Dogs are a human's best friend 🐶
To God.
Hello? My name is Pepper.
I live with my mom in an ivory-colored house on Opetal Street. It's a seven-story house with a black gate. The room at the very top with a red geranium pot is the room my mom and I use.
They say we can't use the main stairs and have to go up and down stairs like a closet, so the adults call it the 'maid's quarters'...... I don't really know what that means!
We also have a puppy at our house. His name is Collie.
My mom washes dishes at a restaurant near our house where noble lords come. So she works late every day.
I'm not old enough for school yet, so I'm always alone with Collie.
The kids who live nearby won't play with me. They say I'm of a different social status.
So Collie is my only friend.
Before leaving for work in the morning, Mom puts a warmed stone inside the bed. It's nice and toasty, but by the time the sun rises, it cools down. When that happens, it's warm and nice when Collie and I hold each other.
Collie is brave. Last time, when the landlord shouted, he even protected Mom.
Mom and I love Collie.
I wish Collie could stay in our house forever and ever.
Are you asking if I don't have a dad? I do!
Dad is a sailor. That means he's someone who rides a ship. So he's always on a ship and only comes home sometimes.
Right now, Dad has gone out on a ship too.
I think he'll come back soon. Last year, and the year before, he always came back around when the flowers bloomed.
So, God.
Please, please......
"Please don't let Dad come back."
* * *
"So, you're asking me to look into this kid named Pepper's circumstances?"
"That's right, woof!"
"Where did you even hear this story?"
I narrowed my eyes and pressed him.
The story is too detailed. As if he heard it directly.
At my question, Dubu licked his nose with his tongue.
"This little Pepper kid has been coming to the Grand Shrine once a day lately to make a wish, woof. It's always that wish."
"Hmm."
An ivory-colored seven-story house on Opetal Street......
Could it be that kid?
'Mama!'
'Pepper!'
I recalled the wheat-haired little girl with red cheeks and the woman who looked exactly like the child, whom I'd met while walking home at dawn.
Was that Opetal Street?
It was a wealthy neighborhood where a seven-story mansion with maid's quarters might exist, so it could be right......
But even if this kid has some circumstances, how am I supposed to look into it?
"Maybe she's just scared of her dad. Since she doesn't see him often, she might be shy around him."
"Do you really think so, woof?"
"No."
No matter how scary a dad is, it's a bit strange to ask that he not come back.
Moreover, she goes to the Grand Shrine every single day to pray to God for that wish. Anyone can see it's strange.
But that doesn't mean I can barge into that house and go 'Knock knock knock! Hello! Your name is Pepper, right? Do you happen to hate your dad? Why? Why don't you like him? Tell me. This noona knows everything.' I'd be the one getting dragged away first.
"What did previous Magic Saintesses do in situations like this?"
At times like this, wouldn't following the methods used by predecessors be best?
"You're a divine beast, don't you have something?"
Like maybe a holy relic I can use for investigation, or you could find out directly using your divine beast abilities......
"That is....."
"That is?"
"The Magic Saintess has to figure it out herself!"
"......"
*Pant, pant.*
I stared at Dubu, who was tilting his head.
We looked at each other like that for a moment.
"...I thought you, Dubu, would guide me?"
"No!"
"There's no way you can help? None at all?"
"None!"
"You can't even figure out where to get information?"
"Nope!"
Good grief.
"Dubu."
"Woof?"
"What is your ability?"
"I am!"
"You are?"
"Cute!"
"......"
?
'Nothing is ever easy.'
Was gathering information part of the Magic Saintess's job too?
Isn't this the kind of thing a divine beast or a trustworthy friend...... anyway, a helper should do?
The helper should bring me the target's information, a map for infiltrating the target's mansion, the location of hidden treasure and all that, and I should just run around with my body!
Why do I have to do everything myself!
Well, I guess that's why they pay a lot!
Ugh, I was on my way back from running errands while worrying.
I'd bought about five boxes of apple pie from the teahouse to put out for the customers and was carrying them back.
"May I help you?"
"No?"
I looked up at the man who'd come up beside me and spoken.
It was him.
The silver-haired man who I'd heard would be running errands at the Grand Shrine starting today.
Silver eyelashes fluttering above blue pupils, looking like an angel......
The silver-haired man, who'd been rejected flatly, shrugged his shoulders.
"Do you really not need help?"
"Yes, I don't?"
"Really? No help at all?"
What is with this guy?
"If you want to help that badly, don't block the way and move aside...."
That's as far as I got.
Some bulky figure abruptly cut in from the side and took the entire stack of boxes I was carrying.
"Arden?"
Where did he pop out from this time?
He must have been buying newspapers; he had three different kinds of newspapers tucked under his arm. Arden placed the newspapers on top of the apple pie boxes and furrowed his brows.
"Why are you carrying such things by yourself?"
"I was just saying this person offered to help...."
What. Where did he go.
I looked around for the silver-haired man who'd vanished in an instant, but he was nowhere to be found.
What the heck, really?
Arden looked down at me, bewildered.
"Isn't that an Academy brooch on your clothes?"
"Huh? Ah! Uh. Yeah."
"Why are you wearing that? It's been ages since you graduated."
"...Well."
I couldn't exactly say, 'Actually, this is my magic weapon. When a crisis hits, this brooch goes pop! and transforms into a pop mallet.'
"It suddenly looked pretty to me......"
"So you're saying you walk around wearing a school brooch even though you don't attend school?"
"Mmhm...."
"......"
I know. How it must look.
It must be like seeing someone who graduated ten years ago still walking around draped in a cloak emblazoned with the school crest, bragging about their alma mater.
How humiliating.
"You bought newspapers!"
I changed the subject.
All day today, everywhere I went, people were talking about the Magic Saintess.
For a first incident, it was quite sensational.
"Were you reading the Magic Saintess article too?"
I asked a bit proudly.
"No."
"Huh?"
"I wasn't reading about the Magic Saintess, but the scandal article about Mrs. Scrooge and the son-in-law of the Oblonsky Merchant Group head."
"...Ah."
"This human called the Magic Saintess is an attention seeker trying to gain notice by taking advantage of the incident. I will only give my attention to criminals."
Oh.
"Isn't 'attention seeker' a bit much? She warned them not to commit crimes because she's watching."
"Who is she to watch? She should tell them to report it to the authorities instead of watching."
"Mm."
He has a point there.
"And."
"Hmm?"
"If she's so confident, she should step forward and warn them. Why does she hide and warn?"
"Because she doesn't want her identity revealed?"
"Why? I suppose she's a criminal too?"
"......"
"Whatever; if she commits a crime, I will catch her."
Oh my. He just has to do everything himself.
He'll change the world himself, catch criminals himself...... Even His Majesty the Emperor can't do all that?
I asked sullenly.
"How will you catch her? Nothing has been made public except a single letter. And if she's really the Magic Saintess as she claims, wouldn't she have abilities? How would you catch her?"
"No matter how capable she is, she'll leave traces. There's an Eastern Empire proverb,"
Arden furrowed his brows.
"Birds listen to daytime words, and dogs...... listen to nighttime words."
"It's mice that listen."
"Ugh. Mice. Disgusting."
"Anyway! And whether it's dogs or mice, it's not like they can carry on a conversation with us...... Gasp."
A dog that can carry on a conversation!
I covered my mouth with my hand and let out an exclamation.
Arden looked at me strangely as I suddenly startled myself while talking.
"Yes, that's it!"
"...What is?"
"I think I know how to solve it!"
Thank you!
"You're the best junior!"
If I succeed, I'll buy you three meals! I reached up and tapped Arden's forearm encouragingly.
Perhaps surprised by the sudden praise, Arden's face turned bright red.
Whether he did or not, I turned around and dashed toward the costume shop.
"Ah, right!"
The apple pies!
"Arden! Can you throw those back to me?!"
"...Just go ahead. I'll bring them to you."
* * *
Meanwhile, at that time.
Imperial capital, Luare. A mansion somewhere.
A man sitting in a throne-like chair tapped the armrest. Tap, tap.
"The Magic Saintess......"
This is interesting.
Though it was broad daylight, the room was dark with all the curtains drawn. Inside were the man and another man prostrated before him.
Another man lying flat with his forehead touching the ground asked,
"What will you do, Master?"
"What can I do."
I'll just watch for now.
Magic Saintess Seraphina.