The Duke of Death and His Maid (死神坊ちゃんと黒メイド)

Death incarnate, huh?

"Dear Mother and Father, how are you faring?

I remain a lost cause."

"I'm sorry to report that this wretched curse,

which takes the life's breath of any unfortunate thing

I happen to touch, shows no sign of breaking."

My Lady, another animal touched the boy and...

Living under the same roof with him

makes me tremble with fear.

Send him to our villa.

That child is like Death incarnate.

"I don't understand.

Why did the witch put this curse on me?"

"There is something else that troubles me.

A lot. And that's..."

Pardon me.

Ah!

Your tea is ready whenever you are, Your Grace.

Too close!

So, aren't you going to send that?

It's a letter for your parents, right?

No, I couldn't send them that!

I hadn't written a letter in a very long time, so I was rusty.

That one was honestly just for practice.

Mmm.

This is really good!

Well, thank you, Your Grace.

My maid's name is Alice.

I have no idea what goes on in her head.

She knows if I touch her, she'll die, but...

My goodness.

Chilly today, isn't it?

She does things that don't make sense!

Every day she tries to get a rise out of me,

and then watches how I react.

What is it, Your Grace, is there something bothering you?

What on earth are you doing?

Oh, I thought you wanted me to.

Do forgive me, Your Grace.

No, I didn't drop my head down to see up your skirt!

I'll keep telling you, lay off the sexual harassment!

It makes things ridiculously hard for me!

I'm sorry, Your Grace.

It's just.

I can't seem to stop myself.

But you've got to!

Truly, you should put your own safety first.

After all, you're the one maid

who's willing to stay here with me.

I don't want to lose you.

Listen, Alice.

I'm not sure what I mean to you, but I...

Would you care for another cookie?

There are plenty here.

Were you even listening?

Yes, right up to the part where you said,

"I don't know what I mean to you."

Was there more?

No, there wasn't more, you heard it all!

You just ignored it!

Come now, you mustn't let food go to waste.

Please clean your plate.

All right, fine, I will.

Mmmm.

No! The weird noises are way too much!

Wasn't that an indirect kiss?

Really?! Did you have to say it out loud like that?!

What's wrong with you?!

I take the life of anything I touch.

A witch put this curse on me when I was five.

That's all I know.

Who she was, where she came from, what she wanted,

or why she did it, my memory fails me.

"No one shall love you, and you shall love no one.

You shall live a life full of misery."

All I can really remember are the witch's words.

My mother turned her back, gave me this mansion in the forest,

and left me here.

I haven't seen my family since.

If only I could break the curse, I could go home.

My real home, where I belong.

Might I ask what you're doing, Your Grace?

Huh?

Alice! No! Not this again!

What's wrong with you?

I told you to lay off

the sexual harassment for your own well-being!

See, this is the problem.

You always react so innocently,

and then it makes me want to tease you all the more!

Alice is the only daughter of the head maid

at my family's residence.

I've known her since she was a young child.

I hadn't seen her for a while.

Until about two years ago,

when, for reasons I don't understand, she came here.

Your Grace.

Allow me to try and cheer you up.

No!

That isn't going to make me feel any better!

You stopped, then started again!

Alice, I know I may not look like it, but I am a man!

I mean, what if I were to give into temptation and touch you?

So, you're saying you want to?

You've got to stop toying with me.

A very good morning to you, Your Grace.

Why must you always get so close?

What if you touched me accidentally?

Have you ever thought of that?

This is awful.

She saw the weird faces I make in my sleep.

I've brought you breakfast.

I'm not hungry.

And this looks like way too much.

You said the same thing last night

when you decided to skip your dinner.

You need to eat.

Didn't your mother used to insist

on three square meals a day?

I think it's highly unfair to bring up my mother.

Your Grace, I'm worried about you.

Please consider carefully.

I mean, what if you should fall ill and never be able

to spend your nights fooling around with me again?

Spend my nights doing what with you?

All right. Fine.

I'll admit, I do often feel guilty that I'm not able

to finish the food you make me, so...

...I can eat a little, I guess.

Okay. Open wide.

You mean you're really going to feed me?

Ahh...

She's staring at the inside of my mouth!

Uh...

I'm sorry, I don't get many chances to see that part of you.

I just couldn't resist.

Well, don't! That's weird!

Then as an apology, would you care to have a look inside mine

to make things a bit more fair?

No, that really won't be necessary.

I'll eat on my own.

Please hand me the fork.

Here you are.

Your Grace, why, if I may ask,

do you seem so uninterested in eating?

That's easy.

Because ever since I was cursed,

mealtimes were by far the worst part of the day.

That's why.

It's been slow progress, but ever since you came here,

I've started eating more.

I'm grateful.

I really am.

I'll just clear away these dishes.

I forgot. One more thing.

Your childhood friend Philip says

he'd very much like to see you, as it's been far too long.

Oh, Mother, from what I understand,

Philip was here just now.

Well, then that's none of your concern, dear.

I told him I'd see him,

but now that the day's arrived, I'm getting cold feet.

What do you think, is it too late for me to refuse?

I could send a letter saying I can't meet today.

Yes, it is too late.

You'll have to go through with it.

We were all much younger then, but do you remember Philip?

Indeed. He was unusually lively for a noble's son.

I remember that quite clearly.

He used to chase you around

with a snake in his hand or throw bugs at you.

Yes, that's him.

He was a bit of a troublemaker then.

I would agree.

But, Your Grace, you're still looking forward

to seeing him again, aren't you?

Let's see, maybe, "Hello! How have you been?"

Stop eavesdropping at my door!

Anyway, it's definitely been a long time

since we've had guests.

I'll change into formal-wear.

Very well, I'll take your tuxedo out of storage.

Now, about that hat.

I'm not taking it off!

I've got circles under my eyes, and my hair,

it's curly and dumb-looking.

With the hat, I can hide those flaws.

I wouldn't call them flaws at all.