?? ─────────────────────────── ??

Hm? He ran away to not attend class, so why is that a good thing?

Arban took a deep breath, probably surprised by the sudden compliment. He seemed confused.

“For how long can you hide against Kasana?”

“..I can’t hide for very long.”

“It seems like you’ve become pretty good at hiding your presence.”

“....”

“If you keep ditching classes, Irene will overtake you, Arban.”

“Who’s going to get caught by a little bean like that kid?”

Arban had a spicy mouth. Still, his expression subtly hardened perhaps because he was bothered by the words “catching up to you”.

It was not difficult to understand what he had imagined, because soon after Cade said so, his grimacing face could not be straightened out.

“Did you imagine me catching up to you, brother?”

“No. Don’t even dream about it, little baby.”

“Hunf. I’m not a little baby. I mean, I grew this much.”

I spread my thumb and index finger apart. They said that children grow day by day, and I was really getting bigger every day.

It wasn’t that obvious, though.

Arban, who stared blankly at the gap of about 2 centimeters, smirked.

“That doesn’t mean you’ve grown up.”

“I bought new shoes too!”

“Oh, is that so?”

Arban shrugged his shoulders and finished the grape tart he was eating. I inflated my cheeks and cried.

“I’ll grow up fast after eating a lot!”

“Don’t overdo it when you can’t even eat much.”

“Huh?”

“Well, even if you do, it doesn’t seem like you’ll grow very much.”

Seth smiled brightly. He couldn’t help but say mean things like that.

With a fork, I cut a large cake filled with cream and put it in my mouth. Eating sweet food seemed to make me feel a little better.

Cade, who had been interested in us noisily bickering around, suddenly turned his gaze to me.

“Irene, how have you been?”

“Huh?”

“You’re the only one who didn’t speak.”

This time, as before, all eyes were on me. I folded my fingers one by one, it would take a long time to talk about it because there are so many.

“It’s okay if it takes a long time, so tell me.”

“Hm. I went to the swing, I studied new things.. And I also met people who escort me.”

“Escort? ..Ah. Are you referring to the man who appeared at the banquet then?”

Seth asked, and I nodded my head.

“Yes, I met Karma. He said there were more, but I haven’t seen them all yet.”

“I see. He must be very anxious if he was already showing himself like that.”

Cade laughed in an understandable tone.

“I also met Messi and Fayman.”

“Huh? Those two, too?”

“Yes. I wrote a letter to cheer them up while they write their apology letters.”

It would be nice if I could meet the others soon. They still had to write reflection letters, so I might be able to meet them all within a few days.

Hearing my words, Cade paused and asked.

“Letter?”

“Yes. Rodaria helped me, so I made a letter and sent it to them. Messi delivered it.”

“So that’s why they delivered the right one.”

Cade muttered as if an everlasting question had finally been answered.

“So, was it fun to meet them?”

“Yes. I want to meet the others soon.”

“Won’t you get bored?”

That was the fun. There was a thrill of waiting because I couldn’t guess who would come out next. I’m sure I’ll be surprised because they will appear from nowhere.

The flow of conversation had concluded to some extent. It was so dark outside the window that it was hard to see things properly now.

Yawn~~.

I let out a long yawn. I opened my hazy eyes because dinner time was not over yet.. but once I got sleepy, there was no end.

I opened my eyes and slapped both cheeks to wake up, and Seth, sitting in front of me, had a bewildered face.

“If you’re sleepy, you can go to bed.”

“Yes. But we are not done talking yet.”

“It’s not a story worthy of being dragged on for a long time, is it?”

“No. It’s very important!”

I didn’t know when we would meet again like this and talk. I wanted to hear more stories, so it was a shame to end things like this. There was finally an opportunity to get closer, and I didn’t want to miss it.

Seth looked at me with a subtle expression.

“You are saying that, but I think you’re going to bang your head on the table, Irene.”

Oops.

I raised my nodding head.

“You’d better go back now.”

Cade, who watched me like that, announced the end of the meal. He got up from his seat and hugged me.

When I was placed in his large and strong arms, a deep sleep came upon me at once.

* * *

Now I could leave the room by myself.

Because today was the first day of pheromone classes.

“Huhu-Hung. Hu-Hung.”

I hummed and walked with light steps toward the entrance to the forest. We decided to meet at the entrance and go in together, so perhaps Kasana was waiting first.

And just as I thought so, a familiar face began to appear.

“Kasa! Did you wait long?”

“No, I didn’t wait very long.”

“Let’s go inside.”

“Then shall we go in?”

“Yes. Before you come here, I prepared a lot.”

Even if I said preparation, mental preparation was everything I actually did.

Whatever it is, attitude is important!

I went inside step by step.

I felt strange when I entered the area where huge trees were planted in the sun-drenched garden. I had already experienced the feeling of deep silence once, but it seemed like it would take quite a while to get used to this atmosphere.

I followed closely behind Kasana.

“Kasa. Where are we going?”

“We’ll have to go inside a little longer.”

“Yes.”

At first, there was a clear trail that had been laid on the floor, but it was disappearing in the grass the further we walked.

I wonder how deep inside we are.

Kasana stopped walking.

“I think this would be a good place for a class.”

“Here?”

“Yes. You don’t like it?”

Looking back, the entrance was no longer visible. Surrounded by trees on all sides, the road now looked more like a maze. I felt eerie because it felt like I would not be able to find the exit by myself if I got lost here.

“If you want to take a pheromone class, it is recommended to be as isolated from the outside as possible.”

“Okay. But, what if I get lost?”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll come to find Miss Irene before anyone else.”

“Yes.”

I was relieved by Kasana’s reliable words.

Before leaving the room, I decided to wear a cardigan that Rosaria had given me. The forest was supposed to be shady and cold, and she was right.

I took off the cardigan that was hanging around my neck and put my arms on it. Kasana waited for me to wear it all.

“I’m all dressed now.”

“Then shall we begin the class?”

“Yes.”

“First, let me briefly explain pheromones. All werebeasts have energy called pheromones from birth. You know that, right?”

“Yes.”

“Pheromones have slightly different characteristics for each clan. This is because they have developed in various ways depending on their survival method. Especially the Bird Clan..”

What about the Bird Clan? Why did you stop talking?

While waiting for the next words, I curiously looked at Kasana. She frowned as if she didn’t like something about what she had to tell me.

It was such a rare sight that I was inwardly surprised.

Because Kasa, who usually doesn’t show much change in expression, frowned! What could be that bad to make her do that?

“..Just to remind you, Miss Irene has the Astrophel surname, so please don’t forget that you are one from the Black Mamba Clan.”

What are you talking about all of a sudden?

I looked at Kasana. It was an atmosphere where she looked more serious and careful than ever, and it seemed that I could only say yes.

I nodded.

“Yes. I know.”

“Now the explanation I will give is merely an example of the characteristics of Miss Irene.”

“Yes.”

Apparently, Kasana was concerned that I would be confused if I heard the explanation of the Bird Clan.

I’m different from other black mambas around me.

In fact, I wondered how I was born into the Astrophel family. But I wasn’t really curious about who my real guardian was. The people who raised me and took care of me until now are none other than the people of the Astrophel family.

“The Bird Clan has been good at information warfare since ancient times. They specialize in flying in the sky to check enemy positions and inform allies.”

“Wow. That’s very cool!”

“..Yes. They were quick to get information and plan for the future of their clans. They are mostly active in flocks, and most of them who travel alone are birds of prey.”

“Yes.”

But I am not a bird of prey, and flock life is even more impossible.

I thought I should know about it because she was explaining the basic characteristics of the Bird Clan for a reason.

“But that’s just is one way to live according to the characteristics of the Clan. From now on, Miss Irene will learn how to live in the Black Mamba Clan.”