Chapter 157
Cheshire’s plan proceeded very smoothly.
As expected, Itar fell hook, line, and sinker for the promise of meeting the witch.
He, who had intended to keep Cheshire captive in Skaya Kingdom, began preparing for the journey to the Palen Empire more eagerly than anyone.
Though the procession included two Skaya royals, they kept the numbers as minimal as possible.
They also made sure it didn’t appear to be a Skaya royal procession from the outside.
All at Cheshire’s request.
‘We have to go secretly.’
If it leaked midway that ‘Cheshire Basilian’ was traveling with the Skaya royal family, it would cause all sorts of headaches.
Of course, it would be great if Kierne and the three brothers, or Hailon, came to find her.
But before that, unnecessary pests were likely to swarm.
‘One wrong move, and a bloodbath could sweep the entire continent.’
And the Skaya royal family, who were helping her, might get unjustly caught up and executed.
Anyway, she was racking her brain to avoid causing trouble for the helpful Aran.
“Cheshire!”
Aran came fluttering over.
Samid, chasing after the tomboy princess, quietly caught his breath.
“Finally, today is the day. I’m so excited to travel with you.”
Aran was utterly thrilled.
During the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly, the carriage journey had been boring to death, but with Cheshire, it wouldn’t be tedious at all—she chattered on and on.
Cheshire matched her enthusiasm appropriately as the ecstatic Aran bounced around, and they headed to board the carriage.
Since it was a secret procession to the empire, they planned to switch to unmarked royal carriages at the back gate of the palace, not the front.
At the head of the procession, Itar sat on horseback, his face half-hidden by a hood.
He had been chatting with mercenaries in plain clothes and light armor, and upon seeing Cheshire and Aran, he grinned widely.
“….”
Aran’s eyes immediately narrowed sullenly.
“Cheshire Basilian.”
Aran gripped Cheshire’s hand tightly and whispered.
“I’ll make sure to get you home safely. Don’t worry.”
Rather than that, she should worry about the Skaya crown prince’s future, but Cheshire pretended not to know and smiled innocently.
There were five carriages in total.
One each for Itar, Aran, and Cheshire, and the remaining two were baggage carriages loaded with gifts for House Basilian and the Palen imperial family.
It was when Cheshire was about to board the carriage assigned to her.
Murmurs from the royal soldiers guarding the area reached her ears.
“What’s with that mutt?”
“It’s been hanging around the palace lately.”
“Yeah, right. It’s cute, but fierce. The kids tried feeding it, but it wouldn’t eat at all. And it barks so much.”
“Who would abandon such a cute puppy?”
“Damn owner.”
Cheshire, who had been listening quietly, slowly turned around.
In the distance, she saw a small puppy being chased away by a soldier.
It was utterly filthy.
The puppy was so dirty that its original fur color was unrecognizable, and it was emaciated, with ribs showing.
It limped, as if injured somewhere.
“Shoo! Get out of here!”
The soldier stomped on the ground with a thud, making a threatening noise.
A normal stray animal would have fled like an arrow.
But the puppy didn’t back down.
“Woof…! Woof woof….!”
It just kept barking with a voice that was completely hoarse.
It had barked so much that the sound barely came out properly.
“Aw, poor thing.”
A female soldier next to the male one squatted down and tried to pet the puppy.
But the puppy harshly shook off the soldier’s touch, weaving through her legs to run this way.
“Oh no, stop!”
If it accidentally scratched a royal’s precious body, it would be put down immediately.
Terrified that the puppy might lose its life innocently, the soldier quickly grabbed it.
The puppy had run desperately, but with no strength, it was caught easily and struggled.
As it flailed its short legs, the puppy’s eyes were purple.
“…Hata.”
Her heart sank.
Cheshire dashed over wildly.
The puppy also slipped right out of the soldier’s grasp.
“Whoa!”
The surprised soldier let out a short scream.
Ignoring that, Cheshire and the puppy ran toward each other.
The puppy leaped with all its might and nestled into Cheshire’s arms.
Cheshire hugged the puppy and called its name.
“Hata!”
“Whine….”
Hata whimpered and burrowed into Cheshire.
“What’s going on?”
Aran approached in surprise.
It was understandable—she had suddenly picked up a random puppy while about to board the carriage.
“It’s my puppy.”
What must her expression have been like when she said that?
Aran, seeing Cheshire’s face, was momentarily speechless, then spoke belatedly.
“…You seem to remember.”
She must have vaguely recognized it from having it during the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly.
With Aran’s permission, Cheshire boarded the carriage with Hata.
She fed it hastily fetched water and food, and wiped its body with a clean cloth.
After that, it finally returned to the Hata Cheshire knew.
“What happened!”
Her voice rose involuntarily in frustration.
She had naturally assumed it was staying at House Basilian.
She never imagined meeting it on the streets in this state.
The three Basilian brothers quite liked Hata, so they wouldn’t have thrown it out.
It must have run away on its own.
Since it couldn’t hide its ears and tail in beastkin form, it seemed to have come to Skaya Kingdom as a puppy.
With such tiny paws.
The once soft paw pads were now scarred and hard as stone.
Seeing the upset Cheshire, Hata drooped its ears.
“Is Hata a bad puppy?”
She couldn’t bring herself to say no, so she bit her lip tightly.
“I wanted to wait obediently. But….”
Hata tapped Cheshire with its front paw.
“I felt Lichesia’s energy.”
It had waited for Cheshire for so long.
For a long-lived beastkin, a year was a short time.
But for Hata, that year felt like eternity.
The moment Cheshire escaped the fairy kingdom and returned to the human world.
Hata could sense Cheshire’s energy, which had been cut off until then.
“But you didn’t call for Hata.”
It had assumed Cheshire would summon it, of course.
Since Hata and Cheshire were connected by a master-servant contract.
But no matter how long it waited, Cheshire didn’t summon Hata.
“I thought, maybe I’ve been abandoned….”
It was because Cheshire had lost most of her power.
But Hata, knowing nothing, had every reason to misunderstand.
“If I’m no longer needed, then, it can’t be helped…. B-but, Hata wanted to at least say th-thank you to Lichesia one last time….”
Hata couldn’t continue.
Round teardrops welled up profusely.
“Sob, hic, H-Hata wants to stay by L-Lichesia’s side, sob, f-forever….”
Hata, barely pleading through sobs, finally burst into wails.
“How could I abandon you.”
Cheshire soothed Hata while speaking firmly.
Hata, tears streaming, asked.
“Hata is Lichesia’s puppy, right?”
“You’re mine until you die.”
“I want to be Lichesia’s puppy even after I die.”
“…Okay.”
After finally calming the crying puppy, she briefly explained what had happened in the meantime.
Listening to Cheshire’s story, Hata placed one paw on its cheek and tilted its head.
“So the rabbit doll is the fairy queen’s crown, and it moves and talks?”
“Yeah. It’s a pretty cute doll…, Hata!”
As soon as she praised the rabbit doll, Hata swatted it with its front paw.
Since it was plush, it made a thud sound, but if it weren’t, it would have been a resounding smack.
Fortunately, the rabbit doll didn’t burst and just flew to the corner of the carriage.
“Oops, mistake.”
Having sent the rabbit doll flying, Hata grinned and wagged its tail cutely.
“I was surprised it might be cuter than Hata. But no way.”
“….”
She had momentarily forgotten that Hata was a jealous dog.
While picking up the rabbit doll and placing it on a chair some distance away, Hata raised one paw and offered an opinion.
“We’re heading to the Palen Empire. How about stopping by the Backworld briefly? Because Hata remade the potion to become an adult. And the three Basilian brothers are there. But….”
Hata hesitated before adding.
“Their condition is a bit very off.”
