Suddenly, a white girl with tiger ears burrowed into my skirts, rubbing her face wildly against me.
Who is she?
Judging by her reaction, she seemed to be a child who knew me, but there hadn't been anyone of an age to be called a child on the list of expected visitors I'd received from Hwaya.
If there had been, she would have stood out as the only child among adults, so there was no way I wouldn't have remembered.
Then just who was this child clinging to my waist, purring like a cat with no intention of letting go?
Flustered by the intense flirting from a child I'd never seen before, my hands hovered awkwardly around the girl.
Beside me, Sohwi let out a chuckle.
And as though to say it was all right, he nodded and raised his hand in a gesture as though petting something.
At Sohwi's signal, my hand—which had been hovering uncertainly—lightly settled on the girl's head and carefully stroked her.
*Purr, purr*
As if my action was the correct answer, the girl let out an even louder sound at my touch, and rather than pulling away, she pressed her head into my hand.
"Hehe."
The girl, who had laughed and rubbed her head against my hand for quite a while, finally seemed satisfied and stopped her sounds. Still clinging to my waist, she raised her head and looked up at me.
"Unnie! I heard you weren't feeling well, so I was worried!"
My flustered expression was clearly reflected in her large, sparkling blue eyes, but the girl seemed happier to see me than she was concerned about my reaction.
It seemed she hadn't noticed anything strange about me.
"How about letting go now?"
"No!"
It seemed Sohwi had been setting up to help me from the side, seeing that I didn't know what to do.
The girl boldly refused without a moment's hesitation.
It was quite a rude action, so I looked around to gauge the atmosphere just in case.
Sohwi and the old man in front of us, as well as the mansion's servants and the other tiger beastkin nearby, paid no heed to the girl's actions.
It wasn't that they were overlooking a child's mistake.
Rather, it was as natural as if her behavior were completely expected.
Having refused Sohwi's words, the girl gripped my skirt even tighter, as if she would never let go.
"Mr. Fox sees Unnie every day. I don't!"
"How troubling. It must be a bit difficult for my Wife, who is still unwell…"
"Huh."
But the moment Sohwi expressed concern for me with exaggerated gestures and tone.
The girl, who had seemed like she would never leave my side, immediately let go of my skirt and stepped out of my embrace.
And just when it seemed the girl might storm off.
She clung to the leg of the old man she'd been greeting just moments ago, looking this way with a worried expression.
"Unnie. I'm sorry."
She seemed completely dejected; her round ears drooped so pitifully.
"Oh my, My Lady. It seems our Harin likes you quite a bit. Please forgive her; she seems to have lost herself after not seeing you for so long."
"Forgive her? I'm happy to see her too."
"Hearing you say that puts this old man's granddaughter at ease."
At my words, Harin, the girl clinging to the old man's leg, brightened instantly, and her drooping ears perked up roundly.
But only for a moment. She glared at Sohwi, puffing out her cheeks and pouting her lips.
She seemed to be complaining in her own way that she could have stayed in my embrace longer if Sohwi hadn't said something unnecessary.
To my eyes, it was nothing but an adorable tantrum. It probably didn't look much different to Sohwi either.
Sohwi also seemed to be barely holding back a laugh beside me at the cute child's behavior...
Why did he meet my eyes?
"Eek."
The way he hurriedly averted his gaze when our eyes met.
Aha. So the cute child he was looking at was on my side?
Here I was, playing the role of hostess like this as a favor to someone, and he was just enjoying the show from the side?
And he had seen me trembling and growing more nervous as the day approached, too.
I felt so indignant that I thought about raising my fist again, but what meaning would there be in throwing a soft punch that would only make a pathetic sound?
Besides, there were many eyes watching, so I should just let it go for now.
"Wife. Why are you stepping away?"
But he was too insufferable to just forgive and let pass.
I had no choice but to show him what maximum resistance looked like.
"Wife?"
I put a step of distance between Sohwi and me, whipped my head around, and didn't answer at all.
I wouldn't give him a proper answer for the entire day.
That's right.
'Hmph. Ryu Sua is sulking. I'm not going to talk to Sohwi!' That was the maximum rebellion I could manage.
The fact that such a thing was my maximum rebellion seemed petty and embarrassing even to me.
What great rebellion could I muster when I was merely living as a tenant in someone else's body?
Even now, I was getting by leeching off the relationship between the two of them, living in comfort.
I should know my place and behave quietly without ruining the relationship between the two people who love each other for no reason.
Of course, it was strange to talk about knowing my place when I had even postponed the wedding. But postponing the marriage wasn't just my personal greed.
It was partly for the sake of the body's owner, too.
It would be unfair for her once-in-a-lifetime wedding with the man she loves to end up being with some nameless bastard who stole her body, wouldn't it?
...
For some reason, I don't feel too good.
"Harina. Would you like to stay with Unnie while the adults have their important conversation?"
"Yes! Yes!"
When I held out my hand with a smile, she quickly came over and grabbed my hand, delighted. She was truly cute.
"Wife, why are you angry?"
I thought I heard some noise from the culprit who had soured my mood beside me... no. I didn't hear anything at all.
"Hwaya. I was thinking of having some refreshments somewhere."
"I will prepare them. Please come this way."
Guided by Hwaya, I left my seat holding the hand of Harin, whom I adored.
As I passed by, Sohwi seemed to have a blank expression.
"Hmph."
What can I do. It's all because of Sohwi.
***
Sua, who seemed to have taken grave offense somewhere, whipped her head around and left.
"Oh my, our Hwasubun is quite angry, I daresay."
"Please do not call another man's wife by such a strange nickname."
"Oh my, this old bag of bones has made a mistake."
The old tiger Hatae, who had formerly held the position of Mountain Lord of Geumin Mountain, answered with a roguish smile.
Seen like this, it was impossible to tell who the fox was; he was as sly as they came.
I didn't like the way he arbitrarily called Sua "our Hwasubun."
"Don't scowl so much. He has prepared what I asked for properly."
"Hoo."
I was the one at a disadvantage, so I had no choice but to hold it in and let it pass.
"But wasn't Harin unable to come because of a cold?"
"Well, you see."
I was quite surprised when that little furball ran into Sua's embrace.
I had clearly been told when receiving the list that attendance would be difficult due to a cold, and they had sent their regrets.
"It seems she stowed away on the carriage in secret."
"Is that all right?"
Harin was a late child who had finally come to the Geumin Mountain Lord and his wife, who hadn't been blessed with children, so they must usually dote on her hand and foot.
With such a precious child, who had caught a cold, gone missing, Geumin Mountain must be in quite an uproar.
"Actually, it was just signs of a cold, nothing serious. It seems my daughter-in-law was worried about the Hobuin, who was unwell, and tried not to send her."
If that was the case, it was a relief, but Geumin Mountain must still be in an uproar.
"I sent a letter via crow this morning, so it will be fine. Hehe."
"It is noon now; they will have a hard time until sunset."
"What can be done? It is the fault of those who let Harin slip away."
Indeed. As he said, it was not my concern.
"But. Does she truly have no memories? To me, she seems exactly the same."
Hatae, who had been furtively glancing around, whispered to me in a small voice.
"I received a letter from you, but I simply couldn't believe it."
"She has no problems with daily life, but she cannot recall common sense or etiquette."
Before their visit, I had briefly explained Sua's condition to Hatae and the Mountain Lord couple, who were acquainted with Sua.
The tigers of Geumin Mountain were favorable toward Sua, and Hatae in particular cherished her.
It would be beneficial to accept any help I could receive.
Though I did not like the reason he cherished her.
"Then her characteristic sharp wits remain intact."
"..."
I truly did not like the reason he cherished her.
"I was joking, so don't glare at me so."
"..."
"I was sorry to you in the past, but this time I truly am joking."
Still, it was for Sua's safety, so I couldn't refuse their help just because I didn't like it.
"So, what did the doting fox do wrong for the Hobuin to be sulking like that?"
"I do not know."
I don't know either.
Up until today, Sua had been worried and anxious every day about the visitors. I had been watching her smile warmly at Harin.
When she caught me watching her enjoy the scene from the side, she was startled and turned her eyes away, then suddenly took a step back.
She wouldn't answer when I spoke, nor would she look this way.
I was rather the one who wanted to ask someone about it.
"It's all because you haven't put her hair up yet. Hurry up and do it."
"...That is absolutely impossible right now."
"In the midst of all this commotion, you act like a bachelor? Ah, but you are a bachelor, aren't you."
Did this old tiger think I was doing this because I disliked someone?
If I were to press our bellies together and seek to spend the night as husband and wife right now, Sua, who had no memories, would be appalled.
"At any rate, it is impossible right now."
"Hehe. My, my."
Then as now.
It was still the same spectacle of having to wait for her to come to me first.
I was still a truly worthless man, but if it was my Sua, I could wait as long as needed.
Moreover, this time it would not take ten years.