Return to the Mansion (3)

The content of the question Harold posed to me had enough influence to truly screw me over in many ways.

Come to think of it, the act of throwing myself at a large monster like Hookfang in this body of Lillith’s was absurd in itself.

The fact that a girl who seemed to have never hunted monsters in her life engaged in a life-or-death battle against a monster ten times her size was, at first glance, unbelievably preposterous.

For me, that act was a necessary gamble I had to take to grow, but to others who didn’t know the full story, it would naturally seem reckless and foolish.

And if I were to honestly say, ‘Because of experience points,’ it was clear I’d be screwed in many ways.

‘In the first place, there’s no way I could make the people of this world understand the concept of experience points.’

As someone who came from the outside world, I naturally had a clear understanding that the concept of experience points existed in this world and that one had to hunt monsters to gain them in order to grow stronger.

However, for the people of this world, the very concept of experience points would be something incomprehensible.

For example, let’s assume I was studying math in reality and heard something like this from a friend studying next to me.

‘Wow, looking at your calculation speed, you must already be Math Level 7! Judging by your remaining math points, if you complete discrete math and read a few special books this year, you’ll hit Math Level 8!’

‘…Did you lose your mind while studying for the exam? What nonsense are you spouting all of a sudden?’

This concept applied exactly the same way in this world.

Kill monsters and you get stronger.

Get stronger and you can use new skills.

Everyone naturally understood these basic concepts.

However, the concept of how much experience was needed to grow stronger, or how new skills were acquired, was completely non-existent.

Therefore, explaining it to Harold straightforwardly with ‘Because of experience points’ was practically impossible.

‘In the first place, it would still be a problem even if Harold understood the concept of experience points.’

If a mere first-year Junior Maid claimed to have killed monsters to get stronger, what kind of look would he give me?

Would he understand it as me building stamina for maid duties? No, he’d probably think I was training to carry out some disrespectful scheme.

Especially for Lillith, a Debt Maid, gaining strength on her own would look like she was building power to escape from the Blackwood Territory.

Therefore, answers like ‘Because of experience points’ or ‘For training’ were absolutely not to be uttered.

…Even so, coming up with another excuse was just as unsatisfactory.

For money?

The copper coins I got from defeating Hookfang this time were only mine thanks to Ser’s goodwill; originally, they would have been as good as lost the moment I collapsed during the battle.

In the first place, I wasn’t even sure if anyone would properly value monster materials if a mere low-ranking commoner girl tried to sell them.

Because I couldn’t escape and had no choice?

Given that the Security Captain’s report had already been submitted, it must have been clearly reported that I was in a situation where escape was entirely possible.

Moreover, I had even warned Security Captain Ser and the soldiers not to approach, so this excuse would naturally sound suspicious.

Because a surge of competitive spirit immediately upon facing the monster solidified my resolve?

The moment I gave that answer, Harold would undoubtedly look at me as if I were a crazy bitch or keep a close eye on me as someone to be wary of.

Putting everything else aside, I absolutely had to avoid getting negative attention from Harold. Not getting any attention at all would be the best option, but…

“Was it such a difficult answer that you had to ponder so deeply?”

“Ah, no…. It just took a moment to recall the memories of that day.”

“Then tell me quickly. What was the reason you didn’t retreat from the monster despite Sir Ser’s advice and fought until the very end?”

…Since there were no other usable answer candidates, there was only one type of answer I could give.

This was the only answer I could think of that would make Harold less suspicious.

Having steeled myself, I blurted out whatever nonsense came to my mind.

“I-I thought it was something s-someone had to do…”

“Hmm?”

“Hookfang is a dangerous monster that ordinary people can’t handle…. If I hadn’t drawn its attention, others might have been injured or killed, so I thought someone had to draw the monster’s gaze.”

“……”

Yes, I know. I knew this excuse wouldn’t hold water in Harold’s eyes.

Even just considering physical ability, a Junior Maid with less strength than an average man spouting such words would only be treated as a crazy woman.

Still, being treated as a crazy woman was the best option. Better than a dangerous woman or a crazy bitch.

“…Is there a particular reason you took on that role?”

“N-no, it wouldn’t have mattered if it wasn’t me. But in that situation, everyone else was fleeing from the monster, and so, I thought perhaps only I could do it….”

“…Hmm.”

…Is it working?

Harold let out an inscrutable hum and fell silent, seemingly deep in thought.

As if not entirely convinced by that answer alone, he questioned me again.

“Alright, let’s say that was the reason you initially charged at the monster.”

“Yes, yes….”

“Then why didn’t you retreat despite Sir Ser’s advice and faced Hookfang until the very end? By your own words, Sir Ser would have been far more suited to drawing the monster’s attention.”

“Th-that’s….”

I had fully expected this question to come back to me the moment I gave my previous answer.

This time, without much thought, I gave Harold the answer I had prepared.

“I-I didn’t know.”

“You didn’t know?”

“I-I was so focused on dodging the monster’s attacks that I couldn’t recognize that he was the Security Captain of the Blackwood Territory.”

“But he was clearly wearing armor with the Blackwood Security Force crest, wasn’t he?”

“I-I was so nervous that I didn’t even have the presence of mind to check the clothes he was wearing. A-and I didn’t want anyone else to get involved when the attention was already on me. That’s why I fought until the end without running away. I-I was really scared, though….”

“Hmmmm….”

…Somehow, it feels like he doesn’t believe me at all.

Well, if I were Harold, it would sound like bullshit too. A mere Junior Maid claiming she had to draw the monster’s attention on behalf of others, and so on.

It would naturally be a difficult claim for a middle-aged lord with extensive life experience to believe.

Perhaps saying it was just for money would have been a much more plausible claim.

As all sorts of thoughts churned in my mind, Harold’s mouth slowly opened again as he looked at me.

I was tense, preparing the next excuse to offer.

“Hmm, I understand.”

“Y-you still find it hard to believe… Y-yes?”

“I’ve understood your words well. Indeed, if you hadn’t made that courageous decision at the scene, considerable damage would have occurred.”

“Y-you believe me…?”

“There’s nothing particularly strange about it. It was already confirmed at the last Disciplinary Committee that you are someone who knows how to sacrifice yourself for others.”

…I’m not sure how, but it seems to have worked.

Of course, Harold’s assessment of me as ‘someone who knows how to sacrifice herself for others’ pricked my conscience a little, but that was all.

I don’t care what kind of maid he thinks I am in his head. In seven years, I won’t even spare a thought for the Blackwood Territory.

Ideally, I’d prefer indifference, neither good nor bad evaluations, but still, receiving a good evaluation was more advantageous than a bad one.

After all, my current status was that of a Debt Maid of the Blackwood Family, and even if it weren’t, there was an enormous status difference between a commoner and the head of a ducal family.

There was no harm in being seen favorably by the person holding my life in their hands.

…Still, I’d rather die than become the exclusive maid for the bad ending.

“Then, one last question.”

“Yes.”

“A report came in that two of the three iron skewers you embedded in Hookfang’s body were precisely stuck in the monster’s weak points.”

“Yes, yes….”

“Did you happen to know that Hookfang’s weak points were its nape and between its brows?”

Of course, I knew.

“Ah, no…. It was just a coincidence. But since it was a monster that looked like a wild boar, I did guess that its weak points might be similar to those of common livestock.”

“Then, have you ever hunted that monster before?”

I can’t even count them all.

“I-it was my first time. Both encountering it and d-defeating it with my own hands.”

“Hmm, I see.”

For some reason, every time a question came back from him, an unsettling sensation, like a chill, began to spread through my entire body.

Somehow, given Harold’s personality, it didn’t feel like these questions were merely out of curiosity.

Just as I was desperately wishing in my heart for this time to end quickly and for me to escape this stifling office.

Fortunately, Harold ordered me to withdraw without further suspicion.

“Alright, I’ve heard enough. You may go now.”

“…I will take my leave, Master.”

“We shall meet again, Lady Lillith Rosewood.”

“……Yes.”

Why the hell is he suddenly calling my name, it’s creepy as hell.

Internally spewing all sorts of curses at Harold, I managed to maintain my expression and escaped his office.

The Hookfang subjugation incident that occurred three days ago in the Blackwood Commercial District was somehow concluded well.

…Until then, I had certainly thought so.

As expected, things in the world rarely went as Lillith, with her luck stat of 1, wished.

At that time, I still hadn’t realized what kind of fucked-up true meaning lay behind Harold remembering the name of a mere Junior Maid.