Ch.1111. The Master

“Huff.”

Deia was pacing back and forth in front of the entrance with her arms crossed.

Anyone watching might have thought she was exercising indoors because it was too cold to go outside in Norsweden’s frigid temperature.

But of course, that wasn’t the case.

“How much time has passed?”

“T-ten minutes left, my lady.”

“Argh!”

Deia was already trembling with clenched fists. It had been 50 minutes since Deus left.

That bastard who asked her to wait just one hour was indeed a worthless incompetent.

“Exactly 10 minutes. I’ll wait 10 more minutes and then request backup. Is the crystal ball ready?”

“Yes, I’ve prepared it so we can contact them immediately when you give the word.”

“Damn Verdi men. Not a single one of them I can stand.”

“M-my lady.”

The butler urgently cautioned her about her language, but Deia ignored him and continued.

“Am I wrong? I warned everyone when the border outpost reported that foreigners were pushing in as a group, unlike their usual pattern!”

When Darius and Deia received reports that foreigners were coming as an organized army rather than in scattered groups as usual.

Deia said something was strange and they should gather as many troops as possible for a full defense.

She offered to join as a Mage herself, but Darius frowned deeply and refused.

Saying a woman had no place on the battlefield.

“Damn the head of the family, still stuck in his old-fashioned thinking!”

If someone has ability, they should use it—what does gender matter?

The forces he sent out in several waves, thinking each would be enough, were annihilated. Finally, Darius himself went out with the remaining soldiers to fight, only to suffer a pathetic defeat.

If they had gone all out from the beginning, this disaster wouldn’t have happened.

“And the second idiot finally comes back home only to cause more trouble.”

Suddenly appearing and asking for just one hour. Claiming he could solve everything himself.

“What the hell is he going to solve?”

In an hour, the forces of Tolkin and Count Herameus would have long since departed.

Because of that hour, the foreigners could kill hundreds of Norsweden citizens.

“Butler, how much time is left?!”

“J-just 5 minutes left, my lady.”

“Forget it! Request backup now!”

She shouldn’t have listened to the second son in the first place. Even though it was strange how he’d suddenly started acting with gravitas, as if he’d become a different person a few months ago.

‘Hey, your breasts look bigger? Let me feel them.’

‘Want to do it with your big brother? Once you try it, you’ll be begging for more every day.’

‘Noisy at night? Why? Do you want to be moaning under me too?’

‘You say you’re not a whore? Bitch, what’s the difference?’

“Fucking bastard.”

She couldn’t help but curse. Though his current behavior was better than when both his mouth and lower body were equally loose.

But even his current demeanor, acting as if he wanted everyone to forget his past, disgusted Deia.

“Does that erase what you did before? What about all the wounds you’ve inflicted on others?”

The second son’s past actions were enough to instill a distrust of men in Deia.

Not that she liked women either.

If she had, Deia might have experienced love, but she was stubbornly heterosexual.

She had given up on love.

For her, there were only the citizens of Norsweden. Those who always greeted her with bright smiles during her inspections, thanking her and sharing bread and flowers.

She loved Norsweden.

‘Just give me 5 minutes every day.’

“And what? 5 minutes?”

He was surely planning to do something perverted with those 5 minutes.

If she had actually given him those 5 minutes, he would definitely have stuck out his tongue and tried some kind of sexual harassment.

“You’re always the same.”

Just as Deia turned to go back into the mansion.

Creeeeak.

The main gate opened, letting in a cold wind and a flurry of snow. The nearby candles flickered wildly as if dancing.

Thump, thump.

The same heavy, regular footsteps as when he left.

Clean attire and a smooth staff, as if he alone had been untouched by the snowstorm.

Deus Verdi’s return.

And behind him, a line of numerous foreigners.

“You…!”

Deia’s eyes trembled in shock. Her brain felt frozen, unable to comprehend the scene before her.

“About 2 minutes left.”

It had been exactly 58 minutes since Deus Verdi left.

“I had planned to come 5 minutes early to spend time with you, but today I’ll have to be satisfied with 2.”

Unable to follow the current situation, Deia blankly took in the sight of Deus standing before her.

She was too stunned to even say she was staring.

He had simply entered her field of vision.

Tap.

Deus’s hand resting on her head was surprisingly warm for someone who had just come through a snowstorm.

“There’s snow in your hair.”

After gently stroking her head, he passed by Deia and said:

“Butler, take them to the reception room.”

“…Pardon?”

Even the butler was slow to grasp the situation, so Deus paused before continuing:

“They are our family’s new servants.”

He had not only stopped the foreigners but had also taken them as prisoners.

* * *

Naturally, no one welcomed the idea of hiring the Scrapyard members as new staff for the Verdi family.

Darius, for one, jumped up the moment he saw Findenai and raged that he would kill her.

But I had become the most powerful person in this mansion now.

I had accomplished what neither Darius nor Deia could—turning the foreigners into our own forces.

Moreover, since I was paying them only half of what other servants received, there was little room for argument about the cost.

Of course, not all of the Scrapyard members could work as servants for the Verdi family.

Most of them were given separate accommodations in Norsweden to serve as helpers for the citizens.

They would do simple labor like moving heavy loads, starting farms, or clearing snow-covered paths.

Deia naturally refused.

Said it was too dangerous.

But I pushed forward, saying I would take full responsibility and asked her to trust me.

If Findenai and the Scrapyard were as I had seen them in the game, they weren’t bad people at heart.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say they were people who dreamed of living a normal life in Norsweden.

They were fighting for their freedom, after all.

Of course, that alone might not be enough, so I made a separate contract with Findenai.

“Hmm.”

Sitting in the chair in my room, I stretched out my hand. A crystal of white flame floated up.

This was a part of Findenai’s soul extracted through spirit magic. I couldn’t force it out with my skill, so I obtained it with her consent according to our contract.

For the five years she would work under me.

The moment Findenai and the Scrapyard betrayed me, I would mercilessly shatter her soul.

It was only a part, not the whole, but even that would reduce Findenai to a half-broken doll.

“Satisfactory.”

I slowly leaned back in my chair, interlocking my fingers and closing my eyes.

Though several complicated situations had arisen, I had achieved excellent results.

Starting with how well my magic using the souls wandering around the mansion worked in actual combat.

I had acquired Findenai, a force close to the top among humans on the continent.

Right now, Findenai wasn’t at the level she would be in the game.

She appears as a villain when the protagonist becomes a third-year student, so this is still three years before her game appearance.

Plus, she doesn’t have the equipment she used then.

‘But it’s enough.’

Haven’t I already obtained the sprout? I just need to water it and let it bask in sunlight to help it grow.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, a rough knocking sound came from outside the door. Deia had taken Findenai for maid training, and I’d been informed she would start work today.

Judging by the rough knock, it seemed to be Findenai, so:

“Come in.”

As I spoke impassively, the door opened and a white-haired woman entered.

An expression full of irritation on her face. Tightly clenched fists and heavy breathing, holding back humiliation.

I immediately realized the reason for her full-body display of discontent was her outfit.

A black dress with elaborate white frills on the apron over it.

The skirt was shorter than expected, so she wore black stockings, and on her head was a hairband with white frills.

Yes, in our terms, it was a maid outfit.

And a very revealing one at that.

“…What kind of joke is this?”

This surprised even me.

No, it shocked me quite severely.

I never imagined that the beast-like Findenai would wear such an outfit.

At my question, Findenai, acting unlike herself, blushed and burst out in anger.

“They said all your personal maids have to wear this! You bastard!”

“…”

This is news to me.

But I don’t think Deia would force her to wear it as a prank, so it must be the original Deus’s taste.

“Haah.”

My head throbs.

Just thinking about what this guy might have done to his maids is already giving me a headache.

“First, your manner of speech. Use honorifics. You must have learned them?”

“M-master…”

“…”

Her mouth seemingly unable to form the words properly, Findenai scowled deeply and shouted:

“Master! If you’re going to give me work, hurry up and do it!”

“…Well, that’s good enough.”

Who would give complex commands to a wild dog? You just praise them for coming to eat when food is spilled.

This is enough for Findenai too.

It won’t interfere with her work.

“That reaction somehow feels insulting.”

Aware that she was being dismissed, Findenai grumbled as she pulled out tobacco from her bosom and put it in her mouth.

I reached out and completely burned it.

“What the hell! You startled me! If you’re going to light it, do it gently!”

“No smoking in my presence.”

“…That wasn’t in the employment conditions, Master.”