The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella

“Elodie of Ratson, do you wish to play with Grandfather?”

Edmund smiled kindly, completely missing the point.

“…Yes.”

Elodie swallowed her urge to vehemently deny it.

If she didn’t go along with the excuse, Eisen might confiscate the hammer the moment she tried using it, and she wouldn’t be able to do anything remotely related to healing.

The Duke raised a skeptical brow, then tossed out a dismissive reply.

“Useless nonsense.”

“…That’s really the best answer you could come up with?”

Edmund sighed—only to be immediately punished for it.

“Ow!”

Elodie watched as the boy’s soft cheeks were stretched mercilessly, his face scrunching up in pain.

And yet, all she could think was—

Did a physician really say he had fifty years left?

At that rate, wouldn’t he be the oldest person in the world?

Of course, even at a glance, Eisen looked not just healthy but overwhelmingly strong.

Maintaining that physique at his age wasn’t something just anyone could do.

Then why did he die?

Sure, no one ever really knew when or how they would die.

But of all people, the man who looked like he could outlive the end of the world dying of sudden heart failure in five years?

That was suspicious.

Most of the time, when a powerful figure died suddenly, there was a high probability it had to do with food.

“In that case…”

Elodie trailed off, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.

“…Start checkin’ everythin’ you eat.”

“…Checking?”

Elodie nodded.

She didn’t bother saying out loud that someone might try poisoning him.

There was no way to explain how she knew that without raising suspicion.

Since Edmund had given her the excuse of ‘playing doctor,’ she had no choice but to run with it.

“If y’ wanna live long, y’ gotta eat right!”

Elodie placed her hands on her hips, scolding him like an old physician dealing with a stubborn, difficult patient.

For once, Eisen didn’t immediately scoff.

Instead, he made the face of an old man thoroughly unimpressed with ‘kids these days.’

“As long as food goes into your mouth, you’re eating properly. Honestly, young ones today…”

That’s true!

Elodie almost agreed with him on instinct.

This was exactly the mindset of someone who had survived war.

She, too, had lived like that as a rat.

People should be grateful for whatever they could eat!

These modern humans were too spoiled!

She had been so hungry once that she broke into a garden and ate pollen—only to almost get eaten by a cat.

…But she obviously couldn’t say that.

So she firmly shook her head.

“No. Y’ gotta check everythin’. Meal plans need balance.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.”

“We gotta double-check everythin’. Seriously. I’m gonna test you later.”

Edmund, still rubbing his sore cheeks, let out a soft laugh and nodded along.

“Grandfather, you should listen to the doctor’s orders.”

“…”

Duke Valkyrisen simply stared down at Elodie.

As if he were looking at the strangest creature he had ever seen.

And then, with an exasperated, couldn’t-care-less tone, he muttered—

“Only once.”

***

When they arrived at Valkyrisen Castle, every single pair of eyes in the welcoming party was fixed on Elodie.

“The Ratson Young Lady?”

“She’s really from that Ratson family?”

“The lost Ratson baby…?”

“It’s true! She looks exactly like the portrait!”

Elodie immediately buried herself in Sera’s embrace.

I didn’t know I was this famous…

But thinking about it, it made sense.

The High Priest’s daughter—the only heir—going missing must have been a massive event.

I just didn’t know because I was in Terranolia.

There was probably no beastfolk alive who hadn’t heard about her disappearance.

And now that they were seeing her alive and well, of course they’d be fascinated.

But…

Being watched by so many people made Elodie feel horribly afraid.

For a mouse to be the center of attention?

That was the same as a death sentence.

"Prepare to die."

I mean, I know I’m a beastfolk now, but…

Fifteen years as a mouse.

Even if she’d just found out she was actually beastfolk, it wasn’t like she could flip a switch and go, Oh! I’m a beastfolk now!

Her hands and feet kept trembling.

Her eyes frantically searched for the nearest hole to hide in.

“Elodie?”

Sera looked down—then gasped in shock.

Elodie was frozen stiff, drenched in cold sweat.

“When did this happen?”

She wasn’t even speaking!

No—she needed to call a doctor right now—!

Panic rising, Sera turned to call for Edmund.

“I’m not sick.”

Elodie tugged on Sera’s sleeve, shaking her head vigorously.

“I-it’s j-just ‘cause there’s too many people…”

To be exact—

She was terrified that any one of them could decide to kill her at any moment.

But she didn’t want to worry Sera more than she already had.

So she left that part out.

“I-it’ll g-go away soon.”

Sera pressed her lips together, silent.

Elodie hadn’t explained in detail, but Sera already understood.

“Elodie, close your eyes for a second?”

Sera gently rubbed Elodie’s eyelids.

When Elodie reflexively closed them, Sera moved her hand, guiding Elodie’s head into her embrace.

“Cover your ears and count to 100. By the time you finish, all the scary things will be gone.”

“…”

“I’ll hold you like this until you say you want to get down.”

Of course, she’s like this.

How was it possible for one person to understand a mouse’s perspective so perfectly?

How could anyone be this empathetic?

That was why Sera was the most special person in the world to her.

A literal angel come down to earth…

Even in this state, Elodie still found time to be delusional.

But she obediently raised her hands to cover her ears.

She didn’t like being treated like a child, but she wasn’t about to reject Sera’s kindness.

“One… two… three…”

As she started counting, Sera gently stroked her round little head, as if praising her for doing well.

Meanwhile, Edmund glanced back at the sudden sound of counting.

The moment he saw Elodie curled up in Sera’s arms, he immediately understood the situation.

Then, his gaze swept across the gathered servants and knights—who were all pretending they weren’t watching.

“…Sir Howlf.”

“Yes.”

A massive man—who had slowed down his steps to glance at Elodie—hurried to his young lord’s side.

Edmund, despite being far from small himself, was practically engulfed by the knight’s shadow.

“No matter how cute she is, staring so obviously is rude. You’re scaring her.”@@novelbin@@

“…My apologies. But why am I the only one getting scolded?”

Everyone was staring.

Howlf grumbled, sounding thoroughly wronged.

Edmund gave him a long, pointed look.

“…Because you look the scariest.”

“…”

“Are you unaware that your gaze alone is enough to terrify small children?”

“…There’s no need to say it twice.”

“Dismiss your knights. And tell them not to move in groups for now.”

Howlf’s wolf ears and tail drooped miserably.

“…Yes, sir.”

As the wolf beastfolk sulked, another man sneered at him, then quickly stepped forward.

“I will personally ensure the Ratson Young Lady’s safety.”

“You?”

The lion beastfolk knight commander of the Golden Order—Leopard.

Though leaner than Howlf, his body was still packed with solid muscle.

Edmund gave him a once-over.

Leopard, grinning confidently, tilted his chin upward—his sharp fangs gleaming.

“You’re not any better.”

“…”

“Do children not burst into tears when you smile?”

“…No? But I’m handsome.”

“…”

“…I apologize.”

Under Edmund’s disgusted glare, Leopard quickly surrendered.

But his voice was still filled with regret as he mumbled,

“What if… I just tell her I’m a cat…?”

“Do you think that would work?”

He was **talking about a girl who had spent 15 years living as a mouse—and he thought he could fool her by calling himself a cat?

Edmund gave him a look of pure contempt.

Then, as if he had seen enough idiocy for one day, he turned his back and announced,

“No predatory beastfolk are allowed near the Ratson Young Lady for the time being.”