Richardâs sudden noise startled me as I waited for him to finish his meal quietly.
ââŠI guess you havenât slept yet?â
He didnât seem to care much about the topic that came up first.
What are you thinking, huh?
âThen I must have been mistaken.â
âI could smell the maidâs scent somewhere.â
I was curious as to how he knew, but was that all?
To be honest, I didnât believe half of what Richard said that he could smell, but when it got to this point, I had no choice but to believe it.
He murmured slowly, but his blue eyes were on me.
âBut you knew it was me and you didnât tell Philip?â
Philip seemed to have no idea.
Why is he pretending not to know??
I looked at Richardâs face. As expected, would it be better to talk?
Because he could be dangerous.
Yurthaâs note had something really terrible written on it.
It was stupid to tell Richard that I was there last night, but I couldnât pretend I didnât know.
âWhat do you mean be careful. Are you worried about me?â
When I answered gently, Richard widened his eyes as if surprised.
He seemed quite surprised.
âArenât you worried?â
âThen can I also worry about the maid?â
Itâs so out of the blue.
âIâm worried about you, maid.â
âBecause you donât know what Iâm going to do.â
It was worse than I had heard.
Is it really the right thing to pretend to be kind in front of Richard?
I think itâs a wise choice to just keep a distance.
âMaid, if youâre so worried about me, why donât you make a deal with me?â
Whatâs the trick this time?
âI think the maid noticed anyway, so to be honest, I was given a chance to run away.â
How can you say that so honestly?
What on earth is he thinking?
If it was Richard, he would have expected well enough that I could go and tell Argen about this.
Thatâs not good for him, either.
If I do something like that, it will help him escape, orâ.
âThatâs why he has no choice but to make a risky choice.â
âI wonât run away. Only if the maid grants my condition.â
âItâs not difficult.â
Richard smiled slightly at my anxious look and said the conditions he wanted.
I was stunned for a while.
ââŠAre you serious?â
âThen why am I lying?â
Richardâs terms were absurd. In a good way.
Therefore, I couldnât believe his words that he wouldnât escape if I did just one thing.
âHow do I trust you?â
âWould you believe it if you saw it for yourself?â
âFor todayâs midnight. Heâs supposed to come again at that time. Why donât the maid check it then?â
âŠIt doesnât sound like a bad suggestion, but when Richard says it, it looks like thereâs a trick hidden in it.
And that day, Philip found out that someone was watching, and I was worried if I might be able to watch it as easily as I did last time.
âBefore I check in at midnight or not, I have a question for you, why are you giving up your chance to escape?â
It was questionable whether the conditions he was talking about were worth it.
âAnd if I donât accept your terms, are you going to run away?â
ââŠWell, to be honest.â
Richard gave an awkward expression.
âI hate suspicious things. If someone showed up last night and offered to help me escape, it would be bad.â
However, I didnât answer immediately and thought about it for a while.
Would it be more valuable to comply with Richardâs proposal than to reveal to Argen that there is a spy in the mansion?
Evidence that Philip was a spy came after I had secured his letter.
I didnât tell you right away because something was bothering me.
I have no choice but to trust Richard.
âStill, it would be better to meet the gatekeeper just in case.â
After Richardâs meal was over, I went to the gatekeeper as planned.
I smiled at the gatekeeper who looked at me with puzzled eyes.
It was the promised night.
ââŠSo you wonât escape?â
A bewildered Philipâs voice was heard outside the door.
âSo tell your master to give up.â
Richard smirked next to me and answered Philip.
I was worried that Philip wouldnât loosen his guard this time, so Richard said I could stay in this room with him.
If this guy intended to join hands with Philip to attack me, it would be dangerous because there is no way to run away.
After contemplating for a long time, there seemed to be no better way to be here under the assumption that Richard was my ally.
Like Richard, I was listening to Philip spitting out in real time.
âWhy did I follow you?â
I was struck with reality, but didnât I still get the information that Philip was Yurthaâs tool?
I decided to be satisfied with that.
ââDo you have any other plans to escape?â
âNo, there is no such thing.â
âNo way. It canât be. How can you give up on this good opportunity if you donât have a plan?
âThatâs funny. Why are you so sure the plan is good?â
Philipâs voice dropped sharply as Richard laughed at it.
âItâs pretty real, isnât it?â
Itâs great if youâre planning this, too.
The distrust about Richard gave rise to suspicion.
âYouâll regret it.â
Philip said so, grinding his teeth and leaving.
âIs that word trend these days?â
Iâve heard this a lot lately.
âDid I do a good job?â
Do I have to say good job?
When I avoided answering, Richardâs gaze became persistent. As if asking to compliment him.
When I answered, unable to overcome his gaze, Richard sounded happy.
Itâs the first time he had smiled so brightly.
It was a very refreshing feeling as his blue eyes like a lake curled in a circle.
I turned my head right away.
The description in the novel was not written in vain, but it was a really cold beauty.
âThen, will I be able to receive the promised terms now?â
I reached out to Richard.
Richard looked at my hand for a moment, then hesitantly grabbed it.
It was a different attitude from when he boldly offered conditions.
His condition was to hold my hand until he said it was enough.
âWhat kind of condition is this?â
Itâs easy to hold hands.
But is that not the case for Richard? He looked at my hand with a serious face.
He looked like he would have made a bad diagnosis if he had been a doctor.
âMaid, would you like to imagine something pleasant now?â
âDo I have to do that?â
âCome on. Donât you have a happy memory or something?â
What is there to enjoyâ?
Every day was full of ups and downs when I came here, but there was no way there would be anything fun.
I just want to go homeâ.
I tried to recall what had happened in Korea without a hitch. Butâ.
âI canât remember it.â
Richard asked in wonder, as I was frowning at my pleasant imagination.
ââŠI donât have one.â
âI canât think of any happy memories.â
At the same time, it seemed strange to me that I had no pleasant memories.
âYou canât remember, or have you never been happy?â
âIt could be the former or the latterââ
It seemed like an insincere answer, but I couldnât really remember it.
And itâs true that I donât have any pleasant memories here.
Even if there was, it didnât seem like it would come to mind if he asked.
âItâs not amazing. Whatâs your most happy memory?â
Richard paused for a moment as if he had been lost in thought, and then slowly spoke.
âIt was fun when I ate with my mother.â
It was very simple to say that it was surprising.
Do you find happiness in simple places?
âYouâre so nice. Your mom will be so touched.â
Perhaps because I heard Richardâs story, I thought I might think of something.
The face of the woman who smiled brightly like a freshly bloomed flower shimmered in the blurry background.
I was strangely touched by the appearance of a woman who was floating like a flower in the fog.
At that time, Richardâs hand, which held my hand, trembled.
Only then did I get back to reality.
âHave you thought of anything pleasant?â
ââItâs not like that. No, is it similar? But how did you know that?â
âThe maid seemed to be happy.â
ââYou seem to feel better than me?â
Unlike his usual pretentious smile, he looked really happy. Whatâs that?
While questioning, Richardâs smile drastically blurred.
âBut, maid, is it okay if I tell you something?â
âIt looks like there is a fire.â
As soon as he finished talking, a smoky smoke spread out of nowhere.
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