Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 150

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 150
Fifteen minutes earlier.
The Central Marketplace, the largest market in the City of Dragons, bustled with activity as always.
Midday was especially crowded.
It was the time when merchants who had arrived in the morning finished their displays and were showcasing their finest wares.
“Why are so many beasts roaming around these days?”
The one complaining was a merchant who had just arrived today.
“You don’t know? It’s been happening for the past few years. More and more carnivorous beastkin are gathering in this city.”
“Ugh, as an omnivore myself, it gives me the chills. Achoo!”
The merchant who sneezed was a Roe Deer Beastkin.
“Hey, didn’t I tell you not to sneeze at me? Don’t let it slip that you’re a roe deer!”
“What can I do? It’s our nature!”
The Roe Deer Beastkin grumbled while rubbing his arms nervously.
His body instinctively shrank back.
“There are so many predatory gazes watching me since I arrived here.”
“They probably don’t even realize they’re staring. Their eyes are just so… fierce, aren’t they?”
“Is this a city of beasts or the City of Dragons?”
Carnivorous beastkin didn’t actually eat herbivorous beastkin.
But they couldn’t help but instinctively fear their predators.
Moreover, carnivores were generally brutal and enjoyed fighting, and they rarely hid such nature.
“Why are they gathering here anyway? Someone like me who comes occasionally should at least understand.”
The Gazelle Merchant’s conversation partner was a beastkin who had lived in this City of Dragons for three generations. He was also his trading partner.
“You know the Dragon Duke has been in poor health for several years now, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Since his condition is serious, the Imperial Palace has been sending guards frequently out of concern. Quite strange, isn’t it?”
Why would a dragon need guards, no matter how ill?
Even as an ordinary citizen, it was incomprehensible what was happening in this city. It felt unsettling.
“Fights have increased so much within the city. That’s why the security forces are struggling.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because you know carnivorous beastkin are nobles, right? All the ones who fought are nobles, so….”
Because of this, all the herbivores and omnivores living in the City of Dragons couldn’t breathe freely.
“Rumors that the Dragon’s Bride has arrived will spread widely, so even more people will flock here.”
“More beasts gathering… ugh, how dreadful.”
During festivals and special events, the City of Dragons would temporarily hire knights from carnivore families as mercenaries for security.
In fact, some families of lower ranks had made this their business.
In any case, the prospect of even more gathering while beasts were already converging sent shivers down their spines.
“I hope the Dragon Duke recovers soon. If he were in good health, no one would dare move.”
“Indeed.”
The two beastkin conversing were elderly, and they had even seen the previous Dragon Duke long ago.
Everyone knew, believed in, respected, and trusted the Dragon Duke’s strength.
Sometimes I missed those days.
“…Sigh, I suppose it can’t be helped that the young Dragon Duke is still recovering. It would be nice if someone could come out and ease this tense atmosphere… Going to the marketplace has become frightening.”
The merchant chattering with the Gazelle Merchant was a Raccoon Beastkin.
“This place is complete chaos right now. You hear someone picking a fight every minute.”
As if to prove his words, one corner of the marketplace suddenly erupted into commotion.
“You bastard, were you eyeing me?”
“No, no! I wasn’t!”
Crash, bang, bang. At the sound of something falling, the Raccoon Beastkin shook his head.
“Oh dear. Is that the Sparrow’s stall again?”
“Tsk, poor thing.”
Fights were far too common, and harassment disguised as brawls had become even more frequent.
As an Ox Beastkin who had joined them complained about choking on grass, grumbling along with the others.
Someone appeared in the marketplace plaza.
The plaza where the marketplace stood was circular in shape, with a massive statue standing in the center.
However, the area around the statue was quite deserted.
This was because the marketplace had formed away from the statue.
Yet the structure was such that all who passed through the marketplace and the merchants could see toward the statue.
Therefore, no one could miss the figure walking steadily toward the statue.
Especially not when the person walking was so strikingly handsome that eyes would widen even from a considerable distance.
“My goodness, how can a human look like that?”
“A predator, a predator.”
The more beautiful, the more predatory. The stronger the Beastkin, the more beauty they retained.
“Tsk. Which noble house is this young master from?”
“But… have there ever been Beastkin that looked like that? This is my first time seeing one….”
The Ox Beastkin stopped mid-chew of his thistle.
“Wait, hold on. I… know a Beastkin that looks like that… Could it be an Orca?”
Though land animal Beastkin mocked and looked down upon aquatic animal Beastkin without exception.
There were exceptions.
Among them, the Orcas, who could be called the strongest.
“…What? Why is an Orca here?”
“Ah, I heard the Dragon’s Bride this time comes from the City of Waters….”
“She was an Orca?!”
As the merchants whispered among themselves, all eyes converged further.
The man who had arrived at the empty plaza slowly surveyed his surroundings.
“Listen well, all of you.”
He spoke without any particular emotion, yet strangely, his words struck directly into their ears.
Few in this place realized that this was the ability of the ‘power of water,’ their unique strength.
Save for a handful of predators.
The man loosely shook his head back and forth.
Then he lifted his leg.
CRASH!
In that instant, a deafening roar shook the very earth, and cracks spider-webbed across the ground.
The beastkin struggled to maintain their balance on the trembling earth, some screaming, others collapsing entirely.
“What—what is this?!”
Pierre, the man who had remained unmoved, observed the fissure he had created before drawing his sword with his other hand.
The blade spun through the air before embedding itself firmly into the ground.
Not quite as devastating as when he had struck with his foot.
“My name is Pierre Aquasiadel. I am the supreme commander overseeing this Dragon’s Bride procession.”
His voice, cold and cutting as steel, fell upon the assembled crowd like a verdict.
“I hereby declare my challenge.”
Pierre’s gaze swept across the silent gathering.
“My daughter has been selected as the Dragon’s Bride this time. And I find this dragon whelp utterly displeasing.”
Everyone held their breath at the shockingly disrespectful epithet.
A dragon? What did he just call—?
How dare he speak of our Dragon Duke in such a manner—?!
Yet the overwhelming power radiating through the plaza and the inexplicable pressure it exerted left everyone frozen in place.
“Dragon who would take my daughter, you must prove yourself stronger than I.”
His voice was laced with barely contained rage, though none present seemed to recognize it.
“Come forth and face me.”
Insane—the current Dragon Duke was still just a child.
What was this orca thinking, challenging such a young Duke?!
“It won’t take more than an hour for word of this to spread.”
Just as the beastkin were regaining their senses, Pierre’s next words erupted across the plaza.
“If the dragon won’t come, then any of his followers will do.”
It was a provocation.
“All you do is whimper and bully those weaker than yourselves, you pathetic creatures.”
His frigid voice carried a note of contempt.
“Yes, you reek of cowardice. I’ll gladly face even your land-dwelling proxies in your stead.”
Words no beast of prey, no apex predator of the land, could ignore.
His arrogant tone was tinged with boredom itself.
“Come at me.”
* * *
“Ah, excellent, truly excellent. I should have been the one to do that.”
I applauded silently while keeping my eyes fixed on the center of the plaza, unable to look away.
I even added a soft murmur under my breath.
Ah, I’m so disappointed I couldn’t do that myself!
I’m certain I would have done it brilliantly!
‘Why must I be the bride!’
Of course, this had been something I requested from my father, something I could not do myself.
As I watched intently, I felt a piercing gaze from beside me.
It was Levai, who had been buying medicinal herbs beside me.
What is he doing? Why isn’t he buying the herbs already?
‘I should seize this moment of attention and purchase as much variety as possible.’
The merchant conveniently excused himself to fetch more from inside. I frowned as if I’d been waiting for this.
“You shouldn’t be looking at me right now, should you? Aren’t you working?”
As I clicked my tongue, Levai furrowed his brow in disbelief and asked.
“Calypso, is that… your script?”
“Yeah, so?”
I nodded.
“Isn’t it brilliant?”
Levai’s face twisted. For a moment, it seemed to overlap with his expression from the previous cycle.
That was the face he made when he used to nitpick.
“What is it? If you have something to say, say it. Don’t make that ridiculous face.”
“W-well… May I speak honestly?”
“Yeah. Go ahead.”
“Your lines are truly… terrible. Completely.”
Why is he picking a fight? I stopped looking at Father and raised my eyebrow slightly.
“Provocation works better the more childish it is, you know?”
I bristled. I’d spent all last night carefully crafting this script.
But Levai didn’t drop his disapproving expression.
“It lacks sophistication.”
“If I speak too cleverly, those stupid land beasts won’t understand it, will they?”
“What does it matter? Once they’re nobles, they’ll have advisors around them smart enough to interpret it.”
“Then the provocation loses its effect.”
At my calm response, Levai faltered.
“Don’t you understand? That role is meant to provoke maximum anger and public outrage.”
“…It may be excessive.”
I smiled wickedly.
“The more excessive, the better.”

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