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IBP 145
When she said, “If you say you like my sister, I have something to give you,” Grand Duke Rivera quietly gazed at the sister sitting a bit further away.
The sister tilted her head slightly, as if trying to overhear what they were talking about.
Seeing this, Grand Duke Rivera gave a smirk and spoke.
“Fine, I like her.”
At the simple answer, I nodded vigorously.
“Then follow me!”
* * *
Grand Duke Rivera found himself being led toward the forest path by Coco's hand.
'She always acts beyond expectation.'
Did this small, bold girl realize how fiercely the people around them glared at him when she held his hand?
It was when Coco led him deep into the forest.
“You know, you said you like my sister!”
“I did.”
As he gave a nonchalant affirmation, Coco scrutinized his face thoroughly before reaching out her hand.
Her hand was open with only the thumb and index finger extended.
It was a gesture demanding a promise.
“Then, make a promise with me!”
When he reached out his hand casually, Coco gripped it tightly and nodded.
“Alright. What should I promise, Lady Coco?”
Coco pulled a crumpled letter from her pocket.
[Things Grand Duke Rivera Uncle must do!
Say something warm to my sister every single day.
Monitor my sister's room to make sure it's full of sunlight.
Wipe away my sister's tears if she cries.
.......
Show my sister so many good things
that she doesn't have time to think about me.]
Grand Duke Rivera narrowed his brows as he looked at the paper, which was blurred in places where tears had fallen.
“What is this?”
“You don't have to ask that. Can you do it just as it is?”
He asked back with a crooked smile.
“I can, but Lady Coco, can't you do all these things too?”
Coco lifted her head proudly.
“I can do them way, way, way better!”
“Then it's suspicious that you're entrusting it to me.”
At those words, Coco pouted sullenly.
“It's not suspicious at all. So, you can do it, right?”
“......Well, I suppose I can.”
“Then that's settled.”
After their conversation ended.
The sound of someone calling Coco from afar was heard.
“Coco! Come here. I told you it's dangerous.”
......Did Lady Chloe think she was going to eat Coco?
“Coco, where are you?”
Seeing that even Caligo was calling Coco's name loudly.......
'They're just overprotective.'
In the spot where Coco had left.
He glanced at Coco's retreating figure and stared at the scrap of paper she had handed him, thinking.
“Definitely suspicious.”
* * *
“Coco, want to race?”
“Yeah! Let's play with the ball too!”
A picnic—which was a picnic in name but a 'play with Coco' gathering in reality—was underway.
Meanwhile, Caligo and Amius looked at Coco with expressions mixed with suspicion.
'What did Coco and brother talk about earlier?'
Even as the pleasant picnic neared its end, he was chewing over the curiosity he had felt earlier. The question began with the conversation with his brother.
“Caligo.”
“Yeah? Brother, did you talk to Coco?”
“......Yes.”
He looked around the quiet surroundings, taking advantage of the fact that Coco had run off to play with the ball, and then spoke.
“It's strange. Lady Coco, I mean. She acts like someone who is about to leave soon.”
After hearing those words from his brother, he couldn't seem to snap out of it.......
He bit his lip hard while staring at Coco.
And then, as if by fate, Coco came running toward him with a patter-patter.
“Caligo! I have something to tell Caligo too!”
“Huh? What is it?”
“Let's go over there and play with the ball, just the two of us!”
Coco, clutching the ball tightly, smiled brightly. At that, Caligo nodded vigorously.
“I can throw it further than Ruth-nim, Chloe-nim, Duke Ardos, or even brother.”
“Wow! More than Amius?”
He saw Amius, who was beside him, writing something on the ground.
[I am still a tiger though]
“......Yeah, more than Amius.”
The shock of Amius, the spirit beast imprinted with him, was conveyed vividly. However, Caligo looked firmly at Coco.
“I'll throw it way over there, okay?”
“Yeah!”
Caligo threw the ball into the bushes with all his might. Watching Coco laugh and run to catch the ball, he also ran after her.
After several minutes of sprinting.
The two lay down haphazardly in the grass, exhausted.
“Caligo.”
“Yeah?”
“You know.......”
Even while panting heavily, Coco couldn't easily let out the next words.
Caligo looked at Coco.
'Why are her eyes wavering?'
Caligo could easily read Coco's unusual behavior. After all, people who like someone tend to be observant.
But he wasn't such a fool as to tell Coco she looked strange. So, he waited in silence. Until Coco spoke the next words.
“You know, Caligo. Soon, I think I'll have one last favor to ask.”
“Huh? What do you mean, last.......”
Caligo sat up with a shocked expression.
“I was planning to be your assistant for the rest of my life.”
Coco smiled brightly and shook her head.
“Once everything I asked for is finished, let's not be assistants, but let's be the best friends in the whole world.”
He was lacking in friends.
“So.......”
Caligo hesitated.
'I said an engagement is the best.'
That engagement his brother had with Lady Chloe, he wanted that too.
But he didn't know how to say it. He had an instinctive feeling that those words should be said at a better time.
“......Alright.”
Next time, after becoming 'best friends,' he would definitely say it.
He nodded with a small smile.
“Let's do that. Let's be friends first!”
“Yeah! Then you have to do what I asked. Promise!”
After stamping their hand-promises and completely forgetting what his brother had said, he walked hand-in-hand with Coco.
Caligo's face turned bright red.
However, the fact that his face had become as red as an apple was something he would only realize in the very distant future.
* * *
On the way back from the picnic, Chloe picked up Coco, who was nodding off from exhaustion.
As soon as Coco felt her warmth, she snapped her eyes open.
“Coco, you're awake? Why not sleep more?”
“Because I can smell sister....... Heehee.”
Seeing Coco, who was trying to check every part of her face despite the sleepiness in her eyes, Chloe felt she was precious and held her in her arms for a long time before asking.
“Coco, what did you talk about with the people from Grand Duke Rivera's house?”
“I told them I look forward to their kindness in the futureee.......”
Something felt somewhat abrupt.
Then, fighting off sleep, Coco suddenly spoke.
“Sister, what is your wish?”
“To live a long, healthy life with our Coco.”
It was an immediate answer.
On the other hand, seeing Coco hesitate, Chloe asked playfully.
“Why, does our Coco not want to live a long time with sister?”
“I want to live a long time.”
“Then shall we promise that Coco will live a long time?”
“Ung!”
For some reason, feeling as if Coco might disappear, Chloe silently bit her lip and clenched her hand.
“You really promised, right?”
“Yeah!”
“......You'll keep the promise.”
Then Coco spoke energetically, though with a hint of hesitation.
“Yeah! A promise made with sister, I'll definitely keep it!”
But why did that look so sad?
Chloe gazed silently at Coco and then raised her hand.
“Sister will protect you so that our Coco can keep her promise and live for a long, long time.”
“Yeah! Coco believes in sister!”
......Inside the rattling carriage, they remained silent for a long time.
Coco started to say something, then stopped, then started again and stopped.
Then, clutching her clothes tightly, she let out an incomprehensible mutter, “Tomorrow......,” and fell asleep.
Despite that, it was certainly a quiet and peaceful day.
......That perfect peace was shattered the very next day.
* * *
“No, what do you mean a divine oracle has descended?”
The Imperial Palace conference hall was more chaotic than usual.
The reason this gathering, attended by Grand Duke Rivera, Duke Ardos, and even the Emperor, was so noisy was for one reason only.
The High Priest, kneeling on one knee before the Emperor, handed over a large piece of paper.
Though he was kneeling, he spoke solemnly with a dignified posture.
“A divine oracle has finally descended, stating that the divine beast will reveal itself. Right here, by this lakeside!”
The paper in the Emperor's hand had the location of the lakeside written on it.
Once again, the atmosphere of the conference hall became noisy.
“If it's the lakeside....... Could it mean that the divine beast of the dragon, who slept beneath the lake, is finally descending?”
“Finally, the divine beast......?!”
The High Priest smirked without bothering to restrain the chaotic atmosphere.
“Yes. The oracle says that the divine beast of the dragon has finally found the imprinted one!”
At that moment, the Emperor put down the paper and asked.
“Then, who is the imprinted one chosen by the divine beast of the dragon?”
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