Chapter 8
Lord Serge?!
The husband who had skipped dinner claiming to be ill had suddenly appeared.
“W-Why are you here…?”
Apparently, Rayleigh wasn’t the only one caught off guard. Even Walter muttered the question without thinking.
“Bark! Bark!”
The fox cub barked again.
Looking more closely, Rayleigh noticed a handkerchief lying at his feet.
It seemed he had carried it all the way here in his mouth before dropping it and barking to announce his presence.
“Ah… You’re the little puppy I met earlier.”
Relieved, Rayleigh naturally resumed her act of pretending not to know the truth.
“Are you feeling better? Did you come to return my handkerchief?”
“Bark! Bark!”
Since beastfolk healed quickly, he was probably completely fine by now.
She didn’t know why he’d gone to the trouble of bringing the handkerchief all the way here, but she crouched down to pick it up.
Hm?
The moment she lifted the handkerchief…
Something rolled out from inside it.
“This is…”
It was a rough, spherical stone about the size of two finger joints.
A mineral glowing with intertwined streaks of red and goldâ
A Core Ruby.
“W-What? Why is this…?”
“It seems he’s giving it to you as a gift, my daughter-in-law. He’s a clever little fellow.”
Watching from beside her, Walter explained with an amused smile.
A Core Ruby of this size was worth roughly half a year’s living expenses for a middle-class family.
Receiving something so valuable simply because she’d wrapped a handkerchief around his injured leg was far too generous.
“But… Core Rubies don’t just lie around on the roadside. Didn’t he bring this from somewhere inside the estate? I don’t think I should accept it…”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. As head of the family, I give my permission.”
“…Thank you.”
Rayleigh hesitantly thanked her father-in-law.
The fox immediately barked.
It was almost as if he were protesting,
I’m the one who gave it to you. Why are you thanking Father instead?
Only then did Rayleigh realize her mistake.
“Oh… thank you. I’ll treasure it.”
“Bark, bark.”
She could certainly exchange it for money someday and use it as part of her escape fund.
But she wasn’t heartless enough to sell the first gift her husband had ever given her.
Filled with gratitude, she gently stroked the fox cub’s head.
Only afterward did she realize she’d been treating him exactly like an ordinary puppy.
Oops…
Surprisingly, however, the little fox obediently leaned into her hand, allowing her to pet him while emitting a soft, rumbling purr.
Unlike when he was humanâwhere he was painfully shyâ
He seemed unexpectedly affectionate in animal form.
Watching him behave so adorably…
It was hard to believe this was the same person the original novel described as eventually descending into madness and committing massacres.
To continue playing her role, Rayleigh turned to Walter.
“Does your family keep this little puppy as a pet?”
“Hmm… not exactly. We don’t really raise him. We simply don’t stop him from wandering in and out of the estate, much like a stray cat.”
“I see.”
It was probably just a convenient excuse.
After all, claiming they officially kept him would be difficult to reconcile with the fact that he appeared and disappeared whenever he pleased.
“Does he have a name?”
“Since he isn’t officially ours, we’ve never given him one.”
Walter smiled.
“If you’d like, why don’t you name him yourself?”
Rayleigh looked down at her husband, who was happily rubbing his head against her hand.
Assuming she had absolutely no idea he was actually a human…
“…Blackie?”
“…”
“…”
Both her father-in-law and her husband fell silent at the same time.
“It’s nice to meet you, Blackie.”
“…”
Apparently, he disliked the name so much that he didn’t even bark in response.
To be fair…
It wasn’t exactly a dignified name for the heir to a ducal house.
But he’s supposed to be an animal!
If she gave him a proper human name, she might accidentally confuse it with her husband’s.
Something obviously pet-like seemed much safer.
Having unwillingly acquired the name “Blackie,” the fox cub turned away from her with a huff, as though sulking.
“Oh? Are you leaving?”
“Bark.”
“See you again, Blackie.”
“…Kyaaang.”
Letting out one long, dissatisfied whine, Blackie scampered away.
Even though he seemed offended…
His fluffy tail still swayed adorably behind him.
“He’s usually rather picky, but he seems to have taken quite a liking to you, my daughter-in-law.”
“I-I don’t know… He looked injured earlier today, so I just helped him a little…”
“Well, if you happen to see him again from time to time, be kind to him.”
“…I will.”
Watching her father-in-law chuckle warmly, Rayleigh sighed inwardly.
His identity absolutely can’t be discovered… but is it really okay for the heir to be this careless?
Now that she’d even given him a name…
She had a feeling she would be seeing her fox-shaped husband much more often.
Late that night.
Walter stood alone on the moonlit terrace, gazing out over the garden.
In the tranquil silence, a black shadow emerged from the darkness at the edge of the terrace.
Without showing the slightest surprise, Walter glanced in that direction.
“What brings you here so late?”
“I figured it would be better to settle things tonight than get interrogated by you tomorrow morning.”
The boy remained hidden in the shadows, visible only as a faint silhouette.
Walter let out a snort.
“So it’s my duty as your father to scold my son for carelessly revealing his fox form.”
“…”
“And I hear you even did it during the day. Quite an impressive performance for your very first day.”
“You should be talking about yourself.”
“You were far too unguarded around her.”
“Unguarded?”
“There was no reason to bring up Mother’s story.”
“…”
Walter remained silent for a moment before replying.
“…It was only a warning.”
“It sounded rather emotional for a mere warning.”
“…”
“Honestly, it’s pathetic that you still haven’t moved on from Mother.”
“Enough.”
Walter’s pupils narrowed into vertical slits.
An overwhelming wave of beastfolk pheromones spread through the air.
The atmosphere instantly turned icy.
Serge fell silent.
Not because he intended to obey…
But because continuing the argument would simply be exhausting.
“Enough pointless talk.”
Walter sighed.
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t skip breakfast tomorrow as well. Don’t you think our daughter-in-law would find it strange?”
“I doubt I’ll transform again by then.”
“More importantly…”
“…?”
“Are you planning to sit with us for breakfast tomorrow too?”
“Of course. We’ll eat together.”
“From her perspective, having to deal with her father-in-law every meal must be exhausting.”
“You should know when to give people some space.”
“…”
Walter blinked before laughing quietly.
“Perhaps we won’t have to send her away after all.”
“You seem rather fond of her yourself.”
“There’s no need to send her away.”
“But I’m not particularly fond of her.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
With a bored motion, Serge brushed back his bangs.
The golden eyes hidden behind them gleamed sharply.
“You know how I feel.”
“I dislike humans.”
“They’re troublesome.”
“…”
“Starting with Mother…”
“I’ve never had much reason to like them.”
The cynical expression on his face looked remarkably like Walter’s own.
“I don’t feel uncomfortable being around her.”
“That’s enough.”
“As for appearing in front of her earlier…”
“I simply dislike owing people favors.”
“I was only paying back the debt.”
“…”
“And the comment about breakfast…”
“I only made it because I don’t particularly want to stare at your face while eating.”
“I see.”
Walter slowly shook his head, looking as though he’d given up trying to reason with his son.
“At this rate…”
“Our daughter-in-law may grow tired of you and run away first.”
“If that happens…”
“As we agreed…”
“Let her go.”
“I have no need for a mate.”
“And as we agreed…”
Walter replied quietly,
“Don’t bully our daughter-in-law.”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Leaving only those brief words behind…
Serge disappeared once more into the darkness.
Walter let out a deep sigh.
When the family had decided to bring in a temporary daughter-in-law according to tradition…
It had been Serge who proposed the arrangement.
He didn’t want a lifelong mate.
If the girl eventually decided she hated the family and wished to leave…
Then that would simply be the end of it.
In truth…
That had been one of the reasons Walter chose Rayleigh Bitence.
To put it more bluntly…
The less appealing it was for her to return to her birth family…
The more likely she would be to endure such an impossibly difficult husband and remain with the House of Elestain.
Walter understood why his son felt the way he did.
Yet…
His heart still ached.
Serge’s mother had betrayed the family before dying.
Afterward…
Walter himself had fallen into such despair that, for a long time, he had failed to care properly for his son.
It was only natural that Serge had grown to resent humanity.
“…I can never forgive you.”
“Rima.”
He murmured the name softly as he covered his face with one hand.
As though trying to tear away the lingering image of his wife…
An image that clung to him no matter how desperately he wished to erase it.
The following morning.
Rayleigh had only just awakened early…
When completely unexpected news arrived.
