The lieutenant added the last part jokingly to lighten the mood, but soon shrank back, seeing Asha’s serious expression.

“……I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought up this story and troubled you, Asha.”

“No, thank you for telling me this important story so straightforwardly. During my stay in the minority village, I really didn’t know anything about these events. I didn’t know how much sacrifice the Kelpi tribe made to protect the village. If you hadn’t told me, I would have continued to defend them without knowing anything.”

Asha looked at herself, willing to sacrifice for the minority, and felt somewhat empathetic and somber towards Jackal’s frustration.

After all, he had seen with his own eyes the Kelpi tribe, who received no reward despite their sacrifice.

The lieutenant spoke cautiously, glancing around.

“While you were away from Likaon, Asha, the captain lived like a recluse. He said he would confess his secret when he met you again, but it seems the timing wasn’t right…….”

The lieutenant sighed dejectedly.

Even when they kissed in the cave, he had no doubt that everything would work out.

Asha was lost in serious thought and then spoke with determination.

“I must go to see Jackal right away.”

As she jumped up from her seat and left the room, the lieutenant didn’t follow but looked at her retreating figure with concern.

He sincerely hoped the captain wouldn’t make a mistake this time.

Even to him, Jackal was indeed awkward when it came to women.

When Asha arrived at the house where Jackal was resting, she took a deep breath and cautiously opened the door.

But as soon as the door creaked open, a large bluishgray horse, standing in the corner and bumping its head against the wall, caught her eye.

Asha’s eyes widened, and she unconsciously called out the name she had given him, rather than Jackal.

“Shepi……?”

At Asha’s voice, Shepi looked back at her weakly.

His sharp eyes had drooped, and his blue pupils glistened moistly.

‘Ugh…….’

Asha put a hand to her chest.

The horse looked so miserable.

Its snout was flaring, its eyes drooping as if tears would fall, and just looking at it made her want to hold it.

Asha was greatly confused.

‘When did my taste become like this……?’

Jackal, seeing that she called him but said nothing, hung his head again, looking sulky.

He seemed to think she was still angry.

But Asha found his appearance so cute that she had long since forgiven him inside.

Perhaps he knew that she liked Shepi, and to win her over, he had transformed into a horse and was reflecting by staring at the wall until she returned.

“……Jackal.”

At Asha’s call, Jackal’s curved shoulders twitched.

“Come here.”

Jackal turned his head again to look at Asha.
Seeing her expression relax, he carefully approached with a soft, gentle stride.

But Asha suddenly pulled his head to her chest with a firm motion.

“……!”

Jackal’s eyes widened.

He tried to pull his face from her embrace in surprise, but Asha calmly wrapped his face even tighter and said,

“Why were you still back then, what’s wrong now?”

“……”

“This really sounds naughty.”

Jackal’s face turned red, and he squinted his eyes. But the corners of Asha’s mouth were slightly upturned.

“Seeing our pretty Shepi makes me feel so relieved that I wonder when I was angry.”

At that, Jackal thought to himself, ‘I did well to transform……’

But as if she had read his inner thoughts, Asha glanced sideways.

Jackal quickly pretended not to know.

Asha lightly bit her lower lip to keep from laughing.

Really, it seemed that she understood him incredibly well.

“Mr. Jackal, does speaking in transformation consume a lot of energy?”

Jackal nodded in her arms. Asha exclaimed in surprise,

“Then come back soon! What will you do if an already sick person wastes energy needlessly?”

Asha finished speaking and simultaneously brought over a nightgown, covering the horse’s body with it.

Soon, Jackal suddenly raised his waist and returned to human form.

After witnessing the transformation in person, Asha was astonished and almost asked him to transform again.

But, seeing him standing there, his robust bare body barely covered with the gown, she swallowed those words with dry saliva.

Jackal bowed his head as he closed the gown and said,

“……I’m sorry.”

That simple apology sounded more sincere than any other words.

He was always a man who thought carefully before speaking.

He must have been trying to do the same when he was about to reveal his secret…….

Asha lowered her eyelids slightly and said,

“Although I’m angry that you’ve been deceiving me all this time, it’s not something I don’t understand. If I could truly transform into a real butterfly, I would also have tried to hide that fact from those around me.”

Jackal, at those words, let out a slight laugh without realizing it.

Asha immediately gave him a stern look and said,

“Are you laughing now?”

“……No. I’m sorry.”

Jackal immediately apologized, his face falling.

But the image of Asha transforming into a small yellow butterfly and fluttering helplessly here and there kept threatening to make him smile, so he firmly closed his lips.

Asha looked at him for a moment, hesitating, and then said with a determined face,

“Mr. Jackal. In fact, I also have something to tell you.”