Chapter 10

“Um, good.”

The final product, after several trials and errors, was perfect.

I praised myself as I covered it with a lid for preservation.

Thinking of giving it to Adam as a surprise when he returns, I placed it on the table.

Since cooking finished earlier than expected, I casually wandered over to where Abraxas was to openly check if he was doing his job properly. His eyebrows twitched, seemingly expressing his displeasure.

But that was not my concern.

“Yawn, I might take a nap.”

Since the Warrior will be back late today too, and as a maid, all my duties will be done by that servant… no, by Abraxas.

When there’s a low-level subcontractor, the middle manager gets to enjoy the perks.

I slightly pulled back the curtain and lay down in a spot where the warm sunlight poured in.

The perfect temperature and the warmth of the sun naturally brought a content, well-fed cat-like expression to my face.

* * *

This was the last demon beast.

“Haah…”

Adam, the Warrior, let out a weary sigh, now a habit. It hadn’t been this hard when she was here. At some point, he no longer felt the gaze that seemed to watch over him.

It felt lonely, as if he was alone here.

Adam fiddled with a necklace tucked inside his shirt.

The Obedience Stone of the Demon King.

Until now, he hadn’t even known the Demon King possessed such a stone, which allowed him to dominate the demon beasts without killing them.

However, using the Obedience Stone drained his mental energy.

Controlling one or two demon beasts was easy for him, but as their numbers reached dozens, hundreds, thousands, he felt like he would go mad, becoming nothing more than a murderous weapon swinging a sword.

He was sick of feeling like he was standing alone in a blood-soaked world.

Adam toyed with the Obedience Stone with clouded eyes.

…Because she told him to stay here.

Anyway, the Obedience Stone’s effect lasted a week, so he had to personally ensure the beasts’ obedience every week. Abraxas couldn’t defeat the Warrior even if he tried, and since he wasn’t in a condition to leave the Demon King’s castle, he didn’t defy Adam even without the stone.

Of course, Adam did not want to leave such dangerous possibilities unchecked, so he made sure to secure oaths from them.

‘They have strong pride and dislike being under someone.’

But they succumb to power. That was the tendency of all three major demons serving the Demon King.

The content of the oath was simple:

Do not attack humans.

For those who once regarded killing humans as mere entertainment, they chose obedience over death.

He thought that would resolve the issues, but…

‘The new girl is a problem.’

Adam, recalling Eveline’s shiny face, let out an even bigger sigh than before.

Was it the rashness of her young age? She roamed the Demon King’s castle at will.

No matter how much he refused or persuaded, she didn’t seem to listen. If she was meticulous enough to bring an oath, simple words wouldn’t likely send her back.

He had allowed her inside the Demon King’s castle in case a demon beast missed its time of obedience and harmed her…

‘And strangely, she reminded me of her.’

That was the reason he had impulsively decided to let her in, whereas normally he would have sent her back.

She was completely different from the vague description he had been given of that person.

There was no way that person would appear here.

Lost in thought, suddenly the face of Eveline popped into his mind. He let out an involuntary chuckle.

It seemed better to keep an eye on her, as it was uncertain what she might do next. If she experienced the monotonous daily life of the Demon King’s castle, she would leave on her own accord eventually.

Adam’s thoughts, once redirected by Eveline, continued. He was worried about having a human inside the Demon King’s castle for the first time.

Especially since, apart from himself, no one had ever entered the Demon King’s castle, and the visitor was just a small child.

‘Surely Abraxas wouldn’t harm the child.’

Although there was an oath in place, he couldn’t be completely certain that nothing would happen.

Adam quickened his pace.

It was almost the first time he had entered the castle thinking of someone else who might be inside.

“Eveline…”

The situation that greeted the Warrior as he entered the Demon King’s castle with a worried expression was completely the opposite of what he had imagined.

“Oh, it seems some dust has been left here?”

“Haha! Then I will make it shine brightly again!”

“You’re laughing? Is the work that easy?”

“Ah, they say laughter brings fortune! Haha.”

Abraxas, kneeling and mopping the marble floor, and Eveline, seated on a plush chair from who-knows-where, gesturing with her hands.

The hierarchy seemed oddly reversed.

‘No, nothing could be less fitting than a Warrior of the Demon King’s castle.’

“So you ate the food meant for the Warrior?”

“Be glad the Warrior didn’t eat that awful thing… Ouch! Don’t hit me with the mop!”

Watching Eveline expertly handle the great demon, Adam’s heart sank.

Without realizing it, he hid behind a pillar to watch them.

No matter how he looked at it, he questioned whether bringing her to the Demon King’s castle had been a wise decision.

‘Will it be okay…’

Adam habitually clenched his right hand, then shifted his gaze due to a stifling feeling.

Unlike his skill with herbs, his ability to tie bandages was poor.

‘It should be fine.’

She didn’t seem to have a malicious nature. If she had, he would have definitely noticed.

“It seems your hands are idle?”

“That must be your misconception? Noooo! Then I will use even my feet to scrub!”

“……”

It should be… okay.

* * *

It has already been a month since Eveline came to the Demon King’s castle, a place previously inhabited only by one human, one demon, and numerous demon beasts.

By now, the season had transitioned from late spring to summer, and the farmer’s work should have been busier.

“Why do I have to do this…”

However, that farmer, or rather Abraxas, once again tried to rebel.

While leveling part of the garden with a shovel, Abraxas finally threw it down.

“I’m too frail to handle weapons!”

“To think a mighty demon is weaker than me.”

Eveline too was sweating profusely as she sprinkled fertilizer and planted herb seedlings into the ground.

“It’s hot! It’s so hot. Is it only you who gets shade? My beautiful skin is getting burned!”

“You were the one who refused that ugly hat.”

“There’s noble honor to consider!”

That damn honor, always talking about it as if it’s a habit, yet I’ve never seen this honor he speaks of.

His nickname was ‘party power level meter’, and typically, he would die within 10 seconds in the hands of the Warrior’s party.

‘If you kill him in 3 seconds, the party’s strength is supreme; if it takes more than 10 seconds, you’d better go back to the village and reorganize.’

Poor power level meter…

“What’s with that impure look?”

“It’s nothing. But how do you fight without a weapon, Lord Abraxas?”

He always gets cut down at the entrance, so who could know his weapon? It was clear his abilities had no effect on Adam.

“Me? I oversee music and pleasure. Anyone who listens to my music falls into delusions and goes mad.”

“…”

Eveline silently moved away from him.

When companions came along, it was strange how they seemed to suffer debuffs, reducing their abilities to only 50% of their original power. It was because of the technique used by Abraxas, who usually got cut down at the entrance.

‘I thought I was balancing the game.’

The protagonist meant to shine was Adam, the Warrior.

As Eveline moved away from him, Abraxas let out a sneer.

He seems to think she’s avoiding him because of his formidable powers.

‘Are you avoiding it because it’s scary, or because it’s dirty?’

“Ah. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t waste my powers on taking the life of an ant-like human like you!”

Eveline’s eyes grew cold as she watched him lean back and laugh.

She took off her gloves that had been touching the soil and stood up. Seeing her leave early from work, Abraxas wore a puzzled look on his face.

“The ant marches on. Off again to report to Sir Warrior today.”

“Wait a moment!”

Abraxas called after her too late, but she dodged his desperate gesture and quickly walked towards the Warrior’s office.