I taught Blanche, who manifested as a wolf, how to tuck in her wolf ears, but it was of no use.

Perhaps because she was a hybrid born between Jade and me of different species, she didn’t know how to fully transform into a therianthrope.

Blanche also became depressed whenever she failed to hide her wolf ears.

I felt guilty, seeing that Blanche’s inability to properly control was entirely due to problems caused by me.

If I hadn’t escaped to Lekah and given birth to Blanche…

She would have been treated as a mongrel by the Rowe branch family members with their superiority complex.

Even Jade, born between a white wolf father and a red wolf mother, was taunted as a mongrel.

Of course, Jade, with his unpleasant personality, didn’t tolerate being called a mongrel. He beat up the branch family members so they wouldn’t dare to run their mouths carelessly again.

‘…If Blanche had heard such things, would Jade have protected her?’

I know it’s a meaningless assumption, but I imagine it as I watch Blanche increasingly resemble Jade.

The image of Jade together with me and Blanche.

“Blanche! My treasure!”

I heard Earl Boston’s shout calling for Blanche from outside.

‘Uncle has come.’

I hoped Earl Boston, who still didn’t know Blanche had manifested as a wolf, wouldn’t be too shocked.

I picked up Blanche, who was stacking wooden blocks, and went out to greet Earl Boston.

“Grandpa came to see our Blanche, shouldn’t you say hello?”

“…Mm.”

Blanche, unfamiliar with Earl Boston whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, buried her face in my arms and hid.

“Have you come, Uncle?”

“Have you been well, Larien? I brought gifts for our Blanche. These are cherries that Blanche eats well, that’s a rabbit doll Blanche likes, and those things in the back are…”

“Oh my, if you bring this much every time you come, won’t it be tiring?”

“It’s not tiring at all. Blanche is my treasure. Since Blanche was born, I can’t focus on work. I just count the days until I can come see Blanche.”

The gifts Earl Boston brought were too numerous.

“By the way, hasn’t Blanche manifested as a sparrow yet?”

“…Uncle, about that.”

“I should start teaching her how to fly soon. I’m worried that her manifestation is being delayed too much.”

Earl Boston’s face brightened as soon as he saw Blanche peek out from my arms.

“Oh my, our Blanche! You’re wearing such a cute hairpin on your head!”

“Um, Uncle. It’s not a hairpin.”

He hadn’t noticed at all that Blanche had manifested as a wolf.

Even I sometimes doubted how Blanche could have been born between Jade and me.

Aaron commented that it was such a rare case, bordering on non-existent, that he could write a thesis about Blanche.

“Uncle. Blanche manifested as a wolf.”

“Huh? Larien, what are you saying? A wolf?”

Before revealing the truth, I covered Blanche’s ears completely and whispered to Earl Boston.

“You may not believe it, but Blanche’s father is a wolf.”

Just like the day I first announced my pregnancy, Earl Boston’s mouth gaped wide open.

“…Larien. That’s not a funny joke.”

“It’s not a joke, Uncle.”

As Earl Boston’s expression gradually hardened, Blanche became frightened and burst into tears.

“Waaah!”

“Oh dear, Blanche. Grandpa’s not angry. There, there.”

Earl Boston gestured to talk again later while soothing Blanche.

I took Blanche to her room, comforted her until she fell asleep, and came back out.

“Uncle.”

“…How’s Blanche?”

“It’s her nap time, so she fell asleep quickly.”

I faced Earl Boston, who was waiting in front of the door.

“Is Blanche’s biological father really a wolf?”

Earl Boston asked several times, still unable to believe it.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I was surprised too when I first found out I was pregnant with Blanche. It’s supposed to be impossible between different species, right?”

“I still can’t believe it. In fact, since it’s impossible between different species, I thought she wasn’t your daughter.”

“But Blanche resembles me too much for that.”

“…That’s true. She looks exactly like you did when you were young.”

Earl Boston expressed his complex feelings.

“Larien. Can you now tell me who Blanche’s biological father is?”

Now that Blanche had manifested as a wolf, there was no point in hiding it anymore.

“Jade is Blanche’s father.”

“…Jade Rowe?”

Earl Boston’s expression became even more serious than when I revealed the child’s father was a wolf.

“That Rowe Duke, he’s now engaged to the Earl Winst’s daughter.”

“He’s engaged to Earl Winst’s daughter… I see.”

“That rascal. I should cease all dealings with Rowe.”

“Please don’t do that, Uncle. I ran away without telling Jade I was pregnant. And I knew he was going to be engaged to Earl Winst’s daughter.”

While I made excuses to Earl Boston, who was resentful of Jade, I felt uneasy inside.

‘Given Jade’s personality, I knew he wouldn’t care, but it’s still a bit disappointing.’

It turns out his promise not to get engaged to Earl Winst’s daughter was all a lie in the moment.

I felt relieved that I wasn’t swayed by him, yet also lonely.

‘To Jade, I’m just a dead childhood friend now.’

I tried to erase the sudden surge of disappointment, the exact reason for which even I couldn’t understand.

“By the way, I didn’t expect Blanche to manifest as a wolf. Shouldn’t we inform Duke Rowe even now?”

It’s true that I had wondered if things would have been better if Jade were here.

It was just an imagination I indulged in, knowing it was an impossibility, especially now that he was engaged to Earl Winst’s daughter.

If we revealed Blanche’s existence as a wolf manifestation, she would inevitably have to undergo Rowe’s harsh training.

The thought of Blanche being thrown into the snowy mountains was so horrifying it gave me goosebumps.

It didn’t matter at all that Blanche had manifested as a wolf.

No matter what form she took, she was my child to protect.

“Uncle. Whether Blanche is a sparrow or a wolf, I want to raise her as just my child.”

“…We can add Blanche to the family tree, but Boston’s lineage must continue as sparrow therianthropes.”

Blanche, who manifested as a wolf, cannot succeed the Boston family, which consists of sparrow therianthropes.

“I’m sorry if this sounds disappointing, but Blanche cannot become the heir to rule Boston.”

Earl Boston apologized for something he couldn’t control.

I was grateful that he accepted Blanche as my child, despite her manifesting as a completely different species.

“There’s nothing to be disappointed about. I’m thankful just for you allowing Blanche to be added to the family tree. Please don’t say such things. It’s thanks to you that I was able to give birth to Blanche.”

“…Even so, it doesn’t change the fact that Blanche is my granddaughter.”

He added that support for Blanche would not be cut off, patting me on the back.

“I remember the day you first came to me asking for help. Time really seems to fly by.”

“You were very surprised then, weren’t you?”

“Surprised is an understatement. I was so shocked that my heart is still pounding.”

He lightened the mood with a playful gesture.

I spent the night conversing with Earl Boston.

The long night was pleasantly colored.

Four years have passed since then.

In that time, Blanche learned how to tuck in her ears after countless attempts.

Her ears still pop out when she gets too excited or when something’s wrong with her body, but at least she knows how to control them now.

Once she gets completely used to it, she’ll be able to live a normal life.

“Phew!”

Blanche, celebrating her birthday, stood up with her hands on the table and blew out the candles on the cake with all her might.

“Happy birthday, sweetie.”

I pressed my lips to Blanche’s cheek. Blanche, wiggling her chubby cheeks, put both hands on her waist.

“Shu-shu is a grown-up now, so no more kisses!”

She looked so cute, puffing out her belly with a solemn expression.

“You’re only 4 years old.”

Aaron, standing nearby, snickered and mocked Blanche.

“Hmph, Uncle. Shu-shu is all grown up.”

“You’re just a little squirt with your short height.”

“Shu-shu is not short! I’m not a squirt!”

Mary and I shook our heads at the sight of their childish argument.

“Aaron. What if your mental age becomes the same as Blanche’s as days go by?”

“…Ahem. I was just playing along with the kid.”

Blanche giggled excitedly at Aaron’s forced cough.

“Oh ho, you little squirt. Did you just laugh?”

“Shu-shu didn’t laugh! It was just the wind getting into my lungs, that’s all.”

“That means you laughed, you know? Do you even know where your lungs are?”

Blanche shrugged her shoulders confidently, not intimidated in the least.

“No, but Shu-shu is cute so it’s okay not to know.”

“That has nothing to do with being cute.”

Watching the two bicker made me smile.

I was so happy now that I couldn’t even think about the unhappy past.

“It’s Shu-shu’s birthday, but I’m bored. Mama, can’t you not work today and play with Shu-shu?”

“Oh dear. I have an important trade to attend to at the guild today.”

“Aww… If you’re busy, there’s nothing we can do.”

Seeing Blanche like this made me feel sorry for her.

“Blanche, if you’re bored, should I call your friends over?”

“Don’t wanna. Don’t bring them. Shu-shu is fine alone.”

“But won’t you be lonely by yourself? If your friends are here…”

“Geez, Jenny and Ellie are not Shu-shu’s friends!”

Blanche, who had been gulping down milk, slammed her cup down.

“Huh…? Did you fight with your friends?”

I was taken aback by Blanche’s response.

“We didn’t fight, but Jenny talks too much. Ellie is stupid. Shu-shu doesn’t like noisy and stupid things.”