The Seven-Year-Old Village Chief in Exile - Chapter 40

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 40
The Clavis Clan has been exterminated, and I am known to have died in exile.
So this Title Deed in my possession was nothing but trash fit only for kindling.
“Hey, wait a minute.”
Ian spoke up.
“Among all the rumors surrounding the Clavis family, there’s exactly one that has to do with titles.”
The rumor that someone too lazy to play noble gave their Title Deed to a dog.
“What.”
Libi was just as stunned as I was—though Ian seemed especially incredulous, muttering that he couldn’t believe it even though he’d been the one to mention it.
“I always thought that rumor was fake.”
“I was absolutely convinced it was a lie until just now.”
“So that means…….”
“In the Primordial Forest…….”
Ian and Libi, who had been looking at each other, turned toward me at the same instant.
“Well, this is surreal.”
The rumor was actually true.
I took a moment to process the situation calmly.
‘Which means the Long-Haired Demon has been protecting the dog that Clavis raised.’
In other words.
“I’ve gained a subordinate with absolute, unwavering loyalty to me!”
“Only you could spin it that way, you relentlessly optimistic creature.”
Ian, who had let out a hollow laugh, suddenly fell silent.
Then he tilted his head back and forth, his expression troubled.
“Hebenia, I hope this is just me worrying for nothing…….”
“What is it?”
“Do you remember the dog your family raised?”
“No.”
I know next to nothing about Clavis even now.
The only time I encountered anything of theirs was a boy I met once in a dream—supposedly my older brother.
Ian’s expression grew even more complicated at my answer.
“……Ah.”
And I, too, understood what Ian was worried about.
Ian spoke carefully.
“I’m not trying to upset you, but the fact that it never approached you despite you walking through the Primordial Forest multiple times suggests the dog may have forgotten you.”
“It might even be angry.”
Libi mentioned the worst-case scenario.
“From the dog’s perspective, it might think its owner abandoned it and left it in this remote place.”
“Hey.”
Ian quickly jabbed Libi in the ribs, signaling him to stop.
Libi fell silent, but my confidence had already dropped by half.
‘This is a problem.’
A dog that survived in the Primordial Forest, teeming with monsters and demons.
‘I’m not sure I can win this over.’
How was I supposed to befriend a dog?
‘No, wait—I shouldn’t give up already.’
I, Hebenia Clavis.
I’ve spent twenty-five years studying in Korea, after all.
‘I decided to let it go at that. They say this is my real world now, and it would be uncool to cling to Korea like some homesick fool.’
Anyway, the greatest advantage of that Korea.
Superior educational resources and cutting-edge technology.
‘There’s no way I didn’t learn somewhere how to persuade a dog that doesn’t recognize its owner and how to establish dominance……!’
I asked Ian to press the pressure points at my temples to activate my mind.
“It’s strange—I don’t think she acted out like this during exile.”
“Brother, everyone is meek when they’re living in exile.”
“W-well, that’s true…….”
“That just means she can let loose here without worry. Besides, the young lady is the youngest, after all. How much of a charmer must she have been?”
While the adults were chattering on about me.
“Nngh, nngh……!”
I recalled the animal documentaries I watched every weekend morning, and all manner of animal videos from video platforms and other social media.
Then my eyes flew open.
Three guardians stared at me intently.
Verity asked.
“Did you learn anything useful?”
I nodded with a solemn expression.
“If I give them tacky names, the dogs will live longer.”
“Then this village will fall into the paws of mutts by tomorrow. They’ll come running the moment their owner displeases them.”
“So the village chief changes just like that…….”
Ian muttered something about needing to build a doghouse reserved for the chief.
* * *
Starting today, the villagers would begin teaching classes on their special skills and hobbies.
Modi had arranged the schedule while I was away and already obtained the residents’ consent, so we could start quickly.
“It’s so convenient when subordinates handle their work well.”
“Isn’t that one of the things a superior should absolutely never say?”
As the village chief, my schedule today was packed.
‘At lunch I need to contact the Deste Temple, and in the afternoon observe the classes…….’
And right now, to manage another item on my agenda, Verity and I had entered the Primordial Forest alone.
A small eyeball with bat wings led the way, illuminating the path ahead with its blue glow.
“When is the next village assembly?”
“Next Tuesday.”
“Five days left then. Speaking of which, did we distribute calendars to the residents?”
“On the first day we arrived. The Long-Haired Demon installed calendars in every house.”
This visit to the Primordial Forest wasn’t for hunting monsters.
We came to pick up our house dogs.
“Hoo…….”
“Are you nervous?”
Verity, dressed in the summer athletic wear the villagers favored, asked.
“Well, somewhat…….”
Honestly, if I were the dogs, I think I’d beat my owner half to death the moment I saw them.
‘They lived well as pampered dogs in a rich household, then suddenly got handed off to another place, and now they’re living in this pitch-black Primordial Forest…….’
How angry must they be.
I glanced back at the backpack slung over my shoulder.
‘I hope they like it.’
Just then, Verity spoke.
“This should be the place.”
Where we stopped was a rare clearing within the Primordial Forest, which was otherwise dense with gnarled trees.
A massive root encircled the area like a fence, and when I looked at the ground, I saw faded tiles laid across it.
‘What kind of place was this…….’
As I gazed around curiously, something caught my eye.
A white tuft of fur.
“Verity, this…….”
“So this really is the dogs’ playground.”
A tuft of fur was in Verity’s hand too, as she’d been looking around elsewhere. Hers was black.
‘Two dogs — one black and one white……!’
Though I was worried about what kind of meeting this would be, at the same time my heart raced with the fact that I finally had a pet of my own.
‘Magical girls always have adorable animal companions, after all.’
The girl I admired, Magic Milky, always had a cute animal mascot named Powder by her side.
The adorably puppy-shaped Powder provided magical powder, the driving force of magical tools.
Pure white Milky Powder for Magic Milky, pink Berry Powder for Magic Strawberry.
‘Because of that, some low-quality crowd started spreading a meme making Magic Shake users out to be drug addicts who get high on drugs.’
I was the keyboard warrior who fought fiercely on the front lines, demanding that people stop making those kinds of posts for an all-ages children’s cartoon.
Leaving behind the hazy memories that surfaced, I removed the backpack from my shoulders.
I reached into the Red Ant-Patterned Backpack and carefully pulled out the things I’d brought.
“Dog chews, squeaky toys, sweet potato strips, dog food, leashes, dog coats in different sizes…….”
“No wonder the backpack looked so heavy.”
I’d obtained all of these the day before by asking Verity for them as a favor.
Sure enough, the items were all common things I used to see in Korea.
Especially the dog coat, which I’d asked for somewhat as a joke, looked identical to the dog clothes commonly seen in underground shopping centers.
The tacky brand tag attached inside the garment was proof of that.
‘Clavis must have stockpiled a lot of Korean merchandise.’
It was impressive, but not particularly moving.
‘If it were me, I’d have spent that prep time trampling emperors instead.’
Regardless, I pulled out a heap of gifts and called for the dogs.
“Poppy! Chew-Chew!”
“Ha, those are certainly typical dog names.”
“I’ve actually wanted to raise dogs since I was little.”
When I lived in Korea, my living situation made it impossible even to dream of it, but after moving out on my own, I volunteered at an animal shelter and kept watch for an opportunity.
‘But in the end, fate never brought it about.’
Now I’m grateful for that.
‘If I had, would my heart be at ease right now?’
As if that weren’t enough…….
‘……Sigh. No, stop.’
Put thoughts of my senior aside for now.
“Poppy! Chew-Chew! Chew-chew-chew-chew-chew!”
I even clicked my tongue and begged them to come here, but the dogs didn’t show so much as a single hair.
“Goodness, our young lady’s lips have turned into a pitiful duck’s bill.”
“There’s nothing here, is there? Verity, aren’t you sensing anything?”
“Well…….”
Verity inhaled sharply and gazed beyond the murky Primordial Forest, her face clouded with unease.
“Just demons that got frightened and fled from me, I’d say?”
“What about the Long-Haired Demon’s familiar?”
“That one is naturally shy and wary of strangers, so I wouldn’t worry about it.”
In the end, I trudged back to the village with empty hands.
When we arrived, Libi and Ian came out to greet us.
The moment I saw them both, a whimper escaped me.
“I didn’t get to see them…….”
“Ah, you must be disappointed.”
“Don’t lose heart. We can go back and visit them next time.”
Ian reached to carry my bag for me, then froze in surprise and peered inside.
“Goodness, what did you pack all this for?”
“Gifts for the dogs. Thought I’d cheer them up a bit.”
“I’ve never seen such thoughtfulness.”
“Let’s head back for now. The adults have built a kennel.”
“I should go in there. I’m the guilty one for forgetting the dogs I raised. I’m the real dog, truly…….”
“No, don’t be so harsh on yourself…….”
Just as Verity lifted me up, supporting my trembling form.
Boom—!
Thud—!
“What, what is it……?”
“Is it an earthquake? Is everyone all right?”
The village residents, startled by the tremors, all rushed outside.
“Miss.”
Verity, who had been holding me protectively in her arms, pointed toward the Primordial Forest.
The source of the sound and tremor was the direction from which Verity and I had just come.
Leaves on the towering ancient trees rustled like waves. The tremors grew stronger, and with each one, the swaying of the old trees drew closer to the village.
“……Is it a demon?”
Ian muttered in a tense voice.
Verity quickly denied it.
“No, demons cannot breach this barrier.”
“Then what in the world is this…….”
“Wait!”
That’s when I cried out.
I bolted from Verity’s embrace and stood before the barrier.
At the same moment, the thunderous shaking of the earth reached its peak.
With a rustle, light glimmered through the gaps of the ancient trees in the darkened Primordial Forest.
…….
I placed my hand on the barrier.
Click—.
And I opened the barrier.
Everyone swallowed hard, watching what I was doing.
Squelch.
Tap-tap-tap-tap.
The distinctive patter of a small dog’s paws—that bright, quick sound of tiny claws clicking against the floor—stopped abruptly just before me.
I lowered my head as the barrier closed.
Wisps of black and white fur tumbled and rippled in the breeze.
In the brilliant sunlight, a small body was perfectly visible beneath the flowing coat.
Eyes that seemed somehow distant and melancholic.
A tiny, slightly protruding tongue.
“Chi….”
I knew the name of this breed.
“Chihuahua, d….”
The moment I spoke that name—
“Arf-arf-arf-arf!”
“Arf-arf! Arf-arf!”
The dog lunged at me and nipped at my clothes.

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