Chapter 4: A Misunderstanding

Having closed my eyes to avoid the distressing sight of my altered body, I must have fallen asleep.

“We’ve arrived.”

Iris’s voice and a jolt woke me. ‘Hey, I’m awake now, stop shaking me.’

“Stop…”

Only after I spoke did the shaking stop. ‘She’s the type to stab someone to make sure they’re alive and then ask if they’re okay.’

The carriage door opened, and Iris hopped out as if she had been waiting for it.

Following her out, I saw the coachman standing awkwardly by the door.

‘Why is he standing like that?’

“You’ve brought back someone… similar…”

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing.”

“Stop with the nonsense and get back to work.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The coachman saluted sharply and quickly disappeared with the carriage.

As I watched him go, Iris urged me on.

“Let’s go.”

I followed her, curious about the mansion.

From the outside, it looked much like the illustrations in games or the artwork in novels, except for the persistent snow on the roof.

Another difference was the lack of overly ornate decorations.

The design seemed purely practical. I wasn’t sure if it was a family tradition or a regional characteristic, but I didn’t mind it.

Looking around, I followed Iris inside.

As we entered the warm interior, the butler, along with several maids and servants, greeted Iris.

Their gazes then shifted to me, their expressions questioning, but no one voiced their curiosity.

After speaking with the presumed butler, Iris approached me.

“My father is here, so let’s visit him after you’ve freshened up.”

Leaving those words, she strode away with her long legs.

As I stood there dumbfounded, two figures approached me.

One was a brown-haired woman with a kind face that reminded me of a lunch lady. The other was an orange-haired girl who looked about high school age.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Miss. I’m Linda, and this is Lena.”

“I’m Lena.”

‘Miss? Ah… that’s me.’

“Hello, nice to meet you too.”

As I replied, the two of them bowed and fussed over me, making me feel like I was really in a romance fantasy game.

Still bustling, they led me down the hallway to a room.

…What happened next was predictable.

They gently took hold of me and began undressing me. Before I could protest, I was naked. I had only been wearing a single dress, so it was a natural consequence.

My surprise was short-lived. Linda effortlessly lifted me and gently placed me in a bathtub. The warmth of the water, which I hadn’t felt in a while, relaxed me involuntarily. They chuckled, and I felt a bit embarrassed.

But the real embarrassment was just beginning. Something slightly cool touched my warm, bath-soaked skin. I couldn’t help but let out a strange sound.

“Eep!?”

“It might be a bit cold. Please bear with it for a moment.”

As if my reply wasn’t needed, they began touching me all over.

It was incredibly embarrassing to have strangers touching me. The only time anyone touched me like this was when I got scrubbed down at a public bath… Their slightly rough yet gentle touch made my face burn, and I was grateful to be submerged in the hot water.

I heard compliments about my nice skin and soft hair, but they didn’t register.

Then, I saw my… no, the unfamiliar girl’s face reflected in the water. Seeing the bright red flush on my face, my mind went cold. They seemed to think I was just embarrassed by my stiffened expression.

‘…Well, to them, I’m just a small, cute girl.’

As my mind cleared, I wondered about my lack of body odor despite being outside for so long.

Iris had been out for about a week, and even assuming she had some way to stay clean…

I had been wandering in the snow, unaware of the passage of time, before she found me. ‘Had it really been such a short time? Or did the snow somehow cleanse me?’

Whatever the reason, this didn’t seem like a normal body. ‘Is it because of the game?’

‘I don’t know.’

Thinking about it brought back the vivid memory of the monsters I had seen on the way. The feel of the unfamiliar leather, the warm blood, the cooling bodies.

Fascination aside, it was unsettling.

“Alright, we’re almost done.”

‘What?’

Lost in thought, I hadn’t noticed the change in location. I was now sitting in front of a mirror, no longer in the tub.

‘Are they… professionals? That was startling.’

A surprised girl with wide eyes stared back at me from the mirror.

Her hair was tied in two pigtails.

“W-Wait a minute.”

“Do you have any other requests?”

“Could you… undo my hair?”

“What? It suits you…”

“No… please, could you undo it?”

“Even if you look at me with those pleading eyes…”

‘This isn’t right. I’m already having trouble adjusting to this appearance… This will just make the disconnect worse.’

“I need you to undo my hair.” After some insistence, I finally managed to persuade them.

“Just leave it. We’re out of time.”

Just then, Iris opened the door and barged in.

Duke Cray Winterhoff struggled to hide his unease at the news his daughter had brought.

The story of the girl she met during the ritual. No matter how much he thought about it, she sounded like the Previous Duke.

So much time had passed that the truth was known to almost no one, but Cray Winterhoff knew.

He had heard the story from the previous Duke, his father.

The ritual of receiving teachings from the Previous Duke had existed.

However, the Previous Duke had suddenly vanished, leaving behind only a prophecy of their return. The truth – that the ritual continued because of this prophecy, and the Previous Duke’s appearance and true identity – was a secret known only to the current Dukes.

That’s why the Duke felt a momentary pang of fear at the sight of the girl with her hair in pigtails and a deeply furrowed brow.

His daughter, oblivious, chuckled at the sight.

‘It’s you? Good heavens.’

“Iris Winterhoff.”

“You called, Father?”

“Leave us for a moment…”

“What?”

“Quickly.”

“…Understood.”

Iris, masking her surprise at being dismissed, left the room.

There must have been a reason for her father’s command. She wouldn’t question it.

Click

Cray and Evrys were left alone in the room…

A silence, colder than death, settled between them.

Evrys couldn’t speak first.

All she knew about the Duke was that he died later in the story. She didn’t understand why he had asked to be alone with her, and she had nothing to say.

Cray wasn’t sure how to approach the girl.

The puffed-out cheeks reminded him of a volatile magical tool about to explode.

The standoff between the two, neither showing any intention of attacking, ended when Cray spoke.

“Um… Your Grace?”

“…?”

“I understand you wish to conceal your identity, but I already know, so there’s no need to hide it from me.”

“…?”

“…If that’s your wish, I will comply. But can you truly not tell me why?”

Evrys couldn’t understand what the Duke was talking about.

Not at all. Not a single word.

She simply remained silent because she genuinely didn’t know.

But the Duke misinterpreted her silence as her having some unspeakable reason.

He was entirely wrong.

Under this misconception, Cray continued.

“First, I will make arrangements for you to move freely.”

That sounded good to Evrys, and her lips twitched.

Seeing this, Cray nodded in satisfaction.

‘This is it.’

“Lastly… I will speak to my daughter. She doesn’t know yet.”

‘About your true form and identity.’

‘If she knew, she wouldn’t have acted so outrageously!’

“Growing up without siblings or friends her age, she can be a bit… clumsy, but she’s a good child.”

‘A bit clumsy is an understatement…’ Evrys recalled her days at the vacation home.

“…Perhaps I was too strict with her.”

‘Too strict and incredibly stoic.’

“But you understand, don’t you? Considering the burden the sole heir must bear… I had no choice.”

‘Ah, another cliche… the strict father with his child… But I don’t remember anything about the Previous Duke’s existence in the game.’

Evrys felt confused.

Unaware of her confusion, Cray continued.

“However, now that Your Grace has returned, perhaps her burden will be lessened.”

After his long speech, Cray finally revealed his true intention.

“So, I entrust my daughter to you.”

“…”

“Until you reveal your identity… I will introduce you as a distant relative’s child.”

Only then did a smile appear on the Duke’s face, and he added,

“Come to think of it, we have a banquet coming up… Ah, but you probably wouldn’t be interested in such things.”

Not knowing the character’s backstory, Evrys simply nodded in agreement.

Their misaligned conversation seemed to have reached a mutually satisfying conclusion.

At least on the surface.