[Bad Maids] 45 - Do you believe me?

Carus Lankea. The Bloodless Admiral.

The hyenas were rendered unable to let out even a shallow groan. Feelings of astonishment, fear, and regret overflowed from their eyes that widened as if they were about to tear.

"If the client is the Marquis of Marjoram, Ortega becomes a nation who is rebelling against the Empire. I have commanded wars of conquest on countless battlefields. This small kingdom can be destroyed in only a few months. This country where you have been active all this time, the place where your family lives, and the land where your comrades are buried will be reduced to ashes."

Carus skillfully exaggerated his words. But his voice and tone were so calm that they could be mistaken for the truth.

The hyenas' faces turned pale. They tried to make excuses, but they couldn't even ask for forgiveness because Bavaslov had put a gag on their mouths after complaining that they were too noisy.

As she looked at that scene, Yulia was a little bit amused.

People who would sell human lives without any guilt as long as they were given money were now worried that a war would break out in the kingdom.

"That's why you shouldn't have touched Yulia Arte", Carus said with a smile on his face.

The hyenas looked sideways at Yulia. It looked like they were wondering what the hell the relationship between the two was, so this time Yulia kindly answered.

"This person is the one I serve with all my heart."

Then, this time, Carus looked at Yulia with a face of disbelief.

That day, one of Ortega's most skilled assassin guilds' hideout was razed to the ground. Dozens of experienced hyenas were handled by only three men.

Not wanting to get in the way, Yulia waited for them in the carriage.

The hyenas looked down on Carus and his men, and chose to fight instead of running away. So the damage was greater.

Carus wiped out their hideout without even asking about the client's or the hyenas' identities.

However, among them, there was one who chose to run away without fighting.

A man secretly came out of the warehouse, abandoning his colleagues, and ran away on horseback. He was a young man. Yulia witnessed it from inside the carriage.

At first, she thought of alerting Carus by shouting. However, the wind blew the hood off the man's head and the moment his face was revealed, her mouth closed like a clam.

'The Liberation Army?'

The young hyena who was fleeing was from the Liberation Army.

It was not an illusion. It couldn't have been. Yulia once had a past where she joined hands with the Liberation Army.

The man was an executive in charge of quite an important job. His role was to raise funds for the activities of the Liberation Army.

'Did the Liberation Army's money come from the hyenas?'

Her heart grew cold.

It was the Marquis of Marjoram and other nobles who gave money to the hyenas. So, the money went to the Liberation Army through the hyenas.

Those who ridiculed and insulted the King for surrendering without fighting, claiming that the Kingdom should be independent from the Empire, are living on the money of Marjoram, the leader of the pro-imperialist faction.

'Did the Marquis of Marjoram send money to them knowing that? Or, did he do it unknowingly?'

Either way, this was great information. Many thoughts ran through Yulia's mind.

What can she gain by reporting this? Wouldn’t it be better to wait for the right time to reveal it? Where should she go if she wants to collect evidence? And who should she share this information with?

At that moment, the carriage's door opened and Carus held out his hand.

"It's over, you can come out now."

Yulia, who was lost in deep thought, was startled and looked at him in surprise.

"Already?"

"Bavaslov ran amok like a madman."

As Yulia grabbed Carus' hand and got off the carriage, she saw Bavaslov scratch his head in embarrassment.

"I'm not a madman. Do you know how much I struggled having to get the ships of the Southern Fleet repaired? We were lucky that our Yulia told us where we could find skilled technicians! Otherwise, I would have been in trouble."

Maxwell laughed, wiping the blood off his knife using another person's clothes.

"When did she become 'your Yulia'? Didn't you hear what she said earlier? She said she decided to serve Admiral Carus. The word 'our Yulia' is only appropriate if it comes from the Admiral's mouth."

"What? Fu..."

"Did you curse, just now? Sir Carus, that bastard is curs..."

While Bavaslov and Maxwell were fighting amongst themselves, Yulia stood next to Carus and looked at the hyenas' lair.

The building was on fire, and all the assassins who had been harassing her were lying dead inside.

However, she didn't feel relieved or at ease. Because a little relief was always followed by long, painful memories.

Yulia quietly opened her mouth as she stared at the hyenas who were limp like broken dolls.

"A typhoon will blow hard around the first day of summer. A tsunami will come too. There will be warnings from sailors, but the damage will be great if complacent people ignore them. Call the warships ashore and prepare in advance."

Carus, who was standing with Yulia and watching the hyenas' hideout burn, lowered his head to look at her.

Both Bavaslov and Maxwell looked at her.

It was Bavaslov who answered first. He believed in Yulia's words, so he agreed without hesitation this time as well.

"Really? Okay, then."

Maxwell asked dubiously.

"Is this yet another prophecy?"

"You can think whatever you want."

"Well... there's nothing wrong with preparing in advance. There are many ships in the fleet... if even one of them is destroyed, the damage will be great. Hm? Right?"

Maxwell looked sideways at Carus. He was concerned about what would happen if he laughed at Yulia, telling her not to talk nonsense.

But that was a useless worry. Carus nodded obediently, and said to Yulia.

"I'll meet you at Ortega's palace next time."

Yulia looked at him. Her eyes sparkled at the thought of Carus Lankea appearing in Ortega's palace.

Carus had a slight smile on his lips.

"Since His Majesty has appointed me as the new Admiral of the Southern Fleet, I must now assume command of Ortega's seas. Of course, I should also inform the King of your country."

"...Ah."

"I don't know everything about what His Majesty is thinking, but one thing is certain. He has no intention of becoming Ortega's friend."

Not too long ago, a messenger with the Emperor's appointment letter in hand departed from the Empire.

Carus said that a messenger would visit Ortega's palace as the Emperor's representative, and that he would bestow him with the title of Admiral of the Southern Fleet right away.

Yulia read the Emperor's hidden intentions.

"He wants to make an unpleasant appearance as a way to warn the nobles of Ortega."

Carus muttered, "as expected", and put his hand on Yulia's shoulder. Then he leaned over, and whispered.

"Use me."

"Sir Carus..."

"I’ll show up when you want, where you want, and how you want."

It was time to repay the oath she had given him. Yulia stared blankly at him, failing to smile like usual.

'Why couldn't I reach out to you in any of my previous lives? Even though you were the one my enemies feared the most.'

The answer was simple. Because he was an existence that was out of her reach. Because Carus Rankea was a noble man that Yulia Arte did not dare to covet.

The heroic exploits of Carus Lankea will soon land in Ortega beyond the Baikan Empire. The heroic deeds Carus has accumulated in the North will never betray him.

A man who was as unreachable as the Emperor was in front of her. If she stretched out her hand, she could catch him, and if she made eye contact, she could have a conversation.

"Sir Carus, do you believe me?"

Yulia unknowingly spewed out her sincere feelings. It was like begging him to believe her, so she regretted it as soon as she asked.

However, Carus said the following.

"I am trying."

Her heart was burning hot. Tears threatened to come out.

'How can I gain this man's trust? I wish I could tell you everything I know. But I don't trust you completely, so it's too selfish to want you to trust me completely.'

Yulia bit her lip.

*****

Coco nodded her head with a relieved face when she saw Yulia, who had returned from trashing the hyenas' hideout.

It meant that she understood roughly even though nothing was said, so Yulia went straight to her room.

Trudy, who had been waiting for Yulia nervously all day, ran to her.

"Lady Yulia, have you already eaten? Shall I prepare something simple for you?"

"Prepare the bath water first."

"Yes, yes! Lady Yulia, wait a moment."

As she received bath water and prepared towels and gowns, Trudy's eyes, which had reached Yulia's feet, immediately shook helplessly.

There was dark blood on the hem of the long skirt. The soles of her shoes were also stained.

It was clearly human blood. Yulia looked calm and unscathed, but her shoes were covered with dried blood from someone else.

"My, my, my lady?"

"What's the matter?"

"Bl, blood..."

"Blood?"

Yulia looked at her shoes. Then, understanding why Trudy was afraid, she said in a nonchalant tone.

"You don't have any reason to worry, Trudy."

"Pardon?"

"They won't suspect you. They died without knowing who they were dealing with."

"They, they died? All of them?"

"Not exactly..."

She was reminded of the member of the Liberation Army who ran away from the hyenas' den. Yulia's face was filled with a bleak energy.

"Anyway, they won't notice that you betrayed them. So don't worry."

"Yes... Lady Yulia."

Trudy tried hard to smile as she said that she was relieved. Yulia didn't care whether Trudy was relieved or not, so she went straight to the bathroom and washed herself.