“Then, I’ll just…”

Afraid that I might tick him off, I went on my tiptoes and walked away as soundlessly as possible.

I survived!

With this exaltation going through my mind, I left through the door—then white letters flashed before me.

The game system computed everything for me, added and subtracted my money mercilessly like a knife. It already plummeted my fatigue, and now it was cutting down my daily wage, too.

How much would the young master’s bedspread, duvet and pillow cost me? I have no idea, but I think it’s going to be higher than the 300 gold I had in the beginning.

Still, even if the system was going to subtract the compensation for the damages to the expensive bedding, my total balance wouldn’t be able to cover it. I wouldn’t even be able to file for bankruptcy in this place.

I had three choices here: to go homeless, starve to death, or become the devil’s meal…

My hand rushed to reach for the doorknob just now, but I soon felt miserable.

This was how you’d be able to change the mind of a person who’s constantly broke.

“I can’t leave just like this, Young Master. Please give me my punishment for making your bed like that.”

“…Punishment?”

With a puzzled look, Adrian asked.

“But not any kind of punishment, please. Especially money. I can’t pay a fine. Please also not a cut from my daily wage. Anything but that.”

“……”

“You must be wondering why I’m asking for a punishment like this and why I’m talking so much here, Young Master. That I forgot my place, I know that very well. Even as I’m saying this, I couldn’t believe how preposterous I am being. But, Young Master, if you ever witness someone being driven to the edge of a cliff, they might be similar to how I am now. I sincerely hope that you will punish me for making your bed dirty.”

“Hilda, who is driving you to the edge of a cliff?”

“There is a bully. I am only striving to work hard every single day, sir, but there’s this bully who keeps taking my money for the smallest of reasons.”

A damn bully that’s next to me 24/7.

“Do you mean that there’s a person like that who comes by often? Here?”

“Yes. It is a bully that has no conscience by nature, and I can’t get rid of this bully by myself. In any case, Young Master, I will pay for my sins fair and square. If we settle this between us, maybe the bully wouldn’t be particularly stingy today. Probably. Oh, and please keep this a secret from Miss Leticia. I think she’s been having migraines lately, so I heard it’s best to be careful around her.”

“……”

“Every one of us in the manor wouldn’t be able to live without the head maid, of course.”

Being at the end of those piercing eyes, my hands trembled, chills ran down my spine and my lips moved on their own as if I’m not on the verge of dying right here, right now.

Even a worn out, fatigued beggar could still muster some bravery and still be so determined in the face of death itself.

It was at this moment that I noticed something new.

“Huu…”

Besides Leticia, it seemed like Adrian also had a migraine, seeing that he was leaning back against his seat as he touched his forehead. In full view were his angular jawline, high nose bridge and sparkling eyes… In terms of looks alone, there was no other visual that could compare.

“You said you can’t give me any money.”

“Yes, that’s right. Even if you point a knife to my neck, I still can’t. I’ll give you some if I have it, but I really, truly do not have any money.”

“It’s not a sin that could justify bashing your head in either.”

“That… That’s a bit too much, isn’t it.”

I was miffed and I wanted to complain, but I extended my big heart and instead said only this.

“Then, just answer me one question.”

“Pardon? Is that going to be alright with you? The bed, the sheets, and the pillows all look expensive.”

“It’s an answer that I’ll be able to hear only from you. Instead of that, just answer honestly.”

“W-What is it?”

“The reason why you won’t look at me. What is it?”

He knows everything.

Well, I mean, it would be even more strange if he didn’t know anything when I’d been avoiding him so blatantly.

But why was he curious about that? In the first place, it’s rude for a servant to look into the eyes of a noble, right?

It was a cheap price to pay for dirtying his bed, but at the same time, it was also something that’s difficult to answer.

Here’s the reason—I knew that Adrian’s a devil who grew stronger for every human being he killed, that’s why I was terrified and frightened out of my mind each moment I was in front of him and wished to run away. But I couldn’t very well say that, huh.

“I want an honest answer.”

Perhaps because of a wind coming from somewhere, the candlelight flickered and cast a deeper shadow over his face. Pale double eyelids, elegant long lashes… The very moment I glanced at his face once more, I suddenly thought of something.

Though it wasn’t the truth, it’s an honest reason.

“It’s just, um, because you’re handsome.”

Adrian was the main character of this game, and he must have been drawn by the best artist in A-Comms, so I had to admit that his visuals were top tier. Though for someone like me, who knew the truth, it was just uncanny.

“I’ve been working here for quite a long time now, but I’ve only recently realized that the Young Master is really handsome. And my taste in men is the weak but beautiful type. At some point, whenever I saw you, my heart started pounding and my hands and legs kept trembling so much that I couldn’t even look straight at you, Young Master.”

“……”

“Really, don’t you think about it sometimes when you look in the mirror, too? ‘I’m handsome today as well.’ ‘How could I be this good-looking?’ ‘I wonder how it was possible for my parents to give me this face. I’ll have to thank them for the rest of my life,’ like that.”