NoveLight ™
"Did you have a refreshing bath?"
"Yes. Thanks to you, I was able to wash up comfortably and clear my cluttered mind. Thank you, Count."
"Nothing to it. If you want to do it again, feel free to come anytime."
"…"
That’s a bit much… Yuri bowed her head, laughing awkwardly without saying anything.
By the way, this outfit is way too big for me…
I couldn’t wear the clothes that smelled of sweat again. Reluctantly, I took the oversized dress shirt that was lying in front of the bath, but it looked like it was two sizes too big. The width was so large that my shoulders were exposed, and the sleeves were ridiculously long.
"But whose clothes are these?"
"They're mine."
"…!?"
What am I supposed to do if there aren’t any other men's clothes in this mansion? It’s just me, the groom, or the butler.
I didn’t want to dress a child in the old man’s smelly clothes, so I had no other choice.
Wow. I really had some sense there. Yuri must be starting to see me in a better light, right?
As Aslan was secretly hopeful, Yuri thought to herself,
'This is truly the worst! To dress a girl in your own clothes…!'
She was barely holding back a scream, utterly horrified. There’s a limit to bad taste. For someone to wear their own clothes and then enjoy watching a girl in them… It felt like a glimpse into the depths of human ugliness.
Surely he hadn’t washed these clothes after wearing them! Do they smell? Does Aslan Vermont’s scent linger on them? Sniff. That can’t be it. He doesn’t seem to have much of a body odor…
'But now… what’s going to happen to me…?'
Thinking about it, I realized I had lost my clothes. There was no way I could go out wearing this baggy dress shirt. Wouldn’t that mean I was essentially trapped in the mansion…?
Did this man, from the very beginning, intend for me to take a bath for this reason!? Yuri’s expression turned to one of shock as she realized the grand scheme.
"You’ve had a bath for free, so it’s time to pay the price."
"…!"
Aslan flashed a cryptic smile. What’s going to happen to me? What is Aslan Vermont going to do to me?
Yuri trembled with fear, stepping back.
"Begin the report. Silvia, you will take the minutes."
"Eh? Yes?"
"What are you spacing out for? You said you’d come to report in person because it couldn’t all be conveyed in writing. I’m busy, so hurry up and get it done."
"…?"
Silvia finally picked up her notebook and pen. Aslan also clasped his hands and took on a posture ready to listen. No way…?
Is he really not going to do anything?
"…The customer evaluation was excellent, but I have taken immediate steps to address the shortcomings I just mentioned. That concludes my report."
"Okay. There are quite a few points to note. Good work. You can go now."
"Ah, um, about the clothes…"
"Master! The laundry for the dress you requested is complete."
"…"
Squeak. The door opened, and a maid entered with a neatly folded dress. Yuri was left speechless.
Once I change into this outfit, will I be dragged deeper into the mansion’s basement?
After nervously changing clothes, Yuri was greeted by the coachman yawning at the front door.
"I will escort you to your residence as per the Master’s orders. Where to?"
"To the dormitory of the Imperial Magic Academy, please…"
"Yes. Understood."
"…"
Ah, is this really the end? Truly? Watching the coachman approach the front door with the carriage, Yuri was left dazed.
'At this rate, I’ll seem like the odd one out!!!'
It seems Aslan Vermont doesn’t think too deeply about this, but I’m the only one imagining strange scenarios and getting my hopes up! Ughhh!
Yuri stamped her feet, silently screaming.
"But what about this…?"
Then suddenly, her gaze fell on the mailbox. There was a familiar envelope stuck in the mailbox. This is the envelope I use when sending letters…?
'Aslan Vermont said he was an acquaintance of the dark old man. That means he could be connected to someone at the Imperial Magic Academy.'
She felt a jolt, but it wasn’t just my personal envelope. This was an envelope used by the Imperial Magic Academy. It seemed that Count Vermont also had deep ties to the Academy.
Yuri thought to herself and decided to brush it off as unimportant.
"Did you see that, Charlotte?"
"I saw it… I can’t believe it…"
Hiding behind the corner, Charlotte and Yulia whispered excitedly to each other. They had returned a bit early from their observation of the training grounds, only to witness a shocking scene.
"The Count called Yuri to the mansion!!!"
"And he even ordered her to wear a dress! Yuri really hated frilly clothes like that, saying they were cumbersome…!"
It was an emergency. Yuri always insisted on wearing comfortable clothes and keeping her short hair when she said she couldn’t sleep. She had never once listened when they suggested she wear something cute.
That dress, which was definitely too childish for a beginner like her, was something she wouldn’t wear.
There was no way Yuri would have chosen to wear that on her own.
Charlotte and Yulia quickly came to that conclusion.
"Did the Count make her wear it…?"
"Ahhh! He must have threatened her! 'If you don’t wear this dress, I’ll cut your salary!' something like that…!"
"It seems like the Count lost his mind wanting to see a pretty Yuri in that dress!"
It was indeed a shocking situation. The Count had forced Yuri to wear a frilly dress? They had known he was interested in Yuri, but they never imagined he would go this far!
"If this goes on, Yuri will really become a countess!"
"We have to stop this, Charlotte! We must!"
"Yeah! Absolutely!"
Charlotte and Yulia exchanged determined glances, rallying together. Though they had both reached the same conclusion, their reasoning was different.
'If Yuri becomes a countess, I’ll lose my place! To help Yuri find love, I must stop her!'
'Yuri is a precious friend… So it would be right to help her escape Aslan’s clutches…!'
The process that led to that conclusion was each distinct. Huddled behind the corner, Charlotte and Yulia exchanged firm gazes.
Meanwhile...
"Ahh, what should I do? It seems like a fight broke out among friends!"
"It seems they’re jealous of each other…!"
The maids watching the two were ecstatic.
'What’s going on? The writing seems strangely excited.'
Without thinking, Yuri opened the letter she had received. The content itself wasn’t much different from usual, but for some reason, it felt refreshing as she read through it.
'Why has she become so docile…?'
Yuri could tell from the writing that she had been headstrong. Yet strangely, in today’s letter, she seemed almost like a compliant lamb.
What could have caused this change? Could it be that a single bath in the mansion made her reconsider?
Regardless of how it came to be, what mattered was that the once ferocious Yuri was starting to be tamed. The prospect of an engagement no longer felt like a silly dream.
Overwhelmed with emotion, she felt tears welling up.
"Aslan…"
"…?"
Just then, the office door creaked open. Standing in the doorway was Yulia, dressed in pajamas and clutching a plush shark.
What’s going on? It felt like it had been ages since Yulia had come to me looking like that.
It had already been… how long since Yulia had become independent from my arms and started sleeping alone?
It must have been a week!
Time was passing far too quickly. Confronted once again with the reality that each day the children were growing and every single moment was slipping away, she felt a lump in her throat.
But why was Yulia coming to see me like that?
"What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"
"Not exactly. I just… can’t seem to sleep…"
With downcast eyes, Yulia fumbled over her words, unable to look me in the eye. She even omitted the usual honorifics she always used.
She’s still so clumsy with lies.
"Really?"
"Really. …Yes."
"Didn’t I tell you? I have the eyes of a spirit. I can tell right away if you’re lying…"
"Eek! Really!?"
[The wicked deity, 'Kali,' fervently begs you to stop teasing our necromancer.]
Yulia’s face turned bright red with surprise.
"The fact that you say you can’t sleep feels like a lie. So why have you come?"
"Well, um…"
Just then, as Yulia was frantically trying to think of another excuse, the half-open door swung wide open again.
This time, Charlotte, confidently holding a bear plushie, strutted in.
"I’m here to make my entrance!"
"Why are you here…?"
"I want to sleep next to the Count!"
"Why?"
"Just because!"
"Alright. Accepted."
"…!?"
Charlotte had never once whined about not being able to sleep, so it wouldn’t hurt to indulge her this time.
Charlotte skipped toward me, humming cheerfully, while Yulia stood frozen with a shocked expression.
Yulia shivered, her shoulders trembling, just as she was about to say something.
"Charlotte! Aslan is used to holding onto his left hand, so you should hug his left arm, not his right…"
"Master! It’s urgent!"
"What? What’s wrong?"
"I have a message from Lady Irene. She says that Emilia is in her possession, and if you want her back, you should come to this address quietly on your own…"
At that moment, Silvia rushed in, delivering the news to me. They had kidnapped Emilia, and if I wanted her back, I had to go find her? What a ridiculous farce.
It seemed that Irene had finally set the date for her attack on me.