Episode 7
“Dragonflies have four wings, so they can fly really fast. They’re probably the fastest among insects. If I were a dragonfly, Melis, I’d carry you on my back and soar through the sky!”
“But dragonflies are so tiny…”
“I’ll be a huge king dragonfly, so it’ll be fine.”
It had already been two days since leaving the Kingdom of Tarin. Traveling while hidden among the merchant caravan’s cargo was far from comfortable. Meals consisted of nothing more than hard bread and cold soup, and they had to spend the whole day crouched in the wagon’s cargo hold, bouncing along the mountain roads.
Still, this was a path Vivian had painstakingly secured for them. For Melis, whose identity couldn’t be properly revealed, heading to the Empire without encountering any obstacles was no easy feat.
She glanced over and looked at Garulus, who was resting on her lap. Even adults would be stiff and tired from this journey, yet Garulus chattered away without showing any sign of fatigue.
“But how much farther? You said we should have reached the Empire a while ago.”
“Hmm, that’s true…”
A few hours ago, they had crossed into the Aizen Empire and were heading toward the Severus Duchy. Lifting the hood of her cloak slightly, she peered through the gap to see the outside.
‘The Empire really is different…’
Nearby, she could see beastmen walking through the streets. For Melis, who had almost never encountered beastmen in her life, it was simply a fascinating sight.
Realizing once again that she was in the Empire, she fidgeted with her ears and tail, checking their condition. Thankfully, everything was still intact.
“Phew…”
Sliding her hand into her pocket, she heard the small bottles rattling. Inside were dozens of pills Vivian had given her.
“This amount should last over a month. Remember the instructions, right?”
“Yes. Duration is 24 hours, and they must be taken with a one-hour interval.”
“Right. Once you settle in the Empire, contact me. I’ll send the next batch there.”
Her safety depended entirely on these pills. Even if she didn’t know how the beastmen here behaved, the beastmen of Severus Duchy would certainly not be friendly toward humans. Closing her eyes briefly, Melis went over her plan.
‘Once I reach the Duchy, I’ll go to Garulus’s home first. Then I’ll stay at a nearby inn while looking for temporary work. Once I get used to things, I’ll stay in the Duchy for a while, or I can leave once the situation calms down. This place is so big, there must be at least one job somewhere.’
But despite her calm plan, stories she had heard about Duke Severus kept coming to mind.
‘If he’s a golden-furred beastman, someone like me could probably be killed with bare hands…? They say the Duke is terribly mean and a drunkard womanizer. I just hope I don’t run into him.’
As she imagined the Duke’s terrifying demeanor, Garulus gently tapped her arm.
“Melis! I think we’ve arrived!”
Just as Garulus said, the wagon came to a stop and the cargo hold’s entrance opened. The driver, said to be a sloth beastman, spoke in a slow voice.
“The Duchy is up ahead. Get down.”
“Thank you!”
“Much obliged!”
After a brief greeting, the two stepped down from the wagon and pulled their cloaks’ hoods back up. Not far ahead, they could see the checkpoint.
‘Th-that’s the Severus Duchy…’
Suddenly realizing it, her stomach churned again. At the same time, snippets of articles she had read years ago flashed through her mind.
‘Heir to the Aizen Empire throne, Duke Severus. Human intruders in the Duchy executed!’
‘Statement from King Kendal: The Duke’s merciless punishment is human hatred.’
‘Duke Severus executes humans again? Royal sanctions ineffective. Could lead to Duchy closure…’
Hardly comforting thoughts when stepping into the Duchy. She shook her head quickly to clear her mind.
‘Don’t panic, Melis! You’re a beastman! A perfectly ordinary aquabeastman!’
With strong self-hypnosis and a deep breath, Melis reached out to Garulus.
“Let’s go, Garulus! I’ll take you home!”
“Finally, we’re here!”
With each step, her heart pounded wildly. They headed toward the guards standing along the walls. Being within the Empire’s territory, there were no inspections; all she had to do was walk naturally.
Yet despite her calm mindset, Melis felt her body stiffen.
“Ugh, why are my hands so clammy?”
So worried, Garulus subtly rubbed his hand against his sleeve. Ignoring him, Melis took a deep breath and continued walking, moving her left arm and leg together.
Then Garulus suddenly stopped.
“Melis, are you nervous?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t worry so much and just trust me. You helped me when I was scared alone, so now I’ll help you! Everything will be fine.”
“Garulus…”
Hearing Garulus’s brave encouragement, Melis felt all the tension leave her body. Garulus, who had been unable to return home for almost a week, was this brave, and yet she had been scared of something she hadn’t even experienced yet.
‘I’m just trying to find this kid’s home… just find this kid’s home…’
Opening her eyes wide, she rehearsed what to say to the guards. There was nothing to be nervous about. She deserved praise for doing a good deed.
“Um…”
Pulling back her cloak’s hood, she spoke slowly, feeling the guards’ gaze on her. It was clear at a glance that they were gorilla beastmen. Otherwise, they wouldn’t look so intimidating. Up close, their size was massive as well.
“What’s the matter?”
Seeing beastmen at least twice her head size approach, Melis froze again. Flustered, she blurted out what she had rehearsed.
“I-I’m looking for this kid’s home!”
“Huh?”
“Oh, no, it’s not like that, this kid…”
“Kid?”
Biting her lower lip in embarrassment, one of the guards suddenly shouted at Garulus.
“G-Garulus-sama?”
“It’s Garulus-sama!”
“Contact the search squad immediately!”
The two men panicked at the sight of Garulus. Before Melis could fully process it, one pulled a communicator from his chest and shouted.
“Captain, we found him! Garulus-sama is at the west entrance!”
-Understood! Go there immediately. We’ll inform His Grace the Duke, so hold him there!
Melis’s head snapped up at the low voice over the communicator. If she hadn’t misheard, it was indeed His Grace the Duke…
“I hope Kerman comes quickly to pick me up.”
“G-Garulus?”
“Huh?”
“Are you acquainted with the Duke?”
“The Duke?”
“Yes. Duke Severus.”
Unlike the trembling Melis, Garulus calmly picked his nose.
“Oh, yes. He’s my brother. Didn’t I tell you before?”
At that moment, Melis felt her mind go completely blank. She was so flustered she didn’t even notice Garulus wiping his freshly picked nose on his cloak.
At the Severus Ducal Mansion in the Aizen Empire, the missing Garulus had returned home. After an entire week.
“Garulus!”
“Kerman!”
The Aizen Empire’s Duke Severus, rumored to be impervious even to knife wounds, had been sleepless for days. He held Garulus in his arms, unable to hide his roughened skin and bloodshot eyes.
“Where on earth have you been until now?”
“Waaaah, I’m sorry! I didn’t listen when you told me not to enter your study… sniff! I’m sorry!”
Garulus, who had been acting brave until now, burst into tears in Kerman’s arms.
“I was so worried. I won’t leave you alone again.”
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry! I’ll be a good little monkey and listen from now on!”
Without caring who hugged first, the two brothers held each other tightly, unwilling to let go. Even the servants, witnessing this touching reunion, hid their reddened eyes. Those who had worried for Garulus like their own child sighed in relief.
The mansion radiated a warm and affectionate atmosphere for the first time in a while. Yet one person was missing from this feeling—Melis.
‘…Wh-what on earth is this?’
Suddenly standing in the middle of the mansion, in the same space as Duke Severus, Melis felt so tense her mouth went dry. If it weren’t for the sweat pouring down her back, she might have thought it was a dream.
She had only brought a lost monkey home, so how did she end up breathing the same air as Duke Severus?
‘Vivian, donate all my possessions to charity…’
Ultimately, resigned, Melis began drafting a will in her mind, her eyes misty.
