Chapter 25
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Whispers of Romance and a Furry Surprise
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Recently, the servants of the Winterguard estate had been enjoying each day to the fullest.
Compared to the past few years when they had lived in fear under their mania-stricken master... now felt like paradise.
So why were they feeling this joy?
The servants were most interested in love stories.
No need to hide it—it was the tale of the master of the Winterguard estate and the young lady from the southwest.
"Doesn't it seem like those two have been spending more time together lately?"
"Right! I heard they went out before... Did something happen then?"
Originally, Cassius Winterguard had been nothing short of a nightmare for the servants.
No one could stop the manic Grand Duke, so catching his eye meant facing death.
Many had even fled the estate out of overwhelming fear.
Most of those still there had only joined in the last year or so.
Half of the current staff had been wondering if they should leave soon too, but lately, their minds were changing.
A big reason was that Cassius Winterguard's mania had suddenly stopped.
And most believed it was because of Yelena.
The mania ceased after the master returned from the southwest!
Until then, he had acted like a madman, but after bringing in a woman at great expense, he spoke and moved normally again.
Even long-time servants like Alf and Kind sensed the dignity of the previous family head in him.
No doctor had diagnosed that Cassius's mania was cured.
But his clearly changed demeanor left everyone no choice but to acknowledge it.
Yelena had stopped his mania.
No one knew how she had cured it.
Even when some servants asked her directly, she only looked puzzled or brushed it off.
In fact, Yelena herself sometimes wondered if she was really brought to the Winterguard estate for that reason...
"One thing's for sure—the atmosphere in the estate changed after Yelena came."
"Yeah, like... the air feels warmer now."
"When do you think those two will get married?"
The story of the mania-plagued master and the southwestern lady who saved him sparked deep interest among the servants.
Especially whenever they caught glimpses of the pair's sweet moments.
"Lucia, don't you know anything?"
A maid called out to Lucia, who was cleaning with a blank expression.
The emotionless maid shook her head.
"I don't know anything."
"Why? Didn't you go with them that time?"
"I slipped away tactfully. The master seemed too nervous to make a move."
"Ah...! Lucia, you're amazing!"
"I try."
And so, today again, the servants drew their daily motivation from gossip about their master.
That evening, as usual after monster subjugation with the Storm Knight Order, Cassius ran into Yelena as he left the estate.
There were many butlers to assist his return and maids to help Yelena back to her room.
"I... Ca, Cash! You're back!"
Cash?
The servants, who had bowed their heads, looked up with puzzled expressions at the unfamiliar name.
What on earth was Cash?
But the next moment, Yelena approached Cassius's side.
Cash... Could it be short for Cassius?
A nickname for the ruler of the north, the icy Northern Grand Duke?
The servants' faces instantly turned predatory, like beasts spotting prey.
"...Lena."
And the master didn't object or get angry at the nickname—he even responded naturally with one of his own!
This... meant their relationship had grown even closer!
The gossip-hungry servants barely resisted the urge to rush over with sweet treats and witness the scene firsthand.
"Shall we have dinner together, then."
"...Sure!"
But oddly, their interaction felt a bit awkward.
As if they weren't used to using nicknames yet...
...They must have just decided on them recently!
Watching the two head to the dining hall together, the servants smiled softly.
As expected of the heroine— who knew she had a talent for acting too.
"Ca, Cash!"
After returning from the routine monster subjugation, she had run into him "by chance" and called him by the nickname with eyes beaming like she was thrilled to see him.
It was so convincing that for a moment, I wondered if she really had feelings for Cassius.
Of course, she still used polite speech.
'She was almost fully informal when we first met, though.'
Anyway, to show off our sham marriage, we had dinner together before parting.
Back in my room, I sat in a chair, closed my eyes, and reviewed the current situation.
The research at the Engineering Research Institute had succeeded, and heating devices would soon spread from the estate to the directly governed territories.
At the same time, construction was underway to convert the glass garden into a greenhouse for southwestern plants.
Meanwhile, the Mage Association I'd been watching showed no movement.
As if admitting their fault and letting it slide—they hadn't contacted me even after I used their compensation to fund the institute.
They'd seemed like a tricky bunch, so this was good.
As for my relationship with Yelena... I wasn't sure how it had come to this, but it was going well enough.
If nothing happened until the 3rd Prince visited the estate, things could proceed positively.
"Of course, I can't just leave it to luck."
There was always the off-chance, so I had to do my best.
And finally, the vassal families.
Plans for the wedding to weed them out were progressing steadily.
"Not bad. Let's keep it going like this..."
As I drifted off after finishing the last of my tasks...
I sensed an unfamiliar presence outside my room.
'...What is that?'
There was a scratching sound, like something clawing at the door or a table.
Or the patter of feet dashing through the halls.
Who the hell would run through the corridors like that in the middle of the night?
Two suspects popped into my head.
First: an assassin.
But I dismissed it upon recalling Cassius's abilities.
To even attempt an assassination, you'd need to know about Cassius—which would make you rule it out immediately.
His body could withstand poison or wounds until treatment, no problem.
Hell, the assassin would be lucky not to get caught first.
The other option: a ghost.
Just like ghost stories in medieval European castles, this estate could easily have one.
"...But can a ghost survive this weather?"
Even the undead couldn't just tough out northern cold.
Well, a local northern ghost might...
Patpatpat!
Dashdashdash!
The question was whether a ghost could make such nimble footsteps.
In the end, the simple way to resolve it was...
To open the door and peek out.
"...?"
But the corridor was empty.
Nothing but a brief chill around my ankles as I opened the door.
As I turned to go back inside...
Dashdashdash!
The mischievous footsteps sounded again.
"..."
Right by the door this time, I quickly traced them.
Odd footprints stretched down the hall, as if someone had come in wearing outdoor shoes.
Since there were prints... not a sturdy northern ghost.
Assassin ruled out too.
I followed the tracks down the corridor weaponless.
'What kind of footprints are these?'
Too small for a human...
But not quite animal either.
The prints led downstairs.
Whether intentional or coincidence, they cleverly avoided servant areas... and headed to the dining hall.
'...Feels familiar somehow.'
I'd sensed something similar a few weeks ago, so I cautiously entered the dining hall.
The kitchen staff had all clocked out; the place was empty.
From the back, munching sounds.
Crunchmunch...
Suppressing my presence, I slipped into the kitchen... and beheld a bizarre sight.
Yelena in pajamas, for some reason sporting frosty animal ears and a wagging puppy tail, devouring meat like it was the best thing ever.
"...Yelena?"
I called out instinctively, and her back froze mid-bite.
Then her head slowly turned... revealing blue eyes more beast than human, staring intently at me.
Probably not Yelena. I shifted into stance...
But she was faster.
"Arrr..."
She growled at me, then charged and started licking my cheek furiously.
"...??"
What the hell was going on?