Chapter 31

“Really? If you insist on picking a fight, I can take you on anytime.”

[W-w-who said anything about picking a fight?! A-and besides, I’m bound by a contract right now!]

Anyone could see the contract was just an excuse, yet the great demon kept rambling through a stream of frantic excuses.

[Why did I ever make a contract with something like this…]

Half-cat, half-demon.

Inside the ordinary kitten Nero’s body resided the soul of the great demon Morcathus.

Even Edwin had been slightly surprised when he first encountered this being. He’d seen synthetic demonic beasts before, but a half-cat half-demon was unprecedented.

His original intention had been simple. The instant he realized a demon had trespassed onto his land, he planned to eliminate it.

But his wife loved Nero.

Though Morcathus had been a great demon, half of his soul belonged to a tiny, pitiful kitten that had wandered the desolate snowfields.

Because of that, Edwin couldn’t bring himself to destroy it.

Instead, he made a condition.

“Protect her well. I allowed your existence for that reason alone.”

[Don’t order me around.]

“If you can’t keep the condition, then I won’t…]

[I-it’s part of the contract anyway, even without your orders! Damn it, just try laying a finger on me! You’ll see your woman crying her eyes out and collapsing on the floor!]

In truth, the one who had destroyed Morcathus’s original body was Edwin.

Just the weight of his gaze made Morcathus instinctively shrink.

But the cunning demon had learned through experience exactly how to irritate Edwin without crossing the line enough to get himself killed.

[You have no idea how much that woman loves me.]

“She loves Nero, not you.”

[Unlike you, I fall asleep in her arms every night and wake up to her soft touch. I even rubbed my pheromones all over her body. Do you know how soaked she is in my scent?]

“She’s soaked in Nero’s pheromones, not yours.”

[We’re the same being anyway.]

Edwin’s brow furrowed sharply, and Morcathus openly snickered.

[Anyway, I took care of the most annoying human personally. What about the rest? If you’re killing more, give them to me. I’ll eat them.]

“Stay out of it. Humans should be handled the human way.”

[Ha, humans…]

Sadly for him, the feast was already over.

Morcathus finished grooming himself, then turned and leapt onto the terrace railing. His figure blurred like a mirage as he vanished into thin air.

“…”

Left alone, Edwin leaned his head back against the sofa and closed his eyes.

‘No… open your eyes. Please, please look at me. I’m sorry. I was too late… please, no… aaaaahhh!!’

His lips twisted bitterly.

A long sleepless night awaited him.

* * *

By the time the soldiers burst in, Madam Olden had already vanished without a trace.

She had been in such a rush she abandoned her clothes, her jewelry, even the personal maids she’d brought from the Capital, escaping with only her life.

Because of that, the archdiocese found itself in an awkward position. They had intended to quietly smooth over the embezzlement to preserve her reputation.

For a mere noblewoman to escape so perfectly, she had to have had outside help.

Meaning there was likely a seditious group still operating within Lombard, which shifted investigative authority from the church to the duke.

Lombard Castle was tense day after day as they hunted down anyone touched by Madam Olden’s influence.

And what was I doing during all of this?

“Let’s go to the Outer Wall!”

I grabbed only Baron Conte, my loyal underling, and fled to the Outer Wall monastery… I mean, paid them a visit.

The maids had lost their leader with Madam Olden’s escape, and in front of the furious duke, none of them resisted. They simply accepted their punishment.

That part was exactly what I wanted.

The problem came after.

Madam Olden and the maids who used to stand guard around me had disappeared.

Which meant Lombard people could now approach me freely.

‘Madam, you’ve been married into Lombard for quite some time. Isn’t it time you began participating in social activities?’

‘I have an urgent issue regarding castle regulations and would deeply appreciate your guidance…’

‘A vassal house is requesting you mediate a marriage arrangement. They say it would be an excellent chance to expand your influence…’

‘Madam, please hear my grievances!!’

The Inner Chambers were packed every day with people waiting to see me.

They wouldn’t even make eye contact with me before, as if I carried the plague.

Lord Berthold and Ramon, who normally hated the duchess getting involved in internal affairs, couldn’t stop them and rumors even spread that they were secretly encouraging the visits.

The cathedral construction had ended, yet I was being worked harder than when I was a government official.

I finally snapped and asked the duke to help by locking me in the detention tower for a month so I could have peace, but he ignored me and refused right away.

A cold man…

Anyway, while searching for a way to survive, I remembered something trainee monk Joseph had said.

He’d requested that I attend the simple gratitude feast they were preparing.

“I’m not running away. I’m simply visiting to personally observe the lives of my people.”

“You’re absolutely right, Madam!”

“And since I want to understand them more deeply, I may as well stay for a few days while I’m there.”

“You’re absolut… wait, what? I’m very sensitive about sleeping arrangements though?!”

I ignored Baron Conte’s whining and clicked my tongue.

The palace meals were luxurious and delightful, full of veal, rich butter, sweet cream, and sugar.

But just like how caterpillars crave pine needles, I missed the simple home cooking I used to eat.

Especially the monks’ cooking. That was truly divine.

“Don’t be late. Hurry!”

“Ugh…”

With my command, Baron Conte grabbed the carriage handle in a panic.

The coachman took off like a madman, the carriage shaking wildly. But I didn’t care. The only thing in my mind was the feast.

* * *

“Everyone stop for a moment! M-Madam is here!”

“What?!”

Late at night, the monastery erupted in chaos.

Joseph had told them he’d invited Madam, but no one expected her to actually come. Yet the carriage that cut through the forest path stopped at the open clearing outside the monastery.

It was now a familiar sight to everyone.

People preparing dinner ran outside and bowed deeply.

“Raise your heads. I’m sorry for coming without notice.”

“N-not at all. Madam gracing us with your presence is far more than we deserve.”

Unlike at the inauguration ceremony, Madam wore a simple outfit without jewelry.

Even so, she instantly captured every gaze.

The elegant jewelry and layered lace she usually wore had been stunning, but the restrained look only highlighted her grace and beauty even more.

She felt like an entirely different person.

While everyone awkwardly shuffled, Brother Vincent appeared after hearing the commotion and supported Madam as she stepped down from the carriage.

He gently held her pale, slender hand and smiled warmly.

“You’re here, Elicia.”

“After seeing you so often, you feel like family now, Brother.”

The duchess greeted even a low-ranking priest without any sense of distance.

I’d heard she’d received a lot of help from Brother Vincent during the cathedral project because of his deep knowledge of scripture and canon law. Seeing them so close, it really was pleasant on the eyes.

And honestly, they were both stunningly beautiful people in this countryside corner of Lombard, so it was impossible not to have pointless fantasies about them.

If I said any of this aloud, I’d get scolded by the upper clergy, but thinking it was harmless.

A few nuns exchanged discreet smiles and nodded.