12 O'Clock Marionette-Chapter 71

"This... What is this?"

The handwriting was Cruello's, but why did he write down this location?

I tilted my head in confusion.

There were three possible explanations:

It was a hideout where the enemy had hidden something important.It was a secret base where Cruello had hidden something important.Something else.

My list of guesses was disappointingly crude, but regardless of the answer, it was intriguing.

With no money, my only option was to wander the streets, so I might as well make productive use of my time.

I carefully folded the note and tucked it into my pocket.

And thus began my life on the streets with not a single copper to my name.

"I'm not even broke..."

The real money was sitting in Bonetti Manor, and the money in my account required me to show up in person and state my name. In other words, it was nothing more than a pretty illusion.

I muttered gloomily and pulled my robe tighter around me.

I had left my mask behind at the guild, but I couldn’t let anyone catch a glimpse of my priestess robe underneath.

Running away without even changing clothes—what a ridiculous situation. Fortunately, black robes were common enough.

The location on the memo wasn’t far.

However, winter was cold, the sun had already set, and within a short time, my teeth wouldn't stop chattering.

[Oh, Pebula, is this really the best treatment for a hero trying to save the world?]

The thought of simply heading toward a mysterious location based on a memo seemed utterly pathetic, yet here I was.

And so, I arrived at an ordinary two-story house.

"This is the place?"

I didn’t sense any traces of dark magic. What was Cruello trying to do here?

From the location, it seemed to belong to a noble household.

As I lingered near the entrance, I spotted a nameplate.

"Winter... Bel?"

"Hm? You're here already?"

The door suddenly swung open.

Whoa—!

I nearly slipped off the steps.

A middle-aged woman with chestnut-brown hair appeared in the doorway.

Judging by her attire, she was likely a maid of the household.

"Sorry, sorry! Are you all right? I was just about to lock up, but I heard a noise and ended up opening the door."

"Ah, um, yes."

"You’re the one who was supposed to start working here, right? I didn't expect you to arrive this late at night."

"...What?"

"But... I thought they were sending a boy? You’re a girl?"

She tilted her head in confusion.

My frozen brain slowly started functioning again.

Cruello’s note.

A boy was supposed to come here for work.

No way—was Cruello trying to get a job here undercover?!

My brain stalled for an entirely different reason.

"Wait, did I come to the wrong place?"

No time to think.

The answer was inside that house.

I adjusted my voice and changed my tone to sound more confident.

"Something came up. But don't worry, I’m the best at any job, so I came in his place."

"My, aren’t you confident? But you don’t need to be good at everything. The only task here is cleaning."

Cleaning—perfect!

Even if the real worker showed up later, I could easily outdo them.

I straightened my shoulders.

"If it’s cleaning, there’s nothing to worry about. I’m experienced! Once you see me work, you won’t even think about hiring anyone else."

I even infused my voice with divine energy to enhance persuasion.

I was too curious about what was inside this house—and more importantly, it was way too cold outside.

Wandering around in search of another temporary shelter was a nightmare.

Dying from poison, dying from exhaustion, and now freezing to death? That was ridiculous.

Luckily, she didn’t seem to have any particular preference for hiring a boy.

"Come inside."

Thank you, Pebula—

Wait, no. Wrong person to thank.

Thank you, kind employer whose name I don’t yet know.

Not you, Pebula.

As I stepped inside, I pulled down my hood.

I couldn’t work while hiding my face, and if this woman recognized me, it would be best to flee immediately.

"Oh my."

She widened her eyes in surprise but didn’t seem to recognize me.

That was a relief. Some commoners were well-versed in noble affairs, which had worried me.

Then again, I had never been particularly social.

Maybe that’s why Nigellia always looked down on me.

That old hag—I’m going to get back at her someday.

"You have such a pretty face. Hmm… but you’re not a noble, are you?"

"I'm not. It’s a typical story. I used to live well, but life can change in an instant, can't it?"

"Oh dear… how unfortunate. But I can’t accept just anyone, no matter their circumstances. I need someone with at least some skill."

"You don’t need to worry about that."

I filled my entire body with confidence and spoke firmly.

She still looked a little uncertain, but her tone softened.

As expected—humans are weak to beauty.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Marien, the head maid of the Winterbell Barony. What’s your name?"

"...Betty!"

Sorry, Betty.

I had many talents, but coming up with names was not one of them.

I couldn’t use my real name, and if I introduced myself as ‘Viga’ just because I was playing a maid, Cruello might get suspicious.

Even if he wasn’t the most imaginative person, it was best to be careful.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"All right, Betty. It’s late, so we’ll talk more in the morning."

"Yes, I understand."

"You can unpack your belongings in the attic… Wait, do you not have any?"

"I came prepared to have no tomorrow."

"Hmm, I see."

Since I had already mentioned that I had circumstances, Marien muttered to herself and let it slide.

She had no idea that my circumstances were far grander than anything she could imagine.

As she led me to the attic, she continued explaining.

"Get some rest early. The other maids have been given leave, but the masters of the house will be returning sooner than expected. That means you'll have to clean almost the entire house tomorrow."

"Understood."

"Of course, I'll be helping, but it will still be a tough day. Still, the pay is better than most other places, so take comfort in that."

A whole speech just to say I'd be cleaning a two-story house?

Feigning indifference, I straightened my back and said confidently,

"Just get ready to be amazed, Marien."

I'll show her that not just anyone has the résumé of working themselves to death.

***

After saying goodnight to Marien, I stepped into the attic.

It was a surprisingly cozy space.

Four beds with white sheets, a thick carpet covering the floor, a slightly worn wooden chair with a cushion, and a single long hanger holding maid uniforms and pajamas.

That was all there was in terms of décor, but the structure itself had a unique charm.

A triangular ceiling—essentially the roof—arched above, and a wide window let in an overwhelming cascade of stars.

The scene was almost fairy-tale-like.

It would have been even better if it weren’t winter.

"Brrr, cold."

Shivering, I rubbed my arms and hurried to change clothes.

I stuffed my priestess robe under the bed, hung my black robe on the hanger, and grabbed a pajama set from the rack.

They were all the same design, so they were probably communal.

Then, I dove into the bed that seemed the least used.

"Still cold, though... sniff."

But at least it was better than wandering around outside.

As the chill subsided, my stomach growled loudly.

Trying to ignore my hunger, I focused on other thoughts.

"Hmm."

The Winterbell Barony.

I had never heard of this family before.

What exactly was here that made Cruello go out of his way to write this place down?

In truth, the name did ring a bell when I first heard it.

"Winterbell... Winter..."

The note I had taken from the secret investigator had included the word winter.

It seemed too simplistic of a connection, but given that tomorrow was the arranged meeting date, the thought was inevitable.

Winter. The lowest place. Aristata.

If I were to interpret that literally, the lowest place would be the basement, right?

I might as well check it out while cleaning tomorrow.

"I never did get Cruello a birthday present."

Not that I was in any position to buy one.

I had completely lost my drowsiness, so I threw off the blanket and sat on the mattress.

Hugging my knees, I gazed out the large window.

The sky was sprinkled with stars, and the crescent moon hung sharply in the sky.

A massive tree stood just outside, conveniently blocking the interior from view, though at the right angle, I could still see outside clearly.

It was pretty, but not breathtaking enough to forget the mess I was in.

Still—

"He's not coming."

For some reason, staring out like this made me feel as if someone would suddenly swing the window open and step inside.

Not that anyone even knew where I was.

I sighed, resting my cheek on my knee.

He wouldn't come.

And the fact that I was waiting for him was strange in itself.

Sure, if Cruello were here, things would be easier, but relying on him too much wouldn’t be good either.

Though he did need to clear up that whole Black Serpent Cult suspicion.

"Brrr, cold."

At least I had been smart enough to use Beatitudo instead of my divine energy.

I bundled myself up tightly in the blankets and stared out the window for a while longer.

***

The next morning, I put my professional cleaning skills to full use.

I had practically cleaned the entire White Desert Duke's estate by myself—this little two-story house was nothing.

Even with Siora's body, which lacked physical prowess, it was an easy feat.

Sure enough, when I finished and announced it, Marien, who had initially been skeptical, checked the house and changed her expression entirely.

Good heavens.

"Where have you been all my life?"

Her eyes sparkled brighter than the stars I had seen last night from the attic.

Grabbing both of my hands, she said,

"I've been waiting for someone like you."

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"Everyone says that."

"There's not a single speck of dust anywhere! Did you see that just now? A fly tried to land on the staircase and slipped!"

Hah. This was nothing.

For the first time in a while, I felt a sense of deep pride.

People should really stick to what they’re good at.

Of course, I had more talents than I could count, but this kind of simple labor was oddly refreshing.

"I never expected the job to be finished this early and this perfectly. Ah, we should get you something warm to drink. Your hands are freezing!"

"Thank you, but—actually, there's something I'd like to ask."

Now that I had earned her favor, it was time to dig for information.

"Do you need anything? Just say the word, Betty."

"Does this place have a basement?"