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

<Episode 19>

Smiling, he rolled up his sleeve without giving the maid a chance to refuse.

On the surface of his pale arm, lines of various colors were neatly engraved. At a rough estimate, there seemed to be around ten.

The maid asked with astonished eyes.

“What is this…?”

“This side has the most available place, but there’s more at the back of my body as well.”

I knew that it wasn’t the right atmosphere to ask such a question, but my curiosity couldn’t be helped.

“How many in total?”

“I haven’t counted since 70.”

More than 70 vows.

It was a ridiculous number to the ears even for me, who has been through all sorts of hardships, met all sorts of strong and powerful people from all sides of the continent. An exclamation of pure surprise came out.

‘I knew he was extraordinary, but..’

Once again, the question comes to me.

‘Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?’

Rue spoke as if consoling the head-maid who sat with her mouth agape.

“Don’t be too surprised. It is proof that I am very good at keeping promises. If I’d broken my oaths and spoke of any secret even once, I would not be here.”

“Mr. Rue, I understand what you mean, but…”

“Well, I don’t mind taking a stronger oath, if necessary. If someone who wants to dig information from me appears, we can kill him or her, or torture them – I don’t care whatever conditions you want to apply,”

said a soft but irresistibly coercive voice.

“Let me see that egg, too.”

It seems that the head-maid has no other choice.

“After taking a look, I’ll help you with Miss Daisy’s disguise.”

This is why I don’t like quick-witted people.

* * *

Trudge.

A man slowly moved along a long and quiet passageway, illuminating the space with a lamp in hand. The artificial fire was created by a refined magic stone and was bright and clearer than any candle. It was as if all the darkness in the manor would clear at it’s behest.

After slowly crossing the passage, the man stopped in front of his destination, the bedroom.

He knocked lightly on the door, but heard no answer. After waiting for 20 seconds and not hearing a sound, he carefully opened the door.

It was dark in the room.

The man extinguished the lamp and stepped inside the bedroom. As the bed was empty, he turned to the sofa, and found a long and solid body leaning on a chair, eyes closed.

This was his superior, the most powerful man in the Penrotta Empire, Archduke Raphael Zenail Penrotta.

The man, Deshero, sighed quietly, as if relieved.

‘You’re finally asleep.’

The rest that the Grand Duke currently enjoyed was too precious and rare for him to try to cover his body with a blanket and risk waking him up.

It was the first time he slept in three days. Looking at his side profile, which was as precarious as a sheer cliff, DeShero silently closed the door and came out.

A gust of wind and rain hit the window and embraced the darkness of the villa. He wished that the rain would act as a lullaby.

Please. He hoped. Don’t let our Hero have nightmares, at least for today.

* * *

But Deshero’s wishes did not reach the wind.

Tuk, tuk, ttuk.

Raphael, who listened to the irregular beat, thought, looked at the dimly fluttering light hanging from the ceiling.

He had that bloody dream again.

His breathing had calmed down now from when it was too quick. As the red field cleared, the face on the edge of his vision also became recognizable.

Deshero, his aide and also an outstanding warrior, breathed a sigh of relief with his bloodshot eyes.

[Commander-in-Chief, I think the efficiency of <Charity> is increasing. For two hours from now, your breathing and pulse will return to normal, and you will be in a state of sleep.]

* a state of seeming dead but being alive due to a weakened physiological condition.

This was a dream, then.

It was the hell he went through 4 years ago.

In his dream, he was only a bystander, so he had no choice but to look on helplessly, only able to move his mouth.

Raphael took his breath and asked Deshero, who stood by his side.

[How many pills are left?]

His voice, which rested so terribly low, was unfamiliar even to him.

[The dose I used just now was the last one.]

Charity is a powerful hallucinogenic drug. It was treated as a valuable drug on the battlefield because it could be refined and used as a painkiller.

He couldn’t believe there was no more of it left.

[Then it means that we have to solve all difficulties within the next two hours.]

Deshero nodded with a brooding look.

He was severely wounded in the process of destroying the enemy camp, and only woke up this morning after hanging between life and death for two days.

Perhaps because it was a wound caused by magic, the recovery speed was particularly slow. It was difficult to get out of bed, let alone fight – it was so hot that his sense weren’t working properly.

[What happened over the past 2 days?]

[The supply ships have been wrecked one after another, and the supply route has been virtually cut off. There is no other major damage, and the morale of the soldiers is not bad. I’ve called in all the commanders half-an-hour ago as ordered by you, commander.]

The supply was cut off when he, the commander-in-chief, collapsed. Nothing could be any worse.

They now had the enemy’s base just around the corner. After overcoming numerous difficulties, they’d at last reached Queen Island.

If they cross the wave of those demon-distractions, they could reach the Great Wizard Mephisto, the war criminal and main enemy of mankind.

If they crossed a mountain.

They could reach him that way.

While his hand, which was deeply struck by calluses, crumpled the cloth, tired discourse from the commanders was heard from the tent connected to the back.

[The commander-in-chief’s recovery is quite slow. Mephisto’s magic attacks coming from his stronghold seems to have greatly reduced his self-resilience. Commander-in-Chief Raphael must devote at least a week to recovery.]

[A week? Say something that makes sense! Do you think the devil will wait for him to recover? We don’t have enough supplies for 100,000 soldiers to hold out here for a week!]

[Did you say he needed a week’s grace? Then we don’t have to worry about the supply. The soldiers will continue to advance forward. The number of soldiers will decrease faster than the falling rate of the supply-]

[Shut your damn mouth, you jerk! Are you going to sacrifice 100,000 lives like that?]

He didn’t feel good watching his comrades get upset.

Raphael slowly rose from the cot, aided by Deshero.

[Don’t you think it’s better to stay calm and move?]

[You know better than anyone that we don’t have time for that.]

Ten years. It was a war that had lasted ten years.

The never-ending war gave wings to a hero who was nothing but a chess piece.

It’s ironic. The more their troops were defeated and the more the frontline was pushed back, the more powerful his influence among the Magic Alliance became.

Before he knew it, he was being called the commander-in-chief of the MagicUnion.

Commander-in-Chief Raphael..

The hero of mankind.

The king in command of the battle.

The presence of Raphael has a strong influence on this army.

Therefore, he had to wrap up the meeting quickly within two hours and show his face to the soldiers. Encouraging the people is one step closer to victory.

Beyond the tent, which was gradually approaching, came a calming voice.

[We have no choice but to use the cliff of the canyon.]

[The cliff connected to Mephisto’s holy ground? How can we use a path that only one person can get through? Moreover, crossing it is an absurd thought when those gargoyles are keeping watch over there!]

[It’s not like the whole army will be the one doing this. Only one person is needed.]

[Huh! Do you mean to assassinate Mephisto?]

[Who would be able to assassinate that devil? It’s enough to just get Mephisto’s attention. That army of demons only follows his orders. While the person who goes to the canyon stalls time for us, we advance to the bottom of the hill and the front line….]

Raphael quietly stepped into the tent.

The first thing he saw was a wide back.

A person holding a lantern in his hand was standing at the highest position at the table was listening to the serious conversation that was being exchanged over the table.

Two soldiers standing on his sides gilded with pale, sunken faces

It was the place where normally he should be standing. But when General Raphael failed to show up to his place, there was only one man who could replace him.

Andert.

Because he was Raphael’s sword, his one and only partner.

[It’s worth trying.]

Andert nodded.

[But if you don’t have enough power, you’ll die on the cliff. The plan may be fruitless, to send someone so valuable is….]

[…Commander in Chief?]

Twelve pairs of eyes gathered on Raphael.

Some were relieved, some were worried, but Raphael’s attention did not stay with them. Without hesitation, he continued his steps and stood before his partner.

A man called the king’s sword.

A dear friend who is one of the commanders of the Magic Union and has endured 10 years in this hell with him. A brother, his family, a partner and his better half.

[Andert.]

Andert looked back at him.

—

Raphael’s name was a source of agony for me. I liked the name Rafaello which is another way of writing Raphael but I’d already written it as Raphael and didn’t want to change it since it was also technically correct. The korean spelling seems to be Rafaello as well (Well, more like lapa-ello, but you know how the korean and japanese spell R and Ls and Ps.) so i thought, why not Rafaello when he’s being called commander and general for a more serious tone and Raphael for when he’s just, Raphael? 

I ended up just keeping it as Raphael though, better keep it simple.