CH 15

*******

Life at the Grand Duchy of Adelasia was more comfortable than I thought and I quickly got used to it.

After a few days, as soon as there was stability in urgent matters, things that I had not been able to look back on came to mind one by one.

‘A lot of things must have changed during my absence.’

Already, Eristella’s vacancy must be filled with other people and other things.

‘Is there anyone waiting for me? Probably not.’ Even though she was convinced, there was a person who suddenly passed through her mind.

‘I need to see His Majesty.’

Eristella’s older brother and the emperor of the empire, who loved her very much as a child.

Although now, it was no longer the same childhood relationship.

…To put it bluntly, the current emperor regards Eristella as a thorn in his eyes.

‘But to me, he is the only family left in the world.’

There was no way he was waiting for her, but she still missed her older brother.

It was bittersweet to think of His Majesty’s bored face at the funeral of Princess Eristella.

She couldn’t go to him because she was in the form of a fox, but she wanted to see him anyway, even from afar.

To do that, she had to ask Heinricion, but it was something he couldn’t do as well. One couldn’t meet the emperor for no reason.

‘Wait a minute. What’s the date now?’

With a sudden flash of thought, Eristella started counting the days with her toes, which were too short to fold.

‘It’s National Foundation Day soon.’

The most important day in the empire.

It is the most grandiose and painstakingly prepared anniversary of the year by the imperial family. A day to show that the empire still has infinite glory.

It was a meeting that Grand Duke Adelasia, who occupied an axis of national power, must attend.

Heinricion, the owner of the Grand Duke of Adelasia and one of the most prominent wizards in the empire, must attend the banquet.

‘This is my chance!’

Eristella wanted to attend the National Foundation Day banquet, no matter what. To do that, she had to stay by the side of Heinricion.

It was when she was watching from Heinricion’s side, within a span’s distance.

“You must attend this National Foundation Day.”

As expected, the opportunity came when Rowen reported to Heinricion the Foundation Day schedule.

As if she had been waiting, Eristella sent a signal to Heinricion — a heated stare.

‘I’m here. Don’t forget me!’

Heinricion glanced at her, then immediately turned his head away and opened his mouth.

“I have to attend.”

“Then we will prepare.”

Eristella, who watched the two of them talking, stretched her front paws over to Heinricion’s arm.

Shake, shake.

Waving her arm at Heinricion, Eristella exuded her own presence.

Her fox’s eyes twinkled as their eyes met.

Eyes glowing passionately as if hundreds of chandeliers were lit at the same time.

“What, why are you looking at me like that?”

Heinricion pulled his face back slightly like he hadn’t seen anything. For some reason, he felt like he had to steer away from the burdensome fox.

‘I want to go too.’

He knew it.

‘Take me to the National Day banquet!’

But it was already too late. Eristella, determined not to let it go, grabbed Heinricion with one hand and stomped with the other foot.

Heinricion’s forehead slowly crumpled.

“Are you sure you want to go with me?”

‘Yes!’

Eristella nodded her head broadly.

“……Why?”

Heinricion looked very reluctant.

‘Why? It’s a banquet held at the Imperial Palace, so I have to go see it.’

“No.”

‘Why?’

“I’ve never brought an animal to a banquet before.”

‘But other nobles often take them.’

“Anyway, no.”

But it was a situation where they couldn’t even communicate anyway.

Heinricion decided to just ignore it and move on without answering.

If he doesn’t take her, Eristella wouldn’t be able to help it either.

However, it was Heinricion who, for a moment, forgot the character of Princess Eristella.

‘Huh. You thought I’ll just give up.’

Eristella glared at Heinricion like a beast eyeing its prey.

She had another reason to attend the imperial banquet.

‘I’m also concerned about what Heinricion said last time.’

The family of the Count of Azurdi had been trying to find the missing princess for the past six months.

There was no way they could have looked for Eristella with pure intentions.

If she was still Princess Eristella, she would have thought of inviting them, but now it was impossible.

The opportunity to see them as naturally as possible was at the imperial palace banquet.

So she had to go. She needed to go and see what their real intentions were.

She wondered if they had anything to do with black magic.

‘So this is really unavoidable. I didn’t mean to harass you.’

Eristella’s desperate excuse was overshadowed by her face smiling with anticipation.

“Keukekek–”

A strange laugh escaped the fox’s mouth. At that moment, Heinricion, who knew nothing, was startled by the ominous energy.

*******

Eristella had been chasing Heinricion all day long.

And from time to time, she blocked Heinricion’s view and obstructed him.

No matter where he looked, she made herself visible and bothersome.

When he tried to ignore it, she deliberately climbed over his shoulder and pulled his hair to provoke him.

“Stop chasing me. I won’t take you no matter what.”

She wanted to see how long he could ignore it and see who would win. 

Simply chasing was not enough. There needed to be something more.

‘Should I induce sympathy?’

If she didn’t even make eye contact, pretending to be upset to evoke sympathy with a depressed face, he might feel a little sorry for her and think about it again.

Hence, Eristella lowered her head next to where Heinricion was working. When the ears and tail all stretched weakly, she seemed very depressed.

Heinricion, who had been concentrating on the paperwork, turned his head slightly and looked at her.

“….…”

‘Are you shaking a bit?’ It was when Eristella was waiting for his reaction with anticipation.

“Fufu.”

Like the sound of sharp daggers, Heinricion snorted.

The moment Eristella slightly moved her pupils and peeked at him, she met the curved eyes of Heinricion.

“It’s nice that it’s quiet.”

As it was rather good, Heinricion ignored her and turned to the document again.

Eristella raised axe-like eyes and tried to glare at Heinricion, but to no avail.

‘That bastard.’

Yes, it was a mistake in itself to try to shake the heart of Heinricion with something like this.

It was useless to appeal only to emotions to reverse Heinrichion’s decision.

He must be forced to surrender.

‘Heheheheh.’

Eristella’s will burned even more.

She was tenacious. She never gave up.

The next day. the next day too.

Eristella followed him all the way to the training field, and she watched Heinricion on the side throughout his training.

When he finished and moved on, she immediately followed closely behind.

‘Are you going to let me be?’

“I won’t take you.”

‘You’ll end up taking me with you in the end?’

Why do his ears hurt so much? Heinricion gently brushed his ears, and lightly shook Eristella’s silent cries…

‘I want to go to the banquet. Oh, I really want to go.’

Unable to ignore it, Heinricion eventually had to instruct Rowen to bring the earplugs.

Actually, since he couldn’t hear the cries directly, the earplugs were of no use, but his mind would be more at ease.

Feeling more comfortable, Heinricion glared fiercely at Eristella. Then he converted into a smile and opened his mouth meaningfully.

“Anessa.”

The moment that name was called, Eristella had a hunch.

‘You’re trying to hand me over to Anessa!’

“Fox. Would you like to go around with me?”

At the same time, Eristella was forced into Anessa’s hands.

‘Heinricion. you really…!’

It was, after all, Anessa. It was hard to get away from Anessa because she was purely fond of spending time with the fox.

Then Anessa would be disappointed.

In the end, Eristella was unable to pursue Heinricion while walking with Anessa.

‘Well, it’s certainly a lot of fun. But I can’t lose on this one thing.’

*******

As soon as the walk was over, Eristella ran to Heinricion.

And when she started chasing him again, Heinricion turned around as if he had enough.

“Are you going to keep chasing me?”

‘Of course. I’ll follow you until you tell me you’ll take me.’

“Do you know where I am going?”

‘Why does it matter? I will follow you wherever you go!’

“Why do you have to go this far?”

‘…Because this is the only way I can see the Emperor’s face.’

She didn’t think it was necessary for Heinricion to know her heart. But she was really frustrated and burst out a little.

He wouldn’t even hear it anyway.

It was when she seemed to have settled down that her head flashed up. 

Strong will burned like a flame in her eyes.

Whenever possible, she was trying not to bring this up.

‘Are you sure you don’t want to take me?’

Eristella blocked Heinricion’s path with her short legs and sent a signal with a menacing look.

‘Can you rest easy with me here?’

Credits goes to Kushi for raw providing, Lara Tia for raw typing, Ame for translating, and AP for proofreading.