How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 90

Les said nothing.

Aisha said nothing.

Silence stretched between them. After a moment, Les decided he ought to explain.

“I was close to graduation and had already decided to enter the army. I might have been sent to the battlefield soon, so I was training myself to eat whatever was available. Victory flowers are edible, so…”

Aisha snorted with laughter.

After hearing his explanation, she could not possibly hold it back. She tried desperately, but remembered the portrait at Wold Warrior School: Les at fifteen, his cheeks still youthful while his expression remained as serious as it was now.

Then she imagined that expressionless boy turning every victory flower into salad and eating them all.

Her shoulders shook, and her lashes trembled with laughter.

Les looked down at her joyful face with awkward, embarrassed helplessness. If not for the crowd, he would have pulled her into his arms at once and stopped her from laughing.

He had been only fifteen, completely and thoroughly an adolescent boy. Les had long forgotten what he was thinking then. He remembered only the action itself. When he considered it alone, it seemed harmless. But when Pal told Aisha, every part of it suddenly appeared foolish.

Then he felt Aisha take his hand gently.

Les turned. Her laughter had stopped, though the side of her face remained flushed. Perhaps from embarrassment, she spoke quietly.

“This year, if… I receive a medal for volunteering with the medical team, may I use it to… trade for your victory flower?”

Les froze.

To him, those tentative words were the most adorable sentence in the world. Even if she offered nothing, he had intended to place every honor he won into Aisha’s hands. Yet now he could not describe the emotion filling him.

His throat moved, but words failed him. After a long pause, he tightened his grip around her hand and slowly answered, “Yes.”

An intimate warmth rose between them without warning. Amid the early-summer sunlight, already hinting at its coming brilliance, and the roar of the crowd, a quiet little world seemed to separate around the two of them.

Les suddenly wanted to embrace her, hide her secretly against his chest, and kiss her. But such intimacy would be far too abrupt in a place like this.

He struggled inwardly.

Pal, seated beside them, noticed none of it. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing remarkable about lovers holding hands while watching an opening ceremony. Nor did he realize there might be anything wrong with sitting directly beside Aisha and Les.

Suddenly, he slapped Les’s shoulder in wild excitement.

“They’re coming out! The judges and this year’s invited guests! Look! Tina and that Princess Elizabeth are here!”

At his cry, the entire arena erupted.

Les paused, irritated by the interruption, and looked at Aisha. She smiled helplessly. Her soft hand gave his a reassuring squeeze. Only then did he feel somewhat soothed, and they turned together toward the platform below.

…

There was nothing unusual about the opening ceremony. It consisted largely of speeches repeated so often that they had lost all meaning.

The audience’s attention naturally rested on Tina Killott, with perhaps a little left for Princess Elizabeth, who had never appeared publicly before being invited to the World Tournament.

Elizabeth’s entire body had gone cold with nerves. She had never received the attention of so many people at once. She had never even stood before such an enormous crowd.

The Free Arena’s largest stadium resembled a colossal bird’s nest, sunken at the center with high walls of seats rising around it. Indistinct heads filled those ascending rows, while the roar of conversation made her dizzy. Even seated, she felt close to falling.

Elizabeth clasped her trembling hands and searched for a familiar face that might make her feel safe, such as Aisha’s. But she soon realized that even if she found Aisha, the distance would hide her features and expression.

The realization discouraged Elizabeth and stripped away what little security remained.

Then warm hands covered hers and patted them with measured gentleness.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Tina Killott did not look at her, but her reassuring voice sounded nearby.

“You cannot see them clearly, and they cannot see you clearly either. There is nothing to fear. Deliver the speech as planned. Do you understand?”

The encouragement was like a rope thrown to a drowning person. Elizabeth nodded vigorously, sat straighter despite her nerves, and tried to assume a formal, mature posture.

Tina’s gaze swept irritably across the stands. Failing to find Aisha frustrated her. The thought that some objectionable young man was sitting beside her precious daughter made her unbearably anxious, but she had to continue managing the current occasion.

The organizers spoke first, followed by introductions of the judges: the headmaster of Wold Warrior School, the headmaster of Wold Military Academy, and famous mages and warriors from the Free Arena.

Unlike the invited guests, who changed every tournament, the judges remained relatively constant. Most were veteran warriors or mages with considerable experience.

Free Arena matches were ordinarily straightforward and decided by the visible winner. Judges existed mainly to handle unusual situations: a match that remained undecided for too long, or a competitor who behaved with obvious dishonor.

Then it was Elizabeth’s turn.

She drew a deep breath, rose, and stumbled through her prepared remarks. Nothing stood out, but the speech was proper and adequate. For an introverted girl facing such a scene for the first time, Tina believed she had performed well.

When Elizabeth finished and sat with relief, Tina naturally patted her shoulder before rising herself.

The instant she stood, the noisy arena fell strangely and completely silent.

Tina wore her iconic attire: tied-back hair and silver armor. She even carried her spear. Anyone whose gaze touched her recognized her immediately.

She surveyed the stadium and began to speak. Her composure far surpassed Elizabeth’s. Tina possessed an innate power to move people and a heroic presence difficult to imitate. Though her speech was not especially elaborate, cheers answered her constantly.

Elizabeth watched in envy. She wished she could make a crowd come alive that way.

But as she gazed up at Tina, she did not notice someone else staring fixedly at her.

“…Your Highness?”

The elderly darkfolk frowned at Brandon in concern.

The prince’s body had been rigid for some time. His tense face looked stiff with disbelief. The old man’s eyes could no longer focus even at close range, but after knowing Brandon for so many years, he could still sense the prince’s immense shock.

The elder had once served within the court of Duke and managed its daily affairs. After Duke divided, he became an attendant at the court of South Duke and continued serving its queen. He had watched Prince Brandon grow from childhood and knew him extremely well.

The prince had never spoken of it, but the old man knew that Brandon cared about the girl he had encountered only once without seeing her face.

Brandon had probably never imagined another person could possess the same condition—or illness. The girl clearly knew nothing of her true state and was therefore in grave danger. That had first captured his attention. Learning afterward that she was a princess of an enemy kingdom only made his feelings more complicated.

He had come specifically to see her this time.

Duke had declined after its division, and South Duke, despite inheriting the formal royal line and the former capital of Dimska, occupied the worst position among the three kingdoms because of its unfavorable geography.

Even so, Brandon remained a legitimate prince and could sit near the front of the opening ceremony. From there, he could finally see Princess Elizabeth’s face.

Now that he had, Brandon frowned deeply. Only he knew how much effort it took to suppress his trembling. The chain of coincidences was impossible to understand.

He had already met her on the street without realizing it. But he could hardly inspect the wrist of every girl he encountered, so naturally he had not recognized her at once.

Elizabeth did not seem to notice him. She looked desperately nervous, like a quail dropped into a flock of hawks. The occasion did not suit her.

But…

“Edward, is that your future wife?”

The words from the neighboring seats reached Brandon. He turned his head and quietly studied the speakers.

They were two well-dressed human youths. Their ornaments and swords revealed noble birth. One was especially striking, with short golden hair, charming blue eyes, handsome features, and exceptional bearing. The gemstone in his sword might have purchased half an estate.

The other young man was less dazzling but still handsome. A small canine tooth showed at the corner of his mouth, and youthful arrogance mingled with his careless manner. He had asked the question with casual mockery.

The blond man called Edward looked pained but forced a courteous smile.

“…Not exactly. We are not engaged yet.”

“Isn’t the ceremony already scheduled for autumn? There’s hardly any difference!”

“If you say so.”

“Hahaha, don’t be too miserable. Not every princess can be as beautiful as Cattleya. Princess Elizabeth really is rather plain, and I hear she’s frail and sickly, but… well… perhaps you’ll grow accustomed to her if you look long enough. Besides, her homeland is Ryan! The foremost kingdom in the Federation. Imagine that.”

Edward said nothing.

The other young man had only intended to tease him. He did not expect Edward, normally the model of a perfect prince, to become genuinely gloomy. Realizing he had touched a nerve, the youth stopped while he was ahead and patted Edward’s shoulder with a smile.

“Don’t mind me. The country is what matters most to you, isn’t it? The relationship between Bisnis and Ryan is important. Your marriage will benefit everyone. Then you can use Ryan’s strength to open more trade routes and shipping lanes. Think how happy our citizens will be!”

The shadow did not leave Edward’s face. He brushed the hand from his shoulder and sat in sullen silence.

He tried to focus on the platform, but he did not want to look at Elizabeth. He could not suppress the strange irritation and inescapable sense of confinement that arose whenever he saw her ordinary face and timid manner.

“I understand.”

At last, Edward turned back to the young man and spoke politely while hiding his feelings as best he could.

“Although we hardly know each other and share no interests, hobbies, or traits, we will marry in the end. She will be my companion for the rest of my life, my responsibility and obligation… Her eyes are rather beautiful.”

Edward seemed to be searching desperately for beauty in Elizabeth. But once prejudice had formed, even he found it difficult to persuade himself.

The young man murmured agreement. When the conversation ended, he turned and pretended to watch the ceremony seriously.

“A pity only her eyes are beautiful,” Brandon heard him mutter a little later.

For some reason, Brandon could no longer bear listening. He frowned and nearly rose to leave.

At that moment, Tina’s speech ended, and applause rolled endlessly through the stadium. Brandon’s movement halted. His gaze returned unconsciously to the girl on the platform.

She was applauding too, looking up at Tina Killott with a smile she did not seem to notice. The eyes Edward and his companion believed were her only redeeming feature shone with naked admiration and longing.

She clearly…

Brandon tightened his fist.

“Your Highness, what are you thinking?” the elderly darkfolk asked in confusion.

“…Nothing,” Brandon answered coolly.