~Chapter 31~
“Really? If you want to fight so badly, I’ll take you on any time.”
[W-who said I want to fight?! A-anyway, I’m under a contract right now!]
It was obvious to anyone the “contract” was just an excuse, but the great demon kept babbling on.
[Why did I have to get into a contract like this…]
Half-cat, half-demon.
The soul of the great demon Morcatus was inside Nero, just an ordinary black cat.
Even Edwin had been surprised the first time he saw such a thing. He’d seen magical beasts before, but never a half-cat, half-demon.
At first, when Edwin realized a demon had entered his territory, he wanted to destroy it right away.
But his wife loved Nero.
Morcatus was a great demon, but half of his soul was just a small, pitiful cat that had wandered alone in the snowy mountains.
That’s why Edwin couldn’t bring himself to destroy him.
Instead, he made a condition.
“Protect her well. I’m only letting you exist for that reason.”
[Don’t order me around.]
“If you can’t keep that promise, then I won’t—”
[E-even if you don’t tell me, protecting that girl is part of the contract! Damn it, if you ever hurt me, you’ll see her crying and collapsing in front of you!!]
Actually, Edwin was the one who destroyed Morcatus’s original body.
Even just Edwin’s gaze made the demon instinctively shrink back.
But the clever demon had learned how to get on Edwin’s nerves—just enough to not get in trouble.
[You don’t know how much that girl loves me, do you?]
“She loves Nero, not you.”
[Unlike you, I sleep in her arms every night and wake up to her gentle touch. I’ve even left my scent all over her. Do you know her body is soaked in my scent?]
“That’s Nero’s scent, not yours.”
[We’re the same being, aren’t we?]
Edwin’s brow furrowed, and Morcatus laughed at him openly.
[Anyway, I already got rid of the most annoying human. What about the rest? If you’re going to kill more, give them to me—I’ll eat them.]
“Don’t interfere. Humans have their own ways.”
[Humans, please…]
It seemed like the demon’s rare feast was over.
Morcatus finished cleaning himself, then leapt onto the terrace railing. The cat’s body vanished like a mirage.
“…”
Left alone, Edwin leaned his head back on the sofa and closed his eyes.
‘No… open your eyes. Please, please look at me. I was wrong. I was too late… Please, no… aaaaah!!’
His mouth twisted bitterly.
A long, sleepless night was waiting for him.
By the time the soldiers rushed in, Mrs. Olden had already disappeared without a trace.
She was so desperate, she left behind her clothes, jewelry, and even the maids she’d brought from the capital.
Because of this, the church, which wanted to quietly cover up her embezzlement for my sake, was in a tough spot.
For an ordinary woman to escape so perfectly, she must have had help.
That meant there were still dangerous people left in Lombard, so the investigation moved from the church to the duke.
Lombard Castle was now busy rooting out everyone linked to Mrs. Olden.
So what did I do with all this going on?
“Let’s go to the outer wall!”
I grabbed only Baron Conte, my loyal sidekick, and “escaped”… no, I “visited” the monastery by the outer wall.
With Mrs. Olden gone, the maids lost their leader. They couldn’t resist the angry duke and quietly accepted their punishments.
That’s just what I wanted, but then a new problem appeared.
Now that Mrs. Olden and her maids were gone, the people of Lombard could come and go around me freely.
‘Madam, you’ve been in Lombard a while—shouldn’t you start making social connections?’
‘There are urgent rules in the castle I’d like to discuss.’
‘A vassal family is asking you to arrange a marriage. It’s a good chance to expand your influence…’
‘Madam, please listen to my story!!’
The hallway outside my room was crowded with people wanting to see me.
Before, they avoided me like I had the plague!
Even Bertolt and Ramon, who didn’t like me getting involved, couldn’t stop it. Some people even gossiped that they were the ones encouraging all the visitors.
The cathedral project was done, but I was busier than I’d ever been.
In the end, I begged the duke for help—please lock me in the tower for a month—but he ignored me and flat-out refused!
Such a cold-hearted man…
Anyway, as I searched for a way to survive, I remembered Joseph’s invitation.
He had asked me to visit for a simple thank-you dinner.
“I’m not running away! I’m just going in person to check on the people’s lives!”
“That’s absolutely right, madam!”
“I want to learn more about my people, so I’ll stay there a few days!”
“That’s abso—wait, what? But I’m picky about where I sleep…”
I ignored Baron Conte’s complaints and smacked my lips.
The castle’s food was always luxurious—tender veal, rich butter, creamy sauces, sweet desserts.
But, like a caterpillar that prefers pine needles, I missed the plain, home-cooked food I used to have.
Especially the monks’ cooking—it was the best.
“Hurry up, don’t be late!”
“Eek…!”
At my command, Baron Conte quickly grabbed the carriage handle.
The coachman raced wildly, but I only thought about dinner.
“Stop, everyone! The madam is here!”
“What?!”
It was late evening, and the monastery was in chaos.
Even though Joseph had told everyone, nobody truly expected the madam to come. But soon her familiar carriage stopped outside in the clearing.
Everyone dropped what they were doing and hurried out to bow.
“Raise your heads. Sorry for coming without warning.”
“Oh, no! It’s a huge honor just to have you visit.”
Madam wore a simple dress with no jewelry—so different from the fancy ceremony.
Still, everyone was drawn to her at once.
She looked dazzling in jewels and lace, but she looked even more noble and beautiful in her simple clothes.
It felt like she was a different person.
People stood there awkwardly, until Brother Vincent came out to help madam step down from the carriage.
He gently took her pale, slender hand and smiled.
“You’re here, Elicia?”
“We see each other so often now, you feel like family, Brother.”
Madam spoke warmly, even with a lower-ranked priest.
I’d heard during the construction that Brother Vincent had helped her a lot with church law and customs. Seeing them so friendly was honestly nice to look at.
And, honestly, both of them were so striking—so beautiful and handsome for a place like Lombard—you couldn’t help but imagine stories.
A few nuns smiled and nodded in secret agreement.
