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Chapter 33
Winter stared at that face as if entranced.
Then, Medilliane smiled slyly and took a step back, saying,
“I’ll tell you tomorrow.”
“What?”
Winter furrowed her brows in confusion at the words.
She couldn’t quite understand what Medilliane meant at that moment.
“You’ll tell me tomorrow?”
“Yes. I’ll introduce you to her.”
“No, I’m not really interested in meeting her…”
Winter blurted out her thoughts before she could stop herself and then immediately faltered at having said too much.
But it was already almost out.
Medilliane looked noticeably sullen and asked,
“Really? Even though she’s my precious friend?”
‘Precious’ friend…
Winter didn’t know why that word bothered her so much, but there was no way she could win against Medilliane.
Swallowing hard, she had no choice but to nod.
“Alright. I’ll meet her tomorrow.”
Medilliane’s eyes curved into a delighted smile.
“You can look forward to it.”
Winter had no idea what she was supposed to be looking forward to, but her heart raced as she spent the night.
The next morning, she barged into the annex where Medilliane was staying.
When she finally came face-to-face with Summer, her expression immediately soured.
“This is Summer?”
“Yes. Isn’t she cute?”
Medilliane was holding Summer—a massive cat—in her arms.
Judging by how well-fed she looked, the cat was at least twice the size of a normal cat, with fur so glossy it shone.
“She looks more like a leopard than a cat.”
Winter spoke sincerely, but Medilliane thought she was joking and let out a short laugh.
Summer, with her golden eyes, made a strange little noise when she met Winter’s gaze.
Then, with a light kick of her hind legs, she brushed off Medilliane—known in this world as a master manipulator with a ruined personality—and slowly approached Winter.
The cat silently walked over, made eye contact with Winter, and slowly blinked.
Winter, vaguely aware that cats’ blinks can serve as a greeting, blinked back.
“Hello, Summer?”
When she greeted her verbally, Summer’s face twisted into something resembling a smile. She placed her paws on Winter’s lap.
Then, curling up, she rested on Winter’s lap.
“So cute…”
Winter muttered reflexively and gently stroked Summer’s fur.
It was just as warm, soft, and fluffy as it looked.
Her cheeks soon flushed pink.
“I didn’t know you could raise a cat.”
Summer wasn’t even in the original story. Winter couldn’t believe that Medilliane’s companion was a cat.
Medilliane gently stroked Summer’s forehead and murmured,
“I didn’t know either.”
In truth, Medilliane never planned to raise a cat, just like Winter said.
But for some reason…
On a day when nothing went right, when the world seemed to have turned its back on her, and despair filled her heart, she couldn’t ignore a frail, soaked cat with black fur and golden eyes.
She playfully named her Summer.
“You look like her.”
“Huh? Like me?”
Winter’s eyes widened at the unexpected comment.
Medilliane laughed again. She had been imagining this scene for a long time and was now quite pleased to see it realized.
“Really…?”
Winter closed her eyes, gazing down at Summer, who purred softly.
The fact that Medilliane raised a cat that wasn’t even in the original story just because it resembled her left Winter feeling strangely fluttery.
“Who the hell is it?”
Winter stomped down the corridor, scowling.
This was because of a report she had received via the communication stone that afternoon.
“Daring to touch us?”
Someone had raided the newly opened Calista headquarters in the capital overnight.
Calista had already been chaotic due to Winter’s request for increased personnel.
Yet the sudden attack left them unable to respond properly.
Moreover, the attackers moved with the swiftness of professional assassins.
Fortunately, there were only minor injuries, and no one had died, but this was clearly an act of provocation.
“Damn it.”
Winter muttered irritably.
Her mind was already running through possible culprits behind the raid.
Someone annoyed by Calista’s growing influence.
Someone capable of controlling a group with that much power.
“Ah, you’re here, miss. His Grace is waiting. Please come in.”
A butler interrupted her thoughts.
Winter entered the open door.
“Ah, Winter. You’ve come.”
Seeing Duke Vladimir smiling calmly, Winter smiled back broadly.
“Mother.”
“Yes. How have you been feeling today?”
Sitting across from her, Winter replied,
“What’s this about?”
“Hmm… I thought we could just talk about this and that.”
Winter knew her mother well enough.
She cared for her daughter deeply, but wasn’t the type to have long, sentimental conversations.
True to form, the duke soon got to the point.
“I’m thinking of holding a grand banquet soon.”
“A banquet?”
“Yes. You couldn’t even attend the debutante ball while on the island.”
“Hmm… that’s…”
Winter held back her words. She had little interest in social gatherings.
Besides, why would Duke Vladimir’s house, already considered an eccentric noble family, bother with such things?
Even without a grand event, nobles would grovel before the wealth and power of the duke’s household.
“I know what you’re thinking. But we must secure the position of the heir, mustn’t we?”
“The heir?”
“Yes. So that no insignificant people dare look up at us.”
The duke’s eyes flashed dangerously.
Winter had heard from Naila that during her time on the island with a terminal diagnosis, rumors about the heir had quietly spread through the household.
Although the duke was still very much present, some were quietly maneuvering to claim the position.
Winter would have found it hard to believe if Calista hadn’t been ambushed through Hirkan recently.
“This is our chance to show what Duke Vladimir’s household is truly like.”
The duke smiled broadly, which made it all the more sinister.
At that moment, troubling news reached the room where they were conversing.
“Your Grace.”
A member of the secret guard entered.
She was a woman in a plain white mask, bowing deeply.
“What is it?”
Normally, the duke would have dismissed anyone interrupting a private conversation with his daughter, but this time he did not.
Her quiet whispers were barely audible to Winter, but the severity of the situation was obvious.
“What? They’re still holding out?”
It seemed they had been stepping on someone again recently.
Winter sipped her tea, thinking.
The reach of Duke Vladimir’s household was beyond imagination.
No wonder the saying existed: half the empire’s gold belongs to Vladimir.
They also controlled the underworld, so their power was far greater than it appeared.
There was no special secret to their long-standing dominance.
They maintained near-monopoly control simply with their wealth.
Any new underworld threats were crushed without exception.
“…Huh?”
Winter paused mid-thought, her gaze slowly turning toward her mother.
“Hmph, they’re struggling desperately.”
Her mother’s wicked smile gleamed like a villain.
“They’ll pay dearly for daring to climb so high.”
“What should we do?”
“Crush them completely…”
“Mother.”
The secret guard and the duke stiffened simultaneously at Winter’s words.
Winter’s direct claim—“That’s mine. Don’t touch it”—was bold.
It wasn’t long before the duke hurriedly changed his tone.
“…Truly remarkable.”
His words came out like a hurried excuse, but upon reflection, it was indeed impressive.
Even from a distant island, beyond the reach of the capital, Calista had managed to expand its influence.
Winter recalled how Calista had spread magical tools into the market and amassed wealth.
Apparently, they had made some kind of deal with Aisel.
“Your strategy is incredible.”
The duke twitched at the corners of his mouth.
What had previously annoyed him about Calista’s growth suddenly became the impressive achievement of his daughter.
After all, Winter had been remarkably mature and clever for her age.
Had she not been afflicted by that terrible illness, she might have conquered the underworld long ago.
Overcome by sudden affection, the duke’s eyes welled with tears.
“Kelly.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Send an official apology to Calista headquarters and begin restoration immediately.”
“Yes? …Yes, Your Grace.”
The secret guard, who had briefly hesitated at the sudden change in the duke’s tone, quickly departed.
Duke Vladimir calmly sipped his tea, smiling at Winter.
“Now that it’s come to this, I have nothing left to hide from you.”
“Have you been hiding something from me?”
The duke nodded and then answered,
“Yesterday, Hirkan committed suicide.”
