Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Caught Red-Handed with Meat
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A gigantic hunk of meat that wouldn't look out of place in a pirate comic.
Yelena had sunk her teeth into the edge of it like a king crab.
'What in the world is going on here.'
The heroine of a romance fantasy novel, stealing food from another family's mansion?
And not just any family, but the Winterguard Grand Duke's household?
If someone heard that, they'd snort in disbelief and dismiss it outright.
I wouldn't have believed it either.
Unfortunately, there she was right in front of me—Yelena, frozen mid-bite with the meat in her mouth.
I couldn't hide my bewilderment as I asked her,
"What are you doing...?"
"......"
But there was no response.
She seemed too stunned by the sheer absurdity of the situation, even for herself.
Otherwise, she would've let go of that meat by now.
Tremble, tremble.
Looking closer, her legs were shaking.
Probably because she was facing the mad Northern Grand Duke—or maybe because she'd committed a crime: theft.
'Or perhaps both.'
Even so, she seemed excessively frightened.
"......For now, I'm not planning to scold you or punish you, so how about putting down what you're holding?"
"......Heup."
At my words, Yelena slowly pulled the meat from her mouth and carefully set it aside.
Thanks to holding it so long, there was a perfect round ring of teeth marks—quite comical, really.
"So, what's going on?"
"W-Well..."
Yelena averted her gaze, fumbling for words.
A suspicion formed in my mind, and I asked,
"......Are the maids not feeding you, by any chance?"
"Eek! N-No, that's not it!"
She'd been casual with me before, but now she switched to polite speech—probably because she felt guilty.
She'd used polite speech when she first woke up in that room too. She was inconsistent.
What I'd worried about, as before, was some kind of bullying or harassment.
After all, we had to keep her here properly—no issues there.
"The maids have been great to me. Really! I eat until I'm full every day!"
Fortunately, judging by her expression and words, that didn't seem to be the case.
"Then why sneak into the kitchen so late at night and tear into a hunk of meat bigger than your face?"
"Eek!!"
As I laid out the facts point by point, Yelena's face flushed bright red.
She clearly realized how embarrassing she must look.
"Th-That’s..."
'I have a rough idea.'
Before reaching the kitchen, I'd overheard Yelena's faint mutterings.
And her bold choice of food, unbefitting a noble lady.
It was probably related to her ability.
The reason Yelena was averting her eyes and hemming and hawing was because she knew just how valuable and rare her ability was.
'Spirit.'
Spirits—the mysterious beings that existed in this world's nature.
Ordinary people couldn't see them at all, but Yelena could see and communicate with them.
Yelena Astria felt her heart pounding.
It wasn't from excitement or thrill.
'Of all people, him...!'
If she had to get caught, she wished it had been by a servant, Lucia, or even that butler Alf.
But no—she'd been caught red-handed by Cassius, the last person she wanted to see, right as she was about to tear into the meat.
'......So embarrassing!!'
No matter how debt-ridden her family was, she was still a viscount's daughter.
For such a lady to get caught stealing food in the house she'd been sold to...
If she were any other noble lady, she might've bitten her tongue and died on the spot from the shame.
Fortunately, Yelena lacked that kind of resolve.
She shot a resentful glare around the kitchen.
'......U-Ulpi? Don't tell me you ditched me and ran?!'
But her sole ally—and the culprit behind this mess, the wolf spirit—had vanished long ago.
"Hey, Yelena Astria. I'm asking you a question."
Now, it was just Cassius and her left in the kitchen.
She hoped someone else would show up soon, but that was unlikely.
Lucia, the maid who helped her, had shared plenty of info about Cassius.
[The master eats breakfast alone. He sends all the servants away.]
[Why? Doesn't that get lonely?]
[Then you'll just have to keep him company, Miss Yelena.]
[......?! What are you talking about?!]
[Hee hee.]
It was a bit gossipy, but still.
No help coming, then.
"W-Well..."
But Yelena couldn't bring herself to speak.
She did defend the maids and servants, insisting they treated her well.
They'd been kinder to her than her own family, which had eased her fear, dread, and anger toward this mansion and its household.
But... even so, explaining her situation felt incredibly hesitant.
The reason she'd snuck into the kitchen to eat was Ulpi.
More precisely, it was due to the changes in her after prolonged communion with Ulpi.
Yelena could communicate with spirits—beings thought to have vanished completely from the world.
And she knew full well how valuable she was with that ability.
If spirits reconnected with human civilization, it could unleash a storm of bloodshed...
"......"
That's why she couldn't mention Ulpi.
She couldn't say that after long communion with Ulpi, she'd assimilated in various ways, and was eating meat on behalf of the bodiless spirit to fill its belly.
"Truth is, I was just really hungry!"
In the end, she chose to lie. Even though he was the man who'd bought her, lying made her heart sting.
If it were the her from days ago, fresh off being dragged to the mansion, she wouldn't have hesitated.
Cassius stared at her for a long moment after hearing the lie.
His black eyes, typical of Northerners.
Compared to her own blue ones, they held a calm, resolute will—and they kept watching her.
Feeling an odd chill from that gaze, Yelena looked away.
It was such a flimsy lie, even to her; her conscience pricked her all the more.
"......I see."
But Cassius withdrew his gaze and gave a curt reply.
"Then I'll tell Lucia to increase your portions from now on."
"Uh..."
"You seem to like meat a lot... so more of that. If you need extra, I'll let the cook know—just ask openly. Alright."
It was obviously a lie, plain as day, yet Cassius didn't press her. He even accommodated her.
'......Why?'
Curious about his intentions for going this far for her, Yelena unwittingly grabbed the sleeve of his departing figure.
"......Wait!"
Why are you being so nice to me?
Shouldn't I be punished for what I did?
You haven't asked anything of me—why do you keep doing things for me?
But she couldn't voice the rest.
In this moment... even grabbing him felt like a crime.
"Th-Thank you."
In the end, clutching his pajama sleeve, all she could manage was a tiny, grateful whisper.
Cassius let out a soft chuckle and left the kitchen, leaving her behind.
"......Ugh!!"
No matter how she thought about it, she couldn't just keep passively accepting this treatment.
Doing something—repaying this debt—would put her mind at ease.
'If I work and earn my keep openly, I can keep Ulpi a secret!'
Then she wouldn't have to avoid Cassius's gaze like before.
'Work's no problem! I've basically shouldered everything back home anyway.'
It had been years since she'd managed the household in place of her parents, who squandered money on gambling and drink, and the servants who siphoned off funds bit by bit.
Anyway, after lounging comfortably for days, she was itching for something to do.
'Worst case, I can ask Ulpi for help.'
She could demand that much from the spirit who'd abandoned her, right?
With that thought, Yelena tried her best to forget her earlier humiliation.
The next day, as I prepared to head out for subjugation with the Storm Knight Order.
"Master."
Lucia, who had nothing to do with this subjugation, suddenly approached.
"Would it be alright to assign some work to Miss Yelena?"
"......What?"
"Oh, just so you know, it's not to bully her. She says she doesn't want to rack up more debt and insists on being given tasks."
First time I'd heard of a heroine demanding work.
But given how the original story portrayed her sense of responsibility and dislike of debt... it wasn't too strange.
"......Go ahead. Don't give her anything too taxing on the body—pick safe tasks."
"Understood."
For a moment, I wondered if I should refuse, but since she requested it herself, I allowed it.
'We don't lack workers in the mansion.'
Well, I'd trust Lucia and Alf to handle the details.
"Storm Knight Order! Preparations complete?"
Right now, I had more pressing matters.
"Family head! The subjugation team's ready!"
Kind, who'd assembled the Storm Knight Order, approached.
"Let's move out."
"Knight Order! Move out!"
Armed in the family's spear and armor, I mounted my black steed.
Now, it was time for monster subjugation.