“……”

Her chattering lips shut tight. Bestia glanced at Duke.

“Promise you won’t scold me.”

“Hohoh! Oh my……”

Before Duke’s eyes was a small pinky finger. Just like his granddaughter before confessing to breaking a flowerpot.

“Well… I promise. Here, seal it. Press.”

The old man, who always became helplessly weak before children, sealed the promise.

“Tehee. It’s Bonobono.”

With her heart lightened, Bestia immediately gave her answer.

“…Hmm?”

“Bonobono, I said. That guy wearing black clothes.”

“…Huh?”

Though the elderly man before her seemed to have malfunctioned, she continued speaking.

“His real name is Ren.”

“Huuuh……”

It was a secret she had kept to herself for over two weeks. She couldn’t count how many times she had wanted to go to the acorn tree forest and shout when her mouth itched to tell.

Bonobono is Bonobo… beastman!

Bonobono is Bonobo… beastman!

“I think the temple’s incense has gone bad. That’s good for me, but shouldn’t security be strengthened? Ah! But please keep the area around the library as it is. Ren and I are looking at records—”

“Hey now! Betty! What’s this!”

“Kyaah! You promised not to scold me!”

But it was Duke, not her, who had shouted loudly. Bestia jumped at his outburst. She grabbed the doorknob as if ready to flee immediately.

Knock knock—

At that moment, someone arrived as if they had been waiting. It was a young servant boy.

“Um. Miss Betty, are you here?”

Bestia met a dear friend at the guest palace where visitors to the imperial palace stayed.

“Kyaah! Shushu!”

“Bestia! Have you been well?”

“Yes, yes! How did you get here?”

“By carriage, of course!”

No… that’s not what I meant……

“Silly. I’m joking. Father said he was entering the palace, so I came along!”

Slap!

Shushu firmly clarified it was a joke. Her crisp hand movement made Bestia’s back sting.

“Ugh. Shushu. Your hand is too spicy.”

“Since your face is sweet, my hand can be a little spicy.”

“…Have you been learning strange things at the academy lately?”

“Want to die!”

“Kyahaha!”

Indeed, even after a long time apart, best friends don’t feel awkward. Bestia held her stomach laughing. She liked how Shushu put aside all etiquette when they were alone. Her down-to-earth nature and non-discriminatory personality were unlike what you’d expect from a count’s daughter.

“Shushu. Want me to show you around the imperial palace?”

“Sure! Show me everything.”

The two walked arm in arm. Their conversation never stopped as they roamed the vast imperial palace after leaving the guest palace.

“I heard from Grandma Garnet. ‘Beastman Research Society’? How did only you manage to get in?”

“Ah. Sorry. I thought it was just a rumor too, so I applied casually and somehow got accepted.”

“You entered as an intern, right?”

“Yes! Since I haven’t graduated yet.”

What was the lie here? Clearly the ‘Beastman Research Society.’

It was before Bestia returned to the imperial palace of her own accord. Four people, including Duke, had put their heads together.

‘If Betty disappears again, people will surely find it strange.’

‘Hohoh. I agree, madam.’

‘Shushu and Crusoe might start looking for me again.’

‘Chancellor, I have a good idea.’

A missing child disappears again?

And right before the academy reopens?

To avoid people’s suspicion, the four devised a scheme. Thus, the ‘Beastman Research Society’ and the intern position were created.

Fortunately, Shushu seemed to believe it.

“Were you so interested in beastman research that you took a leave of absence?”

“Well… let’s say I developed an interest one day?”

“Which day exactly?”

“Huh? Umm……”

Shushu asked with her purple eyes sparkling. She believes me, right? She’s just asking out of curiosity, right?

Bestia wet her lips once before opening her mouth. Her nose tickled.

“I developed it when I got lost on my way to see the New Year’s Parade, wandered through an unknown village, and reached the border~”

“……”

It’s chilly. Those narrowed eyes are full of suspicion.

“It’s true. After seeing various villages, meeting people, and encountering beastmen, I became interested.”

“Bestia, is your tongue long?”

“Heheh. My nose isn’t long, is it?”

“What’s with the sudden nose talk? Anyway, anyone would think you went on a journey of self-discovery rather than just getting lost.”

“Ah. Self-disco… hehe. Maybe so.”

Tap tap. Bestia touched her nose while watching Shushu snort. Fortunately, her nose hadn’t grown longer. Well, the idea that your nose grows when you lie is probably a lie itself. Otherwise, Duke’s nose would have split the Empire in half long ago.

Nod nod.

“What are you thinking about by yourself?”

“Huh? Nothing.”

As they walked and talked, they eventually reached the main palace. A place within the vast imperial palace that required another identity verification to enter.

“This is where His Majesty resides—”

Rustle rustle. Just as she was about to take out the special pass she had received thanks to Duke, heavy footsteps sounded from behind.

“Oh my! Sir Potters! Kya! I’ve wanted to meet you!”

With a thought that the voice sounded familiar, Shushu was the first to call someone’s name. Turning around, it was indeed him.

“Hello, Sir Potters.”

“Lady Mayla. And Miss Betty?”

Potters blinked twice, once looking at Shushu and once at Bestia, uncharacteristically.

“Betty? Miss?”

“Ah.”

The reason for his surprise was obvious. So was Shushu’s. She looked curiously at her friend who had been called Betty. She also looked again at the man who had naturally used the nickname that only Garnet and Aesop called her.

What kind of relationship do they have?

Her eyes sharpened.

Zap!

“This lady here says she has a friend who looks exactly like me.”

“Eh? Lady?”

“I happened to have a pretty friend with purple hair before my family went bankrupt, so we were having a friendly chat.”

“F-family went b-bankrupt…?”

Bestia, who was quick-witted in life-threatening situations, took the initiative. Beside her, Shushu wore a stupid expression. Her face asked what on earth she was talking about.

“Ohoho. By coincidence, she’s even the same age, she says. What a curious coincidence, isn’t it?”

Bestia played dumb. She gave an award-worthy performance as her second persona. If she had a fan, she would have waved it elegantly, but it was a shame she had empty hands.

“Is that so? I thought Miss Betty might be Lady Mayla’s lost friend.”

Indeed, the answer had already been formed in his mind. Bestia smiled brightly.

“Oh my. That can’t be. I have no other name; I’m just Betty, daughter of a ruined family. Be. Tty.”

“Eh?”

“Yes, I understand. Lady Mayla. Have you found your friend?”

“Eh? Ah… uh… yes. I found… her. Yes.”

And finally! The opportunity to speak came to Shushu, who had been making nothing but dumb noises beside her. The girl who had momentarily become a background character immediately lowered her eyes when Potters turned his gaze to her.

Instantly reddened cheeks and slightly trembling pupils.

Oh?

You don’t mean……

Bestia’s mouth fell open as she discovered hearts in those purple eyes.

Poor Crusoe.

If he were here, she would have patted his back.

“I’m glad you found her. I wanted to help, but after asking about the situation so grandly, I didn’t do anything.”

“Oh my. Not at all. Thanks to you, many people helped with the search in the neighboring village as well.”

“I’m grateful you say so.”

“It’s all thanks to Sir Potters. My life changed so much after meeting you that day.”

What kind of life changes after meeting the emperor’s knight guard?

Bestia tilted her head as she listened to their conversation. Shushu’s body-twisting behavior was more than a little unfamiliar.

“How has it changed?”

“That… heheh. I’d like to tell you next time we meet.”

Oh my! Look at this. Naturally asking for another meeting?

Yes. She has changed. This is the first time I’ve seen her being so shy. I can’t help but smile seeing how nice it looks. Her friend in love had a pretty face.

“Miss Betty.”

“Yes?”

“So you’re meeting Lady Mayla here for the first time?”

“Ah. Y-yes? We just met while walking around the imperial palace. Why?”

It was a moment when she thought the two facing each other looked quite good together.

“Miss Betty, you seem to be very sociable.”

“Pardon? Ah… thank you.”

“You’re the first lady I’ve seen who speaks her mind completely to His Majesty, which left quite an impression.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Half and half. It’s true that sometimes when you were rude, I felt uncomfortable as a knight guard.”

“…I’m sorry. I’m trying not to do that these days.”

“I know that very well.”

Suddenly, the conversation’s arrow pointed at Bestia. So did Potters’ gaze as he asked the question.

“You haven’t been visiting His Majesty much lately.”

“I know that well too. You haven’t requested an audience since being denied access to the records archive.”

“You’re not monitoring me, are you?”

“It’s not monitoring.”

It’s not monitoring.

But he had been watching?

“……”

Shushu, who had become a background character again, quietly observed Potters. A lingering gaze different from how he looked at her. It was full of interest. Yes. Not monitoring, but interest.

“Sir Potters seems very interested in the lady who looks exactly like my friend?”

Cough cough!

“If your preference happens to be blonde, just tell me. I often change my hair color for a change of mood.”

Cough cough!

Like a joke, yet not.

Though Shushu’s words were lightly thrown, the impact was huge.

“Kuhup… I-I’m busy, so I’ll be going……”

Potters, with a face turned bright red, coughed as if choking and then fled.