The Northern Grand Duke’s Hamster

“Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, look at your target, then draw the bowstring. Keep your arms level and straight. Yes, just like that.”

I pulled the bowstring exactly as Kyle instructed. Gritting my teeth, I focused with all my might, struggling to bring stability to my trembling arms, which quivered like aspen leaves.

Of course, the result was a failure.

I had simply become an aspen tree.

[(>―<)] What. Why. Never seen an aspen before?

“Are you even concentrating?” Kyle asked sternly.

I grumbled in response. “It’s not about concentration. No matter how much strength I use, I can’t do it.”

Is this thing defective? As I panted in frustration, Kyle let out a low chuckle. “That’s impossible.”

Standing beside me, he stepped closer, gripping my wrist lightly where I held the bow. His other hand settled on my opposite shoulder, applying firm pressure. “Keep your waist straight. Your shoulders aligned.”

The hand stabilizing my shoulder slid down to my elbow. When my upper body wavered again, he frowned, moving even closer until his chest pressed against my back for support.

Wait a minute, this position…

“Uh…” I lifted my head slightly. My voice must have been too quiet because Kyle leaned in further, bringing his face closer to mine.

He was so near that I lost all will to speak.

This—this was practically an embrace from behind.

“Could you, uh… teach me from a little farther away?” I cleared my throat in embarrassment, trying to mask my discomfort.

But Kyle didn’t budge. Instead, he flatly pointed out, “Didn’t you just fail to draw the bowstring properly?”

“Well… yeah, I guess I did.”

“Then stop complaining and focus ahead. Keep your eyes forward. Breathe slowly. Imagine the energy flowing straight to your fingertips. Just before releasing your right arm, hold your breath.”

As if by magic, the uncontrollable shaking in my arms ceased. With his added strength stabilizing the bowstring, it stretched taut, and in that tense moment, the arrowhead aligned perfectly with the target.

For the first time in my life, I released an arrow—and it struck dead center.

“Oh.”

I knew it was only possible thanks to Kyle’s help, but I couldn’t help feeling thrilled. Looking up at him with a bright smile, I found that he was also gazing at me, the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

“Well done.”

In the surrounding silence, his quiet praise resonated clearly.

…Wait. Silence?

That’s when I realized that everyone had discreetly given us space.

It wasn’t like I was some company chairman playing golf, getting applause with every swing, so the lack of an audience was a relief. But this… this felt like they were intentionally giving us a moment.

Like they were setting the mood for a date.

[Current status: ❤×60]

I wasn’t thinking about cashew nuts, and neither was he.

Yet, Kyle’s happiness gauge was slowly rising.

“……”

Our gazes met once more in the air—his, searching for an answer, or perhaps yearning for something.

His eyes were both calm and fervent.

I had a feeling I knew what he wanted to ask me.

But I gave no answer.

I felt like I shouldn’t. Not yet.

I turned my head away and lowered the bow. Clearing my throat needlessly, I spoke.

“We still have some time. Would you like to go out for some fresh air?”

Kyle chuckled softly, as if he had seen straight through me. “Your arms must be sore. And after just one shot?”

“You should focus on the effort, not just the results.”

“Fair enough. In that case, shall we go horseback riding? You should learn that as well.”

After checking my system window, I replied, “Let’s keep it to an hour-long session.”

“You’re busier than the grand duke himself.”

“Unfortunately, that’s sometimes the case.”

A low, gentle laugh escaped him.

He seemed genuinely happy.

Despite offering to teach me horseback riding, Kyle lifted me effortlessly onto the saddle before mounting behind me.

I wasn’t particularly small, yet he handled me like I weighed nothing.

The brown mare began to walk slowly along the castle outskirts.

It was a bit chilly, but Kyle had anticipated that, draping his cloak over my shoulders. Thanks to that, it was bearable.

“Even though winter is nearly over, the wind is still sharp. Blake’s cold lingers well into spring—you’ll need time to adjust.”

“How do you know I haven’t been here long?”

“That’s a foolish question.”

He adjusted my slightly slouched posture with a firm grip on my shoulder and answered, “If you had been here long, there’s no way I wouldn’t have recognized you.”

“You seem to know everything about Blake.”

“It’s my duty.”

Who carries out their duties with such enthusiasm?

Well, I suppose that’s what makes him Kyle Blake.

“By the way, have you found any clues regarding Prince Belial’s ambush?”

“……Yes. But nothing conclusive.”

A cryptic answer.

What? So does he know or not?

Thankfully, he elaborated.

“All three corpses were of unidentified soldiers. Their bodies were discovered a short distance from where the attack supposedly happened.”

“But you determined they were ‘soldiers.’”

“Yes.”

Which meant someone had hired them.

Of course.

The targets were either Belial or Kyle. No one in their right mind would handle the job personally—failure meant certain death.

“For now, I’ve started investigating mercenary groups near the capital. Any recent assignments from high-ranking nobles or cases where at least three men died—those should be worth looking into.”

“You’ll be busy for a while.”

“Yes. And the manpower it requires is no joke. Keeping an eye on Cashew Nut alone is already exhausting…”

Huh? Cashew Nut? Me? …Why?

With a troubled sigh, he continued, “I tried infusing it with mana, but it rejected it. Do you have any idea why?”

Oh, I knew.

I just couldn’t tell him.

Normally, that kind of reaction would make anyone suspicious of their hamster. But Kyle’s face was filled with nothing but genuine concern.

His devoted pet-owner instincts remained unchanged.

Still, how should I explain this?

“Hmm, maybe it just has an unusual constitution…” I muttered evasively, then quickly added, “But don’t try infusing it with mana again. What if it has a negative effect?”

Hearing that, Kyle’s expression grew serious. “You mean, something like an internal conflict…?”

Sharp.

Not that he was aware of the system’s existence, but still.

“Yes. So just leave it alone for now. Time will resolve it.”

Translation: Don’t be a nuisance.

Even if that weren’t the case, infusing mana recklessly might trigger another event like that swamp goat incident.

I had to be cautious.

This wasn’t my homeland, but it was still a place people had worked hard to build and protect.

As we chatted about various things, we eventually returned to the castle just before my “Reload” time ran out.

Kyle threw me a curious look, clearly wondering why I was in such a hurry. But I couldn’t very well tell him I had to return to my hamster house.

This was an ongoing dilemma.

There were no eternal secrets in the world.

How the hell was I supposed to reveal that I was his pet hamster?

Ugh, I should’ve finished that conversation back then.

What a ridiculous life.

‘Just a little longer like this.’

Kyle’s remaining lifespan had increased.

I wanted to enjoy this peaceful life just a little more.

At the time, I had no idea what kind of trials one had to endure to obtain ‘peace’ in the North.

***

“It’s an attack, Your Highness! You must evacuate immediately!”

“The northern rampart has collapsed! We need mage support!”

“F-Fire! A fire has broken out in the west!”

The crisis struck without warning.

Blake Castle was thrown into complete chaos.

At the time, I was in what was supposedly the safest place in the castle—the grand duke’s study. More precisely, inside my hamster house.

So when I saw Kyle’s face go pale, I didn’t immediately grasp the gravity of the situation.

But it only took one hour for me to understand the brutal reality of the North.