NOVEL NEXT Chapter 407
In the past, I made a contract with Elizabeth.
Now, it’s a group of house fairies that have renewed their contract with Karem.
The Kikimora of Fellow Estate are always filled with a lively atmosphere due to the overflowing work of managing a whole estate.
And now that winter is just around the corner, the amount of work is doubling.
“Chiki Boom Boom – Chiki Boom Boom – Chiki Boom Boom -”
“Boom Chiki! Boom Boom Chiki Chiki! Boom Chiki!”
“Boom Boom Chiki Chiki – Boom Boom Chiki Chiki -”
As the ordinary beings typically gain vigor as time moves closer to the weekend, for the Kikimora, it was a different story.
They were house fairies.
Having a lot of work is great. More work on top of that?
For a normal house fairy, desiring more work is instinctual.
The Kikimora were so happy that even their butts wiggled.
Thus, the Kikimora wishing that Karem would own four or five more estates was entirely normal for them as house fairies.
As the weekend approached, those Kikimora became even busier.
“We must diligently clean before the Contractor comrade arrives!”
“Chief Nascha, may I have some compote?”
“Ahh! That compote was what I was drinking!!!”
“Chief! Chief! Forest-dwelling friends! We’ve obtained the nectar of this year’s last Snow White Ice Bee as a gift for the Contractor comrade.”
“I found a lost young Snow White Ice Bee. I’ll take it back immediately.”
The weekend was the day Karem would visit.
And he would be accompanied by his partner, Catherine.
When the memory of their rival, Mary, crossed their minds, the expressions of the interconnected Kikimora simultaneously twisted up.
The greedy Brownie, Mary, was not very welcome.
However, there were rare days when Mary wouldn’t come along.
The Kikimora hoped that the upcoming day would be one of those.
“I think the Contractor comrade should stay at Fellow Mansion.”
“It can’t be helped. The Contractor comrade is under a contract with their partner in Winterhome, right?”
“But since Coldon and the estate are close, can’t we just say they can commute here with their partner?”
At those words, the thoughts of all the Kikimora in Fellow Estate focused on one specific Kikimora.
The next morning, Nascha, who pinned this month’s Kikimora badge to Shosna, the leader of the Kikimora, declared,
“This is it! Commuting! I strongly propose this to the Contractor comrade this coming weekend!”
“Boom Boom Chiki Chiki – Boom Boom Chiki Chiki -”
“Boom Chiki! Boom Boom Chiki Chiki! Boom Chiki!”
“Chiki Boom – Chiki Boom – Chiki Boom – Chiki Boom -”
And thus, Fellow Estate was engulfed in enthusiastic cheers.
Commute! Surely a visionary foresight befitting a group leader!
“Huaaaah!?”
In a world of chaos and shock, how could such a thing even occur!?
Emotions spread to all Kikimora through telepathy.
Suddenly, the atmosphere was all disturbed, and the Kikimora tracked the source of the sentiment to a letter—
“Kyaaaaaahhh!! Wh-what is this happening!!!”
“I can’t accept this! I can’t accept this! I can’t accept this!”
“Emergency—!!! Super emergency! Super emergency! Super emergency!!! It’s an emergency…!!!”
“Eh? Comrades? What on earth is happening—!!!”
Just moments ago, the Fellow Estate, which had been filled with a fluffy atmosphere, fell into chaos.
The letter that plunged Fellow Estate into confusion didn’t contain much, but it was serious enough for the Kikimora.
Accompanied by a hefty parcel, the message stated various reasons but could be summarized as such:
Due to unforeseen circumstances, they wouldn’t be visiting this week.
In the midst of confusion like citizens in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, one Kikimora maintained her composure.
“Huh, really. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened.”
Of course, it was the first time for Karem.
The first discoverer acting all fidgety.
Beside him, Nascha watched on with her arms crossed.
Letting out a deep sigh, she bent down to pick up the unattended letter along with the parcel. And she tilted her head.
“Another letter? This is…a recipe? Punch? I’ve never heard of this. Ugh, watermelon?”
*
*
*
At that moment when the Kikimora were regaining their vitality by eating the visually unappealing punch made from Snow White Ice Bee’s light green nectar.
“Was there something you forgot to bring?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Catherine, who was sitting on Karem’s lap, thumped her head against his chest.
It was a protest against the disheveled hand movements.
“Are you still curious about the destination?”
“Not that.”
It had already been several days of sitting in the wagon.
During that time, she had learned all the necessary information.
The root of the incident ultimately stemmed from the Afterglow raid incident of last year.
Undead monsters and the monsters that were stirred by them, wild beasts.
A territory that had been devastated as a result.
The territory’s lord, having tried their best to remedy the situation, ultimately gave up when most of the clever ones had fled and intended to sell the territory, only to find no buyers.
Because the situation was so severe it reminded one of Richards and the previous era, yet surprisingly, Alfred bought it.
The justification was heir training.
It felt similar to the tasks assigned to Godwin, closely tied to his prior activities with Ishikobaharten.
However, the role assigned was different.
Previously, it had been guarding and assisting, but now it was guarding and observing.
According to Alfred’s letter that arrived soon after Godwin’s, Godwin wanted a more challenging practical assignment.
Alfred, while adhering to his son’s wishes, sought out something suitable to provide experiences through failure, which led to the current situation.
“What was that again? They say winter is the season of rest, right?”
“Well…generally, that’s the case.”
“On the contrary, it seems like we have an unusually busy time every winter.”
Immediately, Catherine had to deal with endless work since arriving at Iceland for the first winter.
Not to mention, the following winter was even more busy, overflowing with work.
And now, this winter, there were hints that it would be equally hectic was a bit unsettling.
“Karem, I think you’ve forgotten something.”
“What is it?”
“The reason winter is generally regarded as the season of rest is that it’s only applicable in places with clear four seasons or warmer regions.”
Mary looked at him with eyes indicating that she expected him to understand.
After a pause, Karem shrugged, focusing on Catherine’s hair.
“The luxury of taking a break in winter hasn’t been a possibility in this land for even a generation.”
“What? In northern Europa, activities directly correlate to survival; rest is literally a luxury.”
“The Contractor is correct. For the Ice Landers, living a pitiful existence, winter is rather a busier season, isn’t it?”
Saying this, Mary looked like she was enjoying the idea, her shoulders bouncing.
As much as ordinary beings sought rest, house fairies sought work.
Even in harsh conditions?
Actually, that’s even better. More work to be had!
“Then Mary, is that why you settled in the Kingdom of Seophone?”
“Oh, there are deep reasons akin to the sky and the sea.”
“Uh? Is it because you wanted to flee from crimes like any ordinary immigrant from Iceland?”
“Crimes? Then I wouldn’t be able to do house chores. Though, cleaning prisons covered in time and dust is somewhat appealing… No, that’s not it.”
Mary shook her head vigorously, looking somewhat embarrassed.
“Well… If it’s a secret, you don’t have to tell me.”
“No, it’s not really a secret. Um…”
“Due to circumstances overlapping inadvertently, I ended up with consecutive contracts and renewals, resulting in a disrupted daily life for my desirable master—”
Karem’s eyes opened wide as he abruptly realized.
Before Mary could even finish, he nodded.
“I was originally on the continent, but my previous master was rather dismal, so I— Do you remember?”
“Uh… Died of starvation while absorbed in research? That’s all I remember.”
“That’s sufficient. Each contract concluded earlier than expected due to various reasons, and in search of a new contractor—”
“You ended up on Seophone Island?”
“Precisely that.”
Mary pointed at Karem, claiming it was the right answer with a snap of her fingers.
“You brush over the key incident that led to entering the island just like that?”
“Erm…”
Mary suddenly leaned her head against the wagon wall, avoiding his gaze.
Karem looked at her as if asking what was wrong.
“If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.”
“No, it’s just that it feels unsatisfactory to gloss over it, so if you promise not to laugh, I will tell you.”
Well, a promise isn’t much… but out of curiosity, Karem nodded in agreement, and Mary rolled her eyes around.
While seeming to organize her thoughts, she opened her mouth.
“I became embroiled in a love rivalry.”
“What? What did you say?”
“You heard right, Karem.”
She straightened up her posture, deftly fixing her clothes, and then rested her chin on her hand.
“As you can see, among fairies, and Kikimora too, I have a rather decent appearance and figure.”
“Well… I suppose that much is true.”
“Shut it. My eyes are stuffed with love, so I don’t expect compliments. Anyway, the partner of my previous contractor became enamored with my looks and got all clingy, but when I discovered this…”
Mary rested one hand below, and with the other over it, made a gesture of stabbing downwards—thud.
In an instant, a boat appeared as a mirage before Karem’s eyes.
“You stabbed your partner to death?”
“The contractor, who had considered marriage in abandoning a flourishing adventurer’s life, couldn’t find peace after ending their boyfriend’s infidelity with murder.”
Seeing Karem aghast, Mary nodded at the frozen Catherine behind her, who was silently laughing.
“That is correct, Karem. I fled to survive.”
“Oh wow…”
“…Your reaction is odd.”
“Well? You told me not to laugh, right?”
“Not that I thought you’d really hold back on laughter.”
Because honestly, it nearly burst his stomach out!
If it were a third party’s situation unrelated to him, he might have laughed, but hearing such a desperate escape of his colleague truly kept his mirth at bay.
“Pfft, ha ha—”
“Contractor. Given that background, feel free to laugh.”
“Haha! Hahaha! Hahaa!!”
However, Catherine burst into laughter.
Karem, still sitting with her feet bouncing, kept pointing at Mary, conveying her desire to say something.
Karem had no intention of stopping her, but there was one thing he wanted to point out.
“Catherine, right now, you’re stomping on my feet, not the floor.”
“Puhtt! I-I can’t help it! I can’t help it after hearing that!!!”
“Right. Well, it’s not painful, just a matter of feelings.”
Though he said that, he seemed less than pleased.
Mary glared at Catherine with a sulky look.