ch24

[The Minions of the Villain]

Silence enveloped Crown Villa.

3 AM, the deepest part of the night, Evelyn's room.

Her room was stark. Only black and white furniture and accessories were present, and the only decoration was a small potted plant by the window. The clean and tidy space resembled her.

Evelyn lay neatly on the bed.

Regular heartbeat and deep breathing. She appeared to be in a perfect state of sleep, but a part of her consciousness was always clear.

A maid's duty was not limited to the daytime, especially when her Master was a girl dreaming of becoming the 'Ultimate Villain.'

Perhaps Evelyn was performing the role of 'Villain's Maid' even more seriously than Grimoire.

Creak-

A subtle sound from the living room stimulated Evelyn's nerves. It was a negligible noise, but to her, it was a signal to be wary of. Her blue eyes flashed open.

'Is Master hungry again?'

It was common for Grimoire to rummage through the kitchen in search of late-night snacks.

Evelyn transitioned to a fully alert state with just one deep breath.

Getting out of bed, Evelyn headed to the living room without a sound.

The living room was shrouded in darkness, but a faint light from the refrigerator leaked from the kitchen.

"Master, are you hungry? Shall I prepare a late-night snack?"

She expected to see Grimoire startled in front of the refrigerator, but there was no response.

A slight wrinkle formed on Evelyn's face. Her blue eyes shone sharply.

She narrowed the distance and approached the refrigerator. Instead of the silhouette of the girl she expected, small shadows were moving on the refrigerator shelf.

The refrigerator door slowly closed. And what was revealed was—

Darkness and White King. Grimoire's new 'subordinates.'

Squeak-squeak—

The two mice were struggling to open the lid of a peanut butter jar between them.

"Using the kitchen at this late hour without permission is a violation of the rules."

Click-

Evelyn reached for the kitchen light switch. The movement was slow and deliberate.

Squeak-!

Startled by the sudden light, the mice dropped the peanut butter jar. The jar hit the glass shelf with a dull thud, but fortunately, it didn't break.

'What on earth are they?'

It was impossible for ordinary mice to open the refrigerator door or find the peanut butter jar with such precision.

'No, it doesn't matter. If they are a threat to Master's safety, I will eliminate them.'

Evelyn's expression changed. From the warm expression of a loyal maid serving her Master, to a cold and sharp gaze.

A face completely devoid of emotion. And a gleam of cold murderous intent in her blue eyes.

A faint black flame began to bloom from Evelyn's fingertips.

Darkness and White King also stopped scurrying and stood on their hind legs, facing Evelyn.

The kitchen was filled with silence for a moment. A time of evaluating each other with just their eyes passed.

It was then.

Evelyn heard a faint whimper.

Squeak.

The second one was clearer.

Squeak-squeak-

And──

Squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak─!

'This is….'

Evelyn's cognitive range extended throughout Crown Villa.

From inside the walls, from the ceiling, from the underground sewers, from the roof, from the trees…

The sound of small claws scratching. Small shadows moving stealthily. Countless clumps of fur flowing like currents.

A single massive consciousness. A single legion.

And at its center were Darkness and White King.

Squeak-squeak-

The resonance of Darkness and White King. As the sound spread, all the mice raised their heads in unison. Red eyes turned towards Room 301 all at once.

Evelyn couldn't know what they were. No, she didn't want to know.

The only thing that mattered to her was Grimoire's safety. Any force that threatened her peaceful daily life had to be eliminated immediately.

Just as the tense standoff reached its peak, light footsteps were heard from the hallway.

Evelyn and the mice turned their heads at the same time.

Creak-

The door slowly opened, and a girl in rabbit pajamas appeared. It was Grimoire.

Pink rabbit slippers dragged silently on the wooden floor, and tangled silver hair flowed between her two horns. Rubbing her half-closed eyes, she was far from the dignity of a villain.

"Um… what's all the noise? What are you all doing at this hour?"

Evelyn instantly switched her expression and posture. Her sharp eyes turned to soft concern, and her battle stance changed to the elegant demeanor of a maid.

Darkness and White King also returned to their cute mouse forms as if they had promised to do so.

The murderous tension that had filled the kitchen just a second ago disappeared as if it were a lie. The thousands of red eyes that had been twinkling through the darkness outside the window also retreated without a trace.

Grimoire looked back and forth between Evelyn and the mice with a bewildered expression.

"You guys… were you fighting?"

Evelyn immediately sensed the anxiety in Grimoire's voice.

"No! You're all my subordinates, so you have to get along! World domination will be easier if my subordinates are on good terms with each other!"

"No, Master. We were just getting to know the new subordinates."

Evelyn smoothed things over with a natural smile. One of the maid's duties was to soothe her Master's anxieties.

"We happened to meet in the kitchen late at night and were getting to know each other."

Squeak-squeak-

Darkness and White King supported Evelyn's statement. The eerie atmosphere from before had completely disappeared.

Grimoire's expression brightened. A faint gray light flickered from her horns. It was a phenomenon that appeared when she was in a good mood.

"That's right! Evelyn is my right-hand woman, so you have to listen to her! Our organization has a strict hierarchy!"

Grimoire unconsciously cleared her throat. Evelyn knew exactly what this small gesture meant.

"Just give me a glass of milk. I was mistaken for a hero again in my dream!"

Evelyn immediately took milk from the refrigerator and warmed it in the microwave. Exactly 37 seconds, Grimoire's favorite temperature. She poured the warm milk into a mug and handed it to her.

Grimoire drank the milk in one go and wiped her mouth with satisfaction. There was a slight white mark left around her mouth, but even that looked so cute that Evelyn didn't bother to point it out.

"Hmph, Evelyn's milk is the best!"

Yawn~

Grimoire yawned widely.

"I'm going back to sleep now, so don't make too much noise! I have to get enough sleep because I have to plan evil deeds tomorrow!"

She shuffled back to her room in her rabbit slippers.

Bang-

With the sound of the door closing, a heavy silence fell on the kitchen again.

Evelyn slowly turned her gaze to the mice. They were also watching her.

Gazes of mutual wariness crossed, but the previous hostility had been greatly reduced.

Squeak-squeak-

Darkness and White King cautiously approached the edge of the table. They put their front paws together and gestured as if asking to talk.

"Master seems to like you. I trust that you will never do anything to harm her."

Their eyes were not just simple obedience or fear. A deeper, purer desire.

'Did they… recognize Master's specialness too?'

Evelyn was lost in thought for a moment.

It was clear that these beings were not ordinary rats. They must have had a purpose in approaching Grimoire. But if their intentions were malicious, they would have already acted. There were plenty of vulnerable moments.

But the mice were voluntarily following Grimoire. They had chosen to become her 'subordinates.'

'If the number of beings following Master increases… it's not a bad thing.'

Of course, her wariness had not completely disappeared. Trust had to be built over time.

If they were to harm Grimoire in the slightest, Evelyn was prepared to annihilate every rat on Earth.

But for now… Grimoire had acknowledged them, so Evelyn would respect that choice as well. It was the maid's duty to trust and follow her Master's decisions.

"For Master's happiness, I can cooperate with any being."

Evelyn added softly.

"But I will not forgive betrayal."

Squeak-squeak!

Darkness and White King nodded energetically.

"Then our goals are the same."

Click-

Evelyn opened the lid of the peanut butter jar that the mice couldn't open. It was a gesture for reconciliation.

She placed the jar on the table and put two small spoons next to it.

It wasn't just giving snacks to pets, it meant acknowledging them as comrades.

"Good night."

Tomorrow, Grimoire would dream of world domination and plan absurd evil deeds. She would surely be unintentionally frustrated, but she would quickly get back on her feet.

And Evelyn would be there with her in all those moments.

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