ORPDRL Chapter 23

 Episode 23

  

It was no longer possible to let Moriel speak freely as he pleased. Letty, who had been burying her face into Lorik’s chest, turned her head and pouted.  

“Le-Letty is a panda, okay?”  

Though technically a red panda.  

“Right, Mr. Lorik? Letty is a panda bear, isn’t she?”  

As if needing her ally’s support, Letty shook Lorik’s collar vigorously.  

‘Why on earth is Lord Moriel arguing with her?’  

Sensing the subtle tension between Moriel and Letty, Lorik scratched the back of his neck and answered.  

“Yes, my lady. Lord Moriel, the Sacred Relic of the Divine Spirit has already confirmed her species. She is indeed a panda bear beasfolk. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”  

The Sacred Relic, an heirloom of the Grand Duchy of Grizzly, was one of the five treasures held by the great families of Solaris. Among its rare abilities, it could identify a person’s species.  

Doubting the verdict of the relic would be equivalent to denying the power of the Divine Spirit, so Moriel had no choice but to back down from his suspicions.  

“Hah! So this little thing is the key to lifting the Grizzly Curse?”  

Even so, Moriel could not hide his astonishment, and a sneer escaped his twisted lips.  

“What kind of key is this tiny? Isn’t it unbefitting of the grandeur of the Grand Duchy?”  

“Letty is not fake! It’s just because Letty's still a child!”  

Though red pandas were among the smaller beasfolk species, Moriel didn’t need to know that detail.  

“In any case, what brings you to His Grace’s office?”  

Fearing that the bickering between Letty and Moriel would never end, Lorik intervened to break them apart.  

“I thought you had returned to Count Polaris’ estate.”  

As Lorik had mentioned, the day’s work was done, but Moriel had a habit of visiting Grisys whenever he found an opportunity to bother him.  

“Oh, I forgot to take some documents. Without the ledgers from the third quarter of last year, I can’t properly assess the warehouse inventory. To distribute supplies to the estate residents this winter, I need to get a grasp of the situation.”  

But of course, Moriel couldn’t reveal his petty hobby to Grisys’ aide. He casually lied with a straight face and grabbed a random ledger from the Grand Duchy’s office.  

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I should have prepared that for you in advance!”  

‘Do you really believe him? Mr. Lorik, you’re such a fool!’  

Letty clenched her fists and pounded her chest in frustration, watching Lorik bow apologetically to Moriel.  

Fox beastfolk were known for their cunning and suspicion, but Lorik, having worked with easygoing bear beastfolk since a young age, believed anything people told him.  

Once someone earned his trust, he remained loyal to them—a very fox-like trait.  

‘Of course, that’s why he believes Letty too…’  

While Letty debated whether to tell Lorik that Moriel was lying, Moriel finished collecting the documents and patted Lorik’s shoulder.  

“Lorik, you must have so much work on your plate. It’s amazing you’re even standing.”  

Moriel wasn’t known for being kind to his subordinates, but since he coveted Grisys’ position, he treated Lorik exceptionally well.  

Even so, his flattery was mere lip service. Yet, Lorik, who had been overworked and tossed around the Grand Duchy lately, was nearly in tears with gratitude.  

“You’re the only one who recognizes my hard work, Lord Moriel.”  

Our master, on the other hand, just sleeps all day…  

Sniffling, Lorik glanced at Grisys, who was napping on the sofa without even a pillow, and muttered under his breath.

"There’s no one more suited to serve as the acting head than Lord Moriel. And since we’ve welcomed the young daughter-in-law earlier than expected, I will work to advance the date of the Council of Elders!”  

Hearing Lorik’s words, Letty pricked up her ears and pressed her pale cheeks in disbelief.  

‘This is bad. At this rate, Father-in-law will lose his position as the head to Moriel because of me!’  

Even in [Panda Daughter-in-Law], Moriel coveted the position of the head, but he was eventually expelled from the Grand Duchy because Tierra managed to lift Grisys’ curse before Moriel could be appointed as the acting head.  

However, if the Council of Elders was convened earlier due to Letty’s arrival, Grisys might have to relinquish his position as the Grand Duke before Tierra appeared.  

‘I can’t let that happen!’  

“See you next time, little one.”  

“Humph!”  

Letty snorted and turned her head away at Moriel’s leisurely farewell as he left the room.  

‘Does she think Letty will just stand by?’  

Letty was a child with a conscience. While she was scheming to snatch the precious gem as rare as an angel’s tear, she couldn’t just stand by and watch Grisys lose his position as head because of her.  

✦ ✦ ✦

“Father-in-law, Father-in-law!”  

Once Lorik had also left the office, Letty rushed over to Grisys, who was lying down like a corpse.  

“Father-in-law, are you sleeping again?”  

This time, it seemed as though he had truly lost consciousness, as Grisys didn’t even flinch when the child prodded him.  

“Father-in-law, I’m sorry.”  

Letty stomped her feet anxiously, knowing that the Council of Elders would convene earlier to appoint an acting head because of her.  

“But I’ll protect you, Father-in-law. I promise.”  

Her concern for Grisys wasn’t solely because of her sinister plan to obtain the Grizzly heirloom through him.

Letty could feel that Grisys was submerged in loneliness and sadness even deeper than Brunhardt, who was patiently waiting for his daughter’s return.  

‘Is he grieving because he lost someone named Isilla?’  

Losing the chance to see someone you love is unbearably painful. Letty bit her lip, recalling the illustration in [Panda Daughter-in-Law] where her mother sobbed uncontrollably upon realizing Letty had died.  

“This, this is something Letty’s friend gave to Letty.”  

Hoping to ease his sadness even just a little, the child brushed away the black mist that still cloaked the Grand Duke and slowly rummaged through her pocket.  

"They said this drink will wake you up. The effect is supposed to be awesome."

Having unconsciously adopted the fairy’s manner of speech, Letty firmly placed a can containing a blue liquid—resembling a toxic substance—into Grisys’ hand.  

It was such a secretive delivery that anyone watching might have suspected it to be an illicit drug transaction.

Prev _ Next