Chapter 08
The man had fiery red hair and broad shoulders. He gave off a cool and hearty impression, but the scar on his left cheek looked fearsome.
Like a pirate from a childhood picture book.
“That Ash Canis is trying to make a fool of me again…!”
“It hurts! Let me go!”
“Huh? Wha?”
When I shouted angrily, his grip loosened. Was I only now able to see my surroundings?
“…A-Are you okay?”
Okay? It’s throbbing so much I’m worried it might bruise.
“Uh, hey…”
The man awkwardly reached out his hand. Even on a second look, it was a remarkably large and sturdy hand.
If he had been a little rougher, my arm might have broken.
I slowly inched away, shooting him a resentful look.
“I was wrong. Forgive me.”
For such a giant man to apologize so readily…
Just a moment ago, he acted like he was going to devour me, and now he’s making a pitiful face.
Somehow, it felt disjointed.
“I understand. I’ll forgive you.”
It’s true this man acted hastily, but it seems Ash Canis was the one who caused the situation.
I wonder what he usually gets up to for me to end up in this state.
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
The man wiped his chest in relief.
I could feel the overheated air calming down. I judged that we could finally have a proper conversation.
“By any chance, is your wife inside?”
“Wha, what? Do I look married?”
The man flusteredly touched his own face.
“Do I look that old…?”
He looked genuinely crestfallen.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Really?”
When I nodded, the man broke into a wide smile, seeming truly happy. Like a harmless, big puppy.
Was this something to be that happy about?
“So, you’re using this room alone?”
“Correct.”
I slowly sidestepped and examined the pushed-open door again.
〈Anarose〉
The same name written on the tag attached to the laundry basket.
This was definitely the right room…
They say it’s the rule for the mistress of the house to name the guest rooms in Canis Castle.
“They say the previous lady was so fond of flowers that she named the guest rooms after flowers. And the lady before that named them after jewels, or so I heard?”
Thanks to that, it was easy to memorize the room names.
Especially since this room had the same name as my middle name, so I couldn’t possibly mistake it.
“Um, guest?”
“…Huh? Wha?”
The man noticeably flinched.
“Oops, you asked if I’d lost something, right?”
Don’t tell me he was spacing out? With someone right in front of him?
I’m the one who wants to space out. After being worked to the bone all day in the laundry room, I’m definitely coming down with something.
I dragged my heavy body here with great difficulty.
“I lost a handkerchief. Do you know anything about it?”
“……”
A very feminine handkerchief and a man with a fierce, shark-like impression didn’t quite match.
But judging by his desperate expression, as if he were cornered, it seemed to be true.
When I took the handkerchief out of my pocket and showed it, the man’s face softened and melted.
“Is this it?”
“…Yes, that’s it.”
He took the handkerchief and hugged it to his chest.
As if handling a precious treasure.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
I unconsciously touched the area near my collarbone. The place where my mother’s keepsake used to be.
They said my mother passed away shortly after giving birth to me.
Naturally, I had no memories of my mother, but only the necklace, said to be her keepsake, was always with me.
My father had put it around my neck, telling me to cherish it, so I never took it off, not even for a moment.
Until I was framed as a murderer, imprisoned, and it was confiscated.
Just before I left for the Winter Tower, Tritan visited and put it back around my neck.
Along with a promise that he would definitely get me out of the tower.
Did I have that same expression back then?
“Where was this?”
“It was mixed in with the bed linen laundry.”
“Ahh, so it went with it then.”
The man slapped his forehead and lamented.
Then, he tucked the handkerchief deep into the inside pocket of his vest.
“It must be something precious.”
“Yes. It’s an item filled with memories.”
His subdued reply carried a determination to never lose it again.
I was the same. I endured the cold of the Winter Tower by touching and confirming the retrieved ruby pendant.
I wonder where the necklace is now. Probably being passed around somewhere in the black market.
A bitter thought clouded my vision.
“Thank you for deliberately bringing it to me. How can I repay this favor?”
It was a situation where he would have been fully justified to get angry, saying a maid’s mistake caused him to lose it.
It must be a very precious handkerchief.
“If there’s anything you need, just name it. I’ll get you anything, on the name of the Tawella Merchant Group.”
I was about to refuse, saying I just did what I had to do, but at the unexpected name, I unconsciously parted my lips.
“…The Tawella Merchant Group?”
Tawella was a major merchant group from the Kingdom of Neophia, located south of Euphorian, known as the ‘big hands’.
It was no exaggeration to say that all of Neophia’s specialties were supplied throughout the continent through Tawella.
But why would someone from the Tawella Merchant Group be staying at Canis Castle?
“Don’t feel burdened. Despite how I look, I’m the head of the merchant group, so I can pull some strings.”
“Huh? Then you are…?”
Blake Tawella.
The merchant group head who was so unpredictable in his actions that even his employees rarely got to see his face.
Was he in his mid-twenties? Or late twenties? I’d heard he was quite young, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.
On the other hand, it made sense. The reason he possessed an item from Calla Boutique, which even royalty found hard to obtain.
It’s a fact tacitly known among high-ranking officials and celebrities of various countries.
That the distribution of the enigmatic boutique is handled by none other than Tawella.
I heard even the Queen put in a long effort with Tawella to get her hands on a limited edition product…
To think I’d meet the head of that Tawella in a place like this.
“You know me?”
Yikes. I quickly switched to a smiling face and bowed.
“Not exactly, but I heard from the seniors that a very important guest had arrived.”
Why is such a big shot staying at Canis Castle?
“Haha, I didn’t know that was being talked about. Was the wagon train too conspicuous when we entered?”
The lands of Canis are not only surrounded by monster habitats, but the terrain itself is too steep for sufficient farmland.
While maintaining a closed system, how they procured food or luxury goods was a topic of interest.
“I should bring supplies in divided batches from now on.”
So, they had secretly opened trade with the Tawella Merchant Group.
I felt sorry for the countries that, unaware of this fact, had their trade proposals repeatedly rejected by the House of Canis.
“Anyway, just name anything.”
Perhaps a merchant to the core, he seemed to prefer clear calculations.
“Ah, would you prefer cash?”
He was definitely impatient.
“Cash is a bit…”
“Don’t tell me you dislike money?”
How could anyone dislike money?
To return to the Euphorian Kingdom without Canis’s help, I’d have to detour through the Fedeluc region, and that would require a lot of money.
The reward money is far from enough to hire a guide or mercenary guards.
Carrying an awkward amount would only be a torturous hope.
“There are occasional thefts in the maid quarters.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“And if someone sees me carrying a lot of money, they might suspect something strange.”
“Th-that’s true.”
Blake made a sullen expression like a large dog that had failed a trick.
Tritan made that exact expression when he failed to give a surprise gift…
“Instead of money, could you tell me news from the outside?”
Blake tilted his head. The light in his navy blue eyes changed.
It felt less like he was doubting my loyalty to Canis and more like…
‘Is that really enough?’
…was the feeling.
The value contained in the handkerchief and the effort of telling me about the world weren’t balanced.
A request to take me away from Canis rose to the tip of my tongue.
But if I made an unreasonable request, it would raise suspicion, so I absolutely couldn’t say it.
“As the head of the Tawella Merchant Group, you must have traveled the world and heard many stories, right?”
“Well, that’s true.”
And right now, what I wanted to get my hands on, even if it cost a fortune, was information.
“Actually, I moved here three years ago… well, four years if you just count the years… and I haven’t heard any news from my hometown since.”
Blake went ‘Ahh,’ indicating understanding.
“Where’s your hometown?”
“The Euphorian Kingdom.”
“Ah… no wonder.”
What does that mean?
This time, it was my turn to tilt my head. Blake grinned, showing his molars.
“I thought your appearance was different.”
Among the people of the Canis region with their sharp features, my round face must have seemed out of place.
“A request like that is easy. I’ll tell you anything I know.”
“Anything? Really?”
Blake thumped his chest, displaying confidence.
“Do you think I can’t even repay my benefactor who found my handkerchief?”
My heart leaped at his hearty declaration.
“But the state of my room right now is…”
Past his side, I could see the wrecked reception room.
“If you come back tomorrow, then…”
That was the moment.
“I heard some noise from up there?”
A voice came from the far end of the corridor.
Instantly, a shiver ran down my spine. It was the voice of the soldier who had blocked my way at the entrance.
*Thud, thud.* The footsteps were getting closer. I could see a dark shadow stretching from the end of the corridor.
If I stay here, I’ll run right into the guards.
I impulsively grabbed Blake’s sleeve.
“Please hide me.”
“Huh?”
A flustered Blake looked alternately at my face and my hand.
“Umm, the room is too messy to invite a lady in.”
This guy, that’s not important right now!
As the soldiers’ footsteps got closer, my heart pounded as if it would burst.
“I came in secretly to return your handkerchief. If I’m caught by those people, I’ll…!”
I’m already in the laundry room as punishment; if they find out I secretly entered the west wing, I’m really finished!
“Gasp!”
Finally, a soldier holding a torch appeared at the end of the corridor.
The moment they turned our way.
“I’m done for.”
I squeezed my eyes shut.
*Bam!*
