Not a Villainess but a Maid - Chapter 98



#089 Promised Day

The next day, I ran into a problem.

It was good that I received a message telling me to come to the hallway in front of the food warehouse at 1 PM, but the problem was how to check the time.

It was an environment where it was impossible to check day and night because it was underground without a single ray of sunlight, and to make matters worse, there was no clock in the facility.

So, if you want to meet your appointment time, you have no choice but to roughly estimate the time.

If you miss the opportunity today, you never know when you will get another chance to escape.

‘We’re in big trouble. ‘What should I do?’

In the morning, Pearl, who was sitting next to me at the restaurant and eating, asked.

“Amber, what’s wrong? I’ve been feeling anxious ever since. “Do you have no appetite today too?”

“… Huh. “I’m not really hungry.”

“Really? “Then do I eat it?”

Pearl spoke with her eyes sparkling, and I nodded.

Today, if her plan is successful, I will be leaving her at her facility.

Even though I’ve only met her for a day, I feel comfortable with her as if I’ve known her for a long time.

Pearl was sitting next to me, happily concentrating on eating, unaware that I would be leaving soon.

I thought I had to tell her her truth, so she finally opened her mouth.

“Pearl.”

“Huh?”

“I’m leaving here today.”

When I said that, she blinked her eyes and looked at me.

I couldn’t bear to see Pearl’s expression.

“… “I think I probably won’t be able to take you with me.”

From Noble mtl dot com

“Really?”

After a brief pause, Pearl spoke calmly.

“You’re really leaving. Amber.”

“… Huh. “I have to go.”

“Even if I leave, Amber will still remain my friend, right?”

“Of course. “Once a friend, always a friend.”

Once I found out the truth about this place, I would do anything to save Pearl.

That may not be possible right now.

“Okay. “I will help you.”

She smiled and answered me as if she was okay.

“… “Do you mind if I disappear?”

“It’s okay. “Because I’m used to being alone.”

Actually, it wouldn’t be okay at all.

Even though I knew that about her, I had no choice but to leave her behind.

I explained to Pearl the message I had received and her escape plan.

“We need a way to know the time accurately. “What should I do?”

When I asked, Pearl answered by shaking her head.

“That might be difficult. “It’s like there’s no way to know the exact time from the moment you come here.”

The facility blurred the sense of time and naturally made people forget about the outside world.

There was no way to know the exact time except for the executives.

“Still, maybe we can get a rough idea? “It’s probably around 11 o’clock now.”

“How do you know that?”

“Sometimes the president of the association appears underground. “The woman looked at her wristwatch and saw that it was 10 o’clock when we had breakfast.”

Approximately an hour had passed since breakfast, so it was likely around 11 o’clock as Pearl said.

‘Is there about two hours left until the appointment time? ‘

I had to somehow get to the food warehouse on time for the appointment.

“Would it be dangerous if I go ahead now?”

“Be sure to be suspicious! “How many employees pass by there?”

In addition, since personnel were inspected periodically, lone action was prohibited.

“Do you know what time we have lunch?”

“If I remember correctly, it was probably two o’clock. “

‘Oh my, why…? ‘

If lunch time had been closer to 1 o’clock or earlier, it would have been easier to make it on time, but the meal ended up being an hour later.

While I was wrapping my head and thinking, I heard Pearl muttering next to me.

“Work… this… three… “

“What are you doing, Pearl?”

“I’m counting the seconds. “To help you.”

The sight was so special that I felt like crying.

‘Don’t do this, let’s count together.’

It may not be very accurate, but it is much better than not being able to do anything.

As I was counting down the seconds in my mind, Pearl asked me.

“Amber. But what’s next after twenty-nine?”

‘… ‘

I felt like I would have to do it myself to count the seconds.

One hour is 3,600 seconds, so two hours is approximately 7,200 seconds.

‘Six thousand four hundred and ninety-nine… ‘Six thousand five hundred!’

I managed to keep my concentration from breaking at times and counted down to 6,500 seconds and woke up.

If my guess was correct, there would be just over 10 minutes left until 1 o’clock.

“Amber, you… Hair color… “

“… !”

After hearing her words, I checked my hair and noticed that the pretty blonde hair had suddenly returned to its original pink color.

“Awesome, did you even change your hair color?”

I really don’t have time anymore.

It is still nap time, so most of the executives, including the girls, are letting down their guard.

The only time to put the plan into action was now.

“Pearl, take me to the food warehouse.”

***

The hallway was still dark because there was no light.

We silently walked to the front of the warehouse, leaned against the warehouse door, and hid ourselves in the darkness.

Pearl looked at me and asked with a puzzled look.

“Amber. Can you really trust what she says? “There’s no sign of anyone coming.”

“You have to believe it first.”

For now, there was no other way than to trust the emerald.

‘It’s strange. ‘Who needs to come soon?’

It was then.

Something crawled along the corner of the hallway and stood in front of me, looking straight at me.

“Shoot!”

A common-looking rat that can be seen anywhere was standing there squeaking as it looked at me.

‘Why the rat all of a sudden…? ? No way… ?’

If you watch movies, there are scenes where a skilled wizard turns into an animal and goes into hiding.

Then, this mouse… ?

“Emerald? “Is it an emerald?”

The mouse continued to stare at me blankly in front of me, not sure if it understood what I was saying or not.

At that time, Pearl, who was next to me, also noticed the presence of the mouse and said.

“Ah, it’s a mouse.”

She took off her shoes and gave the mouse a hard squeeze.

The mouse was crushed by Pearl’s light movements.

“Ugh, Pearl… ! “What are you doing!”

As I was shocked, Pearl asked with puzzled eyes.

“Why? “It’s just a mouse, right?”

“I’m sorry, Emerald… Really sorry… “

As she sat down on her knees, looking at the mouse that seemed to be already dead, possibly an emerald, she heard the iron door at the end of her hallway clanking.

-Cheolkeng.

“… !”

That was the iron door through which the delivery man entered and exited yesterday. When the sound was heard, Pearl spoke urgently.

“It’s a delivery man… ! Hide quickly, Amber!”

‘Wait a minute, delivery man… ?’

Now that I think about it, it was the delivery man who delivered the message to me yesterday, and it was strange that he appeared at exactly this time.

“Pearl, I understand now. “The delivery man was the means to get me out of here!”

“What? Really?”

“Of course. “The person dressed as a delivery man must be Emerald.”

Click, clank, the sound of the iron door lock opening one after another was heard.

“Oh no, I don’t know what happens!”

Pearl trembled in fear and hid in her trash can, while I stood in front of the iron door and waited for it to open.

A delivery man wearing the same clothes as the one she saw yesterday appeared in front of her, ostentatiously pulling a cart.

I asked, trying hard to keep my composure.

“It’s an emerald… ?”

I asked, but the delivery man didn’t answer my question, just opened the empty cart and pointed inside.

As if asking you to come inside.

Pearl, who was watching everything inside the trash can, spoke to me with the lid slightly open.

“… Amber. When you go outside, say hello to Dia. “I’m doing well.”

“… “

If I go out again like this, will I be able to meet Pearl again?

Perhaps, she is making her wait again with no end in sight.

After standing in front of the delivery man and thinking for a while, I finally moved my still body.

***

Drurk, drool.

I was heading somewhere while trapped in a cramped cart.

I’m thinking about it now, but is the delivery man really Emerald?

If I made a strange misunderstanding on my own, where on earth is this cart headed…? ?

When I was shaking with anxiety like that, the cart stopped.

And what is heard is a man’s deep voice.

“I brought you here as I promised. “I got scolded because it was heavy.”

‘It’s a man’s voice…’ ?’

I didn’t hear that there was a man in the Magic Association, but what I just heard was definitely a man’s voice.

Soon after, a familiar female voice was heard from across the room.

“Thank you for your hard work. “This is the promised labor fee.”

“Anyway, I feel uncomfortable moving someone… “

“You did a good thing. Do not worry.”

“I don’t have much doubt as it is the princess’s request… Well then, I guess… “

From Noble mtl dot com

As the man’s footsteps walked away, the closed door of the cart opened and the woman spoke to me.

“Luckily, I guess I got the signal right, Amber?”

When the emerald face appeared with sunlight, I unconsciously shouted in joy.

“Emerald… !”

After giving her an emotional hug and knowing that she got out safely, she asked for more details.

“What happened? Why did the delivery man… “

“I bribed the delivery man with money. Since Mr. Delivery Man is a man and cannot use magic, he is the only one who can go in and out of the basement without inspection.

“Aha… “

“I had no idea how to deliver the letter, but it seems like it was delivered well.”

“But what if they notice that I’m gone?”

“There is nothing in this world that money can’t do? “I left it off the list a long time ago.”

Both in the world before possession and here, materialism seemed to be the same.

“Let’s go back to the academy first. It’s the last day of the festival, so you’ll still have plenty of time to enjoy it. “Tell me slowly about what you experienced inside after the festival.”

When Emerald held out her hand to me, I said with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“… But, emerald.”

“Huh?”

“When I came, I brought something with me.”

“Things… ?”

Emerald walked towards the cart I pointed to with a puzzled look on her face, and she pulled out an item inside.

“It’s a trash can. Why is this… “

At that time, the lid of the trash can popped open and a girl with pure white hair jumped out.

“Pua, I’m suffocating… !”

Pearl suddenly jumped out from inside her trash can and made eye contact with Emerald, who had a puzzled expression on her face.

“… Eh? “Who is this person, Amber?”

“….”

Emerald, who was looking at Pearl with a confused expression, fainted backwards in shock.

As expected, it will be a big shock. She sent one person, but two came out.

Pearl whimpered, pulled her body out of her trash can, and shouted happily at me.

“Amber! “You’re alive!”

“Yes… “

Just before entering her delivery cart, Pearl brought her hidden trash can and got on board with her.

It was a crazy idea, but I decided not to think about anything else at the time and committed it.

Pearl asked me, patting Emerald’s fallen head.

“Who is this woman? “When she saw me, she suddenly collapsed.”

‘… Sorry, Emerald. ‘I couldn’t bear to leave her behind.’

Perhaps when she wakes up again, I will have to explain this in detail.