The Man Who Remained — His Second Life Began with a Humble Bow of Apology. - Chapter 5: Mercury Dragon.

Mercury Dragon.

“Man, I ended up talking way more than I expected.”

On his way back to his room, Cross muttered to himself.

Perhaps a side effect of spending so much time alone, but he had developed a habit of speaking his thoughts aloud whenever something good happened—even though he knew it wasn’t ideal.

“I guess it might’ve been rude to ignore Aura after dinner and chat away with Gryul-san the whole time… but she seemed happy, smiling the whole way through, so it should be fine. Probably. He might look intimidating, but Gryul-san’s actually easy to talk to. Maybe he’s just being considerate.”

Whether his demeanor matched his appearance was debatable, but there was something to be said for the wisdom that came with age.

Faced with that old man, Cross had found himself unusually talkative.

Though in truth, the conversation had been entirely about alcohol.

“Well then, I’m home.”

He opened the door without expecting a reply and stepped inside—

“You’re late. Seemed like quite the lively evening. Very well.”

A woman in a maid uniform addressed him.

“…Uh, who are you?”

“What’s with that stupid look? And ‘who are you’? Are those two eyes of yours for show? You can’t recognize me by this outfit?”

“Well, I mean… I can, but…”

It was precisely because he could tell she was a maid that something didn’t sit right.

There was not a shred of maid-like demeanor in the woman standing before him with an air of superiority. If anything, she looked like someone cosplaying a maid.

At the very least, the maids he’d seen during meals had all been cheerful, kind, and humble.

This woman, standing tall and wearing a smug smile, was the complete opposite—something almost unimaginable.

“Well, I’ll admit I’m a bit unusual as a maid. But didn’t you make an absurd request for someone just like me?”

“…Huh?”

“You asked for a maid who wasn’t overly loyal to Guster-dono, yet still committed to her duties—someone who could even serve a noble household without issue. Ridiculous, really. Especially the bit about not being ‘too loyal’—half the maids in existence would find that insulting. Though I suppose I’m just the right kind of misfit to fit the bill.”

With a chuckle, she glanced at Cross with a piercing gaze.

“Let me ask this plainly: I’ve come here to serve as a maid. But I have no intention of submitting to you, nor will I engage in any kind of sexual relationship. I won’t fawn over you, either. Is that acceptable?”

“…Wait, hold on.”

“What? Would you prefer a woman you can use at your leisure? If so, give it a moment. I could fetch plenty of—”

“No, no! That’s not it! I mean, aren’t maids just… employees hired for the house? Stuff like sex and all that… isn’t part of the job, right? …Right?”

At Cross’s anxious question, the woman scoffed.

“Hmph. You’re lucky it’s me. Had it been an ordinary maid, you’d already be well into the full ‘pampering’ course.”

“…What kind of threat is that?”

“Allow me to explain. A maid isn’t a species—it’s an occupation. That much you understand, yes?”

“Yeah, of course. Humans can be maids too.”

“If that’s all there was to it, there’d be no issue. But most monsters who become maids are from races that live to serve—those who prioritize serving others above even their most basic instincts.”

“…Hmm.”

“To them, serving someone they deem worthy is the ultimate form of happiness. Even if they’re treated poorly, as long as they chose their master, they’ll feel fulfilled.”

“…That’s some intense devotion.”

“It’s more than love—they offer everything of their own will. Of course it’s intense. To put it simply, they’re like starving beasts, drooling as they wait for someone they can completely devote themselves to.”

“…Well, even just hearing that explanation—thanks to you and Guster.”

“You and Guster?”

She shot him a sharp glare, prompting Cross to quickly shake his head.

“Thank you very much.”

“Good. You’re not my master yet, after all. Though even if you were, and spoke rudely—I’d bite your head off.”

Cross nodded, clearly intimidated.

“So, I have a question… I’m not even a noble. Wouldn’t maids have nothing to gain from serving someone like me?”

“What’s this? Are you saying you’re not worthy of the attention of such devoted maids?”

“I mean… isn’t it true? I’ve got no money, no status.”

“Hmm… Then how about this: if I brought in a dozen maids who said they’d serve you even if they had to sell themselves to do it—would that help you understand what a maid truly is?”

Cross, unable to detect any falsehood in her words, shook his head in fear.

It defied all his common sense, but it all seemed true.

“That’s the smart choice. Even I wouldn’t throw a potential master into the lion’s den. To them, you’re the perfect target.”

“Why?”

“It’s simple. You’re known across the land as the Rainbow Sage—a name of great renown. People see you as noble and upright, but in reality, you’re kind of a mess. And you were born into this world with no family, no support. That kind of person awakens their protective instincts.”

“I see. So, the more pathetic you are, the more appealing.”

“Well said. Even in the Demon King’s castle, resources are limited. Training and staffing maids isn’t cheap, so only nobles and above are usually introduced to them. Nobles tend to have it all together. So someone like you—completely lacking in status or wealth—is exactly the kind of person maids want to serve.”

“Now that you put it that way…”

“Good. Now that you understand, let’s move to the next topic—though before that, you’ve asked enough questions. Time for one from me. Can you guess what race I am?”

The woman gave Cross a challenging look, and he immediately felt troubled.

Long silver hair. A face so coldly beautiful it was almost unreal. Tall and slender, she carried herself with a dignity that could rival royalty.

She was stunningly beautiful.

And yet, she exuded an air of violence—mixed with unmistakable intelligence.

Her presence felt otherworldly, but in terms of appearance alone, she could pass for an extraordinarily attractive human noblewoman.

Elegant, intelligent, breathtaking—and just a little terrifying.

He’d never say it aloud, but the closest comparison might be a high-class courtesan reserved for royalty.

Normally, monsters in disguise left behind some hint of their true nature.

But with her, there was none. Which meant either she belonged to a race closely resembling humans—or…

“…Just to be sure, this is a disguise, right?”

“Of course. My true form looks nothing like this.”

The woman smiled, amused by Cross’s distress.

“…I give up. You must be something impressive, but I can’t tell. And I’ve seen a lot of monsters, so I was confident.”

“Then how about this? Let me warn you—give me a stupid answer, and I will kill you.”

She said this with eerie calm and, in that moment, revealed only her eyes in their true form.

Glowing silver irises with slitted pupils—eyes so dreadful yet so mesmerizing, they perfectly embodied her being. They resembled those of a reptile.

Combined with her overwhelming arrogance and the subtle hints she’d dropped before, even Cross could now guess her true identity.

“…A dragon.”

“Correct. Good thing you didn’t say ‘lizard.’ Had you done that, your head and body would now be separate.”

That probably wasn’t a joke, and Cross felt a chill run down his spine.

A dragon.

Also known as the Dragonkin, their name alone inspired awe and dread.

Even young children understood the terror they represented.

A single juvenile dragon could destroy a small village in under a minute. A fully grown one could rival a fortified military city in power.

They were living weapons of mass destruction.

That was what dragons were.

“As a maid, I barely meet the minimum expectations. I hold no loyalty to you. When the time comes, I won’t follow you. But even so… I outrank every other maid in existence. After all, I’m a dragon—the creature most estranged from the concept of ‘service.’”

Grinning slyly, the woman looked almost triumphant as she spoke.

“Well, yeah… I mean, if I ran into a baby dragon, I’d be torn apart before I could blink.”

Apparently, that was the right answer. She snorted in amusement.

Beautiful, and terrifying.

That was the impression she left—and yet, Cross found himself rather fond of her.

There was something admirable in her dignified bearing, something even likable.
While she did occasionally mock him, Cross didn’t find himself resenting it.
Perhaps it was simply because she was beautiful.

Knowing his own pitiful nature all too well, Cross could admit as much.

“Before we finalize the contract, let me reaffirm the terms. I will not offer you my body. Nor will I show you more than the minimum respect expected of a master.
In return, I will teach you proper manners, and I will protect you should anything happen.
Do we have an agreement?”

To that, Cross nodded.

“In fact, that’s more than I could ask for. I’ve always admired the idea of being cared for by a maid… but after hearing a few things, I’ll admit, it sounds a bit frightening. If someone like you is willing to speak honestly and straightforwardly, that alone is a huge relief. And if you’re also offering to teach me how to function in society and act as my bodyguard, I’d be a fool to complain.”

“Then it’s settled. From this point forward, I—Mercurius—will serve you as your maid. That said, I will only perform the bare minimum of maid duties. But that should suit you just fine. The bath is already drawn and your change of clothes is laid out. However, I have no intention of assisting you directly with your bathing. So get on with it.”

His only real concern had been her maid duties—but, from the sound of it, she was far more capable than he could’ve hoped for.

“Ah, right. Thanks. I’m Cross. Cross Necronia. A temporary master, perhaps, but I’ll be in your care for the time being.”

“Very well. In my own way, I’ll take good care of you—until the day you leave this place.”

Right after saying that, Mercurius suddenly grabbed Cross’s finger and, with one of her claws, made a small cut on the tip.

“Ow! What was that for? Some kind of contract ritual?”

“There is no such ritual for a maid’s service. At most, it would involve paperwork, fool. This is merely to test whether or not you can handle alcohol.”

With that, she let a drop of his blood fall into a vial of clear liquid, sealing it gently.

“Once you know, let me know right away. I’ve got a drinking date with Gryul-san, after all.”

“…A personal invitation from the Harvester himself—how enviable. Very well. As soon as the results are in, I’ll inform you. Now, off to your bath—wait, hold on.”

“Hm?”

Just as Cross tilted his head in confusion, Mercurius took his hand once more.

The same hand, the same finger as before—she brought the wounded tip to her mouth, opened her lips, and slowly ran her tongue along it.

With deliberate, unhurried movements, she licked the blood from his finger.

The sound of saliva echoed in Cross’s ears, the warm, wet sensation crawling up his skin and sending a shiver down his spine.
At the same time, a strange, hard-to-name sense of guilt twisted in his chest, leaving him confused and off-balance.

It only lasted a few seconds—but in that short span, Cross’s heart pounded like a war drum.

“That should do it. You know this already, I’m sure—but a dragon’s saliva is more potent than most medicines. …What’s the matter, Master?”

“…No, it’s just… uh…”

Mercurius tilted her head at Cross’s flustered response, then stepped in closer and sniffed at him with a delicate sound.

Then, with a triumphant look on her face, she flashed a sly, seductive grin.

“If you want to take me by force, I won’t stop you. If you prove yourself the stronger, I’ll welcome it. Of course, I’ll resist with the intent to kill you.”

Having said that, Mercurius, still smirking victoriously, turned toward the door.

“The bath is just down the hall—turn left, then right before the end. You’ll know it when you see it. Now then, Master. Until tomorrow.”

With those final words, she left the room for good.

“…Whew. That was exhausting.”

Fear, tension, and excitement swirled together, and even now, Cross’s heart was pounding.

The emotional whiplash left him oddly drained.

He took a deep breath to calm himself, then gave his cheek a sharp slap to pull himself together.

“Alright… time for a bath. It’s a luxury fit for the rich, but I do know how good it feels. Something to look forward to.”

Muttering to himself as if to shake off everything that had just happened, Cross set off toward the bath.

This experience taught him something.

Not only had his mind matured—but his body had, to some degree, as well.