ushernet Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Elodie, suddenly flustered, completely forgot that she was being carried and instinctively tried to sit up.
Losing her balance, she teetered precariously.
Unprepared for the sudden movement, Eisen lost his grip.
"Ah—!"
She was falling—falling from a height of two meters!
Bracing for the pain, she squeezed her eyes shut—
But before she hit the ground, rough, wrinkled hands caught her effortlessly and pulled her back into a firm embrace.
"You reckless brat. Be more careful."
"......"
Elodie blinked in a daze, securely nestled in his arms.
"You said you saw that nerve poison would paralyze me completely, didn't you?"
"Mm-hm..."
"Then that's enough."
...That’s enough?
That was it?
‘So he’s decided to just accept that I saw the future through some divine revelation.’
In truth, it was simply a memory from her past life.
But if this misunderstanding kept her out of trouble, that was fine with her.
Elodie sighed in relief and hesitantly rested her head against him.
He was massive and utterly unyielding.
And somehow, in that moment, she felt completely safe.
"Was Hamilton a really bad person?"
"Hm?"
"Not just the part about making you unable to feel anything. Did he seem like he wanted to hurt you more than that?"
"Me?"
Eisen stopped walking.
His expression made it clear that he thought she was talking nonsense.
"That bastard was a small fry. Even if I had been poisoned, he wouldn't have been the one to kill me."
Ah, just as she thought.
Hamilton hadn’t seemed like someone with a grand scheme to eliminate the Duke and rise to power.
More like a pathetic man blinded by revenge, acting impulsively.
‘So something else must have been responsible for the Duke’s death.’
...Was it really overwork?
Maybe she should start sabotaging his work so he wouldn’t wear himself to death.
She was seriously considering her options when—
"Stop calling me 'Your Grace'."
"Mm?"
"Call me Grandpa."
Elodie blinked.
Her thoughts screeched to a halt.
"Go on."
Eisen poked her on the nose, snapping her out of her daze.
"...Grandpa."
"No. Say it properly—Grandfather."
Thud.
Eisen knocked his fist lightly against her head.
It didn’t hurt, but the slight sting made her puff out her cheeks in protest.
"You told me to say it!"
Grumbling, she rubbed her head and mumbled,
"...Grandfather."
"Good. Now, who exactly are you worrying about?"
If she hadn’t known the future, she never would have worried about him.
"If someone dared to poison my food, I would at least admire their courage. They’d have to be prepared to swallow explosives themselves."
"...I don’t think Hamilton thought that far ahead."
Especially not against someone like this.
This approach was very Duke Valkyrisen.
"If you want to leave, I’ll take you back to your room."
"I, I..."
The choice was hers.
Elodie hesitated.
Her ears twitched, picking up the whispers of the staff.
"Maybe she’s scared of the head chef?"
"Me?"
The bull beastfolk, Tauros, pointed at himself in disbelief.
"But I’m a vegetarian."
"Yeah, but you’re huge. You look terrifying."
"Should I cut off my horns?"
"...How would that help?"
"Just stand at the back."
The other staff quickly shoved him into a corner.
Then, with eerily forced smiles, they turned to Elodie.
They were clearly trying to make her feel at ease.
But the way they were smiling only made them look more unnerving.
"......"
They were having such a ridiculous conversation.
Elodie let out a small cough, realizing she had completely overreacted.
Fear had clouded her mind so much that she hadn’t even heard anything properly.
"I’ll... stay."
Eisen glanced down at her and smirked.
"Nothing to be afraid of. Since His Majesty entrusted you to me, you are under my protection."
Elodie recalled what he had said before.
That if someone wanted to poison him, they had better be willing to swallow explosives.
‘He is reliable.’
At least while he was alive, she had nothing to worry about.
Straightening her back, she forced herself to stand tall.
"Nice to meet you, little miss. Would you like a cookie?"
...To poison me?
Maybe she wasn’t quite ready to overcome this fear just yet.
Her instincts immediately screamed suspicion.
But she clenched her teeth.
If I can’t even handle this, how am I supposed to break the Ratson curse?!
Taking a deep breath, Elodie declared,
"I came to plan Grandfather’s meals."
"...What?"
"His meals!"
The kitchen staff blinked in confusion.
Eisen, standing silently with his arms crossed, clarified,
"She means his diet."
"Ah, I see!"
A kitchen assistant scurried off to grab parchment and ink.
Then, suddenly remembering something, they asked,
"Wait, can she even write yet...?"
...What do they take me for?
Elodie may have been a mouse, but she was an elite mouse.
She was literate!
With her tongue sticking out slightly in concentration, she clumsily scribbled on the parchment.
Meal Plan
Wheat
Sunflower seeds
Fl-flour...?
Strawberries