Chapter 7

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 7

Chapter Title: Stone Mountain - Reversal Curse (Brainwashing) (1)

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Thanks to Millia's introduction, I was able to infiltrate the lady's mansion by getting hired as a maid without much trouble.

The mansion, located in the highest district of Wilhelm, had an extraordinary aura even from the outside.

It felt like stepping inside carelessly might make it hard to ever get out.

A granite spire towered in the center, while high walls and iron fences separated the interior from the exterior, creating an intimidating atmosphere.

"Inside here, the master's word is the law."

The head maid who came to greet me led the way inside as she spoke.

"No matter what you see or hear in this place, you must never meddle or pay it any mind. The master dislikes any stories from inside leaking out. If that happens, something unfortunate will surely befall you."

The first words I heard upon entering the mansion were far from ordinary.

A blunt threat instead of a greeting.

"As long as you keep that in mind, you won't have any problems living here. The master is exceedingly fair and meticulous in handling affairs. Just don't act recklessly."

We arrived at a room filled with clothes. It seemed to be a changing room.

"Change into the clothes hanging there and come out. We'll store the ones you wore here and return them later. Put your personal items in that basket over there, and I'll have them delivered to your room."

"...Okay."

My hands were shaking.

It reminded me of my first day at my first real job in reality. But this felt even more burdensome than that. At least back then, screwing up didn't mean I might die.

After changing, the head maid gave me a tour around the mansion, showing me every corner.

There were an incredible number of rooms. The area was divided into three sections, with five buildings in total. The largest among them was undoubtedly the main lady's residence, comparable in size to a medieval European castle.

So, I had to scour this massive place—where just walking around could take all day—for anything suspicious.

Suddenly, I didn't want to do this job anymore.

Once the tour ended, I was immediately assigned my first task.

"Clean all the windows on the first floor."

"Just the first floor?"

"Yes. But do it thoroughly."

I thought it sounded surprisingly easy.

I had no idea back then that there were over a hundred windows just on the first floor.

Even excluding the locked rooms.

While working, I kept an eye on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the mansion whenever I could.

And I discovered something.

All the mansion's employees were women.

Moreover, they were all pretty young ladies.

It was to the point where I wondered if they were hired based solely on looks and age.

Come to think of it, the head maid was the same.

Well, it's up to the one doing the hiring, so maybe it's possible. But I'd heard that the mansion's owner—and the city's lady—Marina was a woman.

Could she have that kind of preference?

If so, how intensely does she indulge?

And another thing that bothered me.

Everyone was extremely quiet.

I never saw anyone ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠slacking off or even chatting idly.

They all worked silently like mutes. Maybe that's why the mansion felt eerily quiet despite the number of people.

The squeaking of my cloth on the windows felt deafening.

By the time I finished, the sun had already set. Following the head maid's guidance, I went to the dining hall for dinner, then returned to my room.

I thought I could finally rest, but no sooner had I sat on the bed than someone knocked.

"It's time to pay respects to the master."

It was the head maid.

Right, that was still pending. Every job requires making your face known to the boss on the first day.

If that's the case, why not do it right at the start? Why after the workday's over?

It couldn't be to avoid wasting work hours, could it?

What kind of black company is this?

"Newbie. Are you asleep?"

For a moment, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠considered pretending to sleep, but decided against it. Getting caught would lead to an awkward situation on day one.

"Yes, I'm coming out!"

Haa.

I let out a big sigh and got up.

Following the head maid, we arrived at a grand hall.

Probably used for banquets or the like.

As soon as we entered, a bizarre scene unfolded.

Naked maids stood in long lines on either side, like exhibits on display.

They wore headbands with frills, short aprons, and stockings—but that was it. Their bare buttocks were blatantly exposed in what could hardly be called clothing as they stood at attention.

"What is this...?"

"Ah, you must be the new maid."

While I muttered in shock, a woman's voice came from the far side.

A man sat on an ornate chair like a jade throne, with a naked girl crouched at his knee.

"Wow~ So cute. All the maids here are beauties, but you're the best. Still, no usurping positions. Darling's side is mine."

The woman hugged the leg of the man on the throne, rubbing her cheek against it as she spoke.

So, she's the lady over there, and that one is...

Wait, but the ruler of this place was a lady wasn't she?

"Welcome to my palace, young lady. I am Fabian, the chief steward. This person here is Marina, the lady of the city."

"Aang, Darling, don't call me 'nim' so formally. The only one who suits that title is Darling."

Marina, already soaking wet with honey dripping from her pussy, fingered herself while throwing a tantrum.

Unlike her elegant and haughty appearance, she was utterly vulgar.

That woman is the rumored lady?

"You look shocked. Understandable. Marina has a poor image outside. But that's just a mask for smooth governance. In reality, she's extremely lustful and starved for men. She has completely fallen for me, even."

"Saying I'm lustful is mean. The only one I love is Darling."

Now I get it.

The meaning behind Millia's words.

I don't know what the real Marina was like, but this situation was clearly abnormal.

For starters, her eyes were completely glazed over.

How could that be normal?

And the maids here were the same. Not one showed surprise or agitation at the sight; instead, they blushed enviously, staring while soaking between their legs, juices dripping to the floor.

Even if that man were an ultimate heartthrob, it wouldn't make sense—but he wasn't even handsome.

He had a face like a Picasso character crudely imitated by a child.

In other words, the worst uggo.

"Darling. I love you. Love you. Pet me. Quick. Stroke stroke."

Marina rubbed her cheek incessantly, acting cute.

The chief steward stroked her head as if exasperated, and Marina smiled happily and innocently, like she owned the world.

"Ehehe♥"

Ugh.

I felt like puking.

"What a life for a popular man. Marina alone is handful enough, yet beauties keep rolling in. Forgive me. You must be jealous."

What the hell is this flesh lump—looking like a botched Munch screamer—babbling about?

Bald and without conscience too?

Not every clump with a mouth, nose, and eyes counts as a face or person. Go beg the demon from hell who sculpted you to remake it.

You zero-charm reject.

"Not at all."

I forced a smile in response.

"Humble, eh? I like that. I'll specially allow you to serve as well. First, strip completely."

He said abruptly.

"Th-that's okay, really."

"Newbie. You don't contradict the master."

The head maid beside me warned sharply.

Master, huh.

Now it was certainty. The lady and all the maids had clearly fallen under that man's spell.

"No need to be burdened. It's after hours now. I don't divide people by rank. Nor by wealth or status. I love all women equally. So, undress."

He spoke magnanimously.

After some deliberation, I mustered my courage and spoke.

"Then there's even less reason to obey. I'm here solely as a hired maid. And you're not my master. Per the contract, my employer is the lady over there. One more thing: objectively and fairly speaking, you're hideously ugly! Bald too! So stop acting so fatally attractive!"

Taking a fatal hit would be nice.

The hall stirred instantly.

The maids' gazes focused on me. They didn't say it outright, but I could feel immense anger.

Never in my life had I been exposed to such hostility; my breath caught.

"You... what did you just say to Darling?! I'll t-torture you! Execute you! I-I'm scared, but for Darling, I can do it?!"

Marina flailed her arms in rage.

"Kukuku... kukukuku... Interesting. It's been ages since anyone defied me."

The chief steward grinned unpleasantly.

"If you don't want to, there is no need. As I said, I'm magnanimous and broad-minded. I just wanted to give you a chance. The chance everyone yearns for."

"Darling... why are you so kind?! Showing such wonderfulness makes me fall in love again..."

Marina gazed at the uggo teary-eyed, deeply moved, then shyly murmured.

"You may go."

Thus, I returned to my room without the worst experience.

Whether ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it was fortunate, I wasn't sure.

The head maid's mood was off the whole way back.

Upon arriving, she opened the door and said curtly,

"I told you not to act recklessly."

"...Sorry."

"Apologizing to me changes nothing. It's water under the bridge now. All consequences are yours from here on."

Then she just left.

Exhausted, I collapsed onto the bed.

I'd lost more than I gained, but there were definite findings.

Something was happening in this mansion. Or had happened.

And the one behind it was none other than the chief steward.

The next day, hell truly began.

My assignment was cleaning the bathrooms.

Not just any— the men's.

The guards' bathrooms.

The filthiest place in the mansion.

Dozens of them, all on me alone.

From morning till night.

"Ugh... the smell."

"That's her? The one who slandered the master without manners."

"Thinks she's something just 'cause she's pretty."

Whenever I ran into other maids, they'd whisper loud enough to hear, frowning.

Scrub, whispers, scrub, chatter, scrub.

One day, my shoes I'd left at the entrance vanished, only to be found dunked in a bucket of filth.

"Ah, fuck this!"

I hurled the dirty rag in anger.

"Damn it, that bastard's not getting away...!"

I muttered, clenching my fists.

The culprit behind this blatant harassment was obvious.

It started after I defied that man.

Resigned, I trudged back barefoot.

En route, I bumped into the head maid.

She pinched her nose at the sight of me.

"Ugh, you stink. Can't you wash up?"

"I do every day."

"Guess you're just filthy by nature. Hope it's not an STD?"

"It's not!"

Should I kill her?

"Whatever. Got a task, so clean up and come."

"Work's done."

"Additional duties. It's in that contract you love citing. Supervisor like me can assign extras as needed. Pay included, so no worries."

The head maid smirked.

"Ugh..."

It was infuriating, but I had no choice.

I hadn't uncovered anything yet.

I couldn't stir more trouble while under scrutiny.

I washed and did the extra task.

Cleaning a room.

It was not as bad as expected.

"This is the master's room. Not a speck of dust. Master is forgiving, but I'm not."

She warned sharply and left.

Hmph. Speak of the devil.

While cursing her retreating back inwardly, I noticed something.

Wait.

The "master's" room—meaning this is that man's quarters.

Maybe I can find clues searching here.

With that thought, I pretended to clean while rummaging everywhere.

He'd be at the hall at night, so plenty of time.

After thorough searching, I found a hidden door under the carpet.

"Got it!"

Pulling it open revealed a ladder leading underground.

Descending, I found a chair, table, and a long full-body mirror.

A book lay on the table.

"What's this?"

Using the light from above, I read.

It was about curses. Flipping to the bookmark revealed a magic circle and explanation.

"Reversal Curse...?"

Does that mean the mansion's people were hit by this and turned that way?

Something was scribbled below, hastily in messy handwriting, but legible.

"Never look in the mirror...?"

My gaze drifted unconsciously to the mirror beside it.

That instant, a strange sensation hit my head.

"Doesn't look like much."

I tilted my head. It just seemed like a regular mirror.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from above.

Someone approaching the room.

Startled, I scrambled up the ladder, shut the door, and covered it with the carpet.

Soon, the well-dressed bald man entered.

Chief Steward Fabian.

"Cleaning, I see."

He glanced around and said.

Then his eyes locked exactly at my feet.

His expression turned fierce.

"Did you see it?"

"Huh? See what?"

I feigned ignorance.

Fabian pondered briefly, then waved dismissively.

"Never mind. You're done for now. Come clean again tomorrow at the same time."

"...Yes."