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

<Episode 182>

 

* * *

 

From some point, checking my wake-up time became one of the most important things for me.

 

‘At 6:40 in the evening…’

Now, instead of 6 o’clock in the evening, I found myself waking up around 7 o’clock.

 

Certainly, comparing today’s physical condition with two days ago, I felt significantly better. Not only did the sudden abdominal pain, headaches, and tinnitus disappear, but I also realized that my basic stamina had greatly improved.

 

‘Lately, I feel less muscle soreness even if I swing a sword.’

Next was the second most important thing of the day.

 

Opening my notebook and checking the memo, there was a kind response written to my apologies that had been going on for two days.

 

『..Again, I’m really fine, Ash.

Please don’t apologize. I know best how much you care for and consider me.

 

I realized something new after coming here.

Compared to the tragedies these people have experienced, what I went through in Serenier is nothing.

 

It’s embarrassing to even put the word sympathy in my mouth, let alone ask for it…』

 

I pretended to have a seizure to evoke sympathy from the rebels. Was it because I was just naturally trash?

 

‘What do you mean what happened in Serenier Castle was nothing?’

Dismissing one’s misfortune as something trivial was a bad habit, and it never helped to create a healthy mind.

 

For the first time since sharing my body with Dian, I left a very long scolding message for him. Perhaps my incessant fidgeting with my hands bothered Ash, who had been wandering around the room (the one in the ghostly castle) after coming out of the cage, so she poked the pen nib with her beak.

 

“Stop, Ash.”

“Squawk.”

 

Ash couldn’t fly.

 

I only found out two days ago. No matter how young she was, I thought it was strange to keep a hunting hawk in a cage when it wasn’t even supposed to be a pet bird, but there was a reason for it.

 

I thought it was some sort of disability, but it seemed Dian’s story with Ash started when he found a hawk that had fallen from its nest.

As a result, Ash’s wings appeared intact, but she couldn’t soar into the sky.

 

“…Not being able to fly might actually be a blessing for you.”

“Squawk.”

 

“Dian takes care of you, so you can just play, eat, and poop.”

 

“Squaaawk!”

 

“Hmm. You’re right too. What reason is there to live a life of just playing, eating, and pooping? Whether it’s humans or animals, we have to do something at least. Right?”

 

“Squaaawk!”

 

I gently shook the glass vial placed on the desk and reached out my arm towards Ash.

 

“Here, let’s have this. It seems like it’s medicine prepared by Dian for you. Should I mix it with meat?”

 

“Squawk?”

That’s when it happened.

 

“T-That!”

 

Under Rue’s command, White, who was staying in the same room under the pretext of protection, suddenly shouted in a loud voice.

 

As I turned my head, White, who had been sharpening her sword for a while, hunched her shoulders and muttered something under her breath.

 

“…It’s not for that bird, it’s for you. Yeah.”

 

For me?

 

“What is this?”

“You’ve been moving around diligently, even with those small injuries… So, that’s why I made it! It’s for nourishment… Something like that! Y-yep!”

 

Look at this.

‘Isn’t the way she speaks too suspicious?’

After setting down the glass bottle, I stood in front of White.

 

“Hey.”

 

The Pale-faced White pulled the sword sheath she was holding towards herself.

 

— I’ll work hard. I’ll become stronger today, even stronger tomorrow, and even stronger the day after tomorrow!

 

It wasn’t an unpleasant resonance, but right now, I had something else to attend to.

 

“What’s your relationship with Dian?”

“W-What are you… Hick!”

“Be honest. What do you know?”

 

White’s eyes were filled with intense confusion, and they fiercely darted around.

However, the confusion didn’t last long. Soon enough, she tightly shut her eyes and seemed to give in.

 

“Yeah, I know everything! Who wouldn’t know that you and Dian are different unless they have no brain in their head! You psycho! No violence!”

 

Did she already know that our personalities are different? Well, considering how different our temperaments were, it must be hard not to think it was weird…

 

“Jane didn’t know.”

“Because that maid is stupid! She said she’s just happy as long as you eat well and smile!”

 

Suddenly, I remembered what happened last night.

Could it be that the reason those big guys eagerly challenged me every time I went out…?

 

“Did you inform others about Dian’s condition?”

“G-Gosh! Yes, I did! I spread the word about his suffering due to split-personality disorder! I felt sorry for Dian, but if you have any complaints…”

 

“Good job.”

 

“…Huh?”

I passed by the blank-faced White and walked towards the window covered in frost.

 

‘At least that’s something. If rumors spread about his other wicked and despicable personality, Dian will be bothered less.’

 

After melting the frost with my breath, I wiped the window with my palm to check the situation outside. I saw people of all ages gathered around sporadic bonfires.

 

Since this ghost castle had become the main base, I learned that the rebel forces were much larger than I had anticipated.

 

I overheard that there were currently 90,000 soldiers stationed in this castle alone, and if we combined all the scattered personnel across the Kingdom of Astrosa, it would easily exceed 200,000.

 

“The atmosphere is unusual. Are we going to invade Calepa?”

“Calepa? Do you know where it is?”

“Then what is everyone preparing so diligently for?”

 

“…We’re going to capture Puskov Castle tomorrow.”

The hesitant response reached my ears.

I tore my gaze away from the scenery beyond the window and looked at White.

 

“Puskov?”

 

“It’s the family entrusted by the survivors of Serenier… If we capture Puskov Castle, the kingdom of Astrosa will practically regain its freedom from Rogue. The Puskov family is also the regent of the current King.”

 

Come to think of it, didn’t they say the current King of Astrosa was a 14-year-old boy?

‘Did that puppeteer collude with Rogue and sacrifice the kingdom’s citizens as experimental subjects?’

 

Rare trash seemed to exist everywhere, whether it was 150 years ago or in the future.

“If you successfully capture Puskov Castle, will this rebel force be disbanded?”

 

White’s black eyes emitted an unfamiliar, fierce energy.

 

“No? What we want is the freedom of Astrosa, and more. To completely eradicate the remnants of Calepa that still remain in Rogue. If we put it bluntly, that’s closest to our fundamental goal.”

 

She lowered the corners of her mouth and continued in a noticeably lower voice.

“That demon… has been using Astrosa as a biological laboratory.”

 

“The Devil Army.”

 

“Yeah, it’s a truly dreadful army. The reason my village burned down was all because of that damn army. Those bastards deliberately hunted and preyed on villages.”

 

For some reason, White fell silent after making that statement.

 

As I looked at the back of her head, gently stroking her sword, memories of my past resurfaced. The me from the past, driven solely by the desire for revenge, who’d stepped foot on the continent with just a worn-out sword in hand.

 

How did I manage to overcome that hellish period? Several faces naturally came to mind.

The faces of those who led me onto the path of survival.

 

“…Draw your sword, White.”

 

“What?”

 

“I don’t think I’ll be able to fall asleep if I don’t fix your pathetic skills. So, draw your sword.”

In an instant, her face, which had been darkened, regained a bright energy.

 

“R-Really? Seriously? Just wait a moment! I’ll grab my gloves!”

 

As I watched White’s back as she hastily left the room, I let out a small sigh.

This was why giving as much as you receive was cumbersome.

 

* * *

 

That day was different from usual.

There were so many differences that it’s hard to enumerate them all, but among them, the most notable was the faint presence of someone near the door. I had an intuitive sense that the owner of that presence had been there for a very long time.

 

Rue.

It was him.

 

Why was he here? What about Puskov Castle? Did the occupation fail? Why was he here alone?

 

“You finally woke up, Ash.”

It was an incredibly affectionate greeting.

The voice was as gentle as the future Rue I knew, but instead of joy, an indescribable chill ran down my spine. It felt like a strange uneasiness, as if my heart was being tightly squeezed.

 

Thud.

It was the sound of a heavy object falling down.

The thud echoed, and soon it came to a stop near my feet, close to the bed. Without even being able to take a proper breath, I looked down at the perfectly round object.

 

It wasn’t a ball.

 

“Now, tell me.”

 

…A head.

 

“Which one made your back look like that?”

 

It was the head of Serenier’s patriarch, Rovski Serenier.

---

 

Oh shit