I Reincarnated As A Villainess, But Why Did I Become A Cat Butler Instead? - Chapter 101

Chapter 51.1

“No, if I take it back, my position will be…”

“All I need is the paperwork. I don’t need anything else.”

Herman was seemingly in tears. Still, he could not hang on any longer and had no choice but to present the papers.

The document already bore the Emperor’s signature.

As I signed next to it, the signature glowed briefly—presumably, there was some magical device embedded in the paper. It must have been a magical contract that couldn’t be forged.

‘…Do I really have a diamond mine in front of me?’

Although I was incredibly confused inside, I felt a surge of excitement, as if I had just won the lottery. I struggled to maintain my composure and keep my facial expressions in check. However, my hand, gripping my skirt, trembled as I tried to contain my emotions.

It was the thrill of joy.

‘I should have a toast with Dimitri. I’ll need to call Sasha and Coco, too. I’m rich now.’

Finally, Herman put one of the two papers back in his pocket and got up as though he was being kicked out. When I rose up with him, Dimitri, who had no intention of seeing Herman off, whispered to me, puzzled.

“You don’t have to go.”

“I didn’t want to see Count Heres off. I just wanted to check on the hounds for the last time.”

I was going to say bye to Cadis. For a few days after I exchanged names with him, we were still close enough to chat, at least a little.

‘It’d be better to see him off at least for the last time.’

Besides, it seemed to be a person-to-person courtesy.

As I left, Dimitri followed, dragging his feet as though he had no choice. At the entrance, three hounds were already waiting for Herman, bound in shackles.

“If you miss me, feel free to contact me anytime, Ro… No, Duchess. Because my heart will always think of you as a good friend.”

Perhaps, he remembered my words to be polite. He greeted me with courtesy—even at the last greeting.

I nodded my head to greet him and turned towards Cadis.

Cadis, who had turned into a dog, was gazing up at me. As always, especially today, his brown eyes were filled with grief. He reflexively wagged his tail when our eyes met and then whined as if it was a pity that we were parting.

I glanced at Herman, who was getting into the carriage, and whispered softly to him.

“I wish you good health.”

“Again… Will we see each other again?”

His voice was sad, which surprised me a little.

Since Herman was looking this way, I glanced away from Cadis for a moment so as not to create any strange suspicion for him. Then, while he was not looking at us, I smiled softly at Cadis.

“We’ll meet again someday.”

Although Dimitri’s relationship with the Emperor had fractured because of me, he was still a servant of the Emperor, and eventually, we would have to go to the Imperial Palace. There would inevitably be times when I would cross paths with him again.

I watched as Herman’s knights wrangled the hounds, leading them into the carriage filled with dog cages.

‘It makes me sad to see him being dragged off like that.’

I hadn’t realized how close I had become with Cadis. Without thinking, I stared at him blankly before shifting my gaze to Herman. He was already watching me with a strange expression, and when our eyes met, I flinched and trembled as if I had committed a sin.

His eyes narrowed.

“Come to think of it…”

He suddenly looked up at the sky. At that moment, thin raindrops unexpectedly fell.

“I heard that a storm is coming. However, if I leave like this, I’ll be tied up in an unfamiliar city before I even get to the Imperial Palace.”

He smiled brightly.

“Besides, it seems that the Duchess also regrets parting ways with the hounds. Could we tie them up for just one day until the rain stops?”

I swallowed dry saliva.

It was because he had seen Rowaine, who had been helping and enjoying mistreating shapeshifters, friendly greeting with Cadis…

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

Dimitri couldn’t refuse Herman’s formal request to take shelter at the Blois mansion during the storm. It would’ve been against etiquette to turn away a guest, especially one representing the Emperor, in such inclement weather.

The dignity of the nobility was rooted in splendor and complex customs.

Their adherence to etiquette—too cumbersome for commoners to follow—was a calculated move to emphasize class distinctions. In other words, it was an implicit promise to uphold their superior status by following these seemingly nonsensical rules.

However, while these customs elevated the nobility’s dignity, they also became chains that bound them.

‘…Just as even Duke Dimitri couldn’t be ignored when it comes to communicating etiquette.’

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