Chapter 36
A tense atmosphere filled the air. I draped the young master’s coat over my shoulder and rolled up my sleeves. I heard him sigh behind me.
“Why are you putting my coat over such dirty clothes?”
Hmm. He was right. But I had already put it on. There was no going back. I pretended not to hear him.
The boy and I took a step closer to each other. Although I called him a boy, he was taller than me. That was a plus as a potential fiancé for Miss Baba. She wouldn’t have to stand on her tiptoes every time they kissed. It could look awkward, depending on the pose.
Was he already thinking about such things and focusing on growing taller? The young master, in his childhood, used to say, “I want to be taller than Anna,” and then he shot up like a rubber band. It seemed like boys went through a rubber band phase.
“But our young master is still taller! You have a long way to go, kid.”
“What are you talking about?”
The boy pointed his sword at my neck. The young master stepped forward.
“I am Count Zepetto. My reputation won’t be tarnished by killing a disrespectful commoner. Step away from my doll.”
Just as he was about to unleash his magic on the boy, Miss Baba intervened.
“Let me introduce you. This is Castor. He was born from a dragon’s waist. Castor, these are Estella and Count Lupin Zepetto. This is what I wanted to say. It’s customary for humans to introduce each other, right? I was wondering what I had forgotten. To think I forgot such an important step.”
I couldn’t process everything she said. One particularly bizarre phrase caught my attention.
Did I just hear something ridiculous?
I flinched and took a step back from the boy.
“Born from a dragon’s waist?”
The boy, or rather, Castor’s eyes flickered. But I was just as bewildered.
“Born from a dragon’s waist?”
Castor looked like an ordinary human. A rather handsome one, at that. He didn’t look like someone who had burst forth from a dragon’s waist. He looked more… refined. Did he defeat a dragon, a creature that even great mages struggled against, as a newborn baby with that innocent face?
“Oh, that’s terrifying.”
I discreetly moved behind the young master. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, then picked up his coat and brushed it off. Was he more concerned about his coat than his precious maid being scared?
Clinging to my heartless master, I glared at the being born from a dragon’s “waist.” And I also glared at his waist. It looked like an ordinary waist.
“You two can’t seem to take your eyes off each other. Are you interested? Inter-species relationships are rare.”
“Master!”
Castor cried out, as if feeling wronged. Who was the one who should be feeling wronged?!
“I don’t like it either! It’s rude to discriminate based on origin, but someone born from a dragon’s waist is too much for me to handle.”
“Estella. It’s not right to speak carelessly about someone’s origin.”
The young master lowered his voice, as if scolding me.
Still! I clung to his waist. Being born from a dragon’s waist was terrifying. I had heard that dragons were monstrous beasts the size of houses. How could anyone be born by ripping through a dragon’s waist?
I felt like I was about to cry. Even though I didn’t have tear ducts.
“To be born by ripping through a dragon’s waist, that’s terrifying!”
I buried my face in his clothes. It was embarrassing for a powerful maid, but I couldn’t help it. I could only imagine gruesome scenes.
No, wait. Thinking about other possibilities, it was actually quite sad. Perhaps this is what happened:
Castor’s mother, heavily pregnant, was battling a dragon and was accidentally swallowed. Then she ripped through the dragon’s waist and emerged, giving birth to Castor in the process. I imagined a warrior holding up a baby in front of a slain dragon. “I have slain, and I have given birth!” Castor’s mother must have been a valiant and fearsome warrior.
“You should be filial!”
I shouted. My voice was muffled by the young master’s clothes.
“Wait a minute. Don’t tell me…”
The young master flinched, then stroked my hair. Gently, without complaining about it being dirty.
And then he said,
“Estella, your stupidity sometimes amazes me.”
“Huh?”
I tightened my grip on his waist and looked up at him resentfully. But he didn’t seem bothered at all. His usual indifferent expression was familiar.
“Don’t tell me you actually thought ‘dragon’s waist’ referred to the waist of a dragon, the magical beast?”
“Huh? Yes. Yes…”
I looked at Castor. He was avoiding my gaze, looking flustered.
“Doesn’t it mean he was born by ripping through a dragon’s waist?”
“Do you think that’s possible?”
The young master’s voice, as he asked me, sounded strangely gentle.
“It’s terrifying because it doesn’t seem possible. To be born while defeating a dragon with that innocent, pretty face… it’s like something out of a myth.”
The boy blushed slightly. He seemed to know. That being born while defeating a dragon was unusual. Was he proud and embarrassed at the same time?
As usual, the young master grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and pulled me away.
“I never thought I would have to apologize so much, but Castor, I’m sorry. May I ask about your family name?”
“…”
Castor hesitated. I decided to stay quiet. I felt like the young master would throw me out of the library if I spoke again.
“Tell him. Count Zepetto dislikes political strife. He’s lazy. Hee hee.”
Miss Baba encouraged Castor, insulting the young master in the process.
“Nova Dragonuska. The third son of the Dragonuska family.”
“As expected. A dragon who would associate with a witch wouldn’t be from an ordinary family. Now, Estella. Listen carefully.”
The young master explained to me in a tired voice,
“Dragon’s Waist is a nickname for a region in the Dragonuska continent. The waist of the dragon-shaped land, where the capital is located. He’s saying he was born in the capital.”
“Ah, so he didn’t actually rip through a dragon’s waist?”
“Estella. This world is incredibly bizarre, with talking dolls and resurrected corpses walking around, but a newborn baby can’t rip through a dragon’s belly.”
“The way you say it makes it sound like it’s possible.”
Castor, who had been slightly hesitant, spoke to me.
“I’m from the Dragonuska family, who have protected the continent for generations. I’m currently in the Sdirco continent due to certain circumstances. When I return, I’ll help my sister and brother protect the continent. Although I’m not planning to go back alone…”
He looked at Miss Baba as he said the last part. I didn’t care what happened as long as he was human.
“So you’re human?”
“Being human isn’t the point! I’m a Dragonuska…!”
“Oh, you scared me. I thought my nonexistent heart stopped.”
The tension from earlier vanished instantly. I held out my hand and offered Castor a handshake. I felt relieved. Oh, so he was a normal person.
“Nice to meet you, human Castor. I’m Estella, a former human who recently became a doll. As Count Zepetto’s maid, I occasionally bash zombies.”
Castor stared at me blankly as he shook my hand. I glanced at Miss Baba. She had a slightly dazed expression. Perhaps she was always like that.
Even as I shook Castor’s hand vigorously and then hugged him, Miss Baba showed no signs of jealousy. The young master, perhaps feeling competitive, grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and pulled me into his arms.
Nestled safely in his embrace, I looked up and whispered,
“Young Master, we have a chance with this one.”
“Please stop thinking. Just… just stop.”
After the eventful self-introductions, I was led to the bathroom by Miss Baba’s attendant. Besides Castor, her self-proclaimed disciple, she also had a goblin named Felix working for her. Castor seemed to be working without pay.
Poor human Castor and goblin Felix! I would have to help them while I was here.
After quickly cleaning myself up, I mean, bathing, I went to the room where the young master would be staying. He wasn’t there. Instead, Castor was there, making the bed with a grumpy expression.
“You speak formally, but why are you making the bed?”
“You don’t have to speak formally to me. It’s my job to help the Master.”
“Hmm. You like unpaid labor? The elders would love you.”
Castor seemed accustomed to housework, but he wasn’t skilled. It was clear that he had learned out of necessity, not from proper training.
Seeing the wrinkled sheets, I couldn’t help but approach him. He flinched, startled.
“Your hair is still wet…”
“It’s better to hold the sheet here and here when you shake it.”
I spread the sheet on the bed for demonstration. The bed looked much more inviting after receiving Estella’s expert touch. Or maybe it was because the sheets were silk.
“What do you think?”
“Wh-what?”
He avoided my gaze.
“Aha, are you shy?”
His eyes widened, as if I had hit the mark. Was he that impressed by my bed-making skills? I confidently stepped closer. I wasn’t sure what a dragon person was, but were his pupils slightly vertically slit?
“D-don’t come any closer. I don’t get involved with women other than the Master…”
As I leaned in, close enough that our noses almost touched, he closed his eyes. I wanted to see his eyes, so I placed my hands on his shoulders.
“Hey, human. You have pretty eyes. Open them. Let me see.”
Just then, a surprised voice came from outside the door.
“Are you two kissing?”