C 56
"Oh, my goodness, Eirin... This sky-blue dress looks very beautiful on you. You look like an angel..."
When I descended to the first floor to get on the carriage, Sharnae embraced me tightly and sighed.
"Sharnae is more beautiful."
Is the original heroine originally this kind?
"I removed everything that the female protagonist was supposed to do."
It was great that she wasn't even jealous. I felt sorry every time I saw Sharnae.
Furthermore, every time we met, she always told me that I was beautiful, so I really felt like I had become something.
"Oh? What about the tail?"
"I hid it under my skirt."
"Why...? It's cute..."
"Thank you."
Sharnae said it kindly, but this creepy tail would only look cute in the eyes of the heroine or my father.
I deliberately hid my tail because I was going to the imperial palace to meet a high-ranking person.
The Duke's family might have understood me, but if I went out, there would be more people who hated the Suins.
The people within the Duke's family were very flexible, probably because they were afraid of my father, but not outside.
I should try not to be criticized.
I clenched my invisible fists, thinking that I should never have an accident.
"Daughter."
"Yes, Dad."
"You don't have to go if you don't want to."
Erno Etham said the same thing for the fifth time.
That's what I've been hearing since I had breakfast with him this morning.
"Don't you want me to go to the imperial palace?"
Is it because he's a little embarrassed that I'm a Suin?
"Because they say Suins are treated like slaves or objects..."
I wasn't officially registered, so I thought it wouldn't be to his liking if I roamed carelessly.
"But I already promised..."
Above all, Duke Miriel gave permission. And I know it's remote, but I was also worried about Enosh, who was different from the novel.
"It's okay, Dad. I'll walk around without being seen!"
I clenched my fists and said softly.
Erno Etham looked at me in incomprehension, furrowed his brow, and sighed.
"...Yes, stay out of sight of others."
He seemed a bit embarrassed to let me go.
I should try harder.
So they won't be embarrassed when I go outside.
"Yes!"
It would be good if I could humanize myself properly.
"Especially when the Emperor talks to you, just ignore him and take the carriage home. I'll take responsibility."
"Yes!"
Does the Emperor hate me particularly?
"Understood!"
He made a serious expression and snapped his fingers.
Then, a person in black appeared out of nowhere and placed a cute bag with a lizard image in Erno Etham's palm.
And in an instant, they disappeared.
"Daughter."
"Yes?"
"If you get hungry, eat this. You can't bite anything other than my fingers. Understand?"
What are you embarrassingly talking about?
I waved my hand in embarrassment, and Erno Etham strapped a snack bag to my waist.
"Right, I have been quite hungry these days..."
I was still hungry after having dinner with the heroine yesterday, but Erno Etham brought me another meal.
"Yes..."
I only accidentally bit him once when I was a lizard!
"I'm hungry..."
The sausages blinked in front of my eyes.
They're getting away!
[This... ]
[Nom!]
I was muttering dazedly, but I opened my eyes at the metallic smell of blood, and when I came to my senses, I was hanging in the air, biting Erno Etham's finger.
I shook my head at the sudden memory that came to mind.
I definitely need to remember that. I bit too hard.
I tried to shake off the memory.
"Be careful."
"Don't go and cause trouble!"
When I opened my eyes wide at the sudden voice of Duke Miriel, he appeared behind Erno Etham.
"Oh, why did the patriarch move his heavy behind here when he was busy sitting?"
"Can't you stop being sarcastic every time you meet me? Stupid bastard."
"He praises me very nobly too, patriarch."
"Ahem, I'm only here to tell you not to go to the Imperial Palace and cause trouble!"
"Yes..."
"Wherever you go, don't let them hit you! Throw this if they're going to hit you. I'll take responsibility."
As if Duke Miriel was throwing something, he handed it to me. It was a small bead.
"If they dare touch you, throw it."
...What is this?
"It's a bomb. Small but powerful."
"What...?"
Throwing this won't cause an accident, will it?
Why are you giving this to me in the first place?
What if I keep it in my pocket and it suddenly explodes?
When I looked up with a terrified expression, Duke Miriel nodded with a satisfied expression.
"Am I not disappearing quietly like this...?"
But this time, the female protagonist is going too...
"Isn't it very dangerous?"
Even if Duke Miriel abandoned me, there was no way I would abandon the heroine.
"You must not follow anyone, even if they offer you sweets."
"Yes."
"Alright, if you meet the Emperor, don't even talk to him. Just throw this and leave. Don't take responsibility."
Duke Miriel said with a stern expression.
"What did the Emperor do to make everyone do this?"
I don't think it was ever detailed in the novel.
"Oh..."
Or maybe I just can't remember it at all. Memories somehow come to mind only when I want to remember them.
"I'll go and come back. Dad. Grandfather."
Bowing, I turned around and ran to Sharnae.
Sharnae smiled broadly, hugged me tightly, and grinned mischievously as she looked behind me.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing, let's go."
At my call, immediately, with a charming expression on her face, she got on the carriage.
The carriage we rode in quickly headed to the imperial palace.
"Welcome, Lady Sharnae Etham, and..."
"I'm Eirin."
When I tilted my head, the young butler, who widened his eyes, let out a low sigh and chuckled.
"Yes, Miss Eirin."
"She's my cousin. I brought her because she said she knew His Highness, the Second Prince."
"Yes, I heard about that."
You heard about it?
From whom did you hear it?
"I bet you didn't hear that I would come today, did you?"
When I turned my head slightly to look at the female protagonist, she also had a puzzled expression.
"Eirin, would you like to play for a while? I will call after receiving His Highness's treatment."
"Yes? Okay."
I didn't refuse because it was also strange to see the enormous imperial palace.
"You can't go too far!"
"I'll send a lady-in-waiting soon."
"Yes."
After responding to her words, I turned around and walked slowly down the hallway.
"Wow, that's real gold."
The decorations on the sides were all made of gold. Wouldn't it be a problem to live the rest of my life even if I brought some of these and sold them?
"Sure, I have money, but..."
Even if I have money, is it not enough?
"Is it real?"
I looked around and bit one of the ornaments.
"Ugh..."
I had a hunch.
It's real. All the pillars and small ornaments in the imperial castle were made of gold.
"What is this?"
When I peeked my head through the crack of the slightly ajar door, the familiar smell of ink and paper tickled my nose.
Is it a library?
Does the absence of guards mean that anyone can enter?
With nowhere else to go, I sneaked inside as if someone were guiding me.
"Wow..."
The library at the Duke's residence was large, but this one was too.
"Is there any book about medicinal herbs?"
I had been interested in books about herbal medicines for a long time.
Due to my short stature, I could only see the lower compartment, but fortunately, there was a book on medicinal herbs within my reach.
"Encyclopedia of World Plants."
It was a revealing title.
However, it was a bit higher than my head, so it seemed challenging to retrieve.
Moreover, the book was as large and thick as my body.
"Still, I'm curious..."
I tried to somehow get it and reached my hands out, but there were no signs that I could touch it.
"Ugh..."
"Do you want to see this?"
Someone very gently took the book I was about to look at.
I widened my eyes and looked up to see a man in his thirties.
His blond hair and dark blue eyes caught my attention.
"Why are all the people in the novel so handsome and beautiful?"
Is it because it's a fantasy novel?
Is it necessary to have this average appearance to have a relationship in "Adopted"?
"No, maybe he's an important supporting character, isn't he?"
But has there ever been a person like that?
I tilted my head, but nothing came to mind.
"Well, there's no way I can meet the main and supporting actors so often."
Indeed, even the extras passing by are quite handsome, so maybe this person is too?
"Yes."
"Even though you're young, you're already seeing amazing things."
"Because I like to learn about them."
As I extended my hands with palms together in a "Please give it to me" gesture, he raised an eyebrow.
