MTMLF CH 23

Chapter 23
Ella’s Circumstances

“I-I don’t know. Ella doesn’t knooow!”

Ella shook her head desperately and stepped back. But behind her was only a wall. Her small body was trapped.

‘Hmm.’

Rupert narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

He had only recently realized Ella’s true identity.

The royal family of Roengrin had a unique trait—when they changed into their human form, their hair was pure white without a single flaw. Their eye colors varied, but pink eyes were especially rare.

Though the Empire hadn’t interacted with the Roengrin Kingdom for a long time, Rupert had always kept watch on them.

After he began suffering from the danger of losing control to his beast instincts, he hadn’t been able to keep up with all news.

Still, he knew what the youngest princess of Roengrin looked like.

As a rabbit beastman with snowy white fur, he hadn’t recognized her in beast form. But once she turned human, he couldn’t mistake it.

Elena Roengrin.

The little rabbit beastman before him was none other than the youngest princess of the Roengrin Kingdom.

“Did something happen to your kingdom?”

“I-I don’t know. E-Ella doesn’t know.”

“….”

Ella shook her head wildly, covering her head with both hands.

Seeing her confused, panicked state, Rupert couldn’t press her further. He sighed and stood.

“Father, is that rabbit beastman really a princess?”

“Yes. So don’t treat her carelessly.”

“….”

Rupert looked sternly at Noah, who frowned with clear displeasure.

Noah liked to act calm for his age, but in truth, he was still only ten years old. It wasn’t surprising he wanted to pick on a timid herbivore beastman younger than himself.

But this was no ordinary girl—she was a princess. If anything went wrong, it could cause a diplomatic disaster.

“She doesn’t look much like a princess.”

“You were the same at that age.”

“Me? No way.”

Noah scowled, but Rupert only laughed.

“She seems scared of me. Until Jania comes down, you stay with her and calm her.”

“What? That’s—ah, Father!”

Rupert gave the order and left the house, his long cloak billowing.

As Noah watched his father disappear, he bit his lip and turned back. Ella was still trembling and crying against the wall.

His expression twisted in annoyance.

***

Ella’s Memories

‘Just stay quiet, Ella.’

A memory suddenly filled Ella’s mind.

Screams. Beastmen in animal form dragged by chains and ropes. Their necks caught in collars, their bodies bound.

Ella froze in horror at the sight. Then her older brother yanked her outside, speaking in a sharp, angry voice.

‘If we don’t do this, they’ll come for us instead!’

“U-uh…”

His terrifying expression, so unlike the brother she knew, made her unable to speak.

She didn’t understand. What was happening? Why were beastmen being treated like that?

She was too young to grasp the meaning, but instinctively she knew—it was wrong.

‘Ella, promise me. Forget what you saw.’

‘B-but…’

‘Ella!’

“Ugh—”

His red, furious eyes glared down at her.

His hands clamped painfully on her shoulders. Ella whimpered in fear.

‘We have no choice but to sell out our own kind! Otherwise, we’ll all be hunted down!’

‘…!’

Sell out… our kind? Hunted?

The words whirled in her head. She had only wandered outside the palace out of curiosity, and this is what she saw.

Confusion and terror consumed her.

‘Understand? If you ever speak of this, I won’t forgive you.’

“…ugh.”

‘So stay quiet, Ella.’

“….”

After that warning, her brother shoved her back into the palace. Terrified, Ella shifted back to her rabbit form.

For a while, she stayed frozen in shock.

Then slowly she started moving again, desperate to get away from there.

She ran and ran—until she crashed into something.

‘What’s this?’

‘…!’

A large man frowned down at her. He grabbed the small rabbit and lifted her up with one hand.

‘Did this one escape from the cage?’

“Kkiii, kkiiik.”

‘Those fools are so slow.’

Clicking his tongue, the man tossed her into a cage. Ella panicked, kicking at the bars, but once the door shut, she could do nothing.

After that, her memory blurred. When she came to, the first thing she saw was a kind woman—Jania.

***

“D-don’t know… anything… hic…”

Maybe it was because of that trauma.

Whenever she tried to recall those events, Ella spiraled into panic.

Shaking violently, she sobbed. Noah, taken aback, didn’t know what to do.

“W-what? Why are you crying like this?”

In Noah’s eyes, she was overreacting just because Rupert had scolded her.

Of course, Rupert was frightening even to other predator beastmen, but still—it seemed too much.

“Um, hey.”

He hesitated. She was a princess, so he should speak politely. But she had left such a poor impression on him that he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

With a sulky expression, he muttered:

“Why are you crying? Stop already.”

“Go away.”

“I was trying to help!”

Her little hands shoved him away. Noah almost snapped, but then remembered his father’s orders.

He had to watch over this rabbit princess until Jania came downstairs.

‘What a nuisance.’

At House Ferdinand, the ruling predator family, Noah was always treated like a treasure. And now he was stuck babysitting some herbivore princess.

He hated it.

Still, he reluctantly pulled out a handkerchief and shoved it at her.

“Wipe your face. You look gross.”

“….”

Ella slowly lifted her head, trembling. In front of her was the scary wolf beastman. Her eyes burned with sudden anger.

Just moments ago, she had been sobbing, but now she bristled, glaring at him fiercely.

“No need!”

“What?”

“Go away! I said gooo!”

“You little—”

Smack! Ella slapped his hand away, knocking the handkerchief to the floor.

Noah growled, baring his sharp teeth.

“You brat—”

“Haam, what’s all this noise?”

“Ah…!”

Tap, tap.

Soft footsteps came from the stairs. Noah froze and turned.

Jania, awakened by the commotion, was slowly coming down.

“You two again?”

“Jania, I-I didn’t do anything!”

Jania’s eyes widened as she looked at the scene.

Ella stood against the wall, pink eyes overflowing with tears. Noah looked guilty, clearly caught.

It was obvious they had clashed again.

“Jeeenyaaa!”

“Ella.”

Ella burst into fresh tears and threw herself into Jania’s arms. Her small body clung tightly to her.

“Ella, what’s wrong? Hmm? Did something happen?”

“Jeeenyaaa…”

Ella only cried harder.

The truth was, Noah wasn’t the main reason. Her memories of the kingdom always left her shaken.

This time, too, she had simply broken down—then calmed only after seeing Jania.

But Jania didn’t know that. From her perspective, it seemed Ella had cried because of Noah.

“No, Jania, I swear I didn’t do anything—”

“….”

But Jania remembered Noah’s sharp words from earlier.

If Ella didn’t want to return to her kingdom, Jania would have to look after her for the time being.

But if she and Noah kept fighting, that would be a problem.

So Jania said firmly:

“Lord Noah, did you hear the news? I am going to marry His Grace the Duke.”

“No… I hadn’t heard.”

Rupert had left without saying anything beyond ordering him to watch Ella, so Noah hadn’t known.

But the news brightened his face immediately.

Ella, seeing him smile, also smiled faintly.

“I really dislike predator beastmen who mistreat herbivores.”

“…What?”

“So I trust you’ll be kind to Ella from now on.”

“….”

Noah glanced at Ella clinging to Jania.

His expression darkened.

This was going to be annoying.

Keeping his face blank, he clicked his tongue inwardly.