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Chapter 37
Lately, the weather had been humid and hot.
Although all the servants wore summer uniforms made of thin fabric, they quickly became overheated while working briskly.
On top of that…
Yesterday of all days, the magical device that regulates the temperature inside the Deiamor Mansion broke down.
The stifling heat humiliated the maid.
The cool marble floors relieved her body’s heat, bringing her indescribable happiness.
“Ah… it’s so cool…”
“Right? Isn’t it refreshing?”
“But you shouldn’t lie on the floor like this. This entrance hall is the place with the most foot traffic, so it’s the dirtiest spot here.”
“It’s fine. I can wash…”
Nivelia murmured as she rubbed her cheek against the floor.
The maid hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was okay, but she ended up pressing her cheek and arms even more firmly against the floor.
“Ahhh…”
A happy moan escaped her lips.
“Really cool…”
“Refreshing, huh?”
Hearing the disdainful voice from above, a shiver ran down the maid’s back as if ice had been poured on her.
Slowly sitting up, she couldn’t even bring herself to raise her head.
“If it’s so cool, why didn’t you just stay lying down?”
“M-Maiden Chief…”
The air around them became so cool it seemed to erase all the heat.
However, cold sweat dotted the maid’s forehead.
In the end, she received a severe scolding.
“Wait!”
Nivelia rolled over and wedged herself between them, grabbing the edge of the maid chief’s dress pitifully.
“Nini told me to lie down! I said it’s cool!”
“Why are you lying here again, Miss? Where’s Dether? And Master Areph?”
“Dether went on a errand for Grandma, I came out because I got hot while napping, and Areph is learning swordsmanship with Grandpa, so he’s not here.”
“Then you should call someone.”
“Too hot… and lazy.”
Nivelia spoke honestly.
“And Nini’s thirsty…”
Give me water.
Nivelia opened her mouth wide like a cat.
In the end, the maid chief finished scolding the maid to maintain her dignity and took Nivelia back to her room.
“Oh, Maiden Chief?”
Dether arrived just after returning from his errand.
The maid chief recounted the earlier incident and sighed deeply.
“No matter how important a task for the young lady is, you shouldn’t leave her alone. You should have asked another colleague to accompany her.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll be careful.”
“Since the young lady rolled on the entrance hall floor, it’s best to give her a proper bath.”
Nivelia, who had been watching as if it were someone else’s business, opened her mouth wide in shock.
“I-I’ll bathe in the evening…!”
She stubbornly refused, saying she wouldn’t bathe now.
But the mess she made rolling on the floor to cool down couldn’t just be ignored.
Moreover, because it was during cleaning, a musty smell lingered.
Eventually, Nivelia had to take a bath.
“No! No!”
“Then why did you roll on the floor while it was being cleaned? This entrance hall is the dirtiest place here.”
“No! The toilet is dirtier!”
“Unfortunately, right now, the young lady is the dirtiest.”
“Hah! Haaah!”
Cornered, Nivelia hissed like a warning.
Her clenched fists swung out occasionally.
“Go! Go away!”
“That’s not possible.”
But Dether forcefully put the struggling Nivelia into the bathtub.
Water splashed everywhere.
The hissing didn’t stop.
After surviving the disastrous bath, Nivelia emerged with a sulky expression.
Tears even welled up in her eyes.
“We agreed to bathe only once a day…!”
“I also only want to bathe once a day…”
Dether replied weakly, drenched in sweat and water.
He felt as if he had aged three years.
Fluffy and clean, Nivelia sniffled.
“I’ll tell Mom! I’ll tell Dad! Grandma and Grandpa too! And Areph and my brother!”
Truly angry, Nivelia threw a tantrum.
Dether quietly nodded as he listened.
“Please do tell them. Then I won’t have to take care of the young lady and can relax, right?”
“….”
“Shall we go right now?”
“…No.”
Nivelia retracted her earlier statement.
“Dether is fine. I lied…”
“But I got hurt, you know?”
“Sorry…”
Nivelia hugged Dether’s leg tightly.
Dether hugged her back.
With her wet hair dried and changed into a soft, fresh outfit, Nivelia felt much better.
She gulped down cool milk and exhaled deeply.
A white milk mustache formed on her upper lip.
“All the heat is gone now, right?”
“But I’m bored.”
Feeling playful, Nivelia yawned widely.
She was bored, yet sleepy.
‘Will she just nap like that?’
Just as Dether was about to suggest a nap…
“Nini!”
Soles arrived.
“They say the Master of the Magic Tower is here. Shall we go greet him?”
“I want to go!”
Nivelia shook off her sleepiness in an instant and looked back at Dether.
Smiling, Dether followed her.
“Why did the Master come? To see Nini?”
Nivelia asked Soles.
“He came to fix the broken magical device.”
In the reception room, they met the Master of the Magic Tower preparing to move with the grandparents.
“Areph!”
But Nivelia bravely called out Areph’s name.
Having finished his sword training, Areph was already with the Master.
“Learned all the sword techniques?”
“Yes.”
“Well done. No injuries, I hope? Hmm, should I check?”
Like a mother cat, she examined Areph’s body for any injuries.
“Ha, really. I can’t believe it.”
Magia, unable to stand it, intervened.
“Hey. Can’t you see me?”
“The Master comes later. Wait your turn.”
“That cheeky personality sure runs in your blood.”
Magia glanced at Muniel and Ardoles. They just smiled silently.
“Master of the Tower, I heard you came to fix our magical device. Thank you for coming.”
Soles greeted politely.
Magia’s previously frowning face softened.
“Yes, you are truly the miracle of Deiamor…!”
“And my grandson too.”
“Shut your mouth, Paladin.”
Magia handed Soles candy and chocolates.
Seeing this, Nivelia drooped her eyebrows.
“Give me some too!”
“No. You didn’t greet him.”
Instead, a wrapped chocolate cookie was tossed to Nivelia.
“Not giving one to Areph?”
“He already got one. Unlike you, he greeted properly.”
“Did a ghost die because it didn’t get greeted?”
“…Did something happen to you?”
Her language skills suddenly improved.
Flustered, Magia finally brought up his purpose for coming.
“So, the temperature control device is broken?”
The mansion’s temperature control device was on the top floor.
Upon entering, the heat hit them instantly.
“Wow, it’s really hot…”
The Master of the Tower tied up her long purple hair and said.
“But why did it break?”
“Nini knows!”
Nivelia raised her hand.
“The answer is…!”
Ta-da! Nivelia added a dramatic sound effect.
“It broke because it was too hot!”
“Oh my, that’s a plausible deduction.”
“Nini seems correct.”
Muniel and Ardoles nodded.
Magia muttered, annoyed at how focused everyone was, and inspected the device again.
Magia had built the mansion’s temperature device himself.
It shouldn’t break easily, and he even personally maintained it every year.
“….”
His face stiffened as he examined the device.
Those watching him tensed as well.
“Seems like the Master needs a bathroom break.”
Except Nivelia.
Magia, suddenly deflated, forced out a nervous laugh.
“Hey.”
Then he slowly got up.
“Let’s take a look around the mansion first.”
“Do you think you know the cause of the malfunction?”
“I’ll check around to confirm if that’s the cause.”
Magia’s face was filled with quiet anger.
Muniel and Ardoles instructed the children to politely guide the Master of the Tower.
“Will you write it in the account book?”
Nivelia asked neatly.
“But you must be polite to the Master.”
Muniel set the condition.
“The Master came to fix the broken device, so don’t trouble him and guide him kindly.”
“Nini’s always been kind.”
Nivelia looked at Magia and asked.
Her blue eyes blinked innocently.
“Right?”
“…What a shameless cat.”
Thus began the mansion tour disguised as an introduction.
Before leaving, Nivelia spoke as the leader.
“Don’t wander alone. Don’t run. You could get hurt! And if you need to pee, raise your hand and say so! If you’re thirsty…”
Nivelia showed the wolf backpack on her back.
“Here’s water and cookies! Nini will give them to you!”
“Well-prepared,” Soles complimented.
“Dether packed it.”
By the way, Dether went to freshen up after getting messy while bathing Nivelia.
He was probably singing to himself in a flower-filled bathtub by now.
“Miss, shall I carry your bag?”
Areph asked.
Nivelia shook her head.
“As the leader, I always carry my own load! I always protect my subordinates! That’s my burden!”
“Enough, just guide him quickly…”
“Hmph, the Master is an adult but so impatient.”
Unable to resist Magia’s stubbornness, Nivelia declared they were departing.
