Chapter 70

"Captain, try to let me lean more on your body and support my buttocks as well."

That was Once's advice. Even though he couldn't do it himself, he might be able to see the flaws objectively.

Captain Sarell gently supported my buttocks and pulled me closer to his chest.

"Will the fur get on your clothes?"

"That's something we have to endure. It's for getting along with the spirit."

For a while, Captain Sarell looked down at me intently. When I looked up, I let out a small scream—probably because the mouth and fangs were too close to my face. Even though he wouldn't bite— I decided to stare at a stain on the wall without moving.

"You're so well-behaved..."

Captain Sarell said, sounding impressed.

"You don't bark or struggle. If only your fur wouldn't shed, you'd be perfect."

He whispered a little regretfully, then smiled with the corners of his lips.

"But if I can tame this spirit, my position will be solidified not only within the knight corps but also in the entire country of Aridra. No one will be able to look down on me."

Then, he raised his voice excitedly and continued.

"My relationship with my brother will be reversed. What's a duke, anyway? There are countless dukes in the world. But there are almost no humans who have a connection with a spirit. My brother will have no choice but to humble himself to me, the opposite of before!"

The candlelight reflected in Captain Sarell's glasses flickered eerily.

"Ah, right. I must also take the spirit to my father's grave. I have to report to him that the child he has insulted as 'a weakling' and 'a failure' is now an important figure in the country, connected to a spirit, unlike my fat and healthy brother!"

Captain Sarell laughed loudly, "Hahaha!" but his eyes looked lonely.

Captain Sarell still doesn't look strong or robust, but maybe he was even more sickly when he was younger, as the sub-captain said.

Perhaps his father favored his healthy brother.

If that's the case, I feel sorry for Captain Sarell in that regard.

I had guessed that his ambition to gain a high position and power was to make people around him recognize him, but perhaps he especially wanted recognition from his family.

He wanted to show his father and brother, who had always looked down on his weak body, that he wasn't a failure.

That desire is what made Captain Sarell ambitious.

The five of them, including Once, looked at their superior with sympathetic eyes and said with a somewhat twisted smile.

"If Captain Sarell is recognized, I can show my brother up."

"I can mock the people who used to bully me."

Listening to their conversation, I felt I understood why they followed Captain Sarell.

All five of them must have something in common with Captain Sarell, like not being blessed with a good physique or fighting talent, and being looked down upon by people around them, or having family conflicts.

They must see themselves in Captain Sarell, which makes them want to help him.

And Captain Sarell seemed to trust these five.

"You all have done well. I'm proud to have such excellent subordinates. This isn't just my achievement. I'll make sure your efforts are recognized as well."

"No, Captain. We just followed your orders, and that led to this result. We don't desire promotions. We are content as long as your ambitions are fulfilled."

"You all..."

Captain Sarell's voice trembled with emotion. Once said to him,

"We just want to repay the kindness you've shown us."

Just as the five saw themselves in Captain Sarell, he must have recognized their commonalities and given them special attention.

People usually want to be kind to those who have experienced the same pain.

"Once, Nild, Sai, Yorg, Gordon. You are my treasures."

Captain Sarell adjusted his glasses and said a bit bashfully.

There seemed to be a stronger bond between these six than I had thought.

But that doesn't mean they should do bad things.

Instead of telling him that, I licked the bony hand in front of me.

To someone unaccustomed, my tongue felt cold, and Captain Sarell pulled his hand back in surprise.

"Wh-What, it was licked... Someone, get a handkerchief. It's in the right pocket. And some disinfectant too."

Yorg quickly took a handkerchief from Captain Sarell's pocket, sprayed a liquid from a bottle that looked like perfume, and wiped Captain Sarell's hand vigorously.

My saliva was being treated like dirt or a pathogen...

I remembered he was a germaphobe.

But I felt hurt, so I licked his hand even more out of spite.

"Ah! Ah!"

Captain Sarell's face turned pale and stiff, and the other five tried to encourage him.

"Captain! Just accept it!"

"The spirit's child likes you!"

"Don't push it away!"

Captain Sarell answered with a strained face.

"But...! The spirit's child isn't unattractive, but saliva is dirty!"

"It's not dirty!"

I blurted out without thinking.

"Because, I didn't put any rocks or rotten branches in my mouth today, and I didn't chew on anyone's shoes. Oh, but maybe I smell a bit like biscuits..."

"Y-You can talk!?"

Captain Sarell exclaimed in surprise.

The other five might have seen us talking in the town of Gorda, but they didn't expect the spirit to be able to speak in animal form.

I had planned to pretend I couldn't speak to keep them off guard, but since it was out, I answered in my usual lisping tone.

"Yes, I can talk. I understand words too."

I had talked to the king and others, but while the information that I love sweets was widely known, the fact that I can understand and speak words wasn't. I couldn't understand why.

Captain Sarell, after a moment of stiffness, put on an obvious fake smile and praised me.

"How remarkable, so wise even at a young age! As expected of the noble spirit's child. Upon closer inspection, your face is dignified, reflecting a noble heart! Your lustrous white fur is more beautiful than the pearls of the East! It's an honor for my clothes to be touched by it! Even being smeared with saliva is a joy for a mere mortal like me, given that it comes from a rare spirit—"

"I don't understand difficult words."

I understood only about 10% of what he said, but I got that he wanted to be smeared with saliva and have fur on his clothes.

Captain Sarell, regaining his composure, whispered to Once next to him.

"Hey, how intelligent is this spirit's child?"

"It's hard to say... When in human form, it was about two or three years old. Judging from its actions, it hasn't surpassed the level of a child."

I can hear everything!

"Then, there was no need to worry so much."

Captain Sarell said, and had Once wipe the hand I had licked again.

Hey.

"Well, let's head to the castle. I don't want to stay in such a dirty place. ...Hehe, once we return to the castle, I will be hailed as the hero who rescued the kidnapped spirit's child."

Captain Sarell's smile was distorted, but he looked genuinely happy. His ambition was about to be realized.

However, I don't want Captain Sarell to go to the castle. If he and his men return first, saying, "We found the spirit's child that Cromwell and others couldn't protect!" and then the sub-captain and others return later, saying, "This was Captain Sarell's plot..." it might sound like an excuse.

I'm not sure how much my testimony as a child will be trusted.

(Are they here yet...)

Just as I was anxiously watching Nild, who seemed to be the quiet one, as he opened the door, the person I had been waiting for appeared.

It was the sub-captain, standing there with his hand lightly on the hilt of his sword.