#36. Obvious Provocation

Since the power struggle in the imperial family was an internal fight among the lion beast-people, whether the missing prince was hiding in his mother—the Empress’s—hometown or not was of no concern to Hughgray.

However, it was a different matter that this hometown happened to be Bergen, and furthermore happened to be Clyne Liden’s hometown.

And even more so if this guy was still staying at Clyne’s house.

With no more patient to look after, why? Why is he still clinging to Clyne’s house?

It felt much more disgusting than he had imagined.

Even more so when that guy didn’t avoid his gaze but met it straight on. Enough to raise adrenaline levels one would only release when meeting a natural enemy.

“Your Grace, please come in.”

Clyne’s cheerful voice cut between Traskan and Hughgray, who were staring intently at each other. That voice instantly disrupted the air of tension and opposition flowing between the lion and wolf.

Right, he needed to go in first. Because he had to get that lion cub out of this house.

Just as Hughgray, having made this decision, took a step into the entrance, a hand suddenly rose above his head. It was that guy’s hand.

Hughgray glared at his raised hand and pulled his head back.

“What are you doing?”

“Please be careful. To avoid hitting your head on the wall above the entrance.”

What nonsense!

Hughgray quickly turned his head toward the top of the entrance.

“Ah…!”

Come to think of it, the entrance height was quite low. Low enough that Hughgray might have hit his head if he had entered without ducking.

“I have to duck my head every day too, so I warned you in advance. We can’t have our house guest getting hurt.”

Kalkus Traskan said with a gentle smile. As if he was actually concerned about Hughgray.

“Ah! Right! Your Grace almost hit your head. Kalkus has hit his head several times like an idiot. He’s not a child anymore.”

Clyne cheerfully added from the side as if it was something amusing.

“A child? What child is this tall? I’m planning to fix it soon to match my height anyway.”

As much as Clyne and Traskan’s smiles seemed joyful in their exchange, Hughgray’s displeasure was growing in real-time.

Every word Kalkus Traskan used was irritating.

Our house, guest.

So this bastard was saying that Clyne’s house was his house too, and Hughgray was their guest.

And what? Fixing the entrance height to match his height?

And beside him, Clyne, whether he knew or not what was going on, was chirping brightly using words like ‘idiot’ and ‘child’.

What idiot. If anyone’s an idiot, Clyne, it’s you. You’re the one who’s being fooled by that guy’s fake innocence and using words like ‘child’.

Even Clyne’s innocence was annoying.

However, barely suppressing his urge to ‘break the lion cub’s neck to match his height to the entrance’, he ducked his head and entered the house.

Because that would be something only beasts would do. He was a wolf beast-person, not just a wolf. But still… if he were to become a wolf… wouldn’t it be fine to break that bastard’s neck?

“Um, this is Kalkus who I mentioned before. You remember I told you he was living here to nurse my mother?”

Clyne introduced that guy to Hughgray, who was continuing his imagination of mauling the lion cub in wolf form.

Remember? Of course I do. Why else would I be doing something as ridiculous as accompanying my attending servant on his vacation?

However, Hughgray just looked down at Traskan without showing any reaction. It was proper etiquette everywhere for the subordinate to introduce themselves first.

Whether he was actually a prince or not, right now that Traskan was just Kalkus Tarkan, a friend of his attending servant, Clyne Liden.

“Pleased to meet you, Duke Wulfaz. I am Kalkus Tarkan.”

Kalkus Traskan, who had already been acting insufferably with nonsense about watching heads and ‘our house’, now greeted with a newly polite smile.

“Hughgray Wulfaz.”

Though Traskan probably didn’t want such treatment from Hughgray, judging by the atmosphere, it seemed he really wanted to remain ‘Tarkan’ to Clyne.

Not as a lion cub or prince, but as a kind and innocent young man from the neighborhood.

His obvious intentions made Hughgray want to expose him: ‘You’re not the country boy ‘Tarkan’, you’re Prince ‘Traskan’.’

However, considering the reason he was living under the name ‘Tarkan’ to survive, it was proper to pretend not to know his identity. He wasn’t so vile or childish as to play games with the life of an imperial family member in hiding after abandoning their status. At least not yet.

“Um, Your Grace. It seems my mother has really recovered. They say she’s been away from home for several days. Thank you so much. This is all thanks to Your Grace.”

Clyne, standing right next to Kalkus Traskan, formally expressed his gratitude to him.

Who asked for such empty courtesy?

“The patient is recovered enough to be away from home for days, yet I wonder why an outsider remains in the house claiming to nurse someone.”

“Pardon?”

Clyne’s eyes widened.

There shouldn’t have been anything wrong with what he said, so why such a surprised expression? Everything, down to the smallest detail, was irritating.

“So… are you going to keep me standing here?”

“Ah! No, of course not. How could we? Since you’ve come to our house, please at least have some tea before leaving. It might be inconvenient to return if it gets too dark, so just for a moment…”

Just have tea and then leave? Oh dear. That would be difficult.

And something really bothers me — when you say ‘our’ house, Clyne, surely you don’t mean you and that guy?

“Take your time preparing. I think I might stay a night at ‘your’ house. Since your mother isn’t here, there should be a bed free.”

That word ‘our’. Don’t like it. So all the more reason I can’t leave just ‘you two’ here.

There were three rooms visible at a glance. Which one would be Clyne’s room?

“No! How could we in this small house! No, no!”

Clyne urgently shouted in Hughgray’s ear, who was by now looking around the small house’s interior.

‘No’ three times.

‘Right, I don’t like it either.’

As you say, this house is far too small to leave you alone with that lion cub.

“Your Grace, this house would be very uncomfortable for you to sleep in. Though there are many wild beasts that appear at night in the mountains, don’t worry about returning as I can escort you to the village.”

Wild beasts appear but don’t worry because he’ll escort him? Is this guy in his right mind saying such things?

He must know that Hughgray Wulfaz is a wolf beast-person. Yet he says such things while clearly knowing that mountain paths pose no obstacle to a wolf beast-person.

Even though he had lived outside the imperial palace since childhood, as long as his mother still held her position as Empress, he couldn’t be ignorant of imperial affairs.

Though they might appear to have completely cut ties externally, there’s no way the mother-son relationship hadn’t continued in reality.

Moreover, if Traskan himself wasn’t a beast-person, that would be different. But no beast would dare attack apex predator beast-people, whether wolf or lion.

Yet daring to speak such words about ‘wild beasts’ and ‘don’t worry’ to him, it was clear provocation to the leader of the wolf beast-clan.

A laughable provocation flaunting the fact that he was a lion beast-person of the highest rank who held imperial status.

In reality, between the lion beast-clan and wolf beast-clan, the balance of power definitely tilted toward the lion beast-clan. As a result, the lion beast-clan had been able to become the imperial family ruling the empire since its early establishment.

But that was the result of war between clans.

In one-on-one fights between beast-people, individual ability takes precedence. How dare he provoke the Alpha leader of the wolf beast-clan.

Moreover, Hughgray was not only naturally strong as a wolf Alpha but also a Swordmaster as a human. Meaning, no one in this continent could defeat him, whether as a wolf or human.

Yet this lion cub, who was practically driven out of the imperial family and grew up without properly developing his strength, provoking him when he wouldn’t even be a match in any aspect…

Is that it after all?

His intentions hidden behind that soft appearance that had been grating on Hughgray’s nerves since he entered were crystal clear. And it twisted his gut that much more.

That guy… what, an idiot? A child? How ridiculous. That fool, Clyne, has been completely fooled by this fox-like lion cub’s act.

“Uncomfortable? I sleep well anywhere. You know my sleeping habits well. Right, Clyne?”

“Ahaha! Haha! But still…”

Clyne’s face reddened.

What ‘but still’?

Ignoring Chloe’s awkward attitude, Hughgray strode toward the sofa area with the table.

“Should I sit here?”

“Yes…”

Clyne said with a reluctant expression that didn’t even try to hide his unwillingness to answer. Hughgray was heading confidently toward the sofa when suddenly, with an ominous feeling, he turned his head.

“……!”

Sure enough.

Traskan was following Clyne to the kitchen to prepare tea. As if this house was his own, like a host serving a guest.

By now, veins were visibly bulging on Hughgray’s clenched fist.

“Kalkus, do you know where the flower petal tea is? Mom must have really recovered. The tea isn’t where we left it last time. She must have put it somewhere else?”

“You’re not great at organizing things. Mother can’t stand that kind of thing.”

“What about me! I’m fine enough.”

“Yeah right.”

Traskan laughed while casually ruffling Chloe’s hair. A grinding sound escaped between Hughgray’s lips, and finally, he abruptly stood up from his seat.