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Mr. Ekenhart appeared to be scared of Leo
“Yes, I received it on my way here. But even if I knew that Claire was safe, I had still traveled all this way. Besides, I thought it would be nice to see my daughters again. And so I rode as fast as I could!”
“Father…”
So Mr. Ekenhart knew that Ms. Claire was fine.
Still, after seeing how much of a doting parent he was, I would have thought that he’d be against sending his daughters off to be married. I wonder what the reason was?
“And I see we have someone new here?”
“Ah, this is Mr. Takumi, father.”
“Your Grace, he is the one who helped Lady Claire.”
Oh, the conversation had shifted to me.
And so I took a step forward and bowed.
I was just imitating the way I had seen others bow, and so I wasn’t sure if I was doing it correctly. I was no longer nervous, but that didn’t help things much right now.
As for Leo, she remained in the back and was being petted by Ms. Lyra.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Takumi Hirooka. Please call just me Takumi.”
“Ah, so you are Takumi. You have my gratitude for helping Claire. Sebastian told me all about you in his report.”
Apparently, Sebastian had included information about me in his second message to Mr. Ekenhart.
Mr. Ekenhart now laughed as he moved next to me and patted me on the shoulder.
In fact, he was really just slapping me. And though I understood that he was happy that his daughter was safe, it actually kind of hurt.
“You must be quite a man then. You haven’t even flinched while I’ve been hitting your shoulder.”
“Um…well…uh…”
No, it was that the pain of it was keeping me in place…
Also, testing a person by hitting their shoulders and seeing their reaction… I wish he would stop. Besides, what exactly did that say about a person anyway…?
“Father. Mr. Takumi looks like he’s in pain.”
“Ah, forgive me. I might have gone too far.”
“No, I’m fine.”
He finally stopped when Ms. Claire warned him.
…I hope that I’m not bruised… I’ll have to check it when I take a bath later.
“Wuff.”
Perhaps it was because she had witnessed this, or perhaps she just wanted Mr. Ekenhart’s attention, but Leo suddenly moved away from Ms. Lyra, and stood between the duke and I.
Mr. Ekenhart looked surprised at being pushed back, and then he realized what he was looking at and his face turned to that of surprise.
“That…is that a Silver Fenrir…?”
“It is, father.”
Ms. Claire answered his question for me.
Sebastian might not have added this bit of information to his report then. Because Mr. Ekenhart was clearly stunned.
Well, who wouldn’t be with something as big as Leo right in front of them.
Not only that, but as the head of the Liebert family, he must know more about Silver Fenrirs than most.
“Why is a Silver Fenrir here… And…does it not attack people?”
“Wuff!”
Leo barked as if in answer to his words. But this just caused the duke to jump.
His reaction reminded me of Ms. Gelda when we first came here… He was very hesitant.
“Your Grace, the great Leo is Mr. Takumi’s familiar, would never harm anyone. At least, unless something is trying to harm Mr. Takumi.”
“Wuff-wuff.”
As Sebastian explained this to Mr. Ekenhart, Leo nodded with agreement.
…Though, I saw her as a buddy, not a familiar.
It’s not as if we had a contract like Ms. Claire and Sherry.
“I-I see… Still, a Silver Fenrir that obeys a human…”
“We were also astonished by this. But perhaps that can be discussed later. It would not be good to continue to stand here…”
“Indeed… Then we must go to the drawing room. As my study is not big enough to accommodate this Silver Fenrir…er, the great Leo, is it?”
“Very well. I will have the drawing room prepared immediately.”
Answered Sebastian, and he and a few servants left the entrance hall.
Ms. Lyra and Ms. Gelda were with him. I suppose they were going to prepare the tea.
“Now then…while I will learn about the great Leo later… Claire, what is that thing at your feet…”
“Yes, this is a fenrir. And she is my familiar now. Say hello, Sherry.”
“Kyau!”
“Sherry and Leo are so cute!”
Mr. Ekenhart had noticed Sherry, who was sitting at Ms. Claire’s feet.
Well, she was about as big as a medium-sized dog, but clearly not one.
Ms. Claire scooped up the sitting fenrir and introduced her to Mr. Ekenhart.
Sherry sure was polite…I think. But she did bark once. In the meantime, Tilura was boasting about Leo and Sherry to her father.
“A familiar…when did this… Is this also related to Mr. Takumi?”
“Yes. Not only did Mr. Takumi save me, but he also saved Sherry.”
“I see… It looks like we will have a lot to discuss.”
Maybe it was because Sherry wasn’t very large, but Mr. Ekenhart didn’t look too timid around her. Perhaps the fact that she was being carried by Ms. Claire had something to do with it.
As for Leo, he still looked nervous whenever he glanced towards her. Was it her size or was it because she was a Silver Fenrir?
Leo really wasn’t scary at all… But it was his first time seeing her, and so it couldn’t be helped.
We would just have to go slowly, like we did with Ms. Gelda.
“Your Grace, the drawing room is ready for you.”
“Good. Let’s go then, as there is much to talk about. …You three. Good work. You can go and rest now.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
Mr. Ekenhart dismissed the three guards who had come to the mansion with him. They bowed and headed in the direction of the other maids.
They were probably going to some resting room. Mr. Ekenhart had said that he rode here as fast as he could, so it must have been very tiring.