How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 85

“…Mother?”

Even after Tina skillfully placed her behind her back, Aisha remained dazed and could not understand what was happening.

Why was her mother here? What was going on? Aisha had only used communication magic to speak with her, not teleportation magic. There was no known teleportation spell capable of moving a human body directly, much less across the enormous distance from the Helman Federation to Wold.

Aisha looked from Tina Killott, whose smile contained an inexplicable chill, to Les Wolf, who stood beneath a roadside tree with his expression frozen. Tension filled the air.

Major General Wolf seemed just as surprised by Tina’s appearance. Worse, when Tina arrived, Aisha had been speaking while nestled in his arms. The situation was painfully awkward, especially after Tina deliberately emphasized that they were meeting again. She was plainly displeased that he had not told them about his relationship with Aisha in person.

Les had been trapped by circumstances. He could not reveal that he and Aisha had begun dating on the very first day of her return to Vitas. In Tina and Hock’s eyes, the earliest their romance could have begun was after Aisha returned to Micks. Yet Les had resumed traveling through Helman soon afterward.

By that calculation, his relationship with Aisha would theoretically have been brand new when he formally met Tina and Hock. Bringing it up in person would have seemed strange.

Of course, failing to mention it was not ideal either.

Facing Aisha’s mother still made Les anxious. His back tightened involuntarily as he greeted her with rigid courtesy.

“…Good evening, Lieutenant General Killott.”

His extreme nerves made him sound even graver and more formal than usual. Aisha looked toward her mother with increasing concern.

She knew Les so well that even in beast form, she could sense his emotions. She naturally recognized the subtle changes beneath his unsmiling expression. That did not mean Tina could.

For example, Aisha understood that Les was frightened and uneasy. Since he was meeting her mother as her boyfriend, the reaction could almost be called adorable. But she worried Tina might interpret his soldierly rigidity as disrespect.

Then Tina pushed her even farther behind her back.

“I did not expect us to meet again so soon, Major General Wolf of the beastfolk.” Tina’s smile remained friendly and warm, but the faint twitch at her temple revealed that her mood was anything but pleasant. “I see… So you met my daughter here in Wold? How unexpected. What an extraordinary coincidence.”

Aisha had never heard Tina speak through clenched teeth while smiling so brightly. The sinister tone made the fine hairs rise along her back. She wondered whether her mother had truly become furious beyond reason.

Then Aisha noticed the long spear in Tina’s hand.

Her mother rarely went anywhere unarmed, so Aisha had paid little attention at first. Now, however, the gleaming silver point aimed at the sky inspired concern. She hurried to explain.

“Mother, actually, we—”

“I apologize for not explaining immediately while I was in Vitas,” Les interrupted, speaking before Aisha could finish. His voice was steady and remorseful.

“We have known each other for… approximately a year. Aisha’s plan to study in the Kingdom of Micks for several months was one reason I accepted diplomatic work in the Helman Federation this year. I remained there for a long time, and that was where I confessed my feelings to her. I… have loved her for a very long time.”

Aisha’s face turned crimson.

She was naturally shy. Being the object of a confession directly in front of her mother was still unbearably embarrassing. When they embraced, Les sometimes murmured “I love you” in a hoarse voice beside her ear, almost without thought. A normally cold, rigid soldier became especially capable of making her blush when he turned gentle. She already found those moments difficult to bear. This was far worse.

Les’s back remained perfectly straight. His blue-gray eyes met Tina’s hostility without retreating, though his attention occasionally wandered toward Aisha behind her mother.

Tina was taller than Aisha. She could not hide her daughter completely, but she concealed most of her. Les could see only a tuft of raised hair whenever Aisha attempted to peek out, along with the faintly puffed hem of her skirt.

In truth, he was extremely anxious. His outward composure was a professional habit. On a battlefield or in a military camp, an unshakable expression frightened enemies and steadied companions. That did not mean his feelings were as hard as his face.

He wanted to see Aisha. He also feared that he would fail to satisfy her parents and bring Aisha pain and difficulty.

Tina, however, was even more anxious. A careful observer would have noticed that her grip on the spear lacked its usual steadiness and even trembled faintly. For a general who could face blood and death on a darkfolk battlefield without fear, such a reaction was extraordinarily rare.

When she spoke again, a hidden edge remained in every word. An aura that seemed to chant, How dare you approach my daughter? Die, die, die, surrounded her.

“So you pursued her alone for an entire year?! You’re the man who kept appearing around her for no reason all that time?” Tina asked with a dark smile.

Les paused, then admitted frankly, “…Yes.”

“Oh? How did you meet? Where? Were you the one who approached her?”

“It was…”

Les wanted to answer honestly, but the details made him hesitate. Under ordinary circumstances, he could hardly admit that they met in the forest near Philray. With Tina’s smile growing visibly colder, Les had no doubt that one wrong answer would cause the lieutenant general—already in an “extremely poor mood”—to raise her spear and challenge him on the spot.

When Les faltered, Aisha anxiously tugged Tina’s sleeve and answered for him.

“It was in Wold, Mother. Don’t you remember? I wrote to you. Last year, the Tower of Magic used the Wold Warrior School’s forest examination format for the first time, but a high-level magical beast went berserk and entered the examination grounds. He was the one who saved me. Wol—Les saved me.”

Halfway through, Aisha remembered that Major General Wolf had asked her to use his name. They were lovers. She hastily corrected herself, though her voice softened with shyness and her cheeks grew warm.

When she wrote her parents then, Aisha had not known that her rescuer was Major General Les Wolf, so she never named him. Later, afraid that her parents would worry excessively about her life in Wold, she deliberately avoided mentioning the frightening details and described only the resolution. Tina and Hock probably remained unaware of what had happened. Even so, they had sent several anxious letters in succession at the time.

Aisha now felt annoyed with herself. She should have mentioned the incident during her recent stay in Vitas. Then her parents would have been prepared to learn that she already knew Major General Wolf, and perhaps they would have regarded Les more favorably.

At the same time, Aisha felt Tina stiffen slightly before her.

Seeing Tina waver, Aisha hurried to continue.

“And afterward… you know I struggled with my teacher’s methods for a while and reached a bottleneck in my magical studies. Major General Wolf taught me several training methods used by warriors, and that helped me find a breakthrough. Les… has always helped me.”

Aisha pressed her lips together in a smile. At some point, she had emerged from behind Tina and now looked across the space between them at Les.

He froze, surprised that she would say such things, then quickly returned her gaze.

They stared at each other for a moment before Aisha remembered herself and looked back toward Tina.

Tina pressed her lips together but did not speak.

In truth, her feelings were more complicated than Aisha realized.

Tina understood, to some extent, that she was overreacting. Her hostility toward the beastfolk Major General Wolf had arisen without reason.

Aisha was an adult—a young woman of eighteen, an age perfectly suited to the beauty of first love. Before learning that Aisha was the woman Les loved, Tina had honestly thought rather well of him.

Besides, both she and Hock had been educated in Wold. They were not stubborn people who opposed relationships between races. Their status as soldiers might create obstacles for their daughter’s romance, but relations between the Helman Federation and Beast were improving. Mixed marriages might become possible in the future.

And the two were only dating at present.

But her Aisha was so adorable! She still looked so young! Tina remembered her as a baby in swaddling clothes, sweetly gripping her finger and babbling. Who was this man who had suddenly appeared?! Did a mere beastfolk major general think he could replace her parents and protect Aisha? Bastard! Let them duel and discover who was stronger!

And yet… infuriatingly, this was the man who had genuinely cared for Aisha while her parents were absent.

Tina’s thoughts churned in frustration, and her hand tightened unconsciously around her spear.

“Oh! Mother!”

Seeing Tina’s expression change while her strange silence continued, Aisha hurried to smooth things over.

“Why are you here? I thought you were still working in Vitas. Is everything all right with your duties?”

Tina’s sudden physical appearance during communication magic had genuinely startled her.

At Aisha’s voice, Tina paused. She realized she had not yet explained the most basic facts. Her gaze drifted toward the beastfolk officer standing straight nearby, visibly uncertain beneath her attention.

For an instant, she struggled between continuing to torment Major General Wolf and answering her daughter. In the end, Aisha mattered more.

Tina set aside the chaotic emotions giving her a headache, released a long breath, and looked at her daughter with greater calm.

“My work is fine. I’m sorry I haven’t explained anything.” Her voice softened considerably when she addressed Aisha. “Technically, I’m here for work. We sent you a letter when we departed, but perhaps it hasn’t arrived yet. Tch, the post is too slow.

“Your father came too. He is still at the hotel with the other members of our party, arranging the accommodations. We’re staying directly across from the Tower of Magic. The rest of us are here to escort the princess to Wold.”

“…Elizabeth?! She’s here already?”

Aisha blinked in surprise. Delight immediately appeared on her face, followed by confusion.

“But… it’s only March.”

Aisha had received Elizabeth’s joyful letter confirming her invitation to the World Tournament. But the tournament was an early-summer event that did not begin until the start of June. Even the most eager spectators and competitors rarely arrived before April. The weather had not even grown fully warm.

Tina nodded. “Yes. Princess Elizabeth rarely travels, so she asked to come early and adjust to the environment. Since this is important, His Majesty agreed. Also…”

Perhaps it was Aisha’s imagination, but Tina’s gaze seemed to brush Les’s face.

“I changed my mind and accepted the invitation the World Tournament sent me before. This year, the tournament made an exception and invited two guests. Hock and I will both remain here for a while, Aisha.”

Tina gave Les a brilliant, friendly smile.

Les remained silent.

Aisha, however, was delighted. “Really? Then you’ll stay at least until the World Tournament ends?”

“Yes, exactly.”

At the sight of Aisha’s smile, Tina’s mood genuinely improved.

“That is why I came to find you. I was afraid the letter had not reached you and wanted to tell you the news myself.”

It certainly had not been because she wanted to inspect the area for suspicious prowlers who needed to be dealt with.

After a pause, Tina continued, “Now that I’ve seen you, I’m relieved. I intend to return to the hotel, then visit our old school with Hock. Would you like to come?”

“Oh, no.”

Aisha smiled hastily. Sensing that her mother’s guard over her had relaxed somewhat, she edged tentatively toward Les.

“I’m sorry, Mother. I… already made plans with Les today, so…”

“I see.”

Tina paused but, unexpectedly, did not say anything more.

“Then another time. And… Princess Elizabeth wants to see you too.”

“Yes! I want to see her very much. Then… shall I come find all of you next time?”

“All right.” Tina patted Aisha’s shoulder. “In that case…”

Her gaze swept over Major General Wolf.

“Don’t come back too late.”

…

Only after Tina left did Aisha and Les finally release their breath.

Les’s heart, clenched painfully by nerves, resumed its normal rhythm. While Tina and Aisha spoke, he had scarcely found an opportunity to enter the conversation. He watched continuously and relaxed only when Aisha reappeared within his view.

Still…

Les frowned faintly.

He could sense Aisha’s mother’s hostility. She seemed terribly anxious whenever he approached Aisha.

Les knew that every mother felt protective of her child, that Tina treasured Aisha more than most, and that because Aisha was a mage unsuited to combat while Tina was a warrior, Tina naturally treated the daughter she believed needed protection with exceptional care.

He understood all that. But failing to gain the approval of Aisha’s parents still left him somewhat… dejected.

If only he were better with words.

Thump!

His thoughts abruptly broke off beneath a sudden weight. Les looked down and found Aisha pressed against him, her soft body in his arms. Both hands encircled his waist, and her cheek rested against his chest. From above, Les could see the adorable crown of her head and the flushed curve of one cheek.

In an instant, the heavy air filled with her light, sweet fragrance.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Aisha adjusted her position willingly, raised her head, and smiled.

The comfort was silent but remarkably effective. Les paused, lowered his head, and transformed into the giant wolf. Turning, he encircled her with his body and tail, then bent to nuzzle her.

Sometimes Les was grateful that he possessed a beast form he could assume at will. Things he failed to express as a man became entirely natural as a wolf.

The gentle rubbing left more of his scent on Aisha. To a beastfolk, that knowledge brought profound reassurance.

Aisha naturally hugged his head. His fur must have tickled, because she laughed softly and rubbed her cheek against him in return.

“I’m sorry. I may be rather busy for a while,” she said apologetically. “But… I’ll do my best to make time to see you. As for Mother… she doesn’t seem ready to accept our relationship yet, but I’ll try to persuade her. I’m sorry… Les.”

Her mother’s reaction had frightened Aisha too. Fortunately, Les answered with a nod and curled himself even more tightly around her.

When a human and a beast form showed affection, there was little need to avoid the eyes of passersby. Aisha smiled, bent to embrace Les, kissed him, and buried herself in his fur as she had so many times before.

…

Elsewhere, Pal had finished shopping near the Tower of Magic and happened to see Les and Aisha beneath a tree. Thinking they were talking, he started over to greet them.

Then he silently withdrew the hand he had already raised halfway.

Inside, he was falling apart.

What was happening?!

All he had done was go home for winter holiday after Wold Warrior School’s final examinations. What the hell had happened between these two?!

Why had his cousin transformed from human to beast form right in front of Aisha? Why were they suddenly curled up together?! What in the world had happened during the past few months?!

Unlike Aisha, who had to request leave from her mentor to take a holiday from the Tower of Magic, Pal attended a traditional warrior school with a regular vacation. It lasted from winter until classes resumed the following spring and happened to overlap exactly with Aisha’s period of study in Micks.

As a result, Aisha and Les had not yet found an opportunity to tell him about their new relationship. Pal had returned before the entrance examination and gone out to purchase supplies for the new term, leaving him utterly unprepared for what he saw.

So what had happened?!

After standing in shock for nearly half a minute, Pal swallowed in fear. In the end, he stiffly turned around, clutched his bag of newly purchased school supplies, and—with all the gravity and dignity of an adult—sprinted away from the scene.