Head Butler of the Fallen Villainess-Chapter 72 - 16th Days (3) | The First Visitor (3)

Upon hearing the lord’s question, the female adventurer... continued to smile—a mischievous one that found further amusement in the apparent naivety of this young lord.

"Hehe~, oh dear, are you seriously asking the most obvious question, my lord?" she teased, maintaining her almost playful grin.

"W-what are you implying, Miss Vivi...?" the lord, Anastasia, stammered, her voice wavering slightly.

The female adventurer let out a small giggle at the lord’s obliviousness. "My lord... I’m an adventurer... so of course, I’m here to hunt down some monsters~!"

"...!"

The female adventurer’s casual yet bold statement made Anastasia tense, almost forgetting to maintain her dignified composure.

"Y-you’re here... to hunt down monsters...?!"

"That’s right~."

And her quick, nonchalant answer only affirmed the lord’s bewilderment over the female adventurer.

Anastasia had almost forgotten what kind of land she had been trying to govern.

The Garden of Hell.

A godforsaken land that was said to be the birthing nest for monsters all over Florentia. Thus, ’naturally,’ it was also filled to the brim with monster after monster—especially ones capable of wreaking havoc on the Kingdom.

Thus... anyone who tread on this land would be either those who sought to forfeit their lives... or those strong enough to quell the very unholy creatures residing in this place.

And judging by this female adventurer’s composed demeanor and playful ease, Anastasia firmly believed that this woman likely belonged to the latter category.

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"Still... I must say, this is quite the surprise," Vivi continued, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "When I crossed the border, I was expecting the usual—claws, fangs, something to keep me on my toes—but instead..."

She tilted her head, tapping her chin playfully.

"It was almost... peaceful. A little too peaceful for a place called the Garden of Hell, wouldn’t you say, my lord?"

Anastasia furrowed her brow slightly, her wariness returning. "You find that strange?"

"Of course~," Vivi chimed, spreading her arms wide. "I mean, this land’s infamous for a reason. Yet, the only thing I stumbled upon was a settlement that looks like it’s been freshly built." Her smile turned sly. "It piqued my interest, so I thought—why not take a peek inside?"

Anastasia held her composure, though her hands instinctively tightened against her dress.

"And that’s how you came to find my abode," she concluded.

"Exactly~!" Vivi’s voice lilted with amusement. "And, well... I couldn’t resist seeing what kind of person would be "bold" enough to settle in this place."

Anastasia studied the woman before her—an enigma wrapped in an easygoing smile. For all her playful words, there was something sharp behind those eyes.

"And now that you’ve seen me," the red-haired lord asked, her tone cool and measured, "what do you think?"

Vivi’s lips curled into a fox-like grin.

"I gotta say, my lord, you’ve done quite the fine job of getting rid of the monsters at the entrance~."

"Your observation is appreciated," Anastasia acknowledged, a bit of her pride mixing in. "It is, after all, my duty as the lord of this region to ensure that no monster threatens the land or the people I govern."

"Hahaha~, you don’t have to be all formal with me, my lord~," Vivi teased, waving a hand lazily as if brushing off Anastasia’s stiff demeanor. "However, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit disappointed as well~..."

"Disappointed, you say...?"

"Yup~. While I did enjoy the peaceful stroll from the border to here..." The female adventurer’s mouth curled into a playful pout. "Your monster extermination job took away all the thrill I used to get whenever I entered this place, you know~!"

"H-huh?!" Anastasia was taken aback once more by this strange adventurer’s sudden complaint, and it took a moment for the red-haired lord to collect her composure. "A-ah, yes, I apologize if that has ruined your excitement, Miss Vivi. H-however, that is simply the responsibility I must uphold... of ensuring the monsters do not pose a threat to the region under my rule."

"Hmmm~, well, you’ve got a point there, my lord," Vivi conceded with a playful shrug. "Still... I can’t help but wonder—how did you even manage to get rid of that many monsters?"

"...I have very capable people working under my command," Anastasia revealed, but again, there was a small bit of pride lacing her voice—a proud confidence in the servants who had sworn their loyalty to her.

"Oh~? I see, I see, that would make sense after all," the female adventurer mused thoughtfully. However, her gaze soon drifted toward the smiling butler standing calmly at the lord’s side. "Then... is this handsome butler of yours one of those capable people you speak of?"

"W-what...?"

Anastasia blinked, momentarily stunned by the sudden shift in conversation. Was this strange adventurer... trying to tease her butler again?

Sebas, however, remained unfazed. With his usual calm demeanor, he responded with a gentle smile. "I am merely an ordinary butler, Miss Adventurer. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Oh~? Is that so?" Vivi’s playful grin only grew wider—before, in an instant, she vanished from sight.

"—?!"

Anastasia’s eyes widened in alarm. Her gaze darted around her vast, walled region until she realized—!

She quickly spun around, finding Vivi had appeared right in front of Sebas, her face just inches away from his.

"My, my~. If you’re just a regular butler... would you kindly give me a little tour of this place?" Her voice was light, teasing—but there was a spark of curiosity beneath her playful tone. "And... if you’re feeling adventurous, maybe join me for a monster hunt~?"

Sebas offered another polite smile, unfaltering by the female adventurer’s directness. "I’m afraid I must decline both your request and your offer, Miss Vivi. After all... neither of us should act without the lord’s permission."

"Tch~, how troublesome," Vivi pouted, placing her hands on her hips before turning her attention back to the startled Anastasia.

"Well then, my lord," she said, her lips curling into a mischievous smile. "I do apologize for interrupting your fun time with your handsome butler~."

"...huh?"

It took a moment for Anastasia, but eventually... she realized the implication—!

"—H-huh?!"