“Master, I was preparing—huh?”
Nefu froze. Wait, what? Ophelia had just agreed—without a single moment of hesitation?
This bizarre scene instantly put Nefu on high alert. That wasn’t right. Ophelia wasn’t the type to let her off so easily. She must have an ulterior motive.
After a brief pause, Nefu said nothing more. She gave a slight bow.
“Nefu thanks Master.”
“No problem. After all, you’re my little cutie, aren’t you?”
Ophelia set the roasted chicken on the table and waved casually at Nefu.
“Little Nefu, prepare some hot water for me. I’m feeling a bit tired too.”
“Yes…”
The next day, the brown-haired girl in a maid outfit arrived at Anlina’s recruitment square. Even in disguise, Ophelia’s words from yesterday still echoed in Nefu’s mind.
“Little Nefu, you can go solo or team up. I’d suggest teaming up—it’s more efficient.”
“But if you do look for teammates, keep your eyes sharp~ Don’t let someone with ill intentions trick you.”
Truthfully, the ideal choice would’ve been Ophelia herself. But she’d flatly refused—too lazy to leave home.
That’s why Nefu stood here alone. Ophelia had even tweaked their contract to let her roam farther.
Still, Nefu couldn’t shake the feeling she was being watched.
Alright. Time to fulfill her master’s first order: find a team.
Nefu scanned the crowd slowly. Someone with ill intentions… would she really meet one?
After observing awhile, she approached to ask. But the adventurers sized her up with odd looks, then all waved her off.
Nefu frowned. Strange. She was a second-tier mage—not weak at all. Why reject her?
Just as frustration crept in, a female voice called from behind.
“Miss Maid, would you like to join our team?”
Nefu turned. A petite female adventurer smiled warmly.
“If you’re interested, let’s discuss inside the recruitment hall.”
A moment later—
“Let me introduce myself. I’m Amy, a rogue.”
“Nefu…”
Her reply was barely a whisper. From the others’ introductions, Nefu learned this five-person team was cobbled together by Amy.
The archer and tank seemed unremarkable. But Amy… and the warrior named Kawon…
Nefu narrowed her eyes slightly. A flicker of familiarity—yet she was certain they’d never met.
Amy spoke smoothly, naturally taking charge. Without realizing it, everyone followed her lead.
They quickly settled on a task: low risk, high reward, just tedious.
When Nefu read the brief, anger flashed in her eyes. Hunt one hundred Mimics on floors twenty to twenty-five.
They wanted her to kill her own kind?!
“Sister Nefu, your face looks off. Something wrong?” Amy asked, noticing her tension.
“I’m fine. Let’s take this commission.”
Nefu waved a hand and rubbed her cheeks, smoothing her expression.
Hunting Mimics wasn’t dangerous—but since they mimicked nearby objects, it felt like hide-and-seek.
By afternoon on floor twenty-one, the group had found only a few. Everyone stayed cheerful… except the little maid trailing behind, face gloomy.
Completing this would be effortless for Nefu. But harming fellow Mimics? Impossible.
“Isn’t this search method inefficient?” Amy mused during a break.
“Yeah,” Kawon agreed, then turned to Nefu. “Miss Maid, any way to spot Mimics faster? Or should we just burn the forest?”
Nefu sighed. “Leave it to me.”
Her plan was simple: summon nearby Mimics and let them handle the rest. She wouldn’t strike—but she wouldn’t abandon the commission either.
Yet these adventurers were weaker than expected.
How could they not notice Mimics nearly surrounding them?!
Another sigh. A bad feeling settled in her chest.
Evening fell unnoticed. By the campfire, Nefu tilted her face toward the ceiling, lost in thought. This was the first night away while Ophelia knew she was out… It felt… different.
And these four adventurers—should she eliminate them? She dismissed the thought. Ophelia surely knew her teammates. If only she returned alive… too suspicious.
“Miss Nefu? Miss Nefu?”
Amy’s waving hand pulled her back.
“You didn’t hear me calling? What were you thinking about?”
“Sorry,” Nefu offered an apologetic smile.
“Oh right—we’ve never seen the mage lady fight. If you sit out tomorrow, we might finish without you.”
The tank stared straight at her, tone edged with hostility.
*Does he think I’m slacking while taking a share?* For a split second, Nefu’s pupils narrowed to slits. *Would Ophelia even notice if one died…?*
She’d lured every Mimic here. How dare he say she did nothing? Fury surged—she’d held back long enough. One slip, and they’d all be gone.
She took a slow breath. *Stay calm. No trouble.*
Just then, Kawon approached with a steaming pot.
“Come, try my wild herb porridge. Best I can do with wilderness supplies.”
His arrival broke the tension.
“Kawon’s porridge is great!” Amy urged everyone to serve up. “Only five Mimics left—we’ll finish tomorrow. Early reward, happy team, right?”
Afraid her restraint would snap if she stayed close, Nefu sat farther away.
The porridge looked decent. She took a tiny sip.
The moment the warmth touched her tongue—her eyes flew wide.
This…
