"Why did you lie!"
"......"
"Or are you an idiot? Did you really think I came into this room to save you?"
What nonsense is this guy talking about?
I'm so dumbfounded I can't even laugh.
"Let go of my hand."
"Answer me first-"
Crack!
"Agh!"
As I bit his hand hard, Bansis screamed in surprise and shook me off.
The recoil made my body stagger.
"You, what did you just do?"
Bansis shouted, his face pale.
Looking closely, there was a red bite mark on the back of his hand.
Haha, serves you right.
"Do you have to ask? I bit you."
"Hey! Are you crazy?"
"Yeah, you should have let go when I told you to."
"Hey!!"
Bansis exploded again and huffed.
Certainly, Bansis at this age...
'Annoying.'
The adult Bansis had higher intelligence and didn't bother with such childish torment.
On the other hand, Bansis at this age, 11 years old, was so pathetic he wasn't even worth dealing with.
'I was scared of this?'
It's almost disheartening.
I didn't hide my feelings and stared at Bansis.
Bansis' body trembled.
"You asked why I lied, right?"
"Y-Yeah! In case you were being presumptuous enough to help me-"
"Don't be presumptuous. Bansis."
"......!"
Bansis' eyes widened as he was suddenly robbed of his words.
I slowly approached Bansis.
Bansis and I were about the same height.
Considering that I was stunted from not eating properly, it shows how small Bansis was at this time.
Being smaller than his peers at this age was Bansis' weakness and complex.
His pride and self-esteem as a Lordbel were so great, I can only imagine how much it damaged his lofty self-image.
Even now, his face is gradually turning red as I make eye contact.
I enjoyed watching his face and smirked.
"Don't get the wrong idea. The reason I lied is because I didn't want to get involved in unnecessary trouble. It's not for you."
"......You......"
"Please get rid of the delusion that everyone will do their best for you. It's disgusting."
"......"
Bansis couldn't say anything more, as if shocked by my words.
After giving such a Bansis a pitiful look, I lightly left the chaotic room.
I stopped abruptly while passing through the hallway leading to my room.
"Pfft......"
I covered my mouth with both hands and bent over.
But.
"Puh-oop, PWAHAHA!"
I ended up bursting out laughing.
A thrilling pleasure ran down my spine and all over my body.
I can't get the image of Bansis' face, speechless and looking dumb, out of my head.
'It's the first time.'
I always just put up with it when I was wronged.
It's the first time I've gotten back at someone like this, and I can't calm down my excited feelings.
I lightly moved my now light feet.
'I told Bansis it was because I didn't want to get involved in annoying things.'
I closed my eyes and hummed.
But the real reason was different.
And if that reason worked properly.
'He will come looking for me soon.'
My father, Duke Ego Lordbel.
I opened the door.
I stopped as soon as I saw what was revealed.
A desolate space that was embarrassing to even call a room.
Countless dust particles floated in the thin rays of sunlight that seeped through the small arched window.
In the middle of the room, there was only an old, worn-out mattress and a thin blanket.
'Right.'
A familiar sight.
I'm finally realizing it now.
That I've returned to 10 years ago.
So this time.
'It won't be the same as before.'
I vowed to myself again.
And the next day, Duke Lordbel came looking for me.
The person who came to pick me up at the Duke's order was none other than Ligrin Pedlan.
At first, I was surprised that Ligrin, the head butler, not a servant, had come to pick me up himself, but I soon understood the reason.
"Why did you lie yesterday?"
Ligrin asked in a calm tone as he crossed the quiet, deserted hallway.
I knew it. This was the purpose.
I expected Ligrin to be suspicious of my lie.
That's what I was aiming for.
That way, he would report properly to the Duke about me.
But I didn't expect him to ask so directly.
I paused for a moment and then tilted my head with an innocent face.
"What do you mean?"
Then Ligrin's eyes turned cold as he looked at me.
Oh, scary.
I guess he is a tutor. He has a lot of charisma.
"Don't pretend you don't know. I know you didn't lie for the young master's sake."
You have as much insight as you do charisma.
'What should I do?'
While I was thinking, we got closer to the office.
Then I gently parted my lips.
"......If I hadn't, you wouldn't have known my name until the end."
Pause.
"......"
Ligrin stopped walking.
He looked down at me with a face as if he had been hit with a blunt instrument.
I lightly passed him.
"And......"
If you didn't think I was strange, you wouldn't have reported it to the Duke, and you wouldn't have brought me here.
I swallowed the rest of the words.
I just gave Ligrin Pedlan, who had a blank expression, a bright smile.
Ligrin's expression gradually distorted as he looked at me like this.
'Are you just realizing it now?'
The fact that he was just used in my plan.
Because he is a man with a strong sense of pride, it would be unbearably humiliating to be used by someone who is just a child and a bastard.
I watched with interest as Ligrin's perfect mask was broken.
But.
"......"
That was it.
With a low sigh, Ligrin erased all the emotions and expressions that had briefly surfaced.
And he stared at me with the same doll-like expression.
'Disgusting human.'
His perfect control of his emotions made even the viewer feel disgusted.
Even so.
'I can't forget this moment forever.'
That's because Ligrin Pedlan was one of the people who hated me the most.
Ligrin despises those who are stupid, dull, and foolish more than anyone else.
And the old me was exactly the type of human that Ligrin hated.
Ligrin didn't hide his contemptuous gaze whenever he saw me, and he treated me as if I didn't exist even when I was right in front of him.
'He must be so angry that he realized he was used by someone like me.'
But that anger won't be directed at me.
He will be filled with anger, disillusionment, and self-loathing towards himself for being used by someone like me.
'Unpleasant human.'
As if he's the only one who can hate someone.
I also hate him for judging people only by their value and treating all people who don't meet his standards like bugs.
But.
Smile.
Just as he erased his emotions with a cold expression, I also hid my contempt with a pure smile.
Ligrin stared at me like this for a moment and then slowly approached.
He reached out a large hand towards me.
Another person's hand overlapped his hand as it got closer.
I instinctively stiffened.
'I'm going to get hit......!'
But Ligrin's hand passed by me and touched the door.
His gaze was fixed on me.
As if observing me.
'Ah......'
Only then did I realize that everything was a misunderstanding.
My head was blank at the feeling I hadn't felt in a long time.
Before entering Lordbel, I used to get hit often while living on the streets.
I was also often hit on the head in Lordbel.
So, when someone raises their hand over my head, I can't help but freeze.
After I grew bigger, no one ever raised their hand over my head, and I thought I was getting better as I matured, but......
'I guess not.'
Seeing how it happened as soon as I got younger, it seems to have remained a trauma without me knowing.
'Let's get a grip.'
I quickly put on an expression as if nothing had happened.
His lips parted as he stared at me like this.
"The door to the lord's office is enchanted."
"Ah."
Only then did I realize why Ligrin had hesitated.
'I've seen it from afar.'
The way he cast spells on people who came to meet the Duke in front of the door.
'Was it called a reverse barrier spell?'
Literally.
Usually, a barrier spell plays the role of preventing external shocks, but a reverse barrier spell plays the role of preventing internal shocks from going out.
In other words.
'If you attack the Duke, you will be hit by your own attack.'
Of course, there is no one in this Lordbel who would dare to touch the Duke.
In any case, you must go through the above procedure to visit the office.
Comments
Post a Comment