OCOB 45

Chapter : 45

The reason I couldn’t get proper sleep was simple.

“Hello, Leila.”
“Eek! Master, you belong to Hue!”
“Where did that come from? A master can have multiple pets.”
“No! Fox, go away!”
“Nope. I have nowhere else to go if I leave here~.”

It was because Eldora and Hue had been fighting beside me all night.

Meanwhile…

“Sigh… Have you caused trouble already?”

Millen had started looking at me as if I were a child left by the water’s edge.

I’d gotten a scolding until my ears were ringing last night about what exactly one could do to pick up a fox from the Viola mansion.

Still, I managed to persuade Millen.

First, I emphasized that Eldora sold rare ingredients. I packaged it nicely, explaining that this could help the cafe grow. I also said that Tonique would return after the tea party, so I was just preparing someone to work in advance.

Millen nodded, his face full of things he wanted to say. He too wanted to revive the cafe.

But unexpectedly, the real issue was Hue.

‘I knew hamsters are normally solitary animals…’

I hadn’t expected that to apply to foxes as well. Of course, it was entirely my fault. I had brought someone to live with us without permission from the people already living there.

I knew it was something I’d be scolded for, but I never expected Hue to resist so much. Hue was a round, soft, kind, and cute little hamster!

‘I thought they’d accept it if I said I picked up a homeless fox.’

Or maybe I thought Hue would listen because I was the senior…

I never expected Eldora to fight me so fiercely. And I didn’t expect that fight to last all night.

The cause of the fight, naturally, was Eldora.

He didn’t want to be apart from me. On the way from the Viola mansion to the cafe, he clung tightly to my side.

Whenever I seemed even slightly uncomfortable, he would briefly turn into a fox. Whenever I relaxed even a little, he’d return to human form.

The repeated transformations filled the carriage with fox fur.

I told him to stay in human form because I felt like I might develop rhinitis.

Eldora, however, clung to my side as if to prove a point.

And that continued into bedtime.

Eldora, naturally, wanted to share the bed with me. I panicked and Hue shouted that it was absolutely not allowed.

It was the first time I saw Hue so brave.

After a long struggle, the two quieted down at Millen’s appearance. Even Eldora couldn’t oppose the suddenly stern Millen.

Thanks to Millen, I finally managed to get some sleep…

“I’m sleeping here.”
“Eh! Get out!”
“Nope.”

Eldora, chased out of the room, quietly returned in fox form. And he curled up under my bed.

Hue, who was standing guard because of Eldora, went into a frenzy.

I was in a light sleep then. My head felt heavy with sleep, and beside me, the two kept struggling.

Eventually, I could only fall asleep after allowing both the hamster and the fox onto my bed. I couldn’t be mad—it was entirely my responsibility.

So I started the day under my own self-imposed debuff.

“…Energy at only 60%?”

Could I even survive today like this? I decided I needed to make a drink to recover energy. Unfortunately, it was only effective for two cups a day. Beyond that, it had no effect.

‘Maybe I could start at 80% if I do this right?’

Hmm, this is really troublesome… I racked my brain while standing still. Then something came to mind, and I immediately moved.

Rubbing my tired eyes, I headed to the kitchen where Millen was. He was preparing breakfast as usual, following his routine.

Even though it was earlier than usual, he was already in the kitchen.

I ignored Hue and Eldora rushing after me and spoke to Millen.

“Millen, do you still have the energy drink you gave me before?”

Millen turned to look at me. He scanned me carefully, then smiled slightly, lifting one corner of his mouth.

“That’s self-inflicted, Leila.”
“…I know.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“…Someone kept being scary to me.”

Try being threatened with your life—you’d be upset too.

I blinked and opened my eyes. Behind me, Eldora, in fox form, pouted and said, “Was I scary? Huh?”

Who’s really pathetic right now?

I laughed hollowly and sat down. Millen, amused, placed a simple toast in front of me.

It was a typical toast made with well-toasted white bread, ham, and eggs.

“Eat first. You’ll collapse otherwise.”
“I already feel like I might.”
“How can someone so weak even think about raising pets?”
“…I don’t know anymore.”

I wasn’t exactly regretful, but I wasn’t feeling indifferent either. I still felt dizzy from everything.

I took a bite of the toast weakly. The delicious taste seemed to revive a little energy. I started eating steadily.

Millen poured water and chuckled.

“If you eat like that, you’ll get an upset stomach. Today is important—do you want that?”
“No, I won’t. I can handle this without getting sick.”

I winked at him. Millen shook his head and continued.

“The potion I gave you back then is no longer available. I’ve run out of ingredients.”
“Ah… So if I had the ingredients, you could make it?”
“Yes, but they’re unavailable now.”
“What about Eldora?”
“The fox too.”

Eldora in fox form perked up his ears and hopped.

“What? There’s no ingredient I can’t get!”
“That only has meaning if you grow it yourself.”
“Hmm… then I can’t get it either. I can’t grow plants.”

Eldora lay beside my leg again, tail brushing it gently. Millen murmured softly, watching.

“Being Basha’s granddaughter, animals seem to be naturally drawn to you.”
“…Was Grandma Basha like this too?”
“She was worse. Even when I was right there, they came boldly…”
“And Hue?”
“Hue was picked up by Basha, just like you picked up that fox, Leila.”

‘Ah. So it’s genetic.’

Even that came from Grandma Basha. Truly a fitting character for the game.

I finished the last bite of toast and got up. Two animals followed me.

Millen spoke to them.

“You two stay here. I have something to discuss with her.”
“Hue too?”
“Yes.”

I looked at Millen, puzzled. He shrugged lightly and led Eldora and Hue into the kitchen. Surprisingly, Eldora obediently followed.

‘…Huh? Eldora can’t resist Millen at all.’

I should ask him later.

I cleared the table and quickly prepared to head to the Viola mansion.

Downstairs, Millen, Hue, and Eldora were in the hall. They exchanged glances for a moment, then focused on Millen. I followed their gaze.

“Take Eldora with you. I’ve trained him, so he’ll behave.”
“…Yes?”
“And I’ll come pick him up at the end.”
“Millen?”
“Why the question? If I’m here, I can take responsibility if you collapse.”

That was true. Today, if I mismanaged, I could collapse from the energy debuff just like at Freesia’s house.

Knowing Millen would take care of it felt… strange. I’d always dealt with things alone.

I nodded and left the cafe. Eldora followed behind in fox form.

“I’ll be back!”

Saying goodbye made the feeling even stranger. It really felt like the cafe had become my home, and I had a family.

I smiled faintly and climbed into the carriage Antonio had sent.

It was time to showcase the tea-party-exclusive drinks I had carefully prepared.