Chapter 08
Rustle, rustle.
At the sound of steady breathing and the slight weight he could feel against his chest, Jervant slowly opened his eyes.
Whenever he had a fever, his physical condition was usually terrible and unbearably uncomfortable afterward, but this time was different. He didn’t feel sticky or unpleasant. In fact, he had slept so deeply that his head felt refreshed. His body even felt cool, as though the heat had completely disappeared.
He put on the glasses lying beside him and instinctively reached out to grab the soft, fluffy thing resting against his chest.
“Mm…”
At Titia’s sleepy murmur, his body stiffened for a moment. The hand that had caught her hair loosened slightly.
When he lowered his gaze, he saw Titia sleeping in an uncomfortable position, leaning against his chest as though it were a pillow.
She must have fallen asleep while wiping his body, because she was still clutching the cloth tightly.
He noticed strands of hair stuck to Titia’s neck, which was damp with cold sweat. Without realizing it, he reached toward her neck.
His fingertips wiped away the cold sweat gathered there.
Somehow, it made him feel as though he had done something terrible, so he tightly bit his lip.
Just as he was about to get up, telling himself he was imagining things, a voice he had heard before falling asleep passed through his mind.
‘I’ve been working so hard like this. I wish Boss would praise me a little.’
“Ha.”
A sigh mixed with laughter escaped him.
“Praise you for what…? You barged in here without asking.”
Grumbling, he gently supported her neck and lifted her upper body.
He considered leaving her on the floor, but then he simply picked her up.
Jervant was about to lay Titia down on his bed when he suddenly stopped.
‘I don’t want her to get the wrong idea.’
He tried to leave the room, but his legs abruptly stopped.
In the endless corridor that resembled darkness itself, he squeezed his eyes shut and staggered.
His breathing grew labored, and in the end, he tossed Titia onto his bed and sank to the floor.
His face quickly became drenched in cold sweat as he exhaled ragged breaths.
‘Where do you think I’m going…?’
He couldn’t even leave.
His eyes darkened.
Once again, he realized how pointless everything was.
He stood up.
“Please leave before I finish washing…”
He muttered it like a sigh, poked the mole beneath Titia’s lips, and then entered the bathroom.
For some reason, his fingertips where her skin had touched felt strangely hot, so he clenched his hand.
He repeatedly opened and closed his fist, trying to release the tension.
‘I can definitely feel some kind of energy coming from her…’
He could once again faintly sense an energy coming from Titia.
At first, he had mistaken it for mana and thought she was a mage.
That was why the word “mage” had slipped out of his mouth without him realizing it, and, not knowing any better, he had rambled on about some “Mage of Laughter” and other nonsense.
“Ha ha…”
He eventually laughed out loud.
“I must have been crazy.”
He closed his eyes as he poured cold water over his body.
A short while later, when he came out of the bathroom, Titia had already cleaned everything up and left.
Jervant stared at the rumpled bedding, as if it proved that she had lain there, before looking away.
* * *
Phew, that was close.
I actually fell asleep in Boss’s bed without realizing it.
“What am I supposed to say as an excuse…?”
Should I say,
I was just checking if there was anything on the bed.
I remember diligently wiping his body, but after that, I have no memory.
I was so exhausted that I actually climbed into Boss’s bed and fell asleep.
Even then, I had to find the most comfortable place?
It was so soft.
I hope Boss pretends he doesn’t know anything. Since he ate all my peaches, I hope he’ll show me some mercy.
“Haa…”
“Why are you sighing like that?”
Sir Danny, were you really that curious?
He treated me like I didn’t even exist, but the moment he had something he wanted to know, he came running over without hesitation to ask.
“I did something absolutely terrifying to Boss.”
“What?”
“Are you curious?”
“Yeah.”
“I can’t tell you for free.”
“Will this do?”
He handed me a gold coin.
I reverently accepted the beautiful gold coin with both hands.
“I slept in Boss’s bed.”
“I’ll tell Veilt.”
He snatched the gold coin back.
Reaching toward it, I said,
“I’m lying.”
Sir Danny held the gold coin up high so I couldn’t grab it and replied,
“I know it’s true.”
“I’m allowed to do something like that and still be forgiven.”
“Of course.”
I was already preparing to argue, but Sir Danny unexpectedly agreed without hesitation.
“If you had impure intentions, the twins wouldn’t have left you alone.”
Sir Danny flicked the gold coin he had given me and taken back with his finger as he walked away.
Don’t act so cool.
“So as long as the twins leave me alone, I won’t get fired?”
Phew. What a relief.
I almost missed my chance to smack William on the back of his head.
Now that I thought about it, if Mr. Veilt heard that I had climbed into Boss’s bed and slept there, he was probably the kind of man who would applaud my audacity instead.
* * *
“Miss Titia.”
“Mr. Veilt. It’s been a while. I almost forgot what you looked like.”
“Yes, likewise. This is a reply for Miss Hannah.”
I hadn’t expected to receive a reply.
I was a little afraid to open it, too.
I knew she must have been extremely worried since I had disappeared without saying anything.
She must have been just as angry.
When our Hannah got angry, she would spit out profanity nonstop, as though she had suddenly started speaking in tongues.
This letter might be filled with swear words.
…I was scared of what might be inside.
‘I’ll read it later.’
I carefully tucked it into my clothes.
“Miss Titia, would you perhaps like to meet the Saintess?”
“Huh? No?”
I’d seen her plenty in the newspapers, so I wasn’t particularly interested.
Even though she was the protagonist of this world, I had no desire to meet her.
In the first place, I wasn’t like other people who had a favorite character in a novel and were obsessed with them.
I simply liked the personality of the male second lead, who had been the villain. It wasn’t as though I was fanatically devoted to him.
If a different novel had a character with a similar personality, I’d simply move on to that one.
“Congratulations. You will get to see her.”
I said I didn’t want to.
“See her? I thought the Saintess was away on her engagement trip.”
“She’ll be returning soon. The Saintess contacted us and said that she wants to see Boss before returning to the temple. Tsk.”
He definitely clicked his tongue, didn’t he?
But his expression was so perfectly controlled that I wondered if I’d imagined it.
“Then will the male lead… I mean, His Highness the Crown Prince, be coming too?”
If they came separately, then fine, but I did want to see the two of them together at least once.
Unfortunately, Mr. Veilt shook his head.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is apparently too busy to even stop here. It seems only the Saintess will be visiting.”
“Isn’t the Saintess that busy too?”
“Now that the country has relatively regained its stability, she isn’t as busy as His Highness the Crown Prince. I wish she had been busier.”
“Do you dislike the Saintess?”
“Yes.”
“…Yes?”
I had only asked out of curiosity, so I couldn’t think of what to say in response to his unexpected answer.
Instead, Mr. Veilt asked me a question.
“Just because everyone else likes her, do I have to like her too?”
“No.”
Judging from how aggressively he responded, he really seemed to dislike her.
I guess when he said it was “the Saintess’s fault” last time, it hadn’t simply been a slip of the tongue.
“If you dislike her that much, you could just stop her from coming.”
“Just in case, we’re letting her meet Boss one more time. If it doesn’t work this time either, there won’t be another chance.”
“Did you perhaps write something in tiny letters on the confidentiality agreement that I couldn’t notice? Why are you being so honest with me?”
You’re making me nervous.
“Because I can take care of everything.”
His confidence clearly had a reason behind it, so I simply nodded obediently.
Anyway, if the female lead was coming to see Boss, there would be no reason for me to stay beside him that day.
“What should I do when the Saintess comes? I don’t need to be there, do I?”
“Hmm… I suppose you’re right. It’s unfortunate, but you’ll be watching from a distance.”
I’m not disappointed.
Why are you arbitrarily turning me into a Saintess fan?
“There isn’t anything I need to prepare separately, right?”
“No. Watch from a distance and praise the Saintess.”
If you dislike her, why are you telling me to praise her?
“Sure, I guess. Since I’m at it, perhaps if I pray to the Saintess up close and ask her to let me make lots of money, God will listen to me?”
“You really are extraordinary. I should try that too.”
I think you’re more extraordinary than me, Mr. Veilt.
“Come to think of it, maybe it would be better if I didn’t show myself to other people. Is it really okay for me to meet the Saintess?”
William was already looking for me, and I knew perfectly well that my appearance was anything but ordinary.
Even Marquis Kennedy was trying to make me his wife somehow without even setting a deadline, so I’d have to be an idiot not to realize it.
I was worried that, unlike here at the mansion, it might be dangerous if I attracted the attention of other people.
“Of course, the Saintess probably doesn’t even know that William exists, but I thought it might be better to be careful.”
Contrary to my worries, Mr. Veilt answered lightly.
“Yes, you don’t have to. No one—not even the Saintess—can take you away even if she learns that you’re here. This is the Destain Duke’s residence, where the Eclipse Guild Master resides.”
“But legally, William is my guardian, so if he tries to exercise that authority…”
“William Angela will never be able to invoke the law and claim his rights against us.”
“For the first time, Mr. Veilt, you’ve seemed incredibly reliable.”
“It doesn’t happen often.”
He sounded almost proud of it.
“By the way, you slept in Boss’s bed?”
Sir Danny’s mouth was lighter than a feather.
And incredibly fast.
“I did it without realizing…”
I deliberately didn’t mention that Boss had been sick or anything like that. I had a duty to protect my employer’s health, after all.
‘I’ll ask Boss about this first and decide whether or not to tell Mr. Veilt.’
He stared at me intently, and I didn’t look away.
“Without realizing?”
“I get tired strangely easily when I’m beside Boss.”
“Then why did you take cold water and cloths with you when you went into Boss’s room?”
