CH 71

“Marquis, these are the men.”

Eric and the gatekeepers of the punishment room knelt in front of Argen.

They couldn’t even raise their heads and trembled. They only wished for mercy and kindness.

Except for monster-related matters, Argen was a gentle master among servants.

It’s because most things just get away with it.

But this time it was different.

Argen has been acting as if the nervous system has been shattered regarding monsters.

“You did a pretty good job, so I left it alone, but you dare to do something presumptuous. Did I make you do something difficult?”

“M, Marquis—” 

“I told you. You’d just have to watch the monster and get him out when the door opens. But instead of taking him out, you put it back in—”

“No! That’s not true! The maid is lying!

The knight kicked one of the gatekeepers in the stomach when they tried to explain to Argen that they were wrongly accused.

Argen looked down at them with sharp blue eyes.

Argen regretted it a little. It would have been easier if he had changed people when he heard Rosie.

‘Come to think of it….’

Rosie never said anything wrong in front of him.

He can’t say that she’s loyal, but he can say that she didn’t disappoint him.

“Take care of it.”

Argen left the dungeon after telling the knights to take care of them.

“Bring Rosie.”

Argen ordered the knight next to him. Then the knight’s complexion darkened.

“Why?” 

“I—” 

“If you have something to say, say it.” 

The knight opened his mouth more cautiously, noticing his eyes.

“The maid is not guilty of this….” 

“I know.” 

“But if you want to punish the maid….” 

“…What are you talking about now?”

“…Aren’t you trying to punish Maid Rosie?”

Argen frowned at the knight’s words.

The knight was also bewildered.

Wasn’t it meant to punish Rosie by calling Rosie with a bloody face in this situation?

“Bring her.”

The knight, who decided he could no longer go against Argen, tried to move immediately.

“No. Don’t bring her.”

Suddenly the words changed.

When Argen changed his mind about what he said, the knight stood next to him.

“No, bring her.” 

“….?”

“No, no. Don’t bring—” 

“….” 

Is he joking now? The knight seriously considered whether he should respond to that.

It doesn’t look like his master. 

Argen kept saying the opposite of what he meant for a long time until he finally told him not to bring her.

“Go away.”

Then he sent the knight as if he had changed his mind. 

The knight left the room, bewildered by the strange appearance of the master.

Argen, who was left alone, fell into thoughts.

Come to think of it, Rosie always looked at Argen.

Of course, it wasn’t unusual for a maid to look into their master’s eyes.

However, she seemed worried her master would harm her if she acted like this.

Argen burst out laughing.

He didn’t want to hurt innocent people.

However, Rosie seems to have taken the image of him being sensitive to monsters differently.

Argen tried to clear up the misunderstanding with the maid but decided to stop. 

It was strangely true he felt comfortable around her and reduced the pain caused by his pattern, but he thought he didn’t have to go that far.

Argen touched the pattern on his neck and called someone.

“What’s the matter, Marquis?”

“Investigate Rosie.”

******

Accidents kept happening, and now the mansion’s inside was a mess. 

The servants were busy talking among themselves about what had happened in the annex and what had happened to Eric and the gatekeepers.

But it was only for a short time. 

Soon hot news heated up among the servants.

It was a summer festival.

I don’t know how much time has passed since the summer festival is already approaching.

After the incident, Dylan was silent for a while. He didn’t look for me anymore. But I felt uneasy for no reason.

And the demon worshipers didn’t even come close to me. They should have tried to approach me again a while ago.

It was strange, but in the meantime, I could comfortably explain my escape plan to Richard.

Time passed in an atmosphere of some anxiety, anticipation, and nervousness.

“I took a vacation this time. Did you even buy clothes to go to the festival?”

During a short break, the maids sat around and talked about the festival.

“Too bad. I can’t go out because I already used my vacation.”

“No, it wouldn’t have been possible if I took a vacation anyway. Some so many people took a vacation this time….”

“It’s also luck. I envy you. I can’t go out to this festival.”

When the maids made a sound of regret, someone gave the good news.

“Isn’t it? If we’re lucky, we can all get out this time.”

“What? What are you talking about.”

“..I overheard the Marquis. I heard he’s going to host this festival by himself?” 

“The Marquis? Is that true? He doesn’t give this to someone else?”

“Yes, but I heard that the Marquis is in charge of this festival?”

The maids murmured as if puzzled by the unusual thing.

Then the other maid opened her mouth as if she had guessed something.

“Is it because of that?”

“What do you mean?”

“The capital is calm, but now it’s a little— the whole atmosphere is not good.”

“Ah…”

The exciting atmosphere subsided.

As the maid said, the situation in the Empire wasn’t good.

It was no exaggeration to say that the Emperor of this Empire was crazy about territorial expansion.

The empire’s dominance in weapon development was growing by the day, and there were many rumors that what had been left unexploded might finally explode this winter.

Perhaps this war will soon be revolted.

It was a fact that Richard would participate in the war and make a contribution and return. 

Whether it’s the expansion of territory or the joining of continents, it’s just unsettling news for people who are trying to make a living.

Anyway, the inside of the Empire was a little chaotic because of such a problem.

So, there seems to be a saying that this festival will be held in a big way.

“I heard the Marquis is giving a speech. They said that he would probably take several servants out at that time—” 

“Maybe one of us can get out!”

The maids’ eyes lit up. But when they looked at me, they made an ‘Ah’ face.

Huh? Suddenly… why? 

“….Rosie can’t go out because you’re an exclusive maid, right?”

“…Still, she can go to the next festival, right?” 

The opportunity seems never to come back to me, so I just look around.

“I don’t really like moving around, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Does Rosie hate going out?”

“Isn’t that the kind of atmosphere you don’t like because the festival is noisy?”

They nodded their heads awkwardly. 

I smiled at them and saw Emily, who was all alone with her mouth shut. 

I heard that Emily also took a vacation this time.

I think Emily would be the one who would be most disappointed if I couldn’t go, but she was too quiet.

…She doesn’t look good, what’s the matter with her? 

She was always bright and lively, but Emily’s appearance like this was unfamiliar, and it felt strange.

“Excuse me, Emily….”

“How long are you all going to hang out? Start working soon!”

Then the head maid shouted to the maids.

The maids got up from their seats in a hurry, looking at the head maid’s eyes.

Emily didn’t hear my call, so she went back to work and started working.

…Am I just being sensitive?

******

There seems to be a demon worshipper or a spy hiding here.

After being suspicious, Lucas found out who it would be.

So now, the suspicious figures have been narrowed down to three.

The two suspects are actually people who have seemed strange to him for a long time.

…And one left.

Lucas looked at Rosie, who smiled brightly and waved to the maids.

A white face glows white in the sun. The fluttering pink hair was reminiscent of cherry blossoms.

When his master sent him a note, he said the maid was suspicious.

Faint energy revived around her, and it seemed to disappear.

What the hell is that?

The enchanting color energy grew stronger at some point and then decreased instantly.

Lucas observed the energy.

Usually, when the maid smiles sincerely, the energy explodes, and when the maid is in a normal state, it fades.

When she is angry or upset, her energy changes to a dull color as if she plans to kill someone.

…It was strange energy.

Lucas has been extraordinary since he was a child.

His eyes were special.

He could tell from a young age that someone had a special aura, and he was quick to spot magic or curses.

In recognition of that, Richard took Lucas and treated him like his hands and feet. 

‘I don’t think she’s a demon worshiper—’

It was a very different energy from them.

Maybe one of Lucas’s two suspects was the person who worshipped demons.

But he better check it out. 

That night, Lucas entered her room through the window while Rosie was away.

He was planning to look into anything suspicious.

And Lucas could feel the ominous energy when he opened the drawer.

Lucas put his hand slowly into the drawer and found the source of the ominous energy.

A pendant came out from inside the drawer.

Lucas’ expression changed.

It was the demon worshipper’s item.