Chapter 2. The Etiquette Test

It was right after Bestia had written her name on the velvet chair.

“Betty, I’m sorry I didn’t ask your name sooner.”

─ Quaack quack. (It’s fine as long as you know now.)

Although it wasn’t her real name, that wasn’t important. What really mattered was that she wouldn’t be called by the tacky name ‘Dora’ anymore.

5 seconds ago, the duck who had become the empire’s mascot by revealing her name puffed up her chest feathers. It was a boastful pose. She believed that she would now be provided with more luxurious food.

After all, she was the empire’s mascot!

“Shall we continue with the meal then?”

─ Quack? (Pardon?)

However, Bestia’s calculations were off. Even though Caenian acted like a doting parent, he was still an emperor. This meant he possessed the intelligence, culture, judgment, and virtue befitting an emperor. He hadn’t forgotten about the earthworms. No matter how special Bestia was, in his eyes, she was still a duck.

“Sir Potters, catch the escaped earthworms!”

“I’ve already caught them, Your Majesty.”

“Excellent. Now, Betty, say ah-“

─ Quaaack! (I don’t want earthworms!)

The earthworm wrapped around the tweezers came right up to her bill. Bestia shook her head. With a quacking sound, she jumped off the chair.

“Betty!”

“Betty has jumped down! Catch her!”

“Be careful not to step on her! She’s the empire’s mascot!”

─ Quack quaack! Quack quack quaack! (Why am I! Doing this here!)

Bestia wailed, crossing the vast room diligently with her small duck feet. The satisfaction of revealing her name didn’t last long. When the vitamin-coated earthworm approached her nose, she flew with all her might. No, she jumped down. She flapped her tiny wings uselessly.

─ Quack! Quack! Quack! (If I’m caught, I’ll have to eat worms! I can’t be caught! If I’m caught, it’s worms!)

“Betty is heading for the door!”

“Don’t let Betty out! She hasn’t eaten her earthworms!”

The empire’s mascot ran as if her duck feet were on fire. Forget about opening the door, she just ran. But then! Miraculously, the door opened. It was as if the path to heaven had opened before her eyes. Bestia looked up.

“Little Miss Duck, where are you rushing off to?”

─ Quaack! (Oh no!)

“Chancellor Schubien has caught Betty!”

“Betty is safe! Your Majesty!”

─ Quaaack! Quack quack quaack! (Let go! I don’t want to eat worms!)

Bestia wailed in Duke’s hands. She kept biting with her pathetic duck bill. Red marks appeared on the wrinkled hands gripped by the yellow bill. That’s how hard she bit.

“Duke Schubien greets Your Majesty.”

“Chancellor, what nice timing. You always appear at crucial moments to save Betty.”

“Is Betty the name Your Majesty gave to this duck?”

“No, Chancellor. This duck actually had a name, you see.”

“I see, so it was Betty.”

Duke bowed slightly and handed over Bestia. Caenian looked down at Bestia with a wondrous smile. The duck glaring at him looked absolutely magnificent. It was the first time he’d seen a duck with a name it could even write.

“Indeed. For a moment, I thought this duck might be a beastman.”

─ Quaack! (Eek!)

“Oh. However, as Your Majesty knows, duck beastmen in the Delta Empire…”

“So, Chancellor. Listen to my words till the end. I haven’t finished speaking yet.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will listen carefully.”

Caenian wrapped his hand around Bestia’s back. It was an action to prevent her from escaping. Bestia flapped her wings. Soon her wings were also caught. In that state, the tweezers approached her bill. Of course, with the earthworm.

─ Quaack! (No!)

“Now, Betty. Ah- Chancellor, wait a moment. Let me feed Betty her nutritious meal and then we’ll continue our conversation.”

The health of his little one was more important than bragging about them. Caenian was genuinely concerned about the health of the duck he cherished so much. He was heartbroken by the ribs that had become bony in just two days. Feeding her only strawberries had been a mistake.

The red stain of strawberries on the yellow bill was quite cute, but that was all. To stay healthy and live long with him for 15 years, picky eating was not an option. Caenian gently pulled the tip of Bestia’s bill to open it slightly.

─ Quaa! Quaaack! (Grandfather Chancellor! Help me!)

Bestia’s blue eyes shook greatly as she shot a desperate look at Duke. Duke took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty, I believe food that humans can eat would be better for this duck.”

“What? What do you mean, Chancellor.”

Good. The tweezers that were about to enter her mouth stopped. Bestia turned her head sharply. The smell of earthworms faded slightly. She looked at Duke as if urging him to continue speaking.

“Yes, Your Majesty. After some investigation, I found that such an unusual animal is typically a rare species in the pre-beastman stage, if I may say so…”

“Pre-beastman stage? Rare species?”

“That’s right. Therefore, such a precious animal should be treated accordingly.”

“Treated accordingly?”

“Yes, so rather than giving it food that wild ducks eat, feeding it organic fruits and vegetables grown in the imperial palace would be better for image-making-“

“Oh… Chancellor! As expected, the avian knowledge and experience of a black pelican beastman, and your patriotism for our Delta Empire shine through in your words! Now that I hear it, it makes sense! Betty is extraordinary! I’ve never seen such a duck in my life!”

Is this the power of experience? Duke’s lie was smooth. Even Bestia nodded. The servants and Potters gave a thumbs up. They too were dreading the thought of preparing earthworms every day.

“I see. Then, starting from today’s lunch, prepare for her to dine with me. It would be nice to have a special plate for Betty as well.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Betty, what do you think? Wouldn’t that be better than earthworms?”

─ Quack! (Of course!)

“Oh. Your Majesty, Betty nodded.”

“It seems she indeed understands words, Your Majesty.”

Sensing this was her chance, Bestia nodded vigorously. She also put strength into her eyes. Her bright eyes showed determination. The servants quickly threw out comments to wrap up the situation. Caenian also seemed satisfied, a smile playing on his lips.

“Good. Very good.”

By now, the tweezers and earthworms had long been cleared away. The chair where Bestia had written her name was also replaced with a clean one. Bestia looked up at Caenian. It was time to achieve her next goal.

─ Quack! Quaack quack! (Walk! I want to go for a walk!)

“Your Majesty, how about going outside with the duck?”

Duke became Bestia’s mouthpiece. He also needed to see various aspects of the duck beastman.

“Chancellor, it’s not ‘the duck’, it’s Betty. Be-tty.”

As if that was his intention all along, Caenian took a step. At the same time, he threw out a word like he was teaching.

“Really.”

“Kuk. Let’s go.”

Duke, left behind, let out a hollow laugh. Potters took Duke and followed behind Caenian.

“This place looks good.”

After the commotion about the earthworms. They settled at a quiet lakeside.

Here there are many insects, there’s no shade there. It was a place chosen after considering various feng shui principles. The servants busily prepared for the picnic. Duke and Potters stood behind Caenian like shadows.

“Betty.”

─ Quack? (Yes?)

Caenian called Bestia. The duck, hastily stuffed into his clothes pocket, poked her head out.

“As expected. To raise your head immediately when called. You’re so intelligent.”

If only he had known her name sooner. His brow furrowed slightly with regret. Caenian took Bestia out of his pocket. He placed her on his palm so she could see the surroundings well. The thought of making a special bag for the duck was an added bonus.

“This is the largest lake within the imperial palace. How is it? Do you like it?”

─ Quaaack. (It looks too deep.)

Bestia clung to the edge of his hand and looked down. The depth was completely unfathomable. Colorful fish quickly disappeared into the abyss.

─ Quack. (Surely not.)

“How about it? Want to try swimming?”

─ Quaack quack. (I can’t believe you said that.)

It was when she looked at Caenian with a ‘surely not’ feeling in her heart.

As expected, just as I thought.

His eyes were sparkling, like he was encouraging her to swim. It was as if he would throw her into the lake right away if she nodded by mistake. Bestia tightly closed her bill. She narrowed her eyes without saying a word. It was a threat.

A threat not to say or think of anything absurd.

“Ah. I see. That look in your eyes says you’d be lonely alone. My thinking was short-sighted.”

─ Quack? (What?)

“Hey there! Bring a boat right away! I plan to frolic on the lake with Betty!”

─ Quack. (Sigh.)

But the threat didn’t work. This time, Bestia looked at someone else.

─ Quaaack. (Please stop him.)

The duck’s pleading gaze fell on Duke. Meanwhile, Caenian was looking for a duck-shaped boat.

“Y-Your Majesty… D-Do you mean a boat that looks like a duck?”

“That’s right. As Betty’s guardian, I want to create a scene of two ducks gliding gracefully.”

“Is that really necessary……”

“Bring a white duck-shaped boat right now! Immediately!”