“How many servants are here right now?”
“I’m the only one.”
“…That’s strange.”
“It’s not a big problem because there aren’t many people to serve.”
“…Ha.”
Verdic seemed to be growing more suspicious as time went on.
Even to herself, it didn’t sound entirely normal. Carynne was relieved that she was at least wearing her maid’s uniform. If she had been wearing something more extravagant, the situation would have been even more complicated.
“So, did Sir Raymond officially hire you, Young Miss?”
“…Well… I don’t really know.”
“Do you think it’s reasonable for you not to know about it when it’s your own issue?”
“I don’t have any memories of signing a contract.”
“So, we can’t even say you’re a maid. You’re just a slave.”
After all, Carynne wasn’t originally employed here. Carynne made an effort to appear as insignificant as possible. She had to divert as much attention away from herself as possible. Verdic seemed to be getting increasingly irritated, but she had no choice but to avoid giving straightforward answers.
“Do you think it makes sense for two adults to live together in a place like this without a contract? No one would do that if they’re in their right minds.”
Well, Raymond was a bit like that. Carynne initially agreed but then hesitated and countered.
“Lord Raymond is my benefactor. Please don’t speak ill of him.”
“A person with a sound mind wouldn’t handle things this way. If you want to show kindness, you should do it properly and take her back to her home. Just leaving her at home like this…”
Verdic was criticizing Raymond in terms of morality. Carynne had to stifle a laugh at how absurd the situation was.
He seemed to have the predilection for meddling in everything ever since Isella disappeared.
“Since when have you known Sir Raymond? And have there been any strange incidents or… other women involved?”
“…I don’t know.”
But Carynne understood Verdic. She was also very well aware of the weight of the axe he wielded.
‘Should I kill him?’
Carynne thought about the traps at the entrance. Raymond had set numerous traps in the mansion.
Verdic and Carynne had never had a positive relationship.
Since they had already met, excising him from the story might be the way.
Before Verdic could kill her, she should kill him first.
It’s possible.
She hadn’t done it before because of fear. She hadn’t done it before because she didn’t have the opportunity.
Carynne looked around. Verdic was following her.
He was a well-built middle-aged man, but if she used traps instead of going into direct combat, even someone relatively weak like herself might succeed.
This time, she might succeed in her revenge.
Carynne looked at the large front door before her.
She took a shallow breath.
Let’s try.
“…The door doesn’t open properly. Could you help me?”
Carynne turned around and asked Verdic.
There was a trap set on the door. It opened by pulling the lion-shaped door handle, but if you pulled it without untying the knot inside the handle, the rope would catch the person entering. If she was lucky, she could strangle Verdic’s neck at once.
“Please push this door open for me.”
“…Fine.”
Verdic frowned. This wasn’t his job.
Carynne inwardly rejoiced as she watched Verdic walk closer to the door. This time, she was a bit nervous, but if she killed him decisively from the beginning, both herself and Raymond would be safe.
Ba-thump.
Verdic reached the door. He adjusted the scarf around his neck. Carynne imagined herself strangling his neck right there. She could do it. Deal with Verdic and dispose of the body. She would have to clean up thoroughly.
She couldn’t do it in her past lives. Her first and foremost priority back then was to survive.
But Verdic didn’t touch the handle. Carynne waited impatiently and decided to speak up. Why was he just standing there? Had he noticed something? That couldn’t be true, right?
“If you just pull this…”
“Lind! Come here and open the door!”
Verdic turned around and shouted. What’s going on? Carynne was taken aback, so she turned her head in the direction Verdic shouted. Damn it, Carynne cursed. From a distance, Verdic’s aide, Lind, was coming.
“Mister Verdic! Slow down, let’s open the door, gaaasp, together…”
“You’re too slow, you idiot!”
Verdic yelled and gestured to his aide. There were more people. In fact, it wasn’t just one person. Carynne was too tense to notice that there were others besides Verdic. Damn it. Carynne quietly cursed to herself once more, teeth grinding together.
“There are… many guests.”
Verdic looked at his watch with a grimace as he replied.
“Who would come all the way here alone? My watch is ruined, damn it. This was expensive… Lind, open the door. It looks like there are hardly any servants at the Tes Manor right now.”
“Who is this young lady?”
The belatedly arrived chubby aide looked at Carynne.
“She fell into the water, so I pulled her out. She says she’s Raymond’s maid.”
“Please open the door.”
Carynne interrupted Verdic’s words. Verdic gestured with his chin towards the door. Clearly, he had no desire to even go through the trouble of opening it.
She then counted the people behind Lind. It’s not just the two of them. One, two, three… Roughly six of them. There was no way that such a man as him would come alone like this.
Carynne hastily spoke to the aide who was about to open the door.
“You have to untie the knot inside the doorknob.”
“…It’s quite an unusual method.”
“I know. It’s very different from before. It wasn’t like this back then,” Verdic quipped.
“There are fewer people here now.”
Carynne replied to Verdic’s comment, hoping it wouldn’t sound like an excuse.
Carynne felt her palms getting slightly sweaty.
With a creaking sound, the door opened. Verdic looked inside from behind and spoke slowly.
“The inside of the house seems quite different from before.”
The plan to kill Verdic in one go was a failure.
She had expected her to come alone, and she seemed nervous as well. What could she do? With a composed face, Carynne addressed Verdic.
“Sir.”
“I’m Verdic Evans. I don’t know how long you’ll pretend not to know, Young Miss.”
“Ah… Yes… Mister Verdic. If you wait here, I will inform Lord Raymond.”
“Very well. I’ll wait.”
Verdic stood in the hallway and replied. There was not just one trap. And when dealing with many people, there was a certain way to handle them. Carynne clasped her hands together and asked as if she were a real maid.
“Shall I bring you some tea?”
“Please do.”
The aide replied willingly, staring directly at Carynne’s face and smiling brightly. Carynne also smiled back at him and turned her head to Verdic.
However, Verdic did not smile. He shook his head with a displeased expression.
“No, I don’t need any.”
“Mister Verdic.”
“Lind, be quiet. Just notify Sir Raymond of my arrival first.”
“Yes… Understood.”
“Mister Verdic, it’s not advisable to act like this. You came here without even informing Sir Raymond Saytes…”
“Lind.”
The aide fell silent.
She turned and walked away. She needed to inform Raymond and figure out what to do. With Raymond, they should be able to easily eliminate three or four people. They had to be eliminated.
Carynne couldn’t understand why Raymond hadn’t dealt with Verdic first. She needed to vent her frustrations somehow.
* * *
Strange.
Verdic glared at the redheaded woman.
There’s just the two of them alone in this baron’s residence? Did that even make sense? It was clear they were hiding something.
Verdic Evans clenched his fist. Doubts started creeping in.
His daughter had disappeared. Without a trace.
Raymond Saytes was supposed to be attending a scholarly conference hosted by Countess Solia right about now.
Don’t think about strange things. Don’t. You’re not sure yet.
“Mister Verdic Evans, isn’t it? It’s been a long time.”
Raymond Saytes was looking down at him from the staircase, wearing a casual smile.
“How many servants are here right now?”
“I’m the only one.”
“…That’s strange.”
“It’s not a big problem because there aren’t many people to serve.”
“…Ha.”
Verdic seemed to be growing more suspicious as time went on.
Even to herself, it didn’t sound entirely normal. Carynne was relieved that she was at least wearing her maid’s uniform. If she had been wearing something more extravagant, the situation would have been even more complicated.
“So, did Sir Raymond officially hire you, Young Miss?”
“…Well… I don’t really know.”
“Do you think it’s reasonable for you not to know about it when it’s your own issue?”
“I don’t have any memories of signing a contract.”
“So, we can’t even say you’re a maid. You’re just a slave.”
After all, Carynne wasn’t originally employed here. Carynne made an effort to appear as insignificant as possible. She had to divert as much attention away from herself as possible. Verdic seemed to be getting increasingly irritated, but she had no choice but to avoid giving straightforward answers.
“Do you think it makes sense for two adults to live together in a place like this without a contract? No one would do that if they’re in their right minds.”
Well, Raymond was a bit like that. Carynne initially agreed but then hesitated and countered.
“Lord Raymond is my benefactor. Please don’t speak ill of him.”
“A person with a sound mind wouldn’t handle things this way. If you want to show kindness, you should do it properly and take her back to her home. Just leaving her at home like this…”
Verdic was criticizing Raymond in terms of morality. Carynne had to stifle a laugh at how absurd the situation was.
He seemed to have the predilection for meddling in everything ever since Isella disappeared.
“Since when have you known Sir Raymond? And have there been any strange incidents or… other women involved?”
“…I don’t know.”
But Carynne understood Verdic. She was also very well aware of the weight of the axe he wielded.
‘Should I kill him?’
Carynne thought about the traps at the entrance. Raymond had set numerous traps in the mansion.
Verdic and Carynne had never had a positive relationship.
Since they had already met, excising him from the story might be the way.
Before Verdic could kill her, she should kill him first.
It’s possible.
She hadn’t done it before because of fear. She hadn’t done it before because she didn’t have the opportunity.
Carynne looked around. Verdic was following her.
He was a well-built middle-aged man, but if she used traps instead of going into direct combat, even someone relatively weak like herself might succeed.
This time, she might succeed in her revenge.
Carynne looked at the large front door before her.
She took a shallow breath.
Let’s try.
“…The door doesn’t open properly. Could you help me?”
Carynne turned around and asked Verdic.
There was a trap set on the door. It opened by pulling the lion-shaped door handle, but if you pulled it without untying the knot inside the handle, the rope would catch the person entering. If she was lucky, she could strangle Verdic’s neck at once.
“Please push this door open for me.”
“…Fine.”
Verdic frowned. This wasn’t his job.
Carynne inwardly rejoiced as she watched Verdic walk closer to the door. This time, she was a bit nervous, but if she killed him decisively from the beginning, both herself and Raymond would be safe.
Ba-thump.
Verdic reached the door. He adjusted the scarf around his neck. Carynne imagined herself strangling his neck right there. She could do it. Deal with Verdic and dispose of the body. She would have to clean up thoroughly.
She couldn’t do it in her past lives. Her first and foremost priority back then was to survive.
But Verdic didn’t touch the handle. Carynne waited impatiently and decided to speak up. Why was he just standing there? Had he noticed something? That couldn’t be true, right?
“If you just pull this…”
“Lind! Come here and open the door!”
Verdic turned around and shouted. What’s going on? Carynne was taken aback, so she turned her head in the direction Verdic shouted. Damn it, Carynne cursed. From a distance, Verdic’s aide, Lind, was coming.
“Mister Verdic! Slow down, let’s open the door, gaaasp, together…”
“You’re too slow, you idiot!”
Verdic yelled and gestured to his aide. There were more people. In fact, it wasn’t just one person. Carynne was too tense to notice that there were others besides Verdic. Damn it. Carynne quietly cursed to herself once more, teeth grinding together.
“There are… many guests.”
Verdic looked at his watch with a grimace as he replied.
“Who would come all the way here alone? My watch is ruined, damn it. This was expensive… Lind, open the door. It looks like there are hardly any servants at the Tes Manor right now.”
“Who is this young lady?”
The belatedly arrived chubby aide looked at Carynne.
“She fell into the water, so I pulled her out. She says she’s Raymond’s maid.”
“Please open the door.”
Carynne interrupted Verdic’s words. Verdic gestured with his chin towards the door. Clearly, he had no desire to even go through the trouble of opening it.
She then counted the people behind Lind. It’s not just the two of them. One, two, three… Roughly six of them. There was no way that such a man as him would come alone like this.
Carynne hastily spoke to the aide who was about to open the door.
“You have to untie the knot inside the doorknob.”
“…It’s quite an unusual method.”
“I know. It’s very different from before. It wasn’t like this back then,” Verdic quipped.
“There are fewer people here now.”
Carynne replied to Verdic’s comment, hoping it wouldn’t sound like an excuse.
Carynne felt her palms getting slightly sweaty.
With a creaking sound, the door opened. Verdic looked inside from behind and spoke slowly.
“The inside of the house seems quite different from before.”
The plan to kill Verdic in one go was a failure.
She had expected her to come alone, and she seemed nervous as well. What could she do? With a composed face, Carynne addressed Verdic.
“Sir.”
“I’m Verdic Evans. I don’t know how long you’ll pretend not to know, Young Miss.”
“Ah… Yes… Mister Verdic. If you wait here, I will inform Lord Raymond.”
“Very well. I’ll wait.”
Verdic stood in the hallway and replied. There was not just one trap. And when dealing with many people, there was a certain way to handle them. Carynne clasped her hands together and asked as if she were a real maid.
“Shall I bring you some tea?”
“Please do.”
The aide replied willingly, staring directly at Carynne’s face and smiling brightly. Carynne also smiled back at him and turned her head to Verdic.
However, Verdic did not smile. He shook his head with a displeased expression.
“No, I don’t need any.”
“Mister Verdic.”
“Lind, be quiet. Just notify Sir Raymond of my arrival first.”
“Yes… Understood.”
“Mister Verdic, it’s not advisable to act like this. You came here without even informing Sir Raymond Saytes…”
“Lind.”
The aide fell silent.
She turned and walked away. She needed to inform Raymond and figure out what to do. With Raymond, they should be able to easily eliminate three or four people. They had to be eliminated.
Carynne couldn’t understand why Raymond hadn’t dealt with Verdic first. She needed to vent her frustrations somehow.
* * *
Strange.
Verdic glared at the redheaded woman.
There’s just the two of them alone in this baron’s residence? Did that even make sense? It was clear they were hiding something.
Verdic Evans clenched his fist. Doubts started creeping in.
His daughter had disappeared. Without a trace.
Raymond Saytes was supposed to be attending a scholarly conference hosted by Countess Solia right about now.
Don’t think about strange things. Don’t. You’re not sure yet.
“Mister Verdic Evans, isn’t it? It’s been a long time.”
Raymond Saytes was looking down at him from the staircase, wearing a casual smile.
