The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 55

#55.

If things continued this way, it would only be a matter of time before Zakary’s stubbornness broke. I said with a triumphant look.

“I heard that the more wary the prey, the wider you have to make the encirclement.”

“This cute little weasel knows all about hunting methods.”

“Just you wait. Zakary will realize something after suffering a bit.”

“But what if, just maybe, he really tells her to remarry? What if he really tries to meet a badger in a fit of anger…?”

Rachel trailed off abruptly. It seemed she was anxious because it was the first time she had won such an overwhelming victory over Zakary. I slapped the back of her hand and said,

“Get a grip! Are you still saying that after seeing his reaction earlier? Put away those useless worries.”

“But…”

“You said you wanted to come back, didn’t you? You don’t just want to watch the wedding and go back, do you?!”

“Ugh.”

“Improving your relationship with Zakary is just the beginning. You have to reconcile with Zerachiel too!”

Rachel flinched at my repeated prodding. After a moment, she regained her confidence and jumped up from her seat, shouting,

“That’s right! Who do you think I’m suffering for?”

“That’s the spirit!”

“Good, let’s see what they try. If Zakary tries to meet some badger while he has me, both of those lovers better be ready to get beaten by me! I’ll make sure they can’t walk, I swear!”

I hesitated at the overheated atmosphere.

Hmm. Maybe that was a bit too much fighting spirit?

* * *

The wedding was just around the corner. Next week, I would be officially recognized as a direct descendant of Zabishee.

When I first became a weasel, I wasn’t even sure if this was a world inside a novel or not.

Somehow, I ended up becoming the daughter-in-law of a villainous family.

Looking back, my life was as eventful as any romance fantasy protagonist.

In the meantime, Rachel had gone on several blind dates. Each time, I went to Zakary and leaked information about the introductions.

‘Zakary, Rachel went downtown this time, and she’s with a leopard…’

‘What?’

Thump, thump, crash.

‘Zakary, this time it’s a rabbit…’

‘This guy who’s not even a mouthful!’

Thump, thump, crash.

Zakary didn’t hold back at all with whatever I told him. Seeing him make excuses to go and sabotage them, it was clear he was determined.

Honestly, how many demi-humans [human-animal hybrids] could withstand a black lion glaring and growling at them?

Rachel felt sorry for the opposing families, saying they must feel pitiful facing his crazy eyes. That says it all.

In the midst of all this, there was one suitor who appeared like a comet.

His backstory was so perfect that I couldn’t help but watch with a thrilling feeling, like I was watching a soap opera.

A fox demi-human, he was close to one of Rachel’s families and was once Rachel’s fiancé.

A past man who might have married her if Zakary hadn’t taken her in the middle.

When he heard the news that Rachel was looking for a remarriage partner, he readily submitted a remarriage proposal.

Knowing this, Zakary seemed to be half out of his mind these days. Despite all his interference, the fox stubbornly persevered, so he must be going crazy.

‘How interesting.’

Today, Rachel was out meeting that fox again. Since they had known each other since childhood, Rachel seemed comfortable meeting him.

That natural behavior was making Zakary even more anxious.

After calling me in and asking about their relationship for a long time, Zakary seemed to forget that I was in front of him and fell into his own gloom.

Perhaps because of the shadows under his eyes, his sensitivity seemed to be at its peak.

I glanced at Zakary, who was shaking his leg in front of me.

“Zakary, you’re making me nervous.”

“Huh?”

Zakary belatedly felt my gaze and tightened his thigh.

“Ahem.”

“If you’re so anxious, go and make a scene.”

“Anxious, what anxiety.”

Zakary pretended not to be, sipping his coffee. But his eyes were fixed on the clock the whole time.

How insincere.

Without a choice, I decided to provoke Zakary.

“Ah, at this rate, Rachel might really remarry.”

Flinch.

“She seems to like him quite a bit this time; it’s already their third meeting. Don’t people usually decide after meeting three times?”

Wince.

“Well, since they were engaged before, if they get back together now, it’ll be a wedding of the century…”

Thump-!

Zakary couldn’t stand it any longer and jumped up from his seat. Surprised by his momentum, I only blinked my eyes, and Zakary said,

“Wedding of the century, my foot. Do you even know why that guy’s engagement was broken off?”

“Are you scared you’ll lose to a fox?”

“What! Do you think I’d lose to a sly fox like that? No way!”

“You know that well. If you can win, why are you still here?”

“That’s…!”

“If Zakary tells her not to remarry, Rachel won’t. Zakary and Zerachiel are the most precious to Rachel.”

“…That’s why I can’t go.”

Zakary killed the momentum that seemed like he would run out right away and leaned back on the sofa.

“I can’t ruin Rachel’s life.”

“I don’t think someone who already gave her the label of divorcee should be saying that.”

“You’re starting to resemble Zerachiel more and more. Or is it Ivan?”

“Zakary, try being tormented by those two all day. You’ll naturally improve your speech.”

Zakary let out a deep sigh at my shrug.

“Anyway, it’s arrogant to decide your mother’s life based on Zakary’s thoughts.”

“What?”

“Did you even ask your mother what she wants to do?”

“That’s…”

“I bet Zakary pushed her away. ‘I’m letting you go because I love you’? That’s all bullshit. If you love someone, you should think about keeping them by your side and protecting them.”

“…”

“Zakary is a coward, an idiot, a moron, a fool, a dumbass.”

“Listening to you, there’s really nothing you can’t say.”

Zakary muttered in a sharp voice. As I closed my mouth, intimidated by this, Zakary composed himself. He said in a fairly kind tone.

“I know very well that I am foolish.”

“Ehehe. So hurry up and go…”

“But I’m not going.”

What did you say?!

I looked at Zakary in surprise. To throw ashes on a done deal! To say he’ll leave her alone now! If that’s the case, he should have stayed still from the beginning!

As I only moved my lips in bewilderment, he said like a tragic hero.

“Because I’m going to die soon.”

“…”

“So this is right.”

Zakary looked into the distance with a face that had no attachment to life. In the solemn atmosphere, I clenched both fists.

“Do you usually treat people around you like that?”

“What?”

“Do you act like that in front of Zerachiel too?”

For some reason, anger surged. His detached face as he talked about his death, his actions of giving up on relationships with people around him as if it were natural, made me angry.

Come to think of it, Zakary was always like this. He didn’t reveal his deep feelings to the people around him and only observed from a distance.

Zerachiel must have lived with this kind of boundary-drawing all along. Whatever Zakary’s true feelings were, it was a daunting attitude from the listener’s point of view.

‘Even if this grandma is gone, our puppy will do well, right?’

Grandma also started saying those words all the time at some point. She probably knew herself that her chronic illness was getting worse.

And every time Grandma said something weak, I got angry and yelled at her. And as soon as I turned around, I regretted it and cried.

“That’s putting nails in the people who will be left behind. It’s crushing them so they can’t even have hope.”

“…”

“Is it okay to hurt the people who will be left behind just to make yourself feel comfortable? Are all black lions originally this selfish and self-centered?”

“Chelsea…”

“Really… Zakary is a jerk, an idiot!”

With those words, I stormed out of the room.