How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 70

Aisha: …!

So it was true.

She had already been almost certain, yet hearing the admission left an indescribable feeling lodged in her chest.

“But… why?” she heard herself ask, lips trembling.

Major General Wolf’s tall frame looked even more imposing with his back held straight, like a deeply rooted tree. His shoulders shifted at the question. After studying her, Les reached into his pocket and strode forward. Before Aisha could react, he stood directly before her, took her hand, and placed the white ribbon in her palm.

He still said nothing, only watched her with quiet steadiness. Aisha’s heart trembled with a trace of pain.

“You…”

“Because I fell in love with you,” Les said without hesitation, his clear blue-gray eyes fixed upon hers.

“I wanted to see you. I wanted to remain beside you, to be close to you. Not seeing you caused me pain… I am sorry.”

Even prepared for something extraordinary, Aisha had never expected that answer. His voice was level and sincere, without the slightest attempt to soften words so direct and ardent. Beneath his open gaze, her face immediately burned.

“Y-you mean…”

Aisha struggled to ignore cheeks hot enough to fry an egg and maintain a serious expression. It was not remotely convincing.

“I am very sorry,” Les repeated. “If you are willing to listen, I will explain everything. I… fell in love with you in Philray. I am deeply grateful that you saved me. Forgive me for never thanking you in person.”

Les was nervous, but not because anyone else would have found his words embarrassingly romantic. Oddly enough, he did not think he was speaking sweetly. He was merely stating his feelings, and worried that his poor command of words made them too dry to convey their full strength. His anxiety came from the uncertain outcome—and from knowing that he had given Aisha reason to be angry.

Not a single word of his confession was false.

He watched her earnestly and waited.

Every sentence heated Aisha’s ears. She tried to escape his unwavering gaze. “Do you… say things like that often?”

“No. This is the first time.” Les frowned slightly, unsure why she asked, but answered honestly.

It was the first time he had properly spoken of loving her. Until now, those thoughts had wandered through his mind in fragments, with neither order nor listener.

Aisha: …

He was far too good at it for a first attempt.

With tangled emotions, she pushed the ribbon back into his hand and retreated a step. Les immediately panicked, though Aisha was scarcely calmer.

Everything she had done before she knew the truth surged through her mind again: the endless embraces, nuzzling, dependence, and kisses. Her head seemed ready to explode. And human memory became cursedly sharp at moments like this, recovering even trivial things long forgotten.

Had she kissed a major general on the mouth on the very day they met? No, surely not. Beastfolk had beast forms, so their habits of affection must differ from human customs. At least in beast form. They had to differ a little, didn’t they?! He had not reacted strangely then!

Aisha tried not to remember how Les had initially avoided her kisses, but the details forced themselves forward. At the time, she had assumed the giant wolf simply disliked excessive closeness. The memories made her scalp prickle, yet she could never ask Major General Wolf to explain beastfolk kissing customs to his face.

What if he claimed to love her only because he felt responsible after so much intimacy?

She could not remember when he stopped avoiding her affection. The transition had been too gradual. Though from that perspective, Major General Wolf truly had been honorable at first… and perhaps had not intended to deceive her forever.

Les saw the struggle passing across her face. When she remained silent, he began to recount everything. Objective narration did not come naturally to a man of few words, and his voice was dry and stiff, but Aisha listened closely.

He told her of entering the war, being wounded, and being saved by her; the arrival of the darkfolk; learning that she was Tina Killott’s daughter and returning to Beast to avoid her; the pain of their long separation and his eventual return; accompanying her to Wold; their chance meetings, cautious tests, and slow approach—until the present.

As Les spoke, Aisha’s own memories unfolded. He emphasized his gratitude and the care with which he approached her, passing briefly over other events. But Aisha remembered those parts herself.

Les had saved her life twice: carrying her out of the darkfolk castle, and defeating the giant-fanged black wolf during the Tower of Magic entrance examination. There had also been all the help he gave her throughout Wold.

Aisha’s emotions softened. She could not deny what she had received from him. His story contained no obvious gap. Every detail connected, even explaining things she had never understood. Most importantly, he did not avoid mentioning Tina Killott. Her mother’s rank was precisely why Les first left and why he later concealed his identity.

Rationally, Aisha could find no flaw. Emotionally… she had never truly believed Major General Wolf was a bad man. Perhaps it was his clear, candid eyes, or the character he had shown throughout their time together.

Still…

She also needed to decide how to relate to this newly revealed Les.

When her silence stretched on, Les asked, “Then… your answer?”

“…My answer?”

“Yes. I told you that I love you, so I would like your answer.”

The unexpected second confession sent Aisha’s emotions surging again. Her cheeks reddened as she finally realized she stood before a suitor—a suitor she also liked.

But…

“I don’t know whether I should believe you so easily.” She looked up with pain and uncertainty. “My mother is an officer. I cannot judge your purpose carelessly. So… I cannot answer you immediately.”

“…I understand.”

Les understood her caution, though disappointment entered his voice. Her judgment was reasonable. He merely wished to regain her trust as soon as possible.

After some thought, he stepped half a pace forward, took her hand, and pressed it to his chest.

Aisha’s wrist trembled. The powerful heart hammering beneath her palm startled her.

“If you do not trust me, you may watch me constantly,” Major General Wolf said with solemn honesty. “With your permission, I will not leave your sight.”

Aisha stared into his blue-gray eyes. She already believed more than eighty percent of his story. Only confirmation remained, though it would be difficult. The method Les proposed… might actually work.

Almost in a trance, she nodded.

…

Half an hour later, Aisha sat rigidly on the edge of her bed, staring at Major General Wolf’s beast form seated on the floor.

Why did this situation feel wrong?

They had agreed that he would continue living beside her as a wolf so she could observe his conduct. It had seemed reasonable until she brought him back into her room. Now the scene felt far too familiar.

Even sitting upon her own bed made Aisha strangely uncomfortable.

Les appeared to notice nothing. He naturally resumed his old place and looked at Aisha as usual. Then his gaze fell upon her hand. He stopped.

“Aisha, that magic array on the back of your hand…”