Chapter 10
“Fabio.”
I quickened my steps when I spotted the boy collapsed at the far end of the stable.
Fabio was lying carelessly on a bed of straw, half-naked. His lips were tinged a deep blue. His thick, dark skin was covered in whip marks, torn open in ugly, overlapping lines.
I didn’t know who had done it, but it was clearly someone vile even among the Anguist servants.
Even as a cold smirk formed on my face, something in my chest throbbed faintly.
What’s the point of pity?
I bit down hard on my lower lip, suppressing the useless emotion. Concern and compassion weren’t my role.
I’m only going to use him anyway…
Risking Thalia finding out, I hadn’t come for Fabio out of kindness or friendship. I needed to earn his favor first—only so I could use him later.
“Fabio.”
I reached out and brushed a hand across his face, but he didn’t react at all.
“We’ll have to move him to my room.”
“Pardon?” Vanessa gasped, startled.
“The stable boy? If you do that, you’ll be punished.”
Within Anguist, the hierarchy was stricter than in most noble houses. Not only was insubordination unforgivable, but even speaking too casually to someone of lower rank was frowned upon. That was only natural for a territory ruled through fear.
“I don’t care.”
The punishment for helping Fabio would likely be severe. Anguist was notorious for its cruelty in discipline.
They didn’t spare even direct bloodlines or children. Amira had once been punished multiple times as a child after falling for Regina’s schemes.
Solitary confinement was truly hell.
Pitch-black rooms with blades embedded in all four walls—one wrong movement and your skin would be torn open.
Whatever. I’ll just take the punishment again.
If I could obtain Fabio—no, Michele—it was worth it.
The only problem was that Fabio was heavier than I expected. Vanessa and I grunted as we dragged him out of the stable.
Naturally, all eyes were on us.
Damn it. Punishment is guaranteed now.
Still, fortunately, we didn’t run into any direct heirs as we passed through the gate and the manor corridors.
Until we reached the destination bedroom.
Why is he here?
The unwelcome guest was Simone Anguist. Like Regina’s twin, he was equally vicious and depraved—just less fixated on me than she was.
Simone’s bedroom and study were on the exact opposite side of mine, so his presence here was no coincidence.
“What, seriously?” Simone scoffed, covering his mouth as if amused.
“You’re really dating a stable boy?”
I had no intention of explaining myself to him, nor of satisfying his curiosity. I simply kept my mouth shut and tried to get inside quickly. My shoulder felt like it was going to dislocate from Fabio’s weight.
But Simone kept blocking the door.
“Ever since your birthday banquet, I’ve noticed something.”
He scratched his chin and stepped closer to Amira.
“You’ve changed. More interesting now. Or maybe… more arrogant?”
The pure delight on his face made me sigh inwardly.
Simone was a useless noble—no, a particularly deranged one. Unlike the diligent Genovio, who was always busy meeting the family’s expectations, Simone, the second son who had to hide his abilities despite having talent, seemed bored with life. And when something caught his attention, he became obsessively fixated.
Please, let that “something” not be me.
“Forgot already? My ability manifested,” I said with a sharp frown and a click of my tongue.
In truth, there was no real connection between abilities and personality changes, but I wanted him to accept it and lose interest.
“Well, if you went through something like that, it’d be weird if you didn’t change.”
To my surprise, he nodded obediently.
Just as I relaxed, he spoke again.
“I’ll overlook your little rebellion—it’s kind of fun—but I can’t ignore that thing over there. That one was my assignment.”
He grinned brightly at Fabio’s battered body, as if proud.
Simone was particularly cruel among the siblings. Was it because, despite his talent, he was always second to Genovio? The inferiority he hid beneath the surface must have been enormous.
Thinking of what Fabio must have endured at his hands made my stomach burn.
“Well, most of your assignments are a failure anyway. Skipping one won’t make a difference.”
At my blunt dismissal, Simone seemed momentarily speechless.
Then, suddenly, he covered his mouth dramatically, eyes sparkling.
“Wow. Look at you talking back like that. You’ve really become an Anguist, kid.”
Whether he was impressed or mocking me, I couldn’t tell.
My head was starting to hurt.
Thinking about how to shake off this annoying leech, I spoke slowly.
“Enough. Get lost. Before I turn you into stone.”
Simone raised both hands near his ears. He didn’t look particularly scared, but he backed off surprisingly easily.
“Alright, alright. No need to be so aggressive. How cold.”
Finally, he stepped aside—but leaned in to whisper into my ear as I passed.
“Remember this. I let you go this time.”
With a creepy laugh, he finally let us through.
Ignoring him, Vanessa and I carried Fabio into the room and laid him on the bed.
His breathing was still rough. Left untreated after the beating, his wounds had become infected, likely causing the fever.
“Vanessa, bring clean boiled water and gauze.”
“Yes, young lady.”
I opened the drawer beneath the desk. It was just as messy as the top. After rummaging through it in haste—knocking over a few bottles—I finally found the ointment I needed.
By then, Vanessa had returned.
I soaked gauze in water and began cleaning Fabio’s body myself. Every time the cloth passed over his wounds, he winced.
As blood and pus were wiped away, the torn muscles of his body became more defined.
Had he trained as a knight? Or was this the result of labor? I studied him in quiet fascination, running my slender fingers from his navel up toward his sternum.
“…Young lady?”
Startled, I looked up.
Fabio had opened his eyes at some point, his face flushed deep red.
I cursed inwardly.
Damn it.
“It’s not what you think—!”
I quickly began to explain, scrambling for words, but nothing came out right. No matter how I put it, I would just sound worse. A pervert.
Then fine. I’ll own it.
I lifted my head again and looked down at him calmly.
“You’re badly injured.”
Fabio shook his head.
“I’m fine.”
As he struggled to sit up, something inside me flared.
Was this what they called a temper from eight years of being a ghost? Why was my chest so tight?
Suppressing the rising irritation, I stood abruptly and pressed both hands onto his shoulders, forcing him back down.
“Fine? How is this fine?!”
Fabio’s eyes shook violently as he fell back onto the bed.
Why does he look so pure?
The future Fabio—Michele—was known for his masculine presence, but the boy in front of me looked gentle, almost delicate.
My face—sharp-eyed and likely unpleasant—flashed through my mind, worsening my mood. I pressed harder on his shoulders.
Fabio’s face turned even redder, almost burning.
Whatever.
This was over.
I erased the earlier awkwardness from my mind and examined his condition again.
It was worse than I expected. My nose tingled, and I shook my head quickly to clear my thoughts.
“Where am I…? Why am I here?”
“This is my bedroom.”
I answered calmly while applying ointment to my hand. Fabio clutched the sheet tightly, his ears burning red.
“I… I’m not worthy of—”
“You’re not unworthy. You’re just a patient who needs treatment.”
“…Young lady, you’re injured too.”
He seemed to remember.
“I told you, I’m fine. I have resistance to poison.”
I shrugged as I watched his stiff expression.
“Anyway, this is ointment. Potions have side effects, so we’ll use this first.”
I held out the dark brown salve.
“Now, lift the sheet a little.”
“Pardon?”
“You need it applied, don’t you?”
I shook the container slightly, confused why he was asking.
“I’ll do it!”
“There are places you can’t reach. Don’t you trust me? I’m not a doctor, but I’m part of Anguist—we know our medicine.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you…”
Fabio stammered, his entire body turning red as if it might explode.
I didn’t have the patience to wait for him.
So I pulled the sheet down myself.
