Chapter 19: Chapter 10.2

As Alvern hurriedly bowed and stepped back, I scurried along with him. The neat and restrained sound of heels tapping against the marble floor approached, carrying with them the count's imposing presence. It was surprising that someone who wasn’t a demon like Adrian could emit such an aura. As the saying goes, like father, like son, and where beans are planted, beans grow; where evil is sown, demons arise.

The sudden appearance of the count caused Jeffrey to panic. "My lord, my lord, what will we do, Inspector?" he stammered, patting Harrison's arm, though he soon stopped under Harrison's glaring.

"Ah, my lord, forgive us. My name is Jeffrey, Sergeant Jeffrey. We, um, came here not without reason but to..."

"Harrison. Inspector."

"You are responsible for local law enforcement, I see. It's an honor to meet you."

As the count extended his hand, Harrison accepted it with a light handshake. He then offered a handshake to Jeffrey, who, unlike the unimpressed Harrison, was too overwhelmed to accept and instead hopped around, wiping his hands on his trousers while Harrison muttered, "Calm down, Jeffrey," under his breath.

The count chuckled softly as he watched Jeffrey's flustered response to the handshake.

"And what brings you here? It seems you were discussing something with our butler."

"Oh, it’s nothing serious, my lord. There was an incident in the village yesterday, and when we heard that the young Pfalzgraf had visited, we came for a routine inquiry."

"Jeffrey!"

"…Adrian was in the village, you say?"

Though Harrison tried to interrupt, Jeffrey had already spilled the details to the count. As the count's gaze shifted smoothly to Alvern, who bowed as if admitting his own oversight, Jeffrey frantically waved his hands.

"My lord, there's no need to worry. Yes, we also received statements that the young count was seen in the village, and we had to investigate. We just came to ask formally. Yes, just formally."

"Ah..."

"Is that so. If you need to see Adrian, you are welcome to come in."

"Yes, then we will take our leave."

As the count made a gesture to clear the way, Harrison eagerly moved to enter. Jeffrey, who seemed about to continue with the obvious 'how could we possibly search the Pfalzgraf mansion without evidence', jumped in shock and clung to Harrison's leg. Wow, he really is desperate.

"Oh, wait, Inspector! You can’t go in!"

"Let go, will you? Jeffrey, if not now, when else can we search this place? You know that, right? Let go. I am your superior."

"Ha, ha ha, Inspector. What are you saying... Did you know why the chief inspector sent me? Because you might cause trouble, because you might rush in headlong, that’s why. Yes?"

"Let go. You don’t want to? Are you looking to be dismissed for insubordination?"

"Yes, yes. Would just being dismissed suffice for obstructing the Inspector's path? I deserve to die, to be stripped of my uniform. Let’s go back to the station and decide there. Yes?"

As Harrison tried to drag Jeffrey along even though he was clinging to a column, it was clear that Harrison wasn’t just rude to servants like me and Alvern. He was consistently and equally rude to everyone...

"Inspector, Sergeant. Are you all right?"

"Ha, ha ha. Yes, my lord. I am terribly sorry to show you such a sight. Very sorry. Please keep this matter confidential from our chief inspector..."

"But if our family is involved in the matter, I must speak up. If there must be an investigation, we will comply fully. A house search is also welcome if necessary."

"No! No, my lord! There’s no need! The servant has already provided an alibi for the young count. He went to buy tea leaves for the lady. Yes. Since this part is clear, there's absolutely no need to meet him directly."

"Servant...?"

Only then did the count notice me hiding behind Alvern. Our eyes met, and it felt like being swallowed whole by a snake.

If there’s ever a dinner with the count's family, I must absolutely not attend. With the count wrapped in an aura of oppression, the countess a serial goat killer, and Adrian a true demon... Even a brief encounter between the three would surely be deadly.

"Would you like to add Rueiiry to your list of favorites? (0/3)

Category: Count with royal blood

Features: ?"

Ah, right, I had to add the count to my list of favorites! I failed last time I met him. He's a rare monster that doesn't appear often, and I couldn't miss this chance again.

Although my favorite list was already full, so adding the count wouldn’t activate immediately, rare monsters had to be added first. I was about to press 'Yes' when the window vanished as if waiting for the moment. Did I fail again? The time limit is too harsh!

"Would you like to add Rueiiry to your list of favorites? (0/3)"

There it was again. This time, before it disappeared, I tried to press it, but as soon as I lifted my hand, it vanished again. What is this, it's not just appearing and disappearing, it's practically flickering!

"Would you like to add Rueiiry to your list of favorites? (0/3)"

Despite the annoying system, I couldn’t give up on the count. I stared intently at the air, waiting for the text to vanish and reappear, then tried to press it again. Crazy, it disappeared again!

"Yes, yes. So we were about to head back, but we didn't expect to meet you, my lord. There have been frequent incidents in the village recently. It's a sensitive time, so please be forgiving. Our inspector is highly dedicated..."

"Say it nicely, Jeffrey. Let go."

While they were still arguing about whether to see Adrian or not, I was completely focused on adding the count to my list of favorites. Jeffrey would probably give up and return soon.

"Ha, it seems the inspector still has some doubts."

This time, the favorite addition button flashed at the bottom right of my vision. Here, here! Press it!

"No, no, not at all. Would we dare suspect the family of Pfalzgraf? How could we..."

Top left! Tap, tap!

"Well, if there had been circumstances to suspect, maybe. Our family is dedicated to charity work without exception. Why would our names be tied to a murder case..."

"That’s very strange, my lord."

"What are you saying?"

"We haven’t mentioned a murder case in front of you..."

"..."

Now in the center! Press it!

Ah, crazy. It disappeared again. That's too short!

"Ha ha. Inspector, the village of Aida is a place I particularly sponsor and look after. I'm aware of what happens there."

Hoping for just one successful click, I frantically tapped everywhere, but the window appeared and vanished before I could hit it. My blood pressure is rising...

"Well, is that why? Or..."

"Inspector, why are you doing this? This could turn into a serious issue! It seems we've found out all we need to know, so let's head back!"

"Yes, let's go. It seems we've found out all we need to know."

"…Alvern, see the guests out to the gate."

As if on cue, the inspector and the count turned and began to walk away. As the count's footsteps faded, the intermittently appearing favorability window no longer showed up. When would it appear again? I waited, fingers poised for battle, and belatedly realized the count had left.

The count left? Is it over? Really? Already? Just like that? Ah, I really wanted to capture the count this time...

I lowered my fingers, thoroughly disappointed. Really, nothing goes right. Not only did I fail to add the count as a favorite, but the inspector left too. The conversation they had while they were here went in one ear and out the other. Did they discuss something important?

"Hilda."

"…"

"Hilda, Hilda!"

"Yes, yes?"

“Hilda, what on earth have you been doing? You’re not responding when I call you, and you keep poking at the air with your finger. Are you all right? Could it be that the inspector shocked you too much?”

When I snapped back to reality, Alvern was looking at me with a deeply concerned expression. It seemed he had been about to escort the inspector out, as the Count had instructed, but stopped when he noticed me. Startled, I quickly waved both hands.

“No! I’m fine! There was just a fly buzzing around, so I was trying to catch it.”

“I see. That’s a relief… By the way, Hilda, about what you said to the inspector earlier.”

“Oh, about that? I’m sorry! I know I’m just a servant, but I got so angry that—”

“No, that’s not it. I was surprised that you spoke like that, but honestly… it was refreshing. You said exactly what I wanted to but couldn’t. Thank you.”@@novelbin@@

I had braced myself, fully expecting to be scolded, and even though I wasn’t actually in trouble, I still felt my heart pounding nervously. But instead of the reprimand I was anticipating, I received gratitude, and my eyes widened in surprise. Alvern gave a small, slightly awkward smile, then leaned closer and whispered, “Let’s keep this just between us,” before walking away.

Somehow, his shoulders looked a little more lifted than before.

“Who are you?”

I blurted the question in shock as soon as I entered the room. Never before had I uttered “Who are you?” in Adrian’s room, because it was entirely unnecessary. A demon doesn’t mingle with prey, nor does he invite anyone into his space lightly. Adrian doesn’t make close human connections—if anything, they would only hinder him. So seeing an unfamiliar boy sitting alone in Adrian’s otherwise empty room was highly unusual.

Surely, he’s not a ghost?

“M-My name is Claude,” the boy stammered.

At least he wasn’t a ghost. Relieved, I took a moment to look him over. He couldn’t have been older than nine or ten at most. He was thin and frail, as if he hadn’t been properly nourished during his growth. Honestly, even a sickly Adrian could probably take him down with one hand. Wait… could he be prey?

“T-The young master told me to wait here,” he mumbled.

Awkwardly getting up from the sofa, his gaze darted around without ever settling on me. Claude… I had never heard that name before. In other words, he wasn’t one of the mansion’s servants.

Could it really be? Was he actually prey? If Adrian went so far as to bring him in from outside, then he must be serious this time. That demon really wasn’t kidding about working hard to regain his strength.

“I came here because of money. I need to earn it for my family,” he said, voice trembling.

He was shaking so badly it was pitiful. He must have been so desperate to feed his family that he sold his own life. Adrian must have paid him handsomely. He looked so young… it was heartbreaking.

Considering that this boy had been brought in so early in the morning, it seemed Adrian planned to finish things quickly, before I could intervene. Efficient, as always. Feeling somber, I asked in a lowered voice:

“I see. Please, sit back down. Where is the young master?”

“He went to get something he needed.”

Probably the murder weapon. I sighed heavily.

“Do you mind if I ask about your family? Who’s in it?”

“I-I have a younger sister… and our p-parents are gone.”

Deceased parents, a younger sister, and the boy’s own price tag. With these few keywords, a bleak scenario began forming in my mind:

A boy loses his parents at a young age and struggles to support his little sister, only to end up selling his own life. His sister, waiting endlessly for her beloved brother, is left with nothing but his blood money. But the shadow of greed looms over her, as a heartless loan shark not only steals the money but sells the sister into slavery...

“Are you sure about this? Your sister must miss you terribly.”

“It’s fine. As long as my sister can be happy with the money I send her, I don’t mind what happens to me.”

“She’s still going to struggle without you.”

“The young master… he kindly promised… to look after my sister, too. He said I don’t have to worry about her and can go peacefully…”

His body was trembling pathetically, which only made my sympathy grow. No, wait. I can’t afford to get emotionally attached.

“Um, I know this may be overstepping, but have you considered thinking it over again? Even if someone promises to take good care of her, it’s not the same as having her brother. How is she supposed to live well without the person she relies on?”

“It’s okay if she resents me. This is the only thing I can do for her. It doesn’t matter where I end up…”

This is just data. It’s nothing more than a backstory created by the developers. Adrian killing Claude would be nothing but one bunch of pixels erasing another. Adrian kills people all the time—I saw it happen just yesterday. It’ll be over in an instant. All I need to focus on is survival. It’s just data… just data…

“But… sometimes I worry she’ll miss me too much. She’s scared of thunder and lightning…”

Even with death looming over him, all he could think about was his little sister. Wait. Did I just feel moved? By pixels? Damn it, I wasn’t supposed to get emotionally attached. He’s just a bunch of pixels!

“Claude, this is the thing I mentioned earlier—”

The door to the room swung open, and Adrian appeared. Without hesitation, I darted forward, grabbed him by the wrist, and dragged him inside.

“Young master! I need to talk to you.”

“Hilda? When did you—”

“Please, just listen for a moment, young master. Hah…”

It was surprisingly easy to pull Adrian back into the room. I pushed him against the wall, planted one hand against it, and tried to catch my breath. Though, thanks to our height difference, my hand ended up closer to his shoulder than his face.

“What… is this about?”

「Adrian is surprised by his bold, future right-hand woman.」

「Adrian’s affection has increased by 10.」

「Current affection level: Lv. 1 (74/400)」

“It’s about Claude, the boy in the other room. Young master, I spoke to him, and… this won’t work.”

“This won’t work? What won’t?”

“Shh! Quiet! Your voice is too loud, young master. I brought you back inside to protect your important secret! And look how loyal I am! So loyal that you’ll grant me one favor, right? Right?”

“Hilda, you’re tickling me.”

Adrian chuckled softly, his lips muffled by my hand. His smiling eyes curved beautifully, but—no, now’s not the time for that. Leaning in closer, I whispered urgently:

“While I commend you for personally picking your prey, I think you made a mistake this time. Even if you kill that kid, there won’t be much to gain. He’s like a chicken with no meat, a pizza with no toppings. You get what I mean?”

“Well, he is rather small.”

“Exactly, right? Plus, his story is heartbreaking. He has a little sister, you know. If he dies, she’ll be all alone in the world. And you know what happens to little girls left alone in this cruel world, don’t you? Think of all the excuses you’ve used to avoid killing certain people here at the mansion. But you’re willing to kill someone like him? That’s just not right.”

“Hilda, you’re too close… it’s ticklish…”

“And besides, Claude is just too nice! Even though he sold his life to a demon, all he cares about is his sister. We can find someone else to kill, someone who actually deserves it. Wouldn’t a more wicked, malicious, and healthy victim give you more power anyway? I know lots of bad people! Lately, it’s like I can spot them everywhere! So put that knife down, and let’s—”

I stopped mid-sentence when my eyes drifted to Adrian’s hand. I had been too caught up in my rant to notice before, but he wasn’t holding a knife.

…It was paint.

“Young master! Is that… is that the paint you mentioned? The thing you went to get?”

Knock, knock, knock! The sound of Claude knocking on the door echoed from outside. Adrian’s narrowed gaze fell on the hand I was using to cover his mouth, as if to silently tell me to remove it now that I’d realized my mistake.

Flustered, I quickly pulled my hand back, allowing Adrian to straighten up. He adjusted his rumpled clothes, thanks to my earlier shoving, and opened the door. Outside, Claude was waiting with the excited expression of a child about to receive a holiday present.

“Claude, here. The oil paints you wanted.”

“Wow…”

“These are high-quality pigments from the Meilon Mountains. I’ve heard from artists who’ve used them that the colors are vivid, rich, and deep. If they fade easily, let me know right away. The supplier isn’t very reliable.”

“Thank you, thank you so much, young master!”

“Congratulations on being accepted into the academy.”

Holding the set of oil paints close, Claude bowed politely before leaving the room. I, who had awkwardly witnessed the entire interaction, slowly released Adrian’s arm, which I had been holding since the beginning. I didn’t dare look up at his face. God, this is so awkward…

“So, what exactly did you misunderstand? Tell me.”

Adrian sighed lightly as he asked. It seemed that Claude was actually an aspiring painter whom Adrian was sponsoring. The “payment” Claude mentioned was financial support, and his “departure” referred to enrolling in an academy. How was I supposed to explain my misunderstanding?

When I remained silent, fumbling for words, Adrian walked over to the window. There, two potted plants that he had apparently managed to kill in the meantime sat lifeless.

“You thought I was going to kill Claude, didn’t you?”

His voice was calm, but there was a faint trace of bitterness in it. Guilt gnawed at me for wrongfully suspecting him, and I found it difficult to meet his eyes. My gaze dropped to the floor.

“…Yes. Honestly, I did. I’m sorry. After what happened in the village yesterday, I couldn’t help but assume… I never imagined you were sponsoring him. He was so pale, trembling, and stuttering…”

“Claude always stutters around women who aren’t his sister. He also completely loses his ability to speak coherently.”

“I… I didn’t know that. But still, you’re surprisingly kind to your young protégés. I was genuinely shocked.”

“To be precise, it’s not kindness toward him. It’s respect for the future works he’ll create. Claude has an innate talent. In a few years, his hidden skills will blossom, and the masterpieces he produces will all belong to me.”

“I… I see. That’s… good to hear.”

“Hilda. Do you see me as a demon who only wants to kill every human I encounter?”

The sudden question caught me off guard, and my mouth snapped shut. Adrian stared at the dead flowers in his hand for a moment before fixing his gaze on me. It was hard to discern what kind of answer he wanted. If I said yes, he’d probably be offended. If I said no, he might think I was mocking him. So, I decided to respond ambiguously.

“Well… aren’t you?”

Adrian blinked, seemingly surprised by my question. Folding his arms, he appeared to ponder my words for a moment before answering with a straight face.

“Well, I do feel that way about most humans.”

“…”

“But not all of them.”

His tone suggested he was being sincere, but I couldn’t make sense of it. Either way, wasn’t it all the same?

“Hilda, you’re far too soft. You pity Claude’s story and ask me not to kill him? I guess yesterday’s lesson was a failure. Pretending to kill someone was pointless.”

“Soft? Who’s calling who soft right now—wait, what? Pretending?”

“Yes. When you naively panicked yesterday, remember?”

His nonchalant expression made me feel like all my indignation had walked out the door. I was so dumbfounded that my voice got caught in my throat. Seriously? Are you kidding me? A breathy, incredulous laugh escaped me several times.

“So… you didn’t actually kill anyone in that alley yesterday? Then what about the blood?”

“Hilda, even I wouldn’t kill someone that carelessly. The blood was from Hubert’s clinic; there’s plenty of it there.”

“Why? Why go to all that trouble—”

“You seemed far too relaxed. I wanted you to get a sense of what you’re in for if you want to stay by my side.”

“Wow. Just wow. You really can’t trust anyone these days…”

“You were surprisingly easy to fool, Hilda. It makes me hesitant to let you out into the world.”

A quiet chuckle followed his words. His clear, lake-blue eyes swept over me, trembling with betrayal. I wanted to demand why he was only telling me this now—especially since I had just defended him against a terrifying inspector! If I had known he hadn’t done anything wrong, I wouldn’t have been so scared!

Wait. Hold on.

“Wait a second. If it wasn’t you, then… what’s with the murder case in the village yesterday?”

“Huh? Oh, the incident in the village? That has nothing to do with me. It’s a real murder case, though. But I wasn’t involved this time. That’s for the town’s law enforcement to handle.”

“Really? So I didn’t need to be so scared yesterday?”

“Exactly. You had no reason to panic.”