Chapter 7

I slowly turned my mind over.

In fact, it wasn't strange that I, a survivor from Queen Island who had reappeared after four years, was under the state's surveillance.

After all, didn't some people follow me after I refused to go to the refugee shelter?

However, they didn't make any contact for a month, just watching from a distance before suddenly disappearing.

To be precise, they vanished after I arrived in Midwinter and had an interview at the employment agency.

They must not have found anything suspicious about me, a beggar who had obtained bread and money through begging and arrived in Midwinter to seek a maid's job.

That wasn't a big problem.

"But for the same man to get a job in the same mansion and even move next door, that's a bit too coincidental."

The timing was too perfect to be a mere coincidence.

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the latter was the case.

If Luca had followed me, would this be a bigger problem than targeting the Viscount Weatherwax?

"No. Perhaps I can resolve the matter through personal communication alone."

What was important to me now was to keep my job at the Weatherwax mansion.

I was willing to talk to anyone suspicious as long as they didn't make unreasonable demands like 'die again' or 'I'm curious about your resurrection, so be a test subject.'

"I'll try to bait him first."

I decided to write down the purpose on a note in case the conversation dragged on.

It would be better to take the initiative, as I could run away using the head maid as an excuse, like I did yesterday.

Right after my daily work was done, I secretly called Luca to the backyard.

"Sorry, Miss Maid."

But he appeared five minutes late.

"I reject your confession. I'm not the kind of person who pursues a fated love or acts recklessly with a woman I've only known for two days."

There was no need to hear more.

Before Luca's imagination could run wild, I tossed him the note I was holding.

The note read:

Luca's expression became strange as he read it carefully.

"Is this why you called me?"

"Yeah."

Luca laughed as if he had heard the most boring joke.

"Watching you... That's quite an impressive level of self-esteem."

I don't know who's talking about whom. Did he already forget that he was the one who brought up the confession when I called him to the backyard?

"Yesterday you asked about me, and today you're asking why I got this job. Is that the point of this note?"

"Exactly."

"I think I mentioned this before, but for our forgetful Miss Maid, I'll answer again. It's a hobby."

"I don't believe you."

"Ah, I see. That's a shame. But it's not a hobby I created to gain your trust."

Seeing his back turned, I hastily spoke.

"How about you just come clean? I don't like the idea of a suspicious person like you staying in this mansion. If you can help, I'd like to drive you out. Is your target me, or the Viscount Weatherwax?"

I almost bit my tongue from talking too much.

I had even written a note, but it became useless. I felt very uncomfortable talking to him, as the conversation always dragged on.

Luca, who had been listening silently to me, lowered his gaze and gently shook the note in his hand.

"Hmm. So... You find me that annoying. Well, that's not my concern. Are you really that curious about why I got this job?"

I nodded with all my sincerity.

"I'm curious."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Truly?"

"Truly."

"...I."

At that moment,

Ding, ding. The grandfather clock chimed, signaling 7 PM. Whether it chimed or not, I stared at Luca with a stiff neck.

Smiling at my face, Luca moved as if nothing had happened, passing by me.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going home."

What?

"Promptly leaving is a basic quality of an employee. It was a fulfilling day. Have a good night, Miss Maid."

With a casual wave, Luca disappeared from the backyard. I was left alone under the setting sun.

At first, I laughed in disbelief, but it helped to accelerate my somewhat sluggish judgment.

'That assassin, is he still at Luca's house?'

If he keeps avoiding my questions, I'll have to take action myself.

I'll sneak into the house next door and thoroughly search the inside.

That night, after the sun had set and it was past midnight,

I climbed over the fence and crossed to the neighboring mansion, just like two days ago.

However, unlike last time, the windows on the first and second floors were firmly locked, making it difficult to sneak in.

'Should I climb through the chimney?'

At that moment, I heard movement inside the mansion. The sound was moving toward the back door leading to the kitchen, as if waiting for someone.

Had they noticed my cautious movements? Just as I was hiding behind the back door to suppress the noise, a familiar voice came from inside.

"Of course, it's you."

It was the voice of the assassin who had threatened me.

The door opened, and the assassin, whose face was fully revealed, appeared in front of me. The moment I saw his appearance, I was speechless.

"Don't be surprised, Miss Maid."

Why are you wearing a butler's uniform?

"The master said you would sneak in around this time, so I was waiting."

This shameless assassin didn't seem to think I would be surprised by his attire.

"The master told me to pass on a message if I met you."

How long have you known Luca to call him 'master' already?

"What message?"

"Why don't you practice peeling potatoes instead of wasting your time?"

"..."

"That's what he said."

I gritted my teeth but held back. Since meeting Luca, I've always felt like grinding my teeth when thinking about him, so I've gotten used to holding back.

"Are you working together?"

Were you working together from the beginning?

The assassin let out a hollow laugh at my question.

"Working together? Have you already forgotten that you locked me in here? Do you have a bad memory, as the master said?"

Don't start making small talk with the assassin.

"I'm staying here of my own will."

I pointed at the butler's uniform he was wearing.

"I don't trust you based on your appearance."

"Understandable. But I simply submitted. The weak submitting to the strong is a natural principle. You might not know, but the master is very powerful and terrifying..."

The assassin shuddered, his face stiffening as if recalling a bad memory.

"...Hmph. This mansion is under a high-level magic spell. You can't see the inside from the outside. While staying here, I can be free from the guild's surveillance, so I plan to stay with the master for a while and seek a way to survive."

Is there such a spell on the mansion?

'Not only a high-level spell, but also a formidable skill to instill fear in a skilled assassin.'

I'm glad I didn't hastily engage in a physical confrontation.

I haven't touched a sword since returning to a woman's body.

It would be very dangerous to face someone of Luca's skill level with an unfamiliar body.

"Your master."

"Speak."

"Is there a possibility that the client who sent you to me is the same person?"

The assassin sighed.

"I thought so at first. But it's ambiguous. The master is clearly interested in the Weatherwax family, but he doesn't seem like the type to hire the assassination guild to monitor the Viscount Weatherwax."

"..."

"I believe you understand the meaning of my words. The master is... a bit unusual."

"He's not just unusual."

"Then what?"

"He's strange."

A smile appeared on the assassin's face for the first time.

"Yes, as you say, the master is not just suspicious but strange. He didn't even ask me anything other than my name. It's more accurate to say he's not interested. I'm still in the process of investigating the master. It's quite a mystery, and I can't make any definitive statements yet."

Investigating.

It seems the assassin isn't trying to deceive me. I noticed his great interest in survival when he removed the mercy pill, <Merciful Bite>, and even clung to me, begging for his life.

So, it made sense why the assassin stayed in this mansion and was investigating the mysterious Luca.

"Then, let's make a deal."

"A deal?"

"Share the results of our investigations with each other."

The assassin carefully examined my face, surprised, and then answered a beat late.

"The master already predicted that you would sneak in tonight. This conversation won't be any different."

"So, are you in or out?"

"...How?"

"Once a week. At this time, in this place."

"Understood."

This was quite a useful gain.

'I can find out what suspicious activities Luca is up to after work.'

Even if he knew about today's events, it didn't matter.

If he knew I was watching him, he wouldn't act recklessly.

Just as I was about to return to the Weatherwax mansion, satisfied with the outcome,

"Wait."

The assassin suddenly stopped me.

"I have one question."

Turning around, the assassin asked me with the most serious expression he had shown so far.

"Do you have any tips for washing bed sheets?"

"..."

"It's really hard to do alone. Is there a better way than pressing them by hand?"

You're a butler, yet you're doing a maid's job.

Feeling a bit sorry for him, I left a tip, not really a tip, telling him to press the sheets with his feet instead of his hands, and then returned to my room.

That night, I slept well.