Male Lead Obsessing Over the Wicked Maid – Chapter 6
Rani scratched her cheek.
“I was bored.”
“…Bored?”
“Yes. I thought it’d be nice to do this while you were reading your books here, so I volunteered.”
Hider frowned. No matter how he thought about it, Rani was clearly lying.
“There’s nothing to do around here anyway.”
It was a flimsy excuse.
Because of him, the mansion staff had been bullying Rani. If not that, she must be pushing herself for his sake.
There was no way all the luxury he enjoyed now came for free.
It had to be something Rani obtained by sacrificing herself.
Hider clenched his teeth.
He was about to say she didn’t have to go this far anymore, when Rani cheerfully added,
“Actually, I’m the duchess’s lackey. Who would dare mess with me?”
“…Lackey?”
“Yep! The duchess really, really trusts me.”
Rani smiled wickedly. It was a wickedness that didn’t suit the face of a 15-year-old girl.
Hider flinched.
“I stole all these things I wasn’t even supposed to touch.”
Her eyes gleamed strangely. Hider unconsciously rubbed his own eyes.
Just now, surely…
But Rani erased all lingering traces as she brightly smiled again.
“So you just focus on reading and studying, young master. Don’t mind me.”
At those words, Hider bit his lip.
His gaze trembled slightly. Though Rani had been banished to the attic, she was still by his side, keeping the promise she’d made not to leave. She was enduring all this suffering with him.
Even while being treated like this.
Seeing Rani silently start her sewing, Hider clenched his fists.
He didn’t have the ‘power’ to take that needlework away from her and throw it outside.
If Rani failed to complete it, the bullying would just get worse.
Next time, they might dump even more work on her.
All of this started because she stayed by Hider’s side. The thought made his stomach churn.
‘I have to get stronger.’
He didn’t know who Rani really was or how she managed to pull all this off—but perhaps it was because he was weak that he couldn’t understand.
Rani, oblivious to what Hider was thinking, gleefully threaded her needle.
‘How much XP will I get once I finish all this?’
She was glad she had snatched up the needlework today. Everyone had reluctantly handed it over with sour expressions, and it had caused some misunderstandings too.
‘She’s just trying to win over the head maid, right?’
‘Rani, if you take all my work, what am I supposed to do today?! I’ll get scolded for slacking off!’
But their problems meant nothing to Rani.
‘They’re just the duchess’s minions anyway. Who cares if they get scolded or not?’
Rani chuckled darkly. The pile of sewing looked like a goldmine to her.
‘Besides, if I use my skill, I can finish all this in three hours!’
With madness gleaming in her eyes, Rani gripped the needle.
‘All that experience will be mine.’
Autumn had fully ripened.
Which meant the fields I had so diligently tended were also ready for harvest.
Maybe it was the duchess’s necklace acting as high-grade fertilizer, but everything had grown beautifully, and it was time to reap the rewards.
Of course, thanks to my skill buffs, I could harvest various things regardless of season, but weather buffs couldn’t be ignored either.
There were already rumors at the market about high-quality produce being sold, so several merchants were waiting for me.
I had even gone around the market myself, hyping it up and boasting that I’d bring in the best goods ever.
I figured I could charge 1.5 to 2 times the usual price.
I pulled on my sturdy boots.
“I’ll be super busy for a while, young master.”
Hider turned to look at me, surprised. Sitting gracefully with a book in hand, he looked every inch the well-bred young heir of a ducal family.
Ah, my efforts were finally paying off.
I nodded with satisfaction. Thanks to hoarding all the needlework in the mansion, I’d gained a mountain of skill points and could now make high-quality clothes.
[Where There’s a Needle, There’s Thread v.Max]
The golden glow of the skill name made my chest swell with pride. Now I could make most types of clothing, and at the moment, Hider was dressed better than Carte himself.
Just looking at him made me feel proud.
I could have made him even better clothes, but I didn’t have the money for the materials.
Wait, could those materials even be bought?
Things like [Wool Glowing with Aurora Light], [Thread Spun from Fairy Hair], or [Silk Woven by Mermaids]? Where would I even find those?
Ugh.
Still, for now, I was satisfied. I’d dressed him in coordinated outfits by day of the week—Monday to Sunday—just for my visual enjoyment.
Totally worth maxing out that skill.
Snatching up all the sewing also earned me a few useless bonuses. Like the head maid’s trust, compliments from the duchess, or envy from my coworkers?
Ugh. Completely useless.
While I was beaming at Hider’s dashing looks and letting my thoughts drift, Hider asked,
“…What are you going to do?”
“Pick fruit, harvest vegetables, lots to do. I’ve got to sell them too.”
“They’re making you do that now?”
Hider’s voice was gloomy. He looked genuinely upset for some reason.
He made a similar face every time I came back with a pile of sewing.
“You could just let someone else do it, Rani.”
What was he saying? I’d worked so hard on that field!
“…That’s always been my job, young master. If anyone lays a hand on my field, I won’t let it slide.”
My trusty shovel and sickle—now practically extensions of me—would deliver righteous punishment. I ground my teeth.
Hider sighed, so I asked with a bright smile,
“Oh, do you need anything?”
Since I was about to make some money from today’s harvest, I wanted to get him a gift.
He was doing his best to endure this stifling place, and I wanted to cheer him on.
“I’ll get you a present!”
“…I already have enough, Rani.”
Hider looked around the attic, now renovated to feel like a luxury hotel suite. We’d have to dismantle it when we left, but for now, this setup made things bearable.
Besides, this was all for my own survival too. After doing all this, there’s no way Hider would forget what I’d done.
Didn’t they say he was a genius who never forgot a thing he saw? You’d better remember this, okay?
“Still. Nothing you need or want?”
“Ah… Could you get me a swordsmanship manual?”
Hider asked shyly, looking a bit embarrassed.
He always hesitated to ask me for anything, probably because he felt like he already owed me too much.
He was such a proper and kind boy… It was amazing how the duchess and this household managed to mess him up so badly.
“Of course, young master!”
And to think—he wanted the book to study swordsmanship! In the original novel, it was mentioned that Hider learned swordplay from reading.
That’s why he’d struggled so much later on in the war. He never properly learned how to wield a sword.
It would be nice if we could find him a proper instructor, but with Hider’s current situation, that wouldn’t be easy.
Carte had a sword instructor and still played sick all the time. Every time, the duchess would throw a fit.
‘My precious baby is sick! Do you know how important age-appropriate lessons are?! If something happens to him because you push too hard, who’ll take responsibility? Don’t you know who he is?!’
Ugh, just remembering it is annoying.
If you’re going to waste money like that, let my Hider take those lessons instead! Seriously, the duchess spends like someone who’s never earned a cent in her life.
Anyway. My baby wants to learn swordsmanship… Maybe there’s something I can do. I’ll have to think it over.
With Hider seeing me off, I headed to the field.
Alright then. Time to make some money!
