Chapter 53
“Absolutely not, woof!”
“But Johann Mendelssohn Handel Beethoven Bach Schubert Mozart Debussy Park-yeon Strauss the Third, without your help we can’t even enter that competition—”
“I said no, woof! You want me to do somersaults?!”
Do I look like some kind of puppy, woof?!
Tofu bared his rice-grain teeth and threatened Cassian and me.
Look at that temper. He could probably take on a chihuahua one-on-one and win.
Cassian didn’t back down.
“No, Johann Mendelssohn Handel Beethoven Bach Schubert Mozart Debussy Park-yeon Strauss the Third. This is about showing those good-for-nothing puppies—who only know how to eat and be cute—the dignity of a divine beast.”
No matter how much those dogs fly and crawl, they’re nothing compared to a sacred beast, right?
As Cassian tried to persuade him with a completely serious face, I clamped my mouth shut beside him.
Trying not to laugh.
“No means no, woof!”
“Then step aside.”
Cassian hesitated, apparently out of things to say, so I nudged him aside and stepped forward.
I gently scratched Tofu’s back as he faced away from us and coaxed him.
“Tofu. I looked it up, and if you win this competition, they give out snacks as prizes.”
“…Snacks?”
“A whole box of handmade salmon treats made by the imperial chef who’s studied salmon for thirty years.”
“Smack.”
“And sweet-potato jerky.”
“…….”
“And pig liver.”
“Pig liver?!”
I’ll participate, woof!
Tofu sprang up onto his two hind legs.
“I’m still not thrilled about it! But for the sake of justice, I shall sacrifice myself!”
“A truly divine-beast-worthy decision!”
We will never forget Lord Tofu’s noble sacrifice for justice—and on the way home I’ll buy soy sauce and dip tofu in it to eat.
Beside me, Cassian completely failed at holding back his laughter and doubled over.
“Snacks!”
Letting the excited Tofu run around the storage shed, Cassian leaned over and whispered to me.
“Pig liver? Was that for real?”
“Of course not.”
“Then that’s a lie.”
“Do you think I became a saintess by being honest?”
There’ll be tons of people at Everran Park that day. Surely there’ll be at least one roasted sweet-potato guy and one blood-sausage stall.
“If I buy it, it’s not a lie.”
“He’ll get fat.”
“He’s already fat.”
I gestured at Tofu’s bulging belly.
“Walk him more.”
“I already walk him five times a day……”
“Then why does he still have the body of a seal…?”
“He eats a lot….”
“…….”
“…….”
“Hang in there.”
“But lately, thanks to you, I’ve had less work.”
“Me?”
“Whenever I come back from enforcing justice with the magic saintess, I’m so tired I just snore and fall asleep right away.”
On days like that, I don’t have to go on walks. Cassian added with genuine happiness.
“…….”
Wait.
Then the reason I’ve had nonstop missions until now was…?
“…….”
“…….”
“H-hey. Don’t hit me.”
“Watch yourself. Seriously.”
Still, I’m going to an amusement park!
I’m so excited!
“Lulu.”
“…….”
“Roll-roll-roll-lo.”
An amusement park!
Even if it hasn’t opened yet, we can at least look around out front, right?
We can buy food, right?
What should I eat?!
Cotton candy? Churros?
No—cream soda and a giant turkey leg.
I hope they sell balloons too!
The pamphlet said the Ferris wheel lights at night are super pretty!
“You look like you’re in a good mood.”
“Huh? Arden!”
My junior!
Maybe because I’m in a good mood, but he looks especially handsome today! I opened my arms wide in greeting.
Seeing my wide-open arms, Arden subtly sidestepped away.
“What brings you to the third floor? You always just buy a handkerchief on the first floor and leave. Here for tea?”
“Yes… something like that.”
Answering vaguely, Arden glanced around.
This was the tea house on the third floor of our boutique. As far as I remember, this was Arden’s first time up here.
Despite saying he came for tea, he didn’t sit down or even look at the menu, just hovered awkwardly in front of me behind the counter.
As I brewed strong black tea and dumped in condensed milk and regular milk, I watched him curiously.
“What’s wrong? Want something to drink?”
“Well.”
Ahem. Arden cleared his throat.
“Senior, do you know about the amusement park being built on Everran Park grounds?”
“Oh!”
Of course I do! That’s exactly why I’m in such a good mood!
Humming roll-roll-roll, I answered.
“I’m going there the day before it opens!”
“…The day before opening?”
“Yeah! I’m going as a guardian for the agility competition!”
“…Where did the dog come from?”
“Well.”
…Come to think of it, Cassian and Arden know each other.
Better to explain now than cause a misunderstanding later. I glanced at him and said,
“You know that white puppy you saw before? The one that looks kinda dumb. Turns out he’s a dog raised by the Grand Temple.”
And so on and so forth.
“So I’m entering together with the High Priest.”
“I see.”
“Yeah.”
“I see.”
“Mhm.”
“Right.”
“…….”
Did I say something wrong?
“You’ve gotten very close. And in just one day.”
“Ah… well, it’s not really like that. It just kind of happened?”
“Going to an amusement park together alone means you’re inseparable best friends. Congratulations on forming such a legendary friendship in a single day.”
“Uh… thanks? But the High Priest and I aren’t really friends—”
“A friendship that will go down in history. May blessings be upon your future.”
“Uh….”
Arden looks upset.
Stirring the finished milk tea, I watched his face carefully.
Despite his cold tone, Arden’s expression was calm.
Without meeting my eyes, he took a step back and tore something in his hands to shreds.
“Arden, what’s that?”
“Nothing.”
“If it’s nothing, why bring it?”
“To tear it up.”
Is this a trash can?
With a gentle smile, Arden gestured toward the decorative fireplace in the corner.
Without waiting for a response, he tossed the torn paper inside.
“I’ll be going now. Something urgent might come up.”
I stared at his retreating back in confusion.
“…That fireplace is decorative. There’s no fire.”
I walked over and pulled out the scraps Arden left behind.
When I roughly pieced them together, I saw gold lettering on a deep navy background.
“…Everran Amusement Park Agility Competition VIP Tickets?”
Two of them.
“Arden!”
I chased him down the stairs and grabbed him.
Holding up the torn tickets, I asked,
“You were going to ask me to go with you?”
“Yes.”
“What—wait, yes?”
I froze.
Given Arden’s personality, I expected him to deny it.
“Yes. That’s right.”
Seeing me fall silent, Arden nodded.
“But you’re going with Cassian hyung, right? With the guy you met just one day ago and instantly formed a once-in-a-generation friendship with.”
“Oh….”
“So I’ll stay home, curled up alone, probably cleaning.”
“Oh.”
“From now on, I won’t invite anyone anywhere.”
“That’s rough….”
“I won’t invite anyone even to my 1600th birthday celebration. I’ll be alone.”
“Hmm.”
Well, by then he probably will be alone.
In a grave.
“Amusement parks are childish and stupid anyway. I wasn’t even looking forward to watching the agility competition or washing my hands afterward….”
“Want to go as three?”
“…What?”
“We can all go together.”
I said to the suddenly silent Arden.
“This isn’t a date or anything. There’s no rule saying it has to be just two people. Let’s go as three.”
“…….”
“It’s true I got close with the High Priest, but I’m way closer with you.”
I whispered like I was sharing a secret.
“…….”
Arden blinked quietly for a moment, then slowly lowered his head.
I watched as the corners of his previously blank mouth twitched upward—and somehow, I started smiling too.
“…Me too.”
“Huh?”
“I’m closer to you than to Cassian hyung.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Behind Arden as he said that, through the wide-open window, a promotional poster announcing the opening of Everran Amusement Park fluttered in the wind.
And on the eve of Everran Amusement Park’s opening.
One hour before the agility competition that offered a golden ticket—granting a single day of full ownership of the park.
At a lakeside clearing in the center of Everran Forest, packed with spectators—
“I’ll show you my skills, woof!”
Tofu stood proudly on all fours and declared.
Behind him, dogs entering the competition with their handlers came into view.
But then—
“Huh?”
Every single one of them was…
“Border collies?”
A breed said to have the intelligence of a seven-year-old human, capable of understanding over 250 words—the smartest dogs in the world.
And they were big, too.
Just then, a frisbee flew through the air, and the lead border collie snapped it perfectly out of the air.
I looked back and forth between a pack of sharp-eyed border collies who could probably enroll in the academy right now—
—and our idiot, licking his own nose.
When our eyes met, Tofu proudly showed me a single piece of sweet potato stuck in the fur around his mouth.
“I brought a packed lunch, woof.”
“…….”
Is this… really okay?
