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Chapter 12
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PSSH…

Moreover, it disappeared in a matter of seconds.

“Woof? (What, only that?)”

There was a sun, but now it was gone. Sighing, Pudding shook her head in confusion and scratched her snout with her front paw. It was clear that she had transformed into a human that day and that she needed the power of the sun to maintain her human form.

However, in this d*rn land, no, Silvercliff, had never had a good weather.

As Pudding let out a sigh, the maids approached her. One of the best things about staying at Winter Castle was that the maids took good care of her, not as much as Theo, but they played with her and took care of her diligently. Feeding, dressing, and putting her to sleep were the basics, but they also brought all sorts of toys for her to play with, leaving no room for boredom.

“Cutie, I will read you a fairy tale today.”

Although she had the body of a puppy, Pudding was a bit flustered at being treated so well. And in the process, she naturally learned about their secret. They would often casually reveal their ears and tails once they became a little closer. At first, Pudding was surprised, but now she was used to it.

“Oh, oh, you’re so cute, baby. Kissy, kissy.”

“I want to give you a kiss too. Mwah.”

After giving kisses or rubbing against her brown fur, they would transform into raccoons with gray ears and fluffy fur. At first, Pudding was extremely startled. That day, she spent the whole day avoiding them.

But then she realized, wasn’t this place a lion’s den? Compared to lions, raccoons were peaceful animals, and so her initially raised guard gradually lowered.

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AFTER the council meeting, Khalid, who was looking at documents, was approached by his aide, Jerus. He, too, was a member of the raccoon clan and Elliot’s twin brother.

“Your Excellency, will you be proceeding directly to the dining hall?”

“…No, I won’t go.”

The Duke slightly raised the collar of his shirt and reached out to hang his jacket on the hanger. The jacket, skillfully crafted by a top tailor, fit perfectly on his sturdy and broad body. Under his silver hair, his violet eyes were like a serene lake, and his well-shaped red lips were firmly sealed, making it impossible to read his expression.

That was why Jerus couldn’t understand his intentions. After the monthly council meeting with the vassals, it was customary to have lunch with them. Hence, his unexpected answer was bewildering.

“I have somewhere to go.”

“Yes? Ah, did you have other appointments?”

There was no way he, as an aide, would not know his lord’s schedule as he always memorized them.

“Yes. You just need to organize these meeting documents. There’s no need to follow me.”

The Duke turned around and left the room.

“Your Excellency? Then, where are you going…?”

Caught off guard by the Duke’s smile and his cheerful footsteps, Jerus couldn’t say anything but his face became filled with worry.

‘Ah, I was momentarily captivated by His Excellency’s smile.’

There was a mountain of documents waiting to be dealt with, so now was not the time to think about it.

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KHALID paused in front of the dandelion garden at the Dandelion Palace. To make flowers bloom in the harsh Crovache weather, there were only two options: provide magical fertilizer or use magic to maintain a mild climate. Either way, it required a significant amount of funds, but he had done this for his wife, Luichel.

The orange roof formed a gentle arch, and dandelions were engraved on various spots of the white exterior walls. Even though Khalid didn’t particularly care for flowers, Luichel claimed that the most beautiful flower was the dandelion.

When he commanded the young puppy to stay in the place where precious memories were buried, Elliot and everyone in the palace were astonished. Yet, they understood their master’s heart. It was a wish for the sleeping Duchess, who was under a curse, to wake up safely and a hope that this young puppy was truly his daughter.

“Have you arrived, my lord?”

“….”

Khalid gestured to hold the puppy and Sarah, who was holding the puppy, nodded her head. The touch of the delicate creature perplexed the Duke, who had no idea how to hold it.

Sarah noticed his hesitation and said, “Use your right hand to support the baby’s back and your left hand to support her bottom. Be careful not to put your hand in her armpit or pull her leg, as it could hurt.”

“…It’s hard.”

“Unlike the young masters, this baby wasn’t born strong, my lord.”

Although he wore a slightly annoyed expression, Khalid cautiously lifted the puppy, following Sarah’s instructions. It was the first time he held such a small creature in his arms. It was a touch filled with great tenderness.

“….”

“….”

As Khalid held the soft, brown fur in his arms, he made eye contact with the puppy and brought his nose close. When he snout came closer, she started licking Khalid’s nose eagerly.

“Am I really that good?”

Khalid spoke in a gruff voice, but his lips curved upward as he looked at the puppy. The smaller and more adorable she looked, the more fascinating she became. To think there was such a tiny creature…

With a gaze filled with increased sweetness, he looked at the young puppy.

“If only you could speak.”

As Khalid’s eyes which was filled with curiosity met the puppy’s, she replied, “Woof!”

Then, she raised her endearing paw and gently poked his chest. Even the sensation of being poked felt warm to him.

Khalid wanted to abduct the puppy and take it somewhere. Just by holding her, it brought him a sense of contentment and happiness. Was there another being in the world that could provide such a serene feeling?

He felt like he could spend the whole day lying down and playing with this little creature.

‘I wonder how to cherish this little bundle.’

An unfamiliar emotion, something he had never felt with his other children, welled up within him.

“This is driving me crazy.”

The phrase ‘You’re so adorable’ was omitted from his words. It was a sentiment only the Duke himself knew. Just by being in her presence, his heart felt ticklish, and his mood improved.

As Khalid scretch his hand and bring the puppy in to the air, he leaned forward to kiss her brown head.

“Ah, my lord. It’s still dangerous to lift the baby like that.”

“…I understand.”

Upon hearing Sarah’s words, Khalid obediently lowered his arms and glanced around the room. The room where the puppy stayed was the nursing room used temporarily when Luichel gave birth to her children. Usually, they would be entrusted to a wet nurse, but Luichel, driven by her strong maternal instincts, chose to nurse them herself.

However, if this young puppy truly belonged to his bloodline, he speculated that there would be some traces of Luichel remaining on her. Unfortunately, her traces was nowhere to be found. The only resemblance was her brown fur and eye color, similar to hers.

However, even after several days, this child did not show any signs of being a human. He even began to wonder if it was truly a canine. In the room, there was only a fireplace and a crib. There also seemed like there were many things necessary for a young baby.

“The crib is too big for this child.”

“Yes. It was used by the other babies, but since she’s inherently delicate and small…”

Thinking that now was the chance, Sarah hesitated but eventually spoke up.

“My lord, it seems we need to purchase puppy supplies for the baby.”

“…I don’t care whatever it costs, just make sure everything necessary is provided.”

Sarah was overjoyed and unintentionally made a mistake by asking another question.

“Are you serious?”

“Tell Elliot to allocate the budget through the aide.”

However, the Duke seemed to have become much more gentle, to the point of overlooking her mistake. While watching the puppy yawn in his arms, Sarah thought to herself.

‘It seems that he had changed since the baby arrived…’

“Since the baby seems sleepy, please hand her over to me.”

While fixedly gazing at the puppy, the Duke replied. It was a warm and gentle gaze.

“I will hold her just for a moment.”

“Oh?”

“…What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Then I will prepare for her nap.”

“A nap, not a bad idea.”

With a yellow, fluffy cushion inside a small baby basket lined with layers of soft blankets, the Duke carried them and headed to his study, through the hallway, with his cloak swaying gracefully. The juxtaposition of the dignified Duke with his flowing cloak and the cute little basket was incredibly unnatural.