Achim was indignant. How hard had he worked over the past week to stay out of everyone’s sight. Aside from his roommate Dora, he hadn’t exchanged a word with anyone, and unless he was on duty, he didn’t so much as wander around for even a moment.
If he happened to cross paths with someone, he’d have to exchange words with them — or at the very least, exchange greetings and let his face be remembered — so he had done his utmost to avoid everyone.
His responses had been limited to exactly two. A nod, or a shake of the head. It had gotten to the point where a fellow maid had actually asked if he was mute.
If he were thrown out like this, it was obvious his reputation would take a hit. And imagining Linus laughing at him on top of that — Achim felt like he’d rather die.
I’d sooner just die.
Achim was shutting his eyes and running through various methods of self-termination when a particularly low voice suddenly seeped in at his ear.
“Have I……”
The moment those lips parted. Michael yanked the wrist he’d been holding toward him with a sharp pull. In an instant — humiliatingly — Achim’s body tilted like a sheet of paper.
“……!”
He’d been confident that during his mercenary days he’d gone up against practically anyone worth facing. But this was a strength he could say without a doubt he had never encountered before, and Achim found himself, in a rare moment, unable to hide his shock.
Not content with having dragged Achim to within inches of his face, Michael brought his face even closer — close enough for their noses to nearly touch.
“Have we met before?”
“……”
Achim’s brow furrowed faintly.
This guy, don’t tell me……
— In my opinion, it doesn’t seem entirely impossible. You might not realize it, Achim, but you’re actually kind of……
Damn it. Is he trying to seduce Yvonne right now?
Achim was floored. He hadn’t even imagined that Linus’s words would turn out to be right. On top of that — hadn’t Michael taken one look at him when they first met and called him pathetic?
He wasn’t certain — but either way, Achim simply couldn’t understand why, of all things, Michael was now resorting to this tired old line just to try and seduce Yvonne.
And if Michael were to take an interest in Yvonne, that would be its own separate problem.
Achim tore at his own hair internally. He’d been fretting about being thrown out, and now this — it was a development he truly hadn’t seen coming.
“Don’t make me ask twice. I’m not a patient man.”
That’s a little forceful for a come-on, isn’t it. Achim thought, then gave a small shake of his head. He made sure not to forget to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear with a coy air.
He was just thinking that if Linus could see this he’d fall over laughing — when a voice came through that was a shade more subdued.
“Can’t you speak?”
Was it his imagination? Somehow, Michael’s tone had had an edge to it since a little while ago. He’d been holding back from even letting his voice be heard, thinking it was better not to — but.
“No.”
Achim let the short reply out and then gave a small smile. Michael stared at Achim’s face. His gaze, which had been measuring something, drifted downward and landed on the lips where a drop of blood still clung.
Achim watched, almost as if observing a spectacle, as the long, full golden lashes half-obscured those strangely-colored eyes — then belatedly looked away.
Under that lingering stare, he was starting to wonder if the man was actually going to press his lips to his — when Michael let go of the wrist he’d been holding.
The release was rather rough, and Achim staggered again. But he quickly steadied himself and clasped both hands behind his back as if nothing had happened.
His wrist had almost certainly already bruised — but he couldn’t very well throttle the man for it. And so Achim, this time too, kept his expression tucked away, offered a pleasant smile, and bowed his head politely.
“……”
He had even bowed politely to send him on his way. Yet for whatever reason, Michael didn’t leave.
Without warning, as Achim stood frozen mid-bow, a pair of black shoes without so much as a speck of dust on them entered his field of vision.
The moment Achim looked up in confusion, Michael — who had leaned his upper body down slightly — whispered something softly at his ear.
A moment later, Achim stared at Michael’s back as he strolled calmly away, his own expression having gone blank at some point.
Crack — before long, the sound of his own molars grinding together slipped out from between his lips.
— Pathetic, as expected.
As Michael’s parting words circled at his ear, Achim’s face flushed as he grabbed his own hair in a white-knuckled grip.
That son of a bitch!
Not a single thing had gone as anticipated.
He’d found himself in a situation more than ripe for misunderstanding and had been bracing to be thrown out — yet not a word had been said about the whole affair. And he’d thought Michael had taken an interest in Yvonne — but interest was the last thing he’d gotten, having only been called pathetic twice over.
Damn it. Achim kicked at a stone in his path as he walked.
That wasn’t all. Michael, who was the picture of a gentleman with everyone else, was for some reason rude only toward Yvonne. And with exquisite subtlety — in a way that no one else would notice, yet the person on the receiving end couldn’t fail to feel. Truly, he was nothing but a sly fox dressed in a gleaming coat.
Setting that aside, the real problem was that he had no idea why. Michael, warm and gentle with everyone — disliking only Yvonne, and not even bothering to hide it. The reason for that……
Had he done something that might have earned his dislike — or drawn his attention in some way?
But no matter how many times he turned it over in his mind, nothing came to him.
Only the image of Yvonne, subjected one-sidedly to being called pathetic without even understanding why, remained in his head, as if pressed and preserved there.
At that, Achim felt a sudden, fierce urge. To expose the side of Michael Bernhardt — so utterly unlike his public image — to the press——
“……Ha.”
Achim exhaled the impulse along with a sigh. Frustrating as it was, he knew the 500,000 euro commission came first.
Passing through the garden, Achim reached the servants’ building and pushed open the door. The moment it opened, Dora came pattering over and threw her arms tightly around his waist.
“Unni……!”
Startled by Dora launching herself at him out of nowhere, Achim’s eyes went wide. Then he let out a small amused breath and stroked the top of her head — still slightly damp, as if she’d just washed up.
Dora tightened her arms around his waist and buried her face deep into his chest.
“Unniii……”
With Dora hanging off his waist, Achim waddled into the room and closed the door. Just as he placed a hand on Dora’s shoulders to try and peel her off like a cicada clinging to a branch, Dora carefully lifted her head.
“Did you…… get in trouble……?”
Achim shook his head. A certain infuriating and beautiful face did flash through his mind — but he was quick to wipe it away.
“Really……?”
“I said so, didn’t I.”
Achim replied in an unbothered tone.
Only then seeming to feel at ease, Dora let out an audible sigh and let herself fall back.
When Achim came out after washing up, Dora had something in her hand. The moment she spotted him, she came hurrying over.
“Medicine…… May I put some on for you?”
At Dora’s careful question, Achim looked at the small tube in her tiny hand. It appeared to be ointment of some kind.
A split lip was hardly worth counting as an injury, but Achim nodded generously. At that, Dora made a face as if moved to her core, and led Achim over to her bed.
“I’m really sorry…… Because of me……”
Dora knelt down in front of him and whispered in a small voice, and Achim — who had been sitting comfortably with his legs crossed — opened the eyes he’d had half-shut.
“And thank youuu……”
Achim didn’t offer much in response to Dora’s words. He simply touched the back of his hand lightly to Dora’s cheek and said, the swelling’s gone down.
All at once, a flush rose over Dora’s snow-white cheek. The finger resting near the corner of Achim’s lips had come to a still without him noticing.
“Are you done?”
