The First Step: Survival (2)

"R-rules of Threes...?!" Anastasia echoed his words, taken aback by the strange terms he was spouting yet again. "... What are you talking about, Sir Sebas?"

"Hehe, I'm glad you asked again, my lady~," the butler Sebas replied, his ever-present grin unwavering. "The Rule of Threes is a set of basic survival principles for how long we, as humans, can survive in a harsh, unknown environment... such as the Garden of Hell...!"

"...!"

She fell silent upon hearing his explanation, beginning to grasp what he was trying to convey.

Anastasia knew all too well that she had been exiled by the Kingdom to this treacherous land—the Garden of Hell.

Her fate had been sealed the moment she committed her crime against the royalty of Florentia... a crime that had earned her the death penalty.

Yet, she had been saved from the gallows through the intervention of her father... no, it was Duke Rosavich to her now.

However, even his protection could only go so far. Thus, the Kingdom had handed down an alternative judgment for her crime... in the form of a 'punishment.'

This 'punishment'... was the "grand task" of governing this godforsaken land.

And Anastasia knew all too well that this "task" was just another form of a death sentence.

She was fated to die either way...

But then... this strange man—this enigmatic butler—had appeared, wielding the strength to vanquish the beasts that plagued this hellish land, offering her a tempting chance for survival... perhaps even the hope to thrive!

If there was even the slightest chance for her—and especially for her two loyal aides—to endure in this forsaken land, then perhaps this new butler of hers could be the key to alter her fate...!

"... Please elaborate further on this, Sir Sebas."

"Hehe, I'm glad you're onboard, Lady Ana~," Sebas replied with a satisfied smirk, the glimmer of confidence in his eyes never wavering.

He also noticed a faint spark of life beginning to kindle in her eyes, and it brought him a small measure of relief to see it.

Sebas was relieved... because the knowledge of his past, 'past' life had reminded him of what she, the fallen villainess Anastasia Rosavich, could 'become' if she was left to her fate.

He wondered to himself if his existence in this world was ultimately a form of intervention to that fate...

Though either way... he had things he needed to do.

"But first, please call your two aides over. Since we're all in this together, they need to hear this as well."

Anastasia nodded before turning toward her two aides—the ever-scowling Martha and the ever-anxious Bella.

Martha was still throwing deathly glares at the butler, her irritation toward him practically radiating off her. Yet, as usual, Sebas appeared utterly unfazed.

Meanwhile, Bella was still nervously glancing between her mistress and the butler, trying her best to observe and especially finding an opportunity to help Lady Anastasia.

Both of them had been listening closely to the conversation, so they already had grasped the gist of it.

"Martha, Bella, please come over here."

"Yes, my lady!" they replied in unison.

The two women quickly moved to her side, standing shoulder to shoulder with their mistress as they all faced the enigmatic butler, who still wore that unshakable smile.

"Sir Sebas, these two are my aides," Anastasia introduced, gesturing toward the women at her side. "Martha, Bella, please introduce yourselves."

"... Martha," the brunette, ponytailed knight stated curtly, her tone reluctant.

"Y-yes, my lady! Sir... Sebas, right?" the blonde maid stammered nervously. "I-I am Bella, Lady Anastasia's maid. P-pleased to meet you, sir..."

"Yeah, nice to meet you two as well~," Sebas replied in a teasing tone, particularly aimed at the knight who was still glaring daggers at him. "Now then, since we are on the same page... let me tell you about the Rule of Threes."

"The 'Rule of Threes'...?" Martha repeated, her voice sharp with suspicion. "What nonsense are you spouting now, butler?"

"It's not nonsense, miss knight. It's one of the many basic principles of survival that us humans have refined over centuries, perhaps even millennia."

"Seriously, what are you talking about, butler? I've undergone extensive survival training during my time as a knight apprentice, and I've never heard of this so-called 'Rule of Threes.'"

"Uhm... Maybe it's called that because there are three rules... it is not?" Bella interjected hesitantly, offering her own interpretation.

"Not quite, Miss Maid," Sebas replied with a patient smile, his tone calm yet carrying an air of authority. "It's not because there are three rules... but rather, it's a set principle of survival that revolves around the quantification of the number 'three.'"

"Q-quanti... pardon?" Bella tried to repeat his foreign word, finding yet another weird term from the strange butler.

The strange butler himself gestured lightly with his hand, as if illustrating the concept in the air.

"You see, the Rule of Threes is based on a study that we humans have discovered over time: when it comes to survival, certain limits to our endurance are most effectively remembered and acted upon when they are quantified into a number that is simple to recall... and that number is three."

"Endurance..." Martha echoed the one word that stood out from his explanation. She was starting to grasp his intention, as with Lady Anastasia and even the maid Bella.

Sebas leaned forward slightly, the glint of wisdom in his eyes catching the attention of the three women in front of him.

"Hear me and heed my words well.... The Rule of Threes, when it comes to survival..." he began, his voice low but commanding their attention.

He paused, letting the tension rise between him and the three ladies. He gave them a moment to ensure that they would fully grasp the weight of his words—words they would need to survive in this hellscape of Florentia...!

"Humans can survive in many harsh environments within the length of time of..."

"... 3 minutes without air..."

"... 3 hours without shelter..."

"... 3 days without water, and lastly..."

The Butler Sebas grinned from ear to ear—an almost feral-like green that sent chills to the three women...!

"... 3 weeks without food...!"