Chapter 228
Chapter 228
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Wolf's Resolve (3)
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“Haha… Coldman, isn’t this the man His Majesty brought along himself? There must be a good reason for it.”
“Yeah, since he’s already here, why not treat him a little more kindly?”
Honestly, Daren and Merhen had welcomed me with smiles and seemed satisfied with my manners, but the doubts lingered all the same.
Me barging into this exclusive gathering that had always just been for them.
A freshly twenty-year-old marquess with no territory of his own, personally selected by the emperor to attend.
‘Looks like even this level of sauce isn’t enough to win them over easily…?’
“Lord Veil, out of curiosity—what were you up to before being restored to your marquisate?”
Coldman’s hands were covered in scars like he’d been clawed by wild beasts.
He thrust his massive palm toward me, asking point-blank.
To test whether I was truly worthy of being here.
“Ahem…”
Daren and Merhen didn’t bother stopping his rude question.
They were curious about me too, after all.
“…”
I stared straight back at the middle-aged tiger-man looking down on me.
The Northern Duke furrowed his brow, clearly surprised to see a man who didn’t flinch under his gaze for the first time.
“Me? Well, if I may—it might take a while to explain…”
I first turned my head slightly to look at Merhen, the mayor of Rastium.
Then, flashing a sly, fox-like grin, I answered.
“To start with my recent activities, I paid a visit to the gambling dens around Rastium’s arena.”
“Gambling dens…?”
The mayor startled at the mention of the gambling halls plaguing her city’s security.
She’d clearly been struggling with the issue for quite some time.
“Hah, gambling dens… What’d you do there? Clean house and win a fortune, I bet?”
Coldman smirked like he’d expected as much.
But at that moment—
“I went through every single one and arrested all the criminals.”
“Huh…?”
Coldman and even Merhen gaped, their eyes going wide at my response.
“You arrested the criminals…?”
“Strange. I’ve never seen the name Veil in any of the reports…”
The mayor looked especially puzzled.
I just shrugged and replied.
“Oh, that? Probably because it got logged as ‘Miya of the Water Police Office and one other.’ I wrote the report myself.”
“…”
The countless gambling dens and illegal gladiators tormenting Rastium.
Hearing I’d wiped them all out, Merhen cleared her throat awkwardly.
She clamped her lips shut, perhaps feeling guilty for doubting me.
In truth, she’d recently been praised as mayor for cracking down on the illegal dens and bolstering security.
“Y-Yes, I see…”
Thanks to that, she was on track for a likely reelection—her second term in a row as Rastium’s mayor.
This tasting session was partly to celebrate that, too.
And to think the hidden hero behind it all was me.
She averted her gaze, looking embarrassed.
“After dealing with the illegal gambling dens… well…”
I murmured in a cheeky tone, almost like I was humming a tune.
Then I told them about another major incident I’d been involved in.
“I helped host the diplomatic delegation alongside Princess Lydia and Princess Irina.”
The Bakal diplomacy.
Hosted by the Imperial Council, so this time Council Chairman Daren perked up.
“With Princess Lydia, it was the hot springs event. With Princess Irina, I led the Nostrum tour.”
Hot springs and Nostrum.
Daren’s brown eyes flashed at that.
The notoriously picky Bakal elders and Princess Christina.
Those were the only two spots they’d given rave reviews.
“No way—you were the one in charge of those two…?!”
Daren had been commended by the emperor and councilors for successfully handling the Bakal diplomacy.
Thanks to that, he’d secured reelection to the council, so his lips split into a huge grin.
“I just pitched in a little. The real credit goes to the princesses—”
I pointed at Irina with a roguish smile.
The princess blushed and lightly swatted my shoulder.
Almost like lovers would.
“...?”
But she quickly regretted her girlish gesture.
It was the werewolf elixir she’d taken just before—her instincts had slipped out.
“I had no idea… I never received reports of your contributions…”
Daren expressed his thanks with an exasperated look.
And so the two councilors sat there awkwardly, staring at the music stage that hadn’t even started yet.
“Ahem.”
Now only Northern Duke Coldman remained.
Having received no favors from me, he let out a deep sigh.
“Well, you’ve racked up some minor achievements, I suppose. Keep going.”
He crossed his arms like a grumpy tiger.
Still unsatisfied, he prodded me to prove even more.
“Well… after that, I was tasked with escorting the diplomatic delegation on their way back.”
Escorting the delegation.
Their return route naturally passed through the empire’s northern borderlands.
Which tied directly to Northern Duke Coldman.
“Escorting the delegation…?”
“Yes, and on that escort route, we ran into some ‘werewolves’—of all things.”
The duke scowled at the mention of the legendary beasts plaguing the northern borders.
There had been occasional attacks on imperial citizens, leading to orders for him to exterminate them.
But their unpredictable strength made him reluctant to sacrifice his own troops.
He’d been stuck in limbo, his reputation suffering as a result.
“They harbored deep grudges against us humans. But Princess Christina and I talked them down and cleared up the misunderstanding.”
A dramatic compromise with the legendary beasts.
Coldman’s jaw dropped at the feat a young pup like me had accomplished—something even he couldn’t.
“W-Werewolves… you talked to them…?!”
“Yes. Haven’t the borderlands been unusually quiet lately?”
I asked in a calm voice.
The duke recalled the recent reports and nodded unconsciously.
“Y-Yeah… come to think of it…”
“That’s because we reached an agreement—they won’t kill any more humans.”
With the monsters no longer attacking, the nobles and emperor had credited it all to the Northern Duke’s improved security.
His reputation had soared as a result.
To learn it was all thanks to me left Coldman speechless.
“I-I see…”
“Yeah, that’s how it went.”
I grinned broadly and scanned the empire’s power players.
“Compared to the great deeds you three have accomplished, mine are nothing, right?”
Then I narrowed my eyes fox-like and added,
“Sorry. Must’ve been boring to listen to—”
I bowed my head with a wistful tone.
Immediately, Merhen—who was set to become Rastium’s first two-term mayor thanks to me—waved her hands frantically.
“N-No, not at all… What an impressive record…!!”
“Exactly, exactly. As expected of my classmate Vert’s eldest son!!”
Daren chimed in.
Somehow praising my father too, as if we were old pals.
They’d all been so standoffish, but deep down, they’d all benefited from my help.
“Oh, come on—no way. Who am I to—!! I should just head home and grow watermelons or something!!”
I chuckled cheekily at their frantic protests.
I even made a show of rising from my seat.
“Watermelons? What kind of talk is that!!”
“Sit down, sit! Let me refill your glass!”
Only then was I satisfied with our dishonest councilors.
I settled lightly back into my chair and said in a reluctant tone,
“Well, if you two insist that much—guess I have no choice.”
I accepted the drink from my father’s old classmate.
At the same time, I glanced at Irina and winked.
She smirked back, as if to say she couldn’t help it.
But one of her hands still gently pressed against her lower abdomen.
“…”
Only Northern Duke Coldman remained silent.
Unlike the two praising councilors, his face had darkened considerably.
‘Can’t blame him.’
From his position supporting the crown prince, he’d unwittingly benefited from me.
Plus, facing off with werewolves was proof enough of my skills.
Merhen and Daren chuckled as they poured me drinks.
By the time the emperor returned to the reception room, all he heard was harmonious laughter.
“Hoo… What’re they talking about to be laughing so loud even out here?”
The emperor sat back down, hands clasped behind him. The two councilors—who’d been deadly serious before he left—now laughed heartily.
“Not at all, Your Majesty. Lord Veil Marquis is just such a silver-tongued fellow—we’re enjoying ourselves, that’s all.”
“Indeed. Quite the entertaining fellow.”
“See? Even you two think so, right?”
The emperor nodded approvingly at how I’d won over the prickly councilors.
Then he turned to Coldman, who’d seemed the most displeased.
“What do you think, Coldman?”
“P-Pardon…?”
“Our Lord Veil Marquis, I mean.”
The Northern Duke glanced between me and the emperor.
For some reason, our sly, irritating eye shapes looked oddly similar.
“Certainly… well… he seems more than qualified to join our tasting session…”
“See? Even you agree, right?”
Leonhardt laughed heartily and clapped the duke on the shoulder.
But Coldman’s expression stayed sullen.
“…”
I watched the scene contentedly.
Then I turned at the feel of a soft hand stroking my thigh.
It was Irina.
Proud of how I’d satisfied the councilors, she beamed at me.
I clasped her hand under the table.
But unlike usual, the princess’s hand felt unusually hot.
‘Hm…?’
I tilted my head slightly to examine Irina’s face more closely.
‘Her pupils seem a bit dilated…’
Irina met my eyes and blinked.
In an instant, her eyes returned to their usual clear, beautiful emerald.
‘Just my imagination…?’
“What’s wrong, Veil?”
“Oh, nothing.”
I cocked my head and took a sip of the wine from the councilors.
The concert preparations finished, so we headed to the viewing seats together.
Separated into pairs, as instructed, in the VIP section.
The VIP seats were dimly lit.
The partitions were wide, keeping each booth quite distant from the others.
“…”
To Irina, the dark space felt strangely cozy.
Like it was her natural nest.
She’d just listened as they recounted my exploits one after another.
Even Leah looked down on her, and she could feel her own status rising higher and higher.
The better he did, the more anxious she grew.
Afraid I might leave her behind and soar even higher.
Of course she was happy for his success.
But she wanted to be the one at his side when he rose—not Leah, not Lydia, but her.
And as if answering that desire, the dormant instincts in her body began to stir.