Chapter 21
Life on Mortgage –
“Then shall we go to the theater?”
When Irina said that, Bevin smiled brightly and nodded.
The two of them followed an employee’s guidance and headed straight inside the theater.
Inside, the place was packed with women.
It seemed the men usually stayed downstairs.
“Let’s go over there.”
Nod, nod.
Bevin quietly followed Irina.
They took a seat together at a table in the corner.
Although it was a corner, it was close to the stage, so they could enjoy the show from up close.
Laughter and cheerful voices filled the air.
The orchestra began to play a beautiful melody.
As the staff adjusted the chandelier lights, the tables where the guests sat began to dim one by one.
“Looks like we’re lucky. I think it’s about to start.”
When Irina said that, Bevin smiled and nodded again.
Their conversations were always simple like that—
Irina spoke, and Bevin nodded.
The puppet play began with grand music.
It was a short performance made up of several short stories.
The audience quieted down, and the thick curtain slowly lifted.
The staff moved silently, serving drinks and desserts to the guests.
Irina and Bevin spent a long time eating the fruits and desserts brought by the staff.
When the play ended, a famous singer from Borman came on stage to sing.
A few others performed a fire show as well.
Time flew by without them realizing it.
Bang!
Then, a loud noise erupted from one side.
A large man had flipped a table—perhaps out of anger or after an argument.
Plates shattered, and the sound echoed noisily.
Wine spilled across the floor, glass fragments scattering.
Someone collapsed to the ground, injured or terrified.
Startled, Irina jumped to her feet.
The man began shouting wildly.
He moved about, brandishing a knife.
Such dangerous items weren’t supposed to be allowed inside the arena.
Looking closer, it was a steak knife from the table.
The place turned into chaos within moments.
Irina, having never experienced anything like it before, froze on the spot.
The man’s eyes glinted as he kept swinging the knife.
People screamed and tried to run outside.
Others were too busy fleeing to look back.
“Why are you staring at me, huh? You wanna die!?”
The man staggered closer toward Irina and Bevin.
“Put that down. Are you planning to kill someone?”
Irina pulled trembling Bevin behind her.
If she had been alone, she would have run away instantly—but she couldn’t leave Bevin, who stood frozen in fear.
She was scared too, but Bevin was clearly terrified.
The man glared at Irina menacingly and thrust the knife toward her.
“You laughing at me too, huh!?”
“Kyaaa!”
A scream rang out nearby.
Irina raised her arms to shield herself and squeezed her eyes shut.
Clang!
Before the knife could reach her, someone struck the man’s arm.
The guards rushed in and subdued him in an instant.
The person who had protected Irina was bleeding from a wound on his arm.
“H–Howard.”
It was Howard, who had rushed in after hearing the commotion.
He turned and pulled Irina into his arms protectively.
Once Irina regained her senses, she shouted,
“H–Howard! You’re bleeding! Oh no, you’re hurt!”
Panicked, Irina grabbed his collar, her eyes wide with fear.
The room was filled with shouts, and staff hurriedly moved about.
“Let go! Let me go, you bastards!”
The man with the knife was restrained by staff and dragged away.
Irina, still too frightened to move, was lifted up by Howard.
He carried her upstairs.
“Let me see. Are you hurt anywhere?”
He set Irina down on the bed and asked urgently.
They had come quite a distance, but he wasn’t even out of breath.
If anything, Irina—who had been carried like luggage—was the one gasping.
Dazed, Irina shook her head.
Howard was too focused, scanning her for injuries.
“I’m fine.”
“Let me check anyway.”
“Howard! You’re the one who’s hurt, not me!”
It was as if he couldn’t hear her.
He looked ready to inspect her from head to toe.
Thinking he hadn’t heard, she called again.
“Howard! I’m fine.”
Howard suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.
So tight that she coughed a little from the pressure.
“I’m really fine. I said I’m okay. Please, let’s get you treated, okay?”
“Really…”
He let out a deep sigh of relief against her shoulder.
“You’re bleeding…”
Irina hugged him back, trying to calm him down.
She gently rubbed his broad back, twice her size.
He gradually relaxed.
But only for a moment.
“Why did you insist on following me there!?”
Howard pushed her back slightly and raised his voice.
Startled, Irina widened her eyes.
“W–why are you yelling?”
“How can I not? What if you had gotten hurt!?”
Irina gave a small, sheepish smile, raising her hands.
She knew it wasn’t a situation to laugh, but she did it to reassure him.
His eyes were trembling violently.
“Silly. Look, I’m not hurt at all. Let’s just get you treated, okay?”
A bit of blood had stained her hand—
it wasn’t hers but Howard’s, from when she’d grabbed his collar earlier.
“I’m really okay.”
Even as she repeated it, his expression didn’t ease.
He took out a handkerchief and began scrubbing at the blood on her hand.
The stain had dried, so it didn’t come off easily.
He poured water from a vase nearby and dampened the cloth.
That did the trick—the blood marks disappeared.
“See? All gone. Casey! Casey!”
Irina called out, hoping someone would come.
“…We’re going straight home.”
“I’m really fine.”
Though she’d been terrified, Irina pretended to be calm.
Howard’s face grew stern again.
“Don’t ever set foot near that place again. I’ll prepare the carriage immediately.”
Irina shut her mouth, realizing arguing would only make him angrier.
Thankfully, before they left, a doctor arrived to tend to Howard’s wound.
After that, Irina left the arena and climbed into the waiting carriage.
More than ten guards escorted them down.
Bevin was safely protected, and fortunately, no one else was seriously hurt.
Howard remained silent the entire ride.
“…”
“…”
Irina, still half-scolded from earlier, quietly watched his expression.
When they arrived at the mansion, Howard went straight into his office.
Irina felt uneasy.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, yet he seemed deeply upset.
“He’s being too harsh…”
Still, she couldn’t just leave him alone.
Irina went to the kitchen and made tea herself.
She asked a maid for directions, but it was simple enough—there was a pot kept boiling all day, so she only had to ladle out hot water.
“Making tea isn’t so hard after all.”
She poured hot water into a glass teapot with a ladle.
“Ow, hot!”
A few drops splashed out.
She filled it a few times until the pot released a soft, gentle fragrance.
The clear water turned a beautiful golden color, like melted gold.
She placed the lid on and set the teapot and a single cup on a tray.
She also put a small folded note on the tray—one she had prepared in her room earlier.
“This should be good enough.”
Holding the tray carefully, Irina tiptoed her way down the hall.
She realized carrying a tray was trickier than it looked—
if she glanced away even briefly, it tilted dangerously.
“Maybe I poured too much tea.”
She had filled it almost to the brim, wanting to give him plenty.
Moving like a cat, she managed to keep it from spilling.
She set the tray down on the small table outside his office.
“Phew.”
Thankfully, she hadn’t spilled much.
Knock, knock.
Irina tapped lightly on the office door, then hurried away to her own room.
After the knocking sound, a faint noise followed outside.
Sensing something odd, Howard called out,
“Come in.”
But no one entered.
Puzzled, he got up and opened the door.
“…”
No one was there.
Then he noticed the gentle aroma in the air.
His eyes turned to the small table.
There sat a glass teapot and a teacup, with steam gently rising.
A small note lay beside them.
The teapot was filled with golden tea that shimmered softly in the light.
Picking up the note, he saw the edges were slightly wet—perhaps from spilled tea.
The tray had a little puddle of water on it too.
The note had been folded two or three times.
Silently, Howard unfolded it.
At a glance, he knew exactly who it was from.
His expression softened blankly.
[Drink and sleep. It’s tea that helps you rest. Sorry for scaring you. Good night!]
