CH 46

Translated by Tam

Richard’s sudden noise startled me as I waited for him to finish his meal quietly.

“…I guess you haven’t slept yet?”

“Is that so?” 

He didn’t seem to care much about the topic that came up first.

What are you thinking, huh?

“Then I must have been mistaken.”

AD

“What…”

“I could smell the maid’s scent somewhere.”

“….”

I was curious as to how he knew, but was that all?

To be honest, I didn’t 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.

“Is it a mistake?” 

He murmured slowly, but his blue eyes were on me.

As if he knows it. 

‘But you knew it was me and you didn’t tell Philip?’

Philip seemed to have no idea.

Why is he pretending not to know??

I looked at Richard’s face. As expected, would it be better to talk?

Because he could be dangerous.

“…You be careful.”

Yurtha’s note had something really terrible written on it.

It was stupid to tell Richard that I was there last night, but I couldn’t pretend I didn’t know.

AD

“What do you mean be careful. Are you worried about me?”

“…Yes.” 

When I answered gently, Richard widened his eyes as if surprised.

He seemed quite surprised.

“Aren’t you worried?”

“Then can I also worry about the maid?”

“All of sudden?”

AD

It’s so out of the blue.

“I’m worried about you, maid.” 

“…Why?” 

“Because you don’t know what I’m going to do.”

It was worse than I had heard.

I thought about it.

Is it really the right thing to pretend to be kind in front of Richard?

I think it’s a wise choice to just keep a distance.

“Maid, if you’re so worried about me, why don’t you make a deal with me?”

“What deal?”

AD

What’s the trick this time?

“I think the maid noticed anyway, so to be honest, I was given a chance to run away.”

“…!”

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.

That’s not good for him, either.

If I do something like that, it will help him escape, or—.

‘That’s why he has no choice but to make a risky choice.’

“I won’t run away. Only if the maid grants my condition.”

“What do you want?”

“It’s not difficult.”

Richard smiled slightly at my anxious look and said the conditions he wanted.

I was stunned for a while.

“…Are you serious?”

“Then why am I lying?”

Richard’s terms were absurd. In a good way.

Therefore, I couldn’t believe his words that he wouldn’t escape if I did just one thing.

“How do I trust you?”

“Would you believe it if you saw it for yourself?”

“Saw it myself?” 

“For today’s midnight. He’s supposed to come again at that time. Why don’t the maid check it then?”

…It doesn’t sound like a bad suggestion, but when Richard says it, it looks like there’s 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.

“Before I check in at midnight or not, I have a question for you, why are you giving up your chance to escape?”

It was questionable whether the conditions he was talking about were worth it.

“And if I don’t accept your terms, are you going to run away?”

“…Well, to be honest.”

Richard gave an awkward expression.

“I hate suspicious things. If someone showed up last night and offered to help me escape, it would be bad.”

That makes sense.

However, I didn’t answer immediately and thought about it for a while.

Would it be more valuable to comply with Richard’s 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.

‘But—’

I didn’t tell you right away because something was bothering me.

I sighed.

“Okay.”

AD

I have no choice but to trust Richard.

‘Still, it would be better to meet the gatekeeper just in case.’

After Richard’s meal was over, I went to the gatekeeper as planned.

I smiled at the gatekeeper who looked at me with puzzled eyes.

“Shall we talk?”

*****

It was the promised night.

“…So you won’t escape?”

A bewildered Philip’s voice was heard outside the door.

“So tell your master to give up.”

Richard smirked next to me and answered Philip.

He was such a madman.

I was worried that Philip wouldn’t 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.

That’s how it is now.

Like Richard, I was listening to Philip spitting out in real time.

‘Why did I follow you?’

I was struck with reality, but didn’t I still get the information that Philip was Yurtha’s tool? 

I decided to be satisfied with that.

“—Do you have any other plans to escape?”

“No, there is no such thing.”

“No way. It can’t be. How can you give up on this good opportunity if you don’t have a plan?

“That’s funny. Why are you so sure the plan is good?”

“…How arrogant.”

Philip’s voice dropped sharply as Richard laughed at it.

‘It’s pretty real, isn’t it?’

It’s not like acting.

It’s great if you’re planning this, too.

The distrust about Richard gave rise to suspicion. 

“You’ll regret it.”

Philip said so, grinding his teeth and leaving.

‘Is that word trend these days?’

I’ve heard this a lot lately.

“Did I do a good job?”

Do I have to say good job? 

When I avoided answering, Richard’s gaze became persistent. As if asking to compliment him. 

“…Good job.”

When I answered, unable to overcome his gaze, Richard sounded happy.

It’s 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.

—Handsome. 

The description in the novel was not written in vain, but it was a really cold beauty.

“Then, will I be able to receive the promised terms now?”

“…Yeah.”

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.

‘What kind of condition is this?’

It’s 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.

“Maid, would you like to imagine something pleasant now?”

“Do I have to do that?”

“Come on. Don’t you have a happy memory or something?”

What is there to enjoy—?

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 home—.

I tried to recall what had happened in Korea without a hitch. But—.

‘I can’t remember it.’

Here it goes again.

Why on earth? 

Since when did I forget?

“Maid?”

Richard asked in wonder, as I was frowning at my pleasant imagination.

“…I don’t have one.”

“Yes?”

“I can’t think of any happy memories.”

“Hmm—”

Richard looked troubled.

At the same time, it seemed strange to me that I had no pleasant memories.

“You can’t remember, or have you never been happy?”

“It could be the former or the latter—”

It seemed like an insincere answer, but I couldn’t really remember it.

And it’s true that I don’t have any pleasant memories here.

Even if there was, it didn’t seem like it would come to mind if he asked.

“It’s amazing.”

“It’s not amazing. What’s your most happy memory?”

“For me—”

Richard paused for a moment as if he had been lost in thought, and then slowly spoke.

“It was fun when I ate with my mother.”

It was very simple to say that it was surprising.

Do you find happiness in simple places?

“You’re so nice. Your mom will be so touched.”

Perhaps because I heard Richard’s 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.

My head hurts. 

Who is it? 

I was strangely touched by the appearance of a woman who was floating like a flower in the fog.

At that time, Richard’s hand, which held my hand, trembled.

Only then did I get back to reality.

“Have you thought of anything pleasant?”

“—It’s not like that. No, is it similar? But how did you know that?”

“The maid seemed to be happy.”

I looked happy?

“—You seem to feel better than me?”

Unlike his usual pretentious smile, he looked really happy. What’s that?

While questioning, Richard’s smile drastically blurred.

“But, maid, is it okay if I tell you something?”

“What—”

“It looks like there is a fire.”

As soon as he finished talking, a smoky smoke spread out of nowhere.