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IBP 163
“W-what on earth is this...?”
The entire swarm of mice fell silent at the bewildering situation.
And then....
The Father of Emperor of Mice, who had been sneezing as if he were on the verge of death, suddenly bolted upright.
“W-what? My body feels so light!”
He looked down at his own frame and wore a look of astonishment.
“W-what is this...! All my gray hairs are gone, and my fur has returned to how it was in my youth!”
The moment he realized this, The Father of Emperor of Mice clung desperately to Coco.
“You brat! You foolish little puppy! I knew I could trust you—!”
“Micey, I missed you....”
“Aren't you in pain? Using your powers usually hurts!”
“Nope, nope. Coco doesn't hurt at all! I'm totally healthy!”
Coco held up her plump forearm. At that, The Father of Emperor of Mice looked on with a face full of emotion.
“Yes, yes. We shall never part again. Promise me. You insignificant little puppy!”
Coco nodded vigorously and placed the mouse upon her hand.
The mouse then rubbed its tail against Coco's hand.
After spending quite some time sharing this tearful reunion, The Father of Emperor of Mice realized something.
“Coco, something is strange.”
“Huh? Why?”
He sniffed and looked around.
“I can smell the pungent scent of cheese coming from the other mice. I couldn't smell it before.”
“Hmm...?”
“It seems I've gained an ability thanks to you, the divine beast!”
“Huh? What does that mean...?”
“I-I mean, cheese.... I can smell cheese twice as well as before!”
It seemed like a rather trivial ability. However, for mice, it was an incredibly necessary power...!
Jjek-jjeki circled around the mouse.
“I feel it too. I sense the energy of a spirit beast from the mouse! Arru—no, the divine beast has created a spirit beast!”
Wondering if it was truly such a grand occasion that the two animals were making such a fuss, Coco awkwardly wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Then, Jjek-jjeki looked at Coco and whispered softly.
“Ah, Arru, you. You really are the g-great d-divine beast....”
As soon as those words were spoken, the vast swarm of mice began to bow before Coco.
“We apologize for doubting you, Divine Beast.”
“We greet the beloved Divine Beast.”
“Th-thank you for saving our father...!”
Receiving continuous bows, Coco wiped the sweat from her forehead.
A puppy receiving bows from mice—perhaps she was the first in the world?
‘Coco feels proud, but also veeeeery flustered...!’
* * *
With The Father of Emperor of Mice perched on my head, I headed straight for Big Sister's room.
“Sister, Sister! My mouse friend! I fixed him, and he became a spirit beast! Isn't that cool!”
Sister ruffled my hair and chuckled as she looked at the mouse, who was striking a confident pose.
“Yeah, that's cool. A divine beast and a spirit beast.”
“Heehee! But you're cooler, Sister!”
“What are you talking about? This Father of Emperor of Mice is the coolest. Sniff, sniff! I smell cheese! Farewell!”
The mouse, having fully recovered his energy, hopped down to the floor with a thump.
‘I feel like the mouse has become full of some baseless confidence.’
But the mouse wasn't the important part!
I looked up at Sister. Now that I'd fixed the mouse, there was something I had to tell her.
“I have to see Ruth and Daddy too!”
Those two missed me a lot, too.
“Then, shall we go find them now?”
“Yep, but Sister. Can't we do a surpriiiiise for Daddy and Ruth?”
“...A surprise?”
When I whispered softly into Sister's ear, her eyes curved into a smile.
“That sounds like fun.”
* * *
Dinner time at Duke Ardos's estate.
Ruth, completely unaware of Chloe and Coco's scheme, wore a grumpy expression.
“Chloe, your complexion looks better. Good grief, our youngest has turned into a dog and I can't even recognize her, yet you can actually smile?”
“Why are you picking a fight?”
Regardless of whether Chloe's eyes narrowed, Ruth gnashed his teeth. Ruth had been missing Coco lately. Perhaps that was why he was searching with burning intensity to see if there were any general stores that abused animals.
“By the way, there's something I've wanted to ask you for a while.”
“Yeah, don't ask.”
“Why did you bring that basket?”
Only then did Chloe's gaze land on the picnic basket placed on the dining table.
With a look that said he'd fallen for it, she shrugged her shoulders.
“Why, are you interested?”
“Yeah. What's inside that basket?”
“Curious? If you're curious, do you want to take a look?”
Chloe chuckled and opened the basket.
Ruth reached his hand into the gap of the opened basket as if it were no big deal.
“What on earth could it be.... Aagh!”
A startled Ruth screamed.
“...W-what. Something bit me!”
Flustered, Ruth shook his hand and stared into the basket.
Then....
“Woof! (Ruth is a dummy!)”
The brave puppy, Coco, leaped out from the basket. A bewildered Ruth stammered and asked.
“C-Coco, isn't it? I heard you were only staying under the blankets. Did you come to see us?”
“Yep. Try talking to Coco.”
“H-how do I talk to a d-dog? Woof?”
The atmosphere turned chilly, as if they were looking at a complete idiot. Ruth blinked blankly and asked.
“Did Coco perhaps get her memories back?”
As if confirming it, Coco gave Ruth's hand a gentle, painless chomp.
“Oh my. You got your memories back? That's a relief, truly. A relief. You little thing....”
Duke Ardos, who was beside them, widened his eyes and stroked Coco.
Coco played with Duke Ardos's hand and smiled, showing her front teeth.
At that, Duke Ardos beamed with a wide smile.
“Now, now. Look at this, Chloe, Ruth! Doesn't it seem our daughter is acting cute for her father?”
“...W-what? She bites me, but acts cute for Daddy? Coco, this is discrimination!”
“Woof!”
At that moment, as if she had been waiting, puppy Coco stretched out wide and wriggled her body.
It was just as the flustered Duke Ardos placed Coco on the dining table.
“Eh?”
“Heehee!”
With a pop sound, a light flashed.
Immediately following that, what appeared before the eyes of the three members of the Ardos family was....
A child with well-braided silver hair, peach-colored cheeks, and transparent violet eyes....
“Coco! My baby!”
It was Coco, now a ten-year-old human child.
As if she might fly away if he let go, Duke Ardos hurriedly grabbed Coco's hand and spoke.
“My daughter. Did you become human because your memories returned?”
Wearing a ten-year-old's dress that Chloe had tailored, Coco smiled brightly and waved her hand.
“Yep! Daddy, Coco is back!”
“My baby seems to have c-come back after g-growing a bit more?”
Coco, now in the body of a ten-year-old, smiled brightly and waved.
She didn't forget to poke out her plump tummy.
“How do I look?”
As she smiled broadly, Coco quickly pulled a hand mirror out of her pocket.
However....
After reflecting her body here and there in the mirror, Coco slumped her shoulders gloomily.
“Hmph, I made a mistakeeee....”
“Huh?”
Coco touched the tail that had popped out of her backside and made a tearful face.
“The tail won't go in! Sister, Coco's puppy tail won't go away...!”
Poking the white tail that stood up like a horn on her backside, Coco looked miserable.
* * *
At the same time, Amius, staying at Grand Duke Rivera's estate, bolted upright in surprise.
A mouse crawling on the floor had reported that a 'mouse spirit beast' had been born!
‘Such a thing....’
Amius swallowed hard and looked at Caligo. The sight of his imprinted one conversing with the etiquette teacher looked peaceful at a glance. However....
“So, according to Imperial law, one can get engaged once they are over ten years old?”
“Yes, that is correct, Young Grand Duke. But why bring up engagement...?”
Caligo was currently fifteen. It was an appropriate age for engagement. At the etiquette teacher's questioning gaze, Caligo arched an eyebrow and spoke.
“Because I want to get engaged.”
“...Pardon?”
“I have my first friend, but as it turns out, being just friends isn't enough.”
“Ah?”
“Because the rival is too strong....”
“.......”
Caligo's rival was Chloe, but the etiquette teacher, completely unaware of this fact, smiled warmly.
Watching the young love of a fifteen-year-old noble boy with a fond heart, he spoke.
“Is that so? Then you would certainly want to keep engagement in mind.”
“Yes. To even follow in the footsteps of that rival, I must be bound by a new legal relationship called engagement. Only then will she stay with me for a long, long time.”
The etiquette teacher watched fondly, then became slightly flustered.
A hint of obsession had appeared in Caligo's expression.
But whether the teacher noticed his emotions or not, Caligo had a bright face, as if imagining his future engagement.
“So, during this etiquette lesson, I want you to tell me what procedures I must go through to get engaged to a lady from another noble house.”
“I-I see.... Um, an engagement between high nobles begins with gifting a territory.”
“Then I should prepare to receive a territory from my brother.”
As Amius watched the reluctant etiquette teacher and the expressionless Caligo, he hurriedly raised his front paw.
[M O U S E S P I R I T B E A S T B O R N]
“Hmm, so.... A new spirit beast has been born?”
Just as Amius nodded deeply at the almost perfect interpretation.
“Ah, impressive.”
With an expression of little interest, Caligo stroked Amius once.
At that moment, Amius heard the mouse who had delivered the report whisper softly.
It was a story that the 'Divine Beast appeared and created a mouse spirit beast.'
The tiger's pupils instantly dilated as if he were about to hunt something.
‘If the Divine Beast appeared....’
Listening to the mouse describe the Divine Beast's appearance, Amius bared his teeth widely.
Seeing the unstable behavior of his imprinted spirit beast, Caligo tilted his head.
“Amius, what's wrong?”
[Cokko. Memory! Found!]
“...What?”
[Became Divine Beast]
Was what he understood actually true?
Caligo asked again with a trembling voice.
“So, you mean Coco found her memories?”
When Amius responded loudly, Caligo hurriedly stood up.
“Let's go right now. I have to see Coco immediately.”
“...?”
“No. Before that, um, a tailcoat, no.... Tell me about the engagement procedures.”
“Pardon? Uh, f-flowers and champagne are needed....”
While noting down the rambling words of the flustered etiquette teacher, Caligo smirked.
One hour from now.
A boy who learned about engagement from a textbook was scheduled to appear at Duke Ardos's residence.
And he....
“Ah, there's something additional I need to prepare on top of this.”
Amius licked his chops upon seeing the 'something' Caligo intended to prepare.
‘...Will it be okay?’
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