CH 61

We sat around the bonfire with Ms. Claire

“So you don’t know much about the others?”

“Wuff. Wou-wou.”

Apparently, while she knew that she was capable of using other kinds of magic, she still did not know what kind of magic they were.

So I suppose we wouldn’t know the effects until she used it.

Well, Leo and I had only been in this world for a few days. Of course, there would be a lot of things we still didn’t know.

If anything, I had just assumed that she knew a lot, perhaps because she was a Silver Fenrir now, and would sometimes act like she was more familiar with this world.

Leo had looked very proud at first when she talked about the magic she could use. But her expression gradually became more apologetic as she was unable to explain some things. And so I ruffled her fur as I sat next to her.

“It can’t be helped if you don’t know. So don’t worry. It’s not as if I know a whole lot about my Gift…Weed Cultivation.”

“Wuff-wuff.”

I patted Leo on the back, and then she moved her face close to me, so I patted her on the head as well.

Her thick silver fur felt so nice.

With enough pats and words of encouragement, Leo returned to her earlier mood.

She was currently warming herself in front of the fire, and wagging her tail to show that she enjoyed being petted.

…While it was nice that she was wagging her tail, I was worried that she was too close to the fire, and that her fur might get singed.

And so Leo and I spent the time completely relaxed until two hours had passed. And then I heard a rustling sound coming from the tents.

“Mr. Takumi. Thank you for watching the camp.”

“Not at all. Are you all right? Having trouble sleeping?”

“No… It is not that… May I sit next to you?”

“…Of course.”

Ms. Claire sat down next to me, on the opposite side as Leo.

I wonder what was the matter… If she wasn’t having trouble sleeping, then it would be best that she get a good and long rest…

“I just…wanted to talk with you, Mr. Takumi…”

“With…me…?”

“Yes…”

I stole a glance towards Ms. Claire, and saw that her cheeks were flushed.

Was it because of the firelight or…

“I…Mr. Takumi.”

“Yes?”

“I wanted to thank you…for taking me to this forest.”

“Ah… Uh… It’s really nothing. I was personally interested in this forest as well.”

It was where we had first appeared when coming here.

I didn’t know how we had been transported here, but there must be a reason that this place was chosen.

According to Ms. Claire and the others, this place was called the Fenrir Forest.

And now Leo was a Silver Fenrir. I felt that there had to be more to this forest than what we knew.

“Still, allow me to thank you. I very much doubt I would have been able to come if you weren’t with me.”

“…Yes.”

“Also, aside from thanking you…”

“Is there something else?”

I could not forget Ms. Claire’s expression then.

In my old world, I had been terribly afraid of my superiors when they were angry after I made a mistake at work. Yet her face had surpassed even them…

“I…Sebastian was rather upset with me after that.”

“Sebastian?”

While I understood that Sebastian was prone to lecturing her out of concern for her wellbeing, I found it difficult…to imagine him getting angry.

“Of course, Sebastian is often quite upset with me…”

“I see…”

Now that I thought about it, our first encounter had been the result of her leaving the mansion all alone.

And I did remember that Sebastian complained to Ms. Claire once we returned.

Well, I suppose it was the duty of a butler to berate a young lady who is reckless?

Ms. Claire did have a very carefree side to her.

The idea of Sebastian being angry with Ms. Claire was starting to look less and less unlikely.

“And…he said that if I asked you…that you would not be able to refuse…”

“Ah…”

“Because as a guest in the mansion, you are especially reserved. And while we have not been acquainted for very long, I can still tell by your personality that I had made the request in a way that would be very difficult for you to refuse. And I am sorry.”

Indeed, I was not the type to refuse such a request.

I did think it was something I needed to work on. But…before I know it, I often have people asking different things of me.

At work, my coworkers would ask for help, and my workload would increase to the point where I couldn’t handle it.

“I pulled you along without really thinking about your position. …And I apologize for that.”

“…No…it really is fine. It is true. Not only then, but in general, I find it hard to deny a request. However, I’m not lying when I say that I too am very interested in this forest.”

“Still, it doesn’t change the fact that I practically forced you. And that is not becoming for the daughter of a duke.”

“The duke?”

Suddenly, it seemed like the conversation was blowing out of proportion…

“We are near the top, even among nobles. And so it is difficult for people to refuse us. While using one’s position is not always a bad thing, in our house, it is strictly forbidden to use our power to control others. And I feel as if that is what I did with you.”

“…I see.”

We were talking on a very different scale now… I really did not mind coming… However, I would first listen to everything that Ms. Claire had to say.