After dinner, Sherry, Leena and Belle went to take a bath.
　I can't go in with them, so I decided to wait in my room.

You're bored: ....... Oh, while we're at it, let's gather some information.
　Now we just have to find out what kind of enemy might be lurking here in the castle.
　So I pulled up the rat monitor.

Just give me what I need to know.

　Then the message "4 hours ago" appeared and a video started.
　I don't know where it is, but it shows two maids talking to each other.
"Hey, listen. We've just seen the rumored Master Leons.
　Apparently, one maid is bragging to the other maid that she's seen me.

'Huh?　It's not fair!　How did it go?　Cool as they say?

'Yes, you look just like they say you do.
　What have they been saying about me?
　It's kind of embarrassing. .......

'I like that. . Well, if you work here, maybe someday you'll meet him.

'I suppose so . But still, the girls next to Master Leons were terrific.'

'What?　Master Leons, you were only about ten years old, weren't you?　Are you already taking girls around?'

"Yes, they say you are the granddaughter of the Princess and the saint. My female instincts tell me he's going to be a great womanizer in the future.''

That's not nice at all!　I mean, what do you want me to do by showing this to you?
　I can't help but complain to the monitor.
　What do you want me to do about my philandering?　You can't do that, okay?　You don't know what you're doing.
　The monitor didn't care that I was complaining about it, and kept playing the image without paying any attention to me.

'Oh, really?　I wonder if the person who runs this estate has to be a womanizer to be in charge of this territory?　I've heard that the former lord did too, and so did Mr. Gotts, right ......?
　Mr. Gotts?

"Idiot!　You can't lump him and Master Leons together!'

Yeah. I think we're done here.

　And so the video ends.
Who's Gotts?　From the way the story is told, it sounds like he's the one in charge of this territory: ....... He must be really hated by the maids.
　I don't know how much he hates me just for coming into the conversation or how much he hates me .

Well, you're about to see him, so we'll find out what he's like. Okay, turn on the next clip.

　This time, three hours ago... and then the video started.
So, what does this new lord look like?
　The man in the video was a very fat man who was slumped back in his chair, looking very pompous.
　In front of that man stood Edwin.

...... He was so solid that you wouldn't think he was eleven years old. When we told him that we were short of cooks, he immediately brought in a great cook. But, of course, he still doesn't trust us. The security has also been left in the hands of the knights he brought with him.''
　Mr. Edwan was nonchalantly telling the pompous man in front of him about me.
　What's the relationship between these two?

'Well, ....... Forster's Heretic is not a household name: ....... d*mn ...... that's a pain in the ass. It would have been easier if he was more incompetent.'
　I'm sorry I'm not incompetent .
　But you're still a Forsterian heretic: ......

'Really?　I'm sure it will make this territory better.'
　Hmm?　Whose side is Mr. Edwan on?

'Well, I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that: ....... Well, all right. You can go now.

　Then the picture was over.

What?　Who is this guy?　I'm feeling like a great villain?　And it's hard to tell which side Edwan is on and ......
　We'll have to keep an eye out for Edwan, since we have no choice.

Well, we'll have to check this one out later. Okay, I'll need the next set of images.



　This time, it said "one hour ago".
　And then it displayed ......, which I couldn't figure out for a second.
"Come on in, please.
　The one who said that and bowed his head was the man who looked important in the earlier video.
　And then, accompanied by that man, the other man came in.

Yeah. Okay, you wanna talk about it?
　The other one is ...... an aristocrat?
　He was wearing expensive decorations, and I had that feeling.

''Ha, yes . Let's see. ...... The newly arrived lord seems to be too smart to match the appearance of an eleven-year-old.''

I know that. I know that, you know.　When I gave him a trial test for the senior class, he got a perfect score in all subjects with no time to spare. I heard that some of them got a grade that could have been more than a perfect score.
　so that's what the nobility thought of me.
　It makes me miss the days when I was considered incompetent.

Is that so? ....... I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. He doesn't trust the servants at the castle either. And the guards have been brought in from their own domains.
　Mr. Edwan didn't say elite, did he?
　You don't make up stories to tell them.

Yeah. Well, then I'd appreciate it if you didn't use force against him. I don't know any assassin who can get past House Forster's elite.

What about a burglar?　The leader over there can do it, can't he?'
　Huh?　Do I have to fight Allen again?
　Don't do it. .......

'No, we can't rely on the burglar anymore. I've spent what I owed you from the party on securing my forces. And I'll need enough money for this estate to hire a burglar to kill him.
　I'm not sure they take that much money: .......
　Well, if you pay that kind of money for a request, I'll waste that money on you.

''That's not so much ....... But if it's the Philibert family, I'll ......'
　Philibert?　Okay, there it is again: .......
　I'd like to have some proof this time.

"I don't have that kind of money right now. We spent so much money on the assassination plot against the princess that we lost a lot of money, and our source of income has decreased since the collapse of Fermor Trading Company.
　Oh, surprisingly, it was already on the verge of self-destruction?
　You got what you deserved.

'So it was: ....... I'm pretty sure he was involved in both of them: ......'
　You're not going to blame me for that.
　Especially since Fermor Enterprises went out of business all on its own.

Yes. So the master wants to kill him no matter what.
　That's a hell of a vendetta.

"But ...... how?　How do you kill someone who is smart, strong, and popular?''
　Don't give me that kind of credit. It's embarrassing.

"That's ......... let me think about it for a minute. Not right away.
　I'm just saying, don't do it. Well, that makes things easier, doesn't it?

Okay. So, how do I do that?

"Look for his weaknesses. Even the most perfect of people have things they don't want you to do.
　Well, there is, but ....... I've done more than enough of that measure, okay?

"Okay, okay.

Then it's all yours. And please don't go behind my back.　'Gotts?'
　Oh, so this is Gotts?
　Just by looking at what we've seen so far, I can see why the maids don't like him.

Yes, of course.

"Because killing you would be so easy, right?　You're going to have to think hard about that area, okay?'
　I'm not going to make it when I'm doubting my man.

''Yes, sir!

'I see. ....... Can you send the information on these men to the Red Golem?
　I asked the question and got a "yes" sign.

Okay, send it in.



　As soon as I gave the order to the monitor, I sent a telepathic message to the Red Golem.
"This is an order to every Red Golem in the castle. When you find the man I just sent you, take him into custody and lock him up. And report him to me as soon as you find him.

Okay, that's one or two less enemies. All right, let's move on. You got any more footage?

　Yes, and then 20 minutes ago.
　And the image that began to flow was blurred and my vision was blurred.
"Ah~~. The bath feels good.
　The place looks like a bath.
　And in there are Sherry, Lena, and Belle.

That's true. After all, Leo did just remodel it.

"Right. You have one of these at Leo's house, right?　Is Bell in there every day?'
　Apparently, the three of us are soaking it up in good company .
　This is the one ...... that needs to be turned off, right? .......
　But the monitor brought it out, so ...... it's no use, right?

　Yeah, I think I have some information I need.
Well, it's not possible. I'm a maid, sir. I don't get to use the bathroom very often.

"Seldom?　Does that mean you've been in it before?

''Yes, sir. Once a month, there's a certain day when the servants are free to go in, and since they can't all go in, they go in in turn.'

"Right. ....... Leo is a cheapskate. You should have let him use it every day.'
　Yes, I'm sorry to be so stingy.

No, Master Leo says I can use it whenever I want. But he apologizes for that, so we'll have to do it once a month.

''That's right . Hah~ And even so, I'm glad to think that I'll be able to take this bath every day for the next two months.''

"'Yes. You're gonna be here for the next two months? I hope that's nothing.

'Yes. What are we supposed to do?　Honestly, our presence makes it hard for Leo-kun to focus on his lord's work, and ....... Perhaps Leo-kun is still doing something to protect us alone.''
　I'm really sorry. I'm looking in the bathroom.

"Well, ......, what can I do to help?

That's easy.
　When they were troubled, Belle quipped.

''Huh?''

'It's best that Cheryl and Leena help ease Leo's fatigue. Master Leo is a spoiled child. He can't help but feel lonely when he's not with you.　And even without the two of you, Leo-sama is still going to have a lot of trouble in the future, right?　Then isn't it our duty to get Leo-sama, who is working hard for the next two months, to spoil us?''

"Yeah, yeah, ......
"It's a classic: ......
　They seemed to be overwhelmed by Belle's words .

I felt like I lost to Belle after hearing her words at ....... You know Leo better than I do.'

"Yes, sir. You've been watching Leo for far too long.

''I don't think that's true either . I think Leo-sama hides his weaknesses from the two of you because he really likes you both. I just want to be my cool self in front of the two of you.
　I didn't mean to do that. .......
　Are you trying to be cool ...... me?

'Oh, yeah, ...... I'm starting to feel like an idiot for being so jealous of Belle.

It's true.

"Oh, no!　Don't worry about it.

"Mm-hm. Really, I'm so stupid. Really, I'm sorry for ever.
　With that, Shelly bowed to Belle.

"Oh, please lift your head. I'm the one who's sorry for the misunderstanding.
　Bell, too, bowed her head in a hurry.

''That's not true. It was just my own fault and I was angry. Besides, hearing Belle's words, I think I understand why Leo likes Belle so much.

''That's right. Come to think of it, how did Belle become Leo-kun's personal maid?''



'Well, ...... when I heard that the Forster family was looking for a new maid, I applied for the job and was instantly hired by the head maid who expected Leo-sama to like beastmen.

"Leo likes beastmen?
　Also, a word that could be misunderstood: .......
　Hey, just because the ears and tail bother me, doesn't mean I like all the beastly girls, right?

''Yes, it seems that the Forster family has had a soft spot for beastly women since the days of the heroes. In particular, they thought that Reo-sama, who has the same personality as the brave man, would definitely like her.

'Oh, right: ...... I wonder if I should have these ears or a tail?'
　Then Shelly began to touch Belle's tail and ears.

She's cute. It's true that you want to keep her close to you.
　Leena, along with Shelly, started touching Belle.

'Hey!　Both of you!　I'm tickled!'
　Yeah, let's just turn it off.
　So I reached for the monitor and ...... grabbed my shoulder as hard as I could.
　I turned around and saw ...... the three of them standing there after their baths.

　Oh, by the way, I remember ...... this was a recording.
"Leo-sama, we're glad you're worried about us, but ...... no peeking, okay?
　Belle couldn't have been more smiling, but her ...... eyes weren't smiling at all .

''Ha, yes ......''
　Then Bell's sermon began.
　Bell's sermon was so frightening that the two of us who were watching behind him were slowly drifting apart.