“Close protection is all well and good, but does it have to be so popular?”
“Have you finally lost it? Why am I guarding you?”
“···.”
A dedicated knight, they say.
“It’s surveillance. Don’t mistake it. Instead, it’s difficult for me to ignore the children, so release them.”
The sound of Sylvia’s heels clicking rings clearly in the quiet library.
Clearly, an antagonistic attitude towards me.
It’s been like this non-stop since morning.
[Sylvia’s affection has decreased by 1.]
Even when I ordered Charlotte and Julia to run, her affection dropped.
[Sylvia’s affection has decreased by 1.]
It dropped when I fed them all.
[Sylvia’s affection has decreased by 1.]
It dropped when I had the maids bathe them.
[Sylvia’s affection has decreased by 3.]
It dropped again when I put them to sleep in the guest room underground.
Regardless of what I did, her rating consistently plummeted.
Thanks to this, her affection rating is now -38.
It’s contemptible.
“These sl*ves, my sister’s gift to me. It shouldn’t be a problem for a knight like you working for the family.”
“Treat sl*ves like sl*ves. Then I won’t dare to overstep.”
“If I decide how to treat them, what’s the problem?”
“That’s…! Argh! How shameless!”
Sylvia couldn’t contain her anger and burst out loudly.
“I know everything! Despair increases as the size of happiness previously enjoyed grows. The fall of the most happy is surely greater than the despair felt by those with nowhere to fall. Isn’t that the intention? To give happiness to those children and then harvest dark energy from the negative emotions that arise when taken away…”
With her face flushed red, Sylvia trembled visibly.
Her red eyes were full of hostility.
She genuinely hates me.
She wants to kill me right now.
Bound by the constraints of the contract, she can’t, but her hand seems eager to draw a sword.
‘As expected, just like in the game.’
In the game, Sylvia eventually joins hands with the protagonist and betrays Aslan. Even if it means facing penalties for breaking the contract, she couldn’t serve such a villain.
And Sylvia, filled with anger, kills Aslan by splitting him in half, on behalf of the protagonist who lost their ability to judge rationally.
Some say it was consideration to prevent the protagonist from becoming an evil person through torture.
My interpretation differs slightly.
Despite the betrayal, I think she allowed Aslan to die without suffering as a final loyalty to the family she had served her whole life.
She is truly just and loyal, nothing less than a model knight.
So, it’s inevitable that Aslan would sink to rock bottom in her affection rating.
“Hehehe…”
“···!”
Oh dear. He’s laughing inwardly.
Or did she think I was sneering, as Sylvia glared at me again, seeming ashamed.
“Why are you like that…”
“Enough. I don’t want to hear any more.”
“If you continue, what will you do? Are you going to activate the stigma?”
“···.”
Sylvia pouted, showing the stigma on her neck.
Is that a symbol of the Vermonts binding her?
Using the stigma could physically subdue Sylvia with pain, but…
That’s not an option.
Anyway, Sylvia can remove the stigma whenever she decides to betray.
It would cause immense pain and drastically shorten her lifespan, but it’s not impossible.
So, it’s easier to think that the stigma is gone from now on.
Sylvia has to truly believe in me.
To overcome this villainous atmosphere and manner of speech.
…It’s quite a challenge.
“If you want to free them, do as you wish.”
“Pardon?”
“The door is open, and no one is blocking you. I said you could do as you please.”
Sylvia looked at me with eyes that showed disbelief, about to step away.
“But. If you have the confidence to take them out and take responsibility.”
“…”
“You have talent, so you’ll figure it out. Those children aren’t ordinary. If you take them outside, can you protect them from falling into the hands of villains?”
“Are you calling yourself a villain? If you were to name the most evil person in this world…”
“Your ability to think straight and honestly is lacking. Rather than uncertain dangers where any kind of villain could lurk, wouldn’t it be better to leave them beside a certain villain within your reach? That’s what I’m saying, you fool.”
“…”
“Watch over them. Whether I’m pushing those children into despair as you think. If your expectations are correct, take the children away then. Tear off the stigma, slit my throat, and then take them.”
“What…!”
Sylvia’s eyes widened.
She had realized that I had realized what I had been thinking as a means of escape.
After closing her mouth for a moment, Sylvia stared at me silently.
The flames of suspicion had already subsided in her eyes.
‘You’re doubting me.’
But still, she doubted.
The flames of suspicion burned even stronger in her eyes.
Of course, it would be suspicious.
People are always suspicious.
“I understand. Wait and see.”
“Good. You thought well. That’s it. Your salary is reduced by 50 percent this month.”
“…”
“Did you think you could just argue with your master and bare your teeth and get away with it?”
There’s no hurry.
After all, Sylvia isn’t going to be satisfied with whatever I do.
If I don’t do anything, she’ll be annoyed.
If I treat them well, she’ll still be annoyed.
Is there no way to immediately change that idiotic knight’s mind?
Time.
Only time can resolve it.
Whether it will work or not, let’s give it a try.
[Sylvia’s affection has increased by 6.]
This…
Is she a masochist who’s happy when her salary decreases?
***
“Wake-up time!”
“Ah… I didn’t get any sleep after all…”
As the morning sun rose, Julia opened her eyes to the bustling sounds of the maids tidying up the bedding.
She had once again stayed up all night.
Beside her, Charlotte had lost all the blankets and pillows but was still sound asleep, oblivious to the world.
“Get up. It’s time for morning exercises.”
“Dame…”
“Don’t even think about asking me anything. I don’t know, and even if I did, I couldn’t answer.”
“…”
Was it Sylvia?
She was such a rough female knight.
She followed Lord Aslan’s orders without hesitation, it seems.
She’s a key figure.
When Yuri returns, they need to be able to flee as soon as possible.
Julia moved to the exercise ground without dropping her cautious attitude.
“Same as yesterday, 10 laps. Begin.”
It’s the same as yesterday.
Running with sweat pouring down after not being able to finish all 10 laps yesterday.
After taking the tired body and taking a bath.
For some reason, they changed clothes dozens of times to make it even more delicious because they exercised sweating…
“Um! It’s delicious! Right, Julia!”
“Yeah. This tomato pasta, it looks good enough… Huh? This isn’t it!”
She was surprised at herself, sucking up the pasta with sauce all over her face.
No. This isn’t it.
When was it?
When did she accept this as a matter of course?
At this rate, Aslan’s intentions will be realized.
That won’t do.
Even though she didn’t know what that guy was planning, the danger is real, so she must not be careless.
“Charlotte.”
“Yeah, um.”
“Charlotte.”
“Yeah, what?”
“Don’t just eat, let’s come up with a plan. A plan to escape from here.”
“Can’t we just ask that guy Aslan? To let us leave.”
“Would that work!?”
With that serene reply, Julia felt like her soul was leaving her.
She stared intently as the banknotes exchanged hands during the transaction.
There was no way he could simply free a sl*ve after paying such a hefty sum.
Well, they weren’t really sl*ves…
“If you wish, you can leave at any time.”
“Huh?”
As Aslan sat in the study, not even glancing up from his book, his response seemed almost matter-of-fact.
Charlotte shrugged as if to say, “See?”
Julia’s expression turned incredulous.
Really? Could they really just leave like that?
“If that’s the case, then right now-”
“By paying a total of 1 billion Lark as compensation.”
“Wha… 1 billion?!”
“Let me clarify upfront. It’s per person, each 1 billion.”
1 billion…?
Isn’t that the value of a small mansion?
How are they supposed to come up with that kind of money?
From the beginning, it’s absurd.
There’s no way such value could be justified for a commoner orphan like them who barely learned anything.
Even the sl*ve trader was only paid a million Lark at most, so what…!
“That means we can never leave! Where do you expect us to get that kind of money?”
“Obviously, you don’t have it. So earn it. Do you think I feed and shelter you out of charity? Go work, earn your keep. If you manage to accumulate 1 billion each, then I’ll sell your freedom.”
“Ugh…”
As the book was casually closed, Aslan’s demeanor changed.
A face with an arrogant tone and an evil smirk that seemed out of place anywhere in the world.
At that moment, Julia was certain.
Indeed, this man was undoubtedly irredeemable trash who couldn’t even feign kindness.
