Chapter 32
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Chapter 32
Hata was a dog-kin, but an incomplete one at that.
She couldn't hide her ears and tail, nor could she transform into a fully bestial form.
It seemed she had become a dog through some sort of potion.
"Hata wants to stay by Lichesia's side too. I'm not going to run the shop anymore!"
I thought she was just speaking carelessly, but she meant every word.
'This troublesome mutt...!'
How did she dare crawl into this place?
My head throbbed because of the dog that had crawled in through the serpent's mouth.
Chesa calmly set down the teacup in her hand.
In that moment, Karha was already on his feet, snatching up Hata without hesitation.
"Hmm..."
Karha sniffed intently at the dog, his nose twitching.
"I feel like I've smelled this before, but then again maybe not. It's confusing."
There had been a moment in the garden before when Hata and Karha had nearly crossed paths.
Fortunately, Count Rudin had arrived with an imperial decree just in time, allowing Hata to escape.
'He said she smelled like a dog back then too.'
He remembered a scent he'd caught only briefly.
'Could Karha be a dog-kin as well?'
Chesa harbored a moment of suspicion.
Meanwhile, Karha brought his face close to Hata, only to be struck by her tiny paw.
"Ow!"
Ishuel burst into uncontrollable laughter at the sight of Karha being hit.
Karha's cheek bore the imprint of the dog's paw pad as he scowled in annoyance.
"I'm taking this thing and throwing it out."
"Why? Let's play with her a little longer."
"Only if you're willing to get hit by the dog too."
The twins bickered over the dog.
Hata seized the opportunity and slipped free from Karha's grasp.
She bounded down and scampered straight toward Chesa with rapid pitter-pattering steps.
"Yip!"
Her small head bonked right into Chesa with a soft thud.
Her tiny tail wagged with unbridled enthusiasm.
She couldn't contain her joy at seeing Chesa.
Without thinking, Chesa reached out and stroked the dog's head.
She gently ran her fingers through the fur and plucked away the grass leaves clinging to her face.
Then she felt a gaze upon her and lifted her head.
"..."
The twins were staring at Chesa with unwavering intensity.
Both of them watched without blinking, which startled her.
Ishuel tilted his head curiously as he asked.
"Do you like the puppy?"
Karha plopped Hata right on top of Chesa's head.
The soft belly pressed down against her skull.
"Want to keep a dog?"
"...Pardon?"
For Chesa, who had been scheming nothing but how to chase Hata away, his words struck like a bolt from the blue.
But the twins had already jumped to their conclusions.
"Don't babies usually like things like that? Little dogs and such."
"Right. A bit scruffy, but it should be fine once we wash it."
Ishuel spoke with the gentle smile of an older brother.
"Our little sister wants to keep a puppy, so as her older brother, I can certainly do that much."
He played the part of a caring younger sibling despite being young himself.
Chesa, who had let out a quiet laugh moments before, suddenly realized the situation was spiraling in an unexpected direction.
'Wait... is this turning into a situation where we're keeping Hata?'
I had expected the noble household to immediately cast out a stray dog of unknown pedigree.
Hata's arrival, which I had anticipated would end as a mildly amusing incident, was unfolding in an entirely unexpected way.
"The puppy is fine, really."
"Stop worrying about our feelings."
"All I need are awesome older brothers like you two!"
The puppy perched on her head let out a startled yelp, but she ignored it.
The twins' eyes widened simultaneously.
Ishuel murmured in shock.
"She's so concerned about our feelings..."
That's not it at all!
But the twins' misunderstanding had already solidified.
Karha declared with a serious expression.
"Let's keep the dog."
***
Unfortunately, Kieran returned home early that day.
The twins and Chesa, who had been waiting in the Reception Room, rushed out at the news of his arrival.
As he handed his hat, coat, and cane to the butler, he smiled at the children clustering around him, then raised his eyebrows upon spotting the puppy.
"Welcome home, sir."
Chesa greeted him with unusual formality.
Kieran chuckled and asked.
"Chesa, what is that?"
His crimson eyes fixed upon her.
Chesa revealed the small puppy cradled in her arms.
Though the puppy was no larger than a fist, Chesa herself was scarcely bigger, so she held it filling her entire embrace.
It was an unwieldy size for a child, yet Chesa held it carefully and securely.
The puppy in her arms must have been terribly uncomfortable in such a position, yet it remained perfectly docile.
Chesa spoke in the most disinterested tone she could muster.
"A puppy..."
His eyes narrowed to slits.
The twins chattered noisily from either side.
"Father, our little sister wants to keep the puppy. It rolled into the Garden while we were playing."
"The baby and the dog have already become incredibly close, so please let her keep it."
Ishuel calmly explained the situation while Karha spoke as though the permission had already been granted.
Caught between them, Chesa looked up at Kieran while still holding the puppy.
The puppy, feigning innocence, gazed at Kieran and let out a small bark.
"Woof!"
Kieran stared at the puppy in silence.
'Tell it to go outside!'
Chesa desperately screamed in her heart.
Kieran's eyes crinkled with amusement as he glanced at Chesa.
Why was that?
In that moment, Chesa felt as though he had seen through her reluctance.
'I'm doomed.'
Like the twins, Kieran—whose hobby was tormenting Chesa—grinned wickedly.
"If Chesa wants to keep it, then she should keep it."
"Hooray!"
"Perfect, right?"
Karha and Ishuel congratulated her from the side.
Kieran bent his knees before Chesa with an infuriating smile.
He gently pinched her cheek and spoke with gentle insistence.
"Still, you must love your father more than the puppy."
"Yes..."
And so Chesa found herself unexpectedly keeping a puppy.
***
Having safely entered Chesa's Room, Hata bounded about with unbridled joy.
The ribbon Ishuel had tied around her neck fluttered as she pranced around the room, then rolled across the floor in front of Chesa, begging for affection.
"Lichesia!"
"A dog that can speak..."
"Oh, I'm sorry! I'll bark properly now."
Watching her whimper and whine as if nothing had happened, I couldn't help but sigh.
I sighed deeply and asked Hata a question.
"Did you drink the potion?"
"Yes!"
Since the potion was crafted using the power of a beastkin, Hata could neutralize its effects whenever she wished.
She could return to her human form immediately if she desired.
"If Hata stays by Lichesia's side, I'll be able to support you better!"
Hata spoke with an eager, puppy-like expression, saying she could offer encouragement too.
I had nothing to say in response and simply sighed again.
Since things had come to this, it seemed worthwhile to investigate the Basilian Count Estate together.
'There were aspects of the investigation that were difficult to manage alone, after all.'
I was in the midst of revising my plans considerably, arms crossed, when—
Hata crawled over and tapped me lightly with her front paws.
"By the way, Lichesia."
"Hmm?"
"Have you finished preparing for the ball?"
"...Oh."
"What dress will you wear? Please wear the hat I made!"
Now that I thought about it, the ball hosted by the Ibroyel Duchy was drawing near.
'It's time to try on clothes?'
Considering that one typically prepares everything from hair to shoes before a ball, I was already running a bit behind.
'Something feels off.'
Sure enough, a problem had indeed arisen.
That evening.
I dined with the twins.
Hata, who had scampered after us, was given delicious food to eat beneath the table.
Normally I would have watched the twins bicker with each other during the meal, but today was different.
"It's pathetic..."
Ishuel trembled with rage and slammed his fist against the table with a loud bang.
"Pathetic!"
As he erupted in anger, Karha calmly replied while cutting his meat.
"Why."
"You saw the clothes that arrived today!"
"I did."
"Wear that pathetic rag? On this noble body? Such vulgar attire?"
Apparently, the clothes I had ordered from the Costume Shop had arrived today, but Ishuel was thoroughly displeased.
Ishuel possessed a discerning aesthetic sense and took considerable interest in personal grooming.
That was why I had entrusted Ishuel with ordering all the garments for the House of Basilian to wear at the banquet.
Rather than the Costume Shop we used in the Eastern Region, I had placed a new order with the one in the Capital—
And it was utterly disappointing.
Before Ishuel, who was ranting and raving, Karha swallowed the meat he had been chewing and spoke.
"I think it's fine. Let's just wear it and go."
"Drop dead!"
Ishuel brandished a fork.
Karha defended against his twin brother's assault with the knife he had been using to cut meat, clinking it repeatedly.
After exchanging dozens of strikes and parries in the blink of an eye, Ishuel cried out again.
"How am I supposed to wear that! And my sister has to wear a dress! Do you want to see her disrespected at the banquet in rags?"
"...Well, having the little one disrespected would be troublesome."
Karha suddenly grew serious as well.
He set down the knife he was holding and, after contemplating gravely, spoke up abruptly.
"Actually, I know a decent hat shop."
Ishuel asked with an expression of complete disbelief.
"Where?"
"It's called Hata's Hat Shop."
Karha grinned and made the suggestion.
"It's in the Underworld. Want to go?"
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org