15
Chapter 15
I sprinted urgently.
Huff, huff, I gasped for breath as I returned to the Tiger Grass.
"Tiger!"
"......"
Still no response.
"You... you have a friend you want to find, right?"
Surely, there was a precious friend in his heart.
"Or, do you have an owner?"
"......"
"You want to see your friend or owner, right?"
At those words, the Tiger Grass where Black Tiger lay twitched slightly.
I thought about the future.
Recalling the newspaper article that read, 'Tiger wanted to return to where he lived,' I asked again with all my sincerity.
"So, you want to leave for the place where you lived. Right?"
Finally, I was certain.
That I had accurately guessed the reason why this Tiger had escaped.
Above the Tiger Grass, Tiger slowly appeared.
* * *
The barracks of the northern Grand Duchy of Rivera, filled with bars.
Unknown to anyone, Black Tiger was abused like a toy by the Grand General.
Until then, no one knew that Black Tiger was a Spirit Creature.
"Ugh, now that this Tiger's teeth have all fallen out, he's useless."
"His strength has weakened too. We can't even use him in war anymore, so let's just throw him away."
He had only ever heard bad things from everyone.
There was only one being who reached out to him.
"You... you're a sick Tiger."
A prince-like boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.
He coughed like a terminally ill patient.
Then, with his parched hand, he carefully touched his body.
"You must be having a hard time too, like me. Because you're very different from others."
Without knowing anything about his circumstances.
"I'll come to see you often. Please stay alive until then."
He had only heard one sentence.
But sometimes, a single word can move the heart.
So Black Tiger wanted to become friends with that boy.
But...
"Ah, come to think of it. There was an order to send that Tiger to Duke Ardos."
"I don't know the reason, but send him. He can't be used in war anymore anyway."
Without knowing the boy's name or identity.
He was dragged to the Ardos Duchy.
'I want to see him just once, again.'
Before that boy with the incurable disease died, he wanted to see him.
But no one knew the words of the Spirit Creature, nor could they read his heart.
It was the same in the Ardos Duchy.
"Why is the Tiger acting up like that?"
"Is it because he's not in good condition? He looks like he's about to die soon."
"I heard the Duke brought the Tiger directly from the barracks, so it's a pity he's suffering so much and dying."
Then, he heard the story that he was going to die.
So, for the first time in his life, he dared to escape.
To meet that boy again.
As he did, his body moved naturally.
'Somehow, I feel like I can help that child.'
And finally, Coco whispered softly.
"I see."
Like a quick-witted puppy, Coco, who had figured out what he wanted, said firmly.
"I'll find that friend for you. I promise!"
At those words, the rough fingertips of the Tiger Spirit Creature trembled.
"So, let's get you healthy first."
"......"
"It's so cold here."
Coco hugged the Tiger, who had hidden his claws, tightly in her arms.
Due to the difference in size, it was actually the Tiger holding a puppy in his arms.
"Really, the wind is blowing too much..."
Black Tiger gently held Coco in his arms.
He felt the warm warmth of a human for the first time in his life.
* * *
"I, I brought Duke Ardos's house-sized Tiger Spirit Creature alive!"
I announced with great importance, gathering a total of three people.
Chloe, Ruth, and Dot!
Actually, Chloe was indifferent, but Ruth forcibly dragged her out.
Then, Dot, who was with us, mumbled awkwardly.
"...Um, Little Miss?"
"Yes!"
"But, um. Where is the Tiger...?"
Ruth also rolled her eyes with a bewildered expression and mumbled.
"I can't see him?"
I blinked.
'Ah!'
Come to think of it, Tiger hadn't released his invisibility?
I stomped my feet and looked to the side.
"Ta-da! Black Tiger, show yourself!"
As soon as I finished speaking, Black Tiger slowly released his invisibility.
"H-Heok..."
The Tiger politely bowed and wrote on the floor.
[Hello]
In the quiet atmosphere.
Ruth's mouth dropped open.
"Am I dreaming right now?"
"It's not a dream!"
"No, our dirty maknae picked up a Tiger. A Tiger..."
"Ung!"
"But, um, well... whether the Tiger is writing or drawing. Heuh... I don't know what he wrote at all."
"It seems the Tiger politely greeted us."
"He said hello!"
"No, Dirty picked up a Tiger? This really feels like a dream. Pinch me."
I pinched Ruth's hand firmly.
"It hurts... What, what is going on..."
Instead of Ruth, whose mouth was wide open, Dot said calmly.
"How, how did you find the Tiger? Even the numerous soldiers couldn't find him."
"You know, I got lost while taking a walk. By chance, the Tiger became transparent, then reappeared! So I thought it was amazing!"
"...Thought it was amazing?"
"I can talk to the Tiger, so I saved the Tiger!"
Dot and Ruth's eyes widened.
"Huh? How can you talk to animals?"
"That kind of Special Ability only exists in legends..."
They looked at each other with bewildered expressions.
They didn't seem to believe me.
"Does she have animal affinity?"
Regardless, I, who had become happy, puffed up my cheeks.
"Anyway, it seems I have some kind of Special Ability. That's good. That's good."
"Woobooboo..."
"I guess I have to prepare to accept you as my youngest sibling."
"Wow! Chloe's sibling!"
I proudly stuck out my stomach towards my sister to receive praise.
Come to think of it, I remembered my sister clapping whenever I did something great in the past.
"Oh my! You brought back a sock? Our Coco is so strong?"
"Woof! Woof!"
"Oh, how admirable. Oh, how kind. Oh, how pretty."
This time, I brought back a Spirit Creature instead of a sock!
She'll clap twice as much this time, right?
With a pounding heart, my sister looked at me and said.
"I'm curious about what your true identity is."
It was as if she was looking at a suspicious kid.
And that was the end of it.
"What identity? A lucky kid."
Ruth stroked my head, but I became a little sulky.
'Chee... No sister's praise or sweet potato.'
Still, it's a good thing.
I've gotten one step closer to being my sister's sibling.
'The day my sister recognizes me is not far off!'
Once I'm loved by the Duke and become my sister's real sibling, she'll give me lots of kisses again.
Like Ruth, who was stroking my head, I stroked the Tiger bravely.
"Then, can I feed the Tiger lots of delicious things before the Duke comes?"
"Oh, sure. He looks a bit weak. Then, let's tell Father that we'll take care of the Tiger instead of the researchers."
"I will help with both hands, Little Miss."
Just as Dot and I were spreading our wings of happy imagination.
Ruth looked at me worriedly.
"Come to think of it, I'm suddenly worried."
"Why?"
"You've never even seen what kind of person our father is, have you?"