Chapter 19
“Lisbeth, are you certain you didn’t see wrong? Remember, he is the Demon Grand Marshal. For the highest-ranking commander of the demon race to be cursed—this is no laughing matter.”
“Yes, I know. But after Christy herself was cursed, I’m not as surprised that he would also be afflicted.”
Upon hearing Clotilde’s words, Lisbeth felt an initial shock, but she quickly composed herself. Clotilde was right; if Christy, the Demon Lord herself, could be cursed, then it was highly probable that other high-ranking demons had also been tampered with.
The crucial question now was the identity of the culprit and whether it was connected to Christy’s curse. Unfortunately, Lisbeth had far too many unanswered questions. Taking a deep breath, she conveyed to Clotilde in her mind, ‘For now, let’s put this matter aside. We shouldn’t do anything rash.’
“What? You’re just going to let Meyfield remain cursed?”
“Yes, exactly. I don’t have the time to meddle in other people’s affairs right now.”
While the revelation that Meyfield, the Demon Grand Marshal, was cursed had startled both Lisbeth and Clotilde, Lisbeth ultimately decided against interfering.
For one, she wasn’t certain if Meyfield’s curse was inflicted by the same person who cursed Christy. Furthermore, even if she were to speak up, it was unlikely anyone would believe her. Even in this era, the Demonic Eye Stone was nearly extinct. If she revealed Meyfield’s curse, it would undoubtedly expose her own possession of a Demonic Eye Stone.
If that were to hinder her search for the one who cursed Christy, it would be a complete reversal of priorities. Having considered these implications, Lisbeth could only sigh and add, “I might be letting Angelina down, but I simply don’t have the capacity to expose myself right now.”
“Indeed, you’re right. Christy is our top priority, no matter what.”
Clotilde chose to understand Lisbeth’s decision. Thus, Lisbeth never mentioned the curse, simply watching as Meyfield departed the VIP room, striding away.
The moment he left, everyone else in the room visibly relaxed. Hilda, standing closest to Lisbeth, immediately chuckled. “Lisbeth, you did well. I always thought you were a complete idiot, but at least you’re useful in a pinch.”
“Hey! What do you mean ‘complete idiot’? The only true idiot here is Staros!”
Lisbeth, indignant at Hilda’s rude remark, waved her hands and shouted in protest. However, Hilda, seemingly in a good mood, ignored her complaint. Instead, she patted Lisbeth’s head and continued, “I never realized you’d grow to like the Demon Lord’s Castle so much. So, today I’ll cook you something delicious. Tell me, what do you want to eat?”
“Huh? Delicious food!? Then I want that roasted beef you made last time! It was super tasty!”
At the mention of good food, Lisbeth, who had been sulking moments before, immediately began to drool, grabbing Hilda’s hand as if she were starving. Standing nearby, Christy shook her head with a resigned smile. “Look at you, so easily swayed by a bit of food. But your performance today was indeed commendable, so you deserve a reward.”
“Hehe, thank you, Demon Lord~”
“Alright, that concludes things for today. Though we nearly had an unforeseen incident, the important thing is that nothing ultimately went wrong. So Lisbeth, you and Angelina will go buy those items we missed last time, and then await the dinner I’ll prepare for you.”
“Mm-hmm, sounds great!”
After Hilda delivered her summary, everyone present left the VIP room to attend to their own tasks. Lisbeth, though smiling, found her heart increasingly burdened with doubt.
****
After her second shopping trip with Angelina, Lisbeth meticulously noted the delivery times for all goods destined for the Demon Lord’s Castle. She hadn’t forgotten the incident with the stolen shopping list, and if possible, she intended to deal with the culprits before they could cause any trouble within the castle.
“Phew… I suppose that’s everything…”
Soon, laden with numerous bags, Lisbeth and Angelina returned to Hilda’s office in the Demon Lord’s Castle. Angelina’s incredible strength was truly no exaggeration; she carried twice as much as Lisbeth without even a hint of breathlessness. Frankly, Lisbeth regretted not offloading all the bags onto her.
“It seems everything has been purchased this time. Thank you both for your hard work.”
After confirming their purchases, Hilda nodded with a smile, then turned to the two of them. “Angelina, you may return now. Lisbeth, come with me. Your celebratory dinner is ready.”
“Huh? Already? Let’s go quickly!”
“Wait, Hilda, can’t I come along today?”
Upon hearing that Hilda had prepared delicious food again, Angelina instinctively wiped the corner of her mouth, then eagerly questioned Hilda. To Angelina’s disappointment, Hilda didn’t nod this time; instead, she shook her head. “Angelina, I wish to have dinner alone with Lisbeth this evening, so you cannot join us today.”
“Oh, I see…”
Angelina was not a fool. Hearing Hilda’s blunt words, she understood that Hilda undoubtedly had something private to discuss with Lisbeth. Thus, she nodded instinctively and slowly said, “I understand, but you must invite me next time.”
“Yes, I know. You may go now.”
“Alright.”
Though she seemed a little reluctant, Angelina chose to depart. Lisbeth, who had overheard Hilda’s words, looked at Hilda with a puzzled expression. “Old woman, why did you specifically ask me to dinner? I don’t recall doing anything to provoke you.”
“Must I be looking for trouble in your eyes to speak with you alone? If you don’t want to eat my cooking, you’re free to leave right now.”
“Huh?! How can you say that? Of course I want to eat!”
“Then stop talking nonsense and come with me.”
****
Following behind Hilda, Lisbeth noticed they weren’t heading towards the kitchen where meals were usually prepared. Instead, they were going to Hilda’s own room. Gazing at the room, which was clearly much larger than her own, Lisbeth immediately exclaimed with dissatisfaction, “How is this fair? Even if you’re the Head Maid, your room is far too big compared to mine!”
“Is that truly your first reaction upon seeing someone else’s room…?”
Lisbeth’s eccentric remark made Hilda shake her head in exasperation. Soon, however, she waved a hand at Lisbeth and said, “Just sit down for now. Dinner is already on the table, ready to eat.”
Hilda’s room, for one person, was at least three times the size of Lisbeth’s. After a quick survey of her surroundings, Lisbeth realized Hilda’s room not only boasted a dedicated bedroom but also an integrated mini-kitchen and a spacious living area. It was more than ample, even for two people.
However, more than any of this, Lisbeth’s attention was fully captivated by the food on the table. Hilda’s culinary skills were truly impressive; even before a bite, the fragrant aroma of the dishes wafted enticingly towards them. Witnessing this, Lisbeth unhesitatingly sat down and asked Hilda, “Can I eat now? I’m genuinely starving.”
“Sigh… You really are something…”
Gazing at the nearly uncontrollable Lisbeth, Hilda chuckled, then waved her hand. “I had intended to have you speak first, but go ahead and eat. It wouldn’t do for the food to get cold.”
“Really? Then I’m digging in!”
No sooner had Lisbeth finished speaking than she began to devour the food on the table at a furious pace. Meanwhile, Hilda occasionally picked at her own meal, but mostly allowed Lisbeth to consume the majority. Observing this, Hilda merely smiled. “I told you there’s no need to eat so fast; no one is going to snatch it from you. And if it’s not enough, you can always have more, as I prepared these dishes in my own kitchen this time.”
“What? There’s more? Then hurry and bring me some!”
“Not so fast. Aren’t you afraid of choking after eating so much?”
Lisbeth’s table manners were indeed less than refined. Her lips were now smeared with grease, and both hands, having just gripped a chicken leg, looked quite oily. Hilda stepped forward to wipe her mouth, then gently remarked, “It’s true that no matter how much you look like a cute girl on the outside, your inner self is still a man. It doesn’t matter in front of me, but try not to eat like this in public next time.”
“But putting that aside, it’s about time I told you why I specifically invited you to my room.”