Home/The Seven-Year-Old Village Chief of Exile/ch 40

Chapter 40

The Clavis family had been destroyed, and I was known to have died in exile.

So this title certificate was nothing more than useless scrap paper.

"Could that be it?"

Ian said.

"Among the rumors surrounding the Clavis family, there's one about the title."

The rumor that they gave the title certificate to their pet dog because they found nobility bothersome.

"Wow."

Ian and Libby were just as flustered as I was. Especially Ian, who had brought it up himself, muttered in disbelief.

"I thought that rumor was fake."

"I was sure it was a lie until just now."

"Then..."

"In the primeval forest..."

Ian and Libby, looking at each other, turned to me simultaneously.

"Hmm, I'm bewildered."

So that rumor was true.

I calmly assessed the situation.

'That means the long-haired Lord had been protecting the Clavis family's pet dog.'

In other words.

"That means I'll have subordinates who are blindly loyal to me!"

"You're taking it that way, you positive thing."

Ian let out a wry scoff but then paused.

He tilted his head with a skeptical expression.

"Hebenia, I hope this is just an unnecessary worry, but..."

"Why?"

"Can you remember that dog your family raised?"

"No."

I still knew nothing about the Clavis.

At best, I'd only seen my brother once in a dream.

At my answer, Ian's expression grew even more complicated.

"...Ah."

And I too realized what Ian was worried about.

Ian said cautiously.

"I'm not trying to jinx it. But since you've wandered around the forest several times and it hasn't come to you, maybe the dog has forgotten you too."

"It might even be angry."

Libby mentioned the worst-case scenario.

"From the dog's perspective, it might think its owner abandoned it and threw it away in this remote place."

"Hey."

Ian quickly poked Libby's side, signaling her.

Libby stopped talking, but my confidence had already dropped by half.

'This is bad.'

A Clavis dog that survived in the monster-infested primeval forest.

'I don't think I can win.'

How could I become friends with the dog?

'No, it's too early to give up.'

I, Hebenia Clavis.

I've been in Korea for twenty-five years, after all.

'I've decided to just let that slide. Since this is my real world, it's silly to cling to Korea as my home.'

Anyway, Korea's greatest strength.

Excellent education system and cutting-edge technology.

'I must have learned somewhere—how to convince a dog that doesn't recognize its owner and establish dominance...!'

To activate my brain, I asked Ian to massage my temples.

"It's strange—she didn't act this cheeky in the exile camp."

"Oppa, everyone lived in fear there."

"Th-that's true..."

"That just means she can let loose here. Besides, our Lady is the youngest. She must have been a little troublemaker."

While the adults talked about me.

"Hmm, hrmm...!"

I recalled the animal documentaries I watched every weekend morning, and the animal videos on social media.

Then I opened my eyes wide.

The three guardians stared at me.

Verity asked.

"Did you figure something out?"

I nodded solemnly.

"Naming them something tacky helps them live longer."

"By tomorrow, this village will be in the dogs' paws. They'll attack the moment they decide they don't like their owner."

"Is the village chief already being replaced..."

Ian muttered that he'd have to prepare a doghouse for the village chief.

---

Starting today, classes where villagers taught their specialties and hobbies would begin.

Uncle Modi had arranged the schedule while I was away and got the villagers' approval, so we could start quickly.

"It's so convenient for a boss when subordinates work well."

"Isn't that one of the things a boss should never say?"

As village chief, I had a busy schedule today too.

'At lunchtime, I'll contact the Deste Temple, and in the afternoon, I'll observe classes...'

And right now, I was in the primeval forest alone with Verity to handle another task.

A small eyeball with bat wings flew ahead, illuminating the path with blue light.

"When's the next village meeting?"

"Tuesday next week."

"Five days left. Come to think of it, did you distribute calendars to the residents?"

"On the first day we arrived. The long-haired Lord installed one in every house before leaving."

This visit to the forest wasn't for hunting monsters.

We'd come to pick up our family dogs.

"Huuh..."

"Nervous?"

Verity, dressed in summer gym clothes, asked.

"A little, I guess..."

Honestly, if I were the dogs, I'd probably try to kill my owner on sight.

'Living the good life as a rich family's pet, then suddenly being left with someone else, and now living in this pitch-black primeval forest...'

They must be so angry.

I glanced at the bag on my back.

'I hope they like it.'

Just then, Verity said.

"This should be about right."

We'd stopped at a rare clearing in the forest, surrounded by ancient trees.

Large roots encircled the area like a fence, and the ground was paved with faded tiles.

'What was this place...'

As I looked around curiously, something caught my eye.

A clump of white fur.

"Verity, this..."

"It seems this is the dogs' playground."

Verity, who had been looking elsewhere, also had a clump of fur in his hand. His was black.

'Two dogs—one black and one white...!'

I had no idea what kind of meeting it would be, but on the other hand, my heart raced at the thought of finally having a pet of my own.

'Every magical girl has a cute animal companion.'

Even Magic Milky, the girl I admired, had a loyal animal mascot named 'Powder.'

Powder, a small puppy-shaped mascot, provided magical powder—the driving force behind magical tools.

White Milky Powder for Magic Milky, and pink Berry Powder for Magic Strawberry.

'Because of that, some lowlifes turned Magic Shake into a meme about drug users.'

I was a keyboard warrior who fiercely fought against turning a children's all-ages anime into such memes.

Putting aside that wistful past, I lowered the bag on my back.

I reached into the red bag with an ant printed on it and pulled out the items I'd brought.

"Dog treats, squeaky toys, dried sweet potato snacks, kibble, leashes, kimchi vests for different sizes..."

"Now I see why your bag looked so heavy."

These were all things I'd obtained through a wish from Verity the night before.

Sure enough, everything was something commonly seen in Korea.

Especially the kimchi vests, which I'd half-jokingly asked for—they looked exactly like the dog clothes you'd see in an underground shopping center.

The tacky label inside the clothes was proof.

'So the Clavis really did prepare a lot of Korean items.'

It was impressive, but not touching.

'If it were me, I'd have spent that time stomping on the Emperor.'

Anyway, after laying out the gifts, I called the dogs.

"Poppy! Chuchu!"

"Haha, classic dog names."

"I've actually wanted to raise a dog since I was a child."

I couldn't even dream of it when I lived in Korea, but after I moved out, I volunteered at a shelter and kept an eye out for opportunities.

'But I never got the chance.'

Now I'm glad.

'If I had one, would my heart be at ease right now?'

Especially since...

'...Tch, never mind.'

Let's forget about 'Senior' for now.

"Poppy! Chuchu! Chuchuchuchu!"

I clicked my tongue and begged them to come, but the dogs didn't show so much as a hair.

"Oh dear, our Lady's lips look like an ugly duck bill."

"Maybe they're not here? Verity, do you sense anything?"

"Let's see..."

Verity inhaled deeply and gazed into the dark forest, a troubled expression crossing his face.

"Aside from monsters that fled from me?"

"What about the long-haired Lord's familiars?"

"They're naturally shy and wary of strangers, so it's not surprising they won't show themselves."

In the end, I trudged back to the village empty-handed.

Libby and Ian were waiting for us.

The moment I saw them, a whimper escaped me.

"I didn't get to meet them..."

"Oh dear, that must be disappointing."

"Don't be so down. You can go see them again next time."

Ian, reaching for my bag to carry it, was surprised and looked inside.

"Whoa, what did you pack so much?"

"Gifts for the dogs. I wanted to cheer them up."

"Such dedication."

"Let's go back first. The adults have prepared a doghouse."

"I should go in there. I'm the criminal who forgot his own dogs. I'm a real piece of shit..."

"No, why are you being so self-deprecating..."

Just as Verity was lifting my limp body to support me.

Thud—!

Crash—!

"Wh-what was that...?"

"An earthquake? Is everyone okay?"

Startled by the ground shaking, all the villagers came outside.

"My Lady."

Verity, holding me protectively, pointed toward the forest.

The source of the sound and vibration was the direction Verity and I had just come from.

The leaves of the tall ancient trees rippled like waves. The vibrations grew stronger, and each time, the shaking got closer to the village.

"...A monster?"

Ian muttered tensely.

Verity quickly denied it.

"No, monsters can't touch this barrier."

"Then what is it..."

"Wait!"

Just then, I shouted.

Jumping out of Verity's arms, I stood in front of the barrier.

At the same time, the booming sounds reached their peak.

With a rustle, light glimmered through the gaps in the ancient trees.

"......"

I placed my hand on the barrier.

Click—.

And I opened it.

Everyone swallowed dryly, watching what I was doing.

Pitter-patter.

Pitter-patter-patter.

The sound of small paws—the light sound of tiny claws hitting the ground—stopped right in front of me.

I closed the barrier and looked down.

Fluttering in the wind, clumps of white and black fur.

Within the fur, small bodies clearly visible in the bright sunlight.

Large, wistful eyes.

Small, slightly protruding tongues.

"Ch...!"

I recognized this breed.

"Chihuahua..."

The moment I said that name.

"Grrrrr...!"

"Grrrrr! Grrrrr!"

The dogs came at me and bit.

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