CBDBS l CH 82

Chapter 82

“The Hundred-Day Palace?”

I lifted my head and looked at the palace glowing in the sunset.

“Until now, I only focused on the word ‘sunset.’ But when I thought about it… sunsets don’t only exist in Sunset Town.”

We had shared sunsets everywhere.
Even above Black Dragon Castle, the sunset was breathtakingly beautiful.

“If Solania hid her treasure somewhere, I think she’d hide it here in the Black Dragon Castle, not in Sunset Town.”

Maybe it was my imagination, but Ferdinand’s firm eyes looked a little watery.

Perhaps, for just a brief moment, every memory with Solania flashed through his mind.

I quietly watched him and then gently tapped the back of his hand.

“Chuut…!”

Then I raised my little paw high in the air.

“What are you trying to say…?”

“Chuut, chuchut!”

I waved my paws and used every gesture I could to get my point across.

And surprisingly, my meaning seemed to reach him.

“…You want to help me?”

“Chuut!”

Of course! Trust in the strength of the mighty squirrel commander!

***

That evening, in the duke’s bedroom.

“Cherry, aren’t you too busy these days?”

König asked, curling my tail around his finger.

His narrowed eyes clearly asked, What are you up to lately?

“Chuut?”

I tilted my head, pretending not to understand, even though I knew exactly what he meant.

Today’s secret meeting between me, Gerard, and Ferdinand was going to stay a secret.

I hadn’t discussed it with Gerard—it was just my own decision.

For some reason, it felt like it had to be kept quiet.

Maybe because I knew König’s painful past now.

“Chuut…”

I finally understood why König always left Black Dragon Castle whenever his madness returned.

He was afraid… afraid that someone else would be sacrificed because of him.

And Eroise, seeing that, left the castle too—because she didn’t want her younger brother to suffer.

What a contradictory pair of siblings.
They cared so much for each other, yet fought whenever they met.

For a second, the face of my half-sister Lania, who often yelled at me, flashed in my mind.
But I quickly shook it off and looked at König instead.

He was way too handsome.

Wait, what’s that?

“Chut.”

I stared at König, then jumped down from my little bed.

Climbing up his arm to his shoulder, I peeked at what he was doing.

Even near midnight, he was still studying papers.

They were blueprints for the Haver River Canal.

If this waterway opened, Kreutz could trade with the western continent without going through the capital.
That would mean massive wealth.

And if this succeeds, surely Cherry will get a nice reward too, right?

I couldn’t help but smirk slyly, chutchut.

But big ships needed a wider channel, and that required enormous money.

König had been losing sleep for days, reviewing the plans.

Which meant… the dark circles I worked so hard to erase were back again!

“Chuut…!”

Enough! You need to sleep tonight!

I pushed aside his stack of papers with all my strength and cleared a spot on the bed.

Then pat pat—I smacked the blankets with my paws, signaling him to lie down.

“You want me to lie down?”

“Chuut!”

I nodded firmly.

König bit his lip as if thinking it over, then turned his gaze back to the papers.

“No, I still have work. You go ahead and sleep, Cherry.”

“Chuut.”

Liar.

For a split second, I saw his lips twitch—he was holding back a smile.

He was definitely teasing me.

Fine, then I’d play along.

“Chuut!”

I glared at him fiercely, then scrambled up his arm again to his shoulder.

“Chuut, chuut!”

Lie down! I said lie down!

I rocked back and forth with all my strength, trying to topple him onto the bed.

But honestly, me—tiny as a walnut—versus a two-meter dragon duke?

It was like throwing an egg at a boulder.

I pushed with all my might, but König didn’t budge.
The most he did was tilt his head back, trying not to laugh.

“Chutchut!”

You could at least pretend to fall over!

I roared (as much as a squirrel can) and kept shaking him.

Then suddenly—

“Chut…?”

I felt my body float as König finally let himself fall onto the bed.

He burst into laughter, unable to hold it in.

“Chuuu!”

What’s so funny?! Tell me!

He grabbed me in both hands, lifting me up like a child playing on an airplane.

“Cherry.”

“Chut!”

What now?!

“Your expression was amazing.”

König narrowed his eyes with a mischievous smile.

What expression?

I glared in confusion.

“Did you really want to throw me down that badly?”

That’s when I noticed—he really was lying in bed now.

His wet hair from the shower lay in messy strands.
His robe had slipped, showing off his well-built muscles.

And then—like a rose bending under its own weight—König tilted his head down.

“Cherry, I’m not ready yet…”

Anyone could tell what that looked like.

I… I had just… pushed him into bed…?!

“Chuuuuu!!”

I screamed, unable to form real words.

“Chuut! Chuuut!”

You pervy dragon! Dirty-minded dragon! Let me go!

I thrashed my arms and legs, but his grip didn’t loosen at all.

“Are you calling me a pervert?”

“Chuut?”

Wait—did he actually hear me?!

I blinked in shock, but of course not.
He was just teasing me again.

“You’re the pervert here, Cherry.”

König squinted, smiling slyly.

Since when did this dragon laugh so easily?

I stared at him seriously.

Was this really the cold, emotionless Duke Kreutz?

I narrowed my eyes.

This dragon was clearly keeping me around just to tease me!

“Chuuuuut!”

Fine! No lullaby tonight!

Let your dark circles reach your chin!
Let your beauty fade! I don’t care! Lawrence will be the one crying, not me!

That night, the duke’s bedroom was filled with the angry squeaks of one very annoyed squirrel.

***

The next morning.

“Lady Cherry, I’ve come to escort you!”

Gerard’s voice came from outside the closed door.

“Hah.”

König let out a dry laugh, clearly annoyed.

After all, Gerard’s main duty was to serve him, yet here he was, taking leave just to come for me.

“Didn’t you say you took time off for something important?”

“Yes. That important task is helping Lady Cherry.”

Gerard shrugged, and König’s gaze turned to me.

“Cherry is supposed to be with me.”

“Chuut?”

Nope. I’ve got work with Gerard.

I hopped past him onto Gerard’s open palm.

“….”

König stared at me with a betrayed look.

But it didn’t matter—today, I had a mission with Gerard.

And that was—

Helping Ferdinand search for Solania’s hidden treasure in the Hundred-Day Palace!

Yesterday afternoon, I had thrown myself into wild gestures until Ferdinand finally understood.

“Chuut, chuchut!”

I’ll help you!

It’ll be better if you don’t search alone. Even a squirrel’s help is better than nothing!

Of course, more hands would be useful.

“Chuut!”

He’ll help too!

I tugged Gerard’s sleeve until he nodded in confusion.

“Y-yes, I’ll help too.”

And so, here we were.

“Ferdinand, we’re here!”

Gerard and I walked quite a distance from the main castle until we reached the Hundred-Day Palace.

“The Hundred-Day Palace is famous as the most beautiful part of Black Dragon Castle. Ferdinand built it as a wedding gift for Lady Solania. Ah, we’re here now.”

And before us spread—

“Chuut…?”

This… was supposed to be the most beautiful palace in Black Dragon Castle…?