52 《Protecting the Homestead, Loyal Guardian!》

"Hey, hey, hey!!!"

Valentina was jolted awake from her slumber by a booming shout. Trembling with a start, she flipped over in an instant and landed on all fours like a large cat crouching on the ground.

"Ngh!?"

She arched her back high, her hair fluffing up as if electrified, baring her pristine, slightly sharp teeth as she let out a menacing sound.

*Hisss-ha—*

Her already sizeable eyes widened even further, her crimson pupils completely contracting into vertical slits as she rapidly scanned her surroundings.

Who is it!!?

Then—her gaze locked onto the white-haired youth smiling from outside the iron bars.

"?"

"Good morning~"

"???" Valentina blinked heavily in bewilderment, shaking her head hard to clear the lingering sleepiness.

Watching Valentina like this, Herbert felt a genuine sense of surprise.

Prior to this, in his impression, Valentina had always been... well, a different kind of animal image, one that was a good friend to humans.

Yet the sequence of movements she had just executed instantly reminded Herbert of a certain ginger cat that loved to take lazy naps on the roof of his car.

The way that fellow went from a stress response to utter confusion after being poked awake by him... well, it was practically identical.

So, are you fundamentally a large dog or a ginger cat?

Valentina stared dazed at Herbert for a moment, after which her gaze instantly turned sharp.

"Hmph!"

She had once again recalled the time Herbert had teased and played tricks on her.

"...What are you here for again?"

She glared at Herbert with a hint of displeasure, then proudly turned her head away to avoid looking at him.

I don't feel like dealing with you.

However...

Though Valentina currently displayed such a guarded posture, deep down she had already decided not to lower herself to this fellow's level.

She originally had been rather angry, the kind that required a mountain of food to coax back into a good mood.

Yet a short while ago, she had quite by coincidence encountered a bizarre slime that had somehow wandered in front of her cell.

After casually beating up that unfortunate creature, her pent-up frustration vented itself out, and Valentina's mood instantly became much more pleasant.

As expected, lying around sleeping is no life; combat is the true meaning of existence.

Fighting, oh, it feels so good!

Though she ultimately let the fellow get away, the long-overdue battle made her feel like her entire dragon soul had come alive.

She wasn't even all that angry upon seeing Herbert, still immersed in the afterglow of battle.

Brawling, it's just wonderful...

"Valentina, I'm here to thank you."

Hm?

Hearing Herbert's words, Valentina's ears twitched. The hungry dragon miss, who had intended to keep ignoring him, was genuinely curious this time.

Thank me?

What on earth is he thanking me for?

"If you hadn't helped me resolve that danger, I'm afraid I would have been done for. You saved me!"

The hungry dragon's ears twitched repeatedly. Half her body had already turned toward him, though her face stubbornly kept facing the wall.

Danger? I saved him?

What on earth is he talking about?

*Mm-mm-mm-mm...*

I'll just ask. I'll just ask what he's trying to pull, and nothing else.

I won't be fooled this time!

After wrestling with herself for a good while, Valentina ultimately failed to conquer her own curiosity and slowly turned her head back.

She cast a peculiar, up-and-down inspecting gaze over the youth, looking him over thoroughly without finding a single sign of injury. "Are you trying to trick me with that kind of talk again?"

"How could I possibly trick you?"

Knowing she had taken the bait, Herbert laughed heartily and asked with an expression of utmost sincerity, "What would I even gain by tricking you? If there's no benefit, why would I bother?"

"Benefit? I don't know, probably none..."

Valentina stared suspiciously at Herbert, muttering uncertainly, "But I have this lingering feeling that after you trick me, you get very... happy?"

Herbert: ?

"Th-This is a pure misunderstanding, Miss Valentina."

Herbert chuckled wryly, shaking his head and spreading his hands in a helpless gesture. "How can you think of me that way? Am I really that kind of person in your heart?"

Could I possibly be that kind of person!!?

Am I?

...Heh, what a coincidence!

I actually am.

*Tsk.*

Herbert couldn't help clicking his tongue internally, barely managing to keep his expression from cracking.

That's why I hate brats with sharp intuition.

Though he had nearly been seen through by the ravenous dragon for the scoundrel he truly was, Herbert would never admit it.

Admitting it was out of the question—he would never admit it in this lifetime.

"Hmph, cut the nonsense. I know what's what."

Knowing that no productive result would come from this completely nutrient-free conversation, Valentina rolled her eyes and demanded irritably, "So, what on earth are you looking for me for this time?"

"Hm? I already told you, you saved me, and I'm here to thank you!"

Herbert cleared his throat and began recounting a tense and thrilling tale to Valentina.

The basic synopsis of the story went like this—

The protagonist of the story, Handsome, was a dashing yet frail warden. Today, the succubus lecherous-biao sneaked into the prison, intending to commit heinous acts against Handsome!

Yet, right on the path of his crime, the lecherous-biao happened to cross paths with the prisoner Beauty, who beat him to death with three punches fueled by a sudden burst of jealousy.

His evil scheme thus failed, Handsome preserved his purity, and the story came to a neat conclusion.

How felicitous, a happy ending for everyone!

"And now, to thank you for your heroic intervention, I plan to thoroughly fulfill one of your wishes! As long as it's within my capabilities, I will definitely grant it!"

Herbert swept his hand grandly through the air and declared with overwhelming dominance, "Speak! What is your dream?"

Valentina stared at Herbert, blinking hard, temporarily a bit dumbfounded.

"Eh?"

She certainly wasn't confused about who Handsome, Beauty, and Lecherous-biao were; she could understand that much.

She might be a little dim at most, but she certainly wasn't stupid...

What caught Valentina's attention instead was—was that slime really dangerous?

No way?

Seeing her hesitate, Herbert assumed she felt the reward wasn't enough. Gritting his teeth and stamping his foot, he added:

"On top of that, I plan to award you a silk banner!"

"It will be embroidered with: *'Guarding the Hearth, A Loyal Guardian! Humanity's Best Friend, The Prison's Finest Inmate!'* What do you think? Doesn't that suit your temperament perfectly!"

?

"Hmph? Who's loyal to you?"

Valentina glared at Herbert, only letting out a huff after he chuckled awkwardly and promised to strike out words like "loyal."

Hmph, that's more like it.

Still, why did it still feel a bit strange somewhere?

By the way, what even is a "silk banner"?

"Alright, just name whatever you want to eat, and I'll satisfy you as much as possible!"

Just as Herbert was discussing the reward with Valentina, the ground suddenly vanished beneath his feet, and his entire body entered a state of freefall, plunging straight into his own shadow.

*Whoosh!*

"Something to eat? Let me think... hm?"

Valentina twitched her nose and looked up, only to find that Herbert's figure was gone.

?

She looked around in all directions, bewildered.

"Where did he go?"

Where did such a big person go?

How did he vanish just like that?