ã€ŠThe Prince Who I Accidentally Saved, Proposes To Meã€‹


 Chapter 1

    PIASPM Chapter 1

    Deep inside the Espin Forest, a cool wind traveled and circled around a peculiar shaped building that resembled a humble inn.

    The impenetrable forest surrounding the inn started to react violently at the passing wind, and the fervent rustling of dry leaves against each other produced loud noises that broke the delicate peace of the area.

    However, it was not only the cold wind which was busy running around the inn, from a distance, a black cat could also be easily spotted, it was rubbing its cheek against a window which was located at the third floor of the inn.

    The cat¡¯s eyes seemed to be caught by something, as it was looking at the leaf stained grounds beneath it. Suddenly, it leapt out of the window and started traveling down.

    Millen, who was reading at the table perched beside the window, swept her hair up as a few strands went loose due to the incessant prodding of the outside wind. She then raised her eyes to stare across the horizon, it was still early in the afternoon but it seemed as though the breeze had carried a couple of dark clouds with it.

    Millen gave a brief glance at the place where the black cat had disappeared from before returning her attention back to her task.

    The old book she had in her hands was filled with cryptographic letters and pictures. Before she could fully immerse herself in the written words, soft cat voices from her window started to grow louder by the second.

    ¡®Meow, meow¡­Meow, meow¡­¡¯

    Millen suspected that the cries came from three or four cats, and judging by the sounds, the cats were at quite a distance, still she wondered, what was the reason behind the mild ruckus outside?

    Millen stood up from her seat and approached the window.

    While sticking her head out, she casted her eyes downward to the direction where the sounds were coming from. She squinted her eyes and spotted a pair of black cats as well as white cats who were engaged in what seemed to be a head to head fight.

    Seeing this, Millen called the name of the cat she recognized, it was the same black cat that she had been with just a few moments ago.

    ¡°Alex!¡±

    Millen¡¯s scream caused all the cats to stir and look up. It seemed that her call managed to capture the cats¡¯ attention as the three male cats were now looking at her with gentle faces, except one of the black cats, Alex was the only one who was not focused on her.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on there?¡± Millen asked.

    This time, Alex seemed to have heard her voice, and it started to climb up.

    Alex pounced on the window railings of each floor, until it got closer to where Millen was waiting. Finally, Alex arrived at the third floor¡¯s railing, it was only two sponges wide, so Millen looked at it with a bit of worry in her eyes, while Alex only met her with a soft, ¡®Meow¡¯ as it stared back at her.

    Upon hearing the sound, Millen tilted her head to look at the skies. She could see just a few white clouds dancing on it.

    ¡®Meow¡­¡¯ Alex called out to her again and Millen sighed.

    Millen then nodded her head at Alex who gave her a knowing look, ¡°I understand, Alex.¡±

    She then picked up a hat that was perched on the table. It was a simple but wide brim hat that was adorned with bright flowers. When Millen put it on, it swept and covered her thick locks instantly. After her beautiful lavender-colored hair was neatly tucked inside the hat, Millen hurried out of the room.

    As she was making her way down the stairs, Millen called out, ¡°Linda! Thanos!¡±

    At the sound of Millen¡¯s voice, Thanos, a bear-like man with a big build and a thick beard, appeared from under the stairwell and met her. He stared at Millen with quizzical eyes.

    ¡°A storm is coming.¡± Millen informed him, and Thanos nodded his head at her.

    ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll go and tell everyone.¡± Thanos then turned on his heels to do as he told her.

    Millen was grateful that he believed her even though any sane man would be suspicious after being told that a storm will soon be borne from clear skies.

    Thanos did not even try to squeak out a protest. Instead, he accepted what Millen had told him without any doubt in his eyes. Rather, he responded by quickening his pace and calling out the names of their other companions.

    For her part, Millen decided to help with the laundry.

    She rushed out towards the garden and looked up at the still clear blue skies. Though she could see that there were some gray clouds, they were still barely noticeable. Despite this, Millen knew that once again, Alex was right.

    ¡°It¡¯s a fickle day.¡± Millen commented to herself.

    Shortly after she said this, she heard footsteps coming up from behind her.

    The rustling of fabrics and soft muttering came from a woman named Linda; she was Millen¡¯s nanny.

    Linda brought a basket with her, she was going to use it to carry the laundry. Millen approached her and also began helping her with the task.

    ¡°My Lady, how long will it rain today?¡± The older woman suddenly asked Millen while wearing an expression of both concern and curiosity.

    It seemed to Millen that Linda did not believe her when she said it was going to rain.

    ¡°I reckon we¡¯ll be met with a lot of rain and strong winds. It¡¯ll probably go on from late afternoon, until the early morning of tomorrow.¡±

    Despite having answered her question, Millen could still see the doubt in Linda¡¯s eyes. After all, the latter could not see the light shadow of a coming storm that Millen saw.

    The reason why Linda could not see the signs was not because the nanny had poor eyesight, but rather, it was attributable to Millen¡¯s special eyes which was particularly good at seeing things most people would normally miss.

    ¡°Is it really? The sun is still shining bright right now¡­¡± Linda¡¯s voice squeaked out, but upon seeing her mistress continue silently on her task, Linda quickly grumbled out, ¡°What strange weather.¡±

    The older woman then moved her hands busily. Despite her short height and stout body, she was a strong and dependable housekeeper.

    ¡°Alex clearly told me that it would rain.¡± Millen said to herself like an afterthought.

    Linda glanced at Millen¡¯s direction after hearing her speak, and for a moment the former struggled with a reply, before finally settling with saying, ¡°I should probably hurry. I have to gather the herbs that I hung out to dry this morning.¡±

    Millen only nodded in reply before the two proceeded to quickly fold up the remaining laundry. After which, they headed back inside the inn using the back door while carrying the basket between them.

    The backdoor led to an annex that opens up to the kitchen.

    ¡°Ahin!¡± Linda called out as they arrived in the kitchen, ¡°If you¡¯re done, will you come this way?¡±

    Ahin was at the corner of the kitchen¡¯s room and was busy locking the indoor windows with her small arms. She pulled at the chords tightly so as not to let any of the rain pour in and flood the kitchen when the storm comes.

    When Ahin came to greet them, Linda told the former to take two baskets with her and to accompany her outside. Ahin did as she was told and the two went out to collect the dry herbs and left Millen behind.

    Just then, the kitchen doors opened, and a young man entered.

    He carried some firewood with him, and upon seeing this, Millen turned to him and asked, ¡°Kai, what can I do to help you?¡±

    Millen stared at him expectantly, but Kai only threw her a bashful look.

    Even though Kai had already been working in the inn for some time now, he was still not used to Millen¡¯s eager attitude. After all, it was rare to see a lady enter the kitchens and offer to help with the work.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry my lady, I¡¯m done.¡± Kai informed Millen and gave her a broad smile. He then started to carefully stack the pile of dry wood in the kitchen. Kai could sense that Millen was unconvinced that there was nothing for her to do, so Kai led her to the kitchen¡¯s table.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to help my Lady, just sit in front of the table instead.¡± Kai insisted and Millen did as she was told but still gave the young man an anxious look.

    ¡°Just wait here my Lady, and I¡¯ll brew you your favorite rose tea.¡±

    Kai remembered hearing Linda reciting those same words to Millen like some old habit she picked up on over the years.

    ¡°Am I being bothersome?¡± Millen asked with a grumble as she sat down on the table.

    Millen¡¯s pleading eyes followed Kai as he threw some firewood to the now burning stove. The young man then responded in a calm voice, ¡°You¡¯re good at magic, my Lady. So there is no need for you to concern yourself with other things. You really don¡¯t have to do anything else.¡± Kai reiterated in a tone that reminded Millen of adults consoling children.

    After washing his hands, Kai started to get a teapot. As Kai started to put the water in clumsily, Millen flashed him a smirk and started to laugh.

    After placing the water on the stove to boil, Kai then calmly pulled out a chair and sat across Millen while she waited for her hot water. Millen then turned to ask Kai, ¡°We don¡¯t have any customers left now, do we?¡±

    ¡°Yes, everyone has no more work after the noisy man left this morning.¡±

    Millen then clapped her hands together and exclaimed, ¡°Then let¡¯s play a cat naming game after dinner.¡±

    On days when there were no customers, she would sit around with everyone, and they would just talk or play. There was nothing grand about the activity, but somehow it was comforting. It was like having a bit of reprieve, a small piece of happiness in their ordinary lives after a hard day¡¯s work.

    ¡°It sounds good.¡±

    Just then, Millen noticed that the ribbons under her chin had started to itch. She was still wearing her hat and it seemed like she wore it too tightly. Millen started to pull and loosen the strings and then untucked her hair.

    Millen¡¯s beautiful lavender-colored hair now cascaded freely over her shoulders. The soft hues of Millen hair were rare, it was a color that was barely seen in their kingdom, therefore, it made Millen special.

    After completely setting the hat on the table, she faced Kai with a relieved smile.

    ¡°Lady, what will the prize be this time?¡±

    At Kai¡¯s question, Millen found herself briefly lost in thought.

    Each time Millen hosted the ¡®Cat Naming Game¡¯ there would always be prizes. After all, any game was more enjoyable if something was at stake. Furthermore, she also enjoyed giving gifts.

    ¡°I heard that the fruit store in town started selling an exotic fruit that was just delivered this morning. How about we make that fruit as a prize?¡± Millen suggested.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Just then, the kettle started to whistle, announcing to them that the water had finished boiling. Kai stood up from his seat and started to set a teacup down before Millen. Then he brought a teapot and put it on the table as well. Just as Kai started putting the rose petals in, the kitchen doors swung open, and Linda and Ahin walked in.

    The two had just gotten back after collecting the herbs, as they entered, their light chattering suddenly filled the room.

    ¡°My lady, the weather out there is no joke! The skies are already full of dark clouds, it also started to rain just as we were heading back. Some of the rain even fell on my nose bridge just now.¡± Ahin narrated and Millen looked at her with wide eyes.

    ¡°Is it raining already?¡± Millen asked the young girl who nodded her head fervently.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, the dried herbs would have been ruined. Thank god we collected them in time!¡± AS Ahin was excitedly talking, Linda passed behind her while shaking the basket she carried in her arms.

    Linda shook the basket as if intending to push out the dirt that was mixed with the herbs. In the process, the older woman slightly gave Ahin a push and the younger girl gave her a sulky look.

    ¡°Ahin, go and prepare dinner, while I clean out the laundry that we just took.¡±

    ¡°Yes, nanny.¡± Ahin responded as she marched into the kitchen to do her bidding.

    Shortly after, a loud booming sound could be heard from the distance, followed by a bright flashing light.

    ¡®Boom!¡¯

    Thunder and lightning had come to announce their presence with the storm.

    At the sudden loud noise, Ahin crouched down and shouted, ¡°Oh my! It¡¯s thunder and lightning!¡±

    Just as Ahin finished saying that, Thanos arrived. He came from inspecting the premises of the in. As he stepped inside, he roughly shook off the raindrops from his shoulders and walked deeper into the kitchen where everyone was gathered.

    Millen started to look at Thanos curiously, she wanted to ask about the outdoor cats who roamed the outside of their inn freely. She wondered if they would be doing well on their own.

    ¡°The cats went inside the house through the private entrance.¡± Thanos answered Millen¡¯s question even before she could voice it out.

    He then looked out from a small window to gaze at the state of the forest. He wanted to remain vigilant and observe the ways of the storm, at present, it seemed to grow stronger by the second.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to clean the laundry with Linda.¡± Millen announced as she stood up from her seat. She then walked out of the kitchen while humming a soft tune. As she arrived near the stairwell, Millen gathered up her skirts and started to climb the steps cheerfully. Even though they were currently experiencing the onslaught of wind and rain, Millen was not afraid at all, for she was fully prepared to face it.

    Their inn may not be as grand as the ones in the main cities, but it was sturdy and could withstand any heavy storm that comes their way.

    Linda followed after Millen as they made their way to the laundry room.

    Back in the kitchens, Ahin took out the ingredients and started to trim the vegetables while Thanos continued to keep watch outside. For his part, Kai started to look for something to do as his companions busied themselves, he decided to make some bread instead.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Thanos let out a low sigh as he stroked his shaggy beard.

    The sudden drop of the temperature in the air became more apparent and Thanos realized that the storm was more serious than he had expected.

    Earlier today, the sky had turned black in a second, and heavy rain started to pour out from it. The rain had engulfed the forest in thick clouds and mist that it became hard for Thanos to even see while he was out there.

    Suddenly, there was a loud banging sound from the main doors as the attack of thunder and lightning continued on. In this weather, Thanos knew that no one would be crazy enough to go outside. Still, there was a prickling feeling rising from his spine and making all his senses tingle against the cool wind. Finally making up his mind, Thanos grabbed his raincoat again and put it on. He wanted to look around the inn once more and make sure the premises were safe.

    ¡°Ahin,¡± Thanos called out to the young girl, who looked up from the chopping board with the mention of her name, ¡°I¡¯ll look around for a moment. If they look for me, tell the Lady that I¡¯ll be back by meal time.¡± He informed her before he left the room.

    ¡°I will do, sir. Have a safe trip!¡± Ahin called out to his retreating figure before casting her attention back at peeling the potato in her hand.

    ¡®Bam!¡¯

    When Thanos opened the front door, he was greeted by the deafening sound of thunder. Then lighting quickly followed and created a large white crack in the dark clouds, it looked as if the sky was going to split in half.

    Thanos was certain that once the rain stopped, the forest¡¯s heavy terrain would become tougher for travelers to tread on.

    He was certain the water of the valley would rise instantly, and the soft grounds of the slope would collapse easily and block most of the safe paths. If one gets lost or is swept away by a flood, one won¡¯t be able to find their way until the rain stops, if at all.

    Thanos wore a hat over his raincoat and his grip on the spear which he was carrying tightened. He then stepped out into the heavy rain with a solemn face.

    Inside the inn, Linda and Millen had already arrived back in the kitchens after finishing their task.

    Linda was teaching Ahin how to cook, but the young girl could only talk about the new fruit in town, ¡°¡­at first its outsides will appear black, however when you peel its skin, the flesh will show, and it¡¯s supposed to look as white as alabaster, and tender like a baby¡¯s skin¡­¡± Ahin chatted while Linda stirred the meat stew to a boil. The spices were floating around as the ladle in her hand continued to create circling motions.

    ¡°..they say that in the southern region of this country, you can eat this fruit all year round.¡±

    While talking, Ahin¡¯s mouth started to water and she swallowed in an attempt to quell her hunger. Their lot had been conversing about the exotic fruit that just arrived in town for a while now, and Ahin couldn¡¯t stop herself from imagining how the fruit would taste, and her stomach only grumbled some more. The young girl¡¯s appetite was clearly awakened, but not by the meat stew that was in front of her eyes.

    ¡°I will allow today¡¯s winner to eat a whole basket of that great fruit,¡± said Millen, who saw the look of longing in the Ahin¡¯s eyes.

    Ahin, who was putting a plate on the table, looked up excitedly and asked, ¡°Oh my! That must be very expensive. Are you fine with spending that much, my Lady?¡±

    Then Linda casted Ahin a reproachful look, ¡°Ahin, you¡¯ve caused trouble for our Lady again¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not in trouble at all.¡± Millen insisted.

    ¡°I actually made several bracelets.¡± Millen informed them while grinning proudly, ¡°Furthermore, these bracelets are more than just aesthetics. I also enchanted them with magic that makes its wearer happy each time they put it on. So if we take these bracelets to the shopping district, I am sure they will sell easily.¡±

    For some time now, Millen had been making and selling bracelets and other types of jewelry using the various gemstones brought by Thanos for her. When she was done fashioning them, the latter would then bring them to town and sell them in the shopping district. Due to that side business, Millen¡¯s finances had also improved.

    ¡°But are there any side effects?¡± When Linda expressed her concern, Millen merely scratched her nose and smiled vaguely in response.

    Millen was a wizard who was knowledgeable in various areas of magic. However, she couldn¡¯t say that her magic was perfect. This was because her magic often came with subtle side effects.

    ¡°The soup is done! I think we¡¯ll be able to eat as soon as Thanos comes back.¡± Linda told them as she gazed happily at the large steaming pot.

    Though Ahin was more excited to know the taste of the new fruit they earlier talked about, the delicious smell that came from the meat stew still beckoned to her.

    The quick-witted child then ran into the small door next to the kitchen, wherein Kai was baking bread in stone ovens.

    Kai for his part, had heard the quick pattering of Ahin¡¯s footsteps and just pulled out a batch of freshly baked bread from the oven. He then placed them into a basket. When Ahin arrived, the bread was already sitting peacefully in its place.

    ¡°The food is done now, Kai! Let¡¯s go and eat.¡± Ahin excitedly said as she took a whiff of the comforting scent that emanated from the freshly baked bread.

    The young girl then carefully carried the basket with her and led Kai to the dining room where Linda and Millen were setting up the rest of the food.

    Dinner that night was rather hearty.

    They had plenty of meat stew, hot bread, salad mixed with fresh vegetables, and even fruits for dessert. Indeed, it was a small feast for everyone.

    Everyone started to gather around the table.

    Their small group was composed of Millen, the young owner of the inn; Linda, Millen¡¯s nanny; a young man named Kai; and a young girl called Ahin whose life was recently saved by Millen.

    If Thanos, who was still out patrolling their borders, returns to join them, their group would then be complete.

    Others may not understand the dynamics of the people who live in the ¡®Cat Inn¡¯, because they were people who lived together despite not having any blood relations, and though they were born of different status. However, regardless of their birth and bloodline, they were as close as can be, like a real family.

    Which was why it was unnerving for them that Thanos still hasn¡¯t returned.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were filled with worry as they waited silently.

    There was still no sign of Thanos, not even his shadow, even after the soup had grown cold; and so their group began to grow more anxious.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting quite late. Why hasn¡¯t Thanos arrived yet?¡± Millen voiced her worries.

    Kai stood up from his seat, and then he headed for the wardrobe and took out his raincoat.

    He was thinking of going out and following Thanos¡¯ trail, as he suspects the older man must have gotten himself in some kind of trouble. After all, Thanos would usually arrive in time for dinner after he finishes his rounds.

    However, that night he didn¡¯t return even after they waited for a long time.

    ¡®Bam! Bam!¡¯

    The main doors of the inn rattled with the sound of heavy knockings.

    A loud and familiar voice came from the other side of the closed doors, ¡°Kai! Open the doors!¡±

    Hearing this, Kai quickly donned on his raincoat and ran straight to the front doors.

    ¡°Kai! Come on!¡± The same voice shouted more incessantly.

    Millen was a little surprised because Thanos, who rarely made loud noises, was now urgently raising his voice and screaming for them to open the doors. So she too jumped up from her seat, and without realizing it, she followed Kai to the doorway.

    At Thanos¡¯ urging, Kai hurriedly opened the door, while screaming back, ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯m opening it!¡±

    Just then, Millen heard the loud gasp come out of Kai¡¯s mouth, ¡°Huh?¡±

    Kai, who opened the doors, stepped back slowly.

    Due to the young man¡¯s peculiar reaction, Millen¡¯s interest was also piqued and she approached the front door with curious eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She asked.

    Thereafter, three men who were soaked and dripping wet from the rain, entered their inn.

    -To be continued

 Chapter 2

    PIASPM Chapter 2

    Chapter 2

    Thanos had returned with two strange men in tow.

    All three of them were all dripping wet from the rain. As they stood at the doorway, Thanos barked out an order at Kai, ¡°There¡¯s a brown horse stationed outside. It¡¯s also drenched by the rain so dry it well and put it inside the stable.¡±

    At Thanos¡¯ instructions, Kai quickly ran outside without even wearing his raincoat properly. The young man moved silently in the rain as Millen continued to watch the events unfolding from a safe distance. Suddenly she felt a shadow coming up from behind her, the shadow was followed by a large gasp.

    ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Ahin voiced her surprise as she quickly stood at the place where Kai had just been. The younger girl gave one last look at the faces of their new guests before she turned to look at Thanos with furrowed brows.

    ¡°Is that person unconscious, or is he dead?¡±

    Ahin whispered the last question nervously.

    Despite being a few feet away from the group, Millen could clearly see that the figure, who was hanging like a limp seaweed between Thanos and the other tall man, was gravely injured. The three of them were indeed soaking wet, but the puddle under their feet was not just water, it also had a tinge of red.

    The man was clearly bleeding. From where she stood, Millen could even see the blood-stained cloth that was wrapped around his thigh.

    As the two men went deeper inside the inn¡¯s entrance, Millen found herself unconsciously going towards them to help. However, before she could take the first step, she felt a force tugging at her arm and holding her in place. She turned to look at her back and Linda¡¯s worried eyes met hers, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Linda, who had trailed behind Ahin, managed to grab Millen¡¯s arm just as she tried to approach Thanos. She knew that it was dangerous for her mistress to get recognized so she quietly handed Millen a hat to hide her hair.

    Millen hurriedly put on her hat while expressing her thanks to her nanny. She had almost forgotten about her hair in the middle of all the chaos. She swept up her abundant hair and hid it into the hat. Suddenly, her lavender colored hair that spilled out from the hat and brushed against her back had turned brown.

    When that was done, Millen and Linda finally stepped out and approached Thanos and the two other guys who were also headed towards their direction.

    ¡°Thanos, what¡¯s going on?¡± Millen asked.

    ¡°Where did you get him from?¡± Linda added.

    The older woman had asked the question with exaggerated expressions and gestures so that the other man¡¯s attention would not dwell on Millen. The  unexpected visitor might find her mistress strange, after all she was wearing a hat indoors. Millen could even feel Linda gently pushing her aside so she was standing away from the stranger and closer to Thanos.

    ¡°I saw them wandering in the forest.¡±

    Thanos replied as he glanced at the guests next to him. The pair seemed to have been dragged into their territory. They certainly did not look like they were casual visitors who intended to come there after all. Not only were they caught in the middle of the storm, but their bodies were also covered in mud. It was as if they battled the forest before reaching the inn. It was obvious to Thanos that they were forced to get deeper into Espin forest in their struggle for survival and may have only coincidentally found their inn.

    ¡°I already administered emergency aid to this one, but he¡¯s not in good condition.¡± Thanos informed Millen as he gave a sideway glance at the still limp body he was still supporting. As the group continued to walk deeper into the inn, the strange and large man suddenly spoke.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡±

    Millen glanced at the man, who was as tall as Thanos. She noted that he also had a large build. In addition to his bear-like figure, Millen also noticed that he had well-trimmed short hair as well as sharp eyes.  His face also seemed quite distinct and angular, he looked quite formidable and if they were in the battlefield, Millen would be quite intimidated by him because he seemed to be very strong.

    ¡°¡­I heard this place is an inn. If there¡¯s any room left, can we stay here for a day or two?¡±

    The man looked quite serious and rugged, but his tone was polite and it somehow made Millen less apprehensive around him. She gave him a nod, ¡°Of course, you can stay. How serious is his situation? Can we check?¡±

    Thanos and the man stopped on their tracks and Linda bent down and peered closely at the injured man¡¯s legs.

    Although it was a good bandage made of nice fabric, it was clearly a used material and was torn apart and tied to the wound as an emergency measure. Millen knew that if the man didn¡¯t receive treatment soon, an infection would spread from the untreated cloth and his condition would worsen. Perhaps, an infection had already begun. Judging by the current disheveled state of their new guests, Millen was certain they¡¯ve been swimming in filth for a while now.

    ¡°The wound caused by his fall is deep. Is there anyone here who can heal wounds?¡± The stranger asked them with a hopeful voice. After Millen and Linda were done inspecting the condition of the still sleeping form of their wounded visitor, they gave the worried man a reassuring smile. However, before Millen could tell them her assessment of his condition, Thanos spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll prepare for his treatment on my own. Let¡¯s go up first.¡±

    Thanos quickly swiveled and headed towards the grand stairwell of their inn and did not give the other man an opportunity to ask some more. They were busy dragging the passed out body as gently as they could. The other men threw Millen and Linda a quick ¡®thank you¡¯ before following Thanos¡¯ lead.

    Millen and Linda watched as the man followed Thanos quietly to the second floor. However, it seemed like it was going to be a long climb if they continued to hold him up. Since time was of the essence, the stranger bent down to carry the injured man solely on his back while Thanos led them to an empty room on the third floor.

    Millen observed that the man on the strangers¡¯ back also had an imposing stature. Though his dark cloak was covering him, his muscular form still peaked through his wet clothes.

    Brushing these thoughts aside, Millen quickly turned on her heels to get to work. As she entered the kitchens, she could hear Linda ordering Ahin to look for dry towels and spare fabrics, they were going to use those to dress the wounds of their new guest. Her nanny was also busy pulling out metal pots from the cupboard.

    ¡°Ahin, fill this big kettle with water and put it on fire.¡±

    The younger girl quickly did as she was told, it was clear to Millen that Linda and Ahin had the kitchen covered. Millen then decided to rush up the stairs and start making medicine.

    Judging from the wounds of the injured man, Millen was confident that they had enough herbs to be able to treat him. She ran all the way up to the second floor and headed to a living quarters which everyone, except Thanos and her. She needed to get to that room to gain access to her hidden laboratory. It was there where she often studied magic.

    When Millen reached the room, she pushed a bookshelf aside using both of her hands. Finally, her hidden workplace was revealed. Important medicines and special books littered the area, and aside from Millen, only Linda and Thanos knew of its existence.

    Squeak! The floorboards creaked as Millen stepped inside.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to test my abilities.¡± Millen told herself as she strode into that place. Millen may not be that knowledgeable at spells, but she was at least confident in her abilities to make medicine. She was, in fact, pretty good at it.

    When Millen arrived in her secret hiding place, she quickly gathered the ingredients she would need. As she laid some of them on her work table, she muttered to herself, ¡°I think I¡¯m going to need the new herbs.¡±

    Finally making up her mind, Millen opened a cupboard and unveiled shelves full of all kinds of herbs and drugs, there were various medicines made for all kinds of treatment. In addition to the herbs, its insides were also full of exotic plants. The sight of her collection brought into mind Millen¡¯s constant reminder to herself each time she created a new medicinal herb and stocked them up.

    ¡®If you sell all of these, you can make a huge amount of money for yourself, but if you do, it will be revealed that you use magic, so don¡¯t do it.¡¯

    Due to Millen¡¯s desire to keep her anonymity, she settled to just make enough medicine for the ordinary use of the occupants and guests of the inn. Also she was mindful to keep making medicine in case of emergency. Thankfully, she prepared for such a scenario, if she didn¡¯t, then they would have had a hard time tending to their injured guest.

    There was a large wooden chest, inside of the cupboard and at the bottom of the chest was a secret compartment which Millen pushed open. Among its contents were three small bottles, Millen took them out. She also grabbed a large vial which contained some sort of ointment in it, and then closed the lid back up.

    The ointment was a strong and effective drug which Millen was certain will help them overcome any medical crisis safely. She decided to first treat the injured man with these medicines, and then observe his condition. After which, she will decide how she will treat him based on his response to these medications.

    Millen started to pile up the bottles and vial in a small basket. After this, she stepped out of her laboratory and quickly headed for the third floor where she knew their new guest could be found. But just as she landed on the upper level, Linda spotted her. The older woman hurriedly ran towards her direction and took the basket from Millen¡¯s hands.

    Linda gave Millen a reproachful look, ¡± My Lady, please go back down to the dining hall. Thanos will take care of the treatment of the patient on his own. I¡¯ll hand this over quickly, so in the meantime, go down and wait for us. You understand what I mean, right?¡±

    ¡®It means I shouldn¡¯t be close to the guests.¡¯

    Millen thought to herself as she nodded calmly at Linda before obediently going back to the dining hall.

    Ahin seemed to have sensed her mistress¡¯ presence as the younger girl quickly glanced at the doorway when Millen entered the dining hall. Since everyone left before holding a fork, Ahin was busy preparing dinner again. She placed the meat stew over fire, while the bread and the rest of the food remained sitting at the center of the table.

    Even though it was inconsequential that the bread and salad had gotten cold, the meat stew was a different matter, it tasted bad when chilled. Therefore, Ahin was reheating it and was currently stirring it to a boil with a wooden ladle.

    Millen sat on the chair as she waited patiently for the rest of their company to make it back.

    ¡°I made a new rose tea. Do you want it, my Lady?¡± Ahin asked Millen and the latter nodded.

    Ahin then put aside her ladle and turned to the pot lying on top of the stove. She then poured some tea water into a pretty porcelain teacup and went to serve her mistress the hot drink.

    As Millen sat and drank her tea, she could not help but let her thoughts wander back to the injured man that probably still laid motionless on one of the inn¡¯s beds.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think he¡¯s an ordinary person. I couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, but I did see some of his features over Linda¡¯s head earlier. Though I couldn¡¯t decipher his appearance clearly, the hunting clothes he wore are pretty telling of his status. He seems to be a noble man judging from the brooch that he was wearing, it really seemed like it was made of some expensive material. No ordinary man, not even a skilled hunter would hunt with such luxurious accessories on them. Unless they did not mind losing it. The robust man who came with the injured man was more likely the latter¡¯s close acquaintance or he might even be his bodyguard. Judging by his attitude, I could see that there was a bit of reverence and even careful humbleness to the way he carried him after all.¡¯

    Millen was deep in her own reverie as she tried to recall what else she saw.

    ¡®Did he carry a sword?¡¯

    The situation wasn¡¯t ideal, and it didn¡¯t really allow Millen an opportunity to leisurely observe the two gentlemen and search for a sword.  Even though the pair were wearing hunting clothes, she couldn¡¯t even tell if they carried swords, arrows or any weapon with them.

    However, the atmosphere surrounding their new guest was very similar to Thanos. Millen deduced that it was most likely that the pair came from the Hogwisa Temple.

    ¡®At the very least, our new guest seems to come from a rich family, or he may even be a wealthy merchant.¡¯ Millen told herself as she drank more of the tea.

    Millen couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the injured man, especially because his wounds looked rather serious. It was clear that he suffered a hard fall, and if they aren¡¯t careful his wound may even prove to be fatal. Considering the fact that he fainted and was covered in wounds, Millen wondered if his health would worsen. If the injured man hadn¡¯t met Thanos, he¡¯d end up suffering a greater deal than his present condition.

    To be honest, being in Espin Forest during a great storm was a heavy ordeal in itself. Nevertheless, it is still not as serious as getting injured in the middle of a storm.

    Millen casted her eyes at the large stairwell that led to the upper levels of the inn and let out a sigh, ¡®I¡¯m sure that he¡¯s an incredibly lucky person.¡¯

    He was fortunate to stumble upon a place that had an excellent supply of medicine and herbs. Millen had no doubt that if he and his companion had gotten more lost in the forest he would have died by morning. Indeed, he was a very lucky person to have been found by them.

    Although, maybe, he wasn¡¯t just lucky, maybe he was even blessed. In spite of the heavy onslaught of wind and rain, they did manage to arrive at the Cat Inn. The Cat Inn¡¯s guests were usually brought in by the cats after all. Still, much like how they were currently in the middle of the storm, the situation of the injured man also remained uncertain. Despite their aid, he was still not in the safe.

    ¡°I think that gentleman got hurt a lot.¡±

    Millen did not realize she had spoken out loud, it was only when Ahin spoke beside her that it dawned on her that the younger girl had heard her thoughts.

    ¡°My Lady, did you see the face of the injured guest? Isn¡¯t he so handsome?¡±

    Ahin asked excitedly with a sparkle in her eyes. Seeing her speak so highly of their guest made Millen also curious, ¡°Does he really look as good as you say?¡±

    ¡°He was wearing a hood, so I only saw his nose, mouth, and jawline, but he looked like the most handsome man I¡¯ve ever seen in my life.¡± Ahin narrated but Millen just gave her a look of disbelief. It seemed silly to think that a man was handsome based on so little information.

    ¡°How do you know that just by looking at his nose and mouth?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you know my lady? A really handsome man is handsome even if you just see some of his features. What I saw was enough to tell me that he has an otherworldly face! Trust me.¡±

    Ahin was only two years younger than Millen, but the younger girl spoke with so much confidence that it made Millen think that she does not have enough experience with men, even when she was already twenty years old. On the contrary, it seemed that Ahin was more knowledgeable about men than her.

    Unlike Millen, who lived in seclusion at the inn, Ahin often went out to the capital, the city of Vegas at least once or twice a month. Therefore, it may be true that Ahin knew better about men and their appearances than Millen.

    ¡°Just wait and see my lady, I think I¡¯m right about him being a handsome man.¡±

    Millen shook her head slightly at Ahin¡¯s words, ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait and see¡±.

    Millen wasn¡¯t really interested in handsome men, unlike Ahin.

    Rather, she was just concerned about his health and the state of his injuries; her curiosity does not go beyond that. Besides, what would she do with the knowledge of seeing a handsome man? Millen did not even think it was necessary for her to see his face.

    ¡°Oh my, please do look at his face this time, because it¡¯s simply extraordinary!¡±

    Millen let out a small chuckle as she thought that maybe it was that time again when Ahin became fascinated by men. The younger girl was always enthusiastic and would chat happily whenever the topic was about men.

    Just as Millen took another sip from her tea, she felt a feather-like touch rounding up her ankle. She peered down the table and saw Alex.

    Alex was the leader of the cats who lived at their inn.

    ¡®Meow¡­¡¯ Alex greeted her as it settled beside her feet. Millen thought that Alex came at the right time.

    Millen noticed that Alex was staring at her face intently. She knew that it had something to say to her so she nodded at it so it may start speaking.

    ¡®My lady, none of us guided the guests here. So you shouldn¡¯t approach them until after I check if the guests are safe. Wait for my return and remember, don¡¯t go near them.¡±

    Alex finished his statement with a low cry and with calm eyes. Millen replied with a solemn look on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that, but I¡¯d like to ask if you could also take a closer look at the extent of the unconscious man¡¯s injuries and let me know about his current condition.¡±

    ¡®All right, my Lady.¡¯

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Alex then turned to call for another cat; Peggy.

    ¡®Peggy will stay by your side.¡¯

    Alex was always cautious. Millen knew that about the captain of the cats, therefore, she gave it a small and reassuring smile before replying, ¡°Alex you¡¯re unnecessarily worrying, but I¡¯ll do that.¡±

    At the end of their exchange, Peggy, who just arrived under the order of captain Alex, approached Millen¡¯s feet and started circling her ankles.

    ¡°Peggy, thank you for staying with me.¡±

    Millen greeted Peggy with a smile and then the latter sat next to her feet. Alex then shot straight up the stairs. He sprinted across the room in a speed that resembled that of a flying arrow. Alex was a large cat, but despite its size, it moved as light as a feather.

    ¡°Oh, that cat was Alex?¡±

    Ahin, who stayed quiet as Millen was talking to Alex, spoke up the minute Alex disappeared.

    ¡°How come I could never tell who Alex is, even though I must have seen it a hundred times or more. No matter how many times I look at them, they all look the same to me.¡±

    Millen lightly wet her lips with her tongue as the younger girl continued talking.

    ¡°If the color of the cats¡¯ eyes are different, I¡¯ll recognize them based on that. However, if they have no distinguishable features other than their black or white fur, I end up confused every time I see them. How come you can easily tell the differences between the cats?¡±

    Ahin was amazed at the lady who was able to distinguish all the cats living at their inn. She was like a cat herself, after all, cats can also easily recognize each other despite looking so similar. Perhaps cats had the same unique eyes like the ones Millen had.

    Ahin then thought that perhaps since Alex was a large cat, maybe Millen recognized him because he was fatter compared to the others?

    ¡°I know them because I can communicate with them.¡± Millen answered simply as she caressed the teacup in her hands. She was almost finished with her hot drink but the others still haven¡¯t returned to the dining hall.

    ¡°I knew you would say that my lady. However, I too try to communicate with them, but no matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t seem to do it like you do.¡±

    Millen let out a sigh as Ahin complained to her about her lack of skill.

    ¡°You know that communicating with cats is not possible with just effort.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. My lady, do you remember how surprised I was to know of your gift? At first, I already thought that your hair might be a little weird, but then you also talk to cats¡­¡±

    When Ahin noticed that her mistress just continued to stare at her now empty teacup, the former quickly added,

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m just saying that I¡¯ve never seen someone like you. Your behavior is different from that of ordinary ladies.¡±

    -To be continued

    Translator: Byoun Editor: NineKnights

 Chapter 3

    PIASPM Chapter 3

    ¡°My lady, nanny is back!¡± Ahin excitedly exclaimed.

    At the sound of the younger girl¡¯s voice, Millen lifted her head just in time to see Linda coming down from the stairs. Her eyes followed the older woman as she made her way on the first floor¡¯s landing and then entered the dining hall. Linda then took her seat and sat down beside them.

    ¡°How are our guests?¡± Millen asked her nanny after the latter settled down.

    Linda gave her a pensive look before responding, ¡°The unconscious man is seriously injured. It was fortunate that Thanos rescued them¡­¡± She then took a deep breath and continued her speech while arranging her bangs which were mercilessly poking at her eyes.

    ¡°¡­the man wasn¡¯t completely unconscious though, but he didn¡¯t complain while he was receiving treatment, and so we treated the wound while he was still awake. The red medicine is effective, but we know that it causes a lot of pain when applied to the skin. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t shout, not even once and endured it all in silence. I think his wound is infected.¡±

    Just then, Linda noticed that the iron pot was boiling and so she stood up and walked over the stove to tend to it. As she was stirring the pot, she glanced at Millen¡¯s direction and said, ¡°My lady, let¡¯s eat first. Thanos still has a long way before he can finish tending to our injured guest. He told me he will eat later so we should go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s have dinner.¡±

    Ahin helped Linda set up the table once again and served the meat stew in bowls. The nanny then glanced at the cat that was purring contently in Millen¡¯s arms and asked, ¡°By the way my Lady, who is that cat? Is it Benji? Or Buzz?¡±

    Linda took him from Millen¡¯s arms, and gave her mistress a confused look. The older woman was never good at recognizing the cats of their inn, as a matter of fact, it was usually Thanos who was more familiar with them and even often won the ¡°cat naming game¡± each time they played it.

    ¡°Linda, Benji is a bit taller than this one, and Buzz has white fur. As you can see, this one has black fur, and his eyes are rather charming and playful. Then who else would it be other than Peggy?¡±

    ¡°Ah, this cat is Peggy! Well, I think it¡¯s pretty docile, right? I always thought Peggy would be a bit more active though. Perhaps, it is sick?¡±

    Even though Linda was not familiar with cats, Millen thought that her affinity with them was better than that of Ahin¡¯s. At the very least, her nanny could understand the cat¡¯s disposition.

    She gave her nanny a thoughtful look and slowly reached out to pat Peggy¡¯s black fur, ¡°I think it is because of the weather. Peggy is very in tune with nature.¡±

    ¡®Bang! Bang!¡¯

    The thunder continued its violent rampage from outside their inn and produced a loud symphony of cracking sounds, and soon the beating of lightning and thunder grew louder and Millen could sense the change in Peggy¡¯s mood, it grew more gloomy as seconds ticked by. It became quieter than usual, it even jumped out from Linda¡¯s arms and curled up on one of the chairs. Peggy was slightly trembling too and it wore a depressed expression on its face.

    Millen crouched down and was at eye level with the black cat. She started to stroke its black fur and whispered, ¡°Peggy, thanks to you, we were able to take in the laundry and the herbs before the storm came. Thank you.¡± She then comforted it by lightly kissing Peggy¡¯s soft pink nose. It purred and made a pleasant sound of approval and also noticeably relaxed.

    Seeing this, Millen had a thought that perhaps it curled up into a ball because it wanted her attention and for her to comfort it.  It then moved to sit on Millen¡¯s chair and the young Lady let it.

    Instead, she settled for scratching the back of its ear. Just then, Linda¡¯s voice broke the affectionate atmosphere between the two, ¡°My Lady, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    Upon seeing the fact that her mistress cannot take her seat because Peggy was on it, Linda splashed a bit of cold water on it and shoo the cat away so her mistress could comfortably sit. Peggy was startled by this and shot a glare at Linda¡¯s direction. Still, it recognized that Millen should also be able to eat comfortably. Therefore, it settled on the stone floors and sat beside its mistress¡¯ ankles.

    Millen knew that although Peggy was just a cat, it was still capable of showing her courtesy and respect.

    After they had eaten, Thanos finally entered the dining room and caught their group in the middle of drinking tea.

    He washed his hands meticulously until there were no longer any traces of blood left on them. He then strode over the dining table area and Millen stared up at him expectantly, ¡°The other man was also good at treating injuries; it seems like he has adequate experience in handling such conditions as well. Therefore, we were able to finish treating his wounds safely,¡± Thanos started.

    ¡°¡­judging by the injured man¡¯s features and bearing, I reckon he isn¡¯t old enough to gain much experience in battlefields, so it is highly unlikely he would have been exposed to, nor used to wounds of such grave nature. Despite this, it also seemed like he was a man who has learned to endure great pains, perhaps he was even trained to face it, because there is no way an ordinary man would have a pain threshold and fortitude as strong as his.¡±

    Linda, who had helped him earlier, chimed in, ¡°You did a good job, Thanos.¡±

    Millen then gestured for Thanos to take a seat and then Linda and Ahin left for the kitchens to fetch his meal together.  He sat down at the empty seat and glanced at her with serious eyes, it seemed like he wasn¡¯t done with his report, ¡°He wanted to pay for the herbs he used. He offered quite a large sum for them too. I accepted his offer.¡±

    Millen¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°We don¡¯t really get paid for the use of our herbs and medicine, mostly because we don¡¯t make business from it, and I never intended to make money through it either.¡±

    ¡°His wounds are deep, so I have already used a lot of herbs to treat them. Although he seems to be recovering well, I know he will be needing a lot more in the future.¡±

    She understood what Thanos was telling her. Their guest was suffering a wound that wouldn¡¯t heal with a simple treatment. If it did, then they could dismiss treating him as just a favor and they wouldn¡¯t need to ask for payment. However, if one was to stay for a few days and used a considerable amount of medicine, it would be difficult to see it as just a random act of kindness and they would ultimately find them strange for being so generous.

    Millen bit her lower lip as she wondered just how much it would cost for them to treat his wounds. Since she never tried selling any of her herbs and medicine, she does not know of their value in the market, ¡°How much do you think we should charge, taking into consideration the herbs and medicine he will need in the future as well?¡±

    ¡°Since his injuries are serious, I told them I will report back after observing his condition for a few more days. I know we don¡¯t sell this medicine outside, and it would be more appropriate if he were to receive the medicine here, that way we can oversee his condition too. Don¡¯t you think it is more appropriate this way? I told them that they can only receive the medicine here.¡±

    Millen nodded her head, they couldn¡¯t just let their guest go with just a bag of medicine and herbs, they were not knowledgeable enough to use it and nor would they find those in any market if they needed more. Also, since they do not sell those, it was dangerous for outsiders to know that she was capable of making such medicine and herbs with great potency. Most of all, if he stayed at the inn, they would know better about the effects of the treatment on him.

    Ultimately, the injured man would fare better if he does his recovery in their establishment.

    ¡°It¡¯s so effective, therefore, I thought it would be less suspicious to receive payment for it my lady. If you don¡¯t agree with my judgment, please tell me now.¡±

    Millen always liked that Thanos was quick on his toes and wise. He had good foresight that was innate, therefore she often found herself trusting his judgment. Millen nodded her head at him, ¡°Do as you wish.¡±

    ¡°He also asked us to clear the entire third floor and keep all the rooms therein vacant. He says he will give you a generous amount for the accommodation and the vacant rooms. He says he¡¯ll also pay for the treatment we gave him and added that he wanted the place to be as quiet as possible so he could focus on his treatment and recovery.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what they want then they need not worry about it, neither do they need to even ask for it. I doubt we would have any other guests coming in, especially with this weather.¡±

    As Millen glanced around the dark halls of their inn, she could not help but let out an amused chuckle, ¡°They seem to be quite desperate to spend their money. Clearly, this place won¡¯t have any other guests any time soon.¡±

    Millen gathered that their guests were determined to keep their privacy regardless of the cost and even without considering the fact that it was highly unlikely they would have other patrons any time soon. It became more apparent to her that money truly is not an issue for them, especially when they were willing to spend it so unnecessarily. They also could probably afford not to care about the fact that the inn was remote in itself.

    It was located deep in the depths of the forest, and they did not advertise its existence, nor were there any signage that indicated to strangers the way to reach them. Furthermore, the only distinguishing feature the inn possessed to indicate that they were a business was a small wooden sign board that was perched at its entrance. Therefore, unless the cats personally led people to their inn, it was impossible to get any dealings.

    In other words, it was the cats who were in charge of their solicitations. If the cats did not see them as suitable guests, then their inn wouldn¡¯t have any clients. Any clear headed man would know that such demands only led to reckless spending. However, for a rich man who does not want to take any chances, perhaps it was just a small price to pay for their own peace of mind.

    ¡°We are going to get rich soon, my Lady.¡± Ahin, who just came back with a hot steaming bowl of meat stew laughed gleefully as she placed the food in front of Thanos.

    Millen supposes the younger girl had heard that their new visitors were willing to spend a lot of money on their inn. She then stood up from her seat and laughed as well, ¡°Well, only if he stays here for about a week do I think we can earn enough money to cover two months¡¯ worth of living expenses.¡±

    Millen never considered deliberately ripping off their customers before, but she decided it was not morally wrong to let wealthy customers spend their money as they pleased. After all, who was she to tell them what to do with their fortunes?

    She then stretched out her arms and let out a long yawn, ¡°Today has been quite eventful, and we have our hands full with our new guests. I reckon we should postpone the ¡®cat naming game¡¯ to some other time. I¡¯m going to go up and rest now. Good night.¡±

    Millen bid her farewell to Ahin and Thanos while the latter continued with his meal.

    As she climbed the stairs to her room, Linda followed closely behind her. The two soon settled into their nightly routine wherein her nanny proceeded to prepare her hot bath and then her bed for sleeping.

    Millen¡¯s room had a small bathroom attached to it, and so Linda went in there to fill the bathtub with warm bath water and sprinkled it with rose petals that they plucked earlier that day from their garden.

    As the older woman stirred the water of the bath to make sure the temperature was just right, she faced her mistress with determined eyes, ¡°My Lady, please order some of your cats to guard your door tonight. Ten cats would probably suffice, and please choose the fierce, alert and wakeful ones.¡±

    Millen gave her nanny a surprised look as she took off her hat and entered the bathroom. She then let out a lighthearted laugh at Linda, ¡°Nanny, why should I do that? It sounds rather silly.¡±

    ¡°I want you to remain vigilant. It isn¡¯t safe.¡±

    ¡°Are you still wary of our guests? Do you think he¡¯s a noble?¡±

    ¡°I went to his room to help with his treatment earlier. They didn¡¯t just wear hunting clothes, but they also had both bows and swords with them. Of course, I know that Thanos will keep an eye on them. If it turns out that he is just a wealthy young man, then perhaps there is nothing to be careful about. However, I think it is still not time for us to let our guards down.¡±

    It was a statement with many hidden meanings, and Millen was someone who was not na?ve enough to not recognize her fears. She pouted a little at her nanny as she took off her shoes, ¡°Linda, you¡¯re needlessly worrying.¡±

    She knew that even if her nanny didn¡¯t express her concern, the cats would still roam around the premises of their inn, just like they always did. They¡¯ve always done that every day and night, and they never missed their rounds regardless of the situation.

    She was already safeguarding herself as well as the inn from the guests even if Linda did not remind her of it.

    Linda then stepped behind Millen and started to pull the strings of her dress with her skillful touch and helped her remove it. Her clothes were not made of expensive and high-quality fabrics, however, she did make it all by herself. She even used lace that she spun herself, and it was simple but beautiful, ¡°What did Thanos say?¡±

    ¡°He tells me the same things you do. He also means for me to be careful until he¡¯s certain they bring us no harm.¡±

    As soon as her dress slid off of her body, Millen went straight into the bathtub with the help of her nanny.

    She settled her body comfortably in the warm waters, and breathed in the scent of fragrant flowers that floated in the air. Somehow, the storm outside her windows made their fragrance more poignant and she felt herself sinking into its embrace. She pulled up her knees and tucked it under her chin, while she then glanced at Linda who was busy folding her discarded clothes, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if you don¡¯t say it, I already know it.¡±

    Millen continued to sit in the warm waters and hummed a song. Her fingers played with the rose petals floating in it, too.

    Thanks to their wealthy new guests, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money for a while. It eased her mind and she is certain that despite their apprehension, the others are also happy about it.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. Then I¡¯ll head back down to the dining hall now. Get a good rest, my Lady.¡±

    Linda then left the room and let her continue her bath alone.

    Millen was enjoying her solitary time just basking in warm waters when she heard a soft clicking sound of her room¡¯s door, as well as its soft creaking sound as it opened. After she heard the door closed again, she peeked out to see who had broken the silence in her quarters.

    A dark shadow emerged from the doorway and slowly made its way at the edge of her tub, it was Alex.

    The big and black cat strode across the bathroom floors and settled underneath the curtains with its back against its mistress. Alex settled at a distance far enough from the bathtub to give her some privacy. Still, it was close enough for the two of them to be able to communicate comfortably. She couldn¡¯t help but feel proud that it had the sensibilities of a human being, ¡°Alex, what did you find out?¡±

    ¡®The man with the strong physique was very careful and didn¡¯t talk much, so I couldn¡¯t get a lot of information from him, nevertheless, he gives off an impression that he is an escort knight, and his wounded companion appears to be a nobleman. It felt like they were running away from danger¡¯.

    Millen tried to conjure the image of the injured man in her mind. She did not even see the face of the alleged nobleman; however, she did see what the knight looked like.

    Suddenly, she felt an unexplainable curiosity to see his face tugged at her chest. She wondered if her interest on him sprung from Ahin¡¯s relentless praising of his looks earlier that night.

    However, she was pulled out of her musings by Alex¡¯s voice speaking to her once more, ¡®Fortunately, they don¡¯t seem to have any evil intentions, still, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with being careful.¡¯

    ¡°There is nothing wrong with being careful¡­ Why do you always say that Alex? Whether the customer is naive or stupid, whether they have bad intentions or not, you always say that.¡±

    ¡®My Lady¡­¡¯

    ¡°I know you worry a lot Alex, but this isn¡¯t any of your fault. If I¡¯m being honest, I¡¯d say this is all my fault.¡±

    Millen¡¯s mood became sullen and the bathroom¡¯s atmosphere thickened, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Alex. I won¡¯t make the same mistake again. So don¡¯t worry. I will act wisely this time.¡±

    Millen then closed her eyes and sunk deeper into the waters while her thick, lavender-colored hair floated around her. Oftentimes, when she did not want to show her sorrows, she would either cover her face with her hat or sink deeper into the water.

    * * *

    The rain that had poured heavily all throughout the night, only stopped at dawn.

    The dark skies that swept the land the night before did not even leave a shard of dark clouds, as if there never were any in the first place. Once again, it was a clear and refreshing morning without a single darkness in sight.

    As the sunshine poured generously in the forest and the grass glistened with fresh dew, the people of the ¡®Cat Inn¡¯ started their work diligently once more.

    Thanos and Kai had earlier inspected the premises around the inn to see if there were any damages left by the storm, they also searched if any of the inn¡¯s insides were flooded while the women prepared breakfast.

    All the cats living in their inn were back to running around the forest grounds. Some of them were even walking around the garden, while Alex, just like always, hovered around Millen in the dining hall.

    When Thanos, who had been in the guest¡¯s room since early morning, entered the premises, Kai who was sitting at the table greeted him, ¡°Uncle, how are they?¡±

    The people of the inn were particularly interested in their new guests, mostly because Millen told them that they were most likely noblemen.

    ¡°His condition has improved.¡±

    Millen, who was just casually staring out of the window, stirred and quickly approached Thanos. She then asked, ¡°He¡¯s not suffering from a fracture is he?¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯s not, my Lady.¡± All at once, Thanos dropped a bag full of coins on the table, in front of Millen and informed her, ¡°It¡¯s money for yesterday and today¡¯s services. I also got paid for two days¡¯ worth of medicine.¡±

    ¡°Wow, this is amazing!¡± Kai¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he stood up from his seat and came closer to look at the bag that Thanos brought with him, but before Kai could take a look at its content, Thanos spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s all gold coins too.¡±

    Thanos informed them swiftly, it was obvious to them that he could not hide his excitement as well.

    ¡°All gold coins?¡± Kai¡¯s mouth was completely wide open as he stared inside the contents of the bag. He was dumbfounded at the bright light that shone and greeted him.

    Millen also found himself collapsing into her chair and gasped out, ¡°It seems like a perfect guest has arrived.¡±

    She then asked Kai to make them some tea, and the young men went into the kitchens to do so.

    The young man brimmed with excitement as he did his bidding.

    Millen found herself in a good mood too and slightly pleased that the medicine she had made with good intentions and spent countless nights on was worth all of her blood, sweat and tears. For this reason, she pondered whether her deceased mother was looking out for her and brought her such good fortune.

    ¡°My Lady, I have one more thing to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°They said that they lost a precious horse during the accident. So, regardless of whether the horse is alive or dead they want to find it. So, can I help search for it?¡±

    ¡°Precious you say¡­how precious is it?¡±

    ¡°Precious means it¡¯s like family.¡± The image of her cats came into mind as Thanos explained to her the relationship their guest had with his horse. It was the same way Millen viewed her cats, and she too had also experienced the grief of losing a family member, therefore she had no heart to refuse their request, ¡°Let me help him as well.¡±

    ¡°How can my lady be so sweet?¡± Linda, who carried a large basket with her, arrived just in time to hear Millen and Thanos¡¯ small exchange.

    She muttered her words with such a vague tone that it was hard for Millen to decipher, whether it was a compliment or a reproach, ¡°I don¡¯t understand nanny? Why does your remark sound so scathing?¡±

    Millen gave Linda a small smile as she fidgeted with the brim of her hat that was pressed over her head. Her nanny put the basket down on the table and started to pat her on the back and continued her nagging, ¡°My Lady, the money is good, but we¡¯re still not sure what kind of people those guests are¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Alex told me that they have no evil intentions.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you say, then perhaps it¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    When it came to Alex, the cats¡¯ captain, everyone at the inn trusted his intuition. This was because Alex was no ordinary cat.

    ¡°And even without your reminders Linda, the cats will continue to stick next to Thanos all on their own to guard us. So don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll obey you my lady if that¡¯s what you and Alex think. I trust the cats as well, so we will take good care of those guests.¡±

    Millen smiled at her words. She was comforted by the fact that Linda had high regards for her cats. After all, it is the best she could expect.

    At the end of the day, only she could relate to her cats completely and unconditionally. Much like her cats who can only depend on her, Millen too had only herself to comoletely trust. She and her cats were the same, they only had each other.

    -To be continued

 Chapter 4

    PIASPM Chapter 4

    Jade woke up and slowly blinked away the sleepiness that settled on his eyelids.

    ¡®Where am I?¡¯ He thought as his current state of dazed consciousness dawned on him. He had to bat his eyes several times to wipe away the fog that blurred his vision.

    ¡®How did I get here?¡¯ He had no idea what had happened to him.

    He forced himself to recount his steps and jog his memories while he scanned his eyes around the room. He was hoping to get some clues that will tell him about his current situation. His five senses still tingled, and everything felt unfamiliar. From the feel of the sheets, to the scent and humidity in the air; there was nothing that he recognized.

    He reached out to rub his eyes.

    His sights settled upon the old wooden ceilings, while his back felt the texture of his mattresses. He realized that he was lying on a sturdy and hard material, but the sheets and duvets smelled and looked clean. As a gentle and cool breeze swept inside, he unconsciously inhaled its pleasant smell of medicinal herbs and salve.

    There was a wide and open window near his bed, and when he turned his head to look in that direction, he could see the blue skies, green leaves, and even hear the pleasant chirping of birds outside.

    However, when he tried to move, he felt a sharp pain that broke out from his head and reverberated all throughout his legs. He felt like a boulder just fell on top of him and that even his nerves were bruised.

    ¡®That¡¯s right, I was injured¡­¡¯

    It quickly became apparent to Jade what his current condition was. He carefully raised his hand and felt with his fingertips the white bandages that were wrapped around his head. He breathed a sigh of relief, while his blue eyes glistened from the memory that flashed through his mind, ¡®I didn¡¯t die¡­¡¯

    When Jade was growing up, he was often told that he had very clear and beautiful blue irises, but whenever he was feeling animosity, furry, or when negative and cold emotions settled in his heart, it would also shine through his eyes and he¡¯d always end up giving them a sharp look; much like a knife that cut through their soul.

    As of that moment, he was feeling a bit of resentment welling up inside him. He breathed out his first words in a low husky voice, ¡°Todd?¡±

    His voice was currently more subdued and dull, compared to how he normally sounded. He struggled to even swallow and felt that his throat was incredibly dry. He tried to raise his voice again and his brows furrowed as he exerted more effort than before. Thankfully, his faithful knight didn¡¯t need to be called more than twice.

    Todd finally heard his summons and immediately strode over to his bedside, ¡°I¡¯m here, Master.¡± He had earlier been sitting by the doorway of Jade¡¯s room.  While his master was sleeping, he was focused on sharpening his sword as he waited for him to wake up.

    Now that Jade has opened his eyes, Todd knelt beside his master and peered at him intently, and waited for any command. He can see that Jade was still struggling even as he spoke.

    ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re at an inn inside the forest of Espin,¡± Todd replied.

    He could see the slight furrowing of his master¡¯s brows and he tried to decipher what he was thinking by the expressions on his face, ¡°Master Jade, do you have any memories of us arriving at the inn?¡±

    He could notice the young master¡¯s eyes were still rather hazy and unfocused, as if he still couldn¡¯t see clearly, ¡°Espin Forest¡­ Inn¡­ Right.¡±

    Jade was still a little incoherent, but he was slowly remembering things.

    He remembered that there was an incident wherein he was moved with Todd supporting him. He recalled being in tremendous pain and moments where he struggled to not lose consciousness, ¡°Something unexpected happened, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    Jade memories became more vivid. He began to see in his mind where it all started to go south and what he¡¯d done wrong.

    ¡°I never expected for things to turn out like this.¡±

    This all happened because he couldn¡¯t refuse his third brother¡¯s invitation to go hunting. Even though his retinues were reluctant to let him go and advised him to not accept his brother¡¯s offer, he still stubbornly went to join the hunting party. He figured that since the weather seemed to be good, and the hunt wouldn¡¯t last long, it would be fine and he and the party could return before sunset.

    He was convinced that due to Espin Forest¡¯s rough mountain terrain, its location would be disadvantageous not only to him, but to everyone as well and they couldn¡¯t plan any attack against his life without risking their safety as well.

    However, the clear skies they were promised had suddenly turned black. Thunder and lightning surprised them, followed by a barrage of heavy rain that poured down on them.

    If it had been cloudy that morning, Jade would have prepared better for it. However, the unexpected storm caught him off guard especially because of the overly sunny weather they had been having. He was defenseless against the heavy downpour and encountered an accident.

    He let out a sigh and felt the beginning of a migraine, ¡°I don¡¯t know who¡¯s really to blame.¡±

    Jade also recalled that they encountered another misfortune yesterday. Canto, his favorite horse, was startled by the lightning and ran wild. It was concerning because his horse didn¡¯t act as it normally would.

    It¡¯s true that Canto was difficult to handle, but after it was tamed, it became a loyal horse. It only listened to its master; Jade. It never strayed and always obeyed his commands. But yesterday, Canto was terribly scared and rampaged through the woods and no one could stop its violent outburst.

    Canto was originally a wild horse before he took it in, still it was an unexpected reaction.

    His mind took him back to the moment where he was caught in the middle of a heavy downpour and the only thing that cut through the foggy darkness was thunder and lightning that flashed every other second.

    ¡®Bang! Bang!¡¯

    Canto was startled and he raised his front hooves against the invisible attack, ¡®Neigh!¡¯

    ¡°Canto! Calm down!¡± Jade had tried to control his horse¡¯s erratic behavior by pulling on his reins, but somehow Canto¡¯s thrashing only became worse.

    It started to break out into a harsh gallop and tore through the ravenous mountain plains. Twigs and small branches scratched against Jade¡¯s hunting clothes as they started to move dangerously close to the edge of a cliff.

    All Jade could think of back then was that if he fell off that cliff, he would be fatally wounded. The height of the cliff was not really lofty, but there were many rough rocks and broken trees beneath it, so his life could be threatened if he fell over it.

    ¡®Bang! Bang!¡¯ [E/N: please read this in moonlightnovels.com]

    Canto¡¯s neighing became more incessant, and Jade could feel himself being lifted off his horse, ¡°Canto!¡±

    His horse slid off the edge of the cliff and Jade managed to roll off his back before he could fall with it. It happened in an instant that he barely even processed what happened to him, he just found himself experiencing sudden pangs of pain that ran all over his body, like the raindrops that spread and soaked him as he stared up the dark skies, ¡°Ugh!¡±

    He felt as if the pain was nailing him to the ground. His limbs felt heavy, and he was immobilized. Every move he tried to make only caused him more agony. He could tell by the fact that he felt fainter by the second, and the quick spilling of warm liquid mixing with the cold rain, that he was gravely injured.

    He hurriedly lifted his head and looked around him. He glanced over the cliff but he couldn¡¯t find Canto below it.

    ¡°Canto¡­ uh-¡± Jade barely managed to utter those words as he felt excruciating pangs squeezing his insides.

    He squinted his eyes as he looked around the hazy scenery of the night forest. He knew that Todd was closely following him, but he wasn¡¯t sure if his Knight had seen him fall off from his horse. He gathered his strength and began to scream, ¡°Todd!¡±

    Jade found himself squeezing out every bit of the remaining strength in his body, and called out his Knight¡¯s name. But his voice seemed to be drowned out by the strong winds and thunderous lightning.

    ¡°To-Todd!¡±

    He tried to move his legs, but it was impossible. His eyesight was also quickly becoming blurrier and he felt lightheaded. Blood was dripping from his legs and stained the water puddles with red.

    That same crimson liquid also gushed from his forehead, dripped against his eyelids and obstructed his vision. He could feel panic coursing through his veins and began wailing in desperation.

    Suddenly there were hands holding him up and Todd¡¯s face came into view, ¡°Master! Calm down!¡±

    That was the last clear memory Jade had before he was plagued with scattered fragments of scenes wherein they wandered the woods while Todd half carried him. He supposes his vague memory of the events that unfolded was proof of how close he was to death especially when he counted the amount of times he lost consciousness and blacked out.

    ¡°Ugh- hah.¡± Jade let out a shallow sigh as Todd helped him propped himself up on the bed. He leaned against the headboard and casted his eyes back at the windows to stare at the clear expanse of the heavens.

    He was transfixed by the simple scenery before him.

    Somehow the sight of the sun rising brightly over the horizon after the onslaught of a furious storm gave him hope for a future, ¡°Todd, what else should I know?¡±

    Jade started to rub his temples as a wave of dizziness threatened to overwhelm him once more. He tried to sit up straighter to take hold of his bearings but his head still felt a bit fuzzy.

    Noticing his disposition, Todd held out a glass of water in front of his master, ¡°Here, drink it please.¡±

    Jade gratefully took a sip of water before facing his knight, ¡°I know you are not telling me everything. Tell me, what is it that you¡¯re hiding?¡±

    ¡°Yesterday, while we were wandering through the forest, I met a man who works at this inn.¡±

    Jade let out a dry cough as he listened to Todd¡¯s narration, ¡°We got to this inn with the help of that man, and treated your wounds with the medicines supplied by the workers herein. I was fortunate enough to meet someone who was good at medicine and treatment. I daresay, they are even more skilled and their medicine is more effective than anything I have ever seen in the Capital. It is thanks to them that we were able to get over the big hurdle safely.¡±

    ¡°I suppose; I was really lucky.¡±

    Jade then flipped open the blanket that covered his lower body and glanced down at his legs.

    He found himself wearing a pair of strange short pants that he¡¯s never seen before, and both of his legs were wrapped in a generous amount of bandages. He also figured that the smell of medicinal herbs he has been smelling was oozing out of those white bindings.

    ¡°Master Jade, your state is still fragile and you cannot move as easily as you want to. Although we managed to overcome the worst, you are still required to recuperate here until the wound on the leg heals. You also have a cut on your head. I suggest that you stay here and rest for a while.¡±

    Jade nodded his head at Todd¡¯s persuasion.

    The pain that he felt from his legs was more than enough for him to know his current condition. He was aware that even if he wanted to, it would be very difficult for him to leave the bed for the next three or four days.

    ¡°How about Canto and Barack? Where are they?¡± Barack was Todd¡¯s horse, and so Jade wondered what happened to them.

    ¡°Barack has followed me here. It¡¯s currently doing well and is staying in the stables. However, Canto has disappeared from the forest and we plan to go and look for him today.¡±

    Jade scratched his head, the movement scattered his beautiful blonde locks and some of it stuck out of the bandages. He thought that if only he wasn¡¯t injured, he would have also decided to go with Todd and look for his horse.

    If Canto isn¡¯t in a good condition, no matter how hard Todd tries, he won¡¯t be able to bring him back easily. A nagging voice inside of Jade was telling him that he must be the one to find his horse.

    Todd could sense what his master was thinking, that he was planning to join the search despite his condition, and so he reminded him once more of his present situation, ¡°Master Jade, aside from your minor injuries, your leg is badly injured. Not only did you hit a rock, but there was also a piece of wood buried in your thighs which we had to take out. When we removed the tree branch, it caused a tear on your flesh. The same goes for the head wound. You bumped against a rock and cut your forehead open.¡±

    Todd¡¯s explanation may have sounded convoluted, but he was only explaining the facts to him as clearly as he could. Jade was familiar with the manner of his speech and so he remained silent and waited for his Knight to finish his story.

    ¡°The only thing you can use freely right now is your hand. So please, I implore you to rest and not abuse your body.¡±

    There was sincere concern in Todd¡¯s request. He was pleading with his master with pure intentions and Jade knew that.

    All his life, he worked hard and trained his body so he could become as strong as the knights, but this time he knew that he needed sufficient rest to be able to recuperate more effectively.

    Todd stared at Jade with a heavy expression and so the latter raised his free hand and asked a rhetorical question to ease the nerves of his companion, ¡°Does this mean that if I show up in front of other people with this body, I will be teased?¡±

    The ¡®other people¡¯ whom Jade referred to were his brothers and their aides. In short, they were his enemies.

    ¡°I do not doubt it.¡±

    At the honest answer of his loyal escort, Jade let out a chuckle and laughed, ¡°Alright, I understand. Let¡¯s find Canto first and then plan our next steps while I recuperate.¡±

    Jade was aware that it was unwise for him to proceed without a plan. After all, he already made a mistake, and shamefully fell into the trap his third brother had laid out in order to eliminate him.

    He admits that the bad weather was beyond their control and no human could have prevented it, but Canto¡¯s sudden rampage was most likely a ploy his enemies had devised.

    It was clear to Jade who had caused his accident and what their objectives were. However, it was still a mystery how they were able to orchestrate their trap so meticulously as they did. He knew that there must have been a real plan to eliminate him and that he was dealing with his greatest rival, one that wasn¡¯t an easy opponent to defeat.

    ¡°What kind of people are the innkeepers here? Can we trust them?¡±

    Jade had many enemies, therefore he could not trust strangers and was often wary of people¡¯s real intentions. It bothered him that these people were aware of his injuries and his current state of health, if they let their guard down, and his enemies found out where he was, he might really die.

    ¡°To be honest, I found it strange that there was an inn deep within the forest. Furthermore, I had never heard of its existence, so I was hesitant to go here at first,¡± Todd answered with his usual blunt expression, ¡°¡­ however, it does not appear that you will be at risk here master. There are only four people living here; a middle-aged man and a woman, who appear to be a married couple and a couple of workers. I think it will be okay for us to use this place as your residence while you recover, especially because the people here do not seem to be nosy. They don¡¯t give us unnecessary attention, nor do they sneak around and interfere with our business.¡±

    While Todd spoke, Jade could not help but recall a strange image. He remembered there was a silhouette of a young woman that lingered in the deep recesses of his mind.

    ¡®I think there was also a woman who wore a fancy hat and a white lace dress¡­¡¯

    He found himself debating whether or not he actually saw her or if she was just a figment of his imagination. He couldn¡¯t brush her out of his mind for the simple reason that he found it strange that she wore a hat indoors.

    ¡°Master Jade, I have one more thing to report to you,¡± Todd¡¯s voice broke his reverie, ¡°The medicines they brought for your treatment were very effective. Therefore, I took it upon myself to order some in advance, just in case you would need more of it.¡±

    ¡°You did well, Todd.¡±

    In all his life, Jade had only trusted two people. His brother Seth, and his escort Knight, Todd. Therefore, since Todd was one of them, it was only natural that he had faith in his decision. He also knew, his Knight always looked out for his best interest.

    ¡°Very well then, let¡¯s settle here.¡±

    Jade decided for the time being to prioritize his recovery. They both could also use the time to plan their next courses of action to deal with his enemies. However, he is also worried about Seth. They would need to contact him soon as he might grow more anxious about the fact that they were missing.

    They would need to find a discreet way to reach his brother.

    ¡°Wait here for a minute, Master Jade. I will go down to the dining hall and bring you a light meal which you could easily digest.¡±

    As Todd stood up and started to head out, Jade called out to him, ¡°Wait!¡±

    His Knight stared at him curiously, ¡°While we¡¯re here, try to use the name ¡®Bastille¡¯ when referring to me. Whether or not there are people around us, please use that name when talking to me. Since we won¡¯t be leaving any time soon, I find it prudent for us to avoid revealing my real identity as much as possible. To be safe, it¡¯s best that we remain cautious even with the little things.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Bastille.¡±

    Todd quickly changed the way he addressed his master and proceeded to arrange and tucked the blankets around him. It was only after he was done with his task of covering his master¡¯s lower body did he finally step out of the room.

    As Jade basked in his newfound solitude, he found himself staring back at the window. He couldn¡¯t help but think that his bed was nicely positioned for he had a beautiful view of the outside world.

    Even though it seems ridiculous to think that he was born with good fortune, Jade thought that perhaps he was rather blessed.

    The skies outside remained a clear shade of blue and had no trace of an incoming storm. It perfectly masked the fact that it had just been pouring out rain.

    He could also see the different shades of green that surrounded the inn, as well as the flowers that blossomed in the garden. Somehow, the simple beauty of the place brought him comfort and peace of mind. He couldn¡¯t help but admit to himself that even though he had seen a lot in his lifetime, he had never seen such lovely scenery, except, through the inn¡¯s window.

    His current situation was the worst state he¡¯s been in, still he could not deny that despite the physical ache that sprung from his bruises and open wounds, this was the best he had felt in a long time.

    ¡®Now that this has happened, perhaps we can pretend that we¡¯re on vacation and finally be able to get some rest.¡¯

    He sunk into his mattress comfortably as his positive thoughts washed away the bitterness of yesterday. [E/N: please read this in moonlightnovels.com]

    -To be continued

 Chapter 5

    PIASPM Chapter 5

    Todd and Thanos set out to search for Canto. The former carried a sword while the latter held a spear and they headed to the place where Jade had an accident since it was also the last location where his horse was seen.

    To outsiders they would have appeared imposing and conspicuous, especially since they had towering figures and were quite brawny. Admittedly, they often met people in the past who were wary and suspicious of them because of their demeanor, however, they did not have to worry about curious onlookers because aside from them, there were no other human beings in the forest. It was just the two of them there and they were grateful for that fact.

    As the pair continued on their trail, Todd could not help but voice out a question that has been plaguing him ever since he met Thanos and the rest of the inn people, ¡°Sir, I have been wondering how you managed to run an inn business in a forest like this?¡±

    Todd by nature, was not a talkative person, and he would normally prefer not to stick his nose in other people¡¯s business. However, this time he decided to ask on purpose mainly because he knew he and his master needed to stay at the inn for many days.  He thought it was necessary for him to know what kind of people they were going to live with and he was hoping to get a sense of their characters through engaging them in simple conversations.

    When the older man remained silent, he decided to press on, ¡°I mean, is the inn even doing well?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve had people come to our inn who are as ignorant as you are, so you don¡¯t have to concern yourself with how we make business with our inn.¡± Todd realized that Thanos was even more straightforward than he was. Still, despite the man¡¯s bluntness, he found himself oddly comfortable with the man even though he was twenty years his senior.

    Though he was a man with few words, Todd could sense that he had a subtle consideration for others around him and did not use intimidation needlessly. As they quickened their pace and went deeper into the forest, Thanos held out his hand and faced Todd, ¡°Tread carefully, there is a swamp up ahead.¡±

    It was with that simple gesture that Todd was able to ascertain that Thanos was a good person.

    As Todd was walking a few paces in front of Todd the latter suddenly called out to him, ¡°Come back here.¡±

    When Todd casted his eyes back at his companion, he noticed that he was looking at a distance, but he couldn¡¯t decipher what it was that captured his attention. The only thing that stood out to him was Thanos¡¯ serious face and so he unconsciously found himself obeying the former.

    ¡°Tell me the characteristics of a horse.¡± Thano¡¯s tone became a little softer this time, perhaps because he had heeded his words without any complaints.

    ¡°It is a striking horse. You¡¯ll be able to recognize it when you see it. However, it is more wild than ordinary horses. If something is wrong with it, then it¡¯ll be difficult to handle, even if there¡¯s two of us.¡± Todd didn¡¯t make it obvious in front of Thanos, but he was a little relieved that he did not come here alone. Canto was originally a hard horse to tame.

    ¡°You look like an escort guard; so how did you encounter such misfortune?¡±

    Much like Todd who tried to find more information about the people working at the inn, Thanos also did not try to mask his curiosity with their new guest.

    Todd gave Thanos a pensive look, as if he was trying to understand what the latter¡¯s intentions were by asking him that question before he answers him. After a few seconds of silence went by, he finally opened his mouth and replied, ¡°I¡¯m still ashamed and regretful about what happened. I wasn¡¯t able to guard my master because of someone¡¯s tricks. Furthermore, I think the sudden and unexpected downpour contributed to the accident. Long story short, Master Bastille was hunting alone, and I was trailing far behind him. That¡¯s what happened. I feel like I¡¯m just making excuses for myself, it is all my fault.¡±

    Todd clenched his teeth in frustration after he finished talking. He felt as though he was just finding justifications as to why he was remiss in his duties rather than explain what really happened.

    He knew he wasn¡¯t completely to blame for the unavoidable circumstances they faced, however, when he saw Jade¡¯s injured he couldn¡¯t help but feel responsible for the accident. He regretted that he wasn¡¯t by his master¡¯s side. Even if he had to break regulations, he should have been close to him.

    ¡°Even the most skillful knights know the stories about Espin Forest. They all know it is easy to get lost here. It is also undeniably harder to navigate these woods during bad weather, what more if someone used schemes to cause an accident. Injuries would have been unavoidable, so don¡¯t blame yourself.¡±  The frank remark of the older man brought comfort to Todd¡¯s guilt stricken heart, and he only grew more curious about the real identities of the people who worked at the inn.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking us about who we are?¡±

    ¡®Why didn¡¯t he ask for our identities and names? Whether it¡¯s a real name or a pseudonym, I wonder why he didn¡¯t ask for anything, even though he would need to write about us in a lodging book. It¡¯s even more suspicious because the inn didn¡¯t seem to have a clear system for its operation.¡¯ This Todd thought as he waited for Thanos to answer.

    When he thought that Thanos was ignoring him, Todd continued, ¡°I mean, aren¡¯t you the least bit curious? Shouldn¡¯t you know who your guests are?¡±

    ¡°It is the will of our master not to pry into our guests¡¯ privacy, that¡¯s why I don¡¯t bother to ask you anything.¡± Thanos replied with an undecipherable look on his face.

    Todd¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Then does that mean, you¡¯re not the owner of the inn?¡±

    This time, Thanos looked at Todd, who couldn¡¯t hide his disbelief. Then he opened his mouth and asked, ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m the owner?¡±

    ¡°I thought it was an inn run by a couple.¡±

    ¡°I think you assumed Linda as my wife, but you¡¯re mistaken, we¡¯re not a couple.¡±

    Thanos said succinctly so that he would not misunderstand any further.

    ¡°Then who is the master of the inn?¡± By this time, Todd could no longer hide his curiosity, especially when it comes to the owner of the strange inn located in such a remote area.

    ¡°You will find out when we return.¡± Thanos answered simply as he quickened his steps.  He then turned to his companion and asked, ¡°Do you remember where the accident happened?¡±

    His sudden question reminded Todd of their original purpose in the forest.

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. The only thing I remembered is that there was a small waterfall nearby, but I think we passed by two waterfalls which looked to be of the same size. However, I think it wasn¡¯t too far from the location of the inn.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s near the inn then perhaps that¡¯s why you met me.¡± Thanos nodded his head at his statement and glanced around the area. He then pointed at a trail, ¡°I think it might be over there. The closest waterfall to the inn is over there, so let¡¯s go there first.¡±

    Todd obeyed Thanos¡¯ direction without hesitation.

    ****

    Ahin carried a meal towards Jade¡¯s room. She then carefully set the plates down and greeted the young man with flushed cheeks, ¡°Bon Appetit!¡±

    Jade responded by giving the young maid a slight nod, which only caused the girl¡¯s blush to deepen. The latter then excitedly went out of his room and closed the door behind her softly.

    As soon as she exited the premises, Ahin started bouncing on her steps while pinching herself, ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable! I¡¯ve never seen such a handsome man before.¡±

    Ahin was very excited about the young man who was not only very handsome but also appeared very poised. The girl patted her warm cheeks and smiled, ¡°He looked quite regal, like the royal family, and he seemed very kind as well.¡± She told herself as she tried to recount her small exchange with their new guest.

    She couldn¡¯t help but compare his visuals with other men she¡¯s seen. After all, whenever Ahin had an opportunity, she would often volunteer to accompany Linda or Thanos when they made visits to the capital city and needed to shop. She recalled she¡¯d often see several men and even famous gentlemen during her short trips. Though she was convinced for a long time that there were many pretty faces, after seeing the injured young man, she began to doubt the beauties she used to consider. Suddenly, they¡¯ve started to look ugly in her mind, or perhaps their guest was just too handsome that all others fail in comparison.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± An unwelcome voice interrupted Ahin¡¯s pleasant musings and wiped the grin off her face. She quickly dropped her hands that used to cradle her cheeks and face Kai.

    It was he who interrupted her thoughts when he arrived upstairs and carried a broom with him.

    ¡°Shh!¡± Ahin put an index finger to her lips and quickly walked over to Kai and pulled him aside. She then leaned closer to him and whispered, ¡°I was thinking of our new guest. He¡¯s really handsome. He looks very expensive. It¡¯s like, he has gold spilled on his face!¡±

    Kai looked at the love stricken girl with disgust, ¡°What nonsense are you saying?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just such a beautiful person. I¡¯m sure that when you see his face, you¡¯ll also think the same.¡±

    ¡°Whether or not what you say is true, doesn¡¯t matter to me. Why would I make a fuss over that, like you?¡± Kai gave her a look like she was talking crazy. He couldn¡¯t understand her at all.

    For her part, Ahin just let out a sigh and shook her head, ¡°He must be the son of a noble family, but what use is that if they don¡¯t know he is hurt?¡±

    Kai grimaced as if he couldn¡¯t hear her anymore and shook her, ¡°Are you crazy? After what you¡¯ve been through, how can you still afford to worry about a nobleman just because he is handsome?¡±

    At Kai¡¯s ministrations, Ahin couldn¡¯t help but pout her lips, ¡°You are right about that. However, what happened to me is not his fault. You best remember not to be mean for no reason.¡±

    Offended by her simple and thoughtless plea, Kai let out a heavy sigh and released his grip on her, ¡°Stop loitering around here, make yourself useful and go downstairs. Your mother is looking for you.¡± Kai often referred to Linda as Ahin¡¯s mother.

    The younger girl flung her tongue out at him, like a child having a tantrum before she hurried down the stairs.

    Kai looked at her retreating back and couldn¡¯t help but think that she was rather pathetic. Judging by his standards, he views her as a rather immature girl, ¡®How can she live thinking like that?¡¯

    Kai puffed his chest out and glanced at the closed doors where their wounded guest was staying.

    He couldn¡¯t help but revisit his memories. His and Ahin¡¯s lives were once threatened because of nobles. It came to a point, wherein they were forced to retreat into the forest to avoid the mob that were chasing after them. Truth be told, he didn¡¯t know there was an inn that existed in Espin forest, but somehow he came to this place.

    He remembers that it was late at night, and he had been starving for several days, and it was at that moment when he no longer had the strength to even walk because of his injuries that he had a fateful encounter with the cats. He thought he was going to die back then. However, instead of dying, he managed to wake up and when he opened his eyes, he was already at the inn and his injuries were healed.

    He later found out that they were healed by Millen. Since then, she became his new master.

    Thanks to the bizarre and scary rumors that plagued the Espin Forest, nobles rarely dared to tread on its path so he lived peacefully therein without worrying about the nobles that pursued him. He was content to live there peacefully until the end of his days.

    Even though it has been a long time, because of his past and what he has experienced, it was still difficult for him to look at nobles without prejudice. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from muttering towards the door¡¯s direction as he cleaned the area, ¡°Just stay here quietly and leave just as quietly, my Lord.¡± He spoke those last words sarcastically before he concentrated back on his task.

    On the other hand, Jade, who was unaware of the slight commotion outside his room, remained seated on his bed with a regretful expression painted on his face. He has stayed in that position since he received his meal which was delivered to him by Ahin.

    He wasn¡¯t sulking because he thought the food they brought him was poor, he didn¡¯t even have any appetite in the first place. Rather, he was disappointed because he had hoped to see someone else. He didn¡¯t even realize that he was expecting to see another person until after he saw Ahin carry his food in. As soon as Jade heard the knock, he thought of someone else, the image of a young woman wearing a fancy hat was what came into his mind.

    ¡®Will we see each other again?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but wonder about that strange lady. He didn¡¯t know why, but he was curious about her face, and he wanted to talk to her too. When he thought it was her that came to his door, he unconsciously straightened his back and tried to untangle some of his hair and cleared his voice before answering.

    He had expected to see her and so he mentally prepared himself to greet her, but it wasn¡¯t her. His disappointment was great, but he did not let that show to the maid who stepped in instead.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure there is something rare about her.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but imagine what she might look like. Even though his memories were hazy, he doesn¡¯t know why he only remembers her outfit. He doubts he¡¯s fixated on her because he found that she had a lovely face and a nice figure. If he was being honest to himself, he has seen a great deal of lovely women with beautiful figures, and frankly, he¡¯s grown tired of them. How could he not when his older brothers always paraded them around?

    ¡®Should I make up a reason to see her again?¡¯ A small chuckle escaped his lips before he finally broke out in laughter. He found it rather comical that he was thinking deeply and shaking his head for ideas to meet with that mysterious girl just because he was curious about her face. Perhaps he just wanted to see the head that was attached to her body which seemed rather graceful to him.

    ¡®I don¡¯t usually act like this, perhaps I really have hurt my head.¡¯

    ****

    It wasn¡¯t until late in the afternoon that Thanos and Todd arrived back at the inn.

    Millen, who secretly waited for their return, ran straight to the front door to greet them, ¡°Have you found it?¡±

    Thanos took off his coat and answered, ¡°No, we didn¡¯t.¡± His expression remained impassive, but she recognized that he was using a softer tone than usual when strangers were around them.

    ¡°We even searched around the areas away from the site of the accident.¡±

    The pair labored all afternoon in places they think Canto could have run to. They found some traces of hooves, but they weren¡¯t able to determine the route it took and some of its tracks were also washed away by the rain. It became even more difficult to search for the missing horse when the afternoon light was washed away by the darkness that slowly settled, and the shadows of the trees rose higher as the sun set. So they had no choice but to return to the inn empty handed.

    Furthermore, the two were also worried about the safety of their masters whom they left behind, all day and afternoon.

    Millen gave him a slightly crestfallen look, but she quickly changed her expression and spoke to them in a gentle voice, ¡°Good work.¡±

    She then moved closer to Thanos and pulled him aside to say what she had in mind. She covered the sides of her mouth with both of her hands and whispered in a hushed tone, ¡°I¡¯m going to ask the cats for help.¡±

    Thanos was a little surprised at Millen¡¯s show of eagerness. It has been a long time since he last saw her aggressively being involved in something. Though she tried not to show it, he could tell his mistress felt strongly about helping their new guests, so he just nodded his head in response.

    It was at that moment, when Todd, who was standing behind Thanos, interrupted their conversation, ¡°Excuse me, while you were speaking¡­¡±

    Todd spoke in a cautious tone and approached Thanos. The two stood side by side, and Millen couldn¡¯t help but think they looked like father and son, especially since they seemed to share the same appearance and personality.

    This time however, Todd turned his gaze to Millen and addressed her for the first time, ¡°Are you the owner of this inn?¡±

    After hearing a question that countless guests also asked her before, Milen answered by pointing at his head.

    It was a gesture that expressed that one was not fond of the current speaker, question or the conversation. It was a response Millen always used, and each time she did so, most of the guests disappeared while looking quite displeased. She may have offended a lot of people by acting that way, but she managed to avoid interacting with their guests that way.

    She thought he would act the same way the others did. That¡¯s why she was taken aback when Todd slightly bowed at her and talked once more in a more courteous voice, ¡°I give you my formal greetings, my lady. My name is Todd and I am the escort guard for Bastille, who is staying as a guest.¡±

    As young as she was, Millen had run the inn for a long time. Based on her experience, only a few people treated ladies of unknown origins with respect. Therefore, Millen found herself involuntarily accepting his greetings and also bowed slightly at his direction.

    After their small exchange, Todd spoke again, ¡°I have a message from Master Bastille to the owner of the inn.¡± He paused to catch his breath before continuing, ¡°Master Bastille formally sends his thanks to the master of the inn, his benefactor, and said that he would like to have a conversation with you to discuss the medicine he was receiving. And if you need help with anything¡ª¡±

    From what Millen observed, it appeared as though it was not only the escort but also his master who seemed to have a good amount of human decency and they even wanted to show their goodwill. However, she did not need that from them, so she raised her hands and cut him off while he was in the middle of his speech.

    Others may say his offer of help was a sign of chivalry, but to Millen she found it rather offensive, ¡°Who needs help? Do you mean I need help?¡±

    Millen smirked at him as she pointed at herself with her finger.

    ¡®Look, I¡¯m a wizard. Do you think I need help?¡¯

    -To be continued

 Chapter 6

    PIASPM Chapter 6

    Millen was confident and honest in everything she did because she was a wizard.

    Furthermore, she had nothing to fear because guests who could use magic would not be able to visit their inn by their own will alone. They could only do so if they were led to it by the cats.

    Millen straightened her back and faced Todd. She then spoke in a calm voice, ¡°It¡¯s not I who needs help, it is you.¡±

    At Millen¡¯s blunt remark, Todd responded with a slightly bewildered look. It was clear to anyone that he hadn¡¯t even imagined such an answer would come from her. He cleared his throat and spoke softly, ¡°I mean no offense, my Lady. I was only trying to be polite and I just wanted to do something for you in return for all the kindness and help you¡¯ve given us.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t need any of that,¡± said Millen with a stubbornness painted on her face. However, Todd was equally unrelenting, and he didn¡¯t back down easily either.

    ¡°We want to be polite as human beings should.¡± Despite what he was currently feeling, he was still a man of courtesy. Nevertheless, he had to remind himself that this was the ¡®Cat Inn¡¯ ; where strange and mysterious things happened, and it was the place where the words of its owner, Millen, was the law.

    ¡°There is no need to be so polite here. So, don¡¯t bring this up again.¡± Millen replied as she stared at him coldly. She then turned her back to him and touched the string that hung from her wide-brimmed hat; it was a strong gesture that indicated to the person receiving it to not talk any further.

    Regardless of how she acted, deep in her heart she felt a little uneasy.

    As she walked away, her mind unexpectedly drifted off to their wounded guest, ¡®He says his master¡¯s name was Bastille.¡¯

    Truth be told, she found that his presence in their inn overwhelmed her to the point of annoyance. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but be curious about Bastille. No matter how hard she denied or tried to distract herself, it was a fact that she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him.

    ¡®I¡¯m a little curious about what he looks like¡­¡¯

    Millen, without even realizing it, continued musing about him.

    ****

    Millen entered her laboratory and gently took her hat off and sat it on a nearby wooden table.

    The floorboards creaked as she approached the corners of the room to open all the windows. She often did this when she came there in order to ventilate the room. Since the area was closed off and housed various potions, herbs and plants, it often was humid, and so musky odors easily developed and would tangle with each other in there.

    Sometimes, if there were spillages, the room could even smell rather putrid.

    Today was no exception, a foul odor leaked out of a vial that spilled earlier that day, and it subtly permeated the air inside the premises. Millen found herself needing fresh air and so she poked her head out of her window and looked down at the scenery of their inn¡¯s peaceful gardens.

    Her eyes scanned through the greenery, as if she was looking for someone or something. Finally, her face lit up when she found what she was looking for. She called out in a cheerful voice, ¡°Buzz!¡±

    As soon as she said that name, a white cat with a lovely expression appeared and glanced up at Millen¡¯s direction.

    Millen stared back at it in relief, she had been waiting for Buzz to arrive all morning, ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Millen cried out to the white cat in a cheerful tone.

    The cat gave its surrounding area quick sweeping glances. After doing so, it stretched out its limbs and immediately came up to the window.

    White cats were relatively smaller than black cats. That¡¯s why it was more agile when it climbed up to reach her. At last, it landed on the window and jumped into the room. Millen stared at the white cat happily, ¡°Buzz, were you waiting for me?¡± Millen greeted it as if she was talking to her friend.

    Buzz smiled and rubbed its head against Millen¡¯s skirts. So Millen crouched down and started to stroke the back of its neck. The cat responded by purring as it leaned in closer to her touch. After their affectionate exchange, it stared at Millen intently and blinked a few times. It looked as though it was passing important information to its mistress, ¡®Meow¡­Meow¡­¡¯

    ¡°¡­Really?¡± Millen¡¯s voice and expressions were mixed with joy and surprise. She felt excited by the new news Buzz was giving her.

    ¡®Meow¡­Meow¡­¡¯ She could clearly see the pride oozing out of the white cat by the way it purred and relayed the message.

    ¡°Alright, please let me know as soon as more information comes in.¡±

    ¡®Meow¡­Meow¡­¡¯

    Cats with the same eye color as that of Millen had abilities that made them unique. They usually possessed unusual powers that could not be found in any other cat.

    The white cats were a little more delicate than the black ones, while the black cats were a little more aggressive than the white ones. Millen would often notice that the black cats would be engaged in a lot of activities and kept to themselves while white cats easily expressed their cute sides to humans.

    Due to its naturally friendly disposition, the delicate and amiable white cat, Buzz, communicated well with other animals too, which is the reason why it became a good bearer of news. Animals that communicated well with Buzz were usually the squirrels, rabbits, badgers, moles, and birds.

    That day, Buzz told her about the conversations it had with squirrels and sparrows.

    ¡°Thank you, Buzz.¡± Millen showed her gratitude by kissing it.

    Then, she lightly squeezed the cat¡¯s pink nose and gave it as much care as she could, for Millen, they were her family.

    * * *

    The next day, Thanos and Todd, who had been searching for Jade¡¯s horse since early morning, came back to the inn by noon time.

    Once again, they had to return empty-handed. Neither were they able to gather more clues about Canto¡¯s whereabouts.

    Todd thanked Thanos, but it was clear to everyone that he was disheartened by their fruitless search. The former then proceeded to report to his master the results of their work.

    For his part, Thanos finished his lunch with a look of indifference on his face.

    After which, he spent the rest of the afternoon, tending to his usual post at the inn, made rounds and ascertained that the whole area was safe.

    After a few hours passed, Thanos, who had finished guarding the surroundings, came to Millen¡¯s laboratory after he changed his clothes. He wore a neat outerwear and approached Millen, who was sitting at her working table, ¡°I¡¯m going to the market, my Lady.¡±

    He had meant that he would go to the center of the capital to buy necessities and groceries for their consumption.

    Customarily, when they had guests, it was implicit that only Thanos was the one who would go out alone, do the shopping and return quickly back to the inn. On the other hand, when they had no guests, Ahin and Kai would usually beg to go with Thanos, but today, they did not. Therefore, Millen casted a silent spell to ease up Ahin and Kai¡¯s moods so they both wouldn¡¯t be too upset for not being able to go to town with Thanos.

    She nodded her head in acknowledgement and addressed the older gentleman, ¡°Thanos, this time, the money bag is heavy, so buy a lot of meat, and also buy a lot of that exotic fruit that was said to have come from the southern countries.¡±

    ¡°Understood, my Lady.¡± Thanos¡¯ lips curved up into a slight smile as he recognized his mistress¡¯ considerate heart.

    Even though Millen herself did not like to go out to visit the center of the capital, she was still quite knowledgeable because she knew the outside of the forest very well.

    ¡°I will go now, my Lady.¡± Thanos then set out on the road purposefully.

    As soon as Thanos left, Linda knocked at her lab¡¯s door and entered.

    She carried a tray with a teapot and teacup, inside the room. Millen also saw some cookies placed on the silver platter as her nanny stepped into the premises.

    The older woman flashed her a bright smile, ¡°My Lady, I brought chrysanthemum tea.¡±

    Linda, who had been taking care of Millen since she was young, was relieved that it was time to feed her. So she went up to the third floor with her homemade cookies and presented them to her mistress. As she set the tray down on the room¡¯s tea table, she casted a glance at Millen¡¯s work table, ¡°My Lady? What are you doing?¡±

    Millen, who moments ago was engrossed in her experiment, suddenly ruffled her hair in frustration. She looked like she was deeply tormented. After tugging at her hair, she then slammed her forehead against the wooden table and sighed loudly.

    Seeing this, her nanny quickly went to her side and asked, ¡°Is there any problem?¡±

    ¡°I failed again. This is the twentieth time that I have failed.¡± Millen replied and sulked some more.

    Linda gave her a tender look, as if she was staring at a lost baby lamb.

    Millen continued to wear a pitiful expression on her face and so Linda walked closer to her pouting lady and patted her droopy back tenderly.

    ¡°I must be incompetent, Linda. I keep failing!¡± Millen complained as she let her Nanny rub her back.

    ¡°So what if you fail? Even failures are possible because you are still young. What you¡¯re doing is something other people couldn¡¯t even attempt to do. Am I wrong? Therefore, it¡¯s okay to fail, my Lady.¡±

    Still Millen was unconvinced by her comforting words, ¡°But twenty is too large a number to still be failing.¡±

    ¡°You have inherited your mother¡¯s blood. Like her, you will learn from failures and eventually succeed. So it¡¯s alright. Have you forgotten? You¡¯re the only one who looks exactly like her.¡±

    Millen raised her head and her eyes glistened at the mention of her mother.

    Her lavender-colored irises gleamed brightly and shone with joy. It was apparent on her face how she was pleased to hear those comments from her nanny, ¡°Do I really look just like my mother?¡±

    Millen¡¯s eyes were pleading at Linda.

    It was like they were loudly telling her that; ¡®Please tell me that I look like her! That I¡¯m just like her!¡¯. She straightened Millen¡¯s back as she pulled her up and into a sitting position. The former then held the latter¡¯s hand and cupped them with hers, from an outsider¡¯s perspective, they looked like they were praying together.

    Linda smiled kindly and brushed away some of Millen¡¯s messy hair that clung to her forehead. Her touch was gentle, that it almost reminded Millen that if her mother was alive, she too would have done the same for her.

    ¡°Well, maybe you¡¯re not exactly the same. However, the color of your hair and eyes are the same. She is also kind to her family members, and she likes flowers and tea too. Furthermore, you inherited all of her amazing magical abilities.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course! You are definitely Liz¡¯ child. I¡¯m surprised that the paternal side didn¡¯t even show, your fingernails don¡¯t even resemble your father¡¯s¡­¡±

    At the mention of her father, Millen stiffened.

    Silence immediately fell in the room and even Linda grew quite self-conscious. Her nanny began to squirm uncomfortably and covered her mouth as if she was confused by the recent events, ¡°Oh my gosh. This old mouth again¡­¡±

    She was reckless, and unknowingly made a slip of the tongue because she was focused on easing Millen¡¯s feelings of insecurity. She was well aware how she uttered words that she should not have put in her mouth in the first place.

    As speechless as she was, she was thankful that at least Thanos wasn¡¯t with them that time. She knew if he was, he would have spat out a bitter rebuke.

    ¡°I made a mistake again! Every time this old mouth of mine opens, it just says things it shouldn¡¯t. I¡¯ll have to sew this up or find a way to get rid of it¡­¡± Linda continued to stutter and gesticulated in panic in front of Millen.

    Millen knew that it wasn¡¯t just an uncomfortable topic for her, but it was also equally a sensitive topic for Linda. She raised her hands and grabbed Linda¡¯s in order to calm the older woman, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Linda.¡±

    When Linda managed to recover her bearings, Millen finally released her hold on her and spoke, ¡°It¡¯s okay, so don¡¯t blame yourself too much.¡±

    ¡°But still¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry because I¡¯m not the same as before.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Linda¡¯s eyes widened and she stared at Millen anxiously.

    Millen nodded in response, ¡°Yes, really.¡±

    Twenty years have passed since that day.

    Millen, the newborn baby, had now become a twenty-year-old lady.

    The once quirky and cute little girl grew up to be a wizard just like her mother.

    ¡°Linda was right. I guess time really is the medicine.¡± She said absentmindedly as she reflected back on her life.

    Her mother, who was a wizard, was killed in a witch hunt.

    Millen had to go through great sorrows since the time of her birth. Her growing up years were certainly no bed of roses. However, as the years went by, she slowly became numb to all the pain, and her wounded heart had hardened like calluses.

    Although Millen had lived in the Weber Empire, where magic was forbidden, and she never appeared in public, she was still unmistakably a wizard. Therefore, she knew the importance of securing her identity and keeping her anonymity.

    She became well aware how neither of them had spoken and she slowly felt suffocated by the deafening silence between them and so Millen opened her mouth and changed the topic, ¡°By the way, how is our injured guest?¡±

    ¡°It is still difficult for him to move, but he seems a lot better now. He ate all the meat soup we had sent to him for lunch. Aside from his gentle personality, his face also appears to be perfect. I reckon it¡¯s because he is so handsome that Ahin couldn¡¯t stop talking about how she can die happily by just seeing his face. She always sings praises to him each time she comes back to the kitchen after her visits to that customer. Sometimes, she really loses her self-consciousness and propriety when she is excited¡­Tsk, tsk¡­¡± Linda shook her head softly and started to pour the tea into Millen¡¯s teacup.

    Millen shrugged as she watched Linda push the tea in front of her, ¡°Isn¡¯t Ahin of that age though? It¡¯s only natural for girls her age to be very interested in men.¡±

    Millen raised her teacup to her lips and breathed in its subtle scent.

    As it warmed her hands, she couldn¡¯t help but smile quietly to herself. However, her peacefulness was suddenly broken by Linda¡¯s indignant voice, ¡°Oh my gosh! My Lady and Ahin are only two years apart. You know, you sometimes pretend to be an adult when you are still very young. Please don¡¯t do that. People will think we¡¯re similar in ages, when in fact, you¡¯re only 20 years old¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Millen frowned and pursed her lips at her nanny, ¡°¡­But Linda you know I¡¯m right that she¡¯s been talking nonsense ever since she laid eyes on him? It sounds to me like Ahin only cares about men and makes a lot of fuss out of it.¡±

    Linda rolled her eyes and tilted her head. She then showed her temper that only young silly girls encountered, ¡°I know right? Did you see her just now? Goodness, she talked like a person possessed after she came out of the bathroom.¡±

    So Millen couldn¡¯t help but laugh and added, ¡°I did! I observed, she¡¯s even making a face that looks like hasn¡¯t been cleaning her ass properly these days.¡±

    ¡°Gosh, Miss! Such vulgar words!¡± The terrified Linda pondered whether to shut her mistress¡¯ mouth or cover her ears.

    She ended up shuddering in disgust at the mental images Millen put in her head.

    Millen¡¯s unreadable expressions, no matter what she said, were always a source of concern for her Nanny.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I talk like this? Linda does it too?¡± Millen gave a mischievous smile to her now petrified nanny.

    Linda stared at her incredulously and exclaimed, ¡°Are you and I the same? Are you not a young lady? This is not how a lady of your stature should speak!¡±

    ¡°Hush!¡± Millen put her index finger to her lips and gave her a reproachful look. Even if there were only the two of them in the room, they still had to be careful, lest the wind carried their voices to ears who were not meant to hear them.

    To be continued

 Chapter 7

    PIASPM Chapter 7

    ¡°Oh, please be careful not to make me scared!¡±

    ¡°In my opinion, I won¡¯t make a fuss.. you are the one who is careful, don¡¯t you think so? Because I¡¯m just your servant and you are my lady.¡±

    Millen then gave Linda a broad smile and pointed her finger at the window. Outside, were two white cats  and three black cats sitting on the railing of the opened window. They were staring back at both Millen and Linda. It was as if they had come to spy on the two women.

    ¡°Meow, meow¡­¡± The bewildered Linda and the cats who met her eyes exchanged quick glances towards each other. Although to outsiders, the cats were just ¡®meowing¡¯, Millen understood completely what they were saying¡­

    ¡°Why is it the old woman acting like that when she is the cause of most accidents?¡± One of the white cats started.

    Its companion answered, ¡°At least, for the time being, she seems self-aware that she is the main culprit.¡±

    However, unlike the white cats, the black cats were very blunt with their words.

    ¡°In the future, I plan to do something grand, hehe. So one day I¡¯ll definitely have to sew shut that snout of hers.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything that you know won¡¯t happen! If you do that, you know that old woman will threaten you by not giving you food. That one  considers us as piglets, you know.¡±

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t make me vomit in front of the Lady!¡±

    Millen couldn¡¯t help but let out a mental laugh as she listened to the cats talk about Linda and their mischievous plans of giving her a ¡°surprise¡±, ¡®What should I do, they sound so funny!¡¯

    The nanny couldn¡¯t understand the cats, but Millen understood everything, and she almost burst out laughing. She covered her mouth with her hands and struggled to contain her laughter.

    Cats often go unnoticed and are extremely observant, so there was barely anything they didn¡¯t know about. However, their mouths were as rough as the sheepdogs. Especially the black ones.

    Linda, a little embarrassed by the atmosphere, turned to Millen and asked, ¡°Ah, what are they talking about these days?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, I just thought that we¡¯re really fortunate that they are all on our side. Isn¡¯t that right, Linda?¡± Millen winked one of her eyes at her cats.

    ¡°It is, but¡­I don¡¯t really understand them, they also tend to keep to themselves. They also appear out of nowhere and always seem to follow where you are. Are you not bothered by them always taking your time and invading your space?¡± Linda grumbled as she started to arrange the basket of herbs and Millen¡¯s books that were scattered on her lab table.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re acting like that because my lady is used to it. You are growing very rude and have become rather tolerant of their selfish ways. I feel like you have to change that habit of yours.¡± Linda lifted five books at once and put them down with a booming sound. Her motions appeared to Millen as if she was trying to scare someone. Regardless of Linda¡¯s ministrations, the big cats didn¡¯t even bat an eye at her.

    ¡°Linda, you have to tell them what you mean so that the cats will understand. Also they¡¯re not growing up, they¡¯re getting older with us. You said it yourself once, that they weren¡¯t children.¡±

    Linda sighed, it was as if the older woman was tired of their conversation because she knew her mistress will never stop coddling her cats, ¡°I know, I know. Seriously, I have a lot of work to do.¡± The nanny suddenly pretended to be busy.

    ¡®It¡¯s all because the young lady raised them that way!¡¯ She wanted to say this to Millen, but she couldn¡¯t, so she left the lab while pounding her fist against her chest in frustration.

    Millen finally let out the chuckle she had been holding in the moment the lab door closed. As soon as she regained her breathing, she turned to her cats and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t Linda cute? She¡¯s fifty, but she¡¯s so cute, right?¡±

    Millen spoke with a delighted expression on her face and proceeded to drink the remainder of her tea. However, unlike their mistress, the cats gave her incredulous looks. Some of them even had their nostrils flared. One of the cats gave her a look and said, ¡°My Lady, it¡¯s not cute to do that when you¡¯re fifty.¡±

    Millen supposes the cats weren¡¯t too fond of Linda¡¯s fussiness. After all, if it weren¡¯t for her nanny, they¡¯d bring their daily catch of mice and carry it in the inn with their mouths.

    One of the white cats with a relatively calm personality participated in the conversation of the murmuring black cats and added, ¡°Even though she regards us as piglets, we¡¯ve been very patient with her.¡±

    ¡°But, come on, let¡¯s have a proper talk. To be honest, it is true that you guys eat as much as pigs do.¡±

    At this statement the black cats reacted strongly and appeared deeply offended, ¡°Even so, I don¡¯t want to be treated like those guys! Because they can¡¯t talk to humans like we do!¡±

    ¡°I hate that comparison! I¡¯m not fond of dogs but I will rather be treated like one than be called a piglet. Don¡¯t you guys agree?¡±

    ¡°Me too! But being treated like dogs also gets on my nerves! We are cats, but they keep telling us to play aegyo like dogs and trying to train us in a strange way. They keep saying; sit, stand, and wait, why do they keep doing that to us?¡±

    ¡°I know right? Every time they do that, I get really annoyed.¡±

    Millen smiled broadly, and revealed her teeth because the chatter of the cats was funny.

    Thanks to Linda and the cats, she almost forgot about her failure and she began to regain her will to try again.

    ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll tell Linda not to do that to you guys.¡±

    Millen often saw them grumble and complain about the humans of the inn because Linda and Kai often did those things to cats. Although they were special compared to ordinary cats, they were still essentially part of the feline family. It was natural for them to be annoyed if they were treated like dogs.

    One of the white cats was named Buzz and it had been quiet for a while which Millen noticed. She gave it a sideways glance and observed that it had a rather contemplative look on its face, as if it were waiting engaged in an internal debate.  Therefore, Millen decided to ask what was bothering it, with a slightly serious look on her face, ¡°Alright Buzz, tell me, what did you find out?¡±

    Buzz started meowing at Millen, ¡°The horse that belonged to the injured guest was found by the omnivorous badgers.¡±

    Her eyes widened, ¡°Really? Did those omnivorous badgers really see it?¡±

    Just then the other cats raised their front paws towards Buzz, their paws hit each other as if they were trying to recapture Millen¡¯s attention. They looked like they also wanted to tell Millen something else. However, Millen was more interested in what Buzz had to say and so she stared at the others seriously and spoke in a stern voice, ¡°Hey, you guys. If you don¡¯t want to sit still, then go somewhere else.¡±

    Millen¡¯s resolute remark made the cats quiet in an instant.

    When she looked at the black cats who were usually not shy to show their expressions to her, they  bowed their heads and avoided her gaze instead.

    Millen casted her eyes back at Buzz, ¡°Tell me Buzz? Don¡¯t hide it.¡±

    So Buzz relented and told her the news. After hearing it, Millen stood up from her seat and exclaimed, ¡°What?¡±

    She then tapped her table with both of her hands in anxiousness.

    The news Buzz brought her was news for other people, but despite that fact, Millen reacted like it was her own. She couldn¡¯t help but feel hurt as well.  Millen¡¯s hands trembled softly as they rested on her table.

    Just then, the black cats, who had been quiet for a while, raised their front paws again and fired powerful punches towards each other and started nagging amongst themselves, ¡°That¡¯s why I told you not to meddle in other people¡¯s affairs!¡±

    ¡°Why are you getting upset?¡±

    ¡°I told you guys no good can come from being friendly with badgers who eat anything, hehe!¡±

    The cats were being noisy, but Millen didn¡¯t pay attention to them.  She was still stunned by the heartbreaking news. Then, she quickly felt her eyes watering. Tears welled up and started to pool in her irises. It really wasn¡¯t her own business, but she knew this kind of sadness better than anyone. She couldn¡¯t help but stutter out between sobs¡­

    ¡°How can I¡­tell them¡­¡±

    The cats, who only seconds ago were loudly chattering became silent and gave Millen a sympathetic look. Millen sighed and tried to calm her tears. She faced them and wiped her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s sad.¡±

    The cats¡¯ lavender eyes also looked somber. It was because they did not know where her sorrow came from. When Buzz came to bring the news to their mistress, the others had no choice but to wait for her to process it. When it seemed like Millen wasn¡¯t so upset anymore, she spoke again.

    ¡°But¡­should I tell them?¡± Millen wiped the tears from her eyes as she repeated her earlier question.

    ¡°Even if it died¡­ They¡¯d still want to know, won¡¯t they?¡± She had gone through the same, so she understood the pain that they might feel, however it also seemed cruel to tell them. Just then, she heard a sound that broke her reverie, ¡®Meow¡­¡¯

    A new cat approached and stood by the windowsill. It was Alex, the leader of the cats in the ¡®Cat Inn¡¯.

    Alex jumped down and told Millen that it wasn¡¯t a good idea to leave a corpse in the woods, so they needed to let the owner know so they could remove it.

    ¡°My Lady, you would have wanted to know too if you experienced the same thing.¡± Alex added.

    Millen pulled out her handkerchief from inside the pockets of her dress and wiped her wet eyes dry. She then donned on her hat to hide her hair, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right Alex, I would have wanted the same if it were me.¡±

    The truth was, Millen¡¯s cats were originally fifty-six, but the death of one white cat brought the number down to fifty-five. Up to this day, Millen could still not easily forget the sorrow that engulfed her that day.

    She remembered that she even refused to eat her food for several days. The only thing she could feel since that day was loss, and she occupied her thoughts with nothing but memories and regret.

    In the end her moping was broken when Linda stomped into her room and told her that she had to pull herself together because skipping her meals was not good for her. She remembered her nanny begging her, ¡°Lady, please take care of your health! If you don¡¯t want to see us get away from here!¡±

    During that time, the cats sat in front of her door and some even came by her window every night. They cried loudly at her listless form. She¡¯d hear them weep loudly, and scratch her door and windows.

    As Linda¡¯s pleas and her cats¡¯ wailings continued, Millen started to get the most painful headache in her life. Her body throbbed and she writhed in pain until it became unbearable. It was at that moment that she knew she had to stop her fast.

    Millen tried not to recall any more memories of that day. There is no denying that she agonized over that event, but even though it was over, the memories still hurt her. She then walked towards the door before turning to address her cats.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in the garden, so let me know when Thanos returns, Alex.¡± Millen clenched her fists tightly and left the lab in silence.

    * * *

    In the early morning of the next day, Todd came out into the garden with his sword securely strapped around his waist. When he was asked by the workers of the inn why he was up at that time, he replied that he usually had swordsmanship training in the mornings so it was second nature for him to get up and practice that early. Especially since he was an escort guard and served someone like Jade, he could not afford to rest easy and neglect his duties.

    Fortunately, the inn was situated deep within the forest, so barely anyone went in there. Thanks to their location, he was relieved that he did not have to stay by his master¡¯s side all day, and that he had time to do his personal training seriously as usual.

    Furthermore, despite Jade still being bedridden, he was still capable of handling small emergencies on his own. His master was also very good at swordsmanship, so he always had a sword ready by his bedside so that he could pick it up whenever there was need for it.

    After training for a few hours, Todd finally stopped to take a break for a while.

    Thanos finally approached him as he was wiping off his sweat. The older man was wearing the same clothes he did when they both went out to search for Canto, and was also carrying a heavy bag on his shoulder.

    ¡°Todd.¡± Thanos greeted him, ¡°Get ready and come out.¡± He added. Thanos had meant that they were going out to search for Jade¡¯s horse, but their steps felt heavier that day compared to the days before.

    However, there was something eerie about the sudden haste and seriousness Thanos had about him that made Todd worry. Still, he obeyed his instructions without a word. Before leaving, Todd reported to Jade that he was going out to search for Canto again, and to call for Kai if he needed anything. The young man was tasked to check on him to see his condition.

    After he finished preparing, Todd set out with Thanos.

    That day, they tread on an unfamiliar path, a route that was completely different from the one they¡¯ve taken the day before. The older man¡¯s steps were resolute. Regardless of the rough road, he continued to walk purposefully in silence. He looked like he had a goal, a clear destination and so Todd just followed him.

    The two walked for a long time without uttering a single word. As they progressed their journey, the sun slowly rose until it had completely risen above the clear blue skies.

    All this time, Todd followed without any protest, but as seconds ticked by, he felt his chest constricting and his heart became more and more uncomfortable. Anxiousness flooded his mind, and he suddenly felt dread settle at the pit of his stomach.

    Todd didn¡¯t have a good feeling about their journey. He called out to ask Thanos, ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Just follow me quietly.¡± Thanos¡¯ tone was curt and the younger man realized he was also being told to remain silent and to just follow. Thus, Todd didn¡¯t ask any more questions, and bit down his tongue to keep his mouth shut.

    Thanos was certainly acting strange, but most of all, his steps were much hurried than before.

    Thanos by now was barely touching the ground, and he walked like he was flying. Even Todd struggled to catch up to him, and they kept their fast pace until the older man halted in front of him.

    Thanos raised a hand and looked at him, ¡°Stop.¡± His outstretched arms behind him blocked Todd from taking a step closer.

    Todd paused for a moment and observed their current surroundings.

    They were standing on a hillside, and a slightly rotting smell was being carried by the wind. Todd figured that the shift in the atmosphere was the reason why Thanos had wrinkled his brows. The older man then turned to stare at him seriously, and then gave him a warning, ¡°You must prepare your heart.¡±

    Thanos then let out a shallow sigh, gave Todd a look and pointed in front of them with his chin.

    The place Thanos was pointing to was down the hill and a couple of steps away from where they stood. As they stepped closer towards the area Todd realized that at the bottom of the hillside was what he was looking for. He took a step back and lowered his gaze on the ground. He was shocked at the sight that lay before him.

    It was a terrible scene!

    He glanced at his companion in confusion, ¡°How¡­this¡­¡± He felt his throat clogged up as he tried to form coherent sentences.

    Canto was dead, but it wasn¡¯t the reason why he¡¯d become shell-shocked!

    It was because Jade¡¯s horse, Canto, had more than twenty arrows stuck at various parts of its body. Arrows were littered all over his flesh, and some were even lodged in his eyes as well as his torso and legs.

    To Todd, it didn¡¯t look like they were aiming to kill the horse. It looked like they were sending an angry message or taking revenge.

    -To be continued.

 Chapter 8

    PIASPM Chapter 8

    When Thanos and Todd carried Canto¡¯s carcass to the inn after the latter¡¯s earnest request to give it a proper burial, Millen¡¯s shocked face greeted them.

    Seeing his mistress looking as though she was waiting for them to arrive, Thanos gave her a confused look. Originally, he had intended to hide the corpse of the horse from the other innkeepers and only show the body to its owner. However, now that Millen had seen them, he supposed that there was nothing more for him to do but let her be concerned with it.

    Millen¡¯s appalled lavender eyes stared intently at the grotesque scene before her, ¡°This¡­¡±

    It was such a terrifying sight that she couldn¡¯t help but turn her back on them. Despite her avoidance, it was apparent to Thanos that his mistress had been expecting their arrival with the remains. For as soon as they set foot on the inn¡¯s grounds, Millen had hastened to them, while her brown colored hair was tucked neatly inside her hat.

    The four black cats who had followed the lady started purring behind her, ¡®Meow¡­meow¡­¡¯

    Thanos casted the cats with a stern look who in turn only wagged their tails at him.

    The black creatures showed their disapproval for bringing the dead horse through their actions. As of that moment, they were furious with Thanos for causing distress to their mistress.

    ¡°Why¡­ is he like that¡­ Did he die horribly?¡± Millen¡¯s voice trembled softly as she asked the question, and her eyes shook as though she was on the verge of tears.

    Thanos walked towards Millen¡¯s side, and wiped his dirt covered hands against his pants. He then  began to speak to her, ¡°My Lady¡­¡±

    Millen was visibly shocked by what she had just witnessed. Truthfully, she had known that the horse had died, and she had been the one to tell Thanos where they would find its body. Still, the manner of Canto¡¯s death was appalling to her, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel angry by its apparent cruelty and ignominy.

    Thanos and Todd had decided to carry the horse back to the inn in order to further investigate its cause of death. However, despite their good intentions, they knew that at the end of the day, only its owner could decide what course of action they should take in order to address Canto¡¯s death.

    As Millen continued to stand by their side, Thanos couldn¡¯t help but think that he really did not want to involve his mistress in this matter any further.

    Knowing how sensitive she can be when it comes to deaths of animals, Thanos stepped closer towards her. He wanted to prevent her from involving herself in their guest¡¯s business. However, any protective instinct he may have had over his mistress is all for naught for the Lady had already crossed the raging waters, and she and her stubbornness can no longer be repressed.

    As he remained standing between Millen and the corpse, Thanos gave Todd a sideway glance and said solemnly, ¡°Call your master and tell him he has to attend to this matter.¡±

    Todd did not need any further instructions, he nodded his head and quickly went to tell Jade of their discovery.

    It was only after Todd had left did Thanos turn to Millen and told her what he thought had happened, ¡°My Lady, it seems that the guests have a large enemy who wants them dead.¡±

    When she had remained silent, he continued, ¡°Though outwardly it looks like the cause of the death are the countless arrows aimed at its body, I think it was suspicious that there was foaming around its mouth.¡±

    Thanos proceeded to pull out a small vial from the pockets of his coat and showed it to Millen. As he held the sample in his hands, he began to reassure her, ¡°I thought it would be useful, and so when Todd wasn¡¯t looking, I collected some of the foam from the mouth and put it in here.¡±

    ¡°Give me this.¡± Millen snatched the small vial as quickly as a thief would.

    ¡°The guest¡­ It will be very painful for him once he finds out. So, Thanos, please help me deal with it, and as much as possible, don¡¯t let other people come this way.¡±

    ¡°How about you, My Lady?¡±

    ¡°I will never come here again.¡±

    ¡°Yes, understood.¡±

    Thanos knew what Millen was thinking and what made her look so angry. So he decided to follow her commands without any complaints.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the lab.¡± She announced as she quickly turned on her heels and started walking back to the inn with a brisk pace. The four black cats trailed behind her as they left.

    Just then a large black cat, who was at the group¡¯s tail, paused for a moment and stared at Thanos. It glared at him reproachfully before it ran towards the others.

    ¡®It must have insulted me.¡¯ Thanos let out a shallow sigh as he realized that that last cat was the captain of the cats; Alex. It was the cat who had criticized him.

    Thanos had a look of concern as he watched the back of his Mistress¡¯ head disappear as she stepped back inside, ¡®It seems you can¡¯t still forget what happened.¡¯ He absentmindedly thought to himself.

    Jade who had been sleeping on the bed for a long time was suddenly jolted by the news Todd had brought him and he clenched his fist as he woke up.

    After listening to his guard¡¯s description of Canto¡¯s state, He struggled to get out of his covers and see its corpse for himself. However, he underestimated how lightheaded he still felt and he quickly stumbled as soon as his feet touched the floorboards. His eyes flashed with annoyance as his body did not respond as he wanted it too.

    It wasn¡¯t like he was catatonic, but his limbs still felt heavy and his steps unsteady that it was obvious to anyone that he still required some assistance to move his body.

    Todd, who was preparing Jade¡¯s robe, ran quickly to his master¡¯s side as soon as he saw him fall down, ¡°Bastille!¡±

    Jade bit his lower lip as he heard Todd¡¯s footsteps approach him. He then raised his hand to signify that he was alright. It was a gesture that came from his heart, because he didn¡¯t want to worry him.

    Jade ruffled his hair in frustration as he stared at his pitiful legs, ¡°My thighs still hurt, so it¡¯s hard for me to lean my weight against it.¡±

    Todd quickly tucked his shoulders under Jade¡¯s arm and supported his master up,¡°Bastille, do you really have to see it?¡±

    The state of Canto¡¯s body was rather unsightly, and no matter how one looks at it, it seemed rather cruel to subject a person who cherished it the torture of actually seeing it. He knows that Jade was bound to be stupefied by it, therefore, he hoped that he doesn¡¯t see it if possible.

    With his help, Jade managed to sit across the bed and opened his mouth with a heavy voice, ¡°If you were me Todd, and you heard that your family member had died, wouldn¡¯t you want to see him in his final moments? Won¡¯t you also go to your family no matter how far away they are?¡±

    With his statement, Todd couldn¡¯t deny that his master was right.

    ¡°Even though the road was rough, or the weather was bad, and even when I met a wild beast, Canto, who was tamed by me, never ran wild. However, Canto was strange that day. All of a sudden he went on a rampage and acted like he couldn¡¯t hear me.¡±

    As Todd listened to Jade¡¯s words, he could see a vein popping up on his forehead, ¡°You seem to have some suspicions.¡±

    ¡°I reckon that the person who wanted you dead was determined to cause chaos in your surroundings and relied on the dangers of the forest to do the job.¡± Todd commented.

    ¡°So you think so too, that what happened to Canto was premeditated.¡±

    ¡°¡­Canto vomited white foam. He may have been ingested with drugs from the start.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Jade said as if he had guessed this too, and let out a big sigh, ¡°I have to go and see for myself, how the defiled and mangled Canto¡¯s body.¡± He added

    ¡°Alright.¡± After he saw how Jade tried to mask his despair at losing his beloved horse, which he considered as family, he lost the strength to deny his request any further.

    Todd slowly helped Jade get ready to go out by putting his coat over his shoulders. As he was assisting his master, they suddenly heard a knock on the door.

    The door then opened and revealed Thanos standing by the doorframe, ¡°I¡¯m here because I think you need my assistance.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Millen¡¯s face hardened as she stared at the potion in the vial that was sitting on the table. She then slowly took the potion in her hands and clenched her jaws tightly. This was because the transparent liquid in the sample container immediately turned red as soon as the liquid in her hand was mixed together.

    ¡°This is too much!¡± Millen angrily exclaimed and Alex, who was sitting by the window, tried to calm her down. But it was too late, she was already beyond livid!

    Millen started shouting with blazing eyes, ¡°Does it make sense to feed such a dangerous thing?¡±

    She laid down the potion she was holding, and balled her hands together. Then, as if not knowing what to do with her anger, she banged against the top of the wooden table, ¡°How could this be!¡±

    Millen got up and walked towards the window, and without even a second thought slammed her fist against the glass window and shattered it. The sharp pieces fell to the ground and she slowly felt the pain from the collision, ¡°Aww!¡±

    Millen clenched her fist as she started to feel the effects of her unexpected reaction, however, despite what happened, her anger wasn¡¯t quelled.

    Alex gave her a look and sighed, ¡°My Lady, that temperament of yours¡­¡±

    ¡°Hah, it¡¯s because I¡¯m furious!¡± Millen was clenching her teeth and her bottom lip seemed to be pushed out into a pout. She could feel her chest tightening, with all the anger she carried, as if it was something that happened to her.

    Alex stared at her quietly and waited for her to calm down.

    Realizing that her cat¡¯s gaze was unusual, Millen calmed her seething self and asked, ¡°If you have something to say, say it.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to let them know of the results?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Millen did not answer Alex¡¯s question. It was an unexpected problem.

    ¡°As shown in the experimental results, isn¡¯t the drug they used, made with dark magic?¡±

    Millen focused her lavender orbs back on her working table.

    From the smell and form of the evidence Thanos had given her, she easily inferred something like this from the beginning. So, after doing a couple of experiments, she was able to confirm what the sample was.

    ¡°Those who know of this are a rare group of people, if you come forward, you know they will start to suspect your abilities someday, if not immediately.¡±

    ¡°In other words, in order to talk about this case, I¡¯ll have to talk about magic, and if I do, there is a high probability that they will find out that I¡¯m a wizard.¡±

    ¡°Miss, you must never do that.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Millen sat down on a chair that was positioned in front of the window. She put her arms on the window sill and cradled her chin in her hands while she looked out of the window.

    As she continued gazing at the greenery and the gardens, she continued speaking, ¡°¡­Regardless, it¡¯s so sad to think of that dead horse.¡±

    Millen¡¯s eyes were once again filled with anger and sadness.

    Noticing that the lady had a different meaning to her words, Alex apprehensively asked, ¡°Are you thinking of Gen?¡±

    Millen didn¡¯t deny it.

    She had been thinking about the dead cat, Gen, since the first time she heard the story of their newest guests.

    Gen was a cat who was very affectionate with her and had followed her very well. So without realizing it, she became quite attached to it.

    ¡°That man must be as sad as I was.¡± She whispered absentmindedly.

    From her window she slowly made out three figures; the men were heading towards the location of Canto¡¯s remains. Thanos and Todd were walking slowly, and they supported the injured guest, she now knows as Bastille, as they made their way in the gardens.

    Millen couldn¡¯t help but look at his golden hair as it fluttered against the wind. Even in this situation, his hair was very beautiful. It looked like golden threads against the sunlight. Millen gave out a sympathetic sigh, ¡°Losing a loved one is¡­ ¡°

    Just then a wind blew up to the third floor, and her lavender-colored hair swayed gently in greeting.

    ¡®I want to comfort you¡­¡¯ Millen thought as she continued to fixate on Bastille¡¯s back.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    As Todd entered the dining room, he approached Millen, who was sitting at the table, and politely thanked her, ¡°Thanks to the lady¡¯s consideration, we had a solemn funeral.¡±

    As Millen prepared to dismiss his thanks, Todd quickly added, ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been a huge help, so thank you very much, miss.¡±

    Todd addressed the maiden respectfully, as the staff of the inn busied themselves.

    ¡°I only did it because I couldn¡¯t ignore what happened.¡± Millen reasoned. After she heard that they could not return with the carcass of their guest¡¯s horse, she gave them a sunny patch of land in the garden where they could bury it.

    Truthfully, she told them to bury Canto next to Gen¡¯s grave.

    ¡°Since I told you to bury it here, it would be difficult for you to come back and visit it¡­ Are you okay with that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Espin Forest is rough, but when the weather is nice, I think we can come and pay our respects.¡± Todd still firmly believed that his master would certainly want to come back again. Because of that, he secretly avoided looking into Millen¡¯s eyes, lest the mistress of the inn would find it disrespectful for them to come to her grounds whenever they wanted to.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s not going to happen¡­¡¯ Millen thought as she casted her eyes at the back door of the kitchen, where four black cats, including Alex, sat and huddled together. They quietly watched their exchange from the sidelines.

    ¡®Even if you want to come, you can never come back again.¡¯

    When the people who stayed at their inn leave, they never return.

    Most importantly, they will never find them and the inn again. This was due to the abilities the cats possessed. Furthermore, they have also recently started to make enchantments around the inn to keep other animals out of sight.

    ¡®Though, I didn¡¯t want to frighten them, I also contributed to exaggerating the rumors that surrounded the Espin Forest and helped spread its notoriety. I made it like that, because I didn¡¯t want to see people come back here again. And just like our guests before, you too, would be like that.¡¯ This Millen thought as she remained silent.

    Nevertheless, the fact that the dead horse was buried next to precious Gen also meant that she would take care of him with the same amount of affection she treated her cat¡¯s grave.

    Afterall, it was in Millen¡¯s best interest, for guests to never see her again.

    ¡°Excuse me, but I have a favor to ask of you.¡± Todd said with a slightly curious expression on his face. His expression and tone were less rigid than when she first saw him.

    Millen found Todd¡¯s change quite pleasant and answered, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Millen looked at his innocent look and the slight smile on his face, that revealed to her that he hesitated. Perhaps, he was going to ask something that was rather improper, she thought.

    ¡°What kind of request is it that this person asks with an unreadable expression on his face?¡± Linda, who just came into the dining hall to pour hot tea for Millen, looked at Todd strangely as she murmured.

    Seeing this, Millen gave her nanny a reproachful look and poked a finger to her side, as if telling her to stop. Millen was curious, because Todd seemed like he genuinely wanted her to help him.

    It was a rather rare sight to see; men genuinely asking her for help.

    ¡°Tell me, what is it?¡±

    When Millen smiled and gave him encouragement to speak, Todd ended up bringing an unexpected story.

    -To Be Continued