“D-Did I see that right?”

“Is that thing protecting a person right now?”

Aspeiran is looking at me, the knights are looking at the puppy. And I…

‘No, so why are these humans acting like this here?’

I was making a sullen expression in between them.

The one who ended this strange standoff was, of course, our great lord Aspeiran Roakin.

Aspeiran subdued the puppy first.

As soon as Aspeiran gave it a glance, the puppy that looked ready to pounce trembled, tucking its tail between its legs.

It was a pitiful sight that made me feel resentful towards my favorite. However, Aspeiran didn’t care at all.

He gave instructions to each knight in an indifferent voice.

“You five, restrain this dog and take it to the laboratory. The researchers should be on standby, so help them confine it. When you’re done, tell all the researchers to come to Kronen Castle immediately.”

“Yes sir!”

“You, go to my office and bring Kiara and Canis. There should be two researchers there as well, tell them to come too.”

“I will obey your command!”

“And the remaining two.”

Aspeiran, who had said that much, stared at me intently.

I glared back at Aspeiran without avoiding his gaze. Since I was slightly sulky after seeing him threaten the puppy, my eyes were somewhat disrespectful.

Aspeiran narrowed his eyes.

“Put that woman in ‘that place.'”

“By ‘that place’ you mean…?”

“Where I keep people waiting before I persuade and coax them.”

“Ah!”

Somehow the conversation going back and forth was strange.

Persuade and coax? If Aspeiran is talking about persuasion and coaxing…

‘Torture!’

I trembled my eyeballs finely. A-Are you saying you’re going to restrain me now? Why? Because you didn’t like my gaze?

“Understood, my lord!”

The knights’ reply was resounding, regardless of whether someone else’s mental state was collapsing. The gazes looking down at me from both sides were truly oppressive.

The knights reached out their hands towards me. I slowly backed away. This couldn’t, this couldn’t happen. I couldn’t be caught like this.

I haven’t even seen Aspeiran II yet!

I fell to my knees with a thud and placed both hands on the ground. A naturally mournful wail escaped my lips.

“M-My lord! Please, just a moment!”

“What is it?”

Aspeiran’s gaze turned to me again. I quickly racked my brain.

“Well… please have mercy! I beg for your understanding and compassion!”

A line that seemed like it would only be recited in a historical drama came out of my mouth.

Of course, but.

“…Take her away.”

It had no effect at all.

At Aspeiran’s repeated order, two knights tried to lift me up.

I resisted by sticking to the floor, but it was futile. The knights lifted me up effortlessly, showing off their towering height and robust build.

I was carried away dangling like a doll attached to children’s backpacks, wailing.

“I’m sorry, my loooord―!”

Of course, there was no answer.

Aspeiran’s ability to sense magic, as an Aura Master and a considerably skilled magician, was among the top three in Elros.

He was especially sensitive to the unique magic that monsters possessed. No matter how far away they were, or how much other magical energy interfered, he could clearly distinguish the magic of monsters.

So tracking the Moonlight Wolf Dog wasn’t a particularly difficult task for him.

In fact, as soon as Aspeiran left the Princhia Palace where state affairs were conducted, he quickly pinpointed the location of the Moonlight Wolf Dog. It was behind Kronen Castle. He immediately drew a teleportation magic circle.

When he arrived at his destination like that, what Aspeiran encountered was a scene he had never once imagined in all his life.

“Oh, you’re so cute, oh you’re so pretty. Our fluffy little darling~!”

“Woof!”

The Moonlight Wolf Dog was licking a human’s face. Not to taste it, but with affection. Wagging its tail as if it might break.

The Moonlight Wolf Dog was a fierce and clever monster that even Aspeiran, who was skilled at catching monsters, would find difficult to deal with.

That’s why, even though they had managed to capture three cubs, they hadn’t even attempted to tame them yet. Because no one could get close.

But now, that monster was there, desperate and showing all kinds of affection. Why?

Aspeiran shifted his gaze to the woman who was receiving the monster’s affection. Who on earth could tame a Moonlight Wolf Dog?

“!”

Aspeiran’s eyes widened.

It was that woman. The woman who had made him conflicted. The talent he had coveted after a very long time. The witness who had helped his cousin Yulisis.

To encounter her here, in this situation.

Aspeiran, uncharacteristically flustered, inadvertently made his presence known.

Then an even more surprising situation unfolded. The Moonlight Wolf Dog bared its teeth at someone clearly stronger than itself to protect the woman.

At that moment, Aspeiran felt a thrill.

His head, which had always maintained coolness, heated up. If the knights hadn’t rushed in right after, he surely would have grabbed the woman immediately and hastily blurted out the words he had just thought of.

Aspeiran slowly walked across the empty snowy field after everyone had disappeared according to his orders. Only one thought was circling in his mind.

Her,

I must make her my person.

By any means necessary.

* * *

How on earth did this happen?

I paced around the room with my hands clasped together as if in prayer. My range of motion was limited due to fear of damaging the expensive-looking objects scattered all around.

The place I was in now was a cozy and beautiful reception room decorated in red and gold. When they said ‘persuasion and coaxing’, I naturally thought I’d be taken to an underground dungeon, but the knights brought me here.

“So it wasn’t persuasion and coaxing accompanied by violence!”

It was very unexpected, and very bewildering. If not torture, then what is persuasion and coaxing? What are they trying to do? Not knowing anything made me needlessly anxious.

That’s when it happened.

“Excuse me. I’m coming in!”

After a disciplined knock, the door opened vigorously. Someone revealed themselves beyond the open door.

“Hueeurgh.”

As soon as I saw that person’s face, I involuntarily let out a strange groan.

I hurriedly covered my mouth with my hand.

An awkward silence fell over the room.

* * *

Aspeiran has three close confidants whom he cherishes greatly.

Rumel of the palace, Canis the captain of the royal guard, and Kiara the chief advisor.

Readers used to call these three ‘Rumel of Conscience’, ‘Canis of Force’, and ‘Kiara of Intelligence’, collectively referring to them as ‘Aspeiran’s Three Closest Confidants’.

“I’m ashamed.”

And this man who just startled me a moment ago is one of the three closest confidants,

‘Canis of Force’.

“To have startled you like this because of me, I’m truly sorry.”

Canis ruffled his short reddish-brown hair, showing his embarrassment. I quickly shook my head.

“No, it’s not that. I was just lost in thought and didn’t hear you. I’m the one who was rude at our first meeting.”

“Haha, it’s alright.”

I rubbed my nape and let out a deep sigh of relief inwardly.

I was startled when a scream involuntarily escaped me as soon as I saw Canis’s face. I almost ruined my first impression.

‘It’s fortunate that an excuse came to mind in time.’

It was a clumsy excuse that I was startled because someone suddenly came in, but Canis believed it readily.

It’s a relief, but he’s so naive it’s almost worrying.

‘By the way, he looks exactly like I imagined while reading .’

From his solid, mountain-like physique and tall stature, to his refreshing features and cheerful reddish-brown eyes. Canis looked like he had walked straight out of my imagination.

So my cry of shock upon seeing him was truly an act of force majeure.

But as time passed, my startled feelings subsided a bit. I gathered my courage and looked up at Canis’s handsome face once again.

When our eyes met, he smiled, revealing his white teeth.

Then he placed his right fist on his left chest and put his other hand behind his waist, bowing his upper body to show an elegant knight’s greeting.

“Then let me introduce myself formally. I am Canis, leading the royal guard of Lord Aspeiran of Roakin.”

“Hello. I’m truly glad to meet you. Please take good care of me.”

“Yes! Please take care of me as well. Hahaha!”

We had a brief, friendly handshake. Thanks to that, the awkwardness completely dissipated.

However, most regrettably, the warm atmosphere did not last long.

“Well then, shall we go together now? The lord is waiting.”

“Ah.”

I froze stiffly with my lips curled up.

I had forgotten for a moment, but I was (probably) marked by Aspeiran.

I quietly averted my gaze.

“…Do we have to go right now?”

“Huh? Of course!”

The answer was truly innocent. Canis herded me out the door like a sheepdog herding sheep.

I tried to resist by subtly planting my feet on the floor, but this level of resistance was meaningless against ‘Canis of Force’.

‘Nooo―!’

In the end, I had no choice but to be dragged along helplessly.

* * *

“You’ve come.”

In the center of a dark green reception room decorated with oddly shaped plants, Aspeiran, who had been looking at documents sitting in front of a table, raised his head.

His gaze, which had first turned to Canis, came down to me. Aspeiran slightly furrowed his brow.

“Why do you have the expression of a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse?”

“A cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse?”

Canis bent down to examine my expression. He tilted his head to the side with a serious face.

“That’s strange. You seemed to be in a very good mood until just now. Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

‘Don’t ask! How can I say I’m scared of your lord!’

He’s really clueless! My tightly clenched fist trembled secretly.

Anyway, I had to give some kind of answer. I waved both hands frantically.

“No, it’s not that. I’m just at a loss for how to conduct myself before the lord. Hehe.”

The empty laughter and worthless flattery felt insincere even to me. Aspeiran narrowed his eyes.

Fortunately, instead of pressing further, Aspeiran jerked his chin towards the seat opposite him.

“Sit down.”

“Yes!”

There was an elegant dark green sofa where Aspeiran had pointed. I hurried to the sofa and sat down to avoid offending his mood as much as possible.

‘What on earth is he going to say that he called me to this strange reception room?’

I rubbed my clasped hands together while glancing at the large Venus flytrap-like plant on the table.

Aspeiran’s burning gaze falling on the top of my head was prickly. My heart was pounding.

After an uncomfortable silence for a while, Aspeiran finally opened his mouth.