His Breeding Obsession

Hakan was taken aback and didn’t answer immediately, then forced a wide smile.

 “You’ve found a companion, my lord.” 

His mind raced with panic, but thankfully the words came out well.

 

Grecan has focused on the woman in his arms again.

 

Deciding he could no longer argue with a man who didn’t pay attention to him, Hakan quietly stepped back.

 

‘Could it be her?’

 

The name Grecan had called out tirelessly in his nightly agony.

 

‘Mirania?’

 

It was unlikely, but not impossible, that it was the woman who had died a hundred years ago.

 

With the events of the day burned into his mind, Hakan withdrew completely.

 

Left alone, Grecan stroked Mirania’s hair undisturbed and bathed in the soft sunlight on her exposed skin.

 

A calm peace and extreme happiness. His heart ached again. Grecan’s behavior caught the eye of several servants passing through the flower garden.

 

They kept their mouths shut, but words couldn’t help but leak out as they witnessed him cherish the beautiful, motionless woman.

 

They added to the rumors that had been spreading in secret.

 “The Lord must be in love with a corpse.” “Or a doll.” “Either way, it’s bad, and it’s terrible.”  

It feels like she’s had a very long dream.

 

Opening her eyes slowly, Mirania blinked at the overly bright view.

 

It took her a moment to adjust to the light. Mirania was silent for a moment, then blinked and looked down at herself. Looking at her hands.

 

‘What is this?’

 

It was her body, but it didn’t feel like her own.

 

Trying to figure out why, Mirania decided that it must be because she felt thinner than she remembered.

 

Her hands were skinny, like someone who hadn’t eaten a meal in years.

 

‘Ah, so that’s why.’

 

Refreshed by the mystery solved, she smiled, then clamped her mouth shut. Not exactly her cup of tea.

 

‘Something’s wrong.’

 

She tried again to figure out what was causing this tingling sensation.

 

Closing her eyes, she contemplated her body, and was horrified.

 

‘What could this be?’ 

 

It wasn’t just her frail body that was the problem, it was the low amount of magic in her body that was the ultimate reason.

 

She felt like she had just slept and someone had stolen something from her.

 

The absurdity of it all made Mirania chuckle to herself.

 

Somehow, she thought, she must have made a fool of herself.

 

Perhaps she was dreaming, but all she could see was a blurry image.

 

In frustration, she thought,

‘I’m pretty sure I had a dream, but I can’t remember what it was about.’

 

I was falling from a great height. The sensation of falling was vivid.

 

‘I feel like I’m still falling.’

 

Mirania tried again, this time to figure out why she felt that way.

 

To do so, she searched her memory.

 

The most recent memory was of the time she’d swallowed the red flower elixir Grecan had given her and blacked out. And then the storm…

 

‘That’s right, that’s why!’

 

This strange sensation must have been what it felt like to be caught in a typhoon.

 

It’s not a complete answer, but it’s a satisfying one.

 

‘How is this body still breathing, anyway?’ 

 

Well, breathing was the privilege of being alive.

 

Being alive and not dead. What could possibly be wrong with this life? Did Grecan’s red flower have an effect?

 “Oh, my heavens.” 

Mirania sat up, panicked. Her breathing quickened.

 

‘And that’s what?’

 

Mirania shook her head. This wasn’t her breathing. She blinked in question and finally realized that someone was snuggled up next to her in bed.

 

Turning her head, their eyes met.

 

At first, she didn’t recognize him. She couldn’t connect with the child she knew.

 

The man’s eyes were deeper, more mature, and somehow darker than she remembered.

 

Mirania’s face clouded. And then she spoke.

 

In a slightly uncertain tone,

“Grecan?” 

A deep, heavy sigh escaped him.

 “…Finally.” 

His voice faltered, as if he were trying to hold back emotion. He spoke slowly, as if swallowing words or emotions.

 “You’re awake.” 

His hot breath drifted over her white hand.

 

Mirania looked suspiciously at the man’s large hand, which covered the back of hers at once.

 

The back of his hand was dotted with rough scars she didn’t recognize.

 “Are you hungry?” 

The usual kind of thing to say. But not the words that should come out now. Mirania frowned, her head threatening to explode with questions.

 

The

‘Grecan’

in front of her felt strangely familiar.

 “Where am I?” “…My home.” “Your home? This is not wolf territory.” 

Mirania looked around.

 “It must not be. Where is Malandor? And Leverianz, and Alice. She drank my blood, so she should be well, but we still need to check on her…” “Stop, Mirania.” 

Mirania stopped her frantic rambling.

 

Grecan sighed ruefully and said,

“You don’t have to worry about that.” 

Mirania was puzzled,

‘How can you say that? Isn’t that the most important thing right now?’

 

 

But she couldn’t argue with Grecan, who was frowning as though he truly disliked the idea.

 “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting?” “…” “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for Mirania to open her eyes.” 

Grecan’s black eyes became moist. It looked like he was about to cry, like a weak individual, but ironically, he reeked of masculinity.

 

A vulnerable look that didn’t quite fit. Like a feral beast forcing itself to be weak.

 

Mirania felt a slight familiarity in the look, a kind of estrangement that overshadowed the feeling.

 

Grecan’s full form came into view. The broad shoulders, the massive body.

 

The wolf pup she had raised and fostered until her death had become a full-grown wolf.

 

‘More powerful than Balkan in his prime.’

 

This was to be expected.

 

The question remains,

‘How much time has passed?’

 

It didn’t seem like more than a day or two had passed since her death.

 

Although I was worried about Grecan, who was practically weeping, I had other things on my mind.

 

Mirania wiped her face with her other free hand, trying to regain her composure.

 

Fortunately, she recovered herself quickly.

 “I’m sorry, but I must hear it. What happened?” 

Mirania’s tone was a bit awkward and stiff, unlike her usual one, perhaps due to the way she felt about Grecan.

 

Unaware of her tone, Mirania’s golden eyes calmed.

 “What?” 

Grecan repeated, gently stroking the back of Mirania’s hand.

 

Mirania felt a sense of disparity again, remembering the old Grecan, the one who had fluttered at the young witch’s kisses.

 

‘You seem so foreign to me.’ 

 

Feeling awkward at Grecan’s behavior, which was somehow in keeping with the skillfulness of Leverianz, Mirania quickly withdrew her hand and spoke a step too late.

 “I’m asking why I exist in such a weakened state when I should be dead.” 

Grecan glanced down at his empty hand, then casually took one of hers again.

 

His touch bothered her a little, but the answer was important, so she pushed the small matter aside and focused her gaze on Grecan’s lips.

 “Yes. Nearly ceased to exist. I swear, I thought Mirania was dead, and it was strange that I didn’t die when you weren’t around.” “If it had been any later, I might have died,”

Grecan muttered, his brow deeply furrowed as if it had been a terrible realization.

 

There was an indescribable darkness in his shadowed face.

 

‘The impression is not quite what it used to be.’

 

Mirania’s face darkened.

 

Even compared to his former self, a far more sinister aura loomed over him.

 

Mirania, a peace-loving creature by nature, was instinctively uncomfortable.

 

Quickly sensing her nervousness, Grecan changed his expression and smiled. But the smile, with its long, pink lips parted, did not reassure Mirania at all.

 

It was an awkward smile, like someone who hadn’t smiled in years.

 “Part of me thought there was no way you could disappear like this. I’m glad you aren’t dead.” “…” “I did well, didn’t I? Praise me.” 

Grecan lifted Mirania’s hand and ruffled his hair.

 

Embarrassed, Mirania curled her fingers around his.

 

It felt so out of place, so far back in time. It was just like the old days, back when Grecan spent his time hunting, chasing, and growing bigger.

 

The subtle aura he exuded drained the tension from her body.

 

‘Not a single thing is bothering me anymore.’

 

Still, she had to get a handle on the situation.