The Childhood Friend of the Villainess in a Romance Fantasy

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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Why is he asking about that?

Does he want one for himself?

Though I seriously considered saying it, I couldn’t bring myself to voice it aloud. While Prince Evan was eventually destined to become a foreigner, the Second Prince was expected to become this country’s crown prince.

“It’s true that it was a pup I was looking after…”

I spoke hesitantly.

Saying I “raised” it would be slightly incorrect. Wolves are not like dogs. If you intend to “raise” a dog in a house, you need to attend to every little detail from start to finish, but wolves cannot be raised in that way.

The pack led by Gray, who regarded me as their alpha, primarily hunted and fended for themselves. While I periodically brought food for them, they did not rely solely on that to survive.

They saw me as their alpha, not their owner, so calling it “raising” would be a misrepresentation.

“I see.”

Prince Allen nodded stiffly, his expression hard.

“Why did you do it?”

“Excuse me?”

He asked an absurdly sudden question.

“I’m asking why you gave such a gift.”

“Um…”

I was at a loss for words, unable to discern the intent behind the question.

Why, you ask.

It simply seemed like a good thing to do at the time.

I had become somewhat close to Prince Evan, who found the wolf pups endearing in their own way, and thought that letting the numbers grow unchecked would cause problems. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give one away.

Even if I wasn’t exactly “raising” the wolf pack, as their alpha, I had a responsibility to manage them.

Moreover, I hadn’t intended to give a wolf solely to Prince Evan—I had also considered giving one to Amelia, though she had declined.

“May I ask if this is about a particular concern?”

Amelia, listening quietly from the side, stepped in to speak on my behalf.

“…My brother has been acting strangely since his visit to Delkis.”

Prince Allen spoke with a surprisingly serious expression.

Though he was about 10 centimeters shorter than Prince Evan, he still stood in the early 170s. His face still had a youthful look, though not as much as ours.

“He not only keeps an absurdly large wolf but seems to have forgotten all the manners he used to uphold. He lets the wolf roam freely, sleeps outside alongside it, strips the ornaments from his expensive clothes, claiming, ‘These serve no functional purpose,’ and…”

…Uh.

Some of those things hit a little close to home for me.

For instance, sleeping outside with wolves—I’d done that before. Not always, but occasionally I nestled among the wolves, buried in their warm fur, and fell asleep, only to sneak back inside late at night and get scolded.

The clothing issue was similar. Fancy outfits were impractical for wandering outdoors, so I had taken to skinning prey caught with the wolves and making clothes out of the hides. Amelia and Prince Evan had both seen me do it.

As for etiquette… well, the people of Delkis weren’t particularly strict about that. In urgent situations, hunters sometimes spoke informally to nobles.

“It’s unlikely that his entire outlook on life changed in just a month. Perhaps he simply gained new insight into himself,” Amelia said calmly.

“What kind of insight could make someone discard everything they’ve been taught?” Allen countered.

While I pondered, Amelia and Prince Allen exchanged heated words.

“Perhaps he wanted to rid himself of unnecessary burdens.”

“In the education of a prince, nothing is unnecessary. Ornate adornments and seemingly outdated customs alike are necessary to display authority as a ruler. My brother abandoned all of that after his visit to Delkis.”

“Are you saying Prince Evan has fallen behind in his studies or swordsmanship since then?”

“…”

Allen fell silent at Amelia’s rebuttal.

“That’s… not the case…”

“If Prince Evan’s attitude has changed, but he continues to diligently study and practice swordsmanship, then it can’t fundamentally be wrong, can it?”

“…”

Allen pressed his lips together in a scowl and glared at Amelia, who met his gaze with her chin slightly raised, exuding confidence.

Impressive. I would have been incredibly uncomfortable in her place. Then again, there was a stark difference in status between a baron’s daughter and the daughter of a grand duke.

“But… No. It’s fundamentally… wrong.”

“If you wish to claim that something is amiss, then you must clearly state what exactly is wrong. Even for a royal, accusing a noble lady—especially one who shares, however faintly, the bloodline of the royal family—requires sufficient justification, wouldn’t you agree?”

Ah, right.

Since Delkis inherited the blood of the grand duchy, their ancestors were technically part of the royal family. Though the bloodline had diluted so much over time that the connection was almost negligible now.

“So, you’re saying neither of you bears any responsibility?”

“Of course,” Amelia declared confidently.

“All we know for certain is that Prince Evan visited Delkis. No one forced him to change. If he has changed, it’s something he decided for himself, beyond our control.”

She paused briefly before continuing.

“Moreover, the unique traditions of the House of Delkis arose because they had to defend against the mysterious barbarians from the north. Not just Delkis, but every noble family in this country has its own traditions, and trying to dismantle those traditions arbitrarily would be overreach by the royal family, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s quite a leap. I’m not trying to disparage Delkis’ ways.”

Thinking back to how he looked at me earlier, it sure felt like he had already formed a disparaging opinion, though.

“By that logic, I only said my brother had changed. I never shifted the blame onto the Lady of Delkis. I merely asked for an explanation.”

Allen sounded exasperated, then turned his gaze back to me.

“So I’ll ask again. Why did you give such a gift to my brother? This time, I want to hear the answer directly from the Lady of Delkis, not Lady Grattanmount.”

As Amelia opened her mouth to defend me again, Allen quickly added to block her.

“…Go ahead.”

It was clear that if I didn’t speak up now, Amelia would just end up bearing the brunt of this.

Before Amelia could respond, I quickly spoke up.

“I simply wished to present Prince Evan with a meaningful gift as he left Delkis. We had formed a bond during our time together, and I wanted to offer him something unforgettable.”

It wasn’t uncommon for visiting royalty to receive gifts of local specialties from a noble’s territory.

And northern wolves were unique to the north.

Besides, I was the only one who could fully control them.

It was, in essence, a regional specialty.

“…So you’re saying you gave him a living wolf? One capable of biting off a human’s head in a single gulp?”

“I believed Prince Evan was capable of handling it. He agreed, and I made sure to inform him of everything he needed to know.”

I had shared all my knowledge about wolves beforehand. Judging by what I’d heard, Prince Evan had adhered to it while raising Lobo.

“You’re aware that my brother was scarred while trying to tame that wolf, aren’t you?”

“And in the end, he succeeded in controlling Lobo.”

This point was non-negotiable.

“That only proves Prince Evan’s skill. I entrusted him with Lobo because I saw his ability in action during battle.”

“My brother? He was only ten years old at the time.”

“And he saved me, a seven-year-old, by wielding a sword himself.”

“…”

“Prince Evan is a courageous man.”

At my firm declaration, Allen fell silent.

“I don’t know what you were doing at the time, but Prince Evan was brave enough to wield a sword and fight in that critical moment. Even from the perspective of someone from Delkis, he’s a remarkable individual.”

“Humph.”

Allen snorted in response to my words.

“Fine. I understand. I won’t waste any more of your time. You may go.”

…That sounded less like an apology and more like, ‘This was a complete waste of time’. It was probably not just my imagination.