Reincarnated Maid is About To Be Captured by All Players

“Anna?”

Perhaps noticing my stiff expression, Lily looked around in confusion, finding nothing.

I said nothing, quietly put down the towel in my hand, and held Lily tightly, closing my legs as much as possible.

We are being watched—it’s uncomfortable for anyone, regardless of gender. Moreover, as a girl now, an extra layer of shame pervades every part of my body.

Breaking into a private home is illegal, but like theft, it’s not a crime if you’re not caught. Burglars are not uncommon in the still of the night.

Given the age limitations, I doubt we’re dealing with a pervert. But I can’t be sure what Lily and I look like in the eyes of the intruder.

Eliminating the possibility of a thief, the other likelihood is an assassin.

If someone is after Lily and knows she’s alive, they won’t let it go.

Either way, the intruder means us harm.

My [Detection] skill has decreased in effectiveness due to the lack of a master, but even while bathing, my vigilance was high. By the time I detected the intruder, they were already inside the residence.

When did they sneak in? I have no idea.

I can’t be sure of much, but the intruder’s [Stealth] level must be quite high.

Realizing they’ve been exposed, they are trying to blend back into the shadows.

Too late. I admit my failure to detect them immediately, but now that I have, I won’t let this slide.

“Uh… Uh…”

It’s okay, Lily, I’ll protect you.

Strangely, the intruder doesn’t seem to want to attack. Do they think I haven’t noticed? They’re underestimating me.

[Target Lock].

Through my [Detection] skill, I roughly locate the intruder. Due to the skill level gap, I can only sense their general area.

“Uh…”

Good… Don’t want to leave? Just as I like it.

Surprise and unease fade, replaced by irrepressible anger.

Whether it’s a voyeur or a demon intending to harm Lily, I’m not letting either off the hook.

“Ah…”

I need to protect Lily, catch that scumbag, and then…

“Huh? Lily?!”

Snapping back to reality, I find that Lily has fainted in my arms.

Could the intruder’s [Stealth] level be so high that they could act right under my nose? No, that’s not it. Lily has no new wounds, no extra status effects. She’s been…

Suffocated by my chest.

“I-I’m sorry, Lily…”

I never considered this possibility; I hope Lily’s tender soul won’t bear any lasting scars.

I quickly finish cleaning Lily, get dressed while covering myself as much as possible, and act as if nothing happened.

They’re still here, good.

The intruder is still following us; I can rule out a thief after household goods.

With guilt, I lay Lily on the soft bed in the bedroom, cover her with a blanket, and leave a gentle goodnight kiss on her forehead.

I’ll be back soon.

I leave the bedroom calmly and shut the door.

To incapacitate the intruder without disturbing Lily is the goal. The interior of the house is too small for a proper fight.

The courtyard is the perfect battlefield.

Without a master, my overall combat ability is reduced, some skills are only 30% effective. However, I can temporarily raise my reduced abilities to 50% for about three minutes.

It’s unfortunate that lifting my limits won’t turn me into a Super Saiyan or trigger a magical girl transformation sequence. I just input a command like summoning magic elements, and the limit is lifted as if nothing happened.

In a blink, my vision becomes incredibly clear.

Though I lack the Elves’ [Night Vision], the enhanced [Detection] still offers a clearer view. Most surprisingly, what was once heat-sensing detection now acts like a wallhack, allowing me to see through walls.

But detection skills are not omnipotent. They can be detected by other detection skills, meaning one person can discover another is using skills to gather information.

The cloaked figure that snuck into the room shudders. But it’s too late; they are like prey caught in a spider’s web, their struggles futile.

[Silence].

A chain enchanted with silence magic wraps around the intruder’s left wrist in a flash. I’ve carefully considered the existence of escape skills; the moment the chain is on, all skills are temporarily sealed.

Seeing this, the intruder decisively deactivates [Stealth], a flash of cold steel appearing in their hand.

—A dagger. Attacking me, the user of the chain, seems to be their best option now. I bet you’ll go for that.

After all, silence magic can seal skills but can’t terminate already activated skills. For example, the extra damage on the first attack after de-stealthing.

Underestimating the flying dagger would be a big mistake, but to me, the all-out thrown dagger seems to move in slow motion. I have ample time to respond.

The chain forms a net in front of me. The dagger, enhanced with extra damage, doesn’t even break the first layer of the chain before it’s deflected and sticks into the floor.

I tug the chain, pulling the lightweight intruder out of the second-floor window.