The Duke’s Companion

When quite some time had passed. Mamela, who was in the middle of something along with her pen moved to scribble, making a squeaky sound.

As I climbed up to her table, I glanced at Mamela. Then, I heard her mutter, “I don’t want to go to class…”

Mamela flopped on the desk. Seeing her start to feel depressed like that, it seems that it’s time for her to leave.

It was always at this time that Mamela seemed to wither, but today she seems particularly weak.

I jumped down from the table and spoke words of comfort.

“Meow…“

Hearing a dainty cry, she raised her head. The moment our eyes met, Mamela’s expression became tearful, and jumped up and rushed to me.

“Aryl…!”

Startled, I tried to run away, but helplessly, I was caught by Memela.

Mamela sobbed as she hugged me so tightly that the newly healed wound hurt again.

“Aryl, I don’t want to go. Teacher Irving gave me too much homework.”

‘Aww! It’s so cramped…!’

As she tightly hugged me, Mamela seemed to cry more and more, so I eventually put my front paws gently on her shoulders.

“And how boring class is, I can only close my eyes every three seconds. I even asked my brother to change my teacher. Do you know what he said?” Mamela expressed her displeasure.

Mamela, who laid me down, raised her voice sternly and continued, “If you were a member of Cadellarot, you wouldn’t be sleepy studying. Mr. Irving is a well-known scholar-teacher, so you have to have him as your teacher to learn a lot.”

I looked at her like a curious creature. At the end of the sentence, Mamela returned to tears.

“Isn’t that too much? My brother is generous with everything else, but he’s strict in this matter.”

Mamela stomp her feet in anger, I simply looked down at her.

“My mother and father didn’t do this….”

Her voice was tinged with sadness. I raised my hand to encourage her to cheer up. But, despite my comfort, Mamela remained powerless.

Then I heard a knock on the door.

“Lady, it’s class time.”

“…”

Mamela remained motionless on the floor with her mouth shut.

Jonah’s voice was heard again from over the door, “Lady? May I come in?”

“…You don’t have to. I’m going out now.”

Finally, Mamela moved slowly. She stroked my head as usual and left the room. However, her expression was dark as if she was experiencing all kinds of hardships.

‘What are you doing to get so badly depressed every time?’

When she smiles, she’s the cutest kid ever, but doesn’t she get old every time this happens?

A subtle curiosity grew in my worried mind.

‘…Shall I follow her secretly?’

Looking back, it didn’t seem like she had asked me to stay here. Of course, I don’t understand Mamela. But we have to be on the same wavelength.

‘Anyway, this house is Mamela’s territory, so it’ll be okay if I leave for a while.’

After organizing my thoughts without any basis, I went all the way to the door. I’d often seen Mamela open the door.

Recalling that scene, I jumped up without hesitation and stepped on the doorknob.

Then the door swung open with a click. I shoved my head into the gap between the doors and came out as the gap widened.

It was easier than I thought. As soon as I left the room, I poked my nose on the floor and started sniffing.

The smell of Mamela could be quickly detected. I moved my short legs to chase away her scent.

‘Wow, this place is huge…!’

I looked up while chasing the smell, and my eyes widened in the spacious and colorful hallway. I thought it could fit 100 humans or more.

That’s not all, the high ceiling and brilliant lights felt like a sky for me, it makes me dizzy.

I raised my head and looked up, then shook my head and came to my senses.

‘But… Why can’t I see other humans when it’s so big and gorgeous?’

It was so quiet and empty that it felt like I was floating alone in the vast sea. Was it originally this quiet? I shook my head and concentrated on Mamela’s smell again.

After walking a little further, there was a staircase. I alternated between the stairs going up and the stairs going down.

From the noise below, it appeared that there were several people. Still, there couldn’t have been any humans.

On the other hand, it was dead silent.

My nose wrinkled as I stood in front of the stairs.

Now, where should I go? 

Sniff, sniff—

“...Meow?“

I noticed something odd and looked up. Because I thought I was wrong, I rubbed my nose with my front paw.

Then I put my nose on the floor again and sniffed hard.

This time, I frowned. I smelled it again, but it was something strange.

‘…Why do both upstairs and downstairs smell like Mamela?’

Of course, it could be that Mamela has been in both those places.

But even if that were the case, a stronger scent would remain in the most recent place… The scent left on the two stairs was so similar that it was hard to keep track of the time.

‘Is there a human who smells like Mamela?’

I smelled it again and looked up at the stairs. With confusion, I finally made a decision after much consideration.

“Since there aren’t many people up there, let’s go upstairs first.”

I can go downstairs again if Mamela is not upstairs. I proceeded, putting the downstairs on hold.

‘Go straight, keep going… And to the right!’

The smell of Mamela grew stronger and stronger. Finally, when I stood in front of a door that was the destination of the smell, I could smell the fragrance of Mamela.

It was clear that my nose wasn’t wrong. Praising myself, feeling proud by waving my forefoot once in the gloom.

‘As expected, it’s Mamela.’

Just as I opened the door like before to enter. I also did the same thing and jumped up to the doorknob.

A voice was heard from beyond the door.

‘Wait for a moment. Something’s strange…?’

I stopped moving and listened to the sound. Footsteps were heard along with a rustling sound.

I can feel two people…

However, compared to Mamela, both of them had heavier steps and longer strides. And even their low-pitched voices.

With my eyes wide open, I realized belatedly.

Mamela wasn’t here…!