Because of the sudden declaration from Yiyi, cold sweats ran through Ryu's befuddled face.

"Ahahahaha... Aha... Ha..."

Ryu slid his sword back to its scabbard. He needed the right momentum in case he was required to run since Roy, Gavin, and Blake were staring daggers at him.

"Miss Yiyi, can you please elaborate quickly?"

And yet, another one tried to make things worse with her misleading words.

"Um... I have a confession to make, Sir Ryu. Can we go somewhere with no other people?"

"Tarnation!"

The RGB brothers exclaimed. RGB, this was the abbreviation that Ryu invented to call Roy, Gavin, and Blake when the three of them were together.

"Ryu, how could you do this to us?!"

The RGB brothers dropped to the floor, crying.

"Go! Just leave us here!"

"...Are they alright?"

Yiyi said while confused, her face filled with concern.

"You're too innocent, Miss Yiyi."

Ryu sighed, walking towards the corner. He looked back and glanced at her only to see her remain standing.

"I thought you needed something?"

"Oh! Sorry! P-Please, wait for me."

Yiyi got startled.

Both went into a corner where no one could see and hear them. For precaution, Ryu chanted magic.

"Min mas akouei kaneis."

A soundproof magic barrier to prevent unexpected eavesdroppers. Strong enough to prevent even scouting or hearing magics.

Ryu knew that Yume hired servants from the slums. So he has a gist of who this orange-haired servant was. While the other servants worked in the Valenz mansion, where Yume lived before attending the Royal Academy.

In his memory, Yiyi was removed early from the novel. Though, he clearly remembered a servant named Olivia. She was a spy planted by Rosie after Yume's personal maid was assassinated. Olivia also helped in Rosie's self-poisoning scheme by blaming everything on Yume.

'Wait... Personal Maid... Assassination...?'

"By chance, are you Lady Yume's personal maid?"

"Mm... Yes."

Yiyi nodded instantly.

Now Ryu's memories started connecting. Remembering, Yiyi was the catalyst! She's someone who would die of Rosie's scheme, and this would trigger Yume's personality disorder.

Once the blood was spilled, Rosie would get accustomed to killing, to the point of no turning back. In absolute desperation, she created an absurd plan to poison herself and blame everything on Yume.

Yiyi would need to die for the story to continue.

But... Another question came to his mind... Should Ryu get involved?

Truthfully, as much as possible, he treaded carefully not to change the original story. He needed Rosie and the Crown Prince to punish Yume, making her a slave. So that he could pick Yume up, saving her in a legal way that's acknowledged by this Kingdom.

To have that outcome, the story should go with its original flow. And the maid dying was the most vital part... Thinking about this made Ryu do a long deep sigh.

"Haaaaa..."

He looked at Yiyi. Wearing her Lady's school uniform. Frizzy orange hair in a ponytail style partnered with sparkling brown eyes. Fidgeting while looking from left to right, like someone preparing to commit a crime for the first time.

She nervously blinked as she waited for Ryu like an innocent kid.

Ryu admired her courage.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"Let me hear what you wanted to say, Miss Yiyi."

Her eyes lit up and her lips curved upwards.

"Um... Sir Ryu, you're Milady's friend, right?"

"Yes."

"T-Then... Promise me first that you'll agree to my request."

"What? I can't do that. What if you tell me to be your slave or something?"

"No! It's for my Lady... I don't have any power to help her—"

Sniff! Yiyi's eyes began to tear up.

"—that's why I wanted to ask for your help, Sir Ryu."

"Alright, alright... Please don't cry. People might misunderstand me bullying you."

"Then, Sir, will you help my Lady?"

She wiped her teary eyes and blinked while waiting in anticipation.

"Of course, I'm her friend, right? So tell me the problem."

Once again, her eyes gleamed, filling with hope as she explained.

"It's, um, how, how do I explain this."

"Just calm down and explain slowly. I won't leave."

Ryu leaned on a wall, assuring her.

"Sir Ryu might not believe me since nothing happened yet, but I felt an ominous feeling lingering in my Lady. Like something bad will happen soon."

That was weird. Ryu thought that this maid would die without knowing anything. But because she was so concerned about Yume, it made her senses pick up that something wrong was going to happen. And she was somewhat right about it.

On the other hand, a maid having sixth sense was not expected. Ryu believed there was something more to it. He should probably discuss this with the old sage when he has the time. The old man might want to look into Yiyi. Just like how he got interested in mentoring him in magic.

'Wait... Does it mean I'm going to save her? No... Let's think about the problem at hand first.'

"So you want me to help her?"

"Yes!"

"Then, are you willing to sacrifice yourself for your Lady?"

"W-What do you mean, Sir Ryu?"

"Don't ask, but I know someone's trying to kill her. And I can only save her if you are willing to die for her."

"Ha?!"

Face frowning, Yiyi thought that Ryu was ridiculing her. But it didn't stay long as she started seriously thinking about it, lowering her head.

Ryu took her hand and gave her a wooden whistle.

"Blow this whistle if you've made up your mind."

***

One week later.

It was evening. Rosie was walking while holding a lamp in a dark alley filled with dirty beggars, rats, and trashes. A place where noblewomen like her would never dare to set foot.

"Blegh!"

The view and smell made her nauseous. Covering her nose with a handkerchief.

While covered in a cloak that hid her identity, she surveilled the surroundings to ensure that no one followed her before arriving at the target destination.

Then, she found the black metal door with a skull engraved in the farthest corner of the alley.

Knock...! Knock! Knock!

One knock then paused for five seconds before following another two. A secret code that meant a shady business. Only those who knew this would be invited to go inside. Rosie learned this while she secretly listened to her brothers when she was a kid.

Clack!

A man opened the rectangular peephole at the upper center of the door.

"What do you want?!"

Rosie looked at him. That person has a sword wound on his face that was big enough to impair one of his eyes. His nose was halved along with it, creating a horrifying image.

Scared, she took out a pouch filled with coins and raised it enough for the man to see through the hole, shaking it once to hear the sound of riches.

Kachick!

The man's eye flashed as Rosie heard him smirk.

Clack! Clack! Clack!

Opening the metal door as fast and greedily as he could.

"Come. I lost some men the other day, so I hope you won't waste my time, missy."

"I won't."

Rosie followed him. Inside, she noticed four people on both sides, guarding. She swallowed as her nerves started to kick in. Fear and excitement were mixing.

"I really have a good offer for you."

"Sit."

He offered her a chair in a rude mannerless way, but she had no choice but to obey.

"Talk, missy."

"I want you to plant a spy on the daughter of a duke..."

Rosie stopped beating around the bush since she wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...! Wait a minute, are you trying to get us killed?!"

Bam!

"Here, forty platinum coins. This is just a downpayment. I'll give you ten times more if you agree to do the job."

Rosie learned that only money could make these kinds of people move. She also knew she might get robbed here if she didn't clarify herself.

"I'm a viscount's daughter, and my bodyguards are just around the corner, so I don't want to play games with you, so decide quickly."

"...Hmm."

Even though the man was not stupid enough to believe everything Rosie said, the money on the table was enough reason. He stood up and walked in circles thinking about the deal weighing the gains and losses.

"Alright, but you'll need to give us precise information."

"The details are here on the paper. You can read, right?"

The man grabbed the paper cheekily.

"Don't mock me, missy."

"Good. I want someone to replace the personal maid, Yiyi, so I can have my way on Yume."

"...That means we need to kill the maid."

"What?!"

Rosie was shocked, and her hands trembled, trying to suggest another method.

"C-Can't we just kidnap her?"

"No, kidnapping the maid would only make the target search for her and might jeopardize our plan. So murder would only be the choice. If you're scared, you can still back down, missy."

"Then do it!"

She didn't know where she got the courage to agree, but when Rosie remembered the face of Yume looking down on her, all Rosie could think was to prove that she was better.

"Alright. You got yourself a deal, missy!"

"I-I'll send someone to give you the remaining payment."

"Hahaha, thank you."

"A... And another thing, t-the target and h-her maid have a high... M-might have a high chance of going to the Spring Festival... So, so do initiate the plan there."

Clenching her teeth and hands, she couldn't stop trembling.

"Y-You! Must not fail, you got it?!"

"You can trust us. We wouldn't want to lose our life, would we? I will talk about it with my strongest men. You don't have to worry, all you need to do is deliver us the money, and you can just sit down and relax comfortably at your big mansions as always."

"Good!"

Rosie looked him in the eye once more before leaving.

Clink.

Hurriedly leaving the place, Rosie didn't know what had just happened. She had never asked anyone to kill before. But Rosie encouraged herself that this was all for the sake of the future.

'Yes, it's all Yume's fault, so she can't blame me for doing this.

It's fine as long as no one would know.'