~ Chapter : 14 ~
Emilia’s eyes widened in confusion.
“Ah, well, I lost my memories, you see… If I study a little bit of everything, maybe other things will come back too, right? And I’ll really have to start going out for official donation activities soon. There’s a chance I might run into them. I should prepare in advance, no matter what.”
“Run into them…? Miss, you will absolutely never encounter those people.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because they are filthy and dangerous! There’s no way they would dare lay a hand on a noble lady like you.”
“Ah…? Still, you never know.”
“No! I’ve never seen them myself, but ever since I was young, I was told they’re like beasts. It’s absolutely, absolutely dangerous!”
At Emilia’s firmer-than-expected reaction, Litia gave an awkward smile.
“Alright. I was just worrying unnecessarily. I only wanted to know. But is it even allowed to look up information about them? Is it forbidden or something?”
Emilia shook her head.
“No, it’s not forbidden.”
“Then tell me, Emilia. You’re the only one I can ask for help. Just tell me whatever you know.”
At those words, Emilia’s eyelashes trembled.
“Well… if it’s just information, as you said, Miss, you can check at the temple. There should be some in the imperial palace as well, but… you’re more comfortable with the temple, aren’t you?”
As expected, that was the right answer.
Litia recalled the high priest who had been extremely kind to her.
“Yeah, I think so. And it’s a place I’ll be visiting often anyway. I should go and look into it.”
Emilia nodded reluctantly, saying that she didn’t know much herself, so using the temple would be better.
Would she really be able to get information there?
Litia stared down at her own hand.
She had only focused a little, yet a faint halo of light appeared.
Somehow, it felt like her control had improved even more than before.
“Oh my, it’s much freer than before! Your use of holy power, I mean!”
It wasn’t just Litia’s imagination—Emilia covered her mouth with both hands, clearly startled.
“Really?”
“Have you been practicing every night?”
Instead of answering, Litia let the power flow out again, then cut it off, then released it once more.
She was certain.
Before, even the refreshing clarity of holy power had felt unfamiliar to Litia, and honestly a bit overwhelming. But not anymore.
Now it flowed lightly, as naturally as breathing.
Maybe it was just her imagination. Or perhaps she had been suppressing herself for so long, anxiously waiting, that her skills had improved. Or maybe this had always been her true ability, and she was only now awakening to it.
That night.
Litia went out alone into the garden. She was now free to move around the house without time restrictions. As long as she didn’t go all the way to the lake a little distance from the mansion, she was allowed to come out to the garden whenever she wanted to rest.
Going outside still required giving clear reasons, stating her destination, and bringing along a large escort, but even so, this was already a huge improvement. Even then, her destinations were mostly limited to banquet halls, the temple, or social gatherings hosted by noble ladies. Still, it was better than being locked in her room for an entire month.
Litia shuddered, remembering the lingering smell of medicine that had filled her room.
She sat on a bench off to the side, enjoying her freedom, when she suddenly heard a cat’s cry from somewhere.
“Mya—.”
“A cat?”
Litia looked around, but couldn’t see anything.
There were lamps lighting the area here and there, but the bench she was sitting on was a bit far from the mansion, making it rather dim.
“Myaa.”
The sound came again. Soon, a jet-black cat leisurely walked toward Litia, its tail swaying gently.
“It was you crying just now.”
The cat responded with another meow.
Litia reached out her hand.
“Come here.”
She wiggled her fingers as if coaxing it. The cat walked right up to her and rubbed its head against her hand.
Litia’s lips curved upward on their own.
“So there are cats here too. Well, of course.”
This was a place where people lived, after all. She found her own thoughts amusing. It wasn’t like she had expected cats with horns or four ears.
Still, its eyes were an unusual color—not quite black, not quite purple, but something mysterious. And yet, they clearly shone.
Aren’t black cats usually supposed to have yellow or light green eyes? It was strange, but otherwise it looked just like any ordinary cat.
As Litia stared quietly, the cat bumped its head against her again.
“Were you always this friendly?”
Smiling, Litia gently petted the cat that was showing her such affection.
“Where did you come from? Do you live here? Does one of the servants take care of you?”
For a stray, its fur was remarkably smooth.
“……”
The cat, which had responded so well before, simply circled around Litia’s hand. It bumped its head against her several times, then licked her fingers with its rough tongue. Anyone could tell it was used to people.
When Litia moved her hand to the right, it went right and rubbed its face against her. When she moved to the left, it followed again, swaying gently. For some reason, the behavior reminded her of someone she had encountered earlier.
“And on top of that, a black cat…”
“Myaa.”
The cat cried as if asking a question. Litia shook her head.
“No, it’s nothing. I’m going back inside now. Have you eaten? Should I ask Emilia to bring you some milk or jerky?”
Litia stroked its head and back, then moved her hand toward its belly. The cat suddenly leapt away.
She reached out again, but it just prowled at a distance, refusing to come closer.
Ah, right. She had heard that cats shouldn’t be touched on their belly, tail, or paws. You’d only know if you’d raised one yourself. Litia gazed at the cat that had moved away, a little regretfully.
Then she stood up.
“I’m sorry. I won’t touch you anymore. It’s late, so you should hurry home too, okay?”
She waved as she said goodbye and stood, but the cat came close again, then started trotting after her.
Litia was secretly happy about it.
“You’re not going?”
When she asked deliberately, the cat circled her legs, bumping its head and rubbing its body against her.
Litia bent slightly and brushed her hand along the cat’s body.
“Then want to come to my room?”
“Mya—.”
As if it had been waiting for that, the cat answered. It almost sounded like it understood her words.
“Wait a moment.”
Litia hurried back to her room, opened the window, and looked for the cat.
“Kitty, meow, come on. Did you leave?”
She stretched her pale arms out the window, waving them around.
But even after resting her arms on the windowsill and waiting with her chin propped up, the cat didn’t come. It had definitely been nearby—had it left in the meantime?
They say cats are fickle. Maybe it had changed its mind in that short moment. Or maybe the idea that it understood her words was just her imagination, and it had never intended to come in the first place.
Disappointed, Litia straightened up. Just then, there was a soft rustle from the bushes, and the cat suddenly leapt out, vaulting straight through the window.
Startled, Litia fell backward as she caught the cat, landing on her bed and hugging it protectively.
“You scared me.”
“Myaa.”
It was fortunate that her bed had been placed near the window at her request while she was confined and wanted to look at the garden. Otherwise, she would have fallen straight onto the floor.
“You’re not hurt, right?”
Litia checked the cat first. No matter how flexible it was, she might have hugged it too tightly.
The cat bumped its head against her hand as if to say it was fine. Smiling, Litia stroked its head and body, then sat up again.
The cat slipped out of her arms and began to explore the room, tail held high, moving gracefully without making a sound. Litia followed closely behind, watching the adorable sight.
“Do you like it here? Want to stay with me? I’ll make sure you get something tasty every day.”
Truthfully, Litia was lonely. Emilia was kind, and Duke Mont gradually came to trust her and give her more freedom, but she still had to hide her true self and live in constant fear.
Even a small, cute cat by her side would be a great comfort. And wouldn’t it be better for the cat to stay comfortably with her than to face dangers like rain or other animals outside with its tiny body?
Litia gently tugged at the invisible leash of hope.
Before long, Emilia came in.
“M-Miss!”
At Emilia’s shocked reaction, Litia brought a finger to her lips.
“Shh. Could you give this cat something to eat? I’ll only keep it for a little while.”
“Wasn’t that the cat from outside? What if it carries diseases?”
“It’s fine. Cats are clean. It looks hungry—could you just bring a little?”
Reluctantly, Emilia nodded, worry still in her eyes.
She returned with finely cut jerky and water. Ignoring Emilia’s anxious look, Litia crouched and coaxed the cat with the jerky.
“Try this, kitty. If it’s good, will you stay here?”
“……”
But despite stubbornly following her all the way into the room, the cat didn’t even touch the jerky, nor did it respond to her request.
“Try it, okay? Aren’t you hungry?”
Litia chased after the cat for quite a while, coaxing it, but the cat that had answered her every time earlier was nowhere to be found.
“You’re not easy, are you?”
Only then did the cat approach again and lick Litia’s hand. It really was a little trickster.
“Alright. If you don’t want to, just come visit sometimes, okay?”
“Myaa.”
Only then did the cat answer her. Once again, Litia felt strangely wronged by a cat she had just met.
That night, Litia played with the cat that had climbed through her window for a long time before falling asleep. Emilia had panicked at the sight of the black cat, but she couldn’t bring herself to go against Litia’s request.
When Litia woke up, the cat was gone—probably having slipped out through the open window. Still, for the first time here, she had been able to relax her heart and let something out. Things she couldn’t even share with Emilia.
They were nothing more than trivial stories that could happen anywhere, and the listener was just a cat—but the cat calmly accepted her touch and listened to her words.
The next morning.
Litia was busy preparing to go out from early on. Beside her stood someone who would act as her aide.
“You may call me Seri. From now on, I will manage and assist with your schedule. If there is anything you need or find uncomfortable, please feel free to tell me at any time.”
Unlike the gentle-looking Emilia, Seri was tall and gave off a cold impression. Her nearly blunt-cut blonde hair, jet-black suit, and sharp eyes all contributed to that feeling.
Without Emilia having to explain, Litia already knew what had happened to the previous aides and attendants. All of them, except Emilia. So she pretended not to know, focusing on her reflection in the mirror as she spoke.
“I see, Seri. I look forward to working with you. Starting today, I’d like to participate in the donation activities as well. I want to do it properly this time.”
“Ah, as a matter of fact, His Grace asked me this morning to deliver this to you, Miss.”
“Hm?”
