TBSOOC 14

Chapter 14

“All children are lovable, aren’t they? Especially our young lady.”

“…Umm…”

Dahlia looked completely unconvinced.

That wasn’t surprising. All the children around her age had been in similar situations.

“In fact, we also have a much younger sibling with a big age gap. No, …rather, we had one. I think that might be why I feel this way. Ah! But that doesn’t mean I see you as a replacement for that child!”

Had… not have…

That probably meant…

“S-Sara, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that. I was wrong…”

Not only had she doubted Sara’s kindness, she had also forced her to recall a painful family memory.

Seeing Dahlia apologize, Sara said nothing in return and simply pulled her into a tight hug.

“You’re so emotionally delicate…”

Dahlia, unused to anyone’s touch, flinched—but gradually melted into the warmth.

When was the last time she had been held like this so safely?

A familiar, nostalgic warmth rose in her chest.

…I want to see Mom.

The face that came to mind was her mother’s—lost forever in an accident two years ago.

And Grandma…

She wondered if her grandmother was okay.

The grandmother who had chased after Dahlia had been knocked down by the white shark beastmen’s attack.

Her knees were already weak—what if her health had worsened because of that?

But there was one major reason Dahlia couldn’t go see her.

When she tried to bring it up with the Clan Head, she had been refused outright.

A huge truth Dahlia had been overlooking.

A hint had been hidden in The History of the Kingdom of Flyzella.

Wars between beastmen had a long history.

But after the gods became enraged during the Red Sea War 500 years ago, a peace treaty was established.

Even so, small conflicts continued endlessly.

It was like cracks forming in an ice wall.

It looked strong on the surface, but it was already close to breaking at any moment.

Right now, orcas and sharks are exactly like that!

The moment the balance of power tilted even slightly…

Crack!

Peace would shatter like breaking ice.

And those sharp fragments would pierce everyone, regardless of race.

The year I died…

The sharks had finally finished preparing for war over more than a decade.

All for victory.

They procured war supplies through ruthless, merciless means.

Plundering weaker species like sea otter beastmen was part of it.

They did not hesitate to take lives when necessary.

“Put anything that can be used as meat shields in the front!”

“Yeah, make sure they’re still alive. They’ve got no combat ability anyway—won’t last 30 seconds, kekeke.”

“Hey, you idiot sea otter! Stop standing around and bring more alcohol!”

Even before the horrific slaughter began, their eyes had gleamed with excitement—something Dahlia would never forget.

If she returned to the sea otter tribe now…

They wouldn’t spare me—or Grandma.

And even if she returned, nothing would change as long as sea otters were beneath the white sharks.

Misery would repeat. Tragedy would continue.

As long as they were preparing for war, sea otters would be sacrificed.

But there was a way.

I just have to stop the white sharks from starting the war!

Their past ten years of activity were easy to read.

Extorting weaker tribes, buying development lands, mining valuable ores…

Gathering money, gathering weapons, and then…

There was something extremely important…

Something about a god… or something like that.

It was classified top-secret even among them, so her memory was blurry.

But she had clearly heard it.

That without “it,” the shark beastmen could not win the war.

Dahlia tried desperately to remember. Her head began to ache.

Then something briefly flashed through her mind.

Ah! Right! It was something like… the god’s holy—

Click.

“Lady, it’s time for your snack—oh.”

Dara stopped at the doorway, surprised.

“Ah!”

“H-huh.”

Startled, Dahlia quickly slipped out of Sara’s arms and fixed her wrinkled skirt.

“Lady and… Sara…”

Dara looked genuinely shocked—and somewhat hurt.

Her narrowed eyes darted between Sara and Dahlia several times.

Oh no… does she think I stole Sara from her?

Sara and Dara were the only people in this household who were kind to Dahlia.

The thought of being disliked by one of them made her chest ache.

She was about to explain that it wasn’t what it looked like—

“Lady!”

Dara suddenly spoke up in a slightly sulky voice.

“D-Dara, i-it’s a misunderstanding! I didn’t mean to steal your sister…!”

“Please hug me too!!”

“…Huh?”

“I want to be hugged by the lady too! Why does only my sister get it? I have a chest just as warm and fluffy as Sara—no, even warmer!”

“W-whaaat?!”

“Come on! Hug me too, Lady. I guarantee I’m even softer than Sara!”

An unexpected turn of events.

Dahlia stared up at her in confusion.

I thought she was jealous…?

Regardless, Dara already had her arms wide open.

Oh well!

Might as well try it.

Dahlia jumped from the bed straight into Dara’s arms.

“Haa, so cute… Our lady is so soft and squishy, like a jellyfish!”

“I-I’m not jellyfish…”

Dara spun around while holding her tightly.

The world spun along with them, but it actually felt like a fun amusement ride.

“Lady, can I nibble your cheek just once?”

“N-nooo!”

So there was an ulterior motive.

As expected of a carnivorous predator with a huge appetite—she meant to go “just one bite!”

“Hoho. Even if you cover your cheeks, your chubby face is still spilling through your fingers~”

Dahlia covered her flushed cheeks with her tiny hands and called for help.

“S-Sara, save me! She’s trying to eat me…!”

Behind them, Sara watched with a smile she tried hard to suppress.

“Oh my, that’s serious! Before our lady disappears, I’d better take a bite too.”

“Eeeeeh! Sea otter help!”

And so the nursery filled with laughter for a while.

Knock.
Knock knock.

“Ennio, I’m here.”

Dahlia waited in front of the study at the appointed time, but there was no response.

She carefully tried the doorknob.

It’s not locked?

It seemed Ennio had not yet returned from the academy.

“Maybe he’s busy because of exams…”

She considered leaving—but decided to wait a little.

Definitely not because she wanted to shamelessly eat snacks.

Especially that sea grape water jelly. That one was truly something special.

Chewy, sweet, and incredibly addictive as it slid down her throat.

“Hehe… I really want some…”

Dahlia swallowed her saliva and entered the study.

Ennio’s personal study was enormous.

She remembered him saying she could revise if she arrived early.

But she didn’t want to study alone, so she wandered around instead.

“Wow, this is like a library…”

Beyond the large table she had sat at yesterday, tall bookshelves lined the room.

Rows upon rows of books filled them.

Most of them were boring academic texts she wouldn’t read even if she were paid.

“This one’s a no. Too boring. Any fun picture books maybe?!”

It didn’t make sense that there wasn’t even one fun book in such a huge collection.

Ennio must have been a child once too. Surely he had read colorful illustrated stories.

Dahlia moved deeper into the shelves.

“Found it!!”

Just as she thought.

In the deepest corner, a bookshelf covered in dust.

And there it was—the “colorful book” she had been searching for!

She pulled one out and blew on it.

A cloud of dust filled the air and went straight into her nose.

“Achoo!”

Only after sneezing could she finally open it.

“The Child Who Walks the Waves”

The letters were large, and there were beautiful illustrations.

As she flipped through it in admiration—

“Ah…!”

A page suddenly slipped downward.

At first she thought the book was damaged, but it turned out to be a bookmark stuck inside.

“Phew… I almost got scolded by Ennio again.”

She decided she should ask permission before borrowing it.

As she picked up the fallen bookmark, her hand suddenly froze.

“Wait… this isn’t a bookmark…”