[Cold (1)]

T/N: This bonus chapter is sponsored by Enn (1/5).

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We returned to the Blackwood Mansion after several months once winter break began.

Having returned to a space that had become even more familiar than my old home when I was originally Lilith or my home in my past life, I found myself strangely unable to fall asleep from the first night back, and eventually woke up a bit early from bed.

“…”

Seeing the hourglass dimly showing the number 4, it was probably around 3:30 AM.

Considering we had only arrived at the mansion late last night, and I went to bed after a simple meal and a shower, I had slept for less than three hours.

‘…I can’t sleep.’

Was it because I had napped on Ethan’s lap in the carriage? Or was my body feeling uncomfortable from the change in sleeping environment after so long?

Or… was it because the familiar warmth wasn’t beside me?

I could only hope it wasn’t the last reason. 

If I got used to having Ethan beside my bed every day, it might be even harder when I eventually leave this mansion.

In truth, I wouldn’t necessarily need to leave the Blackwood Mansion even if I didn’t marry Ethan, but there wasn’t much point in staying, either.

After all, if I stayed in this mansion and continued working as a maid, I would constantly see Ethan and his future wife displaying affection, which would only twist my feelings.

It was best to just follow my contract with Harold and leave far away with my compensation after my four years at the Academy ended.

“Umph, mmph…!”

Since I was already awake and lying in bed longer wouldn’t accomplish anything, I started my day early, though perhaps a bit too early.

Back when I was a regular maid, waking up at 4 or 5 AM was common, anyway. I was just a bit earlier than usual.

I brushed my hair, put on my maid uniform, secured my headdress, and left the Exclusive Maid’s Room with quiet footsteps, carefully avoiding waking Ethan, who was sleeping in the adjacent room.

‘…Since I can’t sleep, maybe I’ll go for a walk.’

As an exclusive maid, I couldn’t go too far, but I could at least take a walk around the mansion grounds.

With that thought, I descended the mansion stairs to the first-floor lobby and spotted Dittmeyer busily moving about even in the early morning.

“Miss Lilith?”

“Good morning, Head Butler Destroy.”

“…It’s Dittmeyer Collin Evercroft. It’s been a while since I’ve had to correct you.”

“Yes. I actually know that. I was just playing a prank on you after so long.”

“…?”

Dittmeyer momentarily displayed a questioning expression as if a question mark had appeared above his head, but he quickly composed himself and offered what seemed like a compliment, or perhaps not.

“You’ve become quite the refined young lady, Miss Lilith.”

“…Is that a compliment, Head Butler?”

“In other words, it means you’ve become like a noble lady, so it’s certainly not an insult.”

Watching Dittmeyer respond with a naturally flowing expression, he truly was deserving of his position as head butler.

As I quietly pondered the meaning of becoming a refined young lady, Dittmeyer calmly continued to elaborate on what he had just said.

“Becoming more like a noble lady is a good thing, Miss Lilith. While I highly appreciate your attitude in fulfilling your duties as a maid, considering the future, you can’t continue to behave like a subordinate forever.”

“…What?”

“After all, in a few years, Miss Lilith, you will be standing in a position completely opposite from your maid duties… Ah, ahem.”

“What? What do you mean by that, Head Butler?”

“No, it’s nothing. Please forget about it, Miss Lilith.”

“…”

Dittmeyer cleared his throat awkwardly and evaded his previous statement.

Seeing the head butler employ one of the two most infuriating speech patterns in the world made me want to press him for the rest of what he was about to say.

“Head Butler? Why do you make me curious and then stop talking?”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about, Miss Lilith.”

“Didn’t you just say something to me? About how I would be standing in the opposite position from maid duties? Is there some personnel change planned for me in the next few years?”

“I’m busy, so I’ll have to excuse myself for now. Let’s talk another time, Miss Lilith.”

“No, wait…”

The head butler, Dittmeyer, disappeared up the stairs to another floor before I could stop him.

If he ran away like that, there was nothing I, as a mere maid, could do to catch him. 

Even though I held a quasi-noble status, generally speaking, the head butler of the Blackwood Mansion held a higher position.

As I watched Dittmeyer flee to another floor, leaving only questions behind, I pondered the meaning of his last words.

‘Does he know that I’m planning to leave the mansion in two years?’

That was the only guess I could make at this point. After all, there was no way I, as an exclusive maid, would be promoted to a position like head maid.

The question was how that butler had discovered my plan to leave the mansion after graduating. This was a plan I had been formulating on my own, without telling even Isabel or Catherine.

Well, there was nothing I could really learn by questioning it now. Perhaps someone of the head butler’s stature had a sense of how long the servants under him would work at the mansion.

The best way to shake off these complicated thoughts, along with the remaining drowsiness, was, undoubtedly, a walk.

Whoosh.

“…Hoo.”

Although the early winter morning air wrapped around my body rather coldly, I wasn’t too cold thanks to my winter maid uniform. Above all, I could sufficiently withstand a certain degree of cold by enveloping my body with mana.

The temperature was just right for waking up, as moving my body a little would generate enough heat to endure it.

So, with my winter maid uniform providing primary insulation and my mana providing secondary insulation, I leisurely walked a complete circle around the Blackwood Mansion.

‘Come to think of it…’

If I had been diligently fulfilling my debt maid contract, I probably wouldn’t be in this mansion by now.

About 8 years had passed since I was first sold to this mansion, and 7 years since I regained my memories from my past life.

Of course, I could have chosen to stay and work at the Blackwood Mansion even after paying off my debt. That’s what I’m doing now, after all.

If Ethan had grown up exactly as he was 7 years ago, I would have fled this mansion without looking back as soon as the current contract period ended, but the reason I stayed at the Blackwood Mansion was because Ethan had changed so much.

…How should I put it, seeing him gradually change into someone different from the original story gave me a strange sense of fulfillment. 

After all, the most positive change I had brought about by reincarnating into this world was none other than Ethan himself.

‘If it weren’t for me, Ethan would be preparing for battle against Gyeongmwajogyegigwat, who would invade the mansion, instead of resting during this winter break.’

If Gyeongmwajogyegigwat were to invade the mansion now, according to the original storyline, could Ethan and I win against him?

If it were a 1-on-2 battle like in the original story, it wouldn’t be impossible. After all, even in their actual 1-on-1 duels, Ethan was skilled enough to occasionally win a round against Gyeongmwajogyegigwat.

Add my buffs and support to that, and we could probably subdue him.

…Well, it was a pointless assumption at this point.

As I was thinking such unnecessary thoughts while leisurely circling about three-quarters of the mansion, I spotted a figure that appeared to be holding a sword at the Training Grounds. 

It was the silhouette of the man who was the second most familiar to me in this world.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

“Hmm?”

The identity of the person swinging his sword with a sharp blade aura that could be mistaken for the sound of a winter morning wind was none other than Harold.

Living up to his reputation as a Sword Master, he noticed my presence as soon as I approached and turned to look at me. He truly is the head of the Blackwood family.

“Hmm, it’s you.”

“Good morning, Master.”

“You’re up early. Did you come out to train?”

…No way. I’m not even a swordsman.

To Harold, who was trying to lump me together with him just because he was swinging a sword from such an early dawn, I slowly shook my head and answered.

“My eyes opened a bit early, so I was just taking a walk, Master.”

“I see. If you had come out for morning training, I was going to ask you to be my opponent.”

“I appreciate the offer, but you know that my skills fall far short of your swordsmanship, Master.”

In reality, I hadn’t won a single round against Harold in his swordsmanship class throughout the last semester.

Of course, the increased difficulty of the class compared to last year played a role. The ultimate feint strategy I had used then was difficult to employ a second time.

Even judging by equal skill levels, a longsword holds many advantages over a dagger, so even if Harold were to hold his sword with one hand instead of two, it would probably be difficult to guarantee victory.

“That’s true. Then how about a duel with one hand?”

“What?”

“If you use both hands and I use one hand, I think it would be a fair penalty. What do you say?”

“…No, even with one hand, there’s no way I could defeat you, Master…”

“If you can win even one round against my one-handed sword, I’ll raise your grade from last semester from C+ to B+.”

“Take your stance, Master. No take-backs.”

“I really like that attitude of yours.”

And so began the sudden dawn duel with Harold.

Our duel, which started at 4 AM, caught the mood and continued for nearly an hour. 

As for the result of my dawn duel with the Sword Master, with my grade from last semester at stake…

“Cough! Cough, cough!”

The very next day, it became the cause of my lying in bed all day long.