Maid Transaction

After Beatrice left, an inexplicable silence filled the corridors of the Roswaal Mansion.

Higashino Makoto leaned against a pillar in the corridor, holding a teacup, his golden eyes gazing out the window at the Garden bathed in the red glow of the setting sun.

Reisen stood behind him, while Elsa Granhiert was still sleeping inside the house.

"Mr. Higashino Makoto."

The sound came from the other end of the corridor, low and calm, with a suppressed, restrained quality, as if trying to maintain a dignified appearance.

Roswaal L. Mezas walked over.

He wasn't wearing his signature clown costume, but rather a dark blue robe, and his hair wasn't styled in its usual exaggerated way; it was simply draped casually over his shoulders.

Her face was still covered in clown makeup: white foundation, red lip gloss, and blue eyeshadow.

But those purple eyes no longer held their usual playfulness and composure; instead, they held a rare, almost fragile seriousness.

"Lord Roswaal, is there anything I can help you with?"

Higashino Makoto did not turn back.

"About Beatrice's child."

You found out?

"Knew."

Roswaal walked over to him and stood beside him at the window.

Beatrice is gone, and the library is empty. The teacher's library—everything was gone overnight.

"Nothing's gone, it's just moved to a different place. Beatrice took them to a better place."

Roswaal looked at him, a complex light flickering in his eyes.

"Mr. Higashino Makoto, Beatrice was reluctant to leave the library. How did you persuade her?"

"It's simple, just put her name in her books. You know, Betty's library is protected by magic; no one can move those books unless she allows it."

"Unless she's willing."

Roswaal frowned slightly.

"Why?"

"I already said, my name appeared in her Gospel."

Roswaal's pupils contracted slightly.

"Your name?"

"That's right."

The corridor fell silent.

The breeze wafts through the Garden, carrying the fragrance of roses that instantly soothe the soul.

"Your name..."

Roswaal's voice was very soft.

How could that be?

"Because I wrote it down."

Roswaal stared at him, his purple eyes wide and round.

"Written up there? How was it written? Betty won't let anyone touch her Gospel."

Higashino Makoto took a thick book out of his backpack and held it up in front of Roswaal.

Leather cover, gold trim, ancient runes engraved on the spine— Tome of Wisdom.

Roswaal's body stiffened; his lips opened and closed repeatedly, his eyes churning with turbulent emotions.

Shock, doubt, ecstasy, fear.

"This... this is... the teacher's... Tome of Wisdom... How... how could you have it...?!"

"Echidna lent it to me."

"Teacher... she's still alive?!"

"She was dead, but now her soul is in my library, alongside the other witches."

He had actually been resurrected, but Higashino Makoto decided to lie and get something from Roswaal.

Roswaal's legs went weak, and he reached out to steady himself against the wall.

He lowered his head, his long purple hair falling down and obscuring his face.

Higashino Makoto could see that his hands were trembling; it was a dam of hope that had been suppressed for too long and was about to burst forth.

"Four hundred years... Teacher... I've searched for you for four hundred years... for the method of resurrection..."

Roswaal.

Higashino Makoto's voice was calm.

"I can bring her back to life."

Roswaal abruptly raised his head, his purple eyes bloodshot.

What did you say?

"I said, I can resurrect Echidna, give her soul a body again, and let her stand in the sunlight once more."

Roswaal stared at him for a long time. His lips trembled, his fingers trembled, his whole body trembled.

"What price is required?"

"The price... well, a maid will do. Just give me the head maid from the manor, plus the Rem sisters, to be my personal maids."

The corridor fell silent.

Roswaal remained silent for a long time, not because he was unwilling, but because he felt the request was far too simple.

So simple it requires no thought whatsoever.

He lived for four hundred years, constantly taking over the bodies of his descendants in order to resurrect his teacher, all for that one ideal.

And now, all it takes to realize this dream is three maids?

In the silence, as the sun sank below the horizon, Higashino Makoto began to feel somewhat bored.

Then, Roswaal laughed out loud.

That smile held a mixture of self-deprecation and disbelief.

That's it?

"That's it."

"You don't want wealth, you don't want power, you don't want land... you just want three maids?"

"Yes, I only want your maids, isn't that a good deal?"

Roswaal looked at him, a complex light flickering in his purple eyes.

"Mr. Higashino Makoto, you are truly kind."

"Maybe so, but I don't really think so."

"Okay, I agree."

He took a deep breath.

"Frederica, Ram, Rem, from today... no, from this moment on, they belong to you."

Higashino Makoto nodded and put the Tome of Wisdom back into his backpack.

"Then come with me, I'll take you to see Echidna, don't say I'm lying to you."

He stretched out his hand and made a light sweeping motion in the air.

A pitch-black spatial rift appeared silently before the two of them.

Through the other side of the rift, one could see the lights of the library, the silhouettes of bookshelves, and the faint sounds of a distant argument.

"The witches are arguing again."

Higashino Makoto stepped into the crevice.

Roswaal took a deep breath and followed.

Reisen lifted her skirt and followed.

Elsa Granhiert walked at the back, looking at the crack with a meaningful smile on her lips.

The rift closed quietly after the four people passed through.

Novas Etier, Fourth Level, Silent Great Library.

Roswaal stood in the center of the library, looking up at the bookshelves that stretched from the ground to the dome, his purple eyes filled with awe.

The magic lamp floated in mid-air, casting a soft orange glow between the bookshelves.

The air was filled with the aroma of paper, leather, and old ink, mixed with the smell of braised fish wafting from the kitchen in the distance.

"This is... the teacher's library..."

"No."

Higashino Makoto walked up to him.

"This is my library. Echidna's library is simply incorporated into this one. Your teacher is over there."

He pointed to the depths of the library.

Public rest area.

Echidna sat on the sofa, her long, silvery-white hair cascading over her shoulders, her dark pupils fixed on the book in her hands, her expression focused and indifferent.