episode_0028

Returning to Blackwood Manor, a small commotion erupted shortly after my arrival.

It wasn’t just a metaphorical disturbance; it was a genuine one.

Unlike the indifferent reactions of the other servants, the chaos was solely incited by Isabelle and Katarina, fussing over me.

“Lilith! Are you okay now? You’re not still hurt, are you?!”

“L-Lilith, milady! H-How are your… wounds?”

“…Please refrain from using honorifics.”

After discreetly warning Katarina with a whisper to stop addressing me so loudly like a superior, as if commanding attention, I deliberately maintained a nonchalant demeanor to reassure them that nothing was amiss.

“You don’t need to worry; it’s not that serious. Making such a fuss over this, really.”

“It’s not that serious…! The priest said your life was almost in danger!”

“But look, I’m perfectly fine now, right? Thanks to modern medicine… I mean, modern theology.”

“L-Lilith… Even if that’s true, saying it like that might scare Lilith…”

…Perhaps it would have been better to feign fear like an 18-year-old high school girl, at least according to Isabelle and Katarina’s perspective.

Though my actions may have seemed risky to them, I had staked my life to some extent, but ultimately, I had recovered unscathed.

Considering the various rewards gained through leveling up, it was a gamble well worth it.

“Don’t make such a fuss, Isabelle. And you too, Katarina. After all, I was only bedridden for a day before returning, so why make such a big deal out of it?”

“What do you mean, Lilith?”

“Huh?”

“Only a day… Do you realize you collapsed and returned after three days?”

“W-What…?”

Three days?

Not just one?

I turned my gaze towards Katarina, wondering if Isabelle was exaggerating to frighten me, but she simply nodded in agreement with Isabelle’s statement.

“I-It really was three days… W-We were on vacation in the commercial district together, which was three days ago….”

“That Captain of the Guard moved Lilith to the church. And Mr. Butler was also surprised….”

“….”

Wait, it was really three days?

The time I took to recover from my injuries?

While I had somewhat recklessly engaged in combat hoping for a ‘resurrection from incapacitation,’ being bedridden for three days was entirely unexpected.

“I thought I’d recover after just lying down for a day at most….”

I had believed there were significant differences between the basic systems of Luminor Academy and this world, but I never anticipated such a discrepancy in recovery time.

In essence, it meant that even the battle I fought three days ago was far from a safe one.

Rather than relying on a simple mechanism of recovery and resurrection at the church, it implied that even dying alongside a level 10 monster wouldn’t be unusual.

As this realization dawned on me, a strange tension crept over my body, sending shivers down my spine.

The reality that had seemed somewhat casual moments ago now felt ominously close, urging me to acknowledge that this world didn’t operate merely like a game system.

Perhaps, without realizing it, I too had harbored a vague hope that no matter what went wrong, things would somehow work out afterwards.

However, Isabel’s claim that she barely recovered in three days and got up was enough to remind me of the seriousness of my own death.

I decided in my own way that I would not engage in life-threatening battles in the future.

…Above all, it was a moment when I realized in many ways that there are people in this world who would genuinely mourn my death.

“Lilith… Please don’t do such dangerous things again… Ugh…?”

“I, I also… I hope Lilith doesn’t suddenly disappear one day… Lilith is my benefactor….”

Isabel and Katarina tearfully pleaded with me as if begging for something.

At least these two would likely be quite hurt if I were to disappear one day.

It’s not like I’m making grand vows to live for them, but at least I didn’t need to risk my life for them.

“Alright. I won’t do anything risky anymore.”

As I timidly comforted the two who were trembling with fear and sorrow to the point where I couldn’t tell who had died and come back to life, a voice calling my name suddenly came from right beside my face.

“…Miss Lilith.”

“Eek?!”

My body jumped in surprise at the low voice that seemed to almost touch my ear.

Turning my gaze, I saw a young butler standing still, staring at me without flinching despite my reaction.

“….”

He looked somewhat familiar, but who was he again?

“I am Dietermayer Colin Evercroft.”

“S-Sorry.”

Oh, now that I hear it, I remember. I had forgotten his darn long name.

A young butler who serves as the head butler of the Blackwood family at the ‘Luminor Academy,’ Dietermayer Colin… or something like that.

He must be in a position equivalent to an assistant butler for about four years before ascending to the position of head butler.

…But why did this nobleman with a certain rank among the servants suddenly come looking for me?

“Mr. Dietermayer…? What is it that you need from me…?”

“The master is looking for you. When Miss Lilith returns, he wants you to go to his office.”

“The master… Oh, okay?”

Wait, if Dietermayer’s master is Lilith’s master, then ultimately Harold called for me directly, right?

…Could it be that the time has finally come?

I had thought that the time was approaching. Shortly after Ethan woke up from the curse, Lilith was assigned as Ethan’s exclusive maid.

And being assigned as the exclusive maid meant that Lilith’s future as a consort of Hymdan was drawing near.

Feeling a sense of unease from the butler’s ominous statement, a tension began to creep over me as if my whole body was on edge.

“Miss Lilith.”

“Yes, yes…”

“The master is looking for you. When Miss Lilith returns, go to his office….”

“Oh, I understand. I heard it too….”

“You were silent even after hearing the story, so I thought you hadn’t heard.”

This damn twisted guy.

Following the butler’s words that seemed to have shattered some part of his emotional core, I reluctantly made my way to Harold’s office on the third floor.

In order to definitely prevent the future where I become Ethan’s exclusive maid.

…Honestly, I wasn’t very confident.

***

Third floor. In front of Harold’s office.

“…Phew.”

-Knock, knock, knock.

After exhaling a sigh to relax, I knocked on Harold’s office door three times.

I quietly waited outside the door until I heard permission to enter from inside.

‘Judging by the sense of presence, he’s definitely inside.’

Perhaps Harold, engrossed in work as usual, didn’t hear the knocking sound.

Therefore, I stood in front of the door like a stone monument, leisurely wasting time.

Harold, the character, was generally indifferent unless it involved his territory or his son.

Part of me actually wished Harold had forgotten my knock and not called me in.

Amidst this indecision, the process of me becoming Edan’s exclusive maid seemed to falter, and before I knew it, someone else had taken the position…

“Come in.”

‘Ah, damn.’

Well, luck rarely favored a one-point release like mine.

Quietly, feeling like a lamb being led to the slaughterhouse, I opened the door and entered the study.

Once again, I found Harold sitting at his desk amidst piles of documents.

“Inferior maid, Lillis Rosewood, reporting as instructed by the master upon returning to the mansion.”

“Lillis…? Ah, the maid who repelled monsters in the commercial district three days ago.”

“That’s correct.”

“…You repelled monsters in the commercial district three days ago, so why did you visit my study so late?”

“Pardon?”

“I distinctly instructed another servant to inform you to come to my study immediately upon returning to the mansion.”

…What is he talking about?

I vaguely mentioned meeting Isabelle and Katarina and came straight to the study. Why would he say I arrived late?

Slightly suspicious, I glanced at his eyes once, wondering if he was teasing me, but there was no hint of jest in his gaze.

Besides, Harold wasn’t the type to make jokes.

‘If not that, then… ah.’

Fortunately, having wasted 500 hours in my previous life on the Lillis route, I perfectly understood Harold’s character.

Thinking this might be it, I cautiously adjusted my tone to avoid upsetting him.

“I apologize. Due to my frail health, I spent three days bedridden after leaving the church.”

“…Three days? Is that true?”

“Yes. I even conversed with the priest today before returning.”

As I relayed this, a brief memory flashed through my mind of the conversation with the young priestess at the church earlier today.

‘Sister?! Are you really going back just like that?! Please stay a bit longer and rest until tonight. After all, there’s a carriage to Blackwood Mansion in the evening…’

‘It’s fine. I’m not that hurt, to begin with.’

‘Not that hurt… wait, Sister…!’

It felt like staying any longer would lead to a boring afternoon service, so I hurriedly fled.

Aurelia Church had horrendously long services lasting up to two hours.

But could it be that the priestess was genuinely concerned about me?

It felt like adding one more person to the list of “people to apologize to” when we next meet.

“If necessary, you can inquire with the priestess at Aurelia Church via letter…”

“No need for that. It’s bothersome, I’ll take your word for it.”

“…Thank you.”

As expected, Harold seemed completely unaware that I had woken up after three days.

He probably assumed I would have returned to work within a day.

I almost ended up being treated like a disobedient servant for two days due to his misunderstanding.

‘In any case, I can’t let my guard down. Whether it’s my son or father…’

If I hadn’t had the knowledge from my past life, things could have easily spiraled into a misunderstanding in a situation like this.

It was a stroke of luck that I remembered Harold’s character, who fundamentally lacked interest in others.

“Master. What is the reason you called for me?”

“…Ah, right. I almost forgot what I needed to say due to a misunderstanding.”

As Harold, who suddenly started working on documents again in front of me, seemed about to forget the reason he called me, he recalled it as soon as I spoke.

Looking tired, he met my gaze and explained the reason he had brought me to his study.

“Three days ago, regarding your encounter with the Galgormni that escaped from the monster sealing scroll.”

“…Yes.”

“I checked Sir Blacksong’s report on that matter, but something feels off.”

…Oh no.

Surely not.

“You. You were in a near-death situation facing the Galgormni, correct?”

“…Yes.”

“And even disregarded Sir Black’s advice to retreat during the battle, pushing yourself until the end.”

“…That’s correct.”

“I’m curious why you made that decision. Could you explain?”

…Damn.

How on earth should I justify this…