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Chapter : 17 Isn’t It Fine? (2)
“Name?”
“Yes, a name. If we’re going to keep it, we should give it a name.”
“Why do I have to do it?”
I tilted my head. Ah, this big head. Even a slight tilt made it feel like I’d lose my balance.
Mother looked quite flustered.
“Then… can I name it instead?”
“Hm?”
“Eh?”
We’re speaking the same language, right, Mother…?
Thinking she had misunderstood me, I quickly added,
“I mean… shouldn’t it already have a name?”
It didn’t look like a newborn baby or anything. I thought that was quite admirable, but it seemed my parents had a different opinion.
“I would like to be with it, but it’s just… cute and pitiful, and I just wanted to help because it looked like it was in pain….”
“Oh dear, we made a mistake….”
“If it heals, it can go back. Someone might be waiting.”
If there’s somewhere to return to, it’s better to go back.
I just wanted to help the dog, not keep it.
“Our Shana… you really don’t have any greed, do you? You even said you don’t need a knight.”
No, the subject is a person. How do you “take” a person?
“I do want to be rich, though?”
I’m not actually without greed.
“Shana is already rich. Daddy has a lot of money! I’ll give it all to Shana.”
“Mom has plenty too. Of course, it’s all Shana’s.”
Hearing them confidently say they were rich, it seemed they really did have a lot of wealth. A proper daughter might say, “That’s your money, not mine! I’ll carve my own path!” but…
If they’re offering it, is there any need to refuse?
Of course, it would be best if my parents lived long, long lives with me. Receiving inheritance was fine, but I didn’t want it to be an inheritance.
“I want to be rich, but it’s fine if Mom and Dad are here.”
“Shana.”
“Shana….”
My parents reached out as if they were about to hug me tearfully, but I firmly said, “No.”
Too much hugging in this house.
“The dog seems fine now since Shana already healed it.”
“Ah.”
“Then we can send it off right away, right?”
“…Th-that’s not it.”
Just let me smell it a little longer.
My parents’ expressions turned mischievous. They looked like they were clearly planning to tease me, which was annoying, but even knowing their intentions, I…
‘I can’t act tough… this is frustrating.’
I want to stay a little longer.
“Hm? Didn’t Shana just say it could go once it’s healed?”
“You said it yourself, didn’t you?”
“Ehh, uu….”
These people are seriously—
“Then we should send it right now. Should we wake the dog?”
“No! Don’t! It’s… it’s cold…!”
“Dogs have fur, so they don’t feel cold as much as humans. You can’t judge beastfolk by human standards.”
“Ugh…”
“And nights might be easier for it to move than daytime.”
“Uu….”
I had found the dog at noon when I went out for a walk after lunch. I had taken a nap, then had dinner.
The winter sun sets early, and I had only been watching the dog while spending time with my parents before bed.
And they were saying they’d send it away without even letting me keep it for a night?
“Since Shana said it should be sent, should we put it near the fence where it’s easy to leave? Here, give it to me.”
“No! Seriously! Mom is mean!”
Is teasing kids that fun?!
Because I had already said certain things, I couldn’t retract them easily, and I didn’t even have time to think of a good excuse. I just ended up whining under their relentless teasing.
At times like this, I feel like my mind is lagging behind my body.
If I were an adult, I would have handled this more calmly. I could have admitted I was just pretending to be strong, or honestly said I wanted to stay with it a little longer.
And I probably wouldn’t have gotten this worked up over such childish teasing…
But just as a young body holds a young mind, my immature brain sometimes shook my emotions like this.
‘Even that feels unfair and frustrating…’
Give me back the rationality and patience that endured four years of overwork until collapse…
I covered my eyes with my hand and shook my shoulders.
“Uu… uuu….”
“Ah, Shana.”
“Did we go too far?”
Hmph.
“I’m not crying.”
“…My daughter is really quite strong-willed….”
Mother muttered with complicated feelings. If I weren’t her daughter, I might have hit her.
“But you were mean for teasing me.”
“Sorry, Shana. You’re just too cute.”
Mother obediently apologized.
Now what am I supposed to do with that?
“Since Mom and Dad were mean, I’m sleeping with it today.”
“Ah, that’s…”
“It’s not dangerous.”
I firmly cut off my father’s hesitation.
“You saw it! Its belly was all full and it was drooling!”
“….”
“How is that dangerous?”
If that thing is dangerous, then nothing in this world is safe.
My earnest persuasion, a bit of guilt, and the dog’s completely harmless, limp appearance finally made my parents step back.
‘Alright, Shana. Just don’t separate it from you.’
‘What is it?’
‘Well… this.’
Before I went to sleep, Mother placed a necklace around my neck.
Since she was so serious about it, I thought it might be something special and asked about it.
‘It’s nothing much.’
That was the vague answer I received.
Suspicious. Saying it’s nothing makes it even more suspicious.
It was a simple necklace with a sparkling blue stone. The chain looked like it was made of gold, and it was short, probably adjusted for a child so it wouldn’t wrap around my neck while sleeping.
“It’s pretty… but…”
It’s ordinary?
It looked like something you could find in a busy marketplace in my past life.
“Oh my, Lady Shana. What is that?”
Maria asked.
“Yes, Mom gave it to me.”
“May I take a look?”
“Okay. But I can’t take it off…”
Since it had been put on, it wouldn’t come off no matter how I tried. Maria bent down gracefully and examined it closely.
Maria is incredibly flexible.
“This is… as expected from the Duchess…”
“What is it? Is it good?”
“It’s not just good. It’s an extremely valuable item.”
Maria exaggerated with both arms.
“It just looks like a stone though?”
It’s not even a gem.
“It is a stone, but it has multiple layers of protective magic. It would be priceless.”
“….”
“You could probably buy several castles with this.”
Several castles… are on my neck?
Suddenly, the necklace felt unbearably heavy, as if it might drag my neck down.
I wanted to take it off immediately, but I couldn’t remove it by my own will. Seeing my distressed expression, Maria grinned.
“You don’t like it? Or is it because Lady Shana wouldn’t be satisfied with just a few castles?”
“Don’t tease me! It’s too much…”
“Of course. If you just ask the Duke, he would buy you anything.”
“I don’t need it!”
“Haha. So modest.”
I really don’t need it.
“Don’t worry about it and sleep. You must be tired today.”
“Mm, no…”
“Which is it?”
“Both… kind of…”
Maria laid me down and placed the puppy beside me on a cushion. It was so small it nearly disappeared inside it…
‘Still not waking up.’
How tired was it? Should I feed it more? Should I wake it?
Maria gently stroked my forehead.
“Oh my, your voice is dripping with sleep.”
“It’s time to sleep… so…”
Honestly, it had been a very exhausting day.
Crying was seriously draining. Especially since I had cried thinking so much about Mina after a long time, I was more exhausted than I expected.
Even after a two-hour nap, I wasn’t fully recovered, and after dinner and a bit of arguing with my parents, I nearly collapsed in the bath.
But I endured!
“The dog… I petted it….”
“Yes, yes. Play with it tomorrow to your heart’s content.”
“Doggie…”
The sensation of soft fur, warmth, and squishy texture still lingered in my hands.
It was addictive. I kept wanting to touch it again.
My first addiction in my three years of life…
“Little one. Wake up.”
“…Huh…?”
A low, gentle voice seeped into my sleep.
“Are you awake?”
“Eek?!”
I shot upright. Realizing I had never heard this voice before, chills ran through my body.
“It’s hard to see your face, isn’t it.”
“W-who…?”
“This way.”
It was by the window. Shrouded in darkness, I couldn’t see who it was, but it was definitely a man. I looked around—but the puppy that should have been beside me was gone.
Maria? Ella? Bailey? Mother and Father…?
“You won’t be able to see them in the dark.”
“Who are you!”
“You’re spirited. You used to barely blink before…”
“Huh?”
“It was quite difficult getting permission from the Duke and Duchess just to come see your face. Even though I said it was to retrieve my companion, they wouldn’t listen…”
When was “before”?
The man kept talking to himself without giving me a chance to speak. His deep voice sounded quiet, but he was surprisingly talkative.
“You healed a beastfolk.”
“…Who are you…?”
“Why did you do it?”
Because…
“Because it was hurt.”
What other reason do I need?
Wasn’t that enough?
Anyway—who the hell are you?
