Chapter 80

I overdid it with the adopted daughter role 080

“Lady Viola, there’s something I’d like to ask...”

“Go ahead.”

“Do you happen to keep a large dog?”

“Large dog?”

Viola involuntarily tilted her head in confusion.

A large dog, all of a sudden?

“Yes. I can sense something outside the door, eagerly waiting for its owner to come.”

“Oh, her name is Tundra.”

“...I see.”

Erza doesn’t know much about Tundra.

She has only been working as a butler for a year, and during that year, she mostly accompanied Hera as they wandered around Bellatuga, learning her duties as a butler.

Hera was the white Bellatuga and the owner of the Terra Caravan, which meant she had many external engagements.

“I’ve heard of the rumor that a companion sword desires a companion dog, but I didn’t expect it to be this much.”

She knew, but she didn’t expect it to feel like this.

The presence beyond the door was undoubtedly that of a pitiful puppy.

She felt the presence again through mana.

It felt like a large dog was crouching there.

“What do you mean by ‘this much’?”

Erza was quite sensitive to mana and had the ability to read some of the other person’s emotional state through it.

Erza referred to this as ‘mana whispers.’

“If I were to convey the mana whispers directly...”

Erza closed her eyes.

She focused more on the whispers of mana to read the presence beyond the door.

“When are you coming? Why did you leave me alone? Come quickly, I miss you, I’m here.”

“...I think that sums it up.”

Even though it’s just on the other side of the door, she’s like that.

Viola was a bit taken aback.

She acts like a real dog, now that she’s been made one.

“Really, you can hear such whispers?”

“Yes, I can hear them. But from Tundra, I feel a very special kind of whisper. It’s like... an instinct, I guess.”

Viola’s heart grew more complicated.

Instinct, she says.

She’s waiting for me, with feelings she doesn’t even understand.

‘Is she really a dog?’

Tundra’s state seemed like that of a young puppy waiting for its owner to return.

She doesn’t realize it, but that’s how she feels.

“Being a companion sword, experiencing that aura is quite interesting. Like waiting for Lady Viola outside the door...”

Erza paused for a moment.

This was the first time she felt such a whisper.

Although she described it as instinctive, it wasn’t just a simple ‘instinctive waiting.’

“This instinctive waiting seems to be deeply ingrained in the soul, as if...”

“What are you trying to say?”

“It’s like you were born for Lady Viola. Created for her.”

“...Because she’s my dog.”

“No, it’s more than that. From a very long time ago. Perhaps even before this world existed. It feels like she was destined to be born for you.”

Viola frowned slightly.

Tundra has the appearance of Gwang-joon.

Hearing that someone with his appearance was destined to be born for her made her feel strange.

“I heard your special feelings. It’s quite detailed for just sensing the presence beyond the door.”

“I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”

Erza slightly bowed to show her respect.

And while still bowed, she continued.

“I only said that because I already know about this special whisper.”

Erza was well aware of this special form of whisper.

The instinctive call deeply ingrained in the soul.

“I’ve been unknowingly calling out like that.”

Just as the companion sword Tundra shows blind affection to Viola.

Erza loved her daughter blindly.

Just as Tundra felt like she was destined for Viola.

Erza felt like she was prepared for her daughter.

Viola chuckled.

“My daughter. I love you.

Like this?”

Erza’s body twitched.

It was something she used to murmur happily by her sleeping daughter’s bedside.

She never expected to hear the same words from Viola.

“Your daughter must have been happy.”

“Can you hear the whispers of mana?”

“No, I can’t.”

She can sense the smell, but not the sound.

“Still, I can imagine how you became your sister’s butler. You said you knew about the special whispers, and that you were calling them out. I can easily guess what you’ve been saying to your daughter and how you felt about her.”

“...I see.”

“Anyway, I meant it. Your daughter must have been happy.”

“I hope so.”

Erza’s eyes reddened slightly.

Because she was busy.

For your brighter future.

Because I wanted you to be happier.

So I worked day and night.

So I had to sacrifice time with my daughter.

Can a mother who sacrifices her memories be considered a good mother??

“I hope so, but...”

“Your daughter was scared and lonely at times, but she was even more happy and joyful. That’s what I think.”

Hera crossed her arms and watched the conversation between Viola and Erza.

At first, Erza led the conversation, but somehow the initiative shifted to Viola.

But Viola continued.

“What a strange coincidence. It’s quite mysterious.”

Viola said this casually, with a blank expression.

“Sir Hixon also lost his daughter, and Erza lost her daughter. In a slightly different case, Sir Jackal’s son, Jermi, was kidnapped.”

Kidnapping and human trafficking are common in slums and areas with poor security.

However, Hixon and Erza’s cases were a bit different.

They didn’t live in slums or remote mountain villages like Tundra.

Moreover, Hixon and Erza were excellent warriors.

“Just... that’s all.”

***

After Viola left in the carriage, Tundra stood there blankly for a long time.

“How long do you plan to stand there?”

Tundra was actually in a daze.

The butler went with her, and even Sei van Marcos went along.

Why can’t I go with them?

I want to go with them too.

If I say I want to go now, will Lady Viola be upset?

I don’t want Lady Viola to be upset.

But I want to go. What should I do?

Where am I? Why am I here?

Her subconscious dominated her consciousness as she blankly stared at the horizon where the carriage had disappeared.

“Hey! Can’t you hear your master?”

He only waited for a minute or two.

It seemed like she had been standing there for a long time.

“Ah, I’m sorry, Master. How long has it been?”

“An hour and 22 minutes.”

It seemed like more time had passed than she thought.

“Waiting for your owner to leave, a companion dog. If I hadn’t called you, you would have stood there all day, wouldn’t you?”

“This phenomenon is called separation anxiety. I read it in a book.”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“When will she be back?”

“How should I know? She said she’s going to buy clothes and accessories, so she’ll be back soon.”

“But I heard the mountains are quite treacherous.”

“Are you worried?”

Tundra nodded.

Hixon was flabbergasted.

“You’re worried about that Viola? If she wanted to, she could have roasted and eaten someone like you. What’s a little treacherous mountain to her?”

“But...”

“Snap out of it, kid.”

Hixon smacked Tundra on the back of the head.

Actually, Hixon understood Tundra’s feelings quite well.

Hixon was secretly reading a book called ‘The Companion Dog Psychology White Paper (Companion White Paper),’ which was considered a must-read for butlers.

[Chapter 7. The Inner Thoughts of a Companion Dog.

A companion dog always worries about its owner. When the owner goes out, it waits endlessly for them to return. Missing and longing for them, it anxiously wonders if something might happen to them outside. This is a common trait of companion dogs.

When it gets severe, it’s called separation anxiety.]

Recalling this content, Hixon’s head started to hurt.

‘Is she really a dog?’

Hixon asked.

“Hey. Have you read the Companion White Paper?”

“Yes, I’ve read it. I learned about separation anxiety from there. It’s an excellent book that vividly describes my psychology.”

Hixon was speechless, like a mute who had eaten honey.

Meanwhile, Viola’s party traveled south by carriage for three days.

Erza guided them.

“From here, we need to leave the carriage and move to the teleportation portal.”

They took the teleportation portal.

They arrived at the small town of Epier, near Mount Parua.

“After resting here for a day, we have a meeting with a mage tomorrow. I’ll guide you to your accommodations.”

They arrived at the accommodations and rested for a day.

The next morning, at 9 AM.

Hera and Viola went down to the first-floor lobby.

A meeting with the mage was scheduled to take place here.

“Hello. I am Cromson, who trained under the 12th lineage of Grand Mage Mullen of the 6th Magic Tower...”

He was a man wearing a robe and holding a crystal staff in his right hand.

The man pushed back his hood, looking bewildered.

He was around 40 years old.

Apart from being a mage, he looked like an ordinary man.

“Hey. Butler.”

He turned his gaze to Erza.

“Didn’t you say they were the famous Bellatuga princesses? What are these young, inexperienced brats?”