Chapter 30
The loud cry of cicadas rang out.
Jin, Othello, and I were riding in the same carriage.
It was late summer, just before the start of autumn. We were on our way to the summer estate.
Since it was in the Winchester territory, it was only about an hour away by carriage—quite close.
Jin was reading a book, Othello was taking a nap, and I was gazing out at the green scenery outside the window.
Thinking of Jestea, who was openly hostile toward Ricardo, made me feel uneasy, but since she had gone on a business trip to Rosento, it was said that we wouldn’t run into her this visit.
Instead, we would soon meet Jestea’s daughter, Fermetis, who was the current owner of the summer estate.
And near Jestea’s estate, at the edge of the Paschrit Mountains, Jin and Othello would enjoy summer hunting.
I suddenly recalled the status window that had appeared not long ago and checked my inventory.
Along with the bubble shoes I received as a level-up reward last time, I now had a “Sphere of Protection” from the latest level-up gift.
The blue-glowing orb could block one incoming attack, though it was said to be ineffective against disease.
I figured it would come in handy eventually.
But… when exactly did Sasha start getting seriously ill in the original story? She must’ve started deteriorating before she turned seventeen, when the illness reached its peak.
Cough.
I still got sick from time to time, but I wasn’t nearly as frail as original Sasha.
‘I need to grow up quickly and find Casilion and the Elixir…’
Knowing my fate made time feel like it was crawling.
‘I just hope I don’t get seriously ill until then.’
[Name: Sasha Winchester (LV.3)]
[Class: Unemployed]
[Trait: Rattle Master (Strength +3)]
Still, as I grew, I could now run around quite energetically.
People had also stopped finding it strange that I could understand complex topics.
The maids now called me “the clever young lady Sasha.”
Thud—
Startled by the sound of a book closing, I looked over at Jin.
“We’ve arrived,” he said in a low voice.
His gaze was fixed on a distant estate with a blue roof.
Though it was only three stories tall, it was quite grand—though not as grand as Winchester Castle.
It was a bright, sunny day.
After the carriage stopped, Jin and Othello got out. I raised both hands into the air.
“Carry me!”
As I called out, Maya, who had just gotten down from the luggage cart in the back, began approaching—but a tall shadow appeared in front of me before she could reach me.
It was Jin.
Not you…! I was calling Maya, not you!
My arms, held up with all my strength, began to lose energy, but Jin simply slipped his hands under my armpits and lifted me up with ease.
Behind him, Maya was smiling with an annoyingly knowing look.
Once my feet were back on the ground, I looked up at Jin.
The garden behind him was lush and green, sunlight flickering through the swaying leaves.
Because the light was behind him, I couldn’t clearly see Jin’s face, but I could see the slight curve of a smile on his lips.
“If you hate it that much, I’ll feel hurt.”
His voice was soft as he turned away.
A breeze blew again, making the hem of my soft pink dress flutter.
The summer breeze wasn’t humid; it felt cool and pleasant.
And then I saw Fermetis approaching us from the summer estate, with her maids in tow.
She looked slightly taller than the last time I saw her and wore a blue frilled dress.
Fermetis stopped in front of Othello.
Othello looked at her with clear reluctance, but Fermetis smiled brightly and said,
“Welcome to the summer estate, brother.”
Then she placed a hand over her chest and greeted Jin as well.
Finally, her gaze turned to me.
“And welcome to you, baby.”
Though she was still smiling, I sensed a subtle hostility in that smile.
She must still be holding onto what happened during the Day of Shadows.
Soon, the estate’s maids, along with the ones we had brought, began unloading our luggage, and we followed Fermetis into the house.
The summer estate, blessed with the cool winds from the Paschrit Mountains, was perfect for this season.
Its open structure allowed breezes to pass through easily.
Maya went up to my room to unpack, while I joined Jin and Othello for tea time.
Of course, I was too young to drink tea, so a cup of my favorite chai-berry juice was placed in front of me.
As I reached for it, someone swiped it away.
Gulp, gulp.
Othello was drinking it down with exaggerated sounds, and I glared at him fiercely.
After finishing it all, he mocked me.
“In this heat, juice is better than tea.”
Anger bubbling up, I continued to glare at him until Jin intervened.
“Othello.”
Jin, leaning his head back against the sofa, muttered,
“Bring another glass. You barely even drank that one.”
Shaking his head, Jin sighed, and a maid soon returned with two more glasses of chai-berry juice.
One was for me, the other the replacement for Othello.
Just as I reached for the juice again, Othello swiped it once more.
“Osenno!”
I shrieked, but Othello calmly placed my glass in front of himself and handed me his own.
I blinked, unsure of his intent.
He said nothing, simply sipping from the cup that had originally been mine.
I drank from the one he handed me while watching Fermetis, who was smiling but had a tense twitch in her brow.
We headed toward the edge of the hunting grounds where the lodge was located.
“It’s not good to be that openly suspicious, Othello.”
Jin and Othello were on black horses, while I listened to their conversation from a carriage trailing behind.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Othello replied indifferently, feigning ignorance as Jin pressed him.
Othello’s horse moved ahead, followed shortly by Fermetis on a white horse.
She had changed out of her earlier dress into a navy hunting outfit.
“I’ll go ahead, brother.”
She gave Jin a sweet smile and followed after Othello.
Watching them disappear into the trees, Jin murmured,
“Maya.”
“Yes, young master?” Maya replied immediately, still holding me on her lap.
“Stay at the lodge with Sasha. We’ll be back before sunset.”
It was just past noon.
“Understood.”
At her response, Jin spurred his horse and galloped off.
About ten knights followed him.
Our carriage stopped at the lodge at the edge of the mountain range, and Maya carried me out.
Down below, the summer estate looked small—we were at the base of the Paschrit Mountains.
There were no dangerous monsters in Paschrit; it was filled with herbivores perfect for hunting.
When the Winchester children were younger, they used to come here with the adults’ permission.
This was the season when white-antlered deer were abundant.
The lodge, with its shady surroundings and clean log-cabin-like structure, was ideal for waiting while the brothers went hunting.
“Juice please.”
“No, young lady. Too much chai-berry juice will upset your stomach.”
“Osenno had two!”
I protested, holding up two fingers, but Maya, ever concerned with my health, would not budge.
“Drink water.”
Sigh… I need sugar, though…
I begrudgingly drank the water she gave me.
Even at the mountain’s entrance, the altitude gave us a wonderful view.
As I enjoyed the scenery and thought about how peaceful the Winchester estate must be today, I absentmindedly opened the character viewer.
[1. Ricardo Winchester
Title: Ruler of Black Flame
Causality Rate: 6%]
I scrolled down.
[2. Jin Winchester
Title: None
Causality Rate: 7%]
[3. Othello Winchester
Title: None
Causality Rate: 6%]
[4. Chenoa Taylors
Title: Ruler of Clear Skies
Causality Rate: Not Applicable]
[5. #@$% , #$%%, $#$%^^$$#@
Information below cannot be displayed.]
[6. Fermetis Winchester
Title: None
Causality Rate: Not Applicable]
Entry #5 was still corrupted.
Still… Fermetis.
If I had been better at expressing myself, I probably wouldn’t have come to the summer estate.
But because my name was included on the invitation she sent, I had no choice but to come.
Apparently, it’s proper etiquette to attend when invited.
Still… something seemed different from the original story.
In the original, I think Othello was the one hopelessly chasing after Fermetis…
But now it feels like Fermetis is the one following Othello.
As I was deep in thought—
“Young lady, just now… did you feel that?”
With a slight jolt beneath us, Maya asked me with a stiff expression.
“…Huh?”
