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IBP 11
All the bad maids are gone!
I knew my plan would work!
“Mousey. I'll tell you where I hid my toys. When you see Big Sister, put the ball right there!”
“Hoh, a mouse appearing before human eyes, is it? You're asking me to be quite bold...”
“Yeah, yeah! The bigger, the better!”
“But do you think that ferocious and terrifying master of yours would be swayed by something as trivial as a toy?”
“Yes! Definitely! Big Sister wants my toys. She always wanted to steal them before! She probably just wants to play with them too!”
I'll tempt her by showing her glimpses of my toys.
Then, while she's looking for the toys I hid in the annex, I'll pretend to accidentally find the embezzlement ledger!
After that, once I show her the ledger, Big Sister will kick out the bad maids!
Then Big Sister's clothes will be sparkly and clean again.
I crouched in the mansion hallway, bringing my hand to my mouth, about to giggle.
But then, a knight appeared out of nowhere and scooped me up.
“You must be the little one.”
“Hiek, wh-who are you?”
“I am a knight guarding the exterior of Lady Chloe's estate. Lady Chloe said that since it is late, you may stay the night.”
Now that the maids are gone, the knight is here... wait, that's not it!
I kicked my tiny, insignificant legs, struggling.
“That tickles, haha.”
...The muscular knight didn't budge an inch.
As I was carried down the hallway, I beamed.
The worn-out cuffs of Big Sister's dress and the dusty hem of her skirt will be sparkly and clean now, right?
Tonight, I'm going to stretch out my round human paws and sleep soundly!
'It's okay if I don't get sweet potatoes or praise, because I caught all the bad people.'
I tried my best to keep an excited expression.
But for some reason, my face kept wanting to cloud over.
I think I knew why.
But.
But, just a little...
“Um.”
“Yes?”
“Is Lady Chloe... not coming to see me?”
“Ah...”
The knight trailed off.
“...It seems she is not.”
I did so well at the 'Catch the Maid' game, so I should get head pats and eat sweet potatoes.
Still, I bravely forced the corners of my mouth up.
'It's okay. I can just ask the lady-in-waiting for a sweet potato!'
I slept bravely by myself yesterday, too.
Sleeping alone isn't so bad.
Just then, the knight pulled a golden bottle from his pocket.
“Actually, as Lady Chloe was coming up the hallway earlier, she threw—no, she gave me this bottle.”
“Hut, the color of a sweet potato! That's a super rare one!”
“Correct. It is a very precious golden potion. However, she told me to apply this precious potion to Lady Coco's back and neck.”
I tilted my head in confusion, then let out an "Ah."
Come to think of it, the maids had hauled my body around. I had even been pushed against the wall.
Big Sister must have seen the small scratches on my body.
I closed my eyes tightly and stayed still.
“Put it on now!”
The knight carefully applied the medicine to my body.
It stung for a moment, and then I felt the wounds healing.
I touched my softened shoulder and let out a little "hee" of a laugh.
'It's okay even if Big Sister doesn't recognize me yet.'
My sister is still the same.
She is a person as warm as sunshine, someone who cannot stand to see a wound on my body.
One day, the day will come when she tells me, "I love you most in the world, Coco."
I thought to myself as I was carried again in the knight's arms.
A corner of my heart still aches a little.
But today is better than yesterday.
I think tonight will be a night where I toss and turn much less.
*
Chapter 4. A Young Puppy Doesn't Know Fear
The next morning, Ruth headed toward Coco's annex.
He was recalling the conversation he had with the old men of the Senate last night.
‘They said we should arrange for Coco's adoption to be canceled as soon as Father returns.’
Most of them seemed to think that even if a re-examination was conducted, the result would be obvious.
Coco, that little thing.
She was probably already sobbing after being dealt with by Chloe. If she found out she was going to be sent away, she might be even more disappointed.
‘Is this how an uncle feels? Or is it the feeling of an older brother?’
He steadied his heart as he came to a halt in front of Coco's annex.
‘Anyway, since she's being sent away soon, she's not my sister.’
He was simply excited at the prospect of hiring her as Thunder's dedicated veterinarian.
‘Though it would be cute to see that round little head wandering around my annex.’
He also thought about calling a tailor.
Even if she wasn't his youngest sister, he wanted to see her in a dress.
What if he braided her curly silver hair?
She might actually look like a little princess.
‘Anyway, she's not my sister.’
Just as he was wavering back and forth, he opened the door to the annex where Coco was staying.
“So, you're saying Coco hasn't come back from Chloe's mansion yet?”
...It was absurd.
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the dark circles under the maid's eyes.
‘Surely they didn't kill her...’
And so, Ruth passed through the annex where Coco had been staying and arrived at Chloe's mansion.
He saw a young child with smudges of soot on her face sitting on the stairs in front of the mansion, nodding off at the entrance.
It was a familiar face—Coco.
“Wow, this is crazy...”
Right in front of the door where people would be constantly passing by.
A young child sprawled out on the freezing floor.
It was a windy day; did she not feel the cold? She seemed entirely preoccupied with dozing off.
Ruth wore a look of utter disbelief.
‘Wow. Chloe Ardos, this is unbelievable.’
Sending a child outside in this weather?
“Coco, wake up.”
“Muuung...”
“Why are you so light, kid? And you sleep too much.”
He hoisted the semiconscious child over his shoulder. He could hear her smacking her lips like a puppy.
She seemed to be completely exhausted.
“Look at you, getting all scruffy after just one day...”
“Muuuung, mung...”
“I'll have to say a few words before I take her, this won't do.”
He carried Coco over his shoulder and headed toward the dining room.
Chloe usually had breakfast in the dining room.
He was about to give a light word to the chef when he became puzzled.
As if the staff had been shuffled overnight, the atmosphere of the annex was a complete shambles, like a disorganized rabble.
“What is this? Is the head maid not here? Look at this mess.”
It seemed he would have to dispatch some staff from his own mansion.
He plopped down at the round table in the dining room.
Naturally, he sat Coco down in the seat across from him.
‘Hmm, should I play with Coco until Chloe arrives?’
He stared at Coco while resting his chin on his hand.
She was still unable to wake up.
The way her head thumped against the table was just like...
“Huuuung...”
A puppy dozing off.
‘How should I wake her?’
Ruth looked at Coco with interest and tilted his head.
“Coco, walkies.”
“...Huung.”
Oh, look at that.
He spoke again with a playful tone, still resting his chin on his hand.
“Coco, treats.”
“Hemp...”
Coco opened her eyes a bit more than before.
Still, her expression was full of drowsiness.
Eventually, her head began to thud against the table again.
‘Let's see. What she likes most is...’
...No way.
“Coco, Chloe.”
“Mung!”
As if he had used a cheat code, Coco snapped her eyes wide open.
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