Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Disguised as a Maid
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“Rachel, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? Have you been well?”
“Ah, hello.”
The carriage had stopped in front of Harpa Castle, where Paris Emporus resided.
‘That stubborn father!’
Despite all the warnings about the danger, Henri had brought Rachel here anyway.
Rachel felt a momentary dizziness but quickly pulled herself together.
‘No. This might actually be a good thing.’
The checkpoint had updated just this afternoon. Even if she died, she’d only regress half a day.
“Is the missus with you?”
“Rachel wanted to see the capital, so we came alone.”
“I see. Is this your first time at Harpa Castle, Rachel?”
The man chattered on about how construction had started in his grandfather’s time and been completed in his own. He seemed thrilled.
“Brother, has something good happened?”
“Good? Seeing my lovely niece is joy enough for me. You’ll understand once you raise a son of your own—boys are so stoic. You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I’ll have them prepare something right away.”
He called for the butler. After entrusting them to the butler’s guidance, he disappeared for a bit.
Henri and Rachel were shown to a guest room. Rachel was angry at Henri, but she soon focused on scouting the castle interior.
‘Could I escape from here?’
She’d thought the manor was huge when she first saw it, but this castle was even larger.
‘How far would I have to go? Looks tough to escape.’
The corridors were wider, filled with more ornate decorations and sculptures. The butler guiding them moved with precise elegance.
‘Compared to this, are our household staff just country folk?’
She didn’t mind it particularly. The manor’s servants might be a bit clumsy, but they were lively.
They were so close-knit that when a maid died in an accident on the first day of an early loop, everyone had been gloomy.
‘That’s why all the renovations stopped back then.’
They finally reached the guest room.
“If you need anything, please pull the cord in the room. I’ll take my leave then.”
Once the butler vanished, Rachel glared at Henri.
“Father, what on earth were you thinking? Did you forget what I said?”
“That’s not it.”
“I told you—I saw a future where I die because of Uncle. How could you bring me to his castle?”
Worried someone might eavesdrop, Rachel kept her voice low as she scolded him.
Any normal person—at the very least, if he cared about Rachel—would never have brought her here.
“I always stop by the castle to see my brother when I go to the capital alone. If I suddenly didn’t and just left, it’d look even more suspicious.”
“You could say it was urgent. My life’s on the line here.”
“Even if he’s targeting you, he wouldn’t do it in front of his little brother. I’ll stay by your side the whole time, so don’t worry too much.”
That’s what he’d said. And yet...
“Ugh, urk!”
During dinner, he clutched his chest and collapsed onto the table. His face smashed into the plate, sending soup splattering everywhere.
“Father? Father!”
-Family member has died. Returning to checkpoint.
***
Her vision filled with vertical lines, colors fading to grayscale. Soon, the grayscale lines overtook her sight completely, and the scenery shifted.
The massive marble table was gone, replaced by the familiar wooden one. Instead of Paris Emporus’s face, her family, Priestess Peace, and Enoch filled Rachel’s view.
Loop 14 had ended, and Loop 15 had begun. Henri’s death was the cause.
Rachel judged that Henri had been poisoned.
‘To poison his own brother!’
From what Rachel had experienced so far, the relationship between the eldest son, Paris Emporus, and the third son, Henri, wasn’t bad.
Though the title had gone to his brother, Henri had let go of any lingering attachment and pursued medicine single-mindedly.
Even if Rachel claimed Paris would kill her, Henri trusted his eldest brother so much that he wouldn’t believe it—yet he still ate the poisoned soup and died.
“You look pale. Carriages can be tiring—will you be okay?”
Evelyn asked. Rachel nodded.
“Yes, I’m fine. I can go.”
‘It’s not like I learned nothing.’
Rachel chewed her food as she thought. She’d eaten too, but stayed fine until Henri collapsed.
Was it because she’d eaten only a little out of tension? No, that couldn’t be. Henri hadn’t eaten much soup either.
‘The goal isn’t to kill me.’
If killing her was the sole aim, she should have died alongside Henri.
‘What is it? Why? Could it be connected to there being no daughters born in the Emporus family?’
She lacked information.
‘Should I ask the others for help?’
Priestess Peace and Evelyn were here now. Rachel decided to borrow the wisdom of her elders.
“I just saw the future.”
Deyner looked up at his sister like she was spouting nonsense, but the others focused on Rachel.
“What kind of future?”
“Tonight, the carriage with me and Father stops at Harpa Castle. At the dinner Uncle prepares, Father eats poisoned food and collapses.”
“Rachel! Don’t say such things carelessly!”
Henri slammed the table in anger. He didn’t believe Rachel.
He’d seen her ability, but thought she was using it to lie and insult his brother in front of everyone.
“Dear, quiet down. Rachel, is that true?”
“Yes.”
“The reason?”
“I don’t know.”
Evelyn silenced Henri and questioned Rachel. Rachel answered all her questions.
“Dear, Rachel’s never been to Harpa Castle. She’s not lying.”
“She could’ve heard stories even without going.”
“That may be, but why?”
“Why? Well...”
He couldn’t reveal the reason. How could he admit he’d thought Rachel wasn’t his real daughter all this time, and that she was angry at him now because she’d found out? He shut his mouth.
“There’s no reason, is there? When you’re taking her on a trip to the capital with you.”
Evelyn handled Henri with a gentle tone. The guilty man couldn’t budge against his wife’s words.
“And we still haven’t found who hid the Curse Medium in our house.”
She didn’t say it outright, but subtly implied it could be Paris Emporus.
At that moment, Priestess Peace set down her fork and spoke.
“How about this? Enoch escorts them.”
Enoch, who’d been discreetly picking out carrots, blinked in surprise at the suggestion.
“Enoch’s swordsmanship is excellent, and he can use Divine Power. He can neutralize poison and protect them both.”
“What if something happens here while I’m gone?”
“I’ll stay until Enoch returns. Sister Evelyn knows swordsmanship, and I know Divine Power—it’ll cover everything.”
He’d been looking forward to sparring, but now he poked at his food with his fork, realizing it wouldn’t happen anytime soon.
“Yes, we’ll do that.”
His words and expression didn’t match. Evelyn told the dejected Enoch,
“In return, when you get back, I’ll spar however you like.”
His face lit up at those words.
“Yes, I’ll protect them for sure.”
Rachel swallowed her salad, thinking how easy he was to read.
‘He wasn’t like this in my memories.’
Still, he was handsome, so it was fine somehow.
And so, Enoch joined them this time.
The heavy atmosphere inside the carriage from the previous loop brightened just from his presence.
“By any chance, have we met before? Your face looks familiar.”
Watching Henri chat up Enoch, Rachel thought if he weren’t a man, she’d swear he was flirting.
“If you visited the temple, maybe.”
“Not the temple. Hmm, not sure. Your face just rings a bell. How old are you?”
“Eighteen.”
“Young! I figured a Holy Knight would be older. Impressive!”
“You flatter me.”
Henri took a liking to Enoch and kept him talking. Watching, Rachel pouted.
She hadn’t even thought about mending things with him, but seeing him barely speak to her while chattering away to others felt like a second betrayal.
“Rachel, are you unwell?”
“No. Just not used to the carriage.”
She’d regressed, but she’d spent half a day in one yesterday—and now another.
Thankfully, she wasn’t prone to motion sickness, but her aching rear wasn’t getting any easier to bear.
“It must be uncomfortable if it’s your first carriage ride. Here, put this under you.”
Enoch passed her a cushion from his side. It was a consideration she hadn’t felt when alone with Henri.
“Are you okay without it, Enoch?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Then I won’t hold back. You’re so kind, Enoch.”
“Me, kind?”
He asked as if it were the first time he’d heard it. Rachel replied without hesitation.
“Yes.”
If this man wasn’t kind, who was?
“You’re the kindest man I’ve ever met.”
That Henri guy hadn’t even noticed his daughter’s discomfort and still went to Paris Emporus’s dangerous lair, where he died as expected.
Rachel glanced at Henri, and their eyes met.
“So, Father, are we still going to Uncle’s Harpa Castle?”
“We are. I’ll check if the soup really was poisoned. If it was, I’ll believe everything you say from now on. But if not, I’ll consider your words lies.”
“Do what you want. But Uncle might skip the poison if he sees Enoch, so introduce him as a maid.”
“Pardon? Not a manservant, but a maid?”
Enoch reacted in surprise to Rachel’s words. She nodded.
“Yes. Father doesn’t bring menservants with him. But since it’s my first outing, bringing along a close maid won’t seem odd.”
“But I’m a man.”
“Hmm, you’re still slim enough that cross-dressing won’t give you away. Mother prepared clothes and makeup just in case!”
This had been planned before boarding. After lunch, Evelyn and Priestess Peace had called Rachel over, asked how she’d introduce Enoch, and offered advice.
-Sometimes you need to disguise yourself for a mission. Perfect timing, Rachel. Take good care of Enoch.
Remembering Priestess Peace’s words, Rachel smirked and asked,
“Enoch, you can pretend to be a maid, right?”
***
“Wow, you look so beautiful!”
Before reaching Harpa Castle, the carriage stopped in a clearing. Rachel helped him into the maid outfit Evelyn had prepared.
It was a standard maid uniform—mostly black, with white collar, chest panel, apron, and some lace.
Buttoned all the way up, it covered his neck, but Enoch’s refined features made it suit him perfectly.
Even before makeup, he was pretty; with it, he looked nothing short of a stunning maid.
“No way.”
Enoch blushed and protested. But Henri, seeing him step out of the carriage, remarked,
“If you’d been born a woman, you’d have made many men weep. Of course, I only love Evelyn.”
He added the last part glancing at his daughter. Finally, Rachel fitted a light brown wig over his short hair.
“This should fool Uncle. I’ll introduce you as my most trusted maid, so stick close to me.”
“Ha, yes.”
Enoch sighed in resignation. Even that looked graceful, drawing a glance from the coachman.
“Alright, let’s head out again.”
The carriage raced on and reached its destination.