Chapter 14 : Chapter 14
Volume 1
Chapter 14 : So-Called Free Gifts Always Bring Surprises
The maid stepped back into the darkness once more.
At the corner, within the shadows, there was actually another figure dressed in a maid’s uniform, crouching in the corner, busy with something unknown.
A faint glow flickered around her. Dense and ancient runes appeared and vanished repeatedly, like bubbles rising and bursting on the surface of water.
“I did not expect you to know that girl’s preferences.”
Number Six, who was crouching on the ground, spoke. “Is she also your target?”
“No, she is not.”
Number Eight leaned against the wall, eyes closed in rest.
“But she is Number Nine’s target. And Number Nine was once my partner, so I know some information about her.”
“Number Nine… I recall the mission failed…”
“It was that girl. Despite being two major realms weaker, she still managed to kill him in reverse.”
“….”
Number Six fell silent and continued focusing on her work.
Time passed second by second, and Number Eight finally grew impatient, opening her eyes.
“How much longer? We do not have much time.”
“Almost done.”
Sweat covered Number Six’s forehead, her face pale, yet her concentration never wavered as she continued deciphering the runes without pause.
“After all, this was set up by that ‘Lion King,’ Lorne Campbell. Even though it is a massive formation covering the entire Duke’s residence, creating an opening without alerting him is no easy task.”
“You need to hurry.”
Number Eight stared at the tightly shut door.
“If Muen Campbell or Princess Selicia suddenly comes out, our mission will be a failure.”
“I know. But I think we still have enough time.”
At that, Number Six’s expression suddenly turned strange.
“The two of them… are busy doing that kind of thing in the room.”
…
Muen stared at the door with hopeful anticipation, like a believer yearning for a miracle.
Unfortunately, no miracle came.
His only savior—Ariel—still had not appeared.
“So hot…”
Instead, Selicia’s soft murmurs grew more frequent.
It seemed she could wake up at any moment.
“It is over…”
Muen covered his face and nearly burst into tears.
It seemed that today, no miracle would occur.
Without the protagonist’s arrival, the so-called ruin route would collapse into nothing, and Muen’s fate would instead crash headlong into the death route he had tried so desperately to avoid.
In fact, he might not even need to wait that long.
Once Selicia woke up, the very first thing she would do would be to kill him.
“Hm… come to think of it, she has been murmuring for quite a while. Why has she not actually woken up yet?”
Calming down slightly, Muen once again noticed something odd.
Everyone knew that when people woke from sleep—especially from unnatural states like drugs or alcohol—they would instinctively groan once or twice.
That was why Muen had assumed Selicia was about to wake up.
But no one would keep murmuring repeatedly right before waking up… unless they were having a certain kind of dream.
Selicia would not possibly be having such a dream, so there had to be another reason.
And also…
“So hot…”
Muen glanced toward the fireplace.
The fire was still burning, but due to the frost Selicia had released earlier, the room was still somewhat chilly.
At least, Muen—who had taken off his clothes—felt cold.
Yet Selicia was wearing even less than him. So why did she feel hot?
Murmuring.
Heat.
Could it be…
Gulp.
Muen swallowed hard as a rather absurd thought suddenly formed in his mind.
To confirm that his immature guess was completely wrong, he cautiously moved closer to Selicia.
Earlier, fearing she would kill him the moment she woke, he had kept his distance.
Now, as he approached, Selicia lying on the sofa came back into full view.
“No way…”
The moment he saw her, Muen’s heart skipped a beat.
“Mmm… so hot…”
Selicia’s eyes remained shut. She had not yet awakened.
But her silver lashes fluttered, her skin glowed with an unnatural flush, her long legs pressed and shifted restlessly, and her hands moved unconsciously—further disheveling her already loosened dress.
“N-No… it cannot be what I am thinking.”
“This must just be a side effect of the drug. Yes, a side effect!”
“A cold bath will fix it. That is right! That is how it always works in novels!”
“Selicia, hold on—I will take you to find some cold water!”
Flustered and at a loss, Muen hurriedly reached out, intending to lift Selicia in his arms and carry her to the bathroom to “cure” the supposed side effects.
But he failed.
Because a slender, pale hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.
Selicia had awakened at some point and was staring straight at him.
There was blazing anger in her eyes—but it quickly faded, replaced by a dazed confusion, like a lost rabbit.
“Y-Your Highness, please listen to me! You just got drunk from the tea, and I was about to take you to the bathroom to sober up!”
Muen stammered nonsense, his legs already trembling.
“Since you are awake now, I will not disturb you any further. I will be going!”
He tried to flee.
Because he had already realized the situation was slipping out of control.
No matter how much he wanted to deny it, after seeing Selicia like this, how could he not understand what was happening?
An aphrodisiac!
That “free gift” from the mysterious shopkeeper—it was an aphrodisiac!
Damn it, so that was what they meant by “special effect”?!
A sedative plus an aphrodisiac—what a scam, you shady merchant!
Refund me!
No, he had to run.
If something actually happened between him and Selicia here—no matter how “pleasant” it might seem—he would have no way out!
At best, he would end up executed in the most brutal manner!
But unfortunately…
Escape was impossible.
Because Selicia’s hand gripped him tightly.
That hand looked soft and delicate, yet it felt like an iron clamp locking onto his wrist.
This was the gap in raw strength.
At this moment, Muen was reminded once again that Selicia was far stronger than him.
Run?
Not a chance.
“Y-Your Highness, calm down! You must stay calm! With your willpower, you can definitely endure this!”
Muen could only place his hopes on Selicia herself.
Her gaze flickered between clarity and confusion.
But even in her moments of clarity, the anger in her eyes was gradually transforming into another kind of flame.
“Come on, Your Highness! Do not give in to such a trivial drug, you must—”
Bang!
Muen’s encouragement was abruptly cut off.
The world spun.
When he came back to his senses, he realized their positions had been reversed.
Muen was now lying on the sofa.
And Selicia—her slender waist graceful—was sitting atop him.