And I smiled brightly at Vansis, saying,
"I don't care. I hate it too."
"...You..."
"And out of all of them, I hate you the most, Vansis. I hate you terribly."
"……!"
Vansis's eyes shook violently.
He bit his lip tightly and glared at me, making it seem like I was the one bullying him.
"Ah, right."
I was just about to leave, but I was just as annoyed.
I turned back to him and said,
"I think you forgot, but you know you're my dog, right?"
"……!!"
Then Vansis's purple eyes shook violently.
I smiled brightly and continued,
"If you grab me again, I'll really put a leash on you, so keep that in mind."
"……."
I glared at Vansis, who was completely dazed, with a cold gaze and then moved my feet.
Vansis didn't grab me until I had passed through the entire hallway.
Heading to my room, I sighed deeply.
'I'm tired.'
My stomach hurts and my head is spinning.
'Just caused unnecessary trouble.'
I was even more exhausted from arguing with Vansis at the end.
Only the desire to quickly go, wash, and rest strongly lingered.
'Did Marine come back?'
I didn't expect to be out this long.
But she should be back by now.
'I should ask her to draw a bath first.'
And to bring me some digestive medicine too.
If I take medicine and take a nap, I'll feel better.
I barely arrived at the room with that thought in mind.
"You're late."
Instead of Marine, the worst uninvited guest was waiting for me.
I glared at the pale-haired boy sitting on my bed with trembling eyes.
"...Estio Rodbel."
As I spat out his name as if chewing it, Estio looked around the room and said,
"The rooms on the 3rd floor are prepared for distinguished guests who may stay at any time. That's why Rodbel took special care in decorating this room when it was made. But..."
He stood up from his seat with an elegant gesture and slowly approached.
I stared at him with a hardened face.
It was difficult to breathe as he got closer.
He sneered coldly as he came right in front of me.
"Why is trash living in this room instead of a person?"
"……."
"It would be troublesome if you forgot your place by parasitizing in this room, Lucia."
I bit my lip tightly.
Damn it…….
'Damn Estio.'
That's why I really hate Estio.
If Vansis simply hates me, Estio treats even my breath as dirty.
He acts like I shouldn't exist in this world at all.
I felt dizzy from the terrible humiliation.
It's been a while since I've tasted such misery.
'……Let's get a grip.'
I know why Estio is doing this.
'He's taking revenge for provoking him during the meal.'
If not, he wouldn't bother coming all the way here to pick a fight.
But…….
'It's strange.'
How did Estio know that my room had changed?
He definitely went to the office with the Duke.
'Did he hear it from the Duke?'
Even if he heard from the Duke that my room had changed, it's still unsettling.
Because.
'There are more than twenty rooms on the 3rd floor.'
All the rooms on the 3rd floor are guest rooms, so it was almost impossible to find my room without guidance.
The Duke wouldn't have told him exactly which number it was.
No, he wouldn't even know before telling him.
'Did he ask a servant?'
But that's also strange.
'Servants don't come to the 3rd floor often.'
Currently, the only servant going to the 3rd floor was my exclusive maid, Marine.
It was difficult for other people to immediately guide him to my room.
Unless he asked around.
But the timing doesn't match.
'I came out right after Estio and the Duke left.'
I was caught by Vansis in the middle, but it wasn't even 10 minutes.
In that time, he finished talking with the Duke, asked the servants where my room was, and came all the way here?
……It can only be explained by the fact that he already knew the location of my changed room.
But that doesn't make sense. Estio came back from the academy today.
"Certainly."
Then, the chain of thought was cut off by Estio's face suddenly coming into view.
I was startled and widened my eyes.
He stared at my eyes and moved his lips.
"You've changed. To be thinking about something else with me in front of you. What on earth made you so arrogant?"
"……It seems that Estio Oppa is very dissatisfied with me staying in this room."
Ugh... my stomach churns again.
'Hold on.'
I can't show weakness in front of Estio, no matter what.
I put strength in my eyes and pressed each word one by one.
"Then why don't you go and tell Father? The one who gave all this to me, who is trash, is Father."
At my words, Estio stared at me and moved his lips.
"……I heard you're preparing for the qualification exam."
How did he know that again?
It's strange no matter how I look at it.
It's not information that can be found out in a short time.
"It's better to understand your place, Lucia. You will surely be harmed if you covet what you cannot have. You should take my advice to heart, as I'm saying it for your sake."
"……Thank you for the advice."
Not that I ever wanted it.
More than anything, that wasn't advice, it was a threat.
But I didn't argue.
I didn't want to continue this disgusting conversation any longer.
Besides…….
'Just go.'
My stomach was churning too much.
There was a limit to how much I could hold back.
But for some reason, Estio didn't leave and just stared at my eyes.
Moreover, the distance between our faces was too close. It felt like I could feel his breath if I wasn't careful.
But Estio wouldn't want that, so it wouldn't happen.
Unintentionally, I also ended up looking deeply into Estio's eyes.
His purple eyes were especially dark and clear, as if they had been painted with dye.
So clear that they felt foreign.
Estio's lips parted.
A low voice flowed out.
"You still have disgusting eyes. Like those of a beast."
"……."
But why isn't he leaving and keeps picking on me?
I don't know why he keeps lingering around while despising me more than anyone else.
If I were him, I wouldn't even want to breathe in the same space. Just like I feel now.
Besides…….
'Are your eyes beautiful?'
He has no conscience at all.
More than that…….
'I've really reached my limit now…….'
My vision blurred and Estio's face began to appear in multiple copies.
The moment my vision went dizzy and I felt like I was about to lose my grip on my mind.
─Bang!
"Agassi- Estio Doryeonnim……?"
I turned my head with difficulty.
Marine, who was coming inside, was looking at me and Estio with a flustered look.
Especially Marine's eyes, as she looked at Estio, were trembling to an unusual extent.
"Why are you two……."
"……You better remember what I said. Lucia."
He muttered coldly, passed by Marine, and left the room.
Marine stared blankly at the place where Estio had left, then slowly turned to look at me.
And I…….
'Ah, I can't hold on anymore.'
Thump.
I collapsed as is.
"Ah, Agassi?!"
With Marine's belatedly surprised appearance rushing towards me as the last thing I saw, I finally let go of the grip on my consciousness.
Since when?
I developed a habit.
'I don't want to open my eyes…….'
After suffering a severe illness, I tried not to open my eyes for as long as possible.
It was because I wanted to postpone as much as possible the emptiness and loneliness I felt when I saw the surroundings empty when I opened my eyes.
But since I couldn't keep my eyes closed forever, I had no choice but to miserably confirm my situation of being left alone in the world after opening my eyes.
One day, it was so excruciatingly lonely that I burst into tears, which I had endured even when I was sick.
I fell asleep exhausted from crying, and even until the moment I opened my eyes again, I was still completely alone.
It's a forgotten memory, but why is that time suddenly coming to mind?
'I must have been very sick.'
Seeing even the memories I had erased come to mind.
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