There’s No Way My Maid Is a Villain

Outsiders

"........."

Hiding in the darkness nearby, Jenode broke out in a cold sweat upon seeing Mark die in that girl's hands without even the power to resist.

His own strength was not much greater than Mark's, so he knew he could never be a match for her.

Glancing at the iron cage behind him, he gritted his teeth and decided to abandon the "cargo" and flee first.

He looked back in Mark's direction, only to find that the girl had already vanished.

He let out a relieved sigh, but as he turned his head, a pair of twin emerald eyes was staring intently at him.

"Ah!"

In an instant of terror, he tumbled backward onto the ground. In utter disbelief, he looked at the girl before him.

He had merely looked away for less than three seconds, and she was already at his back.

If she wished it, killing him would be as easy as flipping her hand.

"Hey, were you the one that uncle was looking for just now?"

Aili gazed down at Jenode, holding in her hand the rapier she had just thrust into that pile of sludge—fresh, bright red blood still dripping from the tip.

"See, you watched him die, didn't you? So, how was it? The sight of his blood splattering when crushed by a giant—did it feel good? Look, this is his blood."

Aili pressed the rapier against Jenode's face, smearing Mark's blood onto him.

Jenode's fighting spirit was utterly broken.

All he could think of was how to escape, but his body was ruled by fear—his legs trembled so much he could not move at all.

After brief hesitation, he hardened his resolve and bit his tongue hard with his teeth, using pain to suppress his fear, finally regaining just a sliver of control over his body.

He pulled a poison gas grenade from his clothes.

Fearing discovery, he held his breath ahead of time and detonated it directly inside his shirt.

"Poison gas? Tch, such an unpleasant smell."

Aili wrinkled her brows, clearly extremely displeased.

"Ha... ha... did I get away?"

Hiding in a dark alley, Jenode felt as if he had used up all his life's strength, panting heavily.

Though exhausted, he was even more overwhelmed by the joy of surviving a catastrophe.

"Not running anymore?"

Death whispered in his ear.

"Why, why? I clearly!"

Jenode couldn't believe the girl was before his eyes again. He screamed frantically, unable to accept the reality.

"You clearly used a decoy scarecrow to run off in another direction? That's an easy question."

Aili gently touched her own cheek with her hand.

"What?"

Mimicking her movement, Jenode realized there was something on his face. Looking at his fingers, he saw blood—the blood of Mark she had just smeared there.

"I'm—very sensitive to blood. Especially the fresh blood of someone I've just killed."

Death's scythe was already at his throat. The chilly wind of night was especially bleak.

"Tell me, you must know where the formula for Snake-haze herb is, right?"

At her words, a glimmer of hope flashed in Jenode's eyes.

"If I tell you, will you spare me?"

Aili put on a thoughtful look, then smiled and replied,

"No."

Upon hearing her answer, madness flickered in Jenode's eyes. He drew a short knife and suddenly lunged at her.

Aili reacted to his movement as well—she swiftly took a step back to dodge the strike, then formed a fist with her right hand.

A punch from a beautiful maid girl... well, it probably wouldn't be too weak.

"Bang!"

Jenode slammed into the wall behind him, stuck there for a moment before sliding down to the ground.

His mouth was flooded with blood; half-mumbling, half-groaning unintelligibly. That punch had likely scrambled his internal organs.

"Still alive? Then your physique seems decent."

Aili dragged the barely-alive Jenode back to the villa; on the way, his blood trailed all along the ground.

"So, where is the formula for Snake-haze herb?"

"Ah, ah... ah..."

Jenode, unable to speak, could only point to an iron cage covered with cloth.

"It's over there?"

Aili walked slowly up to the cage. The moment she lifted the cloth, the iron bars were instantly bent by a sudden force.

A black shadow leapt out and, without a word, attacked her.

Aili reacted instantly, jumping left as the shadow's fist crashed onto the villa's pillar, splitting it in two with a boom and sending dust flying everywhere.

".............."

Aili's smile gradually faded at the sight, a faint chill glinting in her eyes.

As the dust settled, the shadow's form became clearer.

It was a red-haired girl, crimson eyes burning with madness.

Her clothes were tattered, revealing a body covered in scars—cuts, burns, and whip marks.

"Looks like there's not much left to say."

Aili squinted, then her usual smile returned.

After a brief staredown, both vanished at once, only to reappear in the center of the courtyard.

A thunderous "boom"—the sound of their fists colliding—sent several tiles flying from the floor.

In this contest of strength, the red-haired girl had the advantage.

Aili was blown back, landing on the ground, her face filled with disbelief—she had not lost in pure strength for a long time.

But in that brief instant of thought, the red-haired girl was already upon her, forcing Aili to roll aside just in time to dodge a blow that likely would've ended the fight right there.

Aili sprang quickly to her feet, brushed the dust from her face, and reset her dislocated right arm with a crisp crack.

The red-haired girl pressed her assault, lunging forward with tremendous force; Aili again dodged-nimbly, each of the girl's punches whistling through the air—evidence enough of her power.

Aili seized an opening, kicking her in the abdomen and forcing her back several steps.

Aili herself leapt back to stand atop the courtyard wall.

The two returned to their initial standoff, eyes locked in midair.

An obsession bordering on madness shone in the red-haired girl's eyes—one that would not allow failure in this fight.

"I don't know what you've been through, nor where this obsession comes from. In fact, I don't much care. There are few lives I find worthy of respect. In the past, I wouldn't have minded dying by your hand. But now, I have my own reasons to win,"

Aili's voice was not at all emotional, but rather cold. She raised her right hand in a slashing gesture.

A sound like shattering glass rang out in the void and, at Aili's right side, a tear appeared in space itself.

She reached into it and pulled out a black spear, thinner than ordinary spears and wreathed in ominous, flowing black energy—an ill omen.

"I'm not chivalrous."

With that, Aili leapt toward the red-haired girl.

Unarmed, the red-haired girl was now at a clear disadvantage, left only able to dodge constantly, utterly pressed by Aili's attacks.

During a brief opening, she grabbed for Aili's spear to immobilize her, but the black energy instantly drove her back.

Aili did not miss this chance; lowering her body, she gripped the center of the spear with both hands, spun once, and hurled the weapon forward.

"It's over."

Her tone was that of a reaper passing sentence.

The black spear shot toward the red-haired girl like a dragon, and without a weapon, she could not defend herself.

The spear pinned her through the chest, nailing her to the courtyard wall.

Suddenly, Aili heard a noise and glanced to her right, finding Jenode dragging himself away in an attempt to escape, though his severe injuries reduced him to a crawl.

"Hahaha, with wounds like that, you'll die even if you escape. Wouldn't it be better to close your eyes and wait? Isn't that more comfortable?"

Aili leapt to stand before Jenode, her terrifying grin still painted on her face.

"In that case, let me put you out of your misery."

She raised her right hand, the black spear appearing once more in her grasp. Jenode's eyes filled with despair.

He closed his eyes, awaiting the judgment of death.

But death did not come.

He opened his eyes to see Aili standing frozen, long spear in hand—motionless, as if she had just witnessed something horrifying.

Cold—the blood on the spear was cold.

Any living human's blood would retain warmth; yet, hers did not. It was like that of a cold-blooded creature, as frigid as freshly thawed ice water.

"Hey, hey, hey, this isn't funny at all......"

Aili turned, only to see the red-haired girl's head twisted at an impossible angle.

Her face remained expressionless and cold, yet the madness in her eyes had not diminished in the least.

"This one—isn't human!?"

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】