CFT 89

Chapter 89

When he woke up from a long nap and was eating a delicious breakfast while lying on Liana’s lap, Leon’s mood couldn’t have been better.

That was thanks to the news he had heard from the palace animals about what had happened yesterday between Ianharte and Liana.

Up until then, he had been certain that something must have progressed between the two…!

<Progress, my tail.>

Well, on one side there had been progress.

For some reason, Ianharte had started looking at Liana differently than usual.

The problem was that Liana had drawn the strangest conclusion about the reason for Ianharte’s change.

<No matter who looks at it, it’s obvious that Lu is interested in Liana!>

Leon slammed his thick forepaw on the ground in frustration.

Lu was not the type of man to act all sweet and clingy just because they had some contract!

And yet, tragically, Liana didn’t realize that.

<…Or maybe Lu doesn’t have any charm as a man? Well, his personality’s a little stiff, but even so, he’s handsome enough that among humans he’d easily be considered the most good-looking…>

At that point, Leon was practically digging himself into a hole while analyzing Ianharte’s charm.

“…Gasp.”

Startling the passersby, he rolled around on the ground in frustration for quite some time.

<This won’t do. I need help.>

Finally making up his mind, Leon decided to seek out the smartest human in the imperial palace.

He sprang to his feet and stretched out his long legs, racing off to his destination.

“Lord Leon, you’re currently stepping on my documents…”

It was Berinian’s office.

About thirty minutes earlier.

“Berinian.”

“…”

“Could you at least answer me…?”

“I’m busy.”

The curt reply, thrown out without even a glance, made Kion click his tongue in annoyance.

Sure, everyone knew the Empire’s sole Prime Minister was busy, but couldn’t he at least spare a word for his only friend?

He had been this cold and distant since their Academy days.

But even someone as aloof as Berinian would raise his head at Kion’s next words.

“Well, just hear me out. I think our lord might actually have feelings for Her Highness. Romantic feelings, I mean.”

“…What?”

At that subtle remark, Berinian finally lifted his gaze from the documents he had been glued to.

Bingo.

A moment ago he hadn’t even pretended to listen, but now…

Kion gave him a look of disbelief, but Berinian, who had long since mastered the art of keeping a straight face as befitted a statesman, only gestured with his eyes for him to continue.

Shaking his head at his friend’s antics, Kion nonetheless began to explain.

“Yesterday was the day of Her Highness’s knight selection, right?”

And with that, he recounted in simple terms the odd behaviors Ianharte had shown the previous day.

Since he had been shadowing and guarding Ianharte, he hadn’t seen everything, but he had witnessed enough—

The way Ianharte had stared blankly at the princess’s smile, how he had reached out as if to touch her but instead pretended to straighten her clothes, how his tone of voice had suddenly become sweet enough to give chills.

“All based on experience, I’d say it’s a hundred percent sure,” Kion concluded.

Berinian pushed up his monocle and smiled warmly.

“…That’s good.”

So that was why his lord had been distracted yesterday, constantly glancing out the window.

Berinian had always hoped someone would come into Ianharte’s life, someone who could share his burdens.

He had plenty of loyal followers—Berinian himself, Kion, the Shadows, and the Belrum Knights—but they were all just faithful retainers. They weren’t companions who could share his heart.

To the world, Ianharte Lu Belnerum was a strong sovereign, but beneath all that strength were scars and loneliness.

The kind of things everyone avoided mentioning now, remnants of a past best left unspoken…

And then—

Bang, bang!

The window behind Berinian rattled loudly, signaling the arrival of someone who clearly hadn’t used the door.

“…Lord Leon?”

Blinking at the sight of the great beast perched elegantly on the second-story windowsill, Berinian sighed and stood up.

“Why must you always ignore the perfectly good door?”

“Cats are supposed to be unpredictable, that’s their charm,” Kion quipped.

Berinian shot him a withering glare before unlocking the window.

Thud.

With fluid grace, the great black panther slipped inside and landed soundlessly in the office.

Claiming the long sofa—immaculate, of course, in line with Berinian’s fastidious nature—Leon stretched out and leisurely began grooming his paws.

“It’s been a while, Lord Leon.”

<…>

“Would you like a snack? This is beef jerky made by my chef—it’s really good.”

Leon had ignored Kion’s chatter until then, but at the mention of jerky, he finally cast him a sidelong glance.

Kion, who was notoriously disliked by animals, grinned like a fool just for being acknowledged. He quickly pulled the jerky from his pocket and placed it politely in front of Leon.

After finishing the jerky and a round of grooming, Leon gave a low, rumbling cough before finally speaking.

<So, I need your help with something.>

“…You mean us?”

<Yeah. It’s about… human relationships. But since I’m a mighty divine beast, I’m not really skilled in that area.>

Berinian and Kion exchanged looks, their expressions turning odd.

They already had a strong hunch about what this was going to be about.

After all, there were only two people in the palace whose relationship could worry Leon enough to come here.

The very same two they themselves had just been discussing.

‘…Looks like we’re right.’

‘Definitely.’

The two men straightened their postures. If their guess was correct, then this conversation might prove even more useful than they thought.

“Please, go ahead, Lord Leon.”

<But this is top secret. You can’t tell anyone. Absolutely confidential.>

At his warning, Berinian and Kion nodded obediently.

And indeed, Leon’s following words matched their expectations precisely.

The divine beast, the Prime Minister, and the Knight Commander of Belrum, huddled together in strict secrecy, discussing—

<So basically, I just want the two of them to hurry up and become a real couple. Honestly, it doesn’t seem like either of them is completely indifferent.>

“Ha! Lord Leon, you really do understand these things!”

“I agree entirely.”

—what could be done to make Lu and Liana a true pair.

The serious atmosphere didn’t last too long, though.

After asking the two men a few questions, Leon declared he got the gist of it and brought the meeting to a close.

Stretching his forelegs like a cat waking from a nap, Leon’s golden eyes turned to Kion.

<Where’s Lu?>

“If you mean our lord, he’s at the pond right now. He dismissed everyone, so he’s probably alone.”

The “pond” Kion mentioned was a quiet, secluded one—what the two of them privately called the bizarre pond.

Ianharte sometimes spent entire days there, usually when he had something weighing heavily on his mind.

On such days, even Belrum and the Shadows would retreat. That was why Kion had the free time now to sit and talk with Berinian.

<Got it. Then I’ll be off.>

Leaving only those brief words behind, Leon leapt out the same way he came—straight through the window.

Berinian didn’t even bat an eye at the sight, clearly used to it by now. Only Kion sighed in disappointment, having hoped today might finally be the day he got to pet Leon.

They couldn’t help but wonder what kind of scheme Leon would try to “make them see each other more often,” but that would reveal itself soon enough.

The scratching of a fountain pen against parchment filled the office once more.

Kion, slumped lazily against the sofa, turned his head slightly to look at his friend.

“Berinian.”

“What.”

“Why do you think Lord Leon wants our lord and the princess to end up together so badly?”

“Probably for the same reasons we do.”

Berinian, back to his usual indifferent expression, glanced down at his documents and answered flatly.

“…Is that so?”

“Remember, Lord Leon shares His Majesty’s emotions. He must know things we don’t.”

“Hm. True enough.”

Kion nodded in agreement.

Even after serving their lord for over a decade, neither of them fully understood Ianharte’s inner self.

He was not the type to reveal everything, and besides, most of his most terrible experiences had happened long before they ever met him.

They knew some parts of his past, but it was just a fraction of the whole.

“…Whatever the case, I like how our lord is now. He seems to have found a bit of joy in living.”

At Kion’s murmured words, Berinian silently agreed.