Home/How That Extra Maid Survives/ch44

Chapter 44

"Love? All of a sudden?"

What was she suddenly talking about?

"Yes…!"

Vinet led me to a chair and sat me down, as if telling me to listen carefully.

Her voice was a little excited as she chattered.

"I went to the library earlier to borrow a book, right? I found the one I wanted, but I couldn't reach it. I turned around to get a small ladder, and then!"

"And then?"

"Sir Adren, who was standing behind me, took the book down for me. He said he'd come to apologize for startling me earlier. How…! Isn't he just so full of manners?"

Wait, so which part made you fall in love?

I couldn't understand at all.

I knew it was about Adren, but… why?

"You fell for him because he apologized? Because he had manners?"

"No? That's just a bonus. He took the book down for me."

"…?"

"?"

As we both tilted our heads, unable to understand each other, Vinet seemed to realize something and nodded.

"Right. You lost your memory, didn't you? You've adapted so well that I keep forgetting! I told you before. My ideal type."

"What was your ideal type?"

"A tall person."

"That's practically everyone here…?"

"Someone who can solve problems in high places when I need them to."

It sounded plausible, but it wasn't that big of a deal.

"…You fell for him because he took down a book?"

"That's exactly it! Wow, he's really big and sturdy. Rudy and Dany could both sit on his shoulders and still have room! With that, he could even fix a hole in the ceiling without a ladder, don't you think?"

"…Uh… yeah."

Wouldn't it take a war to put a hole in the ducal residence's ceiling?

And the ceilings were too high for him to reach anyway, but I decided to protect the girl's heart.

'In your old house, that would definitely be true.'

"Right? Mom and I are both small, so we really struggled. When there was heavy rain, we couldn't go out. The old ladder had rotted and collapsed on that very day. Rainwater leaked in. I climbed up on Mom's shoulders, but I couldn't hammer properly and hit my hand instead. I was so upset."

Vinet rarely talked about her mother.

'She doesn't talk about herself much either.'

Afraid of being a burden.

Still, she was now opening up more, which made me proud and relieved.

'Who does Rahan open up to? Heald?'

Pushing aside the sudden curiosity, I focused on Vinet's words.

"You know what I thought then? Ah, I need to get really big."

Vinet, who was on the shorter side, poked her own crown and smiled.

"I got better at hammering with practice, but height didn't seem to improve with effort. I replaced the ladder every year, even if it was a waste of money, but I don't know why it stuck with me so much."

"Those small things tend to stick more."

They really do.

Trivial things often linger in memory.

"I guess so? That's probably why I notice tall people. A good build makes them look handsome. And they seem strong too."

"Your taste is solid."

"It is. Hehe, if my mom saw him, she'd probably make a fuss and say he's exactly your type."

So this was why she'd been drinking alone.

"She's probably fussing over you right now. You just can't see her."

"Maybe…"

I wish. Hehe. She laughed foolishly.

"Want another drink?"

"With you? Hmm…."

"I won't drink enough to make a scene!"

Unlike the real Lexi, I was the quiet type even when drunk.

"Then sure—"

Vinet grinned and took the glass I handed her.

"Cheers!"

The glasses clinked with a clear sound.

It looked like tonight was going to be a long one.

---

Poke, poke. The harsh sunlight stabbed at my eyes.

When I sat up, Vinet was sprawled beside me, sleeping like a corpse.

I pushed her arm off my leg and sat up, my head spinning.

Frowning, I barely came to my senses and looked around.

"This is my room…?"

We drank in Vinet's room—so why was she sleeping in mine?

I couldn't remember.

"How many bottles did we drink?"

I opened the half-closed door to Vinet's room.

The bottles scattered on the table brought back last night's memories and made my stomach churn.

"Ugh!"

I gagged and clutched my aching stomach.

"Urgh… if I ever drink again, I'm not human."

I meant to control myself, but the wine after so long had been too sweet.

"I'm dying…."

Vinet, who had gotten up late, clutched her head and groaned.

She wobbled, then collapsed forward.

"I think I said all sorts of things."

"You say all sorts of things all the time. What's the big deal?"

The talk about love had gone from past, to present, to future, and even to you and me—all sorts of things came out.

"This is why I don't drink."

She grumbled, getting chills because she remembered her drunken confessions perfectly. I lifted one corner of my mouth in reply.

"Why are you laughing! You… you…! You didn't have anything, did you! This is unfair!"

It was Vinet who got drunk before me.

"Come on, get up. Morning's almost here."

"Yeah… I should get up. Yeah. I should."

She said that, but Vinet still dawdled and showed no sign of moving.

"Are you going to show up looking haggard for breakfast with Sir Adren?"

"Ah! Right!"

As if she'd just remembered, Vinet jumped up and hurriedly started her day.

The sunlight outside had already crossed the window and settled at our feet.

'The weather is nice.'

They said the weather would get better as the social season approached—it wasn't an empty saying.

'I should send Thalia a letter.'

Once the season started, I'd get busy too, so I'd better prepare to visit the Magic Tower in advance.

---

Rikael took off his mask and placed it neatly beside him.

Slurp—

After slowly savoring his tea, Rikael smiled at Heald, who was seated across from him.

His white hair and innocent smile suited him like a child—the epithet 'angel' naturally came to mind.

"Yes, that's the potion I gave to Lady Lexi."

"May I ask what kind of potion it was?"

The potions produced by the temple had different types.

Healing, curse-breaking, or even activating one's abilities.

"It was a general healing potion. She had an unfortunate incident at the temple, so she must have been exhausted in mind and body. I gave it to her in case she needed it."

"A man in a black robe! Th… that man is the culprit! It wasn't me! That's not mine! I only made three works! That man manipulated me!"

The image of Keor, spewing vile words and protesting his innocence, flashed by.

"Can a general healing potion break a curse?"

Could it have been a curse of some kind? Bewitchment. Mind control.

Even knowing how absurd it was, Heald and Rahan didn't dismiss Keor's words.

Now, screaming and mentioning his crimes, he was clearly mad—which meant he wasn't the type to falsely confess to seven murders.

"Even if the essence is different, it's possible to some degree. Though it's very slight."

"As expected. Phew, sorry for taking your time when you're busy. I've been rude."

They'd succeeded in identifying another suspect, but he was already dead.

The man's body was covered in black spots, hideous as if infected with a plague.

They'd been tracing his movements meticulously, but the shadow of the mastermind behind the dead man remained unseen.

Was there something they were missing? Starting from scratch, they'd consulted Rikael, but the results weren't satisfying.

"Not at all. It's only natural."

When Sehem wasn't involved, Rikael was perfectly normal.

"Haha, thank you for saying that."

Heald stood up.

"I heard you're not planning to make handcrafted potions for a while, but if you do, sell them to me first. I'll send a generous donation."

Rikael had postponed making handcrafted potions to recover his divine power, following Lexi's advice to spread Sehem's word even a little further.

Standing up after him, Rikael answered as if to say not to worry.

"Of course. In fact, many people have been asking for my potions lately, so I was planning to start making them again soon."

"Lately?"

Rikael's handcrafted potions were often expensive enough to make even nobles hesitate.

"Who came looking?"

All temple transactions were recorded with clear sources, so it wasn't a secret—anyone could see.

"Viscount Gabaton and…."

Rikael listed the nobles who had reserved potions, and most of them had some connection to Marquis Selfios.

Was this really a coincidence?

"Thank you."

Thanks to him, I think I can find my direction again.

"I'm glad I could be of help."

Meeting the kind priest Rikael again was a welcome experience, but unfortunately, the reality was different.

'Lady Lexi would be happy too, right?'

"Sir Rikael, people will surely come looking for your potions. If you get the chance, make sure to send them to His Highness the Crown Prince. If he doesn't come, his close associates, or even Lady Marr Elr would do. That's the path we must take."

At the thought of earning Lexi's praise, Rikael's smile bloomed like a full flower.

---

"My muse! My love! Welcome!"

Thalia greeted me with a grand embrace.

"Business is going well, I take it?"

"Of course!"

"Enough to put Marron Chande beneath your feet?"

"Absolutely!"

Thalia and I laughed together.

She was drunk on the reputation of being the undisputed top dress shop, and I was thrilled to have contributed to cutting off one of the Second Prince's funding sources.

"Are you still planning to see Keor in person?"

After pouring me Robennier tea, Thalia sat across and asked.

Keor would be executed today.

With the additional culprits revealed, there was no reason to keep him alive.

"Of course. I need to see him off."

"I thought you were scared? Why go there!"

She'd grumbled about how terrifying even the thought of a beheading was, but I didn't care.

'That was then, this is now.'

Even if it was because of what I'd been through, I was going to imprint it in my eyes.

I wanted Vinet to come too, but unfortunately, unlike me on my day off, she had a tea time with Marr Elr today.

"Though one of them is already dead."

Another culprit had been found, but again, Marquis Selfios behind him remained in the shadows.

It seemed he intended to make everything fall on the scapegoats.

The mages who had used forbidden magic were all loyal to Marquis Selfios, so they wouldn't come forward as culprits themselves.

'Still, they won't be using mind-control magic for a while.'

Rikael said Heald had visited, so maybe something useful would turn up soon.

It was a shame, but I decided to be satisfied with this for now.

"Phew, even tearing him limb from limb wouldn't be enough, and yet they call it an example."

Thalia vented her anger in a way that made it unclear whether she was drinking tea or wine.

Since I'd been contributing to Shal Dre Boutique's growing reputation, she couldn't forgive Keor for almost killing me.

"He must have suffered enough by now."

I'd prodded Rebecca for detailed accounts of the torture process.

It wouldn't be enough to soothe the spirits of the dead, but keeping him alive any longer would just be a waste of food.

And in the meantime, Marquis Selfios might scheme something else.

"It's almost time."

Thalia checked the clock and stood up.

"Thank you for helping me today."

I gave my thanks in advance.

"Hoho. I'm always receiving help from you. I'm glad to have a chance to repay you, even like this."

Thalia replied with a pleased smile.

Back   Next