Chapter 284: Springtime for the Beastkin Maid (9)Sitting by the window, bundled in a thick blanket and sweater, Will gazed out at the snowy landscape, a hefty History of Magic book in his lap.

    Winters with heavy snowfall were nothing new in his memory. The Entark Empire had distinct seasons, and every winter brought similar snowscapes, with pavilions in the courtyard blanketed in thick snow.

    But this winter had come too early.

    Lost in thought, he tucked his feet deeper under the blanket, huddling closer to the warmth of his little room.

    What had he usually done during winters in the past?

    He flipped through the pages of History of Magic.

    Perhaps the book was too dull or too esoteric.

    Most books from the study had been taken away, and only this one remained.

    Even though he had read it before, he could barely remember its contents. The only thing that stuck was that, apart from a few passing references to “myths,” everything else documented was from the past five hundred years.

    Strange.

    Why was he not as engrossed as before when reading by the window?

    The stories on the pages now seemed tedious.

    In the past, he had loved this book because it was filled with the “story’s” untold settings, offering glimpses of spoilers that piqued his curiosity.

    But now...

    Why?

    Why did it feel as dull as flipping through a history textbook when unable to sleep? The official accounts of events, the jumble of hard-to-remember names and magical terms all mixed together...

    Just as Will was pondering this, his thoughts were interrupted by Eir:

    “Young Master, try this. It’s freshly roasted sweet potatoes.”

    A steaming sweet potato appeared before him, as if fighting the cold creeping through the window.

    “Seems like I haven’t had this much before.”

    He picked up the sweet potato, but it was too hot to handle, so he juggled it between his hands before peeling off its skin.

    “In the past, the Hysterm household rarely chose sweet potatoes as a staple. Even if we did eat them, they were served as sliced pieces.”

    Eir also held a sweet potato, sitting on a wooden chair by the windowsill.

    She brought over paper napkins so he could place the peelings on his lap.

    “People say roasted sweet potatoes have a wintery flavor.”

    “They really do.”

    Will smiled. For him, it was also a distant memory.

    Here, winter was about staying warm indoors, watching the snow outside, with Eir by his side, reading books he found fascinating, jotting down notes he deemed meaningful, enjoying warm, slightly luxurious meals, and passing the days one by one.

    “But actually, Eir hates winter.”

    Eir, with a mouthful of sweet potato, suddenly changed the topic.

    “Why?”

    “Eir has never told Young Master about Eir’s life before coming here...”

    Because I already know—Will thought to himself. He had read those “character bios” many times, recalling even Eir’s innermost thoughts.

    He had always believed he didn’t need to hear the story from her lips again.

    Because he already knew from a more objective perspective.

    But...

    “Then tell me. This book is too boring. I’m listening.”

    Will closed the book, looking at Eir’s earnest profile and perked ears.

    “I was abandoned at the end of summer. The forest was still warm then, but it gradually got colder.”

    Eir smiled, breaking off a piece of sweet potato and feeding it to Will, who hadn’t fully peeled his yet.

    She didn’t refer to herself as “Eir” this time. It was understandable—that name was given to her when she arrived at the Hysterm household, Will recalled.

    “I don’t remember what happened before or why I was in the forest. But when hugging my tail couldn’t warm me anymore, I thought, if it gets any colder, I won’t make it.”

    “The border forest does get cold quickly.”

    “I didn’t know back then because I had never experienced it. I thought the world would keep getting colder, and there would be no more days of walking barefoot in the streams.”

    She hugged herself tighter. sea??h thё Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    “...Later, I learned it was called winter. After I came back, the thing I heard most was probably, ‘She almost didn’t make it through winter to see spring.’”

    Will didn’t speak this time.

    His skin felt the chill beyond the blanket, but he knew Eir’s experience was far colder and harsher.

    “But that didn’t happen. That winter, Young Master took Eir in.”

    Her self-reference changed back.

    She was once again the polite, slightly childish, adorable maid who referred to herself in the third person.

    “Then, Eir learned that after winter, there would be warmer days ahead.”

    “From then on, every day for Eir was a spring, knowing that the cold would pass and the weather would get warmer.”

    Will watched as she swallowed the sweet potato without realizing it.

    “Mmm... mmm!”

    But she seemed to choke, so Will patted her back.

    “Easy, take your time. You don’t have to act like you’re back in the past, starving.”

    “It’s... it’s too hot. A dog’s... a dog’s tongue can’t handle it... so I just swallowed it.”

    Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Will.

    For some reason, even though the answer was clear from the previous test, Will now wondered—

    Had she really...

    really “turned dark”?

    Or had he gradually... gradually accepted this clingy relationship where she seemed unable to live without him?

    So every passing day, he too couldn’t leave her?

    “They often say dogs are loyal, very attached to their masters. Even though... even though Eir is a wolf, being Young Master’s dog is not bad.”

    She repeated a phrase she often said.

    “Woof~”

    Then, she chuckled, her tail wagging behind her.

    “Wait, I just realized something.”

    “Hmm?”

    “Always having you say ‘Eir is Young Master’s dog’ might... might be a bit misleading?”

    “But... wasn’t that what Young Master meant?”

    Will remembered.

    He wanted... to make Eir as strong as that comedic canine character who died.

    He didn’t actually want her to be his dog, right?!

    “But, to get back on topic, Eir... I haven’t gone out since coming here. After the snow stops, there’s a place I want to visit...”

    “!!!”

    Eir’s ears perked up instantly, her eyes wide, waiting for him to continue—

    “Let’s pay our respects to the dog that started it all.”

    Will recalled the Quest System he had written page by page since that day, the “destiny” of his death he had been certain wouldn’t change, and the three heroines who had gathered around him through various coincidences.

    Now that he was back at the beginning, perhaps it was time to revisit the past.