Chapter 3 (Part 9)

“The cat with nine tails at the Seidon Duke’s estate is a famous story.”

It was Roberta who spoke up in place of Sellakia, who couldn’t answer. Familiar with the story, she nodded with a composed face.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it. How do you know about it, Sir Belfona?”

“Any knight would know. But it’s strange that the servants are frightened by that story.”

“Why? Is it a cat that only attacks knights, a cat that knows honor?”

Roberta burst into laughter at Sellakia’s innocent question.

“No, that’s not it. The nine-tailed cat isn’t a real living cat. It refers to a whip with nine strands.”

“A whip?!”

Nancy asked, almost shrieking.

“A nine-tailed whip? Oh my. That’s scarier than a cat!”

“Yes. But it’s a disciplinary tool used only in the military, so you’ll never see that whip yourself.”

Sellakia rubbed her arms, feeling a bit of a chill.

“A whip with nine tails. That’s horrifying.”

“Since they command the navy as well, the Knights of the Seidon Duke’s estate have stricter military discipline than elsewhere.”

“They don’t use that cruel tool on the servants, do they?”

“Of course not. That’s not a punishment an ordinary person can endure. Even one strike would make you beg for mercy and crawl on the ground like a bug.”

It was a mystery why the maids of the Duke’s estate were spreading that story.

“Then that cat is just an ordinary cat, right?”

Having somewhat cleared up the misunderstanding, Nancy approached the cat with a different attitude than before.

“Are you going to keep it, Madam? Should I catch it?”

“Not really, but we can’t neglect the cat. Could you go to the kitchen and bring something the cat can eat, Nancy?”

“We can’t neglect the cat? Why not? It’s just a stray cat.”

Sellakia relayed to Nancy something she had once heard from her mother.

“Seafaring people believe that cats have the power to control storms. Because of that, seafaring people and their families cherish cats. For safe voyages, you see.”

“That a cat, which might secretly steal food, has such a great power?”

Nancy tilted her head in disbelief but ran to the kitchen without further comment.

“You said you were from Viscount Lensch’s territory, right? Now I see you’re unmistakably born by the sea, Madam.”

Roberta, standing far from the cat, raised her voice to speak. Sellakia, who was about to approach the cat, turned back.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean using unique metaphors and believing in unheard-of superstitions. The people of Seidon are like that too, perhaps because it’s the same seaside.”

“People of Seidon…”

Roberta nodded towards the mansion. She seemed to be referring to Tenus, who was probably in the mansion’s office.

“What was it again? Something about an eel’s knee.”

“Ankle?”

“Ankle! That’s probably it. What a strange compliment that is. I almost requested a rematch, thinking it was an insult saying they’d make me crawl like an eel.”

“That’s quite a compliment. Did Tenus say that to you, Sir Belfona?”

“Ahem, ahem. Yes. I heard it while attending the academy. During a spar with His Grace, I threw sand in his eyes, and he gave me that compliment.”

“…Sand?”

It didn’t seem like something a knight aspirant who knows honor and trust would do. Roberta looked quite proud, as if recounting her heroic tale.

It was hard to fathom Roberta, who used such a tactic, as well as Tenus, who gave such a compliment after having sand thrown in his eyes. 

How exactly did they conduct swordsmanship training at the academy?

“It might be unfamiliar. It’s a phrase not often used these days. I’ve only heard it from my mother. It seems to have been a wordplay from an old era. There’s also an expression about sardine whiskers. Have you heard of it?”

“Is that a compliment too? What a bizarre expression.”

Roberta raised her eyebrows and frowned.

While conversing, as Sellakia gradually approached the cat, Roberta remained motionless in her spot.

Before long, Sellakia was closer to the cat than Roberta. Roberta shouted from a distance.

“I’ll stay here. Please don’t mind me.”

“Then please step back for a moment.”

Sellakia knelt down a few steps away from the cat.

Up close, the cat was quite beautiful. Despite being a stray, its fur was smooth, and its round face was neat. The small body suggested it was still a young cat.

Sellakia immediately took a liking to the cute cat. However, the cat bristled its gray fur and arched its back as if wary of her.

Its dark eyes sharply glared at Sellakia. Yet, it did not move its legs to flee.

Watching the scene quietly, Sellakia murmured.

“You… look just like someone.”

As if afraid the cat might run away or reach Roberta, her voice was as soft as the rustling of leaves.

“I’ll just give you what you need and leave. So there’s no need to be so cautious.”

Perhaps understanding her gentle words, the standoff ended anticlimactically. When Sellakia made no further moves, the cat began to ignore her.

Watching the cat curl up again and purr, Sellakia felt a bit strange.

“Really, you look so much alike.”

Sellakia looked back at where someone who had come to her mind might be. The large window of Tenus’s office on the second floor of the mansion was carefully covered with curtains, obscuring the view inside.

While she was staring at the strangely wavy curtains, Nancy came running with chicken and a bowl of water.

“You didn’t have to hurry. There was no need to rush.”

“The cat might run away.”

Nancy giggled and pushed the meat towards the cat. The cat hesitated for a moment but soon accepted the food. It seemed thirsty, as it slurped the water with a sound.

Nancy let out a small cheer.

“Oh my, how cute. I’ve never had a pet before!”

“I told you, we’re not keeping it. Just feeding it.”

“But you’ll give it a name, right?”

Sellakia shook her head.

“No. We shouldn’t.”

If she got attached without being able to take responsibility, it would be a problem.

Nancy looked disappointed at her firm attitude. However, she soon perked up and suddenly pulled something out of her pocket.

“Madam, it’s time for your shark liver oil!”

Sellakia stopped looking at the cat and stood up reflexively.

“I’ll go back to the bedroom now. Nancy, you can stay and play with the cat.”

“You have to take this before you go.”

“I had a lot yesterday. I think I can skip it today.”

“What do you mean? I’ve been giving you the exact amount every day!”

Nancy firmly blocked Sellakia’s path.

As if she had received orders from somewhere, Nancy fed Sellakia shark liver oil daily, claiming it was good for boosting immunity and stamina.

At first, thinking it might be Aldrich’s scheme, Sellakia cautiously probed Nancy about who had given it to her, but Nancy just blushed and exclaimed one word.

“Oh, you know!”

What she supposedly knew, or why Nancy had such a shy yet mischievous expression, Sellakia had no idea. But she obediently accepted the shark liver oil, trusting it since Tenus, who must have received Roberta’s report, hadn’t intervened.

“Here. Open wide.”

“…Ah.”

Above all, seeing Nancy’s wide-eyed look, like a guardian feeding medicine to a child, made Sellakia open her mouth without realizing it.

“Ugh. It’s fishy…”

“Oh dear. Our good and pretty Madam. You did well. Here, have a candy. It’s the lemon candy you like.”

Nancy seemed ready to pat Sellakia’s bottom. Being praised for just taking medicine was embarrassing, no matter how many times she heard it.

Sellakia awkwardly rolled her eyes and took the candy Nancy offered. As the sweet and sour taste spread in her mouth, her previously grim expression naturally relaxed.

Standing at a distance, watching the scene leisurely, Roberta spoke up.

“Nancy, you’d be good at raising children.”

“Of course. I’m confident! I have several siblings I’ve raised. When Madam has a child, I’ll take care of them. Oh my, how beautiful would Madam’s child be, taking after her?”

Nancy clasped her cheeks with an ecstatic face, as if indulging in a fantasy. Roberta chimed in with Nancy.

“Indeed. With the Duke of Seidon’s looks, the child of you two would be something I’m very much looking forward to. But regardless of appearance, you must ensure the child takes after Madam’s personality. Absolutely!”

“A kind and gentle baby like Madam. Oh dear, I’m so excited!”

Now Nancy was even stamping her feet. Sellakia remained silent with an ambiguous expression.

She couldn’t easily join in the conversation about a distant future. The future Sellakia envisioned for herself was vastly different from what they imagined.

“I’ve never handled baby clothes in needlework. Is making baby clothes very difficult?”

“Are you asking a knight like me? I wouldn’t know, but gifting a sword might be better.”

“Hmm. No matter how difficult, if I start preparing now, it should be fine. I need to find good quality fabric as soon as possible.”

“Hmm. But I’m not sure if you can find a fine sword suitable for a small child around here.”

Nancy and Roberta continued their conversation, each saying what they wanted, yet maintaining a seamless dialogue. It must have been thanks to the short time they had grown accustomed to each other.

When you see and talk to someone daily, you become attached more easily than expected. Sellakia first realized this through Roberta and Nancy.

Until now, due to ignorance, she had taken having people around too lightly. If she had met more diverse people, perhaps she could have learned this truth sooner.

There were people she spent all day with before, too.

The servants of Viscount Lensch, who liked her without any reason.

But when her parents passed away and her stepbrother took over the viscountcy, they changed their attitude overnight as if flipping a coin.

At the Duke’s house, Amy always stayed by her side. The quiet maid of the Duke’s house suddenly one day tried to take her to the sea…

“Ugh.”

Sellakia couldn’t continue her thoughts and staggered. Suddenly, her head throbbed as if pierced by a sharp thorn. Whenever she tried to recall forgotten memories, such pain would follow.

Roberta and Nancy, who had been chatting behind her, quickly ran over.

“Madam, what’s wrong!”

“Oh dear. It seems you’ve been in the sun too long. Excuse me for a moment, Madam.”

Roberta slipped her arm under Sellakia’s knees. Then, supporting her back securely, she lifted her up. Sellakia, whose feet were suddenly in the air, was startled.

“Put me down, Sir! It was just a moment of dizziness. I’m fine now.”

“I’m not fine. If Madam were to fall, I’d lose not only my job but also my life to the Duke.”

Even Roberta, who initially called Tenus “Young Master,” now naturally referred to him as the Duke. She, too, had become part of this family.

Sellakia thought that even if her body were to become tattered, Tenus wouldn’t bat an eye as long as she was alive, but she kept her mouth shut.

Yes, Roberta is the Duke’s person. Not hers, but the Seidon family’s person. She mustn’t forget that fact.

“Oh no. It seems shark liver oil wasn’t enough. I’ll have to request more nourishing food.”

Nancy, who was fretting beside her, was also, after all, a maid of the Duke’s estate.

Relationships bound by money and hierarchy could break at any time. It’s only natural for employees to act according to their employer’s interests. With the wounds of her childhood, Sellakia could now somewhat understand the sudden change in attitude of the servants of Lensch as an adult.

“Please bear with it for a little while. I’ll take you to the bedroom shortly.”

“Madam, would you like another candy? Eating something sweet might help with dizziness.”

So, even these warm times will eventually pass.

Sellakia steeled her heart that was about to soften.

Roberta and Nancy would likely be no different from those she had met before.

Perhaps because the thoughts of Amy had dissipated, the pain that had been piercing her head vanished completely. Instead, a prickling sensation settled in a part of her chest as if the pain had moved there.

Though it was a much milder pain than before, her heart felt even more uneasy.