Chapter 330: Leona(3)
Chapter 330: Leona(3)
Ever since my Ruffian Declaration, Lucia had begun to reveal her true feelings, one by one.
Her main concern was that I might discriminate against Leona or favor the other women. She didn't seem to care how many women I took in.
Her only wish was for Leona not to be lonely—and for her to never regret her decision to... well, to choose me.
It seemed that as the third wife of the former Grand Chieftain and a human to boot, Lucia hadn't received much affection herself.
This was even more apparent considering that beastkin are naturally prolific, yet she only had one child, Leona.
It was a relief that Leona maintained good relationships with her half-siblings; otherwise, she would have led a very difficult life.
"By the way, Mother Lucia, how did you end up with the former Grand Chieftain?"
This was the part I was most curious about. Just what kind of wisdom had she shared to become the wife of the Grand Chieftain?
As is well known, humans and beastkin have a very poor relationship. Between the Race War three hundred years ago and the present day, their rapport could hardly be called good.
Currently, the rivalry between the elves and the demons is gradually intensifying, but humans and beastkin have been at each other's throats since ancient times.
As for the dwarves... well, as long as their weapons sell well, they're happy. However, due to the human tendency to rely on 'tools,' they tend to be closer to humans.
In any case, the fact that Lucia became the wife of the former Grand Chieftain in such a climate meant she must have been of immense help.
Even from a beastkin's perspective, Leona is considered plain-looking, so I couldn't help but wonder how they viewed Lucia, a human.
"It wasn't exactly grand advice. Animus is developing day by day. I simply informed them of the importance of food security ahead of time; there was nothing more to it. While droughts can be solved with sorcery, Lord Hirt cannot provide protection forever, can he? So, I simply advised them to focus their efforts on food preservation. As it happened, a severe drought struck the following year."
"That alone sounds like it would have been enough. Beastkin consume several times more than humans, after all."
I glanced at Leona as I spoke. No longer needing to walk on eggshells, Leona was busily inhaling the cookies Adelia had baked.
Judging by her swaying tail, they seemed to suit her palate perfectly. I poured some milk into her empty glass, telling her to eat slowly.
Lucia smiled elegantly at the sight of us before offering a piece of information.
"It's surprising to see Leona enjoy them so much. She inherited the beastkin sense of taste, so she's quite picky."
"Picky, you say?"
"Yes. You're aware that beastkin are divided into carnivores and herbivores, right?"
"I am."
"I'm not sure why, but carnivorous beastkin have a dull sense of taste, whereas herbivorous beastkin are very sensitive."
I nodded. I felt like I'd heard that somewhere before.
Perhaps it was due to a different distribution of taste buds. Regardless, it meant Leona's palate was closer to that of a predator.
There was a reason she so passionately loved heavily seasoned steaks. Since the academy's cafeteria meals were on the bland side, they must have tasted like chewing on rubber to her.
The same went for the cookies she was eating now. Rather than tasting nothing at all, something stimulating was much better.
With chocolate chips embedded throughout, she could enjoy both sweetness and nuttiness simultaneously.
"That's good to know. If she's going to live at the mansion, I'll have to make sure vegetables are strictly off the menu."
"Huh? What was that?"
Leona, who hadn't been listening because she was so focused on eating, blinked and asked. Her blue eyes had returned to their golden hue before I realized it.
It seemed her eye color only changed when her primal nature surfaced. I stroked Leona's hair, which felt more cute than fierce at the moment.
"Is it good?"
"It's amazing! Can you make more?"
I met her sparkling eyes and then looked at Adelia without a word. I wasn't the one making them; she was the one baking.
Adelia, looking pleased herself, immediately headed back to the kitchen. A proud smile naturally formed on my face at the peaceful atmosphere.
However, regardless of the mood, there was still something left to discuss: the precautions.
From now on, Leona would be my wife, which meant she would likely be exposed to the danger of Demon Worshippers.
Unlike with Mari, there hadn't been an official announcement, so there wouldn't be an immediate threat, but she could still be attacked simply for being an associate.
"Mother Lucia."
"Yes, please go ahead."
"If you wish, I will provide accommodations so that you may live in our territory."
"I would be most grateful if you did."
Lucia accepted my offer without hesitation. She was currently living in a small village near the capital.
She didn't have much luggage to move, and she would be able to live comfortably with support from my family.
There would be no danger from Demon Worshippers either. With not only the Temple of Luminous but also the Temple of Mora established, who would dare to intrude?
Furthermore, with personnel dispatched from Albenheim as well as Helium, an intrusion would be impossible.
"As for Leona..."
"There's no need to worry about Leona. She's stronger than she looks."
"Strong?"
I looked at Leona with surprised eyes as Lucia personally vouched for her strength. At that, Leona proudly puffed out her chest with a smug expression.
I knew she possessed the immense physical capabilities inherent to beastkin, but many beastkin lived ordinary lives despite that.
When I looked at her with a questioning expression, Leona spoke up with a confident voice, her tail swaying behind her.
"Our Lyons clan undergoes rigorous training from a young age. And because I'm a mixed-blood, I worked even harder to be recognized."
"Then just how strong are you?"
"I'm not really sure. After I was recognized by the clan and grew up a bit, I focused entirely on my studies. Though I still do basic physical training."
"Hmm..."
Should I use Leona as a guard too? But that was a suggestion better considered for the distant future.
She was still a student, and soon she would be the teaching assistant accompanying me on the history exploration. She had already made an impression on Professor Elena.
There was no need for her to be a guard. Instead, it seemed better for her to keep her body in shape just in case.
Of course, training at the academy would draw too much attention, so I planned to have her do it during vacations.
I should probably start building up my own martial strength too.
Adelia and Kate were a reliable wall of protection, but I couldn't lean on them forever.
The Demon Worshippers wouldn't just try to break through the guards; they would surely try to lure me out.
Charging in blindly would be nothing short of a death wish for them, but I couldn't rule out suicide attacks.
"I understand. It's not something we need to think about right now, so let's set it aside for later. Leona, you just focus on your studies. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Then, enough about the Demon Worshippers. Is there anything else I should be careful about? I'd like to know about her lifestyle habits and such in advance."
Everyone has their own tastes and pet peeves, and sometimes there are parts that are hard to understand.
Just as it was difficult for me to understand beastkin culture, our lifestyles could be drastically different.
It was better to know these things beforehand to make living together easier in the future.
"Leona is a mixed-blood, so her lifestyle itself is similar to a human's. Unlike in the past, she's focused on her studies now, so she isn't aggressive either. If I had to pick something, maybe... grooming?"
"Grooming?"
"Yes. Unlike other races, beastkin are a race with a lot of hair. And depending on the season, it either becomes very thick or sheds excessively. Right now should be the shedding season. Do you have a brush?"
Lucia stopped her explanation to look for a brush. I looked at Adelia, and she immediately went to find one.
As soon as she brought the brush and handed it to me, Lucia spoke.
"Try brushing Leona's hair."
"Should I untie it?"
"Yes."
Leona usually wore her hair in a ponytail. Following Lucia's words, I untied the hair tie.
As I did, her thick, chestnut hair cascaded down like a waterfall. I hadn't realized it because she always kept it tied up, but her hair was quite long.
And it was coarse. This was a characteristic of the lion beastkin, so it couldn't be helped.
Brush—
"...Huh?"
"It sheds a lot, doesn't it?"
Just as Lucia said, a single stroke of the brush brought away a handful of hair.
Just to be sure, I brushed it a few more times, and an unbelievable amount of hair got caught in the brush. She wasn't a cat, so how could she shed this much?
"It's called fur shedding; it's a racial trait unique to beastkin. It grows back as much as it sheds, but the problem is that the amount is just too much. You'll probably have to manage it well."
"I-I see. Still, it's not something to be overly concerned about."
"Shedding is fine, but the thing you should be most concerned about is... the estrus."
"..."
"......You know what that entails, right?"
Of course I did. Leona had stated it so boldly and without a shred of shame; how could I not?
Like a human's menstrual cycle, the beastkin's estrus came once a month. It was the biggest reason beastkin couldn't suppress their instincts.
I laughed awkwardly at Lucia's words and then faced Leona. Leona tilted her head, seemingly lost in thought.
"Is there... anything I should be careful about during estrus?"
"Not particularly, but... it will be very difficult for you. It's very hard for a human to handle a beastkin's stamina. Fortunately, Leona is a mixed-blood, so it's less intense, but you'll still need to be well-prepared. The bigger problem is that I don't know anything beyond that."
"I'll take care of that myself. Before that... Leona?"
"Yeah?"
"When was your last... estrus?"
This was the most important part. Now that I had Lucia's permission, there was no reason to avoid it anymore.
I had originally planned to do it after finalizing my relationship with Adelia. It had only been delayed because I needed Lucia's approval.
Hearing my question, Leona blinked her golden eyes and put her index finger to her chin. Then, looking upward, she spoke quietly.
"Maybe... a week ago? It was around then."
"Then that means there are about three weeks left?"
"I guess? Do you need something?"
"No. Nothing."
I'm the one who needs to prepare. I didn't know how strong Leona's stamina was, but it was bound to be a difficult battle.
To make matters worse, I had to meet with the other women in the meantime, and there was the massive variable known as Arwen.
In the worst-case scenario, Arwen's gift and Leona's estrus would overlap. I couldn't postpone either one.
...Now that I think about it, there's Kate too.
Add to that a priestess in heat who had just awakened to her sexuality. Kate would enter a state of arousal just by holding hands, which was quite a headache.
Mari had recently been teasing me by calling me a public utility as a joke, but thinking about it now, it didn't seem like a joke at all.
"Really? That's a relief then. I'll be looking forward to it."
"Uh... you don't necessarily have to look forward to it..."
"Why? Are you scared?"
"..."
Why, this girl...? I narrowed one eye at Leona's remark, which had thoroughly pricked my pride as a man.
Looking at Leona, she had one corner of her mouth curled up in a cute expression. It was a smirk that held an underlying sense of mockery, as if she found me pathetic.
Seeing that smile, I let out a hollow laugh of disbelief. Even with Lucia right in front of us, I couldn't let this slide.
"Let's see how long that smile lasts. Just you wait three weeks."
"Mm-hmm. That's more like the male I chose. I'll be fully prepared too, so just say the word whenever you're ready."
Leona nodded, crossing her arms. Seeing her like that, for some reason, a desire for conquest began to swell within me.
She had said she would make me feel possessive, and she was following through on those words.
I looked at Leona with a chuckle, and then her swaying tail caught my eye. I had wanted to grab that tail with my hand at least once, and now should be fine.
Grab!
"Hyaak?!"
When I grabbed her tail by surprise, Leona jumped in shock. Like a cat with its fur standing on end, her hair strangely stood up as well.
I had expected it, but her reaction was truly satisfying. I chuckled as I toyed with Leona's tail, which had gone stiff.
"Since you're my wife now, I can touch it, right?"
"I-I mean... that's true, but..."
Unlike her confident self from before, Leona was now blushing. She looked at me with a reddened face before turning her head toward Lucia.
I also looked at Lucia while still holding Leona's tail. She watched the two of us, who were putting on quite a show, and cleared her throat with a strangely flushed face.
Then, she opened one eye and spoke as if she had forgotten something.
"Um... Lord Isaac? There's something I forgot to tell you."
"Is it about the beastkin's tail? I heard that married couples are allowed to touch them."
"If you're aware, then that's fine, but... please refrain from such pranks if possible. She might get startled and scratch you."
"I understand."
Hearing that, I let go of Leona's tail. She then glared at me with a pouting expression.
Stroke, stroke—
"...Purr."
When I immediately stroked her hair, Leona made her characteristic purring sound. Now that she had permission, she even went so far as to lean her head on my shoulder.
I smiled at her pet-like cuteness and then spoke to Lucia.
"Mother Lucia."
"Yes, please go ahead."
"I will make sure to make Leona happy."
Did she like my declaration?
"Thank you."
Lucia bowed her head and expressed her gratitude. I also bowed in return and then called out to Leona.
"Leona."
"Purr. Yeah?"
"Is there anything you want?"
"Meat!"
"..."
I'm glad I've earned a lot of money.
*
After accepting Leona, I proceeded with my schedule as planned.
Naturally, that schedule included Volume 25 of the Xenon Biography. I had been busy lately, so it was released later than usual, but the readers had waited patiently.
And...
[The ancestors of the elves were not exiled; they tore off their own wings and descended!]
[The truth revealed in Xenon Biography. Is this really the truth?]
[Considering the characteristics of elves blessed by God, it's highly plausible...]
The reaction was exactly as I had expected. The hypothesis that the ancestors of the elves were not exiled but had torn off their own wings to descend to the earth.
From my perspective, I had simply borrowed a cliché from my previous life, but because it fit so strangely well, numerous scholars were engaged in heated debate.
However, since it was deeply related to mythology, many more people were asking the gods directly. I was among them.
Even if a "Why Is This Real?" moment occurred, it didn't really matter, but I was personally curious as well.
[What do you think?]
'Honestly, I think the theory that they tore off their wings and descended to the earth themselves is more persuasive.'
[Then let's make it so.]
'Pardon?'
What on earth was that supposed to mean?