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CHAPTER14
Maybe because his face looked like an octopus, it seemed like Jameson could suck up anything with that mouth.
Yes, he was the most perfect monster for this job!
“Mr. Jameson, you’ll remove the water. But we also need two more people for scrubbing and scraping the stains.”
While I wrote my report, Jameson just stood there blankly. His mouth kept opening and closing nonstop, maybe thinking about how to clean.
I let him think. After a while, his voice came out calm.
“Then, may I choose the other two helpers?”
“Do you know someone suitable?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’m fine with it!”
Yes, Jameson really was a kind and good monster. He even giggled in his usual eerie way. Honestly, maybe that laugh was the reason he used to get bullied.
He was like a fragile little brother I had to protect. Truly my #1 “must take care of him” monster.
And the helpers he brought were…
“Us? Why us? Do we really have to clean this fountain?”
“Can’t we just stick to cleaning horse dung instead?”
It was the stable hands—Sicker and Kelpie, both horse-headed monsters.
***
Just like before, Jameson made an “O” shape with his mouth and began sucking.
‘Ah, mystery solved!’
I’d been wondering whether he’d use his tentacles or his mouth, but it seemed his mouth was easier. In seconds, he had drained about one-fifth of the giant fountain.
His face puffed up like a balloon.
“Just a little more, Mr. Jameson! You can do it!”
“I… can’t… anymore… it won’t go in…”
Already at his limit. His octopus pride must have been hurting.
But I couldn’t laugh, because his face had turned so swollen it was almost black. Poor guy. I patted his shoulder kindly.
“You worked really hard, Mr. Jameson. Good job.”
“□■, □□■……”
Only bubbles came out now. He had lost the ability to speak clearly.
I looked at the horse-heads instead.
“Excuse me, but since you’re horses… how do you—”
“We are NOT horses.”
“S-sorry.”
Honestly, their bodies were just normal except for the horse faces. I couldn’t see how they would help with cleaning.
Then Jameson, barely awake, muttered:
“Stop pretending. Just jump in.”
The horse-heads snapped their black eyes toward him. Their glare was terrifying.
But I trusted Jameson. He wasn’t the type to trick anyone.
“Mr. Jameson, I’m sure you have a reason for choosing them, right?”
“Of course. No one could be better for this job.”
He giggled again, ignoring their death stares. Really… that laugh was a problem. Someday I’d have to teach him how to smile normally.
The horse-heads gave up glaring and sighed. Then, suddenly, they opened their mouths wide and roared together:
“We will NOT go into this place!”
The sound was deafening, like dozens of voices at once. My ears hurt.
It reminded me of when Sicker lost his feed to other horses and raged. Wind swirled everywhere, whipping my clothes and hair.
“No matter what, we will never—!”
But then—
“Really?”
A lazy, calm voice cut through the storm.
Instantly, everything went quiet.
Someone was behind me. I turned quickly.
And there he was.
The Duke.
His ruby eyes half-covered by long lashes. His silver hair glowed golden in the sunlight. He looked like something out of a myth.
My breath caught. For a moment, I forgot how to speak.
‘Calm down, Sasha. You see him every afternoon. Don’t act like this is the first time!’
Still, my heart thumped. And then I realized something shocking.
‘Wait… he has never come outside before!’
Not even when the horses were revived with new feed. Yet here he was—at the fountain, far from the mansion.
“M-m-master!”
Even the horse-heads, who had just been screaming, now bowed low and stammered.
I brushed my skirt calmly and stepped forward.
“Duke, why have you come all the way here?”
“I heard noise. So I came. You were cleaning, I see.”
That answer… didn’t add up. His office couldn’t possibly overlook this place.
‘Did he hear about my fountain-cleaning plan? Maybe when I was searching for it in the garden, people talked…’
Yes, that must be it.
Still, seeing him here made me weirdly happy. He was cold and lazy, yet covered it with the excuse of “noise.” How very “romance novel monster Duke” of him.
But then reality hit me.
The fountain stank horribly, black stains everywhere. I shouldn’t be smiling—I should be embarrassed!
I quickly rolled up my sleeves.
“It smells awful, doesn’t it? I’m so sorry. I’ll clean it as fast as I can!”
I wanted to set an example as Head Maid. Maybe even impress the Duke with my fast, perfect cleaning.
I grabbed my tools with determination and stepped toward the fountain—
But couldn’t.
Because the Duke’s arm blocked me, firm and unmovable.
