Chapter 3
Even after explaining many other things, Charles, noticing that he might have kept the new workers too long despite their fatigue, kindly guided them back to the mansion.
“Then, finish unpacking and rest for today. From tomorrow, you’ll follow Mrs. Diana and learn your tasks.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Leave it to Miss Raila to decide what tasks the child can help with.”
“Yes.”
Lucy, who had been nodding blankly while following her aunt, suddenly stopped in her tracks when she spotted someone.
It was the small boy they had seen in the Baron’s study, walking toward them.
“Young Master, where are you going?”
Charles asked softly, but the boy, called the Young Master, did not answer.
However, as if he was used to this, Charles simply smiled and lowered himself onto one knee to meet the boy’s eye level.
“It will soon be time to eat. Please come back before then.”
“Mm.”
While replying to Charles, the boy’s eyes stayed fixed only on Lucy.
His clear, sky-blue eyes examined her intently, and Lucy, feeling strangely embarrassed, hid behind her aunt.
The boy, who obsessively followed the fluttering strand of her golden hair with his eyes, passed by with an indifferent expression once she was out of sight.
Only then did Lucy let out a big sigh of relief.
“That was the Baron’s son we saw in the study earlier, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. Just like the Baron himself, he’s very curt. Well then, I’ll see you again tomorrow.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Let’s go, Lucy. At Raila’s words, Lucy, relieved that they could finally rest, began walking lightly — but then she felt the back of her head prickle and turned to look.
Of course. At the end of the hallway, the Baron’s son was still staring right at them.
Even though he was so far away, the intensity of his gaze made Lucy stick close to her aunt, determined not to look back.
“Lucy, Lucy.”
“Ah, yes, Aunt.”
“Why are you spacing out? Pass me the scissors over there.”
Lucy, who had been lost in thought about her first encounter with the little master, snapped back to reality at her aunt’s voice calling her.
There was a reason she suddenly remembered the past — she hadn’t crossed eyes with those cold pupils even once today.
It was an ordinary day like any other. Most of the mansion’s staff were out in the garden picking roses.
They were trimming the scattered blooms before summer settled in fully.
Though gardeners usually handled this, the grounds were so vast that everyone’s hands were needed. Lucy was helping as much as her small hands allowed.
“Lucy, could you bring another basket?”
“Yes, Sir!”
The freshly picked roses were to be sold to another noble family that made perfume.
Since they were fresh flowers, they had to be sent off before they wilted, so everyone was working even faster.
Leaving the rose-filled garden, Lucy ran quickly to the stack of baskets.
That’s when it happened.
“Mm….”
Someone covered Lucy’s mouth and dragged her deep into the garden.
No matter how hard she reached out, the trees surrounding the garden blocked everyone else’s view.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, caught on her fine golden eyelashes. She struggled desperately to push away the arm wrapped around her waist, but her small body was soon hidden behind the fresh leaves.
“Mmhm….”
“Shh, be quiet.”
The one holding her tight and glancing around was the little master.
Meeting his clear eyes from behind as he held her, Lucy froze completely, too terrified even to cry.
She had been relieved today, thinking he wouldn’t appear.
The little master, staring at her in silence, suddenly pulled at her soft cheek.
Startled, Lucy was about to burst into tears again when his warm hand quickly covered her mouth again.
“Don’t cry.”
Faced with his serious gaze, Lucy unconsciously nodded. Seeing her settle down, the boy’s chubby, fair face drew closer to hers.
“Like a jewel.”
Ignoring the hiccupping Lucy, the little master murmured something strange as he stared only at her eyes.
Then, all of a sudden, he frowned sharply and scolded her in his brusque tone.
“I told you not to cry. I can’t see your eyes properly.”
His sharply pointed nose cast a shadow between them — and just then, a bee flew in with a soft buzz.
Startled, the boy’s grip loosened, and Lucy broke free in an instant and ran madly out of the garden.
“Stop right there!!” he shouted from behind, but Lucy ignored him and ran and ran.
“Lucy! You’ll get hurt if you run like that!”
Lucy, who had run so far that she didn’t even know when she’d entered the mansion again, finally came to a stop when she nearly collided with another servant rounding a corner.
She bowed quickly to apologize, then looked back — thankfully, he wasn’t chasing her anymore.
Her cheek, where the little master had tugged, throbbed painfully.
Lucy rubbed her cheek with her apron until the skin turned red, then went straight to her room and pretended to be sick.
Luckily, her aunt assumed she was finally feeling the exhaustion of adjusting to the new mansion and let her rest without a word.
That night, too, Lucy had to wander the garden in her dreams, running away from someone who followed her relentlessly.
“Roar!!”
“Kyaaah!”
“Ha ha ha ha!”
At the sudden loud shout, Lucy dropped to the ground and glared resentfully at the little master, who ran off laughing.
After that day in the garden, he had stopped staring openly, but now he would suddenly appear without warning to startle Lucy whenever he had the chance.
Worse, he always chose moments when there were no adults around to play these tricks, so she could do nothing but suffer helplessly.
“Lucy, get ready to go out. We’re going to the market today.”
“Yes!”
As if sensing her gloomy mood, her aunt invited her to the market — one of Lucy’s favorite outings.
She wore her old hat and cloak snugly and swung her aunt’s hand back and forth as they walked. Just then, they ran into Charles, dressed in his going-out clothes.
“Oh, Miss Raila. Where are you going?”
“We’re heading to the market. We’ve run out of meat.”
“I see. Then I’ll come with you. I have errands outside as well.”
“Ah, yes.”
So the three of them walked down the outer corridor lined with the neat garden when they came across the little master standing under a large portrait frame.
Sensing someone behind him, the boy turned and stared blankly at them.
Or more precisely, at the girl hiding behind her aunt’s skirt.
“Young Master, did you come to see the lady of the house again?” Charles asked.
“Mm.”
At Charles’s words, Lucy finally noticed the painting in the frame.
Inside it, a lady with dark brown hair smiled gently, her eyes sparkling a candy-like green.
While Lucy admired the painting with her mouth slightly open, she felt the sharp gaze and turned back to face forward.
As if he had never teased her, the little master now wore a solemn expression that did not suit a child his age.
“Charles. I want a snack.”
“Young Master, it’s almost lunchtime. Eating a snack before that isn’t good for you.”
“No. Bring it to my room. Now.”
The way he frowned at Charles, who was several times his age, revealed the arrogance of someone born with everything.
Charles, sighing helplessly at the stubborn boy, eventually nodded.
Even if he was just a child, he was still the master Charles had to serve wholeheartedly.
“Please don’t let the Baron know. If he finds out, I’ll be in trouble.”
“Got it. Don’t worry.”
The boy tapped Charles’s waist twice like an adult, adding, I’ll eat it quickly.
As the conversation dragged on, Raila decided to slip away with Lucy.
We’ll go on ahead, she said, bowing her head and nudging the still-staring Lucy aside — but a sharp voice froze them in place.
“Where are you going!!”
His shout echoed through the corridor as the little master strode toward them, hands on his hips.
He stopped right in front of Lucy, glaring so fiercely that Raila and Charles both froze in surprise. Under that cold pressure, Lucy was about to cry.
“I told you to bring me a snack!”
“Auntie…”
“Young Master, I will—”
“No! I want her to bring it.”
The little master cut off Charles, turning sharply and blocking him.
When Lucy tried to hide behind her aunt, he grabbed her long, thin golden hair in a hurry.
Suddenly having her hair pulled made Lucy burst into loud sobs.
Even as Raila pleaded with him to stop, begging him to let go, he wouldn’t budge.
“Please, Young Master, you’re scaring her.”
“She keeps running away! Bring my snack. Now.”
“Auntie… Auntie…”
Lucy struggled desperately to pull away from the boy’s hand, but it was no use — so she turned to her aunt again, begging.
Fat tears fell from her big eyes, trickling down her pale cheeks like drops of water on freshly baked bread.
Watching her intently, the boy finally let his hand fall loose, and Lucy instantly hid behind her aunt.
“Bring it now. If you don’t, I’ll punish you.”
“…Yes, Young Master.”
Seeing he would not back down, Raila nodded faintly — and Lucy started to wail again.
She didn’t want to go to the little master’s room. Even the adults couldn’t stand up to him; if she was alone with him, she couldn’t imagine how much worse it would be.
Bringing the trembling Lucy back to the room, Raila tried to soothe her between hiccups.
“Lucy, as long as we work in this mansion, we have to do as the masters say.”
“I don’t want to… Auntie, I don’t want to go…”
“You just have to take him his snack and come right back.”
“I hate the little master…”
He always bullies me.
