“Akane, I had just found out that you suddenly turned into a fox, so I quickly came back to see you.”

“Kuro onii-sama…”

The man in front of me was a black fox whose name was Kuromitsu. I considered him as my big brother, and I also respected him very much. He wasn’t only a son from a high status, but his status was only lower than the royalty.

I didn’t know how could he find us, but…

Everybody would misunderstand after seeing this scene!!

“Kuro onii-sama! This is because Teo brought me here to undo the curse, so…!!!”

“Akane…”

Kuro onii-sama took off his outer cloth and then drafted it on my shoulder. His tone sounded a lot more gentle than before. He wouldn’t have misunderstood it, right?

“You are the princess, so you shouldn’t come out here like this. It’s too dangerous for you.” He gently supported me to stand up.

“It’s not a problem. I will bring her back to the palace.” Teo walked towards us. He acted like he wanted to pull me away. However…

Kuro onii-sama brushed his hand and pulled me to stand behind him. The look in his eyes was so scary so much that I was paralyzed by it.

“Prince Teo, I don’t think you are in any wrong here, so please, if it doesn’t bother you too much, step aside for us.”

“…!!!”

Kuro onii-sama swiftly brought me away with him, and I could only see Teo getting further away from me. He took me to sit alone in a carriage then he went to sit in another carriage. How could he bring these carriages when he was following after me? Maybe he had used some dark magic to trace my whereabouts.

I asked him why didn’t he bring Teo to sit with me. He only answered that he couldn’t let Teo sit with me when I was in this state. I also forgot that the state I was in right now wasn’t too pleasing to the eyes of others. In the end, Teo had to sit together with Kuro onii-sama. I was a little afraid that they would get into a quarrel.

I sat inside the carriage until we reached the palace. It was at the same time that the high priest came back. Even if it was no use now, but I glad that he finally came back here. All the people in the palace were shocked and curious about how I was suddenly turned back to normal.

I only answered them that Teo brought me to break the curse with the fox god. They wouldn’t ask me anything else if I answered them this way.

I stayed in my room after taking a bath. Shiwa was going somewhere with Luler, and I also hadn’t seen Teo anywhere. I hoped he would be alright.

Kuro onii-sama was a serious man. I once thought that I loved him, but…

It was different from love. I never saw him as my lover and that was the same as him. He only saw me as a little sister all the time. When it was about me, he always went over the top. He told me that he was my sword and shield, so he would protect me from harm.

He was strong. I was afraid he would be far stronger than Teo.

Ah!! What was I going to do!?

It was almost absurd that I was worried about Teo this much. ‘The only person who can find the way out is you…’

I could finally understand what the goddess had said now. My mind was filled with confusion and hesitation. I lost my way because of these feelings.

It wasn’t that hard to say ‘I also love you too’.

However, our relationship had started from a political marriage. The love that was based on the social norm was making me insecure about whether it was real or not.

Why did I have to think too much about it? Inside a guest room inside the palace, Teo was split up from Akane. He was having a tea with Kuromitsu right now. Although, Nobody had said anything to each other yet.

“Let’s get it over with. Do you have something to talk with me, right?” He knew he was being rude, but he could care less about that.

“Don’t be upset, Prince Teo? I know that I don’t have any right to restrain you, but I want to at least speak something to you.” Kuromitsu placed his teacup down and gave him a small smile.

Teo could only frown as he didn’t know what this man wanted. He knew that he could walk away from him. But if he just walked away like that, this man might be doing something to take away the right to marry Akane from him.

“I know that you get along with Akane rather well, but as her shield, sword and her retainer, I don’t think you are well suited to take care of her.”

“What did you just say!!!?”

“Don’t be impatient, Prince Teo.”

His eyebrows twitched and that’s when Kuromitsu handed two pieces of paper to him. One was like a registration form and another was a leaflet with something like:

‘The annual tournament’

“What is this!!?” Teo looked up from the leaflet in his hand.

“It is the annual tournament. Its purpose is to find the strongest. The king will give the winner whatever he or she wants. Oh, you don’t have to be worried because it isn’t a death match. Even if it is unnecessary for you to participate, but…”

“…”

“If you participate in this tournament and get the first place, I will make a vow that I will serve and respect you from the bottom of my heart.”

“…and why do I have to…” do just as you said? Teo really wanted to voice his thought, but Kuromitsu interrupted him.

“I also have the right to marry Princess Akane. I guess you have already known this fact.”

“…!!!”

“Let me see how far can you go for Princess Akane.”

Kuromitsu stood up and bow to Teo before going out of this room.

Looking at his eyes, Teo knew Kuromitsu wasn’t joking to him in the least bit.

…Why did it make him felt so insecure? When he saw Akane did everything this man told her to do, he felt like he might lose her for real this time.