CH 74

No matter how many times I told Lucas, he always looked like he couldn’t believe what I was saying. 

Yeah, I didn’t think he would believe it right away, though.

“I was the one who fed the fruit to the birds.”

“…!” 

“I was the one who sent you to the annex when the monster was imprisoned. I think I’ve helped you quite a bit, but if you keep doubting me, I’ll be disappointed.”

I wanted to cry even a drop of a crocodile’s tears, but my eyes were dry. 

“Even if it looks like this, your master has told me his name”

“…Don’t lie. My master doesn’t tell anyone his name.”

“….” 

I just remembered the situation when I went to give Richard his meal.

<Maid, call my name.> 

<Come on.> 

<Hurry.> 

—Is that a man who doesn’t tell anyone his name?

I sighed and threw the pouch I had received from the demon worshiper at Lucas.

“Take it.”

Lucas, who suddenly received the pocket, gave a puzzled expression. 

It seemed to be what he thought was.

“Open it.”

“….” 

Lucas opened the pocket and looked at what was inside with a frown.

Then he looks at me. 

“You know what it is? A demon worshiper gave it to me.” 

Lucas nodded silently. Does it mean that he knows what it is?

“What the hell is that white powder?”

“….It’s a sleeping pill.”

“A sleeping pill?”

“It was originally made to put monsters to sleep, but—” 

“Does it work even for Transcendents?”

Lucas nodded again.

To feed him at seven o’clock in the next five days means he’s going to put Richard to sleep—.

Why the hell? 

What is their plan? 

“You must have heard the conversation in the warehouse, right? He told me to give him this sleeping pill at 7 o’clock in five days.”

“….” 

“Looks like the demon worshipers are up to something. I’ll ask again. Will you cooperate with me or not?” 

Lucas still didn’t say anything. But soon his lips were opened.

“I’ll do it.”

Lucas looked at me and answered as if he had made up his mind.

I smiled.

“Then shall we share some of the information we each know? Did you see the face of the person coming out of the warehouse?”

“I didn’t see it because he was wearing a robe.”

I didn’t expect him to come to the warehouse with his face exposed, but I was still disappointed.

“I should have asked first, do you know who the demon worshipper is?”

He nodded as if he were. 

“Who is it?” 

“…There were three including you, but two without you.”

Did he include me?

What in the world do I look like a demon worshipper?

“Pendant.”

Lucas cut off the front and back and spit out a single word.

“I saw it in your room.”

—Are you saying you searched my room?

“What is that pendant?”

I remembered the pendant under the drawer in my room. It was so thick I couldn’t even see what was inside.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” 

“Of course, I should say I don’t know to something that I don’t know.” 

“You really don’t know if it’s an object that has the energy of a devil worshipper?”

“…Demon worshipers?”

The old pendant seemed to belong to Rose.

So he is saying that Rose had the things that the demon worshiper had? 

Things were going weird.

“…Do you really not know?”

I nodded my head first. I really don’t know.

Lucas looked at me suspiciously.

The important thing now is not the pendant, so I had to think about it later.

“So who are the two remaining suspects?”

Lucas paused for a moment, and then he answered late.

“It’s Anri and Hayden.”

* * * 

“Cough, cough!” 

I must have caught a cold.

I’m escaping soon, so I’m in trouble if I get sick.

“Rosie, are you okay?”

Emily asked anxiously as she looked at me coughing.

She carefully placed her hand on my head.

“Rosie, you’re so hot now!” 

Somehow, my head was throbbing and I felt dizzy.

“…Ah. Emily, do you have any medicines?”

I’m in trouble because I don’t have much time left to run away. 

For a few days, I have no choice but to survive with medicine. 

“I have medicine. Do you want it?” 

“Yeah, give it to me.”

I swallowed the medicine Emily gave me. Ugh. 

“…Is it okay if you don’t call the doctor?”

“I’m okay.”

“….Come to think of it, Anri knows better this way.”

Emily’s brow furrowed as if she didn’t want to do it.

“It’s okay, Emily.” 

I waved my hand.

As time passed, my body felt better.

Emily looked at me worriedly, but I tried to smile broadly.

I’m not in good condition, but I didn’t feel particularly sick after taking medicine. I hope the medicine lasts as long as possible.

Thinking about it, I went to give Richard’s meal.

Now, this is not much left.

But. 

“I heard you met Lucas, maid.”

The news is so fast.

“How the hell do you know when you’re stuck in here?”

“There are ways, but it was a little surprising that the maid knew who Lucas was.”

I thought he would find out a little later, but Richard found out sooner than I thought he would. 

“I heard you two are working together?”

“…Ah, yes.” 

I wondered if I was doing something wrong, so I glanced at Richard’s eyes.

If this was the case, I would have just told Richard first and worked together.

I was slightly worried that Richard would think I was strange to act rashly.

“…Do you not like it?”

“No, I’m just jealous.”

It was an unnecessary worry.

Anyway, Richard didn’t seem to have any complaints.

I leaned against the wall in peace.

And, as usual, I waited until Richard was done eating. There’s really not much left now.

Is it because I’m sick? 

As I leaned against the wall, my mind became drowsy.

Suddenly I fell asleep.

But I couldn’t sleep deeply. As I take the medicine, my body heated up and I woke up repeatedly.

My body was weak and I felt chills all over my body.

‘Emily gave me another pill—’

There is medicine in my pocket.

But the thought only stayed in my head, and my body didn’t follow.

Then a cold hand touched my head.

“…You’re hot, maid.” 

“…Ah.” 

Richard, who left me alone thinking I was asleep, seemed to feel something strange.

“…I’ll just take a break. It must be hot.”

Richard wouldn’t let go of his hand when I tried to shake it. I didn’t even have enough strength to keep pushing.

“You have a fever.” 

“…I can take medicine.” 

My whole body is hot and painful, so my head is not working well. I answered in a vague voice.

“…It’s in my pocket.” 

I’m fumbling in my pocket to get some medicine, but it’s not easy because I’m out of energy. 

Richard grabbed my drooping body and took the medicine out of my pocket for me. 

“Open your mouth.”

At Richard’s words, I opened my mouth blankly.

I swallowed the medicine that flowed from the small bottle.

“…Bitter.”

The effect should return quickly. 

I crouched down with chills.

I don’t have the energy to respond to his words, but Richard gently embraced me.

I grumbled and threw up my complaints, but I decided to stay still because it was warm inside.

“…You should go see a doctor.”

“The escape plan is coming soon.”

When I told Richard why I couldn’t go to the doctor, his face got darker.

He seemed genuinely worried about me.

…Are you really interested in me?

He was always a little bit pretentious, but after a certain point, his expression and actions seemed to show sincerity.

Somehow, I didn’t like that Richard was worried about me.

Because I felt like I had to say a word to reassure him. 

“…If we run away together, call a doctor. Of course, it will be better before then.”

Upon hearing this, Richard’s eyes widened.

And he opened his mouth carefully.

“…I’ll call in a hundred or a thousand.”

“…What’s the point of calling 100 people? It’s too much.”

On the other hand, it was funny, and Richard’s hand was shaking slightly as he softly laughed. 

“Maid.” 

“…Why?” 

“Are you really going to run away with me?”

He doesn’t trust people easily, so he always doubts others until the situation comes. 

But if he said it now, it seemed to clear up all doubts. 

“…Is it meaningful to say that now?”

“….”

“I said we were running away together. Just trust me, Richard.”

I even called his name and said something that sounded fake. 

All plans have been designed. 

He seemed to have gotten over his doubts about me, but I couldn’t. 

We don’t know what the future will change.

I didn’t want to entrust myself to anyone.

I don’t want to be with someone and live a life where I might be betrayed.

I’m comfortable being alone, and I’ve lived a good life like that. 

My way of life will not change in the future.

That’s why I told lies without hesitation and shamelessly.

“Let’s run away together.”

There was no answer from Richard. But soon he nodded as if he trusted me completely.

Then he added a word.

“…Only the maid must never betray me.” 

Only the maid? 

You talk as if you’ve been betrayed.

“I don’t do any kind of betrayal.”

Just because I don’t run away with him doesn’t mean I’m betraying him. 

In the meantime, I’ve given him a lot of information needed to escape.

I never betrayed him.

In such clumsy comfort, he nodded firmly.

So time passed and it became the day of the plan.

—I didn’t know at the time.

What will actually happen.