Volume 2 Chapter 1 The Past of the Worthless Dog Maid, The Reason She Loves Him
The Act Age of the Guildmaster.
Frederica, the servant who serves him.
She was created by the [Transcendent], the strongest magical beast.
Her mission was singular.
'Listen, Frederica. You're the gatekeeper. If enemies come from outside, drive them away. But no killing, okay?'
Deep within a certain dungeon.
In the depths of a hellish abyss, the [Transcendent] had made its home.
To protect the dwelling of her master.
That was the mission given to the girl Fenrir, the gatekeeper.
...However, almost no one visited this place.
In fact, most humans died the moment they fell into the abyss.
On the rare occasion, a few lucky souls managed to survive.
But...
'HII...! D-DON'T COME NEAR ME, MONSTER!'
'Y-YOU'RE GOING TO EAT ME, AREN'T YOU? STAY AWAY! MONSTER...!'
They all rejected Frederica.
Despite her healing and assistance, not a single person thanked her.
Everyone cast hostility and fear her way.
She had gone out of her way to help them...
She spent what felt like an eternity in solitude.
Not once did her master, the [Transcendent], step outside to check on her.
Frederica was the gatekeeper.
She wasn't allowed inside the mansion.
Neither her master nor the humans who fell into the abyss had any positive feelings towards her.
Not a single person cared about her.
It was lonely, so lonely... yet she wasn't permitted to die.
'I"m so lonely...'
How many times had she whispered that?
Thousands?
Millions?
Billions?
Finally, it seemed like the gods heard Fenrir's words, and one day, he fell.
The boy with black hair... was in terrible condition.
'......'
After confirming the boy was still alive, she cast her healing magic.
There were no special feelings involved.
She was simply following her master's orders to send him away.
With a flicker, he opened his eyes.
He possessed strange, golden irises.
'Hey, you.'
'.........Huh?'
At first, she didn't realize he was talking to her.
'You were the one who helped me?'
Frederica was greatly surprised.
The humans who had helped her had seen this form and turned on her in shock and hostility.
But the boy in front of her, she didn't sense that from him at all.
'Uh, um... well,'
'Yeah. Thanks for the help. I'm grateful.'
What surprised her even more was that he bowed his head to her, showing his gratitude.
'......'
He was such a mysterious boy.
Why wasn't he afraid of her?
Why would he thank her?
'Why are you crying?'
'Huh...?'
Frederica realized she had been silently shedding tears.
'Why are you crying? Did something sad happen to you?'
'No... it's not that... this is... I'm happy...'
Ah, that's right, she realized as the words left her lips.
For the first time, she had been thanked.
For the first time, someone had conversed with her not as a monster, but as an equal.
That truly made her happy.
'What's your name?'
'Frederica... it is.'
'I'm Act Age. An adventurer... I guess.'
He mentioned that he had just been expelled from the guild recently and was now a solo adventurer.
'Frederica, what are you doing here all alone?'
At Act's question, Frederica's expression clouded over.
'Nothing... I'm just... always... alone...'
Her master's command was to drive away any enemies that came.
But centuries had passed, and not once had an enemy worthy of a Transcendent like him appeared.
The days of driving away those who came were just boring... and lonely.
'I see. So you've got too much free time on your hands.'
'Huh...?'
Act said such a thing to her as she cried.
'Just right. Lend me your strength.'
'Huh? Ah? Um...?'
'I can feel an immense amount of magic power from you. And that healing power that cured me in an instant... it could be very useful.'
Without a moment's hesitation, Act stepped closer, reaching out his hand.
'Such a wonderful power would be wasted if you don't use it. I'll put it to use. So, come with me.'
He looked Frederica straight in the eye, without a hint of fear.
'I need you, Frederica.'
Frederica let out a sob, her head bowing low.
Being needed by someone... it was the first time in her life.
His eyes, sharp as they were, held a surprising warmth.
He must've felt sympathy for her lonely self.
Without realizing it, Frederica transformed using her Shapeshifting ability, taking on the form of a beautiful young girl.
'Sir Act, please, allow me to accompany you.'
She took Act's hand and nodded.
He roughly wiped her eyes with his hand.
'However, Sir Act, I desperately want to follow you, but I belong to a Master, and I cannot leave without his permission.'
"I see. Then let's go meet him."
Act didn't hesitate, boldly heading towards the mansion.
'W-WAIT! MY MASTER... HE SAID... HE SAID NOT TO LET ANYONE ENTER!'
'I'm not your enemy. I'm a guest here to see him. Can't you tell the difference between a guest and an enemy?'
'B-but...'
He strode confidently into the mansion with an air of power.
Confused and uncertain, Frederica followed behind him.
His bold stride was truly impressive.
His fearless approach to the unknown struck Frederica with admiration.
A monster like this guarded her Master at the bottom of hell.
He must be a terrifying existence.
Usually, Frederica would back away in fear, but...
'Sir Act, aren't you afraid?'
'Don't be ridiculous. There's no way I'd be afraid. But cowering wouldn't solve anything.The only way to forge a path is to keep moving forward without fear.'
'......'
Act's words pierced through the weight that had kept Frederica chained to that place for so long.
'If you're going to serve me, then don't ever hesitate again. Don't show me such a pathetic sight. Understand?'
His words were harsh, but Frederica sensed a genuine concern for her behind them.
*Thump-thump...* Her heart skipped a beat.
What was this feeling?
She tilted her head in confusion.
They eventually reached to the [Transcendent]'s room.
'......'
Frederica trembles down.
Her master had strictly ordered her not to let any enemies in here.
But they had allowed an invader in.
Just thinking about what kind of punishment awaited them made my feet freeze and my body tremble.
'Hmph, worthless mutt. Have you forgotten my words already?'
I ruffled Frederica's hair, feeling a mix of affection and authority.
'You belong to me now. No one can take anything away from me, no matter who they are.'
...Her heart tightened with a pang.
And then, finally, she became aware of her own feelings.
'What's with you? Wagging your tail like that?'
'No... Sir Act. I mean, Master.'
Reflecting back, Frederica realized she must have been drawn to him from the very first moment they met.
'You're too eager. Isn't your master still inside?'
'No, my heart and body are already yours, my Master. Please, tell the former master inside to let you take me away.'
'That was my intention from the start. Let"s go, Frederica.'
'YES, MY MASTER!'
...After that, he encountered the Transcendent, earned their favor, and received various powers and knowledge.
From that moment on, Frederica served as a maid in Act Age.
His created guild, the Gem of Heavenly Gift.
A gathering place for the weak with nowhere else to turn.
To help them grow strong enough to never feel sad again... and eventually, to let them fly free.
A guild crafted to embody his ideal, made for those who had been cast out.
A world where the weak would never be trampled on.
That ideal was perhaps too lofty.
No one could ever achieve it.
In fact, no one had even dared to pursue it.
...Except for him, the gentlest person of all.
Yet still, Master Act forged ahead, determined to accomplish his goals.
Ever since he met Frederica, he hadn't looked back or even paused for a moment.
She had the privilege of watching his figure from her special seat, standing right behind him.
How incredibly happy I felt.
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