Chapter 52
“Implement justice without me? That’s hurtful, woof!”
Tofu thumped my leg with his front paws.
“I was home alone!”
On his back was the snack pouch he always carried himself, and on his face was the tuxedo mask I’d made for him.
What kind of dog wears more clothes than I do? Aren’t dogs supposed to run around naked?
‘At least wash the bag before you wear it.’
I shot Cassian a look, but he shook his head.
‘His stubbornness is no joke.’
“I am the assistant of the Holy Maiden of Magic, Sena! A divine beast who lives and dies together with her! Is this not betrayal? I lament the state of the world, woof!”
“Sorry, sorry. Things just blew up suddenly, so I couldn’t help it.”
Next time, we’ll definitely go together.
“Promise, woof.”
“Yeah.”
Maybe he got tired of being angry—Tofu flopped down on his side. I took his paw and shook it.
With the three jelly pads on his paw, he firmly stamped the back of my hand, and only then did he lick his nose in satisfaction.
That’s right. Tofu has three toes. Which means three jelly pads.
Normal dogs have five, right?
I wouldn’t know. I don’t have any dog friends.
While I was squatting in front of Tofu, shaking paws, Cassian—who had been organizing the tea boxes he delivered today in the corner of the storage room—asked,
“So, it was a trap?”
“Oh. Right.”
That’s what I was going to talk about.
“Do you remember when I said those villains might have a magical device that can detect my power?”
“Yeah.”
“I think that’s true.”
The animal abuser definitely said so. That he set the plank district on fire after confirming that I’d used magic.
“To catch me when I was weakened after exhausting my mana.”
“If that’s the case, we can’t let our guard down anymore.”
“Yeah. They’ll definitely try again.”
“I’ll protect Seraphina, woof!”
“Oh my, thank you. I’m invincible now.”
“Invincible-woof!”
“But.”
While scratching Tofu’s chin—who looked like he couldn’t even protect himself, let alone me—I pulled out the hand mirror hanging around my neck.
“There was something strange back then.”
I explained how the gem on the squeaky hammer suddenly glowed, and how I used magic powerful enough to extinguish the fires across the entire plank district.
“So I thought my magic limit had increased, but when I checked today, that wasn’t it.”
Do you know why that might be? I asked Cassian.
Hmm. Cassian thought for a moment, then said,
“It was probably a temporary surge of power.”
“Temporary? Why?”
“That’s something you should be telling me.”
“Uh….”
“What exactly happened back then?”
What did you experience that charged your magic? Cassian asked.
“Uh. Um.”
“Um?”
“…….”
I rolled my eyes and avoided his gaze.
“Nothing special happened.”
I was just chasing and being chased by Arden like usual, then Arden almost fell after being attacked by a violent heron, so I caught him, and then we kind of……
“Nothing special really happened.”
Haha—my laugh sounded awkward even to my own ears.
Cassian’s eyes narrowed.
“What was it.”
“It was nothing.”
“I can’t even guess if you don’t tell me what it was.”
“It was really nothing.”
“Tell me before you do something ‘nothing’ with someone.”
“…….”
Have we ever lived together or something?
After hesitating, I finally confessed.
“Arden was chasing me, okay? Then he staggered, so I grabbed him and helped him up.”
“How?”
“Huh?”
“How did you help him up. Did you grab him by the collar?”
“No.”
“Then.”
“I grabbed his… back.”
“Dangling him?”
Cassian mimed lifting Tofu by the scruff of the neck.
“…Not like that.”
“…….”
“Like… this?”
I cradled Tofu against my chest, acting it out and whispering, ‘It’s okay, my baby kitten.’
“…Aha.”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
It’s embarrassing, so can you say something already?
“So you got flustered?”
Did I tell you to talk nonsense?
I glared at Cassian.
I thought he was teasing me, but surprisingly, his face was blank.
So blank he even looked sleepy, as he continued,
“In your case it’s a bit different, but generally, Holy Maidens of Magic draw their power from love and justice. If you felt a flutter of emotion back then, that power might have recharged your mana.”
“Oh….”
“So? You got flustered?”
“Not really….”
I mean, my heart might have beaten a little faster because I was surprised and flustered for a moment.
But it’s not like I was totally, totally, totally into Arden or anything.
No.
No way.
“Really not…….”
“Good. I hope not.”
“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
Cassian shook his head and crossed his arms.
“In the end, no results.”
“Yeah.”
We even went all the way to the imperial ball, and instead of spying on social clubs, all we confirmed was that nobles are a bunch of selfish people.
“If you told me anyone there was part of the evil faction, I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“And we lost track of the red-eyed man.”
“He disappeared like smoke. As if someone noticed the danger and rescued him.”
They know me and are chasing me, but I don’t even have a clue who they are.
This won’t do.
“Hm.”
While stroking Tofu as if thinking deeply, Cassian said,
“Then how about aiming for another chance?”
“A chance?”
“Do you happen to know that an amusement park is opening in Everran Forest next week?”
“Yes!”
“…You startled me.”
Cassian flinched.
I didn’t care. I was excited.
Everran Forest—you know, the huge area that used to be the imperial hunting grounds?
But the imperial family doesn’t enjoy hunting anymore.
So a few years ago, they opened it to the public and developed part of it into an amusement park.
A place of dreams and hope for children, where all profits—after operating costs—are donated to the Imperial Children’s Hospital.
Apparently, the one who strongly pushed for the amusement park development was His Highness the Crown Prince.
Ever since the psychiatric hospital project, I’ve been such a fan of the Crown Prince.
Ellie said if His Highness were ugly, she’d steal his wallet, but…
‘Even if the Crown Prince were ugly, I’d still be willing to protect his wallet.’
I couldn’t protect the nation’s dignity, though.
Anyway, the amusement park’s opening day is next week!
“I’m super excited!”
“It shows.”
“I’m not the only one. Everyone at the atelier is excited too.”
There’s a masked Ferris wheel, a carousel, cotton candy, balloons flying everywhere…….
“There’s not a single kid in this country who doesn’t want to go to the amusement park! They’re all begging their parents!”
“I see. But Seraphina?”
“Huh?”
“You’re not a kid.”
“…….”
Ignoring my glare, Cassian continued,
“Anyway, as you said, the amusement park is a place every child in the Empire is desperate to go. Parents naturally want to take them. Even nobles are no exception.”
“So nobles will swarm the amusement park.”
“Exactly.”
“And if we want information, we need to go where people gather.”
“That too.”
Nodding, Cassian pulled a pamphlet from his coat.
“The day before Everran Park officially opens, they’re holding an agility competition to celebrate the completion.”
“What’s that?”
“You bring your pet dog and run obstacle courses and tunnels together.”
“Oh.”
Why hold that to celebrate an amusement park opening?
“The winner gets a golden ticket that lets them enter Everran Park early right after the competition.”
“Oh, then?”
“Right. For that one day, the park operates exclusively for the winner.”
“Oh!”
That’d be insane. Cassian nodded at my reaction.
“Probably every parent in the capital with a child will try.”
“Ooo….”
“We’ll infiltrate there.”
“With who, you and me?”
“Don’t like going with me?”
“No, that’s not it.”
I pointed at Cassian, then at myself.
“You said it’s a competition where you bring a dog and clear obstacles together.”
Who’s participating?
“Am I the owner and you’re the dog?”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“Then?”
At my question, Cassian looked at Tofu.
I looked at Tofu too.
Tofu, who had pulled out some jerky and was tearing into it, bared his teeth with a growl.
“I’m not a dog, woof!”
