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Chapter – 06
“Come in.”
Eleanor responded with a cold glance, and the door opened quietly.
A young maid was entering, carrying a washbasin.
A washbasin? Eleanor looked at the maid suspiciously.
“You’re up early, Miss. I was worried you might still be asleep. I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“…I don’t remember ever receiving a washbasin before.”
“Y-Yes, my apologies for that.”
The maid bowed deeply.
At that moment, Eleanor recognized the maid’s face.
It was Laura, the maid she had seen at the dining hall yesterday.
“Actually, until now, the head maid told me not to bring washbasins to your room. That’s why I haven’t done so…”
“So, suddenly today, it seems I’ve been given permission.”
“Oh, n-no! That’s not what I meant! I just wanted to start bringing washbasins from today.”
“…?”
Eleanor alternated her gaze between the washbasin Laura was holding and Laura’s face, suspicious.
Laura, who looked slightly younger than Eleanor, bit her lip nervously, watching Eleanor’s reaction.
“You suddenly decided to bring a washbasin out of the blue, huh?”
“Y-Yes, yes.”
“Am I supposed to take that at face value?”
“I-I really have no other intentions!”
“If you have no other intentions, then why would you bring a washbasin to my room when you didn’t even bring one yesterday?”
Laura tightly closed her eyes.
She had agonized over bringing this washbasin and anticipated that Eleanor would not react well.
She cautiously opened her mouth, hoping Eleanor would understand her heart.
“I-I want to become your personal maid, Miss.”
“Huh?”
Eleanor stiffened. What was this young maid saying?
Among the Hildete household, Eleanor was the only one without a personal maid. No one had wanted to serve directly under her because the privileges and treatment depended on the status of the master they served.
Could Jennifer and Anne be scheming to have a personal maid by her side to spy on her every move?
Eleanor had seen her sudden change yesterday, so it wasn’t entirely impossible.
But Eleanor knew that neither Jennifer nor Anne would react so quickly.
Seeing Eleanor’s suspicious expression, Laura hastily added,
“After seeing you yesterday, I thought you might someday become the most outstanding, the greatest, Miss!”
Laura blushed, regretting her clumsy words. Eleanor called her over.
“You.”
“Y-Yes?”
“When did you become a maid of the Hildete household?”
“Six months ago, I was introduced and started working here.”
“And in six months, have you seen me at all?”
“U-Um, the first time I was close to you was yesterday.”
“So you’re volunteering to take the lowest-ranking position in the household. I’ll graciously give you the chance to back out.”
Eleanor’s tone was gentle, but her gaze was ice-cold. Laura trembled, but did not retreat.
“I-I understand the position you hold in the household, Miss.”
“Even knowing that, you still want to stay by my side?”
“I’m an opportunist!”
A point of pride. Eleanor’s expression turned even colder, but Laura did not stop.
Even if Eleanor did not believe her loyalty, she would continue anyway.
“I’ve followed the head maid’s orders because I thought you wouldn’t make a mark in this household. I sincerely apologize for that, and I understand if it’s difficult for you to accept my genuine intentions because of it.”
“Continue.”
“But the Eleanor I saw up close yesterday was different from what I had heard and known. If you continue acting as you did yesterday, other maids will surely recognize your value and want to become your personal maids too.”
No, that couldn’t be. Eleanor knew her maids well—they would cling to the head maid for sweet favors while ignoring Eleanor.
But Laura’s expression was serious.
“I was the first to realize your potential. As an opportunist, I cannot miss this moment when you are undervalued.”
“Even if your status will sink along with mine?”
“I can accept that. You will soar someday.”
Eleanor stared at Laura.
Was she sincere? Or could this be a trap set by Jennifer?
It didn’t matter. If it was a trap, she would make the culprit pay.
Eleanor nodded lightly.
“Very well.”
“Th-Thank you!”
“You will have a lot to do. You’ll be treated poorly at times.”
“I’m prepared for that! I believe enduring such hardships together will allow me to stay by your side when you demonstrate your true worth!”
Laura kept bowing her head. Eleanor watched her quietly.
“Then, if anything is needed, call for me at any time. Can I leave the washbasin here?”
“That’s fine. Prepare the meal. Also, I have a favor to ask.”
“Yes, anything, Miss!”
“After the meal, we need to go to the Three-Eyed Golem Dungeon. Prepare a carriage.”
“Yes, understood!”
Laura bowed deeply and left. Eleanor watched her retreating figure for a moment before starting some light physical training.
“Miss, I’ve prepared the carriage as you requested.”
Following Laura, they reached the front gate, where the carriage awaited.
As Eleanor silently stepped in, she could hear the guards whispering.
“Does it make sense to ride the carriage just to see rabbits?”
“The healing exam is coming soon, and she’s acting impulsively.”
Rabbits? Eleanor tilted her head, looking at Laura, who was already seated on the driver’s bench, beckoning to her.
“Miss, please get in.”
Eleanor climbed into the carriage gracefully, and Laura expertly guided the horses.
After some time, Laura spoke.
“I’m sorry, Miss. I tried to prepare this secretly, but the head maid said she would call you. I figured it would be found out anyway, so I said you were going to see the rabbits.”
“So you’re driving the carriage?”
“Yes. My father was a coachman, so I’m familiar with horses.”
Eleanor quietly observed the scenery unfolding along the path to the Three-Eyed Golem Dungeon.
Seeing Eleanor so calm, Laura asked timidly,
“Did I overstep, Miss?”
“No, you did well.”
Eleanor leaned back and looked out the window. She had deliberately ordered Laura to handle this, expecting some exposure—but this was cleanly done.
The carriage was silent for a while. Laura nervously asked again.
“I-I’m sorry… Was it unnecessary of me?”
“You won’t be asked to do anything you might fail at. Keep doing exactly this.”
“Yes, Miss!”
…She must have been praised, right?
Laura whipped the horses forward with renewed vigor.
Before long, they arrived at the Three-Eyed Golem Dungeon.
Before Laura could assist, Eleanor lightly jumped down from the carriage.
Watching Eleanor march toward the dungeon, Laura cautiously asked,
“Miss…”
“What is it?”
“It may be presumptuous, but… are you really going in?”
“If you know it’s presumptuous, why ask?”
“B-But the Three-Eyed Golems are ferocious.”
The Three-Eyed Golems were indeed known to be dangerous.
But more precisely, they became violent in the presence of light. In darkness, they were among the quietest of monsters.
The misconception arose because humans always brought light into the dungeon to see, which triggered the golems’ aggression.
Ignoring Laura, Eleanor continued into the dungeon.
“Then, if you’re going in, let me come too!”
“Huh?”
Laura, pale and trembling, followed Eleanor.
“I’ve staked my life on you, Miss! If something happens to you, my life ends too! So if you go to a dangerous place, I will go with you and face the end together!”
“Laura, if you insist on saying that, don’t tremble.”
“I-I’m scared…”
Eleanor chuckled lightly, gently patting Laura’s shoulder.
“I’ll be out in two hours. If it takes longer, you can either come in and meet your end with me, or run and spread a rumor that I died—do as you please.”
Given her mistress’s words, what else could she do?
Laura watched Eleanor disappear into the dungeon and began worrying whether she had acted too hastily in volunteering as her personal maid.
Eleanor entered the Three-Eyed Golem Dungeon alone, walking calmly along the dark cavern.
An ordinary human would have used light to see, but Eleanor relied on her senses to navigate the pitch-black.
‘Life in the demon world really comes in handy.’
She smiled wryly, recalling her past life. The highly tuned senses she had honed to survive in the demon world still served her now.
Feeling the floor and air with her feet and fingertips, Eleanor advanced deeper into the dungeon.
‘This should be about the spot.’
As she took one more step, a heavy thud echoed through the cave.
Eleanor slowly lifted her head.
“Human.”
A booming voice sounded from high above her head.
A blue-skinned golem, roughly three meters tall, loomed before her, wearing a necklace made of human skulls.
Within each skull was a glowing nocturnal insect, casting a soft light around the golem’s neck.
The golem wielded a thick marble club, as if ready to strike Eleanor at any moment.
Yet Eleanor smiled.
“You found me just right.”
“Human, aren’t you afraid?”
“Aren’t you the one who should be afraid?”
Eleanor tilted her head with a smile.
“You cannot trade if you fear your partner.”
“Trade?”
“I am here to make a deal with the King of the Three-Eyed Golems, Kaucher.”
The only Three-Eyed Golem that did not emit light, the king, Kaucher, tilted his grotesque head.
