Translator: Nox
I will raise the baby tiger as a squirrel.
Knock, knock.
Along with the customary knock, the door to Kuhn’s office swung open.
Moments later, Gale Onca appeared.
Gale was both the vice commander of the Blantiger Knights and Kuhn’s aide.
He was the most powerful person in Blan Castle after the lord himself.
Gale had just hurried back to the main castle after hearing what had transpired in the annex from Maurice.
Delivering an overview of everything occurring across the territory and within the knights was always the very last duty of his daily routine.
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Is training on the grounds finished already?”
Remaining seated at his desk, Kuhn glanced up briefly at Gale to ask.
Gale Onca
“No. It will soon be time for you to dine, Commander, so I dropped by to deliver my report as well.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“The report could have waited until you finished out there. Well, let me hear it.”
Gale Onca
“They say nearly every young lady has failed the first mission. One person is still in the middle of it, but Maurice’s assessment is that it will likely prove impossible after all.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Who is left?”
Gale Onca
“They said it was Lady Durams. Ah, that very lady whom Your Grace asked earlier if they had confirmed her identity.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Ah.”
In truth, Gale had been meaning to ask about that young lady anyway.
He had found it strange that Kuhn, who was seldom concerned with others, had suddenly raised such a question.
Whether it stemmed from favorable curiosity or distaste, such an interest was rare for Kuhn.
Gale Onca
“Why did you ask whether she was truly the daughter of a noble family?”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Do you not remember the woman we saw at the tavern during the festival last time?”
Gale Onca
“During the festival?”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“The day His Majesty granted the territory. On our way back north after receiving the documents and crest, we took a brief look around the festival held in the capital.”
Gale Onca
“Yes, I remember. A few knights, you, and I all stopped by a tavern.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“The woman downing beers in one gulp and dancing. It is definitely her. I naturally assumed she was a commoner.”
Gale Onca
“I don’t particularly recall that woman, but… so Lady Durams was there.”
Gale narrowed his eyes and watched his superior, whose gaze remained fixed upon the documents.
For what reason did their commander, who rarely took interest in women, remember one specific lady? And one he had presumed to be a commoner, no less?
Gale Onca
“I thought you had misunderstood upon seeing Lady Durams’s appearance.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Her appearance? What was wrong with it?”
Gale Onca
“Well… for the daughter of a noble house, she looked rather shabby.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“Did she?”
Gale Onca ✧
“Then it was her face you remembered. She must have left quite a striking impression to remain so clear in your mind.”
Kuhn Russell Blantiger
“For the daughter of a noble family to mingle with commoners, drinking and dancing like that… A strange woman. Well, the dancing… was quite good, though.”
Ahem. As Kuhn cleared his throat, Gale’s eyes widened.
‘Hold on. Did I see that right? It almost looks like the commander is blushing.’
Gale wanted to study Kuhn’s expression more closely, but Kuhn rested his chin on his large hand and bowed his head, making it impossible to see well.
Gale Onca
“Since I have finished my report, I shall return to the training grounds and wrap up matters there.”
Kuhn gave a careless nod, but Gale still caught it.
The faint crack in his composure.
Gale could not help letting a faint smile slip across his lips.
***
Putting on the most troubled expression I could muster, I extended one foot slightly toward the child.
Lulubell Durams
“Look here.”
Moments earlier, while Hokan had bolted over to the window and was huffing away, I had deliberately tugged loose a thread right around my big toe.
All so that my big toe would pop straight through a gaping hole like a mole’s head.
Lulubell Durams ✧
“Haah, a sock is supposed to cover the whole foot. But my big toe is sticking right out, looking straight into the open air like this. Can we really count this as putting on a sock?”
Hokan’s eyes went round at my words.
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“Then did you lose?”
Longing to hear the answer he wanted, Hokan had eyes that sparkled brightly.
Lulubell Durams
“‘Did you’?”
When I tilted my head and blinked with an innocent did-I-hear-that-wrong expression, Hokan withdrew that sparkling look and quietly hung his head.
Hokan Russell Blantiger ///
“I mean… did Teacher lose?”
Lulubell Durams ♥
“Thank you. Hearing Hokan call me Teacher makes me so happy.”
When I beamed at him with a heartfelt smile, Hokan snapped his head up to stare straight at me.
Then, realizing he had been staring far too intently, he dropped his gaze again in sheepish embarrassment.
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“Then did Teacher lose?”
Perhaps it was the power of that title.
Not only had Hokan acknowledged me as his teacher, but his tone had softened considerably as well.
Lulubell Durams ✧
“Well, now. I did put it on, after all.”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“Then who won?”
Hooked again.
Hokan was becoming increasingly invested in the outcome.
Lulubell Durams
“It doesn’t look like this will settle it, so let’s see who can take off what they’re wearing and put on fresh clothes faster to decide the winner.”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“Clothes?”
Lulubell Durams ✧
“Yes. Really, Teacher is going remarkably easy on you.”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“Why?”
Lulubell Durams
“Look at this. Look at Teacher’s outfit. I have to untie all these fluttering ribbons, gather up this puffy skirt to pull it over my head, and then get into a brand-new dress all over again.”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“Boy clothes are the same! You put on a shirt, put on a vest, then put on trousers and fasten a gahter—”
Lulubell Durams
“A gahter?”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“You don’t even know what a gahter belt is?”
Lulubell Durams
“Ah, ahh. A garter belt. Right, men’s clothing really is complicated too, isn’t it? Wait. Then how about we change into nightgowns instead?”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“Nightgowns?”
Lulubell Durams
“Yes. Nightgowns take no time to slip into.”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“There are no lady nightgowns here.”
Lulubell Durams
“We can just ask a maid to bring one.”
Hokan nodded vigorously and yanked the bell pull beside the bed.
Head Maid Jane’s voice carried in immediately.
As though she had been waiting right outside the bedroom door, she entered the room with the blinding speed of a cheetah.
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“Jane! Hurry. Bring a dress, no, bring women’s clothes. Something like a nightgown!”
When Hokan stamped his feet, Jane’s eyes opened wide in sheer bewilderment.
Flashing an awkward smile, I began to explain the situation to Jane.
Lulubell Durams
“We are having a contest to see who can change into nightclothes the fastest, but I don’t have a spare change of clothes to wear.”
I gave Jane a subtle wink.
As if catching on to my intention, Jane’s face instantly brightened.
Jane
“Ah, ahh. I see. I shall bring one at once. Please wait just a moment.”
While Jane went off to fetch the clothes, I observed Hokan’s expression.
Waiting in dead silence inevitably lets the tension drain away.
During that lull, the child might lose interest before we knew it and call the whole game off.
Young children were notoriously fickle creatures.
Lulubell Durams
“By the way, Hokan, what do you want to get if you win this bet?”
Unable to let the tension slacken, I quickly spoke to Hokan.
Only then did Hokan tilt his head.
Swept up in a sudden surge of competitiveness, he had been entirely fixated on making the bet itself, only just realizing he hadn’t decided what we were wagering for.
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“What will you give me?”
Lulubell Durams ✧
“Let’s each say what we want. First, if Teacher wins, you take a bath with Teacher tomorrow.”
Hokan Russell Blantiger !
“A bath? Never! No way!”
Hokan clung even tighter to his already tightly fastened clothes, refusing the bath outright.
He seemed utterly horrified at the thought of letting anyone see the traces of beastliness left upon his body.
Lulubell Durams ✧
“Then all Hokan has to do is win, right?”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“I will win. Just you watch.”
Lulubell Durams
“Then what if Hokan wins? Name just one thing, anything at all.”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“If I win…”
Lulubell Durams
“Yes, go on.”
I watched Hokan with bright, expectant eyes, only for my expression to freeze at the child’s answer.
“I want to go back to Blanders. Take me back to where I used to live. I’m going to live there.”
That was a wish I couldn’t grant. If I granted that, I’d turn into a kidnapper!
Blanders was House Blantiger’s estate in the North.
Hokan Russell Blantiger ☁
“My dad is in the North.”
Lulubell Durams
“Your father is in the North?”
From what I heard, Hokan’s father had lost his life on the battlefield…
Hokan Russell Blantiger ☁
“The ossuary. My job was leaving flowers at the ossuary where my dad is every day. Uncle dragged me here. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to Dad.”
Lulubell Durams ☁
“Hokan, you missed your father.”
This had become a bet I wanted to lose.
Yet taking a child to the North was no simple matter.
One must never make a promise to a young child that cannot be kept.
Adults tend to assume children forget easily.
In my case, it hadn’t been like that.
I knew better than anyone the wound left behind when a corner of the heart folds over, layer by layer, every time a promise is forgotten.
I didn’t want to inflict such a wound on any child.
Lulubell Durams
“Hokan, it would be wonderful if you made another wish, but if that’s truly what you want, let’s do that. But only on the condition that we go to the North, leave a single flower, and come right back. Staying there permanently isn’t a promise I can make you. Hokan understands that, right? Of course, all of this only happens if you win.”
Hokan Russell Blantiger
“A single flower?”
Lulubell Durams
“Yes. Saying goodbye to your father over the weekend. How about it? Isn’t that worth betting on?”
