BCHG Chapter 38

A moment of silence followed. The air was thick with tension, and the man let out a low sigh before reluctantly speaking. “As I said earlier, nothing bad will happen—at least not directly.”

 

“Not… directly?”

 

“You might find yourself in dangerous situations while fulfilling my requests. But if you handle them well, you’ll come out unscathed.”

 

So, it was indeed dangerous.

 

I hesitated. Should I accept this contract? In the end, I decided to ask a few more questions.

 

“How many favors do I have to fulfill?”

 

“Three in total.”

 

“And what kind of favors?”

 

“I can’t tell you that until you agree to the contract.”

 

This was unsettling… I narrowed my eyes and looked at him.

 

“Can I cancel the contract without any penalties?”

 

“Hmm… Alright, I’ll allow it. Because I like you.”

 

After asking a few more questions, the man swore on the Icarus Wing, promising truth and safety. In the end, I accepted his proposal.

 

“…Alright. So what do I need to bring?”

 

“Bring me the blood and flesh of an animal.”

 

“What?”

 

It was an ominous-sounding request.

 

The man, finding my reaction amusing, said with a chuckle, “If you don’t like it, you can cancel the contract.”

 

“…Fine. I’ll do it.”

 

If it was to save Isaac, I had to endure this much.

 

The man stood up and reached out to pat my head. Startled by his sudden approach, I backed away and glared at him. He just smiled, still maintaining his relaxed demeanor.

 

“It seems you don’t like me, even though I’m here to help you.”

 

“You’re someone I need to be cautious of.”

 

“That’s what I like about you.”

 

[???’s affection has increased by ???]

[Current Isaac’s affection: ???]

 

…So even someone like this has affection points. But I still didn’t understand how these points increased.

 

The man chuckled and said, “Since I like you, I’ll give you a gift.” He held out a smooth stone with something engraved on its surface.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“A transformation stone. With this, you can change your appearance to whatever you want.”

 

Was there such an item in the game? I pressed my paw on the stone.

 

[Transformation Stone: Allows the user to change their appearance to whatever they desire. It can be used once per day, lasting for one hour. Price: 0.]

 

Hmm… it’s a shame the price is zero, but it seems like a useful item, so I should take it.

 

As I accepted it, the man smiled and said, “Good. I’ll see you next time, kitty lady.”

 

“Wait, what’s your name?” It seemed wise to know his name.

 

The smile on his lips, visible beneath the mask, curved slightly. “It’s a secret. You can call me ‘Grand Duke’ instead.” As soon as he said that, he disappeared.

 

I stared blankly at the spot where he had been.

 

* * *

Morning arrived. Although the drowsiness was gone, my mind was still a bit muddled after everything that had happened during the night.

 

I sat on the bed, muttering to myself. “Sigh… It’ll be fine, right?”

 

Even though I had made him swear on the Icarus Wing, there was still something unsettling about having made a contract with a demon. But I had no other options.

 

How was I supposed to get the flesh and blood of an animal? Maybe I could go to a butcher shop. In that case, I would have to wait until the weekend. For now, I had to focus on today’s tasks.

 

After tidying my appearance, I stepped outside. I needed to go assist Raphael. As I approached the guest room where he was staying, the door opened just as I was about to knock.

 

“Eek!”

 

“Ah, Mia. You’re early.”

 

Raphael greeted me with a gentle smile. It looked like he was about to go out, dressed in a suit.

 

“I’m going to be out all day today, so it’s better if you go to Isaac.”

 

“Huh? Ah, yes. Understood.”

 

“I’ll bring you a gift when I return.” With that smile, Raphael left with light steps.

 

Since Raphael said I didn’t need to see him off, I headed straight to Isaac’s room. His office was under renovation, so I had to visit his personal room.

 

“Master, it’s Mia. May I come in?”

 

When I knocked and entered, Isaac was already awake, sitting on the bed. I was about to help him change, but he suddenly spoke.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Yes, Master?”

 

“Sit down for a moment.”

 

Huh? What’s this about now? I sat down on a chair beside the bed, and Isaac looked at me intently. It was as if he was observing me, but why?

 

After a moment, Isaac crossed his arms and stared at me. “…Look alike.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

What do I look like? He muttered something unclear and continued to stare into my eyes. This is so awkward. I sat there, unable to even look away.

 

After a while, he suddenly spoke again. “Is there anything you want?”

 

“Huh?”

 

What was he talking about suddenly?

 

Isaac looked at me calmly and said, “You saved my life, so I want to give you a gift.”

 

Ah, he’s talking about helping him during the fire. I guess it was something worth receiving a gift for.

 

I had no intention of refusing what he offered. After a brief moment of thought, I spoke. “Retirement.”

 

“Anything but that.”

 

Tsk… I knew retirement was too much to ask.

 

Then what should I ask for? Money would be best, but it feels a bit awkward to ask for something like jewelry…

 

While I was lost in thought, Isaac looked at me and asked, “Did you enjoy the garden party last time?”

 

“Ah, yes…”

 

Experiencing high society was quite thrilling. It was a fun memory.

 

Isaac stood up. “Then let’s go to the party together today. There’s a banquet happening.”

 

What? Another party? I looked at him, bewildered, and Isaac spoke with a nonchalant expression.

 

“I’m going out, so go change into something suitable for the occasion.”

 

“Ah, yes…”

 

Should I be happy about this? Going out with Isaac alone is a bit…

 

As I returned to my room and changed out of my maid’s uniform, I suddenly thought of the dress. If we’re going to a party, shouldn’t I wear the dress he bought for me last time? But that dress was with Isaac.

 

Since I was already dressed to go out, I went to see him. He had just finished getting ready with the help of another maid. Hesitantly, I asked, “Um, Master. If we’re going to a party, shouldn’t I wear a dress?”

 

“Of course.” Despite his words, he left the room without much concern.

 

As we headed down the stairs, I asked urgently, “Um, then… shouldn’t you return the dress you took last time?”

 

Surely, he wasn’t planning to take me like this, right? He wouldn’t embarrass me like that, right?

 

Isaac replied in a matter-of-fact tone. “I’ll buy you a new one, so just follow me.”

 

“What? … You’re going to take it back afterward, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

I knew it. If he’s going to buy it like that, why not just give it to me as a gift? Still, it’s hard to understand why he’s spending so much on just a maid.

 

After getting into the carriage with Isaac and heading to the city, we arrived at the same boutique as last time.

 

Why bother buying a dress that isn’t even mine…

 

The party was fun, but I didn’t want to go with Isaac. Isn’t there a way out of this? While I was grumbling to myself, I heard a familiar voice.

 

“Mia?”

 

When I turned around, I saw Lian standing there. Wait, why are you here…?

 

While I was caught off guard by the unexpected encounter, Isaac and Lian made eye contact. Lian spoke in a surprised tone. “Huh? You’re that…”

 

“…So we meet here.”

 

It seemed that the two of them recognized each other. I didn’t expect them to meet so soon…! They were supposed to meet much later in the game. Or maybe, since they had already met in the night world, the original story no longer mattered.

 

It was an awkward three-way encounter. Isaac stared at Lian for a moment before asking, “What’s your relationship with my maid?”

 

Should I just say we’re acquaintances? But what if he asks for details?

 

While I was pondering, Lian suddenly spoke up. “She’s my lover. Is that a problem?”

 

“What?”

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