I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 17

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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17

Chapter 4. Isn’t That Fine (2)

“A name?”

“Yeah, a name. Since we decided to take care of it, we should give it a name.”

“Why do I have to do that?”

I tilted my head. Ah, this big head of mine. It feels like I’d lose my balance with just a slight tilt.

Mother looked quite flustered.

“Then is it okay if I give it a name?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

We’re speaking the same language, right, Mother…?

I thought Mother had misunderstood my meaning, so I quickly added:

“But what if it already has a name?”

Since it’s obviously not a newborn baby from what I can see. I thought that was a very good point, but my parents seemed to think differently.

“I want to keep it, but it’s just so cute, and if it’s not hurt, then it’s fine. I just wanted to help…”

“Oh my, we made a mistake…”

“When it gets better, it can go back. Someone might be waiting for it.”

If it has a place to return to, it would be better for it to go back.

I wanted to help the puppy, not confine it.

“Our Shana… doesn’t have any greed? She even said she doesn’t need knights.”

No, but those are people. How can you possess people?

“I want to be rich though?”

I’m not without greed.

“Shana is already rich. Daddy has lots of money! I’ll give it all to Shana.”

“Mommy has lots too. Of course it’s Shana’s.”

Seeing them confidently say they’re rich, it seems they really do have a lot of wealth. A good daughter might say, “That’s your money, not mine! I’ll forge my own path in life!” but…

There’s no need to refuse what they’re offering to give me, right?

Of course, it would be best if my parents lived with me for a long, long time. I’d like them to give me wealth, but I’d hate it if it were an inheritance.

“I want to be rich, but only if Mommy and Daddy are here.”

“Shana.”

“Shana…”

To my parents who were getting teary-eyed and trying to hug me, I firmly said, “No.” Our house has too much hugging.

“The puppy seems fine since Shana already healed it completely.”

“Ah.”

“Then we can send it back right away, right?”

“…Th-that’s not…”

Let me smell that puppy scent just a little longer.

Mother and Father’s expressions turned mischievous. Their faces full of thoughts of teasing me were very annoying, but even though I could see right through their scheme…

‘I can’t pretend to be tough… I’m reluctant to let it go.’

I want to stay together just a little longer.

“Huh? Didn’t Shana just say it’s okay to send the baby back when it’s all better?”

“Shana said it with her own mouth, didn’t she?”

“Uh, uhhh, uh…”

These people, really.

“Then we should send it right away. Should we wake up the puppy?”

“No! Don’t! It’s c-cold…”

“Puppies have fur so they’re less affected by cold than people. You can’t think of beastkin by human standards.”

“…Uh…”

“And it might be easier to move at night than during the day.”

“Uhhh…”

We found the puppy at midday when we went out for a walk after lunch. I took a good nap and finished dinner.

The winter sun set early, and I was spending time with my parents watching the puppy until bedtime.

Surely they wouldn’t send it away without even keeping it for one night?

“Since Shana says we should send it back, shall we put it near the wall where it’s easy to come and go? Come on, hand it over.”

“No! Ah, really! Mommy’s a meanie!”

Is teasing a child that fun?

Since I had said it with my own mouth, I couldn’t immediately take it back, and without time to think about what excuse might work better, I ended up whining under the barrage of teasing.

At times like this, I feel like my mind is following my body.

If I were an adult, I could have handled it more calmly. I could have said I was just trying to act tough for a moment, or honestly said I was reluctant and wanted to stay together a little longer.

More than that, I probably wouldn’t have gotten really angry at such childish teasing…

But just as a young spirit dwells in a young body, my young brain would sometimes stir up my emotions like this.

‘Even that feels unfair and sad…’

Give me back my rationality and patience that endured four years of overwork until I collapsed…

I covered my eyes with my hands and trembled my shoulders.

“Wah, wah… Wahhh…”

“Were we too harsh?”

Hmph.

“Not crying.”

“I’m not crying.”

“…My daughter is so brave….”

Mother muttered with mixed emotions. If I hadn’t been her daughter, she might have given me a good smack.

“Sorry, Shana. You were just too cute, so we did that.”

Mother obediently apologized.

What does that make me then.

“Since Mommy and Daddy were bad, today I’m gonna sleep with this one.”

“It’s not dangerous.”

I drove the point home to Father who was hesitating.

“Look at this! Showing its belly all round, drooling everywhere.”

“What’s dangerous about this?”

If this thing is dangerous, then nothing in the world would be safe…

My active persuasion combined with some guilt, and the puppy’s appearance that was too pathetically sprawled out to be wary of, made my parents decide to step back.

‘Listen, Shana. You must not take this off your body.’

‘What is it?’

My persistent persuasion, a touch of guilt, and the sight of a puppy so pathetically droopy that it seemed too harmless to be wary of all combined to make my parents decide to give in.

‘You understand, Shana. This must not be separated from your body.’

‘What do you mean?’

Yeah, this…’

Before I went to bed, my mother put a necklace on me. She was so insistent about it that I thought it might be some kind of magical item, so I asked her about it.

‘It’s nothing, really.’

He gave a very subtle response.

What is it? Saying it’s nothing makes it even more suspicious.

It was a simple necklace with a sparkling blue stone. The chain seemed to be made of gold and was on the shorter side, fitted for me as a child. If it were too long, it could wrap around my neck while I slept.

“She is pretty, but….”

It’s ordinary?

It was the kind of necklace that might have been sold in a bustling marketplace from a past life.

“May I take a look?”

Maria asked.

“Yeah, Mom is sorry.”

“May I take a look for a moment?”

“Yeah. But this won’t come off….”

“What? Is it good?”

Ever since his mother put it around his neck, it wouldn’t come off no matter how much he wanted to remove it. Maria cleverly bent down at the waist and stared intently at the necklace.

Maria is incredibly flexible.

“This is… As expected of a duchess…”

“What? Is it good?”

“It’s not just good. It’s an incredibly precious item.”

“…”

“It just looks like a rock?”

It’s not even a gem.

“It is a stone, but it’s a magical tool with several layers of protective magic cast on it. It’ll probably cost whatever they’re asking for it.”

“I could easily buy several castles with this.”

“What are you saying. If Lady Shana just whines to His Grace the Duke, he’ll buy you anything.”

“Haha. How frugal of you.”

I don’t need it, really.

“You don’t like it? I suppose since you’re a princess, a few castles aren’t enough to satisfy you?”

“Don’t tease me! This is overwhelming….”

“What do you mean? If Lady Shana just asks the Duke, he’ll buy her anything.”

“I need it!”

“Haha. I told you he’s frugal.”

I don’t need it, really.

“Don’t worry about it and go to sleep. You had a tiring day today, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, no….”

“Which is it?”

“You’re right, but no….”

Maria laid me down and placed a cushion with the puppy lying on it next to me. How small must it be to fit snugly inside the cushion like that….

‘It’s still not waking up.’

How tired must it have been. I think I need to feed it something soon, but should I not wake it up?

Maria’s gentle touch caressed my forehead.

“Oh my, your voice is dripping with sleepiness.”

“It’s bedtime… so….”

Honestly, it had been quite a tiring day.

Crying was truly an incredibly exhausting thing. Especially since I had cried my heart out thinking about Mina after so long, I was more tired than I thought.

Even though I napped for nearly 2 hours, my fatigue wasn’t completely gone, so after dinner and a brief argument with my parents, I almost fainted in the water during my bath.

But I! Overcame it!

“Puppy… pet it….”

“Yes, yes. When you wake up tomorrow, play with it to your heart’s content.”

“Puppy….”

On the hand that had petted the puppy remained the sensation of soft fur, body warmth warmer than a human’s, and a squishy feeling.

The sensation clinging to my fingertips was addictive, making me want to keep touching it.

My first addiction in my 3-year-old life….

***

“Little one. Wake up.”

“…Huh…?”

The voice that seeped into my sleep was low and gentle.

“Are you awake?”

“Huh?!”

I bolted upright. When I realized it was a voice I had never heard before, goosebumps spread all over my body.

“It’s hard to get a look at your face.”

“Who, who….”

“Over here.”

It was by the window. Buried in darkness so I couldn’t tell who it was, but it was definitely a man. I looked around, but the puppy that should have been next to me was gone.

Where’s Maria? Ella? Bailey? Mother and Father….

“You probably can’t see because it’s dark.”

“Who are you!”

“You’re spirited. Before, you could barely blink your eyes….”

“Huh?”

“Do you know how hard it was to get permission from the Duke and Duchess to come see your face? Even when I said it was to take back my companion, they wouldn’t listen….”

When was ‘before’?

The man didn’t give me a chance to speak and just rambled on by himself. Just from his low, resonant voice, he seemed like he’d be taciturn, but he’s surprisingly talkative.

“You healed the beastman.”

“…Who are you, mister…?”

“Why did you do that?”

Well….

“Because it was hurt.”

What other reason do I need besides that?

Isn’t that enough?

But anyway, who exactly are you, sir?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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