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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: An Arrogant Welcome
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Amused by the sight, Ekiel let out a soft smile.
‘This is more fun watching together.’
If there was one person who could make the stoic Ekiel laugh, it was Regent Jetar.
But lately, Jusielia had been occupying all his emotional real estate.
For a while now, he hadn't had a reason to smile if not for Jusielia.
‘Looks like Jusielia is quite taken with the Regent's face.’
Ekiel stared blankly at the face of Regent Jetar, known as one of the most handsome men in the Rilberg Empire, before unconsciously touching his own cheek.
When I grow up, could I look like that?
Unaware of Ekiel's thoughts, Jusielia stared up dazedly at the tall, bespectacled Regent Jetar and continued to mutter in bewilderment.
"Whoa! B-But why is he so young and ridiculously handsome?" (Grrrrr!)
"...Ridiculously?"
"Yep!" (Yip!)
Ekiel, growing serious as well, carefully studied Regent Jetar's face.
He was a handsome man with the smooth skin of someone in his early twenties, vibrant sky-blue eyes, and an impressive high-bridged nose.
"I'm well aware that I'm handsome. You can stop staring now."
Regent Jetar, seemingly having noticed, touched his forehead and shook his head.
Jusielia found him a bit obnoxious, but was flabbergasted that even that suited him.
She was captivated by Regent Jetar's face and aura, his intelligent features and glasses a perfect match.
Growing up among handsome and beautiful beastmen like Ritain and Ijeten, Jusielia was used to good looks, but Regent Jetar’s was special and unparalleled.
Her original plan to avoid him was completely wiped from her mind as she openly stared at him in a daze.
‘Jusielia.’
Ekiel was overcome with the urge to block Jusielia's view of Regent Jetar.
It was a strange feeling—a tightness in his chest, a sense of vexation. A churning he'd never felt before, difficult to define. Ekiel furrowed his brow.
"Hmm. Be that as it may, this is quite curious."
Just then, Regent Jetar spoke.
"I may be easy on the eyes, but don't most people find me frightening? Especially children."
"Ah, I suppose so."
Ekiel, realizing it belatedly, nodded and then looked at Jusielia, who was still gazing intently up at Regent Jetar.
Regent Jetar was no ordinary handsome mage or duke in his early twenties.
Though he'd stopped aging after mistakenly ingesting a potion during a magical experiment in his youth, he was an Archmage in his late fifties.
An arrogant Archmage and Duke, full of experience and well aware of his own brilliance, who rebuffed anyone who dared approach him carelessly.
His imposing presence was therefore immense, and though he was handsome, his sharp eyes usually made children too scared to even look at him.
‘Jusielia doesn't seem to mind at all.’
Ekiel tilted his head at the sight of Jusielia, her eyes still sparkling as she looked at Regent Jetar.
Perhaps she was immune, having grown up with top-tier predatory beastmen like Emperor Ritain and Crown Prince Ijeten.
Or maybe it was because she was the reincarnation of Anash the White Tiger, making her anything but ordinary.
‘In any case, it seems he likes it.’
Not Jusielia. The Regent.
Ekiel smirked, noticing that Regent Jetar, who had been openly displeased at the news of the Penterin princess's arrival, now looked half-mollified.
After only ever seeing people who feared him, the Regent must be secretly pleased to have such a cute child take a liking to him.
‘...Still, she can't like him as much as she likes me.’
Ekiel mentally resolved to schedule as much training time as possible to minimize any chance of Jusielia and the Regent running into each other.
Regent Jetar stroked his chin as he watched the little white tiger princess, then glanced at the others disembarking from the airship behind her and spoke.
"You've been through a lot, Your Majesty. My apologies for the late greeting. It's a relief to see you return safely."
"Think nothing of it. Was the empire quiet in my absence, Regent?"
"Of course. It was very... quiet."
After his stoic reply, Regent Jetar turned to Jusielia and greeted her politely, but in a soulless voice.
"Welcome to the Rilberg Empire, Princess of Penterin. I am Luke Jetar, Regent and Duke of the Empire."
"Kyap." (Nice to meet you.)
"The princess says it's nice to meet you, too."
Regent Jetar watched Jusielia mewling beside Ekiel for a moment before asking.
"Your Majesty. Are you able to communicate with the Penterin princess? Did you perhaps create a translation artifact? With Noah?"
"I did. Though it only works one-on-one."
As Ekiel pointed to his bracelet, Regent Jetar nodded and glanced at Jusielia.
"By the way, what did the princess say at first?"
"...She says you're too handsome, Regent."
Ekiel didn't particularly want to tell him, but Jusielia's eyes were sparkling, so he had no choice but to relay the message.
At that, Regent Jetar's brow furrowed in disbelief.
"...She must still be at an age where looks are all that matter."
Jusielia, who had been grinning, felt her smile freeze.
Uh, well. I may look young, but if you count my past life, I'm well over a hundred years old, and no, that's not it, white tigers just have a natural appreciation for pretty and handsome things…
As a chaotic mess of excuses ran through her mind, Jusielia grew embarrassed and avoided the two pairs of eyes looking down at her.
Ekiel gave a small smile and said.
"It's true. It's not that she's 'interested' in your face, but she was surprised because you look so young. She'd heard your age beforehand."
"Ah. Is that so? Still, it's curious."
Jetar tilted his head, then stroked his chin and looked down at the white tiger princess, speaking to her with an air of indifference.
"Princess. Did you really say that?"
"Kyap." (That's right.)
"Is that what she said? They say the higher the beastman, the more divine the creature. I heard she was born just over three years ago. It's surprising that such a young tiger could be so clever."
"...Grrr." (What did you just say?)
Jusielia, who had been listening quietly, finally bared her teeth and growled.
He was treating her not as a beastman, but as a mere animal.
‘Have you ever seen such a handsome yet nasty regent! He needs a taste of my fist to come to his senses.’
Jusielia scolded herself for being momentarily bewitched by his face and, channeling her supernatural ability into her paw, slowly approached Jetar.
She felt she wouldn't be satisfied until she landed a sucker punch while he was off guard.
Last time, she had waited for an opening and gently slapped Noah's cheek, but with the Regent, she planned to pretend it was an accident while hitting him hard.
‘How dare he disrespect the princess of another empire? I, the great Jusielia, will deliver divine punishment myself!’
"Regent, that comment was..."
Ekiel, too, was about to point out the rudeness of Jetar's words.
But Jusielia was too angry to notice. Just as she narrowed her eyes and prepared to unleash her divinely punishing White Tiger Punch…
"How rude!"
Just then, a powerful gust of wind swept across the magical airship dock, and a loud shout echoed from behind them.
"Kyap?!"
Startled, Jusielia tensed the paw filled with her supernatural ability, which caused her to lose her footing on her hind legs and stumble forward.
‘Aack!’
"Whoa."
Regent Jetar reflexively caught the little white tiger, a look of utter bewilderment on his face.
"Uh, uh."
"K-Kyap."
Jusielia's deep blue eyes met Jetar's sky-blue ones in an awkward stare.
Meanwhile, Sophie Langrasse's booming voice struck like a thunderbolt.
"To think you would treat the one and only princess of the Penterin Empire as a mere animal! Your Excellency the Regent, it seems you lack an understanding of beastmen! Can you truly say you are prepared for relations with the Penterin Empire after this?"
It was a sharp rebuke.
Her aura was like that of an enraged goddess, leaving everyone speechless.
Jusielia was stunned by Sophie's charisma as she chastised a high-ranking official of Rilberg.
‘My aunt is scary. But she's so cool.’
Just then, Jusielia blinked, noticing how uniquely white and long the fingers of the large hand holding her were.
‘Geez. Even his hands are slender and beautiful.’
Jusielia vowed not to be fooled by this man's beauty.
Even if she had somehow ended up in his arms.
Jusielia figured that this ill-tempered Regent Jetar could throw her at any moment if he lost his temper.
‘I'll have to land on my feet, then.’
Ready to land at a moment's notice, Jusielia snuck a glance at the Regent's expression.
Well, he didn't look like he was about to throw her just yet, so she decided to stay in the arms of this nasty regent for a little while longer.
