OVHC Chapter 16

Chapter 16

 

After cleaning her room perfectly, the diligent maid walked into Lucas Roiental’s office. Seeing this, Charles didn’t hesitate to open the door.

There was no way he would let that maid be taken by the detestable Lucas Roiental. Someone like Lucas, who didn’t know the first thing about cleanliness, didn’t deserve her. Charles, on the other hand, recognized her talent—he was the one truly worthy of hiring her.

“I want to employ you, Anette. Will you take care of my room from now on? 

Of course, I’ll pay you extra.”

“I refuse.”

He had spoken in the most elegant and refined manner. Yet, she rejected him.

Rejected.

Him.

For the first time in his life, someone had refused him. And she wasn’t just refusing—she was looking at him with utter disgust.

How could a person glare at someone so openly with such contempt?

She looked at him as if he were a filthy bug.

He had never been looked at this way before.

But strangely, it thrilled him. His entire body felt awakened. His heart was racing.

This was a feeling he couldn’t tell anyone about.

Yes, Charles had a secret desire.

Ever since he was young, he had wished for someone to trample him down, to scold him harshly, to treat him like a servant yet also praise him.

As he recalled Anette’s disgusted expression, Charles buried his face in his pillow, writhing.

He felt like he had been struck by a massive carriage at full speed.

This was an accident.

From that day on, Charles kept dreaming about her.

In his dreams, Anette slapped him, stepped on him, and called him filthy.

And he loved it.

Then, in the end, she would embrace him warmly, like a goddess.

It was such a twisted desire that he could never tell anyone.

But he had longed for this for so long.

He wanted just one person to dominate him, to treat him like their servant.

A woman more graceful and lovely than the goddess Hella.

That woman was Anette.

The next day, Charles began secretly watching her.

Her name was Anette Etheled.

He already knew that name.

“A royal… how wonderful.”

She was perfect.

To someone like him, who had lived a pure and noble life, she was a gift from the goddess.

She was his and his alone.

For days, he watched Anette, and then he finally realized the truth.

“Master…”

Yes. She was his master.

On a rainy day, he wasn’t able to see her, which disappointed him greatly.

So the next day, he canceled all his plans just to follow her around.

And then, he saw it.

Anette, threatening a male servant.

“Do you know how many servants have died because of me?”

“More than half of the duke’s servants are dead because of me. Of course, no one knows. I used poison.”

“If you speak another word, I’ll cut off your tongue. Snip, snip.”

She stuck out her tongue and made a cutting motion with her fingers.

Charles almost screamed.

She was too charismatic. Too sexy. Too elegant.

“Master…”

He felt like crying.

Master… Your loyal servant is here.

He wanted to touch her, to be near her. But he had to be patient.

She needed time to accept him.

He could wait forever.

One day, she would see him, not with disgust, but with love.

Even waiting for her felt sweet.

But he didn’t expect to get caught so soon.

While secretly watching her in the hallway, she suddenly noticed him.

She grabbed his collar.

And he collapsed onto the dirty floor.

He had never sat on such a filthy floor before.

Of course, he had dropped on his own, but still—she was the reason.

He never even rolled in the dirt during training.

He had trained so hard just to avoid getting dirty.

Even sweating and getting muddy was disgusting to him, but at least he could wash it off.

His sweat was pure and beautiful, after all.

Anette shook him roughly by the collar.

She was stronger than he expected.

Charles felt like he was about to faint.

He was too happy.

His goddess, his master, was touching him.

If only she would shake him even harder.

And then, he confessed.

“…You…”

“What? What about me?”

“You are… my… my—!”

“What?!”

“My master!”

Anette couldn’t believe her ears.

She must have misheard.

Either that or this man was crazy.

“Are you okay?”

Have you lost your mind?

Suddenly, Anette felt concerned.

At first, she thought he was just eccentric, but now he seemed like an actual patient.

He was not normal.

Maybe if he was mentally unwell, she could forgive him for stalking her.

Otherwise, there was no way he could be this insane.

“Sniff…”

Anette’s face turned from shock to fear.

Charles, seemingly shaken by her expression, covered his face with his hands and pretended to cry.

“H-Hey, why are you crying?”

“Don’t… don’t look at me like that!”

Charles dramatically lowered his hands.

He wasn’t even really crying.

His golden eyes were wet, but there were no real tears.

He had faked it.

And now, Anette felt embarrassed instead.

“Just… get up.”

“Oh.”

Realizing he was still on the floor, Charles stood up immediately.

Now that they were face-to-face, Anette noticed how tall he was.

Almost as tall as Lucas.

Such a big man, acting like this?

Anette took a deep breath and asked,

“Are you the one who’s been following me?”

“It wasn’t following.”

“Then what? You were stalking me!”

“No.”

“Yes, you were! You were watching me just now!”

“That’s…”

At that moment, they heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the hallway.

Startled, Anette quickly pulled Charles into a corner to hide.

If someone saw them like this, weird rumors would spread.

People would think she was involved with this lunatic.

“Haa…”

When the people passed by, Anette hurriedly let go of him.

What the hell?

Why was he breathing so heavily?

“Haa… Master…”

“…”

“Master… touched me…”

“…”

Anette was speechless.

Where did this madness even start?

She needed to get him to a doctor.

“If you’re sick, I’ll call a doctor. Just say the word, and Anna will bring one right away.”

“I’m not sick! I’m perfectly fine!”

“You don’t seem fine.”

“Thank you for worrying about me, Master.”

“…”

“Master is so kind.”

“…”

“I love kind, Masters.”

Charles murmured dreamily, staring at Anette with a dazed expression.

Anette could only blink in confusion.

She had no idea why he kept calling her that.

She needed to calm him down.

“Let’s… go somewhere quiet and talk.”

“Yes!”

Wait. No.

Why was she agreeing to talk to him?

“Actually, no! I’m leaving! Stop following me!”

“Master!”

Anette grabbed her cleaning supplies and spirited away.

Like a bolt of lightning.

She checked behind her as she ran, making sure he wasn’t following.

This was terrifying.

This temple was full of lunatics.

Crazy knights.

One was a useless eunuch, and the other was a total maniac.

Anette wanted to cry.

Charles, watching her disappear, blushed.

“Master…”

She was so adorable.

One day, she would accept him.

He would wait patiently until then.

‘I will endure anything until my Master acknowledges me.’

Master…

Charles whispered, thinking of Anette as she vanished.