Chapter 77

・If you're wondering "Who is Gild?", please check out the third episode of the second part, "The Branch Commander's Circumstances (1)". He's Kicks' contemporary.

・Just like Mil, this isn't a real diary, but rather "brain diary."

・For characters like Highlilis, Sarell, Daphine, and Usagiru, I referred to the book version's designs.

・There are illustrations, so please be cautious if you're not comfortable with them.

Note: The pages were getting heavy due to the illustrations, so I split them into two parts.

It's been six days since the Branch Commander, Deputy Commander, Kicks, and Tina set off for the capital.

Mil, who is also running errands for Snowlea, seems to be traveling with Kicks and the others and hasn't come to the fort.

Our knights have started to suffer from a strange illness, wandering around with vacant eyes, muttering "Mofu Mofu..." and searching for Mil. We need to get him back soon.

―While I was thinking about this, the outside became noisy.

It seems Mil and the others have returned.

This should calm everyone down for now.

According to Kicks, the Branch Commander will be able to stay at the northern fort, which is a relief.

I really think our commander should be Branch Commander Cromwell, and I definitely don't want Captain Sarell here.

But after hearing Kicks' story, my impression of Captain Sarell has changed a bit.

Remembering my name is pretty serious.

I kind of want to meet Captain Sarell again.

By the way, as soon as Mil returned, the knights who stayed behind pounced on him, petting him and messing up his fur, making him quite grumpy.

It's rough love from everyone, so please accept it.

The next day, Mil started coming to the fort to play as usual.

However, the knights who had developed "Mofu Mofu deficiency syndrome" didn't seem to be cured just by petting Mil yesterday. Mil is still being suddenly attacked while taking a nap.

This kind of day will probably continue for a while.

The next day, as expected…

To avoid sudden attacks by the knights, Mil started climbing onto the Deputy Commander's shoulder when he wanted to take a nap.

Well, no one would attack him there, right?

While petting Mil's back, a bunch of fur came out even though I wasn't using any force.

I panicked, thinking it might be some illness, but Tina told me it was just the shedding season. It seems like winter fur keeps coming out even when you brush it.

Oh, I was scared…

According to Kicks, Kugaru gave Mil a necklace during their journey.

And it has a red stone. For a kid, he's pretty good.

But it was a bit of a mistake, Kugaru. Mil's chest fur is so thick that the necklace can't be seen at all.

Kugaru seems worried that Mil isn't wearing the necklace properly and often searches through the fur.

You must be having a tough time too, huh?

When the Deputy Commander and the others suddenly brought trees from the forest, I asked what they were for, and it turns out they were making a toy for Mil.

Apparently, the queen's dog uses a wooden ring toy, and Mil wanted one too.

These people might even build a house for Mil if they keep this up.

What are you going to do with this? Just because Mil rarely asked for something, everyone is making so much.

We don't need this much…

When Mil gets surprised, his fur puffs up like a cat, and his tail explodes.

I wondered what he was surprised by this time, and it turned out to be a mushroom plushie quietly placed on the sofa in the lounge.

The culprit is Tina. Kicks told her to throw it away, but she didn't.

During the journey, the Deputy Commander was injured while protecting Mil from a wind spirit.

Although Mil's father healed the injury without leaving a scar, Mil still seems to be worried and is sticking to the Deputy Commander more than usual.

He was already the closest to the Deputy Commander, but it's even more so since they returned.

But sometimes, he runs to the Branch Commander as if he remembered something. Maybe he's still worried that the Branch Commander, who was once going to leave the northern fort, might disappear if he looks away.

Maybe I should tell Mil a lie and say I might quit being a knight…

The next day, I tried that lie, and Mil hurried back to his home, bringing a deer antler he calls a treasure.

He said, "I'll give you this, so don't quit," but I don't want a deer antler at all. I won't be swayed by something like that.

But I was happy that Mil was worried, so I was about to gratefully accept it when Kicks came and exposed the lie.

Mil got angry and took back the deer antler.

I found Kicks and Tina chatting happily, so I tried to ruin the mood by throwing Mil into the mix.

I know they're not in that kind of relationship and only think of each other as comrades, but Tina is a rare and pretty girl in this fort… I won't let Kicks have all the fun!

Mil is completely unresistant to the Deputy Commander's touches, but he refuses to be touched by others. He seems to be wary of those who are persistent, like Kicks.

I've been petting his paws a lot lately, so when I reach out, he defends himself.

But you're too sweet, Mil.

Your defense just makes me happy to feel the squishy texture of your paws.