The Male Lead Becomes Obsessed with the Wicked Maid – Chapter 4
I suddenly stood up from my seat, and Hider grabbed my sleeve and asked,
“Why are you being nice to me? Everyone else hates me.”
“…Because it’s not your fault, Young Master Hider. The ones who should be punished are the adults, not you. I just want you to be happy.”
“Why…?”
“Because it’d be too unfair otherwise. Bad people should be punished. Why should you be? You didn’t do anything wrong. And I like you, Young Master. I don’t hate you.”
“Back then…”
Can you forget the past? That wasn’t me.
“Ahhhhh! That was the past! Right now, I really, really like you! That’s why I want you to be happy!”
I gently patted Hider, picked up the basket, and left the room — completely unaware of the look he was giving me from behind.
I carefully hid the basket in my room, activated my stealth skill, and headed to the field.
There was something I had to do before all hell broke loose.
I dug a deep hole in the potato field and carefully dropped in what I was holding.
The emerald necklace glinted in the sunlight before being buried under a layer of soil and a generous heap of fertilizer.
“Hehehehehe. Hahaha!”
You said it was missing, right?
Well then, let’s make sure it really goes missing.
You sneaky fox. Let’s see how you like this.
Duchess Katieron — Kiera — turned her room upside down and ground her teeth in fury.
“Where the hell did the necklace go?!”
Her eyes gleamed as she stared down her maids, who all averted their gazes in fear.
‘No, it’s not them. None of them would have the guts to steal from me.’
Besides, the lost necklace was an emerald heirloom, one of the treasures passed down through the Katieron family. It couldn’t even be sold — who would dare touch such a thing?
A while ago, she’d spread a rumor that it had been stolen as part of Hider’s education. In truth, she’d hidden it in the deepest drawer of her bedroom.
And now, it had disappeared completely.
‘Could it really have been Hider…?’
Impossible. Hider wasn’t clever or agile enough for something like that. He was too stubborn and slow, just like his mother.
“Then who the hell was it?!”
Kiera’s scream echoed through the mansion as she stomped her foot in frustration.
“D-Duchess! If we search the maids’ quarters, we might find it. If not, maybe it was an outside thief…”
The head maid nervously bowed her head.
Kiera snapped,
“I’d rather accuse Hider than believe that! Are you stupid? A thief? That would mean a petty criminal breached the Katieron estate’s security and broke into my room! Do you want to make this worse?!”
“I-I’m sorry!”
“Argh!”
Kiera threw whatever she could grab. She wanted to find the necklace, but drawing too much attention might prompt the Duke to interfere — and that was the last thing she wanted.
Still fuming, she hissed between clenched teeth,
“Where is Hider right now? That damn brat’s presence in this mansion is what cursed me with a missing necklace!”
She decided to pin the blame entirely on Hider.
Her original plan had been to banish Hider to the attic, ransack his room, and pretend to find the necklace there.
“Now that I can’t recover it, I’ll say that brat hid it to spite me.”
A cold smile crept across her lips.
The Duke of Katieron had little interest in the household affairs. As long as Hider wasn’t killed, he wouldn’t care what Kiera did to him.
Using the necklace as an excuse, she’d cut off Hider’s food, clothing — everything.
As long as he didn’t die, she’d be fine.
“A filthy little thief doesn’t deserve to eat or wear anything. Lock him in the attic for three months and limit his food. Feed him just enough to keep him alive!”
“Yes, Duchess!”
“Where is that brat?!”
Kiera stormed out of her room.
The maids trailed behind, relieved there was someone else to take the fall — grateful, even.
“What a wicked b*tch.”
Hidden by my stealth skill, I’d heard everything.
Three months locked in the attic? No food? Not even those ratty clothes?
Actually, that sounds perfect.
Time to turn that attic into Hider’s personal hotel.
I moved to a spot safely away from the Duchess’s room, dropped the stealth skill, and made my way to Hider’s bedroom.
As expected, the Duchess barged in just moments later. That fox stood at the door, arms crossed, glaring down at Hider.
He was kneeling on the floor, and the Duchess’s maids were already tearing his room apart.
“You repay kindness with betrayal? I took pity on you, raised you, fed you — and this is how you repay me? By stealing my necklace?!”
“I didn’t steal anything, Duchess,” Hider said, his voice trembling. No matter how strong he tried to act, he was still a child. Surrounded by adults shouting at him — how terrifying that must be.
My fists clenched.
With just one punch, I could knock all these maids out the window. I could string the Duchess up on the roof and make her beg for forgiveness…
No. That would get you killed too.
You still have to pretend you’re one of her lackeys.
“You have no proof that you didn’t steal it. And who else in this mansion would take it besides you?”
“…And you have no proof that I did.”
Hider gritted his teeth and replied.
Good. Well said. No evidence, no crime. You’re blaming the wrong kid — I’m the one who stole it.
It’s currently decomposing nicely as fertilizer beneath the peach tree.
“You little… You think denying it makes it any less true?! Have you found the necklace yet?!”
“No, Madam!”
“That dirty little thief must’ve sold it already.”
Hider bowed his head.
He seemed ready to give up. Nothing he said would be believed. His short sleeves and pants revealed his skinny wrists and ankles, and his shoes were falling apart.
Honestly, was it necessary to torment a child like this?
Kiera, still spewing curses, finally shouted,
“From now on, lock that brat in the attic for three months! Don’t give him a single drop of water! Let him starve until he repents!”
“Yes, Duchess!”
The maids rushed over and pulled Hider to his feet.
As they dragged him away, he looked back at me. I gave him a quick thumbs-up — making sure no one else saw — and winked.
He turned away abruptly, as if he’d seen something unbelievable.
Come on, don’t act shy with me, of all people.
After Hider was taken away, the next target was me.
“Lani!”
“Yes, Duchess!”
“Where were you all this time?!”
Embarrassingly enough, I was considered one of the Duchess’s most trusted attendants. That’s why she trusted me with the job of tormenting Hider.
“He never leaves his room anyway. I just stepped out for some air…”
“Lani! Just because I favor you doesn’t mean you can act this insolently!”
I only trust myself. No — I only trust my skill tree.
“From now on, you’re going to the attic, too. Watch over Hider!”
“…Yes, ma’am.”
I replied meekly.
Kiera’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me — a silent warning to do my job well.
Once she left, the servants who’d gathered began to disperse.
Some of the maids who knew me patted me on the shoulder with sympathetic words.
“Hang in there, Lani.”
“If you get hungry, come find me. I’ll sneak you some food.”
“Sigh, poor you. What a hard life.”
Hard? This is the best.
Finally… freedom. Hehehe.
