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IBP 160
The pure white light that had lingered on my front paw vanished with a sharp pssh sound.
The birds and mice gathered around looked at my front paw in vain.
“Why, why did it suddenly disappear?”
The bird whispered, wrapping its wing around my paw as if to comfort me.
“I suppose it wasn't quite the right trigger for an awakening yet.”
“Awakening?”
“To become a divine beast and recover your memories, you must awaken. Right now, you're just a silly puppy.”
“That’s....”
I might be a silly puppy, but...!
“Well, you'll need a powerful catalyst to awaken.”
As the bird hesitated, the mouse plopped down onto the floor.
“Fine. Good grief, you ungrateful creature. You're telling me that the life of this Father of the Emperor of Mouse isn't enough to trigger an awakening?”
“It seems the desire to heal you didn't reach the level of an intense longing to awaken.”
I tilted my head and groomed my right paw with my left.
Then, I thought to myself.
‘...What does ungrateful mean?’
* * *
Meanwhile, Chloe was roasting sweet potatoes to give to Coco.
She could have asked a maid's help, but she wanted to personally prepare whatever went into Coco's mouth.
However, she let out a bewildered laugh when she saw Caligo running toward the ducal residence, panting for breath.
“...What is it? And what are those flowers in your hand?”
“I came to see Coco!”
“I brought these for you,” Grand Duke Rivera said.
Behind the gasping Caligo, a tall man appeared.
As Chloe took the bouquet of freesias from Grand Duke Rivera and smiled brightly while smelling the sweet fragrance, the Grand Duke's expression softened.
Seeing him like that, Chloe also felt a strange, ticklish sensation in her heart. So, she intentionally turned her gaze toward Caligo.
Caligo was clutching a bouquet of flowers more than twice the size of the one Chloe had received.
She was simply observing him with a curious expression when Caligo hid the flowers behind his back and spoke.
“Sorry, Lady... no, future sister-in-law. Even if you covet these flowers—no, the freshest flowers in the shop—I can't give them to you. They're for Coco.”
Looking closely, he had the exact same face as his brother when dealing with his own fiancée.
“Coco is busy right now.”
When she spoke out of petty spite, the boy beamed and replied.
“Then I should be busy too. You two talk. I'm going to see Coco now!”
...Watching the boy disappear quickly before she could even stop him, Grand Duke Rivera spoke.
“We should go too, My Lady. I also wish to see Lady Coco after such a long time.”
He added that he wanted to brag about how hard he had worked as Lady Coco's proxy, and Chloe had no choice but to nod.
Like being soaked by a drizzle, Chloe had unconsciously come to rely on Grand Duke Rivera in many ways.
* * *
“Coco is under the covers.”
Inside Chloe's room, filled with warm sunlight.
Caligo, who had placed the flowers by the bedside, was sitting stiffly at the head of the bed, welcoming them.
Grand Duke Rivera and Chloe followed Caligo's gaze and stared at the bed.
Inside the cozy blanket, the silhouette of a warm, squishy puppy moving could be seen.
Perhaps because so many humans had gathered.
Coco seemed to flinch, possibly out of fear. Feeling Chloe's gaze, Coco hurriedly turned around and hid deeper under the covers.
While making whining sounds, she absolutely refused to come out from under the blanket.
Grand Duke Rivera followed her gaze and approached the bed.
He stared intently at the blanket and soon burst into laughter.
Because a furry paw was poking out from the fluffy covers.
“So... I can see a puppy paw over there.”
“...”
“And that puppy under the blanket is Lady Coco?”
The corners of Grand Duke Rivera's mouth curled up mischievously.
“How cute.”
“...Mung?”
A tail wagged slightly for a moment.
As if he had figured something out, Grand Duke Rivera grinned and revealed his plan.
“You said Lady Coco is scared because she has no memories. Then, we should first become friends and help her recover her memories step by step.”
“...We are also looking for a way to get close.”
“I had a dog when I was young, and the way I became friends with it was...”
* * *
The next morning. The black-haired human, watching me refuse breakfast while buried deep in the covers, muttered that she would take extraordinary measures.
And then....
“Huk, huuk....”
H-how could this happen...!
I looked at the human with an expression as if the sky were collapsing.
“Why are our Coco's snacks so delicious? I think I'll just eat them all myself.”
The black-haired human had a very stern expression.
I blinked as I watched the human munch on a roasted sweet potato.
“T-this human....”
While I barked in shock, the human ate the sweet potato!
“Oh, it's so tasty.”
“Hee, heeing. A bad human is stealing my snacks....”
Not only did I bark, but tears welled up in my eyes.
“I'll give it to you if you come out of the blanket.”
Would she really? Just by going out? The bright yellow flesh of the sweet potato flickered before my eyes.
‘B-but outside the blanket is dangerous. Humans are scary too.’
But the moment the human popped the sweet potato into her mouth with a yam....
I bolted upright.
‘Huh, that's strange.’
As soon as I came out, the human popped a piece of sweet potato into my mouth and....
“Hup!”
She hugged me tightly.
‘Wow, she's so warm.’
I unconsciously rubbed my body against her before my eyes snapped open.
Strange. I thought outside the blanket would be very scary, but it's not scary at all!
In fact, it's so, so cozy!
My eyes sparkled as I wagged my tail.
“This actually worked. Grand Duke Rivera is quite something.”
The black-haired human whispered softly and patted my belly.
“Kuaa, I'm sleepy....”
Before I knew it, I had eaten the sweet potato snacks the human fed me until I was full and fell fast asleep with a loud kureee.
In my slumber, I heard the black-haired human patting my pink belly and laughing softly.
“You're truly beautiful, our Coco.”
Normally, I would have said, “Human, go away!”
But for some reason, it felt so familiar and nostalgic that I simply let out a soft breath.
Just then, I heard a voice calling someone. Through eyes barely open due to drowsiness, I saw Grand Duke Rivera.
“My Lady, it seems something serious has happened.”
“Shh. Our Coco is sleeping. Is it perhaps an important matter?”
“I'm sorry, but we cannot delay. Empress Hervezette has moved. I heard she went to report to the Emperor.”
In an instant, the hand stroking me stiffened.
“They say she intends to speak about the divine beast.”
Whoosh.... I'm the divine beast!
“It's starting again, how tedious.”
The hand that had been warmly stroking my fur vanished instantly.
She was a human who was always just kind.
In that moment, what I felt from her touch was the emotion of anger.
“Check it immediately. We must protect our Coco.”
And by the time she stood up and left, I could smell the scent left behind where the human had been.
‘It smells like she's incredibly worried!’
And the black-haired human also beat up the bad person who spanked my butt, and brought cats and dogs from the back alleys to make them happy.
I sniffed with my black, moist nose and thought.
‘So this is the warm scent of love.’
That human must really love me.
Looking at that soft, sweet-potato-like gaze, I felt a bit sad that I have no memories.
Left alone where the human had closed the door and departed, I kneaded the fur on my paws.
‘I want to find my memories, but what should I do?’
The fact that frightening memories are destined to seep back in is a little scary, but....
I wanted to smell the kind scent coming from that human for a long, long time.
* * *
Empress Hervezette's dark room.
In a place where only pitch-black darkness had existed for five years, a mysterious zzzing sound echoed.
The Empress stared expressionlessly at a crystal ball.
The object, which looked like a polished blue jade, began to emit a faint light like a nocturnal pearl.
She chewed over the words the High Priest had said long ago.
“It was said that when the divine beast finally descends upon this land, the crystal ball will instinctively react.”
The crystal ball, a divine artifact seized from the High Priest who had been imprisoned after being condemned by the House of Duke Ardos.
‘With this crystal ball, I can pinpoint the existence of the divine beast.’
A few days ago, after ending five years of quiet seclusion, she began to move again.
The first person she summoned was the man she had once shared a bed with. No, the man who, from a certain point, showed her only his image as the austere Emperor.
With an openly uncomfortable expression, the Emperor looked at the Empress blankly.
“What is the reason for summoning me while I was in seclusion?”
“You are heartless, Your Majesty. Is that all you have to say to me?”
The Empress, clutching the crystal ball, looked like a madwoman.
The Emperor gathered the last remnants of his former affection, sighed, and whispered.
“Get to the point. What on earth is happening?”
An eerie aura flickered over the crystal ball the Empress held. Even if she had lost the divine beast, she held a divine object in her hand.
“Do not be surprised. The divine beast has descended upon the earth.”
“The divine beast again? How tedious. If this is another wicked lie....”
“I can summon the divine beast to this very spot. Your Majesty should not easily overlook matters regarding the divine beast.”
The Emperor, staring at the Empress as if gauging the truth, frowned and asked.
“What is it you want?”
“Please convene a council. I will announce directly before the officials that the divine beast has descended. And for the sake of the Imperial Family, I will personally summon the divine beast.”
“Are you certain?”
“Could there be any doubt?”
“...I shall convene the council. Speak directly to my ministers. This is the last chance I give you.”
“The last chance....”
“If there is a problem this time, I intend to cut you off, whether you are my wife or the mother of my son.”
The Empress smiled freshly as she heard his final warning.
Giving her even a last chance was something.
She had a perfect plan.
‘It must be an immature divine beast that has not yet awakened.’
If the divine beast had awakened, it would have found a way to make its existence widely known to the world.
The corners of her mouth curled up with satisfaction.
‘I must be the first to discover the immature divine beast. I must summon it by force and tame it.’
She looked at the cold Emperor and thought.
‘...I don't even need the Emperor's cooperation. Once the divine beast is in my hands, everything will be perfect.’
Over the past five years, she had not simply stayed still.
She had moved busily yet quietly, like a swan on a lake.
The Empress's lips curved smoothly.
“Of course. Do not worry, Your Majesty. Then, please hold the council.”
With a coquettish voice, the crystal ball in her hand moved.
Once again, it was her turn to leap forward.
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