Why Are You Being So Nice to Me?

Chief walked along the hallway of the mansion and opened a door.

"This is the room you will be using from now on."

As the door opened, Edel's eyes widened.

A window with plenty of sunlight, a neatly organized bookshelf and closet.

And a large bed with enough space for one person to sleep comfortably.

There was even a potted plant in the corner.

"You prepared it well."

"Of course, Master."

"...You didn't lead me to the wrong room, did you?"

"Do you have a complaint?"

"Ah, no!"

Edel hurriedly waved her hands.

"It's just... it's so different from what I expected."

"That is natural."

"Natural, you say?"

"Because collateral must be managed with care."

I slowly sat Edel down on the bed.

"Sticking someone in a damp warehouse is something third-rate people do. What if you were to die from that?"

"...."

"You have to feed them well, let them sleep well, and keep them healthy for them to be worth their value."

Edel only moved her lips with an ambiguous expression.

Before she knew it, Chief had stepped outside, and only I and Edel remained in the room.

Edel looked around the room once, then carefully clasped her hands together.

"...Um."

"Speak."

Edel hesitated for a long time.

Even though she was in the position of being collateral, she was provided with such a nice room.

'It must be uncomfortable.'

She had volunteered as collateral, prepared to be discarded.

But isn't this more like resting and playing comfortably?

She absolutely must not just stay like this.

That seemed to be what she was thinking.

"I-is there anything I can do?"

+++++

As soon as Danilu's words ended, Edel's mind went completely blank.

Maid.

That single word filled her head.

"Yes?"

She asked back unconsciously, but the words she had just heard were already replaying in her mind.

Personal maid.

"Yes. Do you dislike it? If you work properly, I'll pay you as much as you want."

Her pupils shook violently, as if there were an earthquake.

Recently, she had done some background research on Danilu.

A maverick of the village.

A loan shark who is precise with calculations.

A dangerous man who goes out to collect debts himself if necessary.

She hadn't known when she was receiving sponsorship with a smiling face.

There wasn't a single good rumor about him.

Becoming a personal maid for such a person.

Edel was not naive enough to not know what those words meant.

'As expected, you were trying to make me let my guard down from the start.'

Collateral must be managed with care.

Providing a good room, showing a kind tone, and putting her at ease.

Was it all just a process to make her lower her guard?

Perhaps he is only now revealing his true colors.

Edel gripped her clothes tightly without realizing it.

However, could she refuse?

Countless scenes flashed through her mind.

The face of Quixote, who was coughing as if he were about to lose his breath at any moment.

Her companions, who were exhausted from hunger and sitting against the wall.

The days when they had to neglect their wounds just to save a single bottle of potion.

It was a different story when there was a sponsor, but now that sponsor is demanding a favor.

"...."

No.

She cannot refuse.

The moment she turns her back here, the price would not be paid by her alone.

Perhaps he might even cancel the grace period he had slightly extended.

If that happens, it's not just the journey that becomes a problem, but her life itself.

She would become a debtor and be chased by the loan shark and the Adventurers' Guild for the rest of her life.

Until she dies. Forever.

She wanted to prevent at least that.

Edel slowly closed her eyes and opened them.

Trying hard to steady her trembling heart, she quietly opened her mouth.

"I understand."

While trying hard to suppress the anxiety welling up in her heart.

"...I will do as you wish."

"...."

"...In return, please make sure to keep the promised duration."

She knew better than anyone what kind of contract she was accepting right now.

The other party is a loan shark rumored to be cold-hearted.

It felt like she was signing her name on a contract with the devil.

For her companions.

For Quixote.

And to be with everyone again someday.

Edel lifted her trembling hand and fiddled with her old robe.

'Maid.'

It was a status she had ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠never even uttered in her life.

A life she had never even imagined back when she was called a Saint candidate in the Holy Kingdom.

She didn't even know properly what she had to do or what kind of etiquette she should have.

Edel fiddled with the wrinkles of her robe for no reason and asked in a small voice.

"What should I start with?"

The moment she resigned herself to the fate that had come to her and reached for her clothes.

"...What are you doing?"

Danilu, who was looking at Edel with an expression that said he didn't understand, sighed.

Soon after, he picked up a broom that was standing in the corner of the room.

Whoosh.

The broom cut through the air and flew to Edel's feet.

The broom that fell to the floor rolled roll, roll and stopped at the tip of her shoes.

"Then start by cleaning the hallway in front."

"Yes?"

"You can ask Chief for the uniform later."

"Yes?"

"Make sure to learn well from your senior."

A foolish sound leaked from Edel's mouth.

Hadn't he told her to become a personal maid?

In Edel's head, those words naturally led to a different meaning.

Providing night service under the name of a 'maid'.

She had accepted it, half-resigned, that this was what it meant to live in a loan shark's house.

She had gathered such heroic resolve and reached for her collar, but.

"Ah, um. That is."

"...Was the rumor that clerics are promiscuous true?"

"No! That's not it!"

Edel's pale face flushed like a ripe tomato.

Shame soared to the top of her head.

To think she had been imagining strange things by herself and trying to take off her clothes on her own.

Could there be any humiliation greater than ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this?

"Yes, cleaning... I will clean. I'll start right away."

She headed to the hallway as if fleeing and began to sweep the floor without a word.

The misunderstanding she had just had didn't leave her head.

'What on earth was I thinking?'

Her earlobes were burning hot.

She didn't even have the courage to meet Danilu's eyes.

She swept the floor silently, as if trying to shake off her distracting thoughts.

'Is he completely different from the rumors?'

He told her to be a maid, but the first task he gave her was just cleaning.

The room was cleaner than expected, and he said he would properly guarantee meals and living conditions.

The statement that collateral is a valuable asset also didn't feel like a lie, at least until now.

'No.'

Edel shook her head slightly.

'I must not let my guard down.'

The other party is a loan shark.

A person who can reveal his true colors at any time, even while pretending to be kind on the outside.

Just like she had misunderstood on her own a moment ago, she might be misunderstanding this time as well.

'Right, not even a day has passed yet.'

Telling herself that, Edel moved the broom again.

That day passed faster than she thought.

After finishing the cleaning, she opened the windows to ventilate and followed Chief around the mansion.

It wasn't that difficult to call it maid work.

Rather.

'This is just normal housework.'

She had helped with cleaning in the Holy Kingdom too.

Of course, this was her first time in such a large mansion, but it wasn't physically exhausting.

What was more difficult than that was ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the question that kept lingering in her head.

'What kind of person is he, really?'

Before she knew it, the sun had set.

Edel, who had been guided by ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Chief to the dining room, stopped in her tracks.

"Dinner is served."

"T-this? Really?"

She had thought it would be fortunate if she could even get some dried-up fish to eat.

"Yes, please eat. Although you will have to eat with the other servants."

Freshly grilled steak and warm soup.

Fragrant bread and fresh salad.

Even fruit that looked like dessert.

A feast that one would only see in an upper-class household was laid out.

"Is this really?"

Edel looked back and forth between the dining table and Chief.

"Do you eat like this every day?"

"No."

"Right?"

"To be precise, it has been since yesterday."

"Yes?"

"Master said that from now on, we should not spare money on food expenses."

"...."

"He said that if you don't eat well, you can't work properly."

Edel was speechless for a moment.

'Since yesterday?'

The timing was too exquisite.

Perhaps.

'Because I came as collateral?'

What on earth is she thinking?

Edel shook her head at the thought that made her laugh even after thinking it herself.

Maybe he just decided to pay more attention to food from now on, that was exactly it.

After finishing her meal, Edel headed to the bathroom.

"You may bathe here."

The moment she opened the door, warm steam flowed out gently.

"Then."

Edel carefully turned the faucet.

Warm water flowed down without hesitation.

'It's warm.'

On the days she spent wandering through dungeons, washing her body with cold water was a given.

Even on days when they could get an inn, hot water was a luxury.

Edel slowly poured water over her body.

The warm water flowed down her shoulders and back, which had been stiff all day.

"Huu...."

A sigh of relief escaped her without her knowing.

Suddenly, the past few years came to mind.

The days she spent wandering through dungeons with Quixote.

If they couldn't find an inn, she would wash her body with cold water by the riverside, and on days when it rained, she would sometimes sleep while wearing wet clothes.

Money was always scarce, and hot water was a luxury.

Even after clearing a dungeon, all that remained were wounds and debt.

But now.

'It's comfortable.'

The moment that thought flashed through her mind.

"No. No."

Edel shook her head violently.

'What are you thinking?'

She was ashamed of the fact that she had thought such a thing without realizing it.

This is not home.

It is even less of a place of rest.

'I am collateral, a hostage.'

Her companions must still be wandering through dungeons for her sake.

Yet she thought it was comfortable while soaking her body in warm water.

Just that alone made her feel like she had committed a sin.

"No."

She must not get used to it.

She must not settle for comfort.

This place is just a place to stay for a while.

It was a place she had to endure until everyone came to get her someday.

Telling herself that, Edel poured water over her face again.

"Excuse me."

"...Chief?"

"Master has sent clothes. I will leave comfortable sleeping pajamas in front, so please wear them after you finish bathing."