I Raised the Beast Well

Translator/editor: ruby

She was still sometimes surprised by the amount of power contained in the tiny body. The warm sun laid gently onto Aymon’s fur as she looked down at him with an unfaltering smile.

As beautiful as the forest was, Aymon’s cuteness and prettiness made up for it.

When Belinda finally stopped trying to escape, he loosened his grip and sleepily rubbed his face. The soft fur touched the back of her foot.

That tickles….

Belinda giggled at the touch. It wasn’t just a ticklish feeling physically – her heart fluttered along with it.

After all his rolling around, Aymon started to slowly lick her ankle. He was careful not to hurt her with his fangs.

“Ack.”

Belinda flinched. Her heart was pounding so fast it could have jumped out of her chest. It was a very strange feeling.

Aymon opened his eyes at the sound.

The purple orbs shone innocently in the sunlight. He didn’t look like someone who had just woken up.

Belinda flushed but soon regained her composure.

“That tickles, Aymon.”

「I don’t feel it, though.」

Of course, you don’t. You’re the one licking.

Belinda looked at him incredulously. He kept smiling.

「Human flesh is so soft. I don’t think I’d need to bite hard at all for blood to seep out.」

Aymon nibbled on her ankle painlessly, slowly following its curve with his tongue.

Belinda flinched again.

「Leopards can easily bite through animal hide, even without getting hurt.」

He murmured with an unfamiliar warmth.

Aymon’s power overwhelmed her. She couldn’t control the strange sounds she made whenever she opened her mouth. It was too ticklish.

「Sometimes I want to sink my teeth into your skin. Just touching it makes them itch.」

“I’ll let you, just a little bit. I hope it won’t hurt, though.”

She just barely managed to keep her voice steady. She meant it, though – if he wanted it that much, she’d let him. If only it didn’t hurt.

「No. The sight of blood excites beasts too much.」

Aymon flatly refused in a self-pitying voice and sighed. Seeming to have made up his mind, he pulled away.

「Breedee, let’s go to your hometown. How about we leave today?」

Belinda recalled the village, looking at the tree outside the window.

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It was a beautiful place with blooming flowers and children swimming in the clear lake.

It was also the painful place where her mother died, spiraling her into that miserable life.

As if he could sense her hesitation, Aymon sat down next to her.

「It’s really nothing. You’ll realize it isn’t a big deal once you see it for yourself.」

“But…”

「And then I’ll be able to do what I want.」

“Huh? What’s stopping you from doing that now?”

Aymon was really the most unpredictable person in the world.

Just say what you want to say and do what you want to do. Without that burden on your mind, you should live a long time. Even for a Shinsu.

Instead of answering, he twisted around a strand of her hair.

「Let’s go. Hmm? Let’s do it, Breedee.」

He still had about three months until Halla and Shanti grew up, and the chief would have been appointed by then. Belinda had a good excuse to be away from the palace. It was the perfect opportunity.

Belinda soon nodded.

She had to face it one day. Although she ignored it, she couldn’t hang on to that broken shell of herself forever. It would have to be ripped off like a band-aid someday. That time was now.

And Aymon’s coming with me anyways…

There was nothing to be afraid of. She had the strongest beast in the world with her.

Okay, let’s go. Let’s go and get it over with.

Agreeing to go put her at ease.

「What should you pack? Clothes? We can buy some on the way. Don’t you need an escort?」

She couldn’t believe that Aymon, the Shinsu, wanted a human to protect her. It would be really funny if someone found out.

「Then all we have to do is leave.」

Belinda, whose thoughts had already trailed off, smiled as she recalled her memories with Aymon.

“You know what? I’m looking forward to this a little.”

「To what?」

“It’s my first time traveling with a friend.”

She hadn’t ever been out since coming to the palace, except for the occasional birthday party. It always felt like she was being trapped in a fancy storybook. Of course, it was a good life compared to rolling around in a back alley, but it was still a little frustrating.

“I want to try laying in bed with a friend and talking all night.”

「….Huh?」

“It was in a book I read. The heroine, Anne, was so excited for her first trip that she couldn’t sleep and talked to her friend all night. Can’t we do that too?”

「…..」

“And observe those constellations that you can only see right before sunrise!”

There were many things she wanted to do, but Aymon didn’t have any answers. He just blinked.

「I didn’t think of that.」

“Think of what?”

She asked, puzzled.

「Well… I mean… Sleeping together…」

Aymon muttered to himself. He slowly shook his head before finally looking at her.

「How about bringing Lucy too?」

“Lucy?”

What does Lucy have to do with this all of sudden?

Her excited mood died down. She felt like all her expectations had dried up and crumbled.

She liked Lucy. She was a precious friend that she wouldn’t give up for the world.

But when Aymon came into the picture, things changed a bit.

He was her own cute cat. They were both precious to her, but strangely, she felt possessive over Aymon.

I can’t stop myself from feeling like this. I’m sorry, Lucy.

She swept her guilty conscience aside and spoke.

“Aymon, do you really like her that much?”

He seemed to mull over the answer for a bit and nodded.

「Sure, what about it?」

“But… Lucy didn’t participate in the ceremony… She doesn’t even have an excuse to leave… She’d find it difficult to travel without an attendant…”

She was making it up. It was a lie. Why would a maid need a maid for herself?

Belinda wasn’t even sure why she was thinking of all this. She was acting like she was desperate to exclude Lucy. Aymon didn’t seem to notice that, though. He nodded.

“Why do you want her to come so badly?”

「I don’t think I can take it anymore.」

“What?”

「I’m a beast after all.」

“Huh? What?”

Aymon sighed deeply and scratched away at the rug. Belinda looked down at him nervously, not knowing how to interpret his cryptic answer.

After a while, he looked up as if he’d made a big decision.

「Okay! Just us two! I’ll hold it in! I’ll hold it in…」

His tone was almost solemn.

Belinda nodded happily.

“Good! I’m looking forward to it.”

At the words, Aymon crumpled and started murmuring to himself again.

「I’m worried I’ll go crazy…. I must be going crazy…」

***

Well, this is a bit embarrassing.

Belinda looked at the giant creature standing proudly in front of her. Shimmering white fur, strong legs, bulging muscles. The horse looked three times her size.

“You want me to get on this….?”

She asked, taking a step back. The horse turned around and stared at her.

Mazetto shouted from her left shoulder.

“Her name’s Daisy! She’s asking for yours!”

I think she’s angry. Her expression is really scary…

“Just Daisy! She doesn’t have a last name! ‘Cause, she’s a horse!”

She carefully stretched out a hand and stroked the animal, trying to build some intimacy. Her fur was stiff and rough to Belinda, who was familiar with Aymon’s softness.

“Hi, Daisy. You have a pretty name. I’m Belinda.”

Daisy glanced at her for a second before lowering her gaze back to the ground. As Belinda kept stroking her, Aymon tapped her on the shoulder.

「Stop. I’m the only male you can love.」

“What? Male?”

Daisy was… male?

Mazetto replied from the other shoulder.

“I’m a male too! The princess is touching me right now!”

He wasn’t sure if he meant to tease Aymon or boast.

The leopard growled and leaped into the air.

「Yes, you are. Do you want to die?」

“Ah! What did I do? You started it!”

Belinda shook her head at the sight of them. It’d been a long time since they routinely fought like this.

“Oh my God, you’re killing me!! The sparrow will die!”

Ignoring them, Belinda turned back to Daisy. Her whispers were met with a loud neigh.

Mazetto hid in Belinda’s hair and shouted again.

“I heard him! Aymon just called the horse Daisy!”

Belinda’s hair was, so to say, Mazetto’s unique sanctuary where he could escape Aymon’s claws and fangs. It allowed him to keep on chirping wildly.