At the Northern Fort

When I transferred to the fort, the One-Eyed Knight was near the stables placing a saddle on his horse——-who was a leader-like existence for the fort's horses, so I arbitrarily called his horse 'Leader'.

Kix and Tina-san were also nearby and were similarly preparing their horses and loading luggage onto their backs.

While Branch Captain-san's beloved horse Ilus was also nearby, Branch Captain-san himself wasn't around.

There was also another gallant horse who was about the same size as Leader but…….I've never seen this horse before. I wonder whose horse it was?

(I wonder where everyone's heading out to?)

I was hoping that if I tell them that I have an errand at the Capital, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone will get worried and insist on accompanying me, but it looked like everyone had work to do.

As the fairy flew in circles around me, my tail rapidly lost its spirit and despondently grew thinner.

"Uwah! When'd you arrive, Mil?"

Realising that he had almost kicked me accidentally as I sat motionlessly at the One-Eyed Knight's feet, Kix stepped back in surprise.

"Oh, you came, Mil?"

"Mil-chan! So you're dressing up with a shawl today? ……oh? What's that shining over there?"

The One-Eyed Knight and Tina-san spoke in turns.

I placed the letter that I had been holding with my mouth on the ground and responded.

"Appawenwy, it's a fei-wey. It's gonna lead me to the Capi-toel……."

As I explained how Mother had asked me to go on an errand to the Capital, a grim atmosphere began to pour forth from the surroundings.

If I act pitiful, then even if the One-Eyed Knight and everyone have some business to take care of and are unable to come, they might still have someone else accompany me instead – is what I hoped.

I'd even be fine if someone from the Scary-Faced Squad came with me.

However, contrary to my expectations, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone's reactions were quite flat.

"An errand, huh. Mil's quite remarkable."

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"It'll be quite a distance to the Capital, but if it's Mil-chan, then you'll be able to do it."

"Good luck!"

Ruffling my head fur as they pet my head, the words I desired did not come out of everyone's mouths.

This is strange. I thought they'd say something like, 'All the way to the Capital? It'll be dangerous for Mil to go alone', or 'You can't go on an errand! I'll be worried', or 'It's absolutely impossible alone. Give up".

"Wait a sec. Won't it be pretty hard bringing that letter in your mouth the whole way? I'll get a bag for you."

After receiving a quick signal with his eyes from the One-Eyed Knight, Tina-san rushed inside the building and happily began preparing so that I'd be able to leave on my errand.

This is all wrong! I wanted them to stop me from going on the errand!

"One-Eyed Knight……."

Even after I looked up at him with teary eyes, the One-Eyed Knight just said, "Mil's a good girl for going on an errand", and pet me.

What's up with everyone!? What happened to that overprotective feeling you've had up until now!? Weren't you all spoiling me rotten!?

Despite that, why is today so different…….?

My chest grew heavy. I'm sure that this is what they call despair.

"Mil-chaaan, I found something perfect."

Even though I thought that it would take more time because they wouldn't have a bag that would match my body size, Tina-san soon returned.

In her hands was a small white rucksack.

Not only that, but it was shaped like the face of a bunny, and there were unnecessarily long ears attached to the bag. Those look like they'd really get in the way.

"This is from Branch Captain Cromwell."

From Branch Captain-san? Just when in the world did he buy something like this? I'm sure that he thought it'd match the foxy me, so he had it custom-made.

After putting things into the bag, the bunny's face grew round and plump.

"Come on, try putting it on. Put your front leg here, good good……and then put your other leg here……oh my gawwwwwwd, so CUTEEE!!"

After I put on the bunny rucksack on top of my shawl, Tina-san fainted in agonised excitement.

"It suits you well."

"It's the birth of a new lethal weapon."

The One-Eyed Knight smiled as Kix joked around.

If it were the usual me, I'd get overly excited about it, but right now I wasn't in the mood for that.

Even though the rucksack was light, it was bulging out. Just as I was wondering what was inside of it, Tina-san started to explain it to me.

"I've put plenty of jerky in the bag, so eat it when you get hungry. There's also a meal for today's lunch there. It'll get messed up if you run around too much, so be careful."

As she spoke, she jammed the letter that was a bit damp from my saliva into a corner of the rucksack.

It feels a bit too big for just having jerky and a lunchbox in there.

All things considered, I'm surprised she managed to even prepare food provisions in such a short period of time.

"Thanks, Tina-san. Tell Bwanch Captain-san thank you for the rucksack…….now that I think of it, where's Bwanch Captain-san?"

I asked while turning my gaze towards Ilus.

"Right now Branch Captain's talking to the Knight Commander."

"Ah! That's right!"

My ears suddenly perked up.

The Knight Commander-san who usually stays in the Capital was supposed to have arrived yesterday. I had been so preoccupied with my own matters that I completely forgot about that.

"Is Bwanch Captain-san going to stay here forever and ever?"

"I'm sure it'll be alright. Right about now he should be discussing that with the Knight Commander."

The one who answered my question was Tina-san, but just as she finished talking, Kix took a fist from the One-Eyed Knight.

"Ow-……!?"

"You told Tina, didn't you? Even though I told you to keep it a secret."

It seems that Kix told Tina-san the undetermined information of, 'this fort's branch captain may be changed'.

Kix held his head, teary-eyed, and angrily said, "Tina! I told you to pretend that you didn't know about it!", but Tina-san didn't look all that apologetic as she offhandedly responded, "Ah, sorry".

"I have to go now, but say hello to Bwanch Captain-san for me. I'll already be gone though……"

Putting on the shawl and bunny rucksack, I let out a lonely atmosphere at our parting and slowly headed towards the gate.

When I glanced back, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone were making plaintive expressions while watching me, but nobody tried to stop me.

I put a distance of about 10 metres between us, but the three of them simply continued to calmly wave their hands.

……finding it unbearable, I turned around and returned to the One-Eyed Knight's side.

The fairy also followed after me.

I nonchalantly put my forepaw on the top of the One-Eyed Knight's foot. Then, I placed my chin on it and closed my eyes.

Today there was a clear sky with a slight chill – the perfect weather for me.

I'd like to continue sleeping like this.

"You're not going?"

As I tried to escape from reality, the One-Eyed Knight said that, sounding like he was trying to hold back his laughter.

He tried to gently pull his foot away, but I held onto his ankles with both paws, preventing him from escaping.

"Mil, you gotta head off soon or else it's gonna get dark."

He fluffed up my facial fur, but I growled and refused to let go.

Though I patiently waited like that for a period of time, neither the One-Eyed Knight nor Tina-san or Kix tried saying something like, "You want to go together?" or, "It's dangerous so don't go".

I'm sure that they've realised that I don't want to go on the errand.

Somehow I've gone beyond being lonely, and have started to get pissed.

It's fine already, geez! I just have to go alone, right!? But even if I make it to the Capital safely, don't think that I'll buy any souvenirs for you guys!

"Mil——"

"FINE ALREADY! I don't care about you guys anymore! YOU STOOPID STOOPID STOOPID△◯×◎￥●＆＃……!"

I couldn't even tell what lines I was spitting out as I ran off. Thus, I semi-desperately set off to begin my errand to the Capital.