Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Fearsome Eyes
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Fortunately, Claude wasn't completely oblivious.
Seeing how obviously uncomfortable the two were with this topic, he could clearly understand why the atmosphere was so gloomy.
"What? It was just because of a priest? That's unexpected. The great Theodor, kowtowing to a priest. Since when did you start respecting the High Priest?"
Claude shrugged. He wasn't particularly devout, merely playing along with human rules to blend into their society. Beastkin didn't pay much attention to divine power, which only affected human lives anyway.
"Divine power doesn't even work on us to begin with. Of course, if it's a matter of your personal faith, I won't stop you."
"I told you to shut up. You really have no sense of the situation, do you?"
"Hmm... Making a scene like last time in a place like this cafe wouldn't be great. Even if I get pissed, you should calm me down appropriately."
Theodor let out a short sigh, seeing that Claude had no intention of dropping the subject. He glanced at Lara. They would have to address this issue sooner or later anyway.
"Lara. You seemed to know the priest would say something like that. Is that true?"
Theodor asked directly, and Lara nodded.
"How did you know?"
"Because of my eyes... The Director told me the priests would be scared of them."
"......"
Lara felt a bit flustered as the atmosphere sank once more because of her words. She hoped Theodor wouldn't take this too seriously.
"I-It wasn't a big deal. No, I mean... I'm sorry."
Theodor stared at Lara, who was stumbling over apologies, and spoke.
"Why are you apologizing? There's nothing for you to apologize for."
Lara swallowed hard.
She knew Theodor had arranged this meeting today for her sake.
But the High Priest had clearly been displeased by her eyes, and she worried that Theodor might have been embarrassed because of her.
Maybe it would have been better to speak up sooner.
She had hoped it wouldn't be a big deal, but it clearly was. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, the color of her irises couldn't be concealed.
Lara glanced at Theodor nervously and quickly added,
"It won't happen again."
This time, both Theodor and Claude grew serious.
'This girl grew up in an orphanage.'
Claude fell silent, lost in thought upon realizing Lara's background sooner than expected.
'An orphanage... They'd have already checked all the orphanages once. That's strange.'
But more than that, Lara's unstable mental state made Claude feel even more uneasy.
The first places investigated when the Bride of the Wolf went missing would have been orphanages and temples. There were limited places to take in women without anywhere to go or newborn babies. Yet no rumors of the Bride of the Wolf had surfaced from any orphanage or temple.
'Did the orphanage that raised Lara deliberately hide her? No... But from what she's saying, it sounds like she was abused. They definitely kept her locked away.'
Logically, it didn't add up.
Why go through the trouble of hiding the Bride of the Wolf from the wolves' pursuit, only to abuse her? Locking her away could be seen as overprotection, but actual abuse...
'Really because of those eyes?'
Claude looked at Lara's eyes once more.
Heterochromatic eyes of different colors.
Her left eye was a pale purple, while the right burned with a vivid crimson.
Even Claude, who had met countless humans and beastkin, had never seen eyes like Lara's.
'Heterochromia... Humans must find those eyes ominous. I can see why.'
Humans often made a fuss and assigned meaning to trivial things.
While most beastkin were stronger than humans, those weaker than some humans became vulnerable the moment their beastkin traits were visible. In fact, being branded a heretic and burned at the stake was often preferable to their treatment.
'That's ancient history from over five hundred years ago, only written in history books now.'
Because of that history, beastkin living in human society still maintained a fully human appearance. The unwritten rule of never showing their beastkin form to humans stemmed from this.
'The orphanage didn't hide the Bride of the Wolf on purpose; they just stumbled upon her.'
Claude watched Theodor quietly. His red eyes burned with clear anger, unlike his usual cool demeanor.
It was an expression he'd seen on the typically indifferent Theodor more often lately.
Of course, the reason was Lara.
Claude swallowed a hollow laugh inwardly. The Bride of the Wolf must be something special to shake this emotionally parched wolf so much.
"The High Priest must have said something about Lara's eyes. What a clown. And saying it right in front of you? He's got no fear."
Claude sneered genuinely. The Pontiff of Lepayrun needed Duke Theodor's patronage, yet he pushed his beliefs regardless—that attitude was impressive in its own way.
"Why didn't you kick him out of Aren, Theodor? I'm curious where a priest without a place in Aren would end up."
Claude said it knowing Theodor wouldn't do such a thing.
"Claude. Shall I tell you why I had you wait?"
"Finally! I've been too curious to sleep."
Theodor changed the subject. It was the very matter that had kept Claude waiting for days. But why bring it up at this timing?
"An Anima attacked. Near the border of Aren, close to your father's winter villa."
Both Claude and Lara looked at Theodor in surprise at his words.
She didn't know what an Anima was, but the thought of Theodor being attacked sent a chill down her spine. Seeing Claude's darkening expression only heightened her fear.
"An Anima...?"
"Yes. A large feline beast. It seemed to be after my head. Failed, though."
Theodor let out a hollow chuckle. Claude's face paled slightly as he lowered his voice.
"They're insane. An Anima attacking you? They know your power."
"It was an Anima serving a master. Such loyalty must make its owner proud."
"......"
Claude stared straight at him with a complicated expression, as if he had much to say. Realizing the implication in Theodor's gaze, Claude crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.
"My father's winter villas are everywhere. You know that."
"I'm not suspecting you in particular. Just sharing the facts."
"......"
Claude exhaled the breath he'd been holding and tapped the table with a serious expression.
It was Claude's habit when he was tense.
'Claude is tied to the Lycans somehow.'
Theodor was certain. But perhaps he was innocent regarding the Anima.
He seemed to be weighing something internally, and it was intriguing which direction he'd take.
"Based on your actions today, you'd have no grounds to complain if I fired you on the spot. Unfortunately, Lara still needs you. You know humans well."
"......Fine."
"Stay vigilant against Anima inside the mansion for a while. Protect Lara first if anything happens."
"I was planning to anyway. An Anima couldn't beat me."
"Is that so?"
Theodor smirked. Claude's temper flared at the annoyingly mocking attitude.
"Then I'll leave your bodyguard duties to you. I'll let today's incident slide. But if something like this happens again, I'll feed you to the Anima."
"...Thanks a lot, my employer's employer."
"Lara isn't my subordinate."
"Then what is she?"
"My bride."
Rin, who had been quietly sipping her fruit juice, choked and coughed. Startled, Lara quickly handed her a handkerchief and water.
Claude didn't choke like Rin, but his face twisted as if he'd heard something he shouldn't have.
"You... You've really changed a lot, haven't you? Are you even the Theodor Diarc I know?"
Theodor calmly took a sip of his coffee and replied to the incredulous mumbling.
"I'm the same as always, so you must just not know me well."
"You..."
"Don't displease my bride, Claude."
"......"
"I believe you're wiser than that."
For the second time, Claude was speechless at Theodor saying things so out of character.
Even his threats were so characteristically him.
'That bastard might have seen my subordinates.'
Claude had some of his men wandering Aren—limbs to serve as the second young master of the Renar Family's hands and feet.
But whatever they did inside Aren was still within Theodor's palm. Hearing the veiled warning sent chills down his spine.
The incident at the Mason Hotel was still fresh in his mind.
How much did Theodor know?
He seemed to know something, yet let him roam free—why?
The mention of his father?
Did he suspect the Renar Family as the Anima's backer?
"......"
It felt like a noose tightening around his neck, invisible but real.
The sudden Anima appearance was bewildering enough, but Theodor's ambiguous attitude unnerved him more.
At any rate, he needed to show he'd heeded the warning. Claude didn't want things to go awry because of his mistake.
"...For now, I'll look into the Anima separately. I'll share any info as soon as I have it."
"Do as you like. The High Priest is visiting the mansion tomorrow anyway."
"What? The High Priest?"
Theodor remained nonchalant despite Claude's reaction.
Lara, too, stared at Theodor in surprise.