chapter 93
At that time, in the Duke’s office.
“Master?”
“…Where were we?”
“You’re not focusing, sir. Everything related to the hunting festival is settled, so you should go and check it out yourself.”
To help Kenich focus, Gerard decided to be lenient.
The remaining tasks would be handled at the discretion of the Duke’s aides, so he could spend some rare time with his family.
“Fine. Just handle it quickly and let’s go.”
Kenich understood his aide’s intentions, but the hunting festival drew crowds from all over the continent, requiring careful preparation.
They had to divide hunting zones to prevent mistaken attacks, and extra attention was needed to maintain security across the territories.
Even now, it seemed Croitz’s security had some weak points.
“How is the investigation into the missing children going?”
Kenich asked Gerard.
It was currently the biggest issue in the Croitz territory.
“We’ve increased personnel and expanded the search beyond the city gates, but there’s still no news.”
As the hunting festival approached, a series of coincidental disappearances had occurred.
Seven children had been reported missing so far.
Not a large number, but the parents’ accounts were strikingly similar.
“W-when I looked away for just a moment, the child was gone.”
There was chaos in the streets, and in an instant, the children had vanished.
Clearly, this indicated organized activity.
“Given the strengthened checkpoints due to the festival, they probably haven’t left the city gates yet.”
“If they’re moving, it’ll be the day everyone’s attention is focused on the festival.”
Kenich rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
As time passed, the children’s situation worsened, so they had to act quickly.
“Add the 3rd squad of the Black Dragon Knights to the investigation, and deploy all remaining troops throughout the territory, except for the minimum needed for defense.”
“Yes, we’ll strengthen patrols around the clock.”
Gerard nodded, but then Kenich spoke again.
“Master… could it… be something serious?”
He didn’t need to name it—the aide knew exactly who he meant.
He felt the same worry himself.
‘Cherry…’
Kenich muttered the name under his breath, habitually.
Even after seeing her for just one day, the name ‘Cherry’ conjured an image of a silver-haired woman, not a squirrel.
Honestly, he didn’t want to send Cherry into a territory fraught with danger.
But the moment he saw those moist, cherry-colored eyes…
“….”
Kenich wiped his dry face, recalling that clear, innocent expression.
Seeing it, he couldn’t say “no.”
And he realized it wouldn’t matter who he brought—he’d feel the same.
So, he reluctantly sent a heavy guard along.
His grandfather, a former duke, and the notoriously reckless imperial princess, Yeloise, plus the most skilled knights of the Black Dragon Order.
In terms of sheer force, they could easily control a small kingdom.
The only problem—
“Sir Ferdinand and the princess… their temperaments are… well…”
Gerard shrugged, unable to finish the sentence.
Both were known for the most fiery tempers in the Croitz family, a cause for anxiety.
“The missing children are on average seven years old, so Cherry shouldn’t be at risk of abduction.”
Even as he spoke, Gerard instinctively covered his mouth, realizing he might have jinxed it.
And precisely at that moment—
Bang—!
Something smashed through the Duke’s office window at incredible speed.
Kreeeee—!
A white-feathered eagle, beak wide open, flew in.
“That’s Cherry’s companion bird.”
Gerard’s eyes followed the eagle’s pearl necklace.
The eagle grabbed Kenich’s sleeve with its bright yellow beak and led him to the window.
It normally never came near him. Strange.
Kreeeee!
[“Aaargh! You annoying demons, this is serious!! That delinquent squirrel… that delinquent squirrel…!”]
As the mad bird flapped its two-meter wings,
Clatter, clatter!
Someone burst into the office, unannounced, making a ruckus.
A knight who had gone out with Cherry.
“Master, Ch-Cherry…!”
“Why would Cherry—”
“She’s gone… disappeared…”
Meanwhile, in some underground room.
“Why are adults being brought here?!”
“Yeah! Save the children first!”
I was surrounded by children, being scolded—not harshly, but firmly.
They realized I wasn’t there to rescue them, but was in the same situation, and their bright eyes instantly became triangular with suspicion.
“S-sorry?”
I scratched the back of my head, embarrassed.
It wasn’t my fault, but I felt like I’d crushed the children’s last hope.
Still, they needed to know this truth.
“There are weak adults in the world.”
Like me.
Pointing at myself with my thumb, the children’s expressions grew even more serious.
“We’re doomed! Everything’s ruined!”
A small orange-haired child with cat ears poking out above their head whimpered.
Perhaps to hide tears, the child collapsed onto the cold stone floor.
A striped tail slinked between their overalls, drooping as if reflecting their mood.
“Chedder, can we never go home now?”
“Didn’t that man just say? He’s going to sell us off far away on the continent during the festival!”
“Ugh… sniff…”
As one child began to sob, the underground holding room quickly became a sea of tears.
‘This is bad.’
I glanced at the children, troubled.
Not just the cat-child; all of them were undergoing partial transformation into beasts.
Clearly, their emotions were so stirred that controlling their mana had become difficult.
Cats, wolves, hyenas, jackals.
All carnivorous children.
‘Even if we transform, escaping the iron bars looks impossible…’
I narrowed my eyes and scanned beyond the bars.
Since only the children were confined, there was no separate guard.
‘If I intimidate them properly, they won’t move an inch.’
But there was nothing we could do from behind the iron bars.
I pushed with all my strength, but the door didn’t even budge.
‘Even if we miraculously escape…’
My gaze landed on the solid iron door.
Judging by the lack of a handle, it could only be opened from the outside.
‘There has to be a way…’
Just then—
Click.
‘Click?’
I tilted my head up toward the ceiling.
At the same time,
A pair of eyes looked down at me.
“There it is…?”
“Eek! It’s a mouse!”
The children shivered at the sight, but I focused on something else.
A ventilation shaft just big enough for seven-year-old children.
It was padlocked to prevent escape, but who did they think I was?
Even back when I was a squirrel, I could pick most locks in an instant.
This cheap lock was nothing.
Standing on tiptoe, I twisted a bent hairpin into the lock; click! echoed through the basement.
“Wow, that’s really an adult!”
“Are you a thief, sis?”
I hadn’t had a coming-of-age ceremony, but I was an adult now—and, in a way, a thief too.
“So… can we go home now?”
The children, circling around me, asked eagerly.
“Hmph, not yet. We’ll have to check if this passage really leads outside.”
Chedder, sharp-eyed as always, narrowed her eyes like a cat.
But—
“The passage connects to the surface.”
I spoke with certainty.
“How do you know that, sis?”
“Well… the mouse told me?”
