Chapter 139 

Alexa tilted her head.

“I like Terrun too.”

“Then why won’t you marry me?”

“Because Terrun doesn’t just like me, he likes fried rice too.”

“Well…”

Terrun’s eyes darted to the side. 

Alexa smiled faintly at the sight. Adorable Terrun. Perhaps it was because he was a long-lived wolf, but he had managed to preserve the innocence of his youth. 

Terrun was always honest about his feelings. Whenever he looked at Alexa, his face clearly said, ‘I like you!’ There was no mistaking how he felt.

The problem was, he wore the same expression when he was eating fried rice. And sometimes, he made that same face when looking at Ysildus or Jeremiah. Terrun’s affection wasn’t exclusive – it was wide and inclusive. Alexa slipped her arm through his and let out a soft giggle.

“You like Ysildus too, don’t you?”

“Well…”

Terrun tilted his head again. But Alexa wasn’t so naïve that she couldn’t tell the difference between the way Terrun looked at her and the way Ysildus did. 

She had known them both since childhood, and she could tell when someone’s gaze had changed. And she had long since realized that the meaning behind Ysildus’s eyes and Terrun’s eyes were entirely different.

“You like Jeremiah too, don’t you?”

“…”

“You do like me in a special way, but you like everyone, don’t you, Terrun?”

“That’s…”

Terrun faltered, unable to answer right away. But the more he thought about it, the more he had to admit it was true. 

Ysildus might be infuriating, demonic, and insufferable, but Terrun liked him. Jeremiah was a bit of a flip-flopper sometimes, but for a human, he was pretty likable. Terrun tilted his head to the other side. It made him look like a curious puppy, and the sight warmed Alexa’s heart.

“So? Do you think you could marry the three of us?”

Of course not. Terrun shook his head quickly.

“But…”

Terrun turned to Alexa with eyes full of distress.

“I don’t want you and Ysildus to get married. If you do, I’ll be left all alone!”

“Why would you be alone? It’s not like we’re going anywhere.”

“But Ysildus is already trying to leave me out when it’s just the two of you!”

Taking advantage of Ysildus’s absence, Terrun whined as much as he liked. He even used a childlike voice, and Alexa gently patted him.

“That’s not right of Ysildus. If he tries to exclude you again, I’ll scold him.”

Someday, Terrun would find someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. When that day came, he’d realize how fleeting and delicate his feelings for Alexa had been.

“Promise me. Promise you won’t leave me out.”

Terrun, so prone to loneliness, still felt like a younger sibling to her. Alexa hooked her pinky with his.

“I promise, Terrun.”

Only then did his expression ease. He really was adorable. Ysildus had long since grown out of that kind of cuteness, but Terrun was still just as endearing as ever.

‘So big, yet still such a baby…’

Alexa leaned her head lightly against his sturdy arm. Sitting there, chatting with Terrun like this, made her feel like everything would be okay. Terrun didn’t even entertain the thought that Ysildus might never return.

Alexa decided to add her faith to Terrun’s. She knew now that this wasn’t just some fictional world in a novel. And she could no longer tell herself that Ysildus was just a storybook hero who would always come back unharmed.

Alexa had begun to accept this place as her reality. She stifled her fear, swallowed it down, and took lively steps beside Terrun. Ysildus hadn’t told her anything, probably because he wanted her to be happy here. So she would be.

“But where are we going, exactly?”

“Ah.”

Terrun let out a sound of realization and added,

“Lady Essellia said there’s something you need to check.”

“Me? What is it?”

“You need new shoes and jewelry for the wedding… and you need to choose the decorations for the hall… and then, uh…”

“Terrun? Wait a second.”

We’re going where to do what now? Alexa hesitated and looked over at Terrun. Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, Terrun flashed a big grin.

“So… we’re going shopping again?”

“Well, it’s a little different this time, Alexa.”

Essellia, who had come herself to pick up the dawdling Alexa, spoke in her usual gentle voice.

“This will be very important shopping, after all.”

You always say that, Duchess… Why do we need more jewelry again…? What we have already seems like more than enough… The shoes too… And what about the dress, I wonder?

Thinking thoughts no one would actually listen to, Alexa trudged along behind them. She wasn’t even curious anymore about the extent of her wealth. She was just amazed that no matter how much she spent, the money seemed to replenish like a magic spring. Her sense of financial reality still hadn’t fully returned.

Alexa laughed awkwardly.

* * *

Just because the first was easy didn’t mean the second would be.

The second domain that Ysildus and his group arrived at belonged to someone loyal to the Emperor. As if making their allegiance known, they had raised the imperial flag alongside their family’s banner.

As the golden flag of the Empire fluttered proudly in the wind, a cold smile spread across Ysildus’s face. The ramparts surrounding the estate were lined with soldiers, their arrows trained on the newcomers. Their grinning expressions looked like they were watching rats caught in a trap.

“You are surrounded!!!”

The lord shouted at the top of his lungs. Not that it was a surprise, Ysildus could already sense the forces moving in behind them. He curled his lips into a smirk. Surrounded? He cracked his neck from side to side.

Strangely, it was the soldiers atop the walls who flinched at Ysildus’s complete lack of tension. They had heard the rumors, time and again, of Thersion’s might. The power they wielded on the battlefield was legendary.

“I’m willing to show mercy to those who surrender. I’d like to resolve this quickly.”

Ysildus spoke with bored indifference. Yet his voice rippled through the enemy ranks with an inexplicable pressure.

“So why not take a chance on my final offer of mercy?”

At his words, the lord’s face turned crimson. It didn’t matter what he said, Thersion were nothing more than traitors. The rightful Crown Prince had promised great rewards to anyone who brought him the heads of those rebels. They couldn’t be swayed by Ysildus’s silver tongue. 

The lord ground his teeth.

“Nonsense!! Don’t be fooled by that man’s words! Victory is ours, and the Empire will reward us! We will defend this nation and become heroes!!”

A strained back-and-forth unfolded between the lord and Ysildus, devoid of any real tension. And then it happened, an inexperienced soldier, nervous and untrained, released his bowstring.

Whizz!

The arrow struck the ground right at Ysildus’s horse’s hooves, glinting in the sun.

“Ah…”

The panicked soldier let out a strangled gasp.

“If you’re provoked, you should respond in kind.”

Ysildus leapt off his horse. He grabbed a spear from a soldier beside him. Everyone thought it would never reach the top of the wall, but they were wrong.

The spear flew with terrifying force and buried itself through the imperial banner… and into the lord, skewering him like a kebab.

“Hrk!”

The lord died instantly. The moment people saw it with their own eyes, gasps filled the air. Ysildus stepped forward, and in one fluid motion, launched himself into the air. He transformed mid-leap into a massive silver wolf and landed atop the ramparts in a single bound. His thunderous howl shook the sky.

“UWAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!”

The morale of Ysildus’s allies soared to the heavens. They had just witnessed a living legend.

“The Wolf God protects us!! Follow Thersion!!!”

Not one enemy soldier dared raise their sword against him. His silver fur shimmered in the light, encasing him in an aura of nobility. Those divine, blue eyes gazed down upon them. Only one thing echoed in their minds.

“I’m willing to show mercy to those who surrender.”

Weapons clattered to the ground as strength left the soldiers’ limbs. Some tripped over the fallen arms as they fled. Ysildus watched the retreating enemies with a languid gaze. This outcome had been inevitable, so why waste time?

His enormous paw came down on the corpse of the lord. Ysildus had taken the second domain. News of their sweeping advance spread rapidly to both the Imperial Capital and Thersion.

* * *

At that moment, Alexa was being half-dragged into a shoe boutique by Essellia, completely drained of energy. A palace messenger from Thersion, breathless with excitement, rushed up to them.

“Lord Ysildus has sent news of victory!! He’s advancing safely!!”

Alexa beamed and turned to Essellia.

“That’s such a relief, isn’t it?”

Essellia couldn’t help smiling too as she looked at Alexa, her expression completely cleared of shadow.

……

T/N: It’s funny how while Alexa was shopping, Ysildus was conquering lands and nobles hahahaha