Chapter 10: Sudden Marriage Proposal – Part 5

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

I woke up to the sound of the curtains opening. 

“Uuuun….”

“Melodia-sama, good morning.”

“Good morn-…ING?!”

Startled, I jumped out of bed. I thought it was the same morning as usual but it was completely different than usual. Right. I had been assigned to the First Cavalry Unit and now I was living in the Fenrir family’s residence, receiving unbelievable treatment. I checked on my appearance and breathed a sigh of relief after knowing I had turned back into a human. 

“Please drink this.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, I was offered a cup of black tea. This kind of tea was said to be used to wake your body and was said to be drunk while you were still laying on the bed, right after you woke up. The noble, they were really living such an elegant and refined life.

This cup of bitter and strong black tea really woke me up. After that, I washed my face. My knight uniform was already prepared and neatly ironed. Besides that, there was also a comb, a ribbon and a makeup set. Even a luxurious hotel wouldn’t provide a service up to this extent. This kind of treatment made me tremble in both fear and excitement but I gratefully used them. 

By the time I had finished dressing up myself, my breakfast was already prepared on the round table. Freshly baked crescent moon shaped bread, pumpkin potage, colorful salads, crispy bacon, boiled egg and white sausages. There was also a small cup of cafe au lait. When I was living at the knight’s dormitory, every meal time was practically a warzone. However, today I could enjoy my meal leisurely. 

“Mmmhhmmm! Delicious!”

The food was so exquisite that my mouth watered subconsciously just at the thought. 

After finishing breakfast, I went for a morning stroll with Crow. Even though Crow was suddenly thrown into a new environment, he looked really energetic today. Apparently, he was allowed to roam free within the fenced pasture during the day.

“I’m glad to know you’re also receiving luxurious treatment here.”

“Hihiin!”

Crow replied happily. 

After my morning stroll, I went to Dietrich-sama’s office for morning assembly. It seemed the First Cavalry Unit didn’t have their own station. All of their activities were done inside this mansion. The two-storied building behind the mansion that I had seen before was actually the servants’ quarters. 

“This is the Master’s office.”

“Thank you very much.”

From this point on, Ruri-san would be doing her other job. I knocked on the door and called out to Dietrich-sama. I received a reply from the other side almost immediately. 

“Come in.”

“Excuse me.”

When I was inside, I was surprised to see the state of the room. The office, which also served as a study room, was lined up with books except for the windows. 

“You must be surprised, right? This is Gilbert’s hobby.”

On the corner of my eyes I caught a glimpse of somewhat triumphant Gilbert. 

“I already told him he should’ve become a civil officer instead but he insisted on becoming a knight and wouldn’t listen to me.”

“If I didn’t come to help, there would be no one left in the First Cavalry Unit.”

“You’re right but….”’

It seemed up until now, the First Cavalry Unit was only run by members of the Fenrir family. I doubt it’d be a good thing to ask why there were only the two of them left. 

“Melodia, judging from your expression, you must be wondering why there’s only two of us, right?”

“Huh?! Ah-… Yes….”

“The answer is a simple one. All of my other relatives were all eaten by the Wolf Witch.”

“!!!!”

The moment I heard his answer, my whole body ran cold. 

“I-I’m sorry…”

“No, I was about to tell you anyway.”

The Fenrir family had been fighting against the Wolf Witch for a thousand years already. 

“It was said a thousand years ago, the Wolf Witch kidnapped the wife of Duke Fenrir and so the battle between the Wolf Witch and the Fenrir family had been going on since then.”

The head of the Fenrir family saved his wife and retaliated against the Wolf Witch. 

“They had inflicted serious damage on the Wolf Witch and won… Or so they thought. It turned out the Wolf Witch was not dead yet.”

The Wolf Witch resented the Fenrir Family. She became very hostile against the Fenrir family. 

“For a thousand years since then, we’ve kept on fighting against the Wolf Witch.”

Among the next generations of Duke Fenrir, it was said that Dietrich-sama’s father held a great power compared to the other generations of duke. 

“By feasting on my father, the Wolf Witch gained tremendous power. She dares to bare her fangs against us now.”

Just last month, they had lost a family member in a battle against the witch. 

“Up until now, only the members of the Fenrir family stood against the Wolf Witch but I started thinking that we couldn’t keep on going like this. It was then I heard the rumor of Melodia who had the power of miraculous healing magic.”

“Yes.”

“We are putting our life on the line in this fight but still, I wish you will consider fighting alongside us in our unit.”

My heart began to thump wildly. A half-hearted will was not allowed to take part in this duty. 

“Please rest assured. If things were to turn rough, I will assign Melodia to clerical work. Melodia, you can still remain as part of the First Cavalry Unit. Nothing will change.”

Maybe the witch my parents had warned against was the Wolf Witch. I wanted to know. I wanted to know the truth behind my parents’ death. I had a feeling that if I participated in their mission, I’d be able to gain that information. 

I stared straight at Dietrich-sama and answered. 

“I will fight against the Wolf Witch.”

“Are you really sure about that?”

“Yes. Actually, I think my late parents’ death are tied together with the Wolf Witch-”

The moment I told him this, I could see Dietrich-sama’s blue eyes wavered. Maybe he knew something. Mustering up my courage, I asked him about it. 

“I’m sorry Dietrich-sama but do you know anything about it? It was an accident that happened 8 years ago at around this time of the year.”

“…… I think it was possible that my father was involved in that incident however he never told me anything in detail about it. The details about that incident were never released in detail. I asked my uncle… The king, but because of my father’s last will, he couldn’t tell me either.”

“I see, so that’s why…”

I knew it. Something happened on the day my parents got into that accident. 

“I want to know about what happened during that incident so please allow me to participate in the mission.”

“I understand. From now on, we will fight together.”

Dietrich-sama held out his hand to me and I also did the same. Dietrich-sama then slowly placed his hand on mine. He turned his strong-willed eyes to me and I nodded at him. From his appearance alone, he looked like a dog but I could feel Dietrich-sama’s determination and will properly. 

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

T/N: Dietrich and Melodia shaking hands is equivalent to dog and human doing the ‘hand’ command right? I swear the mental image is not going away (T⌓T)