Chapter 3

How did it come to this?

I was sure I hadn’t said or done anything that would make her suspicious.

Even while panicking, I tried to maintain a composed, arrogant attitude befitting Rasta.

Rasta was supposed to act endlessly domineering toward Gina, never resorting to begging for his life.

“What is the meaning of this, Gina? Have you forgotten who rescued you?”

I tried to threaten her haughtily, but it completely failed.

Overwhelmed by Gina’s far superior murderous intent, my voice ended up trembling and cracking high.

“I owe a great debt to my lord, but you are someone else, aren’t you? Acting nothing like my lord—you can’t fool these eyes of mine.”

I wanted to escape into denial as I received a response that truly felt like there was no room for negotiation.

Because it was Gina, perhaps she was sensitive enough to sense that something was off about me after I recovered my memories.

If it had been anyone else who had zero interest in Rasta, they probably wouldn’t have noticed a thing… things just weren’t going smoothly.

If I didn’t try my best, I’d be killed right on the spot, so I had to find a way to convince her.

Desperately digging through Rasta’s memories, I forced my heavy tongue to move.

“It was four years ago when I picked you up. You suddenly lunged at me in a back alley, didn’t you?”

“…Did you hear about that from my lord?”

Gina glared at me, full of suspicion.

“Right after you grabbed my throat, your stomach growled and you passed out cold, if I recall.”

“T-That is—”

Judging by how crimson she turned in an instant, it must have been a past she didn’t want to remember.

“When you started crying out for your mother in your sleep, I honestly wondered what on earth was going on.”

“Y-You even know what I said in my sleep!? Could you really be my actual lord?!”

Writhing in embarrassment, Gina completely scattered her murderous intent.
Her instincts were sharp, but the fact that she was still just a thirteen-year-old girl probably worked in my favor.

“I-I am terribly sorry. It was just that your behavior and atmosphere felt so different.”

Stepping away from me, Gina wore a tragic expression.

“If that is the case, I shall take my life to apologize!”

“Wait!”

Expecting her to say something like that, I stopped her with a firm voice.
This time, my voice didn’t crack.

“I’m going to need your strength from now on. If you call this an apology, serve me with all your heart and soul even more than before.”

Gina might have been desperate, but I was desperate too.

I couldn’t afford to lose the only person I was certain was an ally.

If she died right here, I could confidently guarantee that the probability of me meeting a bad end was one hundred percent.

“B-But.”

Seeing Gina show hesitation, I pressed the advantage.

“Do you have the right to die without my permission?”

I figured this kind of phrasing would work best on her, and I was spot on.
She put away her dagger and pressed both hands and her forehead flat against the carpet.

“I am deeply ashamed. I thank you for your generous forgiveness.”

For now, I let out a sigh of relief, glad that I had managed to avoid losing my only loyal retainer and greatest ally.