Chapter 86: Bubbling Blood
The next day, and the day after that, and the day after that.
It could be called blatant, or perhaps it was even worse. The relentless torment that was not clearly defined continued.
In the main dining hall.
Amidst dozens of servants serving dishes, a boy with a face full of annoyance stared at a plate of soup and said,
Hey, demon maid.
However, there was no response to the boys shout. Dozens of maids surrounded the boy at the dining table, but none of them reacted to the boys words.
Well, it was understandable. Didnt the boy just say, demon maid? The mansions maids blinked their eyes as if the words were out of place.
The boy, who had been sitting alone at the large dining table and tasting the soup a few times, was now claiming that demons had invaded the mansion of Hugo Prient, the strongest knight in the empire. So, it was natural for them to have doubts about the boys words.
The fact that demons had invaded the mansion meant that demons had revealed themselves in the imperial capital where the emperor resided. It was not a topic to be taken lightly.
The term Demon, in itself, referred to an intelligent being with evil intentions. Its mere existence instilled fear in most people.
But still, the idea that demons were casually working as maids was quite absurd.
Demon. Cant you hear me?
Nevertheless, Shiron spoke as if he were convinced that there were demon maids in the dining hall.
Still receiving no response, Shiron turned his head and stared at a specific spot. All eyes followed Shirons gaze.
Are you referring to her?
The place where their gaze stopped was Elise, a rookie maid recently brought in by Miss Siriel. Elise, who received countless stares, stiffened her face.
Here we go again.
Elise, feeling a slight headache, looked at Shiron.
Yes, you. Im calling you a demon maid.
Next to him were Encia and Ophilia, who were undeniably demons in Seiras eyes, but Shiron referred to Elise, who looked like a human woman, as a demon maid. To those who did not know the circumstances, it seemed like harassment.
All the maids in the dining hall sent sympathetic glances to Elise. However, no one could stop Shirons actions.
Shirons mischievous behavior had been experienced by all the maids in this mansion at least once, and it was an act implicitly allowed by the master of the house, Hugo.
Sigh
Dont you hear me? Or are you openly ignoring me?
Yes, sir. What do you need?
Seira reluctantly replied, suppressing a bit of fatigue. Shiron raised one corner of his mouth as if waiting for her response.
The soup is salty.
Im not a cook
Why are you so stubborn about being a maid? Its annoying.
Seira retorted, but Shiron ignored her as if he were proud of the act. In fact, wasnt he starting to get annoyed instead?
Seira calmed her rising anger and bowed her head meekly.
Im sorry. Ill bring the soup again.
In the end, Seira complied with Shirons request without any resistance. Constantly cast aside and unable to express her true emotions, Seira had not been able to properly express her feelings. Gradually, her heart was being worn away.
However, Seiras pitiful acting was not entirely useless.
Although Seiras portrayal of Elise was beautiful enough to arouse jealousy, she quickly became friends with the mansions servants. They couldnt stand by while a fellow servant was being tormented by a bad, noble brat.
That little brat. He seems to be especially harsh on Elise.
A colleague said, unable to stand seeing a noble brat tormenting her.
Is that so?
Yeah, isnt it? He used to seem like a mischievous troublemaker, but lately, he feels like hes crossing the line.
Right. If I were Elise, I would have quit a long time ago.
A maid with striking cheekbones commented.
Hmm, the salary is decent, and the career prospects are substantial, so I thought it was a good job, but whats going on here?
That little kid has been strange since he came here. Miss Siriel and Miss Lucia are kind even to the servants, but that little brat acts like a devil, and people say there are no demons?
Yes!
A maid with slightly disheveled hair looked at Seira.
Elise?
Yes? Whats going on?
Is it tough for you? Have this. I baked some cookies with the leftover ingredients from the kitchen.
The maid with disheveled hair handed Seira a package of cookies wrapped in rough paper.
Thank you. Ill enjoy them.
Perhaps because she felt overwhelmed by the act of consolation or because she was absorbed in her pitiful slave act, there was a slight moisture in Seiras eyes. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Now, even Seira couldnt tell whether this act was genuine or just acting.
Seiras private room.
As evening came and work hours ended, Seira dispelled her polymorph magic. Her crimson hair turned back to silver, and her pointed ears returned.
Haah
Seira, who collapsed onto the bed, sighed as if the world had ended.
Aaah! Aack!
Seira, her hair disheveled, began screaming wildly, tossing and turning on the bed.
Why are you doing this to me? Why, exactly?!
She wasnt just shouting. Seira was now writhing on the bed, flailing her arms and legs.
Flap, flap, flop, flop.
Her behavior, rolling around and flailing, was similar to a child begging for a toy.
Who would believe that she was a mage who had fought alongside a hero 500 years ago? Her actions were so absurd that they couldnt be justified by her great accomplishments.
Did I do something so wrong? Did I? Why is it only happening to me?!
Seira, who had vented her frustration for a while, now stared at the ceiling as she gritted her teeth.
Her vision, which had been so clear that she could see well even at night, became blurry due to the tears in her eyes. Seira used her sleeve to wipe the tears from her eyes.
Hmph.
Seira sniffled, feeling a bit of irritation. Where did it all go wrong?
Of course, without going into the details, it was Seira who manipulated Siriels actions and made her press the bid button.
However, due to months of Shirons torment, Seira couldnt bring herself to care that much. After enjoying centuries of leisure, she couldnt feel remorse at just that level of mental interference.
Whats with that little brat?
Kka-deuk!
While biting her thumbnail, Seira thought deeply.
Shiron Prient, the mastermind behind everything The boy was as wicked as they came, with black hair and eyes.
At first glance, the term wicked might seem exaggerated, but according to Seiras evaluation, it was the most fitting word among all the intelligent beings she had encountered.
However, there were some strange aspects.
He didnt think of me as a demon, did he? Why is he so agitated?
When dealing with demons, one has to be even more cautious. Provoking them to the point of anger was tantamount to suicide. Moreover, that little brat was incredibly weak.
Shiron was stronger than an average human, but in Seiras eyes, he was no different from a child trying to lift a boulder. Even the two demons he always carried with him couldnt match Seiras strength.
That little demon dares to defy me, even though I can easily kill him
Seiras sacred skill, Extreme Light White Night, could easily annihilate high-ranking demons. After all, it was a magic that was developed to combat demons who hadnt reached godhood
No, absolutely not.
When an overly aggressive thought crossed her mind, Seira shook her head and regained her composure.
Responding with sincerity to a childs provocation wouldnt be mature. Although she had practically erased herself from the world in various ways, she still held a sense of justice.
Getting excited over a childs provocation and causing an incident would make Seira no different from the demons she vanquished 500 years ago.
The narrative that Seira despised the most was the story of a righteous person turning into a villain after punishing evildoers.
In reality, there was a way to rectify this situation.
Erasing the memories of everyone except the boy and leaving the mansion.
But Seiras pride would not allow it.
It was laughable that she, who boasted of being the greatest mage, couldnt endure the torment of a mere child. Furthermore, Seira had a personality that demanded she settle any score when provoked.
However, Seira couldnt think of any clever ideas.
Shiron had confidently withstood her mental interference, something which she had proudly displayed. Every time she cast a spell to fend off the torment, Shiron would smile smugly while his nose bled.
His demeanor sent shivers down Seiras spine.
What a stubborn brat. A chilling brat. He knows everything, yet hes acting this way?!
Seira, who was chewing on the corner of her blanket, continued to ponder how to deal with this frustrating situation.
Thats it!
Seira, who had been deep in thought for a while, suddenly sat up on the bed.
Am I a genius?
Without asking for my help, I can make him give up, right? Why didnt I think of this method until now?
With this method, she could reverse the situation without feeling any remorse. A bright smile appeared on Seiras face.
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