He’s My Real Brother, Duke Chapter 161

This was not his usual laid-back demeanor. Slowed by a slight panic, I turned to him and asked cautiously.

 

“Is there something wrong?”

 

“Oh… it’s me. Ah, Ricardo is here.”

 

“Oh, my goodness!”

 

I blinked and peered at his back. Sure enough, there was Ricardo, walking like a gentleman in a gray tailcoat with a cool bowler hat.

 

“Grandpa!”

 

“Sweetheart!”

 

He walked over quickly, a big smile on his face, and shook my hand.

 

“Baby, what a young lady you have become!”

 

I shook his hand and cheerfully replied, “I used to be a little girl!”

 

He squeezed my hand tightly, and his words were a mixture of concern, worry, and curiosity.

 

“I thought you were dead, my dear, and then all of a sudden you come back to life again, what is this!”

 

Ricardo eagerly explained his feelings. I awkwardly scratched the back of my head and laughed, giggling. 

 

I felt like I hadn’t seen him in so long, and my eyes were red with delight.

 

And that’s how we chatted. As if to change the mood, a hand cautiously slipped between me and Ricardo. It belonged to the head of the Silver Fox family.

 

I accepted the envelope in his hand.

 

“This is a letter from the Maid Rudel.”

 

I clutched the envelope, which bore the sloth’s paw stamp, dearly. My nose wrinkled at the thought that the Head Maid hadn’t forgotten me yet.

 

“Also, Belle is here.”

 

“Oh, Belle, too?”

 

“Yes, in the shape of a baby fox. There he is.”

 

At that, I whirled around. I couldn’t believe I’d just walked through the garden gate, and a white fox was running through the grass, tail wagging.

 

Next to him, bouncing around excitedly, was Rune in a bow tie.

 

They looked like they were playing a game of tag. It made me smile, but then my gaze returned to Lord Citer.

 

“And.”

 

His eyes locked with mine, and his expression turned ashen, as if he’d seen something I couldn’t.

 

As I stared at Citer, unable to take my eyes off of him, I realized that I was looking at a giant clump of fur that was uncomfortably close to his side.

 

What was that?

 

When did this fur come here?

 

I wonder if he noticed my questioning gaze landing on the clump of fur. Lord Citer quietly opened his mouth to answer.

 

“…And, over here, there is Lord Wolf… himself. He has just arrived.”

 

At the word ‘wolf,’ I tilted my head and blinked.

 

And for a moment, I took a deep breath.

 

I was so startled. His glossy silver fur ruffled in the breeze, his sharp nose, his fierce eyes, his sharp, strong jawline.

 

With its head down, it looked like a mere bundle of shiny silvery fur…

 

It looked like a dog at times, but it was definitely a wolf.

 

A wolf, with a stunningly beautiful and noble new form.

 

“Is it really, really a wolf…?”

 

Its imposing body reminded me that wolves are top predators.

 

In all my years of living among the beastmen, I’d hardly ever seen a wolf…!

 

I knelt on one knee, wide-eyed, and made eye contact with the wolf.

 

Its blue eyes stared back at me.

 

“Wait, isn’t that wolf?”

 

I shook my head, still confused as to whether or not it was another wolf up close, but Ricardo, who was beside me, spoke up.

 

“Um… wolf-like, similar species. Sweetie.”

 

“Wow…”

 

After a brief moment of admiration, I nodded.

 

“But why is he the only one here in animal form?”

 

I wonder if he’s not capable of humanizing himself…

 

“…Oh, that’s. It’s…”

 

Ricardo stuttered. I shook my head, then opened my mouth again.

 

“Are you the head of a wolf family? I heard you rarely show your face…”

“Uh, well. That could be…”

 

For a moment, I was puzzled by the vague answer.

 

‘Maybe he’s not supposed to reveal his identity.’

 

I blinked, reaching out with the opposite hand of the one clutching the hem of my dress.

 

The wolf meekly brought its cheek close to my hand, rubbing against it in slow motion.

 

Feeling the warmth of its fur against my hand, I babbled curiously.

 

“How old is it? Is he a baby, or are we not supposed to mention it?”

 

Ricardo mumbled, his voice trembling slightly, “Uh, not a baby, no. He’s a little older, though…”

 

If it wasn’t a baby, was it about ten years old? It looked like an adult wolf, but it didn’t look like a wolf at all, so I was a little puzzled.

 

Still, it’s so cute and gentle. 

 

If it were humanized, it might be as small as me.

 

“Can I touch it a little more?”

 

“That… ah, maybe, if it’s you, sweetie.”

 

I held out a trembling hand to the wolf, unable to hide my excitement.

 

The wolf nuzzled its head into my hand, purring affectionately.

 

As if it had me as its master. I let out a little sigh of excitement and nuzzled the wolf’s muzzle.

 

“He’s so, so, so adorable…”

 

The wolf, which had been rubbing its face in my hand, suddenly looked up at me.

 

His deep, dark eyes, with their frosty glow, stared back at me.

 

I swallowed hard. It’s weird, though, because I’m supposed to be nervous…

 

“…”

 

Strangely, I wasn’t scared, even though the predator’s gaze was on me.

 

Somehow, it didn’t seem like this wolf could hurt me.

 

I stared at the wolf without even blinking.

 

That was the moment. The wolf’s tail rose, and its ears perked up as it saw me. I don’t know if it was a sign of submission or a simple reaction, but one thing was clear.

 

This wolf liked me a lot, even for a stranger!

 

“That’s…”

 

While I couldn’t take my eyes off the wolf, I heard a small exclamation from beside me. I lifted my gaze and looked over.

 

“Is that a wolf? That’s really cool, no, it’s not a wolf, it looks like a mix of something…”

 

My brother had come to my side and was admiring it.

 

The wolf wagged its tail meekly at him.

 

It didn’t look at him with the same affectionate gaze as it did at me, but it looked like a subordinate trying to impress his boss.

 

Perhaps I’m mistaken?

 

…I would think that the wolf beast would treat his boss like a brother he’s never met before.

 

But the more I looked, the stranger it was.

 

The first wolf to see him meekly put both paws down and bent over in a submissive posture.

 

He stared at it mesmerized and stammered, “Wow, that’s so cool. The wolf is the symbol of a real, great knight. Astel. I don’t know if you know this, but the first Emperor made the wolf the seal of his guard, and…”

 

I could see my brother’s rib cage swell roughly with excitement.

 

He blushed deeply, his cheeks flushed.

 

“Are you always this gentle? Wow… even the Imperial Knights don’t have wolves like this. Where did you come from, are you a beastmen?”

 

The question was asked lightly, but silence fell. I looked up at them with a questioning gaze.

 

“Ahem!”

 

Then Grandpa Ricardo coughed loudly, as if he’d overheard, and quickly averted his gaze.

 

Citer muttered in his place, dryly, “That… yes, a beast, that’s right. The gentle one, I mean…”

 

Despite their nervousness, my brother seemed amused. I, too, was pleased to see the familiarity of a wolf I had never met before.

 

So we laughed heartily together and rubbed the wolf’s forehead lightly.

 

The wolf’s tail was raised, and my brother couldn’t hide his fascination.

 

“I hope I get a chance to meet you in your human form next time you’re around.”

 

“Me too, I wonder!”

 

Brother clasped his hands together in front of him, looking delighted.

 

“What a wonderful wolf…”

 

It growled low, like a wolf howling. The constant wagging of its tail, with no fangs bared, seemed to indicate that it was happy.

 

I turned to my brother and shouted, “He must like you!” 

 

I smiled broadly and patted the wolf once more. Before I knew it, I had forgotten to greet the wolf and was just finishing up preparations for the party.

 

“So, what do you think we should do with him?”

 

Ricardo stammered, a rare stutter at my words.

 

“I… I mean, why don’t you put him next to you, sweetheart?”

 

The words made me worry. Was it okay to let a wolf I’d never met sit next to me?

 

“Yeah, sure!”

 

But strangely, my voice overrode all my thoughts and agreed.

 

It was a quick decision that surprised even myself.

 

But seeing the wolf’s ears perk up at my words was strangely gratifying.

 

Something…

 

I felt like I’d seen him before, maybe when I was in the North. I had a strange feeling that I was seeing things.

 

💫

 

A few hours later, the party guests arrived one after another.

 

My brother and I greeted the guests and dispersed to our respective tables.

 

He sat at the table for the male nobles with titles, and I sat at the table for the ladies and young ladies.

 

Taking my seat at the round table, I bowed lightly to my honored guests.

 

“I am Hazel Vietry of House Vietry.”

 

My simple greeting drew curious glances. But they couldn’t criticize me, because…

 

“You really do have close ties to the Duke…!”

 

They were too impressed to even greet me properly.

 

To them, the news that the Emperor and Empress would be participating in the hunting competition that would follow the tea party was no big deal.

 

Rather, they gazed in wonder at the silver fox and the jaguar cubs running through the grass with sparkling eyes.

 

Of course, it was the silvery wolf at my feet that caught their attention the most.

 

“Is that a wolf, a beastmen?”

 

“Would the head of a wolf family look like that?”

 

“To see so many rare beastmen!”

 

I smiled wryly as I watched the nobles eagerly gaping at the side.

 

Despite my premonition that everything was going to be fine, I felt strangely nervous.

 

Maybe it was the wolf, whose blue eyes scanned those who approached me.

 

‘Why do you look so familiar, I’ve never seen you before.’

 

As I, the host of the party, shook my head at the wolf that stood guard by my side, the gazes of the other nobles couldn’t help but fall upon it.

 

One of the young ladies let out a small sigh of delight and exclaimed.

 

“Wolf, your fur is so gorgeous!”

 

“It is, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes, I want to touch it!”

 

At those words, the brave little young lady sitting right next to me quickly brought her hand to the wolf’s ear and tried to touch it.

 

But just then, the wolf’s cold eyes, which had been so gentle the whole time, fixed on her.

 

Then it bared its sharp fangs!

 

It even growled as if to say that it would never allow itself to be touched.

 

While I panicked, she pulled back as if she was about to be bitten.