I Became The Villain's Master

27

* * *

After the founding ceremony, the peaceful days continued. I devoted myself to finding a job for Sion to become independent.

“Sion, Aunt Celia said she could help us find jobs. Do you want to go together?”

At that moment, the plate Sion was holding slipped from his hands.

Clatter!

Sion barely caught the plate and gave me a perplexed look.

“What are you talking about?”

Sion had a gloomy expression, like that of a rejected puppy’s. Why was he acting like this?

“Oh, you should also find a job and strive for self-sufficiency. The slave dealer has been dealt with, so there’s no need to stay here, right?”

“…If that’s what the mistress wants, then I will do so. But can we postpone it for a few days?”

“Hmm… Is that so? Still, it’s better to find a job as soon as possible, isn’t it?”

Since the founding ceremony, Sion has been passive about anything concerning himself. He didn’t show much interest in finding a job or even react much to the information about the captured slave dealer.

“I prefer being a slave to my mistress.”

Sion said he was more suited to working as a slave. I wanted to argue against it, but when he smiled and spoke, I couldn’t help but step back.

I had no confidence to withstand his beautiful charm.

“Then I will go to take care of the garden. Call on me if you want tea time.”

With that, Sion finished the dishes and left the room.

“Should I find him a job as a gardener?”

It made sense. Ever since Sion started taking care of the garden, weeds didn’t grow, and the beautiful landscape was maintained.

Contemplating seriously, I entered my room and let out a deep sigh.

“Where did the fox go?”

The image of a moist-eyed fox kept flashing before me. I still couldn’t forget that the fox I coincidentally found on the day of the founding ceremony had disappeared.

It followed me so obediently, as if I were its master. I never expected it to disappear like that.

Afterwards, I went to the Great Temple to look for it again, but I couldn’t find any trace of the fox.

“I hope it’s living well.”

Yes, with such a cute appearance, someone must be looking after it with great care, right?

“What was I going to do?”

I experienced a lot during the founding ceremony. I was in a desolate space, as if I had been transported to a different world, and I had witnessed the most famous sacred ritual of the founding ceremony.

But there was still something left for me to do.

“Should I try contacting Helena? I didn’t even have a chance to thank her….”

For several days, there had been no signal from the communication device Louis had given me. Should I reach out first?

I felt indebted to Helena in many ways and wanted to repay her. I decided to give her the novel she had wanted when we first met at the bookstore.

“Where could she be?”

I took out the precious communication device that I had carefully kept. As I opened my mouth to speak her name…

“Hel-“

Buzz-

Before I could finish my sentence, a sudden light emanated from the communication device, and someone’s face appeared in the air. It was an innocent-looking face with an eager expression.

“Louis?”

– Rosette! How have you been?

Louis spoke with sparkling eyes.

“I’ve been well. Actually, I was trying to contact you…”

– I knew you wanted to see me!

Of course, I had intended to contact Louis to arrange a meeting with Helena, not to see Louis himself.

I reluctantly nodded my head at Louis’s sparkling eyes.

“Well, if you say so.”

– So, Rosette! Since you’re planning to visit Helena, where should we meet?

“You’re coming in person?”

– Is that not possible?

Louis’s voice trembled with disappointment. I had initially planned to meet in the city to deliver the novel.

I was unsure how to introduce Sion.

‘Well, it’s just a novel I’m delivering anyway.’

“Okay.”

– Thank you! So, when should we meet?

That was how I ended up making plans with Louis. We would meet at my house.

Could something important be going on?

* * *

Outskirts of the capital, Hilton district. Residents had gathered, eagerly chatting away.

“Did you hear the news? They caught a slave trader recently!”

“What?”

“You know that person who lives alone in that big mansion? They say that person caught the slave trader themselves.”

“Really? How did they catch them?”

“Are you talking about the mansion on the hill? The one on the outskirts?”

As the residents murmured among themselves, a man approached and discreetly asked. He was tall and had an ordinary appearance.

“Isn’t that something everyone around here knows? Don’t you know about it?”

“Oh, it’s my first time visiting this place, so I wouldn’t know. Could you please tell me about it?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“My younger sister recently became independent, but she didn’t give me her address. I’m worried that it might be her; that’s why I’m asking.”

“Well…”

Fortunately, the man’s lie seemed to work, and the residents added a few more words. They mentioned that a woman had bought the vacant mansion about two months ago.

Having gathered various clues, the man thanked them and left. His eyes sparkled as if he had found a clue.

“Finally, I might be able to find her.”

Rosette had disappeared and left nothing but a note. The Cernia State sent a servant to find her—someone who was set on fulfilling his master’s command. John was the man’s name.

When Rosette went missing, the Cernia estate was in chaos. Among them, Lionel, the next heir, was adamant about finding Rosette and gave his servants a hard time.

“Why did she run away?”

So, for a while, John worked in an atmosphere of walking on thin ice, resenting Rosette’s actions.