Chapter 6
Episode 6
A plate?
The maid transferred the food from the dog bowl onto the plate.
......What was she doing?
"Please eat."
Rihart couldn't respond with his usual gentle tone and simply watched her quietly.
The maid placed the plate with bread in front of him and pulled out what she had prepared behind it.
She neatly wrapped ice in a towel and carefully handed it to Rihart.
"......What is this?"
"Your leg is injured. Put this on it."
It hadn't been long since he met the maid, but from what he'd seen, she wasn't the type to care for him.
On the contrary, she seemed like the sort who would faithfully carry out her duties with full effort if he tried to escape.
"Ah, and also."
What else was there?
The maid gave a gentle smile that didn't suit her and offered the dessert.
"Would you like some?"
"......"
Was there some strange ingredient in that cake?
He stared at the maid without any reaction.
"Ah, not giving you all of it."
The maid picked up a fork and scooped about half of the cake. As he watched what she was doing, she divided the cake into two pieces.
"I'm sharing it with you."
With no response from him, the maid smiled awkwardly.
Was this on Arjen's orders?
Otherwise, her attitude, so different from this morning, made no sense.
He peered into her pink eyes, trying to gauge her intentions, but there seemed to be no malice.
"......Your master won't allow it."
"Dessert? Dessert disappears when you eat it, so he won't know anyway."
The maid had surprisingly big guts.
"That's not the only thing."
"You mean the plate and ice?"
That, and her newly kind attitude toward him.
Rihart wasn't one to trust people easily. That's why he suspected the maid's actions before him.
However, his blue eyes hid his inner thoughts and still shone with gentle warmth.
"I snuck the plate while helping with the dishes in the kitchen. And for the ice, I pretended to be injured, and people around took care of me."
Why go that far?
The maid replied as if it were nothing, but to Rihart, it wasn't a small matter.
There had been servants passing by who cared for Rihart.
But most did so because Rihart had seduced them, enchanted by him and acting kindly.
However, the maid before him showed no particular interest in him. She even openly displayed her reluctance to get involved.
So why?
It might be just a trivial kindness to her, but Rihart had to pay close attention to every variable.
That way, he could prevent unexpected issues during his escape.
Unable to shake his suspicion of the maid, Rihart took a bite of the bread offered to him.
At that moment, he realized the sensation spreading in his mouth was markedly different.
It wasn't about the taste.
'No excitant.'
His food always had some malicious additive mixed in, but not today.
Was this because of this maid too?
"Does it taste weird?"
"......No. It just seems a bit different from usual."
"I get it. Even food you always eat can feel different sometimes."
Not knowing his intent or pretending not to, the maid played innocent.
In Rihart's view, it was more likely the latter.
He quietly watched the maid, then said something he wouldn't normally utter.
"Why go this far?"
The maid didn't answer right away.
Her gaze fell on his swollen blue ankle, then lifted away.
"I'm kind to patients."
That was all.
As Rihart looked at her, something came to mind.
When he had gasped and begged for medicine before her, she had given it to him readily.
Was it really just because he was a patient?
At that moment, Rihart realized one thing.
To win this maid's favor, he might need to stay injured a bit longer.
* * *
I hadn't originally planned to offer dessert too.
But seeing his injured leg made my conscience prick, so I offered it up like a tribute.
Yet Rihart's expression was strange. Had he been moved?
Rihart, who would normally flirt slyly, said nothing unusual.
He slowly picked up the crusty bread and chewed it leisurely.
It was clearly just eating bread, but every one of his gestures was elegant.
"Are you always this kind only to patients, miss maid?"
There aren't many people stingy even to the sick, right?
Ah, you're one of that rare breed?
"Even if not a patient, I'm always kind."
"......"
I'd been sociable with Emily, whom I'd just met, and even the Head Chef. I was kind to everyone.
......Except Rihart.
"I see, kind maid."
Was he teasing me?
"......Ahem. You asked about my perfume before, right?"
I'd meant to ignore it thinking it was Rihart-style flirting, but since he'd asked, I decided to tell him.
"I checked, and I don't use perfume."
"......Was it something you needed to check whether you use perfume or not?"
Oh no.
I'd slipped up naturally.
Well, everyone makes mistakes sometimes. I was lenient with myself.
"My memory's not great. Sometimes I forget if I've eaten even after a meal."
"I see."
Was my lie too half-hearted?
It didn't matter. Rihart would brush off such trivial talk anyway.
"But it's strange that you don't use perfume yet have such a scent."
"What?"
"Whether you know it or not, a strong fragrance comes from your body."
Was this flirting?
Looking at Rihart's face, it didn't seem like a joke.
"It doesn't feel artificial, more like a body scent. Sorry if it bothered you."
"Yes, it does bother me, so hold your breath."
Rihart's eyes widened at my firm retort, then he let out a small laugh.
"I said hold your breath."
"If that's what you want, miss maid."
......He's not actually holding it, right?
Contrary to my worry, Rihart breathed steadily without a hint of disturbance.
After that, it was quiet. He finished his meal silently, and I waited quietly.
With no reason left to stay, I expertly wrapped the plate in the towel and left.
Perfect crime.
......Probably?
* * *
The sun had already set, leaving a pitch-black night.
The woman in maid attire glanced around.
Confirming no one was nearby, she glared at the kitchen maid trembling before her.
"You didn't put the Death Flag Fruit in the monster's meal?"
"......I'm sorry."
The woman in maid attire furrowed her brows without hesitation.
The woman in maid attire was named Marie. Among the maids, she held a high rank.
With her snake-like tongue, she had earned the Head Maid's favor, securing a solid position.
Then one day, a 'suspicious man' approached her.
He gave her a large sum of money and ordered her to grind a suspicious fruit into powder and mix it into Rihart's food.
She had tried to refuse the dubious offer, but upon hearing the amount, she couldn't.
Thus, Marie began mixing the unidentified fruit into Rihart's meals.
Of course, to protect herself, she didn't do it directly but gave some money to a kitchen maid and had her do it.
She planned to blame the kitchen maid if things went wrong.
"Not just once, but all day without putting it in. What happened?"
"Well, the maid on meal duty this time kept watching the food......"
The maid on meal duty this time was......
Rosie.
Flowing pink hair and vivid pink eyes reminiscent of azaleas. A maid with a striking appearance.
All Marie knew about her was that she didn't talk much.
And that Rosie had interfered with the task?
"One day is fine. Make sure to put it in without fail tomorrow."
"Um...... That is......"
"What's the problem this time?"
"She said she'll always come early from now on......"
The unexpected news shattered her hard-won composure.
"Why on earth?"
"I don't know either. She said the Head Chef's cooking is so cool and she wants to watch from the side......"
As if that could be true. The only one fooled was the Head Chef.
