novelzi Chapter 38
Chapter 38
“M-maid.”
As soon as I opened the door of the Exclusive Maid’s Room, as usual, what appeared was, unexpectedly, not the mansion guards nor Harold, but Ethan’s face.
To be honest, it didn’t really matter that Ethan’s face was the first thing I saw when I woke up in the morning.
The start of my exclusive maid duties was waking this brat up and tidying his bedding.
For the past three months, his face was the first thing I saw every morning when I woke up, so I was long past the point of feeling particularly worse because of something like this.
...But on this last day in this world, I still didn’t want to see this brat’s face.
I responded calmly since I could guess why he appeared before me.
I didn’t particularly want to be treated like this brat’s plaything until the very end.
“M-maid...”
“What a sight, isn’t it?“
“Huh, what?”
“Seeing the maid who cursed you to death with all sorts of curses after you tried to strangle her being dragged off to the slaughterhouse must be quite enjoyable for you.“
“M-maid! No, lower your voice!“
“...?”
I responded as calmly as possible with no emotion, thinking he had come to mock my final moments, as I did to Ariana and Alicia.
But for some reason, after hearing my words, Ethan started fidgeting and glancing nervously down the hallway toward Harold’s room.
“Is there perhaps someone else over there?“
“Huh, no... Ah, Father doesn’t seem to be up yet... Phew...“
“...?“
...Why is he acting so suddenly strange?
Usually, he’s an arrogant brat who doesn’t care about others’ opinions, including Harold’s. So why is he abruptly starting to watch his surroundings?
Also, why is he fidgeting strangely when I open my mouth?
Ethan seemed totally off this morning, no matter how I looked at it.
Not that it really matters to me, who only has a few hours left to live.
“I, I didn’t come to mock you...”
“Huh?“
“I came to... a-apologize to the maid...”
...What is he saying?
Based on Ethan’s personality, he would absolutely never come to apologize to a mere maid like Lilith. He must be plotting some other devious trick.
For example, pretending to bow his head in apology, only to raise it and headbutt me or something suddenly.
Or maybe he wants to see my reaction when he “apologizes“ so he can insult me further.
He could make me feel relieved, as if I’d been forgiven for yesterday’s incident, only to crush my mood then and make me feel the utmost despair...
“.....“@@@@
“M-Maid...?”
...But looking at this brat’s level of intelligence, he doesn’t really seem capable of such an elaborate mockery.
Of course, he’ll likely become more crafty as he gets older. Still, for now, his intelligence is probably only that of an elementary or middle school student at most.
And since Ethan hasn’t received a proper upbringing or mandatory education, his reasoning ability is undoubtedly even lower than that.
While I don’t necessarily take this brat at his word, it seems a bit hard to assume he has some other ulterior motive when I examine it carefully.
I get the feeling his words about wanting to apologize may actually be sincere.
“By apologizing, are you referring to what happened yesterday?“
“Y-Yeah, what happened yesterday and...other th-things too...“
“Other things?“
“F-For playing tricks on the maid until now... I’m s-sorry...“
“......“
“M-Maid...?”
...Are you serious? Really?
Truthfully, I, too, wished to converse with the two who had become my closest friends in this world one final time.
Additionally, there was a chance that sharing some of my future knowledge could aid them in some way.
Considering all those factors, the opportunity to meet them now held considerable value.
“Ah, I didn’t tell Father, so it’s okay...!“
“Pardon?“
“You’re worried I told Father about you strangling me, right, maid? If I told Father about that happening... you’d become someone I would never meet again...“
“Is that not the obvious outcome?“
“So it’s okay... I didn’t tell Father about yesterday’s incident...“
“...Pardon me?”
...Could it be that the reason Harold didn’t come arrest me in an uproar last night, nor show up to execute me while I slept or this morning, was simply because Ethan didn’t tell his father about it?
“......”
Considering how Ethan from the game would run whimpering to Harold over anything he couldn’t handle himself, it was hard to take this brat’s words at face value right now.
Sensing to notice my suspicious gaze, Ethan reiterated that he did not say anything.
“R-Really... I really didn’t say anything, maid...“
“Or perhaps you’re trying to command me not to resist you from now on in exchange for keeping quiet about yesterday’s incident...“
“N-No, it’s not like that! I just didn’t say anything... The thought of telling Father about you, maid, and never being able to see you again...“
“......“
“I didn’t want that... So, I didn’t say anything...”
...Should I simply believe this?
Given that no mansion guards have come for me by this morning, his claim of not saying anything does seem truthful.
But the idea that he stayed quiet merely because he didn’t want me to die is...rather hard to swallow.
...Well, whether I believe it or not, it won’t improve my current circumstances either.
Rather than agonize over something that hasn’t happened yet, I reluctantly nodded, keeping an open mind for now.
“I see. Thank you for your mercy, Lord Ethan.“
“Y-You believe me?“
“Yes. Since you have said you will overlook and conceal my momentary transgression, I can only believe your words and express my deepest gratitude, my lord.“
“Ah, no... It was my wrongdoing...”
...No matter how I look at it, he doesn’t seem to be the Ethan I knew.
Well, that’s that, and this is this. The fact that this brat has become somewhat more docile is good news for me, not bad news.
At the very least, I needed to return to my abandoned duties to avoid yesterday’s incident from being discovered.
“Then I should resume the room cleaning I failed to complete yesterday. Will you permit me to enter your chambers for a moment, my lord?“
“Y-Yeah, come in...”
...To be honest, I don’t believe people can genuinely change overnight.
Perhaps this attitude is merely a temporary reaction born of the terror he experienced yesterday. He may very well revert to his old wicked self and torment me again by tomorrow.
If that happens...then I’ll deal with it when the time comes.
After resigning myself to death once already, I’ve realized how foolish it is to fret over futures that may never come to pass.
For now, it will be easier on my mind to believe Ethan has changed a bit for the better.
At the very least, there’s no immediate cause for worry from Isabel and Catherine...
“...Ah.“
“What’s wrong, maid?“
“...No, it’s nothing.“
Come to think of it, just moments ago, I was about to make a big fuss about bidding them farewell and such.
If I had exchanged those kinds of parting words with them under the impression I could never see them again, only to still be working at the mansion...just imagine how awkward it would have been for all of us.
The mere thought of the embarrassing future that was narrowly avoided causes my face to flush.
...I almost created an embarrassing anecdote for no reason.