-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: The Regent's Nephew
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After all, the embrace had been quite comfortable until now.
Sophie continued speaking.
“Your Imperial Majesty! No matter how I think about it, we cannot serve our princess in a country like this. I am here as the princess's guardian, representing His Majesty, Emperor Ritain Dester Penterin. I have the right to make this decision. While education is important, we will go to a country where respect is prioritized.”
Sophie protested in a sharp, clear voice, staring at Ekiel.
Silence fell over the docks.
Ekiel shot a look of silent pressure at Regent Jetar, who was awkwardly holding the White Tiger Princess.
*Oh, dear.*
In response, Jetar stared blankly at Sophie Langrasse.
For things to escalate this far.
He hadn't intended to cause such a commotion.
*I should just apologize quickly...*
As he organized his thoughts, he glanced down and his eyes met those of the White Tiger Princess in his arms.
*...B-But what is this feeling?*
Jetar had never once in his life touched a furry animal like a cat, dog, or rabbit.
He was a cold man of Berg who had lived his life studying and mastering magic.
A man like him, with such handsome looks and intellect, raising and loving a furry animal.
It was simply unthinkable.
Well, it wasn't just animals; he had no particular desire to show affection to people either.
He had never even shared love with a woman.
And so, for half a century, he had lived as the Rilberg Empire's dashing, eminently capable, yet cold and handsome bachelor duke, unmarried!
*Good heavens.*
Why was the fur of Penterin's White Tiger Princess, whom he had held for the first time today on a whim, so soft?
Why was her body so plush, and so pleasantly warm!
It was a warmth that could melt the cold Berg man's heart in an instant.
“Regent.”
The young Emperor Ekiel called out sternly again to Duke Jetar, who was absentmindedly stroking the White Tiger Princess's back and head as if mesmerized.
Snapping back to his senses, Duke Jetar's ears turned red under the surrounding gazes.
“Ah, ahem.”
He cleared his throat and carefully placed the small, precious White Tiger Princess from the Penterin Empire down in front of him.
Her eyes were wide and bright.
The clear, sapphire-blue eyes looking up at him were so adorable and beautiful.
Wait, hadn't she looked at him like this before? She had called him handsome.
Indeed, someone with such clear eyes must have impeccable judgment.
Jetar, maintaining a straight face as best he could, lowered his gaze and knelt on one knee before Jucy.
Then, placing a hand over his left breast, he inclined his upper body slightly and spoke.
“I offer my sincerest apologies, Your Highness.”
Jucy's eyes widened.
He continued.
“My habit of speaking my curiosity aloud has wounded you, esteemed Princess. I do not ask for forgiveness.”
“Kyang.” (It's okay.)
“I will gladly accept any punishment, you need only say the word.”
“Grrrrowl. Kyang kyang.” (I said I accept your apology. Ekiel, tell him it's fine.)
Jucy could at least tell whether he was being sincere or not, so she accepted his apology.
Though he was a bit cold and grumpy, Regent Jetar's heart was sincere.
Besides, someone who disliked her would never have stroked her back so carefully and gently.
“Regent, rise. The princess has accepted your apology.”
When Jetar didn't move despite Ekiel's urging, Jucy looked over at Sophie.
“Kyang.” (It's really fine, Sophie.)
Jucy raised a paw to the still-stern-faced Sophie, signaling that it was all right.
“Very well, Your Highness.”
Seeing Sophie finally smile, Jucy beamed.
As Regent Jetar rose to his feet, the waiting mages and soldiers applauded.
Clap, clap, clap.
A somewhat staged, but not unpleasant, round of applause for the reconciliation and welcome rang out.
“Kyang.” (Let's get along.)
As a sign of reconciliation, Jucy placed her front paw on Regent Jetar's shoe.
It was the same paw she had readied to strike him with, but how did things turn out like this?
Still, glad that things had been resolved smoothly, Jucy grinned.
“Ah, umm.”
Jetar looked a bit flustered, unsure of what to do.
Then, in an awkward posture, he bent his upper body.
He then politely took the White Tiger Princess's paw resting on his shoe between his thumb and forefinger and gave it a gentle shake.
“Like, like this?”
“Kyahahang!” (Ahahaha!)
The sight of the cool-looking, handsome man in glasses carefully holding her paw was so funny that Jucy burst out laughing.
Even without the translation artifact, Jetar could tell that Jucy was laughing.
Finding the sight so adorable that his heart felt fuzzy, Jetar turned his head to the side and cleared his throat several times.
And he thought.
It seemed the reason he'd never been interested in furry creatures was that he had simply never met one of his caliber.
*Hoo.*
As soon as the welcoming and return ceremonies were over, Jetar's interest in tigers surged.
So, he hurriedly left to see a tiger that had reportedly been captured in the nearby mountains, just in case.
Besides beastmen, animals lived all across the continent, and the Western Continent was no exception.
Tigers, at least, also inhabited the Rilberg Empire.
On his way to see the tiger, Jetar was secretly hopeful.
Perhaps a tiger was the right kind of animal for him.
If so, he planned to bring the creature back immediately and keep it as a companion animal.
But the tiger he encountered was merely unpleasant; it didn't make him feel good like the princess did.
He particularly disliked its hostile eyes and turned away quickly.
As expected, for someone as distinguished as myself, only a being who is the reincarnation of a legendary god would suffice, Jetar thought with a smirk.
The princess and her entourage from the Penterin Empire were given lodging at the Stella Palace in the Rilberg Imperial Palace.
Jetar secretly watched from a distance as they came outside to look around.
After a long silence, he pushed up his glasses and spoke gravely.
“The Rilberg Imperial Palace has no playground for the White Tiger to run in. I'll secure His Majesty's permission, so summon the magitech engineers.”
“Yes, Your Excellency the Regent.”
When Ekiel first announced that Jucy, a white tiger cub, would be staying at the Rilberg Imperial Palace, Regent Jetar had been appalled and objected.
His reason was the absurd worry that fur flying around the palace would give Ekiel allergies.
But after meeting Jucy and becoming utterly smitten, he began hounding the magitech engineers to build a playground for the white tiger.
He was starting to become as doting as Ritain.
Since Princess Jucy's arrival, the handsome, unmarried regent—the cold man of Berg—had begun to forget his dignity and secretly trail after the White Tiger Princess.
***
The people of the Rilberg Empire had one of two major reactions to the visit from the Penterin princess.
Curiosity or indifference.
The former was natural, as she was a princess from the land of beastmen.
But most fell into the latter category, as her visit had no direct impact on the Rilberg Empire, and everyone was busy with their own lives.
Besides, she was scheduled to remain within the Rilberg Imperial Palace, so they wouldn't even be able to see her.
But there was one person.
A boy who had a different reaction.
“How dare she, how dare she, to my uncle!”
he seethed.
“I'll never forgive her, that pigment-deficient, recessive-gene tiger princess!!!”
He had silvery hair with a violet sheen and sky-blue eyes.
This boy looked so much like Regent Jetar that people often asked if he was his son, but he was, in fact, the regent's nephew, his younger sister's son.
The person he respected most was Luke Jetar.
The person he wished was his father was Luke Jetar.
The person he wished was his mother was Luke Jetar.
The boy who wanted to grow up to be Luke Jetar.
In short, the eleven-year-old nephew, Claude Continell, who was utterly devoted to Regent Jetar, was furious with the White Tiger Princess from the Western Empire.
*How dare she make him kneel!*
That pathetic albino tiger had forced him to bend the knee—a knee he wouldn't even bend before the Emperor himself.
*I won't let this stand!*
In Claude's mind, Princess Jusielia had already become a wicked white tiger.
