Eve's tail wagged violently once again. Her mind was filled with things that could not be explained in words.
"I, I see!"
"So, it seems that the practice Eve mentioned yesterday will be very much needed."
Noelier said that and bowed his head again.
It was when he was about to leave his mark on the nape of her neck, which was heavy with a sweet scent.
"Noel, wait a moment. I have something to ask you."
Eve stopped Noelier's actions. Although a deep sense of regret lingered, Noelier obediently straightened his posture.
"Yes. What is the reason?"
"Um, about the restraints."
Eve gestured toward the restraint around his neck.
"I understand that staying like this reduces Noelier's fever. But if you imprint with me, it will be more stable than this."
Eve cupped Noelier's cheek. He buried his face in Eve's hand and closed his eyes as if finding peace.
"So, what I mean is, uh, I guess I am that wolf, the wolf that stole the heart..."
She squeezed her eyes shut. Seeing her terrified expression, Noelier lightly kissed Eve's palm.
"You don't have to say anything. It is already in the past, and Eve said you would stay by my side."
Noelier hugged the terrified Eve tightly. It was as if he were telling her that everything would be alright. The reassured Eve spoke again.
"To be sure, we need an imprint. The key... do you really not know where it is? Isn't there any clue?"
"..."
Noelier, who had been hesitating, shook his head.
“Actually... I know.”
"What? Where is it? Bring it right now."
As Eve stood up as if it were her own business, Noelier quickly grabbed her waist and held her in his arms.
"It's no use. It's not here."
"This place? Then is it in a different region? Surely not the North?"
Noelier shook his head. He hesitated, rubbing his forehead against her shoulder, then slowly opened his mouth.
"...I'm not certain, but it seems likely that it is in the human world."
"What? The human world?"
Eve was startled. Why could the key to the restraints be there?
"Interaction between the Beast World and the Human World has been severed since that incident. Are you aware of that?"
"..."
It was a war caused by wolves. Eve shivered and nodded. Noelier pressed his lips against her shoulder soothingly.
"Before the severance, the First Leader and the King of the Human World made a promise. As you know, the First Leader was a man of benevolent nature. Since a war broke out because of him, he must have felt a sense of guilt. Therefore, the First Leader swore to God that if such an event were to happen again, he would put this around his own neck. I heard that the King of the Human World was the witness to that promise."
In that case, there was a high probability that the King of the Human World possessed it.
No matter how much magic he knew how to use, the King was human.
Since he couldn't defeat the dragon's power, he must have wanted to keep it safe for himself.
"Okay."
Eve nodded with a serious expression.
Now that the explanation was over, he supposed it was okay to hold her again. Thinking that, he was about to bury his face in her neck again when Eve suddenly sat up.
"Noel."
"... Yes?"
“I have to go.”
At this very moment, Eve was burning with tremendous fighting spirit.
To imprint, she had to remove that restraint.
If it is with the human King, she just needs to ask for it back. She can tell him that since she's his companion and can control him, he will not threaten the human world.
However, Noelier seemed to think differently. Biting his red lips as if hesitating, he muttered quietly.
"...I am a coward."
"Why?"
"I wish Eve hadn't gone there."
"Why... ah. No way?"
Eve had asked Noelier how to get to the human world. So, it seemed like he was worried about what would happen if Eve left for the human world.
"Noel, I won't leave your side."
Eve kissed Noelier's cheek. Even while holding her in such a suffocating embrace, he seemed constantly anxious.
“I promise.”
As Eve spoke emphatically, word by word, as if making a declaration, it felt as though the anxiety in his heart was dissipating, at least a little. It took Noelier a long time before he finally nodded.
"...Actually, there is something I haven't been able to tell Eve."
It was when Noelier was about to move his lips.
Knock knock.
“Sister?”
Rachel's voice was heard along with the sound of a knock.
Gasp! Eve shivered.
Her ears and tail were still exposed. However, no matter how hard she tried, they could not be hidden.
"It's... it's Rachel! What should I do?"
"It's alright. Eve, Rachel is..."
"It would be a disaster if Rachel saw this! No, but still, it will be revealed later… No. But...!"
Eve seemed unable to hear Noelier. In the meantime, Rachel knocked on the door, urging her on, "Sister?"
"Ugh." Eve was flustered, unable to do anything.
She needed to explain various things, but the priority was to calm her anxiety first.
Noelier wrapped her in the blanket and held her close as if to protect her.
"It should be fine if you do this."
Eve nodded with a trembling heart at the low, whispering voice. Her heart pounded loudly with a violent sound.
"Come in.”
At Noelier's words, the door opened.
The sound of people running, as if they had been waiting, suddenly stopped.
"..."
Then silence fell. Neither Noelier nor Rachel said a word.
'Why is that? Could it be because of the tail?'
However, the well-hidden tail was gently tickling Eve's nose.
Meanwhile, Noelier held Eve even tighter as if to soothe her, placing his index finger against her lips.
Rachel, who had been only blinking her eyes, tilted her head and mouthed the question.
'What's wrong, sister?'
'She's sleeping.'
That's strange. I definitely heard voices.
Besides, why is my brother taking off his clothes like that?
Rachel, who had been racking her brain, glared.
'Hmph. I'm jealous.'
She wanted to step in between them, but she didn't want to wake her sister, who was sleeping soundly.
She can't do it.
'I'll be back later. Tell her to sleep well.'
Rachel mouthed her regards and left the room.
Zion, who had been waiting outside the door with only his head peeking in, scurried after Rachel.
Eve peeked her head up only after hearing the sound of the door closing.
"...Did she go?”
"Yes."
Noelier nodded. As Eve let out a sigh of relief, her tail also sank down with a soft puff.
"I need to find a way to explain it well so Rachel won't be surprised."
“It’ll be okay.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Definitely.”
With conviction, Noelier embraced Eve. For as long as he existed, there would be no one anywhere in this world who would deny Eve.
***
Bang!
The King, seated at the highest point of the castle, struck the gold-covered chair. Crack, a crack appeared in the chair. The attendants flinched at the tremendous force.
"Say that again. What did you say?"
The terrified servant hesitated and continued speaking.
"Men... Mentira... So, the fake mermaid's lies have been fully exposed. A real mermaid has now taken over the leadership, and it is said that they are slowly retracing the events that went astray."
Ha.
The King let out a hollow laugh.
His anger was growing deeper. Crackling, the sound of sparks flying came from somewhere.
Fearing that he might cause an even bigger accident at this rate, the attendant quickly continued speaking.
"And it is said that the one who uncovered the whole truth is the Southern leader's companion."
“...Companion?”
"Yes. I heard that the companion has broken the Siren's brainwashing. I heard that a blue light appeared."
A blue light. The King's gaze turned to the wrinkled palm. His throat trembled slowly.
It felt as if the voice of the dragon that had come looking for him was ringing in his ears.
"...No, that can't be true."
There's no way that dragon's words are true...
The King's face darkened.
"...Bring it."
The King opened his mouth after a long while.
"Bring that companion, respectfully."
Watery, sad eyes were revealed.
The startled servants bowed and hurriedly left the place.
He gazed intently at the empty, hollow hall, then shifted his eyes toward an old photograph placed beside him.
Looking at the faded photograph, where only a faint image remained, he muttered in a hollow voice.
"There's no way you're dead..."
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