Chapter 7-3 – It’s Better to Pick Wrinkles in Front of Maggots than to Discuss Jealousy in Front of a Demon

“You seem in a good mood, Hilda.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve been smiling all evening. It’s like something good happened.”

Similarly, Adrian, who had been quiet all along, spoke up heavily. As he lifted his gaze from moving the almost untouched plates to the serving cart, his eyes seemed as chilly as ice. Unconsciously, he quickly lowered the corners of his mouth, which had been creeping up.

I stopped imagining Adrian’s old self I had heard about from Kazimierz and focused.

“What made you so happy all day?”

“I was with Kazimierz in the laundry room. I had to teach him some things.”

“...I see. You were alone with Kazimierz in the laundry room.”

At first, I was eager to catch Kazimierz red-handed, but later, since there was nothing to talk about except Adrian, I kept my mouth shut and nodded. Then, as if trying to hold back a sigh, Adrian looked at me with a face that seemed to be suppressing something.

“There was no need for us to be together.”

“The remark about wasting time.”

His voice, forcibly smoothed over as if suppressing anger, questioned what he meant by saying there was no need for them to be together. What did he mean by that? Is Adrian worried that I might be suspicious of their relationship? What does he take me for!

It was true that it hit the nail on the head, but being confronted with it made me even angrier. 

Moreover, I was convinced that he closed the laundry room precisely because of that!

“No, it wasn’t unnecessary at all. We had a very productive time together!”

“...Hmm. Seems like Kazimierz made quite an impression.”

Adrian's eyelids lowered gently. Nothing negative came to mind. After all, when I heard stories about Adrian's past, I felt strangely excited.

“So... is Kazimierz competent? Are you considering entrusting him with your work?”

I knew he would ask this. I knew it! That's why I kept a close eye on them. I was ready to burst their bubble as soon as I caught a hint. But he turned out to be unexpectedly competent, and it ruined everything.

Do I really have to be chased away like this? Am I going to be like a stone stuck between two other stones?

I ended up breaking the handle of the teacup I was trying to move with so much force. There was a cracking sound, and at the same time, a message popped up claiming 100 gold as compensation for the broken item, but I didn't even notice. My head was spinning with betrayal.

It felt like Adrian had blatantly heard that there were plenty of substitutes for me. How could you do this to me, Adrian? I made a big decision to be by your side, and it turns out it was just a matter of calling an old subordinate, which was shocking.

I turned the broken handle so it wouldn't be visible and clenched my teeth tightly.

“Yes. Honestly, he was perfectly competent. But do you have to assign him my work? Can’t I do it with you?”

“Work together...? Are you saying you want to work together with Kazimierz?”

“Yes. Is that not possible? Do you not want that?”

Since I couldn’t bring myself to beg for my seat back out of pride, it was more like expressing a willingness to stick around. It was a proposal to widen the narrowing gap in my heart, but Adrian's gaze was growing colder by the moment.

“Was it... that good?”

What kind of question is that? How could it be good for me to lose my place?

"Of course! It's really great. Who wouldn't like it if someone takes over all the annoying and difficult tasks for them? Even the master would be pleased. There are so many subordinates willing to sacrifice themselves for the master."

"...Hilda, are you mad at me right now?"

"What are you talking about? How could I! How could I ever be mad at the master!"

Disappointing, you little... Am I not needed? Do I really not matter to you!

Lately, you've been only talking about Kazimierz in front of me. Every time I open my mouth, it's all about Kazimierz. Does he mean that much to you? Is it that great that an old subordinate has returned?

Well, honestly, communication might be easier between two devils. Since he’s been by my side since the old days, he would smoothly handle everything even without being told, making things much more convenient. But shouldn’t you also consider the person who was originally by your side?

I was thrilled to think that I was the only one, you jerk…

"Hilda, because of Kazimierz, are you mad at me..."

Adrian murmured absentmindedly, as if he had lost his mind. And in doing so, he seemed oblivious to the fact that another handle of the teacup in his hand had also broken.

What's up with this teacup? It was already fragile! Silently cursing, I finished transferring the teacup Adrian had put down to the cart.

"Leveled up to level 30. (Title: Devil's Right Hand, pending change)"

"Skill unlocked! Can now use 'Shadow Concealment' skill."

I woke up with a refreshing notification this morning. Unlike when I quickly rose to level 25 after obtaining five sets of legendary items at once, these days without any special events felt like I barely crawled up due to the sleep buff. By the way, I wonder at what level is the max level in this game. If I manage to get five sets of mythical items, maybe I could hit the max level. Will the day come when I finally get a mythical item?

Then, I packed the straw from the free draw, the 'Lightning' spellbook, and the teddy bear doll into my bag and briskly left the lodging. As work began, the first person I sought out was Kazimierz. He had emerged as a prominent figure two days ago.

"Hilda, hello? Good morning!"

As I stepped out of the lodging, Louis, whom I coincidentally ran into, greeted me enthusiastically. Huh? Uh, good morning. I returned the greeting automatically and glanced briefly at Louis's back. It was the first time I had seen him, known for his grumpiness among the servants, giving such a cheerful greeting. He usually grumbled around, seemingly responsible for all the tasks in the mansion, so what good news could there be? Well, it's none of my concern.

With a wry smile, I entered the narrow hall of the mansion as always, but something huge wriggled into my view. I suddenly didn't want to pretend not to see it. Instead of passing by casually, I took a deep sigh and turned back towards the hallway. My steps halted in front of the fireplace embedded in the wall. The person pushing me towards resignation was inside.

"Hey, what are you doing there?"

"I'm cleaning the fireplace. What else?"

Partly buried in the fireplace, his voice echoed as if he were in a cave. Scrub, scrub. Occasionally, there was a sound of scraping as he ran a piece of iron over the interior of the iron fireplace. Considering the wax and turpentine mixed polish, and the charcoal prepared in front of him, it seemed quite official.

"Why are you cleaning the fireplace on such a warm spring day? You probably haven't been assigned regular cleaning duties yet. Who asked you to do this?"

"Does it matter who asked? I'm doing it for the master."

Cleaning the fireplace was the most dreaded labor among the middle laborers. I always managed to avoid it, but the unfortunate one who got caught had to be jammed into the unventilated ash pile. Although there were many servants in the mansion, there wouldn’t be a single person who would want to go in and work in the unventilated pile of soot. As such, the person in charge should have been determined long ago, so why is Kazimierz suddenly doing it?

"After this, I have to go out and fix the fence. I was asked while chopping wood earlier."

"What? Who asked you to chop wood... Oh, I see. What's wrong with your face?"

About to ask who asked him to chop wood and fix the fence, I was startled when I saw him coming out of the fireplace. His face had bruises, even though he barely scratched himself when he was thrown 5 meters away. Even though half of his face was covered in soot, the blue and red bruises were surprisingly clear.

"Hey... Where did you go to get beaten up like this? What happened?"

"This? It's nothing."

"If it's nothing, should I believe you when you say that? Can you say that with that appearance? Tell me quickly. Who bullied you?"

"Even if it's nothing..."

I persistently followed him, carrying the brush and soot from the fireplace cleaning in the basket. With his long legs, it wasn't easy to keep up. Geez, he's ridiculously fast.

"Hey, tell me quickly. Still not talking? Do you know someone's worried about you? You're directly under the master, and you're my successor, so it's my job to manage you. It's troublesome for us if you go around getting beaten up."

As I caught up and blocked his way, he hesitated. He stood there like a big wolf in front of a boulder. He scratched his forehead with soot-stained hands.

"Um, um. It's because of what the master..."

"What? Speak up."

"Last night, the master said he would give me a lesson after a long time. That's what happened."

"A lesson?"

"Yeah, a lesson. It's an honor that not just anyone can have, even if it's a bit extreme. It was an opportunity that couldn't be easily obtained even in hell. I didn't catch everything the master said because I was so happy that I could have died last night, but I'll remember that moment forever."

His eyes grew hazy as if reminiscing about last night. It's the pride of our race, no room for hesitation, I'll devote myself even if I have to change my whole body. His words flowed out like he was possessed.

Adrian, he told me to hurry back to my room after dinner yesterday for this reason. To spend time alone with the new right hand...

Of course, I've received that kind of lesson once before. If grabbing and pulling my arm haphazardly to teach me how to use a knife counts as a lesson. Since he does it right away as soon as he arrives, it seems like he's been assigned as the chief minion.

"Title change pending. (Current title: Devil's Right Hand)"

Damn it. Even the system periodically reminds me of my position. Soon, I'll just return to being an ordinary servant. My title will probably change to something like 'lowly servant.' It's a bit depressing.

"But is that lesson usually so extreme? To the point of getting bruises on your face?"

"Well, it's a bit like that. It hurt a little when a tooth almost got pulled out, but that's it. It really hurts if it gets pulled out."

He said it with a nonchalant expression, and I unknowingly nodded along, "Yeah, yeah, I see."

"But I know. The master trusts me so much, then and now. Even though it's just a few teeth, I can give them up."

"Really? Does the master trust you that much?"

"Well, of course. It's not easy for anyone, even a subordinate, to trust and push into the enemy's camp like a devil. Without loyalty and trust, it's impossible."

Cajimier, who was greatly praised, shrugged his shoulders. Listening to him, that's right. If he's being put into the Rilritte faction as a spy, it means he's trusted that much.

I'm envious. Adrian and I have little secrets from each other. Even when we said we were getting close, we didn't trust each other. That's why I felt so envious of him confidently claiming there was tremendous trust between them.

"Hmm, is the fence that needs fixing here?"

Lost in thought, we reached the edge of the garden without realizing it. The white fence, broken and unimpressive against the lush bushes and wildflowers, stood before us. Cajimier skillfully opened the toolbox in front of it and took out a hammer and nails. Then he picked up a wooden plank prepared beside it and began to fix the fence... He was so fast and skilled that his hands seemed invisible. Perhaps because he could do anything easily, he seemed oblivious to what had happened to him.

"...Cajimier, did people ask you to do tasks for them? Saying it would be better for the skilled worker like you to do it, and they have something wrong with their health or something they need to do?"

"What? I didn't say anything, how did you know?"

He must have seemed easy to manipulate. There's always someone who wants to pass their work onto someone else to make things easier for themselves.

"Ha, seriously... Hey, did the master tell you to clean the fireplace or repair the fence?"

"No, he didn't."

He stopped hammering and looked at me with a puzzled expression. It seemed clear what expression he had taken on for the task at hand. With such a lax attitude, he must have been quite popular among the experienced workers here. There probably weren't many gullible little fish like him floundering in the workforce, hoping to be hooked.

"But why are you doing this? You're the master's direct servant."

"Well, helping out with the mansion's chores will ultimately benefit the master. Isn't doing anything the same as helping the master?"

"Idiot, if you keep doing things like this, everyone else will just pass their work onto you and leave. Then you'll end up working alone. There are plenty of capable people here at the mansion, of course, but there are also many who are eager to pass off their work whenever they get the chance. You'll end up sick if you take on everything."

"I'm sturdy. I don't get sick just by helping out with the mansion's chores. The priest said not to refuse when someone in need asks for help."

"Hey, if we assume you're capable and strong enough to handle everything without getting tired at all, what if something urgent happens to the master then? What if you're busy doing something else?"

"Huh? Th-that's... "

His expression became bewildered, as if he hadn't thought about it before. I worried about how much deeper his inner thoughts as a demon could be concealed, but there was no need for that.

"I know you're good at your job. But taking on everyone else's tasks isn't the way to help the master. Once you're inside this mansion, the top priority should be the master. Understand?"

"Uh, yeah."

"If you understand, then stop hammering and put down the nails right away. Go change your clothes and wash your face quickly. Geez, how do you expect to survive in this harsh world like this?"

"...You sound just like Avril. It's the same as when I get scolded by Avril."

He muttered as he put down what he was holding and stood up awkwardly. His purple eyes, amidst the bruised marks, emitted a subtle heat. He seems to get fervent whenever Avril's mentioned. Seems like there's no way to hide his fondness.

"Are you dating that girl, Avril?"

I wasn't particularly interested in other people's love lives, but I wanted to hear Cajimier's story. It could help me understand if demons can fall in love and if their partner can be human. Definitely not asking because of Adrian. Ahem.

"It would've been nice if I could. I almost confessed a while ago, but..."

"What do you mean by 'almost confessed'?"

Suddenly curious, I asked as he bowed his head deeply, but he didn't answer right away. What did he say that made him act like this?

"...That I want to eat you."

"What? I can't hear you."

"That I like you... I confessed that I like you and... want to eat you."

"You confessed to a girl you like that you want to eat her?"

"As my first confession."

What the heck, this guy's insane, isn't he? Whether he's a subordinate or not, let's avoid him quickly.

"Wait a minute! Don't run away, Hilda. It was just nonsense."

"That's ridiculous. How can such words be nonsense?"

As I took a few steps back and sent him a wary look, Cajimier groaned softly and covered his face with his hands.

"I don't know how to explain this..."

"No, don't explain. I don't really want to understand."

"Listen, Hilda. Love for a demon is a bit different from humans."

"What's different? It's not an excuse unless liking someone stirs up appetite."

"Oh, that's accurate. That was the right answer!"

"...What? This is insane..."

"Listen carefully. Demons are naturally drawn to strong partners and feel the emotions of love. But as the desire to become stronger is also instinctual, the desire to consume their partner's power grows along with their love for them. Don't ask why. It's because we were made that way in the first place."

"Are you saying all demons are like that? They feel appetite when they like someone?"

"...It might sound disgusting, but yes. So, there have been many cases where they've been eaten by their partners. Then they go out to find another partner."

"But you're human now. Do you want to... eat another human being you like?"

"It's much easier to restrain now. But sometimes I still feel a strong urge. I have to endure it as much as possible because if I touch Avril, she might really die. I can endure it. Much easier than when I was a demon. I can't tell Avril, though."

Huh. Their way of love is violent and aggressive indeed. It might be an instinct they can't help, but it's still unfamiliar and creepy. It's fortunate that it's faded since they became human.

Adrian must be the same, right? I'll just wish that when he said he was fond of me, it wasn't an appetite he felt. After all, I'm much weaker as a human. It would just be a snack if he tried.

"Oh? That person. That person. The one who assigned me to clean the fireplace and repair the fence."

"What? Where?"

Pausing my thoughts, I turned my head in the direction he pointed and spotted a familiar face. Louis. The notorious prankster was strolling along with his colleagues, exchanging banter. No wonder he looked so cheerful since morning, putting off work and indulging in his antics.

Though it was from a distance, it seemed like Louis felt our gaze and hesitated, glancing our way with a hint of guilt in his eyes.

"There's no point in talking to that guy. Just wait and see."

"Uh, uh, Hilda. You're not going to throw the hammer, are you? Wait a moment..."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful not to hit him."

At most, it'll just fall beside him. I picked up the hammer lying on the lawn, swung my arm a couple of times, and hurled it on the second rotation. I thought it might make him nervous, but suddenly, a gust of wind swept by.

Sure enough, the unexpected gust was caused by none other than Cajimier. Charging at an incredible speed, he effortlessly jumped and snatched the hammer hovering in the air. Then, he performed three mid-air somersaults.

Landing gracefully, he ran towards me instead of Louis. Stopping in front of me, despite his snarling teeth, he vigorously wagged his invisible tail. Playing frisbee?

"Cajimier... You're a dog?"

"Uh..."

Even if he's a wolf in sheep's clothing, this is a bit much.

As he answered meekly, the gleam in his eyes, which had been fierce just moments ago, gradually softened. Thud. The hammer I had been holding fell to the ground. Cajimier stiffened his face and stood up firmly.

"Geez, making a fuss over nothing like this to a human..."

"Should I throw the hammer again? Will you bring it back for a treat?"

"Shush. Don't throw stuff around wherever I can see it. It's embarrassing to become like that."

Seeming quite embarrassed, he even blushed while baring his fangs and growling, unable to hide the redness in his ears. Huh, seems like an irresistible instinct. Found out an interesting fact.

He insisted on handling it himself, rushed forward, and Louis, taken aback, began trembling as he accepted the hammer. Though I couldn't hear well from a distance, it seemed like he got the message since he took over the work.

While he still remained a threat to my job, it wasn't easy to genuinely dislike such a loyal and tenacious puppy. Adrian probably feels the same way, doesn't he?

Casually tilting my head, I looked up at the 4th floor, Adrian's room. The black shadow cast on the window promptly vanished in accordance with his movement. The sunlight was bright, so I closed my eyes and opened them again, but there was no trace.

"Huh? Adrian..."

It seemed like he was standing by the window, looking in this direction. It felt like our eyes met... Did I see it wrong? I quickly sent the excited Cajimier back to his quarters and entered the mansion with a smirk.

"...How is Cajimier?"

As soon as I took the morning potion, Adrian asked. It's Cajimier again from the first words. Does he think of anything other than Cajimier these days?

"Well, he's not bad. He's good at his job, useful enough, and physically strong. He seemed to need a lot of love and attention, though."

Well, of course, since he's a dog.

"Hmm. Are you still calling each other by name?"

"Yes. We just naturally became close while talking together."

"I thought I explained it well enough for you to understand."

"I did?"

"It's nothing, Hilda."

As the whispering, gradually darkening, grew quieter, it returned with a sharpness when I turned around. Softly curved eyes, neat lips. It was undoubtedly a beautiful and kind smile, but I knew it was intentional. The indifferent coldness pressed down as if it were nothing. Menacing... All the emotions I first felt from Adrian came back coldly.

Why did I have to face that face again? Standing there bewildered, I glanced aside without thinking, only to be greatly surprised. Good heavens, the curtains... 

"Young master, why are the curtains like this? Why are they torn like this? These are expensive. It hasn't been long since they were replaced."

"Oh, that."

That? I looked at Adrian with a surprised expression. If the Countess, who periodically caused trouble, had been driven out of the villa, then there was no one who would dare to do such a thing in Adrian's room. That means... My eyes narrowed slowly. Oh, that?

"Young master, who did this to the curtains? Please tell me without avoiding eye contact."

"I didn't do that on purpose. It was just a simple mistake. I accidentally pulled it while it was stuck in the window."

He turned his head, blurting out his words unexpectedly. Turned it into this mess just by pulling it out of the window? It looked like it had been torn apart by a giant monster's claws. Why did it happen? I wanted to ask specifically, but seeing his reluctance, it didn't seem easy to get him to talk.

"Okay, I understand. Let's replace it with a new one for now. It might be better to change it to a type that lets in more sunlight. Besides, I didn't like the color anyway. This time, I'll prepare a bright color. Excuse me."

"Hilda, don't bother to do it yourself. Just call for Cajimier to do it."

Again, again! Call for Cajimier again! Not only did he hand over important tasks in just a day, now he's pushing me aside for trivial matters like this?

It's infuriating. If I only met Cajimier separately, this wouldn't happen, but every time I hear my name from Adrian, I feel like I'm losing control of my anger. I can change the curtains by myself!

"Master, did you call for me!"

As if he were a faithful large dog, Cajimier, hearing his name, dashed in like a ghost. His purple eyes quickly scanned the room and fixed on me. Just as I was about to pull down the curtains, I flinched slightly. He seemed to understand the situation at a glance.

"The curtain is torn! I was the one who hung all the curtains in the orphanage. I'll replace it right away!"

Overflowing with enthusiasm, he rushed forward to take the curtain. Once again, I couldn't help but well up with tears. Is this demon trying to blatantly take over my work now? This lustful bastard.

"Haha. Cajimier, I'll take care of this. Do you want to do something else? There must be a lot of important things to do."

I barely managed to suppress the urge to say leave right away. I can't act haughty in front of my boss, so I have to be gentle, gentle.

"Or should I let you rest? You've been busy since this morning. If you collapse, how hurt my heart will be?"

"What? Why would your heart hurt if I collapse?"

"Stop nitpicking and let go of the curtain, please? I found it first, didn't I? Your work is your own. Should I throw the hammer? Huh?"

"Master told me to do it. I'll do it."

Despite finally saying it firmly, Cajimier's response didn't stop. Both of us were pulling at the same time, and the curtain was on the verge of tearing completely. Let go, won't you? Still not letting go? I pulled the curtain firmly, but the other side also held it firmly.

Ah, ridiculous. I want to hit him. Looking at that innocent face, an anger I hadn't felt before suddenly surged within me.

"By the way, Cajimier. Can I touch your arm muscles for a moment? I've never seen such a strong body before, and I've always wanted to feel the muscles flexing."

"Haha! Of course! Feel free to touch!"

"Wow... It's incredibly firm. I don't think I'll feel any pain even if I hit you. Can I hit you a few times?"

"Go ahead, go ahead. How much could it hurt?"

"Okay, then I'll gently hit you. Let me know if it hurts."

I want to hit him. I know it's not the time, but I want to hit him. Laughing and smiling at Cajimier, I gathered all the violence lurking within me into my fist and struck his arm. Thud, thud. "Wow, amazing. It's really firm," I said as I struck a few times, and the thickly entrenched arm muscles began to twitch. The skin had already started to turn bright red, but it was far from enough to release my frustration.

"Wow, it's really firm. Amazing. It seems like Cajimier doesn't feel any pain even when hit."

"W-well, it does hurt a bit. Hilda, why are you so strong? Please stop now. Can we change the curtains now?"

"Hey! Where are you grabbing me, you crazy!"

"Ouch, ouch. It wasn't on purpose..."

"Hmm, it seems like the two of you have gotten quite close. More than I thought."

His voice dropped by one octave and hit the ground. Right, Adrian was watching. I turned around in surprise, and around the demon, a whirlwind of indignation swirled. 

"Hilda, as I said earlier, you can leave the curtain and go. Cajimier, you stay."

"Why? Why only Cajimier stays? I want to stay too."

"Hey, Hilda. Hurry up. Master ordered you to leave."

"Name..."

The sound of scraping teeth sent shivers down my spine. It was as eerie as a knife cutting through the back of my throat, and my attempts to squeeze out more words involuntarily ceased. Even Cajimier, who had been wagging his tail like a dog meeting its owner after a long time, seemed to shrink his shoulders slightly.

"...Go on, Hilda."

As if to bid farewell, he turned his body completely. His lips were twisted with an accuracy that left no room for error. I couldn't bear to hold on any longer, no matter how much I wanted to.

"Okay, I understand. If you need anything, feel free to call me anytime."

"Yeah, sure."

"Anytime, definitely."

Can't I just stay here? Despite shooting him glances full of lingering affection, Adrian didn't hold me back. I had hoped we could go for a walk and talk a bit today. Slightly crestfallen, I closed the door behind me.

Adrian didn't pay attention to me at all yesterday. It must have been annoying to see my old right arm twitching in front of the new one, right? Looking back, it seemed ridiculous to make a fuss over just one curtain, but at the time, it felt like the most important issue in the world, so I couldn't help it.

Not calling me yesterday was probably a message that I wasn't needed anymore. If the goal was to stop me until I voluntarily resigned, then it was progressing successfully. All I could think of doing at this mansion now was cleaning the front gate.

"Hilda! You're finally here!"

Entering the kitchen somewhat wearily, I was greeted enthusiastically by Letisha. Despite her generous nature, she always maintained strict professionalism, so I couldn't help but be surprised by her sudden friendliness. For a moment, I wondered if she was being so welcoming because of a mistake I made without realizing it. Ignoring my unfamiliarity, she grabbed my hand firmly.

"The thing I asked you for last time. Did you make it?"

"The knot craftwork? Yes, I brought it to give it to you anyway. Just a moment."

"Oh, great. Well, the Countess really liked it. She paid in advance and told me to buy them all."

"Really? That's great."

"Well, whether it's good or not. Other ladies who happened to be in the same place were also eyeing the decorations, asking where they could get them. They'll be coming to other mansions soon. Oh my, has beadwork been added today? It's pretty."

"Craftwork items sold: Gold acquired +7,070G."

"Oh, by the way, I deducted a small referral fee from the money received. It's about 50 gold per person for you and the introducer. Is that okay?"

It was a good thing that she liked the hastily made craftwork with decorations added. As I absentmindedly thought, I handed over the knot craftwork, and my heart nearly stopped at the white letters appearing before my eyes. 9,730 gold? Wasn't I dreaming?

I had been saving up 10 or 20 gold at a time, carefully considering cost-effectiveness, and suddenly I had nearly 10,000 gold? I was both surprised and dumbfounded by the system's tyranny. I hadn't even managed to save 300 gold from the system's exploitation, and now suddenly 9,000 gold? Alongside my astonishment, a echo in my head urged me to spend it before the system took it away.

"And Hilda, although you must be excited about the extra income, let me make one request. The leaves are piled up so high along the road in front of the gate. Can you go and sweep them up?"

As Letisha neatly placed the craftwork on the shelf, she spoke. Suddenly, cleaning? It felt like floating above the clouds only to crash onto the ground.

"Why me? It's Jane's turn this month. I did it last time."

"Jane has a cold, so she's been lying down for a week now. If you clean it up nicely, she'll be exempt from washing the blankets this month."

"I'll go right away!"

Feeling like someone was trying to steal it from me, I grabbed the broom leaning against the wall and dashed out like a bullet. If a few sweeps with the broom could get me out of the horror of washing blankets, I would go out even in the dead of winter.

"Well, let's see. There are a lot of leaves piled up."

As Letisha had described, piles of leaves were scattered messily along the main road in front of the gate. It would be a real mess in autumn or winter. I wasn't sure if I would still be here by then, but... Oh, stop with the pointless thoughts and just clean up.

I quickly brushed away my thoughts and started sweeping from the end of the mansion. Even though I had nearly 10,000 gold in my wallet, my work was the same as yesterday or today. This must be why people buy status with money.

But where should I spend 9,000 gold? It would be better to buy a gift for Emily when I go to the village. I probably felt quite disappointed last time, so I should lift her spirits with a gift. I should also consider expanding my business. What kind of money nonsense should I do next?

"Hostile targets approaching."

"Oh, who's this? Isn't it the suspicious servant of the suspicious Viscount family?"

Sweeping leaves diligently, two black shadows quickly approached me. Why was the person I never wanted to meet again here after the incident at Sungsoo...

"Hello, Captain Harrison. Is Inspector Jeffrey doing well?"

"You remember me too? It's been a while. How have you been?"

"Yeah, what's the commotion here?"

While Jeffrey cheerfully waved his hand, Harrison remained stern and unruly. Just by looking at the intense aura emanating from his eyes, one could still be confused whether he was a cop or a criminal. Despite my frown at his abrupt rudeness, he showed no sign of backing down. Is this how you deal with criminals?

"What commotion? Have you forgotten that I'm a servant? Do my hands holding a broom look like decorations to you? So you need to ask what I was doing cleaning?"

"Heh, your mouth is still alive. Your lord, where is he? If you tell the truth, I might spare you from execution."

"I don't know. How would I know where the lord is? And why am I sentenced to death just like that?"

"Inspector! Why are you doing this? Didn't you write a pledge not to touch innocent people? No? If I report this to the chief, you'll have to explain again. The investigation might not end soon."

As soon as we bumped into each other, Jeffrey interjected with a hearty laugh, diffusing the fierce tension between me and Harrison. When his view was blocked, Harrison finally closed his mouth. While he stood stiff with a chubby expression, Jeffrey smiled warmly at me.

"Sorry, I'm sorry. Our Captain has been a bit sensitive since his suspension was lifted recently. So let's keep it secret from the lord. Okay?"

"Yes. I was really puzzled and surprised, but since Inspector Jeffrey asked, I'll let it go this time."

In fact, it might be useless to say that the lord and I are hostile, but I said it as if it were a bitter pill to swallow. Then Jeffrey sighed with relief, as if wiping his chest, and seemed relieved.

"Oh, thank you so much. The Captain had been on suspension for a while because he got involved with a noble family. Now that he's finally free, if he gets entangled with Count Pantsgraf again... Ah, I should be prepared to take off my clothes."

"Jeffrey, how long will you keep explaining? Didn't you say you were investigating around here? Shouldn't you go do that now?"

"Oh, right. Excuse me for a moment. We received reports of people disappearing around here. Captain, you need to stay put. Don't arrest people with strange suspicions again. Okay?"

Jeffrey, who effortlessly revealed information that didn't need to be held back, headed towards the opposite side of the mansion, carefully scanning through the thick bushes. Taking my eyes off him, I glanced at Harrison. Are we not going together? It's awkward...

"It seems you've greatly disturbed a nobleman. If the Captain has to undergo suspension, he must be a nobleman indeed."

"Well, I almost killed him."

"What? You almost killed him?"

When I asked in surprise, Harrison seemed nonchalant. It seemed like he'd done it several times before.

"I kept babbling nonsense, so I impulsively stabbed him in the throat out of frustration. Unfortunately, he didn't die."

"What... Is he a heinous criminal?"

"No. He was just a suspect, but he acted arrogantly, flaunting his status. So I educated him with a stab. He'll probably live as a noble again after getting out of prison, but I know. He was the culprit."

"You knew he was guilty, yet you let him go?"

"Don't look at me with those accusing eyes. Those born with privilege get away with anything. So I stabbed him. At least if I kill him there, he might reduce future crimes. I should establish justice."

"Captain, can you... do that? You're supposed to uphold justice more than anyone."

As I hesitated and asked, a twisted smile crept up on Harrison's lips.

"Justice? Huh, that's what I used to think. I used to have a pathetic dream that if I ran until my feet caught fire and caught criminals, the law would judge them. What a pathetic dream. A pathetic dream. Even if I run until I die, what's the point? Whether it's money or status, they can easily get away. The world's justice died a long time ago. Yeah. It's been dead for a long time. So..."

"...Even I... have to establish justice."

At first, the words directed towards me gradually accelerated, eventually turning into whispers. Yeah, even me. Seeing him blindly muttering while shooting into the air gave me chills.

Harrison isn't quite normal either when you look at him closely. But Jeffrey isn't like this. How did this world end up with even the police going crazy?

"So, is there really nothing you can tell me about Count Pantsgraf? Anything would do."

"I've told you countless times that I don't know anything. I'm not even a servant of the Count. Seems like he thinks I'm some dog roaming around the mansion. Knows where he goes and what he does."

"Think carefully if there's any information you've overheard. Since you're involved with the young master too."

"...Our young master?"

"People sponsored by the Count have been disappearing one by one. Do you really think the young master isn't involved? Huh? My gut feeling is whispering with certainty. There's definitely something fishy going on."

"Do you dare to disturb someone without evidence?"

"Why, is there any reason not to?"

I stopped swinging the broom and looked up at Harrison. His black eyes seemed to be digging deep into me as if trying to uncover all my thoughts.

Should I kill him?

"Our young master isn't well enough to go out. Is it okay to drive someone away without evidence just because he's ill?"

"I forgot to mention that. Just recently. The young master of the Markoot Marquis died. And it was a gruesome death. By a chance, I got to examine the body, and there was a round penetrating scar on the back of his hand. It seemed familiar in size and shape, so upon closer inspection, it looked like the type of scar you'd get if you were stabbed with a pencil. Is that really a coincidence?"

Should I kill him?

"I feel like I mentioned stabbing someone with a pencil here not long ago. Strangely..."

"Just because a scar like that is made doesn't mean it has to be from being stabbed by someone else, right? It could be an accidental injury or self-inflicted. Pencils aren't particularly rare items. Even in our mansion, most servants have one. So what? Are you interrogating me because there's at least one witness who saw our young master?"

"...Well, unfortunately, there isn't. Surprisingly, nobody even knows about the scar on the back of his hand. Even those who serve him don't seem to know."

"They probably just didn't care. It didn't seem significant enough to pay attention to."

"Huh, can't let that slide. It's not a trivial matter."

Harrison chuckled as he chewed on the information meticulously. I rolled my eyes and fixed my gaze on the floor.

If there's no evidence, I don't have to kill him now.

"Haha, look at your eyes. Haha, chuckle. It wouldn't be strange at all to draw out a knife and stab me right now. You might even meet in prison someday."

"Earlier, Inspector Jeffrey told you not to take people away with strange suspicions. Captain Harrison. That's also a disease."

After kindly guiding him with a piercing gaze, I resumed sweeping.

"Captain! There's nothing. There's nothing. We might have been misled again."

It was just as he was about to speak again. Jeffrey came back after roughly looking around the forest area opposite the mansion.

"What should we do? Huh? Both the Captain and I recently have a 0% arrest rate. Now isn't the time to be interested in the Count Pantsgraf. We need to improve our performance."

"...."

"Let's go quickly. Huh? We need to catch at least a few small fish."

As Jeffrey grabbed my arm and dragged me to the other side, Harrison's fierce gaze didn't seem to want to leave. It was only after they completely disappeared into the distance that I could look in that direction.

Come to think of it, isn't that where I went to get strawberry jam a while ago? If it's the Marquis's mansion, it would be the guy who harassed Adrienne and ended up dying miserably. Could he be related to Adrienne? Given the incident with the temple collapse and all, I should talk to her. I don't even know who the enemy is yet, but continuing to kill is unsettling, and Harrison's obsession is strange. I needed to lay low for a while. It can't hurt to be cautious.

"Hey? Hilda. Hilda!"

Not long after Jeffrey and Harrison disappeared, Kazimierz appeared. Wasn't Kazimierz supposed to be at the mansion? I waved at him when I saw him walking towards me from the end of the road, and I chuckled to myself. Where is he going so early in the morning? And what's with the carriage trailing behind him?

"Hey, why does your face look like that again? It's much worse than yesterday."

It's beyond description. It's not just a simple bruise; that... It feels like the small scratches are nothing compared to the scar on my cheek from when we first met, caused by a body blow. Kazimierz stood tall in front of me and then weakly smiled. It looked even more absurd up close.

"It's fine. I'm much better now. The broken arm healed quickly, and luckily, my molars are intact even though they almost fell out."

"...And you call that much better? What's this about a broken arm?"

"I told you. I'm... receiving instruction from the young master. It's an honorable... opportunity."

[ hey there, sorry for disturbing your reading! I'm just here to make sure you are reading this from my website (https://tlbyviridescent.blogspot.com/p/surviving-as-maid-in-horror-game.html) and not somewhere else where it got reposted without my permission... that's it! ]

"Hey, shouldn't you take it easy with the instructions? I understand your loyalty to the young master, but seriously. Have you looked in the mirror? You don't look normal right now. Your eyes are swollen shut. Can you even see me?"

As I waved my hand in front of his face, he sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"It's fine. This will get better soon. By this afternoon, I should be fine..."

"Yeah, it's fortunate that you're recovering quickly. But you should tell the young master that you need to rest for a while. It's strange. Do demons usually teach like this, causing injuries to their followers?"

"Yeah, they're kind of like that. But still, I can't rest. It's an honor to receive instruction from the young master..."

"Enough. Just forget it. What kind of instruction is it if you're just getting beaten up? And what's with the thing you brought along?"

"That's right, Hilda! I brought an offering for the young master!"

"Oh, an offering. That's what it was. I was wondering what it was... What! An offering!"

I must have misheard, right? Please tell me that's the case. The morning sun is shining so brightly, please tell me you didn't bring someone kidnapped!

As I stood there dumbfounded, Kazimierz seemed to brighten up even more.

"Yeah, an offering. I caught someone from the village and brought them unconscious. It's fresh. It's like catching a fish just today. They're unconscious, and I covered their eyes and ears, and they came all the way here on mountain trails, so you don't have to worry about witnesses."

Caught from the village, made unconscious, eyes and ears covered, fish... Each expression was shocking, and the fact that he brought a person on a carriage up the mountain was simply astounding. Truly a capable individual.

"Well, here's the thing. Offerings just need to be alive, right? So, couldn't you just cut off their limbs and bring them? Why bother bringing them here so heavily..."

I didn't know why I was just standing there, and he got lost in another dilemma.

"Are you insane? My eyes!"

"Anyway, whether their limbs are intact or not, they'll die all the same. Why are you freaking out? Hilda, you're used to killing people too, aren't you?"

"No, no! I was mostly an accomplice, not the main culprit!"

I was such a fool to think of him as just an obedient big dog. Where did the demon's nature go? I never thought he'd do something like this just because he was told to bring an offering.

I tried to calm my shocked heart and glanced around before tentatively sticking my head out to inspect the carriage. The man with his hood pulled over his head was lying limp, apparently still unconscious. I approached Kazimierz and whispered softly.

"But who is this person? How did you choose who to bring?"

"Huh? I just caught whoever I saw passing through the village."

"What? So you kidnapped and brought someone who didn't do anything wrong? Not even a criminal?"

"Why does it matter if they're a criminal? Isn't anyone good enough to kill?"

Kazimierz looked as bewildered as I was shocked. In that moment, I realized once again. Yeah, he's a demon. There's no need for him to feel guilty about killing like I do after committing murder. There's no need to consider whether someone is a criminal or the severity of their crime.

"No, still, this isn't right. He came back smelling strongly of blood. Let's quickly send him back to the village. Which way did he come from?"

"That way. Oh, don't worry about the young master's morning medicine. I left it in front of the door before going out."

"Really? Well, that's fortunate. But how did you make that person unconscious? Did you hit them?"

"Yeah, I hit them once, and they immediately passed out."

Thud. As we entered the rugged path leading to the mountains, the carriage hit a rock. Kazimierz effortlessly lifted the carriage down and casually replied. I clicked my tongue.

"Hey, even so, this isn't right. What if we bring them here so barbarically? From my experience, hitting someone to death is the worst way, you know. You should humanely kill them quickly. I, for one, have used poison to paralyze them and make them feel no pain."

"Really? Will we go to hell for killing like this?"

"Anyway, why worry about that when it's your homeland?"

"Hearing you say that makes sense."

"But still, we're lucky. The young master is on good terms with the lord there, right? If the young master knows, maybe he'll be lenient?"

"Hmm, that makes sense. Since even the lord trusted the young master, he might go easy."

"Is the lord also infatuated with the young master? They say the lord's daughter even chased after him... My, oh my, he truly swept through all directions, didn't he?"

Said he'd spread his charm to me someday, but he went beyond that, way beyond. No wonder people were so charmed; it seems like a normal skill. Even demons seduce, but how could humans resist? It was only natural for Adrian to flutter my heart.

"Hey, our journey is still long; shall we settle our score?"

As we turned onto the rough mountain path Kazimierz had taken, I suggested. A proud smile crossed his bruised face.

"Yeah, let's settle it once and for all this time. I'll tell you this; I'll never lose. And I won't cry after losing."

"What are you saying? It's me who'll never lose. I can even hang up a handkerchief that smells like the young master."

"What? Is there such a thing? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Kazimierz stopped pulling the carriage and looked at me with a stony expression. If I asked Adrian, he'd give me more than just a handkerchief, but that was to be kept a secret. What if our little dog got shocked? Seeing this, Adrian seemed to cherish me more.

Hmm, suddenly, I miss him. When we return to the mansion today, I'll suggest going for a walk.

I was riding with Kazimierz towards the village. Creak, creak. Amidst the sound of the wind caressing the leaves, the noise of the carriage rolling through intruded. Occasionally, the wooden wheels would clatter against the rocks, but overall, it was a peaceful scene in the mountains. Whenever I tried to forget the situation and look around, I couldn't because the potential offering candidate was groaning. It had already been three times that the ruthless palm had struck the head of the offering, knocking them out cold. What crime did that person commit just by accidentally meeting them on the road? It's fortunate we saved their life.

"But can someone who lives according to the priest's will resort to such violence? The priest wouldn't have taught that it's okay to commit atrocities, right?"

"Well, that's true. The priest has bestowed virtues upon humans throughout his life. If he knew about this, he would be deeply saddened."

"But is it really okay? Your god is the priest, after all."

"What are you asking? Of course, it's not okay. But I was already in the service of the young master long before I accepted the priest's will. The priority is obviously the young master!"

He spoke as if he had been living virtuously until now. But he was beating people up from the beginning.

"Indeed, it must have been tough being caught between Saint and innocent children. I once wondered if running an orphanage counted as redemption."

"Redemption from the devil? Ha, what nonsense."

So, Kazimierz had unintentionally run the orphanage and lived a righteous life, but meeting Adrian meant he could set aside all that. Seeing how quickly he procured offerings, one couldn't find a more fitting servant of the devil. He didn't seem to feel any guilt.

But then again, he's cute like a puppy when we talk. Could this be a ploy? A scheme to take my place and Adrian away. In reality, he might be deceiving me with a tremendous scheme and acting skills... 

"Oh! A deer just passed by. Heil, can I go catch it?"

Kazimierz suddenly stopped, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Hmm... doesn't seem like it.

What the heck is he talking about? Catch a deer and then what, carry it? The carriage is already overloaded; it's not allowed. When I scolded him, Kazimierz visibly deflated. It was pitiful to see him slump down to the shoulders. But we had to steel our hearts because if we attracted people's attention with a huge deer, we could end up in handcuffs and be taken away.

"You have to dispose of it as I told you earlier. Got it?"

After walking for a while on the rugged mountain path, we finally saw the outskirts of the village. Following my instructions, Kazimierz vigorously nodded and changed the direction of the carriage. As long as we dispose of it at the spot where we can walk down to the village, there shouldn't be a big problem. Watching Kazimierz pull the carriage away without caring about the rocky terrain, I also headed down the mountain.

It's almost sunset. It shouldn't have taken this long; it wouldn't have taken more than an hour if we had come by carriage. Before Kazimierz returned, I had to stop by the store first.

"Welcome! Oh, you're a customer who visited us before. What do you need today?"

As we entered the shop, the bedding merchant greeted us warmly.

"I-I came to buy a pillow."

"Oh my, you've come to see an important item. The items are over there, sir."

Talking about an item makes it sound like smuggling drugs. As I followed the merchant's guidance to the display shelf, plump pillows lined up neatly greeted me. It feels like just yesterday when I was pondering over whether to buy a 1-gold or a 5-gold pillow, and now I'm carrying nearly ten thousand gold. It's truly overwhelming.

Although I could sleep anywhere now thanks to the 'Sound Sleep' skill, I wanted to have one for the symbolic meaning of a pillow. It's also cumbersome to always sleep for exactly seven hours without waking up.

"What kind of pillow would you like? We have a variety of pillows ranging from ordinary ones to legendary ones. How about our Hero Pillow, made of feathers and down in an 8:2 golden ratio, known for its fantastic density and breathability?"

Hero Pillow... It was practically the same as drugs. The pillow that cradles your neck and head artistically and makes you unable to settle for any other pillow! In the old days, I would have been pessimistic about my empty pockets and would have resorted to crime to empty out the shop, but not anymore! Now, being a legend grade is just for the experts.

"No, I want this pillow. Please give me one."

"The legendary pillow? Sir, are you okay with the price?"

The merchant asked, surprised. Last time, I bought a 5-gold one, and suddenly, I'm buying a thousand-gold one; it's understandable to react like this. I nodded confidently.

"Of course. Please give it to me right away."

"Yes, yes! I'll wrap it for you. Please wait a moment."

I watched with satisfaction as the merchant hurriedly took out the pillow from the display shelf. Who would have known that one day I'd be able to buy a legendary pillow with my own money? The times when I would drool over Adrian's pillow seem like yesterday!

"Thank you for your patronage! Goodbye!"

Carrying the carefully wrapped legendary pillow, I left the bedding store with a sense of fulfillment. I want to take it out and use it right away, but I can't subject my precious pillow to harsh winds outside. I'll return to my lodging and welcome it with a clean body and mind.

Carefully pushing it into my bag, fearing it might burst if I pressed too hard or fly away if the wind blew, it snugly fit in without making the bag bulge. Expanding the bag to its maximum capacity isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Now that I've bought the pillow I've been dreaming of, it's time to prepare a gift for Emily. Even after buying a legendary-grade pillow, I still have nearly nine thousand gold left; it's amazing. I should buy Emily a legendary-grade gift too!

"Welcome! Are you looking for clothes today?"

The next stop to buy a gift for Emily was the clothing store. It was where Adrian once outfitted me with five sets of legendary gear. Considering buying her a dress from the legendary set, I chose the same legendary maid outfit that I often wear. If you receive a legendary-grade gift, it should help dispel any lingering feelings of regret, right?

"I bought a legendary maid outfit."

"Equipment duplication has occurred."

"The equipment enhancement system has been unlocked."

"You can enhance equipment stats by combining equipment of the same grade and type.

The maximum enhancement level is 20, and as the level increases, the enhancement success rate decreases.

Failed enhancements will result in equipment destruction. Destroyed equipment cannot be recovered or equipped.

Example) Legendary Maid Outfit + Legendary Maid Outfit = Legendary Maid Outfit (+1)"

The screen displayed a list of items: a legendary maid outfit and legendary shoes for a gift. The enhancement system... This is what people often use to make money in MMORPGs. Come to think of it, there was a time when I got deeply involved in grinding dungeons to enhance my gear. It might seem boring, but it was strangely enjoyable. The thrill of successfully enhancing equipment from +1 to +9, even if it had a chance to break, was indescribable.

But that's possible when killing monsters in hunting grounds or in a game with a balanced economy, not in a crappy game where you have to reach level 20? They want us to use gear worth a thousand gold as materials. If the enhancement fails, not only the materials but also the target equipment will be gone. How inefficient can it get?

Of course, I'm curious about how a +20 maid outfit would be. Even at 0, the buff is no joke, but with just about +10, you could probably go to war. Even if I switch to a combat maid class, it shouldn't be too difficult.

"Special Growth Package HOT DEAL!"

Pressing 'x' to close the enhancement system window, a hot deal window popped up this time. The text unexpectedly popped up with sound effects, making me even more annoyed. I knew it. My wallet's fat, so why aren't they coming to suck it dry?

"Special Growth Buff Package

Acquire 3 times experience points upon application of the buff

Duration: 1,440 hours (60 days)

Level Limit: 40

Price: 2,000G"

Hmm, but this offer seems better than I thought. If I buy this, I'll get three times the experience points until level 40. With buffs like Sound Sleep, Critical, and Nighttime Bonus, I could receive up to fourteen times the experience points. The price is 2,000 gold... It might seem expensive at first glance, but if you think about it as advancing the time to receive a new skill, it's a cheap deal. And considering the long game life experience, you should definitely buy an experience point package.

Might as well buy it now. Even at this moment of hesitation, I'm losing out. Hesitation only delays leveling up!

"I purchased the Special Growth Package."

"The Special Growth Buff has been applied. (Remaining Time: 1,439 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds)"

White letters appeared with a swooshing sound, and next to the status window, a small icon of angel wings appeared. That buff will help with leveling up for 60 days? Up until now, every action, like eating and breathing, has contributed experience points, so I've just let it be. But now, I'll have to start pulling out weeds and cleaning windows in between. Gotta reap the benefits of buying this package!

"Hilda Unni! It's been a while!"

I put the neatly wrapped Emily gift in my bag and walked out, and a familiar voice greeted me. I instinctively turned my head toward the voice and saw a happy face.

"Rosie, it's been a while."

"It's been a while, Unni. What brings you here?"

Rosie asked with her typical '(´✪▽✪`)' expression. She was wearing a dark pink dress with white lace and ribbons, and it suited her well, whoever picked it out.

"Yeah, Rosie. I had some things to buy, so I stopped by for a moment. How about you? Anything to buy at the store?"

"No, I just happened to see it on my way back from work. Unni, do you have any requests these days? I'm fine with small errands like before, but I prefer assassinations."

Haha, assassinations. Did I hear that right?

"Yeah, I don't have any requests right now. Sorry for making you run errands all this time. Come to think of it, I'm meeting someone I know at the store ahead. Should I buy some drinks there? You've been running errands for a while." 

"Drinks bought by Unni? What an honor."

Adjusting the bag on her slender frame, Hilda walked with Rosie by her side. No one would easily guess the true identity of this lovely and cute child. Who knows what might be inside the large bag on her back?

"Unni, by the way, who is the person we're meeting? Probably someone with a notorious reputation, right?"

"Well, you could say that."

"I'm really looking forward to it! If Unni arranged to meet them separately, they must be amazing!"

Seeing how casually she regards killing people, Kazimir must have a villainous disposition, right? Since Rosie also has a villainous streak, they'll probably get along well. But there might be some disappointment. Kazimir can kill people a bit, but he's just a cheerful puppy who likes throwing frisbees.

Let's see. We were supposed to meet Kazimir at that store over there.

"Rosie, there. We're meeting at that store. They have delicious fruit drinks. Have you tried them? What's your favorite fruit?"

It seems Kazimir is already there in front of the store. He waved his hand when he saw us.

"Hey, Hilda!"

"That's him. Rosie, do you like strawberries? They've been good lately."

"...."

"Huh? Why isn't she following?"

When I turned my head to where she should be, I saw her standing still a long way behind.

"Unni, is that the person we're meeting?"

She asked me, her gaze fixed somewhere with a strangely chilling intensity. That person?

"Yeah? Yeah. But..."

That's when it happened. The main strap of Rosie's bag slipped off her shoulder and thudded to the ground. In the blink of an eye, a gun appeared in her hand. Haha, she's not really going to shoot, is she? Just as I brushed off the talk about assassination like white noise, this gunshot shattered my hopes.

"I thought I smelled a dog around here."

"....Rosie?"

"Can't believe the damn bastard actually showed up."

"Oh my god, Hilda! What did you bring with you?"

If you shoot, you should expect to be shot back. Following his desperate scream, I saw Kazimir clowning around. Dodging bullets that seemed too fast for human eyes, he was shouting and jumping around like a whale.

Click. Rosie quickly reloaded her gun. It sounded like gunfire, but the sound was so faint that if it weren't for the smoke coming out of the barrel, I wouldn't have known it was a gunshot. It was just a noise like pulling and releasing a taut string with all your might, so at first, I was confused even when I saw the smoke. I know suppressors like that are used only by special forces... Right, Rosie was a former soldier.

Still, calling Kazimir a damn bastard. That's a bit much. I didn't raise her like that.

"You're pretty good at dodging."

Tick, tick. Contrary to the small sound, the smoke rising from the barrel was menacing.

Rosie now had a gun in each hand. Although I was amazed that there was almost no recoil even when she fired continuously, I was also impressed by Kazimir's agility as he dodged bullets and performed aerial flips and spins.

"This...is pathetic!"

As he suddenly charged toward us, I realized he was right in front of us in the blink of an eye.

He swung his arm long. In an instant, Rosie's captured arm was raised to the sky. The bullet fired from the barrel pierced through the target and pierced through the signboard of the beverage store. In the end, one gun was snatched away, but the other gun in the other hand was too free. Bullets were almost flying in front of my eyes.

"Hey! Can you stop this madness?"

After barely avoiding a somersault, Kazimir yelled. This time, he seemed to have grazed her arm, as thin blood was trickling down. Ah, right, I should stop this. I got too caught up in the excitement and forgot to intervene.

But wait, if that bastard gets hit by a bullet, don't I get my right arm back?

I briefly considered being that petty, but I decided not to be so ruthless. I've heard enough and even shared some of Adrian's past stories with her.

"Rosie, could you please stop shooting? Even if you look at him like that, he's someone I know."

She immediately heeded my words. The finger that was about to pull the trigger, aimed straight at Kazimir's forehead, flinched and stopped. Fortunately, the shooting stopped, but the tension between them, as if they were about to kill each other, remained. Ugh, I don't want to ask if they know each other. Talking about it might lead to more shooting and fighting. But now that it's come to this, I have to ask, right?

"Hey, were you two acquainted?"

"Yeah? Yeah. We're familiar."

Their voices towards each other were eerie. Hmm, it's quite grim. I think it would be better to set up a blind date for a couple who broke up badly in the past than this.

Kazimir's bewildered expression at the nonchalant response was unexpected. But I'm right, aren't I? Adding one more demon to the mix when there were already two demons I knew wasn't that big of a deal. At this point, it wouldn't even be surprising if the whole town was swarming with demons.

"But why is this one so tiny and young? You should've been kicked out of hell long before me."

"I was born as a human a long time ago and died on the battlefield. Being reborn, I'm still young. Mister."

One corner of her lips twisted up, and for a moment, I thought it was Rosie. But then Kazimir's face twisted into a grimace.

"What the hell..."

"But seeing you're still alive, you seem to have done well without a tail. But then again, what could a stray dog do after losing its owner?"

"I can't even hit this little thing... No, maybe even if it's small, it's still a demon."

"Enough, both of you, stop fighting. What drink do you want? I'll have a strawberry juice."

They're going to fight again, they're going to fight again. I quickly asked to separate the two, who seemed like lightning could strike at any moment. I have to give them some sweet drinks to calm them down, or they might fight again.

"No answer? Then I'll just order the same for both of you."

"...."

"Okay! Then I'll just order strawberry juice for everyone. Oh, come on, stop fighting and sit quietly over there."

I knew it. As soon as I turned my back, Kazimir waved his arms and Rosie aimed her gun. Putting my hands on my hips with an angry face, both of them hesitated, then quietly went to the table and sat down. One is a favorite, and the other is an underling, so they're under control, or else it would be chaos here.

After ordering three glasses of strawberry juice and sneakily looking back, I saw the two staring at each other across the table. Alright, I need to give them the drinks quickly and disband. If not, a real bloodbath might happen.

"Unni, thank you. I'll drink it deliciously!"

Accepting the strawberry juice handed to her, Rosie held it with her adorable hands. Her blushing cheeks looked so soft that they seemed like they would stretch if pulled. If only there weren't guns on the table, she would just look lovely.

"Haha, Haha! Hey, Hilda! Look at this! How old do you think he is? Actually..."

Bang! At that moment, the table shook heavily, and the strawberry juice placed in front of Kazimir spilled over. Rosie had kicked up the table. Oh no, our puppy's drink spilled.

"Hey, you! Ugh!"

"Please don't move, Mister. It feels like dog hair is flying around."

Kazimir grumbled and stood up but hesitated and sat back down, holding his neck. It seems something else happened under the table. I didn't know, but our Rosie is quite bold and tough!

"How dare you spill my juice..."

As Kazimir was about to scratch his neck, Rosie started sucking the juice with a smug look. Tears welled up in my eyes at how heartbreaking it was to see the strawberry pieces. Ah, she might really cry at this rate.

"Hey, I'll buy you another one, so don't cry. I have a lot of money, so just choose whatever you want to eat."

Tapping his big back, Kazimir's eyes widened.

"Really? I can choose anything?"

"Sure. You can order the same thing."

"Hilda, you're really...a magnificent minion of evil."

Moved by my generous offer, Kazimir wagged his tail. This should be comparable to Adrian's loyalty. Indeed, there's nothing money can't solve. It's 30 gold, but with a fat wallet, even nonexistent kindness emerges.

As I placated Kazimir, Rosie strangely fell silent. She suddenly stopped sucking on the juice and seemed lost in thought... It's ominous. And then, in that moment, the glass shattered and flew off into the distance. It happened so quickly that I couldn't even follow it with my eyes. Rosie chuckled slyly.

"Oh, I accidentally spilled the juice. Unni, will you comfort me too?"

"...."

I just saw you shoot and miss.

"Hilda, don't buy this one. Did you see him deliberately shoot it away?"

"You keep disrespecting Lady Hilda's presence. Do you want to be found as a cold corpse in a dawn alley? Otherwise, there's no way you'd act like this, right?"

Harsh. It was a ferocity that didn't match the lovely appearance and cute voice at all. Who's going to kill who? Do you want to meet face-to-face, or do you want to be stabbed in the back? Threatening words followed each other, but...

Hmm. This combination is definitely a disaster party. We're going to wipe each other out in a raid before even getting to the boss. It's better to disband right away.

"Haha, if you do that, wouldn't Lord Satan take notice?"

Oh, it's Adrian's talk. Indeed, in these disastrous parties, interesting stories tend to flow. Let's postpone disbanding for a moment.

"No, actually, you should be careful not to stand out too much. Monarchs might get jealous."

"It wouldn't be a big deal to eliminate a puppy before welcoming the fearsome king."

The black pupils elongated vertically like a cat's. Kazimir suggested this with a smirk... How long are you guys going to fight?

"Rosie, was it because of the young master that you approached me at first?"

Feeling like I couldn't let this slide, I interjected, and Rosie's gaze followed me. The overflowing vitality disappeared like a lie. The little one dropped her head as if she had committed a great sin.

"No, absolutely not, Unni. I wanted to work with Lady Hilda, not because of the young master. I had no intention of wanting to meet him. I only found out later that he was there."

The great one, the fearsome king... Adrian's titles are quite grand. I started from a mere laborer, then became a potential right-hand man, and now I'm in danger of demotion even from the right-hand position.

"But Unni, I hope you leave his side if possible. From what I know, nothing good comes out of being involved with him. Human and demon... "

"...Yeah, I admit. Despite the immense evil, humans are humans."

Kazimir interjected reluctantly. Sometimes, even when shooting and cursing, they suddenly exchange glances and nod. Opening the first reconciliation between the two, Adrian is truly remarkable.

"No. How many people are there in our mansion besides me? There are still people who have been there since the young master was born, right? And you two are demons too. Shouldn't you know each other?"

"Rather than that... it's a somewhat special case."

"Yeah, even if he wasn't the king of demons, things wouldn't have turned out like this. There wouldn't have been a war due to rebellion. He would have been a complete demon at least."

"Well, that could be true. But it's not the young master's fault, right?"

Not long ago, Kazimir slipped out that Adrian wasn't a hundred percent demon. I thought it was an odd setting and had forgotten about it, but is it really that important? Rosie seemed flustered this time.

"Still, it's better to avoid what can be avoided. There's nothing good being involved with him."

"If only there were no unhappiness, but I don't think everything is the young master's fault."

"Then aren't you afraid of the young master at all? You've always been strange. No matter how united you are in evil, you're too nonchalant. It's impossible for a human to be like that."

Kazimir, who had been listening quietly, intervened. This time, I shrugged my shoulders while sucking on the strawberry juice.

"Well... I was a little scared at first, but not anymore."

"I sometimes get scared even though I'm not afraid. Fool, you might die while being so careless. What kind of nerve does a fragile human, who could die with a poke, have? It's not about respecting the young master, it's about being cautious. It's about survival."

"No, the young master won't kill me. I can't explain it in detail, but it's true."

"Ugh, completely gone. Really gone. So you think it's okay because it's not the young master? Even though your way of thinking may not be understandable to the end."

"Yeah, but I'm fine with that."

"You're talking nonsense. Do you know what you're saying? Ugh...."

My nonchalant attitude seemed to astound Kazimir, and Rosie stiffened her face. But my answer was sincere without leaving anything out.

I've actually almost died a few times. But I survived, didn't I? Adrian backed off even as he was turning the holy water upside down and dying. Even when my whole body was melting, my bones were exposed, and blood was bursting, I confessed that I didn't want to kill. All my worries were over in that moment.

I'm okay with that, so I'm okay. I'm okay with even being a demon. Regardless of what he is, I like Adrian so much that it doesn't matter.

With a newfound realization and shock, I stopped twirling the straw in the empty juice glass.

I once thought that if I liked him and he thought of me as important, that would be enough, even if our connection here ended, it wouldn't be a big deal, and if I went back and busily lived my reality, I'd soon forget. I thought it was just a fleeting feeling that would soon be forgotten... But that wasn't the case.

I miss Adrian. It was a thought that had been with me since early in the morning, but it became clearer after realizing my feelings.

I miss Adrian. I wanted to share affectionate glances, have trivial conversations, walk together, hold hands, and then reluctantly say goodbye. I wanted to wait for the next day to meet again, fall asleep, and as soon as I woke up, I wanted to go see him. You'll want to see Adrian tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that.

No, I want to see you right now.

"I guess there's no point in trying to stop her anymore. I don't know."

"...Unni, still, I think you should distance yourself from him."

As Kazimier snatched up her cup and got up to leave, Rosie opened her mouth heavily. From Rosie's perspective, it must be terrifying to be face to face with Adrian, the leader of the enemy.

"Still, if you call, I'll go anywhere you need me to. Please call me whenever you need something."

Rosie picked up her huge bag and hopped off the chair. The gun that had been emitting a sinister aura on the table was now nowhere to be seen. I used to think that the little kid was mechanically driven to help me because of my reputation, but it wasn't like that.

Even a simple errand like Rosie coming to the mansion always came with the risk of encountering Adrian. How scary must it have been just in case they met? If it were Adrian, he could have easily gotten rid of Rosie without me even noticing. I'll have to avoid calling her to the mansion from now on.

"Yeah. Don't worry. Asking if you can go alone is a stupid question, right?"

"Yes. Still, please take care on your way. I feel good when Unni worries about me."

"Oh, um, sure. Take care."

Hmm, it seems like her eyes just twinkled a bit. ...Rosie grabbed the bag strap firmly with her small hand and started to sprint away. Our Rosie is also quite fast. Should we have a race next time?

"Kazimier, let's go now too. It's getting late."

I was just going to leave the sacrificial offering lying around and go back, but where did she go? I don't see her anywhere. I looked around while handing the cup back to the store, but I couldn't see a single ant.

"Uh, excuse me, have you seen the man who was sitting at the table over there a while ago? He disappeared suddenly while I wasn't looking."

When I asked, a waiter came out wiping a plate.

"The tall man? He returned the cup and suddenly ran over there. He said he smelled something good."

"That way, huh? Thank you very much."

After giving a slight nod to the waiter, Kazimier started to walk in the direction where she said he went. Where did that little dog go? Smelling something good? I hope he's not out there getting meat somewhere. If I catch him, he'll regret it. I have to give him a good scolding for bringing someone without a plan.

It hadn't been long since he disappeared, so I thought I would find him soon. But it was a big mistake. Even though I roamed the alleys of the village for quite some time, I couldn't find a single strand of Kazimier's hair. It's impossible to go around calling out names in the neighborhood at this late hour. I hope he didn't faint and leave several village people unconscious again as offerings. It's hard to handle even one, let alone several.

I wish he had just gone to see April, but the longer I wandered, the more anxious I became. What kind of smell will that creepy guy, Harrison, pick up and come back with?

"Where did he go without saying anything...?"

Since the sun had just set, the streets were as dark as pitch. With no one passing by, the dim light of a single street lamp was all that was left in the dark alley. It felt like everything was submerged in black water. Quiet. There's nothing here, is there?

"Kazimier?"

Glancing around the pitch-black alley, I called out to him. It was so dark that it felt like my head was submerged in black water up to my hair. Quiet. There's nothing here, right?

"Hey, if you're there, at least answer."

If only I had caught the deer earlier. If I had let it go, Kazimier would have come running out on his own. While thinking about this and that, I almost tripped over a stone. It wasn't easy to move my feet when everything around was so dark. Ah, even if I'm alone, should I go back? If I've been looking for him this much, it's enough. What else is there to do?

At that moment, what kind of premonition was it? My steps stopped in front of the alley that I had passed several times. There was something in the darkness of the alley that felt like it had been soaked in murky water. I couldn't even see a faint figure, but it felt strange.

"...da."

A faint voice that seemed like it would break off at any moment flowed out of the darkness.

"...He...re..."

Kazimier's voice! Though faint and about to break off, it was definitely his voice. Seeing his eyes wide open, he looked like he was about to faint. He seemed dizzy as if he were about to faint. It might have been better to meet a ghost than this.

"Who... are... you..."

"..."

A man was straddling Kazimier, choking him. His face was not visible because of the black mask, but the muscles wriggling on his forearm were brutal. There was a mouth where it was white. Then a little above, around there, was the eye.

The eye... The cold, sinking eyes were looking at me.

Cold sweat dripped down my spine. Although he hadn't shown any hostility towards me, I felt like I was about to die. I felt dizzy as if I were going to faint with my eyes open. I'd rather have met a ghost.

"...da..."

The voice that seemed like it would break off soon called out to me. Kazimier! I suddenly came to my senses. If this goes on, he could die. I have to save him.

But how? Even if Kazimier tried to use force to push the man away, how could she remove him? No matter how strong I was, I couldn't beat a murderer who even held a knife with pure strength.

If that's the case, there's only one thing I can do. A body blow!

"Using Body Slam can knock down the opponent or even make them faint if it hits. Either way is fine now, but please make him faint if possible! I quickly pressed the 'Body Slam' button in the skill window and kicked forward. Terrifying, but it's do or die.

Here goes, charging in, collision! Aah!

The killer seemed quite taken aback by my sudden charge, utterly defenseless. Thud! As I lunged forward, closing my eyes, the killer was pushed back with a loud noise.

I managed to control myself and shielded Kazimierz. It's fortunate that I saved him from the brink of death, but seeing the opponent fly or get pushed back can be frustrating and embarrassing...

"Ugh..."

"Kuk, kug, kulk, kulk! Kuk... kukulk! Kheuk!"

The shadow writhed like a struggling dragon. His cursing voice was faintly audible, but it was drowned out by Kazimierz's loud coughing.

Fortunately, Kazimierz seemed to have regained his senses, but the problem was next. I have to face that giant human alone. All I have to rely on is 'Venomous Sting'. Our lives depend on a small dart. It's so precarious that tears threaten to flow.

But the fact that the killer didn't faint means I dropped something. I quickly glanced at the ground. The long knife the killer had been holding moments ago was gleaming in the darkness. It would have been better if I had made him faint, but it's fortunate that I managed to take his weapon.

I tensed up again and kept my eyes on the front. The shadow, previously bent over, was now slowly rising. It felt like a crouching beast stretching its muscles. My knees trembled. Regardless of his identity, he seemed poised to come closer and thrust the blade without hesitation.

Although I've killed before and seen people die multiple times, he was different. A monster disguised as a human. A human who preys on humans...

"Are you going to fight me? You'll regret it."

"..."

"Can you see the blade glinting? This is venomous. A slight scratch could be fatal. I don't want to use it unless I have to, but I won't hesitate if you attack."

Bold shouts, suppressing fear and trembling, echoed through the alley. The bravely extended blade was as precarious as a candle in the wind.

"If you retreat, I won't pursue you. I'll be satisfied if I just take my friend with me."

"..."

Desperate to suppress my fear, I made the offer, but the killer just stared silently. Although distant and dark, his gaze was clear. Oh, he wants the knife back. It could be used as evidence, but it was also an unreasonable demand. I shook my head firmly.

"Don't be ridiculous. Why would I give this knife back? Even if I did, you might attack me."

"..."

Without a word, the killer nodded and picked something up from the ground. What's... that? It wasn't clear from a distance, but even I could smell the faint odor emanating from it. The dripping mass fell to the ground like raindrops. It was disgusting, making me feel nauseous. Stories circulated about the killer wandering around, cutting off hands from corpses as souvenirs.

"Hand over the knife."

He gestured again. It was a small movement, but the meaning was clear. Without retrieving the knife, he wouldn't leave. Could I really give it back? Since we weren't his targets and he remained calm even after my attack, not returning it might cause bigger problems.

But one thing needed confirmation. I knelt down with my gaze fixed on the poisoned blade, and in the meantime, I activated 'Eye of the Seer' from the skill window. As the skill activated, the blade began to reveal its sinister nature.

The killer's malice was as cruel and vile as it could be. It was a deep, almost blackish purple.

"...Quietly go back, as promised."

Once again, I pleaded and tossed the knife. Glinting in the air, the blade landed on the ground with a thud. He picked up the handle and turned away. Before turning around, he glanced at me briefly, but there was no significant meaning in his gaze. Unlike me, who remained vigilant, he didn't show any signs of caution. He must be showing his back so easily to demonstrate his composure.

The killer slipped away as if sliding, disappearing into the opposite direction. As the oppressive feeling that had been weighing down my head dissipated, I could finally breathe. I should have used the Footsteps skill, but even just using the Eye of the Seer skill in a life-threatening situation was a miracle.

"...Phew."

Breathing heavily, I quickly moved further into the alley. Before reaching the spot where the killer had been standing, I could see a body sprawled on the ground. It was a familiar face. One of the lunchboxes chosen for Adrian. And as expected, the right hand was cleanly severed.

Suppressing the urge to vomit, I quickly returned to Kazimierz. He was still coughing violently, clutching his throat.

"Kazimierz, can you get up?"

"Ugh, ugh, kulk, kulk! Kheuk... kulk!"

"Hey, I know it hurts a lot, but can you try to get up? If we linger here like this, both of us might be saying good morning from jail tomorrow. I'll support you, so come on. Try to get up."

"Uh, okay... kulk, kulk!"

Fortunately, it seemed he had regained his senses, albeit with rough breathing. He took my outstretched hand, and I took him in. He was so tall that I had to drag him, but escaping from here was a priority.

Before leaving the alley, I looked back one last time. Even though the killer had already left, the alley was still filled with his presence, shrouded in darkness and mist. An alert had popped up when I spotted the killer earlier. Fortunately or unfortunately, I only had three hostile targets.

Who could the killer be? Isaac? The Viscount? Or... Harrison?

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