My Desertion Would Be Faster Than Heros' Obsession-Chapter 28Vol 2.

A short while later, I found myself standing in Winter’s family estate—without Winter, but alongside his parents.

Surprisingly, their offer to let me stay seemed entirely genuine.

When I asked why, they explained in their usual, matter-of-fact tone:

“Helping those in need is only natural.”

“We cannot abandon a comrade of our son.”

...It was exactly the kind of response I expected from Winter’s parents.

Though their expressions remained cold and unreadable, I could tell they were also worried about Winter’s whereabouts.

Of course, they didn’t look worried, but knowing how Winter expressed emotions, I could recognize the signs.

“Winter must have escaped well. He was raised to be strong.”

“But if he was discovered by the Imperial Army’s elite, we can’t guarantee his safety.”

“Dear, Winter will be fine.”

Feeling the tension between them, I hesitated before speaking carefully.

“...The last time I saw Lord Winter, he was escaping well. I believe he made it.”

“Yes. That sounds like him. We trust Winter.”

Perhaps they needed me here just as much as I needed a place to stay.

If I was alive and safe, then they could believe Winter was as well.

And so, I followed them into the estate.

Though the time I spent with them was a little awkward, it was still better than sleeping on the streets.

Still, I couldn't help but feel uneasy.

“Will it really be safe for me to stay here? The Imperial Army will come searching soon...”

Winter’s father took a thoughtful pause before responding.

“You said the entire Dark Sorcery Reconnaissance Special Forces was discovered?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Then it will take them quite some time to track down the members’ families. If they follow protocol, it will take at least four days to file the reports, and another four days to reach Egott Village. That gives us over a week.”

“And besides... Winter would have...”

“Yes.”

The two exchanged a knowing glance before turning back to me.

“If the group had been secretly planning a rebellion from the start, they wouldn’t have reported their members’ real identities in official documents. That’s part of the confidentiality protocols we taught Winter.”

...Wait. They taught him that?

Did they raise him to be some kind of human weapon?!

Winter’s mother, still watching me with a hint of doubt, asked,

“Child, did the uniform you wore have your name embroidered on it?”

“No, we designed our own uniforms.”

“As expected. That means your group was more like a loosely managed autonomous unit. There’s no way they have your real information. It will take them a long time to identify and track you properly.”

Hearing that, I finally felt a sense of relief.

Now that I thought about it, April had never used her real name in any official reports.

She always signed as “Julie.”

At the time, I assumed it was the name of some unknown senior officer, but looking back, it was likely her alias.

They were more thorough than I thought...

That also meant Aquila had probably escaped safely.

The realization brought back some of my energy.

At that point, Winter’s parents introduced themselves properly.

His father’s name was Polar, and his mother’s name was Snow.

...Those are the most Winter-like names I’ve ever heard.

Honestly, this romance fantasy world’s author must have been naming characters on a whim.

But that made them easier to remember, so I wasn’t complaining.

“We’ll arrange for you to take the supply wagon back to the capital in two weeks. Until then, you will stay here.”

Saying that, they gestured toward a room on the second floor.

I stepped inside and immediately froze in shock.

“Whoa....”

The room was straight out of a romance fantasy novel.

White lace curtains, a massive, luxurious bed, expensive-looking decorations neatly arranged throughout the room...

It was overwhelmingly fancy.

“...Are you sure I can stay here?”

I hesitated to even sit on the bed—it was far too well-maintained for someone like me.

Hearing my uncertainty, Winter’s father raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm? If the room is too small, we can arrange for a bigger one.”

“N-No! It’s perfect! I was just asking because it’s too nice! Is this a guest room?”

“Yes, it is.”

Winter’s mother nodded, her expression blank as ever.

“But no guest has ever actually stayed in it. This room has always been empty. You’re the first to use it.”

“...I’m honored.”

Even more surprising, the room had its own bathroom—and they even offered to prepare warm bathwater for me.

They also told me not to hesitate to come downstairs for meals.

At that, I hesitated before asking,

“Do you prepare your own meals? If you need help, I’d be happy to assist...”

“Ah, no need to worry about that.”

Winter’s father dismissed my offer with a wave.

Then, he turned toward the staircase and called out.

“Lily! Come up for a moment.”

“Yes, coming!”

A lively voice rang out, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps rushing up the stairs.

Soon, a woman in a traditional maid’s uniform appeared.

She had neatly tied brown hair and looked like the quintessential romance fantasy maid.

She was a little older than me, and when she noticed me, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh my! This young lady is...?”

“Yes, she’s a guest.”

“Oh my!”

The woman—Lily—clapped her hands over her mouth in astonishment, then beamed at me with sparkling eyes.

“A young lady as a guest? Oh my, who brought her here? Could it be—”

“She’s Winter’s comrade.”

“Oh my! I thought Lord Winter only had one friend—Sir Altair! I had no idea he had another close companion!”

...She was making comments that were probably offensive to Winter.

But unfortunately, they were most likely true.

“And what is this young lady’s name?”

“Salvia.”

As soon as I introduced myself, I extended my hand for a handshake, and Lily eagerly grasped it, shaking it up and down with an alarming amount of enthusiasm.

“Oh, it’s so nice to meet you! I’m Lily! I’ve been working as the housemaid here for a long time!”

“I see. I’ll be staying here for about two weeks, so I look forward to your help.”

“Of course! If you need anything at all, just let me know!”

She seemed genuinely delighted that I was here.

Most people would groan at the idea of extra work when guests arrived, so why was she so happy?

I was a little suspicious—until she beamed and cheerfully confessed,

“I’ve always wished for more visitors in this house! Lord Winter needs to make more friends besides Sir Altair!”

Ah.

She was worried about Winter’s social skills.

What a kind person.

“But... Lord Winter isn’t here right now. Did you come all this way alone?”

“Ah, I got lost and somehow ended up here, and since I had nowhere else to go...”

“I see! Well, as long as you’re a guest, that’s all that matters! Do you have any special requests for dinner?”

“Oh, I’ll eat anything.”

I answered politely, thinking that was the safest response—but then Lily’s expression suddenly fell.

Had I said something wrong?

In a small, dejected voice, she muttered,

“...So you’re like Lord Winter after all....”

Wait, what?

“Am I doomed to spend my whole life cooking for people who only ever say, ‘I’ll eat anything’...?”

...Ah.

She wanted a real answer.

That made sense.

People who say, “Anything’s fine,” are always the most frustrating to cook for.

And if she had to deal with that response all the time, I could understand why she was fed up.

Feeling a little guilty, I wracked my brain for a proper request.

“Hmm... I think I’d like some lasagna today.”

“Lasagna?!”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Lily’s face lit up so brightly that it nearly blinded me.

“Wow! I’ll make lasagna for dinner then! And if there’s anything else you’d like in the future, just let me know!”

“Uh... okay.”

At that moment, Winter’s father, Polar, spoke up.

“Salvia.”

“Yes?”

“Won’t your parents worry? You should send word to them.”

“Oh! I don’t have parents!”

I blurted it out so cheerfully that the entire room froze.

...And that was when I realized I had just said something incredibly inappropriate with far too much enthusiasm.

Not exactly the kind of thing to announce with a bright smile, huh?

“...I see.”

Winter’s father responded awkwardly.

Sensing the tension, Lily immediately stepped in to change the subject.

“Now, now! No need to dwell on that! I’ll go prepare dinner, so please take your time and rest!”

“Ah... okay.”

I quickly bowed to Winter’s parents before backing away toward my room.

Honestly, my scalp had been itching from days of not washing my hair, so I was desperate for a bath anyway.

God, a romance fantasy heroine who hasn’t washed her hair in days?

That’s an instant deduction of 100 heroine points.

Before shutting the door, I flashed a bright smile and chirped,

“I’ll see you at dinner!”

Read latest chapters at freёweɓnovel.com Only.

“Rest well.”

With that, I eagerly rushed into the attached bathroom to finally get cleaned up.

***

“Wow....”

As soon as Salvia disappeared into her room, Lily clasped her hands together, her eyes practically sparkling as she stared at the closed door.

Beaming with excitement, she turned to Polar and Snow.

“I’ve never seen anyone talk to you both so naturally before!”

Polar and Snow exchanged glances, responding in their usual slow, composed manner.

“Indeed. It was... unexpected.”

“Winter’s subordinate seems quite bold.”

Lily, now practically glowing, clasped her hands tighter in pure admiration.

“She’s absolutely wonderful... I can’t believe there’s such color in this castle....”

She had been working as a housemaid here for over ten years, ever since she was a young girl.

With younger siblings to support, this estate had been a perfect place for her to work.

The job itself wasn’t difficult—the estate’s residents were never ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) demanding, and even when she made mistakes, the worst they ever said was, “Be careful next time.”

But...

The sheer coldness of this place had always been a challenge for Lily.

Everyone here maintained stiff, unreadable expressions.

Even though they were, in reality, a loving family, they never looked like one.

Whenever Lily tried to joke around, they would simply stare at her blankly and say, “What did you just say?” as if they didn’t understand humor.

And to make matters worse, everything about this castle was gray.

Their hair was gray.

Their clothes were gray.

Even their furniture was gray.

It was as if the entire estate had been drained of color.

So when Polar had once instructed her to prepare a guest room just in case, Lily had been thrilled.

She had decorated the room entirely to her own taste—filling it with warm, bright colors.

But unfortunately...

That room had remained untouched for years.

Neither Yuri, who was somewhat acquainted with Winter, nor even his closest friend Altair, had ever stayed overnight in this estate.

When she asked why, their answer had been simple:

“The atmosphere here is too cold. It’s hard to relax.”

And honestly?

Lily understood.

The North was already cold, but this estate felt even colder.

But now...

Salvia had arrived.

And for the first time, the castle felt... warm.

She was lively and energetic.

Her smile was bright.

Even her hair was a vibrant shade!

‘She’s absolutely perfect....’

And on top of that—

She had actually requested a specific meal.

For someone like Lily, who had spent years deciding the menu alone, that was deeply moving.

At that moment, Lily clutched her hands together and made a silent wish.

‘Please...’

If any higher being was listening—

‘Please let Lady Salvia...’

‘Become this household’s adopted daughter!’