10화. 네가 원하면 원하는 대로(1):
Chapter 10. If You Want, As You Wish (1)
From then on, only basic exchanges continued.
Where Astain would be relocated, what he wanted to do going forward, and what responsibilities he might take on.
There were also many other questions and answers.
“—And starting next week, you’ll be attending the same classes as Lucy. Sharing knowledge will be a good experience for you.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Excuse me? What are you people talking about? Classes I don’t even know about, and you expect me to attend them—with who, exactly?
Elucia let out a hollow laugh. It was already absurd enough to expect her to make small talk with a child they picked up, and now they wanted her to live attached at the hip?
She knew, of course. A companion in a noble household meant someone who grew up with you and shared everything.
In other words, it meant a friend in everything but social status—someone as close as family.
This wasn’t something you just decided so abruptly, like slicing a radish clean in half.
‘At least consider my preferences, will you?!’
Just as Elucia was boiling with frustration, a chilling gaze pierced her from somewhere.
Gasp!
Elucia involuntarily sucked in a breath.
Astain’s fiery eyes were boring into her with laser-like intensity.
It was the look of a predator, as if to say, “If you say one more unnecessary word, I’ll chew your bones.”
‘No, Father. How am I supposed to be friends with someone this scary? How am I supposed to be with him all day? He looks like he wants to eat me every time I say a word. Seriously?’
Elucia closed her eyes tightly, nearly on the verge of tears.
She had a bad feeling her daily life was about to become anything but peaceful.
*
After sending the two children away, Simon finally relaxed.
He had been pretending to be calm the entire time, but his fingertips were still trembling slightly.
When he mentioned that he had investigated the child, the aura that burst out was chilling.
The remnants of that feeling still gripped Simon’s body.
Magic, huh? That’s no ordinary power.
“Hmmm…”
Simon sank into his chair and stared blankly out the window.
He had already decided to keep the boy close, but the more he thought about the danger Astain posed, the more he wanted to take back his words.
“Be generous, Lord. You must never look away for personal reasons. You must protect the young lady.”
The priest’s voice, shouting as if singing a hymn to the Lord, echoed faintly in Simon’s ears.
If this was considered a good deed… then so be it.
Simon chuckled dryly and looked up at the sky with concern.
He hoped this unease was nothing more than needless worry.
“Meira, please protect our daughter.”
A few days later, Astain’s room was moved from the guest area to a higher floor reserved for relatives.
Elucia, who had been intimidated at first, began occasionally visiting his room, nudged by Simon’s expectations.
But perhaps because they were close in age? The two unexpectedly got along, and Elucia soon started frequenting his room with no hesitation.
Sitting across from Astain again, she snapped a cookie on a pretty plate and glared at him.
“Why aren’t you saying anything, Astain? Huh? All you have to do is lie down right over there, and we’ll have a picnic.”
Astain looked indifferent as always, and Elucia let out a frustrated sigh.
‘Is there a leech stuck in your mouth? Why won’t you answer me? Ugh, it’s maddening.’
They couldn’t leave the estate, so all she suggested was a little garden picnic. Why was he acting like she asked him to sell his soul?
‘It’s not like I’m doing this just for myself. Even a three-year-old would give in if I begged like this. Hmph.’
It had been four months since Astain began staying with the Wires family.
And Elucia, still struggling to close the distance with the boy, voiced her complaints.
“When someone talks to you, huh? You should at least respond.”
“……”
“If you don’t want to talk, huh? Just say so. What’s so hard about that?”
“……”
“ASTAIN! Answer me already!”
Astain silently stared at her.
Seeing his expressionless face again, Elucia thumped her chest in frustration.
Did this kid even realize?
That her patience had burned out to ash and was now scattering in the wind.
She swallowed her rising irritation and the tightness in her neck.
“Hoo—fine. Don’t talk. It’s not like this is the first time I’ve been talking to myself.”
She threw up both hands in exasperation—a strong sign that she no longer intended to speak.
Still, Astain’s expression didn’t change. If anything, the way he crossed his arms almost looked like he was silently asking what her problem was.
‘Ugh, colder than Siberian ice water, this guy…’
Elucia picked up her cold teacup and drank deeply.
‘Really, what was I expecting from you? It was foolish of me to even hope.’
She shook her head and looked down at her feet.
A small adorable creature, which had been pacing around her legs, immediately clung to her ankle when it felt her gaze.
“Aww, my sweet Soda.”
“Nyaa-ong.”
Elucia picked up the cat with practiced hands.
Soda was a stray that Tricia had found in the garden a few days ago.
Its fluffy milk-colored fur stood out so much that Elucia had named it “Soda.”
“Were you bored, my little Soda?”
“Kyaww~”
Elucia brought her nose close and rubbed it against Soda’s, speaking in a baby voice.
Soda purred and swished its tail gracefully.
“As expected, you’re the only one who understands me.”
With a lopsided smile, she gently set Soda on her lap.
Just then, Astain finally spoke after a long silence.
“Elucia.”
“Hm?”
Still distracted by Soda, Elucia replied absentmindedly. Naturally, no response came back.
She was patting Soda’s bottom when she suddenly looked up.
“What? If you called me, say something!”
“……”
“Hey!”
Elucia scowled and shot him a look that said, ‘Are you messing with me right now?’
But Astain just stared back with his usual unreadable expression.
Actually… was he staring at Soda?
“What is it? Got something to say to Soda?”
“……”
“Ugh—forget it. Don’t talk. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear you.”
‘I’ve been putting up with you, but this is too much. Even I have my limits.’
She wasn’t a saint. Normally, she would’ve let it go. That’s just how he was.
But not today.
The frustration she’d been bottling up had reached her limit.
So she turned her head—and her whole body—away from him.
‘Fine. Whatever. He’s not the only one with a temper. I’ve got one too!’
That was when it happened.
Soda, who had been sitting peacefully on her lap, suddenly levitated into the air.
“KYAAAAOOOONG!”
Soda screamed, her cry loud enough to tear eardrums. Elucia jumped up in shock.
“ASTAIN! What are you doing?!”
She was horrified to see Astain in front of her, somehow holding Soda by the scruff of her neck.
“Give her back, Astain.”
“And if I do?”
“What?”
Soda thrashed wildly in his grip. Her neck looked like it was about to snap.
Elucia felt her heart drop to her stomach.
“Gack… Kyaaaaooong…”
“Just put her down for now! She’s going to die like that!”
Elucia reached out in a panic to rescue Soda, but somehow she couldn’t even touch her—no matter how she tried.
‘He’s shorter than me, so why can’t I reach?’
Stomping her feet in frustration, Elucia shouted:
“What are you trying to do? If you’ve got a problem, say it to me! If you’re mad, take it out on me. Why are you picking on poor Soda?!”
“You—”
Astain curled one side of his mouth and met her gaze with dark, bottomless eyes.
“Why did you come to see me?”
“What are you talking about?! That’s not important right now!”
“It is.”
“…What?”
Elucia laughed in disbelief. Soda could stop breathing any second now, and he wanted to play word games?
“ASTAIN!”
“Answer me.”
His eyes—deeper and redder than blood—burned like crimson flames.
Astain took a step forward and whispered:
“Did you come to see me? Or…”
His eyes drifted to Soda.
“Was it for another reason?”
That was the moment.
Soda, still thrashing, suddenly swung her paw with all her might.
“KYAAAH!”
Astain clicked his tongue and dodged casually. Frowning, he gripped her neck even tighter.
“Kyaaong… Kyaa… kehk…”
“Soda! Soda!”
Elucia screamed and grabbed onto Astain’s arm. Tears were visibly welling in her eyes.
Astain looked at her, completely baffled.
‘Why is she crying over a mere animal?’
In that moment of hesitation, Elucia snatched Soda away.
“Soda!”
“Nyaa~!”
The barely-rescued cat let out a triumphant yowl.
Elucia held her tightly in her arms and glared at Astain.
