Standing in the night wind at the edge of the clock tower, Greg's lips twitched as he heard that opening line.
"Whoa, whoa, getting killed for being a few minutes late? Isn't that standard a bit too harsh? What is this, some kind of new-age workplace bullying? Or is it that in the eyes of my former personal maid, her master's life is only worth as much as a sense of time precise to the second? Ah... I get it. This must be some twisted expression of loyalty, right? Using death threats to show concern—it's truly a bone-chillingly touching display of the bond between master and servant—"
Greg drawled his words, looking at Allie with dead eyes.
Ignoring his string of complex complaints, Allie maintained her perfect smile. She tilted her head slightly, her clear blue eyes fixed on him as she continued:
"Furthermore, for the Young Master to come see me in such tattered clothes is quite rude. If you're this careless with your appearance next time, I'll strip you bare and throw you into the fountain in the Central Square~"
Greg: "..."
He looked down at his academy uniform, which was covered in dust, scorch marks, and tears, then looked back up at Allie, whose every strand of hair was perfectly in place under the moonlight.
"A public execution just for being disheveled?! Are your punishments as a maid getting more and more sadistic!? Besides, whose fault is it that I look like this? It's because I had to rush here to see a certain someone who disappeared after leaving a death notice! Did you think I wanted to climb this high up a clock tower in these beggar's rags!?"
Allie blinked, appearing to think it over for a moment, before clapping her hands lightly in realization.
"Ah, now that you mention it, that was indeed an oversight on my part. Next time, I will prepare a change of formal wear for you before carrying out the punishment. That should solve the problem, shouldn't it?"
"That solves nothing! The clothes aren't the point at all!"
Greg massaged his temples, feeling that communicating with this maid—whose logic was on a completely different wavelength—was more exhausting than dodging monsters in a dungeon.
Just then, a drifting cloud passed by, allowing the clear moonlight to pour down unobstructed, bathing the top of the clock tower in a silver glow.
The retort Greg was about to launch got stuck in his throat.
In that cold moonlight, he saw it clearly.
Deep within Allie's blue eyes, behind that ever-present perfect smile, was a flash of heavy, unmistakable worry that she hadn't managed to hide in time.
That concern was so real that it formed an absurd and jarring contrast with her flippant threats to "kill him" or "strip him bare."
Allie seemed to realize the moonlight had betrayed her, and her mechanical smile faded slightly.
She looked at Greg, silent for two seconds, before speaking in a tone completely different from before—one so calm it was almost cold:
"Next time, don't just disappear on me like that. You... hopeless idiot."
No threat, no joke, and no honorifics.
It was a blunt statement, even tinged with a bit of impatience.
Greg was stunned.
After speaking, Allie turned her head back to look at the dimly lit Yenier City below, leaving Greg with only a moonlit silhouette.
The night wind blew her long golden hair, the strands brushing against her expressionless face.
As Greg watched her, most of the irritation in his heart suddenly dissipated.
He knew.
Though neither her words nor her tone betrayed a hint of concern, he knew better than anyone—Allie was serious.
She was truly worried about him.
If she didn't truly care, why would she have followed him to the very end in the countless 'Bad Ends' of the original story? No matter what foolish path he chose or how miserable his fate became, she had always stayed with him until that predetermined, tragic conclusion.
She was the only one.
The only person who stood by his side from beginning to end.
Even if he wasn't the protagonist of this world, even if he played the role of a villain everyone despised, and even if he repeatedly brought about his own ruin.
"Honestly..." Greg sighed softly, his voice scattering in the wind. "What do I have that makes you go this far?"
He took two steps forward to stand beside Allie, looking down at the city's night view as well.
"I say, Allie."
He spoke, his voice much calmer now.
"I'm not a noble anymore. I've been removed from the Sass family. You're no longer my maid either; you're free. Why don't you... take this chance to live the life you want?"
"The life I want?"
Allie turned her head, a trace of genuine confusion on her face, as if she didn't understand why Greg would even ask such a thing.
"I believe the life I'm living right now is the life I want."
"Huh?"
"Because..."
Allie explained earnestly, even raising a finger.
"Whenever I'm upset, I can hit you with my sword whenever I want. It makes me feel very happy. If I did that to someone else in another place, I'd likely be a wanted criminal, which is a hassle. So, being able to hit you legally makes me very satisfied. This is the life I want."
Greg: "..."
He took a deep breath, feeling the small amount of touched emotion he'd just felt vanish instantly.
"Hey! You lousy maid! What do you take your master for?! Your personal emotional punching bag?! Or a human stress-relief tool?!"
"Former master," Allie corrected calmly.
"A former master is still a master! Show some respect, you brat!"
But despite his shouting, Greg knew in his heart that Allie's words were only half-truths.
Hitting him might indeed make her happy, but the deeper reason was that she had never even considered the option of 'leaving.'
She had long ago bound her existence to the person known as "Greg Sass."
Whether he was a noble or a commoner, whether he was successful or destitute.
If he could, Greg actually didn't want her to stay by his side. To him, this world was full of danger; the known and unknown death CGs hung over his head like the Sword of Damocles.
If Allie stayed with him, she would only be dragged into the same dangers. Given her extraordinary combat power, she might even trigger worse chain reactions, leading her toward those bad endings.
Though Greg had anticipated she might not leave easily, he hadn't expected her attitude to be so resolute.
Greg sighed again, this time with more helplessness.
"Fine, do whatever you want."
He gave up on trying to persuade her and switched to a more practical topic.
"But let's get one thing straight. My life is very difficult right now. I'm living rough in that hellish dungeon, so for the time being, I probably won't be able to pay your salary..."
He paused, his gaze drifting subtly toward the rather heavy-looking leather pouch at Allie's waist.
"...Wait. You should have some savings on you right now, right?"
Rate on N.U.
