[CHAPTER 31]
“Isn’t this really too much? Do you think cleaning this huge mansion is such an easy task?”
While cleaning what was essentially a ruined mansion, Herond kept muttering to himself. *He didn’t have the courage to go against Redemberg, so all he could do was dwell on it alone.*
“I just don’t understand. They could have simply kidnapped her and taken her to the Demon King’s castle, so why make it so complicated?”
Herond acknowledged that Redemberg was sincere toward Ehilie.
But he could not understand why Redemberg would go so far as to act unnaturally just to watch Ehilie’s reactions.
“What’s so special about that human woman anyway.”
Herond did not like Ehilie.
Why would a great Demon King keep such a fragile human woman by his side?
“Well, I do appreciate that she makes sure I get my meals properly.”
Ehilie, probably worried that Herond would get tired of eating only Black Dragon meat, gave him fruits she gathered from the forest, dried meat, and mixed grains.
She also brushed his feathers every day and carefully applied supplements, making his feathers glossy and shiny.
And that was not all.
When Herond accidentally knocked over a glass ornament while trying to sneakily take it,
“Herond! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Ehilie worried about him before even noticing the broken display cabinet.
“Ehilie, are you alright?”
“I’m fine. But Herond…”
“…Herond, what are you doing?”
When Redemberg tried to scold Herond, Ehilie stepped in to stop him.
“Stop it, Rek. Herond must be very startled. First, let’s calm him down. Are you okay, Herond?”
“Caw!”
“Yes, yes. It’s okay. Don’t do that again. It’s dangerous.”
“Caw…”
Herond, who had been smiling at the thought of her soft voice and gentle hands brushing his feathers, shook his head violently. *No, no. This isn’t it! Do they think I’ll be swayed by such bribes and flattery?*
Herond was not the type to be won over so easily.
“…Still. She might be better than all those who only come for the power of His Highness.”
Everyone who approached Redemberg so far had only sought his status and power, ignoring Herond and Lucy.
But Ehilie was different.
Her eyes looked at Redemberg, not his background, but Redemberg the demon himself.
*Now that I think about it, it’s strange. Humans would usually dislike crows.*
To humans, crows were symbols of bad luck.
Perhaps that’s why most humans tried to chase Herond away with stones or avoided him in disgust.
Ehilie was the first human to treat him kindly.
“She’s really a strange woman.”
Herond muttered lowly while scrubbing the heavily dust-covered windows even harder than before. *Humans are weak; they complain over a little dust.*
“If something happens to her, His Highness would turn the world upside down and punish me.”
*I’m only following my master’s orders. I’m not doing this for her.*
As Herond continued thinking, a low voice came from behind, startling him.
“What?”
“Caw! Y-Your Highness? When did you arrive?”
“Just now.”
“Announce your presence! Jumping out like that suddenly is startling!”
“And?”
Redemberg tilted his head slightly. His expression said: if you have complaints, say them. Of course, he was not the type to actually listen.
“…Why did you come already? There’s still time left…”
Herond, who had not finished cleaning, asked cautiously. Redemberg tossed something in front of him.
It was a thick wooden plank.
Herond turned pale at the sight. *Are they going to hit me with this…?*
He dropped to his knees and begged desperately.
“Y-Your Highness! I’m sorry! Please forgive me just this once! I won’t speak carelessly again when you’re not around!”
Redemberg raised his eyebrow slightly.
“Did you even curse at me when I wasn’t here?”
“Ah, no! I was just…”
“Just?”
Herond frantically tried to think of an answer that would work.
“I was just muttering to myself that Your Highness really seems to love Ehilie very much.”
Redemberg’s lips curved slightly upward.
That was the correct answer.
“Does it seem so?”
“Yes, yes! Even a passing child could tell at a glance how much Your Highness loves Ehilie!”
Seeing the satisfied smile on his face, Herond finally relaxed. *I’m saved!*
But Redemberg, as usual, raised the plank.
*Is he not in a bad mood?*
Herond closed his eyes tightly, trembling.
“What are you doing? Hit it quickly.”
Redemberg’s annoyed voice made Herond squint and look. He was holding the plank out to him.
Herond obediently accepted it with both hands.
“Y-Your Highness? Why give this to me?”
“Use it to hit me.”
“Break at least one arm if you can.”
“Hit my head too, hard enough to draw blood. But don’t hurt my face; Ehilie actually likes my face.”
Even while speaking to Herond, Redemberg’s lips curved slightly at the thought of her.
Herond panicked at the increasingly strange demands.
“I-Impossible. No matter the order, how could I ever hit Your Highness? I cannot! Absolutely cannot!”
***
Regaining consciousness, Ehilie blinked dully.
Looking up at the unfamiliar ceiling, she slowly retraced her memory.
*I was threatened by the thugs sent by Cain and knocked over by a man’s touch…*
After that, she remembered nothing. She probably fainted when she fell.
Ehilie jumped up and looked around.
The room only had a bed. The wooden floor was cracked in places, and the walls had peeling paint.
It seemed poorly maintained.
“This is…”
Could this be their hideout?
Based on her extensive knowledge of romance fantasy novels from her previous life, there was a 99.9% chance she had been kidnapped by those thugs.
*Rek should be safe… right?*
Worry flooded her—had he gotten hurt resisting those men?
*He’ll be fine.*
Hoping Rek was safe, she calmly organized her thoughts.
*In romance fantasy stories, the female lead usually experiences kidnapping at least once or twice.*
*And when the heroine is in danger, the male lead always comes to save her…*
“Damn it. I can’t!”
Ehilie hurriedly got off the bed.
The male lead of this world was Gabriel. He would be the one coming to rescue her.
*I don’t want to build a romance with a man right now!*
Ehilie decided to escape from here under her own power to avoid the awful romantic cliché approaching her.
Fortunately, the window was open.
“Third floor.”
If it’s the third floor… she probably wouldn’t die if she jumped.
Or maybe not—people sometimes die from misstepping on stairs.
Ehilie swallowed hard.
Stay here and participate in a romance with Gabriel, or risk her life to escape?
She clenched her fists.
“Alright. It’s do or die.”
She took a deep breath and climbed onto the window ledge. Sitting there, her fear increased.
“It’s okay. I can do this.”
Thinking about escaping to return quickly to Rek, she steadied herself.
She would also get to say what she hadn’t yet:
*I think I like you too!* *
Blushing at the thought, she prepared to jump.
“Ehilie!”
With a desperate shout, strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back.
“…Rek?”
Turning her head, Ehilie’s breath caught.
His body was a complete mess.
Blood-stained hair clung to his forehead, torn clothes revealed bruised, swollen skin, and dirt covered him as if he had rolled on the ground.
“What are you doing!”
“I… I was just trying to escape… but your body…”
Ehilie stammered.
She worried for his battered body, but seeing Rek showing strong emotions for the first time confused her more.
He had always been gentle, but now his ruby eyes trembled with emotions she had never seen.
“If you fall…”
Rek could not finish his sentence. His trembling fingers betrayed his anxiety.
Every part of his unscarred body was only concerned for Ehilie.
