Translator: Nox
I Will Raise the Tiger Cub
Cough, hack.
Gale choked on his breath, his coughing fits echoing continuously throughout the parlor.
Lulubell Durams
“Here, Vice Commander. Please, have some water.”
When I offered him a cup, he gulped the water down in frantic swallows.
Gale Onca
“Gaghh, cough. Truly, you hand out the illness and the cure together. Cough.”
I tilted my head in feigned innocence.
Only after catching his breath for a good long while did Gale shake his head side to side.
He glanced sideways toward the Duke, carefully gauging his superior's mood.
Lulubell Durams ✧
“You dote on Hokan so dearly, Vice Commander. Don’t you? So you wouldn't send him off on a journey all alone, right?”
Gale Onca
“I, well… Teacher. I am a man bound to follow the Commander's orders.”
Wearing a forced smile, Gale answered while looking back and forth between Kuhn and Hokan.
Lulubell Durams
“Yes, naturally. That is to say, provided His Grace gives permission. You would be willing to serve as our escort knight for Hokan and me, wouldn’t you?”
Deliberately catching where his gaze drifted, I spoke Hokan's name aloud with emphasis.
Gale Onca
“Well, of course—”
Gale broke off mid-sentence as his eyes met the Duke’s slowly turning face.
Flinching, Gale hitched his shoulders slightly before sinking back down.
Gale Onca
“Naturally, I have no such thing as personal preference. Only the Commander’s orders are my preference and desire. Ahaha…”
Hmph. So that was how he wanted to play it?
Lulubell Durams ✧
“Hokan, it seems the Vice Commander doesn't want to come with us when we travel here. We’ll just have to find someone else. Someone among the Blantiger Knights who is handsomer, taller, better at swordsmanship, and far gentler…”
I pouted my lips, looking down at Hokan with a deeply crestfallen expression.
Gale Onca
“No such person exists, Teacher. Having met every single one of those qualifications, I will take the assignment.”
Gale suddenly closed the distance between us and declared his resolution.
Lulubell Durams
“Pardon? Truly? Thank you. I place ourselves in your capable hands, Vice Commander, man of every distinction.”
I bent at the waist, offering a polite bow.
Jackjack
“Jackjack too. Pwease take cawe of me.”
Jackjack, who had come to stand beside me unnoticed, bobbed his head in a little bow toward Gale as well.
Gale repeatedly rubbed the back of his neck in awkward embarrassment.
Meanwhile, the Duke watched our display with a look as sour as if he had chewed on fireflies.
The golden gleam in his eyes flared bright.
Gasp. I caught my breath. Even so, there was no taking my words back now.
I intended to keep my promise to Hokan at any cost.
Lulubell Durams
“N-Not often, of course. Wouldn't it be fine if we saved up plenty of money and traveled just once in a veeery long while?”
Cowed beneath the Duke's piercing gaze, I rattled on in a meek, defensive murmur.
His Grace parted his lips to speak, but only let out a deep sigh instead.
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Gale, take the children to bed.”
Answering with far more vigor than ever before, Gale hurried toward Hokan and Jackjack.
Jackjack ♥
“Lulu Sister, can I sleep with Brother today?”
Holding Hokan's hand, Jackjack asked me with unvarnished excitement sparkling in his eyes.
Having grown quite close, the two children gripped each other's hands tightly.
Lulubell Durams
“Hokan, wouldn't that be uncomfortable for you?”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“I want to play with Jackjack before going to sleep too.”
Lulubell Durams
“All right, then. But only a little while, and then straight to sleep. We have to set out early tomorrow.”
The moment I offered a warm smile, Gale swiftly shepherded the children out of the parlor.
I wanted nothing more than to follow right behind them.
Lulubell Durams
“Then, if I may take my leave as well…”
I stole a glance at the Duke and took a single step toward the door.
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Teacher, stay behind. You and I have things to discuss.”
Lulubell Durams
“Ah, yes.”
My hands clasped together in polite deference of their own accord as I waited for what the Duke would say.
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“You wrote that poem remarkably well.”
Lulubell Durams
“Pardon? You saw it?”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“I had brief business at the columbarium earlier. I came to thank you for conveying the sentiments I held so well. And to give you this.”
He held out a small cloth pouch.
Inside had to be my beloved gold. Heh. Working hard on my studies had certainly paid off.
Lulubell Durams
“I am relieved to hear the poem met with your approval. Thank you.”
Delighted, I bowed and offered a bright smile.
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Reading it, you proved worthy of the title of valedictorian. However.”
Of course. True intentions always arrived after the word ‘however.’
Refraining from indulging in further praise, I braced myself for what followed.
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Why must someone so clever keep bringing up trips to the North with Hokan? Hokan must live in the capital now. Do you not realize the sooner he settles in there, the better?”
Lulubell Durams
“How could anyone expect a child to sever himself from the very first home he ever loved in a single stroke? Do you not care for and treasure this homeland of yours above all else as well, Your Grace? From where I stand, that is plain to see. And it is no different for Hokan.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“He is a mere seven years old. What homeland could he possibly hold? Once he grows attached to life in the capital, that will become his home.”
Lulubell Durams !
“Precisely because he is seven! For now, this place feels like his entire world.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“You truly refuse to yield a single word.”
Clicking his tongue softly, the Duke looked down at me with a steady, quiet gaze.
I had no intention of backing down in our stare, let alone our words.
Doing my best not to buckle under his overwhelming aura, I met his eyes squarely.
“I must inspect the territory periodically in any case. Whenever I do, Teacher, accompany Hokan alongside me. That should suffice.”
Oh? Was this not as good as granting permission to visit the North?
Lulubell Durams ✧
“It would be plenty fine to come with only the Vice Commander, though. You are far too busy, Your Grace.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger ⚔
“Would you prefer not to come at all?”
Lulubell Durams
“Oh, by no means! Nothing could be better than having Your Grace accompany us.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Then rest now. We depart early on the morrow.”
Lulubell Durams
“Yes, of course. Have a restful night.”
I dipped into a cheerful, respectful bow.
The Duke turned and strode away, only to halt abruptly.
Turning his head back slowly, he hesitated a moment before parting his lips.
Kuhn Russell Blantiger ///
“How… is your injury faring? Did the salve prove effective?”
Lulubell Durams
“Ah, yes, absolutely! The spirit contractor's ointment worked pure miracles. It is almost entirely healed.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“A relief. You must ride on horseback again tomorrow.”
Leaving behind those parting words, the Duke strode out of the parlor.
“Ah…”
The forgotten ache seemed to flare right back to life in an instant.
I had to gallop on horseback with His Grace again tomorrow.
A crushing wave of exhaustion crashed over me without warning.
Lulubell Durams
“I must wash up and sleep right now. Energy conservation is the only way to survive.”
I hurried off toward the bathroom.
***
Stepping outside after breakfast the next morning, I gasped at the sheer volume of luggage loaded onto the wagons.
It was an astonishing amount.
Another cargo carriage had been added to the train, packed tight inside with small wooden crates.
Lulubell Durams
“My goodness. What on earth is all of this?”
I walked up to a maid busily loading baggage and inquired.
Linda
“They are the Spirit Contractor's belongings.”
So they belonged to Spirit Contractor Rina Sloth.
Jackjack ♥
“Sister! Sister!”
As I nodded to myself, Jackjack's excited voice carried over from across the grounds.
With Linda's help, he seemed fully prepped and ready for our departure.
Having emerged from the main building alongside Hokan, Jackjack spotted me and came toddling over at once.
Lulubell Durams
“Did you sleep well?”
I quickly scooped Jackjack up into my arms.
Jackjack ♥
“Sister! Bwother gave me dis!”
In his small hands, Jackjack held a little wooden training sword.
Though clearly a toy sword, a remarkably large gemstone was set into its hilt.
Lulubell Durams
“Jackjack, you didn't pester your brother into giving this to you, did you?”
Jackjack
“Nu-uh. Bwother gave it.”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“I gave it to him. As a gift.”
Lulubell Durams
“Still, Hokan, it looks quite precious… Isn't this an important possession of yours?”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“I have plenty of those. I just couldn't take all of them to the capital.”
Lulubell Durams
“Then we shall accept it with gratitude. Jackjack, did you thank your brother properly?”
Jackjack ♥
“Uh-huh! I gave him a big kiss!”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“The moment I handed it over, he grabbed my cheeks and… haah…”
Hokan let out a soft sigh, shaking his head in mock weariness.
Northern blood certainly ran in his veins.
Even baby affection seemed completely beyond his stoic endurance.
Seeing Hokan's sullen pout, I chuckled softly.
Rina Sloth
“Tee… cher… G… ood… morn… ing… to you.”
Someone approached my side at an excruciatingly glacial pace.
From that dragging voice alone, I instantly recognized who it was.
Lulubell Durams
“It must have been exhausting packing up such a massive amount of luggage.”
Rina Sloth
“Because… there… are… spee… d potions… after all…”
Lulubell Durams
“Ah, what a relief indeed.”
I couldn't help thinking what a blessing it was that Rina ranked as a master spirit contractor.
One reason spirit contractors were treated with such reverence throughout the empire was the indispensable role they played on the battlefield.
Without her potions, her sluggish pace would have severely crippled defensive operations.
Rina Sloth
“If… you… wi… sh… shall… I… drink… one… now…?”
‘Yes, please. I beg of you.’
Rina Sloth
“It… will… dep… lete… my… en… ergy… but… st—”
Lulubell Durams
“Ah, we can't have your energy drained! Please don't take it; I can wait.”
Rina Sloth
“…ill, I… shall… dr—”
Lulubell Durams
“Yes! Go right ahead and drink it, please!”
