CH 27

Even though that’s what they said, it was nice of them to come here. She was happy that Alexa means this much to them. 

Alexa bit her lip. Isn’t it only natural that I don’t want to lose this to Selina? It was very warm and nice. As tears began to well up in Alexa’s big eyes, Visten hurriedly pulled out a book. 

“Ahem, in fact, I always read Terrun fairy tales. It’s worth listening to.”

It was the secret of the Iron-Blooded Lieutenant. Visten had a history of leaving his home as a young man who had many dreams in the past. Now, he was using his past experiences to read books to Terrun. 

The quiet starlight was pouring down. 

The shadow of the stars casted on their faces, including Alexa’s. It was as if the night sky had permeated into Alexa’s room. Terrun and Ysildus were both leaning to Alexa with warm and delicious snacks. The Head Maid was sitting next to Alexa while knitting, Visten sitting across them was reading books with all his might, while the butler was adding some extra in the sidelines. She couldn’t help but laugh. 

Though Alexa had no means to guess what could possibly happen in the future, she couldn’t help but let out a smile in a situation like this. The darkness embroidered between them and the noisy chatter filled the night. Alexa had become a part of them before she knew it – like it was only natural. 

However, Alexa wasn’t the least bit aware that this wasn’t the only future that would go wrong. Perhaps because she was immersed in this friendly and gentle warmth, Alexa didn’t notice the darkness slowly approaching her. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Meanwhile.

The Grand Duke and his wife looked at the excruciatingly tiresome battlefield with indifferent expressions. It was like they were looking at their job almost done, but if it hadn’t been for this, they might have turned to wolves and messed up the whole place. They struggled to not reveal their identities as promised to the Imperial Family, but they spent too much time here. 

The metallic blood smell kept on provoking their wolf’s nature. Perhaps that is why they were increasingly becoming more inhuman, and their senses sharpened. 

“This war will end soon.”

The Grand Duke nodded his head at the words of the Grand Duchess, his wife. 

“We will be going home after a long time.”

“Ysildus must have grown a lot. Would he be as big as my forearms now?” 

“Is Ysildus about 14 years old now?”

“He will have a secondary growth in about two years. But I’m glad we could go back before he turned into a human.” 

It was Ysildus’ existence that drew out the Grand Duke and his wife’s humanity. The problem is it just stopped there. Maybe because they spent a long time on the battlefield, the number of times they expressed their feelings were gradually decreasing. 

The knights of Thersion were silent, but the knights of the Imperial Family were talking about the Grand Duke and his wife as monsters and cold-blooded people without feelings. 

As if he was annoyed by it, the Grand Duke let out a long sigh. If he had changed into a wolf, they would have been able to clean up the war at once in fact. They came here entangled with various interests. 

The Grand Duke clicked his tongue and turned away. The Grand Duchess followed after him. It is now time to return – return to Thersion. They were a little bit curious as to how much the place had changed. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

The next day, Alexa was assigned a new maid.

“This is Selina.”

This was a really unexpected development. The heroine of this novel was assigned to be Alexa’s maid! Alexa turned to look at the maid with a surprised face. 

“Ah. I guess that’s enough for self-introduction.” 

“Arf!”

In this situation, Ysildus ran towards Alexa’s leg even though he had nothing to do with it. It seems as if he was telling Alexa to play with him with his tail wagging and hitting the doll with his snout. With sparkling eyes, he put the doll under his feet and pulled Alexa’s skirt. 

“Hey, wait a minute.”

Alexa lifted Ysildus in her arms and put him on her lap. Biting Alexa’s finger as if he was very dissatisfied by it, Ysildus eventually gave up and buried his head. 

Such a peaceful and lovely scene. The Head Maid gave Alexa time before starting to explain again. 

“Yes, Miss Alexa. Selina is the kid who stole Terrun’s money bag and came to return it.”

Alexa stopped her hand stroking Ysildus. Huh?

The novel didn’t reveal how Selina exactly entered the Grand Duke’s house. Selina was already working inside the Grand Duchy as a maid when the novel started. From the moment Alexa came here until now, the novel didn’t flow according to the original and there were various variables intervening. So, it didn’t matter if Selina entered the Grand Duchy for that reason, or it was also one of the variables. 

Bewildered, Alexa asked, “… Isn’t that a crime? Can you hire such a child?”

It was pure curiosity. Just in case Selina would hear her, she whispered in a low voice. Alexa’s kindness was so cute. The Head Maid smiled happily and answered with the same low voice. 

“That was indeed a crime however, I don’t think that’s a big problem. As she had a history of living as a pickpocket, she had quick hands and moved quickly. She will be of great help to Miss Alexa.” 

“But….”

Alexa’s face darkened.

In fact, there was one thing Alexa had been keenly aware of after living in the Grand Duchy for a year – it was their common sense that was very different from her. It was the same this time as well. 

Their common sense, morals and ethical norms were very far from what Alexa knew. Is that because of their inherent wolf’s instinct? The Head Maid grinned as she didn’t seem to understand. 

“She can’t do anything inside this castle even if that kid is a pickpocket. The servants here were way faster and stronger than this kid and besides, Young Master Ysildus is also here.”

As if very proud of herself, the Head Maid stared at the sleeping puppy on Alexa’s lap with its belly revealed. Why would this kid? Alexa looked at Ysildus as well. 

“Wolves instinctively recognize those that were stronger than them. Young Master Ysildus is the absolute strongest in the Grand Duchy, and no one can do Miss Alexa any harm that could avoid his eyes.” 

“So, you’re saying….”

Shouldn’t you be hiring people without such cumbersome processes? Selina’s place was in fact this mansion, so she couldn’t blindly object to that. She just doesn’t understand what the people here thought. 

Alexa puffed her cheeks and tilted her head.

“Power is the absolute value of wolves. In other words, we don’t have to hire that kid, but there was also no reason not to.” 

The Head Maid quietly continued. It was lovely of her to ask questions no one else was asking and trying to understand it. 

However, the human Alexa wouldn’t understand the way they think unless the Head Maid reveals the complete truth. Ysildus had absolute superiority inside the Grand Duchy at the present. You will definitely die if you go against him. 

And that one money pouch filled with gold that Selina stole was worth nothing. She didn’t offend Ysildus as she didn’t touch Alexa in the first place. But what if that kid tries to target Alexa after?  She wouldn’t be able to walk properly because Ysildus would bite her leg with his teeth. 

So even now, such a fragile wolf who can’t make eye contact with Ysildus poses no threat to Alexa or to the Grand Duchy. She is just a half-baked wolf who can’t even bare her fangs. That was needlessly ridiculous. 

In fact, if it hadn’t been for the soft-hearted butler who was fascinated by the child’s appearance that was about the same as Alexa, she wouldn’t even have stepped in the castle. There is no need to tell Alexa what the butler had said. 

[‘It would be great for Miss Alexa to play with. She looked bored here, so I hope it will be a good gift.’]

Alexa doesn’t need to know the cruelty that flashed beyond her thick skin covered with a mask of benevolence. Alexa only needs to see good, beautiful, and pretty things. 

The Head Maid softly smiled at Alexa who was tilting her head with a confused expression. 

“Hey, Miss Alexa?”

It was best to divert Alexa’s attention in this case to something else. Alexa is a soft-hearted and friendly person so she won’t ever bring up that same topic again. 

The Head Maid made a fuss, pointing to her dress with its sleeves slightly shorter. 

“Goodness! You must have grown taller! How can your dress be so short like this!”

Huh? Alexa turned her head to her sleeve. Where on earth did you mean had shortened? 

(T/N: They really thought of Selina as something for Alexa to play with lol the servants of the Grand Duchy were just so soft for Alexa I can’t! And yey! The Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess finally made an appearance! So excited!)