Chapter 31. The Small Shop in the Alleyway

Translator: AdCaelum

Editor: meli

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After leaving the eatery, Theodore and Asher walked along the road in silence. Asher was worried about Noah after the boy ran off, but he honestly didn’t have the energy to spare thinking about the worst and meekly followed behind Theodore.

“P-please wait!” Ford quickly ran after the two. His breathing was a bit ragged as he stood in front of Asher and bowed. “I wish to apologize for everything.”

“Mister Ford?”

Why did Ford chase after them and why was he apologizing?

Ford lifted his head and looked straight at Asher. “Lillian was… indeed rude to you. We truly did not intend to harass you like that.” With a guilty look, Ford began to explain. “Everyone present there truly wanted to confirm if you had changed… Simply that. We were asked by Prince Hugo to purposely anger you.”

“Purposely…anger me…?”

“Yes, that is why I told the story of that noble to elicit a response from you. But that is not to say that the story was fabricated. It was a real and recent event that happened to us beastfolk. And your behavior matches exactly that of the noble. That was why we believed you were hiding your true intentions.”

“But I…” Asher attempted to deny it, but Ford chuckled.

“I know. Fox beastfolk like myself are responsive to deception, so I can clearly sense you’re not lying.” Ford silently closed his eyes for a moment before giving Asher a smile. “And… I am grateful to you.”

Asher was confused by this unexpected statement.

Ford slowly opened his eyes and explained to the baffled prince, “Please don’t misunderstand. I will never forgive you for what you’ve done to Lillian, no matter how many times you try to apologize. However… if you hadn’t punished Lillian, I would have never met her.” Ford’s tail slowly wagged back and forth, but his eyes narrowed into a sharp glare. “I detest you from the bottom of my heart for hurting her, but I must also offer my utmost appreciation. It’s very complicated.” Ford said and immediately looked away from Asher again in a low bow. “Please forgive me for my disrespectful behavior. I spoke out of line…”

“Why are you thanking me?” Asher asked and Ford slowly raised his face.

“Because she is my one and only mate.”

“Mate…?”

“Yes, it seems that many humans are unaware of this, but we beastfolk can identify our soulmate by scent. There exists only one. And to me, that is Lillian.”

“You can find your soulmate like that?”

“Yes.”

“She’s human, you know.” Theodore interrupted the two’s conversation. However, Ford nonchalantly nodded.

“Yes she is, no matter how you look at her,” Ford answered, not showing the same concern as Theodore.

“Does she know?”

“No… From our conversations, she doesn’t appear to be a human who can sense her mate’s smell. But I don’t care about that. I’m fine as long as I can stay by her side.”

“…” Theodore fell silent and Ford also said nothing else.

Ford turned away from Theodore and looked back at Asher to say, “After Lillian was banished from the castle, abandoned by her fiancé, and disowned by her parents…she had nowhere else to go. That was when I found her. I do not think her attitude towards you would be forgiven…but I also…”

Asher recalled Lillian’s crying face and felt a stab through his chest. He replied, “I know… Just as I had expressed before, I do not blame any of you… I will not do anything to her anymore.”

Ford looked relieved by this reassurance and bowed once more to Asher. He was likely concerned about the repercussions of Lillian’s behavior and chased after the prince. Ford kept his head bowed until Asher and Theodore were out of sight.

　

The passersby greeted Asher with a smile, and Asher returned one back, albeit a bit awkwardly. It felt like the trip back to the carriage would take forever. The pain in his chest after what happened at the eatery was enough to make it difficult to breathe even after leaving. Far from it, his thoughts grew more and more negative.

He had known all along that he was hated. Yes, he was aware of this from the beginning. That was why he had tried to do something about it. He worked hard to achieve his goal. Yet, at every occasion, he had disdain thrown at him, stabbing him deep in the heart. He reprimanded himself that he had no right to cry about this pain, but what else could he do?

An all-encompassing despair assaulted Asher. He couldn’t take it anymore. There was no escape. No one would help him.

“We beastfolk can identify our soulmate by scent. There exists only one.”

Ford’s words suddenly popped up in his head. The fox beastfolk’s eyes when he talked about Lillian were kind. They conveyed to Asher how much Ford loved her.

“Mate…” The word slipped out of Asher’s mouth. His voice was so quiet that it was quickly drowned out by the surrounding noise. “I can’t imagine how happy someone could be to have another person love them for the rest of their life.”

Asher needed one. Just one person who would love him. Oh, how much he wanted that. Just having a single person care that deeply for him could save him from all of this. But he never had someone like that in his past life, so all he could do was dream. He had no right to feel this way… He had no right to envy Lillian.

“Please forgive me, Your Highness.” All of a sudden, Theodore grabbed Asher’s arm and headed in the opposite direction of the carriage.

“Huh? Theodore?!”

“I ask that you please follow me.”

Theodore pulled the puzzled Asher along. Asher had no idea where they were heading. He had to frantically quicken his pace to match Theodore’s or he would end up tripping. But then, Theodore suddenly stopped, having reached his destination. However, Asher hadn’t expected the sudden stop so he slammed right into Theodore’s back.

“Whoa!”

“…”

“S-sorr—”

“It’s fine.”

“Um… where are we?”

Having been essentially dragged here by Theodore, Asher hadn’t had the chance to see where they were going. He curiously looked around and saw very few people. They were likely in an alleyway split off from the main road connected to the town center.

Not sharing the same curiosity, Theodore opened the door of a quaint shop out front. He promptly went in, causing Asher to quickly follow after.

“Welcome— Oh! Why if it isn’t Sir Lewis!” When they entered, they were greeted by a plump, smiling woman. She seemed to be acquainted with Theodore. “It’s been too long~. Hm? Oh! You brought someone with you?!” The woman shouted when she spotted Asher standing behind Theodore and practically dropped the plates in her hands on the table.

The woman bounced over to Asher, took his hand, and pumped them up and down. “Oh, my! I just can’t believe that Sir Lewis would bring such a beauty like yourself here! And what expensive-looking clothes you have. Sir Lewis, you’re set for the future!”

“I haven’t…” Theodore grumbled.

“U-um…” Asher stuttered.

“Today’s the third prince’s birthday, right~? Only you would be crazy enough to come to this old lady’s dingy shop when all the fancy places on Main Street are bustling! Oh, right, you’re currently working as a knight if I recall correctly. Aren’t you on duty? Or are you taking a break?”

“I’m working…”

“U-um!”

“Oh my! Then you must be on a date during your break! Yeah, I guess you would be. Today’s a festival, after all~! Oh, right. I baked a cake since we’re all here to celebrate the prince’s birthday. How about a slice on the house? I actually missed out on the prince’s greeting to bake it. I’m a bit sad. I was really looking forward to it…”

The woman didn’t seem to hear Asher or Theodore as she prattled on all by herself. Theodore seemed accustomed to dealing with her as he sighed, turned back to Asher, pulled out a nearby seat, and prompted him to sit.

Asher looked at Theodore in wide-eyed shock.

“Please take a seat.” Theodore insisted.

Asher still didn’t understand why he was brought here yet he felt somewhat relieved. He greatly appreciated how it was quiet and away from prying eyes.

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