42. Falling Petals (6)
42. Falling Blossoms (6)
The next day.
We headed toward Bistern once again.
And just as their village began to come into view,
-Whoosh, thud!
An arrow embedded itself at our feet.
The person who shot the arrow was the same scout we saw yesterday.
"I-If you come any further, I'll really shoot this time!"
He seemed quite serious as he nocked another arrow, threatening us.
"Your Highness, any further..."
"So it seems."
Next time, he would probably really shoot at one of us.
But even that was progress.
He shot near our feet instead of directly at us.
If he had truly intended to hit us, he would have done so easily.
It seemed that was enough for today.
Of course, I didn't mean we should turn back—just that the distance between us had reached this point.
"Let's set up camp here for now."
"Yes, Your Highness."
There was no particular meaning behind it.
Simply getting them to show even a little interest would be enough for now.
We unfolded the chairs and sunshade we brought from the carriage.
Sitting in the chair with a teacup in hand, I said:
"You all may rest as well."
"But Your Highness... isn't this too dangerous...?"
His concern was understandable.
They could attack us at any time, but we could only defend and would have difficulty retaliating.
But if we don't take this level of risk, we won't gain anything either.
"It is dangerous."
But I have the most reliable ally anyone could ask for.
"I trust you'll protect me, Captain Elise."
"Yes, I will protect you even at the cost of my life."
Of course, I have no intention of losing anyone's life.
Even though she says that, the truth is that none of us here are inferior to them in skill.
We're certainly capable enough to deflect a mere arrow.
-Sip.
"Hmm, by the way, Captain, do any of you know what children might like?"
"Children...?"
At my words, all the knights fell into deep thought.
After a short while, one male knight's eyes lit up as he spoke.
"Ah! I think my younger sister liked shiny things."
"Oh ho, you have a sister?"
This might sound a bit rude, but given his rather rugged appearance, I thought he wouldn't have something like a sister.
"How unexpected."
"Haha, I hear that often."
"Anyway, shiny things..."
The first thing that came to mind was a sword? ...but swords are a bit dangerous for children to handle.
No matter how I thought about it, putting a sword in children's hands first seemed somewhat risky.
"Hmm, I'm not sure what boys would like, but when I was young, I liked swords."
"Is that so?"
Then I suppose we'll have to give them swords with parental supervision after all.
"But the problem is, well. If they're beastfolk children, I don't know what would interest them."
After saying this, he hastily added as if explaining himself:
"Ah, it's not that—I've just never met a beastfolk child before."
"Hmm."
When you don't know what someone would like, asking directly seems to be the best approach.
But to ask directly, the children would have to come out...
"You kids! Don't come outside for a while! Understood!?"
"Eeeeh? Whhyyyy!"
"Agh, just listen to the adults!"
With the gatekeeper blocking the children like that, we couldn't even meet them, let alone ask questions.
Well, I suppose we'll just have to rely on luck either way.
Of course, there were ways to improve our odds.
And so we maintained our position until the moon rose before returning to our original hideout.
####
The next day.
We went to the same spot again and unfolded the chairs.
Then, just like before, I held a teacup and enjoyed the natural scenery around us.
Though we had plenty of time from morning till evening, enduring the boredom wasn't easy.
So today, I gave the knights—who were bored to death—some leeway.
I let them hunt in the forest and spar with each other.
Having Elise constantly by my side was enough.
"Your Highness, I think girls might like pretty things, and boys might like cool things?"
"Hmm? Ah, you mean yesterday's conversation."
"Yes."
Pretty things and cool things.
I glanced sideways.
"...?"
Elise tilted her head at my gaze.
To me, the only person who seemed to embody both was Captain Evernoir.
"Starting tomorrow, you shall provide security in full armor."
"...Yes? Is there going to be combat?"
"Not combat."
"Then... did I do something wrong...?"
"No, that's not it either."
Elise turned her head with a genuinely puzzled expression.
It wasn't combat, and from her perspective, I didn't seem to be sarcastic about anything either.
Unable to bear her continued confusion, I personally explained it to her.
"The pretty and cool things you mentioned. You're the one who fits both descriptions."
"Huh? But that's more Your Highness than..."
"My armor isn't made of plate like yours."
Damn it all, my chest and hips were too large to have plate armor made.
Of course, the Captain also has plate armor, though she barely fits into it by binding her chest with bandages,
"What can I do? I'm the superior officer."
Explaining everything one by one was bothersome, so I decided to exercise a little authority here.
"Under... stood."
"Hmm, thank you for your hard work."
"...Guh."
Just as the two of us were exchanging these trivial conversations,
A very small tuft of fur popped out from Bistern's main gate.
'...Fur?'
Does fur pop out like that?
No, why would fur even...
Without realizing it, I found myself intently watching the fur protruding from the main gate, and it began to grow larger.
Finally, after all of it emerged—
—Peek.
"Ah."
I realized it wasn't fur.
It wasn't fur—it was an ear.
Droopy puppy ears.
And what popped out between the main gates was a human head.
More precisely, the head of a dog beastfolk child.
"Pfft."
I had mistaken those ears for a ball of fur.
I found myself so amusing that I couldn't help but laugh.
"............"
"Hoho, what's wrong, Captain?"
"Ah, nothing."
Elise was staring intently at my face.
Maybe there was something on my face?
I unnecessarily smoothed my hair.
—Look around, look around.
The child, who had now fully revealed their head, began looking around as if surveying the surroundings.
They seemed to be looking for something around them.
And what that child was looking for was probably us.
The adults of Bistern were preventing the children from going outside.
It seemed this puppy beastfolk child couldn't resist their curiosity and had disobeyed the adults.
"Captain, from now on, assume a posture that shows you're a very cool bodyguard in that child's eyes."
"...Huh? Yes. Understood."
Elise followed my words without any suspicion, straightening her back and shoulders.
It was a perfectly sharp angle.
And when the child's gaze finally turned toward us, our eyes met.
—Startle!
The moment our eyes met, the child hid again.
I felt a little disappointed.
The eye contact was too brief—
—Peek.
That moment.
The child, who I thought had left, poked their head out again.
Instinctively, I gave a bright smile and waved.
Because I was happy.
Happy that they faced us again, and that they didn't run away after seeing us.
—Sluurp.
Then, the child's head gradually moved away, and when only their eyes remained visible, a very small hand popped up above, waved twice, then disappeared.
"Pfft, how cute. Were children that age always this cute?"
"...I think animal ears and instincts might make them seem cuter than regular human children."
Certainly.
The thing I mistook for a ball of fur was puppy ears, and that child disobeying the adults to look at us might be due to a puppy's naturally curious instincts.
Maybe it's just my imagination, but today especially, the children looked incredibly cute.
A desire welled up in me to see other children besides that one tomorrow.
It seemed like just the Captain alone wouldn't be enough tomorrow.
I should prepare as much as possible and properly try to win over the children.
When dealing with someone who communicates well,
Especially when both parties are of high status and level, you should use methods that don't rely on words.
Of course, this means using innocent and cute children, but conversely, we won't actually exploit them.
At least I genuinely found those children cute and adorable.
Is this also because I became a woman?
Small, cute, and pretty things.
Among them, young children looked so beautiful and lovely.
I probably wouldn't have been like this before my body changed.
But I didn't regret it.
Just feeling the emotion of love made me happy.
So when I looked at those children, I was happy.
At first, I didn't know why, but today I realized it again.
That when I look at those children, I show a genuine, unaffected smile.