Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“…I’d like to decorate by myself.”

“No, I want to decorate with you. Come to think of it, I don’t seem to know your tastes. This way, I’ll find out more about it, too.”

‘…I don’t ever think an extra like me would hear such a romantic line.’

“Shall we decorate the room together later? A mix of your tastes and mine.”

Gazing at Ahibalt, who spoke tenderly and bent his eyes, Irene thought.

Ah,

It is truly a terrifying thing to be the male protagonist in the otome game…

‘I almost misunderstood.’

He was just saying to a maid like her, that he would let her decorate the mansion with her style, so why does it sound like Ahibalt was asking her if she wanted to decorate the newlyweds’ room like this?

That is why you should not believe what you hear.

Irene pondered and realized that the more they talked, the more divert she was from her original will to leave the mansion.

‘I got swallowed up by the pace.’

“Wait a minute, Masters.”

The attention of the three men in the room immediately turned to Irene.

“I am still leaving this mansion.”

“Why?”

Again, the same question came back. Though now, Irene already knew that making excuses for cafes did not work, so she had to come up with another excuse. She could not really say, “You guys are the mafia. It is not good for me to get tangled up!” So, what could she say…?

Something suitable…

‘Don’t talk about salaries. I’m certain they will increase it.’

Rooms? Food? Everything is good.

Discord between employees? There is no such thing.

Something that could be an excuse…

Ah!

“Well, there is a provision prohibiting dating. I want to be in a relationship.”

Lies were pouring out.

At Irene’s words, the three men looked puzzled. To be more specific, they didn’t know what she was talking about.

“Was there such a provision?”

“I don’t know…”

“Didn’t you make it?”

‘What kind of atmosphere is this? You guys made it, right…?’

Irene almost frowned.

Of course, it is because the people who made the prohibition on dating looked like they didn’t know anything. However, there was no such thing as a fearless and open frown in front of mafia executives.

Fortunately, the butler, who was silently standing behind her, opened his mouth.

“Well, well. There is the prohibition clause. It’s made by the Young Masters.”

‘Thank you, Grandpa Butler.’ After hearing his words, she secretly thanked him.

All love has obstacles.

For example, couples who are about to get married are actually siblings who broke up when they were young, or people who have developed into lovers from co-workers have a wall called in-house prohibitions.

And, in [ Love or Die ] of course, there were obstacles. That’s right, the prohibition clause.

“Employees often quit because they are in the same boat. I think I have got quite a headache because of that.”

The old butler said with a benevolent smile.

“… Right, it was.” Rodion said with a suspicious smile.

At the same time, it seemed that the troublesome incident that Otis and Ahibalt had forgotten had just come to mind.

Three months ago, two employees who were dating secretly quit together.

As the butler said, the number of changes to the employees of the Lavrenti family was quite frequent. Even if it is not a love affair, as you continue to work here, it is inevitable that employees will naturally come to know the true nature of the Lavrenti family.

There is nothing good about being entangled with the infamous mafia family.

The high salary given by the Lavrenti family is disappointing, but they want to leave in search of a safe job. Although it is impossible to get out completely once you have set foot in a dark area.

Anyway, this couple was quite daring.

They even attempted to rob Lavrenti’s depository.

Of course, this is just a plot made by the creators of 〈 Love or Die 〉 as an obstacle of love, but from the standpoint of watching it seven times, Irene could guarantee that there would be no one with worse quality than them.

Because even before they robbed the safe, they used to steal and sell expensive utensils.

‘It was not a joke, those guys.’

Raising money for their wedding like that…

While they were stealing the tableware, she tried to turn a blind eye to it. Since she did not want to do anything to catch people’s attention.

Despite that, robbing the safe is another story.

After seeing the couple robbed the safe six times, Irene quietly changed the safe. From a vault full of real gold coins, to a safe full of gilded counterfeit gold coins instead.

What happened after they ran away was none of her business, but it was not out of her mind that they would definitely get hurt.

“Who was there, then? Was it Rodion?”

“I was there, brother.”

Otis said with a bright smile. However, the bright smile of a hundred hydrangeas was quite different from what Irene had experienced a little while ago.

“It was not even a great love. When I tore off the man’s arm, he begged me desperately that he was deceived. So, I specifically broke his head first.”

A cold ridicule and sarcasm uttered from his mouth, like a sharp knife hidden in a flower.

Irene, who had always looked at his bright face while working as a maid, realized it without thinking.

‘… That is right, this guy was like this.’

It is not entertaining if there is only one obstacle to love in a romance.

All the men of Lavrenti had one keyword, ‘distrust.’

“It is wrong to trust people. What do you stupidly trust people for? I would rather believe in animals.”

Rodion, the youngest of three sons, distrusts humans.

He thinks that all humans are liars and would rather live with dozens of animals instead.

“Rodion, there is something misunderstood. People can also build up enough trusting relationships. But, love is unbelievable.”

Second oldest, Otis, distrusts love.

His hobbies include breaking romance novels, enchanting women with wild laughter, playing with them, and spending money generously.

“Both of you are noisy. I wish I had killed him myself.”

The oldest brother, Ahibalt, is self-distrusting.

He is a person who does not believe in himself and lives with doubts. When he falls in love, this suspicion spreads to his lover as well.

It is hard to think that they are going to love someone.

‘Yeah, I’ll give Louise all the liver and the gallbladder…’

[ T/N: It is an idiom, when someone bends too blindly to others without self-esteem, people often use the idiom “to remove both liver and gallbladder.” ]

As Irene pondered the storyline of the game, Ahibalt, who had shut his brothers’ mouths, approached and asked. “Since then, there has been a ban on dating, but if that was a dissatisfaction, why didn’t you come to talk to me about it?”

“No, I have no complaints. Though now, I am old enough to think about getting married, it is difficult for me to continue working in a house where there is a prohibition on dating.”

To be honest, she does not even understand why he is holding onto her like this in the first place. Is it such a big deal to just let go of a maid?

As moments pass by, Irene is starting to get annoyed with the situation.

How can she live as a maid seven times because of these guys?

‘I’ll be back later again, anyway.’

Even if she leaves the mansion like this, Louise and one of these men will fall in love eventually. Then, it will end in one way or another, and Irene will return to this house again regardless of her will.

To be honest, since she could not even think of a way to stop this damn regression, it is a waste and scary that she had lived her life so long to die first.

‘I am just going to live my life the way I want until the end of the game.’

“So, I am retiring.”

“Irene.”

Otis grabbed Irene’s arms. Then, he gazed at her with his overly dazzling eyes.

It was a little too flashy, so it was too much pressure.

‘… I am a little nervous.’

“What about the ban on dating between employees?”

‘I am feeling quite anxious about this…’

“It does not apply to employers and employees.”

Wait a minute—

“Would you like to have a relationship with me on the premise of marriage?”

“No, I don’t.”

“I just got hurt.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Otis smiled loosely as if it was okay, and continued.

“Think about it. Didn’t I just ask you to build a house and live together? Just adding marriage to that does not change much..”

No, the fact that the main character asked an extra to marry him would change significantly from the original.

“Organizedmarriage, or contract marriage, is a long-standing tradition. And, it has proven that they can have a happy marriage without love, and with money. Irene, we can make a good couple.”

‘Why is he suddenly moving on to the story of married life while talking about dating!’

“If you want to have a child, I will not stop you. A child who resembles you and me must be lovely. Mrs.—Eup!”

Otis’ words were cut off.

Irene, unable to listen any longer, had covered his mouth with the palm of her hand.

“Stop, stop… please…”