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Chapter 16




Mars-sama ran through the garden while holding me in his hands. I tightly held the journal to my chest.
Yoch-sama and stepbrother followed behind, they said that we will evacuate ourselves to a hidden underground shelter in the castle.
White smoke was rising everywhere, the whole castle was in an uproar.
“Terrorist attacks!”
“Where are the terrorists?!”
“It seems that the terrorists snuck in as suppliers, they planted a large quantity of pepper bombs and flower buds inside the ‘Good Puppy Bone Gum[1]’ and ‘Torigara Muchaimashita[2]’ then detonated them inside the castle!”
“Who was the idiot who allowed them in?!”
“Someone from the Fourth Division
 ugh, the smoke
!”
[Ahhh
 Chihuahua, I want to chew those gums so bad
]
[Everyone does! That’s why the castle purchased tons of them
! 
I want pork bones though
]
“Oi both of you, get back to work, shoo shoo!”
Kyan kyan kyan.
All over the place, the bone gums and torigara exploded, every time that happened the dogs that had an amazing sense of smell would collapse in agony.
Jose-sama’s loud voice echoed in the distance.
“Everyone get outside! Don’t breathe the smoke! Open up all the gas mask storages!”
“Reporting in! Borzoi-sama from the Sixth Division has fallen! There’s a message in the sand that said ‘high heels’, it’s his dying message
”
“Stop messing around!! Understand? Now, move!”
The Eighth Division, wearing their masks carried the Dog-Kins who were rolling around holding their noses in their dog forms.
Because there weren’t enough stretchers available, they were running with a fallen dog in each of their arms.
Their destination was the large garden of the royal castle.
There seemed to be an explosion at the castle’s medical facility and the patients were being taken out one by one. In the distance, the commander of the Eighth Division, Jose-sama was giving out order after order in a loud voice.
Dog-kin had a very sensitive sense of smell.
While their mind and body were strong, their sensitive sense of smell sometimes became their weakness.
Back then there was a time when Dashiba was writhing in agony after accidentally stealing some chili peppers from the kitchen, but that accident got nothing compared to this situation.
The pepper bombs contained not only pepper but also a large amount of stimulants of a level that was poisonous to both dogs and humans alike. If they were to be inhaled in large quantities, it would be the equivalent of inhaling poisonous gas.
Depending on the quantities, they could lose their sense of smells, which for them, was as important as their life.
Josee-sama once said.
“Losing your sense of smell to sniff your loved ones is the same as losing your life.”
“This is
”
I couldn’t hide my shock at the tragic scene in front of me.
Behind me, Yoch-sama apparently finished listening to the report through the transceiver.
“The culprit had been caught. It seems like rather than targeting the next queen, they chose to demonstrate their power through terrorism at the center of the Kennel Kingdom. It was to boost the morale of the believers in the name of the Purist Sect’s ‘Truly Pure Humanism Sect’. The captured ringleader shouted their insults toward Golton and was about to kill himself, but the Commander of Fifth Division, Corgi-sama stopped him. The Commander of the First Division had left to track down their headquarters. The Fourth, Sixth, and Eighth Divisions are the only ones currently staying in the castle.”
“Corgi
 don’t you dare let that guy kill himself
”
“Mars-sama, please put me down! I’m going to help the Eighth Division!”
He stopped running after he heard my scream.
I asked him to lead me to the place where the Eighth Division was, the place where we just passed by.
But he didn’t move.
His large eyes, framed by his long eyelashes, stared down at me as his eyebrows twisted into a frown.
Strands of white hair flew through the air.
“Another thing might explode.”
“But I want to help, I can handle the smell better than most of you!”
“Mmm, I’ll help too ~”
“But you know, Master’s safety is more important than this
”
I desperately tried to persuade Mars-sama who began to walk away while holding me tighter in his arms.
“Even if we go to the shelter, there’s no guarantee it would be safe! We thought that the castle would be safe too, but look, we are currently being attacked! Yoch-sama said the ringleader was already apprehended, so what we should do now is not to hide, but to help the fallen ones and stay by their side!”
I flailed in his arms.
But my arms were thin, his grip didn’t loosen even a little.
“Mars-sama, please! I want to do something for everyone
 even if it’s just a little thing
”
I clasped my hands together while desperately begging. He hesitated for a moment before eventually giving his approval.
He gently set me down on the ground, his movement was careful, as if he were handling a fragile treasure.
“
oh, Master, fine, fine! You asked me to do it then, fine, I’ll do it!”
He looked down at me with a glare and kissed me lightly on the forehead.
* * *
After being reminded to never leave his side, we headed back to the site.
The four of us arrived at a large garden that was different from the dog-run court.
It was the Front Garden.
The first aid station inside the castle had been rendered useless by the pungent smell of pepper bombs and flower buds.
There, I saw the dogs howling in pain all over the garden.
Some of them were in critical condition, with hazy consciousness.
I rushed over to the large beautiful woman in the center of the room who was snapping out orders.
“Josee-sama! I’ll help you!”
“My Queen!?”
“Master! Why didn’t you hide! Maltese, you’re a guard dog, do your work!
“Well, Golden Retriever-san. If the Master seriously asks us to do something, there’s no way we can refuse, right?
Leonhardt-sama was one of the many patients!
He was lying limp, holding a cloth soaked in something over his mouth.
I put the journal I’ve been holding in the pocket of my dress and hurried over to him. He weakly closed his eyes and apologized in response.
“Leonhardt-sama, are you all right?
“I’m sorry
 instead of preventing this incident from happening, I was hit by a bomb instead
 I’m not fit to be a Prime Minister
 Sh*t!”
“Don’t be foolish! It’s called an incident because it couldn’t be prevented in the first place! Josee-sama!”
“Yes, please distribute the clothes soaked in this liquid to the seriously injured patients in that row. This will alleviate the nerve paralysis caused by the strong smell.”
“Yes!”
I left Leonhardt-sama and Jose-sama to distribute the clothes soaked with the liquid to the dogs lying on the floor. For those who were too weak to move, I placed the clothes on their noses and rubbed their backs.
“Hang in there
 don’t worry, everything will be alright..”
[
queen
]
I could only give the patients some encouragement.
Meanwhile, my stepbrother and Yoch-sama were trying to get the smoke out of the buildings.
[Kyun
]
“Hang in there
”
“Queen! Please take care of that corner next! The parents are taking care of them, but some of the children have been hit by the bombs too!”
In the place that Josee-sama had instructed, there were cushions on the soft grass and some puppies were lying down on them.
Actually, the main target of the terrorists was the children.
They targeted the nursery facilities of the royal palace by planting bombs in sweets popular among children.
They tried to crush our spirits by attacking the weak and the small ones and making them feel despair about their future.
It’s despicable!
What purity? They boasted some grand words proudly, but they still did something like this, their words are worth nothing.
The parents desperately nursed their puppies, who were lying on their big fat bellies, suffering while squeaking.
On the other hand, the Eighth Division was taking care of the children whose parents have also been injured, or whose parents are away on a business trip and have not returned yet.
I joined them and treated the children with the clothes one by one.
One girl, a Pomeranian, looked at me weakly with her candy balls-like eyes.
[Liselotte-sama]
“Lize is fine.”
I put a cloth on her and gently stroke her fluffy brown fur.
But her expression remained cloudy.
She licked the palm of my hand with her quivering little tongue and laid her head back on the cushion.
She said she can’t stop feeling dizzy and nauseous because the smell of the bomb and the sound of the explosion hurt her head.
[I’m sad. I’m so sad, Lize-sama is here, but I can’t smell her.]
Kyun, Kyun.
The puppies around me began to squeal in unison, ‘I can’t smell Lize-sama
’
I got up and hurriedly picked up the big puppy who tried to approach me and sniff me, and gently stroked him to calm him down.
The way he desperately tried to sniff my chest hurts my heart.
“St. Bernard-sama said that it will go away in a while. You can smell me again soon.”
But the puppies continued to whimper.
[But what if it doesn’t?]
[I can’t even smell my mom and dad right now
]
[Can I even get married later
?]
[Getting married or not doesn’t matter! I want to smell Lize-sama’s scent!]
The big puppy in my hand flapped its hind legs and wept in frustration.
“You can feel my palm, I’ll stroke you as much as you like
 Oh, right, Mars-sama, do you have scissors with you?”
“I have a knife, is that okay?”
I borrowed a small knife from him, he said it was a throwing knife and grabbed a tuft of my silver hair.
I put the blade on it and cut it off.
“Master! What are you doing?!”
“I will give them to the children, I heard my clothes are not to be given away as gifts, so it’ll make do with this.”
“But your hair—-”
“It doesn’t matter.”
With this

I began to understand the behavior of the mad dogs and the ordinary Dog-Kins.
I gave a few of the strands of my hair to each puppy who desperately wanted to sniff me.
One small Pomeranian girl and one boy with big feet.
And many other puppies in the place.
Everyone opened their eyes wide.
[It’s Lize-sama’s hair!]
[Amazing! Even my dad doesn’t have one!]
[I’m so happy ~]
[I’ll treasure this ~]
“Isn’t it nice, children ~ ?”
I gently persuaded the overjoyed puppies.
“Believe me, okay? Your nose will get better, so when it does, please remember my scent with this. You are all my good doggies aren’t you?”
[[[Yes!]]]
I stroked all the puppies, who responded well despite their pain.
Mars-sama was beside me, smiling and helping me.
I nursed the puppies for the rest of the day until they calmed down.
The trauma inflicted on their young mind may not disappear so easily.
But even if that’s the case, I hope that they will remember this little memory instead and gain the strength to overcome their traumas.
I pray for that future.
* * *
In bed at midnight, I looked at the journal and thought.
The thoughts of my father, whom I have never seen. And the thoughts of the puppies that I adored.
—–the dogs’ suffering.
Is this what the Truly Pure Humanism Sect wants?
I still understand the feelings of martyrdom the captured High Bishop was talking about

But every time I heard about the other believers of the Truly Pure Humanism Sect, it convinced me that they were simply the worst.
“I want to be praised by the sect!”
“It makes me feel good to see people I don’t like suffer.”
“I’d rather be subjugated by fear of violence than being preached.”
It wasn’t that they want to be great believers
They just wanted to be feared by people weaker than them.
That was why they attacked the children.
—–this was not a religion.
They were just a bunch of manchilds using religion as a shield to satisfy their ego and superiority complex.
“
unforgivable
”
I feel the anger within me starting to build up.
“Doing that to my dogs
 how dare you
”
I clenched my fists and made up my mind.
In my father’s journal, I swear.
I’m done with this half-hearted hesitation.
Those who harmed my children, we need to ‘persuade’ them to ‘reflect’ on their actions.
* * *
Since that incident, several days have passed.
I returned with the Commanders and Leonhardt-sama.
Then we had a meeting together with the kingdom’s higher-ups.
The key officials lined up at a long desk in the meeting room. All of them were in their human form.
The soldiers wore collars and the ministers wore lace ribbons around their necks.
I’ve gotten used to this scene.
Yes, I’m used to it.
In the meeting, everyone was surprised at my change in attitude toward other countries and religions, but they agreed to support me.
It was children who were targeted.
Everyone agreed that there was no need for mercy.
Everyone started to ask for more commands, scolding and stomping, but I politely declined each and every one of them (especially the last one).
The flawed plan I made was reinforced by my tutor, Dr. Schnauzer, the Head of the Kennel Kingdom Research Institute and High Priest Apso.
They told me ‘It was a really nasty plot! Brilliant! The queen has a great personality! Just killing them isn’t enough!’ in response to the strategy.
For some reason, it didn’t feel like I was being praised by them.
Nevertheless, we were able to avoid being taken advantage of by the empire when we annexed the Humanist Kingdom. The integration had been successfully carried without any problem.
The Humanist royal family was heavily taxed and oppressed, so I heard.
* * *
Darius-sama and the others found the location of the terrorist’s headquarters, a remote island.
It was located off the coast of the Humanist Kingdom.
Looking at the map, it wasn’t far from the island where Dashiba is currently located.
With a hint of anxiety, I asked Darius-sama to create an elite squad from the entire army.
I also told him to maintain The Liselotte.
Dashiba might cause them some trouble
 but it is what it is

I sent a telegram to Dashiba’s diet coach, Yoshimune-sama
—-by the way, a telegram is ‘a report by the best sprinter of the Greyhound family, who is as fast as lightning’
Next, another thing

They have appealed to us before this, but they shared the same religion, so it’s whatever.
I will try to use that fact to my advantage.
Archbishop Golton sent me a letter, asking me ‘Is Dashiba-sama safe?’
“Is he? Or is he not? All I know is that you are safe
 if you want to check, then come to the coast of the former kingdom.”
I replied.
In addition, I added, ‘Depending on your attitude toward me, you may or may not be able to see Dashiba ever again.’
Not long after that.
The Empire’s Duke Hainuwele suddenly came to visit.
He stroked his pale green bang and greeted me with a very sorry look while saying ‘I’m sorry to hear about your troubles
’
He said that, but his eyes weren’t amicable, neither were mine though.
In my case, even my face wasn’t either.
I’m aware of the empire’s hungry gaze, they always looked for an opening to devour us.
“In terms of crisis management skills, my empire is superior to your kingdom. My brother said that we should lend out some soldiers to guard our borders to prevent further acts of terrorism. Is that acceptable?”
“Thank you for your concern, but we have enough soldiers in our country.”
“But doesn’t the Dog-Kin have a clear weakness that the terrorists can exploit? The latest attack proved that. I personally think it’s best to mix more races together and have the Dragon-Kin oversee them as we did in our empire.”
“That isn’t a problem for us.”
“Hou
 then, I wonder how do you plan to counter the terrorists?”
The duke that had dropped his good-natured mask looked at me with a provocative gaze.
I did my best to answer his gaze with a slight smile.
“From now on, I’m just going to play a little bit with my dogs, you don’t need to worry about us.”
This is where Leonhardt-sama interrupted us and said ‘Aren’t the terrorists on their way to you as well? They are starting to incite something in the imperial capital.’ It was fake information to drive the duke away.
* * *
I changed into my black, purple, and silver military uniform and said ‘I’m off’ to Teresa-san.
She bowed her head deeply and saw me off.
“Please have a safe trip.”
“Yes, Theresa-san too. Take care of the patients, please.”
“I understand.”
When I left the room, I found a dauntless-looking Darius von Wolfhound-sama dressed in his military uniform, waiting for me on his knees.
Behind him were the Commanders of the Central Knights.
The Commander of the Second Division, Mastiff, the Commander of the Third Division, Great Dane, the Commander of the Fourth Division, Malamute, the Commander of the Fifth Division, Corgi, the Commander of the Sixth Division, Borzoi, the Commander of the Seventh Division, Greyhound, and the Commander of the Eighth Division, St. Bernard.
They were also on their knees while facing down.
Behind them, the Prime Minister, Leonhardt von Golden Retrieve-sama, watched over me with gentle eyes.
“Darius-sama, Commander of the Mad Dog Knights.”
“Yes.”
“Any orders from me that might seem lacking, I believe you to correct them.”
“Yes.”
“I believe in you
 also, I believe in every one of you
 that’s why, put this on.”
I instructed Mars-sama, who was standing beside me. He gave me one of the three great sacred tools of the royal family.
It was a bundle of white leather straps.
Everyone gasped in awe.
Gray von Mastiff-sama, the Commander of the Second Division, couldn’t help but mutter.
“That’s
 the ‘Wan Wan Lead[3]’!”
Yes, it was a lead.
A walker leash.
It was the ultimate leash, no matter the obstacles, no matter how far away from the owner you were, you could always feel your master’s presence by being connected to the collar!
At the end of the white leather strap was a metal piece that hooked onto the collar.
It was made in the time of the previous kings and had always been the link between the dogs and the royal family.
“With this, everyone won’t be out of my reach.”
I told them that and they replied to me with the biggest smiles on their faces.
“””Yes! Master!”””
They were in tears. I looked at them gently and called Darius-sama out first.
I hung the metal of the leash on the red collar of the big, dauntless man who kneeled in front of me.
Click!
The moment I heard that sound
to to
Darius-sama’s well-formed face was contorted and he seemed to be desperately trying to bear something that was rising in him.
I then proceeded to wear the lead to each of the captains.
When they were all finished, I held the handles of the eight cords.
“This completed the preparations. I will be with you all the way. So
”
I took a deep breath before announcing loudly.
“Everyone, it’s time for a walk!
And while we’re at it, let’s make those idiots ‘reflect’ on what they’ve done!”
““”Yes! My pleasure!”””
“We give our lives to you, Liselotte-sama!”
They changed into their dog forms and began to howl.
Encouraged by the sound of their own voices, other dogs started howling all over the palace.
The sounds overlapped and became a chorus.
—-incidentally, their voices were so loud that my stepbrother later complained to me, “Everyone suddenly started screaming and I swear, I thought my ears were going to bleed.”
Leonhardt-sama who had been proudly watching everyone howling finally turned into his golden dog form and barked at the sky of the royal castle.
—–but

Suddenly my excitement subsided a bit and I came back to my senses.
Magnificent white collars and white strap leather straps

Being held by a ten-year-old girl.
I suddenly felt dizzy. I put my hands on the floor of the hallway.
“
let’s not go for a walk
”
If Leonhardt-sama didn’t tell me that the reins would eventually turn transparent

My resolve and determination would have vanished like a fizzle.
[1] è‰Żă„ć­çŠŹăźæ­ŻăżăŒăéȘšă‚Źăƒ  it’s a dog gum brand parody.
[2] トăƒȘă‚Źăƒ©ă‚€ă„ăĄă‚ƒă„ăŸă—ăŸ there are two things here, トăƒȘă‚Źăƒ©/torigara which is basically bird bones, I assume it’s the same as niwatorigara or chicken bones, which is one of the ingredients used for soup or ramen broth. Then there is ă‚€ă„ăĄă‚ƒă„ăŸă—ăŸ which is another brand parody.
[3] わんわんăƒȘăƒŒăƒ‰