Chapter 154

After finishing a warm shower and changing into the comfortable clothes prepared by the mistress, the two laughed and talked about the luck they had encountered.

“Phew~. Feels like I can finally live now.”

“Right? Who would’ve thought we’d meet such a kind person in the middle of this forest, willing to let us stay?”

The two spoke with bright, happy faces, free of any tension or worry.

It was as if they had returned to their hometown after a long time. Their faces were filled with comfort and ease, and their relaxed postures—lying on the bed or sitting on chairs—showed complete relaxation.

And what about their conversation?

“The mistress of this mansion, isn’t she just so kind?”

“Hmm. In a dangerous forest like this, where monsters roam, it’s usually common to be wary of adventurers and not let them inside. But she invited us in right away after seeing us.”

Despite initially finding the mistress suspicious, they now only spoke of her with fondness, as if their earlier doubts had never existed.

The two changed into the clothes prepared by the mistress and spent their time in the room she had prepared, feeling at ease.

It was as if they had completely forgotten the thoughts and feelings they had before entering the mansion.

“Seriously, I can’t even understand why we refused her offer twice at first.”

“…Wait. Why didn’t we want to enter this mansion again?”

“What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t we want to enter such a cozy and comfortable mansion? That doesn’t make sense… Huh? What’s this?”

As they chatted happily about the mansion, the two began to feel a strange sense of unease.

“…We definitely didn’t want to enter this mansion.”

“It was suspicious, a mansion standing alone in the middle of the forest…”

Soon, the two held their heads, trying to recall their memories.

Like walking through a fog, their memories were vague.

It felt as if a wall was blocking them from remembering something important.

So, they tried hard to piece together their memories to figure out the source of their unease.

If nothing had interrupted their attempt to remember, they might have recalled what they had forgotten.

*Knock knock*

But as if not allowing them to regain their senses, the sound of someone knocking on their door came at just the right time.

“Who is it… Oh, it’s the mistress?”

“Yes. I just wanted to check if you’re enjoying your stay.”

“Hahaha. Don’t worry, we’re fine. How could we complain after receiving such kindness?”

“In fact, we’re so grateful that we don’t even know how to repay you.”

Hearing this, the mistress smiled with a sly grin.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had guests, so I was worried. I’m glad you’re enjoying it. If there’s anything uncomfortable, please let me know.”

“No, we’ve already received the kindness of staying here for a night. We can’t ask for more. We’re fine.”

“…A night?”

“Mistress? Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing. Then, I’ll see you again tomorrow morning.”

“Alright. Have a peaceful night, mistress.”

The mistress, with her pale face and thin smile, disappeared into the dark hallway as if her business was truly done.

*Creak*

As the mistress left and the untouched door closed on its own, the two smiled contentedly, as if their conversation with the mistress had been genuinely beneficial.

And then came the fatigue accumulated over the day.

Having chased a monkey monster, both physically and mentally exhausted, and then wandering through the forest for hours in the middle of the night to find a campsite, their fatigue had doubled.

In the cozy and satisfying atmosphere of the mansion, after a satisfying warm shower and changing into comfortable indoor clothes prepared by the mistress, the two lay on the soft, fluffy bed and soon fell into a satisfying sleep.

…

*Creak*

“Mmm… Ugh…”

*Creak creak*

The chirping of birds reached the ears of Karina and Serena, who were still half-asleep.

As they slightly opened their eyes, the blinding sunlight streamed through the window, shining down on them.

“Ha… Morning.”

Having spent the night in the forest mansion, the two woke up to the morning.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had such a refreshing morning.”

“Same here. It must mean the beds here are really comfortable.”

The two got up from bed with refreshed and cool expressions, stretching.

Having slept soundly on the soft, fluffy bed, they had forgotten all the discomfort and rejection they had felt the day before, fully enjoying the peaceful morning in the mansion.

*Knock knock*

Just as they had forgotten all their worries, the mistress visited them again.

“Ah, mistress.”

“Oh, you’re awake.”

“Haha. Thanks to the comfortable bed, I woke up feeling refreshed.”

“I’m glad the bed suited you. You must be hungry since you just woke up. Would you like breakfast?”

“After the bed, now breakfast… That’s too much.”

“Hehe. No need to refuse. Living alone in this big mansion, I sometimes miss having meals with others.”

“Then we’ll gratefully accept your kindness.”

And so, the two expressed their gratitude to the mistress and headed to the dining room for breakfast.

…

*Clatter*

*Clatter*

In the dining room, which was too large for just three people, only the sound of their utensils clashing echoed.

“After letting us stay the night, now breakfast… How can we ever repay this kindness?”

“No need to feel burdened. I’m just happy to see you enjoying yourselves.”

The three exchanged sincere kindness, maintaining a warm atmosphere.

Though somewhat old, the mansion’s antique charm rivaled that of any noble’s estate, and with the warm sunlight streaming through the windows, the dining atmosphere was irresistibly cozy.

“But still, how can we accept this? We’ll be leaving soon, and you’re treating us so well.”

“Leaving…?”

“Ah, yes. Now that it’s morning and our stamina is restored, we’ll be leaving the mansion to return to the village.”

“…Why?”

But the mistress’s sudden question.

When the mistress asked this, Karina and Serena felt as if the temperature around them had dropped by 10 degrees.

Hearing her voice, they jolted, as if their somewhat dreamy minds had suddenly awakened.

But the mistress seemed to notice this as well, and with a thin smile on her pale face, she quickly restored the warm atmosphere, making it seem like just a fleeting moment.

“Dear me, what’s the rush? There’s no need to hurry, is there?”

“It’s not exactly urgent, but we can’t keep staying in the mansion…”

“And there are people waiting for us.”

“Then wouldn’t it be fine to stay a few more days? No need to feel burdened.”

“But if we don’t return, others will worry…”

“That’s not urgent, is it?”

Though phrased as a question, the mistress’s tone was more like driving a wedge.

Her tone felt somewhat coercive, a bit excessive for someone they had just met.

But Karina and Serena nodded as if persuaded, or as if they had a reason to believe the mistress was right.

“True… There’s nothing urgent enough to leave right away.”

“Honestly, we were reluctant to leave such a nice mansion. If it’s alright with you, could we stay a few more days?”

“Hehe. Of course. Stay as long as you like, whether it’s a few days or months.”

The two, who had decided to leave after breakfast that morning, now asked the mistress for permission to stay a few more days.

It was as if they were visiting a long-time friend’s house or a relative’s place, feeling a bit apologetic but confident their request would be accepted.

And the mistress gladly accepted their request to stay longer, as if it were only natural.