Afraid that I might tick him off, I went on my tiptoes and walked away as soundlessly as possible.
I survived!
With this exaltation going through my mind, I left through the doorâthen white letters flashed before me.
The game system computed everything for me, added and subtracted my money mercilessly like a knife. It already plummeted my fatigue, and now it was cutting down my daily wage, too.
How much would the young masterâs bedspread, duvet and pillow cost me? I have no idea, but I think itâs going to be higher than the 300 gold I had in the beginning.
Still, even if the system was going to subtract the compensation for the damages to the expensive bedding, my total balance wouldnât be able to cover it. I wouldnât even be able to file for bankruptcy in this place.
I had three choices here: to go homeless, starve to death, or become the devilâs mealâŠ
My hand rushed to reach for the doorknob just now, but I soon felt miserable.
This was how youâd be able to change the mind of a person whoâs constantly broke.
âI canât leave just like this, Young Master. Please give me my punishment for making your bed like that.â
ââŠPunishment?â
With a puzzled look, Adrian asked.
âBut not any kind of punishment, please. Especially money. I canât pay a fine. Please also not a cut from my daily wage. Anything but that.â
ââŠâŠâ
âYou must be wondering why Iâm asking for a punishment like this and why Iâm talking so much here, Young Master. That I forgot my place, I know that very well. Even as Iâm saying this, I couldnât believe how preposterous I am being. But, Young Master, if you ever witness someone being driven to the edge of a cliff, they might be similar to how I am now. I sincerely hope that you will punish me for making your bed dirty.â
âHilda, who is driving you to the edge of a cliff?â
âThere is a bully. I am only striving to work hard every single day, sir, but thereâs this bully who keeps taking my money for the smallest of reasons.â
A damn bully thatâs next to me 24/7.
âDo you mean that thereâs a person like that who comes by often? Here?â
âYes. It is a bully that has no conscience by nature, and I canât get rid of this bully by myself. In any case, Young Master, I will pay for my sins fair and square. If we settle this between us, maybe the bully wouldnât be particularly stingy today. Probably. Oh, and please keep this a secret from Miss Leticia. I think sheâs been having migraines lately, so I heard itâs best to be careful around her.â
ââŠâŠâ
âEvery one of us in the manor wouldnât be able to live without the head maid, of course.â
Being at the end of those piercing eyes, my hands trembled, chills ran down my spine and my lips moved on their own as if Iâm not on the verge of dying right here, right now.
Even a worn out, fatigued beggar could still muster some bravery and still be so determined in the face of death itself.
It was at this moment that I noticed something new.
âHuuâŠâ
Besides Leticia, it seemed like Adrian also had a migraine, seeing that he was leaning back against his seat as he touched his forehead. In full view were his angular jawline, high nose bridge and sparkling eyes⊠In terms of looks alone, there was no other visual that could compare.
âYou said you canât give me any money.â
âYes, thatâs right. Even if you point a knife to my neck, I still canât. Iâll give you some if I have it, but I really, truly do not have any money.â
âItâs not a sin that could justify bashing your head in either.â
âThat⊠Thatâs a bit too much, isnât it.â
I was miffed and I wanted to complain, but I extended my big heart and instead said only this.
âThen, just answer me one question.â
âPardon? Is that going to be alright with you? The bed, the sheets, and the pillows all look expensive.â
âItâs an answer that Iâll be able to hear only from you. Instead of that, just answer honestly.â
âW-What is it?â
âThe reason why you wonât look at me. What is it?â
He knows everything.
Well, I mean, it would be even more strange if he didnât know anything when Iâd been avoiding him so blatantly.
But why was he curious about that? In the first place, itâs rude for a servant to look into the eyes of a noble, right?
It was a cheap price to pay for dirtying his bed, but at the same time, it was also something thatâs difficult to answer.
Hereâs the reasonâI knew that Adrianâs a devil who grew stronger for every human being he killed, thatâs why I was terrified and frightened out of my mind each moment I was in front of him and wished to run away. But I couldnât very well say that, huh.
âI want an honest answer.â
Perhaps because of a wind coming from somewhere, the candlelight flickered and cast a deeper shadow over his face. Pale double eyelids, elegant long lashes⊠The very moment I glanced at his face once more, I suddenly thought of something.
Though it wasnât the truth, itâs an honest reason.
âItâs just, um, because youâre handsome.â
Adrian was the main character of this game, and he must have been drawn by the best artist in A-Comms, so I had to admit that his visuals were top tier. Though for someone like me, who knew the truth, it was just uncanny.
âIâve been working here for quite a long time now, but Iâve only recently realized that the Young Master is really handsome. And my taste in men is the weak but beautiful type. At some point, whenever I saw you, my heart started pounding and my hands and legs kept trembling so much that I couldnât even look straight at you, Young Master.â
ââŠâŠâ
âReally, donât you think about it sometimes when you look in the mirror, too? âIâm handsome today as well.â âHow could I be this good-looking?â âI wonder how it was possible for my parents to give me this face. Iâll have to thank them for the rest of my life,â like that.â