How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 72

More than half a year had passed since Aisha left her homeland to study. She departed Ryan in spring. Summer and autumn had gone, and winter arrived almost before she noticed. Once Tina and Hock finished dealing with the darkfolk, their duties eased. It was only natural that waiting endlessly without seeing their daughter made them miss her.

Aisha missed them too. But Eric’s instruction was strict and demanding, while freshmen attending general lectures found leave difficult to obtain. When those lectures finally ended, Eric announced the exchange in Helman and disrupted her plans again. She had intended to visit home while Micks brought her closer, but just before departure, the matter of Major General Wolf delayed her once more. Before she found another date, Tina’s letter arrived urging her home.

Eric had hinted before leaving that Aisha could visit. Her healing studies had reached a pause, while she understood little of the advanced magical exchanges and mostly recorded them for future study. This truly was a good time.

And regarding Les… she ought to ask her mother directly.

Having decided, Aisha smiled. “I’m going home for a while. If my professor agrees, I’ll leave soon.”

“…I see.”

Thorne looked startled, then resumed playing with his quill.

“When will you return?”

“I haven’t decided. Other Tower students usually take about two months when they go home. If Professor has no objection, I think I’ll take two months as well.”

“…That’s long. The alarm spell will fail at that distance, and I couldn’t reach you quickly.”

“Should we cancel it?”

“…No. On the road to Ryan, you’ll still be able to contact me. Once home, though, find someone else as your contact.”

Aisha heard the concern beneath his restrained impatience and smiled. “All right. Thank you.”

“…You’re welcome.”

When Thorne returned his attention to the lecture, Aisha sighed softly and lowered her eyes.

She honestly did not understand her feelings toward Major General Wolf anymore. They could hardly be anything but complicated. He had remained beside her in that form for so long—and then confessed his love.

If her mother believed Les had followed her for no political purpose and truly was only courting her… what would she do?

Remembering his confession made Aisha’s grip on her quill tremble, and her ears heated again. She forced herself to listen to the elderly mage.

…

Aisha’s request was reasonable. Eric knew the recent exchanges exceeded her level and offered little to a gifted mage, so he approved without hesitation.

Les promptly concluded the diplomatic duties he had already been winding down after several weeks in Micks and prepared to follow her to Ryan. One difficulty remained.

“Rest assured. I can tell the Federation you remain here, though not for too long.”

When Les came to explain, Queen Louisa somehow understood before he spoke and considerately proposed the solution herself, leaving him baffled.

“Ryan will be different from Micks. Aisha will return to her family home, won’t she? If you conduct diplomatic work while also staying beside her as a wolf, your identity will certainly be exposed. Better to handle one matter at a time. Of course, once this period ends, you may have to separate for a while.”

Louisa’s pale golden eyes curved with a meaningful smile, as though everything lay within her expectations.

“…I am prepared,” Les said.

For now, separation was not his greatest problem. Once they reached Ryan, Aisha might reject him. When his diplomatic duties ended, he would have no reason to remain abroad and would probably return to his direwolf domain in Beast.

Louisa smiled as though she saw his thoughts. “Do not worry so much. A great deal can happen in several weeks. Perhaps when you return… you will be even less willing to leave her.”

Les: ?!

Before he could interpret that, the noble queen smiled with inscrutable gentleness.

“Then… good luck, Major General Wolf.”

Good luck?

The words seemed strangely familiar, as did the almost parental kindness in Louisa’s expression. But Les could not place either sensation and set them aside.

“…Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”

…

Micks and Ryan both lay on the Divine Sea along the western side of the Helman Federation. They were so close that riding Les would carry Aisha from Saint Regin to Vitas in only a few days—faster than a carriage. Les was free, could bear weight, and take shortcuts. Apart from a rough, unsteady ride at high speed, he was an ideal means of transportation.

When everything was prepared, Les kindly proposed this option. Aisha rejected it instantly.

He might not mind, but to her, it was no different from riding home on Major General Wolf’s back. It was far too strange!

Thus Aisha abandoned the fashionable luxury of wolf travel, selected a traditional carriage, and reached Vitas five days later.

“Are you… all right?”

After descending with her luggage, Aisha approached Les. Eye contact remained awkward, but she asked tentatively.

Les gazed at her with deep affection and nodded.

His look heated her cheeks. She relaxed slightly, yet remained concerned.

Les was too large for the carriage and had followed on foot. Even when she believed him an ordinary wolf, Aisha felt guilty about such treatment. Now that she knew he was Major General Wolf, her apology deepened. With his travel permit, he could have ridden beside her openly if not for the need to hide his identity.

He also had few opportunities to speak during the journey. Though Aisha did not know what to say to him now, she tried to converse at the inns each evening.

Les truly found none of this difficult. Military marches demanded greater speed and endurance. As for silence, he rarely spoke anyway. Aisha’s continued willingness to talk was enough to make him happy.

The carriage traveled only between the capitals of Ryan and Micks and could not take Aisha home. After passing the city gates, she still had some distance to walk. She followed her vague memory through a city she barely knew. A wolf of Les’s size remained unusual in Vitas; the repeated stares of passersby made her nervous and quickened her pace.

Fortunately, the Killott estate was not inconspicuous. Aisha soon found the old, imposing house where she herself had lived only a few months. She exhaled and rang the bell.

“Aisha!”

Almost the instant she pressed it, Tina burst through the door in a dashing red outfit, raced to the gate, flung it open, and crushed her daughter in an embrace while vigorously ruffling her hair.

“My daughter! You’re finally back! Why didn’t you open the door yourself? How was Wold? Oh, and your wolf—he’s still alive! Looks like keeping him alive wasn’t so hard after all…”

Though mother and daughter looked alike, Tina was much taller and stronger. Aisha was pinned helplessly against her shoulder while Tina beamed.

Still…

Her mother smelled pleasant and inexplicably comforting. They had spent less time together than most mothers and daughters, but Tina’s scent carried a faint familiarity.

“My key is in the trunk. It was too much trouble to find,” Aisha said muffled against her shoulder. “Wold was wonderful. Everything has gone well. And Les… yes, he’s healthy.”

At his name, her gaze shifted guiltily. Fortunately, Tina could not see her face.

This could not wait until tomorrow. “Mother, there’s something I need to tell you, so…”

“Mm, and I want to hear everything that happened,” Tina said, releasing her only to ruffle her hair again. “Your father is still at Federation Headquarters and won’t return until evening, so you can tell him then. Let’s go inside—and bring your wolf.”

Tina smiled at Les, who sat nearby. The two women and the wolf went inside together.

Because speaking in front of Les would be awkward and might make Tina suspect something, Aisha suggested they talk in the study. Tina immediately agreed and merely told the butler to send refreshments upstairs. Relieved, Aisha glanced at Les to signal that he should wait, then prepared to follow her mother.

When she turned, however, Tina had not gone upstairs. She remained where she was, apparently waiting.

“…Is something wrong, Mother?” Aisha looked down at herself guiltily but found nothing amiss.

Tina seemed even more surprised. “Hmm? Are you already finished? Before we go, don’t you need to kiss and cuddle that wolf goodbye?”