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Chapter 17
No one in the castle had dared oppose the duke’s decision up until now.
To raise one’s voice at him was simply unthinkable.
There was not a single exception.
Not even the sole heir, Theodore.
“Marry Princess Belladis Belfort.”
On that day, Theodore’s state of mind was reflected in the way he stood frozen in place for a long time.
Kalterion allowed his grandson’s silence—as if to give him time to straighten his thoughts—but only up to that point.
“Very well, Your Grace.”
When Theodore’s voice finally came after a long while, it was unusually hoarse.
That did not mean, however, that Kalterion was a tyrant.
On the contrary, his choices were always for Calypso’s sake.
If necessary, he would willingly sacrifice his own limbs—and even his life—for Calypso.
Storms might batter a tall old tree.
Though the storms could not tear out its roots, each time they struck they would rip off handfuls of branches and leaves.
What the old tree named Kalterion had lost amid life’s tempests was precisely its “humanity.”
And even as that humanity faded, the only thing the old tree tried to protect was Calypso—nothing else.
Given that, there was no way he would allow Belladis to raise a wolf.
What she had done in the basin was likewise something he was still assessing, and therefore he had not voiced it.
It was not something he would let slide.
At last, a flicker of anger rose in Kalterion’s eyes.
“I have no time to haggle with you over this. Speak of it to me no more!”
It was the first time Kalterion had shown such anger since the day the imperial guard had acted rashly toward Calypso’s people.
The retainers flinched in surprise; Kalterion’s eyes narrowed just a fraction.
“…….”
Because the child standing before him showed no sign of being cowed.
Seeing the firm, clear will in those pink eyes and the tight line of the mouth, Kalterion said something one might expect from a knight.
“Orders admit no compromise, Belladis.”
And at that moment, the pink eyes—so full of indomitable will—seemed to slacken.
As if struck by a strange shock.
From above, Calypso Manor looked like four buildings joined together to form a square.
Of the buildings aligned to face the cardinal directions, the one called the Main Hall was a four-story, gilded structure built to overlook the duchy.
On either side of the Main Hall were two buildings that housed family members and administrative officials.
But the crowning feature of the manor was the spire-like building that faced the Main Hall.
All of the duchy’s official business was carried out in that spire.
Behind the spire stretched a wide rear garden, kept largely as nature intended except for a glass greenhouse where feasts were sometimes held.
Perpendicular to the spire lay a basin.
On the right side of the path crossing between spire and basin stood a gentle hill crowned by a three-hundred-year-old beech tree, and to the left spread a forest where a herd of deer lived.
The informants sighed faintly at the sight of Bella’s dress trailing as she ran—their impression was clear: she looked like someone running away.
Anyone could see she was fleeing into the woods.
Belladis darted into the forest, clenching her teeth, and ran through dozens of sunbeams that lit the shady groves.
After running for a long while until she was out of breath, she stopped and scowled at the scent of someone close behind her.
Whereas she panted, the informants wore not a bead of sweat on their faces.
“I’m not giving up the wolf, so stay back.”
They sighed deeply.
“Nothing will change by acting like this. His Grace is not the sort to revoke an order.”
An informant with bandages around his arm spoke as if urging her to give up the pup.
He told her that she could never defy the duke’s order with her strength alone.
“Hah.”
A bitter laugh escaped her.
Turning, she saw a stream rushing so strongly that white foam churned.
Out of the shade of the trees, she walked over the carpet of thick grass and kicked off her shoes.
From Belladis’ lap, the puppy tumbled down and rolled onto the grass.
The white wolf rolled on the soft grass this way and that; when it spied a dragonfly resting on a blade of grass, it instinctively crouched low.
While the pup went hunting for the dragonfly, Ophaniel—gazing as if watching something across the water—spoke to Belladis.
[Do you get it now? Why I kept shouting that we needed “human cooperation”?]
“…….”
[Well, you wouldn’t remember even the names of your special unit comrades. Human cooperation wasn’t important to you, was it? That’s why when I told you to try getting along with people, you just ignored me.]
Annoyed by Ophaniel’s jab, Belladis ground out a quiet reply.
“Cut it out, would you?”
[Really? Is that so—?]
Belladis let out a slow, deep breath, her eyes shining as if with resolve.
Then, almost lip-muttering, she said,
“I’ll go back and explain why he’s needed, why I need to keep him. The basin wolves will be useful in about a month. Even if they don’t believe me now—”
[So you’re going to tell Calterion about the future? Just so they won’t take the wolf right away? And while you’re at it, show off your power a little?]
“What’s to stop me? If I’m proven right, then—”
[You think foolish humans will beg you automatically?]
Feeling the barbs in Ophaniel’s words, Belladis stared into empty air.
“What exactly are you trying to say, now?”
Ophaniel was silent for a moment.
Then, in an unusually serious tone, he spoke again.
[The devil is hiding, Belladis. Watching how this world flows from the shadows. Where do you think he’s hiding?]
“The imperial palace, I suppose.”
Yes.
He was hiding somewhere in the palace, removing anything that impeded him through the emperor’s hand, one by one.
[Right. He’s hiding in the palace, watching Calypso. But you keep babbling about the future.
Calypso neither trusts nor especially believes you, so there’s plenty of room for your words to leak.
Calypso may brush off what you say about the future—but will the devil?]
“…….”
[You know, Belladis? He’s always worried that the celestial realm might interfere with his work. So the moment you seem suspicious, he’ll claw to drag you into the palace.
Maybe the court is already watching you. What do you think that captain of the guards said when he went back? Also, they took him, didn’t they?]
At Ophaniel’s words, Belladis glanced at the wolf.
[The court might summon you today or tomorrow. If the court sends a letter calling you now, how will Calypso react?]
The answer needed no thought.
Of course he would send her to the palace.
That day, Calterion had permitted her to stay because there was no excuse to send her to the palace.
[You might be dragged to the palace this week. Can you, in your current state, resist that current without Calterion’s help?]
The insight granted by the administrator of the cosmos sometimes revealed itself like this.
[Face the facts, Belladis. At present, you cannot protect even one wolf without human help.]
You are not the one who single-handedly smashed an entire legion.
[Sorry, but this battlefield is different from the ones you’ve faced before.]
Belladis bit her lip until it bled and ground her teeth.
“…Then what should I do now?”
[Right now there is something more important than making sure that pup isn’t taken.]
“Madam Viscountess, let us return.”
At the informants’ urging from a distance, Ophaniel spoke.
[Make them adore you.]
Belladis blinked.
“…Make them adore me?”
[No—Not literally adore. Make them fawn over you!]
