Chapter 83

"Well, the new person who came to the fort is named Reika."

"Is that so?"

Three days had passed since my first meeting with Reika, and while accompanying Mother on her patrol, I was chattering away about the fort's affairs. It seemed Mother wasn't very interested in the fort's knights, so she gave me half-hearted responses.

Mother walked leisurely on the snow, but since our leg lengths were different, I sometimes had to trot to keep up. As I continued to chatter, dodging the snow:

"Reika is beautiful and kind. She's very polite to me."

I might be starting to realize how silly I am, but she still treats me properly as a spirit.

"That's good."

"But I'm not really close with Kicks yet..."

While talking, I was moving my feet briskly, and eventually, I started to run out of breath. Then Mother stopped and licked my head with her cold tongue.

Reika is polite to me and shows me a smile. She is respectful and loyal to the regiment leader and the one-eyed knight, and she is kind to Tina. However, she frowns at Kicks, who is too friendly with me. Yesterday, in the cafeteria, there was an exchange like this:

After finishing our meal, while the one-eyed knight was away from his seat, Kicks started pestering me, and I was a bit annoyed.

"Come on, let me pet you as much as I want. I'm tired from work."

"No."

While I always want to be petted by the one-eyed knight, with Kicks, sometimes I feel like it's okay to be petted, and other times I don't want to be touched. And at that moment, I didn't want to be touched.

"Please! Let me touch your fluffy belly fur!"

"No, no, no."

I was flipped over onto my back, and with my short four legs, I started tapping Kicks, who was trying to bury his face in my belly. This is something I can't do with the one-eyed knight, the regiment leader, or Tina, so it's kind of fun.

But then Reika appeared. She seemed to think I was really uncomfortable and scolded Kicks.

"Kicks, that's enough. Mil-sama doesn't like it. I told you to treat the spirit with respect."

"...I don't want to be told what to do by a newcomer."

The atmosphere suddenly turned sour, and I felt stressed, almost going bald. I timidly got up and said to Reika:

"Reika, thank you... But I think of Kicks as a friend. Everyone in the fort is like family. If you start being formal with me, I'd rather not."

Reika looked a bit confused but quickly bowed her head.

"I see. I overstepped. I apologize."

"No, no, you don't have to apologize! Reika..."

"Leave it."

Reika left the cafeteria and hasn't come back since.

Ah, I wonder what the atmosphere in the fort is like today. I'm a bit scared to go. I hope by night, somehow, everything will be fine and we'll all get along.

Reika seems to be having a hard time getting along with Kicks, but she's also distant with the other members of the fort. It's only been three days since she arrived, so it's understandable, but it might take some time for her to fit in. I think the incident where she was almost locked in a warehouse by her comrades in the main unit is still affecting her. She seems to be on guard, like a wild animal, always tense, afraid to show any weakness.

Kicks is indeed rough, but he plays with me and has his good points. I hope she realizes soon that there's no need to be wary of the other members of the fort.

"Milfuria, it's already noon, and you still have bedhead."

"Reika, I hope you fit in quickly."

"Why is there a swirl here? What kind of sleeping position did you have?"

Feeling good from being licked, I lay down on the snow and had a mismatched conversation with Mother.

After finishing the patrol with Mother, I used a movement technique to head back to the fort. The one-eyed knight was still working in his office, so I decided to go outside and play until he was done.

I went to the stables, but the leaders were out grazing, so the stables were empty.

What should I do?

Seeking human company, I walked towards the front of the fort, where the gatekeeper, Aniki, was standing. Aniki does various jobs like the other knights, so sometimes he's not the gatekeeper but a patroller, a trainer, or a handyman. But today, he's the gatekeeper.

"Aniki!"

I ran up to Aniki.

"Mil."

Aniki squatted down and petted me. I stuck out my tongue and smiled, fitting myself between Aniki's legs. The shade felt nice.

Aniki has a similar vibe to the one-eyed knight—reliable, not easily angered, and with a similar hairstyle.

But his face is gentler than the one-eyed knight's, and among the knights of the northern fort, he's less intimidating. He has a military air about him, but he's also diligent and seems to be popular with women.

"Mil, you have a swirl on your side. What's this?"

That's bedhead.

Aniki tried to comb my fur with his hand, but it didn't straighten easily.

It's okay, don't worry about it. Since the one-eyed knight is still working, let's play together.

As I thought this, Aniki read my mind and brought out a toy from the guardhouse. It's a wooden ring I asked him to make for me.

Everyone made a lot of them, so there are always some around the fort.

Recently, instead of just rolling it, the popular way to play is to throw it like a frisbee.

"Here you go."

Aniki threw the ring far, and I happily chased after it. It's not as light as a frisbee, so it usually doesn't go that far, but with the knights' strength, it flies a long way.

If the one-eyed knight threw it, I wouldn't even have the energy to chase it.

The wood hurts if it hits my mouth, and I don't have the athletic ability of a Border Collie, so I can't catch it in mid-air. It takes me a while to catch up after it hits the ground, but it's fun.

I picked up the toy and ran straight back to Aniki. I returned with high spirits, as if to say, "Look! I brought it back!"

"Good job."

As I clung to Aniki, still holding the toy,

"Mil?"

I heard a calm, low voice from behind. I turned around to see the one-eyed knight. He must have finished his work.

I felt a bead of sweat on my paw.

"Good work."

Aniki greeted him, and the one-eyed knight nodded, then looked at me again. I felt like I had been caught in the act of cheating and became nervous.

I awkwardly tightened my expression and slowly moved away from Aniki. Then I hurriedly went to the one-eyed knight, not meeting his eyes, and casually clung to his leg. My heart was pounding.

The silence was broken by the simultaneous chuckles of the one-eyed knight and Aniki.

"Shall we eat?"

The one-eyed knight picked me up and said this without scolding me for my "cheating."

We headed to the cafeteria, and the one-eyed knight put me down. I followed him, still not meeting his eyes, and we walked together.