Young Master, Please Put Some Pants On! - Chapter 99

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 99

A few hours later. Kermanomon, who had returned from the training ground and was preparing to go out, received shocking news like a bolt from the blue.

“…Don’t act like you know me in front of other people? What do you mean by that?”

“I don’t mean to pretend we don’t know each other at all, but for the time being… let’s refrain from conversations or anything like that. You’re being too obvious, Grand Duke.”

“Me? Well, it seems like you’re the one who’s too conscious of me.”

Mellis recalled what had happened at the training ground earlier. While Garulus was learning swordsmanship from Noel, Kermanomon had stuck close to her side the entire time, never leaving. Moreover, unlike his usual observation of Garulus, he had stared at her intently with strangely excited eyes.

He even followed her around like a puppy wherever she went, drawing the attention of people around them. Remembering the knights who had tilted their heads while looking at her made her face feel hot again.

“This is like some secret romance. At this rate, everyone will find out we’re dating!”

“…”

Despite her scolding, the corners of Kermanomon’s mouth twitched slightly.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Just. Hearing those words from your mouth makes it feel real that we’re actually lovers.”

“…Well, of course.”

“But I still can’t believe it. I was so anxious that you might wake up and suddenly change your mind, saying let’s pretend nothing happened. I couldn’t sleep a wink even after returning to my room.”

“What’s that supposed to mean.”

Feeling embarrassed, Mellis pouted and averted her gaze. However, the truth was that she felt just as bewildered by all of this. Even the strange dream she had in the morning was proof of that. Thanks to it, she had spent a long time wondering if what happened at dawn was actually a dream until she met Kermanomon.

Kermanomon, having finished preparing to go out, stood in front of the mirror one last time to adjust his clothes.

“So don’t say hurtful things like not acknowledging me in front of other people. I’m already restraining myself so much.”

“This is you restraining yourself? What exactly are you restraining?”

What did he mean by that when he had been following her around all day like a puppy? Mellis, who had been looking at him absentmindedly, noticed that his gaze reflected in the mirror was directed toward her lips and blushed furiously.

“Grand Duke!”

“I didn’t say anything, did I? You’re the one being lewd.”

“…”

“But I understand what you mean. I’ll be even more careful in front of other people.”

However, contrary to his words, Kermanomon reflected in the mirror looked genuinely dejected by her request, as if he was truly hurt.

Of course, Mellis wasn’t comfortable with this situation either. There was no way she would want to pretend not to know her newly-made lover. But since this was a place with many watching eyes and fast-spreading rumors, she just wanted to be more careful.

Moreover, wasn’t she just a mere servant of the Ducal Residence? This situation couldn’t possibly look good to other people who had been serving the Ducal House for a long time. Mellis, who had been pondering with a rather serious expression, soon clenched both fists as if she had made some kind of decision.

“I probably won’t be back until tomorrow evening, so even if you miss me…”

It was the moment when Kermanomon, who had been fiddling with his cufflinks one last time, was about to turn around. Mellis quickly stood on her tiptoes and briefly kissed him near his jawline.

Mellis, who had gently come back down, leaned her forehead against his chest as if embarrassed by the situation and murmured.

“…When we’re alone together, I like it too.”

Kermanomon’s face went blank at her sudden kiss. Carefully caressing his jawline with one hand, he spoke in a low voice.

“…Ah.”

“Yes?”

“…I think I’ll have to cancel my afternoon schedule.”

Panicked by his confident tone, Mellis hurriedly escaped from his embrace.

“You have an important appointment with the Marquis tomorrow!”

“What does that matter? Something more important has come up right now.”

“Stop joking around and hurry back.”

Kermanomon, who had been pondering something for a moment, smiled subtly as if he had found a clever solution.

“Then want to come with me?”

“What? Is that a place I’m allowed to go?”

“It’s just an ordinary luncheon. It’s a dining gathering that pure-blood beastmen hold once a year.”

“…That doesn’t sound ordinary at all.”

A pure-blood beastmen gathering meant a place where formidable individuals at the pinnacle of power among the Empire’s nobles would assemble.

Just imagining what kind of conversations they would have already made her feel queasy. No matter how she thought about it, it seemed far from ordinary, so she shook her head, but Kermanomon persuaded her.

“You don’t have to attend the actual dining. However, it’s a schedule that involves staying overnight. If you accompany me, we can spend the remaining time together. There won’t be anyone to worry about watching us there.”

“That’s true…”

“Besides, the Marquis Territory is famous for having many sights to see within the Empire. You could say it’s perfect for you, who likes exploring new places.”

Noticing that she was being swayed, Kermanomon grasped both her hands tightly and whispered in a gentle voice.

“Let’s go together, hmm?”

In the end, Mellis was defeated once again by his beauty that helplessly made her crumble. Anyway, Garulus was on vacation, and today’s work was almost finished, so taking a day off wouldn’t be a big problem.

“…Alright.”

And so the two’s secret outing began.

* * *

Marquis Verotize put more effort than ever into the luncheon being held at his manor.

This dinner gathering, called ‘Aizena’, was a traditional event that had been passed down for hundreds of years. Only thirty people would attend today’s dinner. Of course, compared to hundreds of years ago, the number of attendees had significantly decreased, but still, many of the Empire’s major and minor affairs were decided here at Aizena.

“Duke, it’s good to see you.”

Marquis Verotize positioned himself in front of the banquet hall early to personally greet each visiting guest. From Duke Dajes Willik, an authority of the Imperial Faction, to Audrin Eldward, the Aizen Magic Tower Master, and even Duke Severus. Seeing the Empire’s influential figures filling the seats one by one brought a naturally pleased smile to his face.

When the enormous table was filled and the dinner began, someone opened their mouth with a voice full of regret.

“Haha, well now. Only thirty people at this precious Aizena. It seems the number of attendees decreases each year, which is simply regrettable.”

“Exactly. Young beastmen should be taking over these positions, but they all just view such gatherings as stuffy, so what can we do.”

“That’s exactly what I mean!”

A majority of the attendees burst into hearty laughter as if agreeing with those words. Indeed, the age demographic of the dinner was quite high. Of course, it was partly because most existing pure-blood beastmen were elderly individuals close to hundreds of years old, but it was also because the younger generation didn’t attend.

“Still, we can only be grateful that someone like the Tower Master, representing the new generation, continues to work to maintain the pure-blood lineage.”

“Work? I’m just doing what’s natural.”

Audrin Eldward, a pure-blood owl, smiled good-naturedly. Indeed, Audrin Eldward was particularly young among the guests invited to Aizena.

“As you all know, I’m the last bloodline of House Eldward. In an era where the number of pure-bloods is decreasing, the responsibility of being part of the last generation weighs heavily on me.”

Having all ancestors consist of only one bloodline wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Beastmen were composed of very many species, and as time passed, various species mixed, making the matter of tracing bloodlines meaningless.

Among the commoner class who married for love, finding pure-bloods was nearly impossible, and since the probability of pregnancy between the same species was relatively low, many nobles gradually began giving up bloodlines and taking spouses from other species to continue their family lines.

From about 500 years ago, when pure-blood individuals were decreasing, they even went so far as to force marriages between relatives, but even then, maintaining the lineage was inevitably difficult.

This was also why individuals like Audrin Eldward and Kermanomon von Severus were called the last pure-blood generation.

“Our situation is one thing, but I’m actually more worried about the fact that Her Majesty the Empress still has no news of pregnancy even after more than ten years.”

When someone spoke in a heavy voice, a solemn atmosphere settled over the banquet hall.

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