The Crazy Killer Whale’s Favourite Penguin

Episode 12: A Glitch in the System (I)

“Suradel. Let’s go back to Weil Street now.”

“Aren’t you going to buy more?”

“I bought enough today.”

I tugged his sleeve, which I was holding, urging him to quickly use movement magic.

“Hurry.”

“…Wait a moment. It seems like something happened all of a sudden.”

‘Are you angry that the pure-blooded humans insulted you?’

When I snuck a glance at him, Suradel’s gaze had already turned to another place.

As I followed his gaze, I saw a black carriage going through the city with unusual momentum. It was a carriage that exuded a luxurious feeling even without much decoration.

The carriage stopped in front of us as if it had business with us.

As if he had guessed who the person inside was from the pattern engraved on the carriage, Suradel slowly opened his mouth, saying,

“You don’t have to be nervous because I know someone, Lia.”

“I’ve never been nervous, but I’ll say thank you for your concern.”

Before long, while we were having a frivolous conversation, someone tall got out of the big carriage.

Black hair as if it had been painted with ink. Bright red eyes reminiscent of blood.

It wasn’t a wolf-like appearance, but the moment I contained him in my eyes, I intuitively felt it.

‘This man is the main character of the novel.’

Actually, the only thing I remembered about the appearance of the male lead in this book was that he had black hair and red eyes.

It was remembered thanks to the illustration on the cover that vaguely came to mind.

But I couldn’t help but be convinced that he was the male lead.

If a man with such an appearance was not the main character, then who else could it be?

If Suradel had the feel of a delicately crafted jewel, that man had a rough, raw appearance.

In addition, from his face to his aura. My heart was full.

Truly the standard ‘Northern Archduke’. An appearance that had no choice but to be the main character!

Right when my mind was being taken away by a man who was presumed to be the male lead.

After getting off the carriage, he walked without hesitation and stopped in front of Suradel.

What’s the relationship between the two? To the extent of stopping and having a conversation while passing by.

Looking at the atmosphere, it didn’t seem very friendly.

After a moment of silence, it was Suradel who spoke first.

“Hello, Theodore. May I help you?”

“I heard that the penguin you chased every day is missing. Is it okay to stay here like this?”

‘…What? Why is the conversation bouncing there again?’

“Didn’t you hear anything else? I’m busy because a new precious person came into my family.”

“A dear one?”

As if the news had not yet spread to other families, Theodore’s brows narrowed.

His eyes turned to me for a moment. But he swiftly looked away and questioned Suradel.

“Who is it?”

He didn’t even think that I was the precious person.

I stared at him with my eyes wide open.

Perhaps Suradel noticed my expression, for a small laugh burst out and he pointed at me politely with both hands.

“This one.”

At Suradel’s explanation, I put my hands on my waist and lifted my head.

‘Yes, that dear one is me!’

Then Theodore’s gaze landed on me again. And he said…

“What’s there to hide? You must know that rumors are going to spread soon anyway.”

This punk.

“Really. Lia is a killer whale demibeast.”

“Ah.”

Theodore gave a brief glance at my hair and then spoke with an expression showing he understood.

“More than that.”

…What, that’s it?

Indeed, like a northern archduke-style male lead, I couldn’t unsee it even if I washed my eyes.

“Suradel. Will you participate in the hunting competition next week?”

“Well, I don’t think I can go because I have a lot of work to do. I came out today because of my mother’s request, but as you said, I need to find the missing penguin lady.”

Hunting competition?

I was so startled that I just covered my mouth, forgetting to evaluate Theodore’s pettiness.

‘…Can’t believe that day is already just around the corner.’

The hunting competition hosted by the great families leading the continent once every five years was a very important chapter in the novel.

That’s because the hunting competition was the day that Anemone, the female lead, and Theodore, the male lead, met for the first time.

It was also the starting point of the first page of the novel.

‘By the way, Anemone must be wandering around looking for me by now…?’

Then there was a very high probability that she would miss this hunting competition.

Anemone’s specialty was recovery magic.

Theodore was fatally wounded in the shoulder in another family’s attack during the hunting competition.

‘That’s when Anemone finds him injured…’

Anemone hated demibeasts like my father, but she had so much sympathy that she couldn’t move past him and treated him.

‘Of course, because of that, Theodore struggled to get close to Anemone, but it’s not important right now, so let’s move on.’

Then, as everyone would expect, Theodore, a wolf demibeast, imprinted on Anemone at first sight.

‘But what will happen to Theodore if Anemone doesn’t attend the hunting contest because she’s looking for me?’

‘Uh, what if he dies?’

My eyes trembled wildly because I couldn’t hide my confused feelings.

The good thing was, Theodore didn’t seem to be interested in me at all.

‘Let’s calm down. Calm down.’

I took a deep breath to calm myself down and interrupted their conversation.

“Theodore, may I ask you a rude question?”

The eyes of the two men facing each other turned to me.

I knew it wasn’t a good question to ask at a first meeting, but I had to ask.

“Are you the type to fall in love quickly?”

‘Since… Anemone is busy, I think someone else should go save him.’

For example, Adelia. Well, me. The penguin who recently succeeded in humanizing.

It seemed out of the blue, but in fact this question was very important.

What if, in the process of saving that wolf, he imprinted on me, not Anemone?

My life was already overwhelmed by a stalker named Suradel. I didn’t want to add more bumps.

Theodore, unable to hear the omitted words, crumpled his forehead as if he was dealing with a crazy person.

Then, he looked at Suradel although I was the one who asked the question, and said,

“Are all killer whales like you? All nuts.”

I scrunch my face up. Even if he wanted to curse, why was he cursing everyone?

‘Ha. Does he think I’m asking this because I want to?’

There was no other grandiose reason why I thought I should go save that foolish wolf punk.

It’s just that I would feel guilty if Theodore died without meeting Anemone.

‘Since I won’t be able to say I’m not responsible for his death.’

Anyway, I had put up with him treating me as invisible all this time, but I couldn’t let this slip by.

“…Take that back.”

I yelled, pointing my finger at Suradel.

“I can tolerate you cursing at him, but I can’t stand the cursing at me and Madam Bella!”

“Since you can’t stand it, can’t you be angry for me as well, Lia?”

“On top of that, I’m treated the same way as a crazy punk like him. It’s too much!”

“Oh, you’re hitting me at the same spot.”

There was a murmur from Souradell, but I didn’t care and continued angrily.

“You’re a land creature who can’t breathe underwater!”

Then Suradel bent down and whispered softly into my ear.

“Lia, killer whales are mammals, so they can’t breathe in the water either.”

Swiftly, I narrowed my eyes and glared at him.

“That’s besides the point. Are you on my side or his side? Just decide now.”

“I’m always on Lia’s side.”

Suradel stretched his back casually and smiled as usual.

Theodore’s eyes were blurry as if he was speechless when he saw us like that.

Then, as if he had decided to just ignore it, he continued the conversation he was originally having with Suradel.

“If you don’t participate in the hunting competition, I’ll take this prize.”

“It’s unfortunate. I’m interested in the item, too. I was going to win for the sake of rarity, so that no one would have it.”

At Suradel’s words, Theodore’s red eyes flickered, as if he was looking at a madman, and eventually, he sighed deeply.

“…I’m glad you can’t participate anyway.”

“Huh, is anyone in the Wolfe family hurt?”

“No, it’s my father’s order. The more insurance, the better.”

“That’s true. Even more so if it’s you wolves, not any other family.”

Theodore’s eyes sank coolly as Suradel raised the corners of his mouth significantly.

“Suradel, I bet you’ve never thought about it. What an unreasonable system imprinting is.”

“Because I’m a killer whale.”

Theodore growled and fiercely spat out words at the relaxed appearance of Suradel that’s as if it had nothing to do with him.

“I’ll take the prize because my father ordered it, but I won’t let the imprint control my life.”

I couldn’t help but admire him for raising the flag right away.

‘As far as I know, you’re the most swayed by imprinting in this worldview…?’