I’m The Brave Puppy That Will Save The Villainess - Chapter 19

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

Episode 19

“Chloe helped save the tiger.”

“…What? Save it?”

“Yes! Chloe helped!”

I stared at Lea, who firmly believed the tiger was dead.

“Hmm… So, Chloe helped you, I’ll have to report just this testimony.”

She stared at me intently and turned off the recording device.

“I’ll report this case as is. Tsk, of all things, grabbing a rotten rope.”

“I didn’t grab any rotten rope!”

I held out both my empty hands.

She was about to mock me but immediately made a horrified expression.

“Ugh, disgusting!”

Judging that she had achieved her plan, she frowned and immediately left.

I looked down at my palm.

‘Oh, there was a mantis.’

I put the mantis friend down on the floor.

Sister said prison was dirty and absolutely wouldn’t show me, so I didn’t know!

My eyes sparkled and my nose naturally started sniffing.

‘Come to think of it, I heard humans get thrown in prison and stuff.’

Usually dogs don’t get put in prison.

So I guess I really became human.

I whispered softly to a small spider crawling along the floor.

“Hello, spider!”

This feels just like taking a walk in a new place!

* * *

“…So, she looked extremely depressed. Even when I went, she wouldn’t look at me and just kept her nose buried in the corner.”

These were the words of a maid who had secretly snuck near the Bastille Annex and been chased away.

Upon hearing this, Ruth stamped her feet in fury.

“Damn it. This is insane.”

“She’s probably crying…?”

“Killing a child’s spirit over just one tiger! Living humans are important, not animals! Right? Isn’t that right?”

As Ruth raged, Dot quietly muttered.

“It’s not just one tiger though. It’s a spirit beast.”

“What? If I say it is, then it is.”

“I’m sorry. But this is really serious for Little Master. They might consider other punishments beyond just disownment.”

As soon as Dot finished speaking, Chloe’s face contorted.

“Shut up and stop making noise.”

The atmosphere in the annex had somehow turned gloomy.

After the maid who finished her report withdrew.

Ruth, Chloe, and Veterinarian Dot.

The place where the three sat together literally had the atmosphere of a funeral home.

Ruth beat her chest as if frustrated.

“That old man’s going senile. Locking up that tiny child in a prison cell? It’s something only beasts lower than humans would do.”

“Oh my, Ruth. If you speak like that, you’ll be exiled to a foreign country again.”

“Ha, the old man isn’t even here… Dot, are you a spy?”

“Th-there’s no way!”

Ruth furrowed her brow as if tired.

“First, I think we need to meet Father. Chloe, you’ll go see Father, right? He favored you the most after all.”

“…”

When Chloe made an expression as if thinking about something, Ruth pointed at him accusingly.

“What’s with you? You’re not going to persuade the old man?”

“…”

“Then you’ll at least go see where Coco is, right? I’m going now. To see the little one. Want to come with me?”

“…Why would I.”

“Still, that tiny little one likes you the most. Following you around like a puppy.”

“So what.”

Ruth’s gaze swept over Chloe from top to bottom.

“You’re really a terrible person. You know that? Fine. I’ll go alone then. I’ll persuade the old man too. At most I’ll get sentenced to 30 years of exile, what else could there be? Huh?”

“Oh no, Ruth!”

Despite Dot’s attempts to stop her, Ruth kicked back her chair and left.

Even until then, Chloe only remained there with his finely trembling hands clenched.

* * *

“Hey, open the prison cell door.”

“Yes, yes? This isn’t a prison cell… The official name is ‘Bastille Annex’…”

“What are you saying? Everyone knows you’re using it like a prison cell. Open the door.”

“Lady Theresia has forbidden outsiders from entering. Since she’s the proxy of Madam, the owner of the mansion, we can’t do anything about it…”

“Ah, I don’t care! Then lock me up too. I want to be locked up in a prison cell right now too, okay.”

“H-how could we l-lock up a direct bloodline member in p-prison…”

“Then shut your mouth and open the door.”

The soldiers looked at each other and had a conversation with lip movements.

‘Wasn’t Ruth’s 10 years of studying abroad meant to reform her delinquent personality?’

‘She came back even more of a delinquent, didn’t she?’

A soldier who gathered courage opened his mouth.

“If you destroy the prison, no matter if you’re Ruth, you’ll be punished according to family law…”

“Wow, am I going crazy?”

Ruth raised his hand.

As wind flowed from his hand, the soldier immediately shut his mouth.

Ruth glanced at the soldier as if brushing away an annoying insect.

“Enough, all of you get lost.”

After dealing with the soldiers using his special ability, he threw the door wide open with a bang.

And.

In the corner of the small room, he could see a round back of a head.

A palm-sized little kid just staring blankly at the wall, Coco.

Had she already gone crazy?

It would be understandable for a young child to go insane after being locked in prison.

Furious, Ruth clenched his fists and strode into the prison.

“Hey, Coco.”

Coco, who had been staring blankly at the wall, turned her head.

The moment their eyes met.

Coco was about to cry…

“Wow! It’s Ruth!”

…She wasn’t crying, but looked bright and cheerful?

‘No. That clever little one is probably acting like this so I won’t be upset.’

He pressed his aching chest and muttered.

“When Father comes, I’ll get you out, so just wait a little.”

“No, I can get out on my own anyway!”

“How can such a tiny thing get out alone.”

She looked small and precious like a round cloth doll.

As if those curly hairs would flutter like yarn at any moment.

“Anyway, aren’t you cold?”

“Yeah! There’s so much interesting stuff!”

He sat down roughly on the prison floor and muttered.

“Well, yeah. I’m not cold either. I’ll stay here with you.”

“It’s okay. Anyway, when the tiger comes back to life in ten hours…”

“The tiger is dead, you fool.”

“No, the tiger is alive. Sister and I saved it together.”

“This is maddening, really. When we should be begging on our hands and knees.”

It was when he hit his chest a couple of times as if frustrated.

Coco’s lips pressed together stubbornly.

“Sister told me before. People look cool when they’re pushed to the very end and then make a ‘comeback.'”

“Huh?”

“So I’m going to become even more pitiful for now. Then Sister can be much happier later.”

What on earth was this tiny child scheming?

Comeback, happiness…

It’s as if she’s holding some kind of trump card for a comeback.

‘But the tiger should definitely be dead.’

Ruth ruffled her hair frantically with a frustrated expression.

But just then.

Along with clicking sounds, the sound of someone walking from afar could be heard.

Then, a woman with a cool impression appeared.

“Ruth, I told you not to cause trouble in prison.”

“…Chloe Ardos?”

At Chloe’s name, Coco’s eyes widened greatly.

“Sister shouldn’t be here.”

“Why?”

“Here, it’s too dark here…”

Ruth said nonchalantly.

“You don’t know? She’s a darkness mage. She handles darkness. So she can see well even in the dark. I’m the one with dim eyesight, so worry about me instead.”

“No, that’s not it. It shouldn’t be this pitch black and dark…”

Why is she acting like that?

I thought she’d be happy when Chloe came.

Instead, she looked unstable.

* * *

Chloe tucked her hands inside her dress.

Her finely trembling hands wouldn’t calm down any further.

This was a symptom she felt whenever she entered darkness she hadn’t created herself.

People thought she liked being buried in darkness.

But that wasn’t the case.

“Lady Chloe, you must survive even in darkness.”

“…”

“Only then can you become a true heir to the family. If you don’t intend to disgrace the Duke’s great work, endure it.”

In her childhood, Chloe had been confined in a damp underground for a week without food.

When she escaped from the pitch-black darkness, her father, having learned the facts, killed her master.

But still.

‘Even if the abuser dies, childhood wounds last long.’

So she rarely went into the basement of her own mansion.

She hated how her body trembled in unexpected darkness.

But why on earth.

Coco stamped her feet and muttered.

“We need to get out quickly! Dark is no good, Lady Chloe likes warm sunlight.”

Why on earth, from that appearance…

Does he think of that small puppy that used to lick the back of his hand as if soothing his own wounds?

Actually, I knew the reason.

‘The only being that gave me such pure affection and worried about me was my dog.’

For just a brief moment, Coco overlapped with the child’s voice that seemed to worry about him.

When she forgot everything she was going to say and stared at Coco.

Coco suddenly stood up and pointed accusingly.

“Really, why did you come!”

“Why, do you have a problem with it?”

“Don’t come to save me! It’s dangerous here!”

“Your speech is short.”

“How is my speech short? There are no horses here.”

This kid…

Is an idiot.

“…I meant speak formally. I came here because I have something to say. Not to save you.”

She rubbed her face dryly and looked outside the prison.

“Ruth, what have you been doing while you’ve been here? Use your head.”

“You don’t know me. My head is originally just decoration, you know?”

Ruth shrugged her shoulders.

“So how exactly am I supposed to use my head?”

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