A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 157: Blackout and Concealment

"Haah...."

A maid, tasked with heating whiskey in the kitchen under Duke Embergreen’s orders, let out a sigh and muttered to herself.

"What kind of luxury was I expecting, ending up doing this...?"

Of course, the request—to make heated whiskey with pepper and sugar cubes—was bizarre, but more importantly, her complaint was a statement that no maid of the ducal household was supposed to make.

Ever since Meredia had taken control, the Embergreen estate had actually become a surprisingly relaxed place, where personal freedom was respected for each servant.

Even so, there was one rule that had to be obeyed without exception: no complaints or grumbling about orders.

It wasn’t just disobedience that was banned—voicing dissatisfaction with commands was a strict and unyielding offense.

"Hey, Lady Meredia might hear you..."

"Yeah. You could get fired if you’re not careful."

That said, contrary to the rumors, Meredia didn’t eliminate disloyal elements in secret. She simply dismissed them through "legal procedures."

But everyone knew that getting fired in this era usually meant being branded in the servant circles, which many considered a social death.

Granted, unlike the timeline where Meredia became the final boss and a wrong word really could get you killed, it was still preferable to the Ringaarden household, where one's literal life was at stake.

So most servants chose to stay silent.

"Come on. It's not even Lady Meredia’s order. Just some nonsense from that decrepit old man in the back room."

"I-Is that so...?"

"Still, isn’t it kind of scary...?"

But just as the angry maid said, the foolish order she was carrying out hadn’t come from Meredia—it had come from Duke Embergreen, a man already pushed out of power.

"He used to be terrifying, you know."

"I wouldn’t know. I joined recently. Lady Meredia’s the scarier one to me."

"You... don’t know why Lady Meredia turned out the way she did—ugh."

Another maid, glancing sidelong at her, started to say something but suddenly went pale and clamped both hands over her mouth.

"...What’s wrong?"

"N-Nothing."

She had felt a momentary sensation that Meredia might be watching them—but having survived the “Day of Purge,” the quick-witted maid chose silence over risk.

"Haah... anyway, this isn’t what I signed up for when I applied to serve the ducal house."

"...Then why?"

"I just wanted to fall in love a bunch before being sold off in a political marriage."

At that, her fellow maid gave her a baffled, speechless look.

"...A count's daughter thinking like that is one thing, but why the ducal house?"

"Think about it. Because of that crazy old man’s recent orders, all these nobles came to propose to Lady Meredia, right?"

"True..."

"But she turned every single one of them away without letting a single one through the gates."

The maid, now speaking with a sly smile, added,

"Fish crowd around a bait they’ll never catch—but that means some of them might be secretly catchable."

"...Huh."

"Well, it all went to hell when Lady Meredia suddenly brought home a fiancé. Ugh..."

Watching her colleague sullenly stir the whiskey, the other maid sighed quietly. Meanwhile, a younger handmaid, who had been silently listening in the back, looked up with shining eyes and asked,

"Um, um... so, did you get anywhere with any of them? Or, like, have a favorite?"

Whether noble-born or commoner, women their age couldn’t resist a bit of romance talk.

Even Sasha and Parsha, despite being part of the infamously uptight Ringaarden household, had once been caught sneaking into the library at dawn for romance novels.

Incidentally, Lunelle had been in the next aisle over, holding her breath as she read a warrior novel.

"Honestly? No real progress with anyone. The ones with potential got snatched up by girls even more cunning than me."

"...Could you not talk like that?"

"I had plenty of suitors at my debutante ball, you know."

"Everyone does. I had mine, too."

"Hmph, you’re just so cold sometimes, you know."

Anyway, once the girl talk started—even if it wasn’t the refined type you’d expect from noble ladies—it wasn’t stopping.

"So, who was your favorite?"

"Hmm, let me think... uhhh... Oh, right."

Just then, another question from the handmaid, and the maid suddenly smirked darkly.

"...The most recent arrival to the mansion. He’s my favorite."

"Who?"

"The Ringaarden Count’s firstborn son."

The room froze.

"Are you insane? He’s Lady Meredia’s fiancé!"

"I-I heard nothing just now."

"Please. No one’s listening."

Even though she said that, she nervously glanced around the room. Once she was sure no one else was present, she grinned again and continued.

"I know he’s the fiancé. But he’s totally my type."

"...I dunno. He seemed too soft for my taste."

"Rumor had it he was as scary as Lady Meredia... But he actually seemed really calm. Though his face was a bit intense..."

As they spoke, the maid who had brought him up narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice.

"Hey. Guys like that always have a hidden talent."

"...Like what?"

"Quiet during the day, wild at night."

Her companions immediately flushed.

"You saw how Lady Meredia didn’t resist when he hugged her, right?"

"......"

"With her personality, do you think she’d let that happen if he weren’t capable?"

Still grinning mischievously, she added,

"If you ask me, Lady Meredia’s strong during the day, but weak at night."

"...No way."

"And guys who seem soft during the day are usually wolves at night."

Normally, this is where a friend would step in and cover her mouth—but her tone was so disturbingly experienced, the others just quietly looked away.

"Haah... I want a guy like that to fall for me..."

"Please get your head checked."

"Or maybe... Should I just go back there and say something crazy—just try to talk to him...?"

That was when the kitchen’s mood—flushed with excitement—suddenly snapped.

— Zzzzzmmmm...

An icy chill swept through the room, and the air began to vibrate low.

"......!"

"Eek!"

The maid shaking her head at her foolish friend and the wide-eyed handmaid immediately froze in place.

"Wh-Why is it suddenly so cold...?"

"......"

"A-And, my ears feel like they’re ringing...?"

The clueless maid scratched her head, feeling the strange energy in the air.

"Maybe it’s just in my head..."

"......"

"Whatever. I’ll deliver this and be right back."

She picked up the bizarre drink and left the kitchen, unaware of the eerie stillness that had fallen behind her.

"Um, hey... so..."

"......"

"That was... that, right?"

Moments later, the trembling handmaid asked a question, and the maid left behind stared nervously at the door.

"...Will we see her again?"

The sensation they had just felt had lasted only a moment, but they recognized it well.

"I-I don’t know...?"

"...Haa. I told you to watch your damn mouth."

Having survived the Day of Purge, these few servants knew better than anyone ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) just how unforgettable that feeling was.

***

"...The mansion feels colder than usual today."

The maid, leaving the kitchen with the cup in hand, shivered as she made her way to the guest room.

"It’s not even airing time... This is weird..."

If she’d known it was bloodlust, she wouldn’t have been so calm.

But as a count’s daughter and not a seasoned soldier or knight, she had no way of recognizing the aura. She simply tilted her head and continued walking.

"Hmm, ahem!"

Finally arriving at the guest room, she cleared her throat and composed her voice.

Why she was fussing over her tone when she only had to hand over the drink and leave... even she might not know.

— Knock knock knock...

After a few coughs, she gently knocked on the door and spoke.

"Excuse me, Your Grace. I’ve brought the drink you requested."

Her voice now lacked all trace of her earlier irreverence and instead radiated the poise of a true maid.

"Would it be alright if I came in?"

Despite her flawless delivery—perfect enough to be common in the ears of nobility—there was no response.

"...Your Grace? Sir Whitney?"

Confused, she knocked again, but still no answer.

"Are they in the middle of a serious conversation or something?"

She tilted her head and turned to leave—then hesitated and reached for the doorknob.

She hadn’t intended to force her way in. She just wanted an excuse for later, in case someone asked why she hadn’t gone in.

— Creeeaak...

"...Huh?"

Contrary to her expectations, the door, which she assumed would be locked, swung open easily.

"E-Excuse me...?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Unwilling to retreat now, she stepped inside, her face showing growing unease.

"...It’s dark."

The room was completely unlit—nothing visible at all.

"......?"

As she reached toward the wall to activate the magestone, she realized the switch wasn’t working.

"Where is it... Ah, candles..."

Remembering the decorative candle on the desk, she took out a match and lit it.

"......Oh."

Just as she was about to transfer the flame to the candle, she froze in place.

"...Ah?"

Her eyes blinked in a daze, staring down at the desk. Her face slowly turned pale.

"Hii... hiiiiiek...!"

Just as she stumbled back in panic, it happened.

"Quiet."

"...Mm!?"

Someone suddenly grabbed her from behind and clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Can you be quiet for me?"

She froze, terrified—then widened her eyes as she recognized the voice whispering in her ear.

"Someone might hear us."

Whitney Ringaarden was whispering with a smile, his hand—stained with blood—still covering her mouth.

"...Mmph."

Right in front of them, sprawled over the desk, head bleeding, was the cold corpse of Duke Embergreen.