The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 7

#7.

“Chew?”

When did I ever?

I tilted my head, feigning ignorance, and Zachary’s eyes narrowed. Soon, as if everything was a bother, he waved his hand dismissively and said,

“Anyway, keep that smelly thing out of my sight.”

With those words, Zachary disappeared leisurely. I felt wronged and looked at Isla.

“Cheechee, chew-woo-woo?”

Isla, do I smell?

Having scrubbed myself clean in the bathtub this morning, I found the remark quite unpleasant.

But if it was a Black Lion with keen senses, he might have recognized the scent of a dim-witted beastkin [a creature with animalistic features and abilities]. After all, I’m just a half-baked beastkin who can’t even transform into a human.

I raised my arm and sniffed my armpit, and Isla said,

“Not at all. The Lord is just saying things. He may be a bit prickly, but he doesn’t mean any harm.”

“Chee-chee.”

There’s a contradiction in your words.

I glared at Isla, who was taking the Lord’s side. But I was a little relieved to hear that I didn’t smell.

Then Isla led me to the bedroom and said,

“He’s been on edge lately. If he really didn’t like you, he would have kicked you out on the spot.”

On edge?

I tilted my head, and Isla continued to explain.

“Actually, he’s just come back from negotiating territory with Lady Rachel. He probably had another mud fight [a heated argument or conflict].”

Rachel, you say…

“Ah, Cheechee wouldn’t know. Lady Rachel is the former head of the Jabishi family and Lord Zachary’s ex-wife.”

Isla added, adjusting to my eye level. Of course, I knew who she was as soon as I heard the name Rachel.

“Chew-woo.”

If that’s the case, then whatever.

Being criticized for smelling bad upon first meeting is infuriating, but after meeting his ex-wife, it wasn’t something I couldn’t understand.

Isla said,

“It’s a million times better that he only did that.”

“Chew?”

“He was more lenient than usual.”

“…….”

What’s he usually like, then?

I looked at Isla with anxiously shaking eyes. Then Isla smiled brightly and replied,

“He would have spread pheromones everywhere, right?”

That’s just poisoning!

I shuddered as soon as I realized that I could have died a sudden, violent death just now.

“It seems the negotiations with Lady Rachel went quite well. I was surprised too.”

At what point were you surprised?

That he didn’t kill me? Or that he just said I smelled?

Isla spoke fearlessly with a calm face. As if she was used to such things from the start.

“But you should be careful next time you run into him. Especially when I’m not around.”

Why?

I tilted my head, and Isla muttered meaningfully,

“You might get eaten.”

“…….”

“Roar.”

“Chew-woo!”

I was startled by Isla’s provocation and burrowed into her arms. You didn’t have to do the hand gestures!

Isla seemed to burst into laughter for a moment, then said, holding me dearly,

“Now, shall we go? It would be troublesome if you ran away again, Cheechee.”

Is it because she’s talking about Zachary’s temper? Somehow, it felt like it would be very troublesome if I ran away again.

“Chew.”

I won’t run away.

As I docilely accepted her touch as if I had resigned myself, Isla once again flared her nostrils and ate her fist [a gesture of suppressed laughter or excitement]. It was a reaction that contrasted with the calm face she had when she said those gruesome words earlier.

‘She’s a little strange too.’

Surely, the people of the Jabishi family are all crazy. Something must be loose.

‘Anyway, Rachel…’

I was willingly taken away by Isla and recalled the original story.

Rachel was a character who appeared several times in the original story. She was the daughter of the leader of the Honey Badger clan, which owned the most fertile territory in the west, Ilangbore.

In the original story, she led a large merchant group and often showed kindness to the heroine, Ella.

She was a bit rough around the edges, but she was endlessly reliable and cool if she was on your side, so she was popular with readers. So much so that there was even a slogan, ‘Rachel unnie [a Korean term for older sister, used affectionately] instead of the male lead.’

Besides, she interfered with everything Zerachiel did, so she was very surprised to learn that Rachel was his biological mother in the future.

She was a very fearsome woman who raised her children harshly.

Seeing her constantly saying, ‘You resemble your father,’ she probably hated Zerachiel so much because he reminded her of her ex-husband.

On the other hand, Zachary looked fragile and mentally weak at first glance. He was the complete opposite of Rachel, who had a fiery temper.

Seeing how sensitive he was, it would have been difficult to endure Rachel, who had the mouth of hell [a sharp and critical tongue].

‘He must have been dumped by Rachel unnie and become even more sensitive!’

Even though I didn’t know the details, I decided to take Rachel’s side for now.

It’s definitely not because she said I smelled.

Really.

* * *

That day, Zerachiel didn’t come to the bedroom until late. I rolled around on the bed, waiting for Zerachiel.

Perhaps I had adapted to his rolling, I was startled to realize that I was rolling without even realizing it.

‘S, scary infiltration.’

It had only been a week since I had been with him, but I already felt bored and empty.

Well, he had been carrying me around in his pocket and fiddling with me for a day or two.

I’m probably the only beastkin who has had their cheeks squished like a slime, considering my status as a beastkin.

It was a very humiliating thing as a carnivore, but the other party was a Black Lion. I had to lie flat [submit], what else could I do?

Of course, I didn’t put up with it every time. However, if I got angry and bit his finger, I would be horrified by the reaction that came back.

He would say crazy things like he was excited or to bite him again, so I was embarrassed to even shout.

Could it be because I had never interacted with a human since I opened my eyes in this world as a weasel beastkin? I didn’t completely dislike Zerachiel, who was unreservedly clinging to me, even though it was annoying.

Maybe it was because I had been lonely all along.

Zerachiel was a bit of a madman, but he didn’t show any intention of harming me, so I must have unknowingly lowered my guard.

It was funny that I was longing for warmth after being harassed by people like that. Of course, I didn’t think Zerachiel was sincerely raising me.

He’ll get tired of me soon anyway, so I have to endure the winter and run away.

I jumped up and stood in front of the window frame. It was to check if there was a carriage coming in.

The Jabishi Castle was much larger than I thought. The warehouse that Bianco and I had robbed was a drop in the bucket.

If I took the wrong path, I would be easily chased down with these short legs.

And if I really tried to run away and Zerachiel found out, something scary might happen.

Then I remembered Ella, who had failed to escape in the original story and had her hands and feet tied up, and I shuddered.

Zerachiel in the original story was a crazier person than anyone I had ever seen in any novel. I couldn’t understand what he was thinking.

He kidnapped her after making a fuss, but he didn’t do anything to Ella. Rather, he was a personality-shattered person who only said things that scratched Ella’s nerves. I recalled the original story in fragments.

[“Cry more. Who knows? If you cry and beg, my heart might soften a little?”

Zerachiel grabbed Ella’s chin with his long fingertips and whispered languidly. He was making unrestrained remarks as if tormenting her was his pleasure. Ella swallowed her breath and trembled.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“Just because. It’s fun.”

“What did you say?”

“It’s fun to see something wriggling when you step on it. Especially if it’s you, whom Paige cherishes so much.”

“You’re crazy.”

Ella rebuked Zerachiel with contemptuous eyes. But the more she did, the more seductive his smile deepened.

“There isn’t a beastkin in my house who doesn’t know that, Ella.”

“…….”

“Don’t run away again unless you want to be eaten.”

I have a strong appetite.

Ella’s face turned white at Zerachiel’s chilling words.]

After recalling the original story, I frowned, leaving footprints on the window.

Hmm. Now that I see it, Ella’s situation in the original story and my situation seem similar. Is it just my imagination?