Grulf and Lord Gerberga’s Walk

  I called to Lord Gerberga.

  “Do you want to come too?”


  “Cluck-cluck.”


  Lord Gerberga clucked and jumped off of Luchila’s shoulder.

  “We’ll go with you!”


  “Me-me too!”


  Shia, Serulis, Nia and the children all wanted to come.

  “You’re all awfully energetic, considering you have been training.”


  “Yes!”


  The kids replied happily. Their energy was admirable, but it was also important to rest.

  And so I ordered Shia, Serulis and the children to rest.

  And then I went for a walk with Grulf and Lord Gerberga.

  “Grulf. You can run as much as you want.”


  “Groof!”


  Grulf dashed forward at an incredible speed.

  I felt like he was getting faster and faster.

  He was really growing.

  One of the reasons I had left the children was because I wanted to let Grulf run like this.

  The children were fast, but they would not be able to keep up with him.

  “He’s so fast now.”


  I muttered to myself. Then Grulf slowed down and looked at me.

  “Grr?”


  “You can run faster. Give it all you got.”


  “Groof!”


  Grulf ran happily.

  I chased after him.

  “Cluck-cluck!”


  Lord Gerberga clung desperately to my shoulder as if to defy the oncoming wind.

  It was a good exercise for Lord Gerberga as well.

  After running for some time, Grulf began to walk.

  “Have you had enough then?”


  “Hah-hah-hahhh……”


  Grulf’s tongue stuck out as he panted.

  He was tired from so much running.

  “Well, have some water.”


  “Guff-guff-gufff……”


  “Cluck-uk-uk……”


  I pulled out a bowl and some water from the magic bag and gave it to him.

  Grulf started to drink the water at an incredible speed. Lord Gerberga also drank it.

  Grulf was drinking from the edge of the bowl, perhaps out of respect for Lord Gerberga.

  When they were finished, I picked up Lord Gerberga.

  “You can rest in my clothes if you are tired.”


  “Cluck.”


  And so he rested inside of my jacket.

  And then he stuck his head out. Now he would not get tired.

  I petted Lord Gerberga’s head. His crest was jelly-like and felt nice.

  Grulf started to walk again after resting. He was on patrol mode.

  He would occasionally mark his territory.

  “You don’t raise your leg, huh?”


  “Grrr?”


  Grulf was still a puppy, so perhaps that was why.

  Either that, or he was showing respect to me, since I was the boss of the pack.

  “Grulf, you don’t need to care about that.”


  “Grr?”


  “I don’t have any intention of marking my territory.”


  I wouldn’t get angry if he lifted his leg. I wasn’t a rival or anything.

  But Grulf did not look like he understood me.

  He would run and walk as we continued on.

  I occasionally gave him some water or treats.

  And then after an hour, we returned to Danton’s mansion.

  Luchila came just as I was giving Grulf and Lord Gerberga some water again.

  She was running happily.

  “Welcome back!”


  “Oh, Luchila. We’re back.”


  “Groof!”


  Grulf raised his head and sniffed at her.

  Luchila smiled and petted him with her left hand.

  Then she squatted and petted Lord Gerberga with her right hand.

  “Welcome back, Lord Gerberga.”


  “Cluck-cluck.”


  Lord Gerberga raised his head and then jumped onto Luchila’s shoulder.

  “Have you had enough water?”


  “Cluck-cluck.”


  Lord Gerberga buried his head in Luchila’s hair.

  He was lightly pecking on her ear. What a baby.

  “He seems to have had fun.”


  “Cluck!”


  “Mister Locke. Thank you.”


  “I was taking Grulf out anyway. And I enjoyed it as well.”


  “Cluck-cluck.”


  Lord Gerberga turned around and bowed as if to say thank you as well.

  And so I petted him on the head.

  “Lord Gerberga, you are welcome to join us any time.”


  “Cluck-cluck.”


  As I stared fondly at Lord Gerberga, Luchila seemed to remember something and said, “Oh, that’s right. Miss Kathe has returned.”


  “That was very quick.”


  “And she brought a guest with her.”


  Kathe had gone to the water dragon settlement.

  She was going to ask them to teach me about barriers.

  So the guest was probably one of the water dragons.

  “Hmm. A guest.”


  “Yes. Someone I have never met before.”


  In that case, it was probably Leea or Morris.

  And since they were in the mansion, they must be in human form.

  So they were either royals or someone close.

  While Danton’s house was big, it wasn’t big enough to fit a water dragon inside.

  “I wonder who it is. I should know them if it is a water dragon……”


  I visited the settlement almost every day for a while.

  So I knew all of them.

  And so Luchila, Grulf, Lord Gerberga and I all went inside.

  Then we went to the room where Kathe and the guest were waiting.