ILJV 07

Chapter 07

[Contractor! Wake up!]

Harry’s urgent voice echoed in my head, dragging me out of a deep sleep.

‘Wake up? Is it morning already?’

I forced my heavy eyelids open and looked around. But the room was still dark.

‘What? It’s still night.’

I grumbled and tried to push Harry away, who had come right up to the bed. But pushing away a massive dog was no easy feat.

[I said wake up! Someone’s in the sitting room!]

[Who would come at this hour?]

[That’s exactly why it’s strange! What if it’s an assassin? Get up already!]

[An assassin? Why would anyone send an assassin after me?]

I reached out and patted Harry like I was calming down a fussy child.

[You’re imagining things, Harry. Go back to sleep.]

[I don’t make mistakes like that! I’m the Blue Mage Theo Harris!]

[Yes, yes. I know you’re a great and mighty mage. Now sleep.]

[Ugh, unbelievable!]

Harry gave up on convincing me and jumped off the bed. A moment later, I heard the soft sound of paws padding toward the sitting room.

‘Finally gave up.’

I felt victorious over Harry and happily sank back into sleep. Or at least, I tried to.

“Kyaaa!”

If not for the sharp scream that rang from the sitting room.

The shrill cry jolted me fully awake.

‘Wait… was Harry right? Is there really an assassin?’

Thinking about it, there were quite a few people who’d want Ivria gone.

‘Did Catherine’s people send one?’

It made sense. Someone furious over Ivria cutting off lumber trade ties could very well send an assassin to erase her from the world.

‘Or maybe Luke?’

If anyone could send an assassin, it’d be Luke, the head of the underground information guild.

‘Yeah, must be Luke.’

Concluding that, I slowly sat up. Oddly, I didn’t feel the slightest sense of danger.

‘Why should I worry? My pet is the Great Mage of the Blue Flame. All I’d have to do is wish to live, and I’d be saved.’

With that comforting thought, I climbed out of bed and tiptoed toward the sitting room.

Inside, Harry was already growling fiercely at someone. And that someone’s face was very familiar.

‘…Emma?’

“I-I’ll give you this, so please, just be quiet.”

Emma, trembling, held out a piece of chicken toward Harry.

Apparently, she’d come prepared, knowing I kept a dog in my room.

Harry stopped growling and stared at the chicken.

‘If he were a real dog, that’d be a smart move.’

But unfortunately, he was a demon pretending to be one.

‘Of course he wouldn’t fall for—’

Just as I was thinking that, Harry calmly accepted the chicken and started eating it.

‘He fell for chicken?’

My jaw dropped.

[Harry! How could you fall for that?]

[I haven’t eaten since you summoned me! I’m starving!]

[So you eat now? In this situation?]

[Well, maybe you shouldn’t have summoned me and starved me, then!]

[I didn’t know demons needed three meals a day!]

[Good thing you know now. Take note for next time.]

Harry ignored my scolding and focused on devouring the chicken. He looked so content that even I started feeling hungry watching him.

“Thank goodness… he likes it,” Emma whispered in relief.

With Harry calm, she started moving again—straight toward the fireplace.

The fire blazed brightly as she crouched before it, determination etched across her face.

Seeing the lamp in her hand, I immediately understood what she was trying to do.

‘She’s taking the fire.’

She carefully tried to transfer the flame from the fireplace into her lamp.

‘All that fuss because of this?’

The tension drained from my body, and I chuckled.

‘Might as well ask for a snack while I’m up.’

The smell of roasted chicken had fully awoken my appetite.

“Emma.”

“Kyaaaaaah!”

Her piercing scream echoed again the moment I spoke.

“Ah!”

“Wha—! What’s your problem!”

My own startled yell was drowned out by a much deeper voice—one that could only belong to Harry.

I turned to him, incredulous. He’d dropped the chicken and was staring wide-eyed at me.

[Harry. Did you just say, “Wha—! What’s your problem!” …out loud?]

He averted his gaze guiltily.

[…I was startled, okay? Reflex. You screamed too!]

[I’m human, I can scream! You’re a demon, you can’t!]

[You’ve got weird prejudices about demons. Aside from being powerful and fabulous, we’re basically human.]

[Don’t try to sneak in self-praise right now.]

I sighed and turned back to Emma. She sat frozen on the floor, eyes wide and dazed.

‘A talking animal in my room. She probably thinks I’m a witch.’

I glared at Harry.

[How are you going to fix this?]

[Hmm… Let’s just say it was your voice.]

[She won’t believe that!]

[Then should I just kill her? Easiest solution. You keep your secret, I have some fun. Win-win?]

His eyes gleamed with genuine enthusiasm.

[Stop spouting nonsense.]

I clicked my tongue and ignored him. As expected, he was useless.

‘Guess I’ll have to fix this myself.’

“Emma.”

She flinched and immediately flattened herself to the floor.

“P-p-please forgive me!”

“Forgive you?”

I tilted my head. What on earth was she asking forgiveness for?

‘Maybe she’s apologizing for hearing something strange?’

Before I could ask, she continued, even more desperate.

“I’m sorry! I’ve committed a terrible sin!”

‘What sin?’

“I didn’t mean to! I was just… so desperate! Please, show mercy! I’ll never steal again!”

“Steal?”

Now that was unexpected.

Sure, this room was full of expensive-looking items. Anyone could be tempted.

‘Just one trinket from here could fetch a fortune.’

But Emma was my maid. If something went missing, she’d be the first suspect.

‘She doesn’t seem that stupid, though.’

Her speech and demeanor showed she was educated—definitely not a petty thief.

So if she had tried to steal something, she must’ve been truly desperate.

I crouched down and rested my chin on my hand.

“What exactly were you trying to take?”

“P-please, have mercy. I swear it won’t happen again—”

I raised my hand to cut her off.

“No. Forget mercy for now.”

“Eek!”

Her face went pale.

‘Great. She probably thinks I’m about to execute her.’

This damn villainous face—no matter what I said, it always sounded like a threat.

I quickly clarified.

“Just take it. Whatever it was.”

“…What?”

“The thing you were trying to take. Go ahead and take it. I’ll give it to you.”

“…W-what?”

She blinked in disbelief. I shrugged.

The room glittered with luxurious objects.

‘But honestly…’

“Whatever it was, it’s probably worthless to me anyway.”

Maybe it meant something to the real Ivria—a gift, a keepsake. But to me, a stranger in her body, these things had no meaning.

If they were precious to Emma, though…

“Well, if it was important enough for you to risk stealing, then fine. You can have it.”

And in exchange, she’d pretend she’d heard nothing tonight.

‘A perfectly reasonable trade.’

I smiled, satisfied with my plan. Of course, my smile probably looked villainous again.

“You’ll really give it to me?” Emma asked timidly.

I nodded firmly. Her eyes filled with hope.

“You’ll really give me… the fire?”

“Yeah, I said I would—wait. What?”

My head snapped up.

“The fire?”

Not jewels. Not art. Not silverware. Fire?

“You came to steal fire?”

Emma’s brief hope vanished, her shoulders slumping.

“I knew it. It’s not allowed, after all.”

I stared at her, dumbfounded. She looked genuinely heartbroken—over fire.

“If you needed fire, you could’ve just asked. I thought you were trying to steal something valuable.”

I picked up the fallen lamp and candle, lit it from the fireplace, and placed it inside. The flame burned brightly.

“Here. Take it.”

She hesitated.

“You said you needed fire, right?”

“Yes, but… are you really giving it to me this easily?”

“Of course. It’s just fire.”

“But it’s the mystical fire that burns black ironwood.”

“It’s still just… fire.”

It wasn’t like sharing it would reduce my own supply.

“Didn’t the steward already take some earlier? He said he was going to share it.”

“The Baron ordered that no fire was to leave the manor. Even inside, only certain places are allowed to use it. Servants like me aren’t permitted anywhere near it.”

I started to understand.

The Baron had tightly restricted the use of this fire, so Emma had come to me—someone she could approach freely—to get some.

‘But why would he restrict it that much?’

Wouldn’t it be better to distribute it, keep everyone warm?

‘There must be a reason… but could it really be more important than keeping people alive?’

I couldn’t figure it out and gave up trying.

I stood, holding the lamp.

“Come on, Emma. Let’s go.”

“Go… where?”

“Where else? To where the fire’s needed.”

“To where it’s needed…?”

“The Baron didn’t forbid me from taking it outside. And this is my fire, so I can do what I want with it.”

I lifted the lamp and smiled.

“In return, just forget everything you saw and heard tonight. Deal?”

“Everything I saw and heard…?”

“Yeah. All of it.”

I glanced meaningfully at Harry.

After a moment’s hesitation, Emma nodded slightly.

Deal struck.