Reincarnated User Manual

Shiron arrived at Dawn Castle while keeping his distance from Lucia.

He expected Lucia, fuming with anger, to chase after him, but she probably was still in shock. Even after turning to check, there was no sign of the red-haired girl. Shiron, feeling somewhat uneasy, approached the gate.

The massive gate was so tall that you had to look up just to see its top, and it didn’t look like it could be easily opened. After all, if anyone could easily open it, it wouldn’t serve its function as a fortress gate and would soon be replaced.

If he couldn’t get in, he should call out. Shiron knocked hard on the metal gate.

Bang- Bang- Bang-

There weren’t any guards at the gate of Dawn Castle. However, there were plenty of servants who could hear the sound from the gate, even though it was quite far from the mansion.

-Who dares to come in!

Only a few seconds had passed since he knocked, and there was already a reaction. Shiron recognized the lively voice.

“Encia?”contemporary romance

-I do not know anyone by that name. If you mean to refer to me, then you’re mistaken. I am the third-ranked guardian of Dawn Castle, the one who despises fate the most, and he who unleashes divine wrath upon the wrongdoers with the title of ‘Speedy Thunderbolt’!

Even though he had already revealed her identity, she responded with exaggerated denial. What was wrong with her?

“Then who is ranked first and second?”

-The honorable descendants of Prient, the adorable young lord and lady, and… Ah! I forgot about the head maid. Let me correct that to fourth rank.

Groan- Grrrrr-

The massive gate groaned loudly as it began to open.

The maid, who was using all her strength to open the door, was none other than Encia.

Once the gate was open just wide enough for about three people to pass, Encia wiped the sweat from her forehead and gave Shiron a bright smile.

“It’s really hard to open it alone. Phew.”

“Why did you come alone? There are others with good strength.”

Looking at the panting Encia, Shiron asked this. With over twenty maids in Dawn Castle, it was strange that only she came to open the gates. He didn’t even consider the possibility that they didn’t hear his voice.

“……Well, I lost a bet. Hehe.”

“Bet?”

Encia scratched the back of her head awkwardly. Looking at her, Shiron squinted suspiciously. What bet did she lose that led to this predicament? Encia quickly changed the topic upon noticing Shiron’s skeptical gaze.

“Why did you choose to come in through the castle gate? Just like when you left, you could’ve climbed the castle wall.”

With an annoyed look, Encia crossed her arms and pouted. Of course, she and the other maids knew that Shiron had left without a word.

Perhaps it was because of that. Normally, Encia would have opened the door without any fuss, but her attitude today was oddly irritable.

However, Shiron didn’t pay any mind. Thanks to the ruckus, he was able to properly bring Lucia along.

Rubbing his sore shoulders, Shiron replied.

“I exerted myself all night and don’t have the strength to climb the walls.”

“You exerted yourself?”

“Yes. I ran out of the lemonade you gave me halfway.”

Shiron took out empty bottles from his leather bag and handed them all to Encia.

She looked at him silently for a moment before accepting the bag filled with empty bottles. There were more than ten bottles.

‘Oh my, he drank all of that…’

Encia began to worry if Shiron might end up drawing circles on the walls or something through the night.

---

Shiron, burdened by the fatigue of wandering all night, trudged along the corridor. He wanted to collapse onto a bed and sleep immediately, but he was headed for the baths first.

Dust and sweat clung to him, and he had intentionally smeared a good amount of blood on himself to attract Berta’s attention, so he looked quite the sight.

“Master?!”

Just when he was eagerly heading off to wash off all the grime, a maid he bumped into exclaimed in surprise.

“Are you severely injured? There’s blood on you… What should we do…”

It was Ophilia.

“No, I’m not really hurt… and it’s not my blood, so don’t worry too much.”

Ophilia covered her mouth with her delicate hand, her eyes brimming with tears, clearly very shocked. It was amusing how different her reaction was compared to Encia’s.

But it was not that Encia’s reaction was abnormal; it was that Ophilia’s was special. On his way here, he encountered many maids, but most of them just gave a simple bow. Encia’s indifference to his battered appearance was typical for this place.

Regardless of the maids’ typical reactions, Shiron didn’t feel sorry about sneaking out at night without a word to Encia, but he did feel apologetic towards Ophilia.

‘By the way,’

Suddenly, he wondered if Berta, whom he had sent ahead, had arrived safely.

“Speaking of which, Ophilia, I have a question.”

“Yes?”

“Did a slightly arrogant-looking black-haired woman come to the castle?”

At Shiron’s question, Ophilia blinked in surprise.

“Oh! Come to think of it, an outsider woman knocked on the castle gate earlier.”

“She didn’t mention my name, did she?”

“Yes, she did.”

Ophilia said and then smiled brightly.

“You’re talking about a woman who had a stronger scent of human blood than a beast’s and smelled strongly of mud, right? When she mentioned your name, Lady Yuma took her in.”

“……”

“It must’ve been so unpleasant for you, having your name come out of such a dirty woman’s mouth.”

“……Uh, hmm.”

Shiron scratched the back of his head. It was slightly startling to hear such harsh words from Ophilia, who was known to be the most delicate maid in the castle.

Moreover, the way she spoke made it seem as if she treated the guest as trash… If such words had come from Encia’s mouth, he might have shrugged it off.

Feeling awkward, Shiron massaged the back of his neck.

“……That was my doing.”

“What?”

“I told her to mention my name. I thought something like this might happen, but now I feel bad.”

“I, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have spoken ill of your guest!”

Ophilia closed her eyes tightly and repeatedly bowed. The laundry she was tightly clutching scattered across the corridor floor.

“It’s okay. I trust that Yuma will treat her well.”

The Yuma that Shiron knew had always shown a compassionate side in the game. At least, as long as Berta didn’t threaten Shiron, whom Yuma devoutly served, the chances of something happening to her were… probably none.

Shiron coughed a few times lightly, patted Ophilia’s shoulder, and chuckled.

“… I now consider it her karma.”

‘Indeed, who said not to listen to me?’

---

The term “Devil’s Castle” was definitely a word written on Berta’s mission statement.

In this world, the term “devil” did not imply anything positive.

How could a world, almost once destroyed by the Demon Lord, view the demon races favorably? Yet, it was puzzling why the Empire’s institution explicitly referred to the Castle of Prient, a significant pillar of the Empire, as the “Devil’s Castle.”

That was, up until a moment ago.

Even as Berta submerged herself in a warm bath, she remained tense.

“Is the temperature to your liking?”

The reason was the presence of a woman attending to her. Berta, with her heart racing, slowly responded.

“…Yes. The water’s temperature is perfect.”

Being careful so that her voice wouldn’t quiver or make any mistaken judgments as before, Berta was extremely cautious.

However, Yuma, the Dawn Castle’s Head Maid and loyal servant to the Prients, couldn’t bear to see her uncomfortable.

In Yuma’s eyes, Berta seemed like a friend her son had brought home for the first time. There was an inherent pride filling a space within her heart. Whenever she looked at Berta, for some reason, she would recall Shiron’s smiling face.

Moreover, Berta was the first outsider invited to the Dawn Castle in decades, truly a rare connection.

After applying aromatic oil to her hands, Yuma gently massaged Berta’s tense shoulders and whispered.

“Please speak comfortably. Since our young master invited Miss Berta, you must hold great renown. There’s no need to use honorifics with a mere servant like me.”

“…No, not at all. Renown? I’m merely an employee getting a salary from the country.”

Berta responded with a bitter smile.

Whenever Yuma praised her, memories of her embarrassing moments in front of Shiron and Lucia would resurface.

“Hehe. How can you be so modest? It’s not common to find someone who works hard enough for the Empire that they literally emanate the scent of their efforts. Truly, you are the Empire’s treasure.”

“…Thank you for your encouraging words.”

Not knowing how to handle the discomfort arising from deep within, Berta still felt enthralled by Yuma’s touch.

In all her years and assignments, this was the first time someone attended to her during a bath. Furthermore, the attendant was a beauty, captivating enough to inadvertently steal Berta’s gaze.

Berta, who grew up in a noble family with a decent reputation in the Empire, had never experienced such service from someone of such stunning beauty, even in their mansion in the capital.

If one had to make a comparison, she could match the mesmerizing poet Berta once saw in the academic city’s square.

However, unlike that elf poet, the servant had horns that projected a formidable presence on her head. Berta might have been more at ease receiving her service if not for those horns.

Feeling a tinge of regret, Berta questioned once more why this place was called the “Devil’s Castle.”

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