IPAHW 20

Even after turning into a little troublemaker and fighting for it, all I managed to obtain was a tiny amount of salt.

Still, that’s something.

For a tongue that had become accustomed to bland food, even a little salt was stimulating enough. The moment it touched my mouth, a thrill ran down my spine, and my entire body filled with happiness.

Without a doubt, salt is happiness.

Even in my previous life, I preferred savory braised chicken over sweet snacks.

It seemed that being reborn hadn’t changed my taste buds.

Of course, that didn’t mean I disliked snacks. I just couldn’t judge yet because I didn’t know what the snacks in this world were like.

The architecture and clothing are Western-inspired, so the desserts are probably from that side too…?

What could there be? Madeleines? Macarons? Brownies? There must be chocolate, right? Ah, why am I still so young…?

If they won’t even season my food properly, there’s no way they’ll let me eat sweet snacks. I fought to obtain salt, so I might have to fight once more to obtain sugar.

I need to become stronger.

Strong enough that I won’t feel ashamed even if I have to become a little troublemaker again.

I just need to become more shameless.

Salt and sugar are rewards worth fighting for.

Quietly, I made my resolve.

I’m not embarrassed. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I’m a real child.

Even if it was mortifying enough to make me want to die, that was only because I was acting too mature. The real problem was a child not acting like a child. Acting like a child wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t something to be ashamed of…

Whine?

“Ah! S-sorry, Ev!”

For a moment, I’d fallen into a reality check and gotten lost in self-justification.

If I didn’t regularly justify my actions to myself, the embarrassment would be enough to tear through several blankets.

At my feet, a puppy no bigger than my own foot looked up at me with shining black eyes. She was sitting quietly with her bottom planted on the ground, but her tail was wagging nonstop.

As soon as I hurriedly apologized, she rubbed her nose against my ankle as if to say it was okay. Her moist nose brushed against my skin.

Oh my god, this criminal assaulting my heart…

I covered my face with my hands before I could make a weird expression.

I’m so happy…

Farewell to the days of wearing squeaky shoes and strolling through the garden while holding Maria’s hand.

After lunch, Bailey had given us a small ball and a tug toy as presents. Naturally, both Evelyn and I had cheered. For some reason, Maria and Ella clicked their tongues as if they were disappointed.

When I threw the ball, Evelyn would scamper after it on those short little legs and somehow carry it back in her tiny mouth.

Her tail wagged so hard it looked like her rear end might take flight.

Maybe that was what a truly happiness-inducing sight looked like…

“Lady Shana, would you like to try tug-of-war too?”

Ella said as she carried a basket full of toys.

“I wanna! Wanna! Do it!”

“Let’s see… which one would be good?”

Maria spoke from beside me.

“Give her one that’s easy to hold. …Put down the one that looks like a whip.”

“You put down the one that looks like a gauntlet.”

What exactly were you two planning to give me…?

After bickering briefly, they seemed to reach an agreement and handed me a tug toy made from thick braided rope. It looked easy to grip and a suitable length.

Not that I know anything about dog toys!

The only thing I’d ever seen was that dog-training TV show.

The moment Evelyn saw the tug toy, her eyes sparkled.

Do you like it that much, my baby?

Smiling, I held the toy out in front of her muzzle. The instant she excitedly bit down on it—

“Hyaaah! Lady Shana!”

“Catch her, Maria!”

All I felt was my body tilting.

Huh? What’s happening—

Before my brain could even finish the thought, I fell over, and Maria threw herself beneath me to cushion my fall.

“…Huh?”

‘Huh?’ isn’t the issue, Lady Shana! That was dangerous!”

“Eeh?”

“Evelyn! How can you pull that hard!”

No, that’s literally what a tug toy is for.

Evelyn whimpered nervously and watched our reactions.

She had only given it a light tug, yet I’d nearly been launched into the air.

Actually, I felt like my body had briefly left the ground.

It happened so fast that I couldn’t be sure, though.

She’s that small… yet she can toss someone like me around with a casual pull…?

She was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand.

Amazing.

I like her even more now.

“Ev!”

“You’re her owner, Lady Shana. You need to scold her properly!”

“She’s awesome!”

“…Pardon?”

I ran over and wrapped my arms tightly around Evelyn’s neck.

“Super awesome! So strong! Incredible!”

“…Lady Shana… I’m strong too.”

“Me too…”

Maria and Ella awkwardly inserted themselves into the conversation.

Pretending not to hear them, I continued.

“She’s cute and strong! The best!”

Whine, whimper…

Tears shimmered in Evelyn’s black eyes as she licked my cheek.

Her drooping tail immediately resumed spinning like a propeller.

S-so cute…

“Actually, this was our mistake too. We shouldn’t have thought of Evelyn as an ordinary puppy. She’s so good at controlling her strength that we completely forgot. We’re sorry.”

Ella spoke.

Of course, it wasn’t her fault either.

Maria scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“Even though beastfolk are stronger than humans, babies aren’t usually this strong. Evelyn, you’re going to become even stronger as you grow. You’ll have to protect our little lady from now on, okay?”

“Little lady?”

“Our Lady Shana, of course.”

“I’m not a baby.”

“Of course not. Then you’re not a baby, you’re a little child?”

If I stopped her here…

That wouldn’t be very adult-like…

“I’m just Shana. Babies are the ones who lie down all day…”

“Didn’t you only start running around a few months ago?”

“…No…”

I can’t…

Act mature…

“Not long ago, you were still drinking Bailey’s milk! And it hasn’t even been that long since you stopped wearing dia—”

“Nooooo!”

Right, I am a child.

A child doesn’t need to act mature!

Clenching both fists, I charged at Maria and started punching her repeatedly.

At least, in my mind, I was punching her repeatedly.

Maria remained all smiles.

“My, Lady Shana’s fists are quite fierce. I think you’d make an excellent martial artist!”

“Stop teasing me!”

“I’m not teasing you!”

Maria really was infuriating.

While I huffed and puffed and pounded against Maria’s leg with tiny thumps—

(…I have to admit it…)

—Maria, still smiling warmly, suddenly turned around.

“Oh my, Lady Shana. The knights have arrived.”

“Huh?”

Stopping my punishment of Maria, I looked where she was looking.

If she said “knights,” that usually meant Uncle Lloyd.

But she said “knights”?

Behind Maria stood Ian and Leon, holding wooden swords.

Well, actually, only Leon was holding one.

Why did he have a wooden sword?

“Lady Shana, come here!”

“Huh?”

Maria covered her mouth as if she was about to die laughing.

Maria, your shoulders are shaking…

“Get away from Lady Shana right now, you evil—!”

Maria looked at Leon, who had shouted heroically while pointing a wooden sword at her.

…He kind of looks like the villain here.

Why did someone having fun look so mean?

“You evil woman!”

Apparently unable to think of another word to describe Maria, Leon settled for the very simple label of “woman.”

He probably wanted to say things like evil kidnapper or evil bandit.

The problem was that Maria looked kind and adorable.

“Hello, little knights.”

“Step away! Release Lady Shana!”

“Oh my, what misunderstanding is this? I’m not holding Lady Shana captive.”

I was the one clinging to her and hitting her.

Maria kept smiling and repeatedly added dramatic little “Oh my!”s as she teased Leon, who had suddenly appeared and pointed a wooden sword at her.

Leon widened his eyes, completely confused by the situation.

And I…

Awkwardly stepped away from Maria.

Behind him, Ian let out a deep sigh.

“W-What’s going on?”

“Leon.”

At my call, the bewildered Leon looked at me.

I took a couple of steps away from Maria and pointed at her.

“Victim.”

“…”

Then I pointed at myself.

“Perpetrator.”

“…”

Maria immediately protested.

“Oh my, I haven’t suffered any damages though!”

Then Ella flicked her forehead.

“Stop teasing the child.”

“I told you to listen to me, Leon.”

“B-but anyone would think…”

Leon stammered with a bright red face.

Ian didn’t even bother listening.

He simply nudged Leon.

Leon lowered his head, still red-faced.

“S-sorry…”

“It’s okay. You were cute.”

Maria accepted the apology with a smile.

Meanwhile, Uncle Lloyd approached me.

“Lady Shana, have you been well?”

“Hi, Unca.”

“I heard a new member had joined the family, so I came to say hello…”

I quietly looked at the twins.

As if.

He obviously brought them here so they could play with me.

His ulterior motives were completely obvious.

Unfortunately, my clumsy tongue couldn’t properly call him out, so I narrowed my eyes instead.

Uncle Lloyd laughed heartily.

“Of course, the twins also begged to see Lady Shana!”

“Ask them. That’s not true…”

“It is.”

Ian suddenly cut in.

“We wanted to see you.”

“…”

“We can’t lose to a puppy. We’re definitely going to become Lady Shana’s knights.”

I never said I was hiring.

Leon drew out his wooden sword and swung it proudly.

“We’ll show you how hard we’ve been training! Look, Father taught us—”

CRACK!

“Huh?”

Evelyn had bitten the wooden sword and snapped it in half.

Leon stared blankly at Evelyn while holding the broken sword.

Evelyn spat out the piece she had bitten off and glared at Leon reproachfully.

Maria spoke.

“You shouldn’t wave wooden swords around in front of Lady Shana. It’s dangerous.”

“…”

“Good job, Evelyn.”

Evelyn calmly accepted Maria’s praise and gentle pat.

A moment later, Leon’s loud crying echoed throughout the garden.

Children… are troublesome…

At the very least, I should avoid becoming the kind of troublesome child who cries.