The Obsessive Maniac Is Trying To Confine Me - Chapter 68

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 68

It was while I was applying medicinal herbs to Arzen’s neck.

“Strange. The door should have opened by now…”

Arzen muttered blankly while gazing somewhere beyond the window where the annex would be.

“But why won’t the door open?”

I eagerly chimed in as if I had been waiting for this.

Arzen had told me that the pain that appeared whenever the pattern manifested had decreased after applying the medicinal herbs.

I don’t remember exactly when it started after seeing the effects, but around that time he began calling for me frequently.

His attitude toward me had also become much softer.

“Was there anything strange when you checked the annex?”

He could have had his own attendant do such things, but Arzen always made sure to ask me or have me check.

I’m not sure if I can call this going according to plan, but it seems I’ve won Arzen’s favor since applying the medicinal herbs.

Judging by how he’s withdrawn some of his suspicion toward me.

“There wasn’t anything strange, but the gatekeeper and servants looked quite unruly.”

“Unruly?”

“They were making the monster locked in the room do all sorts of strange things.”

The Arzen in the novel didn’t care about Rihardt’s suffering.

Still, with a glimmer of hope, when the opportunity arose, I reported what they had been doing.

Testing the waters like this when I found an opening would be much more effective than giving an official report.

If Arzen stepped in, I wouldn’t need to bother racking my brains.

A single word from Arzen could resolve this entire situation.

Arzen also frowned as if he didn’t like their behavior.

I briefly held hope, but…

“They’re doing quite interesting things.”

“They seem like bad people, so perhaps replacing them…”

“As long as they do their job properly, it doesn’t matter. It might be good to trample the monster while we’re at it.”

…I should have realistic expectations.

What I hoped for was what I expected after all.

There’s no way Arzen would care about someone else’s trauma.

Especially when it comes to Rihardt.

I felt uncomfortable, but not wanting to arouse Arzen’s suspicion, I pretended to comply and nodded.

“According to reports, they seem to be doing their assigned duties faithfully.”

Right. That’s the problem.

While thinking about how to report them, I investigated how they worked at the annex to find something to catch them with.

But… something completely unexpected caught my eye.

Surprisingly, they were doing their jobs well. Especially Eric.

Eric does various tasks at the annex, and it seems he’s working cleverly using the know-how he’s accumulated while working at this manor.

Here, ‘cleverly’ means he’s good at deceiving his superiors.

…That’s what makes it more annoying.

‘From a superior’s perspective, as long as the work gets done well, it doesn’t matter… I’d be the same way…’

It’s annoying that I find myself agreeing.

Eric was surprisingly clever, contrary to my expectations.

He knew how to flatter his superiors appropriately, act tactfully in front of them, and had impeccable timing for slacking off.

…There was nothing to fault.

“Still, it would be good to send someone to the annex. It would be troublesome if they do unnecessary things.”

This was unexpected news.

“…Though it’s presumptuous, may I recommend someone?”

“Roji, you?”

Arzen asked as if surprised.

“…Since he’s one of the people who repaired the annex, I thought of someone who knows the interior well and is diligent. It’s just a random suggestion, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

“No. It wouldn’t be bad to hear who this person is. Who is it?”

I smiled and said.

“Lucas.”

Arzen seemed lost in thought about something.

“Is he your lover?”

Why is the conversation suddenly going in that direction?

“If he were my lover, I would have kept him well hidden. I just recommended him because he’s diligent, so please don’t worry about it, Count.”

“Then is your lover locked up somewhere?”

“…?”

What are you talking about?

At this random and absurd comment, I laughed awkwardly.

Is this what they call boss-style humor? I froze, unable to laugh or cry.

However, as if his interest had waned, Arzen soon called for the butler.

“Do you know a servant named Lucas?”

“…Lucas, you mean? Of course I know him. He’s a quiet fellow, but I remember him for doing his work silently and diligently.”

The butler added a few more words of praise about Lucas.

Then he asked carefully.

“…Did Lucas perhaps make some mistake before you, Count?”

“No.”

Perhaps anxious because of Arzen’s consistently displeased expression, the butler’s face looked quite cautious.

“Send him to the annex.”

Finally, the words I wanted to hear came from Arzen’s mouth.

Success.

I cheered inwardly.

* * *

“Lucas, then do your best and tell me if anything happens at the annex. I’ll help you.”

Lucas, who had been looking at me with a stoic face, nodded silently.

Good, reliable!

Since he’s Rihardt’s spy, he’ll do well.

I clenched my fist as if to cheer him on and showed him a fighting gesture.

However, Lucas awkwardly mimicked my action with a reluctant expression.

“Um, Roji…”

A maid who had been watching me and Lucas called out to me.

“I don’t know if I should say this, but Dillen is looking for you.”

“What?”

“If you’re uncomfortable, run away in advance…”

“Thanks for letting me know!”

This crazy bastard really…

I should settle things with him once and for all, I thought, but my body was already running away.

I’m starting to reconsider whether bringing Dillen in was a good idea.

Directly confronting Dillen would be tiresome, so I want to avoid it as much as possible.

As consolation, at least I don’t have to worry about Yurta anymore, which is convenient.

And the troublesome problem of Eric and the gatekeeper will be well handled once Lucas goes to the annex.

Then I might become a little more comfortable too.

Several more days passed like that.

Strangely, the door didn’t open. It seemed like it was about time for it to open, but it was really strange.

I heard that punishments carried out in the room usually end after 3 days, and that was the case in the original story too.

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t guess what was happening.

I frequently visited the annex.

When I went to the annex, I encountered Lucas working silently, and I could see the Gatekeeper and Eric doing their jobs while watching his mood.

It was an amazing change that those who used to torment Rihardt with sneering grins had become so well-behaved.

Hmm, it seems the hierarchy has been established.

A silent competition seemed to have occurred among them, ending with Lucas’s victory.

It was a satisfying conclusion.

I gave Lucas a thumbs up, and Lucas looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Excellent work, Lucas.”

“…?”

An expression of complete incomprehension appeared over his characteristically indifferent face, but he silently continued with his work.

‘He really doesn’t seem like a spy at all.’

He looks like a diligent servant who silently does his job.

Either way, it’s a good thing.

I just waited for Rihardt to come out safely.

Among the passing days, there was one day when Lucas wasn’t around this area.

“Roji.”

Eric approached me with a menacing expression. I almost stepped back for a moment.

I barely managed to put strength in my toes to avoid stepping backward.

“What is it, Eric?”

“You sent Lucas to this place, didn’t you.”

Ah, so that’s why he’s been looking at me with a dissatisfied face for several days.

“That’s a strange way to put it. How could I possibly send Lucas? That’s beyond my authority.”

“I know you seduced Count Evantes and persuaded him to send Lucas here. I heard you’ve been visiting Count Evantes every night lately. Do you have no shame?”

…This crazy bastard.

I clicked my tongue coldly.

“If Count Evantes heard those words, your tongue would be cut off. Get a grip, Eric.”

“….”

“Count Evantes was contemplating which servant to send to the annex, so I simply recommended Lucas. Don’t think strange thoughts.”

“…You’d better not do that. Do you think I don’t know? You sent that bastard Lucas here because you didn’t like me playing with the monster inside there.”

I looked at Eric with a mocking expression.

“So you knew, didn’t you.”

“What?”

“I thought you didn’t know. I thought you were acting stupidly like a child, not knowing it was wrong, but you just found it fun to crush the weak.”

Eric seemed at a loss for words and glared at me without being able to respond.

“If it were the former, I would have just thought, ‘I guess he’s just stupid.’ Children act like children, but honestly, it’s embarrassing when a full-grown adult acts that way.”

“….”

“But you knew and still did it. You’re even more vicious.”

Eric’s face turned bright red.

His hands trembled as if he was about to hit me.

Just when I thought it would be really dangerous if I provoked him further, Eric’s hand rose up.

Is he really going to hit me?

I watched his actions without blinking an eye, but Eric’s hand stopped in mid-air.

His gaze was already directed elsewhere.

Ah, I can roughly guess.

I turned around with a bright smile.

“Are you here, Lucas?”

Lucas nodded at me. Then, perhaps seeing Eric’s hand wandering in the air, his eyes sharpened.

He seemed to have caught on to the situation as well.

“Ahem, ahem!”

Eric awkwardly lowered his hand and fled the scene as if escaping.

He muttered the same pathetic words as always.

“…You’ll regret this.”

What a ridiculous thing to say.

I’ve never regretted anything even once so far.

Even if something to regret were to happen, it wouldn’t be because I didn’t listen to Eric.

However, the next day, trouble erupted.

Sometimes human instinct boasts animal-like senses. A kind of sixth sense.

That’s how it felt when I entered the annex today.

The atmosphere felt wrong from the start.

As I stepped inside, it felt as if everything from the oxygen in this place was screaming at me not to enter.

But as always, I ignored that feeling and went in.

And I ended up witnessing a horrific scene.

…The room where Rihardt was being punished was open.

Had the long punishment finally been lifted?

Just as I was approaching the door, I noticed that the situation was not normal.

“Hey, close the door.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————