The Squirrel Will Raise the Baby Tiger — Chapter 5

A MOMENT AGO.

COMMANDER, IT'S JAEL.

COME IN.

I'VE COME TO REPORT THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST TEST FOR YOUNG MASTER HOKAN'S TUTOR.

Jael. The Duke's Aide. Jaguar beastman.

IN THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT, EVERYONE EXCEPT ONE PERSON FAILED.

CURRENTLY, IT'S HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THAT LADY WILL BE ACCEPTED AS THE TUTOR.

WHO IS IT?

LADY DURHAMS.

THE LADY WHOSE IDENTITY YOU ASKED TO VERIFY, COMMANDER.

IS THAT SO?

ARE YOU PLANNING TO GO SEE HER YOURSELF?

YES. I NEED TO CONFIRM IT WITH MY OWN EYES.

THAT'S UNUSUAL.

NORMALLY, HE SAYS A REPORT IS ENOUGH BEFORE THE FINAL RESULTS.

IS IT FOR YOUNG MASTER HOKAN?

OR.

WHY DID YOU ASK ABOUT LADY DURHAMS?

ASK WHAT?

ABOUT LADY DURHAMS'S IDENTITY.

YOU KNOW MORRIS IS VERY METICULOUS, SO HIS BACKGROUND CHECKS AREN'T SLOPPY.

WHY DID YOU ASK IF SHE WAS TRULY A NOBLE'S DAUGHTER?

...I THOUGHT SHE WAS A COMMONER.

WHAT? LADY DURHAMS?

JAEL. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE STOPPED BY THAT BEER TAVERN DURING THE LAST FESTIVAL?

THE DAY HIS MAJESTY BESTOWED THE TERRITORY, WHEN WE BRIEFLY WATCHED THE FESTIVAL HELD IN THE CAPITAL TOGETHER.

YES, I REMEMBER. WE HAD A DRINK WITH SOME OF THE KNIGHTS.

I SAW HER THEN.

DRESSED IN SIMPLE COMMONER CLOTHES,

SHE WAS DANCING FREELY.

THAT WOMAN WAS DEFINITELY

LADY DURHAMS.

I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER IT, BUT...

LADY DURHAMS WAS THERE?

I NEVER THOUGHT A NOBLE LADY WOULD MINGLE, DRINK, AND DANCE WITH COMMONERS.

THAT'S WHY I ASKED FOR HER IDENTITY TO BE CHECKED AGAIN.

NOTHING SHE DID WAS VERY NOBLE-LIKE.

SHE TRULY IS A STRANGE WOMAN.

WELL, HER DANCING...

WAS QUITE GOOD, THOUGH.

I'LL HEAD TO THE ANNEX. JAEL, YOU MAY RETURN NOW.

YES, UNDERSTOOD.

THE COMMANDER, WHO'S USUALLY INDIFFERENT TO OTHERS, REMEMBERS THE FACE OF A WOMAN HE MERELY WALKED PAST AND SAW ONLY ONCE?

SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY STRANGE...

NO WAY!

YOU CAN'T FORGET HOW I DANCED. MY BABY SQUIRREL...

KYAA~ WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BABY? DO YOU KNOW HOW OLD I AM~

HAS SPRING FINALLY COME TO OUR COMMANDER'S FROZEN FIELDS~?!

COMMANDER! I, JAEL, WILL SUPPORT YOU!

WITH OUR COMMANDER'S OVERFLOWING CHARM, ANY LADY WOULD FALL FOR HIM IN NO TIME!

AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO MAKE HIMSELF COMPLETELY HATED, IT'S TOTALLY POSSIBLE!

KY--

AHH! MY LADY?!

WHAT'S GOING ON?!

D-DUKE, WHY ARE YOU HERE?!

HEAD MAID, WHAT HAPPENED?!

AHEM.

Please calm down, My Mady.

IT SEEMS YOU PASSED THE FIRST TEST, SO THE DUKE CAME TO SEE THE RESULTS HIMSELF.

BUT I OPENED THE DOOR NOT KNOWING YOU HADN'T CHANGED YOUR CLOTHES YET. I'M SORRY.

THEN SHE SHOULD'VE TOLD ME BEFOREHAND THAT THE DUKE MIGHT COME~!

A-ALRIGHT, IF YOU COULD JUST STEP OUT FOR A MOMENT...!

EEK!

MY LADY!

WHAT IS THE MEAN... ING...

OUCH...

...I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING.

DON'T-

He saw everything, even my underwear...!

EVERYONE, GET OUT RIGHT NOW~!!!

DON'T LIE~!!

AHEM

THEN WE'LL STEP OUTSIDE FOR NOW.

YOU MAY COME OUT ONCE YOU'RE FULLY DRESSED, MY LADY.

AH.

TH-THAT WASN’T MY STOMACH!

I’M NOT HUNGRY!

YOU MUST BE EXHAUSTED FROM MEETING SO MANY NEW PEOPLE, RIGHT?

DUKE, SINCE IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR A MEAL, WOULD IT BE ALRIGHT IF I ESCORTED THE YOUNG MASTER TO THE DINING ROOM FIRST?

DO SO.

LADY DURHAMS.

AH, YES!

I WILL STEP AWAY WITH THE YOUNG MASTER FOR A MOMENT.

I’LL RETURN LATER TO SHOW YOU TO YOUR QUARTERS.

UNDER

...STOOD?

WAIT. DOES THAT MEAN THAT,

RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST THE DUKE AND ME HERE~?!

Noooo, I'm so dead~!

HOW DID YOU SUCCEED?

P-PARDON?!

NO ONE ELSE HAS MANAGED TO DO IT SO FAR, SO I'M ASKING HOW YOU MANAGED TO GET THAT CHILD DRESSED.

AH, THAT IS...

WE ACTUALLY MADE A SMALL BET.

A BET?

WHOEVER GOT CHANGED FIRST WOULD GET TO HAVE A WISH FULFILLED.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU WERE WEARING THOSE CLOTHES TOO.

WHAT WAS THE WISH?

THIS IS MY CHANCE!

I WASN'T SURE HOW TO BRING IT UP ANYWAY,

BUT NOW I CAN NATURALLY TELL THE DUKE ABOUT HOKAN'S WISH!

ABOUT THAT WISH!

COULD YOU POSSIBLY TAKE HOKAN TO THE NORTH FOR A SHORT TRIP?!

WHAT?

AFTER LOSING HIS FATHER, HE WAS SUDDENLY BROUGHT TO THE CAPITAL, SO HOKAN IS EMOTIONALLY VERY UNSTABLE.

TO THE POINT WHERE HIS WISH IS TO BE TAKEN TO THE NORTH.

OF COURSE, I KNOW IT'S NOT REALISTIC FOR HIM TO LIVE IN THE NORTH AGAIN.

THAT'S WHY I'M SUGGESTING THIS.

JUST TAKE HOKAN ON A TRIP TO THE NORTH SO HE CAN SAY GOODBYE TO HIS FATHER...

NO.

...EXCUSE ME?

I SAID NO.

Eh?! WAIT, WHY?! THE CHILD IS HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME!

THAT IS PRECISELY WHY I CANNOT GRANT THAT WISH.

IF ONE IS STRONG, THEY MUST BE ABLE TO SHAKE OFF ANYTHING AND STAND BACK UP QUICKLY.

IF WE INDULGE HIS WHINING OVER EVERY LITTLE THING LIKE THIS, THE CHILD WILL BECOME WEAK.

LITTLE THING~?!

A YOUNG CHILD GRIEVING THE LOSS OF HIS FATHER IS A LITTLE THING?!

WHAT IF HOKAN GETS IRREVERSIBLY SCARRED EMOTIONALLY BECAUSE OF THIS!

WHAT IF HE LOSES HIS TRUST IN YOU, THE DUKE HE'S SUPPOSED TO RELY ON AND FOLLOW?!

WE ORIGINALLY DO NOT TRUST THOSE AROUND US EASILY.

ONE MUST STAND ALONE TO BE A TRULY STRONG BEAST.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY, HOKAN'S WISH CANNOT BE GRANTED. GIVE IT UP.

NO, WAIT A MINUTE...!!

WHAT IS UP WITH THIS KIND OF UNCLE...!!

SINCE HE WAS CHOOSING A TUTOR SO METICULOUSLY, I THOUGHT HE GENUINELY CARED ABOUT HOKAN, BUT HE'S JUST RUINING THE CHILD MORE!

I PROMISED HOKAN, SO I CAN'T JUST GIVE UP LIKE THIS.

BUT THE DUKE WON'T EVEN LISTEN TO ME PROPERLY...

SINCE IT'S COME TO THIS, I HAVE NO CHOICE.

I'LL JUST HAVE TO PULL OUT MY TRUMP CARD!

I'M NOT FINISHED TALKING YET!!

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!

...FOR WHAT?

YOU SAW MY ENTIRE BODY WHEN I WAS PRACTICALLY HALF-NAKED!

SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!

RESPONSIBILITY!

Epilogue

MADAM LETTY'S COUNSELING CENTER

WHAT IS TODAY'S WORRY?

So, what kind of concern do you have?

I accidentally showed myself in my sleeping garments to my prospective employer.

You must have been very flustered. That must have been an embarrassing and humiliating situation...

EXACTLY!!!

What if points get deducted during the tutor interview?! My attire score might have been lowered... What about my bright future plans!!!

...Ah, so that's what you're worried about...

Counseling Log

Incident: Showed underwear to prospective employer Typical Reaction: Shame, embarrassment Lulubell's Reaction: Worried about failing to get the job Counselor Letty's Opinion: Symptoms of a survival-type job seeker terminal stage.