The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 19

The Black Lion Family’s Strongest Daughter-in-Law (19)

#19.

Zerachiel glanced between me and Heathcliff, then swiftly moved to pull me away. It happened so fast that I didn’t even have time to react.

“Stay away from my Chi Chi,” he snarled at Heathcliff.

Hearthcliff brushed himself off. “Don’t misunderstand. I was just preventing her from falling on the slope.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Well…”

Heathcliff paused, seemingly realizing that there was no real reason.

“I suppose so. Why did I do that?” He frowned, looking genuinely surprised by his own actions.

The longer he hesitated, the more Zerachiel’s expression turned menacing. Then, his golden eyes fixed on me.

*Dan, this is dangerous.*

I couldn’t help but shrink under his accusatory gaze. I had snuck out without a word, and now he knew I was with Heathcliff. I was speechless, even if I had a thousand excuses.

As I stammered, Zerachiel muttered, just loud enough for me to hear, “I can’t exactly bite you to keep you from wandering off.”

“Chii!”

A yelp escaped me at the implied threat. It was especially terrifying coming from Zerachiel, the aspiring villain.

He genuinely looked like he would bite my feet off to keep me from moving. I curled up, instinctively hiding my feet.

Zerachiel, seeing my pathetic state, added, “If I were going to do that, I would have done it a long time ago.”

“…….”

Oh, how very, very grateful I am…

I glared at Zerachiel for his constant threats, and he retorted, “I told you not to play with hyenas.”

*When?*

I had never heard him say that, but denying it now would only make things worse. When I hesitated, Zerachiel pressed the issue.

“You don’t think it’s appropriate for a member of Jabez [Zerachiel’s family] to associate with a hyena, do you?”

“Chew.”

I obediently lowered my head, and Zerachiel pressed down on my forehead, his displeasure still evident.

Now that I thought about it, he seemed more upset that I was with Heathcliff than that I had run off without him knowing.

We were just talking for a moment. For someone who was supposed to be a possessive mastermind, he was being awfully dramatic.

Hearthcliff, thinking I was in trouble, spoke up. “I only followed her because she seemed to be going out alone.”

“So you’re admitting you were stalking my Chi Chi?”

“If that’s how you perceived it, I regret it.” Hearthcliff tilted his head slightly, his face blank. Silver eyes met gold in the air.

Was it just my imagination, or was the atmosphere growing increasingly hostile?

It didn’t take long to realize it wasn’t my imagination, as I sensed the pheromones that followed. The air crackled with tension.

The situation, which seemed to be sparking with conflict, was very threatening. Hebel [the Black Lion family] was exuding this much pressure, so they were indeed worthy successors to lead a family.

*But do that at your own house!*

Suddenly, as if engaged in a pheromone battle, the area was saturated with the pheromones of the two men.

As an ordinary ferret beastkin [a person with ferret-like animal features], I was dying.

I shivered. I felt chills just from being caught between them. Zerachiel was trying to block the pheromones, but it wasn’t completely effective.

*Stop it, you crazy bastards.*

*I’m going to die like this…*

* * *

Meanwhile, Heathcliff himself was wondering why he was paying more attention to Zerachiel’s pet than necessary.

The most puzzling thing was the possessive feeling he had when seeing them together. An unknown surge welled up inside him.

Was that why? The agitated pheromones threatened the opponent hostilely. As expected, Zerachiel responded in kind. It was a clash of pheromones, each pushing and shoving.

“Why don’t you stop there?” Zerachiel, who couldn’t stand it any longer, pushed back against Heathcliff’s pheromones and muttered eerily. “My baby is having a hard time.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Heathcliff realize that Chi Chi was scared and immediately suppressed his pheromones. He had been recklessly releasing his power in front of a ferret beastkin who hadn’t been in Hebel for long.

A weak beastkin would have fainted. The fact that he used pheromones without realizing the situation meant that he was agitated by the other person. Realizing this made him even more confused.

Meanwhile, Zerachiel hugged the trembling Chi Chi and patted her. She was shaking so badly that she must have been terrified.

Even though he tried to block it.

Zerachiel carefully examined Chi Chi, who wasn’t calming down easily. Normally, she would have been playfully biting his fingers and protesting by now. But Chi Chi was just limp and trembling all over.

“Chi Chi?” No matter how much he called her, Chi Chi didn’t respond. Sensing something was wrong, Zerachiel caressed Chi Chi’s cheek.

At that moment, Zerachiel’s face hardened.

Chi Chi’s body was as hot as fire.

* * *

When Chi Chi showed signs of humanization [a process where beastkins take on more human characteristics, often accompanied by fever and instability], Zerachiel immediately returned to his lodgings and woke Ivan.

“Ugh?” Ivan, who was slumped over like boiled kale [limp and lifeless], was forcibly stripped of his blanket by Zerachiel and sent to call Marina.

Even though he grumbled, he ran like the wind, showing his worry for Chi Chi.

It was fortunate that he had brought Marina along, just in case. Marina rushed to Zerachiel’s lodgings and examined Chi Chi’s condition.

Her flushed face was panting, unable to withstand the heat. The temperature rose sharply as if reaching boiling point, then cooled down like a glacier.

The pheromones in her body were fluctuating, causing her body temperature to rise and fall. It was just that the signs of humanization appeared in Hebel [the Black Lion family’s territory].

This place was different from the general environment, so there were many restrictions for beastkins. As expected, Chi Chi was struggling to control her pheromones.

“The pheromones are floating around because of the fog. When did the fever start?” Marina muttered, wiping the cold sweat from Chi Chi’s brow with a handkerchief. Zerachiel frowned at the question.

Come to think of it, Chi Chi’s body temperature seemed higher than usual since they arrived. At the time, he thought she was just warm and didn’t pay much attention.

Besides, she was running around vigorously, so he assumed she was fine. But now that he thought about it, she seemed to be recklessly pushing herself without considering her condition.

He had been too complacent to notice Chi Chi’s change quickly. Zerachiel sighed.

“I think it probably started when we came here.”

“Then tonight will be the critical point.” Marina looked down at Chi Chi with pity.

As the head physician, she should have been more attentive. Marina was also feeling overwhelmed by Hebel, so she had been careless.

Then Ivan found a note left by Chi Chi and muttered quietly. It was a cheerful remark that didn’t fit the heavy atmosphere.

“Could this be a dying message?”

The cute footprints were smudged, making it seem like a final farewell at first glance.

“Don’t say such ominous things!” Despite Marina’s rebuke, Ivan’s dramatic interpretation continued.

“Then the culprit is…….”

Eventually, Zerachiel intervened. “It could be your will, Ivan.”

“What are you saying so ominously? I can’t die like this. I don’t have a wife, children, or grandchildren yet!” Ivan was horrified and dropped the note.

Marina looked at Ivan with weary eyes. He was so loud that he seemed like he would only float his mouth [be all talk] even if he fell into the water.

Wouldn’t it have been better if he hadn’t made such a remark in the first place?

It seemed like he was hastening his death with his words, but he didn’t seem to realize it.

Ivan looked at Chi Chi, who was panting and breathing heavily, with pity. The playfulness disappeared from his voice, replaced by worry.

“I’ve never seen Chi Chi so listless. It seems like she’s going to kick off the blanket and show me her fangs right now.”

Zerachiel looked at Chi Chi, who was struggling, and asked Marina, “Is there anything I can do to help?”