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~Chapter 15~
“Lady Ratson, do you wish to play with Grandfather?”
Edmund smiled kindly, completely misunderstanding the situation.
“…Yes.”
Elodie forced herself to answer, suppressing the violent urge to deny it.
If she didn’t make up some excuse like that, she was sure the moment she pulled out her hammer, it would be confiscated—and then she wouldn’t even be able to use her healing ability, weak as it was.
The duke raised an eyebrow with a grumpy expression and muttered,
“Pointless.”
“Is that really the best answer you can give?”
Edmund sighed—and was promptly punished for it.
“Ow!”
Elodie watched as the boy’s soft cheeks stretched and his face contorted in pain.
Didn’t the doctor say he’d live another fifty years?
If that’s true, he’d be the oldest living person in the world.
Of course, the duke looked not only robust but exuded an overwhelming presence.
To maintain that physique at his age was no small feat.
Then why did he die?
Sure, anyone can die suddenly, but…
The man who looked like he could survive the apocalypse by sheer will alone, dying of sudden causes five years later? Suspicious.
Usually, in these cases, someone messes with the food.
“Then…”
As Elodie began to speak, all eyes turned to her.
“Let’s shtart by re-chekking what you eat. (Let’s start by checking what you eat.)”
“Checking?”
Elodie nodded.
She didn’t dare say aloud that someone might be trying to poison him.
How could she explain knowing something like that without sounding suspicious?
Since Edmund had kindly come up with the “doctor game” excuse, she had no choice but to use it well.
“If you wanna live long, you gotta eat well!”
She put her hands on her hips like a doctor scolding a stubborn patient.
The duke, who had seemed impossible to ruffle, made a face like an old man dealing with nonsense.
“If it goes in my mouth, that means I eat it. Kids these days…”
Well, he’s got a point!
For a moment, Elodie almost felt a sense of kinship.
Maybe because he was once a war veteran, there was something in him that resonated with her—the soul of someone who had lived like a rat.
People should be grateful they even have food. These days, everyone’s too spoiled.
She herself had once been so hungry she snuck into a garden and ate flower pollen—only to almost get caught and killed by a cat.
Of course, she couldn’t say that out loud, so she just shook her head.
“No. We gotta check evwything you eat. And make a proper meal pwan. (No. We have to check everything you eat and plan meals by nutrients.)”
“My word.”
“One by one, we hafta check carefully. I’ll do an inspection later.”
Edmund, still rubbing his sore cheek, chuckled.
“Grandfather, you’d better listen to the doctor.”
“……”
The Duke of Valkyrisen silently looked down at Elodie.
Like he was observing some strange creature.
Then, with a sigh that said he couldn’t be bothered, he muttered,
“Just once.”
When they arrived at Valkyrisen Castle, every single gaze turned toward Elodie.
“Lady Ratson?”
“The daughter of that Ratson family?”
“The Ratson child? The one who went missing?”
“It’s true. She looks just like her portrait.”
The barrage of attention made Elodie burrow herself into Sera’s arms.
I didn’t know I was this famous.
Then again, of course she would be.
The High Chancellor’s only daughter disappearing? That was bound to be a huge scandal.
I just didn’t know because I was in Terranolia.
There probably wasn’t a soul who hadn’t heard of it.
And now that she was alive and standing here, of course people were astonished.
But…
To Elodie, being the center of attention was terrifying.
A rat being “noticed”?
That was the same as a death sentence—get ready to die soon.
Sure, I know I’m a person now, but still…
After living fifteen years as a rat, it wasn’t like she could suddenly switch her mindset overnight.
Her hands and feet trembled, and her eyes darted around searching for a hole to hide in.
“Elodie?”
Sera glanced down, startled.
Elodie was stiff as a board, cold sweat dripping down her face.
“When did this start? You didn’t say anything! Should I call a doctor—?”
Before she could panic further, Elodie tugged on her sleeve and shook her head.
“It’s not sickness. Just… too many people.”
In truth, it was the fear that any of these people might try to kill her.
But she didn’t want to make Sera worry, so she left it vague.
“I’ll get better soon.”
Sera fell silent for a moment, as if piecing together the truth behind her vague answer.
“Elodie, can you close your eyes for me?”
She gently rubbed Elodie’s eyelids.
When Elodie unconsciously obeyed, Sera cupped the back of her head and tucked it into her arms.
“Cover your ears and count to one hundred. When you’re done, all the scary things will be gone.”
“……”
“I’ll hold you like this until you say you’re ready.”
She really is too kind.
Even without a proper explanation, she understood immediately.
How could someone have empathy like this?
To Elodie, Sera was nothing short of a miracle.
A literal angel come down to earth.
Even in her panic, Elodie couldn’t help but gush inwardly. She raised her hands and covered her ears.
Being treated like a child was mildly annoying—but there was no way she could reject Sera’s kindness.
“One… two… three…”
As she began to count softly, Sera stroked her round little head affectionately.
Hearing her voice, Edmund glanced back.
When he saw Elodie nestled into Sera’s arms, he immediately understood what was happening.
Then his sharp gaze swept over the servants and knights who were secretly watching.
“Sir Haulf.”
“Yes.”
The huge knight, whose massive frame could easily cast a shadow even over Edmund, hurried to his side.
“No matter how cute she is, staring like that is rude. You’re scaring her.”
“…My apologies. But why am I the only one being scolded?”
Everyone was staring, after all.
Haulf muttered under his breath, but Edmund looked up at him as if to say, Do you really not get it?
“Because you have the most intimidating face.”
“……”
“Your stare alone could terrify a child.”
“…You didn’t have to emphasize it twice.”
“Tell your knights to back off. And no more moving in packs.”
But wolves are supposed to move in packs…
The gray wolf beastman, Haulf—the commander of the Silver Knights—drooped his ears and tail in defeat.
“Yes, sir.”
Then another knight, who had been smirking at Haulf’s misfortune, jumped in eagerly.
“I’ll personally escort Lady Ratson safely, my lord.”
“You?”
It was Leopold, the lion beastman commander of the Golden Knights—leaner than Haulf, but equally muscular.
Edmund gave him a once-over.
Leopold tilted his chin up confidently, flashing sharp fangs in a grin.
“You’re no better.”
“……”
“Doesn’t a smile like that usually make children cry?”
“No way, I’m handsome.”
“…My apologies.”
Even after his quick apology under Edmund’s cold glare, Leopold muttered reluctantly,
“What if I say I’m a cat instead…?”
“Do you think that would help?”
A child who’d lived her whole life as a rat, and he wanted to tell her he was a cat?
Edmund shot him a look that said idiot, then turned away.
“Beastmen of the predator clans are not to approach Lady Ratson for the time being.”
