DSMBL Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Janice looked around the training ground. Scattered here and there were long, white hairs that shimmered faintly in the light. Knights didn’t usually raise beasts. And these weren’t ordinary animal hairs either—too long and too coarse.

“Yeti?”

Janice’s brow twitched. Had there been a fight with Yetis? It wouldn’t be strange, considering how often the knights were training in the forest. But still… could fur be left behind like this?

It felt too calm.

If a big battle had happened, there would’ve been injuries, maybe even blood. But there was none of that—just fur.

She recalled the knights’ faces she had just seen. If they had really been fighting Yetis, they wouldn’t be looking so cheerful. Even well-trained knights get tired from repeated battles.

But the knights were smiling, eager for training.

“…This is suspicious.”

Still holding a piece of fur, Janice left the training ground. Her thoughts raced. Training in the forest… then, like lightning, a realization hit her. Her eyes widened.

“No way…”

The world is full of things one could never expect. Janice had seen and learned much, but her world was still limited. She had only limited access to information—and she was still being watched.

But Janice had lived in the North. She had sharp instincts.

‘Are they training with the Yetis?’

It wasn’t for her to judge if that was even possible. Yetis were intelligent to some degree. Even if they weren’t training together, maybe they were cooperating in some way? That could explain the fur.

A chill ran down her spine.

The imperial court would not approve of this. The Emperor already disliked Istheria. If he found out, he would definitely act.

‘I need to tell Count Solovis before he gets exiled.’

If he found out, he’d report it to the Emperor without a doubt. Then the Emperor would move to isolate the North. The Duchess would run out of holy power and die, the young lord would be die due to monster attacks…

Janice began painting a new picture in her mind. The despair that had spread over the North could be turned into hope—through her and Lorentia.

It would be a masterpiece of her making.

***

From the second floor window, Cassius watched Janice standing on the training grounds. His calm, cold gaze was fixed on her.

“She’s going to act.”

Now that she knew his secret, she would definitely try to use it. She’d go to Count Solovis, try to get word to the Emperor.

Cassius touched his chin thoughtfully.

This might be an opportunity. The Emperor wouldn’t abandon Istheria. He might try to isolate it—but that wouldn’t be much different than the current situation.

This was a chance to see how the Emperor would react to cooperation with Yetis.

“…She’ll try to visit Count Solovis. Tell the prison guards to let her in—pretend not to notice.”

“Yes, sir.”

Sometimes, even a meddler could be useful. Depending on the Emperor’s reaction, Cassius could choose whether to hide the truth—or share the secret.

Cassius turned away.

“Are you planning to just let her do as she pleases?” his aide asked, uncomfortable.

“I don’t understand why you haven’t kicked her out.”

Cassius smiled faintly.

“Sometimes you need to keep your enemies close. Don’t lose track of her. I want to know everything she does.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Cassius’s eyes turned sharp.

He had doubted Janice for a long time—ever since she’d done something strange while taking care of him as a child.

He still didn’t know what she’d done. He couldn’t explain it.

But since that day, he had always watched her. And now, finally, she was making a move.

Whatever Janice was planning in the North, he would find out.

***

Thankfully, the count and his wife accepted my invitation. They returned to the estate, bringing Ilia and Mia with them.

“Thank you for inviting us. Ilia, Mia, say hello.”

“H-Hello.”

“Hello!”

“Hello! I’m glad you came back. Have you been well?”

The children nodded shyly.

“This is Luna. She’ll take you to the playroom where Stephanie and Theo are. Can you go with her?”

The children nodded again. After the incident with Theo, I had the playroom changed. I didn’t want them to remember what happened. The old room was cleaned and sealed so no one could enter it by mistake.

Once the kids left with the maid, I stood up.

“I’m sorry for what happened that day. I should never have let the children see something like that.”

“Oh no, Duchess!”

The Countess came over and held my hand, her gentle eyes shining with warmth. She sighed softly.

“I’m just so relieved that everything is alright. We’re fine, and the children are fine too. The doctor you sent through Lady Rubella checked on them several times. They also enjoyed the gifts you sent. Thanks to your care, they don’t seem to remember the bad parts. The doctor said the same.”

“I’m truly relieved to hear that.”

I smiled faintly. That day, I had acted rashly. I should’ve gotten the other children to safety first. But when Theo collapsed, I could only see him.

“As a parent, I understand how you felt. I’m just glad everything turned out okay.”

“Thank you. The Duke also asked me to tell you how deeply sorry and grateful he is.”

The couple nodded.

We entered the building together. I could already hear laughter and footsteps upstairs. The kids were clearly having fun.

“I want to be a knight!”

“Me too!”

“Then I’ll be a knight too!”

“Stephanie is the villain! Stop right there, little humans!”

“Kyaaaa! Help!”

The sound of someone tumbling echoed along with the children’s laughter. Ever since Theo and Stephanie got more energetic, I had all the expensive decorations removed from the halls. It really was a good decision.

It wasn’t about the decorations breaking—what mattered was the children’s safety.

The Count and Countess looked up at the second floor with pale faces.

“S-Sorry. Ilia and Mia must be excited…”

“Oh, no worries. That’s how they usually play. They’re full of energy! That’s why I removed all the breakables and replaced the carpets with thick ones. They fall and tumble so much.”

I laughed heartily, and the Countess’s expression relaxed.

“Actually, our daughters are like that too. They’re girls, but they play like boys.”

I felt closer to her already. The Count sighed.

“I was a quiet child myself.”

“Oh? That’s not what your mother told me.”

The Countess poked his side playfully. Seeing their warm interaction made my heart feel a little lighter.