“R-Rudolf killed the head chef, lady Letitia,” one of the maids said, and I deftly memorized her face. And I bet my lady did too before she glanced at the body besides the fireplace.

A dagger had crushed his heart, and it was too clear there was no resistance from his side. Either the murderer overwhelmed him with their strength, in which case the guards or I was undoubtedly the culprit. Otherwise, he was too familiar with the culprit to even attempt to defend himself. He might have been drugged before the assault, but there was no belly slithering in this world to verify my claims.

“I’ll nip that dirty tongue of yours next time you say my butler’s name from that stinky mouth of yours. Anyone who speaks up without any evidence will have her legs broken before being thrown to the gallows. Perhaps, I have been too easy on you bitches for the past few years. I know how many of you leave your rooms in the dead of night and sleep with the guards. I even know that you sluts steal money from the kitchen. If I find the evidence that you just lied,” her voice grew colder as she glanced at the maid who had just spoken, “I’ll cut your tongue, sick bitch.”

My lady didn’t even look at me before she held my hand and dragged me out. No one offered any resistance because she was known for being short-tempered and ruthless with everyone.

“I didn’t–“

“I know, mongrel!” she didn’t let go of my arm, and I felt her nails digging my wrist, just above the gloves.

Murder is a severe offense in any world. Even if you are a crazy undead, you will land in the same gallows as other murderers when you kill someone. There’s absolutely nothing that justifies murder; humans often like to say.

Their messed-up ethics are the least of my concerns because I have killed more humans than anyone in this world or any other has seen. But this doesn’t mean that I, in this life, am a murderer. Soon, I would become one, but not yet. So, these unfair charges annoy me since the petty mortals tried to trick this undead. And you never annoy an undead. Not even an easy-going undead.

My lady’s ferocity surprised me, and I was glad she was becoming ruthless. But, my death flag for being the villainess’s aide had come sooner than I had ever anticipated. I was doubtful that the Marquis would make this matter public, so it was likely that I would be offed by his elite guards in my sleep. If I defended myself, I would become the murderer, and if they killed me, I wouldn’t die.

Marlica had done really well this time around. To isolate my lady, get rid of her aides first, and I was the only one left in the entire mansion. I was honored to know that the lady of the house held me in high regard. Nevertheless, she would undeniably marry over my lady to the worst household of the capital once I was out of the picture. Unfortunately, her every choice would have to die under my hands, whether I was locked in the gallows or not. My lady is meant to rule the world, and marriage would only bind her to pitiful mutts of the world. And horny, if I may add.

She entered my room and pulled me inside before slamming the door shut.

“What the hell were you doing in the kitchen, mongrel?!” she hit my chest, albeit softly. “Didn’t I tell you never to leave my side in this house?”

“Don’t worry, my lady,” I reassured her, “Not even your prince can harm me, let alone those maids.”

“He’s not my prince,” it was an absolute command, and I mentally eliminated the redhead from the grand schema. “This entire ploy was planned by that vile bitch! What if the Marquis hands you over to the soldiers? There’s no escape from the gallows, you hateful mongrel!”

Not father this time, but Marquis. “Would you mind if I torture the maids of the household?”

“Kill them if they don’t keep their mouth shut,” I couldn’t keep my smile off at the ruthlessness in her voice. “I and my well-being alone should matter to you. It doesn’t matter how many corpses you leave in the wake, don’t ever forget your promise.”

“Then, please wait patiently until tomorrow, my lady. Even if the Marquis punishes me tonight, don’t retaliate.”

“Don’t order me around, mongrel! I will do that because I know I should do that. And if you don’t return to my side by tomorrow, I will break your legs.”

I removed the barrette from her bun and turned her around by her shoulders. “You need to wash your hair today, my lady. They stink of roasted meat and your sweat.”

“Shut up, Rudolf!” She elbowed my stomach and stormed out of the room.

Now then, what should I do first? Break the fingers of the maid? Gouge our her eyes? Would that be too easy of a punishment? I should let her feel a sense of accomplishment first and then torture her in the dead of the dead. Only then would her hollow screams would sound pleasing to my ears.

Am I ruthless? Then you certainly haven’t seen the worst of me. If the actual butler of the story was in my place today, then he would have gotten implicated for the crime he didn’t commit, and perhaps my lady would have been left all alone amongst the wolves. Their ruthlessness would be paid with ruthlessness, and for every harm they bring to my lady, I would return it thousandfold.

I patiently waited for the sun to disappear beyond the mountains. When the Marquis returned to the household, it was already dinner time, and I was summoned right after the family had finished their dinner. I hadn’t accompanied my lady this time, for she had locked me up in the room as per the requests of the maids. That was our script for the night until more evidence about the deed came out.

“Did I hear them right, Rudolf?” The Marquis asked, his expression hard to decipher. He had always been a man of little words, but no one could survive the officialdom of the kingdom without being crafty, if not ruthless. And the Marquis was both. “Did you settle your grudges against the head chef of my household today?”

“This servant didn’t, my lord,” I knelt down amidst the cheerful faces of Marlica and her two daughters. “This servant pleads to the honorable Marquis to help this servant get justice. This servant was serving his lady when the deed happened, and was falsely charged by the maids, my lord.”

“I saw him covered in blood, lord!” The same maid shouted from the afternoon, and I heard my lady click her tongue. All other maids were obviously scared of going against my lady, so they stayed put, letting the boisterous one take all the blame. “And lady Letitia dragged him away, threatening each one of us to keep our mouths shut.”

“Is she telling the truth, Letitia?” The Marquis asked, now turning to my lady.

My lady stayed silent, much to my relief. If she talked for me in this unfavorable situation, it would be equivalent to proving the maid’s words. And my lady never talked against me in public.

“I asked you a question, Letitia,” The Marquis was calm, but I felt the rage suppressed in his voice. Perhaps, he hated the fact that treasonous blood flowed in my lady’s body, or her face might have reminded him of the woman he murdered. Either way, he was furious now.

“Your disobedience is vexing me!” Crisp slap resounded in the hall, and my lady tumbled down from the chair, a splinter grazing her forehead. I pushed down the rage threatening to blow up the entire mansion and ambled toward my lady.

“No one asked you to move!” He bellowed, slamming his hand on the wooden table, plates clattering at his raw force. “Lock him up in the shed for the night. I’ll deal with this farce tomorrow.”

My lady gave me a reassuring glance, and I secretly cast a [heal] spell before others could make a note of her injury. The Maquis will die a painful death. That much was set in stone today.

The guards of the Manor tied my hands, blindfolded me, and carried me over to the storehouse. They tossed me inside the shed meant to store mowing equipment. Sickles, rakes, hoes, trowels, shears, and the likes.

“This bootlicker is a scum, after all. I wonder how many times he banged the lady in her sleep,” One of the guards said and snickered.

It didn’t surprise me that banging is all these horny guards were worried about.

“I bet this spineless bastard can’t get an erection,” the second one added, earning hearty laughter from his mate. “Just because the lady stands up for him, he was becoming ignorant of the ways of the world.”

“Hey, fucker,” the first guard knelt before me and slapped my face. “The scars of the whip haven’t disappeared yet. If you lick my dirty toes, I might forget the lashing.” I earned another slap, and I sighed. Cleaning up is going to be so hard for them.

I couldn’t blame him for taking revenge, though. I had whipped this guard in public on my lady’s order until his clothes had been torn open just a year ago. I bet the scars were visible underneath his garments. You see, vengeance is a fickle thing. It gives you a false sense of relief for a few minutes, and then you are back to square one, except you are the prey now.

I heard the guard’s knife slithering out of his waist, and without warning, he stabbed it to my sprawled yet tied palms. If you think an undead… Damn! That fucking hurt! He turned the knife around with raw strength, and I felt my muscles twitch throughout my body. Blood flowed out like water and I bit my lips until they started bleeding.

“How does it feel to be on the receiving end, bastard?” The guard pulled out his knife and stabbed my right arm, my body stiffening again. I won’t wail, nor will I ever beg for mercy.

I cast [Devil eye] spell to gauge my injury and saw blood flowing out of the hole in both of my palms. Three more stabs followed, each one above the previous, and my suit was stained with mortal blood and adorned colorful holes. The stabs had reached my biceps now, and the next one would be my neck. He churned the knife in my biceps, blood splashing over my face, and over my good old suit.

I still didn’t scream, but mortal pain was unbearable.

“Leave him, Vule,” the second guard spoke up, noticing my hoarse breathing. “The Marquis hasn’t passed his judgment yet.”

With a grunt, few curses, and some powerful kicks over my sprawled stomach, he got up and followed his companion out.