“When your mind is in turmoil, you need to shake your body. Let’s go to the bathroom.”
“Ah, no! I’m fine! I don’t need it!”
“Stop being stubborn. You must have no one to rub your back while you live alone.”
“I’m really fine!!!”
As I suddenly stood up, Yuri’s face went pale with shock.
This guy. Contrary to appearances, he’s quite bashful.
I thought he was someone who wouldn’t know what embarrassment was, given that he boldly dressed as a woman.
But then again, there were always friends back in my childhood who felt shy about going to the bathhouse.
It is indeed frustrating, but it’s not something that needs to be forced into correction.
“I won’t mention going in together again, so just get in the bath for now. You seem to smell like sweat.”
“Really!? Is that true?”
Sniff Sniff, Yuri sniffed and brought his sleeve to his nose.
Of course, it was a lie.
I intended to change that outfit, which looked like it could drive someone insane just by looking at it.
And for a change of mood, I decided to push him into the bath forcibly.
“Then… I’ll rely on you a little bit…”
.
.
.
Plop.
After dipping his feet into the hot water, Yuri gasped in surprise.
It was hot. Not warm, but hot!
How could she soak her body in such water?
‘Charlotte and Julia bathe in this hot water, huh.’
Thinking that way gave her courage.
Yuri swallowed hard and threw herself into the bathroom as if she had made up her mind.
“Ahhhh…”
The water rushed over her, the sensation was steamy.
It was definitely a painful sensation, as if her entire body were being burned by hot fire.
Yet for some reason, Yuri felt a coolness washing over her and felt relaxed.
It was an incredibly luxurious feeling…
‘This isn’t the time to be feeling like this…’
A sigh involuntarily escaped Yuri’s lips.
Why was I enjoying a leisurely bath in the Vermont mansion?
I said I was shocked by the mention of sweat, but if it were in the past, even if my body was covered in mud, I would have stubbornly refused to stay.
How did it come to this?
How on earth did I end up naked and defenseless in the mansion of Aslan Vermont, whom I despised so much?
Thinking back, the answer came easily.
‘Because I’m scared…’
In the past, I was afraid that Charlotte and Julia would be harmed by Aslan Vermont.
I was terrified that his nature could be more cruel than I imagined.
That’s why I was anxious, and I came here…
Now, I was afraid for the opposite reason.
I was scared that Aslan Vermont might be a better person than I thought.
I was scared that Charlotte and Julia might not want to leave his side.
I was scared they would forget about their difficult lives in the orphanage and me too.
Of course, more than anything else…
‘I’m afraid that those two will fall for that scum…!’
The biggest reason I couldn’t hand over Charlotte and Julia to that p*rvert, who looked at children with lecherous eyes, was that.
As soon as I dressed like a woman, he revealed his true nature and tried to drag me to the bathroom!
Would Charlotte and Julia know the true nature of that man?
They probably wouldn’t.
If they knew, they wouldn’t cling to that man like that.
Suddenly, the scene of Charlotte and Julia fighting to get Aslan Vermont’s attention came to mind.
Ah, just thinking about that makes me so annoyed…!
“Ahhh!”
Feeling the temperature rise, Yuri quickly jumped out of the bath.
Her head felt like it was pounding.
Just thinking about Charlotte and Julia made her chest tight to the point of madness.
‘I want to scream that Aslan Vermont isn’t as good of a person as you think. He’s a piece of garbage on the fringes of humanity.’
…But she doubted they would believe her if she said that.
Then there was nothing I could do.
If I couldn’t persuade Charlotte and Julia,
I would have to take Aslan Vermont for myself.
That was my thought when I dressed up glamorously and came here.
I never expected Aslan Vermont would react so intensely.
That scum must really like this kind of dress…
I’ll have to remember that…
‘It’s a problem that things are going too smoothly…’
I thought it would take a little more time.
Unlike Charlotte and Julia, I was a little lacking in femininity, so I thought it would be tough.
But Aslan’s reaction was way too fast.
I successfully caught Aslan’s attention…
Now what do I do?
I hadn’t thought that far ahead.
I thought it would take a fair amount of time, so I hadn’t planned it out in detail.
[Just as expected!]
“Gyah!?”
At that moment, Yuri was startled by a bizarre voice from behind and covered her body.
Thud!
A brown lump fell from the window and landed face-first.
What was it called again…?
“Poop-Poop?”
[Kyah! It’s Dirt-Dirt!!! Damn it! You deliberately called me the wrong name!!!]
“Oh, no. I’m sorry. I really couldn’t remember.”
[I came all this way to share some good news! I’m upset now! I’ll go back!]
“…”
Buzz.
It constantly rubbed against the very high window.
After a while, looking somewhat awkward, Dirt-Dirt turned back again.
[Hmph. My mood has changed again. Since it’s a special occasion, I suppose I can tell you.]
“You’re going to tell me? What is it…?”
[You, from the moment I first saw you, smelled oddly bad. I thought it was just my imagination, but now I’m sure of it. You carry quite a tragic fate.]
“Tragic fate…? What do you mean specifically?”
[Mainly physical pain. A fate like yours cannot leave your body intact! You must be in so much pain right now that it drives you mad!]
“Huh? I’m healthy!”
[Kyah! That can’t be! Don’t lie! This Great Spirit has gone out of its way to foresee your fate for a humble human!]
Dirt-Dirt, raising its short arms in frustration, made Yuri tilt her head in confusion.
Physical pain…?
I really felt fine.
I had no idea what it was talking about.
“I’m not lying…”
[If you really aren’t lying, there’s only one possibility left. I don’t know how, but you’ve definitely escaped that cruel fate. No… There’s no way you could have escaped with that pathetic body of yours. Someone else must have diverted you from your fate.]
“…?”
Dirt-Dirt clapped as if it understood.
Yuri was more perplexed by its strange words.
Fate? Divergence? What on earth does all of this mean?
“I don’t understand at all…”
[Kyah! Are you lying again? There must be something you can pinpoint! At the moment when misfortune should have struck, oddly enough, good luck keeps coming your way!]
“Aah…!”
Only then did Yuri’s eyes widen in understanding.
If there were clues, they were overflowing.
When Charlotte and Julia were taken by the sl*ve dealer.
And when she heard that they were dragged to the Vermont mansion.
All sorts of terrifying possibilities had raced through Yuri’s mind.
But the outcome was entirely unexpected.
Contrary to those terrifying imaginings, they were doing very well.
Also, for her, who had nowhere else to go, wasn’t she given the opportunity for special admission to the Imperial Magic Academy?
At that time, I thought I was just lucky, but now that I think back, the timing felt really strange.
‘Someone else has helped me escape from my tragic fate…?’
If what that brown creature said was true, she should have been writhing in tremendous pain by now.
Someone saved her from her destiny.
She could easily guess who it was.
‘Mr. Black…’
The benefactor who brought her this far.
That gentleman who wore all black.
She knew he had considerable power since the time of the special admission to the Academy.
But she never expected he could twist fate…
What kind of person is he?
A Sword Master?
Or perhaps a Grand Magician?
As far as she knew, those were the strongest beings.
‘That such a strong person would do something for me…’
Perhaps it was because I had been in hot water for too long.
Yuri felt his heart pounding, gradually beating harder.
Mr. Black saved her from a miserable future.
For me alone, he defied fate.
Now that she realized this, there was no longer any vague feeling of respect.
Instead, on one side of Yuri’s heart, a feeling she had never experienced before settled in.
‘The gentle words I only saw in letters… I want to hear it in Mr. Black’s real voice…’
Just a moment ago, she thought she didn’t care about the identity of Mr. Black.
But now it was different.
She had to find out who that Mr. Black was.
She felt like seeing his face would help her understand the nature of this pounding feeling.
‘This is the worst… especially since I have to seduce Aslan Vermont now…’
Creak, Yuri gritted her teeth.
She had made up her mind to entice Aslan Vermont and become the Countess before Charlotte or Julia.
But thinking of Mr. Black made that resolution waver.
What is she going to do…
Yuri felt like she was about to cry.
