Chapter 6
“You.”
The young master’s eyes widened in shock.
At the same time, the door I was holding came off completely, hinges and all.
His bedroom door was twice the size of a normal one, so it was quite heavy.
I quickly put strength into my left hand to stop it from falling.
The side I was gripping dented inward along my fingers.
Carefully, I moved and leaned the door against the wall.
“Phew…”
A sigh of relief escaped me. At least it hadn’t shattered completely.
Just like the front door earlier, it seemed the mansion was so old that all the hinges had weakened.
“I’m glad you’re safe, young master.”
“You… your hand—”
He pointed at me.
When I looked down, I realized I was holding the doorknob, somehow detached.
When did this come off…?
I quickly hid it behind my back.
“I’m perfectly fine, young master.”
“In what way?”
“You’re safe, aren’t you?”
“How shameless. You caused all that just to avoid me?”
He gestured toward the broken door.
I hurriedly apologized.
“I’m sorry. I’ll fix it so it’s as good as new.”
“If that door opens, do you even know what happens—right, you said you can’t read.”
His expression, which had been blank, slightly hardened.
“Then you couldn’t read the guidelines either?”
“No… the butler gave them to me, but…”
“You met the butler?”
“Yes. He said he was retiring. I ran into him at the entrance after he came to greet you.”
“After sunrise?”
“No, just as the sun was coming up.”
“……”
“Young master?”
“Did the butler tell you to bathe before meeting me?”
“Yes. He said you’re sensitive to cleanliness, so I should wash before seeing you—especially before bringing your evening snacks.”
“And you said there were only bathrobes in the wardrobe?”
“Yes.”
The young master’s jaw tightened.
“That lunatic… what exactly was he trying to provoke?”
“…Pardon?”
“It’s nothing. It’s just been a while since someone broke the rules on their first day.”
“Did I break the rules?”
“Yes. You woke me carelessly—and you destroyed property.”
At his words, my stiff gaze turned toward the broken door.
“Is there a rule saying doors can’t be repaired?”
Please don’t tell me these handcrafted doors can’t be fixed with normal tools…
“To be precise, the rule says you must not move or damage anything in the mansion.”
“Oh… that’s a relief—actually, not really.”
Thinking back on what I had done, cold sweat formed on my forehead.
The young master narrowed his eyes at my reaction.
“Speak.”
“Yes, young master. As soon as I arrived, I broke the front door, moved a ceramic piece I thought would make a nice vase, and… slightly relocated the bathtub.”
“Impressive.”
He meant it.
Breaking three rules immediately upon arrival… who knows how many things I might have triggered.
“I’m sorry. None of it was intentional. If you tell me, I’ll follow the rules properly from now on.”
“I don’t think there will be a ‘from now on.’”
“…Are you going to fire me?”
In a panic, I grabbed his hand.
He flinched.
His hand was pale and cold, like porcelain.
Our young master must have poor circulation.
For a moment, I was reminded of my younger sibling, who had also been physically weak.
Maybe I should knit something for him…
I added it to my mental to-do list, then pushed the thought aside.
“I’m sorry, young master. I’ll do whatever you teach me. I won’t slack off. Please don’t send me away.”
“Let go.”
“Young master, please.”
“Don’t beg like that in that outfit. It looks strange.”
I glanced down and quickly pulled my robe tighter.
With a sigh, the young master grabbed a blanket from the bed and tossed it at me.
“Cover yourself.”
“Th-thank you, young master.”
I smiled brightly at his unexpected kindness.
Maybe I looked a little pitiful.
Even pity is a form of attention.
I decided to cling tightly to this lifeline.
Wrapping myself completely in the blanket, I only left my face exposed.
I probably looked ridiculous—like a triangular rice ball without seaweed—but it was better than being half-naked.
“Young master, can I beg again now?”
As he was about to sit on the bed, his body tilted slightly.
“What on earth—”
At that moment, his stomach growled.
“Are you hungry, young master?”
Seizing the opportunity, I spoke quickly.
“I’m sorry. It’s mealtime, so of course you must be hungry. Actually, I was worried because there weren’t any proper ingredients in the kitchen. Shall I order something delicious with the magic paper?”
I held out the magic paper and pen I had brought.
“This is unbelievable.”
He let out a dry laugh, as if he saw right through my intentions.
“You really expect me to write it?”
“Please help me, young master. At this rate, we’ll starve.”
“…Ha.”
As if finding it absurd, he took the pen and paper, then tilted his head.
“Go on. Say it.”
“Urgent request! The top four menu items from the best restaurant in the capital! Steak, cooked medium rare!”
Afraid he might change his mind, I rattled it off rapidly.
Beside me, I heard a faint, stifled sound.
When I looked, the young master had covered his mouth with one hand.
“Young master?”
“—Cough, cough… what did you say?”
He had clearly disguised a laugh as a cough.
Our young master must be shy. He could just laugh normally.
“If we’re eating, we should eat well. It’s my first time in the capital, so I’m excited about the food. You don’t dislike steak, right?”
“Meat is always right.”
“Just as expected of you, young master.”
“When did you decide we were ‘we’? Why do you keep saying ‘we’ and ‘us’?”
“Oh! I should’ve asked earlier—medium rare is okay, right?”
He stared at me for a moment, then the corner of his lips curved slightly.
“The guidelines must have warnings from previous servants. About not serving me bloody meat. Though, of course, someone like you wouldn’t be able to read them.”
It was clearly mocking.
At that, my expression stiffened as I remembered the state of the kitchen.
“…Is it because you’re sick that you can’t eat it?”
I asked cautiously, worried I had suggested something he couldn’t eat.
But his answer was simple.
“No. People just never gave it to me.”
These people are unbelievable!
I suddenly felt like going back and punching Eren, who had happily left on his train journey.
“Why are you angry?”
“Of course I am! Those people are awful! Growing teenagers need proper protein!”
“Teenager?”
“If you want to recover your health, you need to eat meat. And they claim they took care of you all this time? Is that butler even sane?”
I was more fired up now than when I had described my kidnapping.
The young master looked at me with mild surprise.
“Well… he definitely wasn’t sane.”
Still fuming, I pointed at the magic paper.
“Young master, order everything you want! Let’s try all the best restaurants in the capital!”
He stared at me.
“It’s not even your money.”
“Th-that’s true, but… your health matters more.”
How many people would actually think that way? Or even exist?
“I’ll work harder to make up for it. I’ll work like an ox. So from now on, please eat whatever you want—except things that are bad for you.”
…Well, maybe there was at least one such person.
Though it’s probably not genuine.
Humans couldn’t truly act selflessly like that.
Before, and even before that, every servant had served him in their own way.
This foolish girl in front of him would be no different.
“Go on. List the rest. Include what you want to eat too.”
Since this might end up being her last meal anyway, a little kindness wouldn’t hurt—for someone who was about to die.
