“Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Seeing Carren stood there, staring intently instead of leaving, Leciel’s gaze followed his.

Then, somehow, Mimi, who was usually hidden in the bed, came into view.

‘Oh!’

Why was she out here!

Oh, come to think of it, this was her room.

It seemed like she quietly waited in the room and showed herself upon hearing a voice, happy to reveal herself sneakily.

But Leciel couldn’t reveal Mimi’s true identity like this, especially since she hadn’t received permission from Kael to have Mimi with her.

With that thought, Leciel quickly rushed over and held Mimi close.

Mimi seemed to enjoy being held by Leciel, as she nuzzled against her face with a soft cooing sound.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, my favorite doll…?”

Leciel was thinking about what could be a safe and not too strange reason to introduce Mimi in this situation, said awkwardly.

However, this remark only piqued Carren’s interest.

This was because Leciel’s demeanor seemed as if she was trying to hide something that shouldn’t be discovered.

“Your favorite doll?”

“Yes. I can’t sleep without her. As you know, I’m just a 10-year-old child.”

“… you don’t seem young enough to need to sleep with a favorite doll.”

“There’s no age limit for having a favorite doll.”

Despite saying this confidently, Leciel hadn’t actually hugged a favorite doll since kindergarten, but she was confident.

“I guess dolls these days even make sounds. I think I heard a strange noise earlier.”

As if in response to Carren’s words, Mimi peeked out from Leciel’s arms again and made another soft cooing sound.

“Well, my favorite doll is special, so it makes noise when I hold her or press her tightly.”

“I didn’t hear any noise from other dolls.”

“Well, not all dolls are the same, so how can they make the same sound?”

While it was uncertain if there were dolls that made sounds here, at least in the place where Leciel originally lived, there were many such dolls. The sounds they made varied.

“Okay, maybe it does make a sound, but it seems like the doll is moving right now?”

Carren’s gaze was fixed on Mimi, who seemed to be wriggling in Leciel’s arms.

“Oh, that’s me, I moved her!”

As she spoke, Leciel took Mimi’s front paws and playfully moved her like a doll.

“… hmm.”

Despite Leciel’s explanation, Carren still looked suspiciously at Mimi.

Though Leciel continued to insist it was a doll, it clearly wasn’t, it was a living creature.

Claiming it was a pet might have been less suspicious.

Moreover, there was something foreign about that creature that looked like a rabbit at first glance.

As if it was not an ordinary animal.

Thus, Carren briefly entertained the suspicion that it might be a monster, but the aura was too vague to tell if it was a monster or not.

And according to Carren’s knowledge, monsters like that didn’t exist.

A monster smaller than a baby rabbit.

‘What should I do?’

Although it didn’t seem particularly dangerous, it was a suspicious creature.

Leciel’s attitude of hiding its identity only deepened Carren’s doubts.

After a moment of thought, Carren decided to let it go.

After all, it was his father who brought Leciel here. Therefore, the decision about the creature Leciel brought was also his father’s responsibility.

He had no authority to say anything about it.

If she kept hiding the creature from his father, the situation would change later, but eventually, his father would find out despite Leciel’s efforts to hide its existence.

“Do as you wish. But you need to explain properly to my father.”

“Well, I was going to tell him anyway.”

“Then do so.”

As if uninterested, Carren got up and left the room.

While doing so, he told the servant waiting outside to guide Leciel to his father’s study.

Since Leciel didn’t know the layout of the mansion, it seemed she wouldn’t be able to find his father’s study on her own.

And he refused to bother taking her again.

Meanwhile, Leciel looked at Carren’s actions with a strange expression.

Even when they were talking with Kael, she felt that Carren seemed subtly considerate and caring, but he pretended not to.

At first glance, he seemed incredibly indifferent and cold.

‘Well, that’s nice.’

Although she wanted to get closer to Carren because of what she knew about the ending of the novel, she didn’t want to be close to someone she didn’t like.

Fortunately, Leciel rather liked Carren.

His discreet kindness and favor felt quite nice.

With that, Leciel headed to Kael’s study with the servant who received Carren’s orders.

In Leciel’s arms, Mimi hid like a doll.

A little later, Leciel arrived at Kael’s study.

“What’s the matter?”

It hadn’t been a while since they parted, so Kael asked Leciel, who had come to visit again, with a puzzled expression.

“I have something to tell you.”

“Wasn’t that what you did earlier?”

“That was one thing, but there was another thing I forgot to mention.”

In fact, what she had wanted to say earlier was about Mimi.

Since that didn’t come to mind, she brought up the contract instead.

In any case, she should have talked about the contract anyway.

“By any chance, is that thing you want to tell me related to what’s in your arms?”

From the moment Leciel opened the door and entered, Kael noticed the presence hidden in her arms and asked sharply.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Leciel confirmed, nodding obediently, and cautiously glanced at Kael.

If it were Kael, he could have recognized Mimi’s identity as soon as he saw her. So, it was a delicate subject to bring up.

Even though she seemed as gentle and adorable as a pet before her, she was ultimately a monster.

Kael might not allow such a Mimi.

“Well… do you remember Mimi?”

Since they had spent almost a week together in the monster forest, he might remember.

In that case, it would be easier to persuade him.

“The monster that we spent time with at the kid’s house had that name.”

“That Mimi… followed me here all of a sudden!”

Leciel said, slowly revealing Mimi in her arms.

Kael’s gaze fixed firmly on Mimi.

In Kael’s memory, Mimi was much larger than she appeared now.

But why was she so small now?

Certainly, based on appearance alone, it seemed to be the monster named Mimi.

“… she’s small.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that either, but apparently Mimi can change her size.”

“Change her size?”

Kael looked skeptical.

So far, having faced countless monsters, he had never seen one changing its size at will.

“I tested it just to be sure, and it turns out it’s really possible.”

“Hmm.”

Kael looked somewhat incredulous. At the same time, he was a bit confused about how to accept this fact.

Leciel wasn’t an ordinary kid, and now it seemed that the monster accompanying her wasn’t ordinary either.

“I think that’s why she was able to follow me secretly.”

With a body this small, it wouldn’t be difficult for her to hide in the luggage.

“That’s amazing.”

It wasn’t just about the monster’s ability to change its size.

The monster’s aura also seemed as blurry as its size.

If not, he would have noticed the monster’s existence long ago.

If that was the case, she wouldn’t be able to follow them secretly.

‘I had a feeling before, but she really like that kid.’

He knew the monsters were friendly towards her, but it was especially so with Mimi.

Even so, he hadn’t expected to find her secretly following them to such an unfamiliar place.

Considering that she had come all this way without knowing where Leciel was going, simply to follow her, it indicated more than just a simple kindness or liking.

This only deepened her doubts about Leciel.

Why would the monsters, who were friendly to Leciel actively seek to keep her away from leaving the monster forest to the point of acting hostile?

And why was she abandoned in the monster forest in the first place?

Surely there must be a reason.

Even though Leciel herself didn’t know, it would be wise to investigate further, especially since he had decided to keep her under the protection of the family.

That way, they could be prepared for any unforeseen events.

Just in case it became a problem and caused difficulties.

And also, to ensure Leciel didn’t end up in danger.

“Anyway, that’s why… could this child also stay with us? She followed me all this way because she likes me, and I feel bad about driving her away…”

Leciel was exceedingly cautious when seeking Kael’s permission.

She knew it was not something Kael would easily agree to.

‘Hmm.’

Upon hearing Leciel’s request, Kael fell into deep thought.

The fact that the perceptive child was asking for permission to let Mimi stay with them implied that Mimi held a special place in her heart.

Although knowing that it was probably not a good idea, she couldn’t bring herself to drive her away, and maybe there was a glimmer of hope that he could grant her permission.

‘How should I do it?’

As Mimi was not just a simple pet but a monster, Kael found it difficult to make a hasty decision.

Mimi had a relatively mild temperament for a monster.

Unlike the other monsters Kael had encountered while with Leciel— that would constantly eye him with the desire to devour him—Mimi seemed indifferent unless someone bothered her.

However, a monster was still a monster.

If news got out that a monster was being kept at the Grand Duke’s estate, it would undoubtedly cause trouble.

Especially if Mimi were to attack someone, it would be an even bigger problem.

So, naturally, refusing was the right thing to do.

But seeing the hopeful, pleading gaze fixed upon him, he found it hard to be firm and turn her down.

‘… is this what a <doting father> is like?’

At that moment, Kael sympathized with other fathers who couldn’t say no to their daughters no matter what they asked for.

“Fine, can you promise?”

“Yes! I promise Mimi won’t attack anyone or cause any trouble. And I’ll make sure no one finds out that Mimi is a monster.”

Leciel hastily replied, fearing she might miss this opportunity.

Looking at Leciel, Kael wore a conflicted expression.

Kael knew how meaningless and futile the word <never> could be.

There was nothing in the world that would <never> happen or had a <never> chance of occurring.

But for some reason, he wanted to believe Leciel’s words.

Only then could he allow her to stay with Mimi as she wished.

In the end, there was no other choice.

Kael let out a small sigh.

“You must absolutely keep that promise.”

If that promise were broken, it wouldn’t just be a matter of being chased away; Mimi’s life would be at risk.

“Uncle…!”

Understanding Kael’s permission from his words, Leciel ran over joyfully and hugged his leg, sitting beside him.