"Sister, let's go out and play together."
Then Rachel grabbed my arm and started pestering me.
"Uh...? Outside?"
"Yes. I'll show you around here too."
As I hesitated, the dragon standing behind me spoke.
"Please come with us. We will guide you around the castle."
"Sister, I want to go out too."
And even Zion.
I hesitated for a moment, but soon nodded. Because I couldn't keep hiding forever. I said in a solemn voice.
"Okay...! I'll just dry my hair and head out."
"Head?"
Rachel leaned her head to the side with a bewildered look on her face.
Rachel's gaze fixed on the towel Noelier was holding.
"Ugh."
Rachel, wearing an enigmatic smile, opened her hand.
"Sister, sister, look at this."
Rachel's hand stopped near my hair.
"Surely not fire?" I instinctively flinched.
“It’s done.”
Contrary to my worries, what touched me was not fire. After Rachel triumphantly pulled her hand away, I ran my hand through my hair with a bewildered look on my face.
My damp hair was completely dry, as if nothing had happened.
Rachel said with a proud look on her face.
"Isn't it fascinating? I found it today."
“That’s amazing.”
I answered with sincerity. I didn't know you could do this with fire magic.
Uh, then couldn't Noelier have done it too? I turned my head to look at Noelier.
“...This is my first time knowing this.”
Noelier, sensing my gaze, spoke with an uncomfortable smile.
"Besides, I didn't know Rapchel's magic skills had improved this much."
His gaze fell on Rachel. Rachel turned her head sharply with a coy expression. Noelier's eyebrows twitched.
"Sister, let's go out now."
Rachel jumped down from my lap and pulled me along.
"Let's go, sis."
Zion also joined forces with Rachel and led me.
Isn't Noelier going with us? I turned my head to look at him.
"I have something else to do."
Noelier smiled and shook his head.
Is there a lot of work? I quietly nodded and followed the children outside.
***
Finally, she finished organizing all those dishes. Julie wiped the sweat from her forehead. Since there were so many plates, she had spent quite a bit of time on it.
"Oh my, you left all of this?"
When she entered the kitchen, a curly-haired woman opened her eyes wide in surprise. It was Marie, the head chef.
"Yes. She says she is a vegetarian."
"Ah... it seems the food doesn't agree with her. Is it because she's human?"
Marie made a sad face as she watched the food being thrown away.
It's food made with such care, to think it's being thrown away like that...
Marie regarded the food she made as her own children.
Marie was eighteen when she first set foot in this kitchen. She married someone she met here and had a child.
To Marie, the kitchen was life.
'But right now, my partner is more important.'
Marie tried hard to erase her feelings of hurt. She couldn't have such childish thoughts.
"You said you are a vegetarian, right?"
Julie nodded at Marie's question.
"You said you absolutely hate meat. But that's not the problem. Good heavens, I still can't believe it."
"Why? What is it?"
The eyes of everyone in the kitchen, including Marie, fell on Julie.
Everyone in the castle was curious about the partner.
However, she had to hide really well like this in case their human companion got scared.
Because the companion's future was the future of the South- no, the Beast World.
Julie, who was wiping wet dishes, nodded vigorously and said
"I'm telling you, the Leader was totally head over heels for it. It was the first time I'd ever seen him smile like that."
"Oh my god...!"
To think the head is smiling! Everyone in the kitchen looked surprised.
"That and..."
Julie trailed off. Her cheeks began to flush.
"They really, really get along well, too... Lady Eve is totally controlling the Leader..."
After saying that much, Julie covered her cheeks, not knowing what to do.
"..."
And the kitchen staff, who were well past their prime, understood Julie's words immediately.
***
"Julie, what on earth did you hear? No matter how curious you are, how could you eavesdrop on something like that?"
One of the young beastmen spoke as if scolding.
Julie was startled and waved her hand.
"Oh my, I didn't say anything. What's wrong with you all? I just thought you two seemed to get along well!"
...That was the claim, but the squinting nose did not stop.
The beastmen thought.
To think that she is someone who can manipulate the leader like that.
"Scary..."
One of them muttered to himself without realizing it.
What kind of person will the partner really be? His heart, once filled with anticipation, turned into fear.
"I should avoid her as much as possible." That is what they thought.
“Oh no, no.”
But Julie waved her hand vigorously.
"The partner is so kind. She even told me to call her by her name."
"What?"
They were surprised again.
The one who captivated the leader is even humble!
How can that be? Are all humans like that?
The fear that had risen subsided, and curiosity surged. It was a very great curiosity.
I wanted to see her as soon as possible. When the servants thought so.
"She is a really good person."
“Great Minister!”
Instead, Hopper entered the kitchen. The servants were surprised and bowed their heads in greeting.
Hopper recalled his work in the North.
The boy who gave his own to him without hesitation as he shivered in the cold. And the person who taught the boy.
Hopper, who had been wearing a wistful expression as if reminiscing, suddenly hardened his face.
"So, we must make endless efforts so as not to hurt her feelings."
Everyone in the kitchen nodded at Hopper's words.
To think that the Minister would say something like that.
"Let's hide desperately so she doesn't feel uncomfortable!" they thought.
However, their curiosity about the partner was swelling uncontrollably.
That thought continued even after she got off work. Marie was lost in thought, picturing a companion whose face she did not know.
“Mom.”
Just then, Marie's daughter, who had just returned from kindergarten, clung tightly to her side. Marie stroked her daughter's curly hair.
"Mom, I drew this!"
Her daughter opened the sketchbook as if to show off. The sketchbook was filled with drawings of various vegetables.
"I drew this because the teacher told me to draw what I like!"
The daughter shouted loudly.
Vegetables, vegetarian.
A glint appeared in Marie's eyes.
It was because she realized what she had to do.
Marie opened her secret notebook. The notebook was uselessly filled with meat dish recipes.
This couldn't be of any help to the companion. Marie wanted to treat her to something she liked.
“Let’s make it!”
Packed with all the vegetables the partner wants!
After 25 years in the kitchen, Marie decided to pour all her energy into it.
***
09. The Red Riding Hood
Going back in time again, it was an afternoon when the sun had not yet set.
"...Leader."
"..."
"Sir..."
"Ah. Why! You're being too loud...!"
I don't think this method is quite right.
A man in a red cloak shouted, keeping his voice as low as possible.
People passing by were glancing at them, as they were obviously suspicious.
"Everyone is watching us. Besides, if we go like this, won't it look like we've committed a crime...!"
Then, the man wearing the same red cloak turned around sharply and shouted.
"In the South, wolves sneak away; do you think they go openly?"
"Oh my! My back!"
The man quickly got up and started doing gymnastics.
One, two, three, four, the man who had been busily moving his arms stealthily looked around.
With quick thinking, the word 'wolf' seemed to be buried, but the look of 'What are these crazy guys doing in broad daylight?' remained unchanged.
The man breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, just as he was about to say a word to give him a stern warning, the leader had already gone far away.
'Why is the duck walking so fast!'
The man quickly bent down and crawled toward the leader.
"Boss, please lower your voice. I feel like my life is being shortened."
The man pulled the leader's arm with a tearful expression. The leader, frowning as if annoyed, pulled his arm away.
"I've been living in silence all this time, but I should at least raise my voice once in a while."
"But why are you bringing that out here...... Huh? Leader, Leader? Can you hear me?"
There was no answer. The man wore a tearful expression.
If he had known this would happen, he shouldn't have said anything. Deep regret washed over him, but it was already too late.
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