I Raised the Beast Well - Chapter 111

Side story 1 : I Raised the Beast Well 

TL/PR : Nesta/YoruNoTsuki

Belinda walked carefully with one hand supporting her back. As the doctor advised her to exercise quite a bit, she was now taking a walk along the main path of the reed forest. 

She waddles through the path with her cute bulging belly. Each time the wind blew across the field of reeds, the sound of rustling grass rang so pleasingly. 

‘How refreshing.’

Belinda chuckled as she lifted the hair off her neck. It was dangerous to walk through the forest when she was heavily pregnant. Wouldn’t it be dangerous if she trips over tree branches or tree roots protruding from the soil?

So she started walking in a field near the Shinsu forest, and it was the wild horses that made the path which previously wasn’t there. 

It was the work of Daisy’s clan, the family of the white horse who traveled with Aymon and Belinda in the past.

“Doesn’t your leg hurt?”

At Aymon’s worried remarks, Belinda simply shook her head. 

“I’m all right. The wind is so fresh today. Right?”

Aymon anxiously followed Belinda from behind. He looked worried sick that Belinda would fall or get hurt.

And a white foal chased after Aymon. Aymon glanced back and tapped the white foal’s nose as it was constantly nuzzled up against his waist. 

“Your dad is looking sharply at me right now.”

Neigh-

The white foal whined once as if it didn’t care. The foal was Daisy’s offspring. Unlike its daddy, Daisy, it liked Aymon unconditionally and followed him around.

As he tapped the foal’s nose once again, it jumped around excitedly as if liking his touch. Aymon chuckled and turned his head again to follow Belinda. 

“Walk slowly, Breedee. You’re going to fall at this rate.” 

“Stop worrying. People will think you’re my dad or something.”

It was a peaceful and quiet afternoon. It was so quiet if not for a white foal jumping around on the reeds. 

Belinda stopped taking a stroll only after the field was covered by sunset glow. It’d be better to return before the wind gets cooler. 

So she set off with Aymon, who was stroking the foal’s mane as it followed him closely. Then she saw a white horse standing imposingly on the border between the field and the forest.

It was the foal’s dad, Daisy. Its white mane was shining luminously. 

“Dad is waiting for you, Ollie.”

Belinda smiled as she waved at Daisy. Daisy naturally raised its front foot and showed its teeth as if glad to see her, but his eyes turned sharp once he made eye contact with Aymon, who was right behind her. Because he saw his daughter, Ollie, was chasing after Aymon.

He seemed to be very displeased that Ollie liked Aymon.

Why does she like such a rowdy Shinsu? Small or big, he’s the nastiest guy on earth. I can’t understand it no matter how much I think about it, but my child doesn’t always behave as I wanted in the first place.

Belinda approached Daisy and stroked his mane slowly.

“How can Daisy get cooler as days pass by?”

Hard and nice leg muscles, white hair that glitters under the sun, and steadfast gaze. He was a very elegant and dashing wild horse all the time. 

Just like now. 

“Hey you.”

Aymon began to taunt Daisy out of nowhere. As usual, Daisy turned away from him. It was a gesture that he didn’t want to deal with Aymon.

“Hey.”

But when a low voice resounded once again, he eventually turned his head to face Aymon. Because a word as simple as ‘hey’ was enough to induce chills.

Aymon grinned and smoothed Daisy’s mane.

“Hey. You hate me, right?”

Neigh-

Daisy didn’t admit or deny it in his reply. His body trembled as if horrified by Aymon’s touch.

Obviously, Aymon couldn’t care less about it. In contrast, all he did was stroking Daisy’s mane gently and softly. 

Do you think I’ll stop touching you if you hate it? I’ll just touch you more.

“But what can I do? Your child likes me.”

And a lot, at that. Very much so. 

Neigh-!

Daisy grunted angrily at Aymon’s provocative remarks. Even at that moment, Daisy’s child, Ollie, cluelessly chewed on Aymon’s clothes.   

Belinda shook her head as she played with Daisy’s mane. Somehow, Aymon was so caught up in teasing Daisy recently. Perhaps it was fun to see Daisy’s glaring reaction, but….

How are you still the same bully whether you were a kitten or an adult now?

‘My baby. That vile beast is your daddy. Great, right?’

Belinda said to the baby in her stomach and approached Aymon.

“Aymon. Stop it.”

It was time to put an end to Aymon’s fun time.

Stop teasing Daisy and let’s get going. 

When she gestured toward the forest, only then Aymon pressed Daisy’s back firmly. At the silent signal, the big horse finally bent its knees. 

Belinda rubbed on Daisy’s mane as he lowered his head and whispered.

“This time, too, please take good care of me.”

Belinda carefully climbed on Daisy’s back as he lowered his body further. Careful footsteps began to move across the forest. 

Belinda positioned herself on the center of the saddle and grabbed the bridle. It was definitely more stable and comfortable than Aymon’s back. 

She’d always received help from Daisy whenever she came out of the field and into the forest. Mainly because it was dangerous to walk through the mountain, and riding on Aymon’s back wasn’t a good idea either as his movement was too rough. 

Thankfully, Daisy liked Belinda so much that he had no qualm about giving her a ride.    

“Daisy. Thank you, as always.”

She smoothed his mane as she thanked him. At her gesture, Daisy nickered and shook its head as if he was in a good mood.  

It would have been a very happy and perfect journey without that rowdy Shinsu, Aymon. 

When she came back, she saw Mazetto flopping about on top of the table all by himself. 

Belinda waved to Daisy and Ollie as they left the mansion, and then approached Mazetto with eyes full of worries. A dark shadow covered the sparrow’s face.

“Mazetto. What’s wrong?”

Mazetto’s tail sprawling helplessly. Belinda sat on the chair, tickling Mazetto’s belly and asked again. 

“My pretty bird. What’s wrong with you?”

He said he had a girlfriend recently and couldn’t stop chirping and whistling all day. It seemed like they broke up. 

Mazetto, who scowled as if he was thinking so hard, soon flapped his wings and asked.

“Belinda. Am I too loud? Am I talking too much? Hmm?”

“…….”

It was hard to deny his words for sure.

Mazetto was the most talkative sparrow among all the sparrows, no, even among all the creatures she knew. The cutest and sweetest chatterbox in the world.

“Hm? Am I like that? Do you hate to be with me and are tired of me? Hm? Hmmm?”

“No. That’s not true at all.”

Belinda shook her head and denied strongly. Although Mazetto chirped too much sometimes, he was always such a cute and lovely sparrow. How can anyone ever say that they hate him or are tired of him? 

Belinda tapped Mazetto’s head with her fingers. 

“Mazetto. What’s really going on?”

She already knew the reason, but wanted to ask first. He definitely broke up with his girlfriend. 

Was it because he built a nest near Aymon’s mansion that he got influenced by Aymon’s power? Mazetto was smarter and more talkative than a regular sparrow, so everyone felt burdened by him. He wasn’t an ordinary bird no matter how you look at him. 

“Everyone keeps flying away when they’re with me. I guess they hate me.”

As upset as he sounded, the sparrow tucked his head under his feather weakly.

And Belinda had to suppress her sadness. 

As expected, they broke up.

“That’s not true, Mazetto. You are the cutest, sweetest, and the most precious bird in the world. Don’t think like that.”

Chirp….

Mazetto once again scowled and tucked his head in even more. 

“You know, Belinda.”

“I’m listening, Mazetto.”

“When the child is born, will you only love that child?

“Huh?”

Belinda was frozen for a moment as she was unable to grasp his words. When there was no answer from Belinda, Mazetto sank under his own feathers even more. 

Tuk-

Aymon put down the teacup filled with warm tea and sat next to Belinda. A low whisper rang in her ear as his lips brushed against her cheek.

“Breedee. Mazetto must be upset.”

He wrapped his big hand around her belly and stroked it gently. He then continued.

“He must be worried that you won’t be paying attention to him after our child is born. What a cute guy.”

“….What?”

“Mazetto likes you a lot, after all.”

Ah! Belinda opened her mouth in realization.

I thought he was depressed because he broke up with his girlfriend, but I guess that wasn’t the case. Why didn’t I notice it? Even Aymon could easily notice it, but why am I the only one who is clueless? It was to the point where I got upset with myself. 

That’s why this cute sparrow was feeling down lately! 

Belinda became sad, too. Her emotions were often intensified without her realizing it, and that seems to be the case now.

Mazetto. I can’t believe you’ve been having those thoughts. I was completely clueless even when my lovely sparrow was so sad. I’m such an idiot.

“Mazetto. Were you worried that you would lose my affection once our child is born?”

Belinda held Mazetto with both hands and rubbed her cheeks against him. The sparrow’s feathers on her cheeks were soft.

“That can’t be true, Mazetto. You are the sparrow that I cherish and love the most!”

Then Mazetto held Belinda’s cheeks with his wings.

“But everything changes when a child is born. Look what happened to Shanti and Halla….”

“No, that’s not true, Mazetto. Mazetto is so precious to me. I’m sorry I didn’t know how you felt. Have you been so worried? Were you upset? Hmm?”

What was Mazetto to me? He was a cute sparrow that I have known since I was young, and also the sparrow who jumped into the icy river for me. When I was kidnapped by the horsemen, he even followed me in order to save me.

How could I hurt Mazetto like this? I’m really the worst.

Belinda got so emotional for some reason. She cried and rubbed Mazetto’s soft belly on her cheek. Mazetto also flapped his wings and clung to Belinda’s cheeks.

“Mazetto.”

“Belinda!”

And on the other side…

“…….”

Watching a human and a sparrow rub their cheeks on each other, the leopard in his human form quietly scratched his chin. 

What am I supposed to do now? Can I just sit still like this? That’s kinda awkward.

Aymon, who was watching both of them, spread his arms to embrace Mazetto and Belinda at once.

Belinda was his beloved mate, and Mazetto was his precious sparrow. So he had to comfort the two precious beings somehow.

“I love you Breedee, and I love you Mazetto. So don’t be sad.”

But even with Aymon’s consolation, Belinda and Mazetto cried for a long time in his arms.

———————————————————