Er looked at the teacup. The tea gave off a foul smell, as though cheap tea leaves had been brewed over and over again.
Er picked up the teacup and slowly poured the tea onto the floor.
“What’s with that look? If you keep acting like this, then I’ll also—”
“You’ll what?”
Er cut her off.
“What exactly do you think you’re going to do?”
Er’s tone softened. And then, in the next moment—
Smack!
She slapped the maid across the cheek.
“Say that again.”
Milla stared blankly, feeling the sting in her cheek.
Did I just get slapped?
But the painful sensation was only the beginning.
“Ugh!”
The next moment, Milla felt terror creep over her entire body.
What is this?
It felt as though she had encountered a wild beast in the darkness.
Her entire body trembled, and her stomach churned.
“Feels strange, doesn’t it?”
Er slowly took a step toward Milla.
“There are countless weak points in the human body. And if you use mana to gently press certain areas…”
“Eek!”
Milla screamed.
The feeling of nausea had grown even worse.
That’s right. Just by pressing several points on the body with a tiny amount of mana, I can induce fear in my opponent.
Er watched Milla, who was already drenched in sweat.
Well, stimulating fear is the limit of this technique…
But there’s no reason to honestly tell this foolish girl that.
“Depending on the circumstances, rendering one of your internal organs useless wouldn’t be difficult either.”
“……!”
Milla barely managed to open her mouth.
“Young Lady. Please calm your anger… How in the world did you learn to do something like this…? No, no. I was wrong.”
Er spoke languidly.
“Is that how you ask forgiveness from your master?”
“…….”
“Kneel.”
The cold sensation intensified. Her stomach was churning so badly that Milla hurriedly dropped to her knees.
Er tapped Milla’s knee with the tip of her foot.
“What did you say to me yesterday?”
“Y-Yesterday?”
Milla thought for a long while.
<Young Lady. I’m the only one who can take care of you, so if you don’t want me to hate you, behave yourself. Do you want to be scolded badly again when the Young Master returns?>
That was right. She had definitely said those things.
“Your only loyal retainer, was it? Do you know what you call someone like that?”
Er bent down and lifted Milla’s chin with her fingertip.
“I-I don’t know…”
Tap.
Er touched Milla’s cheek.
That was all, but suddenly, a stinging sensation began spreading through Milla’s mouth.
Er had concentrated mana inside Milla’s mouth.
“It hurts, doesn’t it? Open your mouth.”
Milla opened her mouth without thinking. Then, a strange sensation began creeping all the way down her throat.
“Shh. It’ll sting a little.”
“Ah, ugh… Ah…”
“Think carefully. What do you call a loyal subject?”
The strange pain finally subsided. Milla was now trembling all over.
“You need to answer, don’t you?”
“A loyal subject! A loyal subject!”
Milla barely managed to answer.
“That’s right. A loyal subject. Since you claim to be a loyal subject, from now on, I shall teach you the duties of one.”
Er continued.
“First lesson for today.”
“…….”
“Think about what you did wrong.”
The pain and fear began again. Milla hurriedly spoke.
“I talked back to Young Lady. And I spoke disrespectfully. I was wrong for doing those things.”
“Not those. You’re rather slow, aren’t you?”
Slow? If she was talking about being perceptive…
Milla’s eyes suddenly widened.
“I’m sorry for not paying attention to Young Lady’s feelings.”
“Then whose feelings have you been paying attention to until now?”
“…….”
Milla was a poor maid, and she wanted to transfer to the main residence as soon as possible so she could get more opportunities.
For example, becoming a lady’s maid who received a higher salary…
“I was watching the butler’s mood.”
“You’re not completely hopeless. You do understand what I’m saying. Then, what should you do from now on?”
“Well… I’ll obey Young Lady’s orders.”
Only then did Er release the mana pressing down on Milla’s body.
“Ugh… Sob…”
Milla gasped for breath. Er watched her indifferently.
A loyal retainer who stole things the moment her master died and even cursed her at the funeral. In a way, she’s no different from the trash in the Nirn Duchy.
Though she’s much more innocent and timid than those kids…
I’m an expert at handling trash.
And I’m even better at recycling it.
“And that isn’t the only thing you did wrong. You tried to steal things after your master died.”
She remembered!
Milla squeezed her eyes shut.
“I could report you to the Imperial Guard. Ah, judging by that look, you don’t think I’d do it? Even if I’m powerless in this household, what do you think would happen if I reported you as a thief? How likely do you think it is that you’d end up in prison?”
“That…”
Milla’s vision went dark.
“The prison for petty thieves is damp, and unless someone brings you food from outside, you might go hungry for days. You can forget about washing properly, eating well, and sleeping in a comfortable bed like you do here. You’d spend your days listening to the sound of cockroaches crawling beside you.”
“…….”
“Some prisoners even end up with their hair turning completely white. And if you catch the attention of a nasty fellow prisoner, being beaten might become part of your daily life.”
Milla could not possibly become any paler.
“How does Young Lady know all that?”
Why do you think?
I went through all sorts of hardships in my previous life. Of course I know.
“Why? Do you want to find out whether what I’m saying is true or not…”
“…….”
“Why don’t you go and experience it yourself?”
“No! No, please!”
Milla shook her head and pleaded.
“Young Lady, my father passed away when I was young. I have a younger sibling and a sick mother whom I have to support. So please, just give me one chance.”
That part was true. Milla needed to earn a lot of money to support her family.
“I don’t want to hear such an obvious sob story. Even if you have a reason for trying to do something wicked, what difference does it make?”
Er looked at her with bored eyes.
“Then what should I do? I’ll do anything you tell me.”
“Actions.”
“What?”
“Words mean nothing. Show me that you’ve changed through your actions.”
Then Er pulled something out from inside her clothes.
There was more than just traces of a ritual in the basement.
Erne had discovered a small treasure chest where she had carefully hidden her jewelry.
There weren’t any particularly high-quality gemstones inside, but they would be useful as spending money for the time being.
“Hold out your hand.”
Er placed a small silver earring set with a sapphire in Milla’s palm.
“I’ll give that to you.”
“……To me?”
“You look like you’re wondering why you’re being rewarded. Don’t get your hopes up. I haven’t decided yet whether that earring will be a reward or a punishment.”
“A punishment?”
Milla blinked.
“From today onward, wear it every day and take good care of it. If you show me that you’ve changed your attitude starting today, that earring will become a ‘reward’ from me.”
“…….”
“But if you don’t change, I’ll report that earring as stolen property. Then you’ll immediately be arrested by the Imperial Guard as a thief. Oh, and don’t even think about selling it. If they trace the route by which the stolen goods were sold, you’ll be caught immediately.”
Er’s voice was remarkably calm.
Is this person… a demon?
The thought suddenly crossed Milla’s mind. Milla was greedy.
I could just throw it away.
But could she really throw it away? This was… an expensive item.
I want it. With this money, I could buy my mother’s medicine…
Seeing right through Milla’s thoughts, Er spoke.
“You look like you think this is unfair. Weren’t you the one who toyed with and mistreated your master because she had no one else to rely on?”
“…….”
“Why? Is there some law saying I’m not allowed to toy with you?”
Er smiled as though she found it amusing.
“That’s… not it, but…”
“Being tamed by money is the lowest level of motivation. If you truly do well, I’ll let you receive training as a lady’s maid, teach you how to read and write, and I’ll personally find out what you’re good at.”
That was the greatest reward this Er could offer a loyal retainer.
I wonder if this child understands that.
Er said,
“Who are you?”
Milla suddenly asked, her eyes trembling.
The pretty, youthful-looking girl was undoubtedly Young Lady Erne, who had only just reached adulthood.
But her speech, gaze, and attitude were all chillingly different, as if she were another person entirely.
“Even if the medicine that put me into a death-like state was involved, experiencing death once is enough to change a person… And as for this ability that I used to punish you?”
“…….”
“I’m also descended from a family of knights. I received some light training when I was young. I’m simply using that ability for the first time now.”
Er casually dropped the teacup onto the floor beneath the table.
“What are you doing? Don’t just leave this dirty teacup here. Clean it up.”
“…….”
“Bring me some fresh tea. Something decent this time.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Milla barely managed to get to her feet and hurried toward the kitchen.
And from the very next day, she truly began showing a changed attitude.
What is this exclamation mark?
The next day, Er opened the mission window and noticed that an exclamation mark had appeared.
When she pressed it…
A message?
—Your maid reveres you.
Reputation +10!
TOTAL -90
Ah, so that’s how this works? Ten reputation points. But at this turtle’s pace, who knows when I’ll ever get all my reputation back.
But Er didn’t take the reputation system too seriously.
I’ll probably gain reputation after clearing a few dungeons later.
Well, if necessary, I could even do something bad to raise it.
If all else fails, I’ll just raise my infamy. Infamy is still a type of reputation, isn’t it?
“Young Lady, is there anything else you need? As you requested, I went to the market and bought some snacks separately. Would you like me to massage your feet?”
And once again, Er’s prediction had been correct.
Once Milla’s attitude changed, she turned out to be quite a useful maid.
“That will do. You’ve been very good lately. By the way, have you finished today’s writing practice?”
“Yes.”
Milla answered. Er rested her chin on her hand and nodded languidly.
Just as she had expected. Milla had a desire to learn how to read and write and obtain a better job.
A good master knows how to fulfill her subordinates’ desires.
Some people lacked motivation, while others simply had no opportunities.
Even someone who was bad by nature could become a different person if they were given a chance.
Er sincerely hoped Milla would turn out to be one of those people. Otherwise…
Er slowly caressed the silver dagger lying on the table.
A bad child will be punished.
That aside, she needed to organize the situation first.
“First of all.”
Let’s investigate Rayzen.
The problem was that Rayzen was an important figure, so meeting him wouldn’t be easy.
I guess I’ll have to retrieve my account with the Information Guild.
In her previous life, Er had been a member of the Information Guild.
All members of the Information Guild joined anonymously and were given an account instead.
The problem is that even though membership is anonymous, the Information Guild thoroughly verifies the identity of every initial member…
She needed an item that could prove she was Erquana herself.
Or that she was her representative.
In Er’s case, that item was a special magical fan that only Er could have made.
It was a fan made from the feathers of a monster called a Phoenix, which she had obtained from one of the dungeons she conquered in her previous life.
I definitely left a spare fan in a secret safe in the Imperial Capital in case something happened. I also left some money there.
Good. Should I go retrieve it?
Er stood up.
“I need to go to the bank.”
“What?”
Milla, who was bringing tea at that moment, jumped in surprise.
“Um, it would be better if you refrained from going outside right now. The butler—no, the butler ordered me to keep a close eye on you.”
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of going out during the day.”
“……At night? Are you planning to climb over the walls or something…? Besides, doesn’t the bank open during the day?”
“Who said I was going to conduct any banking business?”
Er spoke languidly.
Naturally…
I’m breaking in.
Milla blinked.
“Then what will you wear when you go out?”
“Would I wear a flashy dress to sneak out?”
There was one more thing that had shocked Er after entering this body.
Erne, what is wrong with your taste?
When she looked inside the wardrobe, it was filled with bizarre pink dresses. Most of them looked like something a clown would wear.
Er had chosen the most decent outfit among them, removed all the decorations, and had been wearing it ever since.
“My usual clothes will be enough.”
Er stood up.
It seemed she would need to take a nap if she planned to go out at night.
That night, under a full moon.
Crouching outside the Imperial Capital Credit Bank, Er thought—
I’m screwed.
If I’d known this would happen…
I would never have gone out tonight.
Of all the places she could have chosen, why did she have to run into him here?
I actually ran into the one man I absolutely had to avoid.
