Chapter 6
Clink. Clink.
Once the guest had settled in, the three of them sat down for a late lunch.
With an extra person at the table, one would expect at least some conversation to flow. Instead, only the occasional sound of utensils striking plates disturbed the silence.
“…”
The reason was obvious.
Not only Ritzhaian, but even Tilda—who normally chattered nonstop during meals—had her lips firmly sealed.
The tip of the knife she used to cut bread trembled visibly, revealing exactly how wary and frightened she still was of the man.
Well, of course she is. She almost got shot.
Truthfully, Ritzhaian knew she should be wary of Ruben as well.
She wasn’t naïve, nor was her head full of fantasies. She understood perfectly well how absurd this entire situation was.
Did I really let him stay without thinking it through?
Of course, she hadn’t offered a room to a complete stranger for no reason.
There had been a purpose.
Revenge.
And yet, it felt as though she hadn’t accepted him solely through rational judgment.
If she had truly followed her usual logic, she would never have brought someone she knew absolutely nothing about—someone who had even threatened her life—into her own home.
The old me would’ve admitted him to a nearby hospital instead. I would’ve visited regularly to keep an eye on him. I never would’ve considered letting someone from the underworld stay here.
Now that some time had passed, she couldn’t understand why she had gone so far.
She had even held his hand.
Practically begged him to stay.
It made no sense.
Unable to understand herself, Ritzhaian stole a glance toward their guest.
The man still carried that heavy, solemn presence.
But now that the dirt, dust, and blood had been washed from his face, his features stood out clearly.
His previously dull eyes now gleamed with sharp, translucent silver.
His strong facial structure appeared even more striking.
And with some color finally returning to his pale complexion, Ruben looked less like a wounded man and more like a perfectly sculpted statue.
So this is what he actually looks like…
Back when she had been nursing him, she had often found herself wanting to see his face clearly.
Was this why?
Ritzhaian found it strangely difficult to look away from him.
Then, without realizing it, her gaze drifted lower.
Toward his lips.
The memory struck without warning.
Surprising.
Embarrassing.
The brief sensation she’d felt against her own lips earlier that morning had been scorching hot.
Soft.
Yet rough at the same time.
So those lips were…
What am I even thinking?!
The moment her thoughts wandered back to that accidental collision, Ritzhaian nearly jumped in shock, as though caught committing a crime.
Afraid he might notice her staring, she quickly looked away and viciously attacked her bread instead.
Clink. Clink.
And so the strangely noisy yet silent meal continued.
“Is it always this quiet?”
Just as the suffocating silence seemed destined to last forever, Ruben unexpectedly spoke.
“Hm?”
“I felt like someone should say something.”
Say something?
About what?
Ritzhaian would’ve preferred they simply eat in peace.
Was he oblivious?
Or was he asking on purpose?
Already struggling with certain memories that kept resurfacing, she found his question ridiculous.
“The person responsible for the atmosphere isn’t exactly in a position to say that.”
“I was the cause?”
His response caught her off guard.
She had spoken with a clear edge in her voice, yet his answer remained perfectly calm.
He’s turning our lives upside down just by existing, so why is he acting so peaceful?
Annoyed, she finally looked directly at him.
Perhaps because she worried he had noticed her staring earlier, she found herself feeling even more sensitive.
“The nerve. Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten about pointing a gun at us? Even if we let you stay here, that’s not exactly the kind of memory people forget. Especially Tilda.”
“I truly am sorry about that. I was in an unfamiliar place and acted out of caution. It won’t happen again.”
Ruben answered as naturally as if nothing unusual had happened.
Still, he wasn’t ignoring their discomfort.
If anything, he seemed more concerned about the two women sitting stiffly across from him.
Is that… consideration?
Noticing the clear change in his behavior, Ritzhaian blinked and looked down at her food.
“Since you’ve apologized, let’s leave it at that.”
What kind of man was he, exactly?
The only thing she knew for certain was that he belonged to the underworld.
That was the entire reason she’d kept him close.
And yet…
She suddenly felt lost.
Where was she even supposed to begin understanding him?
Feeling increasingly frustrated, she shoved another piece of bread into her mouth.
“If it’s because of me, there’s no need to rush.”
“Hm?”
“If you’re eating so quickly because my presence makes you uncomfortable, I can leave.”
“It’s fine. You’re not the only reason. Half my day disappeared today, and now I’m behind on work.”
Had he noticed the way both she and Tilda were practically stuffing food into their mouths?
Well, he was certainly part of the reason.
Still, saying it’s your fault outright felt awkward.
Besides, being behind on work wasn’t a lie.
“…Is she the same?”
“Cough!”
Tilda, who had been quietly shifting her eyes between them while eating bread, nearly choked when Ruben suddenly singled her out.
Coughing violently, she sputtered into her napkin.
Ritzhaian handed her a glass of water and sighed.
“‘She’? Just call her by name. Tilda Corin. The only servant in this house. Naturally she’s busy. Especially since she never gets a break during the day.”
“There’s really nobody else here? Even after everything that happened, you’re still the lord of the Verner territory.”
Ruben clearly didn’t believe her.
The patched clothing.
The pitiful meal of bread, salad, and potato soup.
The lone servant.
The manor that creaked beneath every step.
Even considering the fire, it was difficult to imagine a baronial house with its own territory falling into such circumstances.
“It’s exactly as I said. I’m the head of House Verner, so I manage the estate. Tilda handles everything else—including the butler’s work. That’s all.”
Ritzhaian’s explanation was deliberately curt.
She had no intention of elaborating.
No amount of explanation would change her situation.
And pity from strangers wasn’t particularly useful.
“If you’re that busy, wouldn’t it be better to hire more servants?”
“That’s valuable advice. I’ll consider it.”
“Or you could use me like a servant.”
A servant?
Was that supposed to be a joke?
“A servant who stages a rebellion before even being hired? Sounds terrifying. Besides, are you sure you’re healthy enough for that?”
“No matter how injured I am, I’m not the type to forget a debt owed to someone who saved my life.”
She had expected him to pry into why they were living under such harsh conditions.
Instead, Ruben carefully avoided the subject.
That, unexpectedly, earned a small measure of approval.
And then there was his concern during the meal.
His talk of repaying kindness.
Perhaps he possessed more conscience than his appearance suggested.
Though, in truth, she still knew almost nothing about him.
“Really? That’s an unexpected side of you. I’ll keep it in mind.”
There was undeniably something about Ruben that sparked her curiosity.
Still, she cut off that curiosity as firmly as she tore apart her bread.
The reason she had allowed him to stay was revenge.
Nothing more.
And because she wanted something from him, she needed to proceed carefully.
He was dangerous.
She would approach him slowly.
Patiently.
Pretending she wasn’t interested.
“…You really don’t ask anything about me. Even though you must have countless questions.”
Apparently, her behavior puzzled him.
Even though he himself had hardly offered any information.
How strange.
“Let’s see… A man who pointed a gun at me after I saved his life. The bodyguard I’ve hired. A patient who could drop dead at any moment. Do I really need to know anything beyond that?”
Of course she was curious.
She wanted to bombard him with questions.
But instead, she listed only the facts she already knew in the most indifferent tone possible.
The moment she finished speaking, a quiet laugh escaped him.
“Haha…”
The low chuckle sounded suspiciously like teasing.
Frowning, Ritzhaian looked up.
Ruben was watching her with clear interest in his eyes.
And she hated being the target of someone’s interest.
“What’s so amusing?”
“It seems my first impression of you was rather mistaken.”
She almost scoffed.
He didn’t seem like the sort of man who cared much about first impressions.
Most likely, he was simply trying to lighten the atmosphere.
“Really? I’ll give you a chance to correct it. Go ahead.”
“A chance?”
Watching him, Ritzhaian became curious.
If that behavior wasn’t an act…
Just how far would he go?
“As I said, we’re short-handed. You’re my bodyguard now, and since you advised me to hire more help…” She smiled faintly. “Would you mind helping Tilda clean the manor starting tomorrow?”
In truth, she already knew what his answer would be.
The man practically radiated pride.
There was no way he’d agree to menial labor.
No way.
She had asked only as a tiny act of revenge for becoming the object of his amusement.
Besides, he had been the one to suggest being treated like a servant.
“M-My lady! I-I can handle everything myself! Y-you really don’t need to—!”
Oddly enough, the one who looked horrified wasn’t Ruben but Tilda.
Her face went completely pale.
She trembled so badly that the fork slipped from her hand and clattered onto the table.
Why was she panicking so much?
It wasn’t as if he’d actually agree.
Completely unconcerned by Tilda’s reaction, Ritzhaian remained relaxed.
“I can do that.”
Ruben nodded without hesitation.
“…Really?”
That wasn’t how this was supposed to go.
