‘Ah, I need to sincerely persuade him, but I can’t get my mind straight.’

When I rested my chin on the back of his hand, the area in contact with his skin increased, allowing more mana to flow in.

“Kyuu.”

‘Ah, it feels so nice and warm.’

This isn’t good. Once again, I melted like cheese being double-boiled and clung tightly to his hand.

The man looked down at me with a confused expression.

“This is really strange.”

What’s so strange? The world is so vast, there could be a ferret like me who loves fire.

‘I was lucky. I thought I was about to die, but not only did edible bread appear, I even met someone with a fire attribute.’

“Kyukyu.”

Last night I cried myself to sleep in such sorrow, but to be able to become this happy in just one day felt like a miracle.

It was when I made a meaningless “kyukyu” sound as my mood improved.

His large hand firmly grasped my small body. Then, with a whoosh, he lifted me high.

Ruby-red eyes now faced me at the same level. Only those eyes, burning like flames, stood out clearly on his cold and indifferent face.

‘Why? What? Why?’

Unknowingly tense, I swallowed dryly while inwardly asking “why, why.” That’s when it happened.

The man uttered something I could never have imagined.

“Cry again.”

‘What? Cry?’

When did I cry?

I tilted my head and made a small sound.

“Kyu?”

If an animal cries, it would be something like this. However, he firmly shook his head at my cry.

“Not that.”

I don’t even know how my cries differ depending on the situation, but this man has already figured it out?

It was absurd, but I couldn’t not respond when he was staring at me like that.

‘Oh well, whatever.’

I answered with the cutest expression I could muster.

“Kyuing?”

How about that, isn’t it cute? Isn’t it adorable?

But the man’s face crumpled.

“… Is that all you can say.”

All I can say?! That was my killer cuteness!

‘What did you expect from an animal in the first place.’

I sighed deeply and buried my face in his palm. His sigh poured over my head.

“I guess it can’t be helped.”

He raised his other hand and stroked my head as if petting me. Feeling good from the warmth that gently enveloped my body, I shivered with pleasure.

His fingers hesitated for a moment above my head before falling. He spoke in a calm voice.

“Your name is Kyukyu.”

“Kyu?!”

What’s with that trashy name?

‘That’s so thoughtless! It’s not pretty, and it’s not cute!’

Change it to something else!

I stared at him with that meaning, but for some reason, he slightly reddened the tips of his ears and said something completely different.

“My name is Hadel.”

Who asked for your name!

‘Oh my, how frustrating.’

He must have misinterpreted my look asking to change my name as a look asking for his name. Frustrated, I twisted my body this way and that before finally tapping my mouth with my short, chubby paws.

‘Why can’t I speak human language?’

I have a tongue and a mouth, so why can’t I? Come to think of it, it seemed like I might be able to if I moved my tongue like when I was human.

‘With will and determination, there’s nothing I can’t do. Let’s give it a try!’

However! No matter how hard I tried to speak, all that came out of my lips were strange “kyukyu” sounds.

‘Sob sob, how pitiful.’

“Kyuu…”

It’s my own mouth, but I can’t even speak as I want. Feeling miserable, I cried “kyuukyu.” And seeking comfort, I clung to Hadel’s finger.

‘Awng, it’s warm.’

When I focused on the fire mana, my mood improved again as if nothing had happened. As I rubbed my face against the back of his hand, Hadel’s hand twitched greatly.

Wondering why, I looked up to see him turning his head away as if avoiding my gaze as he stood up.

“No matter how I look at it, it’s suspicious. I should take it to the castle for investigation.”

‘Castle?’

I blinked at the unexpected words.

‘Weren’t you just a pitiful man killing time alone in the forest because you were ostracized?’

I thought your friends bullied you saying, “Hey, it gets hot when you come! Go away!” and that’s why you were alone in a place like this.

But why is a castle being mentioned?

As I was tilting my head, not understanding the situation, a loud voice rang out behind us.

“Your Highness!”

‘Y-Your Highness?’

In a kingdom, there’s only one rank that receives the title “Your Highness.”

That is royalty.

‘Was there such a young royal?’

I looked back at Hadel. His smooth skin and spiky black hair had nothing in common with me.

‘Is this a different kingdom from where I lived?’

It could be. After all, I know nothing about this world right now.

The knight who called Hadel “Your Highness” hurriedly ran up to Hadel and greeted him formally. Then he politely asked.

“How did you come to such a distant place?”

“By walking step by step.”

While the other person was so serious, Hadel’s answer didn’t sound serious at all.

‘Is this supposed to be a joke?’

If it’s a joke, it’s not even a bit funny though?

I turned back with my mouth wide open, but there wasn’t a trace of humor on Hadel’s face either.

‘Then, is he being serious?’

Is an unfunny joke better, or is ridiculous seriousness better?

The knight’s gaze turned to me, wriggling in Hadel’s grasp. His eyes widened.

“That thing you’re holding…”

“I picked up a strange ferret.”

Hadel’s hand was so big that one hand was enough to lift me up.

As if lifting a trophy, Hadel gripped my waist tightly and raised me up. My face turned bright red at being introduced to others in such a humiliating way, but Hadel remained serious.

“Even when I touch it, it doesn’t get burned.”

Oh, so you lifted me up just to say that.

“What? Is that true?”

… Eh? I guess it’s not just that?

The knight was so surprised that I was surprised by his expression instead. The knight lowered his head, staring intently at me, and muttered.

“Usually, they can’t bear it the moment they touch. Aren’t animals even less resistant to mana than humans?”

“This one is a bit different. It feels like it’s greedily absorbing the flames.”

It was an accurate analysis.

‘Ugh, I thought he was unskilled in handling mana, but he’s sensing it delicately. It feels somewhat unbalanced though.’

Usually, those who can’t control mana don’t sense it well, so they can’t finely control the mana that leaks out.

But Hadel was sensing mana well. Even the faint flames small enough to give to a tiny ferret.

‘Then, is it not that he can’t sense or suppress mana, but that his heart is overproducing mana?’

Even water, when it gushes out, splashes no matter how big the bowl or how narrow the bottle’s mouth. Hadel seemed to be in that state.

‘If his heart is overproducing mana, he must be in considerable pain too. What impressive endurance.’

I thought it might be worth observing him once.

While I was carefully assessing Hadel’s condition, the knight examined me from various angles and exclaimed.

“The ferret is very cute. I’ve never seen a white ferret with pink tips on its ears and tail like this before.”

‘Well, I am quite pretty.’

I couldn’t help but lift my head proudly at those words. However, Hadel’s response was indifferent.

“It’s just an animal, no matter how pretty.”

“Kyu?!”

‘What did you just say?’

Did he just dismiss me as an animal? Is that what he did?

I turned to Hadel with sharp eyes, but unexpectedly met Hadel’s gaze that seemed to be burning fiercely, and shrank back again.

Hadel frowned deeply and stared at me intently as he spoke deliberately.

“If it were a horse or a large beast like a tiger, I could have tamed it for riding. It’s a shame.”

“It is indeed very inconvenient that Your Highness the Grand Duke cannot ride horses.”

The knight also chimed in as if it were regrettable. I blinked at the two people’s conversation.

‘He can’t ride horses? Why? Because of burns?’

He had been wondering why I wasn’t feeling hot since we first met, so it seems other animals really can’t bear the flames Hadel emits even for a moment.

Yes, it would be inconvenient if he couldn’t ride horses. But hey.

‘Isn’t it too much to say I’m useless because of that!?’

“Kyukyu!”

All life is sacred. The preciousness of life doesn’t lie in its usefulness!

I was making such protests, sending “kyukyukyu kyukyu” signals, when Hadel’s eyes flashed lightly. Looking down at me as if looking down on me, he added in a cold voice.

“Now that I hear that, it does look quite pretty. Should I make it into a scarf?”

“Hiccup!”

I hiccupped at being treated as scarf material again.

‘In the end, you’re going to skin me? Even though you said I was interesting…’

There wasn’t a shred of warmth in Hadel’s eyes as he looked down at me. Moreover, my body was firmly gripped in his hand.

I fell into despair.

‘Is this the price for being tempted by bread!’

But I couldn’t give up on that bread. If a ferret’s eyes don’t go crazy after starving for over a week, it’s not a ferret.

‘Sob sob, this is why people should never lose their reason even for a moment.’

Mother, Father, I am leaving this world like this, bewitched by bread.

“Kyuu, kyuu…”

Feeling miserable again, I cried in a plaintive voice. Hadel’s finger pressed firmly on my head. I stopped crying and glared at him.

‘Why are you pressing! Can’t you see I’m crying because of you!’

But for some reason, Hadel looking down at me seemed to be wearing a faint smile.