The Villainess's Exclusive Maid Is Too Good at Her Job - Chapter 83

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 83

“This is….”
“A seal.”
“A seal, you say?”
The gift he presented was a seal used by the heads of noble houses.
Though the space where the family name would be engraved remained empty, that could be filled in later.
“Use it after you purchase a barony.”
“Ah.”
As the breath of realization escaped my lips, Janet’s eyes sparkled like stars.
“Thank you. Truly.”
She examined the seal with glistening eyes, her voice trembling with emotion.
It had been crafted solely for Janet—a unique seal in the world, shaped by a master artisan’s delicate hands.
‘Honestly, I wanted to purchase a barony and gift it to her instead.’
But I feared she would regard me with weary eyes if I did.
Of course, if Janet truly were the Marquis of Byeon’s daughter, there would be no need to purchase a barony.
‘Even the daughters of high noble houses have many occasions requiring a seal.’
I hoped she would use the seal I had given her. Nobles rarely replaced a seal once they began using it.
Some even passed them down through generations to their descendants, so the seal I gifted would likely remain at Janet’s side for a very long time.
“Well then, shall we head inside—”
That was when it happened.
Boom!
A tremendous explosion tore through the darkness of the night.
Simultaneously, a plume of smoke rose into the sky from somewhere in the distance.

Kendrick Ludwig has been in seclusion for three years.
Ever since returning from the Ashleyde War, he has suffered from severe post-war trauma.
And truthfully, it was not entirely a lie.
“Gasp!”
Kendrick’s breath caught in his throat as he inhaled, freezing mid-breath. Like a man who had forgotten how to breathe, he clutched at his neck and gasped convulsively.
A massive explosion in the darkness of night.
Burning Military Barracks and acrid smoke.
Screams echoing from all directions and the deaths of comrades.
Run, escape!
Charge! Kill first if you don’t want to die.
If you don’t want to kill, you can only die.
I couldn’t tell if the blood pooling beneath my feet belonged to my comrades or the enemy soldiers I had slain.
Whatever it was, it was equally horrifying.
“Theo? Theo!”
Janet sprang from her seat and seized Theo by the shoulders.
In the sudden chaos, the lingering warmth of alcohol evaporated in an instant.
“Breathe! Just breathe!”
His large hands gripped his own throat as his face drained of color, turning an ashen blue.
‘Damn it, what do I do in a situation like this?’
What on earth could I—!
In that moment, a scene flashed rapidly through her mind. A fragment of the past that haunted her like a nightmare.
Janet, who had been momentarily stunned, began to move with sudden agility.
She pressed both hands firmly against Theo’s ears, blocking them, then released.
External sounds were temporarily cut off, replaced by a dull roaring sensation.
Then she inserted her index finger into the gap between his hands gripping his throat, while her other hand covered his eyes.
Bringing her mouth close to Theo’s ear, Janet shouted at the top of her voice.
“Theo, breathe! This is a safe zone! The operation is over!”
Ugh, ugghhh!
At his anguished gasps, Janet cried out again with all her strength.
“It’s a safe zone! Breathe, now! Inhale, exhale, please!”
Her desperate, repeated shouts brought the Mansion’s inhabitants rushing out one by one.
“What is all this noise…?”
“Miss Janet?”
Everyone had already been jolted awake by the massive explosion moments earlier.
Among those who came rushing out were Lishar, Julietta Ludwig, and Rosina.
“Breathe! This is a safe zone! Operation complete! Operation complete!”
A few of them, finally grasping the situation, rushed forward to help Janet.
Along with smoke rising in the distance, the commotion of the night unfolded.

#Chapter. A Confession of Truth

“Kendrick! What are you doing out here alone?”
A soft thud.
At the familiar voice claiming the spot beside me, I turned my head.
“Have you eaten? Are you taking care of yourself with meals?”
“…Yes, I have.”
“Don’t lie to me. Make sure you’re eating properly. Your unit commander seems like a decent person anyway. Doesn’t look like the type to starve his soldiers.”
Leon spoke while brushing dust from his short hair.
To think he still had the energy to talk this much on the battlefield. In a way, that too could be considered a talent.
But I didn’t dislike Leon’s chattiness.
Without Leon, I would have succumbed to this dark and oppressive atmosphere long ago.
The two of us meeting had been pure chance.
During an operation, Leon had protected me when I was injured, and not long after, I had protected Leon when he was hurt.
Though we belonged to different units, we had established a meeting place and came to see each other every day.
These brief moments became my greatest solace.
Even when each day felt unbearably painful, remembering this time made it bearable.
I had deliberately never told Leon that I was the young master of the Ludwig Family.
What did nobility and commoners matter?
The moment someone learned I was a noble, they would draw a careful line between us.
After all, we all die the same way—cut by a blade or pierced by an arrow.
The thought of Leon treating me that way was unbearable.
I felt occasional guilt about keeping this secret from him, but even if that guilt strangled me to death, I had no intention of revealing it.
Perhaps later, after the war ended and we returned home.
‘Yes. Then I’ll tell him the truth.’
If I survived, I would tell Leon everything.
As I made that resolve, my eyes fell upon Leon’s left wrist.
“Leon.”
“Hmm? What?”
“Your wrist still hasn’t healed?”
Since the day we first met, Leon’s left wrist had been wrapped in bandages.
When he hadn’t had bandages available, he’d wrapped torn cloth around it instead.
“Oh, yeah. I didn’t get proper first aid at the beginning, so it just won’t heal.”
“Is it okay?”
“Yeah. It’s fine. No problems when I’m fighting.”
“That’s good then.”
“Yeah.”
The two of us sat side by side, gazing up at the sky.
“Kendrick. What will you do if you make it back alive from here?”
“Why are you suddenly asking something like that?”
“What’s wrong with it? We’ve known each other for over half a year now.”
Leon flashed a grin, baring his teeth, and playfully jabbed Kendrick’s arm.
“Isn’t this the kind of sentimental talk we should be able to exchange?”
“How embarrassing.”
“Haha!”
At Leon’s laughter, Kendrick let out a small, breathy chuckle of his own.
“When I make it back alive, I’m going to reconcile with my brother.”
“Your brother? You have a brother?”
“Yeah. A twin brother.”
“Wow! Twins, that’s amazing.”
“What about you, Leon? What will you do if you make it back alive?”
“Me? Well, I….”
I couldn’t recall what Leon had said in response.
Or perhaps Leon never got to answer at all.
BOOM—!
A deafening explosion echoed from somewhere, and thick black smoke billowed up into the darkening sky.
It was coming from the direction of the Military Barracks where the 1st Unit was stationed.
“What is this? An attack?”
Damn it. Leon spat a curse and shot to his feet.
But Kendrick simply stared blankly toward the 1st Unit’s position, not moving an inch.
“What’s wrong? Why are you like that, Ken? Are you okay?”
“Ah, yeah. I’m fine… Ugh.”
His assurance crumbled as his breath began to catch.
The breath rising to his throat lodged there stubbornly, refusing to budge.
I need to breathe.
At this rate, I’m going to die!
But how do I breathe again?
“Gasp, hack—!”
Kendrick let out a pained groan and clutched at his throat, desperate to squeeze out the breath that was trapped inside.
But the harder he gripped, the more his breathing constricted.
“Ken, Ken! What’s wrong, Ken! Breathe, breathe!”
Gasp, hack—.
Watching Kendrick’s face turn pale as he gasped for air, Leon felt a chill of terror run through him.
What if Ken dies like this?
Then, suddenly, a similar scene from the past flashed through his mind.
It was when one of the people from the 3rd Unit had collapsed, gasping for breath.

“Man down!”
“Damn it, medic!”

The medic assigned to the 3rd Unit was a seasoned veteran. Unfazed by the chaos unfolding before him, he barked out his commands with practiced authority.
“You’re in a safe zone, Ken! This is a safe zone! Breathe! In and out! Take slow, steady breaths!”

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