Chapter 21
“What… what is this?!”
But Arches’ green eyes were shaking as if he couldn’t comprehend the situation at all.
“What are you all staring at? Save Esia from those beasts immediately!”
He shouted at the kingdom knights who had just arrived, giving them orders.
“Don’t hurt my children!”
“…Our… children…?”
Even though he had drawn his sword to rescue me first, Arches’ body stiffened slightly.
His gaze demanded an explanation.
I looked at the crowd that had gathered and smiled brightly.
“You haven’t forgotten that I’m a pet behaviorist, have you?”
In other words:
“There are bad dogs in the world—but there aren’t any here.”
I was just a step too late—that was what I meant.
The seasoned knights of the Blace Kingdom could hardly believe the scene before them.
A little girl, not even half-grown into an adult, was commanding beasts three times her size like they were little pets.
But the sharp teeth gleaming in the growling beasts’ jaws were anything but cute like a pet’s.
Hunting dogs—or perhaps even more dangerous than that.
Turning a vicious beast into an obedient hunting dog…
The knights were so shocked that they couldn’t move, nor even swallow.
Except for two.
“Shasha, come into my arms.”
“Miss Esia, the explanations can wait. For now, just come here.”
Anadelma’s adult form, Duke Derion, and the first prince of the Blessed Kingdom—more accurately, Crown Prince Arches—rushed toward Esia without hesitation.
And they reached out at the same time toward Esia, who was cradled by the fearsome beasts.
“I found Shasha, so I’ll take her with me.”
“On what basis should I trust you with Esia? Come to think of it, you’ve found your way here unusually quickly. Are you conspiring with them?”
Crackle.
Electricity sparked between them.
Though appearing as adults, their actions were unmistakably those of ten-year-old Derion.
Ordinarily, the knights’ eyes would remain fixed on their lord, Arches, but at this moment, they couldn’t look away.
They were captivated by the snow-white child before them.
The child was pure eye—more precisely, a blizzard that could swallow everything whole.
Unconsciously, my eyes closed.
Yawning repeatedly, my body finally fell into a shallow sleep.
A large, warm hand moved gently over my hair.
The touch was so careful that I momentarily felt as if I had reverted to a newborn.
“…A newborn?”
No way!
It was already unfair enough that I had been sent to a strange world and regressed; I couldn’t possibly get even younger.
I bolted upright, meeting Derion’s adult eyes.
Instinctively, I groped around, realizing I was in my room at the Duke’s residence.
“Shasha, you haven’t lain down long. How about resting a little more? I don’t mind just watching over you like this.”
“…W-wait! Duke! Right! Why… why am I dying?”
“……”
“……”
His usually gentle smile stiffened as he looked at me.
A suffocating silence passed before Derion finally spoke:
“Shasha, don’t worry. I’ll find a way from here.”
As he spoke, a golden light filled the room.
“Duke!”
I tried to part the light and reach for the fading Derion, but—
“You have to finish your words first!! There are two ways to annoy someone: first, to stop speaking mid-sentence…!”
Whoosh—!
<SYSTEM>
[Golden Elixir] has exceeded its duration; the effect fades.
“Argh!!”
“The second way is…”
Suddenly, the cheerful present-day Derion leapt into my arms, oblivious to everything.
Tears streamed down my face.
“E-…! E…!”
“When coughing, one should turn away from people and cover their mouth as basic manners.”
“Esia! Esia!”
“…This cough does sound like my name, actually.”
“Esia!”
“?!”
Wait, did Derion just say that? My… my name?!
Startled, I forgot to cry and grabbed Derion’s face.
“Duke? I think so much has happened in just one short hour that my ears might have a problem.”
Derion’s face was squished by my hands on his cheeks, but he simply smiled brightly and did not pull away.
“Esia! Esia!”
“Oh my, Duke?!”
I shouted in excitement as I listened to the beautiful movement of his lips producing sound.
My ears were fine.
“You can speak now?!”
“Shasha! Shasha!”
“This is insane.”
Overcome with emotion, I got up.
Lying in bed was a waste of time.
I ran straight to the door and flung it wide open.
Bang!
“Miss Esia, you’re awake!”
Prince Arches was standing at the door, waiting for me to awaken.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I saw him.
Of course, these were tears of joy.
“Archesss…!!”
“Miss Esia, are you crying? Are you in pain? Perhaps it would be better to go to the kingdom for treatment rather than rely on the Duke’s mediocre doctor.”
The Duke’s doctor standing behind Arches quietly wiped away tears.
In the short time I had slept, the handkerchief had already become damp from all the tears shed for Arches.
But more importantly—
“Hup—!”
“Yes, I’ll order you to pack your things immediately. No, I’ll personally buy new ones for you.”
There might not even be kimchi in this world, but Arches spoke as if he had just downed a whole jar.
Though my ears received the words, my brain could not comprehend them.
I simply exhaled deeply, filling my mouth with air.
“People of the village!!!!”
“?! E-Esia?!”
I held my breath to gather force for an even louder shout.
Startled by the sudden volume, Arches placed a hand on my forehead.
“You don’t have a fever. …Miss Esia, don’t misunderstand. How many do you see?”
Arches raised a finger seriously before my eyes.
“Six!”
“…Since when did your fingers become six?”
He tried to take me back into the room, thinking I was crazy, but no way.
“My child can speak now!!”
“?!”
I brushed past Arches, crossed my short legs, and ran through the corridor, shouting:
“Everyone! Come out and see my wonderful child!”
People peeked out, startled by my loud voice.
“She can speak! She can speak!”
Some rushed out, thinking something serious had happened.
Serious? Yes, this was a huge deal.
“Come out and see how amazing my child is!”
Seeing my child was indeed a big deal!
“Shasha! Shasha! Shasha!”
Behind me, Derion followed, wagging his tail excitedly.
“Oh! Whose child is so admirable?”
“? Shasha’s child?”
“?! See, everyone! My child is so brilliant!”
As Derion spoke, the staff at the Duke’s residence covered their mouths or held their breath.
A silence fell.
Clack, clack—the sound of polished shoes approached.
The male footsteps belonged to the butler, Dex.
“Miss Esia.”
“Yes!”
“Did the Duke say that you can speak now?”
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!”
“I see.”
For a moment, Dex’s expression, normally unreadable, showed faint disappointment.
“The Duke… finally…”
Drip, drip… splat!
Something fell from beneath Dex’s eyes.
His spotless shoes were quickly wet. Automatic washing today, perhaps.
“She can speak!”
Dex raised both hands, and the staff at the Duke’s residence did the same.
“This is a miracle!”
“A miracle!”
“A miracle!”
Dex cried so hard he couldn’t even wipe his tears and bowed to me.
“All thanks to Miss Esia. I truly never misjudge people. Thank you, Miss Esia.”
I wasn’t sure if he was praising me or himself, but at this moment, I didn’t care.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you.”
Pleased with all the sparkling eyes on me, my shoulders practically danced.
“Oh my, there’s no need to thank me for this… hehe.”
My nose rose toward the sky.
I couldn’t resist bragging about my child once more.
“This brilliant child is mine.”
“Shasha’s child! Shasha’s child!”
I felt proud.
“….”
Arches, watching all this with an incredulous expression, finally spoke:
“This place is completely insane.”
Next to him, the nanny gave him a look that clearly said, you have so much to explain.
“Nanny, don’t look this way. Look over there.”
“Yes, Prince.”
For some reason, Arches felt uneasy.
