Chapter 20
“The reason you called me here? Wasn’t it simply to reward me, which is why you invited me to dinner?”
“Of course not. If I merely intended to treat you to a meal, why would I specifically summon you to my private chambers?”
“Eh? What?”
Upon hearing Hilda’s words, Lisbeth instinctively recoiled several steps. She quickly clutched at her chest, her voice trembling with apprehension. “Are you, like the Demon Lord, also plotting against my… assets?”
“What convoluted thought process leads you to such conclusions…?”
Watching Lisbeth lapse into foolishness once more, Hilda gently tapped her on the head. She then settled back into her chair. “Lisbeth, it has been approximately a month since your arrival at the Demon Lord’s Castle. My intention in summoning you today is simply to have a candid conversation about your performance and my observations over the past month.”
“Hold on, you can discuss whatever you like, but you’re not going to suddenly deduct my salary, are you?”
“I wouldn’t rule out the possibility.”
“What?!”
The mere mention of a potential salary deduction sent Lisbeth leaping from her chair. She anxiously waved her large fox tail, her gaze fixed on Hilda. “Old hag, that’s utterly preposterous! While I admit to making a few blunders, I’ve still been diligently performing my duties!”
“If your ‘diligent work’ entails running off with Staros to pilfer from other people’s laboratories and frequently provoking the Demon Lord’s ire, then tell me, if you were in my position, would you find a single reason not to dock that person’s pay?”
“That’s unfair! Even if I make a minor error, I’m working diligently most of the time! If you dare to dock my pay over such trivial matters, I’ll lodge a formal protest with the Demon Lord!”
“Heh heh, alright, alright, I’m only jesting. No need to get so agitated. While you certainly made numerous mistakes, those were all last month’s affairs, and I have no intention of dredging up old scores. However, should you persist in such behavior in the days to come, your salary will genuinely be cut to nothing.”
Seeing Lisbeth genuinely on the verge of frantic desperation, Hilda quickly waved a hand with a reassuring smile, urging her to simply calm down. Even after hearing Hilda’s words, Lisbeth’s gaze remained fixed on her, a hint of distrust lingering in her expression. “Old hag,” she began, “let’s be clear: my salary is incredibly important to me. I might even end up buried in this Demon Lord’s Castle someday, so my entire retirement hinges on these earnings.”
“You’ve only just arrived, and you’re already contemplating such distant future concerns…”
Hilda’s expression immediately darkened upon hearing Lisbeth’s outlandish remarks. She then took a deep breath. “Let’s set all that aside for now,” she said. “Tell me, what are your thoughts on the Demon Lord’s Castle? It might be my own wishful thinking, but you seem quite content here.”
“Indeed. I suppose, if I weren’t content here, I wouldn’t have come to this place at all, would I?”
“Is that so… It seems I still can’t quite fathom you.”
As Lisbeth offered her answer, Hilda regarded her with a look of profound bewilderment. “You see,” she began slowly, “initially, I perceived you as a person shrouded in secrets, utterly untrustworthy. Yet, after observing you further, I began to think you were simply an unadulterated fool. But then, this morning, during your meeting with Meyfield, the presence you exuded was as if you were an entirely different individual. I confess, I’m at a loss to discern which version is the true you.”
“Who can say?”
Lisbeth simply offered a faint smile in response to Hilda’s words. She then took a leisurely sip of the red wine from the table. “I’ve stated this from the very beginning,” she reiterated. “Regardless of who I once was, I am now nothing more than the Demon Lord’s devoted servant. This truth shall remain unaltered, both in the present and in the days to come.”
“That would be for the best. For the time being, I shall choose to believe you.”
“Believe me? You would actually place your trust in me?”
At Hilda’s words, Lisbeth paused, taken aback. She then regarded Hilda with a look of genuine confusion. “To be frank,” she continued, “if you’re struggling to understand me, I’m equally baffled by your intentions. After all, I was once a human hero. Yet, upon discovering my true identity, you never once ostracized me. Instead, you’ve treated me like family. Truly, I am the one who finds this most perplexing.”
Lisbeth’s words articulated the questions that had long weighed on her mind. After all, whether it was Hilda or the other personal maids, they stood before a sworn enemy who, by all rights, should have been eliminated. Yet, they displayed no animosity whatsoever, even extending to her the same treatment afforded to any ordinary demon.
Upon hearing Lisbeth’s query, Hilda simply offered a gentle smile. She then picked up her wine glass from the table, taking a small sip. “Lisbeth,” she began, “I believe there’s no real point in answering that question. For just as you wouldn’t readily believe that we would trust you, we, in turn, wouldn’t expect you to trust us so freely. Therefore, I will simply say: let time be the ultimate judge. Nevertheless, I want you to understand one thing clearly: the moment we ceased our surveillance of you, we made the conscious decision to embrace you as a comrade.”
“Is that so? What an extraordinarily reckless decision. Though, I must confirm: your reason for doing this isn’t due to the Demon Lord’s father being human, is it?”
“You!”
The moment Lisbeth’s words concluded, Hilda’s pupils constricted sharply. Yet, she swiftly regained her composure, shaking her head with a resigned sigh. “So, this fact, known throughout the demon realm, has indeed reached your ears as well? You are correct; the Demon Lord’s father is indeed human. However, this bears no relation to our decision to accept you. If there is any connection at all, it is simply that we, at the very least, do not harbor prejudice against humans. We would never arbitrarily reject you simply because of your race.”
‘Just as I thought…’
As Lisbeth had surmised, it was inconceivable that she, a human hero, would be so readily accepted without some extraordinary reason or unique circumstances. Given that Hilda and the others followed Christy, a figure possessing human lineage, it stood to reason they would not harbor excessive prejudice against Lisbeth, herself a human.
Yet, as if perceiving Lisbeth’s very thoughts, Hilda suddenly stepped forward. She sharply rapped Lisbeth on the head. “However, despite what I’ve said, don’t let your mind wander to foolish conclusions. Even if we don’t discriminate against humans, we aren’t so naive as to simply accept someone with malicious intent. It is precisely because we recognized the genuine nature of your loyalty to the Demon Lord that we chose to embrace you. Do you understand?”
“Old hag, when you speak, must you constantly rap me on the head? Getting hit on the head makes people stupid, you know.”
“You’re already a fool. Perhaps a few more taps might just make you clever, wouldn’t they?”
“How could that possibly be! Besides, I’m not a fool to begin with!”
The moment Hilda once again labeled her a fool, Lisbeth bristled with indignation, ready to launch a protest. Yet, as she met the gentle smile on Hilda’s face, her shoulders slumped. She softly lowered her head. “Indeed,” she murmured, “whether it was two hundred years ago or two hundred years later, the old hag remains precisely the same old hag…”
“Hmm? Did you say something?”
“Nothing, merely a fleeting memory from the past.”
A faint smile touched Lisbeth’s lips as she heard Hilda’s words. She then lifted her gaze to meet Hilda’s. “Though I still don’t fully comprehend your true intentions,” she confessed, “I am nonetheless grateful. Thank you for being willing to accept me as I am.”
“There’s no need for thanks. As long as your loyalty to the Demon Lord remains unwavering, we will continue to regard you as family. However, if you persist in calling me ‘old hag’ or needlessly irritating others, be warned: I truly will deduct your salary.”
“Please, anything but that! You absolutely mustn’t!”
Following their brief exchange, Lisbeth drew a deep breath, then asked with a hint of trepidation. “So, after all this discussion, weren’t you going to talk about my work performance this month? Or was everything you said merely a roundabout way of trying to dock my salary?”
“I’ve already told you I wouldn’t do such a thing! But that’s enough. In truth, my only intention in calling you here today was to simply chat and gauge your thoughts. However, it appears that, owing to your inherent foolishness, this endeavor has proven rather meaningless in the end.”
“Hmph… I’ve told you I’m not a fool… But never mind. In any case, let’s have another bowl of soup! I was so engrossed in our conversation that I haven’t even finished my meal yet!”
“Yes, yes, I’ll fetch it for you right away. You truly are just like a child, aren’t you?”
With a final, gentle smile towards Lisbeth, Hilda withdrew to the kitchen to retrieve her soup. At that very moment, Clotilde, who had silently overheard their entire conversation, let out a soft sigh. She then slowly addressed Lisbeth. “Alex,” she began, “do not forget the true purpose of your presence here. While the people you’ve encountered are unexpectedly amiable, remember that this is ultimately not the era to which you truly belong.”
“Yes, I know… But even so, the warmth I’ve experienced here—I doubt I’ll ever forget it for the rest of my life, will I?”