I pushed to the end thinking there could be something. Fortunately, they took the bait somewhat. However, that something far exceeded what Hugrey had imagined.

Another beast-person? And they followed Chloe every time?

Whether towards the beast-person who followed Chloe, or this old man before him who tried to throw Chloe to that beast, an indistinguishable rage was about to explode from head to toe.

“Hmm… I see. Then who is this beast-person?”

But for now, he had to suppress his anger. If he killed this old man, there would be no way to find out who that beast-person was, so he first needed to uncover who was targeting Chloe.

“I… I, that, I…”

The old man’s mouth moved, but no answer came out. He must endure. He still had to endure.

“Speak.”

“I’m not entirely sure, but we found out later that it was…”

His patience had reached its limit.

“Speak!”

Finally, the anger condensed in his lower abdomen burst out in a loud voice.

“It was His Majesty Emperor Calcus Trascan.”

At his shout, the startled old man finally uttered the awaited words, and simultaneously Hugrey’s heart sank. His fallen heart seemed to have gone down to the fires of hell, as if it were burning.

“What… did you say, Calcus?”

“Back then, I didn’t know he was the current Emperor! I just thought, since he would come into the inn and take a room every time Lady Chloe entered her room, and follow her when she left the inn at dawn, that he must be a beast-person who liked Lady Chloe. It seemed like he was secretly following and protecting her out of concern for a woman traveling alone. There used to be a notorious mountain pass nearby back then, right? Bandits would often appear.”

The old man’s continued explanation seemed to both stick in his ears and not register at all.

So, Calcus Trascan always followed and watched Chloe when she traveled between Buergen and Royzen? That perverted bastard…

“We didn’t know the details, so we pretended not to notice, but it was pitiful to see a young lady sneaking out in men’s clothes every dawn to avoid people’s eyes, and it was heartbreaking to hear her lamenting about wanting to live normally, and it was also pitiful to see a decent-looking beast-man devotedly protecting a woman from behind. Anyway, even if the enzyme had such an effect, we thought something might happen with that beast-man, but with the Duke, I swear to heaven we never imagined it.”

The old man’s words now seemed to ring like tinnitus, or pierce his ears like thorns.

“To begin with, we didn’t know Lady Chloe would go into heat. How could we have imagined such a thing? It was really a one-in-a-million possibility, and we just gave her the enzyme because she looked pitiful. It actually helps with fatigue recovery, and since she had drunk a bit that day, it would have helped with hangover relief the next day too. We really didn’t think things would turn out like that…”

“Did Calcus Trascan come to this inn that night as well?”

“Yes, he did come, but by then… Lady Chloe had already gone into the Duke’s room, so we locked the door before he could enter the inn. He was a man who followed and protected Lady Chloe, but if he found out she had entered a room with the Duke… We already knew he was a beast-person too at that time. As you know, if you let a beast-person into an inn, with their developed hearing and all… it would be difficult for them not to know what’s happening in the inn…”

The murderous intent that had swelled up towards these old people for nearly sending Chloe to Calcus was slowly subsiding as he learned that they had blocked Calcus.

However, at the same time, Hugrey grabbed his neck and turned his head from side to side. He felt choked imagining what might have happened if he hadn’t rushed into this inn that night due to the sudden onset of heat.

“What’s your name?”

“It’s Sebas.”

The old man quickly answered while lowering his head as soon as their eyes met.

“Sebas. Listen carefully.”

“Yes, yes!”

“Your words don’t prove that you had no criminal intent. It’s just your own claim. Without any evidence. Of course, I could go ask Emperor Calcus Trascan if he followed my wife. Just to verify the credibility of your words.”

“…Yes.”

The old man’s voice started trembling again.

“But I have no intention of doing so. In fact, I’m feeling very upset. I’ve just heard that my wife almost became another man’s wife, right? And even if I ask, do you think the Emperor would readily say, ‘Yes, I followed your wife around’? It doesn’t seem likely, does it?”

In fact, if he asked Calcus Trascan, he would probably say, “Yes, I did follow her.” That lunatic would say even more than that. He’s still waiting for Chloe to return to him. He had no intention of giving him a chance to spout such nonsense.

“Ah…”

“Your couple’s innocence cannot be proven, and I have no intention of forgiving you. But if you keep one promise, I’m willing to keep my mouth shut.”

“Yes, yes! Whatever you say. I’ll do as you command.”

“Don’t ever tell what you’ve said today to my wife or to Calcus. No, don’t even talk about it between yourselves ever again. You know better than anyone that there are many beast-people in this world who can hear even what you say to yourselves or in your pillow talk.”

“Pardon?”

“If this story comes out of anyone’s mouth again, that mouth will be shut forever. Understand?”

“Yes! Yes, I understand.”

The old man bowed deeply.

It was a secret that had to be buried forever. Of course, now that Chloe had become his wife and his woman, nothing could be changed even if someone found out. But even if nothing could be changed, it was unpleasant and unsettling for Chloe to learn such facts.

Damn Calcus Trascan. He was like a rusty nail stuck in the throat. Even swallowing saliva left an unpleasant taste when thinking of him.

“Don’t forget to prepare food at dawn. Remember to quietly leave it in front of the door without making any noise.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Hugrey gave the old man one last crushing look. Seeing how he spilled everything under threat, it was unlikely the old couple would tell anyone about that night. After the existence of beast-people became known to the world, the existence of those who deal with beast-people was no longer a secret, and transactions that used to take place in the shadows gradually came to light. That’s why they would also fear their actions towards Chloe becoming known. Secretly feeding enzymes to beast-people would completely destroy their credibility as dealers. Moreover, they would be afraid to carelessly talk about the former unrequited love antics of Calcus, who is now the Emperor.

When he returned to the room, Chloe was still sleeping soundly. If he hadn’t entered this inn, would this lovely woman be lying in this bed now? Just making such an assumption made him feel like his throat was burning up.

“Hugrey Ulpaz is my man. He’s mine.”

As he was unconsciously stroking his neck again while looking down at Chloe, she sleep-talked. Her voice was so clear and loud that it seemed too distinct to be sleep-talking.

What… did she say?

In an instant, his burning throat felt at ease. Even his chest, which had been throbbing, felt comfortable.

I am yours. I am your man.

His body shuddered. It was a tremor of joy. He threw away the assumption of not entering this inn. Because he did enter in the end.

From you coming to my house, staying at this inn, eating the enzyme, and coincidentally encountering me in the hallway at that moment, to me suddenly going into heat on my way to the villa, briefly considering whether to enter this shabby inn or not but eventually entering, the lamp oil running out at that exact moment, and going out to the hallway and imprinting on you – all those coincidences.

Fate might not be something grand, but rather a collection of these small coincidences, so minute that one couldn’t imagine how they would affect life.

All those moments, all those coincidences, that subtle inclination of the heart. The rare overlapping of all those coincidences that led to our meeting at that moment – that is fate. The path they have walked is fate, and the path not taken is nothing.

“Hugrey and Chloe are destined for each other.”

Hugrey whispered into the ear of the sleeping Chloe. Chloe slightly furrowed her brow.

“I am your destiny.”

He whispered again, gently pressing the wrinkle that had formed between her eyebrows. The corners of Chloe’s eyes turned down slightly, and her lips curved up just as much.

“And you are my destiny.”

He said again, clearly and distinctly. Wishing that he would be Chloe’s destiny even in her dreams, no, at every moment. As if engraving that fact into her soul.