How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 94

“So if your relationship continues to develop and the two of you truly reach the point of marriage, then if you wish to live as husband and wife, it would probably be more appropriate for you to move to Beast…”

Tina’s gaze flickered. The mere possibility seemed to displease her. She collected herself before looking at her daughter again.

“But Aisha, before coming to study at the Heart of the World, you had always lived among humans. Even in Wold, the people you encounter are merely a small portion of those willing to engage with all the different races of the world. I’m worried that you don’t truly understand how beastfolk truly live, much less the way people live in other countries… You know that the races differ greatly in their physical natures, so there are bound to be many differences in custom. There may even be difficulties with language—I’ve heard that some groups in Beast retain their original linguistic traditions and sometimes cannot speak Common. In an environment like that, you would have many obstacles to overcome. I don’t know whether the two of you have considered these things…”

Aisha stared. She had indeed never thought that far ahead. She and Major General Wolf had not been dating for very long. Besides, she was still young. It was true that many girls became engaged or even married at a younger age than she was now, but marriage had always seemed very distant to Aisha. She had immersed herself in the happiness of love without considering the questions Tina had raised.

Marriage… Could it truly come so soon?

As that romantic yet nerve-racking word flashed through Aisha’s mind, her heart gave an involuntary, aching throb.

Tina sighed. Seeing the thoughtful expression on Aisha’s face, she continued, “Of course, you could remain in Helman while that Wolf lives in Beast, agreeing on certain times to meet. Or, as a compromise, you could establish your home in Wold but usually reside in your respective countries, setting aside a few months each year to live together as a mixed-species family at the Heart of the World. That is possible too. But it would still be difficult. You would often be unable to see each other, and time may change many things…”

Tina did not continue. She did not know whether speaking too plainly would hurt Aisha. In truth, it might indeed be too early to tell her these things, but Tina was her mother and wished for her happiness more than anyone.

After some thought, Tina raised her hand and gently stroked Aisha’s head once more.

Aisha obediently let her do so, but a hint of gloom had appeared on her face. She seemed to be thinking. Tina gave her time to sort through her own thoughts, then said, “Still, you don’t have to find an answer right now. The two of you probably won’t reach the point of marriage anytime soon…”

“Mm. I understand.”

At that, Aisha temporarily set aside the solemn expression that had accompanied her thoughts and raised her head to smile at Tina, plainly hoping to reassure her. Her mother truly was thinking seriously about her future because she was dating a beastfolk man.

After a moment’s thought, Aisha said, “I haven’t even graduated yet, so there shouldn’t be any need to worry about it for now… But of course, I’ll give it serious thought.”

“Good.”

Tina gave her a tender smile of her own, seemingly relieved. Knowing that Aisha now understood the complicated side of the matter put her somewhat at ease. What remained was beyond a parent’s power to decide.

Tina smiled, patted Aisha’s shoulder, and shifted to an ordinary subject. “What would you like for lunch? Come to think of it, haven’t you been studying a new transformation spell recently…?”

…

The conversation with her mother about Les, beastfolk, and their plans for the future ended after several dozen minutes. Yet although Aisha had said it was “probably still a long way off,” worry about the future had already planted a seed in her heart. When she met Les that afternoon and looked at the tall, upright soldier before her—whose expression was always grave and composed, and who was also her lover—her feelings were inevitably complicated.

There was no denying that Major General Wolf was exceptionally handsome. His stern, classical features were nearly flawless from every angle, like a work of art carved by a god. But because his expression was cold and he rarely smiled, he seemed excessively solemn, rigid, and difficult to approach. Like this, aside from his long hair and its color—which was relatively uncommon among human men—he looked no different from a human man at all. If not for the fact that he could turn into a giant wolf…

Perhaps noticing Aisha’s gaze, Les suddenly turned his head and looked at her in confusion. “…What is it?”

“Huh?”

Aisha paused as if she did not understand what he meant.

Les pressed his lips together. His throat shifted as he tried to explain more clearly. “You’ve been looking at me all day… Is there something on my face?”

In truth, he was highly sensitive to Aisha’s gaze. Whenever she was beside him and her eyes lightly settled on him, he noticed, even when the sensation was as faint as a feather landing on his skin. Aisha watched him at other times too, but usually she smiled while looking at him when the mood between them was especially warm or intimate, or gazed at him sweetly with pursed lips while nestled in his arms. She did not normally watch him the way she had today… Her gaze had remained fixed on him ever since they met. Even when it strayed for a moment, it always returned, yet she said nothing. Les could not tell what she was thinking.

Even he felt somewhat self-conscious under such unrelenting scrutiny.

They were on a date in the forest. The summer woods were cool and secluded, with no strangers nearby. They sat side by side on the grass while a stream murmured beside them, occasionally making a crisp, tinkling sound. The grass was faintly damp and smelled pleasant. In the quiet, they gazed wordlessly at each other.

“Oh? Ah… no.”

Aisha seemed to take a moment to understand what Major General Wolf was asking. Even after coming back to herself, however, her expression remained somewhat subdued, lacking its usual lightness. Tina’s words circled through her mind once more. Aisha studied Major General Wolf’s earnest, handsome face and the intent, steadfast blue-gray eyes she loved. If she looked only at his face and eyes, Les was no different from a human. But…

Aisha hesitated, then asked, “Um… Les… could you… show me your ears and tail?”

“Hm? Of course.”

Les had not expected such a request and was somewhat surprised. Yet after hesitating for a few seconds, he nodded. Adjusting the degree of transformation was no more difficult for an adult beastfolk than eating or sleeping. Les fell silent for a moment, and soon a pair of gray ears slowly rose through his silver-gray hair.

Aisha blinked at the ears above his expressionless face. Then she bit her lip, rose from the grass, and knelt upright. Reaching out, she gave one of Les’s ears a pinch.

“…!”

At first, Les did not understand what she meant to do. By the time he tried to evade her, it was too late; Aisha already had hold of his ear. Her soft, warm fingers touched the sparsely furred inner surface of his ear, a particularly sensitive spot in beast form. Les’s body stiffened almost instantly. His voice dropped, his throat shifting before he spoke in confused agitation. “…Aisha?”

Something seemed different about Aisha today, but he could not say what.

Les’s tail swished anxiously. He stared at Aisha, intending to ask what she was thinking, but the next instant… she suddenly released his ear, looped her arms around his neck instead, leaned forward, closed her eyes, and kissed him softly.

Aisha was very close. She had already adjusted her position to kneel between his legs so she could reach his ears, and now that she leaned into him, her long eyelashes and the sweet scent of her body were right before him. Les stiffened. Though they were intimate and had somehow suited each other in every respect since they began dating, Aisha still did not initiate kisses very often. His face remained blank and taut with surprise, but his tail reacted first, wagging rapidly enough to sweep back and forth across the grass. The next instant, he hurriedly gripped her shoulders, bent his head, and kissed her fiercely.

Their bodies pressed together, lips and tongues meeting. Aisha’s body possessed a softness and delicacy that always made Les want to fold her completely into himself. When he felt her try to pull away for an instant because she could not breathe, he almost instinctively pressed a hand to the back of her head to stop her, deepening the kiss instead…

“Mm…”

Aisha did not try to escape again, but clutched the clothes on his back. By the time they finally separated, her face had turned scarlet from lack of air. Tears glimmered in her eyes, and she took small, rapid breaths, her chest rising and falling without pause.

“I’m sorry…”

Les looked at her with guilty, innocent eyes, like someone who had made a mistake. Awkward apology tinged his voice. Still breathing hard, Aisha glanced down at the tail sweeping across the grass, then back at his solemn, perfectly serious face. She did not know whether to laugh or cry.

But the sight also made the fact that Les was beastfolk feel far more real to her.

She had known he was a beastfolk officer since the very first day they met, yet for some reason, only today did she feel as though she had truly understood that part of him for the first time.

“So… what is it?”

Les watched her expression and continued to press the question.

Aisha’s cheeks reddened. After thinking for a moment, she shook her head, even as her skin grew hotter.

She truly was worried about their future, but discussing where they would live after marriage would be far too strange right now. Their relationship was going very well, but they had not reached the point of marriage at all. If she brought it up, she might put enormous pressure on Les. She might even frighten him…

“…It’s nothing.”

Aisha smiled and leaned closer to kiss the corner of his mouth.

“Good luck in your match the day after tomorrow. I’ll find some way to slip out and watch…”