Chapter 85

Snowdrops. It was the first time I had heard the name. As I murmured this, the young maid brought me an encyclopedia.

◇Snowdrops◇... A plant that blooms in winter. The snow fruit, rich in nectar, ripens under certain conditions, but the specifics of these conditions remain a mystery.

"Noir loves the fruit of the snowdrop. In the past, my husband used to search for it, but he passed away... It's been years since he last tasted it."

"I see."

It felt like an impossible task. Could I really find it?

Moreover, I was supposed to find it with Amelia.

"Grandmother, I'll go too!"

"What is the only daughter of a marquis talking about? Besides, I heard you are a knight now—"

Here, the lecture to Liette began.

It was a situation where I couldn't even utter a word in response to the endless stream of righteous arguments. I felt sorry for getting involved in this.

"But what if a monster appears? Mel doesn't have any combat skills!"

"In that case, I will allow you to take one companion. Someone other than Liette."

"What!?"

Being suddenly told to bring someone along... The only person I could casually invite was Zara.

Urgas might agree if I asked, but it would be unfair since it was his day off.

"What should I do..."

"Mel, should we ask someone from the幻兽保护局 (Fantastic Beast Protection Bureau)?"

"That would be a bit too much..."

Since it was a personal matter, I wanted to accomplish it with our own efforts.

However, I was a bit anxious about just the two of us.

And involving unrelated people...

"Oh, there's someone convenient."

"Huh?"

"Let's go back to the marquis' house for a moment."

Blanche was apparently going to play with Noir, so I was asked to leave her at the Eberhardt mansion. Zara would inform Liette. Since it was a place where we usually left her, there shouldn't be any problems.

"Then, I'll be off."

"Meow~!"

"Meow~!"

As I was about to leave the room, two lynxes followed me.

They seemed to be saying they wanted to come along too.

"No, that's not possible."

"Meow~!"

"Meow~!"

Oh, you naughty things!

When Mrs. Eberhardt called Blanche and Noir, the two lynxes turned around and left without a fuss. It seemed they didn't really want to come along after all.

Typical cats. So whimsical.

◇◇◇

The marquis was away on business.

So, I asked the butler to deliver a letter explaining the situation to his workplace and proceeded with the plan.

"Mel, are you serious?"

"I am."

I gripped the magic wand, Gra, in my hand, with a string wound around its tip. At the end of the string, tied and hanging, was—pride of the marquis' house, the head chef's pancake.

I was going to use this to catch the fairy, Album.

"But can that fairy really find snowdrops?"

"Probably. It's a plant fairy, and it has a good appetite, so I think it's the right choice."

The reason we were doing this was because we couldn't find Album.

When I asked the servants, they said it appeared in various places, so they didn't know where it was.

However, it was certain that it was somewhere in the mansion, not at the marquis' workplace.

I thought it might appear if I made pancakes in the kitchen, but it didn't, so I decided to set up an ambush in a corridor Album often frequented.

I placed the pancake, tied to a string, in the middle of the corridor.

Liette, Amelia, and I hid around the corner and watched.

"Um, Mel?"

"What is it?"

"Since it's an intelligent fairy, it might not work..."

"Wow, I see a pancake!"

Out came the fairy, Album!!! So easy. Too easy.

As Album appeared, I pulled the magic wand, Gra.

"Thank you, wait a moment?"

I slowly pulled the magic wand, Gra.

"Huh, that's strange..."

As I pulled the pancake tied to the string, Album followed along.

It didn't seem to question why the pancake was moving.

Finally, I pulled it quickly.

"Pancake, wait for me, hehe..."

"Quack!!"

"Yaaah!!"

Amelia stepped on it, and Album was captured.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing to Album-chan!"

"I'm sorry, I have a favor to ask."

"You can't just ask someone for a favor like that!"

"I apologize."

First, as a sign of sincerity, I gave Album a pancake.

"Wow... This is the head chef's pancake from the marquis' house, isn't it? Not the pancake girl's pancake? Oh, it's so good!"

It was a hard-to-read reaction, whether it was satisfied or not.

But it was happily munching away.

"...So, can we talk, Album-chan?"

"Do you know about snowdrops?"

Album nodded.

I asked if it could help us find them.

"Hmm, I don't know..."

"Please, if you find them, I'll make as many pancakes as you want."

"Leave it to Album-chan!"

It readily agreed.

Thus, I, Amelia, and Album set out to find the snowdrops.

"Mel, are you sure this fairy can do it?"

"Let's have faith."

In Album's appetite.

I rode on Amelia.

Thinking that riding without a saddle was scary, the butler offered me a saddle.

"Um, what is this?"

"It seems to be a prototype of a griffin saddle."

The marquis had apparently made a prototype, thinking I might order one in the future.

It was a high-quality item made by the leather craftsman who supplied the Lichtenberger marquis' household.

"Can I use this?"

The butler nodded with a smile.

"Yes. It should fit Amelia perfectly now."

However, accepting it for free felt a bit...

"It's fine, Mel. If you submit a report on the flight, it will be useful for the Fantastic Beast Protection Bureau's research."

"I see."

There was no choice but to accept the offer. Flying without a saddle would be quite dangerous.

The female servants helped put the saddle on Amelia, tightening and securing it with belts.

"Amelia, is it too tight?"

"Quack~"

It seemed fine.

I mounted Amelia, who was in a low position.

"Album, hide in the pancake girl's clothes."

"Quack!!"

Amelia, hearing Album's comment, gave a sharp retort: "What are you saying, you!!" Album immediately apologized: "Yes, sorry, don't step on me!"

"Album, please stay in this leather bag."

"Huh, are you putting Album-chan in a bag again?"

I silently put the chocolate pastries I received from the Eberhardt mansion into the bag.

Album's eyes sparkled—

"Yay~!"

It shouted and jumped into the bag. So predictable.

I tightly closed the bag and tied it to the saddle.

"Then, Liette, we're off."

"Be careful."

"Amelia is with me!"

"Quack!"

"Album too!"

Liette gave me holy water. With this, I wouldn't have to worry about monsters.

I put the holy water in the leather bag next to Album, but it shouted, "I feel so cold!!"

Album probably had monster-like attributes. I apologized and hung it on the opposite side.

With everything ready, it was time to set off!

Amelia took a running start in the marquis' spacious garden and took flight with flapping wings.

"Ahhh!!"

"Yaaah!!"

Amelia soared high into the sky.

I gripped the saddle's handle and reins tightly, fighting against my fear.

"Quack quack~"

Amelia seemed to be enjoying it.

Good for her.

But I and Album were almost in tears.