The supposedly unconscious Meili suddenly felt herself being tied up. She let out a little whimper and slowly opened her bright green eyes.
"Big brother… and big sister… why did you tie up Meili?"
With big watery eyes and an innocent expression, the little loli looked pitifully at Hayashi Maki and Rem.
Rem couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for her, but she still chose to follow Hayashi Maki's lead.
Hayashi Maki looked at the girl, who was still pretending, and reached out to pinch her cheek.
"The reason is simple: you're the one who let a dog bite my Rem. So from here on, you're coming back to the mansion with me to be educated."
"Let a dog bite…? Meili doesn't understand, big brother. Why would you say that? Uuu… bad big brother… tying Meili up so tight—are you one of those legendary super perverts? W-What are you going to do to Meili?"
Her tiny body trembled, and her eyes quickly filled with tears.
Her acting really wasn't bad.
Unfortunately for her, Hayashi Maki could feel malice—and that body of hers was radiating a distinctly sinister, yin-type magic.
That aura had a fatal attraction for magical beasts: once they were marked by that scent, they'd obey Meili's commands.
"Drop the act, kid. You're the beast tamer controlling these monsters, aren't you? Stop wasting energy—just behave, come back with me, and accept proper training."
Hayashi Maki didn't bother arguing. He casually waved a hand and turned the beasts lunging at them to dust.
"Rem, she's yours. I've sealed her magic. Keep an eye on her and don't let her run off."
"Yes, Hayashi Maki-sama." Rem answered respectfully, hoisting Meili onto her shoulder and marching on.
Facing Hayashi Maki's power again left her deeply shaken.
Those monsters she had to kill with all her might… in his hands, they disappeared with a flick of the wrist. There hadn't even been a noticeable surge of mana before they turned to dust. Not even Roswaal could do that.
Meili struggled a few times, then started crying again.
"Uuu, big brother, big sister, you're bullying Meili. Why are you tying Meili up? Meili hasn't done anything bad!"
Her whimpering was starting to grate on him, so Hayashi Maki snapped, "If you keep pretending to be innocent and crying, I'll seal your mouth too."
"…!"
Her tears stopped instantly.
Realizing she couldn't get away, she dropped the act and bared her fangs, glaring at him with hatred.
"Just you wait. If I get the chance, I'll kill you. You killed Big Sister Elsa—I hate you!"
"And that blue-haired woman too—I'll kill her as well!"
Meili had been watching in secret when Aqua's purification wiped Elsa out.
To avenge Elsa, she'd infiltrated Arlam Village and orchestrated this beast attack.
Hearing that, Rem understood immediately that the kid had been acting the whole time. Any pity she'd felt vanished, replaced by icy calm.
Thinking about the dog bite on her wrist from the day before, she stared at Meili with even colder eyes.
Hayashi Maki didn't bother answering this badly misled child.
Abandoned when she was little and raised by monsters, Meili had eventually met Elsa—who killed the very beasts that had protected her. After that, she'd become nothing more than Elsa's tool.
Joining the assassin organization and becoming the "Bowel Hunter's" partner, Meili had soaked up all the wrong lessons and twisted values.
But at the core, the girl didn't have any true purpose of her own—she was just an empty shell, relying on and copying Elsa's way of life.
Given time and real guidance, she could still be corrected.
And if that didn't work, Hayashi Maki could always overwrite her with his control, scrub her memories, and let her start over.
…
Hayashi Maki closed his eyes and extended his senses for a while, confirming that there were no traces of the Witch Cult nearby.
It seemed that because of his arrival, the original story had already started to deviate.
He didn't dwell on it. With his prize—the little Meili—secured, he headed back toward the mansion.
First, he used Absolute Domination on her, making sure she couldn't use her power to harm anyone in the house. Then he left her in Ram and Rem's care.
A few more days passed.
Then a letter arrived from the royal capital.
As expected, it was a summons for the royal candidates to gather and discuss the formal start of the Royal Selection.
Around the same time, Roswaal finally returned to the mansion.
And with him was a tall demi-human maid with long golden hair: the mansion's head maid, Frederica.
Hayashi Maki gave her a quick appreciative glance, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
Look at that—Roswaal really was a helpful guy. He'd kindly delivered yet another excellent maid into Hayashi Maki's sights.
"Hayashi Maki-kun, I've heard all about the recent magical beast incident~ It seems you went through quite a bit of trouble resolving it, did you not~?"
Roswaal smiled and offered his thanks.
Hayashi Maki waved it off. "It wasn't really that much trouble. Just a bit of walking and a few flicks of the wrist."
"And I'm Emilia's knight now. Technically speaking, we're on the same side. Helping the villagers and boosting Emilia's reputation is part of my job."
"Ohh~ so you've already become Emilia-sama's knight~? Why, that is quite a happy development~"
Roswaal's mismatched eyes glinted, his strange sing-song cadence as irritating as ever—enough to make people want to punch him.
But since Hayashi Maki had already walked off with his twin maids, beating the man now would feel a bit ungrateful.
With a relaxed smile, Hayashi Maki continued, "Since it's such a happy occasion, why not let that new maid of yours come to me as well? Roswaal-sama truly has fine eyes—this maid is very beautiful."
As he spoke, his gaze lingered deliberately on Frederica.
Her face flushed bright red. Clasping a hand over her mouth, she stepped forward and bowed.
"I apologize, Hayashi Maki-sama. Though I am employed by Roswaal-sama as a maid, I will not sell my body. I can resign from this position at any time."
Roswaal spread his hands. "Just so~ Hayashi Maki-kun. It's not that I won't give her to you~ It's that I~ can't fully command Frederica's life. She's a head maid I've borrowed in a time of need~"
"You're already taking my most capable maids, Ram and Rem. At least leave me one, no~?"
Hayashi Maki clicked his tongue and gave Frederica a last, lingering look. "Fine. I'll leave her with you—for now."
Roswaal: "…"
For now?
Was that even a human sentence?
Frederica's cheeks burned even hotter.
Roswaal had already warned her about Hayashi Maki's personality on the way over, but being openly "requested" like that, in front of everyone, was still incredibly embarrassing.
Not that she felt disgusted, though.
And she hadn't lied—she'd taken on the role of head maid in Roswaal's mansion for the sake of that peculiar contract…
And for her younger half-brother, Garfiel, who was still in the Sanctuary.