Chapter 373: The Maid’s Bold Secret Trap

"Do you always work this late?"

"Hmm?" Finn looked up from his desk, meeting Lisanna’s gaze. Her sudden question caught him slightly off guard. "I do. What’s wrong?"

"Are you happy?" Lisanna asked, tilting her head.

It had started as a normal morning. Or rather, this was his new normal. Lately, his early hours were spent almost exclusively with Lisanna, mainly because Flare couldn’t be relied upon for breakfast. It wasn’t that Flare lacked cooking skills; she was simply too exhausted to drag herself out of bed before the sun was high in the sky.

Bisca was also absent in the mornings, tied up with her family duties. And Sorano? She was a quintessential night owl. Instead of morning shifts, she handled the night work, which was for the best. Her domestic skills were practically non-existent, given she had spent the vast majority of her life operating as a Dark Guild mage.

Then there was Mirajane.

Likely worried about leaving her younger sister alone at Finn’s place, Mira often lingered in the mornings, offloading the heavy lifting of guild work onto Elfman and Cana.

While Elfman and Cana certainly complained—especially when Mirajane took a cut of the reward money from the jobs they actually finished—they generally kept their mouths shut. After all, she was always there to bail them out whenever a mission went critically wrong.

Yet, Finn was a brutal taskmaster when it came to those two. He frequently dispatched Elfman and Cana on grueling missions that bordered on S-Rank difficulty. Officially, they lacked the qualifications for such dangerous work, and guild rules usually bent strictly against it. But under Finn’s discrete direction, they took on high-risk jobs, raked in substantial money, and rapidly grew stronger. He had an uncanny knack for knowing exactly what type of combat experience suited their magical development best.

Naturally, Finn kept them in line by warning them that any collateral damage would be deducted from their paychecks. The threat of working a deadly mission for zero profit forced them to refine their magical control immensely. Despite the harshness, the experience was forging them into formidable mages. Plus, during their downtime, they enjoyed full access to the luxurious facilities owned by his company—hotels, private transportation, and top-tier accommodations, just like the rest of his inner circle.

This calculated generosity left Mirajane with complicated feelings. Initially, she had pegged him as an arrogant young man willing to use anyone to achieve his goals. Yet, that assumption crumbled daily. He was uncompromisingly fair, offering financial backing, combat experience, and quiet kindnesses she couldn’t even begin to tally.

Even as the months passed, Mirajane couldn’t sense an ounce of malice or lust in Finn toward her, Lisanna, or Cana. He constantly projected an awe-inspiring, respectable aura. He was impeccable, keeping himself guarded as if wearing invisible armor. It actually made her feel a pang of pity, wondering if he was exhausting himself by constantly maintaining such a flawless facade.

Doesn’t he ever get tired? she often wondered.

She had made a mental note to drag him out of the office soon. If he stayed locked up behind that desk, she feared he might rot there, completely missing out on the beauty of the world outside. (Of course, whenever she thought this, the unhinged, pet-like obsession of Flare or the exhausted, flushed face of Bisca would flash in her mind—images she actively chose to ignore.)

Ultimately, Mirajane trusted Finn. It was because of this absolute trust that she let Lisanna stay by his side without a shred of worry.

But even if Finn wouldn’t try anything, what exactly was Lisanna planning to do?

"Wow!"

Lisanna couldn’t hide her awe. She had asked Finn to take a break, but she never expected him to actually agree to go out with her on a whim.

Since traveling by airship would take too long, they took to the sky directly. Using her Take Over magic, Lisanna absorbed the soul of a swift coastal sea hawk, easily keeping pace with him as they soared away from Hargeon.

She had expected a quick flight over the coast. What she didn’t expect was for him to lead her deep into a secluded mountain range.

"Where exactly are we?" she asked as they touched down.

The mountain was breathtaking. Vibrant, exotic flowers and ancient trees grew in mesmerizing, deliberate patterns. A pristine, clearly paved stone path wound through the wilderness, making for an effortless walk. Yet, despite the manicured beauty, there wasn’t a single human in sight.

Instead, her eyes caught movement in the trees—something entirely unexpected. "Are those... Golems? Cyborgs?"

"I bought this mountain a while ago," Finn replied casually.

"...You bought it?!"

"It used to be a bandit headquarters. I cleaned them out, then bought the deed from the previous owner for practically nothing."

Lisanna blinked, staring at him. Did he buy it when it was full of bandits, or after he slaughtered them all? Is there really a difference? Either way, she could easily imagine him acquiring this massive estate for pocket change.

"Though, this is my first time actually coming here in a while," Finn admitted, glancing around.

Without the ’Manager,’ Finn wouldn’t have bothered developing this territory. While the mountain was rich in natural resources, managing it manually would have been a logistical nightmare. But with the Manager system in place, he simply handed over control to the cyborgs and golems he had introduced to this world.

Earthland was a strange place, but with magic, anything was possible. To build a hidden, luxurious resort out of thin air—a project that should have taken decades and a fortune—all he had to do was purchase the necessary Lacrima, link his magical energy to the automated workers, and let the Manager handle the precise construction.

For Finn, it was the perfect setup. Human labor was flawed, prone to errors, and carried the risk of theft or leaked secrets. He valued his privacy above all else. He didn’t want the rest of the world knowing about this hidden paradise.

Lisanna stepped closer, looking up at him with bright eyes. "So... I’m the first person you’ve brought here?"

"Well, yes. You’re the first, mainly because aside from flying, there’s no actual road to—"

"I’m the first!" she cheered, cutting him off.

Finn sighed, a helpless expression crossing his face. "...Listen to someone until the end, would you?"

Instead of apologizing, Lisanna’s smile only grew brighter. She reached out, lacing her fingers through his and holding his hand tightly. "So, shall we relax?"

"..."

Finn stared at their connected hands. He had honestly thought today would just be a quick, routine inspection of the property before heading back to the office by nightfall.

So why?

Why did he suddenly get the distinct feeling that Lisanna was expecting something entirely different to happen?