Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Handing Over the Camera, Claiming the Maid
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Dania didn't take long to grasp the situation.
The moment she lunged at me to snatch the camera, I spoke up.
"It's no use."
"What?"
Dania froze mid-motion, her eyes blazing with hostility.
She looked ready to pin me down any second, but my confident demeanor held her back from acting rashly.
Of course, this bravado of mine was all an act.
If she really wanted to, she could crush someone like me with a single punch.
To stop that, I needed believable bluster and lies.
"Everything we just did has already been recorded and uploaded to my personal server. Smashing the camera won't erase the footage."
"...So you're saying the video survives even if I destroy this?"
She reached out with a skeptical expression.
"Then hand it over. If you're telling the truth, it won't matter if I smash it to pieces, right?"
Her menacing glare nearly made my forced smile falter.
But I couldn't back down here.
"Sure, go ahead."
I handed over the camera for real, and Dania's eyes widened in surprise.
Without hesitation, she slammed it onto the floor, shattering it completely.
Even so, I kept up the act of calm certainty, as if my words were gospel.
It worked—Dania spoke in a heavy voice.
"...Looks like I'll have to blackmail you into deleting it."
"One twitch of my finger, and it's programmed to post the video not just on the school's official SNS, but all over the internet. Go ahead and try if you can."
"..."
Obvious lies.
Yet Dania hesitated, trapped in indecision.
There was a reason for that.
I'd learned it by chance while chatting with her at school: Dania not only knew nothing about PCs or the internet, she was hopelessly tech-illiterate.
She'd spent her life mastering only the knowledge and skills to be an exemplary maid, devoting nearly every moment to serving her lady without a second for herself.
That's why she couldn't see through my bluff.
People fear the unknown first and foremost.
Unsure of its danger or impact, they grow cautious and keep their distance.
Dania was exactly like that.
Terror that this unfamiliar technology could ruin her life clouded her judgment.
My job was to stoke that fear until it overpowered her reason.
"What do you think Selena would say if she saw this? Her precious maid doing that with me, of all people. You'd never work as a maid again, at minimum."
I knew from the game lore that Selena and Dania were as close as blood sisters.
She couldn't brush off my words lightly.
"What do you want?"
"Do whatever I say from now on. Anything."
"..."
"I don't know when, but if I end up satisfied, I'll delete the video. Don't worry—Selena stays in the dark, and nothing bad happens to her."
I deliberately offered terms that weren't all bad for her.
My real enemy wasn't her, but Selena.
No need to fan Dania's hatred toward me indefinitely.
To get revenge on a chaebol heiress like Selena, I needed to claim both her maid's body and heart—the one closest to her.
"Oh, and killing me won't help either. My laptop's set to scatter the server data across the school site and everywhere else if I don't log in for three days. Better not ask anyone for help. It'd just look like you leaked it yourself."
Ridiculous even to my own ears.
But right now, Dania...
"I-Is that even possible...?"
Her face was more grave than ever.
"Remember I mentioned my specialty is computer programming?"
"..."
She'd fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.
I never thought that offhand comment—after hearing she was clueless about tech—would pay off like this.
Truth be told, recording her with the video camera was also insurance against Selena ordering my death or Dania acting on her own.
Hard to imagine it'd go that far, but this game brimmed with murderous intent toward me. No room for complacency.
Dania's fists trembled.
From her perspective, there was no escape.
"Ian Drakhin... I thought you were a decent guy, unlike what my lady said. To resort to such cowardice..."
"Eh, not chasing after Selena with a knife already makes me decent enough."
The maid bowed her head in silence.
Searching for another way out?
Resigned to my blackmail, steeling her resolve?
The answer came after a brief silence, in her trembling voice.
"Fine... So this is how it ends."
She sank to her knees on the floor, her tone hollow and quavering.
"Is this punishment for failing to serve my lady properly... for not stopping her from straying down the wrong path?"
I listened quietly as she seemed to harden her heart, lifting her gaze to meet mine.
"I knew both she and I owed you an apology. If I can bear all the blame for her sins, I'd even be grateful."
Her hands clenched into fists against the floor.
Her eyes locked onto me, sharp and clear.
"I'll obey you. But mark my words, Ian Drakhin: I'm her servant, sworn to her for life. If you lay a hand on my lady, I'll kill you and then myself to prove my loyalty."
"Got it. Don't worry."
Not sincere, of course, but she had no choice but to believe me.
Seeing her nod despite the glare brought a satisfied smile to my face.
"Then for starters, tell your lady to quit harassing me."
"She can't do anything for a while anyway. Her mother found out about the Academic Tribunal."
Caught red-handed by Mom and got scolded for plotting mischief?
Serves her right.
"Nice. But you know she won't stay quiet forever with that personality."
"...If her mother's attention fades, probably not."
"Stop her then."
"She never listens to me when it comes to you."
"Then tip me off if she cooks up another scheme. Give me a heads-up to slip away."
"...Understood."
Dania's face soured as she replied, but that wasn't my problem.
"And starting tomorrow, come to school and stick with me. Tell your lady and the others you're just watching to make sure I don't pull anything shady."
"...Fine."
I dressed slowly as I spoke.
"Head out for today. From tomorrow, it might be easier to think of me as your lady instead of Selena."
"..."
She shot me a final glare before leaving the room. Soon, the front door opened and shut.
"Whew."
I collapsed onto the bed with a sigh of relief.
I'd rated my odds high, but it wasn't a sure thing.
Glad it worked out.
Sending her off without demands was just because I was wiped out.
For some reason, I came way more with Dania than usual.
Plus all the tension.
Anyway, my gamble paid off. Now it was just a matter of taming her slowly.
Selena would stay quiet for a bit, and even if not, Dania had my back.
...This was gonna be fun in all sorts of ways.
I grinned like a movie villain and checked my phone.
A new "Result" section had appeared that wasn't there before.
Sure enough, it was about Dania's visit today.
But if I'd agreed to transfer schools, I wouldn't die, right?
Why did this skill, which predicts incoming death, trigger?
Maybe there's a reason I can't leave this school?
Something like that rings a vague bell from the game settings.
Plus, I still didn't get why the skill's info sometimes diverged from reality.
Next time it triggers, I'll examine it more carefully.
"Oh, right."
Something clicked. I rummaged through the wreckage of the camera Dania had smashed.
What I pulled out was an SD card the size of a fingernail.
Luckily, its small, light size let it survive her superhuman strength.
Better back up Dania's video just in case.
(Michelle's was already transferred to my laptop.)
"Damn, I liked this one."
Seeing the mangled camera tugged at my heart.
But it fooled Dania, so a noble sacrifice.
I reverently gathered the shards as a tribute to its service.
---
The next morning.
As I entered the classroom, Dania was seated next to me.
"Morning?"
She turned her head away in response to my casual greeting.
I sat down, and Anna walked in fresh from arriving at school.
Unlike usual, she wore a bright smile—until she spotted Dania beside me. It faded to a pout.
She'd clearly hoped to sit with me again like yesterday.
Since our relationship was a secret, Anna couldn't even greet me. She pursed her lips and trudged to her seat.
Dania kept her back turned, but I prodded anyway.
"Sleep well last night?"
"..."
"How's Selena?"
"..."
She showed me the back of her head, radiating displeasure.
A dark aura seemed to swirl around her.
Glancing at the clock, I saw Michelle's morning roll call was still thirty minutes out.
I sidled closer, out of others' sight, and whispered in her ear.
-I'll head out first. Meet me in the storage room at the end of this floor in a bit. Don't let anyone see you follow.
"..."
Not even a glance back, let alone a nod.
-You know what happens if you ignore me?
-...Go.
Satisfied, I slipped out like I was heading to the bathroom.
I strolled casually down the hall to the storage room I'd mentioned.
Each floor had one—usually stuffed with unused junk, so rarely visited.
Perfect for meeting Dania alone.
Only faculty and security knew the door lock code; students couldn't enter.
But I punched it in smoothly.
Thanks to Michelle.
Inside, I shut the door and waited. Soon, footsteps approached from outside.
I opened up—Dania stood there.
"Come in."
"..."
Alone with her in the storage room.
"Seeing you just makes me unable to hold back."
"...Ian Drakhin."
She grasped my intent, her face sour.
"I expected demands like this. But this is school, isn't it? A place to hone your learning. Failing to control your lust even here makes you no better than a beast, just like my lady said."
"What about sneaking into the showers to sniff me?"
"That was... just sniffing..."
She knew it was a lame excuse; her cheeks flushed.
"Sucking cock is off-limits, but sniffing's fine?"
"..."
"Then no sucking—just sniff."
"W-What?!"
I wasn't out to torment or revenge on Dania.
I wanted to tame her, make her mine.
Coaxing and tempting would be more effective and safer than force or threats.
Rather than break her will, I'd shake her endurance until she crumbled on her own.
"You said sniffing's okay. I like you sniffing me. Come on, roll call's soon—hurry."
"...Fine."
I unzipped and pulled out my cock.
Dania knelt reluctantly before me.
"Wanna look?"
She glanced up at my words.
No makeup, no frills—yet her stunning face made the perfect canvas. I rested my soft cock against her soft cheek.
She squeezed her eyes shut, holding her breath, but didn't push it away.
Even in this humiliating act, her meekness stirred my conqueror's thrill.
"You can breathe. Sniffing's fine, right?"
"..."
"I won't ask for more—just sniff."
After a hesitant pause, Dania inhaled, drawing in my scent.