while. Meeting your mother should be the priority.”

“Ah…”

Leona showed a genuinely disappointed expression at my decision. Not only did her raised ears droop, but her wagging tail also drooped downward.

Seeing such a reaction, it’s clear she genuinely likes me. But this is a necessary step to reassure her mother.

It’s unavoidable, especially considering her filial piety. If we’re not careful, the harmonious mother-daughter relationship could be strained.

“…Alright. I’ll try my best to convince my mother too.”

Fortunately, Leona nodded in understanding. Being truly filial, she seems to follow her mother’s wishes in most matters.

“Thank you. I’m saying this in case you misunderstand, but it’s definitely not that I dislike you. Quite the opposite.”

“Really?”

“Yes. To be honest, there are hardly any men who could reject a beautiful woman like you.”

“Hehe.”

When I compliment her beauty, her drooping ears perk up and her tail starts wagging again.

I’m determined to convince her mother, if only to be able to touch those freely.

“Oh, by the way, Leona.”

“Yes?”

“You said you’re coming as a teaching assistant for the history department after this semester ends, right?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t tell me you’re coming because of me?”

In response to my question, Leona nodded and answered with a bright smile.

“Yes! That way, I’ll have more time to be with you.”

“… …”

“Do… do you dislike that?”

Once again, her ears and tail drooped. I immediately denied it.

“No. I actually like it. Looking forward to working with you.”

“Yes!”

How can she be so cute? I must convince her mother.

*****

Meanwhile, at the same time, in a different place.

“So why did you call me here?”

Marie, Issac’s lover and fiancée, asked bluntly to the woman sitting across from her.

In response, the woman across from her, Hyria, opened her mouth with her characteristically gruff voice.

“I have something I want to ask you.”