I wonder if he also came for a midnight snack.
Toby glanced at the cupboard and said, “Are you trying to get the cheese?”
“Yes, I was going to have it as a snack.”
“Then let me get it for you. Just a moment.” Toby reached up and effortlessly took down the cheese.
Wow, being tall sure is convenient.
I smiled as I accepted the cheese. “Thank you, Toby. I’ll enjoy it.”
“It’s nothing. Oh, if you’re having a snack, would you like to eat together?”
“Sure, I’d like that.”
We found some bread in the cupboard and started cutting it to eat with the cheese. It wasn’t much, but with some jam, it was decent.
Toby watched me eat with a smile and then cut some more cheese, placing it on my plate. “Is working at the mansion tough for you?”
“No, it’s fine. Everyone’s been kind…”
“That’s good. But if anything ever gets difficult, just let me know. I’ll help you with whatever you need.”
I’d heard from others that Toby was kind, and now I could see it for myself. Then, as if remembering something, Toby started rummaging through his pocket.
“By the way, do you like sweets?”
Huh? What’s this? He handed me a small pouch. When I opened it, I found neatly wrapped caramels inside. Wow, they look delicious…!
“Can I really have these?”
“Of course. Do you like desserts?”
“Yes, I love them!”
At this, Toby seemed about to say something but hesitated. After a brief pause, he clenched his hand and looked at me with a determined expression.
“Mia, do you have any plans for your next day off?”
“Well? I don’t have any particular plans…”
“Then… would you like to go to town with me on your day off? There’s a really good dessert shop there.”
“What?”
W-What is this? A date?
I was caught off guard by the sudden invitation. Before I could answer, a group of maids entered the kitchen, and Toby quickly stood up in surprise.
“Think about it and let me know! Good night!” Toby hurriedly left the room.
The maids who had just entered glanced between him and me, all wearing sly smiles.
“Oh my, Mia. What were you talking about with Toby?”
“Ah, that. Nothing much, just small talk…”
“Nothing much? Come on, tell us in detail!”
The maids gathered around the table, surrounding me. It felt like I was being interrogated.
One of the maids grinned and asked, “So, so, what did Toby say? Be honest.”
“Well…”
It seemed like they wouldn’t let me go unless I told the truth. After hesitating for a moment, I finally spoke.
“He asked if I’d like to meet him in town on our day off…”
At that, the maids squealed with excitement. One of them spoke with a thrilled expression.
“So, are you going on a date with Toby?”
“Oh, come on! Mis already has master. Do you really think she’s interested in Toby?”
Wait, what? What does she mean by that?
I asked in confusion. “What do you mean by master and I…?”
“Are you pretending not to know, or do you really not get it?”
I honestly had no idea.
Seeing my blank expression, one of the maids sighed and shook her head. “Oh, you poor, clueless little lamb… Master must be feeling so frustrated.”
“Exactly. It’s obvious to everyone that master is interested in you!”
Well, watching over his employee who tried to escape could be seen as a kind of interest… But there was no way I could say I was caught trying to escape.
“Well, maybe he’s just being kind?”
“Who shares meals with an employee out of kindness? And you went on a walk with master earlier, didn’t you? You two looked so cozy… What did you talk about?”
“Yeah, I’ve never seen master make that kind of expression before.”
Ah, so that’s what the maids’ looks were about earlier. It wasn’t jealousy? I was a bit surprised by this unexpected realization. They seemed more amused by having a new topic to gossip about than anything else.
While I was relieved by that, I tried to recall what expression Isaac had been making during the walk. I couldn’t remember because I had been too tense. The maids, however, seemed quite excited.
“Master never had a personal maid before. This is the first time. Maybe he really likes Mia.”
“Yeah! He seemed really interested in you from the day you arrived.”
…This is a bit unsettling for me. If Isaac had been in a good mood during the walk, it was probably because we talked about ‘Mia.’
As the conversation turned to stories about the mansion’s employees, one of the maids spoke up.
“I’ve worked here for years, but I’ve never seen master show interest in anyone before. This is a first.”
Years? Just how long have they been working here?
I asked the maid in question. “How long have you been working here?”
“Me? About four years now.”
“Is there anyone who’s been here longer?”
“I think the head maid has been here the longest.”
The head maid… If I could get close to her, maybe I could learn more about Isaac and Dias mansion. I wondered why Isaac had changed his surname and left the Dias mansion.
“What if Mia becomes the mistress of the house? Promise you won’t fire us?”
“That’s not going to happen!”
“Well, we’re counting on you, Mia. Don’t let us down!”
The maids chatted and laughed until it was time for lights out, and then they slowly made their way to their rooms.
Now that it was quiet again, I couldn’t stop thinking. I returned to my room and lay on my bed, staring at the clock. It was almost midnight. Would I be summoned tonight?
As I lay there with those thoughts, I opened my inventory and took out the collar. If I didn’t have the collar, Isaac would throw a fit again. As I fastened the collar around my wrist, the clock’s hands passed midnight.
It seemed I wasn’t going to be summoned tonight. Was that fortunate or unfortunate…? Well, let’s think about the good things. If I get summoned, I’ll earn money, and if not, I’ll get a good rest.
I put the collar back in my inventory and tried to go back to sleep. But even on nights when I wasn’t summoned, I couldn’t fall asleep easily. The tension just wouldn’t leave my body. I tossed and turned in the dark, eventually drifting into a light sleep, only to wake up thirsty. The room was still dim.
“Ugh, I need water…”
I reached for the water bottle on my nightstand, but it was empty. Oh no, I forgot to refill it in the evening.
I had no choice but to make my way to the kitchen in the dark, feeling my way along the walls. As I drank some water, I heard something fall outside. What was that? Is someone out there?
I looked out the kitchen window toward the back of the building. And then I instinctively covered my mouth. There were two people outside. One was Isaac. The other was Toby. It was hard to make out at first because of the darkness, but then I realized what they were doing.
Isaac had a cord wrapped around Toby’s neck and was strangling him from behind. Toby struggled to break free, but Isaac didn’t budge.
“Keugh, keugh…!”
I could see their shadows entwined, Toby’s figure writhing desperately. Even at a distance, I felt like I could hear Toby’s gasps, the sound of life slipping away. Isaac kept choking him for what felt like an eternity until Toby’s body went limp. He looked like a doll, his lifeless shadow a clear sign of his death. Isaac stared down at Toby for a moment, then began dragging him away.
Only after Isaac disappeared could I finally step back. What just happened? What did I just witness? I wanted to believe it was all a bad dream.
Isaac killed Toby? That couldn’t be real. Or could it? I had already seen Isaac kill someone before. I had experienced it myself.
The silence was overwhelming as I leaned against the wall, trying to process everything. But I needed to leave.
I shakily tried to exit the kitchen, but as soon as I opened the door, someone was standing there.
“Gasp…!”
It was Isaac. His silvery-gray eyes glowed quietly in the darkness.
My heart felt like it was going to burst. Why is Isaac here? He looked slightly disheveled, staring at me quietly.
“You.”
“Y-Yes…?”
He approached me. I could smell the damp earth on him.
Isaac leaned in close and whispered in my ear. “Did you see?”
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