That old man kicked the bucket too soon.
I thought he'd at least linger for a week, maybe croak dramatically in bed while clutching Tauriel's hand.
It wasn't like he was trapped under rubble or anything.
Baldy was just stuck behind a cave blockage—not exactly the most traumatizing experience.
Either way, it worked out.
Now, Miss Taury wouldn't have any lingering attachments to hold her back.
She could focus entirely on her work—without pesky emotions getting in the way.
Humming to myself, I strolled back to the castle.
Of course, Tauriel's fan club glared at me like I had personally committed war crimes.
But alas—
That was all they could do.
At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if a hero suddenly popped out of nowhere just to protect her precious virtue.
She was that damn popular.
At the castle entrance, I was greeted by Laura.
Her arms were crossed, and her eyes narrowed.
"What were you doing all this time?" she asked. Then, after a pause, she added, "And… thanks for carrying me."
Oh?
She was blushing slightly.
Aww, isn't she cute?
With a smug grin, I shrugged.
"Oh, that was nothing. You slept like a log. I didn't want to disturb someone who came for my help."
She tilted her head, her lips twitching upward.
"Even then," she muttered. "Thanks for your concern."
I waved my hand dismissively.
"Aww, don't worry about small stuff."
She turned to leave, but I called her back.
"Laura."
She immediately turned around, humming in response.
Scratching the back of my head, I said, "Tomorrow, a new girl will be coming here for work. Help her get used to the castle."
Her expression shifted instantly.
Was it just me, or did she look genuinely pissed?
Either way, I had to inform her.
She scowled. "Is she a new maid?"
I smiled.
"No. She's here to raise babies."
…
I did that on purpose.
Irritating Laura was the best piece of entertainment I could get in this castle. A place without the luxury of the almighty internet.
As expected, her face twisted in disgust, her classic 'you're filth' look making a glorious return.
Hahahaha.
Now that I thought about it…
Was I a masochist?
Why did I enjoy this look so much?
Before Laura could answer, that demonic maid butted in.
She flapped her mouth, spitting, "So, now you're showing your true nature. You lecherous bastard."
I narrowed my eyes.
Was she the one who started the rumors about me being a perverted bastard?
I had a genuine hunch it was her.
Without hesitation, I grabbed her free-flowing hair and yanked her closer.
Leaning in, my voice dropped to a low whisper.
"Don't cross your boundary, okay? I'm not your friend. Whatever I do should not concern you."
Then, I let go.
She plopped down on the ground, sobbing.
She immediately latched onto Laura, seeking comfort.
Laura, however, grabbed her by the ears and twisted.
"Why do you always pick fights with him?" she snapped. "Like he said—whatever he does doesn't concern you. We're just here to do his bidding."
Her voice was dripping with extra malice today.
Interesting.
But as long as they knew who was in charge, nothing else mattered.
I clapped my hands, smirking.
"Good job!!! You know why you're here. Now, give me some space."
The two stepped aside, clearing my path into the castle.
As I walked past them, I heard Laura scolding the maid while she sobbed rivers.
For some reason—
Laura seemed more pissed than usual.
...
Reaching my chambers, I was about to plop onto my bed when—
Golden light shimmered across the room, blinding me.
I squinted.
A glowing parchment hovered in the air, its presence practically humming with power.
Drawn in by curiosity, I reached out.
The moment my fingers touched it, the golden light condensed, solidifying into a letter.
I opened it.
The first line alone made my hairs stand on end.
It was from—
Varek Sanguis.
My father.
A few minutes later, I finished reading the letter and lay down, brooding.
The Problem?
Father was summoning me to attend some banquet he had planned weeks later.
But that wasn't the issue.
The issue was—
He mentioned he was in a predicament because of a letter.
A letter sent by someone from this castle.
Apparently, this mysterious informant claimed that I was 'changing', 'improving', and—most importantly—might be possessed by an evil entity.
Because of this, Father wanted to check for himself.
Bluntly.
Without beating around the bush, he straight-up said:
"I have invited you solely to determine whether or not you are possessed."
…
Wait a damn minute.
If I was actually possessed, wasn't he being a bit too direct?!
Wouldn't the supposed evil entity take precautions?
Was he that confident in his own power?
I mean, sure, he was a Deity—but still…
His confidence aside, the real problem was:
Someone snitched on me.
Someone reported my changes to Father.
And that pissed me off.
I mentally listed the suspects.
The Shy One? No way. Too timid to even speak, let alone report me.
The Well-Endowed One? Nope. She was upfront with her malice. Not the backstabbing type.
The Ponytail One? Not a chance. Too damn smart for such petty matters. She wouldn't care if I was possessed, as long as I was useful.
The Demonic Maid? No. She was too much of a scaredy-cat to pull something this risky.
…
That left only one person.
Laura.
…
Wait.
I had told her about my memory loss before.
Did she take that as me being possessed?
Now that I thought about it—
My sudden changes in strength, personality, and actions… They could be interpreted that way.
She was the fucking rat.
I trusted that chick!
Damn it.
I was the stupid one.
She played it well, though.
I had to give her credit—her efficiency was impressive.
But she made the wrong enemy.
I would make sure—
She regretted it.