CH 5

“One more word, and I’ll kill you here.”

“…”

“Get out right now.”

It was well known that royalty or nobles had guns in their bedrooms for self-defence. However, it was questionable where the things that didn’t exist until just now came from.

And he meant it. She knew it wouldn’t happen, but when she faced the murky eyes that seemed to look straight at her, she swallowed dry saliva without realizing it.

“Well, then I’ll let your underwear slide.”

After straightening her back, she walked out of the room like running with a pile of laundry collected on one side. Of course, her legs felt weak as soon as she closed the door.

She slid down at the door. Her heart thumped. The feeling of the gun that touched her forehead was clear. 

Was he really going to shoot?

Why did you overlook this?

The Count here was an absolute nutcase.

Renica looked surprised as she was handed a basket of laundry. She was surprised to find that she was given the perfect laundry today, as Paula used to bring only pillowcases and sheets with a face tired of messy clothes every time.

Renica was one of the few people Paula met every day since she came to this mansion. She came to the annexe every morning to pack laundry and bring new things to use.

“It looks like it went smoothly this time.”

“Thanks to the master.”

Thanks to you, I’m having a hard time.

Renica won’t be able to see her face because of the bangs anyway, and Paula raised the corner of her mouth, which was clearly visible. Even if she complained that it was difficult, she didn’t know how to convey it, so she had to pretend that she was okay. 

Renica glanced at her again, up and down, picked up the laundry, and left.

When she left, Paula sighed and trudged into the room.

That was all the harvest this morning. Breakfast ended up upside down as usual. This time, she couldn’t be forceful because she remembered him pushing a gun on her forehead. He didn’t eat anything last night, but she didn’t care.

That’s why you’re so skinny. 

He didn’t eat properly. 

Once I bring something, you throw it first.

Thanks to him, Paula could handle the food he didn’t eat. She ate a little late breakfast while eating cold watery soup and bread. This was also a pleasure in its own way. In the past, starving was her daily routine, and the food left by her father and Alicia was all she had.

Yes, when she thought about her life before she came here, there’s nothing to be afraid of the master’s temper.

However, Vincent’s unfortunate atrocities continued after that. The meal she took for lunch was kicked out without even entering the room. As soon as she went in, he threw things and went crazy. He started throwing it as soon as she opened the door. When he fell asleep for a while, it was a mistake to bring back a watch and a vase.

Every time he threw things like that and broke them, she had to bring them back as new ones. She once asked Isabella if it was dangerous and unnecessary, but Isabella said that when she cleaned up all the items one day, his whole body was covered with scratches.

In a word, it was self-harm. She explained that he did not stop harming himself even though his nails were broken and the wounds were torn and bleeding. Perhaps he was getting rid of that filthy disposition by throwing things. 

And it was the same in the evening. There was nothing to throw at lunch as she had not brought the items back, but the meal was turned upside down as usual. When she brought it back, it had the same result. 

Now, when you approach him, he starts waving his hands. Then, if you touch his body, he will push the gun and look at you.

The next morning she couldn’t even change the pillowcases. After pushing aside all the broken things, she took in the meal, vowing to feed it to him. The failure to do so until the evening was a planned result, needless to say.

Two days had passed like that. Isabella, who came to check his condition, made a strange face. As if she knew it, she looked as if he had foreseen this situation. Paula felt a chill as she watched the maid chief walk away after a low sigh. Somehow she felt a warning that she should not hear her sigh again.

And her patience was at its limit that day. She was no longer afraid of the gun he was holding. What was scarier than a gun to her now was reality. The last time she heard the saying, ‘the person serving the master suddenly disappeared’, came to mind. There was no need to ask what happened to them.

A bowl floating in the air settled on her head. The rice soup in the bowl dripped down, wetting her head. That’s how dinner ended with a fall.

It was no longer surprising.

After wiping off the grain flowing down her face, she entered her room and pledged by punching the pillow.

We’ll see.

You son of a gun!

With anger under control, as the morning dawned, she dressed up and packed his meal and ran to Vincent’s room. As soon as she went inside, she drew a curtain to give light to the dark room, and removed the things that fell on the floor one by one. Then, the dirty sheets were turned back, too.

Then, as if it were natural, the gun touched the forehead.

“Do you want to die?”

“Just shoot.”

“What?”

“If I keep neglecting my master, I’ll die in the end. It won’t be long before I go away without a sound. If I were to die, I would be honoured to be shot by my master. Come on, shoot and finish it over.”

“…Are you crazy?”

“You’re not going to shoot? Then I’ll change the sheets.”

As she pulled the sheet as it was, he freaked out and grabbed the sheet. 

The power to take away and the power to hold the sheet collided.

However, the opponent was a patient who could not even smell blood.

She snorted and pulled the sheet with all her might.

“You’re crazy!”

She removed the sheet and brought a new one, leaving behind the screaming Vincent.

“Get out now!”

“Yes, I will leave when I have finished my work. Could you please stand up so I can finish quickly and leave?”

She pushed Vincent to scream again and pulled the sheets straight. His body, dragged along with the sheet, fell helplessly to the floor. Paula pretended not to know, took off the sheet, and changed it again. Then she quickly changed the pillowcases.

After staring blankly into the air for a moment, he regained his senses and wrinkled his face. The words up to “You!” were cut in the middle.

“I’ll bring your breakfast.”

The floor was messy with objects, and she didn’t know what she was going to do because he was so hot-tempered, so she put the meal she had brought in in front of the door, which was the farthest away. 

She purposely made a sound of footsteps and walked away, then came back again with the meal she had left at the door. 

Vincent felt for the floor, climbed to the bed, and sat down. He grabbed what he was trying to wrap himself in a sheet again and grabbed a spoon instead.

“What are you doing.”

“The meal is ready.”

“I’m not going to eat.”

He threw the spoon he was holding onto the floor. Paula watched the spoon hit the floor, bounce off, and brought a new spoon. She knew it, so she brought some extra.

“How old are you, and yet you’re still grumbling like a child.”

“Do you really want to die by my hand? Is that why you’re being so arrogant?”

He still had a gun in his hand. Paula glanced at him fiddling with it, and stared again at Vincent’s face.

“You can’t see ahead. Can you guess?”

“My fingers are fine.”

“Looks like you have the confidence to shoot.”

“Shooting was my speciality.”

Wow, I see. 

Sitting on her knees in front of him with brief admiration, she placed a bowl of rice on her knees. Then spooned the rice and brought it to his mouth.

“Open your mouth, please. I’ll feed you.”

“Put it away!”

Vincent waved her hand, but she took the bowl one step faster than him and dodged back. He felt around and found something to throw, but she had cleaned up all the things he threw last night.

Vincent, realizing that there was nothing he deserved, clenched his gun. The veins on the back of his hand were bulging. And yet he doesn’t think about shooting.

She put the spoon back on his lips.

“Come on, ah- do it.”

“Aren’t you going to put it away right now?”

“One bite, and I’ll put it away.”

“I’m not going to eat. Put it away.”

“Just have a bite. Or would you like to eat alone?”

“I told you to take it away! Get lost!”

“Can’t you chew?”

“…”

“You must be an adult and can’t even chew with food in your mouth.”

Vincent gasped, as she added affectionately. She didn’t finish there, but she was kind enough to tell him how to use his mouth.

For a moment, he suddenly kicked the bowl on her lap. The bowl rolled on the floor with a loud noise. The sound of rice flowed down the rolling path. She lost her balance in the middle and closed her eyes tightly when she saw the bowl rolling on the floor.

She couldn’t control her anger this time.

“Are you scared of me?”

“What?”

“I asked if you were afraid of me to the point that you couldn’t even take a bite. Why do I even feed food to master? Are you that great? Oh, what a wonderful person you are. You are the owner of this great family.”

“…What are you doing?”

“I’m giving you an admonition.”

The reason why she endured his temper until now was because her heart was weak.

Losing his sight, he had not been locked up in a room like this from the beginning. 

Not long after he went blind, he went about his daily life without a hitch. 

He couldn’t see, so instead, he listened to the butler’s voice and got things done, trying to live a life that was no different than when he had his eyes.