Rothgar pretended not to notice Anna, adjusting his direction slightly so that they wouldn't cross paths.

Anna, waiting specifically to see the demon, turned around and spotted him. She hurriedly ran over.

"Mage Ulysses!" Anna called out respectfully, yet with urgency, as she reached his side.

Rothgar stopped and looked at her coldly, waiting for her to speak first.

Anna took a deep breath to steady her racing heart before she spoke. "Sir, I heard that your departure has been delayed due to your injury. Is it severe?"

"A few days of rest will be fine," Rothgar replied. He liked to maintain control, so he asked, "Did you wait here specifically to tell me you've changed your mind?"

Anna hesitated for a moment. Of course, she hadn't changed her mind. Did she look like someone who wants to die?

No, she had another motive… to take advantage of him.

Anyone knowing she intended to take advantage of a demon might praise her audacity.

But what other choice did she have?

Everyone she knew was a commoner. Only the demon-possessed mage was of high status and capable of magic.

Anna had always avoided this demon. This was the first time she approached him proactively.

Her hesitation wasn’t due to any moral qualms about deceiving a demon. He wanted her soul. Was it wrong to use him a bit in return?

Her hesitation stemmed from the fear that she might fail in the process.

But thinking of the drunken Bobby she encountered that morning, Anna steadied herself.

She had learned how to appease the demon and wouldn't make a major mistake under normal circumstances. But facing Bobby, she had no rules to rely on.

"No, I still believe that as a maid, I cannot tarnish your noble reputation," Anna said after hesitation, looking earnest. "I just wish to ask if you could teach me to read and write while you're still here."

Rothgar fell into deep thought upon hearing her request.

Teach her to read and write? What was her ulterior motive?

Her attitude toward Parish was somewhat ambiguous, and though she had refused his proposal while he was possessing Ulysses, she didn’t stay away. Instead, she sought excuses to get closer.

Could her ambition be so vast that she wanted both?

Rothgar frowned with disgust, his gaze shifting to the distance. "Why do you want to learn to read and write?"

Anna answered promptly, "It would benefit my future."

She wanted to learn to read and write mainly for two reasons.

First, becoming a mage was her long-term goal, and how could an illiterate person become a mage? She needed to acquire this preliminary skill.

The second reason was to find a solution to her current predicament. By learning to read and write from this renowned mage, she would create a semblance of a master-apprentice relationship. Once this got out—she would ensure it did—Bobby would have to think twice before harassing her again.

Rothgar raised an eyebrow.

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Future? She had no future.

"What's in it for me?" he asked, his eyes glinting with mockery.

Anna thought, Isn't it a huge benefit for you to have more opportunities to trick me into giving you my soul?

She lowered her head and softly replied, "At the moment, there's no immediate benefit. But I know I won't remain a maid forever. I'll remember your kindness today and repay you in the future."

As she spoke, Anna nearly blurted out that she had seen through his act from the beginning.

But she held back.

She didn't know what other desires the demon might have besides wanting her soul. If her soul was the only thing useful to him, she had no leverage to negotiate for her life by offering him more benefits.

Rothgar's lips curled into a slight smile, his voice tempting, "All you have to do is nod, and from this moment on, you won't be a maid anymore."

Yeah, right, she thought to herself, I wouldn't be a maid anymore; I'd be a soulless corpse!

Keeping her thoughts to herself, Anna replied seriously, "There are countless paths to achieve my goals, but I want to walk the path I've chosen."

Achieve her goals?

Rothgar frowned slightly, scrutinizing Anna for a long time.

At this moment, she didn't seem like the cunning, scheming woman who seduced one noble after another just to escape her lowly status.

But in an instant, Rothgar snapped back to reality.

He nearly forgot that this human woman was adept at putting on a façade. How could he let himself be fooled by her?

In the past, Rothgar would intentionally try to fulfill Anna's "expectations" to achieve his own goals. This time, with Anna bringing it up herself, he should have agreed without hesitation.

But—

"If you want to walk your own path, don't expect help from others," Rothgar said coldly. "I won't teach you to read and write."

Whether her intentions were genuine or feigned, she should abandon the idea of walking her own path. The only path before her was the one he would pave.

Hearing the demon's refusal, Anna, although mentally prepared, couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.

She just didn't want to be illiterate—why was that so difficult?

Anna initially thought of pleading a bit more, but seeing the demon's expression, she quickly lowered her gaze, not daring to continue.

Suppressing her disappointment, she bowed her head respectfully, "I understand, sir. I'm sorry to take up your valuable time."

She turned to leave.

Rothgar watched Anna walk away, his mood improving as her figure disappeared from sight.

She had refused his marriage proposals many times; now it was his turn to say "no" to her.

Anna's disappointment didn't last long. Being rejected wasn't such a big deal. If she couldn't get anything from the demon, she would find another way.

Wasn't there still Master Parish?

But did he even know how to read and write...

During her break, Anna'sfriends came over to chat.

Previously, Anna hadn't considered asking them for help, thinking they were all commoners like her. But seeing them now, she had an idea. Without beating around the bush, she talked about her family's situation and directly asked about theirs.

The three didn't mind sharing their family circumstances and chatted freely, proudly mentioning how their work at the Earl's mansion supported their entire families.

Abigail, Kelly, and Fiona had family situations similar to Anna's. They had many siblings, though several had died young. Their parents worked hard but didn't earn much, and their families' lives only improved after they started working at the earl's mansion.

When talking about their deceased siblings, the four girls became somewhat melancholic. Fiona clapped her hands and said, "Alright, let's not dwell on it. They've returned to the embrace of the Light Goddess, eating white bread with roasted meat and drinking the sweetest milk in the divine realm. We should be happy for them."

The other two nodded in agreement. Although Anna didn't believe this, she didn't want to dampen their spirits.

After their chat, the four girls went their separate ways. Knowing their family situations, Anna swallowed her thoughts. Since they were in the same boat, they couldn't offer much help, so there was no need to burden them with her worries.

Now able to walk around, Parish preferred having lunch and dinner with his father, giving Anna a lot of free time.

She stayed in the kitchen, and the demon didn't seek her out, making the rest of her day quite relaxed.

After work, Anna remembered her promise to Mark, bought some white bread and other rare treats, gave them to Mark as a thank-you gift.

The next day, while serving Parish, Anna hesitated but eventually made her request after he finished eating.

"Master Parrish, can you teach me to read and write?"

Anna didn't care about the demon's reaction anymore. She just wanted to find a "protector." Whether it was the demon-possessed Ulysses or Parish, they were both nobles who could make Bobby think twice.

Since the demon refused to teach her, giving up this opportunity to gain her trust, she immediately turned to another man. That wasn't excessive, was it?

Parrish was surprised. He cleared his throat and asked with a smile, "Dear Anna, why do you suddenly want to learn to read and write?"

Anna replied respectfully, "Because I don't want to be a maid forever."

Parrish raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Dear, I admire your ambition. But I'm not really capable to teach. I'm afraid I can't help you with this."

Anna quickly said, "Master Parish, I learn fast. You just need to give me a little guidance, even just telling me the correspondence between spoken and written language would be enough."