A Wolf’s Apology and a Hidden Kindness

Tegen asked back with a dumbfounded face.
I’m sure I had the same expression.

“I believe I acted childishly. As the chief of the Black Manes, I apologize on their behalf. Forgive me.”

Like the Fox Tribe once did, Radugan had tucked his tail, flattened his ears, and even retracted his claws.
A complete surrender.
It meant he had no intention of fighting.

“If you wish, I will pay for my sins.”

“Hmph, I already made you pay plenty. Looks like your underlings were too embarrassed to tell you they got beaten up by me.”

Although Tegen seemed to be grumbling, he reluctantly accepted the handshake, seemingly softened by the sincere apology that even set aside pride.

“……”

“……”

Then, they simultaneously glanced at me.

I, who had been turning my head back and forth between the two, quickly gave them a thumbs-up.

As I beamed and gave them a double thumbs-up to show how great this was, Tegen grinned like a praised retriever, while Radugan just stared at me silently.

“Valtael.”

Ever since that day, Radugan came to see me every day and gave me something.

He would watch me immediately unwrap the gift, and after I thanked him, he would give me one last look before leaving.
He never said much else.

At first, Tegen watched him with fiery eyes, suspecting foul play, but after confirming that he only delivered the gift and left immediately, he let it be.

When the sun hung on the second peak of the rocky mountain that seemed to grip the skies of Bahalgras, Radugan would arrive.
Once I realized he always came at the same time, I started going down to wait for him in advance.

It was partly to save the Suras the trouble of coming to announce his arrival, since they would anyway if I didn’t go.
I also hoped that if I befriended Radugan, his subordinates, the ‘Black Manes,’ might lower their guard around me, which in turn might lessen their hostility towards Karvan for taking me as his mate, and ultimately help improve relations.

“Shinbi-nim! Is this enough?”

“Yes. It should be done after two more temperings. I’ll leave the decorations to Akal, who has a good eye.”

“Oh my, you’re too kind… Just leave it to me!”

I paused my armor crafting and went down to find a large figure sitting in the empty banquet hall.

At a glance, he looked less like a wolf and more like a black bear.
Tegen was about the same size, but unlike his obviously kind impression, Radugan looked dangerous to anyone.
Was it because of the red scar near his eye?

“You came in person again today.”

“…Are you saying it’s a bother that an underling keeps visiting you?”

His tone was thorny as ever, but having learned Radugan’s language over the past few days, I just smiled sweetly.
He only talks like that; he’s actually feeling insecure.

“Are you telling me to stop coming?”

“Of course not. It’s just that you could have the Suras deliver it, but you always come yourself, so I feel a bit awkward.”

Wow! Are these grapes? They’re huge!
As I marveled at the gift he brought, the outside became noisy.

“Oh? Who do we have here, the Valtael!”

The scouting Suras, who were entering boisterously, saw me and their eyes widened as they bowed their heads.
I had become friendly with them after making and gifting them small artifacts.

“Are you going on patrol with all this snow? Isn’t it cold?”

“Aigoo, not at all, thanks to the wondrous holy artifact our Valtael bestowed upon us the other day!”

“My body was so warm, it was actually hot!”

“But what brings you to a place like this all alone… Oh.”

They approached with bright smiles, but upon seeing Radugan standing in front of me, their brows furrowed, and they backed away.
Their faces looked as if they had seen something they shouldn’t have.

They bowed and retreated, telling us to continue our conversation, but they didn’t leave, watching us from a distance with uneasy expressions.

“The Valtael is so kind-hearted.”

“To think she’d even care for a lowlife like him.”

“That ungrateful, lowly bastard…. If she knew what kind of man he is, she would never do that. Tsk tsk.”

I could hear all their whispering, but Radugan just sat there without any particular expression, as if he was used to it.
I hadn’t noticed before, but looking closely, he was being ostracized just as much as I once was.

‘If I had gone through that kind of torture, I would have become twisted too.’
But to his clan members, who couldn’t fully comprehend what he had endured, he just looked like a wolf full of anger.
It was the same for me at first.

“Hey, Radugan? How about we move to another spot?”

“…It’s fine. I’ll get lost. I can take a hint.”

Feeling sorry for him, I opened my mouth to suggest we talk where there were fewer eyes, but he spat out the words as if chewing them and shot up from his seat.

“Right. You’re right. How could a lowly man like me be worthy of being near the noble Valtael? A humble gift like this wouldn’t even catch your eye.”

“What are you talking about! There’s no such thing as a humble gift!”

Startled by his voice, which was clearly upset, I quickly grabbed his coattails.

“……”

He froze like a stone statue on his way to the door.

‘Wow, his clothes are incredibly soft. Does he wear a nice fur coat because he’s a clan chief?’
I found myself unconsciously admiring it, stroking the black fur in my hand, before his flustered expression made me realize my mistake.

“…Ack! Ah, I’m sorry!”

What I had touched wasn’t a fur coat or a decorative pelt, but his tail.
Startled, I let go of the fluffy tail and stepped back with both hands up.

“B-But it’s true! How could I not wait for you when you bring such wonderful gifts?”

“……”

“You even have the sense to add a pink flower every time!”

I pulled out a single pink tulip from the basket and took an exaggerated sniff, hmmm, feeling his intent gaze on me.

“A-Anyway, I mean I like it when you come, Radugan!”

‘To be precise, it’s more that I’m curious about the things he brings rather than Radugan himself. It feels like waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve.’

“…Shinbi.”

As I babbled on, feeling guilty under his strange and complex gaze, he suddenly spoke.

“Y-Yes?”

We had exchanged names a long time ago, but I stared at him, bewildered, as he had never called me by my name before.
Radugan pulled a rolled-up scroll from within his clothes.

An orange fur decoration was attached to the end of the scroll, which was backed with a slippery, silk-like cloth.
The white tip of the lavishly fluffed fur looked strangely familiar.

“What is this?”

“A few days ago, my underlings went hunting and met a fox-kin. The fellow asked them to deliver this to ‘Shinbi’-nim.”

…Ah?
I quickly took it and carefully untied the delicately fastened string.

Inside the long scroll, neat handwriting filled the page.

Karvan appeared as dusk fell, and as always, he looked for me as soon as he returned.
Like a dead device connecting to its charger, he pulled me into his arms and greedily drank in my scent.

“What did you do today?”

“You already received a report. From Tegen.”

“I want to hear it from your lips.”

I grumbled while trying to push away the man who was currently preoccupied with rubbing his lips on the nape of my neck.
He asks but doesn’t even listen properly.

The bathtub was large enough for four or five adults, yet he always insisted on having me sit on his lap.

‘My body and mind are so uncomfortable because of ‘that thing’ which is always hard under my butt.’
It was clearly a protest against my infrequent permission for us to sleep together.

“Do you think my body is made of slime?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Why do you keep groping me?”

He raised an eyebrow as if asking what I meant, yet his hands, which were kneading my body, didn’t stop.
Not only was he hugging my waist and gently scratching at my concave nipple as if excavating it, but he was also flicking his fingers across it as if playing a guitar.

“Ngh, go away!”

Unable to bear it any longer, I pushed the man away and pressed my back against the opposite side of the tub.
Water sloshed over the brim of the precariously full tub.

“Is it really something to run from in such disgust?”

“I was about to be worn out!”

When I snapped at him, I could see the corner of his lips curl up through the thick steam.
Lately, Karvan had been grinning more often whenever he saw me, for whatever reason he was in such a good mood.

Of course, I never felt good when that happened.
Nine times out of ten, it meant he was about to tease me.

“I won’t touch you, so come here.”

“Don’t lie. You said that and still touched me.”

“You have a good memory.”

How could I not remember when it was just yesterday!
Despite my grumbling, I was once again in the man’s arms.

I glanced at his face, his eyes closed as he rested his hand on his temple, and asked.

“…By the way, why didn’t you tell me?”

“What is it?”

The man opened one eye and looked down at me.

“The Fox Tribe’s village. You’re protecting them, aren’t you?”

[Shinbi-nim, I don’t know if you remember me, but I am Ilai of the Fox Tribe. I feel shameless saying this, but I am doing well.]

I recalled the contents of the letter from the scroll Ilai had sent.

[The Varg’s chief, who is your mate, has graciously declared our territory under his protection, so the Urf Tribe can no longer set foot in it. He has even provided us with food, and thanks to him, we are living in abundance. Meeting you, Shinbi-nim, was the greatest luck of my life. I will never forget this kindness. Thank you once again.]