Chapter 90

"Rekka-san?"

As I called out to Rekka, who was panting while doing squats, she finally noticed me and looked up.

"Mi, Mil-sama..."

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

While saying this, I peeked inside the door Rekka had come out of. There were just corridors stretching to the left and right, but once I stepped inside, it was quiet and cooler than outside, probably because it was made of stone.

It was also quite dark due to the time of day and the small, few windows. On second thought, it was kind of eerie.

"Could it really be a ghost?"

I turned back to Rekka, my face under the fur turning pale.

However, Rekka, while catching her breath, looked puzzled.

"A ghost? What are you talking about?"

"But you just rushed out..."

"Oh, no, it's nothing."

While wiping cold sweat, I couldn't help but be concerned by her words. She clearly seemed off.

And why was she doing squats?

But just as I was about to press her further with "But...", Tina came running down the corridor.

"Rekka-san, I'm sorry! I brought the paper and pen."

Tina's high voice echoed through the corridor, and the eerie atmosphere seemed to dissipate.

Tina and Kicks are always so bright, and most of the other people in the fortress are tough, so maybe ghosts and spirits wouldn't live here. After all, a one-eyed knight would probably punch a ghost and knock it out.

"Hey, Rekka-san, if it's not a ghost..."

I looked up at Rekka's face, which was high up, but she had already returned to her usual cheerful expression. She smiled faintly and changed the subject.

"Actually, we were just looking for Mil-sama and Woodbaum-sama."

"Is there something going on?"

Since Rekka didn't seem to want to talk about it, I asked, still curious.

Tina answered my question.

"I was going to ask about your favorite foods. I know most of Mil-chan's, but I wanted to confirm."

Then, looking around, Rekka continued.

"By the way, Kugarugu-sama isn't here today, is he? I wanted to ask him about his favorite food too."

"Food? Why?"

"I thought it would be nice to prepare it for when he comes next. The branch leader also said that taking care of the spirits is one of the important jobs here. Although, everyone, including me, is doing it because it heals us."

Even so, Rekka, who was still serious and collecting information, seemed very earnest as she took the notebook from Tina.

"But Kugarugu doesn't seem very interested in food. He seemed to like jerky, though."

"Is that so? Mil-sama likes jerky too, right?"

I replied with a "Yeah!" and approached the crouching Rekka, wagging my tail.

"Can you give me some? The jerky?"

I looked at her with sparkling eyes, but Rekka replied with a troubled expression, "No."

"You had some from the head chef after lunch, didn't you? That's all for today. Eating too much will make your stomach hurt later. The branch leader said so too."

I remember being told that. But I'm not giving up so easily.

"Aw..."

I tried to appeal to her with teary eyes.

This usually works on the branch leader, but unfortunately, it didn't work on Rekka.

"This is for Mil-sama's health. Please understand."

Rekka is kind, but she's the type who sticks to her principles. She's not as easy as the branch leader.

"I'll give you some tomorrow."

She said this and gently patted my head. When I first came to the fortress, she couldn't believe anyone would pat a spirit's head, but now she does it hesitantly. I feel more at ease being treated like a little fox than being revered and kept at a distance.

Rekka, who seemed to like the feel of my fur, moved her hand to my back and then asked Woodbaum.

"Woodbaum-sama, do you have any favorite foods?"

"I like soft leaves. Acorns were also delicious."

Rekka was writing this down seriously.

"Spirits might be fine without eating, but eating something might help Woodbaum-sama recover faster."

"Actually, we were thinking the same thing and were about to ask if we could get some food. I'm getting hungry..."

Woodbaum said this hesitantly, and Rekka nodded happily.

"That's perfect. I'll prepare something right away."

"Thank you, you're so kind."

"Not just me. Everyone in the fortress wants to help Woodbaum-sama."

Rekka said this with a bright smile, and Tina, standing next to her, also smiled angelically and said, "That's right."

I felt like the air around us was sparkling. To see such a scene in the tough northern fortress was unexpected.

Woodbaum also smiled and said, "Thank you," but then he suddenly looked worried and stared at Rekka.

"But you seem tired. Are you okay? You feel a bit tense."

"Huh? Rekka-san, are you okay?"

Tina quickly turned to Rekka, who had widened her eyes slightly at Woodbaum's words but then quickly smiled calmly.

"No, I'm fine."

Just as she was trying to cover it up,

"Something stinks!"

Kicks, who was passing by a little distance behind Tina and the others, shouted loudly.

With him were Jild and the tough guy, Jets.

"Really, it stinks!"

"It smells like horse manure."

Kicks, who was making a face, was interrupted by Jets.

"Actually, it's you, Kicks!"

"What? It's not me!"

"No, it's you. The smell is coming from your direction."

"Yeah, it's you, Kicks."

They were arguing like elementary school kids, pinching their noses and looking at Kicks' feet.

Oh no! We were talking about Rekka, and now it's so noisy.

"Kicks and the others..."

Tina also turned back, looking exasperated. It seemed Kicks had stepped in horse manure, and the smell was coming from his shoes.

"Stay a bit further away."

"Don't come near me, you manure guy."

Jild and Jets were being merciless to the person who had stepped in manure.

Kicks, pouting, was rubbing his shoes on the ground, but then he suddenly noticed us and broke into a smile.

...I have a bad feeling about this.

Tina, who knows Kicks well, Rekka, who is gradually understanding his character, and even Woodbaum, who doesn't know him well, all seemed to share the same feeling.

As Kicks, with an unusually innocent smile, approached us, the smell reached our noses before we could react, and everyone ran away from the spot at a quick pace.

Scattered!