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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: The First Friend
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***
“Yaaawn.” (I slept so well.)
Fortunately, Jusielia woke up after half a day.
Having woken from a long nap, Jusielia was bewildered to see the sun setting and the world growing dark outside.
Seeing Jusielia awake, Sophie and Uni rushed over, wailing about how worried they had been.
Jusielia was only released from her maids after promising never to fight like that again and even stamping a written pledge with her paw print.
Jusielia looked herself over, tilting her head in confusion.
It was too strange.
“Kyaaaang?” (But why am I perfectly fine? Wasn't I crushed under there?)
Jusielia asked Sophie and Uni in puzzlement, but the answer came from somewhere else.
“That’s because of the magic on the star necklace you were wearing.”
“Ekiel?”
Jusielia’s eyes widened.
Ekiel, who had been leaning against the wall—for how long, she didn’t know—walked slowly toward her bed.
Happy to see him after so long, Jusielia was about to wag her tail but let it droop when she saw his face.
Ekiel’s face, which was always smiling gently, was stiff.
He hadn’t looked like that since they first met at her father’s birthday banquet.
No, maybe it was more like he looked angry?
As Ekiel approached the bed and gestured, Sophie and Uni stepped back on their own.
Jusielia wanted to tell them not to go, but they had already moved away.
‘Ugh! What’s wrong? Is it because I destroyed the training grounds?’
Sensing Ekiel’s unusual mood, Jusielia watched him warily. Feeling anxious, she tried to lick the remaining blood from her fur.
“Don’t.”
“Why?”
“I’ll wipe it for you.”
Ekiel took a nearby wet cloth and wiped away the faint bloodstains.
His touch was clumsy, which made Jusielia laugh despite herself.
“Why are you laughing?”
“You’ve never washed an animal before, have you?”
“No. I’ve never raised one.”
“Then it’s fine, don’t. I’ll ask Uni to do it.”
“It’s okay. I’m raising one now.”
“…I’m not your pet.”
“Then you’re the one and only animal I serve. How’s that?”
He smiled gently.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Ekiel’s gentle demeanor returned.
“Let me clean you.”
“Okay.”
Reassured, Jusielia nodded, and Ekiel smiled as he continued to wipe away the remaining bloodstains, his touch now gentle.
‘The one and only…’
Jusielia’s face grew warm for no reason. How could a kid with a face like that just say such things so irresponsibly(?), honestly.
“Ekiel, you’re going to be great at dating when you grow up.”
“…Dating?”
“Yeah. And at raising kids, too.”
His once-clumsy touch had become quite delicate.
Jusielia showered Ekiel with praise and well-wishes as he meticulously cleaned her.
And she was certain.
Whoever she might be, the future Empress of Rilberg who would become Ekiel’s partner would be truly blessed.
“Mm. Thanks.”
Ekiel’s mood soured at the sight of the small Jusielia looking up at him with such a pleased expression, and at her praise.
Because he could clearly feel her pairing him with someone else.
Of course, she would.
It was only natural.
‘Hmph.’
Ekiel wasn’t fond of Jusielia’s talk of ‘dating’ and ‘parenting’.
Not only was he not at an age to worry about such things, but he also had to prepare for the great battle that would soon befall the world.
‘Right. That’s why.’
Ekiel placed the towel he had used to meticulously clean Jusielia’s body into a basin of water and then met the gaze of the pure white tiger lying on her stomach on the bed.
Jusielia felt awkward as Ekiel stared at her intently with his pretty, flower-like scarlet eyes without saying a word.
Jusielia scratched her head with a forepaw and broke the awkward silence with a sheepish laugh.
“Wh-what is it, Ekiel? Is there something on my face? Still?”
“Jusielia.”
“Yes?”
“Why did you fight with Claude Continell? Something terrible could have happened.”
Ekiel’s expression was the same, but his tone had dropped slightly.
Jusielia sensed the change and swallowed hard.
‘Ugh. I caused trouble, so now the interrogation begins.’
Jusielia glanced at the maids and Xaviet, who had moved too far away to hear their conversation, then watched Ekiel’s expression before replying in the lightest tone she could manage.
“Ekiel. Why so serious?”
“…”
“I didn’t fight with him. We just met today, and he looked pretty strong. I thought it’d be fun, so we went to the training grounds together. We were just playing a little rough, like friends do, and it happened.”
Though I am sorry we played a bit too rough and knocked down the training ground wall.
As a guest, Jusielia felt ashamed for damaging Ekiel’s imperial palace, so she avoided his gaze and scratched her head.
Indeed, Ekiel’s expression hardened, and he narrowed his eyes in displeasure.
“Hehe. S-sorry. I’ll compensate you.”
“…”
But Jusielia had misunderstood.
What did a collapsed wall at some training ground matter to the Emperor of Rilberg?
He had more than enough wealth, could summon the manpower, and if it was too much trouble, he could just rebuild it himself with magic.
The problem was.
Ekiel asked pointedly.
“You and Claude Continell… are friends?”
Jusielia’s eyes widened innocently at his question, and she nodded her head up and down.
“Yep. I decided. Claude and I are friends now. My first friend!”
“First friend…”
“Yep!”
Oblivious to the way the corners of Ekiel’s mouth were hardening even further, Jusielia beamed and wagged her tail enthusiastically.
Jusielia recalled what happened earlier and giggled.
It would have been great if the accident hadn’t happened.
Claude was a pretty funny guy. And his face was her type, too.
He’ll grow up to look just like Regent Jetar, so isn’t his a face of national-treasure quality that I, the great Jusielia, must protect?
‘Of course, if we’re strictly ranking national-treasure faces, Ekiel is number one.’
Come to think of it, it seemed more people from the Rilberg Empire had faces that were her type.
No, that’s not it…
Ahem, was I always a beastman who judged people by their faces like this?
‘Well, whatever. Everyone’s allowed a hobby.’
As Jusielia chuckled slyly to herself, Ekiel’s misunderstanding deepened as he watched the little white tiger.
‘Is she thinking of Claude? But why is she smiling like she’s about to devour a delicious piece of prey?’
It would be better if she actually did devour him.
It was clearly not that kind of smile, which made Ekiel even more displeased.
Ekiel grabbed Jusielia’s paw.
“Huh?”
“Jusielia.”
As he brought his face close to hers, the startled little white tiger blinked several times.
‘Just as I thought.’
Jusielia was still weak to his face.
Ekiel felt relieved and decided to keep using what Jusielia called his ‘pretty face’.
“Right. You made a friend, Jusielia. Congratulations.”
Ekiel smiled, but there was no sincerity in his congratulations.
Instead, a shiver ran down Jusielia’s spine as Ekiel continued.
“But, Jusielia, do you throw your body on the line like that just to protect a friend?”
“Huh? No, that’s…”
Jusielia tried to answer, but Ekiel cut her off.
“No. There’s no need for excuses. You are a princess. The noble princess of the Penterin Empire.”
“…I know.”
“You must value your own life above all else. Besides, you have to prepare for a much more important battle ahead.”
At Ekiel’s firm rebuke, Jusielia was at a loss for words and clamped her mouth shut.
He was right.
Dejected, Jusielia said nothing for a long while, simply staring down at the hand holding her paw.
“I know, too. That I’m important.”
“And yet.”
“But I wouldn’t have died from that.”
“You knew that?”
“Yes. I may be young, but I’m a beastman.”
“That’s reckless.”
Ekiel, slightly angered, tightened his grip on Jusielia’s paw.
“A beastman in their true form is stronger than you think. Besides, I’m the reincarnation of Anash. But Claude is different. He’s human. Of course he’s weaker! And he’s just a kid.”
“That is Claude’s fate.”
“Idiot. I saved him because he’s one of your people. He’s my first friend, yes, but I saved him because he’s your subject.”
Jusielia raised her head and met Ekiel’s eyes directly, her voice rising.
The eyes of the little white tiger and the young emperor clashed.
