* * *
Startled, my entire body stiffened with tension.
I propped myself up with both arms, digging my palms into the ground to keep my body from fully overlapping with his.
My throat felt parched from sheer embarrassment.
When I looked down, Locke was wearing a smirk, as if he had just seen something incredibly entertaining.
“Now that we’ve already shared a kiss, I thought you tackled me down to try something else with me.”
Can he please stop talking about that kiss?
I tried so hard to erase it from my mind; why does he keep bringing it up?
I frowned hard to hide my rapidly flushing face.
“Don’t say such ridiculous things. I’m not that shameless.”
“Then, give me an explanation as to why you pushed me down.”
“That’s because…”
My mind was a complete mess.
I tried to organize my thoughts, but what could possibly be in this dark, damp basement?
At most, maybe bugs or… My eyes, which had been darting around, suddenly stopped as I found an excuse.
“Why did I push you? I did it because I was afraid a bug would get inside your collar. You might not have seen it, but a spider was coming down from the ceiling right behind you.”
“And so?”
Locke stared at me intently, prompting me to continue.
“As you know, poisonous spiders are sometimes found in the mansion. I pushed you because I was worried you’d get bitten. Besides, spiders are gross—they have hair and bloated bellies. Ugh…”
“You were fiddling with my ears, too. And you were muttering something while staring holes into my face.”
“Fiddling? Oh, please. What a thing to say. I was just protecting your head in case the back of your skull hit the floor when you fell.”
“But your hands never touched my head.”
“That’s… because my hands are small?”
“Then, what about the muttering while looking at me?”
“No way. I didn’t say anything. You must have mistaken the shadow of the lamp reflecting on my lips.”
I bluffed my way through the situation without even pausing for breath.
Fortunately, Locke didn’t pry any further. I quickly stood up and pulled on his wrist.
The feel of firm muscle filled my grip.
“There’s no time for this. Let’s get out before my brother arrives. I have things to take care of after I hide you, so we have to hurry.”
I led Locke toward the basement stairs.
On the way, I checked the ‘Hearts’ and saw that one more had been added.
Only then did my heart finally begin to relax.
They say it’s just one mountain after another.
As I tried to climb the stairs with Locke, we were broked by another knight who had just swapped shifts.
Do I have to start from the beginning again?
Cutting my palm hurt more than I expected.
“It would have been nice if they explained the situation during the handover.”
When I sighed, the knight looked awkward and restless.
He looked a bit inexperienced, so I thought he might be a rookie.
I hoped he’d be easier to talk to than the guy from before, but…
“Please, understand my position, Lord Cedric.”
He was still stubborn.
“Please understand my position, too.”
“I am sorry.”
“Do all you knights just carry ‘I’m sorry’ on your lips? You don’t actually feel sorry at all.”
My mouth was bone-dry because time was running out.
Not knowing how anxious I was, Locke whispered quietly from behind.
“You were supposed to hide me, but it seems you’re in a difficult spot.”
I pouted my upper lip and replied.
“You’re right. I’m troubled to death.”
“Oh dear.”
It was a truly difficult day.
I wondered if I became the head of the family, I’d be able to do more things according to my own will.
I felt as if invisible shackles were fastened to my limbs.
‘Anyway, how do I solve this situation?’
I had the title of the youngest young master of the Hestian family, but I held no actual authority.
Therefore, even if I tried to force Locke out, the knights—whose livelihoods depended on following orders—would only see it as a young master throwing a tantrum.
I couldn’t just ruin someone else’s life to protect what was mine.
As I was worrying over the deadlock, Locke took a step back.
“It seems taking me out right now is impossible.”
Ugh, that mouth.
I wanted to tell him to stay quiet for a second, but I held back.
My fear of him hadn’t completely vanished yet.
“That doesn’t mean there’s no way to protect you. I have a Plan B, Plan C, and even a Plan D. So, just trust me and stay calm.”
“Ho, how reassuring.”
I told Locke that first, fearing he might regret siding with me—the person with the least power in the family.
Then, I turned back to the knight.
“I understand what you’re saying. Fine, it’s not like you guys are at fault. You’re just following orders from above. Fine, I won’t be stubborn anymore.”
‘Stay calm. I can do this.’
“To think you would even consider the feelings of a humble knight… I am truly grateful for the youngest master’s great grace.”
The knight bowed his head.
I nodded and spoke in a tone that was as flat as possible.
“I will send him back to the basement. Instead, I will go with him.”
“…Pardon?”
The knight, still bowing, lifted only his head to look at me.
He looked dazed, like someone who had just heard a hallucination.
“You won’t let Locke go because of my brother’s orders, and I don’t want to leave my innocent servant alone in a basement cell. So, isn’t there only one way? I will stay by Locke’s side and protect him until my parents return and learn the truth.”
“That is absurd!”
The knight shouted.
I was startled by the sudden outburst, but if I showed any signs of wavering here, I wouldn’t be able to give Locke any reason to trust me.
I maintained as steady an expression as possible.
“There is no reason for Lord Cedric to protect a low-level servant, and for you to go to the dungeon yourself for such a person… The authority of the nobility will crumble!”
“Nobility’s authority is kept by leading subordinates and taking good care of one’s people. In that case, should I consider your refusal to follow my words as crumbling my authority as a noble?”
“I am simply being loyal to the Hestian family.”
“I am also a member of that Hestian family you are loyal to. I am the one who decides where I go, not you.”
I gave the knight a sharp piece of my mind for not opening the path.
Just as I was about to head back, Locke broked my way.
“I also don’t think it’s right for the Young Master to return to that place.”
“And it’s not right for you, who are innocent, to be in a cell.”
I looked up at him with eyes that said, ‘Are you doing this to me too?’
“If the Young Master were healthy, I would have accepted that sentiment gratefully. But you are sick. The air there is murky, and it is a bad environment for you in many ways.”
Locke’s gaze drifted to my wounded left hand.
I curled my hand into a fist so the injury wouldn’t show.
“You need to treat that, too.”
“I can do that later.”
“Are you lying to me?”
I looked up at him with wide eyes.
“I never lied!”
“You said you would treat me well. But you aren’t listening to a single word I say.”
“That’s… because I’m worried about you.”
“If you are that worried about me, I will go into the solitary cell and keep the door locked until you return. So, for now, go back and treat your hand.”
I hesitated, unsure of what the right move was.
Then, realizing that if the bickering continued here, I wouldn’t be able to do anything else, I made a decision.
Eventually, I let my shoulders slump and replied.
“Then promise me. I’ll be back before my brother arrives, so keep the door tightly locked.”
“Of course.”
Locke turned back of his own accord.
I watched Locke’s back as he headed back to the basement before turning my heavy footsteps away.
My feet felt like they weighed a thousand pounds.
I only hoped that Locke would be safe until I could set a trap that the real culprit couldn’t escape and return for him.
❖ ❖ ❖
The stalls set up by merchants on the stone floor were chaotic.
The boisterous noise of the crowd buying and selling goods mixed with the melodies played by street musicians.
Clatter, clatter.
The sound of galloping hooves cutting through the center was loud.
The horse, which had been running while kicking up clouds of dust, stopped at a blacksmith’s shop with a long neigh.
Clang, clang!
An old man, who was tempering iron with the tent wide open because of the heat, only glanced up.
“What a surprise. You left declaring you’d never come back. I suppose the wind has changed direction?”
“Oh, Master. I’ll listen to that later.”
The assistant standing next to the old man was restless, his face pale.
“Let him listen.”
A tall man glared coldly at the old man.
He looked like the son of a noble family.
As soon as he hopped off the horse, he immediately reached for his waist.
Thinking something terrible was about to happen, the blacksmith’s assistant—suffering for having such a stubborn master—quickly ran toward the man.
“Welcome, Young Master. It’s been a long time since you visited… Eek!”
Faced with a cold blade pointed at him without warning, the assistant stopped dead, his legs trembling.
If he moved even slightly, the blade at his throat would pierce his skin.
The assistant was on the verge of tears.
“Even if you are a precious young master of a Count’s family, you… you mustn’t harm an innocent citizen in broad daylight!”
“Innocent? That’s not a word that should come from the mouths of those who deceive customers, charge high prices for weapons, and take excessive profits, is it?”
Sweeping back his blonde hair, the man in noble attire sneered.
* * *
