Episode 28

“…let’s go.”

After the servants disappeared from sight, Raiden resumed his steps. Seeing Raiden become even more silent than before, Amy softly opened her mouth.

“I mentioned in my last letter that my birthday is approaching, didn’t I?”

Raiden asked in a deep voice, “Is there something you want?”

“There was a servant among the ones we just passed by. Even though it’s just one, he looked quite handsome, almost enough to believe he’s a woman.”

Amy continued speaking while glancing at Raiden’s face. However, Raiden didn’t seem particularly moved.

She spoke elegantly, “I would like that one given to me.”

“Did not know if Young Miss had such preferences. Could it be that he’s more to your liking than me?”

“Oh, no. These days, among noble ladies, the popularity of ‘Marie’ is rising.”

Following Amy’s words, Raiden wrinkled his face.

‘Marie’ was the name of an opera singer. Although he was male, he looked extremely beautiful, often cross-dressing while singing. Due to his remarkable beauty in women’s clothing, he was currently popular among noble ladies.

“If you dress that kid as a woman, he might look quite convincing.”

Only then did Raiden’s gaze turn toward Amy.

* * *

Certainly, the plan was just to take a stroll with Flynn within the mansion, but when I came to my senses, we were in the market. I recalled the well-matched couple I saw a while ago.

“Chase, try this!”

Flynn put a grape in my mouth. As the skin burst inside my mouth, a crisp sound echoed. When the sweet juice spread in my mouth, the thoughts I had just moments ago seemed to disappear.

“It’s a grape that’s been improved to be much sweeter than regular grapes.”

“Yeah, it does seem sweeter.”

“Right? It’s good to eat as is, but… it might be too sweet to make a tart.”

Unintentionally, I found myself staring at Flynn. Sensing my gaze, Flynn asked with a puzzled look, “Why, why? Is there something on my face?”

He raised his hand and touched his face, pretending to check if there was something on it.

Flynn has changed a lot. When talking about ingredients or his cooking, he doesn’t stumble over his words as usual.

Confidently expressing himself, he seems quite impressive. I smiled faintly, nodding slightly.

“It’s nothing. Where should we go next?”

“Let’s go over there.”

Flynn lightly pulled my arm. I followed his lead, taking slow steps. However, that didn’t last long; I noticed something in a store.

“Chase?”

As I stopped in front of the store, Flynn called me with a puzzled voice.

“Just a moment! I’ll catch up soon, Flynn!”

I was completely captivated by a brooch adorned with a black gem.

‘It seems to have a similar atmosphere to the Duke’s….’

There were no other feelings toward him. Just because I owed him a lot. At least he helped me, so this level of repayment should be acceptable.

Having settled on that thought, I ended up buying the brooch. I even jokingly asked for it to be gift-wrapped.

With Raiden’s gift securely placed in my pocket, I continued shopping with Flynn. With each item added to our hands, we soon had more than we could carry, and by the time we couldn’t take any more, it was already midnight.

“Thanks for today.”

“I should be the one thanking you. I enjoyed touring the market today.”

“Uh, by the way, Flynn… Where are you headed?”

Even though he must be tired from wandering all day, Flynn and I were headed in completely different directions. When I asked, Flynn smiled awkwardly and replied.

“I, I didn’t want to disappoint Master….”

He meant he was going to practice cooking at the restaurant. I wanted to applaud his efforts.

“Don’t overdo it.”

“Yeah, Chase. Thanks for today. Well, good night!”

I waved my hand vigorously to Flynn heading to the restaurant and then started walking back to my room.

As I approached the main building, I heard voices coming from somewhere.

“…This is absurd.”

It was Raiden’s voice.

“…I thought it was something you should know.”

And the one he was talking to was none other than Grandpa Ben.

Not wanting to disturb their conversation, I tried to retreat behind the main building. However, I couldn’t just ignore the following words from Grandpa Ben.

“Is there a special reason you favor Chase?”

It was about me.

Could it be… had they been talking about me all this time?

Unconsciously, I held my breath and hid in the foliage. I was curious about how Raiden would respond.

Soon, Raiden’s voice reached me.

“… Because he’s pitiful.”

And the moment I heard those words, my heart felt like it dropped to the ground.

Thump, thump, thump, thump…

Am I considered pitiful?

What could possibly make me pitiful?

My mind went blank. Actually, upon closer thought, it wasn’t entirely strange for someone like Raiden Akaruth, a noble figure like the sky, to consider someone like me pitiful.

But seeing my heart pounding so violently, it seemed I had some strange expectations from Raiden Akaruth.

‘What in the world…’

Unintentionally, a chuckle escaped my lips. In a way, it was inevitable.

“Why are you eavesdropping so blatantly?”

Then, a woman’s voice suddenly entered my ears, making me startle. If she hadn’t covered my mouth with her hand, I might have made a sound.

I stared at the woman with my eyes wide open.

“Hello.”

Smiling with her eyes squinting at me, the woman was Amy Herwin.

She was Raiden Akaruth’s fiancée.

* * *

“He hurt his leg?”

“Yes. On the day of the festival, he was harassed by some servants. And those servants have been driven away from the mansion.”

The more Ben spoke, the darker Raiden’s face became. Harassed by others? I hadn’t sensed anything like that.

I thought Abel would be happy if he was separated from the others. I believed he would be safe here. But at that moment, Raiden’s trust crumbled to pieces.

He wiped his face with his hand, and his expression was pained.

‘Why isn’t he saying anything?’

The image of the guy crying like a child in the woods, huddling and trembling at even the slightest noise, is still vivid. Whenever a slightly louder sound reached him, he’d shrink, shoulders trembling.

If he doesn’t speak, he can’t help.

Raiden bit his lip. It seems there’s a lack of trust towards me. Despite claiming to like him, he never expected the same in return.

Raiden let out a bitter laugh. “…This is absurd.”

“I mentioned it because I thought it was something you should be aware of.”

Ben had one question for Raiden. “Is there a reason you treat Chase so specially?”

He had been curious about this for a while. The person who used to act like he could devour the little one in an instant had completely changed.

Ben silently waited for Raiden’s response. What followed was somewhat unexpected.

“…Because he’s pitiful.”

“He’s pitiful…?”

Raiden Akaruth, saying such words. Ben was surprised in a different way.

“During all this time… it seems you’ve grown quite fond of the boy.”

Raiden paused briefly at Ben’s words.

If it wasn’t true, it would be a lie. The boy’s image, crying like a child, was etched in his mind and unforgettable.

He thought the guy lived in a world completely opposite to his. He feared him because he was different. He believed that if he got too close, he would only get hurt, so he thought.

He even disliked seeing him smile. Watching him smile made his whole body feel ticklish and uncomfortable, finding it nauseating. The reason being that this guy was completely different from him, and that’s why he felt that way.

But the guy was surprisingly similar to him. It irritated him. He pitied him because he was so similar. He was pitiful, choosing such foolish actions in his situation.

“Raiden.”

Suddenly, a voice reached him, and Raiden narrowed his eyes without a word. Ben glanced at him, then asked Amy.

“Why are you here at this late hour?”

“I couldn’t sleep, so I was taking a walk.”

Amy tucked the strands of hair fluttering in the wind behind her ear and smiled lightly. However, Raiden stared at her without bothering to control his expression.

“To be honest… I came out here despite it being late because I have a gift I want to give you.”

“Really, it’s impressive to come despite knowing it’s rude.”

Even with Raiden’s grumbling, Amy seemed unscathed. She extended the bag she had been holding to Raiden.

“It’s a gift for you.”

It was a green ribbon-adorned bag. Ignoring Raiden’s hesitation, she handed him the bag.

“A gift with my sincerity, so go ahead and open it.”

At her urging, Raiden opened the ribbon without much enthusiasm. Inside the bag was a brooch that resembled her hair.

It was a somewhat dull gift. Unintentionally, Raiden responded with a slight smile.

“Accept it gratefully. Although it may not seem useful, but…”

“I would have been more thankful if you skipped the follow-up.”

Amy seemed to brush off Raiden’s sarcastic remark and smiled.

It was late.

Raiden felt there was no value in continuing the conversation with her. Whether he liked it or not, sooner or later, he would inevitably be married to her. After marriage, regardless of how things turned out, he would have to spend a lot of time with her.

So, there’s no need to spend time together from now on.

“…I will escort you.”

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, Ben, who quickly caught onto Raiden’s mood, took the lead. Amy, as if her message was already delivered, followed Ben’s suggestion.

“Darn it…”

Raiden muttered, checking his wristwatch. As the discomfort and irritation grew, the second hand mercilessly pierced through him.

The piercing second and minute hands were perfectly symmetrical. Unconsciously, he raised his head, and for a moment, his eyes met with his own image.

The cool breeze of early autumn blew, and their eyes met.