When monsters with special abilities or large bodies die, they leave behind red magic stones, which are much more valuable than the blue magic stones made by wizards.
However, only the royal family and ducal houses could organize large-scale hunting parties.
Killing weaker monsters yielded no profit, and hunting strong monsters resulted in significant damage, so most nobles were not interested in subjugating them.
Aside from that, reports of increased crop yields, praise for newly appointed officials, and discussions about facilities that required maintenance were addressed.
At first, I also listened carefully to the circumstances surrounding the Duke’s family.
When the topic of Yelena’s salary increase came up, I applauded inwardly, but fatigue soon set in.
Ugh, I’ve been bedridden for more than two days, and I’m still feeling the aftereffects of teleportation.
I tried to stay alert, propping my chin on a cushion… but it was no use.
When I dozed off and woke up, the first thing I saw was Menelik.
When he arrived, he was sitting awkwardly next to me in his street clothes.
“Duke?”
I quickly wiped my mouth.
‘Maybe I snorted loudly?!’
Fortunately, Menelik was as relaxed as usual.
“I tried to stay quiet, but I ended up waking you up.”
A long overcoat had slipped off my body.
Huh, this is Mother’s coat.
I tightened Winter’s fragrant coat around me and asked,
“Where have you been?”
“Out for fun.”
“… … .”
I squinted at him.
Mother had been working all this time, yet he was out having fun?
After receiving a gift box that I couldn’t even open, my opinion of Menelik was becoming increasingly harsh.
On the other hand, my affection for Winter was blooming rapidly.
Instead of kicking me out, he even covered me with his coat…
She didn’t kick me out and even covered me with her coat…
Once again, I thought to myself, Winter is the best, for the hundredth time, when Menelik chuckled.
“Here, a souvenir.”
With clumsy hands, he placed something on my head.
In the glass reflection, I saw a headband as big as my face with a cute ribbon attached.
“…Did you visit a tourist spot or something?”
I adjusted my headband while making a sullen expression.
Even though I had minor complaints, but this handsome, wealthy slacker who was once the ruler of a dark city was now being nice to me.
In the novel, many nobles were caught off guard by him and were utterly ruined.
The emperor didn’t favor him for no reason.
“Something like that. Aren’t you going to explore the castle? It’s bigger and more interesting than the mansion in the capital.”
“Can I roam around by myself?”
Viscount Rose’s name might come up, so I blocked it in advance.
Menelik did not consider it a big deal.
“If that’s what you prefer. Wait a moment.”
Menelik got up and brought over paper and a pen.
He uncapped the pen with his lips.
Though Menelik was missing an arm, he didn’t ask for assistance,and the servants stood back and waited as if they were used to it.
As he drew lines on the blank paper, I wondered what he was doing, only to realize Menelik was drawing a map.
Pleased with his work, he pointed to two locations.
“I recommend these spots. They’ve got expensive things.”
Did I give off that much of a money-loving vibe…?
“Thanks. I’ll check them out.”
I neatly folded Winter’s coat, grabbed the map and a cookie from the table, and stood up.
“Mother, I’m off to explore the castle!”
Winter glanced at me briefly before returning to her documents.
“Don’t be late for dinner.”
“Got it!”
I stepped into the corridor and examined the map closely.
He even marked the room where Kiverin was having his lesson.
Remembering the exhibition room full of expensive items and the artifact storage room, I nibbled on a cookie as I walked toward Kiverin’s location.
Why, you ask?
Because in romance fantasy novels, when a cursed child appears, there’s a high probability of encountering abusive servants or tutors.
Though Kiverin wasn’t cursed but rather bound by sealing magic, it didn’t hurt to check.
This is another chance to prove the usefulness of Lady Cheria.
Fortunately, the corridor was empty.
I sneaked closer and pressed my ear to the door.
The voice of a man presumed to be the tutor was barely heard.
“…I would love to personally meet and thank you. The herbs you recommended, young master, have helped Nina regain her health.”
Nina?
It was my first time hearing this name.
“But my close friend said he would catch an animal even rarer than Nina. “Nina wasn’t captured; she came to me directly.”
Umm, Nina is not a person.
At that moment, I heard a rustling sound and the light scraping of a chair being moved.
oh!
I quickly ran up the stairs.
Then I counted to five in my head and walked back up the stairs at a very, very slow pace.
The tutor came out of the room at just the right time and bowed to me without any doubt.
“It’s my first time meeting you, Princess. “My name is Daniel Dawson, and I am in charge of a young master’s history class.”
You already recognize me.
It seemed that Winter had already announced my existence to his vassals.
“It’s a cherry nectarian.”
I nodded and said hello.
As my eyes moved down, I naturally saw Daniel’s shoes, which were incredibly worn.
uh… … ?
I lifted my head and looked at Daniel’s face.
Daniel was a man with a harmless appearance.
Plus, he was polite to me.
What stood out about him was that his clothes were shabby, making you think he was a servant.
Not only the shoes but also the coat seems to have been worn for 10 years.
There’s no way Winter won’t pay his salary, right?
Do he have a family member who has an incurable disease and has to take expensive medications every day?
Or gambling? Private loan?
I ran through various clichés in my mind.
That’s how severe Daniel’s appearance was.
It made me wonder if, rather than him abusing Kiverin, perhaps the ducal house was mistreating him instead.
Daniel seemed to interpret my puzzled expression in a different way.
“As Lady Winter mentioned, you are indeed a very lovely person. Did you come to see the young master? The lesson just ended.”
“Well… yes… no… thank you…”
I wasn’t sure what I was saying.
Daniel only smiled warmly.
After that confusing encounter, I entered the room to find Kiverin looking like he had a lot to say.
Oh right, Kiverin has excellent hearing, doesn’t he?
I could feel my face heat up as I tried to explain myself.
“Ahem, well, I didn’t eavesdrop with any ill intentions…”
“Could you please move?”
Eek!
The voice behind me made me jump and step aside.
The inhuman being known as Viscount Rose had appeared without a sound.
He brushed past me and sat on the sofa.
Then he shot me a glare, silently telling me to leave.
If he thought I would be intimidated…
“Lady Cheria, p-please sit here!”
There was no need for Kiverin to take me next to him and glare at me.
It seemed Kiverin didn’t mind that I had overheard and excitedly shared the news.
“Lord… the baron said that Nina has recovered. Nina is a very large… leopard. She nearly died, but thankfully, her will to live was strong.”
“…”
“I wanted to see her healthy again… but it’s too bad I couldn’t.”
Aww…
Seeing Kiverin go from excited to disappointed like a puppy, I impulsively blurted out without thinking,
“Shall I go and see her for you?”
Kiverin’s face lit up with a smile.
“Really?”
At that moment, Viscount Rose interrupted.
“I’ll go too.”
Are you jealous?!
His expression made it clear he wouldn’t stand by and let me win Kiverin’s favor.
Completely unaware, Kiverin handed me a chocolate chip cookie.
As I chewed on the cookie, I fell into thought.
But will Winter allow me to go out?
After all, I had been unconscious for two days due to teleportation aftereffects.
It had taken me half a day just to step out of my room.
It might be a bit bold to say, but I think Winter has a good opinion of me.
I want to be a useful Lady Cheria, not someone who causes worry…
But I didn’t have much time to think.
Viscount Rose was glaring at me like he wanted to kill me.
“Do you have something to say to me?”
Are you going to tell me to get lost right in front of Kiverin?
Viscount Rose bit his lip and stormed out.
Kiverin, unfazed, handed me another cookie.
…Rose, your one-sided crush seems pretty undeniable.
I relaxed and leaned against Kiverin.
“Why did Viscount Rose come?”
“I-I think he wanted to check if I was okay. Winter comes… quicker here than in the capital…”
Since arriving at the duchy, Kiverin had been dressed in quite thick clothing.
“Do you get cold easily?”
Kiverin nodded slightly, and thinking I couldn’t see since I was leaning on him, he answered again,
“Yes.”
Adorable…
