Chapter 47:
Chapter 47:
‘In truth, it’s a family destined to crumble on its own, even if left undisturbed.’
The Eloy family presented an obstacle that didn’t even register in Philip’s mind.
Having amassed so many plots, they reached a tipping point where, in the original story, their influence would suddenly vanish without any intervention from the protagonist.
Consequently, Philip had limited information about them. Most of what he knew was related to gameplay and proved helpful in the game, but details about the Eloy family were of little consequence.
‘When Felicia’s closeness exceeds a certain threshold and negative events occur with the Eloy family, she steps in to resolve them herself. If anyone asks how she manages it, the kids are told they need not know.’
Philip recollected.
He could only speculate that Felicia might also be leveraging her family’s power.
‘Come to think of it, the Oswald family is quite an enigmatic one too.’
Philip reflected on his own family, known in the realm as the “Hunched Giants,” deeply entwined within the world’s workings.
As far as Philip could recall, unless it was just before the bad ending, the Oswald family never revealed their true intentions.
“But Felicia assured me she would handle it without any conditions.”
With little hesitation, she had put his mind at ease, implying that her abilities were not a crucial factor for the Oswald family.
Finding Felicia had become a priority.
Philip made his way towards the faculty dorms, intending to meet her there.
Felicia was lying on her dorm room bed, appearing slightly taken aback by Philip’s unexpected visit.
“At this hour? What’s the matter?”
“I have something to ask.”
Taking a seat on Felicia’s bed, he inquired about the Eloy family.
“What do you know about Count Eloy? I believe starting from there might shed some light on what’s going on. It seems like they might have a hand in all this.”
After a brief moment of contemplation, Felicia began to speak.
“As I mentioned yesterday, it’s about the process of Count Eloy ascending to the position of Western Count.”
“Yes, it was difficult to fathom.”
“The circumstances are quite intricate, but it’s common knowledge among families with close ties to the royal family. The Countess didn’t marry Eloy out of genuine love. Well, few noble ladies marry for love, but her case was particularly unfortunate.”
Felicia’s somber expression indicated her deep contemplation.
“The Eloy family lacked the authenticity required to become the Western Count. Nonetheless, that didn’t mean they couldn’t fulfill their ambitions. If the Count couldn’t attain the title, he was prepared to burn all the stored wheat in the warehouse and eliminate all the horses that could become knights’ companions.”
“If such an event had occurred, the Northern Front would not be confronting the demons as they are now. To thwart the Count, they would have had to summon knights who were facing the demons. It must have been a headache for His Majesty as well.”
“It was a cunning scheme that seemed inevitable even to those who were aware of it. Capital power was akin to an unseen blade, and before one knew it, it could be dangerously close to one’s throat.”
Granted, the royal family wouldn’t have fallen for it if times were peaceful, but the northern demons made it all possible.
“… Anyway, Count Eloy went as far as killing the woman who was once betrothed to him in order to marry the princess, disguising the act as an accident. In fact, our family has Beldian, who was the woman’s escort.”
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‘Oh.’
Philip couldn’t help but be astounded.
Having such a witness would make it much easier to dispel the current situation. A sheathed sword is the most menacing. Even the mere knowledge of its presence would likely deter the Eloy family from taking any reckless actions.
As Philip pondered for a moment, he suddenly realized something.
“Is it wise to share this information with other families?”
When Philip asked, Felicia squinted her eyes and looked at him skeptically.
“… Is that safe?”
“No, it’s just that I had a brilliant idea all of a sudden. Let me share my plan first, and then you can reconsider.”
Philip laid out his plan to Felicia, who appeared somewhat exasperated.
“Do we really need to go to such lengths? Isn’t this getting too risky? It may be feasible, but…”
“We have a long journey ahead, and we must clear all obstacles from our path completely. Half-measures could lead to someone else stumbling upon them later.”
With a serious tone, Philip mused, only to hear the sound of the door opening.
“Are you still awake, Felicia? You’ll be busy tomorrow as well… Huh? Instructor?”
Diana Frenhall entered the room, wrapped in a towel instead of her usual attire.
“Aaah! Sister! How could you just barge in like that!”
Felicia scolded Philip and ushered him out.
* * *
Back at the villa, Philip lay down on the bed, seeking some rest.
‘You’ve been through quite a lot, Master. Why did you bother so much with that child?’
“Just looking at him, it seemed evident he wouldn’t listen to reason.”
‘That’s true. He does appear to be quite headstrong.’
As Philip chatted with Neria, he suddenly heard scratching sounds on the window. Rising to open it, a small black figure gracefully entered.
“… Miyaoong.”
It was Tania, the young black cat.
Lately, she had practically become a house cat. Initially living under strict supervision, she now remained calm and didn’t run away, instead seeking sunny spots to enjoy long daytime naps.
“It seems Lua has tired you out from playing. Come here.”
Furthermore, Philip often found Tania entering his room, and he wondered if the fear towards him had almost vanished or if she had somehow noticed his attractiveness.
“Meow.”
Tania hopped onto Philip’s bed, starting to groom herself.
“To be honest, a cat’s arms just look much better than a human’s arms. I wish I could ignore all this Count Eloy business and simply do what I want.”
“Meow!”
Philip turned his head as soon as he heard Tania growling, and muttered to Neria.
“Why is she acting like this?”
With fur bristling and fangs visible, Tania looked genuinely frightened.
‘You mentioned Count Eloy.’
Philip decided to experiment once more, repeating Neria’s words.
“Count Eloy.”
“Meow!”
“Eloy.”
“Meow!”
“Count Grey.”
“……”
Observing her react so accurately to the word “Eloy,” it seemed she had some connection to the Eloy family.
“But there’s no way to ask her. She can’t speak. How can a cat talk?”
‘Isn’t she a talking cat?’
Philip chuckled and settled back down. The young cat soon stopped growling, curling up beside him.
“… My head hurts.”
Then, Tania whimpered, pawing at her head. Hearing that feeble and pained voice, Philip was taken aback and sat up.
“Did you just say something?”
Tania continued to whimper, paying no heed to Philip’s question.
It seemed that inadvertently triggering her trauma had somehow turned into a form of therapeutic release.
“… Head hurts. My head hurts. It hurts…”
Philip thought earnestly while gently comforting Tania. Fortunately, her whimpers seemed to lessen gradually.
“What should I do about this?”
He pondered while stroking the cat. Thankfully, her headache seemed to ease a little as she made soft murmuring sounds.
“It hurts…”
After several months, the timid black kitten finally began to open up, seeking comfort in Philip’s embrace. With an awkward smile, Philip gently cradled her until she drifted off to sleep.
‘Tomorrow, I should meet Privia.’
Fortunately, it was the weekend, and Privia, who had no friends, usually spent her days at the accommodation, looking for ways to pass the time.
—
“Why is it that you only come here when you’re feeling dissatisfied? Do you think I can play the role of your parent?”
Privia said firmly, avoiding direct eye contact with Philip. He handed her a cup of carefully prepared, high-quality tea leaves.
“Don’t be so distant; it’s not what you think.”
As she examined the precious tea leaves he offered, Privia squinted her eyes and asked, “Who told you I enjoy tea?”
“The headmaster,” Philip replied.
“That damned brat never changes, no matter how much time passes. He’s bound to get into trouble someday because of his attitude.”
Despite her words, Privia seemed satisfied as she watched Philip start boiling water in the tea kettle in their room.
“You’ve brought some pretty upscale items. You do have a keen eye for selecting things, you bloodthirsty demon.”
It was no surprise since Philip had brought the finest items from Joseph’s shop. After Philip brewed the tea and handed it to her, she took a sip.
“So, the little kitten spoke up before, but why isn’t she talking now?”
“Yes, she did speak last night.”
Tania was acting like an ordinary cat again, seemingly at ease in Philip’s arms after they had bonded the previous night.
“It’s obvious she’s putting on an act. Quite mischievous, isn’t she? If she doesn’t start talking soon, I might just swallow her in one bite.”
Both Philip and Tania flinched at her words.
“See, she understands everything you say. This little furball dares to try and deceive a dragon…”
Observing Philip’s reaction to how she treated Tania, Privia chuckled.
“It’s possible, right? I have a feeling this little one knows something about my past. Her reactions are quite intense, as if she’s somehow involved in something unpleasant.”
Philip wanted to gather information without scaring or harming Tania. And Privia seemed like the only one who could make it happen.
“If you have enough time, it’s a simple task. Just put her to sleep, and then you can enter her dreams. It’s not that difficult. I’ll do it, but this time, I’ll definitely need something in return.”
“What should I give you?”
“Something fun, like a water park or a swimming pool. I want to be able to borrow it whenever I feel like it.”
“That’s doable.”
Philip readily accepted the surprisingly easy conditions.
“For young hatchlings, sleep magic might not be suitable, so go and fetch some milk or something warm by yourself.”
Following Privia’s instructions, Philip grinned. It seemed that the dragon had a soft spot for cats.
Without delay, Philip filled a plate with warm milk and extended it to Tania. As he did so, an important realization struck him.
With his mind seemingly restored enough for coherent conversation, he acknowledged the significance of Tania’s feelings.
“By the way, I didn’t ask for your opinion. Would you mind if I took a peek into your dreams? If you prefer me not to, I’ll stop right away.”
The black cat nodded in approval.
“Thank you.”
With gentle strokes of a comb, Philip tended to Tania’s fur until she drifted off to sleep. Soon, as her soft purring filled the air, Privia spoke up.
“Prepare yourself. This experience may not be entirely pleasant.”
——
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