12
Chapter 12
Coco's violet eyes, sparkling as if filled with sunlight, scanned the surroundings.
Then, they lost hope and became empty.
"Tch. No unnie."
"What's with the 'tch'? I'm here too, you know."
"I thought Unnie came to see me... Only Ruth is here..."
"Geez... Well, let's fill our bellies first."
Coco's eyes widened at the food that had already filled the formal dining table.
"Wowwww!"
She drooled as she clumsily cut a piece of meat, looking quite adorable.
'How can they kick out such a small child? Seriously, they have no heart.'
Ruth unconsciously took Coco's plate and cut the meat for her, saying,
"You got kicked out? But you kept hanging around?"
"No! It's a one-step forward for... umm... a two-step retreat!"
"Isn't that just a one-step retreat then?"
"......?"
He chuckled, watching Coco tilt her head.
"You've heard you're cute a lot, haven't you?"
"Yep."
"......Wow, she's quite cheeky."
But why doesn't it bother me?
"Alright. You're cute. Since you got kicked out, want to come to my house?"
Just as Coco looked up at Ruth with sparkling eyes,
The dining room door opened, and Chloe appeared with a languid expression.
"Stop trying to pick up kids. She didn't get kicked out."
"......Ah, Chloe Ardos. Here comes the trash."
He frowned, and Chloe sat in the opposite chair, retorting,
"What."
"Seriously, even if it's you, how can you kick out a child, and leave her in front of the door in this cold weather?"
"I didn't kick her out."
"That's right! I didn't get kicked out!"
"Then why in front of the door......"
"Our house, you know, light shines brightly from the door! So I went outside the Seahawk Manor early in the morning to see it!"
Coco rambled on about the glass door of Chloe's Seahawk Manor.
She said the light reflected when the morning sun came in was amazing?
'......Wait a minute. This is strange.'
He suddenly looked around.
Come to think of it, the state of the dining room today was also odd.
Unlike Chloe's usual space, it was filled with sunlight instead of darkness.
"Seriously... she's so unique."
A faint smile lingered on Chloe's lips.
He cleared his throat a couple of times before speaking.
"Always so prickly... Anyway, I had something to tell you. I'll just say it and leave, so relax your face."
"What is it."
"You know the Tiger Spirit Creature your father brought from the Grand Duchy of Rivera?"
"Ah, the one that went wild during the Fiend War and was captured."
"Yeah. The one we brought to check what its Special Ability was."
"What about it?"
"That Spirit Creature suddenly escaped from its cage. It's best not to run into it, since it's a very ferocious Spirit Creature."
"Hmph......"
Chloe drank her coffee with an expression as if she was thinking deeply about something.
At that moment, Coco carefully interjected.
"Um. What's a Spirit Creature?"
"Ah, Coco doesn't know? Ahem, listen carefully. I'll only explain it once. Originally, beasts are divided into three categories."
Ruth began to explain pretentiously.
Coco perked up her ears.
* * *
After hearing the detailed story from Ruth, it was like this.
First, Animals.
Ordinary animals. Dogs like Coco and the Emperor of Mice are included here.
Second, Spirit Creatures.
Spirit Creatures are beings in the form of animals.
However, they have received some of God's blessing and possess unique Special Abilities.
Spirit Creatures are instinctively drawn to the human they choose.
Through 'Imprint' with the chosen human, they can make that human stronger.
And that Spirit Creature is said to have Special Abilities similar to those of the human.
But 'Imprint' is very rare.
I made a mental note, but I couldn't concentrate on the next words and forgot them.
Third, Divine Beast.
......Divine Beasts are incredibly, incredibly amazing animals that can do anything.
You can think of them as almost the strongest in the world.
There's almost nothing known about them, Ruth trailed off.
"A super strong Tiger escaped from its cage!"
"Well, that's about it. So, Coco, you be careful too. Father was very concerned."
"Hoooh."
"A huge reward has been offered for the Tiger's capture. But well, it seems no one can catch it. Anyway, the situation will calm down when Father returns. By then, you'll be......"
When Ruth couldn't continue, Chloe Unnie said dryly.
"You'll be abandoned when Father comes."
"Tch......"
I want to keep being Unnie's little sister......
Soon after, Ruth scratched his nose.
"Chloe Ardos. Anyway, don't be too mean to Coco."
"Mind your own business. I'll take care of it."
A tense standoff occurred between the two.
I sipped my milk gloomily, recalling Unnie's words.
"You're not my sister. I only acknowledge one person as my family."
Even now, when we're barely pretending to be family, she says I'm not her sister.
If abandonment is confirmed, will I really grow distant from Unnie?
That's the one thing I can't allow.
We need to get closer so Unnie can recognize me.
At that moment, what Ruth said earlier came to mind.
The story that 'a huge reward has been offered for the Tiger's capture.'
"Um, then."
"Yeah?"
"If I catch the Tiger?"
"Ptoo, ptoo, ptoooo-!"
I slowly moved away from Ruth, who spat out the wine he was drinking.
"......Anyway, if I catch the Tiger! I won't be abandoned, and I can keep being your little sister?"
Ruth, who had been making a dumbfounded expression, burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha! A five-year-old kid is going to catch a Tiger Spirit Creature?"
"Yes!"
"Hmm... I guess so. You'd get a huge reward for catching a Spirit Creature. Our father is originally a believer in ability above all else. If you only please Father, even if you're not the baby blessed by the Oracle, you might become our family?"
"Gasp, then I......!"
Just as I gripped my milk glass tightly with a pounding heart,
Unnie coldly cut me off.
"No. Ruth, stop joking around. What can a small, weak thing catch?"
My eyes widened.
Small and weak!
'Coco is offended!'
I showed off the muscles in my protruding arms.
"Umm, don't I look super strong?"
"Weak."
"Tch."
Still......
Things will be different if I catch a Spirit Creature.
A happy, rosy future unfolded in my mind.
"Our baby caught a Spirit Creature? You're a genius. You're really like my sister!"
"That's right! I'm Unnie's real sister now!"
"Oh my, I'm so, so proud that I have to bake you a ton of sweet potatoes, right?"
Clunk.
The milk glass landed grandly on the table.
Ruth wiped the area above my lip with his finger and muttered.
"Sigh, I don't know what she's thinking with that little head. Anyway, she seems very worried about being abandoned. Even if you are abandoned, don't worry too much. I'll take care of preparing a place for you......"
"I'm going to catch the Tiger Spirit Creature!"
I, the brave puppy Coco.
I will catch Duke Ardos's Tiger.
So, I will officially become Unnie's little sister!