Don’t Be Obsessed With Your Cat Butler - Chapter 143

The complete series is available uncensored on ko-fi!

John, who had grasped the situation belatedly, ran while shouting to James.

“It seems the snake tribe pulled a trick!”

“…He said that on purpose? But why?”

“How would I know! But isn’t the reason obvious!”

“What is it, then!”

“That snake bastard set things up to his own advantage! Damn it, I’m dying here.”

John, who was considered sharp-minded among the wolf tribe but lacked physical stamina, moved his legs while gasping for breath. After thinking for a moment with a serious expression, James spoke to him.

“I’ll leave traces, so don’t give up and keep following.”

“Y-Your Grace!”

With those words, James burst forward, chasing their trail at tremendous speed. It was a pace the wolf tribe subordinates couldn’t even attempt. As he ran, he asked himself.

Hadn’t he been not particularly interested in the human at first?

It was only just now that he had seen her in person for the first time, and the moment their eyes met had been almost instantaneous. Even so, a strange feeling had risen in that brief moment. Especially when she looked at him with eyes full of resentment, he had wanted with all his strength to deny it.

That’s not true. I’ve never felt such a thing before.

And yet he had wanted to ask whether she liked Duke Blois enough to resent him that much. Prophecy or not, none of it mattered anymore. If only he could clear up her misunderstanding, that alone would be enough. The feeling had surged up so suddenly that even he found it strange.

Round pupils, unlike his own. Her small and delicate frame, smaller and more fragile than any female of the wolf tribe, strangely made him want to hold her. He didn’t know where this desire came from, but he thought that her appearance was indeed one worthy of being brought personally by God.

So even if it killed him, he would catch up.

Following the faint, unfamiliar scent that remained, James ran forward in long strides.

* * *

“I-I’m truly sorry…”

Marie prostrated herself flat before Cedric and apologized. Even if she had ten mouths, she would have nothing to say.

“……”

Cedric didn’t know what to say. He knew Marie was at fault, but considering what had happened, he couldn’t simply put all the blame on her. Instead, he glared at the two servants who were bowing their heads beside her.

“You dared to bring outsiders in without permission. You’re prepared for the consequences, I assume.”

“We’re sorry, Head Butler!”

“They kept begging so persistently…”

The two servants were also flustered and wronged by the situation. People from their hometown had suddenly come to see them and pleaded desperately. They couldn’t say the details exactly, but they mentioned the names of children they had grown up with like younger siblings, and said that if they didn’t help, those children might die.

They had heard from the head maid that the black-haired woman was human, but what felt more real to them than the mythical word ‘human’ was the visible reality of black hair. At first, they let their guard down because the request didn’t seem like anything serious. They had only been asked to find out about the black-haired woman.

At the time, they had simply thought the visitors were curious because of her black hair. Among the cat tribe, everyone was sensitive to the superstition surrounding black hair, so they thought it was natural that rumors might spread even back to their hometown.

But the second request was a bit troublesome. They asked if they could meet, even briefly, the maid who attended to the black-haired human.

However, the two couldn’t summon Marie carelessly. No, she wasn’t someone who would come even if they called. They didn’t know what had changed, but at some point, Marie had begun to follow the black-haired woman.

And not just casually. She followed her as if she would risk her life for her. So they had concluded it was an impossible request, but the people from their hometown somehow brought up Marie’s younger sibling and handed over a gift.

They insisted it was simply a gift meant to help her protect the black-haired woman well, and pushed it onto them, so they had no choice but to call Marie out. Of course, they used a small trick.

They brought Anna, who was playing in the annex, and used her to call Marie. They introduced the people from their hometown and even handed over the gift. Marie, who had been standing there with an unhappy expression, had no choice but to accept it because of her younger sibling, and she only spoke with them briefly.