Chapter 90: Our Family (3) |
Today, the mansion was peaceful as ever.
After oversleeping, I halted in my tracks upon seeing Miss Olivia in the hallway, her expression downcast.
[I will never date again.]
Seated in her wheelchair, Miss Olivia was wearing a wooden sign around her neck with strange characters written on it.
Just looking at the scene was enough to lighten my mood, and with a small smile, I approached Miss Olivia to ask her.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm being punished."
"Punished?"
"Yep. Brother told me to hold my hands up all day today."
Watching Miss Olivia's hands trembling, I commented.
"That's quite a frightening punishment."
"Yeah. So I was taking a break and lowering my hands secretly."
"Should I tell the young master?"
"No!"
Miss Olivia and I exchanged an awkward glance.
There I was, looking as if I might rush to Kyle's room at any moment, and Miss Olivia, with her chilly gaze, seemed like she could issue a recommendation for dismissal right then and there.
Feeling an ominous vibe from our exchange of looks, Miss Olivia sighed deeply and admitted defeat.
"If Ricardo tells on me, my arm will fall off."
"I'll pick it up and attach it for you."
"You're not handy, so you might attach the right arm where the left should be."
"Then that would be a shame, wouldn't it?"
"Stop teasing!"
Trying to conceal the corners of my mouth curling upwards, I teased her while Miss Olivia puffed her eyes out in displeasure.
"If you're not going to help, then leave!"
"I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"
"Brother said Ricardo would be punished too."
"…"
Anxiously, my gaze flew to the firmly shut door of Kyle's room at the end of the hallway.
"Really?"
"No. I made it up."
I flicked Miss Olivia's forehead for her mischievous lie.
"Why'd you hit me!"
"Just because."
"Eeeek!!!"
Miss Olivia clenched her fist and swung her hands in the air.
Her threatening stance, with the odd sign around her neck, wasn't scary at all.
It was like watching a pet dog being scolded for tearing up paper in the room; the sight of Miss Olivia with the sign around her neck made her seem more cute than frightening.
With a sullen expression, Miss Olivia held up her hands.
I took Miss Olivia's wrists into my hands, allowing her a little respite from the strenuous posture.
The relief was visible on her face as she went from furrowing her brows to a comfortable expression.
"Is it very tough?"
"Yeah. My shoulders have been screaming since a while ago."
"How long have you been doing this?"
Miss Olivia said with a sheepish smile.
"3 minutes."
"Ugh."
I let go of Miss Olivia's hands abruptly.
"If you say it's tough after just that much!"
"Why!!! What can I do if it's hard!"
"Endure it for at least 10 minutes."
"Eeeek! No!"
Miss Olivia whined, begging me to hold her hand, claiming that it would be less tiring if I did so and that we should continue like this all day. It was a tempting suggestion, but knowing that getting caught by Kyle would mean we both would be punished, I tearfully resisted the enthralling offer.
"So, did you have a good talk?"
I asked Miss Olivia in a gentle voice.
Whether the conversation had gone well.
Although it was not an issue that could be resolved with a single conversation, seeing her being punished in such an adorable manner made me think she must've handled the talk fairly well.
Judging by the absence of servants in the hallway, it seemed Kyle was controlling access to the area.
Miss Olivia replied to my question, her head bowed and her voice shy.
"I don't know… Brother said he would be angry until tomorrow. I'm not sure."
"Is that what someone who says they'll be angry does? Giving you a punishment like this?"
"…Isn't it serious scolding?"
With an innocent face, Miss Olivia asked, and I flicked her forehead again, smiling.
"Pff… I have no idea."
Miss Olivia had a question mark above her head as she asked me what I meant, but I shut my mouth and left her to figure it out.
Really, Kyle was not being honest.
As I continued the pointless conversation with Miss Olivia.
-Click-clack… Click-clack…
From the stairs of the fourth floor, the sound of shoe heels hitting the floor could be heard. The clear sound of the heels grew closer to the third floor where we were, and I straightened my clothes and stole a glance at the approaching figure.
Dressed in a deep navy uniform today.
With neatly styled hair, the figure of a middle-aged man slowly came into view, and I bowed politely to greet him.
"Good morning, Lord Darbav."
"Yes, good morning, Ricardo."
Darbav, dressed immaculately, waved his hand in greeting.
Standing in front of the hallway where we were, Darbav looked down at Miss Olivia and his expression turned to surprise.
"You're doing something interesting, Olivia."
With a gloomy face, Miss Olivia spoke to Darbav.
"Dad. Good morning."
"Yes. Did Olivia sleep well?"
"No."
"I see."
Darbav nodded and stroked Miss Olivia's hair. He continued to caress her soft hair for a while.
Miss Olivia looked up at Darbav and asked.
"Dad. Did you come to save me?"
"No."
"…"
Miss Olivia's face fell.
"I can't do anything about Kyle's stubbornness."
"It's okay."
A somber mood enveloped the mansion's hallway. After a brief silence, I was curious about the wooden sign Darbav was holding and asked.
"Lord, what is that in your hand?"
"Ah… this?"
Darbav shrugged his shoulders.
With a confident voice, he took a stand next to Miss Olivia and spoke.
"It's a love message from Rosanna."
And then, as if he was used to it, Darbav put on the sign he was holding.
Miss Olivia said to Darbav.
"Dad. What are you doing?"
"Can't you tell?"
[I will not shout loudly in the morning.]
"I came to be punished."
Having been scolded by Rosanna, Darbav sighed and hung the sign around his neck, raising both hands as if this was routine.
Darbav then asked me.
"Did you come to be scolded too?"
"I did not."
"Lucky you."
Lord Darbav looked genuinely envious.
With a steady expression, Darbav said to me.
"If you have some time, could you ask Rosanna how long I have to keep my hands up?"
I barely contained a laugh at Darbav's blunt yet novel words, his expression more serious than ever. The idea of treating the head of the family like this was unimaginable in other households, but here at the Desmonds, it was a common sight.
I admired his demeanor and headed downstairs to the kitchen where Rosanna was.
"I'll be back."
"It may be all right if you come back a little late."
Darbav, glancing down at Miss Olivia, spoke.
I later found out that Rosanna had not actually asked Darbav to do any such thing. It was just a small excuse of a father wanting to be with his daughter.
Really.
"He's a good man."
I greeted the night at the mansion with a smile.
***
Late night arrived.
Darbav and Rosanna had fallen into a deep sleep, and it was at the ominous time when Miss Olivia's snoring sound was terrifyingly loud.
Unable to sleep, I decided to take a walk in the mansion's garden to breathe some fresh air.
The vast garden.
Statues of previous heads of the family erected.
Walking through the Desmond mansion's garden, with its rose bushes tended by Rosanna, I was lost in memories.
"It's been a while since I've been here too."
-From today, this is your home. If you want to steal something, ask for permission first. Got it?
-I want to run away.
-You can't. I picked you up.
-I'll become a stray dog from today.
-Eeeek!
The image of Miss Olivia, who had first picked me up, was vividly etched in my memory.
With her chubby cheeks and feline-like face, the image of Miss Olivia as a child brushed through my mind.
I had no idea it would turn out like this back then.
The cold air of winter made my chest ache as my breath fogged before me.
I think the weather was like this when I first met Miss Olivia.
Who would have thought that starting out as an orphan from the slums and getting into fights would end up saving my life? As a transmigrator, I never imagined my relationship with the villainess would become this deep.
The person I least wanted to meet.
The villainess I didn't want to be involved with, our relationship has unexpectedly lasted this long.
As I walked and started to feel a bit chilly,
A familiar voice called out from behind me.
"Ricardo."
A strong male voice.
The person I thought would be the most awkward to meet alone in this mansion was calling me.
A man with black hair and blue eyes.
"Young Master."
Desmond Kyle.
He had his hands in his pockets, calling out to me. The frivolousness of his past self gone, he had grown into a man befitting the name of the future head of the Desmond family.
We had fought a lot.
He was a friend from my youth spent with Olivia.
Kyle gestured with his hand, rejecting any formalities. Complaining about when since had he ever cared about such things, Kyle took out a cigarette and offered it to me.
"Care for a smoke?"
A welcome suggestion, but I shook my head and declined Kyle's offer. Miss Olivia hated the smell of cigarettes.
"I shall smoke another time."
I bowed my head, maintaining politeness.
"Is that so."
"I apologize."
"No need to apologize."
It was awkward.
Being alone with Kyle.
Especially after what happened with Miss Olivia's use of black magic.
Kyle lit the cigarette and exhaled deeply. The white smoke ascended into the garden's sky, contributing to the silence.
"Well…"
After another puff, Kyle opened his mouth.
"So when do you plan to stop hiding it?"
Kyle glared at me with stern eyes.
"A commoner who wields a sword. I understand there’s a past connection with you from the slums."
Kyle despised Michail.
"Why… do you keep that a secret?"
He hated him enough to want to kill him.
