Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Jealousy Pocket
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Yuria had always extremely disliked seeing me get involved with anyone else.
For example, the moment she spotted me chatting with a maid who was cleaning the windows, she showed up that night and interrogated me all day long.
I only heard about it secondhand from the head butler, but the situation went something like this.
-"Where is Young Master Ian?" "Ah, that... Were you searching the entire mansion for Ian all day? You didn't need to check the wardrobes since he wouldn't be hiding in there..."
-"Butler, I only want to hear about Master right now."
-"W-Well, you see. Today, Young Master Ian is currently in the study having a conversation with Lady Rachel. But Yuria, no matter how much you miss your master's face, doing something like this—"
Yuria's eyes turned red.
-"......So, just the two of them?"
-"Huh, yes. Of course. Lady Rachel usually dislikes letting anyone into the study outside of scheduled times. She only allows people she personally approves."
....She seemed more concerned about who her master was with, where, and what they were doing than a mere maid talking back to the butler.
-"...Young Master Ian calls for me every day, so I thought it was the same for everyone?"
-"That's because it's Ian. Anyway, let's take a look at that wound from before. I have some medicine since you're like a daughter to me..."
-"That can wait. I need to go to where Ian and Rachel are meeting right now."
Her cold, sunken eyes left him speechless.
...Had her rebellious phase hit or something?
There were even more incidents with Ian.
For instance, just today.
-"Hmm, this looks pretty good. Yuria, come try it."
-"...You already know I like every single thing you like... right?"
It started from wondering if maybe Yuria would eat something with a nice texture or that went down easy by coincidence.
She took it as proof that he watched over her obsessively, just like she did for him.
-"Don't need more maid outfits? I heard the butler prepared a lot... Hm, then casual clothes it is."
-"...I was just thinking I couldn't wear a maid outfit to that unavoidable gathering. As expected, Master always takes care of me even when pretending not to watch... over me."
"..."
I was just giving her something because it'd look cute on her. She didn't need to read that much into every situation. No, please treat it as coincidence at least.
Her affection kept rising with every instance, and now it was right on the verge of true 'love'.
....
Back to the present.
Yuria approached right in front of Ian, fidgeting with her hands as she looked up at me.
Her expression was still close to a frozen, emotionless mask, but her tightly clenched fists at her sides, narrowed eyes, and—most tellingly—the red hue creeping from the crown of her head down past her shoulders, something she rarely showed unless truly furious, all screamed that she was really pissed.
One wrong move, and I could end up with my limbs severed, trapped in this room forever as a blood-draining corpse... No, blood-locked...? Something like that.
"You two exchanged some rather vulgar words and gazes... and had a nice time, didn't you?"
"No... uh, Yuria."
"More than me, even more than me...! You like that Ice Palace Lord mother of yours...?"
"..."
Shit.
Rachel's incredulous stare from the side stung.
Were we totally screwed now...?
Her affection hadn't dropped, so probably no dismemberment here, but leaving it like this felt like it'd blow up into a huge problem later. My gut screamed it.
"...Uh, Yuria."
"Will you answer me?"
"...I was worried. Not doubting you... You're my favorite, after all."
"..."
The moment Yuria shut her mouth, her face shadowed over.
That's when I felt it.
Today was the day I was properly fucked.
Of all times, in that cold standoff, those were the words that came out? And to a furious Yuria like this, stoking the fire even more when she couldn't outright snap my neck?
"...I-Is that so?"
But contrary to expectations of mutilation, Yuria's voice melted like thawing ice.
Was I seeing things? Her hair lightened too, tinged slightly pink.
"...Then, Master."
"Yeah."
"P-Please answer honestly."
"What?"
She cautiously wrapped her arms around my neck, drawing her face close, staring intently.
Yuria's G-cup breasts pressed softly against my chest like marshmallows, her jealousy pocket clinging tight.
You know that? Natural ones usually look like an I from top to bottom.
"Do you... like my hugs?"
"Of course. Anything from you, Yuria."
"Then... more than that Ice Palace Lord's?"
She sniffed at my nape, and when my answer lagged, she glanced up with red eyes.
Ah.
My mind blanked, frozen.
"Her hugs, I mean. Mother's."
"...Then don't say it."
As she pouted and clenched her fist, I raised both hands in surrender.
"...Hugging you is my favorite, Yuria."
Only then did her narrowed eyes soften, a small smile breaking through.
'...Huh?'
Did I... survive?
"Master, may I hug you for a bit...?"
"...Yeah, anytime. I'll make time whenever you want."
"Mmph, haah... smack, smooch."
As Yuria pressed her lips to my nape, exhaustion washed over me naturally. She'd taken a lot of blood today, but compared to my lifespan...
"I'm, I'm the best... Heh. The best, yes. A fitting title for the one guarding Master's side. Ian, you look even more handsome today."
"..."
"You must've missed my hugs even while stuck with that woman, right?"
No, if I'd said that myself...
"Ah, but from now on, you don't need to mind me. After all, Master's real hugs— the ones you truly love me for— are mine forever."
Yuria, unable to tear her eyes from my face, buried it in my chest.
As if routine, when she sealed her lips to my skin, I wordlessly embraced her waist and shoulders, resting my face on her shoulder.
-Gulp.
"Hmph, mmph. Sluuurp."
Buried in my nape, her body trembled in ecstasy.
"...We agreed on nights only. On feeding days."
"Isn't it night now...? Everyone else finished dinner. So it's night."
"I haven't eaten yet."
"Dinner... is me."
"..."
"Just eat me."
Repeating it in case I didn't get it was her charm point.
Yuria flashed a seductive smile, pursing her pink lips before subtly revealing her cleavage through her maid outfit.
"But there are too many onlookers here... I'd prefer somewhere just the two of us. Somewhere without people. If Master wishes, I can bare it all anywhere... But since it's my first time, I'd like a separate room, ideally on a creaky bed."
Her flushed red ears and quivering voice betrayed deep embarrassment today.
...
-Crack.
The glass cup's handle shattered in her grip.
"Ian. I didn't assign you a maid for such impure relations... but."
A cold wind blew from the corridor's end.
The thieving maid who'd spouted nonsense before her now glared haughtily.
Frost crept over Rachel as her magic surged behind her.
Left like this, the strongest from episode 1 and the next final boss would clash.
And at the start of the protagonist's arc in episode 1.
Leaving the protagonist aside, over his little brother.
With two women, no less.
Amid the massive magic waves appeared.
About three demons.
With black hair and purple eyes.
Impure mana forcibly clumped by hastily brewed demonic energy, possessing bodies.
One key fact.
Spotting them wasn't instantaneous; each noticed a beat late.
And they were about to explode right in front of them.
Failed demonization potion. Demonic power too potent, briefly parasitizing underlings.
"....New demons? No, this is!"
The words coincided with a central explosion.
Black flames—unseen in the original—surged at their faces as Rachel's froze solid.
She surely could've frozen the suicide-rusher on approach.
But uncharacteristically, her magic wouldn't gather.
And Ian, knowing it was his spell's backlash, moved.
'....Damn... it.'
Too late.
No dodging this.
No barrier to mitigate.
That instant, flashbacks breached the wall in her mind, replaying sealed nightmares.
-It's all your fault.
-...You're perfect demon bait, you bitch.
-Fucking god-worshipping cowards, face a real demon yourselves!
Unwanted demonic aftertaste, magic, her inadequacies, despair, voices, fear. Ending with her lone blood-splattered face in the mirror.
Before crushing the nightmares, the demon burst, flinging body parts everywhere.
'Dying...!'
Finally sensing her body's anomaly, she tried raising a guard.
-Thud.
Ian intervened, shoving her forcibly into the corridor.
Then came draining weakness, glass shards tearing skin, blurring vision.
In the chaos.
"Urk?!"
A groan she should never hear reached her ear, snapping Rachel's mind back.
"...Ian?"
"........Mas, ter?"
The maid, thinking she'd perfectly shielded them both and hastily erecting a barrier, knelt in shock staring at her master.
Demonic corruption from shoulder to back to chin, white bone protruding—arm at least shattered, torn by demon spines, grievous wounds everywhere.
Injuries to save Rachel.
Death. In minutes? Seconds, maybe.
Mana or not, trained or not, fatal.
Realizing it, she shook her head denying reality.
"...I-Ian. Ian, no... My... child. Why, why... did you do... that?"
Words failed.
Her mind rejected the rationally fatal wounds.
...Why? His body was already frail.
This recovery was a miracle.
A mother who couldn't indulge his childish whims even once.
Squandering her precious time on such a trivial person...?
Why do you always give everything like a fool?
Just moments ago, he wasn't fooling around with the maid... right? He'd even bid her farewell.
Her last expression, planned as a parting grudge.
No anger, no resentment toward her.
Just that smile.
What should she say?
"..."
-Groan.
Followed by a demon's cry from the hall.
Wing flaps and inhuman footsteps assaulted her ears.
The explosion of demonic energy, and the bandit leader's 'human-target' demon self-injected—impossible in the original.
Word spread, drawing lowest-to-low-tier demons meant for contracts.
Roughly 500, matching the hall's occupants.
"......."
Rachel didn't know the details.
Just that hundreds of demons suddenly attacked. That's it.
But the important part.
Ian was hurt. Critically.
Normally, her personality wouldn't allow voicing impossibilities. Not Ice Palace Lord Rachel.
But this time.
"Save Ian. Maid, no arguments. In my study, by the desk—a red potion in glass. Sprinkle it on him."
The Ice Palace Lord muttered as she rose unsteadily.
Strong.
Not a request—a command.
Whether she joined them or Rachel slaughtered demons—split to save him.
Yuria's mind raced.
Better if she fetched the potion fast.
If she failed to protect his body after those words, kill her later.
Saving Master required caution. Yuria, coldly composed, didn't want to see his corpse.
Without rebuttal, Yuria leaped toward the study.
"...Gone."
She checked her stance.
Magic returned. Emotions from earlier boiled in her chest. In normal combat, she'd never fight with chills of rage prickling her spine.
But now, foes weren't even human.
No weapons needed.
She wanted to tear them apart personally.
Numbers unlike any prior incursion.
Hundreds—even the Knight Captain would muster his full knights.
"Hoo...."
Past her would've called it foolish.
Yes. Rusty sword. Neglected, ancient.
Disadvantageous.
But.
"You must know when to endure... and when not."
Words she'd always told him. Ian.
Situations differ, of course.
No more clinging to harsh past scoldings. Save him now.
The potion ordered was top-tier, 30% elixir-infused rarity. Hard to obtain now.
Bought for him back then.
"Heh heh heh."
A faint scoff escaped.
Demons filling windows—not sky, but wings. 100... 200...
At her peak...
"I'd lose. Definitely."
But she wins.
No. She must.
To face Ian's sacrificed face.
She couldn't die here.