When I opened my eyes in the morning, Hadel had already finished showering and was drying his hair with a towel. I let out a big yawn.

‘Phew, how can he be so diligent?’

At first I didn’t know, but as I observed him, it became obvious. Hadel would swing his sword early in the morning before returning.

‘It must not be easy practicing alone. It would be hard to concentrate too.’

It was also impressive that he repeated the same daily routine every day. Rubbing my eyes with my front paws, I had a somewhat elderly thought.

‘He’s a kid who would do anything.’

If asked whether I felt like waking up early too, the answer would be no.

‘Why would a weasel wake up early?’

As much as I was getting to know Hadel, I was also gradually getting used to the life of a weasel. Thanks to being freed from a life of having to catch and eat bugs, it was true that I wasn’t as miserable as before.

‘But today my body feels a bit warm.’

Whenever I was snuggled right next to Hadel, I wouldn’t feel the cold, but as soon as I moved away from him, my body would start shivering in an instant. However, today I didn’t feel that chill.

‘Gasp! Come to think of it, when did I climb onto Hadel’s bed again?!’

That warmth is truly terrifying. The moment I come to my senses, I find myself crawling next to him and snuggling up!

As I was smacking my head with my front paws, Hadel turned to look at me.

“Are you awake?”

“Squeak.”

Wouldn’t it seem a bit narrow-minded to keep sulking and grumbling all this time? Tilting my head, I answered in a small voice.

Hadel approached me with heavy footsteps and pressed his palm firmly on my head. Usually he would just transmit warmth, but today he even touched the tips of my ears and tail with his fingers.

“Pink……”

‘What? Is it a problem that my tail has a mix of pink?’

It’s just pretty. I tapped my tail. Like that, Hadel carefully stroked me, and I was blankly enjoying the warmth of his palm.

After a while, as always, a servant came up with a cart carrying breakfast.

“Please enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you.”

As the servant removed the lids covering the plates, he asked.

“Isn’t it about time we brought a table into the room?”

“Hmm.”

At his suggestion, Hadel looked lost in thought as if he hadn’t considered it before. I tapped the bed vigorously with my tail.

‘Yes! How long are you going to place plates on a cart and eat sitting on the bed?’

While you’re at it, bring in a desk too. And a big sofa where I can lie down and laze around!

As Hadel’s contemplation dragged on, the servant opened his mouth while observing his expression.

“If you need it, we can make everything out of iron……”

At those words, Hadel shook his head.

“There’s no need for that. It’s not as difficult to control the flames as before.”

“Is that so? That’s wonderful news!”

The servant was overjoyed to hear that Hadel had become better at controlling the flames compared to before. I tilted my head at those words.

‘But why did he suddenly become good at controlling the flames?’

There hadn’t been any particular changes in Hadel’s circumstances.

‘I was trying to find a reason for Hadel’s inability to control the flames because I felt bad about getting free meals from him! Could it be that I’m an unnecessary existence?’

Should I just become a bug-eater like this, or do I need to find another use for myself? I let out a groan, lost in thought. Hadel grabbed me and placed me in front of a plate of bread.

“Eat.”

“Squeak?”

Is it okay for me to eat even though I’m not doing anything to earn my keep?

There’s no way Hadel would understand, but I asked anyway. A wrinkle formed on Hadel’s forehead.

“……Do you not like this bread?”

“Squeak!”

That’s not it!

‘Alright, let’s just eat diligently. A mere weasel shouldn’t be worrying about earning its keep.’

Worried that Hadel might take the bread away, I quickly clung to it. Today, it was even more delicious with a thin layer of strawberry jam spread on top.

‘Oh no, my taste buds keep getting better. I shouldn’t be gaining weight, but why does the food keep getting tastier?’

As I was busily tearing into the bread, I felt a piercing gaze from the side. Thinking it was Hadel, I turned around, but it was the servant.

“Squeak!?”

Hey, you usually leave after setting the table, so why are you here today?

The servant, who had been staring at me for a long time, pushed up his glasses and muttered.

“It’s really eating bread? Could it not be a weasel?”

“……Squeak.”

I don’t know either, about that.

With someone watching, I couldn’t help but slow down my pace of eating the bread. I would timidly take a bite and observe the servant’s reaction, then take another bite and observe the servant’s reaction again.

It was then that Hadel, who had been eating a salad across from me, spoke.

“Also, you can now roam outside the room, Kyu Kyu.”

“Squeak?”

Why all of a sudden? Wait, is he giving me permission to go out now?

For a moment, I tilted my head, not understanding his words, but then I perked up my ears. Hadel explained again.

“Everyone in the castle knows what kind of being you are, so it’s okay for you to wander around.”

‘What kind of being am I?’

As I tilted my head, the servant adjusted his glasses again and muttered.

“The rumor that it eats cake has made the other servants curious about that weasel too.”

‘What’s wrong with a cake-eating weasel!’

I recalled the cake I had eaten the night before. Then I proudly lifted my chin.

‘Hmph! That cake was too sweet. Honestly, it wasn’t to my taste.’

As soon as I thought that, Hadel spoke in a stern tone.

“And cake is forbidden for the time being. I’m worried you might drown in cream while digging into a cake.”

“Squeak!”

Forget what I said about it not being to my taste! It was so delicious. So please don’t forbid it!

I tapped the back of Hadel’s hand. It was then that Hadel pressed his palm firmly on my head.

As the servant refilled Hadel’s cup with black tea, he said.

“Your Highness, a letter has arrived from the capital. I have placed it on the desk in the office, so please make sure to reply to it by today.”

“……I see.”

The palm pressing on my head momentarily grew hot and then cooled down. It meant there was a serious emotional disturbance.

I peeked out from between his fingers and looked at Hadel.

‘If a letter flew in from the capital, could it be from family or friends? But Hadel, you look somewhat sad.’

Hadel is royalty, so naturally, letters flying in from the capital would be from his parents, siblings, or friends. Is there a reason for him to look so troubled?

‘Perhaps unexpectedly, it could be a marriage proposal or divorce papers.’

Even when I was much younger than Hadel, I already had a fiancé, so Hadel would have one too. Maybe he’s already married. Royal marriages tend to happen early, after all.

‘Come to think of it, I don’t know anything about Hadel.’

As I pondered what the unpleasant letter could be, I realized I knew nothing besides Hadel’s name. Then I shrugged my shoulders.

‘Well, I can learn more by diligently wandering around now.’

My friend Yulnisia also said that my positive personality is my strength.

After finishing breakfast, Hadel left for the office to work. I also stretched my short front legs and took a confident step forward.

‘Then shall I go out?’

With Hadel’s permission, I began a confident exploration of the northern castle.

‘At first, I wondered if it was a lie that this was a castle, but it really is a castle.’

Although the soles of my feet were extremely cold, I was so engrossed in enjoying the unique feeling of the old castle that I didn’t even feel the chill.

‘I thought Hadel’s room would be very barren, but there are unexpectedly some decorations.’

There were places where armor was displayed in an antique style, and there were also walls with ordinary paintings or tapestries hanging.

I wandered around here and there for about 10 minutes.

‘……But wait, do people actually live in this castle? Why is it so quiet?’

Surprisingly, I didn’t encounter a single person. The entire time I walked through this vast castle!

‘That’s impossible. With a castle of this size, you’d have to clean all day long.’

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be properly maintained.

Sure enough, some of the decorations had dust accumulated on them. It must be a path that not many people pass through, right?

‘Hadel said that everyone in the castle knows of my existence, so someone must live here.’

But why can’t I meet anyone no matter how much I walk?

In the midst of that, I inadvertently crossed a corridor with a golden line. When I later came to my senses and tried to turn back, I noticed.

“Squeak?”

There were several portraits hanging there.

Among them, the largest portrait caught my attention.

‘It’s a family portrait.’

No matter how I looked at it from different angles, it was Hadel’s family portrait. Mom, dad, and two more children who were presumed to be his younger siblings.

I stared at the black-haired boy standing on the far right, tilting my head.

‘It’s Hadel. He looks the same as he does now, even when he was young. Even the sullen expression is the same.’

The red eyes that looked barren were particularly red. Even in the portrait, young Hadel was wearing gloves.

‘I guess he had trouble controlling fire even back then. It must have been tough.’

But did neither of his parents have the fire attribute? Usually, there would be someone with the same attribute in the family.

‘But people born with a lot of mana are rare. Even if they had the same attribute, it might have been difficult for them to help.’

With that thought, I nodded my head and examined the faces of the other royal family members. Among them, besides Hadel, there was someone who caught my eye on the far left.

‘But who is this person?’

They seemed to be Hadel’s younger sibling, similar in age to Hadel but slightly younger. However, they had completely different light silver hair compared to Hadel.

The cold color of ice that seemed to freeze everything.

‘……Resembles Espen.’

In my past life, Espen, who constantly opposed me and eventually caused a mana rampage in the final battle.

The way he called out my name so poignantly at the end still echoed vividly in my ears.

The face of the boy in the portrait, no matter how I looked at it, was none other than Espen.