Don't Be Obsessed With Your Cat Butler - Chapter 7
“Your Grace, the wolf werebeasts are retreating!”
At his subordinate’s shout, Nox sheathed the sword he had been holding. Even so, his body, still fired up from battle, did not easily calm—his tense pectoral muscles swelled and relaxed repeatedly.
The energy he exuded was so fierce that even though the subordinates around him knew they were on the same side, their ears and tails instinctively drooped. His overwhelming strength and the aura of a dominant male were more than enough to completely crush the spirit of any lesser male.
Nox de Blois, the Duke of Blois and the legitimate heir to the household, possessed exceptional martial skill, intelligence, and striking looks. Yet, far from being welcomed by his subordinates, he had long since become someone they avoided.
Because of his high status, the knights obeyed him absolutely, but they never dared come close, fearful that his ominous aura might somehow be contagious.
The knight commander of House Blois approached after some hesitation. Speaking from a certain distance, as if unwilling to get too close, he said,
“Your Grace, shall we return?”
Nox was completely unaffected by their behavior. He had been treated this way since childhood and didn’t even realize there was anything unusual about it.
“Tell the sentries not to let their guard down until tonight.”
“Yes, sir!”
“The rest are to return to the ducal manor.”
“Understood!”
The knights were filled with joy at the thought of finally returning home. Only Nox turned his horse around with an expressionless face, unmoved.
***
Upon returning to the ducal manor, Nox immediately took a bath. The battle hadn’t been particularly long, so he wasn’t very fatigued, but being covered in dust had left him feeling grimy.
“Huu…”
Feeling refreshed after a proper wash for the first time in a while, Nox came out to his private drawing room. The head butler, Cedric, who had been waiting, quickly approached.
“Master, shall I prepare your meal?”
“Do so.”
“I’ll have it ready shortly.”
“What’s this?”
Seated on the sofa, Nox picked up a report lying on the table and asked. Cedric was about to leave, but came over in a single step. Nox instinctively relaxed the tension in his body upon noting, from the corner of his eye, that Cedric was standing even closer than the knight commander had earlier.
Cedric was the only person who had never shunned Nox, not even in his childhood. Even his own parents had kept their distance, believing he was ominous.
“Ah, that report was written by me. I placed it there for you to read before your meal.”
“You did? That’s unusual.”
Reports regarding the territory were typically submitted by the aides, so Nox was curious. He quickly skimmed through the contents, narrowing his eyes.
“As you can see, it’s not of particular importance. However, I submitted it because there’s mention of a woman scattering some strange herb in the square.”
“A strange herb…”
“My nephew happened to be there at the time, so I was able to get a detailed account from him.”
As Cedric spoke, Nox’s gaze remained fixed on a specific word that stood out in the report. Cedric, noticing where his master’s attention had landed, continued.
“It wasn’t so much the strange herb as the appearance of the woman carrying it that prompted me to report it to you, Master.”
“……”
Cedric stared at Nox, who remained absorbed in the report, then quietly left to retrieve the meal. Even after he had gone, Nox couldn’t tear his eyes away from the paper.
A woman with the same black hair as his.
He had never encountered a cat werebeast with black fur in the Pelles Empire. Even if there had been any, they would have kept it thoroughly hidden. But now, someone with black fur had suddenly appeared in his territory. Could that really be a coincidence?
Unconsciously, he felt a flicker of joy, but suspicion quickly followed. Especially with the current turmoil in relations with neighboring countries, and the Emperor himself actively keeping House Blois in check.
Cedric had made it sound trivial, but the fact that he had taken the trouble to submit a formal report meant that he, too, considered the matter significant.
While he was still deep in thought, Cedric returned with a generous meal. Nox silently ate, but his mind remained unsettled. After finishing his meal and cleansing his palate with black tea, he spoke to Cedric, who stood nearby.
“Does anyone else know about this matter?”
“No, sir. After hearing it directly from my nephew, I instructed him to keep silent. The aides are unaware.”
“I see…”
There would be no benefit in letting rumors spread. It would be best if he looked into it personally. Having reached a decision, Nox set down his teacup and said,
“I’m tired today. I’ll rest now.”
“Very well, I’ll take my leave.”
“Go ahead.”
In the bedroom, a small crimson lamp cast a soft glow. Lying in bed, Nox imagined the woman with black hair—then shook his head. It brought back memories of his youth, when harboring baseless hope had only led to pain.
‘Black is a symbol of misfortune, the beginning of all that is ominous.’
The superstition of the black cat, passed down like myth in the Pelles Empire, had long since become accepted as a universal truth. In the past, whenever a black cat appeared, misfortune would follow.
Outbreaks of plague, war…
That was why Nox could not afford to take even a minor skirmish with neighboring nations lightly. If war were to break out in his time, everyone would blame him.
Even if he had already given up on having meaningful relationships with others, he had no idea how he could go on living if burdened with that kind of condemnation.
