🦊 🦊 🦊
DINNER turned out to be a lively affair. Giusto, Severin, Janus, and Embert joined all the usual suspects. We discussed the upcoming Founding Festival and how we’d spent the afternoon. Eventually, the conversation shifted to the assassins. According to Severin, Pieno hadn’t met with the merchant in the gazebo yet.
“The next attempt will probably happen tomorrow or the day after,” Embert said. “A clever assassin would probably strike during the sword fighting tournament. After all, that’s when Prince Giusto will be preparing to appear in public. Imagine the sheer number of people coming, going, and switching shifts. An assassin would have no better opportunity to slip in. There’s also Prince Giusto’s speech to consider.”
Giusto nodded. “I agree with you wholeheartedly. Starting tomorrow, the servants will be busy preparing for my ascension ceremony and the following celebration. Many people, including merchants, will come and go from the castle. That will give Uncle Pieno the perfect opportunity to meet with his intermediary.”
Everyone’s expressions turned grave. The sword fighting tournament would be Pieno’s last chance to murder Giusto. The assassins would likely attack in full force. If we caught Pieono’s meeting on “camera,” we could possibly thwart them beforehand. In other words, we also had the chance to round up the assassins in one fell swoop. Naturally, this fired us all up.
Giusto’s sudden chuckle cut through the tension. “Forgive me,” he said. “You’re all so reliable that I don’t feel an ounce of fear towards the assassins. I have Prince Embert—the future wise King of Gandolfin—as well as the omnipotent Lord Janus by my side. I even have the holy woman, her divine beast, and all her friends to protect me. Could I ask for better allies?”
He’s right about that. Our group has already saved the world once, after all. How could we lose to mere assassins?
Everyone grinned in response to Giusto’s words. Before long, a peaceful air enveloped the dinner table again.
“Oh, in other news, the dungeon transformed again,” Embert said.
My hand, which had been using a knife to cut into fish, stopped. “Really?”
“Indeed,” Giusto replied. “I just received a report from the guild. The transformation occurred because you and Prince Embert defeated the final boss.”
The dungeon transformed naturally or when someone defeated the final boss. This time, the change had occurred due to the latter.
I turned to Custode. “Does that mean different enemies will appear now?”
“Mostly likely,” the dragon replied.
In that case, I had to visit the dungeon again. When I glanced at Embert, I found him grinning back at me. If I had my fennec ears right now, they would have been standing straight up. My tail would have been swishing back and forth as well.
“Do you want to come with me, Em?” I asked.
Embert smiled approvingly. “Yes, of course. I’m glad you asked this time. We can go after breakfast tomorrow.”
“Awesome sauce!” I exclaimed. I dropped my utensils out of sheer excitement, not caring how ill-mannered I appeared. In response, everyone froze, looking at me with wide eyes.
“Yes, the cause appears to be overexcited emotions,” Custode said. “Just as I presumed.”
His words caused me to freeze as well. Julietta studied me from across the table, her gaze fixed on the top of my head. It wasn’t just her either. Everyone was staring at the top of my head. On my left, Embert examined me with an entranced expression. There was no denying it now.
“S-S-So cute!” Julietta cried.
The twins started making a fuss as well.
“Are those real, Ally?” Cita asked. “My Goddess, they’re adorable. Let me touch them later.”
On my right, Janus touched the ears that had presumably sprouted from my head. My shoulders twitched, causing him to laugh.
“Are these adorable ears a side effect of the curse or something?” he asked, still caressing them. “Based on his expression, His Highness already knew about these, I presume?”
I nodded up and down, squirming at the ticklish sensation.
“Hmm, perhaps you should switch seats with me,” Janus said. “Sitting next to His Highness might be unsafe in your current state.”
That’s Janus for you. He knows Em like the back of his hand.
As Janus took my hand to help me up, Embert grabbed my other hand.
“Don’t go,” he pleaded with a spellbound expression. “Having those adorable ears exposed to everyone else is shocking enough, and now you’re going to leave my side?”
My danger sense went on high alert.
“Your Highness,” Janus said. “Please fix that ogling, slack-jawed expression on your face. Otherwise, I’ll make certain you never come near Ally again.” Despite his grin, my brother seemed all too serious.
“And I’ll burn you to a crisp,” Custode added with a smirk.
Embert let go of my hand, on the verge of tears.
“What’s this?” Janus asked as we switched seats, appearing to notice something. “Do you also have a tail, by any chance?”
My fluffy tail was discernible even beneath my dress. I didn’t miss the sudden gleam in all my friends’ eyes. In particular, Severin’s obsidian eyes sparkled like the night sky. His expression read, “Would you consent to becoming my guinea pig, Lady Alexandra?” No, I absolutely would not, thank you very much. If I didn’t force everyone to back down ASAP, I would be in danger of going bald again.
I took a deep breath while sitting down again, praying I would return to normal soon. From then on, the conversation revolved solely around my fennec ears. Fortunately, they disappeared on their own after a short while.
As I told Severin and Giusto about my brief stint as a fennec fox, the final course arrived. Everyone dug into their fruit crepes and sherbert.
“Could it be…?” Giusto murmured. When I cocked my head, his lapis lazuli eyes stared straight into mine. “Were you the one frolicking around in the greenhouse while covered in sand?”
My face stiffened. Giusto was more terrifying than I gave him credit for. Was he really going to bring that up now in front of everyone?
“I see,” Giusto said with a delighted chuckle. Apparently, my reaction had confirmed his suspicions. “You were the fennec fox this whole time. That little creature was truly adorable.”
Seriously? I thought while staring at Giusto. Did he do that on purpose? Or is he just a huge airhead? Does he not notice the sinister aura radiating from Em? I can’t even bring myself to look to my left right now.
I focused on my dessert again, heart pounding in my chest. Meanwhile, Squishy deftly used a spoon to eat the dessert provided for him and Custode. That charming sight helped calm me down somewhat.
“When did you learn to use a spoon so well, Squishy?” I asked. “You’re so clever.”
“Truly,” Cita agreed, grinning at the slime. “It’s surprising how intelligent he is.”
Thanks to Squishy, a peaceful atmosphere enveloped the dining room again. When I stuck my fork into an apple slice, my last bite of dessert, Custode squeezed my hand.
“Hm?” I asked. “What is it?”
The dragon’s golden eyes watered. “Do you mind giving me that fruit? Mine was so sweet and delicious.”
Squishy was staring at me, too. In the end, I folded beneath their pleading gazes. “You guys are too much,” I said. Thus, I used my fork to cut the apple slice in half and gave one portion to each creature.
“Squishy,” the slime cheeped.
“Delectable,” Custode agreed.
As I laughed at them munching on fruit, Giusto grinned at me.
“You’re like a jewel box,” he said.
I furrowed my brow, unable to understand his words. “How so?”
Giusto regarded me even more warmly. “During our few days together, you’ve shown me so many different expressions and aspects of yourself,” he responded with a chuckle. “It’s like someone upended a jewel box. You really are a captivating woman.”
“Thank you,” I replied, not entirely grasping the analogy.
I’ll take that as a compliment, I guess?
I heard a sharp snap from Janus’s other side. Curious, I turned to see Embert holding a fork broken cleanly in two.
“Forgive me,” he said, his sinister aura filling the room. “I misjudged my strength.”
What was going on? Did he not like that I’d given Custode food?
“Please calm down, Your Highness,” Janus warned. “Ally is just clueless.”
Embert’s sinister aura vanished in response to these words. That said, what was I clueless about, exactly? When I looked at Janus, he merely chuckled. Likewise, my friends regarded me with smirks or exasperated expressions. Seriously, what was going on?