“Ahaha!”

It was rare for him to laugh out loud like that. He was a man who usually only smiled, so hearing him laugh with genuine delight felt entirely different.

Lunaria stared at him in a daze as she watched his sharp eyes soften and curve gently with mirth.

After a short burst of laughter, he regained his composure. Dabbing lightly at the corner of his mouth with a napkin, he lowered his voice and began to speak.

“Still, I’m relieved to hear you ate meat stew every day, Luna.”

“…Honestly, I’m certain those young ladies who claim they live on nothing but salad are lying. How can anyone survive eating only grass?”

“Hmm. Who told you that?”

“No one in particular. But I have two ears, don’t I? There are always rumors floating around. So I decided to try eating only salad for about two weeks.”

With that single laugh of his, the tension in the room completely dissolved. Perhaps because of that, Lunaria also found herself loosening up.

“After four days, I could barely swallow it. I soaked it in dressing and forced it down with bread. At first, I didn’t even eat bread. But salad by itself was too bland, so later I started putting it between slices of bread. That made it bearable for about another week.”

“I see. And then?”

By then, he had completely put down his cutlery and was resting his fingertips lightly on his chin, listening intently. His full attention was on her.

“After ten days, even a salad sandwich became hard to swallow. Bread packed with vegetables and no meat or ham… It hardly deserves to be called a sandwich.”

“So you gave up after two weeks?”

At his question, Lunaria answered sheepishly.

“I honestly couldn’t understand why I shouldn’t eat meat in the morning…”

“Ah, so you reached a compromise with meat stew, is that it?”

“Exactly, Cassion! Meat stew can’t really be called meat, can it? It’s already turned into stew. So it’s clearly different from steak.”

“Hmm. Ahem. Your reasoning is sound.”

“It is, right?”

Cassian did not take his eyes off her while she was speaking. The laughter he was trying to suppress threatened to escape at any moment.

Above all her other qualities, it was Lunaria’s innocence that he treasured most. This untainted purity, which he had never found among humans, was like an oasis to him.

However, it was an oasis that could disappear like a mirage at any time.

So, whenever it concerned Lunaria, he remained constantly alert. Above all, he wanted to preserve her innocence.

Whenever he recalled the incident with the stolen jewelry years ago, he knew his caution was justified.

Not only had those maids dared to steal what he had given her, but they had also tormented her in subtle, insidious ways. What infuriated him most was that no one, not even him, had noticed.

At the time, he had even considered dismissing Emma, too. However, she was one of the few people in the mansion with whom Lunaria felt truly comfortable. Ultimately, he opted to issue a stern warning instead.

“Hmm.”

By now, those maids were probably dead. He had made sure of it. They were not the kind of people who could be forgiven with something as merciful as a slash to the wrist.

For a moment, he wondered if another foolish servant had appeared, someone bold enough to influence her again. However, when he heard Lunaria explain that she had chosen it herself, wishing to behave like a proper noble lady, he felt the urge to laugh again.

Suppressing this urge with effort, Cassion raised an eyebrow slightly and signaled to the head butler.

“Prepare another steak. And a cup of black tea as well.”

“Yes, Master.”

The head butler moved at once. Lunaria discreetly glanced at her plate. She had eaten so much that not a drop of sauce remained. She felt slightly embarrassed, but she was still hungry. Living on nothing but fruit for two days had been unbearable.

Suddenly, she wondered how other wolf beastkin endured their heat. Should she seek out her pack and ask them now? As she fell into quiet contemplation, Cassion spoke.

“Is there anything you would like?”

“…Pardon?”

Lifting the teacup, steam curling upward, he added in a casual tone.

“You’ve gone through something worthy of celebration. I would like to give you a gift. Do you need jewelry or a dress? Or anything else at all.”

“Ah…”

Lunaria immediately understood what he meant. He wanted to congratulate her on coming into season.

She was grateful for his thoughtfulness, but also felt guilty. If she were a true wolf beastkin, her heat would not have lasted only two days. She felt as though this truth might spill out of her at any moment.

After a brief hesitation, she spoke carefully.

“…I want to go out with you, Cassion.”

“Hmm. That is not a bad idea. Then shall we go out together and choose your gift in person?”

“Really?”

“Yes. Since it is the height of winter, my workload has lessened considerably. I will make time.”

“Waa!”

When he agreed so quickly, Lunaria felt as though she might leap from her seat. He was always busy and she rarely dared to ask him out. Occasionally, when their schedules aligned, they would go out together, but they could count those outings on one hand in a whole year.

“This will be our first outing together this winter. So… was our last one three months ago?”

“That’s right, Cassion.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to make more time for you, Luna.”

At his apology, she quickly shook her head.

“It’s all right! I keep myself busy at the estate.”

“Is that so?”

“Lately, I’ve been studying history, and it’s truly exhausting. I don’t understand why the emperors’ names are all so long—and why there are so many of them.”

“Haha.”

Cassion failed to suppress his laughter once again. Not only Lunaria, but all the other servants present also observed this rare sight in silence.

With the corners of his lips still gently curved, he said.

“Let me remind you once more—you are not to go out alone. You understand?”

“Of course. I’ll never break that promise.”

He gazed silently at her firm expression.

“Wow… it’s still steaming.”

Meanwhile, Lunaria murmured cheerfully at the sight of the steak that had just been served. Seeing her smile brightly at him — knowing that she would never break a promise — was the most pleasing thing in the world for Cassion.

After finishing his tea, he gently asked.

“Does it suit your taste, Luna?”

“Yes!”

“That’s a relief! From now on, you don’t need to worry about looking like a noble lady. Just enjoy your breakfast and be yourself.”

There’s no need to imitate those two-faced, calculating people. He found her earlier concern deeply displeasing.

***

“Luna, the road is slippery. Take my hand.”

“Thank you, Cassion.”

They were out together on the outing they had promised. Although they had stopped the carriage to avoid the snow that had fallen the previous night, the ground was still muddy and slippery.

Rather than simply helping her down, Cassion lifted her into his arms and escorted her from the carriage.

“Oh?”

Lunaria was cradled like a child as she descended, her eyes widening. Her golden irises were brighter than polished gold, their shape reminiscent of a full moon.

“Stay in my arms until we reach the shop.”

“All right…”

Having given her heart to him, the simple act of being held in his arms made it easy to recall the feel of his body. She had seen it with her own eyes and traced its contours with her fingertips.

Lunaria slipped her arms around his neck and pressed closer. She could see his eyes narrow faintly in response.

Inwardly, she cried out what she dared not say aloud.

‘My mate.’

Among the beastkin, marriage held little significance. Instead, they recognized their mate as the one with whom they shared their bed. For wolf beastkin in particular, this bond was considered sacred.

A wolf beastkin would only ever have one mate in their lifetime.