BCHG Chapter 36

As time passed, I couldn’t remember, but now I knew. He was undoubtedly the servant who had worked at that house for a long time. But to have returned here after 15 years? Could it be a coincidence? No, something felt off. Just now, it seemed that Isaac had recognized him and called him to his room.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

“No-Nothing. I just remembered something.”

 

I slowly took off Isaac’s coat and put it away. For the reason why that servant had come here kept me in thought.

 

Thunder rumbled outside the window. Although it was daytime, it was so dark that one could mistake it for night if not for the lantern’s light. As I continued to tend to Isaac, there was a knock at the door, followed by a low, gloomy voice.

 

“…Master, may I come in?”

 

“Come in.”

 

With permission granted, the servant entered. He respectfully bowed his head, hat in hand, and looked much the same as he had 15 years ago.

 

“You may leave.”

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

I obediently left the room but couldn’t bring myself to walk away. I was worried for various reasons. Why had that servant come here? Why had Isaac called him? And what had happened 15 years ago at the Dias estate that made Isaac abandon the name Dias? These questions kept my feet rooted in place.

 

I strained my ears, hoping to catch any sound, but only faint noises reached me. Should I press my ear to the door? No, what if Isaac opened the door? I didn’t want to take unnecessary risks.

 

In the end, I walked down the hallway, leaving my curiosity behind. Just as I was about to go downstairs, a loud shout rang out, accompanied by a thunderclap.

 

“Die, Isaac Dias!”

 

Startled, I turned around. The shout had come from Isaac’s room. I knew instantly that something terrible was happening.

 

I rushed back to Isaac’s room, where I heard a commotion as if a fight had broken out inside. The smell of acrid smoke filled the air. A dreadful sense of foreboding welled up inside me. I hurriedly opened the door.

 

“Master… ugh!”

 

The room was in chaos. The table and chairs were overturned, and the carpet on the floor was ablaze. The servant stood there, holding a sharp dagger. His eyes burned with hatred, and his gaze was fixed on Isaac. Isaac was sitting on the floor, his face pale, frozen in place.

 

“W-What are you doing…!” I stammered as I backed away.

 

The man seemed startled by my sudden appearance, hesitated, then flung open the window. There was a tree growing close to the window, and he began to climb down it to escape.

 

I stood frozen for a moment before my eyes fell on Isaac. “Master!”

 

A low wall of fire separated us. The flames, now licking up the walls, were spreading quickly. We had to escape, but Isaac was paralyzed with fear, unable to move.

 

“Ah, ah… Mia. Mia…”

 

He was calling out my name, but I knew he wasn’t looking for me. He must have been calling for the cat Mia. Isaac seemed to be in a state of panic, the sight of the flames likely bringing back memories of the sacrificial fire from 15 years ago.

 

Did he have a trauma related to fire? I rushed over to try and pull Isaac to his feet.

 

“Master! We have to get out of here!”

 

“I’m sorry, Mia. I…”

 

But Isaac just trembled uncontrollably. If I left him like this, the fire would engulf the entire room in no time.

 

I gritted my teeth and slapped Isaac across the face. Slap! My palm stung, and I saw Isaac’s face turn to the side.

 

I grabbed his collar and tried to lift him up. “Idiot! Do you want to burn to death here? We need to escape! Get up!”

 

My shouting seemed to snap Isaac out of it. He looked at me with a dazed expression. Thankfully, he seemed to have regained his senses.

 

I could feel the heat of the flames behind me. Grabbing Isaac’s hand, I hurriedly pulled him towards the door. “We have to get out! Hurry…!”

 

Isaac, still dazed, finally came to his senses and ran out of the room with me. As we emerged, I saw people rushing up from downstairs.

 

“There’s a fire! Master’s room is on fire!”

 

“Everyone, fetch water quickly!”

 

While people scrambled to put out the fire, Isaac and I moved to the parlor. The family doctor rushed in.

 

“Master, are you alright?”

 

“…I’m fine. Check on the maid first.”

 

Isaac was surprisingly calm, given the panic he had been in moments earlier. His face was still pale, though.

 

Following Isaac’s orders, the doctor examined me. Fortunately, I wasn’t hurt either.

 

“She must be shaken. Give her a sedative. I’m fine. Also, summon the butler. The servant set the fire and escaped.” Isaac said this as he stood up.

 

Was it okay for him to move around like this? I looked at him, puzzled, and he turned to look at me. When our eyes met, I could see the turmoil in his gaze.

 

“…Thank you for earlier. I’ll make sure to repay you.” With that, he left the room.

 

A notification window popped up before my eyes.

 

[Isaac Blackwood’s affection has increased by 50]

[Current Isaac’s affection: -4]

 

* * *

Isaac sat in his bedroom. The acrid smell of smoke still lingered in the house. He felt a headache coming on. When the butler suggested contacting the investigation bureau, he refused, saying he would handle it himself.

 

It would be troublesome if the bureau caught the man.

 

The man knew that he was ‘Isaac Dias.’ He also had clear malicious intent to kill him. Isaac didn’t want the world to know that he was a member of the Dias family, so he hoped the man wouldn’t be caught. If the investigation bureau captured him, the man would undoubtedly reveal information about the Dias family.

 

This is a headache. But at least I recognized him first.

 

Isaac rubbed his face wearily. His eyes, visible between his fingers, shone sharply.

 

…If it weren’t for that woman, things could have gone very badly.

 

Isaac hadn’t been particularly surprised when the man pulled out a knife. It wasn’t an unfamiliar situation. But when the man broke the lantern in his rage, Isaac froze. The sight of the flames reminded him of Mia, who had jumped into the fire. That small cat had repeatedly risked its life to save him. How could he ever forget that scene, those eyes?

 

But why, when I looked at the woman just earlier…

 

When he had been slapped and locked eyes with that woman, Isaac had inexplicably thought of Mia. It felt as though Mia had once again come through the flames to save him—an absurd notion.

 

…No way.

 

That woman had claimed she was Mia and had even brought him his favorite jam cookies. There was no way anyone else could have known that. Not even the servants.

 

Could it just be a coincidence?

 

But a strong feeling persisted within him that the woman was somehow connected to Mia.

 

5. Dangerous Existence

The mansion at night was as silent as ever. When I first arrived, it was a space filled with nothing but fear due to the creatures lurking within. However, the time I spent with Isaac in the parlor felt like a rare moment of safety.

 

Isaac’s hand gently stroked my back, and his touch was nothing but soft. With my eyes closed, I quietly accepted the warmth of his touch.

 

“Mia, does that feel good?”

 

“Meow,” I responded absentmindedly and shut my eyes again.

 

I just wanted to enjoy the sensation, but my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. It was because of the attack that had happened just yesterday. Why did that person attack Isaac?

 

Sigh, if it were up to me, I would have bombarded Isaac with questions. But… I couldn’t ask while in the form of a cat, and it felt too dangerous to ask in my human form. Still, the fact that I had saved his life was undeniable. His affection had increased by 50 points. It was still in the negative, but it was a significant improvement.

 

As I was slowly being stroked, Isaac suddenly spoke. “Mia, I have something I’m curious about.”

 

“Meow?”

 

He lifted me up and locked eyes with me. His silver-gray eyes reflected my image. “You… Are you really not human?”

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