Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Maid No. 2
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This might be a weird thing to say in a situation like this, but...
That panicked rambling of mine turned out to be pretty decent advice.
After all, thanks to my ridiculously bad luck, I'd caught Sophia in the act of feeding. If I just left her alone, she'd obviously turn down the dark path. Better to keep her as a maid and control her that way—
"Haha."
No way that's possible. I know it's ridiculous. This isn't like with Isia. That was a fair and square contest. This is basically blackmail. No way it'd work.
"It won't work, will it?"
"Yeah."
Sophia flashed a bright smile. Damn, she's ridiculously pretty. Shit.
Suddenly, a spear of blood shot up from the floor right under my feet. No time to dodge. Even if there had been, I couldn't have. The spear narrowly missed me, crossing like bindings.
That was close. Nearly pissed myself.
Not Lachesis. So Sophia did this? As if answering my unspoken question, she walked over with heavy steps.
Her friendly smile was gone, replaced by a frozen expression. Slowly. What do I do? Feels like I'm really gonna piss myself.
I'm not pissing my pants at 25.
"You saw, didn't you?"
Of course I did. Duh.
"I could've sworn I said from my own mouth to pretend you didn't see?!"
"You saw?"
Ignoring me? Feels like she's asking why I saw. I didn't want to see either. If I could turn back time, I wouldn't have done it.
"Why... did you see?"
"I didn't wanna see either? But still? I respect it. Vampires are a race too. Don't take it too hard—maybe avoid extreme thoughts? Let's think rationally. The future, yeah. For the future—"
"If you saw, I have to kill you."
She's not even listening. I was finally saying something hopeful. Got so scared, polite speech came out automatically.
"I definitely put up a spell. You shouldn't have been able to get in."
Can't say I broke it. So I whistled and looked away. No idea.
"But. But why? What about my efforts? My efforts to blend into human society naturally? What are you planning to do about it?"
"If you become my maid, I'll take responsibility—"
"Yeah. Die."
She smiled like she didn't even want to hear it. Not her earlier friendly smile—a frozen one.
Before the chill from that smile could even set in, something burst from Sophia's hand.
Drooling saliva, sharp fangs, savage eyes, and a ferocious howl.
A wolf. A wolf had emerged. A summoning without incantation—this was vampire authority, not magic.
"W-Wait a sec?! Let's stay calm. Killing me won't solve anything. It'll just make things worse!"
"Don't worry. I can make you forget with my Mana Eye."
"You think that'll work?!"
Did my desperate cry—my will to live—get through? Sophia paused, deep in thought for a moment.
"Yeah. That won't work after all."
Oh. Finally getting through? Good. Now explain the situation. If you become my maid, I swear I won't tell anyone you're a vampire—
"So what else can I do? Kill you and then myself."
"Huh?"
I blurted in shock, but Sophia said it casually. Her eyes look dead? No life in them?
She's thinking extreme thoughts right now?
"Humans can't be trusted. That's what I've learned living over ten years among them. Now that it's out, I have nowhere to go. Might as well kill you and then myself. It's all over. All over."
What kind of nihilism is this? Sophia extended her arm. No hesitation. She's really gonna kill me.
Oh. God.
Am I dying like this? Gotta at least flail.
"Lachesis—!!"
Lachesis answered my call instantly. The wolf charging at me tumbled—huh, didn't tumble?
"Huh?"
The words slipped from both my mouth and Sophia's at the same time.
"Kii... kiing..."
The wolf cowered in fear. I looked at Lachesis in confusion, but...
What? Did my inner Conqueror's Haki awaken or something? Just subdue the wolf easily and say "slow"?
And as if mocking my foolish thoughts, a voice rang out. A beautiful timbre.
Indistinct gender—stern yet benevolent.
A voice I hadn't heard in a long time.
"Wh-Why?! Carolus Farbulus!!!"
Wait, is that the wolf's name? No way? If so, reflect on your naming sense. Please. I never named a wolf?
I didn't do that?
"What did you do to Carol?!"
Sophia glared at me. I didn't do anything. Probably the cause is—
This guy, right? An existence leagues above that wolf. Seems it cowered from the mana he unconsciously emits.
"Benia. You can't come out of the inventory, right?"
She wants to say demons would pinpoint her location. Hmm.
"Then what about your presence?"
"Good."
"Who are you talking to? Reinforcements won't help."
Not that. Sophia seems willing to talk now that Benia showed up. Good thing the wolf cowered.
"Sophia. I really don't plan on telling anyone."
"Liar."
It's true. Telling her would just speed up her blackening—no benefit.
"Fine, let's do this. I'll tell you one of my secrets too. Call it even. Time for high school girls to share secrets they love. Ever heard of Truth or Dare?"
"You messing with me? Even without Carol, I can kill you."
True. Probably die in one spell. But my secret's pretty big.
"Just so you know, my secret's bigger than yours. Big enough that once you know, you'll have to become my maid. Wanna know? Doesn't it tempt you?"
"Not at all."
She's deploying magic again. I eyed the mana gathering around Sophia and opened [Inventory]. No point dragging this out. With Benia awake, let's end it easy.
What's the easiest way to untangle hopelessly knotted strings?
Pull hard. Yank 'em. Crush with force.
"Yeah."
What's the big deal? I thought, but I regretted this action sooner than expected.
Should've gone the hard way.
Nearly shat my pants.
True Ancestor vampire.
Otherwise known as Vampire Lord.
An existence of a different order from the primordial times, destined to reign over all vampires.
Thus, True Ancestors are all arrogant and insolent.
After all, how often in their lives do they encounter beings of higher order?
Dragons rarely leave their lairs. Demons can't directly rule the human realm.
The fox is king of the den without a tiger.
Sophia was the same.
Arrogant. Insolent. Convinced no stronger being existed.
But.
What is this? Her pristine knees touch the ground. Her heart, which she thought would never race in her lifetime, pounds madly.
The despair, rage, and emptiness from moments ago—none remain.
Only one thing felt.
Fear.
Instinct's scream that her very existence could vanish. Can't breathe. Knees on the ground tremble. Forcing her head up to look ahead, she sees nothing.
Only a black-haired man. Yet she sees it.
Reptilian sharp eyes.
A superior being looking down.
She knew instinctively. This wasn't some power the man could wield. This was...
"Dragon."
"Now you know my secret too? We're even?"
Lee Seong-hoon grinned, and the crushing pressure vanished like a lie. Her trembling body steadied, her frantic heart calmed.
Sophia had no choice but to look up at him. Her body still wouldn't move properly.
"You. What the hell are you?"
"Is that important right now?"
Lee Seong-hoon approached Sophia, who knelt with her torso leaned forward—the pose often called Little Mermaid.
The binding spears had melted away like snow.
"Maid. You in? Or do I spill?"
"..."
When she first heard "maid," it was absurd. Rage enough to kill. She'd vowed to cut ties with human society.
—Just so you know, my secret's bigger than yours.
It was true. Not a lie to escape.
A secret tied to a dragon. What was this man's true identity?
So that's it.
It clicked. Puzzle pieces fit in her mind.
Resisting her Mana Eye. Beating Isia. Entering her warded room.
The blood spears vanishing just now.
A dragon explained it. She didn't know why, but he was with one.
That didn't mean she could trust a human. He'd make her his maid, toy with her, then discard when bored.
Future was obvious: abandoned and buried in the human realm.
Cling to human society with its set fate, or shake it off and vanish now.
"Hey. You're thinking something weird."
"...?"
Lee Seong-hoon squatted, breaking her serious thoughts.
"I swear on the dragon's name. I won't tell a soul you're a vampire."
"Wha...?"
Swear on a dragon's name. That bound him to a Dragon Word.
Dragon Word.
Dragons blessed by mana wield magic with words alone. Pacts with them become contracts, shackles. Dragons value promises—the price is severe.
Losing magic power. Forfeiting lifelong martial arts. Or life itself.
Why go that far? She didn't get it. But his eyes held no hesitation.
"Wanna be my maid?"
At the repeated question, Sophia could only nod.
If he went that far, maybe—just once—she could trust him.
"Great, nice to work with. Maid No. 2. Call me Master or Lee Seong-hoon from now on."
Should I hit him?
"I know. But it's fine. She really won't say anything."
Had to do it this way or she wouldn't believe me. Think about it—Sophia's a mid-boss.
Meaning, if I keep her from blackening by caring for her, Kim Tae-hyun loses a chance to grow stronger.
Sophia's episode was probably where he gets a new skill, beats her, and grows mentally.
Steal one skill—easy win, right? Plus, with Sophia as maid, it's like gaining a heavenly army.
She's strong. Mid-boss level.
Have her fight in my place when it's dangerous.
Grinning like an idiot at the thought, I offered my hand to Sophia, who still couldn't stand.
"Th-Thank you."
"Huh? Why the sudden polite speech?"
"B-Because I'm your m-maid now... sir."
"Eww. No. Hate it. Don't do that—gives me chills. Already got a polite duo confusing me, so stick to normal."
Sophia nodded at my words. Weirdly obedient now. Dragon power's insane.
"Whoa?! What happened to the clubroom?! I just cleaned it?! Seong-hoon, what did you do!!"
"What the."
Speak of the devil—the polite duo returned. I said to them,
"Guys, meet our Maid No. 2."
"Huh?!"