“How about it? Are you interested?”
Hera deliberately emphasized a certain word.
Harvey frowned. “What are you referring to?”
The echo in his heart paused for a moment.
Some kind of expectation had fallen through.
Since signing the Soul Contract, Hera could know what Harvey was thinking. As the God of the Underworld, Hera had dealt with too many human souls.
Greed, lust, cowardice, regret — these emotions were always played out over and over in humans, with nothing new. The Goddess of Wisdom gave them a starting point for thinking, but she never taught them how to harness their desires.
And all untamed emotions would eventually fall into her domain.
She had thought this human child would be no exception. But he didn’t even understand the hint. He didn’t even… think in that direction at all.
This unexpected deviation caused even the God of the Underworld’s thoughts to pause for a breath. This little fellow actually didn’t have any fantasies about the opposite sex in his heart, which was beyond her expectations.
‘Was it because his age is still too young?’ Hera rummaged through Harvey’s past memories.
It was actually all a thirst for knowledge and his own pain… little things like that.
Hera did not give up and continued to try to guide his attention to the opposite sex. “That maid’s figure is more mature than your Eldest Miss’s.”
“Her skeletal proportions are symmetrical, and her blood flow is vigorous.”
“If you are willing to try — “
The God of the Underworld deliberately dragged out her words here, following her understanding of human desire, trying to hook the emotions in the little fellow’s heart.
What responded to her was Harvey’s silence.
He worked hard to understand the meaning behind her words. A deity could not say something meaningless. According to the Church, communication from a god was a miracle in itself. They were all prophecies indicating certain important matters.
Harvey asked seriously, “Are you telling me to confirm if she also possesses magic aptitude?”
“Or… to perform magic experiments on her?”
When he said the last sentence, his eyes suddenly brightened a bit. If he used the **Left Hand of the Underworld God** frequently, perhaps he could indeed adapt faster to that unsettling sense of depravity. In the long run, he would no longer lose control.
‘As expected of the God of the Underworld… she even considered such a problem.’
The ripples in his heart suddenly quieted down.
Harvey was completely unaware, still seriously deducing the possibilities. “But the Head Maid is a bit older, after all. I think her vitality would probably decline quite quickly.”
“If I cannot control it well, the risk won’t be small. Although the Head Maid is usually a bit serious, she’s actually quite… to me as well.”
Only his footsteps echoed in the corridor.
After a long time, Hera could not help but let out a “Hmph.”
“… Boring little fellow.”
Harvey suddenly realized something. “… Are you angry?”
There was no response.
The night wind toyed with the corridor’s lamps, and the silence lasted for a long time. Harvey frowned.
“Are you really a god?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Harvey suddenly felt a chill all over his body, that unmistakable feeling of being watched by a higher existence.
Hera’s voice finally fell. “You dare to question me?”
Her tone was calm, almost cold.
Harvey’s heart stalled from the pressure of that oppression. He had not expected a god to actually get angry. The books always described how great gods were, always looking down on humans from above… could they actually have emotions similar to humans?
“No… it is not questioning.”
“I just want to confirm some things. Oh, no, I hope the Great God will clear up my confusion.”
“The Underworld — where exactly does it exist?”
“Is it above the sky? Or in some space parallel to ours?”
“Does a god have a fixed form? Or are you just an embodiment of certain rules? If you are just an embodiment, why are you so…”
Questions came one after another. He spoke faster and faster, his tone full of irrepressible excitement.
“And — “
“You mentioned ‘mature’ just now.”
“Do gods indeed prefer a certain form? It was once recorded in books that ancient humans would choose people with excellent looks and bodies as sacrifices…”
Harvey was like a man who had suddenly discovered the answer to the world hidden behind a bookshelf; that thirst was almost overflowing from his eyes.
“…”
The oppression in his heart suddenly dissipated. Hera never responded to her representative again.
The corridor’s lamps flickered as they always did, leaving no trace.
—
Morning light fell from the high windows, quietly spreading over the marble floor of the Duke’s Mansion.
It was very quiet inside the mansion, with only the extremely light footsteps of the attendants.
Harvey had been excited all night and only managed to fall asleep with a complex mood. The Great God of the Underworld did not feel like a teacher and had not provided any answers to his doubts.
However, he was still very excited. If he were not in the Duke’s Mansion, he would have even wanted to use the **Left Hand of the Underworld God** one more time. Magic, a beautiful thing he had craved for many years, was enough to make him happy for a long time.
After a simple wash, Harvey changed into a clean butler’s uniform and walked along the side corridor toward the innermost bedroom of the Library Tower.
In front of the door, the maids were already lined up on both sides, without a sound of conversation. The morning light fell on their lowered eyelashes like a row of quiet shadows.
Seeing Harvey rushing over, the Head Maid standing at the front glanced at him for a moment. Her gaze was flat, with no welcome and no hostility. It was a normal confirmation process.
After all, he was not late.
Harvey stopped in front of the door and knocked according to routine. There was no response — this was expected by everyone.
Pushing open the heavy door, Harvey led the maids quietly into the room.
The bed curtains hung slightly, and the morning light reflected a hazy silhouette through the gauze. Lavia was not yet fully awake. The girl curled up among the quilts, her long hair scattered on the side of the pillow, looking as though she was sleeping very peacefully.
Harvey stood by the bed, his heart involuntarily skipping a beat. The Lavia who fell into his arms yesterday was so similar to her current self, yet completely different. Without that pale lack of color, her skin was like freshly carved ivory, with a soft glow in the morning light.
“Miss, it’s time to wake up.”
Lavia opened her eyes blearily. Her azure pupils still held sleepiness.
“Harvey…”
Her vision focused, and Lavia asked the first question of the day. “Where did you go last night?”
Harvey was slightly stunned. “Last night?”
“Mm… I seem to remember that you weren’t by my side.”
Lavia frowned. She found that she could not remember what she had done yesterday. She only remembered being very sleepy when she returned to her room and falling asleep.
‘It looks like I don’t have to worry about exposing Hera’s existence,’ Harvey thought, breathing a sigh of relief in his heart.
Noticing Lavia’s reaching hands, Harvey reached across the girl’s narrow shoulders and easily picked her up. The porcelain that should have been cold carried the moist warmth of just having woken up.
“I was organizing materials in the Private Library,” he whispered in her ear. “Later, I ran into Head Maid Evelyn. She was the one who took care of you.”
Lavia blinked. “Evie?”
Her gaze shifted over Harvey’s shoulder toward the dignified figure standing not far away. The Head Maid was in a black and white maid’s dress, standing at the edge of the morning light with a solemn expression. With her hands folded over her abdomen, she looked very much like a statue.
The Head Maid’s name was Evelyn; “Evie” was an affectionate name that only Lavia could use. At least, Harvey did not dare call the Head Maid that.
Lavia curled her lips. “She’s good at everything, she’s just too old-fashioned.”
Evelyn’s brow twitched imperceptibly, but she did not speak.
Harvey smiled helplessly. He leaned down and picked up Lavia, letting her sit on the edge of the bed.
The maid behind him handed over the folded lace undergarments. Harvey put on these clothes that would make others blush and their hearts race for the girl, his gaze remaining clear.
“She is only doing it for your own sake.”
Lavia looked down at his profile as he tied the ribbons for her. Sunlight fell on his lean silhouette.
“Then what about you?” she suddenly asked.
Harvey’s movements paused for a split second. “Me?”
“Mm.” Lavia looked at him seriously. “What are you doing it for?”
Harvey looked up and met her gaze. Those azure eyes were clear and bright, like the rumored **Heart of the Sea**. It was the most precious gem in the Kingdom of Rune.
He showed a trace of helplessness. “I am your private property, Lady Lavia.”
Hearing this, Lavia’s brow furrowed slightly. That slight displeasure was fleeting. Soon, she flashed a bright smile again.
“That’s right,” she said word by word. “You are Harvey, and you are my private property.”
She did not hide her possessiveness toward him at all; it was even a daily explicit assertion.
After speaking, Lavia turned her head and let the maid adjust the hem of her skirt.
‘It was just a casual remark.’
Harvey lowered his eyes.