Everyone was furious that the old tiger king dared to propose the position of a wife, for who knows how many times, to Tilbet, the representative of the wolf shapeshifters in the Tigrium Kingdom.

“Chloe Liden is a woman with the same blood as that bastard. Isn’t it obvious just by seeing her shaking the Lion Emperor and Duke Ulpaz in both hands right now? When she was at the ducal residence, she was also smiling and laughing with the ducal knights. Why on earth should our proud and pure wolf shapeshifters endure this damage for one such promiscuous woman!”

Reina Tilbet’s voice was now almost a shout, and anger was spreading on the faces of the wolf shapeshifters, as if infected by her outcry.

“I will take all the risks. Removing that unfit companion, and even re-imprinting. If Duke Ulpaz holds me accountable for a failed re-imprinting, I will take that responsibility as well. All of you present here just need to keep your mouths shut and provide minimal cooperation. Is that so scary? The fate of the wolf shapeshifters is at stake.”

Reina Tilbet was asserting her argument without backing down in the ominous atmosphere, befitting her reputation as a heroic woman. Everyone had no choice but to shut their mouths at Reina Tilbet’s momentum.

Killing a companion was an absolute taboo for the wolf shapeshifters. Let alone killing the companion of the strongest wolf, the alpha. If such an attempt was made and failed, the alpha’s revenge would be beyond imagination.

And it was also uncommon to re-imprint when a companion died. Even when a companion died by accident or natural causes, many wolves did not even attempt re-imprinting due to their nature, so they imprinted with another companion at a really low probability.

If the duke were to lose his companion by force, what kind of woman could he possibly re-imprint with? Forget re-imprinting, he would instantly weaken from the shock of losing his companion. Moreover, the person who killed the companion is Reina Tilbet, so isn’t it impossible for him to re-imprint with Reina Tilbet?

“Chloe Liden is Staxton’s enemy. So even if I take care of her, officially it will be said that Staxton killed her. I will strike a deal with Staxton on that. Staxton will also accept it since it’s like blowing their nose without using their hands. As for re-imprinting, since a new imprint needs to happen right away before the duke weakens from the death of his companion, I will forcibly imprint him during his mating season.”

“Are you crazy?”

Count Watts shouted again.

She’s going to forcibly rape the duke! His common sense could not even begin to understand how such an idea was possible without being crazy.

“I am of the bloodline of the Tilbet family who preserved the blood of the wolf shapeshifters in the barren lands of Tigrium. It’s ridiculous to consider mere morality and fear when the fate of the wolf shapeshifters is at stake. What are you all so afraid of? I’m telling you to just stay still and I’ll do everything. If there is a better alternative than me in this situation, please speak up. Of course, I am the most suitable companion for the alpha, but if there is another female wolf shapeshifter who can take my place, I will gladly give up that position. I have many other things to worry about, so it’s not very pleasant to take on the duke who can’t even come to his senses after losing his companion.”

Count Watts shut his mouth again at Reina Tilbet’s sharp and venomous words. The thought that this woman was not a wolf but a viper crossed his mind, but he couldn’t even dare to say such a thing. If given the choice between going to war or following Reina Tilbet’s proposal, it was difficult for everyone to choose either side.

Honestly speaking, since Reina Tilbet said she would take all responsibility, and it would be a good thing for the wolf species if successful, no one wanted to oppose it.

However, they could not rashly open their mouths. Killing a companion imprinted by a fellow tribesman. Moreover, the plan to forcibly imprint during the alpha’s mating season by targeting it was too terrible to openly agree with.

“You are all so very afraid. Then let’s do this. Let’s tell the messenger to be sent to the duke that we have gathered opinions that we cannot save the companion, and see the duke’s reaction when he returns. If the duke does not abandon our species, we will also step up for his companion, and I will cleanly accept that decision. But if the duke chooses that woman and abandons us, then you will all follow my plan. How about it?”

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

The elders finally agreed to her proposal.

The day’s postponement proposed by Reina Tilbet was a big reason for their agreement. Just the fact that they didn’t have to make a decision right away was a welcome thing for them. They also wanted to cling to the slim possibility of hoping the duke would prioritize his sense of responsibility to the species over his own instincts or desires.

It was a futile expectation they could have because they didn’t know that the duke’s imprinting intensity for his companion was stronger than any other wolf.

“If the duke chooses the woman, after that, all the elders present here must thoroughly keep the secret while following my decisions. The secret agreement with Staxton, incapacitating the duke, and eliminating Chloe Liden, I will carry out everything. I will request the necessary support and cooperation after the messenger receives the duke’s intentions. Well, the duke will surely choose that woman.”

“……”

The elders, who wanted to postpone their guilt even for a single day, ended up accepting Reina Tilbet’s proposal.

It had already been two weeks since Hugrey and Chloe were confined in the Imperial Palace. Hugrey was in a frustrating situation where his feet were tied inside the Imperial Palace, albeit voluntarily, so he communicated with the wolf shapeshifters gathered in Roizen through Joyce.

Joyce played the role of conveying the duke’s intentions and the results of the wolf shapeshifters’ meetings by going back and forth between Roizen and Lyon, the imperial capital where the Imperial Palace was located. Since it was a 10-hour one-way distance, it took a full day just for the duke’s orders and the results of the wolf shapeshifters’ meetings to come and go.

This time, Hugrey’s face darkened even more than before as he received the report from Joyce, who had returned after three days.

“Still don’t know who leaked Chloe’s existence to Staxton?”

“Yes, there is no one to specify. For now, even I didn’t know that Lady Chloe was a shapeshifter… There was no gap for it to leak out.”

“Hmm…”

Hugrey was lost in thought with his arms crossed. The fact that Chloe was a shapeshifter was known only to Chloe, Chloe’s mother, Calcus Trascan, and himself.

Of course, it could have leaked out through someone related to Chloe’s mother, but it was difficult to suspect that side. If it had leaked from there, Staxton should have already known about Chloe’s existence when he killed Clyne.

It was clear that someone had recently informed King Staxton… But who?

“Reina Tilbet, did you investigate that woman’s whereabouts?”

It was an absurd deduction, but she was a person who weighed on his mind. That woman had directly met Chloe, and the behavior of that creepy fellow who was her subordinate was also suspicious.

“Ah! It seems that Lady Reina Tilbet had several meetings with King Staxton.”

Hugrey’s eyes widened.

Could it be…?

“But, Your Grace, the reason why Lady Reina met with the King of Tigrium seems to be separate from that.”

“What do you mean? On what basis?”

Hugrey’s eyes, which had widened, narrowed in an instant.

“There is talk that King Staxton proposed to Lady Reina Tilbet. It seems that King Staxton, who is in urgent need of a shapeshifter successor, expressed his intention to Lady Reina first.”

“I’m starting to feel sick.”

Hugrey actually shuddered. Putting aside the age mismatch, the tiger shapeshifters and the wolf shapeshifters were the species that hated each other the most, yet he brazenly proposed.

Come to think of it, he was in the same situation. Since Chloe was a tiger shapeshifter. But he had imprinted on Chloe when he didn’t know she was a tiger shapeshifter. However, the King of Tigrium and Reina Tilbet clearly knew each other.

Well, there could be something in common between a greedy old man and an ambitious woman, but still, isn’t it too disgusting a combination?

The nerves that had been on edge at the thought that the woman might be the culprit were deflated to the point of being futile.

“Anyway, what is the atmosphere of the meeting like?”

To pressure the emperor, Hugrey had instructed the wolf shapeshifters to move to the border area between the Ulpaz Duchy and the Imperial Territory, but strangely, the orders were not being carried out.

Joyce’s face darkened.

“Well, the atmosphere is not good.”

“Not good?”

“There are opinions that a tiger shapeshifter descendant cannot be accepted as the alpha’s companion.”

“What?”

Hugrey doubted his own ears. They can’t accept it? The alpha’s companion? The companion imprinted by a wolf shapeshifter? Is it possible for such words to come out among the wolf shapeshifters?

“They’re gathering in my house and saying such things. Does that make sense? Who the hell is saying such nonsense?”

“…It seems to be Lady Reina Tilbet.”

“That woman, is there something wrong with her mind?”

“The problem is that the elders are swayed by that woman’s opinion.”

Even if not an alpha, it was a principle to protect a companion imprinted by a wolf shapeshifter within the species. But to say that they cannot accept the alpha’s companion, of all people, Hugrey’s face distorted from the unexpected shock.

“In fact, Lady Reina Tilbet is also arguing that the peace treaty that has lasted for hundreds of years cannot be broken like this.”

“Hmm…”

Hugrey groaned.