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Prologue

Prologue

“SORRY I said you were gonna eat me, Miss Wolf…”

We were in the slums of Ractos, not far from the mansion I’d been living in ever since arriving in this world. The young girl we’d saved sheepishly bowed her head in apology to Leo, the giant silver fenrir. She seemed genuinely sorry for jumping to the wrong conclusion.

Leo whimpered gratefully, and she tenderly gave the girl a gigantic lick on the cheek. The poor girl quivered in surprise.

“Wagh!”

Leo’s ears flattened apologetically. “Wruff? *Whiiiiiiiiine*…”

“N-No, I’m okay,” the girl replied as she shakily reached out to pat Leo’s snout. “You just startled me a little, that’s all.”

Looks like they’ve made up already.

Now that the crisis was over, I noticed that the girl was covered in dirt—not just her face, but her hair and clothes were caked in it as well. She seemed a little meek, and she had a pair of furry ears and a matching tail—like the beastkin I’d read stories about back home in Japan. There was a fresh bruise on her face as well, likely the handiwork of the group of boys we’d rescued her from. Leo might’ve been trying to “kiss” her injury better—or maybe she was just being friendly, and I was over-analyzing things.

Once I confirmed the girl was okay in Leo’s presence, I turned to Eckenhart, the last member of our group. “Um… Do you know anything about this girl?” I whispered.

He stroked his unkempt beard thoughtfully. “A beastkin girl, eh? Can’t say I’ve seen many in the kingdom, especially not in my duchy. That might explain why she was being bullied.”

“A real beastkin, huh…” I mused.

Eckenhart was the duke of these lands, so I trusted he’d know best. The large, rugged man was also my swordsmanship teacher.

I found my eyes drawn to the girl’s back once more—or more specifically, her tail. It looked like one a dog, or maybe a fox might have. It was unusually large and fluffy for her size, and her ears came to triangular tips.

I wonder how soft the fur is?

More importantly, though, was the revelation that beastkin really lived in this world. They were common enough in stories about other worlds, often as a kind of halfway point between monsters and humans, but I was more in shock that she was so similar to those fictional tales.

“There’s a country of beastkin far up north, in the opposite direction of my duchy,” the duke explained. “You mainly run into humans in this kingdom, though that’s not to say there are none. They’re only especially rare in these parts because my lands are so far south.”

“Huh…I never would’ve guessed they were real.”

He raised a bushy eyebrow. “Never seen a beastkin before?”

I shook my head. “We had stories where I’m from, but never the real thing.”

While the two of us talked, Leo and the girl bonded over more snout pats. The beastkin girl’s fur was dark brown, nearly black, and the more I looked at her, the more noticeable all the dirt and filth caked to her clothes and skin became. It was hard to be warmed by the scene of her with Leo when she looked worse for wear.

“Sorry to change the topic, Eckenhart, but the girl looks pretty beaten up and she could use a chance to get cleaned up. What do you think?”

He nodded thoughtfully. “If we leave her here, she’s bound to get picked on again. We can’t risk that, so the only question is where to take the poor girl. How about an inn? They could run a bath for her.”

“We could do that, I suppose.”

“Have a better idea?”

“Look at her, she’s all beaten up. I don’t think walking into an inn with a hurt kid and leaving her there is a very good look.”

“It’s not?”

It is weird, isn’t it? If a couple of men tried to walk into a motel with an obviously abused girl in Japan, the police wouldn’t be far behind. We don’t look anything alike, so no one would think we’re related, and we already stand out like sore thumbs with Leo around. I don’t want to risk causing a scene in the middle of town, regardless of how things work in this world.

Eckenhart still looked confused by my statement, though given how unkempt he was, he probably didn’t care how others saw him. Claire would definitely be sighing and rolling her eyes at him if she were here.

“Is there anyone we know we can take her to?” I asked. “Kales’ store, maybe?”

“Kales could probably handle her, yes, but I don’t think they’d have a bath at the shop.”

“Right…I guess not.”

I was hoping his establishment would be big enough for that, but he only sold medicine and items. Isabel’s, the magic item store, was probably out of the question for the same reason.

Maybe one of them has a bath at home? No, wait, I know just the thing.

“If it won’t be too much trouble, how about taking her to the orphanage?” I suggested.

“That seems as good a place as any. They’ll have baths, and she won’t be bullied under the matron’s watch.”

“Oh, good.”

Milicia grew up there, and I’d met the head matron, Marontilana, before. She was excellent with kids.

Come to think of it, Eckenhart and I couldn’t help her with the bath anyways, much less Leo. Two men and a girl in a bathtub is a recipe for trouble.

Just as I opened my mouth to address Leo and the girl, however, I noticed something amiss.

“Huh?”

“What now?”

“Look at Leo.”

The girl was smiling broadly, but Leo was trembling now, as though it was taking every bit of restraint not to flee.

“Wh-Whuff,” Leo whimpered.

“Miss Wolf?” The girl leaned in closer. “Are you—”

Leo’s nose twitched just once, then—

“BWUFRUFF!!”

“Wah?!”

She let out the sneeze she’d been holding, spraying the girl point-blank with what I hoped was mostly saliva. Half the alley was soaking wet.

I’ll have to ask Leo to be more careful with her sneezes in the future.

The girl blinked in shock, still frozen firmly in place. “Th-That startled me.”

“Wruff? *Whiiiiiiiiiiine*…” Leo gave her an apologetic lick.

Eww… I hope that means she’s sorry.

Eckenhart grimaced. “Good thing she was headed for the bath already.”

“Y-Yeah…” I smiled sadly at Leo. “I guess all that snout-patting was ticklish, huh? You’re a good girl for holding it in as long as you did.”

It was around then that the other slum-dwellers realized the coast was clear and started poking their heads out around the corners, so we decided to hurry on to the orphanage. The girl spent most of the trip on Leo’s back, tiny arms wrapped around her massive furry neck. From the way she was smiling, I could tell she trusted Leo already. Leo’s apology must have worked.

Maybe beastkin are naturally trusting…no, wait, I think that’s racist.

“By the way,” I asked the girl as we walked, “what’s your name?”

We can’t keep calling her “the girl” forever.

“O-Oh, um, my name is Lieza!”

“You can call me Takumi. How old are you, Lieza?”

“I think I’m…seven?”

“Wait, you think? You don’t know how old you are?”

I could tell Lieza hadn’t opened up to Eckenhart or me yet, with how nervous she sounded when she spoke, but I couldn’t blame her after what she’d just been through. I certainly wasn’t going to try to force anything.

“I, um, don’t know where I was born,” she confessed. “I’ve been with Grampa for as long as I can remember. He said I was a baby when he found me.”

“So she is an orphan.” Eckenhart’s brow furrowed deeply as he muttered to himself. “Seven years since she was taken in by her ‘grampa,’ probably. I’ve heard of many children like her, but this is the very reason I founded an orphanage…hrmm.”

I guess being in charge means dealing with problems like this.

I turned my attention back to Lieza. “What happened to your Grampa?”

“He, um, died a little while ago,” she said, her voice faltering.

“Oh. Sorry for reminding you of that.”

She shook her head, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “It’s okay. He was really nice, so I really need to remember him.”

She must really miss him. She’s strong for wanting to move forward while not forgetting those she’s lost along the way.

“Yeah, that’s right. You’re really strong for thinking that way. Can I ask why you were getting bullied?”

“Everyone treats me like that since Grampa died. I think it’s because I’m a beastkin…probably.”

According to her, as soon as her guardian died, she became the biggest target of the local teens. They coerced her into stealing food for them, and they’d beat her afterwards regardless of whether or not she listened to them. She was only hanging on through the torment because she’d get spoiled food or leftovers from them, which was enough to keep on living. We’d run across her during one such beating. She felt horrible about what she’d done and kept on apologizing to us for it. She certainly hadn’t been doing a good thing, but the blame lay on the older kids for physically beating her into doing something she didn’t want to.

I almost wish we’d caught those punks so we could give them their just deserts.

“Her guardian was shielding her from the worst of the slums’ violence,” Eckenhart surmised. “If I’d noticed the issue sooner, she might not have been hurt this badly.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Really? They’d do all this just because she’s not like them?”

Beastkin or not, I can’t believe anyone would hurt a kid like this. If we were in Japan, people would be fawning over her nonstop with how sweet and cuddly she looks. She would probably become an idol. I can appreciate that, in a purely objective sense.

“Enough talk for now.” Eckenhart gave me a deliberate look. “We can save it for after she’s washed up.”

I nodded, a little begrudgingly. “All right.”

With that, I focused on the streets ahead of us. Lieza was in desperate need of a bath, even though she seemed content enough as she was.

I guess it’s Leo’s fault she’s as dirty as she is, too. I don’t know whether to be more relieved or disgusted that the sneeze “washed off” as much dirt as it did…

“I still think you were really brave,” I told Lieza gently, hoping to alleviate any anxiety she might have when the silence fell between all of us. “You didn’t even cry.”

“It…really hurt, and I wanted to. I think I cried all my tears out when Grampa died. I-I need to live for him, too. I promised I’d never cry again.”

“Oh, that’s…great?”

She seemed on the verge of tears even now, but she didn’t let even one spill down her cheeks. I felt another surge of anger toward her bullies, but I was careful to keep it hidden from her.

I’ll give her all the comfort and headpats I can later…when she’s close enough to the ground that I can reach her, that is.

Chapter 1: Adopting a Beastkin Girl

Chapter 1: Adopting a Beastkin Girl

“HELLO, it’s good to see you again! Is Marontilana around?”

Just like my first visit to the orphanage, I called out to the woman in a nun’s habit who was sweeping outside the building. I even recognized her from last time—probably one of her regular duties. I doubted they used it as a punishment here.

“Yes?” She looked up at us, and her eyes flew open. “M-Mr. Hirooka?! Oh, and Miss Leo! It’s a pleasure to see you both again. I’ll call the headmistress right away!”

“Ruff!”

“That’d be great, thank you.”

She disappeared, returning a moment later with Marontilana, the head matron of the orphanage. She was a refined older lady, maybe somewhere in her fifties.

“Hello, Marontilana,” I greeted her. “We were hoping to borrow your bath for…well, her.”

I pointed out Lieza from her perch on Leo’s back, and Marontilana’s eyes widened.

“Her? Oh, my word!”

“Yeah, you probably don’t want to know what that is on her. Where’s the bath, then?”

The whole time we talked, Lieza was gawking at our new surroundings. She didn’t seem scared of the nuns, fortunately, probably because she could tell Marontilana meant no harm.

“Is she a beastkin? Where did she—” She cut herself off, lips pursing. “N-No, I understand. I’ll have a bath drawn at once.”

“Thanks, we really appreciate it.”

The matron nodded politely before turning to the younger nun. “The stairs seem plenty clean now, so please tend to the baths.”

“Of course!” With that, she hurried inside.

“Bwuff?” Leo gave me a hopeful look.

“Oh, right. How have the orphans been? Full of energy?”

Of course she’s excited, given how much fun she had playing with the kids on our last visit.

“They’re playing in the yard now. The medicine you gave us was truly a godsend.”

“Good, I’m glad the capwort worked. Do you mind if Leo plays with them for a little while?”

“Why, of course! The children will be overjoyed!”

Thank goodness they’re doing better. It looks like getting that contaminated wine out of the markets and selling the capwort for cheap has just about ended the epidemic.

The woman who’d been sweeping came back outside. “The bath is ready for her, Headmistress.”

“Thank you, sister.” Marontilana smiled as she gestured Lieza to come with her. “Please follow me, child.”

“Huh?” Lieza shrunk away from the nun warily.

“They’re all good people here,” I assured her. “They’re going to clean up your injuries and give you a bath.”

“O-Okay… I can go.”

With a little more encouragement from Marontilana, Lieza followed the nuns into the building.

Wow… I’m really glad she trusts me already, if only a little.

As if reading my mind, Eckenhart chuckled. “You’re rather good with children, Takumi.”

“I-I don’t know if I’d go that far. I just try not to scare them.”

I never thought of myself as good with kids—not that I was complaining. It was better than having them hate me.

When we got to the yard, Leo wasted no time in jumping into the kids’ games.

“Warf, arfff!”

“Wah, here she comes!”

“Ahahahahahaha!”

For the first time since we set foot in the slums, I took a deep breath. I hadn’t even realized my shoulders were tensed the entire time. All Eckenhart and I had to do was watch Leo play and relax.

Before long, Marontilana came out to join us.

“Mr. Hirooka, the girl…Lieza, was it? She’s being bathed now. I left her in capable hands.”

“Thank you for helping us. I know it wasn’t very polite of us to drop in unannounced and take over your bath like this.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Mr. Hirooka, especially after all you’ve done for us.” She smiled as she watched the orphans squeal with laughter as they chased Leo. “The kids are always happy to see you both, so by all means, visit us any time.”

This place must be like heaven to Leo. Nobody is ever scared of her here.

“If I may ask,” Marontilana continued, “might I ask who your companion is?”

Eckenhart blinked beside me. “Hm? Me?”

Oh, of course.

“Eckenhart? You still have a cloth covering your face,” I pointed out. He did look suspicious like that.

“Ah, I forgot.” He pulled off the cloth and cleared his throat. “Pleasure to see you again, Headmistress.”

“Is that…Y-Y-Your Grace?”

“In the flesh.”

In the blink of an eye, the matron was on the ground and practically kissing the duke’s boots.

“I-I’m so dreadfully sorry, Your Grace! I-I didn’t recognize you, nor would I ever assume—!”

Eckenhart urged her to her feet. “Forget about all that nonsense. Raise your head, now.”

“A-As you will.”

“Just ignore me—pretend I’m not here at all. Treat me as you would Takumi’s footman.”

“I-If that is your will, Your Grace.” She kept glancing around nervously, afraid to look at him for too long. I couldn’t blame her. He was the second most powerful man in the country. “Wh-Wh-Why was that girl with you…footman?”

I’ll give her an A for effort.

Eckenhart frowned and glanced at me, so I explained in his stead.

“We ran into her while we were walking around the North Quarter.”

“The north? What were you doing in such a dangerous place?”

I wasn’t surprised she was familiar with the city’s northern slums. She’d probably lived here for many years now, and of course she’d know where the city’s orphans would be likely to gather—not to mention she could warn her wards about such a dangerous part of the city.

“That wasn’t our original plan,” I admitted. “There was an emergency, though, and Leo insisted we go. That’s when we ran into that poor girl getting beaten up.”

She doesn’t need to know right now that Lieza was stealing food.

The matron’s brow furrowed. “Beaten? Just because that poor child is a beastkin?”

“Probably, yes. We intervened as soon as we could, but we were too late to keep her from getting so dirty. This seemed like the best place to get her a bath.”

“That makes sense, yes.” She pursed her lips. “A beastkin girl, though…”

I blinked. “That’s not a problem, is it? I’m afraid I don’t know much about any of this.”

Eckenhart nodded solemnly. “I suppose I haven’t yet explained. Perhaps you could, Headmistress?”

“With pleasure, Your Grace,” she nodded.

It seemed like a great time for it, since Leo was still playing with the kids and Lieza would still be in the bath a while.

Wait…is this why Sebastian and Eckenhart get along so well? Eckenhart tells him to explain something, and Sebastian loves to do it? I mused.

Marontilana cleared her throat. “Thirty or so years ago, back when I was only a young girl, there was a great war between our kingdom and the beastkin to the north.”

“It was actually a little over thirty years now,” Eckenhart corrected.

That would be well before Claire—or I, for that matter—was born.

“While this duchy was never threatened by the flames of war,” Marontilana continued, “I’ve heard the fighting was long, fierce, and bloody.”

“They’re your neighbors, right?” I asked. “Have there always been issues between you and the beastkin?”

She shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know that much about our international affairs.”

I guess there’s no way for her to get that information, outside of rumors and hearsay.

“We’ve generally been on good terms with them,” Eckenhart explained. “Ever since a certain…incident, however, that’s all changed.”

I can believe that. Land, wealth, perceived security, there’s any number of reasons to fight. If he knows more, it’s probably some kind of state secret.

I wasn’t interested enough to risk pushing him further, so I let Marontilana continue.

“Countless lives were lost, soldiers and innocents both. Then, just as both countries had exhausted their strength, an unsavory rumor began to spread throughout the kingdom.”

“What kind of rumor?”

“They said that beastkin aren’t like humans at all, that they were monsters in disguise. Some also said they were fundamentally evil, and that they kill humans on sight.”

Oh, no.

I didn’t reply. According to Sebastian, any living thing with mana was technically a monster, humans included. There was probably a lot more nuance to the subject than I knew, but I was sure about one thing: being a monster didn’t make you evil any more than being human.

“I can’t say where the rumor came from or why,” she continued. “Perhaps it was only propaganda, designed to unify us against the beastkin.”

That made sense. Regardless of who started the rumor, it had to be intentionally spread by someone who wanted the fighting to continue. Maybe it was a natural product of the times.

“There has been no war with the beastkin since, but many people still believe that lie,” Marontilana concluded.

“How can anyone buy into that? Lieza wasn’t trying to hurt anyone.”

If anything, she was forced into stealing because she had no other choice to survive. She didn’t seem to be lying to us about her situation, and moreover Leo trusted Lieza. Leo had a good instinct about people in general.

Marontilana nodded in agreement. “Beastkin are barely any different from humans, honestly. The only difference is on a purely physical level.”

Eckenhart smiled wryly. “That ‘difference’ is likely why the rumors became so vile.”

The matron gave him a startled look. “It is? I had no idea.”

“Humans are jealous of them, I think. The average beastkin tends to be stronger—I’ve heard that during the war, some of their stronger warriors took a squad of three or more men to take down.”

“So that’s the main difference?” I asked. “They’re just stronger than humans?”

The duke nodded. “I’ve heard many beastkin excel in combat. If I know soldiers, they’d be green with envy for the beastkins’ talents.”

“Yeah… I can see that.”

If a human could be jealous of another human, it made sense they could be jealous of a beastkin, too. That, and the war clearly took a massive toll, which meant many humans lost friends and family.

“Relations between our people are much better than they were during the war,” Eckenhart added. “The borders are open and unrestricted. The only issue is, the rumors have prevented our people from moving on.”

I sighed. “I guess that makes sense.”

I guess the people who got hurt in the war would naturally blame the beastkin, but that’s no excuse to be racist.

“Believe it or not, they’re one of our friendliest neighbors.” Eckenhart sighed. “Unsurprisingly, their citizens almost never cross into our kingdom.”

“That’s fair enough. I wouldn’t go to a country that discriminated against me, either.”

Marontilana nodded. “That, Mr. Hirooka, is why beastkin are so rarely seen abroad, much less this far south.”

“That, and the endless droves of human-supremacists,” Eckenhart spat. “The further away from where the deaths and the fighting took place, the more readily people take lies as truths.”

“Wait… So those punks who were picking on Lieza…”

“Beastkin-hating fools who saw a young, defenseless girl and decided to torment her for fun. Anyone with a half-decent upbringing would know such hate is pointless, and yet you wouldn’t think it from the way people act.”

To be fair, I don’t think most slumdwellers would have access to that kind of education, much less be able to focus on overcoming their biases.

It seemed cruel for a rumor from such an old war to be responsible for little Lieza’s suffering today. One of the boys had called her a monster, and now I finally understood why.

“That sounds like a mess, yeah,” I admitted.

“Children are especially gullible,” Marontilana lamented. “I make sure all the orphans in my care are taught that beastkin are no different than us, but I worry for the rest of their generation.”

Eckenhart stroked his beard in thought. “I’ll have to talk to Sebastian about this later. I’ve hardly ever seen beastkin before today, so I assumed there was no issue, but I was mistaken. If beastkin are living here even now, then we can assume they live all over the duchy.”

The three of us fell into an uneasy silence. Thankfully, the sound of Leo barking and running around with the kids prevented me from being totally alone with my thoughts.

I don’t want to linger on this topic any longer than we need to…this is heavy stuff.

“I bet Lieza’s grampa would’ve known more about the beastkin around here,” I finally said.

Eckenhart nodded. “It may be the new generation that’s being so discriminatory. Most who lived to see the war would probably know the rumors are false.”

I had to assume that Lieza’s grampa was older than Eckenhart. He had to know that the beastkin were our allies before the war, and he might’ve encountered Lieza’s parents or other beastkin as immigrants. He would know the rumors were nonsense.

I bet Lieza was happy with him—as happy as a girl in her situation could be, at least. I hate how complicated this all is.

“So?” Eckenhart turned to me. “We’ve brought Lieza here. What now?”

“I haven’t thought that far ahead, to be honest. I just wanted to keep her from getting beaten up.”

“Fair enough. That was a horrible thing to see.”

Marontilana cast him a worried look. “Was it that bad?”

“Maybe it’s time we tell her the full story?” I looked at the duke, and he nodded.

“By all means.”

I explained in detail how the teens had been tormenting Lieza, this time leaving out nothing. When I finished, Marontilana seemed crushed.

“Oh, my… I don’t blame you for intervening. She’s such a tiny thing, too.”

Eckenhart nodded solemnly. “A bias is all some people need to be violent, simple as that.”

“I guess so,” I agreed. “When you’re dealing with a ‘monster,’ it’s too easy to get carried away.”

I’d heard of mob mentality before. Even normal people could be compelled to do evil things they never would on their own. Followers would be afraid of defying the will of the group and being made a target, to the point where they’d stop thinking for themselves. It was an oversimplification, maybe, but I’d seen it happen countless times before.

Eckenhart turned back to the headmistress. “You said your children were being taught right?”

“Of course, not a one of them would believe that nonsense. I should also mention that most of our wards come from unfortunate circumstances.”

“Hmm. You’re saying we should leave her with you, then?”

I doubted Lieza would be bullied here, given that the orphans were always being supervised. Marontilana seemed to believe she’d be welcomed as well. If nothing else, we couldn’t return her to the slums to suffer.

As they say, pain fosters empathy…not that you can’t have empathy without being in pain yourself.

“I don’t know if I have any right to say this, but… Marontilana, could you take care of Lieza?” I bowed deeply to her.

“M-Mr. Hirooka, there’s no need for that! You’ve helped us more than I could ever ask, so I would do anything in my power to return the favor.”

“Great! So that would mean—”

“Unfortunately, well… I’m afraid we can’t take her in.”

I looked up from my bow just in time to see her shake her head.

Eckenhart raised a brow. “Why not?”

She dipped her head to him. “I’m dreadfully sorry, but we have no vacant beds whatsoever. We barely have enough space to care for the children we have.”

Right… When I delivered the capwort here before, everywhere was packed, and some kids were even doubled up. I guess all their rooms must be like that. I didn’t even see space to add more beds.

It didn’t seem fair to make Lieza sleep on the floor, either. That was barely better than the streets.

“What about the vacancy Milicia left?” I pressed.

“She’d been sleeping separately from the others for some time by the time she left. Anyone old enough to leave the orphanage on their own terms—and the staff, of course—have their own space, though even that has been given to the children as of late. Many of us make do with whatever floor space we can find.”

Eckenhart grimaced. “That bad, is it? I’ll have to send someone to provide aid later…” He pursed his lips together, deep in thought.

This is his duchy, so he has to manage the orphanage too, but not even he can have a new wing built in a night. I wish I could think of some way to help, and I’m sure Eckenhart would be open to suggestions if I had one.

“What do we do about Lieza, though?” I pressed. “She’s in the bath now, but we can’t ship her back to the slums.”

Marontilana nodded. “I can’t imagine it would go any differently from before if you did. It might actually be worse.”

Eckenhart scratched his beard, eyes narrowing. “Hrmmm.”

“By the way… Leo said there was something different about Lieza, either the girl herself or the way she smelled,” I mentioned.

The duke’s eyes lit up. “She was able to pick up on the girl from streets away, so there must be something to her.”

I cupped my hands around my mouth. “Leo! Can I borrow you?”

Even if she has nothing important to share, it’ll be a nice break.

Leo’s ears twitched and she turned to me, even though there had to be a dozen children clinging to her and slowing her down.

“Wruff?”

Um. Aren’t they heavy?

“You said Lieza smelled weird, right? Weird how?”

“Wurf? Grrrowf, ruff, rooff!”

Eckenhart looked at me expectantly. “Well? What did she say?”

“She says that from a distance, Lieza smelled like one of her kin. She’s not, though, just to be clear.”

“Hmm…because she’s a beastkin, maybe?”

Leo nodded. “Bworf! Ruff, gawroo!”

I did a double take. “Wait, really?!”

According to Leo, beastkin had a special connection with animal-like monsters like her. She knew Lieza was in trouble, and it was critical she was safe. I passed on the information to the others.

“‘Critical,’ she said?” Eckenhart murmured. “I’ve heard beastkin were often seen with monstrous companions, so that may be related.”

“So, silver fenrir qualify as animal-like?” I asked him.

“Whether she counts or not, I’ve never heard of beastkin and silver fenrir together…though regular fenrir may be possible.”

Sounds like beastkin bond more easily with that kind of monster than humans do. We do have a fenrir bonded with a human back home, too. Maybe that’s why Leo was drawn to her.

“Why did Miss Leo believe she was so important?” Eckenhart mused. “That’s another reason we can’t just leave her be.”

Leo gave him a confused look. “Ruffa?”

“We’re trying to figure out what to do with Lieza,” I explained to her. “The orphanage is out of space, though, so she can’t stay here.”

“Waaruff?!” Leo’s eyes widened. “Bark, wark! Browff!!”

“Wait, what? We can’t do that!”

Eckenhart glanced at me. “What did she say?”

I shook my head. “She’s talking nonsense, saying she wants to adopt Lieza. That would mean taking her back to the villa, and we can’t do that.”

I didn’t want to cause yet another problem for the staff, especially since a girl her age took a lot of work.

Wait…did I see Eckenhart nod?

“Why not? I don’t mind.”

“Huh?”

I think I misheard him, too.

“Wh-What did you say?” I asked.

“I said, we’ll take her home with us.”

“You’re sure? Really?”

He can’t just decide that, can he? I know the staff would treat her well, but three constant guests feels like a lot, especially when one of them is Leo.

Eckenhart leaned in to whisper in my ear, his ruggedly handsome face drawing closer. “All my power and resources are Miss Leo’s to do with as she pleases. If she wants to adopt Lieza, that’s that. The girl has nowhere else to go.”

“Well…I guess not.”

“Even if we did leave her on the streets,” he continued, “Miss Leo would probably sniff her out and save her again. I don’t want her charging through the middle of town too often.”

“You might have a point there.”

If Lieza was as important as Leo said, she wouldn’t leave Ractos without her. Maybe Lieza wouldn’t be picked on so often if word got out that Leo was protecting her, but the rest of the city would only see a giant wolf charging up and down the streets terrorizing kids.

“Moreover, House Libert is sworn to honor and revere silver fenrirs,” he added before turning to address my furry friend. “Whatever your will, Miss Leo, I will serve you body and soul!”

Leo nodded matter-of-factly. “Ruff.”

I guess that decides it. I hope Claire won’t yell at him for deciding without her, but he is the duke.

The door into the orphanage opened, and a familiar woman emerged. At her side was Lieza—or at least, I assumed it was.

“Headmistress, the child has been bathed.”

Leo wagged at her. “Woooo!”

“Wow, Lieza, you look different. A lot cleaner.”

“Um…th-thank you.”

There was no trace of snot or grime anywhere to be seen, and she was wearing clothes she’d borrowed from the orphanage. Unsurprisingly, that meant her tail was poking out over the top of her waistband. She seemed happier than before, and she walked with a lot more confidence.

I hate to admit it, but Leo was right. She’d be best off coming home with us.

What was most striking about her, however, was her fur. Her ears were black-tipped, blonde, and eagerly shifting about to take in the sounds of the courtyard. Her tail stood out even more, somehow, since it was nearly as thick as her torso and looked like all fluff. The tip twitched eagerly as soon as she saw Leo and me.

Eckenhart looked her up and down, then nodded. “Yes, she looks much better now. All clean.”

Lieza flinched, clumsily retreating to hide behind me and grabbing at my pant leg.

“Lieza? What’s wrong?” I asked.

She peered around me at the duke. “Th-That old guy’s scary.”

“Ruff?” Leo nodded her giant snout reassuringly. “Wruff, bow-wurf.”

Lieza wasn’t who I was worried about, though. Eckenhart looked as though he’d just been struck by lightning.

“Wh-What…did she say?” he finally squeaked.

I don’t know if it was her being afraid of him or being called old that got to him more.

One of the orphans approached us, tugging on Lieza’s sleeve. She was Lieza’s age or younger.

“Hey, wanna play?” she asked.

Lieza shifted uncomfortably. “D-Do you…really want to?”

She nodded with a grin. “Yeah!”

Maybe she thinks Lieza’s going to be staying here.

It took me a moment to realize Lieza was looking up at me uncertainly, waiting for my reaction.

“Go ahead,” I told her. “Have fun!”

“O-Okay.”

The orphan girl took Lieza by the hand and led her across the yard to where Leo and the other children were.

Leo tilted her head at me. “Wruff?”

“We’re probably going to be talking for a while, so you can play while you wait.”

“Wruf, wa-wrooof!”

“W-Wah!!”

Leo eagerly grabbed Lieza by the back of her collar, scooping up the startled beastkin and carrying her off like a mother cat with her kitten. I know Leo’s a dog and Lieza’s a fox, but I think the analogy still works.

With that, I turned back to Eckenhart, who was squatting moodily by the orphanage’s wall. Marontilana and the other staff stood clumped together a short distance away, watching him uneasily. They seemed torn between trying to help him somehow and respectfully leaving him to brood.

I cleared my throat. “Um…Eckenhart?”

“Takumiii.” He didn’t look at me, eyes fixed on the kids as they played. “Lieza was fine around me until now, wasn’t she? What did I do wrong?”

“You were hiding your face earlier, right? Not even Marontilana recognized you, so she probably assumed you were someone else.”

“Hrm.” His frown deepened. “Of course, I can understand her being afraid of me, even though Tilura fortunately isn’t.”

I don’t think you can compare them that easily. Besides, Tilura’s your daughter.

“I just—” His voice cracked, and he dropped his gaze, shoulders trembling weakly.

“Oh, come on, cheer up!” I crouched beside him and awkwardly patted his shoulder. “You helped save her life. I’m sure she’ll come around soon enough.”

The duke sniffled. “Easy for you to say. She likes you already. I just don’t understand why kids are so scared of me.”

“You look a little intimidating at first,” I admitted. “I’m not surprised it takes some people time. I mean, I was terrified of you at first too, but when you smacked me on the back like you did, I realized you weren’t that bad.”

He was the kind of man who seemed gruff but had a heart of gold.

I really hope I’m not being too familiar with him…though I guess if I was, he’d have told me a long time ago.

“You were scared?!” Eckenhart stared at me in shock. “Gah! I even grew a beard so children would like me more! Why is this happening to me?!”

“Uhh…”

Unsure of what to say next, I glanced at Marontilana for help, only to see she was just as confused as I was. No doubt she was also wondering about his thought process.

Plenty of young kids are scared of beards. If it were cut into a funny shape or something that would be different, but it looks like he’s never touched a razor before in his life. Factor in that he’s as wide as a barge, and no kid would approach him willingly.

Marontilana and I locked gazes, both of us silently begging the other to tell him.

Why don’t you do it? I showed her a plastic smile. He’s your boss, and you probably know children better than I do.

Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly burden His Grace with my humble opinion. She returned the false smile and nodded only a hair’s breadth. I imagine a man of your status would have no such issue.

I barely shook my head and pointed at the moping duke with my chin. Don’t be silly, Eckenhart hates getting hung up on formalities. He’d love to hear your expert opinion.

Wouldn’t it be easier for you to tell him, man to man? Surely you understand facial hair better than I do.

He wants to know how to be more approachable by children, not opinions on his beard. Aren’t you the perfect person for the job? There’s no reason to be shy now.

I must insist, Mr. Hirooka.

No no no, Marontilana, I insist.

The headmistress and I didn’t blink once as our silent war of attrition raged on. Every gesture was a stubborn no-you. Despite the warmth of her smile, there was a hawklike intensity in her eyes that I’d never seen in a person before.

Finally, Eckenhart broke the stalemate with a lengthy sigh. He looked up at me. “What do you think, Takumi? Surely you’d know, since both Tilura and Lieza like you. How do you make them like you?”

“Uh.”

Dammit, now I have to do it!

I glanced at Marontilana, but sure enough, she was smirking at me now. She knew I was cornered.

Checkmate, I lose. I just hope Eckenhart won’t be upset by what I say.

“There’s no way to guarantee a child will like you,” I explained carefully. “However, there is one thing you can do that would help. Your beard—”

“It’s incredible, I’ll admit it.”

“Y-Yeah, I like it too. The thing is, when children see it, they probably…well, it’s kind of nightmarish to them. It might be why people are so intimidated by you.”

Eckenhart was still for several seconds. I held my breath, hoping I hadn’t been too blunt. Then, he collapsed forward onto his hands and knees, wailing. “No! NOOOOOOOO!! It’s been my beard all along? No, that can’t be! Say it isn’t soooooooo!! H-How could it be?!”

At least he can’t get any worse than this.

“Er…why did you grow it out the way you did?” I asked.

“I-I used to shave every day,” he sniffled. “Not long after Tilura was born, though, she burst into tears at the sight of me. I knew I was intimidating, but it was a shock nonetheless. At one point I had to go on a trip, however, and I didn’t have time to shave on the road, so I came back looking like this.”

“Then Tilura saw your beard?”

He nodded dejectedly. “She had always cried at the sight of me, but when little Tilura saw my beard, she smiled like the sun and reached out to me for the first time. She had a lot of strength even back then, and having her pull on my beard was staggeringly painful, but I’ve stayed rugged and uncut ever since…except formal gatherings, of course.”

“Wow…I had no idea.”

First he misinterpreted Claire wanting marriage meetings as a child, and now this beard misunderstanding with Tilura… He’s really bad at understanding what his kids want or need, but at least his heart is in the right place.

Tilura had probably thought his beard was a toy. The whole crying ordeal was probably a case of bad timing, or she was constantly surrounded by her sister and women caregivers to the point where any man would’ve looked like a monster. There was no way to check any of my theories since Tilura would’ve been far too young to remember anything, but it sounded far too plausible to dismiss.

Maybe Sebastian would tell me? No, I bet he’d just smile and not say a thing. He’s the type to keep a secret if he thinks it’d be funnier that way. I wouldn’t be surprised if he nudged Eckenhart in this direction, even, though I’m really taking shots in the dark at this point.

“I can’t say anything for certain,” I told Eckenhart, “but I’m pretty sure your beard is generally more frightening than comforting.”

“The orphans have never been scared of me before,” he protested.

I glanced at Marontilana. She had her eyes closed, and was probably pretending to be anywhere else.

So I’m still on my own. Great. How am I supposed to convince him?

I began to pick my words more carefully. “This is just a theory, but maybe the orphans aren’t scared of you because they trust Marontilana and the other staff. Lieza doesn’t have that trust yet, so that might explain it. Think of the men we saw in the slums. Were any of them clean-shaven or nicely dressed?”

He frowned. “Hrm. You might have a point.”

All of the men Eckenhart’s age we’d seen had similarly unkempt beards, and if any of them had tormented or picked on her at all, she’d have another reason to distrust him.

When I’d finished saying my piece, Marontilana looked at me and smiled, this time a real one. The relief was plain on her face.

“No, I’m sure now, you must be right.” Eckenhart got to his feet. “When we return to the villa, I will shave!”

I laughed a little as the tension left my shoulders. “Yeah, that might be a good idea.”

He looks like a mountain bandit now, but I bet he’ll be flat-out handsome without a beard. Intimidating, but handsome.

“Tilura is grown now,” he muttered to himself. “She won’t cry when she sees me…I’m positive she won’t.”

“Maybe she’ll even be proud of having someone so dashing as a father,” I suggested.

“Really?!” He chuckled, face melting into a smile. “I hope she thinks so, too.”

If anyone could mess up being a hot dad, though, it’s him.

Eckenhart finally stood up, gazing off towards where Lieza and Leo were playing. “So, back to the matter at hand. We’d best be taking Lieza to her new home now.”

I hated to end the conversation there, but he was right. With any luck, she and Tilura would become great friends. She’d have Leo and I as well, so despite how many adults she’d be surrounded by, she shouldn’t get lonely.

Marontilana deeply bowed to the duke. “Once again, I deeply regret being unable to help you more.”

He smiled back at her before tying the cloth around his face. “No need to be sorry. You shouldn’t apologize for things out of your control. I’ll see to it that you get more resources soon.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Your Grace.”

I hope the orphanage gets all the funds they need and more.

I cupped my hands around my mouth. “Leo! Lieza! We’re getting ready to leave!”

“Ruff? Woo-woo?”

Leo stopped, looked at me, then scooped up Lieza in her mouth and started sprinting towards me.

“Bow-WURF!”

“Weh?! Wahahahaha!”

Lieza didn’t seem to mind, giggling as she dangled from the massive wolf’s gentle maw.

At least they’re both having fun?

Leo gently deposited Lieza beside me, then stuck her snout towards me for pets.

“Whruff.”

I smiled, putting my whole body into scratching her chin and cheeks. “Thank you, Leo! That’s a good girl! Did you have fun with the kids?”

She nodded, wagging madly. “Woorf!”

Once I’d finished rewarding Leo, I crouched down to address Lieza. “Do you want to say goodbye to all the new friends you made? Don’t worry, you’ll see them again soon.”

“O-Okay.” She reluctantly nodded, then turned to wave to the orphans. “Goodbye, everyone. That was fun.”

“Bye-bye!” the kids called back.

“I promise you, we’ll bring you here to play again soon,” I reassured her. “Guess what? Leo and I are gonna take you to your new home. It’s nothing like where you lived before. It’s peaceful, and everyone is going to be nice to you. Does that sound okay to you?”

She was her own person, even if she was only seven. Both of us would be miserable if I tried to force her to come to the villa, and she was more than capable of deciding for herself.

Lieza frowned at me uneasily. “Really? I…don’t have to go back to that place?”

The slums might have been where she’d lived with her beloved grampa, but it was no longer a place that was safe for her.

“That’s right. They’re never going to bully you again, I promise. Did I tell you your new home has another girl your age? I bet she’ll like you.”

“I…um…” Her ears drooped, tears swelling in her eyes. She clung onto my shirt tightly. “O-Okay,” she whispered hoarsely.

She must’ve thought that once her time here was over, she’d be returned to that hell. It must have just now sunk in that she was free. Even so, she didn’t let a single tear spill, and she was completely silent. Only the tight, trembling grip of her tiny hands told me how relieved she really was.

I gently held her in a hug, softly stroking her hair. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

I held her for a minute or so before Eckenhart cleared his throat. “We should get going, Takumi.”

“Okay.” I stood up and held my hand out so Lieza could grab it. “Do you wanna come with me?”

She sniffled, but she was smiling as she grabbed onto my hand. “Yes!”

It’s official, I’m never letting anyone hurt her ever again.

Marontilana and a few of her staff saw us off at the front gates.

“Thank you for having us,” Eckenhart told her.

“Our pleasure, Your Grace. You and Mr. Hirooka are welcome back here anytime.”

“Thank you very much. I’m sure we’ll be back soon.” I bowed to her, then glanced at Lieza. “Lieza? Do you want to say thank you?”

“Y-Yes.” She clumsily copied my bow. “Thank you very much.”

Marontilana leaned down and smiled at her. “You’re very welcome. Come back anytime you’d like, okay?”

The girl’s face lit up. “Okay!”

She’s still stumbling around a lot, though she might just be at that age. I’m really impressed her manners are this good, too. Her grampa really raised her well.

On the road back to Ractos’ east gate, I noticed that Leo was watching Lieza and I curiously.

“Ruff?” Leo finally said. “Bow-wruff?”

“Good idea, Leo.” I looked down at Lieza. “Wanna ride on her back?”

Lieza thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No, I’m okay. I wanna keep walking. I like holding hands.”

“Haha, fair enough. You can hop on Leo later if you get tired.”

“Okay,” she nodded.

“Whuff,” Leo sighed in disappointment.

Oh, you can wait. We’ll all be riding you as soon as we get out of the city.

“She seems incredibly fond of you,” Eckenhart remarked. It was a little hard to tell with the cloth in the way, but it felt like he was watching us with a fatherly warmth.

As we neared the city’s main street, a group of guards called out to us from the roadside.

“Excuse me, can I have a moment of your time?”

“Yes?”

“Hrm?”

“Ruff?”

Lieza said nothing, gawking up at us in confusion.

What would they want with us? They should already know about Leo by now.

“We’ve received reports of a monster in town,” the squad captain explained. He was staring at Leo dubiously.

“A monster?” I repeated.

Leo squinted at the man. “Ruff?”

Let me guess, somebody got spooked and called the guard on Leo again?

Finally, the captain’s eyes lit up. “A large wolf with silver fur… You must be Miss Leo, the silver fenrir.” He turned to me. “You’re Mr. Hirooka, then?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

I knew Claire had written the guards about us.

He snapped to attention and bowed deeply. “My apologies, Mr. Hirooka! We left as soon as we received the reports. I never considered it could be you.”

“I-It’s not your fault,” I assured him awkwardly. “Somebody must’ve gotten scared, that’s all.”

As long as we’re not in trouble.

“Admittedly, I’m glad it was you. You’re well-liked around here.” He jerked his chin at Eckenhart and Lieza. “Who are your friends there?”

Lieza immediately retreated as the squad turned their attention to her, hiding behind my back so she could continue holding my hand.

“The reports claimed there was a suspicious individual with a monster, seen leaving the slums with a small girl.”

“Oh, I get it. You thought she got abducted.”

Maybe it was one of Lieza’s bullies? They were all screaming about monsters as they ran away.

Eckenhart huffed. “First Lieza hides, and now I’m treated like a criminal?”

“Can we have your name, sir?” the guard asked. His tone was far less friendly than before.

I feel kind of sorry for him. Lieza runs away when his face is uncovered, and the guards profile him if it’s covered… Though he’s basically wearing a ski mask in the middle of summer, so that makes sense.

Eckenhart sighed as he walked toward the guards. “I suppose I’ll have to tell you, won’t I?”

The captain laughed dryly. “Yeah, you will.”

I bet this will all be resolved as soon as they see the duke’s face, just like last time.

Lieza looked up at me. “Where’s he going?”

“He’s going to talk with those men,” I explained in a quiet voice.

I guess she’s fine with him as long as she can’t see his beard. Fair enough, honestly, given he was wearing the bandana when he helped save her. They must be different people to her altogether.

“Take a look,” Eckenhart announced as he untied and lowered the kerchief. From this angle, Lieza couldn’t see a thing. “Good enough for you?”

“Y-Your Grace?! Our deepest apologies!”

The captain led his squad in groveling in the dirt for forgiveness.

“I don’t blame you for not recognizing me,” Eckenhart assured them. “I’m here incognito, without any bodyguards.”

“You’re far too benevolent, Your Grace!” the captain shouted from the ground.

“There are a few other things I’d like you to be aware of.”

Eckenhart lowered his voice so I could barely hear what he was saying, but the words “slums” and “orphanage” came up at least once. I assumed he was explaining all we’d done that day, especially since tons of people saw us leaving the slums with Lieza, if only because Leo drew so much attention to herself.

As I strained my ears to listen, I heard a few other things that made me pause.

“What?” I muttered.

“Are you…okay?” Lieza peered up at me worriedly.

“N-No, it’s nothing. Everything is fine,” I told her with a smile.

They were definitely talking about the slums again. There was also something about increasing security, and something about jobs, but that was all I could glean.

I guess he’s telling the guards his take on the slum issue, having finally seen it himself.

After a while, I noticed that Leo was watching Eckenhart and nodding approvingly. I couldn’t hear them myself, but Leo should have no issue at this distance.

Is she agreeing with Eckenhart’s points, or does she just want to feel involved?

Once he finished talking, Eckenhart asked the guards to ready a horse and dismissed them.

“Sorry about the wait,” he apologized as he returned to us, the kerchief already retied over his face. “Let’s return to the villa, shall we?”

“Let’s,” I replied.

“Ruff!” Leo agreed.

Lieza nodded. “Oka— um, yes sir.”

It was a solid attempt at being polite, even if she stuttered through it.

I hope she doesn’t think she owes us anything… I’ll talk to her about it later, after she’s settled in.

Once we arrived at the west gate, I spotted one of the guards we’d run into earlier. He was leading a horse.

“Your horse is ready, Your Grace!” he announced.

Eckenhart nodded. “Excellent work.”

“Why do you want a horse?” I asked him. “You can ride back on Leo, just like the trip here.”

“Wuff?” Leo sniffed at him confusedly.

“You and Lieza will be riding her, won’t you? That means you’ll be holding onto her tightly so she doesn’t fall off, right? You don’t want me clinging to you while you’re so preoccupied, so this is for the best. Don’t you agree?”

Honestly, fair enough.

Leo huffed with an exasperated shake of her head, as if to say he was being ridiculous. Lieza looked up at us the whole time, head tilted slightly to one side. Her tail was at the same angle as her ears, which was admittedly quite cute.

Eckenhart hopped astride his horse. “Let’s be off, then.”

“Gladly.”

“Ruff!”

“Okay.”

With that, we set off at a run. Leo trailed a fair distance behind Eckenhart’s horse, and it felt like the ride was a lot smoother than usual. It was far easier than usual to keep my balance and keep Lieza secured.

I scritched by Leo’s ear. “Thanks for being considerate, Leo.”

Leo nodded eagerly as she slowly pulled up beside the duke. “Wooooo!”

“Wah?!” Lieza grabbed handfuls of fur as we sped up. She gawked at the countryside as it blurred past us.

We’re not even going that fast, but this is a new experience for her.

I chuckled. “Having fun, Lieza?”

“Yeah! Um, I mean yes, sir. I’ve never gone this fast…sir!”

“Glad to hear it.”

I got the impression the duke was watching us and grinning, but it was hard to tell for sure with his mouth covered.

At that moment, I heard a conspicuous grumbling in front of me.

“Hm?”

Lieza dropped her gaze. “Oh…um…”

“Are you hungry?” I asked her.

“Um…yes,” she replied softly.

No surprises there. She’s been doing a lot of playing. She must be starving if I can hear her while Leo’s running. It’s been hours since we saved her, and who knows how long it’s been since her last proper meal.

The sun was low in the sky ahead of us, and despite my hearty lunch at the villa, I was also getting hungry.

“There’s food where we’re going,” I told Lieza. “We’ll eat soon after we get there, so can you wait a little longer?”

I’m sure Helena or Sebastian could at least get us a snack.

Lieza nodded eagerly. “Yay! But, um, I’m also thirsty.”

“Hmm…thirsty, huh?”

She can wait to eat, but I don’t want her getting dehydrated.

“Wheruff!” Leo suddenly slowed, taking us to a swift halt.

“What? E-Eckenhart, stop!”

The duke had inadvertently put some distance between us with how suddenly we stopped, but he brought his horse around quickly enough.

“Anything amiss, Takumi?” he asked as he approached us.

“I don’t know, Leo just stopped out of nowhere. Lieza said she’s thirsty, but I don’t—”

“Grrrrrrrrr… BARK!”

“Whoa!” Eckenhart’s horse reared in fear, and he struggled to bring it back under control. Leo’s bark had created a sphere of water, which had already fallen and soaked the dirt in front of us.

“Wait… You want Lieza to drink that?”

She nodded. “Wuff, bowf!”

“You can’t drink magic-made water, though. There might be dust in it, or worse.”

“Growff! Bow-worf, whuff!”

“Wait, really? You’re sure it’s safe to drink?”

“I’ve never seen her use magic before,” Eckenhart muttered in awe. “She’s sure it’s drinkable?”

“Er, yes, she’s sure. I’m sure Sebastian told me magic water was dirty, though…”

Sebastian had explained it to me during our expedition to the Fenrir Forest. Magic water was taken from the surrounding air, which also meant any contaminants wound up in it. He was very clear when he told me it could make you sick or worse.

Leo seems pretty confident about it, though.

The duke stroked his beard under his kerchief. “Maybe this is a special spell, one that only silver fenrir can cast?”

“Special magic?” I echoed confusedly.

“Mah-jick?” Lieza parroted blankly, mimicking my expression.

Yep, can confirm. She’s so cute when she’s confused.

“Sebastian explained the basics, didn’t he?” Eckenhart checked. “Well, there is a spell to make drinking water. It’s incredibly difficult, however, on top of using an absurd amount of mana. Given how impractical it is to cast, almost nobody uses it.”

That would also explain why Sebastian didn’t tell me about it before, especially since I’m so new to magic as a whole. To be fair, though, it doesn’t sound like there’s much point to learning it.

“That would make sense.” I turned to Leo. “You cast that version, then?”

“Ruff?” She shot me a puzzled look. “Buh-worf!”

So she doesn’t know that spell, but this water is still drinkable…apparently.

“Okay, I’ll trust you. Can you cast it again, maybe a few more times?”

“Woooooooo!” Yeah, just trust me!

“Hrm.” The duke watched me with visible concern as I dismounted.

“I’ll try it first,” I announced.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Eckenhart asked.

“Leo has never lied to me, not once. Even if she’s wrong, it’s not like I’ll collapse on the spot. I’ll probably just get indigestion or something.” I turned to my faithful companion and cupped my hands together. “Okay, Leo, let’s see that spell again.”

Granted, she spends most of her time lounging around or playing, but I’ve known her longer than anyone else in this world. I’m not going to doubt her now.

“Ruff!” She nodded. “Grrrrrrrrowrf!”

A second sphere of water formed in the air, this time slowly descending to fill the well between my hands.

“Okay, here goes.”

I took a generous sip from my hands. It tasted exactly like any other plain drinking water. I had anything but a refined palate, but it seemed okay.

“Well?” Eckenhart prompted me.

“It seems fine. No flavor or smell to it at all. I’m pretty sure it’s safe.”

Leo puffed out her chest with pride. “Brow-wowf!”

“Hrm… I see no issue with letting Lieza have some, then.”

Lieza nodded, eyeing me enviously. “I want water, too.”

“Do what I do, then. Can you cup your hands like this?”

I showed her how I did it, and once she was ready, I led her around to Leo’s front. I decided to cup my hands for her to drink from as well, given how tiny her hands were. Eckenhart likewise took up position beside me, and with all of us assembled, Leo gave us all more fresh water.

Is Eckenhart thirsty, or just curious about Leo’s water?

Lieza gulped down her share almost the second it hit her hands. “This tastes really good, um, ma’am!”

“You can have mine, too, if you want,” I offered her.

Eckenhart drank deeply from his own hands, then nodded in satisfaction. “Hrmm…tastes normal. I’m convinced.”

“Bwrooff!” Leo seemed incredibly pleased by her own good work.

“I’ve never had such yummy water before,” Lieza declared.

“Yummy?” Eckenhart raised an eyebrow. “It tastes perfectly normal to me.”

“Yeah, normal enough.”

The duke and I exchanged glances.

Lieza looked down, feet shuffling awkwardly. “Um…I never got to drink clear water before. We had rainwater, and also there were sometimes puddles that looked okay.”

Nobody said a word. Leo let out a sad, sympathetic “wuff”. There was no way of telling if this was more abuse or just how life was in the slums. Neither Eckenhart nor I knew how to respond to that.

“I’m a duke,” Eckenhart finally said. “A rich one, with plenty of land. I try to be empathetic and treat all my people fairly. Right now, however, I want to save her. I don’t need Miss Leo to tell me this is the right thing to do.”

If he wanted to maintain the public’s respect in him and his rule, he had to be impartial to all his people. Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to not help Lieza, not when it was so personal.

“I can’t even imagine what she’s been through before now,” I agreed.

It was sympathy, plain and simple. We couldn’t take in every suffering orphan, but it felt wrong not to help the one in front of us. I didn’t question Eckenhart’s decision for a heartbeat.

“There will be time to think about it later,” the duke finally said.

“So we’re putting it off?”

“You could say that. First, the work before us. We’ll never make the journey if we spend all our time thinking about the destination.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

His shoulders heaved with a sigh.

I’m in no position to be worried about him, though.

Since coming to this world I’d managed to make a life for myself, but I hadn’t given even a single thought to my future. All I knew was that I wanted to take it easy with Leo. Then there was Claire to think about—not that I was thinking about her role in my future at all, definitely not. All I knew for sure was that I’d have time for the big questions later.

The whole time we talked, Lieza watched us blankly, no doubt unable to follow our conversation. Tilura struggled to make any sense of it, and she was older than Lieza by several years.

I’d be surprised if she’s had any chance to go to school, either. Wait, does anyone except the upper classes get any education in this world?

As I thought about this world’s schooling situation, I helped Lieza back onto Leo’s back. I watched as Eckenhart mounted his own horse.

Wow… If not for the kerchief, the sight of him on that horse would make a beautiful painting.

After we’d ridden for a while, Lieza dropped her gaze.

“I, um… thank you.”

“Hm? For what?”

“Um…for that yummy water.”

“Oh, that? It’s nothing. Besides, Leo’s the one who made the water for us.”

“Right…er, thank you, sir.”

I’m just glad she liked it. I’ll have to pass her thank you on to Leo later. Oh, maybe I should get Lieza some greital juice when we’re back? I can’t wait to see what she thinks of that.

There was one thing to attend to first, though.

“You don’t have to call me ‘sir’,” I told her.

She didn’t have to be so wound-up with me, and I was starting to think that was why she kept stammering. I’d much rather she talked to me normally.

Lieza blinked at me. “But Grampa said I should always talk to adults like that.”

“You don’t have to with me,” I pressed. “You can talk to me normally, without worrying so much about being polite. I bet that’d be easier for you, too.”

“Yes, um, sir.”

“‘Sir?’”

“I-I mean, okay.”

“That’s more like it. Good girl.”

She can take her time getting used to it, I thought as I smiled and tousled her hair.

“Whu-ruff!” Leo echoed happily.

Leo really cares for Lieza, doesn’t she? Maybe it’s a big-sister thing, like it was with her and Cherie. I need to act like a good big brother and protect her innocent smile too.

Chapter 2: Acquiring a Surprising New Title

WE rode Leo until the villa came into view, just before the sun set entirely. There was only one more altercation along the way, but that was more surprising than anything else.

At the front gates we dismounted, and one of the sentries led Eckenhart’s horse to the stables. Lieza reacted to the mansion as though she’d been taken to a whole new world—which she had been, in a sense. Luckily, she seemed more awestruck than intimidated, and I could tell she was itching to explore.

“Can I have a second, Eckenhart?” I stopped him just before he strode inside.

“Hrm? Something wrong?”

“I know you want to keep your face covered for Lieza’s sake, but are you sure about walking in looking like that?”

His brow furrowed. “Why not? Why shouldn’t I go inside?”

“It’s not that you shouldn’t, but…how do I put this?”

Eckenhart hadn’t told anyone he was coming with me when we left for Ractos, not even Sebastian or Claire. He’d only left a note behind. I wasn’t sure he was in any position to waltz back in the front door like it was nothing.

I guess the guards recognized him on sight, though I don’t know if that was them knowing him well or that Leo and I were with him.

“You sneaked out, so maybe you should act like it?”

“Ah…oh, right. I forgot.” His eyes went serious. “What now?”

“I’m sure Sebastian has to have noticed you left by now,” I said.

“Y-You think so?”

“I don’t think anyone could keep anything from him for long. He’d definitely tell Claire, too, if it came up at all. I would prepare yourself for a scolding.”

He shuddered. “Oof.”

If Sebastian were the only one, we might be able to negotiate our way to freedom, but once Claire was on the warpath, it was all over. He’d be scolded within an inch of his life.

Nothing we can do now would save him from her. That, and we’re talking loud enough right now that they might be able to hear us through the door. Even if we could sneak in, that would only prolong the inevitable.

Lieza tugged on my sleeve. “Is he okay?”

I smiled at her. “He’s okay, don’t worry. He just remembered something that he’d put out of his mind.”

She nodded uncertainly. “Okay.”

I guess it’s bad to let kids see adults in distress like this.

“Ruffa,” Leo sighed, as if to underline my point.

Finally, Eckenhart straightened himself up and stretched his back. “No point dragging it out now. Talking won’t solve anything. Now is the time for action! Forwards, company!”

“Uh…okay.”

“Wruff!” Leo barked determinedly.

Is he preparing for a few knowing remarks from Sebastian, or for a full chewing-out from Claire? Who’s to say? I can’t even tell for sure what expression he’s making under the cloth.

Eckenhart threw open the door, and we were greeted by a small crowd of staff. They probably gathered while we were talking on the front porch.

“Welcome home, Mr. Hirooka and Miss Leo!” they called in unison.

I nodded appreciatively at them. “Thank you, everyone.”

“Woof!” Leo agreed.

Lieza was the only one who didn’t reply, probably because she wasn’t expecting a welcome like that.

“Hold on, Leo.” I motioned to Leo to stop before turning to the servants. “Excuse me, could one of you please bring me a wet cloth?”

Leo obeyed but shot me a confused look. “Ruff?”

One of the maids stepped forward with a tray. “At your service, Mr. Hirooka.”

Wow, they’re always prepared.

“Thank you.” I dipped my head to her before accepting the cloth. “Now, Leo, don’t tell me you forgot. I need to wipe your feet first.”

She gave me a sad look and let out a sorry whimper. “Bwuff?”

She obediently lifted her paws in turn as I got to work. They were coated in mud and grit from all the different places we’d been that day, and I was careful to even clean between her colossal toe beans.

Lieza sure is watching us hard…maybe she wants a turn with the rag?

While I was cleaning, the crowd of servants parted and Claire stepped forward.

“Welcome home, you two.”

I stood up to greet her. “Oh, Claire! We’re home.”

“Wuff-ruff!” Leo replied.

Eckenhart seemed to shrink away from her. “Er…Claire,” he finally squeaked.

All his psyching-up before coming inside suddenly makes sense.

Claire noticed Lieza and turned to me. “Who’s this young lady?”

“That’s kind of a long story.”

I guess most casual trips into town don’t end with adoption.

Eckenhart swallowed hard. “Claire, sweetie?”

Claire didn’t seem to hear him. “Those ears, and that tail… Is she a beastkin?”

“She is. You know about them?”

She smiled kindly at Lieza. “I was taught that they’re no different than us as a child. I’ve always considered them welcome neighbors, even though I’ve never met one in person before now.”

“H-Hello? Claire?” Eckenhart’s voice had an edge of fear to it now.

I’ve never seen her act like this toward him. Is she…angry?

“Sorry for bringing her home without talking to you about it first. The orphanage was too full to accept her, and Leo was really insistent,” I explained.

“Miss Leo was?”

“Helloooooooo?” Eckenhart called quietly.

“Wruff-grauwf, bor-woff, borf!”

Claire nodded. “Understood. If Miss Leo wills it, House Libert will spare no expense!”

I blinked. “Did you understand what she said?”

“I got the gist of it. Not that it’s anything close to your level of understanding, of course.” She smiled just a little too broadly.

Is it because she’s Cherie’s master, or is it from spending so much time with Leo?

I’d heard that cats and dogs could learn to understand each other if they spent enough time together, and that body language had a lot to do with it. They’d spent enough time together that it seemed possible.

I was relieved to hear that Claire was just as welcoming of the idea as Eckenhart. Tilura would get along great with Lieza, and I knew Laila and the other staff would adore her. That left only one last obstacle to overcome—Sebastian. He was more than capable of making hard decisions as Claire’s personal butler.

I’m not too worried about him, though.

Lieza pointed a stubby finger at Claire. “Who’s she? She’s pretty.”

I chuckled. “That’s Claire. She’s the most important person here.”

Lieza’s eyes lit up. “Wow!”

Claire covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. I didn’t know if she was enamored by Lieza’s silky ears and tail, or if she was glad to be flattered.

“Hellooooo?” Eckenhart whispered loudly, weaving through the servants on the hunt for someone who would reply. “Did everyone forget about me?”

Technically, he’s the most important person around, but I’d rather not bring it up while he’s acting like that. She’ll pick up on it eventually.

“What are we doing still standing out here?” Claire said, ushering us down the hall. “I’ll have some servants ready the parlor. I want to hear all about the orphanage and Miss Leo, but the child comes first.”

I nodded. “That’d be great. Lieza is probably tired, given the day she’s had.”

“Ruff,” Leo agreed.

I was afraid she wasn’t going to acknowledge Eckenhart, but to my surprise, he stepped in front of her and waved.

“Hello? Can you see me? Am I invisible?”

Claire sighed. “No, I can see you. You’d best tell me who you are and what you want right now, ruffian.”

“Ruffian?!” Eckenhart exaggeratedly slumped his shoulders. “How cruel…I can’t believe you would treat your own father like this!”

He does look like he’s on his way to mug someone… I’m glad he’s taking the insult in stride, at least, even if he probably deserves it.

Claire glared at him. “Come now, Father. What else would you call an unkempt man who sneaks around like a criminal?”

“Erm.” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “I have a good reason to look like this. I’ll explain everything in the parlor.” Eckenhart turned to lead the way. He seemed relieved to have avoided Claire’s wrath, but he must have missed the piercing hostility in her eyes. I opened my mouth to warn him, but it was too late.

“Father.” Her voice was cold as ice. “Once I’ve heard everything, we will have a talk.”

He jumped, back suddenly ramrod straight. “Y-Yes, of course.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he seemed to lose all his energy at once.

In other words, Claire knows everything and his fate is sealed.

“Ruffa,” Leo sighed.

Lieza was the only one who seemed confused by Eckenhart’s fate—and frankly, I wanted to keep it that way. She was too young to see how terrifying Claire could be.

🐺 🐺 🐺

ONCE we were all comfortable in the parlor, we explained everything we found in Ractos, as well as Lieza’s current situation. Laila and Sebastian were there as well.

“I see… I never would’ve guessed,” Claire said with a pitying look at Lieza.

I nodded grimly. “If Leo hadn’t caught her scent, there’s no telling what might’ve happened to her.”

“I shudder to think of it. What would a beastkin be doing in Ractos, anyway?”

“That’s one answer we won’t find easily,” Eckenhart asserted. “Maybe her guardian brought her there, or maybe her family was traveling incognito and she was left behind. I’ll look into it as best I can, but there’s too much we don’t know about her.”

Claire sighed. “I suppose so.”

Is it just me, or is Sebastian looking at Eckenhart and grinning more than usual? I get the feeling Claire won’t be the only one lecturing him later.

Then, the doors opened as Helena and Gelda walked in with trays of drinks.

Helena curtseyed. “Pardon the intrusion. Here is the greital juice, as requested.”

Eckenhart nodded in recognition as they began to pass out the drinks. “Thank you.”

“Yes, thank you very much,” Claire said warmly as Helena set down her glass.

I had asked the servants to bring us some greital juice on our way to the parlor. Tilura and the fenrirs drank it often, so there was always some ready to serve. Once everyone had their drink, Helena left the room.

Lieza sniffed at her drink. “What’s this?”

“It’s juice, and it tastes a lot better than water. You can have that glass.”

“Okay.”

“Let’s drink as well, shall we?” Eckenhart suggested, raising his glass.

“Let’s,” Claire agreed.

“Ruff!”

We all took sips of our drinks. I noticed that Leo was drinking hers a lot more carefully than she normally did with her milk.

Should I chalk that up to her liking juice better, or her being thirsty from her run earlier?

Lieza took one mouthful and did a double take, staring around at us excitedly. She didn’t seem to want to swallow. Her tail was swishing frantically, and her ears were twitching like crazy. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gelda and Laila hide smiles.

It’s funny how similarly she acts to Leo sometimes. I wonder if Lieza would be okay with letting the maids groom her tail later?

I chuckled. “You okay?”

She nodded, finally gulping it down. “It’s so yummy!”

“Haha, I think so too!”

Her nose was already deep in her glass again. “I love this!”

“I’m glad. There’s plenty more, so help yourself.”

I couldn’t say no to her, not when she was being so cute. She’d gone ages without even having clean water, so I wanted her to enjoy the juice now to her heart’s content.

She beamed at me. “Thank you, Papa!”

“PAPA?!”

The reaction was immediate and intense as Claire, Sebastian, Laila, and Gelda all shouted at once. Eckenhart only shot me an envious smile.

Claire was the first to come to her senses, standing and slamming her hands on the table. “Takumi?! What did she mean by ‘Papa’? I-Is that girl really your—”

“No!” I shook my head violently. Something about her tone made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “Why would you think that? How would that even be possible?!”

“You’re certain she’s not? Absolutely positively?”

“I promise! Eckenhart was there the whole time, so he can vouch for me! I swear I’ve never seen her before running into her today!”

I had to be absolutely clear to quash all doubts. Claire was intimidating, of course, but more than that, I didn’t want any strange rumors about my nonexistent past in this world spreading.

Claire turned to Eckenhart. “Father? I don’t mean to imply I don’t trust Takumi, but can you confirm this girl is not his biological daughter?”

Though he was sweating under the pressure of her glare, Eckenhart nodded. “I’m sure of it. He’s telling the truth.”

I’ve never seen Claire this riled up before. Is this how Eckenhart always feels around her?

Her gaze shifted back to me. “Why ‘Papa’, then? I hope you didn’t ask her to call you that.”

I frantically shook my head. “O-Of course not! She just started calling me that on the trip back!” I turned to Lieza, trying hard to keep the panic out of my voice. “Are you sure you can’t call me something else? Anything else?”

“Why, Papa?” She gave me a wide smile, as though just saying the word brought her happiness.

“Lieza, I… I really appreciate the sentiment; that’s very sweet. It’s just not helping me out here.”

I don’t think anything I can do would make her stop calling me that.

I tried not to sweat too hard as Claire bored holes in my skull with her eyes. I scanned the room for help and came up empty. Eckenhart was staring fixedly at a wall and ignoring me completely. Laila and Gelda, while they had overcome their shock, did not seem keen to step between Claire and me. Sebastian was looking at me and smiling. At least he was enjoying this situation.

Words spilled aimlessly from my mouth as I explained everything that happened again and again, convincing her of every individual detail of my story. The cold sweat refused to stop the whole time. The only real difference was, this time I explained what had happened after our water break on the journey home.

🐺 🐺 🐺

IT had happened while we were riding Leo back from Ractos.

“Thank you for saving me, um… Papa!”

“You don’t need to thank me. Also, why are you calling me that?”

“Grampa was really nice, but he said papas and mamas are supposed to protect their kids. You protected me from the bad men, and you’re really nice, so you must be Papa!”

“Uh… Okay.”

She was right, in a sense, but I was way too young to be her father.

Especially since I look years younger with my baby face… Besides, I’m still a virgin!

While I tried to organize my thoughts properly, Eckenhart pulled alongside us, shouting over the rushing wind.

“Gahahahahaha! Congratulations on becoming a father!”

He was laughing so hard that I couldn’t believe he hadn’t fallen off his horse.

“This isn’t funny!” I called back. “I’ve never had a kid, and I definitely don’t know how to parent!”

I’d gotten used to interacting with kids, but that was a world of difference away from being a good parent. I didn’t even know how to respond to Lieza now.

Lieza worriedly looked up at me from her spot in front of me. “I can’t call you Papa? I’m…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry, you’ve done nothing wrong,” I assured her. “I just…how do I put this?”

There’s no way I can say no to that face, especially when she looks so sad.

“I dunno your name,” Lieza told me. “I know that other guy said it a lot, but it’s too hard to remember.”

“That’s fair enough. My name is Takumi, so you can call me that.”

She scrunched up her face. “Tah-koo-me? I like Papa better. I never had a Papa, but calling you that feels good.”

“I appreciate that, but I’m not your Papa.”

“But I like saying Papa.”

“Well then, how about…um…”

I didn’t have any major qualms with it, especially since I understood she was opening up to me. I’m not Papa material, though. It’s a little weird.

Eckenhart continued to guffaw beside us. “Gahahahaha! She’s got you there, Papa Takumi! Just accept it already!”

I sighed. “Thanks for the support, Eckenhart.”

Why can’t she treat him like her dad? Eckenhart’s a real father. Is it because she got attached to me first? Is she that scared of his beard? Not that it would be any better if it were him instead of me. He’s probably too old to even have more kids, and if the guards were to get the wrong idea and think he abducted her or something…yeah, that’d be bad. I could see it happening in Japan, at least. Maybe it’s for the best she calls me that? I’m not even married! It’s not like I’m unhappy she’s opening up to me like this, but I still can’t wrap my head around it properly. I entered full panicked thought mode.

Lieza’s ears drooped. “I-I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“Nnnghh!”

That was the last straw. I’d been wavering for a while, but she looked too sad and pitiful to deny.

No person alive could say no to her. That may be an exaggeration, but it’s impossible for me.

“Fine, fine… Lieza, you can call me Papa,” I conceded.

“Yay!” Her face burst into a grin once more, tail eagerly swishing. “Thank you, Papa!”

“GAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

I’m glad I agreed—and Eckenhart, maybe you deserve a chewing out.

I sighed. “I guess I’m a dad now…a single, unmarried dad.”

“Ruffa,” Leo remarked with a sigh.

With that, we set in for the rest of the trip home, laughter echoing through the hills around us.

🐺 🐺 🐺

“…S-SO you see, Lieza insisted. It wasn’t my ideal at all.”

I was still miffed at Eckenhart even now, but more importantly, that should make my role in the situation clear.

Claire nodded. “That makes sense. I believe you, Takumi. It wasn’t your idea.”

I released the breath I’d been holding. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

I don’t know why she thought it was my idea, though. I hope I don’t give off that impression to everyone. This is also a great lesson—I should never, ever make her angry.

Claire started muttering to herself. “Wait… if Takumi’s the dad, then maybe…”

Eckenhart arched a brow. “Now isn’t the time to fixate on that, Claire.”

She hurriedly corrected her posture. “Y-Yes, of course. My apologies.”

Where exactly was she going with that reasoning?

“As I said in the foyer,” Claire declared, “we are happy to do whatever Miss Leo wants, even if it means adopting a child. House Libert has no intention of shirking our debt to the silver fenrir. Besides,” she added more shyly, “I think of you both as family already.”

Eckenhart, Sebastian, and even the servants nodded in solemn recognition of her words.

“Bruff, wurf.” Leo dipped her head in gratitude.

Lieza watched the proceedings with confusion. I doubted she could follow what we were talking about, much less because she didn’t know about House Libert’s traditions. There’d be plenty of time to teach her everything later.

“Personally, I would adopt a child for Takumi’s sake alone, not just Miss Leo’s,” Eckenhart mumbled.

Claire gave him a stunned look. “Father?!”

He hurriedly cleared his throat. “Ahem! I said nothing, forget about it. More importantly, this means that Lieza will be treated as an honored guest.” The duke leaned down a little to address Lieza. “If you ever need anything, anything at all, let me know.”

I didn’t catch what Eckenhart had said exactly, but judging from Claire’s reaction, I could tell it was a misstep.

I wish he’d stop provoking her like that.

Lieza seemed confused, but she nodded.

“Um. O-Okay, sir.”

Her ears were swiveling this way and that, and her tail twitched cutely. I caught Claire and the maids all watching her. I could tell they wanted to touch her tail.

I hope this means everyone will spoil her. The only person who hasn’t accepted her yet is Tilura, who hasn’t met her yet.

“Can I ask you a question?” I looked up at Claire. “Sorry if I’m being rude, but why are you making that announcement? Eckenhart is the duke, right?”

“I like how blunt you are, Takumi. It’s refreshing.” The duke chuckled at me. “It’s simple enough: Claire has total control over the villa and what goes on inside it.”

“I take my responsibility as head of the villa seriously,” Claire added with pride. “Father being here changes nothing.”

Sebastian coughed lightly. “While the servants and staff are bound to this villa, we are also sworn to serve milady in particular. As it concerns the villa and its operations foremost, the decision is hers to make.”

“That makes sense,” I replied.

“Not that there would be anything wrong with me making a declaration like that.” The duke rolled his shoulders. “But if I were to make a request of the servants that defied Claire’s orders for them, they would respect her foremost.”

Wait, is that how it works?

I had always assumed that Eckenhart was in charge during his visits. That was still true in a sense, but I didn’t realize the power Claire had. I was half joking when I told Lieza that Claire was in charge here, but I guess that was the truth all along.

We drank our juice in relative peace for a while until I remembered that we were still missing a few people.

“By the way, what are Tilura and Anrinnelesse doing right now?”

Claire’s sister Tilura loved Leo, and I was surprised she hadn’t come barreling in yet to see her. Anrinnelesse was the daughter of the former Count Bastler from the neighboring demesne. She was living with us temporarily while her father answered for his crimes, though she hardly ever left her room. I almost missed the sight of her drill-like pigtails.

“Tilura and Cherie are in the back garden.” Claire took another sip of her juice. “I believe she’ll be practicing until dinner.”

I’m glad she’s working hard.

She hadn’t missed a day of her swordfighting practice, though that wasn’t surprising given how much she loved to exercise. My only worry was that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with her—it didn’t feel right to stagnate too much while she improved.

“On the other hand, Anrinn—er, Anze still hasn’t come back out of her room.” Claire sighed. “As soon as she found out you weren’t here, she shut herself in again.”

“Wow. Really?”

“Being around so many unfamiliar servants seems to bother her.” She shook her head in exasperation. “I’m right here, as is my darling Cherie, whom she adores. She must not want my help.”

The two heiresses had spent most of their time together an inch away from arguing at best. Maybe being so similar in age made them see each other as rivals. Both seemed determined to avoid “losing” rather than trying to win, but I still couldn’t think of a single thing they could be competing over. Between Anrinnelesse trying to marry me as soon as we met and Claire giving me a place to live, though, I was leaning toward Claire.

Eckenhart glanced at me with a ghost of a smile. “You’re very accommodating like that, though I’m sure Claire wishes you weren’t.”

“Accommodating?” I echoed blankly.

“Didn’t you hear her? Anrinnelesse left as soon as she realized you did. Now that you’re back, she’s bound to come out again.” He looked me in the eyes. “I’ll be blunt, they like you—Claire, Lieza, Anrinnelesse, all of them. You have something that pulls them toward you and makes them want to stay.”

I laughed hollowly. “Are you sure about that? I’m really nothing special.”

Granted, I did convince Anrinnelesse to come out before, but I was the one who made her retreat in the first place by refusing to marry her. I couldn’t imagine there being anything that drew her to me in particular.

“Generally speaking, Father is correct.” Claire turned her full attention to me, mulling over the words as they came to her. “I’m not quite sure how to put it, but it feels like the way she looks at you is different from how she looks at me and the others, although it feels different again from how I look at you.”

“She does? How is it different from how you look at me, Claire?”

She hurriedly looked away, her cheeks flushing pink. “D-Don’t worry about it.”

Claire looks at me exactly the same way Anrinnelesse does, though. I don’t see what she’s doing so differently.

Eckenhart picked up where Claire left off. “The important thing is, Anrinnelesse seems to listen to you better than anyone else. I’ve been keeping an eye on her, though, and I’ll admit her feelings feel a little like Tilura’s feelings toward you.”

That seems even less likely. I guess they’re both pretty naive, but that seems like the only similarity.

“I don’t get it,” I finally admitted. “They’re nothing alike.”

Eckenhart wagged a chiding finger at me. “They might not look or act alike, but the way they look at you is the same. You’re like a big brother to them, you could say, one they look up to and feel safe talking to. No wonder they’ve taken such a shine to you. That goes for Lieza too.”

“Exactly.” Claire seemed to have regained her composure. “You’re an excellent listener, and you never speak without thinking. It’s easy to talk to you, and easy to approach you with anything.” Her gaze wandered, and she shrank a little in her seat. “The way you listen is reassuring…comforting, even.”

O-Oh. I’m not sure how to reply… I hope I’m not blushing.

Tilura sometimes felt like a little sister to me, so that made sense. Anrinnelesse never had any siblings, I’d heard, but we were similar enough in age that I struggled to see her in that light even theoretically. Still, I could understand if she respected me on some level.

“Claire wouldn’t tell you, but Anrinnelesse’s feelings for you are different from Tilura’s,” Eckenhart told me in a measured whisper. “Hers aren’t as strong as Claire’s, granted, but I’m sure you’ve noticed a thing or two about her.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but was cut off by Leo’s gigantic snout getting stuck in my face. She had been lying on the ground, slowly wagging.

“Ruff, wuff!” She loudly agreed with the others.

Lieza nodded several times. “Papa always looks at me when he talks, and he makes me feel safe.”

“I never really thought of myself that way,” I thought aloud.

Lieza was scared of everything, even Leo, when we first met her, so I just did what I could to help her calm down.

I guess it says something that I succeeded, though. They always say you know yourself best, but it feels like I don’t know the first thing about myself. I’m just used to dealing with kids thanks to Leo.

“That’s just because I’m used to talking with Leo,” I finally said. “If you’re right, that is.”

Ever since I first adopted her, I’d been watching her actions and listening to her carefully, hoping to figure out what she was trying to tell me. I got used to reading her body language, and I started applying that same keen eye to people.

Really, I have Leo to thank.

“She’s the only reason I can read people at all,” I said with an appreciative scritch behind her ears. “At least, I like to think so. Thanks again for everything, Leo.”

She shot me a confused look. Lieza copied her. “Bwurruff?”

Claire giggled as I stroked Leo’s fur. “I’m glad to see Lieza fits right in with you and Miss Leo. Regardless, now that you’re back, Anze should be coming around soon. Just don’t be too surprised if she kicks up a fuss over Lieza.”

I chuckled. “She went crazy for Cherie when they first met. I bet she’ll do the same with cute little Lieza.”

When Anrinnelesse first came to the mansion, she took one look at Claire’s fenrir puppy and was obsessed. Cherie was definitely looking for that reaction, but I figured the result would be the same, given how emotive Lieza’s fox ears and tail were.

“I’m…cute?”

Lieza tipped her head to one side in confusion, ears twitching. Nobody who liked kids or cute things in general could possibly resist her. Out of the corners of my eyes, I could see Claire and the maids look away.

She doesn’t even realize it? I bet she’ll be the center of attention here in no time.

After a friendly pat on the head for Lieza, I turned back to Claire. “We’ll be introducing her to Anrinnelesse and Tilura at dinner, then?” I asked.

Claire nodded. “I’m sure Tilura will be thrilled to have a friend.”

“Yeah, I hope they get along well.”

Tilura was adventurous and outgoing, so there should be nothing to worry about. She’d had no problems getting along with the mayor of Lange’s granddaughter when we visited.

I hope they play together tons.

We made small talk after that, which was interrupted only occasionally by Lieza bashfully asking for more juice. Finally, the parlor doors opened and a butler stepped inside.

“Dinner has been prepared. Please follow me to the dining hall.”

Have we really been talking in here for that long?

“Thank you.” Claire nodded politely. “Is there enough to add another plate to the table?”

“Yes, milady. Helena was sure to prepare an additional portion.”

“Ah, of course. She must have noticed when she brought the juice.”

I dipped my head lightly to Claire. “Thank you.” I turned around to look at the butler. “Please pass my thanks on to Helena as well.”

He bowed. “As you will.”

“There’s no need to thank me,” Claire insisted. “Lieza is a guest. It’s only natural we treat her as such.”

I thanked her again before turning to Lieza and softly nudging her. “She asked them to make food for you. Do you want to thank her?”

Lieza took a few nervous steps toward Claire, then tried to copy my bow and nearly tumbled. Her tail swished uneasily to and fro the whole time, and she looked up with half gratitude and half confusion.

“U-Um… Thank you…miss?”

Claire blushed faintly. “N-No, it was nothing. I want you to enjoy living here.”

Lieza broke into a relieved smile.

Claire nodded, though I noticed she was holding her hands in her lap so tightly her knuckles were turning white. Laila and Gelda were trying hard not to look at the paragon of cuteness in front of them. I could tell they wanted to pet Lieza’s fur more than anything. Eckenhart seemed unimpressed by their reaction, but he and Sebastian looked on at them peaceably all the same.

I guess this means Lieza is officially part of the family.

🐺 🐺 🐺

AS we entered the dining hall, we saw Tilura coming in from outside with Cherie in her arms. She lit up when she spotted us and came running over full of excitement.

“Are you Lieza?!” she cried.

“Yes, she is,” Claire replied in the girl’s stead. “She’s a beastkin. Treat her as you would anyone else.”

“Okay!” Tilura turned back to Lieza excitedly. “Hi there! I’m Tilura!”

Lieza peered at her. “Big Sis…Tilura?”

She gasped. “I’ve never been a big sister before!”

No surprise there, she’s the youngest.

Claire smiled a little at the sight. “Play nicely, okay?”

“Okay! We’re gonna be the best friends ever, Lieza!”

“Mhm…n-nice to meet you, Big Sis Tilura.”

“Nice to meet you too!” Tilura broke into a gigantic smile.

I’m glad they’re getting along right off the bat.

“Arff!”

“Cherie?”

The little fenrir eagerly hopped out of Tilura’s hands, approaching Lieza with an excited wag. It seemed she wanted to introduce herself next.

“Lieza, this is Cherie,” I softly introduced her. “She’s a fenrir puppy, and Claire’s familiar. Do you know what a familiar is?”

“Nuh-uh.” She shook her head no. “She’s not scary. Wh-When you saved me, that was scary.”

Leo did a double take, seeming genuinely hurt. “Bwowuff?!”

I guess right after Leo saved her, she ended up looking Leo dead in the snout…no wonder she was scared.

“Don’t worry, big girl. She’s not afraid of you anymore.” I affectionately petted Leo and reassured her. Meanwhile, Lieza sat on the floor with Cherie to say hi to her.

She really isn’t scared of her… I’m glad.

“Arf, aaaruff!” Cherie wagged eagerly.

Lieza gave her a curious sniff. “Ehehe, nice to meet you too!”

Cherie excitedly sniffed her back. “Wuff, awf!”

They seemed to reach some sort of understanding with each other, and both of them nodded.

“I think this means they’ll get along,” I said with a smile.

“Seems to be so,” Sebastian agreed. “They must be communicating with each other somehow.”

I was told beastkin had a special relationship with beast-like monsters, and this seemed to be proof of that. I had no idea how sniffing each other conveyed anything, though.

Now she only has to meet Anrinnelesse.

Eckenhart and Sebastian had taken a slight detour, stopping to shave before coming to dinner. Lieza’s fear of his beard must still have been bothering him. Claire had initially panicked, convinced there was some great conspiracy afoot, which Eckenhart of course denied.

Wow… He literally never shaves unless he has to, does he? Not that I don’t like how he looks clean-shaven, what with that chiseled jawline. He’s a finely aged wine, as they say. I wish I could look more mature like him…I don’t even have the option of a beard, and I’ll never stop being jealous of him for that.

Lieza tugged on my sleeve. “Papa?”

“Hm? What’s up, Lieza?”

She pointed. “Who’s that?”

“Huh?”

“Hrm?”

She had of course pointed to Eckenhart.

Just when I thought the beard problem was solved, too. Does he really look that different to her? After all the time they’ve spent together?

“Uh, Lieza? He’s been here ever since he helped me save you in Ractos,” I pointed out.

She looked at him, then shook her head. “He doesn’t have that funny cloth on his face, and his scary beard is gone.” She sniffed the air and her brow furrowed. “Huh? Why do they smell the same?”

I guess that was all she recognized from him. His disguise was a little intense for her, in a bad way.

It was strange seeing her identify him by smell. Even though her nose looked like any human’s, it seemed to have a much stronger sense of smell.

Eckenhart frowned. “Hrm. I guess my beard was so horrifying that she never took a proper look at my face.”

Claire failed to hide a laugh. “Is that why you finally shaved? I thought you’d lost your mind.”

Tilura giggled. “I haven’t seen Father like this in forever!”

Everyone who wasn’t laughing at him outright was trying and failing to hide it.

The duke crouched beside Lieza. “I’ve always been by your side, Lieza. Always. Even when you didn’t know I was there.”

I gave him a stern look and shook my head. “Eckenhart. Phrasing.”

Does he have to say it like he’s some kind of creep?

“He’s the same man who was with us when we saved you,” I explained to her. “You remember how he came with us from town, right? He just looks like this now because he took off that cloth and shaved.”

“‘Like this’?” the duke huffed. “I’ll have you know that women still find me plenty attractive.”

Yeah, that was a stretch. He’s handsome from literally every angle. He doesn’t have any highwayman vibes without his beard, and that sharp look in his eyes makes him look a lot more noble and refined. That’s how I see him now, at least.

Claire narrowed her eyes at him. “You’d better not try to find a new Mother.”

He paled and nodded. “I-I wouldn’t dream of it.”

I was surprised at just how firm she was on the topic.

Did he do something like that in the past?

Lieza leaned over to take a closer look at Eckenhart. “I guess I recognize him?” She sniffed again. “Mmm, he smells the same. Okay.”

Eckenhart grinned with relief. “Exactly! And you’re not scared of me?”

“Yep!”

I’m a little concerned about her manners, though.

“You shouldn’t sniff people like that without asking first,” I softly chided her. “Some people might find it rude.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Sometimes people feel bad if they think they smell.”

Not that Eckenhart would mind.

“Okay! I’ll remember that.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Claire shift awkwardly in her seat.

Is she worried about how she smells now? Women will be women, I guess. I’d tell her I think she smells good, but that would probably be ruder than saying nothing at all.

“Ruff?”

“Arf?”

Leo and Cherie both looked at Claire curiously. They didn’t seem to understand what she was doing.

That’s the difference between female humans and female dogs…or rather, people and dogs in general. I wish Lieza would take after Claire more than Leo.

It was about then that the dining hall doors opened.

“Pardon the intrusion, but I heard Takumi has returned?”

It was Anrinnelesse, emerging from her room just as Claire had predicted.

Wait…if she came out just because I’m back, would she not have come for dinner? I wish there were some way to know without asking her directly.

She started walking towards me, but stopped and visibly tensed up as soon as she spotted Leo. Not wanting to overwhelm her, I gave her a small wave instead of calling out a greeting.

Anrinnelesse kept stopping whenever Leo would look at her, but she eventually arrived at her seat unscathed. Eckenhart took the seat at the head of the table, while I sat at his left hand, followed by Lieza and then Leo. Opposite me was Claire, and to her right were Tilura, Cherie, and Anrinnelesse respectively. This was how we normally sat for meals, except for of course Lieza.

It was only then that Anrinnelesse noticed Lieza for the first time—though I didn’t blame her for missing the girl before. Lieza was much shorter than the table, and was only more visible now that she was perched on a chair.

“My goodness, is that a child? Moreover…she’s a beastkin?” she remarked.

“She is,” Claire replied frankly. “Takumi and Miss Leo saved her from being abused, so she will be living with us.”

“I see.” Anrinnelesse sized up the girl carefully. I didn’t see her blink once. “A beastkin…”

Lieza shifted toward me awkwardly, clinging to my arm. “Papa?”

“What’s up?” I asked softly.

“That lady’s scary.” She pointed a finger at Anrinnelesse.

“I’m what?!” Anrinnelesse retorted in disbelief.

I tousled Lieza’s hair comfortingly. “Don’t worry, you’ll be okay. She’s not that scary.”

When I touched her head, I realized she was trembling. Why is she so scared? Anrinnelesse didn’t do anything to her.

Claire narrowed her eyes at the heiress. “Anze…you didn’t do anything to hurt the poor girl, did you?”

“How dare you even suggest such a horrible thing? Why must I be treated with such contempt when I’ve merely looked at the girl?!”

“It’s okay,” I told Lieza again. “Can you tell me why she’s so scary?”

Claire and Anrinnelesse’s ongoing feud aside, I wanted to get to the bottom of this as soon as I could. It would be wrong to scold her without knowing why she reacted that way, and I could tell Leo was also starting to get worried.

Lieza swallowed hard. “Th-That lady’s fur looks so swirly and pointy… Is she gonna stab me?”

“Fur? You mean her hair?” I guessed.

Anrinnelesse perked up and beamed at us, fingering one of her curled pigtails. “Admiring my curls, were you? Aren’t they magnificent?”

I’ll admit, those hair-drills are a little confusing sometimes. I keep worrying she’s going to impale someone on those things, even though I know they’re way too soft for that.

A momentary silence descended over the room.

“Gahahahahaha!” Eckenhart burst out laughing, slapping his knee vigorously. “Stabbed by hair?! You’re a riot, Lieza!”

Claire tried to cover her mouth. “Y-Yes, it is rather…ahahahahaha!”

Tilura’s eyes widened. “Anrinnelesse can stab people with her hair? That’s so cool!”

“Bwuff,” Leo snickered in agreement.

Even I had to stifle a laugh. None of the servants would even look at her; they were trying so hard not to laugh.

“Wh-What did you say?” Anrinnelesse was trembling with rage. “How dare you suggest I would use my locks for such brutal ends! Claire, Your Grace, how dare you entertain such ludicrous notions?!”

The duke chuckled. “Why not? Can’t take a joke?”

“Exactly, Anze.” Claire tried to keep a straight face. “It’s your own fault that your hair is so…conical.”

Anrinnelesse went bright red with anger, this time turning on Lieza. “You there, beastkin girl! How dare you make such an accusation?!”

Lieza froze, her ears and tail drooping sadly. “I-I’m…sorry?” she muttered confusedly.

Poor girl. I don’t think she even knows why Anrinnelesse is blowing up at her, especially since everyone else is laughing.

Anrinnelesse froze, eyes opening wide as though she’d been struck by lightning. It was the third time I’d seen that reaction today—the first two both being from Eckenhart, of course.

“What are you thinking, Anze, yelling at a child?” Claire glared at her, but quickly clocked that something was wrong. “Anze?”

She pointed frantically at Lieza. “Y-Y-Y-You!”

Lieza blinked. “Me?”

“Th-Those ears! That tail! What are they?”

“She’s a beastkin,” I repeated. “Don’t they all look like this?”

“Yes… Yes, I suppose so. A beastkin.”

Is she doing okay? I don’t think it’s that hard to grasp.

Anrinnelesse looked at me. “Do you mind if the beastkin—”

“Her name is Lieza,” I reminded her.

Anrinnelesse sheepishly looked down at her. “Lieza? May I touch your ears, or perhaps your tail?”

“Mmm…no!” With that, Lieza retreated behind my back to hide.

That seemed to shock Anrinnelesse even more than before—much like Eckenhart reacted back at the orphanage.

First Leo, then Eckenhart, now Anrinnelesse… I swear, Lieza’s shocking everyone.

Anrinnelesse stood up, looming over the table. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was practically foaming at the mouth. She seemed seconds away from leaping across the table at us.

I’m not surprised. Lieza has that effect on people when she’s scared of them.

“Calm down, Anze!” Claire scolded her. “She’s only a little girl. Of course she’s scared when you act like that.”

Tilura nodded vehemently, eyes wide. “You’re reeeeeeeally scary right now.”

Anrinnelesse finally took a deep breath. “Ahem. Of course you’re right. My deepest apologies for losing my temper.” Her gaze was still fixed on Lieza, and the corners of her mouth kept twitching. She was coiled to strike at a moment’s notice.

“It’s okay, Lieza,” I assured her. “I promise she won’t hurt her. Do you want to sit down again?”

“…Okay.”

“There’s a good girl. If anything happens, Leo will protect you.”

“Wruff!” Leo nodded seriously.

She nodded again as she sat back down. “Okay.”

Thank goodness Leo’s on my side. If Anrinnelesse does decide to jump her, I don’t think I could intervene in time. All the sword-training in the world couldn’t prepare me to stare down that charging bull. Are all nobles this menacing when they want to be?

The servants finished silently bringing out our food. I caught one of the maids smothering a laugh at Anrinnelesse while she served her, but I decided not to bring it up.

Eckenhart was still chuckling under his breath. “I haven’t laughed like that in ages!”

Claire rolled her eyes. “Please, Father.”

“Er. Ahem!” He cleared his throat to address the table. “Enough clamoring about, now. Let’s eat!”

I appreciatively put my hands together. “Thank you for the food.”

“Let’s eat.”

“I’m starving!”

“It does smell rather delicious.”

“Awf!”

“Wruff!”

Lieza shakily copied my motions. “Um. Thank you for the food?”

Over dinner, we told Anrinnelesse about the events that brought Lieza to the mansion. When we finished, she nodded sadly.

“I suppose that makes sense, in a way. I’ve heard much about the discrimination beastkin face. While the Bastler domain likewise saw no war itself, some commoners refuse to let go of such beliefs.”

“By ‘some’, you mean the few radicals who know about the war and the fools who’ve bought into the rumors,” Eckenhart scoffed. “Someone in the Ractos slums heard that slander, embellished it, and let it spread. If nobody knows the truth, that hateful lie will be all they know.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the rumors spread beyond the slums. Who knows how many other townsfolk believe it?” Claire pursed her lips. “Perhaps it’s time for an educational reform, Father.”

He grimaced. “That won’t solve everything. Not everyone will have the time or energy to educate themselves properly. I’m frankly not sure what we should do.”

The dining hall was beginning to feel like a conference room as the three nobles started discussing politics. I decided to focus on my food and listen to them talk. Eckenhart and Claire were both in active positions of power.

Even Anrinnelesse is keeping up, and this is a pretty heavy topic.

I knew she was smart—she had worked closely with Eckenhart to expose and unseat her father, after all—but she was on the receiving end of Claire’s criticisms so often I struggled to take her seriously at times. That was on me.

Beside me, Lieza carefully put a forkful of food in her mouth. Her eyes instantly lit up. “This tastes really yummy, Papa!”

“Doesn’t it?” I smiled warmly at her. “Remember Helena, the woman who brought you juice? She cooked that.”

“Bwu-ruff!” Leo echoed proudly.

Lieza dug into her food with gusto. Leo and I watched her enjoy herself, but I couldn’t help noticing something I wanted to point out. I didn’t blame her for developing bad habits in her environment, but I didn’t want her to embarrass herself later.

“Hey, Lieza? Try holding your fork like this instead.” I demonstrated how to hold one properly, and she clumsily tried to copy me.

“Mmm…this is hard.”

Lieza had been holding her utensils like she might a weapon. It didn’t look like she could finish her plate without a struggle that way.

I don’t know if it’s because she grew up in the slums or because beastkin don’t use utensils, but teaching this is going to be tough either way.

I cast a nervous look at the maid behind Lieza, who would be cleaning up her mess after we’d finished eating. My guilt vanished instantly when I saw that the maid was smiling warmly.

Does she love kids that much? No, wait, she’s watching Lieza wag her tail. I can’t blame her—just look at her ears swish and twitch along. That’s adorable.

Across the room, I could see Gelda narrow her eyes at Lieza’s maid. The envy in the air was palpable.

Lieza’s going to be spoiled rotten, I can tell.

Anrinnelesse raised an eyebrow at me. “Did she just call you ‘Papa’?”

“Hm? Is there anything wrong with that?”

The look in her eyes was the same as Claire’s had been.

She’s not going to accuse me of anything now, is she?

“I see how it is,” Anrinnelesse mused. “If Takumi is her Papa, then if I were to become her Mama…”

Claire jumped to her feet in horror. “Anze?!”

“Hrm.” Eckenhart wordlessly stroked his chin.

Lieza looked up at both women, oblivious to what had just been said.

“Yeah…maybe not.” I flashed an awkward smile. “Besides, Lieza is still scared of you.”

I don’t care how amusing her hair is, that’s a “no” from me.

“On the contrary!” She puffed out her chest imperiously. “You may have turned me down, but you’re still utterly single, aren’t you? I need only introduce myself to everyone as the girl’s mother, and surely one day it will become a reality.”

I nodded slowly. “Oh. You haven’t given up on me yet. That’s great.” The words rolled out dryly.

I told her flat-out that I wasn’t going to marry her… You’d think that would be enough. I don’t think her plan to subconsciously install herself as Lieza’s is going to work, either.

“Why would I give up? You are all I need, Takumi. A silver fenrir would restore House Bastler to its former glory overnight!”

“Bwuff?” Leo shot her a baffled look.

Anrinnelesse faltered, but stood her ground. “I-I refuse to surrender!”

Claire sighed. “Really, Anze, how have you not given up yet?”

“So, Lieza? What do you think?” Eckenhart asked her, shooting me a sly grin. He was in excellent spirits now that Lieza wasn’t afraid of him. I’d even seen her smile in his direction earlier.

Admittedly, I can understand a kid being afraid of a messy beard. Drill curl fear is still a mystery to me, though.

Eckenhart’s grin widened. “Do you want to call that lady mama? That’s what she wants.”

Lieza shook her head. “N-No. I have a Mama already.”

“Oh? Do you, now?”

I’ll admit, I’m curious. What kind of person would qualify in her eyes?

Anrinnelesse slumped her shoulders. “No! Not my plans…has this all been for naught?”

She must’ve had a lot of faith in that idea, if she got that attached to it in the minute she’s had it. I frankly don’t know how she expected it to work. It was way too full of holes.

“Your ‘plan’ never had any merit.” Claire cast her a cold look before turning to Lieza. She seemed nervous, somehow. “S-So? Who’s your mama? It isn’t me, is it?”

I didn’t know Claire cared so much about how Lieza sees her. Maybe she wants another little sister? Lieza and Tilura are similar ages and all.

Tilura frowned to herself. “You called me Big Sis, so probably not me.”

There’s also a bit of an age problem there.

“Don’t worry about any of them.” Eckenhart gave her a warm, encouraging smile. It was painfully obvious that he was having a blast. “Just be honest and say what you think.”

Instead of anyone berating the duke, we all sat and awaited Lieza’s answer with bated breaths.

Lieza took a long moment to think. Then, she hopped off her chair and ran to Leo, wrapping her little arms around the great furry giant.

“This is Mama!” she declared.

Leo did a huge double take. “Worf?!”

So Leo’s the mom… I knew they’d bonded a lot since Leo first scared Lieza, but I didn’t think it was this much.

“Ha! There’s your answer, ladies!” Eckenhart burst out guffawing.

“I can’t believe I was beaten out by Miss Leo,” Claire groaned. “I suppose I’m glad it was her, at least.”

Tilura nodded eagerly. “That makes sense. Miss Leo’s so nice!”

Lieza’s reasoning made sense—Leo was the right gender, and not only was she strong and reliable, she was incredibly kind. Possibly because of her own animal traits, Leo’s wolf-like appearance didn’t seem to bother her either. Leo had also proven herself nurturing and good with kids, especially since she treated Cherie like a sister.

Isn’t Leo technically younger than her, though?

I’d adopted Leo off the street when she was a young puppy, before her teeth had even grown in fully. That was five or six years ago now. Lieza had to be at least seven.

I guess she’s a lot older in dog years, but I don’t even know how old silver fenrir live to be. Leo’s an adult, though, so that means they hit adulthood in five years maximum.

“You really love Leo, huh?” I said to Lieza.

She nodded. “Yep! She’s so warm and nice to me!”

Lieza looked so small against Leo, and I knew firsthand how comfortable it was in her fluff.

“That decides it, then. Leo’s your mama,” I said.

“Ruff?” Leo arched a furry eyebrow. When she looked down at the foxtailed girl, however, the uncertainty in her eyes was replaced by something much softer. “Woo,” she finally told me.

Eckenhart grinned, stifling a giggle. “Takumi is the father, then, and Miss Leo the mother. A fine conclusion.”

Claire rolled her eyes at him. “Please, Father. Your composure.”

“Quite interesting indeed.” Anrinnelesse stroked her chin, deep in thought. “It seems I must find a different way into their relationship.”

Cherie, having finally finished her meal, hopped off her chair and scampered to Leo’s side.

“Arf?” The fenrir pup took a close look at Lieza before excitedly licking her cheek. “Awruff!”

Lieza jumped, but quickly burst out laughing. “Ahahahaha!”

Cherie and Lieza continued to play under the watchful gaze of the servants as we continued our meal.

🐺 🐺 🐺

“PARDON the intrusion. Mr. Hirooka, the medicinal wine is ready.”

As we finished our last few bites, Helena emerged from the kitchen.

Right… I had plans to taste-test that now, didn’t I?

Medicinal wine was just one of the many things made possible by my Gift, Herb Cultivation. With the help of my sort-of apprentice Milicia, we had prepared a bunch of the special nutritious herbs I made to season greital wine with. The result was our medicinal wine, Artemisia Rose. The duke had originally bought the disease-contaminated barrels of wine to limit the damage from Count Bastler’s scheme, and they were only drinkable at all now thanks to the capwort I added. I was shocked when they said I had to name the wine, so I’m glad they liked what I came up with. The only issue was that the herb-infused wine was too delicious. I shuddered at the thought of Claire drunk.

“Thank you for telling me.” I turned to the duke. “Shall we, Eckenhart?”

“I think we shall,” he replied with a nod. “We’ll all test it here and now—make sure you get a small glass for Claire.”

She frowned. “I know, Father. I promise you, I won’t get that drunk.”

Anrinnelesse glared across the table at Claire. “I never, ever wish to repeat that night.”

It’s strange, this is the only thing Anrinnelesse has the moral high ground on… Small wonder, though. I heard they kept drinking way after I escaped.

Helena bowed. “I shall prepare the glasses, then.”

Eckenhart nodded. “Excellent.”

With Laila and Sebastian’s help, Helena swiftly filled the glasses and distributed them to all the adults—the servants were each given a glass as well.

I studied the wine in my glass. It was much darker than I’d expected—Artemisia Rose was light pink and crystal clear, whereas this was a ruddy, murky red. Upon closer inspection, it seemed slightly more viscous as well.

I didn’t think adding a few herbs would make it look so different.

“There isn’t as much of it as there was with the last wine.” Eckenhart studied his glass. “The cloudiness is from the herbs, is it?”

Helena nodded. “Very astute, Your Grace. The wine clouded when we added Mr. Hirooka’s herbs. I would imagine the change in color is due to the same.”

“Hrm. How is it taste wise?”

“As Mr. Hirooka was out for most of the day, I tasted the wine with my staff in his stead. While it is certainly unusual, it goes down without issue.”

She had to test it without me? That was probably my job…I should apologize to her later. Then again, I guess she doesn’t need me since she already has Artemisia Rose as a point of reference. I wonder what she means by ‘unusual’? I hope it has the health effects I was aiming for…

Tilura, Lieza, Leo, and Cherie were already engrossed in their cups of greital juice, so they didn’t pay us much attention. Lieza’s eyes lit up as soon as she recognized the juice.

“Shall we try, then?” Eckenhart asked.

“I think so,” I replied.

Claire nodded. “Let’s.”

“Yes, let us,” Anrinnelesse echoed.

With that, each of us put our glasses to our lips. Before I drank any, however, I inhaled its aroma. It barely smelled of anything—even Artemisia Rose was more fragrant than this, somehow. The herbs must have undermined the sweet aroma of the greital fruits entirely. It didn’t smell bad, at least, so I readily downed my glass.

Eckenhart pursed his lips as he set down his cup. “Hrm. Interesting.”

“I see what Helena was referring to,” Claire mused. “It does have a somewhat unusual taste.”

Anrinnelesse’s face puckered. “I must admit, I’m not a fan. The other wine you made—Artemisia Rose, or whatever it was, tasted far better.”

“It’s fine at first,” I pointed out. “The issue is with the aftertaste.”

The slight bitterness of the Artemisia Rose was several times stronger with this glass, and the undissolved sweetener left the cloying taste of syrup in my mouth.

Did the herbs really add that much bitterness? This isn’t an acquired taste, it’s flat-out unpleasant.

Eckenhart nodded in agreement with my assessment. “I wouldn’t call it undrinkable, but it’s not half as good as the other wine. Your thoughts, Sebastian?”

The butler thought for a moment. “I do believe the bitterness will be an issue to some, yes. Artemisia Rose is undeniably the more pleasant drink.”

“Yes, but this is a medicinal wine. Does it do what it’s supposed to?”

Helena nodded. “I believe you will see for yourself in a moment.”

We waited quietly for nearly a minute. Eckenhart was the one to finally break the silence.

“Hrm?”

Claire looked at him. “Is everything all right?”

He shook his head. “I feel a little hotter than before. I’m sure I’m not drunk, though.”

“Now that you mention it, I may be feeling that as well.”

Anrinnelesse began to fan herself. “I’m not red in the face, am I?”

It was only a small change, to the point where I might not have noticed it myself if I wasn’t looking for it. Likewise, I doubted it was the alcohol; I had far more greital wine back in Lange and didn’t get the slightest bit drunk.

I guess it must be one of the herbs I put in.

“The medicine is doing this, then?” Eckenhart asked Helena.

“Precisely, Your Grace. The medicines added seem to invigorate one’s internal mana and elevate one’s general health.”

“Interesting,” Sebastian mused. “You felt the same thing when you tried it earlier?”

She nodded again. “Exactly.”

I remembered hearing that the best way to improve someone’s health quickly was to energize their internal mana and improve circulation, and I prepared herbs with those effects.

I guess this warm feeling is the medicine in action.

“The experiment was a success, then?” I asked Helena. “We’ve proved mixing herbs into wine doesn’t limit their effectiveness.”

“Yes. I would say the effect has only grown stronger in this form, though I don’t know if the wine itself or the processing of the herbs is the reason for this.”

The medicinal compounds in the plants might be taken in more easily this way.

Sebastian studied the remaining fluid in his glass carefully. “I’ve known few things to have such a direct influence on mana, and a wine is certainly a first. Perhaps we should examine this further to determine the extent of its effects.”

“I think we’d be able to tell by now if it was harmful,” Eckenhart remarked. “A little active mana never hurt anyone.”

“Perhaps, but too much active mana can be very harmful,” Sebastian retorted calmly. “We should proceed with caution.”

“Hrm. Maybe, maybe.” Eckenhart turned to me. “Your thoughts, Takumi?”

“Me?” I blinked. “I barely know the first thing about mana. They say you can have too much of a good thing, but I’m not sure if that would apply.”

The last drop makes the cup run over, they say. Not sure if “less is more” would apply here, though.

“Wise words if I’ve ever heard them.” Eckenhart nodded thoughtfully, mulling my words over carefully. “Should we put a warning on the label telling people not to drink too much?”

“An excellent idea,” Sebastian agreed. “I imagine one cup per day would be sufficient for most.”

I remember seeing that kind of label on health drinks in Japan, mostly because drinking too much could be actively harmful. Sebastian’s idea can’t hurt.

Eckenhart smirked. “We won’t have to worry about Claire’s drunken antics this way, either.”

“F-Father! I already swore I’d never repeat that mistake!” She huffed indignantly. “I’ll be careful.”

Limiting Claire’s alcohol intake is a good thing, honestly, no matter how it happens. It may sound mean, but it’s the truth.

“Haha, I was joking!” The duke cleared his throat. “Anyhow, I’d like to keep further trial batches of wine to this same ratio of ingredients. What do you think, Takumi?”

I nodded. “Milicia and I will keep making the capwort for Artemisia Rose, too.”

There would be a lot of work ahead of us, given the amount of herbs that were needed for all the wine we were making. It may take us a while, but I was sure I could convince Milicia to help.

With the wine tasting at its end, our glasses were replaced with teacups and we settled in for after-dinner tea.

“That was a productive meal,” Eckenhart remarked as he reclined in his chair.

Lieza, Tilura, and Cherie were all similarly relaxed in the rolling hills of Leo’s fur. I couldn’t imagine the girls being any more content than they were now, bellies full of dinner and juice. Claire and Anrinnelesse were chatting together, though their voices were too low for me to overhear. Something told me that it would be foolish to pry, so I tried to ignore them.

My gaze went to the window. “It looks like we’d better do our evening training now, before it gets too dark.”

“Excellent idea,” Eckenhart agreed as he stood. “We’d best get to—”

“Father.”

“Your Grace.”

Sebastian and Claire fixed him with frosty looks, and the duke froze. They were on either side of him before I realized what was happening, and each of them locked onto one arm.

“There’s one small thing left to attend to,” Claire intoned.

“Please do not struggle, Your Grace. I simply wish to ask what you were thinking when you embarked on your secret adventure.”

“W-Wait, no!” Eckenhart looked to me for help, his eyes filled with terror as he whimpered. “Takumiiiiiiiii…”

I shut my eyes respectfully. “Rest in peace, Eckenhart. You will be missed.”

I said a quick prayer for him as he was dragged away. Lieza and the fenrirs watched him depart, though it seemed like only Leo understood what had just transpired.

Man, Claire and Sebastian are terrifying when they work together.

Leo shook her head in disappointment. “Ruffa, ruff.”

“Wawf?” Cherie looked up at me and wagged.

It was then that I finally noticed Anrinnelesse was staring at the table in front of her and muttering to herself.

“Uh, Anrinnelesse? Are you okay?”

She refocused on me. “You’re headed to the back garden, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’ve still got to train with or without Eckenhart.”

“In that case, I shall retire to my room. I have much to think about.” She stood to leave, but stopped one last time to give me a pointed look. “To be clear, I have no intention whatsoever of leaving this mansion.”

“Uh…okay.”

You’d think she’d be willing to come out to the garden, at least… Does she really hate the outdoors that much? I never would’ve thought that when we first met in Ractos. I’m genuinely impressed Eckenhart got her here at all. I just hope that she’s done with her harebrained schemes to marry me.

I watched wordlessly as Anrinnelesse left the dining hall. Lieza refused to so much as look at her as she left. She seemed somewhat deflated by the time she reached the door.

“Okay, time to train.” I turned to Tilura. “You ready?”

“Yeah!”

Lieza looked up at me in confusion. “Where are you going, Papa?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to abandon you.” I smiled warmly at her. “Can you get her, Leo?”

“Woooo!”

“Mama— Wah!” Lieza was cut off as Leo grabbed and lifted her by the collar of her shirt.

“Arf!” Cherie eagerly barked as she scrambled up Leo’s flank and to her perch on Leo’s head.

Leo treated Cherie the same way when they first met…they’ve really warmed up to each other already.

With that, the five of us headed to the back garden together.

🐺 🐺 🐺

“DO you always do this, Papa?”

“Yep, that’s right. I don’t want to miss a single day of training.”

I got my sword ready for practice as Lieza watched from Leo’s back. I had to encourage Lieza to move there instead of just dangling from Leo’s mouth.

“You’re going to want to step back now,” I warned them. “Leo, make sure she stays back.”

Lieza nodded. “Okay.”

“Woof,” Leo assented.

I wasn’t too worried for Lieza’s safety, especially since I’d never come close to matching Leo’s speed before, but I didn’t want to risk it.

Tilura and I practiced our swinging form together, visualizing our strikes as though we were fighting invisible opponents. I focused on what I could remember of my fight with the orcs in Lange as we practiced. During a break, I happened to look up at Lieza and found her watching me with a mix of awe and admiration.

Gosh, how embarrassing…I’m not even good at it.

“Whew… I think that’s enough for today,” I said.

Tilura nodded breathlessly. “Hahh, hahh…yeah.”

As we sheathed our swords, Leo plodded over to us with Lieza still clinging to her back.

Didn’t she get bored watching us for so long?

“Papa, that was so cool!” she shouted. “You can go really fast!”

I chuckled. “Maybe…you know who’s even faster? Eckenhart, the older guy who was with us.”

I felt pride swell in my chest, but I quickly snapped out of it as I thought of the duke. His training had gotten me this far, and he would be upset if I got too carried away. I still had a long way to go before I was at his level.

Tilura frowned. “Am I ever gonna be as strong as Father?”

I gave her a sympathetic smile. “All we can do is keep training, I think.”

Tilura seemed eager to please Eckenhart, but I had a feeling she could catch up to him. She took to the lessons far better than I did, likely because she started so young.

Between Tilura’s strength and Claire’s intensity, I don’t think I stand a chance against those sisters.

“Mr. Hirooka, Lady Tilura, please take these.”

At some point Laila had approached us and was waiting patiently with a pair of towels.

“Oh, thank you, Laila.”

“Thank you very much, Laila!”

We accepted the towels, and I listened to Tilura chatter with Lieza as we headed back inside. From the sound of it, they had already planned a playdate together with Cherie.

Man, kids bond so fast. Maybe adults just overthink friendships too much.

Tilura soon found Cherie, and the two of them returned to Tilura’s room together to sleep. Lieza was giddy with excitement the whole time she followed me back, and it was only after Leo and I were in our room that I stopped to think.

“Wait… Lieza needs a room, doesn’t she?” I wondered aloud.

Lieza looked up at me. “A room?”

Leo furrowed her furry brow. “Wruff?”

Are they going to start preparing a room for her now? It’s already late, so she might have to stay with Leo and me.

Laila politely stepped forward and curtseyed. “Lady Lieza’s room is still being prepared for her.”

“Oh, okay. I guess you’ll be sleeping here for tonight, Lieza.”

“With you, Papa?” She beamed, tail wagging. “Okay!”

Laila giggled. “I wish you good night, then.”

“R-Right, same here. Thank you for helping us today.”

She turned and left down the corridor, back the way we came.

Come to think of it, I didn’t even notice Laila was with us until she spoke up. Are all maids this good at going unnoticed? Maybe I should take a page from her book and be more vigilant, too, especially since even Sebastian seemed furious at Eckenhart this time. No wonder everyone around me always called me oblivious.

It was then that I looked at Leo and remembered there was one last thing to do before bed.

“Oh, right, Leo needs a bath before bed… Laila’s gone, but I hope someone’s around to help me.”

The fur around Leo’s mouth was still discolored from the street food we’d had in Ractos. She was so large that I couldn’t reasonably handle her on my own, especially when it came to drying her off.

“B-Bwurff?” Leo, who had been lounging on the floor until now, leapt to her paws nervously, but she seemed more resigned than scared.

I guess I’ve gotten better at washing her…that, or she wants to set a good example for Lieza. She did the same thing for Cherie when she was new, after all.

“Where are we going?” Lieza asked when I stood up from the bed and headed for the door.

“I want to give Leo a bath,” I explained. “But I can’t do it alone, so I’m going to look for someone to help.”

Lieza wordlessly ran over to me and clutched the hem of my shirt. “I’m coming, too.”

Honestly, that’s fair. I can understand not wanting to be alone in a strange new place.

“In that case, we’ll go together.”

Her face lit up with relief, and she eagerly grabbed my hand. “Okay!”

She sure is an expressive kid. It’s better than not showing anything, so I’ll take it as a good sign.

With that, the three of us headed for the bath together.

🐺 🐺 🐺

“ALL right, Leo. You can rinse off from here.”

“Ruff!”

After scrubbing Leo down, I left her with a barrel of cool water to finish. It was apparently more palatable to her, but all I could think about was how cold it would be. She seemed to enjoy dipping her head inside the barrel, in fact. Since I’d already scrubbed all the more persistent dirt from her fur, that should be enough to wash away the rest.

I stepped away from Leo to focus on washing myself without being in her splash zone. After quickly washing with soap and hot water, I sank into the tub and felt my worries melt away.

“Ahh…”

I had bumped into Gelda on our way to the baths, and she agreed to dry and brush Leo. She was coming out of Anrinnelesse’s room at the time, and though I felt guilty for piling so much work on her, I asked her to watch Lieza while Leo and I were bathing. Gelda was eager to accept, though, and I noticed her eyeing Lieza’s fluffy ears and tail with interest.

I bet she’s combing out Lieza’s tail right now.

Just then, the door flung open, and a small shape came barreling into the room.

“I wanna take a bath too, Papa!”

“Barf?”

“Lieza?!”

Sure enough, she was now clinging to my leg.

Her beastkin fur really is soft…

“I-I’m so sorry, Mr. Hirooka!” Gelda shouted into the room. She was standing such that she wouldn’t be able to see into the bath. “Miss Lieza must have slipped past me somehow!”

I don’t think she needs to feel embarrassed about what a kid decides to do.

I scratched the back of my head idly. “Listen, Lieza… I’m a guy with no real experience caring for a kid’s hygiene, which means you can’t be in here when I’m here.”

She blinked up at me with innocent eyes. “I…can’t be here?”

“Oh, jeez…”

I was good at hanging out with kids, certainly, but I had no practice denying them things or handling their hygiene. Dogs yes! Kids no!

It wouldn’t be that bad if I washed an extra kid alongside Leo and she got her way, right?

I looked toward the door. “Gelda? It wouldn’t be that weird if Lieza bathed with Leo and me, would it?”

She jumped a little, eyes still fixed firmly away from me. “Um… I-I think that would be acceptable, Mr. Hirooka!” With that, she hurriedly shut the door and scampered away.

“…So it would be weird, then?” I muttered after her in confusion.

Lieza looked up at me with eyes full of unease. “P-Papa?”

In that moment, I realized that there was no decent excuse I could come up with now in my flustered state. I was hoping the maids would be able to bathe her and take some of the extra work off me, but my back was officially against the wall with the maids abandoning Lieza to me.

At Lieza’s insistence, I found myself softly scrubbing her back with soap.

“That is a lot of scars,” I muttered to myself as I worked.

Most of her injuries were scrapes and scratches, unlikely to leave a trace on their own, but the way they overlapped each other meant none of them were able to heal properly. Most of the scarring was on her torso, where it would be hidden by her clothes, but that wasn’t much comfort.

“Does anything hurt?” I asked her, wary of the soap over her raw skin. “No stinging or anything?”

She shook her head. “Nope, I’m okay!”

Leo let out a heavy sigh from where she was lying a short distance away. She was still sopping wet, to the point where she seemed a size or two smaller than normal. I could tell she would be staying here to watch us the whole time.

Isn’t she chilly sitting in the open air like that? Or can silver fenrir not catch colds?

After Lieza finished washing herself, we moved to the massive washtub.

“I’ve never felt water this hot before!” she giggled, scooping up some water in her hands and bringing it closer to her lips.

“It’s bathwater,” I hurriedly corrected her. “You shouldn’t drink it.”

I guess she’d be new to baths if she’s never even had clean water before.

I tried to relax against the tub’s size, but a loud sneeze from Leo made me jump.

“Honestly, Leo,” I sighed. “Of course you’re cold out there. Why don’t you get in the tub?”

“Bwuruff.” She recoiled in disgust.

She must really hate hot water. There’s plenty of space for her and everything, not to mention we’ve already been given permission to do whatever we want in here.

“Fine, you can go and ask Gelda to dry you off,” I relented. “Don’t get sick, okay?”

“Ruffa,” Leo finally conceded, slinking toward the door.

She should’ve gotten out sooner if she was that cold…she probably just wanted to keep an eye out for her kid.

Lieza let out a big sigh. “Papa, I’m too hot.”

Kids must not have a very high heat tolerance… The tub isn’t even that hot.

“All right, I guess we can…” I moved to get up but stopped and let myself sink back down. “Actually, give me just a little longer. We’ll get out on the count of fifty, okay?”

“Okay! One, two…”

It’s a shame to let this chance—and all this water—go to waste.

Lieza’s counting became significantly less confident after ten, but I helped her along and taught her what she needed to know. It took a little longer than the count of fifty with all the pausing we had to do, but when she finished, we left the bathwater together.

“Gelda?” I walked up to the bathroom door and called through it. “Can you take care of Lieza, please?”

Hopefully she’s done with Leo by now so she can take over.

“Gladly, Mr. Hirooka!” came Gelda’s voice through the wood.

“Wooooo!” Leo called after her.

I guess she’s not done with Leo yet.

“What now?” Lieza asked me curiously.

“I’m going to stay here for a while, but you should go out there and dry off. Leo will be right there if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay, I’ll go see Mama!”

As she stepped into the changing room, I crept back into the tub to enjoy the warmth and stave off the cold a little longer. By the time I was ready to leave, Lieza was fully dressed. She was wearing a pair of striped pajamas, which Gelda explained belonged to Tilura in the past. Her tail poked out between her top and bottoms—apparently, the nightgown the servants brought earlier had been problematic.

“Her tail kept pushing up the dress?” I guessed.

“Y-Yes, Mr. Hirooka. We thought something with a low waistband would be more appropriate.”

“Makes sense.”

Given where her tail is, I’m not surprised that would be a problem.

As I looked through all the clothes the servants had brought for her, I noticed a surprising trend. All the outfits were distinctly girly—a far cry from the athletic girl I knew.

Did her tastes change suddenly a few years ago? Either that, or whoever picked these outfits for Tilura let their own preferences take charge.

Nonetheless, I thanked Gelda and the other servants for their help before heading back to our room. Lieza herself seemed a little fidgety, or maybe embarrassed, but we had no issues on our way back.

“I feel so hot!” Lieza giggled as she barreled into the room.

I chuckled. “A bath will do that to you.”

“Bwuff,” Leo agreed with a shiver.

No wonder she’s cold. She waited ages to dry off…but if she’s happy and didn’t get sick, I won’t complain.

Before long, Lieza’s run slowed to a plod. I patted the bed beside me and she readily sat down, letting out a yawn as she did so.

“Looks like someone’s tired,” I remarked.

She’d had a busy day, from the slums all the way here, and new faces surrounded her the entire time. I wasn’t surprised that the exhaustion was hitting after her bath—kids tended to fall asleep quickly.

“I-I’m still awake,” she protested as she rubbed her eyes. “I-I can still play more…”

“You had a lot of fun today, huh?”

“Mmm…yeah…” Lieza shut her eyes, head bobbing as she tried to stay upright.

I’m glad that’s her takeaway from today, despite all the scariness and big changes.

“There’s fun enough for tomorrow, too,” I promised. “Why don’t you lie down now, before that warm bath feeling goes away?”

“Okay…”

“Ruff.”

I helped her into the bed, tucking the covers all the way up to her round face. Lieza had barely settled before she began to softly snore.

I chuckled. “Asleep already. She sure seems comfy.”

“Wurf,” Leo agreed, before curling up pressed against the side of the bed.

“Someone’s sleeping extra close to the bed tonight.”

Normally, she gave me enough space that I could stand up in the morning, but there was no way for me to escape the bed now. I was stuck between Lieza and the far wall from the bedroom door.

Leo opened a single eye and huffed. “Bwumpff.”

“Right… I guess it would be pretty bad if Lieza fell off the bed. Thanks, girl.”

Are you a dog or a giant pillow with legs?

“Wurf, bworuff,” she replied curtly before curling back into a ball.

“Goodnight, Leo,” I said. “Goodnight, Lieza.”

“Ruff.”

“Mnyah…zzzz…”

With that, I shut my eyes. I thought back on all that I’d done that day, and with Lieza’s soft snores in one ear, I drifted off to sleep.

🐺 🐺 🐺

“NNGH…”

I woke up to morning sunlight streaming through my bedroom window. I sat up, stretching my arms and back with a grunt.

“Man, I slept like a rock.”

Tilura will probably be here to say good morning to Leo soon. I didn’t realize something was wrong until I moved to leave my bed.

“Huh? Lieza?”

She was beside me when I went to sleep, but now Lieza was nowhere to be seen. Only the disturbed sheets told me that she was once there.

“Is she in the bathroom? No, she probably wouldn’t go out in the halls alone…”

I did show her the toilet before we went to bed, of course. She was old enough to handle that by herself.

Where did she go?

Lieza didn’t even want to be alone long enough for me to bathe Leo, so it was hard to imagine where she would want to go somewhere without us.

She’s probably safe at the villa, at least.

“Leo, wake up! I can’t find Li—” I peered over the edge of the bed at Leo and cut myself off at what I saw. Curled up in the furry sea of Leo’s flank was a bundle of brown fur. “Wait… I know that fur.”

“Bruff.”

“You’re awake, Leo?”

She had replied to me quietly, too, which confirmed my suspicions. I let out a sigh of relief.

“There she is! When did she get there?”

Lieza seemed far more comfortable on top of Leo than she had in my bed. She was smiling contentedly in her sleep. I didn’t know when she got up, but Leo had an eye on her the whole time.

“Mmm…” she mumbled in her sleep.

I smiled. “She sure seems comfy.”

Is this what it feels like to be a parent? Whoever Lieza’s ‘grampa’ was, he surely felt the same care when he looked after her.

A knock came at the bedroom door, and before I could answer, the doors swung open and Tilura skipped inside. She looked as upbeat as ever.

“Morning, Miss Leo and Takumi!”

“Shh! Not so loud, Tilura.” I pressed a finger to my lips and gestured for her to come closer.

Leo nodded huffily. “Bwu-ruff.”

Tilura slowed down, confused by our behavior, but her eyes lit up as soon as she caught sight of Lieza.

“She’s so cute when she’s sleeping!” Tilura whispered, giggling into her hands.

“Yeah, she is.”

Leo raised her snout proudly. “Wruff.”

“Mmmmgh…” Lieza stirred faintly, as if she could feel the eyes on her. Her eyelids began to flutter and her ears twitched.

“Oh, she woke up!” Tilura pointed enthusiastically.

“Looks like it… I hope we didn’t wake her.”

It was clear that we did, of course, but I couldn’t bring myself to let the cute moment pass.This is what any good parent would do…probably.

“Hm…?” Lieza rubbed her eyes and yawned. “Gram…huh?”

I smiled warmly at her. “’Morning, Lieza.”

“Good morning, Lieza!” Tilura repeated with twice the enthusiasm.

“Woo-wowff,” Leo replied.

Lieza sat blinking at me in confusion for a few seconds. I could practically see the gears in her sleep-addled head turn. When she recognized me, her face lit up.

“Oh! Papa!”

“Whoa!” She launched herself at me with all the speed and fury of a missile, but I caught her in my arms and lowered her to the ground. “Ahaha… Good morning, Lieza.”

“Morning! Wow, Tilura’s here too?”

“I sure am!” Tilura boasted. “Good morning!”

“Ruff, wrowff!”

“I didn’t dream yesterday up!” Lieza giggled. “I have a real Papa and Mama! Even Tilura and everyone else is real!”

I chuckled. “It’s as real as anything. You’re not alone anymore.”

Lieza’s smile widened. “Yeah!”

She almost called me Grampa at first… Does that mean she was dreaming about him? At least we can be her new family now.

I straightened my back. “Okay, then, time to freshen up. Um, Tilura?”

“Yes?”

“Can you take Lieza to the servants in the hall and ask if they can help her with her morning wash-up?”

Tilura’s eyes hardened with conviction. “Okay! I can do it! Let’s go, Lieza!”

She held out a hand for Lieza to take, but the fox-girl froze in place. Lieza’s eyes went from Tilura’s hand to Leo and me, then back.

“U-Um…”

“It’ll be okay,” I reassured her. “I’m not going anywhere. Just in case, Leo, can you go with them?”

Leo stood and stretched, massive tongue lolling out as she yawned. “Bruff, worf-bworf,” she finally replied with a nod.

Tilura gave me a bold smile. “Don’t worry, Takumi, we’ll be right back!”

“Thanks. I’m counting on you.”

“Leave it to me!”

“Woo, wowf,” Leo quipped before letting out another yawn.

Lieza waved to me. “I’ll see you later, Papa!”

I chuckled and waved back. “Have fun!”

Finally, Tilura left the room with Lieza’s tiny hand clasped in her own, and I found myself alone in the bedroom.

“Huh… Me, a papa,” I muttered to myself as I got dressed.

Nobody has ever called me Papa before—I’ve never had kids, period. It feels kind of nice to have a child take that much of a liking to me. Every time she calls me Papa, that feeling gets just a little stronger. Maybe she’s starting to make me happy, too?

Once I was fully clothed, I examined my face in the mirror and grimaced.

“Maybe I should get this in order first…”

It’d be a shame if Lieza got spooked off by my beard, I thought as I gave myself a proper shave.

With all my morning preparations complete, I waited for the girls to return before the four of us headed for the dining hall together. Claire and Anrinnelesse were already seated, and Sebastian stood at his post behind them.

“Good morning, Claire, Anrinnelesse, Sebastion,” I greeted.

“Good morning to you too,” Claire returned pleasantly.

“Good day to you, Takumi!” Anrinnelesse replied cordially.

“Good morning, Mr. Hirooka. I hope you slept well.”

Leo stepped forward. “Bow-worf-wurf!”

Claire giggled. “Good morning to you as well, Miss Leo.”

Anrinnelesse avoided looking at Leo. At first I assumed it was out of fear, but I caught her stealing several glances at Lieza.

“G-Good morning,” Lieza stammered from her hiding spot behind my legs.

Looks like I’m the only one she can relax around so far…except for Tilura, of course, but they’re a lot closer in age.

“She seems rather shy around us still,” Claire remarked. “I’m glad she at least trusts you and Miss Leo.”

I nodded. “Yeah, the only other one who’s close to her is Eckenhart.”

After he shaved, I mean.

We finished breakfast and began on our post-meal tea. Eckenhart still hadn’t shown up yet, having no doubt overslept again. Lieza seemed to enjoy her meal, though there was a small incident when Leo tried to feed her a sausage. I seemed to be the only one who found Leo’s behavior unusual.

I’m honestly surprised Leo would give up her favorite food so easily. She would’ve never done something like that before. Lieza’s pretty scrawny, so maybe Leo’s just trying to help her make up for it. They’re like a real mother and daughter—even if the ‘daughter’ here is probably the older one.

“Good morning!” The dining hall doors flung open and Eckenhart strode inside. “Beautiful morning, isn’t it?”

Someone’s sure energetic, despite out-sleeping everyone else here. Maybe Claire and Sebastian didn’t rip into him too hard last night.

“Breakfast is already over,” Claire told him with a frown. “Honestly, would it kill you to wake up at a decent time?”

“Er…sorry. I’m sorry about that.”

Never mind, the mood’s still awkward. She must not have punished him long enough or something.

As Eckenhart took his seat, Sebastian set a cup of tea on the table.

“Tea, Your Grace.”

“Very good.” He took one sip before turning to me. “Now, Takumi, I’ve already told Claire and Sebastian about the plan we discussed yesterday. When can you begin?”

“Plan? Oh, right, that. Since there’s a lot I need to try, I should get started as soon as possible.”

Eckenhart had to be referring to making a proper herb garden at the villa, one of the many things we’d discussed. Neither Lieza nor Anrinnelesse knew about my Herb Cultivation power, so we had to avoid being too direct about it.

I nearly forgot it was a secret… I’m glad Eckenhart remembered.

Eckenhart nodded. “From now should be fine. Right, Sebastian?”

“Indeed. All necessary preparations have already been made.”

Lieza looked at me, bewildered. “What’s happening, Papa?”

“It’s a plan to do something Eckenhart and I had discussed,” I told her. “I need to research it a little more first, though.”

“Ohh, okay.”

I’m glad she’s not pressing the matter. I can’t let Anrinnelesse find out too much.

Luckily, the former countess-to-be seemed just as confused as Lieza was. Claire seemed to follow the conversation.

The longer Anrinnelesse lives here, the more likely she is to find out. It’d probably be better to talk to her about it directly before that happens. I just know she’s going to try to marry me again when that happens, though. How many times do I have to turn her down before she’ll finally give up? She has to give up eventually…right?

🐺 🐺 🐺

“OH, hi, Milicia!”

After tea, I happened to spot Milicia in the hallway. Leo and Lieza were beside me, and Anrinnelesse was following us from a short distance—repulsed by Leo but attracted to Lieza, apparently. Tilura and Cherie were off studying, and Claire had other business she was seeing to.

Milicia was a little older than Tilura, making her legally an adult by this world’s customs. She was also a former resident of the orphanage, which I was hoping would help them bond.

Milicia smiled warmly at us. “Good morning, Master. Um, who is that girl with you? Is she the one Laila mentioned?”

“Yep, this is Lieza.” I nudged the beastkin girl forward. “Go on, Lieza, say hi.”

She curtseyed awkwardly. “Um… N-Nice to meet you. I’m Lieza.”

Good, she can introduce herself properly. I’m surprised I’m adapting to a parent’s mindset so quickly…

Milicia politely curtseyed back. “Hello, my name is Milicia. I am Master’s apprentice. It’s nice to meet you.”

I smiled awkwardly. “Um…Milicia? Maybe you could explain in more detail?”

She blinked at me. “More detail…?”

“Like what you’re apprenticed in, for instance?” I sighed. “Let me explain.”

I told Lieza about Milicia’s origins. When I mentioned the orphanage, she seemed to relax her guard.

“So, Master?” Lieza prompted me. “What do you need?”

Right, on to business…I need to ask her for that favor.

“You remember the herbs you helped me make the other day, right? There are more test batches coming, so it turns out we’ll need a lot more of it. Do you think you can do it?”

“I remember those. Of course I’ll help! Leave it all to me!”

“If you’re sure you can handle it, that is. I’m not planning on making you do it all alone.”

“It’s a simple process, so I should be fine,” she assured me. “I promise I won’t let the sore muscles or cramps get to me, either!”

“Uh…great. Please don’t hurt yourself.”

“I won’t!”

The compounding process was straightforward enough, but it was incredibly tedious, and physical exhaustion could creep up on you in any world. I made sure Milicia wouldn’t push herself too hard before continuing ahead.

I stopped at the door leading outside. Eckenhart and Sebastian should already be waiting for me there. If I could set up a more permanent herb garden, it would let us supply the wine-making tests and the Ractos store with a more consistent stream of medicine.

The issue is, Anrinnelesse is still following me. What can I say to get her to go away? Maybe I should just stick to the truth—that I’m setting up a garden and my growing methods are secret. She knows I’m an apothecary-in-training, so that should work.

My train of thought was interrupted as Anrinnelesse suddenly backed off from our group.

“Anrinnelesse?” I called. “Is everything okay?”

“You’re not headed out…there, are you?”

“Well, yeah. I’ve got some work to do outside.”

I needed access to soil in order to grow herbs. Isabel at the magic item shop had implied I could do it elsewhere, and I had managed it once before, but I wasn’t keen on experimenting now. Growing plants outside of the soil seemed unnatural, anyways.

“O-Oh, I see. Come to think of it, Claire asked me for a favor, so I had best hasten to her side.”

“Okay, if you say so.”

If she was going to leave immediately, why was she so insistent on following me out of the dining hall? She makes zero sense sometimes, but favors are favors. I won’t keep her here.

I waved goodbye as she disappeared back inside the villa.

Come to think of it, she retreated the same way last night when Tilura and I went outside to train. Does she hate the garden—or rather, going outdoors—that much? I’d be tired of pacing the halls already if I were her. Can she really be a hardcore shut-in if she rode here from a different territory with Eckenhart just fine? I get the feeling that if she can’t do it, nobody can.

As I turned to the back door for a second time, I was interrupted by Leo.

“Ruff?” She sniffed the air, then spun around.

“What’s up?”

I turned just in time to see something blonde, springy, and conical disappearing around a corner.

That was definitely Anrinnelesse. Was she just sitting there with one drill-curl sticking out?

“Um…okay…”

I turned back to the door, but sure enough, I could feel someone watching me from behind. This time, when I whipped around, I got a good enough look to confirm that Anrinnelesse was watching me.

One of her curls is sticking out again. I can still see it now. That’s…cute, but I’m not sure what she’s doing. Does she need help on that errand for Claire or something? Maybe I should ask her directly…or I could have a little more fun.

I pretended to focus on the door, this time waiting a few seconds so she would come closer. This time, when I turned around, Anrinnelesse was completely exposed.

“Hywah?!” She stumbled, but didn’t fall. “Wh-What are you doing?!”

That’s what I’d like to know. Seriously, what’s she thinking?

“Wruff?”

Leo looked at me in confusion, no doubt wondering why I was acting so strangely. Anrinnelesse sprang back, now growing pale with fear.

“W-Wah! E-E-Excuse me!”

Like a startled hare, she bolted down the hallway.

Wow, she can run that well in heels?

“Leo, don’t follow her.” I put a calming hand on her flank, just in case she was tempted to give chase. That would be a real mess. “What do you think Anrinnelesse was doing? Probably nothing, right?”

She still shouldn’t run in the halls, though.

“Ruffa,” Leo sighed disappointedly.

Lieza curiously looked down the hallway Anrinnelesse had disappeared down. “Huh.”

Whatever that was, at least she’s gone.

Finally, we stepped out into the courtyard. Eckenhart and Sebastian were waiting for me in the corner of the yard.

“Sorry for the wait.”

Eckenhart nodded. “Good to see you.”

“Thank you for joining us so promptly.” Sebastian bowed.

“Think you’ll be making your usual herbs first?” the duke guessed.

“Yeah. Garden or no, we need those herbs for the Ractos store and the wine testing.”

“Perhaps you could leave several of them unpicked?” Sebastian suggested. “That would allow us to observe the plants over a longer time span.”

Huh… I hadn’t even thought about what herbs I’d test yet, but that makes perfect sense.

“You’re thinking of raising the usual herbs normally?” I asked.

“Indeed. I believe that capwort and Artemisia Rose’s reagents will both be in high demand moving forward. If we can farm them sustainably, I imagine the load on you will lessen greatly.”

“That makes sense…okay, I’m in. I’ll make sure to leave a handful of each plant behind when I’m done.”

“Excellent. Do you suppose this soil here would be suitable?”

He gestured to a small, cordoned-off patch of earth in the corner of the courtyard. It was tucked enough to the side that it wouldn’t interfere with Leo’s playing—or my sword training, for that matter. Up until now I grew the herbs wherever there was space for them since I always picked everything right away.

“It looks like it gets plenty of sun, so it should work fine,” I told them. “I’d also like to try an area not in direct sunlight, though.”

“Interesting.” Sebastian’s brow furrowed in thought. “I believe this secondary spot would serve that purpose well.”

I didn’t know much about plants, but I knew that different species preferred different light levels, not to mention temperature and humidity. It would take some trial and error to find the perfect growing conditions.

I get why my suggestion might sound funny when you’d usually think sunny spots would be best for a plant. Oh, I should remember to vary watering levels, too.

“Papa, what are you doing?” Lieza asked me curiously.

Right, this probably makes no sense to her.

I looked at Eckenhart and Sebastian. “I’d like to tell Lieza everything…though I guess that’s obvious at this point.”

It would be hard to keep the secret for long, especially since she hated to be apart from Leo and me. We were only apart when Lieza and Leo played together.

Eckenhart nodded. “Whatever you think is right, Takumi.”

“I doubt she would spread the secret,” Sebastian added. “To be blunt, few would trust the word of a beastkin girl.”

I know Sebastian doesn’t mean that in a bad way, especially since he’s been nothing but kind to her. As a personal butler, he probably has to look at all sides of the issue and give his honest assessment. He would be an awful advisor if he didn’t.

“Okay, then. I’ll tell her about my Gift.”

“Wruff,” Leo agreed.

I crouched down to Lieza’s level. “Hey, uh…I can do something special that nobody else can.”

“Um…okay.”

“You see…”

After firmly telling her it was an important secret, I told her everything about my Gift, Herb Cultivation. The only thing I didn’t tell her about was that I was from another world—that was hardly relevant, anyways, and I was worried it would confuse her.

“Gift,” she repeated slowly. “Herb…culti-huh? I don’t get it.”

That’s not surprising. I’m probably the only one in the kingdom with a Gift. Also, if she struggles with the word cultivation, I’d love to hear her say Anrinnelesse’s name.

“How about I show you?” I suggested. “Watch carefully, okay?”

“Okay! I will!”

I led the way to the garden space Sebastian left for me.

“I’m so excited!” Lieza chuckled as I got myself comfortable on the grass. Behind us, Leo and the others gathered to watch.

“Don’t get your hopes too high, now. It’s nothing fancy.” I chuckled. “I’m going to start with capwort, which is what I’m the most familiar with.”

I was so used to making the herb by now that I barely had to concentrate on it. I pressed both hands to the ground and watched as a few sprigs of capwort curled up out of the dirt.

“Wow!” Lieza jumped to her feet, clapping. Her eyes were wide with wonder. “That was so cool! How did you do that?”

Is…is it really that interesting?

I laughed it off. “That’s Herb Cultivation, my Gift.”

“Wow… I still don’t get it, but yay Papa!”

“Remember, I don’t like talking about it. You can’t tell anyone, okay?”

“Okay! I can keep a secret!”

Leo nodded approvingly. “Bwurf.”

Hopefully, she’ll keep her word, but Leo and I will keep an eye on her just in case. As long as she doesn’t tell Anrinnelesse, though, we have nothing to worry about.

After that, Leo and Lieza watched me quietly while I grew a few more herbs than usual. I put a little more energy into it than usual so they would have a more interesting show, but I was careful to pace myself nonetheless. The last thing I wanted was to make Claire worry about me again.

When I had finished, the sunny plot had a sizeable patch of each type of herb. However, I noticed that Eckenhart and Sebastian were eyeing me with worry.

“That was a lot of plants,” Eckenhart remarked. “You’re not light-headed, are you?”

I shook my head. “I’m fine, I promise.”

“Everyone appreciates your hard work, but do remember to pace yourself.” Sebastian shot me a stern look. “Please do not overextend yourself again.”

“I won’t.”

Wow, even Leo looks concerned… I really don’t think I did that much, but I’ll be careful not to faint again. There’s picking and preparing to do, too, and that relies on my Gift too.

“I’ll just pick what we need,” I muttered aloud as I crouched again to begin.

“Your Grace?” Sebastian glanced at the duke.

He sighed. “Yes, I know.”

Eckenhart crouched down beside me. If he had the kind of sleeves he could roll up, his sleeves no doubt would’ve been rolled.

“You’re helping, too?” I asked Eckenhart in surprise.

“It’s my punishment,” the duke replied. “From now on, I’ll be helping you so as not to ‘waste’ any of the servants’ time.”

“Oh…okay.”

“Thankfully, it also means I got a full night’s sleep,” he added with a smirk.

That makes sense. It would also explain why Claire’s still acting a little prickly at him. She probably didn’t get all her frustration out.

“I’m gonna help!” Lieza chimed in excitedly. “Can I help, Papa?”

I chuckled. “You, too? I guess this is easy enough work, so sure.”

Frankly, the more hands we have on this, the better. There aren’t even any thorns or the like to worry about.

We split into pairs to work—I taught Lieza while Sebastian directed Eckenhart.

“Let me show you how to pick these,” I told Lieza. “For this one, you just grip this part here…”

She mimicked my actions perfectly. “Okay!”

Beside us, Sebastian sighed. “No, Your Grace, not there. You must grip further down.”

“This is too tricky!” Eckenhart complained. “Why don’t you do it, Sebastian, since you seem to know so much?”

“No, you must do this alone. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you don’t make so much as a single misstep. If you insist I help, I may have to call on milady for permission.”

Eckenhart went white as a sheet. “N-No need for Claire to get involved, now. I’ll figure it out somehow.”

Funny how much better Lieza is than Eckenhart at this. Is he naturally bad with plants, or is her youth giving her that much of an edge?

Once Lieza and I finished with a little help from Eckenhart, it was my time to shine once again.

“Okay, here goes.”

Eckenhart nodded.

“What’s happening now?” Lieza asked me, eyes wide with excitement.

Looks like somebody’s enjoying herself.

I brought the herbs to a table that had been prepared for us and sorted them into their different species. All that was left now was to transform the herbs with my Gift—something the others couldn’t help me with.

I wiped my brow as I finished the last of the capwort. It only took a touch to dry the plants and reduce them to a fine powder.

“That’s one pile done. Now for the next one.”

“That’s so cool, Papa! How did you do that?”

“It’s another use of Herb Cultivation, that’s all.”

“Wow!”

This is a lot for her to take in, but I’m glad she’s enjoying it. That alone makes this worth it.

I swiftly moved onto the other herbs, and Lieza watched in awe as I worked. Then, Eckenhart wrapped the finished medicines in cloth as per Sebastian’s directions.

I guess his help extends to this, too. People would probably pay extra for medicine hand-packaged by the duke himself…probably.

“That’s the last of it,” I announced as I finished the last herb.

“The last of it!” Lieza echoed excitedly, throwing her hands up in the air.

Sebastian nodded approvingly. “Well done indeed, Mr. Hirooka.”

Eckenhart let out a heavy sigh as he finished wrapping the last medicine. “This work is far too finicky for my liking.”

Come to think of it, those medicine bundles do look a little scuffed. It wasn’t even that hard—Milicia or Laila could’ve done it twice as well in half the time. Maybe he’s clumsier than he looks at this kind of thing? I guess this is one thing being a swordmaster can’t help him with. That, or he just doesn’t bother with the details.

I gathered up a couple of bundles of herbs, leaving only the ones for the Ractos store on the table.

“I’m going to go give these to Milicia. The rest are for Kales.”

Nick wasn’t slated to come for a while, since it seemed the store had amassed a stockpile, but I knew I could trust Sebastian to keep it safe until then.

“As you wish,” Sebastian replied with a bow. “I shall keep them secure.”

Eckenhart nodded proudly. “Excellent work, Takumi.”

“You, too.”

Lieza sprang to her feet. “I’m coming too!”

Leo stood and stretched. “Wruff.”

With one last wave, the three of us headed inside to find Milicia.

I can’t wait to see what happens to the herbs that are still growing out there.

We had barely taken a few steps inside when Anrinnelesse stepped out in front of us.

“Finally! You kept me waiting, Takumi.”

“Anrinnelesse? I…what?”

She wasn’t standing here waiting for us the whole time, was she?

“May I ask where you’re headed?” she asked. “Surely you’ve finished all your business outside now, yes?”

“I guess so. I’ve got a lot of fresh-picked herbs for compounding here,” I lied.

“Compounding, you say? You mean the business with the bowls and wind?”

“Yep. We need to make another batch, just like the last one.”

Anrinnelesse had been there to watch when Milicia and I prepared the medicine for the medicinal wine. It was our first compounding, so we had to stop regularly to double-check instructions and the like. Luckily, that also meant Anrinnelesse was convinced I was an ordinary apothecary-in-training.

“I will be accompanying you! You couldn’t possibly be opposed to that, could you?”

She’s like an anxious puppy… I can see her wagging her tail now. I guess Eckenhart was right. She does like me, for some reason.

“I guess that would be okay. Leo will be with us, though, so I hope you’re okay with that.”

We were only compounding, after all, and I doubted she would cause any trouble. My only concern was that she would get uncomfortable around Leo.

She swallowed hard. “I-I shall be fine.”

“Bruff?” Leo snorted in exasperation before leaning forward to sniff at her.

Anrinnelesse yelped, but she held her ground. “S-See? Nothing to worry about. I’m more used to her already.”

Really? She ran away from Leo just this morning…though that was right after I startled her. I can understand that.

“As long as you’re sure you’ll be comfortable,” I said.

“Of course! Wh-Why wouldn’t I be? Any issues I might have here are squarely on the shoulders of House Libert, after all.”

“I wouldn’t let Sebastian hear you say that, but…if you’re sure Leo won’t scare you off, you can come.”

She’s obviously putting on an act, but she can make her own decisions. She’ll awaken to how adorable Leo is sooner or later.

“Grr…”

I turned around to see Lieza growling from her spot on Leo’s back. Her eyes were fixated on Anrinnelesse’s drill-curls.

“Really, Lieza?” I sighed. “I promise you, she couldn’t stab you with her hair even if she wanted to. Even if she tried to skewer you, Leo would protect you.”

“Growff!” Leo agreed proudly.

Anrinnelesse’s face went red as a tomato. “Wh-What would make you think I would try to attack a child?!”

Man, I don’t get why they can’t just be friends.

While we looked for Milicia, I caught Anrinnelesse furtively reaching out towards Lieza several times, though she always played coy when Lieza noticed her.

Anrinnelesse might actually attack Lieza at this rate…though she probably just wants to pet her tail. She did the exact same thing with Cherie.

Nonetheless, I kept an eye on Anrinnelesse as we walked.

“Oh. Hi Milicia, Gelda.”

When we arrived at the parlor, the first place we’d thought to check, we ran into Milicia and Gelda carrying a set of mortars. The servants regularly tutored new staff members there when it wasn’t in use, and it was where I had found her the last time I was looking.

“I have the herbs we need,” I told them. “So you’ll be helping out today, Gelda?”

Milicia nodded. “It would take too much time to do it alone, so I asked her to help.”

“Thank you for preparing the herbs,” Gelda told me with a curtsy. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m helping this time.”

“It’s a pleasure to have you, I promise.”

The medicine had to be thoroughly mixed and dried via mortar and pestle, which was incredibly draining physically. It was most efficient with flowing air, but it took two hands just to mix it. Gelda was on fanning duty.

While I passed Milicia the herbs, Lieza inspected the mortar in Gelda’s hands.

“What does that do?” she asked me.

She’s probably never seen one before. Frankly, I’m glad she’s still curious and taking everything in stride. I brought her here to show her this stuff, even though I know she’s too young to do it herself.

“This is a tool for mixing and grinding things,” I explained. “We’re just about to use them, and you can watch.”

“Okay!”

Leo started slowly wagging in anticipation. “Bwuruff!”

Looks like she wants to show off, too. Her wind magic is frankly a godsend for this.

“I’m sorry for bringing along an audience, by the way. I hope you don’t mind.”

“That’s fine! I eventually want to get good enough to do this alone, though,” Milicia said.

“It’s a lot of work, so you shouldn’t feel so bad about getting help.” I smiled at her. “We’re all glad to do what we can.”

“Let me bring you a mortar and pestle for you to use,” Gelda suggested before turning to leave.

“Thank you, I appreciate it.”

I bet Milicia and Gelda were planning on doing this alone.

The rest of us headed to the parlor to set up, and Gelda met us there soon after with equipment for me. I sat on the right side of a square table, while Milicia sat on the left. My mortar and pestle were directly in front of me for easiest use, and my sorted herbs were laid out to one side. Leo sat perpendicular to us, positioned so that her wind magic could hit both of us evenly. Lieza sat right beside me so she could peer into my mortar, and Anrinnelesse watched—or rather, studied me from the far corner of the room. She barely even blinked, as though she were intent on capturing every minute move I made.

As long as she doesn’t interfere, this is fine…I think.

Milicia and I began by mashing the herbs together until they formed a single, gel-like mass.

“Okay, Leo. You can start the wind now.”

“Wuff! Grr…bawoof!”

Lieza narrowed her eyes blissfully. “Wow, Mama’s making such a nice breeze!”

“That’s right,” I told her. “Leo’s using magic so that we can dry out what we’re mixing.”

I wouldn’t be surprised if she napped here, especially considering we ate not long ago. I’d sure be tempted to nap if there wasn’t work to do.

“Mama can use magic? That’s so cool!”

“Woo, wooooo!” Leo raised her snout with pride.

I’m glad she’s getting plenty of time to show off.

As we compounded, I noticed that Milicia’s technique had changed a bit since we began.

“You’re way better than me now,” I remarked.

“I practiced a few times yesterday.”

That would explain it, yeah.

I noticed that she now leveraged the pestle better so that she wouldn’t have to use so much force. Is she leaving me behind already? I’d better double down and focus. I’m supposed to be her teacher, after all.

Finally, the mixture in my mortar was reduced to a fine powder.

“That’s the first round done,” I declared.

“Yes, but we have many more to go,” Milicia reminded me.

Nonetheless, we took a break while Gelda emptied our mortars. I was so eager to impress Lieza that I made far too many herbs, and it would take us a while to get through them at this rate. The mortars were too small to process them all at once, which the apothecary textbook specifically cautioned against. Apparently, it was so that any compounding mistakes made wouldn’t cost you too many reagents, not to mention that would make the drying process take far longer. I doubted it would save any time even if we tried.

“I wanna do it next!” Lieza tugged eagerly on my sleeve.

“Are you sure? This is pretty tiring work.”

“I still wanna try.”

“Well…I guess it’s easy enough. Let me know if you start getting tired, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay!”

It’d be a shame to shut her down outright, especially when she’s this curious. I don’t see the harm in letting her try things if there’s no risk of her getting hurt.

“Let me show you. You put the leaves in here, and then you mash them down with this.” I held the mortar so she could grip the pestle and mash with both hands.

“Mmm…like this?”

“That’s right, you got it!”

It took her a lot of effort, and she needed both hands, but I could tell she was exerting a decent amount of force on it. Across from us, Milicia continued to mix her herbs with trained speed.

“Guh…this is really hard,” Lieza remarked.

“Yeah, just one batch can take a lot out of you. If you’re tired, just let me…hm?” I trailed off as I glanced at Anrinnelesse. At some point, she had started staring at Lieza—or more specifically, her large, fluffy tail as it swished in time with her motions.

“Hwa?” Lieza looked up from the mortar, ears twitching as she became increasingly aware she was being watched.

“Don’t worry about it,” I reassured her. “Just keep mixing.”

I get that Anrinnelesse likes fluffy things, but this is a step too far.

I stood up and walked over to the heiress. “Anrinnelesse, I know you’re just curious, but do you need to stare holes in her like that?”

“O-Oh, my deepest apologies, Takumi. I knew better, and yet I couldn’t resist the sight of her precious little tail.”

I guess I can understand that. I was shocked to see Lieza’s ears when we first met, too.

“You know, Leo’s tail is just as fluffy as Lieza’s. Can’t you watch her for a bit?”

Anrinnelesse shot Leo a nervous glance. “N-No, I can’t. Anywhere but there.”

Is she really too scared of Leo to even look at her? And here I’d thought Anrinnelesse had gotten closer with her… I guess she’s still too scared.

“Think of it this way,” I told Anrinnelesse. “Would you like it if Leo sat and stared at you for a long time?”

“I-I’d know how her dinner feels?”

“Again, for the millionth time, Leo doesn’t eat people.”

Sure, Leo loves meat, but that doesn’t make her a man-eater any more than it makes me a cannibal. She’d only ever stare if she was looking for a playmate or watching Anrinnelesse’s curls bounce.

“No matter what you say, if I find Miss Leo staring at me, I will flee.”

“Still no need for that, but at least you understand why Lieza wouldn’t want you staring at her, right? Lieza doesn’t know it was you watching her earlier, but how do you think she’d respond if she did?”

“She would hate me even more,” Anrinnelesse replied.

I don’t think Lieza hates Anrinnelesse, but she definitely wouldn’t enjoy the attention. I bet she’d try to hide behind Leo or me.

“Fine. I will attempt not to stare so intently. I swear that I will never again…” She sighed and looked at me pleadingly. “Must I stop altogether? What if I looked at her only a little?”

“Uh…as long as you don’t bother her or overdo it, I guess.”

I knew she would have to see Lieza on occasion simply because they lived together. Besides, I wasn’t strong enough to withstand Anrinnelesse’s pleas altogether.

As long as she isn’t too weird about it…and Lieza herself doesn’t mind, of course.

Leo glanced at Anrinnelesse and me, but she clearly didn’t mind either since she was focusing on watching Lieza work.

Lieza stood for a full-body stretch, and I had to chuckle at the sight.

“Looks like it’s about time,” I commented. “Leo, could you restart the wind?”

It was time to check the compound, so after a quick glance to confirm Milicia’s progress, Leo began the wind magic once more.

“Wuff! Ga-wooooooooooooo~!”

She practically sang as she cast. There was no immediate change, of course, but she seemed extra motivated now that it was Lieza at the pestle.

“Are you getting tired?” I asked as she worked.

“Nuh-uh!” She shook her head. “I’m good!” Lieza was sweating, but she seemed to be enjoying herself.

Come to think of it, I heard that beastkin are typically stronger than regular humans… She’s probably a lot tougher than she looks. That would explain why she’s taking to it more easily than Milicia or me, but she’s got to be tired by now.

“Master?” Milicia’s voice snapped me back to my senses. “Could you check these, please?”

Sure enough, a glance in their mortars revealed a uniform powder in each.

Wow… Lieza really did all that on her own.

“Yep, that looks done. Thank you for helping, Lieza. You did great.”

Lieza sprang to her feet. “Yay! I did it!”

“You did a great job.” I chuckled as I tousled her hair.

“I did a great job!” She ran over to Leo and threw her tiny arms around her. “Mama, did you hear? Papa said I did great!”

“Wuff, bwow-wowff!” Leo affectionately nuzzled the top of her head and gave her a small lick on the cheek.

Where does Lieza get all that energy?

Milicia smiled a little sadly. “Master, I think I’ve lost some of my confidence, even though I know this was an easy process.”

“Yeah…same,” I admitted. “At least Lieza’s happy.”

I thought I’d acquired a decent level of stamina given all the working out I’d been doing, and beastkin or not, it was deflating to have Lieza outperform me.

Gelda didn’t say anything as she emptied the contents of the mortars, glancing occasionally at Lieza and Leo and smiling to herself. When it came time to do the next batch, Anrinnelesse volunteered to help, but she gave in long before the medicine was done. That wasn’t surprising, of course, given how much time she spent in her room. I’d never even seen her exercise.

Lieza took over Anrinnelesse’s mortar and pestle, but it wasn’t long before we had a visitor.

“Please pardon the intrusion.”

“Oh, Laila!”

“My apologies for interrupting you, Mr. Hirooka, but Lady Claire wishes to see you.”

“Claire?” I blinked in surprise. “Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

That’s weird. She always comes to find me if there’s something she wants to discuss.

Anrinnelesse, who until then had been resting, stood up. “I shall accompany you.”

“It’s okay, you’re tired. You should rest, but I guess…” I turned back to Laila. “Can Anrinnelesse come with me?”

“I received no instructions that you were to see her alone, so I believe it will be fine.”

Anrinnelesse is probably going to follow us either way, so it’s better to clear that up now. It’s probably nothing serious if she didn’t ask to talk to me alone.

As I walked towards the door, however, Lieza called out to me. “Papa? Where are you going?”

I turned back to see her brow knitted with unease.

“I’m just going to have a word with Claire,” I explained. “I’ll be back soon, and Leo’s with you. Do you think you’ll be able to finish that batch before I get back?” I smiled playfully at her.

It’ll be good for her to get some more exercise. Maybe she could use regular walks like Leo?

Lieza’s face relaxed back into a smile. “Okay! I’ll make tons and tons for you!”

“Stop if you get tired, okay?” I chuckled and gave her another headpat before turning to the others. “Please keep an eye on her for me.”

“Roooo!” Leo promised.

“I’ll watch her, Master!”

“As you wish.”

With that, I left the room, and Laila readily volunteered to hold the bowl for Lieza while I was gone.

No wonder she’s such a good maid. She has a real nurturing…no, wait, she’s staring at Lieza’s tail, too.

Content that Lieza had secured the hearts of everyone in the mansion, I left to see Claire.

🐺 🐺 🐺

AS Anrinnelesse and I walked down the villa’s halls, I found myself thinking about Lieza again.

“Lieza has a lot of stamina,” I muttered to myself. “I’m sure she has a limit, but I didn’t see her hit it.”

“I’ve heard a fair amount about beastkin,” Anrinnelesse told me. “Supposedly, a girl her age can outlast the average full-grown man.”

I didn’t mean for her to hear that, but I don’t really mind.

She was walking at my side now, probably because Leo wasn’t around to keep her back. At this range, I could see that her drill-curls were more like springs, and they bobbed and bounced as she walked. I tried not to stare too hard.

“Takumi? We’ve arrived.”

“O-Oh. Sorry.”

Sure enough, I looked up and realized there was a door in front of us. I’d been too absorbed in her hair physics to even notice. After another brief apology, I knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Claire said from within.

“You called?” I asked, opening the door.

Stepping inside, I recognized the walls of the butlers’ offices, though Claire was seated at the desk. Behind her, Sebastian stood at attention. We seemed to be the only ones there.

I guess she gets to sit at the desk because she’s his boss?

“My apologies for interrupting your work.” Claire glanced at my companion. “I didn’t call for you, Anrinnelesse, but I’m glad you’re here.”

“You weren’t interrupting much. I’m always glad to help.”

“I was simply curious as to what private business you could have with Takumi.”

I’m glad she’s okay with Anrinnelesse being here.

Sebastian gestured that we take a seat, and we took the chairs in front of the desk. As we did so, I thought I caught Claire flinch slightly, but it was so brief I likely imagined it.

“I don’t see anyone else here,” I remarked. “Is this a secret talk?”

“Not in particular,” Sebastian told me. “The other butlers happen to be out. As I am here now, one of them is surely watching His Grace.”

“Because he snuck out the other day?”

“Precisely. As we cannot allow that to happen again, he will now be accompanied by another butler or me at all times.”

I guess that’s another consequence of our adventure the other day. He’s definitely capable of breaking out again if he wanted to, and he plans ahead enough to coordinate with my trips and the like. It’d be great if he got to spread his wings a little more, but I can understand not wanting the most powerful man in the province to wander off. That sounds like a major headache for his people…

“This isn’t about my part in his escape, is it?” I asked.

It wasn’t a stretch to say I was his accomplice, especially since I knew about his plan beforehand—I had supported it knowingly, even. If Claire and Sebastian were going to lecture me, it would be now, like this.

I guess I was bound to be on the receiving end of her wrath eventually…but wait, why does Claire want Anrinnelesse here, then?

“No, nothing like that,” Claire assured me. “I believe it was Father’s idea, and that you were simply roped into his ploy.”

Sebastian nodded in agreement. “I doubt you would abscond with His Grace of your own volition.”

“Let me guess—Father thought it would be fun if he went into town with you, correct? With Miss Leo, his safety would be assured.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “Ahaha…yeah, that’s exactly what happened.”

They know his mind like the back of their hands…that, or Eckenhart is extremely easy to figure out. I’d guess both.

Anrinnelesse sighed beside me. “Knowing His Grace, he practically coerced you, did he not? He did the same to me when ‘asking’ me to come here.”

“He did? I haven’t heard about that.”

I was wondering what had resulted in Anrinnelesse coming to this villa.

She nodded, grimacing. “His Grace’s men helped me and several of my closest aides escape my father’s demesne and brought me to the Libert Mansion—the main house, as it were. The very next day, however, he put me on a horse and insisted I ride here, despite the fact that I was so very tired and wanted nothing more than to rest in peace.”

“Honestly, Father…”

“My apologies for His Grace’s disgraceful conduct.”

“Ahaha…” I laughed dryly.

Eckenhart, that’s kidnapping—or close to it, anyways. I guess it makes sense, though. He was put in charge of caring for Anrinnelesse, and he had to come here, so he had no other choice…right?

Not wanting the meeting to derail too badly, however, I decided to move on to the next topic. I had a feeling they would complain about the duke all day if they had the chance.

“A-Anyhow,” I cut in, “can I ask why you wanted to see me?”

“Oh, yes.” Claire cleared her throat softly. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious. Sebastian?”

“My apologies for my prior indiscretion. We have called you here, Mr. Hirooka, to discuss a request from several residents of this house.”

“A request? From who, exactly?”

“The servants, as well as a portion of the mansion guard.”

Weird…what would they want from me? I hope I haven’t been rude to them, or caused them too much trouble with my routine… What if Leo soiled a rug somewhere? Oh, god, no!

Claire nodded. “Admittedly, I must agree with them. It’s about Lieza.”

Given that I was already mid-spiral, it took a moment for her words to sink in.

Oh. It’s not about me.

“It’s about Lieza?” I parroted.

Is it because she’s a beastkin? Why would they have a problem with her now, when Claire herself gave the go-ahead for her to live here only yesterday? None of them seem racist…but then again, it hasn’t come up before now, either.

“I promise it’s nothing bad,” Claire assured me. “We’re all overjoyed to have her here.”

“Oh, good…that’s a relief.” I sighed, realizing for the first time I’d been grimacing.

I’m glad they’re good people after all.

“Likewise, I stand against all forms of discrimination poor, sweet Lieza may face!” Anrinnelesse asserted, a beat late to the party.

I could see in her eyes the same sense of justice that brought down her father for his crimes. Even though Lieza was too nervous to let her close, she determinedly watched and adored the girl, as did much of the staff.

Hold on a second…is that what this request is about?

Claire shot Anrinnelesse a dirty look. “Anze. Do you seriously think I would employ anyone who would hate an innocent child? No, this is about…well…” She glanced at me. “To put it bluntly, many of us would love the opportunity to touch her tail, o-or even just her ears.”

“They…what?”

Does literally everyone want to do that? Did I mishear or something? No, she had to have been serious; that’s the only thing that makes sense. Oh, why did I take this meeting seriously? There wasn’t any sign it would be a bad talk, but still.

“You know the way how Lieza—Miss Leo and Cherie, too, for that matter—move their tails and ears along with their thoughts and feelings? Many have seen her, and apparently, she looks so fluffy and cuddlable that some are struggling to contain themselves.”

“Oh…okay?”

Admittedly, I had picked up on that from a few people already. I’d caught Claire, Laila, and Gelda all staring at her tail and subconsciously reaching for it, along with a few others.

She’s getting more and more popular around here…and it’s fine if they like her for her fluff, as long as she’s loved.

Anrinnelesse turned to me fervently. “I was one of the requestees! I went to Claire directly, as no human being could look at that tail and those ears and resist the urge to pet her for long!”

That explains why Claire was fine with Anrinnelesse being here, too, even if she’s clearly overreacting. I’m sure somebody out there is allergic to her fur—no, I guess that’d be a case of being unable to pet her instead of not wanting to.

Claire narrowed her eyes at Anrinnelesse. “The only thing you should be worrying about right now is making her not afraid of you.”

“E-Er, of course it is. I knew that.”

“It’s a lot easier to pet Miss Leo and Cherie,” Claire continued. “But it’s especially important that we consider Lieza’s well-being first and foremost. We don’t know if she would be open to it, or how best to go about it without potentially overstepping.”

“Yeah, Leo and Cherie always like being pet, but the same isn’t necessarily true for Lieza. If you get the chance, by the way, her fur is completely different from Leo’s.”

It’s all fun and games when you’re petting the dogs, but I have no idea if it’s even socially acceptable to pet a beastkin. Petting fluffy animals may be one of the most basic instincts humans possess…I’d assume. I can’t speak for everyone.

Claire nodded in agreement. “Lieza’s ears and tail make her no less of a person than the rest of us. As such, nobody will lay a finger on her without her consent. There’s also the Beastkin Creed to worry about, however.”

“Beastkin Creed?” I repeated in confusion.

“What is that?” Anrinnelesse pressed.

That sounds like the kind of thing that could get you exiled if you were to break it… I can’t think of a single good creed.

Sebastian looked at Claire, a question on his lips. “He must learn it somewhere, milady.” A light came to his eyes, and he looked livelier than he had all day.

I want to take care of Lieza as best I can. If that means learning about this Beastkin Creed, I’m learning about it.

“I suppose so,” Claire finally said with a sigh. “You may explain it to him, Sebastian.”

“As you will.” His expression was grave, but I could tell from the mirth in his eyes and the way his lips trembled that he was thrilled to explain it to me. “The Beastkin Creed is widely taught throughout the country.”

“Taught to who?”

“Nobility and their aides, of course.”

I guess that would include Eckenhart, Claire, and everyone on their staff.

“It is by no means a secret,” he continued, “but I would imagine very few townsfolk know of it. The Creed is treated as the word of law in the beastkin homeland, and some have indeed been punished for breaking it.”

“Wow…sounds serious.”

“To be specific, the Creed is a guide to how one should and should not conduct oneself. An oft-quoted passage warns against following strangers that offer you food.”

…So, the Creed prevents beastkin from acting like newborn lambs? Does that mean that I’d get mobbed by people on the street if I shook a bag of treats? I’m sure it’s more nuanced than that, but what a way to start the list.

“There are not many passages in the Creed, but I will focus only on the one relevant to this discussion. The rest can wait for another day. Rest assured, I would never ask Lieza to break the Creed, with or without her knowledge.”

I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Okay…that’s a relief.”

It’ll be good to hear all of them, but I bet there’s one about her ears or tail in particular.

“Animal features hold great cultural significance among the beastkin,” Sebastian continued. “As such, casually touching their ears or tail can be a grave violation of the Creed. To wit, ‘thou shalt only lend thy ears and tail to those one holds dear.’”

“Oh, I get it…you’re not sure if the Creed applies here.”

“Precisely. The most intuitive interpretation would include only direct family and relatives, but she has grown close with several servants already. Would they be permitted to pet her by the Creed, or would they not?”

“Yeah…how do you define ‘dear’ here? Some people would definitely count friends.”

At least this means there’s a clear course of action if you hate someone related to you. The problem is every case that’s not one of those extremes, where you could make a case for or against. They should rewrite the Creed to be less ambiguous, or else there’s not much point. To think I was imagining it to be some kind of ironclad blood-pact…

“As such, Mr. Hirooka, we request that you talk with her and ask how young Lieza herself would like to define those boundaries. You are in a perfect position to consult her on the matter, after all.”

I grimaced slightly. “Yeah… I am her ‘Papa.’”

“Exactly. You’re the only human being who is undeniably dear to her.”

That’s fair. If some random servant asked her directly and she told them no, they’d be crushed.

I nodded. “That sounds like a plan. I’d definitely appreciate it if you don’t touch her without her consent, period. There’s one thing we need to know, though.”

“Please, ask away.”

“Lieza has lived in the slums for as long as she can remember, right? What if she doesn’t know about the Beastkin Creed at all?”

Claire paused to think. “That’s an excellent point.”

“Indeed,” Sebastian agreed. “I can hardly believe beastkin are born with the Creed in their heads. I very much doubt instinct has any role in the equation.”

I nodded. “That’s what I was thinking. The only thing we know for sure about the man who raised her is that he was human, and there’s no guarantee he would teach it to her—or that he’d know it himself.”

If her Grampa were a beastkin, he’d no doubt be on the receiving end of the other slum-dwellers’ torment as well. She claimed the abuse began only after he died, which was further proof he wasn’t a beastkin.

Man, I wish I’d gotten to talk to him.

“Are we decided, then?” Sebastian asked the room. “Mr. Hirooka will ask Lieza if she knows of the Creed and ascertain her boundaries?”

“I can’t promise she’ll have heard of it, but I’ll ask,” I promised.

“Please do,” Claire told me. “Be careful not to stir up any bad memories she may have in the process.”

“I’ll be as careful as I can.”

That being said, how? I can’t just ask her what life in the slum was like in general, that’s bound to be triggering. Maybe I’ll ask about her Grampa first? I’ll have to play it by ear. I’m glad she’s in a better place now, but maybe she was scared to see me leave because of an old trauma? Deaths can be hard for anyone, but especially for a kid her age.

“Now that we’ve finished on that topic, there’s one more thing…” Claire glanced at Anrinnelesse. “On second thought, let’s discuss more later. There’s no need to rush.”

Does it have something to do with Herb Cultivation? There’s clearly something she doesn’t want Anrinnelesse to know.

Speaking of Anrinnelesse, her eyes were fixed on her lap, and she didn’t seem to have heard Claire at all. I could hear her muttering—no doubt she was hatching a plan to win Lieza over.

“I would hate to hurt the poor dear,” she mumbled. “And the Creed…”

At least she’s being considerate… Maybe I can trust Anrinnelesse around Lieza just a little bit more.

“Anze?” Claire furrowed her brow. “Can you hear me?”

Anrinnelesse jolted upright in her seat. “N-Nothing! I’m definitely not thinking of how I could become friends with Lieza!”

Wow, she’s bad at lying. Why is it that all the noblemen’s daughters in this world are overly frank? I hope they never have to deal with serious espionage, for their own sakes… And I guess I can’t generalize that much from just two women, huh.

“I don’t think you need to think of a strategy right this moment,” Claire remarked.

“I suppose you’re right…th-though as I said, I was thinking of something totally unrelated.”

I don’t know who she thinks she’s fooling, honestly. Sebastian and Claire had to have heard her muttering too.

“For goodness’ sake,” Claire sighed. “I’m so sorry Anrinnelesse is pestering you today, Takumi.”

“I wouldn’t say pestered. There’s actually been a few hilar—er, heartwarming moments along the way. Besides, this might help her get used to Leo.”

“You really are kind,” Claire told me, trailing off sadly. “I wish it didn’t hurt so much to see it in action, though.”

“Hm? What was that, Claire?”

Sebastian cleared his throat. “Might I suggest you save such thoughts for a more private occasion, milady?”

“Y-Yes…yes, I know that!”

What does she mean by that? I almost want to ask her, but I can’t exactly ask her now, not with her eyes upturned at me like that.

“We will talk about this later,” Claire assured me. “I would very much rather Anze not be present for that discussion.”

“What talk? It’s not some secret you two share, is it?”

“It’s nothing worth mentioning,” Claire asserted. “It has to do with his apothecary work and his future in that field.”

So it is about Herb Cultivation. Maybe it has to do with the herb garden she suggested we build in Lange? Either way, no way Anrinnelesse can hear that discussion. That means talking to Lieza about that Creed thing comes first.

Just as I was about to stand and leave, there came a knock at the door and a maid came inside.

“My apologies for the interruption. Milady, Mr. Hirooka, your lunch awaits you.”

“Thank you.” Claire turned to me. “Shall we adjourn this meeting and eat?”

“Sounds good to me. Oh, but Lieza is still in the parlor, so I’ll have to stop by there first.”

I bet she and Milicia could use a break and a good meal.

Claire nodded. “All right.”

“Another servant has already informed those in the parlor,” the maid informed me. “Miss Lieza and Miss Leo are no doubt on their way.”

I should’ve expected as much from the people working here.

“Thank you for handling that for me.”

“My pleasure.”

Leo’s with her, so I’m not worried in the slightest. She’d insist they head to lunch at the first suggestion of food.

“Shall we walk together?” Claire asked me.

“Sure, I don’t see why not.”

The four of us arrived in the dining hall a short while later. Lieza ran to greet me as soon as I opened the door.

“Papa!”

“Whoa there!” I exclaimed as I caught her. She nearly knocked the wind out of my lungs in the process.

All that grinding still wasn’t enough to tire her, it seems. Is she even capable of running out of energy? She sure has the energy to hit hard… I hope it’s not too obvious that hit was tough to take.

“Did you behave while I was away, Lieza?” I asked her.

“Yep! Mama and I made tons and tons of medicine!”

“Sounds like you did a great job!” I looked at Laila and whispered to her, “How did they do?”

“Milicia and Miss Lieza finished all the herbs you prepared,” she whispered back. “The product has already been delivered to Helena.”

“Great, thank you.”

I’m impressed they got through it all…there was quite a bit to do.

Claire looked at Lieza squeezing me in a hug and giggled. “She’s so sweet!”

I smiled at her. “Yeah, and I couldn’t be happier.” I hugged Lieza back and scooped her up in my arms.

Lieza startled a little. “Wah?”

“Time to sit down now,” I told her. I put her in her chair—the one across from Claire. “Lunch is waiting for us.”

“Okay!”

Eckenhart, Tilura, and Anrinnelesse had already taken their seats, with even Leo sitting at her spot at the table as she waited to be fed. No sooner had the rest of us sat down than the servants brought our food out to us. Everyone had a Yorkshire pudding—the same meal I’d had my first day at the mansion—except for Leo, whose bowl was piled high with sausages. It wasn’t the most common dish that Helena made, and I could tell she was putting in the extra effort for Lieza’s sake. I guessed there would be a dessert course as well.

Once everyone was ready and waiting, Eckenhart nodded in satisfaction.

“Well, then, let’s begin.”

“Yes, let’s,” Claire echoed.

“By all means,” Anrinnelesse said.

“Yay food!” Tilura enthused.

“Wruff!”

“Awff!”

“Thank you for the food,” I said.

Lieza watched and copied me. “Th-Thank you for the food.”

I could tell Lieza was dying to eat, but I was glad she took the time to copy my manners. She continued to mimic me as she skewered her first bite of pastry and stuck it in her mouth. Her eyes flew open in shock.

Lieza bounced in her seat. “Papa! Papa, this is really good!”

“Yes, it is,” I agreed. “You should thank Helena later for cooking it for us.”

“I will!”

I noticed everyone else occasionally glanced at Lieza and smiled as they ate, the only exception being Leo, who only had eyes for lunch.

Is she extra hungry? No, wait, she’s always like this.

When we had all finished, the dessert course was quick to follow. I watched as she took her first bite, and her brow furrowed in confusion.

“Huh? I’ve never had this before.” Lieza smacked her lips. “It tastes…floaty, like happiness!”

“I think the word you’re looking for is ‘sweet,’” I told her.

I guess she’s never heard the word before. Does that mean she’s never had anything sweet? That really sucks.

Eckenhart grinned. “Your first dessert, eh? Not surprising. Sweetness is expensive—a luxury, even.”

“Unfortunately so,” Claire lamented. “Sugar is far more rare than most foodstuffs.”

Sebastian nodded. “That’s not to say the common folk never have it, though. I’ve heard talk of some different sweets sold on the streets—not the slums, of course.”

Eckenhart and Claire weren’t the only ones watching her. I could see Anrinnelesse’s eyes diligently follow every twitch of Lieza’s ears.

Is that really fun? I guess if she’s doing it, she must like it, and I’m not about to take that from her.

Leo and Cherie, having already finished their portions, curled up with Tilura for a nap. Leo was so big compared to them, though, that I could barely see the kids poking through her fur.

I thought Lieza was the happiest she’d ever been when she slept on Leo last night, but I take it back. The dessert easily beats that out.

Still, a world where sugar is rare… I guess that means no sugar for home baking. I think Japan had a period like that in its history, too. If only I could make sugar canes or beets, I could bring sugar into the marketplace proper here. Sadly, Herb Cultivation doesn’t work on anything grown agriculturally. Besides, I’ve already found an herb for sweetening.

My sole regret was that I couldn’t make rice, either, but I felt no need to address that problem yet. I was content enough with Helena’s cooking for the time being.

Once dessert was eaten and the tea had been finished off, Anrinnelesse retreated to her room. She was muttering something about plans, with her shoulders slumped and face downcast.

I almost feel bad for her, but I’m honestly more concerned about her next plot.

“Well, then. Tilura, Takumi, would you join me for training?”

Claire shook her head. “Please don’t leave yet, Father.”

“Hm? Why not?”

Instead of answering, Claire looked at me. “Would you like to study swordplay as always? Or would you perhaps prefer to learn some magic?”

“Magic, eh?” Eckenhart stroked his smooth chin. “Good thinking.”

“I’ll admit, I do want to learn it. I don’t want to fight or anything with it, though,” I hurriedly added.

I’m glad she remembers our last conversation about magic, too.

It was my first time seeing real magic, but I’d told her then I wanted to learn to cast it. Sebastian had taught me an extremely basic light spell, and now I was curious to expand my repertoire.

“In that case, I’ll teach you magic today,” Eckenhart decided. “It’s about time Tilura learn, anyway.”

Looks like he’s willing to let our sword training go for the day. I’ll still have my evening drills, anyway.

“About that…I was wondering if I could teach Takumi. You or Sebastian are welcome to tutor Tilura. After all,” Claire added, “Sebastian got to teach him the fundamentals.”

“Hmm. I suppose that’s fair,” Eckenhart replied. “Tilura has more to learn, anyway, so I can take her.”

Tilura looked up at her father curiously. “I’m learning magic now?”

He nodded. “Swordplay won’t do you wrong, but it pales in comparison to what magic can do. Few are skilled enough to use it in a fight, though, and much of that relies on natural aptitude. It’ll be good practice if nothing else.”

“Aww…I think swords are cooler, but okay…”

I bet that’s because she loves running around. Sounds just like her.

Claire spoke to address the room. “It’s decided, then. Father will teach Tilura and I will teach Takumi.”

Eckenhart nodded. “Good.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” I told her.

I guess she remembers that promise we made back in the forest—that one day she would teach me magic. I thought she’d forgotten when Sebastian taught me the fundamentals before the trip to Lange. Then again, I’m not surprised she remembers the trip we found Cherie on.

Even though it was a small, meaningless promise, I was glad that it meant so much to her.

Chapter 3: Learning Magic From Claire

Chapter 3: Learning Magic From Claire

“MAGIC…?”

Lieza looked up at me, perplexed. We were in the back courtyard, a fair distance away from where Tilura was learning. Claire was about to start the lesson when Lieza’s question came.

I guess she was too busy with dessert to follow our plans. At this rate, she would gladly walk off with a stranger at the first mention of candy. Maybe that passage is in the Beastkin Creed because it’s a common issue… Not that she’s going anywhere out of our sight anytime soon. I’ll save that conversation for after she’s feeling more independent.

Claire leaned down to her level. “I’m going to teach Takumi magic, Lieza. Have you ever seen magic before?”

Lieza nodded shyly. “Um…I think Grampa used it before, once or twice.”

She must not be comfortable around Claire yet.

“Oh, I see.” Claire paused awkwardly before continuing in a much softer voice. “On a different note, Lieza, you don’t need to be so stiff around me—or anyone else here, for that matter. You can relax.”

Talking and interacting with people seemed to come naturally to Tilura, but not as much for Lieza.

Come to think of it, I haven’t seen any of the kids here feel anxious around people… Probably because the adults aren’t the type to get mad, but still. Most kids I’ve seen have been happy so far.

Lieza shrank a little. “B-But Grampa said I should never be rude.” She looked up at me uneasily, begging permission with her eyes. Her ears flattened like a sad puppy’s. “Papa?”

It was mind-boggling how cute she could be. Behind me, Laila faltered and collapsed against the wall, hands desperately clamped over her mouth as she quivered from some repressed impulse.

It’s not as though I’ll be telling her no. Still, this makes me wonder even more now about what kind of person her Grampa was. The way I see it, there shouldn’t have been such a need to fixate on politeness in the slums.

“Claire is in charge here,” I told Lieza gently. “If she says you can relax, you can relax. Nobody will yell at you if you talk or act normally, I promise.”

Lieza thought for a long moment before nodding. “Okay. Um…Claire.”

“Yes, just like that,” Claire told her encouragingly. She crouched so she could look the girl in the eyes properly.

“Thank you very…” Lieza trailed off and shook her head. “Thank you, Claire!”

“Thank you, Lieza, for being such a sweet guest.” Claire extended a hand for her to shake.

Lieza readily shook her hand and grinned. “You’re welcome!”

“Ruff!” Leo plodded between them and put one of her forepaws on their overlapping hands.

Claire startled. “Oh? Do you want to shake too, Miss Leo?”

“Woof! Worf!”

Lieza giggled. “Yay! Mama’s joining us!”

She giddily tried to shake Leo’s paw properly, but her tiny hands could only grip a small handful of Leo’s fluff.

Regardless, the time had finally come for Claire’s lesson.

She cleared her throat softly. “Now, I believe I would like to start with a basic explanation of what magic is.”

“That’s a good place to start,” I agreed.

“Can I use magic too?” Lieza cut in.

“I’m afraid I can’t say for sure,” Claire admitted. “I don’t want to say you can when I’m not able to tell myself.”

During my earlier magic lesson with Sebastian, he explained that all humans are born with mana and the ability to use magic. That would logically mean Lieza could as well.

“I thought anyone could use magic?” I asked Claire.

“Humans, yes. I’ve heard that beastkin are less naturally endowed with mana, however, and that most struggle with magic as a result.”

“Huh…so beastkin aren’t good with magic,” I remarked.

“There are still beastkin mages, of course, but I can’t remark on how widespread the ability to cast is. All I know for sure is that she should have stores of mana inside her, too.”

I guess that’s another difference between them in this world. It’s probably an issue of not being able to cast, instead of something being wrong with their mana itself.

“Maybe we should ask Isabel. You know, the magic shopkeeper in town?” I suggested.

She lived in Ractos, where her store full of magic items had helped me in the past. She’d even helped me with my Gift in the past. I didn’t know anyone more knowledgeable about magic than her.

“Excellent idea,” Claire told me. “I’m sure she could tell us a lot about her magic aptitude. I’d like her to sit in for this part of the lesson, then.”

“Yeah, that sounds great.”

She nodded, then began. “You see, Lieza, magic is what happens when…”

I listened as Claire quickly went over the basics. Lieza seemed a little confused, but she stopped interrupting after Claire asked us to leave questions for the end.

Magic seems to be her latest big interest. Maybe she should join Tilura and Eckenhart’s training instead? No, wait, looks like they have their swords out again already.

Tilura far preferred running to studying, and Eckenhart was always looking for fun. They were probably planning on spicing up their lesson from the very beginning. Sebastian was watching them, though, and I knew he would step in if they strayed too far from the material.

I turned back to see that Claire and Lieza’s lesson was proceeding quickly—they were already doing exercises to contact their inner mana.

Lieza frowned, eyes screwed shut. “Hngh…this is hard…”

I think Sebastian explained to me that most people struggle to find their mana the first time, so this is probably normal. In fact, I remember he was surprised I could do it so quickly.

“I’ll leave you to practice,” Claire told Lieza. She gave me a knowing look. “Are you prepared for your lesson, Takumi?”

I nodded. “Whenever you’re ready.”

This is what we’re out here for, after all.

“In that case, why don’t you start by showing me the light spell Sebastian taught you?”

“Okay… Light Elemental Shine!”

I hadn’t used any magic since my trip to Lange, but I still knew how it felt. I funneled my mana into my palm, and as I said the invocation, a familiar mote of shining light floated up from my hand.

Lieza watched the orb with awe. “Wow, Papa! You did magic!”

I chuckled. “Only because this is one of the most basic spells.”

She was free to play with Leo now if she wanted to, but Lieza seemed more than content to hang with us. I even saw her attempt the drill to reach her own mana several times.

Leo herself, on that note, was watching Tilura with great interest while Cherie sat on her head. Tilura was standing stock still for some reason with her sword stuck straight up into the sky.

Wait, what is she doing over there?

Claire observed my spell a while longer before nodding. “You can cast just fine, it seems. Why don’t you try using a spell on this, then?” She handed me a small knife. I looked at it dubiously.

“On this?”

“You remember how Sebastian cast that spell on his sword in the woods, yes?”

“Yeah, I remember.”

It was so hard to see in that forest that he had to cast it on his weapon so we could search properly.

It can’t be that hard, right? Sebastian made it look effortless. I concentrated on the spell for a moment.

“Light Elemental Shine… Huh?”

I was sure I cast it the same as I had moments before, but there was no change in the little blade whatsoever. Even Lieza seemed baffled.

Claire chuckled. “It’s a little trickier than that.”

That’s so weird… I was sure I used it right. When I looked a little closer, I realized that there was light shining out from my hand. The hilt of the knife had covered it completely. So the spell worked? Why didn’t it work on the blade, though?

“Stuck, are you?” Claire smiled impishly. “Don’t worry, I made the exact same mistake when I was learning.”

“What did I do wrong?”

“You cast the spell exactly as you have up until now, correct?”

“Yeah, of course.”

It was a simple matter of focusing and saying the magic words, the absolute fundamentals of magic.

“If you do that,” she explained, “the magic will never reach the knife. Since you’re casting with your internal reserves of mana, you need to consciously transfer the mana into the knife itself.”

“Into the knife?”

“Exactly. Any time you want to cast a spell outside your body, you must have that outflow of mana. Because the knife isn’t designed to conduct mana, however, far more of it is needed. Try envisioning the mana flow from your body into the knife.”

“Okay…”

I guess that makes sense. Now to put it into practice.

I gathered a lot more mana than last time, funneling it through my fingers into the knife. Sure enough, I could feel something similar to a current pouring out of me.

It’s in the knife know, so that means…

“Light Elemental Shine.”

Lieza cheered. “Yay, it lit up!”

Claire blinked in shock. “Y-Yes, well done. I should’ve expected you to succeed on only your second try.”

Sure enough, the brilliant light was now coming from the metal blade, not my hand.

“I did it?” I asked, half in disbelief.

Claire nodded. “You did. As impossible as it seems, you seem to have mastered it on your second try.”

“Really? That’s good.”

I bet it’s because she explained it to me so well.

“I failed many times before I got it,” she admitted. “I didn’t even succeed on my first day.”

“Really? That’s surprising.”

“Yes. I have a hard time envisioning the flow of mana into other things. Personally, I found it far more difficult than finding my mana, as Lieza is doing. I…didn’t realize how little talent I have in magic until seeing you.”

I firmly shook my head. “That’s not true! I could only understand it so easily because of your great explanation. That sounds plenty talented to me.”

She chuckled, cheeks flushing slightly. “Thank you, Takumi. Sebastian was just telling me that you have a sharp sense for mana, and I see he was right.”

“N-No, I’m not very good at all yet.”

I think Sebastian mentioned the same thing to me before, though. He said that I had a knack for magic. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do like it when Claire compliments me like that.

The whole time Lieza watched me, she would occasionally stop to see if she could find her own mana, but every time she seemed to come up short.

“Hnnngh… How come you can do it, but I can’t?” she finally asked me, exasperated.

“There’s no need to rush,” Claire assured her. “It takes a long time to identify it, especially since you’ve never felt it before.”

“I guess…but still!”

Even though she begrudgingly accepted Claire’s words, she kept trying and sighing to herself in frustration. She pouted her lips cutely, but I was glad to see her disappointment hadn’t turned into full-blown sulking.

“You can’t rush this sort of thing,” Claire continued. “Just take it one step at a time. It took me ages to grasp it myself, so I know exactly how you feel, but I promise it will come with time.”

Lieza looked up at Claire, a flicker of hope in her eyes. “Really?”

Claire nodded firmly. “I’m living proof. I tried to rush the process myself when I was young, but nothing worked. I had to chip away at it, bit by bit.”

“Okay…okay!” As Lieza’s confidence returned, her tail stopped drooping, and her ears stood cheerfully upright once more. Her tail began to swish with anticipation once more. “I’m going to be like you, Claire! I’ll do it little by little!”

“Good girl.” Claire smiled and nodded in approval before turning to me once more. She was once again composed and serious. “Well then, Takumi, let me teach you some new magic.”

“Yes, please do.”

I noticed that Lieza was also looking up at Claire attentively, despite the fact that she couldn’t cast anything yet. Frankly, I couldn’t blame her.

Sebastian’s light spell came in handy in all sorts of ways, from illuminating dark forests to blinding opponents. I hope this new spell is just as versatile.

“I will be teaching you entry-level spells of four different types of magic—earth, water, air, and fire. Admittedly, that’s because I can’t use any more advanced magic myself.”

“Really? Just those?” I asked.

“Just those. I don’t protect, I am protected. That enables me to focus time and energy that would be wasted on flashier or offensive spells on studying statecraft instead.”

“Huh…fair enough.”

She does have a lot of guards, like Phillip and Johanna. I think that’s a good decision on her part—for her lands, I mean, and not because of any misogynistic nonsense about women not fighting and protecting themselves. I’ll admit, though, I’m a little surprised she’s not curious or defiant enough to learn some more magic anyways. Even Tilura seems more interested in swordplay than magecraft. Personally, I wouldn’t be able to resist—I don’t think anyone in my shoes could.

“Let’s begin with the fire spell,” Claire suggested. “I believe you’ve already seen it in use… Fire Elemental Candle.”

She stuck out her index finger, and as she finished the incantation, a small flame lit on her fingertip. It was roughly the same output as a lighter and would be ideal for starting fires.

I’ll admit that an actual lighter would be more useful, but this is magic. I can’t wait to use it!

Lieza’s eyes flew open. “I’ve seen that one!”

“Really? Where?” I asked her.

“Grampa used it before! It’s for lighting fires, right?”

“Yes, that’s exactly right.” Claire snuffed the flame before continuing. “Next up, Water Elemental Little Washer.”

Water began to well up in the cup of her hand.

I recognize that one. Sebastian used it to clean small objects when we were in the woods.

“Water!” Lieza sprung eagerly to her feet. “Mama can do that, too!”

Claire startled. “Miss Leo can do what?”

Come to think of it, I glossed over that part of our trip home when I was telling Claire about it…

“Er, Leo made her some drinking water on our way home,” I explained.

According to Eckenhart, Leo had literally created new water instead of gathering it from the atmosphere. I made sure to tell Claire about that, too.

“Ah, I see.” She crouched to address Lieza. “My magic is like Miss Leo’s, but it’s not the same. The water I make isn’t safe to drink, but hers is. That’s what makes Miss Leo so special.”

“Mama’s special?”

“She is. You see, it’s very hard to make drinking water with magic.” Claire explained the nuances to her.

According to Sebastian, the normal version of the spell draws water out of the atmosphere, but it can’t separate any impurities. That means you’d end up drinking floating dirt and who-knows-what-else…eugh. You can only really use the water if you have soap, too.

Lieza didn’t seem to fully understand Claire’s lecture, but she did accept that the water wasn’t potable, and that was enough for now. With that tangent out of the way, Claire continued my lesson.

“For our last spell, Wind Elemental Small Gust.”

She extended her hand, and a soft breeze began to blow out of her palm. It seemed like it would be useful for compounding, even though it was noticeably weaker than what Leo cast.

Is it a different spell, or just a difference in the amount of mana put into it?

“With that, I’ve taught you the most basic spells of the fundamental elements.” Claire ended the breeze and recomposed herself. “Like the light spell you already know, all the magic I’ve taught you is simple and uses very little mana. I’m sure you will put them to good use, especially now that you’ve mastered channeling into weapons as well.”

A tiny spark, a bit of water… Yep, feels like standard beginner magic.

“What are the fundamental elements?” I asked.

“They are the five elements from which all magic is derived—earth, fire, air, water, and light.”

“Okay, I think I get it.”

I’m no gamer, but even I can make sense of that.

“Wait…you mentioned earth, right? I didn’t see you cast any of that magic.”

“You’ve noticed that the start of the invocation marks its element, yes? By changing up that first word, you can align your spell to any of the five elements.” She paused and blushed a little. “Unfortunately, I’m particularly bad at earth magic.”

Interesting…does that mean different people take to different elements more easily? I’d guess that the earth versions of those spells move around dirt or mud.

“The next part of the invocation, which is referred to as the element marker, follows it to denote where in the phrase the element is.”

So it’s just the word ‘elemental’ that comes second? Fair enough.

“Finally,” Claire continued, “the remainder of the invocation describes what the spell does and how strong it is. The mana consumed by a spell depends on it, too, so I recommend sticking to weaker, simpler invocations until you’re more experienced. They’re easier to cast, too. The stronger the spell, the longer and more complicated the invocation.”

Fair enough. Water words for water magic, fire words for fire magic. It seems simple enough.

“I think Sebastian mentioned that before,” I remarked.

Claire nodded. “Sometimes, advanced spells require words to be repeated, too. There are a fair number of spells whose invocations are well-known and widely used, but experienced mages can craft their own spells as the situation calls for.”

Sounds like you can use magic for just about anything, as long as you keep the different elements in mind. Managing mana would also get pretty complex, especially for the improvised spells she mentioned… It’s also fascinating how some invocations seem to have spread across the world.

Isabel told me I had a decent supply of internal mana, but nothing to write home about. That meant that I would have to pace myself, no matter how badly I wanted to dive into fancier spells. I’d heard using too much mana could have lethal consequences.

By that point, Lieza was hardly looking at Claire at all now that the demonstrations were over. I didn’t expect her to follow our discussion.

She’s still young. She has all the time in the world to learn—and we don’t even know yet if she can cast complex spells.

“I think I understand how invocations work,” I told Claire. “Do you have any other casting advice for me?”

“Let me think… This isn’t as important for basic spells, but visualizing the intended effect of your spell is important. I’ve heard that the more clearly you envision it, the more quickly and efficiently the mana takes shape. You can only cast consistently if your mind is clear…though again, I’m not much of a mage.”

“So I need to imagine it? I can’t say I’m great at that, but I’ve had plenty of practice.” Herb Cultivation relied on the same trigger, and while Gifts and magic were nothing alike in their effects, I felt confident I could do it. “I’ll give it a try, then,” I said.

“Please do, Takumi. I’m certain you’ll succeed.”

“You can do it, Papa!”

“Haha… I sure hope so. Thanks, Lieza.” I smiled at her before focusing on the spell.

I can do this. First I channel mana, then I say the magic words. I think I’ll start with fire. I focused on the tip of my finger, envisioning a small flame on the very tip. Then, as I copied Claire’s motions, I said the invocation.

“Fire Elemental Candle.”

A fire sparked to life on my fingertip with an audible bopff.

“Yay, Papa’s finger’s on fire!”

It was a touch bigger than Claire’s, but I had the advantage of being from a world with lighters. I snuffed the flame effortlessly by cutting off the mana flow to it.

“Let me think…what next?”

Water seemed as decent an option as any, so I decided on that.

If I’m envisioning making water, then maybe I could think of my hand as a faucet or shower head?

“Um…Water Elemental Little Washer.”

That spell also went off better than Claire’s had. I achieved about the same output as a garden faucet, probably because I could imagine it so easily. Despite appearing that it was coming from my hand, I could tell that there was some kind of vortex the mana made to draw water from the air.

Maybe there are other factors at play, too? There’s no way that everybody envisions the flow of their mana the same way, for instance, and the water feels like it’s shooting out the same way the mana is flowing through me. On that note, though, I shouldn’t keep this up too long… I bet it uses tons of mana.

Lieza pointed eagerly. “Look, water! Can I drink it?”

“You really shouldn’t,” I told her with a soft smile. “Claire said this water isn’t drinkable, remember? Er, wait, are you thirsty?”

This water shouldn’t kill her or anything, but still.

“Oh.” She nodded understandingly. “No, I’m not thirsty.”

“All right. Let me know if you do need a drink, though.”

“Okay!”

I glanced at Laila, who met my gaze and nodded. She must have overheard us.

Once I was sure Lieza wouldn’t be drinking out of any puddles, I decided to move on to air magic. I gathered mana into my hand as before, but the mental image didn’t come as easily as the others had.

You can’t really ‘see’ wind, after all. I guess I’ll try to think of a breeze blowing some of the wildflowers here?

“Wind Elemental Small Gust.”

I extended my palm, and at my bidding a breeze began to flow from it…I hoped. Even though I was aiming the spell directly at Claire and Lieza, their hair barely swayed at all.

I succeeded, then, but nowhere near as well as Claire did. I knew the effect had to be dependent on your mental image somehow.

Lieza narrowed her eyes blissfully. “It feels so nice!”

Claire nodded. “It does, indeed.”

They sure seem to be enjoying it, though. It is starting to heat up out here, so I guess even a light breeze feels good.

I sighed in relief as I cut off the wind. “At least I got all the spells to work.”

We had barely moved, but I felt somewhat fatigued. It was likely due to mana loss, though the sensation wasn’t strong enough to be worrying.

“I must admit, I’m impressed.” Claire gave me a warm smile. “It took only a single demonstration for you to be able to copy me perfectly.”

I chuckled bashfully. “Th-That’s only because you taught them so well. That, and the invocations are really simple.”

I still wish I knew how to throw a fireball or something. Even I can appreciate a big, flashy spell in an anime. I guess I’ll have to be patient and work my way up to it—if four basic spells can wind me like this, I shudder to think of what one of those finisher spells would do to my poor body. That, and I can’t think of a single use of a spell like that in my life.

Claire smirked. “A little disappointed, are you?”

“N-No, not at all.”

Did I look that upset?

“What if I taught you a more advanced spell, then?”

“More advanced? I thought you couldn’t cast anything else?”

“That’s true—but I do know how to combine spells.”

“Combine them? Like, mixing magic together?”

She giggled at the intensity in my voice. “It’s nothing that dire. We’ll be using only the four basic spells you know. I’m sure you’ll master it in no time.”

I’m really easy to read, aren’t I?

“Let’s start with mixing water and fire, shall we?”

“What will that do?”

“One of the easiest uses would be making fog.”

Fog? Since it’s a combination of fire and water, wouldn’t it be steam?

Claire extended both hands into the sky, taking a wider stance as she aimed. “Let me show you. Water Fire Elemix Mist!”

Mist spread from her hands into the air, though because of the breeze, it never got thick enough to block vision. She likely wasn’t using enough mana for that.

Lieza jumped and clapped. “She’s making wispy stuff!”

I chuckled. “That wispy stuff is called stea—er, fog.”

“Exactly!” Claire grinned with pride.

Let me see if I can suss out how this works… Claire creates fire and water at the same time, and the heat makes the water evaporate instantly. The water vapor is then chilled by the surrounding air and becomes visible as fog. Maybe I’m wasting my time trying to apply physics to magic at all? I can’t think of a single natural thing that could make fog in clear, sunny weather like this.

Claire finally stopped the spell, letting out a heavy sigh as she did so. “Thank goodness I did it right this time.”

I blinked in surprise. “I guess even you can’t succeed all the time.”

So she worries about failing, too…

Claire chuckled. “Of course I do, silly. I’m not very good with magic on the best of days, and…well, I was hoping I wouldn’t make a fool of myself in front of you.” Her gaze swam for a moment, but eventually she looked at me, a bashful grin on her lips. My heart skipped a beat.

I love the way she sticks her tongue out just a little…wait, no, she’s supposed to be teaching me! I can’t get distracted like this. Get your mind back on the lesson, Takumi!

“Casting a mixed spell is fairly straightforward,” Claire explained. “After gathering the mana, you must split it into two distinct groups.”

“Split it?”

“Exactly. Normally, an invocation gives gathered mana a single instruction as to its element and how it behaves. If you split them, however, you can give multiple groupings of mana different instructions and activate both at once.”

Wow…that’s basically casting two spells at once. I see now why this is a more advanced topic. Do I have to split it at my palm, though?

“Can’t I just focus my mana in two different places, like both hands? That seems a lot easier than trying to divide it.”

Claire shook her head. “They need to activate at exactly the same time. Splitting it between hands like that would make it impossible to synchronize. Before you ask, you can’t effectively cast different spells with each hand, either.”

That makes sense. I should’ve known better than to try to innovate with my casting when I still know so very little.

I closed my eyes to focus. Thinking back to Claire’s example, I extended my hands into the air, cupping them slightly to create a spherical space for mana to gather and fog to form. Channeling my mana felt like second nature already.

Okay, here we go. Fire on the right of my hand, water on the left…

“Water Fire Elemix Mist!”

As I shouted the incantation, both heat and chill burst from my hand, spilling out into the air. Then, just as suddenly, all I could feel was the mana again.

“What?!”

That sounded like Claire… Did I surprise her again? I opened my eyes, and her shocked expression was the first thing I saw. Did I startle her by suddenly deciding to try it out?

I followed her gaze to my upraised hand.

“Huh… I did it.”

My fog seemed thinner than Claire’s, but I had clearly done it.

Interesting…as long as I keep feeding the spell mana, I can keep the fog going even in a light breeze like this.

Lieza pointed at me excitedly. “You can make the wispy stuff, too?! Papa, you’re so cool!”

I chuckled. “Am I, now?”

Replying to Lieza took too much of my focus, however, and the mist dissipated. Aww…at least I can cast it again if I need to. I feel like I’ve gotten a feel for splitting streams of mana.

Claire shook her head in disbelief, muttering to herself, “I can’t believe he did it… I hadn’t even finished explaining it.”

“Huh? You hadn’t?”

No wonder she was surprised, then.

Claire nodded deflatedly. “I was going to teach you how to keep your streams of mana separate and advise you on technique, but you clearly didn’t need any of that.”

“N-No, not at all. I could only do it on my first try because you demonstrated and explained it to me so well.”

“I’m not sure about that, but I’ll admit I feel better about a job well done.”

“Exactly. It’s not like I don’t need you, I swear. You can relax.”

“R-Really…?” Her gaze dropped, and she put a hand to her mouth.

Uh-oh. Did I make her uncomfortable? Was it something I said? I just meant to compliment her on her tutoring skill…

Lieza tugged uneasily on her sleeve. “Claire? Are you okay?”

She startled. “I-I-It’s nothing! Nothing at all!”

“Really? You look kinda down.”

“I’m full of energy, I promise!” Claire straightened her posture and smiled. “I was just a little stunned, that’s all. D-Don’t you think Takumi was incredible?”

Lieza nodded, tail wagging eagerly. “Yeah! I wish I could cast a bunch of cool spells like you two!”

“You two?” Claire giggled. “I’m flattered.”

Claire really is at her prettiest when she’s smiling…even though I keep getting distracted by how adorable that floofy tail is.

“Is there anything else about mixing spells I should know?” I asked Claire, returning to the topic at hand.

“In fact, there is. I’ve heard it’s possible to mix even advanced spells together. The invocation becomes even longer as a result, however.”

That sounds like it’d be a lot of fun to experiment, but I’ll have to get a lot more practice first.

I remembered hearing from Sebastian that some extremely powerful spells required a day and a night of chanting. It would make sense that length meant more power and complexity.

“Sounds like it gets really difficult,” I remarked. “I don’t even know any advanced spells to work from.”

“I’m sure you’ll have no issue figuring it out when the time comes, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to teach you that.” She cleared her throat politely. “I should also mention it’s possible to mix three or more spells at once.”

“Wait, so you can mix magic even further?”

“It’s possible, yes, if you can handle it.”

“Handle it?”

“Casting becomes increasingly complex the more you split your mana. Three is several times more difficult than two, and so on. That’s obvious, though.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

I managed two channels of mana, but I doubt I could do three.

“Remember,” she continued, “each grouping of mana requires its own direction. That makes creating new spells entirely far more difficult…though that can be said of all magic, not just mixed spells.”

“I don’t think I’ll be making new spells anytime soon.”

Making a new spell would mean having to clearly envision how each part of the spell interacts with what, and that’s on top of coming up with the right invocation. Then, of course, you have to worry about outside factors… This feels like science class all over again.Possible, but not something I’ll be attempting anytime soon.

Claire continued, “Three channels of mana is thought to be the maximum. There are hardly any recorded cases of four or more channels being used successfully.”

“Hardly any? That means there are some, right?”

“Certain myths claim some people could do four in the past.” She shrugged. “Even if that’s true, though, all such cases are from those with Gifts. There’s no way of telling if their Gift was related somehow, or if they happened to be a true spellcrafting genius.”

“That’s fair…it doesn’t make sense to generalize the limit as four, then.”

“Exactly.”

I know I have a Gift, but I doubt Herb Cultivation will be helping me with spellcasting anytime soon… I almost wish I had a magic Gift, but I’ve been doing pretty well for myself as-is.

“Wruff?”

“Oh, Leo!”

“Mama!”

“Miss Leo?”

Leo had been sitting on the sidelines with Cherie on her head until then, but it seemed she was eager for exercise. I bet she’s getting bored.

“There’s a good girl, waiting for me to finish.” I scratched her chin. “Can we call it a day here, Claire?”

“We may as well. Miss Leo has been kept waiting long enough, not to mention that I’ve run out of material to teach.” She smiled wryly. “You didn’t cast many spells, but I’d imagine you’ve used plenty of mana. Are you feeling sluggish at all?”

“A little,” I admitted. “I do feel more fatigued than before.”

It wasn’t a physical sense of tired, so I had every intention of training as usual, but it was strange I had felt like I’d gone on a run already despite having barely moved.

I guess this is what using up mana feels like.

Beside me, Lieza was looking up at Cherie with jealousy as she petted Leo. “Lucky…”

Cherie’s ears flattened defiantly. “Awf!”

Looks like she’s claimed that spot for herself. She does seem pretty comfy up on Leo’s head like that.

Leo pawed at my clothes. “Bwuruff? Bwurf, worf?”

“Hm? What’s up, Leo?”

Claire looked at her curiously. “Is there anything you need?”

“Warf!” Leo pointed her snout.

I followed her gaze. “Oh…that.”

“I had noticed as well,” Claire remarked.

Lieza looked up at the three of us. “What’s going on?”

Leo was pointing at the patch of herbs I’d left that morning. She and Claire seemed to clue into what I was referring to, having seen them when they were freshly grown. Only Lieza didn’t clock the change.

Leo glanced at me. “Ruff?”

“What? I have no idea, either.”

Claire turned to hurry off. “I’ll fetch Sebastian right away.”

I nodded. “Please do.”

Sebastian was the only one who might be able to explain what happened, and she was every bit as curious as I was. She flat-out ran to fetch him.

It can’t have been easy, seeing the plants there and continuing the lesson anyway… Speaking of lessons, I wonder how Tilura’s doing?

For some reason, Eckenhart was holding his sword extended while Tilura held the flat of the blade with both hands. Before I could wonder too much, however, the steel exploded into flame.

“N-No, Tilura!” Eckenhart screamed loudly enough to be heard from across the yard. “That’s too— GAGH?!”

Tilura hurriedly pulled her hands away, but the damage had been done. A plume of flame grazed Eckenhart’s bangs as it shot past his face. Sebastian, who had been waiting a short distance away with a water barrel and a bucket, threw a load of water at the duke, extinguishing him but leaving him sopping wet. Claire shouted something at him, but didn’t stop to check on him as she grabbed Sebastian.

If Sebastian is their only safety measure, maybe he should stay over there? Naw, I’m worrying too much. What are the chances of that happening again?

With that, I turned my attention to the change my herbs had undergone.

Chapter 4: How the Herbs Changed

Chapter 4: How the Herbs Changed

THAT morning, I had left a variety of herbs of different types in two groups, one in direct sunlight and one in the shade. Between lunch, lessons, and other business, five or six hours had passed since then. It was hard to believe the herbs had changed so much in that time.

“I’m back,” Claire announced as she walked up to us.

Sebastian was close behind her. “Might I ask what the matter is, milady?”

“Thanks for coming over, Sebastian.” I was about to turn away when I spotted two more people at the back of their group. “Tilura? Eckenhart? Are you two taking a break?”

The duke nodded. “Claire mentioned there was a change in your herbs. I can’t go back to playing games after hearing that.”

Tilura giggled. “Playing with Father was super fun, though!”

Weren’t they having a magic lesson? I guess if they’re content, though, it’s none of my business how their lessons work. The herbs come first.

From the looks of it, Eckenhart and Sebastian hadn’t seen the garden yet, so I pointed it out. “Take a look at that.”

“My goodness! What in the world could have happened?”

“Impossible!”

By that point, Tilura had already lost interest and was sitting on Leo’s back with Lieza. Leo was keen to find out what happened, it seemed, and she watched us with quiet anticipation.

The plants in the herb “garden” were far larger than they had been that morning, and a wealth of spring-green sprouts had sprung up around them. Claire and I had been too busy—or perhaps too intimidated—to approach the garden before Leo pointed it out.

Did they make seeds or something? No, that’s impossible, seeds don’t work that quickly. I know succulents can reproduce from cuttings, but nobody was around to trim them, and I doubt they can do that on their own. It doesn’t explain how the sprouts are already reaching the surface, either.

“So…Sebastian.” I looked at him expectantly. “What do you think this is?”

Why think for myself when he already knows everything? Sure, I may be overreacting, but there’s got to be some kind of precedent for this somewhere…I hope.

“An intriguing development, indeed.” He put his hand on his chin. “Perhaps the cause lies with Herb Cultivation itself?”

“Really? How so?”

“I have never heard of herbs—or other plants, I should note—growing at the speed and in the quantity seen here. The only phenomenon that comes close is your Gift itself. Perhaps this is a side effect?”

Eckenhart grunted. “You’re saying, then, that those are some kind of…magic super-plant?”

“It’s far too early yet to draw conclusions. The sprouts are still far too young to see if they differ, after all.”

I guess I should’ve known as much. The sprout thing is a good note, too. I’m curious how they’ll turn out.

The one sure thing, however, was that Herb Cultivation was involved.

“Yet another mystery,” Eckenhart mused. “There’s still so much we don’t know about Takumi’s Gift.”

I nodded. “One thing’s for sure, though…we’ll have more than enough herbs.”

“Too much, even.” Claire looked at the duke. “I think we’ll be able to export them if we had a mind to.”

After seeing how easy farming them would be, Eckenhart suggested that he, Sebastian, and Claire head to Lange to scout a place for more gardens. I hadn’t expected the experiment to be such a massive success, either. It would take only basic preparation to create all the herbs we could want, enough that exporting seemed more than reasonable.

“Remember, we will need to see how they grow first,” Eckenhart reminded us. “Any number of factors could influence their growth, so we should investigate their optimal growing conditions as well.”

“As you will.” With that, Sebastian turned to me. “Now, Mr. Hirooka …”

“Yeah? What’s on your mind?”

“It seems our herb-cultivating operations will be growing far more quickly than we thought.”

“M-Maybe, yeah.” I swallowed hard. “Er, are you sure you want me running something this big?”

As it was, I picked and prepared all the herbs I produced in the back courtyard. I doubted I would be able to handle a farm as big as the one he was alluding to—definitely not alone.

“I’ll handle that,” Eckenhart assured me. “I was already going to assign you a butler, so I could get you a few other employees while I’m at it.”

Claire nodded affirmingly. “Nobody would expect you to handle the project alone. I’m sure we can hire any administrative staff you’d need as well.”

I might’ve expected a butler with what they had mentioned to me before, but employees? Sure, admin staff would be great, but I have no confidence whatsoever in my managerial skills.

“You’re sure you want to hire people just for me?” I asked dubiously.

Eckenhart grinned. “Loosen up, my boy! If there’s anything that I’ve learned from my time with you, it’s that you can handle this.”

“I agree,” Claire chimed in. “I know you can do it.”

“O-Oh…great…”

I appreciate that they trust me, but this is a whole lot of responsibility to wrap my head around.

“My only concern is that you’ll be too lenient with them,” Sebastian chuckled.

Right…didn’t Laila mention something about that? She said that some people might come after me for my money—or worse, my life. Just the reminder I needed before hiring some folks.

Leo plodded a step closer to me and snorted proudly. “Wruff!”

“Exactly, Miss Leo.” Claire chuckled. “If anyone is foolish enough to try to cheat him, they’ll answer to you.”

I sighed uneasily. “Are you sure, Leo? I still don’t know about this.”

She nodded confidently. “Ruff, wurf.”

Honestly, Leo has a point. She’s a far better judge of character than I am, and she can literally sniff out hazards like infected wine. The only question is, can the bad guys out there lie better than she can pick them out?

Eckenhart grinned at me. “Come now, Takumi. I can promise you’re in good hands.”

“Why’s that?”

“We’ll be checking the background of anyone you’re considering hiring. We can’t afford to do so all the time, but we will until you’re fully established.”

“Excellent idea, Your Grace.” Sebastian nodded approvingly. “I shall personally ensure no plotters or backstabbers will infiltrate your employ.”

I slowly nodded. “Right…okay.”

I guess I would feel a little better if House Libert vetted my hires. It’s more the management of those people afterwards that I’m worried about.

“I’ll be sure to work out the details with Claire and Sebastian later,” Eckenhart assured me.

“That we shall,” Sebastian agreed. “At this rate of growth, we’ll need to acquire more land, as well as a fitting abode for Mr. Hirooka.”

I blinked in surprise. “Wait… I’ll be living on the farm?”

“Not on it directly, of course, but I intend to have a home built for you nearby. You can hardly manage operations from here.”

“Right…I guess I can’t.”

At least I’m not getting kicked out… Sebastian is right, though. I’ll need to be in Lange for the job, and it takes more than a full day’s travel to get there even on Leo’s back. I could probably hire a site manager someday, but right now, I’m the only one who can do it.

Eckenhart stroked his chin. “I bet if I talked to the mayor of Lange directly, I could convince him to give us as much land as we want.”

“Y-You wouldn’t make it too big, right?” I smiled uneasily. “Don’t make too much extra work for me yet.”

“Gahahahaha! Relax, my boy, nothing’s decided yet. We’ll talk again once we have some rough numbers in mind.”

“Yes, please do.”

They couldn’t just rush into a decision—land rights were complicated in every world. I didn’t even know where to begin, but I trusted they would find a solution.

I just hope Eckenhart doesn’t go overboard on this.

“Now that we have reached a decision, may I ask that we discuss further garden observations?” Sebastian looked at me. “Have you considered how else you wish to experiment with the plants?”

I nodded. “As far as I can tell, sunlight doesn’t affect growth at all, but I’d want to watch them for longer to be sure. Other than that…if giving or withholding water makes any difference, I guess? I’m also curious if different herbs prefer different conditions.”

There were other factors to consider, like the soil’s mineral content, but I figured it was best to start simple.

“Excellent ideas, Mr. Hirooka. I shall assign staff to water only some plants, and record growth rates between different specimens.”

“Yes, please do.”

I guess that means they’ll take turns observing the plants all day and night? Fair enough, I wouldn’t expect Sebastian to babysit the garden 24/7 on his own.

There were plenty more experiments I wanted to run, but I decided to put them off for now. I didn’t want whoever was on plant duty to be too miserable, after all.

Sebastian called Laila over to give her some instructions as soon as we finished talking. From the way he talked and knitted his brow, I could tell he was bitter he hadn’t thought to assign a watch detail sooner.

I guess he’s looking for answers more than anyone right now. It’s probably not only because he wanted the pleasure of explaining it all to us, but also because he has to be part of it. I don’t understand why he’s blaming himself, though. Nobody could’ve predicted this would happen to the herbs.

As soon as we finished talking, Eckenhart headed inside with Claire and Sebastian in tow so they could hash out details. I stayed out in the garden with Laila, and we watched as Leo played with the girls. Laila had set up a small table for tea, and at my insistence, she sat down to drink with me.

“Ahaha, faster, Mama!”

“You’re the coolest ever, Miss Leo!”

“Awuff!”

“Wuff, woo-woo!”

I chuckled to Laila. “They’re sure having fun.”

I knew it, tea tastes better with company.

Eventually, however, my thoughts wandered back to Tilura and Eckenhart’s magic lesson. Business came first, but it was still a shame that they played around the entire time and never got to the learning.

If he did teach her anything, it probably wasn’t much…though maybe that’s for the best. Tilura seems to prefer the sword anyway, and that’s a much better means of self-defense.

Laila glanced at me as she put down her teacup. “I never expected my advice to be relevant so quickly.”

“You mean, your advice for hiring people?”

“Yes. My sincerest apologies for overstepping my bounds as I did.”

“No need to be sorry. I appreciate the advice, and I’ll be sure to remember it.”

I don’t blame her, frankly, with how badly hiring Nick would’ve gone if he wasn’t a good guy. It was a good decision in the end, but I’d rather not leave it to luck again.

Laila glanced at me again as she took another sip. “If I may be so bold, Mr. Hirooka, your powers are unbelievable. I would never have expected such a breadth of applications.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself. I was hoping that farming herbs would be possible, but it’s almost too easy,” I admitted.

“Gifts are truly incredible. A normal woman such as myself could not possibly imagine what they are capable of.”

“I’m just as normal as you when it comes to that.” I smiled a little. “It feels like only yesterday that I stumbled into it. Every day since then has been one surprise after another.”

My Gift is the only thing that makes me different from anyone else in this world—or my old world, for that matter. I wonder, what would’ve been different if I’d had this Gift in Japan? I shuddered. Forget that. I’d probably end up in a warehouse somewhere, pumping out herbs each day until I pass out. That’s the only thing I can imagine after working for such a miserable company to the point it nearly killed me.

“Are you feeling unwell, Mr. Hirooka?” Laila peered over at me in concern. “Your face is pale.”

“N-No, it’s nothing. I’m okay.”

Jeez, what am I doing? I’m having tea with a pretty maid! This is no time to dwell on the past! I need to take a deep breath, drink some more, and relax.

“So, what’s Milicia been up to?” I asked her.

“I believe she is studying with Gelda to become a proper servant.”

“Gelda’s still in training?”

“She is. Gelda has not lived here long. Although she is far from inept, she has much to learn before she is ready for maidhood proper.”

“That makes sense…I don’t want to disturb them, then.”

I was thinking of calling Milicia out to play with Lieza and the others as a thank-you for all the compounding she did, but I didn’t want to interrupt her studies.

It’s a real shame…I was hoping to show her the garden’s change.

“Milicia would gladly come if you were to summon her,” Laila told me. “Her original purpose in coming here was to learn compounding from you, was it not?”

“I guess… Do you think I could ask her to come out for a bit, then? I’d like to show her the plants.”

She nodded. “A prudent decision. I believe she would benefit from being kept up to date on your Gift. I shall summon her immediately.”

“You don’t have to do that. Just let me know where she is, and I can go talk to her myself.”

Laila shook her head firmly as she stood. “As your assigned maid, I could not possibly subject you to such menial work. Please relax while I retrieve her.”

“If you say so, I guess… Oh, but tell her she doesn’t need to come if she’s too busy studying. I don’t want to force her to come.”

“As you will.” With a final curtsy, she headed inside the mansion.

I guess from her point of view, she wouldn’t be doing her job if she let me do it myself. She doesn’t have to be so uptight about it, though. I was really hoping to drink with her a little longer… Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up when I did.

Even if I tried to follow her, she was already out of sight and I didn’t know where she was headed, so I decided to watch Leo and the girls play. By the time Laila returned with Milicia, I’d joined in the fun myself.

“Master, I’m here. Um…what’s going on?”

“I have brought Milicia, as requested.”

“Whew…thank you, Laila.” I wiped my brow as I slowed my run to a stop. I smiled warmly at Milicia. “I just thought that since you did such a great job earlier, you might want to play with us. Lieza’s here, too, so no need to be shy!” I chucked a branch as far as I could just as I finished my sentence.

“WRUFF!!”

With a single sharp bark, Leo shot off like a bullet. Lieza and Tilura clung to her back, screaming with laughter.

“Ahahahahahahaha!”

“Faster, faster!” Tilura shouted.

Normally, I would throw multiple sticks to give Leo more of a workout, but I didn’t want to push my luck since she had two riders this time. I probably don’t need to worry, though. Leo’s being plenty careful not to start or stop too suddenly.

“Awrooooooo!!” Leo howled as she leapt into the air, catching the branch in her mouth. Both the girls cheered as she landed.

Good to see they all like fetch.

“You…called me all the way out here just to play with Miss Leo?” Milicia looked at me blankly for a moment, then startled. “Th-There wasn’t anything wrong with the medicine I made, was there?!”

“It’s nothing bad, I promise. Wait here just a second.” I waved Leo back and patted her flank as I took the branch from her. “Milicia’s here, girl, so that’s enough fetch for right now. You can run around with Lieza and Tilura for a bit now, if you’d like.”

Leo nodded. “Ruff!”

“See you later!” Tilura chimed.

Lieza nervously looked away. “You’re going away again, Papa?”

“I won’t go far,” I promised her. “I’ll be back soon, and until then you’ll have Leo. Think you can play with her until I get back?”

Lieza looked up at me and smiled. She wrapped her little arms tighter around Leo’s fluffy body. “Okay…I can do that!”

Cherie eagerly nodded, mimicking Lieza. “Arf!”

Glad she loves how soft Leo is, too. As for Cherie…well, at least she’s having fun.

As the girls ran off, I stretched and turned to address Milicia. I still had to show her the gardens before I could let her go back to her studies. I wonder why her first thought was that I was going to scold her, though? Do I come across as that harsh?

“All right, then… Milicia?”

“Yes, Master?”

“I’ve got something I need to show you.”

“You do? Why me?”

“Well…it’s easier to show you than to explain. Follow me.”

“All right.”

With that, I left Laila to watch the children as we walked to the garden. We arrived to find two butlers were already there, no doubt to take stock of the herbs’ current state. They had already jotted down a page or two worth of details.

I’m glad we have them on the job.

After exchanging hellos, I brought Milicia before the plants.

She looked up at me, confusion plain on her face. “Aren’t these just herbs? I think I do recognize a few of them…”

“Good eye. I made these plants this morning with Herb Cultivation, but I left them to grow because we were hoping to grow them naturally. As you can see, though, the experiment has gone a little too well.”

“Y-You mean, they’re from this morning?” She did a double take. “But there’s so many of them!”

“Yeah, that’s the mystery.”

I knew she’d be surprised. They seem to have gotten even bigger since last I saw them, even though that was only an hour ago.

“Do you think they’ve grown some more already?” I asked the butlers.

“They have indeed gotten bigger since we arrived,” one told me politely. “I’ve never seen anything grow so quickly, I must admit.”

“Great, thank you.”

This has to be an effect of Herb Cultivation somehow, but still…why is it so fast?

“Master, I think I see them growing as we speak!”

“Yeah, I see it…wow.”

When I saw them before, the sprouts were all too young to tell apart. Now, enough stems and buds had grown so that I could guess what the herb would be.

“This can’t possibly be normal,” Milicia muttered. “Is this because of your Gift?”

“Probably, yeah. There’s no other way to explain what’s happening here.”

“Wow… Your Gift is incredible! You never cease to amaze me!”

I smiled awkwardly. “Thanks, but I’m just as shocked as you. Every time I experiment with it, I uncover something new.”

I can understand being impressed with my Gift, but me? I can’t imagine anything I’ve done to earn that kind of respect.

We hadn’t come there to gawk, however, so I explained the situation to her.

“…And that brings me to my main point. Nothing’s set in stone yet, but there might be some changes.”

“What kind of changes?”

“I might be moving to Lange to head herb-growing operations there. This was an experiment to see if a larger-scale farm would work, you see, and since it does, we’ll be able to grow and do so much more.”

I told her everything I’d talked about with Claire and Eckenhart earlier, including what plans they currently had in place. Even though nothing had been signed yet, she had been helping me learn to be an apothecary, and it only felt right to tell her.

That, and if I’m going to be hiring staff to work under me, I’ll want her there.

“Wow…that’s a lot,” Milicia said when I had finished. “I believe that’s the best way to use your talent to help as many people as possible, though, so I fully support you.”

“That’s a relief. If this plan does go through, though, I won’t be able to live here at the villa anymore.”

“That’s a good point. The farm couldn’t operate without you, so they would need you in Lange the whole time.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you, then—would you be willing to come with me to help? Assuming Claire and Laila and everyone else give you the go-ahead, of course.”

Milicia was the first person that came to mind when I thought of prospective employees. She was already studying herbs and medicine with me, and she’d helped me pick them many times. I knew I could trust her. Besides, she was already effectively under my employ because her main task at the villa was to learn medicine from me. I couldn’t think of a single issue with bringing her.

Assuming Claire gives her permission, of course.

Milicia nodded. “Okay. I’m going with you. I wouldn’t be a very good apprentice if I didn’t stick with my teacher, would I? I promise I won’t let you down!”

“Er…you know you don’t have to come if you don’t want to, right? I’d understand if you’d prefer to stay here.”

“I would never stay! I gave up everything I had to be your apprentice. I forced you to take me in. If I can’t go with you, I’ll quit!”

“O-Okay, if you insist.”

I don’t remember her forcing me to do anything… I guess she was the one who brought it up, but that’s it.

In my mind, Milicia wasn’t beneath me at all. I didn’t know if she decided to call me Master because of Herb Cultivation or some other reason, but I had no intention of trying to control her life.

I wish I could convince her to call me Takumi like everyone else… That talk can wait, though.

“I guess that decides it,” I said. “You’ve still got time to change your mind, but…thanks for agreeing.”

“Of course! I’m looking forward to it!”

“I know you’ll do great.”

Milicia was driven and a quick learner. She already had an excellent grasp of medicines and herbs, not to mention she could compound as well as I could or better. I couldn’t think of a better person for the job.

“I’ll keep learning how to be a good servant too,” Milicia added. She clenched her fists in determination. “I want to be even more helpful to you!”

“That’s gre— Wait, servant?”

I’m not going to tell her she can’t, but isn’t becoming an apothecary the whole reason she’s coming with me?

Milicia nodded eagerly. “That’s right! I’ve been learning how to be a servant for a while now, and I’m really enjoying it. You won’t have a whole staff in Lange, right? That means you need my help. I promise I’ll do a good job!”

“Oh, uh…thank you?”

I know I won’t have maids there, but Eckenhart’s already mentioned getting me a butler…

“I’ll keep on learning medicine too, of course. I want to learn all sorts of things and help as many people as I can!”

I think she might be losing track of her original goal here. Claire was planning on hiring her as a servant anyways. That isn’t the issue, though—I don’t want her to spread herself too thin and burn out.

“I appreciate the enthusiasm.” I picked every word carefully as I went. “Remember not to push yourself too hard, though.”

She nodded vehemently. “Got it! I won’t!”

Somehow, I’m even more worried about her now. At least she’ll be fine as long as we’re here, since Laila’s keeping an eye on her.

As if on cue, Laila approached us.

“Mr. Hirooka, I will see to Milicia’s servant training myself. She will be the perfect maid by the time you’re ready to depart.”

My apprentice grinned. “Thank you, Laila!”

“Promise me you’ll take good care of her,” I told Laila. “Oh, and make sure she rests when she needs it.”

“With pleasure, Mr. Hirooka.”

Milicia’s bound to run out of steam sooner or later…I’ll keep an eye on her. The last thing I want is to swamp her with work.

After entrusting Milicia’s training to Laila, I returned to where Leo and the girls were playing to enjoy some more tea. It wasn’t long before Gelda came to fetch us for dinner. We followed her inside, where we briefly stopped to wipe Leo’s paws. Lieza eagerly offered to help, and I entrusted her with a forepaw. Her small hands made it too hard to scrub, however, and Leo kept jerking around because it was so ticklish. She mistook Leo’s laughter for struggling at first, but Leo nuzzled the girl’s forehead to reassure her.

It’s so fun to see them interact like this… You’ll get it next time for sure, Lieza.

Once Leo had clean feet again, Gelda led us to the dining hall. Eckenhart, Claire, Sebastian, and even Anrinnelesse were waiting for us inside.

I know Anrinnelesse always has free time, but I’d expected the planning meeting to run longer. I asked them about it as I took my seat.

“Hrm? Of course we’re not done,” Eckenhart told me. “There’s no way we could get to everything in a single meeting.”

Claire nodded in agreement. “There’s a lot to consider, from choosing candidates for your help to deciding how big of a farm we’ll ask you to manage. We haven’t even started talks with Lange’s mayor yet.”

Right…of course it’ll take more than an afternoon for everything to be decided.

“I guess that means you’ll be working with Hannes.”

The duke nodded. “The very same. We’re planning on fermenting Artemisia Rose there, after all, not to mention you’ll need a home. I’ve already sent a messenger.”

“There’s little more preparation we can do without him,” Sebastian explained. “As such, I had them saddle our fastest horse. I imagine we’ll receive word back in several days.”

I should’ve expected as much, but distances become more of an obstacle without phones.

It took only a few more moments for the servants to finish serving dinner. Once everything had been put out, Eckenhart cleared his throat.

“Well, then, dinner’s served.”

“Thank you for the food.”

“Yeah, thanks!”

Lieza parroted me by giving brief thanks before eating, but Tilura and Leo immediately tore into their meals.

They must be hungry after all that playing. Even Cherie’s scarfing her food down a little faster than usual, and I didn’t see her move from Leo’s head once.

Meanwhile, Eckenhart had gotten frustrated with his knife, and had instead opted to tear chunks off his steak with his teeth.

I’ve gotta admit, it looks great when he does it. He doesn’t look like a duke at all, but at least he’s having fun. I wonder why Claire’s eating so slowly today, though? From the look of it, it’s not just that she isn’t hungry or she was grossed out by Lieza sniffing Eckenhart earlier…there’s clearly something wrong.

Eckenhart, sensing the same thing, tried to swallow the chunk of meat he was working on. “Ngugh… Claire?”

She stopped poking at her food. “Yes, Father?”

“You’re not eating very much. Something wrong?”

I thought he only had eyes for his steak, but he’s a dad through and through.

From what I could remember, she ate about the same amount as I did. Not only was she progressing more slowly than usual, but I also got the feeling her plate had less food on it to begin with.

I think I remember her calling a servant aside while they were serving…is this what that was about?

Claire huffed. “Don’t be ridiculous, Father. I’m having the same amount I’ve always had.” She kept glancing at me the whole time she talked.

Did I do something wrong?

Tilura peered over at Claire’s plate. “Sister, they’re right. You’re eating really slow.”

Claire groaned. “Not you too, Tilura!”

“I knew it.” Eckenhart had seemed almost convinced, but his frown deepened. “Judging from the way you keep looking at Takumi, there can be only one explanation.”

“It’s not my fault, is it?” I asked nervously. “Did I do something to offend you?”

“Absolutely not, Takumi.” Claire smiled at me with startling composure. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Okay…I guess?”

There’s something wrong; she just won’t tell me what it is. Maybe this is some kind of woman thing? Either way, I’m going to keep my nose out of it. Curiosity killed the cat—even though I’m more of a dog person, myself.

Anrinnelesse eyed Claire up and down. “Did you get fatter?”

“H-How could you even suggest such a thing?!” Claire spat. “I’m not fat! I just, er…Helena’s cooking is so good, I sometimes struggle to hold myself back.”

Fair enough. It’s easy to get carried away when dinner is this fun, and I’d be putting on tons of weight if I wasn’t so active every day. Also—and I’d never be brave enough to say this—Claire doesn’t look any different from how she always does. If anything, she might be a little slimmer.

Anrinnelesse narrowed her eyes threateningly at Claire’s chest. “Perhaps you’re self-conscious because all of your fat goes right into those?”

“Wh-Where in the world are you looking, Anze?!”

“Where else but at the evidence of your crimes?” Her voice was thick with jealousy as her gaze hardened, unmoving. “The sheer injustice of it all!”

It strikes me as a little rude that Anrinnelesse is fixating on Claire’s breasts so much, but maybe that’s normal for women to do in high society? Either way, Claire does have a nice body—nice curves, slender limbs, the whole package. She could easily be a model back in Japan. Anrinnelesse, on the other hand, isn’t anywhere near as endowed.

“Injustice?” Claire’s jaw dropped. “I had no idea that ever bothered you.”

“It had not, until now. I hardly need such brutish methods to attract a gentleman.”

“Oh, Anze. I’d suggest you reevaluate that entire line of thinking.”

“Hah! Easy for you to say! A princess could never comprehend the life of a pauper!”

“I-I suppose you may have a point there.”

Wait, so all Claire’s food really does go to her chest? I’ll admit, I’m— I immediately ended that train of thought. I don’t want to start thinking about her in that way. Laila and a few of the other maids are also well-endowed, and I don’t want to make things awkward.

I kept my head down and focused on my meal, but that became progressively more difficult as Claire and Anrinnelesse’s conversation became more heated.

More proof that deep down, I’m a guy like the rest of them. I wonder if they have to fight here, though, in front of me and even Claire’s own dad?

I could hear Eckenhart mutter, “Hrm…let us just say everyone has their own way of thinking about these things,” as if he were trying to bring the conversation to a close.

This is one debate I’d hate to mediate. I’ve learned that the golden rule of interacting with women is to stay well out of trouble like this. They probably have their own unique worries we men shouldn’t comment on.

Hold on a second, what about a dieting herb? Or for folks like Anrinnelesse, I could make a bust-enlarging herb… No, that reeks of trouble. I’m never thinking about that slop again.

Leo and Cherie had miraculously stopped eating, as even they seemed invested—or rather, baffled by—the table talk.

Like you’re one to judge, Leo. I guess she doesn’t remember how dejected she was when I mentioned how heavy she is now. Some fears must be universal, even if the reasons aren’t. I doubt Claire’s concerned she’ll get too big for my lap.

Chapter 5: Lieza and the Beastkin Creed

Chapter 5: Lieza and the Beastkin Creed

AFTER dinner, once dessert had been cleared, we all sat down to another glass of the experimental wine. Tilura, Lieza, and the fenrirs of course got juice instead.

Eckenhart downed half his wineglass at once, wincing. “It hasn’t gotten any tastier, but at least I still feel my energy returning.”

“The juice is really good!” Lieza informed us happily before turning to Helena. “Um…thank you very much.”

Helena nodded, and I noticed her eyes were glued to Lieza’s swishing tail like everyone else.

As the servants cleared our empty glasses, Helena approached me. “We’ve received your latest batch of medicine, Mr. Hirooka. I doubt we’ll run out in the next few days.”

“Really? That’s great. Do you think you could make bigger batches, so we can test it at breakfast or lunch as well?”

Eckenhart arched an eyebrow at me. “You want to test it multiple times a day now?”

“I hope to. The herbal wine will hopefully affect us better that way. I think the best arrangement would be for a glass with each meal—small glasses, of course.”

I could vaguely recall the medicinal wine I’d seen in Japan with directions like that.

You drank that stuff before a meal, I think. I have no idea when it’d be best to drink the test wine or how to find out, so before or after a meal should both be fine for now. If one doesn’t pan out, we’ll just try the other.

“Hrm… You think so?” Eckenhart stroked his chin. “Yes, it’d be easier to tell if it has lasting effects that way, but over-drinking is never healthy.”

“I agree completely. That’s why we should decrease the serving size, too. The overall volume consumed in a day may increase, but it’ll be spread out enough that nobody should be getting drunk.”

I still wouldn’t drink before driving, obviously, but that shouldn’t be an issue in this world. They don’t even have cars here, and I don’t think they’ve even conceived of DUIs yet. Most people shouldn’t have any alcohol at all by the time the next glass rolls around, either.

“Perhaps half today’s amount would be prudent?” Sebastian suggested.

I nodded. “That sounds about perfect. We could decrease the amount further if we have to, though.” I looked at Helena. “Do you have enough medicine for that?”

“Yes. I have enough for two, maybe three days of servings.”

“Only half a glass?” Eckenhart frowned. “I know I complained about the taste, but it isn’t that bad.”

First he complains about getting too drunk, but now he wants to drink more? I get the feeling he just wants more alcohol.

“May I remind you, Your Grace, that this wine is for health purposes, not entertainment. Drinking more than necessary will not make you healthier.” Helena turned back to me and bowed. “I shall be sure to compound the herbs gradually and ration them well.”

“Great, please do.”

Eckenhart shook his head, mumbling to himself. “She can’t be right, can she?”

If he wants to drink for fun, he should stick to the Artemisia Rose.It looks and tastes good.

“You’re doing com-pound-ing?” Lieza’s ears twitched excitedly. “That’s what I did earlier, right? That was fun! I wanna help!”

I laughed and tousled her hair. “I’m sure Helena will appreciate the assist.”

She sprang from her seat excitedly. “Yay!”

I know I should be doing the compounding, and I’ve already delegated it to Milicia once, but I just can’t say no to Lieza. That’s doubly true since it’s so easy for her. Maybe there are some things beastkin are just better suited for?

“Can you make bigger batches so more people can try?” I asked Helena. “If it’s too much of an issue or you don’t have enough medicine, I completely understand.”

If Lieza’s going to be doing the mixing, she’ll probably do extra like she did today. We should have plenty.

Helena nodded. “Provided there’s enough medicine, yes. It’s a simple matter of mixing the medicine with Artemisia Rose. Who do you wish to involve in the testing?”

“Everyone, ideally. If you can’t, then make sure there’s at least enough for Sebastian, too.”

Sebastian blinked in surprise. “Me? Are you quite sure?”

“Of course. You’re probably the most knowledgeable one here, and the one I trust most to make level-headed decisions.”

“As you will, then. I, Sebastian, shall gladly put my accrued wisdom to use.”

I chuckled nervously. “I-It’s not that serious or anything. No big deal, really.”

I bet he’ll be able to assess the wine and its properties a lot more accurately than I could, that’s all. He loves to share.

Eckenhart frowned at Sebastian. “Is it just me, or are you more eager to help Takumi than you are me?”

Claire chuckled. “Some people are more naturally charismatic than others, Father.”

“I always thought I was charismatic, though…”

“I still think that’s true. It’s just that you tend to come off poorly when you run off with Takumi without any guards or even notifying your people. That would sour anyone’s opinion of you. That, and Takumi knows exactly how to catch Sebastian’s interest,” Claire pointed out.

“Mgh…fine, you might have a point,” he grumbled unhappily.

Does she think I was playing favorites by picking Sebastian? I genuinely thought he’d be the best man for the job…and admittedly, I do think he’d like it.

Regardless, with dinner and wine both in our stomachs, we each went our separate ways for the evening. Anrinnelesse kept an eye on Claire’s chest the entire time, even craning her neck when she needed to.

That, or she was making sure Claire didn’t drink too much. There’s no chance she could get drunk on medicinal wine, though…right?

🐺 🐺 🐺

ONCE I was back in my room, my thoughts immediately turned to what I’d say to Lieza so she’d stay out of my bath. However, Laila knocked at the door before I could decide.

“Miss Lieza’s room is complete,” she told me. “How would you like to proceed?”

“Thank you. Um…proceed with what, exactly?”

“I have gathered that Miss Lieza does not like to leave your side.”

Right…she gets anxious when I’m not with her. She’s probably had abandonment issues ever since her Grampa passed. No matter how much I try to stay with her and reassure her, she needs time.

I looked at Lieza, who was already lounging in a sea of Leo’s fluff. “What would you like to do, Lieza?”

Most importantly, she doesn’t need me to decide everything for her.

Her ears flicked excitedly. “About what, Papa?”

I could never see that reaction and not spoil her.

“Well, the maids made a room just for you. Do you wanna sleep there?”

“Just for me? What about you and Mama?”

“Your room is for you. Leo and I sleep here.”

“I’m…I’m gonna be alone?” Lieza’s ears and tail drooped in dejection.

“Wuffa…” Leo whined sympathetically and tried to nuzzle Lieza, but since the girl was still on her back, she pitifully failed to reach.

I know you feel bad for her, Leo, but I’m pretty sure it’s physically impossible to reach her like that.

I drew close to her, smiling reassuringly. I’m pretty sure I know her answer already, but I still owe it to her to ask.

“You won’t be alone. We’ll be right here the whole time. Do you still want to stay here instead?”

She nodded. “Mhm. I wanna be with Mama and Papa.”

“Okay, sounds good. You can stay here with us as long as you’d like.”

I can’t force her to go, after all. I’m not going to say another word about it unless I’m sure she’s overcome her separation anxiety.

As soon as the words left my mouth, Lieza’s tail began wagging excitedly. “Really?!”

“Really, really. I don’t want you feeling alone.”

Leo nodded. “Bow-wowff!”

“Yay!” Lieza threw her arms in the air jubilantly.

She hates being left alone that much, huh? Her trauma must be really deeply rooted.

I scratched the back of my neck uneasily as I turned to Laila. “Um…sorry for springing this after all the work that went into her room.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Mr. Hirooka. I had suspected as much from her behavior throughout the day. I shall inform the rest of the staff that Miss Lieza will be living here until further notice.”

“Please do. Oh, but…I really don’t want to have to bathe her again.”

Laila stifled a giggle behind her hand. “Rest assured, Gelda has told me all about your misadventure last night.”

“Oh, that’s…great.”

Last night had only happened because all the maids were busy with Lieza’s room and I didn’t want her to bathe completely alone on her first night. I know she won’t be happy if I tell her she has to do it alone from now on.

Dealing with the stress of bathing a kid alongside a giant fenrir once is more than I need for a lifetime.

“Do you think I could perhaps tend to her needs?” Laila asked me. “Provided Miss Lieza agrees, of course.”

“I don’t have any issue with it.” Frankly, she seemed an excellent fit for the job. I turned back to Lieza. “Would you be okay if you took a bath with Laila today, Lieza?”

Her ears drooped. “I can’t go with you?”

“You’re a girl, so it’s best if another girl bathes you. I promise you won’t be left alone.”

“O-Okay.” After a moment’s consideration, she slowly nodded and looked up at Laila. “Um…hi.”

The maid curtseyed politely. “Miss Lieza, I am Laila.”

Right…I guess they hadn’t been introduced yet.

“H-Hi, Laila. Um…thank you for taking care of me.”

“You may relax around me as you do Mr. Hirooka. I look forward to serving you.”

“I-If you say— I mean, okay.” Lieza nodded and slid off Leo’s back.

I feel like Lieza could’ve at least said thank you, but I think Laila prefers it this way. She loves taking care of people even more than she lets on. I remember how dejected she acted when I told her she didn’t have to guide me around the mansion anymore.

“Okay, Lieza, Leo and I will be right here waiting for—” I stood to see them to the door, but Lieza grabbed the hem of my shirt and stopped me.

“Can you at least walk there with me, Papa?”

“Well…I guess so, but just this once.”

Leo stood and stretched. “Ruff!”

Laila smiled. “She seems quite determined to stay with you.”

Without any other option, Leo and I agreed to walk her to the baths. Laila kept looking at Lieza and me, smiling warmly.

I wonder how she sees us right now? I hope I’m too young to look like her dad. I’d be a fair age for an older brother—but if a Papa is what Lieza needs, I guess that means I’m a Papa.

🐺 🐺 🐺

“I’M done with my bath, Papa!”

“Wuff, wheruff!”

“Haha! Mama, you’re so soft!”

After seeing Lieza and Laila to the baths, Leo and I returned to the room. I relaxed and petted her while we waited, until eventually the door flew open and a girl-shaped blur tossed herself at Leo.

I laughed at the sight. “Welcome back, Lieza. And thank you for the help.” I nodded gratefully to Laila, who was reservedly waiting by the door.

“It was no trouble at all. Miss Lieza was calm and cooperative the entire time.”

That’s a relief.

“In that case,” I grunted as I stood from the bed, “it’s my turn for a bath now. Lieza, can you stay here with Leo?”

“Okay, Papa.”

“Ruff,” Leo sighed in relief.

As I was about to leave the room, however, Laila called to me.

“Mr. Hirooka? Shall I provide you with the same assistance I did Miss Lieza?”

Wait. What did she just ask me? I misheard that, right?

“N-No!” I asserted. “I don’t need you to— I can bathe myself!”

What’s she saying? I’m a man! Sh-She can’t ask that! Jeez, I hope I’m not turning red!

“Ah. I understand, Mr. Hirooka. Enjoy your bath.”

There were a hundred and one reasons off the top of my head why we shouldn’t do that, but Laila seemed somewhat deflated by my response.

Did I reject her too strongly? Wait, why did she even ask me something so deranged? Shivering, I pushed those thoughts from my head and hurried to the baths. I heard Leo sigh exasperatedly as I left, but I was in no mood for that. I-I’ll ask Laila to give Leo a bath one of these days. Yeah, I bet she’d like that even more!

I pushed all other thoughts out of my head and focused on the cleansing, calming hot water that awaited me.

🐺 🐺 🐺

I tried not to think about Laila at all as I bathed, and after a long soak, I headed back to the room.

“Hahh…that felt good,” I said as I stepped inside. “Oh, oops.”

“Whff.” Leo narrowed her eyes and snorted a caution at me.

Lieza was on Leo’s back, already snoring away softly. It looked like she hadn’t moved a muscle since I left.

I chuckled. “Out like a light already.”

Leo languidly looked at me and gave another quiet reply. “Wuff.”

Something about the way Leo looks at Lieza is so soft and kind… Do I look at her like that, too?

Her furry ears and tail had dried, and Leo was warm enough to keep her from catching a cold, but leaving her as she was didn’t sit right with me.

“I can’t let her stay like this,” I whispered. “I hate to wake her up when she looks so comfy, though.” I wanted to make sure she had a proper bed, if only to wean her off Leo so she could eventually sleep on her own.

“Ruffa?”

“Don’t look at me like that, Leo. Last I checked, you’re not actually a pillow.”

“Whuff,” Leo sighed resignedly.

I don’t mind if Lieza sleeps on her sometimes, of course. I never complain whenever Leo lets me rest my head on her at night—actually, I really appreciate it.

Lieza’s ears twitched. “Nnnh… Papa?” She blearily opened her eyes a sliver.

She must’ve noticed we were watching her. Beastkin are probably a lot more perceptive than I, like Leo is. Tilura and I woke her up the same way this morning, didn’t we?

“Sorry,” I softly apologized. “Did I wake you up?”

“Nuh-uh… Sorry for falling asleep, Papa. I wanted to be awake when you got back.”

I never would’ve expected that… Is this what it feels like to have a kid waiting when you get home from work?

I chuckled. “No need to apologize. You’ve had a big day, plus I bet you’re tired from mixing all that medicine.”

She nodded sleepily. “Yeah. Did…did I help you, Papa?”

I smiled at her, brimming with pride. “Of course you did. You did great.”

“Woooo, woooo!” Leo added.

So she didn’t just want to try the mortar and pestle—she did it for me? I hope she didn’t feel she had to, but I am glad she’s such a caring kid.

“Right, you’re still tired, aren’t you? How about we hop into bed and get some rest?”

Lieza sat upright, shaking her head. “Nuh-uh. I wanna talk with you and Mama first.”

“You look really sleepy, though.”

“I slept a little! I wanna spend more time with you first.”

“You’ll be with us either way, but…okay. How about you get under the covers first, so you’re ready as soon as you get tired?”

“Okay!” Lieza stood up and sat on the bed beside me.

I was implying she should lie down, but this is good enough.

“What should we talk about first?” I asked her.

“Anything’s fine!” She shrugged, still smiling cheerfully. “I like talking to you and Mama.”

“Really? Let me think, then.”

If she likes it that much, we might be up a while…oh, well. Leo will probably tell us to stop before Lieza loses too much sleep. This is a good chance to chat with her.

There were countless things I wanted to ask her, but I figured that dealing with Claire’s request came first.

“Lieza, have you ever heard of the Beastkin Creed?”

“Mmm…nope.” From the eagerness with which she shook her head, I could tell she was full of energy again.

I’m not surprised. She said she was abandoned at birth, and though her Grampa wasn’t racist, I doubt he knew much about beastkin culture.

“Okay, Lieza. The Creed is a list of rules, and if you break them, people will get angry at you…not that there are any other beastkin around to be upset at you in the first place.”

“Huh…what are the rules?”

“Let me think… One of them was to never go anywhere with strangers.”

“Grampa told me that one! He said strangers might try to hurt me.”

“That’s fair advice. If you don’t know who they are, there’s no telling what they might want from you.”

I was becoming increasingly convinced that the “Creed” was advice for beastkin children.

Still, that bit about strangers bugs me. Eckenhart and I showed up out of nowhere, and even though we saved her from those bullies, we spirited her away to the orphanage. Wouldn’t that count as her following strangers, too?

I shifted uncomfortably. “Um…Lieza? Do you regret following me?”

“I didn’t think anyone but Grampa would defend me, so I was kinda surprised, but I know you and Mama are nice! You asked me if I wanted to come, too.”

“Okay…honestly, that’s a relief.”

She was scared by Leo at first, but I wasn’t surprised she was jumpy after everything she’d been through.

I know Leo scared me when I first came to this world.

Somehow, Lieza had been able to tell that Leo and I had no intention of harming her. She seemed to be looking at the actions of those around her more than their words.

Why is the Beastkin Creed so important, though? If even Lieza can navigate her life fine without them, I don’t see the point. Maybe Lieza’s upbringing has made her more alert to that kind of thing? I can only guess.

“There was something I wanted to ask you, Lieza.” I cleared my throat softly. “How do you feel about having your ears or tail touched?”

She thought for a moment. “You and Mama can. I don’t know about anyone else, though… People used to pull my tail a lot, and it really hurt.”

I guess she has her own reasons, separate from the Creed… I can see why her tail would be a target for bullies.

“Bark?!” Leo stood to her feet, bristling at Lieza’s words.

“That sounds like it was pretty bad… Leo, let’s calm down and not hurt anyone, okay? I get how you feel.”

I don’t want her tearing through the slums on a revenge-fueled rampage… The whole city would go into a panic. I’m not entirely surprised she was treated like that, but that kind of thing is painful to hear.

“Grrr.” Grumbling, Leo lay back down on the floor.

“There’s a good girl.” I glanced at Lieza while I petted Leo soothingly. “You don’t like having your ears or tail touched, then?”

I can pass that on to Claire, and I’ll be sure to be careful not to touch them moving forward.

She shook her head. “No, I don’t hate it. It just…tickles, I guess?”

“Bru-wuff?”

“Yeah, what Mama said! They’re sen-si-tive! I think!”

I guess they’re like paw pads, then? They’re probably full of nerve endings.

“That makes sense. Too strong and it’s painful, too weak and it’s ticklish. That’s…wait, what did you say?”

Finally, my brain caught up. Can she somehow understand Leo like I can?

“Sorry to change the subject, Lieza, but you know what Leo’s saying?”

“Yeah, of course I do. You do too, Papa.”

“Er, yes, but my point is…how do I put this?”

Is this another beastkin trait? I’ve been with Leo long enough to parse what she’s trying to say…even if she’s just being snarky. Maybe I understand her too well sometimes.

I had heard from Claire and a few others that they could sometimes understand what Leo was trying to say, but not clearly. It seemed Lieza interpreted Leo’s barks as language.

“Is that why Leo’s your Mama?”

“Yep! She talks to me all the time. She’s super nice, and really funny!”

Right… I think I saw a moment of understanding between them when they met. That was when Lieza stopped being scared. Kids are adaptable, sure, but I bet they got along so quickly because they could just talk to each other. I was talking to Eckenhart at the time, so I didn’t hear… Did she say something funny back then?

“Ruff? Bwuff-wuff.” Funny? I don’t know about that, Leo insisted.

She was acting funny if nothing else…she was hellbent on finding Lieza and keeping her from being scared.

I resolved to tell Claire about my discovery in the morning. I didn’t know how broad her knowledge of beastkin was, but I had the feeling this would be news.

“Anyhow, back to the topic at hand… How do you feel about people touching your ears and tail in general?”

“Mmm… I guess I trust everyone here, if they’re gentle. I can be strong!”

“You don’t need to be strong. I want to know what you’re comfortable with.”

Man, she’s a perceptive kid. She’s probably noticed how everyone stares at her and can tell they don’t want to hurt her. Still, I don’t want her to force herself, Beastkin Creed or no. No one should push themselves to let others into their personal space.

“Let’s see… I know, I’ll feel your fur first. If you get uncomfortable at all, let me know, and I’ll stop. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Okay, Papa!” She smiled and tilted her head in my direction. “Go ahead!”

“Thanks. Okay, here goes…”

This way, I can at least pass on how to do it right.

I slowly reached for her tall, pointed ears, but Leo narrowed her eyes at me.

“Warf! Bowff, woff!”

I paused. “Oh, that’s how I should do it?”

“Woof!”

Frankly, I’m glad to be getting proper instructions. I trust Leo knows how it feels better. I’ll have to ask her later if that means there’s a wrong way of petting her…I don’t want to hurt or upset her.

“Wuff, woof-werf.”

“Slowly pet the whole ear…got it.” I reached out as Leo told me, and soon enough I was cupping the back of a soft, downy brown fox ear. “Whoa…this is nothing like your fur, Leo.”

“Ruffa?” Leo pouted. “Rrrr, wooooooo!”

“Hahaha, relax, girl. You’re still fun to pet.”

“Whoof…wuff? Warf!!”

“Huh? Stop?!” I startled when Leo told me to stop.

“Ahahaha! Papa, that tickles!” Lieza whipped around to face me, cheeks pouting.

“Oh, sorry.”

Without realizing it, my hand began to wander to the edge of her ear. Touching the fur on the inside of her ear was clearly a step too far.

That’s fair, and I frankly should’ve known. Most humans don’t like getting that part of their ear touched, either.

“Warf! Borf, borf.”

“I get it, I’ll be more careful! What did you say was next, the base of her ears?”

I gently touched the very base of Lieza’s ears as I was told, one with each hand.

“Fwawawa…” Lieza let out a blissful sigh.

Huh…Maybe this is like a shoulder massage for her? I’ve heard dogs get sore ears or feet because they move them so much.

“What was that sound you just made?”

“I dunno, this just feels good…fwawawawa…”

I’ve heard cats sometimes make sounds like that, so maybe she’s not a fox after all? I guess making cat sounds doesn’t make her a cat—that, and she clearly has a fox tail.

“Wuff, bwuff.”

“Okay, got it. On to the tail.”

Once Lieza seemed more comfortable with her ears, I reached for her tail. It was startlingly large and fluffy for her size, large enough that it looked as though Cherie could disappear inside it.

“Awroof, ruffa-wooo.”

“Right, go with her fur instead of against it, and if I lightly run my fingers through it like a comb…there, like that?”

Lieza twitched. “Fwaha! That’s a little ticklish.”

“Ruff!”

I must’ve done it too soft… I thought gentler would be better, but apparently not.

“Got it, I’ll put in a little more strength.”

Come to think of it, isn’t Leo the same way? Apparently having your fur tugged a little feels good…I just need to not pull so hard as to hurt her. I’m an old hand at that after all this time with Leo.

“Wurf, browuff!”

“Got it, next I massage the base of her tai—nope, forget that!”

“Wuff?”

“Are you okay, Papa?”

Luckily, I stopped myself before my hand got anywhere near her rear. Her tail came out of her lower back, a little higher than I remembered it, but still not a place I was about to touch. Lieza didn’t seem to see any issue and Leo was curious why I’d stopped, but I still had a conscience.

“Leo, the base of her tail is right above her butt. I won’t touch her there.”

“Wruff?”

“I don’t think I need to explain my reasoning.”

Leo’s a dog, so I don’t think she’d understand. No matter how similar or different beastkin are supposed to be from people, that’s one line I’m not going to cross. If Lieza does end up getting muscle knots or something there, maybe Laila or Claire could help her? Like a massage for women by women.

I made sure to stress to Leo how important the topic was, especially since I was a guy. She didn’t seem to follow my logic, but agreed with me in the end. Lieza herself stared at me throughout the entire conversation.

She’s a little young to know all the details, but I should still let her know to be careful with others too.

There was a bit of pushback, but in the end, I agreed to what I felt was a safe compromise.

“Only above the tail, okay? Lower back scratches only.”

That’s reasonable, I’d think.

“Ruff, bow-growff!”

“Go ahead, Papa.”

“Okay. Let me know if I accidentally touch you somewhere you don’t like, okay?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Er. Forget I said anything.”

I can’t explain it to her! I’ll have to ask one of the women later…they’re far less likely to mess up this kind of talk than I am.

“Okay, careful now…” I touched her lower back and my eyes sprang open. “This must be it. Your muscles are really tense here.”

“Myahahaha…haha!”

I gently massaged her back. It felt like giving someone a shoulder rub, which wasn’t surprising given how much she moved her tail in a day.

I bet Laila could give her a proper massage.

“Nyahaha…”

Under Leo’s watchful gaze, I massaged her sore ears and tail until she eventually passed out.

No surprise there. She was sleeping until just recently, and it’s late to boot. I bet she only lasted this long out of stubbornness.

“She sure looks comfy.” I yawned as I threw a blanket over Lieza. “Speaking of, we should also get some sleep.”

“Ruff.”

Leo curled up with her flank against the bed once more, making sure Lieza couldn’t fall off. I returned to my spot by the wall. The only sound left in the air was Lieza’s soft snoring. I brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

“Good night, Lieza. Sweet dreams.”

“Mmnnhh…”

As I drifted off to sleep, I found myself hoping that Lieza’s future held enough happiness to help her overcome the sadness of losing her Grampa a hundred times over.

Epilogue

Epilogue

THE next morning, I woke to a strange pressure on my arm. I had splayed out somewhat over the course of the night, and Lieza was now clinging to me as she slept. It took me a minute to realize there were faint tears slipping down her cheeks. Before I could raise a fuss, however, she started muttering under her breath. I could barely hear her say something about her grampa.

She might be dreaming about when she had to say goodbye to him.

“Grampa,” she sniffled.

“It’s okay,” I cooed. “I promise you’re not alone.”

Leo let out a soft whine, and I turned to see her nervously glancing from me to Lieza and back again. I wiped away Lieza’s tears, then tried to stroke her hair soothingly.

“Wowff,” Leo whimpered at me sadly.

Even though Lieza acted like she was all smiles and happiness with Tilura and Cherie, I knew that she had to be struggling deep down. No child her age could live through such poor conditions without being scarred.

I’ll have to hope that giving her a fun, joyous life now will be enough to make it up to her.

“Nnnh… Papa?”

“Oh, you’re awake?”

It didn’t take long for her eyes to open once Leo and I started talking in hushed voices.

She yawned. “Yeah…”

I chuckled. “You were up pretty late last night, so it’s no wonder you’re tired. Do you want to sleep in a bit?”

“No, I’m up.” She stretched, yawning again as she rubbed her eyes. “I wanna spend aaaaaaaall day with you and Mama!”

“That so? I guess we’ll get up, then.”

Looks like she’s determined to wake up.

She released my arm and slid off the edge of the bed, and Leo immediately licked her across the face.

“Worf, wuff!”

“Wah! I’m okay, Mama, promise!”

“Awoooooo!”

Leo seemed dead set on clearing any trace of salt from her face.

I’ll make sure she washes her face before breakfast. That’s a good, healthy part of any morning routine. Come to think of it, Leo woke me up by licking my face all the time when I lived in Japan…though back then, she was typically demanding food or a morning walk.

“Ruff, wuff!” Leo kept licking her face, happy to see her tears had stopped.

“Weaugh! Mama, you’re licking me too much!”

Despite Lieza’s laughter, I could see the film of fenrir drool covering her face.

“Let her breathe, Leo. And Lieza, please wash your face before breakfast.”

“Takumi?” I could barely hear Tilura’s muffled voice through the door. “Are you and Miss Leo awake yet?”

“Tilura?” I called back. “Come on in!”

“Yay! Good morning!” She skipped inside, eager as always.

Better full of energy than sick and lethargic, I’d say. Even Lieza seems to have woken up.

I smiled. “Morning, Tilura.”

“Ruff!”

“Hi, Tilura! Good morning!”

“Lieza!” Tilura’s joy quickly melted into confusion. “Um…why is your face wet?”

“That’s Leo’s handiwork,” I chuckled. “Tilura, can you help Lieza clean up?”

“Okay! Follow me, Lieza!”

Lieza nodded. “Come on, Mama, let’s go!”

Once the girls had left my room, I started getting ready myself. As I was shaving in the mirror, however, a rapid knock came at the door and I flinched.

“Mr. Hirooka! May I ask, are you awake?!”

Whoever it was, it was a man’s voice, and not one I was familiar with.

“Y-Yeah, I’m awake,” I shouted back. “Jeez, that hurt…” I peered into the mirror and grimaced at the small cut I’d made in my neck when the visitor startled me.

Today’s shaving ends in failure, I guess. That was almost six whole days without any accidents…

“Pardon the intrusion.” The door opened and a butler stepped inside. I recognized him as a member of the staff, but I didn’t even know his name. “O-Oh, my apologies. You were shaving.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I smiled as I washed the blood off my razor. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re in a hurry.”

Sebastian always comes to deliver news personally…I hope it’s nothing serious.

“Right, yes, of course.” He took a few deep breaths before bowing deeply with whiplash-inducing speed. “My apologies for my unprofessional entrance, Mr. Hirooka. I have come to report on the state of your garden—every last herb is dead!”

I did a double take. “Dead? Like, they just wilted away?”

“Yes. Er…I realize this may come across as an excuse, but it was simply too dark for me to see what was happening to the plants at night. When I checked them in the morning, it was already too late.”

That means we don’t know when exactly they wilted…

When I went inside after drills yesterday evening, I asked the servants to turn off the magic lighting used to illuminate the back courtyard. My reasoning was that the lights might mess with the plants’ natural rhythms, and I wanted to see how the herbs grew in purely natural conditions. Whatever happened, it had to have been overnight.

It wasn’t necessarily an issue that the gardens failed, especially because we gleaned some useful information from them, and I could freely grow more. The sudden wilting also had to be connected to Herb Cultivation somehow. The pattern was too similar to what we’d observed during the day for it to be unrelated.

“First off, you can relax,” I assured the butler. “Those were specially grown herbs, so I’m not surprised they wilted. I’m not going to blame you.”

“H-How generous of you, Mr. Hirooka.”

“Now, did all the herbs die, or only some?”

He shook his head. “Only the ones that were fully grown yesterday. The sprouts are still growing.”

“Huh…interesting.”

Does that mean the sprouts took all the soil’s nutrients or something? No, if that were the case, some of the sprouts would’ve wilted, too. What in the world is happening in the garden?

“I’d like to see for myself.”

The butler nodded. “Of course.”

Just as we were leaving, we ran into the girls on their way back to the room.

“Is everything okay?” Tilura asked me.

Leo looked from me to the butler and back. “Ruff?”

“Is something wrong, Papa?”

Jeez, look at me rushing. I was about to walk off without saying anything to them. I’d even forgotten how much the cut on my neck hurts.

After explaining the butler’s discovery, the five of us headed for the garden together.

Leo sure seems disappointed we’re not going for breakfast right away… She can wait a few minutes. First, the herbs.

🐺 🐺 🐺

AS we stepped out into the back courtyard, I noticed that Sebastian was already there.

“Ah, Mr. Hirooka!”

“Hey, Sebastian. I wasn’t expecting to run into you here.”

“I was informed much as you were and wasted no time in coming to investigate.”

Right…there were two butlers on watch, so the other must’ve run to inform Sebastian.

The senior butler crouched to inspect the herbs. “Interesting…indeed, they’ve completely wilted.”

The older herbs had wilted away almost completely, but the newer herbs around them were in perfect health. They seemed fully mature and ready to be picked.

Sebastian bowed deeply to me, and the other butler followed suit. “My sincerest apologies, Mr. Hirooka, for mismanaging your garden to such an extent.”

Why are they apologizing?

“I don’t think it’s your fault at all,” I told them. “They didn’t grow naturally, so I’m not surprised they died unnaturally, too. I can always just make more.”

“Thank you, Mr. Hirooka. You are truly too kind.”

“Anyhow, what do you think made the older plants die like this?”

“According to the men on watch, there was no large or obvious change. Surely, they would have spotted anything of that caliber even in the moonlight.”

Logically, the plants had to have withered slowly throughout the night, and it was hard to believe there was an unseen force at play.

“Yeah, I agree…but what could’ve caused this?”

Sebastian shook his head. “Who can say? I will admit, however, it’s curious how only some of them were affected. What could have caused only yesterday’s batch to perish?”

“I don’t know. It probably isn’t a nutrient issue, or else all the plants would be worse for wear.”

“Agreed. It seems the only theory we have is that your Gift somehow prompted this.”

“That was my thought, too.”

While Sebastian and I chatted, the girls and Leo wandered off and started to play. No surprise there, honestly.

Sebastian pursed his lips thoughtfully. “May I share a theory with you?”

“Please do.”

“It’s nothing more than a guess, with no evidence as of yet. Consider this—if an herb can grow so quickly, is it not feasible that it would die quickly as well?”

“I guess so.”

“Plants, like all forms of life, have a limited lifespan. While the herbs you pick die and act as they normally would, those left to grow rapidly age until their natural death.”

“That would make sense.”

Some flowers naturally wilt after blooming, or after bearing fruit or seeds. Trees could live much longer, but even they die in due time. If the herbs continued to grow on their own at the same rate, that would explain everything, including why the herbs looked bigger and less ideal for medicine. Until we had proof, though, we couldn’t rule out other environmental factors or missed cues that might have killed the older plants instead. The amount of water given didn’t seem to affect the outcome between the sample groups, either. Sebastian’s theory was currently the best we had.

“What about the new plants?” I asked.

“They’ve grown quickly, and thus, there is a chance they will meet the same fate as the others. The one difference I might note is that the new plants seem to be growing more slowly.”

“I think you’re right. That means we just have to keep watching them until something changes again, right?”

“Are you prepared to accept that these may also wilt?”

“Yep. This was just a test, so I was prepared for them all to die from the very beginning. I just hope we’ll get some clues so the next batch will do better.”

Sebastian nodded. “So we watch the herbs until they wilt.”

“Exactly.”

I’d love to see how long it takes to wilt. They might make new sprouts as well.

With that, we decided to leave the garden to the butlers on watch, and the five of us headed inside the villa for breakfast. On our way, we ran into Claire.

“Oh, Takumi! You’ve all seen the garden, yes? Did you discover anything new?”

“Not really, but we’ve got some theories.”

I bet she was going to check out the garden herself.

With that, Sebastian and I explained the state of the experiment as we walked towards our breakfast.

🐺 🐺 🐺

“PARDON the intrusion.”

After breakfast was eaten and the morning batch of herbs had been grown and picked, I returned to the butlers’ office to meet with Claire and Sebastian. Given that I was told not to bring Anrinnelesse, I assumed it had to do with Herb Cultivation. Leo and Lieza were having a conversation when I left, and Laila agreed to watch over them.

Claire smiled warmly as I stepped inside. “Thank you for coming, Takumi. I have a few things I’d like to discuss with you about the planned herb farm.”

Yeah, no way Anrinnelesse should be here for this, I thought as Sebastian urged me to sit.

“Firstly,” Claire began, “I’d like to say that Anrinnelesse is trustworthy enough to tell about your Gift soon, but not yet. I’d prefer it if she didn’t hound you to marry her, and I’m afraid she’d do just that if she were to learn your secret now.”

“Perfectly sensible,” I agreed. “Unfortunately, I think she might not have given up on me yet.”

She proposed as soon as she figured out Leo was my friend, after all, and she’s plotting something to become Lieza’s ‘mama’. If she found out I have a Gift…well, it doesn’t take a genius to put that together. Even saying no to her face couldn’t get her to give up… She could probably keep a secret, though.

“Now that we’ve covered that,” Claire continued, “Sebastian can take it from here.”

“Gladly, milady.” He cleared his throat. “Though the initial patch of herbs have all wilted, the fact that they were able to reproduce first is a promising sign. That brings us to the Lange garden project.”

He’s right. As long as the overall population keeps increasing, we can sustainably grow them.

“According to your agreement with His Grace, you are only obligated to produce herbs for the store in Ractos. As we are asking for increased labor, we must reassess your services.”

We didn’t sign a contract back then, so I guess this makes it official. I’d much prefer a proper legal document to a verbal agreement.

Claire spoke next. “I’m aware you’ve only just started your experiment, and it’s not clear if you’ll succeed, so for now we’ll assume you’ve succeeded in growing them to some extent.”

“That makes sense.”

This will only matter if we succeed in cultivating them, of course, but it’s better to hash the details out early.

“I am aware we discussed purchasing farmland, but I am beginning to suspect we won’t need a large plot to succeed.”

Claire nodded. “Exactly. Unlike produce, it’s better if we limit our production somewhat.”

Fair enough. If we flood the market with herbs out of nowhere, there’s no telling what might happen to the local economy.

We had already discussed how the production of some extra-valuable herbs like loe had to be limited, both to keep the price high and prevent sudden market shifts. The more we sold, the more chaotic the situation would become.

“Perhaps one day, we will have need for a larger facility,” Sebastian mused. “For now, however, I suggest we utilize the small clearing between the edge of Lange and the nearby woods. I believe it is far enough from the village entrance to be out of the villagers’ path.”

“That makes sense.”

I know that clearing, it’s just past Mayor Hannes’ home.

Last I checked, there was a small wooden fence blocking the area, since people rarely entered the forest from there. Lange itself was far enough off the main roads so as to avoid through traffic, and very few people seemed to move there. It would be possible to keep Herb Cultivation more or less a secret, privy to only a few select villagers.

“It would be easy to ship medicine from Lange to Ractos, then across the province,” the butler continued. “Theoretically speaking, that is.”

“How many herbs do you think you’ll need?” I asked.

Too much medicine is bad, but not enough would be even worse. All I know is that I wouldn’t be able to make everything the province would need with my Gift alone.

“Excellent question.” Sebastian paused to think for a moment. “I estimate we would need three—no, four times your current output per day.”

“To clarify, you mean that many times what I ship to Kales now?” I asked.

“Indeed. We would need that amount prepared and shipped to Ractos every several days. I’m afraid I would need to do more research to give you a more precise estimate.”

That would mean shipping out hundreds of plants each time… Honestly, that sounds reasonable enough. I could handle that.

Claire knitted her brow. “Originally, we thought we’d need no more than the area of the back courtyard.”

“Really?”

“We realized that if sales are better than anticipated, we might struggle to meet demand. As such, we decided to push for slightly more land. I believe you and Father mentioned that before, didn’t you?”

That’s a fair point. The individual herbs are small enough to grow there without any trouble, but if people get too used to the ‘endless’ supply of medicine, we might hit our production cap sooner than we thought. I want to be extra thorough with our supply, especially since the Yugard store fiasco. At least this is still less work than I was afraid of.

“Ideally, I’d avoid this contract talk altogether,” Claire admitted.

Sebastian shook his head sadly. “On state-held land, yes. But as we are using village land, we must proceed by the book—or by the parchment, as it were.”

That’s fair, since we’ll be using their land for a while. You don’t need a license to have a home garden, but you do if you want to sell your vegetables…even if we’re dealing in medicine, not food.

“What’s the situation around Lange as far as land ownership rights go?” I asked. “Where I was before, almost all the land was owned by somebody.”

That was the main obstacle left to us. In Japan, it was almost impossible to tell if any given plot of land was even owned privately or publicly, and failing to purchase land when the chance arises can put it forever out of reach.

Then again, that’s rural Japanese property law. They probably go by different laws here, so we’ll have to check that situation first.

“Land rights?” Sebastian blinked at me in confusion. “Did you perhaps come from a country where land could be privately owned?”

“Er…yes, I did. Anyone could buy and own land, and up to a point, they’re free to do with that space as they please. You didn’t even have to live in it, since you could rent parts of the property out to others. Property tax was a hassle, though, so I’d assume it wasn’t always the easiest option.”

I knew that there were a lot more intricacies to Japanese real estate law than that, but having never owned a place of my own, I didn’t know much about it.

I do remember hearing a bit about property tax, though. Some land isn’t fit for leasing, but since the owner still pays taxes, it can be a real hassle to deal with… You couldn’t even abandon it because that might cause more legal trouble. I’m not sure I would’ve wanted to own land in Japan even if I had been able to afford it. I guess they don’t have a system like that here.

When I finished my explanation, Claire and Sebastian glanced at each other.

“That sounds quite strange,” she finally said.

“Strange indeed,” he agreed.

“You don’t have that here?” I asked them.

I wonder how they run things here?

“All land is owned by His Majesty the King,” Claire explained. “There are no exceptions.”

“Huh…okay.”

“Of course, that also means there’s far too much land for him to manage alone.”

“Makes sense.”

Even if the king happened to be a genius, managing a whole country alone was impossible. It would have to be delegated to others at some point.

“As such, each noble house is given a parcel of land to preside over, which is what defines nobility within our kingdom. All nobles, without exception, manage their own land.”

“Nobles are just landlords, then?” I asked.

Sebastian nodded. “In a sense, yes. Those who borrow land are required to pay taxes to their lord proportional to the amount of land borrowed. Most of the time, such borrowers are village headmen or town councils, who tax their people to pay His Majesty. Everyone pays taxes to those above them.”

“Interesting… How does it work for my taxes, or from Nick’s, since he works for me?”

“Your taxes are deducted from your income,” Sebastian told me. “The same applies to Nick’s income and is accounted for by an intermediary. Even this very villa is under Ractos’ jurisdiction, and thus owes the city taxes.”

I don’t know if the information is recorded anywhere, but would that mean I’m legally a resident of Ractos?

Their description gave me a decent idea of the taxation structure in the kingdom as well. Nobles gained their main income from property taxes, and the commoners who borrowed said land could run businesses or farms to generate revenue of their own. Since I’d heard the nobles could freely decide the tax rates, they had to weigh their taxation income against the effect higher property taxes would have on the economy. Higher taxes meant fewer people would be borrowing land to start businesses. Sebastian added that all taxpayers were required to report all taxes paid, whether it was to the duke or an intermediary landowner, and that ensured nobody was lining their own pockets along the way.

I think feudal Japan functioned similarly to that.

From the sound of it, there were plenty of ways for the system to be gamed for profit, but I tried not to think of it that way. If it worked for them in this world, I wasn’t about to complain.

“On that note,” Sebastian continued, “we would like for you to be the official lessee of the land in question.”

“Me?”

I only learned how land ownership works here thirty seconds ago! It’s not very much land, granted, and nobody lives on it, so I won’t have to worry about collecting taxes… I guess if my only revenue is from herbs, I could probably manage.

“We are well aware you have much to learn about this country and how it functions,” Sebastian continued. “As such, I will have one of the villa’s butlers accompany you to see to administrative matters. I have seen to his training personally, and I guarantee he will see you through all possible issues.”

“Uh…okay.”

I get a butler? If the guys working here are any indication, I’m sure he’ll do well. Heck, I’d feel safe leaving everything to him. I’m just not sure if I’m the butler-having kind of guy.

“There’s no need to worry.” Claire smiled at me reassuringly. “House Libert has the lowest tax rate in the country, and you earn more than enough to pay it.”

“N-No, that’s not what I was worried about. I just don’t think I should have a butler. I’ve always been on the receiving end of orders. What if he won’t do what I ask?”

I’d never gotten promoted when I lived in Japan, not once. The closest I had was younger or less experienced coworkers.

“Oh!” Claire giggled. “That’s what you’re worried about.”

Sebastian chuckled. “Forgive me if I overstep my bounds, Mr. Hirooka, but as a butler myself, I promise that any man would readily work under you.”

Does he really think that? It’s a little weird that I trust his words more than I do myself, but I guess I can try.

Mischievous nature aside, Sebastian was one of the best, most diligent workers I knew. I had no reason to doubt him now.

Huh… I came to this world hoping to kick back and relax, but I wound up as a property manager with a personal butler. There’s Lieza, too. I’ve really filled up my plate. At least time feels like it moves slower in Lange…hopefully that means I’ll have time to relax.

“I take it you have no further questions about the contract?” Sebastian asked.

I shook my head. “Not now, no.”

With that, Claire explained that because our agreement involved the leasing of land, we needed a formal contract. They didn’t have anything for me to sign yet, but they wanted to let me know ahead of time.

“I will gladly field whatever inquiries you may have until then,” Sebastian told me.

“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.”

I appreciated having more time to think the plan over carefully before I signed anything.

There’s nothing I need to ask now, but I’ll make sure to go to them if I have questions later. It’s also interesting to know butlers have employment contracts, too, though they’re probably more forgiving here. Even if I take the job, I refuse to overwork myself again. I haven’t seen any sign that working life here is as predatory as it is in Japan, but I’ll do everything I can to keep my stress at manageable levels.

Sebastian cleared his throat. “In that case, we shall draft a proper contract once we see the results of your growing experiments. Is that acceptable?”

“That works… Though I do have one question.”

“By all means, ask away.”

“It doesn’t have anything to do with the contract directly, of course, but…shouldn’t Eckenhart be here? Where is he?”

All land in this province was supposed to be held and managed by Eckenhart, so it felt wrong to talk about this without him.

Is Claire close enough to decide, or something?

“Don’t worry about that,” Claire told me. “We’re still only in the planning stages, and I’ve already received verbal permission from Father. There’s nothing wrong with a little brainstorming. Father is probably absent on purpose so I can have more practice with administration. This contract should be very straightforward.”

Beside her, Sebastian nodded.

Is this like a test for her? The conditions are pretty ideal—she won’t be nervous, and I won’t cause problems if something goes awry. I did the same thing for new hires back in Japan. Sure, Sebastian has been doing the bulk of the talking, but that’s probably because she’s learning this too. She seems to have a decent enough grasp of it, so as long as Eckenhart’s given the okay, I can’t complain.

When I was a wage-slave, I never could’ve imagined leasing my own land… Most of this is thanks to my Gift, not anything I’ve done, but it still goes to show how life can surprise you.

I still had Lieza as my top priority, but the garden felt like the least I could do to repay my debt to House Libert and help as many people as possible.

Looks like I won’t just be lounging around with Leo for a while yet, I thought as I left the office.

Side Story: The Adventures of Anze the Shut-In

Side Story: The Adventures of Anze the Shut-In

IT began on a day like any other.

“Takumi! Yoo-hoo, Takumiiii!”

I had spotted Takumi in the hallway, so naturally I called out to him. He had finally returned to the villa. When he turned around to look at me, however, he immediately grimaced. I assumed something unpleasant had happened on his outing.

Another day, we were talking about herbs while he did his “compounding” or whatever he called it.

“Could you tell me about this plant, Takumi?”

“Uh, sure.”

I was direct and frank with him, the highest form of politeness, and he responded with a touchingly heartfelt description of the plant and its characteristics. Only Takumi ever speaks to me this kindly. Well, maybe Claire does too, but I’ve known her since childhood, and it’s not fair to clump her in with the rest of the world.

Time passed, and another chance presented itself.

“Ah, Takumi! What a coincidence.”

“Oh…hi, Anrinnelesse.”

He had been walking slowly and quietly past me down the corridor, but I detected him effortlessly. My guess was that he was headed into the back garden for…whatever it was he did out there with the butlers.

I wonder if something happened out there?

Another day, another time.

“Hello, Taku—ergh. I-I didn’t notice you had Miss Leo with you.”

“Ruff?”

Unfortunately, I had failed to notice the creature until after I called out. Takumi insisted she wouldn’t harm me, but that was little consolation against a beast of her size. Perhaps it was simply the way she carried herself. I would love to pet her the way Takumi does, but my hands shake simply from being in her presence.

One day, I spotted a glorious opening.

“Taku— Oh, Lieza! H-Hi there, I won’t hurt you!”

“NO!”

I had thought I finally had a chance to feel that gloriously fluffy tail of hers, but she inexplicably retreated behind Takumi as soon as she heard me. I couldn’t begin to fathom why.

“Er…Anrinnelesse?” Takumi ran a hand through his sensuous black hair. “Even if you didn’t have hair shaped like weapons, Lieza won’t like you if you charge at her with that crazed, bloodshot look in your eyes.”

“Ah. O-Of course.”

Well, I never! I may be panting heavily, but that is a sign of respect. A lady’s eyes are never bloodshot!

It nonetheless stung to have him chastise me with such amusement in his voice, so I swore never to do so again.

Then, one day, it all finally came to a head. Breakfast had just finished, and I was presented with the perfect opportunity to ask Takumi about his plans for the day.

“Takumi, might I ask—”

“Anze!” Claire hissed at me. “You’ve been hounding Takumi far too much lately. Can’t you tell he’s busy?! Honestly, I’m jeal—er, shocked you’re getting away with it!”

“Please, Claire, there’s no need to be so rude. I simply wish to be at dear Takumi’s side. You can surely understand that, can’t you? If so, there’s really no reason for you to be so annoying.”

Me, a problem? Impossible.

Takumi had advised me to talk to all manner of people to figure myself out. There was nothing wrong with starting with him, was there? I couldn’t be a nuisance if I was doing what he asked me to.

“Honestly!” Claire sighed, then turned to Takumi. “Go on, tell her. Tell her how irritating you find her!”

Claire, you naive fool. He would never side with you! At least I have the courage to approach him instead of swooning at him from a distance. I genuinely want nothing more than to be at Takumi’s side. After all, he…er. I’m sure I have reasons, even if I can’t recall them at the moment.

Sure enough, Takumi laughed. “O-Of course she’s not irritating. I have noticed that she follows me around a lot, though.”

There—that thin smile again. It had to be for me.

“I-I only follow you because Miss Leo always walks beside you!” I protested. “Lieza doesn’t seem to want me near her, either.”

She always hid behind Miss Leo at the first sign of me, yes, but that was because she was shy. There was no way she hated me, of course, but I respected her needs. I swore to never again let Takumi see me with bloodshot, manic eyes again. Of course that meant I had to stay behind him.

“See, Claire?” I proudly stuck out my chest. “Takumi says I’m not a problem!”

He was smiling and laughing, so he was clearly happy to have my company. Even I knew that much about men, despite having had no significant prior experience.

“He’s being polite.” Claire rolled her eyes. “Takumi is a busy man, Anze. He can’t have you distracting him constantly.”

“I wouldn’t say she’s distracting,” he protested. “I’m used to being followed. Leo does it all the time, remember, and so does Lieza.”

Leo cocked her massive head to the side. “Ruffa?”

I’d love to debate her down, b-but not with Miss Leo looking at me like that.

Takumi sighed and shook his head at her. “I know it’s different now, but that was the case all the time before.”

I wonder, how does he make sense of her nonsensical howling? I would’ve thought she just declared her intent to swallow me whole.

“You really shouldn’t beat around the bush with her,” Claire whined at Takumi. “Look at her, she’s smiling more than usual! Anze is only this positive when she’s plotting something!”

Well, I never! I do not “plot”!

“What has gotten into you?” I hissed at her. “I would never plot harm against you or anyone you hold dear, and I hardly deserve such vicious slander!”

Claire blinked. Finally, she had returned to her senses. “E-Er… I suppose so.”

She keeps glancing at Takumi… I could use this.

“Did you not try to say earlier that you were jealous?” I asked her. “It sounds to me as though you simply can’t handle my and Takumi’s budding relationship! You’re positively green with envy, aren’t you?”

Claire flushed bright red. I had hit a nerve.

“Wh-What in the world are you saying, Anze?!”

Takumi looked at her worriedly. “Uh, Claire? Is that true?”

“O-O-Of course not! I would never, ever be jealous of Anze!”

Claire’s life would be far easier if she were more honest. I see the way she looks at him when she believes nobody will notice. Any savvy noble—no, any woman could see it. Nothing she can do will secure his favor in the long run, of course. He and Miss Leo are destined to help me rebuild House Bastler!

I smirked. “Oh, my dear Claire. If you’re not jealous of me, there’s nothing for you to complain about, is there?”

“W-Well…maybe… B-But this still isn’t fair!”

I could see I had shaken her resolve, but in response, she only doubled down.

Why must she be so stubborn?

“You’re so busy, though. Don’t you have work to do?”

“That goes double for you! You’re supposed to be studying, so how do you have the time to stalk Takumi all day?!”

“Th-That may be true, but…but…!”

I fumbled for an excuse. Against all odds, she had bested me at my own game. I had almost completely forgotten I was supposed to be preparing to run my father’s domain. Worse, His Majesty declared Claire was to be my tutor.

There has to be something I can do!

“Th-That’s hardly relevant, is it?” I finally stammered. “Why should that prohibit me from being with Takumi? You always try to spoil my plans!”

“I spoil your plans?!”

I could tell that we were both on the verge of boiling over, but that was no reason for cowardice.

Surely I can convince her to give up first!

I doubted either of us could even understand our own words as we squared off and began screaming insults at each other. My chest ached at the thought of the verbal violence I was inflicting upon my friend, a pain I knew she shared. Neither of us could afford to retreat, however, as that would mean having our time with Takumi curtailed.

“IF YOU DARE OPPOSE ME AGAIN,” I howled, “I SWEAR I’LL—”

“E-Enough!” Takumi’s voice cut through the chaos. “Both of you, calm down! T-Take some deep breaths, maybe?”

That was enough to return Claire—and myself as well, I suppose—to our senses. Not even Takumi himself could stop our feud, however.

“Wh-What’s going on?” Lieza looked at us with eyes full of terror. “Please stop fighting…”

Horror gripped my heart. “L-Lieza.”

Oh, no! Poor Lieza is already terrified of me for reasons I could never understand. If I give her a reason to hate me, I might never get to know her better! That would completely ruin my plan to endear myself to her as her new Mama and slowly whittle Takumi down until he accepts me!

“We weren’t fighting!” I lied.

“E-Exactly.” Claire nodded in hasty agreement. “We were simply, er, sharing our opinions of each other.”

“It was a misunderstanding, anyways. I swear that I would never argue with her!”

“R-Really?” Lieza’s ears were still flattened nervously. “Claire, Anrinnelesse…you both looked really scary.”

I don’t even mind that she’s playing it up so much. She said my name!

I tried to be calm. “Wh-What did you call me, Lieza?”

“I’m not scary,” Claire asserted. “Remember? We’re friends.”

Lieza sniffled. “Really?”

“I promise.” Claire whipped around, advancing on me until I physically could not escape. “Look what you’ve done, Anze.” Her voice was a low hiss. “You made a mess right in front of Takumi. If Lieza starts to hate you, you’ll never win her back.”

“Er…yes. You’re right.”

After a great deal of improvisation, Claire and I managed to convince Lieza that we were friends after all. We exchanged glances and shared a moment of relief.

I can appear to cooperate with her for now. I didn’t make as much of a scene as she did, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t feel sorry.

Nonetheless, the mood was completely soured and I could no longer casually ask Takumi about his plans. Claire left almost immediately afterward, and I resolved to leave as well.

This calls for a solitary strategy meeting in my room.

As I was leaving, I overheard Takumi, Miss Leo, and Lieza talking behind me.

“Ruff?”

“Good girl, Leo! Thanks for the help. I wish you’d found a way to intervene that didn’t involve using Lieza, but at least they’re calm now.”

“Thanks, Mama!”

“Wruff, wuff!”

Did Miss Leo tell Lieza what to say? No…the fear in her eyes was real.

I had questions, but there was no way for me to ask Miss Leo anything.

Sighing, I opened the door and realized Claire was lingering just on the other side. She had to have heard the same exchange I did. Our eyes met, and after a shared moment of silence, we both sighed once more. I returned to my room without another thought.

“They sound like they’re having such fun…”

I took a sip of my tea. A servant had prepared it for me as soon as I was back in my room. After I finished reflecting on the events of the dining hall, I opened the window and listened. I could hear Miss Leo, Lieza, and Tilura playing together if I was quiet.

“If I were to leave this room, could I join them?”

I looked out the window at the cloudless sky beyond. I knew I wouldn’t be able to see anyone from this angle—they would have to be right beneath my window for that.

“Come to think of it, why don’t I hear Cherie’s voice? I know I’d recognize that adorable sound any—hmm?”

I was interrupted by a scratching at my door.

Who could that possibly be? They don’t have a servant or something who claws at the doors, do they? I know they tend to knock, though, and I doubt they would disturb me soon after I asked to be left alone.

I crept to the door. Fear was beginning to well in my chest.

“Wh-Who is it?”

“Arf! Wawf!”

“Cherie? Is that you?!”

“Awoo!”

There was no mistaking it. Her barks were higher-pitched and cuter than Miss Leo’s, and the scratches likewise felt more justified. I sighed with relief as I opened the door.

“Wawawff!”

“Wah! Cherie, don’t leap at me like that! You startled me half to death!”

“Arf, awf!”

“Aww, you just wanted attention, didn’t you?”

Luckily, I managed to catch Cherie as she leapt at me, and I nuzzled her blissfully. Cherie never failed to put a smile on my face. It admittedly hurt a little when she launched herself into my chest, but I couldn’t let even her see me weak.

Why is she here? Shouldn’t she be with Claire or Miss Leo? I suppose I see her wandering the halls often enough… What is my life that I can see real fenrir walking the same halls I do? It’s impressive, albeit not on the same level as Miss Leo’s presence.

I sat on the floor so we could better talk. “So, Cherie? What brings you here?”

“Arf, awruff! Awf!”

“Of course…I can’t understand you.”

She was asking me for something, that much was clear, but I had no idea what.

Might Claire fare better here? I’ve seen her and Cherie talking in the past.

“Wawf…?” Cherie’s ears dropped and her tail stopped wagging.

Did I upset her somehow? Takumi mentioned he could tell what Miss Leo was thinking from how her ears and tail moved…perhaps that applies to Cherie as well? Could she be upset that I can’t understand her? That must be it.

“Arf, rawf!” Cherie suddenly sprang up and licked my face.

“Wagh! Cherie, you mustn’t slobber on a lady!”

She looked up at me sweetly. “Ruff, uwuff?”

Is she perhaps worried about me?

“Surely you haven’t come to cheer me up, have you?”

“Rawff, arf!”

Cherie began to wag excitedly. Her tail kept hitting me with surprising force, but I gladly stomached it for the sweet pup.

“You’re a sweetie, Cherie. Thank you for coming to see me.”

Cherie grinned, tongue lolling out. “Awuff!”

Perhaps I can understand Cherie, after all?

“Why spend time on me, though? I thought you preferred Claire or Miss Leo.”

“Rawf, wawauff!”

“…I’m sorry, that made no sense to me.”

“Waff…”

It was my imagination after all.

My best guess was that Cherie thought I would be upset after the unsightly dispute I had with Claire. The one possibility I could rule out already, however, was that Claire sent Cherie to me on purpose.

Ah, well. It doesn’t matter. I had already reflected on it and accepted it, but Cherie has healed my scars.

“Wawf?” She turned to the window, ears flicking attentively as she cocked her head to the side. I was half-convinced she played up her cuteness on purpose at this point.

“Curious about them, are you? It does sound rather enjoyable down there.”

On a whim, I stood and carried Cherie to the window. Cherie angled her head towards the fresh air excitedly.

“Arf! Arf!!”

Surely this time.

I reached towards the window, but before my fingertips even passed the threshold, I began to tremble. Winded, I took a seat again. I was still quivering with shock as I took a sip of tea to calm my nerves. Finally, I could breathe again. I sighed.

“Wawf?”

“I’m sorry, Cherie. I’m afraid the outside world is still more than my nerves can handle.”

“Awff…” She sweetly licked my shaking fingertips.

“Are you concerned about me? Hehe…thank you, sweetheart.”

I smiled as best as I could, but as my gaze dropped into my lap, I thought back to what I had done.

“How could I have been so cruel to Takumi?”

Claire was wrong. I hadn’t been pestering him at all. Takumi had to care about me on some level, or else he never would’ve visited me so soon after arriving at the villa. He looked at me and treated me as a proper equal. Whether it was my fate as a young noblewoman or the upbringing my father allowed me, I had never been talked to with such honesty and compassion. Mother was the only one who treated me like that, aside from Claire and His Grace. I barely even spoke with Father, as he seemed far happier when I was out of sight and out of mind. The servants feared him outright—I’d heard tell of staff members being infirmed as a result of his temper. Perhaps it was for the best, then, that he refused to so much as meet my gaze after Mother’s passing.

“This is the only place I’ve felt safe since,” I muttered to myself. “My country of one.”

Cherie looked at me, confused. “Wawrf?”

I giggled. “Since we’re alone, I may as well tell you about myself. Will you listen to me, Cherie?”

“Rawff!”

Talking to Cherie would achieve nothing, but I hoped it would make me feel better. Nobody else would hear or understand what I told her. She couldn’t spread my secrets if she wanted to.

“This is a story about my mother, many years ago, before she passed away.”

Cherie settled into my lap more comfortably as I dove back into old memories.

Mother was a gentle soul with the soft smile of a saint. She was like me, stoutly ignored by Father, and I never left her side. My oldest memory is of her, standing in the back garden as the breeze tickled her hair.

“Awuff?”

“I got my hair from my mother. Isn’t it gorgeous?”

“Rawf! Awff!” She swatted at one of my curls.

“No, sweetheart, you mustn’t attack my hair.”

Honestly, to think she would interrupt me mid-recollection!

I continued my tale by recounting all the other wonderful memories I had in that garden. Every chance I had, I would run outside and Mother would watch me play with such peace in her eyes.

Then, one day, Mother had to leave me. She was originally the daughter of a neighboring province’s nobility, and she had returned home for a short visit. I was invited to come along, since I was very fond of my grandparents, but I refused the invitation. I can hardly remember why now—perhaps there was no reason at all, just a childish whim. Perhaps I wanted to wait for Mother in that garden, to be there waiting when she came home. Sadly, I never saw her again. A chance carriage accident on her journey back robbed the world of her kindness.

I remember finding out, that horrifying moment when I realized how frail human life is. When word of Mother’s death arrived home in her stead, I was already outside, the first to greet the messenger. I was one of the first to learn of her passing.

Frankly, I could hardly remember what happened next. I must’ve been in horrible shock, as the next thing I knew I was in my bed, sobbing into a tear-drenched pillow. I screamed and cried until I finally tired myself to sleep. Once I woke up, I remember convincing myself that Mother was somehow still alive, and that it was all a mistake. Even attending her funeral wasn’t enough to convince me she was truly gone.

Time passed, until I realized the wind that blew in the garden was now hollow and fake. It was as though Mother herself was begging me to let her go, even though I knew with certainty now that I was alone. It finally sank in that I would never see her smile or hear her laugh ever again. That was the last thing I remembered—apparently, I had collapsed and a servant brought me back to my bed. I slept for more than a day.

The court physician told me once I woke up that I was physically fine, but ever since that day, I found myself unable to cross the threshold into the garden. Father looked at me differently after that. It was a look not of pain or loss but of sheer apathy, the same expression he had worn at Mother’s funeral. That was when I learned that no matter what anyone told me, I was alone.

Cherie whined sadly. “Wawf?”

“Hehehe! You’re right, Cherie. I’m not alone now because I have you. Thank you, sweetie.”

“Awuff!” She snuggled against me once more.

Leaving my room presented no issue at all. I was more than willing to make the move from Father’s mansion to His Grace’s care. The agent His Grace had sent to help me escape Father was apparently ordered to extricate me by force if necessary, however, and I was in fact securely bound and gagged when I was tossed in the back of the escape carriage. That was one grudge I would never forget.

At any rate, I only struggled to enter enclosed outdoor spaces, which was essentially only gardens. His Grace and the other staff seemed to overgeneralize my condition, believing I was some sort of recluse. In reality, I was simply trying to project strength, as a future countess should.

As I finished my tale, I let out a heavy sigh.

“I must admit, it does feel a little better to have confided in you. Promise not to tell anyone, okay, Cherie?”

“Awuff!”

So even if she could talk, my story is safe with her…she’s too sweet.

From outside, I could hear the voices of Takumi and His Grace join the fun. A pang of envy struck my heart as I looked to the window. The gentle breeze from the window seemed almost inviting.

“Do you suppose I’ll be able to join them someday?” I wondered aloud.

“Arff, wawff!” Cherie nuzzled me reassuringly.

There was no way for me to know what she said for certain, but her feelings came across clear as day.

“Thank you, Cherie. Will you still be with me when I take my first steps out there?”

“Awoo!”

With my mind set at ease, I gazed out the open window at the sky and tipped back my tea in comfortable silence.

One day, I’ll be out there too. I’ll invite Cherie, Lieza, of course Takumi…and I suppose Claire, too. One day—

Afterword

Afterword

THANK you for picking up the sixth volume of Takumi and Leo’s adventures. I certainly hope you enjoyed it. The new character this time around is Lieza, who finally introduces the beastkin I’ve wanted to write about since the first volume. I’ve always thought of foxes as the definitive animal girls, so after weighing my personal preferences, hopes, and desires (especially desires), I decided on a fox. I sincerely hope I was able to write her at least as cutely as Leo and Cherie.

Only one question remains—will Anrinnelesse finally get along with Lieza or not? Frankly, I think it might be fun to have them never properly get along, but only time will tell.

Now, I would like to take a moment to thank everyone involved in the production of this book. Thank you, Ririnra, for your wonderfully fluffy drawings. The only issue is, I keep smiling so hard my cheeks might fall off (does that still count as a compliment?). I would also like to thank Hana Ichika for their wonderful work on the manga adaptation. Leo and Cherie are every bit as fluffy in manga form, so feel free to check that out if you haven’t already. Just between us, Claire and Laila are both pretty cute as well. Finally, I would like to thank my editor, N, and the rest of the staff at GC Novels for all the work they have put in to get us all the way to six volumes. Thank you so much, folks.

One last thank-you goes out to my readers who’ve supported me since this was only a web series, as well as all those who have taken the time to read this far.

I hope to see you all in the seventh volume!

Ryuuou, March 2025