Chapter 31
Since today was the day before the regular meeting, the palace was filled with important tasks. With so many urgent matters, I wished I had another body to handle them all.
But in the middle of everything, I had to stop my work. The magic stone in my hand vibrated.
That was why I stared at the stone and murmured.
“…Father is acting strangely?”
Kob, who rarely communicated unless it was absolutely necessary, had sent a signal. Kob, who was currently watching Father in the office.
I bit my lip and looked around. I had stepped out of the meeting hall when the stone vibrated, but the maids might find my sudden behavior strange.
Fortunately, no one was around. Only the sounds of cleaning and decorating could be heard, and silence prevailed. It seemed the atmosphere in the palace wasn’t good.
After making sure no one was watching or would disturb me, I began thinking about Kob’s signal.
I couldn’t ignore his indication that Father was acting strangely.
‘Has news of Delamont already reached Father?’
Even if it had, it wasn’t in Father’s nature to be affected enough for Kob to notice.
Then… something must have angered him.
If I knew what it was, that would be great.
Knowing it might allow me to use it to bring Father down. Every weakness had to be exploited to remove him from the position of family head.
‘But I can’t meet Kob right now…’
Because he had other tasks. After the meeting, Father would try to turn the tables by meeting Beyran or someone else.
I sighed, frowned, and gripped the stone tightly. I hoped I wouldn’t have to use that card, so my grip on the stone grew stronger.
‘Just in case, I’ll ask Kob to watch more closely. And ask him about the nature of the strangeness.’
I let out a long breath and tapped the stone. It glowed faintly. I confirmed the light, then tapped it with my fingernail.
Two light taps, then one strong one.
That was our code, Kob and me.
The two light taps meant “Watch more carefully,” and the strong one indicated “Father.”
With this, Kob would understand the signal and follow the order.
“…I should prepare a reward for Kob in advance.”
He would definitely complain about how much work he had. Then he would reluctantly take the reward in his beak and say, “I’ll do anything, my lady!” with his chest puffed out and a proud face.
To make up for my absence.
I slipped the stone back into my pocket and took a deep breath. I left Father’s weakness to Kob and returned to my tasks.
The priority now was to ensure the meeting proceeded smoothly.
I took a step toward the meeting hall, when…
“You look free.”
A low voice laced with hostility.
Instinctively, my hand brushed the dagger at my thigh, ready to deal with the silent approach.
But I quickly withdrew my hand and stared at the newcomer. I knew that voice.
In this palace, only one person had that tone.
“Kendrick…”
“…As hostile as ever. Or is it because we haven’t met in a while?”
It was Kendrick, who had boldly broken into my room through the window last night. Our first meeting since then. He looked at me with bored interest, so I frowned and sighed.
Just like back then, now too… I couldn’t sense his presence.
I thought I was good at detecting presence, but now I felt ashamed. Was I wrong, or was he just strange? I didn’t know yet.
But…
‘I told him to stay quiet.’
I hadn’t expected him to be this quiet. A person who wandered the Ginever palace at night as if it were his own home.
Since that night, it was said he had stayed in his room, taking meals there.
‘But he’s still crazy…’
Still, he was someone I could reason with, so I upgraded his title from “hopeless lunatic” to “sane lunatic.”
I didn’t respond, so Kendrick let out a short laugh and leaned against the wall.
“Are you going to stay completely silent?”
“…”
“This hurts my feelings… Do I have to be humiliated here too?”
“…I was thinking.”
“About what?”
“How to deal with you.”
We were in an open area where maids could see us. A lounge used for long meetings.
I thought—should I treat him with respect or like I did that night? That was a good excuse.
‘If he realizes I’m seeing through his obedience, this lunatic might lose it.’
Look, he’s laughing as if it’s amusing.
I missed Didier’s shy smile. He was waiting for me in the room while I dealt with this nuisance. I tapped my thigh with my fingers and spoke.
“Tell me why you came, Kendrick.”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I have no business with you.”
I frowned for a moment. Business? The only business he had here was attending the meeting. So who was he referring to?
Normally, I wouldn’t care. But the situation was different now. Every move he made affected the meeting. If there was even the slightest chance he would ruin my plan to break off the engagement…
I had to know his intentions.
“What business?”
“I don’t have to tell you.”
“…Didn’t I tell you to stay quiet?”
Kendrick slowly closed his eyes, then smiled sleepily and stepped closer, letting out a low sound like a beast.
“…Hey.”
“…”
“You’re acting like you hold my leash. Is there a reason I should obey you? Isn’t it enough that I don’t cause trouble until the meeting?”
It seems I’ve provoked him. His aura intensified. A suffocating aura that reminded me he was an instinctive beast.
It was different from the aura of an alpha wolf.
If I had to explain…
‘It instills fear, doesn’t it?’
An alpha wolf’s aura presses for loyalty, but Kendrick’s aura demanded submission. But I could endure it.
‘Compared to Father, this is a drop of blood.’
I had endured the aura of a seasoned alpha wolf for more than ten years.
I had learned from Father how to overcome and face it. An aura that sought to oppress through fear was weak and easy to overcome.
In fact…
‘It seems he hasn’t mastered it yet.’
He had wonderful potential, but he wasn’t using it efficiently—just raw anger.
‘If he polished it, he could use it well… what a shame.’
If he developed this ability, he could easily overpower Beyran. It was only a matter of time.
For Kendrick to become the head of House Regulus instead of Beyran.
‘I’m not in a position to worry about others.’
I’m the one in trouble, yet I’m worrying about someone else? I let out a long breath and looked straight into Kendrick’s eyes. I bit the inside of my mouth slightly until it bled.
That was the easiest way to overcome his aura.
To awaken myself with something stronger.
It wasn’t necessary to this extent, but certainty was better.
I blinked slowly and spoke in a low tone.
“…Kendrick, don’t forget that you’re in Ginever. As long as you’re a guest, it’s my duty to monitor all your actions.”
“Does Ginever monitor its guests?”
“Well, when necessary.”
I tilted my head slightly, raised the corner of my mouth, and spoke firmly.
“So watch your behavior carefully, Kendrick.”
Before I put a leash on you and tie you down.
