Selesina, Hisui, and Toi were in the guest room that was prepared for them.

The day after the doctor checked Toi, he had completely recovered and was moving around. It was truly a marvel.

Both Selesina and Hisui were shocked. She had heard that a divine beast has a strong life force but she didn’t know that it was this strong.

[Woof Woof!]

“A divine beast is amazing……!”

“I’m shocked. But I’m glad that Toi has recovered.”

As he sighed in relief, Hisui embraced Toi in a hug. As Selesina watched their exchange, she realized that they were still dirty.

Hisui could have taken a bath the previous evening but he was so worried about Toi that he wouldn’t leave his side.

Selesina called out kindly.

“Please take a bath first. Hisui, why don’t you get in with Toi.”

“Bath?”

“Umm…….you can use some hot water to clean the dirt off your body.”

It didn’t seem like a good idea to let Hisui and Toi enter alone so she asked a servant to go along to help them. As long as a maid accompanies them, it should be fine.

After she sent them off to the baths, she slumped into the chair. There was no one else in the room so there was no need to be graceful.

Selesina was wondering what to do hereafter.

‘What will Hisui and Lord Toi do hereafter?’

Since Hisui didn’t have any family, she didn’t want to throw the two of them out just because Toi’s treatment was over.

She didn’t really believe that she could save all children like this but she wanted to do as much as she could for these two.

‘Will Hisui take the hand that I extend out to him?’

She wondered whether he would reject Selesina.

“But if I want to start managing the territory then Hisui would be a great help.”

There were many things that she didn’t know about this territory but she was after all still a child.

“If by some chance, Hisui were to come to my side……..”

A fluffy white bread with a pecan and vegetable soup. A fried egg and salad. Yogurt with fruits.

There was so much food prepared that they could have never finished it.

Selesina thought as she waited for the 2 of them to return from their bath.

As she drank her tea, she hoped that they would like their food.

After a little while, they returned from their bath. Hisui and Toi were almost unrecognizable – they looked bright and fluffy. Without thinking, Selesina kept blinking.

“You’ve……..become really clean.”

“I can’t keep calm.”

Hisui’s hair that seemed to be a dull brown earlier now glowed a pretty amber. He had also changed into some well-fitted clothes so he looked like a noble.

Toi’s fur was pure white and really fluffy and soft. Selesina had a strong impulse to embrace him but she held back.

At the moment, Hisui’s stomach growled.

“Ah, sorry. Let’s have breakfast first. Hisui, please take a seat.”

“………Is it alright if I eat this?”

“Eh? Yes, of course. Please eat as much as you’d like.”

Hisui took a seat and the maid poured him a glass of milk. After confirming that Toi’s food was also prepared, he started to eat.

He ate like he would soon pop. Selesina smiled at him and looked at Toi. She would have never imagined that she would be able to physically see a divine beast during her lifetime.

‘She thought that this wasn’t related to her as she was the villainess.’

If it was the heroine, then she would become friends with the divine beast, help the land prosper, become the queen and help the kingdom prosper.

‘Come to think of it, what kind of date are they having?’

She had seen Soratek and the heroine in town yesterday. 

Hopefully, they’ve come to like each other enough so that she wouldn’t need to die.

However, she could only sense the feelings between them since there was no meter that showed her the level of their affection.

‘As long as they continue to develop feelings for each other, it should be fine.’

It may be a huge problem for Soratek but it was relieving for Selesina.

Once Hisui had eaten to his heart’s content, she let the servants off.

She didn’t want them to know that Toi was a divine beast, it was more convenient this way.

“Haa……….it’s been a long time since I ate so much.”

Seeing Hisui smiling so happily, Selesina also smiled.

“I’m glad that you’re satisfied.”

“The promise was only to save Toi, so is this alright? Well, it’s not like a noble cannot afford this much………but”

While drinking the after-meal tea, Hisui told her that he couldn’t afford the food bill.

Of course, Selesina didn’t plan to charge him. He may be related to the boy who pickpocketed her or so had thought in the beginning but he seemed to have good morals.

‘The only thing that I would want to request is Toi…..’

The person he helped out was a noble so it would make sense if he had asked for more repayment. Selesina thought that arranging a doctor and letting him stay overnight was not much.

“Do you and Lord Toi have any plans after this?”

“No, not really. Just returning back to the hut…….but ‘Lord’ Toi?”

“I can’t call a divine beast casually.”

As she inclined her head and responded to Hisui, he countered with a ‘but’.

“If you address him with a ‘Lord’ then it’ll become obvious that Toi isn’t a regular dog but a divine beast instead.”

“Ah!”

I didn’t realize it! Selesina paled.

But is it really okay to call him casually? Never calling his name in front of the servants will be quite difficult, she cannot really camouflage it.

Hisui looked at Selesina who was thinking very seriously.

“It’s alright if you just call him by his name right? Toi won’t care about something like that.”

“Ehh, but he’s a divine beast………”

[Woof !]

“Lord Toi, is it alright?”

As if to reassure her, Toi snuggled up to Selesina. She hesitantly stroked his fur and then held him to her chest.

‘Ahhh, cute !!’

The softness was healing.

For a person like Selesina who wasn’t blessed, she was worried that she would be disliked by the beast.

She was so glad that he was fond of her that called his name continuously.

“Toi, I’m Selesina. I’m really glad that your injuries have healed.”

[Woof]

After stroking him gently, Selesina returned him to Hisui. 

When she apologized to him if she upset him, Hisui laughed.

He always seemed to be on guard so she was relieved that he was starting to relax a little.

“Besides……..I’m really happy that Toi is fond of me.”

Hisui laughed since he thought that she was exaggerating but to Selesina who was born a villain, this was very important.

“Thanks for caring for Toi.”

“You did get my wallet back for me. I’m sure this isn’t sufficient compensation right?”

Hisui wanted to receive some more compensation but the shook his head in denial.

“I’m fine with this. I also got to have a meal.”

“I see. You’re a good kid.”

“What? Don’t call me a kid, I’m 16.”

“Eh? We’re the same age! I certainly believed that you were younger…..”

She inclined her head as she wondered whether he was still in his growing period.  Or was he growing slowly because he was undernourished? It wasn’t a conversation that she should get into so she decided to stop thinking about it.

“Umm, Hisui, if you’d like…..”

“Hn?”

“Won’t you work for me?… I want to like independently but I don’t know much about this town………I would like it if you could help me out.”

Hisui’s eyes flew open as he heard Selesina. He hadn’t expected anyone to say something like this to him.

But this was a good proposition for Hisui who was homeless.

He also thought that she may be aiming for Toi – the divine beast but he was very sensitive to ill intent after meeting various people.

“But”

“Yes.”

“I don’t even know proper manners, I can do very little.”

“Everyone is the same in the beginning. I also have a lot that I need to study.”

Selesina laughed as she reassured him that she didn’t expect him to be perfect.

The most important thing was to have an ally when her engagement was broken. There are many benefits to being the fiancé of the crown prince.

But once her engagement is broken, she may not have those benefits. In fact, there may even be dislike directed at her and the invitations to tea parties or evening parties may stop. Especially since she didn’t have divine blessings.

She didn’t think that she would be harmed but the fact that she didn’t have blessings despite being a noble would become more prominent.

Hisui stared at Selesina as he wondered what to do but Toi was pivotal in making him decide.

[Woof]

Toi let out a happy bark and licked Selesina’s cheek.

“Kyaaa, Toi.”

“…….It’s the first time that Toi has liked someone so much.”

“Well, that’s an honor…”

Moved by Hisui’s words, Selesina hugged Toi. She wanted to spend more time with Toi but she didn’t want to be unreasonable to Hisui.

Watching Selesina and Toi, Hisui laughed.

“Even though you’re a noble, you’re pretty candid. Alright, I’ll work for you.”

“HIsui! Thank you, I’m really happy. Pleased to work with you.”

“Yeah.”

They exchanged a handshake and Selesina was relieved.

Once Selesina introduced herself properly, Hisui let out a surprised sigh. 

He did know that she was a noble but he never thought that she was the daughter of a Marquis and the fiancé of the crown prince.

“Are you really fine with employing me? Won’t you be getting married to the crown prince soon?”

“Ah, that’s…”

‘Since he’s an ally, shall I tell him?’

“My engagement will soon be broken.”

“……………Ha?”

That’s why she wanted to be independent. Selesina told a flabbergasted Hisui.