My heart beat faster than usual.

The injury wasn’t caused by me, but it was still frightening.

The kids who had been throwing rocks and dirt at me seemed startled by the unexpected turn of events.

“We’re sorry!”

The children apologized to the Grand Duke.

“We didn’t mean to hit you, sir.”

“That’s right! It was a mistake!”

“Then who were you trying to hit?”

A chilling voice.

Just that one question made my heart sink.

“Y-yes?”

“Who were you throwing at?”

“T-That’s…uh…”

The children hesitated.

Did they really not know the Grand Duke, or did they think he was asking because he didn’t know?

“Arrest them.”

What?

Before I could comprehend the situation, knights appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the children.

“Why… why are you doing this?”

“Let us go!”

The children shouted, sensing danger.

But the Grand Duke, without saying a word, gestured at the knights with indifference.

“They are the ones who have harmed me. Deal with them according to the law.”

“As you command.”

The knights led the children away. They shouted as they were dragged away, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying.

Just having the Grand Duke’s eyes on me was overwhelming enough.

‘Calm down. Stay calm…’

I tried to calm down as much as I could, but it didn’t work as intended.

Why am I so unlucky?

Tears welled up.

If someone asked me now, “What is the most regrettable thing you did today?” I wouldn’t hesitate to answer:

Helping Grand Duke Belroc!

I swallowed hard as I looked at the man who radiated coldness.

While his appearance might be attractive to some, he was simply terrifying to me.

But then again, considering the rumors surrounding him and the massacre I had witnessed firsthand, it was only natural.

‘It didn’t help the Grand Duke.’

In fact, I almost unconsciously regretted my actions, but either way, if I’d just let it go, the Grand Duke wouldn’t have come looking for me again.

‘Is he trying to kill me?’

It was probably just my paranoid imagination, but I had seen and heard enough to entertain such thoughts.

Besides, if that wasn’t the reason, there would have been no need for him to find me again.

My heart was pounding. My brain, captive to instinct, moved my lips. It was now or never.

“Li-”

“You were right.”

“Y-yes?”

Was I right? About what?

The Grand Duke seemed slightly amused by my fumbling, almost as if he was showing off the intactness of his right arm.

“My arm.”

“…”

“Thanks to you, it’s still attached.”

Ah, I see.

“In a mage’s world, an arm is as precious as life itself. If my arm had been cut off, I wouldn’t have been able to use magic and might have died from enemy attacks.”

Maybe not for others, but for him?

I remembered the image of the Grand Duke from before I returned to the past.

Surely, the Grand Duke had managed to survive until I was an eighteen year old orphan.

So to say that he would have died if his arm had been cut off was quite an exaggeration.

Thus, I couldn’t tell if the Grand Duke was speaking sincerely or not.

After a brief silence, he spoke again.

“Since you saved my life, I should offer you compensation.”

Uh, compensation?

I froze in unexpected surprise.

He would offer compensation? What kind of compensation?

The next words I heard were even more surprising.

“If you have any wishes, just ask. I’ll grant anything.”

I was speechless.

“Any wish?” I stuttered.

Did the Grand Duke really think that I saved his life?

That’s why he said that, right?

Oops! Wait, did I just ask the Grand Duke a question?

I asked him because I was so surprised, wasn’t I?

No, but still! Why did my mouth ask such a thing in this situation?

My cursed mouth! Damn it!

Blaming myself, I slapped my own mouth.

In a moment of clarity, I saw a hint of frivolity on Grand Duke Belroc’s face and quickly withdrew my hand.

The Grand Duke’s expression now resembled the one he had when he had just killed Eugene.

‘If I hesitate here any longer, I might be killed as well.’

Even though he’s now saying that it was due to my help that he survived, my opponent was Grand Duke Belroc.

The man known as the Mad Butcher.

Stay calm. Think. This might be a good opportunity for me.

I was just a weak, impoverished orphan with no way to protect myself, wandering the streets aimlessly.

How lucky am I that the Grand Duke is offering compensation?

Let’s take advantage of this opportunity without offending the Grand Duke!

With determination, I slowly opened my mouth.

“Th-then… um…”

“…”

“Please… let me work as a maid!”

Wow, did I just say that? Although I stumbled over my words, I was proud that I managed to articulate a proper request.

As much as I wanted enough money to survive until I grew up, I knew I didn’t have the means to keep that money safe.

Maybe the Grand Duke had plenty of money, but he might have a stingy personality and find my request unpleasant.

It wasn’t a good idea to ask for a house either.

Not only did I look young, but…

How could I manage a house?

If rumors spread that a child was living alone in a house, it would surely lead to trouble.

But being a maid was different.

Maid positions usually included room and board provided by the employer.

There were exceptions, of course, but Grand Duke Belroc’s household probably didn’t fall into that category.

Since I had worked as a maid for Viscountess Mallon before my regression, I was fairly confident in my ability to handle the job.

The Grand Duke’s household would probably offer a good salary and a respectable work history.
Even though Grand Duke Belroc was infamous as the Mad Butcher, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I stayed out of sight?

The more I thought about it, the more perfect it seemed. It would solve my food and shelter needs, protect my money, and lay the groundwork for my future as an adult!

I felt strangely smart for coming up with this plan.

I basked in my thoughts until…

“…A maid?”

Grand Duke Belroc furrowed his brow and asked.

Does he think my request is not befitting my status?

Technically, he wasn’t wrong. While maids in noble households were usually commoners, they were usually people of established backgrounds.

They either came from a long line of servants or had parents with a certain level of trustworthiness.

The higher the status of the household, the stricter the requirements.

As a mere orphan, I wouldn’t even be considered for employment.

Still, wasn’t it a sweet request to be hired as a maid in exchange for saving his life?

With dwindling confidence, I quickly added,

“I mean, it doesn’t have to be with the Grand Duke… I’d be happy to work for any noble family, really! And I’ll do whatever you want! I, I’m sure I can do it!”

I shouted passionately, but in reality, I only had one wish.

Just let me live safely until I grow up!

The Grand Duke didn’t seem to soften his stern expression. If anything, it became even harsher than before.

“First you asked to work as a maid, and now you’re saying that everything is okay?”

What? Couldn’t he grant me anything?

You liar!

“Is this all my life is worth?”

Huh, was it?

I blew it!

I was overcome with regret.

But the Grand Duke was already staring at me with disappointed eyes.

‘Is this the end of this life? It can’t be.’

Despite the injustice in my heart, I didn’t know what to say.

Though my lips trembled without a word, he spoke.

“Well, come to think of it…”

“….”

“Didn’t you say you wanted a family?”

It was a topic that had come up unexpectedly, but I couldn’t deny it outright.

Partly because of the Grand Duke’s imposing presence, but also because what he said had been a long-held desire of mine.

There was just one strange thing….

‘How does the Grand Duke know about this?’

I had never said anything like that to him. I hadn’t even brought it up in conversation a few times.

Before my regression, I had been attracted to Viscountess Mallon, and now I found myself in that situation again.

‘Was it just a probing question?’

Considering that if I had a family, would I be willing to kill them all?

Maybe for someone else, but if it was the man in front of me, it seemed plausible. No, it would be likely.

My tears welled up.

After all my efforts to survive another life, to think that I would end up with such a futile fate of dying again….

No matter how much I thought about it, despair even crept into the confirmed death.

“Why don’t you answer?”

“I, I have no family. I’m an orphan. It’s true.”

“I know. That’s why you wanted a family, right?”

“Yes….”

Resigned to impending death, I nodded along with everything he said.

I was startled and looked up.

Wait, did I just hear something weird?