“Who is that man next to that woman?”

“I will find out right away, Your Majesty.”

“Is it right for someone you need to investigate to be in the imperial palace?”

“I apologize. I will request the entry list immediately.”

One person who had been busy with the ominous political situation lately—the young emperor of the Delta Empire, who was understandably busy, stopped walking. He had been thinking of taking a walk after being exhausted from consecutive audiences.

“Never mind. I don’t want to bother with the people around that woman.”

Caenian raised his hand toward Potters. Potters, who was about to call a subordinate, stopped his action.

“But… I understand, Your Majesty.”

Potters, with an expression sterner than usual, stared fixedly at one spot.

Who is that man to be with Miss Betty?

Potters felt his anxiety surge. His lord’s order had been withdrawn, but his gaze couldn’t follow suit.

“Hmm……”

A momentary silence fell. Since the emperor didn’t leave, no one could move.

“I saw them a few days ago too.”

Though he said to forget it, his gaze was still directed under the tree. His sharp expression, honed by the stress of state affairs, deepened.

“Pardon? What did you say, Your Majesty?”

It wasn’t just once or twice that he had seen them. In fact, he had seen them several times.

Five times? Six times? Every time, they ate refreshments under that tree. They each read their books separately and then conversed, looking quite affectionate. It seemed like they were sharing interesting parts they had read with each other, giving the impression of being close.

The couple under the tree looked lovey-dovey to anyone watching. Though he couldn’t hear their voices, the atmosphere was exactly that. Caenian’s eyes grew even sharper.

“So that’s why she’s been coming less frequently.”

“Pardon? Where do you mean?”

His tone was full of displeasure. Caenian coldly glared at the black-haired man who had suddenly become ‘that.’

It felt like his person had been stolen?

“Let’s go.”

Caenian, whose mood had soured considerably, turned around sharply. His steps were rough and fast.

“Y-Your Majesty!? That way is the way we came……”

The next day.

“They’re at it again?”

As soon as Caenian finished his state affairs, he hastened his steps. His destination was obvious. Under the tree, without fail, were the two people.

“They’re having a great time. Really.”

Whether the day was good or not good.

Regardless of the situation, those two were often together. No, they were never not together. He had never seen the black-haired man alone even once.

He seems like someone who only appears for that woman, Betty.

“Did you find out who he is?”

“Pardon?”

Your words are different from yesterday, Your Majesty.

You clearly said yesterday that you didn’t want to bother with it.

Potters, who stood by his side, made an aggrieved expression. It hadn’t even been 24 hours since the emperor had withdrawn his order. The list of people entering and leaving the imperial palace—honestly, he had already obtained it. But the next step was the problem.

“I will check each name and face, Your Majesty.”

Despite investigating all night, he had only gone through one-fortieth of the list. Among them, there was no one matching that man’s description.

“Wouldn’t it be faster to just go and ask directly?”

Caenian, who knew nothing, asked pointedly. It’s not that he hadn’t thought of that method.

“Ah. I’ll go right now and ask—”

“Forget it. If you go, they’ll know I sent you.”

That’s right. That’s why he hesitated. Caenian stopped Potters, who was about to dash out to the garden. His deeply furrowed brow meant only one thing.

“I will find out without compromising your dignity, Your Majesty.”

Fortunately, his quick understanding was a relief this time.

The emperor looked at the knight guard with a satisfied expression. Caenian patted his shoulder. It seemed like a silent threat to handle it well.

“By the way.”

His eyes, which had curved slightly, sharpened again the moment they turned toward the tree. Now the two were drinking tea. The man received the teacup as if it were natural, and somehow his appearance seemed familiar.

“He’s definitely not a face I know, but somehow I feel like I should know him.”

Black hair, black eyes. Plus clothes as black as mourning attire. His overall gloomy impression and sharp eyes were familiar.

Sparkle.

“……?”

That’s when it happened. Dazzling sunlight pierced through the shade created by the tree. The light that seeped between the man’s wrists flashed golden.

“A bracelet?”

It felt like seeing something very familiar. As he leaned forward to see more clearly.

“Kyahaha!”

“……!”

The ear-piercing laughter of a woman shook the air.

“Hah.”

Caenian furrowed his brow. The way she kept patting the man’s shoulder looked frivolous.

“Uncomfortable to watch.”

That single burst of laughter wouldn’t leave his ears. Looking closely, the man seemed indifferent while only the woman appeared excited.

“What could possibly be so amusing.”

Since I’m in a bad mood, let me know too.

All his attention focused on his ears. If he were a rabbit, they would have been twitching constantly.

“It’s irritating. I don’t even want to look.”

Despite his bitter words, his body leaned toward the garden. He looked ready to press a telescope to his eye if one were offered.

“……”

Potters beside him was also quiet. His expression had hardened long ago at the clear laughter. The two men stared at the scene under the tree for a long time.

“Kyahaha!”

Bestia, the woman receiving their heavy gazes, completely unaware, burst into another round of laughter. Each time, her golden hair rippled like waves. Today she had simply combed it neatly, creating golden waves.

“My ears hurt.”

“Then cover them!”

“Why should I when you could just stop laughing.”

“You’re so mean, Ren. Friends should enjoy things together!”

“……”

Faced with such bright innocence, Ren closed his mouth. It was just yesterday that he had taken her hand when she asked to be friends. The hand of the woman who had been watching him until the day before was small and soft.

She really lives so carefree.

Once again, that’s what he felt.

When was it? About two weeks ago?

He had encountered her in a place he never expected. A woman pretending not to be a beastman. It wasn’t that her attitude was bad.

After all, he’d been living that way for quite some time too.

‘But do we have to do this at night? You could become human and come during the day, you know.’

What bothered him was how she acted as if she had never felt any threat to her life. It wasn’t envy. He genuinely found it disagreeable.

“…How annoying.”

A harsh word escaped his lips without him realizing. He felt someone flinch beside him.

“Huh? Ren. Did you just say I’m annoying?”

“No. The sunlight is too bright.”

“You’re the one who chose to sit there, you know?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve photosynthesized.”

“But you just said the sunlight was annoying because it’s bright.”

Her pretending not to be surprised and casually moving on bothered him.

“Ugh. But the sunlight really is glaring.”

The woman looked up at the sky and squinted. Ren quickly blocked her hand as it rose. He almost placed his hand on that small head.

“Oh. How annoying. Because you’re bright like sunshine.”

“…What are you saying.”

Not even realizing she almost had a hand shadow over her head. Bestia rolled her eyes. Shushu would laugh along when she laughed. Garnet would say she liked her laughter and asked to hear it often.

It gives energy, that bright and clear appearance.

But the dark figure before her wouldn’t laugh with her. With him just frowning, it felt awkward to keep laughing.

“Tsk. I’m the only one excited?”

Bestia, calming her excited emotions, pouted. She fiddled with the cookie in her hand. She looked dejected right away. Ren’s eyes softened slightly.

“Now you get it.”

“But aren’t you excited, Ren?”

“About what.”

Crack. The cookie in her hand broke in half. A scent that would surely taste delicious with black tea wafted up.

“About having a friend.”

“……”

“Do you have many other beastman friends besides me?”

Bestia held out a piece of the cookie after finishing her words. The rich aroma of the well-baked cookie hit his nose. Ren stared at it.

“You haven’t been stealing His Majesty’s snacks lately, right? Good job. If you get caught, you’ll ruin the image of all beastmen. You know that, right?”

“What’s it to you.”

“Eeh? What do you mean? There are still many people in the imperial palace who hate beastmen.”

“…I know that much.”

“If you know, then be careful. Idiot. Even though they say primates are smart, you walk around too much like a human.”

Crunch.

Bestia bit into the half cookie. The other half was in Ren’s hand. He didn’t put it to his mouth, just kept looking at it.

“And I don’t think people who hate beastmen are only in the Empire. Princess Harael was like that too last time. You know?”

Crunch.

Instead of answering, Ren chewed the cookie. He wasn’t ignorant. If it was related to the Kingdom of Runda, he had heard it all. By whatever means necessary. He collected information on those demon-like humans.

Friends who died at their hands and family whose fate he didn’t know. A lost homeland.

‘Ren, you’re our last hope.’

‘Go! Run away without looking back!’

‘Find him and save us!’