TMYM 07

Chapter 7:

Lys looked at the assassin lying in a wreck on the roof, then lost interest and turned away.

He lay down on his bed. Right then, Eile came in, breathing a little hard—she must have run all over the forest to catch Del.

Afraid of waking the young master, Eile gently put Del on the bed, went to the candlestick, and blew out the light.

But after finishing her tasks, she didn’t head for the door. Instead, she walked closer to the bed.

With Lys’s eyes closed, she waved her hand over his face, checking his breath for a while to make sure he was truly asleep. Only after confirming it several times did she move away.

A moment later, there was the quiet sound of a window opening. In the dawn silence, Eile slipped out through the window without a trace.

“….”

After a short pause, Lys’s tightly shut eyes opened a slit.

His violet eyes, carrying a strange light, rolled lazily toward the slightly open window.

It seemed Eile had noticed the assassin on the roof.

He’d nearly stopped the man’s breathing, so he thought she wouldn’t notice. But an assassin is an assassin—she picked up even that tiny presence.

“…Why did she go?”

Even if she sensed someone, Eile wasn’t obliged to deal with the assassin—especially since she was hiding her identity. Yet she risked being exposed to take him out…

“He should still be alive.”

If he’d known, he would’ve killed the man faster.

When Lys sat up, Del—who’d seemed asleep—snapped his red eyes open and followed, tail swishing.

Thwip, thud!

The dull sounds came from the terrace roof above. Eile was up there, moving light as a feather.

Her maid dress, piled with ruffles, was hitched up to her thighs because it got in the way—oddly, it suited her. Her long silver hair fluttered in the faint moonlight like starlight.

Grrr.

Seeing the assassin charge Eile, Del bared his teeth. Lys caught Del by the scruff.

“Del, shh. Not yet.”

If the assassin hurt Eile, he’d send Del up at once.

Eile was strong, but the opponent was a big, fast adult man—far above the riffraff they’d seen in the Black Forest.

Thud!

Then Eile smacked the back of the assassin’s neck hard with a thick scabbard from who-knows-where.

‘He’s already half dead. She didn’t have to go that far…’

There was no mercy—only cold efficiency.

‘Will we meet again?’
‘If we do, I won’t be an angel then. So let’s not meet again.’

That memory flashed through Lys’s mind.

“…I knew it.”

He slowly parted his lips.

That merciless hand, that unkind kick—he took in every motion without missing a thing, then covered his mouth.

“She really is an angel.”

At that moment, Eile turned her head. Sensing something, she stared hard toward the terrace, tense and sharp.

Rrrr!

Lys hid in the shadows and gestured. Del wagged hard and jumped out.

“…Ah, it was Del.”

Hearing Eile’s relieved voice, the heavy stillness eased.

Then Eile yanked the assassin’s belt off, tied his hands and feet like a ribbon-wrapped gift, and flung him far away.

“Wow, that flew well.”

Lys blinked, staring at the spot with curiosity.

‘So this isn’t her first time throwing a person…’

After tidying up neatly, Eile rubbed Del’s head.

“Del, what you just saw is a secret from the young master, okay?”

Del rumbled softly.

[illustration]

Tap, tap.

Patter.

Before the moon set, in the very early morning, a quiet pecking at the window made Eile rub her heavy eyes.

“Mm… what is it?”

She turned her head and saw a red-eyed crow sitting politely on the sill.

When Eile opened the window, the crow dropped what was in its beak and flew off.

“Sigh, Des—stop putting letters in the crow’s mouth.”

Pinching the saliva-sticky letter with her fingertips, Eile smiled bitterly and unfolded it.

[Report received. Feedback below.

1. Submit a written incident report explaining how you became the exclusive maid after we sent you in just as a maid.
2. Give more details on the fox’s appearance. Especially confirm whether the red eyes actually glow.
3. Investigate the target’s combat ability in detail.

P.S. Use any means necessary to gain the target’s trust.]

“An… incident report!?”

Eile’s eyes went wide. Sleep vanished at once.

She hadn’t expected praise—things hadn’t gone to plan—but still…

“This is too much!”

She’d stayed up to file a report, and they sent back that? What exactly did she do wrong?

If anyone was to blame, maybe it was the thorn stuck in Del’s paw at the worst possible time.

“This stupid re—….”

Eile froze with a dark look, then smiled smoothly and tossed the letter into the candle flame.

The thin paper curled and crackled as it burned.

“Mhm. Eile knows nothing about that.”

Clearing her head, she dressed in her maid uniform and went to do the first task of the day: “wake the young master.”

Knock, knock—

No answer. So he must still be asleep. Eile quietly turned the knob.

“Huh?”

But the bed was empty.

Only Del was there, red eyes blazing, tail swishing sharply.

“Del, where’s the young master?”

Del fixed his gaze on a spot. Eile followed it with a puzzled look—

…!

Lys stepped out of the bathroom and froze. Hugging Del, Eile bowed.

“Good morning, young master. You’re up early.”

“…Eile, why are you here?”

He sounded oddly flustered. Eile tilted her head—as if wondering why he’d ask something so obvious.

“My first task is to wake you.”

Meanwhile, she calmly looked at Lys’s half-covered body—broad bare chest, damp hair—without surprise or embarrassment, as if used to scenes like this.

“…Eile, could you please stop looking at me?”

“Yes, young master.”

She obediently turned around. Lys hurriedly threw on a robe, face a little pale, and ran a hand over it.

After a moment, he said he was fine. Eile turned back at once.

“…Young master.”

But her eyes looked different—sharp, serious.

Scanning him carefully, Eile opened her mouth to speak.