Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Silver Fang's Transformation
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"...Thank you for the sparring match."
After witnessing that single sword strike—simple at first glance yet profound in its principles—Jay stood dazed for a while, replaying it in his mind. Finally snapping out of it, he bowed his head.
"It's nothing. Raise your head."
"No. That strike just now... I don't think I'll ever forget it for the rest of my life."
Jay's voice trembled faintly.
Indeed, the sword strike he'd seen today would be etched in his memory forever.
A sword meant solely for cutting.
Be it a life, an object, or even concepts beyond.
That was the sword Yujin had shown. For now, he could only desperately commit it to memory, understanding not a single part of it.
But...
'...It was such an ecstatic strike.'
He was utterly overwhelmed by it alone.
So that's what a Master is—a being who proves and imprints themselves on the world with just a single sword, transcending to wield authority itself.
Even if Jay became a Master someday, he'd never forget today's strike.
That's what he thought. And as Yujin had intended, that spar and that strike successfully became Jay's milestone.
As the two descended from the training grounds, a torrent of applause greeted them.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap———!!!!!!!
"...?"
The source of the applause was the knights, mages, and servants of the Arkabella Duke Family who had watched the match.
They all gazed at Yujin with eyes full of awe. They knew it too.
That Yujin had shown such swordsmanship purely out of goodwill—for Jay alone, and for the watching knights—even though he had no need to.
Especially the female servants, the maids...
'Kyaaah!'
'Marquis, Your Excellency is so cool...!'
'Look at those haughty eyes...! That's the gaze of a wounded wolf, I swear?'
'A Master showing mercy to someone beneath him...! Isn't Marquis, Your Excellency just too handsome?'
'Ahh, I'm so jealous. Whoever becomes his wife in the future... I'm so envious...!'
'Ahhh... Today's side dish is this...!'
Hm.
He pretended not to hear the last one.
Side dish? Isn't that too lewd?
'...If they have something to say, they could at least wait until later.'
The maids had whispered among themselves, thinking Yujin couldn't hear, but it all reached his ears.
Well... it felt good, but a bit embarrassing too.
Especially with Lucia and Irene shooting him looks that said, 'You like hearing that from the ladies?' It was a little awkward.
"Hehe, good work, son-in-law."
The Duchess patted Jay on the back and smiled at Yujin.
...
Son-in-law?
Did the Duchess just call him son-in-law?
"...Duchess?"
"Hm? Is there a problem?"
"...No, nothing."
Thinking about it, from the Duchess's position, he was indeed her son-in-law. They weren't married or even engaged yet, but the whole reason he'd come to the Duke's mansion was for that.
It seemed the Duchess had already fully accepted him as her son-in-law in her heart.
'And she's fine with Lucia being part of it too.'
Well, that was a relief.
Meanwhile, Irene, standing beside the Duchess with Lucia, smiled contentedly upon realizing her mother had acknowledged Yujin as her son-in-law.
...In truth, she'd accepted him the moment he arrived at the Duke's entrance, but only those involved would know that.
She then glanced at the Duke.
"...Father, the sparring's over, right?"
"Mm, yes."
"Then we'll take Yujin with us."
"...We still have details to discuss about the engagement, though..."
Irene and Lucia linked arms with Yujin on both sides. When even his wife, the Duchess, silently pressured him, the Duke trailed off.
"...We can handle that later. I'll take care of cleaning up the training grounds, so take the Marquis with you."
With that, they dragged Yujin away for some sweet time together.
...
The Duke felt a bit lonely right now.
Raising a daughter is pointless, huh... Who knew that saying was true?
A few days later, as Yujin stroked Silver Fang's belly at the marquess's residence, news finally arrived of his promotion to duke.
"...A duke now, huh."
In a week, he'd go to the imperial palace and receive the duke's title from the Emperor, officially becoming a duke.
He was currently in the provisional duke status.
"After the promotion... a festival, was it?"
That was written in the letter from the imperial family.
After the title was bestowed, the capital would hold a week-long festival.
A festival...
"Silver Fang, what do you want to do during the festival?"
"Neng...?"
Silver Fang stared at Yujin as if wondering what nonsense he was spouting. Yujin chuckled at those signature sparkling eyes and scratched its belly vigorously.
"Of course, you wouldn't know."
Silver Fang was a magical beast, not human, after all.
Well, unless it suddenly poofed into human form someday.
'Not likely.'
...Speaking of which, he'd forgotten to visit a mage. He needed to form a familiar contract or lord-subordinate contract with Silver Fang.
Right now, Silver Fang was basically free-roaming with no restraints. It was well-behaved, thank goodness—if not, it might have grown massive and rampaged everywhere.
'Should've asked at the duke's mansion last time.'
The Arkabella Duke Family had a long line of renowned mages. With so many mages there, surely one knew contract magic.
'Go to the Magic Tower?'
But going to the Magic Tower when he had such skilled in-laws felt off.
Besides, the Tower Master and Arkabella Duke had a subtle rivalry, so their relationship was a bit delicate.
"Hmm..."
Best to ask the duke's family.
Not that he was ignoring the Tower, but the duke's family was family, after all.
So Yujin contacted the duke's mansion. Irene replied to wait a moment, then said he could come right away.
Yujin immediately took Silver Fang and headed there.
"Welcome, Yujin."
Irene slyly slipped into his arms to greet him. Yujin hugged her back.
No one was around. Even extending his senses, he couldn't detect the Duke's presence.
"Alone?"
"Yes."
"And the Duke?"
"He's not here right now. He went down to the territory with Mother."
Hmm.
So Irene was alone in the duke's mansion...? No. Earlier, when he'd scanned with his senses, he'd felt the presence of the eldest son and sub-duke, Kal, and the second son, Jay.
"By the way, you'll be a duke in a week. Congratulations, Yujin."
Irene smiled genuinely and kissed his cheek.
Mwah—
"Thanks."
"Just words?"
Catching her gaze, Yujin smirked and kissed her back—not on the cheek, but the lips.
Mwah—
"...Hehe."
Her cheeks flushed slightly. Kissing in an empty house without parents around had a different thrill.
'I could get addicted...!'
Right now, she somewhat understood those naughty stories sold in the markets. The sense of taboo was no joke. If they did more than kiss in this state...!
"Neng!"
At that moment, as if scolding Irene for her naughty thoughts, Silver Fang popped out of Yujin's pocket.
"Hah hah."
"...It's Silver Fang. You brought it in your pocket?"
"Yeah, thought about carrying it, but it seems to like the pocket."
Silver Fang must like cozy spots.
The pocket wasn't that big anyway. So Silver Fang was truly fist-sized now. It suited its small size, loving snug places.
"...So cute."
"I think so too."
Yujin picked up the little Silver Fang wagging its tail on the floor.
"Will you guide me to a contract specialist mage?"
"Yes, hehe."
Yujin, Irene, and Silver Fang walked down the corridor.
As they walked, Irene brought it up slyly.
"By the way, thinking about becoming the Duchess of Banus someday makes my heart race."
"...Does it?"
"Yes, hehe."
Hmm...
"I'm happy too, thinking about taking women like you or Lucia as my companions."
"Pout... Just call my name in times like that."
Irene puffed her cheeks slightly. Of course, even that was cute.
By then, they'd arrived where the contract specialist mage was. Entering the room, a mage reading a book scrambled to his feet and bowed.
"Greetings, Duchess...! And the one beside you..."
"Marquis Banus, my future husband."
"Gasp...! The future duke! It's an honor to meet you, Your Excellency!"
The mage bowed deeply, extending his hand enthusiastically. Yujin shook it with a lukewarm expression. Irene explained why they'd come, and Yujin set Silver Fang on the floor.
"...So this little one is that rumored Fenrir...?"
"That's right."
"Hmm... A standard familiar contract won't do... Need something more fundamental..."
The mage muttered to himself.
'Hm... Mages immersed in academia are like this, huh.'
He'd never been to the academy, but probably most were like that. Meanwhile, the mage, having calculated on his own, began drawing a magic circle on the floor.
A magic circle filled with geometric shapes.
Irene admired it.
"Ooh, nice magic."
"Ah, you can tell, Duchess!?"
"Of course. I'm a 6th-circle mage myself."
"To receive your recognition...! It's an honor...!"
She must feel it intuitively as a mage. Yujin, clueless about magic, just thought it looked impressive.
After chatting appropriately with Irene, the mage infused mana into the circle and chanted incantations.
Finally, he looked at Yujin.
"P-Put the Fenrir here."
"Done."
Placing Silver Fang on the magic circle, it began emitting a soft glow.
"Now just drip Your Excellency's blood on the circle, and the contract's complete. One drop is enough..."
"Hm... Blood, huh?"
"Y-Yes! Just a tiny bit!"
"Got it."
He formed a tiny sword aura on his fingertip and cut his palm. Surprisingly much blood seeped into the circle.
Drip drip—
"Uh, th-that's more than needed...!"
At that instant—
Boom!
Smoke filled the room. When it cleared...
"Master!"
Everyone in the room froze.
A girl with wolf ears was hugging Yujin's waist. She looked short, around 14 years old.
As everyone stiffened, Irene recovered first and asked the girl.
"Who are you...?"
The girl stared blankly at Irene, then suddenly leaped up, clinging to Yujin's upper body.
"I'm Silver Fang!"
And then,
"I love Master...!"
She began rubbing her face all over Yujin.