Breeding Instinct - Chapter 5: Full Moon II (2)

“And while I’m away, absolutely no guests are to be allowed in.”

Damian always anticipated every possibility and was meticulous in protecting Kanna.

“Of course. I’ll make sure of it.”

Landon was determined to atone for the mistake he had made by letting the Countess of Liffé’s daughter into the mansion last time. After twenty years of serving as the Duke’s butler without error, his recent mistakes weighed heavily on him.

By now, he understood that Kanna hadn’t been brought here on a whim. She held an unusual place in the household—so much so that he felt compelled to apologize for how he had treated her at first. Remembering the late Duke and Duchess, Landon resolved to serve her with the utmost care. He ensured she had no discomfort during meals.

Damian noticed how Landon now stayed closer to Kanna than to himself and smirked subtly. As expected from someone who had served his family for so long, Landon adapted quickly.

After finishing their meal, Damian and Kanna stepped outside for a short walk in the garden. It was spring, and the pleasant weather made Damian decide to extend her allowed area to the garden. However, there was one condition—she could only go out when accompanied by him.

“The flowers smell so nice, Master.”

Knowing her sense of smell was more sensitive than a human’s, Damian glanced at the flowers she was observing before calling Landon.

“Landon, bring these hyacinths to my room.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Hehe…”

Every time Damian showed her such small kindness, Kanna felt her heart flutter and a ticklish sensation from her chest down to her toes. Wearing new shoes today, she wiggled her toes and continued to follow him closely.

After finishing their short walk, the two returned to the entrance of the mansion together.

“You’ve been keeping up with your etiquette and cultural lessons, right?”

“Yes, the teachers even complimented me yesterday.”

“Kanna, you may have started learning late, but you’re very smart. So, have confidence in yourself.”

“…Yes.”

Whenever Damian said things like this, Kanna felt both happy and sad at the same time. She couldn’t help but think that if she had received a proper education earlier, she might have been able to help him instead of being a burden. It made her wonder why her parents had never bothered to educate her. The thought left her heart unsettled.

Damian, who quickly noticed the sadness mingling with her pheromones, gently stroked her scalp with his fingertips. The sorrowful scent of her pheromones tightened and came to a sudden stop, replaced by the tension of nervousness.

“Don’t waste your thoughts on useless things.”

It was as if he could read her mind. Staring up at him blankly, Kanna covered her head with her hands and shyly replied,

“O-okay…”

“Well then, I’m off.”

“Take care, Master.”

Without another word, Damian leaped gracefully onto his horse and rode off with his knights, leaving the mansion behind. Kanna watched until his figure became a small dot on the horizon before turning back toward the mansion with slumped shoulders.

Later, while sitting in her bedroom’s bay window, she passed the time until her etiquette lesson. After the lesson, Kanna returned to her room for lunch. She sat at the table, eating quietly, when she suddenly heard a commotion from far away. The pleasant weather had led her to leave the windows wide open, making it possible to catch the distant sounds.

Among the noise, she recognized a familiar voice. Her hand froze, and she put her spoon down, turning her head toward the window.

“Miss, is something the matter?”

Mari, who was standing nearby, asked with concern, but Kanna didn’t answer. No, it would be more accurate to say she couldn’t. Trying to hide her trembling hands, she rose from her chair.

Climbing onto the bay window, she fixed her gaze on the mansion’s main gate. The carriage outside, caught in a dispute with the gatekeeper, was one she knew all too well.

“Why…?”

She couldn’t understand why they were here now, after having thrown her away so easily. Fear filled her eyes as she stared at the gate.

Just then, a knock came at the door, followed by Landon’s voice.

“Miss, excuse me.”

“Yes, come in.”

Landon entered with a slightly troubled expression and asked politely.

“…The Mecklenburg family has come to visit. Per the master’s orders, the gates are sealed, and we cannot let them in. Is that acceptable to you?”

Normally, this wouldn’t be something to report to Kanna. However, since it was her family, Landon had decided after much deliberation to ask her directly.

Kanna was momentarily speechless. She couldn’t even make such a small decision on her own.

“Master said not to receive any visitors…”

“Yes, but if you wish, I can take you to the front gate by carriage,” Landon said. “Or…”

He hesitated, wondering if he was being too forward. However, he felt it would be better for Kanna to meet her family at least once, even if it was just to part ways properly. Ultimately, it was Kanna’s decision to make, so he continued,

“If you refuse, I will make sure they never come back.”

Reassured by Landon’s firm words, Kanna hesitated before gazing out the window. Her keen hearing caught snippets of conversation, though not clearly. Her father’s excessive remarks reached her ears, which made her expression harden as she came to a decision.

“Since Master gave a strict order, they must not be allowed inside the mansion. However, I think it’s fine to go to the front gate as you suggested. I don’t want to cause more trouble.”

“Please don’t think of it as causing trouble. If that’s what you want, I’ll prepare the carriage right away.”

“…All right.”

Though Kanna knew this wasn’t an ordinary carriage ride, the thought of riding in a carriage alone without Damian scared her. Remembering the bottle of perfume Damian had given her a few days earlier, she sprayed it lightly on her dress. The subtle scent, similar to his pheromones, helped calm her nerves.

After Mari helped her tidy up, Kanna descended the stairs and stepped into the waiting carriage. Taking a deep breath, she told the coachman to depart. Just then, Landon joined her inside.

“Excuse me, miss. If you don’t mind, may I accompany you?”

“…Having you with me makes me feel more at ease.”

“You flatter me.”

With Landon sitting across from her, Kanna felt her tension ease slightly.

During her time at the Duke’s mansion, she had thought a lot about her family.

Why had her brother sold her? Why hadn’t her mother or sister stopped him? And why hadn’t her father, who must have known the truth, come to find her? Even now, Kanna couldn’t understand why they were only seeking her out now.

Although her anxiety had lessened a little, her face was still pale. Noticing this, Landon spoke in a calm, low voice.

“This is the Duke of Royce’s estate, miss. No matter what happens, there are many here who will protect you.”

“…Thank you.”

“So, do whatever you wish to do.”

“Yes. I’d really like to.”

Kanna had two reasons for going to the front gate. One was that she didn’t want to trouble Damian further. The other was that she had questions for her family.

She wanted to ask them—did you ever truly think of me as family?

She wanted to tell them that Damian, who had once been no more than a stranger, now felt far more like family to her than they ever had.

As they neared the main gate, her parents’ voices became clearer. In between, she also heard the voices of her brother and sister. Kanna’s face grew tense as the carriage came to a stop near the gate. With Landon’s assistance, she stepped down.

When Kanna approached, still separated from them by the tightly closed iron gate, her family hurriedly got out of their carriage.

“Kanna von Mecklenburg! What kind of insolent behavior is this?”

Nils, thinking the gate would soon be opened for him, initially brightened. But when he saw it remained firmly shut, he shouted through the bars at the top of his lungs. Seeing his daughter standing behind the gate like it was a shield amused him. She had always been easily frightened by a mere raise of his hand.

“Did you not learn your lesson yet? Open this gate at once!”

Nils raised his voice even more. Knowing he couldn’t throw his weight around in the Duke’s household, he turned his focus on Kanna. After all, she had always been a timid child who burst into tears whenever he glared at her.

Paula thought the same. With a scornful expression, she scolded Kanna.

“When your father speaks to you, how dare you not respond? Did I raise you to behave like this?”

Just then, Lily leaned toward her mother and whispered.

“Mother, look at her dress—it’s got jewels on it. And, oh my, she’s wearing a necklace too! What’s the carat weight on that?”

It was a necklace Damian had given Kanna just the day before, crafted from the finest blue sapphire discovered at a newly opened mine. He had handed it to her nonchalantly, saying, “It’s not as beautiful as your eyes, but it’s a decent resemblance. Wear it.”

Lily’s gaze fixated on the pendant as if she intended to snatch it. Then, in a sweet, honeyed tone, she spoke in the way that always made Kanna comply.

“Kanna, that necklace is so pretty. Don’t you think it’d look even better on me?”

“Ugh, she still can’t even speak properly, can she?”

Philip, who had been standing indifferently in the back, snapped with irritation. Kanna stood silently, blushing, while her family’s raised voices echoed in front of the gate.

Their presence felt so unfamiliar, almost surreal. Fear crept into her chest, but then she noticed Landon standing right beside her. The knights had also quietly gathered around her.

They were all Damian’s people. His people, his property, his home—this was her safe space. As long as she stayed inside the gate, she would be protected.

Her trembling body began to calm, and with a composed expression, Kanna finally spoke to her family.

“If you continue like this, you’ll be disturbing the Duke of Royce. Please leave.”

“What?”

“What did she just say?”

“Oh my, has she lost her mind?”

“Hey, what did you just say, you little—!”

The Mecklenburg family couldn’t believe their ears. Nils, unable to suppress his temper, pounded on the gate and roared in fury.

“You insolent girl! Have you not been beaten enough? Get over here!”

Bang! Bang! The sound of his fist slamming against the gate was vicious. Seeing Kanna’s frightened face, Nils’s expression brightened with satisfaction.

“Open the gate right now, Kanna. I don’t recall raising a child who would leave her parents standing outside like this.”

At his words, Landon’s expression turned cold, and the captain of the knights, Hermann, let out a dry chuckle.

In that moment, Hermann understood why his master had left him here.

A brief silence settled before Kanna, her voice trembling yet firm, asked,

“You call yourselves my parents—then why did you abandon me?”

“…What?”