As a villain, I really don't want to be pursued by the heroine.

In Douglas's opinion, Roy had gone to great lengths to help him make friends with various forces, and he already owed him something.

Now that the other party seems to be in some trouble, isn't this a great opportunity to repay him?

"Mr. Roy, please feel free to speak up. As a prince of a country, I can still do my best to help."

"this......"

It’s not that I doubt your sincerity, senior.

However, asking a prince of a country to look for his lost maid always feels a bit too much!

However, this common sense thought only lasted for a second. Thinking that the maid was his little cotton-padded jacket and the future saint of destiny, Roy suddenly felt that the prince in front of him was not so precious.

To round it off, you are looking for the missing future saint, and the church has to thank you!

So, Roy said seriously, "Do you remember my maid?"

"I remember her name was Alice."

"Well, her whereabouts are unknown. Please help me find her, but please keep a low profile and don't make it public."

Otherwise it would seem like I’m making a big deal out of nothing!

"Leave it to me." Douglas nodded solemnly.

They are all smart people. There is no need for the other party to explain too clearly. Douglas has already seen through the inside story!

Roy cares so much about that girl, it seems that she is indeed a high-ranking figure in the church!

It is no small matter when a high-ranking official of an external force gets into trouble on his own territory.

It seems that it is time for [Shadow Guard] to take action again!

Thinking of this, Douglas left in a hurry.

Roy was quite confident in Douglas's work.

But why does this guy have such a serious face, even more anxious than me, as if the missing person is really some important person...

----------

Outside the bonfire.

The firelight gradually dimmed and the evening breeze brought a cool breeze.

The temperature difference between day and night in the Land of Golden Sands is huge, with the daytime like scorching summer and the nights like late autumn.

Out of the corner of her eye, Alice caught a glimpse of many men and women walking together.

The girls' dresses are cool, so it's inevitable that they feel a little cold at this time. But they don't need to say much, the men around them will always be considerate and act like gentlemen, putting on clothes to keep out the wind and cold.

I can't understand why you have to trouble others when you can do it yourself.

Even if we take a step back, can't they wear something thicker?

If it were me, I would not only not trouble the owner, but would also care about the owner instead.

I wonder if the master is cold now...

The moment the thought flashed through her mind, Alice was stunned.

Anyway, with Charlotte and the others around, the master will definitely not catch a cold, right?

My worries are totally unnecessary.

The little maid unconsciously pulled her coat closer to her body, but she still felt a chill that lasted for a long time.

As a maid, all you need to do is silently guard your master's happiness.

When you are no longer needed, you should just leave.

Staying there shamelessly is just asking for trouble.

As he was thinking, the overlapping shadows of the young man and the girl flashed through his mind again, a bitterness even more unbearable than the coldness.

The bonfire cast shadows in layers, in pairs, like a cage of thorns.

Alice bit her lip and quickened her pace as if she wanted to escape from this cage.

However, just as she was about to leave the outermost bonfire with the retreating crowd, an unexpected figure stood right in front of her.

"Alice, are you going back just after arriving?"

"Master? Why..."

"Don't underestimate your master. How could I abandon my beloved maid?" Roy said with a playful smile at first, but then he scratched his cheek and his voice dropped. "Although I wanted to say this, it seems that I still haven't done enough."

This was Douglas's territory after all, and the reliable prince found Alice's location in no time. After learning the location of the little maid, Roy rushed over immediately.

But he didn't expect that the little maid was not lost, nor was she late, but was returning alone.

Alice's reason for doing this is certainly important, but before that, she has more important things to do.

Roy walked up to the little maid, put his arm around her shoulders, pulled the cloak that was about to fall closer, and sighed softly, "I'm sorry for making you lonely for so long."

Alice's breathing was a little heavy: "Master, there is absolutely no need to apologize."

"It's Alice who's late. I'm sorry to trouble the master to come all the way here."

"It's okay, I'm glad you came."

"Now that we're here, why don't we dance?" Roy asked.

The blonde girl lowered her eyebrows. "Alice actually has no interest in dancing."

Her tone was calm, but what was her true feeling?

Looking at the carefully combed golden hair draped over the shoulders, the high-heeled sandals wrapped around the fair feet, and the faint golden color faintly visible under the blouse, Roy felt helpless.

"You really don't want to dance?"

He just repeated it lightly, and the girl couldn't bring herself to say the same refusal again.

She had no choice but to change her words: "Don't worry about Alice, Master, just go and accompany Charlotte and the others."

"But I've already finished dancing. Charlotte and the others said they were tired and asked me to come find you first."

"so......"

Roy let his hands fall down and tried to touch the tender petals.

But he never expected that Alice would step back as if she had been electrocuted.

"You don't have to be so gentle."

Alice raised her head, as if she was struggling, and squeezed out the words with all her strength: "Even if the master doesn't have to be so gentle!"

"Alice is just your maid. Unlike them, she doesn't need to be treated so gently. As a maid, Alice is already happy enough, so there's no need to be more gentle to me."

"if not......"

Alice stopped talking as she wiped her tears from her eyes.

Otherwise, the uncontrollable emotions will burst out and I won’t know what to do.

The blonde girl seemed to be on the verge of tears, which also made Roy's heart tremble.

Even when she was injured and bleeding from the monsters, Alice never shed a tear.

He never thought that the other party would show such an expression because of him.

Did I do something wrong?

Is Alice a masochist?

No, that's not right.

Recalling the moments of happiness that Alice had inadvertently revealed, Roy confidently asserted that his gentleness was not a mistake.

It’s not so much that Alice doesn’t want this kind of tenderness, but rather that she doesn’t dare to want it.

"Otherwise, Alice can no longer be the master's maid."

Facing the girl's suppressed sobs.

At this moment, Roy finally realized what the shackles that bound Alice were.

When he first took Alice in as a maid, he didn't think much about it because that was how the original work unfolded.

The villain and the decent maid.

The cultists who are destined to destroy themselves, and the saint who is destined to usher in the light.

I had always wanted to change my fate, and I had indeed done so. But all along, I had neglected Alice's matter.

Admittedly, Alice's situation is much better than in the original work.

But is that enough?

Chapter 22: Dancing to the End of the Night

Admittedly, Alice's situation is much better than in the original work.

But is that enough?

As a master, there may be nothing wrong in treating her like a pet and giving her some benefits when you remember her.

But what about Alice? What is Alice thinking?

The identity of a maid was just a new shackle for her.

This shackle would not starve her or cause her to be abused, but it bound her mind and prevented her from even saying what she wanted.

It’s such a simple truth, but I only figured it out now.

Because, from the very beginning, I saw her as a well-behaved maid, a flawless angel, and the destined saint.

But in fact, Alice is just like Charlotte and the others, a girl who can cry and laugh and has simple wishes.

Thinking of this, Roy couldn't help but clench his fists and cursed himself for being slow.

It's time to free her from this shackle.

But saying something like, "You're no longer my maid" now would only make her cry even more.

People were coming and going around, and laughter and criticism could be heard from time to time, but Roy didn't care at all.

Compared to Alice, outsiders' opinions are always better.

Roy leaned over and gently wiped away the girl's tears.

Looking at the girl's misty eyes, Roy asked for the third time.

"Alice, would you like to dance with me?"

"I, I've said it all..."

The girl's tears, which she had finally managed to hold back, seemed about to burst out again, but this time, Roy spoke first, "I'm not asking you, I'm inviting you."

"Tonight, you don't have to treat me as your master. And I won't treat you as my maid either."

Alice was a little confused at first, but then she seemed to realize something, her eyes widened, and she couldn't believe it.

Seeing this, Roy smiled knowingly and confirmed her guess: "Yes, I am asking you if you are willing to accept my invitation as a girl."

"But......."

The evasive eyes, the lowered gaze, the unconfident murmurs unintentionally imply that the shackles of the maid still bind her heart.

Roy didn't think it would be so easy to break the shackles, but he had plenty of patience.

Noticing that the girl subconsciously wanted to retreat, Roy grabbed her hand with enough force to neither hurt her nor let her run away.

"Tonight, don't worry about anything."

"I don't care about the maid, I only care about you. You don't have to care about the master, you only need to care about me."

Roy whispered in the girl's ear: "So, what do you want to do?"

The breath and warmth so close at hand ignited the vision in my heart.

If you are not a maid, the master is not the master.

I wish I could be watched by my master like them.

How I would like to do it...