Chapter 50

Praised for his companion beast Sana, Edgar wagged his tail happily.

Sana, mimicking Edgar, moved her fluffy tail from side to side.

"I was able to become a Wolf Guardian because Sana was there for me."

"Does that mean the selection criteria for Wolf Guardians include the temperament and abilities of their companion beasts?"

He looked at Sana, who was sitting politely.

Wolf Guardians are in charge of taking care of the wolves on behalf of the royal family.

It is an honorable position, and I have heard that the competition is quite fierce.

"Yes, that's right. The members of the Wolf Guardians are about half from families that have traditionally been Wolf Guardians, like Mr. Moir, and half from external hires. I am the latter, and I took the hiring exam with Sana and was accepted."

"Edgar, that's impressive. To pass at such a young age, and as a commoner, must be quite rare, right?"

"Oh, thank you!! Your words are too kind for me……!!"

Not used to being praised, Edgar's face turned red.

His voice was small, but his tail wagged vigorously instead.

"I was able to become a Wolf Guardian, and to meet Lady Letitia, all thanks to Sana. There are times when humans and beastmen can't keep up with the wolves running on four legs. In such times, it is the role of companion beasts like Sana to guide the wolves as our hands and feet."

"I see. So the existence of a companion beast is important for a beastman aspiring to be a Wolf Guardian."

"That's right. I can't thank Sana enough."

Edgar petted Sana's head, his words always humble.

"I think it's impressive that Edgar was able to bring out Sana's potential. No matter how smart a dog is, its talent won't bloom without a patient owner to guide it."

I thought of Jiro, the Shiba Inu I had in my previous life.

His white and brown fur, and his shiny, wet nose.

Jiro could do simple tricks like sit, but I remember it was a struggle to train him.

Training a companion beast like Sana to guide wolves must have been a long and arduous journey.

As someone who loves dogs, I found Edgar worthy of respect.

"Edgar, you and Sana have been aiming to become Wolf Guardians for years, haven't you?"

"Becoming a Wolf Guardian has been my dream since childhood."

"Admirable. By the way, is it okay to ask what motivated you to aim for this position?"

"………It was thanks to a wolf with blue eyes."

"Ah, Goo-sama?"

Wolves have brown eyes. The only one with blue eyes is Goo-sama.

Why Goo-sama here?

As I raised a question, Edgar hurriedly spoke up.

"S-Sorry!! I didn't explain it well!! To be precise, it was because I was saved by a wolf that looked just like Goo-sama."

"A wolf that looked like Goo-sama?"

"It had beautiful silver fur and blue eyes, which are rare for wolves. The face is a bit blurry in my memory, but it seemed to resemble Goo-sama. I met this wolf when I was lost in the forest near the capital with Sana, who was a puppy at the time."

I've heard that the forest near the capital is relatively safe, with no dangerous beasts.

But for young Edgar, the forest was a terrifying place that seemed to stretch endlessly.

Feeling helpless, his tail drooped, and he was about to cry with Sana when Goo-sama's lookalike appeared.

"I was scared, thinking I would be eaten by the wolf. But the wolf never attacked me. Instead, it started walking as if leading me, and when I followed, I was able to get out of the forest."

"That must have been quite a shocking experience."

I tend to forget that the wolves coming to this palace are like large, domesticated dogs.

In this world, wolves are generally wild animals that don't get along with humans.

For a weak child to be helped by a wolf is a rare story indeed.

"I remember being very surprised. And when I saw the wolf's blue eyes, I was even more shocked. It felt as if the legendary silver wolf, the ancestor of the Volvart royal family, had come to my aid. Since then, I've been drawn to wolves."

"That's why you aimed to become a Wolf Guardian."

"………Will you laugh?"

"I won't laugh. I think it's not easy to continue pursuing a childhood dream."

Edgar seemed relieved when I said it was unthinkable to laugh.

"Many people have mocked me, saying that being saved by a wolf and the wolf having blue eyes were all just my imagination, a dream I had while napping in the forest. I would probably doubt the same story if I heard it from someone else……"

"But you don't think it was an illusion, do you? If you believe it, that's enough. No matter what others say, your continued admiration and becoming a Wolf Guardian are due to your own efforts."

"Thank you……"

Even as he hid his face, Edgar's tail wagged from side to side.

"I really feel blessed. I haven't met that wolf again, but the senior Wolf Guardians are strict yet kind, and the wolves have grown fond of me. I can talk to Lady Letitia, and I've met Goo-sama, who looks just like the silver wolf from that day."

"Goo-sama……"

I've been told that Goo-sama is a young wolf, only three years old, so it can't be the same wolf that saved young Edgar.

But they share the rare blue eyes, so they might be related in some way.

"I hope you can meet the wolf that saved you again someday."

Meeting the wolf that saved him in the forest as an adult sounds like a fairy tale and would be wonderful.

Thinking of the wolf, whose whereabouts and even if it is still alive are unknown, I looked up at the sky.

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Unbeknownst to Letitia, who was lost in such romantic reverie――――――――――――

"Ahchoo!!"

――――――――――――The figure of King Glenreid, who sneezed softly, was there.