More people would be going to the forest

---

“Wait a minute, Mr. Takumi?”
“Ms. Claire?”

As I looked at Liza and waited for her answer, Ms. Claire suddenly interrupted me.

“Well, uh… If little Liza stayed at the mansion, then she would be alone.”
“But…well. As long as you and Ms. Lyra are here…”
“I am going to the forest with Sherry.”
“Claire!?”
“Lady Claire!?”

Apparently, Ms. Claire was going to the forest as well.
Mr. Ekenhart and Sebastian were surprised by this sudden declaration.
Indeed, she had not been mentioned earlier when discussing who would go. And so no one expected this.

“Why are you so surprised, father? And you too, Sebastian. I’ve been to the forest before, and am quite experienced. So I should be quite useful to have around. Besides, did you really think that I would let Tilura go without my supervision?”
“Uh…indeed. But it is dangerous.”
“Yes, Lady Claire. There is no reason for you to put yourself in danger, when you can stay here…”
“I understand that. but isn’t it the same with all of you? And while I don’t think we should rely on her too much, there is also Leo. Isn’t that right?”
“Wuff? Wou!”

Mr. Ekenhart was weak when it came to Ms. Claire.
Sebastian tried to persuade her to stay as well, but Ms. Claire did not back down and then addressed Leo.
Leo was puzzled at first, but then nodded reassuringly.

“Even good Leo… Still, Claire…”
“Father, Sherry is going, isn’t she? Then it is only natural for me to see the growth of my familiar. That is how our bond will grow stronger.”
“Uh…mmm…”
“Kyau, kyau!”

Mr. Ekenhart tried to argue, but Ms. Claire kept going in.
And when he finally fell silent, Sherry barked happily.

“Besides, Mr. Takumi told me…”
“Mr. Takumi? He told you to go to the forest?”
“He would not tell me to go to a dangerous forest. No, he told me to act more freely. And so that is what I will do.”
“…It is true that you are often too harsh on yourself, Claire… But perhaps now is not the time… So it’s your fault, Mr. Takumi.”
“Uh… Ahaha…”

I did not expect her to bring up our conversation from the afternoon.
Mr. Ekenhart was now glaring at me, and I could only chuckle in reply.
Sebastian was also sighing and shaking his head.

“…If Claire is going to the forest, then Anneliese must go as well.”
“What!?”

Ms. Anne had been drinking her tea quietly, but her eyes bulged at the sudden mention of her name.

“If I, Sebastian, Tilura, Mr. Takumi, Leo and even Claire go to the forest…then there will be no one left here to monitor Anneliese. And while I doubt she will do any mischief, I was still given charge of her. And so it would be bad if no one was watching her.”
“That…couldn’t you just say you kept an eye on her? It’s not as if anyone related to the royal family is here…”
“While I enjoy jokes, I do not like to lie. And I will not send in a false report. In other words, it is decided. Anne will go to the forest.”
“…But…my comfortable room… Ms. Claire, you will rue the day!”
“You should spend more time outside the house anyway.”
“Kyau!”

While Sebastian would probably be able to do something about it, Mr. Ekenhart did not like to deceive people.
As for Ms. Anne, she was terribly disappointed to have her plans crumble, as she had been looking forward to staying in the mansion.

“So, it is decided then… As for Liza, what will you do? Of course, you can stay if you want.”
“Hmm… There are monsters in the forest, aren’t there, papa?”
“That’s right. I went there before, and there were orcs.”
“Orcs…?”

While I could have decided for Liza, I wanted to respect her decision.
Mr. Ekenhart said that he didn’t mind if she stayed here.

After thinking about it for a moment, Liza started to ask me about the forest.
When I told her about the orcs, she tilted her head and thought about it.
Perhaps Liza had never actually seen wild monsters before…

Next Chapter

My Beloved Dog is the Strongest in Another World