Chapter 49: Life is Full of Surprises... and Terrors
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 49: Life is Full of Surprises... and Terrors
Muen didn't know exactly how An’s mindset had warped over the years to turn "shota-raising" into "confinement play," but he knew one thing for certain: he had to escape.
He had no idea what other "eye-blackening" stunts An might pull next. Being locked up for just a few days had already pushed him to his limit.
His heart was exhausted, and his kidneys were even more so.
He wanted to live, but more than that, he wanted to live in freedom. And if possible, he’d prefer to live happily.
As a yellow-haired villain, he refused to simply submit.
"Keep going. Tatakai!"
*
The biggest advantage of recognizing his surroundings was the peace of mind it brought.
Muen’s greatest fear was that An had locked him in some complex, unfamiliar location where he wouldn't even be able to find an escape route. Fortunately, as his personal maid, her movements were somewhat restricted. Converting an abandoned basement near the Duke’s estate into a prison was likely the extent of what she could manage.
Otherwise, Muen had no doubt An would have built a castle in the middle of a lake to imprison him forever. Turning him into a "princess" who never saw the light of day was probably her ultimate fantasy.
"Too bad. I’d rather be the prince."
Muen scavenged a rusty cleaver from a pile of junk in the corner. Gripping the handle tightly, he followed his memory toward the exit, moving with extreme caution. He remained on high alert for any potential traps.
Fortunately, there were none.
Muen breathed a sigh of relief. He currently lacked the ability to detect traps, especially magical ones. If An had been ruthless enough to install triggers or alarm systems in the exit passage, he would have been finished.
But on second thought, this was still within the grounds of the Duke’s estate. If a staff member accidentally wandered in and triggered a trap, it would cause a massive scene. Having kidnapped the Duke’s son, An would surely want to avoid that kind of trouble.
Speaking of which, do the other maids in the manor know about this?
Are they being kept in the dark by An, or are they... accomplices?
*
Muen didn't move quickly, but the passage was clearly coming to an end.
As he rounded a corner, a sudden burst of light nearly blinded him. Yet, he refused to close his eyes. Even as the irritation forced tears to stream down his face, he stared directly at the brilliant light source ahead.
It was like a dying man glimpsing hope.
The exit!
That was the exit!
He was about to succeed!
In that moment, Muen’s mind filled with images of the sky, the sea, and himself galloping across the endless grasslands!
Ah, freedom. This is the scent of freedom.
Freedom is right there...
Click.
The crisp sound of a footstep suddenly rang out.
Simultaneously, a shadow flickered across the radiant opening, blocking out most of the light.
Muen, who had been basking in the heat of his passion for liberty, felt as if he had been teleported to a frozen wasteland and doused with a bucket of ice water.
He scrambled back into the shadows of the corner.
At a time like this, there was only one person those footsteps could belong to.
An.
But how could she be back so soon?
Muen did a rough mental calculation. From the moment he picked the lock to reaching this spot, barely half an hour had passed.
Half an hour!
For a young girl in love, half an hour wasn't even enough time to do her eyebrows. How had An managed to bathe and change clothes so quickly?
Was this the peak of maid professionalism? Scrubbing herself clean and fragrant in thirty minutes just so she’d be ready for her master’s "grace visit" at a moment's notice?
He didn't need that kind of "moe" trait right now!
"Dammit."
Muen had to admit he had been too impatient. Perhaps waiting until nightfall would have been the better choice.
But the arrow had already left the string. Even if he tried to sneak back into the cell and pretend nothing happened, An would likely notice something was off. He had to find another way.
Muen’s eyes scanned the area, landing on a discarded cabinet in a dark corner.
"Maybe..."
His eyes lit up.
*
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
In the oppressive silence, the crisp footsteps drew closer, each one feeling like a heavy boot stomping on Muen’s heart.
Muen fought to steady his breathing and slow his racing pulse, clamping his hand over his nose and mouth to remain silent.
He was currently hiding inside the cabinet.
The discarded piece of furniture was about the height of a man—just enough to fit him. He didn't know who had left it there, but it was a godsend. Since there was only one path, he would have run straight into An if he hadn't found a place to hide.
That would have been the end of him.
Thank you, Cabinet God, if you exist. May every person about to be caught red-handed find a wardrobe to hide in.
Muen prayed silently.
"She’s here."
Sensing An’s approach, Muen peered through a crack in the cabinet to track her movements.
An slowly walked into his field of vision. Her posture was as poised and elegant as ever, each step measured to the exact same distance. She had clearly just bathed; she wore a fresh maid uniform, and her hair, usually pinned up, was draped wet over her shoulders, exuding a peculiar sort of allure.
But looking at her, Muen’s heart leaped into his throat.
In his eyes, An wasn't a beautiful, charming maid—she was a predatory monster. And he was the poor soul forced to hide in a box to escape her clutches.
If he was found, he was dead!
His heart hammered even faster. He watched her intently as she walked from the right side of his vision toward the left.
"Hum, hum, hum..."
An seemed to be in a good mood, humming a nameless tune.
Muen remembered that melody. When he was a child and couldn't sleep, An would hum it softly to him.
How nostalgic. It feels like she hasn't hummed that in... Wait, is this the time for that?
Miss An, stop humming and just keep walking! Aren't you dying to see me? Hurry up, I'm way back in the back!
Muen pleaded internally for her to pick up the pace. Every second of this was pure torture.
"Oh?"
An suddenly let out a soft cry of surprise and stopped.
Muen’s heart nearly stopped with her.
Eh? What? Did she find me?
But I’m hidden so well! How could she know?
It’s over. If she catches me trying to escape, she’ll definitely chop off my limbs and turn me into a human pig!
My freedom, my galloping horses... my life is forfeit!
"That’s strange. Why is my shoelace undone? I’m sure I tied it properly."
An bent over and began to retie her shoe.
"..."
"It was... just a shoelace?"
Muen let out a long, shaky breath. He had nearly died of fright.
Fortunately, none of the horrific scenarios he’d imagined had come to pass. After tying her shoe, An resumed her elegant pace and vanished from his line of sight.
Soon, even the sound of her footsteps faded away.
"Is she gone?"
It seemed so.
"Does that mean... I survived?"
Muen couldn't help but feel a surge of post-terror euphoria. For a moment there, he truly thought he was a dead man.
Heaven be praised, the worst-case scenario hadn't happened.
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. The rest of this will be a breeze!"
Muen thought gleefully. He reached out to push the cabinet door open and leave this hellhole.
"Huh? That’s weird."
Muen’s smile froze.
"Why won't the door open?"
Could it be...
Muen’s neck felt stiff as he slowly looked up.
There, at the very crack he had used to spy on her, was a beautiful eye. It was peering through the gap, staring right back at him.
Sensing Muen’s gaze, the eye crinkled into a crescent moon shape.
"Young Master~ what are you doing in a place like this~?"