"That will never happen."
She said firmly.
But Barcas could see that she wasn't sure of it. A hint of bravado was visible beneath her confident smile.
It occurred to him that perhaps she, too, was uneasy about the aggression of dire wolves.
'...It would be a good idea to prepare a magical tool for capturing monsters in case they run wild.'
In principle, a monster that attacked a human should be disposed of on the spot, but he was concerned that Thalia would be shocked by the sight. Even if the moment came when he had to use force against the dire wolf, he felt he should firmly instruct his subordinates to prioritize capturing it alive.
He sighed wearily and leaned back from the window.
"Then, I will convey my decision to the vassals."
“Do you want to go right now?”
As he walked towards the door, Barcas stopped dead in his tracks and looked down at her.
Thalia muttered awkwardly, playing with her long, damp hair.
"You just got back. I thought you should take a break first..."
He squinted his eyes, overcome with doubt.
She was a woman who suffered simply by being in the same space as him. Despite his frequent visits to the castle over the past two years, she consistently avoided him. So why did she suddenly change her attitude?
"...As Your Highness said, I have just returned and have much to attend to. Unfortunately, I think I should take some time to rest."
A fleeting hint of disappointment crossed her face. She twisted the corners of her mouth as if to hide it, then blurted out in a cheerful tone.
"Oh, really? Then go ahead."
He hesitated for a moment, then pulled the doorknob. Then, a massive gray wolf, standing guard like a sentinel, filled his vision.
The beast, which had been glaring at him with its gleaming blue eyes, seemed to be upset at being separated from its master, and roughly forced its way through the open door.
Barcas, who was pushed by the heavy body, frowned and glared at the wolf.
The dire wolf crossed the Grand Duke's bedroom as if it were its own home and sat down beside Thalia. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she watched the wolf.
The woman, who was hugging the beast with both arms, its tail wagging, right next to her, buried her face in the nape of its neck.
Barcas, who had been standing still and watching the scene, soon closed the door.
***
"Your Excellency is too kind to Her Highness the Grand Duchess."
Barcas, who was sitting in the highest seat of the synagogue and looking over the petitions, raised his head and looked at the elder sitting on his left.
The stubborn-looking man, now in his fifties, was acting as a judge, mediating various legal disputes that had arisen in Kalmor.
He wiped his dwarven monocle with a handkerchief and let out a heavy sigh.
"I've been ignoring the many unfortunate incidents that have befallen Her Highness the Grand Duchess, but I can't tolerate her reckless behavior forever. That wolf has caused anxiety in many within the castle, and it's also causing unnecessary friction with the religious order."
"I plan to have a meeting with the high priest soon. I will personally resolve the conflict with the church, so please do not bring up this matter any further."
"However..."
"Since when have the men of the Sheerkhan family become so timid? To make such a fuss over a mere wolf."
As Barcas hurled a bundle of petitions onto the conference table, his voice was irritated. The heads of the families filling the hall hardened their faces.
One of them said with a look of displeasure.
"Your Excellency, all of us here are believers of the Imperial Church who have undergone two baptisms. According to the doctrine, aren't monsters creatures created by the devil to harm humans? It is damaging to the authority of the Grand Duke's family for Her Highness, who should be an example to all Easterners, to bring along such an evil creature..."
"As far as I know, you had three illegitimate children from three different women."
The man's face turned bright red at his remark.
Barcas sighed in exhaustion.
"Do I really need to bring this up? I guarantee you, no one here has ever lived by the doctrine. So, let's stop nitpicking and nitpicking each other's shortcomings."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
"If you'll overlook my wife's minor antics, I'll cover up yours. Isn't it the duty of family to cover up for each other's shortcomings?"
Barcas, who had been carefully examining the faces of the vassals surrounding the long name, added in a somewhat softened tone.
The faces of the vassals became tense, as if they sensed the subtle threat contained in those words.
They briefly glanced at each other before abruptly changing the subject to the next. It seemed they didn't want to risk exposing all their vulnerabilities because of a single wolf.
Barcas stood up after stamping his seal on several amendments to the law.
As he was leaving the synagogue, Lucas, who had followed him, spoke to him in a stern tone.
"Are you really going to leave that beast like this?"
"Don't make me say it twice."
"Hell, I'm worried about my sister-in-law."
Barcas stopped walking and looked back at him. The man hurriedly changed his address.
"I'm saying this because I'm worried about my sister-in-law. I don't know what convinced you, but that beast is dangerous. I'm sure it'll cause you big trouble someday."
"When that time comes, I'll take responsibility and clean up the mess. Don't hang on any longer. This is an order."
The man's mouth was tightly shut at the cold words.
He turned and started walking down the long hallway.
At that moment, a faint laughter was heard from outside the window.
Barcas, who had turned his head absentmindedly, stopped in his tracks when he saw her sitting on a long marble chair.
As always, the massive beast stood proudly beside Thalia. It seemed as if it had just wandered through the garden, its furry body covered in bosoms and flower petals. It dropped something it had been blowing on her lap.
Barcas frowned when he saw that it was a bouquet of flowers.
She happily embraced the bouquet, its stems crushed and its petals disheveled from the teeth he'd bitten. As he gazed blankly down at the sight, Lucas, who had come near him, muttered incredulously.
"That clever guy only pretends to be docile in front of his master. In fact, he is very violent."
"Lucas."
He cut his brother off firmly.
"They say that the wolf only shows his teeth to protect my wife. Do you ever pose a danger to her?"
His younger brother waved his hand with a bewildered look on his face.
"That's never happened! Of course, there are times when we argue, but that's because I'm worried about my sister-in-law."
"I guess you'd better stay away from her from now on."
He said it like this.
"Then that wolf won't show any aggression towards you."
His younger brother blushed and bit his lip.
Barcas, who had been looking at the scene with eyes as cold as lead, turned around and started walking again.
***
After touring Kalmor all afternoon, Barcas returned and locked himself in his study, writing a letter to Darren.
Since the conservative nobles have decided to lead the talks, the possibility of problems arising is low, but it's still best to be prepared.
He wrote a note ordering them to remain vigilant against Duke Heimdall until the meeting was over, to prevent any untoward incidents, then poured wax and stamped his seal.
Then someone knocked on the door.
“What happened?”
"Excuse me. I have come at the direction of Her Highness the Grand Duchess."
Barcas, who had been looking puzzled, soon gave permission to come in.
Soon after, a healer in flowing robes cautiously opened the door and entered.
"It's been a long time, Your Excellency. I'm truly grateful for your safe return."
"That's enough. Tell me why you came."
A woman with a nervous expression and pursed lips approached the desk and placed a small glass bottle on it.
"Her Highness the Grand Duchess asked me to pass this on to you. It is a special reagent made from the essence of the spirit."
Barcas, who had been looking down at it with narrowed eyes, turned his gaze to the healer's face.
"She told you to give it to me?"
"Yes, Your Excellency, I heard that you have been working nonstop since you returned to the castle... and she's very worried."
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