CH 13

“How about it? Do you like it too?”

Leighton sweetly asked the fox.

It didn’t matter if she liked it or not. She was really worried that she would end up going to the Magic Academy with Leighton.

But to deny that…

‘How disappointed that little guy will be!’

‘If he ever cries…….’

During the period, Eristella could do neither this nor that because she felt guilty.

“Leighton.”

Heinricion had arrived.

“Uncle! Fluffy seems to like me too! It turned around right away when I called its name!”

Leighton looked very excited.

Heinricion glanced at Eristella for a moment and parted his lips to speak to Leighton.

“Name? What name did you call it?”

“Fluffy! It’s a name I came up with. I named it so because its hair is like a puffy snowball!”

“Hmm. Is it?”

“Yes! So please let me take it. I will raise it really well!”

“Can you really raise it?”

“Yes! Totally!”

Leighton responded more enthusiastically than ever.

‘No. You are the one who can take care of me the best!’

“…….”

‘It has to be you, not someone else!’

Eristella exclaimed desperately, tugging Heinricion’s pants.

It didn’t sound like that though.

She didn’t give up shouting despite not being able to convey anything.

‘You’ve loved me so much since you were little!’

‘…….’

……To correct it a bit, he liked the her who turned into a fox.

She had been shouting too hastily, so the words came out a little misleading.

It was possible. It was not very wrong.

‘So you can’t let me go. Got it?’

Eristella stared at Heinricion with earnest eyes.

Whether he read her eyes or not, Heinricion also looked at her intently.

‘I’m worried. I’m really nervous.’

Eristella couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

After much consideration, Eristella mustered up a great deal of courage.

“What?”

But Heinricion’s reaction was just that.

He was staring at her, with a frown on his face, showing that he could not understand her words.

‘He doesn’t understand the situation. What should I do?’

This would do.

‘Here.’

Eristella stuck her front paws into the air.

All this time, Heinricion understood what Eristella was saying just by looking at her behavior, but now, he couldn’t guess so much as what she had been doing.

“It seems to be giving its paw to His Excellency? The fox seems to follow His Excellency very well.”

Rowen, who was observing the situation from a distance, whispered an opinion.

“Ah…….”

Heinricion, who understood the situation only then, held the fox’s front paw one beat late. And after a moment of silence, out flowed his low-pitched voice.

Hah. Hahaha.

Heinricion’s breathless laughter, covering his face with his palm, tickled Eristella’s ears.

The fox’s ears turned red, but its paws held onto the hand of Heinricion.

*******

Midnight.

Heinricion went into Leighton’s room, where he was getting ready to go to bed.

“I’m here to talk to you before you leave.”

“Sure.”

“You are leaving tomorrow. Aren’t you worried or afraid of being alone?”

“I’m a little worried…… but I am looking forward to it more!”

Leighton bravely replied.

“Yes. You’re a lot like your parents even in that way.”

That was why Heinricion was even more concerned. All the more, he wanted to protect Leighton so that he could grow properly.

“If you go there, you will be able to learn and experience many things. You will be able to further develop your talents.”

He also wanted to let Leighton do everything he wanted, if possible.

“This is a gift for you. It’s a good book to read when you learn properly.”

“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”

Leighton accepted the book.

“Magic will give you strength that not everybody has.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Heinricion’s mature advice was deeply engraved on Leighton. The soft atmosphere continued.

However, after a while, Heinricion stopped talking. Then he opened her mouth with a hardened face as if a little nervous.

“And by the way, Leighton.”

“……?”

Leighton tilted his head and focused on Heinricion. Heinricion, who stared at Leighton for a moment, spoke softly.

“I cannot give you the fox.”

“Yes……?”

In an instant, Leighton burst into tears. He tried to hold it in, but thick water droplets were forming around his eyes like they were going to fall at any second.

“The fox…”

“…Heuk.”

“It’s the first fox I’ve ever met.”

That was why he couldn’t help it.

Heinricion said as he comforted Leighton.

“I’m sorry.”

*******

Early in the morning, when there was still time for the sun to rise.

The fox, who was sleeping on the bed, quietly opened its eyes.

It promptly looked around, and realized it couldn’t see Heinricion like he had been away.

The fox’s eyes twinkled in the dark and it began to act cautiously.

It took out the pad it had stolen in the  afternoon.

Then, it boldly raised its front paw and slammed it onto the pad, bang!

After applying it evenly and meticulously, it headed towards its target. Polk.

It jumped on three legs to move, then swung its foreleg wildly—

In a while, the mirror had a letter written in a fox’s footprints.

After finishing its work, the fox hurriedly looked around to make sure that no one was there.

Only then did it return to the floofy bed with a light gait.

Unlike the last time, there was a footrest on the floor, so it went up to the bed comfortably by itself.

It didn’t take more than a moment for the fox to fall asleep again.

It fell into dreamland as soon as it lay down.

*******

The morning sun had risen!

Eristella, who opened her eyes, quickly checked the surroundings.

‘What about Heinricion? Where is he and what is he doing?!’

Did he see what she left yesterday?

Then there would be a reaction. Why was it so quiet?

Or, he couldn’t see it? Who saw and cleared it before he checked?

Or, was he ignoring it even though he saw it?

With question marks floating around her head, Heinricion was caught in Eristella’s sight.

He was already well-dressed, sitting on the sofa and reading the newspaper.

‘Did you really ignore me? Then let me…….’

It was when Eristella’s eyes shook with anxiety.

Heinricion got up and folded the newspaper. Then he spoke to Eristella.

“Wake up. Leighton wants to see you.”

“!”

‘Are you really trying to let me go?’

‘You promised to let me stay here until I get back to my original form, right?’

‘There’s even a piece of paper with our negotiations!’

She didn’t even know how nervous she was at the thought of needing to leave.

“Fluffy!”

As soon as Leighton saw Eristella, taktaktaktak— he came running and greeted with a bright smile.

“Thank you. You are the best fox to me!”

When she saw Leighton, her determination to be vigilant was shattered in an instant.

How could she stand up to such an innocent and pure face saying that?

That would be crazy. Impossible.

The moment Eristella was engulfed in a bitter inner conflict.

“I will never forget it. I will come back to see Fluffy.”

Leighton was saying goodbye in a voice that sounded mournful to any listener.

“Leighton. The fox’s name is not ‘Fluffy’.”

Heinricion told Leighton, who made a promise to the fox.

“Can’t we just call it ‘Fluffy’? I think Fluffy likes ‘Fluffy’ too.”

“Is that so?”

Heinricion asked Eristella with a crooked smile.

Her instincts warned her that she would feel tired the moment she accepted Leighton’s words.

Swish, swish.

She shook her head vigorously.

‘Nope. I don’t like it. Absolutely not!’

At that moment, only one corner of Heinricion’s lips went up.

‘You got it, right?’

As she rolled her eyes, Heinricion lifted her up.

“?”

“Leighton. This is the gift I told you about yesterday. Make friends on your way to the academy.”

‘What? Are you really presenting me?’

It was then. Behind Heinricion, a servant came out carrying something.

“It’s a good friend who will protect you.”

There was a hole in the front of the bag that was about half the size of Leighton.

Inside was a fluffy puppy.

‘Of course. You’re still responsible.’

Eristella looked at Heinricion with a relieved heart.

“It’s a unique and smart creature, so it will be helpful in many ways.”

“Thank you.”

Leighton also seemed to like the puppy he received as a gift.

‘Thank God.’

As if it had already recognized its owner while in the bag, the puppy stared at Leighton with its wide round eyes. Eristella watched over such a puppy and Leighton with joy.

‘Yes, get along with Leighton in the future. Be very good friends with each other.’

“Woof! Woof-oof!”

Suddenly, the puppy, who was looking straight at Eristella, barked as if answering her.

‘Do you understand me?’

“Woof!”

What? Was it a coincidence? Was it real?

Eristella stared hard at the puppy, then suddenly, a large hand blocked her vision.

‘What. I’m occupied with something right now.’

“Do you want to go with the puppy?”

Heinricion stared pointedly at the fox and walked away.

“Otherwise, you shouldn’t look elsewhere.”