Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 142

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 142
Though I suppose blood runs true no matter what.
‘Not a single one of my three older brothers was actually raised by Father.’
Seeing how alike they all were, it was rather remarkable.
If Pierre plants the seed, Pierre’s offspring grows—so to speak.
Suddenly, it struck me as absurd.
‘Wait, then where did Mother’s genes go?’
I found myself thinking of Father and my three older brothers, each bearing the sharp, angular features characteristic of orcas, before my gaze drifted to my own reflection.
Perhaps Mother had been rather round-faced for an orca? Maybe I resembled her after all.
‘When I return, I should properly investigate which house Mother came from.’
Having reached this point in my thoughts, I lifted my head.
As I mentioned before, I know little of romantic love between the sexes.
The betrothals and political marriages I’d experienced remained nothing but horrific memories.
I’d been betrothed twice among them, but that black panther bastard who was my intended…
I didn’t even want to think about it.
“Father, that’s not what I was asking about.”
I was surprised that Father seemed more unbothered than I’d expected.
Had I been overthinking this?
“Of course I know she was an orca-type beastkin. I was just curious what kind of person she was, that’s all.”
To be precise, I was curious whether Father knew if Mother was still alive, just as Bellus had suggested.
“…She’s a dead person.”
Father’s following words carried such a heavy tone that I couldn’t even reproach him for his poor social skills.
Rather than Father genuinely not knowing the answer,
‘This is Father’s way of signaling he doesn’t want to talk about it.’
I started to say more but stopped with a grunt.
‘I’ll bring this up again once we return.’
If I pressed further, even if the journey continued pleasantly, it seemed like this path would grow as dark and murky as the sea.
Besides, if Father sank into despair, Whale might become frightened.
“Well, never mind then. I was just curious, that’s all.”
I shrugged. Father’s expression shifted subtly for a moment.
“…I see. At least this much is certain.”
“What is?”
Father rested his chin on his hand while crossing his legs, regarding me intently.
“By cherishing you as my daughter, I’ve come to think of her differently as well.”
Her.
The word felt strangely ticklish to hear.
“…How have you come to think of her?”
“Who knows.”
I scratched my cheek as I watched Father, who said nothing more.
Well, there would be another opportunity eventually.
I was about to drop the subject cleanly when Father suddenly posed a question.
“Will you marry?”
“Huh? Out of nowhere?”
Why was he asking me this so abruptly?
I blinked in bewilderment.
“Well, that is….”
As I tried to formulate a response, I felt an intensely piercing gaze from my temples.
When I turned my head to the left, there was Ekion.
…Weren’t you dozing off just a moment ago?
And it wasn’t just from the left.
Sensing a gaze from the right, I turned to find Whale there as well, of all people.
Why have your eyes suddenly grown so bright?
The current occupants of the carriage were Father, Ekion, and myself—the same arrangement as our last journey.
One person had been swapped in to replace Bellus.
That would be Whale, who was now staring at me so intently.
For a moment, I forgot the question and simply thought.
‘He requested to go with us directly, didn’t he?’
From what I heard, Whale himself felt that Father’s diagnosis was somehow far too different from ordinary cases, and he wanted to stay close by for a while.
I was somewhat surprised when I heard it through Levai.
‘Wanting to stay close to Father…. This is the first time I’ve seen someone like that.’
So both Levai, who needed to examine the materials, and Whale ended up traveling with us.
I assigned Atlant to escort Levai, and currently Levai and Atlant were riding in a separate carriage.
Seeing Whale made me momentarily distracted, but in any case, returning to the question at hand.
‘The way these two are looking at me—is this what it feels like to hear the Teacher’s first love story?’
I tilted my head and spoke lightly.
“I’m not going to marry.”
At that, the expressions of all three people present became peculiar.
Each one was different.
“Why won’t you?”
“I’m not entirely sure, but marriage clouds one’s objectives. I have my family, and that’s enough for me.”
“….”
“And I especially despise political marriages.”
After saying this, I realized my mistake, but Father’s expression remained unfazed.
“It’s rather amusing how oblivious you can be at times.”
“I’ve rarely heard anyone call me oblivious before.”
“Don’t concern yourself. It’s a matter of minor details.”
Minor details? Now I’m even more curious.
“Why, does someone want to marry me or something?”
“If they did, would you be willing?”
“No.”
The answer came to me without a second thought, and I let out a playful laugh.
“No. Maybe if he were the most handsome man in the world, I’d consider it.”
I’m not sure why marriage suddenly came up, but it was certainly a topic that would arise if one aimed to become Matriarch.
The Matriarch typically chose a mate out of necessity.
Just as a female orca in nature selects a male to bear strong offspring, she chose based on the desire to give birth to powerful children.
Having been born from such a selection and carrying unhappy memories, wasn’t it natural that I didn’t want to live the same way?
With my words, the carriage fell into silence.
I too became lost in thought, gazing at the passing scenery.
Another luxurious carriage passed alongside ours.
It was the carriage Levai rode in.
The carriage that Atlant was also riding in.
Moreover, there were other companions in that carriage.
It was a beastkin with ‘detection ability’ that Illia had recommended.
‘Thanks to Illia appropriately finding and sending a beastkin with detection ability at the right departure time, it will be of great help.’
Illia was far more capable than she had claimed.
‘She worked hard for five years, and it was no exaggeration.’
When she reported to me, she had already drawn in quite a considerable force.
Moreover, because my actions were distinctive, it was easy to gain the support of ordinary beastkin.
My approval rating was high.
‘As I expected.’
Lirivel was smoothly consuming all of Baian’s supporters, and her own approval rating was rising sharply.
Because of this, Sorte, the son of my Second Uncle, was struggling.
Meanwhile, Bellus, who had been considered a strong candidate alongside Baian and Sorte, was falling day by day due to his eccentric behavior of going to a training ground.
His support was also shifting toward my side.
‘He’s not someone who couldn’t have thought this far—was it intentional?’
My thoughts continued endlessly.
“Calypso.”
When I turned my gaze, Ekion had an unusually serious expression.
As if he had made some life-defining decision.
“What’s wrong, Ekion? Are you hurt somewhere?”
Ekion shook his head vigorously.
“Well, you see…”
Just as he was about to say something quietly, the carriage screeched to a halt.
There was no one in this carriage who would stumble and fall from the sudden stop.
Well, except for Ekion and Whale, that is.
I quickly embraced both children. Of course, they were quite large compared to my body, but I held them firmly without issue.
“What’s happening?”
The first thing that came to mind was one possibility.
‘An ambush?!’
Surely they wouldn’t foolishly attempt an attack on this journey as well?
That’s no different from pushing my subordinates off a cliff, which you should already know from our previous journey, right?
“I understand.”
Father left immediately.
When he didn’t return for a while, I couldn’t help but stand up.
“Both of you stay here quietly. The carriage is protected by the power of water.”
Father would be maintaining that protection.
I hurried outside, leaving the two boys behind.
I first saw the knights gathered and murmuring in front of the carriage, and then Father standing at the very front.
Moreover, Levai and Atlant were also standing there, having apparently descended from another carriage.
‘What’s going on?’
They all wore puzzled expressions. I rushed over.
“Hey, what’s happening?”
“Oh, you’re here?”
Second Brother looked at me with a furrowed brow and nodded his head. It would be faster to see for myself rather than explain.
Just then, the knight who had been with Father turned around. The coachman beside the knight was earnestly explaining something.
“No, you see. Really, sir…. It was just lying in the middle of the road?”
Something was lying on the ground where people were talking.
A sack of grain, perhaps?
The bulging shape looked just like a person covered with a blanket.
As I approached, thinking it couldn’t be anything but a sack, someone moved before me.
One knight furrowed his brow and lifted it up.
“So the question is, why is a person collapsed here? And a child at that.”
A child?
I stepped closer.
Father already seemed to know I was coming, his expression calm.
Soon after, one of the knights lifted the cloth that had been covering the person.
Everyone was startled. At the same time, some let out gasps.
“…What kind of animal is this?”
“I have no idea. Never seen it before.”
In fact, most aquatic beastkin spend their entire lives without leaving their own lands.
Regarding terrestrial beastkin, they tend to know only ferocious beasts or very famous animals like rabbits.
So when suddenly encountering a terrestrial beastkin like this, there’s no choice but to be bewildered.
As everyone murmured, I stepped closer and the knights quickly made way.
And seeing the revealed face, my eyes widened.
I heard someone beside me clapping as if they understood.
Could it be three years old already?
It was truly a tiny child.
The head was covered in soft brown fur, with pale yellow stripes standing out above it.
Animal-shaped ears that ordinary beastkin didn’t have for some reason.
A fluffy, puffy tail attached to the rear…!
“Ah, I know! This pattern! I recognize it. Stripes mean tiger, right?”
She’s spouting nonsense like a tiger herself.
No. Absolutely not!

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————