Chapter 43

When I entered Sara's room, it smelled musty.

Even though it was daytime, hardly any sunlight came in, making the room dim.

There was a window, but it faced north, and there was a large tree nearby, which was probably the reason.

In that dim room, there was a bed.

The bedsheet was yellowed and looked damp. It was probably the source of the musty smell.

From the entrance of the room, Sara was hiding on the other side of the musty bed.

She sat on the floor,

"...---...---"

muttering softly to herself. It seemed she hadn't noticed me.

I wondered what she was talking about.

Curious, I approached quietly.

"...---..."

Sara was whispering and hugging a stick with a rag wrapped around it.

It was just a stick.

However, with branches growing slightly to the left and right, it could almost look like arms. Just a stick with a rag wrapped around it, but it seemed to be Sara's doll.

Even as a noble lady's daughter, Sara hadn't been given a proper doll.

"...Sara is so cute. ...Good girl, good girl."

Sara murmured.

These were the important words she must have been happy to hear from her mother Marion.

"...Sara is Mom's treasure. ...Good girl."

She was whispering the words she had been happy to hear, to her doll.

I almost cried.

"Sara"

"Ah!"

Sara, noticing me, flinched and hurriedly hid her doll under her skirt. She trembled, tucking her tail between her legs.

I hugged her.

Sara was so thin and small, it seemed she wasn't even getting enough food.

"...It's okay. Leave it to Luria."

"Lu...Luria-sama?"

"Sara is like Luria's little sister. Luria is the older sister."

"Big...sister?"

"Yes. Since Sara's mother's milk helped Luria grow."

I repeated, "It's okay," while hugging Sara.

It seemed the baron didn't dote on Sara.

I didn't know why.

The baron had said, "Sara is not someone who can meet the princess."

I had thought it was because she lacked proper manners, but it felt a bit off.

It was as if he was saying Sara was of a lower class.

After a while, Sara's trembling finally subsided.

"Sara, come live with me."

"...But"

"Marion's illness will surely be cured. Once she's better, we can live together."

"...But"

"But?"

"Sara is a beastgirl...it's impossible."

"Why do you think so?"

"Sara is...a beastgirl...and therefore lowly."

Sara grabbed her dog-like ears tightly, looking sad.

I see. Sara had been raised to believe that.

So, the baron's words, "not someone who can meet the princess," had that meaning.

I was very angry with the baron.

"You are not lowly. Sara is not lowly."

"But..."

"No buts. Sara is Marion's treasure."

Tears welled up in Sara's eyes.

"Sara is cute. A good girl. And Luria's little sister."

"Uu...uuu..."

Sara started crying.

"Sara is Luria's little sister. And Luria is the older sister. Sara is a good girl and cute."

I kept talking to her and hugging her until she stopped crying.

Caro also came out of my pocket and gently stroked Sara's head.

"...Risu?"

Sara tilted her head, looking at Caro.

"I'm a prairie dog named Caro."

"Cute."

Sara smiled for the first time.

(Good job, Caro!)

I silently praised Caro with my eyes.

"Kyu"

Caro looked proud.

I'll ask Mother about Sara later, but first, I need to cure Marion's illness.

If Marion gets better, Sara will be happy and won't be lonely.

If Marion gets better, even that foolish baron can be dealt with.

"Alright... Sara"

"Yes, Luria-sama."

Sara was stroking Caro, who was perched on her shoulder.

I was going to tell her she didn't need to use "sama," but I decided to wait, in case she got scolded for being impolite.

"...Caro, scout ahead."

"Kyu"

Caro ran to the open door on all fours and peeked outside, checking what the servants were doing.

"Sara, come here."

"Okay."

I led her to the window and spoke in a low voice.

"Be quiet, okay?"

"Okay."

"Do you know where Marion, Sara's mother, is?"

"Um...over there."

Sara pointed to a building beyond the trees outside the window.

From the window to that building, it was about seventy steps for an adult, so the distance was roughly fifty meters.

By the way, I learned about the unit of length, meters, from my brother.

"That building?"

"Yes. Sara can't go inside."

"Because it's contagious."

While saying this, I thought about how to get to Marion's building.

Thanks to my sword training, I had built up my stamina and could run fast for a five-year-old.

But if I was seen, it would be bad.

Especially if I was seen by the servants of the Grand Duke's family.

The servants, who served as guards, were incredibly fast.

I would be caught and brought back before I could take ten steps.

"Hmm...? Hmm?"

I was about to take a chance and run at full speed when I noticed something odd.

"Huh... Could it be, a mist?"

"Mist? Luria-sama, mist?"

"Doesn't the building look like it has a bit of black mist on it?"

"Sara can't see anything like that."

If Sara couldn't see it, it might be magic?

"...Could it be?"

Looking again, it slightly resembled the mist of magic that almost killed my mother right after I was born.

But if it was magic, wouldn't the guardian animals have noticed and told me?

"...No time to hesitate. Here goes."

I opened the window. It was a type that opens by pushing up from the bottom.

It was very stiff and heavy, but thanks to my sword training, I managed to open it.

"Whoa"

"......"

When I opened the window, Daru was lying down, hiding under it.