Chapter 23: PAID

“Hilda, it’s unfortunate, but life doesn’t always go the way you want it to. Sometimes you’re forced to walk a path you don’t desire. However, as you walk, you may come to realize it’s not as bad as you thought. Now, let’s stop wasting time and go fetch the young master. Don’t try anything foolish, or I won’t stand idly by. Surely, you can manage that much?”

Hubert’s tone was calm, almost soothing, but it left me with no choice but to bite down on my lip in frustration. Images of Joanne—bleeding, begging for forgiveness, and trembling in fear of the demon—kept flashing through my mind. Even if her days were numbered, wasn’t this far too cruel a way to die? As I stood frozen, unable to leave Joanne behind, Hubert took a step out of the hospice’s shadowed entrance.

“Don’t let human compassion drive you to make the wrong choice, Hilda. If you handle this properly, the young master won’t overlook your contribution. I’ll personally make sure he knows of your efforts, so think wisely.”

“……”

“Once you’ve brought the young master, you should come back in with him. That woman raised you, didn’t she? She might want to see you in her final moments.”

“Map Unlocked! You can now enter the Palzgraff Estate Hospice.”

The message hovered in the air, stark white against the dark, oppressive backdrop of the hospice. The building’s interior seemed brighter now, as if lit up by some malevolent invitation. Feeling hollow, I turned back toward the mansion, overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness.

“Hubert asked me to fetch you.”

“I see.”@@novelbin@@

“So, everything is ready, then?”

“Yes.”

“Hilda, are you coming with us?”

I didn’t reply. I simply looked at Adrian, who had closed his book and was preparing to head to the hospice. The first thing he reached for was his black gloves. I’d once held a pair just like them—a cursed item, unmistakably wrapped in malevolence, thanks to my Eye of Insight skill.

“Special Gloves (Ancient Magical Artifact)

A specially designed tool that leaves no trace of its use.”

“Hilda?”

Adrian approached me, gazing at me curiously with his clear blue eyes. My lips parted slightly, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask the question that hovered at the edge of my mind: Are you planning to use those gloves to kill Joanne?

I’d thought I’d done all I could, but a fleeting idea crossed my mind: Maybe I could ask Adrian for a favor. It wasn’t something I would’ve dared to consider in the past, but now… Adrian had said himself that he’d grown fond of me. We’d shared enough experiences—perhaps even a bond—that might sway him.

“Uh, young master? Do you remember the little painter you sponsored? His name was Claude, I think. When I saw him sitting alone in your room, I thought you were going to kill him and tried to intervene.”

“Yes, I remember. He recently sent me a letter thanking me for helping him enroll in the academy. He has a promising future.”