VIP Chapter 284: The Spring of the Beast-Eared Maid (7)
Unknowingly, a peaceful week had passed for Will in the Hysterm Family’s old mansion.
For this week, he watched the courtyard, personally tended by Iaar, as yellowing leaves fell one after another. He saw the sun setting earlier each day, and the nights, which required lamps, growing longer. He saw Iaar’s light maid dress replaced by something warmer, with a shawl added, and he also found a thick cotton coat, which he didn’t know why he hadn’t brought from here before. He watched…
It was as if summer had quickly cooled to autumn, and this short week had sprinted towards a cold winter.
He often lived a busy week. Whether it was… like in his past life, with work, work, work, Monday meetings, Tuesday system operations, Wednesday battle planning, Thursday requirement checks with art, and Friday working on current projects… or like it was here… Every day was spent either improving himself or figuring out how to improve these jilted women, reading countless books about the magic of this world, and thinking about how to stay further away from a death ending.
But now, it was different. He had initially only intended to stay here temporarily, to let his spirit recover from being imprisoned by Treya for too long, and to observe her movements from this “old mansion” which was safe and unlikely to be found. And he was waiting for Shuna. He believed that Shuna, as the one who was supposed to be the “protagonist,” would surely find a way to escape Treya.
But time passed so quickly. Sitting at his desk, watching Iaar walk back and forth outside the window, taking walks with her in the repaired courtyard, not having to stay up late every day, eating dinner after dark, and then going to bed. To put it simply… it was more like his leisurely first fourteen years in the wealthy Hysterm family than his three years in the capital.
Although Iaar often did things that seemed out of character for her former self, exceeding the “distance” she should maintain—like suddenly leaning closer, hoping Will would kiss her forehead; or suddenly taking his hand, asking him to scratch behind her ears; or unconsciously hugging his arm, her soft chest brushing against his elbow. Will could feel the “unease” she carried. Although she didn’t say it directly, every time he put on his hat and intended to go out, she would wear an expression as if she would cry the next moment, grab his hand, and stop him from leaving.
Whenever Will spoke of his future plans in front of her, she would immediately interrupt—with freshly brewed black tea or small cakes taken from the oven. Every evening, although she wouldn’t sleep in the same room as him due to the rules of being a “servant,” Will could sense the candlelight flickering through the crack of the door in the middle of the night, and the gray eyes secretly peeking to see if he was still in bed.
However, overall, she seemed more “well-behaved” than Liya and Treya in their “blackened” states. Even… After feeling Iaar’s attachment, Will felt he had a little bit…
He didn’t want to leave this place anymore. He couldn’t explain why. Even though Iaar’s demeanor was more “passive” than the other two. Because of the maid outfit she wore, she seemed to only obediently follow his commands. She was still the abandoned half-beastman picked up from the border forest of Entak in late autumn. She was still the somewhat reserved Iaar.
However, the more passive she was, the more it felt like a small loophole placed before him. It was like taking out all his possessions and stuffing them in, yet being careful not to break it.
…
A week passed by rapidly.
“Huu—”
As he sat up from bed today, he heard the wind blowing outside the window. It blew open the window he hadn’t closed, letting the cold scent of winter into the room. He shivered and then heard Iaar knocking on the door.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
“It’s okay, come in.”
“Mmm…! Young Master, you’re still wearing so little… it seems colder today.”
“I just woke up, so I haven’t changed clothes yet.”
“Young Master, in the past, there would be coal burning for heating in the house—the sauna I used also relied on that, but unfortunately, now there’s only us…”
In front of him, Iaar placed the firewood, which she seemed to have cut from a nearby mountain this morning, into the hearth in Will’s room.
“Mmm! We’ll just have to chop some firewood from nearby.”
Will himself could hardly imagine how Iaar managed to carry so much firewood back alone.
“Are you okay by yourself? Do you need any help… Achoo.”
As Will was unbuttoning his clothes and lifting the quilt, preparing to get out of bed, he was directly hit by the cold air. Will wasn’t someone who would be so stuck in bed by the warmth of the quilt due to the winter cold that he couldn’t get up. However, the cold air today made him have this thought for the first time in a long while.
“Young Master—I told you to put on thick clothes quickly. Look, you look like you’ve caught a chill!”
However, in the brief moment between lowering his head to sneeze and looking up again, Iaar had already rushed to his side. She sat on the edge of the bed, only a few centimeters away from the quilt where Will’s legs were hidden. Then… she carefully cupped his exposed hands in her palms.
Perhaps because Iaar was a beastkin, her body temperature seemed to be slightly higher than a “human’s.” Will felt that his palms, held in Iaar’s hands, were exceptionally warm, as if the chill from just moments ago had completely disappeared.
“Mmm…”
“Young Master, what is it?”
“Nothing. It’s very warm, thank you.”
“If Young Master likes it, it can be… even warmer…”
To Will’s surprise, Iaar suddenly lifted his quilt and cuddled into his arms, her fluffy tail brushing past his knees like a large dog. Then, she hugged him. The warmth emanating from her body truly made Will feel it. Like a warm stove held in his arms, radiating warmth continuously without doing anything. Even though Iaar was a Shield Saint who used “ice magic” for defense, Will truly felt warmth from her at this moment.
Even… Will himself hadn’t noticed. Starting from when he was willing to let Iaar in without getting out of bed, and when he casually unbuttoned his pajamas in front of her, he had already let down his guard against her. His head rested on Iaar’s shoulder, and besides her body temperature, he could also feel the soft, cuddly sensation of being a beastkin. Instead of collapsing into the quilt, he seemed more willing to lean into Iaar’s embrace.
“Then, Young Master… can… can Iaar also receive your ‘mark’?”
“En?”
Will didn’t immediately realize what Iaar meant by her words. What… what mark? Perhaps because Iaar had always appeared exceptionally innocent, he had never considered that Iaar might also desire him… Wait a minute… The “mark” she mentioned, couldn’t it be…?
—By the time he thought of this, it seemed a bit too late.
“Because, Iaar sensed it.”
“On Treya, there is a strong scent left by Young Master. So, the first time I saw her, even though she didn’t say anything, standing there felt like a provocation to Iaar.”
“It’s strange, normal Iaar might have a hard time describing that feeling, but…”
“At that time, Iaar knew exactly what she was thinking.”
She took off her boots, and inside them, her feet clad in white stockings stepped onto Will’s bed, starting from the heel, which was visible through the sheer fabric.
“Is it… anger… right?”
Will sighed. Of course, he understood what Iaar was thinking. For them, the first lesson he taught was “do not lose to the possessiveness of others.” Even Iaar, who was so obedient to him, must have had such emotions.
“Yes, it’s as expected of Young Master. The one who understands Iaar the best in this world should be Young Master.”
She nodded, her expression resembling that of someone harboring a certain “hatred,” as if she intended to make up for it all in one day. Iaar easily pulled the thick quilt over Will’s back, enveloping his upper body in the warm bedding. As for his lower body— Iaar knelt on the bed. Her stockings were clean, and the surface shone as if reflecting sunlight. She took two steps back, using her arms to support herself on the soft bed.
“‘Blackening 300 Questions’ Question 37. What kind of behavior can create the most solid relationship between you and him?”
“Of course, it’s leaving a ‘mark,’ whether it’s him on you, or you on him.”
“A ‘mark’ representing ‘possession’ is an indivisible thing.”
Will seemed to understand why Iaar had always come into his room in the early mornings for the past few days, under the guise of “cleaning,” during these past few days. She had been looking for this opportunity.
“For Iaar, the ‘scent’ left by Young Master is probably the most recognizable mark. This is a very, very important thing for Iaar.”
“Because, as Young Master has always told Iaar. A sense of smell that can locate Young Master is precisely Iaar’s greatest advantage.”
“Iaar has always been aware, having heard from other servants of the Hysterm family. The personal maids of the Hysterm family were actually meant to serve their ‘masters.'”
“Although Young Master has remained silent on this matter, then, let Iaar take the initiative.”
She lowered her head, decisively. At this moment, Will was not being “controlled.” In fact, he didn’t feel any trace of magic fluctuations from Iaar, who normally had the most “controlling” power. Iaar, who was best at immobilizing people with icy coldness, gave Will no restraint on this day of falling temperatures. This meant that he could fully take any “resistant” action at that moment. Whether pushing her away or moving her, Will could do so with his own consciousness. But…
She seemingly gave Will the “choice.” Looking at Iaar’s swaying beast ears, Will’s hand, which had reached out to push her away, could only retract. Iaar now, without using any controlling force, created a “most forceful” question for Will using her “passivity” and “respectfulness”:
—Are you willing to accept Iaar’s love in its current state?
—Are you willing to indulge in the feeling of love of your own volition?
Yes, he knew better than anyone that Iaar was already “one of them.” But now, after experiencing hope, warmth, and nostalgic love… Why not do nothing and sink into this feeling of “being loved”? This was perhaps something he could not refuse after regaining his sense of being “alive” in this world.
…
*Gulp—*
Hearing the sound of swallowing next to his ear, Will looked at Iaar, who had slightly sat up. She picked up a glass of water next to her and took another sip, wiping the corner of her mouth.
“Without Young Master’s consent, Iaar can only do this much. If Young Master still wishes…”
“No, Iaar…”
Will stopped her and took her finger.
“…It shouldn’t end like this.”
“The ‘mark’… should be deeper, shouldn’t it?”
