Chapter 32
Hata was a dog beastman, but an incomplete one at that.
He didn’t know how to hide his ears or tail, nor could he fully transform into an animal.
It seemed he’d used a potion to turn into a puppy.
“I want to stay by Lichesia’s side too. I’m not even running the shop anymore!”
Chesha had thought it was just talk, but he’d meant it.
‘This troublemaking puppy…!’
What was he doing, sneaking into a place like this?
Her head throbbed at the thought of this puppy stumbling into the snake’s den.
Chesha calmly set down the teacup in her hand.
In the meantime, Karha had already stood up and scooped Hata into his arms.
“Hmm…”
Karha, scrutinizing the puppy intently, twitched his nose.
“It smells familiar, but maybe not. It’s confusing.”
There had been a moment before when Hata and Karha nearly crossed paths in the garden.
Thankfully, Count Rudin had arrived with an imperial decree, allowing Hata to escape just in time.
‘He mentioned a dog smell back then too.’
To think he remembered a scent he’d only caught briefly.
‘Is Karha a dog beastman or something?’
Chesha entertained the suspicion for a moment.
Meanwhile, Karha leaned in close to Hata’s face and got swatted with a soft paw.
“Ow!”
Ishuel burst into laughter at the sight of Karha getting hit.
Karha, with a dog’s pawprint on his cheek, made an annoyed face.
“I’m tossing this thing out.”
“Why? Let’s play with it for a bit.”
“You try getting smacked by it.”
The twins bickered over the puppy.
Hata, seizing the moment, wriggled free from Karha’s grasp.
He leaped down and scurried to Chesha’s side.
“Kyung!”
He bumped his tiny head against her with a soft thud.
His little tail wagged furiously, unable to contain his excitement at seeing Chesha.
Without thinking, Chesha reached out and petted the puppy’s head.
She smoothed his fur and picked off the grass stuck around his face.
Then she felt eyes on her and looked up.
“…”
The twins were staring at her intently.
Both of them, unblinking, made her flinch.
Ishuel tilted his head and asked, “Like the puppy?”
Karha plopped Hata onto Chesha’s head.
His soft belly pressed against her.
“Wanna keep it?”
“…Huh?”
Chesha, who’d been thinking only of how to get Hata out of there, was struck dumb by the suggestion.
But the twins had already misunderstood completely.
“Don’t babies usually like stuff like that? Small dogs and all.”
“Yeah. It’s a bit scruffy, but it’ll be fine after a bath.”
Ishuel gave a generous older-brother smile.
“If our little sibling wants to keep a puppy, I can make that happen.”
He was acting like a doting brother despite being a kid himself.
Chesha, who’d been chuckling inwardly, belatedly realized the situation.
‘Wait a second… Are they actually planning to keep Hata?’
She’d expected a noble family to immediately shoo away some unknown stray.
She thought Hata’s sudden appearance would be brushed off as a minor, amusing incident.
But it was taking an unexpected turn.
“The puppy’s fine.”
“No need to hold back.”
“I only need my big brothers!”
The puppy on her head let out a shocked yelp, but she ignored it.
The twins’ jaws dropped in unison.
Ishuel muttered in a stunned voice, “To think you’re this considerate of us…”
That’s not it!
But the twins’ misunderstanding only deepened.
Karha declared with a serious face, “We’re keeping the dog.”
Unfortunately, Kierne came home early that day.
The twins and Chesha, waiting in the parlor, rushed out at the news of his return.
Handing his hat, coat, and cane to the butler, Kierne smiled at the children running toward him, then raised an eyebrow upon spotting the puppy.
“You’re back.”
Chesha greeted him more politely than ever.
Kierne chuckled and asked, “What’s that, Chesha?”
His red eyes fixed on her.
Chesha held up the tiny puppy in her arms.
Though the puppy was only fist-sized, Chesha was so small herself that it filled her arms.
It was a hefty size for a baby, but she held it tightly.
The puppy, despite the awkward position, stayed perfectly still in her embrace.
Chesha said in the most indifferent voice she could muster, “It’s a puppy…”
Kierne narrowed his eyes slightly.
The twins chimed in noisily from either side.
“Father, our sibling wants to keep the puppy. It wandered into the garden while we were playing.”
“They’re already super close. Let her keep it.”
Ishuel calmly explained the situation, while Karha acted like permission was a done deal.
Caught between them, Chesha looked up at Kierne, clutching the puppy.
The puppy, playing innocent, looked at Kierne and let out a tiny bark.
“Myaowf!”
Kierne gazed silently at the puppy.
‘Tell us to get rid of it!’
Chesha screamed internally.
Kierne gave her a faint, knowing smile.
For some reason, in that moment, she felt like he’d seen right through her discomfort.
‘I’m doomed.’
Kierne, who enjoyed teasing Chesha just as much as the twins, smirked mischievously.
“If Chesha wants to keep it, then she should.”
“Yay!”
“Perfect, right?”
Karha and Ishuel cheered beside her.
Kierne crouched down in front of Chesha with a sly grin.
He lightly pinched her cheek and said sweetly, “But you have to love Papa more than the puppy, okay?”
“Okay…”
And so, Chesha ended up with a puppy out of nowhere.
Hata, safely settled in Chesha’s room, was bouncing with excitement.
He pranced around, the ribbon Ishuel had tied around his neck fluttering, and rolled playfully in front of Chesha, showering her with affection.
“Lichesia!”
“The puppy’s talking…”
“Oh, sorry! I’ll bark again.”
Seeing him instantly switch to yipping as if nothing happened, Chesha let out a sigh.
She sighed again and asked Hata, “You used a potion, didn’t you?”
“Yup!”
Since it was a potion made with beastman powers, Hata could undo its effects whenever he wanted.
He could return to his human form at any time.
“If Hata’s by Lichesia’s side, I can be a big help!”
He said he’d cheer her on, his puppy face brimming with enthusiasm.
Chesha didn’t know what to say and just sighed again.
Since things had turned out this way, maybe they could investigate the Basilian Count’s estate together.
‘There were parts that were a bit much to handle alone.’
As she mentally revised her plans with her arms crossed, Hata toddled over and tapped her with his front paws.
“By the way, Lichesia.”
“Hmm?”
“Have you prepared for the ball?”
“…Oh.”
“What dress are you wearing? Wear the hat Hata made!”
Come to think of it, the ball hosted by the Ibroiel Duchy was fast approaching.
‘It’s about time to try on outfits.’
Considering people usually prepared everything from head to toe before a ball, she was already a bit late.
‘Something’s off.’
Sure enough, there was a problem.
That evening, Chesha dined with the twins.
Hata, trotting along behind, was given tasty scraps to eat under the table.
Normally, she’d watch the twins bicker while eating, but today was different.
“Awful…”
Ishuel trembled with rage and slammed his fist on the table.
“It’s awful!”
Losing his temper, Karha casually replied while cutting his meat, “Why?”
“You saw the clothes that arrived today!”
“I did.”
“You expect me to wear those rags? On this noble body?”
Apparently, the clothes ordered from the boutique had arrived, and Ishuel wasn’t pleased.
With his discerning taste, Ishuel was always particular about his appearance.
He’d taken charge of ordering the clothes for the Basilian family to wear to the ball.
Instead of their usual eastern boutique, he’d ordered from one in the capital…
And they were completely unacceptable.
As Ishuel raged, Karha swallowed a bite of meat and said, “They seemed fine to me. Let’s just wear them.”
“Die!”
Ishuel swung his fork.
Karha blocked his twin’s attacks with his knife, clanging away.
After dozens of rapid exchanges, Ishuel shouted again, “How am I supposed to wear that? And our sibling needs a dress! You want her to be mocked at the ball in some tattered dress?”
“…Well, it’d be bad if the baby got mocked.”
Karha suddenly got serious.
He set down his knife, thought deeply, and blurted out, “I know a good hat shop.”
Ishuel looked at him skeptically. “Where?”
“It’s called Hata’s Hat Shop.”
Karha grinned and suggested, “It’s in the backworld. Wanna check it out?”
