The Obsessive Maniac Is Trying To Confine Me - Chapter 17

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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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Episode 17

Although Rihardt crushed the precious potato, I decided not to say anything about it.

When Arzen was mentioned, his anger must have surged.

He must have been twisted with anger at the part where he himself was confined here while Arzen would leisurely receive bedroom service.

But why did Arzen call for me?

During my time as Rihardt’s meal attendant, quite a few incidents occurred, but I managed to get through them well and steadfastly cleared the death flags…

“I’ll bring dinner a little later, so make sure you peel all the potatoes.”

“…”

“Understood?”

“Will you give me a reward if I peel them all?”

“I’ll think about it.”

“…Fine.”

He smiled as he always did.

Emily looked at us with strange eyes.

Soon the door closed and Emily grabbed my shoulder and interrogated me.

“What’s your relationship with the monster?”

“Can’t you tell by looking? We’re in a meal-giving relationship.”

“…I know that. That’s not what I mean – why are you two so friendly?”

Friendly?

Well, it did seem like Rihardt was pretending to be kind and getting close to the other person.

“He’s always like that.”

I simply defined Rihardt’s behavior. However, Emily looked unconvinced.

“Among all the kids who served him before, I’ve never seen him be this friendly…”

“…”

“It felt like he kept an appropriate distance, but with you…”

Emily frowned as if it was complicated, then gave up thinking and pushed my back, escorting me to Arzen’s room.

“Good luck, Roji!”

She cheered me on like when I first went to serve meals in Rihardt’s room.

I nodded reluctantly. To think Arzen called for me.

And for bedroom service at that.

I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. I was so nervous I felt like I might die.

“Who is it?”

As soon as I knocked, a voice came from inside. It was Arzen.

“It’s Roji. I heard you called for me.”

“Ah. Come in.”

I cautiously grabbed the door handle and entered.

The moment I saw Arzen’s face that I had so longed for… I froze completely.

“Hello, Roji?”

You’re not the Count! You’re not Arzen!

But you are!

I was frustrated to the point of madness, but unfortunately in this class-based society, I couldn’t express my feelings.

“We meet again.”

Should I laugh or cry in this situation?

“Last time I failed to recognize you as the Count and made a mistake…”

“Ah. That’s fine.”

Arzen was surprisingly cool about it. At his attitude of just letting it go, I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

“I heard you refused the exclusive maid proposal, is that correct?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

“Did you refuse because of the monster rumors?”

“No.”

“Then why did you refuse?”

So this was indeed why he called for me.

Arzen had been needing an exclusive maid for Rihardt all this time.

So I, who reported Rihardt’s escape attempt and exposed Mari’s crimes, might have seemed suitable as his exclusive maid in his eyes.

I had passed his standards.

Realizing this fact made me endlessly depressed. While trying to avoid death flags, I ended up catching Arzen’s attention of all people.

“I refused because I will be leaving This Place soon.”

“You’re leaving?”

At my words, Arzen’s head tilted curiously.

“I was fortunate to work at the Marquis House. And now that my circumstances have improved, I want to pursue the dream I’ve had since childhood.”

It was a very standard answer.

“What is that dream?”

Unlike just before when I answered smoothly without a moment’s hesitation, I couldn’t say anything.

I don’t have any dreams.

“…Marriage.”

I awkwardly offered the first thing that came to mind. I really just said whatever.

“Marriage?”

“Yes.”

“If you want that, point out someone you want in this manor. I’ll assign him to you.”

What is this, breeding pets…?

I knew from reading the novel, but he was truly an unreasonable lunatic.

“…I want to marry someone I love.”

“What a pointless thing to want. Love doesn’t last long anyway. After a while, that love will wither and you’ll become unhappy.”

At those words, I recalled Arzen’s past.

I remembered his backstory that briefly appeared in the original work.

He had never been loved even once.

While parents should naturally care for their children, his parents didn’t fulfill that natural role.

Arzen was not loved.

He thought he wasn’t worthy of love and tried hard to justify his parents’ behavior.

Young Arzen didn’t know it wasn’t his fault, and his immature mind concluded it was because he was ‘not pretty enough.’

But Arzen was beautiful.

However, since he himself didn’t think so, it was meaningless beauty.

That was the first trigger for Arzen’s obsession with beauty.

“I know. As you say, Count, it might wither.”

“And?”

“But humans are so irrational that I want to make a foolish choice.”

Arzen clicked his tongue as if he couldn’t understand me at all.

“When are you planning to leave the manor?”

“Soon…”

“I asked when that ‘soon’ is.”

“I think I’ll leave within two weeks…”

“Is that so?”

Arzen rested his chin on his hand and tapped the wine bottle on the table.

“Do you know something?”

“I don’t know.”

“You were the first to notice the chains were broken.”

I needed a moment to think about what he was referring to.

Was he talking about discovering the chains that Rihardt had broken on my first day serving his meals?

“Actually, I was the one who broke them.”

I opened my eyes wide at the unexpected words.

Wait, then why was Rihardt’s ankle twisted?

‘What a nasty guy.’

“Anyway, with the magic restraints on, it would be hard to escape just because some chains broke. Besides, his physical condition isn’t good either… Come to think of it, he hasn’t been looking for medicine at all lately.”

Arzen’s green eyes gleamed ominously.

“Why is that?”

He seemed to be demanding an explanation from me.

I wondered whether I should mention that I gave him medicine on the first day, but worried I might get in terrible trouble if my lie was exposed, so I told the truth.

“I gave him medicine on the first day… about 9 days ago.”

“That was only a small amount anyway. With that quantity, it would be hard for his body to get better…”

Could it really be because of the fragrance Rihardt mentioned? Really?

Actually, I had been only half-believing what Rihardt said.

“What could be the reason…”

This was a moment of crisis.

I thought it would be better not to unnecessarily inform Arzen about this fact.

“I wonder why.”

“I don’t really know.”

“Really?”

“How could a mere maid like me know such things?”

“Now that you mention it, that’s true.”

It felt somewhat unpleasant, but I thought I needed to quickly change the subject before he brought up this topic again.

“Count Evantes, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“The gatekeeper used violence against Lord Rihardt. Besides that, he’s apparently a spy.”

I rattled off the gatekeeper’s secrets one after another.

I thought there was no other story that could capture his attention like this.

Originally I had planned to tell the butler, but whatever, I don’t care anymore.

After listening to my entire story, Arzen furrowed his brow. I roughly explained how I had found out.

“You’re quite useful indeed. It’s truly regrettable that you’re retiring.”

Don’t feel regretful about that.

“…Thank you.”

Arzen had nothing more to say.

Was the conversation over?

“Um… may I go now?”

“Where are you going? Didn’t you hear that you need to attend to my bedroom?”

…Was attending to the bedroom really the purpose?

Today’s fortune seemed to be the worst possible.

While conversing with Arzen, I had forgotten about having to attend to his bedroom.

No, it was closer to wanting to forget.

‘That bedroom service isn’t really that kind of bedroom service… right?’

It can’t be…

Even if it were, there should be plenty of people around Arzen who could assist him well enough, so why specifically me…

‘He probably just wants me to clean the bedroom, right?’

…That must be it. It has to be.

“I apologize, Count Evantes.”

I bowed my head and approached Arzen. Arzen smiled with satisfaction and extended his hand.

I glanced around his vicinity and opened my mouth, pretending not to understand.

“Should I change the bed sheets?”

“…What?”

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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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