Chapter 158: Side Story 14 

Essellia was the type to inspect the castle thoroughly and with care. Naturally, raising children left her no choice but to be meticulous.

From Essellia’s perspective, however, Ysildus taking a human Alexa as his partner was a constant source of unease. Alexa had already been studying the descendants of the Wolf God through Karrolf, and even now she was living in Thersion, harmonizing with the wolves.

Ysildus, on the other hand, had never once lived among humans. Which meant he, too, needed to study them. That was what Essellia believed.

Just as Alexa had come to understand Ysildus, he needed to understand humans, Alexa herself, and finally, the way humans love. Just as Alexa had made the effort to understand him, Ysildus had to do the same for her.

“Seems like a bit more preparation is in order, doesn’t it?”

It looked like Ysildus would need more books to read.

Essellia had already been personally selecting and bringing in books to help Alexa adjust to her new life. They were books meant not only for Ysildus, but also for Terrun, Carlisle, and Essellia herself.

“Now… I suppose it’s time to put together a new collection.”

After all, the children weren’t just dating anymore, they were getting married.

* * *

“Ahem.”

Karrolf cleared his throat beside Alexa for no particular reason. Alexa blinked, then slowly lifted her head.

“Master?”

“You seem troubled.”

Karrolf’s words were tossed out casually.

To the medical ward, Alexa was like a vitamin. Just seeing her bouncing around with a bright smile among the patients was enough to lift their spirits. People would even say that watching the tiny, adorable squirrel in a white coat scurrying between the wolves could chase away any gloom.

So now, seeing Alexa visibly downcast was impossible to miss.

Even the patients, bold as ever, had started poking Karrolf in the side, urging him to do something. Fortunately, Alexa’s whereabouts weren’t hard to track, since there were always people keeping tabs on her and reporting her movements in real time.

It was during her break. She had curled up and was sitting against the wall. She’d just turned away both Jeremiah and Terrun, saying she wanted to be alone. She was deep in thought, trying to figure out what she could do, and what Jeremiah had meant by what he said.

Karrolf quietly sat down beside her, sensing her confusion.

“Here. Something sweet always helps at times like this.”

He held out a small chocolate, secretly hidden in his hand. At the sight of the gold-wrapped treat, Alexa’s eyes instantly welled up.

“M-Master…”

“Go on.”

She gave a little nod and accepted the chocolate as he fed it to her. The sweetness melted on her tongue, wrapping around it softly, and she felt as if endorphins were surging through her whole body. Seeing her expression ease, Karrolf spoke.

“Can you tell me what’s bothering you now?”

His voice was soft and warm. So warm, in fact, that if his other students had heard him, they might have coughed up blood in outrage.

Alexa rolled her eyes thoughtfully. Should she talk to Karrolf about it? He had more experience and had lived far longer than she had. Had she retained memories of her past, it might have been different, but now, she knew nothing.

With a determined look on her face, Alexa opened her mouth.

“Actually, I think… my friend is struggling with something.”

Given who Alexa’s friends were, that narrowed it down to Ysildus, Jeremiah, or Terrun. Ysildus wasn’t the type to burden Alexa with worries, and Terrun wasn’t one to have any worries in the first place, so it had to be Jeremiah. Karrolf gave a small nod.

Being the Ninth Prince and next in line for the throne, it made sense that he’d be troubled.

“And?”

“I just don’t know how to help him.”

Alexa spoke with a gloomy tone.

“I want to help him, but there’s nothing I can do. I feel useless.”

Yes. That was exactly it. That was the root of the melancholy weighing on her. Alexa let out a long sigh.

“I just feel so powerless.”

“Alexa.”

Karrolf called her name in a deliberately stern tone. Alexa immediately lifted her head to meet his gaze. 

He looked her squarely in the eye and said, “You don’t have to fix everything yourself. Of course, if there’s something you can do to help, then you should. But if there isn’t, you need to know when to let go.”

“Master…”

“Alexa, you’re not a god. You’re human. You have limits. That goes for the wolves too. Just as death finds us all, hardship finds us too. You just need to do what you can. And from what I see, you’ve already been a good friend to him.”

“…I think so. At least, that’s what I believe. I don’t know what he thinks.”

“I believe you’ve already been more than enough of a friend to him.”

Why else would Jeremiah look at her with such eyes?

“That’s all that matters, Alexa. You’re already doing your best. And if your friend trusted you enough to share his burden, then doesn’t that mean you’re already a source of strength to him?”

“…Do you think so?”

“Of course.”

Karrolf smiled gently. The fact that she cared this much for her friend, even her worrying was endearing. It felt like even his icy heart was melting. He offered her another chocolate.

“Here. Eat this and cheer up.”

“I already had one though?”

“Have another. And this time, with a smile.”

Alexa nodded bravely and popped the chocolate into her mouth.

“Don’t dwell on what you can’t do. Focus on what you can.”

No other comfort or advice struck her more deeply. Only then did Alexa realize that her worries had been pointing in the wrong direction all along.

There had to be something she could do. For the one walking such a difficult path… That was the question she needed to ask herself now.

* * *

Just as Alexa reached the end of her thoughts, Ysildus was reviewing documents that had arrived from the capital. They were updates from Violeta, who had compiled the latest status report on the empire. Ysildus calmly sifted through them, his gaze sharp.

“…Huh? The Queen is alive?”

A cold smile curled on Ysildus’s lips. It meant the Emperor had been preparing one last underhanded move, even on the brink of death. Though he died before he could pull it off.

Still, this could be a useful card for Ysildus. If not for himself, then perhaps as a gift to Jeremiah.

Ysildus slowly blinked.

It wasn’t a bad idea to keep an extra leash on Temperchi. But Alexa wouldn’t welcome such a tactic. Alexa would want the Queen and Jeremiah to have a happy, fairy-tale ending.

“She’s alive…”

Ysildus murmured quietly, a troubled look on his face.

The document also mentioned that many parties were reaching out to Thersion. They hoped to crown an Emperor who would be favorable to them, but also wanted to form an alliance with Thersion.

Again, not a bad hand to play for Thersion.

Was there truly a need to place Jeremiah on that throne?

After all, wasn’t it Thersion that had shaped Jeremiah into who he was now? Even if someone else took the role, what would really change?

A chill stirred in Ysildus’s instincts.

Up until now, he had tolerated Jeremiah, but at the end of the day, the man was just an audacious fool who had dared to covet Alexa. Besides, Jeremiah was too driven by his own ideals. There was no way he would fully follow Thersion’s agenda.

It might be wiser to choose a more compliant puppet instead. After all, there’s no such thing as a permanent ally. Hadn’t Temperchi also stabbed Thersion in the back?

A wolf should never forget debts or grudges, but Jeremiah had never done him any favors. So even if Ysildus chose to eliminate him, there would be no real issue.

And yet… 

Why did that clumsy smile keep surfacing in his mind? Why did those sorrowful expressions linger?

The way Jeremiah had looked at him, there had been genuine affection, the kind born of friendship. Like a child desperate not to be abandoned, his clingy, vulnerable gestures had stayed in Ysildus’s thoughts.

Clicking his tongue in displeasure, Ysildus muttered, “Starting to act like a d**n human.”

If he hadn’t known Alexa, he might have discarded Jeremiah without a second thought. But now, Ysildus knew Alexa and because of her, he came to know Jeremiah as well . And in turn, he’d come to feel something… human. He’d felt the warmth of the friendship Jeremiah held for him.

“Am I seriously losing my mind?”

Ysildus pressed his fingers to his temple. His rough hand dragged the skin up, irritation written all over his face.

“Haa…”

Well, what could he do?

The moment those sorrowful eyes came to mind, the conclusion had already been decided. This would be Ysildus’s gift to Jeremiah.