episode_0007

It felt like time had stopped.

The field of vision was not in sharp focus.

When my eyes lingered on Ashe, who was gushing red blood from her torn flank, the monster turned its attention to her with a strange howl.

It was difficult to see through the true nature of ‘it’, with its ears cut off, both eyes gouged out, and its skin torn and showing wounds.

It certainly would have been so if it weren’t for the letters printed before my eyes right now.

=====

Every moment, I chase the echoes of the two people.

She who gave me something precious and she who stole something precious.

Tracing those footsteps, I reminisce about the happiest memories of my life.

Give it back.

Give it back!

Give me back the happiness you took away from me!

-Reward: Gift Box

-Special Reward: Memories of a Hunting Dog

=====

“Hound… Is this it?”

I slowly approached the monster that the status window claimed was a hunting dog, and I put my hand to its mouth, wetting it with the drool that was dripping down like water.

“Kehi…!”

The reaction was instantaneous.

“Kaaa …

The guy shoved his mouth open wide enough to fit a person.

Bite and tear at your prey.

The determination of the monster that had been swept away with that single thought was shattered in a single line of text.

[This is an indestructible object.]

No matter how many times I tried with persistence, it was the same.

The hunting dog tilted its head once or twice at the mysterious phenomenon, then fled from the scene with heavy footsteps.

“… Is that not possible?”

This time I couldn’t die either.

It was clear that the only condition for my release was for Asher to unlock the secrets of the mansion.

That’s why it was more desperate.

Asher, who is nothing more than a corpse that has lost the light of life. It will never be possible for her to fulfill my wish.

“…”

I slowly sat down in the puddle of blood Ash had created. Then, right next to me, I closed Ash’s eyes, who couldn’t even close their eyes.

That’s when the change happened.

─Shudder!

“… just now?”

The accident was stiff.

Unless you’re hallucinating in despair.

If my eyes were not seeing the world in vain.

It was definitely moving. It was none other than Asher’s fingers.

A moment later, translucent text appeared in the air, as if to give hope.

[The conditions for revival have been met.]

[Item: Coins disappear.]

“What the heck… is this mansion.”

Time rewinds. It was a sight that could only be described as such.

A puddle of blood floated in the air and flowed into Asher’s body, and the burst pieces of flesh gathered together and filled Asher’s torn side.

Now, only the torn hem of her clothes served as evidence that she had been murdered.

“Ugh…!”

Flash! As soon as Ash opened his eyes, he let out a loud cough.

I was speechless at the truly astonishing sight and stared at her intently.

“Haa…! Haa…!”

As if she didn’t even notice me, Asher started hyperventilating as if she was in a panic. Then, as if she had suddenly come to her senses, her eyes regained their vitality and she let out a single, silent scream.

“Ugh, ugh…!”

“Ashe!”

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

Asher ran without looking back. He didn’t even notice that his leather pouch had fallen off and he just ran down the hallway.

Her destination is Maid A’s room.

Perhaps, it was Asher’s safe place that was engraved as the only treasure in this mansion.

◇

Inside Maid A’s room.

Asher was crouching on the bed, forgetting even the proper etiquette of changing clothes. Even though she was hot from being covered with a blanket, her shivering body showed no sign of calming down.

“Ah, ugh… ugh… it hurts, it hurts, it hurts…!”

The sensation is still vivid.

The horrible pain of having my upper body eaten by a monster that suddenly appeared was etched into my soul and was eating away at my mind.

In particular, the scene of the fangs piercing through the intestines kept coming to my mind as if it were imprinted on my retina.

“Ma, that’s ridiculous… It’s impossible, it’s impossible… How can I avoid something like that? How can I overcome it…?”

I have never seen such a creature.

Even a wolf, a lion, or a tiger can’t be that big.

As the princess of the empire, I have seen all sorts of strange animals, but this was the first time I had seen such an intimidating creature.

“Sigh, sob… AbaMama, Daddy… I’m scared… I really hope this is a dream… How lucky I’ll be if I fall asleep and wake up in the palace that day…”

When the morning sunlight filtered through the curtains the maid had pulled open, it was so blinding that I would wake up from my deep sleep.

And whenever the emperor had free time, it was his daily routine to walk around the palace and be pampered.

It was the same on my thirteenth birthday.

When the Emperor asked him to choose a gift to celebrate his birthday, he pointed to the map without hesitation. It was a land that was as far away as possible from the territory of his older brother who hated him.

At the time, I didn’t think my life would be in danger, so it was just a decision close to a simple temper. But if I had known it would be this strangling, I would have settled for a very expensive piece of jewelry.

A jewel that can feed you for the rest of your life, no matter where you escape to…

“I don’t like it… I don’t like it…”

I never thought a mansion like this would exist on the land I received.

For a moment, I think of my father, who looked troubled when I asked him to give me this land. Maybe he knew that it was the land where the haunted house was built. Although it would have been impossible to guess the true nature of the haunted house…

If even this is laughed at as self-inflicted, it would be too sad.

As Asher was curled up and sobbing for a while, a polite knock was heard.

dripping.

“Ugh…!”

A feeling of fear came over me.

What if, unlike the scary monsters, it turns out to be a human-shaped monster? Or if they trick me by knocking and lure me out, I might die this time.

As fear swirled in my head, a familiar, low voice was heard.

“Ashe. It’s me.”

“… Butler?”

“Yes.”

“That’s not a lie, is it?”

I can’t believe anything.

This is just a rumor, but I’ve heard that there is a ghost that imitates people and eats them.

This would normally be a joke that would be laughed off.

But, I think that if you come back to life in such a supernatural mansion, there’s nothing you wouldn’t want.

Asher pressed himself against the door and responded as calmly as possible.

“Prove it… Are you really a butler?”

“Yes, I am the butler.”

“So, how can you prove it?”

“…”

“…”

Silence falls.

As the quiet time grew longer, Asher felt as if he was suffocating from the density of the time.

After a long time, a strangely trembling voice came from the other side of the door.

“It’s difficult.”

“Wow, you really are a butler…!”

The moment when you are about to back away in fear.

The being outside continued speaking so fluently.

“The order in which I helped her bathe was after washing her hair, then her armpits. Then I showed her how to dry her back with a towel, and then I went down and did the groin area…”

“…… That’s right…!!!”

Bam!

Asher opened the door almost automatically. And, as she believed, the man standing in front of the door was undoubtedly the butler.

“Butler…!”

“Ashe.”

“Why are you being so quiet…! Why is your voice shaking so suspiciously…”

“I thought about it a lot.”

“Worried?”

“As Asher said, there are limited ways to prove that I am me. Above all, it is a method of proof that would make even me raise my voice.”

“Ugh…!”

Asher’s face turned red from the bottom of his chin to the bottom of his eyes. Then, Asher, who had nothing to say, started hitting the butler’s back hard.

“Ah, if I knew, I should have found another way!”

Of course, the powerful hand was blocked by the ruthless message.

[This is an indestructible object.]

Ashe, who couldn’t even vent her anger, seemed to feel helpless and controlled her breathing.

“Indestructible object… You are also a person in this mansion after all.”

As the excitement subsides, the butler looks different.

The dark, numb eyes, as if they have lost interest in the world, make him seem like a person from another world.

More than anything, I was reluctant to accept the sense of alienation that came from the appearance of an immigrant.

‘Is the butler… really on my side?’

Why is the butler helping me?

Clearly, the butler was within arm’s reach of the monster. The fact that he returned alive without incident means that even the monster couldn’t kill the butler.

‘Either he’s on the same side as the monsters… or the butler is blatantly favored by this mansion…’

It’s probably one of the two, but it’s unclear if they’re on the same side as the monsters. But it’s also hard to be sure if they’re really on your side.

It is questionable why he brought you here in the first place, and if he intended to kill you, it is also questionable why he didn’t do it sooner. Instead, didn’t he do his best to help you adapt to this mansion?

“…”

“…”

Silence descended once again.

The butler had a rough idea of what Asher was thinking about with his small head.

It is a state in which an ordinary human being has experienced death once.

Cognitive abilities may have declined due to panic, and the heightened anxiety may have further stimulated doubts.

So the butler’s choice was simple.

“Just rest. As long as you want.”

Just give it time.

He planned to wait until Asher’s thoughts and determination were properly corrected. He had infinite time left.

The butler was just about to close the door and turn his back.

Stand tall!

Asher pulled the doorknob.

“… you.”

“Yes, Asher.”

“Here it is.”

“Are you letting me in?”

Asher hesitated for a moment in response to the butler’s question before opening his mouth.

“No, it’s there.”

“…”

“Just… open the door a little and stay there.”

The eyes are moist and sad.

It’s hard to completely trust the butler now. But it’s not like I’ve lost enough trust to completely reject him.

Above all…

“…… I’m scared of being alone…”

If you spend the night alone with no one around, you will be shaking with fear all morning.

So, Asher wanted to constantly reaffirm the presence of someone who could make her feel safe.

“I will do that.”

The butler accepted silently. Then he sat cross-legged next to the crack in the door through which light was streaming in, leaning his back against the wall.

The sound of Asher returning to bed and rustling around his ears lingered.

After the rustling noise had relatively quieted down, Ashe’s voice, now somewhat thinner, could be heard.

“Butler.”

“Yes, Asher.”

“How have you been living?”

“The method you know is correct.”

“That’s amazing… Can you give it to me?”

“If possible, I would like to give it actively.”

“Lies… The butler is weaker than me, so you shouldn’t do that.”

Asher was experiencing a strange feeling.

Just talking to the butler on the other side of the door seemed to ease my anxiety little by little.

And then I realized the sad truth.

One way or another, I guess I have no choice but to rely on the butler.

Here, she was just a helpless princess who could do nothing alone.

“… Butler.”

“Please speak.”

“You know our promise, right?”

“I know.”

“Okay… Okay.”

Asher reaffirmed their promise in a voice muffled by sleep.

“Don’t betray me. Okay, butler? ”

“Yes.”

With those words, Asher gave up resisting Suma.

A steady breathing sound leisurely lingered through the quiet hallway.

Meanwhile, the butler was still quietly guarding his position outside.

“As long as you keep your duty, for as long as you can.”