My Lord Chapter 14

“It’s natural to joke around and get to know each other better this way. The young master also enjoys my jokes.”

 

“That might just be your own assumption, Butler…?”

 

Daisy still looked at me with an expression of disapproval. How strange.

 

Not too long ago, she seemed to have a favorable opinion of me. But now, it feels like she despises me instead of liking me.

 

“Anyway, I’ve checked the sacred water storage.”

 

“Let’s talk in my room.”

 

Someone might overhear us. I quickly pulled Daisy into the room and accepted the stack of documents she handed me.

 

“The purchase records from the temple and the amount of sacred water actually stored match perfectly. However…”

 

Daisy hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh and continuing.

 

“…there’s nothing left. Someone seems to have taken it.”

 

“As expected.”

 

Just as Daisy said, there were no issues with the documents. Any lingering doubts were now entirely gone. I reviewed the tracking spell. For now, there were no suspicious signs.

 

“Do you really think it’s the servants’ doing?”

 

Daisy hesitated before cautiously asking.

 

“An outsider could have broken in and taken it…”

 

“Do you honestly believe that?”

 

“…”

 

Her trembling voice. The way she was clinging to the hope of trusting the servants until the very end. And most of all, her thorough investigation of the sacred water storage.

 

Taking all of this into account, the likelihood of Daisy being a spy was slim.

 

Of course, I’ll keep the tracking spell in place.

 

I let out a sigh and looked back at Daisy.

 

“For now, please act as you usually would, Miss Daisy.”

 

Her eyes widened.

 

“Wait, are you saying this because you suspect me?”

 

“Not at all.”

 

Though I had just been suspicious of her a moment ago, there was no need to say unnecessary things, so I quickly added,

 

“There will be times when I won’t be able to stay by the young master’s side due to my investigations. In those moments, I’d like you to protect him.”

 

Light returned to Daisy’s widened eyes.

 

“Can you do that?”

 

“…Yes! Please trust me!”

 

I patted Daisy’s shoulder, assuring her of my trust. Afterward, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to protecting Sedian.

 

And so, a few days passed.

 

***

 

Sedian quietly gazed out the window overlooking the sea.

 

The ocean stretched endlessly, vast and blue. On this clear day, the sea met the sky at the horizon, and the gentle waves caressed the shore, shimmering softly.

 

His eyes, which reflected the color of the sea, were clear and serene, but they also betrayed his exhaustion from battling his illness.

 

A few fragments of white clouds drifted lazily across the sky, and ships could be faintly seen sailing in the distance. Sedian exhaled slowly, watching the ships.

 

“…I wish…”

 

I could move just like that.

 

Unable to finish his sentence, Sedian clenched his fists tightly and closed his eyes.

 

Joining the navy wasn’t just because of his family. He loved the sea. He longed for its boundless freedom. It was his dream to one day venture beyond the horizon and experience new worlds—a desire that drove him to live.

 

But now, that desire no longer existed. All he could do was watch the sea from afar, without even considering the idea of freedom.

 

Ha.

 

Sedian relaxed his tense body and leaned the back of his head against the headboard of the bed. Slowly, he opened his closed eyes.

 

“There is no such thing as ‘better off dead’ when it comes to life.”

 

Suddenly, Rey’s words came to mind.

 

“Better off dead? No. No matter what, you have to fight to survive. You have to live.”

 

No one had ever said that to Sedian before.

 

He had always felt the unspoken thoughts behind the faces of those caring for him—thoughts that conveyed pity and sympathy, suggesting it might be easier for him to die than endure such pain.

 

But Rey never looked at him that way.

 

He had spoken to Sedian with certainty, telling him to live. To survive.

 

No one believed I’d survive…

 

And yet, Rey spoke as if it was a given that Sedian would recover. Every word he said was premised on after Sedian’s recovery.

 

“The food seems to suit your taste.”

 

“They say it tastes even better at the restaurant. Let’s go together next time.”

 

When Sedian heard those words, for the first time since being cursed, he found himself dreaming of a future that wasn’t about revenge.

 

I see.

 

Once I recover, I can do things like that. Go out for a meal, have tea while watching people, swim in the sea… things like that.

 

Yes…

 

I want to live. I want to survive. And I want to experience so much.

 

With Rey…

 

…Wait, what?

 

Startled by his own thoughts, Sedian’s eyes shot open.

 

No, why would I think about doing things with him? That impudent guy—what could I possibly want to do with him?

 

Rey is nothing more than a servant in this countryside house. Eventually, Sedian would return to the main estate, and they would part ways.

 

And yet, I thought about being with him.

 

I must have gone mad.

 

Sedian slapped his cheeks a couple of times and shook his head.

 

Come to think of it…

 

That guy—why hasn’t he been around lately?

 

“I’ll stay by your side.”

 

For someone who made such bold declarations, he’s been nowhere to be found. Is this how a butler dares to neglect his master?

 

Sedian suddenly felt irritated. So, he quickly pulled the servant bell. Shortly after, Daisy entered the room.

 

“Do you need something, young master?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Daisy tensed slightly at the sight of Sedian. His expression was unusually grim.

 

She had been relieved when Rey’s presence had somewhat curbed Sedian’s temper, but was it starting again? Daisy swallowed nervously.

 

“Where’s the butler?”

 

But the voice she heard wasn’t a shout. It was icy cold. Daisy instinctively asked back,

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“Where’s the butler? Why hasn’t he shown himself for days?”

 

“Oh, um…”

 

Daisy was flustered.

 

Rey was currently doing his best to uncover the spy within the estate. But she couldn’t say that outright. If Sedian knew, he’d stress over it, which would likely worsen his condition.

 

Thus, Daisy hesitated to answer. She pondered how to fabricate a plausible excuse that Sedian would accept.

 

Maybe that’s why…?

 

Seeing her hesitation, Sedian’s gaze grew sharper.

 

“Did he run away?”

 

“What? No, of course not—”

 

“What do you mean, no?”

 

Sedian ground his teeth tightly.

 

Rey, who had been absent for several days, and the maid who couldn’t even give a proper answer about his whereabouts.

 

The conclusion he could draw from this was just one. He had run away. Sedian felt his entire body turn cold as he clenched his fists.

 

“I never had any expectations to begin with. No, perhaps this is for the better. He fled before learning too much about the estate. At least he won’t go around spreading rumors about us.”

 

“N-no, my lord.”

 

“That damned bastard. I knew it. He was always loafing around, never doing anything properly…”

 

It was at that moment.

 

“Oh my, is that what you thought of me?”

 

A familiar voice rang out. Turning his head, he saw Rey walking in, passing by a frozen Daisy.

 

“Loafing around? Where would you find a diligent butler like me? Sniff, sniff.” Rey said, pretending to wipe tears from his eyes with his finger. Then, out of nowhere, he let out a snort in Sedian’s direction.

 

“My lord, just because I couldn’t attend to you for a few days doesn’t mean you can flip on me so easily. Do you know how hard I’ve been working for your sake?”

 

“…”

 

“And running away? I, Rey, am the last person to run from anything. I have my pride!”

 

Despite the nonstop chatter, Sedian didn’t get angry. Instead, he stared blankly at Rey.

 

So he didn’t run away. He was still here at the estate. And he’d been working for me.

 

“…Ha.”

 

Sedian could clearly feel the emotions welling up inside him.

 

It was relief. And joy.

 

Just knowing that Rey hadn’t run away filled him with an inexplicable sense of contentment.

 

Sedian, feeling his heart racing inexplicably fast, finally spoke.

 

“Get out.”