Baby Squirrel Is Good at Everything

An envoy arrived empty-handed, bringing nothing but words of commendation to a household that had fought hard in a defensive war.

A perfect setup for an insult.

"You showed up alone when it came to war support, and now you're doing it again?"

Carl clicked his tongue, looking at his foolish friend as if it was all too predictable.

The royal family had only sent a single member to "support" the war, and that gesture had been received with nothing but resentment.

Considering the humiliation Aether had suffered back then as that "single royal member," it was downright unfair that he had been sent alone once again.

Aether simply shrugged playfully.

"You came all this way just to deliver that message?"

"No, there's one more thing."

Bowing respectfully to the Duke, Aether then winked and spoke lightly.

"His Majesty has asked that I remain in the North until the gratitude for the hero of the Great War has been fully conveyed."

'The First Prince must really be bothering him. The King immediately sent him back up here so he wouldn’t be able to gain a foothold in the capital.'

The Duke easily saw through the King’s true intentions.

Sending him to a dangerous battlefield had backfired—rather than getting rid of him, it had earned the First Prince immense renown. Now, to prevent him from consolidating power in the capital, the King had banished him back to the North.

"Oh, and should any additional battles arise, I am available to participate."

"We have no need to borrow a prince’s sword."

Even so, despite essentially being exiled to the battlefield, the First Prince had made full use of his abilities and accumulated accomplishments.

As a comrade-in-arms, the Duke didn’t think poorly of him.

"I’ll prepare a guest chamber for you. Stay as you please."

"Thank you, Duke."

Offering this much hospitality was the least he could do.

"However, do not set foot on the floor adorned with golden acorns."

Of course, this courtesy did not extend to anyone who might have intentions toward his precious child.

"Golden acorns…?"

"Oh, the new decorations on Tailfur’s floor. She likes them," Carl interjected.

"Hm."

Satisfied, the Duke nodded approvingly at Carl’s words.

"First Prince. Keep that in mind."

"…I'm forbidden from entering the acorn-decorated floor?"

"Exactly."

Do not go anywhere near my child!

The Duke shot him a cold, piercing glare.

'An engagement? Over my dead body!'

Even now, the mere thought of the royal family trying to arrange his daughter's betrothal while he had been away at war made his blood boil.

Even if the First Prince was different from the rest of his family, he could not be trusted.

Any man who tried to get close to his innocent daughter would meet his blade.

"Duke Aslan…?"

Aether had no idea why the Duke was suddenly staring at him with such murderous intent.

* * *

In her room, Beatty had changed into her comfortable nightwear and was hugging a pillow.

‘I slept too much earlier, and now I can’t fall asleep.’

The maids had fussed over her, insisting she needed rest after how exhausted she had been that morning.

So, even though she had obediently climbed into bed, sleep remained elusive.

"Phew."

She sighed, debating whether to read a book, when suddenly, she felt someone tug at her sleeve.

"Hm?"

—Crumb.@@novelbin@@

Beatty’s eyes widened.

"You!"

The creature grasping her pajama sleeve was a white squirrel—a magical beast.

Ever since arriving at the Duke’s estate with her, the squirrel had taken to lounging about, and its belly had grown slightly rounder, making it even more adorable.

But tonight, her squirrel friend looked different.

—It’s me.

Raising both tiny paws confidently, as if expecting recognition, was none other than the Constellation Squirrel.

Beatty shot upright.

"What exactly were you trying to tell me before—"

—There’s no time for that. I can’t stay for long.

The Constellation cut her off and turned.

—Hurry and follow me.

"Wait!"

With a light hop, the Constellation leapt off the bed and sprinted forward.

Tatatata.

It slipped through a slightly open window, darting outside.

Beatty quickly followed onto the balcony.

"Where exactly—"

Hooah, hooah.

Panting slightly from the sudden chase, Beatty glanced around, looking for the Constellation.

But then—she heard an unexpected voice.

Not the quick chattering of the squirrel, but a low, soothing boy’s voice that was strangely familiar.

"Byul-ah."

‘…Huh?’

At the sound of that name—one she hadn’t heard in so long—Beatty froze for a moment.

Who had ever called her that so affectionately?

As she searched her memories, her gaze landed on a dark figure.

A misty black cloud tinged with blue.

Like a piece of the night sky itself had been torn off.

Inside that swirling cloud, a pair of golden eyes gleamed vividly.

As if pleased to see her, the dark mist coiled, circling around her.

"You!"

She recognized him instantly.

Even though it had been so long, there was no way she could forget.

"This…"

A lump rose in her throat.

Her lips trembled as she bit back the emotions that threatened to spill over.

The figure before her—this dark cloud—was her very first friend.

‘Ritter!’

"Yeah. It’s been a long—"

But before he could even finish his shameless greeting—

"You traitorous bastard!"

Thwack!

Beatty’s righteous fist shot forward.

"Huff, huff."

After relentlessly punching him for a while, she finally paused, arms aching, to catch her breath.

Unfortunately, despite taking every hit head-on, the bastard didn’t seem particularly affected.

"Oww, ow, ow."

Even after all her effort, he remained completely unfazed—but as soon as Beatty looked at him, he pretended to be in pain.

Zing.

Her glare sharpened.

Sensing the danger, the black mist cautiously spoke up.

"Byul-ah, what’s wrong? Is it because I didn’t come to see you all this time?"

The bastard had the audacity to act as if he were still her friendly childhood companion.

The more he feigned familiarity, the angrier she became.

"Sorry. I took too long, didn’t I?"

"What kind of sick joke is this?"

"Huh? A joke? Hmm… Are you really mad?"

Still acting clueless, was he? Beatty shot back coldly.

"You think I wouldn’t know? Ritter!"

"!?"

His golden eyes widened within the mist.

Hmph. At this point in time, he probably thought I didn’t know his name.

And he was right.

Back then, her very first beastkin friend—the only one who had ever been kind to her—

That’s why… I was so easily fooled.

A real prince who looked just like the ones in fairy tales. Those golden eyes, so similar to the ones her childhood friend had in his beastkin form, appearing only at night…

"What, golden eyes?"

He had been the only person kind to her. So, out of hope, she had asked.

"My one and only friend… Yeah. The beastkin who came to you before—that was me."

At first, his expression had been tense, but soon, Ritter had admitted it, smiling gently.

He had claimed the "cloud beastkin" was nothing more than a magic trick, promising never to lie again.

A lying bastard.

That same smiling face from back then overlapped with the beastkin standing before her, pretending to be confused.

"Wait, hold on. Ritter?"

"Don’t play dumb."

The swirling mist hesitated slightly, looking flustered. But for all she knew, that too was an act.

"Oh. I see. You want me to call you ‘Your Highness the Prince’ instead?"

"That’s not what I—"

Annoying as it was, if he tried to use his royal status to pull rank, she would have no choice but to oblige.

"Not that the mist disguise is doing you any favors now."

"…What?"

Seeing the way the mist recoiled, Beatty scoffed.

"I already know everything."

"…You know?"

"Yes."

Back when she was a naive child, she had believed that whole "cloud beastkin" nonsense.

But now she understood—no such beastkin existed in this world.

He must’ve hidden it because if I realized he was a snake beastkin, I’d immediately figure out he was a prince.

"You’re a snake."

"A snake?"

"You can try hiding behind that mist all you want, but I already know. You’re a snake beastkin."

"Me?"

His innocent-sounding response only made him seem more insufferable.

Beatty spun on her heel.

"Anyway, Prince Ritter. I have nothing to say to you, so I’d like you to leave now."

Hmph!

If he was here expecting an apology for slapping him, he could forget it.

"No, wait."

"Move."

"Hold on! I think there’s been some kind of misunderstanding."

As if.

As long as this beastkin was Ritter, Beatty wouldn’t believe a single word that came out of his mouth.

"For starters, I’m not a snake beastkin."

"Oh, sure."

Her tone made it clear she didn’t believe him at all.

The black mist hesitated for a moment before finally sighing.

When she turned to leave, he called out.

"Wait!"

With a deep exhale, he dispersed the mist.

"Huh?"

Beatty’s eyes widened.

He’s… not a snake?

Though his body was covered in scales similar to a snake’s, he was clearly something else.

A thick, long form, adorned with distinctive horns and sharp claws—this was no snake.

The beastkin before her finally spoke.

"Will you believe me now?"

"You’re… not a snake beastkin?"

"Right. If I were, I wouldn’t even be able to speak like this."

Come to think of it…

When she had been in her squirrel form, she could only speak in squeaks.

Beastkin couldn’t speak human language while in their full beast form.

Beatty hadn’t known this, but the only beastkin capable of speaking while transformed were dragon beastkin, who were considered half-divine beings.

But that wasn’t the issue right now.

"Then… you’re not Ritter?"

"That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!"

He looked utterly baffled.

"Why on earth would you think I’m Ritter?"

"Because…"

Because Ritter himself had told her so.

Wait…

So Ritter lied about that, too?

Though the misunderstanding was cleared, an even bigger question remained.

Why?

What did he have to gain by pretending to be her first friend?