Chapter 5

At that moment, a pitiful voice cut through her thoughts.

"Save me."

"......"

"Since I failed the mission and even failed to take my own life, I am now a fugitive. If you let me go, I promise I will never show my face before you again. I swear I won't say a word about you. If necessary, I can even take an oath of obedience."

No, that's not necessary.

I struck the assassin's neck, rendering him unconscious.

After knocking him out, I pondered what to do with him.

'Should I kill him?'

I hesitated, as there were many things that troubled me.

The client had sent assassins at least three times. If I killed this one, another assassin would surely come. It would just be more trouble.

So, I decided to capture him for now.

I considered keeping him in the room but quickly abandoned the idea. If I were caught by the housekeeper, I might be kicked out of this mansion.

If I were kicked out, I would have nowhere to go, so I had to stay on good terms with the housekeeper.

Where should I hide him?

As I was thinking, the view of the neighboring house caught my eye.

Specifically, the slightly open window on the second floor.

"Hmm."

Since I moved in this afternoon, it would take at least a few days for the new residents to move in.

I slung the intruder over my shoulder and escaped through the window.

I climbed over the wall of the neighboring mansion, scaled the wall, and entered through the second-floor window.

I pulled the white sheet covering the bed and tied the intruder to it, making him look like part of the bed. After sealing his mouth perfectly, I closed the window and returned to my bedroom.

"Phew."

Is there a curse on this mansion?

As I lay on the bed, brushing off the dust from my hands, a faint doubt arose.

Why does the client want to monitor Sir Weatherwode?

The next day was sunny.

This excellent job at Weatherwode Mansion included a short breakfast at 9 a.m. followed by sipping tea, which allowed me to enjoy a brief respite after a delicious meal.

Until I noticed an unexpected scene outside the window.

Could it be?

"Moving in?"

I pointed outside the window, and the housekeeper, who was engrossed in reading the newspaper, turned her head.

"Hmm? Oh, you mean the Ashura Mansion across the street? The Ashura family moved out yesterday, so it's a bit odd to still call it the Ashura Mansion. But a new family moved in just a day later. It must have been a rather sudden sale."

Indeed. The mansion across the street, which should have been empty, was bustling with people moving furniture.

People moved in just a day after the previous residents left? This can't be.

"I was too complacent."

"What did you say? Stop mumbling to yourself, Miss Daisy. It's not a good habit for an employee."

Habit or not, the intruder I had tied up at midnight was in that mansion.

After taking a sip of tea, I rushed to my bedroom. It's too crowded to barge in and take him now. I need to assess the situation first.

My bedroom is in a corner on the second floor, making it an ideal spot to observe the neighboring mansion. I stuck to the window and watched.

The busy entrance where servants came and went.

A well-maintained garden, unlike the small garden of any other family.

A mysterious man enjoying tea and reading at a round table in the center of the garden.

I was momentarily surprised by his peculiar blue hair, but then I saw the intruder kneeling beside him.

'What is he doing there?'

At that moment, our eyes met.

It wasn't a mistake.

He was looking directly at me, not at the clear sky of spring or the view of Weatherwode Mansion.

His exotic and striking golden eyes, as clear as his blue hair, were fixed on me.

His sharp nose and deep-set eyes gave off a strangely melancholic yet noble aura.

I could feel his intense and overt gaze scrutinizing my eyes, my expression, and my appearance.

His lips curled up, as if mocking me in my maid's uniform.

Feeling uncomfortable, I took a step back from the window.

At the same time, I realized something. It had been a very long time since I felt such a personal and special emotion—discomfort—upon meeting someone for the first time.

"Indeed."

There is a curse on this mansion.

Once, I was a swordsman called the Sword Saint, capable of dueling with the best. For such a person to be so strongly and negatively impacted by someone's presence...

'This guy is suspicious.'

There was no choice.

Given the situation, I had to give up on retrieving the intruder's identity. I would act as if nothing happened and forget about yesterday.

I returned to the kitchen naturally and poured myself a new cup of tea.

"Miss Daisy? You left in a hurry. Where did you go?"

"To the bathroom."

"Please use more tactful language."

Fine. I just need to act naturally like a maid at Weatherwode Mansion.

Not long after making this resolve, the doorbell rang.

"Doorbell? It hasn't worked for over a year?"

The housekeeper, looking puzzled, went to the front door. I followed her naturally as a maid at Weatherwode Mansion.

Beyond the front gate, a towering figure stood. Even from just the silhouette, I could tell it was not a good omen.

"Who are you? Unfortunately, Sir Weatherwode is not at home. If you make an appointment, you can come back another time..."

Clank. As the iron gate opened, a dazzling beauty like the sun flooded in.

The housekeeper's firm voice abruptly stopped. A man with blue hair, dressed elegantly like a city gentleman, stood there.

He smiled.

"It's me. I'm the new gardener and cook, starting today."

He was looking at me, not the housekeeper.

That was my first meeting with 'Roo.'

Suspicious.

Not just suspicious, but incredibly suspicious.

My senses, honed on the battlefield, were sending loud warnings about this man with the noble and unique name 'Roo.'

He was clearly not an ordinary person, and I needed to be cautious.

I deeply agreed with the warning my instincts were sending.

First, 'Roo' looked suspicious.

The moment I faced him, not just the housekeeper but even I, standing a few steps away, felt a significant mental shock.

It might sound a bit ridiculous, but Roo was so beautiful that he could make anyone's body and mind feel dizzy.

That's right. This description is not an exaggeration but the truth. His strange blue hair, which could have been jarring, only added to his beauty.

What about his facial features, harmoniously composed of dark and sophisticated lines? What about his golden eyes, shimmering like the sea under the sun? And what about his gaze, which seemed lazy and deep?

I decided to stop my thoughts before I spent the whole day praising him.

"You are..."

"I'm Roo, who found a job through a labor agency. You must be the housekeeper... or how should I address you?"

"Call me the housekeeper. So, you are..."

"Yes. The cook. The cook and gardener."

"I'm sorry, but you keep repeating the same thing..."

"I understand. It's hard to believe that someone as beautiful as me would become a cook or gardener in this dying mansion."

"......"

"But it's true. I'm Roo, starting today. Nice to meet you, housekeeper."

The elegantly smiling man then turned to me.

Just like when our eyes met at the window of Weatherwode Mansion, he looked at me as if there were no problems, calmly.

"And this one?"

I didn't like his attitude. It was a rejection based on instinct and thorough experience.

Even though he clearly asked for our names, he avoided answering.

"Maid."

"Is your name Maid? That's unique. Nice to meet you, Maid Miss Maid."

This guy. His personality seems as problematic as his face. The probability of him being a complete jerk is high.

"Phew."

The housekeeper, who was blinking blankly, was showing a dry expression I had never seen before. He seemed to be an unusually shameless person.

He walked into the mansion as if he owned it and surveyed the small, chaotic garden.

"Hmm. Let me ask one thing. Is this garden designed to be a garbage dump?"

The housekeeper, who had snapped out of her daze, slowly shook her head.

"If it were, I wouldn't have hired you, Mr. Roo. By the way, I don't see your luggage. Did you move in with just the clothes on your back?"

"No."

"Good. There are a few sets of servant uniforms left, but they probably won't fit you given your height. Shall we go upstairs? I'll show you the room you'll be staying in."

"Thank you for your offer, but I will work here without staying overnight, housekeeper."

"What do you mean?"

The man smiled and raised his right hand, pointing to something beyond the iron gate.

"I moved into that house today."

He pointed to the mansion commonly known as the neighboring house.

"So, I will commute. What time should I come in?"

The housekeeper was speechless for a moment.

Then she asked in disbelief.

"Did you buy the Ashura Mansion? I can't understand why such a wealthy person would offer to be an employee."

"Is there a reason to work?"

"Generally not, but I can't help but ask you."

Roo, stroking his chin, answered half-heartedly.

"Let's call it a hobby."