IBVC 25

Chapter 25

Thinking about how busy things would get tomorrow morning, it seemed better to get the massage done today.

“……”

Not long after taking her medicine, Eloise dozed off.

These days, as soon as she took her medication, she fell into such a deep sleep that she wouldn’t notice even if someone carried her away.

I hopped onto the bed and stretched out my front paws. There were a total of eleven spots where her mana was tangled.

Of those, the palms of her hands were nearly untangled now. Progress was slow, but it was finally starting to show.

‘Hang in there! For the sake of a comfortable cat life!’

My body felt as heavy as lead, but I began the massage while thinking of a peaceful future.

The massage, which I had started early, only finished past midnight.

I was too exhausted to return to my own place, so I fell asleep right beside Eloise.

A few hours later, my eyes opened naturally, even though no one had woken me. I felt well-rested.

‘Is it still dawn?’

Considering how I had knocked out like the dead, it was surprisingly early to wake up.

Eloise was still asleep, her breathing soft and even.

I lightly hopped down from the bed and stretched.

Right then, the door carefully opened, and Sophie came in carrying a basin of wash water.

“Lady Lisette, you’re up early?”

“Good morning, Sophie.”

Being able to speak never ceased to feel like a blessing.

How hard had it been when all I could do was meow or gesture?

“Sophie, I’m curious about something.”

“Yes? What are you curious about?”

“Where’s the butler’s room?”

“The farthest room on the first floor of the servants’ annex. Why do you ask?”

“To catch a rat. This will be our secret, just between us.”

Sophie chuckled softly, as if she understood the real meaning.

She even explained the easiest way to reach the butler’s quarters.

Like conspirators plotting in secret, we whispered quietly together.

“The butler should be helping His Grace prepare for the morning now, so this is a good time to go.”

“Got it. Thanks, Sophie.”

“Please be careful. I’ll tell Lady Eloise that you went for a walk.”

Sophie gently opened the door for me, and I darted out quickly.

I ran down to the first floor, to the corridor’s far right window! Squeezing through the gap left open for ventilation, I slipped outside.

Indeed, Sophie’s advice as a long-serving maid was invaluable.

‘If you go out the window, you’ll be behind the mansion. Follow the side path, and you’ll reach the servants’ annex directly.’

The mansion was bustling with activity, everyone busy with the duke’s morning routine.

I crept beneath the bushes along the side path, going unnoticed. My heart pounded nervously, even though this wasn’t much of a mission.

“Hey, did you hear that story?”

“What story?”

Two maids carrying laundry started chatting. This was the kind of gossip one had to eavesdrop on.

I crouched as small as possible and perked up my ears.

“They say the butler once saved the duke’s life when His Grace was still the young heir.”

“Yeah. That’s why the duke usually respects the butler’s wishes.”

One of the maids looked around, then lowered her voice.

Without realizing it, I leaned closer toward them.

“But recently, I heard that whole incident might’ve been staged.”

“What? That would mean the butler tricked the duke! Who said that?”

I hadn’t known the butler supposedly saved the duke’s life. But staged?

“Shh, I only overheard it by chance. Honestly, the butler takes ridiculous care of his own health.”

“Right? Remember when a cat tugged out a bit of his whisker-like mustache? He stayed locked in his room for days.”

And with that ratty-looking face of his, he sure was dramatic.

“Can you really believe someone like that risked his life for the duke? He probably just pretended to die in front of him.”

“Hey, watch it! If the butler finds out we talked about him, we could get kicked out of the household! And there’s that whistleblowing issue too…”

Whistleblowing issue? I wanted to hear more, but the maids wandered off in another direction before I could.

If this was true, it might be the perfect way to get the butler expelled. I hurried toward the annex.

‘The butler’s room is always locked, but he leaves a small window open for his parrot.’

Circling the annex, I spotted a small open window. A birdcage inside confirmed this was the butler’s room.

“Sophie, you didn’t say it was this high up…”

The small window was higher than a standard one. I tried jumping a few times, but it was no use.

Looking for another way, my eyes landed on a tree right in front.

I had no choice but to climb it—something I’d never even done in my previous life.

At least I wasn’t afraid of heights.

“Phew. One, two—!”

Climbing the tree, I launched myself toward the window with all my strength.

My fur blew back in the air, my short paw barely hooking onto the window frame.

After some frantic scrambling, I managed to perch on the narrow sill.

“Thief—! Thief!”

As soon as I slipped inside, the parrot spotted me and shrieked noisily.

With nothing else to climb down on, I dug my claws into the curtain and slid down, leaving ragged scratches behind.

“Thief—!”

The parrot cried again from its cage beside the desk. I leapt onto the desk and smacked the cage hard.

The dull clang made the cage rattle, and the parrot flapped in panic, opening its beak even wider.

“Save the parrot!”

“Meooowr!”

I hissed sharply, and the parrot finally shut up.

With the room quiet at last, I searched around. Nothing suspicious in plain sight.

In that case…

Thump, thump.

I tapped the floorboards here and there. In novels and period dramas, they always hid things under the floor.

The parrot’s eyes darted rapidly as it watched me.

When I tapped near the bed, its gaze flicked sharply.

Soon, a hollow sound answered.

‘Here it is!’

Digging my claws into the floor seam, I pried it up. With a pop, a section of the board lifted.

Beneath were two letters and a thick bundle of documents.

The letters bore postmarks—one from a week ago, one from yesterday. Good thing I’d memorized the dates from Eloise’s newspapers.

[It would be best to bring the money as soon as possible. I’m always ready to tell the Duke about that day.]

[You thought this small amount would suffice? If you don’t bring the promised 100,000 gold by tomorrow, I’ll spill everything. Remember how, twenty years ago, you staged the young heir’s fake assassination? Because of you, I rotted in prison for two decades. I’ll be waiting at the Marzella tavern.]

Well, well. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

The documents were filled with numbers—likely a secret ledger.

Considering Sophie, a senior maid, earned 300 gold a month, 100,000 gold was an astronomical sum.

There was no way the butler could cover that with his salary.

“The problem is, I can’t carry all this…”

I tore off the most recent sheet with my claws and grabbed one of the letters in my mouth.

I carefully replaced the floorboard to cover my tracks.

‘When you leave, it’s easier to open the door instead of the window.’

Following Sophie’s advice, I leapt and pulled down the lever-shaped door handle.

Click. The lock gave way, and the door opened.

I slipped out through the small gap and padded through the annex’s open front door.

Several servants gasped in surprise when they spotted me. By the time I reached the main gate of the mansion—