The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 32

#32.

Of course, like master, like servant, Ivan didn’t back down either.

“Anyway, why attack an innocent priest?”

Hey, shouldn’t you be the one saying that, after kidnapping me out of the blue?

I had a lot to say, but I swallowed it down and spoke. First, I had to stop Zerachiel from killing Bianco.

“We just met each other for a bit, so I brought him along because I was happy to see him.”

“Knew each other?”

“I heard he’s a beastkin who was with Chichi when she robbed the warehouse.”

“Aha.”

Zerachiel chuckled and looked down at the sleeping Bianco. Sensing danger in his eyes, I blocked Bianco.

“Just let him go. He helped me a lot when we were in the forest.”

“Chichi, didn’t you say you wanted to bite him to death just a moment ago? Because he ran away, leaving only you behind.”

Shut your mouth!

I glared at Ivan and shook my head. But with just that, Zerachiel seemed to have grasped the situation.

“So, he’s the one who stabbed you in the back?”

“That’s……!”

“I should have just done it without thinking.”

Zerachiel clicked his tongue as if he was disappointed. A smile that seemed like he would cut off Bianco’s breath right away hung on his lips, sending chills down my spine.

Zerachiel muttered with a face that he couldn’t understand.

“Why are you saving someone like that?”

“We’ll never meet again anyway.”

“Sure.”

Zerachiel kicked Bianco with his foot. Bianco groaned but couldn’t wake up.

“You shouldn’t spare someone who betrayed you once. Especially not in Jabishi.”

“Are you really going to kill him?”

“Well…”

Zerachiel stared at me intently. He didn’t seem to have decided on Bianco’s fate yet. It was a generous reaction, considering he said they don’t spare anyone in Jabishi.

“He doesn’t even know I was that ferret back then.”

“Hmm.”

“Of course, he did rob your warehouse, but I’ve eaten much more than that…….”

“Okay, stop taking his side. I won’t kill him.”

Zerachiel withdrew his murderous intent and pulled me towards him. After creating distance from Bianco, Zerachiel said to Ivan.

“Get rid of him.”

“Yes.”

Ivan quickly picked up Bianco and disappeared. I’m worried about where he’ll dump him, but he wouldn’t bury him, would he?

It felt like a storm had passed. As I let out a sigh of relief, Zerachiel said.

“Why don’t you show me that mercy too?”

His expression was full of dissatisfaction. The hand holding mine felt strangely ticklish. I stared at my wrist and said.

“I’ll see how you do.”

“How much better do I have to do than now?”

Zerachiel chuckled and tilted his head. The sight of his black hair falling softly was as light as flower petals.

I blankly stared at him and then avoided his gaze for no reason. Somehow, it was hard to look him straight in the eye. It was probably because I was bothered by his proposal.

Then, Zerachiel finally bent down to meet my gaze. Surprised by the eyes looking up at me, I stepped back, and Zerachiel asked.

“So, what’s your answer?”

“…….”

“Are you still thinking about it?”

I slowly nodded. The fact that he gave me a choice was surprising. If he had just growled at me like he did when he threatened Bianco, I would have gratefully accepted the proposal.

“My answer doesn’t matter anyway.”

My answer doesn’t matter since we’re already marked.

Zerachiel said seriously as I stubbornly avoided his gaze.

“It does matter.”

“Huh?”

“It matters, so I’m waiting, right now.”

I looked at Zerachiel without realizing it. Seeing his expression, which I couldn’t understand at all, my mouth opened on its own.

“So, why?”

Someone like Zerachiel could have brought a beastkin [a humanoid with animal features] from a more prestigious family than mine. Usually, the marriage of successors is related to alliances.

Even though it ended in destruction, didn’t they reconcile with the Badger family, who used to be on bad terms, through marriage?

As I stared at him as if I couldn’t understand at all, Zerachiel grinned.

“Well, why would that be?”

It was a face that said he would never answer.

I couldn’t hide my confusion and sighed. I didn’t even know what I was sighing about.

* * *

Hebel was bustling with a farewell banquet. Thanks to the successful summit between the leaders, the atmosphere was very friendly.

It had been 100 years since the era of peace came with a dramatic reconciliation after the Great Chaos.

With Hebel at the center, the representatives of each region pledged not to attack each other and held an event to reaffirm their intentions.

It was called an event, but in reality, it was just a meeting to check Jabishi’s madness.

Among the closed pheromones, the most superior charm type. Its strength alone is threatening, but sometimes it’s a genetic disease that drives you crazy.

Since they couldn’t tie up a monster that could go crazy and run wild at any time, they were checking it for the purpose of alliance.

From the perspective of the one being targeted, it wasn’t a pleasant thing. Unlike their anxiety, the madness didn’t just break out suddenly.

But what good would it do to bring up the rampage here? It would only reveal weaknesses.

Also, if they asked why they couldn’t stop the Great Chaos at that time, they would have nothing to say. That was still an unsolved case in Jabishi.

One way or another, it was better to let them misunderstand. Even if it was a trivial event like this, they would be less anxious.

Unlike the friendly West and East, Page of the North openly scratched their insides [displayed their discomfort].

If Hebel hadn’t intervened, the representatives of each region might have clashed with swords instead of glasses at this moment.

Zachary kept his seat, hoping that this tiring banquet would end soon. Then, he frowned when he suddenly found Zerachiel and Chichi.

Chichi was busy eating desserts with a pink beanie-like hat pulled down over her head.

Zerachiel poked Chichi’s puffy cheeks. Then, Chichi glared and hissed. The sight of Zerachiel blushing at the trivial threat was still not something he could get used to.

‘What on earth is he thinking?’

After Zerachiel forcibly marked her, Zachary had a lot on his mind. Especially since Zerachiel seemed to be hung up on that ferret.

He was indifferent to his parents and everything else. He had brought beastkins of the same age from friendly families several times, worried about his social skills, but he had faced backlash more than once or twice.

Now, no family would try to put their child next to Zerachiel, so how could it be any different?

In the meantime, that white ferret, who was not afraid and mistreated his son, was nothing short of an oddball. Even Ivan, the epitome of glibness, couldn’t have been so reckless.

‘Good, good. It suits you very well!’

Zachary sighed inwardly and turned his head away. Then, he met Hilla, the leader of Lucien. Her reddish-brown eyes, typical of the bear family, were full of curiosity.

“Who is that cute girl over there? I don’t think I’ve seen her before.”

Her face showed a lot of interest at a glance. Well, it would be easy to spot a white lump mixed among the Jabishi family.

It was impossible to hide her because she was transforming into a human in Hebel.

Zachary had no choice but to be honest. He judged that a daughter-in-law was better than saying she was a pet.

“She is going to be my daughter-in-law soon.”

“Oh my, that child?”

Hilla was surprised and stared at Chichi. Just in time, Chichi was biting Zerachiel’s finger. Hilla was impressed to see this.

“That’s amazing spirit. She’s not at all intimidated even among the lions, so she must have great courage.”