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Chapter 8
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Only after I spoke did she seem to realize the door had been locked. The maid quickly glanced around before biting her lip hard.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
So she’s really going to play shameless, huh?
I let out a small laugh.
“It’s unfortunate that the young lady was hurt, but I don’t think it’s right to take your anger out on an innocent person like me.”
“Innocent? Innocent?”
I slowly walked toward the maid.
As I advanced, she retreated.
“I’ll ask you again. Are you really innocent?”
“Yes!”
She answered without the slightest hesitation.
Ha… then I guess I have no choice.
Splash!
“Ahhh!”
The maid let out a shrill scream.
I had simply picked up the kettle on the trolley and poured the water all over her.
“H-Hot!”
She thrashed about desperately, trying to wipe the water off herself.
Why are you making such a fuss?
It’s cooled down much more than it was earlier.
“So you thought it was acceptable to give water this hot as face-washing water to a child who isn’t even four years old?”
Clang!
I let the kettle fall to the floor and continued walking toward her.
Very slowly.
She staggered backward, terror filling her face.
“Are you in your right mind?”
I took one step forward.
She took two steps back in fear.
We repeated the dance several times until—
Thud.
Her back hit the wall.
She had nowhere left to run.
“I asked if you’re in your right mind.”
“Hng…”
She trembled, forcing back tears after hitting the wall.
Yet her eyes still glared at me with murderous hatred.
“Tell me the truth. Otherwise, I’ll call everyone outside and have you dragged away.”
“……”
Perhaps realizing there was no escape, she squeezed her eyes shut and shouted,
“Fine! I played a little prank! So what? It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done!”
She looked absolutely furious, the whites of her eyes streaked red.
“I heard you used that child as an excuse to force His Grace the Grand Duke into an engagement! Hmph! It’s obvious that child isn’t even His Grace’s—where do you get off lying like that?”
She sneered, glaring at me with naked hatred.
“But unlike you, I never targeted a child. Doesn’t that make me a better person than you?”
“Hah.”
Now that’s a fresh new load of nonsense.
Mistaking my laughter for encouragement, she gritted her teeth and continued.
“I heard you’ve been blackmailing His Grace, demanding that he marry you! He just came back from the battlefield—stop making his life miserable!”
Panting heavily, she practically spat the words out.
“And now you’ve even taken over His Grace’s room!”
Ah.
So this was the Grand Duke’s room?
No wonder the furniture was ridiculously luxurious.
“And another thing—!”
I’m too lazy to tell her to be quiet.
Boom!
I slammed my fist into the wall.
Silence immediately fell over the room.
Much better.
Now I don’t even have to raise my voice.
“Want me to tell you two things you don’t know?”
“What?”
“One.”
Holding up a single finger, I smiled brightly.
“That child is His Grace the Grand Duke’s one and only niece. His Grace has already confirmed everything.”
The maid slowly blinked.
What?
You couldn’t believe it because of her hair color either?
“Two.”
I raised a second finger.
“His Grace loves me very much, which is why I’m staying in this mansion. We’ve already agreed to get engaged. Now then… what does that mean?”
My apologies, Grand Duke.
I’m going to tell a little lie.
Though the most important part is that it’ll all become true eventually, right?
“You just tried to harm His Grace’s only niece and injure me, his fiancée.”
In other words…
Your life is officially over.
“Ah…?”
Only now did the meaning of my words begin to sink in.
Fear gradually spread across the maid’s face.
“Well now.”
I curved my eyes into a smile.
“I’ve kindly answered your questions. Now it’s your turn.”
I grabbed her chin before she could lower her head again, forcing her terrified eyes to meet mine.
That expression suits you much better.
“So.”
“Who told you?”
Who told you that I forced His Grace the Grand Duke into an engagement and made his life difficult?
Go on.
Tell me.
I’m curious.
Boom!
The loud crash that echoed through the mansion made Milton, the accountant of House Leandro, look up toward the ceiling.
What was that?
It hadn’t been long since the maid stormed upstairs after hearing the bell.
Don’t think about it.
It wasn’t his place to worry about such trivial matters.
He needed to pack his belongings, gather the important documents, and run.
To another region—
No, another country.
Once he crossed the border, even Grand Duke Leandro wouldn’t be able to touch him.
He had more than enough money to leave the country.
That wasn’t the problem.
Damn it! Why did that thing of all people have to crawl in here claiming to be the Grand Duke’s fiancée?!
Yesterday, he’d assumed she was only a temporary guest.
He’d been certain she’d be thrown out before she could even get a glass of water.
After all, who was Grand Duke Leandro?
The Butcher.
The Hero.
The Cursed One.
The Slayer of the Demon King.
He had been called by countless names.
But the title Milton repeated most often was only one.
A man who hated people.
For the honor of his house, and because he believed it was his duty, the young Grand Duke had willingly gone to the battlefield.
Yet every time he returned, all he heard were horrific rumors spread by those who feared him.
By the time he learned of his parents’ deaths and his sister’s disappearance, it was already far too late.
From then on, Grand Duke Leandro became a man who utterly despised people.
At least he tolerated the men who had fought beside him and those who’d known him since childhood.
But when it came to strangers…
He never lowered his guard.
Even toward Milton, who had worked in the mansion for years, the Grand Duke never truly closed the distance.
“I’ve brought the documents you requested.”
“Leave them there.”
Milton had visited him countless times.
Not once had the Grand Duke allowed him to get close.
Even exchanging a few words with him had been difficult.
Thanks to that, I couldn’t even test the waters.
What if he already knows?
What if he’s already discovered everything I did while he was away?
Every day felt like walking across thin ice.
And then, of all people, Ermia Tekins—that complete fool—had suddenly appeared claiming to be Grand Duke Leandro’s fiancée.
Milton ground his teeth.
No. Calm down.
Rubbing his face irritably, he forced himself to think.
She’s an idiot anyway. Even those half-commoner bloods pushed her around whenever they pleased.
Having worked with Viscount Tekins before, Milton knew Ermia’s true nature.
A villainess?
Nothing so impressive.
She was simply the world’s biggest pushover.
Exactly. That stupid woman won’t say a thing.
She’ll probably just mumble that the face-washing water was a little hot before lowering her head.
As long as I disappear, it’ll all be over.
If he could just survive this crisis…
A bright and prosperous future awaited him.
