Chapter 6: The Hero’s New Job (5)

　　“Oh.”

　　After thoroughly cleaning Sedian’s room with the maids’ help, I came to my senses to find golden sunlight pouring through the wide-open window. The room, which had always seemed gloomy with Sedian keeping the curtains drawn and windows shut, finally seemed to regain its vitality. It felt as if the accumulating light would evaporate every last trace of melancholy, and a sense of pride swelled within me, instantly lifting my spirits.

　　Feeling refreshed, I approached the window, and a sea breeze swept in. The wind, carrying the languor of the early afternoon, held a fresh, sweet fragrance—a mix of the deep salt of the sea and the green scent of pine. Is this what the true freedom of the sea would smell like? I wondered.

　　Come to think of it…

　　I realized that in my past life, I had never seen the sea in person.

　　Unconsciously, I leaned out the window. The brilliant blue ocean stretched out, vast enough to fill my entire view. The horizon where the azure sky met the sea was so sharp that just looking at it made me feel I could breathe more easily. The sunlight turned the water’s surface to gold, sparkling with an intensity I’d never seen. It was dazzling.

　　It’s beautiful.

　　The rhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the cliff before receding was truly pleasant. I leaned against the windowsill, closed my eyes, and listened to the sounds of nature.

　　In my past life, I lived in a city called Incheon. I wasn’t on the coast, so I couldn’t say I was close to the sea, but it was only five or six subway stops away. Yet I never went. Not once in the twenty-odd years I lived there. As a student, the bus fare felt like a waste; as an adult, I never had the time.

　　Later. I’ll go when I get the chance.

　　I postponed everything until later, and then I died without ever seeing the sea.

　　I wanted to try grilled clams.

　　There probably wasn’t anything like grilled clams in this world, so I supposed I’d never get to eat them. A dry laugh escaped me. I wondered how many other things I had put off just like that. It felt like there were too many things I had left undone.

　　And so.

　　This time, I’ll do it all.

　　In any case, the position of butler at the ducal estate wasn’t a lifelong job. Once I cured Sedian’s curse, I would leave. I couldn’t spend my whole life hiding the fact that I was the one who’d cast it on him.

　　I’ll probably die if he finds out.

　　I didn’t want to die, so I’d cure him and run. The only problem was that to do that, I needed to keep touching him, but he had a fit every time I laid a hand on him. I couldn’t do anything properly. I needed to touch him for an extended period to experiment.

　　Well, I knew things wouldn’t change overnight.

　　If I survive for a few more weeks, he’ll have to accept my claim that the curse isn’t contagious, right? Then he’ll be fine with me touching him. He’ll probably curse me out, but still.

　　What a prickly cat-bastard.

　　I muttered, running through a vaguely optimistic scenario. It was then.

　　“Um, Sir Rei.”

　　Daisy spoke to me. I slowly opened my eyes and turned to look at her. For a moment, her cheeks seemed to flush red. Was I imagining it?

　　“It’s just that the cleaning is more or less finished, so I thought we should go and get his lordship.”

　　“Ah.”

　　I was so focused on touching Sedian that I’d completely forgotten about bringing him back. I clicked my tongue and scratched the back of my head. “Where is he?”

　　“Down there.”

　　I looked where Daisy was pointing and immediately saw Sedian, standing blankly under a lush zelkova tree. Why is he just standing there all alone? It’s a pathetic sight.

　　“Don’t you have a tea table or something? Why did you just leave him standing there?” My words came out sharp, suspecting the servants might have intentionally neglected him. He was a patient, after all. What if he collapsed?

　　“Of course not!” Daisy jumped in denial, so it seemed that wasn’t the case. Right, she didn’t seem the type. “We don’t keep a tea table set up. His lordship usually doesn’t go outside…”

　　“A reasonable explanation.” I nodded, somewhat convinced. “But now is the time to purchase one. From now on, he will be going outside every single day to get fresh air.”

　　“Is… that something his lordship has approved?”

　　Instead of answering, I just smiled sweetly, and Daisy’s face fell. “Sir Rei, you’re really going to die if you keep this up…”

　　“I told you, I won’t die. I should just get ‘I WON’T DIE’ tattooed on my forehead. Maybe then people will stop saying that.”

　　“It’s because I’m worried.” Daisy let out a long sigh and moved a little closer. “The young lord… you might not think so, but he had a very hard time when the previous butler passed away. He blamed himself a lot. He may not look it, but he’s very soft-hearted. Though, I know, he doesn’t look it.”

　　“I’ve lost count of how many times you’ve said he doesn’t look it.”

　　“Anyway, what I’m saying is, please be careful. If you pass away too, his lordship will really suffer. …Well, I think I might have a hard time, too.” Daisy glanced at me and fidgeted. What’s with her? Is she itchy? I tilted my head, then, sensing something was off, I quickly turned my gaze back outside the window.

　　“Huh?”

　　At the same moment, Daisy let out a startled gasp. The garden was descending into chaos.

　　Sedian was still standing under the zelkova tree, but something had changed. A pack of reporters was now leaning over the low wall, shrieking.

　　“My lord! A statement, please! Is it true the previous butler died because of you?”

　　“They say anyone who gets near you becomes cursed! Can you explain that?”

　　“If that’s true, shouldn’t you be taking other measures instead of just recuperating in a private villa?”

　　Daisy and I locked eyes. Then, as one, we both ran towards Sedian. He was far too fragile to be exposed to a pack of hyenas like that. This wasn’t the villainous sub-male lead from the original story. Besides, he was still just a boy.

　　The garden wall was significantly lower than the one by the main gate, but it was still well over a person’s height. The reporters were pressed against it, leaning over and shoving magical recording devices in his direction.

　　“Answer us!”

　　“We have a right to know!”

　　“If someone died because of you, shouldn’t you take responsibility?”

　　I have to get them away from him, I thought. But as I got closer and heard their words clearly, I was momentarily dumbfounded. When you hear something that makes sense, you can think about how to react. When you hear utter nonsense, your brain just freezes. My mind went blank.

　　Sedian?

　　I hurriedly looked under the zelkova tree. He was standing there just as before, utterly still. His face was hidden in the shade of the dense leaves, but his trembling hands and slumped shoulders told me everything I needed to know about his expression. I rushed to his side.

　　“My lord!”

　　Sedian turned, his eyes wide as if he hadn’t expected me. I paid him no mind and planted myself between him and the wall, blocking his view of the reporters. Their clamoring was a dull roar in my ears, which I ignored.

　　“The cleaning is finished,” I said to Sedian.

　　“…What?”

　　“I told you earlier, didn’t I? That I would come for you when it was done. I’ve come to get you.”

　　Perhaps it was my nonchalant attitude, but Sedian just stared, seemingly unable to process what was happening. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. So I abruptly grabbed his hand. He startled as if a switch had been flipped.

　　“You—again—my hand…!”

　　“Yes, yes. But I have to hold your hand to support you so we can get back to your room quickly. Don’t you agree?”

　　Sedian fell silent.

　　Sedian, who had been trying to pull his hand away, stopped resisting. Whether he decided he couldn’t overcome my strength or he’d figured out why I had so brazenly taken his hand in front of the reporters, he didn’t continue to fight me. So I smiled sweetly, squeezed his hand tighter, and with my other hand, I rested it on a large wooden pillar embedded in the garden.

　　And then…

　　“Lord Sedian! Are you going to remain silent?”

　　“Can we take your silence as an admission?”

　　“Just one word, please!”

　　I yanked the wooden pillar from the ground in one smooth motion and hurled it toward the shrieking reporters. The pillar slammed against the wall and fell with a heavy thud. The reporters, startled, froze mid-shout. I spoke to them coldly.

　　“My hand slipped.”

　　Then I added, “If you’re not gone by the count of three, another one is coming. One… two…”

　　At that moment, I felt Sedian’s fingers tighten around mine. A quick glance revealed a hint of satisfaction on his face, so before I even finished the count, I threw another pillar. The reporters scattered in a panic.

　　Ah, that felt good.