My Lord Chapter 5

“Ugh…”

 

Sedian woke up, feeling a sharp, needle-like pain.

 

He glanced outside and saw that dawn was just breaking, with faint light seeping through his blurry vision.

 

Thinking he should take some painkillers, Sedian considered pulling the call rope but quickly retracted his hand. He didn’t want to face the quivering servants the moment he opened his eyes.

 

They were always terrified of him.

 

Whenever summoned by Sedian, they would do everything they could to escape. If they made eye contact with him, they’d avert their gaze as if their lives depended on it, nervously shifting their feet.

 

He couldn’t entirely blame them. After all, the former butler really had died from a supposed curse.

 

But.

 

Even so, despite everything.

 

A sudden yearning rose within him, wishing they could see him as more than a cursed creature, as a pitiable human being instead. He wished they would truly care for him, that they would look after him.

 

“You pathetic fool.”

 

Sedian slapped his cheek with his palm, gritting his teeth.

 

He hated himself for having such weak thoughts.

 

The only heir to a great ducal family, feeling sorrow simply because he wasn’t accepted by others? How pitiful.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

So don’t act like a child. I’m fine.

 

—Monster, it’s a monster!

 

—Oh, dear God. This creature is not my child! Please!

 

Being treated as a monster by his mother,

 

—Leave.

 

—You can no longer stay in the duke’s residence.

 

And being cast out by his father.

 

—If you want to return, endure it.

 

—If you survive, I’ll make you a duke.

 

It’s all fine. It has to be fine.

 

Because that’s the only way I can go back. I am Sedian Luciano, the sole heir of the duke’s house, who wields the spear guarding the Empire’s seas.

 

“Cough!”

 

At that moment, a sudden wave of pain struck. Cough, cough! Sedian doubled over, feeling as if his lungs were being torn apart.

 

In his carelessness, his left arm struck the bedside table, scraping his skin. Ugh! Sedian closed his eyes tightly as he saw the rotting, vine-like scars on his flesh peel away.

 

It hurts.

 

It hurts so much that I can’t even cry. The pain is so intense that, now…

 

Am I really okay?

 

I don’t know. I can’t tell what’s okay and what’s not. I don’t know how to comfort myself.

 

Sedian felt his whole body tremble with pain, and he buried his head back under the covers, screaming.

 

Then, suddenly—

 

“Young Master!”

 

The door burst open, and someone entered the room. It was that madman he’d seen yesterday—Rey, or whatever his name was.

 

“I found out why the former butler died! Please, get up quickly!”

 

That shameless scoundrel not only barged into the young master’s room but also went so far as to pull off his blanket.

 

Damn brat…! But Sedian was in far too much pain to be angry.

 

Did Rey notice this? He widened his eyes as he looked at Sedian.

 

“Good heavens, Young Master. Are you in pain?”

 

“Can’t… you see? Cough! Go get some medicine!”

 

Annoyed by Rey’s obvious question, Sedian snapped, his irritation growing as Rey grabbed hold of the clearly suffering man and asked if he was in pain. But Rey wasn’t one to back down either.

 

“Well, if you’re in pain, you should have called for someone! Now, just lie down. Keep your head elevated, relax your body.”

 

“You… don’t… touch me. Hurry.”

 

“Yes, yes. I’ll just help you get comfortable.”

 

After what happened yesterday, Sedian couldn’t understand why he was still laying his hands on him.

 

Clearly, the servants must have told him how the former butler died. So why was he touching me again? Did he have a death wish?

 

“I brought painkillers. Here, take them with some water.”

 

“You… you keep touching me as you please.”

 

“You’re in pain and still worrying about that. Just take the medicine.”

 

His calm reply was enough to extinguish Sedian’s will to argue.

 

Giving up on confronting him, Sedian quietly accepted the medicine he offered.

 

Fine. After all I’ve said, if he still touches me, he’s the one cursed if he dies. With that thought in mind.

 

“Are you feeling any better?”

 

After the medicine had taken effect, Rey spoke to him.

 

As the pain subsided a little, Sedian exhaled slowly and shot Rey a glare.

 

“If you die, it’s your fault.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“I told you not to touch me, yet you keep laying your hands on me. If you die of a curse, it’s your fault.”

 

“Are you still going on about that? Didn’t you hear what I said earlier?”

 

Reina was utterly frustrated. Why did these people never believe her words?

 

“The previous butler didn’t die because of a curse!”

 

Her voice had risen before she realized.

 

“He was fine. He was healthy. If he died overnight, there’s no other explanation but a curse, is there?”

 

“It can be explained! I’m telling you, it can!”

 

When he suddenly shouted, Sedian, irritated, raised his voice as well.

 

“Then explain it! Why did he die?”

 

“It was because of filth!”

 

Because of filth… because of filth… because…

 

His resounding voice echoed throughout the room.

 

Sedian thought he’d misheard. But judging by Rey’s serious expression, he probably hadn’t. Sedian’s mouth hardened.

 

“What nonsense…”

 

“No, it’s true.”

 

Reina hastily continued.

 

“The butler’s room didn’t get a single beam of sunlight, and he used filthy bedding that seemed never to have been washed. The room was practically a haven for mites since the floor hadn’t been properly swept, let alone washed! That’s why he died!”

 

It was no exaggeration; it was fact.

 

The space they were shown as the butler’s room was so cramped and dark it was more like a prison cell.

 

The basement room had no windows, allowing neither sunlight nor fresh air, which led to a pervasive, musty smell of mold.

 

Was that all? The previous butler, whether from incompetence or sheer disregard for self-care, left the room in utter disarray.

 

The floor was blanketed in dust thick enough to suggest it hadn’t been cleaned in ages, and the bedding was encrusted with stubborn stains.

 

At that sight, Reina immediately thought, ‘He must’ve died from a mite-borne infection.’

 

“When bitten by mites carrying a virus, you can get a severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome. The symptoms he had matched this.”

 

It was a fact Reina knew from her past life as a nurse. She explained confidently.

 

“High fever, chills, and his skin peeling were due to weakened immunity from reduced white blood cells. The symptoms resembled a curse, which is why it was mistaken for one.”

 

No matter how you look at it, the butler died because of mites—not a curse.

 

“So… what you’re saying is, the previous butler died because of mites?”

 

However, Sedian didn’t seem convinced.

 

He stared at Reina, as if he were hearing something utterly absurd.

 

“Yes, I’m certain.”

 

“Are you insane?”

 

“Right? Living in such filth, he really must’ve been mad.”

 

“No, I mean you! You’re the crazy one here!”

 

Sedian couldn’t hold back and shouted.

 

“How can you say someone died from such a trivial cause? Dying from mites? I’ve never heard of such a thing! He died from a curse! Why won’t you accept that?”

 

“An average of 30 people die from mite-related issues each year. Why are you dismissing mites?”

 

“Who says that?”

 

Since she couldn’t exactly say it was the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Reina glanced aside and replied.

 

“…I do.”

 

“Hahaha.”

 

Sedian started laughing, clutching his stomach. It had been so long since he’d laughed this hard, even after being cursed.

 

Haha, hahaha, ha…

 

After collecting himself with a sigh, Sedian, now calm, spoke slowly, casting a steady gaze at Reina.

 

“Get out.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Stop with the nonsense and get out!”

 

She was telling the truth; why did he keep calling it nonsense? Reina felt genuinely wronged.

 

But she couldn’t just storm off.

 

So she decided to tackle the immediate issue.

 

“I am the butler employed by you, my lord. I must do my best to maintain the mansion.”

 

“What are you planning to do now… ah!”

 

Reina, who had taken hold of Sedian’s right arm and lifted him up, spoke.

 

“Why don’t you go out for a walk?”

 

“Let… let me go! How many times have I told you not to touch me!”

 

“While you’re out, I’ll clean this room with the maids. Daisy, please guide the young master to the garden.”

 

“Hey!”

 

After taking his outer garment from the maid Daisy, who had guided them yesterday, Reina continued.

 

“If you don’t want to die of the same illness, please listen to me. This room needs cleaning. Do you even realize how filthy it is?”

 

“That’s…!”

 

Sedian, who had been afraid to let anyone enter the room, had put off cleaning it, so he couldn’t easily deny that it was dirty.

 

“What’s wrong? Are you not leaving?”

 

As Reina stared silently at Sedian, who seemed hesitant, she continued.

 

“If you keep stalling, I’ll have to carry you out myself…”

 

“Fine, I’m going.”

 

Sedian shot Reina a look of exasperation as she crouched, appearing ready to lift him as if in a princess carry. He then spoke in a much calmer tone than before.

 

“Again, if you die, it’s on you. Understood?”

 

“Again, I won’t die. I’ll stay by your side, so please, go outside. I need to clean.”

 

“…”

 

Where did she get this confidence? Sedian couldn’t understand Reina at all. Suddenly, the words she’d said yesterday crossed his mind.

 

– So, it’s fine, my lord.

 

– Keep me by your side.

 

Fine, huh.

 

What’s fine?

 

I don’t even know what “fine” means anymore, so how can you tell me everything is fine so nonchalantly?

 

What’s so fine about this? Who are you to say so?

 

With his failing vision, Sedian looked intently at Reina, and she gave him a bright smile in return.

 

“I’ll see you later, my lord.”

 

Naturally, Sedian couldn’t see that smile clearly due to his poor eyesight, but the brightness in her voice hinted that she was smiling.

 

Since it didn’t feel mocking, he wasn’t angry. Yet it wasn’t as if he expected anything from this odd butler, either. He just felt that a walk, as she suggested, might not be such a bad idea.

 

Had her calmness rubbed off on him?

 

Perhaps, she might be more troublesome than mites.