Men Are What Women Make Them (1)

A few days after causing a minor commotion at the Blackwood Territory’s security force.

Fortunately, the story about me having an impromptu sparring match with three new recruits from the territory guards didn’t spread within the mansion.

After all, the only people in the mansion who could possibly know about that incident were the deputy head butler, Ethan, Harold, and myself-just four people at most.

In other words, as long as these four didn’t go around blabbing, there was no chance of rumors spreading.

Dietmeyer had always been tight-lipped anyway, so no issue there.

Neither Harold nor Ethan had any reason to go around boasting about a maid causing a scene outside the mansion.

Meaning, as long as I kept quiet, I could prevent the events of that day from spreading inside the mansion.

‘It’s not like I have any reason to go around bragging about it. I’m not some attention seeker.’

Drawing unnecessary attention would only lead to troublesome situations, so the idea of me spreading the story myself made no sense.

The territory guards also wouldn’t want rumors spreading about three new recruits losing to a mere maid-hardly a flattering tale.

In other words, I had successfully leveled up from 5 to 6 with zero risk.

Thanks to that, these days, I was living my best life in every sense.

Because I could finally use the long-awaited Mana Blast.

Of course, being able to use it and being allowed to use it were two entirely different things, so it would remain my hidden trump card for the foreseeable future.

But that alone was enough.

Just knowing I had a backup plan in case of emergencies was reassuring.

It felt like being an office worker who still goes to work after winning the lottery.

In that sense, ever since gaining the ability to use Mana Blast, my world felt exciting and new every day.

Back when I couldn’t use Mana Blast, I felt like a fly clinging to life, never knowing when I might die.

But now that I could use it, I no longer feared the future.

Who am I? A Mana Blast user.

“Good morning, maid.”

“Yes, good morning, Young Master! Did you sleep well last night?”

“…M-Maid…?”

Before, just seeing that bastard’s face in the morning would ruin my mood, but now that I could use Mana Blast, it didn’t bother me anymore.

“Miss Lilith, you’ve been summoned by the master.”

“Yes, Deputy Head Butler Dietmeyer Colin Evercroft! I’ll head there right away!”

“…Miss Lilith…?”

I could now flawlessly recall Dietmeyer’s name-the guy who always brought bad news-without forgetting it.

“You called for me, Master!”

“……”

And even when Harold, the final boss of the Blackwood family, summoned me to his office, I could face him with unwavering confidence…

“Lilith, I heard you caused a bit of a stir at the territory guards.”

“…My apologies.”

…Never mind. Cancel that. Harold was still terrifying.

The summons from the lord of Blackwood Territory instantly deflated the high spirits I’d been riding for the past few days.

As soon as Harold, sitting across from me in his private office on the third floor, brought up the territory guards incident, I immediately bowed my head in apology.

…Well, it made sense. There was no such thing as a risk-free level-up.

At the time, I was so blinded by the EXP that I recklessly jumped in with a flimsy excuse, but looking back, it was an incredibly stupid move.

Not to mention, strictly speaking, it was my own personal action, overriding Ethan’s opinion, so most of the blame fell on me.

If Harold pressed me on that point, I had no choice but to tremble like a candle in the wind.

Who am I? A commoner debt-maid whose head could roll at Harold’s slightest whim…

“I didn’t call you here to demand an apology. I heard the soldiers there were the ones who first disrespected you.”

“…I acted on my own during Young Master Ethan’s official duties and caused him trouble. I have no excuse.”

“Enough. Ethan’s old enough to take care of himself now. I don’t need to scold you for actions you took as his personal maid.”

“……?”

Wait, what’s up with Harold?

I clearly messed up during the territory patrol with Ethan by acting on my own, and he’s not even going to question me about it?

Are you really Harold? If I peel off your skin, will someone else pop out?

‘…Now that I think about it, he has been acting weird lately.’

Before, he’d blindly defend Ethan no matter what, never thinking about anyone but his son.

But lately, for some reason, he’s become slightly stricter with Ethan.

Like suddenly increasing Ethan’s training load not long ago.

These days, it’s almost a daily occurrence for external tutors to come in and teach him various subjects.

I’m not sure why, but it seems like Harold himself is slowly changing from a doting father to a stricter one.

Judging by his recent behavior, it almost looks like he’s seriously preparing Ethan to be the next lord of Blackwood Territory…

Though I still don’t know what caused this change.

‘…Did I change something?’

That was the most plausible possibility.

Within the scope of my influence, I was the only one who could alter the original storyline.

And it was an undeniable fact that I’d done all sorts of outrageous things for a mere maid.

The problem was, I couldn’t recall doing anything directly outrageous to Harold himself.

Most likely, my actions didn’t directly affect Harold, but something indirect must have changed this doting father’s attitude.

‘Maybe seeing Tanathia’s necklace, which he thought was lost, made him steel his resolve again or something.’

It wasn’t like Harold had some epiphany from my actions. No way.

This Harold wasn’t the type to listen to anyone but his son in the first place.

As I finished my mental speculation and imagination, Harold suddenly looked at me and asked in a serious tone:

“Lilith.”

“Yes.”

“The reason I called you here is to ask about Ethan’s recent condition.”

“…Pardon?”

“Lately, Ethan’s attitude has improved noticeably. Coincidentally, it aligns almost perfectly with the time you became his personal maid.”

“…Is that so?”

“Do you have any incidents in mind that might explain it?”

“……”

Incidents in mind…

If we’re talking about incidents, then probably…

‘Go tell your dad this. Your personal maid Lilith tried to kill you out of sheer annoyance.’

‘You can eat all your damn food yourself. And for fuck’s sake, stop biting, rubbing, and smacking your lips like a pig. It makes me want to vomit.’

‘The kind of person I hate the most is a sexual harasser who pokes me with something like a “shit stab” and then laughs right in my face. The worst kind of man in the entire world.’

…There were a fucking lot.

And every single one of them was the kind of incident that would get my head chopped off the moment I uttered it aloud.

Thinking about it now, it was a miracle I was still alive in every sense.

If Ethan had reported even one of the stunts I’d pulled on him to Harold, I’d be dead for sure.

‘Should I be grateful or not?’

Should I be thankful for sparing my neck, or should I curse him since he was the root cause of all my suffering?

As this unrelated dilemma briefly swirled in my head, Harold suddenly nodded with an understanding expression.

“I see. So it was you after all.”

“N-No, Master. I didn’t do anything to the Young Master…”

“Enough. There’s no need to publicly disclose matters between you and Ethan. After all, the person you serve isn’t me, but my son.”

Perhaps interpreting my momentary silence as a different kind of answer, Harold waved his hand, dismissing my excuses.

Left without a chance to explain, I felt momentarily confused.

‘Did he just let it go?’

…Well, if he wasn’t going to dig deeper, I wasn’t about to complain. The one who’d be sweating bullets if he pressed for details was me.

Ethan himself didn’t seem to want Harold to know about what happened between us, so even if Harold had pushed, I would’ve found a way to dodge.

But the chances of Harold just letting it slide were slim.

If I didn’t want to die, I’d better keep my head firmly attached. In any case, I could step down as Ethan’s personal maid in just two more years.

Just two more years. Only two more…

“I’m glad you and Ethan are getting along well. I’ll leave him in your care from now on.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Good. You may leave now.”

“Yes, I’ll take my leave, Master.”

Fortunately, Harold didn’t press for details, so the conversation that day ended without incident.

And so, another year passed.