It’s not unusual for the lord of a territory to inspect and tidy up the estate in preparation for guests. My ears perked up at Hadel’s words that he would be leaving soon.

‘Then can I go too?’

Hadel can’t ride a horse because it might burn him. That’s why the butler said earlier that he had prepared a carriage for Hadel.

Then a small ferret jumping onto that carriage wouldn’t be noticeable, right?

“Kyu?”

With that thought, I tapped the back of Hadel’s hand with my small front paw. I figured I’d be used to the castle by now, so it should be okay to go outside.

Hadel’s red eyes focused on me. Perhaps because I’ve been with Hadel for quite a while now, I could tell that his eyes held a subtle warmth directed only at me.

‘You’ll be bored going alone too. Take me with you. I’ll diligently be your ferret scarf.’

I stared at Hadel, my eyes twinkling. Hadel, who listened attentively to my kyu-kyu sounds, nodded and replied.

“You want more ham?”

“Kyu!”

No, that’s not it!

‘Ugh, so frustrating.’

I told him to take me with him, so why did that become me asking for more ham?

Nyam.

Grumbling, I still swiftly ate the ham he brought to my mouth.

‘Why is ham so delicious?’

It tasted great with cheese and bread, but even eating just the ham like this, it was pleasantly salty and very tasty. Delighted, I wagged my tail. Hadel’s palm firmly pressed down on me. A warm heat circulated from my head throughout my body.

“I’ll be back, so play well in the study.”

“Kyu.”

If told to guard the house, a pet should obediently do so. It’s not like I have the power to throw a tantrum and refuse.

‘I should diligently read the backlogged books. I need to check if there are other cases like mine.’

Instances of mana going berserk were rare to begin with, so I had to search the records extensively. Among those, cases of being reborn as an animal like me would be even harder to find.

‘Well, it can’t be helped since people born with strong enough mana to go berserk are few and far between.’

Thinking about that, I was quite a great mage knight. I was having such thoughts as I nibbled on the last piece of ham.

That’s when the butler, who was clearing the empty plate, narrowed his eyes and glared at me.

“You’re mighty suspicious.”

Flinch.

I shuddered. W-what’s suspicious! I’m carnivorous just as you expect! Ham counts as meat.

No matter how much he scrutinized me, there was no way he’d find an answer. The butler finally retreated with a grumble. Sighing in relief, I glanced at the back of the butler’s head as he disappeared, pushing the cart.

‘Ugh, I can’t bring myself to like that butler.’

Even Hadel cherishes me so much, how long are you going to be suspicious and wary of me?

Anyway, Hadel left with the butler to change clothes. Having finished breakfast, I wagged my tail and went to the bathroom.

‘Gotta take good care of my teeth since if they rot, there’s no choice but to pull them out.’

I thoroughly brushed my teeth with the toothbrush Hadel gave me and washed my greasy face and palms. Having taken care of all my business, I energetically left the room.

After walking down the corridor for a while, I encountered numerous maids in black uniforms.

“Sir Kyu Kyu, where are you going?”

I finally realized that the maids only kept their distance around Hadel’s office and room. That’s why I couldn’t meet anyone for the first 10 minutes when I first left the room.

As I approached them, a young maid held out her palm.

“Sir Kyu Kyu, would you like a blueberry?”

“Kyu!”

Blueberries are good. I had too many greasy things for breakfast today.

‘One berry, she knows what a palate cleanser is.’

Even a tiny blueberry was huge when a ferret held it. As I grabbed it with both hands and nibbled, the maids watching me all screamed in unison.

“Eek, he ate it.”

“Isn’t he so cute?”

I grinned.

‘Hohoho, my cuteness is unmatched.’

When I finished eating the blueberry, the maids started looking among themselves for other things to feed me. I tilted my head as I sat still, waiting for the delivery of snacks.

‘But Hadel’s face looked gloomy when he talked about his younger brother.’

Prince Saedel, was it? I knew nothing about him except his name. Not his age or whether they had a good or bad relationship.

‘Hadel doesn’t talk much about himself.’

Well, even I wouldn’t grab a ferret and talk about myself.

But I might feel a bit disappointed.

‘Eh, let’s not think gloomy thoughts.’

I tried to shake off my thoughts about Hadel as I crunched on a cookie one of the maids handed me. But it wasn’t so easy. The maids were also talking about the prince coming down from the capital.

“I heard the prince himself is coming down from the capital this time?”

“Messengers have come down many times, but this is the first time the prince is personally coming, right?”

So it’s the first time. Then their relationship must not be good.

‘If I had a brother in the north, I would have visited a few times to see him. Maybe they’re distant because they separated when they were too young.’

Either way, it was clear they didn’t have the warm brotherly relationship I imagined. The maids, who knew more than me, diligently informed me of the situation.

“He’s coming to inspect the ‘barrier.’ Wondering if the reduced movement of monsters this year means there’s been a change in the barrier.”

“Eek, scary.”

Hmm, I wondered why he was suddenly coming down, but it seems they think there’s a change in the barrier.

‘It must have been a place with a lot of monster appearances. Seeing them worry about fewer appearing.’

I was lucky to wake up when there were fewer monsters. Otherwise, I might have encountered monsters in the forest too.

After discussing that much, the maids started talking about things fitting for their age.

“A prince, how exciting. Don’t you think?”

“Eh, not really. Will people like us even get a chance to see his face?”

“Why? You never know how a fateful love might find you.”

Dreaming of Cinderella is a very girlish fantasy. I was nodding along when a maid lowered her voice and whispered.

“This is a secret, but the reason the prince himself is coming down this time is because of His Highness’ engagement issue.”

“Engagement?”

“It’s been a while since His Highness came of age, but he still doesn’t have a fiancée. He doesn’t even go to the capital from the north. In the end, he’s coming down himself to settle the engagement issue.”

Hadel’s fiancée.

‘Is he coming to see if he has a lover in the north?’

If so, I can only say it’s unfortunate. I’ve been sticking to him like glue for a little over a month, but I’ve never seen anyone resembling a lover.

Among them, a realistic maid cut off the conversation in a nonchalant voice.

“Seeing that the prince is coming down himself, there must already be a candidate, and he’s trying to get consent, don’t you think?”

“Eh, what? Then it’s a situation that has nothing to do with us.”

Just the mention of there being a chosen person already cooled half the maids’ interest.

One of them, who had been indifferent, rested her chin on her hand and muttered with a sigh.

“But who would want to be the wife of someone like His Highness, who could catch fire at any moment? It’s scary.”

“But he’s still cool. Taciturn, responsible, and doesn’t act pompous even though he’s the Grand Duke.”

“That’s true.”

“And the north needs a lady of the house too.”

Listening to their words, I twitched my nose.

‘Hadel doesn’t have a fiancée. I thought he was engaged long ago.’

Anyway, thanks to the maids, I learned one more thing I didn’t know today. Thinking there was no more information to gain, I hopped off the maid’s lap.

Only then did the maids realize my presence again and clapped their hands to tease me.

“Ah! The north already has a lady of the house. Our Sir Kyu Kyu!”

“That’s right, that’s right. Cleaning even His Highness’ room and office, Sir Kyu Kyu is the lady of the house.”

“Eek, he’s running away.”

‘Hmph. I’m not running away.’

I scampered down the corridor. Even at that moment, my mind was filled with talk of Hadel’s engagement.

‘It would be good if his wife had an ice attribute, and even just a water attribute would help Hadel suppress his flames. Then I wouldn’t need to absorb Hadel’s mana anymore.’

Hadel says he feels much better just from me absorbing a little mana at a time, so if a wife with the opposite attribute actively suppresses it, he’ll feel even more at ease.

‘I wonder who will become Hadel’s wife. I hope it’s someone who likes ferrets. I want to see Hadel’s children too.’

Imagining the castle with children resembling Hadel running around, I shook my head. Frankly, I couldn’t imagine it.

I’m not even married yet myself, so what’s with imagining someone else’s wife and children?

‘Ah, my heart is still in my 20s, but I feel like I’ve become a grandmother.’

Come to think of it, Hadel is my descendant 100 years later, so it’s only natural to have mixed feelings.

But besides that, an inexplicable, subtle melancholy enveloped me. Staggering down the corridor, trying to figure out my own feelings I couldn’t understand, I soon gave up and shook my head.

‘My mood is down, I should go read a book.’

I slipped into the study. But today, the words just wouldn’t register.

‘I can’t focus on the book either. I just keep feeling cold.’

I sighed and finally closed the book I was reading.

‘What’s this commotion?’

There was a commotion outside the window. I stretched my neck out, then jumped through the open window and ran along the window sill.

The commotion was coming from right at the castle entrance.

“Ah, His Highness!”

“Quickly, get the doctor!”

“His fever is too high! What should we do…?”

“Bring all the ice! Everything in the castle!”

Amidst the clamoring voices and running people, only one face caught my eye.

‘Hadel!’

Hadel had collapsed.