The Duke’s Companion

Mamella could not answer the call and could only look alternately at the door and Aryl not answering the voice she heard from the outside.

“Mamella, can I come in?”

This voice sounded just like Mamella’s family.

Aryl looked at Mamella, who had hardened while holding her sullenly, her face turned pale.

‘If I get caught, Mamella will be in trouble.’

I slapped Mamella’s arm with my front paws to get a grip, but Mamella only rolled her eyes looking at the surroundings.

‘No! Just let me hide under the bed.’ Aryl screamed inwardly.

Struggling to escape Mamella’s hold of her, Mamella held Aryl tighter and refused to let go.

As Aryl glanced at her, she could hear Mamella swallowing with a strained look.

“Mamella?”

Once again, I heard the voice calling over the door.

I’d be lying if I tell you I didn’t want to see Mamella’s family right over the door. It’s been a few days since I sat by the window, drowsily watching Mamella’s family.

However, if Mamella doesn’t like it, I can’t respond to my heart either. I exchanged glances with Mamella for a moment and then slammed Mamella’s hand, which was holding me, with my front paw once again.

My sudden action drained the strength from Mamella’s arm. She let out a gasp of embarrassment. I escaped from her grasp and dug into the blanket.

As the light pink blanket covered my vision, I leaned on her leg to reassure Mamella.

“I- I didn’t go anywhere… Don’t worry, I’m here brother.” Mamella answered.

After a while, a trembling voice continued, “Oh, brother, I… I’m not feeling well right now, so I want to be alone.”

It took a while for Mamella’s words to come out, and she came back to her senses for a moment. Her voice sounded muffled.

“Are you seriously sick? I’ll call a doctor. Before that…”

“It’s not like that! I just want to be alone…” Mamella exclaimed.

As I lifted the blanket slightly with my front paw, I could see Mamella panicking.

I listened to the voice coming from beyond the door. For some reason, he didn’t answer.

After a long silence, Mamella rubbed her palm on her clothes as if her hands were sweating. 

Then I came out through the gap in the blanket and met her gaze. 

Mamella whispered, “Aryl… If my brother comes in, you must never cry, okay?”

For Mamella, who was anxious, I stuck my front paw out of the blanket and patted her on the back of her hand.

At that moment, a sighing voice was heard from beyond the door.

“…Then I’ll come back next time, so you can get some rest. If you’re sick, be sure to tell me…”

I heard footsteps turning away and getting farther. After a while, Mamella let out a long sigh as she burst out of breath she had held back.

“I’ve been through this for ten years…”

The light pink blanket covering my sight suddenly lifted. I could still see Mamella, whose complexion was pale. 

Maybe not, but I think she looked a little better than before.

Mamella collapsed on the bed groaning then pulled me in her arms.

“That’s a relief. I didn’t want to suddenly get caught hiding you. At least I wanted to say it myself.”

My eyes widened at her words.

Mamella… are you talking about me?

Me to your family? Maybe she didn’t want to show me yet because she was embarrassed.

Before I could dig into the question, I heard a knock outside. I felt Mamella firming up again.

I comforted Mamella. It’s Jonah’s voice, so you don’t have to worry.

“Lady, this is Jonah. The Lord is gone.”

“Ah… I was surprised to find out that it was my older brother again.”

“I’m here to tell you something. May I come in?”

When Mamella’s permission was granted, Jonah entered the bedroom and said her words.

“The Lord said that you won’t have classes for today.”

Mamella blinked her eyes in bewilderment at first, and then she blinked her eyes and smiled happily. The hand that was holding me grew stronger.

“I think my brother took me out of class today because I was sick!”

“No. It’s not like that, it’s just that from today onwards, there will be no classes at all until you enter school.”

Mamella jumped out of bed. She asked Jonah with a questionable expression, “What? Why all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know that much either. It’s just that the Earl of Arving says he’s not coming anymore.”

“Is that true?”

When Jonah nodded, Mamella puffed out her cheeks and pouted, “Whenever he comes he says that he’s a prestigious scholar and forces me to study.”

“What?”

Mamella, who had been grumbling, was still in a good mood, so her mouth went up slowly.

‘Come to think of it, Mamella always had no energy to go to class.’

I rubbed my forehead on the back of her hand as I remembered Mamella often complained.

‘All right, Mamella, I know you always had a hard time.’

Mamella, who responded to my cuteness, hugged me tightly and rubbed my cheek.

‘Ugh, I was suffocating.’

However, Mamella said that she understood my behavior and that she liked me so much.

Mamella and it doesn’t seem to show as well as I thought…

Jonah, who had been watching us from the side, spoke, “Lady.”

“Yes?”

Mamella raised her head that was buried in my fur, it was only then that I could breathe.