Chapter 19
Episode 19
"Rosie! Rosie!"
I woke from a deep sleep at the rough shaking of my shoulders.
"Haa......!"
I'd had a nightmare. A truly horrific one.
I covered my hazy vision with my palm and opened my mouth in search of oxygen.
"Rosie! Are you okay?"
Emily asked in a worried voice, but I lacked the mental capacity to respond and blinked slowly.
What kind of dream was that?
The answer came quickly.
This was Rose's...... no, Rosie's memory. The body I'd possessed.
I'd never had such a dream since possessing it, so why suddenly this nightmare......
I rubbed my aching head and slowly replayed the dream.
So......
Rosie was the sub-gong's sister in this novel?
......For real?
The owner of that enormous bounty Emily mentioned before was me.
They say words become seeds—did my joke to Emily actually come true?
Recalling Rosie's memories based on the dream, it seemed Rosie and the sub-gong weren't related by blood at all.
That's why she had such an unfortunate childhood...... and ran away?
She got a job at the Evantes Marquis Family to earn a living?
I'd been curious about Rosie's life before, but now I thought it might've been better not knowing.
It seemed extremely dangerous for me if I got caught.
Common sense dictated a noble lady couldn't survive long outside after running away.
'She must've hated going back that much.'
I wiped away my cold sweat and resolved myself. At this point, I had to escape as soon as possible.
I'd dye my hair in the next region.
"Emily, about that bounty you mentioned before......"
"Bounty? Ah, the missing daughter of the Herthas Count Family?"
"Yeah. That. They won't post a portrait or anything later, right?"
"Who knows. I don't really know either. From what I heard, they tried to post one, but the second son threw a fit, saying he couldn't let his sister's face be displayed like that."
Lucky or unlucky, I wasn't sure.
"But Rosie, why do you ask?"
"The bounty looks tempting......?"
Emily grinned widely at my words, saying she wanted it too.
At her serious talk of taking leave to search for the Herthas daughter, I paled and hid my face with my palm, pretending my head hurt.
I'm screwed. I have to escape from here as soon as possible.
* * *
"You won't come back anymore?"
The last day of meal duty. The Head Chef handed over Rihart's meal and gave me a wistful look.
Having resolved to escape quickly didn't mean I could leave right away.
So until then, it was best to get along smoothly.
"Call me over occasionally for desserts."
"Sure."
The Head Chef handed over Rihart's breakfast, and I placed it familiarly on the tray and headed to his room.
"You've arrived, miss maid."
"Yes."
"No potatoes today?"
His tone clearly teased if I wasn't going to peel them.
I smiled quietly and pulled out the potatoes I'd hidden behind me. Rihart's expression stiffened.
Though he didn't show it, he seemed to dislike peeling potatoes.
"You'll peel them today too, right?"
"You're the only one who can make me work like this, miss maid."
"An honor."
Free labor is great.
Thus, I sat beside Rihart and began the day peeling potatoes.
* * *
Annoying.
While peeling potatoes, Rihart stared at the maid diligently peeling beside him.
Focused on the potatoes, she didn't notice his gaze.
The maid was impudent. That very point had once made him smile genuinely amid his feigned grins.
He tried to ignore her. But at that moment.
"Ow."
She'd slipped while peeling, and the knife grazed her fingertip.
A round drop of blood welled from her white hand, instantly spreading an intense fragrance.
The intoxicatingly alluring scent loosened his grip, and the potato dropped with a thud, rolling away.
The maid looked at him as if asking what was wrong.
He swept his face and smiled, saying it was nothing.
Uninterested in him, the maid put her bloodied finger in her mouth.
Watching that, Rihart thought he wanted to suck that finger too.
'I've gone mad.'
Rihart cursed himself for the uncharacteristic thought and brushed his heated skin.
While the maid visited, he'd been free from the Mana Pain tormenting his body, if only briefly.
Before, the pain had paralyzed him entirely, leaving no room for thought, but now it was different.
Thanks to that, he could plan his escape safely.
"Ah, I should get going now."
The maid, having finished the potatoes, stood without lingering.
Rihart watched her wistfully.
He resolved once more: on escape day, he'd take that maid too.
"See you, miss maid."
Even after she left, Rihart waited for her return.
She came at the scheduled time with meals, delivered the last one of the day, and looked back at him with no attachment.
"See you tomorrow, miss maid."
She didn't reply.
Used to it, Rihart paid no mind.
Tomorrow at dawn, the maid would come again.
But the next day, she didn't.
* * *
The moment Rihart opened his eyes in the morning, he thought of his meal attendant maid.
Without her, the Mana Pain returned.
The pain persistently tormented him, and she was the only one who could offset it.
Thus.
That morning, Rihart woke feeling a mild, feverish pain throughout his body.
And waited for that maid to come ease it.
But.
"......Ah."
The new maid sighed and stared at him blankly.
Meeting his eyes, she flushed and thrust the dog bowl forward.
"N-Nice to meet you! I'm the new meal attendant."
Seeing her awkward smile, Rihart realized.
Today was the day the attendant changed.
Normally, he'd smile at the new maid. But not this time.
For some reason, he felt extremely displeased.
* * *
Meal duty was finally over. I woke in the morning, touched my still-attached neck, and let out a cheer of joy.
I'm so happy.
"Rosie! This isn't the time to smile! Check this!"
But regardless of my joy, the mansion was busy.
Arjen, hating boredom, often held parties. One was in a few days.
Thus, I and the other servants were frantically preparing.
I checked quantities of party items with Emily and carried them with the other maids.
"Rosie."
While working hard, the Butler approached with elegant steps and called me.
"I need a word. Follow me."
As the Butler called me, the other maids looked at me curiously.
I told them I'd be back and followed him. He stopped in an empty hallway.
"Rosie."
"Yes, Butler."
"I heard you're quitting. Is it true?"
Did Arjen tell him?
"......Yes."
The Butler sighed, displeased with my answer.
"Rosie, jobs this good are rare."
Jobs where your head gets chopped are rare too.
The words rose to my throat, but I couldn't say them and just bowed, saying I knew.
"May I ask why you're quitting?"
Hm. He must not have heard from Arjen.
I awkwardly repeated the embarrassing line.
"......I want to get married."
"......Well. You're at marriageable age. Twenty-three, right?"
Rosie's age, unknown to me. I nodded vaguely.
"A shame. I thought no one suited as his exclusive maid more than you."
"There are many better maids than me."
"I hope so. Understood. Good work until now, Rosie."
"Thank you, Butler."
I planned to leave a few days after the party.
Fortunately, Rosie had saved every penny without spending.
It should last until I settled outside.
Thus, I headed back to the maids. Busy with party prep, I hurried to help.
"Kyaaak!"
A sharp scream halted me. I turned toward the sound.
A terrified maid was fleeing wildly from the basement.
......Rihart's room.
"......The monster."
The maid gasped.
"The monster's gone mad!"
