CH 1

“Ah…!”

Her back felt like it was going to fall backwards as her sensitive bump was wrapped around a warm, wet tongue. As she was desperately reaching out her arms to maintain balance, her erect nipple was licked, flicked, and bitten firmly. Every time she received stimulation, Lucy’s body trembled.

“Eut, heut, it tickles. I, I also want to do something…”

“Don’t push yourself, it’s your first time.”

The man who embraced her gently nibbled on Lucy’s earlobe and spoke.

“What you feel is what matters.”

“Hnngh…!”

A finger slipped into her skirt. It teased and stimulated as if skimming over the underwear, igniting a sense of anticipation. The pleasure, faintly felt through the fabric, made her head dizzy. She wanted to feel more. Lucy involuntarily arched her back, enjoying the friction with the finger.

“No… just stay still.”

With his other hand, Scar unfastened the skirt button at her waist. The rich fabric that had played its part was now about to disappear.

As the discarded clothing fell to the side, as if it were an obstruction, Lucy’s lower body was exposed. She was wearing black stockings beneath the seemingly modest long skirt, and underneath that, her white lace underwear was translucently visible.

Depending on the person, it could be seen as outrageously obscene. Well, depending on the dragon, that is.

「Notice: Maid Wanted

Compensation: 30,000,000 gold a year

Mansion Location:  The summit of Southland’s Mountain of Lamentation.

Special Notes: The client hates people and wishes to hire only one person.

Applicants with the ability to handle all household chores are preferred.

Client: Scar (Dragon)」

’30, 30, 30, 30 million gold?!’

Lucy, who was wandering around like a starving animal in search of her next job, rubbed her eyes and looked back at the job posting board in front of the job placement agency.

No matter how many times she read it, it was indeed 30 million gold. The average salary for a career maid was 100,000 per month, totaling 1.2 million for a year. As she began to suspect that it might be a mistake because it was such an enormous amount, the people around her began to buzz with excitement.

“The pay has increased again.”

“Are they looking for a lover to do housework or what. Even so, the amount is too much…”

“Should I quit my current job and give it a try?”

“Oh, don’t even dream about it. They say the houseowner is a real lunatic. If a speck of dust is visible, they’ll immediately kick you out and destroy the house. There’s no shortage of crazy people, I tell you.”

Dragon. Upon closer inspection, next to the client’s name was the word ‘Dragon.’ So, the client wasn’t a person but a dragon? Nevertheless, in order to obtain more detailed information, Lucy entered the job placement agency. The bald employee behind the table scratched his shiny head and replied.

“Why is the amount like that, you ask? Because over a hundred people have already quit.”

Over a hundred people. It was an extraordinary number. Lucy stood up abruptly and leaned towards the employee, asking.

“Is the houseowner a dragon? Is the dwelling a cave that’s too harsh for humans to live and rest in? Is it so massive that working there feels like being trampled to death? Or is there a chance of being devoured for no reason?”

This was the extent of the difficulties that could be imagined with the word ‘dragon.’ The employee chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.

“Did you come from some rural area? Don’t you know anything about dragons living near the borders?”

Lucy sat back down and replied.

“I know a little. In my hometown, they even sell souvenirs. Aren’t they fantastical creatures that breathe fire and fly around?”

The dragons Lucy knew were creatures that appeared in fairy tale books. The bald employee smirked.

“Well, it’s not entirely wrong… But this dragon is famous in this area for a different reason. Its personality is filthy, but it has a stunning face, a mixed blood dragon.”

“Mixed blood…?”

“You don’t know about mixed blood? It’s half-human, half-dragon. I don’t know what crazy human had the idea of sleeping with a dragon, but thanks to them, its body isn’t as massive as you might think. Maybe just a little bigger than an average human.”

… A dragon and a human? Is that even possible? Anyway, it seemed like the worry of the homeowner devouring the maids could be set aside. Lucy decided to unravel the biggest question.

“Then why did over a hundred people quit?”

The employee scratched his smooth head and looked up at the ceiling. After taking a deep breath, he cautiously spoke.

“… It’s because of the dragon’s temperament.”

“Just that?”

Lucy took a deep breath, feeling the tension release from her body. Employers with difficult temperaments were as common as stars in the sky! It was even rarer to find an employer without such temperament. Wasn’t it natural? With her emerald-like eyes sparkling beautifully, Lucy asked.

“Could you please tell me how to get to that residence?”

The employee responded with a reluctant look.

“You really want it? According to the people who came back, it’s no joke. Anyway, they won’t last a month and they’ll come back here. Plus, you don’t have a letter of introduction, so it’s quite…”

Lucy leaned over and locked eyes with the employee.

“It didn’t mention anything about needing a letter of introduction. I can endure it.”

The employee stared intently at Lucy’s exposed cleavage as she approached him, then scanned up and down her figure. Then, as if approving her qualification, he smiled, revealing his gums.

“Well, alright. Miss, you seem to have a great figure. How about your skills at night? If you can seduce the dragon, I’ll give you an additional fee.”

“Pardon?”

“If you can tame that beast, we can earn a lot of money. You and me. How about it? Or maybe we can meet privately…”

What on earth is this person talking about?

Lucy thought she was in trouble when it came to obtaining an introduction letter from here. She managed to maintain a smile and responded in broken sentences.

“I have, a spouse.”

The worn silver ring on Lucy’s ring finger glimmered. It was an old ring with nothing notable except for the green peridot embedded like a flower. The name of the previous owner was written inside, but it appeared to be inconspicuous and unblemished, as if it truly belonged to Lucy.

Her mother’s heirloom had proven useful in warding off persistent men. However, contrary to her expectations, the employee revealed his gums and replied with a bright face.

“I’m fine with women who have husbands too. No, it’s even more… heu, exciting…”

Without listening to the rest of his words, Lucy quickly walked out of the job placement agency. She heard someone calling from behind and turned her gaze to see the employee gesturing for her to come back. He shouted in a loud voice.

“Don’t even think about going to see the dragon without an introduction letter~! And on the night of the full moon, absolutely……”

Ignoring the employee’s attempts to catch her attention, Lucy lightly waved goodbye and walked past the job posting board.

The discourse surrounding the dragon was still ongoing. Naturally, Lucy casually picked up information about the dragon in the midst of it all before catching a carriage.

Since the coachman knew where the dragon lived, it wasn’t a big problem. As the worn-out wheels creaked, the bustling village soon turned into a small dot and disappeared from her sight.

Lucy stared out the window absentmindedly, lost in her thoughts.

‘I hope the homeowner isn’t a man who acts like the employee at the job placement agency……’

Did they say he has a terrible personality? Who could be worse than a master who, right after tidying up a room, immediately makes a mess and then yells at you about why you didn’t clean it?

Working under such an employer, maids would often find themselves looking for another job as soon as a year passed. However, those shitty employers failed to understand why maids would quit so soon.

「Where else can you find a place as good as our house to work?」

That was the characteristic of a difficult workplace. They expect a lot from you while paying you a measly amount of money, and yet they believed they were bestowing immense favor upon you.

However, the place she was going to this time was a bit different. Considering that the incredible pay included payment for dealing with difficulties, isn’t it pretty conscientious? If she could endure just one year, Lucy could fulfill her dream.

‘I want to have my own home.’

A place where she wouldn’t be driven away. A small but cozy place.

Just imagining a house that she could decorate according to her own taste brought a smile to her lips.

A wooden door painted in blue. Walls that gleamed in the light, dazzlingly white. A small garden. Chickens leisurely pecking the ground… But it was a dream that seemed so distant to her.

Lucy, a maid with 15 years of experience starting from the age of 8, had only managed to save around a million gold. In her younger years, she had done unpaid labor due to not being considered capable enough, and later, the outbreak of war had left everyone’s life more difficult. Furthermore, not receiving a letter of introduction each time she left a job, Lucy had to accept meager wages compared to her experience in her new workplaces.

If things continue like this, she won’t be able to afford a house until she dies. Lucy sighed unknowingly, looking down at the floor.

‘Haa. Why are houses so expensive?’

The cabins built deep in the rural countryside were relatively affordable, but it was not possible to live alone in such places. Lucy had to buy a house in an area with carriage access and nearby shops, even if it was in the suburbs. Most houses in such locations, including the cost of land, were around 20 million gold. So, after completing this job, she would be able to buy a house and still have some money left.

Lucy sighed, gathering her spirits and comforting herself.

‘It must be a good dragon for stopping the war. Maybe we could get closer.’

Southland, where Lucy lives, and Northland in the north, were at war until 3 years ago. It was due to a small island located in the maritime territory between the two countries.

According to the analysis conducted by the royal researchers, it was revealed that the plants on the island had an exceptionally high concentration of magical power compared to anywhere else. Plants rich in magical essence were sold as valuable magical ingredients at exorbitant prices both domestically and internationally, thus increasing the value of the island even more than a gold mine. As a result, the two countries began to claim the uninhabited island as their own territory.

The power struggle that started over territorial rights escalated into a full-blown war with no end in sight. However, one day, the dragon suddenly appeared and halted the war. More accurately, it threatened them to stop. Reluctantly, the leaders of the two nations, who valued their lives, declared an end to the war. But the dragon did not trust humans. As a result, it established its nest along the border to monitor them.

It is uncertain how much of the information gathered from the notice board can be trusted, but that is what was heard there.

‘When the war broke out, I really couldn’t save any money. I was so poor, no matter where I worked… But why did the dragon pay attention to such a small nation’s war? Maybe I’ll ask once we become closer.’

While Lucy was lost in her unfruitful thoughts, people started getting off the carriage one by one, and as they reached the middle of the mountain, the coachman gestured for her to get off. It was the final stop.

As Lucy stepped off the carriage, the decaying wooden sign caught her eye first.

「Mountain of Lamentation」

This mountain was a place where the sound of people crying, as if carried by the wind, could be heard, causing others to avoid it. However, Lucy couldn’t retreat from here. She began taking steps forward, looking towards the summit.

Lucy wondered if she had come to the wrong place, perhaps a haunted mansion. The grand mansion in front of her was massive in size, but it appeared as if it could collapse at any moment due to the years of neglect.

The grass in the yard was so overgrown that it seemed like it could devour a person, and on top of the garden trees, spiders had built their webs densely, making it look like a pile of snow from a distance.

“……But still, having a home is better than me.”

Lucy was squatting in front of the entrance door of the mansion, speaking to the spiders passing by. No matter how much she rang the doorbell, no one came out.

Before she knew it, a dense fog had enveloped her surroundings, obscuring everything from view.

“It’s cold……”

Lucy got up and walked out to the yard, trying to move her body to generate heat to maintain her body temperature. Suddenly, as she looked up, she noticed a faint glow of candlelight coming from the second-story window.

Although the mansion appeared empty, it was clear that someone was inside. She couldn’t quite figure out how to get that person to come down.

“I can’t just climb over the window as I please.”

In reality, Lucy had been loitering at the front door for hours until the situation took an unexpected turn when a food delivery person entered the premises with her. Even though she had rung the doorbell, there was no response. However, luck was only on her side to that extent. The delivery person left the packages in front of the mansion and went away, leaving the entrance door still locked.

Now alone, Lucy circled around the mansion, but all the doors and windows were securely locked. It seemed like the security was thorough.

‘…Still, it’s better than sleeping out in the mountains.’

Lucy exhaled a cold breath and looked up at the sky. The round full moon glowed softly, and the beautifully embroidered stars shimmered. Quietly, she prayed, thinking of her mother who had become a star.

“Mother, if you are watching, please call for the master. They might be in that room on the second floor. Perhaps they can’t hear the doorbell. Why bother installing it if it’s going to be like this……”

That’s when it happened.

KWAANG!

As the deafening noise erupted, the eastern wall of the second floor collapsed. A fireball emitted light and burst out of the building. Fragments of the shattered outer wall, swept up by the flames, descended in an arc. It was right above Lucy. The image of the falling debris was reflected in Lucy’s widened eyes.

“AHHH!”

Instinctively, Lucy threw her body to the side. Thud! Thud! With a loud noise, the fragments of the outer wall crashed onto the ground. The spot where Lucy had just been was now engulfed in bright light, starting to ignite. If left unattended, the fire would spread, consuming the entire garden.

“No, no!”

Lucy hurriedly stepped on the grass and scattered the dirt from the yard to smother the flames. The cold and solidified soil, chilled by the wind, was enough to numb her fingers, but she paid no attention to the discomfort.

Thanks to Lucy’s efforts, the fire gradually died down, and she took a moment to look around. The wall on the second floor, from which the fragments had fallen, had a circular hole. Judging from the scorch marks, it seemed that something had burned there.

Could it be because of the fireball she saw earlier? The spherical shape, artificially formed, reminded her of magic.

‘Come to think of it, weren’t dragons known to be knowledgeable in magic?!’

If that’s the case, it was clear that this situation was caused by the homeowner.

Among the debris that fell earlier, there was something larger than Lucy’s head. Just the thought of being hit by something like that sent a shiver down Lucy’s spine. She couldn’t imagine what would have happened if it had struck her. Cold sweat ran down her back. She couldn’t just stay still. Lucy gathered her courage and shouted.

“Hello~! Is anyone there?! If you’re there, please come out!”

The surroundings were eerily quiet, as if the explosion had not occurred. The only sound was the rustling of fallen leaves in the wind. Lucy grew angrier and shouted even louder.

“Hey! If you caused an accident, you should come out! I almost died over here!”

And then, it happened.

Rumbling!

Large fragments fell above Lucy’s head. The remaining wall that was still burning had collapsed. Lucy’s vision blurred and the ground came closer and closer.

‘I should have left immediately.’

Regret washed over her, but it was already too late. Lucy felt the burning pain in her head as she lay on the cold grass.