“The moonlight wolves follow Shuria very well.”
“Right? They’re such good kids.”
Everyone feels good when their children are praised. Shuria’s shoulders soared sky-high with pride.
“They’ll surely grow up to be excellent scouting dogs!”
“If that happens, the lord will be very pleased. Shall we check the moonlight wolves’ growth? Can you hold them so they don’t run off?”
“Of course.”
First, Shuria tied two of the other dogs to a post, then held the leash around Cutey’s neck short. Kiara began to explain what the examination would entail.
“Monsters grow in three stages according to their magical power: juvenile, adolescent, and adult. You probably already know this.”
Actually, she didn’t.
But Shuria nodded confidently as if she had always known. Acknowledging ignorance on such a basic matter would surely reduce her credibility.
Unaware of Shuria’s inner thoughts, Kiara continued to explain.
“I’ll now determine the amount of magical power these moonlight wolves possess.”
“If we know their magical power, we can tell how much they’ve grown and when they’ll reach adolescence.”
“That’s correct. It won’t take long.”
Good. She’d navigated the situation well.
Shuria held Cutey firmly, signaling she was ready. Kiara extended her hand and emitted a purple light towards Cutey.
The light scanned Cutey’s body once. Cutey shivered slightly but sat quite dignified.
Then the other two were examined in turn. Lastly, Kiara checked the magical control device on the three of them.
“They are functioning normally. They’ll be able to handle the next stage of growth just fine.”
“How are the pups?”
“Judging by their magical power, they will soon grow into adolescents. When they do, they will be much larger, about three times their current size…”
“……Oh.”
“Moonlight wolves, when adult, are larger than an eight-seater sled.”
“……Wow!”
Shuria’s eyes went round and round. If an eight-seater sled was this big, then being larger than that was simply enormous.
‘How will I control them when that time comes?’
Becoming adolescents was a problem in itself. She wouldn’t be able to manage their physical activity alone…
Putting those thoughts aside for a moment, Shuria remembered she had a guest.
‘Let’s see Kiara off first, then think about it.’
Shuria greeted her with a wide smile.
“Thank you for coming all this way today, Kiara. Until next time…”
“Just a moment. I have something to give you.”
It seemed Kiara had more business beyond checking the magic device. She rummaged in her bag and produced something.
“This is from the lord.”
“From the lord?”
Shuria took the flat tablet Kiara handed her. It appeared to be a slab of white stone, adorned with a delicate turquoise tassel, looking quite luxurious.
Kiara explained.
“This is your identification tablet. Every adult citizen of Loarkin must possess one.”
“It’s so pretty!”
“I’ve heard that you’ve been using a gold tablet whenever identification is needed in the palace. Now you can use this one.”
“Thank you for giving this to me.”
Shuria blushed and carefully touched the surface of the identification tablet. Now she truly felt like a citizen of Loarkin, a subject of Asphayren.
Lost in her thoughts and smiling dreamily, Shuria was watched by Kiara for a moment.
‘Cute.’
Her cheeks, flushed a vibrant red, were as enchanting as perfectly ripened pomegranates. Yet when poked with a finger, they were likely the softest thing in the world.
‘An excellent life form.’
The usually disciplined and impartial Chief of Staff felt his heart warm as if a hearth had been lit. Kiara offered the third item with an unusually subtle softening of her demeanor.
“And this as well. Take it.”
What Kiara handed over was a red pouch embroidered with an antique pattern. It was so large and hefty that it was unbelievable it had come from the inside of her coat.
‘Where did this come from?’
Shuria suppressed her curiosity and quickly took the pouch. She could feel something hard within the fabric. Uneasily, she weighed the pouch in her hand and asked,
“What is this?”
“This is your salary for the month, Miss Shuria.”
“My salary?”
“Yes.”
She peeked inside the pouch and found it full of flat, gold coins. Her surprise was short-lived as Shuria strained to suppress her curling lips.
My goodness. A salary, they’re giving me a salary!
They were already providing food, clothing, and shelter, and on top of that, she had the privilege of seeing her favorite face on a regular basis. She hadn’t even wished for this!
But of course. It’s only natural. The Asphayren I know would consider providing for one’s basic needs a given, and would also make sure to compensate for labor financially.
Her heart… it swells…
‘Loyalty for life, loyalty! I must save diligently for a comfortable old age.’
Meanwhile, Kiara, unaware that Shuria was mentally singing ‘Praises to Our Lord,’ continued calmly,
“Since we’ve never employed a monster breeder before, there was prolonged discussion about the appropriate amount for your salary. In the end, we decided on 5,000 Arom.”
“…5,000 Arom?”
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
