CH 44

V2C44: Mil’s Wish

In the meanwhile, we returned to the reception room.

The same two knights that had been standing guard in front of the room when we left were standing in front of the room’s door, but I could see from the open door that the members inside were different.

Kix, Tina-san, the Queen, the Royal Guards, and the Maid-san had disappeared, and instead there was a middle-aged man that I did not recognise, together with the Prince.

Prince! I was looking for you! To think that we missed each other and you came to this room!

But the five people in the room seemed to be having a serious discussion before we entered the room. The serious atmosphere from the discussion was lingering in the air.

Just as I was wondering whether or not it really was okay for me to enter-

“Oh, we’ve been waiting for you.”

Commander-san, who was sitting on the sofa on the right, said that. Sitting next to him was Branch Captain-san, and on the sofa across from them was the Prince and the unfamiliar middle-aged man.

The King had moved to the sofa further inside the room.

After finding his place and standing diagonally behind Commander-san, the One-Eyed Knight placed me down on the floor, but this was my first time meeting the strange middle-aged man. Thus, my fear of strangers came out and I stayed hidden behind his leg, unmoving.

Kugalg was also next to me, his nose twitching as he tried to acquire information from the man’s scent that was mixed into the air.

While I described the unfamiliar middle-aged man as ‘middle-aged’, it wasn’t like he was an exhausted-looking uncle. He had a slender and well-proportioned physique, and was a rather handsome uncle.

However, he had a cool air around him.

He was wearing clothing that had black as its basic theme, with a fashionable purple scarf wrapped around his collar. His black hair that was a on the longer side for a man was tied up into a single bundle behind his head, and his almond-shaped eyes were looking coldly towards me.

(……he’s a little scary.)

I mustn’t get involved with this person, I thought.

It felt like if I tried to have him pet me, or even tried to approach him, he’d click his tongue at me.

Since it seemed like I’d be scolded if I got too boisterous, I hid in the shadows of the One-Eyed Knight’s leg and tried to erase my presence. However, in the next instant, the handsome middle-aged man made an unexpected action.

Just as I saw him rise from the sofa and turn in my direction, his cold face melted into a broad smile instantly as he attempted to touch Kugalg and I with an extremely loose expression.

“Ohh! I’ve finally managed to meet you! I’ve wanted to meet you all this time~!”

His voice was purposely high, like the kind of voice you’d use when talking to a baby.

“Look look, come here~”

Kugalg, apparently fearful of the handsome middle-aged man’s sudden change, quickly ran away, but I was caught.

That being said, I was also panicked by his sudden aboutface, and desperately tried to cling to the One-Eyed Knight’s leg with my forepaws to avoid being picked up.

“Ahh, how cute~”

However, the handsome middle-aged man wasn’t discouraged, as he started to pet me even as I clung to the One-Eyed Knight.

What’s with this person……I thought, while trembling, when-

“Father.”

Branch Captain-san interrupted with an exasperated voice.

(Father?)

Now that you mention it, I feel like this beautiful middle-aged man’s face and atmosphere sort of resembles Branch Captain-san’s.

“……are you Bwanch Captain-san’s papa?”

When I timidly asked that from behind the One-Eyed Knight’s leg, he responded, “That’s right” with a very nice smile.

Following that, the Prince also smiled and said this.

“While he might appear cold at first glance and seem difficult to approach, he’s a gentle person. He’s a doting parent, and he loves animals too.”

Unlike his son, Branch Captain, who put on an icy mask to maintain his dignity, Branch Captain-san’s papa had a naturally icy face.

But he was kind like his son, and he also didn’t seem to hate animals either.

However, Branch Captain-san’s papa didn’t show any signs of even trying to hide the fact that he loved animals. He was an open animal lover.

“You’re sooo fluffy. So fwuffy~”

And he was unexpectedly cheerful.

Branch Captain-san’s papa seemed to have taken a liking to my chest fur, as he kept stroking it this whole time.

I knew that he wasn’t a scary person, but I couldn’t hide my bewilderment at the intense gap between his appearance and personality. A stern-looking, handsome middle-aged man was making merry and saying, “So fwuffy~”.

“Father, please sit down. We’re still in the middle of our discussion.”

Branch Captain-san, appearing to be accustomed to his father’s lax expressions, advised his father. Commander-san and the King were both laughing.

“Oh, I’ve just heard so much about the child spirits from his Highness all this time, so I was momentarily overwhelmed with my excitement. Cromwell, why didn’t you send me more letters about the cuteness of these children? You’re always, alllways sending such curt messages. Even when I ask [How are things going?], all you say is [There aren’t any particular problems]. Your mother and older brother and I are always worrying about you.”

“……I’m glad that Father was the only one who came today.”

Branch Captain-san murmured quietly in a tired-sounding voice. His mother and older brother probably had similar characters.

Branch Captain-san’s papa returned to the sofa, and then Commander-san started to speak in a mild tone of voice.

“For now, let’s suspend talks of whether or not Cromwell will return to the Capital. Cromwell himself doesn’t want to return yet, so we won’t be able to reach an agreement with his Highness and the Duke’s wishes for him to return.”

Hearing that, I had a small fright.

To think that the discussions had begun while I was wandering around the castle!

Not only that, but it doesn’t seem like the conversation had been advancing in Branch Captain-san’s favour. I’ll have to join in here and somehow convince them to let Branch Captain-san stay at the Northern Fort.

However, just as I pumped myself up to do so, Commander-san changed the topic and called me.

“Before that—Mil.”

Even as he killed my enthusiasm, I trotted over to Commander-san’s feet.

What is it? -I looked up at him, and this time Commander-san called out to the King.

“Your Highness, how about we tell Mil about the contents of the letter from earlier?”

“Right now?”

The King momentarily made a puzzled expression, but Commander-san said this in addition.

“Mil is quite fond of Cromwell.”

When he said that, the King soon made a face of understanding and smiled, “Ahh, I see”.

Then, he turned his gaze towards me and beckoned my way, so I trotted towards the King’s feet.

“What is it?”

This time, I properly managed to vocalise my question.

After the King gave my head a single pat, he broached the topic with, “Regarding the letter from Snowlea earlier……”.

“Mother’s letter?”

“Indeed, take a look.”

The King spread out the letter to show me, so I placed my forepaws on the sofa and extended my neck out to peer at it.

Even though I had thought that the letter had something important written on it, there was just a short sentence written on the paper.

However, I couldn’t read Mother’s beautiful words.

“What’s written there?”

“Ahh, you can’t read yet?”

The King’s golden eyelashes glimmered as he smiled and began to read the letter out loud to me.

“It says……[Give some kind of reward to the brave Milfiria, who managed to safely arrive in the Capital].”

My ears and tail perked up.

“To me……?”

A reward?

Oh Mother, to think you wrote something like this on the letter you had me bring.

As Mother had only sent me to the Capital in order to distance me from the danger that Hyllis posed, the letter had only been a prop to send me on an errand. Thus, she probably never had any business with the King to begin with.

After sniffing at the letter that still had Mother’s lingering scent on it, my tail started to wag of its own accord.

(Mother, you believed that I would properly be able to complete my errand.)

When I thought that, joy started to slowly spread from my chest.

I wanted to fawn on Mother, but she wasn’t here, so instead I rubbed my cheek against the letter that had her scent on it. It rustled back.

“Now then, Milfiria. Child of snow. What sort of reward would you like? I’ll give you anything you’d like.”

“Really?”

I was told the dream-like line of, “I’ll give you anything you’d like” by the king of a country.

I seemed to see the illusion of a mountain of gold and silver behind the smiling King’s face.

But even if I was given gold or jewels, I had no way to use them.

“Would an ornament with jewels on it be good? Or would you be happier with sweets? You like sweets with white cream on it, right?”

When the King said that, I started to imagine eating a cake with plenty of fresh cream on it, and I licked the area surrounding my mouth with a happy face.

“Then, I want sweets with crea—”

However, just as I had decided-

“Mil, do you really only want sweets?”

Commander-san interjected from behind me.

I licked my nose with a slovenly face as I turned around.

“He said ‘anything’, you know. If it’s just sweets, then I could even give you as much as you like. You should make a wish that only his Highness could grant you.”

Based on how Commander-san phrased that, he seemed to know of a specific wish that I would want the King to grant.

But since I couldn’t figure out what that wish was specifically, I tilted my head with a, “?” and looked back at Commander-san.

“Mil has another wish, don’t you?”

As he said that, Commander-san faintly jerked his chin towards Branch Captain-san, who was sitting next to him.

“Fuah?”

My head, that was filled with cake, was only capable of making such a dull reply, but I looked at Branch Captain-san for a while and pondered.

—and then I realised.

What Commander-san had predicted as my true wish.

My eyes widened as I suddenly understood what to say. Smiling, I turned back to face the grinning King and opened my mouth.

“I don’t want sweets after all. Instead, please. Let Bwanch Captain-san stay at the Northern Fort.”

I placed my forepaw on the lap of the sitting King and pleaded with him.

Caught off-guard, I could feel the surprise of the Prince and Branch Captain-san’s papa behind me. And Branch Captain-san too.

“I know it’s unreasonable to ask to be together forever, but I’ll be lonely if we have to part. That’s why at the very least, until Bwanch Captain-san says he wants to return to the Capital, let him stay at the Northern Fort.”

When I finished saying what I wanted to say, I placed my chin on top of my paws that were on the King’s lap. On top of that, in order to maximise cuteness to appeal to him, I gazed at him with upturned eyes.

Hey hey, it’s fine, right? If I beg you in such a cute manner then you’ll let Branch Captain-san stay at the Northern Fort, right?

Upturned eyes aren’t enough? Then what else should I do? What kind of cute pose do I have to make in order to make him listen to my wish?

As I thought, this is the time to show my belly! Thus, I quickly rolled over on the ground with my belly facing the ceiling, but the sofa got in the way, so I ended up leaving the King’s line of sight.

My methods were lacking, but Branch Captain-san appeared to be deeply moved.

“Mil……”

When I looked at him while still lying on the ground, his eyes appeared faintly moist.

“Mil chose me over sweets……”

I’d rather you not get moved over that of all things! I’m not that much of a glutton!

If it was between Branch Captain-san and sweets, then I’ll choose Branch Captain-san.

Though, please buy me some cake with fresh cream on it after this.

I got up and then ran over to Branch Captain-san. I once again stood up and placed my forepaws on his lap.

Seeing such a happy Branch Captain-san as he stroked me, the King turned the conversation towards the Prince and Branch Captain-san’s papa.

“Now then, while I do want to fulfil the wish of the child of snow……what do you two think?”

The one who laughed with a sigh first was the Prince.

“If that is what the spirit wishes, then it can’t be helped. Let us have Cromwell stay at the Northern Fort for a while longer.”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

Branch Captain-san’s papa also nodded, and then turned to his cold son and ordered.

“Cromwell, do not forget to send a letter every month. Your absolute minimum for each month is five pages.”

“I don’t even have anything to write five pages about……”

Branch Captain-san lifted me onto his lap and spoke in an exasperated manner.

However, with this, it seems like Branch Captain-san will be able to stay at the Northern Fort.

Commander-san also gave a satisfied chuckle, while the One-Eyed Knight appeared to be relieved. I’m sure that Kix and Tina-san will be delighted to find out that Branch Captain-san will be able to stay as the branch captain.

“I’m sho happy that I don’t have to part fwom Bwanch Captain-san!”

“Yeah, I’m happy that I won’t have to leave Mil’s side either.”

Perhaps because none of his younger subordinates were currently present, Branch Captain-san did not pay much attention to his surroundings as he smiled sweetly towards me.