CH 9

“I have no reason to go out.” 

“Rosie, are you saying you’re going to harm us all?” 

“What do you mean by harm? I have to say it right away.  But from the moment I entered this mansion as a maid, I gained the right to eat here. There’s no reason for me to give up on that right, just because of your ridiculous logic.” 

“So you’re going to harm us just for your rights?” 

“Before that. You’d better think about who put the monster you’re talking about in this mansion and say it.” 

Marie frowned and looked at me as if she were wondering what I meant. 

“It’s the Marquis. The Marquis brought in the monster, so aren’t you insulting the Marquis who came into contact with the monster?” 

“What are you talking about! You even talk nonsense—!” 

“Well, it’s nonsense to mention the Marquis in your nonsensical story.” 

“….” 

“And obviously, your remarks are disrespectful to all the maids who have been serving the monster’s meals all this time. No one believes in such a childish thing, so why don’t you throw it away?” 

Those around me lowered their heads and stared at Marie. 

It was clear that everyone couldn’t say anything because they were afraid of being treated the same as me. 

Apparently, Marie was quite highly ranked among the maids. So no one could refute this unreasonable situation. 

“Anyway, I have to go now that I don’t have a meal today, but let’s not tell such jokes next time. Okay?” 

Why are you doing this to people who work hard? 

“It’s pathetic that you do that.” 

Although I couldn’t eat, I felt relieved because I said everything I had to say. I took my eyes off Marie, shaking, and grabbed Emily’s arm. 

“Let’s go, Emily.” 

Maybe if we went now and explained the situation to the chef and asked for food, he would take care of it. 

But Emily’s body did not move. 

—Huh? 

Her arms, that felt through the thin fabric, were quite hard. What are all these muscles? 

“Rosie.” 

Emily’s voice calling out my name was cold. 

“—Emily?” 

“Lock the door.” 

—Door? Why? 

The sudden terrifying change in Emily’s demeanor did not allow my words to come out. 

I locked the door like I was possessed by something. 

I think the genre suddenly turned into a thriller—

I stared blankly at Emily’s actions. 

Emily’s unexpected moves brought heavy silence. 

They watched Emily as quietly as I did. 

Emily went to the middle of the crowd. Then she stopped in the middle, raised her hand and hit the desk. 

Bang! 

With a great sound, ‘Crack!’ The desk split. 

—Oh my. What’s going on here? 

“Who stole Rosie’s and I’s meals!” 

Emily’s eyes flashed with madness. 

Look at that. 

If you steal someone’s food, the person will become strange. 

***** 

After Emily broke down the desk in the kitchen, there was a huge mess. 

Emily rushed and asked them to turn in quickly and eventually got all the bread served by all the maids. 

I was embarrassed by the food that doubled from yesterday, but I didn’t refuse. 

The other maids would not be able to attack Emily in the future, I thought faintly. 

In fact, even I, who saw that scene, thought I had to be careful. 

After the small commotion, I came to take care of Richard’s meal. 

But Richard only stared at me. 

Is there something on my face? 

“—Maid, there’s something on your face.” 

So there’s really something on my face. 

“It looks like blood—” 

“….” 

“Who hurt you?” 

I thought while looking at the complicated blue eyes. 

Ah, this isn’t my blood. 

I know him. 

His core was that of a human being who had zero empathy without blood nor tears, but his shell was of a decent human being. 

He looked worried enough to ask, but I knew that it was just a pretense and an insincere action. 

I said calmly, wiping off the blood I didn’t know was on my cheek. 

“This is not my blood.” 

“—It’s not your blood but why is it on your face?” 

“It’s possible in life.” 

“….” 

You can sometimes get blood on your face. 

If you’ve sent a lot of people, you know that. 

I didn’t open my mouth, thinking that he would know how someone else’s blood got on a person. 

Richard looked at me quietly and soon showed his usual smile. 

“Don’t get hurt, maid.” 

“I didn’t get hurt.” 

“I’m worried.” 

I looked at the warm blue eyes. 

Oh my. 

After working in the kitchen, Marie secretly annoyed me from behind. 

Because of Emily, she couldn’t openly do it, but minor harassment continued. 

Deliberately leaking false information, or stepping on the way to take Richard’s meal, as well as especially making rumors. 

There was a groundless rumor among the maids that I was cursed by a monster. 

What the hell was wrong with them—? 

It wasn’t annoying at all. 

“I’ll just—!” 

“Calm down, Emily.” 

“Do I look like I’m calm? Why are they doing this all of a sudden? What happened to you?” 

Emily, who lost her reason, tried to take out the knife hidden in her arms, and I hurriedly restrained her hand. 

—Why is there a knife coming out of her arm? 

“Emily, no violence.” 

“I can’t do this or that. So what’s the point?” 

“How about food?” 

Only then did Emily look satisfied. 

In fact, there was one thing I could guess. 

Last time, the maids told me that they would change shifts with me for Richard’s meal duty. 

But I rejected their offer, and the maid’s attitude changed suddenly from then on. 

On the case of a maid named Marie, all it meant was that it wasn’t good for her that I was on meal duty–

One of the things I did differently from others when I became on duty was to monitor the kitchen maid so that she couldn’t put anything on the food. 

Did Marie instruct the kitchen maid to give the drugs? 

Little by little, everything began to fit in. 

Hmm— This is hard. 

The time remaining until Richard’s meal turnaround was about four days. 

Should I leave them as they were? Or—

It’s difficult. 

***** 

These days, it was not only the maids who acted strangely. 

“—Where else does it hurt?” 

It was strange. Richard, who was much stronger than me, kept whining that he was sick whenever I came. 

At first, I was a little surprised to hear that he was hurt, but it already happened several times and suspicion slowly sprouted. 

“It doesn’t hurt much, so I think it’d be okay if the maid was by my side.” 

“If you’re not that sick, I think it’s fine to be alone.” 

“Please take care of me. I’m lonely when you’re not here.” 

Being kind to a patient. 

In addition, his eyes were round. It must have been fun teasing me. 

“And maid, it seems like you’ve been keeping the gatekeeper outside company.” 

That’s because I’ve been trying to keep an eye on the gatekeeper so he doesn’t do anything nonsensical. 

“Then, can’t you also stay by my side?” 

“What’s the matter with you?” 

“By any chance, do you not like me?” 

My hands trembled reflexively as the eyes evoked a pitiful beauty from his act. 

Why does it look so pretty? Damn it. 

Was that man like that towards all the maids who came on duty to give the meal? 

“Yes, I don’t like it.” 

“If your answer is too honest, I’ll get hurt.” 

“It’s okay. You’re not getting hurt.” 

If an ordinary person had heard it, they would have been hurt, but my opponent was Richard. Rather, he laughed slowly, as if he was pleased with my reaction. 

A sweet laugh rang in the room. 

Mom, he’s so weird— 

“Okay, maid. Then you can be friends with me from now on.” 

“—Why should I?” 

“Because I like the maid.” 

“I don’t like you that much—” 

When I answered without hesitation, his expression changed slightly. It was faint, but soon his eyes filled with excellence—

As soon as I met the captivating blue eyes, it felt like I was sucked in and I couldn’t think of anything. 

“Are you sure?” 

Sparkling silver eyelashes and sparkling red lips. 

As if possessed by him, I almost corrected what I just said. 

Only then did I realize. That’s the power of beauty. 

As if what he had done so far was really nothing, he was good at enchanting people. 

“Ehem! You’re talking too much. Please just eat.” 

I put the plate in front of him. 

The more I talked to him, the more I felt like I was getting involved, so I hurriedly ended the conversation with him. 

Richard stared at me as if he was looking into my soul and picked up a spoon. 

He was about to be quiet now, but after taking a bite of the soup, his expression hardened. 

“….” 

“—Does it taste weird?”