How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 79

He wanted to howl.

Something strange and wild surged through Les’s blood. The instant he saw Aisha, howling became the only thought left in his mind.

An indescribable feeling lodged in his throat. He wanted to dash back outside, run at full speed across an empty plain for hours, and howl at the moon—with Aisha on his back, of course.

At a moment like this, however, Les could only rage at his own inability to speak. He stared dumbly for a long time before finally saying in a stiff voice, “…You look very beautiful.”

Dull. Rigid. Utterly without romance.

Les was furious with his meager vocabulary.

“Thank you.”

Aisha, however, seemed delighted. She smiled and turned back to adjust her collar. She had not yet put on her outer coat, and the back of the gown exposed a patch of snowy skin at her neck and upper back. Les’s throat suddenly felt dry.

Facing the mirror, Aisha continued, “I’m sorry, but I may return rather late tonight. You should go to sleep first. I’ll try not to disturb you when I come back—ah!”

She cried out because Major General Wolf had transformed at some point and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He buried his face against her neck. The warm, tingling sensation made Aisha hunch instinctively.

She tried to look back. “…What’s wrong?”

Les said nothing.

The man behind her remained silent for so long that Aisha grew uncomfortable. She nudged him with her elbow and strained to turn her head far enough to see his face, though naturally she could not.

“I also…” Major General Wolf finally began in a heavy voice, only to fall silent after those two words.

“…Never mind.”

How could he stop halfway through?!

Aisha looked back at him unhappily. Les pressed his lips together.

He could hardly tell her that he wanted to pick her up, carry her away, and hide her somewhere no one else could find. Saying it aloud would be too shameful even for him.

Yet Les had indeed remembered several unpleasant things. During the previous ball, Carter III had asked Fawkes to use magic to show him other men courting Aisha. Les still remembered the panic and pain he felt at that moment. The fear that he might never cross paths with Aisha again had driven him back to Helman.

This time, he did not even need to witness such a scene. The images conjured by his mind were enough to make him restless.

Les swallowed. “Will there be… many human nobles at this ball too?”

“Some, I suppose, including people from other countries. Most of the guests should be officials and soldiers, though.”

Aisha suspected nothing and answered honestly.

“Nobles without important positions may not attend, so the guests will probably be older on average. I expect I’ll stay with Elizabeth for most of the evening.”

Aisha and Elizabeth were close in age and both women. No one would find it strange if they remained together. Besides, they happened to get along well. Of course, that assumed Elizabeth did not leave with her future husband. If she went somewhere with the prince of Bisnis, Aisha could hardly follow and interrupt them.

Les released a breath of relief. “…I see.”

“Yes. Any young people there will probably be highly ranked soldiers or officers. There won’t be many women…”

Les fell silent again.

“What’s wrong?”

Aisha saw his expression change in the mirror. When he abruptly stopped speaking, she blinked and looked over with concern.

Les held himself in check for a while before asking unnaturally, “Aisha, what do you… think of soldiers?”

Oh. So that was it.

Aisha understood immediately.

Major General Wolf was asking…

What she thought of his profession!

She smiled. “Although both my parents are soldiers, I don’t actually know much about the profession. But defending one’s country is an honorable calling, I think. And…”

Her gaze fell on Les’s immaculate dark uniform. Aisha blushed with embarrassment, and her voice grew quieter.

“…Military uniforms are very handsome.”

Les froze.

Did Aisha… have a preference for men in uniform?! Wait. Many of the officers at a ball like this would be wearing military uniforms, wouldn’t they?!

Believing she had just offered her boyfriend a tactful compliment, Aisha shyly lowered her head and made the final adjustments to her ribbons and skirt. She failed to notice that her boyfriend’s expression had grown even worse.

At that moment, Tina knocked to hurry her along. Aisha quickly turned, rose onto her toes, and kissed Les on the cheek.

“Good night. I’m leaving.”

Les instinctively reached out to pull her back, but Aisha had already skipped toward the door. He could only transform into a wolf again and watch with complicated feelings as she opened it, linked arms with her mother, and departed.

This was destined to be a long and agonizing night.

…

“…In recognition of all this, Miss Aisha Killott, on behalf of the Helman Federation and the Kingdom of Ryan, I present you with this medal. We thank you for the wit, composure, and courage you displayed at a moment of crisis. We thank you for saving young women important to this kingdom, including my precious daughter Elizabeth. And we thank you for your distinguished contribution to the Federation. I hope you will accept it.”

King Richard’s long speech ended. Aisha stepped forward, and beneath his courteous, approving smile, the queen pinned the medal to her breast. Warm applause sounded around her.

Aisha was unaccustomed to occasions like this and could not shake the feeling that something was strange. Elizabeth, standing nearby, applauded vigorously on her behalf. Tina and Hock smiled at her from a short distance away.

By the time Aisha stepped down from the dais, her legs felt weak. Several soldiers were still waiting to receive medals, so the king began another speech. As soon as Aisha descended, Tina naturally put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a pat.

“If you were a young man, His Majesty might have offered Princess Elizabeth’s hand for a deed like yours.” Tina kept her voice low so she would not disrupt the ceremony, but her tone remained teasing. “What a pity. I rather like the princess. That girl has none of the arrogance found in other royals.”

She glanced toward Elizabeth, and Aisha followed her gaze. The princess happened to be waving enthusiastically at Aisha, her cheeks flushed with delight.

Aisha smiled and waved back. After a brief hesitation, she lowered her hand and turned to Tina again.

“Mother, I…”

“Yes, go and enjoy yourself with the other young lady,” Tina said in understanding. “Your father and I will find something to eat.”

Then she tugged at her husband beside her.

“Come along.”

Hock looked somewhat helpless but allowed his wife to pull him away with ease. Before leaving, he nodded to Aisha.

Aisha gave her parents a grateful smile and walked toward Elizabeth.

“Huh? Is it all right for you to come over here?”

Elizabeth’s eyes clearly brightened as Aisha approached, though she suppressed her happiness and asked with concern.

“It’s fine,” Aisha said. “My parents may go dancing in a little while.”

“Oh, I see… By the way, congratulations on receiving your medal! And… I’ve always been grateful that you saved us then.”

“…You’re welcome?”

They exchanged several awkward pleasantries, then looked at each other and smiled.

The award ceremony was still in progress, so Aisha and Elizabeth could not talk for long. Soon, their attention returned to King Richard and the soldiers approaching him one by one to receive their medals.

Aisha noticed that Elizabeth generally resembled the queen more, though the balance of her features echoed the king. Elizabeth’s older brothers and sisters stood around her, but they scarcely spoke to one another.

At last, the ceremony drew to a close. After the king delivered his final speech, the musicians began to play. Men and women streamed onto the dance floor. Aisha saw Tina eagerly pull Hock into the turning crowd, though many guests remained at the edges to talk and watch.

Suddenly, Elizabeth’s body stiffened.

Aisha stood close enough to notice at once. Curious, she followed her friend’s gaze.

A small cluster of people stood in that direction, but Aisha immediately understood which one had drawn Elizabeth’s attention. The young man was undeniably conspicuous and attractive by every contemporary standard.

His short golden hair was neat and immaculate, his blue eyes bright and confident, his features handsome and well formed, and his clothes impeccable. He stood half-turned in a casual, dashing pose popular among young men, laughing and talking with several young officers and noblemen. Aisha could not hear the conversation from where she stood, but the entire group suddenly burst into hearty laughter, and the young man flashed eight perfectly white teeth.

If the world possessed a standard mold for princes, it would probably produce someone like him.

The Kingdom of Bisnis was known for commerce. Its people were generally eloquent and charismatic, and from appearances, even their prince was no exception.

Aisha leaned slightly toward Elizabeth and asked in a low voice, “Is that… Prince Edward Gerden?”

The prince of Bisnis. Elizabeth’s future fiancé.

As expected, Elizabeth visibly stiffened again. After a moment, she gave a tiny nod.

Her gaze remained on him, and a faint melancholy seemed to gather in her eyes.

Aisha pressed her lips together, looked from Elizabeth to Prince Edward, then asked quietly, “Do you… want to go and greet him?”

Elizabeth appeared uncertain as well. But at that moment, the charming prince turned his head with a smile during the conversation and caught sight of her from the corner of his eye.

Their gazes met. Both froze.

The smile on Edward’s face halted. He remained motionless for several seconds, then leaned over and said something quietly to his companions.

Aisha felt Elizabeth seize her hand with sudden force.

She looked up.

Prince Edward was striding directly toward them.