IDEFYEM - Chapter 9

IDEFYEM - Chapter 9

Black Man, I'll Do Everything For You Except Marriage!



"Stop it now!"

I shouted without even thinking. Wow, I covered my mouth too late, but my eyes were already focused on this.

I hid my trembling hands and approached the blood-covered little animal.

"What? Who said it all...."

"You idiot, can't you tell just by looking at it? She's the first girl here!" 

The boys whispered among themselves and then quickly ran away.

I pursed my lips helplessly as I looked at that scene.

It was fortunate that they were young servants who did not know that I was being treated poorly by the Duke. Even Martha's maid, who knew the internal situation well, easily ignored me as I had no power.

"Oh my God, you're so badly hurt."

I carefully lifted the kitten, who seemed to be barely breathing.

Even though cats were known as ominous animals in the Empire...

'If I leave it here, something similar will happen again."

Should I take him to the Count's mansion? Is that okay?

I was looking down with complicated eyes at the cat that was squirming in my arms.

Oh, what is this deja vu?

The words that described Vermont in the original came to mind again.

Excellent appearance, as if he were not human. Long, shiny silver hair, and beauty spots adorning pale cheeks. Sharp eyes that give off an unapproachable vibe.

Everything that was said was correct.

"But this... It's a cat."

Cute appearance, as if he were not human. With milky-colored fur, spotted patterns, and raised eye corners!

"Huh? Uh?"

What if familiars didn't actually refer to humans? Although I was embarrassed, I hugged the cat.

"V-Vermont?"

"Yah." 

The cat made a small sound as if responding. 

"Uh huh?"

It was confusing, but I had to treat and see whether the cat was a familiar or not.

I was just about to walk towards Sarah again.

“Myaa, miaooooo.”

The cat cried mournfully over its injured body and refused to go there.

Then it stubbornly stretched out its tail and pointed in a different direction.

"Go this way?"

"Yah." 

If you go this way, you will find the back door into the Duke's residence.

I didn't really want to go in, though.

I felt uneasy about ignoring the wishes of a cat that was somehow magical.

I eventually started walking as the tail pointed.

***

There is a room in the Duke's residence that has been locked for a long time and has never been opened.

I knew that the room in which not even a maid went in to clean it was the room that the Duchess used when she was alive.

"If you make a fuss about having a nightmare again, I will lock you in the room haunted by the dead Duchess's ghost!"

My shoulders flinched at the memory that came to mind reflexively.

I somehow managed to get this far without encountering a single person.

"Are you sure you want to go in here?"

"Miao."

This was the destination we arrived at, following the cat's words exactly.

The room located in the far corner at the end of the hallway had an overtly eerie atmosphere.

"If I go back now... Yeah, that won't work! Sorry!"

Unable to withstand the cat's claw attack, I hurried into the room.

"Ahh! Cough Cough."

The first thing that came out of my mouth was not an exclamation but a cough.

Naturally, the room, which had been neglected for 10 years, was full of dust.

I walked forward, shaking my acrid eyes with my hand.

The Duchess' neglected garage was very simple. The only thing that stands out is the large bookshelf that would be difficult to find in an average noblewoman's room.

An old sofa, an equally old desk.

I glanced around the room and headed straight to the bookshelf.

"Witch Allura's Movement Magic Recipe", "The Essentials of Summo ning Magic", "Hey, you can make a potion too"...

As I was reading the titles of the books packed in a pile, I suddenly felt strange. Duchess, were you really a wizard?

There was a time when I thought it was strange that extra Enrica was given the title of a wizard. It seems to make sense that I inherited my mother's magical power.

"Okay, if you're going to scratch me, do it gently, what? Look at the bottom of the bookshelf?"

Now I can communicate quite well with the cat. AKA tail communication?

I immediately bent down and looked at the bottom of the bookshelf.

A bundle of paper bound with thick leather was held in my hand. I carefully flipped through its first page.

[My name is Vivian Montemoor.]

Wow, what a pretty name. Is Montemoor the Duchess' maiden name?

After being completely amazed, I began to read the elegant handwriting.

[I placed a spell on this diary so that others cannot read it. If someone other than me is reading this... It's probably because something went wrong with me and the magic was broken.]

The book that was clearly different from the magic books at the top of the bookshelf was a diary. But I don't have time to read it right here. I packed the diary in my arms and made a plan to return to the Count's residence.

'I'm really sorry. I'll read it carefully and return it.'

I muttered a sincere apology in my heart and hugged the cat with my free hand.

The cat, too, seemed to have satisfied all its wishes and did not react anymore.

I ran out of breath and reunited with Sarah at the same spot. 

"Sarah! I'm sorry I'm late."

"I've been worried for a while, Young Lady. What is this...."

Her eyes widened when she saw the scruffy cat.

"Let's explain later and let's go to the carriage. The aide must have been waiting a long time."

I felt very sorry for him who wasted his time today by hanging out with my reckless behavior.

Sarah and I ran to the carriage, holding the sleeping cat who seemed to have passed out before we knew it.

"Are you here?"

"I'm sorry, I was very bored!"

"It's okay. This is my job."

A Young Man with a gentle expression answered readily.

"Are you allergic to cat fur or do you hate cats?"

"I like all animals."

When the aide saw the injured cat, his eyebrows drooped as if he felt sorry for him.

Melua was nervous for a moment, wondering why I had brought a cat out of nowhere, but Melua headed toward the luggage compartment without saying a word. Then he brought a clean cloth and a basket and began simple treatment.

I delicately wiped the blood stuck to the cat's fur and wrapped the body with a cloth.

'As expected, he is as capable as first impressions.'

I thought to myself and helped him.

"Are you going to raise it?"

 "I think that's probably true. "Wouldn't  Kael hate it?"

As soon as Melua brought up Kael's story, she responded with a suddenly depressed expression.

"Now he... If it's the Lady's opinion, he'll say anything is fine."

I spoke after seeing the young man's depressed expression. 

"I don't think Kael is a good boss."

"Yes? "Are you a good boss?"

I burst out laughing at the reaction as if it was the first time I had heard the word.

"How long is it? I thought you were a kind person by nature." 

"Yes? Kind nature... "

"Yes?"

The carriage began to roll, leaving behind Melua, who seemed to be in great confusion. 

'It's quite a harvest... Is it there?"

I thought as I looked at the cat in the basket that might be familiar. 

'If it's not Vermont, I'll just count it as saving a life.'

Ah, I'm sleepy.

I slowly yawned in the aftermath of last night's sleepless night and the long round trip in the carriage.

Sarah, who saw that, naturally offered her shoulder.

'Sleeping on the shoulder of a wicked woman.' 

It was unimaginable not long ago.

"Then just a little...." 

At the end of the muttering voice. I looked up. I opened my eyes again in a foggy space.

***

Right before I scream, remember the possibility of being kidnapped in an unfamiliar place.

Ah, it's a dream.

I naturally realized this and was relieved.

I've been having a lot of strange dreams lately. Is fatigue really the problem? Sitting across from me was a middle-aged woman whose face was obscured by fog.

It was a moment when I felt relieved by the friendly and cozy atmosphere.

“Enrica.”

A clear voice penetrated my ears. 

"Do you really want to meet your familiar?"

I guess I'm paying a lot of attention to Kael's curse.

I can't believe I even had this kind of dream. 

"Ugh, of course. I need to ask him about the curse quickly."

It's just a dream anyway. I grumbled comfortably.

"Even though you were in so much pain because of the magic?"

"Me? When?"

I asked back with eyes that naturally opened wide.

Are you talking about riding in a carriage and straining your back all day today?

The middle-aged woman smiled slightly, then became calm again and spoke.

"If you want, cancel the contract right now. Forget things like magic and curses, and live a normal life."

This is clearly a manifestation of my fatigued unconsciousness.

"I wouldn't know if I hadn't met Kael from the beginning, but I can't do that now. I want to help him."

I sighed and shook my head.

 "Then that's enough."

The corner of the woman's mouth, hidden in the fog, was slightly revealed.

 "Because your magical power never disappeared from the beginning."

"Yes?"

Before I could ask anything, I woke up from my dream feeling dazed.

'Ah, it's a soft bed.'

It seemed that Sarah didn't wake me up from my sleep in the carriage and carried me to my room.

As I looked around with a hazy look, today's harvest came into view.

A basket with a cat lying down and the Duchess's diary.

As I looked at the scene, I soon noticed something strange.

"Uh?" 

There was no cat in sight that was supposed to be lying down quietly.

"Meow? Meow!"

I jumped up from the bed and fumbled for the spot where the cat was.

Since he was so badly injured, it would have been difficult to get out of the basket, let alone walk.

It was a moment when my heart sank, wondering if something had happened.

"Where are you looking?"

An unfamiliar voice rang out in the room where I was clearly alone. When I turned around the feeling that my hair was standing on end even more than before.

"There's no way it's a cat..."

 "You're probably not referring to me."

What caught my eye was a talking cat that looked fine.


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