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IBP 140
A puppy who tried to give me everything good, despite being so small and weak.
To think that Coco would have tried to save me, even at the cost of her own lifespan.
“......You're lying, right?”
“.......”
“That can't be true. It's not allowed to happen.”
Even as she spoke, Chloe's hands trembled violently.
Before the shock could even subside, Belief added solemnly.
“And there is something that weighs on my mind.”
“......What is it?”
Looking at Chloe, who remained collapsed on the floor trying to deny reality, Belief hesitated before finally speaking. It was still merely a guess, but he had a feeling he had to tell her.
“The thing is....... Coco kept mentioning the number five. Perhaps.......”
Belief's lips quirked, then he paused.
“......No. Forget it. It's an absurd conjecture, mere nonsense. What on earth.......”
Chloe looked into Belief's wavering eyes. The moment she saw them, she understood exactly what he was trying to say.
'My Coco used so much of her life force that she might only live for five more years?'
Unable to believe it, Chloe let out a hollow, incredulous laugh.
Then, she finally straightened her collapsed body.
“......I have to go see Coco right now.”
To find out if she had truly sacrificed herself for her.
To see if she was in pain anywhere.
And to find out if she really only had five years left.......
To get answers to these questions that were leaving her mind in a chaotic tangle.
No, perhaps it was simply because she wanted to hold Coco in her arms that she sprinted frantically toward Coco's room.
However, what greeted Chloe, who intended to hear the whole story from Coco, was a cold, empty room.
Instead of Coco, she faced the maid stationed in the room.
“Where is Coco?”
“She has stepped out for a moment. Please do not worry, My Lady. The knights must have accompanied her.”
Right, there was no way Duke Ardos wouldn't have assigned knights. He had likely already received a report on Coco's destination.
Chloe grit her teeth.
“I must see Father immediately.”
* * *
“The Imperial Concubine has sent an official document requesting Lady Coco to be the Prince's page.”
Inside the office of the House of Ardos.
The Duke let out a roar toward the aide who had finished the report.
“Not content with what she did to my son, now she wants my daughter? Why not just make me a page as well? Hmph!”
“Y-Your Grace. This was requested via official document, and since there are many eyes watching, it would be best to send a concise reply of refusal....... Additionally, there are a few matters regarding the Imperial Concubine to report.”
“Speak at once.”
“Whether it is the Imperial Concubine's side or the Imperial Palace's, we cannot pinpoint the exact mastermind, but there is someone lingering around Lady Chloe. We dealt with a few moles within the family, but they committed suicide before interrogation, so no evidence remained.”
The family seal that Duke Ardos was holding to sign a document snapped with a loud crack.
“The mastermind must be clearly identified.”
“As you command.”
A few minutes later, the quick-witted aide summoned the captain of the royal guard. Duke Ardos ordered him.
“Captain, deploy more knights around Coco. And report where she is and what she is doing right now. Is she within the estate?”
“Well...... she has gone out. However, her destination is not dangerous, and she is accompanied by plenty of knights, so please put your worries aside, Your Grace.”
“It is not enough. I shall form an entire knight unit for her.”
It was at that exact moment.
Chloe burst through the door.
She was not a child who would enter the office so informally.
Just as his expression turned to bewilderment—something that had never happened even during her childhood—she spoke.
“I came to speak with the captain of the royal guard. You happen to be here, Captain.”
“I greet Lady Chloe.”
“Where is our Coco?”
“That...... I was just about to report. Lady Coco has gone to the <puppy den> in the west of the capital.”
Chloe and Duke Ardos questioned simultaneously.
“The puppy den?”
“Um, the puppy den is a place like a hospice facility where old and sick puppies go before they finally pass away....... I do not know why the little one went there, but since they are under guard, please do not worry too much.”
At those added words, Chloe's eyes shook violently.
Of all places, why the puppy den?
'No, if it's that little puppy, she surely.......'
......She might have left abruptly because she didn't want to show her fragile side to her.
Perhaps, did she have even less than five years left?
It felt as if her mind was becoming a complete mess.
Chloe clenched her trembling fists and then opened them again.
“Prepare a teleport to that location immediately.”
“It may not be a place where we can teleport to with precise coordinates. It is a place one must travel to by carriage through winding roads; the Lady also departed in a carriage equipped with high-speed mana stones. Shall I...... have a carriage prepared?”
Barely suppressing all her emotions, she murmured in a trembling voice.
“Prepare it immediately, so that we can get there at the fastest speed possible.”
Right then, Duke Ardos stood up.
“......I don't know what's happening, but I should go along as well.”
“Pardon?”
“Looking at your face, it seems a disaster has struck. Coco is my daughter. If there is a problem, I should be the first to know!”
“.......”
“What are you doing? Lead the way this instant!”
* * *
I widened my eyes as I looked at the puppies waddling in front of me.
“Waaaah! I have so many, many friends!”
I wondered exactly what the <puppy den> was!
It was a place where sick puppies left their packs and gathered to live together.
A place where a few humans with a good spirit of service took care of the sick puppies.
Also, they said that puppies who were less sick would bring food from the outside.
Then the sick puppies would eat and regain their strength?
“Ahem. You just need to stay here with the sick puppies and help them.”
“Ung! I got it!”
I tightly hugged a tiny puppy who was running toward me with a struggling whine.
“Baby! Are you okay? Your leg must hurt.......”
The little puppy was limping continuously.
“No! Human! Seeing you! Long time! Excited! I'm okay! Hello! Human child!”
......It seemed he was speaking in gasps because he was wagging his tail so very excitedly, but his affection for me was clearly conveyed.
I hugged the puppy and spoke with all my might.
“Ung! Nice to meet you!”
“Arrr, no, Coco. Do not use your healing power. Keep that in mind. I will be watching over you from your shoulder.”
“Ung.......”
Listening to Jjek-jjeki's solemn command from my shoulder, I stroked the puppy.
“Don't be sick, puppy!”
Even without using healing power, the puppies quickly cheered up if I stroked them and applied medicine like this.
'Sillies.'
......Then why are you all gathering in the puppy den saying you feel like you're going to die?
I murmured softly while petting a puppy whose fur had become completely matted from too much stroking and who was barely catching its breath.
“Everyone, you'll get better soon!”
Because it seemed like the kind of illness that could be cured quickly as long as they had people's attention.
After spending a long time applying medicine for the puppies and playing happily, I lay down on the grass and breathed heavily.
While I was playing with the puppies, the sage turtle, who was far away, was perched on top of the book I had brought in my bag.
“Turtle, aren't the puppies really cute? I had so much fun! Turtle, why don't you play with the humans and puppies too?”
“I refuse.”
“Ung......?”
I looked at the turtle. The turtle, poking its head out from its shell, looked strangely a bit uncomfortable.
“Why?”
“Those human bastards and animal bastards used me too much. Saying I can make prophecies.......”
“Huck, I see.”
“Don't worry. That's why I decided to use them first.”
The turtle pointed to the book boastfully.
“Actually, I'm the one who came up with the copy for the name <sage turtle>. Those stupid fools fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Not even knowing I named myself! Idiots! Do they think things will go the way they want!”
“Waaaah, that's so cool!”
“Uh, huh?”
The turtle seemed not to have expected to be called cool after saying something like that in its entire life.
“Wha-what is cool?”
“Just everything! You named yourself however you wanted, and everyone in the world calls you that! Isn't that super cool?”
The flustered turtle murmured, sweat pouring from its forehead.
“......Fine, enough. Go on.”
“Ung! Still, Turtle, thank you so, so much! It's all thanks to you. Heehee.”
I tried to stroke the turtle's shell.
The turtle avoided it slowly and flusteredly.
“......Co.”
“Ung?”
“Nothing.......”
I tilted my head in curiosity.
'Why is the turtle acting like that?'
He's acting like he has some secret he can't tell?
I scratched the back of my head.
Then, I turned around and tried to run back to my puppy friends.
But.......
'Huh?'
I saw three figures in front of the puppy den.
'Is that Big Sister? How did she get here?'
I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes.
Behind her were Ruth and Duke Ardos.
But.......
Why is Big Sister staggering as if she's about to collapse at any moment?
“Sissy......?”
Soon after, Big Sister spotted me and ran toward me with insane speed!
She was much, much faster than me!
“Coco, why did you run away?”
“Ung? Run away?”
I tilted my head.
'Why does she have a look on her face like the sky has fallen?'
It wasn't just Big Sister.
I looked back and forth between Big Sister, Ruth, and Duke Ardos.
'This is that kind of atmosphere. A funeral!'
Then, I tilted my head in confusion.
“Why are you like this? What is it......?”
A tear dropped from Big Sister's eye. Just like when I had died.
Big Sister's emotions usually transmit to me.
So my heart began to ache, and I was preparing to let out a tear as well.
But.......
“You, you silly puppy destined to die, it's your turn to go to the puppy den.”
“......Ung?”
“Did you even have such a useless thought?”
“......Uuu-ung?”
Big Sister hugged me tightly and sobbed softly.
Wha-what on earth does this mean......?!
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