Chapter 73

The bait operation went smoothly, and it seems I let my guard down.

I apparently fell asleep while still in the arms of the sub-leader, and when I came to, I found myself inside the castle.

This seems to be the reception room where my mother and I have visited before.

Across the ornate white table, which is intricately carved and has stylishly curved legs that curl up at the ends, the king and queen were seated.

The couple, with their blonde hair and blue eyes, looked calm and were smiling at each other as usual.

It seems the leader and sub-leader were talking with the king and queen. The two of them were sitting at either end of the fluffy sofa, with me and Kugaru in between.

I was still groggy and drowsy, watching everyone chat.

“Huff…!?”

As my nose twitched, my body jolted awake.

The king and queen in my field of vision were upside down.

It seems I was sleeping on my back again.

In the middle of the sofa, I was sprawled out, completely relaxed.

Glancing at my side, Kugaru was curled up elegantly, snoring softly.

Just before I woke up, I think I was snoring loudly, "sippi, sippi-sippi."

Feeling embarrassed as a girl, I hurried to get up.

Kicking the air with my four short legs, the sub-leader reached out to help me.

“Are you awake, Mil?”

“Haha, you slept well.”

The king’s laughter made my face heat up.

I managed to stand up on the sofa but quickly crouched down and hid behind Kugaru, who was still sleeping.

I’ve met the king and queen many times, but as a timid person, I still get nervous when I see them.

Their royal aura is so overwhelming and dazzling.

My spirit aura, try to keep up!

“The Snow Child is as modest and shy as ever.”

“Modest and shy...”

The sub-leader repeated the king’s words under his breath.

Do you have a problem with that?

“She’s just putting on a show. She was quite a tomboy until we got to the castle.”

The leader laughed and placed his hand on my head.

Stop it! I’m trying to maintain a refined image here!

“Still, it’s impressive that you made the long journey. It must have been difficult. I heard you brought a letter from Snowlea?”

The king’s words made me realize.

Right, that’s my original purpose.

Hmm, where did I put it? Mother’s important letter, Mother’s important letter.

...Where is Mother’s important letter?

And where’s my rabbit backpack?

It seems someone took off my sheep costume.

As I spun around on the sofa,

“Mil, here it is.”

A one-eyed knight called out from behind.

Oh, the one-eyed knight was here too!

The one-eyed knight, along with Kicks and Tina, were quietly standing behind us, not sitting on the sofa.

The one-eyed knight opened the backpack and placed it on the sofa.

At the same time, Mother’s fairy and Father’s snake slithered out.

I thanked them by touching noses, feeling bad for keeping them in such a cramped space.

First, Father’s snake stuck out its thin tongue and then split into ten lights, trying to leave through the window.

It seems they judged that we were no longer in danger and were returning to Father.

Although they were probably stronger than the six-light sphere of the Hyrillis fairy, they didn’t move much since there was no combat.

Thank you.

However, the window was closed, so the ten lights kept bumping into the glass.

The king’s guard hurriedly opened the large window, and the blue lights flew out in a line.

Next, Mother’s fairy blinked and touched my nose, trying to leave through the window like Father’s fairy.

But, it seemed to have no eyes, as it flew backward and hit the closed window next to the one the guard opened.

A small “pop” sound was heard, and Mother’s fairy flattened against the glass for a moment.

But in the next instant, it returned to its round shape, slightly embarrassed, and flew away through the open window.

It seemed to leave faster, probably feeling embarrassed.

“Hahaha, that’s amusing.”

The queen’s laughter was a relief.

“By the way, where’s Hyrillis...?”

I looked around the room and said.

Here are the king and queen, the guards standing by the wall.

And me and Kugaru, the leader and sub-leader, and the one-eyed knight, Kicks, and Tina behind them.

Also, the maid near the door, keeping an eye on the drinks and snacks on the table.

“Hyrillis disappeared at some point before entering the castle.”

“Really...”

It would have been nice if she said goodbye.

Maybe she was considerate because I was sleeping.

“A! And the sub-leader’s sword!?”

Reacting to my voice, Kugaru’s ears twitched, and he woke up.

“My sword?”

The sub-leader tilted his head slightly.

“Yes, the sub-leader’s sword (issue)! The northern fort... Wait.”

Seeing Kugaru yawn widely, I also yawned.

After yawning without restraint, I continued.

“The issue about whether the sub-leader continues or doesn’t continue at the northern fort.”

“Oh, that issue.”

“Commander Sarell still wants to come to the northern fort?”

“No, with a subordinate causing such an incident, he said he would give up on the Ninth Division for now. He has other things to deal with.”

But the word “for now” is typical of Commander Sarell. It’s reassuring that he hasn’t given up on his ambitions.

However, even if the threat from Commander Sarell is gone, the sub-leader can’t stay at the northern fort.

Originally, he was supposed to return to the capital from the prince and his family, and Commander Sarell also volunteered to take over as sub-leader.

The prince, who wants the sub-leader to join the royal guard, and the family, who want him to return from the harsh northern environment, need to be persuaded. Otherwise, the sub-leader will have to leave the northern fort.

“Where is the prince?”

The sub-leader might not be able to strongly argue with the prince, so I, as a spirit, need to talk to him.

“The prince is still working. My father will also be arriving soon, so I hope we can talk together...”

No way! The prince and his father have the same opinion, so it would be a disadvantage for the sub-leader to face them both. He might be persuaded.

In such situations, you need to tackle them one by one when they are separated.

“I’m going for a walk!”

Before the sub-leader’s father arrives, I need to talk to the prince. I jumped off the sofa.

“Mil”

The one-eyed knight tried to stop me, but the king smiled and said, “Let her go.”

However, he added,

“Just show the letter from Snowlea before you go.”

“Oh, right!”

Mother’s letter must contain something important!

I climbed onto the sofa and stuck my face into the rabbit backpack, searching for the letter with my nose.

Finding it, I held it in my mouth and climbed out of the backpack, then back down to the carpeted floor.

To avoid the long way around, I went under the table and placed the rolled-up letter on the king’s lap.

“Here, this is the letter.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s from my mother.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Please read it carefully.”

“Of course.”

Seeing the king start to untie the purple ribbon, I tried to leave the room to talk to the prince. Kugaru also climbed off the sofa and followed me.

The heavy door between this room and the hallway seemed too heavy for me to open, but with so many people around, it would be fine.

I sat in front of the door and stared at the maid standing next to me.

When our eyes met, I looked at the door, then back at the maid.

Sure enough, the maid smiled and opened the door after confirming with the king.

With people around, most things can be managed.

“Thank you!”

I said, slipping through the gap before the door was fully open and out into the hallway.

Two knights standing by the door on the hallway side were surprised to see Kugaru and me burst out.

Unlike the bleak and dark corridors of the fort, the castle’s corridors were decorated with furniture and paintings, making them bright and wide.

The deep red carpet on the floor kept my paws from getting cold, and my claws didn’t make a clattering sound.

The straight corridors were much longer than those in the fort, making it fun to chase each other.

When Kugaru almost overtook me, I burst into a sprint.

We reached the end of the corridor at the same time, panting, “Huff, huff...” and laughing, “That was fun!”

“Next, let’s run from this end to the other end—”

—No, not the other end.

I came out into the corridor to find the prince.

“That doesn’t count! I need to find the prince.”