Ch#2
“I was actually just about to send for you, Seol-ha. Looking at your face, it seems you have already heard the news.”
As I hurriedly opened the door and stepped inside, Madam Gwak welcomed me with a warm smile. But I was in no mood to return it.
“So-ok told me the strangest thing. She said I’ve been assigned as the Second Young Master’s personal maid. Is that true?”
It isn’t, right?
There must be some mistake, right?
Please, tell me that’s all it is.
I stared at Madam Gwak, my eyes pleading with desperate hope.
But the words that spilled from her lips utterly shattered my expectations.
“Yes, it is true. You look quite startled. It was decided so suddenly that I didn’t have the chance to give you a heads-up beforehand.”
Though her tone was apologetic, Madam Gwak’s face remained bright with a smile.
And why wouldn’t she be? In this world, becoming a personal maid was a massive promotion.
Not only did the pay increase immediately, but if one managed to catch the eye of a high-ranking master, they could completely change their destiny.
In fact, many took up work as low-ranking maids specifically hoping for such an opportunity.
In short, this was a situation where bowing to Madam Gwak a hundred times in gratitude would still not be enough.
…If this were a normal situation, that is.
Now that the truth was laid bare, a cold sweat broke out across my back.
It was a total bolt from the blue. Truly, I hadn’t anticipated this in the slightest.
Shin Seol-ha, pull yourself together!
I can still turn this around.
I only have two months left on my contract, after all.
It would only be a hassle for Madam Gwak to have to find another personal maid so soon after. I decided to use that to my advantage.
“First, thank you so much for looking upon my lacking self so favorably. There are many other maids who wish to become personal maids, so I am truly honored that you chose me.”
“Are you not the most meticulous girl here, Seol-ha? As you may have heard, the Second Young Master has a generous nature, but he is also a bit fastidious. If it isn't someone sharp and capable, they will have a dreadful time catering to his needs. I trust you will adapt quickly and do a wonderful job.”
Generous nature, my foot!
Suppressing the surge of sheer disbelief rising within me, I kept my voice soft and gentle.
“But Madam, my contract is nearly at its end. Rather than going through the trouble of selecting another personal maid in just a couple of months, wouldn’t it be wiser to appoint someone else from the start?”
“Come to think of it, you only have two months left, don’t you?”
“Yes. It is such a wonderful opportunity, so I find it terribly regrettable.”
I put on a sullen face, feigning deep disappointment. In response, she simply slid a sheet of paper toward me as if there were no issue at all.
“An extension is simple enough. It’s not complicated at all. All you need to do is place your thumbprint right here.”
Madam Gwak helpfully pushed a small dish of red ink toward me. She clearly had no inkling whatsoever that I might actually want to leave.
To be fair, unless there were extraordinary circumstances, almost everyone chose to extend their service.
Though outsiders might look down on us as mere maids, securing a position within the Main Cult was fiercely competitive.
Because those employed here were granted the rare privilege of moving freely within the fortress—the very heart of the Demonic Cult—anyone accepted had to undergo a rigorous background check.
This was to prevent any potential infiltration by spies from the Murim Alliance (武林盟).
Having survived such a grueling process to get in, holding onto the job for as long as possible was the ultimate goal for everyone here.
“Here, take this.”
I hadn’t even touched the ink pad yet, but Madam Gwak was already handing me a small booklet.
“I am giving this to you as a special favor. As long as you follow what is written inside, you will never fall out of the Second Young Master's good graces.”
“Well, the thing is, Madam…”
“It is truly a blessing that you know how to read and write. There are countless girls who would give anything to be a personal maid but cannot simply because they are illiterate.”
Madam Gwak sighed deeply, looking genuinely sorrowful for those less fortunate.
Regardless of her pity, warning bells were screaming in my head. If I let this slide, my fate as his personal maid would be sealed.
Though this body of mine retained absolutely no memories from before my possession, it was somehow fully literate. It was a bizarre quirk.
I had once considered it a blessing in disguise, but now I resented it bitterly.
Beating around the bush with polite excuses was no longer working. In moments like this, only directness would suffice.
“I am terribly sorry, Madam, but I cannot do this.”
“You cannot? What do you mean?”
“To serve as the Second Young Master's personal maid. To be frank, I intend to resign in two months.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Yes, Madam.”
“May I ask why?”
Madam Gwak looked utterly taken aback by my refusal.
It was understandable; a capable worker whom she had favored was suddenly throwing a resignation in her face right on the cusp of a major promotion.
“I am deeply concerned about my grandmother.”
Unable to tell her the real reason, I used my elderly grandmother as a shield.
“She is getting quite old, and her health isn't what it used to be. Running the noodle shop takes a heavy physical toll. At first, I wanted to get a job and earn enough money to give her a comfortable life, but now I realize that being by her side is the greatest act of filial piety I can offer.”
“Mmm, is that so?”
My only remaining family was Madam Sin-geum, who ran a small noodle shop. Madam Gwak was well aware of my family circumstances.
A young, parentless girl living alone with her aging grandmother.
I saw a flicker of sympathy cross Madam Gwak’s eyes.
Yes! It worked!
She won’t press me any further.
I was almost entirely certain of it.
“Well, if your mind is truly made up, then it cannot be helped.”
As expected, she accepted my refusal without a fight.
Of course, her expression remained deeply disappointed at the prospect of losing such a capable worker.
“Let us do this, then. You will serve the Second Young Master only until we can find your replacement. Surely you can do that much for me?”
“Pardon? What do you mean by…”
“As I mentioned, this has all happened so suddenly that I have no immediate alternative. I cannot simply send just anyone to attend to the Second Young Master.”
“But I will be leaving so soon…”
“Yes, in two months. I will find a suitable candidate in that time. Seol-ha, you are to report to the Second Young Master’s quarters starting tomorrow morning. Make sure you memorize the contents of that booklet before the day is out.”
Madam Gwak glanced toward the door, signaling that she had no desire to waste any more time repeating herself. It was a clear dismissal.
Perhaps the sudden burden of finding a new maid had put her on edge, for a faint note of irritation now laced her voice.
As much as I wanted to beg her to reconsider, I had run out of excuses to refuse.
If I pushed any further, I risked getting on Madam Gwak’s bad side, which would make my remaining two months here an absolute living hell.
Was I really going to end up as the Second Young Master’s personal maid after all?
Did I truly have to serve that absolute lunatic of a psychopath?
The sheer absurdity of the situation threatened to shatter my sanity.
Memories of the past five years flashed before my eyes like a revolving lantern. I had worked so desperately to survive… only for things to end up like this. It was utterly devastating.
If I could, I would pack my bags and flee under the cover of night.
But doing so meant risking capture by the Ten Thousand Demons Squad (萬魔團) patrolling the fortress walls, which would land me straight in the dungeons (牢獄).
They would brand me a spy, demand to know why I was scaling the walls, and torture me to death.
I was, without a doubt, cursed with the worst luck imaginable.
Transmigrating into a martial arts novel out of the blue was bad enough, but now, with only two months left until my escape, I was forced to face Jeok I-geon—the one person I had desperately tried to avoid.
To think I would actually have to look that madman in the eye.
While reading the novel, I had cursed him countless times. Calling him a "crazy psychopath" was actually putting it lightly.
Even if the current Jeok I-geon was hiding his true nature, my status was that of a mere maid—the weakest of the weak, someone whose life meant absolutely nothing.
To Jeok I-geon, whose sole ambition was to unify the Murim, I was a completely useless existence.
Now that I thought about it, Jeok I-geon was a man who obsessed over utility.
He showed absolutely no mercy to anyone who failed their mission, yet he would readily reward those who disobeyed orders as long as they delivered results.
Right. I have to make myself useful!
Even if I was just a maid, if I could prove my worth, I might at least escape a dog's death.
I had to avoid becoming a loose end that got quietly disposed of without anyone noticing.
Two months at the very most.
Until my successor was appointed, I had to cater to Jeok I-geon’s every whim and buy myself some time.
Fortunately, I knew exactly what he liked and what he detested.
I also remembered several key events that occurred before his ascension as the Cult Leader.
I could only pray that this knowledge would serve to extend my lifespan.
“Um, Madam. Would it be alright if I spent the night at home tonight?”
I paused just as I was about to leave, turning back to Madam Gwak with a polite bow.
“Once I begin my duties as the Second Young Master’s personal maid, I doubt I will have any time to visit my grandmother for a while. I don’t wish to cause her any unnecessary worry.”
“That is true. You will be very busy adjusting to your new duties. Very well, you may go. Just make sure you return by tomorrow morning without delay.”
“Yes, Madam. Thank you so much.”
Perhaps tonight would be my last night with Madam Sin-geum.
In the original novel, Jeok I-geon was an incredibly volatile figure, a wild card who could snap at any moment.
No matter how flawlessly I performed my duties, he was a monster who wouldn't hesitate to slit my throat on a whim.
So, I had to at least say my proper goodbyes.
Steeling my resolve with the grim determination of a general marching into a hopeless battle, I stepped out of Madam Gwak’s quarters.
