DSB 59

“How did they even find that out?”

“There was the barony where you went to subjugate the beasts. It seems they realized you returned to the northern castle quickly because of the rut.”

“…Is there talk spreading about his ability too?”

That was the bigger problem.

If they heard that the Foolish Prince had made the beasts submit, they would want to meet him even more to confirm whether it was true.

“The rumor about the rut has only just started spreading. Considering how fast it travels, the other part should still be fine for now.”

“But his ability was revealed inside the territory. Judging from the reaction of the people…”

“No matter how fast, it still takes time. The snowstorm season will come soon, so news will take longer to spread than usual.”

“…Snowstorm?”

Lebel looked at Yutis with confusion. They had said winter was almost over, so why was there talk of a snowstorm?

“It’s the snowstorm that signals winter’s end. It’s like an annual event. The snowstorm comes when winter begins and when it ends. At that time, everyone locks their doors and waits inside their homes until it passes. That’s why winter is especially busy here.”

“Is the preparation alright? Wasn’t there damage in the territory recently?”

When Karon trembled slightly, Lebel stroked him. Perhaps the timing hadn’t been good. He felt sorry for causing trouble for nothing.

“The beasts’ invasions are constant. We have shelters, so don’t worry.”

“The food supply? You avoided war with the Empire because of food.”

“That’s fine. We may not have plenty, but we took much from the Empire, so unless something major happens, it’ll be fine for a while. Yutis worked hard for it too.”

Since Damian handled the food supply, he affirmed confidently that it was secure. He said the preparations were thorough enough that no problem would occur, since this happened every year like a routine.

“So, daughter-in-law, what do you think you’ll do? When winter ends, letters from everywhere will probably arrive asking to meet you.”

Lebel hesitated for a moment.

Meeting them wouldn’t be difficult. The only issue was not knowing how many there would be. He didn’t particularly like places crowded with humans.

“…By that time, the news about you saving the territory will have spread.”

People would gather noisily again.

Edmund seemed to have thought the same, and he looked annoyed.

For now, they said they wanted to see Lebel out of curiosity, but judging from how the northerners had behaved before, once they heard that he had saved the territory from beasts, they might rush in without thinking.

“The rumor about the rut isn’t bad for you. Yutis’s rut has always been a long-standing problem in our North. You solved that. Daughter-in-law, you saved Yutis. After that, you even saved the territory from beasts. Everyone will try to express their gratitude to you.”

But since many hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, quite a few would doubt him and stay on guard, wondering what he was plotting.

Seeing the doubtful look on Lebel’s face, Edmund spoke firmly.

“Daughter-in-law, you’re not a prince of the Empire anymore. You’re Yutis’s wife. No matter what the retainers say, that fact won’t change. Even if some refuse to acknowledge you, your place as a member of our family won’t change.”

“I have no intention of keeping anyone as a retainer who refuses to recognize him. Father, don’t you agree?”

“Of course.”

“If there are any rude ones, tell us anytime.”

The three of them spoke in turn, trying to ease Lebel’s concern since he remained silent.

To them, he had already become more important than the retainers they had known for years.

Lebel felt that too. But he only found it troublesome.

Hearing more words wouldn’t hurt his mood. He simply didn’t see why he had to meet humans at all.

If it was a gathering place for retainers, of course he would have to pay attention and make preparations. Even as a demon, he had been busy from morning on days when his subordinates gathered.

Now he had to do that bothersome thing again.

“Of course, if you don’t want to meet them, you don’t have to.”

“……”

Lebel looked up at Edmund. The other two seemed to share the same thought.

There was no real need to meet them, but if he didn’t, there would surely be consequences.

The retainers’ opinions held no importance for him. But for the others, they couldn’t simply ignore what the retainers said about Lebel.

Lebel had once been in that kind of position too.

It was more efficient to meet once and erase their curiosity than to let rumors spread afterward.

“I don’t care. What’s so difficult about showing my face a little?”

Such occasions were nothing new for him.

“Wife, if it feels burdensome, you don’t have to attend.”

“I just dislike crowded places.”

Lebel only disliked being stared at like a spectacle.

“You can be honest. You haven’t adjusted to the North yet, so meeting the retainers could feel burdensome. Or we could take it slowly, meeting them little by little. That would be the milder way…”

“I dislike that even more. Since this place governs the North, there must be many retainers. I’ll meet them all at once and be done. It’s fine, as long as they don’t try to kill me.”

The war hadn’t ended long ago, so there would surely be people who still bore resentment toward him, since he had been a citizen of the Empire. The northerners seemed to have strong warlike tempers, so if they were extreme, they would show their hostility.

But that was only human hostility. Just as he didn’t think much when a passing dog barked, he wouldn’t care about them.

The problem was that now, since he could easily handle his demonic power, killing a human would be easy.

He wasn’t irritated by barking, but there were always those who went too far. If he got in a bad mood, he might kill a human without thinking.

But the three people completely misunderstood his words.

“Why would you say something like that? You think we’d just stand by and watch?”

There were two others who had no intention of letting that happen either.

“Who would dare to try and kill our daughter-in-law? Isn’t that right, Yutis?”

“I can’t even imagine something like that,” Yutis replied with a fierce look in his eyes.

“I’ll stay by your side to make sure nothing like that happens.”

Yutis took his hand, showing he would protect Lebel no matter what.

Lebel tilted his head slightly as he looked at the three who had misunderstood him.

It would be better for them to worry about the retainers instead of worrying about him. He hadn’t asked for help, but their words still sounded pleasant. And…

“You’re stating the obvious. Why would I go to a place like that without you?”

He was only going to preserve Yutis’s honor. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have considered going.

For Lebel, humans were insignificant, but for Yutis, his relationship with the retainers must be important. That was why, though it annoyed him, he agreed to show his face.

“But have you ever received such threats before?”

Yutis asked in an anxious voice. He knew well that when Lebel had first come to the castle, the servants’ attitude hadn’t been good.

And on the first day Lebel had arrived at the northern castle, he himself hadn’t been there. Considering what Lebel had just said, he wondered if something might have happened while he was away.

Saying “it’s fine as long as they don’t try to kill me” couldn’t help but bother him.

‘I investigated everything thoroughly. Could there be something I missed?’

It was possible that some servants had hidden the truth to avoid blame.

Lebel saw the killing intent in Yutis’s eyes as he held his hand and shook his head.

“Nothing like what you’re thinking happened.”

“A moment ago, you said it’s fine as long as they don’t try to kill you.”

Yutis’s mood turned heavy. It seemed he had misspoken again. Lebel, seeing how worried he looked, shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s just a way of speaking. Nothing happened. You really can’t take a joke.”

“Why do you make jokes that sound so grim?”

Damian frowned. Fortunately, because of the attitude Lebel had shown before, they didn’t think he was lying and let it go.

Yutis still looked uneasy, but he quickly changed the subject.

“What’s the other thing?”

“Ah, it’s about demonic beasts.”

Lebel’s eyes lit slightly. Could it be news about the beasts Karon had ordered to attack the Empire?