Chapter 22: Departure
"What do you mean you want to search for that guy?!"
Olie, the demonic maid, shook Laura furiously, her sharp voice cutting through the early morning air. Her usual composure was gone, replaced by a frantic desperation that made her grip tighten around Laura’s arms. Tears welled up in her obsidian eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.
Laura simply held Olie’s trembling hands, her expression calm and steady despite the storm of emotions around her. Her gaze softened as she gently pried the girl’s fingers off her shoulders.
"Nothing will happen to me, Olie. You don’t need to worry," she reassured, offering a small, knowing smile. "I’ll be fine."
But the words didn’t soothe Olie. Her lips quivered before she choked on a sob, throwing herself into Laura’s arms. She clung to her like a child unwilling to let go of their mother, the warmth of her body trembling against Laura’s own.
Another maid—one blessed in certain areas—shifted nervously before speaking, her concern evident in her hesitant voice.
"Sis Laura... do you really have to do this?" she asked. "It’s been a month since he is gone. He’s most likely dead. Why take such a risk?"
Laura let out a soft sigh, as if she had expected this reaction.
She had already considered this question over and over again in her mind.
And yet...
"If he’s dead, then it’s not a problem," she said. "But if he isn’t... and his family finds out that we did nothing to help—"