CH 4

I asked because of his health, but I felt a willingness to never tell me if there was any more secret.

“I see. Are you still going to eat the food we made together?”

“Yeah, of course. Look forward to it.”

… I’m sure you can eat ordinary food. Is it okay to just skip it?

Soon, the bubbling water boils and the conversation is interrupted.

The stew had a pretty decent smell, but just in case, I tasted it first.

I muttered to Kiverin, who was waiting for my testimony.

“… But, first of all, it doesn’t taste like you’ll get sick while eating.”

I brainwashed myself into saying that it tastes good for health, but Kiverin also picked up a spoon.

It was pretty cute how he scooped up the stew and put it in his mouth.

Unlike me, who started managing my expression as soon as it touched the tip of his tongue, Kiverin lit up his eyes.

“No, it’s delicious!”

“…….”

How bad have you been eating this whole time…

Rather than being moved, I felt uncomfortable.

“Miss Cheria…, y-you and m-me.. it’s delicious to eat together.”

“… Really?”

He wasn’t saying it for the sake of me, Kiverin was sincere.

I watched Kiverin chew and swallow his food.

Even though his long bangs covered his eyes, his soft cheeks, like glutinous rice cakes, were revealed.

The scales that grew on his small face changed to a foreign color when exposed to sunlight.

Kiverin continued to rub the scales even in his sleep.

Even if he knows best that there is no way it will disappear.

Kiverin sensed my gaze and raised his head.

“I, my face is uncomfortable…”

“It’s cute.”

“Cute?”

Kiverin looked puzzled.

I gently stroked Kiverin’s hair.

“Keep eating. You have to eat a lot to be taller than me.”

“D-do I have to be taller than Miss Cheria?”

“…….”

What should I say in this case?

“Hey, I like that Miss Cheria is taller than me….”

“… I’ll try my best to grow up too. We grow together.”

At that moment, Kiverin smiled.

After a late breakfast, we were seated by the sunny window.

Before I possessed this body, I wasn’t the type to enjoy going outside, but the fact that I was forced to be locked up made me feel very frustrated.

Kiverin must have been better than me, but he was patient.

Naturally, with Kiverin sitting next to me, I opened the history book I had brought from the library.

As the thickness was thin, the history of the Kalista Empire was explained as briefly as possible.

I read it without difficulty.

The memories of Cheria before the possession came to mind as vividly as in my past.

Thanks to this, I was able to read and write letters, and I was also aware of the existence of magic stones.

Although it was a problem because I remember too well how Cheria was treated by the Count.

In the Count mansion, all items equipped with magic stones belonged to the female protagonist.

It’s not that rare among the nobles.

The hand that was turning the bookshelf slowly slowed down.

As described in <The Villainess Only Wants The Money Path>, the Duke Nectarian was still the dominant force in the empire.

However, even for such a Duke, isolating Kiverin was the most amicable solution.

In the Empire, snakes were known as cursed animals.

There is also a legend that the god of state affairs hunted the snake that disturbed the world.

If Kiverin had not been the heir to the Duke’s family, he would have been killed by the temple.

The snake-related thing was fatal in the denomination.

It is said that snakes always go two at a time, and when one appears, the Paladins find the other and destroy the surroundings.

Still, the emperor had a lot of entanglements with the Duke family, so they tried to solve it well, but the temple must have been very tough.

Suddenly, a strange noise was heard from across the hallway.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

It was close to talking to himself, but suddenly Kiverin stood up.

“Pe-people will come soon.”

“Are you telling me in advance because of that bell?”

“Yes. Because I-I have to hide…”

My eyebrows furrowed.

I closed the book and got up.

“Then let’s go together.”

The front door opened in less than 10 minutes.

The five maids came in with bored faces.

Me and Kiverin hid in a corner and watched them.

“I, I have to hide….”

“Shh.”

I paid attention to Kiverin, and covered his ears with both my hands.

Since the Duchess was not accompanying them, it was obvious how thoughtless they would spit out words.

“Why do we have to clean here?”

“That’s what I mean. Just let him die.”

“Every time I come here, I feel so bad. It’s creepy here.”

I glanced out the window with my hand covered Kiverin ears.

A knight in uniform was waiting in front of the carriage.

Even in the scorching sun, he maintained his angled, stiff posture.

It is different from the maids who laugh and talk freely.

Are you new? You look like you just joined here.

“The butler said that the master sent a new dress here. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could take a jewel or two as exchange?”

“Then what if I get caught?”

“Anyway, he must be on the same level as the monster, so what are you worried about?”

The laughter slowly faded away.

I withdrew the hand that was covering Kiverin’s ear.

“Young master, let’s go take a look outside.”

“Outside…”

“Aren’t you curious?”

“That, but….”

Kiverin hesitated.

This child must have been told many times not to go outside.

I reached out his hand.

“If you’re scared, I’ll hold your hand. And if anyone comes in, I’ll hit them!”

“……”

What, why, what does that mean, those unreliable eyes?

Still, if Kiverin refused, this was the time to think about giving up on this opportunity.

His little hand reached out towards me.

He couldn’t give it any strength, and it was barely enough to put it on my hand, but I could definitely feel the expression.

I grabbed Kiverin’s hand as he approached me like that.

“Good job. Only trust this Cheria!”

We took off our shoes in case they could hear the footsteps.

After properly hiding my shoes and Kiverin’s shoes, I ran to the front door.

The door was not locked.

It seemed that they didn’t feel the need to lock the door because Kiverin had been quietly hiding.

To them, Kibrin was an obedient monster,  nothing more, nothing less.

Kiverin went out first, and I followed.

There was no time to enjoy neither the smell of the cool wind nor the glare of the sun.

A great shadow fell before us.

“You must not go outside.”

It was a knight waiting in front of the carriage.

I was grateful that he was willing to use respectful words, but I also felt a sense of inflexibility.

The straight ironed uniform claimed that both the top and bottom were new.

Yep, he’s new here.

Kiverin grabbed my hand.

Ahem. Don’t worry, don’t worry.

I handed the paper to the driver.

“I need something. Please save me.”

“I know there are five maids who have entered the mansion.”

The knight’s voice was as stiff as his shoulders.

I said as usual, because nothing could be worse here anyway.

“They went to pick up the jewels on my dress.”

“The maid was chosen by the Lord, so it cannot be.”

“Then I must be lying to show the young master around the outside.”

There was no need to make a pitiful expression.

Me and Kiverin were barefoot and already covered in dirt.

“… Confirmation is required. Could you please wait a moment?”

“Okay.”

“Don’t go too far.”

It was a face that we could catch at any time even if we ran away. In fact, it would have been.

While the knight was going inside, I relaxed for the first time and looked around the exterior of the snake cave.

“Wow.”

The nickname ‘Snake Cave’ was a beautiful pearl-colored mansion.

None of the surrounding flowers and trees withered, so nicknames such as the Rose House or the Summer House would have been appropriate.

As I narrowed my eyes and focused, Kiverin asked.

“Wh-what’s on top?”

“I went back and looked at which windows I could break. I think that one right upstairs on the terrace would be nice.”

“…..”

It’s not very visible from underneath. No magic stones or anything attached.

I didn’t know if I could even open the terrace if I was lucky.

Kiverin looked at me blankly.

“We came out with a lot of effort, why don’t you take a look?”

It was a gorgeous day. The pure blue sky, the green grass, the flowers in full bloom in the stream. It wasn’t strange that something caught his attention.

At the very least, it would have been normal if I had to say run away on this occasion, but Kiverin’s eyes were fixed on me.

“It’s all done.”

“Yes? Already?”