Volume 6, Chapter 26 – The Beastman’s Awkward Period

The exquisite room was silent, save for the sound of cutlery clinking against white porcelain plates. It wasn’t until the sound of light footsteps appeared at the door that the people in the room raised their heads in unison, looking toward the entrance.

Then, an elf girl with jet-black hair tied in twin tails, her body so petite it looked like she could be picked up with a little effort, appeared at the door. Her knee-length black formal dress accentuated her cold aura, but when she waved gently to the people in the room and a smile appeared in her red eyes, the icy atmosphere shattered instantly. The Night Fairy standing there transformed into an approachable elf princess.

“What’s wrong? It’s so quiet.”

In an instant, the worry on everyone’s faces relaxed, and smiles appeared unconsciously on all their faces.

Especially Milu and Tilulu. The two jumped off their chairs and hugged Fia’s arms, one on the left and one on the right. Anastasia stood up to prepare Fia’s dinner. It was worth mentioning that even Ying, dressed in light green gauze, was in the room.

“Sister is back!”

“No need for such a grand welcome… I was only gone for a little while.”

Facing Liti’s happy shout, Fia smiled wryly. Everyone’s reaction was as if she had been away from home for a long time.

“It’s true you were only gone for a little while, but you were with that fire cat, after all. And a heartbroken fire cat at that. It’s only natural for everyone to be worried. What if that fire cat suddenly attacked Sister and vented her anger on you?”

Since Anastasia had already pulled out a chair for her, Fia patted Milu and Tilulu’s heads, signaling them to return to their seats, and then sat down—the seat was between Liti and Claire. Fia couldn’t help but find Liti’s words amusing.

“So Liti thinks I’m no match for Nola?”

Liti, biting a silver spoon, pouted, full of awkwardness.

“It’s not that I think Sister can’t beat the fire cat, but that Sister might not fight back out of guilt, and then you’d be bullied.”

“No way. I’m the type who returns a punch if I get slapped.”

Although if Nola really made a move, I would definitely block it before her fist reached my face.

Ying, at the side, covered her mouth and snickered.

“If Her Highness didn’t fight back, Nola would definitely feel guilty. Don’t look at her always acting straightforward; her heart is actually more girlish than anyone’s. Once she calms down, she’ll overthink things, regretting not doing this or that, wondering if her words were too harsh. Although she is the leader of a clan, her age of seventeen or eighteen is there; she can’t be that mature.”

“That’s true… Even though we’ve been apart for seven years, Nola is still the same as before.”

With a gentle gaze like looking at a junior, Claire shook her head and sighed helplessly.

“Your Highness and the Holy Son were out for the entire afternoon. Shortly after you left, we felt an earthquake. Was it really a battle? Like fighting her to help the Holy Son vent her emotions? But that kind of commotion…”

As she spoke, Anastasia craned her neck to look at the door Fia came from. Since Nola wasn’t behind Fia, her hesitant expression seemed to suspect Fia had beaten Nola severely.

“Where did Miss Nola go?”

Fia nodded her chin toward Ying.

“She went to find Ying, saying she needed to understand matters in the territory. Don’t look at me like that. I did cause that commotion, but not against Nola. We just went to the Weeping Mountains to find the Goddess.”

“Find the Goddess? Did Sister see the Goddess? What does the Goddess look like?”

Liti tilted her head, her large, cute purple-red eyes full of confusion.

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Her innocent look made Fia unable to resist teasing her. Fia pressed her index finger to her chin, feigning recollection.

“Well… magnificent jet-black hair like a waterfall, rose-red eyes, skin lustrous like jade, and porcelain-white calves and beautiful body curves. Her features were so exquisite she looked like she walked out of a painting—”

“Isn’t that just Sister?”

Liti looked skeptical, while everyone else at the table except Liti began to chuckle.

This girl probably took it seriously, so she didn’t realize I was joking.

Fia coughed loudly and puffed out her small chest proudly.

“That’s right, it’s me!”

“Sister always teases me!”

Finally realizing she was being teased, Liti froze for a moment, then raised her eyebrows like an angry lion.

If they weren’t eating, Liti might have protested with her weak fists.

Her rich expressions are so cute.

Thinking this, Fia put on a serious face.

“Ahem, I didn’t see the Goddess; only Nola did. You can ask Nola for details. After all, it’s a matter between her and the Goddess. It’s not appropriate for me to say it without her permission. As for the earthquake, that was the result of my battle with an eighth-rank undead I met in the Weeping Mountains.”

“An eighth-rank undead in the Weeping Mountains? How is that possible?!”

If not for the fact that Ying had no legs, she would have stood up in shock.

Knowing Ying would react like this, Fia said calmly.

“No need to be nervous. I’ve already dealt with that undead.”

“De… dealt with?” Ying muttered blankly. “That commotion did fit the eighth rank… Not just Demon Generals, but even an eighth-rank undead slain in just one afternoon. I’m increasingly glad you chose us instead of Chazo.”

Ying’s expression was exceptionally complicated, her tone unable to hide her relief. If Fia were just the Eldest Princess, she would still feel the status gap between them wasn’t large. But now that Fia had become a powerhouse who could easily slay an eighth-rank undead, she couldn’t help but feel an insurmountable chasm had opened between them. It had reached a point where she could only look up at Fia from afar, unable to joke casually like on that snowy night in the past.

Fia naturally didn’t know what Ying was thinking. She continued to explain.

“The monster riot in the Weeping Mountains is related to the recent frequent earthquakes. I plan to stay in Cold Night for half a month. I’ll leave only after confirming that the monsters in the Weeping Mountains won’t cause catastrophic danger to you. What do you think, Ying?”

Ying didn’t answer Fia; she just frowned absently. Fia couldn’t help but reach across the table with a [Spatial Hand] and pat Ying’s head.

“Ying?”

“Ah… Huh?! S-Sorry! I spaced out.”

Fia had to repeat what she just said. Ying thought while swaying the tip of her tail, then asked doubtfully.

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“Does Your Highness already know how to lift Miss Claire’s curse?”

“I wouldn’t say I know, but I have a definite conclusion.”

“Then why stay here for another half month? Ah, I’m not chasing you away. I’m just curious why you care so much about our safety. Is it because of Nola?”

In Ying’s view, Fia likely decided to help Nola out of guilt.

But that wasn’t the case.

Fia shrugged, causing her black hair draped over her slender shoulders to tremble.

“The Fire Cat Tribe’s territory is part of Cold Night. As one of the two Queens of Cold Night, it’s only reasonable for me to fulfill my obligation to protect my subjects.”

“I see.”

She wants to gain prestige among the people, Ying nodded secretly. Cold Night seemed to have two Queens, but in reality, there was only Tilulu. Fia decided this merely to help Tilulu gain a firm foothold. Ying had seen this long ago: Fia wouldn’t stay in Cold Night for long.

This way, as long as she and Nola showed goodwill to Tilulu, the Fire Cat Tribe would become the mainstream race in Cold Night in the future. With Fia hinting this clearly, Ying couldn’t possibly fail to understand.

However, the problem lay elsewhere.

She showed worry on her face, glanced at Claire sitting demurely at the table, then weakly reached out a hand, her movements full of hesitation.

“Just say whatever you want to say.”

“I want to say… Do you mean that the monsters in the Weeping Mountains will be dealt with by you, Your Highness? This will indeed accumulate prestige for you, but what about Nola… Although as a leader, one should prioritize the big picture, this is my thought from a personal perspective. Nola was first rejected by Miss Claire, whom she always admired. Now she has to feel useless under your power. She was given the command by her Goddess to become the ruler of Cold Night. If, after you defeat the monsters attacking the city, the clansmen no longer value her identity as the Holy Son because your power is too dazzling, and turn to worship you instead, she will have nothing left…”

“As her best friend, I implore you to show mercy and see if there’s a euphemistic solution. I will also do my best to find other paths, striving to achieve your goal without making Nola too disappointed. Her strength comes from the things she is proud of. Once she loses these, I worry she will never recover. I beg you to look at her more…”

Ying’s pleading statement made everyone’s eyes focus on Fia.

Facing Ying’s gaze, Fia looked away slightly. She had already noticed Nola’s low spirits in the evening and knew Ying wasn’t lying. If it were the Fia who had just met Nola, she would have scoffed at Ying’s request. She didn’t know Nola, and besides, she was upholding a greater cause; there was no need to be sentimental about an individual’s feelings.

But now, she and Nola could be considered friends—one didn’t have to confirm face-to-face “Are you my friend?” to be friends. Such things didn’t need a special ceremony. Fia considered herself and Nola to be friends already. It was just that because of Claire, Nola felt awkward looking at her and found it hard to be frank. In reality, she respected Fia very much in her heart.

Even if Ying hadn’t asked, she would have considered Nola’s feelings. Honestly, just Nola’s past of enduring humiliation to be a maid in Blossom made Fia feel Nola was quite pitiful. To sell her dignity in another country for the subjects in her territory… and now losing both Claire and the Goddess she trusted at the same time. If this continued, she might really become decadent and fall into a spiral of self-doubt. There was no need to strike a person down like this.

Maybe I bullied her a bit too much… Even if I didn’t intend to bully her, she just happened to be in my way, and I had to move forward.

A friend, huh…

Savoring the word in her heart, Fia lamented alone. She hadn’t noticed it before, but when she came back to her senses, she realized she had developed a friendship with her romantic rival where they could joke freely. Intelligent beings were truly wondrous existences.

Objectively speaking, since coming to the World Tree Continent, she had made almost no friends of the same age. Estelle was the only one. Others were either family or subordinates. And Estelle was a friend she knew from scratch strictly because she had maintained correspondence with the Eldest Princess. Nola was the only one. Ying could only count as half.

I have to cherish this hard-won bond.

I wonder if Nola on the other side has realized this.

Having thoroughly thought through this relationship, Fia took a deep breath and answered seriously.

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“I will measure my actions carefully. If I go too far, I’ll rely on Ying to remind me.”

“Thank you very much.”

Although the words were brief, everyone could hear the sincerity in Ying’s tone. Claire, at the side, smiled to lighten the mood.

“Let’s talk about what Nola experienced after she left me. If we write it down, maybe it could become a heroic legend praised by everyone.”

Seeming to remember something, Claire’s verdant eyes filled with teasing. She curled her lips, her face full of slyness.

“Speaking of which, how did Ying and Nola meet? Your usual intimacy seems to have surpassed mere friendship. Is it like Little Fia and me, or are you secretly crushing on the strong and clumsy Nola? Although Nola is dense, she is very responsible. It’s only natural to be attracted to someone with that kind of personality. There are no outsiders here; even if you say it straight, no one will laugh at you, okay? We can even give you some ideas.”

“No, no, no, Nola and I don’t have that kind of relationship.” Ying quickly drew a line, waving her hands in a flurry. “Her Highness asked me the same thing before, but Nola and I really are just friends who trust each other absolutely. She and I… no, it’s me. My sexual orientation is normal.”

“Is that so?”

“Really! Why does everyone always see Nola and me as lovers?”

“Hmm… because you give off that vibe? You look like a good match. One smart, one clumsy.”

Claire teased, pretending to be serious.

Being teased by Claire, Ying’s pretty face flushed red, and her breathing became erratic. She first retorted loudly, then her voice gradually became smaller.

“That must be your misconception, Miss Claire! Isn’t there a saying that one won’t be interested in someone they grew up with? Knowing too much about each other kills the mystery, so naturally, there’s no lover’s atmosphere. Nola and I are like that. Besides, Nola and I are both women. Leaving aside that the person she likes is you, Miss Claire, I couldn’t possibly fall for her in the first place. Beastmen are different from elves; we reject same-sex marriage. On the contrary, Miss Claire, didn’t you feel disappointed or angry at the possibility that Nola and I might be lovers?”

“Disappointed and angry? Why?”

This time it was Claire’s turn to be puzzled.

Seemingly weighing her words to avoid hurting Claire, Ying stammered an explanation.

“Well, um—if someone who originally liked you suddenly stopped liking you and liked someone else instead, wouldn’t you feel you lost your charm and get disappointed, or even angry at the person who originally liked you? Miss Claire doesn’t feel that at all.”

“Well…” Claire hesitated for a moment, then revealed a bitter, big-sisterly smile. “I never realized Nola harbored romantic feelings for me; I only saw her as my niece. Besides, I am already engaged to Fia. So if there is someone by Nola’s side who can support her, as her aunt, I can feel much more at ease.”

“Is that so?” For some reason, Ying cast a thoughtful gaze on Fia, who was concentrating on enjoying a thick steak. Cold Night’s red meat was quite chewy; if not for maintaining ladylike manners, Fia would have wanted to pick it up with both hands and gnaw on it. “Then I can only try to set up…”

Thud.

Before Ying could finish, everyone heard a dull thud from the wall near the corridor, as if someone had slammed their head against it. Not only that, but they could also hear low conversation and the rustling sound of clothes rubbing together. This sound moved horizontally along the wall until it reached the door. Finally, lacking support, the two people making the noise tumbled into the room, appearing before everyone’s eyes.

It was two cats.

To be precise, it was a Grass Cat Tribe girl with long cyan hair and a Fire Cat Tribe girl with short pale red hair. Both girls wore white ruffled maid miniskirts, clearly maids of the Hunting Grounds. However, these two maids were currently in a top-and-bottom position, embracing each other selflessly on the carpet, kissing each other’s cheeks and lips, and softly calling each other’s names. They didn’t even notice everyone was watching them, like foolish lovers in a park, completely disregarding their surroundings.

Almost instantly, the atmosphere in the room became… suggestive. Everyone was so shocked by this sudden, stimulating scene that they didn’t know what to say. Because the actions of these two stirred the emotions of the audience, the air began to feel hot, and a strange scent wafted through the room. Especially since the two continued their actions, everyone felt like they were sitting on pins and needles, just wanting to get up and leave immediately.

Milu immediately covered Tilulu’s eyes (and then folded her ears to cover her own eyes). Anastasia also opportunely covered Liti’s eyes. Fia, gnawing on her steak, put it down and stared dumbfounded. Claire’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she politely looked away.

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Only Ying had the most direct reaction. She hurriedly slithered over to the two catgirls, then chanted a spell in a low voice. A basin of cold water instantly washed over the two fallen catgirls.

“Eek!”

“So cold!”

Startled, the two catgirl maids separated immediately. Their eyes, previously glazed as if drunk, instantly cleared. When they saw Ying’s furious face, their blank expressions were gradually replaced by terror.

“Didn’t I say you can’t work during estrus! ¹ applies to nonhuman mammals: a state or period of heightened sexual arousal and activity. (basically in heat) Disgraceful! Get out! Go to the steward for punishment yourself!”

“Y-Yes!”

“We are very sorry! Lady Ying!”

Bowing repeatedly in apology, the two soaked cat-person girls fled the room as if escaping for their lives. As they left, they didn’t forget to adjust their soft skirts and underwear, their faces flushed with shame at being seen in such a disgraceful state.

“Tsk.”

Closing the door, Ying clicked her tongue angrily. Seeming very embarrassed, her movements were full of awkwardness. Her hands trembling slightly, she turned apologetically to Fia and her group.

“I apologize for letting Your Highness and everyone see such a joke. We beastmen have always had the concept of… estrus. Now that it is early spring, it is the time when the cat-people’s desires flourish and their hearts itch unbearably. Even the most ascetic beastman cannot resist the impulse when estrus arrives; we become unable to control ourselves. This instinct is just like eating when hungry and drinking when thirsty; it is a bodily instinct. I hope everyone understands. Originally, beastmen in estrus were not allowed to work in the Hunting Grounds to avoid harassing and attacking guests. These two probably just had their onset today…”

“Ahem.” Fia politely put down her knife and fork and the steak, feigning calm, and said magnanimously, “Since it’s instinct, it can’t be helped. We will forget it. Please sit down, Ying.”

“Thank you.”

“Sister Anna, I’m not a child anymore.” While breaking free from Anastasia’s restriction, Liti looked curiously at Ying, who was a snake-person, and asked impolitely, “Since all beastmen have this thing called estrus, wouldn’t Miss Ying and Tilulu be troubled by it too?”

“Tilulu and I haven’t officially come of age yet, so we won’t have this trouble.”

Ying answered with a smile, clasping her hands in front of her waist.

Liti tilted her head.

“Then what about that fire cat?”

“Nola isn’t of age either, so she won’t have such times. Princess Liti can rest assured; Nola won’t suddenly attack you.”

“This topic is too impure for you young ladies. Let’s enjoy dinner first.”

Finally unable to watch any longer, Anastasia changed the subject with a serious expression.

Like children scolded by a parent, the girls who had been keenly interested in estrus all showed embarrassment—it was only natural for adolescent girls to be interested in such things; curiosity was the normal reaction. They smiled awkwardly at each other, then stiffly fiddled with their knives and forks. Only their red cheeks and pounding hearts showed that their hearts were not calm. That impactful scene just now was too stimulating for them, to the point where they wanted to sneak after the maids to see what happened next.

The room was once again left with only the sound of cutlery hitting white porcelain plates, but compared to before, the sound carried the ripples of chaotic thoughts.