Silver Wolf?
(Pleased to meet you again. I’m Pearl, Joan’s familiar, a Fenrir.)
(I’m Rosso, also Joan’s familiar. A Carbuncle.)
(I’m Meteor, Big Sis’s underling and familiar, a White Demon Owl. ’Sup.)
Pearl and the others gave up on waiting for me to introduce them and started introducing themselves.
"Ah, th-thank you very much for your courtesy. I am Tony Tigger, fourth son of the Tigger ducal house of the Ania Kingdom. And this is my escort, Gator Ordile, son of the Viscount Ordile."
"I serve as Young Master Tony’s escort. I am Gator Ordile, fifth son of Viscount Ordile."
Both of them dropped to one knee like knights and greeted Pearl and the others.
"Tony, you don’t need to greet them *that* formally…"
"No, Young Lady Joan. In our Ania Kingdom, it is told that back when Ania was still just a single settlement, it was the strong and wise Fenrir who repelled threats from other nations and allowed Ania to become the kingdom it is today. And so—"
Tony, talking excitedly before the very Pearl who was the ancestor of Ania’s founding Fenrir. Beside him, Gator was tearing up.
"Huh. I see… Hear that, Pearl?"
(Why are you throwing this to me.)
"Uhh… just felt like it? So should I be worshipping Pearl too?"
(Stop it. I’m only here now because you helped me. Ania has nothing to do with it.)
At Pearl’s words—
"What… So Pearl became your familiar out of gratitude for being saved by you, Young Lady Joan? Then Young Lady Joan is a benefactor of the Ania Kingdom?"
"No, no, no, Tony, that’s not it. Lift your head—! Mr. Gator, you too, stop! Hey, Pearl, do something!"
(You’re telling me to stop them, but you want me to fix it? Really?)
At Pearl’s murmured comment, Tony and Gator jerked their heads up.
(Hahaha, humans usually try to hunt me down and make me theirs, but in Ania it’s Pearl they’re after.)
(Yeah, pretty much.)
"““(……)””"
Rosso and Meteor had been silently eating meat while listening up to now, but once they said that, all of us went silent… And everyone thought, yeah, that tracks.
"T-Tony! Mr. Gator! Pearl is a Silver Wolf!!"
(Y-yes. I’m Pearl the Silver Wolf. Got it?)
"“Yes!! Understood.”"
For now, the situation settled down… but we absolutely had to keep Pearl’s existence hidden from Ania’s envoys.
＊＊＊＊＊
Five days after Tony and Mr. Gator started staying at our home, the envoys from the Ania Kingdom and the Elfa Kingdom finally arrived. The next day, just as originally planned, the execution of the criminals was carried out under the envoys’ supervision.
Once the king’s castle sent word that all post-processing was complete, I took Tony and Mr. Gator and used the teleport door to head from our estate in the capital to the castle.
"Tony, I’m glad your family came to pick you up. Was it your brother?"
"Yes. My eldest brother. And also the captain of our family’s knights."
"Oh, so the one picking up Mr. Gator is the knight captain."
"Yes. Gator was apparently an orphan, and the captain took him in as his foster child."
"I see. Then with both families coming to get you, you two must feel relieved."
"Yes!"
When we reached the castle, I thought we’d be shown to the audience chamber, but instead we were guided to something like a receiving room. Though of course it was far larger and more splendid than the receiving room of any ordinary noble’s estate.
Father told me it was a room meant for conversing with foreign guests.
When we entered, Count Reluta and his wife, Ed, Young Lady Saelmira, and little Rabby were already there. Seeing us enter, Count Reluta called out.
"Margrave Lampail, thank you for all your efforts this time. Allow me to express my gratitude once again. I never imagined my niece was involved… Truly, thank you."
"Count Reluta, raise your head. His Majesty acted quickly and gave proper orders. I merely carried them out as his vassal."
"Even so. From what my wife and Edrahil told me, your care at the General was also appropriate."
"Ah. That was thanks to Joan’s Search S."
"Yes, Edrahil told me. Not just the skill—he said your cooking was delicious as well. As a token of thanks, I’d like to send some specialties from my domain…"
While Father and Count Reluta were talking, I chatted with Ed.
"How are Young Lady Saelmira and Rabby? Doing better?"
"Yeah. Their appetite is gradually returning. And the hospital meals you taught me—Rabby said they were tasty."
"Oh, the porridge. It’s good for mornings when you don’t feel like eating. Easy to digest too."
"True… Oh right. Like Father said, we’ll send some of our domain’s specialties."
"What are the specialties of the Reluta domain?"
"Wheat."
"Great! Then when I make something at the dorm again, I’ll share some."
"Yeah, I’ll look forward to it."
"I’m glad we have something Lady Joan will enjoy."
"Thank you, Count Reluta."
"No no, I should be thanking you. You saved my niece. I’m sorry it’s just wheat…"
"Not at all. With wheat, you can make bread and sweets, and also udon. Even pasta if you try hard. If you have buckwheat flour you can even make soba…"
"Udon? Pasta? Soba?"
"Ah, umm, noodle dishes. From the eastern lands."
While I explained noodle dishes to Count Reluta, the Countess approached.
"Young Lady Joan, soba—is that the plant with white flowers? If you grind its seeds, you get a dark wheat-like flour."
"Yes, do you know it?"
"Yes. It was often eaten at my family home. If you wish, I can have some ordered."
"Really!? Please!! If possible, could I have it before grinding?"
"Before grinding? Is that acceptable?"
"Yes! If possible, I’d like to try growing it at General."
"What? Will it grow in the Exzaria Kingdom?"
"Yes. The soba I know is hardy and can grow even in poor soil, so if it’s the same variety it should be fine."
Huh? Father and Count Reluta suddenly started thinking about something. Why?
Uhh… did I say something weird?
What do you think about this chapter?
