CH 51

Richard burst into laughter as he saw the knights rushing in the direction of the smoke.

It’s because they’re stupid. 

He clicked his tongue at the knights running towards the rising black smoke.

Then there was a little bird flying in the sky.

Richard laughed.

“Good boy, come here.”

The bird sat on Richard’s index finger as if to understand him.

Richard smiled softly and stroked the bird’s head.

“The weather is so nice. It’s a good day to fly.”

The hand that was sweeping the bird’s head naturally went down and lifted its legs. The bird was hanging a note.

“You brought it well.”

Richard took out the note and unfolded it.

The note was written in a code that only Richard could recognize.

He interpreted the very code.

[The Marquis’ energy is strange. It feels like a sorcerer. I will find out more.] 

Sorcery? 

“I didn’t feel that—”

If the child says so, it’s accurate.

Richard, who checked the note, used mana to burn the note.

‘It’s still unstable.’

The mana is shaking, but if it goes on like this, it will recover soon.

After contact with Rosie on the first escape, Richard’s power became unstable.

He guessed the reason. Rosie doesn’t know how to use her power. So—. 

‘Maybe it’s greatly influenced by her mental state.’

Usually, power comes out according to the owner’s will, but since she couldn’t control the power, it seemed to shake according to her mood.

Richard speculated that if Rosie’s mental state was bad, his power would be blocked; on the contrary, if her mood was good, his power would be returned. 

Regardless of whether his hypothesis was correct, Rosie held his hand last night and he felt better, and the unstable power was restored.

‘It’s amazing.’

What kind of existence is it?

Richard walked through the maze garden, thinking of Rosie.

He’s sure it’s around here.

On the first escape, he felt a huge energy in the maze garden. And that energy—.

Richard stopped walking.

Because there was a familiar scent nearby. His favorite scent.

******

“Nunim.”

Yurtha calls me with an undesirable voice.

It seems quite unreliable to go in a strange direction without any basis.

“If you make a mistake, it’s not too late to go back.”

“…Yes.”

He doesn’t trust me.

“By the way, Nunim, is it okay to go ahead like that?”

“Don’t worry, he won’t attack me.”

Maybe—?

I’m not sure.

However, with Richard’s personality I’ve seen so far, he’s probably trying to convince me.

The problem is that after the conciliation fails.

“Why are you so sure?”

“Because I am useful to you, and I will also be useful to that person.”

“…As expected, it’s unpleasant.” 

Yurtha’s murmuring disturbed me.

“You, don’t do anything stupid. Unless you’re thinking of losing to Argen—”

“Are you worried about me?”

“….”

Why is he talking like that?

“…Let’s not talk. And you, stay a little farther away from me, and if you come with me, he will hate you.”

“Whether the monster hates it or not, why does Nunim care about that?”

Yurtha’s voice became even lower. What is it that makes you angry?

“Did you forget? I’m playing the role of bait. To make him not be wary, I’ll have to twist it with scent or something. If you attack without covering your back, things might get messed up.” 

“Do you think I’ll lose?”

“I’m trying to increase the probability, so don’t take it lightly.”

It’s like dealing with a child who won’t listen.

I quickly walked as far as possible from Yurtha.

Yurtha still looked unhappy, but he obediently followed me. 

I was worried that he would come out uncooperative, but it was a relief.

I looked up at the sky.

When searching, the Knights send their hawks into the sky.

Unlike a person who can only see right away, a bird can see a wide area in white, which is especially advantageous in this maze garden. 

But the hawk can’t see this place. 

This is because the Marquis’ maze garden has magic in it. 

‘But how the hell does that little birds fly around here?’

Unless you cast a spell on the bird.

‘Come to think of it—’

There was only one wizard in this mansion.

It was Richard’s spy.

There is no way Richard would make the mistake of making an explosion like that openly and announcing his location. 

So I ran to the place where the bird was headed—.

“Maid.”

I didn’t expect to meet Richard who smiles brightly at me.

‘Don’t be afraid. Yurtha is behind me.’

Thinking like that is— no comfort at all.

But it’ll be enough to keep Richard in check.

“Did you come all the way here to see me?”

His face was filled with surprise as if he had not expected to meet me here.

“That’s right, I came to see you.”

Perhaps the pure affirmation was unexpected to Richard, he smiled happily with a surprised expression.

“The Marquis is smart. It’s not enough to send the grown-up knights, but he’s also sending the beautiful maid, isn’t he?”

“….”

I was dumbfounded, but Richard strode in front of me.

For a moment, I felt pressured to say something and opened my mouth.

“If I seduce you, will you be obedient to me?”

Coming close to his nose, he bowed his head and made eye contact.

The silver hair and sparkling face that shone as if they were breaking in the sun came close.

He sighed sadly.

“I’d be happy to fall into your hand, but then I’ll have to be locked up there again, right?”

“….”

“Maid, don’t you feel sorry for me?”

Richard slowly raised his hand and grabbed a handful of my pink hair.

“Is it because it’s under the sun? You know that, Maid?”

“What is it?”

“Maid, your hair is much lighter than when I first saw it.”

I don’t know about that.

I shook off Richard’s hand.

“Why did you come here?”

It will take time anyway and you will be caught by the knights.

There will be knights surrounding this place no matter which way he goes out of the maze garden.

“It’s blocked everywhere. All you can do is pass the time.”

“You come to me for reconciliation.”

I didn’t bother to answer because it was true.

“It must have been pretty tough while you were here, Aah, go ahead.”

Richard looked puzzled at my sudden words. However, he opened his mouth without hesitation.

I tucked the candy into his mouth. 

Richard, who had something in his mouth, looked at me with a bewildered smile.

“I brought it because I thought you’d be hungry. You must have had a hard time while you were here”

“….”

“I’m sure this won’t satisfy you—”

“Maid.”

Richard interrupted me and called me.

He smiled broadly. When I looked at him with a glittering appearance, I lost what to say, and words that didn’t match his bright smile flowed out of his mouth.

“It’s disgusting.”

“…..”

After all, since the restraints were released, did the mouth become free?

“Well, that’s the charm of the maid. It’s disgusting and lovely.”

These were two words that didn’t match at all.

“Still, it’s wonderful to have come this far, so should I show you something interesting?”

“What?” 

“Yes, something fun. It’ll be fascinating.”

Richard took my hand and led me. Hey, where are you going?

I had to follow his lead without knowing why.

“We’re almost there.”

“—Where are you going?”

“Well, it took me a while to find it, but it’s rewarding to think about showing the maid something interesting.”

He’s not listening to me at all.

“Are you going to kidnap me again?”

“….” 

Richard paused for a moment and looked back at me.

“If you don’t like it, I won’t.”

“…Yes?” 

“I’m sorry for the last time.” 

I was perplexed since I didn’t expect to hear an apology from Richard here.

But I soon changed my mind.

‘What is he thinking?’

There’s no way this man could back off so easily.

“We’re almost there, Maid.” 

Looking at Richard suspiciously, he turned his head to the side.

As I followed his gaze, there was a vast space in the maze, which seemed to be endless.

There was a pond and an antique white pavilion in the middle.

“Is this what you mean by fun?”

What’s fun about that?

“What’s over there?”

“You’ll know when you’ll see. But before that… “

Richard’s eyes were folded in half. The smile in his eyes was as beautiful as he always had but somehow eerie.

“We’re going to deal with the rats first.”

At that moment, Yurtha with a sword came out violently. In a blink of an eye, a silver flash passed by.

Richard pulled me by the waist and spread the distance between us, easily avoiding the sword wielded by Yurtha.

A sharp wind slashed through the maze garden. The grass that has been cut all over the place flutters.

Yurtha looked at me with his sword up.

“It seems that this method has failed.”

I know. It was a complete failure to convince or distract Richard.

Yurtha must have been killing his presence, but Richard’s senses were quite sharp when he is caught.

‘Is the body really recovered?’

In the past, the senses would have been dull due to the mana restriction. 

“That’s better. It was hard to watch the monster’s behavior.”

“Maid, what’s your relationship with him?”