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Chapter 11
The east wing of the Orcadan estate.
Someone crossed the corridor there with quick, hurried steps.
Thump thump thump!
Dahlia sprinted across the carpet with impressive agility.
“Huff… huff…”
Her breath was already reaching her throat, but she didn’t stop even at the spiral staircase or the hallways.
Probably because she had been eating well lately—her stamina had improved a lot.
And so, the first thing the baby sea otter did upon reaching Ennio’s study was—
“Ennyo, open da door! If you don’t open quick, I’ll break it…!”
Just as she issued her threat, the door suddenly swung open.
“Waaah!”
“Ugh!”
Crash.
With a light collision, Dahlia and Ennio tumbled backward.
Being light—or maybe just round—Dahlia rolled once on the floor.
Ennio, who recovered first, reached out a hand.
“You okay?”
“Mm-hm. I’m fine.”
Dahlia cheerfully brushed off her bottom and grabbed his hand to stand.
Then she looked around and saw books scattered on the floor.
They weren’t hers—so they must be Ennio’s.
“Dis… books?”
“Yeah.”
Ennio bent down and started stacking them neatly again.
“I help!”
Dahlia also lifted the heavy books.
As she looked at them, the titles were all complicated and intimidating.
“History of the Emerald Coast”
“The Chain of Knowledge”
“Basic Mechanics”
“Politics and Criminal Law”
Just looking at them makes my head hurt.
She peeked at an open page—no pictures, just dense text.
Black letters on white paper everywhere.
Dahlia suddenly regretted something.
I came here to argue with Ennio logically…
In her past life, Dahlia had been about fifteen years old.
Of course, she hadn’t received proper education—just enough to barely read.
I might not win this…
Just as she was about to quietly leave and give up the logic battle—
“By the way, Dahlia, what are you doing here?”
“W-wha?!”
“I heard running footsteps. You didn’t come here for me?”
“Uh, um, well…”
Dahlia stuffed her hands into her pockets and rolled her eyes.
“I-I bring dis!”
“…What is this?”
“Pudding! Clam pudding! Very tasty!”
She held out her hand.
On her palm was a pudding wrapped in slightly messy plastic packaging.
She had actually tried to eat it earlier, so it was a bit loosely wrapped.
“….”
Ennio looked at it with a meaningful expression.
So she noticed I was hungry? Clever kids really are…
But that was not her original plan.
She hadn’t intended to bring him food.
She had planned to demand:
Unlimited snacks! I can eat 100! Feed me like before!
But instead—
“Ennyo, eat!”
“…Why are you giving this to me?”
“If you study hard, head hurts. Then eat sweets!”
Ennio looked at her again with that strange expression.
Then he smirked and gently folded her fingers back into her hand.
The soft, squishy sensation lingered.
“Then you should eat it.”
“…Huh?”
“Ow… my head…”
Dahlia held her head and groaned.
“Review what you studied today. There’s a quiz tomorrow.”
“Ugh… I’m dying…”
“You won’t die from this much studying. Then I would’ve died about three thousand times already.”
Ennio stared at the suffering otter without blinking.
“Why you suddenly do dis to me…”
Dahlia collapsed onto the desk dramatically.
About two hours earlier, Ennio had dragged her into the study room and started teaching her.
“Still, since you already learned the common language, we progressed quickly. I was worried I’d have to start with reading.”
“….”
I should’ve pretended to be illiterate…
She had casually read a few lines out loud—and Ennio immediately said “pass” and brought out harder books.
I’ve been tricked.
As expected of the orca clan—ruthless.
“Take this to your room and read a page whenever you’re bored.”
Now even pre-study homework had been added.
She peeked at it hopefully, but no miracle happened.
“History of the Kingdom of Pflazella”
“I like storybooks…”
“Those are more useful and even more interesting. And Sandio even read this—it’s easy.”
“Huuuu…”
Dahlia sighed deeply.
She almost regretted turning into a beastman.
This was the first time she regretted her transformation.
“Why are you making me study all of a sudden?”
“…I made a promise with Grandpa.”
“What promise?”
“A man’s promise.”
Ennio avoided explaining further.
Dahlia was too exhausted to push him.
But she decided—tomorrow, she would escape this study hell no matter what.
Maybe she could pretend to be sick? Or sleep all day?
Yes. Anything was fine—as long as she didn’t come here!
Just as she resolved this—
“Alright, next—”
“NOOO! I refuse! Absolutely not!”
She tried to run, but Ennio grabbed her by the scruff and lifted her like a doll.
He placed her at a large table.
As she glanced toward the door for escape, it clicked open.
“We will serve the prepared desserts.”
Servants entered in a line like a procession and placed dishes down one by one.
“H-HUH?!”
Fish-shaped jelly, pastel macarons, rainbow-colored pudding, and more unfamiliar desserts filled the table.
“And for drinks, we prepared sea grape water jelly.”
A crystalline glass held a glowing, mysterious liquid she had never seen before.
At this point, escape was impossible.
Her saliva practically exploded in anticipation.
Dahlia immediately grabbed a fish jelly and shoved it into her mouth.
A rich, ocean-like sweetness spread through her mouth.
“…Is this… heaven?”
“You can eat as much as you want after studying.”
Ennio’s eyes, which had seemed like those of a demon earlier, now shone like deep-sea black pearls.
Dahlia thought:
The second young master of the Orca clan is really good at training people.
After the happy snack party.
“Yawn…”
Back in her room, Dahlia rubbed her sleepy eyes.
A four-year-old body couldn’t handle two hours of continuous studying.
Even with her mental age of fifteen, it was already difficult.
What kind of life does Ennio live…?
She imagined him holding a quill.
His handwriting had been so elegant that he could have passed for seventeen, not seven.
It felt strange.
Ennio was only a child too.
No, I have to teach him what a real seven-year-old should be like.
First, she’d pretend to study hard, gain his favor, and then drag him out to play.
As she drifted into sleep—
“Young lady, it’s time for dinner—!”
“Mm… dinner!”
Even though her stomach was still full of snacks, Dahlia’s eyes snapped open at the word dinner.
The servants chuckled and set the table.
And even though it was full of delicious food, Dahlia froze with her fork in hand.
