Chapter 48
After the two had entered the room, Cedric was left feeling at a loss. It was because of the murmurs being exchanged among the staff.
“Did you see that just now?”
“I did, I did. What kind of species is she, to have so little agility?”
“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen someone actually fall down the stairs.”
“Normally, even if you slip, wouldn’t you be able to jump back up?”
If it had been just this kind of talk, Cedric wouldn’t have been so unsettled.
“But did you catch the scent of her blood? Didn’t it smell amazing?”
“What? Really?”
“I was down at the bottom of the stairs, and for a moment, I thought I smelled flowers. But there was this strange hint of iron, so I realized it must be blood.”
“So what species is she?”
“Wait, isn’t she one of the cat werebeasts?”
“Doesn’t look like it. I’ve never smelled blood like that before.”
“But sometimes she gives off a really nice scent. Isn’t it just that her natural scent is good, so her blood smells good too?”
He could have told them to stop for now, but rumors were not something that could be stopped by one person’s efforts alone.
At that point, Marie, who had been among them, quietly joined the conversation.
“She’s definitely not the same species as us.”
“Marie, how do you know?”
“Have any of you ever looked into Miss Sia’s eyes?”
“Her eyes?”
The maids around Marie all shook their heads at once. Each replied with a frown, as if they were faced with something horrible.
“What if you catch some bad luck just by meeting her gaze?”
“That’s right. Even if not, why would you bother looking so closely at the Master’s guest?”
“Yeah, I know you’re grateful because she saved your little brother recently, but if you stare too closely, you’ll catch her misfortune.”
“Ugh… Then, shouldn’t we keep our distance from her too?”
As those around Marie suddenly backed away from her, she cried out desperately.
“She’s… She’s really cute!”
“…What?”
“Her pupils aren’t vertical like ours! They’re rou—!”
“Enough!”
Cedric, unable to let it go any further, quickly stepped in.
“Who do you all think you’re gossiping about right now?”
“S-Sorry.”
“Butler, it was just that she…”
“What is your name?”
Cedric stood in front of Marie and asked. Marie, looking thoroughly frightened, answered,
“M-Marie, sir.”
“You, come with me. The rest of you, get back to your work!”
“Yes, sir!”
At Cedric’s command, a figure even more intimidating than the head maid, the staff scattered in perfect order. Only Marie, with a tearful face, had no choice but to follow him.
Meanwhile, Cedric was at a loss as to how to handle this situation. He wanted to run straight to his master and ask what all of this meant, but for some reason, it didn’t feel right to disturb his master at that moment.
He took Marie and wandered here and there, eventually heading deep into the back garden. First, he needed to quietly keep things under wraps.
* * *
After the ointment had been applied, Sia and Nox both turned their heads in opposite directions. Sia was too embarrassed to look at him, and Nox, recalling his earlier actions, was also struggling with his own embarrassment.
He had never intended to touch her in such a way. He’d wanted to approach her gentlemanly, with her consent. Now, he deeply regretted his earlier behavior.
But the lingering scent of her blood in his mouth made his whole body feel as if his blood was rushing wildly, and he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
After a brief silence, Nox finally opened his mouth.
“…You really do need to be more careful.”
“Yes…”
Nox, who had never realized how fragile humans were, found himself worried in many ways.
“Haah… I’m not sure it’s right for you to be working as a butler.”
“…Pardon?”
“I let you do it because you said you wanted to, but you don’t have to.”
“Um… Why are you saying this all of a sudden?”
Sia was quite flustered by Nox’s words. Was he telling her to quit as a butler… And did that mean she’d have to leave? That would be a big problem.
She didn’t even know how to get back to Korea, and honestly, these days, she wasn’t even sure she wanted to return. Wasn’t she actually more comfortable and happier here than she’d been in Korea?
She absolutely couldn’t be kicked out of here.
“I’m really not that fragile! Anyone could get a little scratch like this!”
Nox quietly answered, watching her as she insisted.
“Not everyone, Sia. I mean, not if you’re a cat werebeast.”
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