CH 88

I was lying in bed doing nothing, resting after a long time. I really liked how quiet and peaceful it was. 

It was then. 

“Aide Shabrina! Help me!” The little maid rushed to me.

Damn it. I guess not anymore. There we go again. 

“The Baron—!”

“Is the Baron doing something evil again?”

“E, evil—”

The maid looked at me in surprise. Then I smiled and answered casually. “Throwing things and making a fuss is something evil, then what would you say?” 

“…T, that’s true but.”

The maid looked for something to refute, but she seemed to agree with me already. 

“I, if Shabrina stop it—”

“All right, I’ll go see the Baron.” I answered with a deep sigh. My words visibly brightened the restless maid. 

“The Baron listens to anything you say, Shabrina!”

“That’s quite an arrogant thing to say.”

“…Ah.”

The maid rolled her eyes in embarrassment.

“Don’t go anywhere and talk like that.”

“But Shabrina said that the Baron is doing something evil….”

“Ssh. It’s a secret between us.”

“…Ah, yes.”

The maid looked dumbfounded but quickly nodded her head.

“Then, to the Lady—no, I’ll go to the Baron.”

Ah, I feel tired already. Still, it’s been three years since I ran away from the Marquis of Evantes and settled here, so I’m used to it now. I sighed and walked slowly to Michelle’s room. Then I remembered what Michelle said a few days ago.

<It must have been hard all this time. You can rest well, Rina.>

Until recently, I had been busy with Michelle’s business. And now that I’m barely taking a break—.

‘You told me to rest, you punk.’

How can I take a break when my work keeps increasing?

“Kyaa! Lord! Please forgive me!”

“Please spare me, Lord!”

When I got to Michelle’s room, I could hear the servants’ screams through the door.

“Aide!”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

The servants, who were restless standing in front of the door, looked relieved to see me. I feel as if I were their savior.

“Baron, I’m going in.” 

Leaving those words behind, I opened the door without permission. It was an act that no one else would dare to do. 

Not even daring to open the door without the owner’s permission would have been enough for Michelle to throw the vase right away. 

However, I am a little different. Because I was the only person Michelle was generous with.

After entering Michelle’s room, I calmly examine the situation inside. 

The room was a mess. There was broken stuff on the floor, and the tables were turned over. And when I looked inside the cabinet, it was clear that it was empty because Michelle had thrown out everything she could.

Even Michelle wasn’t properly dressed. She was just wearing a corset, grabbing the maid’s hair, and slapping her cheek roughly. I can even see that the maid’s cheeks were so red that she was about to burst, while the maids around her were trembling, kneeling, and begging Michelle.

“Get the whip now…!”

“Baron, I’ve arrived.”

It seems that she was still trying to hit the maid more because it wasn’t enough. 

However, not long after that, Michelle stopped talking and looked at me. She opened her eyes wide in surprise and let go of the maid’s hair. The maid Michelle was beating looked at me with swollen eyes as if she had cried a lot.

‘She’s going to get bruises tomorrow.’

I clicked my tongue and said. 

“Everyone, get out.”

“Who said—!”

“Does no one want to go out?”

The maids couldn’t get up right away and looked at Michelle and me alternately.

“Don’t worry and go.”

Michelle stared at me with terrifying eyes. However, she didn’t say anything.

The maid’s face, which has a hint of ‘I can live’ on it, gets up quickly. Then, when one of the maids couldn’t get up because her leg was weak, the other maids helped her. The last one to go out was the maid who Michelle slapped. She watched Michelle and me carefully and hurried out.

Bang. 

The door closed.

“Who said you could let them go?”

Michelle’s voice was fierce. If there were anyone here, they would have stepped back. 

I approached Michelle and quietly grabbed her hand.

“I was worried about the Baron. Doesn’t your hand hurt?” 

“….”

“You must be sick. You’re also not feeling well….” I gently swept the back of her hand, looking worried and sad. Michelle also relieved her crumpled impression as if her anger had subsided. 

Her face, even when expressionless, looked like that of an angel, and in this way, Michelle was as lovely as an angel who had fallen from heaven. Of course, her appearance is certainly one that leaves a good impression, but her personality is quite the contrary. In addition, the servants here often talked about how the devil might have given birth to Michelle to attract people, but Michelle’s personality stayed the same as the devil’s child. 

“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”

…Oops.

I guess I laughed without realizing it when I remembered what the servants were saying. It was because it’s strangely funny.

“Just because. It’s good to see you, Baron.”

But where do you have such a social life once or twice? This level can be skipped. 

Michelle doesn’t show it, but she smiles as if she’s in a good mood. 

“Stay still. I will dress you up.”

I sighed as I saw Michelle wearing only her corset. This Lady really, what is she doing without putting any clothes on?

I gave her the clothes that were on the chair.

Michelle didn’t refuse when I served her. 

“Why did you hit that child earlier? I told you not to use violence recklessly.”

“But—” Michelle hesitated like a wrong child, then looked at me and opened her mouth, “She dared to touch my mother’s belongings.”

“Did she steal?”

“Yeah, that’s not enough. She even sold it out.”

Oh, my.

I immediately understood why Michelle wasn’t dressed properly and why she was being too violent to catch her maid. Still, no matter how bad Michelle’s personality is, she will never hurt someone who has done nothing wrong. 

“She’s bad.”

“Right? It’s not my fault.”

“Yes, it’s not the Baron’s fault.”

Michelle was as happy as a child because she wasn’t punished. 

“Still, I told you not to hit the servants recklessly.”

“You said she was bad too!”

Michelle squealed as if I had hurt her feelings by not being completely on her side. Then I said calmly, tying her ribbon string behind her back.

“Right. That kid is bad. But must the Lady be the bad guy?”

“….” 

“The kid was wrong. It’s natural to be upset. But the servants don’t know that.”

“…What does it matter if they know or not?”

“The Lady…No, the Baron is going to be the bad person who assaulted the innocent. Why doesn’t it matter?”

“I’m not a good person in the first place. And be a bad person to others or not….” Michelle glanced at me and continued, “You’re the only one who needs to know. All I need is you.”

This Lady really. Still, I feel a bit touched—.

“And it’s all unimportant things. What’s the point of thinking about things like that?”

…What the hell is being touched? Do all nobles act this way?

I remembered the arrogant men I had seen a long time ago. Argen or Yurtha. They were just like that.

“Then, am I not important too?” 

“What?”

“I am also a commoner, Lady.”

“You are different!”

Michelle shouted as if she had never done that. 

When I had tied all of Michelle’s strings, I took my hand away and said. 

“It’s the same with them and me. Well, Lady might have a different opinion.”

“….” 

“I am not forcing you to think. However, please refrain from doing this in front of the servants.”

“….” 

“Having a good reputation is definitely something that will be useful at some time in the future.”

“…Okay.” Michelle had a sullen face, but she nodded.

Now it was time to give the bait. 

“And I don’t want the Lady to be a bad person to others.”

“…Okay. Do you really care about my reputation?”

“It’s not about reputation. Do you know how upset I am whenever I hear bad things about you around me?”

“…Upset?”

“Yes.”

Michelle looked as if she didn’t understand.

“Lady is not that kind of person, and I know you’re a good person.”

“….” 

“When I’m upset, I feel like I’m going crazy. You don’t know how I feel, do you?”

Michelle had a face that looked like she was about to cry. But, judging from the look on her face, I think she will listen to me well for the time being.

‘Will this last a week?’

I really hope so. Because what I said was also true. It wasn’t the first time the servants had said something about Michelle that made me angry. 

Michelle and I have been together in one way or another since there was no one else. Even if we pretended we weren’t, we were the only ones we could rely on.