At the Northern Fort

When I woke up the next morning, Tina-san, Hyllis, and I, as well as Mother's fairy were sleeping together on the bottom bunk of a simple bunk bed.

Tina-san was cutely sleeping on her side, while the fairy had turned into mochi in a corner of the bed. Hyllis and I had thrown all caution to the wind as we laid on our backs with our bellies up, all four limbs stretched out.

……leaving me aside, isn't it strange for a bird like Hyllis to lay face-up with her wings spread out?

"Tina-san, it's morning."

I pressed my moist nose against Tina-san's cheek as she slept with her milk tea-coloured hair let down.

"Nn, cold……"

Tina-san, being easy to wake up, soon opened her eyes for me.

"Mil-chan……right, we slept together. Good morning."

Hearing our voices, Hyllis also woke up.

"*yawn* I slept well. Beds are nice…….say, could you give me a little help to get up?"

Hyllis had Tina-san help her get out of her upwards-facing position to stand up.

Then, she moved to the back of the chair left in the room, raised her wings, and started to use her beak to skillfully groom herself.

Tina-san also got some warm water from downstairs and started to wipe down her face and body, while I, with my complete lack of femininity, simply rolled around the bed with the fairy without even attempting to fix my bedhead.

I was still wearing the necklace, but yesterday I had arbitrarily stripped off the shawl and left it crumpled up in a ball by the end of the bed.

As I pondered whether or not to go back to sleep while waiting for Tina-san to finish dressing herself, the room next door suddenly got noisy.

"Ah, he ran!"

Perhaps because the walls were thin, we could hear Kix's voice that sounded like he just woke up.

And, at almost the same moment, Kugalg used the transfer technique to come to this room.

He appeared haggard, with an expression of disbelief, as though he could not believe what had just happened to his body.

"Good morning Kugalg. What's wrong?"

"Milfee! ……when I woke up, I was sleeping with that blond human. Milfee wasn't around, and that blondie was hugging me……"

It seemed that he had slept in the same bed as Kix last night.

However, something like that shouldn't cause this degree of shock.

I wonder if waking up to find a man sleeping next to you in the morning was that shocking to Kugalg. It only happened because he ended up falling asleep inside the luggage yesterday.

I found the fearfully trembling Kugalg to be a little pitiful, so for once I groomed him instead.

Cheer up.

After everyone had finished dressing, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone gathered in our two-person room and began planning the day's itinerary.

In truth, if we went at a leisurely pace, we'd be able to arrive at the Capital by the afternoon. However, with there being enemies targeting us, we couldn't go around so carefreely.

If we asked, then the inn would provide breakfast for us, but just to be on the safe side, the One-Eyed Knight and everyone ate what we had on hand while gazing at the map laid out on the floor.

The conversation was centred around Branch Captain-san as they discussed how to approach the upcoming attack in the forest ahead of us.

I was on the bed having Tina-san put the shawl on me with my tail drooping listlessly.

As expected, I was worried that the One-Eyed Knight and everyone would get hurt.

The black-cloaked men seem to be decently strong, and today their numbers would grow even more.

Despite that, everyone didn't seem to be planning on relying on Hyllis, nor Father's snake, instead asking them to remain by Kugalg and my side as opposed to fighting.

But even if they managed to safely catch the enemy and interrogate them, would they really talk so obediently?

Would they be able to track things down to the mastermind—likely Captain Sarrell-san—who gave them their orders?

"Say, I've been thinking but……"

I stood up on the bed, preparing to have my suggestion rejected as I opened my mouth.

"How about this plan? I'll purposely get caught. Then, even without everyone fighting, we'll be able to find out who the 'mash-termind' is."

Two seconds passed, and then, starting with Kix's, "Don't be stupid", the remaining four people continued with, "What the heck are you thinking?" "No." "It's dangerous." "Be good".

However, I did not give in to everybody's gazes and instead spoke up.

I feel like things'll work out one way or another as long as I speak loudly.

"But you know! I'm sure it's a good plan!"

"Mil."

The One-Eyed Knight was making a scary face, but…s-something like that won't s-scare me……!

"Please! I can do it! So that we can catch the mash-termind!"

I interrupted the One-Eyed Knight, who was about to reject me again. It was then that Commander-san, who appeared to have been thinking about something, gently raised a hand.

"No……wait a sec. It might really be a valid plan when it comes to revealing the true mastermind."

"But it's dangerous……"

"It shouldn't be too dangerous to Mil. Since the opponent knows that she is a spirit, they won't treat her roughly. And they also probably wouldn't try confining her for too long a time. It'd be troublesome if her parents came out after all."

Commander-san clapped once and continued.

"Supposing that Sarrell is the mastermind, if I were in his position, I wouldn't hurt or try to confine the kidnapped child spirit for several days. After kidnapping the spirit, I'd safely return them before the parents were to come after them. And when that time came, I'd pretend that I happened to discover the child and saved them. If he were to do things like that, then trust in Cromwell would drop while his own prestige would increase."

"Captain Sarrell would be the sort to come up with a plan like that."

Kix interjected.

"That's why, if one of the child spirits were to be kidnapped, it wouldn't take long for Sarrell to show his face. It seems like Hyllis heard something like that too. And if it's someone other than Sarrell with a completely different goal in mind—let's say some idiot plotting to obtain a spirit's power, then they'll probably appear. Since nothing will start until they come into contact with the spirit."

Commander-san appeared to have carefully scrutinised my plan in his head.

Sitting in the only chair in the room, he silently stroked his beard for a while before finally opening his mouth.

"We must find out who the mastermind is and what their goal is. Unless we make those things clear, the same thing will just end up repeating itself. It's not enough to just capture the men that are just pawns in this scheme."

Perhaps because Branch Captain-san and the One-Eyed Knight predicted what Commander-san was about to continue with, their expressions didn't show the slightest bit of enthusiasm.

"But if we have Mil act as bait, then the chances of the mastermind coming out are high. The mastermind will come into contact with Mil, and it's best if we catch them once we've obtained that evidence…….you guys are too emotionally attached to this child, and I will say this because it is unlikely that any of you would suggest such a plan but, I do feel that 'purposely allowing a child spirit to be caught and then secretly shadowing them before capturing the perpetrators at the appropriate time' is a faultless way of doing things."

Even as he said that, Commander-san looked at me with eyes that exposed his sincere worry for me.

As the commander of the Knight's Order, he has probably had to resolve himself to make a lot of hard decisions to catch bad guys. The sorts of decisions that could lead to various conflicts.

In truth, he probably didn't want to have me act as bait.

"But what if we fail to follow them and lose sight of Mil?"

"How weak-willed of you, Cromwell. It's like you've returned to how you were before you went to the Northern Fort. Try saying that you can do it."

After being told that by Commander-san, Branch Captain-san held his tongue. It was at that moment when Hyllis spoke with a bright voice, oblivious to the situation.

"If you need someone to tail them, then leave it to me! If I follow them from the sky, then I won't lose them. The plan to have Mil purposely kidnapped is pretty good!"

Hyllis seemed to be trembling with eagerness.

But if it comes to eagerness, I won't lose. Kugalg wouldn't either.

"That's right, if we have Hyllis cooperate then it should be fine."

"I'm going with Mil to be kidnapped too!"

He said it so lightly as if he were just accompanying me on a picnic.

The One-Eyed Knight's face remained in a scowl throughout the discussion.

"Mil, Kugalg, it'll be dangerous. What are you going to do if they hurt you?"

"We'll run at that time."

"You won't be able to run away so easily. They'll probably put restraints on you."

"We'll be able to run. Because all we have to do is use the 'transfer technique'."

Even if they put us in a cage or tie us up with rope it didn't matter. When things got dangerous, all we had to do was use the transfer technique and disappear on the spot.

"I can instantly return to where the One-Eyed Knight is too."

Though I could also go to where Mother or Father is too.

"Well……it is true that you could do that."

Kix murmured, appearing to have been convinced.

"Kix……"

Tina-san appeared apprehensive, and said his name in a chiding manner.

Kix continued.

"Because it is true. Mil and Kugalg can run away instantly whenever they want. And also, like what the Commander said, I also don't want to let the mastermind get away. They're guys who're trying to kidnap Mil and Kugalg, ya know? And they might even be someone who's trying to discredit the Branch Cap. Even if the other person isn't Captain Sarrell, we absolutely have to get some evidence and catch the guy…….although it doesn't feel quite right to use Mil and Kugalg as bait for that purpose, there isn't any danger to them, so I think we should give it a try."

"That's right! I also don't want to let the mash-termind get away. Because if they get away then they might come after us again."

Right now both Hyllis and Father's snake are around, and I've also prepared myself.

It's far better than being attacked when I'm defenceless and unprepared.

"Those in favour of the plan with Mil and Kugalg act as bait?"

Hearing Commander-san's words, I spiritedly raised my paw.

"Yes! Me! I'll be the bait!"

"If Milfee's gonna be bait, I'm also going!"

"I agree with this plan too."

Kugalg and Hyllis also agreed, while Kix and Commander-san also silently raised their hands in favour.

"I'm against it."

"Me too……"

The One-Eyed Knight firmly opposed, while Tina-san spoke timidly.

All that was left was Branch Captain-san.

Since Branch Captain-san was this group's leader—while the highest ranking officer might be Commander-san, Commander-san was ultimately just tagging along with the Northern Fort's members. Leaving aside the One-Eyed Knight, who used to work directly under Commander-san in the past, Branch Captain-san knew Kix, Tina-san, Kugalg, and my personalities and abilities better, so it was better for Branch Captain-san to take the lead—in the end, no matter who said what, Branch Captain-san was the one who would be deciding our plan of action.

Everyone's gazes poured towards Branch Captain-san, who had been remaining silent.

After letting out a deep sigh, Branch Captain-san spoke with the cold, detached attitude of a commanding officer.

"……we will have Mil and Kugalg act as bait. However, they will be doing so on three conditions. The first is that the water fairy must come with them as a guard escort, the second is that Hyllis must never take her eyes off the two of them, and the third is that if the two of you ever feel even the slightest bit of danger, you will immediately run away."

Branch Captain-san looked Kugalg and I, and continued.

"You must follow that last condition in particular. If you can't promise that you will follow those rules, then we will not be implementing this plan. Remember, as soon as you feel any danger, okay? It'll be too late once you receive even the slightest injury."

"Got it. I promise, I promise."

Yup yup, I nodded my head repeatedly.

Branch Captain-san still appeared rather uneasy as his face seemed to say, 'Do you really understand?' as he said.

"Then……let's figure out the details of the plan."