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Chapter 4
Bang—!
“Stop.”
“…!”
Thinking it was time to cut things off, I slammed my fist on the table.
Adriel, who had been grinding his teeth in anger, flinched in surprise.
“I understand enough of what you’re trying to say, so please just sign the contract.”
Adriel froze, looking visibly taken aback.
Well, it made sense. The Rosmary he knew had always been spouting sweet love confessions. Seeing me like this must feel strange.
Ignoring his reaction, I pushed the contract toward him. His sharp brows immediately twisted.
“No.”
He answered firmly.
“I will not leave until I have eliminated the demon.”
A heavy silence fell as our gazes collided in midair.
Those red eyes held unshakable determination.
It didn’t look like stubborn pride for the sake of ego.
I understood. I really did.
According to the original story, Adriel was someone whose family had been massacred by demons. With a past like that, there was no way he could simply let a demon go in front of him.
If I were him, I would probably do the same.
I know. I understand everything. But…
I was just as desperate.
“Then… are you planning to stay here with me like this?”
I nodded toward his wrists, tightly bound with rope.
The same ropes he had easily broken earlier were now keeping him still, as if Wit had done something to suppress his strength.
I glanced out the window beside the table.
Wit, in the form of a golden-haired fairy, was planting tomatoes in the garden.
Come to think of it… was it really okay for me to be living with that skeleton?
Even Adriel, who could snap restraints so easily, had been subdued instantly.
Of course, Wit called himself a fairy, but I still couldn’t trust it.
If the effects of the love potion wore off and Wit regained his senses… he might try to harm me.
After a moment of thought, I shook my head internally.
As long as the contract is active, it should be fine.
He said it himself—the contract bound our souls together.
If I die, he dies too. Would he really kill me easily then?
“I will not return until I either monitor the demon beside you or kill it.”
I sighed at the hopeless situation.
Adriel had no intention of leaving until Wit was dead, and I couldn’t release Adriel because Wit must not die.
What should I do? Should I wait until Adriel falls asleep, secretly untie him, and run away with Wit?
Even then… being with Wit might be the safest option.
No. That wasn’t entirely true either.
According to the original story, Rosmary and Wit eventually die at Adriel’s hands.
That meant Adriel would eventually surpass Wit’s power.
Even if Wit stayed by my side, if Adriel found us, we might end up dying just like in the novel’s ending.
“Haah… seriously.”
Exhausted, I slammed the table and stood up.
“Think about it a bit more. Call me if you change your mind.”
“Wait… you can’t control the effects of the potion?”
“I can’t do that, Master.”
“…Seriously.”
I made a hollow expression, like a soaked raccoon that had lost all hope.
I had stayed up all night thinking about how to profit from the love potion.
Then an idea came to me.
If selling the potion as-is would get me labeled a witch, what if I lowered its effect and sold it as something that simply created a good mood instead?
Like a fragrance that gently sways people’s hearts.
It sounded like a great idea, so I suggested it to Wit.
And that was the answer I got.
My shoulders slumped in disappointment.
My dream of waking up on a bed of money, bathing in gold dust, and eating with diamond utensils…
Even if not that extreme, I had at least hoped to escape financial worry.
“So disappointing… so disappointing…”
“M-Master… did I do something wrong?”
“No… more importantly, skeleton.”
“Wit!”
“…Fine, Wit. Do you have anything else? Something that can make money without people thinking I’m a witch?”
“Master, that’s strange. Why do you keep talking like you have no money? I saw you have lots of jewels. Kikik.”
When did he even see that?
Just imagining him watching me hide jewels deep inside the kitchen cabinet at night gave me chills.
I decided I would move the jewels somewhere else and continued persuading him.
“That’s emergency money. And I can’t live relying on jewels forever. I need a steady source of income.”
“Wit understands! Master is smart. As expected, my woman. Kikik.”
“……”
“But Master, Wit is the fairy of love. Making money is Taro’s job. Not mine.”
“Taro? Who’s that?”
“Wit’s friend. Taro is the fairy of wealth.”
“…What?”
There’s a fairy like that?
I swallowed hard and asked carefully.
“Wit, where does this Taro fairy live?”
Wit stared at me with sparkling eyes, then suddenly puffed up his cheeks in annoyance.
“Master is mean! Thinking about someone else while I’m here! I’m the only one for you!”
Right now, Wit looked like a cute golden-haired fairy, but my mind was completely filled with this “Taro”—possibly a wealth fairy… or maybe a demon.
“Taro…”
“Don’t drool thinking about Taro!”
Wit flew right up to my face and wiped the corner of my mouth with his tiny hand.
“Alright, alright… anyway, you really don’t have any money-making abilities?”
“I don’t. I only make potions and play pranks. I’m a fairy of love.”
“Pranks?”
As I tilted my head, Wit covered his mouth and started giggling.
His curved eyes were full of mischief.
“Kikik. I can see paths above humans’ heads.”
“Paths?”
Like walking roads?
“I can see what people need to say or do to gain favor. That kind of thing, Master.”
Ah… like a game’s affection system.
This author really put in every kind of strange setting.
“So I like playing pranks on humans. Kikik.”
“Hey skeleton—ah, no. Wit. Can you see mine too?”
I pointed at my head.
Wit looked up at me while still giggling, then suddenly tilted his head.
“That’s strange, Master. There’s nothing above your head. Why? Why? Huh? Huh?”
…Come to think of it, why?
Either way, that was a relief.
If something like that had been visible above my head, I would have definitely fallen for Wit’s tricks.
Phew.
Just as I relaxed, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
“…Wait.”
This isn’t something to brush off.
I feel it. I really feel it.
A huge wave of money energy.
“Master? Your expression is weird, Master?”
“Wit. Get ready.”
This is it.
“Time to make flyers.”
An easy way to make money…!
“Kikik! Flyers! I know flyers too! But Master, why flyers?”
“You’re going to start earning your keep today.”
“Wit… earn keep? I earn keep now!”
“….”
I silently watched Wit happily flying around in circles.
Was it just my imagination, or was I becoming a cruel boss?
I nodded and opened the door.
[Red Thread Information Guild]
“Hmm. Perfect.”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead after finishing painting the sign.
Once Wit returned from spreading flyers around the city, I would ask him to hang it outside the house.
I left the sign to dry outside and went back inside.
I headed toward the kitchen, but saw Adriel still sitting stiffly in front of his untouched food, like a statue.
Stubborn. Extremely stubborn.
Ignoring him, I went into the kitchen and happily brewed tea.
“Life is good. So good. Soon I’ll be sitting on a pile of money. Hehehe.”
“Your attachment to wealth proves you have been corrupted by a demon.”
…What is he even talking about?
“My hearing must be good if I can hear you from there. And what’s wrong with liking money? Everyone likes money.”
“You should not be so attached to worldly things.”
“…Old man.”
“Old…? I do not understand the meaning, but I find it unpleasant.”
I poured hot tea into a beautiful floral teacup.
Then I sat across from Adriel, who frowned in annoyance.
“Listen, naïve knight. Do you even know how important money is in life? Without money, you can’t even get treated when you’re sick. You can’t even eat properly.”
I stared at the reddish tea.
“…You can’t even protect your family.”
As I spoke, unwanted memories surfaced.
I stayed silent for a while.
Adriel broke the silence.
“Lady.”
I quickly lifted my head.
Right. I’m supposed to be a noble lady who doesn’t worry about money.
“Ah… please ignore what I just said. I must be tired and talking nonsense.”
I waved my hand, but Adriel continued to stare at me.
His red eyes seemed to see right through me, making me uncomfortable, so I quickly changed the topic.
“Anyway, are you really not going to eat? It’ll get cold.”
Adriel turned his head slightly.
“I will not eat until you release me.”
“I told you I’ll release you if you just sign the contract.”
“I will not return until the demon is eliminated.”
…Are you a robot or something?
Always the same answer.
“Fine. Do what you want.”
I sipped my tea.
Let him be. After a few days of starving, he’ll probably give in.
Just then, while I was humming and looking out the window—
“Huh?”
A strange sound came from somewhere. Like a carriage approaching…
“Huh?!”
I shot up and grabbed Adriel by the shoulder.
“Get inside.”
“Do not touch me.”
“No, I—just go inside!”
“Why are you suddenly—”
Adriel’s eyes sharpened.
“Someone is here.”
…This is bad.
Of all times, Wit wasn’t here.
I bit my lip.
“Master! I’m back!”
“Wit…!”
