At that moment, I heard someone’s urgent voice. However, I was already sinking underwater, so I couldn’t hear it properly.
“Mia! Mia…!”
Who could be calling me so desperately?
Then, I heard the sound of something splashing into the water. And then I felt hands lifting my body. Moments later, cold air rushed into my nose.
“Kek, kek…!”
As soon as the air hit my lungs, I coughed up the water. My head was spinning.
D-Did I survive…?
Then, someone hugged me tightly.
When I came to my senses, I realized who it was. It was Isaac. He was holding me with a desperate look on his face. His face was wet with something, whether it was tears or pond water, I couldn’t tell.
“Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness. Mia, I thought, you were dead…”
I could feel Isaac trembling. I had never seen him this scared before. Not even when he was locked in solitary confinement.
“Meow…” I meowed softly and licked Isaac’s cheek.
Don’t cry, Isaac. It hurts my heart when you cry.
When I licked his cheek, Isaac finally smiled faintly. But soon, his eyes burned with anger.
“What on earth did you do?” Isaac said, looking back at the gardener and the servant. The two of them were pale with fear.
“That, Milord, it’s not like that… The cat was in the water, so we were trying to save it…”
“Shut up. Do you think I didn’t see what you did earlier?”
The pressure emanating from Isaac was suffocating. Even though the other party was an adult and Isaac was just a child, Isaac glared at them and spoke in a chilling voice.
“You’ll pay for this. Be prepared.” After saying that, Isaac took me and left the garden.
A week later, the gardener and the servant were found dead. The cause of their death was drowning.
* * *
The climate in the area where the Marquis Dias’ estate was located was not good. It was said that it rained or was foggy for about half of the year. Today it was raining as well. I sighed as I watched the raindrops trickle down the window.
A month had passed since the last incident. And for the entire month, I hadn’t been able to step outside. The mouse hole I used to frequent was blocked. The windows were only opened when Isaac was around. Isaac also had sternly warned the maids and servants.
“Never leave my door or window open. If Mia disappears again, I won’t let it slide.”
With such a threat, everyone was on high alert, constantly checking the room. I had no chance to escape.
Sigh… I should have followed that cat back then. Now, I knew there was a way to get out, but I couldn’t even leave the room.
Meanwhile, I was bothered by the death of the gardener and the servant. Isaac said he would make them pay, but did he really…? No, that can’t be. Isaac is always locked up in solitary because he can’t even handle torture.
Maybe it’s a curse. The curse that haunts the Dias family’s mansion…
Thinking about the curse sent a chill down my spine. As I shivered, the door opened, and Isaac came in.
“Mia, have you been well?”
“…Mew.”
Isaac hugged me and smiled brightly.
By the way, he said he was going to change clothes, and he really was wearing something I hadn’t seen before. Unlike his usual attire, he was dressed entirely in black.
Isaac looked at me and gave a bitter smile. “Today is the day my mother… passed away.”
Ah, today is the anniversary of the marchioness’s death, which also meant that today was Isaac’s birthday.
I wondered if anyone would do something for his birthday. I wanted to give him something too… but being stuck in the room, there was no way. Plus, being a cat had its limitations.
I’m sorry. Instead, I’ll be extra affectionate today.
I hugged Isaac’s neck tightly. I could feel him smiling.
“Mia, you’re so warm and soft…” Isaac hugged me tightly and murmured softly. I could feel his heart beating. It was a pleasant heartbeat.
Suddenly, I wondered if it might be okay not to escape from here. No matter how I looked at it, Isaac didn’t seem like he was going to kill me. He had a bit of a cruel side, but… Anyway, it seemed like my life would be in danger if I left. Maybe staying here was safer.
Was I being too weak-minded?
“Milord, may I come in?”
While I was lost in such thoughts, a maid entered the room. The happiness on Isaac’s face quickly turned to wariness.
“What is it?”
“The lesson is ready, so you are requested to come to the annex.”
“…Alright.”
It’s his birthday, and they’re still making him go to his special lessons? Wow, his father is really relentless. Can’t he let Isaac rest just for today?
“Mia, I have to go now. Have fun… huh?”
I clung to Isaac’s clothes with my claws.
Don’t go! Don’t go to the annex…! It’s your birthday today! Birthdays are supposed to be happy days!
Of course, I knew it was pointless to act like this.
Isaac patted my head as if he understood my feelings. “… I’ll be back soon, Mia. Thank you.”
What are you thanking me for, you fool?
Isaac gently removed me and placed me on the bed. He then left the room calmly.
Tears welled up in my eyes. What did Isaac do to deserve this? Why is his father doing this…? I hated myself for not being able to do anything for Isaac, who was so pitiful.
I sat on the bed, feeling gloomy and sniffling. Just as I was thinking I should give him lots of cuddles when he returned, the door opened. I thought it might be the maid, but it was an unexpected person. It was Marquis Dias.
Why is this man here?
Seeing him, a sense of hostility rose within me. I hissed low at him with my fur bristling.
Marquis Dias clicked his tongue and spoke to the servant beside him. “Catch it.”
The servant, holding a large sack, lunged at me.
W-What is this? Why are they doing this?
I dodged swiftly, but the room was small, leaving few places to hide. As I ran with all my might, the marquis grabbed me.
“Stay still… ugh!”
I bit the marquis’s hand with all my strength. The taste of blood filled my mouth.
You b*stard, this is for Isaac! You don’t even deserve to be a parent!
As red blood dripped down, he looked down at me with sharp eyes. And then everything went dark. I was trapped in a sack. I struggled to get out, but my claws were too weak to tear through the tough leather sack. After struggling for a while, I eventually gave up.
Sigh… Damn it, what the hell is going on? What are they planning to do to me?
While I was trapped in the sack for what felt like a long time, I thought about Isaac.
What is Isaac doing right now? Is he also locked up in solitary confinement? I need to get out of here quickly so I can be with him…
Several hours seemed to pass. I even dozed off at some point. While I was drifting in and out of sleep, the surroundings suddenly brightened. The sack had been opened.
W-What is it?
As I froze, someone pulled me out. Looking around to see what was happening, something felt off.
“Meow…?”
In the middle of the room, there was something like an altar. Looking around, there were no windows, only candles placed here and there.
Is this underground? I’ve been underground a few times, but I’ve never seen a place like this. And on the altar, there were ominous symbols drawn in dark red liquid.
But it wasn’t just the place that was strange. There were several people wearing robes, with goat masks on their heads, hiding their faces.
What the hell is this…?
As I looked around in confusion, I heard a familiar voice.
“…Mia?”
It was Isaac. He was also wearing a robe, looking at me in bewilderment.
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