Hiya– It’s Me, The Runaway Female Lead - Chapter 7

“A playmate, huh.”

The young master’s terrifying eyes swept over each of us. The look in his eyes was so fierce, it didn’t feel like he was observing us, but rather as if he genuinely wanted to tear us apart and see blood.

“After all that happened, he still hasn’t given up?”

I was terribly curious about what exactly this “all that happened” he mentioned referred to, but none of us had the courage to voice that question.

“How troublesome… What about sending them back?”

“If there is no child that catches your fancy, Young Master, His Grace ordered that we dispose of them and select a new batch.”

Even from the mouth of the kindly-looking butler came merciless words. It seemed this was just daily life in this mansion.

So much for being lucky to have ended up at the ducal house. To think I survived that famine only to die an even more miserable death. It made my short life feel a little pointless.

A sense of dread spread like an epidemic among the children. Whether we were chosen by that pretty yet terrifying young master or not, the only thing waiting for us was death.

“Even the pigs at the slaughterhouse would be less useless than these. What exactly am I supposed to choose from here?”

It was then that Claude, murmuring in a listless voice as if everything bored him to death, began to approach us.

“Unless any of them have the guts to volunteer, they’re all fit for disposal…”

The moment he took a step forward with those chilling words, trouble finally broke out. A boy who looked younger than me wet himself and burst into tears.

A look of displeasure flashed across those red eyes. With a viciousness that suggested he might order an immediate beheading, Claude put his hand on his sword and turned toward the boy.

My body moved before I could even think.

“…And what are you supposed to be?”

When I came to my senses, I was standing timidly in front of those angry footsteps, blocking his path. It was something I had done without thinking.

If that crying boy hadn’t so strongly resembled my second younger brother, who had died right before my eyes, I would never have done something like so meekly presenting my neck to the executioner.

“Ah, a volunteer?”

Those red eyes glinted dangerously as they met mine. I thought for sure my neck would be cut instead of his.

“N-No, it’s not that…”

If not, then maybe we’d both be killed together. But Claude didn’t do that. Instead, his crimson irises now focused on me, his gaze delighted, as if he’d found an amusing toy.

“How entertaining… Yes, if you want to be my playmate, you’ll need at least this much nerve.”

Unexpectedly, he seemed to take a liking to me. Of course, I would later learn this was just the start of a new ordeal… But at the time, I was simply grateful my head was still attached.

“I’ll take this one. Inform the Duke as such. And be sure to add that it wasn’t a choice, but a volunteer.”

With a sneer, Claude said this, and just like that, I became the terrifying young master’s (read: volunteer) playmate.

The people of the mansion, while offering me condolences for my misfortune, also seemed somewhat relieved. After all, with a new sacrifice, things would likely be quiet for a while.

And because of this incident, I, who had only come to work as a maid, ended up experiencing things I never would have imagined.

That very evening, I was summoned before the master of the mansion, Duke Clausewitz himself.

“Is it this child?”

Under the feet of a tall, young man of power who didn’t look even forty, I had no choice but to lie flat on the floor.

“So, you volunteered? You’re a much bolder child than you look.”

The Duke looked me up and down, taking in my awkward appearance, with brown hair braided on both sides.

The consequences of my thoughtless actions turned out to be greater than I’d expected. Now that the story of my so-called ‘volunteering’ had even reached the Duke’s ears, I became more and more worried about my future.

Should I try to correct things now? Say that I’d only lost my mind for a moment? That I didn’t want to be the young master’s playmate? Of course, it didn’t seem like a good idea.

“So that’s what he liked about you. Though, I suppose it’s more likely he just picked you at random…”

With me staring blankly ahead, the Duke muttered this to himself.

“Anyway, you’re the first one he’s allowed near him, so from now on, make sure you serve the young master well.”