I need a lot of sleep. I also like pomegranates.

“Ah……”

Is this supposed to be a joke……?

Rika’s expression, which had been laughing all along, completely froze. It was surprisingly cold and rigid. For the first time afterward, silence fell between them.

“Look at this!”

At that moment, Bestia was with Ren.

Plop, plop, plop!

“I’m good, right?”

“You’re decent.”

Unaware that Caenian and Rika were getting closer, they were absorbed in skipping stones.

“Decent? I’m three times better than you, Ren, so why just ‘decent’?”

Plop!

“Since I’m three times better, can you say ‘decent, decent, decent’?”

“That’s not what I meant. Idiot.”

The stone Ren threw didn’t skip properly and sank into the water. Annoyance filled the creases between his brows.

“Try again.”

“But I don’t have any more stones.”

“You can go pick some up.”

“I’ve already collected all the stones around here. You should fish them out of the water.”

At Bestia’s words, he looked at the blue lake. It was clearly deep. The transparent water made it even more frightening. Ren had almost died when he was swept away by a strong current in a valley while escaping from Runda, so he absolutely didn’t want to have a similar experience.

“I don’t want to go in.”

“Eh? Then what should we do?”

Bestia made an incredulous face upon hearing Ren’s answer.

“You go in. Can’t a duck beastman swim?”

“Excuse me. Are you telling a lady to get in the water? You need etiquette lessons, Mr. Ren.”

“Just transform into a duck.”

“A cute and adorable duck can’t retrieve stones from underwater.”

The reason she could confidently emphasize her cuteness was because she had heard it quite often.

Even she thought she looked pretty cute in her red cape.

Admit it? Yeah, I admit it.

“What are you saying?”

“Besides, I don’t know how to swim either.”

“A duckling that can’t swim?”

“Excuse me? If you insist on saying ‘duckling,’ put it in front. My dear Bonobono beastman?”

I don’t appreciate being called duckling repeatedly, you know?

“Oh. Duckling duckling.”

“No… hey…!”

Ren chuckled at Bestia’s words. He acted smug, as if he’d done her a favor by doing what she asked. With a red-faced Bestia beside him, he threw the last stone.

Plop, plop, plop!

“I caught up!”

A refreshed expression appeared on Ren’s face. Bestia, who had been huffing, clapped as if nothing had happened.

“Well done.”

“Next time, I’ll let you win.”

“I’m not playing stone skipping with you anymore.”

“…Cowardly duckling.”

“Cute baby duck.”

Zap. Using human language made their conversation flow well. The joy of teasing doubled, and the pleasure of palace life increased about threefold. Though neither said it aloud, they both thought the same thing.

These days are enjoyable.

“Doesn’t it prick your conscience to call yourself cute?”

“Hmph! Who’s listening?”

“I am. It’s disgusting.”

“You must be jealous because I’m too cute, huh?”

Hehe. I understand. You’re just a black ape. Whereas I’m a fluffy, adorable duck… no, baby duck.

“No, it’s disgusting……”

“Jealous.”

“Disgusting.”

“Jealous.”

“Disgus… never mind.”

Shake shake. Caught up in the wordplay, Ren abruptly cut off his words. He blushed and avoided eye contact. His mind was full of strange thoughts.

Disgusting (The Love).¹T/N: it’s a pun. 더럽 means ‘disgusting’ but phonetically, it sounds like ‘the love’

“Ah, damn……”

“……?”

That common beastman language term meant ‘love.’ The woman in front of him either didn’t know it or knew but didn’t think about it. She looked foolish, blinking her blue eyes and staring blankly.

No, cute and ad-adorable……

“What are you saying?”

“…What are YOU saying? You keep muttering.”

“Ah, forget it. Don’t talk to me.”

“Oh my? Why the sudden outburst?”

Bestia watched Ren, who was fuming and turning away, as if she couldn’t understand him. The atmosphere grew awkward. They had decided to take a break after reading materials secretly taken from the archives, but it seemed the break was over.

“Let’s just continue reading… huh?”

Bestia’s fair, delicate hand pointed to a tree some distance away. At the spot her fingertip indicated, there was someone they would rather not encounter.

“Oh my. Who would leave a book so carelessly?”

Caenian and Rika’s walk extended to the garden. By the time Ren’s last stone skipped across the water, the two had reached a tree. It was exactly where Bestia and Ren had been sitting.

“Don’t touch it.”

“Your Majesty seems to know who this book belongs to?”

“I mean don’t hastily touch other people’s belongings, Princess Harael.”

“Ah… I, who am not yet an empress nor anything else have been rude.”

Rika’s face hardened at Caenian’s cold attitude. She didn’t hide her displeasure. She showed it through her sarcasm.

Do you think you’re following the treaty when you’re treating me this way?

The nuance conveyed through her narrowed eyes was close to a threat. Rika Harael was no fool. The only princess educated by Runda’s top scholars was quick-witted but emotional.

“Regardless of who you are, bad manners with your hands are not good.”

“Bad manners? What…!”

She was displeased that he seemed to treat her actions like theft. Rika’s red eyes blazed like flames. No matter how handsome he was, when he was unpleasant, she couldn’t stand the sight of him.

“……?”

Annoyed, Rika turned her head sharply. At that moment, a woman entered her field of vision. A woman pointing a finger at her. Her golden hair shimmering in the bright sunlight was particularly eye-catching.

“Who is that woman rudely pointing at me?”

“At you? That can’t be.”

At Rika’s words, Caenian’s gaze turned toward the lake. He recognized who it was at a glance. And he could also tell what she was pointing at. Caenian narrowed his eyes and answered without looking at Rika.

She’s with that man again.

Is Betty that man’s lover?

The thought that she could be someone’s lover……

A black-haired man of unknown identity. He was beside the woman. Next to her, who shared the same name as the duck he adored. Caenian, silently reciting Bestia’s stage name, furrowed his brow at the heavy feeling in one corner of his heart.

“……”

What’s this? That woman, there’s something about her.

And Rika, who had been watching his subtle change in expression, snorted. A woman’s sharp intuition was sounding an alarm.

“I’ll ask her directly what she’s pointing at.”

“Princess Harael.”

“I can’t stand being ignored. I’m the jewel of Runda.”

Rika immediately headed toward the woman after finishing her words. She was Rika Harael of Runda. Anyone meeting her up close would recognize her. Imperial citizens should know the only woman who would soon secure a place beside the emperor.

“Miss.”

With her head held high, Rika quickly reached the lakeside. The woman, who had flinched upon seeing her approach, was now deeply bowing. Rika addressed her in a cold voice.

“Ah, hello.”

The woman answered without raising her head. She seemed to lack basic etiquette.

Tsk. When I become empress, I’ll have to redo etiquette education in the palace. The Runda way.

“Miss, did you point at me because you don’t know who I am?”

“…Pardon?”

“Miss. Earlier you held your head high and even pointed, but now why don’t you show your face?”

“Ah, no, Princess Harael.”

Oh my. So you do know who I am?

“Then did you point knowing who I am?”

“What? No, Princess. I merely……”

“Were you mocking me as the woman who was expelled from the banquet?”

“Whaat?”

Bestia, who had merely pointed at the book under the tree, was dumbfounded. Just exchanging a few words with the still-exaggerating Rika had already exhausted her mentally and physically.

Bestia maintained her bow with a frustrated and wronged expression. The moment Rika approached her, she realized her mistake.

Why are you coming out here!

It was a moment when she almost screamed with her whole body. She urgently wanted to leave, but couldn’t because Rika was approaching too quickly.

As a result, she couldn’t raise her head, thinking to avoid Rika’s eyes. She was afraid those red eyes would see through her identity. The truth was she lacked the courage to face her.

“I am the only princess who received His Majesty’s exclusive invitation and will become empress in the future—”

“Princess Rika Harael, that’s enough, isn’t it?”

“Your Majesty.”

Meanwhile, Caenian stopped Rika’s arrogance from piercing the sky. Rika, whose words were cut off, looked at Caenian with an incredulous expression.

“I am merely the only guest who received a private invitation……”

“I told you to stop being rude to my imperial citizens.”

What more needs to be said?

Then Caenian cast a cold gaze. Feeling his merciless coldness, Rika closed her mouth. During this time, Bestia still kept her head bowed.

“Betty, raise your head.”

“……!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

It was then. At the point when Caenian called the woman’s name, Rika’s eyes widened.

What? B-B-Betty?!

Did he just say Betty?

The same name as that white duck!?

You… you… could it be……!

Her crimson eyes filled with suspicion. She glared at the woman who was slowly straightening up, her clenched fists trembling. A few seconds later, eyes as clear and blue as a lake entered her vision.

It’s the duck! This woman is that duck!