How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 96

At first, no one noticed anything unusual. Aisha sat on the side closest to the judges’ platform, so walking in her direction looked no different from walking toward the invited guests. As they watched Les stride toward Aisha step by step, the spectators assumed Major General Wolf intended to give his victory flowers to one of the guests like so many others. It was the likeliest possibility; in fact, at least half of the competitors gave their flowers to the invited guests.

And so, when Les reached Aisha, an uproar swept through the stands.

The instant he passed the steps to the judges’ platform without even glancing at them, it was as if time had frozen throughout the stadium. Everyone stared in astonishment as the beastfolk major general who had just claimed victory walked over to the young blonde girl seated beside the arena—a girl many of them found strangely familiar—and then… stopped before her.

Aisha still wore the medical team’s uniform. The pure white dress and headscarf identified her at a glance as a healer—or perhaps a student assisting with treatment. That identity now became another subject of discussion among the spectators. Aisha, however, had no attention to spare for what other people were saying.

She was desperately anxious. She could feel gazes converging on her from every direction, and the attention made her uneasy and frightened. Yet she continued to look without blinking at Les before her. His blue-gray eyes were deep and intent, fixed just as directly upon her. Aisha could hear her own heartbeat, but she also knew that Les was every bit as nervous as she was—perhaps even more nervous than he had been during the match. Their hearts were pounding at the same frantic rhythm…

She could not have explained how she knew. She simply did.

Major General Wolf was not good with words, and at a moment like this, he had even less idea what to say. Moreover, thousands of spectators filled the stands and were all watching them. Countless gazes included those of Aisha’s mother and closest friend—and possibly Les’s relatives and acquaintances as well. Pal, for instance, had excitedly repeated several times that he would come today, although Aisha had no idea where he was sitting. The arena was so quiet that anything either of them said might be heard by everyone.

Les’s throat shifted. In the end, he said nothing. He merely gazed at her and silently held out the flowers, his movements carrying an unnatural stiffness.

Aisha hurriedly rose and accepted them. The instant she gathered the large bouquet of lilies into her arms, a strange happiness welled within her and drew an irrepressible smile to her face. Her clear eyes curved with delight as she looked up and said, “Thank you.”

Then Aisha stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek.

The stands exploded.

“What’s going on?! That’s Aisha, isn’t it? The Aisha who used to treat injured people at the Free Arena for free!”

“That girl… is a healer?!”

“Damn, did she just kiss him?!”

“So they know each other?!”

“No, no, no! They can’t possibly have that kind of relationship! Major General Wolf must have presented the flowers to a healer out of kindness, that’s all! I see—you can give them away like that too…”

Aisha possessed a little fame among people who frequently visited the Free Arena or followed the World Tournament, though most people still did not know her. Les was a famous young officer and rising star in Beast’s military and high society, but he was not widely known among the general public. In Wold, attention focused mostly on the fact that he was “a championship favorite,” “an actual military officer,” “someone who achieved an outstanding result at fifteen,” and “a prodigy who still held the record for fastest graduation.” Even that was enough to make him one of the tournament’s most closely watched competitors. And the suggestion of an intimate relationship between a famous beastfolk officer and a human healer from the Free Arena was more than enough to seize the public’s attention and interest.

Whatever their reasons, the spectators went wild. Whistles, teasing shouts, and every kind of speculation filled the stadium. The beastfolk boy seated near Aisha who had confidently declared that Major General Wolf would never marry before thirty-five had fallen into a state of complete hysteria. He could do nothing but stare openmouthed while violently shaking the friend who had come with him.

Major General Wolf himself, however, was in a state of extraordinary excitement, one that had begun with Aisha’s soft kiss upon his cheek. Now she held the flowers he had given her, her cheeks tinged with a shy blush and her smile brimming with happiness. That smile nearly melted his heart.

For a soldier, there was no greater joy than sharing one’s hard-won glory with the person one loved. This victory was only a minor honor, but Aisha’s smile filled his heart until he longed to give her every medal he owned.

“Do you… have time now?”

Les stood straight and asked with great seriousness.

Aisha paused, hesitation appearing on her face. She had originally planned to request the entire afternoon off, but after her supervisor changed the arrangement, she was theoretically still on duty. There was another match to come…

Aisha cast a tentative glance backstage. At some point, all the healers she normally worked and chatted with, who were preparing backstage today, had crowded into the arena doorway. Every one of them was watching her with a peculiar smile. Her supervisor was there too and made an understanding shooing gesture. Aisha smiled helplessly in return before turning back and giving Les a bashful nod.

Warmth surged through Les’s heart, but his gaze remained calm as he looked at Aisha. He lowered his voice and suppressed his excitement. “…Then I’ll wait for you outside.”

“All right.”

Aisha answered with a smile.

Once they had agreed, Aisha gave him an even brighter smile. Les did not know how to respond, but his gaze unconsciously grew gentler. If they had not still been under the eyes of the entire stadium, he would have wanted to embrace her then and there, hoist her over his shoulder, and carry her away.

…

After such a display, walking past the healers she usually chatted with and returning backstage was inevitably embarrassing. By the time Aisha finally passed through the crowd of healers regarding her with “benevolent” smiles, her cheeks were bright red. Several volunteer girls close to her age who spoke with her often even teased her a little.

Aisha did not linger to chat. Afraid of making Les wait too long, she hurried into the changing room, swiftly changed back into ordinary clothes, and rushed outside. Only after she left did the other healers turn to other topics.

“Oh! Tina Killott stood up and left too!”

A young mage still leaning around the backstage doorway to peer into the arena made the observation casually.

“It’s the break between matches,” another healer replied just as casually. “Maybe she went out for some air.”

“Come to think of it… don’t you think Aisha looks a little like Tina Killott? I never noticed before, but their seats were rather close today, weren’t they? I suddenly realized their features seem quite similar.”

“I don’t know. Tina Killott is too far away—I can’t see her clearly…”

…

“Not bad. Your combat technique is better than I expected.”

Tina Killott studied the tall beastfolk man before her, spear in hand.

This was what Aisha found when she ran all the way to the meeting place she had agreed upon with Major General Wolf. Naturally, she knew nothing about the healers’ recent conversation concerning her, but compared with that, another confrontation between her mother and her boyfriend was plainly more important.

After speaking with Tina the last time, Aisha understood her mother’s thoughts somewhat better. Tina worried deeply about her—both that she might be heartbroken and that she might be hurt. A host of different reasons therefore combined to make Tina’s opinion of Les rather unfavorable. Seeing the two of them together made Aisha nervous.

Especially since… she was still holding the victory flowers Les had given her in front of Tina and every spectator in the stadium.

Even the air seemed to have pulled taut.

Sure enough, Tina gave a false smile and spoke in a cheerful tone that was not cheerful at all. “This seems rather interesting… What do you say? Would you care to fight me?”

As she spoke, Tina drove her spear hard into the ground, looking ready to attack at any moment.

Les: “…”

This was by no means an easy question for him to handle. If he truly fought Tina, he was not certain he could win; Tina Killott possessed far more experience than he did. In his present position, if he lost, Tina might decide he lacked the ability to protect and care for Aisha. Even if he won… it would probably only make Tina like him still less. Besides, Aisha certainly did not want him to fight Tina.

Les turned to glance at Aisha, who had just run over. Sure enough, she looked deeply worried, glancing anxiously from him to Tina and back again…

Tina also noticed Aisha’s arrival and the distress and concern in her eyes. Her aggressive stance faltered. She restrained herself somewhat, cleared her throat, and continued, “Of course, not now. There isn’t enough time. I need to return to the arena immediately.”

Facing Major General Wolf, Tina stretched her lips into a smile that did not reach her eyes, radiating goodwill.

“So… where are the two of you—and that bouquet—planning to go now?”