Chapter 4 CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4

REINA HEARTS

The moment those words left my lips, the woman fell silent.

For several long seconds, she simply stared at me, her piercing gaze never wavering.

I couldn't tell what was going through her mind, and the silence only made my heart pound harder against my chest. Without saying a word, she calmly closed the book she had been reading with a single hand before placing it beneath the table. Even then, she never once looked away from me. It was as if she were studying every little reaction on my face, waiting for me to say more.

The weight of her unwavering gaze made me swallow nervously.

Drawing in a slow, shaky breath, I reached for the empty chair across from her and gently pulled it out. The wooden legs scraped softly against the floor before I lowered myself into the seat.

My fingers intertwined on my lap, gripping each other tightly to keep myself from fidgeting.

"I-I know I rejected your offer the last time we met..." I began in a timid voice. "I was... scared."

I paused for a moment, lowering my gaze as I searched for the right words.

"I didn't know what would happen to me if I agreed to your offer right away. Everything happened so unexpectedly, and I wasn't prepared to make such a huge decision without thinking about the consequences. I was afraid of stepping into something I didn't understand."

Slowly, I lifted my eyes to hers once again.

"But..." My voice grew even softer. "I'm much more afraid of what my family is going through now... Our situation keeps getting worse, and every day I feel more helpless watching them struggle. I can't just stand there and pretend everything will somehow work itself out. I don't have that luxury anymore."

I inhaled deeply before continuing, "That's why I waited for you to come back to this diner, hoping I'd see you again. Because after thinking about everything... I realized that your offer might be the only chance left for me to save my family."

"...but before anything else..." My fingers tightened around each other beneath the table. "I need to ask you something."

I swallowed hard before forcing myself to continue.

"Will my job really be limited to being a servant? Because if... I'm just going there to end up dead... if the vampires living in that mansion decide to kill me..." My throat tightened at the terrifying thought. "Then I won't be able to help my family at all."

I held her gaze despite the fear clawing at my chest.

"The only reason I found the courage to even consider accepting such a dangerous job is that I want to save them. If I lose my life before I can do that..." I paused, releasing a slow, trembling breath. "...then everything I'm risking will have been for nothing."

The woman responded with nothing more than a soft, restrained clearing of her throat

"They wouldn't be looking for a human servant if there were another vampire available to do those tasks," she replied in a calm tone.

Her words made me listen even more intently.

"So it's highly unlikely that they'll kill you," she continued. "Unless, of course, you commit a serious offense."

She folded her hands neatly on the table before adding, "From what I know, vampires are extremely strict. They expect nothing less than perfection from the people who serve them. Every task you perform must be done flawlessly, and every action you take must be clean, proper, and beyond reproach. As long as you faithfully fulfill your duties and follow their rules without fail, your life shouldn't be in danger."

A sigh of relief escaped my lips after hearing her answer.

The tightness that had been squeezing my chest slowly eased. Knowing that the chances of being killed inside that mansion were slim gave me the reassurance I desperately needed.

"If... there's really only a small chance that I'll be killed there, then I truly want to work in that mansion. I've searched for every possible way to help my family, but I couldn't find another option." A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my lips before quickly fading. "I've spent the last several days thinking about this over and over again. I kept weighing the risks, wondering if I should accept your offer or continue looking for another way. But no matter how much I thought about it, I always arrived at the same conclusion... So... please help me."

For the first time since our conversation began, I saw the corner of her lips lift slightly.

"I'll contact the person who's coming to pick you up immediately," she replied in her composed tone. "They're in urgent need of a servant, so you'll have to leave early tomorrow morning... Just tell me the address of your house. They'll come there to fetch you."

Without a second thought, I nodded repeatedly.

"O-Of course." Gratitude filled my voice as I bowed my head slightly. "Thank you so much."

A genuine smile finally appeared on my face, though it was tinged with sadness.

"If that's the case, I'll head home right away. I need to talk to my family before I leave tomorrow."

The woman gave a slow nod before speaking once more.

"You already know what you have to do," she reminded me. "Unless you plan on telling them the truth about your job."

Before she could say another word, I immediately shook my head.

"No."

The answer came out almost instantly.

There was no way I could tell my family that I had accepted a job as a human servant in a mansion occupied by vampires.

They would never allow me to go.

"I can't, I'm going to lie to them."

Silvia gave a faint nod.

"Good. That's for the best."

"...by the way, I'm Silvia. And you?"

"My name is Reina," I replied politely, straightening my posture as I introduced myself.

"Well then, Reina... Before you resign from your job here, make me the same pancakes I had the last time I visited."

"S-Sure," I answered. "I'll go make them right away."

I rose from my chair, excused myself with a small bow, and hurried back toward the kitchen. The moment I pushed open the kitchen door, Madame Lily and Sofie were already standing there as though they had been waiting for me.

"Reina," Madame Lily asked, her voice noticeably serious. "Is something wrong?"

Before I could answer, Sofie stepped closer, her brows furrowed with concern.

"I was about to ask the same thing," she said. "Your conversation with that lady in black looked really off..."

As I looked at the two of them, taking a deep breath, I told them that today would be my last day at work.

The moment my words sank in, both of them fell silent. Their expressions immediately reflected the sadness and seeing the disappointment in their eyes only made this farewell even more painful.

"I'm going to miss you, Reina..." Sofie murmured.

Before I could even respond, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around me in a gentle embrace. I smiled faintly as I hugged her back, holding her just as tightly.

When we finally pulled away from each other, my eyes drifted toward Madame. She was already looking at me, a warm and understanding smile resting on her lips despite the sadness I could see in her eyes.

"If you ever decide to come back," she said sincerely. "I'll welcome you. There will always be a place for you here."

Her words warmed my heart. I couldn't help but smile as I gave her a grateful nod.

"Thank you, Madame," I replied. "I'm truly grateful for everything you've done for me. I'll never forget your kindness."

After that, I carefully prepared Madame Silvia's order, paying close attention to every detail to make sure everything was exactly as requested. Once everything was ready, I carried the tray over to her table and gently placed it in front of her, offering her my usual courteous smile before politely wishing her an enjoyable meal.

"It'll probably take several hours for you to reach the mansion," Madame Silvia reminded me as she speared another slice of pancake with her fork and took a graceful bite. She chewed thoughtfully before meeting my eyes again. "That's why you'll need to leave early. Someone will be there to guide you once you arrive, so you don't have to worry about finding your way. Just follow whatever instructions they give you. As long as you do as you're told, you won't get yourself into trouble."

I nodded immediately.

While she finished the rest of her breakfast, Madame Silvia continued giving me one reminder after another. By the time she had eaten the last bite of her pancake and emptied her glass of blackberry juice, every one of her instructions had been firmly etched into my mind.

"Well then," she said formally as she pushed her chair back and stood. I quickly rose to my feet as well. "I should be on my way."

"Of course, Madame," I replied politely, offering her a respectful smile. "Please take care on your way home, and... thank you very much for everything."

"You're welcome. Good luck, Reina... and take care of yourself."

Then, as if she had suddenly remembered something important, her expression turned solemn.

"And don't forget, by tomorrow, you'll be living in the den of immortals."