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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: A Drastic Measure
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It made Ekiel seem far too kind for an emperor.
*Hmph.*
She worried if it was right for the emperor of a nation, young as he was, to be so soft and pretty.
His features were a stark contrast to the sharp, chillingly handsome looks of Ritain and Ijeten.
But at that moment, Jusielia had no idea.
That while Ekiel was someone who smiled brightly only for her, who always let her stay close, and who readily gave in to her…
…in the distant future, when it came to her ‘safety,’ he would become so relentlessly obsessive that he’d put Ritain and Ijeten to shame.
“Jusie, are you not angry anymore?”
Ekiel’s eyes curved into gentle crescents as he spoke to her, and Jusielia hissed before she could stop herself.
“Hiiiisssss!”
(*Of course not!*)
“Hmm. Is that a no? Your tail and rump are sticking up a little, though.”
Ekiel asked, observing her posture intently.
Jusielia felt a hot flush creep up her face.
It was partly because she felt exposed, and partly because Ekiel was being rude, casually mentioning a lady’s (?) tail and rump!
*You idiot! What are you even saying!*
Jusielia then noticed that the title of the book Ekiel was reading was *Befriending Felines*.
It was utterly absurd.
*Ugh! How dare he compare this great White Tiger to a mere cat!*
Humiliated and furious, Jusielia glared at him and bared her teeth.
Ekiel had to stifle a laugh at the sight of her trying to be threatening, baring tiny white teeth barely larger than grains of rice.
After a moment to compose himself, he asked.
“So, why have you been angry? Was it because I gave you candy the other day? Do you not like candy?”
Ekiel cupped his hands, and a soft light began to gather within them.
Jusielia’s eyes widened.
In an instant, a pile of colorful candies materialized in his palms.
“I heard you like sweets. If you were upset about the color, would you like to pick one in a color you prefer?”
Ekiel had heard that young girls typically enjoyed sweets, and Emperor Ritain had made sure to impress upon him before his departure that this was certainly the case.
That Jusielia loved sweet foods.
Speaking gently, Ekiel offered the candies, holding them just in front of her snout.
Jusielia glanced back and forth between the sweet-smelling candies and Ekiel’s face.
The situation was so absurd that she slapped a paw to her forehead.
“*Groooan…*”
(*This is ridiculous…*)
“Wh-what’s wrong? Is this not it, either?”
Ekiel’s eyes widened for a moment as he stammered in confusion.
“*Grrrowl, hissss!*”
(*That’s not it, you idiot!*)
“Jusie. If you keep squirming like that, you’ll fall, White Tiger or not.”
Frustrated, Jusielia rolled around on the pipe, growling in exasperation.
Worried that she wouldn’t calm down, Ekiel wove a net of golden chains beneath the pipe.
Unaware of this, Jusielia was clutching her head in frustration. She shot Ekiel a sharp glare as he gently pried her paws away one by one.
“Hmm. You’ll mess up your fur.”
“*Groooowl!*”
(*We can’t communicate!*)
She wanted to smack that smiling face of his, but he was so beautiful that her conscience wouldn’t let her.
Besides, he was the emperor of another country.
Jusielia huffed until she was exhausted, then flopped down on the pipe.
“Jusie, are you okay?”
“*Grrr.*”
(*I don’t know.*)
“Hmm.”
Jusielia gave a dismissive wave with her front paw.
If she couldn’t communicate with Ekiel, it would be impossible to discuss their shared dream about meeting the Dark Divine Beast.
*Writing? No, that would take too long. A code? Damn it. That would be just as slow…*
She really needed to learn how to transform into her human form, and fast.
Ekiel watched as the furious cub suddenly grew quiet, her eyes gleaming in thought. Finally, he understood.
“Jusie.”
Ekiel asked seriously.
“You’re frustrated because you can’t talk to me, aren’t you?”
“*Yip!*”
(*That’s right!*)
Jusielia nodded eagerly and shot to her feet.
“I’ve noticed that you seem to be able to communicate with other Beastmen to some extent. Especially your brother, Crown Prince Ijeten.”
Ekiel said, rubbing his chin. Thrilled that he was finally saying all the right things, Jusielia yipped excitedly.
“*Arf, arf!*”
(*Yes! That’s exactly it!*)
“But I, being human, have no idea what you’re saying.”
“*Mrow?*”
(*Apparently so.*)
Jusielia nodded.
It was something Jusielia had only realized after leaving the Penterin Empire and befriending the mages on the airship.
In this form, her true form, she couldn’t communicate with humans at all.
Beastmen could converse with one another even in their true forms, and they could communicate between their human and beast forms.
But unless she took human form, speaking with ‘humans’ was impossible.
*Huh?*
Jusielia’s eyes widened in surprise. Ekiel was staring at her, but his expression had suddenly turned somber.
“*Mrrr?*”
(*What’s wrong?*)
“...It’s not as if I can become a Beastman. It’s upsetting that I’m the only one who can’t talk with you.”
“*Mew?*”
“Because it’s you, and not anyone else.”
In contrast to his bright smile, the young boy’s pretty eyes grew heavy and dark.
“I’ve been too complacent.”
“*Mew? Mrrr.*”
(*W-well, you don’t have to go that far.*)
Jusielia was a little flustered.
Ekiel Isles Rilberg.
From what she had seen, this boy was a sage, the most powerful of mages, who approached everything in the world with a sense of detachment.
He was the youngest emperor of the Rilberg Empire, commanding a host of incredible archmages.
*The mages I befriended told me so. They said the young emperor is incredibly busy and interested only in magic. That he almost never shows his emotions.*
He had never shown the slightest hint of joy, sorrow, anger, or even personal desire.
But what was this?
Jusielia had noticed that whenever Ekiel was alone with her, he became more lenient and smiled more affectionately.
*Is it because I’m in my animal form?*
Or is it because I’m a descendant of Anash, the White Tiger, the only Divine Beast he’s seen in his dreams since childhood?
A boy as brilliant as the emperor of the Western Continent couldn’t possibly be ignorant of the Divine Beast Anash.
Jusielia tilted her head.
Whatever the reason, it was fascinating to see Ekiel—who normally never showed joy, sorrow, anger, or even the smallest desire—expressing his feelings. And it was bewildering to be the object of those feelings.
“It’s quite upsetting.”
The smile playing on Ekiel’s lips was beautiful, but his eyes weren’t smiling at all. Jusielia swallowed past a dry throat.
*I’m* supposed to be the predator here, so why does that human suddenly feel like one?
“*Grrr.*”
(*You big baby.*)
Jusielia averted her eyes, dismissing the possessiveness Ekiel was showing as a simple childish tantrum.
But Ekiel didn’t give up.
“Don’t worry. I just had a great idea.”
“*Mrow?*”
(*What is it?*)
“I’ll solve this in no time. I really want to talk with you, too.”
As he finished speaking, Ekiel raised his hand.
A swirl of light gathered in the air, coalescing into a small pair of scissors that fell into his palm.
Jusielia blinked at the unexpected object. When she realized they were grooming shears for animals, she instinctively backed away and bristled.
“*H-hiss?*”
(*W-what is that?*)
“Ah, for our conversation. I need some of your biological data.”
Ekiel said with a bright smile.
“*H-HIIIISSSSSS!*”
(*What kind of nonsense is that!*)
Ekiel easily scooped up the fleeing Jusielia to restrain her, then raised the shears.
“Calm down. This is my first time, but…”
“*HIIISSSS?!*”
(*What did you say?!*)
“I pick things up quickly.”
His earnest, soothing voice was both sweet and sinister.
“*HIIIIISSSSSSSSSSS!*”
The horrified cub’s desperate shriek echoed through the dim machine room.
