I, Herrscher Slayer

"So? That really doesn't sound like something you'd say. Well then, Rita, I'm going to wash up. You'll probably have to go over there again tomorrow, though. The data has already been sent to the Bishop, so Shen Gonglin's combat rating should be issued tomorrow. Go notify him then."

Durandal did not suspect a thing. After petting the cat, she headed into the bathroom. She had not showered after sparring with Shen Gonglin today, either. Durandal had a slight obsession with cleanliness; when circumstances allowed, there was no way she would just get into bed like this. She had to take a proper bath first.

"Mm, please make yourself at home, Lady Durandal... Now tell me, what did you come here for?"

Once she confirmed that Durandal had gone to bathe, Rita looked at Shen Gonglin on the bed and asked him. This guy really did not treat himself like an outsider. He had actually already climbed into her bed. Yet Rita was rather happy with this attitude of his. If Shen Gonglin had sat there properly and politely, she would have found it strange instead. He could do whatever he wanted.

"Of course I'm here for revenge. That goose bullied me so badly today. How could I not get even? That's why I came here in the middle of the night. Rita, you'll help me, right?"

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Shen Gonglin bared his teeth when he accidentally tugged at his wound. Durandal was entirely responsible for him ending up like this. Shen Gonglin was petty. Since Durandal had treated him like that, he absolutely had to get revenge. Since waking up, Shen Gonglin had never suffered such a huge loss. For so long, he had always been the one taking advantage of others. Shen Gonglin could take advantage, but he could not suffer losses. That was why he had come tonight.

For revenge, he had even given up the chance to sleep with the Class President. If he returned empty-handed tonight, would that be worthy of Shen Gonglin's sacrifice? His clothes had been torn apart by his wings, he had nearly been scared to tears while flying through the air, and he had been hanging from the window just now... Every bit of it had to be paid for by Durandal!

"Revenge? And you want my help... Shen Gonglin, you know Lady Durandal is my captain. We also live together, and we're friends. If you ask me to do something like that..."

Rita looked at Shen Gonglin with great difficulty. What exactly did this guy want her to help him with? As long as she helped him, she would be betraying Durandal. But if she did not help, the maid felt somewhat... conflicted. Durandal was her old friend, her sister in life and death. If he wanted her to do this to Durandal, then he had to... Shen Gonglin should understand.

Everything went unspoken. In the darkness, Rita's wine-red eyes stared at Shen Gonglin. He should understand what she meant, right? Come on, do your best to persuade me. I'm very easy to persuade... Pah, persuade.

"Hm? I'm not asking you to do anything. You only need to pretend you don't know anything. I'll handle the revenge myself. Don't worry, I know this kind of thing would put you in a difficult position, so I won't make you do anything."

Shen Gonglin smiled at Rita with great understanding. How could he make things difficult for her? If Rita helped him, what if Durandal gave her a hard time afterward? He had heard that one was the captain and the other the vice-captain. Once he got his revenge, he would return to St. Freya, but Rita could not do the same. So he could not put her in a difficult position.

"...But pretending not to know is still a betrayal of Lady Durandal."

Rita's feelings were a mess. Did Shen Gonglin have to be this understanding? Why was he so sensible every time he should not have been? Couldn't he just keep being as willful as usual? If he gave her even a little sweetness, she could cover up her conscience. Besides, it was not as if he intended to harm Lady Durandal. A little retaliation should be fine.

"Oh, how could that count as betrayal? You simply don't know anything. Besides, you wouldn't want to see her keep bullying me, would you? I'm only going to retaliate a little. You have no way to stop me, so Rita, you just need to sleep well."

Shen Gonglin jumped down from the bed and patted Rita's shoulder. He had thought the maid before him was the rigid, inflexible type. Little did he know that Rita had already considered the consequences. Having been trying to persuade herself all along, Rita's eyes immediately lit up at Shen Gonglin's words.

That was right. She had absolutely no way to stop Shen Gonglin.

"Mm... Shen Gonglin, you have a point. But I do know about this now, and Lady Durandal and I do share such a close, life-and-death relationship. Still, if the circumstances are special, then even I can do nothing... Shen Gonglin, you understand what I mean, right?"

Rita loosened her collar slightly, and her snow-white neck stood out in the dim room. Shen Gonglin immediately understood when he saw the gesture. What a wonderful maid. Shen Gonglin was so touched that he nearly cried. To keep her conscience from interfering with her efforts to persuade herself, she was even willing to make such a great sacrifice.

He had been far too harsh in thinking that this maid could only let him down. At that moment, Rita's image soared infinitely in Shen Gonglin's heart.

"Mm-hm, I understand... Lower yourself a little, then bring your neck closer. My arm is injured, so it's hard to move. Mm, that angle is good. Here I come."

Why does it feel like I'm offering myself up? Well, she really was offering herself up. This feeling was truly strange.

Lowering herself slightly, Rita offered her neck to Shen Gonglin's mouth, anticipating that faint pain. Her thoughts ran wild for a moment, and then that familiar sensation spread from her neck. This was it, this was the feeling...

Moisture instantly filled those wine-red eyes. Rita's body went limp and collapsed against the floor. She knew this feeling far too well.

Chapter 148: Ruined Reputation

Satisfied, satisfied. He had finally replenished some nutrition. Rita probably would not have any mental reservations now, right? After all, she truly did not have the strength to stop him anymore.

Wiping the corner of his mouth, Shen Gonglin looked with satisfaction at the maid slumped against the wall. Miss Maid only had enough strength left to breathe. No matter how many times she experienced it, she could not withstand this feeling at all. It seemed that repeated exposure would not build resistance. In fact, it seemed to grow more intense each time. In that case, Rita could rest easy.

"Rita, I'm done washing. Do you want to wash up too?"

Durandal's voice came from outside at that moment. She was decisive and efficient in everything she did. Undoing her ponytail, Durandal wiped her slightly damp golden hair. Whenever both of them were here, she always bathed first, because Rita still had to clean the bathroom after finishing. Living with Rita truly was comfortable. After all, there was a maid who could do everything flawlessly. If she stayed with Rita too long, Durandal felt as though she herself would become lazy.

"No, there's no need, Lady Durandal. Please go rest first."

Rita was clearly in no condition to speak. The moment she opened her mouth, she felt like she would burst into tears. The sensations inside her rose and fell one after another. Yet Shen Gonglin spoke at that moment. His voice was identical to the maid's, and Rita's eyes widened as she stared at him. Shen Gonglin could do that too? He was truly incredible.

"Oh, then Rita, get some rest soon too... Are you really not going to the hospital? If you want to go, I can accompany you."

Not hearing anything wrong, Durandal turned to leave, only to see the lunchbox on the table again. Why had Rita suddenly decided not to go? Had she only now discovered Shen Gonglin's rotten nature? But she had clearly intended to go just now. It did not fit Rita's usual principles. How should she put it? Rita had seemed strange all night.

"There's no need. Shen Gonglin is definitely sleeping lovingly with Fu Hua... Lady Fu Hua right now. If we go over, we'll only disturb them. So Durandal, you just need to obediently go to sleep."

Shen Gonglin casually made things up, but that tone made Durandal stop in her tracks. Those words did not sound like something Rita would usually say, and she had not used honorifics this time. It was possible that Shen Gonglin and Fu Hua were sleeping lovingly together, but it should not have come from Rita's mouth. She was the most perfect maid Durandal had ever seen. Rita should not say things like that.

"Rita, if it's convenient, could you open the door? There's something I want to tell you."

As the strongest Valkyrie, Durandal possessed not only unparalleled strength, but also a quick mind. It was just that her excessive straightforwardness usually made her seem a little silly. Rita's condition was clearly strange now. Could something have happened to her?

For example, could someone be holding her hostage in the room and using her voice to confuse Durandal with words like those?

"No, it's not very convenient, Lady Durandal. You know, I'm a woman too, and at night, I also... Ah... I, I also do things I don't want others to know about."

Shen Gonglin was wantonly destroying Rita's image inside the room. Rita found it increasingly unbearable as she listened. Her already flushed cheeks now resembled a boiled crab. Using all her strength, she crawled over and pinched Shen Gonglin at the waist. Did this guy know what he was saying? He could not ruin her perfect image!

"...Rita, open the door. I have something to tell you."

Durandal's mind immediately went blank. Rita suddenly saying those things was difficult for her to accept. Although she did not understand what Rita meant, Durandal could not help feeling embarrassed. Things she did at night that she did not want others to know about... No, no, how could Rita possibly do such things? Something was definitely wrong. The person inside could not be Rita!

Reaching for the doorknob, Durandal prepared herself for battle. Yet the door opened at that moment, and Rita's flushed cheeks appeared before Durandal. Wh-what was going on? Why was Rita's face so red?

Shen Gonglin easily subdued Rita in her current state. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he lifted her up and carried her to the doorway. Enduring the pain in his arm, Shen Gonglin held Rita around the waist with one hand and supported her arm with the other, making her cover his mouth. He had not expected to possess a puppeteer's talent too. Controlling a woman's body felt surprisingly natural to Shen Gonglin.

"Lady Durandal, can we discuss whatever it is tomorrow? I'm not very convenient right now. Or do you want to join me? If it's you, Lady Durandal, then of course that's no problem. My bed is very large. Even if two people sleep in it, there won't be any problem at all."

Using Rita's hand to cover her mouth, Shen Gonglin spoke from behind her. From his angle, he could see the maid's crystal-clear, scarlet earlobes. Honestly, Rita was so embarrassed that she felt ready to explode. What exactly was Shen Gonglin saying? He looked so harmless and innocent on the outside, yet when he started talking dirty, he did not even touch the brakes. The problem was, saying it was one thing, but why did he have to say it in her voice and under her identity?

And in front of Lady Durandal, too. Rita felt she could practically die from social humiliation now. What S-rank Valkyrie? She was just a useless maid.

"N-no, no, no... There's no need, Rita. I'm truly sorry. I'm sorry for disturbing you. You get busy, I won't join you. After all, I like men. I, I... I'm so sorry!"

Durandal was visibly frightened. Rita's flushed face and misty eyes truly startled the strongest Valkyrie. Even if she had never eaten pork, had she not seen a pig run? Rita's posture clearly looked like she was doing something serious. Upon hearing Rita's invitation, Durandal hurriedly refused. Unlike Rita, Durandal was a normal woman.

She hurriedly bent over to apologize to Rita, then fled back to her room at a jog. When he heard the click of the lock, Shen Gonglin finally could not hold on any longer. With the door wide open, Shen Gonglin lost his grip on Rita, and the two fell out together. Shen Gonglin lay on the floor, gasping for air. No matter what, he had finally fooled Durandal.

Meanwhile, the maid lay face-down and motionless. Wouldn't it be better if I just died?

Chapter 149: Tinted Glasses

Whew... He had finally fooled her. Could he begin his revenge now, or should he wait a little longer?

Looking at Durandal's tightly shut door, Shen Gonglin finally let out a sigh of relief. If he went in now, Durandal might still be on guard. He should wait a while, preferably until she was about to fall asleep. Shen Gonglin had already tested it on Rita just now. He was confident that he could take down that silly goose in one strike. Wasn't Rita still sprawled on the floor, unable to get up?

"Hey, she's already gone. You should get up, right? You're not pretty to begin with. If you keep lying on the floor, you'll probably ruin your face."

Poking Rita's waist, Shen Gonglin curiously looked at this useless maid. Why was she lying motionlessly on the floor? Could it be that she was so pleased that she could not breathe? Shen Gonglin was truly curious what it felt like to be bitten by him. Looking at her, it probably felt really good.

"You, you... Do you even know what you just did?"

Struggling to sit up from the floor, Rita looked at Shen Gonglin with tear-filled eyes. She reached out and tried to choke him, but in her weakened state, even using all her strength did not make Shen Gonglin feel the slightest discomfort. The maid's face was so red that it almost seemed ready to bleed. What exactly was Shen Gonglin trying to do? He had clearly done something so excessive just now, so why could he act as if nothing had happened?

And what had he said just now? That she was not pretty? If she was not pretty, why did he take advantage of her? If she was not pretty, why did he bite her neck? Shen Gonglin was taking advantage of her and still acting smug!

In Lady Durandal's eyes, she was probably already some absolutely terrible maid. Her reputation was completely ruined. Rita Roseweisse no longer deserved to continue existing in human society. This world might as well be destroyed.

"I get it. You've been wronged this time. Once I get my revenge, I'll definitely thank you properly. For now, I should get you settled first."

Shen Gonglin easily pulled Rita's hands away. In her current state, even an ordinary person could toy with the maid effortlessly. He had indeed bullied Rita a little too much today. Shen Gonglin was not some demon, either. Rita had already helped him a great deal today. Leaving her lying on the floor was not right, so he would carry her back to her room first.

He lifted the maid in a princess carry. The wound on his arm still hurt a little, but Shen Gonglin could manage carrying her for a short while. This girl was indeed heavier than Bronya, after all, her burdens were bigger than Bronya's too.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Suddenly being picked up, Rita instinctively wrapped her arms around Shen Gonglin's neck. Wasn't Lady Durandal his target? Why was he carrying her now? Could everything from before have been part of his plan? Had his target been her from the start?

This maid was truly an expert at letting her thoughts run wild.

"Mm... I'm not in the mood for that today. You should rest well. I'll call you when I have time later. But... Rita, you know I'm not a casual person. I can't just be with anyone."

Shen Gonglin carried Rita into the room and laid her on the bed, speaking with great hesitation. Honestly, Rita was indeed not bad-looking, but...

"...Explain yourself. You said it just now too. Am I not pretty? What exactly do you mean?"

Only after being placed on the bed did Rita realize that she had misunderstood. Seeing Shen Gonglin's troubled expression made her angry. What exactly did this guy mean? Rita was actually very confident in herself, so why was Shen Gonglin acting like this? It was so infuriating.

Seeing that Shen Gonglin intended to leave after setting her down, Rita grabbed his collar. She had to make him explain himself. In terms of looks, Rita was confident that she did not lose to anyone, and Shen Gonglin seemed to enjoy taking advantage of her. Why was he being so upright at a time like this? Was there something about her that did not fit Shen Gonglin's tastes?

What was wrong with her? Shen Gonglin, tell her. If he told her, she could change it.

"I mean exactly what I said. Honestly... you really are beautiful, and your figure is sexy... Pah, I mean, it's very good too. But I like girls with long hair. Short hair just feels like it's missing something. So, you understand, right?"

Shen Gonglin was always stubborn about the strangest things. The type he liked had never changed. His criteria for a partner were long hair, the ability to cook, a good figure, and being a little older than him... Of all those requirements, Rita only failed one: short hair. Shen Gonglin preferred long hair.

Thinking about it, Mei fit those traits exceptionally well.

"Just that?"

Rita let out a long breath of relief. She had thought it was something serious. Wasn't it only long hair? That was easy to solve. She had happened to be considering growing her hair out and changing her image anyway. She had thought there was some other reason, but that was all it was.

Of course. What could Shen Gonglin possibly be dissatisfied with about her face? No matter how picky he was, he could not find any fault. This was the confidence unique to a perfect maid!

"Mm, just that. So, Rita, you still have a lot to work on. Keep it up."

Patting the maid's head, Shen Gonglin stood up after dealing with this clingy maid. Look, for the sake of revenge, Shen Gonglin could even temporarily set aside taking further advantage of Rita. That showed how deep his hatred for Durandal was. Shen Gonglin had always been a person with clear goals. He had not forgotten what he came here to do.

"Mm, I'll work hard... No, that's not the issue. Shen Gonglin, you... You're only going to Lady Durandal for revenge, right?"

Watching Shen Gonglin prepare to sneak out of the room, Rita turned her head on the bed to look at his furtive figure. This guy would only seek revenge and would not do anything else, right? Honestly, Rita was a little worried.

After all, Shen Gonglin was not a good person. Revenge was one thing, but if he took the opportunity to do something else to Lady Durandal... It turned out that this maid still had a little conscience. Lady Durandal was her captain and her friend, after all. There were some things that could not be done even for extra pay.

"Of course. What else do you think I want to do? If not for revenge, what could I possibly do? Do you think I'm going to take advantage of her? Am I that kind of person...? Hey! What does that look in your eyes mean? I feel like there's a lot implied in that look!"

Rita's gaze made Shen Gonglin extremely unhappy. He stormed out of the room. One after another, they all thought they knew what kind of person he was.

Chapter 150: The Goose Was Afraid

Would someone like him need to take such roundabout measures just to take advantage of someone? Why didn't she ask Fu Hua? Had he ever needed any other tricks when taking advantage of her? She was truly underestimating him. It seemed he needed to take advantage of Rita more often when he got the chance. She clearly did not understand him well enough.

Closing Rita's door, Shen Gonglin thought angrily. This maid still had a long way to go. She was still far from being a perfect maid. If only that perfect and dashing... what was her name again?

He could not remember again. Forget it, what was happening now was more important.

Alone in the living room, Shen Gonglin began his revenge plan. With no interruptions now, he could operate without worry. This petty guy did not think there was anything wrong with what he was doing. Debts had their debtors. Who told Durandal to bully him so badly?

Using the night vision granted by his vampire bloodline, Shen Gonglin slowly crept toward Durandal's door. With senses much sharper than those of an ordinary person, he carefully listened for sounds from inside. It seemed Durandal had already fallen asleep. Good. Although that silly goose was awful, he had to admit that she was quite strong. If she was on guard, it would be inconvenient for him to make a move. He had to wait until she was asleep.

He gripped the doorknob and twisted it with a little force, but it did not open. Shen Gonglin frowned. Why did this silly goose lock her door when sleeping at home? She lived with Rita, another woman, yet she was still so guarded. It seemed this Estée Lauder truly was no ordinary person. Even in such familiar surroundings, she had not relaxed her vigilance. What a troublesome opponent. Still, this would not stump Shen Gonglin.

Durandal usually did not lock her door when she slept. But perhaps she had been frightened by the earlier "Rita." She felt that sleeping without locking the door was somehow unsafe, so... Even as the strongest Valkyrie, she had no experience handling this sort of thing. To be safe, Durandal had locked her door for the first time ever today.

Sigh, what was the use of locking a door? Doors could stop gentlemen, but they could not stop a petty... petty gentleman like Shen Gonglin.

Shen Gonglin flicked his finger. The hairpin he had taken from Rita's head earlier was prepared for this very moment. This guy only became so resourceful when doing bad things. He had foreseen this possibility long ago. It was only a wooden door. Taking more than two seconds on this sort of lock would be an insult to Shen Gonglin. He could even open the combination lock on Bronya's leg; could this stop him?

He truly did not know how he had mastered all these lockpicking skills. Shen Gonglin was growing more and more interested in his former self. His past self must have been an exceptionally outstanding person.

Click.

With a soft sound, the lock opened. Shen Gonglin gently pushed Durandal's door open, held his breath, and slowly poked his head inside. This room had a completely different style from Rita's. If he had not known beforehand, he would have thought he had entered the room of some exercise-obsessed man. Dumbbells, punching bags, and all that... Her hobbies truly were unusual.

"Who is it? Rita?"

Unexpectedly, a voice came from the bed. Durandal had not fallen asleep; she had merely been lying in bed. Even though Shen Gonglin had deliberately lightened his footsteps, the Valkyrie still sensed him. She truly was the strongest Valkyrie. She had some skills.

Durandal did not know why she could not sleep tonight. She normally did not suffer from insomnia. Tossing and turning in bed, she could only blame everything on being frightened by Rita. Although Durandal had repeatedly told herself that Rita was a normal woman and that such things were normal, it... did not help at all.

She had not expected Rita to be that kind of person. Maybe she should not bathe with her anymore. Rita might be weak, but... Durandal was scared. Honestly, Durandal could not sleep now because she was afraid of Rita. What if Rita was not satisfied alone and came to her room? Still, she had locked the door. Even if Rita tried to force her way in, Durandal would have time to react.

Then Durandal heard the door move. Though the sound was faint, she noticed it in the silent environment. Turning toward the door, she could indeed see a silhouette in the darkness. At this hour, it could only be Rita.

"...Mm, it's me, Lady Durandal. You're still awake?"

This was a little troublesome. Shen Gonglin stood at the door, hesitating. But when he heard Durandal's words, his mind raced. Not everyone had night vision like his. Durandal clearly had not recognized him. That made things easy. Shen Gonglin's throat moved slightly, and when he spoke, he had once again become Rita's voice. A maid's voice was truly useful.

"I, I-I-I'm not asleep... Rita, what are you doing here at this hour?"

Durandal hurriedly wrapped the blanket tighter around herself and sat up in bed, looking fearfully at the shadow by the door. She only regretted taking off her outer clothes before sleeping. Wearing only underwear now made her feel particularly uneasy and afraid.

Why had Rita come without knocking? Why had she entered so silently? What exactly did she want to do?

"Nothing. I simply wanted to see whether Lady Durandal was sleeping well. If you kicked off the blanket, I could tuck it in for you."

Slowly approaching Durandal, Shen Gonglin continued using Rita's voice to confuse the strongest Valkyrie. Why was she acting so afraid? He was only playing that useless maid. Shen Gonglin did not think Rita was scary at all.

"No! I may not sleep very neatly, but I'm not so bad that I need someone to tuck in my blanket. Rita, there's no need. Go back, really, there's no need!"

Honestly, Durandal felt she was about to be frightened to tears. Why was Rita being so strange? They had lived together for so long, so how had she never discovered that Rita was this kind of person? She was so scared. Where was Shen Gonglin? If he were here... Wait, why was she thinking of him at a time like this? Even if he were here, it would not help...

Eh, perhaps he might be helpful. Rita clearly liked him. If Shen Gonglin were here, perhaps she would let Durandal go. Durandal was begging to be spared. She was genuinely straight, not gay. Someone, help!

The perverted maid was about to attack an innocent young woman!

Chapter 151: Another Match with the Strongest