The Servant in the Horror Game is Suspicious Chapter 3

Jade pondered whether he truly had to accept this reality. Even if he didn’t try to kill Ian, or didn’t steal the precious sword and run away, the outcome seemed obvious.

Ian would kill him. Just as he had killed every servant before him.

Should I just run away right now? If he did, maybe there’d be a slight chance of survival. But the blizzard outside the mansion was far beyond what a person could endure while wandering in thin clothes. The northern lands in the dead of winter were nothing to scoff at. Furthermore, there were no other houses nearby. There was only one village, and it was a long way off. It meant there was no place to take shelter other than this mansion—no, this villa.

“Huh…?”

While agonizing over how to stay alive, Jade suddenly rubbed his cheek. He felt someone’s subtle gaze on him.

“Ah.”

The source of the gaze was Ian, still hiding behind the pillar. With his body concealed, Ian was still just peeking his head out, observing Jade’s every move. Every time he blinked, his eyes looked like shimmering lakes. Winter lakes, tinted a pale, faded watery blue.

The boy was as expressionless as a porcelain doll. His gaze was so calmly dry that he looked like someone who had already realized the ways of the world.

Ian’s expression was full of wariness as he scanned Jade like an intruder. Since he was already this chilling, Jade dreaded what the future held.

Hmm….

But after a moment, Jade tilted his head in confusion.

And for good reason—the current Ian had such a small, frail frame that he didn’t feel threatening at all. The boy was hugging the pillar that hid him as if it were a literal lifeline, clutching it with hands small as fern leaves. Seeing him look like a startled rabbit, a question popped into Jade’s mind.

Is the setting book wrong?

How could those tiny hands, which looked like they’d struggle to even pick up a pebble, kill a person? More than anything, looking at those scruffy white hands and fluffy blonde hair made him doubt if the kid was really dangerous. It was simply hard to believe that such a small, young child would commit such acts.

He could see why the servants who came here before had overlooked Ian’s savage side. However, Jade knew exactly what kind of person Ian would become.

As long as he remained cautious based on that info, he’d be fine. Besides, the child couldn’t beat Jade with physical strength anyway. On top of that, while the cute little murderer in front of him was a problem, the blizzard and the monsters outside the villa were much bigger issues right now. Even if he eventually left, staying in this villa for the time being was his best bet.

Having finished his quick mental calculations, Jade approached Ian. He walked very slowly, keeping his body low so Ian wouldn’t find him suspicious.

“I’m sorry for the late introduction.”

“……”

Fortunately, Ian didn’t seem to show any aggression toward Jade. There was no sign of him trying to run away, either. Rather, the closer Jade got, the more a chill seemed to emanate from the boy.

Now what?

How was he supposed to deal with kids again? He had no idea how to handle children. Especially an expressionless, cold one like this.

“Hello there. I’m Jade, the servant who will be looking after you, young master.”

After a moment’s thought, Jade slowly reached out his hand. The previous servants had ignored Ian. And that had been the very thing that shortened their lives.

He wouldn’t do anything like that. If he treated him gently, he might be able to win him over. Children are suckers for kindness, after all.

“……”

However, Ian only stared blankly down at Jade’s outstretched hand; he didn’t take it.

Suddenly, Jade wondered if it was even okay for a servant to offer their hand to a master first. There was bound to be a specific etiquette for dealing with nobles in this world. But there was no way Jade, who had dropped in less than thirty minutes ago, would know that.

Luckily, Ian didn’t seem to think much of Jade’s rudeness. The boy followed suit and slightly reached out his own tiny hand. However, he pulled it back before their fingertips could even touch.

“If there is anything you need me to do, please don’t hesitate to tell me. I’ll work hard at whatever it is.”

“……”

The boy looked down at his own hand, then back at Jade’s, repeating the motion. He acted like a child who had never had a hand offered to him before, but then he suddenly glared at Jade’s hand with strangely displeased eyes.

Watching Ian, Jade reflected on the setting book he had read. The description of a beautiful face paired with a contrary personality had become a reality right before his eyes.

Jade awkwardly withdrew his hand, which had been hanging in the air for a long while, and scanned the interior of the villa. Seeing it from the inside, it looked even more like an abandoned house than it did from the outside.

He had held onto a hope that it might be okay once he actually got inside, but there wasn’t even a hint of a “lived-in” smell. With every breath, he inhaled air that had been stagnant for ages.

“Haha, I lost my luggage because I got lost on the way here. Which room should I use?”

“……”

When asked about a room, Ian slowly turned his head and stared at the villa door without a word. It seemed to mean there was no room for Jade to use here. He was certainly clear in his expression. He probably meant for Jade to get lost through that door. However, Jade pretended not to notice, scratching his head and laughing heartily.

“I’ll just use any room. I mean, there are plenty of them.”

Leaving the empty hall behind, he first headed up the central staircase. It was so old that even though it wasn’t made of wood, it made a creaking sound with every step.

Ian followed behind Jade, keeping a bit of distance. It seemed Jade had piqued the boy’s curiosity. Or perhaps, his suspicion.

“Which room is yours, young master?”

When Jade turned back to ask, Ian seemed to think for a long time before quietly looking down at a spot beneath the stairs. Following his gaze, Jade’s eyes landed on a small space between the wall and the stairs.

“Ah, the room is…”

There was a bundle of blankets there that were no better than rags. Ian was someone who had been dumped in this villa without any explanation. There was no way they would have sent necessary supplies to a villa he was sent to die in. Because of that, it looked like Ian had just been sleeping wherever he could.

“Well… then shall we decide on our rooms together?”

Jade, who had worked all sorts of part-time jobs in his past life, used that experience to prioritize what needed to be done.

Win Ian over. And become someone Ian needs.

Judging by the current situation, that was the most urgent task. His survival instinct was screaming it. Once he became a necessary existence, Ian wouldn’t be able to kill him even if he wanted to. Although he had ended up in a new life by chance, he had no desire to die again.

“Let’s pick your room first, sir.”

Jade purposely spoke in an energetic voice as he marched up the stairs. Ian, who followed while maintaining a distance of about two meters, was truly like a cat. He showed his wariness but couldn’t hide his curiosity. Of course, that curiosity felt more like he was looking for an opening rather than being genuinely interested in Jade himself.

Go ahead and be as wary as you want. I won’t do a single suspicious thing.

Jade shrugged and finished climbing the stairs. He wouldn’t do anything that could give Ian an excuse to kill him.

“Hmm.”

The villa had five floors in total. The fourth and fifth floors were in a state beyond help, but the third floor looked decent enough to live in. As if it had been the main living space of the villa, the hallway was the widest and the condition was relatively better.

“This one should do.”

Jade stood before a room in the middle of the hallway with an elegant door. Unlike the other rooms, this one had double doors, and judging by the small number of rooms on this floor, he figured it would be spacious.

The doorknobs were rusted in places because they hadn’t been touched by human hands for a long time. They had been closed for so long that the gap in the door was jammed tight; it wouldn’t open easily even when he applied force. It only started to give after he grabbed both knobs and pulled hard.

“This is the biggest one, and it looks like it might even get some sunlight… Ack, hack! Whoa, cough cough!”

The moment the door opened, dust billowed out. Dust that had been trapped inside for a long time erupted along with the musty air. The smell of old mold and dampness tickled his eyes and nose.

“Stay there for a second. Cough, cough. There’s too much dust…!”

Jade reached out a hand to stop Ian, who was peeking from a distance, from coming closer. Ian was already watching from quite a ways off. And right before the eyes of the despondent Jade, who was staring at the dust-filled room, a system window popped up.

[ >> System << ]

Ian’s room. It’s a dust bowl.

“Ugh, what am I supposed to do about it?”

Is it mocking me? The system window was showing him facts he already knew in text for no reason. It really wasn’t being helpful at all.

“I’ll clean it first. So, the cleaning supplies are…”

Jade spoke to reassure Ian first. But would there even be cleaning supplies in a place that was basically a ruin? He doubted they’d be in one piece even if they existed. Just as he was feeling lost, the system window flashed another message.

[ ※ Acquire exclusive item. ]

Exclusive item?

Since dropping here, this was the first time a useful message had appeared in the system window. Jade’s eyes sparkled at the word “item.” Finally, something was being given to him.

Yeah, if you’re gonna drop me in a place like this, you’ve gotta have a conscience.

Jade stared at the system window with shimmering eyes. However, the expectation in his gaze withered away instantly upon seeing the next line.

[ >> Exclusive Item << ]

Beginner’s Cleaning Tools (1)

>> Location <<

The storage shed behind the Linwood Ducal Villa.

“You…!”

Why on earth is THIS my exclusive item?!