Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 229: The Villa’s Door Opened
“It opened… but how?”
Celestine stared at the now-unlocked door in surprise.
Rest simply shrugged, relieved, and turned back to her.
“It’s open. Let’s go inside.”
He then took the lead, stepping into the villa.
Celestine and her attendants quickly followed after him.
“Rest, may I ask for an explanation?”
“Hm?”
“Why was the answer to the riddle ‘cat’?”
Indeed, the answer to the riddle inscribed on the door had been cat.
“Hmm… I wonder if I can explain it in a way that makes sense…”
Rest pondered for a moment.
This was a riddle that only a Japanese person—only another reincarnated individual—could solve.
The key to the answer lay in the Chinese zodiac.
(A rat’s head… a lion—no, a boar’s tail. That represents the zodiac. And the one who wasn’t included in the cycle is… the cat.)
There was a famous folktale where the cat was tricked by the rat and failed to become part of the zodiac.
This riddle was likely inspired by that legend.
Of course, in reality, the zodiac animals were assigned later, and the cat was never actually involved in the original tradition—but that detail didn’t matter here.
“It seems to be based on an old legend I once read in a book… I can’t recall the title, though, and explaining it properly might be difficult.”
“I see…”
Celestine still seemed unsatisfied with the explanation, but she didn’t press the issue further.
Rest was grateful for her tactfulness.
“More importantly, let’s explore the villa.”
Using this as an opportunity to change the subject, Rest turned his attention to the building’s interior.
The villa had two floors, as well as a staircase leading to a basement.
The first floor consisted of a living room, a toilet, a kitchen, and a shower room.
“Hm?”
“Eek…!”
Celestine let out a small shriek.
The moment they stepped into the living room, they noticed a humanoid figure moving inside.
“Is that… a golem?”
It had a smooth, white body—featureless, like an unfinished mannequin.
Holding a broom, it appeared to be cleaning the living room.
“A golem…? In our kingdom, the ownership of unauthorized golems is strictly prohibited…”
Celestine spoke while cautiously observing the golem from behind Rest.
In many countries, monsters that operated autonomously—such as golems—were banned.
This was because some people used them as soldiers or assassins.
(A disposable army with no emotions… It’s easy to see how such a thing could be abused.)
In the past, there had even been cases where people reanimated corpses as zombies to use as servants.
Others had sealed souls inside dolls, forcing the dead to persist in an unnatural state.
Because such magic played with life itself, it was widely condemned.
“This golem has been active since the Queen Dowager’s time, right? But how has it been running all this time without a power source?”
“It likely has an energy core inside. Perhaps a magic stone infused with a monster’s magic essence?”
“Golem technology isn’t even taught at the academy… Well, I guess that’s only natural, since it’s banned.”
The golem continued sweeping the floor, showing no sign of hostility toward them.
“…Using such an advanced magic construct as nothing more than a cleaning robot. What a luxurious way to put it to use.”
“A… cleaning robot? What is that?”
“Ah, never mind. Forget I said anything.”
There was no way anyone in this world would know what a robot was.
If they did, it would mean they were a reincarnated individual.
(Celestine is definitely not a reincarnated person! …Well, not that I ever suspected she was.)
“There’s nothing in the living room… That means we should check upstairs next.”
A powerful magic seal had been placed to prevent entry.
There had to be something hidden in this villa.
“Let’s check upstairs first. We can explore the basement later.”
Rest ascended the staircase.
Upon reaching the second floor, he found two rooms.
“This one looks like… a study?”
He opened one of the doors, revealing a room lined with wooden desks and bookshelves.
The distinct musty scent of old books filled the air.
“And this room is… oh.”
“Hmm? What is it—oh.”
Celestine had opened the other door.
Rest peeked inside a moment later—then fell silent.
“It’s… beautiful.”
“……”
The room featured a large window, with a balcony beyond it.
The moment they stepped inside, they were captivated.
By the view beyond that window.
“The ocean… it’s incredible.”
Beyond the window stretched an endless expanse of deep blue, meeting the vast sky above.
The sight was overwhelming in its majesty—just as breathtaking as the view from the cape earlier.