The Yellow Dress
Bariya could not take her eyes off the window for the entire ride.
When Sirka had seized her and dragged her along this road, it had looked like the road to ruin. And now here she was, riding at her leisure with Sabrina and Sirka, the masters of the Caliph, taking in the view as if she had all the time in the world.
A wildcat's life was a strange thing indeed.
"The estate is awfully far from town, though."
They had long since passed that endless garden she still could not bring herself to like, and left the main gate behind ages ago, yet the carriage was still running through the forest. Sunlight spilled beautifully through the green leaves, but she had never imagined they lived this far out, and the distance left her oddly amazed.
"The Caliph Estate sits deep in the mountains. We dislike noise, and we dislike making our people walk on eggshells around us."
"Then if something happens in the territory, isn't it hard to get there right away?"
Sirka shrugged.
"Not really. We're much faster than a horse or a carriage. Run, and you're there in no time."
"…"
Bariya glared at him with murder in her eyes.
In no time? I ran for three hours and couldn't even get out of the estate gardens!
Of course she was still young, and a wildcat was far smaller than a tiger—but still! The memory flared up all over again, and heat rushed to her face.
"Must be nice, being huge."
"Eat plenty of meat and train hard, little one, and you'll grow fast. You'll be able to run as quickly as we do, so don't worry."
"Obviously!"
She was no house cat. She was a wildcat beastkin—and close to a Divine Beast, at that! She was going to become a wildcat greater than any tiger!
"Still, I like how quiet it is. The hyena estate sits right in the middle of the city."
She had been locked inside the Mariner estate from the day she was born, but once—just once—she had seen the outside for the first time, escaping in her mother's arms. Around that estate and its wide gardens, glittering buildings had crowded in on every side. Bariya, who had spent seven years alone with Claire in a windowless back room, had been furious at the sight of them.
They lived like that, and they treated us like dirt!
"Those creatures are rotten with vanity."
Sabrina snorted.
"They want to watch their people grovel before them. A truly pathetic lot."
At Sabrina's helpful explanation, Bariya pulled a face like someone who had just chewed dung.
"Why do they live like that? What is even wrong with them?"
Is the whole pack missing something in the head?
"A sane person has no way of understanding the insane. You don't need to bother with the minds of trash like that."
Sabrina stroked Bariya's head, a little awkwardly, as she went on.
"What matters is this. For their own greed, they won't hesitate to kill. Scum like that don't deserve to be understood."
She was right. Lusting after an Authority, they had deceived a Divine Beast, and the moment things failed to go their way they had abused even a child. Failing to understand minds like that was the normal response.
"I don't even want to look at those hyenas."
"Neither do we."
Sabrina said it almost like a sigh.
"Ah, little one. There's the town."
At Sirka's words, Bariya pressed her forehead straight to the glass.
"This is…"
The moment they left the forest, the world opened wide, and buildings began to appear one by one. The roads were neatly kept and clean, the buildings straight and unpretentious. People passing with easy smiles recognized the Caliph carriage and offered light bows of the head. It was deeply peaceful, and somehow warmly domestic.
"It's… unexpected, I guess."
When she offered the honest review, Sirka laughed.
"Why? Did you think a carnivore town would be loud and rowdy?"
"Something like that."
Carnivore beastkin, their instincts stronger than those of the herbivores, generally lived by the law of the strong devouring the weak. That was why her mother had begged her, again and again, that if she ever had to hide, she should go to the lands of the herbivore beastkin—not the lands of predators.
And somehow I've ended up with tiger beastkin. The clan head's family, no less.
She did not know what her mother would have said if she had known. But this was not force. It was her choice.
"All right. Down we go."
When the carriage stopped, Sabrina stepped out first. Sirka gathered Bariya into his arms and followed. She was ten, hardly a baby, and she had no idea why they insisted on carrying her around. Still, if someone volunteered to be her legs, there was no reason to refuse, so she stayed where she was. Honestly, it was a little comfortable.
"Welcome, my lady. Young Lord."
Before a building of lavish, old-fashioned elegance, a woman who had come out to receive them bowed her head.
"It's been a while, Madame."
"Yes, Young Lord. The first time since we fitted your formal wear for this year's New Year Assembly."
She wore a dress that moved easily and yet looked exceedingly refined—elegance rather than flash, and it suited her perfectly.
"And my lady, it truly has been an age. It must be years since I last saw you, and you haven't changed in the slightest."
"I'm trying not to grow old. There's something I still need my health to do."
"I will always pray that you remain well for a long, long time."
Madame, who knew exactly what that something was, said it with a sorrowful face.
"And this young lady is…?"
"Ah—say hello, little one. This is Madame Renouage, the Caliph's exclusive tailor. A cougar beastkin with remarkable hands."
Red-haired Renouage smiled brightly.
"I'm Bariya Bell."
"A child under our guardianship, Madame. You'll be seeing her often."
"A pleasure to meet you, miss. Please, just call me Madame."
Quick on the uptake, Madame Renouage took one look at the precious way Young Lord Sirka was holding the child and understood at once that Bariya mattered. Wisely, she bowed to Bariya with the same courtesy she showed Sabrina and Sirka.
"We'd like some clothes made for the little one. You do children's wear as well?"
"Of course! There isn't a garment I cannot make. Please, come inside."
Renouage led the three of them straight into the atelier. The people browsing the clothes within bowed the moment they saw them.
"M-my lady. Young Lord. An honor."
It was only a greeting, and yet every one of them looked snapped to rigid attention. These were faces she had never seen at the Caliph Estate, and Bariya stared at them, curious.
"Don't mind us. Get back to your work."
Sabrina flicked a hand, careless, and the people flinched. So it was Sabrina they feared, not Sirka.
"Ah, my lady!"
But there was someone who approached without a trace of fear—the most splendidly dressed woman among the beastkin in the room.
"It has been far too long."
She came over with light, dainty steps and bent at the waist in a graceful line. Sabrina, interrupted on her way up the stairs, wrinkled her face hard.
"Who are you?"
"Oblie of House Glosa. I have had the honor of greeting you several times."
Oblie was not cowed in the least. If anything, she regarded Sabrina and Sirka with easy composure—until she noticed Bariya in Sirka's arms and stiffened, just a little.
"Th-that child is…?"
"A child under the Caliph's patronage."
"Ah…! I-I see. I hadn't yet heard the news…"
"Our child is shy around strangers. We'll be going."
Sirka passed Oblie and climbed the stairs. Sabrina had already gone up alone, long since. Held in his arms, Bariya could see below. Oblie was staring endlessly at Sirka's back, her eyes gone dark.
"House Glosa—that's the one, isn't it? The house that keeps sending those useless marriage proposals."
The second floor had been set aside for distinguished guests. The moment she dropped onto the wide sofa, Sabrina tossed the words out. Sirka, settling Bariya beside her, let out a sigh.
"Yes. We've already refused them three times. Now that we've run into her, they'll come again."
"Sirka, you're getting married?"
Bariya's eyes went round. No wonder the look aimed at him had felt off.
Was that the look of one-sided love?
"Someday I will. The house has to continue. But not now. There's something I have to do."
"So that's why you turned her down?"
"We turned down the house, not the daughter. Honestly, the daughter doesn't make a bad impression. The house does."
Sabrina corrected her.
"I'm sick to death of greedy people."
The voice that muttered it was vicious enough that House Glosa, too, must have had greed to spare.
"That would be pretty awful, yeah."
Bariya, who had suffered for someone else's greed from the moment she was born, understood at once. Honestly, why were there so many greedy people in the world?
"Now then, let's look at the little one's clothes first. What shall we start with?"
Bariya did not own many outfits. The child would not so much as glance at anything but sleepwear and a comfortable dress, and so today Sabrina and Sirka had come with their minds firmly set on buying her proper clothes. Surely, once she saw pretty things, her heart would change!
"How about this, little one?"
Full of that hope, Sirka proudly produced the most eye-catching yellow dress of them all. Frills trimmed the sleeves and the hem of the skirt; a great ribbon decorated the bodice; jewels glittered across it. It was a dress any child would covet at a single glance. Sirka looked at Bariya, his face bright with expectation.