CH 20

Translated by EunEun

Edited by Zil

“Since Tail Fur can’t be surprised after seeing me.”

Carl muttered, recalling Beatty’s round black eyes.

His little sister, who had just arrived at the mansion, was the one that Carl cared about right now.

‘This is the first time she came back to the North after being in the Capital all this time.’

The northern mountain range where Aslan is located.

Even on the continent, this place was infamous as the most dangerous wilderness.

The forest was full of predators who are after people, and deep in the mountain range, even though it’s rare, there were also magical beasts.

Only the strong survived in this place where it is difficult for any living beings to survive.

That’s why, the words, ‘Northern humans are half beasts’, also came out.

Of course, the trivial expression of ‘Beasts’ was given by other local people from another area who were afraid of the Northern people’s strong body, but.

‘She doesn’t suit here.’

In this northern part of the Kingdom, where half-beast stamina is common, she was born with an unusually delicate body.

A fluffy and very tiny bundle of tail fur.

That was his impression when he first saw his little sister.

It was already fascinating how she walks even if she is as small as a bean, but she even climbs a tree because she’s a squirrel shapeshifter.

Smirk.

Carl’s mouth went up, recalling the little hand that reached out to him the day before.

“I heard there’s a Northern Winter Wind Crystal Fox around here.”

After saying the name of the magical beast who had lived for more than a hundred years, Carl muttered.

“It’ll be nice for the cloak that Tail Fur wears.”

Carl, who dealt with a terrifying magical beast for some kind of fur although the knights from other territories had to gather and still barely could subjugate it, hurried his steps as he imagined a squirrel wrapping around her body with a fluffy bundle of tail fur just like herself.

***

“Hm.”

Beatty looked around the garden carefully.

“Which one is the best ripened?”

To be exact, the top of the tree in the garden.

It was a great success to pick fruits from a tree because she wanted to repay the kindness of the people of the castle who were good to her.

“Hic, Young Miss!”

“This is the best! This taste is really… My mouth can’t even describe it with any expressions…!”

“This is the best tree fruit in my life!”

While they thought, ‘Not a single fruit that Young Miss gave with her hands that’s smaller than that bracken can be wasted,’ the fruit pie that was made by the head cook with all of his soul has been the talk of the Duke Castle’s people as a legend, since then.

Even as she worried, ‘A lion shapeshifter must have a carnivorous taste, would he like it if I give an acorn as a gift?’ She brought it to her older brother, too.

“You’re giving this to me?”

For some reason, he stared at her strangely for a long time—she was so cute, so he was agonizing whether it was okay to put her in his mouth for a moment—but as she was expecting for a return, her hair was stroked to the point where it’s messed up.

With such fervent support, Beatty gained a little confidence.

‘It must’ve meant that I also have good eyes for tree fruits!’

During her childhood, her meals didn’t come properly.

It was a skill that was polished while she searched the garden trees to find something to fill her stomach, as she listened to the rumbling sound from her stomach.

As much as she had eaten all the decent garden fruit, Beatty prided herself on being a fruit expert who had mastered the taste of the tree fruit.

“There. That one which has a bird-bite mark looks sweet.”

Beatty nodded with a serious look, fairly just like an expert, then she rolled up her sleeves to pick the fruit.

However, as Beatty was engrossed in searching for the fruit, there could be heard a commotion that was loud enough for her to hear it.

‘Hm?’

Beatty pricked up her ears at the sound that came from somewhere.

The loud noise that was heard from a distance grew closer and closer.

Throb.

‘Huh?’

At that time, as if her heart was pounding, the pulsation of the signum on her wrist rang.

‘…is calling….’

Somehow, the thought that she had to go there felt strong.

Beatty, who looked blank, turned her body unconsciously. She stepped as if she was possessed by something.

“Young Miss!”

Grab.

When the maid grabbed her shoulder, the focus on Beatty’s eyes returned.

‘What was it just now?’

The maids, who were watching from a little distance while the Young Miss was playing in the garden, hurriedly approached and said to Beatty, who looked around dazedly.

“Young Miss, we’ll go find out what kind of fuss this is, please go into the castle.”

“The castle?”

“Yes, we’ll let you know as soon as we make sure that it’s safe—”

But, before they could move on, the commotion caught up with them.

“Aaack!”

“It’s going that way!”

“No! Grab it!”

The guards, whose faces turned red as if they had raced from the castle wall, ran while shouting.

“Gasp!”

They were tracking something, but then they turned blue when they saw the figure in front of them.

“Young Miss!”

“Please avoid it! It’s a Snowstorm Squirrel!”

The maids’ faces hardened when they heard the soldiers’ shouts.

“Why is that magical beast her—!”

“It’s there! Grab i—”

The white figure moved in a zigzag pattern to avoid the hands of the most forward guard.

Everyone threw themselves to stop the unexpected movements, but they couldn’t stop the sprinting white figure that quickly drew his trajectories.

And the next moment, the white figure disappeared from everyone’s eyes that couldn’t keep up with his speed.

“Y-Young Miss!”

Smack.

Beatty felt something sticking to her face.

“That mean Magical Beast bastard! Taking the Young Miss as a hostage…!”

“That jerk! Stay away from our Young Miss!”

The soldiers have ferociously drawn weapons, scowled at something that’s on Beatty’s cheek and shouted.

While they were hesitating, if they attack, then the Young Miss might end up in more danger.

“…?”

At the people’s reactions, with a slightly frightened face, Beatty raised her hand to identify what had stuck to her.

Soft.

“??”

Beatty looked puzzled at the feeling of the soft fur that felt familiar from somewhere.

At that time.

–   Finally.

“!”

Beatty’s eyes widened.

–   I’ve found you.

A place deep inside her body.

A sound was heard as if it were ringing directly with a soul that she didn’t even know existed.

While she was bewildered at the feeling that she had never encountered before.

Suddenly, there was a snowstorm raging to the point that made her unable to open her eyes.

“?!”

Beatty closed her eyes tightly and covered them forward with both of her hands reflexively.

And, at the next moment when she opened her eyes.

Blink. Blink.

She couldn’t help but doubt the sight before her.

***

“Y…Young Miss?”

After an untimely blizzard erupted and stirred around, the Young Miss who had been here just now, disappeared without a trace.

The people who looked at the place where the Young Miss was standing gradually came to their senses.

“We’re in trouble!”

“Young Miss was kidnapped by the magical beast!”

“W-w-what should we do? When the Young Master has come back—”

“When I come back?”

Gnash.

He had been gnashing his teeth hard, the guard turned his head while he still hardened.

“When I come back, then what?”

There already was Carl, who seemed to already have life on his face.

“As soon as I came, the inside of the castle was noisy, so I came here.”

Carl, who seemed to have run through the main gate with the body of a giant crystal fox on his shoulder, looked around and opened his mouth.

“What’s going on here?”

The maids’ pale faces came into Carl’s eyes. The boy recognized their faces.

“Where’s Tail Fur?”

It was the people who were supposed to stick around Beatty.

Carl asked again as his forehead had a deep furrow cut.

“I asked where Tiny Kid is.”

A growl could be heard mixed in his voice.

“W-we apologize! It’s our fault…!”

The guards bowed their heads with a guilty face.

Although his face turned white, the captain of the guard, who somehow came to his senses, came forward and reported.

“As I was mobilizing as many people as possible to work on the supply letter to the military… a magical beast broke in, taking advantage of the security that is much more loose than usual.”

“A magical beast?”

Carl asked in a strange tone.

“Yes. We’re curious about that, too. We don’t know why that guy who doesn’t usually get out of his domain jumped in here like crazy….”

“What kind of magical beast was it?”

“It’s a Snowstorm Squirrel.”

At the words of the captain of the guard, the knight who followed Carl breathed in surprise.

“A Snowstorm Squirrel?! The most senior of that notorious high mountain range?”

“Yes. As long as it’s been in the northern mountains, it’s a strong magical beast. But, fortunately, humans weren’t considered as food.”

“Even if his taste is not into people, he would become extremely violent if he thinks someone invaded his territory! Last time, a group of smugglers who foolishly passed there were exterminated along with dozens of mercenaries!”

Worries spread more on the faces of those who heard of the dangerousness of the magical beast.

“And to say that the Young Miss had been taken away by such a ferocious magical beast…!”

As the captain of the guard lowered his head in a sense of responsibility, the knight tilted his head and said.

“But, why did he take away our Young Miss?”