About a month later.

As I was about to head to the courtyard for my training, I hear a commotion somewhere.

"Please wait, Miss Feylis!"

"You can't run around like that!"

Following the source of the noises, I find two maids chasing Feylis around in the hallway, who is naked and soaking wet, probably since she had just took a bath from the looks of it. One maid holds a towel, while the other holds her clothes, the both of them trying to catch up to her but to no avail, as Feylis constantly runs away from them on all four of her limbs, dodging their every attempts to capture the fox.

Over the past month, Feylis has never interacted with anyone other than me, daddy, and mummy. The reason is because... I don't know. But nonetheless, Feylis has always been running away from the people who would ever so slightly approach her. Even big brother is sad because of this attitude of hers, making him unable to have a proper chat with her once in the past month. And because she is quick and agile, no one could really catch her.

Oh wait. I should help them out.

Clapping my hands two times, I shout "Feylis!~ Come here!~"

Immediately reacting to my voice, Feylis looks at my direction and heads towards my way, instantly hiding behind me as the two maids approach and pant aloud.

"Are you two okay?"

"Y-yes... we are... Th-thank you for your concern, Miss Mercedes."

"Whew~! I've never thought that I would run so much in my life."

"Well, thank you for the work. Pass me those and I'll handle it from here."

"Eh!?"

"N-no, we can't let you do that again! It's our job in the first place, so we should-"

"It's fine, just hand the towel and clothes over. Besides, I don't think Feylis is willing to let you two to do your jobs properly, so I'll do it. Just help me inform my father that I'll be late to swordsmanship training, due to this though."

The two maids look at each other, before giving me an immediate response.

"We understand, Miss Mercedes."

They pass me the items and dismiss themselves, scurrying off to what I had asked them to do and most likely some other works afterwards.

"Come, Feylis. Let's go to your room and get you dressed."

"Y-yes... Elder sister."

...........

Ah~ This is paradise...

Right now, I am drying my cute little fox sister with the towel I have in hand, while also fluffing her tail in the process. What's more, when compared to the Feylis from a month ago, the Feylis now is much more accepting of me fluffing her tail. Or rather, nowadays, she seems to like it as much as the head pats I give her.

Truly, this is dream of any fox girls lover wishes to achieve.

"Alright, I'm done drying you. Now for the clothes, do you want to put them on yourself? Or should I help you?"

"U-umm... If Elder sister doesn't mind... then could you please... help me...?"

"Sure~!"

I hear her get dressed in her clothes. It is a simple and easy to wear piece of dress that Feylis my parents had bought for her, as she had chosen them herself.

After the dress, I brush her hair next. Unlike mine, Feylis's hair is pretty short, making it easy for me to quickly brush through them with a comb.

"And... wa-lah! We're done."

Feylis look at herself in the mirror, mesmerized by her look once again as this isn't the first time it happened in the past month.

"Ehehe~"

For some reason, she really likes it when I do this sort of thing for her. However, she should really rely on the maids in the future, as I can't always be the one who does it.

I put down the comb and head towards the door. But before I could open it, I feel a tug on my clothes and turn around to see Feylis pulling onto it.

"El-Elder sister... are you... going for your training again...?"

"Yes, I am. But don't worry, I'll look for you after it's over."

And after I take a bath...

So with a single pat on her head, Feylis lets me go as I head to the courtyard for my training, while she heads off to find my mother, being the only one of the two who can make Feylis feel at ease in the house.

???

"Alright, Mercedes. Your training is done for today."

"Yes, sir!"

Finally, after my training and my bath, I head straight for Feylis's room but find that she is not in.

Hmm... Is she with mummy then?

"Young Miss, if you're looking for Miss Feylis, she and the Duchess went out into the city district for a while."

"Oh. Is that so... Thanks, Sabrina."

Well then, guess I'll have to wait, huh?

So what should I do now? Should I practice my magic skills? Continue drawing my sword, which I'll be using in the future? Or should I read some books?

Mmmmmmm.... Let's go for a walk around the estate first...

"Where are you going, Young Miss?"

"Just going for a walk."

"I shall accompany you then."

Strolling around the compound, I mainly divert myself in the garden, looking at the beautiful flowers in the area.

Whoever our gardener is, I must praise that person for maintaining this spectacular image despite no one ever coming here.

Just then, I hear another commotion and went to check it out. This time, it is somewhere at the gates of our estate.

"Please let me in! I must speak with His Grace!"

"No can do, lady. Leave, or we'll have to force you."

"Please! Please!"

Who the fuck is that bitch?

What I see, is a middle aged woman wearing a pretty nice but worn out dress, along with some horrible make-up on, begging the guards to permit her entry, so she can talk with my father.

"What is going on?" I approach the scene.

"Ah! The Young Miss... It's nothing, Young Miss. We're just about to make this woman leave."

The guards saluted me. But doing so, the woman took it as her chance and slipped through them, grabbing the bars of the gates with her knees on the ground.

"Let go of the gates, woman!" The guards attempts to pry her away.

"You're... You're Lady Mercedes, right? Please... Please tell your father, we're sorry... we won't abuse Feylis ever again, nor will we take her back. So please... please let us have our money back! Please! I'm begging you, my lady!"

"What... did you... say...?"

The woman did her rambling. But I stopped listening when I heard a specific line she had spoken.

She.. abused Feylis? Is that why, my father brought her here? He did say that Feylis is here, due to some circumstances, didn't he? So is this what it's all about!?

"Eek!~"

I'm not sure if I'm keeping a composed look on my face, but my mana surges rapidly from my body as I furiously glare at the woman before me.

She's from the branch family, but is she Feylis's mother? No, I don't think so... At least one of her parents should be a Beastkin and I don't think the Head of the Lodengrimm Branch Family is one. In order words, the only answer I can think of, is that Feylis is the illegitimate child of the branch family. That's why they can abuse her without any remorse, isn't it?

I slowly approach the woman, who is now trembling at the sight of me.

So are the guards standing next to her. Sorry.

"Speak. Tell me everything you and your family did to Feylis. Do that, and I may consider fulfilling your request."

"Aaa.... I... I..."

"What's wrong? I said SPEAK!"