“Shut…shut up already! Don’t say things like that so loudly!”
Although she felt guilty for speaking so harshly to her gentle mother, to keep up her current persona, Ilea still crossed her arms over her chest, puffed out her cheeks, and tilted her head away.
“Hmph!”
Only then did she realize how naturally she could do something like this, without any awkwardness at all.
Hmm…just like when she threw the pillow out the window earlier — she had never been the type to be grumpy after waking up.
Could it be…their souls really had fused together?
“Hehe~”
While she was lost in such complicated thoughts, Shudrian simply smiled, not at all discouraged by her daughter’s little outburst.
Or rather…this was how Yaya was supposed to be.
Seeing her daughter act so unguardedly prickly instead of fragile actually reassured this marchioness quite a bit.
That earlier fragile look had truly broken her heart.
“They’ll probably…need about a year to return from Harongze. It seems His Majesty has something very important this time.”
Not wanting to burden her innocent daughter with details, Shudrian just mentioned the approximate time, then slowly stood up and tapped the girl’s forehead with her finger.
“Alright, alright~So Yaya, cheer up starting now, okay~?”
“O-Of course! I don’t care when they come back at all!”
“Hehe~ is that so, is that so~”
Mother affectionately patted her daughter’s head again.
Really, this little one……was becoming more and more adorable.
After a moment of affectionate cuddling, the door to the room was knocked.
It was a guard, informing them that someone was outside seeking to discuss matters with Lady Bartios.
After all, with father and elder brother gone, although other nobles were managing territorial affairs, matters concerning Crystal City still required the lady of the house herself.
Watching her mother leave the room…Ilea finally relaxed and collapsed back onto the bed.
Good…with a whole year, it would be more than enough time for slight changes, or fully blending into Ilea’s identity.
Thinking so, Ilea got up and opened the door — only to find…a grinning girl standing right outside.
She had bright red twin-tails, with a playful grin that revealed tiny fang-like teeth.
She seemed about the same age as Ilea, probably around 14 or 15.
“Milady!!”
The moment she saw Ilea, those pink eyes practically lit up.
She immediately rushed over and began scanning Ilea up and down.
“Milady, I heard you had a nightmare? Are you alright?”
Digging into her memories a bit, Ilea recalled that this twin-tailed girl was her personal maid, named Yomina.
Her parents were the head maid and butler of the castle, so she’d been born and raised here, growing up alongside Ilea.
More than a personal maid, she was almost like Ilea’s older sister.
Of course~ from Yomina’s perspective, she probably saw herself more as the young lady’s sidekick…or rather, her lackey.
“Hmph! Of course I’m fine~ Are you underestimating me?”
Ilea reached out and pinched Yomina’s soft cheeks.
“Mmmph—!”
Her face…was so soft, it made Ilea want to play with it longer.
Grumble.
But this wasn’t the time.
After giving her little lackey a small “punishment,” Ilea ordered her to help tidy her up.
Soon, she was dressed in a pure black gothic dress with lace trim, matching rounded leather shoes, and enjoyed an exquisite high-class breakfast from this other world.
“Mmm~ so comfy~”
She stretched lazily — an act that would’ve been scolded as improper for any noble lady — then crossed her legs wrapped in deep purple tights, her toes lifting slightly as she basked in the morning sun.
Wearing skirts didn’t feel strange at all anymore.
In a way…she really had changed.
“Milady, Dullahan is calling. Shall we go out for a walk today?”
At that moment, Yomina, still slightly flushed in the face, trotted over to ask.
Dullahan was the name of Ilea’s Highland Hound.
It looked somewhat like an Earth bulldog, only much larger and more muscular, with fangs protruding from its mouth — a very fierce appearance.
In the past, Ilea loved this dog.
In fact, her nickname “Bloodblossom Demon” partly came thanks to this very dog.
Moreover, Highland Hounds apparently had faint traces of extraordinary bloodlines — rumored to be descended from some higher being’s retainers.
“Worth a look,” Ilea muttered.
She stretched out her legs, stood up from the chair, and flipped her snowy white hair back.
“Lead the way~”
“Okay! Milady~”
Her twin-tailed lackey, completely unaware of anything wrong, cheerfully led her to the kennel.
It was in a corner of the garden, roughly a hundred square meters, meticulously cleaned with not a trace of filth.
Creak…
Yomina pushed open the iron gate, but Ilea didn’t step in immediately.
Because at this moment, she had fully recalled what that dog was like.
Just like its owner, this wasn’t a “good dog” either… it was food-aggressive, and when taken out for walks, it loved to intimidate passersby.
But…the old Ilea thought that was impressive.
Everyone feared her, which made her seem powerful.
So, she always liked this dog that could lend her such “authority.”
“Heh…”
Thinking this, the young lady couldn’t help but laugh softly.
Needing a dog to give her authority — how childish.
True dignity…
“Milady! Dullahan’s finished eating!”
Rustle…
Just then, Ilea’s thoughts were cut short as the red twin-tails swayed and brought the huge dog out on a leash, also holding a half-meter-long iron rod etched with twisted runes.
It was somewhat like…the Tibetan prayer wheels Ilea had seen on Earth.
“Grr…wuff!!”
Rattle!
But the dog wasn’t very cooperative with Yomina, shaking its head and struggling wildly.
However…the cyan chains binding it also seemed to be inscribed with something — probably some kind of magic that restrained the dog, preventing it from struggling too violently.
This dog…was truly enormous.
Up close, it looked almost like an overly fat lioness, its face so buried in folds of flesh that only a pair of cold, piercing eyes peeked out.
Even when it looked at Ilea, its owner, it wore an expression more like…eyeing prey.
“You know…you’re making me like you less and less~”
Ilea stepped forward two paces — but Dullahan did not back away.
Far from acting like an obedient dog and sitting down, it instead stepped forward as well!
“Ah! Milady! Don’t make eye contact — that’s a sign of provocation!”
Yomina hurriedly gave the chain a sharp tug, and with a sudden crack, swung her short rod down on Dullahan’s back!
Zzzt!
“Grrrr….”
A surge of blue-green electricity instantly coursed through the powerful hound, making it collapse limply to the ground.
It was much more subdued after that.
Hmm?
So it really was some kind of…magical device?
Taking advantage of this moment, Yomina quickly fitted a muzzle — apparently made of the same faint cyan metal — over the dog’s snout.
Then she handed the iron rod to Ilea.
“So, where shall we go, Milady?”
Yomina gave the chain another firm yank.
The giant dog reluctantly got up from the ground, following behind them while occasionally letting out low, resentful growls.
“Hmm…let’s just wander around a bit~”
Whoosh—!
Ilea twirled the iron rod once, then planted it on the ground before her like a cane.