MBSGBC 10

Chapter 10

The “bailiff” who burst through the front gate—little Voltain, Ru—shattered my defenses completely with a bright smile, an affectionate demeanor, and above all, that single word: “Mom.” I had to mentally shed tears and once again advise the child.

“You can’t call me Mom. I told you last time.”

“But you *are* Mom!”

The child’s hurt, shocked face bombarded my heart, but this was unavoidable.

‘Between Lion and me… nothing ever happened!’

Biologically, I couldn’t be that child’s mother! Of course, if I looked away from the fact that a man giving birth was itself biologically inexplicable, then sure.

Rita, who had been standing behind me, mouthed “M-mom?” and stared at me with a look that made her jaw seem like it would drop. I frantically shook my head at her. But it seemed it would take a while for Rita’s stunned soul to return.

Lion, who had entered the house at a leisurely pace behind the child, looked around and opened his mouth in that annoyingly smug way.

“She’s not Mom.”

“Dad!”

“Not yet.”

Muttering, Lion surveyed the house and grumbled.

“What is this state of the house?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s dusty and empty.”

“That’s what houses are like.”

I rolled up my sleeves and put my hands on my hips.

“Once you’ve moved everything out, all that’s left is dust and empty space.”

The voice that answered mine was that of a young, clear-toned child.

“I like it here!”

The child ran around, touching the banister of the staircase, the reception room, and every corner of the stairs, shouting cheerfully. Despite it being an unfamiliar place, there was no hesitation at all.

“It smells like Mom!”

I stealthily sniffed my own sleeve.

Do I… smell?

Lion, who had been watching me from the side, let out an undisguised snicker and added,

“He’s talking about the lingering trace of your magic. Did you use magic recently?”

“A little… wait, he could sense that?”

“He’s my child. Of course he’s a genius.”

After muttering that, Lion clapped his hands to call the child.

“Ru, come here. You need to step aside so everyone can clean the house.”

Everyone…?

I looked at Lion with a bewildered expression. Lion, with his characteristic composed expression, flicked his fingertip—*click*.

At the same time, the door opened and a group of people filed in. About twenty people, all dressed in neat servants’ attire. Lion tilted his head toward them and spoke.

“Starting today, you’ll work in this house. Your master is Lady Irene Otrena, who stands here. Do not report this household’s affairs separately to me. In case of emergency, protect Lady Otrena. That is all.”

The twenty people bowed their heads in perfect unison, accepting his words.

I stared at him with a dumbfounded face, and understood a beat later.

“So you’re saying I should use these people in our house?”

“Yes. They’re from the duchy.”

“How could I possibly accept such a thing?”

In a ducal household, even the servants were often of noble birth. Working for a poor baron’s family would hardly be an easy task for them.

“I picked commoners and brought them. Do you think I don’t know your capacity?”

“…That somehow stings my pride too…”

“Hah, even when I’m being considerate, you complain.”

“Ahem, no, thank you. This is an enormous help. Truth be told, when it came down to it, I didn’t have any family I could ask for help…”

Rita’s face, which had been looking like she’d have to work alone for a while, had turned white as if dusted with flour…

Now I could rest easy!

Among the twenty lined up, one stepped forward—a black-haired beauty with a short bob.

“Give me your orders, and I will carry them out immediately.”

“Good. First… what’s your name?”

The woman hesitated for a moment, then answered in a respectful tone.

“Cyril. I have no surname.”

“Got it, Cyril. Basically… I’d like you to cooperate well with Rita and get the work done.”

As soon as my name left my mouth, Rita’s back straightened like a spring. The child who had been nervously glancing around just moments ago was gone, and in her place, a rather strict senior maid’s aura radiated from her entire being.

“Leave it to me, Miss! I mean, Mistress!”

Rita answered boldly, undaunted even before the ducal household’s impeccably trained servants. The fact that twenty reliable allies had appeared seemed to have given Rita more strength than any magic could.

Rita began laying out the immediate tasks to the lined-up servants in a crisp tone.

“What we need right now is cleaning. First, clean the Mistress’s room thoroughly, then the two guest rooms, the reception room, the dining room, the kitchen, the study…”

I watched Rita busily giving orders, then rolled my eyes for a moment and added a comment.

“If anyone can cook, I’d like them to take charge of the kitchen and prepare meals. Don’t skimp on ingredients—buy what you need, and I want everyone, servants and maids alike, to have the best meals possible. Today is a happy day, after all.”

There must be a saying somewhere in the world that numbers are everything when it comes to housework.

It would have been a stretch to thoroughly clean every corner of the long-neglected mansion, but the bedrooms, reception room, and kitchen that needed to be used today were tidied up in no time.

After a hearty meal, Lucian rubbed his eyes, struggling to stay awake.

“I won’t sleep…”

I caught the child, who was nodding off and looked like they might fall off the chair at any moment. Rita, clearly suspicious of the relationship between me and the child, narrowed her eyes slightly and came closer.

There was no way I could explain this in detail anyway. With a “whatever” attitude, I handed the child over to Rita.

“Put them to sleep in my bed. Stay by their side tonight, and if they wake up looking for me, bring them to me.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

Rita still had a suspicious look in her eyes, but she dutifully took the child and left the dining room. Lion, who had been idly rolling his wine glass beside me, let out a chuckle.

“Where are you going to sleep?”

“There are guest rooms.”

“I’m planning to stay over too.”

“…I happen to have prepared *two* guest rooms!”

His subtle tone made my heart inexplicably race.

I personally escorted Lion to the guest room. My conscience pricked at the thought of having a servant guide such an important guest, who had done so much for me.

But Lion Voltain was quieter than usual.

Moreover, the warmth in his arm, which had been escorting me, seemed to be gradually fading.

“Lion.”

At my soft call, a voice like a small sigh escaped between the man’s lips.

“Keep it a secret.”

But his steps were slowly growing heavier. By the time we reached the room, I had to half-support him.

The man, who had clearly been forcing himself, collapsed onto the guest room bed as if falling, laying his body down.

“Lion! A doctor, I’ll call a—”

He grabbed my flustered wrist. The man shook his head and murmured in a small voice.

“No.”

After examining him for a moment, I understood why. Magical exhaustion.

The moment a mage is at their most vulnerable.

Suddenly, everything fell into place—Lion Voltain’s pale complexion over the past few days, the dark circles under his eyes.

“You came at a good time today.”

At my reply, Lion merely raised one corner of his mouth slightly.

“I’ll protect you.”

Having said that firmly, I stuck my head out the door, called a passing servant, and gave instructions.

“Draw the curtains in every room. Keep candles lit in about half the rooms and unlit in the rest. Post two guards on each floor tonight.”

To make the situation not seem unusual, I added one more thing.

“We have a child here, so we need to be careful.”

The servant nodded as if convinced. Soon, hearing the hurried footsteps moving through the hallway, I quietly closed the door.

Lion Voltain had already fallen asleep. It was a sleep caused by magical exhaustion—one could call it unconsciousness.

‘He really looks like an angel when he sleeps.’

I approached the window. Of all nights, the full moon adorning the sky was scattering silver light everywhere. I drew the curtains and left the candles unlit.

Sitting in the dark room, I traced a magic formula in the air. A basic concealing spell seeped through the old wood grain of our guest room, emitting a faint glow.

As the formula settled and the room fell into silence, Lion on the bed let out a small groan.

“Lion…?”

Just as I reached out to place my hand on his forehead, his hand—cold as metal—snatched my wrist and pulled me down onto the bed.

“Don’t go.”

I thought he had completely lost consciousness. The tears wetting the man’s long eyelashes trembled, reflecting the faint light of the magic formula. His thirst-laden blue eyes looked down at me as if they might devour me.

Why was it?

Before I knew it, I was reaching out to that face.

Complicated gazes intertwined.

Then, as if it was exactly what should have happened, we urgently pressed our lips together.