Chapter 111: The Vampire Maid
“Huh? Didn’t this used to be a small cabin…? And now it’s… a proper mansion?”
Where Bladia-san’s little cabin had stood, there was now a full-fledged estate. Its outer walls were painted a deep, blood-red hue. At first glance, it looked almost ominous, like something straight out of a gothic tale—but most likely, it was just a very bold tomato-red.
“I-I wonder if it’s okay to go in…”
I hesitated, my hand on the large gate, before carefully stepping into the grounds of the mansion.
“Welcome, Geo-sama.”
Almost as if she had been expecting me, an unfamiliar woman appeared to greet me.
She was a tall, slender beauty in her mid-twenties. Like Denis-kun, she wore a maid uniform—though Denis-kun’s was for the shop—yet she moved with the elegance of someone born to command respect, bowing gracefully in my direction.
“Um… who might you be?”
“I apologize for the delayed introduction. I am Vania, the head maid in service to Bladia-sama herself. I am at your disposal from now on.”
The head maid…?
Confusion washed over me. But the beauty—Vania-san—spoke on calmly, as if my shock were of no concern.
“I must apologize for constructing a residence on your private garden without permission, Geo-sama.”
“Ah… yes…”
I couldn’t help but wonder how they had managed to build this mansion in such a short time. The interior was as well-finished as the exterior, with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and crimson carpets covering the floors.
“I could not, in all propriety, allow the noble Bladia-sama to live in such a shabby cabin.”
Noble…? Could it be that Bladia-san held a surprisingly high rank among vampires? I had treated her rather casually, thinking her to be similar to Miranda-san…
As a chill ran down my spine, Bladia-san herself descended the spacious staircase behind Vania-san.
“Ah, Geo. You’ve come.”
In her hands were… tomatoes. The same as ever.
“As you can see, I built the house without asking. I don’t mind what kind of bed I sleep in, as long as I get delicious tomatoes, but this one here, Vania, insisted and would not be persuaded otherwise.”
“I-Is that so…”
It seemed Bladia-san herself had no complaints at all. Then she shot a sharp glare at Vania-san, who was kneeling with her head lowered, as if in apology.
“Honestly… I was just enjoying some time alone, and yet she follows me even here.”
“Wherever my master goes, even to the ends of the earth, I shall follow and fulfill my duties as head maid.”
“You’re far too serious, as always…”
Wait—aren’t maids supposed to behave like that…?
“Hm? But… how did you even get in here? I thought I had put up wards.”
“Yes. It took considerable effort to bypass them.”
I thought those wards were strong enough to resist even the Blood Elephant. This maid was clearly no ordinary person. Could she, like Bladia-san, also be a vampire?
Later, I would learn that even if the wards were broken, they repaired themselves automatically.
“Since you’ve come all this way, try some of my tomato dishes!”
“No, Bladia-sama. Cooking is my duty as a maid.”
“…Your skills are catastrophic, so I’ve always been the one to cook. How is it that you can build a house, but cannot cook?”
It seemed Vania-san had built this mansion herself. Frankly, that struck me as far more impressive than any meal.
“N-No! This time! I will make a dish worthy of my master! Please, grant me a chance!”
“I refuse! How many times have you failed already? Do you not pity the tomatoes you ruin?”
“Please… just this once!”
As the two of them argued endlessly, each firmly insisting on their point, I quietly decided to leave the mansion. There was no telling when—or if—it would end.
Afterward, I headed to Miranda-san’s place. The other three had undergone noticeable changes in the short time I’d been away, so I half-expected the same here… but…
“Nothing’s changed…”
It was still the same small cabin. Peeking inside, the room was cluttered as ever with empty bottles scattered about. In the center, passed out and completely drunk, lay Miranda-san, snoring in the midst of her chaotic surroundings.
“Gugaaahhh~~”
“….”
I quietly closed the door and walked away.
The next day, we found ourselves back in the town of Landall.
“Let’s take a few more requests here.”
“Well, we’re not in any rush, so that’s fine.”
I had heard that adventurers were scarce and requests were piling up, so we decided to complete a few more before moving on.
“That would be most helpful. Parties with your abilities are rare in this town at the moment.”
When I told Loin, who happened to be at the adventurer’s guild, he seemed genuinely grateful.
“Hmm?”
“Anii, what’s wrong?”
“I thought I felt… something like a murderous intent coming from over there…”
Anii glared toward the back of the guild.
There, a female party stood together, discussing something quietly. From their behavior—and the people around them looking at notice boards or maintaining equipment—nothing seemed suspicious. No adventurer showed any sign of danger.
“Maybe it’s just your imagination?”
“…I hope so.”