Next Life – Chapter 145

Emma is the leading candidate for the next Head Maid.

This is based on her capabilities, and her relationship with Marius is irrelevant.

“However, it is true that there are those who gossip about me.”

The current Head Maid summoned Emma and cautioned her.

“I am truly sorry.”

Emma, who had already come to her senses without needing to be pointed out, lowered her head apologetically.

“No, it’s not a problem if you were to become a consort, you know?”

“I, I have no such intentions.”

She was aware that she was heading straight for the path of a mistress, but she didn’t aspire to that extent.

Unfortunately, Emma’s face was bright red as she replied, and her voice was shaky, making her words unconvincing.

“Even if you don’t have such intentions, it depends on His Majesty’s wishes.”

The Head Maid sighed with a troubled expression.

Emma was also at a loss for a rebuttal.

She could tell at a glance that Marius hadn’t thought about that at all.

(It’s my fault for not demanding clear boundaries.)

Lovisa’s silence is likely because she intends to leave it to Emma’s own will.

“I wonder what Aina and Remika intend to do.”

“I don’t think there’s any problem with those two…”

As she said this hesitantly, she was met with a cold gaze.

“It’s not as if a replacement for His Majesty’s personal maids can be easily found, is it?”

“R-right.”

Though it might be easy to forget since she transferred so naturally, there were enough materials to judge Remika and Aina as trustworthy individuals.

“I wish they would curb their infatuation a little.”

At the Head Maid’s rare grumble, Emma felt so embarrassed and apologetic that she wished the ground would swallow her whole.

(I need to get a grip.)

Emma resolved herself as she left the Head Maid’s presence.

The reason things were proceeding smoothly so far was due to the capable support of those around Marius, but it was hard to say that she was included in that.

She was ostensibly Lovisa’s maid, but whether she had acted with the self-awareness of a candidate for Head Maid was very questionable.

It couldn’t be helped if others thought she was setting a poor example.

(I’m actually frustrated, but…)

In times like these, El was the one she could rely on.

Normally, she wouldn’t count on her at all, but this time, Lovisa and Marius might also be implicated.

There was no time to be picky.

“So, I need you to hear me out.”

Emma stopped El, who had returned from her patrol, and said.

El blinked her eyes.

“I have no obligation to help you.”

She stated plainly.

Emma had expected this reaction, so she pressed on.

“I know you say that, but it might cause trouble for His Majesty too, you know? You wouldn’t want His Majesty’s reputation to be tarnished because of me, would you? That’s why you’re out on patrol, isn’t it?”

She let El know that she knew the real reason for her diligent patrols.

“Hmph.”

The Scheming Succubus scoffed at Emma’s desperation.

“It would be considerably difficult to lower my Master’s reputation with women any further than it already is.”

Seeing her expression, Emma had a flash of insight.

“Did you, by any chance, not make any effort to improve his reputation at all…?”

El offered no answer, only a smile.

However, for Emma, it was enough.

She realized that she had made a terrible misjudgment.

She had thought El was diligently putting out fires, and that was the reason for the current situation, but if that wasn’t the case…

(I picked the wrong person to rely on.)

She didn’t know what she was plotting to allow things to remain this way, but such a person wouldn’t cooperate with Emma’s goals.

“Forget about it.”

As she turned to leave, her shoulder was firmly grasped.

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t cooperate.”

El smiled sweetly.

“What are you planning?”

Emma frowned.

She knew well that this Scheming Succubus wouldn’t help her for free.

“Of course, it’s something good for my Master. Although, you won’t lose out much either, will you?”

“…I can’t believe you.”

The only person in this world who could trust El unconditionally was Marius.

However, as Emma herself was one of Marius’s favorites, she didn’t expect to be treated too horribly.

She was wary, but couldn’t be entirely so.

As if seeing through Emma’s inner turmoil, El spoke.

“Why don’t you stop being a maid and become a consort?”

“…I cannot do that.”

Emma, who had anticipated this, refused.

The reason she didn’t answer immediately was that she couldn’t fathom El’s true intentions.

The position of a royal maid was not one that could be changed casually.

Because they spent long hours with their master, it wasn’t something anyone could do.

While other demons might not know this, she couldn’t believe this Succubus was unaware of it…

“Are you worried about a replacement maid?”

“Yes. Not to brag, but being Lovisa’s maid is a demanding job.”

She responded to the probing gaze with a sigh.

“Shall I do it for you?”

When she heard that, Emma’s heart almost stopped for a moment.

What was this woman before her going to suggest?

“I think I can solve various problems if I do it.”

“I suppose that’s true, but…”

Emma desperately tried to refrain from speaking her thoughts aloud.

This Scheming Succubus might be able to handle Lovisa’s maid duties without issue.

But that would be a nightmare.

“Do you think I would agree to that?”

“No.”

El smiled and shook her head.

“Grrr… this…”

Emma felt like she was being toyed with.

El moved closer to her.

“Because there’s someone being foolish and saying they’re fine with just being a mistress, even now. I thought I’d torment them a little.”

She whispered in Emma’s ear.

“Even so, it can’t be done that way.”

When Emma managed to retort, El clicked her tongue.

“That’s precisely what I’m saying I’ll handle!”

“That’s precisely why it can’t be done.”

The two women glared at each other.

Emma couldn’t agree without understanding El’s true intentions.

She suspected that this Scheming Succubus, depending on the situation, might even advise Marius to abandon the kingdom.

She couldn’t allow that to happen.

She desperately wanted to know her true intentions, but unfortunately, El was far superior in maneuvering.

What should she do?

“What do you plan to do if you make me a consort? Are you also going to make Remika and Aina consorts?”

“Yes.”

El answered immediately, and Emma pressed her fingers to her temples.

“What do you think will happen if you do something like that? It will cause an uproar.”

“Isn’t it fine to cause an uproar?”

“…His Majesty will be troubled, won’t he?”

Emma intended this as a warning, but El scoffed.

“I’ll prevent it.”

She didn’t have the courage to ask how.

“I don’t think it’s that difficult.”

El said with complete confidence.

“May I ask for reference?”

Emma said, and El nodded.

“I will appoint Sophia as Head Maid.”

She uttered something that almost made the maid faint.

Sophia was the Demon Lord and an incredibly powerful and terrifying being, the progenitor of Vampires.

It took Emma about a minute to recover and try to object.

“T-that’s impossible…”

“Perhaps Sophia wouldn’t mind.”

Emma was about to say “Don’t be so casual,” when she noticed the conviction in El’s eyes.

(Could it be that she’s already made arrangements?)

Having moved around so much, she couldn’t grasp everything.

As Emma stood frozen, desperately turning her mind, El delivered the finishing blow.

“If you want, I can even ask Auraniess.”

“Just that, please stop!”

Emma shrieked in sheer terror.

“Auraniess can’t possibly do that! Everything will be thrown into chaos!”

El replied with a wicked smile.

“It just might work out surprisingly well.”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean!”

Emma slumped in despair.

(Wh-what a terrifying thought…)

The very idea of having Sophia or Auraniess serve as maids or attendants had never occurred to her.

While Sophia was still within the realm of reason, Auraniess absolutely had to be avoided.

She took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

Then, she directly asked El.

“Tell me your true objective. Why did you mention Sophia and Auraniess and try to pressure me?”

“Oh? Did you figure it out?”

The Scheming Succubus blinked as if surprised.

Emma replied with a bitter expression,

“Yes, it was excessive. It seemed strange.”

She felt no satisfaction in having figured it out.

“You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”

She believed El had intentionally let her realize it.

“You can figure that much out? Yet you can’t figure out what comes next?”

El looked back at Emma as if she were a rare creature.

“Yes. What’s the benefit of making me, Remika, and Aina consorts…?”

“To break the current system. And then, we will manage the imperial harem.”

“That’s the worst.”

Emma replied immediately.

“The same people shouldn’t stay in one organization for too long. Organizations need new growth.”

She paused and looked at the Succubus.

“Certainly, if you were to do it, there might not be constant changes. However, harm will also occur because of it.”

“That’s a human way of thinking, isn’t it?”

El replied with a bored expression.

“Isn’t it all due to human spirituality, like corruption and such? And besides, even with a change in succession, humans are the ones whose organizations and systems become corrupt, aren’t they?”

She had hit a sore spot.

Throughout history, there has never been an organization or system created by humans that hasn’t become corrupt.

Unfortunately, that was the truth.

“Even so, entrusting it to you…”

As Emma tried to argue further,

“This is also coexistence between humans and demons, isn’t it?”

El countered with a bright smile.

“Ugh.”

Indeed, it was, and the maid was speechless.

“Moreover, it’s a good way to solve organizational problems.”

“Ugh!”

“And the harm you mention, it’s not something humans can definitively say they can avoid.”

“Guh!”

El relentlessly pursued with further attacks, causing Emma to repeatedly groan.

However, she could not back down here and prepared to counterattack.

“Why do you want to be a maid so badly…? What exactly are you aiming for?”

“I don’t particularly want to be one; there’s no reason.”

“Liar.”

Emma gritted her teeth.

She couldn’t help but feel that she was being strung along.

(I need to get a grip.)

She couldn’t let this Scheming Succubus run rampant.