Chapter 28
Adrian firmly refused my concern.
“No, Hilda. I’ll carry this. You just hold the gardening shears. And when we get to the mansion, you’ll return them, right?”
“Of course. I’ll even bring them to your room at the mansion.”
What I planned was to bury the shears deep somewhere in the garden.
Using them for murder, no matter who the victim is, would be a problem.
Murder is addictive, they say.
Can you stop a flood by just closing the windows?
With his intentions to regain strength, if he starts murdering seriously, it will soon be my turn.
For me to stay alive, no one else should die either.
That was my conclusion.
Though I’d prefer to be the last one to die…
“Why do you need these gardening shears, Young Master?”
“It seems my mother’s condition is getting worse. I thought of personally tending the garden where she often stays. We planted a yuzu tree together when I was a child. I thought even a small gesture of care might comfort her.”
His response to my probing question was unexpectedly human.
It seemed so genuine and heartfelt for a moment that I wondered if it was real.
It may be an act… Right?
“Then why not tell me or Lady Leticia? You don’t need to come out yourself, and you don’t have to tend the garden. Just tell us how you want it arranged, and we’ll take care of it. Why bother yourself with something you can easily delegate?”
“That’s just it.”
“Pardon?”
“When I delegate, everything gets done for me. It leaves me with nothing to do for my mother.”
“Is that so?”
His unexpected reasoning took me aback.
Could a demon, after all, still love his parents?
It didn’t add up.
In the game, even the Count and the Countess were targets for Adrian.
Or was he planning to lure his mother to the garden with the yuzu tree and then cruelly murder her?
Yes, that must be it.
This demon couldn’t possibly feel genuine affection.
“Where were you heading, Hilda? There are no more shops down this road.”
I was going to the village watch to inquire about the murder case.
I didn’t think Adrian was involved, but if there were evidence or witnesses, I thought about joining in as a witness.
I couldn’t say that, so I pointed vaguely in a direction away from the watch.
“Um, over there… No, maybe around there?”
“That direction… doesn’t seem to have any place where Hilda would go?”
Indeed, Adrian knew this village well.
Caught in my clumsy attempt to deceive, I rolled my eyes, stalling for time.
Feeling his persistent gaze, I sighed as if resigning to confess.
“Yes, it was a lie. I stopped by the stationery store. It was because of you, Young Master.”
“Because of me?”
“Yes. Young Master, is there anything you want to receive as a gift?”
It made more sense to ask him what he wanted rather than tirelessly searching for items tagged with ‘Adrian likes this’.
Giving him the desired gift would likely increase his favorability.
“You’re thinking of buying me something?”
“Well, depending on the circumstances and budget, I might or might not…”
“I’d be delighted with anything Hilda gives me.”
Adrian said this, emphasizing the name ‘Hilda’.
It seems he wanted to receive something.
The reason why the Pfalzgraf family is rich became clear: those who have want more.
“I bought it thinking you’d like it.”
Nervously, I pulled out the pencil from my pocket and offered it to him.
I was giving away an item that cost me my entire fortune so easily.
As someone who reached max level in games without spending a dime, feeling like I was losing to the system was frustrating.
I didn’t want to give it away; I wanted to return it and get my one gold back…
A cramp started at the corners of my mouth, forced into a smile.
“For me?”
“Yes…”
Technically, it’s to increase your favorability.
To make my life a bit easier.
“It looks like a comfortable pencil to use. Thank you very much, Hilda. I’ll use it well.”
What if the favorability doesn’t increase much?
Then, I might have to abandon the effort to win over Adrian.
He’s just not efficient enough…
「Adrian has received the ‘Standard Pencil’ as a gift.」
「Adrian is happy.」
「Adrian’s favorability has increased by 30.」
「Current Adrian favorability level: 1 (34/400)」
Well, 30 for one gold isn’t too bad.
A few compliments a day and a few pencils thrown his way might increase the level quickly.
Despite receiving such a modest pencil, Adrian smiled so brightly that it made anyone looking at him feel good.
However, for some reason, it reminded me of the fiery pits of Diablo from a game title I had seen.
Why does his smile seem more sinister as his favorability increases?
I fell into deep thought again while looking at his face.
Is winning the favor of a demon really a good thing?
Of course, indifference would have been best, but that ship had sailed.
The fact that Hilda was Adrian’s medicine-serving maid meant it was doomed from the start.
“Have you finished your errands then?”
“Yes, I’ve bought everything I needed, so I was about to head back.”
I thought about the watch nearby.
I needed to stop by there.
I had to talk to Inspector Harrison.
“Really? Shall we go together then?”
“What?”
“Why are you so surprised? Weren’t you heading back to the mansion?”
His eyes seemed to accuse me of just having said that.
Caught off guard by his unexpected offer, I stuttered, unable to respond coherently.
Even without experiencing a rigid class system, I knew I couldn’t accompany someone of his status.
And yet, the noble lord himself suggested it?
“Or is there somewhere else you need to stop by? Secretly, perhaps.”
I couldn’t think of any other reason he wouldn’t let me go alone.
Could he have guessed that I was planning to visit the watch?
But even if he did, people usually don’t associate themselves with such matters.
Usually…
“No, that’s not it.”
“Then shall we go together? To wherever you need to stop by.”
“No! Why would you go there, knowing where it is…”
Oops.
“Huh? Where is it?”
“Well, it’s not really a special place. Not worth your concern, not somewhere you’d go in your lifetime, so there’s no need for you to know…”
“The more you withhold, the more curious I become.”
Before I realized it, he had come right up to me, close enough to touch if he moved even slightly.
I mustered the courage to lift my gaze but only managed to reach his chin.
He wasn’t smiling, yet a languid, low chuckle escaped him.
It felt as if a thick fog had descended around us.
Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, all I could do was breathe unevenly.
How long must I stand here, trembling before him…
“Young Master, even though I work at the Pfalzgraf’s estate, I am not obligated to answer every question.”