Gremory tried to determine if what she had just heard was true. She was able to read negative thoughts because she could see through the darkness of human beings.
This is what Isolen thought.
'You look stupid at first glance, but no matter how easy I make it for you, you can't do it right. If you prove useless, you'll be kicked out with hair dye and a few pennies like Julie and Angela, right?'
Damn, it's real.
Laughing. Isolen left the break room with a slow stride. Gremory knew she was doomed.
Could it be that this is the situation that Iris was talking about?
'There's one thing you don't know. When that happens, you will come to me.'
'At that time, you did business with me. I'll give you what you need, so you can help him.'
It seemed that the moment of the deal had come. She doesn't like it very much.
"Hey, Iris."
- Yes, Gremory!
As if she had been waiting for her, Iris jumped out before she could call her name. Judging from the clear expression on her face, she seemed excited to get what she wanted.
"Why does your brother kick back the witch hunt victims he has saved? I think it's too much to kick them out for not being able to do their job."
- It was considerate from my brother's point of view. Before you came to this mansion, there was black energy everywhere, and even people who were fine became strange. My brother had sent them to the countryside to recuperate for their mental health.
"Anyway, let's make the deal you want."
- It's okay. I'll help you with all the roles of a handmaiden, so you can protect my brother.
"Your brother looks like a man who can take care of himself, so why bother?"
- My brother did a big job in the Imperial Palace to ban the Empire's witch hunts. In return, they were expelled here, protecting it from the constant stream of intruders. That alone doesn't give him time to take care of himself, but to be more specific...
"No, don't go into more detail, it hurts my head."
Gremory, who knew that she would be in trouble if she listened any further, turned her head and covered her ears.
- I don't want to say it either. Anyway, all you have to do is make sure my brother is safe. Is that possible?
"No."
- Why, why?
"Is your brother an ordinary person? As the Grand Duke, he would go around and attend banquets, but every time he did, you would ask me to follow him and protect your brother. Hate it. I don't do it."
- Why? Do you hate mixing with people?
"I can't tell you the details, but I've run away from the demon world and am living in hiding. Don't let the other witches see me, get caught."
Gremory turned her back on Iris and picked up the papers that Isolen had left behind. These papers would soon go into the fireplace.
- ...He gave out too much witch tea.
"Anyway, no, it's too dangerous for me if you really want to, you can give up your soul."
- I'll bet my soul
"...What?"
- So, please protect my brother. For at least 10 years.
Soul. Gremory's eyes lit up at that. When making a pact with a witch, it is rare for a person to sacrifice their entire soul. If you have a soul, you will be able to use it as a material to hone your stealth skills and live in hiding in the human world for the rest of your life. Of course, it will take 10 years to do so, but where is that?
"Good. Contract signed."
Gremory's eyes lit up red as she replied. And a red restraint was placed around Iris's neck. The long chain attached to the restraint was placed in Gremory's hand.
The restraint, which had been revealed for a while, became more and more transparent. Iris fiddled with her throat.
- What is that?
"I don't think you're going to run away, but it's just a formality."
- Sound... I don't feel very good.
"Anyway, please take care of this. What should I write here?"
Gremory handled the paperwork with Iris' help. Iris, who was once a member of the imperial family, was persecuted for being a black-haired witch, but she had good paperwork skills. She had tried to prove her usefulness by insisting that she wasn't a witch and that she was wronged.
And so, Gremory's homework was completed.
***
"Very good."
When Chession saw the document, he praised it briefly. Isolen, who was next to him, glanced at Gremory's papers and compared them to her own skills.
It was a gaze that even the most unaware person would notice. Chession looked at Isolen with a gentle gaze.
"It looks like Isolen taught her systematically. You can make a beginner competent in just a few hours."
"Well, yes, Your Highness. It's all thanks to me."
"I would like to talk to you about your abilities, Mori. Would you like to leave for a while?"
It was a pleasant sound to hear. Gremory, who wanted to get lazy quickly, went outside and went straight to the sofa in the common room.
There was silence in the office for a while. The afternoon sun dazzled Chession's silvery hair.
“Isolen."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"I know what you have for me."
"...!"
"I have been ignoring it even though I knew it. I thought it would cool down quickly. The women I rescued always had feelings for me. Of course, I would have done the same. If a nice woman saves me from danger, I'll have a crush on her."
Isolen's face flushed. She fidgeted with her fingers and gibberish.
"My feelings are not that kind of liking. I sincerely want to... Your Highness!"
"I'm sorry, Isolen. If I had known that my appearance would hurt you, I would have treated you far earlier. It's all my fault."
"...!"
"Let's go out."
It was a clear refusal. Tears quickly formed in the corners of Isolen's eyes.
"Ugh....!"
Isolen ran out of the office as it was.
After all, there was a reason why His Highness suddenly found a new handmaiden.
'You brought in a new handmaiden to get rid of me.'
She hated his new maid, Mori, to death. She was prettier than she was, and she felt like she had been chosen by His Highness.
Isolen ran to the break room. She felt like she had to grab Mori's hair, which was the culprit of all this, to get rid of it.
However, as soon as she opened the door of the break room, she was shocked. Mori was sitting arrogantly in front of the table, pouring strong whiskey into a crystal glass.
"Uh, are you here?"
She looked at Isolen with a look that seemed to say.
"What, now? Are you kidding me?"
"..."
Mori put down the goblet on the seat across from him. Isolen said. "Ahh." She sat down across from Gremory and drank a strong drink.
Iris, who gave her the information that Isolen likes whiskey, secretly chuckled.
***
"Uh-oh... You bastard... If that's the case, you shouldn't have told me kindly I said I was the only one... Wow, at that time..."
Isolen, who had been drinking whiskey since daylight, began to cry as she clung to Gremory's arms.
Isolen didn't have a good personality, so she didn't have any friends to talk to about this. Even the maid was tired of her.
To her, Gremory's presence quietly listening felt like a Saint.
"He was cold in the first place... I didn't know he was such a warm person... Ugh."
Gremory resigned herself and gave Isolen her arms. Meanwhile, Iris ordered Gremory to act.
- Please touch her back. She'll like it even more.
'Why me?' Gremory replied with a look that seemed to say.
-That's the young love of the artist. If you get to know her, she will be very useful.
She doesn't know what good it would be for this bad-tempered drunkard, but Gremory patted Isolen on her back.
"Uh-huh! I've never received such comfort before! Mori, you're the best friend!"
Isolen hugged Gremory tighter. Gremory was stunned.
Iris looked at the scene with a proud expression.
- Those who try to approach him now will run away without even making a sound. If you two work together, I won't be afraid.
Gremory's expression became serious. She had already chased away the uninvited guests once, but were there any other people who wanted to approach the Grand Duke? Gremory asked with a look in her eyes, and Iris replied.
- It's not just uninvited guests who bother us. In the future, there will be many banquets, parties, and other things that you will have to follow His Highness. In particular, if you go to the upcoming banquet hosted by the imperial family, you will see that the uninvited guests who came before look cute.
While listening to Iris, Isolen suddenly began to show unusual signs. She gradually became less talkative.
"Yuck."
In the end, she was nauseous. Gremory dragged Isolen to the bathroom in disgust and slapped her on the back to vent her anger
"Woo! I really wanted a friend to pat me on the back when I drank and vomited. Thanks... Woo!"
It was just anger, but it's good. Gremory sighed, feeling that the days of this messy mansion were going to be hard.
However, when she saw Isolen throwing up, she felt so dirty that she was going to vomit too.
Gremory just closed the bathroom door and left. And while Isolen was out of sight, she removed all the silver candlesticks from the break room.
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