Allen silently stared at them.
The four beastfolk maids, all dressed in identical uniforms, bowed their heads. But precisely because of that posture, their beastly features stood out all the more.
From left to right: rabbit ears, wolf ears, dog ears, cat ears.
The last one was familiar—the cat-eared girl who had sat across from him in the carriage returning from Roa.
After bowing quickly, the four stood upright, smiling sweetly, hands clasped before them, acting as proper and obedient maids.
Four girls. One boy.
Allen turned on his heel and started to walk away.
"Wrong room."
As he stepped out, he instinctively moved to turn left—but paused, then spun around and headed right.
While he hesitated there, the cat-girl stepped up beside him.
"Just as Lord Philip predicted—your reaction was exactly the same. You misunderstood. We're here to make your bed. Sylphy-sama and Rudy-sama's beds were already prepared. You're the last one."
Allen turned his head reluctantly.
He looked only at the cat-girl's eyes, intentionally avoiding the animal-like ears.
"That line too... Philip taught you that one, didn't he? Who starts from both ends and saves the middle room for last?"
The cat-girl smiled but didn't respond directly. After a moment, she shook her head.
"It was the lady's suggestion. She said that since the tutors came from far away—and considering you saved Eris-sama's life, and that you're Lord Paul's son—you should be well cared for, both in reason and in sentiment."
Allen shook his head at the deliberately evasive response and stepped aside.
"Fine. Got it. Thank the lady for me. Now please leave."
The cat-girl nodded.
"Of course. We'll take our leave then. Good night, Allen-sama."
In the corner of his vision, the four bowed in perfect unison once again.
Then they passed him one by one.
The unique scent of beastfolk washed over Allen's nose.
It was layered—like perfume with a subtle, complex note.
Once they'd exited the room, Allen shut the door behind them.
But in the next instant, his finely honed Mizuryū (Water God Style) senses picked up every single word the maids said as they walked away.
Things like:
"Ahh~ He's a pure one despite being an adventurer~"
"His body's well-developed, but in that area he's kind of useless~"
"What a shame~ And here I thought the bath was a hint~"
And finally, the cat-girl's voice:
"Eh? Sylphy-sama, you're not asleep yet? Is the bed uncomfortable?"
"…No, thank you."
A faint door closing.
Allen stared at his own door, dazed.
Even after a day of mental exhaustion, Philip had managed to rattle him again.
"What the hell is all this nonsense?"
He turned and walked over to the desk, slumping into the soft-backed chair and tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling.
After last night's intense kill-or-be-killed pursuit, this morning's sudden execution, and today's exhausting estate tour that even tired out the wild dog Eris, his nerves had been on high alert all day. His spirit was weary—his temples throbbed slightly.
And yet, Allen felt no trace of sleepiness.
Time passed minute by minute.
Finally, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Then let it out slowly.
He opened his eyes.
Reached out and opened a drawer.
Pulled out paper and a pen, setting them on the desk.
Candlelight flickered against his face.
At the top of the page, he wrote three characters:
「大転移」 (Dai Teni, "Great Teleportation")
Beneath that:
「範囲:フィトア領」 (Scope: Fittoa Region)
'It's currently spring. From the start of my tutoring job until Rudy's birthday, there are still just over three years left.'
'There's no visible trace in Roa's skies yet of the magic rift that warps space and time during the Great Teleportation event.'
'No, that's wrong—it's been there since Rudy was born. It just can't be seen by the naked eye yet.'
'In the anime, it appeared as a sphere wrapped in magic "ribbons."'
Allen squinted at the words Great Teleportation and drew a circle around them with his pen.
He was about to write inside the circle—but then turned the pen away and began writing outside it:
Buena Village: Paul, Zenith, Lilia, Norn, Aisha, Laws, Norda.
The best way to avoid tragedy is to move these people completely out of the affected area. Even if Zenith is rescued early post-teleportation, there's no guarantee she won't fall into a state like the canon "divine child" condition—something like perception disorder.
Set a baseline plan: if no good opportunity presents itself, knock them all out, load them into a cart, and haul them away nice and snug.
He moved the pen again.
City of Roa: Allen, Rudy, Eris, Sylphy.
Uncertain variables. Should I allow Rudy and Eris to be teleported to the Demon Continent like in canon?... Rudy's fate is strong enough—he'll probably land there no matter what. But Sylphy? It's impossible to predict. The teleportation is random and makes no logical sense. Now that I've brought her to Roa, could it mean she won't get sent to the capital like before?
And me? I wasn't even teleported in the original story. If I go with them, will Rudy still be able to land safely, given his current abilities?
Do I dare take that gamble?
Allen stopped writing for a moment. Almost without thinking, he raised his pen again.
Set a baseline plan: Rudy and Eris, undecided. Evaluate their situation when the time comes. Sylphy—I'll take her with me personally. The four of us will avoid the consequences of the teleportation entirely.
He flexed his wrist after writing.
Next up:
Philip. Sauros.
Allen squinted, recalling everything that had happened today.
He glanced at the name Eris.
Then wrote down the names Philip and Sauros inside the teleportation circle.
Philip—obsessed with power in the capital. In the original story, he used his daughter as a bargaining chip to attract Rudy as a potential son-in-law to reclaim his position as family head. He even wrote to Paul to mislead him into thinking Rudy had already agreed to the marriage.
Even if I act all saintly and save him...
Won't he just pressure me to stir up trouble in the capital under the pretense of Fittoa's disappearance?
Given how he's acted so far, he might be even worse.
Sauros—believes family honor takes precedence above all. "Traditional justice" matters more to him than blood ties. While he doted on Eris in her early years, he tacitly approved of Philip's marriage plan. He didn't die after the Great Teleportation—he returned to the capital and spent his fortune to rebuild the territory.
Even if I act like a saint and save him…
What's the point? Can I evacuate all of Fittoa?
To him, the safety of his family matters less than the territory. He couldn't even find out what happened in the conflict zone right next door, letting Philip and Hilda die—
The pen froze.
Allen fell silent as he looked at the last name he'd written.
The image of the red dress at the fountain flashed in his mind—those crystalline tears still fresh and vivid.
He was quiet for a while. Then distanced himself emotionally and continued writing:
Hilda. Eris is very dependent on her. In the original story, she accepted Rudy as family and wanted him to marry Eris to solidify their bond.
From what I've seen, she's the only sane person in the Boreas family.
The pen stopped.
Ink began to blur the last few words.
The moonlight, not belonging to Buena Village, streamed in from the window.
It painted the desk in pale white.
There was a hint of chill in the air.
I was supposed to write something sweet here…
Tomorrow, I guess. Sorry.
This chapter might stir some debate. I'll see what feedback I get tomorrow—maybe tweak the wording.
But the direction is set. I thought about it in Allen's shoes, and this is the natural reaction he'd have.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]