The Peaceful Life of a Maid Who Hides Her Power and Enjoys It

<Episode 143>

 

Count Serenier, delicately picking up a piece of caramel candy from the table, popped it into his mouth. One of his eyebrows twitched.

 

“Jurian Berkeley Gratten? That’s one remarkable piece of information.”

“It’s true. I’m certain.”

 

Another caramel piece was thrown into my open mouth. My tongue shivered as I rolled the chilling sweetness in my mouth as I continued speaking.

 

“He said it himself.”

“Take your time speaking. You might bite your tongue.”

 

He placed a chair next to the window and sat down beside me, then asked,

“Do you remember when it happened?”

“Vaguely. If he secretly fed it to me while I was asleep, I wouldn’t remember until I died… But assuming that didn’t happen, there’s only one possible day.”

 

“I was watching over you with my eyes wide open. Who could secretly feed you things?”

“It’s not impossible. There was a day when you went back to Calepa.”

 

Count Serenier closed his mouth and sat. Then, he naturally wrapped his arms around my waist and lightly placed me on his lap, as if moving a bag. With the strength of just one arm.

 

“Tell me how it was.”

 

I was worried that the dress that had been carefully set up by the head maid might become wrinkled, but I didn’t feel like pushing him away, so I entrusted myself to him and recounted the events of that day.

 

It was the day I was going to infiltrate Mephisto’s castle.

In other words… the day I chose to die.

 

After receiving the approval of all the commanders, just before I could have some time alone to myself, I received a carefully prepared <Charity> pill from a few comrades.

 

<Charity> was an excellent painkiller that, if used properly, could revive a knight in a crisis.

Since the supply had been cut off, the <Charity> I received was practically the last one in our stock. It was as if the Allied Forces had entrusted me with their final hope.

 

As I was about to discard my valuable supplies and prepare to face the battle, The swordmaster had silently approached me.

 

I reflexively caught the small and light object he threw at me. It was a round and rough pill.

 

“What is this?”

 

“An elixir passed down through generations of the Berkeley-Gratten family.”

 

What? I didn’t even need to think about his intentions. Just as I was about to return it, the swordmaster quickly added in a voice that didn’t match him.

 

“Just kidding. It’s the same medicine the military uses, <Charity>. It’s just a bit purer. It will reduce your pain more effectively.”

 

“Is that true?”

 

“If you’re in doubt, open it and check.”

 

In the first place, <Charity> was a colorless, odorless drug. There was no way someone like me could’ve distinguished a difference. After briefly sniffing it and finding nothing unusual, I crumpled it up and put it in my pocket.

 

“Thanks. Thanks to you, I will be able to pass away pain-free.”

“You always so casually say things that stimulate guilt in front of me.”

“Isn’t the Duke a man who can shed no blood or tears? Thanks to that, I am at ease.”

 

The swordmaster snorted as if it were ridiculous and suddenly came forward.

 

“If you’re so comfortable, share an oath with me, Sir Andert.”

“…You know that type of magic is a taboo, right? You speak so confidently that anyone would assume it’s legal. But what oath do you mean to share with me now?”

“An oath to survive.”

 

It was unbelievably absurd this time.

You want me to swear to survive? To ask for an impossible oath. Wasn’t he feeling uncharacteristically sentimental?

 

“No, thank you. Isn’t that dreadful? It means just my body wouldn’t be enough, but my soul would be destroyed as well.”

 

“You exaggerate. I only hope for your safe return.”

“That’s impossible. And carving an impossible oath means that when the vow is broken, the soul will also be shattered.”

 

“That’s even more so why you don’t have to refuse my oath. When a person dies, the body and soul shatter simultaneously. Your soul will shatter because you die, not because you broke the vow.”

 

He was unusually immersed in unbecoming sentiment, and as usual, stubborn.

 

But I was well aware of the pain caused by the death of a comrade. Maybe that was why? Suddenly, I thought that if the swordmaster could find solace even with just a futile oath like this, it would be enough.

 

So I eventually shared an oath with the swordmaster.

A vow to survive.

The important thing here wasn’t the oath we made at the time.

 

“So… the pill you thought was <Charity> was actually Dian Cecht’s heart?”

“Yeah. But it wasn’t smooth like the heart crystal I know. It was smaller and rougher.”

“That’s the shape of a heart crystal closest to its original form before being processed. After all, Mephisto betrayed Dian Cecht shortly after he closed his eyes… so there wouldn’t have been any time to process it.”

 

“Then it’s certain. As expected, the swordmaster must’ve known the power of the heart crystal, right?”

 

“Well, I’m not so sure about that. After hearing your story, the possibility that he was rather unsure about the heart’s performance seems more credible.”

 

“Why?”

 

Instead of answering, he gently stroked near my shoulder.

“The trace of the oath you made with him… is it engraved around here?”

 

Count Serenier, who was gently scratching the thin fabric with his nails as if wanting to tear it off, spoke slowly.

 

“It’s like you’re always wearing a sign that says you’re alive on your body. How cheeky.”

 

What did he mean by that confusing statement?

 

“…Ah!”

 

I furrowed my brows and belatedly realized the hidden meaning of those words.

 

‘The traces of that oath haven’t been erased…  that also means that the oath has not been broken.’

 

Doesn’t the trace itself prove my survival?

The swordmaster had seen a possibility of my survival. Because the traces of the oath we made were still vivid on my body.

 

When I let this new realization sink in and straightened my body which had been leaning comfortably…

 

“Ugh.”

 

A short, pained groan came from behind my head.

It was a sound that didn’t suit Rue at all, so I quickly turned my head with unease.

 

The first thing I saw was slightly narrowed eyes, as if enduring pain. Then, as I straightened my back, I saw the shoulder that had been slightly grazed by my head.

 

His shoulder and entire arm were firmly immobilized. My attention had been focused on his beauty, and only now did I notice the bandage supporting one of his arms.

 

“Rue, you still haven’t treated that shoulder?”

 

My head, which had been rolling in thoughts feverishly, quickly cooled down.

 

My mood became depressed. I quickly tried to stand up, realizing that I had been sitting on a patient’s leg, but Count Serenier’s strong arm remained tightly wrapped around my waist.

 

“It’s not as deep as you think. It only took seven stitches.”

“That’s not the important part. Why aren’t you using magic? Are you afraid people will think it’s strange?”

 

Rue’s avoiding behavior was suspicious.

Whenever he was at a disadvantage, he kept his mouth shut, just like me. But his silence right now was completely incomprehensible.

 

What could possibly be so bad?

 

“Could it be… you can’t do it?”

As soon as I asked the question, I became certain it was true.

 

In an instant, it felt like my reason was swaying like a reed in response to the intense anxiety spreading inside my heart.

 

I tightly grasped his elegant clothing, completely forgetting the fact that he was a patient, and asked with forcefulness, “Really? You really can’t do it? Why?”

 

Rue pulled me closer, embracing my riled up body gently as he spoke as if consoling me, “Shh, calm down. I’m just trying not to overdo it.”

 

“Why is it ‘overdoing’? Is it because of the balance? That’s it, isn’t it? But I’m sure you went to Calepa…”

 

“I didn’t go.”

He didn’t go?

 

Whether or not he knew about my confusion, Rue looked at me with unwavering eyes.

 

“Since it seems like you’re going to ask why again, I’ll answer in advance. I didn’t want to.”

 

“….”

 

“I didn’t want to go.”

 

Rue remained calm.

Because of that, I couldn’t bring myself to ask him ‘why’ once again. His face held only pure sincerity, not excuses.

 

A sudden warmth touched my forehead.

 

It was Rue’s forehead. Those eyes I had seen in the hunting lodge. Eyes filled with pure affection and trust, gently soothing my ragged breath as he whispered,

 

“Do you know what I’m feeling right now, Daisy?”

His silver eyelashes blinked slowly, trembling ever so slightly.

 

Yes, they were trembling. It felt as if Rue’s eyelashes were scared… or like a fierce typhoon that couldn’t be controlled, silently swaying.

 

“You’re madly lovely.”

 

Rue’s finger touched my eyelid.

 

“These eyes that want to share my pain.”

Then, it moved to the bridge of my nose.

 

“This nose that fumes when it’s angry.”

Next, it reached my lips.

 

“These lips that you chew on with your front teeth.. they’re so lovable that I want to swallow them in one bite.”

 

Finally, it rested on my heart.

 

“That’s why I have no regrets.”

---

 

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