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Chapter 2
“…!”
Adriel’s sharp voice once again snapped my fading mind back to reality.
The look of disgust in his eyes toward me was so fierce that I couldn’t even open my mouth.
“I had heard rumors about you, my lady… but to think you are this low.”
“…Ha.”
At his continued interrogation, I tightly shut my eyes.
First, let’s release him.
Then I’ll say I must have been out of my mind and apologize—even if I have to kneel.
After quickly reaching a conclusion, I called the fairy.
“Hey, you.”
“Hehe. Strange. This is strange?”
At that moment, the fairy fluttered its small wings and flew closer.
Then it stared closely at my face and tilted its head.
“You’re different from usual. My master didn’t make this kind of face in front of Adriel before?”
“What…?”
Tsk. This thing is sharp.
I was startled for a moment, but quickly fixed my expression.
“Strange. Strange. Hehe. Master is strange?”
The more suspicious the fairy became, the more dangerous the situation felt.
Instinctively, I realized calming this thing down was more important than freeing Adriel.
Something to distract it…
Ah!
I held out my hand toward the fairy.
“Give it.”
“Strange. Strange… huh?”
“The potion. You said Adriel has to drink it, right?”
At my words, the fairy’s eyes widened, then it grinned mischievously.
“You’re right, Master. Let’s use it! Let’s use it right now!”
Giggling, the fairy snapped its fingers, and the potion floating in the air dropped into my hand.
“You… what are you planning to do to me?”
At the sound of grinding teeth, I turned my head.
Adriel was glaring at me with an even more murderous expression than before.
“Hehehe. Arrogant Adriel. Pitiful Adriel. Curious what this is? Curious?”
“Answer me, fairy.”
“This is a love potion I made.”
At the fairy’s playful words, Adriel slowly blinked, and his face turned pale.
“What…?”
“If you drink this, you’ll think about Master all day. Without Master, you won’t be able to do anything. If Master tells you to die, you’ll offer your neck like a slave!”
Seeing the fairy grinning wickedly in front of the pale Adriel, I clicked my tongue.
That’s not a fairy—that’s basically a demon.
“Well? Excited? Excited? Hehehe.”
“Damn it.”
Adriel, who had been frozen in silence, urgently turned his head toward me.
“If you release me now, I will at least give you a chance to stand trial.”
“…?”
So he’s planning to execute me as soon as I let him go?
Pop!
With a stiff face, I opened the bottle.
Adriel hurriedly spoke.
“Five years in prison.”
“Hmm…”
“…A fine.”
That’s even worse.
“Hehehe. Master, I’ll help you. Pour it in here.”
“Ugh!”
As the fairy snapped its fingers, an unseen force lifted Adriel’s head.
He tried to keep his mouth shut, but it slowly opened against his will.
“Pour it! Pour it! Pour it!”
“S-stop…”
Adriel’s red eyes, filled with despair, pain, fear, and anger, stared at me.
I didn’t avoid his gaze as I approached him.
“Hehe! This is fun! So fun!”
“If he drinks this, he’ll obey me no matter what, right?”
“That’s right! That’s right, Master!”
Is that so?
Then…
“You drink it instead!”
Splash—!
I threw the potion all over the fairy.
“Pour it! Po— Aaaah!”
The fairy, drenched in the potion, covered its face with its tiny hands, staggered—
And then dropped to the ground.
“Phew…”
Only then did I let out a sigh of relief.
I thought I was going to die from the tension of being caught.
I don’t know if this potion will work on that fairy, but anything is better than Adriel drinking it.
I don’t want to die miserably like Rosemary in the novel.
“Ugh…”
As I steadied my breathing and watched the fairy—
“What are you plotting this time?”
Adriel’s voice came from beside the writhing fairy.
With the fairy collapsed, it seemed the force restraining him had disappeared, and he was catching his breath.
Well, I did just attack what looked like my accomplice. Of course he’d be suspicious.
After thinking briefly, I decided to answer honestly.
“It’s not like that.”
Adriel let out a cold laugh, as if my words were ridiculous.
“Then have you finally realized the seriousness of the situation?”
“…Let’s say that’s the case.”
I set the bottle down and approached him.
His wrists were tightly bound with thick rope.
As I reached for it, he flinched.
“I need to untie this, so stay still. Hmm… I think I saw a video on how to untie this easily…”
As I fiddled with the rope, I suddenly remembered something and called him.
“Oh, before that—Sir Knight.”
“…What is it?”
“Can you promise me something first? That you won’t kill me even if I untie you?”
Despite his frown, I continued.
“I know I’m shameless. But I don’t want to die like this.”
Adriel didn’t answer for a long time.
He just stared at me quietly, his expression unreadable.
Since I was crouched to untie the rope, our faces were close.
Just as his gaze began to feel overwhelming—
“Alright.”
“…Swear it on God?”
“Ha.”
At my timid question, he twisted one corner of his mouth.
…Judging by that reaction, he probably won’t kill me.
“Then I’ll untie this—”
Just as I reached for the rope—
Snap—
Huh?
“I said step aside.”
In an instant, Adriel broke the rope and stood up, rolling his shoulders as he looked down at me.
That broke that easily?
It seemed he hadn’t been able to use his strength properly earlier because of the fairy.
I stared blankly, and he looked at me as if asking why I wasn’t moving.
I quickly stepped back.
“Um… I’m really sorry about today.”
Even if it wasn’t me originally, it’s still better to apologize and part ways.
But something felt off.
Adriel, who looked like he would leave immediately, just stood there, staring at me coldly.
It wasn’t the same wary gaze as before. It felt more like he was looking at a stranger.
“My lady, we should never cross paths again.”
“Ah, yes. Never again—”
“If I see you like this again…”
With a chilling gaze, he spoke coldly.
“Don’t expect to be let off so easily next time.”
“Ah… yes…”
Don’t worry. This is the last time we’ll ever meet.
“I’ll remember that.”
Without even looking at my polite bow, Adriel turned and walked away without hesitation.
It’s over now, right?
Just as I thought I had escaped the original story—
“M-master… Master…”
A clicking sound echoed as the fairy’s voice was heard.
Already awake?
I turned my head toward where the fairy had fallen—
“Who are you?!”
My eyes widened in shock.
Because instead of a cute golden fairy—
There stood a skeleton as tall as my knees.
“Master… I like you…”
The skeleton staggered toward me like it was drunk and clung tightly to my leg.
“Hehe… my master…”
“Ahh!”
I shook my leg wildly.
W-what is this?!
No, author.
You said it was a love fairy.
What kind of fairy looks like a skeleton?!
“What trick is this now— My lady!”
Adriel, who had been walking away, turned back at my scream.
Seeing the thing clinging to me, he drew his sword and ran toward us.
“Don’t come near my master!”
“Damn it!”
But as if blocked by an invisible wall, Adriel couldn’t approach.
Grinding his teeth, he shouted—
“Rosemary Ferriel. Did you make a contract with a demon, not a fairy?”
“A demon? You’re saying this pile of bones is a demon?”
“Why are you asking me?! Don’t tell me you didn’t know? I’ve heard you’re ignorant, but to not even distinguish between a fairy and a demon…!”
Excuse me?
You didn’t know either, so why are you blaming me?!
The words rose to my throat, but I swallowed them and replied—
“Yes, yes! You’re right! So what do we do now?”
“We kill the demon.”
“Oh, sure. Go ahead.”
I lifted my leg, with the skeleton still attached.
“Here it is. Go on—cut its head off.”
But at that moment—
The skeleton suddenly raised its head.
“Hehehe! If you kill me, Master dies too!”
“…What?”
“Master made a contract with me! The condition is the soul! Our souls are bound together!”
“W-what?!”
My mouth fell open in shock.
Then I slowly raised my head—
And met Adriel’s determined eyes.
His sword trembled, responding to his resolve.
“For the greater good, sacrifice yourself.”
“What?!”
What greater good?!
What sacrifice?!
Are you serious?!
I pointed at him and shouted at the skeleton—
“Hey! Tie him up again!”
