Chapter 12
Coco’s purple eyes, shining like sunlight, scanned the room.
But soon they dimmed with disappointment.
“Che. My sister isn’t here.”
“Hey, what’s with the ‘che’? I’m here too, you know.”
“I thought my sister came to see me… but it’s only Lord Ruth…”
“Ha… really. Anyway, eat first.”
The dining table was already full of food, and Coco’s mouth fell wide open.
“Woooow!”
Drooling, she clumsily tried to cut the meat. The sight was adorable.
“How could they talk about throwing away a kid like this? Seriously, they’ve got no heart.”
Without realizing it, Ruth took Coco’s plate and began cutting her food for her.
“So, were you kicked out? But you still stayed here all this time?”
“No! It was one step back… umm… two steps forward!”
“Wouldn’t that just mean one step back?”
“…?”
Coco tilted her head in confusion, making Ruth chuckle.
“You’ve been told you’re cute a lot, haven’t you?”
“Yes!”
“…Hah, bold little thing.”
But strangely, he didn’t dislike it.
“Yeah, you’re cute. Since you’re already kicked out, want to come live in my house instead?”
Coco’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at him—
Just then, the dining room door opened, and Chloe walked in with a lazy look.
“Stop trying to lure her away. She’s not kicked out.”
“…Ah, Chloe Ardoth. And here comes the trash.”
He frowned as Chloe sat across from him.
“What.”
“You. How could you? Not only trying to throw a kid out, but also leaving her outside in this freezing weather?”
“I didn’t.”
“That’s right! I wasn’t kicked out!”
“Then why was she at the door…?”
“In our house, the door shines so bright in the morning! I wanted to see the sparkly lights, so I went out early to watch them!”
Coco happily babbled about the glass doors of Chloe’s mansion, saying how pretty the sunlight reflections were in the morning.
“…Wait a minute. Something’s odd.”
Ruth glanced around.
Come to think of it, today the dining room was also different.
Instead of the usual darkness, the whole space was filled with sunlight.
“She really is… strange.”
A faint smile tugged at Chloe’s lips.
Ruth cleared his throat and finally spoke.
“Anyway. I came because I have something to tell you. So relax your glare.”
“What is it?”
“You know the tiger beast Father brought back from the Grand Duchy of Rivera?”
“Oh, the one they captured after it went wild in the monster war?”
“Yeah. The one he brought here to test its special abilities.”
“And?”
“That beast escaped from its cage. It’d be dangerous if you ran into it, so be careful. It’s a really fierce creature.”
“Hm…”
Chloe sipped her coffee with a thoughtful look.
At that moment, Coco carefully asked,
“Um… what’s a beast?”
“Oh? Coco doesn’t know? Ahem, listen carefully. I’ll only explain once. Animals are divided into three types.”
Ruth, acting important, began explaining.
Coco perked up her ears.
***
Ruth’s Explanation
First, animals.
Normal creatures. Puppies like Coco, or the Emperor of Mice, all fall in this category.
Second, Beasts (Yeongmul).
They look like animals, but they’ve been blessed by the gods, giving them unique powers.
Beasts are instinctively drawn to a human they choose.
Through a bond called “imprint,” they can make that human stronger.
And the beast itself also gains abilities similar to that human’s powers.
But imprints are very rare.
Coco tried to memorize it, but quickly lost focus.
Third, Divine Beasts.
…Super, super amazing creatures. They can do almost anything.
Basically, the strongest beings in the world.
But almost nothing is known about them.
“So a really strong tiger escaped, huh!”
“Pretty much. That’s why you need to be careful, Coco. Father was really concerned about it.”
“Woooow.”
“There’s even a huge bounty on its head. But so far, no one’s managed to catch it. Honestly, things won’t settle until Father returns. And when he does, you’ll…”
Ruth trailed off, and Chloe finished bluntly,
“You’ll be disowned.”
“Che…”
But I still want to stay as a sister’s sibling…
Ruth scratched his nose awkwardly.
“Chloe Ardoth. Just don’t be too harsh on Coco.”
“Mind your own business. I’ll handle it.”
Tension sparked between them.
I sadly sipped my milk, thinking of my sister’s harsh words.
“You’re not my sibling. I only have one family member I acknowledge.”
Even now, when I’m barely holding on by pretending to be family, she says I’m not her sibling.
If disownment becomes real, I’ll really lose her.
That must not happen.
I need us to grow closer, so she’ll eventually recognize me.
At that moment, I remembered what Ruth had said earlier—about the tiger with a bounty.
“Um… then…”
“Hm?”
“What if I… catch the tiger?”
“Pffft—!”
Ruth spat out the wine he was drinking, and I quietly leaned away.
“…Anyway! If I catch the tiger, then I won’t be disowned, right? I can stay as a sister’s sibling?”
Still dazed, Ruth suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! A five-year-old kid wants to catch a beastly tiger?”
“Yes!”
“Hm… well, maybe. If you did, you’d get a huge reward. Our father is obsessed with ability, so if you impress him, you might still be accepted as family—even without the divine blessing from the prophecy.”
“Gasp! Then I could…!”
My heart pounded as I gripped my milk glass tightly.
But Sister cut in coldly.
“No. Stop joking, Ruth. That small, weak thing can’t possibly catch anything.”
My eyes went wide.
Small and weak?!
Coco is offended!
I puffed up my tiny arm and showed off my “muscles.”
“See, don’t I look super strong?”
“Weak.”
“Che.”
Still…
If I catch a beast, everything will change.
In my head, a rosy future bloomed—
“My baby, you caught a beast? You’re a genius. Truly my sibling!”
“Yes! Now I’m really my sister’s sibling!”
“I’m so proud! Let’s bake lots and lots of sweet potatoes!”
Thud.
I slammed my milk cup dramatically onto the table.
Ruth wiped my milk-stained lips with his finger and muttered,
“Haah… what could possibly be going on in that tiny head of yours? Anyway, you must be really worried about being disowned. But don’t worry too much, even if it happens. I’ll prepare a place for you…”
“I’m going to catch the tiger beast!”
I, Coco the Brave Puppy,
will capture the Duke’s tiger beast—
and officially become Sister’s true sibling!
