After my declaration of being a scoundrel, Lucia began to reveal her true feelings one by one.
What she was worried about was me discriminating against Leona and only showing affection to other women. She didn’t care how many women I embraced, as long as Leona wasn’t lonely and didn’t regret choosing me.
It seems that, as the third wife of the previous great chieftain and being human, she received less affection. Given that beastmen are known for having many children, it’s telling that she only had Leona.
It was fortunate that Leona maintained good relationships with her other siblings; otherwise, her life would have been quite difficult.
“But Mother Lucia, how did you come to be connected with the previous great chieftain?”
This was the part I was most curious about. What kind of wisdom did she lend to become the chieftain’s wife? As you know, humans and beastmen have very poor relations.
The racial war 300 years ago and the current situation still reflect this. Although the rivalry between elves and demons is gradually increasing, humans and beastmen have been at each other’s throats for ages.
Dwarves, well… as long as they get to sell their weapons, they don’t care much. They do have close relations with humans due to humans’ reliance on tools.
In any case, for Lucia to become the wife of the previous great chieftain in such circumstances meant she provided considerable help. Even from the beastmen’s perspective, Leona is considered unattractive, so one can only imagine how Lucia, a human, must have been perceived. My curiosity was piqued.
“There wasn’t much advice to give. Animers was continuously developing at the time. I merely emphasized the importance of food. Other than that, nothing. In times of drought, they rely on shamanistic rituals, but how long can Lady Harte continue to support them? So, I advised focusing on food preservation. It just so happened that the following year, there was a severe drought.”“Even that alone would be sufficient. Beastmen consume several times more food than humans.”
As I said this, I glanced at Leona. No need to be subtle anymore, Leona was happily devouring the cookies Adelia had baked. Judging by her wagging tail, the cookies were to her liking. I poured milk into her empty cup, telling her to eat slowly.
Lucia elegantly smiled as she watched our affectionate scene and shared some information.
“It’s surprising that Leona likes it so much. Her taste is quite picky, inherited from the beastmen side.”
“Picky?”
“Yes. You know that among the beastmen, there are carnivores and herbivores, right?”
“I know.”
“For some reason, carnivorous beastmen have duller taste, whereas herbivorous beastmen have a more sensitive palate.”
I nodded. It was information I had heard somewhere before. It might be because the distribution of taste cells is different. In any case, it means Leona’s taste is closer to that of a carnivore.
There was a reason she loved steak smothered in seasoning. The academy’s meals are rather bland, so it must have felt like chewing rubber to her.
The same goes for the cookies she’s eating now. With chunks of chocolate embedded, she can enjoy both the sweetness and the savory taste at the same time.
“That’s useful information. If she lives in the mansion, we must exclude vegetables completely.”
“Huh? What did you say?”
Leona, too focused on eating to hear our conversation, blinked and asked. Her blue eyes had already returned to their golden color. It seems her eye color changes only when she shows her true nature. I patted Leona’s head, finding her more cute than fierce.
“Is it tasty?”
“It’s incredibly tasty! Could you make more?”
I silently looked at Adelia, meeting Leona’s sparkling eyes. It wasn’t me who made them, it was Adelia who baked them.
Adelia seemed pleased and went straight back to the kitchen. The peaceful atmosphere brought a satisfied smile to my face.
However, aside from the mood, there’s still something to be cautious about. Leona is going to be my wife, which means she is at a higher risk of exposure to devil worshippers.
However, unlike Marie, it has not been officially announced, so it might not pose an immediate threat. But they could still attack just because she is an associate.
“Mother Lucia.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“If you wish, we can provide accommodations for you to stay in our territory.”
“I would be grateful for that.”
Lucia accepted my offer without any suspicion. Currently, she resides in a small village near the capital. She doesn’t have much to pack, and with support from our family, she could live comfortably.
She wouldn’t be in danger from demon worshippers either. With not only the Temple of Luminous but also the Temple of Mora established, who would dare to intrude?
Furthermore, with Helium and Alvenheim also sending personnel, it would be impossible for anyone to infiltrate.
“Leona…”
“You don’t need to worry about Leona. Despite appearances, she is strong.”
“Strong?”
I looked at Leona in surprise as Lucia vouched for her strength. Leona raised her nose proudly, wearing a smug expression.
I knew she had the formidable physical abilities unique to beastmen, but many beastmen live ordinary lives without leveraging those abilities. Seeing my questioning look, Leona confidently spoke up, her tail wagging behind her.
“Our Lion clan undergoes rigorous training from a young age. And because I’m a hybrid, I had to work even harder to be recognized.”
“Then how strong are you?”
“I’m not sure. After being recognized by the clan and growing to a certain extent, I only focused on studying. I still do basic physical training, though.”
“Hmm…”
I considered whether Leona could be used as a guard. However, this was a suggestion to consider for the distant future. She is still a student, and soon she will become an assistant for a historical exploration with me. She has already caught the eye of Professor Elena.
There’s no need for her to have a guard. Instead, it might be better for her to stay fit just in case.
Of course, if she loosens up at the academy, it will draw attention, so I plan to do it intermittently during each vacation.
‘I also need to start building my own strength.’
Adelia and Kate are reliable bodyguards, but I can’t always rely on them. Devil worshippers won’t try to break through the bodyguards but will certainly try to lure me out. Rushing in recklessly would only lead to a senseless death. However, I shouldn’t rule out the possibility of a suicide attack.
“Alright. It’s not something we need to think about immediately, so let’s put it off for now. Leona, just focus on your studies. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“So, that’s it for devil worshippers. Is there anything else we should be cautious about? Not just threats, but lifestyle habits or anything like that would be helpful to know in advance.”
Everyone has their own preferences and sore points, and there are often things that are hard to understand. Just as I had difficulty understanding beastmen culture, lifestyle differences can be stark.
It’s better to know these things in advance to make living together easier in the future.
“Leona is a hybrid, so her lifestyle is similar to humans. Unlike the past, she’s now focused on her studies and isn’t aggressive. The only thing might be fur care?”
“Fur care?”
“Yes. Unlike other species, beastmen have a lot of fur on their bodies. Depending on the season, their fur can either become very thick or shed a lot. It seems like it’s shedding season now. Do you have a brush?”
Lucia paused her explanation to look for a brush. I glanced at Adelia, who promptly went to find one. She returned with a brush and handed it to me as Lucia continued.
“Try brushing Leona’s hair.”
“Should I untie her hair?”
“Yes.”
Leona usually wore her hair in a ponytail. Following Lucia’s instructions, I untied her hair.
As soon as I untied her hair, her abundant chestnut brown hair cascaded down like a waterfall. I hadn’t realized how long her hair was since she always wore it in a ponytail. And it was quite coarse, which is characteristic of lion beastmen.
Brush
“…What?”
“It falls out a lot, doesn’t it?”
As Lucia said, just one brush stroke resulted in a handful of hair coming out. With a sense of disbelief, I brushed her hair a few more times, and an incredible amount of hair got caught in the brush. It’s like a cat shedding fur.
“It’s called molting, a trait specific to beastmen. The hair grows back as much as it falls out, but the problem is the large amount of hair that sheds. You’ll need to manage it well.”
“That, I see. But it’s not a major concern.”
“Molting is manageable, but the biggest concern is the… estrus period.”
“…”
“…You roughly know what it is, right?”
Of course, I do. Leona had mentioned it confidently without any shame, so who wouldn’t know?
Like a human menstrual cycle, beastmen have an estrus period about once a month, during which their instincts are hard to control.
I listened to Lucia and then looked at Leona, who tilted her head, seemingly indifferent.
“Is there anything specific to watch out for during that period?”
“Not really, but it will be very challenging. The physical strength of beastmen is extremely difficult for humans to handle. Fortunately, Leona is a hybrid, so it’s less intense, but you should be well-prepared. The bigger issue is that we don’t know much beyond that.”
“I’ll take care of it. But before that… Leona?”
“Yes?”
“When was your last estrus period?”
This is the most crucial part. Now that we have Lucia’s approval, there’s no reason to delay further. I had planned to proceed after resolving my relationship with Adelia, but it was delayed because I needed Lucia’s permission.
Leona blinked her golden eyes at my question, then placed her index finger on her chin. Looking upward, she quietly replied.
“Maybe… about a week ago? Around that time.”
“Then there’s about three weeks left?”
“Yes. Do you need anything?”
“No, nothing.”
I need to be prepared. I don’t know how strong Leona’s stamina is, but it will undoubtedly be a tough challenge.
On top of all this, I have to meet with other women, and there is the huge variable of Arwen. In the worst-case scenario, Arwen’s gift and Leona’s heat period will coincide. It’s a situation where I can’t avoid either one.
‘…Come to think of it, there’s Kate too?’
Including Kate, the lustful priestess who has awakened to desire. Kate enters a state of arousal just by holding hands, which is quite troublesome. Recently, Marie teased me half-jokingly, calling me a public resource, but now I think it wasn’t a joke.
“Really? Then that’s a relief. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“Uh… there’s no need to look forward to it…”
“Why? Are you scared?”
“…”
This girl! Leona’s remark, which struck directly at my male pride, made me raise an eyebrow.
I looked at Leona, who had a mischievous smile, with one corner of her mouth turned up in a cute expression. There was a hint of mockery beneath that smile.
I let out a helpless laugh at her smile. Even though Lucia was right in front of me, I couldn’t let this slide.
“Let’s see how long that smile lasts. Just wait three weeks.”
“Mm. Mm. That’s more like the male I chose. I’ll be fully prepared too, so just let me know anytime.”
Leona nodded with her arms crossed. Seeing her like that somehow sparked a desire for conquest within me. She once said she would make me possessive, and she’s following through with it.
I looked at Leona with a smile, then noticed her wagging tail. I’d always wanted to grab that tail, and now seemed like a good time.
Squeeze!
“Eeek?!”
As I grabbed her tail suddenly, Leona was startled. Like a cat with its fur standing on end, her hair amusingly puffed up.
As expected, her reaction was quite delightful. I chuckled as I fiddled with Leona’s stiffened tail.
“Now that you’re my wife, it’s okay if I touch it, right?”
“Uh, well… that’s true, but…”
Leona, who had been so confident, was now blushing with embarrassment. She looked at me with a flushed face and then turned her head to Lucia. While playing with Leona’s tail, I also glanced at Lucia. She, watching our little skit with a strangely reddened face, cleared her throat.
Then, as if she remembered something, she opened her mouth with one eye closed.
“Uh… Sir Isaac? There’s something I forgot to mention.”
“Is it about beastmen’s tails? I heard that married couples can touch them.”
“If you’re aware, then it’s fine, but… please refrain from such pranks. It could startle her, and she might scratch you.”
“Understood.”
Hearing this, I let go of Leona’s tail. She then glared at me with a pouty expression.
Swoosh, swoosh
“…Purr.”
I immediately patted her head, and Leona purred in her characteristic way. With permission granted, she now even leaned her head on my shoulder.
Smiling at her adorable pet-like demeanor, I turned to Lucia and spoke.
“Mother Lucia.”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
“I will definitely make Leona happy.”
Perhaps my declaration pleased her.
“Thank you.”
Lucia bowed her head in gratitude. I also bowed in return and then called Leona.
“Leona.”
“Purr. Yes?”
“Is there anything you want?”
“Meat!”
“…”
I’m glad I’ve made a lot of money.
*****
After accepting Leona, I moved according to schedule. Of course, this schedule included the release of the 25th volume of ‘Xenon’s Biography’. Although the release was delayed due to my recent busy schedule, the readers waited patiently.
And then…
[The ancestors of the elves were not exiled, but they tore off their own wings and descended!]
[The truth revealed in Xenon’s Biography. Could this be true?]
[Considering the characteristics of the elves blessed by the gods, it seems highly credible…]
As expected, the reaction was explosive. The hypothesis that the ancestors of the elves were not banished but tore off their own wings and descended to the ground.
From my perspective, it was just a cliché borrowed from my past life, but it coincidentally matched many aspects, leading numerous scholars to engage in heated debates.
However, since it was deeply related to mythology, many people directly questioned the gods. I was among them.
Even if chaos ensued, it didn’t matter much, but I was personally curious.
[What do you think?]
‘Honestly, the idea that they tore off their own wings and descended seems more convincing.’
[Then let’s go with that.]
‘Pardon?’
What on earth is he talking about?
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