Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 28
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 28
I watched that scene carefully.
“What is the October festival celebrating?”
“It’s held to celebrate how the king who founded this country defeated the magical beasts and brought peace to the continent.”
Her response to Leo’s question seemed quite natural.
Her freckled face didn’t seem unfamiliar at all.
Unlike the other maids who sent Leo jealous glances while showering me with all sorts of flattery and praise, she was always kind to Leo.
I raised my hand to stop the maids’ grooming, then casually pointed to the maid conversing with Leo.
“You there, what’s your name?”
“It’s Mary.”
“Come here and finish styling my hair.”
A brief stir spread among the maids.
My words were like establishing a hierarchy among the maids.
It meant I valued Mary more highly than the others.
Mary stood behind me under everyone’s attention and carefully spoke up.
“Um, Miss. Would it be alright if I trim your hair ends a little and change the accessories?”
The surrounding maids looked at Mary as if she’d gone mad.
I nodded without hesitation.
“Go ahead.”
Soon Mary lightly trimmed my hair ends, then braided my hair and tied it with a ribbon.
I thought it wasn’t particularly special.
Until I discovered that the decoration on Leo’s beret and my hair accessory were matching accessories.
Oh my, look at Mary. She has good taste.
“You have good skills.”
“Thank you.”
I happened to need a maid I could use.
Kind to Leo and quick-witted too.
I should observe for a while whether she’s suitable to make into my right hand.
* * *
“Mary, you’ve completely decided to switch sides, haven’t you?”
The side path connecting the annex to the main building.
The gazes of the maids returning to the main building in small groups immediately turned to Mary.
At her colleagues’ sudden attention, Mary just smiled leisurely.
“Who knows? If my efforts to serve her are commendable, I might even receive some old trinkets.”
The day the former marquess’s will was revealed.
Belinda’s single remark caused ripples among the employees who had been crying “Down with Belinda.”
Especially among the maids, there was enough tension to make the air thick.
If they could just catch Belinda’s eye, they could follow her as personal maids when she married later.
A maid brought from her family home by the mistress of a household would enjoy luxuries far beyond ordinary maids, using their master’s trust as power.
They had been serving Belinda with unprecedented devotion to attach themselves to her even now, but who would have thought Mary would be chosen—Mary who always stayed a step back and flirted with that boy who was Belinda’s attendant.
“Did you see the clothes on that kid who’s Belinda’s servant? I thought he was some noble young master.”
“Exactly. If I’d known I could enjoy such luxury, I would have volunteered myself.”
“Hey. Did you already forget what happened to the kids who served Miss before?”
“Right. Don’t be fooled, everyone. She’s not cherishing her servant—she’s definitely keeping him around like playing with dolls. You saw it too earlier. How cold Miss’s gaze was when she stared at that kid.”
“The name she gave him too. What kind of name is Jui-bam-tol?”
Even after arriving at the main building, Mary walked a step away from the group of whispering maids.
Then, as they reached the dining hall, she casually spoke to one of the group.
“I’m feeling a bit unwell today, so I should rest in my room.”
“Really? Should I ask Mac to bring you some porridge?”
“It’s fine.”
After parting with her colleagues, Mary headed to the second-floor study using the stairs employees used, instead of going to the dormitory.
After looking around the corridor to see if anyone had seen her, she knocked exactly four times on the study door, then carefully opened it and went inside.
After observing Schubel, who didn’t look up from his documents even at her visit, she bowed deeply and said.
“Miss has gone to enjoy the festival held in the town square.”
The pen that had been busily moving across the paper stopped.
Only then did Schubel look up at Mary.
“She went to a commoners’ festival, not a nobles’ party?”
“Yes, she even took her personal servant with her, so I’m certain.”
How unlike her. Schubel muttered quietly and rubbed his chin.
“What about the newcomers?”
“There was nothing unusual. The one called maid supervisor is very young, but she hardly comes out of her room, making it difficult to see her face. The one called butler is just an assistant tailor who worked at a mere tailor shop.”
“Where on earth did she bring such riffraff from?”
Mary politely continued speaking to the irritably muttering Schubel.
“And I brought what you asked for.”
Soon a bundle of hair tied with string emerged from Mary’s pocket.
Ecstasy flashed through Schubel’s eyes as he saw the blood-red hair.
“Well done. It couldn’t have been easy since she treats people roughly. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No. As you advised, when I was kind to Miss’s personal servant, she seemed to want to keep me close without suspicion.”
“Yes, please continue to take good care of my sister.”
Saying this, Schubel handed the aide a heavy money pouch.
For the first time, a vile smile formed on Mary’s face, which had remained calm throughout.
She bowed her head and received payment for the information from the aide, then quietly left the study as she had come.
Only after her footsteps had completely disappeared did the aide who had been by Schubel’s side the whole time speak up.
“The northern knight is staying longer than expected. I’ll secretly send someone north to find out the situation.”
“No, there’s no need. It’s probably not that Belinda wants to get engaged to House of Baluashten, as you think. No matter how much she covets the position of grand duchess, she wouldn’t want to rot in such barren and desolate land.”
Schubel was confident. Belinda, accustomed to the luxury culture of the Royal Capital, would detest the barren north.
However, it was necessary to confirm why the northern knight was guarding Belinda and what kind of deal had been made between them.
“First, we need to assess his skills. Whether his sword is truly worthy of protecting Belinda. Bring that.”
The aide drew curtains over the windows to darken the room, then brought a cage covered with black cloth.
“It hasn’t had a drop of water for three days since hatching, so it’ll devour anything.”
Schubel unhesitatingly pulled away the cage’s covering.
Inside was a baby raven that couldn’t even open its eyes properly, curled up as if dead and gasping for breath.
Schubel threw Belinda’s hair through the cage bars.
Then the raven suddenly raised its head, sniffed around, and began frantically devouring the hair that had fallen before it.
Finally, the raven that had devoured all the hair opened its eyes.
Red eyes emitting an eerie light looked around, then unable to control its nature, began throwing its body against the cage.
“It seems eager to quickly devour the owner of this hair.”
While magical beasts couldn’t be tamed by human hands, they could perform tasks excellently when their habits were utilized.
Like Shadow Crows, for instance.
They had the habit of devouring their parents as soon as they opened their eyes.
Some assassins used this habit to feed newborns parts of their targets’ bodies, making them recognize them as parents to pursue.
The raven greedily opened and closed its beak, making sharp sounds.
Schubel whispered gently as if handling a beloved pet.
“When night comes, I’ll send you to your parent. Peck at the flesh, chew and swallow the bones, and grow strong.”
* * *
A land of luxury and pleasure, Jenos.
The Jenos Kingdom was such a famous tourist destination that people came from other countries to enjoy the casino rumored to be the largest on the continent, located in the prime area of Monteo, the Royal Capital.
Among all seasons, autumn was when the most tourists flocked here, because a festival was held throughout the month of October with large and small competitions and events taking place every single day without rest throughout the Royal Capital.
It was all to commemorate the victory of the Bongma War that brought peace to the continent 700 years ago.
To be more precise, it was a festival honoring the first king of the Jenos Kingdom who led the Bongma War to humanity’s victory.
He was a legendary hero who always stood at the forefront in the war between humanity and magical beasts, and who spread a massive barrier across the continent to drive the magical beasts to the edge of the continent.
Although he developed a mental illness in his later years and committed tyrannical acts, executing half the kingdom’s people, the people’s pride and respect for the king never lost its shine.
And this was expressed through the Bongma Festival held every October.
Leo walked between Belinda and Penandel, taking in the bustling streets that had welcomed the festival.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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