People Aren't Meant to Be Fixed! (4 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 117

“Quack! Quack-quack-aaack!”

Without the slightest interest in whatever I shouted next, Freyrie just kept walking while chatting animatedly with Poppy. Seeing this, Poppy let out an even louder cry and came scurrying over in a panic, looking as though desperately begging its master not to be abandoned and to wait just a moment.

“Why not wait before leaving?”

Hearing Freyrie warn that ignoring Poppy further would only cause more of a scene, I halted my steps, turned around, and looked back. Just then, Poppy, panting heavily from its sprint, either failed to slow down in time or was caught off guard by my sudden stop—either way, it charged forward with a gust of dust, skidded noisily, and tumbled headfirst onto the ground.

“Hurry up and get up.”

Good grief, what a clumsy little troublemaker.

Watching Poppy scramble upright and shake off the dust, I was reminded of the childhood footraces between Jeff and Hecate. Though utterly unlike them now, back then they’d been bitter rivals, frequently coming to fisticuffs—sometimes both arriving with blades of grass stuck in their hair, other times showing up completely covered in dirt.

‘Why did you suddenly jump into the water and make me think all sorts of strange things?’

I stared at Poppy’s foolishly innocent expression for a moment, then shook my head, turned forward again, and resumed walking.

Anyway, Poppy stuck close behind me from then on.

A short while later, I remained silent for a long stretch. Every time I tried to bring up something serious—something Lilith had once said—the timing slipped away, interrupted by passing maids, servants, or knights, each requiring a polite exchange of greetings.

“I’ve heard it said that, among serpents, the closer one is to God, the more power their name holds.”

Finally, an opportunity came. We entered a corridor, its design inspired by a chessboard themed in black and white, and instantly all foot traffic vanished.

Incidentally, this corridor had been commissioned to ministers in accordance with the tastes of my past life and completed during Ulrika’s reign; later, I’d merely ordered minor renovations. Back before my ascension as Emperor in that life—when I was still just a noble young lady without a care—I used to race gleefully across its slippery floors in my shoes. After once accidentally smashing my forehead into a wall, though, I stopped doing that.

Moreover, even if I wanted to attempt it again now, I’d certainly prepare thoroughly to avoid getting hurt—but doing it in front of Freyrie and Carlisle? That would be far too embarrassing.

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