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chapter 66
Since her conversation with Lockbel, Emilina had been paying a little more attention to the way she spoke.
More precisely, she was getting used to the way she addressed Kirzen.
The maids, sensing this change, had quietly fussed with delight, thinking it was a good thing.
Emilina let out a small chuckle at the shift in atmosphere caused by a single word.
The word that had once made her uncomfortable was gradually becoming familiar, and she wondered why she had avoided it all this time.
Then, suddenly… she realized that perhaps that had been the problem all along.
“Kir!”
After that, she met Kir every day, at the same time, in the same place.
“Again with that look. Are you ever going to act like a human?”
“Grrr.”
Kir shook his head as if to say she shouldn’t worry about such things.
Emilina, wearing a face that said she couldn’t be helped, started talking energetically on her own again.
Since Kir had no intention of turning into a human, she had to do all the talking herself.
That way, his cries would respond to her words, as if to ease the boredom.
Repeating this every day, Kir gradually got used to it and started revealing small curiosities, bit by bit.
Of course, all communicated through the sounds of the beast and subtle nods.
Emilina used these clues to piece things together little by little. Even this simple form of communication allowed her to understand Kir.
It had become a small joy in her daily life.
It was like playing a twenty-questions game, where the answers were yes or no.
It sometimes gave her a thrilling, exciting sensation, like playing a game.
And if she couldn’t guess correctly, she would feel a slight tinge of defeat.
Anyway, today too, she prioritized the questions she had been keeping to herself and pressed forward.
One of those questions was about the family tree of Duke Ditrio.
“Hmm… so you’re saying you’re my husband’s cousin?”
Suddenly!
Kir sprang up with dynamic movement.
He perked up his ears, showing strength, as if he had been startled by some word.
The muscles beneath his fur twitched wildly.
Like someone who couldn’t control their excitement, he seemed unusually agitated.
Emilina couldn’t help but giggle at Kir.
The twitching of those strong muscles somehow looked adorable.
And it was fascinating.
Except when asking to be petted on the head, Kir rarely made large movements.
He didn’t show boredom, but he had a strangely cynical appearance.
With few words and expressionless, he looked like the stereotypically boring, shy type.
Yet, Kir sometimes acted spoiled, which made this a surprisingly cute charm.
“Hmm… but he’s a beast, so can I really call him cute?”
But what could she do? He was just too adorable.
As always, since their first reunion, Kir had behaved demurely in front of her.
He was gentle and never showed threatening behavior.
Of course, he occasionally played mischievous tricks.
At their meeting spot, he would straighten his shoulders and approach with heavy, pounding steps, as if to display the majesty of a predator.
Emilina wasn’t scared. She already knew it was Kir.
She had absolute trust that he wouldn’t harm her.
So she welcomed him with arms outstretched.
However, after observing her for a few days, Kir sent a warning.
“How did he warn her while in the form of a black panther?”
“Wild animals are dangerous.”
He slipped a note under her paw.
Emilina found it somewhat absurd.
His expression was solemn, but the neatly folded, cute little note somehow ruined the atmosphere.
Honestly… it didn’t look solemn at all.
Considering his childhood, even this behavior looked cute.
Moreover, he gestured for her to open the note immediately, and the content was even funnier.
“Wild animals are dangerous”? Was he claiming to be a wild animal himself?
Should she acknowledge it, or laugh along?
Emilina looked at Kir with a strange mix of reluctance and amusement.
But Kir was very serious.
So she asked him.
Why are wild animals dangerous? You’re a beastman, not a wild animal, right?
The next day, Kir wrote another note.
That was amusing too.
Every time they parted, he handed her a neatly folded note, and she replied. It felt like a one-way sailing game.
Even more, the notes were limited to one per day, so sometimes she got the answer the next day—or received it in advance.
That day too, Kir immediately nodded for her to read the note.
“Sometimes, I too am captured.”
He said so. But captured by what?
What did he mean by being captured?
At that moment, Emilina had a sudden idea.
She had discovered another new game.
Actually, she had just slightly modified the one-way sailing game.
Her eyes sparkled as she sought Kir’s permission.
Then she briefly left the spot.
She went to get paper and a pen.
Of course, since it was the sailing game, she intended to use only one piece herself.
The extra ones were to give to Kir.
But where did he get his paper? She made a mental note to ask later.
Emilina handed Kir a note, recalling the questions in her mind as if uploading a list.
“What.”
Thus, the sailing game entered a new phase.
Kir looked very flustered.
He grabbed paper and pen in a hurry and darted into the forest.
It seemed like he was going to write a note… but really? Now?
Moreover, he was sneaking into the forest to transform into a human!
Emilina couldn’t contain her excitement and leapt after him.
It was truly an exhilarating chase.
Emilina chased Kir.
She had confidence in her running ability, thanks to her strong legs.
…Of course, that was just her overconfidence.
How could a human outrun a quadrupedal, muscular predator?
She was completely defeated.
It was frustrating. Losing to a black panther like him was unbearably humiliating.
It was so unfair she couldn’t sleep that night.
Kir ran as fast as a cheetah, averaging 90 km/h. Losing to him was natural, but Emilina couldn’t accept it.
She wanted to complain: “Isn’t it too unfair for a panther?”
According to someone in this world, the top speed of a panther is 58 km/h.
Even considering individual differences, he could surpass a jaguar and match or nearly match a cheetah.
He was ridiculously overpowered, and Emilina resented the world for it.
Her frustration lingered so stickily that it almost became a physical feeling.
Even at 58 km/h, she couldn’t win.
So Emilina boldly demanded of Kir: “Show me too!”
She genuinely wanted to see his grown form.
The cute little kitten had grown into a massive, heavy black panther. She could only imagine how large his true form must be.
His elegant spine and long legs suggested he had grown to a towering size.
As Emilina, heart racing, urged him, Kir presented a sailing game note.
With his thick paw, he gestured for her to read it, nodding in his characteristic way.
She had completely forgotten about the chase, but as soon as she pressed him, he handed it over.
Ha!
“Instinct. Later.”
For the first time, Emilina cursed Kir in frustration.
This was his message:
He warned her about moments when instinct would take over.
And his true form… he’d show her later.
The sailing game, once interactive, lost its charm as the chase left Emilina hopeless.
Even if she wanted to talk through notes, Kir increased his speed, making it impossible to catch him.
Not even once did he slow down.
Emilina had no choice but to let go of her unnecessary stubbornness.
Thus, the interactive sailing game reverted to one-way mode.
Emilina smiled briefly, recalling past memories.
Recently, spending time with Kir brought her pure joy and happiness.
It felt like reclaiming a childlike innocence forgotten in adulthood.
Even just talking idly together felt comfortable, and even quiet silence brought peace.
Emilina, usually overthinking everything, became childish whenever she was with Kir.
Her speech occasionally regressed, making her question her own mental age.
Still, being with Kir made her feel light and peaceful.
The heaviness in her chest recently dissipated whenever she met him.
She absentmindedly stroked his black fur, glinting in the sunlight.
The soft fur obeyed her fingers faithfully.
Kir’s chest muscles still twitched beneath his fur.
“Kir?”
Emilina called softly, but he let out a low growl and made a strange expression.
“Hmm…”
She was a little confused. Why was he reacting this way?
She had only asked if Kirzen was his cousin.
Kir made a sound like a low rumble and finally exhaled deeply.
Then he turned his body.
Without answering, he indicated he would return to the forest.
“Are you going to go just like that?”
Emilina asked, but he only pawed at the ground.
Then she noticed today’s note on the ground.
As she picked it up, Kir bolted.
“What is going on?”
Emilina felt disappointed that today’s twenty-questions session ended so anticlimactically.
And since he didn’t answer, she added a penalty for later.
“I’ll get two answers next time.”
She turned to head back, thinking over Kir’s strange behavior.
She couldn’t dwell on it long, as the remaining knights who hadn’t returned from Genova were coming back tonight.
Rozie was included in that return group.
And Emilina, as the lady of the ducal house, would personally oversee the welcoming ceremony.
She had prepared everything in the morning to avoid mistakes, so now she just needed to check the final details.
She walked slowly to the mansion, imagining Rozie’s surprise at seeing her.
It was fun to prepare a surprise for her friend after such a long time, and Emilina’s excitement continued.
She had completely forgotten about Kir.
Meanwhile, Kir ran through the deepest parts of the forest, panting wildly.
He hadn’t intended to part so suddenly, but this was all Emilina’s doing.
She would never understand why he had to dash out, hiding his wildly pounding heart.
One word still echoed in his mind:
“Husband.”
That word was truly mischievous.
It made his heart race uncontrollably, driving Kirzen nearly mad.
Even though he was panting from running, the heartbeat had started the moment he heard it and continued relentlessly.
Although she had given him a strange look, his only option was to bolt.
His overflowing thoughts struck his brain, rendering him unable to do anything else.
Even as he ran to hide his excitement, it couldn’t be concealed.
It was just a simple term a female partner used for her male partner.
But Emilina had called him “husband” for the first time.
Though a simple word, Kirzen was moved.
It felt like being recognized by Emilina.
Truly, being acknowledged as her husband filled him with joy.
Hearing the word “husband” from her mouth felt so good.
Kirzen slightly lifted the corners of his mouth and slowed his running pace.
Had he known he’d be caught up in such embarrassing feelings, he might have begged her to say it at least once.
It would help him prepare for future situations without stiffening in tension.
He could explain it as adaptation for relaxation, and it might make sense.
This was why Kirzen had not yet revealed his true identity to Emilina.
