“Ah… Athena… can’t you let me go now?”
“Shh, Hera. I’m in the middle of a conversation.”
“Th-That’s not fair…”
“Keep talking, Bordin. What were you saying?”
“Hmm… yes, that is—”
This is Athena’s office.
She brought me here to discuss something important.
And now, I’m watching her and Bordin have work-related discussions in real time.
But there’s one problem.
I’m not sitting on a chair.
I’m on Athena’s lap.
She pulled me over to sit on her lap and hugged me tightly.
And thus, the conversation began.
‘No way… doesn’t Athena care about this…?”
There’s someone right in front of me, and we’re in this position…
But she was talking to Bordin as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
Now that I think about it, she did something similar last time.
Even with maids around, Athena kissed me without hesitation.
It seems like she truly doesn’t care about others’ gaze.
Well…
That’s so like Athena…
‘I’m so embarrassed…!!’
Right now, my face is flushed red, and I’m looking down at the floor, trying to avoid making eye contact.
It was just too shameful to face anyone like this.
“You really don’t need to worry, Miss.”
Bordin noticed my discomfort and showed me some kindness.
I carefully glanced at him.
He seemed to understand my embarrassment and was avoiding eye contact with me.
“Th-Thank you.”
Bordin.
A well-dressed man who looks great with his monocle.
He had the dignified aura of a perfect butler.
I had seen him a few times since I started living here, but we had only exchanged simple greetings.
I’d never been this close to him before.
“Hera. You have to go too.”
“Huh? W-Where…?”
Going? Where could that be?
At my words, Athena looked at me with a slightly exasperated expression.
“…What did you hear up until now?”
“U-Um, weren’t you talking about work?”
“Sigh…”
Press
“Hyuck?!!”
She pressed down on my lower abdomen with one finger.
Lately, if she’s unhappy about something, she tends to press on my lower belly like this.
It wasn’t as strong as last time, so I wasn’t going to pass out, but the tingling sensation spreading throughout my body was something I couldn’t get used to.
“I’ll explain again, so listen carefully.”
She began to slowly explain to me why she called me to her office.
According to Athena, the number of monsters has been rapidly increasing everywhere recently.
But the more serious problem is that so many monsters are grouping up and acting together.
It’s very likely the work of the demon race. Before it escalates into a big issue, it’s best to deal with it in advance.
And the place mentioned was a forest located to the east of the Empire.
Recently, monsters have been discovered there in large numbers.
“If we go there, we should be able to find traces of the demon race.”
“I see…”
“Hera. You’re going too.”
“W-What? Me too…?”
She looked at me as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, almost like I was strange for asking.
“Are you saying that while your Master is going, you plan to rest here?”
“Uh…?”
“Plus, if we go, it will probably take about a week. Are you okay being alone here without me for that time?”
I shivered.
Her words made my body jerk slightly.
A mansion without Athena.
That place was like hell for me.
How many times had I cried in this place without her for that week?
Being in a place where I didn’t have a single ally was worse than going to a battlefield with her.
For no reason, I hugged Athena tightly.
“…I want to go with you…”
“……”
Athena looked at me for a moment, then bit her lip and turned her gaze away.
“Anyway, I’ll leave the affairs of this place to you while I’m gone.”
“Yes, please take your time and enjoy yourself.”
After finishing her conversation with Bordin, Athena lifted me off her lap.
“Hera. We’ll be leaving in an hour, so if you need to prepare anything, go do that.”
“W-What?! In an hour?”
An hour?
There’s no way we’d be leaving this suddenly.
If the schedule would take a week, don’t you think at least a day should be given for preparation?
But Athena didn’t retract her words.
“Roseleen will pack your spare clothes and essentials. You just have to show up.”
“…But isn’t that a bit too rushed?”
Press
“Hyah?!!”
“If the Master says so, then that’s how it is, Hera.”
“Ugh… I get it, so please don’t press down there…”
In the end, following her orders, I left the office and walked to my room to gather what I needed.
But..
No matter how much I thought about it…
“Is there really nothing to prepare…?”
Do I really just have to show up?
“Uh… I should’ve packed some snacks…”
I felt a bit regretful, but it was okay.
‘I’ll ask Athena to buy me some.’
Having a hero next to me, what couldn’t I ask for?
“Hurry up and get in. We’re leaving right away.”
When she opened the carriage door, a warm interior came into view.
The sofa looked comfortable enough that a long trip wouldn’t feel tiring at all.
You could lie down without feeling uncomfortable at all.
Looking at the carriage, there was one puzzling point.
Last time, Athena took me from Drax’s Place here in a flash.
So wouldn’t it have been just as easy to space teleport this time?
It would be quite convenient, but it was probably impossible.
Teleporting over long distances requires legendary magic that can navigate through different time and space.
And according to the novel, there’s only one person who can use time-space magic, and that’s the Great Sage.
The reason Athena could move in an instant from Drax’s Place to here is likely because there’s a teleportation stone installed somewhere in this mansion.
A high-level magical tool that registers the user’s mana and stores locations.
Although it costs an immense amount to install, once set, you can instantly teleport to that location.
Temples, Imperial Palaces, and the Empire’s court—all of the major facilities in the Empire have teleportation stones installed for quick access, but outside of these places, you have to go on foot.
Of course, the number of teleportation stones in those major facilities is limited, so only those of at least viscount rank can register their mana.
‘When Robin pulled out the sacred sword and became a hero, he must have gained priority for the teleportation stone.’
Now that I think about it, the demon race only started actively appearing after Robin pulled out the sacred sword.
It seems signs of their activities have started showing up around this time.
According to the story, from two years from now, all sorts of monsters and demons will wreak havoc in the Empire.
Um…
Wait a sec…
A sudden ominous thought popped into my head.
‘…Will the original story still be okay?’
Since I entered as Athena’s slave, I gave up on thinking about the original.
I didn’t know what would happen next, but it didn’t seem like things would proceed as they were supposed to.
How many times had I seen stories where an extra casually greeting the protagonist sent everything into chaos?
And now I was in a close relationship with the final mastermind.
There’s a high chance that something would connect to the original and affect it.
It’s clear that it’s now difficult to hope for the story to proceed unaltered.
So, how my actions influence the original is what’s important.
If it has a positive effect, that’s fine.
But if it negatively impacts, I might have to go all out to help the protagonist.
‘Ugh… how am I connected to the original?’
Only Lily and Athena.
Lily has surpassed her original self by leaps and bounds. It’s hard to see a negative influence from her.
The problem lies with Athena.
‘To be honest, she doesn’t seem like a mastermind…’
During the time spent with her, I never thought of her as a bad person.
Even if she acts on her own, it’s clear her nature isn’t evil.
‘She’s considerate… takes good care of me… sometimes plays mean tricks, but…’
How did she end up on the path of a mastermind?
Did she have some deep backstory?
‘…Okay.’
Alright.
I’ve decided.
Even though I hadn’t thought about it so far, I’m now fully immersed in this world.
I don’t want to see this world fall to the demon race.
I’m going to prevent Athena from turning dark.
Although I initially resented her, she has now become a precious person I cannot do without.
The only person in this mansion who supports me and takes care of me.
I don’t know what might happen to her in the original, but as long as I’m by her side, I won’t let her fall.
If I can stop her from turning dark… the rest will be taken care of by Robin.
He’ll level up the party too. He’ll help prevent the mastermind’s darkness too.
Isn’t that practically a life and death debt?
It wouldn’t be strange for Robin to take off his shoes and bow deeply to me.
‘Robin owes me big time.’
Every incident caused by Athena was all…
Press
“Whoa?!!”
Press Press
“Hyah!? Huh?!!”
“What are you thinking about without answering your Master, Hera?”
“Th-That’s…”
Press
“Ah!! No!!”
“…Ordering again?”
Press
“Hyah?! I get it..!! So don’t—!!”
…I really need to figure out what to do about this lower abdomen situation.
…
“One week…”
Bordin was slowly walking down the hallway.
Though he was hiding it well enough that no one else could notice, his emotions raged like a storm inside him.
Five years since he started serving Athena.
The time had finally come.
Bordin had not forgotten for even a second.
The sense of injustice he felt that day.
The feelings of helplessness that consumed him.
In those days, all he felt was bone-crushing pain.
The bloody tears he shed have fueled his desire for revenge ever since.
A week. That should be more than enough.
During that time, he would surely complete the revengement he had been simmering for so long.
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