Chapter 5

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Translator: Diva
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: They Say Age Gaps Don't Even Check Compatibility
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"Huh? Why..."

I looked up in confusion, and there he was—his ears, face, and even the nape of his neck flushed bright red.

"Uh..."

In the suffocating silence, I swallowed hard.

No wonder the robe hadn't been sitting right.

'There's a pretty big... variable here.'

At this point, it was best for me to back off.

To keep a mere misunderstanding from spiraling into something irreversible.

I knew better than anyone how to retreat without provoking a massive, overwhelming beast.

I flashed a smile, handed Elhart the sash from his waist, and slowly pulled back.

"...You don't have to be so on guard. I won't do anything without permission."

He said it after tying the sash tight with invisible speed.

And I...

"So if I give permission, you'll do anything?"

...blurted out the dumbest question without thinking.

He stared at me for a moment, then gave a smile that mirrored the one I'd worn earlier.

"If it hadn't been a misunderstanding, I would've taken you as my wife. Even now, I need a wife more than a maid."

Come to think of it, when I'd pounced on him earlier, the timing had been so perfect that he'd said something like he wouldn't chase me away.

"I'm going to try changing our relationship. In other words, from now on, I'll approach you with impure intentions."

His golden eyes gleamed at me, seductive as a dream demon's.

"If you hate it or you're scared, change the reward now. I'll set up somewhere else for you to stay."

For some reason, it sounded like... a declaration of war.

'Scared? Then run away?'

No way.

Not after I'd scoffed at and shaken off the Dream Demon King's temptations.

"No need to change the reward."

I lifted my chin proudly and declared it.

"Once you experience my competence, you'll change your mind."

His eyes curved softly.

"Is that so."

"......"

For some reason, that expression reminded me of someone who looked nothing like him, so I quickly turned my head away.

Oh, right.

"That thing's broken, isn't it?"

Elhart followed my gaze and spotted the flattened chain.

It was the one he'd crushed while removing it from his ankle restraints before going to wash up.

"...Seems like it."

"I'll fix it for you."

I wasn't sure if repairing restraints that bound her master's freedom was a maid's duty, but it was clearly something Elhart needed right away.

I spread the broken chain out flat on the floor.

I wasn't a proper mage, but I knew basic daily magic.

Purifying water, keeping clothes and bodies clean—essential spells for long expeditions, taught to me by my expedition teammates.

Restoring a chunk of metal like this wasn't hard for me.

The trick was controlling the mana output so no one came running like before.

'Draw it out thin as thread...'

I gripped the metal and grunted for a bit, and soon the chain was good as new.

"...!"

"What do you think? Perfect, right?"

Elhart stared alternately at me and the chain, his face stiff.

"How...?"

I lifted my chin confidently.

"See? You won't find a maid as capable as me anywhere in the world."

"......"

He was so shocked he couldn't even respond, frozen in place.

So I hooked the chain onto his ankle restraints for him.

This should hold even if he moved carelessly.

Though if he grabbed it and crushed it like before, it'd be useless.

"Need anything else?"

After a long pause, Elhart shook his head.

"...No."

"Alright then. I'm clocking out."

Today's work was done.

It was late, so the rest could wait until tomorrow.

The return magic's aftereffects hadn't fully worn off, leaving my body heavy as lead.

"Where are you going? Don't you need a place to stay?"

Elhart suddenly shot to his feet and started talking before I could answer.

"Use my bed. I'm more used to the floor."

With that, he tried to lie down right on the bare ground.

"No need."

No matter how used to the floor he was, could it be more than me?

After years in demon territory.

"I'm not going anywhere."

I reached into my space bag and pulled out a sleeping bag.

"This is better than most beds anyway."

Mikhail had prepared it specially for me, since I was picky about sleep, and it was the height of comfort.

The expedition team had been insanely jealous.

I unrolled the sleeping bag on the floor beside the bed, crawled in, and peeked out with just my face showing. My eyes met Elhart's, who stood frozen beside me—not unlike when I'd fixed the chain.

Someday, I might get to brag that this was a gift from the Founding King himself.

"Good night, Elhart."

I deliberately closed my eyes without explanation.

Kindness requires spare energy, after all.

Today was the day I'd finally subdued the last demon.

I hadn't rested at all, buzzing with the thought that I could finally go home.

I'd just cleaned up, donned my saved formal wear, and torn the return scroll.

I'd imagined gushing about everything to my friend waiting with a grin, then eating, playing, and resting to my heart's content.

Now that things had gone off-script, feeling this exhausted was only natural.

'Mikhail, I'm back.'

As consciousness sank deep, I whispered the greeting I'd prepared.

I skipped the "I'm late."

You wouldn't want an apology anyway.

'Not instead, exactly, but I'll do my best to look after the kingdom you built and your descendants.'

The situation irked me too much to just retire and wash my hands of it.

'But, Mikhail.'

Even after closing my eyes for a while, I could feel Elhart's gaze fixed on my face.

'Your descendant doesn't take after you at all...'

That was my last thought before sleep claimed me.

***

The next day, I was officially hired as Elhart's maid.

He seemed startled when I showed up in proper Cradion court maid attire, but pulling something like this off was child's play for me.

Mix truth and lies in storytelling, add a touch of demon authority, and bam!

Ser Brin, veteran maid from Bardia, at your service.

Every kingdom has nobles serving royalty as maids or valets.

Even if they're hostages.

Elhart was royalty, so having attendants was only natural.

Normally, Bardia should've sent a valet along when dispatching their hostage.

No Cradion noble would volunteer to wait on one.

So I became the maid Bardia had belatedly sent from their conscienceless, runaway-riddled stock to attend the deposed crown prince.

He'd clearly suffered without a dedicated attendant until now and seemed quietly pleased.

'Win-win.'

For the record, my fake surname "Brin" was borrowed from one of my expedition teammates.

Naming's more hassle than it seems.

I just hoped his family was still around.

But.

"What is that you're eating?"

I grimaced at the bizarre something in front of Elhart.

The meal they'd brought while I was out looked suspicious.

A murky broth with floating chunks that looked like leftovers from someone else...

"Don't eat it!"

I snatched the bowl from Elhart's hands just as he was about to slurp it down.

Serving this to Bardia's prince?

"It's more edible than it looks."

"What?"

My eyebrow shot up, and Elhart gave an awkward smile.

Seeing that only made my blood boil more.

Tormenting such a sweet guy?

And he's drop-dead gorgeous too. Do these people have eyes in the back of their heads?

You'd think they'd treat him well just for his face.