Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: A Chance to Become His Benefactor
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I stumbled back to my room on shaking legs and collapsed face-first onto the bed.
"Those fangs... they were really scary."
Ed had been hesitating, so I'd deliberately scooped up some cake and fed it to him myself. Whether it was the influence of the choices or not, even as I tried to feed him affectionately, my body moved on its own.
Thanks to that, every time Ed opened his mouth wide, I got a full view of those sharp fangs.
Do you know what it's like to hand-feed a wolf? It's way scarier than you'd think. Way scarier.
"Ugh."
Thinking back to what happened in the garden just moments ago made my skin crawl, my body shivering uncontrollably.
'Ed eating the cake so obediently was adorably melt-worthy...'
I'd gotten the chance to see the male lead's childhood up close—the one I'd loved so much in the novel—but of all things, I'm a sheep. A herbivore beastkin!
As I tore at my hair, reminded anew of my precarious position, Mimo—who had been lounging lazily by the bedside—wiggled his plump rear and trotted out of the room.
'Ed's probably back in his room resting by now, right?'
Before he left, I'd told him there was nothing more for him to do today, so he should go sleep.
It had already been several days since Ed arrived. In that short time, I'd tried countless ways to contact the Rub Family, but every single attempt was bizarrely blocked.
Messenger birds would just circle the same spot endlessly before returning to me. Letters sent by post came back undelivered.
The magic communicator was dead silent, and when I tried sending a message directly through a magic circle, it wouldn't activate.
Even trying to inform Ramen or other beastkin was pointless. At this point, I couldn't even think of any new methods. I'd exhausted every normal one.
'It feels like someone's deliberately blocking me.'
I couldn't shake the thought. So until Billy Rub showed up in person, I'd been making the best use of the choices—keeping Ed's tasks light and feeding him plenty.
I wondered if Ed had noticed even a hint of my intentions.
'That cute little kid grows up to become a ferocious wolf.'
It was hard to imagine.
"I can do anything well. I've tried all sorts of things since I was little. So I'll gain weight in no time."
I remembered how he'd responded so maturely when I said we needed to fatten him up first if I was going to put him to work. But then he'd say something innocently childlike, and it was unbearably cute.
Maybe because he hadn't been here long enough to be worn down by my sharp tongue, unlike the other servants who started avoiding me whenever they saw me, Ed would chatter happily in front of me.
How harsh must his life have been for such a bright, adorable child to end up hating sheep so much?
'I'll never let that happen.'
He might seem like a tiny puppy now instead of a scary wolf, but in the novel, he grows into an unparalleled savage beast. And not just that—with his genius talent, he even becomes the Magic Tower Lord...
"Huh?"
Wait.
Bam!
"Ow!"
The sudden realization jolted me upright, but I lost my balance and tumbled to the floor.
"Ow..."
Rubbing my bruised shoulder and wiping away the tears that welled up, I sat there on the floor, thinking.
'Why did it take me this long to remember?'
In the original story, as Ed gets entangled with the female lead, falls in love, and his abilities grow day by day, he rises to become the youngest Magic Tower Lord ever.
And the most crucial scene for me right now—the one that made me fall flat on my face.
「"With talent like this, his abilities must have manifested from a very young age. It's a bit late to notice now..."
The Magic Tower mage, unaware of the Rub Family's circumstances, spoke in a serious tone.
"Come to think of it, he mentioned something strange happened while he was at that damned Morton Family."
His nephew's vast magical power had apparently manifested even earlier than they'd realized.
And to think the nobles who could have noticed it just neglected the child and worked him like a slave...
They shouldn't be killed cleanly, after all.
The mage fled in panic as Billy ground his teeth, radiating murderous intent.
No beastkin could withstand the wrath of the notoriously ruthless Billy Rub. You could tell just from how he'd wiped out the Morton Family the very day he took Ed away.」
The speculation that Ed's first ability manifestation might have happened at the Morton estate!
'If only I'd paid attention to more than just the romance and skimmed the rest properly!'
I regretted focusing only on Ed and the heroine's romance, skimming everything else.
'But it's not too late yet, right?'
Over the past few days, I'd kept Ed in my sight while he worked, but I hadn't sensed any magic-related signs from him.
Which means...
"I could be the first person to witness Ed's ability awakening?"
Oh my god.
If I play this right, I could turn from a villainous employer into his benefactor.
Me, becoming the benefactor of the original male lead I'd adored so much!
It had taken days after Ed arrived for this vital realization to hit me, but my eyes burned with passion brighter than ever.
This is too good.
"Heh heh heh..."
"Eek!"
A maid who entered to clean the room caught sight of me laughing and bolted away like a shot, but I ignored her and headed to the terrace. My eyes sparkled excessively as I looked down at Ed in the garden.
'Ed, I'll help your talent bloom even sooner!'
No more hardship for you—I'd pave a rosy path straight to Magic Tower Lord for this adorable boy!
And that resolve had been just yesterday.
'What's with the hassle first thing in the morning?'
Having pulled an all-nighter planning my "Become Ed's Benefactor" project, I sat at the vanity, not hiding my displeasure.
"Miss, Young Master Ramen says you need to get ready quickly and come to the main house. Important guests are arriving."
The maid who woke me early that morning immediately set to work dressing me up as if for a banquet.
"Sigh..."
Sensing my foul mood, the maids were even more tense than usual as they brushed my hair, carefully helped me into a dress, and finished with beautiful jewels.
"Um, miss. Is there... anything you don't like?"
One maid, pushed forward as representative, rolled her eyes nervously before mustering the courage to ask.
I silently scanned my reflection in the mirror.
My snow-white hair fell to my waist in gentle waves, and my clear jade-green eyes evoked vast, refreshing fields.
Slightly drooping eyes with large pupils, a small nose, dainty lips, and soft pink blush on my cheeks created a lovable aura.
True to a herbivore beastkin, my features were gentle and soft beyond compare.
Though my mouth could be vicious, among sheep beastkin, Lami was considered quite the beauty. With all this careful primping, she really did look pretty.
But—
"Everything."
"...Pardon?"
"I hate everything."
Right now, nothing pleased me. Not getting dragged out of bed early because that brat Ramen summoned me, not being told who I was meeting but just ordered to look pretty.
I wanted to ignore the summons and sleep in, but I couldn't—not with the threat of being kicked out of the family if I disobeyed.
After all, Ramen was the family head, and I was just the powerless illegitimate daughter with a nasty temper.
The maids paled at my words and dropped to their knees with a thud, bowing frantically.
"S-So-Sorry! We didn't even grasp your tastes properly..."
I waved them up from their tearful pleading and shooed them out with a single word.
They kept apologizing obsequiously even as they left. I told the last one to fetch Ed, then stood to prepare to leave.
It had been months since I possessed this body. At first, I'd tried being kind to the servants who'd suffered under Lami's bullying, feeling sorry for them.
But after living here a bit, I realized the mansion's servants only trembled when Lami glared or threw tantrums—they subtly looked down on her otherwise.
'They figure it's fine to ignore the illegitimate daughter chased to the annex after falling out of favor with the new family head.'
They'd mix weird weeds into my food or gossip behind my back, spreading nonsense about Lami.
Since they treated her that way, my desire to be nice naturally faded.
When I overheard them mocking my efforts after possession—in sneering tones among themselves—my tolerance dropped even further.
At least the annex servants were better; the ones serving Ramen in the main house openly despised Lami.
Knock knock.
I was about to open the door when a knock came from outside, revealing a smooth sky-blue head.
"Lady Lami, I heard you called for me."
Had he been sleeping soundly until I summoned him? Ed's voice was husky. Seeing his eyes heavy with sleep, slightly more hooded than usual, instantly healed my heart.
I drew breath to reply, then glared at the choices floating before me.
'No hurting him first thing in the morning. Gentle words, gentle words.'
'Ah...'
My eyes wandered, lost, as I hurried to pick a choice.
'I wouldn't even ask for gentle words, but why isn't there one normal option?!'
I looked down at Ed with pity—he was about to get an earful first thing in the morning—and finally chose one.
My brows furrowed, hands on hips, and the selected words spilled from my mouth automatically.
"Can't you move faster? We have somewhere to go, so follow from a distance."
"Yes!"
As soon as the words left me, I strode out with wide steps. Ed's footsteps followed hurriedly at regular intervals behind.
Tap, tap.
Since I'd told him to stay back, the sounds gradually faded into the distance.
His image kept flickering in my mind—eyes snapping wide as if the sleepiness vanished in an instant, body tensing as he replied.
Once this mystery guest thing was over, I'd give him a reward. With that thought, Ed and I headed to the main house.
"This way."
Following Ramen's aide into the parlor, I saw Ramen sitting there, his face beaming with delight. A man sat across from him.
"Slaves aren't allowed in. Come this way."
I'd brought Ed to stay close in case his magic manifested, but a main house servant stopped him right away.
I hadn't expected to bring him into the parlor anyway, so I sent Ed off for now.
"Sit, Lami. Treat our important guest with respect."
Ramen spoke in an unpleasantly soft voice and patted the seat beside him.
I curtseyed lightly, lifting my dress hem, then dragged my reluctant feet over and sat next to him.
"As expected, you're as beautiful as they say."
A buttery, saccharine voice oozed from the man opposite.