Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 55

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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 55
“Young Master! Is the blue one better?”
“Young Master! No way! It’s the red one!”
The twins came charging forward with combat-like enthusiasm, both eager to speak. Their cute faces were filled with delight.
Ruga had rested due to his wounds, but started attending again two days ago.
‘I suppose I’ve grown fond of them after all.’
I looked at the ball being offered to me.
“…But the ones you’re showing me look exactly the same? What’s even the difference?”
“The color!”
“It’s different!!”
“Uh, but… it’s a ball, right?”
“It’s not just any ball!”
Lugaru began explaining how magnificent the colored paper ball they made during today’s lesson was.
I nodded along, dismissing over ninety percent of it.
“Sure, sure. It’s such a splendid colored paper ball that even the first Matriarch of orcas would leap from her grave. That’s enough, right?”
“Young Master! Look at this one too!”
“This one as well!”
“…Ugh.”
Hey, if you keep doing this…
“Ah, Young Master, Mina’s is here!”
“Yohan’s too! Mine as well!”
“No way! Mine’s more impressive!”
All the children came running over!
I frowned slightly as colored papers were thrust toward me from all directions.
Part of me wanted to tell them all to get lost.
‘No, I should be patient. They’re just children.’
Eventually, I sighed and began examining each one.
By the time the children withdrew with satisfied expressions, only the two Lugaru remained by my side.
“Young Master, Young Master.”
Ruga sat down right next to me, clinging close.
When our eyes met, he smiled prettily with a little laugh. Bellu were truly adorable creatures.
Besides, just as all young animals are beautiful, the same held true for beastkin.
‘That’s still there.’
I couldn’t take my eyes off the bandage still on one of Ruga’s cheeks.
“Young Master, Mother asked me to send you her regards.”
“And Father too.”
“Is that so?”
I was deliberately avoiding the adults of the Bellu family, so I brushed past it lightly.
“Mother also said she’d like to meet you soon.”
“I see.”
“The Protagonist will hand it over like this, they say.”
“Ugh.”
Dolphins—young and old alike—were perceptive and far too clever.
“Mother said it like this! Aya aya aya aya aya!”
“What’s wrong? Does your cheek hurt?”
“…If the Protagonist does it like this, Mother says you’ll come to our house and get better.”
“…A shallow trick.”
Damn, I nearly fell for it.
These mischievous and utterly adorable creatures.
I couldn’t hide my reluctant expression.
“Hehe, but we didn’t fool the Protagonist.”
“That’s right. No lies!”
“Yes, yes. Good ones.”
I stroked the twins’ heads with both hands while narrowing my eyes slightly. These kids were quite something.
They let slip their mother’s scheme without malice, handling it deftly.
A hand larger than mine grasped my hand carefully.
The hand was large, but the child was still a child.
“Protagonist.”
Eyes fearful of being rejected by me.
“I’m worried I might catch trauma.”
Looking at Ruga, I let out a soft laugh.
“It’s trauma, not trauni.”
“That’s right. That one!”
I didn’t dislike seeing children larger than me act cute and squirm about.
“The Protagonist is a good person, so you’ll stay here worrying about us.”
“I’m not a good person.”
If I were good, your clan wouldn’t have staked everything on me.
Why would I be deliberating how to pass this off to Agenor?
‘If I say I won’t be the successor and support Agenor instead, naturally my forces would support him too, wouldn’t they?’
While I was pondering and touching the children’s pristine fur, Ruga broke into a grin.
“Hehe.”
“Hehehehe!”
“Don’t you copy and laugh.”
“Why not!”
“You two, you’re being noisy. Go over there and fight.”
Then Ruga and Ruba actually moved and started fighting.
…It’s nice that they listen so well.
‘It’s oddly entertaining. That fight.’
In previous chapters, whenever I was bored, I’d pit my subordinates against each other.
Ah, of course, all my subordinates had consented to it.
Perhaps it was because of my nature as a leader, but those gathered under me were generally quite aggressive as well.
Well, except for Dolphin, who used to be a strategist.
“You barbarians, stop fighting for a moment!”
“Ah yes, yes. You book-loving Dolphin, go stand up on that desk over there. Hehehehe.”
I found myself missing it anew.
One of my subordinates who served alongside me said something like this.
She was a warrior who enjoyed watching fights just as much as I did.
“Matriarch! The best kind of fight to watch is when those twins brawl!”
Why did those words come to mind now as I watched those twins quarreling away?
Moreover, because I was watching, not only the whale children but also the orca branch members who usually stayed hidden in corners slowly crept over to observe.
The sight of them huddled together was quite amusing.
‘By the way, is Ruga even allowed to move around?’
After hearing from Illia that his injuries were more severe than I’d thought, I couldn’t help but worry.
‘At least he seems fine, which is a relief.’
In truth, what Ruga said was accurate.
“Young Master, don’t worry about me developing trauma.”
I’ve been concerned about him ever since he returned to his duties.
Probably, I will continue to look after those young ones.
‘This is why affection becomes such a nuisance.’
At least until I go to the Intermediate Institution.
No, wait.
‘Is it until I go to the Dragon’s Festival?’
I tried to think optimistically about it.
If I could just meet the Dragon Duke at the Dragon’s Festival this time and manage to stay with him.
‘Then I won’t be coming back here again. Shouldn’t I handle a few things now before I leave?’
When I started this cycle, I had only one thought—to meet the Dragon Duke and return home.
But there were a few matters that weighed on my mind.
I planned to settle those before going to see the Dragon Duke.
I won’t become a Matriarch, so I can’t change the future that will unfold.
Still, there are a few things that would feel unresolved if I didn’t handle them.
At least I cherished and cared for my subordinates from this third cycle and the weaker aquatic creatures.
‘First, I should ask Father. I think he said he’d tell me the departure date around today.’
It was on the way back after class that day.
Since the twins returned, I descended the stairs in my palanquin as before.
‘The problem is that things are piling up at home.’
Since the Family Meeting, my residence had been accumulating an enormous amount of gifts.
“Oh my, Noble Lady! Look at this—it’s silk! And such exquisite quality!”
“Let’s make a white dress for our Noble Lady! And a scarf too!”
“We could even make a cloak!”
“Now, everyone calm down. The Noble Lady looks bewildered.”
The Herring Maids were so delighted that their energy was positively terrifying.
‘If we leave things like this, how am I supposed to enter the house? It’s blocking the entire passage!’
I had already anticipated the scale of the impact.
Most of what was sent came from families who had tried to approach after the Family Meeting ended to pay their respects, but never managed to draw near.
Cowards and weaklings who couldn’t even withstand Father’s gaze and retreated in confusion.
‘I couldn’t care less.’
In any case, thanks to all these items that arrived for such reasons, I found myself living quite lavishly without intending to.
‘The food tastes even better now.’
What was slightly odd was that they sent gifts but never came in person.
Agenor provided the answer to that.
“What? That’s because where you live is near Teacher’s residence. Besides, now that everyone knows Teacher is protecting you, who would dare approach?”
“That’s true.”
Agenor’s words were correct.
So as always, on my way home, I encountered an uninvited guest.
“Calypso Aquasiadel.”
When I turned my head, I saw someone leaning against the wall.
I blinked in surprise.
It was Eldest Brother Bellus.
‘…What are you doing there?’
Hair that fell to the nape of the neck in a short cut, with distinctively silver strands mixed throughout the black—the characteristic coloring of a purebred orca.
And eyes that resembled mine but were a shade deeper blue.
My Eldest Brother, who was particularly beautiful and graceful in appearance, was indeed standing there.

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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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