I was thanked while on watch duty

---

“His Grace is especially pleased. While you are quite different in age…you have been like a friend to him. Even if he is your instructor, he lowers his guards around you. Though, that also brings out some of his bad habits…”
“Ahaha… Well, as long as he doesn’t force me to do anything, then I am fine… But now that I think about it, he did seem a little different when I first met him.”
“Indeed. He has become fond of you and relaxed a little.”

If I was a friend…then that made me happy.
I never had that many friends, after all… Of course, I wasn’t lonely, because I had Leo. But I suppose I looked like a lonely person from the outside.
In any case, while much older than me, Mr. Ekenhart was easy to be around, and I was at ease when talking to him.
We even went on secret outings together to Ractos.
Men were simple, and could get along over such things.

However, I had been incredibly nervous during our first meeting. And I did think he was different then.

“There was the matter of the wine, Range Village, and the disease… But I think it was around the time he slipped out of the mansion that he really seemed to enjoy being with you.”
“Ahaha…”

Apparently, Sebastian was thinking the same thing.
…Though, it wasn’t like I had invited him.

“I did not expect you to return with a beastkin child, though… Regardless, that clearly had a big effect. Or perhaps he no longer cared about looking intimidating, after you saw Lady Claire scolding him. Hohoho…”
“Yes, that might be it as well.”

I chuckled along with Sebastian.
When was the first time that Ms. Claire scolded Mr. Ekenhart…
There was that time when he made me fight those men in the store as part of my training.
The time we went to Ractos, and also that time he was eavesdropping when Mr. Claire and I were talking in my room.

So there were many times… You would almost think that he enjoyed getting her angry.

“He has always enjoyed going to town… And now he has someone to go with, Mr. Takumi. He cannot travel out too far, and everyone recognizes him. So it was difficult for him to spend time with someone like a friend.”
“I see…”

Now that I think about it, he did say that when he was young, he would go to the town to eat and see different things.
That was probably the town that was close to his main house, not Ractos. And so his influence would be even stronger over there.
…Surprisingly, Mr. Ekenhart might have been more lonely than I was… No, he had been married, and had two children, so that clearly wasn’t true.

“…But, I had Leo. So I was fine.”
“Wuff? Wou!”
“What did you say, Mr. Takumi?”
“Oh, uh, nothing. Nevermind.”

Damn it, I had thought out loud, after thinking about how I didn’t have any friends.
Leo seemed confused at first, but nodded reassuringly.
Aside from Leo, I also had some coworkers…I talked with them during break… Though, I guess I still wouldn’t call them friends…
No, I can’t think about such strange things right now… Sebastian will look at me as if there was something wrong with me.

“Hah… Well, as long as you are fine. In any case, we servants are very glad that there is someone who the master, Lady Claire, and Lady Tilura, can feel at such ease with. Both you and Leo.”
“Haha. Well, while that was not our intention…I am glad to hear it.”

Ms. Claire and the others really were liked by the servants.
They treated them well, and never became angry without reason. They were wise and kind.
Also, the duke had hired many servants from the orphanage as well… So he was like an ideal superior in some ways.
It was no wonder the servants liked them…

Next Chapter

My Beloved Dog is the Strongest in Another World