MLT | Chapter 04

Episode 4

“T-Tacky…?”

Peter stared at me in shock. Then his shoulders drooped as he muttered that he had personally chosen those expensive curtains twenty years ago.

I ignored that and pointed out everything in the castle that needed fixing.

“There are many cracked windows. They should be replaced. And the bedding should be changed to new ones too.”

“…Alright. I’ll call a merchant.”

“Yes.”

After finishing two bowls of soup and some bread, I returned to work and continued cleaning.

Of course, I did not forget to memorize the structure of the castle.

That was when I found it.

A tower deep in the forest stretching east from the castle.

It was so tall and obvious that it was almost funny I had not noticed it sooner.

“In fairy tales, they usually lock up a princess in a place like that.”

In this case, it would be a prince.

Either way, it was suspicious. I had to check it.

Should I go tonight? No… the young Demon King worries me.

I had not even seen him yet. And I still did not know where the Demon King was.

It was only my first day. No need to rush.

Still—

Looking at the perfectly clean room, I felt satisfied.

“Maybe this job suits me.”

It was nice to work without thinking too much. Being an assassin always required strategy. Maybe I was more tired than I thought.

That night, I slept deeply.

The next morning, I was busy from early on, walking around with a demon merchant who had come to the castle, checking which windows needed repairs.

This castle is unnecessarily large.

And again, neither the Demon King nor the young Demon King appeared.

Tonight, I should check the tower.

I lay down, planning to rest briefly before moving.

I don’t know how much time passed.

Suddenly, my heavy sleep was pulled away.

In the quiet early morning air, I sensed someone.

The presence lingered outside my door for a while, then disappeared.

I got up and quickly put on my mask.

I erased my presence and blended into the darkness.

With my sharp night vision, moving through the pitch black castle was easy.

Soon, I found the figure who had disturbed my sleep.

Chef Freddy.

Troublemaker Freddy.

And the hero who came to rescue the prince.

From the shadows, I watched him.

He looked tense as he pushed a metal pick into a locked door, twisting it back and forth.

As expected, before he could open it, he dropped the pick.

Clang!

The sound was especially loud in the silent dawn.

Panicking, he tried to pick it up and made even more noise.

I sighed.

If Freddy’s identity as a hero were discovered, security would tighten.

Worse, I could be fired too.

I did not hesitate.

Just as Freddy finally managed to open the door and looked ready to cheer, I struck the back of his neck.

I caught his falling body to prevent noise, closed and locked the door again.

Then I dragged him near his own room and threw him down.

Something felt incomplete.

After thinking for a moment, I went to the kitchen, grabbed some alcohol, and poured it all over him.

Anyone would think he had passed out drunk.

By then, dawn was approaching.

I rubbed my tired eyes.

The exhaustion from the day hit me all at once.

The tower investigation will have to wait until tomorrow.

Freddy would likely be fired soon anyway.

Once that happened, I could rescue the prince without problems.

No failures. No mistakes.

Everything according to plan.

***

The dining hall was noisy the next morning.

Because of Freddy.

“How much did you drink to fall asleep there?”

Peter had found him.

As expected, he had not woken up until morning.

Weak.

After some light scolding from Peter, the drunken incident passed quietly.

The day repeated.

Breakfast. Cleaning—pretending to clean while investigating. Lunch. Cleaning. Dinner. Wash up.

That night, Freddy wandered around the castle again.

I thought he would lie low after mysteriously fainting.

I underestimated him.

I dragged his unconscious body again.

Two times could pass as coincidence.

Three times would raise suspicion.

I need another method.

***

Morning came.

“Miss Illy.”

After breakfast, as I picked up cleaning tools, Peter called me.

“Yes?”

“Please stay in your room tonight if possible.”

I had a guess.

Today was the third Day of Harmony this year.

I pretended not to know.

“Why?”

“Because it’s the Day of Harmony. The Demon King is especially in a bad mood on this day.”

I looked confused, so Peter explained about the Day of Harmony.

But that was not my real question.

“The Demon King is in the castle?”

“Of… course?”

He looked at me strangely, so I quickly explained.

“You said on my first day that I wouldn’t see him while I’m here. I thought he wasn’t staying in the castle.”

Especially since Freddy had been sneaking around and nothing happened.

I even thought the prince might not be here.

Better that the prince is here than having to search the whole continent.

“Oh. I only meant that the Demon King doesn’t like meeting people. Anyway, please be careful tonight.”

“I understand. I’ll be careful.”

Careful while observing.

I reassured the worried Peter.

***

Night came.

Darkness covered everything.

The blue moon slowly swallowed the red moon.

With the moon at my back, I climbed the tower.

After years of missions, climbing something like this was easy.

Step by step, I reached the top.

Creak.

An unlocked window opened.

Moonlight poured into the dark room.

In that light, I saw a figure lying on the bed.

Shining blond hair.

Pale white skin.

Perfect features that made the word handsome seem too small.

Even “extremely handsome” was not enough.

So the rumors were not exaggerated.

A blond man with royal features inside the Demon King’s castle.

It had to be the kidnapped third prince.

He’s really here.

For a moment, I imagined my peaceful future at age twenty nine.

But I cannot relax.

One final check remained.

His blue eyes.

“Wake up, Your Highness. It’s time to go home.”

His eyelids slowly lifted.

Bright blue eyes appeared.

And suddenly—

A heavy pain struck my arm.

“Ugh—!”

I jumped back, but I could not fully avoid the unexpected attack.

Ignoring the throbbing pain in my arm, I took a defensive stance.

But no second attack came.

The prince calmly sat on the bed, looking at his own hand.

What?

I studied him carefully.

Broad shoulders.

Strong arms and abs clearly visible.

His lower body, hidden by the blanket, was probably just as solid.

Seeing what hit me made the pain feel worse.

“…Where are you looking?”

His low voice carried irritation.

He closed his loose clothing and tightened the strings.

I did not like being treated like some pervert.

“Who are you?”

Who am I?

“I came to rescue you, Your Highness.”

“Rescue me? …How exactly are you going to do that?”

Interest flickered in his eyes.

As if urging me to hurry and take him away.

I shook my head.

“Not today. I only came to confirm that you’re alive.”

I glanced at the fully merged moon.

The Day of Harmony would last at most three hours.

I could not carry a grown man that large.

“Are you injured? Can you walk? You look fine.”

I bent and straightened my aching arm.

Thankfully, it was not broken.

“Today, I’m perfectly fine. Good enough to feel great.”