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Chapter 10
The servants answered energetically.
“Yes, Your Grace!”
These were the people I had hired specifically for the animals. Because nobles raised divine beasts, there were even servants in estates dedicated entirely to them.
But when nobles abandoned their divine beasts, the servants who had loyally served those families were also discarded like old rags. I hired those very people.
In truth, divine beasts varied greatly, so there were all kinds of animals in the estate now—bears, deer, rabbits, dogs…
Experts were needed to care for them, and since these were already experienced professionals, hiring them was only natural. The ones who had suddenly lost their jobs accepted my offer.
“Since we’ve cast a soundproofing spell this time, there should be no more complaints about noise. Any suggestions?”
“Um…”
“What is it?”
“The rabbit I’m caring for hasn’t been eating properly lately. I think it might be constipated… could someone take a look at it?”
Caring for animals and prescribing medicine were different matters.
Come to think of it, we didn’t have a doctor.
“Emma, can we find a veterinarian?”
“I’ll inform the head butler.”
“Good. We should be able to find one. Until then, please take extra care of them. Anything else?”
Once one person spoke up, the servants—or rather, caretakers—eagerly raised their hands and shared their concerns.
From what I gathered, there was one major issue in my paradise.
Since they were once divine beasts, all of them fortunately ate the same thing—vegetables—but their living environments were another matter.
Every animal has a different preferred environment. For example, cats like warm places with plenty of sunlight, while dogs prefer cooler spaces.
We’ll need to separate the spaces.
This was going to be a major construction project.
Lost in thought, I made a grand decision.
* * *
Hisha, who had been sleeping soundly beside Nael, suddenly lifted his head.
His golden eyes shimmered mysteriously with a violet glow.
Turning toward the pale moon, Hisha rose lightly to his feet. Sniffing the air toward the outside, he inhaled deeply.
[Hisha.]
Hisha’s violet eyes sparkled strangely.
[Hisha, come to me.]
It was a voice he had long, long missed.
Without hesitation, Hisha leapt out through the open window.
It was a spring night, the wind carrying the scent of flowers as it gently blew. As if enchanted, Hisha moved forward.
“Kyawong.”
Only the small sound of Hisha’s cry remained where he disappeared.
* * *
Didn’t I say we should be done?
I was already busy figuring out how to improve my babies’ welfare satisfaction, and yet something that absolutely should not have happened happened again.
“Woof!”
There, I found a small navy-blue puppy rolling and running around with Merry.
“Hisha?”
“Woof!”
The happily playing puppy barked as if confirming it was indeed him.
Of course, I had no personal grievance against that cute little thing. But…
“Who. Who brought that thing here?”
My head started pounding.
Merry, who knew nothing, seemed delighted to see Hisha again and was happily playing with him. Hisha also seemed to like Merry.
“Emma, who brought that thing here?”
“Well… I checked this morning, but no one knows. There was no animal brought in since last night, and nothing new was added this morning either.”
So what, did he walk here on his own? That tiny thing? How?
“Woof! Yip!”
Hisha, who had been tugging and playing with Merry, ran up to me and bit onto my skirt together with Merry.
Ugh. I shouldn’t be soft.
Ignoring such cute creatures would be a sin.
“Oh my, did you want to play?”
As I crouched down and petted both puppies, they happily flopped onto their backs.
Time for my dual-hand petting skill.
Emma, watching me, asked awkwardly,
“…Weren’t you just worried about Hisha?”
“What did the dog do wrong? You don’t blame animals that can’t speak. And why would I hate Hisha?”
As I said before, Hisha wasn’t the problem.
The problem was what would come with Hisha.
“Hisha, tell your owner I didn’t bring you here, okay?”
Hisha, who clearly didn’t understand anything, licked my hand with his pink tongue.
And three hours later, déjà vu unfolded.
No—this time was a little different. Nael arrived with a large group of knights.
Hearing that the Stadiun knights were in conflict with the crown prince, I quickly scooped up Hisha.
“Hisha, explain it properly to your owner, okay?”
“Woof!”
Hisha licked my cheek.
I’ll take that as agreement.
“Alright, prepare yourselves.”
Holding Hisha in my arms, I walked toward the front of the estate where the noise was escalating.
“No matter how it is the Crown Prince, you cannot do this! This is House Stadiun!”
“Are you asking me to break the gates by force?”
Nael’s cold voice alone was enough to make one’s knees weaken.
Yes, he must be furious too.
I once again recalled the secret room incident and tried, in vain, to understand his feelings.
Nael wallpapered in portraits of himself… ugh, if it were me, I’d lose my mind too.
Well, decorating your room with celebrity photos is normal. They choose to be photographed and published. But Nael isn’t like that.
It really was strange why Agatha had been so obsessed with him.
There was no one to ask, so… I guess I’ll deal with this first.
“Open the gate.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
The knights opened the gate.
As it slowly creaked open and the noise subsided, Nael dismounted upon seeing me holding Hisha.
His cold eyes behind his glasses looked like they could freeze me in place.
“Agatha, you are constantly breaking your own promises. Did you not say this would never happen again?”
Nael reached out and took Hisha. Holding the puppy in his arms, he glared at me.
“I didn’t bring him here. He was already here this morning, and no one knows how he got here.”
Nael frowned.
Even as I spoke, I thought, yeah… this really sounds like a lie.
How could something that small get here by itself? Unless it grew legs and walked.
It was unbelievable.
“Don’t speak nonsense. I warn you, Agatha. If this happens again, I will not stay silent either.”
He hadn’t brought all those knights for nothing.
I understood why Nael was so protective of Hisha.
The Crown Prince’s position was currently unstable.
The Emperor of the Bruls Empire had one Empress and two Imperial Consorts. Nael’s mother was the First Consort.
For a long time, Nael had been the only imperial son, so he was raised as Crown Prince.
But later, the Empress bore a son. From then on, the succession dispute became heated.
The imperial family’s divine beast had always been a wolf.
And Hisha—now pretending to be a dog—was in truth a young wolf.
In the original story, divine beasts had lost their powers and become like ordinary animals. But even then, Nael still had Hisha. The new prince had no divine beast at all.
So Hisha had become another shield protecting Nael.
No wonder those knights were glaring at me like that.
Damn it, this is so unfair!
“I don’t want this happening either. I don’t even like His Highness the Crown Prince anymore. In fact, I dislike him!”
