Breeding Season - Chapter 34
“I… I want to try. Truly. If even someone like me can do it….”
“Of course, you can. You more than qualify. Please, be sure to read it.”
“Yes!”
Jin smiled warmly as he watched the quiet joy spread across her modest face.
How should he put it?
The ‘madam’ whom the Master had suddenly brought in was truly delicate.
Her self-esteem seems low, as if a single push would shatter her completely. Her body was frail, her sense of self unstable… yet the pulse of her soul was powerful.
Perhaps her physical form was too weak to contain a soul of that magnitude, making her entire being unstable.
But there had been people before whose souls shone particularly brightly.
Aside from that, Madam was extraordinarily ordinary. A human, through and through, with no distinct peculiarities.
‘And yet… she read the magic script?’
That could only mean one thing—Madam was not human.
The script inscribed in this mansion could never be read by pure-blooded humans.
‘I’ll have to report this.’
Was she of another race? Or did she have mixed blood? Was that why she was given the name Siren?
If so, she should have the characteristics of a siren.
‘Now that I think about it, the Master did mention she insists on bathing alone.’
If she perceived her siren traits as some kind of curse…
“Madam.”
“Huh?”
“For now, while you’re here, why not practice speaking without honorifics?”
Jin was a spirit. A being born from the power of the desert, he was, in essence, nature itself.
Thus, he disliked anything that went against nature and was especially kind to those who were close to it.
Humans fell into the former category, while other races belonged to the latter.
If Madam was a mixed-blood with the lineage of another race, he was willing to treat her even better than he already had.
“H-honorifics…?”
“Yes. Just give it a try.”
“But…”
“It’s difficult, isn’t it?”
Her innocent face was full of tension.
She had never done it before, so of course, she didn’t know how. But with guidance, she would grow accustomed to it.
After all, she was Master’s chosen Diet. She only needed to lower herself before Master.
Everywhere else, she had to be treated as his equal. That was what elevated Master’s standing even further.
“…Alright. I-I’ll try.”
“Say, ‘Alright. I’ll try.’”
“Al…right. I-I’ll t-try.”
“Oh my, well done. Since you did so well, I suppose I’ll have to grill some meat for dinner tonight.”
Paaat!
At the mention of meat, her round face lit up.
Jin nearly smiled at the sight, finding it endearing, but he quickly covered it up with a cough.
‘Maybe it’s because I’m getting old… It feels like I’m looking at my granddaughter.’
Before sending her off to the rough South, he needed to put some weight on her.
And fix her way of speaking. Oh, right. He should have Pamilla trim her bangs as well. Also, he should teach her a few simple offensive and defensive spells…
“…Is there anyone I should be careful of in the South?”
“Oh! That was excellent just now. You deserve applause.”
“…Thank you.”
She lowered her gaze, looking shy. It was a charm that the people of the South utterly lacked.
Was this what they called refinement? Or perhaps elegance?
“It’s simple. There’s nothing to memorize. Just be wary of every human you see.”
“Ah…?”
“Especially the High Priest. Avoid him whenever possible, and never allow yourself to be alone with him. Though, no matter how much I warn you, that venomous snake will undoubtedly find a way to get you alone.”
He gave the warning, but he didn’t expect her to be able to avoid it.
He could already picture Madam being crushed to dust amid the ruthless people of the South.
“Well, I’ll be going with you anyway, so don’t worry too much.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Pamilla and I will both be attending to you. There are also a few trustworthy people, including Eltan—I’ll give you a list. It’s better to know who you can trust. As for the rest, don’t trust them at all.”
At his explanation, Siren nodded with a resolute expression. Her tiny hands clenched into fists.
He wasn’t sure what she planned to do with those delicate fists—could she even crack a boiled egg?—but, well… Master would protect her anyway.
“So, just how long do you two plan on talking?”
It was then.
A petulant voice suddenly rang in their ears.
