He hugged her before even seeing her waddle. He rubbed her against his cheek and even kissed her. He touched her here and there, saying she had become plump, and got hit by her wings. Still, he smiled like an idiot, saying it was fine. The servants discreetly shook their heads. Potters also sighed.

“Chancellor. No matter how I think about it, His Majesty is strange. I’ve been by his side for over 10 years, but this is the first time I’ve seen him like this.”

“Ho ho. It’s my first time seeing it too.”

“When he was twelve, he seemed like he was twenty-two, but now he doesn’t seem eighteen but eight.”

Potters couldn’t believe it. His lord wasn’t such a person. He liked animals, but he didn’t act like a doting parent.

The man born to be emperor was educated accordingly. He knew well because he had watched the process from the side. Until he picked up a duck from the street, that is.

“I thought His Majesty seemed like an old man in a young body, but not like such a child… ah, no, I didn’t say that.”

“Ahem… my ears are getting old, so I didn’t hear that. Ahem……”

Duke carefully nodded at Potters’ words that came out without passing through his brain. The two men secretly exchanged glances. With many eyes and ears around, they meant to keep quiet.

“This is great! This is it!”

— Quack! (This is the worst!)

Meanwhile, Bestia’s voice was already hoarse. She looked at Caenian standing in front of the mirror as if he were pathetic. She was in a small bag.

“Servant. This bag suits my taste excellently! Well done. Now, what should I name this duck bag?”

Flap flap.

— Quack? (What’s with naming a bag?)

The bag, which she couldn’t see out of without standing on tiptoe, was too stuffy. Bestia jumped around inside the bag. But the bag adorned with jewels didn’t budge.

— Quoaaa. (Ugh. I’m tired.)

The duck, quickly tired, just lay down.

“Your Majesty, how about ‘Cutie Pretty Betty Bag’? By unifying the ending words, it also implies the integration of humans and beastmen……”

“Oh. That’s a good idea. I will reward you.”

— Quaack? (You like that? Hey, Sir Emperor! I knew it from when you called me Dora! Your naming sense is terrible!)

Meanwhile, the conversation outside the bag was in full swing. A strange name was attached to the bag. Bestia covered her ears with her small wings.

— Quoaack! (I want to be human again soon!)

She hated seeing the emperor who became a doting parent just with a duck by his side. The pearl necklace tingled. It was a signal that it would change her form right away if she wanted.

— Quack! (No! Later!)

Thankfully, there’s a family heirloom left by the duck beastmen.

Bestia nodded her head while quacking.

* * *

The next day, a strange rumor spread throughout the imperial palace. It was that the emperor carried around a strange bag.

“After entering the palace after a long time, I hear all sorts of talk. Do you know anything about it?”

In the imperial garden where flowers bloomed everywhere, swaying in the warm breeze. A man whose appearance didn’t look like he came to appreciate flowers indirectly mentioned the rumor.

“It would be faster for you to see it yourself, Father.”

“You’re avoiding my eyes. What’s going on?”

“How is it being in the capital after a year?”

“…Not much seems to have changed.”

“I suppose not.”

“……”

Margrave Kleeman silently laughed at Potters’ awkward attempt to change the subject. The topic didn’t matter. It was just an excuse for conversation with his second son whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“How is Brother Zeno doing?”

“He’s doing well. Just waiting for you to come back.”

“I don’t need to go back, do I? I’m just the second son anyway.”

“Is it good for family to live apart? Besides, a man of the Kleeman family should guard the border.”

Potters also knew his true feelings, so he suggested a new topic. Margrave Kleeman immediately replied with a faint smile.

“Potters Kleeman will guard the capital.”

Potters didn’t smile along with him. He had lived his whole life as a younger brother in the shadow of his talented older brother. In his hometown, he was more often called ‘the second son of Margrave Kleeman’ than by his own name.

I want to live as myself—Potters Kleeman.

As Sir Potters, the emperor’s guard knight.

“Father guards the border, I guard the capital, so I think the balance is right.”

Potters’ gaze deepened as he clenched his fist at the thought that briefly crossed his mind.

“Why leave out your brother Zeno?”

“Well, my brother will be going back and forth between the north and east.”

“These days, he’s sharing the watch with me, half and half.”

“I heard the movements of Runda are suspicious.”

The Kleeman count family has a long territory along the northern and eastern borders.

As a family renowned for swordsmanship, all bloodlines, regardless of gender, were skilled in swordsmanship. They also had considerable pride in having volunteered to guard the borders since the empire was formed.

“There’s nothing difficult to handle, but it doesn’t hurt to report to His Majesty. And I get to see your face too.”

Hence, Margrave Kleeman’s status rivaled that of the emperor. Caenian knew this well and showed proper respect.

“My face hasn’t changed from a year ago.”

“You seem to have lost some weight.”

“My weight is the same. Father, you’ve gained some wrinkles.”

Potters avoided the eyes of Margrave Kleeman, who awkwardly stroked his cheek. Embarrassed, he stepped back.

He wasn’t this affectionate before.

“Are you getting senile with age?”

“This rascal. There’s nothing you won’t say.”

“Well, you must be too busy with late-life parenting to get senile—”

Whack!

“Ugh!”

“You need a hit to come to your senses.”

The power of the flick delivered by fingers with calluses was tremendous. Potters’ head tilted slightly backward.

“How is Cellie?”

Thump.

Inside the palace, he was the emperor’s guard knight, but now, in front of Margrave Kleeman, he was just an immature second son. Potters raised the corner of his stiff mouth and threw a punch.

“Come see her if you’re curious. She’s your only younger sister.”

“She’s already monopolizing all the love as a late child, so why bother.”

“That doesn’t mean she doesn’t need her second brother’s love.”

Thump.

The punch was lightly blocked by another punch. The ground shook with the playful sparring of the two large men.

“Judging by the harmony between you two, I’ll visit when a fourth child might be born.”

“By then, we won’t be able to have children even if we want to. When you were born, the doctor already said you’d be the last!”

Thump.

“Oh. And yet Cellie too… I respect you, Father.”

Potters grinned at Margrave Kleeman’s red face.

“You rascal! Teasing your father?”

“Haha.”

After a few exchanges, the initial awkwardness melted away like snow. The two men laughed as they engaged in light fistfights. They looked exactly the same except for the presence or absence of wrinkles.

Thump.

“Ouch. This guy, why does it seem like the intensity is getting stronger?”

“Aren’t you considering that your muscles have turned to water?”

“What! I eat ten chicken br*asts every day.”

“I eat twenty.”

“No wonder I didn’t see a single chicken in the capital. Soon you’ll be eating ducks too.”

Freeze.

Potters’ fist stopped in mid-air at Margrave Kleeman’s words. Betty suddenly came to mind. The image of her opening her yellow beak and laughing brightly. Blue eyes. And a woman with the same name as that duck. That woman of unclear origin who was uninhibited even in front of the emperor, Betty.

No. What am I suddenly thinking about?

It was an abrupt flow of consciousness. Potters quickly shook his head.

“Father. Mentioning duck meat inside the palace is forbidden.”

“What? Why.”

“Because His Majesty is completely infatuated with one duck.”

“That duck isn’t for food, right? I don’t see what the problem is.”

His wavering gaze turned toward the lake. Coincidentally, a wild duck that had flown away from the emperor’s eyes landed on the water surface.

Yes, ducks. Just think about ducks. Waddling ducks.

“Still, please don’t talk about duck meat.”

“Why? Duck meat is so high in protein.”

“Father. His Majesty even fell ill because of that duck.”

Nod nod.

It was an incredible incident. And the appearance of His Majesty after Betty returned was also incredible.

Potters tried his best to focus all his attention on ducks. Not a duck with eyes the same color as a certain woman, but any generic duck that could become duck meat.

“By the way, what about you?”

“I don’t keep pets. You know I have a fur allergy.”

Quack quack.

A flock of imaginary ducks ran through his mind.

Good. If I stay focused like this—!

“No. Who’s telling you to keep animals? I’m talking about women! Women!”

“Ah……”

“You have no thoughts on this? Both of my sons are like this. One loves too much, and one has no interest.”

“……”

But at the word “women,” his gaze, which he had just managed to steady, wavered again.

Quack?

He made eye contact with one of the ducks running through his mind. The duck tilted its head and then poof! turned into a woman.

‘Your Majesty, human Betty greets you.’

It was the image of when the woman named Betty first appeared before him.