Episode 84. The Path to Protect Someone
The small snake's body moved busily.
Transforming into this body was more uncomfortable than expected.
Because of its small size, it could only move so far at a time.
'Should I have turned bigger?'
Kassius stuck out his small tongue and sighed.
No. If he had, he might have caught a stern eye and ended up in trouble.
The red scales were easy to spot.
Kassius moved diligently.
Still, if he went just a little further, someone would be waiting for him.
Kassius twitched his small, adorable tail diligently.
'Ah!'
Kien was waiting for him, as promised.
Kassius suddenly wrapped his arms around Kien's leg.
"Ugh!"
Kien, startled to the point of his eyes popping out, quickly covered his mouth. He saw a small, red snake crawling up his leg.
"...Oh, Your Excellency!"
Kien shouted in a strangled voice.
“At least a sound... No. At least a word... No!”
Kien shook his head violently.
Come to think of it, Kassius wasn’t in a state to speak or make a sound right now.
Kassius stuck out his tongue in displeasure.
Then, he expressed his displeasure by wrapping his small body around Kien’s neck.
“Ahem! Anyway, I’m surprised...”
Kassius sighed.
While transforming into a human and moving independently would have been the best option, the problem was returning to human form.
Snakes were animals that covered nothing but scales.
Humans, on the other hand?
Humans... must always cover themselves with something. They were quite different from snakes.
Because of that difference, returning to human form presented a few problems.
“Ah.”
Kassius hung his head, clinging tightly to Kien’s body.
Grumbling, Kien found his horse hidden in the forest, mounted it, and set off.
The wind that quickly brushed past Kassius hid his embarrassment.
Renisha... Renisha knew nothing.
‘Kassius, you can turn into a human, right? Wouldn’t it be easier to talk if you returned to being human?’
Renisha really didn’t know anything...
‘Hmm. Is it not okay for me to show you?’
Before Therion could finish his sentence, the door that had not moved for days opened, and Isabella ran out.
The child clinging to Brixton's leg sobbed and spoke incoherently.
"Uh, is Mommy okay? What about Nanny? Is everything okay?"
Brixton's face froze in shock before he hugged the child.
The perpetrators who had attempted to kidnap Isabella had failed.
However, in the process of protecting Isabella, two victims had been lost: the nanny and Haylin.
The nanny had been stabbed in Isabella's stead, and Haylin had been captured by the Emperor.
In the end, Brixton had been unable to protect anyone.
Brixton's face twisted.
"Everything will be okay, Isabella. Dad will protect you all. I promise."
Brixton made a belated vow.
Large tears soaked the floor.
Isabella's sobs grew louder.
The small snake's body moved busily.
Transforming into this body was more uncomfortable than expected.
Because of its small size, it could only move so far at a time.
'Should I have turned bigger?'
Kassius stuck out his small tongue and sighed.
No. If he had, he might have caught a stern eye and ended up in trouble.
The red scales were easy to spot.
Kassius moved diligently.
Still, if he went just a little further, someone would be waiting for him.
Kassius twitched his small, adorable tail diligently.
'Ah!'
Kien was waiting for him, as promised.
Kassius suddenly wrapped his arms around Kien's leg.
"Ugh!"
Kien, startled to the point of his eyes popping out, quickly covered his mouth. He saw a small, red snake crawling up his leg.
"...Oh, Your Excellency!"
Kien shouted in a strangled voice.
“At least a sound... No. At least a word... No!”
Kien shook his head violently.
Come to think of it, Kassius wasn’t in a state to speak or make a sound right now.
Kassius stuck out his tongue in displeasure.
Then, he expressed his displeasure by wrapping his small body around Kien’s neck.
“Ahem! Anyway, I’m surprised...”
Kassius sighed.
While transforming into a human and moving independently would have been the best option, the problem was returning to human form.
Snakes were animals that covered nothing but scales.
Humans, on the other hand?
Humans... must always cover themselves with something. They were quite different from snakes.
Because of that difference, returning to human form presented a few problems.
“Ah.”
Kassius hung his head, clinging tightly to Kien’s body.
Grumbling, Kien found his horse hidden in the forest, mounted it, and set off.
The wind that quickly brushed past Kassius hid his embarrassment.
Renisha... Renisha knew nothing.
‘Kassius, you can turn into a human, right? Wouldn’t it be easier to talk if you returned to being human?’
Renisha really didn’t know anything...
‘Hmm. Is it not okay for me to show you?’
He couldn’t show himself so ugly in front of those clear eyes.
Kassius twisted his body.
The embarrassment from that time seemed to still be staining him red.
It was truly, truly fortunate that his scales were red now.
Kassius entrusted himself to the fluttering wind.
‘Renisha, you... You are an idiot!’
Renisha stood on the balcony where Kassius had left for quite a while.
Only Kassius could think such adorable thoughts.
The image of his twisting his small body was still vivid in her mind.
Renisha rubbed her lips, where a smile was spreading, with her finger.
In just a few hours, Kassius had transformed Renisha's mood.
Like a magician.
It was so cute how she would avert her eyes whenever he urged her to become human.
"You're like a virtuous lady..."
He also remembered him mutely licking her tongue.
Kassius didn't say anything, but Renisha had a vague sense.
When he returned to his human form, he'd probably be naked.
A virtuous lady like Kassius would have been deeply embarrassed.
Renisha and Kassius were very different people.
Renisha would have exploited this fact to tease Kassius.
Kassius, on the other hand, couldn't control his own embarrassment and curled up in hiding.
Renisha giggled.
Thanks to him, all her gloom blew away.
Thanks to Kassius.
Kassius called Kien and Luna over.
They had been busy communicating with the tribesmen all day.
Kassius couldn't help but feel uneasy about the empty palace he'd visited yesterday.
Renisha was alone there.
Of course, she was with Haylin, but neither of them had ever held a sword.
He felt they weren't equipped to protect themselves in an emergency.
“Luna. I have a favor to ask of you.”
Kien glanced at Luna.
Luna had a playful expression on her face.
Why Luna of all people?
“Let me hear it.”
Even though Luna knew that Kassius and she were vastly different in status, she still showed absolutely no courtesy.
Kien couldn’t understand Luna. Why was she so self-willed?
“Can you enter the palace and stay by Renisha’s side?”
“What?”
And even that composure was shattered at Renisha’s name.
“What do you mean? Why would I enter the palace? Why would I go to a place with that damned bloodline? I would never do that before the Yi clans came back alive...”
“It’s also for the Yi clans.”
Kassius cut off Luna’s complaint.
“What do you mean?”
“I staked my fate, and the fate of the tribe, on Renisha. Protecting Renisha is paramount for us. But now Renisha is alone in that vast palace. No one can protect her.”
“...Are you going to leave your woman on me now?”
“Only women can stay in the Empress’s Palace.”
Kassius said sharply.
When Kassius learned that Renisha was staying in the Empress’s Palace again, his blood boiled. He wanted to run to Laxus and snap that pretty head off.
How dare he push Renisha back there?
Only a mad Laxus could do that.
“So you want me to go to Renisha, that woman?”
Luna pointed at herself.
“Making me repeat the same thing won’t change anything.”
“Ha... I shouldn’t have followed you.”
Luna tore her hair in annoyance.
Luna glared at Kassius, who had no sense of humor.
His face was innocent and unaware of anything.
But she couldn't defy Kassius.
The leader of the tribes had submitted to Kassius.
As was their original fate, they had handed over their rights to Hisham Kassius.
That was why the tribes decided to migrate to Hiloshine, Kassius's territory.
Kassius had become Luna's new leader, so Luna had to follow his orders.
"Luna. You'll do it, right?"
Kassius asked with a blank expression. Luna gritted her teeth.
"How do you want me to enter the palace?"
"I have someone to help you with that."
"...Yes. Just go in and stay with that woman."
"Luna."
Kassius called to Luna in a low voice.
Luna, who had been tapping her toes on the floor in displeasure, glanced up.
"Don't be rude. This is your final warning."
Luna's eyes crinkled.
Luna nodded helplessly as an intangible force pressed down on her shoulders.
“...Yes! Otherwise, you can do that!”
Luna turned and left the room.
Kien sighed at the way she trudged along.
“Are you really trying to let Luna in?”
“Since she traveled all that distance with you, she must possess exceptional physical and mental abilities. And with her past as a gladiator, she must be exceptional in swordsmanship. Renisha needs someone like that. I can’t be by her side all the time. You take Luna to Turiel.”
“...Yes, Your Excellency.”
Kien hesitated for a moment before adding,
“But you really have no clue.”
“What?”
Kassius chuckled.
Why did he have to hear that now?
Kien hung his head without saying anything and left the room.
Where else could he be hiding?
Luna was no different from an untamed wildcat.
Every time she got a complaint, she would wander around and come home. She would only get sulky when she saw Kassius, but he didn't notice.
Of course, there would be no price to pay even if Kassius noticed it...
Kassius was absolutely not the type of person to give a woman other than Renisha a chance.
He didn't have the guts to do so...
Kien shuddered as he thought of Renisha.
Luna had truly chosen someone amazing as her opponent.
Kien clicked his tongue in pity and started walking in search of Luna.
"Luna! Luna! Where are you!"
It's a bit of a stretch. And now that she's gone, he's starting to get nervous again.
"I'll go to the bakery and buy you your favorite bread! Want to go get some cake? Hey!"
Kien's voice grew louder until it reached Luna's ears, hidden in the trees of the mansion.
Because of Isabella, who hadn't left her room for days, Hiloshine Castle was enveloped in dark clouds. The castle, which had always been lively since Renisha and Kassius arrived, was now plunged into darkness for the first time in a long time.
Brixton, standing facing the firmly closed door, sighed.
The most difficult thing in the world is dealing with Isabella.
Worrying about the kidnapped Haylin and chasing after Henry were already complicated enough, but Isabella was even more concerning.
Brixton was also new to raising a young, adolescent lady.
"...How do you think I can open that door?"
"...Are you putting the blame on me now?"
Therion stepped back.
He glared at Brixton as if he had met a formidable enemy, his expression trembling.
“If anyone saw me, they’d think I was a your mortal enemy.”
“That’s exactly what it felt like just now.”
Therion and Brixton sighed simultaneously.
The two men, who knew no door in the world could be broken, paced in front of the wooden door.
Finally, Brixton took a deep breath and knocked.
“Isabella? Isabella. Are you inside?”
“...”
“Can Dad open this door?”
Brixton asked as cautiously as he could.
“...Sob... Sob...”
And at the same time, a sob was heard.
Brixton swallowed hard and took three steps back.
Brixton’s trembling eyes met Therian’s.
“Not today either, right?”
“I guess...”
Kassius twisted his body.
The embarrassment from that time seemed to still be staining him red.
It was truly, truly fortunate that his scales were red now.
Kassius entrusted himself to the fluttering wind.
‘Renisha, you... You are an idiot!’
***
Renisha stood on the balcony where Kassius had left for quite a while.
Only Kassius could think such adorable thoughts.
The image of his twisting his small body was still vivid in her mind.
Renisha rubbed her lips, where a smile was spreading, with her finger.
In just a few hours, Kassius had transformed Renisha's mood.
Like a magician.
It was so cute how she would avert her eyes whenever he urged her to become human.
"You're like a virtuous lady..."
He also remembered him mutely licking her tongue.
Kassius didn't say anything, but Renisha had a vague sense.
When he returned to his human form, he'd probably be naked.
A virtuous lady like Kassius would have been deeply embarrassed.
Renisha and Kassius were very different people.
Renisha would have exploited this fact to tease Kassius.
Kassius, on the other hand, couldn't control his own embarrassment and curled up in hiding.
Renisha giggled.
Thanks to him, all her gloom blew away.
Thanks to Kassius.
***
Kassius called Kien and Luna over.
They had been busy communicating with the tribesmen all day.
Kassius couldn't help but feel uneasy about the empty palace he'd visited yesterday.
Renisha was alone there.
Of course, she was with Haylin, but neither of them had ever held a sword.
He felt they weren't equipped to protect themselves in an emergency.
“Luna. I have a favor to ask of you.”
Kien glanced at Luna.
Luna had a playful expression on her face.
Why Luna of all people?
“Let me hear it.”
Even though Luna knew that Kassius and she were vastly different in status, she still showed absolutely no courtesy.
Kien couldn’t understand Luna. Why was she so self-willed?
“Can you enter the palace and stay by Renisha’s side?”
“What?”
And even that composure was shattered at Renisha’s name.
“What do you mean? Why would I enter the palace? Why would I go to a place with that damned bloodline? I would never do that before the Yi clans came back alive...”
“It’s also for the Yi clans.”
Kassius cut off Luna’s complaint.
“What do you mean?”
“I staked my fate, and the fate of the tribe, on Renisha. Protecting Renisha is paramount for us. But now Renisha is alone in that vast palace. No one can protect her.”
“...Are you going to leave your woman on me now?”
“Only women can stay in the Empress’s Palace.”
Kassius said sharply.
When Kassius learned that Renisha was staying in the Empress’s Palace again, his blood boiled. He wanted to run to Laxus and snap that pretty head off.
How dare he push Renisha back there?
Only a mad Laxus could do that.
“So you want me to go to Renisha, that woman?”
Luna pointed at herself.
“Making me repeat the same thing won’t change anything.”
“Ha... I shouldn’t have followed you.”
Luna tore her hair in annoyance.
Luna glared at Kassius, who had no sense of humor.
His face was innocent and unaware of anything.
But she couldn't defy Kassius.
The leader of the tribes had submitted to Kassius.
As was their original fate, they had handed over their rights to Hisham Kassius.
That was why the tribes decided to migrate to Hiloshine, Kassius's territory.
Kassius had become Luna's new leader, so Luna had to follow his orders.
"Luna. You'll do it, right?"
Kassius asked with a blank expression. Luna gritted her teeth.
"How do you want me to enter the palace?"
"I have someone to help you with that."
"...Yes. Just go in and stay with that woman."
"Luna."
Kassius called to Luna in a low voice.
Luna, who had been tapping her toes on the floor in displeasure, glanced up.
"Don't be rude. This is your final warning."
Luna's eyes crinkled.
Luna nodded helplessly as an intangible force pressed down on her shoulders.
“...Yes! Otherwise, you can do that!”
Luna turned and left the room.
Kien sighed at the way she trudged along.
“Are you really trying to let Luna in?”
“Since she traveled all that distance with you, she must possess exceptional physical and mental abilities. And with her past as a gladiator, she must be exceptional in swordsmanship. Renisha needs someone like that. I can’t be by her side all the time. You take Luna to Turiel.”
“...Yes, Your Excellency.”
Kien hesitated for a moment before adding,
“But you really have no clue.”
“What?”
Kassius chuckled.
Why did he have to hear that now?
Kien hung his head without saying anything and left the room.
Where else could he be hiding?
Luna was no different from an untamed wildcat.
Every time she got a complaint, she would wander around and come home. She would only get sulky when she saw Kassius, but he didn't notice.
Of course, there would be no price to pay even if Kassius noticed it...
Kassius was absolutely not the type of person to give a woman other than Renisha a chance.
He didn't have the guts to do so...
Kien shuddered as he thought of Renisha.
Luna had truly chosen someone amazing as her opponent.
Kien clicked his tongue in pity and started walking in search of Luna.
"Luna! Luna! Where are you!"
It's a bit of a stretch. And now that she's gone, he's starting to get nervous again.
"I'll go to the bakery and buy you your favorite bread! Want to go get some cake? Hey!"
Kien's voice grew louder until it reached Luna's ears, hidden in the trees of the mansion.
***
Because of Isabella, who hadn't left her room for days, Hiloshine Castle was enveloped in dark clouds. The castle, which had always been lively since Renisha and Kassius arrived, was now plunged into darkness for the first time in a long time.
Brixton, standing facing the firmly closed door, sighed.
The most difficult thing in the world is dealing with Isabella.
Worrying about the kidnapped Haylin and chasing after Henry were already complicated enough, but Isabella was even more concerning.
Brixton was also new to raising a young, adolescent lady.
"...How do you think I can open that door?"
"...Are you putting the blame on me now?"
Therion stepped back.
He glared at Brixton as if he had met a formidable enemy, his expression trembling.
“If anyone saw me, they’d think I was a your mortal enemy.”
“That’s exactly what it felt like just now.”
Therion and Brixton sighed simultaneously.
The two men, who knew no door in the world could be broken, paced in front of the wooden door.
Finally, Brixton took a deep breath and knocked.
“Isabella? Isabella. Are you inside?”
“...”
“Can Dad open this door?”
Brixton asked as cautiously as he could.
“...Sob... Sob...”
And at the same time, a sob was heard.
Brixton swallowed hard and took three steps back.
Brixton’s trembling eyes met Therian’s.
“Not today either, right?”
“I guess...”
Before Therion could finish his sentence, the door that had not moved for days opened, and Isabella ran out.
The child clinging to Brixton's leg sobbed and spoke incoherently.
"Uh, is Mommy okay? What about Nanny? Is everything okay?"
Brixton's face froze in shock before he hugged the child.
The perpetrators who had attempted to kidnap Isabella had failed.
However, in the process of protecting Isabella, two victims had been lost: the nanny and Haylin.
The nanny had been stabbed in Isabella's stead, and Haylin had been captured by the Emperor.
In the end, Brixton had been unable to protect anyone.
Brixton's face twisted.
"Everything will be okay, Isabella. Dad will protect you all. I promise."
Brixton made a belated vow.
Large tears soaked the floor.
Isabella's sobs grew louder.
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