Chapter 31 : Something bad is happening

“Achoo!”
Ophelia let out a grand sneeze.

“Liel? Are you okay? Did you catch a cold?” Evelyna looked at her with concern.

“It’s nothing, not a cold…”

“Hehe, someone must be thinking about you~ like a boyfriend or something,” she playfully poked Ophelia’s side.

“Boy-boyfriend or something! Hehe.” The girl blushed, and couldn’t help but start fantasizing.

‘What kind of person is he? He must be a very handsome young master!’

‘Will he miss me after being gone for so long?’

‘But I can’t go back yet! Not until I find my memories!’

Otherwise, it would be too unfair to him.

“You two, we’re almost there, get your act together,” Gavin stood at the front of the group, carefully reminding the two of them.

“Okay!”

“You really lack a sense of tension~” Shirley teased from the back of the group.

They, the Greed Wolf Squad, were on their way to the Short White Mountain Forest.

The purpose of this trip was to let Ophelia adapt to their fighting style. In a week, they would be heading out to vanquish the Mist Lord.

Ophelia secretly sized up the three of them. Ever since that day, she had been able to see some “strange” things.

It was precisely with “that” that she had completely grasped the relationship between these three people.

A love triangle, an extremely complex love triangle.

A love triangle that even a master of romance would fear.

First, Shirley, she seemed to have feelings for Gavin. And Evelyna, as Shirley’s childhood friend, actually liked Shirley.

As for Gavin, he was just playing around with Shirley. Compared to the easily conquerable Shirley, he seemed to prefer the more challenging Evelyna.

His kissing experience and sexual experience had both already surpassed three digits.

Shirley’s was still zero.

That’s right, although her clothes were revealing and her words gave off a flippant feeling, Shirley was undoubtedly a pure and good child.

A group of low-level monsters called goblins appeared on the roadside. Although they were weak, they could not be underestimated in large numbers.

“Evelyna, prepare for battle!” Gavin drew his sword.

The team’s formation consisted of Gavin and Evelyna in the front, with Shirley and Ophelia as support in the back.

“Hah!” The longsword in Gavin’s hand erupted with a powerful aura, beheading a goblin in one go.

However, there were still many goblins in this group.

Looking at Gavin, Shirley seemed to be in a daze, her face flushed red, as if she were captivated by his handsomeness.

“Shirley, magic support!”

“O-okay!”

Shirley seemed to just snap out of her daze, and red magic condensed in front of her staff, forming a red rune.

However, a step ahead of her, Evelyna’s sword had already reached the monster group.

[Frenzied Dance]!

The azure blade, accompanied by the sound of a strong wind, cleared out the remaining monsters in just a single breath.

Shirley’s magic hadn’t even been cast before it was over.

“Oh my, Evelyna, thanks to you!”

Gavin looked at Evelyna with a hearty smile.

Ophelia didn’t miss the shadow that flashed across Shirley’s eyes.

“How was it? Ophelia, this is our fighting style.” Gavin’s gaze towards Ophelia held a hint of boastful pride.

“Ah, I think it’s very good, yes, very good!”

Gavin had not spoken a word to Shirley.

And that same Shirley was now glaring at Ophelia with a fierce look.

And she, Ophelia, was now gloriously becoming the woman caught in a love triangle!

‘Waaah, I want to escape!’

…

…

“Recently, Schiller’s attitude has been a bit strange.”

“He hastily avoids my gaze when we meet, and even when we do meet, he disappears after a few pleasantries.”

Sheryl rested her chin on her hand, stuffing her mouth full of food like a hamster.

“Mmm, this is delicious, Aileen, what is this?” The cake she ate melted in her mouth, it was simply divine. She couldn’t help but take a few more bites.

“Lady Sheryl, this is a cream parfait, it’s Young Master’s creation.”

“Schiller? He can make pastries?” The girl’s interest was piqued upon hearing it was about Schiller.

“No, Young Master only provides the ideas. There’s also sweet flower-brewed duck and pock-marked duke’s tofu.”

“Heh~” The girl said nothing, just kept stuffing parfait into her mouth.

“Huh? Young Master said this is Lady Sheryl’s favorite food… did I get it wrong?” Aileen tilted her head, looking confused.

“I’ve never had it before, but it’s indeed the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten!” The girl closed her eyes happily, immersing herself in the delicious food.

After enjoying the wonderful meal, the air around Sheryl suddenly turned cold.

“Say, Aileen, don’t you think you’ve been getting a bit too close to Schiller lately?”

Recently, Schiller always spent his free time with Aileen. Whenever Sheryl tried to get close, they would panic and separate.

He was just like a cheating husband!

“Wh-what are you talking about! Lady Sheryl.” Aileen guiltily turned her head to the side, feeling a chill run down her spine and cold sweat break out.

‘Something is fishy, definitely fishy.’

“Hmmph!”

“Even if you’re his personal maid, your duties don’t include—staying in his room in the middle of the night, do they?!”

She approached Aileen step by step, her powerful aura oppressing Aileen so much she could barely breathe.

“And… for two whole hours!” The last few words were practically squeezed out through gritted teeth.

‘Two hours! In the middle of the night! A man and a woman alone! What were they doing in there?!’ Terrifying imaginations wrapped around her heart like poisonous vines, almost suffocating her.

Sheryl slowly stood up and walked in front of Aileen, her displeasure almost overflowing.

“How, how did you know…” Aileen’s face turned pale, she blurted out, then, realizing her slip of the tongue, she hastily corrected herself: “No! I wasn’t there at all! You must have mistaken me for someone else, my lady!”

Aileen’s heart pounded. She had clearly checked her surroundings to make sure no one was there before entering!

“Ra-rather than that, Lady Sheryl! How about trying this cup of premium black tea?”

“Black tea?” Sheryl looked suspiciously at the fragrant black tea in Aileen’s hand.

“Yes, Aileen’s special blend, zero-additive black tea.”

‘Suspicious, so suspicious.’

“Why is the color of this tea a bit dark?”

“Huh? Uh, that’s, that’s just your imagination!”

Sheryl examined the black tea, then looked at Aileen’s darting eyes. A glint flashed in her own eyes.

“Alright then, I’ll try it.”

She gracefully took the black tea and then sipped it in small mouthfuls.

‘Aileen probably drugged the tea. In that case, I might as well play along!’

In reality, the tea was instantly frozen upon entering her mouth, and then shattered.

“Oh my, I, I feel a bit dizzy…”

After drinking the tea, Sheryl pretended to be dizzy and slumped in her chair.

“Lady Sheryl? Lady Sheryl? Are you alright? Can you hear me?”

Aileen whispered in her ear:

“Ah, ah, test, test, Lady Sheryl, Lady Sheryl is a dummy~”

After confirming that Sheryl was motionless, she raised her fist and cheered softly:

“Alright! Great success!”

Then, Aileen stood up and headed somewhere.

‘Hmph, so that’s how it is! She wanted to knock me out, and then go to Schiller’s place!’

Sheryl’s body trembled slightly, and frost spread across the carpet beneath her feet. She was desperately trying to suppress the urge to tear the maid in front of her to shreds.

“She called me… a dummy?!”

‘Late at night… alone… two hours…’ The unbearable images she had deliberately suppressed now flooded her mind: Schiller’s gentle smile, Aileen’s shy expression… could they have…?

‘That shy expression that he only showed in front of her!’

“Ah… I see.” Sheryl murmured to herself, her voice terrifyingly hollow.

She slowly raised her head. Her beautiful silver-gray eyes had lost all their luster, leaving only a bottomless darkness.

“Schiller… he definitely wasn’t willing.” She clung to this thought like a life raft.

“He must have been deceived by that cunning maid! Beguiled! Even… coerced!”

“No, I can’t let him get hurt anymore. He must be in so much pain, Schiller.”

A strong sense of protectiveness transformed into a paranoid belief. A chillingly cold smile slowly appeared on her pale lips.

“Heh heh… don’t be afraid, Schiller.” Her voice was as soft as a lover’s whisper, but it contained a chill that could freeze the soul. All the moisture in the room instantly condensed into frost.

“I’m coming to… save you.”

With that, she stood up and quietly followed Aileen.