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IBP 15
I ran as fast as I could.
Panting heavily, I made my way back to the tiger grass.
“Tiger!”
“.......”
There was still no answer.
“You have a friend you want to find, don't you?”
Because there was clearly a precious friend in its heart.
“Or maybe, you have a master?”
“.......”
“Whether it's a friend or a master, you want to go see them, right?”
At those words, the tiger grass where the Black Tiger lay trembled for a moment.
I thought about the future.
Recalling the phrase from the newspaper article that said, ‘The tiger wanted to return to where it lived,’ I asked once more with all my heart.
“That's why you want to leave for the place where you used to live. Right?”
Finally, I was certain.
I had correctly guessed the reason why this tiger had escaped.
Slowly, the tiger appeared above the tiger grass.
* * *
The barracks of the Northern Grand Duke Rivera's territory, filled with iron bars.
Though no one knew, the Black Tiger had been abused like a general's toy.
Until then, no one knew that the Black Tiger was a spirit beast.
“Sigh, a tiger with all its teeth fallen out. Completely useless.”
“Its strength has weakened too. It's no longer fit for war, so let's just throw it away.”
It was a time when it heard nothing but cruel words from everyone.
But there was one sole being who reached out to it.
“You... you're a sick tiger.”
A prince-like boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.
He coughed and sneezed like a terminally ill patient.
Then, with a thin, withered hand, he carefully touched the tiger's body.
“You're struggling a lot too, just like me. Because you're so different from others.”
Even though he knew nothing of the tiger's specific circumstances.
“I'll come to see you often. Please stay alive until then.”
It was just a single sentence.
But sometimes, a single word can move a heart.
That was why the Black Tiger wanted to become friends with that boy.
However...
“Ah, come to think of it. Regarding that tiger. There were orders to send it to the House of Duke Ardos.”
“I don't know the reason, but send it. It can't be used in future wars anyway.”
Without knowing the boy's name or identity, the tiger was dragged away to the Duke Ardos territory.
‘I want to see him just once more.’
Before that boy with the incurable disease died, it wanted to see him.
But no one understood the words of a spirit beast, nor could they read its heart.
It was the same in the Duke Ardos territory.
“Why on earth is the tiger rampaging like that?”
“Maybe it's because its condition is poor. It looks like it might die soon.”
“I heard the Duke brought it personally from the barracks; it's a pity it suffered so much only to die.”
During that time, it heard that it was going to die.
So, for the first time in its life, it summoned the courage to run away.
Just to meet that boy again.
And so, its body moved naturally.
‘Somehow, I feel like I can help that child.’
And finally, Coco whispered softly.
“I knew it.”
Like a quick-witted puppy, Coco, having realized what the tiger wanted, spoke firmly.
“I'll find that friend for you. I promise!”
At those words, the tips of the prickly tiger spirit beast's paws trembled.
“So first, let's get you healthy.”
“.......”
“It's really cold here.”
Coco tightly hugged the tiger, who had hidden its claws, in her arms.
Due to the difference in size, in reality, it looked like a tiger embracing a tiny puppy.
“Really, the wind blows way too much...”
The Black Tiger gently hugged Coco back.
For the first time in its life, it felt the warm heat of a human.
* * *
“Listen! I brought back Duke Ardos's house-sized tiger spirit beast alive!”
I gathered three people, announcing that I had a very important announcement to make.
Sister Chloe, Ruth, and Dot. Those three!
Actually, Sister Chloe was indifferent, but Ruth had dragged her out by force.
At that moment, Dot, who was present, muttered awkwardly.
“...Um, Little One?”
“Yes!”
“But, about that. Where is the tiger...?”
Ruth also muttered with a bewildered expression, her eyes darting around.
“I don't see it?”
I blinked.
‘Ah!’
Come to think of it, the tiger hadn't deactivated its invisibility!
I stomped my feet and looked to the side.
“Ta-da! Black Tiger, appear!”
As soon as I finished speaking, the Black Tiger slowly deactivated its invisibility.
“Hu, huh...!”
After the tiger gave a polite bow, it wrote letters on the floor.
[Hello]
In the quiet atmosphere.
Ruth's mouth hung open.
“Am I dreaming right now?”
“It's not a dream!”
“No, our scruffy youngest just picked up a tiger. A tiger...”
“Yup!”
“But, goodness... is the tiger writing letters or drawing pictures? My... I have absolutely no idea what it wrote, but...”
“It seems the tiger has greeted us politely.”
“It said hello!”
“No, the scruffy one brought a tiger? I really think this is a dream. Pinch me.”
I gave the back of Ruth's hand a hard pinch.
“Ow... what, what is happening right now...”
In place of the gaping Ruth, Dot spoke calmly.
“How on earth did you find the tiger? I heard that even with numerous soldiers searching, they couldn't find it.”
“You see, I got lost while taking a walk. Then, by chance, the tiger kept turning invisible and then visible again! I thought it was amazing!”
“...And?”
“I can talk to tigers, so I saved it!”
Dot and Ruth's eyes widened.
“Huh? How can you communicate with animals?”
“Such a supernatural ability only exists in legends...”
They looked at each other with bewildered expressions.
They didn't seem to believe my words.
“Does she have animal affinity?”
Regardless, feeling happy, I puffed out my chubby cheeks.
“Anyway, it seems she does have some kind of supernatural ability. That's good. That's great.”
“Ubu-bu...”
“I suppose I should prepare myself to accept you as my youngest sibling.”
“Yay! Sister Chloe's sibling!”
I proudly pushed my belly toward my sister to get praised.
Come to think of it, I remembered how my sister used to clap for me whenever I did something cool in the past.
“My goodness! You brought back a sock? Our Coco is so strong!”
“Woof! Woof!”
“Oh, how commendable. Oh, how good. Oh, how pretty.”
This time I brought back a spirit beast instead of a sock!
She'll probably clap twice as much this time, right?
With a fluttering heart, my sister looked at me and spoke.
“I am curious about what your true identity is.”
She had an expression as if she were looking at a suspicious little brat.
And that was it.
“What identity? Just a lucky brat.”
Ruth stroked my head, but I became a little gloomy.
‘Hmph... no praise from sister and no sweet potatoes.’
Still, it's a good thing.
Because I've moved one step closer to being sister's sibling.
‘The day sister recognizes me isn't far off!’
Once I'm loved by the Duke and become sister's real sibling, she'll give me lots of kisses again.
Just as Ruth was rubbing my head, I vigorously stroked the tiger.
“Then, until the Duke arrives, can I feed the tiger lots of delicious things?”
“Uh, sure. It looks a bit frail. Let's tell Father that we'll take charge of the tiger instead of the researchers.”
“I will help with all my might, Little One.”
Just as Dot and I were indulging in happy imaginations.
Ruth looked at me worriedly.
“Come to think of it, I'm suddenly worried.”
“Why?”
“You've never seen what kind of person our father is, have you?”
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