Chapter 14
“What does that tiger even want!”
I messed up my hair in frustration.
The black tiger once again hid its body, turning invisible.
I wandered around nearby, but the tiger never showed up again. It also didn’t write any more words.
‘From the way it looked at me, I’m sure it wanted to follow me.’
Then why… why can’t it?
‘It’s not just my sister now… I feel so sorry for the tiger. I just want to hug it.’
I grabbed my head tightly, lost in thought.
Then I remembered something from the newspaper I read in the future.
In the future, the tiger’s dead body was eventually found. It had slowly weakened until it died.
There were some clues about its death.
‘Right before it died… it tried to return to the place it originally lived.’
I felt like I almost understood, but not clearly enough.
While worrying, I kept walking in circles.
Before I knew it, I had walked past the place where the tiger was and ended up in front of a big building.
“Huh? Where am I?”
A child’s body was much faster than a dog’s paws.
‘Near the north side of the mansion, there’s the Senate Hall, a few old houses, the training grounds, and…’
…The Branch Academy?
It was my first time seeing this place. I thought about turning back when—
A small bell rang.
Then, six or seven children rushed out through the doors.
They were all dressed in neat uniforms, each with a small name tag on their chest.
“Who are you?”
“Are you new here?”
The well-dressed kids all crowded around me.
‘I don’t have time for this…’
The way they stared at me, like I was an animal in a zoo, made me nervous.
I stammered and introduced myself.
“M-my name is Coco.”
“Coco? What kind of name is that? A peasant’s name? Don’t you have a last name?”
“Uh… I live in the annex.”
“Hm…?”
“U-uh, I’m the Blessing Baby! That’s who I am!”
As soon as I said that, the curiosity on their faces twisted into frowns.
“I know that story. It’s fake.”
“No wonder you don’t have a maid and walk around all alone, like a commoner.”
“Why are you even here, huh?”
“If you’re just a fake, you should quietly wait to get disowned. Why did you come here?”
Why are they suddenly bullying me?
Their words came at me all at once. I bit my lips hard.
Back when I was a stray dog, humans had bullied me too.
Once, they even hit me with a rock on the head—there’s still a spot where no fur grows.
‘S-so scary…’
Hearing their harsh words, my body trembled and my mind went blank.
I knew I shouldn’t say anything, but instinctively, I stepped back.
“I-I just… wanted to help the tiger. I talked to it and thought maybe I could heal it, so I came here. Please don’t hate me…”
“What?”
“…I-I’ll go now.”
I stepped back nervously.
Did they understand my words?
The kids went silent.
But three seconds later, one of them yanked my hair.
“You stupid peasant. What nonsense are you talking about? The tiger disappeared a long time ago. How could you talk to it?”
“A fake like you is pretending to have powers now? What a liar.”
“Liar?”
“You don’t even know what that means, do you? It means someone who makes up stories!”
“I’m not lying… I really have a special ability to talk with animals!”
“What a joke. Listen—there are only five kinds of abilities. Each one is ranked: legendary-level Aitra, then Bidento, then Sidian, and the lowest is Diran. Even if you had a Sidian-level power like simple animal affinity, there’s no way a worthless peasant like you could have it.”
I stared blankly at the boy reciting all this, his name tag catching my eyes.
‘Speed Wagon.’
Even his name sounded like someone who explained things too well.
I finally shook myself back and whispered.
“My power isn’t just animal affinity. It’s the ability to talk with animals.”
“Nonsense! Talking directly with animals and spirit beasts is an Aitra-level power. It only exists in legends!”
Everyone’s eyes went wide at that.
Mine probably got the biggest of all.
‘Wow… so the ability the Dog God gave me is really amazing!’
My fear faded away. My hips even wagged like a tail.
‘Hehe. I’m the coolest puppy ever!’
I quickly felt better again.
But the other kids only raised their voices against me.
“Hah! Idiot. First you pretend to be the Blessing Baby, now you lie about powers too.”
I lifted my chin proudly, like a pup raising its tail.
“Hmph. I’m letting you off only because you’re just kids!”
“What?”
“Next time, when I prove my ability is real… you’d better apologize to me. Got it?”
I raised my head high, bold like a brave puppy.
‘Now, time to go find the tiger!’
But just then—
Carriages stopped one after another around the academy.
Elegant noble ladies stepped out.
“Son.”
“Mom!”
“Don’t say mom. You must say mother.”
So that’s why all these kids had been here—it was dismissal time.
The children who had surrounded me with cruel expressions suddenly lit up with joy.
They all rushed toward their carriages.
Soon, I was left standing alone in front of the academy.
Some noble ladies glanced at me curiously.
“Oh my. Who’s that child? I haven’t seen her before.”
“Mom, that’s her! The fake baby you told me about!”
“Fake? Ah… I’m sorry, Blessing Baby.”
One lady threw me an insincere apology, then whispered to her child.
“As the upper class of society, you must treat even a child who will soon be a peasant with kindness. That is noblesse oblige.”
Unlike the children, the adults knew how to hide their true feelings.
But in their eyes, I still saw nothing but contempt.
‘They must all think I’ll be thrown out soon.’
What hurt more than their contempt, though… was the pity I caught in the eyes of a few kind noble ladies.
“Don’t say such things. She’s a pitiful child. We should treat her well.”
“Tch.”
“Come now, get in the carriage.”
The noble ladies held their children close and climbed into the carriages.
Inside, I could hear them chatting warmly, like real families.
‘They look so happy together.’
Before long, the noisy scene was gone.
I was truly alone.
I pressed my small hand against my chest.
People’s insults and contempt didn’t matter much.
I could always bare my tiny teeth and growl back.
But when they looked at me like I was a pitiful stray dog with no family… that was different.
‘I’m not some pitiful stray. I’m a smart puppy who has an owner!’
The sight of children going home with their families stabbed at my heart, but I clenched my fists and glared at the air.
‘I’m not pitiful at all. Not even a little!’
I was brave enough to cross the Rainbow Bridge to see my sister. Why should pity matter to me?
I only need one thing.
My sister.
Thinking of her filled my heart with courage again.
‘Yes! I only need one person! I’m an animal who follows my instincts!’
As I marched forward, full of courage, my eyes suddenly widened.
I had just realized something.
“Ah!”
Animals, including me, are different from humans.
We are simple.
When something grabs our heart, we only think of that one thing.
The reason I crossed the Rainbow Bridge and came back to this world.
The reason the tiger rejected escaping with us to that so-called ‘better place.’
It must all be because of one thing.
‘And that is…’
