The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella - Chapter 12
“Um…….”
It was evident he was pondering how to appear harmless in front of this small creature.
“My full name is Edmund Valkyriesen.”
Valkyriesen!
The center of all gossip floating around the Sylveria Royal Palace.
The first and last human family to open its heart to the werebeasts.
The bridge and passage between the world of werebeasts and humans.
The historic family that prevented the Second Great War between werebeasts and humans.
A symbol of peace, yet ironically ridiculed as the ‘King of the Monstrous Beasts’…
It was only after hearing that name that Elodie recognized him.
‘The Valkyriesen’s young lord!’
Ebony-like neatly cut hair, beautiful golden eyes that sent shivers down one’s spine despite their beauty.
His face was much younger than she remembered, so she hadn’t recognized him immediately.
But soon, short yet intense memories of encountering him in the palace surfaced.
“…Ah.”
“…….”
“Did I scare you? That wasn’t my intention.”
“…….”
“Do you like sunflower seeds?”
It was hard to forget.
The image of a giant man, crouching down as small as he could, offering a fistful of sunflower seeds…
It made one want to ask, despite not being able to talk, if he always carried mouse food in his neat jacket.
“Squeak squeak…”
“I still haven’t learned the language of mice, I’m afraid. Apologies.”
And his appearance, which could make one believe he was the ruler of the underworld, left a lasting impression with his strange parting words.
He was the second person who had shown kindness to Elodie as a mouse.
‘Now he must still be the young duke, not yet a full duke, so a junior duke of Valkyriesen?’
Elodie’s expression softened a little.
“I’ve come on behalf of the Ratzen family. Fortunately, it seems I’m not too late.”
Ratzen.
‘The Ratzen family…’
Elodie thought it sounded familiar from her past life, but couldn’t immediately recall it on the spot.
“So, it twue? That I got cuwsed an tha’s why I couldn’ be found… I hab a famiwy…?”
Edmund looked down at her shiny black eyes that seemed ready to spill tears at any moment, with a look of perplexity.
“Of course.”
His voice, however, was unwavering.
“My wast name, is Wazen?” (My last name, it’s Ratzen?)
“Yes, young lady.”
“My pawens wooking fow me?” (My parents were looking for me?)
“They have been searching for you desperately. All this time.”
All this time…
Did that mean they were searching even before time turned back?
Searching endlessly for their daughter, who, cursed, could not return to being human, believing forever she was a mouse?
These were people she didn’t remember.
Elodie had just now learned that she had a family who were desperately searching for her.
But just knowing of their existence somehow made her heart swell and flutter.
“Let’s go together. I will escort you to your family.”
“Ywes…!”
Elodie nodded vigorously.
But then, the grip of Sera, who had been holding her tightly, began to loosen.
“I’m happy for you, Elodie.”
Sera tried to smile brightly.
She couldn’t be anything but happy.
This small child, cursed to become a mouse, was now freed from the curse and about to reunite with her lost family.
Naturally, she wanted to bless Elodie with nothing but happiness in her future.
But, there seemed to be no place for herself in it.
That was obvious.
They had only met today.
She had heard the words about escaping together, but it was just the declaration of a child, who was probably no more than five years old.
Although the child spoke too maturely for her age, making Sera waver for a moment…
She shouldn’t take it seriously.
‘She probably just wanted to comfort me.’
Even though it was a trivial matter, Sera must have felt like a lifesaver to that child.
Children are easily moved by small acts at that age.
She shouldn’t take advantage of the child’s pure kindness.
But then…
“Sewa, yew dun… dun wanna come wif me?“ (Sera, you don’t… don’t want to go with me?)
Elodie suddenly burst into tears.
Clinging to Sera’s skirt, as if refusing to let go.
Sera, taken aback by the child’s reaction, responded.
“Of course I want to go with you. But what right do I have to intrude? I would only be a burden and…”
Who would accept her, unacknowledged even by her own blood?
The more she hoped, the greater the disappointment that would return.
Elodie shouted back to Sera’s resigned mutter.
“Wha buwden!” (What burden!)
