I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 308

Chapter 14: The Gray Maid

The theater stage was quite expansive, with generous spacing between seats, all adorned with plush velvet cushions. Just stepping into the theater could accommodate hundreds of people.

Roy picked a nice spot, one that allowed him to see the details on stage while not being too close and making it awkward to view the whole scene.

Actually, with Roy’s finances, he could shell out some cash to upgrade to a fancier VIP box, but since it was his first time here, he wanted Alice to have a regular viewing experience.

Next time, upgrading to a box could wait.

Roy and Alice settled into their seats. Before long, the lights dimmed, and the entire theater fell silent.

Then, the curtain rose, and soft, elegant music echoed throughout.

Roy had never been exposed to drama in his past life, so seeing it now felt fresh and new.

The actors had fantastic props that created all sorts of effects, their costumes were rather exquisite, and the acting? Flawless.

The only thing Roy wanted to critique was the predictably familiar plot.

A plain little maid, accidentally bumping into a noble young master.

As a maid, she charms the young master with her sincere kindness. The two, as master and maid, develop feelings through their daily interactions, but the class divide makes it impossible for them to bridge the gap…

Just a few minutes in, Roy felt this story was incredibly familiar.

Isn’t it the same old romance trope no matter what world you’re in?

But hey, watching it once in a while isn’t the worst.

The key question was whether Alice liked it.

Roy sneaked a glance at the maid beside him.

She looked completely mesmerized, staring intently at the stage.

Seeing Alice so engrossed made Roy chuckle a little.

As long as she liked it.

Alice initially didn’t think too much, choosing this play mostly because the term “maid” felt oddly comforting.

However, when the curtain lifted and the drama began, a brand new world opened up to her.

The gray maid called Grey was basically a mirror of herself.

Like Grey, she had a tragic background, living a drab, gray life. Until one day, she met a kind young man and finally added some color to her world.

How similar was this to her encounter with her master?

But just the opening scene was something; the subsequent movements and expressions of the gray maid, revealing her feelings, made Alice feel completely absorbed, unable to extricate herself.

Initially, Grey showed respect towards her master, but that gentle master was so kind, always granting her unimaginable happiness. Wanting to repay such kindness, Grey studied cooking and enjoyed accompanying her master on walks, giving her the little things she could offer. Whenever this small gesture made her master smile, Grey felt it was the ultimate happiness.

Yet, gradually, she became unsatisfied, feeling a strange, unexplainable longing.

She craved more of her master’s attention, more touches, and more time alone with him. Even when she already had happiness, she still couldn’t help but desire more.

But then, seeing other women around her master left her feeling gloomy and deeply tormented, drowning in self-doubt.

Though Grey was sunny and cheerful, totally unlike Alice, she made Alice feel as if she were seeing another version of herself, deeply relating to the sweet pain and confusion of the gray maid.

As the story deepened, fully invested, Alice looked at the dwindling figures of the male and female leads and suddenly felt a strange urgency.

Grey spent her days in misery and confusion until that day when she witnessed a noble lady throwing herself at her master.

It’s normal for a fine young man to attract the attention of excellent women.

As a maid, feeling happy for her master was understandable.

It should be, right?

But the gray maid wasn’t happy.

She hid in a corner, sobbing, as if the vibrant world fell back into darkness.

“It’s all my fault. As a maid, I shouldn’t harbor disrespectful feelings for my master, longing for his affection! This feeling was wrong from the start!”

Grey’s monologue made Alice’s heart quiver intensely.

Wanting her master’s gaze, longing for touches, yearning for time alone with him—

Was this feeling really wrong? Shouldn’t a maid like her have respect for her master?

Those dazzling ladies should be the ones beside him; a gray maid like her should simply wait quietly.

That should’ve been perfectly natural.

But watching the gray maid shrink in the corner, gazing longingly at her master, Alice felt her heart wrenching, almost unable to breathe.

And her master couldn’t accept the distance growing between them, eventually finding Grey one night, asking why she was pulling away.

Under the cold moonlight, the notes were melodious.

The night courtyard was peaceful yet hauntingly beautiful, filled with inexplicable sadness.

At her master’s questioning, Grey finally wept and confessed her long-suppressed longing—

Beside her, the black-haired boy scratched his cheek, his expression strangely awkward.

To be fair, the story wasn’t that bad. But this master-maid romance made him think of Alice, making it oddly immersive and even a bit embarrassing.

Just as his mind wandered, Roy suddenly felt a chill run through him.

The atmosphere had peaked; the performance was reaching its climax.

Facing the gray maid’s tears and the emotions spilling forth, her master was finally going to respond.

Was the gray maid’s feeling really wrong?

Alice’s heart raced to its peak, even forgetting to breathe—

But just when the young man on stage was about to react, Alice let out a surprised shout.

Because Roy suddenly swooped in and hugged her, pinning her down tightly.

“Master?” Alice’s pupils dilated, and she felt her heart almost leap out of her chest.

Until a deafening crash echoed from above.

The originally grand and brilliant ceiling turned into a cascade of rubble, pouring down and sweeping through the theater.

Alice’s expression faltered, panicking a bit as she tried to push the boy away.

In this moment, she should’ve been the one protecting her master.

However, Roy barked coldly, “Don’t move!”

The next second, a torrent of debris came rushing in, mercilessly engulfing the figures in the theater.

The melodious, lyrical tune abruptly stopped, replaced by a chorus of terrified screams and cries.

The two-headed bone dragon crashed down, the frail old man landing on stage.

He glanced at the panicking actors nearby, and a hint of sympathy flashed in his expression.

“Love is merely a worldly suffering.”

Kalman opened his arms, his ghostly green eyes burning faintly, and an eerie smile unfolded on his skeletal face.

“Don’t panic, everyone.”

“Your master will bring equal grace to each one of you, erasing the woes of flesh and blood, granting you eternal bliss called Silence!”