Miri(2)

For the next few days, Xian was beaten up the same way as before. But not without close shaves against Serika, who almost got hit a few times due to carelessness and his provocations.

In return, Serika attacked more viciously. But that's alright, since he had plenty of time to rest during the night with a maid attending to him.

He spent the following night awake, conversing with Miri. 

The wounds healed by potions left sore internal muscles and blood on stuck on his skin. Even if the potion healed wounds, the amount he needed diluted the effect, leaving some surface cuts.

He took it as an opportunity to know her better.

"I'm the eldest daughter of a baron. He had three wives and I was born from the fourth woman he had an affair with. A commoner."

"My siblings never really treated me as one of them, instead I worked there like the other servants, so that me and my mother could eat. They never bothered me apart from the occasional frown, maybe because they knew I had no right's in the line of succession."

"I didn't receive wages there, so once I reached adulthood, I left the barony and found myself here."

"The Montagne's were reputed among the servant's. Their salary almost rivals the royal court maids. But not anyone could get in. I just tried my luck on a newly bought property of theirs and now I'm here."

Miri squeezed the cloth she wiped Xian's body with and proceeded to clean him again.

She talked about her life before becoming a maid, the rigorous training, mean co-workers and how he's the only one who saw how hard she worked. The way she affectionately stared at him intensified each day.

On the fourth day, there's a certain stickiness in Miri's eyes the moment her affection broke through [Pink Heart] level. Based on Xian's knowledge, no player did it this fast before.

'There must be something at play here…' Since the game now reflects reality, Xian thought that there must be something with Miri. A trait that makes her excessively easy to conquer, especially when met with her type?

That's the only logical conclusion he got in that absurd surge of affection.

He felt that romancing Miri and raising her affection to [Red heart] would be very easy once he tried.

Of course, he didn't give in. It's better to keep her affection hovering at that level. Other's might've jumped at the opportunity but it was too early for that.

On the fifth day, Xian finally found evidence that Miri is the cause of Carmillia's death. It was quite funny really, a villainess meeting her end at the hands of her unassuming maid.

As for how she did it? It was unfolding right before his eyes. What's left after talking to Miri is to stalk her and Xian found that he excelled at it.

"Do you think he can stay here?" An aged but dignified voice spoke with concern and questioning tone. Miri who's facing this person gazed down at the floor with a disturbed and downcast expression.

"If what you said is true, then in the end, the young miss will chase him away."

"At… at this rate… Sir Xian will be gone…" Stuttering, Miri spoke those words as if its going to be the of her.

While Xian could keep up with Serika through stat dumping, his endurance and stamina would be exhausted before she even broke a sweat. His attacks would become sluggish, his view would blur and his breathing became rough until he fell.

Even if he got back up, Serika who's still lively crushes him. The good thing is, he's no longer helpless like before and could properly exchange blows.

"No! I can't let it happen!" It sounded like she was trying to shout, but her naturally smooth and meek voice made it seem like a cry instead.

"Please! W-what should I do!" Panicked, Miri grabbed the other persons hands. Xian leaned slightly closer to take a see a clear view.

'She's the chief maid, isn't she?' The chief maid dressed differently compared to regular maids, hence, more recognizable. She wore a purple uniform with puffed sleeved and wider skirt with her hair tied into a neat bun ponytail.

What he said to Moris back then turned out true after all. A mole still roamed the estate unnoticed. A chief maid even.

He observed the chief maid, who appeared to be on her late 40's and realized that she was not as impeccable as Moris. The fact that he's still eavesdropping, undetected proved it.

The Montagne household required a certain degree of capability in self defense, but in this minor estate they bought, the chief maid assigned is lacking. Xian bet, that he could crush her with his current strength. Such an absurd stat dump surely surpasses her.

"Calm down. There's still a way for him to stay." The chief made spoke in an flat tone but elegant manner. She neither raised her voice nor was it too low. Her straight gate and posture proved her experience in this line of work.

"But, if you're going to do this. Make sure to steel yourself." She handed a small vial to Miri's trembling hands.

"W-what is this? Chief maid… I…"

"Tonight, you are in charge in brewing the tea of young miss. I will make sure nobody checks it's contents, so decide carefully if you will do it or not."

"But, if something happens to the young miss, Sir Xian loses his purpose… H-he really seemed determined in serving the young miss."

"Then, you simply have to make it so he doesn't need to anymore, Miri." The chief maid gently caressed Miri's cheek as she spoke, "You will be there once he loses his purpose. You'll save him from his loneliness won't you, Miri?"

Xian found those lines strange. 'Is Miri this gullible?'

"Yes… You're right. I'm the only one sir Xian needs. He doesn't need anything else…" As if in a half awake, she went into a daze rather than gaining composure.

"Good. Now, go on, and fulfill your mission."

"Yes…"

'I think I get it. She's place under a tranced state isn't she?'

The Chief maid must've used a medium to make Miri listen. It's not that she's easily conquered, she's just under her influence through an unknown method.

Xian closely followed Miri. Although his body still ached, he was used to the pain by now. In the dark corridors, her steps echoed in the silent surroundings and Xian who had come barefoot took muted steps with ease.

"Miri." After making sure that the two of them were alone Xian called her name.

"Yes? Sir Xian?" She turned to him, clearly puzzled and only just recovering from her tranced state.

"Yes, it's me. I couldn't sleep and saw you while taking a walk."

"You can't do that! Sir Xian needs to recover for tomorrows spar! There's only two days left you know?"

"It doesn't matter. I can't make it anyway."

Miri's mouth hung open, unable to say anything. Her pupils trembled as she bit her lip stared down.

"D-don't worry about that Sir Xian. Tomorrow… You don't need to…"

He took her distraction as an opportunity to slowly get close enough to her. Xian met her eyes with his. Even the color of her pupils was a common shade of brown. But behind it was a cloud of darkness hard to see.

'The signs of mind control.'

Before she could step back, he held her waist and touched her cheek gently. Once he did that, she stopped resisting and obediently let herself be held in his arms. Her gaze was locked to Xian as if waiting.

'So this is how it feels?' Today was his first time trying to take advantage of someone hypnotized. It was an eerie and unsettling feeling, like looking at a puppet instead of a human.

The action's of the chief maid was familiar to Xian. Gestures used to activate a victims tranced state in order to place suggestions in their thoughts. For a dating sim game, there was many dark aspects in it's available methods and gameplay.

The abuse of spreading reputation, the abuse of reversing a misunderstanding for a higher affection return and this. Hypnotizing a heroine to romance them. 

He wasn't fond of the method because it's just so pointless. It's convenience is undeniable though.

Also, all the player gets at the end instead of a [Red Heart] is a [White Heart] as a consequence. Why is that?

Because once a player starts using it on a heroine, they can't stop it, lest the heroine breaks free and goes after them with a [Crimson heart]. Still, the method was popular for speedrunners who only killed bosses and collected items.

'I'm never going to be like those lunatics.'

In Miri's case, she wasn't being conquered, but is used to do the culprits bidding. The chief maid was similar to the speedrunners in that aspect.

"Now then, tell me, what were you about to do, Miri?" He made sure to ask and end his sentences in her name just like how the chief maid did.

"Sir Xian… I was about to brew and deliver tea to the young miss…"

"And?"

"And?…" Miri tilted her head, confused.

"What were you about to put in her tea, Miri?"

"I was about to put her favorite tea leaves, jasmine and hibiscus—"

"Not that. You know there's something else given by the chief maid, Miri."

"Oh… that… It's in order to… save you Sir Xian." There was some hesitation but with her muddled mind, she answered honestly.

He smiled. He could've just ended all of this in one order, but Xian wanted to try more things.

"Hm. Very well. If it's for me, could you instead put it two days later Miri?"

"But…"

"No buts. That's your new order, Miri."

"Mhm. Okay, if you say so."

"Good. You can go now."

"… If you'll excuse me." She bowed obediently and went on her way like nothing suspicious happened.

"Haah." Xian let out a sigh with a smile. He couldn't believe how unlucky Carmillia is to get two death events in the tutorial period.

'Is there going to be a third?'

Carmillia is truly a magnet of trouble. It's a miracle to even reach the academy. At this point, he wondered if the true 'special butler' is still the one who thwarted the poisoning and somehow survived the coachman's attack.

He checked his character sheet to check the current progress of a trait being unlocked.

[Shackled One (Sealed Trait's: ??? Lvl 18, ??? Lvl 28, 69/100, ??? Lvl 38)]

It was even the level 28 trait. He predicted that just like equipments, the trait will provide only a part of its effect. Sometimes, it was even separated in stages.

'But I don't think that's the case for this one.'

He could feel the gap between him and Serika getting closer. Of course, if she gave her all, he'd die instantly, but for training and a basic spar? He qualifies already.

It must've been the work of this trait.

The next day passed peacefully, with Xian still losing. Then came the day of the deadline Carmillia set.

Still harboring the [Black Heart: 70] towards him, it now numbered higher. 

"So, you didn't make it little butler." They talked inside an office fitted especially for Carmillia's. Decorated with jar's of dried flower heads, shelves that contained a lot of books and a seat for an honored guest.

"Indeed, young miss. It's unfortunate." Xian replied plainly.

"Then, as I've said, leave the estate and go back where you came from."