Chapter 55
“Chuuu—chut, chut, chuutt!!”
I sucked in as much air as my tiny lungs could hold and shrieked so loudly the entire office seemed to shake.
“Cherry…?”
“Ch-Cherry Cherry?”
The dragon siblings, who had just been trading silent curses with their eyes, froze and turned toward me.
Step one: grab their attention—success.
I darted a sidelong glance at their faces, then moved to stage two.
“Chu… chuutt…”
I let out a pitiful whimper and dragged one leg as though it hurt. I bowed my head with tragic grace, blinking slowly for maximum effect.
Yes, that was the plan—
I had just curled my head into my paws with a cryptic little smile when—
“Oh nooo, Master Cherry—!”
Gerard, who had been plastered against the door this whole time, came running with exaggerated theatrics.
“Did you injure your leg? But your tiny, short little legs—how could they get hurt—!”
“Cherry, let me see.”
König reached out quickly, face hardening, but Gerard didn’t give him the chance.
“We must summon a physician at once! My lady, please bring the most skilled doctor in the duchy along with Lady Ria!”
Gerard stressed the word together, making his intention obvious.
Clever snake—he’d already guessed my aim and was trying to separate the two dragons.
“…Me?” Eloise blinked.
“Yes! Who else but you could do this?”
“Surely this crumbling old castle has its own doctor.”
“Sir Noah here is competent, yes—but Cherry is different from us. I’ve heard there’s a physician in the duchy who specializes in animals. Too haughty for us to recruit him, but if you go, surely he’ll listen!”
Gerard rattled the words off without pausing to wet his lips.
Of course, seventy percent of what he said was nonsense.
It was true that pet-specialist physicians existed now that nobles had taken to raising exotic companions. But none had ever been invited to Black Dragon Castle.
And more importantly—I wasn’t an animal.
I was a beastkin.
And most importantly of all—
This plan was supposed to be my beauty trap!
Where exactly do I look short and stubby, huh?!
I slapped away Gerard’s hand as he carelessly rubbed at me.
“Ow, that stings.”
Not that I left so much as a scratch.
But the sly snake spun even that to his advantage.
“Ahhh, the pain is so severe that Master Cherry scolds me! How terrible, how unbearable must it be in such a tiny body…”
As expected of Black Dragon Castle’s No. 1 sycophant—his acting was flawless.
Even Eloise, who had been squinting at him suspiciously, began to look concerned.
“…That won’t do. How could such a small body suffer so? Cherry Cherry, trust this big sister. I’ll fetch the most skilled doctor in the Empire, if not the duchy.”
Even König wasn’t immune.
“Tch… We’ll continue this conversation later.”
He backed down without another word.
“Chuut.”
To think the mighty dragon siblings could be led around by one conniving snake. Black Dragon Castle, is this really okay?
***
Eloise vanished like the wind, and thus my beauty-trap-cum-fake-injury plan came to a swift end.
Later, König and I returned leisurely to his chamber.
“Cherry, are you really all right?”
Even though the ruse had already been exposed, König still examined me anxiously.
“Chuut.”
I told him I was fine.
To prove it, I bounded across the plush bed, vaulted off the frame, and demonstrated some of my most dazzling rolls and flips.
All honed during the brutal fight for survival on Bear Mountain.
Back then, I couldn’t even climb trees properly. I was a greenhouse squirrel at best.
I crossed my arms smugly and nodded—
Tap.
A single finger pressed onto my head.
He only did that when he had something serious to say.
“Cherry.”
“Chut?”
“Just so you know, I’ve never once had something of mine stolen.”
His voice dropped lower in the stillness of night.
I gazed up at his golden whirlpool eyes and nodded.
“Chut.”
Yeah, I could believe that.
König had always been different from other nobles—less greedy, but never inclined to share what was his.
Of course, who in their right mind would dare covet the Duke of Kreutz’s possessions?
I chuckled under my breath.
“But even if it’s my sister.”
His eyes bored me. His tone was firm, carrying a will that would not bend.
Wait. Don’t tell me this dragon…
My brows furrowed as realization struck.
“Chut?! Chu-chut?!”
You’re planning to break your deal with Eloise and swallow the mine whole?!
I scolded him instinctively.
Even for the Kreutz family, taking on needless risks was reckless.
The auction could yield massive gains, yes—but if the crystal vein proved false, the loss would be devastating.
To maximize chances, he needed Eloise’s intel.
No one outgathered the Rose Trading Company. From the Imperial capital to the frozen north, their network reached everywhere.
With Eloise as an ally, risk could be shared.
It made perfect sense.
How do I convince him…
I frowned, pondering—
Then he stroked my head, and suddenly pulled my cheek out wide.
“Chut?! Chu-chut! Chu-chut!!”
What the—?! Let go!!
I flailed against his two fingers, pride stinging more than the pain.
I was the leader of Bear Mountain! Hero of Black Dragon Castle!
This treatment was outrageous.
What did I even do wrong?!
I buried my face in the blankets, glaring—
And he answered.
“Don’t go plopping yourself on just anyone’s lap.”
“…?”
I doubted my ears.
Wait. Was this whole tantrum because I’d sat on Eloise’s lap?
Unbelievable.
“Chut!!”
That was for your sake!
I beat my chest in frustration.
If not for my fawning act, Eloise wouldn’t have come to the office at all. We wouldn’t have learned she had a crystal in her possession.
But—
“Traitor squirrel.”
“…Traitor squirrel?”
I nearly toppled over at the thunderclap of those words.
König just scowled, twisting my tail around his fingers.
And as if that weren’t enough—
“That’s the kind of thing Gerard would do.”
The final blow.
Wait—Gerard?
Gerard sat on Eloise’s lap?!
I tilted my head—then nodded.
Yeah. That snake would do anything to survive.
It made sense.
“Chut…”
I nodded solemnly, impressed all over again by Gerard’s shameless adaptability.
Still, at least I didn’t sit on your lap, right?
I glanced sideways—
But König, who had been toying with my tail a moment ago, was already asleep.
These days he could sleep without my lullabies, though he still clung to my tail sometimes.
He must’ve been exhausted, with Eloise’s sudden appearance and all. No wonder he’s worn out.
I tugged the blanket corner with my teeth and pulled it up to his shoulders.
Then I prayed silently for him to dream in peace, deeper and deeper.
And now…
It was my turn to move.
