Chapter 6: The Walking Time Bomb
2021.11.20
Askan woke up at dawn, as he always did. When he opened his eyes, he saw the room shrouded in darkness, the lights still off, and there was no sound around him. Wiping his forehead, he realized something flowing—sweat. Only then did he notice that his entire body was drenched in cold sweat. There was only one reason he couldn’t sleep well: ever since escaping the laboratory, he had been having the same dream every night.
A dream where, no matter where he hid, the lab personnel would somehow find him and chase him. In the dream, he ran like a madman, trying desperately to escape them. He ran with all his might, not wanting to be caught, but they stuck to him like shadows, impossible to shake off no matter what he did. His chest heaved, his heart throbbed with pain, and just when he thought he had run enough, he would inevitably be caught by their hands. Like an inescapable shackle. It was a cruel nightmare.
Even though he had the same dream every night, once asleep, it never occurred to him that it wasn’t reality. Askan remained frozen in place upon waking. If someone had seen him, they might have mistaken him for a mannequin, so motionless was he. It wasn’t until faint sunlight began to seep through the window that he finally got up.
The new room assigned to Askan after he “started” was extremely basic. There was a small window, minimal furniture for living, and nothing else. The lack of personal items made the room feel uninhabited and barren, yet it was clean overall. Compared to before, it was a huge improvement. The dormitory he had stayed in earlier had walls covered with mold, constantly damp, and smelled inexplicably foul.
He got out of bed, washed quickly, and put on the clothes Tanathia had given him. He hadn’t even thought about which outfit to wear—he just grabbed the one in front. As he finished getting ready, his eyes caught on a tattered set of clothes tucked in the corner of the wardrobe. These were the clothes he had worn before Tanathia had given him new ones. Most people would probably throw away such ragged clothes once they had new ones, but Askan had never thought of discarding them.
“If ever the lady’s whim ends… I’ll have to return to my original place.”
People were fickle. Even when they offered first, they would reject you as soon as it became troublesome. He relied on no one.
─“Our family has many villas. Want to take some time and visit one? Sea or mountains, whatever you want. Actually, no need to choose—we can go to both.”
He was just amazed by her mention of a future he had never even considered.
─“Do you know how to swim? If not, I can teach you. It’s not hard. Why are you so surprised? Life is meant to be enjoyed. What’s the big deal?”
Everything she said represented choices he had never even imagined.
─“I’m going to start a project to enjoy life and live happily for a long time. If you want, I’ll include you too.”
Most of all, he couldn’t understand that she wanted his happiness. He never thought someone would mention a word like “happiness” for him, something he himself could barely conceive. Why? Out of curiosity, he asked if he would have to pay any price for it, but she replied that she expected nothing in return. After hearing this, Askan steeled himself further. Goodwill that comes without expectation doesn’t last long.
“Fine. No need to worry about what the lady is scheming.”
Ever since Tanathia had discovered his identity, Askan had been plotting his escape from the Brelov family. Chasers sent from the Kahlua Empire would find it nearly impossible to search the estate of a high-ranking noble in the Arwen Empire. He judged this place the safest for now. Once he had the funds and a safe destination, he planned to leave at the right opportunity.
“Just hold on until then.”
He had brought nothing into the room and kept his old clothes for one reason: he was ready to return to his original place at any time. With a click, Askan glanced once more at the tattered clothes and then closed the wardrobe door.
As Askan made his way toward Tanathia’s room:
“Hey! Who’s this? Living the good life, huh?”
Askan knew the remark was directed at him. It had been a constant since he started with Tanathia. Naturally, he stopped and looked toward the voice, seeing two familiar faces—the men who had shared the same room before. Both had been slaves like him, and they had worked hard together.
“Not even planning to greet us anymore?”
It was natural that he hadn’t noticed them in the blind spot. He had no intention of correcting them, simply bowed in acknowledgment, and continued walking. Then—thunk! Something heavy hit the back of his head. He turned and saw a tool that had fallen from one of the men. Apparently, the man had thrown it at him. Feeling something wet, he touched the back of his head and found blood. Luckily, his body hadn’t involuntarily hardened like steel.
“Arrogant brat!”
“Hey, what if you hit Lady Tanathia?”
“Just try it—I’ll split your head in two then!”
“…”
Askan said nothing, only concerned that his new clothes were now stained with blood. If he ever had to repay her, he wanted to wear them with care. Brushing the blood off the shirt, he said flatly:
“Next time, give a warning before doing something like this. My clothes are ruined thanks to you.”
“Seriously! You think wearing clothes like that makes you a noble?!”
Askan didn’t understand why the man was more angry at that point. Seeing the man, eyes bloodshot, about to charge, the other companion quickly restrained him.
“Stop it. He’s always been weird.”
“You think this handsome face will last long in this life? The lady will ditch you soon!”
Askan already knew that. He remembered the researchers in white coats warning him mechanically:
─You’re a walking time bomb. If your emotions flare, you could destroy everything around you in an instant.
Indeed, if he unleashed the power he suppressed, he could easily crush a human life like tofu. The problem was he couldn’t control it. Once he started, it was like a drugged person—he wouldn’t stop until everything in front of him was destroyed. That’s why he couldn’t afford to lose his temper. Even this small incident was far from enough to provoke him—but he didn’t want to risk any accident that could alert the chasers.
Askan turned, wanting no further delay. He had to reach Tanathia on time. Then, an unexpected voice called from behind:
“Do you think I’d ever abandon you, Askan?”
The familiar voice made him stop instinctively. He turned and saw a girl with long black hair—Tanathia. Her pale face and red lips contrasted sharply with her hair. Askan, bewildered, asked:
“Lady, why are you here?”
“My schedule changed suddenly, so I came to find you. I didn’t expect to see such an interesting sight though.”
Though her expression seemed normal, to Askan, it looked oddly annoyed. The men’s faces went pale immediately—understandable, since her words alone determined their lives.
“A-ama’am, this is…”
One man seemed ready to attack Askan, but his companion quickly intervened:
“We’re sorry, we’re sorry, ma’am! Why haven’t we apologized sooner?”
“W-we’re sorry!”
Tanathia’s icy gaze swept over them. She asked calmly:
“Do you know what you did wrong?”
“Y-yes. We were jealous that Askan entered under your service. We’re truly sorry.”
The man stammered, admitting his fault. Whether sincere or not, it was necessary in this situation. Tanathia glanced at him, then pointed to her earrings—luxurious blue sapphires.
“How much do you think these cost?”
The man, caught off guard, answered with a trembling voice:
“Uh… very expensive. Since they’re yours…”
“Right. And if you scratch them, how will you compensate me?”
“Ma’am, how could I possibly repay your earrings? Even a lifetime of labor wouldn’t suffice.”
Tanathia then pointed at Askan:
“And Askan?”
“Huh?”
“He’s under my service too.”
The man’s face turned pale in realization. She continued:
“Compared to one earring, my servant is far more precious. You’ve harmed my property—how will you take responsibility?”
“I—I am guilty beyond redemption!”
The man collapsed in apology. The power of a servant came from the master’s favor. Since Tanathia valued Askan so much, he was as good as dead.
“Apologize to Askan first.”
The man bowed toward Askan:
“I’m sorry. I acted in anger. I never meant to hurt him.”
He immediately cried, sniffling uncontrollably. Tanathia’s voice softened slightly:
“Consider this a warning. I’m not easygoing. Touch my things again, and you’d better be prepared.”
“Y-yes, ma’am.”
“Disappear from my sight before I change my mind.”
The man, overwhelmed, hurried away. Askan stood expressionless, as if he were unrelated to the situation. Tanathia turned to him:
“Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
“No need for you to get involved if it’s because of me.”
“You’re not angry?”
“No. It’s nothing serious.”
“Hmph… I wouldn’t understand. I’d need to repay a few times over to feel better…”
She murmured to herself, half-smiling wryly:
“…Funny that I, the one who experimented on you, am saying this.”
Tanathia walked slowly toward him, frowning as she saw the wound on his head:
“First, let’s get that treated.”
“I’m fine…”
“Didn’t you hear me? You’re my servant, my property. Don’t get hurt without permission. That’s an order.”
“…Understood.”
“Have things like this happened before without my knowing?”
Askan looked at her in disbelief. No one had ever cared for his injuries like this. It felt strange. Tanathia walked ahead, instructing:
“I’ll question you later. Don’t dawdle—let’s treat your wound first.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Though treatment wasn’t necessary, he couldn’t refuse her command. Noxia, seeing them walk, waved excitedly:
“Sis!”
Tanathia glanced at her:
“Ready already?”
“Yes. Shall we go?”
Tanathia shook her head, looking at Askan’s bleeding wound:
“Wait a bit. My servant is hurt.”
“Oh! There’s blood. How did that happen? Are you badly hurt?”
Noxia’s blue eyes brimmed with concern. Askan felt the attention was burdensome. Moreover, the combination of the usually distant Tanathia and Noxia felt strange.
“Where are we going?”
Tanathia nodded:
“We’re picking a dress with Noxia. The boutique got new arrivals, so it works out.”
“Then leave me. I can treat my wound alone…”
“Nonsense. If I go, so do you.”
“I won’t be of much help anyway.”
“It’s not about the boutique. You have to attend the royal ball with me.”
Askan didn’t understand immediately. Tanathia smiled slightly:
“Have you seen a needle move without the thread following?”
“You mean I go along too?”
“Yes. Aren’t you curious what a royal ball is like?”
He realized he was indeed curious, though he’d never thought he could attend one.
“This time, I’ll show you. You need to pick your attire too, so naturally, you must come to the boutique.”
“I…”
Words failed him. Tanathia didn’t wait for an answer, merely giving a quick nod to Noxia:
“Get in the carriage and wait. We’ll treat my servant’s wound and go right after. Won’t take long.”
“Okay, got it, sis.”
Noxia nodded, smiling brightly, clearly in a good mood. Tanathia grabbed Askan’s sleeve, and they walked together. Askan silently stared at her small, delicate hand holding his sleeve. For some reason, Tanathia felt different from the one who had once tormented him. He pushed aside his strange feelings and softly asked:
“Am I allowed to go to such an important place?”
Without looking back, she answered:
“Of course. I said I’d show you how to enjoy life. Nothing difficult—just go to a nice place, eat good food, have fun. Even watching alone will lift your spirits.”
At the end, she glanced back slightly and smiled faintly. Those soft, blue eyes lingered in his mind. People were fickle; he didn’t trust them easily. But at this moment, he could say nothing. This wasn’t silence imposed by status—it was genuine curiosity about the world Tanathia was showing him.
