Chapter 04
“You’d better be careful not to upset the Marquis’s mood. He’s not the type to be lenient just because you’re young.”
The caretaker who brought me to a room filled with numerous garments for the necessary adornment before education tossed me what appeared to be an elegant dress, practically throwing it into my hands.
“Um… This dress is a bit uncomfortable. Could I wear that one instead?”
I pointed to a tuxedo and suit that looked more suitable for a boy instead of the frilly lace dress that had been thrown at me.
The caretaker glanced at the tuxedo I pointed to. Then, as if it didn’t really matter what I wore, he said nothing and simply threw a pair of pants at me before dragging me toward the carriage.
“You’d better be careful. If you’re unlucky, you might die. Try to behave as respectfully as possible. Don’t even think about opening your mouth or moving without permission.”
Even as he warned me repeatedly, he didn’t hold back on his advice to be cautious.
‘Ah, right. There were cases where people died, weren’t there?’
I had almost forgotten, given that this was a high-end slave shop, but there had been plenty of slaves who died because they angered a noble.
Under the guise of ‘education,’ it seemed nobles could use slaves in any manner without major consequences as long as they paid the price. I had momentarily forgotten this fact since none of the children in our room had died.
‘Well, as long as I remember the strategy, I should be fine.’
Though I felt slightly nervous as this was my first time outside, I didn’t particularly fear death. I knew I’d be safe if I remained vigilant.
Inside the carriage that set off down the familiar roads beyond the slave shop, I gazed quietly out the window, thinking about what I should do next.
I wondered if I could prevent the world’s future destruction by eliminating all the traumas of the disasters that were already deeply entangled.
If I could bear their most horrific memories instead, perhaps they could grow into healthy adults with intact morals, ethics, kindness, and compassion—things that might be essential to living.
‘Could I do it?’
If I sacrificed myself for the sake of the disasters, I might be able to stop the world from ending.
Once I had made up my mind, the lingering nerves gradually settled.
“We’ve arrived. Get out and quietly follow their instructions.”
“Yes.”
Perhaps because his job ended the moment he delivered me to the noble’s estate, the caretakers didn’t even lift a finger as he shoved me out of the carriage.
Following his instructions, I obediently got off and came face-to-face with a man who appeared to be a butler, waiting for me at the entrance.
“…Follow me.”
The butler, seemingly accustomed to such matters, began guiding me without even looking at me.
A mansion with curtains drawn along every corridor, darkness without a single ray of light. Every servant I passed was a man.
Just as I had expected, this was indeed the residence of Abel’s first educator.
“Enter this room. The door will not open until tomorrow noon.”
“Yes. I understand.”
The butler opened the door himself, pushed me inside the dark room, and firmly shut the door behind me.
If Abel had been the one brought here, he would have been terrified by now, but I felt surprisingly unaffected.
As my eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, I tried to explore the room, and within it, I discovered a man sitting on the bed, quietly tilting a glass filled with a red liquid.
“Come… Come closer.”
A deep, shadowed voice beckoned me.
His silhouette was barely visible in the dim light, but he gestured toward me with his hand.
I cautiously stepped forward, only to stop when something bumped against my foot.
“Meow—”
Was there a cat in the room? As it brushed against my leg, the feline let out a soft cry before slinking away.
I watched it disappear before resuming my slow steps toward the man.
“Come… sit here beside me.”
He patted the space next to him, inviting me to sit.
The darkness had concealed it, but as I got closer, I finally noticed the sharp dagger in his hand.
‘Is he planning to stab me with that?’
Realizing this a moment too late, I hesitated briefly before sitting down beside him.
I felt his hand grasp my wrist and pull me closer, his touch causing a slight tension to run through my body. However, I did my best to remain unfazed.
Because I knew his weakness.
The thing he loathed and despised the most… It was…
“Wait a moment…”
The man, who had been speaking in a significant tone, seemed to sense something odd and began examining me thoroughly. Then, with a startled expression, he abruptly stood up and moved far away from me.
“Ahhh…!”
His unsightly appearance almost made the corners of my mouth twitch, but I suppressed my laughter and slowly opened my mouth to address him.
“What’s wrong, Marquis Drummond?”
“A-a girl…! Why is a girl here…?!”
The Marquis, who backed to the wall with a horrified expression, seemed to lose strength in his legs and slid down along the wall, collapsing onto the floor.
“Excuse me? Is there a problem with me being a girl?”
“Hee, heek! D-don’t come! Don’t come near me!”
Just as I thought.
I covered my mouth, quietly smiled, and pretended to be concerned, asking if he was alright.
“Are you okay, Marquis?”
“Aaaah!”
Huddling in the corner, he buried his head in his arms to avoid looking at me. I looked coldly at the marquis, who was trembling in fear.
The man, who had bizarrely insisted on using only young boys as blood bags, had one glaring weakness—he had an extreme, deep-seated fear of women.
Being a marquis of the empire, he probably couldn’t afford to let anyone see him in such a disgraceful state. His butler must have deliberately kept that fact hidden from the slave shop. That was why, seeing me in pants, he must have assumed I was just a pretty-looking boy and brought me in.
‘It was a gamble, but it worked.’
I thought I would be kicked out the moment I reached the mansion’s entrance, but fortunately, I managed to get inside his room. Leaving the terrified marquis alone, I took a moment to glance around.
“Someone! Is there anyone out there? Get this brat out of here at once!”
The marquis, still crouched with both arms covering his face, yelled toward the door, but no one came.
The household staff had likely all vacated the area to avoid hearing the terrible cries of the slaves.
“Marquis? If there’s a problem, should I come closer to help you?”
“D-don’t come near me! I-I said don’t come!”
“Yes~ Yes~ Understood~”
Following his command, I stepped away and casually scanned the room for anything useful.
Then, I spotted a plate of assorted cookies that seemed to have been brought in along with the alcohol he had been drinking earlier.
“Marquis, can I eat these?”
“Uwaaaaagh!”
“I’ll take that as a yes. Thank you.”
Interpreting his scream as permission, I grabbed a few cookies and, finding some paper nearby, wrapped up as many as I could before sneaking them into my pocket.
‘I should take these back for Lizzie and Cecil~.’
With my pocket now stuffed full of cookies, I swept my gaze across the room once more. Until that door opened, I was stuck here with this scaredy-cat of a fraud marquis, with nothing much to do.
“Nyaa~ Nyaa~ Come here, little one~”
Bored, I approached the cat lounging in the room and reached out my hand.
As expected of a cat, it only stared at me with an air of aloofness, showing no reaction. Thinking I might be able to get closer, I took a careful step forward. The cat still remained still, simply watching me.
‘It’s calmer than I expected. Maybe I can get a little closer?’
Moving closer, I slowly reached out my hand to pet its head.
And then—whack!
A paw lashed out, striking me before I could react.
Unfortunately, the cat had its claws fully extended, and its sharp nails raked across my cheek. As the pain registered, I felt something warm trickling down my skin.
“…Ah.”
I quickly pressed a hand to my cheek. The scratch seemed deeper than I had expected, as fresh blood began seeping out.
“Hiiissss—!”
The cat let out a menacing hiss before turning away and striding off.
Feeling the warmth of my own blood running down my cheek, I turned to face the marquis.
“Marquis, I’m bleeding.”
“Waaaaaaaaagh!”
…Seriously, what’s wrong with him?
˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗
Thank you for reading! ♡
Bruhhhh😭😂💔💔💔