Chapter 86

I felt the water seep into my robe slightly.

"If it's difficult for you to win without getting hurt, I can protect you as your father, right?"

"By saying that, you make me seem weak."

"Go on, then."

Well, you didn't say no.

I glared at my father with a pout and then shifted my gaze to the window.

My body shot out like a cannonball, unlike any other time.

In an instant, the second-story window came into view.

My heart pounded as I cleared the window.

I safely made it over the window and into the castle.

The broken glass was sharper than I expected; if I had flown in without my robe, I would have gotten some minor cuts.

But who am I?

I perfectly maintained my balance as I descended.

As soon as I landed, I tightly gripped the robe wrapped around my body.

I have to admit it now.

The concern in this robe is for my safety. Moreover, my father readily agreed to the dangerous task of sneaking away the Dragon Duke.

This can't be anything but affection.

If I didn't have the goal of returning home.

I might have acknowledged my teacher as my father and lived happily ever after.

'But that's not what I should be thinking about now.'

I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them.

It's not my fault the timing was off.

I've been living my best life during the three reincarnations.

I shook off my thoughts and focused my mind.

- Tous!

I shouted loudly enough for Tous to hear in the Dragon Duke's room.

It's a sound only Tous will hear, anyway.

-I'm coming over, get ready!

If I shouted loud enough, he must have heard it, right?

Even if he didn't, it's fine. I can just tell him when I get inside.

'Now, I need to get to the Dragon Duke's room without being seen by any maids or servants.'

Fortunately, I arrived at the Dragon Duke's room safely.

And since it was just yesterday, I remembered the way clearly.

I even heard Tous's voice on the way, making it a piece of cake.

'By the way, it's really strange that I haven't seen a single servant or maid in this vast place.'

The existence of the maid I saw yesterday felt almost unreal.

I entered the Dragon Duke's room and closed the door.

-Kalipso!

As soon as I turned around, a familiar voice greeted me.

Tous crawled over to me enthusiastically.

Thinking he might have been running, I picked him up with a cute expression.

"A bit early, huh? My personal vehicle was faster than expected."

-Personal vehicle? Tous, Kalipso, nice to see you!

"Yep, nice to see you too."

And nice to see you, Dragon Duke. I quickly turned my head.

Then I blinked.

The Dragon Duke was holding a spoon.

Ah, this must be the scene Tous was talking about where 'Tous is needed for meals.'

The food was laid out on the table, and the Dragon Duke was holding the spoon in a way that looked awkward and strange.

The Dragon Duke seemed so focused on eating that he didn't notice Tous's shout or me.

Seeing this, I became a bit serious.

'Hmm, did he try to hold the spoon without Tous showing him how?'

This is barely better than eating with his hands.

After a while, the Dragon Duke turned his head.

Our eyes met, and the Dragon Duke opened his mouth...

Thud.

He dropped the spoon.

'Huh? Why drop the spoon when you were eating well?'

Did the food not taste good? Or was he surprised to see me?

Yesterday, he didn't seem like a child with a wide range of emotions.

The Dragon Duke suddenly stood up.

Then, he approached me with a step that sounded like 'odo-dodo.'

Since I came to take him, this situation was convenient...

But I couldn't stop wondering, 'Why?'

Before I could say anything, his hand grabbed mine.

'This posture... it's the same as when I grabbed the Dragon Duke yesterday?'

With the Dragon Duke holding my hand with both of his, my body froze as if time had stopped. I couldn't hide my bewildered expression.

"Kalipso!"

The Dragon Duke called out enthusiastically.

I blinked and nodded.

"Not Kalipso-ya, just Kalipso."

"Kalipso-ya?"

"Yep, just Kalipso."

"Kalipso."

"Right. You remembered correctly? You have a good memory, I see."

I stood on tiptoe and stroked his head with my free hand.

"Well, you are the Dragon Duke, so you must be very smart. The problem is with the people who haven't taught you."

"..."

"You're not at fault."

Huh? The Dragon Duke tilted his head while still holding my hand.

Seeing the crumbs on his mouth, I wiped them off with my sleeve.

Then, I tried to pick up my father's robe that had fallen because the Dragon Duke was holding my hand.

"Can you let go of that for a moment?"

"Let go?"

"Yep. I'll let go."

I released the Dragon Duke's hand and picked up my father's robe.

I tried putting it on the Dragon Duke.

"Hmm, it fits you better than me. No, Dragon Duke, can you let me in? I need to keep watch, so it's a bit cumbersome."

If I left this here, it would be like admitting we're the culprits.

"Hey, Tous! Are you ready?"

-Yes! Tous is ready. The Duke is ready!

Tous tugged at my clothes and led me to a bag.

-Kalipso, take this! It's the Duke's!

"Huh? Oh, okay."

You can carry a bag, snake?

I hesitated for a moment but quickly picked up the bag. It was lighter than I expected.

After some thought, I opened the bag and, seeing there was space, put my father's robe inside. Then, I slung the bag over the Dragon Duke's shoulder.

"Dragon Duke, it might be uncomfortable, but please bear with it for a bit. If there's a fight, I need to protect you, and my height is a bit short, so it might get in the way. Ah, this is a bag, a bag."

"Bag."

"Right."

While I was putting the bag on the Dragon Duke, Tous called me.

Tous wriggled under the bed and came out with something in his mouth.

-Kalipso! Here!

I took what Tous was offering. It was a small notebook.

-Tous wrote about the Duke!

"Huh..."

...You can write, snake?!

I flipped through the notebook and was surprised.

「Report on the Duke

~Written by Tous~」

'And you can write so well?'

I momentarily forgot the urgency of the situation and was taken aback.

But, what did you use to write? You don't have hands, right? Could it be your tail? Or your mouth...?!

'Pull yourself together.'

I quickly put the notebook in the bag the Dragon Duke was holding.

Each time I opened and closed the bag, adjusting it to my height, the Dragon Duke quickly sat down when I reached for it.

He learns fast.

"By the way, Tous, I appreciate this, but why are you giving it to me? You're coming with us, right?"

The Dragon Duke's familiar wants to stay with him.

I knew this from Tous's tears during the carriage ride, longing for the Dragon Duke.

'If it's a precaution, I can understand, but...'

What could happen to a familiar who always stays by the Dragon Duke's side?

While I was thinking, Tous, who had already slipped under the bed, spoke clearly.

-The Duke didn't learn. The lions didn't teach him!

"Right. They were bad guys."

-Bad guys! The Duke didn't learn, so the Duke doesn't know himself.

"Hmm... You mean the Duke doesn't know his own power or anything about himself?"

-Yes!

Tous continued.

-So, in this world, only Tous knows the Duke.

Why did this statement sound so clear and yet so bittersweet?

I understood why in the next moment.

-Go, Kalipso!

"Huh? What?"

-Go quickly!

I hesitated, stopping in my tracks.

"Wait, what do you mean? Go? You're not coming? Why are you saying you're not coming?"

-Tous is not coming!

"What are you talking about? Without the Duke, you'll cry!"

-Tous won't cry!

"Okay, stop crying and let's go. We don't have time."

But Tous didn't budge from under the bed.

Since we couldn't afford to waste time, I urged him more.

Then, Tous quickly came out and looked at me intently.

-The Duke needs to learn. To do that, he needs to leave here.

"Right, I understand, so let's go quickly..."

-Tous has a power that can only be used here.

A pale blue light slowly emerged in front of me.

The light connected Tous and the Dragon Duke, and then it exploded from Tous's entire body.