Black Killer Whale Baby [EN]: Chapter 148

148

‘Isn’t Duke Pantierion acting like he owns Dragon’s Castle?’

It’s the host’s duty to greet guests, but here, it’s not the Dragon Duke, the castle’s owner, but the Black Panther Duke who’s doing it.

‘Of course, the Dragon Duke can’t come out.’

Even when Ekion was around, they didn’t present that kid to the public.

Now that Tus has taken Ekion’s place, nothing will be different.

I frowned slightly in my dad’s arms.

Devana Pantierion.

The man who was my father-in-law in the previous timeline. Well, I don’t particularly want to call him that.

‘He was very dedicated to his role as a parenting novel dad.’

Watching from the side, I realized that the ‘parenting novel dad’ was a human with paranoia, a touch of grandiosity, and delusions of persecution.

Of course, that’s only when looking at Devana Pantierion, who was the protagonist’s dad in this book.

‘They blamed everything on me.’

Well, he was the worst person for me, but he would have been a good dad to Lily.

‘Good. I was wondering how to get Lily to the capital or the Black Panther’s territory.’

Since she’s in this territory, I just need to find an opportunity to send her there.

I stared intently at Duke Pantierion’s face.

He looked a bit sharper than I remembered, probably because he had lost weight.

What reason would a human, one of the top three strongest land animals, have to lose weight?

‘Is it because of worry?’

They must have been searching for Lily with all their might.

It wasn’t hard to guess.

Soon, his red eyes turned to me.

Unlike the second kid’s eyes, which had a bright and clear ruby color, these were characterized by a dark, crimson hue.

In the story, they were a family and animal represented by their brutality.

Moreover, his pupils were larger than those of ordinary beast-men, making him look every bit the land predator.

Soon, a heavy and cold voice cut through the air.

“I am Duke Pantierion, responsible for the protection and financial affairs of Dragon City, entrusted by the Dragon Duke.”

Entrusted by the Dragon Duke, my foot.

That’s like a goldfish saying it’s cutting off its own fins.

My dad’s voice, which followed, was as low and even more pleasant to listen to than Duke Pantierion’s. Of course.

“So, you’re saying the Dragon Duke isn’t coming to the ceremony again?”

My dad was already aware but pretended not to know.

‘Wow, my dad… his acting is pretty good? No, is he just expressionless?’

Duke Pantierion’s thick eyebrows twitched.

“Shouldn’t you introduce yourself before asking questions?”

“Don’t you know me?”

“…Huh?”

“Or is your memory so poor that you’ve already forgotten? That’s unfortunate at such a young age.”

Wow, my dad’s got a silver tongue!

“…”

As if he would comply if they insisted on formalities, Dad casually spat out his name.

“Pierre Aquasidel. I came as the representative of Aquasidel.”

“…I heard you brought the Dragon’s Bride?”

“That’s right.”

When Dad replied curtly, Duke Pantierion frowned slightly.

“You are…”

Meanwhile, I looked at a boy standing next to Duke Pantierion.

Why didn’t I notice him until now?

I was so focused on Ekion and Lily, who would be in the carriage with Duke Pantierion, that I didn’t even look at his face.

I blinked slowly.

He was a boy who seemed to be a couple of years older than me. He probably is that much older in reality.

Because I know him.

‘I’m seeing that guy here.’

I could see pointed black ears sticking out. Beast ears.

He was a boy with jet-black hair and golden eyes with a different saturation than Ekion’s.

His fair and smooth face was beautiful, but… I soon frowned.

That guy.

‘Ah, right. I forgot that if Lily is here, that guy would be here too.’

Asel Pantierion.

The Black Panther Duke’s first son and the next successor to the Black Panther family.

And in the previous timeline…

He was the guy who was my fiancé.

Our eyes met for a moment, but I coldly turned my gaze away.

“If I remember correctly, isn’t the one you’re holding in your arms your daughter, Pierre Aquasidel?”

I could sense the absurdity in Duke Pantierion’s voice.

“Don’t tell me you’ve come to offer your own daughter as a sacrifice?”

No wonder his son-in-law was so quiet.

“That’s barbaric.”

I could feel the Dragon Castle knights looking at Dad with contempt.

Where do these bastards think they’re looking?

“As expected of uncivilized fish, they abandon their children without hesitation?”

What is this smelly [expletive] saying?

“A sacrifice.”

Dad quietly recited the word.

“Everyone from the gatekeepers to the lords in Dragon City seemed to think it was an honorable position, but I guess the Pantierion family doesn’t think so?”

Dad spat out quietly. It was a low but powerful tone.

“Just a sacrifice.”

Duke Pantierion’s eyes twitched, so I quickly opened my mouth.

“Hey, mister.”

As an unexpected word popped out, bewilderment spread across Duke Pantierion’s face in the tense atmosphere.

“You are…”

“What do you mean, ‘you’? As you can see, I’m the Dragon’s Bride. Let me ask you one thing.”

As if he had never heard such a title before.

Well, he’s Duke Pantierion, so he probably hasn’t heard it before. But I don’t care.

Besides, looking at that face, I can’t speak nicely.

“Did you give me even a single gold coin for becoming the bride?”

“What did you say just now?”

“Why are you butting in for no reason?”

“Such insolence…”

The Dragon’s Bride. How many times have I been one? I was marked as one throughout my past life.

“While the Dragon’s Bride is the bride, she has the same position as the Dragon Duke.”

“…”

“Right?”

Well, this is also a rule set up to make it look good since the Dragon’s Bride is a sacrifice who will soon die.

Anyway, a rule is a rule.

“The only one who can control my treatment and disposition is the Dragon Duke.”

“…”

“That must be right too, right?”

So, right now, I have the same rank as the Dragon Duke, which is equal to Duke Pantierion.

“If you’re unhappy with my informal speech, bring the Emperor himself.”

“…Such insolence.”

The ground nearby trembled. It was the ‘power of the earth’ [a rare ability to manipulate earth, possessed by the imperial family and black panthers] that only the imperial family and black panthers could use.

However, the ground Dad was standing on was firm.

“Are you thinking of starting a power struggle?”

“Indeed, the daughter’s insolence comes from the father?”

“I came as the representative of Aquasidel. So, at this moment, as the acting Ocula Aquasidel [title for the head of the Aquasidel family], my mother, I have the same status as the Duke.”

Dad chuckled. It was a sneer.

“Could it be that someone like Pantierion doesn’t even know this?”

“Orcas don’t know the word ‘caution’.”

“The fact that we are still alive despite that…”

“…”

“…is proof that we are strong.”

Dad’s eyes shone darkly.

‘Good job, Dad!’

Yes, you have to win the fight, whether it’s a battle of nerves or a group fight.

“Until the ceremony as the Dragon’s Bride, I and the Aquasidel knights will protect the bride to the end.”

“I do not allow it.”

Dad gave a chilly snort. It was ridicule.

“I have no intention of listening to someone without authority, so if you’re unhappy, tell the Dragon Duke directly.”

“…”

“Tell him to come out and say it.”

He won’t be able to come out. There’s no way.

‘They must be keeping him locked up.’

I felt deeply proud watching Dad not backing down in the battle of nerves.

‘Wow, he’s like a villain! I like it!’

Who would think of my dad as a terminally ill patient who has given up on life now?

Very good.

I smiled and tapped Dad’s shoulder.

“Let’s go, Dad.”

As if he had been waiting, Dad brushed past Duke Pantierion. A cold gaze followed us.

For some reason, Asel, who was next to Duke Pantierion, also did.

Regardless, I frowned in Dad’s arms.

‘……I’m getting annoyed again at the thought of giving Lily back to those guys.’

* * *

While the Orca family, Aquasidel, was moving away, Devana Pantierion clenched and unclenched his fist.

Those arrogant aquatic animals.

He didn’t like the fact that they were so confident, even though they had brought a girl who was going to die anyway.

Moreover, the fact that she was his own daughter was unsettling.

As expected, aquatic beast-men are…

“Father.”

At the quiet voice, Duke Pantierion turned his head.

“How is the search going?”

Asel shook his head with a worried face.

At this, Duke Pantierion ran a hand over his face.

“How did you guard her, not even being able to protect one child, Lily…!”

The voice, which had been biting, suddenly stopped as if a string had been cut.

Duke Pantierion soon returned to his usual cold expression.

“How is the Dragon Duke’s condition?”

Currently, they were searching while minimizing the forces monitoring the Dragon Duke.

It was an urgent situation, but they couldn’t neglect the Dragon Duke’s management.

Asel said.

“It’s the same as ever.”

It was a blunt tone.

“It seems more critical than yesterday.”