Chapter 196: Chapter 197: Well-Behaved Cats Like the Kitchen Stove! (2)

“Dina, Cariote, Cecily! Welcome! I’ve prepared everything for your arrival!”

They all arrived at ‘The Dollhouse’.It belonged to Baron Ragdoll, renowned for his wealth even within Freesia.The elderly baron and baroness had come to greet them at the garden entrance, overjoyed at the visit of their granddaughters and great-granddaughter.

“Great-grandfather, great-grandmother. I hope you’ve been well?”

Cecily curtsied gracefully, holding her dress. Then, she tapped Cariote’s waist with her fan.As if on cue, Cariote also lightly grasped her skirt and offered a polite greeting.

“I, Cariote, daughter of Balhamad, greet Baron and Baroness Ragdoll. I’m truly… grateful for your invitation today.”

Her greeting seemed somewhat uneasy.But the Ragdoll couple appeared deeply moved, their eyes glistening with emotion.

“My dear! Doesn’t it feel like our Leone has returned? Such a beautiful young lady! She’d be swarmed with suitors at social gatherings!”

“Ho ho, indeed. Even though she’s married. Looking at her now, she’s the spitting image of our Leone. Come, let’s head inside.”

The elderly couple seemed quite pleased with their granddaughter’s resemblance to their daughter. Of course, Dina, observing this scene, asked with a slightly sulky voice.

“…Grandfather, grandmother, what about me?”

“Dina! It’s wonderful to see you too!”

Whoosh—There was a moment of embrace between look-alike family members.As I watched this scene, the mansion’s servants approached and took our luggage.This was a service I couldn’t expect from Sifnoi, my mansion’s head servant. Then again, Sifnoi was my only servant.Though recently, the imp Horohoro had joined as an apprentice.# # #So, a few months ago.The children traveled from the future, each with their own mission.Naru’s role was to come to the Kingdom of Ordor and inform me, her father, about various things.In the process, she faced many hardships, like hitching rides on merchants’ wagons and even rolling around in the forest with a large raccoon-dog.

Hina had similar struggles.She roamed the city’s back alleys, sleeping uncomfortably, stealing, and crying alone. She even interacted with villains while playing the role of the Priestess of Gluttony.

Then what hardships did Cecily face?

Cecily endured the hardship of staying in a noble mansion, if you could even call it that.Each morning, she suffered the ordeal of being dressed from head to toe by maids or receiving massages.At lunch, she was forced to eat cakes and drink honey-sweetened tea, and for dinner, she had to taste over 10 different dishes daily.

That’s right.Cecily too had met her parents after these “tearfully moving hardships”.

“Cecily, you must have had it tough too.”

I sincerely comforted Cecily, who was lying face down on a chaise lounge, receiving a massage from the maids. Cecily turned her head and glared at me.

“Are you mocking me now?”

“Yes.”

“Hmph, I didn’t go through any hardships…!”

That’s right.In fact, Cecily hadn’t faced any real hardships.While Naru and Hina were working hard, Cecily was living comfortably in a warm mansion! However, neither Naru nor Hina particularly envied or reproached Cecily for this.As sisters, they probably knew well that Cecily was a child far removed from the concept of ‘hardship’.

While Naru gave off the impression of a wild raccoon and Hina seemed like an abandoned ferret or weasel from the city alleys, Cecily looked every bit like a gentle cat at first glance.You know, those cats with long fur that are gentle but act haughty.The ones that cost a fortune.Such cats were destined to be loved by people. And Cecily too, was fated to be adored by people naturally.So even if she was being pampered while others struggled, it didn’t make her seem unlikeable. It just felt natural.

Click—Cecily now had a face mask on and was being fanned by the maids. She held a glass of iced lemonade, looking completely at ease.

“Now, Mom and Aunt should lie down next to me and put on masks too…!”

Soon, Cariote and Dina also unfolded chaise lounges next to Cecily and sat down.The weather was cool under the parasol’s shade.Clouds drifted by so lazily it was almost boring.This was the leisurely and enjoyable life of nobility in every aspect.

Cariote, with a mask on her face, opened her lips.

“Is it okay to relax like this…? I feel a bit guilty…”

“Shush…! No talking during the mask treatment…!”

I see.I also casually lied down on a nearby chaise lounge and put on a mask. These days, even men need to care about their appearance.I might be too late already, but it’s better to start now than never.

With that thought, the morning had already passed and it was now lunchtime.For lunch, we had deliciously roasted duck, which the whole family enjoyed thoroughly.Then what would we do in the afternoon after lunch?

“We’ll have tea and chat!”

As Cecily said, a table for refreshments was soon prepared. While the servants and maids bustled about, Cecily didn’t lift a finger and just sat still.The tea party table was suddenly complete.

Cecily started sipping black tea with ice and honey, and Cariote and Dina also lifted their teacups and savored the tea.They looked quite natural and elegant.The maids watching this scene were impressed, saying, “Look at that. It’s as if there are three Lady Leones.”

Indeed, even to my eyes, there was an air of refinement around the three. It was so refined that I became curious about how they would react if I were to dive onto that table and do a headspin.

“Dad, come quickly and have some tea too…!”

At that moment, Cecily growled at me.It seems she didn’t like that I was standing apart from this refined noble culture. Well, including today, the next two days were meant to be bonding time between us three.I too had to become a part of this strange noble cultural experience.

“Slurp—“

I drank the iced tea in one gulp.

Crunch, crunch—

I even bit and ate the ice, which made Cecily shudder.

“…Fuck! What kind of noble drinks tea like that in this world! If you don’t mind your manners, I’ll bite your fingers…!”

“Hehe.”

I chuckled.As I did, the servants watching this scene were startled.

“Lady Cecily used a swear word…?”

“She’s just like Lady Leone.”

Their whispers were very quiet.Cecily didn’t seem to hear it, but it was clearly audible to my ears.Cariote probably heard it too.It seems Lady Leone wasn’t just a gentle noble woman either.

Clap— Clap—At that moment, Baron Ragdoll clapped his hands.In his hands were feather-decorated arrows and a sleek, sharply carved wooden bow.

“Well then, how about we go hunting after our refreshments? Hunting is also a very noble and dignified hobby. I’ve rented a hunting ground for today.”

I see.Certainly, hunting could be an elegant sport.Cecily, seeming slightly reluctant, said “I wanted to sit a bit longer,” but Cariote stood up, pushing the table away as if she had been waiting for this.

“Good. I mean, ahem, that sounds lovely.”

“You and Cecily can go. I don’t really like hunting. I’ll just stay here and take a nap while lounging about.”

Cariote and Cecily changed into outfits similar to riding clothes. After all, horseback riding was essential for hunting in the nobles’ hunting grounds.

By the way, they said the horses would be provided at the hunting ground.With that, we arrived at the hunting ground near Freesia. It was a place where various wild animals roamed in artificially maintained bushes.It felt like a nice place to just visit for fun.

Swoosh—Cariote’s expression became quite fierce as she gripped the bow.What about Cecily?Cecily also held a bow with a fairly serious expression.

That’s right.Even if she normally appears to be a noble cat who likes to take naps quietly, when she sees a mouse at home, she displays the instincts of a fierce hunter.Cecily held children’s arrows in her hand. She looked at them this way and that, then snorted and handed the arrows back over to the servants.

Pop—Then Cecily spread her arms towards me.

“Do you want me to hug you?”

“No! Help me down from the horse!”

I see.I hugged Cecily and carefully helped her down from the horse.Cecily looked around and then held out her palm to the surroundings.

“Ah—“

When Cecily opened her mouth and made a strange harmony, it was as if nature had been waiting.A squirrel scurried onto Cecily’s palm. It was the dog-squirrel that Hina had tried so hard to catch before.

━Kong Kong!*Rub— Rub—Cecily stroked the dog-squirrel’s chin, head, and tail with her hand. Watching this scene, the servants of the Ragdoll family and the hunters at the hunting ground were greatly impressed.

“My goodness, catching a wild squirrel without firing a single arrow.”

“She’s just like Lady Leone. The young lady also used to have animals flock to her when she sang.”

I see.Controlling animals with songs.It was clearly the skill ‘Princess Secret Style! Enchanting Melody!’, said to be usable only by a select few who have reached a certain level of princess power.I heard that if you hone this skill to the extreme, you can even create a castle of magical ice while singing. Of course, I’ve never actually seen anyone on that level myself. 1

“Ah—“

When Cecily opened her mouth again to make a harmony, this time, blue birds fluttered down from the sky and perched on Cecily’s shoulders.

━Tweet tweet! Tweet tweet!*━Chirp, chirp!*

Cecily carefully put the birds and squirrel she had caught into cages for captured animals and said.

“As expected, hunting is boring.”

Cariote was also watching this scene.And while opening her narrow eyes she said softly,

“With such an ability, you won’t starve to death. I had to learn hunting the hard way.”

Indeed.For Cariote, hunting wasn’t a matter of sport or leisure, but of survival.To shoot an arrow accurately, she must have undergone considerable training and practice.But Cecily just sang “Ah—“ and captured animals alive. How could the world be so unfair?

Hina had once said something like this:━Cecily doesn’t bother learning magic…. Because she doesn’t need to learn it…. Cecily has everything in abundance from birth, so she doesn’t need to learn anything….

It meant that because Cecily was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she didn’t need to make an effort to learn various things. That’s why Cecily doesn’t study, doesn’t learn magic, and doesn’t train hard.

I sympathized with her quite a bit.According to my grandfather, making children study to death in Daechi-dong was the work of ‘amateurs’. He said that only those who need their children to work in order to maintain their wealth exhaust their kids.The ‘real ones’ don’t make their kids study and instead, let them do whatever they want.He said that because their wealth wouldn’t run out even after living as they please for several generations, they don’t pay much attention to their children’s education.

It was true.My sister and I didn’t really study or anything.Of course, others might think it was unfair.Cariote also shook her head, looking at her daughter, saying, “The world is a bit cruel.”

To such a Cariote, Cecily said.

“…Mom should try it too! If you sing, birds will flock to you!”

“Me?”

Cariote’s pupils shook greatly.

1. Frozen Reference, 'Let it go'.