“Haku is… helping me so that when I hold the sword, it becomes a little easier.”
Lucius narrowed his eyes.
“A familiar has an aura?”
“To be exact, I am not yet sure myself. That is why I am receiving counsel from a professor of the Department of Special Familiar Arts.”
“Counsel?”
Lucius’s voice hardened slightly.
“Elysia, why did you not inform the family first of such an important matter?”
The words were close to a rebuke, but worry was mixed in as well.
Elysia lowered her head.
“It was because nothing was certain yet.
And I did not want to treat Haku carelessly… or make him look like a test subject.”
The parlor fell quiet once more.
I looked up at Elysia.
Her hands were trembling ever so slightly.
But her voice had not fled.
Perhaps sensing that as well, Lucius paused for a moment.
Camilla looked at Elysia as if surprised.
“Sister, you speak more clearly than before.”
At those words, Elysia was slightly flustered.
“Camilla?”
As if avoiding eye contact, Camilla swept her hair back.
“It’s a compliment. Don’t take it strangely.”
Then she looked at me again.
“So you’re that Haku. The one who made our sister like this.”
There was still pride in her tone, but the sharpness had lessened from before.
I quietly looked at Camilla.
When her eyes met mine, she hesitated briefly.
“…Your eyes are pretty.”
‘Suddenly?’
As if belatedly realizing what she had said, Camilla coughed.
“No, I mean—for a familiar.”
Lucius let out a short sigh.
“Camilla.”
“What is it, Brother? I didn’t say anything strange.”
“You are free to call a familiar you just met pretty, but we are in the middle of an important conversation.”
“I know that much.”
Listening to the two of them talk, some of my tension eased.
It seemed that even the people of House Valerion were, in the end, still family at heart.
Strict, sharp, and mindful of appearances, but within them was a heart that worried for Elysia.
Gradeon watched that quietly before speaking.
“Elysia.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“Is that child your choice?”
The question was brief.
But what was being asked was not light.
Elysia looked down at me.
I stayed still in her arms.
She was silent for a moment before answering.
“At first, it was a child I had picked up.”
At those words, I slightly moved my ears.
A rainy day.
The moment Elysia lifted me up, soaked and collapsed, came to mind.
Elysia continued.
“But now… it is a child I wish to have by my side.”
Lucius’s gaze softened slightly.
Camilla looked at Elysia without a word.
Gradeon closed his eyes, then opened them.
“Then protect it.”
“Pardon?”
“If you have chosen it, protect it. Not because it is a familiar. If it is a bond that has changed your sword, you must bear the responsibility together.”
The words were heavy but strangely warm.
Elysia slowly bowed her head.
“I will keep that in mind.”
This time, Gradeon looked at me.
“And you, little fox.”
Me?
I perked up my ears.
“If you intend to help Elysia, help her properly.”
‘Of course.’
I nodded my head without thinking.
In that instant, all three people in the parlor stopped.
Ah.
I’d made a mistake.
Lucius’s eyes gleamed sharply.
Camilla’s mouth opened slightly.
Gradeon chuckled lowly.
“As I thought, you understand.”
I was done for.
I immediately tilted my head like a baby fox that knew nothing.
Too late.
Far too late.
Elysia was biting her lip slightly.
I couldn’t tell if she was holding back laughter or flustered.
Camilla spoke slowly.
“Just now… you answered, didn’t you?”
Lucius also looked straight at me.
“Elysia. To what extent does Haku understand speech?”
Elysia hesitated briefly.
But it was already a situation that could not be hidden.
“He understands simple words. And he can answer by nodding or shaking his head.”
Camilla’s expression changed strangely.
First, surprise.
Then, curiosity.
And finally, interest in a very dangerous direction.
“Then… did you understand when I called you pretty?”
I averted my gaze.
Camilla’s face turned slightly red.
“H-Haku.”
Why is she calling me.
I pretended not to know until the end.
Lucius watched that and fell into deep thought.
“A familiar with intelligence…”
“Brother.”
Elysia’s voice held a hint of tension.
Lucius soon seemed to understand her meaning and nodded.
“I understand. I will not speak carelessly of this.”
At those words, Elysia’s expression relaxed slightly.
Lucius looked at me again.
“Haku. I am Lucius von Valerion. Elysia’s older brother and the successor of House Valerion.”
He introduced himself very politely.
As if to a person.
“I have heard that you are being of help to Elysia. Then I, too, shall not treat you lightly.”
I looked at him for a moment.
He was a cold and strict person.
But at least his words now sounded sincere.
I nodded my head slightly.
This time, it was on purpose.
Lucius also seemed to recognize that, and slowly nodded his head.
Camilla watched that and slightly pouted.
“Then I guess I have to do the same.”
She straightened her posture.
“I am Camilla von Valerion. Elysia’s younger sister.”
And after a brief hesitation, she added.
“…If you make our sister cry, I won’t let you off.”
I stared at her.
So this child was worried too in the end.
It was just that her expression was a bit sharp.
I nodded slightly once more.
Camilla was strangely even more flustered.
“You really do understand.”
Lastly, Gradeon spoke slowly.
“Gradeon von Valerion.”
He said only his name.
But that name carried sufficient weight.
“I am an old swordsman.”
A lie.
I immediately thought inwardly.
That person was absolutely not just an old swordsman.
As if reading my expression, Gradeon narrowed his eyes and smiled.
“I like the look in your eyes.”
This time, I did not nod.
Because it felt like no matter what reaction I gave, he would dig deeper.
Elysia held me a little closer.
“Haku seems tired. We also went to the Holy Council and the Department of Special Familiar Arts today…”
“I see.”
Lucius was the first to step back.
“Today, this much is sufficient.”
Camilla looked at me as if reluctant.
“Can I see you again later?”
Elysia looked down at me.
I pondered briefly.
Camilla seemed a bit of a tiring type, but she did not look malicious.
I nodded.
Camilla’s expression brightened just a little.
“Good.”
Lastly, Gradeon spoke to Elysia.
“Elysia.”
“Yes.”
“Do not hide your sword. Just because it has not yet drawn blood does not mean it is broken.”
Elysia’s eyes wavered.
Gradeon continued.
“And if that fox shows you the path, walk without fear.
However, you must not simply rely on it. The sword must ultimately be held in your own hands.”
Elysia slowly bowed her head.
“Yes, Grandfather.”
There was a little more strength in that answer than before.
Hearing that voice, I closed my eyes, then opened them.
My first meeting with the Valerion family.
More nerve-wracking than I thought, more exposed than I thought, and not as bad as I thought.
At least they were worried about Elysia.
And they no longer saw me as merely a simple pet.
Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, I did not yet know.
On the way out of the parlor and toward Elysia’s room, she let out a small sigh.
“I’m sorry, Haku. You were tired, weren’t you?”
‘A little.’
“You must have been surprised that the family suddenly arrived.”
‘Yeah. Especially Grandfather.’
Sensing my thoughts, Elysia smiled slightly.
“Grandfather is sharp.”
‘Too sharp.’
Really.
I thought I would have to be even more careful.
In this house, there are many people who will not simply see me as a cute fox.
Lucius analyzes, Camilla digs in, and Gradeon sees right through me.
And someday, I would properly face Count Leopold and Lady Isolde too.
Just thinking about it was already exhausting.
But Elysia was holding me tightly in her arms.
That warmth was strangely comforting.
“Still, none of them hate Haku.”
‘I know that.’
“Brother is strict but trustworthy, and Camilla’s words are a bit sharp, but she is not a bad child.
Grandfather is… scary but a good person.”
‘So you admit he’s scary.’
Elysia smiled slightly.
“Yes. A little.”
We arrived at the room.
When Elysia closed the door, my tension finally eased.
The moment I was set down on the cushion, I curled my body into a circle.
I was truly tired.
But today, one corner of my heart felt strangely light.
I had informed the Holy Council of the Richard issue.
I had told Professor Bern part of my identity.
And I had met the Valerion family for the first time.
Little by little, very slowly.
The things I had been hiding in this world were beginning to touch those around me.
Of course, I had not told everything.
I had yet to speak of the Moonshadow Blade, the Gumiho, or that I was a man.
But.
Elysia’s family saw me today.
Not as a small silver-pink fox, but as a being that was changing Elysia’s sword.
I covered my face with my tail and thought.
‘…Things are getting bigger and bigger.’
And with that thought, drowsiness washed over me.