A Maid's Suffering

As Raziel wandered near the academy's surroundings, he eventually spotted a beautiful street ahead. The road was paved with smooth light brown wood, and on either side stood elegant homes, each exuding a quiet charm.

The moment Raziel stepped onto the street, he could feel that it matched his memories perfectly. This was a very upscale neighborhood, where all the residents were students, accompanied by their servants.

He didn't care much about living in a expensive house, but living in one certainly wasn't bad.

When Raziel finally recognized his residence, he was taken aback by its majestic appearance. The place seemed even more impressive than he remembered from his memories.

His new house was truly stunning, with a beautiful entrance surrounded by well-tended plants, hinting at the meticulous care of a skilled gardener.

'Wow, this is really awesome. If this is where I'm going to live, you can't blame me for wanting to stay home every day,' he thought proudly, envisioning endless days of peace and luxury ahead.

Raziel walked towards the door and reached into his pocket to retrieve a magic keycard. The design was very similar to a modern one, but instead of using a sensor, it relied on encrypted mana to unlock the door.

The moment he placed the magic keycard against the door, to his surprise, the handle turned on its own. As he watched this, he couldn't help but wonder if magic was truly more convenient than advanced technology.

While lost in thought, Raziel was briefly startled by the sudden appearance of a stunning young woman in front of him.

She had a flowing blonde hair, porcelain skin like freshly fallen snow, a semi-petite figure, and large purple eyes that seemed to glow with an almost ethereal light.

Her sudden appearance caught Raziel off guard, leaving him both intrigued and captivated. His mind raced with questions, wondering who this mysterious girl could be.

Then, Raziel remembered her identity. The girl wearing black and white maid clothes and making a neutral expression was none other than Clarice Campbell, one of the heroines and, at the same time, his personal maid.

"Eh... Clarice?" he asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Yes, young master, it's me. Welcome back," she said, her tone sounding forced.

"Okay... Well, I'll be retiring to my room for today. Could you bring my lunch and a bottle of wine?" he requested, trying to recall how they interacted with each other.

"Yes, young master," she replied coldly, then promptly hurried off to the kitchen.

He didn't care much about her reaction but remained wary, remembering that in the game, she had betrayed Raziel by revealing his plan to kill Erick in the finale of episode two.

However he couldn't judge her too harshly, as she only worked for him because of a promise made by Raziel's father. 

In exchange for becoming his son's personal maid and attending to his every need, Raziel's father had promised to pay for her mother's treatment.

Clarice ended up believing this out of desperation to cover her mother's hospital expenses. but the truth was far darker—Raziel's father had never paid for the treatment, leading to her mother's eventual death.

She only discovered the truth after Erick exposed it, taking her to the hospital, where she learned the heartbreaking reality: her mother had already been dead for at least a week.

The revelation shattered Clarice, leaving her filled with rage and a sense of deep betrayal.

From that moment forward, Clarice's hatred toward Raziel and his family grew by leaps and bounds, as she came to realize how they had manipulated her all along.

After the protagonist comforted Clarice, she revealed everything about Raziel, prompting Erick to devise a plan for revenge against him and his family. The downfall of his family is set in episode four, titled "The Fall of the Harvestead Family."

Unwilling to see his comfortable life threatened, Raziel decided it might be worthwhile to show a bit of compassion.

He decided to try saving Clarice's mother's life and then send them away. Doing so would prevent a future obstacle from arising.

After all, if he honored his father's deal, she probably wouldn't hate him. Besides, Clarice clearly didn't enjoy being his maid, which could give him a valid reason to dismiss her without any issues.

At least, that's what he imagined while lying on his bed, engrossed in the novels he found on his bookshelf.

They were surprisingly captivating, and the language barrier posed no obstacle, allowing him to fully enjoy his reading.

As he immersed himself in the novel, the sound of approaching footsteps broke his concentration.

The door suddenly swung open, and there stood Clarice, gracefully holding a tray with an elaborate lunch and an expensive bottle of wine.

'This is what I'm talking about!' he thought to himself, savoring the sight of good food, fine drink, and the presence of a beautiful girl.

"Thank you, Clarice. You can place the tray on my bed," he said, his tone lazy as he tried to imitate a noble air.

Suddenly, the expressionless girl shot him a strange look after he spoke, causing him to hesitate, unsure of what might be wrong.

Her expression then returned to normal as she silently obeyed his request, eager to quickly leave the room.

As she approached the door, Raziel suddenly asked, "Clarice, do you know where the Aliandre Hospital is?"

She looked confused by his sudden question and asked, "Are you injured, Master? Should I call a high-class healer for you?"

"Actually, I have something to do there," he replied casually, taking a sip of wine with the grace of a gentleman. Then he added, "By the way, you're coming with me. You know how to get there, right?"

"Yes, young master, I know the way," she answered in a cold tone, her expression remaining unfazed.

Still, Clarice couldn't understand his intention for going to that place. Coincidentally, it was the same hospital where her mother was staying.

"Good to hear. Since there are a few other servants around, you can take the rest of the day off to rest. You look quite tired and dissatisfied," Raziel said, noting her weary expression.

"Oh... okay... thank you, young master. Shall I leave now, or is there anything else you need?" she asked, somehow maintaining her emotionless expression.

"No, you can go," he replied, taking a sip of his wine.

Upon hearing his response, Clarice gave a slight bow before quietly leaving the room, allowing Raziel to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere.

@@@ Clarice POV @@@

As Clarice closed the door to Raziel's room, she paused, replaying his words in her mind.

'Had that man really said "thank you" and given me a day off?' she thought, almost believing it was just a hallucination.

In the three months she had been working for him, he had never thanked anyone. He barely spoke to the servants, treating them as if they were low-life scum.

The image of him acting like a humble boss was absurd, if not outright improbable. Usually, he treated her like a common servant, sometimes even saying harsh things for no reason.

Not only had his behavior changed, but he also intended to go to a community hospital, which happened to be the same one where her mother was hospitalized.

'What could this guy possibly want there? Could he have some ulterior motive involving my mother?' Clarice thought, trying to find a reasonable explanation for his behavior.

Clarice's mind was flooded with troubling thoughts, stirring up a deep sense of anxiety and exhaustion. With a heavy heart, she decided to retreat to her room, seeking rest.

It had been too long since she had experienced a peaceful sleep, her nights haunted by the persistent fear of Raziel eventually trying to do something to her.

However, he never attempted anything. Perhaps it was because Raziel was constantly seeking Sylfi's approval, paying no attention to other girls, even if it meant enduring humiliation in the process.

'If I ever get the chance, I'll thank Sylfi for keeping that bastard occupied,' she thought silently, opening the door to her room.

As Clarice lay down in bed, she quickly fell asleep, her dreams filled with memories of happier times when her mother was in good health, always smiling brightly. The bittersweet memories brought tears to her eyes as she slept.

@@@ End of the POV @@@

The next morning, Raziel woke up with a dull ache in his head, realizing he had consumed too much wine and had slept through the entire day.

He ended up missing a lot of classes, but for someone who was deliberately trying to keep his distance from Erick and other problematic people, it wasn't such a bad outcome after all.

Despite Clarice being a heroine and part of the problematic people, she would do nothing while her mother was supposedly being treated.

Raziel, already knowing where this was going, decided to take the burden upon himself to prevent being targeted by her.

He quickly climbed out of bed, took a swift shower, and dressed in a black suit with brown shoes. As he tightened his red necktie, he paused for a moment to inspect his reflection in the mirror.

A handsome man with slightly blonde hair and brown eyes stared back at him from the mirror. Though his features were attractive, his smile gave his face a villainous edge.

The creepy smile almost startled him. It was clear that this man was destined to be a villain.

'I really look like a villain,' he thought, stopping his smile as he realized how unsettling it looked.

Once Raziel finished getting ready, he went in search of Clarice and found her cleaning the living room, using what seemed to be magic.

Streams of water flowed gracefully through the area, almost as if they were following a beautiful choreography, effortlessly cleaning the space.

Raziel couldn't help but admire the spectacle before him. Clarice guided the streams with a subtle flick of her finger, directing them with the precision of a maestro conducting an orchestra.

Just as he had imagined, her control over magic was incredible. Later in the game, Clarice would become a student at Revery Academy, eventually turning into an important support character in most of the major battles.

The only downside was that Clarice became a very closed-off person after learning about her mother's death, making her one of the most difficult heroines to build affection with.

Clarice remained unaware of his presence until she turned around and saw him leaning casually against the door frame.

Startled, she abruptly halted her magic, making the elegant water streams disappear in an instant.

"Did I interrupt you? If so, I'm sorry," Raziel said, a hint of regret in his tone as he lamented the end of the beautiful display.

Still a bit startled by his presence, she paused briefly before responding, "No, don't worry, young master. I was just about done cleaning."

"Good, then accompany me to Aliandre Hospital," he said, striding toward the front door.

Clarice was caught off guard, surprised that he was genuinely serious about visiting the hospital.

"Young master, are you sure about going now? You haven't even had breakfast. Wouldn't you prefer to eat something first?" she asked hesitantly, her tone laced with the feigned concern of a dutiful maid.

Just as he thought, Clarice was probably trying to figure out the reason behind his visit.

Not wanting to provide any explanation, Raziel simply said, "Don't worry. We'll eat on the way, so let's go."

"I understand, but wouldn't it be better to call a carriage?"

"No need. It's been a while since I've had a good walk around the city. Let's go on foot today," he said, opening the door and waiting for her to follow.

"Okay, young master, as you wish," she replied, visibly surprised by his suggestion.

As Clarice followed closely behind, Raziel started to set his plan in motion.

However, before he could make any of the necessary arrangements, Raziel realized he would need some funds.

Money was essential for the steps he intended to take.