Chapter 18
“What did you just call me? Stupid? Tacky?”
“I-I just… I’m really bad at lying, that’s all…”
“Why, you little—!”
Just as I tightened my grip on Pepe, I felt a sharp sting on my forehead.
Looking up, I saw the straw-haired boy staring at me with wide, startled eyes.
His expression was completely different from before.
Seeing his face gave me a sudden boost of confidence. I tilted my chin up proudly and spoke triumphantly.
“See? I told you he could talk!”
“…Huh. I guess he can.”
The boy nodded slowly, still looking dazed.
Judging by the obvious confusion on his face, it was clear he was seriously shocked.
He looked between me and Pepe, then finally opened his mouth to speak.
“How… how can a squirrel talk?”
“Hmm…”
Pepe gave me a desperate look.
There was no point in hiding it now—he’d already been exposed.
Come to think of it, earlier every time he tried to reveal his identity, something stopped him from speaking.
There had to be a reason why he couldn’t reveal himself.
And kindhearted as I was, I decided to go along with it.
“I just met him today too, so I don’t really know. Maybe he’s some kind of animal affected by alchemy or something?”
“Alchemy?”
“Maybe not…?”
I trailed off weakly.
There was no way to explain this strange phenomenon convincingly.
“This is really weird.”
The boy mumbled as he rubbed his chin with a finger.
Only now did I take a good look at him.
His hair was a plain color, and his features were unremarkable. But his clothes were far too luxurious for someone of common status—it was a stark contrast.
No servant child would be dressed in such expensive clothing.
Could he be… from a noble family?
But I hadn’t heard anything about any guests arriving at the mansion.
“So who are you?”
“…And who are you?”
I asked first, but got another question in return.
Fine, fine. I asked first, so I’ll answer first.
“I’m Chloe. And I’m… the daughter of the master of this mansion.”
Ugh… no matter how many times I said it, calling myself Herald’s daughter just never came out naturally.
“Daughter? Of Duke Eraithe?”
“Yeah.”
“Then you’re…”
“Hmm?”
The boy hesitated for a moment as if he were about to say something, then closed his mouth.
He looked away, eyes darting with a conflicted expression.
His reaction only made me more curious about who he really was.
And just as I opened my mouth to ask—
“Chloe!”
A sharp, almost shriek-like voice cut me off.
And I instantly realized who it belonged to—Mother.
My face turned pale.
“Hmm? Was someone calling you?”
Pepe asked curiously, but I didn’t have the luxury of answering him.
“…I’m doomed.”
Normally calm and gentle, Mother’s tone would change completely when she was angry.
And this time, her voice was thick with fury.
Hearing it made me panic.
To soften the punishment, I hastily waved at the boy in front of me.
“Hey, let’s just say you were sick, and I had no choice but to come in here, okay? Huh? Wait. Where’d he go?”
But the boy was gone.
I looked around, but there was no sign of him—not even footprints.
“Wh-what…?”
As I stood there dumbfounded, Pepe pointed toward the thick brush with a paw.
“He went that way.”
“What?”
Went that way?
Did he run so fast it looked like he flew?
I stared blankly at the forest he had disappeared into, when Pepe’s urgent voice called out from below.
“Chloe! Whatever happens, don’t tell them about me!”
“Huh?”
“No one can know I exist.”
“What are you talking about? They already—”
“More importantly, the humans are getting closer!”
“Uhh…?”
“Quick! Pick me up!”
“Uh, what? What did you say?”
I hesitated, trying to process Pepe’s words.
Pick him up? Why?
“Tch!”
Maybe my thoughts were written all over my face.
Pepe clicked his tongue, scampered toward me, and before I could react, he climbed up my body and perched himself right on top of my head.
The suddenness of it left me standing there in shock.
“W-wait! What are you doing? Get down!”
“There’s no food here, so I can’t live like this. Just take me with you.”
“What? Hey! You just want to follow me because of the cookies, don’t you?! Get down already!”
“Squeak! Squeak squeak!”
“You little—! Don’t start acting like a squirrel again! Get down right now! Hey! Pepe!”
“Chloe!”
Just as I flailed my hands around, trying to grab the squirrel off my head, Mother’s voice rang out again—this time, so close it hurt my ears.
“Uh, Mom…”
“Chloe, you…!”
Mom, Ellie, and even a maid I didn’t recognize were all staring at me with the same shocked expression.
I took a deep breath.
Time to prepare for damage control.
“Mom, Ellie!”
“…”
“I’m sorry…”
I lowered my arms and apologized awkwardly.
Now, I was sitting in front of my mother, looking as pitiful as possible.
She stood there with her arms crossed, staring down at me with stern eyes.
She wasn’t one to get angry often—but that made it even scarier when she did.
“Why did you go in there?”
At last, her lips moved.
“I just… the door was so big and it looked interesting…”
“That building is a long-abandoned annex! It’s falling apart and very dangerous!”
“…”
“Why did you go in there alone?”
“…Just because…”
Her questioning continued, and I mumbled, unable to come up with a proper answer.
I knew full well that nothing I said would calm her down.
“Chloe.”
Mother’s voice dropped low.
I couldn’t delay any longer.
I hadn’t come up with a proper excuse yet, but I opened my mouth.
“There was… a golden eagle. It was so beautiful I followed it without thinking…”
“And then?”
“The door was closed, so I gave it a push and it broke open…”
“Uh-huh. And?”
“I thought I could go inside… and I was curious…”
“And then?”
“Ellie was busy, so…”
“Haa…”
“So I just explored on my own!”
“Even so, you should’ve told Ellie! Do you know how worried she was? And me too, when I heard?”
“…”
Sure enough, Mom raised her voice as soon as I finished.
I glanced to the side.
Ellie stood nearby, dabbing at her nose and mouth with a handkerchief, sniffling.
The sight of her made my conscience prickle like needles.
Apparently, a huge commotion broke out while I was inside the annex.
I really had only planned to take a quick look around, but I got delayed thanks to Pepe.
So it was all… Pepe’s fault—and that boy’s too!
But I couldn’t mention anything about Pepe or the boy.
I had promised to keep Pepe’s secret.
And even if I told them I’d lost track of time because I was talking to a talking squirrel, they’d never believe me.
As for the boy, I had no reasonable explanation for him either.
And right now, what I had to do was—
