chapter 82
“The White Sun Palace?”
I lifted my head and looked at the palace dyed red by the sunset.
“I’ve only ever focused on ‘sunset’ before, but now that I think about it, sunsets aren’t exclusive to Sunset Town.”
Because we had shared sunsets everywhere.
Even in the skies above this Black Dragon Castle, a dazzlingly beautiful sunset existed.
“If Solana hid her treasure, she would’ve hidden it here in Black Dragon Castle rather than in the southern Sunset Town.”
Maybe it was just my imagination, but the iron-like Ferdinand’s eyes seemed slightly moist.
It must have been that every moment he shared with Lady Solana flashed through his mind in that brief instant.
I silently watched him and then gently tapped the back of his hand.
“Chuut…!”
And then I raised my hand high.
“What are you trying to say…?”
“Chuut, chuut!”
I used every gesture and movement I could to convey my intention.
And surprisingly… my sincerity seemed to get through.
“…You? You mean you?”
“Chuut!”
Believe in the might of the Great Squirrel Brigade Captain!
That evening, in the duke’s bedroom.
“Cherry, aren’t you too busy these days?”
König said as he flicked my tail with his fingers.
His slightly narrowed eyes were clearly asking what I had been up to.
“Chuut?”
I tilted my head, pretending not to understand, while fully knowing what he meant.
Today’s secret meeting between me, Gerard, and Ferdinand would remain a secret.
I didn’t discuss it with Gerard. It was just my decision.
For some reason, it felt like it should stay that way.
Probably because I had heard König’s painful past.
“Chuut…”
I finally understood why König always left Black Dragon Castle whenever his madness cycle approached.
He was afraid someone else would get hurt because of him.
And Yellowise, having witnessed that up close, left the castle so her younger brother wouldn’t suffer because of her.
Honestly… what contradictory siblings.
They care so much for each other, but whenever they meet, all they do is fight.
Rania’s face—the half-sister who used to shout at me alongside him—briefly came to mind, but I shook it off and looked at König instead.
He really was handsome.
But huh? What’s that?
“Chut.”
After staring at König for a moment, I hopped off my small bed.
Then I climbed up his arm to perch on his shoulder.
Even though it was close to midnight, he was still reviewing documents.
It was the blueprint of the Harbor River Canal—so the project must have already begun.
Once the canal opened, Croitz would no longer need to go through the capital to trade with the western continent.
Which meant they would accumulate even more wealth.
‘And naturally, I, Cherry, who contributed to the project, should also receive a big reward…’
A sly smile slipped out involuntarily. Chut chut.
But for a large ship to pass through, the waterway needed to be widened even more.
It required massive capital, so König had been sacrificing sleep for days to review the plans.
Translation: the dark circles I had painstakingly erased from his face had returned!
“Chuuut…!”
You HAVE to sleep today!
I pushed aside the stack of documents and cleared a space on the bed.
Then—tap tap.
I slapped the soft blanket with my tiny paws, signaling him to lie down.
“You want me to lie down?”
“Chuut!”
When I nodded, König pressed his lips together, thinking for a moment, then turned back to his paperwork.
“No. I still have work. Cherry, you go to sleep first.”
“Chuut.”
Lies.
For just a split second, I caught the twitch at the corner of his lips.
He was definitely trying to tease me.
Well then, I’d play along.
“Chuuut!”
I glared fiercely and climbed back onto his shoulder.
Then—
“Chuut! Chuut!!”
Lie down! LIE DOWN, I SAID!
I shook my tiny body back and forth, doing everything I could to topple him.
Honestly, a walnut-sized creature like me trying to take down a nearly two-meter man was like throwing an egg at a boulder.
I gritted my teeth and pushed with all my might.
König didn’t budge. The most he did was tilt his head back, trying to suppress laughter.
“Chut chut!”
You could at least PRETEND to fall over!
Right as I was practically roaring and shaking him—
“Chu… chuut?”
My body suddenly lifted into the air as König finally fell onto the bed.
He burst into laughter, unable to hold it back.
“CHUUUT!!”
What’s so funny? Tell me! TELL ME!
He grabbed my flailing self with both hands and lifted me, like a child being lifted for an airplane ride.
“Cherry.”
“Chut!”
What!
“Your expression was incredible.”
He narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
‘What expression? What was incredible?!’
I glared in confusion.
“You really wanted to push me down that badly?”
He smiled strangely.
Only then did I notice his posture on the bed.
He had just showered, his wet hair falling messily, and through the slightly open robe, flawless muscles peeked out.
And then König Croitz lowered his head dramatically, almost like a wilting rose.
“Cherry… I’m not ready yet…”
…Anyone who saw this would think…
That I… I was trying to… push König down.
“CHUUUUUUUT!!”
I couldn’t even form words. I just shrieked.
“Chuut! Chuuut!”
You pervy dragon! Perverted dragon!
Let go of me!
I kicked and squirmed to escape his grip, but it was useless.
His hold was unbreakable.
“Are you calling me a pervert?”
“Chuut?”
W-wait… did he understand me?
I blinked in shock—but no. As expected.
The perverted dragon was teasing me.
“Anyone can see the pervert is you, Cherry.”
He squinted and smiled.
Since when was he this laugh-happy?
I stared at him seriously.
Was this really Duke Croitz, the man said to have no human emotions?
I narrowed my eyes.
He definitely kept me around just to tease me.
“CHUUUUT!”
No lullaby for you tonight!
I don’t care if your dark circles reach your chin!
If your beauty is ruined, that’s Lawrence’s problem, not mine!
The duke’s bedroom was filled for a long time with the angry cries of an offended squirrel.
The next morning.
“Lady Cherry, I’ve come to escort you!”
Gerard’s voice came through the closed door early in the morning.
“…Hah.”
König let out a scoff, almost dumbfounded.
No wonder—his chief aide had taken leave just to come pick me up.
“Didn’t you say you were taking leave because you had something to do?”
“Yes, I did. And that something is accompanying Lady Cherry.”
Gerard shrugged as he spoke.
König’s gaze shifted to me.
“Cherry is staying with me.”
“Chuut?”
Nope. I have things to do with him.
I leapt off König and onto Gerard’s palm.
“…”
König stared at me like he’d been betrayed, but it didn’t matter.
Because today, Gerard and I had something important to do.
Namely—
‘We promised to help Lord Ferdinand search for the treasure at the White Sun Palace!’
Yesterday afternoon, I had used every gesture imaginable to tell Ferdinand:
“Chuut! Chuut!”
I’ll help you!
Even a squirrel’s help is better than him searching alone!
Of course, more hands would be better.
“Chuut!”
And he’ll help too!
I tugged Gerard’s sleeve, and Gerard nodded reflexively.
“I—I’ll help as well.”
And so now:
“Lord Ferdinand, we’re here.”
Gerard and I walked quite a distance from the main castle to reach the White Sun Palace.
“The White Sun Palace is famous for being the most beautiful in the Black Dragon Castle. Lord Ferdinand had it built as a wedding anniversary gift for Lady Solania. Ah, we’re here now.”
And what unfolded before us was—
“Chuut…?”
This was the most beautiful palace in Black Dragon Castle…?
