Chapter 86: Tanukis Don’t Listen

“Awishthaih!” When I finished changing, I got someone to bring me to where Alistair was. Alistair was also wearing a jacket that had delicate embroidery on it, but it wasn’t as flashy because it was black.

“Lei! Look how cute you are!” Alistair picked me up and spun me around.

“Aite, my turn next.” Clyde lifted me up high, which was unusual for him to do and spun me around.

“See, you’re up high!”

I was lifted up by Clyde, who was the tallest in the group, and I couldn’t help but shriek. It’s fun. No, no, focus. Unfortunately, I had to get him to put me down.

“Awishthaih, Niini, heye.”

“What did you say? Your Nii-san is here?”

“Ai! Awishthaih’s Niinii heye thoo.”

“Mine? Nii-san?” Alistair repeated my words and looked at the welcome group to see who I was talking about. The people who came to help us dress were probably of low-rank, so no one took the initiative to speak, but luckily, Dory started the conversation, “According to this person, two of the Four Marquis heirs are at the capital, and one of them looks just like Lei-sama. Hey, you.”

“Y-yes!”

“Tell us more,” Dory asked the person, and he started speaking as his eyes sparkled, “It happened just the other day. Messengers arrived from Kingdom, and they were the Albans and Lisburn heirs, so the capital is in an uproar.”

Albans and Lisburn. He’d certainly said that.

“We usually work in the castle, but they go out quite a lot, so even we have the chance to see them.

I see. Alistair and I were listening with excitement.

“The younger of the two is apparently called Luke-sama, and he really looks like Leila-sama. The older one is as big as an adult, but he’s only 14. He looks just like Alistair-sama over there, but just bigger.”

“Is that so?”

“Don’t know. I’ve never met him before.”

Alistair turned away at Mill’s words. I remembered Gill. I think he looks sweeter and gentler than Alistair. I feel like only the colour of their eyes is the same, so they probably look alike if you just see him at a glance.

“Niini! Wheye?”

If the capital is close, then they might have come here.

“That’s-…” The person who helped me change looked away awkwardly.

“Luke-sama insisted on coming, but Herman-sama…”

Herman? That Tanuki Oji-san? I patted my stomach.

“Well, Leila-sama. Th-that’s right.”

The servants put a hand to their mouth, and I could hear giggling.

“That Herman-sama said that it was unbecoming for someone who is a part of the Four Marquises to stagger and be restless, so he told them to wait at the castle while he goes to pick you up.”

Wait. Why do the servants know this? Dory also looked suspicious and asked, “Why do you…”

“Because he made a big deal out of it while everyone was getting ready to leave. Even we know that Luke-sama understood that it wouldn’t be good to make a fuss right then, and backed away. We were right there.”

If that Tanuki Jii-san wasn’t here then would I have been able to meet Nii-sama right now? I was sad and hung my head down.

“Lei-sama…” Dory crouched down and tapped me on the back.

“How annoying,” Bart muttered. That’s right. This isn’t the place for me to be sad. I can see him soon. I lifted my face, nodded at Dory, and looked at Alistair and Bart. Oh my, Bart and his crew also changed.

“Barth and Miww, coow.” (Bart and Mill, cool.)

“R-really? It was annoying, but well it’s fine if you like it, Lei.”

“Yeah.”

“What? Lei, what about us?”

Of course.

“Kyaro, Cwyde and Awishthaih, coow!”

Everyone scratched their noses in embarrassment and smiled.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

“Ai.”

“Yeah.”

We answered Bart and went down to the first floor of the inn. I could tell that the Prince was irritated even though I was only half-way down the stairs. The Prince looked up, and got off his chair, “You…” he muttered.

That’s right. I’m cute, aren’t I? I smiled and the room filled with sighs. Babies are cute.

“Oh, people of high statuses should be like this. You can’t even compare this to the shabby clothes you were wearing.” Flabby Tanuki Herman also got up at the same time and made an exaggerated gesture while opening both his hands in front of him.

“Now, let’s ride the Rug Dragons with this old man.”

“Nyai.” Those words came out reflexively. What’s he saying? This tanuki. I can’t ride in the basket with a stranger, now can I? Dory immediately went out in front of me, “Herman-sama, Leila-sama will ride in the basket by herself.”

“What?! Are you saying that you’ve been letting Leila-sama ride on the Rug Dragon by herself even though you’re supposed to be looking after her?!”

Dory bit her lip, and Herman shook his head in an exaggerated way. I looked at the Prince and signalled that we should leave straight away. The Prince nodded lightly and said, “Now, Herman. Leila has always done this. It’s a waste of time to argue about this. Let’s go.”

“Your Highness…”

“Now.”

Herman reluctantly agreed. I’m sure he wants to put me on his lap as we enter the capital and brag about coming to pick us up. So annoying.

When it was time for us to ride our Rug Dragons, I waited for Clyde to put me in the basket. Something was holding up Bart and his crew, and they weren’t here yet. Then, thick hands scooped me up from behind.

“Well, Leila-sama, it looks like none of the people who are with you aren’t coming. Come ride with this Herman in the basket.

“Nyai!”

“What does that mean? Hey, don’t struggle. Alright, okay. Hey, close the door.”

“Y-yes.”

What’s the meaning of this? While Bart and his crew were busy, I was kidnapped by the fatty tanuki, and forced to ride with him. The people around us were looking at us in shock as this happened. I didn’t think that the tanuki was this quick to act.

“Huu!”

“Leila, it’s no use. Rather than struggling, think about getting to the capital quickly.

“Now, Leila-sama. Onto this old man’s legs.”

“Nyai!”

I couldn’t count on the Prince and ended up riding unstably in the basket with this lump of meat.