《At the Northern Fort》 Volume 2 - CH 1 A verdant and dazzling May. Snowlea Mountain was covered in pure white as always, but on the plains, the snow had melted and a late spring had arrived around the Northern Fort. A little over three years have passed since I reincarnated into this world as a snow spirit. I¡¯m finally 3 years old. When I first arrived at the Northern Fort, I was 1 year old, and I first became able to transform into human form when I hit the age of two. If I had to say how much I¡¯ve grown since then, I honestly feel like¡­¡­I haven¡¯t grown at all internally. And my outer appearance has hardly changed as well. Normal dogs and cats would have indisputably hit adulthood by the time they were three years old. However, my fox form was still as round as usual, with a large head, short legs ¨C visibly still in its infancy. I couldn¡¯t accept it at all. Even though I want to be more elegant-looking like Mother! And speaking of the elegant and beautiful fox that Mother was¡ª¡ªthat is, the Snow Spirit Snowlea- ¡°Milfiria, it is about time that you wake up.¡± Today as well, she kindly woke me up as I slept in the cave that was our nest. I don¡¯t wanna get up yet~, lemme laze around for a bit more~ -I murmured in my heart as I turned over, making snorting noises with my nose. Using my voice to speak with human words was a pain, so I responded with my nose. However, while Mother often indulged me, she was strict when it came to my education, and thus she rolled me over with the tip of her nose as she spoke. ¡°Come, today let us go do some special tree climbing training.¡± ¡°Huh? ¡­¡­tree climbing?¡± After licking away my dripping drool, I absentmindedly gazed at Mother with sleepy eyes. ¡°Children must be raised to be tough and strong!¡± -was Mother¡¯s motto. While she hadn¡¯t done anything like dropping me from a cliff, at times she would, like this, suddenly start some hard-to-understand special training sessions. On the other hand, I didn¡¯t at all feel that I wanted to become strong, so I very reluctantly took part in her training. Since I had been reborn as a spirit with a vixen form after all, I wanted to live more leisurely. I want to live by pouring all my efforts into sleeping, eating, and playing. ¡°Stand, Milfiria. Let us go.¡± While I tried to hold onto the ground for dear life, Mother softly bit the nape of my neck and started to try to bring me outside. I cried out in protest, ¡®kyun kyun¡¯, desperately digging my nails into the ground, but I was tragically dragged along. ¡°Mother, I feel like the wind is a bit strong today! Climbing trees in this weather would be dangerous!¡± Just as we exited the cave, a wind blew, so I took the opportunity to request the suspension of the training. However, Mother just said, ¡°What a hopeless child¡±, and didn¡¯t show any signs of stopping her legs. How horrible. I felt like a criminal being brought to the execution grounds. Just why does a snow spirit need to become capable of climbing trees? It¡¯s not like I¡¯d be particularly inconvenienced if I wasn¡¯t able to do it for the rest of my life. It¡¯s not like I have any business being at the top of a tree. While I wanted to make that complaint, it would probably just end with Mother scolding me by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t whine¡±, so- ¡°Woof, woof¡­¡­!¡± I cried in an incredibly small voice, weakly showing my rebellious attitude. Mother ignored me. When I continued to woof persistently, Mother stopped walking and placed me on top of the snow. ¡°Doing such training is for your sake. I cannot help but be worried for you. You are so small and adorable, so weak, that I am unsure if you will be able to survive on your own in the future when you need to part from your parents¡­¡­¡± Mother said as tears started to faintly accumulate within her eyes. No no, even if you worry about when I¡¯ll have to leave the nest, I feel like that¡¯s still tens of years off into the future. And at that time, I¡¯ll have properly grown up, so it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be small forever. I¡¯m happy at being so loved by Mother, but as usual she was a worrywart. ¡ª¡ªit was the moment when I had such a thought that- A conspicuously strong wind blew, dropping a light brown paper before us. Mother looked at it doubtfully as she transformed into her human form. As a spirit with silver hair and skin that was as white as snow, she was a beauty that drew one¡¯s eyes, even though she was my mother. While it was just a single piece of paper that had fallen before us, Mother did not take it as garbage, instead showing a cautious demeanor towards it. Considering how this was the top of a snowy mountain without a single soul on it, I could understand her feelings of caution from finding something like this flying all the way here. It was a relatively thick piece of paper, and even if the wind was blowing it around, the chances of it arriving all the way to the mountain¡¯s summit seemed unlikely. Mother picked up the fallen paper from atop the snow and looked at its surface. While I couldn¡¯t see it because of my short height, it seemed that something was written on it. As her eyes scanned across the words, a furrow appeared on Mother¡¯s brow as she tore the paper apart and threw it away. ¡°Mother? W-What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, confused as I looked back and forth between the fluttering pieces of paper being carried away by the wind and Mother. ¡°Was something¡­written on it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Mother glared at the sky as she responded in a low voice. This definitely wasn¡¯t just ¡®nothing¡¯. Could it be that paper was a letter that someone purposely sent flying to Mother? But, just who could it be? A human wouldn¡¯t be able to do something like that. ¡°Hey, what did it say? Are you okay?¡± I grew concerned, thinking that something hurtful was written on it. As I restlessly paced on the snow while looking up at Mother, she looked down at me and made a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s alright, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± However, right after she said that, she let out a deep sigh. ¡°My goodness, nothing good ever comes of being involved with Hilg.¡± Hilg was the name of the fire spirit who was Kugalg¡¯s father. He said, ¡°Calling me [Fire Spirit-san] is too formal¡±, and thus told me his name, so lately I¡¯ve also been calling him Hilg-papa. Could the letter just now possibly be a love letter from Hilg-papa? While he didn¡¯t possess the feelings of ¡®love¡¯ that a human might have, it did seem as though Hilg-papa liked Mother. He didn¡¯t come as often as Kugalg did, but during the summer he would sometimes come here to play as well. The combination of summer and a fire spirit was the worst sort of match-up for a snow spirit, so Mother always bluntly turned him away though. [Summer itself is already hot. If I had to add your overbearing heat on top of that, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it! Why do you always come in the summertime!?] [Winter on Snowlea Mountain is too cold so I don¡¯t feel like coming then! Sorry!] [Why must you apologise to me!? I didn¡¯t say that I wanted you to come visit anyways!] [I thought that you were lonely!] [Don¡¯t be stupid!] I feel like a similar exchange occurred during last year¡¯s summer. Mother generally got angry whenever she spoke with Hilg-papa. Hilg-papa¡¯s voice is loud, and Mother ends up shouting when she¡¯s angry, so it becomes incredibly noisy when they are together. After sending Hilg-papa back, Mother always ends up panting from the exertion and has to spend some time catching her breath. The other side doesn¡¯t seem to think that their compatibility is all that bad, and his attitude never changes, despite the fact that Mother rejects him every time. If he were to stay nearby for a long period of time, the ones to grow weak would be us, so I don¡¯t think it can really be helped. On that point, I was relieved that Kugalg was still young. Since he isn¡¯t fully grown as a spirit, he didn¡¯t produce the same degree of heat that Fire Spirit-san does. And perhaps because he was often with me, it feels like he¡¯s become more capable of controlling his powers compared to Fire Spirit-san. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s been doing it consciously or unconsciously, but he seems to be properly keeping the amount of heat he emits in check. Kugalg¡¯s actually a pretty considerate child. Volume 2 - CH 2 ¡°Say Mother, about Kugalg and Hilg-papa¡­¡­¡± I called out to Mother, who was carrying me down the mountain. The area around the summit of the mountain only had snow, so she was probably planning on going to a place where there were trees growing. Unfortunately, it seemed like the tree climbing training would be continuing. ¡°He isn¡¯t your father, you know.¡± ¡°I know. By ¡®papa¡¯, I mean that he¡¯s Kugalg¡¯s papa.¡± Mother did not seem happy at me saying ¡®Hilg-papa¡¯. A deep furrow appeared on her brow. ¡°So, about Kugalg and them, they live in the south part of this country, right?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Kugalg and his father lived in the same country of Aridola as us, but their nest was on a volcano in the southern regions. In order to meet up with Kugalg, and out of fearful curiosity, I had used the transfer technique to fly down there previously twice before. I remember being relieved that it wasn¡¯t a burning hell with magma constantly flowing out of it. That was because, while that volcano was apparently an active one that had erupted over 400 years ago, currently it was calm and didn¡¯t show any signs of eruption. If you went down its slope from the top of the crater, there was plentiful vegetation, with the green forest that Kugalg and his father lived in spreading out underneath it. Actually, it seems that originally Fire Spirit-san lived in a southern country where the sun blazed down brightly all-year round. It was only within the past 150 years that he had moved to this country. However, the country of Aridola had a rather temperate climate, with an exception for the region surrounding Snowlea Mountain in the north. While it did become fairly hot in the summer, compared to the southern country it was considerably easier to live in. [Why did you come to this country when it isn¡¯t that hot?] When I went to Kugalg and his father¡¯s nest to play, I asked that of Hilg-papa. That was because I thought that the southern country¡¯s climate would better suit a fire spirit. However, he showed me his white teeth as he cheerfully smiled and expressed his reason. [I came to chase after Snowlea. I figured it¡¯d be better to live nearby if we were gonna make kids together!] It seems that the truth was that he intended on living closer to Snowlea Mountain, but that was firmly refused by Mother at the same time she declined to create a child with him. Then, he took up residence a bit further away to the southern tip of the country, right at the limit of where Mother would permit him to stay. Considering that he decided to stay in Aridola despite having his request to make a child refused, I felt that Hilg-papa really did have some feelings for Mother. It¡¯s just that from what I could see, his feelings were far more straightforward. They weren¡¯t as sensitive and troublesome compared to a human¡¯s. That is why he was able to pair with someone other than Mother, giving birth to Kugalg, while also not holding any complicated feelings to me, who could be seen as the child of his rival in love. Things like this really made me feel that he acted very much like a spirit who had lived for a long time. Currently, the spirits that I knew consisted only of Mother, Father, and Hilg-papa. When you arranged them according to age, Mother was 289 years old (approximately, according to her own account), Fire Spirit-san was around 400 years old, and Father was around 1100 years old. As expected, the longer they lived for, the more magnanimous their personality became. Father had gone beyond merely being broad-minded and hardly had any emotional fluctuations. Even when I was loud and hyper, he never got angry at me. It¡¯s just that when I got too boisterous when he was in his serpentine form, he would silently stow me away inside his mouth. Every time he did that, part of me was worried that he¡¯d swallow me whole, which made my heart pitter-patter anxiously, so I¡¯d like him to stop doing that. ¡°Was the letter just now from Hilg-papa?¡± I¡¯d hate to have to go tree climbing like this, so I have to somehow distract Mother from the special training so that she¡¯d forget about it. Let¡¯s have a girl¡¯s talk together! However, Mother continued to make a grave expression, and did not appear as though she was up for some girl¡¯s talk. ¡°You do not need to concern yourself over it.¡± Even though the corners of Mother¡¯s eyes were always slanted a bit upwards, right now they were raised even further and she looked incredibly displeased. Does she really hate Hilg-papa that much? While it was true that he didn¡¯t have an ounce of tact and was pretty overbearing, he was a good person. And, just as I was thinking that, we arrived at the coniferous forest. ¡°There, try climbing this one.¡± Mother placed me down in front of a single tree and said that. Even as I thought to myself that I wanted to go home and sleep, for the time being I made an attempt. However, it was a hard struggle, as I couldn¡¯t get a good hold onto the bark with my claws. Standing up with my front paws placed against the trunk, I tried jumping upwards with my hind legs, but I couldn¡¯t figure out how to get any higher. After making a number of attempts, I pitifully looked up at Mother. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m not a cat¡­¡­¡± ¡°What are you saying. Wild foxes climb trees to rest on too. Alright, watch your mother do it.¡± Saying that, Mother returned to her vixen form and selected a considerably thick tree. She then ran up to the tree and used her momentum to jump up onto it. After climbing onto a branch that was at a considerably high position, she glanced down at me, and then came back to the ground lightly before the branch broke. ¡°Wow! Mother¡¯s amazing!¡± Even though she was larger than a normal fox, she easily managed to climb straight up a tree. Impressed, I excitedly raised my voice. Mother made a slightly proud expression. ¡°Now then, next is your turn.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± My excitement instantly cooled. After that, I worked diligently at tree-climbing as Mother used her nose to push my butt. ¡°You must properly put some strength into your hind legs!¡± ¡°Yesssh!¡± After growing completely exhausted from my tree climbing training in the morning, I headed to the fort like usual. After telling Mother, ¡°I¡¯m off!¡± I used the transfer technique to move from our mountain nest to the One-Eyed Knight. Lately, I¡¯ve been able to succeed one out of every five times when I used Branch Captain-san or Tina-san as my landmark, but I haven¡¯t managed to succeed with Kix, not even once. It was probably because having the strong feeling of ¡®I want to go to where that person is!¡¯ was important to use the technique. I brought the appearance of the One-Eyed Knight up in my mind, and then imagined myself flying to him. When I did that, my body transformed into a small blizzard vortex, and disappeared. I was a bit scared of the feeling of my body disappearing when I used this technique, and no matter how many times I used it, I still couldn¡¯t quite get used to it. But that feeling would only last for a blink of an eye, and the next time I opened my eyes, I would have arrived where the One-Eyed Knight was¡­¡­is what I thought, but for some reason I arrived in a dark and narrow space. Immediately before my eyes was a wooden wall, and the ceiling was also incredibly low. Where is this place!? What¡¯s with this place!? -I panicked and began to violently scratch at the wall before me with my forepaws. In my heart, I called for the One-Eyed Knight, and when I cried out, ¡°Kyan kyan!¡±¡ª¡ª ¡°Mil?¡± I suddenly heard the voice of my saviour from behind me, and promptly whirled around. The One-Eyed Knight was bending his upper body, peeking into the place where I was while sitting in his chair. Huh? Could it be that this was the inside of the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s desk in his office? I was embarrassed at having fallen into a panic without checking what was behind me. I quietly withdrew my paws that had been scratching at the inside of the desk. ¡°What are you doing in a place like that? If you came, then you should¡¯ve just come out, you know.¡± Grabbing me by the nape of my neck, the One-Eyed Knight placed me on his lap. It looks like he didn¡¯t realise that I frightened myself into a frenzy. Thank goodness. My transfer technique wasn¡¯t very precise, so I flew in an arbitrary manner, setting it so that I would ¡®arrive in an area within a 10-metre radius of the One-Eyed Knight¡¯. Thus, sometimes I would arrive in an unexpected place like this. Previously, when I transferred over as the One-Eyed Knight was on his way back from patrolling by horse, I appeared not on top of the horse, nor on the ground in front of it, but on the ground behind him. Because of that, the One-Eyed Knight didn¡¯t notice me and I was left behind. It was a memory of me crying loudly while desperately chasing after him. ¡°I¡¯ll be done in a bit.¡± The One-Eyed Knight plopped one hand on my head, and then set about continuing his work. He was filling out some documents on the desk, but I didn¡¯t at all understand the contents. One day I wanted to be capable of reading and writing, so I probably should start studying ahead of time. Thinking that, I used my eyes to follow the letters that the One-Eyed Knight was writing. But it was awfully boring. While I was in the middle of watching, I noticed that it was easier to rest my chin on the desk, and I lazily observed the movements of the pen. I wonder what¡¯s for lunch today¡­¡­ Volume 2 - CH 3 Just as I was nodding off, the One-Eyed Knight called out to me saying, ¡°I¡¯m done¡±. If he¡¯s done work, that meant he was going off for his lunch break, meaning it was time for my one meal of the day. When I was living at this fort, I received meals in the morning and evening. Now, because I would come to play in the afternoon, they used that time to feed me. Opening my eyes wide, I jumped down to the floor from the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s lap. Even though I wanted to go to the dining hall immediately, the One-Eyed Knight kept organising the documents on his desk and wouldn¡¯t leave the room, so I restlessly paced around his legs as I waited. Hurry, hurry up! Apparently when I was in this kind of state, I get a bit too impatient and end up doing things like crashing into doors that hadn¡¯t been opened yet, or colliding with people around the corners of the hall. As he was well aware of that, the One-Eyed Knight seized me and picked me up before leaving the room. I¡¯ve learned that if it was Tina-san, I can somehow manage to escape her arms, but the One-Eyed Knight has learned how to prevent me from running away. Thus, I gave up on trying to run off on my own and stayed in his arms obediently. I was so excited for the food that I licked my nose several times. However, even though my belly was all empty, it seems that we weren¡¯t heading directly for the dining hall. Just as we were about to exit the office, Kix vigorously opened the door without knocking and barged into the room. His golden hair was faintly dishevelled, and the instant he saw the One-Eyed Knight, he screamed. ¡°Vice Captain! Is it true that the Branch Captain is going to quit the Knight¡¯s Order¡­¡­!¡± For a moment, I was unable to understand his abrupt words. However, as Kix¡¯s voice sounded so serious that it couldn¡¯t possibly be interpreted as a joke sunk into my head, I also looked up at the One-Eyed Knight and voiced my concern. ¡°Quit? Bwanch Captain-san is!?¡± As the One-Eyed Knight directed a reproachful gaze towards him, Kix finally realised that I was also in the room. He let out a momentary, ¡°Ah¡± and then quickly grew defiant. ¡°But, Mil¡¯s also worried right? You wouldn¡¯t like it if Branch Captain disappeared, right?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t.¡± I answered loudly. ¡°Why has it come to this?¡± To think that Branch Captain-san would quit. It looked like he felt that his job was worthwhile, but maybe things were actually different. Becoming a branch captain might¡¯ve been terribly stressful from all the responsibilities hoisted upon him. Wait a sec? Goodness, how could I have not realised that until now? I¡¯ve barged into Branch Captain-san¡¯s office during his precious rest time, forcing him to single-mindedly throw a ball for me before. Because Branch Captain-san was the best ball-thrower. The One-Eyed Knight sends it flying too far. Playing with a ball is fun for me, but thinking about it, it probably isn¡¯t that fun for the person who has to keep throwing it. It was probably tough for him to spend his break time accompanying me to endlessly continue repeating the simple action of throwing a ball. It might¡¯ve made him stressed. What should I do¡­¡­as I reflected upon myself, the One-Eyed Knight let out a sigh and said this to Kix. ¡°Who has been spreading such ¡®misinformation¡¯?¡± ¡°Misinformation? Are you saying it¡¯s not true?¡± I turned my head and looked at the One-Eyed Knight. Kix also appeared slightly confused. ¡°But, the one who said he heard Branch Captain and Vice Captain having that conversation was Jeld¡­¡­.¡± After learning that the information leak came from himself, the One-Eyed Knight scowled. But, he made this assertion. ¡°The Branch Captain will not be quitting. Jeld misheard it.¡± What, so it was just a misunderstanding! -I felt relieved, but then- ¡°Really?¡± Kix questioned doubtfully. The One-Eyed Knight raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really.¡± ¡°But Jeld really did hear the Branch Captain saying something about quitting or not quitting¡ª¡ª-ah, I got it!¡± Kix then struck the side of his fist against the palm of his other hand. ¡°Does it mean that he won¡¯t be quitting the Knight¡¯s Order, but will be quitting as the Branch Captain of this fort?¡± My eyes widened with realisation. Kix¡¯s intuition for these kinds of things is pretty sharp. Whenever I sneak a bite at the dining hall or sleep on top of the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s jacket and end up crumpling it and covering it with drool ¨C basically, when it comes to things that the person in question would want to hide, he¡¯d be the first to notice. I¡¯m sure his guess this time was also on point. ¡°Bwanch Captain-san is going to disappear from here?¡± The One-Eyed Knight looked down at me and made a troubled expression. He hesitated a little before beginning his explanation. ¡°There have just been some talks about him returning to the main unit in the Capital, but nothing official has been decided as of yet. The person in question wants to continue his duties here, so he won¡¯t be disappearing.¡± He stroked my head as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡±. It seemed that the One-Eyed Knight didn¡¯t want to speak too much in detail regarding the matter, but Kix pressed him further. ¡°Jeld said that when the two of you were talking, the name of the Capital¡¯s Captain Sarrell came up. Does it have to do with him?¡± ¡°I do believe we spoke about that in the Branch Captain¡¯s office. It seems that Jeld was eavesdropping with his ear against the door.¡± Seeing the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s right eye glint sharply, Kix flusteredly tried to defend Jeld-san. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. If I had caught ear of a conversation like that, I would even end up pressing myself up against the door. Isn¡¯t it just ¡®cause we all love and respect the Branch Captain so much?¡± Jeld-san was one of the young knights that Kix often talked with. Apparently when the two of them were still fresh recruits in the Capital, they were the same unit. ¡°If I recall correctly, at the Capital you were under Captain Sarrell¡¯s 1st Squad?¡± The One-Eyed Knight asked Kix- ¡°Only when I had just entered the Knight¡¯s Order. But as soon as Jeld and I showed a slightly defiant attitude, they sent us over here. He probably doesn¡¯t remember me at all. Though I clearly remember him as an unpleasant superior.¡± Kix made a bitter expression as he responded. ¡°Did Captain Sarrell¡¯s name come out because he¡¯s been hoping to be assigned to this fort? In the past, it¡¯d be impossible for that person to want to voluntarily come to a remote region like this, but if it¡¯s the current 9th Branch, then Captain Sarrell will also probably be interested as well¡­¡­¡± Kix then glanced at me as he continued. ¡°Ah, I see! So there¡¯s been discussions about having Captain Sarrell come here in exchange for the Branch Captain returning to the Capital.¡± The One-Eyed Knight made a complicated expression as he listened to Kix¡¯s monologue. His expression seemed to ask why Kix¡¯s brain was so sharp at times like these. Apparently, Kix had drawn the right conclusion. On the other hand, I dug as far as I could into my memories. Previously, I had them teach me about the main branch that was located in the Capital. Putting aside important information such as, [If I play in the mud, I will be forced to go into the bath] or, [There is a stock of jerky in the dining hall kitchen¡¯s shelves], I dragged out my knowledge of the Knight¡¯s Order. While the main branch in the Capital also had several squads, similar to the 9th Branch here, the scale was different, with each squad being composed of a larger number of people. A single squad in the Capital had about the same number of people as the number of members that made up the 9th Branch itself. In terms of rank, a captain in the Capital would be at the same rank as a branch captain in the remote regions. The Captain Sarrell of the 1st Squad that Kix and the One-Eyed Knight were talking about was one of the captains from the main branch. He was a considerable big-wig. And it seems that he wanted to become the Branch Captain of the Northern Fort. Being assigned to the Northern Fort, which was situated in a remote region that had harsh environmental conditions, should be like being demoted, but for some reason this Captain Sarrell-san wanted to come here. I wonder if he¡¯s an ambitious and strong person like Branch Captain-san or Tina-san, who came here to improve themselves. But, Kix showed too much of a dislike for him if he was actually a person like that. ¡°I dunno if I should say he¡¯s sharp-sighted or just ambitious. That person really hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡± The One-Eyed Knight agreed with Kix¡¯s scathing words without showing any signs of rebuttal as he responded. ¡°In any case, at the present time there isn¡¯t anything I can tell you guys. Nothing has been decided yet after all. Absolutely do not let this leak to the others. Tell Jeld that as well.¡± And then, I went with the One-Eyed Knight and Kix to the dining hall, but I was so worried about Branch Captain-san that I couldn¡¯t really taste the meal. Volume 2 - CH 4 ¡°Hey hey, Kix.¡± Just around the time I finished my meal, the One-Eyed Knight was called away from his seat by the dining hall¡¯s oji-san*, so I quietly approached Kix. In the dining hall, there were knights loitering about here and there, with some people having a light meal and others relaxing with their friends and having a cup of tea. Everyone here eats proper meals in the morning and evening, so they wouldn¡¯t eat in the afternoon unless they were hungry. Kix nibbled at a smallish-sized green apple as he took me from his feet and placed me on top of the table. While no one would get mad at me from being on the table, being a former human, I felt like standing on the table was a bad thing, which made me restless. ¡°What is it, Mil? You want an apple?¡± Kix said that and held out the apple he had bit into. I don¡¯t need Kix¡¯s leftovers! -is what I thought to myself, but I still couldn¡¯t help bringing my nose close to it and confirming its scent. Even though I already know the scent of an apple. However, this apple seemed to be more sour than the Japanese apples that I remember. The sour scent made my nose scrunch. Rather than associating sour scents with citrus fruits, my nose seemed to associate sour things with dangerous, rotting things. Thus, the apple in front of me didn¡¯t stir my appetite at all. I like sweet fruits more. ¡°I don¡¯t want it. More importantly¡­¡­¡± Avoiding the presented apple, I extended my neck and whispered into Kix¡¯s ear. ¡°What kind of person is Capu-tain Sarrell?¡± If that person is going to be the new head of this fort, then I want to know what kind of person he is beforehand. Of course, I don¡¯t want Branch Captain-san to go back to the Capital, so it would be best if he stays here at the Northern Fort without anything changing. Kix¡¯s face warped as he answered. ¡°He¡¯s a fussy and annoying guy that wears round glasses and has his hair parted to the side*.¡± What? Round glasses and a side part paints a pretty delightful image of him, but he¡¯s an annoying guy, huh. ¡°It¡¯d be the worst if a guy like that comes here. He¡¯s a clean freak, so he¡¯ll definitely start by making us clean everything everywhere. If you¡¯re even the slightest bit sloppy in appearance, he¡¯ll immediately start keeping an eye on you, and you¡¯ll even be glared at if you have a bit of bed head.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± I did feel that the knights at this fort were a bit more uncouth compared to the knights at the castle in the Capital. It is a good thing to maintain their hygiene, and it was a good thing for everyone to pay a bit more attention to their appearances. ¡°It ain¡¯t good. There¡¯s a rumour that Captain Sarrell got his position of captain in the main branch by putting pressure on the Knight¡¯s Order using his connections. He¡¯s from a ducal house. Though right now his brother¡¯s the one inheriting it. Branch Captain Cromwell is also from a ducal house, so position-wise he¡¯s pretty similar to Captain Sarrell, but his character is different. Branch Captain has worked hard to grow stronger, but Captain Sarrell¡¯s strength doesn¡¯t amount to much at all. It¡¯s at the point where it¡¯s doubtful whether or not he can actually hold a sword. Like we could leave this fort to a guy like that.¡± It is true that a person whose actual abilities don¡¯t match their rank due to their noble peerage won¡¯t be able to overcome the harsh winters of this land. There¡¯s also a concern of whether or not he¡¯d be able to unify the rowdy knights that were at this fort. While Branch Captain-san was certainly looked down on initially by the knights of this fort, it was because he had actual strength himself that he was recognised by them. ¡°I dunno if I should call them hangers-on, but he drags around a bunch of close subordinates with him, and I don¡¯t really like that part of him either.¡± ¡°Is that because you were sent off to this fort not long after entering the Knight¡¯s Order, Kix?¡± When I asked that, Kix looked as though I had hit the nail on the head. ¡°Well, there is that¡­¡­right now, I am grateful for having come to this fort, but at the time I resented the absurdity of it all, and felt that he gave Jeld and I such a heavy punishment because he didn¡¯t like us personally. Well, a spirit might not be able to understand, but there are various factors that can make humans agreeable or disagreeable with each other. And I¡¯m sure that Captain Sarrell¡¯s the type of person that doesn¡¯t agree with me.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Based on what I¡¯ve heard, it didn¡¯t feel like he¡¯d be the sort of person that wouldn¡¯t work with me. He seems to be a clean-freak, so I wonder if he¡¯d be alright with an existence like me that constantly scatters fur all over the place? I¡¯ve walked on the carpet in the Branch Captain¡¯s office with muddy paws, and there¡¯ve been times when I¡¯ve secretly wiped the mud off my paws using it. I wonder if he¡¯d still be okay with that? ¡°Besides, the reason why that guy wants to come here is¡­¡­undoubtedly because he¡¯s targeting you, Mil. Have a bit more of a sense of crisis, will ya?¡± ¡°Eh, me?¡± I thought for a few seconds and then paled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡­he¡¯s targeting my fur?¡± ¡°That ain¡¯t it. It¡¯s not that he wants the fox you. He¡¯s targeting the spirit you, and Snowlea. He¡¯s probably calculated that if he comes here, he¡¯ll be able to make connections with spirits.¡± It is true that because spirits are such special existences, depending on the circumstances, having connections with them may be even more beneficial than having connections to royalty. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know about this, but compared to before, Branch Captain Cromwell¡¯s standing in the Knight¡¯s Order has increased. It¡¯s because he¡¯s liked by a spirit like you, Mil.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re liked by me, then what will happen?¡± ¡°When it comes down to it, the chances of Snowlea cooperating with the country will probably be even higher than now. Though it¡¯s not like the country would completely rely on spirits. Branch Captain has just been doting on Mil without any calculations, but in the Knight¡¯s Order and amongst the nobles, there are some people that will think that way. Captain Sarrell probably isn¡¯t all that amused that the Branch Captain ¨C who he sees as a sort of rival ¨C has become liked by a spirit. That is why when talks of Branch Captain returning to the Capital came up, he figured he¡¯d come here instead.¡± So that¡¯s why when Kix was talking to the One-Eyed Knight earlier, he said that Captain Sarrell-san was ¡®sharp-sighted¡¯. ¡°Then as I thought, I¡¯d rather have Bwanch Captain-san stay here forever instead.¡± I¡¯d hate to be used by Captain Sarrell-san to just increase his position with the surroundings. ¡°Right? You should tell Branch Captain that too, Mil. Tell him to drive away someone like Captain Sarrell¡­¡­.well, Branch Captain¡¯s younger and his position in the Knight¡¯s Order is a bit lower, so that might be a bit difficult for him to do.¡± Kix was unusually depressed. He must be quite bad with Captain Sarrell-san. I lifted my tail and tried to cheer him up. ¡°Leave it to me! I¡¯ll go see Bwanch Captain-san!¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯ll leave it to you, Mil!¡± ¡°Okay! Al~right then!¡± Just as I was about to enthusiastically run off, I remembered that I was currently on top of the table. ¡°¡­¡­um, could you¡­take me down from the table?¡± I can¡¯t get down on my own! ¡°Bwanch Captain~san!¡± I told the One-Eyed Knight that I¡¯d be heading back, and then headed to Branch Captain-san¡¯s office from the dining hall. Opening the imposing door on my own would be too difficult, so I crouched down and called for Branch Captain-san through the small gap at the bottom of the door. I feel like it¡¯d be easier for my voice to reach him like this. I tried pawing at the crack, but I could only get my claws underneath it. When I could hear footsteps approaching the door, I knew that Branch Captain-san was coming, so I stood up and took a few steps back. The door quietly opened and Branch Captain-san had a cold face as he first looked left and right around the corridor. He seemed to be confirming that there weren¡¯t any people around other than me. He does this all the time. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came.¡± Once he knew that none of his subordinates were around, Branch Captain-san¡¯s expression loosened as he gestured for me to come in. And then, as soon as the door closed, he started to reach for me, but I then swiftly dodged his hand. If you want to touch my fur, then you first have to accept my demands! Volume 2 - CH 5 Branch Captain-san seemed to receive a shock when I avoided him. I pressed him with the information I obtained from Kix. ¡°Bwanch Captain-san, you might return to the ¡®Capwitol¡¯, right? Instead, Captain Sarrell-san is going to be coming here, right?¡± When I said that in one breath, Branch Captain-san¡¯s movements came to a stop as he exposed a surprised expression. ¡°Why do you know about that?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a spiwit, I know ebweything.¡± So that Kix wouldn¡¯t be condemned for being my source of information, I claimed omnipotence as a spirit. ¡°I want Bwanch Captain-san to stay as the captain here forever. I don¡¯t want anybody else.¡± ¡°Mil¡­¡­¡± ¡°Did you know? Even though Captain Sarrell-san ¡®looks funny¡¯, he¡¯s a bad pershon. I can¡¯t twust someone like that.¡± Since he¡¯s someone that boldly dons a flamboyant appearance like side-parted hair with round glasses, I wanted his character to be just as interesting as well. ¡°Mil¡­¡­¡± While Branch Captain-san at first made a moved expression, he then called my name again in a listless manner. ¡°It is true that Captain Sarrell hopes to be assigned to the Northern Fort. However, I also want to continue working here. I like the environment and my subordinates here, and I can obtain an experience that I would otherwise be unable to obtain in the Capital, where there are a lot of people collaborating with each other.¡± The corners of his eyes that had been relaxed softly, then transformed into a stern expression. ¡°That is why I felt that I wanted Captain Sarrell to have a similar experience as I did, while at the same time, I was thinking that I could not leave this fort to him. Because our births and careers have been similar, I understand Captain Sarrell to a certain extent. That is why I know his compatibility with the knights of this fort would be devastatingly horrible.¡± Hearing him say that it was ¡®devastatingly bad¡¯ made me want to laugh, but Branch Captain-san was making an incredibly serious face. He was honestly thinking of his subordinates here and was worried about how their anticipated relationship with Captain Sarrell-san would be. It is true that the knights of this fort exude a sort of atmosphere that says, ¡°True ability is important! Brute strength is crucial! Only the strongest will be respected!¡±. So if some self-important person with no ability were to come in as their commanding officer, it was evident that the branch would fall apart. Branch Captain-san was worried about that happening. ¡°In the first place, why have talks of Bwanch Captain-san leaving come up?¡± I had thought that his term in office was fixed, but it seems that wasn¡¯t the case. Branch Captain-san explained it to me like so. ¡°There are two reasons for this. The first is because His Highness the Prince wishes for me to be part of his Royal Guard again. I did it before, after all.¡± I knew that Branch Captain-san was childhood friends with the First Prince of this country, but this was the first I¡¯ve heard that he was previously part of his Royal Guard. But I do understand the Prince¡¯s feelings of wanting Branch Captain to come back to be his Royal Guard. It¡¯s better to have someone you can trust by your side after all. ¡°And the other reason is because my father and older brother who overheard the Prince¡¯s desire are also telling me that ¡®it¡¯s about time you return to the Capital¡¯.¡± Branch Captain-san then made a troubled laugh. ¡°My father and older brother¡­¡­and of course, my mother as well, are worrywarts. Even though I¡¯m already at a considerable age, they can¡¯t help but see me as the ¡®youngest child¡¯. They¡¯re probably concerned if I¡¯m being inconvenienced by being in such a cold remote region like where the Northern Fort is. They apparently seem to be particularly worried about whether or not I can safely get through the winter, seeing as they always send a letter asking, ¡®Are you alive?¡¯ every spring.¡± As if to say that it couldn¡¯t be helped, Branch Captain-san smiled while letting out a sigh. He really is loved by his family. It even made my heart feel warm and cozy. ¡°Putting aside my family¡­¡­I cannot ignore His Highness¡¯ words. Supporting His Highness is my ultimate goal after all. That is why I intend on eventually returning to the Capital. Leaving Mil is¡­¡­no, it¡¯s too painful, so I¡¯ve been trying hard to not think about it¡­¡­.but eventually, I will have to go to achieve my goal.¡± ¡°When will that be? How many years way-ter?¡± Feeling despondent, I brought the tip of my nose close to Branch Captain-san. I¡¯ll have hurry and practice the transfer technique so that I¡¯ll be able to freely visit Branch Captain-san in the future. Branch Captain-san chuckled quietly and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know yet¡±. ¡°But like I said before, right now I don¡¯t plan on returning to the Capital yet. I¡¯m still too lacking to be His Highness¡¯ Royal Guard. I want to train myself here. Surpassing Grail¡­¡­might be a bit difficult, but at the very least I¡¯d like to become capable of fighting on par with him. I¡¯ll only start thinking about returning to the Capital after reaching that point.¡± ¡°The One-Eyed Knight?¡± When I tilted my head, wondering why his name came up here, I noticed that Branch Captain-san was making an embarrassed expression. Like many of the other knights that were at the Northern Fort, Branch Captain-san¡¯s goal was the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s strength. That strength was also an indicator to estimate his own abilities. It may be that Branch Captain-san will only be able to confidently return to the Capital when he is able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°What I said just now is a secret, okay?¡± Branch Captain-san seemed a bit uneasy at how loose-lipped I was, as he hastily forbade me to speak about it. ¡°Leave it to me! Then, Bwanch Captain-san, are you going to turn down the pwesant tawks?¡± As I stood up on my hind legs, placing my front legs on Branch Captain¡¯s knees as he crouched down, Branch Captain-san nodded at me reassuringly. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s what I plan on telling His Highness, my father and elder brother, as well as Captain Sarrell and the Knight Commander.¡± Branch Captain-san rubbed my head. Knight Commander-san was the highest ranking person in the Knight¡¯s Order¡ª¡ª-in other words, he was the leader of the Knight¡¯s Order. Right now, it seems that person is en route to the Northern Fort, bringing a letter to Branch Captain-san from the Prince. Apparently he will be arriving this evening. That is why Branch Captain-san first intends on informing Knight Commander-san of his desire to stay here. ¡°Will Knight Ko-man-dur-san listen?¡± ¡°Probably. Since he knows how I ended up secluding myself in the Capital.¡± He laughed self-deprecatingly. Hmm, I can¡¯t help but feel worried about Branch Captain-san. He seems kinda weak to pressure after all. It seems that Knight Commander-san will be staying at the fort from tomorrow onwards, so I¡¯ll also have to ask him not to change the branch captain here at this fort. And so, that night that I willfully resolved myself to that- As I was preparing to sleep in our cave nest¡ª¡ª-though there was plenty of hay laid out in my bed, ¡®flattening¡¯ it out so that I could sleep comfortably was my daily routine¡ª¡ªMother went out of her way to transform into her human form and faced me. ¡°Milfiria, I have something I must talk to you about.¡± When I heard her say that in a serious tone of voice, I thought this. I feel like I¡¯ve heard that line before. Indeed, she had said it previously when she had me house-sit on my own for an entire month. (I have a bad feeling about this¡­¡­) Just what does she plan on having me do this time? Will Mother go to the Capital again? I looked up at Mother with eyes filled with anxiety as I had such thoughts. ¡°Whaat is it¡­¡­Mother?¡± [I will need you to stay at home alone for a short period of time.] If I can recall correctly, she started the talk like that last time. That was my first time staying at home alone for more than a day, so I remember feeling extremely worried. But now, I¡¯d be able to stay at home alone for a month without any problems. Since my small world doesn¡¯t just consist of Mother anymore. If I go to play with the One-Eyed Knight and everyone, Father, or Kugalg, I won¡¯t have to be lonely as time passes. Now, even if it¡¯s being home alone for one month, or two, I¡¯m already three years old so I can¡­¡­no, as expected, two months would be a bit rough. If I wasn¡¯t able to see Mother for that long, I¡¯d get too lonely. Yup, two months is impossible. If it were a month and a half, then I can somehow¡ª¡ª- As I pondered such matters, Mother quietly opened her mouth. ¡°I would like to ask something of you. Starting tomorrow, I want you to go on an errand to the Capital on your own.¡± Volume 2 - CH 6 My eyes grew round as I stared back at Mother. ¡°By ¡®Kaa-pi-tal¡¯, you mean, the Capital? The place where the King is?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve gone to the castle in the Capital several times together with me, have you not?¡± ¡°Yeah, I remember. But¡­¡­on my own?¡± ¡°Yes, you will go alone.¡± ¡°But Mother, I can¡¯t fly to the Capital by myself.¡± I still can¡¯t use the transfer technique to go to a ¡®place¡¯. I¡¯m still limited to using ¡®people¡¯ as the target of my technique, but neither the King or Queen are amongst the targets that I can travel to. I paced around on the bed that I had taken great pains to flatten. I didn¡¯t think that she¡¯d have me go on a long-distance errand all on my own, so it threw me into confusion. But Mother heartlessly continued. ¡°Indeed. I know that you can¡¯t use the transfer technique, so how about walking there?¡± With my jaw hanging partly open, I froze as though I had turned into ice. ¡°The Capital will be far for your legs. I am quite worried, but this is also a form of training. In order to train you, I will turn my heart into that of a demon¡¯s.¡± Mother made a desolate expression, and made a gesture as though she were wiping away her tears with the sleeve of her kimono. But I feel like she wasn¡¯t actually crying. If I remain frozen like this, I¡¯ll really end up being sent off on an errand, so I somehow managed to forcefully dispel my body¡¯s stiffening and move my mouth. ¡°M-Mother¡­¡­it¡¯s..impossible..for me to go alone¡­¡­¡± Don¡¯t ¡®first errands¡¯ normally start with going somewhere really close by, like a shop in the neighbourhood? Just how many hundreds of kilometres is it to the Capital? According to what I¡¯ve heard from the One-Eyed Knight, it takes at least 2 days to get there even if you gallop all the way there on horse. Going that far? By myself? With these short legs? Walking? The thin string of human reason within me snapped. ¡°Uwahhhh! It¡¯s IMPOSSIBLE! ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE!¡± My pitiful voice echoed inside the cavern. ¡°I can¡¯t! Don¡¯t wanna! It¡¯s impossible!¡± I rolled onto my back on the spot to express my feeling of, ¡®I won¡¯t go on any errand, and I won¡¯t take one step from this spot¡¯ with my body. Mother can just use the transfer technique to poof there and back in an instant. Even if she¡¯s thinking of it as training for me, the level of difficulty is far too high. It is true that Mother has a spirit-like strictness to her, but up until now her training has been things like forcing me to run in the middle of winter on the mountain to ¡®increase my leg strength¡¯, or throwing me in front of snow bear that doesn¡¯t hibernate in the winter and telling me to ¡®try defeating it¡¯. Even the tree climbing this morning was on the milder side for her training. But when she¡¯s having me do that kind of training, she stays by my side so that she can quickly save me when things get dangerous. While she makes me do absurd things when she¡¯s with me, I thought that Mother was the sort who got nervous and worried about me when I was outside the nest on my own. Mother should be the one who¡¯d hate to send me on a journey all on my lonesome the most. ¡°Mother won¡¯t be coming along with me, right?¡± I tried confirming while still lying on my back just in case, but- ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± -she nodded in assent. And then, Mother took out a rolled up piece of paper that was tied with a pretty purple string from her breast and said this. ¡°I want to have you deliver this letter to the human king. Can you do it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯tttttt!¡± I flailed my legs around, expressing my refusal with my entire body. My pride as a former human? Right now I had none of that. ¡°Dun wanna dun wanna dun wanna! I dun wanna go without Mother!¡± I rolled around on top of the bed, scattering the hay about. Even I had to say that I was making quite the racket. However, even though I thought that Mother would give up if I made this much of a fuss¡­¡­ ¡°Milfiria, don¡¯t say that and try your best for once.¡± While she spoke to me patiently despite my tantrum, she did not show any signs of letting up. And then, I finally ended up exhausting my energy and started to feel like I might as well go on the errand. ¡°Sleep well tonight. You can depart tomorrow morning.¡± Mother gazed at me with a concerned expression. I wonder why she was making me go to the Capital, even though she was making such a face. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go¡­¡­¡± I don¡¯t know what Mother is thinking, but I replied weakly with feelings that things would work out somehow. I did have the desire to meet Mother¡¯s expectations too. ¡°How admirable, you¡¯re such a brave child.¡± Mother hugged me tightly and stroked my back affectionately, but somehow it gave me a rather complicated feeling. ¡°Mother¡­¡­do you¡­love me?¡± Still held in her arms, I looked up at Mother. I don¡¯t really remember too well, but I think I did ask similar questions of my mother in my previous life when I was a child. Like my mother from my previous life, Mother made a tender smile as she replied. ¡°Of course. I love you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­really? How much do you love me?¡± ¡°How much? ¡®A lot¡¯.¡± ¡°About how big is ¡®a lot¡¯?¡± ¡°How big!?¡± Even I could tell that I was acting like a troublesome girlfriend, but I had to confirm Mother¡¯s love for me. Mother appeared confused, but even then she spread her arms as far as she could and responded, ¡°Perhaps, about this much?¡±. I could see that even the tips of her fingers were trembling a little from how far apart she was stretched out, so I was satisfied for the time being. But as expected, I still don¡¯t wanna go on the errand¡­¡­ Just what in the world is Mother thinking? Even after the next morning arrived, I still had not affirmed my resolve. Tossing around on my bed, I kept my eyes closed and continued to feign sleep despite being a fox, knowing that I¡¯d be forced to go on the errand once I woke up. However, such petty tricks would not work on Mother. ¡°Milfiria, it is about time you get up and depart.¡± Using the tip of her nose, she rooooollled me over. After that, there was no way I could continue to sleep. ¡°Uu¡­¡­¡± As I staggered up, Mother transformed into her human form and began to carefully remove the hay stuck on my fur. She also used her fingers to comb away the bed-fur on my face and flank, and also wiped away any signs of drool. ¡°Where did I put the shawl that those of the fort gave you?¡± Mother went deeper into our nest and pulled out the shawl I previously received from Branch Captain-san from my messy mountain of treasures. Incidentally, in my mountain of treasures were sticks with a good feel to them, round and shiny rocks, along with cool antlers that I picked up in the forest. Ahh, that brown thing is probably a flower I picked during summer last year. I gotta throw that one out. ¡°Oh? Where did you pick something like this up, Milfiria?¡± Mother pointed at a large, rugged rock that was placed the deepest within my mountain of treasures. This ordinary-looking rock was just a bit smaller than my body, and had about five to six beautiful pea-green stones stuck to it. I was sure that those pea-green stones were unpolished gems, so I had been taking good care of them. ¡°That¡¯s something received from Hilg-papa¡­¡­.something he gave to Mother.¡± Hilg-papa carried it on his shoulder while saying, ¡°This is pretty, so I¡¯ll give it to you!¡±, but Mother rejected it on the spot with an, ¡°I don¡¯t need it¡±. Thus, it ended up landing my paws. However, it seemed that Mother had completely forgotten about that incident. ¡°From Hilg?¡± Mother¡¯s brow furrowed, and she averted her gaze from the gemstone. Such a pitiful Hilg-papa. I¡¯ll treasure the gemstone. Mother collected herself, and then put the shawl on me after she had removed the dirt from it. Even though it had been haphazardly crammed into my messy pile of treasures, perhaps because it was made of a high-quality cloth, once Mother spread it out all of the wrinkles came out. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve been thinking¡­¡­¡± As she steadily prepared for my departure, I opened my mouth. I still had one remaining last resort to make it so that I wouldn¡¯t have to go on the errand. ¡°I don¡¯t know the road to the Capital. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t go alone. I do want to go on the ewand, but since I don¡¯t know how, I can¡¯t. It can¡¯t be helped, even though I want to go.¡± That is why, give up on the errand! -I thought internally, my eyes glittering with expectation. I don¡¯t even have a map after all. ¡°Hm, that is true¡­¡­¡± Alright, attaboy. Mother is reconsidering it. Let¡¯s continue on this route and cancel the errand! Even though I had to maintain the air of ¡®disappointment at being unable to go on the errand¡¯, my honest tail was wagging back and forth. Be a bit more quiet, tail! ¡°Then let¡¯s do this.¡± But seeing Mother appear to have come up with a solution, my tail was soon silenced as it dropped despondently. Mother turned the palm of her hand upwards, and then raised it up. Then, in the next instant, a hazy blue-white light floated up from the centre of that hand. The light had a round shape and did not disappear even after leaving Mother¡¯s hand as it floated in midair. The dim cavern became a bit brighter. ¡°What is this¡­¡­?¡± Seeing the pretty ball of light slowly flying towards me reflexively made me want to bite it with my mouth. ¡°That is a fairy. A snow fairy that I created.¡± ¡°A fei-wey¡­¡­¡± ¡°I have given that fairy a small portion of my power and the duty to lead Milfiria to the Capital. If you follow it, then you shouldn¡¯t get lost. With this, the issue of you not knowing the roads has been solved.¡± My shoulders dropped in disappointment as I gazed at the leisurely floating ball of light. ¡°Now then, it is about time that you set off.¡± Mother then sent a fleeting glance to the outside of our nest. While it was a nonchalant gesture, somehow I felt like her eyes looked rather vigilant. Perhaps there¡¯s a snow bear in the vicinity? ¡°First you should go to the fort and give your greetings to the knights at the fort before leaving. It will probably take several days for you to reach the Capital with those legs, and if you do not visit during that time they will probably worry for you.¡± That¡¯s right, I¡¯ll have to tell the One-Eyed Knight and everyone that I won¡¯t be able to come play for a while beforehand. To be taking all of the knights into consideration is pretty thoughtful for Mother. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°Use the movement technique to get to the fort.¡± ¡°Eh? Is that okay?¡± I was certain that she¡¯d make me go down the mountain with my own legs in order to train me. Sometimes I didn¡¯t really get the peculiarities of Mother¡¯s thoughts. At the very end, she passed me the rolled up letter, so I held it in my mouth. I don¡¯t want to go but it can¡¯t be helped. If I threw another tantrum here, Mother would get fed up with me. I somehow managed to cheer myself up and say- ¡°Awwit den, ai¡¯m awff (Alright then, I¡¯m off).¡± The fairy stayed right by my side. ¡°Please, be careful.¡± The moment I used the transfer technique, Mother said that with an incredibly worried expression on her face. It felt as though she couldn¡¯t contain herself, and despite having been the one to propose that I go out on the errand, it seemed like she might just try to come along with me. ¡°Do your best.¡± After hearing Mother¡¯s last uneasy words, the fairy and I headed for the fort. Volume 2 - CH 7 When I transferred to the fort, the One-Eyed Knight was near the stables placing a saddle on his horse¡ª¡ª-who was a leader-like existence for the fort¡¯s horses, so I arbitrarily called his horse ¡®Leader¡¯. Kix and Tina-san were also nearby and were similarly preparing their horses and loading luggage onto their backs. While Branch Captain-san¡¯s beloved horse Ilus was also nearby, Branch Captain-san himself wasn¡¯t around. There was also another gallant horse who was about the same size as Leader but¡­¡­.I¡¯ve never seen this horse before. I wonder whose horse it was? (I wonder where everyone¡¯s heading out to?) I was hoping that if I tell them that I have an errand at the Capital, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone will get worried and insist on accompanying me, but it looked like everyone had work to do. As the fairy flew in circles around me, my tail rapidly lost its spirit and despondently grew thinner. ¡°Uwah! When¡¯d you arrive, Mil?¡± Realising that he had almost kicked me accidentally as I sat motionlessly at the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s feet, Kix stepped back in surprise. ¡°Oh, you came, Mil?¡± ¡°Mil-chan! So you¡¯re dressing up with a shawl today? ¡­¡­oh? What¡¯s that shining over there?¡± The One-Eyed Knight and Tina-san spoke in turns. I placed the letter that I had been holding with my mouth on the ground and responded. ¡°Appawenwy, it¡¯s a fei-wey. It¡¯s gonna lead me to the Capi-toel¡­¡­.¡± As I explained how Mother had asked me to go on an errand to the Capital, a grim atmosphere began to pour forth from the surroundings. If I act pitiful, then even if the One-Eyed Knight and everyone have some business to take care of and are unable to come, they might still have someone else accompany me instead ¨C is what I hoped. I¡¯d even be fine if someone from the Scary-Faced Squad came with me. However, contrary to my expectations, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone¡¯s reactions were quite flat. ¡°An errand, huh. Mil¡¯s quite remarkable.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be quite a distance to the Capital, but if it¡¯s Mil-chan, then you¡¯ll be able to do it.¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± Ruffling my head fur as they pet my head, the words I desired did not come out of everyone¡¯s mouths. This is strange. I thought they¡¯d say something like, ¡®All the way to the Capital? It¡¯ll be dangerous for Mil to go alone¡¯, or ¡®You can¡¯t go on an errand! I¡¯ll be worried¡¯, or ¡®It¡¯s absolutely impossible alone. Give up¡±. ¡°Wait a sec. Won¡¯t it be pretty hard bringing that letter in your mouth the whole way? I¡¯ll get a bag for you.¡± After receiving a quick signal with his eyes from the One-Eyed Knight, Tina-san rushed inside the building and happily began preparing so that I¡¯d be able to leave on my errand. This is all wrong! I wanted them to stop me from going on the errand! ¡°One-Eyed Knight¡­¡­.¡± Even after I looked up at him with teary eyes, the One-Eyed Knight just said, ¡°Mil¡¯s a good girl for going on an errand¡±, and pet me. What¡¯s up with everyone!? What happened to that overprotective feeling you¡¯ve had up until now!? Weren¡¯t you all spoiling me rotten!? Despite that, why is today so different¡­¡­.? My chest grew heavy. I¡¯m sure that this is what they call despair. ¡°Mil-chaaan, I found something perfect.¡± Even though I thought that it would take more time because they wouldn¡¯t have a bag that would match my body size, Tina-san soon returned. In her hands was a small white rucksack. Not only that, but it was shaped like the face of a bunny, and there were unnecessarily long ears attached to the bag. Those look like they¡¯d really get in the way. ¡°This is from Branch Captain Cromwell.¡± From Branch Captain-san? Just when in the world did he buy something like this? I¡¯m sure that he thought it¡¯d match the foxy me, so he had it custom-made. After putting things into the bag, the bunny¡¯s face grew round and plump. ¡°Come on, try putting it on. Put your front leg here, good good¡­¡­and then put your other leg here¡­¡­oh my gawwwwwwd, so CUTEEE!!¡± After I put on the bunny rucksack on top of my shawl, Tina-san fainted in agonised excitement. ¡°It suits you well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the birth of a new lethal weapon.¡± The One-Eyed Knight smiled as Kix joked around. If it were the usual me, I¡¯d get overly excited about it, but right now I wasn¡¯t in the mood for that. Even though the rucksack was light, it was bulging out. Just as I was wondering what was inside of it, Tina-san started to explain it to me. ¡°I¡¯ve put plenty of jerky in the bag, so eat it when you get hungry. There¡¯s also a meal for today¡¯s lunch there. It¡¯ll get messed up if you run around too much, so be careful.¡± As she spoke, she jammed the letter that was a bit damp from my saliva into a corner of the rucksack. It feels a bit too big for just having jerky and a lunchbox in there. All things considered, I¡¯m surprised she managed to even prepare food provisions in such a short period of time. ¡°Thanks, Tina-san. Tell Bwanch Captain-san thank you for the rucksack¡­¡­.now that I think of it, where¡¯s Bwanch Captain-san?¡± I asked while turning my gaze towards Ilus. ¡°Right now Branch Captain¡¯s talking to the Knight Commander.¡± ¡°Ah! That¡¯s right!¡± My ears suddenly perked up. The Knight Commander-san who usually stays in the Capital was supposed to have arrived yesterday. I had been so preoccupied with my own matters that I completely forgot about that. ¡°Is Bwanch Captain-san going to stay here forever and ever?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be alright. Right about now he should be discussing that with the Knight Commander.¡± The one who answered my question was Tina-san, but just as she finished talking, Kix took a fist from the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°Ow-¡­¡­!?¡± ¡°You told Tina, didn¡¯t you? Even though I told you to keep it a secret.¡± It seems that Kix told Tina-san the undetermined information of, ¡®this fort¡¯s branch captain may be changed¡¯. Kix held his head, teary-eyed, and angrily said, ¡°Tina! I told you to pretend that you didn¡¯t know about it!¡±, but Tina-san didn¡¯t look all that apologetic as she offhandedly responded, ¡°Ah, sorry¡±. ¡°I have to go now, but say hello to Bwanch Captain-san for me. I¡¯ll already be gone though¡­¡­¡± Putting on the shawl and bunny rucksack, I let out a lonely atmosphere at our parting and slowly headed towards the gate. When I glanced back, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone were making plaintive expressions while watching me, but nobody tried to stop me. I put a distance of about 10 metres between us, but the three of them simply continued to calmly wave their hands. ¡­¡­finding it unbearable, I turned around and returned to the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s side. The fairy also followed after me. I nonchalantly put my forepaw on the top of the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s foot. Then, I placed my chin on it and closed my eyes. Today there was a clear sky with a slight chill ¨C the perfect weather for me. I¡¯d like to continue sleeping like this. ¡°You¡¯re not going?¡± As I tried to escape from reality, the One-Eyed Knight said that, sounding like he was trying to hold back his laughter. He tried to gently pull his foot away, but I held onto his ankles with both paws, preventing him from escaping. ¡°Mil, you gotta head off soon or else it¡¯s gonna get dark.¡± He fluffed up my facial fur, but I growled and refused to let go. Though I patiently waited like that for a period of time, neither the One-Eyed Knight nor Tina-san or Kix tried saying something like, ¡°You want to go together?¡± or, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous so don¡¯t go¡±. I¡¯m sure that they¡¯ve realised that I don¡¯t want to go on the errand. Somehow I¡¯ve gone beyond being lonely, and have started to get pissed. It¡¯s fine already, geez! I just have to go alone, right!? But even if I make it to the Capital safely, don¡¯t think that I¡¯ll buy any souvenirs for you guys! ¡°Mil¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°FINE ALREADY! I don¡¯t care about you guys anymore! YOU STOOPID STOOPID STOOPID¡÷?¡Á¡ò£¤¡ñ£¦££¡­¡­!¡± I couldn¡¯t even tell what lines I was spitting out as I ran off. Thus, I semi-desperately set off to begin my errand to the Capital. Volume 2 - CH 8 ¡°And she¡¯s gone.¡± After sending off the snowy white fox cub, Grail murmured while making a wry smile. It was quite hard taking such a curt attitude with Mil when she was acting all clingy. ¡°I feel bad for Mil, that was suuuper funny.¡± ¡°That was so cute.¡± Kix and Tina also laughed in a carefree manner while commenting. ¡°Let¡¯s set off too before we lose sight of Mil. Does Branch Cap still need more time?¡± ¡°¡ª¡ªif you¡¯re looking for your branch captain, then he¡¯s right here.¡± The one who responded to Kix was a man with a large build who appeared from the shadows of the building. He looked to be in his mid-fifties, with thick eyebrows and gallant facial features, and shortly trimmed, sandy brown hair. While his hair, his short goatee that was the same colour as it, and his wrinkles indicated his older age, due to his bulging muscles, he did not give off the impression of an elderly man. He had a suitable appearance as the man who headed the Knight¡¯s Order. ¡°Knight Commander, you were watching? Together with Branch Captain as well.¡± Grail turned around and said. The Northern Fort¡¯s Branch Captain Cromwell was dragged out of the building¡¯s shadows by the Knight Commander Gauss, who had an arm placed over his shoulders. Looking at the slender Cromwell, the difference in brute strength was plain as day compared to Gauss, who was built as big as a bear. However, even without the difference in build, the current Cromwell didn¡¯t seem capable of putting up any resistance. It was likely that he saw Mil wearing the bunny rucksack, as it was when he had his eyes closed, ruminating over her appearance, that he had been dragged out by Gauss. Whether it be Grail, Kix, or Tina, they all pretended not to see Cromwell¡¯s current state. ¡°So that tiny one just now was the snow spirit¡¯s child? I heard about her from His Highness, but she really is a cutie.¡± Gauss said that and laughed heartily. If Mil had been around, she probably would¡¯ve been frightened by his laughter that resembled a bear¡¯s roar. ¡°So, the two of you are done discussing? Without any changes to your conclusion from last night?¡± After Grail asked that, Gauss lightly shook his thick head. ¡°Yeah, Cromwell wants to continue his duties here, and I also feel like he gets along best with the sort of environment and relationships he¡¯s got here. Thanks to that fox cub, he¡¯s more¡­¡­lively, compared to when he was in the Capital. But there¡¯s also his Highness¡¯ thoughts that need to be taken into consideration, and Sarrell is also unlikely to withdraw his interest either. Honestly, what a troublesome man.¡± While expressing his true thoughts, Gauss unfolded a single sheet of paper and showed it to them. ¡°I¡¯ve already told Grail this, but this is a note from his Highness. His Highness wants to speak directly to Cromwell. Thus, I will be having Cromwell return with me to the Capital for a visit.¡± Gauss put away the letter with the royal family¡¯s insignia on it and gave Cromwell¡¯s shoulder a powerful tap. ¡°After returning to the Capital, you have to have a proper talk with both his Highness and Sarrell. Properly settle things with the two of them so that I don¡¯t have to come out to deal with it.¡± ¡°Knight Commander, you just don¡¯t want to have to meet with Captain Sarrell, do you?¡± Cromwell said, exasperated. Gauss was bad at handling Sarrell. Though, because he cherished Cromwell as one of his subordinates, when it came down to it, he¡¯d take Cromwell¡¯s side. However, it was only until it really ¡®came down to it¡¯ that he would confront Sarrell, seeing as he found it a pain to deal with the man. ¡°Somehow I just can¡¯t seem to get along with the guy.¡± When talking about Sarrell, Gauss made the same bitter face that Mil would whenever she had to talk to Kix. As a person who thoroughly belonged to the Physique Camp*, having climbed his way up to the position of Knight Commander through his own abilities, Gauss was a large-hearted person who didn¡¯t pay much heed to trifling matters. However, while that was one of his strong points, Sarrell took it to be one of Gauss¡¯ weak points instead, seeing himas crude and unrefined. His personality was the complete opposite of Sarrell¡¯s, who was both smart but picky, and particularly spiteful. Thus, it probably couldn¡¯t be helped that the two of them clashed often. While Sarrell didn¡¯t openly pick fights with Knight Commander Gauss, he¡¯d instead nag persistently about Gauss¡¯ rough plans. Such nagging had become an established practice during the main branch¡¯s meetings. ¡°You never change.¡± Seeing Gauss furrowing his brow childishly, Grail laughed. Grail hadn¡¯t had many points of contact with Sarrell, so he didn¡¯t really know what kind of person he was. However, the few times when he had come across Sarrell in the past, the man had acted terribly curt with Grail, as though Grail was not even worthy enough to be in his presence. Grail was like Gauss in that he had worked his way up on his own, and just based on his appearance alone he did seem rather rough, so that may have led Sarrell to have a sense of aversion to him. Gauss looked at Grail and spoke. ¡°Unless something were to happen to change Sarrell¡¯s impression of me, I¡¯ll probably never get along with him in this life.¡± After he said that in a rather childish tone of voice while grimacing, Kix also appeared to secretly agree, indicating his understanding by nodding numerous times. ¡°So that fox cub is heading to the Capital in order to deliver a letter from Snowlea, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, I wasn¡¯t able to hear the details from Snowlea yesterday, but when I asked Mil today that seemed to be the case. Though I wasn¡¯t able to find out what the contents of the letter were¡­¡­¡± Grail replied, and then recalled what had happened the day before. Snowlea secretly came to visit the fort in her human form after Mil had returned home from her afternoon visit. It was then that she requested them to guard Mil on her trip to the Capital. [I am worried about having Milfiria going on her own. If such a cute child were to walk down the road on her own, she¡¯d end up being kidnapped, wouldn¡¯t she? That is why, I want all of you to shadow Milfiria. Protect her in my place.] Without even asking about Grail and the other¡¯s circumstances, the beautiful snow spirit made such a sudden request. However, Grail was accustomed to the selfishness of spirits, and then readily agreed, saying, ¡°Got it. We¡¯ll follow her in secret somehow¡±. [Make whatever arrangements that need to be done. I already flew to the human king¡¯s place before coming here to get his permission.] [Permission?] [Permission to have you knights prioritise Milfiria over your work at the fort. You cannot move freely without obtaining the permission of your higher-ups, correct? I at least know that much. The King said that it was okay for you to take a few more skilled people together with you as well.] Grail was surprised at how proactively Snowlea had moved. [Just what are you planning? To Mil, the Capital is way too far. She¡¯ll have to pass through a number of highly populated towns on the way there, and I¡¯m sure that you yourself would hate to have Mil exposed to the eyes of some unknown humans.] When Grail asked that, Snowlea lightly covered her mouth with her sleeve and expressionlessly gazed at the ground. [Because if I send her to somewhere nearby, then she¡¯ll come back in no time at all.] [¡­¡­what do you mean?] [Something that does not concern you humans. I plan on having Milfiria set off tomorrow morning, so I will be leaving things to you. I do more or less have some trust in all of you.] And then, after leaving these parting words, Snowlea returned to her mountain. [Ahh, that¡¯s right. Starting tomorrow, do not climb the mountain for a while. It is better if you do not go to the altar at the base of the mountain. I cannot guarantee your lives if you do not heed my warning. Tell the humans in town that too. I will not require any offerings for the time being.] He did not know what Snowlea was thinking, since the spirit herself had no intentions of speaking about her matters in detail, he did not ask any further. If he forced her to talk and caused her mood to go awry, it was possible that he¡¯d end up incurring an out-of-season blizzard. Snowlea was unlikely to attack Grail and the rest unless they were to act extremely thoughtlessly, but even then, he had to be more mindful when speaking to a spirit who held a different sense of values. Even more so than when speaking to royalty. ¡°So, the ones going to the Capital will be Grail and those two?¡± Gauss called out to Grail as he reminisced. ¡°Yeah, this is Kix and Tina. Branch Captain and Knight Commander will also be going to the Capital, so let¡¯s go with the five of us.¡± Grail glanced at Cromwell, who nodded strongly. He was also worried about Mil. If he had to go to the Capital anyways, rather than just going there with a bear-like man, it was obvious that going together with a cute fox cub would be more enjoyable. ¡°So we¡¯ll be acting as Branch Captain¡¯s retinue, as well as Mil¡¯s guards. But if Branch Captain and Vice Captain are gonna be absent, who will be taking care of the fort?¡± When Kix crossed his hands behind his head and asked that, Gauss answered. ¡°I brought Vista and Orpheus with me when I came here, so don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯m sure that even a young guy like you has at least heard their names before. Vista¡¯s older than me, but he¡¯s a talented old knight who has worked as a branch captain in the past. Orpheus has plenty of experience and ability as well. They¡¯re people who can be left with this fort.¡± ¡°I see. Then that¡¯s great! It¡¯s hard to say what the knights here might do without the Branch Captain or Vice Captain around after all.¡± ¡°Is that something you should really be saying, Kix? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re the forerunner of ¡®people who¡¯re up to no good¡¯.¡± Just as Tina retorted back at Kix, Cromwell took Ilus¡¯ reins in hand. ¡°Are your preparations complete? Then let¡¯s hurry up and set off.¡± In order to draw as little attention to him as possible, Cromwell wore a plain-coloured cloak over his navy blue knight¡¯s uniform. Grail, Kix, and Tina also put on similar cloaks. Gauss had already completed his preparations to return to the Capital. ¡°We¡¯ll have to hurry before we lose sight of Mil.¡± Grail said while gallantly mounting his horse. Like this, the four people from the Northern Fort left for the Capital together with Knight Commander Gauss. Volume 2 - CH 9 From now on, I¡¯m gonna live independently, without relying on Mother or the One-Eyed Knight and everyone else. At times it feels like even I might forget about it, but in my previous life I was human. That¡¯s why I think I¡¯m on the more level-headed side, which is more than enough to get by on my own! I won¡¯t care even if the One-Eyed Knight and everyone start to say that they¡¯re lonely, and I won¡¯t ever let them stroke my belly! Never again! I¡¯ll be the most independent three-year-old ever! As I cheered myself on like that in my head, I continued down the main road that had not a single sign of life on it. The fairy flew a short distance in front of me as a guide, and if I fell behind even the slightest, it would stop and wait for me. When I turned around, I could see the Northern Fort, as well as the leisurely townscape a short distance from it. Though I had thought that I had walked quite a bit already, it seemed that I haven¡¯t quite left my home area yet. The next town over also seems to be a small settlement, so there weren¡¯t any people going down this road leading to it. It¡¯ll probably get busier as I get closer to the bigger towns and the Capital, but all there was around me right now were fields of potatoes. Though the weather was nice, it was quiet and lonely¡­¡­ Finding a small but tenacious clump of snow at the side of the road, I stomped on it in retaliation to clear up my mood. The fairy started to circle around me as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t go making detours¡±, so I reluctantly continued to walk forward. ¡°Say something~¡± I found travelling alone to be boring, so I tried talking to the fairy, but all it did was flicker as though it were embarrassed. ¡°Ah, look! Over there!¡± I turned my nose towards a grassy field that spread out just in front of me on the left side of the road. I knew the area, as I had gone there a number of times. It¡¯s the grazing area for the fort¡¯s army horses. Inside that rather vast plot, the horses would eat grass, or run around happily. Right now Ilus and Leader aren¡¯t here, but I¡¯ve become pretty close to the other horses as well. For a brief moment, all my loneliness was blown away as I happily shouted, ¡°Yay!¡± and dashed towards the pastures. The fairy tried to lead me back to the road, indicating, ¡°It¡¯s not that way¡±, but I ignored it. There¡¯s still plenty of time, so just wait for a bit. The fencing meant for the horses was too tall for me to jump, so I easily squeezed through the bottom of it and joined up with the horses. Crying out, ¡®kyun kyun¡¯ in greeting, the horses brought their noses closer to me in response. The horses further away were also going, ¡°What is it? What¡¯s going on?¡± as they approached. I played with them to my heart¡¯s content for about 30 minutes. I rolled across the grassy field together with them, rubbed my body against the ground, and raced with them, only to lose by a large margin. Ilus would take my short legs into consideration when racing with me and let me win, but today she wasn¡¯t here so I ended up losing all my matches. I was quicker when it came to my starting dash, but it took no time at all for them to catch up and surpass me. Not only that, but even though I was desperately moving my legs as fast as they could go, my opponents weren¡¯t even taking me seriously. They ran leisurely and beautifully. Wagging my tail as I watched everyone dash around joyfully, I thought to myself, ahh, I just wanna stay here with them forever. I wanted to nonchalantly join the horses when they returned to the fort. For a brief moment, I considered pretending that I went on the errand while secretly hiding in the stables for a period of time, but the letter that Mother left me seems kind of important, so I¡¯ll have to go to the Capital after all. I let out a small breath, and then said my farewells to the horses. ¡°It¡¯s about time that I go.¡± I thought that maybe one of them might want to come along with me, but nobody did. So sad¡­¡­ Just as I was leaving the pasture, I noticed the fairy sitting on top of the fence like a daifuku. Seems like it gave up trying to bring me back on schedule midway and was waiting here this entire time. ¡°Thanks for waiting.¡± As though to say, ¡°You¡¯re finally back¡±, it puffed up back into a full sphere, and then the fairy once again started to guide me. The bunny rucksack swayed as I stepped on the hard ground with my paw pads and walked. After obediently following it for a while, watching the fairy fluttering before my eyes, I was finally unable to restrain myself and ended up biting it and holding it in my mouth. It had a ball-like shape, and was just the perfect size for holding it in my mouth. Not only that, its movements were just so fascinating that I grew unable to control myself. I could feel a nice and cold temperature on my tongue. And then, the fairy appeared to get angry as it buzzed and began to vibrate. Thus, I opened my mouth and let it go. Yes yes, I¡¯m sorry, my bad. While I had such an exchange with the ball of light that could not speak, I suddenly sensed an approaching fire energy and looked upwards. In the empty sky was a tiny ball of flame. I was already quite accustomed to this scene, so I took a step back and waited for his arrival. The fire spun around like a whirlpool as it grew larger before turning black as it reached my size. And then, before I knew it, the flame had turned into the small black panther that lightly alighted onto the ground. Perhaps it was the difference between a feline type and a canine type, but his body was softer and his movements were more graceful than my own. ¡°Good morning Kugalg.¡± A black panther with a menacing look in his eyes looked back at me, with his long tail standing erect behind him. Lowering his head, he thrust his head directly into my fluffy chest. ¡°Uu¡­¡­¡± He put quite a bit of force behind his thrust every time, so it always caused me to fall on my behind, but apparently his head thrusts were an expression of affection, so I endured it. Kugalg rubbed his head against mine gently, and then, satisfied, he returned to his previous position. ¡°Milfiria. Hm? ¡­¡­where is this place?¡± After happily calling out my name, Kugalg finally turned his gaze towards the surroundings. Observing that the surrounding scenery was different from that of Snowlea Mountain or the inside of the fort, he then saw the fairy and exposed a puzzled expression. ¡°Kugalg, I¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡± I also raised my tail and welcomed him. This might be the first time I¡¯ve looked forward to his appearance this much. I was confident. If it¡¯s Kugalg then-! Kugalg will definitely come with me to the Capital! ¡°Waiting? For me?¡± Kugalg¡¯s red eyes sparkled. I explained to him that I was going to the Capital on an errand, and asked if he would come together with me. ¡°I¡¯ll be lonely on my own, so let¡¯s go together! ¡®No road is long with good company*¡¯, right!¡± Though he tilted his head at the Japanese saying, Kugalg nodded at my request and said, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll go¡±. As expected of Kugalg! ¡°Yay! I¡¯m so happy!¡± With this, my loneliness will be dispelled. Seeing my exceptionally delighted expression of happiness, Kugalg turned away bashfully. ¡°But, we might have to hide the flame on your tail.¡± On the tip of Kugalg¡¯s long and thin tail was a red flame that remained constantly lit. It would probably surprise some unknowing human if they were to see it. Even though my mind was spinning in circles trying to propose ways to hide the flame, Kugalg himself spat out a simple solution. ¡°Got it. Then I¡¯ll put it out.¡± ¡°How are you going to put it out?¡± Tilting my head as I looked back at him, Kugalg made a grand swing of his tail to the right. As he did so, amazingly the brightly burning red flame on the tip of the tail went out. ¡°Eh!? You can put it out? Is it okay for you to put it out?¡± I asked while trembling in confusion. It¡¯s because I had arbitrarily come up with the idea that the flame on the end of Kugalg¡¯s tail would only go out when he died. But apparently, Kugalg¡¯s tail flame wasn¡¯t particularly an indicator of his lifeforce. When Kugalg made a grand swing of his tail to his left, the flame was restored, and when he swung it to the right, it went out again. He explained as though it were a trifling matter. ¡°I¡¯m fine even if it goes out.¡± So that¡¯s how it was. That surprised me. Then, I¡¯ll have him keep it out for the duration of our journey so that we don¡¯t stand out so much. ¡°Then, please keep it like that.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s set off! We¡¯ll do our best to get to the Capital! ¡­¡­yay!¡± Being a party pooper, Kugalg did not cooperate and respond to my shouts of encouragement, so I ended up shouting a response myself. Kugalg¡¯s still a child too, so he gave me the feeling that ¡®if something were to happen, I¡¯ll have to protect him¡¯. Thus, I couldn¡¯t relax as much as when I was with Mother or the One-Eyed Knight and the others. But, my footsteps had gotten quite a bit lighter compared to before. It¡¯s nice having a travel companion other than the fairy. Things might be getting a bit more fun. Volume 2 - CH 10 ¡°Look! There¡¯s a rabbit!¡± After passing through the pastures, I discovered a brown rabbit on the bright verdant meadow. The rabbits that live in this region change fur colours between the summer and winter, and right now it was just around the time for their summer pelt to come out. Thus, there was still a bit of white fur remaining on the rabbit¡¯s back and the tip of its ears. If you grabbed and pulled on them, a fluffy ball of fur might just come out. Incidentally, according to Branch Captain-san, who was knowledgeable in the matters of animals, when the rabbits around here changed from their brown summer pelts to their white winter pelts, it was due to the fur losing its colour. I had thought that it would be like when the summer fur comes out, with the summer fur falling out and the winter pelt growing in, but it seems that it wasn¡¯t like that. Even though we were quite a distance from the rabbit, it appeared that it had also noticed our presence. From a rabbit¡¯s point of view, a fox and a panther were undoubtedly its natural enemies, so its long ears were standing erect as it went on guard. ¡°Let¡¯s catch it~¡± As he said that, Kugalg¡¯s muzzle¡ª¡ª-in other words, the ¡®3¡¯ part of his face (:3), puffed up and he turned his whiskers forward. Well, is he getting excited? On top of that, he lowered his stance, hiding in the shadows of the grass, and had completely entered hunting mode. ¡°Don¡¯t actually bite it hard. Since we won¡¯t be eating it even if you catch it.¡± I don¡¯t like raw meat, and Kugalg himself was like a spirit in that he didn¡¯t eat. However, Kugalg was concentrating too hard, so he didn¡¯t properly listen to my words. ¡°Okay, go around from over there Milfee.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± When I properly observed the rabbit, I noticed that it wasn¡¯t quite like the fluffy pet rabbits that you¡¯d keep in Japan. Its face was a bit longer and dignified, while its entire body was lean with muscle. Its hind legs were particularly developed. It looked far stronger than a furball like me. Though I had thought that we wouldn¡¯t be able to catch a wild rabbit with such a sharp aura around it, I decided to try play-hunting together with Kugalg. The fairy jumped around indignantly as if to say, ¡°You¡¯re wasting time again!¡±. It¡¯d just run away if I ran directly at it, so I followed Kugalg¡¯s instructions and went around it from the left. Pretending as though I had no interest in the rabbit, I walked lightly while making a large circle around it. It might be a bit silly to try chasing after a rabbit while carrying a bunny rucksack on my back. Taking a sidelong glance at the distance rabbit, I watched Kugalg slowly approach it, closing the distance in his lowered stance. The rabbit was preoccupied with me. It raised its head and was focussing on where I was going. After making a considerable detour and reaching the front of the rabbit as it watched me, I kicked off the ground and began to run with all my might, despite there still being a considerable distance between us. Caught by my claws, the grass from the field flew up, and every time I took a step forward the bunny rucksack would smack my back. It¡¯s in the way! The rabbit glanced back momentarily, and then jumped off in a run with a surprising amount of explosive power. Just trying to follow its movements with my eyes was difficult. While it soon created a distance with me, it was as planned so this was fine. The place where the rabbit was running to was where Kugalg was lying in wait after all. Ideally, the rabbit would plunge into Kugalg¡¯s hiding place and he¡¯d be able go ¡®BAM!¡¯ and catch it without having to run at all, but in reality the rabbit didn¡¯t move as we liked. Kugalg jumped out once the rabbit came as close as possible to him, but even then there was still about 10 metres between them. At that point, I was already completely out of breath, with my tongue sticking out as I panted while sluggishly running. However, Kugalg was seriously trying to catch the rabbit. His pointed claws slashed the ground as he bound forward as though he were gliding. The rabbit made a sudden change of direction as he attempted to bite at it. Wow, so fast~. I could tell how he¡¯s been going easy on me whenever we played tag. However, even then he was no match for a rabbit that had lived in an relentless environment filled with natural predators. After the slightly worn out rabbit managed to put a bit of a distance between them, Kugalg gave up and slowed down. While gazing at the rabbit that was dashing for the forest with all its might, Kugalg and I came to a halt. ¡°Dammit!¡± As though he were sharpening his claws, Kugalg scratched at the short grass growing on the ground. Since it would¡¯ve just been trouble if we had actually caught it, I didn¡¯t feel all that frustrated. ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­¡­¡± With my tongue still sticking out, I rolled over on the spot and Kugalg also sat down and began to focus on grooming himself. Kugalg had an unexpected love of cleanliness. He earnestly groomed every nook and cranny to get all the dirt off, which always made me feel that he really had a pretty feminine side to him. Though he¡¯d definitely get mad if I actually said that to him. On the other hand, I would hardly groom myself, so unable to let things just be, Kugalg would always groom my fur for me. While I did tell him that Tina-san often brushes my fur for me so he didn¡¯t have to help groom me, apparently it bothers him when he sees my fur in disarray so he can¡¯t just leave it alone. Even now, after he finished grooming his own fur, he started to fervently fix up my fur as I laid down on my side. Kugalg¡¯s tongue was rough, so it really did clean things up like a brush, but since my fur is long, it¡¯s apparently quite difficult to lick it. He was working hard, lifting up his jaw to lick it out. ¡°Ah, right.¡± Around the time when Kugalg had finished grooming, I suddenly recalled something. Somehow managing to restrain the fairy as it urged us, ¡°It¡¯s about time to go!¡±, I said- ¡°I¡¯m hungry, so let¡¯s eat.¡± It¡¯s still a bit early for lunch, but it should be fine. I¡¯m tired after working so hard ¡®hunting¡¯. Ignoring my internal voice of reason that said, ¡°It¡¯s still too early for a break. You¡¯re not that far from the fort yet.¡±, I decided to eat the lunch that Tina-san had me bring. I wonder if Kugalg will eat some too? I couldn¡¯t take off the rucksack in my fox form too well, so I transformed into my humanoid form that had my fox ears and tail exposed. It was extremely difficult to eliminate the ears and tail from this form, so I still could only transform into this incomplete form. Even in this form I was still a child, and while I liked my long silver hair, my white skin, and my eyes that were round like acorns, it still seemed like it¡¯d take quite a few years before I could be called a ¡®beautiful young girl¡¯. (Geez, how could Mother and the One-Eyed Knight send such young children off to travel on their lonesome!) As I huffily opened the rucksack, Kugalg also transformed into his human form and peeked curiously at the contents. Kugalg wore Arabian-style clothes, and his build was a bit on the slender side. Even then, he still appeared quite young, and as expected he still couldn¡¯t hide his ears and tail. He¡¯s cunning as always. ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± ¡°Lunch. And jerky too. It¡¯s delicious, so you should eat some too, Kugalg¡­¡­hm? What the heck is this?¡± The first thing I saw when opening the rucksack was a gaudily purple cloth. It seemed like there was something soft inside of it, as it had a plush feeling when I touched it. The rucksack did seem awfully stuffed. I suppose it was because something like this was taking up all the space. I used my small hands to grab it and tried pulling it out. However, it was about the same size as the mouth of the rucksack, so it didn¡¯t come out so easily. I had Kugalg hold onto the bottom of the rucksack, so I used both hands to pull it with all my strength. Then, with a poof, the purple something came out of the bag. ¡ª¡ªand as it came out, I screamed. ¡°GYAAAHHHH!?¡± The thing that was in the rucksack was a large plushie. The soft feeling of the cloth was because of the cotton stuffed into it. Based on the feeling of it alone, it certainly was a plushie. Just based on the feeling, that is. ¡°What is¡­this¡­¡­¡± Kugalg¡¯s pupils enlarged and he took a forward-bent posture. It seems that he¡¯s recognised the plushie as an enemy. However, I could understand his feelings. This creepy purple plushie was probably made in the image of a mushroom. And below the cap of the mushroom were an embroidered pair of eyes and a mouth. No matter how you looked at it, the expression was that of Munch¡¯s ¡®The Scream¡¯. Why was such a dreadful thing stuffed into the cute bunny rucksack? Is this harassment? For a moment, such thoughts crossed my mind as I trembled from the appearance of the mysterious mushroom character, but then the image of Tina-san¡¯s smiling face floated through my mind. It was at that moment that I felt as though everything came to light. This wasn¡¯t harassment. It was Tina-san¡¯s good intentions. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s a bit clumsy, her sense of colour is a bit off, and she lacks artistic sense for making cute characters, so she ended up giving birth to such a sad monster. My chest hurts. While telling Kugalg, who kept giving the plushie kitty ¨C or rather, panther ¨C punches, that it was just a plushie, I tried to calm down the fairy as it buzzed while flying around, seemingly saying, ¡°Let¡¯s run away¡±. ¡°I think that this was probably put in so that I won¡¯t be lonely.¡± Though I felt like her kindness was a bit misguided, I thankfully put the plushie in a place outside of my field of vision and then once again began to dig through the rucksack. Other than Mother¡¯s letter, inside the rucksack were two bundles. The first bundle contained jerky, while the other contained lunch. ¡°Wow, look.¡± Kugalg still had not gotten over the shock caused by the plushie made by Tina-san, so I turned his attention towards the contents of the bundle. Within it were my favourite potato crepes. It wasn¡¯t completely made of potato, but had grated potato mixed into the batter and was made thicker than the crepes often seen in Japan. The springy texture of the crepe was delightful. It was pan-fried, so the edges of the crepe were crunchy and fragrant. Normally, I¡¯d eat it together with veggies or bacon, but today it seems like it had been fried with butter and arranged with sweets. The first crepe had a red berry jam, while the other had honey smeared on the inner layer. The two crepes were then rolled up into long tubes. I¡¯m sure that the Head Chef was the one who prepared this. He probably figured that if he jammed the package with sandwiches and other side dishes, it¡¯d just end up all mixed together with me carrying it. ¡°Which one do you want, Kugalg, the jam one or the honey one?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really need something that humans made.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. It¡¯s delicious. Then, I¡¯ll give you the honey one.¡± While I pretended that I was giving him the one I recommended, I actually just wanted to eat the jam one, so I gave him the remaining crepe. Leaving Kugalg to sniff the crepe that I placed in front of him, I sunk my teeth into my potato crepe. It was a simple snack with a springy texture and the faint taste of potatoes. The buttery flavour matched up well with the acidity of the berry jam. I think it was last summer when I was given a taste of the fresh jam after the newly harvested berries were boiled together with a small amount of sugar. However, at the time the berries still hadn¡¯t broken down, so the fruity juices would overflow from the berries when I bit into them. That was also pretty delicious. As I thought about such things while making a blissful expression, I continued to gobble down on the food. Kugalg also timidly tried to take a bite, then made a surprised face and took another bite, then another¡­¡­like that, he continued to eat the crepe slowly. I guess he likes it? Since there was potato in it, just eating one filled me right up, but I couldn¡¯t endure the temptation of my favourite jerky and ended up eating a bit of that too. When I passed some over to Kugalg as well, his face visibly lit up as soon as he put it into his mouth. It¡¯s delicious, isn¡¯t it? I get you. As expected, carnivores prefer meat over crepes. ¡°I¡¯m sho full¡­¡­.¡± Just as I started to feel sleepy, the fairy crashed into my forehead, as though it had perceived my thoughts. It seemed to be saying, ¡°Wake up, it¡¯s about time we go!¡±. However, as I looked at the eager fairy, I suddenly started to wonder whether or not I could make a fairy too. (Let¡¯s try!) I cupped both my hands in front of my chest as though I were trying to scoop up water, and then imagined my power gathering there. Then, I imagined the power condensing and turning into a ball of light. ¡°Eh? Uwah¡­¡­!¡± I didn¡¯t think that I¡¯d be able to do it, but I was able to create a ball of light with unexpected ease. It was considerably smaller than the fairy that Mother made ¨C about the size of a bead ¨C but it also flickered with a white light and floated in the air. ¡°I did it! Yay!¡± When I stood up excitedly, Kugalg looked amazed and stopped his actions of digging through the rucksack¡ª¡ªapparently he still hadn¡¯t had enough of the jerky. ¡°My fairy¡­¡­¡± What a wonderful phrase. It tickled my maiden heart with its fairy tale-like ring. I started to hold feelings of affection for this tiny fairy that had just been born. However, that cute fairy was¡­¡­. ¡°Uwah, wait a sec-¡± It buzzed, flying around my surroundings at high speeds like a bug. Using agile movements, it flew upwards, then downwards, then left and right with restless movements, crashing into the ground, crashing into Mother¡¯s fairy, then slamming into Kugalg as well¡ª¡ªand made a fwshh sound before melting instantly. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my fault!¡± Kugalg defended himself before I could blame him. I know, I know. Kugalg was just standing there, and didn¡¯t do anything at all. It was my restless fairy that crashed into him by itself and self-destructed. Since Kugalg¡¯s a fire spirit, the immature snow fairy couldn¡¯t avoid complete annihilation from the collision. While it was my fairy, it truly was a foolish child¡­¡­ ¡°I wanna try making it one more time¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna make one too.¡± The two of us stood at the ready and looked into our own hands. Mother¡¯s fairy gazed at us, as though to say, ¡°What about the errand¡­¡­?¡±. We¡¯ll go as soon as we¡¯re done with this! ¡°I did it!¡± ¡°Ohh!¡± Just creating a fairy in and of itself might be pretty simple. Both Kugalg and I succeeded, with each of us creating a red and white light, respectively. However, as expected they were both about the size of a bead, and were both hopelessly restless. Rather than cute fairies, they seemed more like cicadas that you¡¯d see crawling on the ground at the end of summer. They¡¯d fly that way, then this way, then fall to the ground before circling upwards as though they had gone insane. Calm down a bit, would ya! In the meanwhile, my fairy once again flew upwards. Kugalg¡¯s fairy, which was just as flighty as my own, also flew up and then ¨C POOF! They collided¡­¡­and once again were annihilated. ¡°Geez! Dummy!¡± I reflexively ended up raising my voice at my fairy¡¯s hasty manner. However, it seems like it¡¯s still a bit early for me to be making fairies. Probably, no matter how many times I make them, I¡¯ll just end up creating silly children like these. And since I was sharing my own power to create the fairies, the more I created, the more tired I would get. If I had the same amount of power as Mother has, it probably wouldn¡¯t be anything to worry about, but it was a large burden for my young self. It¡¯d probably be better to stop at this for today. ¡°Kugalg, it¡¯s about time we head off.¡± I shoved the eerie plushie that Tina-san created back into the rucksack, put it on, and returned to my vixen form while speaking. I can¡¯t just keep fooling around after all. Volume 2 - CH 11 ¡°I don¡¯t see her¡­¡­we should be catching up to her soon though.¡± On horseback as they advanced down the main road that was close to the fort, Grail carefully gazed at the road ahead of them. Cromwell, Kix, and Tina were also similarly searching for the figure of the white fox ahead of them, while Gauss leisurely murmured, ¡°There really isn¡¯t anything around this area, huh¡± as he handled his horse¡¯s reins. Though Mil had left the fort before them, it wasn¡¯t like she could walk that quickly. After not seeing her, despite the fact that they should¡¯ve caught up to her by now, they grew worried. It couldn¡¯t be that she had been abducted in such a short period of time, nor should she be drowning in a ditch somewhere¡­¡­is what they¡¯d like to believe. ¡°Should we try rounding back and searching the road we just came through again?¡± Tina said anxiously. Kix was also making an unusually serious expression, while Cromwell¡¯s face had turned somewhat pale. Gauss pulled up next to him and clapped his shoulder. ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s try splitting up into two groups. One group will go ahead, and the other will turn back¡ª¡ª¡± Just as Grail, who had been running in the front, was about to stop his horse and turn around, his words paused. Next to the road that the five of them were walking down were the pastures where the fort¡¯s horses grazed. Glimpses of a small white animal could be seen at the feet of the various brown and black horses that were dashing around. The one who was happily springing around atop the grassy field was undoubtedly Mil. ¡°There she is.¡± Grail gave an exasperated smile as he pointed at the pasture, and the other four quickly turned their eyes that way as well. ¡°So that¡¯s where she¡¯s been this whole time!¡± ¡°Thank goodness, we found her¡­¡­¡± Kix and Tina spoke with relieved expressions, and Cromwell also secretly expressed his relief. It seemed that despite being in the middle of an errand, Mil was playing around together with the horses. As she raced together with four or five other horses, she was the only one being completely left behind in the dust, but even then she seemed to be enjoying herself. Unaware of the fact that Grail and the rest were watching here, Mil played with the horses for a while, and before long, it seemed that she remembered what her original objective was. She started to return to the fencing near the side of the main road where the fairy was waiting for her. In other words, she was beginning to approach the area where Grail and the rest were watching her. ¡°Crap, she¡¯s coming this way.¡± Kix said that and pulled his cloak over his head, but it appeared that Mil didn¡¯t even notice the presence of the five people. ¡°She didn¡¯t even make a single glance this way.¡± Tina made a wry smile as Cromwell muttered thus quietly. ¡°I do think we¡¯re following her pretty closely though¡­¡­¡± They were about 15 metres away from Mil, who had started to stride down the main road. If they were tailing her in a town, then this would¡¯ve been plenty of distance. However, they were currently on a straight road, surrounded by grassy plains and fields, without any obstructions to the view at all. She¡¯d immediately discover that she was being tailed if she just turned around, but Mil didn¡¯t pay any attention to her rear at all. ¡°She¡¯s upwind, so she can¡¯t smell us, but shouldn¡¯t she be able to sense the presence of people? And, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for her to be able to hear us talking, or the sound of the horses¡¯ hooves. I had thought that spirits had sharper senses than humans but¡­¡­¡± After Gauss said that in a mystified manner, Cromwell shot back. ¡°It is true that while Mil is a snow spirit, she¡¯s the more careless type.¡± Kix also joked around as his brow furrowed. ¡°That being said, she doesn¡¯t even have the same level of attentiveness as a normal fox. Those ears are also just a cute decoration.¡± In order to match Mil¡¯s walking speed, the five people dismounted their horses and started to walk. ¡°So, when should we call out to Mil? Are we just gonna keep following her from behind?¡± Grail looked over his shoulder and asked Kix. While Snowlea said, ¡°I want all of you to shadow Milfiria¡±, she probably did not mean to [tail her without being discovered], but instead to [go together with her to the Capital]. Grail had intended on setting off together with Mil, but Kix and Tina had put a stop to that. ¡°Because, wouldn¡¯t it be fun to secretly observe Mil¡¯s actions?¡± ¡°A fox cub carrying a bunny rucksack while wearing a shawl¡ª¡ªwouldn¡¯t it just be wonderful to watch our fill of such a charming backside? Also, her tail, and butt, and the back of her head too¡­¡­¡± Following Kix, Tina said that, enraptured. They had prepared Mil¡¯s luggage earlier that morning, and when Grail was searching for a bag to put Mil¡¯s lunch and jerky in, Cromwell had silently presented that bunny rucksack. While he really wanted to ask where in the world Cromwell had obtained such a product, Grail just silently accepted the bag. And like he had imagined, the figure of a fox cub carrying a bunny was adorable. He could understand Kix and Tina¡¯s feelings when they asked to tail her secretly for a bit. While the highly populated town was dangerous, there weren¡¯t any concerns of losing sight of her on this exposed highway. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Kugalg-kun.¡± Tina raised her voice in excitement. A small flame had appeared next to Mil, transforming into a young black panther. Wild panthers did not live in this country, but Grail and the rest had already met with Kugalg a number of times in the past, thus they were familiar with his appearance. At first, Mil had seemed to dislike coming into contact with Kugalg, who was a fire spirit, but now she seemed to have resigned herself and was tolerating his actions. Even if he headbutt her or sniffed her, she let him do as he liked without resisting. ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s the child of fire from the South? This is quite the rare sight.¡± ¡°This is a pretty common sight at the fort though.¡± Kix said to the deeply moved Gauss. ¡°Milfiria. Hm? ¡­¡­where is this place?¡± Kugalg said that and looked around at the surroundings, quickly noticing Grail and the other four people who were behind them. Unlike Mil, he was more attentive to his surroundings. While showing some wariness towards Gauss¡¯ presence, he appeared baffled as to why Grail and the rest were a distance away. But- ¡°Kugalg, I¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡± When Mil happily welcomed him, he completely lost interest in what the humans over here were doing. Mil never usually showed much reaction when Kugalg came to visit, and at most would say something like, ¡°Oh, you came?¡±. Thus, this was the first time he had ever been so welcomed. Kugalg seemed terribly moved by that, as his tail trembled with excitement. After that, just as they thought the two spirits would start to walk together, they were soon stopped by the discovery of a rabbit. ¡°They¡¯re not gonna get anywhere at all like this.¡± Kix said with a laugh. Though Mil and Kugalg put more thought into how they chased down the rabbit than expected, in the end it managed to get away. And then, when they thought that the two would finally set off, it seemed that Mil had gotten tired, so she transformed into her human form and began to rummage through the rucksack. Apparently she had decided to eat lunch now. Grail and the rest had food for Mil packed in their luggage carried by the horses, so it was fine for Mil to eat the portion she was carrying sooner than expected. However, you could say that she had no planning ability with regards to her consumption. Every now and then, Kugalg would glance towards them, but perhaps because he didn¡¯t want them to interrupt his two person journey with her, he didn¡¯t show any signs of saying anything to Mil. ¡ª¡ªthen- ¡°GYAAAAHHHHH!?¡± Mil pulled something out from the rucksack and then suddenly let out a frightened scream. For a moment Grail and Cromwell were about to start running towards her, but seeing the strange, purple toadstool plush, they quickly turned their gazes towards Tina. ¡°¡­¡­what¡¯s with that?¡± Hearing Grail¡¯s genuine doubt, Tina made a bashful smile as she replied. ¡°Well, um¡­I thought that it could be Mil-chan¡¯s travel companion¡­¡­¡± ¡°Travel companion? That toadstool?¡± Kix looked at Tina as if to say ¡®are you serious?¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s not a toadstool! It¡¯s a plushie!¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s a plushie, but why did you make it into such a horrifying being!? Where in the world did you obtain that dark purple cloth!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s so mean! Isn¡¯t it cute!?¡± Geez, geez! -Tina¡¯s face grew red as she smacked Kix. Gauss laughed boisterously next to her. (No wonder why the rucksack had grown larger compared to when I packed it. Just when did she manage to sneak that in there¡­¡­) ¡®You really can¡¯t be too careful¡¯, Grail thought to himself. Both Mil and Kugalg appeared to have received quite the shock from the plushie, but they somehow managed to collect themselves and begin their meal. After finishing their meal, they started to try making their own fairies, and when they finished that, they finally started to prepare for their departure. Both Mil and Kugalg returned to their animal forms, and continued down the highway, following after the fairy. ¡°Now that I think of it, this isn¡¯t the time to be taking things easy! The Capital¡¯s pretty far after all.¡± Mil started to get a little impatient and increased her walking speed. Her small and short legs hurriedly moved as fast as they could. ¡°We might¡¯ve eaten a bit too much jerky¡­¡­there¡¯s still quite a long way to go, so we should¡¯ve left more for later. We probably should¡¯ve eaten the meal a bit later too¡­what will we do¡­¡­¡± After having finished eating, it seemed that she finally started to hold some anxiety regarding the amount of food they had, as Mil continued to talk in a dither. ¡°We won¡¯t die even if we don¡¯t eat, so it¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°That might be true but¡­¡­but we might get hungry, and if I¡¯m hungry I¡¯ll get sad.¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t we try getting to the Capital before Milfiria¡¯s belly gets hungry?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true!¡± Mil agreed to that proposition and then said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s hurry!¡±, and the two of them took off running. Seeing that, Grail and the rest mounted their horses. Kix retorted, ¡°That ain¡¯t ¡®true¡¯ at all!¡± as he lightly kicked the horse¡¯s belly to signal it. Perhaps because they were spirits and thus had more endurance, Mil and Kugalg were able to run for longer than expected, and soon the next town came into sight. Volume 2 - CH 12 The next town over, like the town close to the fort, was a small settlement created with agriculture as its focus. Grail and the rest often visited it during their patrol, but for Mil and Kugalg, this was probably their first time coming here. ¡°Somehow there¡¯s a lot of houses there! Is that the Capital!?¡± Kugalg panted as he ran, but Mil responded in the negative, relying on her vague gut feeling. ¡°I don¡¯t think so! The Capital should have a more¡­¡­. ¡®ROYAL CAPITAL!¡¯-feel to it! Also, there¡¯s no castle here!¡± ¡°Then, we don¡¯t have any business here?¡± ¡°Yup, none!¡± Even though they should¡¯ve taken a short rest, the two of them didn¡¯t take the branch in the road that led to the town, and instead continued to dash down the highway. The fairy guiding them appeared to be in a good mood as it flew, happy that Mil didn¡¯t take another detour. ¡°If they don¡¯t slow down their pace, they¡¯ll get exhausted.¡± Tina murmured in a worried manner, but there was no way the two of them would hear that mutter. A short while after passing by the next town over, Mil¡¯s steps suddenly grew heavier. For a while now, her mouth was open with her tongue sticking out completely, so it was apparent that she was about to reach her limits. Kugalg also showed some signs of tiring, as he started to walk slowly to match Mil¡¯s pace. ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡­so tiring¡­¡­¡± Mil said as she took short breaths. The movement of her legs had grown sluggish, and at times her right and left forepaws got tangled up, making it look like she was about to trip. And every time it seemed like she was about to trip, Cromwell would gasp in surprise next to Grail, making Grail wish that Mil would just walk normally without being too reckless for the sake of Cromwell¡¯s heart. ¡°Look, there¡¯s a river. Let¡¯s get a drink.¡± Discovering a small creek that intersected the highway, Mil staggered unsteadily towards it. After judging that there wasn¡¯t any danger since there wasn¡¯t much water and the creek itself was narrow, Grail continued to follow her from behind. When Mil lowered her head in an attempt to drink water, the ears of the bunny rucksack fell towards her head, dipping them into the water and soaking them. Though such an incident occurred, she seemed to recover somewhat after wetting her thirst. Either because Kugalg did not have the habit of drinking water, or because he was bad with water due to being a fire spirit, he did not dip his tongue into the water. Instead, he nimbly jumped over the creek, crossing over to the opposite side of it. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Seeing that, Mil also decided to try and jump over the creek, despite the fact that she probably should refrain from doing so. The creek wasn¡¯t wider than one metre in width, so it wasn¡¯t a particularly reckless challenge, but there was a bridge right next to her. One that she didn¡¯t appear to have any intention of using. Mil would lift her forepaw, then lower it, take a forward-bent stance, then stand back up. After doing that a number of times, she finally resolved herself and kicked off the ground. Then, in the next instant there was a loud ¡®SPLASH!¡¯, as she landed right in the middle of the creek. The water only reached Mil¡¯s ankles, so she simply stood on the spot without drowning. ¡°PFF-¡­¡­!¡± Kix started to tremble in an attempt to restrain his laughter. They had thought that she¡¯d soon climb out of the water herself, but contrary to their expectations, Mil seemed so surprised at her failure¡ª¡ªshe had probably imagined herself elegantly flying over the river¡ª¡ªthat she simply stood there dumbfounded, not showing any signs of movement. ¡°Milfiria, are you okay!?¡± Kugalg flusteredly approached her, bit onto the scruff of Mil¡¯s neck, and dragged her ashore. ¡°I thought that I¡¯d be able to jump over it¡­¡­¡± Mil murmured absentmindedly. ¡°It¡¯s cold¡­¡­¡± Gazing at her wet paws, Mil made a sad expression as they walked away from the creek. She trudged forward for a while, but around the time when her paws started to dry, she had returned to her usual self. While he hoped that she¡¯d remember this failure as a lesson for the future so that she wouldn¡¯t put herself in danger when coming across similar ¡®challenges¡¯, seeing her carefree face as she chatted happily with Kugalg, it was apparent that she had already forgotten about it. Grail was making a bitter smile at that when suddenly he looked up ahead, seeing a pedestrian approaching from further up the deserted highway. The fairy flying in the lead noticed that fact and concealed itself underneath Mil¡¯s shawl. The pedestrian appeared to be a farmer transporting vegetables on a cart that was being pulled by a donkey. Riding on his cart while holding the donkey¡¯s reins, the farmer noticed Mil and Kugalg as they approached and stared at them with surprise. He probably had not realised that they were spirits, instead thinking that they were some dog and a large cat. Not only that, but the dog was wearing a shawl and a bunny rucksack, so he was probably mystified, thinking, ¡°What¡¯s with these animals?¡±. On the other hand, since this was the first time she came across a human since leaving the fort, Mil seemed to be longing for company. Though this was a complete stranger, having been a few hours since she last saw a human, her tail was flapping back and forth. Kugalg appeared to have zero interest in humans, but Mil came to a stop and gazed at the pedestrian with eyes filled with expectation. However, from the beginning to the end of the interaction, the pedestrian merely gazed at Mil and Kugalg with uncomprehending eyes, passing by them without stopping the donkey at all. Disappointed, Mil began to walk once more. Behind her, the pedestrian was then surprised by Grail and the rest. ¡°¡­¡­sir knights? What¡¯s with that?¡± Grail ambiguously waved his hand at the question. The pedestrian¡¯s head was left with nothing but question marks until the very end as he left. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s more people coming.¡± Kix looked ahead and said. This time there were two travellers carrying large packages approaching Mil and Kugalg from just ahead of them. Mil¡¯s tail once again began to wag as she stopped in place. The travellers were a young couple, and it was the wife who noticed Mil and Kugalg before raising her voice in laughter. ¡°My, how cute.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably the pet dog of some rich household. To think that they¡¯d even make their pets wear clothes¡­¡­.is that a¡­cat? Though I feel like it¡¯s a bit different from one¡­¡­¡± For a person that had never seen a panther before, they probably wouldn¡¯t be able to think of what animal Kugalg was on the spur of the moment. Seeing the approaching couple¡¯s legs come to a stop, Mil seemed to judge that this time things would go well. Her tail wagged grandly as she rushed towards them. When she drew closer to the wife, who seemed to like animals more, she made an extremely happy face as the wife petted her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time that we meet up with Mil?¡± The words, ¡®I¡¯d be willing to pet her head as much as she wants!¡¯ were completely written across his face as Cromwell said that to Grail. However, that was when Kix cut in with- ¡°It¡¯s still too early. Not even half a day has passed yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it quite amusing to watch her from behind? Sometimes it¡¯s nice to be able to travel leisurely like this.¡± -Gauss said in support. However, Grail then retorted. ¡°But it looks like she¡¯s just about to go off with them.¡± Mil was running circles around the couple just as they were about to leave, becoming an obstruction on the path. Her cries of ¡®kyun kyun¡¯ probably meant something on the lines of, ¡°You¡¯re already going?¡± ¡°Pet me for a bit longer¡± ¡°How about you come with me to the Capital?¡±. ¡°Well, if she really goes with them, then we¡¯ll just recover her and give her a good scolding.¡± Kix crossed his arms atop the horse and said. ¡°Sorry, bye.¡± However, as the couple waved their hands and departed, Mil seemed to give up dejectedly. Following the fairy, who came flying out from her shawl, she once again began to walk forth obediently. ¡°Even though she looked back just now, she didn¡¯t realise that it was us.¡± ¡°She was probably just looking at that couple.¡± Grail replied to Kix as he spoke doubtfully. ¡°Those round eyes are really just a cute decoration.¡± As the couple passed by the five people, they noticed that they were knights and lightly bowed their heads in greeting. ¡°But, as expected, she really should notice us following her sometime today.¡± Tina said that and laughed, as Kix also threw out an interjection. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s what would be expected¡­¡­¡± Volume 2 - CH 13 Mil continued to steadily advance without noticing that she was being followed, and at times would act in a friendly manner to the occasional passerbys. She grew chipper when they would pet her, split the remaining jerky together with Kugalg, and as she did this and that, the sun set. Around the time when the surroundings began to grow darker, she started to search for what would be the night¡¯s bed. In the end, she entered a small thicket, settling down at the roots of a single tree and cuddling together with Kugalg as she curled up. The fairy nestled between the two of them and dimmed its light. ¡°Today was pretty tiring, huh. Good night.¡± After saying that, it took less than a minute for Mil to sink into her dreams as she lightly snored. Kugalg thoroughly groomed Mil¡¯s fur and then glanced at Grail and his group before closing his eyes. ¡°Mil-chan went to sleep without noticing us at all.¡± ¡°Just what would she have done if we were some suspicious people? Sleeping so heedlessly like that.¡± However, the only one getting angry at Mil¡¯s lacking sense of danger was Kix. The other four people were instead enjoying the mentally healing sight of the defenseless sleeping faces of the white and black furballs as they cuddled up to each other. In particular, Cromwell¡¯s usually stoic expression had completely collapsed, while Gauss had started saying things like, ¡°I¡¯m gonna get a dog or cat when I get back to the Capital¡±. ¡°If you decide to get one on your own, your wife¡¯s gonna get mad at you.¡± Having been under Gauss¡¯ care prior to coming to the Northern Fort, Grail was well aware of how scary Gauss¡¯ beautiful wife was when she got angry. Grail turned to Kix and Tina and spoke. ¡°In any case, today we¡¯ll also be setting up camp here. The original plan was to stay the night at Gouda town, but it looks like it¡¯ll take until tomorrow afternoon for them to reach the town.¡± They steadily made preparations to camp outside, lighting a fire and making a simple evening meal. After tying the horses to some nearby trees and giving them water, they rested. ¡°Ah, Branch Captain, that-¡­¡­¡± Cromwell, who hadn¡¯t been seen for a few minutes, returned holding the bunny rucksack that Mil had been carrying. Perhaps because she couldn¡¯t take it off too easily on her own, Mil had been wearing it when she fell asleep. ¡°She didn¡¯t wake up even when I took it off her.¡± ¡°She really has zero sense of danger!¡± Kix raised his voice in an exasperated manner upon hearing Cromwell¡¯s explanation. ¡°So? What are you planning on doing with that?¡± ¡°I figured I should top up their rations.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°The jerky¡¯s over here.¡± Grail opened up his luggage and took out some jerky. It seemed like she¡¯d end up eating as much as she had, so he didn¡¯t put all the jerky into the rucksack, instead just putting in tomorrow¡¯s portion of jerky. ¡°This is in the way, so take responsibility and carry it, Tina.¡± Kix took out the toadstool plush from the rucksack, and pushed it onto Tina. Tina complained, ¡°Ehh¡±, but after reflecting over the day¡¯s events and realising that the plush hadn¡¯t been of any use at all, she obediently stored it away into her own luggage. ¡°¡­¡­what¡¯s that?¡± Without the plush, the bunny rucksack had plenty of room inside, thus after Grail put the jerky in, Cromwell also cheerfully stuffed something in. ¡°Well, that¡¯s-¡± As he made a vague response, Cromwell also put a small money pouch into the rucksack. Jingle, the clinking sound it made was probably from the coins. ¡°Money?¡± ¡°Mil and Kugalg don¡¯t seem to have any money on them after all. The town they¡¯ll be passing through tomorrow, Gouda, is a big place. There might be something that will draw Mil¡¯s interest. It¡¯d be pitiful if at that time they were penniless and unable to buy it at all.¡± As he said that, Cromwell took out his wallet and added a bit more money to the pouch. ¡°Branch Captain¡¯s so indulgent of them. Even though you didn¡¯t give me any allowance.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason for me to give you any.¡± Cromwell bluntly responded. ¡°Ah, Vice Cap, you too!?¡± Before anyone had realised it, Grail had also taken out his wallet and was almost unconsciously putting money into the pouch for Mil. When he had imagined the penniless Mil¡¯s stomach rumbling in front of a food stand as she made a sorrowful expression, he reflexively ended up taking out his wallet. ¡°Then I¡¯ll also donate a bit too.¡± Gauss searched his pockets, and then dropped a single silver coin into the money pouch. Amongst the six different kinds of coins that made up this country¡¯s currency, it had the second highest value. While a single coin wasn¡¯t too much money, Grail felt that it was still a bit early to give to Mil. Gauss was probably feeling like a grandfather doting on his grandchildren, having been completely charmed by Mil and Kugalg. ¡°How nice.¡± Gazing at the money pouch that had grown heavy, completely filled up to the brim, Kix¡¯s true thoughts leaked out. The pouch was stuffed into the rucksack, and this time Grail was the one to bring the rucksack back to Mil. The place where Grail and company set up camp wasn¡¯t too far from where Mil was, so the light from the campfire faintly illuminated them. Perhaps because Mil found it too hot to have Kugalg sticking so close to her, she had now rolled over onto her back and was facing upwards. While she wasn¡¯t a wild animal, it made Grail concerned that she would sleep spread-eagle with her belly exposed in the wild like this. After thoroughly enjoying her sleeping face, he ruffled her belly fur and then placed the bunny rucksack next to her before returning to where Kix and the rest were. Volume 2 - CH 14 [Mil, you went playing in the mud again, didn¡¯t you? Let¡¯s get you in the bath and clean you up.] [I dun like baths! Wah, what are you doing!? Don¡¯t pour hot water on me!] The One-Eyed Knight made a scary face as he flipped me over, and for some reason started to focus solely on my belly as he poured hot water from the bath on it. Wait, why!? Why are you only pouring it on my belly!? ¡°Uuu, stop¡­¡­.hm¡­¡­a dream?¡± As my eyes snapped open and I returned to reality, I felt a sense of relief. The view that came into sight as I laid face-up wasn¡¯t that of the fort¡¯s training grounds, but a sliver of cloudy sky peeking through the tall foliage that surrounded me. And the cause of me seeing such a dream appeared to be Kugalg, who was sleeping with his head resting atop my belly. My belly had grown hot due to Kugalg¡¯s body temperature. Twisting my body, I attempted to escape using my two forepaws to push against Kugalg¡¯s head. Flapping them about, I violently gave Kugalg several fox-punches and woke him up. How horrible of him to have used my belly as a pillow. ¡°Kugalg, wake up! It¡¯s morning!¡± ¡°Nn¡­¡­¡± As Kugalg sluggishly awoke and began to groom his fur with a drowsy look, I licked the fairy, who was also unexpectedly a sleepyhead as well, and transformed into my human form for the time being. I couldn¡¯t put on the bunny rucksack on my own in my fox form after all. ¡°Huh? But, I¡¯m pretty sure I fell asleep while wearing the rucksack yesterday¡­¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t able to get it off easily, so finding it a pain, I figured I¡¯d just leave it as is ¨C is how it should¡¯ve been. ¡°I don¡¯t really get it, but oh well.¡± However, when I lifted up the bunny rucksack, it was clearly heavier compared to yesterday. After we had finished eating lunch and the jerky yesterday, it should only have the toadstool plush and Mother¡¯s letter in it. As a plethora of doubts circled my mind, I decided to check the contents for the time being. When I did so, I discovered that the dreadful toadstool plush that had taken up the most space in the rucksack had disappeared. ¡°The plushie is gone! Alright! No wait, where did it go?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I knew it. That thing was alive.¡± Having finished grooming himself, Kugalg said that with a serious face. ¡°Alive? You mean it started moving on its own and left?¡± When I asked that, Kugalg silently nodded. No no, that can¡¯t be. ¡­¡­but, it also didn¡¯t seem all that strange for that creepy cursed-looking plushie to start moving either. ¡°Scary. But it¡¯s good that it went somewhere else.¡± While I did feel a bit like crying, I once again started to search through the rucksack when a fragrant scent hit me. ¡°Eh? Why is there still this much jerky left? I thought we ate it all yesterday. And this¡­¡­¡± There were two things that I didn¡¯t recognise in the rucksack. The first was a red and white cloth. I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell unless I unfolded it, but it appeared to be clothing. And the second was a small, but plump and heavy money pouch. When I peeked inside, it was filled to the brim with dull-coloured coins that resembled Japan¡¯s ten-yen coins. These were undoubtedly the currency of this world, but why in the world were they in the rucksack? (The plush disappeared, and in its place are clothes, money, and food¡­¡­Oh! Don¡¯t tell me this is-!) My eyes widened. This is that plushie¡¯s return of gratitude. Honestly speaking, I don¡¯t remember doing a single thing that warranted any gratitude, but thinking about things that way seemed wonderful. When I explained this theory to Kugalg, emphasising that the plushie was actually a good guy, he didn¡¯t approve of it. ¡°I mean, why would it thank you?¡± ¡°I dunno.¡± ¡°And why did the plushie disappear?¡± ¡°I dunno.¡± In the end, I persisted in believing in this explanation, saying, ¡°I dunno, but the plushie disappeared and all this money and stuff appeared in its place, so I think it¡¯s fine to think that the plushie did it¡±. Putting the bunny rucksack that had gotten a bit heavier onto my back, I once again returned to my fox form. I wonder if we¡¯ll reach the Capital today? ¡°Where are you looking, Kugalg? It¡¯s about time we head off!¡± ¡°No, I was just wondering if they¡¯re planning on following the whole time¡­¡­.well, whatever. Let¡¯s go.¡± After calling out to Kugalg, who was looking in the wrong direction, we left the thicket and returned to the highway. Since we don¡¯t have a clock, I didn¡¯t know the precise hour, but at around 10am we took a break and ate jerky. Then, we once again began to walk. At times I played tag with Kugalg, or plucked flowers from the roadside, but learning from the lessons of yesterday¡¯s experience, I worked hard to not loiter too much on the way today. I can¡¯t meet up with the One-Eyed Knight and everyone at the fort while I¡¯m doing this errand, nor can I see Mother. When I thought about that again, I got lonely, so I figured I should finish this errand as soon as possible. Thus, I decided to seriously make progress in advancing forward. Perhaps as a result of those efforts, we arrived at a lively and large town that I had never seen before just past noon. There were clearly more people compared to the numerous towns that we had just passed by on our way here. Kugalg and I hid in the shadows of a bank near the entrance of the town, our eyes sparkling with excitement. ¡°Wow! There¡¯s so many people!¡± ¡°Is this the ¡®Capital¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it is! We can¡¯t see the castle from here, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll see it when we go inside!¡± ¡°Hmm, we did it, huh. It was unexpectedly close. This was a real walk in the park.¡± Compared to me, who was unable to hide my delight, Kugalg maintained his composed attitude. However, it was at that moment that the fairy began to make hollow noises as it crashed into us a number of times. ¡°Ow ow. What? ¡­¡­go over there? But the Capital¡¯s here, right? Eh, it¡¯s not?¡± I had been thinking that we arrived quite a bit faster than expected, but after seeing the fairy¡¯s gestures, it felt like my knees were about to come crashing down. The place where the fairy was trying to lead us to wasn¡¯t this town, but towards the highway. ¡°Ehh¡­¡­I think I worked pretty hard today so I don¡¯t wanna walk anymoreeeee. Really, I worked realllllly hard.¡± I sank down on top of the leafy embankment that had become a little tilted. My focus had been all used up and my belly was also empty. (I know!) Just when I started thinking about eating some more jerky, I remembered that the town in front of us probably had stuff we could buy. While it wasn¡¯t the Capital, it was quite a large town. There should be plenty of stores that sell food in it. While jerky was nice, I somehow managed to obtain money while I was sleeping, so since there was an opportunity to do so, I wanted to try eating other things. (But I can¡¯t talk to them in my fox form. If I turn into my human form¡­¡­ah, that won¡¯t work. If my ears and tail are seen, they¡¯ll find out I¡¯m not human.) And with us wearing a kimono and Arabian-style clothes, we¡¯ll really stand out. It probably can¡¯t be helped that we¡¯ll stand out amongst the people of this country. (Oh right, speaking of clothes!) Still hiding in the shadows of the embankment, I turned into my human form and quickly opened the bunny rucksack. The flowers that I had picked from the roadside during the morning had gotten all damaged and messy, so I first threw them away. I shouldn¡¯t have put them into the rucksack. When I once again jammed my hand into the rucksack, I took out the clothes that had been put in together with the money and jerky. There were exactly two pieces of clothing ¨C a red one and a white one. As Kugalg and the fairy watched with curious gazes, I tried unfolding the clothes. They kind of looked like mantles, but they had hoods attached to them, so I think they were some sort of raincoat. Just, unlike the ones in Japan, they weren¡¯t shiny and slippery. Lengthwise, it went all the way down to our ankles, so if we wore these and put on the hoods, we¡¯d be able to hide our ears and tails. While it wasn¡¯t currently raining, the sky was pretty cloudy, so even if some children were to put on their hoods, the surrounding people probably wouldn¡¯t find it too strange. There was just a single thing that bothered me. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Kugalg said while looking at the red raincoat. I lifted up the white raincoat and furrowed my brow. Both of the hoods had animal faces embroidered onto them, and on top of that, there were fake ears attached to them as well. The white one had triangular ears that resembled my own. The red one had round ears that resembled Kugalg¡¯s. While it was a cute design for a raincoat meant for young children, it was a bit questionable when you considered that even though we were trying to hide our actual ears with the hood, there were still ears visible from the hood. I glanced at the bunny rucksack that was left on the ground. Then, I once again looked at the raincoat. This design that purely pursued cuteness¡­¡­how similar. And the way how it seemed to have cost a pointlessly large amount of money, with how it was carefully sewn using top-quality cloth was also similar. (Don¡¯t tell me these raincoats were also prepared by Branch Captain-san?) Like how with a creepy plushie, the chances of it being made by Tina-san were extremely high, the chances that clothes and small accessories with a chicly cute design were purchased by Branch Captain-san was high. But Branch Captain-san wasn¡¯t here, and it¡¯s impossible for these raincoats to have been hidden inside the rucksack last night. Finding it mysterious, I put my arms through the sleeves of the white raincoat. I also had Kugalg transform into his human form and told him to put on the red raincoat. ¡°I don¡¯t want to wear something like this.¡± ¡°Eh, why?¡± ¡°I want something cooler.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­then fine. I¡¯ll go on my own to buy something, so wait here Kugalg.¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m coming too.¡± Which is it? ¡°If you don¡¯t wear this, then you can¡¯t come with me.¡± When I held out the red raincoat, this time Kugalg obediently accepted it. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wear it.¡± ¡°Remember to put the hood on too. Don¡¯t let your tail come out of the bottom either.¡± While my tail was shorter than Kugalg¡¯s, it had more volume to it. If I just wore the raincoat like normal, it made my bum look unusually bulgy, but as long as I wore the bunny rucksack on top of the raincoat, I could hide it. For my head, I tried to lay my ears as flat as possible, but you could still feel a slight bulge if you touched it. But it was more likely that any onlookers would have their attention caught by the fake ears, so they probably wouldn¡¯t think that there were actual ears underneath the fake ones. Snatching the fairy that refused to approach the town, instead trying to go on ahead on the path, I slipped it amongst my hair in the hood. Opening up the money pouch that I had taken out of the rucksack, I split it evenly with Kugalg, taking approximately half of the coins and placing it into the pocket of my raincoat. ¡°Okay, and this is for you, Kugalg.¡± Saying that, I shoved the money pouch into Kugalg¡¯s pocket. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go! Our first shopping trip!¡± I pulled Kugalg¡¯s hand and entered the town that had [Gouda] written on its sign. Volume 2 - CH 15 ¡°Wow, there really are a lot of people.¡± As I walked while looking around, it seemed like it wouldn¡¯t be long before I bumped into someone. Gouda town was lively, and the main street had all sorts of shops and stands lined up side by side, but there weren¡¯t any high class stores that would make you hesitate to enter. Overall, the street gave a friendly impression. Even the jewellery and weapon stores were in slightly dirty-looking buildings, with kindly-looking uncles and aunties doing business inside. The people walking by wore things like casual wear and travelling clothes, and there weren¡¯t any noblewomen-looking people wearing dresses and a wide-brimmed hat. ¡°Oh, how cute.¡± As I walked together with Kugalg, watching out so as to not crash into other people¡¯s legs, a young woman called out to us. ¡°But is it just the two of you? Are you lost?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re not. We¡¯re on an errand.¡± I¡¯ll just leave it at ¡®our parents sent us on a shopping errand¡¯. ¡°Even though you¡¯re so little? That¡¯s amazing.¡± After being commended, my mood rose as I giggled, ¡°Ufufu¡± and pulled Kugalg¡¯s hand, advancing through the market. My tail made rustling noises underneath the raincoat. Don¡¯t go moving now, tail. As we passed in front of a noticeably busy bakery, I said, ¡°Excuse us¡± while weaving through the adults¡¯ legs. When they turned around to look after noticing us, they let out cheerful laughter. ¡°That¡¯s quite the interesting look.¡± ¡°The hood has ears attached to it!¡± I reported to the cheerily laughing adults, ¡°We¡¯re going shopping now¡± of my own accord. Why, you ask? Because I want to be praised. ¡°Just the two of you? Wow, how admirable.¡± After obtaining the expected praise, I was satisfied and nodded. ¡°Be careful, okay?¡± Waving my hand at the big sister that called out to us last, I continued forward together with Kugalg. Incidentally, Kugalg hadn¡¯t said a single word for a while now. His shy side was on display as he kept his face turned away. ¡°Say, what do you wanna buy, Kugalg?¡± When I said that while tugging on our held hands, Kugalg finally looked my way. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®buy¡¯?¡± ¡°Using the money we received today, we¡¯re going to buy things here. We can¡¯t buy anything of a greater ¡®value¡¯ than the money we have, so we can¡¯t exactly buy anything either though.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Kugalg also appeared to develop an interest in the market, as he was looking around restlessly at the stands and stores that were all over the place. I gave half the money we had to him, so Kugalg should just buy the things that he likes. And I will buy the things that I like! ¡°Food, food.¡± With my unwavering appetite, I began to check the nearby food stands. A stand that had a sweet scent coming from it appeared to be selling something that resembled cinnamon rolls. A dough that had been rolled into a spiral had sugar icing poured on top of it. There were also raisin-like objects in it as well, and while it did appear a bit flatter compared to the ones I remember being sold in Japan, I was a bit moved to see that this country also had such a dessert. But I¡¯m not sure if cinnamon and raisins will suit my currently childish taste buds. Let¡¯s pass on this one. There were also typical sweets like cookies and muffins available, but the other snacks also tantalised my appetite. A thick sausage inserted in bread that resembled a hot dog, stir-fried minced meat and diced vegetables wrapped up and cooked in a thinly-rolled dough, a tomato sauce that had been boiled with beans and vegetables. After that, there was also a large and hard-looking cheese, and a mass of salted meat lined up. The stands over there seem to be selling fruits. ¡°T-That¡¯s-¡­¡­!¡± When I saw that stand, I raised my voice. I found my favourite fruit. The fruit was called ¡®legan¡¯, and it had a yellowish peel. Both its appearance and taste resembled that of a litchi. It¡¯s just that compared to a litchi, it had a more crunchy texture, with small edible black seeds like the ones you¡¯d find in a kiwi. It wasn¡¯t suitable for making jam, but it was a valuable fruit that couldn¡¯t be eaten in the current season. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get that!¡± I had Kugalg accompany me as I headed towards that stall. There were several kinds of other fruits lined up at the stall other than the legan, but I had a single goal. ¡°Legans, please!¡± The plump aunty that ran the stall cheerfully responded. ¡°Oh, what a cute customer. Are you on an errand?¡± ¡°Yup! Please give me as much as this will buy.¡± Legans weren¡¯t something that could be easily harvested from all over the place, so it should be a relatively expensive fruit. Even when it was in season, it rarely appeared in my meals. That¡¯s why, in order not to be told that I didn¡¯t have enough, I gave the stall aunty all the money I had. Even if one of these coins only had the same approximate value as a 10-yen coin, with all of these coins I should be able to buy a tummy¡¯s worth of fruit. After the aunty counted the money that I presented with both hands- ¡°Alright, give me a moment.¡± -she took out a large brown paper bag. Then, she used a small shovel-like tool to scoop up the legans and put them into the paper bag. One scoop, two scoops, three scoops, four scoops¡­¡­ Huh? It can buy that much? ¡°Milfee, you¡¯re buying a lot, huh.¡± Kugalg said leisurely behind me, but I really should have just asked to buy enough to fill the palms of my hands. Somehow a bit of cold sweat has started to leak out. You¡¯re still going on? That¡¯s enough, you know? It really is¡­um¡­a little much¡­¡­ ¡°Alright, thanks for the business!¡± In the end, the aunty finally stopped once the paper bag was completely filled with legans. The money that I gave her was probably quite a large amount for a young child. Seeing me stagger when I received the large paper bag, Kugalg instead carried it in my place. He couldn¡¯t carry it unless he used both hands, so he became unable to see with the bag covering the entire upper half of his body. ¡°T-Thanks¡­¡­¡± I gave my thanks to the aunty with a haggard expression and left the stall. Even though I had been planning on eating the sweet and juicy legans as soon as I bought them, seeing such a large amount of them made me lose my appetite. ¡°So, have you decided what you want, Kugalg?¡± I collected myself and asked. Being unable to see what was ahead of him, Kugalg walked with slightly uncertain steps, but he nodded and said, ¡°Over there¡± as he headed for a nearby stall. It appears he found something that interested him before I knew it. The stall that we arrived at had a variety of ornaments placed atop a cloth that was laid out directly on the ground, including bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. They were luxurious accessories made of precious metals and jewels, but instead had a more warm design, being made with leather and rocks native to this region. If it¡¯s something like this, then even we¡¯ll be able to afford it! -I thought to myself briefly, excited. But after seeing Kugalg taking a moment to place the large paper bag on the ground for the time being, I returned to reality. I had spent all my money on buying way more legans than I needed. Rather than something that¡¯ll disappear as I eat them, I should¡¯ve bought something like these kinds of accessories instead. I regretted my purchase a little. But it¡¯s fine! Legans are delicious, so it¡¯s fine! Volume 2 - CH 16 ¡°It¡¯s quite rare to have such young customers.¡± The big brother that ran the stall had dreadlocks and a rather eccentric appearance, but he was a very fashionable person. His skin was a similar dark brown colour to Kugalg¡¯s, so he might be from a country far in the southern regions. ¡°Wow, how pretty!¡± I picked up a necklace that caught my eye and unconsciously raised my voice. It was a pendant with a thin leather strap and a large aqua-coloured stone. When I looked at the colour of the stone, which was transparent like ice, it reminded me of Mother¡¯s eyes. (I wonder what Mother¡¯s doing around now. Is she worried about me¡­¡­?) I started to feel a bit lonely when I thought about Mother, so I quietly placed the necklace back where I found it. When I glanced at Kugalg, who was crouching down next to me, I saw that he also had picked up a single necklace after carefully examining the goods in a serious manner. This necklace also had a large natural rock attached to a thin leather strap, and the stone was a deep red that appeared as though a flame had been sealed within it. ¡°This¡­¡­¡± Kugalg put the necklace down for a bit and took out the money pouch from his pocket, handing it all over to the big brother. The big brother counted out the money and- ¡°This is more than enough.¡± -returned a single silver coin to Kugalg. Hm? What¡¯s with that beautifully coloured money? I didn¡¯t have something like that¡­¡­no, it¡¯s good that I didn¡¯t. No matter how you looked at it, it felt far more valuable compared to the other coins, and if I had passed that over to the stall aunty, I might¡¯ve had to walk around carrying three or four paper bags full of legans. How dreadful¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know who snuck that money into my rucksack, but just what in the world were they thinking by handing such a large amount of money to a young child like this, geez. While I ignored the fact that I had casually handed over all my money while not knowing the value of it, Kugalg accepted the necklace from the big brother. ¡°Good for you, Kugalg.¡± I didn¡¯t know that he had such an interest in accessories, but something like this seemed like it¡¯d suit him. The colour of the stone was red too, so it was perfect for Kugalg. Kugalg happily nodded and then presented the necklace to me. ¡°Eh?¡± My eyes grew round as I sensed Kugalg¡¯s intention. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re giving it? To me?¡± Kugalg nodded once more, and then gently put the necklace on my neck over the raincoat. The stone that was the same colour as Kugalg¡¯s eyes shone passionately on my chest. The raincoat and my hair was white, so the red colour stood out even more. ¡°Thanks, Kugalg!¡± ¡°Nice going, boy.¡± Feeling touched, my spirits rose, after which the big brother running the stall grinned knowingly. On the other hand, after Kugalg saw me wearing the red stone, his lips rose in an incredibly satisfied manner. After that, each of us held up one side of the paper bag containing the legans, and continued to walk down the main street for a while. We still have one silver coin, so if there was anything we wanted, we could buy it. That being said, it didn¡¯t seem like a good idea to buy anything that would increase our luggage any further. It was difficult to choose a single food to buy, and since we had to finish off the large amount of legans I had purchased, we couldn¡¯t just go around filling our bellies with other things instead. ¡°You don¡¯t want to buy anything else for yourself, Kugalg? There¡¯s still some money left.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not really anything else that I want.¡± ¡°Really? Then, shall we head out of town? There¡¯s not that many stores anymore, and the legans are heavy¡­¡­huh? It¡¯s not heavy anymore¡­¡­?¡± Kugalg and I looked down at the brown paper bag between us and squinted at it. Even though at first it had been so heavy that it hurt, before we knew it, it had become as light as air. ¡°Why!?¡± When I quickly opened the bag, the inside of it was empty, to my amazement. There really wasn¡¯t anything except air left inside of it. ¡°¡­¡­??¡± An illusion? For an instant such a thought crossed my mind, but we soon identified the cause. The bottom of the paper bag had a hole about the size of two legans. There was no doubt at all. This is where all the contents of the bag had escaped. Cooperating with Kugalg to carry the large and heavy paper bag while walking was difficult, and every time we relaxed even in the slightest, the bottom of the bag would end up scraping against the cobblestone pavement. That is why every time that happened, we¡¯d put in the effort to lift it up again, but it seems like the bag had ruptured unnoticed. While I had been preoccupied chatting with Kugalg while looking around town, I did not think that I would be this clumsy, like some kind of character in a manga. After gazing at the empty paper bag while feeling like I had been tricked by a fox despite being a fox myself, I looked back behind us. I couldn¡¯t see any legans fallen on the ground anywhere. Even though they should¡¯ve fallen in a way that would¡¯ve made a trail to track where we had walked, we had walked quite a long distance, going from one end to the other of the main road. Thus, I couldn¡¯t tell where the first and last legans had dropped between those points. ¡°Let¡¯s head back, Kugalg.¡± While still holding the holey paper bag with him, I ran back the way we came. There were a lot of people, so most of the fruits had probably been trampled. The moment I started to feel sad, thinking that- ¡°There you are. You two were the ones who dropped these, right?¡± ¡°We finally caught up to you.¡± Some kind townspeople had picked up the legans and come after us. Some of them even had the legans piled into their aprons and hats as they ran towards us. ¡°T-Thank you sho muchh¡­¡­!¡± My voice trembled with emotion. Everyone is so kind. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Be careful now, alright?¡± When we placed the paper bag onto the ground and had them put the dropped legans into it, the amount pretty much reached the original level. Thank goodness! As I once again gave my thanks to the people who had helped us, they all waved while smiling as they left. ¡°It¡¯s great that there were so many good people to help.¡± Even Kugalg, who hardly had any interest in humans, gave a rare show of agreement as he nodded at my words. Now then, -I turned back to the paper bag that had regained its heaviness. There was a hole in it, so if we just picked it up like this, the tragedy would just repeat itself. That being said, we didn¡¯t have another bag, nor was there any tape or material we could use to reinforce it. Just as I was wondering to myself what to do, a person suddenly appeared, extending his hand to us. His large and thick, slightly sunburnt hand skillfully covered the hole in the paper bag as he lifted it up. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a new bag. Follow me.¡± After saying that, the uncle turned around and started to walk. Kugalg and I followed after him unsteadily. ¡°Thank you.¡± The uncle¡¯s head and body had a large dark green cloth enveloping him like a mantle. I couldn¡¯t really see his hair or attire, but he had a rather large build. He was carrying a sword at his waist, but he also seemed to be a traveller. At a glance he looked difficult to approach, but I could feel kindness from his deep voice. ¡°Over here.¡± While still carrying the legans, the uncle turned back slightly and guided us deep within an alleyway. After advancing down the narrow path, we eventually reached a gloomy area between the buildings with nothing around, at which he stopped walking. Is there really a new bag in a place like this? The uncle silently turned around towards us and took off the cloth covering his head. Short hair and a beard the colour of desert sand. His facial features were very distinct, and his eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth were all big. Coupled together with his large body size, he kind of resembled a bear. Not only that, but he wasn¡¯t like a bear in the zoo quietly taking an afternoon nap. Instead, he was like a dangerous wild brown bear¡­¡­ As I processed such an impression of him, the uncle placed the paper bag on the grown and approached us. ¡°Now then, come here.¡± Making an evil grin, he reached his hand out towards me. That was when I finally felt a sense of danger. Volume 2 - CH 17 Could it be that right now I¡¯m about to be kidnapped? Was this uncle the kind of dangerous person that likes small children? Or maybe he was planning on selling us somewhere, or knew our true identities and value. The blood drained from my body. ¡°Kugalg¡­¡­!¡± I turned to him to say we should run away, but Kugalg was just staring at the uncle motionlessly, and didn¡¯t seem to have any sense of danger at all. In a situation like this, I feel like he¡¯d normally try to protect me, but he might not have realised that this uncle was a bad person. ¡°Kugalg!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve caught you now.¡± The uncle picked me up and gave a low, throaty chuckle. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I fervently tried to struggle, but it didn¡¯t seem like I¡¯d be able to escape his beefy arms. ¡°Kugalg, help me! I¡¯m gonna be killed!¡± Kugalg tilted his head at my shout and calmly responded. ¡°Killed? But, isn¡¯t that guy one of their friends?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Failing to understand his meaning, this time I was the one to tilt my head when- ¡°Are you satisfied now, Commander? Don¡¯t scare the poor thing so much.¡± The one who silently appeared from behind Kugalg was, to my amazement, Branch Captain-san. His silky black hair was tucked behind one ear, and he was looking at the uncle with an exasperated expression. ¡°Bwanch¡­Captain¡­san¡­¡­? It¡¯s Bwanch Captain-san!!¡± Completely forgetting that I was being carried by a suspicious uncle, my tail started to wag noisy underneath my raincoat. Ehhh!? Why is he in a place like this!? What a coincidence! I¡¯m so happy! A little bit doubtful as to whether or not he was just a lookalike, I extended my neck towards Branch Captain-san and tried to sniff his scent despite being in my human form. ¡°Mil, you know that you shouldn¡¯t follow people you don¡¯t know. It¡¯s fine because that guy is one of our acquaintances, but there are a lot of bad people in the world.¡± After being told that by Branch Captain-san, I suddenly remembered the man behind me and turned around. This bear-like uncle isn¡¯t a kidnapper, but is Branch Captain-san¡¯s acquaintance? ¡°He¡¯s the Knight Order¡¯s Commander.¡± As if reading the question in my mind, Branch Captain-san told me the answer. So this person is the one who brings the whole Knight¡¯s Order together! He resembles the mental image I had of Branch Captain-san back when I had just arrived at the Northern Fort and didn¡¯t know what Branch Captain-san looked like. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d follow me so easily. I¡¯m Gauss, nice to meet you!¡± Commander-san guffawed boisterously and his large hand gave my head a rough and vigorous pat. It felt like my hood and fur was about to be rubbed off, and my neck might just break. He was even stronger than the One-Eyed Knight. Taking advantage of the momentary loosening of his arms, I hastily jumped down to the ground. My eyes were spinning. Branch Captain-san kneeled in front of Kugalg and me, with my eyes still spinning, and said. ¡°Those suit you two even more than I thought they would.¡± By ¡®those¡¯ he probably meant the raincoats. ¡®Than he thought they would¡¯¡­¡­as expected, these were Branch Captain-san¡¯s choice of clothes. Then does that mean that the one who put them inside the rucksack last night was also Branch Captain-san? ¡°Bwanch Captain-san, since when were you¡ª¡ª-¡± My words halted just as I was about to start questioning him. Because I could see the One-Eyed Knight and Tina-san running over from the narrow alley behind Branch Captain-san. Ah, Kix is also with them too. I could tell that the instant I saw the One-Eyed Knight, my eyes widened as they started to sparkle. ¡°One-Eyed Knight!¡± ¡°Mil.¡± I toddled quickly over to the One-Eyed Knight and energetically grabbed onto his leg. ¡°Say, why? Why are you here?¡± My tail wagged rapidly and lifted up my raincoat. As the One-Eyed Knight picked me up, I tried his face all over. He really wasn¡¯t an illusion. Wahh, I¡¯m so happy! I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be able to meet in a place like this! What a touching reunion! I was so excited that if I was in my fox form instead, I probably would¡¯ve covered the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s whole face in spit from licking. After three whole years since my reincarnation had passed, my repulsion against the act of ¡®licking¡¯ had pretty much disappeared. Then, over the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s shoulder, I saw Tina-san and Kix warily observing something on the other side of the alley. At the same time, Branch Captain-san asked this of the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°Did they escape?¡± ¡°Yes, my apologies. They managed to throw us off.¡± Hearing their serious tones of voice and seeing Kix not fooling around as usual made me anxious. ¡°Did something happen?¡± Hesitating a bit, I asked the One-Eyed Knight about the situation. ¡°There were some suspicious men watching you guys from the shadows. I left you two to the Commander and Branch Captain and chased after them, but they got away.¡± ¡°Watching us? Maybe it was because we¡¯re wearing such conspicuous outfits?¡± I said while tugging on the hood that had slipped off my head. We were a couple of kids walking around while wearing raincoats with ears like these on them after all. It was pretty normal for us to catch the attention of passersby. However, the One-Eyed Knight shook his head. ¡°Their gazes were a bit different from other people. It seemed like they were either kidnappers after children, or they could have noticed that you two were spirits¡­¡­.¡± The latter half of his words were murmured in a low voice, as though he were muttering them to himself. ¡°In any case, your two person journey ends here. From here on out, we¡¯ll be heading together with you guys to the Capital.¡± ¡°Ehh!? Yayy!¡± It was only after I raised my arms up in a ¡®hooray¡¯ pose that I realised something. ¡°¡­¡­.hm? But don¡¯t you guys have some other work to do, One-Eyed Knight?¡± While us meeting here was a coincidence, I wondered whether or not it was really okay for the One-Eyed Knight and everyone to abandon their own work to accompany us to the Capital. The one who answered my question was Tina-san. ¡°Hehe, our goal is also the Capital. Branch Captain has some business there. Plus we were also asked by Mil-chan¡¯s mother to go there together with Mil-chan.¡± ¡°By Mother¡­¡­.?¡± I blinked dazedly. Just when in the world did Mother make such a request of the One-Eyed Knight and everyone? (Huh? But wait a second. If everyone was planning on heading to the Capital from the beginning, then why didn¡¯t they tell me that when I was first leaving the fort?) If we had departed together from the beginning, then I wouldn¡¯t have had to experience so much loneliness, right¡­¡­.? Noticing my doubtful expression, Kix spoke with a lighthearted tone. ¡°We figured it¡¯d be interesting to secretly tail you from behind. Well, it actually was pretty funny. But Mil, you really should be a bit more aware of your surroundings. You don¡¯t know who¡¯s following you from behind after all. You really should use those eyes and ears of yours a bit more.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡­.everyone¡­¡­..since when were you following me?¡± ¡°Ever since Mil was playing with the horses.¡± That¡¯s basically since the beginning! If that¡¯s the case, then say so sooner! If I knew that everyone was watching me, I wouldn¡¯t have spent so much time playing with the horses and would¡¯ve been more serious with going forward on my journey! I pouted my lip, sulking. It¡¯s horrible to just silently tail me! Though I¡¯m sure it was Kix¡¯s idea to begin with! Ah, now that I think of it, when I was setting off I decided that I¡¯d be ¡®independent from now on¡¯, but when we reunited I ended up happily wagging my tail like normal. I¡¯m such a dummy. I can¡¯t stand having them think that I¡¯m an easy girl, so let¡¯s put out my angry aura at full blast for a period of time. When I raised my chin haughtily and stayed silent- ¡°Don¡¯t sulk. Sorry for not telling you.¡± The One-Eyed Knight gave a helpless look and stroked my hair. Even if you try to butter me up that way, I won¡¯t forgive you. I do like being pet on the head but right now I¡¯m angry¡­¡­um, a little closer to my ears¡­¡­right right, that place feels good. Yup, this is the best. Very well, I¡¯ll forgive you. After that, when I glared at Kix, he apologized and said, ¡°My bad, my bad¡±. Branch Captain-san also made a wry smile while saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, so I¡¯ll forgive him. As he was an authority figure and also seemed pretty strong, I was a bit scared to blame Commander-san, and thus overlooked him. However, Tina-san was deeply guilty, having been the one to put that plushie into the rucksack. When I turned my eyes towards her, she cutely said, ¡°Sorry¡±. They really can¡¯t be helped, honestly. I¡¯ll forgive all of you, so come with me to the Capital! You absolutely have to! Don¡¯t leave me, alright! With my good mood restored, I nuzzled my forehead up against the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s cheek. It was precisely because they were watching us from behind that they were able to discover the suspicious men, thus ending things before I faced any danger after all. ¡°Then as expected, the reason why the contents of the rucksack changed was because everyone changed them out¡­¡­.um, I¡¯m sorry, we ended up using most of the money you gave me¡­¡­¡± I said that while fidgeting guiltily, but the One-Eyed Knight and everyone didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. ¡°That was Mil and Kugalg¡¯s pocket money after all. It¡¯s fine for you two to use it up. I do think you bought a bit too many legans but¡­¡­everyone can eat them together.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Thank goodness. With five adults with us, it looks like I¡¯ll be able to avoid having my belly rupturing from legan consumption. ¡°Say, Bwanch Captain-san was the one who put these in, right?¡± Saying that, I pointed towards my raincoat and Kix responded. ¡°Right right, we were also surprised at that. To think that he¡¯d even bring something like that with him. Not only that, but he even had Kugalg¡¯s coat properly prepared as well.¡± ¡°I just anticipated their need for them and brought them with me as a result.¡± Branch Captain-san said that while acting like a reliable person, but I really wonder if that¡¯s the truth? If we hadn¡¯t needed them, wasn¡¯t he just planning on making us wear them anyways? I started to become uneasy, wondering whether or not Branch Captain-san had even more outfits and accessories meant for us stuffed into his luggage. ¡°Now then, isn¡¯t it about time we set off? If those men are small-time thugs that use this town as their base, then it¡¯d probably be better to leave town ahead of time.¡± After Commander-san urged us on and the One-Eyed Knight expressed his agreement, he then turned to Kugalg and I and asked. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡­..we¡¯ll be riding horses, but will Mill and Kugalg be okay staying in those forms?¡± It might be easier to ride a horse in our human forms, but there was the possibility of our hoods slipping off as the horse ran. That would probably end up startling any passersby if they witnessed us, and the chances of a fox being outed as a spirit were probably lower. After having the One-Eyed Knight place me back on the ground, I returned to my fox form. Seeing that, Kugalg also transformed into his panther form. And then, as the fairy slipped out from underneath the hood, the raincoat that no longer fit me flopped down and covered my entire body. ¡°Huh? Where¡¯s the exit?¡± As I scrambled about on my own, I ended up butting heads with Kugalg, who was similarly struggling with being unable to see what was in front of him. ¡°Owwie!¡± ¡°Ow-¡­¡­.!¡± ¡°Wait wait.¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± The One-Eyed Knight and Tina-san both helped each of us to pull off the raincoats. While still wearing the shawl and bunny rucksack, I shook my dishevelled fur coat to sloppily tidy it up. I also fixed up the necklace I received from Kugalg. As we were doing that, it seemed that Branch Captain-san was checking to make sure that the suspicious men weren¡¯t around the main street. ¡°Seems to be all clear. Ilus and the rest of the horses are being kept near the town¡¯s entrance. Let¡¯s head back there.¡± After Branch Captain-san turned around and said that to me, the One-Eyed Knight picked me, the fairy sticking closely to me, and Kugalg up in his arms and hid us underneath his cloak. Behind us, Kix seemed to be paying attention to the hole in the bag as he carried the legans. While he had probably been watching us as we bought them, when he once again saw the contents of the bag, I heard him exclaim, ¡°So much!¡± in surprise. As everyone started to walk, I figured that it¡¯d be better to stay quiet until we left town and held my breath underneath the cloak. I couldn¡¯t see the surrounding scenery, but the One-Eyed Knight and everyone seemed to have retrieved their horses uneventfully before exiting the town of Gouda. Upon returning to the highway, Kugalg and I were let out of the cloak around the time when everyone was mounting their horses. Then, while using one hand to support all of us so that we wouldn¡¯t fall from the horse, the One-Eyed Knight placed us in front of him. Branch Captain-san gazed at the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s arms, which had become an animal paradise, enviously while advancing to the front of the group and said- ¡°Let¡¯s go. Pay attention to any followers.¡± Gave the command to set off. Branch Captain-san and the fairy, who was sitting on the tip of Ilus¡¯ nose, were at the very front¡ªsince Mother had given the fairy the mission of guiding us, it seemed to especially want to stay at the very front of the party¡ªand coming in second were us and the One-Eyed Knight, with Commander-san next to us. And situated in the rear were Kix and Tina-san. For a short period of time, we ran at a fairly moderate speed, but as Gouda fell further into the distance and the number of passersby on the highway died out, the situation completely changed. It started when Kix gave the signal. ¡°They¡¯ve come!¡± Still gripping the reins, everyone looked back all at once. While making sure that I wouldn¡¯t tumble off of the horse¡¯s back, I poked my head out from the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s body and confirmed what was going on behind us. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± There were probably about five people. The entire group was dressed in black and riding horses, chasing us at full speed. All of them were wearing cloaks that wrapped around them, almost completely concealing their faces. The sharp eyes of the man running at the forefront felt as though they were looking through me, causing my heart to beat heavily. Growing scared, I hastily hid behind the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s body. ¡°We¡¯re gonna run a bit.¡± The One-Eyed Knight wrapped Kugalg and I firmly with his arms and said. ¡°Okay.¡± I stuck tightly to Kugalg and hugged the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s body. The One-Eyed Knight and everyone rapidly increased their speed, but the suspicious group behind us didn¡¯t fall behind and continued to keep up with us. ¡°They don¡¯t seem to be small-time thugs.¡± Though Commander-san murmured that, he didn¡¯t show any signs of losing his composure in such a situation. As expected of him. His calm attitude relieved me as well. I don¡¯t know what the goal of the people chasing after us is, but the One-Eyed Knight and everyone are strong so it should be fine¡­¡­.right? Volume 2 - CH 18 We were running so fast that the fairy sitting at the tip of Ilus¡¯ nose had started to stretch out like a piece of mochi from the wind pressure. However, the men in black chasing behind us didn¡¯t show any signs of giving up. Seeing that, Branch Captain-san gave everyone orders. ¡°We¡¯re not making any progress. Get ready for battle! Take Mil and Kugalg, Commander!¡± You¡¯re gonna fight? Will everything be alright? Growing frightened, I looked up at the One-Eyed Knight, but he was focussing on confirming the positions of Branch Captain-san and the men behind us, so he didn¡¯t meet my gaze. After Branch Captain-san gave the signal and stopped his horse, the other four also quickly decelerated all at once and descended to the ground. The One-Eyed Knight passed Kugalg and I over to Commander-san, pulled out the sword that was hanging at his waist, and went to the forefront together with Kix. Behind him, Branch Captain-san and Tina-san stood with their swords also in hand. While it was dangerous to be too close to them, being too far meant that they wouldn¡¯t be able to protect us if it got dangerous. Thus, Commander-san and the two of us stayed about 3 metres behind them together with the horses while watching the progress of events. There weren¡¯t any other pedestrians on the highway and vast farmlands spread out on the left side of it. The right side was a wild plain, and deeper into the plains there was a forest leading into a small mountain. The suspicious group drew near in the blink of an eye, and the two people at the front stabbed at the One-Eyed Knight and Kix with the momentum of their running horses behind them. However, the One-Eyed Knight and them skillfully managed to dodge that attack. As expected, there were a total of five men in black. ¡°Who are you?¡± Branch Captain-san questioned in a harsh tone of voice, but not a single person would answer him obediently. They all silently dismounted from their horses and started to come this way head-on. This might just be my imagination, but it felt as though the gazes of the five enemies were directed towards Kugalg and myself, which made me scared. Commander-san placed us onto the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s horse, Leader. Then, he stood in front of us, trying to hide us behind him with his back, but since I was curious about the situation, I peeked my head out from behind him to watch. Kugalg was also peeking his head out from the other side in a slightly nervous manner. After the two parties glared at each other in the middle of the highway, Kix made the first move as he rushed ahead, sparking the beginning of the four-versus-five people combat. Commander-san didn¡¯t participate in the fight and stayed with us, so our side had the disadvantage in numbers. As the sharp clanging sounds of swords clashing reverberated from here and there, I drew my body back in fear. This was the first time I had ever seen the One-Eyed Knight and everyone fighting enemies. The impact and sense of urgency from true combat could not compare to training battles. Sweat would not stop pouring out from my paw pads. The One-Eyed Knight was fighting two people at once, but his powerful swordsmanship that suited the title of ¡®Iron Man¡¯ looked to be dominating over his opponents. Each of his swings were heavy, causing the enemies who received his blows with their swords to be blown back a step. On the other hand, Kix who was fighting next to him was as light as an acrobat, and his swordsmanship was swift. While he made a lot of unnecessary movements, he¡¯d dodge the enemy¡¯s attacks like a cat, flying backwards, swinging his sword downwards as he jumped, and at times making unexpected actions. Thus, the enemy was unable to read the pattern of his attacks and was struggling. Branch Captain-san was generally good at avoiding the enemy¡¯s attacks, and like Kix, aimed to disturb the enemy without making any large move, simply dodging with minimal movements. And then, when the enemy grew short of breath, he silently swung his sword. Tina-san seemed to have used Branch Captain-san¡¯s way of fighting as a model, but her swordsmanship was not as polished. However, the fundamental motions were the same in that she¡¯d dodge the enemy while leading them to self-destruct. The One-Eyed Knight¡¯s brute force way of fighting and Kix¡¯s way of fighting that seemed to exclaim about his high physical abilities probably wouldn¡¯t be very helpful for a woman like Tina-san. The One-Eyed Knight was a given, and Branch Captain-san and Kix were also pretty strong, and Tina-san was by no means weak. I¡¯m sure that if the enemy were some random hoodlums, they¡¯d just have to swing their swords two or three times to achieve victory. However, the black-cloaked men that were attacking us currently were no such small fry. The five of them had average slender physiques, and they didn¡¯t have muscular builds like the One-Eyed Knight or Commander-san. However, they were without a doubt, masters that were practiced in combat, and did not look like they¡¯d be taken down easily. ¡°What are you trying here?¡± Wearing his icy mask, Branch Captain-san interrogated the enemy with a cold voice. ¡°Don¡¯t you guys want to defeat us?¡± For a moment I couldn¡¯t understand what he meant by that, but after looking at the current situation with Branch Captain-san and the enemy, I somehow understood what he was saying. In the beginning, the enemy had aggressively initiated the battle, but now Branch Captain-san¡¯s opponent was maintaining a moderate distance with him, and didn¡¯t show any signs of going on the offensive. Even when Branch Captain-san swung his sword at him, the opponent simply caught the blow and slowly backed away. And when I observed the situation more carefully, I could tell that the attacks of the other four enemies had also eased up. They basically stayed on the defensive, as though they were trying to examine the attitudes of our side. ¡°Bring it on!¡± After avoiding another horizontal swing from Kix¡¯s sword, his opponent once again took a distance from him. Just what in the world is the enemy¡¯s goal? At the very least, they didn¡¯t seem to be intending on massacring us all. If the enemy saw Kugalg and I in the town of Gouda, then perhaps they¡¯re aiming for us after all? (But right now we¡¯re not in our human forms¡­¡­.) Do they know that our fox and panther forms were the same as the children who they saw in town? An ominous silence enveloped the surroundings. Unable to sit still any longer, I began to pace around on top of Leader¡¯s back, when Commander-san placed his large hand on my head to calm me down. ¡°No matter what their intentions are, stay calm and watch. Grail¡¯s my student. He won¡¯t lose. Cromwell¡¯s also gotten a lot stronger compared to before, and those other two also have good moves. It¡¯s okay. Even if it does get dangerous¡ª¡± ¡°Kyaa¡­¡­!¡± When I turned towards the direction of the small scream, I saw that Tina-san had been counterattacked, causing her sword to be knocked out of her hand. Tina-san¡¯s favourite slender sword fell to the ground, and the enemy approached her defenceless self. The instant I saw her crisis, I immediately broke into a run. ¡°Sorry, Leader!¡± Running up Leader¡¯s long neck and stepping onto his head, I jumped off the tip of his nose. It¡¯s said that you can gain superhuman strength in a crisis. Even though I hadn¡¯t even been able to jump over the small creek before, before I knew it I had landed right on the face of the enemy facing Tina-san. ¡°Mil-chan!?¡± ¡°What the-!?¡± The enemy that suddenly had a furry object clinging to his face desperately tried to tear me off it. Ow ow, the fur on my back is gonna be ripped off! If I go bald, my charm¡¯ll be halved, so stop! Volume 2 - CH 19 Just as I thought my back was going to become bald, a large shadow dropped down from behind me and- ¡°Guh-¡­¡­!¡± The enemy suddenly let out a groan and collapsed to the ground. No way! I think the enemy¡¯s spit got on my belly! Yuck! While paying attention to my belly, I peeked at the enemy¡¯s face. Seems like he¡¯s lost consciousness. When I turned around and looked up, I saw Commander-san standing there with a raised eyebrow, his right hand still curled up in a fist. ¡°¡ª¡ª¡¯if things get dangerous, I¡¯ll go.¡¯ -is what I wanted to say.¡± It looks like Commander-san struck the enemy with a single blow to the solar plexus to make him faint. Taking him down using his fists instead of the sword at his waist might just be Commander-san¡¯s style. ¡°Mil-chan, thanks for protecting me. But¡ª¡± ¡°That was dangerous. If you were to get injured, everyone here would be sad.¡± Commander-san followed after Tina-san. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying yo-¡­¡­¡± The instant I was about to respond, Kugalg¡¯s raised voice interrupted me. ¡°Let me go!¡± The one trying to carry away Kugalg under his arm was one of the men that had been fighting the One-Eyed Knight earlier. During the gap in which Commander-san¡¯s attention was caught by Tina-san and myself, he had caught Kugalg, who had been left on his own atop Leader¡¯s back. ¡°Did they realise that they were spirits?¡± Commander-san muttered to himself while clicking his tongue and chased after the enemy that was trying to run off with Kugalg. The enemy was heading towards the horses, so he was probably planning on running off like that. I also wanted to go save Kugalg, but Tina-san stopped me. The reason why the enemy had been fighting on the defensive could be because they were looking for the chance to outmanoeuvre everyone. Was Kugalg their aim from the start? The One-Eyed Knight also noticed the enemy trying to kidnap Kugalg and used his free hand that wasn¡¯t holding his sword to punch the enemy in front of him. The enemy had only been paying attention to the movements of his sword, so he was caught by surprise and ate the punch without being able to react to it. As expected of the One-Eyed Knight, he really is Commander-san¡¯s student. It seems like swordsmanship isn¡¯t all there is to being a knight. ¡°Retreat!¡± The enemy fighting Kix grabbed his unconscious comrade while still fighting Kix and dragged him off in an attempt to retreat. The enemy fighting Branch Captain-san and the enemy that was staggering after being punched by the One-Eyed Knight both stopped their attacks and tried to run. ¡°Like I¡¯d let you!¡± However, Kix and everyone had no intention of letting them get away so easily. ¡°Weren¡¯t we gonna take the white one too!?¡± ¡°Just one should be fine, any more than this¡¯ll be difficult!¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± The enemies shouted at each other while trying to run. It seems that I was also a target. The One-Eyed Knight didn¡¯t even give a glance to the enemy in front of him as he dashed off, overtaking Commander-san and springing at the enemy that was trying to mount a horse while carrying the struggling Kugalg under his arm. Taking advantage of the moment when the One-Eyed Knight dragged the enemy completely off the horse, Kugalg smoothly escaped and landed safely on the ground. ¡°Guha-¡­¡­!¡± Ah, the One-Eyed Knight punched the enemy again. Using his fists might just be faster than using his sword. ¡°Kugalg, you¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± The One-Eyed Knight asked after standing up from taking down the enemy, to which Kugalg nodded with a complicated expression. He might be embarrassed at having been kidnapped, or perhaps he was seeing the One-Eyed Knight in a new light after seeing his strength with his own eyes. ¡°Dammit!¡± ¡°Uu¡­¡­¡± Kix and Commander-san went to clean up the remaining three enemies. It looked like rather than putting them completely out of commission, they were planning on capturing them in a state where they could spill their aims. With the One-Eyed Knight and Commander-san together, our side had the advantage. I could even relax more while watching them. However, just when I thought that our victory was certain, an unexpected reinforcement came for the enemy¡¯s side. ¡°Woah!¡± A sudden gust of wind almost sent me flying, and I clung to the ground with all four paws. Without a moment¡¯s delay, a second gust blew and this time, unable to resist it, I was sent tumbling away. ¡°Mil-chan!¡± Tina-san, who was nearby, chased after me and caught me. Uwah!¡± Just as I gave a sigh of relief, this time I heard Kugalg¡¯s voice coming from a distance away. Though the wind that had been attacking me had subsided, it now started to blast at Kugalg and send him tumbling, forcing the One-Eyed Knight to save him. (What¡­¡­?) With my fur still dishevelled, I looked up at the sky. Because the wind that had been targeting Kugalg and I alone had been blowing down from high above. ¡°A bird?¡± Tina-san also looked up and squinted her eyes. There certainly was a bird about the size of a dove flying there, and right now it was currently glaring at Kugalg unhappily. Its feathers were a faint pea green, with the colour growing darker around the base of its legs. The colour grew a brighter yellow just around its eyes, appearing as though it was wearing eyeshadow. On its head was an erect crest that was the same light blue as the tips of its wings. If the one who was manipulating the wind and attacking was him ¨C or perhaps ¡®her¡¯ ¨C then it probably was no ordinary bird. (A spirit¡­¡­?) My eyes widened as I looked up at the colourful bird. ¡°Uwah, again-!¡± The bird once again changed its target from Kugalg to me and began to attack. Tina-san crouched and held me in her arms, so this time I managed to get away without tumbling, but I couldn¡¯t open my eyes from the strong wind. It hurt when the sand and pebbles being blown up by the wind struck me relentlessly too. Not only that, but unlike before, the attacks didn¡¯t stop immediately, and every time the bird flapped its wings, the wind got stronger. My fluffy fur was all blown backwards by the wind pressure, as I grit my teeth and endured it. Tina-san¡¯s long ponytail was also fluttering in the wind. ¡°Mil!¡± Branch Captain-san and Kix came running and stood in front of us to act as a wall, but they couldn¡¯t stop the formless wind, nor could they capture the bird that was flying high up in the sky. From the edges of my field of vision, I could see Kugalg, the One-Eyed Knight and Commander-san also running this way. However, when the bird noticed that, it once again changed its target to Kugalg. (Why is it just targeting me and Kugalg?) Naturally, I had never been attacked by Mother, Father, or Hilg-papa before. This was the first time ever since I was born that I was facing a spirit that wasn¡¯t a parent or guardian, and on top of that, I was being attacked one-sidedly. I didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Who are you!?¡± ¡°Mil-chan¡­¡­!¡± As Kugalg, as well as the One-Eyed Knight and Commander-san who were trying to protect him from the strong winds, were being blown around, I broke free from Tina-san¡¯s arms and shouted. However, the bird did not have any human words to speak. It let out a shrill cry as though it were screaming and glared at me, and then dropped down like a bird of prey as it headed towards me. I couldn¡¯t even close my eyes as my body stiffened, and watched as the enraged bird approached rapidly. However, the moment when I unavoidably had to meet its eyes from the short distance between us, I realised for the first time that its eyes had lost all sense of sanity. Anger? Grief? Hatred? None of them seemed to be the right term to describe it, but it felt as though such negative emotions were mixed up chaotically within those eyes. ¡°Mil!¡± Branch Captain-san, who came running from behind me, swung his sword but the bird rode the wind to dodge his blow and once again returned to the skies. It¡¯s probably futile even if I try to call out to that bird in this situation. We have to catch it and calm it down somehow. As that thought crossed my mind, I heard the growling voice of a small beast. When I quickly turned my gaze towards Kugalg, I saw him in a lowered stance with the tip of his tail wiggling side to side. He had entered the pose that he had taken when the two of us had been hunting the wild rabbit. Seeing that, I suddenly remembered something, and then started to bark, ¡°Kyan kyan!¡± noisily on the spot. As I drew the bird¡¯s attention my way, I turned tail and started to run. ¡°Mil!? Where are you going!¡± I ran between Branch Captain-san and Kix, and the bird chased after me, unwilling to let me go so easily. After confirming that and passing by Tina-san, who had been directly behind me, I made a large arc on the wide road and changed course as though I were on a track field. This was no time to be rolling around, so I firmly planted my legs onto the ground with my claws out. I ran circles with Tina-san as the centrepoint, not dropping my speed one bit. My momentum was such that if I were a car, you¡¯d probably be hearing the continuous screeching of tires. For a short while, I was able to pull ahead of the bird as it couldn¡¯t turn too well in the air, but when I ran straight ahead, it seemed that it would catch up in the blink of an eye. It was probably flying at a lower altitude, as I could hear wingbeats coming from directly behind me, which made my entire body feel like cold sweat would gush out from it. However, just when it seemed as though I would be caught by those sharp talons¡ª-a black mass jumped over me, attacking the bird head-on. Kugalg had been lying in wait in the direction where I had been heading. The bird was concentrating on me, and hadn¡¯t been paying much attention to its surroundings, so the moment when Kugalg caught it, it let out a scream. Hearing its high voice, I felt that this spirit was probably a woman. In any case, we¡¯ve safely managed to detain it, so now we¡¯ll have to figure out its true identity and purpose. Taking down a bird flying in the air is hard, but once it¡¯s on the ground, we¡¯ll have the advantage¡­¡­or at least, we should have the advantage. But, just as Kugalg safely landed with the bird held in his mouth and a proud look on his face, the bird started to turn into numerous balls of light and disappear. ¡°Ah, this bastard!¡± Kugalg tried to jump and catch one of the lights, but he only managed to claw at the empty air. All six of the separate balls of light flew towards the grassy plains. (Balls of light¡­¡­fairies?) Volume 2 - CH 20 (Balls of light¡­¡­.fairies?) I turned around to look at Mother¡¯s fairy that was flying around anxiously near Leader. Although they were a pea green colour, the size and round shape was the same as Mother¡¯s fairy. ¡°Mil, Kugalg, are you alright!?¡± Everyone ran up to us, worried. Before I realised it, the black-clothed men had all disappeared. They had probably run away while we were being attacked by that bird. Considering the timing with which they targeted Kugalg and myself when they attacked, the two parties may be co-conspirators. ¡°That bird from earlier was a spirit¡­¡­.right? Do you two know them?¡± The One-Eyed Knight smoothed out my fur that had been ruffled by the wind and fixed the position of the red stone necklace that had spun around to my back, while also checking to make sure I hadn¡¯t gotten injured. Tina-san was taking care of Kugalg¡¯s examination as he expressed his dislike for it. ¡°We don¡¯t know them. And I think that probably wasn¡¯t a spirit, but a fairy. You saw how it split up into light at the end, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­in other words, its real body is somewhere else? It seemed like that bird was only aiming for you and Kugalg. Do you have any clue as to why you were being attacked?¡± ¡°Nope, none.¡± ¡°What about you, Kugalg?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, and I don¡¯t know that guy.¡± ¡°Say, One-Eyed Knight. Wasn¡¯t that bird cooperating with those humans earlier?¡± I looked up and gazed at the One-Eyed Knight. Even spirits who were more cooperative with humans like Mother would only lend a hand to the country and not to individual people. However, if it was an eccentric spirit like myself, then I think that they might lend a hand to humans that they like. ¡°It does seem that way¡­¡­¡± The One-Eyed Knight also nodded and seemed to fall into thought before eventually standing up and turning towards Commander-san and Branch Captain-san to speak. ¡°About those men from earlier¡­¡­.I recognised one of the men that I was fighting. He isn¡¯t someone that I¡¯m too familiar with and half of his face was covered so I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m 100% confident, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just an accidental resemblance either.¡± After prefacing with that, he continued. ¡°It was someone who I¡¯ve seen several times when I was at the Knight¡¯s Order in the Capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡­in other words, those guys are knights of this country?¡± Commander-san¡¯s brow furrowed, and the One-Eyed Knight also pursed his lips, finding it difficult to continue speaking. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know his name but¡­¡­.I do know who his superior is.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Before the One-Eyed Knight could answer Commander-san¡¯s question, Branch Captain-san cut in. ¡°Wait, Kix and I also recognised the men we faced. I don¡¯t know their names, but those were¡ª¡± Branch Captain-san paused for a moment, and then continued with a bitter expression. ¡°¡ª¡ªCaptain Sarrell¡¯s subordinates.¡± Other than Kugalg, everyone gasped upon hearing that name. The One-Eyed Knight quietly agreed. ¡°I¡¯ve also seen that man standing behind Captain Sarrell several times.¡± If those men were Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s subordinates, then it was more than likely that this attack was also something ordered by Captain Sarrell-san. Captain Sarrell-san was aiming for the seat of Branch Captain at the Northern Fort. According to Kix, he was a scheming and unpleasant person, so it wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to [kick the person possessing the thing he wants down and steal it]. Commander-san stroked his goatee while uttering. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think that Sarrell has fallen that far but¡­¡­¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s that person, then he might just be capable of anything.¡± Kix¡¯s rebuttal was the same as what came to my mind. ¡°If, for instance, Captain Sarrell plotted this incident after finding Branch Captain Cromwell as a hindrance then¡­¡­¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t good to make assumptions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a ¡®what if¡¯ scenario, Tina. But, if Captain Sarrell is the mastermind, then that would explain why those men from earlier seemed to know Mil and Kugalg¡¯s true identities and why they tried to kidnap the two of them. If both child spirits were to be kidnapped, then the Knight¡¯s Order would be demanding an explanation from all of us¡ªBranch Captain in particular. On top of that, we also be disappointing the royalty, and lose the trust of Snowlea.¡± ¡°As a result, I would have to leave the Northern Fort, correct?¡± Branch Captain-san stated indifferently, despite the matter being about himself. The One-Eyed Knight opened his mouth after Branch Captain-san. ¡°But, the man that Branch Captain knows, and the man that I know have already quit the Knight¡¯s Order. So, there is a possibility that they aren¡¯t Captain Sarrell¡¯s subordinates. We¡¯re talking about several years ago back when Branch Captain and I were still in the Capital after all.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll need a bit more info before deciding that this was done by Captain Sarrell. Kix, you used to be under Captain Sarrell before, right? Do you remember those guys at all?¡± Branch Captain-san turned to Kix and asked, but- ¡°Even if you say that I used to be under him, I was mostly just a newbie at the bottom of the ladder. I barely had any chances to even see Captain Sarrell¡¯s face, and while I do kind of remember the followers that would always surround the Captain, if I had to say that the guy I fought was one of those followers¡­¡­hmm, I¡¯m not so sure about that. Since his face was covered, I couldn¡¯t really tell. I didn¡¯t really have the time to carefully observe the faces of the other four people either.¡± Kix simply crossed his arms and tilted his head in contemplation. ¡°Then what about Commander? Do you remember seeing any of those men before?¡± Hearing Branch Captain-san¡¯s question, Commander-san also crossed his arms like Kix and groaned, ¡°Errrrm¡­¡­¡±. And then, he finally said- ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Branch Captain-san¡¯s expression grew as cold as ice. ¡°Not only are you basically stationed at the Capital all the time, don¡¯t you have to meet face-to-face with Captain Sarrell during each and every meeting? Like Kix said, Captain Sarrell¡¯s almost always surrounded by his followers ¨C or rather, he¡¯s always accompanied by his close subordinates, so there should¡¯ve been plenty of opportunities for you to encounter them.¡± Commander-san wiped away some cold sweat and flinched at Branch Captain-san¡¯s interrogation. ¡°Well, you know, I¡¯m bad at remembering people¡¯s faces. Especially since whenever I meet with Sarrell, he¡¯s always finding faults with me, saying I have to clean up my beard, or wear my jacket, and other stuff, so I try not to make eye contact with him. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t know the faces of the subordinates around Sarrell.¡± ¡°You really are¡­¡­.¡± Hearing Branch Captain-san let out a sigh like a school teacher, Commander-san flusteredly spoke. ¡°Wait! I do have some useful information. There¡¯s a deep valley in Duke Delamon¡¯s territory, where Sarrell¡¯s home is.¡± Just what is he talking about so suddenly? -I tilted my head. Branch Captain-san was also making merciless eyes that seemed to say [If you¡¯re making pointless chatter I won¡¯t forgive you], but his complexion changed upon hearing Commander-san¡¯s following words. ¡°It seems that a ¡®wind spirit¡¯ recently visited that valley.¡± ¡°A wind spirit?¡± ¡°Ah! That bird from earlier! It was a fairy made by a wind spirit!¡± As Branch Captain-san continued, I also stuck in my head from below and joined the conversation. When they started to have a serious conversation, it somehow felt like my existence was being forgotten. ¡°It seems that the wind spirit is rather capricious, and it often moves from place to place, frequently changing the location of its nest all across the world. About one week ago, it appeared in the Delamon¡¯s valley. Apparently, it decided on nesting there for a while. Thus, Duke Delamon should have taken his own subordinates and Sarrell to visit the spirit and give it his greetings. It¡¯s just that a government official from the country went with them at the time, so there probably wasn¡¯t any opportunity for Sarrell to speak with the wind spirit privately at that time. However, once the official left, it is possible that he attempted to make contact with it again.¡± Commander-san turned and said to Branch Captain-san and everyone. He wasn¡¯t turning my way at all, so I felt that he didn¡¯t see me as participating in the conversation, and thus spoke as loudly as possible. ¡°So Captain Sarrell-san ¡®butt-ahed up¡¯ the wind spirit! Right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what methods he used, but it is possible that Captain Sarrell gained the cooperation of the wind spirit.¡± Branch Captain-san made a grave expression, and then as though he were talking over my words, he made a similar statement to my own. I said that! ¡°Right right! We don¡¯t know what he did to¡ª¡± ¡°The men and wind spirit that attacked us both have something to do with Captain Sarrell, right? Then isn¡¯t it already concluded? We should move with the assumption that Captain Sarrell is the one after us.¡± I spun in circles and growled, and then bit at the boots of Kix, who interrupted my remark. You meanie, you big fat meanie! ¡°Ow ow ow, what is it!?¡± ¡°It is true that we can¡¯t let down our guard. If their goal is to place blame on Branch Captain for having Mil and Kugalg assaulted, then this time¡¯s incident was a failure. They might come at us again with another plan¡­¡­.what¡¯s wrong, Mil?¡± The One-Eyed Knight picked me up in his arms and said as I was finding fault with Kix. ¡°Say, Captain Sarrell-san is pretty smart, right?¡± After regaining control of myself, I asked that of the One-Eyed Knight, and- ¡°That is true. Each of the commanding officers at headquarters need their own advisers, but it¡¯s said that Captain Sarrell is so smart that he doesn¡¯t need any.¡± -was given such an answer. (If he¡¯s that smart a person, then he might even be able to manipulate a spirit as his own pawn¡­¡­) Normally it would be impossible to make a spirit lend a hand in fulfilling a human¡¯s selfish desires, but what if the wind spirit was instigated by Captain Sarrell-san? I pondered as I thought of those emotional eyes that made it feel as though the spirit seriously hated Kugalg and myself. If Captain Sarrell-san is the mastermind behind all of this, just what did he say to the wind spirit to incite it? Volume 2 - CH 21 [They might come at us again with another plan] -with those words from the One-Eyed Knight, that day everyone else and I kept our wits about us as we acted. It would be dangerous to just keep travelling leisurely, and other than stopping to make necessary purchases, we didn¡¯t make any side trips at all, simply riding the horses and silently advancing forward. That being said, everyone took Kugalg and myself into consideration so that we wouldn¡¯t become more anxious than necessary. For example, Kix kept saying his usual jokes, and Tina-san let the toadstool plush¡¯s face peek out from her luggage. It seems that she thinks the plushie will act as a healing item for Kugalg and myself. But after letting out a scream of, ¡°Eeek!¡± the first time I saw it peeking out, the plushie never had a second chance to appear. Kugalg seemed to hate riding together with the knights on his own, so he stayed as a set with me, sitting in front of the One-Eyed Knight. However, on the way the One-Eyed Knight was unable to endure the envious gaze coming from next to him, so after taking a short break we rode together with Branch Captain-san on Ilus. Branch Captain-san was making a nonchalant face as he manipulated the reins, but his other hand kept on endlessly stroking Kugalg and myself in turns. And then, as we travelled, we listened to stories about the One-Eyed Knight in his youth from Commander-san. ¡°Then, the One-Eyed Knight and Commander-san knew each other for a loong time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Right now Grail¡¯s pretty calm, but in his teenage years he was unthinkably rowdy. It really took a lotta work for me to raise him into a proper knight.¡± ¡°Commander Gauss¡­¡­¡± Seeing Commander-san throw his head back and laugh heartily, the One-Eyed Knight made an embarrassed expression. I couldn¡¯t imagine the One-Eyed Knight as a ruffian, considering the stern and serious image that he currently gave off. Kix and Tina-san did not ask any further about the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s past as Commander-san gleefully exposed his juvenile tales, but they for some reason seemed to be somewhat relieved at hearing that the One-Eyed Knight also hadn¡¯t been perfect when he first started out. It meant that there was no person that started off as an ¡®iron man¡¯ without forging his heart and body first. The eyes that the One-Eyed Knight looked at Commander-san with were filled with respect and affection, like the gaze one might give when looking at one¡¯s father. I¡¯m sure that it was because he had someone like Commander-san that the One-Eyed Knight was able to change. Commander-san influenced the One-Eyed Knight, then the One-Eyed Knight became Branch Captain-san¡¯s goal, and Branch Captain-san became a model for Tina-san to look up to. When I thought about it like that, I felt that who you met within the Knight¡¯s Order and who you ended up under was an incredibly important matter. For Kix, while things did not go well for him at first when he was below Captain Sarrell-san, he became much livelier after coming to the Northern Fort under the One-Eyed Knight and Branch Captain-san. And, when I thought about things that far, I started to wonder what sort of feelings Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s subordinates that attacked us had when following his orders. If he had built a hierarchical relationship with them ¨C the complete opposite of the gentle relationship that the One-Eyed Knight and them had with each other ¨C then it might be that they felt forced to follow the orders even if they didn¡¯t want to. After night had completely fallen, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone decided on an open space within the forest to camp in for the night. While we could stay in the small inn that was in the nearby town, there were worries about dragging other people into the conflict if we were attacked by enemies. Thus, they instead decided to stay in the forest. If the enemy only consisted of humans, then it might¡¯ve been more safe to stay in the inn, but in the unlikely event that the wind spirit themself came to attack, then the entire inn might be blown away. ¡°This much should be enough.¡± After making a mountain out of the gathered dry leaves and branches, the One-Eyed Knight started to try igniting them. That was when Kugalg went up to him and in a rare event, offered his assistance. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Perhaps it was because he had saved him during the day, but Kugalg¡¯s attitude towards the One-Eyed Knight had clearly become softer than before. Because I had previously declared that I ¡®loved him¡¯, Kugalg would sharpen his claws on the walls and desk of the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s office. Outside, he¡¯d dig holes and use all his might to hurl dirt at the One-Eyed Knight, and would take out his anger on him for some reason but¡ªKugalg, who would only stop doing such things when I was watching¡ªI¡¯m sure that now he wouldn¡¯t do things like that anymore. Kugalg normally views strong people as a target of respect. With his standoffish and condescending attitude for them being ¡®humans¡¯ having faded, it felt like there was a bit of admiration mixed into his gaze when looking at the One-Eyed Knight now. It seems that Kugalg has finally recognised the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s strength as well. Being bad with fire, I hid behind the crouching One-Eyed Knight while Kugalg stood opposite to him in front of the firewood with his whole body¡¯s fur standing on end. After taking in a breath so deep that his chest completely swelled up, he breathed all the air out in a single breath. And as he exhaled, a bright red flame emerged from Kugalg¡¯s throat and jetted out like a flamethrower. The flames only emerged for a brief second, but they managed to completely set the firewood aflame as it let out crackling noises. The heck¡¯s that!? Just when in the world did Kugalg become capable of doing something like that? As the campfire started to grow larger, Kugalg turned around with a boastful expression as my eyes grew round. The One-Eyed Knight also spoke with surprise. ¡°So you can make flames now?¡± Kugalg had probably been practising in secret, but he didn¡¯t say that as he simply maintained his prideful expression and his tail rose up erectly. I¡¯m sure that Kugalg felt this way too when I managed to transform into my human form first. It felt like ¡®I¡¯m gonna be left behind¡¯! I also wanted to be able to show off my own abilities. I want to be like Kugalg and coolly make something appear from my mouth. If it¡¯s me then I suppose it¡¯ll be snow? But if snow were to come out from my mouth, I could only imagine me vomiting it out as a lump of snow. ¡°Did you see, Milfee!¡± ¡°I saw¡­¡­¡± Kugalg was in high spirits, but my spirits fell low. I must catch up to Kugalg, pronto. As everyone prepared for dinner, I continued to sigh in the shadows of the trees on my lonesome. After everyone had dinner, I ate my belly¡¯s fill of legans for dessert and rolled on the ground. In the end, I wasn¡¯t able to produce anything from my mouth after training for such a short period of time. When I tried to exhale with all my might, I think I saw a snowflake floating out, but I might¡¯ve been mistaken. Placing my chin on the bunny rucksack that had been left on the ground, I entered a pose so I could fall asleep at any time. Kugalg was in the middle of grooming himself carefully next to me, and the fairy seemed to be resting together with the horses. Apparently it got fed up with our sleeping posture last night. While thinking about how great it was that the One-Eyed Knight and everyone was here tonight so I didn¡¯t have to be lonely, I listened as everyone discussed the order in which they¡¯d be keeping the night watch and started to doze off. It was at that moment that the forest¡¯s trees started to rustle and a light wind started to blow. Fanned by the wind, the flames of the campfire swayed greatly. ¡°It¡¯s started to get windy¡­¡­¡± As Branch Captain-san looked around warily in the dark forest, everyone else also stood up and gazed steadily at the darkness. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any human presence.¡± ¡°¡±But, I do sense the presence of a spirit.¡± I also got up and interrupted the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s words. Hearing me, Kix and Tina-san¡¯s faces grew stiff. My own face had also probably gone stiff. The wind steadily grew stronger and stronger, and with it, I could feel the thumping of my heart also growing louder and louder in nervousness. Kugalg also stopped his grooming and began growling while looking up at the wind. ¡°The enemy¡¯s aim is the two of you. Be good.¡± Commander-san said that while picking up the two of us together in his arms and retreating behind everyone. The wind grew violent, as though it were about to snap the branches off the trees, its force so great that it blew out the bonfire. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like the guys from this afternoon who seemed like Captain Sarrell¡¯s subordinates are here.¡± ¡°They might not have recovered from the injuries we gave them yet.¡± About half of it was drowned out by the wind, but Kix and the One-Eyed Knight exchanged a short conversation. It certainly does seem that the black clothed men weren¡¯t here. ¡°So this time¡¯s just the spirit?¡± As Branch Captain-san drew his sword and readied it, everyone followed him. Amidst the dense foliage of the forest, we waited for the enemy¡¯s attack. ¡°Over there!¡± I was the one who shouted after being the first one to discover the pea green bird. The bird was perched on the limb of a tall tree. This time was the same as this afternoon, with the spirit not coming in person, and sending a fairy instead. Like Mother¡¯s fairy, it gave off a faint light in the darkness, so it was easy to discover. When the bird met my gaze, it gave a hateful cry and spread its wings. As expected, I did not understand why it hated me so much. With each flap of the bird¡¯s wings, more wind formed, eventually producing a vortex which then turned into a small tornado. ¡°Watch out!¡± Volume 2 - CH 22 Upon hitting the ground, the mini tornado swept up fallen leaves and twigs as it attacked us. ¡°Uu¡­¡­!¡± Thankfully, it didn¡¯t have enough power to send people flying, so as long as Kugalg and I stayed in Commander-san¡¯s arms, it wouldn¡¯t be too dangerous. My long fur was pulled here and there, growing ruffled as the tornado disappeared. It looks like it settled with only messing up the One-Eyed Knight and everyone¡¯s clothes and hair. It probably only had this amount of force because it was just a fairy, but it terrified me when I thought about how powerful it would be if the spirit had been attacking us in person. Caw caw! -It shrieked as the bird once again sent a small tornado flying our way. However, after seeing everyone hold firm like before and letting it pass, the bird seemed to think that this kind of attack was useless and came charging in person. Its target was Kugalg and myself, as expected. ¡°Stop!¡± When it tried to claw at us with its talons, I reflexively shouted while evading it in Commander-san¡¯s big arms. But, before its sharp talons could reach us, the One-Eyed Knight and the rest used their swords to drive it away. That being said, everyone¡¯s attacks were still hesitant. The people of this world hold spirits in awe, so they may have some hesitation in injuring an existence like a fairy, which could be said to be their ¡®envoys¡¯. It was different from having spirits like Kugalg and myself attacking the bird. In addition, I¡¯m sure that everyone has also noticed that the bird wasn¡¯t in a normal state of mind. Even now the bird was trying to charge at Kugalg and I despite being driven away by the swords countless times. It was as though it had gone insane. It was hard to believe that there was any reason behind those eyes that whirled with intense dark emotions. ¡°Why are you attacking Mil and Kugalg!¡± The One-Eyed Knight shouted, but the bird simply continued to shriek in a deranged manner without showing any signs of understanding. Our words probably wouldn¡¯t reach either this bird nor the wind spirit. Even when its feathers came out, even if it appeared to tire, the bird showed no signs of stopping. Like a broken toy, it simply continued to charge at Kugalg and I on sight. Somehow it seemed a little pitiful. I wonder where the wind spirit was and what it was doing right now. Why wasn¡¯t the spirit themself coming? If it hated Kugalg and I due to some misunderstanding, then I wanted to resolve that. However, since we didn¡¯t know the wind spirit, then unless they came in person, we can¡¯t use the transfer technique to see how they were doing. I raised my eyes and looked steadily at the bird. There was no point in speaking with this bird, and it looked like it was suffering by continuing its attacks. I started to want to do something to relieve it of that suffering. ¡°We don¡¯t have any choice but to take it down.¡± In order to release the fairy that was being controlled by the wind spirit¡¯s emotions, we could only destroy it. Hearing my words, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone also nodded decisively. Gripping their swords, they confronted the other side in earnest. When they did so, the bird also seemed to notice their killing intent, as it temporarily took a distance and then whirled up a gust of wind, changing its attack style to sending wind blasts like it did in the afternoon. If it continued to attack from afar like this, then everyone¡¯s swords won¡¯t be able to reach the bird. While dodging the pieces of firewood that were being sent flying, everyone thought of a plan to bring down the bird. Naturally, I also contemplated the problem. And then, this kind of idea came to mind. If I were able to breathe out a blizzard like how Kugalg can breathe out fire, then I can freeze the bird and bring it down. While I was far from being able to produce a blizzard when practising ¨C rather, I couldn¡¯t even make a snowball ¨C it was okay. I¡¯m the sort who¡¯s good at things when it counts. That¡¯s what I believe. While staying put in Commander-san¡¯s arms, I focussed on the ¡®power of a spirit¡¯-like thing that filled me and brought to mind an image. As I recalled how I created a fairy, I condensed that energy around my throat. Good good, it feels like my throat¡¯s starting to get a bit colder. Feeling confident that I¡¯d be able to succeed like this, I blew out ¡®FWUUUUH!¡¯ enthusiastically. ¡°Ah.¡± But what emerged from my mouth with a ¡®pop¡¯ was a bead-sized ball of light. It was my fairy. ¡°That¡¯s not right, I made a mistake.¡± I don¡¯t have the time to be using up my powers needlessly. ¡°Come back.¡± Even now the One-Eyed Knight and everyone are doing their best to take down the bird amidst the thundering winds, so you have to hurry up and get back into my mouth. I tried to eat up the fairy, but like always it was incredibly quick and managed to get away. In the end, it was swept up by the winds created by the bird and slammed into the trunk of a tree, disappearing with a ¡®pew¡¯! What a short life. ¡°¡­¡­what was that just now?¡± Commander-san asked, having seen the entire sequence of events. However, I didn¡¯t reply. I¡¯d really like for him to pretend he didn¡¯t see that. After recollecting myself, I once again tried to accumulate my powers. This time, I properly imagined a blizzard in my head. When I did that, my throat grew cold¡ªand at the same time, my nose started to tickle. It might¡¯ve been due to the dust and refuse being blown up by the wind. Enduring the desire to sneeze, I exhaled strongly. However, this time neither a blizzard, nor even a fairy came out. I could still feel a mass of power around my throat, but I couldn¡¯t properly release it. No matter how many times I blew out, it didn¡¯t come out. Eventually, I lost to the tickling in my nose and, ¡°Achoo!¡± sneezed. ¡°Eh!?¡± And what came out the moment I sneezed was, amazingly, a small blizzard. However, it was too small and couldn¡¯t reach the far away bird. Rather, it instead lost to the wind produced by the bird and ended up blowing back at me the instant it left my mouth. ¡°Waahh¡­¡­!¡± A bunch of snowflakes pasted themselves onto my face, obstructing my vision. Cold! I flusteredly moved my front legs to remove the snow stuck on my face. Unable to remain watching, Commander-san wiped my face for me while saying, ¡°Just what are you trying to do on your own here?¡±. I¡¯m sorry. While licking my own nose that had gotten chilled, I reconfirmed everyone¡¯s situation. It hadn¡¯t changed much since I started fussing about on my own, with things neither getting better nor worse. The bird was staying atop the branch of a tall tree, creating wind, while everyone was unable to do anything about it. ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Kugalg said, jumping out of Commander-san¡¯s arms and landing on the ground. It was true that Kugalg might be able to climb that tree. Panthers specialise in climbing trees after all. But even if Kugalg heads directly towards the bird, he probably won¡¯t be able to get near it if he¡¯s attacked. That bird¡¯s only been targeting Kugalg and myself. It¡¯d be difficult for him to secretly approach it. That being the case, then shouldn¡¯t I just act as a lure like I did this afternoon? -I suddenly recalled. While I draw the bird¡¯s attention to its right, Kugalg can go around secretly from its left. ¡°Ah, hey! Wait!¡± Ignoring Commander-san¡¯s call to stop, I jumped to the ground and exchanged glances with Kugalg as a signal before running off first. When I did so, the bird zeroed in on me as expected and began to attack. It was probably just going to be a blast of wind ¨C an attack that might send me rolling, but won¡¯t produce any real harm. ¡ª¡ªis what I thought, but the bird had sent wind blades flying at me. ¡°Kyan!¡± The instant I saw the boomerang-shaped, pea green-coloured, transparent mass of wind, I let out a miserable cry and grovelled on the ground. Thankfully, the sharp wind passed just over my ears. The wind hit the tree that was behind me, leaving behind a mark as though it had been cut by a sword on the trunk. Seeing that, my face went pale. T-That was dangerous¡­¡­! It¡¯s unfair to suddenly use such a dangerous attack like that. I let my guard down. If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have left Commander-san¡¯s arms! Not only that, but the bird was taking advantage of this chance to continuously shoot out wind blades. Each time it flapped its wings, it let out a slashing attack. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I desperately moved my trembling legs and somehow managed to dodge the attack, but the bird anticipated that and shot out its next attack. Wind blades once again attacked, targeting the place where I evaded. It¡¯s no good! I can¡¯t avoid it! ¡°Milfee!¡± Kugalg screamed from the opposite side, but I couldn¡¯t do anything. Thus, I resigned myself to take the attack and tightly closed my eyes. ¡°Mil!¡± However, at that moment I heard a panicked voice and the sound of footsteps before something covered me with a great force. It felt as though I¡¯d be squished from the impact of that body, but I soon realised from its scent that it was the One-Eyed Knight. It was at that same moment that I heard the sound of wind slicing through the air¡ª ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The One-Eyed Knight clenched his teeth and held his breath. The arms holding me tightened stiffly. ¡°One-Eyed Knight!?¡± Caught between the ground and the One-Eyed Knight, I turned back and raised my voice. It was dark so I couldn¡¯t see too well, but the One-Eyed Knight was making a pained expression. ¡°No way¡­¡­!¡± I gasped and crawled out from underneath the One-Eyed Knight. I felt like I¡¯d faint from the scene that laid before my eyes. ¡°Blood is¡­¡­¡± Because the One-Eyed Knight tried to protect me with his body, he ended up receiving the wind blades with his back. ¡°One-Eyed Knight!¡± Upset, I paced around aimlessly before desperately licking the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s face so that he wouldn¡¯t lose consciousness after falling face-forward. ¡°Grail!¡± ¡°Vice Captain!¡± Everyone that was there ran towards the One-Eyed Knight. The bird was still trying to attack, so Branch Captain-san and Kix were using their swords to parry the wind blades while Commander-san and Tina-san were checking the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s condition. ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­¡­¡± Perhaps because I appeared so flustered, the One-Eyed Knight was trying to get up while saying, ¡°It¡¯s not that bad an injury¡± in a pained voice. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Commander-san spoke calmly, while I shouted panickedly. There¡¯s no way he was ¡®okay¡¯ with such a large wound. No matter how much of an ¡®iron man¡¯ the One-Eyed Knight was, he was still human. Commander-san swiftly removed his mantle and pressed it against the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s back, but it seemed that it was harder to stop a wound on the back compared to a limb. ¡°Uu¡­¡­¡± Seeing the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s face warp with pain made me start to hurt too. ¡°What should we do? Because of me, the One-Eyed Knight is¡­¡­¡± My vision grew distorted as cold tears overflowed from my eyes. The droplets froze momentarily on contact with the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s face before melting from his bodily heat and flowing away. What can I do to save him!? What could I do for the injured One-Eyed Knight? At that moment I remembered that if we froze the wound opening, we could stop the flow of blood. But I was still unskilled at making blizzards, so I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d be able to succeed. This wasn¡¯t the time to be accidentally producing fairies. (¡­¡­right, Mother! I¡¯ll have Mother save him!) My body moved quicker than I could think as I utilised the movement technique, attempting to fly to Mother. Like usual, my body steadily started to transform into snow as it disappeared. Or it should have but¡ª ¡°Eh, huh?¡± My body that had momentarily disappeared solidified once more. When I tried using the technique again the result was the same. There was an invisible wall between Mother and me. It felt like I was being repelled by it, causing me to return to my original location. This was the first time this has ever happened. ¡°Mother¡­¡­?¡± Somehow, I felt like that wall was created by Mother. It felt like she was preventing me from coming to her. (Why?) A sense of unease scratched at my heart. To think that I couldn¡¯t request for Mother¡¯s help in such an emergency situation! ¡°I¡¯ll go and bring Father!¡± Seeing Kugalg transform into fire to head to get Hilg-papa, I also had an idea. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, One-Eyed Knight!¡± Father won¡¯t be able to freeze the wound, but he should be able to help the One-Eyed Knight somehow. This time when I used the movement technique, I was able to move without any obstructions. I have to bring Father back quickly. Volume 2 - CH 23 Father¡¯s nest is situated in a quiet lake located deep within a forest of the neighbouring country. The jade green lake was large, and was generally covered in mist, so you couldn¡¯t see the opposite shore. With the sun having already fallen and it being dark, that was all the more so now. ¡°Father!¡± Wiping away my tears, I shouted in a loud voice. When I inhaled the damp air, it felt as though my lungs were being filled with water. Father was submerged in the lake in his serpent form, with only his head resting on the shore. It appeared that I had just managed to transfer to right on top of his head after using the movement technique. However, Father was sleeping, and didn¡¯t seem to have noticed my arrival. ¡°Father, wake up! Father!¡± Even when I jumped up and down on top of his head, he didn¡¯t respond. Though I wanted to try shouting into his ears, I didn¡¯t even know where his ears were. Plus, his skin was too smooth, so I couldn¡¯t bite him to wake him up either. When I thought about what other weak points Father might have, all I could think of were his ¡®eyes¡¯. I stretched as far as I could off the top of his head and knocked at Father¡¯s enormous closed eye. Apparently normal snakes don¡¯t have eyelids like humans do, but Father doesn¡¯t like bright light, so he apparently created them. ¡°Father! Please! Wake up!¡± When I smacked it with all my might, I used too much force and fell off of his head. My body crashed onto the soft grass growing on the ground, and though I was staggering, I stood up and clung to Father. ¡°Father! ¡­¡­please, help¡­¡­! The One-Eyed Knight is gonna¡­uuu¡­¡­¡± Even though this wasn¡¯t the time to be crying, I could not stop myself from sniffling as tears overflowed. Every second counted right now, as the One-Eyed Knight was most definitely suffering from the pain. In the end, I couldn¡¯t even speak words anymore as I cried, ¡°Kyun kyun¡±, pleading for aid. However, perhaps that voice had more urgency to it, as Father, who had been sleeping, finally opened his eyes. ¡°Fwadderrrrrrr¡­¡­.¡± Seeing my state where various fluids were flowing from my eyes and nose, Father blinked his eyes once. ¡°¡­¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Fwadder! Da One-Eyed Knight is howwibly injured! I don¡¯t know why¡­but I can¡¯t go to Mother right now either¡­¡­!¡± Hiccupping, I convulsed with sobs as I informed him of the emergency. It seemed that even a natural airhead like Father who always lived leisurely understood that I had fallen into some grave situation. A pale light momentarily enveloped him as the sound of water trickled out, and then in the next instant, Father had changed into his human form. Faint aqua-coloured hair extended to his knees, and he was clothed in a pure white cloth resembling the garments worn by the ancient Greeks together with just enough silver ornaments so that it did not become too gaudy. While his facial features were handsome, his facial muscles were just as dead as when he was a snake, so he looked more like a beautifully carved marble sculpture. However, right now his clear, jade green eyes contained an apparent expression of concern for me. ¡°What¡­¡­happened¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Come with me!¡± I didn¡¯t have the time to match Father¡¯s slow-paced way of talking, so I jumped onto Father and had him hold me before using the transfer technique to return to the One-Eyed Knight. This was the first time I had ever brought a second person with me while transferring, but I didn¡¯t have the time to think about that as I activated the technique. Thus, my body began to transform into a blizzard, and that blizzard also swallowed up Father as it brought him with me in the transfer. ¡°Mil-chan¡­¡­!?¡± When I returned with Father to the forest in the Country of Aridora, Tina-san and Commander-san¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the water spirit that they were seeing for the first time. However, they soon returned their attention to treating the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s wounds. Branch Captain-san and Kix were still facing the bird as its opponents. ¡°The wind here¡­¡­is a little strong¡­¡­¡± Father said, without even trying to attempt to fix his hair that had been blown into disarray. I jumped out of his arms and ran as fast as I could to the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s side. He was still conscious, but as expected, he seemed to be in pain. The bleeding also hasn¡¯t fully stopped yet. ¡°One-Eyed Knight!¡± I licked the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s cheek several times in attempts to cheer him up, and then turned back towards Father. ¡°Father! What should I do!? Can spirits heal wounds? Is there anything I can do?¡± ¡°You want¡­to help him¡­¡­? But if a human is cut¡­¡­blood will flow¡­¡­and they will¡­eventually die¡­¡­¡± ¡°That may be so! But I don¡¯t want him to die right now!¡± Unlike Father¡¯s philosophical look on things, I was selfish. I wanted to heal the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s wounds even if it meant twisting the laws of nature, and I didn¡¯t want to let him die. Whether it be my power or Father¡¯s power, I¡¯d use anything if it meant I could save the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°Father, please! Save the One-Eyed Knight! He only got so hurt because he saved me¡­¡­¡± My voice trembled with sobs as my words trailed off. Just as I thought Father would admonish me again, it seemed that he didn¡¯t have any particular plans of abiding by nature¡¯s laws. ¡°Is that so¡­¡­if that is what you desire¡­¡­then I must save this human.¡± Saying that, Father held his hands aloft. Then, clear water began to well up from the ground surrounding the prone One-Eyed Knight. The water made vibrant bubbling noises as it went against the laws of gravity and formed a dome around the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s body. And then, in that instant, the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s eyes closed as though he were sleeping. ¡°This is¡­¡­¡± Tina-san and Commander-san took a step back, staring fixedly at the One-Eyed Knight as he remained enclosed in the clear water. The blood that had been flowing from the wound on the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s back dissolved in the surrounding water before slowly returning back into his body. Whether it was the blood that had soaked into his clothes, or the blood that had dripped onto the ground, all of it began to flow back. ¡°The wound is deep¡­¡­to fully heal it¡­¡­will take¡­some time.¡± Father spoke in his usual indifferent manner, but my voice instantly rose. ¡°It can be healed!? The One-Eyed Knight¡¯s gonna be alright, right!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡­he will be alright. Like how this human saved you¡­¡­I will save this human.¡± Seeing Father nod, my tail that had been drooping down began to wag happily. It felt as though warmth had returned to my frozen heart, and I was so relieved it felt like I was about to cry. ¡°One-Eyed KNight¡­¡­! Uu, thank goodness¡­¡­!¡± I didn¡¯t know that Father would heal wounds. In the end, it might¡¯ve been better that I called him rather than Mother. ¡°That¡¯s great, Vice Captain!¡± Kix repelled the bird¡¯s attack while saying. Father moved his face slightly and looked at the bird that was fighting with Kix and Branch Captain-san. ¡°The wind spirit¡­¡­no, fairy, is it? ¡­¡­how annoying.¡± Father¡¯s nest is situated in a quiet lake located deep within a forest of the neighbouring country. The jade green lake was large, and was generally covered in mist, so you couldn¡¯t see the opposite shore. With the sun having already fallen and it being dark, that was all the more so now. ¡°Father!¡± Wiping away my tears, I shouted in a loud voice. When I inhaled the damp air, it felt as though my lungs were being filled with water. Father was submerged in the lake in his serpent form, with only his head resting on the shore. It appeared that I had just managed to transfer to right on top of his head after using the movement technique. However, Father was sleeping, and didn¡¯t seem to have noticed my arrival. ¡°Father, wake up! Father!¡± Even when I jumped up and down on top of his head, he didn¡¯t respond. Though I wanted to try shouting into his ears, I didn¡¯t even know where his ears were. Plus, his skin was too smooth, so I couldn¡¯t bite him to wake him up either. When I thought about what other weak points Father might have, all I could think of were his ¡®eyes¡¯. I stretched as far as I could off the top of his head and knocked at Father¡¯s enormous closed eye. Apparently normal snakes don¡¯t have eyelids like humans do, but Father doesn¡¯t like bright light, so he apparently created them. ¡°Father! Please! Wake up!¡± When I smacked it with all my might, I used too much force and fell off of his head. My body crashed onto the soft grass growing on the ground, and though I was staggering, I stood up and clung to Father. ¡°Father! ¡­¡­please, help¡­¡­! The One-Eyed Knight is gonna¡­uuu¡­¡­¡± Even though this wasn¡¯t the time to be crying, I could not stop myself from sniffling as tears overflowed. Every second counted right now, as the One-Eyed Knight was most definitely suffering from the pain. In the end, I couldn¡¯t even speak words anymore as I cried, ¡°Kyun kyun¡±, pleading for aid. However, perhaps that voice had more urgency to it, as Father, who had been sleeping, finally opened his eyes. ¡°Fwadderrrrrrr¡­¡­.¡± Seeing my state where various fluids were flowing from my eyes and nose, Father blinked his eyes once. ¡°¡­¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Fwadder! Da One-Eyed Knight is howwibly injured! I don¡¯t know why¡­but I can¡¯t go to Mother right now either¡­¡­!¡± Hiccupping, I convulsed with sobs as I informed him of the emergency. It seemed that even a natural airhead like Father who always lived leisurely understood that I had fallen into some grave situation. A pale light momentarily enveloped him as the sound of water trickled out, and then in the next instant, Father had changed into his human form. Faint aqua-coloured hair extended to his knees, and he was clothed in a pure white cloth resembling the garments worn by the ancient Greeks together with just enough silver ornaments so that it did not become too gaudy. While his facial features were handsome, his facial muscles were just as dead as when he was a snake, so he looked more like a beautifully carved marble sculpture. However, right now his clear, jade green eyes contained an apparent expression of concern for me. ¡°What¡­¡­happened¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Come with me!¡± I didn¡¯t have the time to match Father¡¯s slow-paced way of talking, so I jumped onto Father and had him hold me before using the transfer technique to return to the One-Eyed Knight. This was the first time I had ever brought a second person with me while transferring, but I didn¡¯t have the time to think about that as I activated the technique. Thus, my body began to transform into a blizzard, and that blizzard also swallowed up Father as it brought him with me in the transfer. ¡°Mil-chan¡­¡­!?¡± When I returned with Father to the forest in the Country of Aridora, Tina-san and Commander-san¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the water spirit that they were seeing for the first time. However, they soon returned their attention to treating the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s wounds. Branch Captain-san and Kix were still facing the bird as its opponents. ¡°The wind here¡­¡­is a little strong¡­¡­¡± Father said, without even trying to attempt to fix his hair that had been blown into disarray. I jumped out of his arms and ran as fast as I could to the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s side. He was still conscious, but as expected, he seemed to be in pain. The bleeding also hasn¡¯t fully stopped yet. ¡°One-Eyed Knight!¡± I licked the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s cheek several times in attempts to cheer him up, and then turned back towards Father. ¡°Father! What should I do!? Can spirits heal wounds? Is there anything I can do?¡± ¡°You want¡­to help him¡­¡­? But if a human is cut¡­¡­blood will flow¡­¡­and they will¡­eventually die¡­¡­¡± ¡°That may be so! But I don¡¯t want him to die right now!¡± Unlike Father¡¯s philosophical look on things, I was selfish. I wanted to heal the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s wounds even if it meant twisting the laws of nature, and I didn¡¯t want to let him die. Whether it be my power or Father¡¯s power, I¡¯d use anything if it meant I could save the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°Father, please! Save the One-Eyed Knight! He only got so hurt because he saved me¡­¡­¡± My voice trembled with sobs as my words trailed off. Just as I thought Father would admonish me again, it seemed that he didn¡¯t have any particular plans of abiding by nature¡¯s laws. ¡°Is that so¡­¡­if that is what you desire¡­¡­then I must save this human.¡± Saying that, Father held his hands aloft. Then, clear water began to well up from the ground surrounding the prone One-Eyed Knight. The water made vibrant bubbling noises as it went against the laws of gravity and formed a dome around the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s body. And then, in that instant, the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s eyes closed as though he were sleeping. ¡°This is¡­¡­¡± Tina-san and Commander-san took a step back, staring fixedly at the One-Eyed Knight as he remained enclosed in the clear water. The blood that had been flowing from the wound on the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s back dissolved in the surrounding water before slowly returning back into his body. Whether it was the blood that had soaked into his clothes, or the blood that had dripped onto the ground, all of it began to flow back. ¡°The wound is deep¡­¡­to fully heal it¡­¡­will take¡­some time.¡± Father spoke in his usual indifferent manner, but my voice instantly rose. ¡°It can be healed!? The One-Eyed Knight¡¯s gonna be alright, right!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡­he will be alright. Like how this human saved you¡­¡­I will save this human.¡± Seeing Father nod, my tail that had been drooping down began to wag happily. It felt as though warmth had returned to my frozen heart, and I was so relieved it felt like I was about to cry. ¡°One-Eyed KNight¡­¡­! Uu, thank goodness¡­¡­!¡± I didn¡¯t know that Father would heal wounds. In the end, it might¡¯ve been better that I called him rather than Mother. ¡°That¡¯s great, Vice Captain!¡± Kix repelled the bird¡¯s attack while saying. Father moved his face slightly and looked at the bird that was fighting with Kix and Branch Captain-san. ¡°The wind spirit¡­¡­no, fairy, is it? ¡­¡­how annoying.¡± Volume 2 - CH 24 How annoying, Father said in an irritated manner before creating a large water barrier with everyone except the bird inside of it. This was also a dome-shaped hemisphere, but unlike the one that enveloped the One-Eyed Knight, the inside of the dome wasn¡¯t filled with water. It was made of a thin curtain of water. All of the bird¡¯s attacks, whether it be its slashing attack or the tornadoes it created, simply caused the water curtain to sway upon impact. It was like the water was absorbing the attacks. Branch Captain-san and Kix, who had been blocking the attacks up until now, were finally able to take a breather and went to check on the One-Eyed Knight while noting Father¡¯s existence. ¡°Mil, is that person your Father¡­¡­?¡± Branch Captain-san gave Father a reserved glanced as he asked in a low voice. Commander-san had also probably guessed Father¡¯s identity, seeing as he unexpectedly did not try making any conversation with him. ¡°That¡¯s right, he¡¯s my Father!¡± Hearing my answer, both Branch Captain-san, Commander-san, and the rest straightened up and gave Father a proper greeting. Unlike Mother, Father did not have any interest in the human world, so he didn¡¯t intervene with it at all. He wouldn¡¯t become an ally, nor would he become an enemy. At most, he¡¯d probably get a bit sullen if the lake that was his dwelling was to get polluted. That is why even if they didn¡¯t greet Father, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d mind all that much. And, just as I was having such thoughts- ¡°Milfee!¡± Kugalg returned, a step late. Together with him was a large flame, from which Hilg-papa appeared. His skin was dark like Kugalg¡¯s, and his bare muscular upper body was decorated with tattoos and gold ornaments. He was taller than the average adult human man, about the same height as my father. If I had to say, he had a very masculine beauty to him, but as usual, he was accompanied by a sweltering air. ¡°Where is this place? A water curtain is¡­¡­hm? Y-You are-! The water-!¡± Hilg-papa¡¯s brow furrowed at the water barrier surrounding us before his eyes turned to Father and widened. ¡°Waterust! Why are you here!?¡± Hilg-papa raised his voice. He was so loud it made my ears ring. The inside of the water barrier also shook. Like how a fire spirit was a menace to a snow spirit, a water spirit might just be the natural enemy of a fire spirit. Kugalg has come with me to meet Father a number of times, but during those visits he was always careful to not accidentally touch his body. ¡°Hilg, is it¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oi, what¡¯s with this water curtain!? Hurry up and get rid of it! It feels like I¡¯m gonna drown!¡± ¡°The wind is¡­annoying, so¡­¡­¡± ¡°The wind, you say?¡± Hilg-papa looked upwards, puzzled. The bird was still there in the darkness. Even after having its attacks absorbed countless times, it persistently continued to target us. ¡°Is that Hyllis¡¯ fairy? The heck¡¯s it doing?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it Hyderin¡¯s¡­¡­?¡± ¡°No, this energy is Hyllis¡¯.¡± Hilg-papa seemed to be acquaintances with the wind spirit, as he refuted Father¡¯s words. ¡°Is it targeting my son and¡­¡­Milfiria as well?¡± Even as it was thwarted by the barrier, the bird continued to glare at Kugalg and I. Hilg-papa appeared displeased, as his brow deeply furrowed. ¡°Just what in the world is she thinking!? Attacking such young children!¡± He instantly seethed with anger as his voice rose with fury. ¡°We don¡¯t get it either.¡± ¡°But it seems like she hates us.¡± Kugalg and I spoke in turn. As we said that, the bird crashed into the water barrier in an attempt to destroy it, making my tail hide between my legs. ¡°I don¡¯t care¡­¡­about the reason¡­¡­¡± Father¡¯s voice as he looked up at the bird was as calm as a lake, but it was a bit lower than usual, containing an unsettling tone within it. ¡°I just¡­¡­¡± A large wave appeared on the water barrier and attacked the bird. The wave swallowed the violent bird, separating the from the barrier and forming a sphere around it. And then, Father erased the barrier and slowly brought the round water cage towards him. The bird seemed to be crying out loudly inside of it, but hardly any of the sound leaked out from the cage. ¡°All that is evident¡­¡­is that she dared to attack my child¡­¡­¡± Father inserted a hand into the water cage that was floating in front of him. The instant he did that, the spherical cage crumbled, and the water fell to the ground, soaking into it. However, the bird was caught by Father and unable to regain its freedom, it simply struggled violently in an incoherent rage. When Father put some strength into his hand, the bird was unable to maintain its form and was divided into six balls of light. One of the balls of light remained caught in Father¡¯s fist, but the other five scattered about as though they were trying to run away. However, Hilg-papa did not allow for that to occur. He lightly waved a hand, firing out long and narrow strands of fire that chased after the fairies as though they were alive. As the flames swallowed up the five scattered balls of light one after the other, they were extinguished in the blink of an eye. The last remaining ball of light continued to struggle inside Father¡¯s hand. He gazed coldly at the pea green light and said- ¡°Hyderin¡­¡­.don¡¯t think that things will end with just this¡­¡­¡± Then, he crushed the ball of light with his hand and it turned into a gentle wind that dissolved into the air. ¡°I told you, it¡¯s not Hyderin, but Hyllis!¡± Despite the slightly scary air around Father, Hilg-papa voiced his objection without hesitation. Father tilted his head ever so slightly. ¡°What have you been saying¡­¡­since earlier¡­¡­the wind spirit is¡­¡­Hyderin, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah, I know about Hyderin! But she is not the only wind spirit around! The one who sent the fairy was Hyllis! Didn¡¯t I say that I could tell from its energy!?¡± ¡°Who is¡­Hyllis¡­¡­?¡± Perhaps because their elements of water and fire were incompatible, it felt like they were conversing on different wavelengths. While still worrying about the One-Eyed Knight, who was still undergoing treatment in the water dome, I gazed at Father and Hilg-papa in turns. Kugalg was also looking at the two conversing fathers, with his eyes going back and forth between them. ¡°Waterust, could it be that you don¡¯t know Hyllis at all?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that name before¡­¡­¡± Hearing his answer, Hilg-papa exaggeratedly looked up at the sky in exasperation. His reaction was huge compared to Father, who hardly moved at all. ¡°I get it now, Waterust! Your knowledge of the wind spirit has stopped since Hyderin¡¯s era! Hyllis is the child of her child!¡± Hilg-papa did not use the term ¡°grandchild¡±. That was probably because humans and spirits had a different way of thinking about the concept of family. Human grandpas and grandmas generally doted on their grandchildren, but spirits were only deeply involved with their own child. When spirits describe their ¡®family¡¯, it would be that a parent has a single child and a child has a single parent. When it came to their grandchildren, not only would they not live with them, they would hardly have any interactions with them whatsoever. That is why, while they may recognise that they were ¡°the child birthed by their child¡±, they wouldn¡¯t really think of the child as ¡°their own grandchild¡±. ¡°To think that Hyderin¡¯s child would already have their own child¡­¡­¡± Father said without appearing all that surprised. ¡°In the first place, I don¡¯t think such a compassionate spirit like Hyderin would do such a cowardly thing. Something like attacking children!¡± As he spoke, Hilg-papa¡¯s anger seemed to be ignited once more. ¡°It is true that Hyderin¡­¡­.likes children¡­¡­I think.¡± Father continued in a flat voice. ¡°Then the one that we should be retaliating against¡­¡­is Hyllis alone.¡± ¡°Just follow after me. I know Hyllis, so I can fly to her first.¡± ¡°Father¡­¡­¡± As we listened to their exchange, I started to become worried at their plan to take down this ¡®Hyllis¡¯ wind spirit person. I wasn¡¯t scared that Father and Hilg-papa would get injured. I haven¡¯t seen them get serious, but the two of them were definitely strong. I was worried about Hyllis. It might be weird to sympathise with her after having been attacked one-sidedly by her, but that bird¡¯s state was definitely strange. When I imagined how it would be if I were the one that these two were retaliating against in anger, I was so scared that it felt like I¡¯d end up bawling while shivering in fear. Father looked down at me and said, ¡°Leaving you behind¡­¡­might be dangerous¡± and lifted me up with one hand. Hilg-papa also appeared to intend on bringing Kugalg with him. I didn¡¯t mind going to see Hyllis myself, as there were plenty of things I wanted to ask her ¨C why did she attack us, and how did she know Captain Sarrell-san? But, I was still worried about the One-Eyed Knight and everyone else as well. The fairies that Hyllis can make isn¡¯t necessarily limited to that bird alone, plus it was possible that human assassins would make use of the darkness to make an attack. ¡°Father, I¡¯m worried about leaving everyone behind¡­¡­¡± That being said, even if I stayed I¡¯d just end up being a burden. ¡°Mil, we¡¯ll be fine, so go with him to talk to that wind spirit Hyllis.¡± Branch Captain-san and everyone who was surrounding the One-Eyed Knight nodded in agreement with Kix¡¯s words. ¡°But, if you¡¯re attacked again¡­¡­¡± ¡°Then¡­¡­let¡¯s do this.¡± Father murmured, and then lifted up his other hand with his palm facing upwards. Multiple water-coloured balls of light emerged from his palm, one after the other, with hardly any pauses in between. They were Father¡¯s fairies. Unlike my fairies, they were large and I was jealous at how calm they were. There were probably about a hundred in total. The fairies lined up in a row and transformed into a snake with light blue scales. It was probably over one metre long, and while it was thin, it was quite large. ¡°Protect these people¡­¡­¡± Faithfully obeying Father¡¯s order, the snake-type fairy slithered towards everyone. Tina-san appeared to be bad with snakes as she took a slight step back, but the fairy did not pay any heed to that as it climbed atop the water dome that surrounded the One-Eyed Knight and calmly coiled up there. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡­¡± A white mist swirled around, enveloping Father. Perhaps because they transferred before us, Hilg-papa and Kugalg had already disappeared. Father¡¯s body also began to transform into mist, and I was also swallowed up by it as I began to disappear. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± Leaving behind those final words to everyone, I flew to Hyllis¡¯ location. Volume 2 - CH 25 When I next started to feel my body¡¯s sensation returning, what awaited me was an intense wind and a large quantity of snow. In the country of Aridora, it wasn¡¯t the right time of year for blizzards, so I thought that perhaps we had arrived at some distant location¡ªa region like the North or South Poles of Earth. Snow was piled up everywhere, and despite the fact that it was night, the area looked bright. I clung to Father¡¯s arm to avoid being sent flying by the wind and was buried in snow in the blink of an eye as I remained there motionless. ¡°Why is Hyllis in a place like this!?¡± Though Hilg-papa and Kugalg were right by us, it was hard to hear their voices over the roaring gale, and the blizzard made it difficult to see them too. Father was staying as still as a statue, so Hilg-papa was the one who pushed through the snow to approach us. Perhaps because of the heat being emitted from his body, all of the snow in Hilg-papa¡¯s surroundings was melting bit by bit, whether it was the snow blowing by him or the snow that had accumulated on the ground. Kugalg was gallantly riding on Hilg-papa¡¯s, but the sheer strength of the headwind was about to blow him off, thus he had to have his behind supported by Hilg-papa. ¡°Milfee, are you okay!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± I shouted back at Kugalg to avoid having my voice drowned out by the wind. I was a snow spirit, so I was fine with the cold. Plus, this snow probably wasn¡¯t a naturally occurring blizzard. ¡°I think that this place is Mount Snowlea!¡± And the one causing this blizzard was Mother. However, the winds blowing this snowstorm were mixed together with an unfamiliar ¡®energy¡¯. ¡°That does seem to be the case! But what in the world are Hyllis and Snowlea doing?¡± Hilg-papa¡¯s words paused momentarily, as the direction of the wind changed, briefly opening up our field of vision. Upon discovering two shadows amidst the darkness in front of us, he said- ¡°Look, over there!¡± Standing there was Mother, and someone who was probably Hyllis. The two took a considerable distance from each other as they locked eyes in a glare. It was immediately apparent that they were fighting. However, Mother still appeared to have some leeway, as she hadn¡¯t lost her calm yet. On the other hand, Hyllis was like the bird made of her fairies. Her expression revealed intense emotions of anger, sadness and hatred. She was incredibly petite and had an adorable face, and appeared far younger than I had imagined. I didn¡¯t know her actual age, but she looked around 15 years of age based on her appearance. Right now, her eyes that looked like they had yellow eyeshadow around them were raised as she gritted her teeth in frustration, but I felt like she was normally the sort to have a cheerful and lively air to her. She was wearing a pea-green one-piece that exposed a lot of skin, generously showing off her arms that seemed so slender they would break and her thighs. She also had short curly blonde hair that was being blown up by the wind she created. In contrast to Mother, who was standing firmly, Hylis was kneeling on top of the snow, and even now it seemed like she was about to collapse. A wind spirit should fundamentally be stronger than a snow spirit. From what I¡¯ve heard from Mother, there were differences in power from birth even amongst spirits, and snow spirits were weaker compared to water, fire, wind, earth, wood, light, and dark spirits. There were also flower spirits and lightning spirits, whose abilities fell behind compared to wood and fire spirits. However, for some reason right now a wind spirit like Hyllis was visibly disadvantaged. She distributed more of her power to her spirits compared to Mother, so that might be affecting her, and there may also be a difference in experience between them based on their ages. Hyllis was probably younger than Mother, like her appearance suggested. ¡°Snow¡­lea¡­¡­!¡± Even though she was covered in wounds, Hyllis squeezed out her remaining powers and continued to fire out wind attacks. ¡°Cease this already. The match has already been decided.¡± Mother made a stern face while advising her opponent. ¡°Uuu¡­¡­!¡± Hyllis held her head while letting out a beastial growl. ¡°I hate¡­you so much¡­..! If you die, I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll become his number one! I¡¯ll KILL you!¡± ¡°Mother!¡± Looking at Hyllis¡¯ ghastly appearance, I grew afraid upon realising that she was seriously planning on killing Mother. I hurriedly jumped out from Father¡¯s arms to head to where Mother was, but the freshly accumulated snow was too soft, making it hard to advance with my short legs. Swimming through the sea of snow ¨C or rather, it felt like I was drowning in it ¨C I simply continued to flail my four legs in an unsightly manner. ¡°Milfiria!?¡± Mother let out a shriek upon noticing me, and was attacked by Hyllis¡¯ wind at that exact moment. ¡°Mother!¡± Thankfully, the attack was just a strong wind and not a wind blade or a tornado, so Mother was able to get through it uninjured. It seemed that Hyllis didn¡¯t have enough power left to make that strong of an attack. ¡°Milfiria, why are you here! You mustn¡¯t come here!¡± The moment she saw me, all the calm that Mother had maintained up until then completely collapsed. Anxiousness started to appear in her cold, Ice Queen-like beauty. Hyllis followed Mother¡¯s gaze and turned in my direction. Even though she was clearly fatigued, her face was still dyed with hatred. ¡°Snowlea¡¯s¡­child¡­¡­with Hilg¡­¡­¡± After quietly muttering that, this time she sent a blast of wind towards me. Though the wind was transparent, there was currently snow being dragged into it, so I could easily see its shape. I could also completely see how it was rapidly approaching me. However, figuring that I wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid it with such unsteady footing, I steeled my body and prepared to be blown away by it. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± However, before the wind would reach me, I was carried away by a mass of water. I didn¡¯t know that he could do this, but it seemed that Father had transformed his entire body into water and saved me. With me on top of it, the mass of water that Father had transformed into slid across the snow and advanced towards Mother. One might ask how I could do something so strange as riding on water, but only my paws were faintly submerged in the water, and I didn¡¯t sink any further than that. ¡°Mother!¡± After arriving at Mother¡¯s location, I jumped and hugged her breast. Mother also properly caught me. Next to her, Father returned to his human form. ¡°Waterust! So you were the one who brought Milfiria here?¡± ¡°She was being attacked¡­¡­by a wind fairy¡­¡­¡± ¡°Being attacked!? I see¡­¡­so she used a fairy.¡± Mother bit her lips tightly. ¡°Mother, what happened? Why are you fighting with Hyllis?¡± The instant I asked that, the wind blowing in the surroundings grew a level stronger. It was blowing with Hyllis at its centre, as she sat in the snow, appearing as though she might collapse at any moment. It seemed that she was planning on using all of her remaining power to make one last attack. However, while her eyes that were dyed with hatred were looking in our direction, I felt like they weren¡¯t really looking at anyone at all. ¡°Waterust, you mustn¡¯t kill her.¡± Mother stopped Father, who was quietly about to make a move towards Hyllis. ¡°She is still immature. This is not all Hyllis¡¯ fau¡ªoh?¡± After blinking once at the sight before her, she then followed with- ¡°So he also came? Perfect.¡± The one on the other end of Mother¡¯s gaze was Hilg-papa. With Kugalg still riding on his shoulder, he advanced towards Hyllis in the raging winds. The snow had already stopped, so I could also see him properly. Volume 2 - CH 26 ¡°Hyllis!¡± When Hilg-papa arrived at Hyllis¡¯ side, he grabbed her shoulders and shook her, seeing that she had lost her senses. (I-Is doing that okay?) There was a difference in physique and Hyllis was on the small side, so her head was being violently shaken back and forth. ¡°Hyllis! Calm down! Can you see me!? Oi, Hyllis! Oi!¡± ¡°Father! Her head might fall off.¡± After having Kugalg point that out, Hilg-papa finally stopped his hands. ¡°Oops.¡± ¡°Uu¡­¡­¡± Perhaps because she felt dizzy from the shaking, Hyllis was making an ill expression, but the wind had ceased thanks to Hilg-papa¡¯s actions. ¡°Hyllis, are you okay?¡± This time, he properly regulated his strength while lowering his volume and gently tapped her cheek. ¡°Uh¡­nn¡­¡­Hil¡­g?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s me.¡± As Hyllis¡¯ eyes reflected Hilg-papa, it was apparent that her sanity had returned. Her eyebrows lowered and light had also returned to pea-green eyes that resembled peridot gems. They were truly beautiful eyes. Her blonde hair that had been blown up by the wind was now also calmly resting on her shoulders, with the tips of her hair springing up here and there. It seems that her hair had been like that originally. ¡°Hyllis, why did you do something like this?¡± ¡°I¡­¡­¡± The sight of the topless Hilg-papa facing the lightly dressed Hyllis seemed a bit out of place amidst the snow. Don¡¯t the two of them feel cold? Perhaps Mother also felt that things were safe now, as she slowly approached Hyllis while still carrying me. ¡°Have your senses returned?¡± ¡°Snowlea¡­¡­¡± When Mother spoke to her, Hyllis raised her head and made a complicated expression. Anger, sadness, hatred¡­¡­while it might be true that such emotions were present in her expression, I found a more fitting descriptor of the emotions that Hyllis displayed when facing Mother. Envy and jealousy. ¡°The one who came attacking was you, Hyllis. Why did you attack Snowlea? And even the children too¡­¡­¡± Upon hearing Hilg-papa¡¯s condemnation, Hyllis hung her head and closed her eyes. Instead of her, the one who started to speak was Mother. ¡°You are mistaken, Hyllis.¡± ¡°Mistaken!?¡± Hyllis looked at Mother as her face warped with sorrow. ¡°What mistake are you talking about!? Even though Snowlea made a¡­¡­child with my Hilg! And two of them too!¡± Even as she laid limply from exhaustion, she threw a tantrum and shouted with a girly, high-pitched voice. ¡°Was it four years? Five? During the short period of time when I was flying around the world, you stole the march on me!¡± ¡°Wait, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°She does not seem to have any intention of believing anything I say, so you must make things clear with her, Hilg. She mistakenly thinks that Milfiria and ¡®that black one¡¯ are children produced between you and I.¡± Mother glanced at me and Kugalg in turn and said that to Hilg-papa. ¡°Why does she have such a misunderstanding?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a misunderstanding though, isn¡¯t it!? I know! Because Hilg likes Snowlea, and has always been urging her to produce children with him since a long time ago after all. And those two children are almost the same age too! If Hilg and Snowlea were to have children at the same time, then wouldn¡¯t it be normal to think that the two of you paired up!?¡± ¡°There is no way that I would pair together with such a stuffy person!¡± Mother interjected, displeased with what she was hearing. It seems that Hyllis likes Hilg-papa. However, Hilg-papa fancies Mother. Hyllis also knew that and had been jealous about it, but this time, with who-knows-what kind of timing, she learned of Kugalg and my existence. Thus, she jumped to the (wrong) conclusion that the two of them had paired up, and her jealousy towards Mother exploded. ¡°She was the one to first send a letter flying to me.¡± Mother started to explain the sequence of events. Father seemed to have lost interest as he closed his eyes but¡ªhe couldn¡¯t possibly be sleeping at such an important time, where a love triangle had turned into a scene of carnage, right?¡ªI listened to the story properly. It seemed that the letter that had come flying to Snowlea Mountain prior to me being sent off on the errand was a letter of challenge from Hyllis. The contents of the letter were- [You dared to pair with my Hilg! I won¡¯t forgive you! Tomorrow, let us decide who Hilg truly belongs to! Wash your neck and wait for me!] -thus Mother tore up the letter and threw it away, exasperated. Then, after I had left on my errand, Hyllis had come here and the battle had begun. I¡¯m sure that Mother had tried to explain things to Hyllis at first, but Hyllis definitely hadn¡¯t believed her. Mother isn¡¯t an incredibly patient person herself, so after having Hyllis blow her off, she had enough and started to fight back. Thus, the two of them had been fighting for about two whole days. No wonder why so much snow has piled up on the ground. That being said, in the beginning Hyllis did still have her senses, apparently. It was just because the battle lasted so long that she became unable to properly contain her powers and ended up like that. Looking at her actions of purposefully sending a letter of challenge first and giving Mother a day to prepare, it became apparent that Hyllis hadn¡¯t completely lost her sense of reason in the beginning. ¡°It¡¯s not like I wanted to kill Snowlea either. While she is my rival in love, I didn¡¯t hate her that much. Because in spite of everything, Snowlea is pretty caring and she even took care of me a bit when I was still young, you know? She took me to see Hyderin.¡± Hyllis turned her gaze away from Mother as she continued. ¡°And of course, I didn¡¯t have any intentions of killing the two children. Nor did I plan on hurting them. I just wanted to use the fairy to tease them a little. Truly.¡± It seemed that when Hyllis had arrived at Snowlea Mountain, she realised that I wasn¡¯t around and had sent a fairy after me. ¡°But¡­¡­¡± Hyllis had been explaining with a listless voice, but it was then that she started to choke up as her shoulders trembled. ¡°But as I started to fight Snowlea¡­¡­I started to think about a lot of things, like how maybe Hilg likes that long hair, or her pale skin¡­¡­.uu-¡± Transparent tears started to overflow one by one from her large eyes that were decorated with yellow eyeshadow. ¡°Even when angry, Snowlea is beautiful, and her chest is also bigger than mine¡­¡­! *sniffle*¡­¡­¡± It may have been rude to the crying Hyllis, but I ended up comparing Mother¡¯s bountiful chest to Hyllis¡¯ washboard of a chest. Hyllis is, well¡­¡­she¡¯s slender and dainty¡­¡­so it can¡¯t really be helped. You know. ¡°When I started to think about those things, I somehow became incredibly sad, and then it grew harder to control my power. But I did think to myself that it¡¯d be bad if I continued on like that, so I tried to hide in Snowlea¡¯s den for the time being but¡­¡­then, I saw that¡ª¡± Hyllis¡¯ face warped, and all the tears that had been accumulating in the corner of her eyes gushed out all at once. Then, she turned to Hilg-papa and screamed like a child. ¡°The stone that I gave Hilg was there¡ª!!¡± Volume 2 - CH 27 ¡°Stone?¡± When Hilg-papa tilted his head in confusion, Hyllis angrily responded. ¡°The stone I gave you before! A pea-green stone that is the same colour as my eyes! It was very pretty, and the humans said those kinds of stones are precious, so I gave it to Hilg, thinking that it was valuable. I even hoped¡­¡­that you¡¯d think of me every time you saw it! That is what Hilg gave to Snowlea!¡± ¡®How horrible!¡¯ -she cried, as Hyllis bawled her eyes out. The wind started to get stronger again. ¡°A pea-green stone¡­¡­is it the one that Milfiria was keeping?¡± When Mother murmured that, I also recalled the stone in question. There certainly was a large stone that I suspected to be an unpolished gem in my mountain of treasure deep within our nest. Hilg-papa gave it to Mother as a present, but Mother had refused to accept it, so I accepted it instead. But who would¡¯ve thought that it was originally something that Hyllis had given to Hilg-papa. I had a sudden realisation and looked down at the beautiful red stone that hung atop my white chest fur. It was the necklace that I had received from Kugalg. This stone was also the same colour as Kugalg¡¯s eyes. If I were to give this to some other boy, that would probably make Kugalg very sad, and like Hyllis, he would get angry and might even start attacking the other boy. It was probably similarly hurtful when Hyllis discovered the stone that she had given in the nest of Mother, who she views as her love rival. That became a huge impetus to cause her jealousy to explode, thus making her lose her mind, rendering her unable to control her powers. Father was still standing with his eyes closed, so I couldn¡¯t tell whether he was awake or asleep, but Mother and I ¨C and Kugalg as well ¨C were looking at Hilg-papa with disdainful eyes. ¡°¡­¡­.wait, waitwait! A pea-green stone? It is true that I gave one to Snowlea a year ago¡­¡­.but that stone¡¯s been rolling around my nest for several tens of years already-¡± ¡°Because I gave it to you several tens of years ago! To think that you wouldn¡¯t even remember that!¡± Hyllis sobbed, and Hilg-papa flusteredly apologised. ¡°S-Sorry¡­¡­!¡± For better or worse, Hilg-papa was a careless person. He probably hadn¡¯t even noticed Hyllis¡¯ delicate feelings, and ended up completely forgetting about the present that she had gathered her courage to send him unnoticed. However, spirits may just be those kinds of beings. They did not have any attachment to objects, and probably didn¡¯t have that much interest in jewels. Even Mother had forgotten that she received that pea-green jewel from Hilg-papa after all. When you think about it that way, Hyllis wasn¡¯t very spirit-like. The way her feelings of love burned for Hilg-papa weren¡¯t that different from a human girl. I was also a former human, so my emotions weren¡¯t as cold as a spirit, nor were they as simple. That is why I had a sense of affinity for Hyllis. Of course, she probably wasn¡¯t a former human, but I did feel like I could get along with her. ¡°To give me something received from another¡­¡­.what an impudent person.¡± After Mother harshly scolded Hilg-papa, she said this to Hyllis. ¡°However, you also know Hilg¡¯s personality. If you still like him in spite of that, then you should not allow your heart to be disturbed by every single small matter like this. And stop dragging me into your matters.¡± Mother then strengthened her arms that were hugging me. ¡°Unlike before, I now have a child. If you had hurt Milfiria this time, I probably would not have been able to forgive you.¡± As she said that, Hyllis finally gave me a proper look for the first time. Reason had returned to her eyes, and while there was a bit of guilt in her gaze, there was still some jealousy mixed in as expected. While her feelings couldn¡¯t be explained so simply, if you put Mother aside, there shouldn¡¯t be any reason for her to hold such complicated emotions towards me. Because I was¡ª ¡°In the first place, like I¡¯ve been saying from the start, Milfiria is not a child made between Hilg and myself. She is a child produced from the pairing of me and Waterust over there, so she should not be a target of your jealousy.¡± Mother mouthed the words that I had been thinking. ¡°Waterust¡­¡­?¡± Hyllis blinked her eyes and looked at Father. Upon meeting eyes with Father, who had opened his own ever so slightly, she jumped with a start. ¡°She truly isn¡¯t Hilg¡¯s child? ¡­¡­but, what about that child? He¡¯s Snowlea¡¯s child, isn¡¯t he?¡± She turned her gaze from me to Kugalg as she spoke. Hilg-papa lightheartedly laughed as he answered. ¡°Snowlea kept turning me down after all! Daphine is the one who accepted me! She¡¯s an earth spirit!¡± ¡°Daphine? He¡¯s Daphine¡¯s child?¡± Hyllis seemed to have heard her name before. Perhaps they were acquaintances. ¡°That¡¯s right, wait here for a sec.¡± Hilg-papa left Kugalg on the snow and then disappeared on the spot, but he soon returned. However, he was not alone when reappearing from the flame cocoon, and standing next to him was a tall woman. She was a beauty with a rather lazy atmosphere about her. Her hair, eyebrows, and long eyelashes looked black in the darkness, but if it were daytime they would probably be dark brown. Her warm, dark brown eyes drooped kindly at the corners, and her lips were plump and full. Though her legs were long, she had a womanly, voluptuous body, and her skin was darker than Hilg-papa¡¯s, like sweet melted chocolate. ¡°Hilg¡­¡­what are you up to so suddenly?¡± As she combed back her long wavy hair, the beauty that was clad in a long black dress finally noticed the other spirits in her surroundings. ¡°My, how rare for so many spirits to be gathered in one place like this. Not only that, but it¡¯s a gathering of people who have absolutely no sense of cooperation ¨C Hilg, Snowlea, Waterust, and Hyllis, huh.¡± The beautiful woman glanced at each person in order and made a tired expression. I instinctively thought this. This beautiful woman was probably the person who had the most common sense amongst all spirits. Volume 2 - CH 28 ¡°But there are also some really cute children here. Come on, come here.¡± After giving Kugalg and me a sweet smile, the beautiful woman picked up Kugalg, who was the closest to her. Seeing Kugalg squirm his body embarrassedly, Hilg-papa spoke. ¡°Kugalg, what are you being so uncomfortable about? If we were to go by Milfiria¡¯s way of thinking, that Daphine there is your mother.¡± Hearing those words, Kugalg¡¯s ears twitched and he gave the beautiful woman¡ªDaphine-san, another look. I also felt a little excited as I gazed at Daphine-san. Spirits do not make marital relationships, and when the born child possesses a different attribute from their own, they easily cut off their attachment to them. That is why I did not think I would ever be able to meet Kugalg¡¯s mother. ¡°Mother¡­¡­that isn¡¯t quite right. This child has a fire attribute, so he is your child. Though it is true that I am the one who birthed him.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Snowlea¡¯s child over there is a strange one! That is just how she thinks! I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll make Kugalg happy too, so feel free to go visit her as your mother whenever you want!¡± At first Daphine-san looked a bit bewildered, but the way she pet Kugalg was incredibly gentle. I¡¯m sure that like how Father dotes on me, after meeting Kugalg several more times, she¡¯ll end up holding some form of affection for him. ¡°Wait a second!¡± The one who interrupted the cheerful atmosphere was Hyllis. Staggering to her feet, she stood across from Daphine-san. ¡°Daphine, why did you pair with Hilg!? You know that I like Hilg!¡± Hyllis¡¯ eyes once again moistened as she clenched her fist in a sulky manner. Daphine-san gave an adult-like sigh. ¡°I know, but Hilg¡¯s also around the age where he wanted a child, so I simply cooperated with him. He was rejected by Snowlea, but even then he wouldn¡¯t lay his hands on Hyllis. Since Hilg only thinks of you as a child still.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that I was just a child when I first met Hilg, but I already hit the century mark six years ago! I¡¯m an adult!¡± Hyllis refuted in a high-pitched voice. I¡¯ve also heard from Mother before that once a spirit reaches 100 years of age, they would finally be recognised as an adult. It seems that most leave the nest at around 50-ish years of age, but Mother¡¯s already told me that, ¡°50 is still too early. You must stay with me until you¡¯re at least 100 years old¡±. So, she probably won¡¯t let me leave home until I¡¯m fully grown. ¡°Sure enough, it¡¯s gotta be the chest! Hilg loves spirits with big chests!¡± Hyllis quickly compared Mother¡¯s and Daphine-san¡¯s chests to her own and then bawled, ¡°Uwahhh!¡±. Hmm, it is true that Daphine-san¡¯s chest is also large. She might even be bigger than Mother. How heartbreaking. Then, Daphine-san¡¯s voice that had been gentle up until that moment suddenly grew a bit more authoritative. ¡°Acting like that really shows how much of a child you still are. What will crying solve? If you want Hilg to turn back and look at you, then grow up mentally.¡± Seeing Hyllis suddenly suck in her tears and try to hold them back, Daphine-san once again spoke gently. ¡°Hilg might already have a child, but you don¡¯t have one yet. In the future, when you feel that you want a child, you can then ask for Hilg to cooperate with you at that time. Properly polish yourself and become a charming adult woman.¡± After being told that, Hyllis¡¯ face blushed. I suppose she was imagining a future where she had a cute child together with Hilg-papa. Hilg-papa also placed a hand on Hyllis¡¯ shoulder and spoke. ¡°You know, Hyllis. It¡¯s not that I only like those like Snowlea who have long hair and white skin. I don¡¯t dislike those like Hyllis who have short hair and healthily tanned skin either. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t need to be so jealous of Snowlea. And like Daphine said, if you grow up a bit more mentally, I promise I¡¯ll treat you like an adult.¡± ¡°Hilg¡­¡­.¡± Hyllis was getting teary-eyed from how touched she was, but it seemed like Hilg-papa had inadvertently avoided the topic of his preference on larger chests¡­¡­ As expected, he probably likes bigger ones better ¨C I thought while turning a sceptical gaze towards him. But in any case, with this it seems like the incident has been resolved for the time being. Hyllis gave a sincere apology to Mother, as well as to Kugalg and I. ¡°Snowlea, I¡¯m sorry for attacking you over a misunderstanding. And you two as well¡­¡­I caused you to have a frightening experience from that fairy that was influenced by my emotions, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m sorry. I somehow saw the situation through the fairy. Neither of you were injured, right?¡± Perhaps because she had given it a larger portion of her power, unlike Mother¡¯s fairy, Hyllis¡¯ fairy was able to communicate what it saw and heard to her. ¡°We¡¯re okay. But, the One-Eyed Knight was¡­¡­¡± I talked about how one of the human knights was heavily injured while protecting me. When I recalled the fear from that time, it felt like I would break into tears again. I wonder if the One-Eyed Knight was alright. Seeing me sniffling, Daphine-san spoke to Hyllis. ¡°Hyllis, this time you¡¯ve caused too much trouble in all sorts of ways to those around you. I¡¯ll be asking Hyderin to re-educate you again.¡± ¡°Eh!? Asking Hyderin!? No way!¡± Hyllis screamed with a pale face. Hyderin was her mother¡¯s mother, in other words, her grandmother. Hyllis¡¯ mother was, in a sense, a person who truly embodied a wind spirit, acting with abandon. Thus, she pretty much left Hyllis to her own devices and didn¡¯t raise her properly. Unable to just watch without doing anything, her grandmother Hyderin took her mother¡¯s place and raised Hyllis. ¡°Nooo!¡± However, looking at Hyllis¡¯ reaction, she seemed to be a pretty strict educator for a spirit. Though her harshness was probably done out of love, like how Mother gives me intensive training. After giving a disgusted look towards the sight of Hyllis clinging to Daphine-san in desperation, Mother turned to me and said- ¡°Milfiria, you truly are not injured anywhere?¡± ¡°Yup, I¡¯m just fine. Say, Mother. Did Mother send me on an errand because you knew Hyllis would be coming here?¡± ¡°Indeed, I did not want you to meet Hyllis.¡± It seems that right after seeing the letter of challenge, Mother had been thinking about how she could protect me. That was when she decided to send me to the Capital on the premise of an errand. Since Snowlea Mountain would become a battleground, it was dangerous, thus she wanted me to go as far as possible. While she did think about having the Northern Fort shelter me for a while, it might¡¯ve been dangerous being that close to Snowlea Mountain, so it was rejected as an option. ¡°Then, how about Father¡¯s place?¡± When I asked that, Mother slightly raised her brow and gave a sidelong glance towards Father. ¡°I did consider that as well. I know that when that man is serious, he is absurdly strong, but I have never seen his true power, and he¡¯s always sleeping. I felt uneasy leaving my darling Milfiria to him, so I didn¡¯t include him as an option from the start.¡± Even after hearing that, Father did not show any particular signs of being shocked, simply remaining as expressionless as always. ¡°But well, what happened this time was rather surprising. I never imagined that Waterust would make a move on his own. He seems to be a bit more reliable.¡± For her opinion of Father to improve this much just from him moving a little¡­¡­. But it is true that he was incredibly reliable. ¡°But what about my errand? I don¡¯t have to go to the Capital anymore?¡± When I looked up at Mother and said that- ¡°Since you¡¯re already part of the way there, you might as well try your best to finish it. Please deliver my letter.¡± Mother smiled tenderly as she stroked my head. Right, there was a letter I had to deliver. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll do my best! Then I¡¯ll head back to where the One-Eyed Knight and everyone are.¡± And then, I¡¯ll continue my errand. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Kugalg.¡± I jumped down, causing the snow to crunch as I landed on it as Kugalg also rushed over from Daphine-san¡¯s arms. However, it was at that moment that an unexpected person raised their hand. ¡°Ah! Wait! I¡¯ll also go!¡± It was Hyllis. ¡°Why do you need to go with them?¡± Hilg-papa said. ¡°Because I know! There are humans targeting those children!¡± Huh? Now that I think of it, did Hyllis have any connection with those black-cloaked assassins? ¡°Those children will be in danger if they go alone. To atone for my crimes, I¡¯ll protect them! That¡¯s okay, right?¡± ¡°You say that, but you just want to avoid Hyderin, don¡¯t you?¡± Daphine-san hit the nail on the head, causing Hyllis to leak out an, ¡°Ugh..¡± as she fell silent. ¡°Very well. Hyllis has mended her ways, so let¡¯s have the three children work together.¡± ¡°Who¡¯re you calling a child!¡± Hyllis rebutted before making a light turn and facing Kugalg and I. She was probably still tired, but her face was bright. Her originally youthful and energetic charm was slowly starting to return. Her slender legs moved often, and her mannerisms were also cute. Hyllis placed her index finger against her lips and said. ¡°Umm, you guys are Milfiria and Kugalg, right! I want to apologise to that ¡®One-Eyed Knight¡¯, so can I come with you?¡± ¡°Yup, of course. We also have some things we want to ask Hyllis too.¡± I wanted to ask about Captain Sarrell-san, but it was probably better that we talk about that with Branch Captain-san and everyone else. For now, the three of us needed to travel over there. Kugalg and Hyllis can¡¯t transfer to where the One-Eyed Knight is, so I was the one to initiate the transfer technique. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for your safe return after you¡¯ve gone to the Capital.¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Kugalg! Work hard!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mother, Daphine-san, Hilg-papa, and Father spoke in turn. Well, Father didn¡¯t actually say anything though. Mother and Daphine-san, while worried, saw us off with loving motherly smiles, while Hilg-papa crossed his arms and smiled broadly. And Father¡¯s calm eyes¡­¡­.while I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking at all, I¡¯m sure they were telling me to do my best¡­probably. ¡°We¡¯re off, be home soon!¡± As the three of us were enveloped by the blizzard, I waved my tail in place of my hand. Translator Comments: Somehow, I feel like some of the wording in the chapter came out a bit weird. If anyone has any suggestions on how to better word things, you¡¯re welcome to make them in the comments. Volume 2 - CH 29 ¡°-uwah¡­¡­!?¡± After using the transfer technique, for some reason I arrived at the top of a tree. It was hard to tell in the dark, but it seemed that the three of us had landed skillfully atop a thick tree branch. The tree leaves rustled as they hit my body here and there. It was ticklish. ¡°W-We¡¯ll fall!¡± ¡°Why did you transfer to a place like this, Milfiria!¡± Though Hyllis was in her human form, her sense of balance was apparently quite good as she caught me just as I was about to fall. Kugalg also felt like he was in his element as he stood atop the branch. ¡°I dunno! But¡ª¡± I transferred using the One-Eyed Knight as my marker, so he should be nearby. Thinking that, I turned my gaze to the ground and- ¡°Is that you, Mil!?¡± Kix was standing at the base of the tree, looking up at us from around 5 metres below our current position. Commander-san, Branch Captain-san, and Tina-san were all safely sitting around a bonfire. And amongst them was the One-Eyed Knight. It appeared that his treatment had already finished, as he stood up and looked our way with movements that did not differ from his usual self. Father¡¯s water had disappeared, but the snake had remained, and Mother¡¯s fairy was riding on his head. ¡°One-Eyed Knight!¡± ¡°Ah, hey!¡± Because I bent forward too much in my excitement, I fell out of Hyllis¡¯ arms and fell headfirst towards the ground. ¡°Mil!¡± However, the One-Eyed Knight skillfully caught me, so things ended without incident. ¡°One-Eyed Knight! Are you okay now? How¡¯s your back? It doesn¡¯t hurt?¡± My tail wagged noisily as I rapid-fired questions at him. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. The wound has completely healed. What a mysterious power. Mil¡¯s the one who called the water spirit for me, right?¡± ¡°Because you got injured because of me¡­¡­it hurt, right? I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Pain is nothing. As long as Mil is alright.¡± After being told that, my tail wagged so much it felt like it was about to come off. I licked the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s cheeks while feeling grateful from the bottom of my heart that he was alright. ¡°Mil, she is¡­¡­?¡± The One-Eyed Knight gently moved me just far enough away from his face so I couldn¡¯t lick him and spoke. When I get too happy and excited, I end up wanting to lick people¡¯s faces when their faces are nearby, but when I get too persistent about it they often move their faces away somehow. While dodging me as I licked the air, the One-Eyed Knight looked at Hyllis as she descended to the ground. Commander-san, Branch Captain-san, and everyone else also stood alongside the One-Eyed Knight, showing vigilance and nervousness towards the unfamiliar spirit. Just around the time Kugalg was using his claws to descend the tree¡¯s trunk on his own, Hyllis began to introduce herself. ¡°I am the wind spirit Hyllis.¡± ¡°The wind-¡­¡­!?¡± ¡°Indeed. The fairy that attacked you earlier was mine. I¡¯m sorry, forgive me.¡± Hyllis said apologetically. When a spirit apologises like this, humans had no choice but to forgive them. ¡°It¡¯s amazing to be able to meet so many spirits in a single day. Normally it¡¯d be unthinkable to even be able to meet a spirit even once during your lifetime.¡± Commander-san said excitedly to Kix. ¡°Mil, what¡¯s going on?¡± Branch Captain-san asked me, bewildered. After I explained the sequence of events that occurred on Snowlea Mountain, Kix asked this of Hyllis without showing any timidity. ¡°Then, you don¡¯t have any relationship with Captain Sarrell?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak so rudely!¡± Tina-san, who was standing next to him, elbowed Kix. However, it appeared that Hyllis didn¡¯t care about how she was addressed. ¡°Sarrell¡­¡­¡± Hyllis murmured contemplatively, then asked the knights to explain the situation. Then, Branch Captain-san began to cross-examine her regarding the afternoon¡¯s attack. ¡°Did you not attack us during the day together with those black-cloaked humans? You weren¡¯t collaborating with them?¡± ¡°Those human men, huh.¡± Though Hyllis had been fighting Mother on Snowlea Mountain the entire time, it seemed that her senses were linked to those of the fairy¡¯s so she was able to tell what the fairy saw and heard. ¡°I do not know those humans.¡± Hyllis¡¯ fairy had discovered Kugalg and I quite a bit earlier than the first attack, and had been following us as she thought about how to best tease us. Then, after we entered the town of Gouda, she also discovered the human group that was targeting us. It was those men in black. They didn¡¯t notice Hyllis¡¯ presence, but seeing as their targets were the same as hers, she ended up working together with them unintentionally. ¡°But it was just a coincidence that our attacks on the highway overlapped. It just so happened that the time when the black-cloaked men took action matched the timing of when Hyllis discovered that stone in my mountain of treasure. ¡°Now that I think of it, I think I¡¯ve heard the name ¡®Sarrell¡¯ before. It came up a few times in the conversations between those men.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, at that time my sense of reason was only slightly fragmented so I still remember. I didn¡¯t really hear any real details, but it seems the plan was to kidnap Milfiria and Kugalg and take them to that Sarrell person.¡± Commander-san interjected just after Hyllis said that. ¡°Spirit, you may not remember the names or faces of humans, but are you sure you have not actually met that person called Sarrell in person before? About three days ago, in the Valley of Delamon.¡± After wracking her brain for a few seconds in contemplation, Hyllis finally seemed to have remembered something. ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s right! I have met him before! The reason why I remember hearing that name before is because he¡¯s introduced himself before.¡± Hyllis hit the palm of her hand with the side of her fist and continued. ¡°When I was leaving the nest, I hadn¡¯t decided where to build my own nest, so I went around the world to places that interested me and ¨C that Delamon place, was it? ¨C the deep valley there was one of those places. It¡¯s near Hilg¡¯s nest too, so I thought it might be good.¡± Saying that, Hyllis¡¯ cheeks blushed a little. ¡°So, recently I had just returned to that valley¡­¡­ah, by return, I mean I stayed there for a short time 80 years ago. But while I don¡¯t think the people living there noticed me at that time, this time it seems like I was seen. Apparently they contacted the lord there and then started to come visiting me in droves. The lord and his people wanted to ask me to stay in that valley permanently. ¡®Cause it apparently makes humans happy when a spirit lives in their land and country. I wonder if they were thinking that I¡¯d help them out when it came down to it.¡± Hyllis said while innocently tilting her head. ¡°But I¡¯m pretty fickle and love my freedom, so I told them I wouldn¡¯t be settling there. The lord gave a bad impression too. So the humans went back disappointed. And amongst those humans there was a man who called himself Sarrell. If I recall correctly he was the lord¡¯s¡­¡­younger brother? Or maybe his child? In any case, he was the lord¡¯s blood relative, but was a human who had a weaker position than the lord. That¡¯s all the impression that I got, cause even though he properly introduced himself I forgot it. I do remember that unlike the well-built lord, he was pretty skinny and weak-looking though.¡± Seeming to be checking something, Commander-san further inquired. ¡°Did that man named Sarrell try to come visit you on his own or make any sort of negotiation with you after that?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡± Hyllis confidently responded. As expected, it doesn¡¯t seem like Captain Sarrell-san had anything to do with Hyllis¡¯ matters. -is what I thought, but it seemed like he made an unnecessary comment three days ago. ¡°But, that Sarrell person was the one who told me about Milfiria and Kugalg.¡± ¡°He told you about us¡­¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. See, don¡¯t they say that if pushing doesn¡¯t work, pulling might? About four years ago I ¡®separated from Hilg¡¯, so I didn¡¯t know about Milfiria and Kugalg, who were born during that time. During the flow of conversation, Sarrell told me about them. How, the spirits of this country were Hilg and Snowlea, and that the two of them had children that were only about one year apart in age. Hearing that, I mistakenly thought that the two of them had paired up and got jealous. Thus, I sent the letter of challenge to Snowlea.¡± Hearing that, Branch Captain-san, Commander-san, as well as the One-Eyed Knight and everyone else exchanged glances. It looked like the one who triggered the situation this time with Hyllis was Captain Sarrell-san. Even if he hadn¡¯t said anything, Hyllis would¡¯ve eventually learned of Kugalg and my existence, but if Hilg-papa or Mother were there, they would be able to correct her misunderstanding on the spot. It was because he gave her incomplete information without the people in question being there that the situation got so complicated. The black-cloaked men might¡¯ve also been moving on Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s orders, and if Captain Sarrell-san was also the root cause of Hyllis¡¯ matter, then he probably really wasn¡¯t a respectable person. As I had such thoughts, Hyllis raised her index finger while getting back on topic. ¡°So, I¡¯m sure that those suspicious men that might be Sarrell¡¯s subordinates haven¡¯t yet given up on kidnapping Milfiria and Kugalg. That¡¯s why, as an apology for causing you guys trouble, I¡¯ll scout them out for you!¡± Just as she said that, Hyllis transformed into a bird. She was a bit bigger than the fairy that had been about the size of a dove, and while the colour of her feathers was a bit darker, the general colour scheme did not change. Nevertheless, her crown and tail feathers were longer than the fairy¡¯s, giving a more flashy impression. The down on her chest was also fluffier, and it seemed like the touch on her head and back would be silky. And wherever she flew, colourful streaks of wind would remain in the sky for a few seconds, colouring it pea-green, blue, yellow, silver, and orange. When I told her she was like a slug leaving beautiful light trails behind her, she got mad. I guess the subject of comparison was bad. But if it¡¯s like this, whether it was night or day, it¡¯d stand out. She wasn¡¯t suited for scouting. When I told Hyllis that- ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m the wind, so I can become cooler or warmer, stronger or weaker, constantly changing as I will. Right now, for the sake of scouting, I¡¯ll stop emphasising my individuality and be more quiet. That¡¯ll be better, right?¡± Then, the colour of her body began to become transparent. You could still faintly see the outline of her body and eyes, as well as her beak, but you could see the forested landscape behind her through her body. If it¡¯s like this, then unless they¡¯re paying extremely careful attention, the enemy shouldn¡¯t be able to find her. ¡°But Hyllis, aren¡¯t you still tired? Will you be okay?¡± I looked up at the transparent Hyllis as she circled above flapping her wings and asked. ¡°You¡¯re worried, aren¡¯t you! But I¡¯ll be fine, it¡¯s just scouting! I¡¯m off!¡± Hyllis gave a wink and then disappeared deep into the dark, nighttime forest. Volume 2 - CH 30 ¡°Uuu~¡± I was suddenly awakened in the middle of the night by my own quiet growling. In my dreams I had gotten angry from Kugalg riding on my back, but even in real life, Kugalg was lying on top of my back snoring. ¡°Uuu~¡­¡­¡± This time I groaned like a human and crawled out from underneath Kugalg¡¯s body. The One-Eyed Knight was lying down next to me on the ground, and behind him was the brightly burning bonfire. Commander-san, Kix, Tina-san, as well as Ilus and Leader also seemed to be sleeping. Mother¡¯s fairy was spread out like a piece of mochi on a tree branch that was a distance away from the bonfire and Kugalg. Is it sleeping? On the other hand, it appeared to be Branch Captain-san¡¯s time to be on the lookout. He was sitting next to the bonfire, throwing in small branches so that it wouldn¡¯t go out. Noticing my wakening, he gestured for me to come over. Thinking that he must be lonely on his own, I approached and he placed me on top of his crossed legs. It¡¯s quite hot next to the flame of the bonfire. He started to stroke my head to put me back to sleep, but I wasn¡¯t sleepy at all, so I rolled over and began play-biting his hand. Father¡¯s fairy, the aqua-coloured snake, was coiled up next to Branch Captain-san. It didn¡¯t show any signs of moving, but its eyes were still open, so it didn¡¯t appear to be sleeping either. It had been ordered by Father to protect the knights, so it might be remaining wary of the surroundings accordingly, but it could also just be spacing out as well. When you thought about how it was Father¡¯s fairy, the latter seemed more likely. After nibbling on Branch Captain-san¡¯s hand until I was satisfied, I started to whisper quietly so that I wouldn¡¯t wake everyone else up. ¡°Hyllis hasn¡¯t returned yet?¡± ¡°So it seems.¡± Perhaps she hasn¡¯t found the black-cloaked men yet. She was fighting against Mother this whole time, so she shouldn¡¯t push herself too hard. ¡°Or maybe she¡¯s already taken Captain Sarrell-san down.¡± Hyllis did seem impulsive enough to do that. Impulsive enough to suddenly strike down the one behind the scenes. Branch Captain-san quietly reprimanded me as I carelessly said such things frankly. ¡°Mil, we still haven¡¯t determined whether or not Captain Sarrell was truly in the wrong.¡± That is true. Even though we didn¡¯t have any concrete evidence, I had already pinned Captain Sarrell-san as a bad guy in my heart. But from Branch Captain-san¡¯s tone of voice seemed to be defending Captain Sarrell-san somehow. There was zero sense of tension if I had this conversation with my belly face-up, so I corrected my posture atop Branch Captain-san¡¯s lap. ¡°Bwanch Captain-san, you¡¯re thinking that it¡¯d be good if Captain Sarrell-san wasn¡¯t the culprit, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­maybe.¡± Branch Captain-san¡¯s hand continued to fidget with my tail even as he made a serious expression and fell into thought. ¡°I don¡¯t get along particularly well with Captain Sarrell, and it¡¯s not like I have any special trust in him. But our positions are very similar in the Knight¡¯s Order. The way we are looked at by our surroundings is also similar.¡± Branch Captain-san was probably talking about how both he and Captain Sarrell-san were from ducal houses, and were thus kept at a distance by others in the Knight¡¯s Order, or given unwanted favouritism, causing them to be the target of jealousy. While commoners have the trouble of commoners, nobles also probably have the trouble of nobles. ¡°That is why I can tell how hard Captain Sarrell has worked in the Knight¡¯s Order. Neither he nor I are blessed with physiques like Grail¡¯s, nor do we have the same charisma as the Commander to bring people together. We don¡¯t have any special talents either.¡± He spoke the truth indifferently, his voice not exposing any humility. ¡°And, Captain Sarrell has had some bad experiences with his family too. I¡¯ve heard rumours about how his body was frail when he was younger, causing him to be compared with his healthier older brother and was treated coldly as a result. However, it is because he has experienced such matters with his family and in the Knight¡¯s Order that his ambition is so strong. I think that he wants to climb higher and higher, so that no one can look down on him, and so that the people around him will finally recognise him.¡± In contrast to Branch Captain-san, who grew stronger by his own strength and possessed confidence in himself that allowed him to ignore the opinions of those around him, Captain Sarrell-san possessed a fevour to increase his position and authority by any means possible. ¡°I can only pray that he hasn¡¯t drowned in his ambition and lost sight of what is right and wrong.¡± Branch Captain-san let out a sigh and played with the fluff on my face. ¡°I¡¯m back! I have returned!¡± ¡°Fugu-¡­¡­!?¡± Hyllis returned when morning hit. Right now she wasn¡¯t transparent, but had returned to her former colourful self. While waking me up by landing directly on my stomach, she made a refreshed face while asking, ¡°You¡¯re still sleeping?¡±. ¡°Your claws are¡­¡­digging into me¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, my bad.¡± Though Hyllis was as light as air, her claws really hurt. After moving to the bunny rucksack that was laid next to me, Hyllis said, ¡°Come on, wake up already!¡± while flapping her wings to try and blow away my sleepiness. What a comfortable wind. ¡°Good morning, Mil.¡± Next to me, Branch Captain-san had already finished dressing. I wonder when they changed shifts for the nighttime lookout. I had fallen asleep at some point, so I wasn¡¯t able to confirm when that occurred. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Branch Captain-san responded with a face that didn¡¯t show all that much traveller¡¯s fatigue. There was also the snake next to him who was still in the exact same position as last night. It definitely hadn¡¯t moved an inch since then. ¡°Good morning Mil-chan.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t tired, Mil?¡± ¡°What a great morning it is today.¡± Tina-san, the One-Eyed Knight, and Commander-san had also already woken up, and each of them ran by in order to pat my head. How wonderful. The back of the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s uniform and mantle were still cut at the part where he was slashed, but when he shifted the position of his mantle when putting it on, he figured out a way to make it so that his bare skin would not be visible. I was once again feeling relieved that he was safe, so I had the One-Eyed Knight pet me even more than anyone else. Today, this hand is as warm as always, and makes me just as happy. Now then, the only ones who haven¡¯t woken up yet are Kugalg and Kix. Hyllis was waking Kugalg up, so I rushed in to attack Kix, who was sleeping while wrapped in a dirty cloth. When I made a run up and jumped onto the Kix¡¯s chest ¨C who was sleeping face-up ¨C he coughed violently as he awoke. Huh? Have I gotten a bit fatter? ¡°Now then, I shall report the findings of my scouting!¡± Hyllis puffed out her chest atop the bunny rucksack. ¡°Here you go, Mil-chan, have some soup. It¡¯s hot so wait for it to cool a bit before you eat it.¡± ¡°Hot!¡± ¡°Right when I just told you!? Come on, how about eating some legans first while waiting for it to cool down?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m already sick of legans. Are there still some left?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who bought a mountain of them. Take responsibility and eat.¡± ¡°Ah, Kix! Let¡¯s swap that cheese with my legans!¡± ¡°I¡¯m also sick of legans already!¡± ¡°Hey! Are you guys listening!?¡± As everyone surrounded the bonfire and was eating breakfast, Hyllis raised her high-pitched voice. She gave Kix and I a glare as we tried to push the legans onto each other, and then moved from the bunny rucksack to the top of Kix¡¯s head and said- ¡°I am going to announce the results of my scouting!¡± ¡°Ow ow ow, don¡¯t dig your claws into the top of my head.¡± Kix grimaced and put Hyllis onto his shoulder. ¡°Milfee, I¡¯ll give you my cheese.¡± ¡°Thanks, Kugalg.¡± ¡°You like cheese?¡± ¡°Yup, I do. But I like jerky and eggs and fruit even more. But even though I say I like fruit, right now I¡¯m not too into legans any¡ª¡± ¡°Kugalg, Milfiria! It¡¯s fine to eat, so be quiet!¡± Hyllis¡¯ crest feathers rose in anger. Seeing that there was no point in talking to us, she turned towards Branch Captain-san, the One-Eyed Knight, and Commander-san and began talking. ¡°About those suspicious men, they are in a small town that¡¯s up ahead. They¡¯re resting in an inn there.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s up ahead then¡­¡­.¡± Branch Captain-san took out a map to confirm. ¡°Then they know that we¡¯re heading to the Capital and went on ahead to cut us off.¡± Kix ripped off a piece of bread and tossed it into his mouth while saying that in a provoking manner. ¡°Probably, okay! But it seems like they left that town this morning. They¡¯re still planning on kidnapping Milfiria and Kugalg, but their wounds from fighting you guys before still haven¡¯t healed, so they¡¯ve decided to move as little as possible. Is there a town called Chedas near the Capital?¡± The one who answered Hyllis¡¯ question was the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°There is. It¡¯s the town next to the Capital.¡± ¡°There¡¯s an uninhabited forest in between the town of Chedas and the Capital, so they¡¯re planning on attacking you there. They said that this time they have to kidnap the spirits, and that failure would not be forgiven.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re being threatened by Captain Sarrell.¡± Kix chewed on the last shred of bread while muttering. ¡°What we have to be careful about is that they¡¯re trying to increase their numbers. They seem to think that they aren¡¯t any match for you guys with just the five of them, so they reached out to some vulgar men who were staying at the same inn as them.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re trying to hire them?¡± Hearing the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s words, Hyllis nodded and continued. ¡°Their numbers have doubled. But it¡¯s like that, you know, they¡¯re a bunch of good-for-nothings, and looking at the people they hired¡­¡­um, what do you call them again¡­ah, right, they¡¯re like a bunch of ¡®gangsters¡¯, while the original five guys have a more refined appearance. They¡¯re probably knights like you guys guessed.¡± After hearing Hyllis¡¯ impressions, Commander-san made a bitter expression. ¡°Next time we¡¯ll definitely catch them. If we do that, then their identities and goal will be made clear.¡± Perhaps because the chances of the culprits being knights were high, Commander-san¡¯s voice was harsh. Since all the members of the Knight¡¯s Order were basically Commander-san¡¯s subordinates, he might be finding it unbearable. The other four also nodded at Commander-san¡¯s words, but with the number of enemies increasing, wouldn¡¯t it be difficult to capture them? Though Hyllis did say that the enemy was exhausted, the chances of everyone getting injured were even higher than before. It¡¯s possible that someone might get heavily injured again. When I recalled the appearance of the One-Eyed Knight after collapsing from his injuries, my tail bristled and hid between my legs. I don¡¯t want that to happen ever again. I know that everyone is strong, and as long as the opponent is human, I don¡¯t think that the One-Eyed Knight would ever lose, but I couldn¡¯t help but be worried. ¡°I-It¡¯s too tight¡­¡­! Someone, move!¡± ¡°I should go together with Milfee. Can¡¯t you just fly, Hyllis?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired too! I worked hard to scout after all!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Us after finishing our morning preparations and leaving the forest. We were going to mount the horses after returning to the highway, but for some reason everyone was gathering on top of Leader¡¯s back. I was worried about the One-Eyed Knight, so I wanted to ride together with him on Leader, but when I did that Kugalg followed after me. Then Hyllis, who likes it when things are lively, also boarded, and then for some reason Father¡¯s snake also followed along. ¡°I¡¯m gonna fall! Move a bit more that way.¡± ¡°Are you okay, Milfee!?¡± ¡°Hey Kugalg! Do something about that long tail of yours! It¡¯s been hitting my face for a while now!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The three of us went round and round in a kerfuffle in such a small space, while the one remaining snake was already calm in such a situation and didn¡¯t make the slightest tremor. ¡°S-Should I take one? I¡¯m fine with anyone other than Snake-san.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll also take someone.¡± Tina-san and Kix called out to the One-Eyed Knight, but- ¡°I¡¯ll also take someone.¡± The one who cut in and forcefully extended his hand into the situation was Branch Captain-san. Grabbing me as I was about to fall by the scruff of my neck and rucksack, he made a satisfied expression as he placed me between his legs. ¡°I¡¯m also going over there!¡± ¡°Ah, then me too!¡± ¡°If you do that, then the situation won¡¯t change at all.¡± The One-Eyed Knight seized Kugalg as he tried to jump towards Ilus and then pushed him towards Kix. ¡°Could you go onto another horse too, Hyllis?¡± ¡°Ehh, I wonder~¡± Flying into the air, she spun around hesitantly before stopping on top of Commander-san¡¯s shoulder. I wonder if his sturdy physique gave her a sense of stability as a perch? Kugalg seemed to dislike riding together with Kix, and ultimately ended up settling for Tina-san, who was next to him. The snake remained on top of Leader together with the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°I¡¯m all alone.¡± ¡°If you run at the front, then I¡¯ll give you the snow fairy.¡± After being told that by Branch Captain-san, Kix went to the front of the group. Mother¡¯s fairy liked to be at the ¡°very front¡±, so it took its place on the nose of Kix¡¯s horse. ¡°I can¡¯t touch it!¡± ¡°Kix, we¡¯re heading off. Hurry up and go.¡± Branch Captain-san mercilessly spoke as Kix extended his hand and tried to touch the fairy. Our strange group consisting of five humans, three spirits, and two fairies once again headed for the Capital and dashed off. Volume 2 - CH 31 Like Hyllis had reported, the black-cloaked men did not appear to be planning on moving until we were closer to the Capital, so the day passed rather uneventfully. At times Hyllis would fly up into the sky and search for any suspicious persons in the vicinity, but she reported that nobody was tailing us either. After a few hours had passed, with some breaks inserted in between, we arrived at the town of Chedas just as the sun was about to set. It was a large town with an atmosphere that resembled Gouda¡¯s, but by the time we had arrived, all the stores other than inns, bars, and restaurants had started to close their doors. Before we went through the town gates, Hyllis gave us a warning. ¡°Those suspicious men should be waiting in this town for your arrival. While they don¡¯t seem intent on making a scene in town, you should still be on your guard.¡± If they make their move according to plan, then the second attack should occur in the forest just outside of Chedas. In other words, since we don¡¯t plan on leaving the town for today, the decisive battle will be happening tomorrow. As the One-Eyed Knight and everyone dismounted their horses prior to entering the town, us spirits and fairies hid ourselves amongst their luggage. Bringing around a fox, a panther, a snake, a flashy-looking bird, and a ball of light would stand out after all. We¡¯ll end up drawing the attention of more than just the black-cloaked men. Kugalg and I went into the large backpack that the One-Eyed Knight was carrying and held our breaths. While listening to Kugalg purr merrily as he stuck close to me, we swayed back and forth for a period of time. ¡°There should be a facility for knights to stay at here. If the enemy¡¯s numbers have increased, then shouldn¡¯t we also have the knights here cooperate to help protect Mil-chan and everyone?¡± ¡°¡­¡­if Sarrell is the ringleader in this incident, then it¡¯s possible that he¡¯s already pulled some strings with the knights stationed here. He¡¯s incredibly meticulous after all. Up until now, I¡¯ve always admired his thoroughness. And it¡¯s because I acknowledge that ability of his that I feel that we should be wary of anything happening. It isn¡¯t like all the knights here will obey Sarrell¡¯s command, but if even one of them is under his hand, then they¡¯ll be able to pretend to cooperate while taking action to kidnap one of the spirits.¡± Commander-san explained with a stern tone of voice, rejecting Tina-san¡¯s suggestion. He appeared bitter at the thought that he had to doubt his subordinate knights, including Captain Sarrell-san. Tina-san also nodded in understanding, and it was decided that they would cooperate with just the five of them until the Capital. After about another five minutes of walking- ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± I heard Commander-san¡¯s voice say. It appeared that we¡¯ve arrived at the inn we¡¯d be staying at tonight. ¡°This isn¡¯t the same inn that those guys are staying at, right?¡± Commander-san turned to the luggage that Tina-san was carrying and said. Because Hyllis was inside those bags. Perhaps because Hyllis peeked her head out from the luggage to check the inn, there was a rustling sound before she responded with, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Probably¡±. ¡°Oh, by chance are you sir knights? Welcome. Will you be making use of the inn?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. But before that we¡¯ll be heading out for a meal, so could we have you take care of our horses?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± There, the innkeeper went outside and the One-Eyed Knight and everyone left Leader and Ilus in his care. It seemed that Innkeeper-san saw the uniforms that everyone was wearing underneath their mantles and thus realised that they were knights. ¡°Kugalg, be quiet! You¡¯ll be heard by someone.¡± I warned Kugalg as he continued to purr, but it seemed like not even Kugalg himself could control the rumbling of his throat. However, after a few seconds, the sound steadily got quieter and quieter. (Huh? Did he fall asleep?) Kugalg had blissfully closed his eyes, and had begun to breathe steadily in a slumber unnoticed. It¡¯s said that cats feel more safe when in a dark and narrow space, so perhaps Kugalg felt more relaxed in the luggage and ended up falling asleep as a result. Everyone once again began to walk in order to eat dinner, and the swinging movement of the bags felt so good that I also started to get sleepy. But my stomach was empty, so I stubbornly refused to sleep until I had dinner. It appeared that the One-Eyed Knight and everyone had found a notable establishment, as the jingling of a bell signalled their entrance. I couldn¡¯t see, but it seemed like there were a lot of customers, bustling about noisily. Rather than going to a quiet restaurant, a noisy one like this one might be more inconspicuous. ¡°Shaddup, to begin with you¡¯re the one who¡­¡­¡± ¡°Whadyu say? Ai¡¯m-¡± None of the drunken old men seemed to have realised that knights had entered the restaurant, as they continued their quarrel. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry~¡±, Kix grumbled as the sound of him pulling out a chair and sitting down resounded. It sounded like the One-Eyed Knight and everyone had been guided to seats that were deeper into the store. The bag that Kugalg and I were in was gently placed on the floor. The waiter soon came to receive their orders, and everyone asked for a suitable amount of food and drink. ¡°I¡¯ll give Mil¡¯s portion once we¡¯ve returned to the inn, okay?¡± I heard the One-Eyed Knight say through the fabric of the luggage. Meaning that I wouldn¡¯t be able to eat here. Eventually, after about ten minutes had passed, the ordered dishes were delivered. Everyone clinked their glasses in a reserved manner and started digging in. Seems like someone was eating meat. I can smell the scent of the fragrant sauce¡­¡­ My nose twitched as I sniffed from inside the luggage. Kugalg was still sound asleep next to me. I tried letting out a small whine from inside the luggage, but the surroundings were too loud, so it didn¡¯t reach everyone. It couldn¡¯t be helped, so I tried using a paw to lightly scratch at the inside of the bag. I want to eat with everyone too. I feel like it won¡¯t be as fun to eat on my own at the inn. This time I scratched a bit harder, using both my paws to claw at the bag. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure to leave Mil¡¯s portion behind. We can¡¯t feed you here, so endure it until we get back to the inn.¡± The One-Eyed Knight said that apologetically, but I didn¡¯t give up. When I silently started to scratch at the bag even more violently- ¡°Alright, alright.¡± The One-Eyed Knight surrendered and opened up the rucksack a little bit, using his fork to put a piece of sliced meat in. Yay! After I ate the piece that was slipped into the luggage, another small piece of sliced meat was presented to me. ¡°Is Kugalg sleeping?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± I nodded and bit into Kugalg¡¯s portion of meat. Kugalg doesn¡¯t feel the sensation of hunger so he¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll eat it all. ¡°Is Hyllis-chan not hungry?¡± Tina-san tried peeking into her own luggage. When you thought about it, Hyllis had probably lived about five times longer than Tina-san, but for some reason it didn¡¯t feel weird for TIna-san to address Hyllis with ¡®-chan¡¯ as though she were a child. ¡°What does it mean to be hungry? Spirits don¡¯t eat food like humans do.¡± ¡°Though there is a spirit right here that eats all the human food she wants.¡± Kix said with a laugh. ¡°Milfiria¡¯s a strange one.¡± Hyllis, I can hear you! As the meal ended and I had also finished eating my fill, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone left the store. ¡°There weren¡¯t any suspicious people?¡± I restlessly shifted about in the pure darkness of the luggage and said. I had forgotten Hyllis¡¯ words saying, ¡°Those suspicious men should be waiting in this town for your arrival¡±, and while I was hiding amidst the luggage, I ended up forgetting myself in the meal. Everyone fell silent at my question. They all exchanged glances, seemingly asking each other, ¡°What should we do?¡±. ¡°I¡¯m¡­not scared.¡± Though the truth was that I was a little scared. But it was even scarier to not know anything. ¡°We¡¯ve been followed ever since entering the town. It seems to be one of the black-cloaked men.¡± Perhaps because he was taking me into consideration, the One-Eyed Knight didn¡¯t use a serious tone of voice, instead speaking as though it was nothing. And then he soon followed with this. ¡°But considering the fact that his other comrades aren¡¯t around, they probably don¡¯t plan on doing anything yet. They¡¯re just observing our movements.¡± Like Hyllis said, they probably did not plan on attacking us in this town. However, when I thought about how we were being followed, it creeped me out and I couldn¡¯t relax. While I wanted for that suspicious bunch to be caught as soon as possible so as to resolve this problem, I didn¡¯t want for the One-Eyed Knight and everyone to have to fight. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± As I groaned quietly in the bag, we appeared to have arrived at the previous inn. The light of the lamp passed through the orange cloth and reached my eyes, so I could tell that we had arrived inside a lit building from the dark outdoors. This inn was probably run by a married couple, as the missus at the counter gave us a warm welcome. ¡°My, my! Sir Knights, welcome to our humble inn.¡± Hearing her bright voice, I could imagine the sincere smile that the missus was making. She probably felt more secure with having regular visits from knights preventing crime at the inn. The One-Eyed Knight and everyone also seemed to understand that fact, as they did not try to hide their identities. They did the same in the previous towns we had passed through. In all probability, passing through the towns also served as a form of patrol. ¡°Are there any empty rooms?¡± ¡°Tonight there are 2 two-person rooms as well as 2 four-person rooms available.¡± The one who asked was the One-Eyed Knight, but- ¡°Then we¡¯ll be borrowing a four-person room and a two-person room.¡± The one who responded next and paid appeared to be Commander-san. Clink, the sound of coins being placed on the counter resounded. ¡°Will you be okay with just one two-person room?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I plan on staying in the same room as you guys after all.¡± Commander-san said that happily, but behind him the sound of Kix going, ¡°Geh-¡­¡­¡± leaked out. It appeared that the four men were going to stay in one room, while Tina-san would use the two-person room. ¡°You¡¯ll be in Rooms 4 and 5 on the second floor. You¡¯d prefer to be neighbours, correct?¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡± After receiving the key and climbing the stairs, the One-Eyed Knight opened the door to the room. ¡°Kix, where are you going? Go in.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± The One-Eyed Knight seemed to have pulled Kix back with one hand. Kix responded in a reluctant manner. He was like a problem student being forced to stay in a room with three teachers on a school trip. Not only that, but his ¡®teachers¡¯ were the principal, the head teacher, and the guidance counsellor who was also the PE teacher¡ªin other words, Commander-san, Branch Captain-san, and the One-Eyed Knight¡ªthus, I could understand why Kix¡¯s spirits would fall. ¡°Pardon me for using one room on my own¡­¡­Mil-chan, Kugalg-kun, tomorrow morning I¡¯ll brush your fur for you.¡± Tina-san rubbed our heads inside of the luggage. (Now that I think about it, today I didn¡¯t talk to Tina-san much.) I did ¡®change seats¡¯ several times while we were on the move, going from Branch Captain-san to Commander-san, then the One-Eyed Knight. Every time we took a break, I changed my riding partner, but I didn¡¯t ride together with Tina-san nor Kix. ¡°Then, see you tomor¡ª¡± ¡°Wait!¡± I enthusiastically poked my head out from the bag that the One-Eyed Knight was carrying. After confirming that there wasn¡¯t anyone else in the corridor, I attempted to make a flashy jump down to the floor but- ¡°Uwah-¡­¡­!¡± I failed in my landing and ended up rolling forward. However, this was probably flashy in its own way. ¡°Are you alright? That probably hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m compwetely fine¡­¡­¡± Enduring the pain, I pretended that I had rolled forward on purpose and got up, running over to Tina-san, who was in front of the neighbouring room. ¡°Today I¡¯ll sleep with Tina-san.¡± ¡°Eh, really? That makes me happy.¡± ¡°Then, me too!¡± As I entered the door that Tina-san opened, Hyllis also followed, flapping her wings after me. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep with all us girls!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°I want to hear about Hyllis-chan¡¯s love stories.¡± Right before the room¡¯s door was about to close, Mother¡¯s fairy hurriedly flew through the gap. Apparently the fairy was also a girl. ¡°Good night~¡± Tina-san greeted the One-Eyed Knight and the rest before closing the door. For a brief moment, I heard Commander-san¡¯s lonely-sounding voice coming from the corridor. ¡°¡­¡­make sure to lock up properly.¡± Volume 2 - CH 32 When I woke up the next morning, Tina-san, Hyllis, and I, as well as Mother¡¯s fairy were sleeping together on the bottom bunk of a simple bunk bed. Tina-san was cutely sleeping on her side, while the fairy had turned into mochi in a corner of the bed. Hyllis and I had thrown all caution to the wind as we laid on our backs with our bellies up, all four limbs stretched out. ¡­¡­leaving me aside, isn¡¯t it strange for a bird like Hyllis to lay face-up with her wings spread out? ¡°Tina-san, it¡¯s morning.¡± I pressed my moist nose against Tina-san¡¯s cheek as she slept with her milk tea-coloured hair let down. ¡°Nn, cold¡­¡­¡± Tina-san, being easy to wake up, soon opened her eyes for me. ¡°Mil-chan¡­¡­right, we slept together. Good morning.¡± Hearing our voices, Hyllis also woke up. ¡°*yawn* I slept well. Beds are nice¡­¡­.say, could you give me a little help to get up?¡± Hyllis had Tina-san help her get out of her upwards-facing position to stand up. Then, she moved to the back of the chair left in the room, raised her wings, and started to use her beak to skillfully groom herself. Tina-san also got some warm water from downstairs and started to wipe down her face and body, while I, with my complete lack of femininity, simply rolled around the bed with the fairy without even attempting to fix my bedhead. I was still wearing the necklace, but yesterday I had arbitrarily stripped off the shawl and left it crumpled up in a ball by the end of the bed. As I pondered whether or not to go back to sleep while waiting for Tina-san to finish dressing herself, the room next door suddenly got noisy. ¡°Ah, he ran!¡± Perhaps because the walls were thin, we could hear Kix¡¯s voice that sounded like he just woke up. And, at almost the same moment, Kugalg used the transfer technique to come to this room. He appeared haggard, with an expression of disbelief, as though he could not believe what had just happened to his body. ¡°Good morning Kugalg. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Milfee! ¡­¡­when I woke up, I was sleeping with that blond human. Milfee wasn¡¯t around, and that blondie was hugging me¡­¡­¡± It seemed that he had slept in the same bed as Kix last night. However, something like that shouldn¡¯t cause this degree of shock. I wonder if waking up to find a man sleeping next to you in the morning was that shocking to Kugalg. It only happened because he ended up falling asleep inside the luggage yesterday. I found the fearfully trembling Kugalg to be a little pitiful, so for once I groomed him instead. Cheer up. After everyone had finished dressing, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone gathered in our two-person room and began planning the day¡¯s itinerary. In truth, if we went at a leisurely pace, we¡¯d be able to arrive at the Capital by the afternoon. However, with there being enemies targeting us, we couldn¡¯t go around so carefreely. If we asked, then the inn would provide breakfast for us, but just to be on the safe side, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone ate what we had on hand while gazing at the map laid out on the floor. The conversation was centred around Branch Captain-san as they discussed how to approach the upcoming attack in the forest ahead of us. I was on the bed having Tina-san put the shawl on me with my tail drooping listlessly. As expected, I was worried that the One-Eyed Knight and everyone would get hurt. The black-cloaked men seem to be decently strong, and today their numbers would grow even more. Despite that, everyone didn¡¯t seem to be planning on relying on Hyllis, nor Father¡¯s snake, instead asking them to remain by Kugalg and my side as opposed to fighting. But even if they managed to safely catch the enemy and interrogate them, would they really talk so obediently? Would they be able to track things down to the mastermind¡ªlikely Captain Sarrell-san¡ªwho gave them their orders? ¡°Say, I¡¯ve been thinking but¡­¡­¡± I stood up on the bed, preparing to have my suggestion rejected as I opened my mouth. ¡°How about this plan? I¡¯ll purposely get caught. Then, even without everyone fighting, we¡¯ll be able to find out who the ¡®mash-termind¡¯ is.¡± Two seconds passed, and then, starting with Kix¡¯s, ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid¡±, the remaining four people continued with, ¡°What the heck are you thinking?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Be good¡±. However, I did not give in to everybody¡¯s gazes and instead spoke up. I feel like things¡¯ll work out one way or another as long as I speak loudly. ¡°But you know! I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a good plan!¡± ¡°Mil.¡± The One-Eyed Knight was making a scary face, but¡­s-something like that won¡¯t s-scare me¡­¡­! ¡°Please! I can do it! So that we can catch the mash-termind!¡± I interrupted the One-Eyed Knight, who was about to reject me again. It was then that Commander-san, who appeared to have been thinking about something, gently raised a hand. ¡°No¡­¡­wait a sec. It might really be a valid plan when it comes to revealing the true mastermind.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s dangerous¡­¡­¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too dangerous to Mil. Since the opponent knows that she is a spirit, they won¡¯t treat her roughly. And they also probably wouldn¡¯t try confining her for too long a time. It¡¯d be troublesome if her parents came out after all.¡± Commander-san clapped once and continued. ¡°Supposing that Sarrell is the mastermind, if I were in his position, I wouldn¡¯t hurt or try to confine the kidnapped child spirit for several days. After kidnapping the spirit, I¡¯d safely return them before the parents were to come after them. And when that time came, I¡¯d pretend that I happened to discover the child and saved them. If he were to do things like that, then trust in Cromwell would drop while his own prestige would increase.¡± ¡°Captain Sarrell would be the sort to come up with a plan like that.¡± Kix interjected. ¡°That¡¯s why, if one of the child spirits were to be kidnapped, it wouldn¡¯t take long for Sarrell to show his face. It seems like Hyllis heard something like that too. And if it¡¯s someone other than Sarrell with a completely different goal in mind¡ªlet¡¯s say some idiot plotting to obtain a spirit¡¯s power, then they¡¯ll probably appear. Since nothing will start until they come into contact with the spirit.¡± Commander-san appeared to have carefully scrutinised my plan in his head. Sitting in the only chair in the room, he silently stroked his beard for a while before finally opening his mouth. ¡°We must find out who the mastermind is and what their goal is. Unless we make those things clear, the same thing will just end up repeating itself. It¡¯s not enough to just capture the men that are just pawns in this scheme.¡± Perhaps because Branch Captain-san and the One-Eyed Knight predicted what Commander-san was about to continue with, their expressions didn¡¯t show the slightest bit of enthusiasm. ¡°But if we have Mil act as bait, then the chances of the mastermind coming out are high. The mastermind will come into contact with Mil, and it¡¯s best if we catch them once we¡¯ve obtained that evidence¡­¡­.you guys are too emotionally attached to this child, and I will say this because it is unlikely that any of you would suggest such a plan but, I do feel that ¡®purposely allowing a child spirit to be caught and then secretly shadowing them before capturing the perpetrators at the appropriate time¡¯ is a faultless way of doing things.¡± Even as he said that, Commander-san looked at me with eyes that exposed his sincere worry for me. As the commander of the Knight¡¯s Order, he has probably had to resolve himself to make a lot of hard decisions to catch bad guys. The sorts of decisions that could lead to various conflicts. In truth, he probably didn¡¯t want to have me act as bait. ¡°But what if we fail to follow them and lose sight of Mil?¡± ¡°How weak-willed of you, Cromwell. It¡¯s like you¡¯ve returned to how you were before you went to the Northern Fort. Try saying that you can do it.¡± After being told that by Commander-san, Branch Captain-san held his tongue. It was at that moment when Hyllis spoke with a bright voice, oblivious to the situation. ¡°If you need someone to tail them, then leave it to me! If I follow them from the sky, then I won¡¯t lose them. The plan to have Mil purposely kidnapped is pretty good!¡± Hyllis seemed to be trembling with eagerness. But if it comes to eagerness, I won¡¯t lose. Kugalg wouldn¡¯t either. ¡°That¡¯s right, if we have Hyllis cooperate then it should be fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going with Mil to be kidnapped too!¡± He said it so lightly as if he were just accompanying me on a picnic. The One-Eyed Knight¡¯s face remained in a scowl throughout the discussion. ¡°Mil, Kugalg, it¡¯ll be dangerous. What are you going to do if they hurt you?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll run at that time.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to run away so easily. They¡¯ll probably put restraints on you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be able to run. Because all we have to do is use the ¡®transfer technique¡¯.¡± Even if they put us in a cage or tie us up with rope it didn¡¯t matter. When things got dangerous, all we had to do was use the transfer technique and disappear on the spot. ¡°I can instantly return to where the One-Eyed Knight is too.¡± Though I could also go to where Mother or Father is too. ¡°Well¡­¡­it is true that you could do that.¡± Kix murmured, appearing to have been convinced. ¡°Kix¡­¡­¡± Tina-san appeared apprehensive, and said his name in a chiding manner. Kix continued. ¡°Because it is true. Mil and Kugalg can run away instantly whenever they want. And also, like what the Commander said, I also don¡¯t want to let the mastermind get away. They¡¯re guys who¡¯re trying to kidnap Mil and Kugalg, ya know? And they might even be someone who¡¯s trying to discredit the Branch Cap. Even if the other person isn¡¯t Captain Sarrell, we absolutely have to get some evidence and catch the guy¡­¡­.although it doesn¡¯t feel quite right to use Mil and Kugalg as bait for that purpose, there isn¡¯t any danger to them, so I think we should give it a try.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I also don¡¯t want to let the mash-termind get away. Because if they get away then they might come after us again.¡± Right now both Hyllis and Father¡¯s snake are around, and I¡¯ve also prepared myself. It¡¯s far better than being attacked when I¡¯m defenceless and unprepared. ¡°Those in favour of the plan with Mil and Kugalg act as bait?¡± Hearing Commander-san¡¯s words, I spiritedly raised my paw. ¡°Yes! Me! I¡¯ll be the bait!¡± ¡°If Milfee¡¯s gonna be bait, I¡¯m also going!¡± ¡°I agree with this plan too.¡± Kugalg and Hyllis also agreed, while Kix and Commander-san also silently raised their hands in favour. ¡°I¡¯m against it.¡± ¡°Me too¡­¡­¡± The One-Eyed Knight firmly opposed, while Tina-san spoke timidly. All that was left was Branch Captain-san. Since Branch Captain-san was this group¡¯s leader¡ªwhile the highest ranking officer might be Commander-san, Commander-san was ultimately just tagging along with the Northern Fort¡¯s members. Leaving aside the One-Eyed Knight, who used to work directly under Commander-san in the past, Branch Captain-san knew Kix, Tina-san, Kugalg, and my personalities and abilities better, so it was better for Branch Captain-san to take the lead¡ªin the end, no matter who said what, Branch Captain-san was the one who would be deciding our plan of action. Everyone¡¯s gazes poured towards Branch Captain-san, who had been remaining silent. After letting out a deep sigh, Branch Captain-san spoke with the cold, detached attitude of a commanding officer. ¡°¡­¡­we will have Mil and Kugalg act as bait. However, they will be doing so on three conditions. The first is that the water fairy must come with them as a guard escort, the second is that Hyllis must never take her eyes off the two of them, and the third is that if the two of you ever feel even the slightest bit of danger, you will immediately run away.¡± Branch Captain-san looked Kugalg and I, and continued. ¡°You must follow that last condition in particular. If you can¡¯t promise that you will follow those rules, then we will not be implementing this plan. Remember, as soon as you feel any danger, okay? It¡¯ll be too late once you receive even the slightest injury.¡± ¡°Got it. I promise, I promise.¡± Yup yup, I nodded my head repeatedly. Branch Captain-san still appeared rather uneasy as his face seemed to say, ¡®Do you really understand?¡¯ as he said. ¡°Then¡­¡­let¡¯s figure out the details of the plan.¡± Volume 2 - CH 33 ¡°Alright, this¡¯ll be the last time. I don¡¯t want to have you do it so many times that you get too tired to do it once the real thing comes around.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going to that room one more time.¡± After everyone had decided on a strategy, the One-Eyed Knight said that we should do some practice using the transfer technique to escape from enemies. I practised transferring with Kugalg from the four-person room to the two-person room, where the One-Eyed Knight was. I haven¡¯t ever really failed at using the transfer technique, so I didn¡¯t think there was much point to this practice, but if it¡¯ll give the One-Eyed Knight some peace of mind then it¡¯s fine. ¡°Great, perfect. You did great.¡± When I made an easy transfer to the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s location with Kugalg, my head was ruffled as I was praised, and the both of us were given some jerky. Lucky~! But isn¡¯t this kind of like he¡¯s training a dog? When I thought about it that way, it was somewhat hard to swallow. Even if he didn¡¯t use such rewards to tempt me, I¡¯ll properly use the transfer technique when things get dangerous! After the One-Eyed Knight finished accompanying us in practising, he then went to Hyllis to direct her in how to tail people. He may have objected to this plan, but now that it¡¯s been decided that we¡¯ll be using it, he¡¯s seemed to have changed his outlook. I felt bad about making him worry, but I was happy that there was something that I could do. While waiting to be attacked in the forest, I felt better compared to when all I could do was watch while everyone fought. ¡°Mil, Kugalg.¡± Branch Captain-san, who had been watching our transfer technique practice, suddenly called out to us. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Come here.¡± Following Branch Captain-san as he left the room, Kugalg and I also went into the corridor. Branch Captain-san was headed for the four-person room next door. Right now everyone was in the two-person room, so this room only had luggage in it. After closing the door, leaving just the three of us in the room, Branch Captain-san gave Kugalg and I a tight hug. ¡°Stop-¡± Paying no heed to Kugalg as he attempted to escape his restraints, Branch Captain-san spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, for making you two act as bait¡­¡­.such an inhumane plan¡­¡­¡± His arms trembled as they hugged us, and I licked Branch Captain-san¡¯s face in an attempt to cheer him up. He had buried his face into Kugalg and my bodies, so all I could really lick was his glossy black hair. ¡°I said that I wanted to do it.¡± And I don¡¯t really think it¡¯s that inhumane a plan. Because rather than using some normal children as bait, we were spirits. We could use the transfer technique, so unlike human children we were capable of some degree of self-defense. ¡°It¡¯s alwight, Bwanch Captain-san. It¡¯ll go fwine.¡± I said while trying to spit out the hair that had gotten into my mouth, causing it to get dishevelled. Why was it that the more I tried to expel it, the more hair got into my mouth? ¡°We¡¯ll definitely catch the mastermind. I won¡¯t let your bravery go to waste.¡± Branch Captain-san raised his head and said seriously while removing his hair from my mouth. ¡­¡­we¡¯re not heading there to die, right? Our plan was like this. Without waiting to be attacked by the enemy in the forest, we would have them initiate their plan in this town. Kugalg and I will pretend to go on an errand alone and stroll alone in town while waiting for the enemy to kidnap us. Once they manage to kidnap us, Hyllis will follow us from the skies. On the other hand, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone will remain in the inn in order to deceive the enemy¡¯s eyes, pretending that they hadn¡¯t at all noticed our kidnapping. Then, once they find the chance, they will chase after us. What they¡¯ll be depending on to chase us will be a fairy created by Hyllis and left behind for them. If they follow that fairy, then it will guide them to Hyllis¡¯ location. Although we don¡¯t know where we¡¯ll be brought after being kidnapped, the plan is for the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s group to march in as soon as we know who the mastermind is. ¡°We¡¯re back~¡± ¡°Kix, Tina, how was it?¡± Kix and Tina-san returned to the room in the inn. The two of them put on an act for the enemy, who had been monitoring us ever since last night, to hear, pretending to have gone to check on the horses. [They haven¡¯t tried anything since the first attack so hasn¡¯t the enemy already given up on Mil and them? There doesn¡¯t seem to be any more reason to be on guard anymore.] [That¡¯s true, there doesn¡¯t seem to be any more reason to be on guard.] [Mil and them said they wanted to go around town with just the two of them, so it should probably be okay to let them go on their own.] [That¡¯s true, seems like it¡¯d be okay.] While I was a bit worried about Tina-san¡¯s bad acting during our briefing session, Kix seemed to be pretty good with these kinds of petty tricks, so they¡¯ll probably be able to put on a convincing act for the enemy. It was to give the impression that our side had pretty much completely let down our guard, while at the same time telling them that Kugalg and I would be walking alone tomorrow. That¡¯ll be your chance to kidnap them! -is how it¡¯s supposed to play out. After glancing at the curtains that were closed over the window, Kix spoke. ¡°Maybe they changed shifts during the night, but the guys monitoring us today were different ones. There are two of them. One is one of those black-cloaked men, while the other is one of the hoodlum-like men that Hyllis said she saw. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s one of the new guys they hired. Unlike the black-cloaked men, his presence was completely exposed, so it was easy to tell where he was. The two of them were in the shadows of the building opposite, so there was a bit of distance between us, but I¡¯m pretty sure they heard our conversation. The hoodlum-like guy quickly ran off somewhere after all.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Branch Captain-san nodded, and then helped me put on the bunny rucksack on top of the shawl I was wearing. In just a few more moments, we would be executing the plan. I¡¯d be going out together with Kugalg on an ¡®errand¡¯. The One-Eyed Knight suddenly looked at Kugalg and spoke. ¡°To the townspeople, it might be a bit of a stretch to see Kugalg as a cat. Though Mil can pass as a dog.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t act like a fox after all. Her snout is also short.¡± I bared my fangs at Kix¡¯s rude words, expressing my anger. My fur was fluffy and long, and my eyes were round, so lately even I¡¯ve been thinking that I looked more like a pomeranian rather than a fox. But unlike me, who trusted humans and thus reacted more like a pet dog, Kugalg was very alert against strangers, and that came out in the sharpness of his gaze. And while he was still young, there was a sense of wildness in his behaviour and bearing. His ears were also rounder compared to that of a cat¡¯s, and while his limbs had a softness suitable for a young child, they were thick and powerful. While the people of this country were unfamiliar with panthers, depending on the person looking, they¡¯d probably notice that he wasn¡¯t a cat. If the fact that he was the cub of a large carnivorous animal was realised and it caused a commotion, it¡¯ll be harder for the enemy to come and kidnap us. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have something good.¡± Branch Captain-san then said with a rare grin. ¡°Wow, how cute!¡± ¡°It suits you.¡± Seeing Kugalg, Tina-san and Hyllis began to cheer. Kugalg was in his panther form, wearing a disguise¡ªor rather, he was forced to wear one. By Branch Captain-san. ¡°It¡¯s not cute. I don¡¯t want to wear this.¡± Kugalg murmured in a sulking manner while wearing a hood with charming antennae attached to it. ¡°Bwanch Captain-san, this¡­¡­¡± I also looked at Kugalg and spoke. Right now, if you were to ask what kind of appearance he had right now, I would have to say he looked exactly like a honeybee. The upper half of the hoodie was made of a yellow cloth with sleeves for his front legs to pass through. The lower half had yellow and black stripes, with a hole for Kugalg¡¯s tail at the butt instead of a stinger. The hood part with the antennae fit snugly, and didn¡¯t seem like it would fall off with just a bit of running. There were also white wings on the back of the outfit. He was like a pet dressed up for Halloween by his owner. This certainly did hide Kugalg¡¯s round ears, and might make him appear more like a cat rather than a panther¡­¡­.no, maybe he was more like a bee now? Somehow this was kind of confusing. ¡°How about you take off the shawl and try on one of these, Mil? Naturally, I have one for you too.¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡­¡± Branch Captain-san dug through his luggage. As Commander-san, the One-Eyed Knight, Kix, and Tina-san watched on, I was also made to put on a costume. What kind of costume, you ask? A fluffy white sheep. On the hood were round, tawny horns. ¡°Mil-chan, you¡¯re so cute~! ¡°I can¡¯t even tell if she¡¯s a fox, or a dog, or a sheep anymore.¡± Tina-san and Hyllis expressed their impressions. On top of all of that, I had to wear the bunny rucksack over this outfit. All the animal personas were causing a traffic jam inside of me. ¡°Kugalg can wear this instead of the rucksack. They were selling it in Gouda and I couldn¡¯t help but buy it.¡± He put a purse with a cord attached to it on the neck of the honeybee costume-wearing Kugalg. It was a wallet meant for children with a metal clasp. ¡°Branch Captain, just when did you buy that in Gouda¡­¡­¡± Kix muttered to himself in mute amazement. Branch Captain-san was too preoccupied with looking at Kugalg and I in a satisfied manner to hear him. Even if the purse was something he bought in Gouda¡ªhe probably saw the simple bag we were using to hold money in and figured it would¡¯ve been better if he had also prepared a purse, and thus ended up buying this one on impulse¡ªwere these honeybee and sheep clothes something he had prepared beforehand? I had a bad feeling after learning that the raincoats we had worn in Gouda were something brought by Branch Captain-san, but perhaps his luggage still had things for us in it. There won¡¯t be anything else coming out, right? ¡°Cromwell is a strange one.¡± Watch Branch Captain-san as he merrily fixed my hood that had slipped off, Commander-san whispered that to the One-Eyed Knight. But Commander-san also looked happy. Perhaps because Branch Captain-san noticed their warm gazes, his face stiffened as he coughed embarrassedly. But even if it was me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back my smile if I had seen these appearances. A fox dressed as a sheep wearing a rabbit. And next to it, a panther dressed as a honeybee. It was an incredibly silly spectacle, to the point where one didn¡¯t even know how to process it. ¡°They look pretty interesting, so it feels like they¡¯ll end up drawing the townspeople¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°If too many people gather, try going to an alleyway or something to make yourselves easier to kidnap.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± The One-Eyed Knight approached, and then stroked my head over the sheep hood. Then, he put Father¡¯s snake, which was coiled around his other arm, into the bunny rucksack on my back. If it felt like it, the snake should be able to fight fairly well, so like Branch Captain-san said, it would act as our guard in case of an emergency. The snake didn¡¯t show any signs of rejection and calmly let itself be placed into the rucksack. Because it was a fairy, it didn¡¯t have much weight to it. ¡°Don¡¯t crush the letter inside.¡± That was Mother¡¯s important letter. All sorts of things happened, and I had almost forgotten about it, but my errand was to bring this letter to the king. The snake heard my voice, and twisted around in the rucksack, making a rustling noise. You were crushing the letter, weren¡¯t you? Mother¡¯s fairy also entered the bag after circling around my head hesitantly. Unlike the snake, the fairy wasn¡¯t given enough power to fight, but it seems that it intended on following me. I suppose it was worried about us in its own way. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s review one more time, you two. If it gets dangerous, what¡¯re you going to do?¡± The One-Eyed Knight kneeled in front of us, and my sheep self briskly responded. ¡°Use the twansfur technik! Immediately!¡± ¡°Then, what if something happens and you can¡¯t use the transfer technique?¡± ¡°Eh? Umm, have Father¡¯s snake save us. After that, cry loudly to have Hyllis save us too!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And what should you do while you¡¯re being saved?¡± ¡°Try using the twansfur technik again. If the One-Eyed Knight doesn¡¯t work, then Mother, then Father, or have Kugalg try bringing us to Hilg-papa¡¯s place.¡± Since there was a prior example when I wasn¡¯t able to fly to Mother¡¯s side due to her dispute with Hyllis, it made the One-Eyed Knight worried. But, Mother had only rejected my transfer at that time to protect me, so right now things should be fine. ¡°Alright, good job. Then, I suppose¡­¡­it¡¯s about time.¡± The One-Eyed Knight said that rather reluctantly. Though everyone else also had worried expressions on, with Kugalg and I being in these sorts of outfits, somehow the serious atmosphere of the room was lacking. The more serious I made my expression, the harder the corner of everyone¡¯s mouths warped in attempts to hold back their laughter. How rude! Volume 2 - CH 34 ¡°We¡¯ll be staying at the inn. Make sure to come back before it gets dark.¡± The current time was just before noon, and in order for the watching enemy to see, we said our farewells with the One-Eyed Knight in front of the inn. ¡°Kyan!¡± I cried out while wagging my tail. There were also townspeople watching, so I was strictly banned from talking out here. ¡°I-¡­¡­woof!¡± I was about to say [I¡¯m off], but somehow managed to gloss over that with a dog-like cry. The One-Eyed Knight once again made a worried expression. It¡¯s alright, it¡¯ll be fine! ¡°L-¡­¡­wafu!¡± Swallowing back the words [Let¡¯s go, Kugalg], I brought Kugalg along with me and began walking off. Dangerous, that was dangerous. In order for the enemy to move more easily, we planned on going as far from the inn where the One-Eyed Knight and everyone were as possible. We had a new round of pocket money inserted into the coin pouch hanging from Kugalg¡¯s neck, so we might as well do some shopping until we¡¯re kidnapped. When we thought about how we were about to head off on an important mission, Kugalg and I got strangely hyped up. Even though there wasn¡¯t any need to run, we headed for the centre of town until I was panting and short of breath. ¡°My, how odd!¡± ¡°Hahaha, what¡¯s with that?¡± ¡°Are they advertising for some clothing store? Or is it some rich person¡¯s hobby?¡± The honeybee Kugalg and the sheep me soon became the centre of the passersby¡¯ attention. Although everyone was smiling while watching over us, I felt unhappy with the fact that most people were saying things like ¡°how interesting¡± rather than ¡°how cute¡±. But even if this was Japan, the sight of animals dressed like this would probably cause people to laugh while taking a bunch of photos. Thus, for a place like this that didn¡¯t have the culture of dressing their dogs or cats, it couldn¡¯t be helped that our appearances were perceived as being rather queer. When we went into an area with more traffic, we were noisily surrounded by the townspeople. ¡°It¡¯s made so that their tails can come out.¡± ¡°Look, they¡¯re also holding a wallet.¡± After being petted for a while by the passersby, we once again continued forward. The atmosphere of the main street resembled that of the town of Gouda¡¯s, and had shops and stands lined up in rows. However, this town had a few high class-looking stores here and there, so we had to make sure that we didn¡¯t enter them in these ridiculous outfits by accident. After passing by one of those high class stores, I looked around restlessly at the surroundings. (Where are they monitoring us from?) I was curious as to where the enemy was hiding. ¡°Meow.¡± Then, Kugalg gave a horribly monotone meow, mimicking a cat to catch my attention. It seems he was telling me to act more natural, lest we get found out. ¡°Woof!¡± I also mimicked a dog, and nodded to say that I got it. Normally I usually make noises like ¡®kyan¡¯ or ¡®kyun¡¯, so I¡¯ve never really said ¡®woof¡¯ before. ¡°Woof woof (Is there anything you want?)¡± ¡°Meow (Not really)¡± ¡°Woof woof woof (Since we got some pocket money, let¡¯s buy something)¡± ¡°Meow meow meow (Anything¡¯s fine. I want whatever Mil wants.)¡± It was a miracle that we could somehow have a conversation. Even though Kugalg was just saying ¡®meow¡¯, I could tell what he was saying. But if Kugalg¡¯s fine with anything, that meant I could buy whatever I liked. If that was the case, then there was but a single choice. Naturally, that was food. But I was already sick of fruit because of the legans, so let¡¯s go with some other food. While drawing the gazes of the surrounding people, we walked around to stores and stalls that seemed appropriate. As we did so, I soon found a store that seemed to be selling something delicious. It was a cake shop. ¡°Woof! (Let¡¯s go in there!)¡± I used both paws to push open the door made of wood and glass. Kugalg also helped me, using his head to push. ¡°Welco¡ª¡­¡­ehh!?¡± The older sister standing behind the display case let out a cry of shock upon seeing us. I could understand her feelings. The other two people in the store ¨C two customers who seemed to be a couple ¨C also gave similarly shocked expressions as their eyes widened. The man looked like his eyeballs were about to fall out. ¡­¡­Branch Captain-san, you should¡¯ve prepared clothes that were a bit simpler. ¡°That surprised me! They¡¯re really cute.¡± Satisfied after hearing the word ¡®cute¡¯ rather than ¡®interesting¡¯, I approached the display case. Though the ¡®display case¡¯ was just a regular shelf without any glass on it. ¡°Is it hungry?¡± ¡°Kyun¡­¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t all that hungry, but in order not to be driven out of the shop because we were animals, I made a cry as though I was starving. Perhaps because it would go bad quickly, the cake shelves didn¡¯t have cakes made with fresh cream like the ones in Japan, which was a bit of a letdown. Even though I love fresh cream. But instead, there were confectionaries resembling pound cakes, so it seemed delicious in its own way. There were cakes with dried fruits in them, cakes with nuts on them, and cakes that seemed to have vegetables like carrots or spinach mixed into them. But a more plain cake might be good too. The sweet scent of butter was enticing. (Alright, let¡¯s go with this one.) Just around the time I decided on which one I wanted to buy, a round piece of paper fell from the gaps of the bunny rucksack. It was probably pushed out by Mother¡¯s fairy. I used my nose and forepaw, somehow managing to uncrumple the paper, then bit it and showed it to the older sister running the store. [Two of these please.] I still can¡¯t read words, but Branch Captain-san, who prepared this paper, told me that was what was written on it. We weren¡¯t allowed to talk, so we could only express our desire to purchase things to the shopkeepers by showing this to them. ¡°*whine*¡­¡­¡± I brought the tip of my nose closer to the plain pound cake while holding the paper in my mouth, giving the older sister glances with my eyes as I looked up at her. ¡°Ahaha! Wow! You¡¯re quite smart. Two of those, right!¡± The older sister laughed, then bundled up two slices of the pound cake. It seems like the message got through to her. Next, I left the paper on the floor and bit Kugalg¡¯s coin purse. ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve also properly brought some money. To even give you two a wallet, your owner must be a truly eccentric person.¡± Yup, he buys far too many things for us. It might be because he just has far too much money on hand. I¡¯ll tell him to hurry up and get a lover so that he can spend his money there instead. ¡°Then for two portions, I¡¯ll be taking this much.¡± The older sister took out a few coins, and then closed the coin purse with a click. ¡°Can you carry the goods? Should I put it in that bag for you?¡± The older sister was about to try opening the rucksack, so before she did, I hastily received the pound cake bundle with my mouth. It¡¯d be bad if she saw the ball of light and the aqua-coloured snake that were hiding in the bag. The pound cake wasn¡¯t in a bag so it was a bit hard to hold in my mouth, and it felt like I was about to crush it, but a fox like myself didn¡¯t have any other way of holding it so it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°Woofu (Thanks)¡± Waving my tail at the older sister, I left the store. Kugalg had been working hard to hold the door open for me. ¡°Come again, Sheep-san and Bee-san.¡± The older sister said while seeing us off as we returned to the main road. While I wanted to eat this pound cake immediately¡ªbecause I was holding it in my mouth, a delicious scent was constantly being transmitted to my nose¡ªwe should probably go to a less populated area before starting on it. We¡¯ll be in the way if we eat here. Thinking that, I went to the side of the building where the cake shop we just left was and headed for the back of the building. It was a bit plain, but this place¡¯ll work. Placing the pound cake on the ground, I opened up the bundle that was wet with my drool. ¡°Woof.¡± That one is yours, Kugalg. I said while presenting one of the pieces to him, but Kugalg didn¡¯t seem very interested in the cake. After seeing my happy expression as I began to gobble down the cake, he finally took a single bite. Even though it was delicious with a gentle warmth to it ¨C perhaps it had just been baked ¨C Kugalg left most of it behind after he stopped eating. As expected, it seemed like he liked jerky and meat-type foods more amongst all of the human foods. ¡°Meow (I don¡¯t need anymore)¡± ¡°Woof (Then I¡¯ll eat it.)¡± After quickly polishing off my own portion, I settled Kugalg¡¯s portion in two bites. That was delicious, I thought while licking the area around my mouth, gazing regretfully at the crumbs of pound cake that had fallen on the ground. I wonder if my dignity as a former human would be in doubt if I were to lick these crumbs up. But there were some pretty big pieces of crumbs laying around. A shadow suddenly fell upon the ground that I had been staring fixedly at. Wondering who had come to the back of a building like this, I turned around, and standing there was the couple that had been in the cake shop earlier. Volume 2 - CH 35 They were a couple who seemed more refined compared to the youths of a farming village, but were otherwise dressed in a rather ordinary manner. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The woman pulled the man¡¯s sleeve, but the man shook her off and said- ¡°I came up with a good idea.¡± ¡°A good idea?¡± The man picked up me, who was directly in front of him, in a rather rough manner. ¡°I¡¯m sure that these guys are the pets of some rich household. Otherwise animals like these wouldn¡¯t be dressed in such clothes.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°You idiot, use your head! We kidnap these two and then demand ransom in exchange for them!¡± Seeing such a normal-looking youth that didn¡¯t particularly seem like he¡¯d do such abominable things spout such words surprised me a little. Although the ones we wanted to abduct us were a different bunch. ¡°But, isn¡¯t that a crime?¡± ¡°If we do it well, then we won¡¯t get caught. And once we get the ransom we¡¯ll be able to pay off our debts, right? If we do that then we¡¯ll be able to get married.¡± ¡°Marry!? Really!?¡± The woman who didn¡¯t seem terribly on-board with the plan up until then instantly showed some eagerness at the mention of the word ¡®marriage¡¯. You know, from what I can see, this kind of man seems like the sort to go back on his word in the end and not end up marrying you. He stinks of the scent of a loser too. ¡°That¡¯s why you should help too. For the sake of our future.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± The woman¡¯s eyes were sparkling. The both of them were a hopeless couple. While they weren¡¯t complete villains, they were a bit disappointing. ¡°First we gotta identify their owner. Oi, you there, black one. Guide us back to your home.¡± The man spoke to Kugalg while still carrying me crudely underneath one of his arms. I couldn¡¯t really hate him after seeing him seriously trying to talk to an animal, but right now his actions were an incredible nuisance. Even though we looked like this, we were currently in the middle of a very important mission. Kugalg suddenly crouched down, putting strength into his legs, and then in the next instant, he had jumped to the man¡¯s chest in one breath. ¡°Woah!?¡± And then, he gripped the man¡¯s clothes with his claws so as to not fall down. The man tried to rip Kugalg off him, but his claws just dug in deeper and deeper. ¡°Ow ow! Wai-, it seriously hurts¡­¡­!¡± Kugalg¡¯s claws are thicker and bigger than a cat¡¯s after all, I thought to myself detachedly, still held underneath the man¡¯s arm. It was hard to feel any sense of danger from this couple. ¡°Kyaa!¡± Then, the woman that had been standing behind me let out an abrupt scream. She was pointing at my bunny rucksack with a pale face. ¡°A-A snake¡­¡­!¡± Father¡¯s snake had poked its head out from the gaps of the rucksack, causing the woman to shriek upon seeing him. However, the man who had noticed the snake as a result of her scream showed an even bigger reaction. His jaw dropped so far down it made me concerned as to whether or not he would dislocate it by accident as he shouted. ¡°UWOOooAHHHH!? I¡­really can¡¯t deal with snakes! Seriously¡­..!¡± ¡°Ah, eh? Really? Hey, wait!¡± The man flung me away as he ran off. Seeing that, the woman chased after him in bafflement. ¡°¡­¡­ow!¡± I collided against the ground, falling on my back. However, since Father¡¯s snake, which burrowed itself back into the rucksack, acted as a cushion, I didn¡¯t get injured. Before I noticed, Kugalg had separated from the man and came towards me. ¡°Are you okay, Milfee?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± What the heck was with that couple? ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the main road.¡± The enemy might not have realised that we were here, so I figured that we should once again head out to a more populated place. That was when it happened. Four men started to walk down the alleyway towards us from the direction that the couple had run off to. Three of the men were completely dressed in black, with a piece of cloth concealing half of their faces. The remaining man had a sort of hoodlum-like feel to him, and he was dressed sloppily in gaudy clothes. While the black-cloaked men had a rather brisk walking style, the hoodlum-like man didn¡¯t have such refined movements. (They¡¯ve come!) I recognised the black-cloaked men. They were the enemies that we had been waiting for! ¡°You stand guard at the front of the building.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah.¡± One of the black-cloaked men gave the hoodlum-like man an order. The hoodlum-like man stood in the entrance of the alleyway and glared at the main street. ¡°Kyun kyun!¡± I reflexively ran towards the three people that were approaching us. Geez! You¡¯re so slow! We almost got kidnapped by the wrong people! The three black-cloaked men expressed bewilderment at my sudden familiarity with them as they exchanged glances amongst themselves. ¡°Is someone carrying food on them?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any on me either.¡± One of them pulled down the cloth covering their mouth and asked, but the other two shook their heads. ¡°Is it really a spirit?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no doubt about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a dog that¡¯s used to humans.¡± While saying such rude things, one of them took out a folded up burlap sack. ¡°To begin with, I¡¯ve been thinking about this since Gouda, but what¡¯s with these outfits? What the heck are Cromwell and Gauss thinking? Making spirits wear such absurd clothes like this.¡± ¡°You can see how dumb they are from it.¡± What did you say!? -for a moment, I was about to raise my voice in protest, but when I heard their next words, the desire to do that vanished. ¡°If it were Captain Sarrell, then he would¡¯ve prepared more elegant clothing.¡± Reacting to that statement, the ears underneath my hood perked up. Captain Sarrell!? Just now, you said Captain Sarrell, didn¡¯t you!? As expected, these black-cloaked men were Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s subordinates. Meaning that since we pretty much knew the true identity of the mastermind behind everything already, we might as well drag out the person himself. It wouldn¡¯t be too late to run away after bringing Captain Sarrell-san to a point where he can¡¯t make any excuses to get away. ¡°It¡¯s not just this absurd clothing. I can¡¯t believe that they¡¯d let child spirits walk around town all on their own. Isn¡¯t Cromwell too careless?¡± A serious-looking person with a sharp look in his eye said. ¡°Gauss is with them, you know. That person respects a person¡¯s autonomy, and he also lets his subordinates do as they like. That¡¯s why he¡¯s letting these spirits do as they like. He doesn¡¯t realise how it¡¯d be better if he did what Captain Sarrell would do, placing strict restrictions to restrict their movements.¡± One of the people whose face was deeply concealed within his black hood gave a sarcastic grin. Could it be that these people are following Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s orders voluntarily? Since Captain Sarrell-san was in a position of authority where they would have to obey any orders he made, I had assumed that they were following his orders reluctantly. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s how it is. Commander Gauss is the overly optimistic sort after all.¡± The last man, a short statured and meek-looking man, gave a faint laugh. Aren¡¯t you looking down on Commander-san a bit too much? Despite how he looks, he¡¯s put a lot of thought into things, you know! ¡°Now then, hurry up.¡± After the sharp-looking person said that, the meek guy opened up the burlap sack. ¡°Will they go in obediently? We mustn¡¯t treat the child spirits too roughly¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hmph, leave it to me. I had a dog when I was a kid, actually.¡± Saying that, the hooded person extended a hand towards me. But it seemed like he was a bit nervous. ¡°Don¡¯t struggle. You better not struggle. If you stay still, then I won¡¯t hurt you. Don¡¯t go calling your parents either.¡± Even if you don¡¯t act that cautiously, I won¡¯t call Mother, nor will I move. Volume 2 - CH 36 For having previously owned a dog, the hooded person lifted me up in an overly clumsy manner. Rather than just putting his hands underneath my armpits, I¡¯d like if he properly supported my bottom too. My legs are dangling around. ¡°Oi, open the bag a bit wider.¡± ¡°Kay.¡± I looked down at the brown jute bag. Don¡¯t tell me, you plan on putting me in there? While I wasn¡¯t claustrophobic, it was a bit scary being put into a bag. I was only okay with being put in the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s luggage because we had a trusting relationship. I knew that he¡¯d notice if something was wrong or if it got hard to breathe. But I don¡¯t trust these people. ¡°Hyan hyan!¡± I cried out to stop them from stuffing me in the bag. I kicked at the opening of the bag that the meek-looking person was holding up, rejecting it. ¡°B-Be obedient¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hyan¡­¡­!¡± My tail curled into my belly and I looked up at the hooded person with teary eyes. It¡¯s scary, I dun wanna. ¡°Seems like it doesn¡¯t want to.¡± The hooded person readily folded. With a troubled tone of voice, he sought help from the serious-looking person. ¡°What are you doing, give that to me. I¡¯ll put it in.¡± The serious-looking person¡¯s way of carrying me was also lousy. Even though I¡¯ve been telling you to support my bottom! After he quickly put me into the bag once, I clung to the serious-looking person¡¯s hand as he tried to pull it out and managed to escape. At the same time, I cried out with tear-filled eyes, executing my plan to appeal to their consciences. ¡°¡­¡­it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll just carry it.¡± As his face flushed slightly, the serious person said that to the other two with a serious expression. He might actually be the type of person that¡¯s surprisingly easy to deal with. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take care of the child of fire here¡­¡­.¡± The meek-looking person tried to pick Kugalg up, but Kugalg twisted his body and escaped from his hands before coming towards me. ¡°Come on, you¡¯re coming over here.¡± No matter how many times they pulled him away, Kugalg once again returned to my side. Perhaps they found his actions rather admirable, as the three of them were strangely moved. ¡°They¡¯re pretty close, huh¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why does the sight of such young animals snuggling together move my heart so much?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But for some reason, even their strange outfits are starting to look cute.¡± Nodding at the meek-looking person¡¯s words, the serious person carried up Kugalg and myself. ¡°It¡¯d be sad if we separated them. I¡¯ll carry them both. Let¡¯s go.¡± As the hoodlum-like man gave the signal for them to follow, the three of them started to jog, advancing through the complexly winding alleyways. Kugalg, apparently dissatisfied with the way the serious-looking person was holding him, clambered onto his shoulder. Eventually, we exited at the edge of the town, where there were hardly any other people around. Waiting there were their remaining two companions, who were on standby with the horses. There were a total of five black-cloaked men. ¡°Oi, what¡¯s with those outfits the spirits are wearing? They stand out way too much.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t the plan to transport them in a bag?¡± The two of them were dressed similarly to the three people accompanying us, and were staring at us with doubtful expressions. ¡°They were scared of being put into a bag.¡± ¡°It was too pitiful.¡± ¡°Could you guys forcibly put a spirit into a bag when it clearly doesn¡¯t want to go in?¡± When the three accompanying us said that in turn, the other two made even more mystified expressions. ¡°I don¡¯t really get what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Saying that as he approached, one of the two men with faint bags underneath his eyes cautiously reached a hand out towards me. ¡°P-Please don¡¯t bite me¡­¡­¡± He timidly used the tip of his index finger to pat my forehead. It¡¯s itchy. If you¡¯re gonna pet me, then I¡¯d like for you to do it properly. The remaining man¡ªhe was wearing a hood, so I couldn¡¯t see his eyes, but he had a large nose¡ªalso stroked the short bridge of my nose with a similarly nervous expression. This person was also using his index finger. It was really itchy. The places that they were petting weren¡¯t quite at the places where it felt good to be pet, and while I couldn¡¯t tell whether or not they were accustomed to dealing with animals, the black-cloaked men appeared to be more scared than expected. That being said, even though I knew that I had to keep my guard up, after hearing the guy with bags under his eyes say, ¡°Animals are much cuter than I thought¡±, I reflexively started to wag my tail a little. I love being told that I was [cute]. ¡°Ah, its tail is wagging!¡± ¡°It really is! Does that mean it¡¯s happy?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it happy from being petted?¡± ¡°Oi, don¡¯t just pet the child of snow. You gotta pet the child of fire here too or else it¡¯ll be pitiful.¡± ¡°Then, I will-¡± The five of them were hissed at by Kugalg as they circled him excitedly. Meanwhile, the hoodlum-like man who was outside of their circle was staring at them with eyes that said, ¡°What¡¯s with these people?!¡±, appearing slightly frightened as he distanced himself from the five men. The sight of suspicious men dressed fully in black frolicking around an animal was certainly quite scary. ¡°O-Oi, you guys¡­¡­¡± Unnoticed, the number of hoodlum-like men had increased to three people. One of them approached, appearing to have some difficulty in calling out to them. The serious-looking person whirled around and spoke. ¡°So it is you two. What of them?¡± ¡°We stayed posted at the back entrance of the inn like you guys told us to, but they didn¡¯t show any signs of leaving the inn. Right now Das and Elio are keeping watch.¡± After hearing the man¡¯s report, the serious-looking person snorted at the actions of the One-Eyed Knight and everyone who was at the inn. ¡°How careless of them. I thought they might be plotting something since they let the spirits go out so defenselessly, but if they¡¯re not making any moves even in a situation like this, then my worries were unneeded.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t send anyone to tail them either, so if we leave town by horse like this, following us will prove difficult. If having the spirits roaming around on their own was a trap, then they¡¯re moving far too slowly for that.¡± It seemed that the black-cloaked men had considered that this was a trap, but because the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s group was acting too leisurely, they concluded that it was a needless fear. ¡°To begin with, do you think muscleheads like Gauss and Grail could think of a ¡®plan¡¯? I¡¯m sure that Cromwell¡¯s brains have also regressed after going to a barbaric place like the Northern Fort.¡± When the large-nosed person said that, the other four also laughed. I personally think that Commander-san and the One-Eyed Knight are pretty intelligent, and having everyone from the Northern Fort plus Branch Captain-san being ridiculed made me indignant. Part of my high assessment of them was because I¡¯ve been together with the One-Eyed Knight and everyone for all this time, and have received their favour as a result. Even so, perhaps because these people were on Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s side and were thus biassed in their view of things, they weren¡¯t giving an accurate assessment of Commander-san and Branch Captain-san¡¯s abilities. They might be thinking that they were inferior compared to Captain Sarrell-san. But, you could say that it was thanks to them making light of everyone that this decoy plan was going well. Additionally, they did not know that Kugalg and I could use the transfer technique, nor that we could speak in these forms. It was because we looked like young animals that they let their guards down, thinking that our intellect was still undeveloped. While they had probably been monitoring us when we assumed our human forms at the town of Gouda, our blunder with the legans falling one after the other was also seen. As sad as it was to admit, they undoubtedly thought that we were stupid. And they hadn¡¯t noticed that there was another spirit nearby. I nonchalantly looked up at the sky. Hyllis, in the form of an almost entirely transparent bird, appeared to be sitting on top of the red roof of a nearby two-storied building. That was the only place where the sky appeared a little distorted. After meeting my gaze, Hyllis flapped her wings as though to say, ¡°You¡¯ll expose me, so don¡¯t look this way!¡±. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and head to the Capital before they notice what¡¯s going on.¡± The serious-looking person said that, and then mounted his horse while still carrying Kugalg and myself. It seems that we¡¯ll be heading directly to the Capital from here. I wonder if it¡¯s because Captain Sarrell is there. Then, he turned to one of the hoodlum-looking men and threw over a heavy-sounding pouch that jangled as it was tossed. There seemed to be money inside of it. ¡°Here¡¯s the promised money. If it seems like those guys notice the disappearance of these two and try to pursue us, stop them with the five of you. Well, you probably won¡¯t be a match for them, but you might be able to slow them down somewhat.¡± Hearing his arrogant words, the hoodlum-like men instantly flared up in anger and went, ¡°Whaddyu say?¡±, but- ¡°I won¡¯t say to defeat them. But if you manage to injure them, I¡¯ll pay you twice as much money.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± After having such a condition presented to them, they happily returned to town. I hope the One-Eyed Knight and everyone¡¯ll be okay. The corner of the serious-looking person¡¯s lips rose as he gazed at their backs. ¡°Haha, I don¡¯t have any expectations of them, but if they get taken down by thugs like that, their pride as knights will be completely tarnished.¡± As expected, hearing him say that pissed me off, so I bit his hand that was holding the reins with a bit of strength. ¡°Ow ow ow.¡± Volume 2 - CH 37 After riding by horse for about an hour after leaving the town of Chedas, the Capital finally started to enter my line of sight. For some reason, despite having visited the castle that towered over the middle of the town several times, this was the first time I had ever seen the town spread out in its surroundings. On the outskirts of town, there seemed to be a lot of small houses with orange and red-tiled roofs and white walls, but I could also see elegant mansions in the centre of it. Overall, the town gave a gorgeous and refined feel to it. Soon after entering the town, the black-cloaked men split into two groups. ¡°Do it as planned.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After the serious-looking person spoke, the large-nosed person and the person with bags under their eyes remained seated on their horses and galloped towards a larger street where carriages could pass through. On the other hand, the remaining three people dismounted and led their horses to a narrower side road. Here, there were old brick apartment-like buildings lined up, blocking off the sunlight and leaving the road dimly lit. It had a back alley feel to it, and the ambience wasn¡¯t great either. It was the sort of place where you wouldn¡¯t want to be alone at night. The black-cloaked men did not show any timidness at such an atmosphere, and quickly advanced deeper and deeper, eventually stopping in front of a vacant house that looked like it had once been some kind of store. Leaving their horses outside, they opened the broken door and the serious-looking person went inside. Kugalg and I, who had been riding on the horse¡¯s back, were placed onto the ground by the hooded person. ¡°Follow me. There¡¯s something good inside.¡± The simple-minded me followed after the hooded person, excited as I wondered what the ¡®good thing¡¯ was. Kugalg wasn¡¯t particularly interested in what the ¡®good thing¡¯ was, but since I was going he came together with me. The serious-looking person seemed to have lit a lamp¡ªwhile it was still daytime, the inside of the building was dim¡ªilluminating the trash scattered over the ground with the light from the candle. There were dust balls, dead leaves that appeared to have gotten inside from the broken window, small glass shards¡­¡­ When I frowned, imagining how it would feel if glass stabbed into my paw pads, the three black-cloaked people also looked at the floor and spoke. ¡°It¡¯ll be dangerous like this.¡± ¡°I think there was a broom somewhere inside¡­¡­¡± As Kugalg and I stood at the entrance, the three people started to diligently clean the floor. It was novel seeing bad guys doing their best to clean. Perhaps because they were accustomed to cleaning on a regular basis, the three quickly gathered all the trash that was on the floor and cleaned it up. ¡°Once you start cleaning, it makes you want to clean everything up.¡± ¡°I feel the same, but let¡¯s stop at just the floor.¡± The meek-looking person said to the serious-looking person. I wonder if they all have a love of cleanliness? Incidentally, where is the ¡®good thing¡¯? When I looked up at the hooded person with a pressing gaze, he said, ¡°Wait a moment¡± and then entered a room further in the building. I gave the inside of the room another look over while waiting for him to return. While there was a fireplace that was covered in soot, there wasn¡¯t any furniture like tables or chairs, and it was otherwise empty. I looked up at a portion of the ceiling where one of the wooden planks had come off and scratched my head with my hind leg. Perhaps because it had gotten stuffy from being covered by a hood this whole time, the base of my ears were itchy. But because of the hood, I couldn¡¯t scratch it very well. Scratch scratch, scratch scratch. After I continued to scratch it for a while, the serious-looking person noticed and helped me take off the hood. While he was at it, he asked, ¡°Is it itchy?¡± and helped me scratch my head, but his positioning was slightly off, which made it even itchier somehow. Escaping from his hand, I started to rub my head against the floor to make the itching go away, but I was stopped with a, ¡°You¡¯ll get dirty¡±. Then, he took a handkerchief out of his bag and wiped my fur for me. His handkerchief didn¡¯t have a single wrinkle, so he seemed to be a clean freak as expected. In comparison, the guys at the Northern Fort ¨C with the exception of Branch Captain-san and Tina-san ¨C didn¡¯t even have a single handkerchief between them, so they usually just used the sleeves of their uniforms to wipe dirt away¡­¡­ Everyone seemed to think that the sleeves of their uniforms were some kind of universal cleaning cloth. As I had such thoughts, the hooded person returned from the depths of the building with a small paper bundle in his hands. Noticing the scent arising from that bundle, my tail quickly started to wag back and forth. That¡¯s food! ¡°I heard rumours that the child of the spirit of snow likes sweet things.¡± It was probably because I was always happily eating the sweets that the King and his family gave me that such rumours started to circulate. Apparently they prepared some sweets beforehand to make sure that we would stay here obediently. Inside the paper bundle were several round biscuits. I bit onto the biscuit that was presented to me with a crunch, but it was fairly large, so I couldn¡¯t fit it all in my mouth with a single bite. As a result, bits and pieces of the biscuit fell onto the ground in large chunks. Every time I ate another piece, the floor that they had taken great pains to clean got dirtier and dirtier from the crumbs that were scattering about. When I slowly looked up at the three clean freaks with upturned eyes- ¡°Why did you choose such large biscuits? Biscuits and cookies that you can¡¯t eat with a single bite are our enemies.¡± ¡°My bad.¡± -such an exchange was made. Kugalg didn¡¯t eat any biscuits, so in the end all the biscuits ended up in my stomach as I continued to leave crumbs all over the floor. Meanwhile, the three black-cloaked men disappeared into one of the inner rooms after confirming that I was preoccupied with the biscuits. It was around the time that I had finished eating that they returned. However, when they returned, their outfits had changed. It seems that they had changed in the inner rooms, as they transformed from suspicious black-cloaked men to splendid knights. Although their knight¡¯s uniform had the same design as the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s and everyone else¡¯s, the colour was different. It was white instead of a deep navy blue. Now that I think of it, Commander-san¡¯s uniform was also white. The three of them had an atmosphere that greatly resembled that of the Royal Guards that were in the castle. They weren¡¯t nearly as sparkly, but they had a sort of clean feel to them. Maybe it was because their uniforms were worn properly. I¡¯ve also been thinking this since they were wearing those black cloaks, but compared to everyone at the Northern Fort, these three were definitely on the slender side. They also weren¡¯t very tall, and the meek-looking man actually had a pretty small build. ¡°He¡¯s arrived.¡± The serious-looking person brushed off my chest fur that was sticking out from the sheep costume and said. It was because there was a mountain of biscuit crumbs stuck on it. ¡°Any time now.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The meek-looking person and the hooded person exchanged such words as they looked at the door. It when I was also lured in by their gazes and turned around that- ¡°Here it is!¡± I heard a voice from outside, together with the noisy sound of footsteps approaching. Eventually the door of this building was opened vigorously, and three men wearing white knight¡¯s uniforms entered while gasping for breath. Two of them appeared to be the black-cloaked men who had separated from us upon entering the Capital. Though they currently didn¡¯t have a single suspicious bit about them and were dressed as virtuous knights, one of them had bags underneath his eyes while the other had a big nose. And the last one to enter was a scrawny-looking man wearing round glasses with black hair that was combed down into a 7:3 hair parting ratio, with 7 on the right and 3 on the left. He was probably in his late 30s. His glowing eyes underneath his glasses were single-lidded, and his constantly furrowed brow gave off an ill-natured atmosphere. (So this person is Captain Sarrell-san¡­¡­) Volume 2 - CH 38 At a single glance, I quickly realised it. He certainly did seem to be a person who wouldn¡¯t get along well with Kix and Commander-san. While his elegant and noble air sort of resembled Branch Captain-san, unlike Branch Captain-san who didn¡¯t usually put on airs, he had an unpleasantness that seemed to ooze out of him. ¡°Winst, Nild, Sai, good work.¡± Captain Sarrell-san called out the names of the serious-looking person, the meek-looking person, and the previously hooded person in turn. And then, lowering his gaze, his eyes widened slightly upon seeing Kugalg and I at their feet. ¡°These are¡­¡­the child spirits?¡± Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s voice was thin like his physique. ¡°Are these truly child spirits, Jorg? Truly?¡± Captain Sarrell-san pointed a finger and Kugalg and I, questioning the person with bags underneath his eyes that was standing next to him repeatedly. He probably didn¡¯t believe that we were spirits because we were wearing such ridiculous outfits. On top of that, right now the paper that the biscuits had been wrapped in was lying in front of me, covered in crumbs. To the people of this world, spirits were supernatural beings that were above humans, akin to gods or angels. Currently, one of those beings was currently dressed as a sheep carrying a bunny rucksack, licking up the biscuit crumbs sticking to the corners of her mouth. I could understand why he would want to reconfirm things and ask, ¡°Is this truly a child spirit?¡± upon seeing me. ¡°Are you sure that you guys haven¡¯t just mistaken someone¡¯s pet as a spirit?¡± After being glared at by Captain Sarrell, the serious-looking person ¨C Winst-san flusterly denied it. ¡°No, they are undoubtedly the child spirits. It seems that they were put into those outfits by Cromwell¡¯s group¡­¡­¡± ¡°Cromwell did that? Did he go insane after going to the Northern Fort?¡± In Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s internal image of Branch Captain-san, he probably wasn¡¯t the sort to dress animals up in these kinds of outfits. He probably wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told him that I had also received other cute clothes from Branch Captain-san, like the raincoat and my shawl. While he normally wore an icy mask, Branch Captain-san was a playful person who sometimes had inexplicable nosebleeds at random times. ¡°But speaking of Cromwell¡­¡­¡± Captain Sarrell-san then made an evil-looking smile that suited a hidden mastermind. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to escape punishment from this incident. Neither will Gauss. They made such a preposterous blunder after all ¨C allowing the child spirits that they were escorting to be kidnapped.¡± He then laughed, ¡°Hahaha¡± and continued. ¡°With this, I won¡¯t have to be shamed anymore. Now brother won¡¯t keep telling me [Why didn¡¯t you volunteer to go to the Northern Fort] every time he hears about things like how Cromwell gained the trust of the snow spirit, or how he is loved by the snow spirit¡¯s child. Cromwell will lose his current position and trust, but I will instead gain it. With that, both my brother and the Knight¡¯s Order will have to approve of me.¡± ¡°It is as you say.¡± Winst-san and the other five people bowed deeply towards Captain Sarrell-san as he postured arrogantly. As I watched them, I felt a bit anxious about the progress of our plan. Things have gone smoothly for us, as we¡¯ve arrived at the mastermind ¨C that is, Captain Sarrell ¨C but has the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s group, who was supposed to be following after us, arrived at the Capital yet? There were a total of 6 people ¨C excluding those hoodlum-like men who were hired by them ¨C involved in this incident. All of the culprits were gathered here in this room. This was a good time for the One-Eyed Knight and everyone to storm in but¡­¡­maybe it¡¯ll take them a bit more time. It can¡¯t be helped, I¡¯ll work hard to buy them some time. With that thought, I threw myself down on the spot and exposed my belly. When I did this, everyone at the Northern Fort couldn¡¯t help but come to stroke my belly. It had that kind of magic. Even when they were in a rush, they¡¯d just say, ¡°Geez, even though I don¡¯t have much time!¡± while ruffling my belly. Since I was wearing the bunny rucksack with the fairies in it I couldn¡¯t fully roll on my back, but I think that my belly fluff was far more charming compared to the fluff on the rest of my body. Now then, come. Normally, I don¡¯t allow those I don¡¯t trust to touch me, but right now we were in the middle of an emergency, so I¡¯ll specially allow them to. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± In my line of sight, that had been turned upside down, Captain Sarrell-san and the other five people were making puzzled expressions. Huh? That¡¯s weird. Even though everyone at the Northern Fort would say, ¡°Mil~¡± in high-pitched voices while coming over just from me doing this. Ah, I know! Because I was wearing the sheep outfit right now, the fake fluff was hiding my true fluffiness. This was an unforeseen issue. In other words, unless I take off these clothes, the charm of my fluffy fur won¡¯t be able to manifest itself. What a conundrum! I hurriedly stood up and then struggled violently in attempts to take off the clothes. Even without unfastening the buttons on my belly, the hood had already been taken off, so I figured that since there wasn¡¯t any rubber around the sleeves, I¡¯d be able to take it off on my own. First, I tried pulling my right forepaw into the clothes, but I ended up losing my balance and tumbling over. However, I wouldn¡¯t give up so easily. While still rolling on the ground, I bit the sleeve to fix it in place, and then once again tried to pull my right forepaw out of the sleeve. This time, things went well and I was able to bring my forepaw into the clothes. I was also freed from one of the shoulder straps of the bunny rucksack. Next, I tried to bite onto the left sleeve and pull my left forepaw into the clothes in a similar fashion. Ow! I accidentally bit my fur together with the sleeve. But after sacrificing a dozen or so strands of fur, things went smoothly. The bunny rucksack also rolled onto the ground. All that was left was to pull back my head, and then pull the clothes over it to¡ª Ah, this won¡¯t work. My butt is stuck. These clothes weren¡¯t like a t-shirt that only covered the upper half of the body. It was more like a onesie, with the cloth connected between my back legs. It was a design that would make it quite an ordeal for normal dogs and cats to go to the toilet. It¡¯s impossible to take off these clothes just by pulling it over my head. I¡¯ll have to take it off from the bottom. Perhaps because he was worried about me as I kept rolling around the floor, Kugalg circled me in a confused manner. I once again popped my head out of the clothes, and then I weaved both my legs through the collar in turn. I did it one at a time so that my legs wouldn¡¯t get stuck midway through. Being a very smart spirit, my plan succeeded, and I was safely able to free my upper body from the collar of the clothes. All that was left was to take it off the bottom half of my body. I raised my two hind legs, one at a time, and flailed them back and forth. But this time, my tail got caught on the clothes, so it wouldn¡¯t come off of my legs. ¡­¡­¡­¡­I¡¯m tired. I glanced up at Captain Sarrell-san. At times like these, the best plan was to make use of the humans around you. If the One-Eyed Knight, Tina-san, or Branch Captain-san were around, they¡¯d quickly realise what I wanted to do and help me out, but it seemed like Captain Sarrell-san wasn¡¯t nearly as sensible. ¡°What the heck does this child spirit want to do¡­¡­¡± I want to take off these clothes. When I walked up to him, Captain Sarrell-san drew back as though he were afraid. ¡°O-Oi, ever since I was chased around by a dog my elder brother was keeping as a kid, I¡¯ve been bad with dogs.¡± ¡°Captain Sarrell, the child spirit isn¡¯t a dog, so it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I know that! But¡­¡­¡± Winst-san came forward in place of the retreating Captain Sarrell-san. Then, he picked me up in my half-dressed state and tried to pass me over to Captain Sarrell-san. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Captain Sarrell. Besides, you need to have this child spirit get attached to you, Captain Sarrell. It needs to like you more than Cromwell.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah, that¡¯s true¡­¡­¡± Captain Sarrell-san wiped away a cold sweat as he nodded twice in succession. Then, he swallowed nervously and stretched out his hands towards me with stiff movements. He seemed to be scared of dogs, so I stayed as still and quiet as a stuffed animal. I¡¯d hate for him to drop me if I struggled after all. ¡°L-Like this?¡± Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s way of holding me was also incredibly lousy. Stop holding me by the armpits! It felt like my shoulders were about to be dislocated. Volume 2 - CH 39 ¡°Captain, I believe you should bring her closer to your body and support her bottom.¡± The one who gave the advice was Winst-san. Even though he wasn¡¯t able to do it himself, perhaps looking at things objectively made it so that he could tell what was wrong with how I was held. Captain Sarrell gently supported my body and hugged me to his chest. ¡°There isn¡¯t any fur sticking to my clothes, is there?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to bear with that at the very least. It¡¯s so you can get along better with a spirit.¡± For a short while, Captain Sarrell-san stared down at me. When I grew curious about his gaze and looked up, he let out a shriek, ¡°Eep!¡±¡ªhe was probably scared of my mouth and fangs being so close to his face. Even though I wouldn¡¯t bite¡ªthus I simply remained completely motionless and stared at a stain on the wall. ¡°It¡¯s quite docile¡­¡­¡± Captain Sarrell-san said in a deeply moved manner. ¡°It doesn¡¯t bark loudly, and it doesn¡¯t act violently. If it didn¡¯t shed, it¡¯d be just perfect.¡± After murmuring that in a slightly disappointed manner, he then started to go, ¡°Fufufu¡± as the corners of his lips rose in a snicker. ¡°However, if I tame this spirit, then even in the Knight¡¯s Order¡­¡­.no, in all of this Country of Aridora, my position will be steady. No one will be able to treat me lightly.¡± Then, his voice grew even louder as he continued excitedly. ¡°The power dynamic between my elder brother and I will reverse. Who cares about a duke? Aren¡¯t there mountains of dukes throughout the world? In contrast, there are hardly any humans who have ties to spirits. Things will be completely different! My elder brother will have to bow down to me!¡± The light from the candle reflecting on Captain Sarrell¡¯s glasses flickered enchantingly. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I should bring the spirit to visit Father¡¯s grave. I have to report to him that the child, that he constantly despised and compared to his elder brother who grew up plump while saying things like [You weak-bodied failure], or [You illness-prone flop], is now an important person in the country who has ties with a spirit!¡± Captain Sarrell-san laughed, ¡°Hahaha!¡± loudly, but the depths of his eyes appeared desolate. While Captain Sarrell-san was a bit scrawny and didn¡¯t seem all that strong, perhaps he was more frail when he was a child like Branch Captain-san said? Maybe due to that, his father favoured his healthy older brother more. If that truly is the case, then I do think that Captain Sarrell-san is pitiful in that respect. I had expected that the reason why he was so ambitious and wanted to obtain more status and authority was because he wanted the people around him to recognise him, but it was possible that above all else, he just wanted his family to give him their recognition. He wanted to get back at his father and older brother, who looked down on him for having a weak body. He wanted them to know that he wasn¡¯t a failure. Such feelings transformed Captain Sarrell-san into such an ambitious person. Winst-san and the other four people were also looking at their superior with sympathetic eyes, and it was with somewhat bitter smiles that they spoke. ¡°If Captain Sarrell is recognised, then I will also be able to get back at my own older brother.¡± ¡°Me too. I¡¯ll also be able to look down on those guys who bullied me in the past.¡± Hearing their conversation, I started to understand why they followed Captain Sarrell. I¡¯m sure that the five of them had some experiences that they shared with Captain Sarrell-san. They either weren¡¯t blessed with a good physique or talent in combat, and thus were scorned by the people around them, or they had discord with their families. Each and every one of them saw themselves in Captain Sarrell-san, and that may be why they lent him a hand. And Captain Sarrell-san in turn trusted these five people. ¡°Once again, all of you did a great job. I¡¯m proud to have such outstanding men. This matter isn¡¯t just my achievement. I will make an appeal to have your work appreciated as well.¡± ¡°No, Captain. We just listened to your orders, and that is why we managed to bring about such good results. And we do not wish for our own advancement. We are satisfied if the Captain is able to have his wishes fulfilled.¡± ¡°You guys¡­¡­¡± Winst-san spoke to Captain Sarrell-san, whose voice was trembling from emotion. ¡°We simply want to return the kindness with which the Captain has treated us.¡± Like how the five felt that Captain Sarrell-san resembled themselves, Captain Sarrell-san also noticed the commonalities they had with him, and thus specially took care of them. It was quite normal to wish to treat those who have experienced similar hardships to yourself even more kindly. ¡°Winst, Nild, Sai, Jorg, Gordon. You are all my treasures.¡± Captain Sarrell-san fixed the position of his glasses while saying that in a slightly embarrassed manner. It seemed like there was a stronger bond between these six people than I had originally imagined. But even then, it¡¯s not good to do bad things. Instead of saying that to them, I licked the bony hand that was in front of me. My tongue feels a bit cold to those who weren¡¯t used to it, thus Captain Sarrell-san drew back his hand in surprise. ¡°S-She licked me¡­¡­someone get me my handkerchief. It¡¯s in my right pocket. Get some disinfectant too.¡± Jorg-san hurriedly took out the handkerchief from Captain Sarrell¡¯s right pocket, and then sprayed some kind of fluid from a bottle that resembled a perfume bottle and vigorously scrubbed Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s hand. My saliva is being treated like some filthy germ¡­¡­. Now that I think of it, he was a clean freak. But somehow I felt a bit hurt, so I licked his hand even more in revenge. ¡°AHHHH!¡± Captain Sarrell-san went pale and stiffened up. Seeing that, the other five people earnestly tried to encourage him. ¡°Captain! Just accept it as it is!¡± ¡°It means that the child spirit likes you!¡± ¡°You mustn¡¯t shake her off!¡± Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s face twitched as he responded. ¡°But, even so¡­¡­! While it¡¯s not like the child spirit isn¡¯t cute, its saliva is still dirty!¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t dirty!¡± I reflexively talked back. ¡°In the first place, I haven¡¯t picked up any old rock rolling on the side of the road today with my mouth, nor have I bit any rotting branches. I also haven¡¯t nibbled on anyone¡¯s shoes. Ah, but I might¡¯ve licked up some of the biscuits¡­¡­¡± ¡°I-It spoke!?¡± Captain Sarrell-san raised his voice in surprise. The other five people might¡¯ve seen us when we were talking in the town of Gouda, but it seemed like they didn¡¯t think that I could speak while in my beastial form. Even though I was thinking of continuing to pretend to be like a normal animal that couldn¡¯t talk in order to make them relax their vigilance. It couldn¡¯t be helped since I was already exposed, so I continued to respond with my usual lisp. ¡°Yup, I can twalk. I can also understand words.¡± I couldn¡¯t understand why such gluttonous news of me [liking sweets] was passed around while information of me being smart and being [able to understand words and speak] wasn¡¯t passed around despite the fact that I had spoken to the King and his family before. After freezing for a moment, Captain Sarrell-san made an obviously fake smile as he began to sing my praises. ¡°My, how intelligent you are despite your youth! As expected of the child of an honourable spirit. When I look at you more carefully, your visage is truly dignified, and your noble spirit is also quite apparent! Your glossy snow-white fur is as beautiful as the pearls from the far east! It is the highest of honours to have it clinging onto my clothing! Even if I am covered in your saliva, when I think of it as something bestowed upon me by such a rare spirit, a simple common human like myself can only feel such gratitude¡ª¡± ¡°I dyon¡¯t get such diffi-cwult words.¡± I couldn¡¯t understand 90% of what he was saying. All I got was that he wanted me to smear saliva all over him and have my fur clinging to his clothes. Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s face regained its composure as he fell silent and then whispered a question to Winst-san, who was standing next to him. ¡°Oi, how smart is this child spirit?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure but¡­¡­when in her human form, she appears to be around 2 to 3 years old. When looking at her actions up until now, it is reasonable to say that she is at the level of a toddler.¡± I can hear everything you¡¯re saying! ¡°Then we shouldn¡¯t worry too much.¡± Captain Sarrell said that and then once again had Winst-san wipe the hand that I had licked. Hey. ¡°Now then, it¡¯s about time we head to the castle. I don¡¯t want to stay too long in such a dirty place like this¡­¡­.fufufu, once we return to the castle, I will be a hero who saved the kidnapped child spirits.¡± Captain Sarrell¡¯s smile was incredibly warped, but he appeared to be happy from the bottom of his heart. Perhaps it was because his ambitions were about to be realised. However, I would be troubled if Captain Sarrell-san went to the castle. If Captain Sarrell-san returned earlier and said, ¡°I found the child spirit that Cromwell and his group weren¡¯t able to protect!¡±, and then Branch Captain-san and everyone returned afterwards and said, ¡°This was Captain Sarrell¡¯s plot¡­¡­¡±, it¡¯ll just make it sound like Branch Captain-san and everyone were making excuses. With how young I was, I¡¯m not sure how much trust they¡¯d put in my testimony either. (Where is everyone? Are they still not here¡­¡­.?) It was the moment when the meek-looking person¡ªNild-san, was about to open the door as I watched him, internally anxious. When Nild-san pulled open the door, standing there was the person whose arrival I had been waiting for. Standing there with his sword at hand by his waist was Branch Captain-san. Volume 2 - CH 40 ¡°Bwanch Captaaaaain!¡± ¡°Cromwell!?¡± Captain Sarrell-san and I shouted at the same time. Nild-san immediately stepped back from the door and stood together with the other four people to defend Captain Sarrell. However, everyone¡¯s eyes were widened with surprise and were obviously shaken. ¡°Are you done with your tricks?¡± Branch Captain-san quietly said. He did not appear to be happy at having reached the mastermind. Rather, he appeared to be disappointed at the fact that Captain Sarrell-san was here. ¡°What trick are you talking about?¡± Seeing Captain Sarrell-san raise his chin as he spoke in attempts to put on airs, Branch Captain-san calmly responded, without exposing a single emotion on his face. ¡°You want to kick me down from my position, do you not? Captain Sarrell.¡± ¡°¡­¡­saying that I want to kick you down sounds far too disreputable. You simply failed to protect the child spirits, and made the blunder of allowing them to be kidnapped on your own.¡± ¡°They were not kidnapped.¡± Branch Captain-san interrupted him with a frightening expression. Branch Captain-san once again appeared to rage at the fact that Captain Sarrell-san was here and that the black-cloaked men were all knights. He seemed to be bitterly disappointed. Behind Branch Captain-san and Commander-san was Tina-san, who was standing at the ready. I didn¡¯t see the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s nor Kix¡¯s figures. ¡°The child spirits chose to become bait of their own wills and followed the five people here. Even though we had expected that the black-cloaked men were actually knights, that they truly were knights is rather disappointing.¡± Commander-san glared at them, causing Winst-san and the other four knights to shrink back. ¡°Bait¡­¡­?¡± ¡°It was a trap?¡± The five of them murmured, appearing to be in complete disbelief. Perhaps there was the unbelievable situation where Kugalg and I were allowed to walk around town unattended, they ground their teeth in frustration upon hearing the word [bait]. It was then that Jorg-san gave this rebuttal. ¡°Commander, I don¡¯t know what sort of misunderstanding you have, but those black-cloaked men were completely different people from us. We were unable to capture them, but we did manage to safely bring the child spirits under our protection. That is all that happened.¡± ¡°But, I saw the three of you change out of your black clothes.¡± ¡°I saw that too.¡± If they need even more proof, there¡¯s probably still some evidence remaining in the rooms further in. When Kugalg and I spoke in turns, Jorg-san glared at us with a demonic expression on his face. Sorry. But no matter what kind of excuses you try to make, it won¡¯t work. Kugalg and I had seen and heard everything that they did. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡­it seems like the young spirits have misunderstood a number of things. They must be confused after having experienced the fear of being kidnapped by the black-cloaked men.¡± Winst-san said, implying that our words could not be trusted. However, at that moment Hyllis inserted herself into the conversation from behind him. ¡°Then, what about my testimony? Are you saying that it cannot be trusted?¡± Unnoticed, Hyllis had returned to her originally colourful body colours and was sitting on top of the fireplace that was positioned in the depths of the room. Just when in the world did she come in? Both Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s group and Branch Captain-san¡¯s group, who had been facing each other near the door, turned their gazes towards Hyllis. ¡°¡­¡­the wind spirit? Why are you in a place like this?¡± Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s brow furrowed as though he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Hyllis gave a light wink. ¡°It¡¯s been a bit, Sarrell! I¡¯m so sad that you plotted to kidnap spirits.¡± Winst-san also appeared bewildered as he spoke. ¡°The wind spirit¡­¡­? Why is the wind spirit¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not strange for me to lend my powers to my cute spirit juniors, right? Since I¡¯ve been tailing you guys this entire time, I know that you¡¯re lying. You should just honestly confess to your sins.¡± Waiting for Hyllis to finish speaking, Branch Captain-san also opened his mouth. ¡°We still have more witnesses. The five people that you hired with gold. Since they attacked us as soon as we tried to leave Chedas, we managed to capture them. While you did hide half of your faces, they saw the black-cloaked men close up, and they also heard their voices. If we bring them here to see you, then they¡¯ll probably be able to identify your faces and voices. Right now Grail and Kix have taken those five into their custody and are bringing them here. They¡¯ll be arriving here soon. Do you plan on continuing this farce until then?¡± The five people bit their lips and fell silent. They probably couldn¡¯t say anything in return. Speaking up amongst them with a bewildered voice was Captain Sarrell-san. ¡°Wait a second, Cromwell. What are you saying? My brilliant subordinates kidnapped these child spirits? You mean to say that I was framed by my subordinates in this matter? That¡¯s impossible¡­¡­¡± Branch Captain-san raised an eyebrow. ¡°¡­¡­why would that surprise you so much? Wasn¡¯t the ringleader of this plot you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the ringleader!? What a misunderstanding! That makes no sense at all.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Cromwell! Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re trying to frame me!? Is it because you heard that I was aiming to be your replacement!?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± As the agitated Captain Sarrell-san spoke in turns with the calm Branch Captain-san, I also turned my gaze to each of them in turn. Though I thought that Captain Sarrell-san was feigning ignorance in an attempt to get out of taking responsibility for his crimes, seeing him act so confused made me think that perhaps that wasn¡¯t the case. Branch Captain-san also seemed to be a little perplexed. ¡°However, without permission from you, Captain Sarrell, as their superior, these five people would have been unable to leave the Capital, considering their positions as knights of the Knight¡¯s Order here.¡± ¡°Allow me to straighten things out. I certainly did give these five permission to leave the Capital. However, that was so that they could go meet up with Cromwell and the Commander.¡± Captain Sarrell-san fixed the position of his glasses and said. ¡°Us? Why would you give such an order?¡± ¡°Why, you ask?¡± There, Captain Sarrell-san raised his voice while giving Commander-san a sharp glare. ¡°It is because of this alcoholic of a Commander! I was sure that he¡¯d pass by each town and give the excuse of giving an inspection to walk around drinking! It is because I expected that he would dilly dally on his way back despite the fact that his work has been piling up! Despite the fact that it¡¯s a distance that he should be able to travel within 4 days, he¡¯s certain to take from five to six days instead.¡± After being glanced at by Captain Sarrell-san, Commander-san wiped away a cold sweat as he looked the other way. If Kugalg and I hadn¡¯t been with him, he might¡¯ve actually been planning to walk around drinking. ¡°I see, so that is why.¡± While listening to Branch Captain-san and Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s conversation, Commander-san¡¯s large frame shrivelled up as he muttered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine to have a breather every now and then¡­¡­¡±. ¡°And just earlier today, Jorg and Gordon both rushed into my office. They said that the child spirits that were travelling with your group had been abducted. But then, they reported this. They had tracked the culprits in your group¡¯s stead and safely retrieved the child spirits. Then, I was guided here.¡± Captain Sarrell explained as he spread his arms out widely. ¡°While the culprits may have escaped, is this not their hideout? Were the child spirits not being confined here?¡± Captain Sarrell-san turned towards Branch Captain-san and said, but Branch Captain-san silently pointed his gaze towards Winst-san and the other four. Captain Sarrell-san followed his gaze and looked towards his subordinates. ¡°You five, what do you mean by this? I thought that all of you were my brilliant subordinates. There is no way that you would do such a foolish thing. Isn¡¯t that right? If you deny it, then I will do everything in my power to protect you. Now, how about it¡­¡­?¡± Deny it, Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s eyes said. However, the five of them silently hung their heads. Seeing Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s quivering fist, I felt that he truly didn¡¯t know anything about this. He hadn¡¯t participated at all in this fabricated kidnapping incident. Everything was done by these five people without any of his consent. I had thought that the intelligent Captain Sarrell-san had purposely told Hyllis of Kugalg and my existence, acting while calculating each and every one of his actions. However, that seemed to have just been a misunderstanding on my part. It was just a coincidence that Hyllis had been involved. Although we had been thinking of somehow trying to catch the mastermind behind this incident, there wasn¡¯t a mastermind to begin with. ¡°You guys¡­¡­¡± Captain Sarrell-san pushed me towards Branch Captain-san, and then speechlessly approached the five people before suddenly yelling angrily. ¡°What the hell have you done! Just what the hell were you thinking!? With this, my reputation will be the one to fall into the mud! It¡¯s all your fault!¡± Volume 2 - CH 41 He panted, out of breath even as he continued to scream at the five pale-faced people. ¡°Did you do it on purpose!? You let someone instigate you and caused this incident in order to frame me!? Just who in the hell is backing you! How much did you get!? How much did they pay you to betray me!¡± ¡°No¡­¡­! It¡¯s a misunderstanding! We were just thinking of Captain Sarrell¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of me, then don¡¯t do stupid things like this! To think that you guys, who I trusted, would betray me! With this, I¡¯ll be sneered at as [the Delamon Ducal Family¡¯s luggage] again!¡± ¡°My deepest apologies, but we truly did not try to betray Captain Sarrelll¡­¡­!¡± Winst-san and the other four kneeled on the ground, the colour draining from their faces as they denied betraying Captain Sarrell-san. They probably just wanted him to believe them in that at the very least. However, in Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s rage, he had no ears to listen to them. He doubted their feelings of not wanting someone whom they loved and respected to be suspicious of them, and seeing the five of them continue to be harshly criticised, I started to feel a bit of pity for them. What they did was wrong, and I couldn¡¯t forgive them for looking down on Branch Captain-san and turning their swords against everyone during the attack. However, I did think that they were a bit pitiful for being suspected by Captain Sarrell-san of betraying him. And Captain Sarrell-san, who was in a position where he had to doubt his subordinates¡¯ intentions, was also pitiful. Even though I, who had just met them, could see the bond between the two parties. I howled, ¡°Kyan kyan!¡± at a level that wouldn¡¯t lose to the angry Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s yells in volume, and spoke after having caught his attention, his shoulders heaving up and down as he panted. ¡°Captain Sarrell-san, why won¡¯t you beweeb them? Although their meth-ods were wong, they truly wanted to be helpful to you. These five people love Captain Sarrell-san.¡± At the very least, I felt that I didn¡¯t want him to doubt their love for him. And then, Branch Captain-san also followed up after me. ¡°Like what Mil said, I believe these five took action purely out of their adoration for you. Until going to the Northern Fort, it was hard for me to stop doubting others. Like you, I¡¯ve been exposed to aristocratic society, where everything depends on your own interests, from a young age. However, not everyone moves based on calculations for their own self-interest. ¡ªthose who truly adore you will not be enticed by money or authority.¡± After being admonished, Captain Sarrell-san pursed his lips. And then, looking down at Winst-san and the other four people, he spoke calmly. ¡°I see¡­¡­that¡¯s true. These five aren¡¯t the sort to be drawn in by money¡­¡­¡± There, swallowing back his agitation and confusion, he quietly urged them on. ¡°Please explain from the very top. What in the world have you guys done?¡± Winst-san began to explain while still kneeling stiffly. ¡°¡­¡­I had a thought when you gave us the order to go meet Commander Gauss and Branch Captain Cromwell. If Branch Captain Cromwell weren¡¯t around, then Captain Sarrell would be able to become the [Northern Fort¡¯s Branch Captain] as he desired, and would be able to gain connections with the snow spirit. On top of that, I thought that Commander Gauss, whom Captain Sarrell often clashes with, was a hindrance to Captain Sarrell. So I thought of making some sort of trap for those two people¡­¡­¡± ¡°While I do have my clashes with Sarrell, that¡¯s just because the both of us are thinking of the country and the Knight¡¯s Order.¡± Commander-san muttered downheartedly. Winst-san then glanced at Commander-san with an apologetic gaze, and then turned his eyes downward as he continued. ¡°At first, I thought of pretending to be bandits and stealing their luggage. If people with the positions of commander and branch captain were to be robbed to the point where they didn¡¯t have a single change of clothes or coin between them, then they¡¯d become a laughingstock amongst the Knight¡¯s Order¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. I¡¯ve already had the experience of getting drunk in town a few years back and getting all my money stolen by a woman who drank with me. I already am a laughingstock.¡± For some reason, Commander-san interrupted rather proudly but- ¡°My subordinate is speaking, so please be quiet for a while.¡± -he was glared at by Captain Sarrell-san and pouted in response. Not cute at all. They probably had exchanges like these often in their meetings, I figured. Amidst this strange atmosphere, Winst-san continued awkwardly. ¡°So, we disguised ourselves in those black clothes and waited for Commander and his group at the entrance of the town of Gouda. However, before we found Commander and his group, we caught sight of the two child spirits. We saw them hide in a ditch and transform into their humanoid appearances, so we knew that they weren¡¯t just animals. On top of that, we noticed Commander and his group trailing them from behind, so we were able to guess that they were the white one was the rumoured snow spirit child, while the red one was the fire spirit child. That was when we changed our plans and decided to kidnap the child spirits. If the child spirits were kidnapped, then Branch Captain Cromwell would definitely lose the trust of the spirits and have to leave the Northern Fort after all.¡± ¡°I see. So you truly were working for my sake.¡± Captain Sarrell nodded once and then- ¡°¡­¡­as expected of my subordinates. That was a good plan. However, you failed at the last step. If you¡¯re planning a crime, you have to carefully lay down the groundwork and be thorough enough to ensure that you absolutely will not be discovered as the culprit.¡± ¡°Yes, our deepest apologies.¡± Winst-san and his group bowed their heads, causing Commander-san to murmur, ¡°Just what exactly are you apologising about¡­¡­¡±. ¡°Sarrell, what kind of teachings are you imparting?! Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯ve been committing those kinds of ¡®crimes¡¯ behind my back?!¡± ¡°Well, who knows?¡± Commander-san wasn¡¯t asking that in earnest, so Captain Sarrell-san also responded in a joking manner. ¡°Stand. Let us return to headquarters. We¡¯ll have to decide on your punishment. I also have to take responsibility as your commanding officer.¡± After Captain Sarrell-san said that to Winst-san and the other four, the five of them once again lowered their heads and said, ¡°Our deepest apologies¡±, causing Captain Sarrell-san to laugh as though a weight had come off his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was distrustful and thought you guys had betrayed me after all. And as strange as it is, right now I feel rather good. Perhaps it¡¯s because now I know that I¡¯m adored by all of you enough for you guys to take such silly actions for my sake¡­¡­.fufufu, did you know? My elder brother isn¡¯t really liked by the employees in the mansion, nor the citizens of his fief. Father is the same in that respect. Fufufufu¡­¡­that means I have something that those two don¡¯t.¡± Seeing Captain Sarrell-san smirk as he continued to chuckle, Winst-san and the other four exchanged looks. After that, their expressions relaxed slightly. Around the time when we were all leaving the building, the One-Eyed Knight and Kix arrived, bringing along the five hoodlum-like men with their wrists tied through the narrow alleyway. Flying near them was a pea-green ball of light ¨C Hyllis¡¯ fairy. Branch Captain-san approached the One-Eyed Knight while still carrying me and informed him that Captain Sarrell was not the ringleader in brief. Kix was surprised and said, ¡°Really?¡± while making a slightly guilty expression. I also felt the same, having doubted Captain Sarrell-san myself. I had arbitrarily passed him off as a bad guy after all. I should lick his face as an apology later. ¡°Captain Sarrell¡¯s escorting these five back to headquarters*.¡± ¡°Then, he can take these five too¡­¡­¡± Kix looked back at the five hoodlum-looking men as Captain Sarrell-san also looked over while bringing Winst-san and the other four along behind him. Kix¡¯s face stiffened slightly in apparent nervousness. While it seems that they hadn¡¯t been heavily involved with each other, to a rookie like Kix, Captain Sarrell-san was a scary superior who was strict in a different way compared to the One-Eyed Knight. Kix hurriedly brushed the dust off of his uniform and stared firmly at the ground to voice meeting Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s eyes. Somehow it¡¯s kinda funny. On the other hand, Captain Sarrell-san continued forward without recognising Kix¡ªor so I had thought, before he stopped briefly next to Kix. Then, he said this. ¡°Kix, is it? Seems like you¡¯re doing well at the Northern Fort¡­¡­.this time we¡¯ve troubled you. Grail too.¡± Captain Sarrell-san turned to look at Kix and the One-Eyed Knight in turns, briefly acknowledging them before walking off. Winst-san and the other four also followed after him. ¡°Captain Sarrell actually remembered me¡­¡­I honestly thought that he hadn¡¯t even remembered my name¡­¡­¡± ¡°Me too¡­¡­¡± Kix and the One-Eyed Knight had dumbfounded faces as they saw off Captain Sarrell-san. The two of them seemed to be surprised that Captain Sarrell-san had remembered their names. Though Captain Sarrell-san certainly did favour Winst-san and the other four amongst all of his subordinates, that didn¡¯t mean that he completely disregarded the rest of his subordinates. He was power hungry, and it was hard to say whether he had a good personality or not. Captain Sarrell-san did act in ways that made him easy to misunderstand, but he probably wasn¡¯t actually a hopelessly evil person either. ¡°¡­¡­Hyllis? Is something wrong?¡± She was sitting on Branch Captain-san¡¯s shoulder and staring fixedly at Captain Sarrell-san¡¯s back, so I grew a bit curious and asked. But Hyllis simply shrugged rather dexterously for being in her bird form and answered thusly. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Volume 2 - CH 42 With the decoy plan having ended safely, I started to lose focus. Unnoticed, I had started to get sleepy in Branch Captain-san¡¯s arms, and before I knew it I was inside the castle. It seemed like this was the same audience room that I was usually brought to when visiting the castle with Mother. With a luxurious white table¡ªthat had an excessive amount of intricate carvings on its surface, as well as stylishly curved legs that rounded out at the ends of them¡ªbetween us, I sat in front of the King and Queen. The married couple had blond hair, blue eyes, and a gentle appearance. Like always, they were smiling in a friendly manner. Commander-san and Branch Captain-san seemed to be speaking to the King and Queen. The two of them were sitting with Kugalg and I between them on top of a soft sofa. I dazedly stared at everyone with drowsy eyes, but- ¡°Fu¡­¡­!?¡± As my snot bubble burst open, my body twitched with a start and I fully woke up. The King and Queen who had been reflected in my eyes had been upside down the entire time. It seemed that I had been sleeping with my belly exposed again. I was fully spread out with all of my limbs extended into a ¡®´ó¡¯ shape in the middle of the sofa, and yet was still somehow able to relax by stretching out my body. When I casually looked next to me, I saw Kugalg sleeping peacefully in an elegantly round shape. On the other hand, I felt like until the very moment when I had woken up, I had been loudly snoring with my nose going supipi, supipipipi~. Feeling embarrassed for my unlady-like actions, I flusteredly attempted to get up. As my four short legs kicked up at the sky, Branch Captain-san lent me a hand of aid. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Mil?¡± ¡°Hahaha, you looked like you were sleeping well.¡± Having the King laugh at me made my face go red. After standing up on the sofa, I lowered my body and quickly hid myself behind the sleeping Kugalg. While I had met the King and Queen on several occasions before, I was pretty timid, so just coming face-to-face with them made my heart race. The royal aura was incredibly blinding. Do your best, my spirit aura. ¡°As usual, the child of snow is more mild-mannered and shy.¡± ¡°Mild-mannered and shy¡­¡­¡± Branch Captain-san mumbled back the King¡¯s words. You got a problem with that? ¡°She¡¯s probably just pretending. She was a little tomboy up until reaching the castle.¡± Commander-san laughed brightly and placed a hand on my head. Stop it! I¡¯ve been maintaining a graceful character here, you know! ¡°However, you really did well in coming so far. It must¡¯ve been terribly hard. I¡¯ve heard that you were asked to bring a letter from Snowlea here?¡± After being told that by the King, I suddenly recalled the letter. Right right, that was my original goal. Umm, where was it again? Mother¡¯s important letter, Mother¡¯s important letter. ¡­¡­where¡¯s Mother¡¯s important letter? Rather, I don¡¯t even have the bunny rucksack. Though it seems like someone¡¯s helped me take off the sheep outfit. When I paced round and round atop the sofa- ¡°Mil, it¡¯s here.¡± The One-Eyed Knight called out to me from behind. Huh? The One-Eyed Knight was also here! The One-Eyed Knight, Kix, and Tina-san were quietly standing behind us without sitting on the sofa. Then, the One-Eyed Knight opened the rucksack and left it on the sofa. At the same time, Mother¡¯s fairy and Father¡¯s snake slipped out of the bag. Sorry for making you stay in such a cramped space for so long, I nudged them with the tip of my nose to thank them for their patience. When I did so, Father¡¯s snake licked me with his thin tongue once, then split into ten balls of light and tried to leave the room from the window. I wonder if it had judged that we were no longer in any danger and returned to Father¡¯s side? When it fought, it was definitely stronger than Hyllis¡¯ fairy, which was made of six balls of light. However, as we never fell into a situation where it had to fight, you were a snake that basically never moved. Thank you. However, as the window wasn¡¯t open, the ten balls of light kept bumping against the glass panes, making hollow taps as they attempted to go outside. The King¡¯s guards hurried to open the window, and the aqua-coloured lights flew out of the window in a row. Following them, Mother¡¯s fairy flickered as it touched my nose, then similarly tried to fly out the window like Father¡¯s fairy did. However, I don¡¯t know whether or not it had any eyes, but the fairy seemed to be looking in my direction and saying, ¡°Bye bye¡± while flying. As such, it didn¡¯t fly out the window that the Royal Guard had opened, and instead collided at full force against the closed window next to it. Bam, the small collision rang out as Mother¡¯s fairy was momentarily squished flat up against the glass from the force of it. However, in the next instant it returned to its round shape, appearing slightly embarrassed as it floated about in the air and then exited properly through the open window. I felt like the speed at which it left was a bit fast. I wonder if it felt embarrassed. ¡°Fufufu, how delightful.¡± The Queen giggled at its actions. ¡°Now that I think of it, where¡¯s Hyllis¡­¡­?¡± I searched around the room while saying. In the room were the King and Queen, as well as the Royal Guards who were standing in wait by the wall. Other than them were myself and Kugalg, Commander-san and Branch Captain-san, as well as the One-Eyed Knight, Kix, and Tina-san, who were standing behind us. There was also a maid standing next to the door who was keeping a watchful eye on the amount of drinks and snacks left on top of the table. ¡°Hyllis disappeared before we entered the castle.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± She should¡¯ve at least said her farewells before leaving. Maybe she was taking me into consideration since I was sleeping at the time. ¡°Ah! What about Bwanch Captain-san¡¯s matta*!?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡­¡± Reacting to my voice, Kugalg¡¯s ears twitched as he woke up. ¡°My mother*?¡± Branch Captain-san tilted his head slightly. ¡°Right, Bwanch Captain-san¡¯s matta (matter)! Whether or not-¡­¡­.ah, wait.¡± After seeing Kugalg let out a big yawn, I also ended up yawning. I went, ¡°Yaw~n¡± without holding back and then continued speaking. ¡°Whether or not Bwanch Captain will stay at the Nor-furn Fort.¡± ¡°Ahh, that matter.¡± ¡°Does Captain Sarrell-san still want to come to the Nor-furn Fort?¡± ¡°No, with the incident that his subordinates caused, he said that he¡¯ll give up on going to the 9th Branch for now. Since it¡¯s not exactly the time for that right now.¡± That being said, saying ¡®for now¡¯ was very much like Captain Sarrell-san. I was relieved to see that he hadn¡¯t completely thrown away his ambitions. However, even if the threat of Captain Sarrell-san had disappeared, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that Branch Captain-san would stay at the Northern Fort. To begin with, if both the Prince and his family hadn¡¯t asked him to return to the Capital, then Captain Sarrell-san wouldn¡¯t have volunteered and said, ¡°Then I will go be Branch Captain in his place¡±. Unless we persuade the Prince, who wanted Branch Captain-san to return to be his Royal Guard, and his family, who wanted him to leave the harsh environment of the northern lands, Branch Captain-san will have to leave the Northern Fort. ¡°Where is the Prince?¡± Branch Captain-san might not be able to strongly express his opinion to the Prince, so here is where I as a spirit should speak ¨C is what I thought. ¡°His Highness is still working. My father will also be arriving at the castle soon, so I was thinking of having the three of us talk together¡­¡­.¡± You can¡¯t talk to them together! The Prince and his father are of the same opinion, so if he talked to them together it¡¯ll be two against one, and Branch Captain-san would definitely be at a disadvantage. He¡¯ll be eaten alive. At times like these, you had to take on your opponents one-by-one and take them down separately. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go on a walk for a bit!¡± In order to take down the Prince before Branch Captain-san¡¯s father came, I jumped down from the sofa. ¡°Mil.¡± The One-Eyed Knight tried to stop me, but the King said, ¡°Let her do as she pleases¡± and laughed merrily. However, he then continued with this. ¡°However, child of snow. Allow me to see the letter that Snowlea sent before you go.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right!¡± Mother¡¯s letter that I¡¯m sure has something important written! I clambered onto the sofa again, thrust my face into the bunny rucksack and searched for the letter with the tip of my nose. Once I found it, I grabbed it with my mouth and left the rucksack before once again descending to the carpeted floor. It was too bothersome to take a detour around it, so I passed underneath the table and placed the rolled up letter on top of the King¡¯s lap. ¡°Here you go. The letter.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°From my Mother.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°Read it properly.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± After seeing that the King had untied the purple cord, I went to leave the room in order to go talk with the Prince. Kugalg also came down from the sofa and followed after me. It didn¡¯t seem like I could open the massive door that separated this room from the corridor with my own strength. However, there were plenty of humans here, so it was alright. I sat right in front of the door and then stared motionlessly at the maid standing next to it. Once our eyes met, I once again glanced at the door in front of me, and then looked up at the maid again. When I did so, see? The maid checked with the King and then smiled as she opened the door for me. As long as there are people around, most things can be managed somehow. ¡°Thanks!¡± As I said my thanks, I slipped my body through the doorway before it was fully opened and went out into the corridor. There were two knights standing next to the door in the corridor, and they showed surprised expressions at seeing Kugalg and I pop out of the room. Unlike the barren and dark corridors at the fort, the corridors here were decorated with furnishings and paintings. Together with Kugalg, I dashed down the wide and gorgeous halls. The floor had a deep red carpet, so my paws didn¡¯t feel cold, and my claws didn¡¯t make any clicking sounds as they hit against the floor. The halls here also went in a straight line for longer than the halls at the fort, so playing tag here was also fun. Midway through it seemed like Kugalg was about to pass me, so I got serious and dashed forward with all my strength. We both reached the end of the corridor at the same time, and panting ¡°Haa haa¡­¡­¡± heavily, we laughed together and said, ¡°This is fun!¡±. ¡°Then this time let¡¯s run this way, until that pillar¡ª¡± ¡ªno. Not until that pillar. I went into the corridor to find the Prince. ¡°Scratch that! I¡¯ve gotta find the Prince.¡± CH Extra 3 I do not know the face of my father in this world. My memories right after being born are a bit fuzzy, but about one or two weeks after being born, I recalled the memories of my previous life, thus forming my current personality that made [me]. I could properly remember everything that happened after my personality formed. However, the one who was always by my side, raising and protecting me was Mother alone. Until I went down the mountain and met the One-Eyed Knight and everyone, my world was mostly composed of Mother and snow. Oddly enough, up until now I hadn¡¯t paid any heed to matters regarding my father. Because Mother didn¡¯t mention him at all. That being said, it didn¡¯t seem like it was a taboo topic that would set off any landmines. It truly felt like something that didn¡¯t matter at all, or that such a person didn¡¯t exist at all. Thus, I had abandoned such human-like thoughts. In other words, I assumed that the common sense of: [A child is made as a result of a certain act performed by a man and woman], did not apply to the creation of child spirits. Spirits are capable of creating a child by themselves. That is the conclusion that I had come to during my approximately one year¡¯s worth of life as a spirit. I don¡¯t remember what happened the moment I was born, but I had a fantasy-like image of Mother giving some of her power to snow that had fallen from the sky onto her hand, thus creating the existence known as me. But, be as it may. When I recently went to the Capital with Mother, Fire Spirit-san made ¡®that remark¡¯. [Is she your child with ¡®Water¡¯? Even though you rejected having children with me!] He certainly did say that, and Mother also did not deny it. I wonder if ¡®Water¡¯ refers to a water spirit. Is my Father a water spirit? ¡°Mother, who is my fwa-ther?¡± Just before bed, I resolved myself and tried asking Mother in our nest. Mother was currently in her beautiful silver-white fox form. Her fluffiness did not lose out to my own, and her fur was silky smooth. As I buried my body into that silky chest fur while asking that, Mother made a grim expression. ¡°I am your only parent. You do not have a father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­but, the Fire Spirit said. That I was your child with ¡®Water¡¯.¡± ¡°You remembered that?¡± After murmuring that in a slightly surprised manner, in the end Mother told me quite plainly. ¡°If you go far into the southeast from here, you will reach the place where the Water Spirit lives. I did indeed pair with him to birth you.¡± After that, Mother continued to answer my questions while talking about spirit children are made and raised. Though I really wondered if this really was a conversation to have with a child just before bed. To summarize things in my own way, for spirits to have children, they do need to go through the same process that humans do. It seems that they cannot create a child on their own. So, Mother who had started to think that she wanted children, paired up with Water Spirit-san whose nature match her own snow attribute¡ª¡ªin this case, becoming a [pair] wasn¡¯t like becoming husband and wife, but just meant that they spent a single night together¡ª¡ªand then after that, she became pregnant with me. So then, does that mean I¡¯m a half-snow and half-water spirit? -is what I thought, but it seems that isn¡¯t the case. Unlike with human children where they inherit the genes of both the father and mother, spirits inherit the attribute of one of their parents.I just happened to inherit Mother¡¯s snow attribute, but it was possible that I could have been born with the water attribute. And if that happened, then I would have been taken into the care of the water spirit, and raised as his successor. I would have been separate from Mother soon after being born. So, since this time the one who wanted a child was Mother, if I, the first child, had been ¡°water¡±, then she would birth another child and have that one as her successor. It seems that the second child is guaranteed to have a different attribute than the first when it is born. Incidentally, it is for this reason that if Mother had paired with a spirit who already had a successor, then she would have a 100% chance of birthing a child who would become her successor. Since a spirit can only have a single child. Based on what I heard from Mother, it appeared that she and Water Spirit-san didn¡¯t have any love between them. Though naturally, it wasn¡¯t like they hated each other either. I suppose spirits don¡¯t possess the concept of marriage? ¡°I wanna meet Fwa-ther.¡± I looked up at Mother and said that. I didn¡¯t have any particular ideas on what I wanted to do when I saw him. It wasn¡¯t like I wanted Water Spirit-san to do any fatherly things, nor did I hope for him to dote on me. I was just curious about what kind of person he was. It was simple curiosity. Mother was making a somewhat anxious expression, so while speaking a bit clumsily, I properly explained that fact. I don¡¯t plan on leaving Mother¡¯s side~, I explained. As a result, I received Mother¡¯s vague permission. ¡°If you are curious, then it is fine to meet him once¡­¡­in any case, that is a conversation for tomorrow. Today you should sleep.¡± When Mother licked my head, it was almost funny how quickly the sleepiness started to attack me. Yawn~, my mouth opened so wide it seemed as though my jaw would dislocate as I made a single yawn. Perhaps because I was in my infancy, sleepiness would rapidly come over me. And once I started to think, ¡°Sleepy¡± to myself, no other thoughts could enter my brain. After closing my eyes, I¡¯d fall asleep in three seconds. 3, 2, 1¡­¡­ ¡°Then, I will be going. Be a good child and stay at home.¡± The next day, after the sun had risen high in the sky, Mother left the nest in her vixen form. Starting with the Snowlea Mountain that we were on, she was going off to patrol all the mountains around this region. A spirit¡¯s job is hard work. ¡°It is fine to go visit the knights at the fort, but you must return before the sun sets.¡± ¡°Ok~ay.¡± After giving a proper reply, I watched Mother¡¯s back as she left. Even though Mother said it was okay for me to meet Father last night, when I mentioned that today, she was evasive and avoided the topic. As expected, she actually didn¡¯t really want me to meet him. It seems that she was worried that I¡¯d have thoughts about father. Lately it seems like she¡¯s been seeing the One-Eyed Knight as her rival too. Oh, Mother. Tonight, I¡¯ll have to fawn on Mother and stick close to her to give her some peace of mind. Children also have to take others into consideration. After a short while, I got sick of staying home alone and decided to head to the fort to play. Thus, I attempted to activate the transfer technique. The trick was to strongly think about the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s appearance. It seems that Mother can transfer while targeting a specific [location], but I was still only able to transfer while targeting a [person]. Rather, right now I can only go to the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s and Mother¡¯s sides. However, while I haven¡¯t tried it out, I might be able to transfer to Fire Spirit-san and Kugalg. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m a spirit, but it was easier to perceive the existence of other spirits. If I think about the tiny black panther appearance of Kugalg and go, ¡°The cub form of large carnivores is so cute~!¡±, then it feels like I might just accidentally transfer over there. Incidentally, when I asked Mother why she hadn¡¯t used the transfer technique when she thought I had been kidnapped and thus started up the blizzard, it seems that the fire energy from the hot spring inside the fort got in the way, and she was unable to perceive my existence. When I go to the One-Eyed Knight at the fort, I can properly sense his existence, but that was probably because he was a normal human being. His attribute is not particularly affected by the fire energy. One-Eyed Knight, One-Eyed Knight¡­¡­ My transfer technique is not perfect. I have to concentrate on my targeted person, or else it will not succeed. However, today I was distracted. One-Eyed Knight, One-Eyed Knight, Father, One-Eyed Knight¡­¡­ like that, I was so curious about my father that I couldn¡¯t concentrate. Even as I called the One-Eyed Knight to mind, my father, whose appearance I did not know, cut into my thoughts. Right now I mustn¡¯t think about my father. However, the more I told myself, the more it backfired, and the inside of my head was taken over with thoughts of my father. One-Eyed Knight, Father, Father, One-Eyed Knight¡­¡­Father, Father, Father, Father¡­¡­ Before I realised it, I was standing on a beautiful lakeshore. It was obviously different from the scenery of the snowy mountain nest that I had just been in. Snowlea Mountain also had a small lake, but this was also different from that. The temperature would probably feel a bit cold to humans, but it was a bit warm for me. The area around me wasn¡¯t surrounded by snow, but forest. All of the trees were densely covered with green leaves. You can¡¯t see this much green on the snowy mountain. The lake in front was extremely large, and had mist floating over it, so you couldn¡¯t see the opposite shore. The clear water glittered a mysterious emerald green colour, and as the water grew deeper, that colour also became darker. Not knowing what was lurking underneath those depths stirred a sense of unease within me. It¡¯s such a large lake. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if there was a Nessie-like monster in it. Having transferred to an unfamiliar location, I sat there puzzled for a short while. However, when I calmed down and tried feeling around for Mother¡¯s existence, I was able to discover that she was quite a distance away. Thinking about how I could immediately return to Mother¡¯s side using the transfer technique gave me a bit of a peace of mind. For the time being I tried observing the surroundings calmly. In front of me was a lak, to my right was a forest, to the left was also forest, and behind me was naturally¡ª¡ª- ¡°¡­¡­!!?¡± Forest¡ª¡ªor not. No, there certainly was a huge forest spreading out behind me too, but immediately behind me was a different existence. When I whirled around, my field of vision was filled with ¡°that¡±. Just at a glance, I could not tell what its true form was. It was like a roundish wall, with a colouring so beautiful that it stole my eyes away. It was turquoise, with faint white streaks mixed into it, creating a smooth polish. Where the sun hit it, it glittered like jewels, making me want to appreciate the view forever. I stealthily approached that wall and tried sniffing it. When I was a human, information obtained by sight was most important, but since gaining this form I¡¯ve become more dependent on my sense of smell instead. Its scent was surprisingly faint, so odourless that I almost wondered whether or not it was just a mass of limpid water. However, when I approached it, I realised that the wall had scales. Not like the scales of a fish, but like those of a [snake]¡­¡­. ¡°S-Snake¡­¡­.!?!?¡± The instant the name of that creature entered my mind, I let out a confused scream and tumbled away in retreat. Because that wall was so large that I had to look up at it. If its true identity was a coiled up snake, then it was one large enough to eat me up in one bite. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± It seems that it¡¯s true that you can become speechless with surprise. My body poofed up like a cat, and I made not a single movement as I maintained my gaze on the gigantic snake. Let¡¯s run away from here before the snake wakes up. -is what I thought, but that plan fruitlessly fell apart. The coiled up snake that appeared to be asleep suddenly raised its head slowly, perhaps sensing the fearful aura coming from me. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The two of us silently locked eyes. However, in contrast to my eyes that were opened as wide as they could go with fear, the snake¡¯s eyes were drowsily gazing at me absentmindedly. I thought that it would attack me as soon as it recognised my presence, but no matter how much time passed, it didn¡¯t move, so perhaps it wasn¡¯t hungry. The chance of me surviving increased a little. Let¡¯s keep an eye on it while retreating step by step. While I¡¯d like nothing more than to turn heel and run away, if a huge snake like this were to slither after me at a high speed behind me, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d end up pissing myself while running away. The idea of exposing my back to it was scary. However, as I started to step back slowly, the snake took an unforeseen action. It slowly opened its mouth, and started to speak with a deep voice. ¡°Snowlea, is it? You¡¯ve gotten¡­¡­a bit smaller.¡± This snake¡­can talk? I put some strength into my quivering legs. Once I knew that it could be communicated with, I felt a little relieved, even if the other party was a gigantic snake. It had reason, and wasn¡¯t just a mindless beast. It also seemed to know Mother, so it was undoubtedly a spirit. And once I thought that far, my heart started to race for an entirely different reason. I probably came here unintentionally using the transfer technique, so I thought about what I had been thinking about prior to transferring. The true identity of this snake was surely¡ª¡ª- ¡°Fwa-ther?¡± My mutter was so soft that it probably wasn¡¯t heard by him. The large and beautiful snake looked quizzically at me as he spoke, his eyes still appearing as sleepy as before. ¡°Has your body¡­¡­shrunk? Strange things¡­¡­do happen.¡± Father¡¯s¡ª¡ªI¡¯ll just call him Father as I please, but Father¡¯s manner of speaking was very slow paced. Coupled together with the deepness of his voice, it made the listener feel sleepy. I timidly called out to him. ¡°I¡¯m¡­.not Snow-le-ah. That¡¯s Mother.¡± ¡°Hm? ¡­¡­ahh, I see. Then¡­you¡¯re from that time¡­¡­the child that Snowlea was pregnant with¡­¡­was you. So¡­¡­you¡¯ve already been born.¡± Father¡¯s eyelids opened ever so slightly in surprise. ¡°Um¡­are you my ¡®Fwa-ther¡¯?¡± I closed the distance between the beautiful snake and I, and looked up at him while talking. I was so excited that my tail started to shake. It was a bit of a shock that my father was a snake, but I was happy to meet him. I thought that he¡¯d be more excited at meeting me for the first time, but the perception of a [parent and child] relationship for a pure spirit was apparently different from that of a former human like myself. Thus, he very calmly responded. ¡°Father, huh¡­¡­.being called that feels a little¡­¡­strange. You have not¡­¡­.inherited the water attribute.¡± After hearing that, my tail instantly drooped down. It seems that I had unconsciously been expecting to be welcomed as energetically as Fire Spirit-san might, with a, ¡°Ohh, you¡¯re my child! I¡¯ve wanted to meet you!¡±. Even as I grew a bit sad, I tried to persevere, since I had finally managed to meet Father after all this time. ¡°But, but¡­¡­! I was born bee-cause Fwa-ther ¡°pay-red¡± with Mo-ther, right? I wudn¡¯t have been born if¡¯it was just Mother¡­¡­.that is whyyy I think that I¡¯m Fwa-ther¡¯s child too.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡­? Now that you mention it¡­¡­that is¡­true. You are Snowlea¡¯s child¡­¡­and my child¡­¡­as well.¡± My tail once again began to shake. Alright! I got him to admit to our parent-child relationship! I did say that I just wanted to meet my father out of curiosity, but being told something like, ¡°You aren¡¯t my child¡±, from someone who was my parent did make me sad as might be expected. So, I reflexively ended up pursuing the matter. But I ended up regretting it, wondering whether or not I was being a bother only after he recognised our relationship. After all, Father seems to only really think of himself as a [sperm donor], so having me suddenly insist, ¡°You are my father!¡±, is probably troubling to him. Well, I do think that he is undeniably my father, at least biologically speaking. Spirits and humans just have a different way of thinking about things. I¡¯d hate to be thought of as troublesome. Feeling uneasy, I fell silent after that, upon which- ¡°Since you¡¯ve taken the time to come here¡­¡­then take it easy¡­¡­¡± Unexpectedly, he spoke to me in such a manner. I was so happy that my tail felt like it would fly off from wagging too much. However, Father was quite good at leading me around by the nose. While he said, ¡°Take it easy¡±, it looked like he didn¡¯t plan on entertaining me much, as he placed his raised head in the centre of his coil and closed his eyes. Eh, is he going to sleep? ¡°Um¡­Fwa-ther¡­¡­.?¡± When I hesitantly called out to him, he raised his large eyelids and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± in his bassy voice. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± Ah, he closed his eyes again. Amidst the silence, I stood frozen on the spot for a while in bewilderment. I don¡¯t really get Father¡¯s personality. However, it was boring to just keep standing around here, so I figured I¡¯d try exploring the surroundings for a bit. Like Father said, I did take the time to come all the way here after all. First, I approached the beautiful lake spreading out before my eyes. It didn¡¯t have a sandy beach by its edge like the ocean, and instead, short grass grew thickly on its bank, cutting off abruptly where the lake¡¯s edge sat. While the shore was close by, that didn¡¯t mean the bank was shallow. If I were human, the water level would probably reach up to about my knees, but for the little me, there was a chance that my head would end up submerged. I¡¯ll have to be careful not to fall into the water. I¡¯m sure that lakes can have waves as well, but since there wasn¡¯t any wind right now, the surface of the lake was calm. When I dipped my front paw into the water, ripples soon formed in the water. While it was enthralling to watch, it felt unpleasant to wet my leg fur, so I quickly stopped. After shaking down my wet forepaws, I then started to search for fish. I brought my face close to the lake¡¯s surface so that I could peer into the water. ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s dangerous.¡± Then, a voice suddenly called out to me from behind, causing me to turn around. Father was still coiled up, but he had kept just a single eye open that was looking my way. So he wasn¡¯t sleeping? ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± After the two of us silently stared at each other for several seconds, I took a few steps away from the lake. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to give up on looking for fish, so I glanced back at the lake with a regretful gaze before turning back towards Father and speaking. ¡°I wanna see da fishes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­no¡­¡­dangerous¡­¡­come over here.¡± I reluctantly returned to Father¡¯s side and sat down on the ground so that I could cuddle up to his large head. While I knew that he wouldn¡¯t eat me, being so close to such a gigantic mouth made me feel a bit nervous. When I peeked up at Father, I saw that after confirming with one eye that I was sitting next to him, he once again closed that eye. After that, whenever I got bored from having nothing to do and started to approach the lake again, or tried to sneak into the forest, he¡¯d have an eye open before I realised it. Then, he¡¯d call me back with, ¡°Stay still¡±, or, ¡°Come back here¡±. And then, once he confirmed that I came back to his side, he¡¯d close his eyes again. Rinse and repeat. It seemed that whenever I exceeded an 8-metre distance from Father, his [recall process] would activate. He was probably worried about me scampering about, but his supervision was harsher and stingier than Mother¡¯s. I thought he¡¯d be a more laissez-faire type, but he unexpectedly wasn¡¯t? Rather, wasn¡¯t he a bit overprotective? Though he didn¡¯t do anything like petting my head, or hugging me, or making remarks that a doting parent might say, like, ¡°You¡¯re shoooo cutee!¡±¡­¡­ Helpless, I killed time by observing an ant nest next to Father, or trying to see how close I could get to the little birds resting on Father¡¯s body. ¡ª¡ªI digress, but even if Mother were to lie down in her fox form, I don¡¯t think any birds would come to rest on top of her. It felt like Mother was held in both awe and fear by the animals on the snowy mountain. In contrast, it feels as though Father was recognised as being a part of nature. And then, in the end I tried challenging the invisible 8-metre boundary. Distancing myself from Father in a way that I wouldn¡¯t be scolded, I enjoyed myself by playing at the very limits of the 8-metres. When I looked back at the 7-metre mark, I could see Father gazing my way. Something I also learned was it was pointless to try going around behind Father to avoid his line of sight. He¡¯d sluggishly lift up his head and follow me with his eyes. However, it seemed like I wandered around a bit too much, as he ultimately imprisoned me in the ¡°centre of his coil¡±. What¡¯s with this method of confinement? ¡°You should get a bit bigger¡­¡­before walking around on your own¡­¡­children¡­¡­shouldn¡¯t drift too far¡­¡­from their parents.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡­¡± I can¡¯t really tell if Father¡¯s love is weak or strong. In the end, I spent about 3 hours by Father¡¯s side. We didn¡¯t really have a proper conversation, and we ended up taking an afternoon nap together after I was placed in his coil, but it was fun in its own way. Though I received quite a fright when I woke up from my short nap and saw Father peeking at my sleeping face from above. After having him let me out from his coil, I looked up at Father and said- ¡°Well, I should pwo-ba-bwee wee-turn to Mother¡¯s side now.¡± There was still some time before sunset, but I should probably head back earlier so as to not worry Mother. Once she sniffs me, I won¡¯t be able to hide the fact that I met Father. She¡¯ll probably sulk if she finds out that I stayed here for a long time too. ¡°I see¡­¡­then, come play again¡­¡­.tomorrow.¡± ¡°Eh, tomor-wow?¡± ¡°Yeah, tomorrow¡­¡­¡± It¡¯s already predetermined? Father¡¯s unexpectedly pushy. No, it does make me happy though. At first I thought he found me annoying after all. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll come again tomor-wow.¡± I¡¯ll go to the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s place around noon, so I can come here before or after that. I have to make some time so that Mother can have some exclusive mother-child time too, so my schedule was quite full, despite only being a one-year old. ¡°Yeah¡­¡­tomorrow¡­¡­you must come. You must¡­¡­.¡± ¡°G-Got it.¡± Like that, the curtains fell on our first father-daughter meeting, and after that one thing led to another¡ª¡ª-rather, Father kept saying, ¡°Come again tomorrow¡­¡­¡±¡ª¡ªso I ended up going to see Father every day. Incidentally. When Father changes into his human form, he turns into a beautiful man with long aqua-coloured hair. His attire was a single high quality cloth that wrapped around him like something a god from Greek mythology might wear.* Spirits really take inspiration from all sorts of genres for their clothes, huh. CH Extra 4 Two years after my birth, I finally gained the ability to transform into the human form. ¡°Mother, look!¡± Inside the cave that was our nest, I showed off my human appearance to Mother, who was resting in her big fox form. Even when I became human, I was about the size of a two-year-old, with silver hair that went down to my waist. My clothes resembled what Mother wears when she transforms into human form, consisting of a white kimono. However, lengthwise it was a bit shorter, and cut off just above the knee. With my bare legs and straw sandals, I somewhat resembled a snow child. Though rather than a Western snow spirit, I seemed more like a Japanese snow demon. It¡¯d be even more perfect if I put on a straw snow coat*. ¡°Oh my, Milfiria.¡± As Mother turned her face my way, her eyes widened slightly. ¡°So you¡¯ve already become capable of taking the human form. What a lovely appearance!¡± Mother also took on her human form, and hugged me tightly with excitement. How soft. Her chest is so soft. However, when she let me go and once again gazed at my form, she let out a bewitching smile as she said this. ¡°But it isn¡¯t perfect yet. Your ears and tail are peeking out.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Startled, I turned to look at my rear end, finding a fluffy white tail swaying there when I did so. When I reached my short arms up to my head, I could feel furry fox ears¡­¡­ ¡°Uwah, it¡¯s true.¡± I hastily closed my eyes and tried to concentrate, but it was too difficult, and I was unable to retract the appendages. ¡°This is the worst!¡± I held down my fox ears with my hands and crouched down. So hard! No way, I don¡¯t want this kind of incomplete form. On top of that, doesn¡¯t it look like I¡¯m aiming for something by just leaving my ears and tail in their vixen form? It seems really calculated, doesn¡¯t it? ¡°Fufu, it¡¯s not a bad thing at all. Isn¡¯t it quite cute?¡± Mother isn¡¯t aware of the Japanese term, ¡°kemono-mimi¡±*, and she naturally isn¡¯t aware of its place as a ¡®moe genre¡¯**. My current form seemed to have struck a chord with her, as she tightly hugged me with a face full of smiles. Even in a different world, I suppose the things that make people¡¯s hearts clench haven¡¯t changed. There aren¡¯t any mirrors inside the cave, so I can¡¯t look at my own appearance objectively. After being stroked all over by Mother, something suddenly came to mind. ¡°Say, Mother. Can Mother also bring out your ears and tail while still in human form?¡± ¡°Me?¡± I excitedly looked up at the beautiful woman in front of me. ¡°Well now, I¡¯ve never actually tried to purposely leave my ears and tail out.¡± ¡°Try it! Pleeeease!¡± I hugged Mother and shook my tail. I¡¯m sure that right now my eyes are shining with sparkles. ¡°Hmm.¡± Mother calmly closed her eyes, and after concentrating for a brief second, she splendidly managed to bring out her fox ears and tail. What a devastating appearance! ¡°M-Mother¡­¡­!¡± I was rendered speechless at the sight. All toddlers were cute in their own right, so when you added cute fox ears to a toddler, that just doubled the ¡®cuteness¡¯. Even if the young me became a fox-eared girl, it wouldn¡¯t cause too much of a reaction. However, what if you attached fox ears and a tail to an adult woman with a voluptuous body who could freeze you at a glance with her icy beauty? You¡¯d be adding [Cuteness] on top of [Beauty] + [Coldness] + [Bewitching Sex Appeal]. Such a destructive force! Try imagining it! There¡¯s no difference if you just add cat ears to a character who normally acts cute already! But what about when you add cat ears to someone who normally acts cool?! ¡­¡­I might¡¯ve just created the ultimate being. ¡°M-Mother¡­amazing¡­¡­.amazing¡­¡­.¡± Seeing me begin to tremble with excitement and awe, Mother flinched back slightly. ¡°W-What¡¯s the matter, Milfiria?¡± Mother might not be able to understand this impact. However, I even felt that my excited state was a bit disgusting, so I turned my eyes away from the fox-eared beauty before me, and calmed my heart down. I¡¯d hate to be a toddler who gets excited at the sight of her mother after all. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s nothing. I was just happy that we matched~¡± I touched the ears coming out of the top of my head and went ¡®hehe¡¯, trying to gloss things over with an innocent laugh. ¡°I see, that¡¯s true, we do match.¡± Mother also laughed happily, and dropped a kiss on my ear. Ahh, it hurts. Mother is so cute it hurts. I want her to stay in this form forever. I want to take a picture and permanently preserve this image. It¡¯s so nice how the person in question doesn¡¯t get how fascinating she looks right now. ¡°Mother, stay in that form for the rest of today~!¡± When I played cute and said that, Mother cheerfully nodded and responded, ¡°Very well¡±. Alright! Today I get to spend the whole day with a fox-eared beauty~! *** The next day after enjoying Mother¡¯s incredibly cute appearance, I turned into human form and headed to the fort to have them see it. As always, I targeted their afternoon rest period, and flew over to the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s side. I transferred there in an instant. When I opened my eyes, I was on the fort¡¯s training grounds, and everyone was in the middle of returning to the building with their swords, having finished training. It seemed that they did a cross-squad training session, as there were quite a number of people. The One-Eyed Knight was standing right in front of me, but since his back was facing me, he still hadn¡¯t noticed my existence. And standing next to the One-Eyed Knight and talking to him was my bosom buddy, Branch Captain-san. It seemed that the current training session had been to examine their soldier¡¯s ability with the sword, personality, and compatibility, amongst other things. Thus, they seemed to be in the middle of a conversation to decide ¡®how to organise the squads next¡¯. I don¡¯t really get it. After waiting for several seconds, neither of them showed any signs of noticing my presence, so I tugged on the cuff of the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s overcoat. The One-Eyed Knight immediately turned around and dropped his gaze, finding me, and momentarily made a puzzled expression. ¡°A child? Just where did you come fr-¡­¡­¡± As he was saying that in a mystified manner, his words came to a sudden halt midway through. I could tell that the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s quick, observant gaze turned to the colour of my hair, garments, as well as the ears coming out of my head, and then my tail. It seems he¡¯s perceived my true identity. ¡°¡­¡­Mil?¡± There weren¡¯t any changes in his expression except for his eyebrows that rose imperceptibly, but there was a faint surprise contained within his voice. It felt as though my prank had succeeded, making me feel somewhat happy. I grinned and replied. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The One-Eyed Knight crouched down in front of me, smiling like a kindly father. ¡°I see, now that I think about it Snowlea also took on human form.¡± ¡°But, Mother only became able to transform into a human when she was three. I¡¯m still two!¡± Perhaps because I was a human in my previous life, I was quicker in learning how to transform into a human. Well, for a spirit one year was like a day for a human, so there might not be too much of a difference there. However, when I proudly puffed out my chest and said that, the One-Eyed Knight praised me, saying, ¡°Is that so, that¡¯s amazing¡±. ¡°Right~? The truth is, you know, I was twaining all this time.¡± I was happy at being praised, so I grinned as my tail shook vigorously. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s great. You¡¯re amazing.¡± The One-Eyed Knight took off his glove and stroked my head roughly. Ah, wait a moment. Don¡¯t take the opportunity to stroke my ears while you¡¯re petting my head. As the two of us messed around, I recalled that Branch Captain-san was also here. When I glanced behind the One-Eyed Knight, I saw him covering his face with both hands, trembling. W-What¡¯s wrong? ¡°One-Eyed Knight¡­¡­Bwanch Captain-san is¡­¡­¡± When I voiced my concern, the One-Eyed Knight took a brief glimpse behind him to confirm before reassuringly declaring, ¡°He¡¯ll be fine¡±. ¡°But¡­¡­¡± No matter how you look at it, he wasn¡¯t fine. Somehow he seemed a bit like¡­me from yesterday when I was so moved by Mother¡¯s fox-eared appearance that I trembled? ¡°Vice Captain! Don¡¯t tell me, that child is-¡­¡­.!¡± The other knights that had been leaving the training grounds noticed our voices as we conversed and turned back this way. Taking the lead was Kix. Immediately behind him was Tina-san, as well as the Scary-Faced Squad. ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s Mil.¡± ¡°Seriously!? What¡¯s with that appearance! What¡¯s with this biological weapon!¡± Kix seemed like he wanted to ruffle up my hair and mess it up, so I quickly hid behind the One-Eyed Knight. However, Kix persistently kept chasing after me, so the two of us ended up running circles around the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°Let me pet you!¡± ¡°Kix will make my hair all messy, so no.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll pull my ears, so no.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± ¡°Oi, stop scampering around me.¡± The One-Eyed Knight seized Kix¡¯s collar and brought him to a stop, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Oh my! Mil-chan is so cute!¡± The next one to raise her voice was Tina-san. Her eyes had gone damp with excitement as her cheeks blushed. ¡°You¡¯re soooo cute! Oh gosh! Just looking at you makes my heart clench! What¡¯s with this, oh gosh! It¡¯s so dreadful!¡± Eh, so dreadful!? ¡°Ah, Branch Captain¡­¡­?¡± The excited Tina-san suddenly moved her gaze away from me and said that. It was because Branch Captain-san, whose hands were still covering his face, was walking unsteadily back towards the building, appearing incredibly haggard. ¡°Eh, are you okay? What¡¯s the mat¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Tina.¡± Kix and the other knight-sans stopped Tina-san, who was about to rush towards Branch Captain-san. All of them had a sort of knowing look, and like how the One-Eyed Knight spoke earlier, they reassuringly declared, ¡°He¡¯ll be fine¡±. ¡°Right now, you should just leave him be. The Branch Captain will be fine.¡± ¡°Right right, it¡¯s probably just that the impact was a bit too strong.¡± ¡°He saw Mil before being able to mentally prepare himself after all. His character was about to crumble.¡± ¡°His character was about to crumble!? Isn¡¯t that a big problem!?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± Tina-san and I were worried about Branch Captain-san, but everyone else was seeing him off with lukewarm eyes. I don¡¯t get it. In any case, I managed to surprise everyone that was at the training grounds except Branch Captain-san, so it was worth practicing my humanoid transformation. And as expected, I feel like being able to take human form was convenient in various ways. For example, these fingers. I can grab the snow accumulated on the ground and make it round with both hands. After putting in some strength to make the shape more firm, I silently tossed the snowball at Kix¡¯s legs. ¡°Uwoh! What are you doing all of a sudden¡ª¡ª-¡± I once again grabbed some snow and silently tossed it at Kix. ¡°Eh, what!? Why is it just me!?¡± I remembered that last year, Kix tossed a snowball that struck a critical hit on my face while fooling around. That hurt. Now, my simmering anger was revived as it overflowed. ¡°Last year, Kix threw a snowball at my face!¡± ¡°Ehh!? You¡¯re still holding a grudge over that!? Rather, the first thing you do after turning into human form is take revenge!?¡± Instead of apologising, Kix grew defiant, so I kept making snowballs. Then, like a baseball pitcher, I threw them at Kix with all my strength. ¡°Wai-, that hurts! It hurts quite a bit!¡± Starting with the One-Eyed Knight, everyone surrounding us had no intention of stopping me, nor any intention of helping Kix, as they cheered me on while laughing, ¡°Alright, throw more!¡±. Then, I won¡¯t hesitate to take up that offer. As I continued to do such a childish thing, I suddenly sensed [Fire Energy] approaching. I¡¯ve sensed this countless times during this past year, so I knew. ¡ª¡ª-Kugalg was coming. CH Extra 5 Together with a bright red flame, Kugalg appeared in his animal form. His glossy black fur and flaming red eyes stood out a lot in the snowscape. He happened to land on the edge of the training ground, where the snow hadn¡¯t been shovelled, so he was instantly buried in snow. Flustered, he crawled out of the hole and came this way. Even though it wouldn¡¯t go out so easily, the way he held his tail up high in an attempt to protect the small flame at the end of it was kind of cute. ¡°Milfiria!¡± Kugalg called my name with his boyishly energetic voice. But, in the next instant his eyes grew round as he stared at me in my human form. ¡°You¡¯re Milfiria¡­¡­.right?¡± The surrounding knights from the fort clamoured at the sudden arrival of a cute visitor, but for the time being I decided to look after Kugalg. The truth is since we first met last year at the Capital, Kugalg has been coming to Snowlea Mountain to play two to three times each week. Even though a fire spirit like Kugalg clearly had difficulty getting used to the cold climate of this region, in front of me he seemed to purposely put up with it. He didn¡¯t seem to have any business here, yet he still came frequently. I previously tried asking him, ¡°It¡¯s actually pretty hard for you to endure the cold, right? Why do you force yourself to come here?¡±. Kugalg, who normally puts up a strong front, looked a little teary eyed as he responded in a lonely manner, ¡°Because if I don¡¯t come here, Milfee won¡¯t come to visit me¡­¡­.¡±, unintentionally making my heart clench. While my heart did clench, as expected I could not go over to Kugalg¡¯s place to visit. Because I feel like if I went to the south, I feel like I might just die from the heat, and Kugalg, who¡¯d be a hundred times more energetic on his homeground. Kugalg¡¯s already stronger with more brute strength to begin with, so I¡¯d be the one to die just from him playing around. ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s me! I¡¯ve become able to transform into human form.¡± I threw away the snowball meant for throwing at Kix, and approached Kugalg. Maybe because he was frustrated at having been beaten to the punch by me, Kugalg made an unamused expression while going, ¡°Hmm¡±. As expected, boys are bothered by things like these, aren¡¯t they? ¡°But, I¡¯m plenty strong in this form anyways.¡± Even though I didn¡¯t say anything, Kugalg said that with a sullen expression. His childish way of putting up a front was very endearing. ¡°Wha-, that child! That naughty look* in his eyes! His dishonest manner! So cute!¡± It seemed that behind me, Tina-san was writhing from the tiny panther. And, noticing her voice, Kugalg turned his eyes away from me, appearing to finally pay some attention to the fort¡¯s knights. His eyes grew especially sharp as he glared at the One-Eyed Knight, who was the closest to me in proximity. How courageous. ¡°Who are they? Humans?¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re all good people. They¡¯re my friends.¡± Or perhaps it would be better to call them my guardians or something. Hearing my response, Kugalg once again went, ¡°Hmm¡±, as he made an unamused expression. ¡°This person is the One-Eyed Knight.¡± When I introduced the One-Eyed Knight next to me by holding his hand, Kugalg¡¯s brow furrowed even more. ¡°You don¡¯t need to introduce them. I won¡¯t be friends with them.¡± Hearing that, Kix, whose mental age was that of a child¡¯s, got irritated and went, ¡°Whaaaat?¡±, but everyone else appeared completely unfazed. Instead, they were grinning at the prickly-mannered panther cub. However, I grew a bit anxious. Starting with the One-Eyed Knight, I¡¯m always being taken care of by everyone at the fort, so I didn¡¯t want him to be impolite to them. And I didn¡¯t want all the knights of the fort to have a bad impression of Kugalg either. One way or another, I had started to hold a sort of feeling of fellowship with Kugalg, who was the child of a spirit like myself. I ran over to Kugalg, went behind him and picked him up. ¡°Look, don¡¯t say something like that. Let¡¯s go and greet everyone.¡± Kugalg¡¯s body was pretty heavy. It took all my strength to lift him up by the armpits. His body temperature is pretty high, huh. ¡°Uwah!? Stop!¡± Startled at being picked up by me, Kugalg started to struggle, swinging his limbs about. After escaping from my arms, his ears twitched nervously as he glared at me with a bashful face. ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± While we were in human form and animal form respectively, he was probably embarrassed at being hugged by a girl. It might just be my imagination, but I had a feeling that his face was bright red, even though it was covered by his short fur. I might¡¯ve hurt his pride. Boys really are a pain in the bu-¡­¡­no no, I did something bad. ¡°I¡¯m going home for today¡­¡­¡± Appearing somewhat despondent, Kugalg murmured in an unusually quiet voice and returned to the south. ¡­¡­s-somehow, I feel a bit sorry. *** One week after that when I went to play at the fort in my human form, Kugalg came once again. At that time, I was with the One-Eyed Knight and everyone else at the dining hall¡ª¡ª-it was a day where they had training throughout the morning, so their physical strength was exhausted, and thus they also ate lunch¡ª¡ªand when I sensed the presence of fire right next to me and turned around, a boy around the age of 3 that was slightly taller than me was standing there. He had dark brown skin and short black hair. While his red eyes that flickered like the flame of a fire were beautiful, his gaze was incredibly menacing. His garments gave an Arabian feel, and on top of his head were round panther ears, while a long tail extended out from his behind, a flame flicker at its tip. Yup, this is definitely Kugalg. So he¡¯s become capable of taking on the human form. As I thought, he was frustrated at being beaten to the punch by me. Kugalg was making a triumphant look while crossing his arms and looking at me, but when I thought about how desperately he must¡¯ve been practicing to be able to transform into a human during this past week, all I could do was make a lukewarm smile. So cute. However, like me his animals ears and tail were exposed, so his transformation wasn¡¯t perfect. That was also cute. How cunning. ¡°How¡¯s that! I¡¯ve also become capable of transforming into the human form! It was far too simple.¡± ¡°Wow, so amazing.¡± I am still older than him mentally, so I wouldn¡¯t do something immature like pointing out his lie here. If I did, it would hurt Kugalg¡¯s feelings and he¡¯d become an even bigger pain to deal with. The pure Kugalg honestly took my words at face value and appeared satisfied. However, when he looked at me again, his expression soon warped. His brow furrowed, and his sharp gaze grew even sharper as he spoke in an evidently displeased tone of voice. ¡°Milfee, why are you sitting there?¡± ¡°Why, you ask¡­¡­¡± Actually, right now I was sitting on the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s lap eating sandwiches together with him. If you were to ask me why, all I could say was that there weren¡¯t any child seats for me to use. The table was too high for me if I sat on a normal chair. ¡°Get down.¡± Kugalg appeared irritated as the tip of his long tail slapped the ground. ¡°But, I¡¯m still eating¡­¡­¡± Still holding onto the sandwich that I had been about to munch on in both hands, I stiffened, troubled. Geez, Kugalg just had to come while we were in the middle of a meal. After understanding that I wasn¡¯t about to move, Kugalg then glared at the One-Eyed Knight and spoke. ¡°Hey you, put Milfiria down.¡± Awawa, don¡¯t just go ¡®hey you¡¯ to the One-Eyed Knight. Why is he speaking in such a belligerent manner? Thankfully, the One-Eyed Knight was a flexible adult. He didn¡¯t show any signs of displeasure at Kugalg¡¯s rude manner, instead understanding that the other party was a child, and thus responded in a slightly kinder voice compared to when he interacted with someone like Kix. ¡°Once Mil finishes her meal.¡± However, Kugalg did not seem to like being treated like a child, and instead grew angrier. He bared his tiny fangs and lashed out at the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°Who are you to Milfee!?¡± ¡°¡­¡­something like a guardian, I suppose?¡± The shouting Kugalg and the leisurely One-Eyed Knight. Then, there was me, who was looking between them in confusion while still holding my sandwich. Incidentally, the other knights in the dining hall had entered spectator mode, watching over the delightful showdown, ¡°Iron Man VS Saucy Brat¡±. They were definitely enjoying themselves right now. And then, Kugalg drew even closer to the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®guardian¡¯!? Milfee is mine!¡± ¡°W-W-What are you talking abu-¡­¡­¡± I was so shaken that I bit my tongue. Ow. Just when exactly did I become Kugalg¡¯s? Even without looking in a mirror, I could tell that my face had flushed a bright red. After transforming into human form, I was instantly exposed whenever my face went red. Since he often came to visit me, I could somewhat tell that Kugalg was fond of me. But, I¡¯d really rather that he stop making such statements where the One-Eyed Knight and everyone else could hear. It felt like I had received a confession in front of my father or older brother. It was incredibly embarrassing! However, as I blushed, the atmosphere in the dining hall had a complete about-face. The faces of the surrounding knights who had been amusing themselves in the exchange suddenly grew serious, and the One-Eyed Knight, who had been taking on Kugalg¡¯s impolite attitude without getting angry, suddenly had a sharp light in his right eye. He then looked down at Kugalg at full force, and said. ¡°What do you mean by¡­¡­¡¯mine¡¯?¡± D-D-D-Deep. His voice is. Incredibly deep. ¡°T-That is¡­¡­¡± As expected, even Kugalg could feel the unsettling air in the dining hall as he faltered. After receiving the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s intimidating stare, his tail grew a bit rounder. However, once he noticed that I was staring straight at him, Kugalg put himself back together and snapped at the One-Eyed Knight in a loud voice. ¡°Milfiria is going to become a ¡®pair¡¯ with me, and birth my child! That is why she is mine!¡± Kugalg¡¯s declaration struck like a bolt from the blue, but I didn¡¯t even have the time to deny it, nor grow embarrassed from it. The One-Eyed Knight, who was letting me sit on his lap, gave a flat refusal from behind me. ¡°That won¡¯t be happening. Not as long as light still resides in my right eye.*¡± It was a definitive statement. Completely disregarding my own opinion¡ª¡ª-though it was fine because I had no intention of becoming a pair with Kugalg right now¡ª¡ªhe stated that firmly. On top of that, his tone of voice was so serious, not even Kugalg could muster a retort, as the fur on his ears and tail stood on end. Thank goodness I couldn¡¯t see the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s expression from my current position. He was probably making an awfully dreadful face that would not allow for the utterance of even a single joke. Even the other knights, who usually joked around a lot, were now speaking without a single smile on any of their faces. ¡°Kugalg, was it? Unless it¡¯s someone strong enough to take all of us down, we won¡¯t let him take Mil as a bride.¡± ¡°Come back when you¡¯ve remade yourself. You¡¯re a hundred years too early.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s a thousand years too early.¡± They were arbitrarily extending my marriageable age. Amongst the immature knights who were threatening a young child were the Scary-Faced Squad as well as a large number of people who originally had villainous faces. Plus, they all had large bodies, so they had quite the impact. Even Kugalg, who always acted strong, was still a child. It seemed that he experienced some fear at the serious adults, as his eyes looked a little teary as he said- ¡°I-It¡¯ll be easy to defeat all of you bastards! I¡¯m strong after all! But since I¡¯ll only need to ¡®pair¡¯ with Milfiria when we¡¯re adults, I¡¯ll let you guys off for now!¡± After bluffing, his body changed into fire and he disappeared as though he were running away. I-Is he okay? He didn¡¯t go home and cry, did he? After I finish my sandwich, let¡¯s use the transfer technique and go to console Kugalg. Being intimidated by the knights of this fort is scary after all. Giving him a slightly reproachful gaze, I looked up at the One-Eyed Knight who was at my back. He was making an awkward expression. ¡°¡­¡­my bad. That was a bit immature of me. Tell Kugalg that he can come to play at the fort again. At the time, I¡¯ll apologise for today. ¡ª¡ªthough, all the stuff about ¡®pairing¡¯ is another matter. That¡¯s impossible.¡± Your tone of voice completely changed between the first half and the second half of your sentence, you know. Rather, by ¡®impossible¡¯ does he mean it¡¯s because I¡¯m still a child, or because he didn¡¯t plan on letting me marry for the rest of my life? Which is it? Please let it be the former. ¡°All of you also shouldn¡¯t frighten Kugalg. You have to play nice.¡± When the One-Eyed Knight turned his gaze to the rest of the fort¡¯s knights and said that, they all played dumb and looked off in random directions. Hey, are you really listening properly? I lamented the fact that Tina-san wasn¡¯t here right now. If it was her, then she¡¯d probably take my side. I¡¯ll tattle to her later. However, with me having so many guardians, it¡¯ll be a major incident when I get a lover in the future. While it was still a bit early to think about that, I had a sense of impending crisis. First I¡¯ll have to report it to Mother, then I¡¯d need to receive the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s acknowledgement, and then I¡¯d have to listen to the opinion of Branch Captain-san as my friend. Based on their reactions today, all the knights from the fort will probably butt in as well, and I¡¯d also have to properly introduce them to the Water Spirit that was my Father, who is unexpectedly overprotective¡ª¡ª- Even though I don¡¯t even have a lover yet, just thinking about it¡­¡­yup, it makes my head hurt. CH Extra 1 Recently, it¡¯s becoming quite popular to try among the knights to MofuMofu my belly fur. It¡¯s actually quite annoying. Truly, it is. Tina was the one who started it all. I haven¡¯t forgiven her yet. While I was being brushed by her in the lounge, I was relaxing, laying on my side. She was mainly brushing my head and back, so when I let my guard down¡­ She struck. ¡°Mil, let¡¯s do it! Koko~¡± While thinking I was being petted on my back with a soft hand, it sneakily turned towards my belly without me noticing it. Laying on my side, I was ignorant of the dilemma unfolding, so my response was delayed. Tina¡¯s eyes had a dangerous gleam of excitement while looking at the fur that covered my belly. ¡± Does Mil feel good? In that case.. Just a bit¡­ Just a bit¡­¡± And just like that, a pretty woman uttered words a man clinging to a woman outside a love hotel would say. ¡°Yay!¡± Tina pressed her face into my belly fur. I felt a shock, a very uncomfortable feeling. Actually, it felt like something shameful was being done to me. What?! Tina¡¯s excited words were muffled by my fur and were hard to hear as she rubbed her face into it. Realizing what was happening, I quickly separated myself from her, frantically jumping off the couch. If I was human, my face would definitely be blazing red with embarrassment. ¡°Sorry, too much?¡± Tina apologized, embarrassed that she was so excited. ¡°Yes¡­¡± I said in a weak voice, Now that I could speak, I could convey my feelings to them. I could tell them when something was wrong, even if it was embarrassing. ¡°Please, I won¡¯t do it again!¡± Tina cried out to me, who was timid around her now. After adamantly pleading, I thought she would do it again. However, after I went back to her, she didn¡¯t do it. Although she only kept muttering to herself with an ecstatic expression, she never did it again. However, it seemed Tina mentioned what she did to Knix¡­ Without wasting time, he attacked the next day without trying to hide it. He went in for a frontal assault. ¡°Mil~! Show me your belly! Let me fill my face with fur!¡± Apparently, Knix thought it was a badge of trust that I would expose my stomach. Well, certainly you wouldn¡¯t show something so defenseless to someone you didn¡¯t. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± I cautiously kept Knix in my line of sight as he slowly approached me. For Knix, he was quite conceited, thinking I would trust him. I liked to play with him, but in regards to trusting him? Nope. Though, Knix was a persistent child. I aimed for break time to come down from the mountain, but it¡¯s not good to let me get in the way of work. I just want him to give up on that thought. Moreover, the rumor ended up spreading further due to Knix¡¯s attempted assault. Now all the knights can be heard saying ¡°Mil only shows her belly to people she trusts¡±. Now it seems they¡¯re taking it as a challenge. If I were to lay on my back, they¡¯d certainly try to do it. I never thought the knights would be this free. ¡°I¡¯m trusted!¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that to Mil. Aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡± I didn¡¯t think the Knights were that free. ¡°Well then, what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already quite trusted, though I¡¯d like to do it as well.¡± ¡°Me too¡­¡± Such unsettling conversations were taking place everywhere within the fortress. Nowadays, I spend my time turning down people. They aren¡¯t forceful like Knix, so they properly respect me when I turn them down. ¡°I dislike people who try to do it forcefully! Saying it properly works well. Speaking is really convenient. £ª£ª£ª£ª (Grail) As of recent, people have been staring strangely at Mil. Their eyes always looking at her belly. Word floating around is if you can rub your face against her belly, it¡¯s proof that she trusts you. I¡¯m not sure how true it is though, but even I want to rub my face into her soft belly fur. ¡°Has anyone been able to?¡± I felt amazed as I asked another knight helplessly. ¡°No, none at the moment. Tina tried and succeeded. Now she¡¯s being cautious of everyone so no one been able to. ¡± Of course, not even domestic animals liked being touched in vital areas by people they didn¡¯t trust, but that may be a little much to compare Mil, a spirit, to a regular animal. ¡°Tell everyone that they shouldn¡¯t do she dislikes. What would you do if Mil stopped coming?¡± ¡°Wow¡­ That¡¯s right, I wouldn¡¯t want that to happen.¡± After that, the knights stopped aiming to mofumofu her belly¡­ Or so I thought. Only one person didn¡¯t heed my warning. That person was Knix. ¡°Mil!!¡± Mil was being attacked, hearing it, I looked into the lounge. I saw Mil, face up on the sofa, with Knix pressing his face into her belly. I wanted to save her, but seeing Mil desperately kicking Knix with her hind legs was adorable [MTLN: Asshole.] She was able to kick him off and get away. ¡°It was so fluffy¡­¡± However, Knix seemed pleased with himself and didn¡¯t reflect. Although, I¡¯m sure it was a wonderful feeling. He didn¡¯t notice that he lost whatever little of Mil¡¯s trust he had. As for Mil, she maintained a distance from him, her face puffed with trembling eyes, like a girl who was ashamed that a foolish man had flipped her skirt. Indeed, even for young children like Mil, it must be really embarrassing. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked Mil, only to receive a shake of her head. I wonder if she was cautious of me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything irritating to you¡­¡± I told Mil as I gently stroked her head. Mil had a relieved expression. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± Mil stuck to my arm while saying so. By the way, it wasn¡¯t until Mil began to speak that I found out she thought of me only as ¡°The one-eyed knight.¡± She didn¡¯t know my name so she called me that. Now it doesn¡¯t look like I can change it. ¡°Everyone is so terrible! My stomach hurts¡­¡± ¡± I know. I had already told everyone not to, but Knix didn¡¯t listen. I¡¯ll scold him later.¡± Looking at Knix, he was complaining while crying. He seemed to have noticed his how idiotic his behavior was finally. ¡°Mil¡­ I¡­¡± I already could tell it was too late. Once you lost that trust, you won¡¯t get it back. It was stupid to rub your face into her belly against her wishes. He should¡¯ve respected what she wanted. Aside from that commotion, I saw Cromwell quietly speaking to Mil. I couldn¡¯t see Cromwell¡¯s expression, but I could see Mil¡¯s face. They were pretty quiet, but I didn¡¯t have a problem with her accepting Cromwell. She had a delighted expression. Later I asked Mil ¡°Did you not hate it?¡± ¡°I felt embarrassed, but I feel sorry he doesn¡¯t have friends.¡± I didn¡¯t know much, but I understood enough that I knew Mill was strangely kind and sympathetic to Cromwell. CH Extra 2 MTL/Editor: Saphira I have to meet the human king, so I¡¯m going to the capital today. To protect me, my mother wanted to hide my existence, but after I ran to the one-eyed knight, I seem to have changed her mind. Naturally, the one-eyed knight would have reported me to the king, so if it were going to happen eventually, it would be a good idea to act before the news reaches to the king. I introduced myself to the king, and my mother said stuff like, ¡°If you try to do something to this child, something bad might happen to you,¡± or ¡°from then on, you often say things to humans near me, as if to let me hear it ¡°. I was excited hearing my mother talk to the king in a commanding tone. I didn¡¯t know if the king was just used to it or if my mother was just that great, but the king did not get angry. I stroked my chest in relief. ¡°But she is really cute.¡± The king pats her face and looks at me. My mother and I passed through a spacious and luxurious room like a guest room, sat in an elegant lounge, were surrounded by royal people and delicate, elegant and slightly gaudy furnishings. What I am doing now is meeting the king and queen and the crown prince. The prince is already grown up and the king and queen are around their 50¡¯s. Everyone has shiny blond hair, it seems very royal. ¡°I seem to be healed just by watching it.¡± ¡°You will surely feel comfortable stroking.¡± The Queen and the Prince also continued to say. Somehow, an aura that said ¡°I want to patted¡± was coming out from me without my knowledge, but I did not move, my body sliding halfway between my mother¡¯s body and the back of the chair. No, I couldn¡¯t move. It is impossible to not get nervous in front of the royal family. In my past life, I was just a little girl. The royals who are sitting opposite are tilting their bodies gently, all three of them trying to see the person hiding behind Snowlea. Incidentally, the escort knights standing behind them are all slightly inclined the same way, which is a little funny. ¡°But it seems that I was born in a very good time, is it not rare that we can see the young figure of a spirit? Yet I have seen two, the son of a flame spirit, and her.¡± The Prince told the Queen sitting next to him. ¡°A child of Hono?¡± When I blurted out unexpectedly to the words I was interested in, everyone on the other side hurriedly looked at me. If they were surprised at how it was the first time I spoke there, they didn¡¯t show it. I was praised by the Queen, ¡°I can chat with you! What a lovely voice~¡±. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard from Snowlea? In the south of this country, there¡¯s a flame spirit, and he has a child. I think he is half a year older than Milfiria.¡± The prince told me carefully, smiling. Fire spirit? A child about the same age as me? I had no idea. When I looked at my mother ¡®s face softly, I felt a bit sick. I don¡¯t really like fire spirits. ¡°Stop talking about that story¡­ I will tell you what to do if that man appears.¡± Oh, I really don¡¯t like them at all. The mother was bitterly laughing at herself, but suddenly shifted her gaze to the window, and laughed again. ¡°Apparently, it looks like it is already too late.¡± I also turned my head. A bright red fireball was floating there. I thought it was a ghost for a moment, but the fireball flared up and elongated and swirled, swelling like a whirlpool. The next moment, the flame had disappeared, and a man with brown skin stood where it disappeared. Burning red hair, red eyes. Even from the way he talked, you can tell he is a fire spirit. His upper body was naked, and there was a tattoo spreading from the clavicle to both arms. He wore gold accessories on his neck and wrists, and relaxed trousers squeezing the ankles, made of embroidered woven cloth. He looked a little like Aladdin. Although mother wore kimonos, he did not have a Japanese element, as far as I could tell. Even spirits have various styles, I guess. ¡°If it isn¡¯t Snowlea! It¡¯s been a while!¡± The large flame spirit gently raised his hand and smiled at mother. He had brilliant white teeth. I thought that flame spirits were too intense for me, but he seemed to be very friendly. But when he came closer, I felt a little bit hot. And he had a loud voice. ¡°Do not approach me.¡± The fire spirit came very close, but my mother held me up away from him in a panic. She was breaking into a rare cold sweat. ¡°I have told you since ancient times that you should not inadvertently come close! Our minds are weak to your ¡°Qi¡±! If you come close to us, our bodies will melt!¡± Mother was glaring at the fire spirit. I calmed down a bit and tried exploring the ¡°Qi¡± of the flame spirit. Surely it would be fi- ¡­it may be hard for us. It seems that hot air is being emitted from his body. It was hot and my body was getting dull. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to avoid me so much! I don¡¯t enjoy your ¡°Qi¡±, but I don¡¯t dislike it that much!¡± When fire spirit went ¡°Wahaha¡± with a brilliant smile, the heat waves hit this time. Ok, it looks like it melts! Mother, bear with each other and endure. It seems that the human king is not affected as much as we are. It is clear that mother is trying to avoid him. Our compatibility is bad. For example, if someone brings fire and snow close together, which one disappears first? Most likely snow. Because snow will definitely turn into water before the flame disappears. Even if the water extinguished the fire, it is the water that beat the flame, it is never snow. In other words, flames and snow are not even close to equal. The flame is much stronger. ¡°Oh, by the way, that small¡­.¡± The laughing fire spirit tilted his neck slightly and looked at me in mother¡¯s arms. My mother strengthened her power, hiding me from his gaze. ¡°It is a child of a concubine! Don¡¯t come any closer!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you had a child!¡± ¡°I said it already, and I will say it again. Do not come closer!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? Based on the size of its body, it would have been a year since it was born. Is it a child with ¡± water ¡°? But you refused to make a child with me! ¡° ¡°It is impossible to even meet with you, you¡¯re too hot!¡± ¡°Such a conversation in front of your son¡­¡± I don¡¯t know how the spirits make children. Do they act in the same way as humans and listen to their mother¡¯s conversation? Or was he a father? ¡°Oh, so it was too early to tell the children.¡± The spirit of the flame showed his white teeth, laughed again, and turned his eyes to his feet. I followed his gaze. - And saw a small black lump. ¡°Oh well, it¡¯s a nice day today, you can see two adorable kids together!¡± I was delighted. A child of a spirit other than me¡­ ¡°Guru ¡­¡± The black lump, if you looked closely, was an animal resembling a black leopard. It was wrapped in glossy black hairs, and it was almost the same size as me. But the thick and heavy hands and feet made me feel that it would grow even bigger. At the end of its long, slender tail was a bright red flame, showing that it was a fire spirit. I wondered if it was hot. I saw another child of a spirit for the first time, so I blurted out my first impression. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so cute!¡± I said with a loud voice. A small black leopard is cute. All children are pretty, but I think children of large predators are the cutest. However, finding it funny, the small fire spirit laughed and said. ¡°You seem pretty cute, too.¡± The royal family are all laughing. Is it funny that a child calls another child ¡°cute¡±? But since we¡¯re girls of the same age, I jumped out of my mother ¡®s arms, wanting to get along with that girl. ¡°This, Mil!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be friends with other kids?¡± ¡°Mil¡­.¡± {MTL: Original text: ¤¸¤ã¤¬ = potato (lol)} My mother looked worried, but she decided to watch, respecting the flame spirit. I walked over to the small black leopard at Hono¡¯s feet. Only mother seemed uneasy, no one else was; the flame spirit, the royal family and the escort knights created a fun atmosphere that was a little exciting. If someone saw me and a small black leopard together, hopefully, they saw a cute scene that made them moe. To show that I wasn¡¯t hostile, I loosely waved my tail at the leopard. It was a little hot when I came close to the flame spirit, but I endured it. The child hid behind Hono¡¯s feet and glanced at him worriedly. Its eyes were as red as a flame. ¡°Kugargue! You are a man, it is unbelievable that you were intimidated by a young girl!¡± Scolded by his father, the boy, Kugargue, stopped groaning. I was sort of expecting it, but he was a boy after all. I wanted another girl to talk to if possible, but it was still okay. ¡°I have taught you only the weak get threatened,¡± ¡°I am not weak!¡± Kugargue denied his father¡¯s words. Fangs thicker than mine peeped through his mouth. There seemed to be some heat coming off of Kugargue, but just a little bit. It was probably because he was a child that the heat was weaker than that of his father, so I was a little relieved. ¡°Hey, you!¡± Although it was said in an intimidating tone, it was not very impressive as Kugargue had a lisp. ¡°I am not weak!¡± I don¡¯t care if you are weak or strong. I just think that you are cute. May I look at you for a while? ¡°I am strong, watch me -¡° I had a bad feeling when Kugargue said that while crouching. And as I expected, he jumped over to me. Kicking the floor, he jumped and closed the distance in a second. As soon as I tried to run away, I was underneath Kugargue. A ¡°Kyan!¡± accidentally came out. ¡°Milfiria!¡± ¡°Kugargue!¡± But I felt Kugargue¡¯s weight on me for only a moment, as we were soon separated. Kugargue was grabbed by the neck and was roughly lifted by his father, and I found myself in my mother¡¯s cool arms. Even the king and the knights got up as if they were going to help us. The parents seemed to be early. ¡°Kugargue! You idiot son! You know what it means when a spirit tries to show off their power!¡± ¡°Well, you say that, but you also hate to lose. Like father, like son.¡± Mother said to the fire spirit scolding his son. ¡°Mu¡­ I won¡¯t raise my hand against the weak again.¡± The spirit of the flame making excuses was a little bit too cute. I want you to be a beast. A big black leopard would be cool. While being held by him, Kugargue was looking at his father as if he did not reflect at all, but was concerned about strange things. ¡°Father, please let me down. I let out a nice smell, I want to do it again.¡± Was it good to talk about the strong or the weak? Kugargue struggled, but couldn¡¯t escape from his father¡¯s hand. ¡°It is useless!¡± his father told him, defeating him easily. I ducked my head and snuggled my mother ¡®s arms. Let¡¯s be friends with Kugargue, and have a little more growth and mental settling later, yeah. ¡°Do not let your child close to the cute Milfiria again.¡± Mothers said, lifting her eyebrows. The fire spirit frowned as if troubled. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll discipline Kugargue to be gentle, but afterwards they should be able to meet. There are no other spirits with kids around their age, so there is a possibility of them seeing each other in the future, is there not? ¡° ¡°There is no such possibility! Do not make up such a horrible thing!¡± My mother turned pale and refused. I do not know much about it, but I think he meant a lover or a couple? I think I feel a little sick. But it was good that my mother opposed it. At one year old, having a fianc¨¦e could be pretty rough. Then Kugargue kept staring at me with his red eyes while rampaging to escape his father. Then he repeatedly said that he was a ¡°big idiot¡±. It would be good to take a picture of this cute black panther. I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do so if I was a middle-aged man. That day, mother said, ¡°We¡¯re going back home, I can¡¯t bear this hot weather.¡± We returned to our snowy mountain residence, but Kugargue came up the mountain using the movement technique several days later, representing his father to talk to us. I was pushed down and smelled something ¨C but it was with a fox child and a small black leopard, so it wasn¡¯t indecent. It was cute, but it happened so suddenly, it made me embarrassed. Kugargue went home, satisfied. I wondered what it was. CH 1 The foxy me. Back in my previous life when I was still living as a Japanese person, I had once heard a certain urban legend. A newly moved parent and child were going shopping. But because they weren¡¯t familiar with the area, the mother stopped, lost. But at that moment, the one that told her the way to the shops was her child who wasn¡¯t even 5 yet. ¡°We need to cross the traffic lights over there, and then make a right. I know this street.¡± Of course, this was the first time he had come to this place. There was no way he could have known it. But the reality was that the shop was just where the child had said. Though surprised, the mother followed his directions, and as they were crossing the traffic lights, the boy muttered in a low, mature voice, ¡°I¡­ was killed by a car here in my past life.¡± Gyahh!! I thought, when I first heard that scary story. But right now I¡¯m not in the position to be afraid. As to why, that¡¯s because right now I¡¯m in the same situation as the child in that story. ¨D¨DI other words, I¡¯ve been born again with my past life¡¯s memories still in my head. But I¡¯m not a human in this life. What I¡¯m seeing is a padded hand covered in white fur. No, a padded paw, rather. Peering into the frozen spring in front of me, I saw myself reflected on the ice. ¡°Kyun¡­¡± I sighed. No matter how many times I looked at myself, I wasn¡¯t a human. Right now I was a fox pup, with silver-white fur like the colour of snow. Strictly speaking, I was rounder than the fox pups I knew of, there was fluffy fur around my neck like a muffler, and even my tail was probably 9 tenths fur. If I curled myself up, I would probably look like a ball of fluff lying around. But the reason I looked this silly might have been because I was living in a snowy mountain. The fur was like a natural coat. Even though I was in the middle of snowy winds on a sub-zero mountain, I was completely fine after all. And the other reason that I was good with the cold was because I wasn¡¯t just a normal fox. According to my mother in this life, our species is categorised as a type of ¡ºspirit¡». In other words, far from being a human, I¡¯m not even an animal. Apparently we¡¯re snow spirits that take the form of foxes, but I don¡¯t know much more than that. Mother has no idea that I have memories of my past life, so she probably didn¡¯t tell me anything complicated because she thought of me as a child. Right now I¡¯m still young, and it¡¯s unfortunate to say that just like human babies, I can¡¯t speak. No matter how hard I try, the best I can manage is ¡°kyun kyun¡±. ¡°Kyun¡­¡± I let out my second sigh for today. Even my sighs don¡¯t sound like ¡°hahh¡± and instead go ¡°kyun¡±. It¡¯s kind of stupid sounding, so I don¡¯t like it. There¡¯s no feeling of being depressed to it. And at that moment, I saw a small fish in the spring. My ears pricked up, and I stepped down onto the thick, frozen surface of the spring. My squishy paws were too weak, so I knew that I couldn¡¯t break the ice to catch the fish. But no matter what, I couldn¡¯t help myself. In my past life, I died at the young age of 18, and it¡¯s been about a year since I was reborn here. In other words, if you count things simply then I should be mentally close to 20 already, but occasionally I get drawn into behaviours that match my body¡¯s age, and animal nature. When I see things that move, I feel like chasing them, and I can¡¯t stop myself. It¡¯s embarrassing to say, but sometimes I even chase my tail without realising it, and run about in circles. I chased after the small fish under the ice, and ran around with a pitter patter. The ice was slippery, and I fell about once every five steps. Because my childish head was too big, I found to hard enough to run steadily on solid ground, to say nothing of the ice. As though sneering at me, the small fish continued to quickly swim here and there. Damnit, damnitt! I want that fish so bad. Becoming stubborn, I began scratching at the ice when, ¡°What on earth are you doing in a place like this, Milfiria?¡± from behind me, I heard a woman¡¯s dignified and clear voice. Milfiria is my name in this life. Forgetting about the fish for an instant and turning around, I found a beautiful fox of about a metre tall, staring my way with its light blue eyes. It was Mother. ¡°Kyun!¡± Letting out a high-pitched cry, I ran up to mother, and nuzzled my head against her forelegs. ¡°The sun is about to set. It is time to return home, my beloved child.¡± Unlike me, Mother can speak. I wonder if I¡¯ll be able to speak too once I grow up. Gently biting the scruff of my neck, Mother lifted me up. She walked atop the hardened snow towards our home. Our home is a cave near the peak of this snowy mountain. The wind doesn¡¯t blow in, so there¡¯s no worry of getting buried in while we sleep either. Mother continued into the back of the cave and put me down, before closing her eyes as though concentrating. And in the next moment, the figure of the large white had fox disappeared, and in its place was a peerless beauty with clear, white skin. She had long and glossy silver-white hair, and around her neck was a white fur muffler. That isn¡¯t fox fur, right? Wearing an outfit like a Japanese kimono with a somewhat Chinese essence to it, she gave the impression of being a somewhat flashy yukionna. The breast of the kimono was opened a great deal, and a splendid ravine was visible. Although she¡¯s my mother, I have to say that it¡¯s quite an amazing chest she has. By all means let it be hereditary. Indeed. It was Mother in her humanoid form. Although she spends a lot of time in her fox form while in front of me, there are ¡ºcertain times¡» when she always becomes humanoid. Those ¡ºcertain times¡» are when Mother goes down to town. ¡°Milfiria, I need a few words with you.¡± In the same beautiful voice as her fox form, Mother called out to me. CH 2 Holding the fort, commence. ¡°I must have you watch our home by yourself for a while.¡± In a pleasant, song-like voice, Mother spoke to me. Hearing that I would have to watch the house, my ears and bushy tail drooped. This body is too honest. ¡°The truth is I have been summoned by the King, you see. ¡­I spoke to you of the King earlier, did I not? He governs this Kingdom of Aridora, and is the most high ranked amongst the humans.¡± I had been taught before that this country was apparently a monarchy. And that Mother was ¡ºcooperating¡» with that King. Spirits are fundamentally fond of the humans that live on the same land as them, and sometimes help them. For example in wars and stuff, the spirits that live in Aridora will help the Aridoran humans. They hate when strangers©¤©¤humans from other countries, noisily intrude on their land, after all. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean that all spirits will actively cooperate with the humans. There are some that think that humans should solve their own problems, but on that point, Mother is cooperative. ¡°Lately there has been trouble brewing with the neighbouring nation, you see. Until matters settle down, I shall be by their side. That one is quite likeable as far as humans go. I have been watching him since he was a child, after all, and it would be a pity to let him die.¡± Mother continued. ¡°It pains me to leave you alone when you have not even been born for a year yet, although I am also hesitant to bring you with me to the Capital. It is a maelstrom of human ambition and desire after all. There are also those who would seek to make the power of a spirit their own. It is a poisonous place to one pure as you.¡± That can¡¯t be¡­ I¡¯m not pure at all, so take me with you. I¡¯m stained with desire too. ¡°I shall return in one month, so endure until then.¡± Hearing Mother¡¯s smooth words, I doubted my ears. To think that I would have to stay here by myself for a whole month. Mother had gone to the King before, but she would always come back after a day at most. Kyun kyun, I cried as I clung to Mother¡¯s leg. Leaving an infant alone for a whole month¡­ That¡¯s neglect. Abuse!! Mother spoke to me with a troubled expression. ¡°I had thought that you had some oddly mature parts to you, but you truly are still a child. But as one who will inherit the name Snowlea, you must live more strongly. Live without relying on your mother for this month, and fix that cowardly nature of yours.¡± Snowlea is apparently the name that each generation of our clan inherits, and is Mother¡¯s current name. Mother is usually gentle, but when it comes to upbringing, she believes in being Spartan, and rather than having me brought up girly and gentle, she apparently prefers for me to grow up strong and tough. There was even one time when she told me ¡°Climb up from the bottom.¡± before dropping me off a cliff. If I wasn¡¯t a spirit, I would¡¯ve died. ¡°Well then, try your best, Milfiria, my beloved child.¡± Mother gave my fluffy head a kiss, before a small blizzard seemed to rise from the ground and wrapped her up. When it was gone, so was her figure. She left for the castle with the King. Wahhhh, Mother you jerrkkk! It¡¯s impossible for an infant like me to live by myself for a monthhh! I gave a resentful cry, but thinking about it calmly, it actually doesn¡¯t seem that difficult. As a spirit, I don¡¯t feel hungry, and I can survive even without eating anything. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t particularly have to hunt. The other problem is outside invaders, but it¡¯s never seemed to be a problem before. Reason being that it¡¯s too cold on the summit where we live, and there are almost no animals here. When it comes to large carnivores, occasionally a non-hibernating bear called a snow bear will come along, but we¡¯re spirits, and they¡¯ve never attacked us before. Animals are sharp, so they apparently know by instinct that we¡¯re a different dimension of being to them. In other words, I have no enemy animals on this snowy mountain, and even if I fail at hunting, there¡¯s no worry of starving to death. If it¡¯s just a month then even the young me can survive without problems. Geeez, isn¡¯t that easy then? It was only for a few months, but I lived by myself in my past life as well, so it¡¯s just the same thing. Easy peasy. Or so I was thinking and getting cocky, but I had totally forgotten that when I moved out by myself for university, I fell homesick on the very first day. ??? Suddenly waking up in the middle of the night and realising that Mother wasn¡¯t by my side, I somehow felt terribly forlorn. The cave that we were using as our den was quiet, and the silence hurt my ears. Snow was falling heavily outside. I closed my eyes to sleep again, but my restless feelings kept me awake. It¡¯s lonely living by myself in a mountain like this. ¡°Kyuuun!¡± Getting up and leaving the cave, I cried into the air. It was the cry that I used for calling Mother, and was higher pitched than normal. There was a trick to putting lots of grief into it as well. Normally when I get lost in the mountains and I cry out with this voice, Mother always comes to pick me up. ¡°Kyuuun! Kyuuun!¡± But this time, no matter how many times I continued to cry, Mother wouldn¡¯t come to greet me. Even the time when I had been tossed off a cliff for training, when I cried like this, Mother had said ¡°Honestly, what a hopeless child.¡± and picked me up. Being by myself for a whole month really is too muchh! There aren¡¯t any attackers, and I won¡¯t starve either, but I¡¯ll die from being lonely. But right now Mother is in the capital, and no matter how loudly I cry, she won¡¯t come back. In that case¨D¨D *imouto* I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯ll follow Mother to the capital. If I make it to the King¡¯s castle by my own strength, Mother will be surprised and praise me for my toughness. Now that I¡¯ve made up my mind, it¡¯s time to head down the mountain. With my tail up high, I left the cave behind, powered by vigour alone. CH 3 Children are the enemy. I woke up with a start to find that it was morning. It was great that I set out on a journey to Mother¡¯s side, but I was still too young in this life. My body wasn¡¯t moving the way I wanted and every few hundred metres of plodding along, I would tire out and fall asleep. Children will sometimes play like crazy and then suddenly fall asleep like their batteries run flat, but my situation was exactly like that. Although, as an adult on the inside, I¡¯m a little embarrassed about this. I shook my body to fling off the snow that built up while I was sleeping. It had been layered on quite heavily. And then renewing my determination, I decided that today for sure I would reach the bottom of the mountain. Although having said that, the distance I took with each step was terrifyingly short. Even when I ran until I panted wafuwafu, my progress was trifling. Can I cry already? After all, the scenery has been completely white the whole time, and far from reaching the Capital, I won¡¯t even leave this mountain at this rate. I have to run more frantically. Wafu, wafu Wafu, wafu This is me being frantic you know. I¡¯m trying my best you know. But because of my appearance, a happy-go-lucky sound effect accompanies me no matter what I do. Wafu, wafu¡­ ??? It¡¯s been a year since I was born. Have I ever more keenly realised the shortness of my limbs? Fifteen days. The time it took me to descend the mountain and leave the surrounding forest was a total of fifteen days. ¡­That¡¯s half of Mother¡¯s trip already. Right now I had left the forest and was walking along a small path that led to a human town. My spirits were a lot lower than when I had triumphantly left home. The only good thing was that my muscles weren¡¯t hurting at all, despite all the running I did. I did get fatigued each day, but it would reset with a night¡¯s sleep. Even right this moment, I was only tired from the running I did today. Is this resilience because I¡¯m a spirit? According to Mother, the mountain we¡¯re living on is at in northernmost part of the country, while the Capital is in the middle. Even in winter, there isn¡¯t much snow there, and it¡¯s a comparatively warmer place. But right now I¡¯m still in the middle of a snow field. If I¡¯ve only made it this far after fifteen days, maybe it¡¯s impossible to reach the Capital. Although I was closer and closer to giving up, I continued to walk. And while I did, I finally reached a fork in the road. To the right spread a human town. It was my first time coming down the mountain to a human settlement, so I was watching the town with great interest. The place gave the atmosphere of somewhere in ancient Europe, and the townscape was built in a Western style. I heard that the town was large, and there were lots of people too, but it was cold here and there was lots of snow, so it gave me a calm and quiet impression. Everybody was probably holed up in their warm homes. After having a look over the town, this time I turned to the left. There was a massive building of some sort, but because it was boring and undecorated, I suspected it was a military facility like a base, stronghold or fort of some kind. Does this country have a military too? I wonder if they¡¯re knights like in fantasy stories. I stood still at the forked road, unsure of where to do. Two young children were approaching from town, and when they caught sight of me, they started running this way. ¡°Wanwa!¡± Just who is ¡®Wanwa¡¯. So rude. ¡°Wanwa, Wanwa¡± Just as I had registered the girl and boy happily running towards me, in the next moment, gyuuu, they hugged me without hesitation. Ugwohh¡­ I¡¯m begging you, please be a little gentler. Various things that aren¡¯t supposed to are going to come out of my mouth. ¡°Wanwaa!¡± I get it. Wanwa gets it. With their Western faces, the two children were as cute as angels, but they were quite strong. They tugged at my fur, and tugged at my tail, and I couldn¡¯t help but let out pathetic kyunkyun noises. I¡¯ve even lost to children? But it isn¡¯t as though these children are hurting me on purpose, so I couldn¡¯t even bite at them to resist. Owowowowow. While grimacing in the midst of this battlefield©¤©¤it was easily a battlefield for me©¤©¤just as I was wondering how to escape, a saviour appeared with wonderful timing. ¡°Alt, Mine, where are youuu?¡± The female voice came from the direction of the town, probably belonging to their mother. The children immediately turned that way and relaxed their hands. Unwilling to let this chance go, I immediately ran away. In the exact opposite direction of the children. Like a white bullet, I sped across the snow. ¡­I¡¯m sorry for lying. The truth is I just toddled and tumbled away. After hiding in a bush, I turned around to have a look and found that the mother had finally arrived as the children were looking at me in disappointment. ¡°Time to go home.¡± With her children in hand, the mother brought them back to their warm house. Aahh, how nice. I miss Mother as well. Who would guess that this spoiled fox was actually almost an adult in her previous life. I think my mind really is being pulled down to my body¡¯s age after all. I was a little bit more together in my past life¡­ at least, I should have been¡­ Now then, it¡¯s about time to leave the bush. Stepping out, I began to think. Those children are still in town, so I don¡¯t really want to go there. From now on I need to watch out for any children that sprint my way with a smile. Children are cute, innocent, and terrifying beings. Since I no longer had the option of going into town, I began heading down the left path. I walked as far as the menacing fortress, and looked for an entrance I could use to enter. This place is probably a division of this country¡¯s knights or military or whatever. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s going to be heaps of people here who know the way to the Capital. Although the problem is, given that all I can do is make pathetic ¡°kyunkyun¡± noises, I don¡¯t know how exactly I¡¯m supposed to ask them. But well, everything in life begins with a try. For now I was going to head inside, so I slipped through a crack in the surrounding fence. CH 4 Although my head got stuck in the fence, I somehow managed to squeeze through and I made my way inside. The place was large, and if I walked about at random I would probably get lost. I sniffed the air, and looked for a place that smelt of people. Given that it was a military base, the place was filled with the scent of males. It was very different from mother, who smells sweet and fragrant. The paths that people used had the snow shovelled off them, so I just followed them. Eventually, it opened up into a clearing of sorts. Kind of like a snowy sports ground. I found dozens of people gathered in one of the corners, so for the moment I hid in the shadow of a building. I then once again slowly poked my head out. They were apparently doing sword training, and even though it was so cold, they weren¡¯t wearing coats or anything. There were probably other people working or doing other training, so maybe these people were only a fraction of all the people living in this base. After all, compared to the size of the building, there were too few people here. Everyone had a sword in one hand, but the only people swinging their swords were the two in the middle. ¡°You¡¯re being too timid. You think you¡¯re fit to be a knight with guts like those?¡± A strict-looking superior was scolding them harshly, as he watched the two match swords. Since there weren¡¯t any ¡®knights¡¯ in my old life, I got just a little excited. The superior man had short grey hair, and a fearless face. He was tall and muscular, and had a well-maintained figure, like a boxer. He probably like 3% body fat. Not only that, but what stood out most was the big scar on his face. It ran down the left side of it, from the forehead to his chin. It was like a sword cut right down, and because of that his left eye was scarred. While I was staring at the one-eyed knight from the shadows, without any warning, he suddenly turned my way. We were pretty far apart, so I never thought he¡¯d notice me, but the moment our eyes met my fur stood right up and I jumped back into the shadows. His right eye shot right through me. Why did he notice me. I didn¡¯t move or make a sound at all. It can¡¯t be that he noticed my gaze? Was it because I boldly stared at him? The man showed no signs of heading my way. I could still hear the metal swords clashing, and the training seemed to continue without incident. After getting my breathing under control and calming down a little, I stuck my head out to have just one more lo©¤©¤ ©¤©¤ok, oh he¡¯s still looking this way. HE¡¯S STILL LOOKING THIS WAYY! This time our gazes definitely met, so I turned my body around and ran right out of there. As my feet hit the ground, soft snow flew up. Moving my short legs, I ran for a few dozen metres before slowing down to take a corner. It¡¯s fine, nobody is chasing me. Around the time that I sighed in relief, I calmed down and realised that there was no reason I actually had to run. To begin with, I came in here because I wanted to ask somebody for the way to the Capital. I haven¡¯t figured out how to ask when I can¡¯t talk though. Anyway, I really need to make contact with the humans or else nothing will ever begin. What am I going to do if I run away just from eye-contact. I was a human too, in my past life. I know full well that humans aren¡¯t just walking masses of cruelty. There¡¯s no reason to run. Alright! I took a step forward after gathering my courage. But when I saw a few knights walking from afar, I immediately curled my tail and hid in the shadow of a staircase. Mother¡­ Like you said, I might be a bit cowardly. Actually, now that I¡¯m this small, a human is actually shockingly big to me. Seeing them up close is pretty scary. Not only that, but I don¡¯t even know how the humans of this world would react to me. What if they caught me and killed me, and then skinned me for my fur. Since I look just like a small fox cub, what if they didn¡¯t realise I was a snow spirit. And if they did notice, what would they do? I don¡¯t think anybody would attack me, but¡­ Anyway, the point is that it¡¯s scary not knowing what they¡¯d do to me. Would it be safer for me if I acted like a normal fox, or would it be safer for me if I really brought out my ¡°snow spirit-ness¡±? Umumu¡­ I was thinking seriously about the issue, but a wave of sleepiness started to wash over me. I spent all day moving about after all, and I had a really rough time with those horrid children too. It¡¯s almost evening now, and even though there¡¯s some time left until sunset, I should probably start sleeping now. I gave a large yawn¨D¨Dsince I¡¯m in this kind of body, I couldn¡¯t do a pretty little yawn with my hand over my mouth. It was a bold yawn with my teeth completely bare¨Dand then I began sneaking around looking for a place to spend the night. *imouto* I walked about the base, careful not to bump into any humans, and in the end I decided on the back of what seemed like a barracks or dormitory for the knights. It wasn¡¯t all that spacey, but there were some short trees here and there. I bet once spring comes, the lawn will pop up from beneath the melted snow. It didn¡¯t seem like people would often come here, and there weren¡¯t any markings by stray cats or anything either. There was a shed in the raw corner of this back courtyard, and it seemed almost forgotten, so I decided that I was going to sleep there. Maybe the door had been broken, because I couldn¡¯t see one anywhere. Inside, it was small enough that maybe even an adult couldn¡¯t lay down here. The only things inside were snow shovels. Since there was no door, a little snow had blown inside, but it was no issue to a living fluffball like myself. I entered the shed and then curled up into a ball. If I had to name one worry, I suppose it would be that the whole shed was visible from a dorm window. The opening to the shed was completely in-line with it. But once the sun sets, the place will be blanketed in darkness. It¡¯ll be pitch black in here too, and even if somebody looked out the window, maybe they wouldn¡¯t see me? With my eyes closed, I thought about it casually with one foot into the land of nod¡­ ZZZ¡­ CH 5 -GATA GATA- My ears twitched at the sound of a window opening. But I was still sleepy, so my eyes wouldn¡¯t open. In my half-awake mind, I dimly thought ¡°The windows in my old life opened a lot more smoothly huh.¡± I wonder if the frame is wooden. -GATA GATATA- Maybe you guys should oil it a little. So noisy. I opened one eye. There was a person by the window, opposite the shed I was sleeping in. The window was wide open, and he was looking through it. ©¤©¤Staring. Right this way. *imouto* ¡°¡­!?¡± I immediately woke up. Bolting to my feet, I stared right back at him. I could tell that my hairs were standing on end. It¡¯s that one-eyed knight. ¡­Could that be your room? There was a lamp in the room, but the light leaked through the window and illuminated my body. OH MY GAH. Who was it! Who was it that said that I¡¯d be hidden once the sun set! He can probably see every hair! Maybe he had gotten back and was already relaxing, because he was wearing a lot less now. Umu, he really does have great muscles. As I stood in the shed, and he in his room, the two of us watched each other without moving. The atmosphere is getting kind of tense. I could feel a nervous sweat forming at my paw pads. At that moment, the one-eyed knight suddenly placed his foot against the window frame, and then -don- landed lightly on the ground. His one good eye pierced through me, and his boots began to crush the snow as he made his way to me. With my escape route blocked, I fell into a huge panic, and then because he was closing the distance, I panicked even more. There was only a metre between us now. The light from his room was illuminating him, but because it was a backlight, his face was obscured and it made him all the more terrifying. It¡¯s a bit mean to say this, but he had a scary face to begin with. After a moment of silence, his arm stretched towards me, and I screamed ¡°GYAHH!¡± in my mind. In reflex, I kicked off the ground and moved back. But this shed is tiny. When I jumped back, I crashed into all the shovels. And then the loud sounds of the crash surprised me, and sent me further into a panic. The shovels fell to the ground noisily, and I became so confused I had no idea what was up or down anymore. I jumped and flailed about, and even stepped on my own tail and tripped. ¡°Oi.¡± His palm reached out for me again. It was about the size of my face, and there were small scars and calluses from practising the sword. This man is probably really strong. On the other hand, I¡¯m powerless. Mother can use blizzards to freeze her enemies, but that kind of thing is still impossible for me. What am I going to do if One-Eyed Knight wants to kill me? What if those hands strangle my neck? It¡¯s the end for me if he catches me. When I realised this, the battle instincts I didn¡¯t know I had surged out from within. You think I¡¯ll let you catch me? Get the enemy before he gets you first! My fangs were bared before I realised, and I bit into his hand. A low growl escaped my throat. I thought he would retaliate, but he stayed still down to his expression. Since he wasn¡¯t reacting at all, I gradually grew calmer. I stopped growling, and then let go of him in a fluster. I could faintly taste blood on my tongue. When he slowly stood up, I froze with a start, but he just said, ¡°Sorry for scaring you,¡± and then left the shed. With my escape route open again, I quickly ran outside, and then took a certain distance from him. I stared his way, all four legs poised to run at any time. My heart was hammering away, but I was a little calmer now. What do I do? I bit his hand. I didn¡¯t think I had such a feral part to me. Apparently it was a finger on his right hand that I had bitten, because it was bleeding just a little. My canines are small and thin. Not only that, but my jaws don¡¯t have much biting power, so as far as I could tell his injuries were light. But it¡¯s quite a shock to me that I could hurt somebody like this. I could feel my ears and tail drooping. ¡°Kyunkyun,¡± I cried, as I tried asking if it hurt. ¡°Somebody¡¯s gotten meek all of a sudden.¡± One-Eyed Knight smiled lazily at my attitude change. Paying no heed to his injuries, he came my way. ¡°Kyan!¡± Awawa, don¡¯t come over here! I ran away again. And after taking enough distance that I could feel safe again, I stopped and turned around. Each time he frowned and came my way again, I would run away the same distance. We repeated this again and again, and maintained the same distance. ¡°What the hell¡­¡± muttered One-Eyed Knight. I don¡¯t get it either, okay. I¡¯m sorry about biting, and I want to apologise about that, but when you close in on me, it¡¯s still scary and I get nervous. The human in me judged that One-Eyed Knight wasn¡¯t a bad person. He has a scary face, but he doesn¡¯t mean me any harm. Maybe he means to shelter me. But the fox in me kept thinking ¡°You can¡¯t trust him so easily,¡± and stayed on guard. Until I¡¯m absolutely sure that he¡¯s safe, the fox me is going to keep a distance. While I was watching him, he turned back and headed back to his room. I sat down on the spot and watched him leave. Did he maybe lose interest in me? I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m relieved, or lonely about that. He returned through his window, and didn¡¯t show his face for a while. Maybe he was treating the bite wound. I¡¯m a spirit, so I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll give him diseases, but he probably thinks I¡¯m an animal, and I guess he would need to be careful to sterilise it. If I could talk, then I could apologise¡­ Fifteen minutes passed without incident, so I decided it was time to get closer to his room. The window was still wide open. When I looked inside from the shade of a tree, I found that One-Eyed Knight had some kind of plate in hand, and once again showed up by the window. ¡°?¡± I stretched my neck because I was curious about the plate. When I did, I found that I could smell something appetising. There were a few small balls of meat on the plate. Meatball with sauce, it seemed. My stomach growled. Even though I shouldn¡¯t need any food as a spirit, my human self knew that the food would probably be yummy. When I imagined how it would taste, my tummy suddenly felt empty. Sometimes I see Mother drinking alcohol, so I should be okay eating human food, right? Lured by the smell, I tottered over to the window. Aah, it smells good. It smells really good. I looked at the meatballs in One-Eyed Knight¡¯s hand, and gulped. Mother tells me ¡°Spirits don¡¯t need food,¡± but sometimes she brings me mice as ¡°snacks¡±. But I still have my thoughts as a human. How could I look at a mouse with its eyes rolled back and think ¡°Wow, looks delish!¡±? I always shake my head and let Mother have them. Since we live on a mountain, Mother always brings me dying animals as ¡°snacks¡±. Thanks to that, I guess I misunderstood and thought that I had no appetite. I might not have ever seen human food since coming to this world. But now, with this meal in front of me, the longing for it was unbearable. Drool was running from my half-open mouth. I forgot about my fear for him, and ran over with my tail wagging. But the window was too high for me, and I couldn¡¯t reach the food. Aah, damnit. It¡¯s so close. I placed my front legs against the wall, and let out heartbroken cries as I stood on my two hind legs. Seeing this, One-Eyed Knight went back inside, and brought three wooden boxes from somewhere. I took a few steps back in wonder. Leaning out of the window, he dropped them onto the ground. Using the three boxes, he created a crude staircase for me. And on the second step, closer to the window, he placed the plate down for me. In joy, I jumped onto the first step. But just as I was about to take a bite, Wait a minute, I thought, and looked right up. Standing at the window was One-Eyed Knight, watching me from up close. He probably didn¡¯t mean to, but I felt really pressured by his grey eye and hair. Maybe because his eyes were sharp, it felt like he was glaring at me. Meeting his gaze from so close, I felt my body freeze. As I felt regret at the smell of the food, I went down the stairs and took a distance. I want to eat. But being near him is scary. I walked restlessly around the boxes. Unfortunately my nose is really good, so I could perfectly smell the fragrant meat and sauce. I¡¯d approach the food, but his eyes made me run, I¡¯d approach the food, but his eyes made me run. As I repeated this over and over, he gave a troubled smile aid said, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll leave, so take your time.¡± With that, he really disappeared into the room, so after watching carefully for about a minute, I quickly leapt onto the box. While feeling moved about this taste from my old life, I gobbled down the food. Yummyyyy. The 5 bite-sized meatballs quickly disappeared, but it was more than enough to fill my little stomach. After licking the sauce off the plate, careful not to step on the plate, I placed my forelegs against the window and peeked in. In the plain, undecorated room, One-Eyed Knight was sitting on his bed and polishing a sword. I was still worried about the bite I left, so I stared carefully at his hands. It looked like he had washed it, and all that was left were two red dots©¤©¤marks from my teeth. It was just a small injury, but I was worried, and wondered if he wasn¡¯t going to use a band-aid or something. I called out in a small voice, and let him know that I was done. ¡°Did you eat it all?¡± He put down his sword and stood up. And then when I jumped down from the box, he stretched out his arm through the window. ¡°You licked it clean, huh.¡± Not a single stain could be seen on it. ¡°Where are you sleeping today?¡± His tone was soft and gentle. It was comforting, listening to his low voice. Was he worried about me? I went into the shed with the fallen shovels to answer him. There¡¯s probably nowhere better. ¡°I¡¯ll get rid of the shovels for you tomorrow.¡± Seeing me find a spot between the shovels, he laughed. ¡°Cya.¡± Closing the window, the quiet night returned. But if I listened carefully, I could hear the sounds of floorboards groaning, and doors opening and shutting. Even though it¡¯s scary when he¡¯s too close, for some reason it makes me feel safe to know that he¡¯s close-by. Hearing the other knights inside the dorm helped the loneliness of having Mother gone. On the mountain top, not even an animal could be seen, I felt like I was the only one in the world, and it was terribly lonely. Because I have memories of my old life, I¡¯m different to both a proper animal and a proper spirit. I guess I really feel most relaxed around humans. Resting my shin on a fallen shovel, I fell into a deep dream. CH 6 The next morning. I woke up as the surroundings got brighter. While I was stretching outside the hut, with the -gatagata- sound of a window opening, ¡°You¡¯re up early.¡± The one-eyed knight poked his head out. He was still in his pyjamas. Maybe he still has low blood pressure in the morning. He still felt drowsy. He just woke up, yet his eyes or his face didn¡¯t get puffy. How enviable. ¡°Wait a little longer for breakfast.¡± Saying that, the one-eyed knight went inside. I climbed up on the wooden boxes to peek inside since I was curious, but I was greeted by the scene of the one-eyed knight changing his clothes, so I hurriedly turned away. My face still in its hot state, I went back down to the ground. To calm my heart, I continuously dug up the piled up snow. -zubabababa- ¡­Oh my, this is quite fun. The one-eyed knight brought my breakfast when I reached the mud as I dug the snow, that my front paws were all muddy. ¡°Don¡¯t dig too much. You¡¯ll fall in,¡± he said while placing a plate of food on the wooden box. How rude. Even I don¡¯t fall into my own holes. Then I fell in. I was too focused on the food that my front paw fell in the hole and I tripped over. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you,¡± laughed the one-eyed knight. Embarrassing. My face heated up. ¡°Eat well,¡± he said with a smile on his face and then disappeared inside, closing the window behind him. After I got myself out of the hole and climbed the boxes, I peeked inside, where I found the one-eyed knight just about to exit the room. Having noticed me peeking inside, he lightly waved his hand, saying, ¡°see you.¡± He¡¯s probably going to go training. After seeing him go out, I started eating. It was a soup with carrots and potatoes, along with bite-sized pieces of bread. This feels like cat food. I¡¯m glad he didn¡¯t give me raw meat from overly considerate. Hafuhafu, I breathed as I brought the food to my mouth with my tongue. The bread was soaked so it looked unappetising, but it still tasted good. Now that my belly was full, I started thinking about the future. I really want to go to where Mother is, but I still don¡¯t know the way to the Capital. So instead, maybe I should stay here for a bit. Here in this base, there are no innocent but scary children, nor are there any hunters aiming for my fur. There are only knights here. I think it¡¯s a rather safe place. I can¡¯t imagine a knight bullying a small animal. Even the one-eyed knight was kind. The way from here to the Capital is endlessly long for my small legs. There might be danger on the way too. Then, it might be best to wait for Mother here without moving. There are many people here, so I won¡¯t get lonely like when I was up in the mountains, and plus I can have tasty food. ¡­That could actually be the number one reason. After using my hind leg to scratch my head with a -kakakat-, I walked around the hole I dug. I will be here for a while, I should take some time to look around. Moving around stealthily as to not encounter any humans, I arrived at the sports ground that I visited yesterday. To be accurate, a training ground maybe? The one-eyed knight had his subordinates here. However, today, there wasn¡¯t anyone here, and the snowy ground was silent. Maybe they ran, since there were many footprints drawing a circle around the field. There were footprints where the knights trained yesterday, but as for the rest it¡¯s all fresh. No one stepped on them. Fidget fidget¡­ Fidget fidget¡­ My big eyes are probably shining brightly. I can¡¯t stop this pounding in my chest. Who could win against that white temptation. It¡¯s impossible for me, impossible! After checking that there wasn¡¯t anyone around, I ran out while my tail wagged -bunbun-. I am going to make footprints on this untouched snow. About twenty centimetres high. It¡¯s soft and clean, it¡¯s the best. Hwafuhafu. I ran around the field, jumped about, rolled about, buried face in the snow and dug holes. How fun! ¡°Are you a kid?¡± you might laugh but I¡¯m still fine if you say that. Because I am a kid. I wouldn¡¯t have the courage to this in my previous life¡¯s appearance, but now that I am a baby fox I have no shame in doing this. Panting about, I rolled around freely on the snow while attaching snow on my fur, my pride and joy. After I played around until I was satisfied, I went back to walking about the base. It was also fun moving around stealthily to not get spotted by humans. It felt as if I was playing hide-and-seek. I lose if I get spotted, but so far I haven¡¯t been discovered. Usually, I do have my consciousness as a human, but once my play switch is on, I can¡¯t stop myself. My instincts demand fun things. Though I am dumbfounded at how childish it is, I still rushed in when I saw fresh snow, sadly. Leaving paw footprints on the snow, stalking a knight, climbing a small mountain of snow that was created from cleaning the snow, sniffing the horse in the stable, going into some place like a toilet and almost falling in. I played around for the whole day. When I realised it, the sun was already setting. When I returned thinking that I needed food, the one-eyed knight was waiting in front of the shed. It appeared that he moved all the shovels away someplace else and laid out blankets. After placing dinner¨D¨Dsome sort of meat, roasted simply¨D¨Don top of the wooden box, he looked at me and said this teasingly, ¡°Did you have fun running on the snow? You looked quite excited.¡± ¡­You were watching? For some reason, I felt really embarrassed. Just where did he see that from. Was it when I was on the training grounds. While slightly shaking my tail as if to hide my embarrassment, I pledged to be careful from here on. CH 7 The group in charge of the Northern Fort was the Ninth Branch of the Kingdom¡¯s Knightly Order. The Branch Vice-Captain ¡ª the second-in-command Grail recently found something joyful. Though he was someone who was both respected and feared by his subordinates, at the moment his sharp gaze was dulled as he stared at a certain creature. It was a white fox that had settled in the shed next to the quarters four days ago. Though he was not certain since he did not investigate, Grail believed that it was a she. Lovely and timid, it felt like a ¡®girl¡¯. Though she was always up earlier than Grail, today she was sleeping in. She was wrapped up in blankets in the old shed, sleeping peacefully. Though she seemed too small to be on her own, the mother fox was nowhere to be seen. Grail thought that she wandered over here after the mother abandoned the youngling. Perhaps she couldn¡¯t even get food on her own, since he had never seen her hunt. After glancing at the sleeping fox cub for a while, he left the window. Having finished changing his clothes, he headed to the dining hall in the base. It was reserved for the knights working in the fort. Because it was still early, there weren¡¯t many people here. Still, it quickly became crowded over the next thirty minutes. ¡°Good morning, Vice-Captain.¡± ¡°Aah, ¡®morning.¡± After exchanging greetings with his subordinates, who also woke up early, he got his breakfast on a tray. He sat down alone and ate silently. As he returned the tray, he spoke out to the Chef, a man who had nice physique and had worked here for a long time now. ¡°Can I get the morning portion?¡± ¡°Oh, Mr Vice-Captain. I made sure to set some aside.¡± He knew of the existence of the fox cub from Grail¡¯s stories. And he was the one preparing food. Since it was just making the knight¡¯s food less salty, it wasn¡¯t a hard task. Today¡¯s breakfast for the fox was a soup of turnips, cabbage and bacon with bread. Soup was common for breakfast meals. They thought that foxes enjoyed meat, but this fox cub didn¡¯t really seem to. Vegetables, bread, fruit, she ate them all happily. In contrast, she seemed to be bad with raw meat. While she gladly ate meatballs and roasted meat, when she was given fresh, blood-dripping deer meat she looked disgusted and took a few steps away. Perhaps she thought that raw meat was not food because she only had her mother¡¯s milk so far? ¡°It¡¯s the first time giving her turnips. I hope she likes them.¡± The Chef said as he held out a dish with food in it. He didn¡¯t care too much for the knights since they ate whatever was given, but he took more care for the fox cub. She didn¡¯t seem to like green peas, since she left them yesterday. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have a strong flavour, so it should be alright. Thank you as always.¡± When Grail said that, ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯m also happy when she eats it all up,¡± laughed the Chef. Though he hadn¡¯t gotten to meet her yet, he was excited like a grandfather who just got a grandchild. It seemed that he was going to make jerky for the fox cub again today. While smiling at the energetic Chef, Grail took breakfast for the baby fox and headed back to his room. When he opened his room¡¯s door, the baby fox was by the window. She woke up while Grail was at the dining hall. She was stretching out her neck on the wooden box, but from where Grail was he could only see her front paws, her large ears and the top bit of her head. Maybe she was hungry. Seeing her sniff about and trying to peek into the room was lovely, and was rather destructive towards his stern demeanour. Though Grail was usually expressionless, even he ended up smiling at the sight. ¡°Here, food.¡± When Grail approached and opened the window, the fox cub quickly darted off the box and distanced herself. Grail thought that she might have gotten used to it by now, but she still looked afraid of coming near. Even when he placed the dish on the second step, she just hung about and avoided coming closer. However, when Grail closed the window, she nimbly climbed up the box and started eating. At first, she became tense just from Grail watching, but now as long as there was the window in between she seemed to be fine. While lifting up her head sometimes to see Grail, she gobbled with a haguhagu. ¡°See you in the evening.¡± Grail said to the cub while tapping the closed window with his fingers. Everything she did was interesting, and never ceased to amuse, but unfortunately it was time for training. He left the room and headed to the training grounds. Being the vice-captain, Grail had to work with documents a lot. He also supervised his subordinates, so no longer did he train until he couldn¡¯t move. Thus, before work began, he would always train alone in the morning. He did the basic routines, like muscle training, running, and swordsmanship training (basic things, but enough for a normal knight to keel over in exhaustion) before going off to work. Grail did not know that his subordinates called him ¡®iron man¡¯ behind his back with fear. After Grail finished his morning training, he would hole up in his room and focus on paperwork. Then when it was time for the noon break, he put the pen and paper down and left the room. In this country, people ate large meals, but only twice a day: breakfast and dinner. If there was something around noon, it was a snack. Grail, too, was not going to eat even though he left his seat at noon. He went in the other direction from the dining hall in the third floor corridor. Looking outside the window at the end of the corridor, he saw the training ground. It seems that the 6th brigade was using the ground this morning, but now they were moving inside. The ¡®division¡¯ at this fort, the 9th Division, was divided into ¡®brigades¡¯ that acted on different schedules. The 1st Brigade to the 4th Brigade were guarding the borders, while the 5th Brigade patrolled the city and the 6th Brigade trained. After people left the training ground, the white fox approached. It came as expected. Grail smiled. The fox cub looked about to see if there were any people around and crept to the centre. Because it snowed again yesterday, there were no footprints. The only footprints that were there were those of the 6th brigade. The cub scanned her surroundings once more, then started running on the snow. At first she was just walking all over the place, but then she started diving into the snow with a glint in her eyes. Burying herself into the snow with only her ears and tails out, or rolling and jumping into the snow again. He saw her play along like this before at the training ground so he thought that she might come again, and he was right. ¡®It never gets tiring to look at,¡¯ thought Grail. ¡°Ah! If it isn¡¯t the Vice-Captain.¡± At the quiet corridor, a bright voice rung out. When Grail turned around, his subordinate, who had flamboyant blond hair, was approaching. It was Kix, a promising young soldier, though he had the fault of behaving flippantly. ¡°Whatcha doing here, sir?¡± Kix was one of the few subordinates who spoke to Grail without restraint. Grail silently pointed to the window with his chin. ¡°Nn? ¡­Oh, it¡¯s a fox!¡± Kicks said after he saw the baby fox playing around on the training ground. ¡°Huh, I guess that¡¯s the rumoured white fox.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Grail nodded. Truth be told, it was not only Grail that knew of the fox cub. Many other knights saw the baby fox running about the training ground. And that rumour spread among all the knights in just four days. Because of all the snow, in winter the Northern Fort had this depressing feeling, but this lovely baby fox healed the hearts of the knights. These rough men were happy to find tiny paw prints on the snow. However, other knights did not know that Grail was taming her. Only the chef knew. Grail was not hiding it on purpose and would have gladly answered any questions, but no one asked. ¡°So you like animals, Vice-Captain?¡± Kix said as he stared at the baby fox. He continued talking as his lips were distorted as if to suppress laughter. ¡°So, like the Branch Captain, you unexpectedly like cute animals? ¡­Pfft, that feels so off.¡± To his rude subordinate who finally burst into laughter, Grail flashed a cold smile. He put a hand on Kix¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Kix, if you have free time, please be my opponent for sparring. I¡¯m not sure if I can go easy though¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯msorryIapologiseI¡¯msorry.¡± After his work was over in the evening, Grail headed to the dining hall. After having his portion, he went to the chef and got the portion for the baby fox as always. When he went into his room and lit the lights, the baby fox noticed and let out a small bark. She couldn¡¯t wait for the food. He opened the windows, left the food and went away. Because the fox cub seemed to get nervous when Grail approached. While she was eating, Grail took his coats off, unlaced his shoes and prepared to take a bath. A while later, a cry, ¡°Kyan!¡± could be heard. It was a signal that she finished eating. When Grail approached the window, there was an empty dish on the wooden box and the baby fox was staring over at Grail a little ways off at the shed. The food seemed to be good, since she was licking her lips many times. The baby fox looked to have opened up to Grail, but she didn¡¯t seem to trust him fully yet. The subtle distance between the two is the proof of that. From the moment they met, that distance did not close that much. Grail wanted to touch the fluffy looking fur of the baby fox, but she became alarmed when he approached. However, today, he thought that he just might be able to. Grail had a secret weapon to close that distance in his hand ¡ª a piece of jerky that he got from the Chef. It was made from chicken breast meat, battered into thin strips and baked in an oven. It didn¡¯t have any seasoning, but the flavour of the meat was condensed, that it probably was good enough for human tongues as well. Grail held up the jerky and shook it at the baby fox. The baby fox tilted her head, as if to say ¡°Hm?¡± and approached Grail to check what it was. When she arrived at the wooden box, she caught the aromatic whiff of the jerky, which made her tail stand straight. She was still hesitant to approach Grail, but she was bothered by the jerky. She nervously moved about the window, while having her eyes locked on the jerky. ¡°Here. It¡¯s good.¡± Grail tore off a small piece from the jerky, placed it into his hand and stretched his arm out. Up until now, the baby fox never ate directly from his hand. This was a big challenge for Grail too. He wanted to tell her that there was nothing to fear about human hands. Lured by the smell, the baby fox placed one paw on the first step off the wooden box. It was the closest she ever got to Grail. She desperately stretched her neck out, but it seems that she then realised that she had to move in closer to get the jerky. Trembling, she placed one paw on the second step and got on. She smelled Grail¡¯s hands and then smelled the jerky. Meanwhile, Grail was trying his best to not move so that the baby fox won¡¯t be surprised. ¡°She didn¡¯t need to sniff that carefully,¡± one might have said from seeing her sniff about cautiously. Then, the baby fox took one piece and swiftly got off the wooden box. After she got an adequate distance away from Grail, she chewed on her prize. ¡°Haguhagu.¡± The wet nose of the baby fox touched his hands, just momentarily. Grail was moved by that feeling. It wasn¡¯t as though he had a fetish for noses. He was just happy that she took some food from his hand. When he tore off another piece, the baby fox approached again, more used to it than last time. Her appetite might have won over her wariness for people. This time, she didn¡¯t take the jerky and got off, but ate next to Grail. It was the first time she approached Grail this much. ¡®The power of jerky is amazing,¡¯ thought he. In the end, the baby fox ate the rest of the jerky next to Grail or directly from his hand. Though it was from food, the distance between the two got closer. CH 8 That day, too, began peacefully. For breakfast, I had the remaining jerky from yesterday, licking every corner to make it softer. To give me something this delicious, as I thought the one-eyed knight is a nice person. I was now less wary of him because of the jerky. Also, I wasn¡¯t so afraid anymore when I approached him now. Still, I still got nervous when he stared at me, and still darted away when his rough hands reached out to pat my head. Every time the one-eyed knight made a disappointed face, I also felt sorry ¡ª I¡¯m getting good food, I can let him touch my fur a bit ¡ª but my instincts as an animal or as a spirit disallowed humans to touch me. I understood that I wasn¡¯t going to be hit, but a big hand slowly falling over my head was a scary sight. ¡°Patting is no good, huh.¡± The one-eyed knight smiled bitterly. I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s not possible yet. I¡¯m not a cheap woman who wags her tail at anyone. You¡¯re mistaken if you thought that! Though I have fluffy fur that does not have a single trace of the wild, I am a noble¨D¨D ¡°Then, see you later.¡± The one-eyed knight closed the window and headed to work. I¡¯m still talking! *imouto* Having finished breakfast, I cautiously went out of the shed, trying to not be spotted. Now, what should I do to kill time until the sun sets? As a baby fox, I don¡¯t have to do work, do household chores, or study. I¡¯m so free every day. Should I have an adventure in the facility again? I¡¯ve been moving around the base quite daringly, but I don¡¯t think people other than the one-eyed knight found me out so far. Maybe I have knack for being stealthy. It¡¯s clear this morning, and the temperature seems high for a wintry region. I heard the soldiers say, ¡°It¡¯s a hot day today.¡± No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s hot at all. Even though the sun is out, the snow hasn¡¯t melted and I think the temperature is lower than that of Tokyo in the dead middle of winter. Maybe their senses are weird because they spent so much time in this cold. However, as a snow spirit that has resistance to the cold, I also felt that it was warm today. This region is cool even in summer¨D¨Don the mountain where Mother and I live the snow never melts¨D¨Dif I go further down south, I might evaporate from the heat. Even after I grow up and can move around more, I shouldn¡¯t go down from the mountains in summer. *imouto* It was peaceful again during the daytime. I waded through the soft snow, and greeted my friends at the stables with nose touches. Also, these little birds flew around me and picked a fight! I had to fight back¡­ I thought the animals feared Mother and I because we were spirits, but I found out the unfortunate truth that the animals only feared Mother. When I become an adult and become dignified, I hope won¡¯t be belittled by these little birds. *imouto* The incident happened when the sun started setting. The surrounding grew darker and the air got colder in early evening. If it was me from my previous life, used to heating, I might not have been able to withstand the cold, but now I am a furry animal. I¡¯m staying warm thanks to my natural fur. Only feeling the cold on my wet nose and on my paws, I returned to the shed behind the barracks. I moved around a lot today, so I¡¯m hungry. I wonder if the one-eyed knight is still working? Or is he preparing dinner for me? I panted my way towards him, but danger was lurking on my path. ¡°¡­?¡± At first, I only saw a dark silhouette. It was in a far corner in the dark, so I couldn¡¯t discern what it was. But from the smell that rode the wind, I found out what it was. A stray dog? The smell of a beast, and a rough breathing sound. Come to think of it, the silhouette is a that of a dog too. What I thought of from the word ¡®dog¡¯ was the common dog that was leashed and walking down the streets. I almost said, ¡°Where are you from!¡± like an old lady. However, when I could see it clearly as it approached, I felt danger. It was a stray dog, not anything cute. ¨D¨DA wild dog. It¡¯s a wild beast that is not controlled by humans. The air is tense. It¡¯s eyes are bloodshot, looking almost as if they¡¯re burning. From its mouth that was panting heavily, I could see sharp fangs. Its sticky saliva dropping on the ground indicated its hunger. It had bulges between its eyes, and a low growl sounded out of its throat. From my eye level, the wild dog had an intimidating presence, that I shrunk back in fear. My waist almost gave out, but I managed to hold on with willpower. However, my hind legs were shaking greatly, which also caused my vision to tremble. It was definitely looking at me as a prey. It will move in to chomp off my throat and eat me. The wild dog took a step forth. It lowered its head and was measuring the timing to pounce forth. The dog is different from the little birds that played around with me during daytime. If I fight back now, I¡¯ll die. I felt true fear for the first time in this body. My paws were drenched in sweat. Fear of death crept upon me. Even as I was assaulted by terror, I did not turn my eyes away for my own safety. I slowly backed away without agitating my opponent. However, getting restless, the dog started dashing here, so I too turned around and ran at full speed. I got extremely desperate. I ran up a narrow path that did not have snow. My enemy¡¯s legs are longer, so I have to move my feet at a faster pace. I strained my eyes, and ran¨D¨Deven faster than when I was being chased by those kids. In the middle, there was a bit that still had snow, but thankfully because it was in the shade the snow had hardened. I¡¯m light, so I was not hindered, but the dog fell in the snow. However, our speeds were still similar. Here, I had to increase the distance, but because there was mud my escape route was not good. I ran away too carelessly. ¡°Owah! Wha¡­ What¡¯s going on!?¡± On the way, there was group of knights but I had no time to pay attention to them. I ran right in between their legs and kept running. The dog stopped momentarily, but soon resumed chasing me. The sound of my enemy¡¯s panting dominated my ears. I didn¡¯t have time to look back, but I could tell that it was chasing me with its tongues out and drooling. I could feel my enemy¡¯s presence right behind me. Fear crept into my head. At this rate, I¡¯ll be caught¡­! ¨D¨DAt that moment, I noticed a small pond lying bleakly at the edge of the base. It was probably man-made. Thus, it was not that large, but it seemed pretty deep. Maybe they dumped the removed snow there, because there were lumps of snow floating around. There¡¯s no ice, but I can tell that it will be painfully cold. Still, I headed there. If I kept running, it was clear that I could be caught at this rate. I steeled my resolve and dived into the cold pond. I dived into the water, but there wasn¡¯t that freezing cold I had imagined there would be. I was worried that I might stop breathing because of the low temperature, but that was just a worry. The reason I didn¡¯t feel the cold probably was thanks to my fur. Especially, my undercoat had air underneath it, that my skin didn¡¯t come into direct contact with water. Then, I don¡¯t have to worry about losing body heat too quickly. However, unlike when I was on the ground, I did feel cold and my muscles started to contract. Though I don¡¯t think a snow spirit would freeze to death¡­ With my feet that became stiff from the cold, I desperately dog-paddled about. I thought that my body would become heavy because the fur would take in water, but the air inside acted as a tube of sorts so it wasn¡¯t too hard trying to stay afloat. The dog that was chasing me stopped at the pond as I thought. While drooling and growling, it circled about the pond so as to not let me go. Occasionally, it poked the surface of the pond with its legs, but maybe because it was scared of water, or maybe because it was afraid of the cold, it did not jump in. It merely stared at me frustratedly. For now, I escaped the danger of getting eaten, but it wasn¡¯t about to give up anytime soon. It circled the pond and waited for me to come back out. I glanced at that dog and moved my short legs under the water to swim to the middle of the lake. -SHAKASHAKASHAKA SHAKASHAKASHAKA- I kept moving my legs in the water, but because I had been running they were getting tired. However, if I stop moving, my nose will be submerged underwater. There¡¯s more danger of drowning than of freezing. Please give up quickly. I looked at the wild dog while wishing that, but the famished dog was not about to give up quickly. I might look round and tasty, but my body is actually mostly fur! Meanwhile, water started seeping into my undercoat as well. When I felt that cold sensation on my skin, I let out a cry, ¡°Hyah!¡± like a human. Even though I had resistance to the cold, I could still feel the cold. My fur gradually grew heavier. It felt as though sticky mud was clinging on to my body. My legs started to tire out as well. Dangerous¡­! I¡¯m in danger now! Appu! Appu! I desperately gasped for air. ¡°Found them! There!¡± ¨D¨DAt that moment. The knights I just passed by came. ¡°The animal in the pond is that baby fox? The one that settled here recently?¡± ¡°So it was being chased by that wild dog.¡± While saying that, one knight grabbed some snow, hardened it and threw it at the dog. Other knights too hurled snowballs as they approached the wild dog. After whining a bit from getting hit by hard snowballs, the wild dog eventually gave up. Even as it sent a frustrated gaze at me, it ran the opposite direction from the knight and jumped over the fence out of the base. However, I had no leisure to be relieved. My fur absorbed so much water that it¡¯s as heavy as lead! I¡¯m drowning, I¡¯m drowning! ¡°Here, come here!¡± A knight crouched down by the pond and called me over. Because I also wanted to get back on land soon, I swam there, but upon seeing the knight¡¯s appearance, I hesitated. Scary, shaggy bearded man¡­.. ¡°Come on! You¡¯re going to fall in!¡± Even that was in a low, gruff voice, that I felt as though I was getting scolded. This person, he¡¯s scary! The shout of an adult male made me flinch. My big ears twitched. I don¡¯t want to go there. I swam towards the shore, but turned around because the knight there was scary. I decided I¡¯ll try somewhere else. CH 9 -BASHA BASHA- I swam about while spraying water everywhere, aiming for the opposite side. However, there was also another knight there ¡ª a brutal looking knight with a buzz cut. ¡°Here! Climb up here!¡± I think I saw a criminal like this on the tv news in my previous life¡­ In my arbitrary image, I imagined a knight to be ¡®a dazzling young man¡¯, but most knights here were muscular, and had scary faces. If they didn¡¯t have their uniforms on, I don¡¯t think anyone would have noticed that they are knights. These people, they¡¯re good people ¡ª chasing away the wild dog ¡ª but their appearances had too much impact. ¡°C¡¯mon, quickly!¡± Please don¡¯t say that with those eyes. It¡¯s scary! I hate low and loud voices. I tried to turn around again, but the five or six knights surrounded the pond, that I didn¡¯t climb up anywhere. Left with no escape route, I circled about the centre of the pond. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it coming out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s scared of your face.¡± ¡°Scared of your face, too!¡± Stop fighting! You¡¯re all scary! It¡¯s more or less the same! ¡°Hey, I got a usable stick!¡± Then another knight came. He had a long wooden stick in his hand. Then he prodded me with that. ¡°Okay, push!¡± ¡°Doing well!¡± Pushing by the stick, I was being moved to the opposite side of the pond. ¨D¨DWhere a brutal criminal awaited¡­ KYAH!! I frantically paddled about. In panic, I tried to escape the stick. ¡°Ah, no! Stay still! I¡¯ll push you to the shore!¡± I think I was panicking. I was chased into a cold pond by a wild dog, and became agitated. Then, scary surrounded me and pushed me with a stick. Rationally thinking, I know that these knights are trying to help me. However, right now, I¡¯m confused and I even have this animalistic cautiousness. Even if my life was in danger, my body refused to go into some unknown person¡¯s arms. I was desperate trying to avoid the stick and the knights. I couldn¡¯t even dog-paddle anymore. I merely floundered my legs about and focused on staying afloat. However, I swallowed water many times and choked already. My throat hurt. I couldn¡¯t breathe properly. My legs are tired, my body is heavy, I think I¡¯ll drown at any moment. MOTHER! MOTHER! I wanted to cry, that I just let out pathetic voices. It¡¯s impossible now. The wet fur is too heavy. My legs were still moving, but it did not float back up. I slowly sank, my mouth and my nose submerging. I can¡¯t breathe. It¡¯s painful. My eyes, my head, my ears too sunk into the pond, that my small body was fully submerged in water. Ah, I¡¯m drowni¨D¨D! *imouto* The moment I felt death, someone grabbed my back and pulled me up with great force. Owch! My consciousness started coming back. Then, someone¡¯s hand grabbed my belly and lifted me out from the water. I breathed in oxygen and coughed out water. My legs had become amazingly thin. It¡¯s because the wet fur was sticking on the legs. Because they don¡¯t have the usual fluffy fur, they don¡¯t feel like my legs. The person who saves me walked out of the pond towards the shore. The rather deep pond soaked up to his chest. Ah, to go into a snow-filled pond at night in the dead middle of winter. I¡¯m a snow spirit, but a human might get a heart attack. It¡¯s a really dangerous act, just who is it that dived in to save me? To see the person who saved me, I raised my head. Is it the bearded knight? Or is it the brutal criminal? However, what the moonlight revealed was a horrible scar on the left eye. ¨D¨DThe one-eyed knight. He dived into the cold pond and saved me. Even as I felt relieved to see him, I thought something rude. ¡®This person is scary, too.¡¯ CH 10 Mmm¡­ Hot¡­ Why is it so hot. It is winter, right? Unpleasant. So very unpleasant. I slowly opened my eyes with a frown. Huh? Was I sleeping? The moment I woke, I tensed up. I was in what seemed to be an unfamiliar lounge. The room was dyed in soft shades of orange due to the flickering fireplace. Being near that fireplace was probably why I was hot and displeased. However, it wasn¡¯t why I was tense. I had woken to find myself on the lap of someone sitting on a sofa. I was wrapped in a big towel and could only move my head freely, but even without raising my head I could tell from the scent. The person was a complete stranger. At the very least, it wasn¡¯t the one-eyed knight who saved from the pond. Through the towel, I could feel the stranger¡¯s body heat. I instinctively held my breath. I was scared because I didn¡¯t know who this was. I didn¡¯t want them to realise that I had awoken. However, my nose itched. I couldn¡¯t hold it in, and ended up sneezing helplessly. ¡°¡­kushi!¡± ¡°Oh, are you awake?¡± From above my head, I heard an unknown voice. However, the voice wasn¡¯t that of a man¡¯s but the soft voice of a woman¡¯s instead. It was a little less scary. Come to think of it, she smelled nice and sweet. I looked up at her. ¡°Oh, oh gosh¡­! It¡¯s staring! How cute! What should I do!¡± The person who had me on her lap was a female knight in a neat uniform. Her hair was the colour of milk tea and worn in a long pony tail. Her face had both dignified beauty, as well as the cuteness of a young girl. It was my first time seeing a female knight here. ¡°Are you cold? We¡¯re right next to the fireplace but you just won¡¯t warm up¡± she said as she rubbed my back in concern. Although it was through the towel, my hairs stood on end from the foreign touch. I wasn¡¯t disgusted. I was just wary, or tense. As a human, I would have welcomed cute women, but my foxy self didn¡¯t seem to. The female knight looked kind, but she was a stranger, so I couldn¡¯t rest easy on her lap. I had the impulse to jump off and run off into a corner, but I didn¡¯t have the guts to. Instead, I just turned to stone on her lap. The one-eyed knight should have been here. I darted my eyes about and searched around the room, but there was no one else in the room but me and the female knight. I could smell the trace of the men who used this room, but the few sofas were all empty. My heart beat fast, and my wish that she would let me go seemed to have been conveyed. ¡°Don¡¯t be so scared. Your heart feels like it¡¯s going to burst. I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± she said with worry. I guess she could feel my heartbeat. Her soft voice calmed me, and I could understand what she was saying. But, my instincts didn¡¯t allow humans to approach so easily. Unknown voice, unknown smell, unknown person, scary. My instincts kept urging me to be wary, and my body kept stiffening. Moreover, I was bothered about the flame from the fireplace. It was my first time seeing fire, but apparently it didn¡¯t bode well with me. Humans might have felt warmth from this distance, but for me it was too hot. She probably meant to warm my cold body, but I¡¯d have preferred diving back into that snow-filled pond. It¡¯s hot! I couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, so I forced my way out and took some distance from the fireplace. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The female knight stared at me and looked at the towel I shed in disappointment. ¡°Come here. Isn¡¯t it cold over there?¡± No, it¡¯s not cold. My body was still wet, but I don¡¯t think a snow spirit would catch a cold from this. I shook my small body like a dog, letting in air to my fur which was sunk. However, because I was being covered in a towel, the fur was still stuck to my body. My pride and joy, my fur¡­ Oh well, once it dried I was back to my usual fluffy fur. ¡°Come here.¡± While I was crouching down and licking my front feet to do my fur, the female knight stood up and approached. Her footsteps were very light, maybe to avoid surprising me, but her figure grew larger and larger, and I couldn¡¯t help but run away. She wasn¡¯t particularly tall, but for a baby fox like me all humans were big. I quickly ran away to a dark corner in the room. The female knight looked shocked. ¡°Am I that scary?¡± I felt sorry when I saw her face sink. Sorry, sorry. I¡¯m not scared of you, but I¡¯m scared of strangers. When I leaned up against the wall, the female knight stopped approaching. ¡°Right, it is a wild animal. Of course it would be afraid of people.¡± At distance, she crouched down, lowering her eye level. ¡°I¡¯m not scary. I¡¯m just going to touch you a bit~¡± She beckoned me over. However, seeing that I didn¡¯t budge in the slightest, she changed her plan. ¡°Hm, I¡¯ll need some food to let her guard down,¡± she murmured before standing up. At the same moment, a heavy looking door opened and one man came in. He had short grey hair, and a long scar down his left eye. When I realised the man was the one-eyed knight, I felt so relieved that the tension left my body. So much that I was surprised by it. Though she was a beautiful woman, I was more anxious than I thought at being alone in a room with a stranger. The female knight turned around and talked to the one-eyed knight with a crestfallen expression. ¡°Vice-Captain, it¡¯s afraid of women as well. It was impossible for me.¡± ¡°¡­I see. I thought it would be better than rough men, but it looks like people¡¯s sex doesn¡¯t matter to wild animals.¡± The two spoke while staring at me. I was wondering about why I was with a stranger instead of the one-eyed knight who saved me, but it seems that he was being considerate. ¡°I was planning on keeping her here until it could grow independent, but it¡¯s sad to see her shivering like that. Maybe it might be better to let her out.¡± ¡°But what if she¡¯s attacked by wild dogs again¡­ Right, Vice-Captain, you were giving food to her, weren¡¯t you? Wouldn¡¯t she open up a bit to you then?¡± ¡°¡­No, not really. She just ate the food I gave her, but she never opened up to me.¡± The one-eyed knight said that without changing his expression too much, but seemed a bit sad. Indeed, I was attracted by the tasty food, and never followed him for real. However, it was different now. I was confident that he wouldn¡¯t hurt me now. Because the one-eyed knight dived into a cold pond to save me. To think, ¡®Won¡¯t he hurt me?¡¯ to person who saved me would be contradictory and strange. From the beginning, he didn¡¯t feel like a bad person, but from this incident my trust for him rose greatly. My animalistic guard towards him too was almost gone. With a light ¡®tatata¡¯ footstep sound, I trotted towards the one-eyed knight past the female knight. I felt him flinch slightly, but I paid it no mind and put my nose at this feet. It seems that he changed his clothes after he went into the pond, since his trousers and his boots were dry, and didn¡¯t smell of water. I could only smell the warm reassuring scent. I wagged my tail unconsciously. ¡°¡­You said that it didn¡¯t open up to you, but what¡¯s this! Vice-Captain, it¡¯s unfair! I¡¯m jealous!¡± Behind me, I could hear the female knight¡¯s angry voice. ¡°No¡­ I think she just thinks that I¡¯ll give her food¡­¡± Even as he said that, he looked surprised to see me wag my tail. His voice was shaking. It was the first time I approached him this closely when he didn¡¯t have food or jerky on him. He already helped me at the pond. Those rough hands weren¡¯t scary anymore. It wasn¡¯t too hard after that first contact. The one-eyed knight¡¯s big hands wouldn¡¯t hurt me. Rather, they would protect me. I shook my tail which was half as fluffy as usual because it was still wet. I raised my head and stared into his eyes. My neck hurt. The one-eyed knight stared at me absent-mindedly for a bit, then started rummaging through his pockets as though he thought up something. Then he brought out a piece of jerky, then he held that out. Because he crouched down, his face came closer. ¡°I see, you came because you could smell this.¡± Though he was smiling, he looked a little disappointed when he said that. However, the jerky that was held out didn¡¯t stimulate my appetite. I wasn¡¯t hungry now. Rather, I was surprised that he thought it was because of the food. I didn¡¯t come because I was attracted by the jerky. I just thought I would feel relaxed around him. Also, I wanted to thank him. Seeing me not go for the jerky, the one-eyed knight looked puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You like this, don¡¯t you?¡± He poked it at my nose to make me confirm the smell. I know! I know it¡¯s a tasty piece of jerky! I ignored that jerky and stared at the one-eyed knight. ¡°Vice-Captain¡­ she¡¯s not attracted to the food. She¡¯s grown attached to you,¡± said the female knight from behind me. Good, explain that well to this dense man. ¡°But, she wasn¡¯t this this morning. Why would she suddenly like me now?¡± ¡°She understands that you helped her. Isn¡¯t she saying thank you?¡± Amazing! The female knight spoke for me so well! ¡®Thank you for helping me back then,¡¯ or so I wanted to convey, so I licked his fingers. Get across, my feelings! After licking his fingers intently, I ended up licking my nose from habit. Then, I looked up at the one-eyed knight. For a moment, he looked astounded and was frozen in place. He then brushed back his short hair and hid his hair. But I saw. I saw his expression loosen up into a happy one. It was a rare expression. ¡°How nice, I¡¯m jealous,¡± the female knight suddenly said. She didn¡¯t seem like a bad person. I think I can open up to her after some time. Let¡¯s get to know each other slowly. Please wait a bit more until my instincts are no longer wary of you. ¡°It¡¯s already late today. It doesn¡¯t seem to be hungry, so we should get her to sleep.¡± Having regained his composure, the one-eyed knight said that while looking at me. I was unconscious until just now but I was still sleepy. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous outside. Even though this is a base for knights, there are still many dangers around. Like today, there might be more wild dogs that came for food.¡± Though he probably saw me as just a baby fox, not a spirit that could understand human words, he stared straight at me and said that. I was so happy about that, that my tail wagged faster. Seeing this, the two knights laughed. ¡°What is she so happy about?¡± ¡°Too cute. She shouldn¡¯t wag her tail when she¡¯s being told that it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Anyhow, I don¡¯t think it would be good for a wild animal to be raised by a human, but I have no plans to turn you into wild dog food. Until you grow up, I¡¯ll raise you.¡± I was happy to hear his declaration. The wild dogs were still scary. It was much better to be protected and safe inside the buildings. However, I think I could only stay for about ten more days. Mother was coming back soon I couldn¡¯t stay here ¡®until I grew up¡¯. I was happy that Mother was coming back, but it would be sad to part from the one-eyed knight. Then, at least until then, I¡¯ll get spoiled by him and enjoy the life here. I thought that and wagged my tail wildly. Since the one-eyed knight waved his hand in beckoning, I parted with the female knight and followed him out of the room. CH 11 My legs are short. Even though I am moving almost as if I am running, it is slow compared to the one-eyed knight striding through the hallways. I desperately moved my legs to not get separated from him. Wait up! Of course, he wouldn¡¯t have heard my mental cry, but the one-eyed knight turned around and looked at me. Then, seemingly realising that I was far behind him and desperately running, he stopped and waited for me, then moved with slow steps. Ah, what a relief. Then, from time to time, he glanced back at me to check if I was following him properly, but it looks like there¡¯s some other purpose as well. He¡¯s usually expressionless, but when he looks here his expression loosens up. Well, I am very cute in this world! Or so I thought narcissistically, but it seems that he¡¯s also happy that I am following him. From the fact that a baby fox was following him even without a leash, his expression loosened. After many intervals of him turning around, we arrived at a door. It¡¯s a simple, but sturdy wooden door like the ones I saw in the hallways on the way here. When the one-eyed knight opened the door, there was somehow familiar room. It wasn¡¯t that wide, and only had the necessary furniture and lighting, along with few books and a sword. However, when I followed in after the one-eyed knight, I noticed that the room smelled like him. I see. So this is the one-eyed knight¡¯s room. Because I always looked into this room from the window, which is opposite from the door, I didn¡¯t realise that fact right away. ¡°Living inside might be uncomfortable, but sleep here today. During daytime, I will let you out as much as possible. I¡¯ll also make you practice hunting so that you can get food on your own.¡± The one-eyed knight spoke to me softly. Uu¡ª, I don¡¯t want to hunt. As if I can catch mice. Rather than my reflexes, there¡¯s the problem of a biological detest¡­ I don¡¯t even want to bite it, nor less eat it! As my ears and tail drooped, the one-eyed knight said, ¡°Wait a bit,¡± then exited the room. Then, I sensed people¡¯s presence outside. I perked up my ears. ¡°Vice-Captain, how was the baby fox?¡± ¡°Still wary?¡± ¡°Rather, when did you tame it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unfair.¡± ¡°You left us behind.¡± Soft whispering voices denounced the one-eyed knight. Come to think of it I did feel that there were people following me. So it wasn¡¯t just a feeling. It seems that the story of me getting attacked by the wild dog spread quickly among the knights here. So like primary school boys wanting to see the dog that sneaked into school, they gathered here. ¡°You guys, it¡¯s too loud.¡± The one-eyed knight sighed dumbfoundedly. ¡°As I said, the baby fox is not used to people. I am taking care of it, but don¡¯t get too close. It will get scared.¡± From that, I felt happy that the one-eyed knight was being considerate for me. Maybe there weren¡¯t people in the hallways or in the corridors ¡ª though they were secretly tailing us ¡ª because the one-eyed knight was being considerate for me. I was greeted by a kind female knight when I woke up. Outside the room, the young knights complained for a bit, but suddenly everyone started mumbling. The one-eyed knight probably silenced them with his sharp glare. Shut up, or so. ¡°¡­Oh, oops, it¡¯s already this late! We have to return to our rooms.¡± ¡°R-Right. Sorry we bothered you late in the evening, Vice-Captain¡­!¡± After some time passed in silence, a young knight purposefully raised his voice in a somewhat scared tone. Other knights anxiously followed suit. The presences of people busily dispersed. He only has one eye, but the one-eyed knight is amazing. A while after that, the one-eyed knight did not come in straight away, but went somewhere with soft footsteps. To calm myself from the fear of being alone, I munched on the bed legs. With my small fangs and my weak jaws, I could only make shallow marks, I felt annoyed for some reason. While I was playing around, the one-eyed knight came back. Because my big ears caught his footsteps already, I stopped biting the bed legs and sat down on the bed. In addition, I even wagged my tail. I waited like a good kid~. When he opened the doors and saw me, he smiled softly. Wahaha, he got fooled so easily! The one-eyed knight had a basket in his hand. He placed that next to his bed and beckoned me over. What is it? When I went over, there was a blanket over the basket. Could this be my bed? I kicked the floor and hopped into the basket. Because I didn¡¯t like that the basket was folded so squarely, I shook it around. It¡¯s much fluffier and better when it¡¯s a bit messed up like this. I did realise that the one-eyed knight was smiling bitterly, but feeling very satisfied I rolled up my body on the wrinkled blanket. The basket, being made from natural materials, smelled of plants. The size wasn¡¯t too big, and fit me. This somewhat tight feeling made me very calm. ¡°Good night.¡± As the one-eyed knight said, I closed my eyes. I thought that he would of course go to sleep on his bed, but he did not budge from his position. I was somewhat bothered, but I still started falling asleep. As I was sinking into a dream, something gently stroked my head. The one-eyed knight¡¯s hand? Maybe it¡¯s the first time he¡¯s petting me. Half asleep and half awake, I thought that. Though that¡¯s because I fled. Maybe because I didn¡¯t open my eyes in rejection, he started stroking me a bit more confidently. Over and over again so that he can enjoy my fur. Hey¡­ I can¡¯t sleep. The next day, I woke up first. I gaped my mouth and let out a yawn. Being a young fox, I fall asleep easily, but I wake up just as easily. I stood up and climbed out of the basket. My white fur was fully dry now. 20% dryness, 80% comfort, it was back to the usual feeling. Now this is more like my fur. I turned my head to the bed next to me, and saw that the one-eyed knight was still sleeping. Since he was sleeping while looking over here, I could see his face as well. Usually, the defenceless sleeping faces are cute or funny, but the one-eyed knight was different. The moment I saw his sleeping face, my hairs stood straight. The one-eyed knight was sleeping with a serious expression, his mouth shut tight, and with a frown. Really intimidating. His eyes are closed, but it almost feels as though he¡¯s glaring at me. If I was an assassin, I probably won¡¯t be able to kill him. Is he really sleeping? Or so I would get jittery. The moment the knife was swung to take his life, he was indeed awake and the one who was killed was the attacker. I could imagine such a scene. I collapsed on the floor ¡ª my waist gave out ¡ª and was staring at his face, but suddenly he woke without any sign. Then I noticed that he was staring at me with a frown on his face. Scary! ¡°Hyan¡­¡± or ¡°Hin¡­¡±, an incomplete cry escaped my throat. I-Is he angry? Did I do something wrong? The one-eyed knight took his eye off me, slowly rose and scratched his head. His face was still scary. His eyes are too sharp. Then, for a bit, he stared off into vacant space absent-mindedly. When he turned around towards me, the frown was gone. His eyes weren¡¯t sharp either, and he was looking at me with a kind gaze. ¡°Ah, right, I made you sleep here. Morning.¡± I let out a sigh in my head. It takes about 20 seconds for his brain to come fully awake after he opens his eyes. When he¡¯s unconscious, he¡¯s about 30% scarier. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll take greater care to not let my waist give out. The one-eyed knight got off the bed and walked barefoot on the cold floor. From above, a hand came down gently and stroked my head. For a moment, I shut my eyelids tightly. Seeing me like that, the hand moved away slightly. However, when I didn¡¯t run away and looked at him again, the warm hand softly stroked my head again. I dislike the heat of the fire, but I don¡¯t dislike the warmth of this hand. Having stroked me enough, the one-eyed knight started changing. Panicking, I pretended to chew on the blanket inside the basket. I didn¡¯t see~, I didn¡¯t see~. After that, the one-eyed knight briefly left the room, maybe to wash his face. He came back in soon and picked up the sword. I wonder if he¡¯s going out to train? Indeed, his clothes were light for a knight going out to work. To train his body even though he didn¡¯t need to, how amazing. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. I¡¯ll give you food then.¡± Picking up the sword, he went out. I would gladly stay quietly in the room ¡ª¡ª not, so just before the door closed I sneaked out. Because I didn¡¯t make a sound, the one-eyed knight didn¡¯t notice me. After waiting for him to lock the door, I followed him through the cold hallways. It went well, but just after we headed out the one-eyed knight suddenly turned around. He looked down here and opened his eyes wide. Why is it here? was what his expression was saying. ¡°When did you¡­ you want to come along with me? It¡¯s not going to be fun though.¡± It¡¯s going to be more boring to wait inside, so I want to tag along. Thinking that, I wagged my tail once. With a faint smile, the one-eyed knight let me follow. It was clear in the morning. However, it was very cold. Well, I didn¡¯t feel the cold that much, but it probably was painful for humans. If they breathed in the crisp dawn air, their lungs might freeze. It¡¯s a refreshing morning, but it would be impossible to breath in deeply. On the training grounds, the snow was still piled, and some of the melted snow from yesterday had frozen up. I¡¯m saying this again, but I don¡¯t feel that cold. I have my fur, and I¡¯m a spirit of snow. And I¡¯m saying this again, but it¡¯s painful for humans. It¡¯s strange if isn¡¯t cold for them¡­ The one-eyed knight started off with light stretches and ran laps around the grounds. Then, suddenly, he took off his shirt and started swinging his sword. His body probably did get warm from running around, but¡­ not in this cold! It probably cooled off already. ¡­The one-eyed knight must be an iron man. CH 12 Tina is the only female knight at the Northern Fort. To begin with, there aren¡¯t many female knights, and this is the frontier. However, Tina was not demoted here, but volunteered to come here. She came out of the thought that if she can survive the harsh life of the Northern Fort surrounded by snow, her willpower will grow as well as her confidence as a knight. In the knightly orders, women are scorned, but it would be different if she survives the Northern Fort. Everyone will acknowledge her. That¡¯s just how hard life here is. Which is why Tina is about the only one who came here by her own will. Other people came here because they caused accidents at the Capital or at other branches. ¡°Go grow some backbone!¡± Or so they were chased out to this place. There is only Mother Nature around the fort, in winter there¡¯s the endless snow-clearing work to do, and one has to survive the terrifying training of the ¡®Iron Man Vice-Captain¡¯. Thus, some young knights even look grimly resolute on their first day here. *imouto* After tidying herself, Tina slowly exited her room. Though she is a female knight, it wasn¡¯t as though a separate building will be prepared for just one rookie knight. Like the male knights, Tina too is assigned a room to sleep in. However, while other young knights share a room among two to four people, Tina uses hers alone. Furthermore, the ¡®Icy Branch Captain¡¯ lives in the room next door, and the ¡®Iron Man Vice-Captain¡¯ lives across her room. It may be thanks to the the Branch Captain and the Vice-Captain that Tina never felt danger to her person even as she lived in a building full of men. Tina suddenly looked at the door across from her room. The room of the admired Vice-Captain Grail. Grail did not come here because he was demoted like other knights, but came here from the request of the Knight Captain in the Capital to fix things up here. He has been the Vice-Captain here for some years here. There aren¡¯t that many superiors that are this trustworthy, Tina thought. The same went for the other knights as well. Even though they feared him, they also respected him. It was still early in the morning, but there was no presence of anyone sleeping inside. It seems that the rumour that he trains before the sun rises every day is true. Today, the weather is clear but the temperature has dropped a lot. Tina puffed out white breaths as she shivered. To have breakfast at the dining hall, she locked her doors and passed in front of the room of the ¡®Icy Branch Captain¡¯. It seems that the Branch Captain also wakes up early, but he isn¡¯t training outside like the Vice-Captain. Maybe he¡¯s reading inside. As for the Branch Captain¡­¡­ Tina thought that she was the only one who came here by her own will, but she recently learned that it was not. She didn¡¯t hear it directly from him, but it seemed that Branch Captain also volunteered for the Northern Fort. Though Tina did not know the reason because she was not that friendly with the Branch Captain. As Tina quietly proceeded through the hallways, a door suddenly opened in front of her. A blond knight who still had a boyishness came out. His name was Kix, and he joined the knights in the same year as Tina did ¡ª though he was two years her senior when it comes to living here. In this fort, there are only about eighty knights, so most people know each other. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Tina. Morning.¡± ¡°Morning, Kix.¡± She greeted the young man in front of her, even as she felt that something was off at meeting him so early. ¡°What is it? You still have time to sleep. You woke up quite early today.¡± She doesn¡¯t wake as early as Grail, but Tina also wakes up quite early. Around thirty minutes afterwards, everyone else wakes up and the quarters become noisy, so she wakes up early to prepare. However, Kix was weak in the mornings¡­¡­ To Tina¡¯s words, Kix replied with a yawn. ¡°Night shift. I¡¯m going to have food then sleep.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Border patrol last night?¡± ¡°Right. Boring as always.¡± One the main duties given to the knights of the Northern Fort is border patrol. However, there wasn¡¯t any recent war with the neighbouring country, nor were there any illegal immigrants. It¡¯s because there is a mountain range between this country and the neighbouring country. With Mt. Snowlea as the centre, the mountain range is hard to cross. These mountains are snowy mountains with high altitude, that there¡¯s even snow in summer that people get lost or die of cold. Long time ago, there may have been people trying to sneak into the country, but they would have all lost their lives before the knights at the fort found them. Thus, border patrol duty is hard because one does not need to do anything. One of the other duties is the patrolling of the nearby towns and villages. Not only do the knights just observe the people¡¯s lives, they hunt down stray beast that wandered into villages and also help with clearing the snow. Also, patrolling the foot of Mt. Snowlea is also an important duty. Having immense power, the spirit would be an attractive target to greedy people. There are people who come to Mt. Snowlea to pray to the spirit, but there are also those who visit with wicked intentions to make the spirit¡¯s power their own. Of course, even if someone did try, they would exhaust themselves from the cold before they reach the top, but we still can¡¯t let our guard down. Because the Snow Spirit Snowlea is a thankful spirit that protects the country. Even the king himself ordered that we knights should pay more attention to protecting Mt. Snowlea than the borders. Indeed, if a spirit is captured by an individual or by another country, that in itself is a great loss to the country. There aren¡¯t many spirits that are cooperative to humans like Snowlea. For good or for bad, spirits are cold-hearted. Fundamentally, they do not intervene in human affairs, but Snowlea is different. Tina has never seen the spirit, but according to the rumours she is a breathtaking beauty. It¡¯s not just Tina wants meet such an existence that transcended humanity. Her colleague knights also joke, ¡°I want to see for myself how beautiful she is.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to the dining hall, let¡¯s go together.¡± To Tina¡¯s words, Kix cheerfully said ¡°Yes,¡± and nodded his head. *imouto* When they arrived at the dining hall, there weren¡¯t many people. For Tina, it was the usual scenery, but Kix murmured, ¡°Looks easy to find a seat.¡± Kix suddenly stopped and looked puzzled. Since Tina knew that he had surprisingly good observation skills, she also looked around. Indeed, it is strange. Their colleague knights¡¯ gazes were pointed at one direction. While they ate bread and soup, their facial muscles were all loose. ¡°What the, how unpleasant.¡± Kix bluntly exclaimed. Tina felt the same. However, when she turned toward where their gazes pointed at, she too understood. ¡°Ah! Yesterday¡­ Mil-chan!¡± At one end of the dining hall, Vice-Captain Grail was eating after his morning training, but there was also white fur by his feet. On closer examination, that furball had proper ears and tails. It was the baby fox. Tina felt relaxed and comfortable. Just by seeing that lovely animal, she was healed. She couldn¡¯t possibly criticise the other knights. ¡°Mil? ¡­Aa, the rumoured baby fox? But why is it here? And why is it following Vice-Captain?¡± As she explained what happened last night ¡ª How it was attacked by a wild dog, and how it came to be placed under the protection of Vice-Captain, who had already been feeding it ¡ª Tina approached Grail and the baby fox. It seemed that the baby fox had just finished eating, since it was dejectedly licking the empty dish. However, it became alarmed by Tina¡¯s approach and hid in the shade of Grail¡¯s long legs. ¡°Mil-chan, it¡¯s me~ Remember me from yesterday?¡± Tina made the kindest voice possible. Then, the baby fox twitched its ears, and cautiously peaked out from behind Grail¡¯s legs. From that, Tina almost got a nose bleed. The same probably went for the other people in the dining hall. How the baby fox was so naturally stepping on Grail¡¯s boot was irresistible. The baby fox had its attention focused here, that it did not realise it either. ¡°You named it?¡± Tina, who was breathing hard in front of the baby fox, came to her senses from Grail¡¯s cool words. He had finished his meal and was looking here. ¡°G-Good morning, Vice-Captain! Sorry for making a fuss.¡± ¡°Good morning, Vice-Captain.¡± Tina greeted him in panic, while Kix greeted him as usually. ¡°Ah! The name¡­¡­ well, I just named it in my mind after I saw it in the base.¡± While she was breaking out in cold sweat, she gave an excuse. It was not as though she was trying to be a godmother. Kix asked interestedly. ¡°Why Mil?¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing since it¡¯s so simple¡­¡­ because it¡¯s white like milk.¡± When Tina explained while blushing, ¡°Come to think of it, I forgot to name it. It¡¯s easy to remember, so Mil is good, don¡¯t you think? Right, Mil?¡± Grail briskly gave an okay. The baby fox also wagged its tail in approval. Though it might just have been their imagination, its eyes looked to be gleaming, looking happy. ¡°Is it okay? The name I thought up¡­¡­ I-I¡¯m happy.¡± ¡°Anyway, Vice-Captain, you never told us that you were feeding it. Why were feeding it in secret for. Unfair.¡± ¡°I just didn¡¯t tell you because you never asked.¡± ¡°That kid is the idol of the Northern Fort, you¡¯re monopolising it. Unfair. Low.¡± Kix¡¯s good point is that he is friendly to anyone. That is also his bad point. When Vice-Captain said, ¡°How about training after a night shift,¡± he finally shut up. However, he did not seem dejected. With an energetic voice, he called out to the baby fox. ¡°Come here, Mil~!¡± Seeing Kix approaching it without hesitation, the baby fox hid behind Grail¡¯s legs again. ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t scare it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t raise your voice like that.¡± Tina and Grail simultaneously warned Kix. ¡°Sorry¡­¡­ but I still want to touch it. It looks so fluffy.¡± Kix crouched down and stared at the baby fox with a boyish expression. Feeling that gaze, the baby fox curled up even more. It was almost as though its heartbeats could be heard where Tina was. ¡°It takes time to get close to Mil. She didn¡¯t open up to me yet either.¡± When Tina said that a little sadly, the baby fox peeked out and let out a cry -kyunkyun- as if she was making an excuse. She didn¡¯t know what the baby fox was trying to say. But she knew that its cries are cute. That was a fact. Then, Tina and others talked for some more time, but when the baby fox started getting tense because there were more people started coming into the dining hall, Grail stood up. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll get it¡­ get Mil back to the room. It still doesn¡¯t seem used to having people around her.¡± When Grail went to return the food trays, the baby fox followed in panic. Maybe it was afraid if it wasn¡¯t near Grail, since it was moving its short legs desperately, which was also lovely. At the counter, the chef asked, ¡°Was the food nice?¡± The baby fox flinched a bit from the low voice, but she quickly let about a cry, ¡°Kyun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if it¡¯s replying.¡± ¡°How does it know that it¡¯s being talked to?¡± Observing that, Tina and Kix gave their impressions. The two of them were still here for breakfast, but Grail quickly left after returning the trays and having a short conversation with the chef. The knights stared as they left the dining hall. Since they knew the circumstances well unlike Kix, they were quietly observing. The baby fox became a source of joy for the Northern Fort which did not have much in terms of entertainment. Tina thought so as she saw the men whose expressions had melted as they watched the baby fox. In this land trapped by snow, it was always somehow depressing, but it was different this winter. Just from seeing the baby fox chase after Grail, everyone softened. From seeing it move busily, the mood brightened. However, seeing Grail only slow down not pick the baby fox up even when he saw it chasing after him desperately, Tina smiled wryly because it was so like Grail. If it was me, I would have gladly hugged it, but that wouldn¡¯t help the baby fox, Tina thought. Grail was being both strict and kind because he knew that it had to return to nature some time. ¡°By the way, does the Branch Captain know?¡± While seeing Grail and the baby fox off, Kix asked. ¡°Vice-Captain must have made a report, no? Even if he didn¡¯t, I think he would within the day.¡± ¡°I see. I want to see how ¡®The Icy Branch Captain¡¯ would react when he sees that baby fox.¡± Kix said with a grin. CH 13 I was named. The female knight Tina named me. My name here is ¡®Mil¡¯. It¡¯s Mil from Milk, but coincidentally it was the same as my real name Milfiria. Since I¡¯m not able to talk yet, I couldn¡¯t introduce myself, so I was happy that I was called by the name Mother gave me, even if was a coincidence. I was glad that I wasn¡¯t getting called ¡®Shiro¡¯ because I¡¯m white, or ¡®Chibi¡¯ because I¡¯m small, or something simplistic like that. Well, Mil from Milk is pretty simple too. But still, getting called Chibi but growing big is a bit awkward, you know? *imouto* Anyhow, I safely escaped from the crowded dining hall and was following the one-eyed knight through the hallways with quick footsteps. When I encountered someone on the narrow aisle, I hid myself as much as possible behind the one-eyed knight¡¯s legs. Meeting strangers is nerve-wracking. I wasn¡¯t like this in my previous life, but I am afraid of strangers in this life. Maybe it¡¯s because I only saw Mother since I was born. The one-eyed knight was saluted by everyone passing by. Maybe he has a high position. Also, he was called ¡®Vice-Captain¡¯. Come to think of it, I still don¡¯t know his name. We returned to his room. The one-eyed knight took his shirt off, and was preparing for work. Will he take me along? Or am I to stay here? While thinking that, I silently observed the one-eyed knights actions. It¡¯s not going to be fun staying here, so if possible I want to accompany him. ¡°I¡¯ll come back once, at noon.¡± I looked at him with expectant eyes, but it was in vain. The one-eyed knight said that, looking down here while preparing for work. House-sitting, huh¡­ My ears and my tail visibly drooped. ¡°I¡¯m going out patrolling this morning with my subordinates. You can¡¯t ride a horse.¡± The one-eyed knight smiled slightly. I can ride a horse. If you life me up, I¡¯ll balance myself. Also, I¡¯m quite friendly with the horses at the stables. However, I do realise that I might bother him if I¡¯m there. I¡¯ll behave well. I gave up and headed to my bed, the basket with a blanket. Then, the one-eyed knight hastily came over here. ¡°I¡¯ll be back by noon.¡± He said that and patted my head. I heard that already. After that, he patted me for about five more minutes, then headed to work with slightly sad looking eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be back by noon.¡± I know, I know. It¡¯s the third time I¡¯m hearing it. I¡¯ll be a good kid until noon. *imouto* The moment the one-eyed knight left the room, I climbed into bed. What a lovely body not related in any way to insomnia. However, I did sleep well yesterday, so I couldn¡¯t sleep until noon. I woke up about an hour later ¡ª though this is just a guess since there weren¡¯t any clocks ¡ª and rolled around on the blanket or chewed on the basket handles. However¡­ I¡¯m bored. I¡¯m bored to death! If I at least had a toy. In the one-eyed knight¡¯s room, there wasn¡¯t anything like a toy. I climbed out of bed and stared out the window. However, I could only see the sky. It¡¯s because the window is placed quite high. In the morning, it was clear, but now thick clouds covered the sky and pouring snow down. Big and wide ones. Flutter, flap flap, flutter. When I stared at the snow, my tail started wagging on its own. I could find a pattern to the wagging. Watching snow fall makes me excited. Though I don¡¯t feel that when rain falls making a *saa* sound. I joyfully looked out the window for a bit, but ultimately got tired of doing that so next I looked around the room. I wanted to play around so I climbed onto the one-eyed knight¡¯s big bed. It¡¯s soft and fluffy so it¡¯s fun. However, the bed was full of the one-eyed knight¡¯s smell, and that was a bit embarrassing so I hurriedly came down. What am I doing. The next target is the table by the window. I could see documents, a feather pen and an ink bottle on top of the table. There were also some old, thick books. Come to think of it, I wonder if I can read the letters of this country? I got interested, so I first tried to climb the chair. Since I don¡¯t yet have the jumping power to climb directly onto the table. I first put my paws on the chair and hopped many times, trying to get up. But it wasn¡¯t going very well. My hind legs, do your best! Let¡¯s get up now! I jumped with all my strength. At the same time, I supported my weight with my forelegs. The upper half of my body made it up, but the lower half was still hanging midair. I rapidly fluttered my legs midair to climb up with the momentum. If I become careless, I¡¯ll fall right away. Uooh, to your best, my forelegs! Lift up the lower half! When I somehow managed to climb up the chair, I felt a sense of accomplishment. My forelegs trembled. Thankfully, climbing onto the table from the chair was easier since the height difference wasn¡¯t that much. The scenery from the top of the table was somewhat fresh. Looking from a high ground made me excited. Now then¡­ I thought and headed to the books. I tried to read the letters on the covers, but I couldn¡¯t. It¡¯s as if someone took the latin alphabet and made it more complicated. I don¡¯t remember seeing this in my previous life either. So I need to study properly. What was that¡­ I was wondering if I can read it with the spirit¡¯s power ¡ª going -paa- ¡ª or something, but it¡¯s impossible, I see. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t as though I understood the spoken language either. I practiced from listening to Mother, or so should I say. However, I do think that my learning ability was better than human babies. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because I¡¯m a spirit or if it¡¯s because I have knowledge from my previous life. I opened the book on top skilfully with my nose. The smell of paper wet with ink spread. I traced the letters with my eyes. Yup, I don¡¯t know! When I grow older, I¡¯ll learn from Mother. I gave up on reading and turned around on the small table. To go back down on the chair, and onto the floor. However, when I turned around, my front foot collided with something small and hard. The thing kicked by me was a bottle of ink that wasn¡¯t closed properly. Needless to say, ink is liquid. It¡¯s not very viscous either. So the moment I knocked it over, the ink started spreading over the table. I couldn¡¯t stop it. Also, ink is black. There¡¯s nothing blacker that it. I merely stared at the black thing spill over important documents. I heard that people actually become calm in emergencies. While watching the black ink seep into the white paper and the wooden table, I only calmly watched and thought, ¡°Ah, what should I do¡­¡± My brain wasn¡¯t admitting the fact that ink was spilled. After the ink arrived near the books, my brain finally started working. I pushed the books with my nose to put it far away from the menace of ink. However, I pushed too much and they fell off the table. -basabasabasa- With impressive sounds, the books fell on the floor. My brain stopped working again. It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I consoled myself and cautiously peeked down below from the table. There, I saw the the horrible corpses of the books that were forced to perform death leaps. Ah¡­ For now, I came down as well. I can¡¯t do anything about the ink that was already spilled on the table. It can¡¯t be saved. However, reorganising the scattered books would be possible for me, with my front feet that have paws. With the tip of my nose, with my mouth and front feet, I organised the books on the floor. I also properly closed the books that flipped open when they fell on the floor. While working I noticed something. The books were soiled with ink. Strange. I did drop them from the table, but I thought I saved them from the black menace. But I soon found out the ugly cause of this tragedy. Could my front paws¡­ be dyed black with ink¡­ Stupidly enough, it seems that I failed to realise that my feet were soaked in ink. I swallowed hard. My heart beat fast. It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. Even as I trembled nervously, I looked around the room. The floor, the chair, wherever I walked, black paw prints dirtied the room. On the table, the ink was dripping down from the table on the floor, making its mark. This is¡­ Well¡­ Calm down, calm down. I have to make up for it, let¡¯s run my little brain on full power. It doesn¡¯t seem like something so convenient like tissues exist in this world. There isn¡¯t even a rag in the room. Even if there was one, I won¡¯t be able to handle it well with my hands, and I won¡¯t be able to wipe away all the ink. It will merely continue to spread. ¡°¡­¡± Cold sweat formed on my paws. W-W-W-What should I do!! At this rate, the one-eyed knight will become angry. I have to clean this up before he comes back! I anxiously walked back and forth on the spot. However, I saw that the floor was getting dirtier from that, so I hurriedly stopped moving. It¡¯s better to not move rashly. My legs are currently cursed by ink. Let¡¯s not spread the damage. Ink spilling from the table, documents dyed in black, traces of black pawprints on the chair, the floor and the scattered books¡­ From this devastating scene, I just wanted to cover my eyes. CH 14 Having returned to the fort from patrolling, Grail took off his coat and gloves that got wet from the snow and moved to his quarter. He did move the swords and the spare blades elsewhere, but he was still worried if Mil was well without any injuries. That baby fox is not yet used to living indoors. ¡®I didn¡¯t leave anyone there since I thought she was shy, but maybe I should have asked someone that was off duty.¡¯ While moving, he went over if he left anything dangerous in the room. To begin with, he didn¡¯t have any needless furniture or luggage, and he even cleaned the floor. He didn¡¯t want those soft paws to get scratched, so he didn¡¯t miss a single splinter on the wooden floor. He spotted his room door, so he took out the key from his pocket and put it into the keyhole with experienced movements. He was impatient, but because Mil might have been sleeping inside, he opened the door gently. ¡°Mil?¡± He naturally began with looking towards the baby fox¡¯s bed, the basket with the blanket. However, the basket was empty, and after Grail looked around the room he froze up. He could only see one colour. Black, black, black. ¡­What is this. There is a table in the inside of the room, and on that was a fallen ink bottle. The ink was dying the half-written documents and the table, black. The ink dripping from the table was also dirtying the chair and the floor, turning Grail¡¯s room into a desolate state. Just what happened in my room. He thought that it might be a thief, that his face distorted into a scary expression. However, from the culprit¡¯s small black tracks all over the room, it didn¡¯t take long to identify who the culprit was. Grail sighed and laughed a little. He was worried, but he felt relieved after he found out the culprit¡¯s identity. The books that were placed on the table when he was writing documents were also neatly organised on the floor with pawprints on them. Might this also be the doing of Mil? Just what was she trying to do? ¡°Mil?¡± Grail looked around his room again. In this bland room, there isn¡¯t much of a hiding place. The black pawprints also betrayed the culprit¡¯s location. Grail looked under his bed without hesitation. ¡°¡­¡± The white baby fox was there. Under the bed, at the furthest corner in the dark. ¡°Mil.¡± When Grail called her, Mil twitched here and stared here. She was properly looking at Grail. However, she did not look at his eyes. She had guilty face, while she hid the ink-stained front feet under her body. Was she trying to hide the evidence? When he stared under the bed for a while, Mil carefully turned her gaze towards him while hanging her head down. However, when their eyes met, she immediately turned her gaze. She stared somewhere else with a strained expression. She was hiding her dirty feet, and was holing up under the bed, trying to not meet Grail¡¯s gaze. Those attitudes showed that she was the culprit. First, it shows on the face. If she wasn¡¯t related, she wouldn¡¯t make such a grim expression. She¡¯s emitting an aura as if it was ¡®the end of the world¡¯. Grail could not hold it in and laughed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not angry.¡± When he said it in the softest voice possible, light of hope returned to Mil¡¯s eyes in the dark under the bed. To check that, she stared up while trembling. ¡°It was my fault for not closing the lid on the ink bottle.¡± If the lid was shut tightly, a baby fox wouldn¡¯t have been able to open it. Not with those clumsy paws. He did not check the objects on top of the table because he thought that it would not be possible to climb. ¡°So now, come out.¡± Grail stretched his arm under the bed. He grabbed Mil, who was still hiding her front feet, by her nape and dragged her out. Mil was not coming out on her own, but she didn¡¯t resist either. ¡°Ah, they really are black. Plus, all four of them.¡± He laughed upon seeing her feet. Why was it that he did not feel angry or dumbfounded when she dirtied the room so much? He patted Mil, who was making an expression strangely like a human¡¯s. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like you have any wounds. Let¡¯s wash off the ink now.¡± When he spoke kindly, Mil, who was making a grim expression without saying a thing, suddenly cried *kyunkyun* and clung to Grail¡¯s feet. If it were to be translated, it would be ¡°Wa~n, I¡¯m sorryyy!¡± maybe. She was like a child pouring out tears because it felt relieved. She cried as if she were begging for forgiveness, leaping with her hind legs and scratching Grail¡¯s trousers with her forelegs. That action was so lovely and it would have been a waste to stop it in the middle, so Grail gladly sacrificed his trousers. The ink on Mil¡¯s front feet were not dry yet. Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry. I was prepared to receive a scolding and be driven out of the fort, but the one-eyed knight was a kind man. Even though I soiled the room with ink, he didn¡¯t scold me, saying that it was his fault for not closing the ink lid. I even increased the damage when I was apologising before, dirtying his trousers, but he smiled softly as if he didn¡¯t care. How tolerant! Furthermore, he¡¯s doing his best to wipe the ink off my feet, Even as he¡¯s saying, ¡°This isn¡¯t coming off well.¡± He¡¯s sitting cross-legged and is wiping off the ink from my feet with a wet cloth. From washing my feet in a bucket of lukewarm water, most of the ink came off, but my feet were still grey-coloured. He was touching my sensitive belly, but I had no right to complain. The only right I was allowed now was for me to reflect and be thankful. Thank you so much, and I¡¯m really sorry. I wanted to convey that, so I persistently licked the one-eyed knight¡¯s hand. When I did that, he said, ¡°Alright alright,¡± and swiftly took his hand away. How unfortunate. In the end, my four legs had light grey socks. The one-eyed knight said, ¡°They will come off when you run around in the snow.¡± I hope so. If they don¡¯t get erased, the evidence of my failure will remain for eternity. After that, the one-eyed knight started cleaning his room. The books weren¡¯t dirtied that much, and he read a lot so he said that it¡¯s okay. That¡¯s a relief, but I¡¯m still sorry. The stain on the floor or the chair weren¡¯t completely erased, but he said that he¡¯ll just keep using them. I¡¯m sorry. As for the table, the ink seeped in deeply, and it was old to being with, so he said that he¡¯ll get rid of it. ¡°I was planning on replacing it, so this is a good time,¡± he said, but I¡¯m sorry. Then the important-looking documents are all scrapped. I¡¯m sorry! ¡°I can always write the documents again.¡± The one-eyed knight is so kind that it hurts. While he¡¯s cleaning, I couldn¡¯t help because I was a fox, just standing behind him quietly. To not get in his way, I just stayed still and quiet with a distressed expression, watching him work. ¡°¡­¡± In front of me, the one-eyed knight was cleaning up the mess I made while I couldn¡¯t do anything. However, he did not hate this useless me, but rather he sometimes looked over here and smiled. I wonder why? *imouto* After he finished cleaning my feet and his room, he squeezed out the water into a bucket full of dirty water and stretched his neck. It must have been tiring. I increased his workload. I couldn¡¯t help but feel overly self-conscious. ¡°The lunch break¡¯s almost over.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± S-Sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry that I made you clean in your precious break time. I circled around the one-eyed knight. However, the one-eyed knight did not seem to care a bit about wasting the break time. He picked up the bucket, looked down at me with a benign expression and said something jokingly. ¡°Now, we¡¯ll go greet the Branch Captain. He¡¯s the highest ranked person in this fort, so don¡¯t bite him.¡± ¡­Mn? Mr Branch Captain? *imouto* After putting away the bucket, the one-eyed knight and I went to the Branch Captain. I put all my effort into climbing the steps, and proceeded down the quiet hallway. Here, the atmosphere feels somewhat different. Unlike the rowdy dining hall or the comfortable quarters, I could feel the air getting tense here. I straightened my back and stuck close to the one-eyed knight. Branch ¡®Captain¡¯, he said, so is he higher ranked than the one-eyed knight, the ¡®Vice¡¯-Captain? Before, he said ¡°the highest ranked person in this fort¡±. Just front thinking about meeting him, my steps became wonky from nervousness. I have four feet, so I¡¯m confused about which one I have to move first¡­ If the Branch Captain does not give me permission, I wonder if I can¡¯t stay here. If he¡¯s the one-eyed knight¡¯s superior, I wonder if he¡¯s older and stronger and tougher. In my head, I imagined a large and strong man like a bear. It¡¯s the man in charge of this fort in this harsh environment, after all. He¡¯ll need to be someone like that to be here. We stopped in front of a large wooden door. Maybe it¡¯s the office of the Branch Captain. Then, the one-eyed knight suddenly knocked without a sign. Wait, I¡¯m not ready for this yet¡­! I tried to fix my hair fringe, but I realised that I did not have hair. While I was just realising such a trivial thing, an answer came from inside and the one-eyed knight opened the door. I gathered up courage to face the bear in power and entered the wide room. Though I hid under the one-eyed knight¡¯s legs. I felt a sense of disharmony the moment I entered, from the smell. I do understand that the smell of burning wood from the stove would be strong, but there was also the clean smell of soap. In this fort full of men, only Tina has that kind of smell. What is this refreshing smell. The room did not have anything unusual. There were bookshelves and filing cabinets by the wall, a classy low table in the middle along with a black sofa that went well with that, and an office desk by the window. Also, the floor was carpeted and soft, good for my paws. ¡°Thank you for the work today, Branch Captain.¡± The one-eyed knight greeted the Branch Captain while standing at the entrance. His voice was lower, more polite and calmer than when he speaks to me. From that, I also looked toward the desk. The moment I saw the Branch Captain, the image of a bearish old man received a punch and disappeared. The Branch Captain was the opposite of my imagination. The person sitting on the desk was a handsome man that deep black hair that reached down to his shoulders. In his small face, his long eyes, his handsome eyebrows, his thin nose and lips were arranged perfectly. He didn¡¯t have the breathtaking beauty of Mother, but he had a gender neutral beauty to him. And he was younger than expected. He looked like he was a little younger than the one-eyed knight even. Compared to the rough knights in the fort, he was much thinner and much more elegant. However, he seemed to haven been training, as he did not have a soft feeling to mistake him as a girl. He gave an impression that he is a strict and cold superior. ¡°Today, I am here to talk about the baby fox I mentioned sometime ago. May I have permission to protect her in the fort? I brought the fox in question over as well.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Upon hearing the one-eyed knight¡¯s words, Mr Branch Captain lifted an eyebrow. He doesn¡¯t seem to like me coming that much. Mr Branch Captain slowly turned his gaze to me, who was hiding under the one-eyed knight¡¯s legs. It was as if I was being pierced by those pitch black eyes, that my heart pounded like crazy from nervousness. However, I have confidence in my looks. To be frank, I am a bit cute. ¡­Yes, I¡¯m sorry. Still! Seeing this fluffy white me, no one would think, ¡®Uwaa, how ugly,¡¯ or ¡®biologically impossible¡¯. Though Mr Branch Captain may be a cold person, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll say ¡°I won¡¯t give permission. Throw it out,¡± to this poor little fox. I am a poor baby fox. Mother went to the Capital, so I have nowhere to go to. I am careless and pour ink all over the place (mental scar), but I am a good kid. I get excited over fresh snow and lose myself, but I fundamentally am a good kid. Please let me stay! I pleaded Mr Branch Captain with my eyes while thinking that. When his gaze met mine, he sharply raised his eyes for a blink. I¡¯m not exaggerating, just for a blink. In those eyes, there were other emotions than coldness, but I couldn¡¯t read what they were. His reaction afterwards was what was important for me. Mr Branch Captain closed his eyes, frowned greatly, clenched his teeth and grimaced. Eh? I was scowled at¡­? Was it biologically impossible? However, that expression lasted only for a moment, and returned to a calm expression. As if nothing happened ¡ª as if he did not see me ¡ª he turned to the one-eyed knight. ¡°That?¡± Icy cold voice. ¡®That¡¯ must mean me. Oh no, he might hate me. I looked up at the one-eyed knight out of anxiety, but his expression was as usual¡­ ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t it cute?¡± He lips curled into a smile slightly as he said that softly. How is he being so carefree in front of this icy Branch Captain? Mr Branch Captain ignored that and delivered his decision in a composed tone. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not bad to interact with animals. It can help with restoring vigour to my subordinates who are tired from the harsh life and work here. However, if discipline falls from that, and there are troubles with work or missions, it needs to be reconsidered. That is all.¡± He said that in a businesslike manner, but he did not deny my existence. Rather, it was a normal and rational opinion. From that reaction when he saw me, I thought he was going to say, ¡°What do you mean protection, get that beast away!¡± Moreover, from what he just said, I also understood that he was thinking of his subordinates properly. How unexpected. ¡°Then, will you give permission for protection?¡± ¡°If you, Grail, will take care of the baby fox, I will not interfere.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be a problem. Thank you.¡± It seems like permission was given. It seems like Mr Branch Captain doesn¡¯t like me very much, but I didn¡¯t dislike him. I felt that he was a person that could make fair judgements as the person in charge of this fort. ¡°Then, please excuse me.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± I chased after the one-eyed knight into the hallway. It would be scary to be glared at again, so I did not look back. It was good that permission was given, but I think I have to change the impression I have on myself. Would there really be someone who dislikes a little frail baby fox? What had I been thinking. How self-conscious. There are people that dislike animals, and there are also people indifferent to animals. The one-eyed knight is kind, Tina keeps saying ¡®cute¡¯, and the other knights did not dislike me either, so I ended up getting a little too full of my self. I must reflect. ¡®I might be a healing kind¡­¡¯ I feel embarrassed for thinking that for even a moment. Very embarrassing. I want to hit myself. What do you mean, healing kind, you furball! Yes. I¡¯m just a furball. I do have knowledge from my previous life, but I¡¯m not using it, and I don¡¯t even have special powers as a spirit. I can¡¯t earn money, I can¡¯t hunt, I don¡¯t have the strength protect someone, I don¡¯t know anything, I spill ink (mental scar)¡­ Huh? I¡¯m more helpless than I thought I was. CH 14.2 As the sun began to set the one-eyed knight came to pick me up, Because I noticed the sun going down. I was waiting at the spot he dropped me off at though I was out of breath from running around. ¡°Did you enjoy yourself?¡± He let out a light laughter at the sight of me nodding my head while panting ¡°uh-huh¡±; I enjoyed playing it the snow. After being stuck in the room all morning, I realized how much I loved the snow. Before when I was a human, I always avoided going out in winter as much as possible, maybe that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t notice and because I was always surrounded by snow when I was on the mountain it was something that I took as a given. I love snow. I love running around outside in it. It¡¯s also not uncomfortably cold due to my fur. ¡°Outside is good after all..¡± There was a hint of loneliness when the he spoke, I tried to play with his boot¡¯s strings to cheer him up. He rubbed my head. ¡± Trying cause mischief?¡± No! I¡¯m trying to comfort you! In fact I thought of licking his hand, but I can¡¯t reach. I repeat, my mouth can¡¯t reach. When I released his boot string, he petted me again. Un, I¡¯ll be good next time because the warmth of his hand is wonderful. It¡¯s a feeling I didn¡¯t wish would go away. It didn¡¯t last long as his hand left my head. ¡± Let¡¯s go get our meals.¡± The dining hall was stressful even tho he brought me before the busiest time there was a lot of people there. There, the dining room was a place of ordeal. It seems that they brought me a little earlier than the most crowded time, but still more people are in the morning than in the morning. I kept up with the one-eyed knight as we made out way to get food, muttering to my self ¡± I feel scared..¡± After being served, the one-eyed knight took both our servings in both his hands and sat in the corner of the hall. Same as in the morning¡­ I wonder if this is his own special seat¡­ Today¡¯s menu was soup with finely chopped vegetables, some bite-sized meat and a half cooked egg in the broth. My eyes shined as I saw the eggs rather than when I saw the meat. Went I bite into the egg, the rich-yellow yolk flowed into my mouth. ¡°Oi, so it was Mill-chan after all!¡± The person who called out was Ms. Tina from this morning who walked over as I was enjoying my egg. I am okay with Ms. Tina, but the other knight with her I was weak against¡­ Because it was a child¡­ I felt a tense when the boy looked at me with a curious gleem. I felt it, my instincts set off alarms remembering the children I had encountered on the way here! ¡± You are the same Mill as before aren¡¯t you?!¡± The boy suddenly ran up and lifted me in the air, my body stiffening due to fear as he lifted me high in the air. Giya~! High! Scary! My instincts were right after all! This person is definitely dangerous! The danger of the innocence of a ¡°Child¡¯s heart¡±! ¡°Kix!¡± Ms. Tina hurried and made him put me down. I plopped onto the floor, my legs trembling so much I couldn¡¯t stand up. It was scarier than a roller coaster I rode in my previous life. Knix is the name of this dangerous child? I¡¯ll remember it. While dazed, I heard a heavy sound next to me. ¡°Ooouch! Whhaa! that hurt!¡± Kix turned to face the One-eyed knight who dropped his fist on his head, staring with tears in his eyes. You dropped the fist on him? It looked like the one-eyed knight¡¯s first was as hard as a rock. That must have hurt a lot¡­ After the one-eyed knight finished punishing the child , he sat back and gently stroked my head soothingly. When the knight of the eyes finished sanctions of Tekken says silently, I sat back on my seat after gently stroking my head. ¡°Idiot!¡± Knix turned towards towards Ms. Tina surprised. ¡± What are you doing Knix!?¡± Then the spectators began to gather.,About 5 to 6 of them. looking at them my face turns blue beneath my fur because they are all scary looking knights. people with shaved heads and bears, a very scary face! Ah! Some of them look like the ones that helped me yesterday! They all greet the one-eyed knight , with him acknowledging. Although it was rude of me to think, it reminded me of Yakuza henchmen greeting the head of a family. They all turned towards me. Their smiles are definitely scary¡­ ¡± Are you okay? They say hello to the knight of the eyedrain ¡°thank you ¡± ¨C although it is rude, The yakuza people seemed to be drawing the head down to the young head -, I turned my face towards me. Stable smile is scary. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Are you feeling sick?¡± ¡°Oi, Did that fool Kix bully you?¡± Even though they¡¯re speaking softly to me, my mind keeps saying ¡± Scary!¡± when I look at their appearance ¡± Do you remember me from yesterday?¡± One person with a beat pointed to himself. Of course I remember, however being surrounded by such scary looking knights my knees tremble against my will. Even though I believe judging people by their appearances is useless, my tail still hide between my legs. ¡°Oi, aren¡¯t don¡¯t you look scared?¡± ¡°This is because your face is terrifying!¡± ¡°Hey! Even you¡¯re saying it?!¡± Stop. Don¡¯t yell! you¡¯re just making my tail disappear under me more and more! ¡°All of you are troublesome.¡± The one-eyed knight kept eating without paying much mind to the knights, but still sounded a little irritated. I tried to calm myself like him but couldn¡¯t. The knights lowered their heads in reflection while talking softly. ¡°But even it¡¯s terrified of us here.. Ah that reminds me..¡± ¡°I just wanted to stroke it¡¯s soft-looking fur¡­¡± There were a few other comments, but all of these scary knights were murmuring in soft pain-stricken tones that my conscience was taking one hit after another. Of course I remember them helping the other day with the wild dog however, because I cannot speak, I cannot tell them how thankful I am to them. I wanted to tell them that even tho I was trembling, I didn¡¯t dislike them, but even appreciate them. Such times, me not being able to speak was painful. ¡°I¡¯m already accustomed to scaring women and children but it¡¯s always a sin that even animals are frightened by my face¡­¡± ¡°I hate that my parents gave birth to such a face¡­¡± The scary knights began to murmur with such heart breaking tones that other knights around them tried to comfort them. Kix still was holding his head in pain from the one-eyed knight¡¯s first still. ¡°we are like this for the rest of our lives, even protecting a lost child in town we get mistaken as kidnappers¡­¡± ¡± I even wore knight clothes¡­¡± ¡± Even when I help a woman and try to flirt, I get taken as a hoodlum¡­¡± ¡°Even while wearing knight clothes¡­¡± The one-eyed knight silently kept eating next to me, the other knights¡¯ sad confessions had my full heartfelt sympathy, tears welled up in the corners of my eyes. I cannot expression my feelings in words.. but I can show it in a different way!! I grabbed my piece of meat and called them with all the courage I could muster up and approached these men who could be mistaken as bandits. When they noticed, they were surprised but their gazes caused me to hold my breath. All right all right! Their face was one thing but it was apparent that their personality was different; they¡¯re wonderful people. Using this to persuade myself, I fought off my animal instincts that screamed¡± Scary!!¡± and held my ground without escaping . I put my piece of meat down and pushed it with my nose towards them.I used my eyes to to tell them I was offering it to the ones who were murmuring sadly. The knights had expressions of surprise from it. ¡°Oi, isn¡¯t this your dinner? You¡¯re¡­ giving it.. to us?¡± ¡°You.. Weren¡¯t you scared of us¡­?¡± ¡°Certainly you were trying to avoid us¡­¡± ¡°Wait.. You so you do remember yesterday! So this meat is suppose to be your thanks!¡± ¡°Yes! Yesterday¡¯s reward! Well it was actually the Deputy Chief who jumped into the water and helped us. We didn¡¯t do anything that you¡¯d need to thank us for! Its fine, its fine. When I was surrounded by the dogs in the pond, I was glad you all came to help me. This meat is small, but please share it with everyone. I am truly thankful for what was done for me. ¡°Ho ho ! I¡¯m certainly happy to receive you gratitude!¡± ¡± Haha! I feel tears are coming!¡± ¡°Even other didn¡¯t give us rewards when we were kind to them..¡± These bandit like knights were filled with fears because of such a small piece of meat I gave them. I see¡­ They live a hard life. After that with one-eyed knight I gave a piece of meat to Ms Tina as well. They¡¯re all happy over the gesture. I hope this conveyed my gratitude properly. By the way, Knix is still holding his head, looking wronged. CH 15.1 MTL & Editor | Ashes I am weak to heat it seems. So what do I do? keep far away from it. I scowled at the flames that danced in the fireplace that was built in the corner of the lounge while thinking such things. The knights whom finished their dinners gathered in the lounge that was attached to the dormitory to enjoy their little leisure time before going to into dreamland. Nevertheless, they aren¡¯t the main focus of today as they¡¯re normally delving into books, playing card games or telling obviously tall-tales of themselves. That reason would be¡­ Because I¡¯m here! Just so you know, I¡¯m not being egotistical. I¡¯m thinking truthfully because everyone has been paying attention to me every moment as if they¡¯re hawks watching their prey. With every move I make, their eyes follow me. Well, I guess if there¡¯s an animal in the room you¡¯d pay some attention to it, more so if you weren¡¯t accustomed to it. After the meal, the one-eyed knight had planned on taking me back to the room but Tina, Knix, and the other scary Knights protested. I guess they hadn¡¯t had their fill of fluff yet and wanted a little more, which was fine with me. Everyone is dead tired from their duties today, I guess they¡¯re thinking along the lines such as ¡± Getting heal by watching the fluffy animal.¡± or something. Their hearts are in the right place. I nodded to the one-eyed knight my approval, so he put me down and decided to take a bath. He left some parting words about being careful, he left the common area. Because of the ink incident, I¡¯ve found that he¡¯s is worried about leaving me alone. His concern seems to be more about me getting injured rather than things being broken. There were plenty of knights in the common area, but none were in armor. They all wore casual outfits while relaxing. Un, it seems that their scariness halves when they¡¯re out of armor. Tina and Knix were in the room along with other familiar faces such as the knights I had seen at lunch and the Aniki who took those pesky snowballs out of my fur. The people on the sofa were ones I¡¯ve only seen while passing by in the corridors and the ones by the fireplace were ones I¡¯d see at breakfast. I thought a fort would have hundreds of people but it appears to be less to the point I probably remember everyone¡¯s faces after a while. By the way, it seems that the bath here in the fort is a large communal bath connected to the lodgings. I wonder if Tina enters alone after everyone has gone or does she get a special timing? In a modern sense*, it¡¯s natural to take a bath or shower every day, but it seems the knights don¡¯t. I would assume it¡¯s because of the cold. It¡¯s probably okay if they only shower on days they get sweaty, maybe like when they train? *[TLNote: I honestly hate when they say ¡°Because Japanese or something¡± Like they¡¯re the only ones who know how to be decent. *Rants*SO I CHANGED IT ] Even with that, the one-eyed knight drew hot water after training this morning and wiped his body in the room. It seems he views it as troublesome to even the bath every day. After listening to the knights¡¯ conversation, it appears the hot water in the bath is similar to a hot-spring. However, there seems to a strange smell in there like a ¡°Rotten Egg¡±. I wasn¡¯t interested in hot springs in my previous life so I really don¡¯t understand if that¡¯s good or bad. ¡°Paw¡± A palm was suddenly thrusted in front of me while I was in my thoughts. It was Knix. If he was wanting me to place my paw in his hand, I can do it; but I refuse. ¡°Paw!¡± That arrogant face. It seems Knix doesn¡¯t understand much about wild animals. If it was trained animal they would certainly do as ordered, but I¡¯m a young fox who isn¡¯t accustomed to human beings without any training. Suddenly coming up to me and saying ¡°Paw¡± while holding your hand in my face is being unreasonable. I just ignore him as he scratched his head with his free hand. ¡± Is it no use..?¡± No, it¡¯s unreasonable. I will not do. Refused. Declined. It¡¯s strange. People around Knix start lecturing him ¡°If you don¡¯t train an animal, it won¡¯t do as ordered¡± ¡± But I thought I could do it!¡± Knix refuted while a vein appeared on his forehead. ¡°Yeah yeah, it seems stupid.¡± While my opinion of Knix is certainly improving, his behavior still is intolerable. Like now, as he reached out and tried to grab me, so I fled in a hurry. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t run from me!¡± ¡°Knix! Haven¡¯t you learned your lesson?! If you try to be so forceful, she¡¯ll only hate you. Tina¡¯s face expressed her displeasure. ¡°Really? I¡¯ve never had dogs or anything. I don¡¯t know how to handle one, but I¡¯ve been wanting a dog for a long time¡­¡± His eyes shined as he looked at me. No. I. Am. Not. A. Dog. Ah, I¡¯m troubled by this child. Even if you¡¯ve had such a desire for a long time, it¡¯s a heavy thing for me. For the time being though, Knix seems to have quieted down after hearing Tina¡¯s advice. I was able to relax now and wondered the room at my leisure. Whilst avoiding the area near the fireplace, I sniffed around the floor. I could smell many people. I caught the scent of the one-eyed knight and followed the trail that lead to a closed door. My tail started to sway uncontrollably, Nah? He still in the bath. I felt the curious gazes of the other knights so I continued to sniff around along the wall from the door. It was fun since you could get various information from the scents. Oi, what is this? It seems like the smell of another animal? After I smelled the scent of another animal my tail tensed up. Was there another animal besides me here? Oh, what is this smell? It looks like the smell of a beast, It is said to be a bit dusty ¡­ ¡­. CH 15.2 I found a small hole slightly further ahead of me, just at the bottom of the wall. The order that worried me was coming from it. Curiosity got the best of me so my nose slowly slid towards it as I tried to pick up more of the scent. When I got close I tried to put my nose in it and the next moment ¨C ¡°*************?!?!?!?¡± [TLNote: Fox curse words..] I let out a loud yelp as I flew backward with momentum, my body swelled as my fur bristled from fear. ¡°Oi! What¡¯s wrong ?¡± Startled, Knix called out from behind me with concern. I hear him, but I couldn¡¯t pay attention to him at the moment. From the dark hole in front of me¡­ ¡°Oh no! Rats!!¡± Tina cried as a brown mouse crawled out from the hole in the while, a small ¡°Chutchu¡± coming from its mouth. ¡°What? Is it a mouse?¡± The scary knights were very calm, only Tina and I were in fear of our very lives. Were they used to this? The mouse seemed pretty aggressive and unexpectedly came out in a brightly lit room with a lot of people watching it. It was bigger than the mice I¡¯ve seen in Japan and seems to be a strong one. It bared its teeth and cried out its complaint of me shoving my nose in it¡¯s home briefly before retiring back into the house after having vented. ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹ I shuddered with a gulp and quickly turned heel; retreating from the wall. Mouse is scary, yes. ¡°I must block that hole¡­¡± Meanwhile, with a blue face, Tina uttered with absolute determination. Behind them, the men leaned close together and began discussing something ¡°Do foxes eat rats?¡± ¡°Not sure¡­ Maybe.¡± ¡°Mill was pretty scared there though¡­¡± ¡°Mill flew back, what the hell!?¡± ¡°I guess she was surprised, but to fly like that..¡± When one broke out in laughter, everyone else began to laugh as well. My cheeks turned red with embarrassment. Kaaaaaa!!! Don¡¯t laugh at me! In a huff of frustration, I bit onto Knix¡¯s pants at the hem and pulled on it to vent. ¡°Oi! What is it? Did you get embarrassed?¡± Even tho I pulled on his pants in anger, Knix looked pretty ecstatic, the tone in his voice was that of happiness. ¡°Hey, I guess Mill is smart! Pretty shameless!¡± ¡°Hey, I guess Mill is clever, I feel shameless¡± ¡°Is that so, it¡¯s good that she¡¯s lively.¡± ¡°Mill doesn¡¯t seem so shy now that she is mad!¡± she huffed, even more, thinking ¡± I¡¯ll remember this!¡± The laughter that had died down now roared to life. Waaaaa! Stop! Forget it already!!! I started barking at all of them, my cheeks burning hotter in protest. ¡°Stop causing trouble.¡± The new voice that called out into the room was like a bucket of ice water over the festive mood, cooling all the excitement. The voice that wasn¡¯t loud at all, but firm; was heard perfectly by all of us. The entire room became quiet. Looking around for the owner of the voice, I saw the door leading into the corridor open and standing in the doorway was a handsome man with black hair belonging to¡­ The Chief commander. His frown conveyed his displeasure with us as he looked over all of his men carefully. ¡°It¡¯s good to enjoy your free time, but don¡¯t get too loud.¡± After the stern advice was stated, he looked at me with a glare and quietly closed the door with a grumpy expression. ¡­ Did I just get scolded¡­? The whole room remained an eerie quiet until the footsteps of the chief couldn¡¯t be heard as he walked down the corridor couldn¡¯t be heard anymore. I also kept quiet while holding my breath. Eventually, one knight blinked and let out a sigh. ¡°Man, I was scared. Chief truly is scary.¡± In contrast, the scary bearded knight became calm again. ¡°Well, it was starting to get too loud. Some of the other should already be sleeping.¡± ¡°I think you should go and apologize to the Chief. He looked quite angry.¡± ¡°He couldn¡¯t be that angry¡­ Right.. ?¡± The bearded turned to the knight next to him that appeared to be around the same age and told him something. The other knights around them looked serious and nodded with understanding. ¡°Rather than anger, maybe it was envy right?¡± One of the knights nodded in agreement, while some mutter ¡°Yes, yes.¡±. Some of the younger knights and Tina only tilted their heads in confusion. I too tilted my head in confusion. Perhaps the Chief didn¡¯t have any friends? Is that what they¡¯re making a fuss about? I felt sympathy towards him as I thought ¡°Let me show you kindness next time chief.¡± ¡°Envy? What does the Chief have to envy about us?¡± Rumor? Does it go along the lines of him not having friends? ¡°Oi, what¡¯s this about a rumor?¡± ¡°That the Chief -¡± ¡°Mill, I¡¯m back.¡± The one-eyed knight returned back to the Common room and picked me up before I could hear the rest of this very important rumor. No, I already figured it out. Someone should go befriend the Chief! CH 16.1 The second day of living with the one-eyed knight, I slowly getting accustomed to various aspects of one-eyed knight¡¯s days. For example, how he trains first thing in the morning. Because of the problems with Knix from the yesterday, I¡¯m on alert for Knix. I still won¡¯t let anyone stroke me since my stomach, paws, tail are delicate; Tina is an exception though. Even if you speak kindly and reach our your head, it¡¯s no good. While eating breakfast in the dining room, Tina took the liberty of stroking my fur while loudly ¡°Kyaaa~!¡± ing. Also ¡°No way you¡¯re this fluffy! Must be a lie!¡± Do you not like it? As for the one-eyed knight, he left for work. On his way, he let me out into the training yard to play around again. He told me to be a ¡°Good Girl¡± before stroking me and leaving. Unlike yesterday, there were knights in the training yard today. Today they were training, running laps in the snow while carrying their equipment. So I decided to play on the edge of the yard so I could stay out of their way. Sadly, as I was digging, I found that the dirt on the edge was hard and not very fun to dig it up. After I finished digging a hole, I took a break to catch my breath. I still had a lot of energy after digging tho, so I walked to another spot to continue digging. However, due to my carelessness, I slipped and slid into the hole I just dug. Ugh! After regaining my senses, I crawled out of the hole quickly while lamenting on my carelessness. Hopefully, nobody saw. The knights that were training in the yard had just sat for a break, their heavy breaths coming out as mists as they laughed. They were laughing hard. ¡°It¡¯s quite a spot you got!¡± ¡°Even I am out of breath from running, I can still laugh!¡± I was seen! I left the training yard with haste as my face burned with embarrassment. Un, it¡¯s bad to distract them and disturb their training. After that predicament, I went to the stables and watched from afar as the people who appeared to be the caretakers feed the horses. There was an uncle who noticed me watching and asked if I wanted some. I declined. Even though I¡¯m omnivorous, I rather not. When the caretakers were finished with their duties had left, I approached the horses and gave a greeting to each of them. All of them responded with a exhale of white breath. I approached the big horse that was towards the middle of the stables and greeted in the same fashion. I wasn¡¯t familiar with the horse, but its coat was a dark-brown, but with the light of today it appeared almost black. The dark horse¡¯s muscles were well defined, his face was daunting and gave off a dependable feeling. It appeared that the other horses looked to it as it¡¯s leader. His long and black tail swayed lightly as he stretched his head down to me. I believe this is the one-eyed horse as a little of his scent remained. Their auras were alike as well. So this horse was by his side. I could feel a calmness knowing that. The horses seem to also know I was almost attacked by a dog. Were you listening to what the knights were talking about or did you see it? ¡°Are you okay?¡± Even though the horses couldn¡¯t speak, their feelings of worry were conveyed to me. I¡¯m okay. It let out a loud neigh as if saying ¡± I¡¯ll scare it off next time¡±. You don¡¯t look like a weak animal, leader. I¡¯ll count on you then. I also give a polite greeting to the horse next to the black horse. Greetings were also important in the animal hierarchy. This horse had a glossy black coat. It was so beautiful that I felt like sighing in spite of myself. It had a calm temperament that gave off a delicate feeling. ¡°A dog resembles its master.¡± Though it was a domestic horse, it smelled of the Chief, I could see their personalities matching. There wasn¡¯t anything bad about the smell, it was a soapy scent. Which as I thought of it, I could smell it on the wind. The black horse in front of me shook its tail with happiness and when I turned around, I saw the Chief walking through the snow towards the stable. Ah, his black hair flowed in the wind. It¡¯s enviable to me who use to be a former human girl. There didn¡¯t seem to be any hair treatment in this world. How do you take care of your hair? ¡± ¡­. ¡± After the Chief got close enough to the stables, he seemed to have noticed I was here. I guess my fur blended really well with the snow. It¡¯s a protective color, yes. He stopped as he squinted his eyes. The black horse impatiently called out to him after noticing him coming over. This caused the chief to come over to the horse I wonder what is wrong, he seems to be a little different? Hey, look at your horse, nothing down here. ¡°Hey, Iraux. How you?¡± Then while he ignored my existence, he caressed the horses face with a little nervousness. I decided I wasn¡¯t going to disturb them so I quietly moved over to the one-eyed knight¡¯s horse. While the Chief spoke weirdly to his horse while patting it while talking ¡± How¡¯s your body?¡± and ¡°Have they given you good food?¡± People who talk to animals aren¡¯t bad people. I thought this as I watch and thought maybe that maybe he was just a little misunderstood. He was completely different from usual. However, if my prediction is right that you don¡¯t have friends; this sight becomes sad. That your horse is your only friend. I cried in my heart for him. CH 16.2 The Chief was seriously misunderstood. Having such a cold outward image would certainly make it hard to make friends. I¡¯m rooting for you Chief, hang in there and good luck~! I squeaked my support as I stepped on his boots. ¡¸¡­¡­£¡¡¹ The chief looked down with a confused look as he stiffened up. I guess he wasn¡¯t good with strangers touching him regardless if they were an animal or a human¡­ Of did he dislike me? Did he have something against foxes? I looked at the reaction of his body before I looked up at his face. Then this the part between his brows wrinkled up as he put his forehead against the horse. muttering something about it being hard. Whelp, I think I¡¯m misunderstanding him. It must be hard on him not having friends. My concern for him is growing by the second. I stood up on my hind legs while placing my front paws on his leg while squeaking up at him again. I will definitely become friends with the chief! There is no retreat, I will do it. I¡¯m not human, but having a spirit as a friend is pretty cool right? No? Am I disgusting to you? The Chief finally looked at raised his face from the horse¡¯s and finally looked down at me with a pained expression as he looked at me clinging to him. I watched him close his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s impossible..¡± He whispers to himself was barely heard by me as he couched down and scooped me up in a hug. ¡­ huh? I was caught up in his arm before he lowered me back down and started to pet me all over, sparing no part as he stroked me intently with a very ecstatic expression on his face. Ear to ear, back to the tail, and even my chest. Un, it¡¯s good. His eyes became watery with erratic breathing with an ¡°Ahh..¡± occasionally escaping his lips with a very sexy voice. I felt somewhat confused, where was our cool Ice Chief gone¡­? I lifted one of my paws. Time for you to feel my ultimate move. Pet the paw. ¡°T-This feel..!¡± Yes, yes. Indeed the softness of my paws is my pride. Certainly, they¡¯re impressive but I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d have that strong of an impression on him. First of all, I thought he disliked me then I thought he just didn¡¯t have interest¡­ I wonder what caused such a change of attitude.. or was it that he wanted to be my friend? The look in his eyes was that of fascination. ¡°You¡¯re definitely cute. Why are you so adorable?! .. Ahhh. Of course, I love that you¡¯re this cute. I don¡¯t mind¡­¡± My impression of the Ice Chief instantly collapsed, even tho it was on its last legs. It toppled over dead. He looked like a happy DereDere while he stroked Iruax and me at the same time. I wonder if I had been a bad person in my other life that I seem to only attract friends like the Chief who had such personalities towards animals. Maybe I was a bully, but certainly, this may have been a little overboard. Then again, I don¡¯t hate being touched on my paws, rather I return the gesture by licking the back of his hand. ¡°Ahhh.. I¡¯m so happy that it hurts!¡± The Chief looks like he checked out mentally as he turned his hand to his chest with a blissful expression as he murmured ¡± So happy¡­¡± to himself. Though it was a small touch. I was wondering how I should look at the Chief from now that I¡¯ve seen this side of him. With sympathy towards him, I licked his pinky finger. CH 17.1 The bell sounded out, telling everyone that it was time to take their lunch break. Grayle was the first one to leave the training ground after putting away his training equipment. He hadn¡¯t spotted the white fox that was playing around the field earlier but found little small pawprints in the snow leading away to the stables. Following the paw trail, Grayile regretted his decision the moment he got there. In the stables were not only the horses and the white fox there¡­ But also Chief Cromwell, who was playing around with the white fox with a large smile on his face. ¡°Why are you licking so much?¡± Because of Chief Cromwell¡¯s constant cold and calm appearance, everyone started calling him the ¡°Ice Chief¡± by the other knights, but right now, that cold facade he had melted into flowers as he played with the white fox. He expressed his happiness with the white fox licking his hand. This translation is hosted at AshenFeather. wordpress. com. With how intently the fox was licking his hand, he thought maybe he put honey on his hand. Cromwell who would normally have an anxious look towards animals was all smiles, but he didn¡¯t like the other knight¡¯s seeing this side of him. Grayle sighed in his head and tried to slip away, but the Mill noticed him before he could. When she recognized him, she let out a bark with her tail swaying with delight as her shining eyes looked at him. However, Cromwell looked up to see why she was acting that way and immediately froze. ¡°I didn¡¯t see.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± A sense of urgency arose between the two. Both of them unsure of what to do and lost for words they stared awkwardly at each other, the sound coming from Mil¡¯s tail wagging. I hate people who read on aggregate sites, so go to my actual site and support the chapters with views. Those rumors among the knights that have been here longer being that the chief loved animals was quite popular. The chief always came to the stables every day to talk with his beloved horse, brushing with care, or leaving fruits for the birds in winter so they don¡¯t starve. Also the stray cat with feeding it and giving it the name of ¡°Nora¡±. He also cried when that stray can was crippled. There was also the time when they were working and a white rabbit had run close by, his mask collapsed like a burning house as a smile would flash across his face. Most of the members of the Northern Fort have more or less witnessed similar scenes of Cromwell losing his bearings around small animals. Strangely enough, Cromwell seemed to think that the knights here didn¡¯t love animals and kept it hidden, or tried to. This translation is hosted at AshenFeather. Grayle didn¡¯t dislike cute animals and thought it¡¯d be nice to have one, but Cromwell took the attitude that he wasn¡¯t interested in animals desperately, so he pretended not to notice it either. Grayle avoided eye contact with Cromwell, looking at the surroundings, avoiding dealing with the immediate situation. Maybe he was scared of what the others would think of him if they saw that he really loved animals, that is probably why he looked annoyed and cold most of the time. Grayle thought this. From Grayle¡¯s standpoint, as a commoner, he climbed to his position through his own ability. Not really having to worry about looks or likes, if you loved animals; you could freely admit to it without thinking, but Cromwell seemed to have a different idea about that. Cromwell was from a prestigious aristocratic family. Grayle wasn¡¯t sure he could be made chief as a commoner even with talent and achievement alone. The person who promoted him didn¡¯t seem to care about it, but Cromwell seemed to care a bit too much about his appearance. Maybe he was scared that showing this side of him would forever change his image in the other knights¡¯ heads. Cromwell grew up in the kingdom for a long time before coming to serve in this severe environment of the north. Maybe because of that, he wanted to look strong for the other knights here already, so that he can have a good reputation. Although there was less crime here on the northern border, there instead was a very real threat of the weather. There have even been cases where knights had frozen to death inside the forth. The environment here certainly was harsh with every day requiring them to remove snow from the forth while still training. All of it was a game of endurance. Also including that most of the nights here were rejects from the other companies, those with bad habits and quirks that were seen as nuisances so no one but Cromwell was nobility; His family probably sent him here to gain confidence. ¡°Why not Gayle?¡± Although as our leader, he has worked wonderfully at the Fort so far, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s far from having a good confidence yet. So to keep the act up, I won¡¯t show that I¡¯ve already been disillusioned. Allow him to think he¡¯s still our ¡°Ice Chief¡±, for such a hard working man, I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t see anything. ¡°No, I was looking at Mill.¡± CH 17.2 MTL & Editor : Ashes Like, Comment and Subscribe~! It motivates my little heart. ¡°Mil? Is that the name you¡¯ve given this little fox? This is a wild animal, you¡¯ll become attached to it if you name it.¡± Cromwell¡¯s expression shows disinterest on purpose. He avoided looking down at it, probably so he wouldn¡¯t give in to the temptation of the Mil¡¯s cuteness. ¡°Did Chief come to see Iraux?¡± ¡°Yes. It is a knight¡¯s responsibility to manage their mounts properly.¡± Cromwell enunciated the ¡°Properly¡± in his word. Meaning he didn¡¯t come here because he was an advent animal lover, but because it was his duty to care for his horse. Grayle was strangely impressed at his denial skills. This translation is done by AshenFeather. WordPress or check out Novel updates. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now..¡± After stroking the nose of his horse gently, Cromwell attempted to leave. Even though he wished to have more ¡°Healing time¡±, Gayle arrived so he could only endure. As he tried to leave though, Mill unexpectantly chased after him and began to chase after him. ¡°¡­!¡±https://ashenfeather.wordpress.com Gayle witnessed Cromwell¡¯s face shine for a moment after watching Mil, but he quickly changed his expression, his voice cold ¡°Stop being a burden and don¡¯t move around so much.¡± Gayle watched Cromwell¡¯s brow wrinkle and to his surprise watched him reject Mil. ¡°Don¡¯t follow¡­¡± Scratching Mil¡¯s nose, he turned around and headed back into the Fort while Mil tried to get his attention by chewing on his pants with a ¡°Giriri¡±. It was obvious on his face that he was fighting the temptation to turn around, but he never did as he shook her off as he fled. It was quite sad actually. ¡± You okay..? He¡¯s quite the fickle person isn¡¯t he?¡± Gayle called out toward¡¯s Mill while joking and complaining in the same breath. Mil turned and came up to Gayle in a hurry. Gayle crouched down and stroked Mil¡¯s head while reminiscing about when Cromwell first came to the fort¡­ ¡°Did you see the new Chief..?¡±https://ashenfeather.wordpress.com ¡°Oh that noble¡¯s kid? I bet he only got it with his parent¡¯s power.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand people like that, it would have been better if the Deputy became the Chief.¡± ¡°He looks like a girl, no meat on him. How¡¯s he suppose to last the winter?¡± At first, all of the knights despised Cromwell. From his appearance, it seemed like he was just a weak aristocrat trying to play hero but as they all began to work with him their perception of him began to change. ¡°Hey, today I had a match with the Chief for training, but damn; He¡¯s pretty strong. Not as strong as the Deputy, but he has a really sharp sword..¡± ¡°I watched, but he¡¯s definitely more than I expected. I thought he joined the knights through a connection so I only expected him to just swing randomly.¡± ¡°For a noble, he¡¯s pretty surprising.¡±https://ashenfeather.wordpress.com ¡°He¡¯s almost as scary as the deputy, don¡¯t you think?¡± Grayle witnessed with a warm feeling that all the knight¡¯s that spoke horribly of Cromwell praise him one after another. Now that everyone in the fort recognized Cromwell, disregarding the icy mask he https:/ /ashenfeather .wordpress .com wears, he was full of information. Educating his own subordinates sternly. Of course, there are rumors that Cromwell was a closet animal lover, none of them belittled him because of it. Actually, the knights valued him much more than he thought and that aspect of loving animals was received quite favorably by the other knights. While thinking back, Grayle smiled while stroking Mil¡¯s head. MTLN: I procastinate so much. On a different note, somene finally pledged on Patreon, now I have to start using it xD, I¡¯ll be trying to get them up a week in advance on there for people interested, but definitely will be posted the moment one is done. On a earlier note about the little cub, Heres a older picture. I haven¡¯t been taking as many pictures recently because.. I¡¯ve been asleep. CH 18 I wonder how many days has past, but all I know is it¡¯s been a long time since I wandered into the fort that one day and so far, it¡¯s been filled with peace and fun. As of recent, I now stay in the same room as the one-eyed knight and today we awoke early. The one-eyed knight did his exercises before we both headed towards the Dining room. After breakfast, the one-eyed dropped me off again then went on to do his daily duties. As always, it¡¯s exciting for me to get to play outside. I enjoy leaving pawprints in the fresh snow while running as fast as I can and digging holes in the snow. Then as you¡¯d expect, playing in the snow, the dreaded snowballs clung to my body so I went to the gate to ask Brother Knight for help. The one that helped before. In the opposite direction of the Lodgings and the gate, there is a garden with a fruit tree that attracts birds. I go there to look at the small birds that gathered to eat the fallen fruits and some of the ripe ones on the tree. So long as I don¡¯t get too close to them, they won¡¯t fly away. Even though they don¡¯t like me getting close, the little prints they leave in the snow are adorable; just watching them heal me. After watching the birds, I go to the stables and greet all the horses. During that, Chief Cromwell came and I play with him. It seems I¡¯ve become his close friend, I hope he makes a human friend soon among the knights. It seems the Chief comes out almost every day before noon, I hope he¡¯s getting his work done. Maybe he¡¯s taking an early break before coming here? By the way, when I play with the Chief I¡¯m careful not to venture away from the stables since it looks like he¡¯s really accustomed to talking with others well. When I shook my tail and came over and touched his hand, the Chief suddenly had blood leak from his nose. It was strange how a nosebleed could look so gorgeous if the person who had it was beautiful. Cromwell quickly held his nose to try and withhold the bleeding, but it was too late; I already saw, Cromwell holding his bloody nose while trembling. An excited expression plastered on his face while his horse looked at him with concern. After he was able to calm himself down, he took a luxurious handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his nosebleed; embarrassed while doing so. ¡°I¡¯m okay, I¡¯m okay¡­ My heart just wasn¡¯t prepared¡­¡± It was okay because he was beautiful with a nosebleed or rather because he¡¯s my friend. When noon rolled around, it was time for the Chief to go back, only it was obvious he was doing so reluctantly. The one-eyed knight also picks me up and I play with him while acting like a childish fox so he would give me jerky as snacks. I was happy. As the afternoon rolls around, it¡¯s time for the knights to go back to work so I sadly had to part with the one-eyed knight. Afterwards, because I¡¯m still a baby fox, I ended up napping until the sky darkened. At first, I ended up falling asleep on the snow in the shade of the stables, but after the thought of ¡®what if the stray dog comes back¡¯. I ended up sleeping in the stables with the horses. I felt better since the horses would help protect me if a dog did come after me. After I awoke, I still had to play by myself. Of course, it was lonely but the one-eyed knight wasn¡¯t here to accompany me outside the gate since he and the other knight were busy with their duties so paying attention to me would take too much time from them so I didn¡¯t bother. In the evening, the one-eyed knight came to get me just before it got too dark, but he still hadn¡¯t finished all of his duties so he took me with him to the office. While there, I waited patiently at his feet as he sat at his desk finishing up paperwork. It only took a little while before he finished then it was dinner time. I got to eat rice with the other knights in the lively dining hall. I¡¯ve already gotten used to Tina and the¡­ Coercion of the tough looking knight corps¡¯ faces. I laid in Ms. Tina¡¯s lap as she petted me and although I kept vigilance towards Knix¡¯s surprise attacks, he¡¯d still get me when I wasn¡¯t paying attention; raising me high. I¡¯ve gotten better with it each time, but it¡¯d kept reminding me of an amusement park¡¯s freefall ride; every time I went down it turned my stomach over. The one-eyed knight reminded me of a reliable father and Ms. Tina a gentle sister; the knights of the fort brothers who were very protective of their sister and the Chief who was a friend with a delicate, caring heart. Knix was the idiot in the family, but he was still fun¡­ Still¡­ With all this peace, I still felt that there was trouble coming soon. I couldn¡¯t tell what, but it was like a pit in my stomach Or a little troublesome brother feeling. In this world, I had only my mother, but now, it seems I¡¯ve joined a big family here and to that; I¡¯m quite happy. Thinking this I finished supper and headed to the common room to wait for a bath. While I waited I was brushed by Tina and played with knix¡­ Sadly, Knix had only taken one bath in four days. Anyways, while in the common room, I have to be careful because even tho I¡¯ve touched the Chief¡¯s animal-loving side because he¡¯ll get angry at us for being loud and reprimand us Please, someone, be his friend¡­ On the note of baths, I was forced to enter the bath before. It was on a day that the sun came out and the snow started to melt, so I had mud all over my fur. There was so much that even the other knights looked at me in awe. After that, I had been dragged to the bathhouse by the one-eyed knight. At first, I was excited¡­ Then he took off his clothes in the dressing room, shocking me. I was hoping he¡¯d keep his underwear on, but no¡­ Neither did the other knights who came to bathe. I also see the Chief here, keeping to himself and watching everyone. Certainly, he could try to be more social? I tried to escape from the dressing room so I wouldn¡¯t have to bathe with the guys. Sadly, my escape was foiled. The one-eyed knight caught be and only thought I hated baths. So while I was being bathed, I refused to open my eyes and everyone was laughing the whole time. How cruel, but I died before I could climb the stairs of adulthood so I¡¯m a maiden on the inside. I believed if I looked I would be traumatized. By the way, there was also a hot spring and I was interested, but I had to concede and accept the one-eyed knight¡¯s advice saying ¡°It will be too hot for you¡±. I also felt the aura of ¡°Fire¡± from the hot springs, so it probably wouldn¡¯t be compatible to me who¡¯s a snow spirit. Rather, the hot spring itself was unusual as it¡¯s water was hotter than a regular hot spring so I couldn¡¯t bring myself to go in. When the one-eyed knight was finished, we both returned to the room and went to bed. I liked that the one-eyed knight would pet my head while saying ¡°goodnight¡± before we both went to sleep. Like this, my days at the fort passed by peacefully. All the knight were gentle to me and no one bullied me, with wild dogs never showing up again, Everyday was fun, but then I remember, that mother should be back to the mountain soon¡­ If I don¡¯t return back to the mountaintop, I¡¯ll worry mother¡­ I suddenly thought of Mother who should be back soon, however, I couldn¡¯t just up and leave without saying anything. The one-eyed knight would certainly worry about me if I were to just disappeared. It¡¯s truly inconvenient that I can¡¯t speak. I can¡¯t express my gratitude or how much I love being here. One afternoon I was wondering around the iron fence that surrounded the fortress. The spacing between the bars was enough that I could fit my small body through, just like how I got in. It was hard to say goodbye, especially to the one-eyed knight. Even though my mind screamed to go back home to mother, my legs wouldn¡¯t move forward. I wondered if my mother knew, would she let me come back and play. I sat in the snow, staring at the mountain. Slowly, it began to snow. Then the wind began to pick up and then it became terrible, almost blew me away. It was a snowstorm. The beautiful white snowscape turned into a white void and within a blink of an eye; it was a blizzard. Thus giving me the excuse to push back leaving the fort thus I turned back and entered the fortress. But the snowstorm didn¡¯t stop for three days¡­ CH 19 In my previous life, the region I lived in was rather warm and snow would fall a few times during the winter, but it¡¯d be so light that the snow would melt the moment it touched the ground. I use to see the images of the heavy snow areas on the Television when the news would show it and I used to think it was a problem. Well, on the other hand, it was also enviable when you¡¯re a child. If there was so much snow, you could make a snow-hut and even a slide.[*1] But I can say now that this snowstorm had become dangerous. No matter how much snow they cleared, more would fall and quickly fill the cleared spots. Even on top of the mountain, there wasn¡¯t a snowstorm as severe as this on top of the mountain. I watched the storm from inside the one-eyed knight¡¯s room. Certain it was a terrible blizzard for the region¡­ On the second day, the window was plastered with now. No light was able to come through and the room was dark like it was night still. For a moment I still thought it was night. The one-eyed knight tried to open the window to clean it, but it was sealed tight by the snow. The snowstorm continued with the same ferocity as the other day, the sky was covered with thick clouds, leaving the landscape gloomy and dark, but not as dark as inside. Although I was excited that the snow had piled high, the one-eyed knight wasn¡¯t happy and didn¡¯t let me outside to play. All day the raging winds and snowfall continued without end, I even started to think that this was certainly strange. Storms on the mountain could go on for days, but it would fluctuate. Weakening here and there, even have gaps in between. This storm though, it showed no signs of stopping, even for a moment; the wind howled like it was angry as it battered the region. The weather was quite violent. While I thought about things, another night passed in the snowstorm. I wondered how much the snow would accumulate while I was asleep. There was an uneasy feeling that gripped me as I laid down with the one-eyed knight to sleep. Though I closed my eyes, I ended up not being able to sleep due to the howling of the wind and it battering the window, making it rattle violently. As the third day arrived, the window to our room was still covered shut, but it wasn¡¯t just our window now that we couldn¡¯t open. The snow had piled so high that they engulfed all the windows on the first floor. Thankfully whether they anticipated such a thing happening or not, those windows were a lot smaller and sturdier than the upper floors. Inside the dining hall, the main topic among the knights this morning was the storm. It was a given, as most of the knights were from different regions and this being their first time seeing such heavy snowfall. There was a running joke that it would be filling the entire fort, but it was a decent height so it wasn¡¯t a concern at the moment¡­ Is what I want to believe but the dining hall¡¯s chef who is a local person said that there is a huge blizzard every couple of years, but it was unusual for it to get this bad. The mood in the dining hold was quite tense, to say the least¡­ So I thought since I was a snow spirit, I went to the roof of the fort and yelled at the sky like ¡°Snow Stop!¡±, but nothing happened. The storm continued to rage and ignored me. I even began to question my existence. I¡¯m a snow spirit, right? As the morning continued, the knights continued clearing snow. Even though they cleared the paths, the snow would still quickly build up, but they still had to do it. Because move the snow was such a demanding job, the knights were shoveling in turns. They would dry their wet clothes by the fireplace while warming their hands and feet. I had been staying in the common room for a long time and I felt guilty that I couldn¡¯t stop this storm. So to try and make it up to them, I¡¯ve been walking up to the tired knights who come in and let them touch my fur to their heart¡¯s content. It seems that the one-eyed knight along with the Chief had been going to the nearby village to help with snow removal on the roads and roofs. It seemed to where trying to say as many homes as they could as a lot of them were old and less resilient than the fort. I just hope that they be careful, but I guess if they fall there¡¯ll be piles of snow to fall in. Tina had picked me up and took me out to the front entrance to wait for the knights, but the moment the heavy doors were opened, the wind howled violently, causing Tina to shrink her neck due to the cold. She was even wearing lays of warm clothing and hugging me tightly, tho I didn¡¯t think snow spirits would make very great body warmers. In the end, the knights who went to town came back somewhere around noon. ¡°Welcome back! How was the town?¡± ¡°The old hut collapsed and there wasn¡¯t as much damage as I expected. The town folk really are accustomed to the snow more than us. Food reserves will last and there¡¯s plenty of firewood. We¡¯ll be okay if the snow continues for a little while. With that, the worry in Tina had gone, she was even joking with the others. She loosened her grip enough that I was able to jump out onto the ground. From the entry hall, I ran towards the outside world¡­ Even though I went forward, the wind was so strong I was pushed backward. ¡°No! Don¡¯t go outside Mil, the snow is really nasty out there!¡± I looked back at Tina who was shouting for me to come back, and when I did, the one-eyed knight had also arrived along with others on horses. They were many tools strapped to the horses, all of which were used to deal with the snow. Some of them even had pulled sleds to move piles of snow. I really wanted to try those sleds out¡­ ¡°Have you been a good girl ?¡± Of course! I spun around in a circle quickly while barking in the hall. After a few moments, I calmed down and everyone around me was laughing merrily. The tension in the air seemed to have lifted a little. I thought, since I couldn¡¯t help with the snow removal, the least I can do is make them happy and laugh. But this storm truly was terrible. The wind didn¡¯t cut things but was like a lead weight smashing into everything. People, buildings and trees were equally destroyed in its path. Even the snowfall was unforgiving. Not even five minutes and the snow piled so high that my body couldn¡¯t be seen, swallowing me whole. I had to constantly shake the snow off. ¡°You take a break, call back teams five and eight instead!¡± The chief, who looked concerned about the knight with a tightening expression. ¡°Right now? Have you guys had your breaks yet?¡± ¡°We have to hurry, the sun will be going down soon so we have to hurry up.¡± The chief gave his order and the knight acknowledged it before rushing back to the fortress. I came all the way out here for the one-eyed knight but was he going to leave? I loitered around his feet and pulled on his boot strings towards the fort trying to get him to go back in, but he only smiled and gently patted me. Then about eight knights wearing thick snow gear along with horses carrying snow tools arrived. It seems that things were moving quickly since the one-eyed knight and the Chief arrived. ¡°Are we going to the next town to remove snow?¡± Among them was Knight and they all spoke with the Chief with ease and I wondered if they could become his friend. ¡°No, we¡¯ll finish up here and make our way to the foot of the mountain where the snow spirit lives.¡± Hearing the word spirit, my ears perked up and I listened attentively. ¡°Are you sure?! That sounds like suicide to me! The road there is buried in snow!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s buried, you just have to dig it out.¡± ¡°Seriously..?¡± Knix then chimed in with a question. ¡°What are you going to do up there?¡± ¡°Give offerings to the snow spirit so she may stop the storm.¡± That being said, the chief looked back at his horse, attached to it was several bottles. It smelled of strong alcohol, the type that if you stood next to it, it would be possible to get drunk. The chief turned his eyes back. ¡°The old folk in town say that the spirit is angry and this storm is its wrath and that we must ask it¡¯s forgiveness. They also said that even if we ask for forgiveness with offerings, the storm may not even stop immediately. ¡° ¡°So we have to find the altar?¡± ¡°Tes, we had to stop them by promising to take their offerings for them. It¡¯d definitely be suicide if they went. I can¡¯t just let them go,¡± ¡°Chief¡­ Do you really think the spirit is the cause..?¡± Knix chimed in again, rather I would like if he didn¡¯t try frightening everyone, but it seemed the Knights didn¡¯t notice. As the talk went on more and more snow started to accumulate on my body. ¡°I¡¯m skeptical on the cause, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re baseless either. The weather certainly is abnormal.¡± The chief replied in a low voice as he looks up. The window and snow continued to batter everything without a moment¡¯s rest. ¡°If this storm is due to the spirit¡­ Then as long as her anger cannot be calm, it¡¯s possible this storm may last forever. The surrounding Knights looked at the chief with gloom on their faces. I began to wonder what would happen if the storm continued on like this. At the moment, the current situation was good. We had the breathing room that we could joke and laugh, but for others¡­ Their supplies are low and they wouldn¡¯t be able to get any more until the storm stopped. After that, the monotonous labor called snow removal continued on for hours each day. The Knights¡¯ bodies were becoming exhausted with food and fuel getting lower each day. Morale had fallen and there wasn¡¯t a possibility to evacuate. Unable to move, it¡¯s possible that they¡¯d have to wait until they freeze to death. Their faces are blue and the chief said something about that spring would surely come if we could endure. He was awfully quiet while he said that as he overlooked everyone. ¡°If we don¡¯t go, it might be too late. We need to take the offerings to the altar, even though the possibility is low, there¡¯s still a chance. We have to go while we have the strength. ¡° ¡°Certainly it¡¯s dangerous to go to the altar in this storm and the altar isn¡¯t far, those who aren¡¯t comfortable with their strength can stay. We promised the town¡¯s people that we¡¯d go.¡± For better or worst, the fortress held many people who would never utter the words ¡°I am not confident, so I¡¯ll watch the fort¡±. ¡°If the chief and Deputy are going, we go!¡± ¡°Oi, I have faith only in my strength!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, what snow storm!?¡± Even though they were blue-faced a while ago, their spirits rose with their cries. Their heated hearts melted the snow, but all within the palm of the Chief. Both the chief and deputy laughed, but one knight spoke up with impatience. ¡°Oi! let¡¯s hurry, I want to get back before sunset!¡± With that everyone began to get up and gather their equipment. The one-eyed knight stroked my head one last time before getting up, and I could only bark ¡°Oo!¡± ¡°Oi, noisy. You¡¯re staying to watch the fort!¡± I¡¯m apologizing because I¡¯m almost positive she¡¯s mad because I snuck out. I was suppose to be watching our home, but I left while Mother was gone for a month.¡±Where have you been Millefria!?¡± I can see it now, while I was here with the knights playing, she out there really angry. I could feel her anger in every snowflake and I could almost hear her wails in each wind. The townsfolk were certainly right that it was something to do with the spirits and unless I soothe Mother¡¯s anger, this will probably last for a long time.. Maybe even an eternal snowstorm. If the one-eyed knight is going to see Mother, I certainly have to go as well. Because I¡¯m the cause of the storm, so I desperately scratched at the one-eyed knight¡¯s boot with my forearms. I tried to tell him¡± Take me too!¡± ¡°Do you really not want to watch the fort for us?¡± The edge of the one-eyed knight¡¯s lips went up slightly into a grin, he picked me up and hugged me like Tina does with one hand holding my forepaw and the other arm wrapped around my belly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I take you, it¡¯s too hard to watch you out in this storm. ¡° It was the Ice Chief that spoke up with a cold tone while watching. I noticed that his eyes were warning me, that I would be burdensome to take with them up the mountain in this storm and not to follow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ But it¡¯s dangerous¡­¡± ¡± Of course, Tina. Please come get Mil.¡± Even though the Chief became a little weak when I looked him in the eye, the one-eyed knight remained steadfast. Tina quickly came over and took me from the one-eyed knight¡¯s embraced No! No, no! I¡¯m supposed to go too! I was the cause of this storm and that meant I had to go with the knights to calm mother! I had to apologize to Mother for leaving without her knowing and get her forgiveness! I ended up resting with all my might, my short limbs flaring about. But it was useless, the one-eyed knight¡¯s grip was ironclad against my weak struggles. I could only scratch at the air with despair. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon and we¡¯ll play in the room.¡± The one-eyed knight said some words of comfort, but I didn¡¯t want to play! ¡°Mill, why don¡¯t you come and cook with me?¡± My will was ignored by them and the one-eyed knight handed me over to Tina. She held onto me tightly so I couldn¡¯t follow after the knights as they walked out the fort¡¯s doors. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The Chief gave the command and all the knights mounted their horses, leaving into the storm. As their backs slowly faded into the white abyss, my barks were filled with refusal. CH 20 As they walked through the forest at the base of the mountain, the storm grew stronger and stronger the closer they got towards the location of the altar. The wind also brought with it a white-out, leaving them only able to see a few feet ahead. If not for sticking close while on horseback, they would have lost sight of each other. The Knights could only hear the frenzied screams of the wind and their bodies growing cold due to the sheer amount of snow that plastered their coats. Even with them covered head to toe in fur, they could feel the piercing cold. Their only blessing was that this forest had trees that grew densely together, weathering the full brunt of the storm¡¯s fury. However, it was a double-sided sword. The trees were packed with snow, here and there branches would snap; the snow that was held up on it would come crashing down with such force, it could only be compared to dropping a large chunk of iron down. This had more than enough force to take one of the knights¡¯ lives. This meant they had to proceed with even more caution, taxing their strained senses even more. Grayle wondered how much farther until they reached the altar. He had visited it many times when he patrolled, but the white-out warped his sense of distance. The thought to ¡°turn back¡± while the horses still had the strength to do so started to nag at his mind. He felt it was dangerous to keep proceeding at this pace. He felt that the scenery was different than he remembered, but with such limited visibility, it was hard to confirm or deny. It was almost certain that they may have taken the wrong way¡­ Gayle, who was at the front of the back, looked back and could see Knix just behind him while also barely making out the Chief who was behind Knix. He was about to try and speak with the Chief, but almost in an instant, the storm died down unnaturally. Almost all the knights were thrown off balance, as the wind that pushed against them disappeared; Causing them to almost fall off their horses. ¡°What happened?!¡± ¡°Why did the wind stop?¡± ¡°Keep your guards up!¡± ¡°We¡¯re already here!¡± Calm before the storm. This was the ominous thought that popped into Gayle¡¯s head as the wind died down with a few of the knights shouting in surprise, but Knix¡¯s comment brought his attention ahead of them. Before them, the forest opened up into a clearing with a lone altar sitting alone in the middle. Knix and I dismounted our horses before slowly approaching the altar step by step. The altar of the Snow Spirit, with just three large pillars, as white as the snow. Ever since the first time he had came to this place, it had been like this. Each pillar reached into the sky with such grandeur, even the snow couldn¡¯t cover them. ¡°Was the snowstorm really caused by the spirit¡­?¡± Cromwell murmured as he too disembarked his horse. With the storm stopping the moment they reached the altar grounds, it was almost certain that it was the spirit¡¯s power. It was an ominous feeling that welcomed them, their surroundings deathly quiet and the tension gripped all their heart. ¡°Knix! Come back, don¡¯t go forward by yourself! Knix, whose curiosity got the better of him, he tried to go towards the altar on his own, was called back by Gayle. He was cautious of the altar, his nervousness was heard as he gulped. Only other sound that could be the soft fall of snowflakes as they touched the ground. ¡± Will the spirit¡­ Really appear?¡± With the question being asked, Gayle was a little skeptical, never once had he met the Snow Spirit but among the villagers, there are only a few who have seen the spirit. It¡¯s said that the spirit of these mountains had protected this area from people who wished to do harm. Never has there been a conflict here even though it¡¯s right on the border between two nations. There was no way one could send an army through this terrain and even if they tried, the storms would batter them. It would just waste all their energy and resources trying to protect itself from the elements, not leaving room to wage a war. ¡°Have you ever seen the snow spirit¡­?¡± Cromwell asked Gayle as he gazed at the altar. ¡°No.¡± Gayle only shook his head towards his question. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that the snow spirit of this mountain cares a lot about this country and all though it¡¯s frustrating to do, she would on occasions, give help to the royal family. I myself haven¡¯t seen her in person, but people say that she¡¯s an outrageous beauty, but this is when I was visiting the prince. Gayle, this time, nodded with a thoughtful expression, thinking upon Cromwell¡¯s words. ¡°Eh? Chief, You haven¡¯t seen the Snow spirit who is suppose to be that beautiful? Before Cromwell could answer Knix, who interrupted him, the snow started to stir. As if it was inhaling from the forest, then exhaling towards the altar where the snow on the ground began to rise like a vortex towards the sky and then¡­ the snow fell towards the ground lifelessly and in the center where the vortex had once been, stood a beautiful woman. Knix and the other knights let out awes of amazement, but Gayle only looked on at the beautiful. He seemed to take the sight of her in. The woman wore clothes that weren¡¯t normally worn in this country and most definitely different from that of nobles. Pure white with a slightly glossy shine to them with the bust area open, but covering modestly her large chest area with a belt just underneath to keep it together. These clothes she wore made her seem almost godly, however, Grayle was focused on the fur lining around her neck. It was like Mil, pure, fluffy and white. Moving his gaze a little higher, he saw a very feminine face that was small, but not unnatural looking in proportion with her body. Her demeanor was like she was something sculpted out of ice by the finest artisans. Cromwell had seen the beautiful women in town, although they were annoying to him, he couldn¡¯t help compare them to this woman that appeared out of the snow. This kind of beauty was in a different league. Comparing the girls in town to her seem almost an insult to her beauty, as if there needed a comparison. Their faces would ways be a little red at the nose when you passed them or when they saw someone they liked, their faces would turn a little red, but her¡­ Her face was white as the skin, but not sickly looking, almost too perfect. It didn¡¯t even look like an ounce of red blood flowed under her skin. Her hair was a glossy whitish-silver color. with each strand of her hair simmered beautifully when it caught the light. Her eyes were a light blue, almost as if they were chiseled from the purest ice. But that face was stained with rage, but even then, they couldn¡¯t look away. Her beauty was a deadly weapon. She was obviously not human with the way she appeared, but that only meant one thing¡­ she was the Snow Spirit; Snowlea [*1] Although Grayle was stunned for a moment, he noticed he forgot to breathe, but looking back, even the others did too from the sudden appearance of such a beautiful woman. ¡°Hey, breathe guys¡­¡± Though, even with this heads up, everyone still was as unmoving as stone as if their souls were being sucked out. ¡°Look at her fur collar, do not look at her face!¡± With his command, their gazes with much willpower slowly moved towards her neckline and suddenly they all took deep breaths, relief washing over all of them. Grayle looked at the fur neckline, keeping his thoughts on Mil and how she was waiting for them at the fort, trying to calm his heart. ¡°Are you¡­ Snowlea, the snow spirt?¡± Cromwell who was the calmest of all the nights asked her, tension could be heard in his voice. ¡°¡­ My daughter¡­¡± Snowlea muttered those words, but it was as clear as the sun on a clear day to them, It overpowered everything around them, trembling in their eardrums. Then suddenly, her hands reached out towards Chief Cromwell and before anyone could react, her hands gripped his throat. Her face twisted into an angry snarl. ¡°My child! What did you do to Milfria!? Where did you take my beloved child!?¡± Her eyes wide with trembling rage, but Cromwell was mesmerized by her moving lips, with each move, her sharp fangs could be seen sometimes. The moment her frenzied screams came out, the pressure around all of them began to weigh down on them, making it hard for the knights to breathe, even one tried to step back but fell over. The horses even were startled, trying to flee. Grayle came out of shock and tried piecing together what Snowlea said to try and figure out what was happening. From what little was said, it seemed to him that she was searching for her missing child, He never knew she had one and apparently, neither did Cromwell ¡°Why did you people come here!? Did you son of a bitches take my Milfria!? What is your purpose!?¡± A raged failed wail came from Snowlea who just moments ago, was like a goddess, was now similar to a beast. her teeth bared in a twisted snarl, just waiting to tear out Cromwell¡¯s throat. Out of instinct, Gayle immediately put his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist but didn¡¯t draw it. ¡°Please wait, give us a chance to explain ourselves Ms. Snow Spirit! We have only come up the mountain to ask that you stop the blizzard! We are the knights from the fort below tasked with watching over this region! We did not take your child, in fact, we never even knew you had a child!¡± ¡°¡­ The Knight¡¯s from the fort¡­?¡± It seemed the words Grayle threw said go through to her as her face seemed to slowly untwist as she calmed herself down, she looked over all the Knights present before decided to believe in Grayle¡¯s statement, releasing Cromwell from her grasp ¡°It¡¯s obvious you wouldn¡¯t know that a spirit had a child since we fear that if people knew, they would try and take out children. If one were to raise a spirit, they would have access to such mighty powers..¡± Snowlea began to talk to herself, but the more she spoke, the more her face began to twist in anger again. If a child of the snow spirit was really taken, this is a disaster in the making! What purpose would someone have in kidnapping her child? The only thoughts he could come up with is to overthrow the royal family or destroy this country. It was also possible that it was for a different reason. Regardless of why, what was important at the moment was that it happened, leaving them having to notify the kingdom immediately, but before anything was done, Grayle calmed his mind before anything. He thought some more and he needed to ask a question that came up. ¡°But during the storm, it¡¯s been difficult for anyone to reach anywhere, not to mention going up the mountain. I know this may anger you, but¡­ Is it possible your child wandered off from your home?¡± Snowlea glared at Grayle after he asked her that question, it was full of anger. He didn¡¯t want to enrage her, but as a rule, he had to ask. It was a possibility that¡¯s why, because people wouldn¡¯t be able to climb the mountain this winter, and even if they tried, they wouldn¡¯t be sane people or alive. Snowlea¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at him, but she understood the underlying tones ¡°Indeed, with the human¡¯s fragile bodies, it would be difficult to climb to the summit where I live, but it isn¡¯t impossible. Over the past several hundred years, there have been many people who climbed my mountain with the vile intent to try and conquer me. Many lost their lives, while others gave up halfway. Those who thought they could endear till the end, I took their lives.¡± Snowlea¡¯s words break the tension, but it only made their blood colder than it already was. Although she spoke of people who tried to reach her home with evil intentions, she still spoke of taking lives as if she was talking about the weather. It was a reminder to them that even though she was the most generous and passionate of them, she was still fundamentally different from humans. They all have killed others at one point or another in this line of work, regret was not a feeling they would have, but she was completely indifferent to taking a life. ¡°So then¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be possible still for a human to steal your child¡­¡± Snowlea had a desperate expression while she chewed anxiously on her lip. It looked like she was almost about to cry¡­ ¡°O my beloved child is just a baby! How can she go down the mountain with such small lovely paws! Milfria is a cowardly child, I don¡¯t believe she¡¯ll leave the safety of our home on her own! She must be trembling with fear somewhere unknown to her, o my poor child!¡± Tears began to flow down both her cheeks, each tear held such beauty that they would not lose to any gem. It was a sorrow of a mother that lost their child and Grayle wanted to desperately help her. ¡°We will help you look for your child, whatever it takes! So please, stop the snow storm¡­ In this weather, we won¡¯t be able to see little alone search.¡± The snow calmed down, for a moment they were even able to see out in the distance, but just as quickly it died down, it rose back up with even more ferocity. Grayle looked at Snowlea with a confused looked. ¡°I¡­ Can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t control my powers right now. When I think of someone possibly having kidnapped my child¡­ My anger will not dissipate, I never intended to harm the villagers below..¡± Suddenly, a strong gust of wind erupted around the altar as if responding to Snowlea anger. All of the Knights took a step back while covering their eyes. Grayle sensed that the crisis at hand was going to become much worst. How long would it take to find her child? What did her child even look like? Was the snow storm ever going to stop if they didn¡¯t find the Spirit¡¯s child? In the worst case¡­ What if her child was dead? In that case, would the storm continue forever? With all these questions running back to back in his head, it was a headache that she couldn¡¯t at the least, calm the storm. They also had to send a messenger to the Capital to inform them of the crisis at hand and request the Kingdom¡¯s army come to help them in searching for her child. On the other hand, they would have to request the aid of the other spirits to help restrain this snow spirit as humans stood no chance against her. Grayle wasn¡¯t familiar with spirits, but he did know that the Fire Spirit resided to the south and was on relatively friendly terms with humans. Maybe he could assist with melting the snow? Grayle hoped that Cromwell would also have some plans going on in his head to help ease the situation, but his expression as just as dire as his. ¡°Chief, what do you want to do? It doesn¡¯t look like the storm can be stopped anymore, it¡¯s too dangerous to stay here as it is now.¡± Knix shouted from behind them impatiently, but it didn¡¯t help the situation at all by telling them something that they were already aware of. Snowlea was crying out her child¡¯s name hysterically while crying, her hands covering her face. Grayle decided that it¡¯d probably be best that they search while making their way back to the fort, but before that, he stepped towards Snowlea. The closer he got, the stronger the wind got. Even someone as heavy as Grayle could be blown away if he got too close. ¡°Grayle!¡± Cromwell cried out trying to stop him, but his feet kept moving desperately until he was in front of Snowlea before trying to soothe her back to sanity. ¡°Listen to me Snowlea! Tell me what your child looks like, we can¡¯t find someone who we don¡¯t know what they look like! Are they a boy or a girl? Do they have the same hair as you? What clothes were they wearing, are they still a nursing child?¡± Gayle words didn¡¯t continue because Snowlea who was crying had suddenly become silent. Snowlea, who had been crying slowly looked up at Grayle, her eyes glancing from between her fingers. Her eyes had a deathly frost in them making Grayle¡¯s heart stop for a moment from freight. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Her cold white hands stretched out and her thin fingers touched Grayle¡¯s cheek, a sense of slowly being frozen down to the core overcame him. It had only been for a moment, but the part where her finger had touch had been deprived of heat already. Grayle¡¯s mind had warning bells going off, but his body wouldn¡¯t move from its spot. ¡°Why do you smell like my beloved child..?¡± The beautiful snow spirit rose up, her murmuring voice slipped from a face that looked blankly at him before her eyes narrowed with rage and turned into a snarl, her fangs bared openly at him with intense rage. ¡°What have you done to my child?!¡± With all the willpower in him, Grayle reached for his sword and tried to pull it out, his mind screaming to him that if he did not fight back, he would die today. Most humans would not be able to do anything in the face of an angered spirit, but wait for their pending death. Grayle was different though, with all his might, he put his strength into the sword¡­ But then¡­ ¡°Milfria¡­?¡± All that rage and all that killing intent disappeared as if it was just a lone gust of wind, Snowlea¡¯s eyes were focused on something by Grayle¡¯s feet, only that name escaped her lips. CH 21 I feel like something bad was going to happen soon, leaving my heart unsettled. Cromwell and the one-eyed Knight took the others up the mountain, leaving me in the fort with Tina. She was trying to read a book, but it seemed her heart was restless as well. ¡°Mill, don¡¯t you worry, even though the blizzard outside is still going on, the chief and Deputy Chief don¡¯t make mistakes. If they sense its too dangerous, they¡¯ll come back.¡± Tina saw me wondering around restless and picked me up then put me on her lap. Were the One-eyed Knights really going to be okay? I worried about a lot of things, but I wondered when they reach Mother¡¯s altar and see her, what would happen. The most likely scenario is that Mother was extremely angry with me. I jumped off Tina¡¯s lap with an ¡°oof¡± because I couldn¡¯t stay still at all due to the turmoil in my heart ¡°Come to me¡­¡± I heard Mother¡¯s voice, but it was a faint whisper. For a moment I thought Mother had found me and had come, but I didn¡¯t see her anywhere. Soon only the sound of the howling wind from the storm outside could be heard. ¡°It¡¯s okay mill¡­¡± Tina called out to me with a gentle tone, but it didn¡¯t work. I felt it in my heart that I had to go see the One-eyed Knight. I kept whining as I paced the common room while Tina looked at me with pity like I was a child whose parents dropped me off and left. ¡°I know you love the Grayle a lot, but if you¡¯re so worried we can go to the entrance and let you look out from the door for a moment, how about that?¡± ¡°Kyan!¡± Yes! take me outside now! I stood on my hind legs while reaching my forepaws up, inviting her to pick me up excitedly ¡°Yaa~! What a cute pose!¡± I was understood! Since you understand how cute I am, hold me! Tina is weak against me and thus tries to always hold me! Sadly, the one-eyed Knight won¡¯t hold me since he plans on ¡°returning me to the wild¡±. Like a strict policy ¡°Train your feet¡± and making me walk everywhere. Even though Tina knows she shouldn¡¯t be pampering me, she¡¯s weak against my cuteness and caves every time. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go out there¡­¡± When I thought that I was going outside with Tina who was finally enticed into carrying me, Brother Gatekeeper had come inside the front hall door as we came into the corridor. He had a good amount of snow piled on his shoulders and head. Even in such a blizzard, you guarded the front gate? ¡°The storm is getting even worse.¡± ¡°What!? It¡¯s been really bad, how can it get even worst!?¡± Tina raised her voice at what Brother Gatekeeper said. ¡°It¡¯s gotten to the point that you could freeze almost immediately out there. ¡° As he said that, Brother took off his clock, but the cloak didn¡¯t conform to cloth physics when it fell on the ground. It kept a rough shape of Brother¡¯s back. The cloak had frozen over, surely if your clothes were wet you¡¯d turn into an ice sculpture in a heartbeat. While Brother was showing Tina and me how bad it was, the other Knights who stayed behind to remove snow came in. One by one, they petted me while they passed us then gathered around the fireplace to warm their freezing bodies. As of recent, they¡¯ve gotten in the habit of petting me if I look up at them. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll be fine out there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be tricky¡­¡± ¡°If the enemy was human, they¡¯d have no problem, but how are they going to compete with a Spirit?¡± ¡°We should wait a little bit before we decide to do anything, they loaded equipment and rations to climb the mountain.¡± Everyone kept discussing what they should do about the situation, but all it went in one ear and out the other. I wondered if I should wait here. A imagine of the One-Eyed Knight came into my head of him slowly becoming too tired and falling down into the snow and him dying. This thought sent a deathly chill up my spine. I was almost immune to the cold and snow, but the One-eyed knight wasn¡¯t. Maybe in the past, I was human, but now I¡¯m a spirit with the power to protect everyone, especially the One-eyed knight! These thoughts flooded my heart and then¡­ ¡°Mil!!¡± I heard Tina¡¯s surprised voice. ¡°What¡¯s going on!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s snowing inside!¡± Everyone was looking at me with surprise, around my body a small snowstorm began to wrap around me. I was also surprised by this, but Tina who was holding me held onto me desperately. I could feel the fear coming off her, but for my safety. Unfortunately for her, my body turned into snow and disappeared into the wind. In my mind I was surprised! I could disappear! ¡°Mil!!¡± Tina cried out and the other Knights came running towards me and tried to grab me. That was the last I saw and I no longer felt anything as my body changed into snowflakes before it melted in the warm air of the common room I died?! I don¡¯t understand what happened, but so suddenly? Is this how spirits die? All I did was wish with all my heart that I could help the One-eyed knight, then I felt like my body was weightless and before I knew it, my body had turned into snow. All these thoughts raced through me, but I then felt like I became whole again¡­ Even though I was scared, I opened my eyes. For a split second, I thought I truly died and went to heaven, but with the serve weather, I was able to deduce I was just outside in the storm. I thought it for a moment, then it clicked I just moved outside. I¡¯m not dead yet!! Thinking back, mother also left for the kingdom like this. It also happened to me when I thought of the One-eyed knight, so I thought of the One-eyed Knight again like before and I felt the same sensation again. I think I did it! I really did it! Sadly, the scene before me poured water over my excitement. In front of me was the One-eyed knight and beside him was mother¡­ They were about to start fighting! Oh! I need to stop them! Before I could even utter a cry, mother had stopped midway, she was looking directly at me. Her eyes were wide with surprise, but the tears were spilling out of them. I felt my chest constrict painfully at the sight of my Mother crying. ¡°¡­ Milfria¡­?¡± The One-eyed knight had frozen mid-action too with his sword half drawn. He too was looking at me with surprise. ¡°Why are you here¡­?¡± ¡°Mill?!¡± Knix yelled out in surprise along with the other knights behind him. I let out a sigh of relief that everyone was alive. I made it in time, I didn¡¯t want to imagine what would have happened if I hadn¡¯t made it in time¡­ I checked one more time and confirmed all the knights who left were here unharmed. ¡°Milfria!¡± My mother was now kneeling down with her arms open towards me, her voice a mixture of pain and relief. I quickly ran into her embrace and started to lick the tears running down her two beautiful cheeks, leaving my tongue a little numb. ¡°You had me so worried! I was scared I lost you!¡± I had to apologize to my mother who I worried so much with my little escape. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± ¡°Wait¡­ Mill is Snowlea¡¯s child?¡± The Knights were obviously confused, who would have thought that a little fox cub was actually a snow spirit? Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t speak their language so I couldn¡¯t explain, but this was put to the back of my mind as I was embraced lovely by Mother. It felt so warm and comfortable to be back in her arms. ¡°So you ran away by your self Mil. It¡¯s good that you returned back to your mother¡­¡± Mother was stroking my head with a beautiful smile filled with a tender smile, but her face suddenly twisted when the One-eyed knight spoke towards me. Her eyes locked onto him and her face twisted with anger, her voice filled with killing intent. ¡°And again, how dare you scoff at my child that you kidnaped, I knew I shouldn¡¯t have trusted you! ¡° What!? Kidnaped!? him?! The words that my mother almost screamed caught me off guard. I don¡¯t know how Mother misunderstood what happened, but I left our home without permission by myself to try and find Mother¡­ Was this why the blizzard was going on?! ¡°Wait, Mill -¡° ¡°Shut up, Don¡¯t try and make excuses you!¡± ¡°Kyann!¡± Mother was misunderstanding the situation, he wasn¡¯t the bad man! I tried to explain to Mother in a rush, but I couldn¡¯t form the words with my mouth. Only ¡®Kyan¡¯ came out. Mother was in a frenzy now and didn¡¯t respond to my barks. ¡°I will not let you or your knights leave here alive for this!¡± Mother then let out a chilling declaration towards all the knights, her voice was monotonous and cold, almost ice like. I could see the magic in mother becoming more dense, swirling around inside her. If it was released, none of the knights would survive it, maybe even the fort and the villagers would be spared either. It felt that much from what I saw. Mother was about to rob me of my beloved One-eyed Knight¡­ I couldn¡¯t let such a horrid thing happen. I couldn¡¯t speak, but that didn¡¯t matter. I kept barking or making other sounds, whatever I could to stop Mother from killing him, but suddenly as if responding to my heart; it wasn¡¯t a bark that left my mouth¡­ ¡°- Stop it!¡± A high-pitched and lovely voice, like a toddler, came out. It seemed like time itself stopped at that moment, Mother was stunned for a moment and she stopped gathering power. ¡°¡­ Milfria..?¡± ¡°¡­ Is that your voice¡­?¡± Mother¡¯s mouth was agape and she let out a surprised voice while the One-eyed Knight made a stupid surprised face as well. Even I surprised myself, I even looked around me for a child, but there wasn¡¯t one. I took a moment to compose myself and grasped onto that feeling before I could forget it. ¡°I¡­ Words¡­ Talk¡­¡± Each word felt alien to me, each one took a lot of effort. It¡¯s been a year since I was born, but I could still remember words well, but I was able to absorb even more words at the fort. I could finally speak, But pronunciation is difficult! The words were hard to form with my small tongue and maybe the fact a fox¡¯s vocal cords weren¡¯t meant to form such complex sounds, the mouth structure wasn¡¯t in my favor as well. ¡°I-¡° ¡°Shh, enough for now¡­¡± Mother interrupted me as she kneeled back down and look at me with impatience. ¡± You don¡¯t have to say anything more. I¡¯m happy you can speak now haha!¡± ¡°Yeah.. haha¡­¡± ¡°Well, Milfria! Mother was about to keep talking with a happy tone, but I needed to clear up the misunderstanding. ¡°Mother¡­ It¡¯s different¡­ than you think¡­ I-I was not scolded¡­ It¡¯s true..¡± ¡°¡­ What..?¡± Poor Mother, her eyebrow raised slightly with interest. I kept talking, but it was tiring using my voice to speak. Even so, I had to clear this one so the One-eyed knight doesn¡¯t get punished for something he didn¡¯t do ¡°The reason I wasn¡¯t there¡­ Was I was lonely so I left to find you¡­ But I ended up at the fort with the One-eyed knight¡­¡± Every one of the Knights were good people. ¡°¡­ Everyone at the fort¡­ Good people¡­ Even the village. I sorry I left the mountain¡­¡± I bowed my head, bracing myself for Mother¡¯s anger. I was sure she would be shout at me, Mother- ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Milfria!!¡± -Mother is happy¡­ She stroked my head while impressed. ¡°I thought of you as a baby, but you still made it down the mountain by yourself on foot. I didn¡¯t know you had such bravery! You can even speak and use a movement skill! Mother is very happy!¡± The One-eyed knight was staring at us, his mouth wide open. ¡°Even though you¡¯ve been growing wonderfully, but you don¡¯t have to rush to grow up my child. Let me enjoy my time with you, my cute Milfria..¡± When you think of spirits, you¡¯d think of something cool, but not what mother was showing right now. She was Mother though, she was relieved and expressed her happiness towards me after finding me safe. It was cute though. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll forgive me, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡± Of course.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t hurt the others?¡± Mother, finally remembering there were other people here that she almost killed after being reminded, turned and stood up, facing the Knights. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to you all, I almost did an unforgivable act. I hope you could understand the situation of losing your child, I hope you could forgive me.¡± Mother apologized towards the One-eyed knight with a sorry expression. Her expression seemed to disperse the tension that hung in the air before, was this the power of a beautiful woman? The One-eyed knight¡¯s expression went back to its usual stoic ways, but everyone else was surprised still. ¡°No, It¡¯s alright is the misunderstanding has been fixed.¡± Sensing the situation cleared up, he pressed the sword back into the sheath and visibly loosened up. He accepted her apology, but his sight was on me. I wanted to say something, but when I spoke, it was strange to keep calling him the one-eyed knight. It caught in my mouth, but Mother spoke up before I could figure out what I wanted to say. ¡°Even if you say that should you ever need help you should come to the altar, I¡¯ll lend you my power, but for now I will need to give my apologies to the village people below for the blizzard. Since it turned out this way, unless the current snow clears up, I won¡¯t let the snow fall this winter. ¡° With Mother saying that the clouds dispersed at a visible pace and the sun already began to shine through. ¡°Also thank you. You¡¯ve protected my child while I was away. I can tell that you all took great care of her. What should we do for your reward.. Maybe a kiss from me?¡± Mother was smiling while saying such a joke¡­ However, the expressions of the One-eyed Knight and the other men had expectant expressions. Is this not a tsundere!? You all were about to get killed just a few seconds ago, but you forgive mother because she¡¯s beautiful?! Well, on the bright side, it¡¯s good that no one was angry with Mother¡­ Well¡­ I don¡¯t know about me. I was the cause of all this trouble and I would be sad if they hated me because of it ¡°Well, let us go home Milfria.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ Wait!¡± ¡°You¡¯re still you and developing, you have to spend time with mother so you can¡¯t go back with them today.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ Ha!¡± The winds began to wrap around Mother and me as she picked me up. Mother was going to move to our home in the mountain, but I still haven¡¯t apologized to the One-eyed knight yet nor have I expressed my gratitude to them for taking care of me! I wasn¡¯t even ready to part with them yet! ¡°Mill!¡± The One-eyed Knight extended his hand towards us, but before he could reach us, we began to fade into the snow. Even so, I managed to say my goodbye before my head disappeared. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry and thank you! It was fun! everyone, I love you all!¡± And before they disappeared, the One-eyed knight was the last thing I saw. no, I guess I disappeared before them¡­ CH 22 The blizzard that had been battering them for the past few days without rest had finally ended. The skies had slowly cleared with the warm sun peeking through the clouds, even the temperature had already begun to raise and the hard packed snow began to soften. With Mil¡¯s appearance, Snowlea¡¯s wrath had ended bringing peace back to the region. Grayle even promised a favor from the snow spirit, such a thing was almost a miracle to have a spirit as a friend. But none of this brightened any of the darkness in the Knights¡¯ hearts. Grayle and Cromwell as well had grim expressions. Mill, the white baby fox that had appeared two weeks ago in the fort was the child of Snowlea. She was an irreplaceable existence to them, someone who brought joy to their cold live, though she was now back up on the mountain with her mother, it was still sad for them who¡¯ve grown used to her presence. That lovely white ball of fur will never be clinging to their feet, or eating jerky from their hand nor will they see her running around in the training yard snow excitedly again. After today, when Grayle returns back to the room, He¡¯ll be alone again. He began to think of all the things he would have to clean up that was for Mill, these thoughts only made me more depressed. He sighed and reprimanded himself for being depressed about it. ¡°Wait! So she¡¯s not coming back!?¡± Tina cried out hysterically after everyone had made it back safely to the fort, Grayle and Cromwell had to explain what happened at the mountain. The other knights were also suffering from the blow. ¡°Ah¡­ My healing¡­¡± ¡°I guess I won¡¯t be able to pet that fur anymore, huh?¡± In a matter of two weeks, Mill had become that big of a pillar of support to everyone. ¡°don¡¯t get so down, it¡¯s not like she¡¯s never going to come back. Maybe she¡¯ll visit again if you like.¡± Grayle tried to comfort the knights. ¡°When is that more specifically? ¡°Well, Spirits have long lives. Their sense of time is possibly different from ours¡­¡± ¡°So probably in the next ten years?¡± ¡°It¡¯s also possible that she¡¯d forget about us since she¡¯s back with her mom¡­¡± The atmosphere that had slowly been brightening up suddenly darkened again. Tension overtook the room again. It seemed that all these Knights, who looked like thugs, were absent-minded. All because of one little baby fox-spirit. Even Cromwell, who had been stubbornly hiding his love for animals till now, had spiritless eyes. He ended up returning to his room immediately when they arrived. ¡°M-Mil¡­ ¡° Tina Had tears in her eyes. Even though no one had died, the air in the common room was worst than a funeral. Even Knix looked like someone had stolen something precious from him. Tonight, everyone would take their feelings to bed, but hopefully, everyone would be able to train and work. They still were knights. Therefore, Grayle had to organize his feelings today as well. Though it was impossible to erase the loss of Mill from his heart, he couldn¡¯t show a miserable face to his subordinates. In the end, Grayle ended up leaving the lounge silently¡­ ¡Æ The next day, the fortress was still as listless as yesterday. Although the sun was bright and lit up the fort. The faces of the knights were still dark. Cromwell knew, but he too was also depressed. The breakfast was tasteless. Grayle couldn¡¯t suppress his feeling and saw the bright sun, shining brightly as if this day was like the ones before. He resent it. He resented that it could shine, even though Mill wasn¡¯t there to watch his training. He resented that he was lonely at breakfast. With these feelings, he couldn¡¯t tell his men any different. Grayle saw the seen later of Cromwell desperately hugging his beloved horse. It only pained him because Mill wasn¡¯t there, playing with them as usual. Then in his office, Grayle was in his office, dealing with paperwork. He had to send a letter to the Kingdom, reporting what happened but tried to leave out what he could due to Snowlea not wanting to make much public. Mill¡¯s existence still had to be reported though¡­ He asked Cromwell to write a letter to the king¡­ But he was probably still crying in the stable still¡­ Grayle sighed lightly while standing up. ¡°Kyan!¡± He quickly moved his foot and looked down. It was Mill¡¯s snow white fluffy tail that he stepped on. Though most of the tail was made up of fur, there still was the tailbone. He pushed the chair away, making sure not to step on Mill again. He squatted down in a hurry and gently checked her tail. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mill, I didn¡¯t mean to step on you!¡± Mill¡¯s eyes were a bit watery. ¡°Are you okay¡­?¡± Grayle felt bad about it as Mill came closer to him with large round eyes and said in a murky tone ¡°Yes, you big goof¡­¡± ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯m glad¡­ Mill can speak¡­¡± While caught up in the moment, it finally clicked in his head. His eyes looked over her body before he stretched his hand out and touched the hair on her head. There was a physical body. His mouth was open in surprise as he confirmed she was real. ¡°¡­ Why¡­ Are you here¡­?¡± It was an amazing feeling he had, but he came out sounding angry. The pretty fox-child who stole the hearts of every Knight in the fortress, including him, should have been up the mountain with her mother. For the time being¡­ Or eternity. He was ready for either. That was what happened yesterday, yet she was here right now. ¡°I came back.. I¡¯m sorry¡­ Are you mad¡­?¡± He was embarrassed by the sudden events that even the spot between his brows wrinkled unintentionally. Mill trembled a little as she was looking at him. Sighing, Grayle tried to make a soft expression as he stroked her head to reassure her. ¡°Never, I would never. I was just a little surprised. It¡¯s nice to see you again, but how did you get here?¡± It worked as Mill¡¯s listless tail began to sway happily side to side. I used a movement skill! It¡¯s the same one I used yesterday to get to you guys on the mountain!¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s amazing.¡± Because of the moment of complimenting her, Grayle stroked Mill¡¯s cheeks with both hands. It was soft and fluffy, like her tail. I kept stroking her fur while complimenting her. Though in the end, he ended up making a troubled expression. ¡°What happened with your mother? Did she forgive me and say you could come here?¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯d like to go ¡°Rogue¡± for a while, so I only play for a while, so I will come and play just for a bit every day now!¡± After saying that, Mill¡¯s tail swayed at high-speed while laughing. Grayle had a feeling, probably similar to a feeling a divorced father¡¯s kid comes to visit? ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case. You better let the others know that you¡¯ve come to play. While you¡¯re at it, do something about the rotten air. Especially the Chief. ¡± Oh my god, what happened?¡± Mill didn¡¯t understand what was happening. ¡°Well, go see it for yourself.¡± Grayle had a large grin on his face as he gently picked her up and headed out the office door. Mill looked up at him with confusion and uncertainty, also amazement at being carried by him. ¡°I changed the educational policy¡­¡± Grayle said while laughing. Mill wasn¡¯t a wild animal anymore, but a Spirit¡¯s child! An ordinary fox would have had to deal with the harsh reality of the outside and have to hunt its own prey. That¡¯s why he refused to pick her up on the premise that she¡¯d have to return to the wild when she was old enough, but not anymore. He had long been suppressing the urge to hold her for a long time. He had even planned to try to teach her to hunt. Now that though, he didn¡¯t have to be concerned if she became too dependant on them. Starting at that moment, they didn¡¯t need to do that anymore and just pamper her. Mill being a spirit was a relief to all of them, because they didn¡¯t have to give her up like they thought before. This was his honest feelings about it while carrying her on his shoulder with her facing backward, her swaying tail hitting his cheeks. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± Mill looked over her shoulder at Grayle willing saying that, as they walked into the hallway. In the hallway, a few Knights were there. ¡°Oh, Deputy Chief. Thanks for all- ¡­ what?¡± ¡± Fuf~! Deputy Chief!! Mill! Why are you here?!¡± The famous Northern Fortress in the snowy mountains and the Knights of the Kingdom. From now on, would also be joined by a small child fox-spirit who¡­ Comes to play for ¡°Just a bit¡± every day. CH 23 The mountain was covered in a layer of snow and the lands below around the Northern Fort had melted. Welcoming a late spring. Three years had passed in a blink of an eye since I¡¯ve come to this world. I had wondered into that Fort when I was one. When I was two I had finally gotten a humanoid figure. All throughout this time my growth¡­ Isn¡¯t very obvious, honestly speaking¡­ Although normal cats and dogs are already considered adults as of three years of age, my fox form is as round as ever with my large head. My limbs are short, I can¡¯t accept it! I want to be more like Mother! She is beautiful who is beautiful and bountiful! ¡°Milfria, it¡¯s time to get up.¡± Inside a cave on top of the mountain, I was asleep in our home as Mother gently woke me up. But I didn¡¯t want to wake up yet. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna.¡± I reply in my mind, but being lazy, I only huffed at Mother through my nose. Despite being a doting mother, she was strict with her education. She rolled me over with her nose. ¡°Well, lets do some special tree climbing training today.¡± ¡°What..?¡± I stared absentmindedly at mother like she was a slaver. She really believes pushing her child down a cliff will raise a strong child! I don¡¯t really want to be strong. Since I¡¯ve been reborn as a precious fox-spirit, I want to live by eating, playing, and sleeping. I tried to crawl away on the ground, but my mother caught me by my neck. I tried to protest by barking and digging my nails into the ground¡­ She just ended up dragging me out of the cave as my nails dragged across the cave¡¯s floor with a ¡°Zuzzzzzle!¡± ¡°Mother, today¡¯s weather is really nice! how about we don¡¯t climb trees today?¡± Mother only shook murmur ¡°This child can¡¯t be helped¡± while still pulling me. It was terrible, I felt like a prisoner being taken to the gallows! What exactly would I need to climb trees anyways? I have nothing to do up there. I wanted to complain. I would just end up scolded though. Mother stopped walking, then dropped me into the snow and I let out a surprised yelp. ¡°These training sessions are for strengthening you so I don¡¯t have to worry about you forever. You¡¯re so adorable but small and weak¡­ I want you to be able to care for yourself when I am no longer around in the future¡­¡± Tears began to pool in Mother¡¯s eyes. No, I can worry about those things in the future, I have decades for it. I¡¯m still growing and I won¡¯t be here forever. I¡¯m glad Mother was thinking of me so much, but¡­ she¡¯s such a worrywart¡­ A sudden strong gust of wind blew. With it was a light-brown paper and it fell at our feet. Mother turned into her human form. A spirit with white skin like snow, long silver hair appeared. My mother was wary of it since nothing of the like would be able to make it up here. Even I alert of this rather thick piece of paper. I wondered how it managed to make it up here. While I had these thoughts, the Mother picked up the paper and opened it up. It was a letter? I couldn¡¯t see what was in it, but it appeared to have something written on it. After Mother read it, she crumpled the paper angrily and ripped it apart. ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong¡­?¡± She let go of the remnants of the poor letter, letting it blow away in the wind. ¡°What was written in it?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Mother replied in a low, angry voice while looking up at the sky. She said nothing, but it seemed like something angered mother. Who though? As far as I knew, humans couldn¡¯t do something like that. ¡°Are you okay¡­?¡± I was worried about what she read. Mother paced around for a moment while fidgeting. She then stopped and looked down at me while smiling. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to worry¡­¡± Even though she said that she took a deep breath. ¡°Indeed, Hiruga has no passion¡­¡± Hiruga was the name of the Spirit of Fire, my father. Perhaps it was a love letter form Hiruga-papa. It didn¡¯t go as far as say, human love. It did seem though he did like Mother and would on occasion visit in the summer. Though the combination of summer and the Fire-Spirit¡¯s aura is the worst, so Mother is always chasing them out. ¡°It¡¯s always hot and stuffy in the summer, why do you always come in the summer!?¡± ¡°Because the mountain is too cold to play in winter!¡± ¡°Why should I have to apologize ?! You¡¯re the one that wanted to come to visit!¡± ¡°I thought you were lonely!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such foolish things!¡± That was the interaction last summer when Hiruga-papa came over. Mother was angry. Hiruga-papa was noisy and loud so Mother would shout at him in anger. Then she would chase him out and be breathing heavily with anger. I didn¡¯t really think it was that impossible for them to get along, but Mother was always refusing to do so. In that respect, Kugargu is relatively safe since they are young. Since they¡¯re young, their aura isn¡¯t too strong and because Kugargu if often with me, I can help adjust their power because I¡¯m more aware of it. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s doing on purpose or not, but he seems to hold a lot of his aura in. He¡¯s a child that can handle a lot it seems. CH 24 The blizzard stopped. The heavy clouds that had covered the sky cleared, and the warm sunlight sprinkled the earth. The freezing cold that had been present up until now, had also eased. The Snow Spirit¡¯s anger abated, so it probably wouldn¡¯t snow for a while either. On top of that, with this incident, they unexpectedly managed to sell Snowlea a favour. If something were to happen, she said that she¡¯d lend her powers. There was nothing more reassuring than to have the Snow Spirit as your ally in this region, so it was something to be celebrated. It was something to be celebrated, but¡­¡­ On the way back from the altar, Grail¡¯s expression was dark. That was the same for the other knights, and even Cromwell was visibly depressed. Mil¡ª¡ª-the white fox cub who had suddenly appeared at the fort two weeks ago, was the Snow Spirit¡¯s child. The soothing presence for the knights of the fort was no longer here. She had returned together with her mother to their nest at the mountaintop. He had been planning on eventually returning her to the wild after all, so it was far better for her to be with her mother instead of staying at the fort. It was obvious that Mil would also be happier over there. But even if he understood that, sad happenings were still sad. No longer would that cute white furball curl around his legs. He wouldn¡¯t be able to feed her jerky from his hand, nor would he be able to see her figure running happily around in the snow. Even if he returned to his room in the barracks, he¡¯d be alone starting from today. He¡¯d have to clean up Mil¡¯s exclusive basket bed as well. Grail sighed, and reprimanded his depressed self. Get a hold of yourself. Snap out of it. Mil just returned to where she belonged ¨C by her mother¡¯s side. ¡°Eh, no way! Then Mil-chan won¡¯t come back anymore!?¡± When they returned to the fort and explained the entire situation to everyone who had remained, Tina said that in a crying voice. All of the other knights also looked just as dejected. ¡°My one solace~!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve lost the joy of being able to stroke that furball all over¡­¡­¡± ¡°The only remaining comfort here is the hot spring now.¡± While it was only two weeks, Mil¡¯s existence had become that important to us. ¡°Don¡¯t feel so down. It¡¯s not like she¡¯ll be gone forever. She might come by to play if she feels like it.¡± Grail said that in attempt to console his subordinates, but- ¡°When exactly will that be?¡± ¡°A spirit¡¯s lifespan is long. So it¡¯s possible that their sense of time is different from ours¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible that the next time she ¡®comes to play¡¯ will be ten years from now.¡± ¡°Rather, she¡¯s probably the happiest with her mother after all, so won¡¯t she quickly forget about us?¡± The atmosphere quickly grew dark again. A depressing aura enveloped the lounge. A bunch of large-bodied mature men got like this because of the disappearance of a single fox cub. If an enemy were to come attack the fort right this instance, it was possible that we¡¯d end up being defeated without being able to mount a proper counterattack. Thinking about things that way, Mil was a rather frightening existence. It was unlikely that any female spy ¨C no matter how beautiful ¨C would be able to cause such a drop in the fort¡¯s fighting power. After all, even Cromwell, who has been hiding his love of animals up until now, was visibly expressing his depression without paying any heed to the surrounding eyes. As soon as we returned to the fort, he shut himself in his room. What should I do if he¡¯s crying inside it? ¡°Mil-chan¡­¡­¡± Tina¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in sorrow. It wasn¡¯t like anyone had died, yet the lounge¡¯s atmosphere was as heavy as though a funeral were being held in it. The usually bright Kix was also sulking silently as well. He was like a child who had his favourite toy taken away. For now, Grail intended on closing an eye at his subordinate¡¯s loss of energy, but from tomorrow on, if they continued acting all depressed while working and training, he¡¯d have to beat some spirit back into them. That is why he also had to put his feelings into order by today. He can¡¯t forcibly erase the feeling of loss from Mil¡¯s disappearance, but he couldn¡¯t show such a miserable face in front of his subordinates. Grail quietly left the lounge. The fort was somber the next day as well. Even though the bright sunlight was shining down on the fort, the knight¡¯s faces lacked any signs of cheeriness. Because the head chef, who had heard of the events this morning, was also depressed, breakfast was seasoned horribly. As for Grail, despite his resolve from yesterday to move on, he found himself unable to do so¡ª¡ªwhen he woke up in the morning and saw the empty basket, his head drooped. When he realised that there wasn¡¯t anyone who would watch over him during his morning training, he felt empty inside. And when he was made to remember the sense of loneliness from eating breakfast alone¡ª¡ªhe was unable to rebuke his subordinates. Just earlier he had witnessed Cromwell hugging his beloved horse in an attempt to fill the hole in his heart, at which point he seriously started to wonder whether or not this fort would be okay. Right now, Grail was devoting his time to working on paperwork in his office. He was making a record of the series of events that occurred during the recent incident. At the same time, he was composing a letter to the knight leader in the Capital. In particular, with regards to the Snow Spirit¡¯s child, while Snowlea herself did not seem to want to make her child¡¯s existence too public, he had to report such an important matter. He had asked Cromwell to write a letter to the King, but it was dubious whether or not he was progressing on that. It could be that he was still in the stables. ¡°Perhaps I should go check on him¡­¡­¡± What an awkward Branch Captain he had. Grail let out a light sigh and stood up. ¡°Kyan!¡± ¡ª¡ªbut, he soon stopped his legs, and looked at his feet. Before he knew it, a fox cub had appeared there, and he had stepped on her fluffy white tail. Her tail was mostly made of fur, but it seemed that he had completely stepped on the actual [meat] of it. Grail hastily lifted his foot. ¡°Sorry Mil. That must¡¯ve hurt.¡± He quickly kneeled down and gently checked the state of her tail. Mil always seemed to appear at his feet before he realised it, so he had always been very careful when pulling out his chair and moving his legs, but¡­¡­. Mil¡¯s eyes were slightly teary. ¡°Are you okay? Sorry.¡± Grail felt apologetic, and Mil bravely swung her stepped-on tail and snuggled up to Grail¡¯s leg. Then, she looked at him with her big round eyes and spoke in a clumsy manner. ¡°I¡¯m okay, weally.¡± ¡°I see, that¡¯s good. Now that I think of it, Mil¡¯s become able to speak-¡­¡­¡± It was there that Grail suddenly fell into thought. He stared fixedly at the fox cub in front of him, extending his hand and reconfirming the soft sensation of her fur. After confirming the presence of her physical flesh body underneath the fur, he judged that she was no illusion before opening his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­why are you here?¡± His feelings of disbelief were great, causing his tone of voice to be lower than usual. Including himself, the knights of the fort had their hearts easily stolen away by the cute fox cub. Right now, that fox cub should be on the snowy summit of Snowlea mountain, to remain for some time¡ª¡ª-he had even been prepared for them to never meet again. That is how he had felt ever since yesterday, yet now how was she here? ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­a-am I being a newsanse¡­by retwurning?¡± It seemed that his brow had unintentionally furrowed from his bewilderment at the unexpected situation. Mil was trembling while looking up at him. Grail tried to make as pleasant a face as possible as he crouched down on the spot and stroked Mil¡¯s head to soothe her. ¡°Of course not. I was just a little surprised. I¡¯m happy to be able to see you again. But how did you manage to get here?¡± When he asked that, Mil wagged her tail proudly while answering. ¡°I used da transfurr technike! Da same ting dat I used yeshturday. I can come here in an inshtant fwom the mountaintwop wif it.¡± ¡°I see, that¡¯s amazing.¡± It seemed like she wanted him to praise her, so he used both hands to rub Mil¡¯s facial fur. The fur there was just as fluffy as her chest and tail fur, and felt just as wonderful to touch. After he stroked her while praising, ¡°Amazing, you¡¯re so amazing¡±, he made a slightly troubled expression. ¡°But what about Snowlea? Did your mother allow you to come here? You didn¡¯t leave without telling her again, right?¡± It would be terrible if another blizzard were to occur, so he tried warning Mil for the time being, but his words held no impact, nor any majesty. After all, Grail was happy that she had chosen to come¡ª¡ªdespite having the option of [staying by her mother¡¯s side]¡ª¡ªand that joy showed up in his voice. In his heart, he was thinking, ¡°I¡¯m so glad that you came¡±. Even while Mil showed some vigilance at having her face pet all over, her eyes happily sparkled as she responded. ¡°I pwoperly told Mother dat I waz going to da ¡®fwort¡¯ to pway. She said dat it waz okay to come for a bit. Dats why I can come for a bit ebwey day now!¡± Seeing Mil¡¯s tail start to wag at warp speed, Grail smiled as he said, ¡°I see¡±. Perhaps this was the same kind of delight a father would feel¡­¡­when being able to visit his child who normally lived with his divorced wife. ¡°Then let¡¯s go tell everyone else that you¡¯ve come by to play. Please do something about the depressed atmosphere running through this fort. We also have to hurry up and help the Branch Captain too.¡± ¡°Did something happen to da Bwanch Captain-san?¡± Not understanding the meaning behind his words, Mil¡¯s ears drooped in concern. ¡°You¡¯ll get it when you see him.¡± Grail made a wry smile and gently picked up Mil¡¯s small body. When he did so, Mil looked up at him with a bewildered expression. She seemed somewhat restless, as though she could not calm down. She was probably confused at Grail¡¯s change in attitude compared to before. More specifically speaking, she was surprised that he was carrying her when they were about to walk. ¡°I¡¯ve changed my education policy.¡± Grail said while smiling to himself. Mil wasn¡¯t a wild animal, but a spirit. Unlike a normal fox, she wouldn¡¯t have to fight to survive in the harsh conditions of nature, hunting for prey in the future. That is why he didn¡¯t have to interact with Mil with the assumption that she would eventually need to be released back into the wild like before. Up until now, Grail was being careful to make sure that Mil wouldn¡¯t become too dependent on humans. He firmly endured his desire to pick her up, and had her walk with her own legs when going places. He also endured the desire to sleep together with her, and did not allow her into his bed. He originally had thought that it was around the time he started to have her practice hunting using mice. However, in the future he would be abandoning those efforts. He could spoil Mil to his heart¡¯s delight and dote on her. It was great that Mil was a spirit. It was great that he wouldn¡¯t have to eventually let her go to release back into the wild. That is what he thought from the bottom of his heart. As Grail basked in his good fortune, he rested the fox cub¡¯s upper body on his shoulder. She inevitably ended up facing backwards, and her fidgety wagging tail brushed against his cheek. However, both that tail of hers, and even her butt somehow seemed to be rather cute in his eyes. ¡°Why are you waughing?¡± Mil turned around and asked. Right now, he was probably making a slovenly face. Grail took advantage of her confusion and brought his hand up to stroke her head, obstructing her inquisitive gaze. After he opened his door and went out into the hallway, it didn¡¯t take long before he came across his subordinates. ¡°Ah, Vice Captain. Good wor¡ª¡ª¡­¡­eh?¡± ¡°¡­¡­V-Vice Captain, that¡¯s-! Mil!? Why!?¡± ¡ª¡ªthe Northern Fort¡¯s specialties were its hot spring, mountain-load of snow, and its boorish knights. And from that day onward, a pure white fox cub who would come every day to play ¡®for a bit¡¯ was added to that list. CH 25 Branch Captain-san seemed to receive a shock when I avoided him. I pressed him with the information I obtained from Kix. ¡°Bwanch Captain-san, you might return to the ¡®Capwitol¡¯, right? Instead, Captain Sarrell-san is going to be coming here, right?¡± When I said that in one breath, Branch Captain-san¡¯s movements came to a stop as he exposed a surprised expression. ¡°Why do you know about that?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a spiwit, I know ebweything.¡± So that Kix wouldn¡¯t be condemned for being my source of information, I claimed omnipotence as a spirit. ¡°I want Bwanch Captain-san to stay as the captain here forever. I don¡¯t want anybody else.¡± ¡°Mil¡­¡­¡± ¡°Did you know? Even though Captain Sarrell-san ¡®looks funny¡¯, he¡¯s a bad pershon. I can¡¯t twust someone like that.¡± Since he¡¯s someone that boldly dons a flamboyant appearance like side-parted hair with round glasses, I wanted his character to be just as interesting as well. ¡°Mil¡­¡­¡± While Branch Captain-san at first made a moved expression, he then called my name again in a listless manner. ¡°It is true that Captain Sarrell hopes to be assigned to the Northern Fort. However, I also want to continue working here. I like the environment and my subordinates here, and I can obtain an experience that I would otherwise be unable to obtain in the Capital, where there are a lot of people collaborating with each other.¡± The corners of his eyes that had been relaxed softly, then transformed into a stern expression. ¡°That is why I felt that I wanted Captain Sarrell to have a similar experience as I did, while at the same time, I was thinking that I could not leave this fort to him. Because our births and careers have been similar, I understand Captain Sarrell to a certain extent. That is why I know his compatibility with the knights of this fort would be devastatingly horrible.¡± Hearing him say that it was ¡®devastatingly bad¡¯ made me want to laugh, but Branch Captain-san was making an incredibly serious face. He was honestly thinking of his subordinates here and was worried about how their anticipated relationship with Captain Sarrell-san would be. It is true that the knights of this fort exude a sort of atmosphere that says, ¡°True ability is important! Brute strength is crucial! Only the strongest will be respected!¡±. So if some self-important person with no ability were to come in as their commanding officer, it was evident that the branch would fall apart. Branch Captain-san was worried about that happening. ¡°In the first place, why have talks of Bwanch Captain-san leaving come up?¡± I had thought that his term in office was fixed, but it seems that wasn¡¯t the case. Branch Captain-san explained it to me like so. ¡°There are two reasons for this. The first is because His Highness the Prince wishes for me to be part of his Royal Guard again. I did it before, after all.¡± I knew that Branch Captain-san was childhood friends with the First Prince of this country, but this was the first I¡¯ve heard that he was previously part of his Royal Guard. But I do understand the Prince¡¯s feelings of wanting Branch Captain to come back to be his Royal Guard. It¡¯s better to have someone you can trust by your side after all. ¡°And the other reason is because my father and older brother who overheard the Prince¡¯s desire are also telling me that ¡®it¡¯s about time you return to the Capital¡¯.¡± Branch Captain-san then made a troubled laugh. ¡°My father and older brother¡­¡­and of course, my mother as well, are worrywarts. Even though I¡¯m already at a considerable age, they can¡¯t help but see me as the ¡®youngest child¡¯. They¡¯re probably concerned if I¡¯m being inconvenienced by being in such a cold remote region like where the Northern Fort is. They apparently seem to be particularly worried about whether or not I can safely get through the winter, seeing as they always send a letter asking, ¡®Are you alive?¡¯ every spring.¡± As if to say that it couldn¡¯t be helped, Branch Captain-san smiled while letting out a sigh. He really is loved by his family. It even made my heart feel warm and cozy. ¡°Putting aside my family¡­¡­I cannot ignore His Highness¡¯ words. Supporting His Highness is my ultimate goal after all. That is why I intend on eventually returning to the Capital. Leaving Mil is¡­¡­no, it¡¯s too painful, so I¡¯ve been trying hard to not think about it¡­¡­.but eventually, I will have to go to achieve my goal.¡± ¡°When will that be? How many years way-ter?¡± Feeling despondent, I brought the tip of my nose close to Branch Captain-san. I¡¯ll have hurry and practice the transfer technique so that I¡¯ll be able to freely visit Branch Captain-san in the future. Branch Captain-san chuckled quietly and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know yet¡±. ¡°But like I said before, right now I don¡¯t plan on returning to the Capital yet. I¡¯m still too lacking to be His Highness¡¯ Royal Guard. I want to train myself here. Surpassing Grail¡­¡­might be a bit difficult, but at the very least I¡¯d like to become capable of fighting on par with him. I¡¯ll only start thinking about returning to the Capital after reaching that point.¡± ¡°The One-Eyed Knight?¡± When I tilted my head, wondering why his name came up here, I noticed that Branch Captain-san was making an embarrassed expression. Like many of the other knights that were at the Northern Fort, Branch Captain-san¡¯s goal was the One-Eyed Knight¡¯s strength. That strength was also an indicator to estimate his own abilities. It may be that Branch Captain-san will only be able to confidently return to the Capital when he is able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the One-Eyed Knight. ¡°What I said just now is a secret, okay?¡± Branch Captain-san seemed a bit uneasy at how loose-lipped I was, as he hastily forbade me to speak about it. ¡°Leave it to me! Then, Bwanch Captain-san, are you going to turn down the pwesant tawks?¡± As I stood up on my hind legs, placing my front legs on Branch Captain¡¯s knees as he crouched down, Branch Captain-san nodded at me reassuringly. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s what I plan on telling His Highness, my father and elder brother, as well as Captain Sarrell and the Knight Commander.¡± Branch Captain-san rubbed my head. Knight Commander-san was the highest ranking person in the Knight¡¯s Order¡ª¡ª-in other words, he was the leader of the Knight¡¯s Order. Right now, it seems that person is en route to the Northern Fort, bringing a letter to Branch Captain-san from the Prince. Apparently he will be arriving this evening. That is why Branch Captain-san first intends on informing Knight Commander-san of his desire to stay here. ¡°Will Knight Ko-man-dur-san listen?¡± ¡°Probably. Since he knows how I ended up secluding myself in the Capital.¡± He laughed self-deprecatingly. Hmm, I can¡¯t help but feel worried about Branch Captain-san. He seems kinda weak to pressure after all. It seems that Knight Commander-san will be staying at the fort from tomorrow onwards, so I¡¯ll also have to ask him not to change the branch captain here at this fort. And so, that night that I willfully resolved myself to that- As I was preparing to sleep in our cave nest¡ª¡ª-though there was plenty of hay laid out in my bed, ¡®flattening¡¯ it out so that I could sleep comfortably was my daily routine¡ª¡ªMother went out of her way to transform into her human form and faced me. ¡°Milfiria, I have something I must talk to you about.¡± When I heard her say that in a serious tone of voice, I thought this. I feel like I¡¯ve heard that line before. Indeed, she had said it previously when she had me house-sit on my own for an entire month. (I have a bad feeling about this¡­¡­) Just what does she plan on having me do this time? Will Mother go to the Capital again? I looked up at Mother with eyes filled with anxiety as I had such thoughts. ¡°Whaat is it¡­¡­Mother?¡± [I will need you to stay at home alone for a short period of time.] If I can recall correctly, she started the talk like that last time. That was my first time staying at home alone for more than a day, so I remember feeling extremely worried. But now, I¡¯d be able to stay at home alone for a month without any problems. Since my small world doesn¡¯t just consist of Mother anymore. If I go to play with the One-Eyed Knight and everyone, Father, or Kugalg, I won¡¯t have to be lonely as time passes. Now, even if it¡¯s being home alone for one month, or two, I¡¯m already three years old so I can¡­¡­no, as expected, two months would be a bit rough. If I wasn¡¯t able to see Mother for that long, I¡¯d get too lonely. Yup, two months is impossible. If it were a month and a half, then I can somehow¡ª¡ª- As I pondered such matters, Mother quietly opened her mouth. ¡°I would like to ask something of you. Starting tomorrow, I want you to go on an errand to the Capital on your own.¡± CH 26 My eyes grew round as I stared back at Mother. ¡°By ¡®Kaa-pi-tal¡¯, you mean, the Capital? The place where the King is?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve gone to the castle in the Capital several times together with me, have you not?¡± ¡°Yeah, I remember. But¡­¡­on my own?¡± ¡°Yes, you will go alone.¡± ¡°But Mother, I can¡¯t fly to the Capital by myself.¡± I still can¡¯t use the transfer technique to go to a ¡®place¡¯. I¡¯m still limited to using ¡®people¡¯ as the target of my technique, but neither the King or Queen are amongst the targets that I can travel to. I paced around on the bed that I had taken great pains to flatten. I didn¡¯t think that she¡¯d have me go on a long-distance errand all on my own, so it threw me into confusion. But Mother heartlessly continued. ¡°Indeed. I know that you can¡¯t use the transfer technique, so how about walking there?¡± With my jaw hanging partly open, I froze as though I had turned into ice. ¡°The Capital will be far for your legs. I am quite worried, but this is also a form of training. In order to train you, I will turn my heart into that of a demon¡¯s.¡± Mother made a desolate expression, and made a gesture as though she were wiping away her tears with the sleeve of her kimono. But I feel like she wasn¡¯t actually crying. If I remain frozen like this, I¡¯ll really end up being sent off on an errand, so I somehow managed to forcefully dispel my body¡¯s stiffening and move my mouth. ¡°M-Mother¡­¡­it¡¯s..impossible..for me to go alone¡­¡­¡± Don¡¯t ¡®first errands¡¯ normally start with going somewhere really close by, like a shop in the neighbourhood? Just how many hundreds of kilometres is it to the Capital? According to what I¡¯ve heard from the One-Eyed Knight, it takes at least 2 days to get there even if you gallop all the way there on horse. Going that far? By myself? With these short legs? Walking? The thin string of human reason within me snapped. ¡°Uwahhhh! It¡¯s IMPOSSIBLE! ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE!¡± My pitiful voice echoed inside the cavern. ¡°I can¡¯t! Don¡¯t wanna! It¡¯s impossible!¡± I rolled onto my back on the spot to express my feeling of, ¡®I won¡¯t go on any errand, and I won¡¯t take one step from this spot¡¯ with my body. Mother can just use the transfer technique to poof there and back in an instant. Even if she¡¯s thinking of it as training for me, the level of difficulty is far too high. It is true that Mother has a spirit-like strictness to her, but up until now her training has been things like forcing me to run in the middle of winter on the mountain to ¡®increase my leg strength¡¯, or throwing me in front of snow bear that doesn¡¯t hibernate in the winter and telling me to ¡®try defeating it¡¯. Even the tree climbing this morning was on the milder side for her training. But when she¡¯s having me do that kind of training, she stays by my side so that she can quickly save me when things get dangerous. While she makes me do absurd things when she¡¯s with me, I thought that Mother was the sort who got nervous and worried about me when I was outside the nest on my own. Mother should be the one who¡¯d hate to send me on a journey all on my lonesome the most. ¡°Mother won¡¯t be coming along with me, right?¡± I tried confirming while still lying on my back just in case, but- ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± -she nodded in assent. And then, Mother took out a rolled up piece of paper that was tied with a pretty purple string from her breast and said this. ¡°I want to have you deliver this letter to the human king. Can you do it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯tttttt!¡± I flailed my legs around, expressing my refusal with my entire body. My pride as a former human? Right now I had none of that. ¡°Dun wanna dun wanna dun wanna! I dun wanna go without Mother!¡± I rolled around on top of the bed, scattering the hay about. Even I had to say that I was making quite the racket. However, even though I thought that Mother would give up if I made this much of a fuss¡­¡­ ¡°Milfiria, don¡¯t say that and try your best for once.¡± While she spoke to me patiently despite my tantrum, she did not show any signs of letting up. And then, I finally ended up exhausting my energy and started to feel like I might as well go on the errand. ¡°Sleep well tonight. You can depart tomorrow morning.¡± Mother gazed at me with a concerned expression. I wonder why she was making me go to the Capital, even though she was making such a face. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go¡­¡­¡± I don¡¯t know what Mother is thinking, but I replied weakly with feelings that things would work out somehow. I did have the desire to meet Mother¡¯s expectations too. ¡°How admirable, you¡¯re such a brave child.¡± Mother hugged me tightly and stroked my back affectionately, but somehow it gave me a rather complicated feeling. ¡°Mother¡­¡­do you¡­love me?¡± Still held in her arms, I looked up at Mother. I don¡¯t really remember too well, but I think I did ask similar questions of my mother in my previous life when I was a child. Like my mother from my previous life, Mother made a tender smile as she replied. ¡°Of course. I love you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­really? How much do you love me?¡± ¡°How much? ¡®A lot¡¯.¡± ¡°About how big is ¡®a lot¡¯?¡± ¡°How big!?¡± Even I could tell that I was acting like a troublesome girlfriend, but I had to confirm Mother¡¯s love for me. Mother appeared confused, but even then she spread her arms as far as she could and responded, ¡°Perhaps, about this much?¡±. I could see that even the tips of her fingers were trembling a little from how far apart she was stretched out, so I was satisfied for the time being. But as expected, I still don¡¯t wanna go on the errand¡­¡­ Just what in the world is Mother thinking? Even after the next morning arrived, I still had not affirmed my resolve. Tossing around on my bed, I kept my eyes closed and continued to feign sleep despite being a fox, knowing that I¡¯d be forced to go on the errand once I woke up. However, such petty tricks would not work on Mother. ¡°Milfiria, it is about time you get up and depart.¡± Using the tip of her nose, she rooooollled me over. After that, there was no way I could continue to sleep. ¡°Uu¡­¡­¡± As I staggered up, Mother transformed into her human form and began to carefully remove the hay stuck on my fur. She also used her fingers to comb away the bed-fur on my face and flank, and also wiped away any signs of drool. ¡°Where did I put the shawl that those of the fort gave you?¡± Mother went deeper into our nest and pulled out the shawl I previously received from Branch Captain-san from my messy mountain of treasures. Incidentally, in my mountain of treasures were sticks with a good feel to them, round and shiny rocks, along with cool antlers that I picked up in the forest. Ahh, that brown thing is probably a flower I picked during summer last year. I gotta throw that one out. ¡°Oh? Where did you pick something like this up, Milfiria?¡± Mother pointed at a large, rugged rock that was placed the deepest within my mountain of treasures. This ordinary-looking rock was just a bit smaller than my body, and had about five to six beautiful pea-green stones stuck to it. I was sure that those pea-green stones were unpolished gems, so I had been taking good care of them. ¡°That¡¯s something received from Hilg-papa¡­¡­.something he gave to Mother.¡± Hilg-papa carried it on his shoulder while saying, ¡°This is pretty, so I¡¯ll give it to you!¡±, but Mother rejected it on the spot with an, ¡°I don¡¯t need it¡±. Thus, it ended up landing my paws. However, it seemed that Mother had completely forgotten about that incident. ¡°From Hilg?¡± Mother¡¯s brow furrowed, and she averted her gaze from the gemstone. Such a pitiful Hilg-papa. I¡¯ll treasure the gemstone. Mother collected herself, and then put the shawl on me after she had removed the dirt from it. Even though it had been haphazardly crammed into my messy pile of treasures, perhaps because it was made of a high-quality cloth, once Mother spread it out all of the wrinkles came out. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve been thinking¡­¡­¡± As she steadily prepared for my departure, I opened my mouth. I still had one remaining last resort to make it so that I wouldn¡¯t have to go on the errand. ¡°I don¡¯t know the road to the Capital. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t go alone. I do want to go on the ewand, but since I don¡¯t know how, I can¡¯t. It can¡¯t be helped, even though I want to go.¡± That is why, give up on the errand! -I thought internally, my eyes glittering with expectation. I don¡¯t even have a map after all. ¡°Hm, that is true¡­¡­¡± Alright, attaboy. Mother is reconsidering it. Let¡¯s continue on this route and cancel the errand! Even though I had to maintain the air of ¡®disappointment at being unable to go on the errand¡¯, my honest tail was wagging back and forth. Be a bit more quiet, tail! ¡°Then let¡¯s do this.¡± But seeing Mother appear to have come up with a solution, my tail was soon silenced as it dropped despondently. Mother turned the palm of her hand upwards, and then raised it up. Then, in the next instant, a hazy blue-white light floated up from the centre of that hand. The light had a round shape and did not disappear even after leaving Mother¡¯s hand as it floated in midair. The dim cavern became a bit brighter. ¡°What is this¡­¡­?¡± Seeing the pretty ball of light slowly flying towards me reflexively made me want to bite it with my mouth. ¡°That is a fairy. A snow fairy that I created.¡± ¡°A fei-wey¡­¡­¡± ¡°I have given that fairy a small portion of my power and the duty to lead Milfiria to the Capital. If you follow it, then you shouldn¡¯t get lost. With this, the issue of you not knowing the roads has been solved.¡± My shoulders dropped in disappointment as I gazed at the leisurely floating ball of light. ¡°Now then, it is about time that you set off.¡± Mother then sent a fleeting glance to the outside of our nest. While it was a nonchalant gesture, somehow I felt like her eyes looked rather vigilant. Perhaps there¡¯s a snow bear in the vicinity? ¡°First you should go to the fort and give your greetings to the knights at the fort before leaving. It will probably take several days for you to reach the Capital with those legs, and if you do not visit during that time they will probably worry for you.¡± That¡¯s right, I¡¯ll have to tell the One-Eyed Knight and everyone that I won¡¯t be able to come play for a while beforehand. To be taking all of the knights into consideration is pretty thoughtful for Mother. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°Use the movement technique to get to the fort.¡± ¡°Eh? Is that okay?¡± I was certain that she¡¯d make me go down the mountain with my own legs in order to train me. Sometimes I didn¡¯t really get the peculiarities of Mother¡¯s thoughts. At the very end, she passed me the rolled up letter, so I held it in my mouth. I don¡¯t want to go but it can¡¯t be helped. If I threw another tantrum here, Mother would get fed up with me. I somehow managed to cheer myself up and say- ¡°Awwit den, ai¡¯m awff (Alright then, I¡¯m off).¡± The fairy stayed right by my side. ¡°Please, be careful.¡± The moment I used the transfer technique, Mother said that with an incredibly worried expression on her face. It felt as though she couldn¡¯t contain herself, and despite having been the one to propose that I go out on the errand, it seemed like she might just try to come along with me. ¡°Do your best.¡± After hearing Mother¡¯s last uneasy words, the fairy and I headed for the fort.