IBMOT Chapter 29

Chapter 29

 

Before arriving in the empire, Erina’s golden hair had been turned brown by Dylan’s magic.

‘To tell the truth, dragons have a natural tendency to be attracted to shiny things. This is an instinct we all possess as dragons. Erina’s shimmering golden hair would likely pique the curiosity of the dragons in the mansion. And honestly, dragons aren’t always gentle creatures… I’m worried about what schemes they might come up with to get their hands on Erina’s hair. So, what do you think about me using magic to turn your hair brown before we go?’

Though Dylan’s explanation was lengthy, the point was simple: Golden hair stands out, so let’s make it brown.

Recalling the triplets who had a special fondness for her hair, Erina agreed.

The dragons at the Harrison estate might not be as kind as Dylan or the children. If her hair color caused unnecessary trouble, changing it wasn’t an issue.

With a short incantation, Dylan turned Erina’s hair brown. Fortunately, her hair still retained its silky texture and a subtle shine.

Before she could adjust to her new appearance, she found herself teleported to the Harrison estate.

Contrary to her expectations, teleportation didn’t leave her feeling dizzy or queasy. It simply felt like her feet floated off the ground, and in the next moment, she was there.

Even before Erina could take in the massive estate, several dragons greeted her.

As expected, their expressions showed no interest in her. In fact, they seemed disappointed.

What kind of person were they expecting?

Erina awkwardly smiled and hugged the triplets tighter.

Though her hair had changed to brown, the triplets, who knew her original golden color, clung to her affectionately.

Of course, they had no intention of telling Mitzu and Hael about her original hair color—like uncle, like niblings.

“That’s enough. Be polite. This is Miss Erina.”

Dylan said, frowning at his subordinates.

It would be a disaster if Erina left because of their rudeness after he had worked so hard to convince her to come.

“Ah, yes, of course.”

“Of course.”

At Dylan’s stern warning, Mitzu and Hael managed to regain their composure and introduced themselves properly.

“Greetings, I’m Mitzu. I serve as one of Lord Dylan’s aides.”

“I’m Hael, also Lord Dylan’s aide.”

Mitzu, a dragon with dark red hair and eyes, bowed first.

When his gaze met Erina’s, his irises narrowed as if observing her closely, but he soon lost interest and looked back at Dylan.

Next, Hael, whose black hair contrasted with her pale skin, bowed.

She didn’t even bother to meet Erina’s eyes, showing even less interest than Mits.

Erina was startled by the dragons’ cold reception but responded with a polite greeting.

“Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Erina, and I’ve come to care for the children. I look forward to working with you during my stay here.”

“Welcome.”

“Welcome.”

Mitzu and Hael replied curtly and left the office as quickly as they had arrived, claiming they had other business.

Dylan looked embarrassed by their lack of hospitality, while Erina reassured him that it was fine.

“They really don’t seem interested in anything that doesn’t shine, do they?”

“That’s true for most of them.”

“Then… if my hair had always been brown, do you think the children wouldn’t have been so attached to me?”

Erina asked, looking a little disappointed.

The dragons all shook their heads vigorously.

Of course, they liked her golden hair, but that wasn’t why they adored her. Erina shone brightly on her own, and that was why they cherished her.¹Aww! My poor heart 💘

The dragons let out soft, plaintive cries, and though Erina couldn’t understand their language, she grasped their feelings.

Smiling, she kissed each of their foreheads.

“Kyahh!”

“Bwah!”

“Mama, mama!”

The dragons wiggled their tails in delight at Erina’s kisses.

As Erina fondly watched the excited dragons, a question that had been on her mind resurfaced.

“By the way, why are the children staying in their dragon forms? Is it more comfortable for them?”

“Ah, well…”

“Hmm?”

Dylan and the dragons exchanged awkward glances. Only Erina seemed oblivious to the tension.

“The truth is… since the children came here, they’ve consciously avoided growing. They refuse to eat or learn anything, so they’ve been staying like this.”

“Oh my goodness!”

Like a tattling class monitor, Dylan revealed everything to Erina.

The dragons groaned and grumbled, but it was too late—they’d been caught.

Erina frowned down at the dragons, her expression completely different from when she had been showering them with kisses moments earlier.

“Kiii… kyah…”

“Ppupum…!”

“Ma-ma, mama-ma?”

The dragons looked up at Erina with teary eyes, but she firmly shook her head.

“How could you make your uncle so upset? You need to eat lots, study hard, and grow up properly!”

At Erina’s scolding, the dragons hurriedly nodded in agreement.

Now that Erina was here, they felt confident they could eat well and study diligently. Their enthusiastic response made Erina’s stern expression soften into a warm smile.

“Alright then, shall we eat first? You’ll need energy to turn back into human form and have long conversations with me!”

“Kyau!”

“Poo!”

“Mama!”

The dragons cheered loudly, and Erina joined in with a hearty, “Let’s go!”

She took five confident steps forward before stopping abruptly and turning back, her face flushed red with embarrassment.

“Um… where’s the kitchen?”

 

***

 

The sound of soft, rhythmic breathing filled Dylan’s office as the three dragons napped peacefully.

After enjoying their favorite bread, meat, and mushroom soup with Erina, the children had fallen into a deep sleep.

To keep them from catching a chill, Erina had covered their small bodies with blankets.

Now, she was discussing her employment contract with Dylan.

She found most of the terms agreeable since the work was similar to what she’d already been doing—caring for the children. However, when it came to the salary, Erina had strong objections.

“No, this won’t do.”

“I also disagree.”

“It’s too much for me to accept.”

Erina said firmly, pointing at the figure written in the contract.

Even though she wasn’t familiar with the currency value in the Sylvian Empire, the number of zeros told her it was far from modest.

But Dylan was equally resolute.

Caring for three children was no small task, and this amount was insignificant compared to his wealth. He couldn’t understand why Erina was so adamant about refusing it.

The standoff dragged on, and tension hung thick in the air.

Eventually, it was Dylan who raised the white flag.

“Fine. We’ll go with what you’ve proposed for now, but we’ll revisit the salary next time.”

Letting out a sigh, Dylan conceded.

Erina exhaled deeply in relief.

“Thank you! I’ll do my best to help the children grow up well!”

“And I’ll do my best to ensure you’re comfortable working here.”

With those words, the contract disappeared into thin air.

Dylan had sent it to the private archive where he kept important documents—and not without adding a clause about a bonus behind Erina’s back.

Completely unaware of Dylan’s secret addition, Erina felt a renewed determination to raise the children properly.

“Ah, Miss Erina, there’s one thing you should be aware of.”

Dylan said.

“Yes! What should I be aware about?”

“It’s not so much a warning, but the magic I used to change your hair color will revert after a week. So you’ll need to see me before then to have it refreshed.”

“Oh, I see! I’ll make sure to keep track!”

Erina made a mental note to buy a calendar and mark the days.

That reminded her—she still didn’t know where her room was.

Apart from Dylan’s office and the dining hall, she hadn’t explored any part of the mansion yet.

When she mentioned this, Dylan’s expression turned sheepish.

“I completely forgot. My apologies. Please, let me show you around the estate.”