My Lord Chapter 21

In Pain  

 

“…Thank you.”  

 

What did I just hear? I could feel my eyes widening and my jaw dropping.  

 

After blinking several times, I barely managed to gather my thoughts and stammer out a response.  

 

“Our young master has grown up…!”  

 

“Say one more word, and I’ll hit you.”  

 

“I’ll keep my mouth shut.”  

 

But I couldn’t hold back the laughter bubbling up.  

 

Sedian was thanking me? Until not long ago, he was like a cat ready to hiss at me anytime he saw me.  

 

It felt like a tremendous leap forward, and warmth filled my heart. Holding Sedian’s hand tightly, I said,  

 

“I’ll do my best to make you thank me even more, young master.”  

 

“…Do as you wish.”  

 

“So, you mustn’t hate me.”  

 

Before I could even finish my sentence, a refreshing breeze blew between Sedian and me. The rustling leaves collided with each other, releasing a fresh scent.  

 

“Rey.”  

 

Amid the wind that stirred and unsettled everything around, Sedian stood unwavering, his upright posture mirrored in his steadfast gaze toward me.  

 

For a moment, a vision overlapped with reality—a vision where the bark-like scars on Sedian’s face vanished. With a face clearer and more unblemished than ever, free from pain or suffering, he smiled at me.  

 

“I will never have a reason to hate you.”  

 

With a blink, the illusion disappeared. Yet I felt that I would never forget that fleeting moment—this moment when an unhurt Sedian told me he wouldn’t hate me.  

 

“The only person I hate is Reina Khan.”  

 

…What?  

 

“So, you have nothing to worry about.”  

 

“…”  

 

It felt as though cold water had been poured over my head.  

 

And then I realized.  

 

The healthy image of Sedian I had just seen was nothing more than an illusion born of my guilt.  

 

Of course.  

 

From the beginning, I wasn’t deserving of gratitude.  

 

What was I so happy about?  

 

No matter how much I stayed by this child’s side or acted on his behalf, the root of all his suffering lay with me.  

 

I gently stroked the hand I was holding and bowed my head.  

 

“…Thank you, young master.”  

 

Pouring magic into his body, I prayed silently, again and again.  

 

That Sedian’s curse would be lifted soon.  

That he would no longer suffer.  

 

***

 

“…So, I’m here to report that the chef and maid have been dismissed.”  

 

Philer Luciano calmly placed his whiskey glass down after hearing a subordinate relay the events at the country house.  

 

“Was it that butler again this time?”  

 

“It’s said the butler was the one who found evidence of their affair.”  

 

“I see.”  

 

Without a hint of expression, Philer merely nodded silently.  

 

“Leave now.”  

 

The subordinate gave a brief bow and exited the room. Even then, Philer remained seated, showing no signs of agitation.  

 

But the moment the door closed with a loud thud—  

 

Philer hurled the whiskey glass against the wall with all his might. The shattering sound of glass echoed through the room as he swept everything off the desk in a fit of rage.  

 

“Dammit!”  

 

Gone was his earlier calm demeanor; now his face burned red with anger.  

 

“All this trouble because of some wretched nobody!”  

 

Philer recalled the incident where “that butler” had chased off the reporters Philer had sent, leaving them battered and terrified. The reporters were so traumatized that even approaching the country house caused them to have panic attacks.  

 

So, Philer resorted to using the servants instead. And yet, the butler intervened again?  

 

“Who the hell is that bastard?!”  

 

With a furious roar, Philer stomped his feet and threw anything he could grab.  

 

“I can’t just sit back and do nothing. I have to act.”  

 

Pressing his palms hard against his eyes, Philer muttered to himself.  

 

“I have to get rid of that cursed thing while my brother is away!”  

 

Currently, Duke Luciano was absent, attending peace negotiations with the kingdom.  

 

In his absence, Philer, as the acting head of the family, had initiated a smear campaign against Sedian as his first course of action. His goal was to ensure that when the Duke returned, he would have no choice but to cast Sedian out.  

 

To achieve this, he employed reporters and manipulated the country house staff.  

 

But all his plans had failed!  

 

“I have to find a way.”  

 

Grinding his teeth and clenching his fists, Philer seethed with frustration. With time running out, he needed to remove Sedian as soon as possible. Only then could his only son take the heir’s position!  

 

“Hah…”  

 

After calming himself with a deep breath, Philer opened the locked drawer of his desk and pulled out a communication device. As the device activated, its screen briefly flashed red before a distorted voice emerged.  

 

[Yes, sir. How may I assist you?]  

 

The person on the other end was a loyal servant who followed Philer’s every command.  

 

Although Philer had never seen his face or heard his unaltered voice, the mystery surrounding him only underscored his efficiency.  

 

“Get close to the new staff hired at the country house. Offer them double the usual payment.”  

 

Philer had learned a certain truth in life:  

 

Nothing could withstand the power of money.  

 

Loyalty, professionalism, morality—everything faltered before a pile of cash. Money was an excellent tool for control and a foolproof asset.  

 

The new hires at the country house would be no exception.  

 

With enough money, they would do anything.  

 

This time, Sedian’s body had to break.  

 

Muttering to himself, Philer gave another command through the communication device.  

 

“And that butler.”  

 

[Yes?]  

 

“You’re certain he has no backers, right?”  

 

Having already investigated Rey, the butler, he listened to the response from the other end.  

 

[Yes. As per our investigation, he has no connections or notable background.]  

 

“Then kill him.”  

 

In a tone as casual as if selecting a meal from a menu, Philer issued the order for murder.  

 

[Yes, sir. I will carry out your command.]  

 

They would pay dearly for interfering with his plans.  

 

Philer had no doubt that the butler’s death would be reported soon.  

 

***

 

Early morning.  

 

The piercing sunlight of summer beat against the glass window. Because I had fallen asleep without drawing the curtains, the sunlight pierced through my eyelids without any filter.  

 

However, I was already awake, so I rose without much trouble. After a long yawn and washing my face, I leisurely changed into my morning coat.  

 

After standing in front of the mirror to tidy my attire, I flung the window wide open. It was to let the morning air fill the room and prepare for cleaning.  

 

“Rey!”  

 

At that moment, I heard someone calling me from below. When I looked down, there was Ellen, wearing a shirt and vest neatly, holding an out-of-place garden shear in his hand.  

 

Ellen was assigned to handle the external management of the estate, meaning the garden. His strength seemed suitable for the task, and it turned out he was better at it than expected—or so Daisy said when she made the assignment. I remember agreeing to it at the time.  

 

“Perfect timing! I needed to talk to you! Can I come up?”  

 

I glanced at the clock. 6:30 a.m. There was still time before the morning assembly, so a conversation wouldn’t be an issue.  

 

“Sure. Come on up.”  

 

After answering, I walked toward the door. I unlocked the door to let Ellen in.  

 

But.  

 

“I’m here!”  

 

Ellen was already perched on the window sill, waving his hand with a bright smile. He must have jumped up in one go.  

 

This is the third floor.  

 

I barely managed to steady my fainting mind.  

 

“Stairs exist for a reason, Ellen.”  

 

“I know!”  

 

“Oh, I thought you didn’t. That you jumped up here because you didn’t know.”  

 

“Hmm? Why? Isn’t this faster than taking the stairs?”  

 

Ellen responded brightly, as if he genuinely didn’t understand, his expression innocent. Haha. Fine. What’s the point of reasoning with him?  

 

“Just make sure no one else sees you. It’d be strange if people thought an ordinary gardener like you could do circus tricks.”  

 

“Should I say I’m a former circus performer?”  

 

“Say something that makes sense.”  

 

They say the fine line between nonsense and absurdity is crossed with flair. I picked at my ears and asked Ellen again.  

 

“So, what is it?”  

 

Ellen pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me. It was a fist-sized crystal orb.  

 

“Here’s the information on Philer Luciano.”