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chapter 36
The reason I named the squirrel “Cherry” was because of that.
There was a faint, pleasant scent of cherry.
It wasn’t that I sensed mana from the start.
“I knew it was a beastman long ago.”
It started at the cabin I tracked while following the trail of the clock thief.
Beyond the thin plank that could barely be called a window, I clearly saw the shape of a human.
For some reason, it vanished quickly, so I couldn’t confirm it fully.
Inside the cabin, only a dazed, unconscious squirrel remained.
So it was easy to guess that the thief squirrel was the same figure reflected in the window a moment ago.
“A squirrel beastman living alone in a secluded mountain.”
Recognizing the squirrel’s true identity wasn’t difficult.
It was probably the squirrel beastman the royal family had been desperately searching for.
Perhaps the heir of a declining marquis family?
Why the royals would need a noble with only the family name left was suspicious, but it wasn’t Kenich’s concern.
What mattered to him was the squirrel’s utilitarian value.
During a time of unbearable headaches, a single touch from the squirrel cleared his mind, giving him a sense of comfort he had never felt before.
And when he came to—
“I… fell asleep?”
Even in the Kreuz Castle, the so-called dragon’s nest, he couldn’t sleep peacefully.
Yet, with just a gesture, he had lost consciousness and drifted into sleep.
Kenich could only laugh bitterly.
At the same time, he knew he had to get that squirrel by any means necessary.
And, as always, thought swiftly turned into action.
“All beastman tracking magic and mana inspections show no relevant readings.”
Yet the doctor at Black Dragon Castle repeatedly returned the same results.
“No chance of a beastman.”
He had confirmed with his own eyes that it was a beastman, yet not a speck of mana could be detected.
He couldn’t understand why.
But the squirrel before him was enough to make his dull, monotonous life more interesting.
“Chuuut…!”
The squirrel always effortlessly surpassed Kenich’s expectations.
Not only had it stolen Kreuz family heirlooms, it had also escaped Black Dragon Castle.
And more than that, it had risked its own body to save him.
A trivial creature, unable to humanize, barely flailing its hands in the air while speaking.
Yet, it was impossible to look away.
The first time he sensed mana was one day he jokingly asked the squirrel to sing a lullaby.
From under its tiny palm, the cherry scent slowly rose, calming even its own unruly mana.
Though only a small amount, he could even feel the mana moving.
It was a situation he could hardly believe, even seeing it with his own eyes.
Mana normally flows from weaker to stronger points.
A squirrel the size of a fist stronger than a black dragon?
He scoffed, but strangely didn’t feel bad.
It was almost admirable how it stole his mana little by little, like stuffing acorns into its mouth.
And from that day,
Mana began to sprout from Cherry, like a flower that blooms only at night.
Though it vanished in the morning like smoke, that was fine with him.
Each morning, catching the faint cherry scent left behind was quite enjoyable.
“But…”
Cherry now gave off the disgusting stench of a certain Astra.
“You reek of tiger cubs.”
“Chuuuk…”
Before he could ask for details, the tiny body flapped helplessly, gasping sadly.
He couldn’t bring himself to question it forcefully.
“Today, I’m going to kill that tiger cub.”
That thought dominated him completely.
No matter how many times he considered it, the outcome remained unchanged.
The problem was how.
Since that cursed tiger set foot in Black Dragon Castle, Cherry hadn’t even faced Erzin from close range.
Not once.
Unless accompanying him, Cherry couldn’t leave the bedroom.
The spy who came under the emperor’s orders might have plotted some scheme.
Kwang—!
While slowly retracing his thoughts, swords clashed again.
This time, a bit more force was applied, and the knight commander was pushed back, dragging dirt with his feet.
“Hah… hah…”
The commander panted heavily, yet his breath didn’t reach Kenich’s ears.
“How did they even meet?”
When, where, and why—Kenich’s mind was flooded with questions about them.
As the thoughts gradually painted a picture,
Thud—!
A deafening sound filled the training ground like a gunshot.
At the same time,
With a sharp metallic ring, the commander’s sword flew into the air.
He was seen being pushed to the corner of the ground amidst a cloud of dust.
“Huh, commander, are you okay?”
“Finally…”
Though the subordinates ran to support him, the commander’s face looked rather relieved.
He had nearly died, but it allowed him to escape the hellish duel.
“You overdid it. Let’s end today’s training here.”
As Kenich retrieved his fallen sword, he announced the end of the session.
“Ke-Kenich…!”
That’s when he noticed Gerard’s empty hands.
A little earlier, in the corner of the training ground:
“Chut, chuuut.”
That had been my escape method.
Carefully extending one arm toward the sky, my gaze met Gerard’s.
“Ah! Cherry, when did you take your arm out of your pocket again?!”
“Chut.”
Above that foolish snake.
My finger slid past Gerard, pointing even higher.
Specifically:
[Hehe, alone today?]
It was Bishop, sneering with an excited voice.
Since Kenich started the duel, he had been circling above me and Gerard, waiting for an opportunity.
[The bookworm who just sits at his desk is slower than the other demons.]
By bookworm, he naturally meant Gerard.
“Wow, he knows everything.”
[Of course. You’re probably next, heh heh.]
Settling in Black Dragon Castle, he must have observed the beastmen there for a long time.
Always ill and sitting at his desk, Gerard was probably considered easy prey.
Without Ria to protect me closely, and only that feeble snake nearby, this was a rare opportunity.
“What a silly bird.”
Though serpents are natural predators to some extent, comparing Gerard Viper to a normal snake is unfair.
Despite appearances, it’s the most dangerous venomous snake family alive.
Even within the Viper family, Gerard’s venom involves complex chemical reactions with no antidote.
“I only learned that recently myself.”
“Cherry, be especially careful around Gerard.”
“Chuu?”
“He may seem harmless, but he carries deadly venom. He won’t use it on you, but snakes can be foolish sometimes.”
These words came from Ria Viper, Gerard’s twin sister.
She even offered the priceless advice: “If you want to ignore him, aim for the thumb; it has no venom gland.”
Recalling my conversation with Ria, I slowly nodded.
“Gerard’s slowness comes from confidence. Still, I’m the one who provides peanuts.”
[What’s with that?]
Bishop sneered at me, raising one eyebrow arrogantly.
He folded his wings in half and leaned forward, signaling a serious attack.
“Uh, uh…?!”
Hiding deep inside my pocket, I silently rejoiced.
Finally, I was escaping!
