Chapter 04
He shook his head. A short, silent no.
So, I carefully made a suggestion.
“…Then, would you like to come with me?”
The man’s lips parted slightly, but no answer came out.
I got nervous and hurried to add,
“I-I mean, I’m not a suspicious person! The man who brought you here — he’s my enemy. He’s a slave trader! I don’t do anything like that. I just… have a little debt problem. But I’m paying it off soon, really!”
The man looked down, fidgeting with his hands while glancing at me.
“Please help me take him down. In return, I’ll give you food, clothes, and a place to stay. And payment, too!”
If I could catch that bastard, I could squeeze some money out of him somehow.
He’d probably stashed away everything he got from that fake guarantee scheme!
But even after my desperate persuasion, the man stayed silent.
Waiting for his reply, my shoulders slumped.
‘…Right. He probably just escaped from that nightmare.’
If he’d been enslaved by Xavier, he’d have every reason to be terrified.
And I had the same hair and eye color as that bastard.
It made sense if he was uncomfortable.
‘Yeah. I shouldn’t push him.’
Sure, he could be a great help — but forcing him was out of the question.
We were both victims of the same man, after all.
Finally, I stood up.
“I’m not forcing you. But if you change your mind, come to the mansion on Fifth Street—”
Just as I was about to leave the alley, my body tilted to one side.
“Wha—!”
I grabbed the wall for balance and looked down.
A hand was clutching the hem of my dress.
I caught my breath and asked quietly,
“Are you… coming with me?”
The man didn’t answer — he simply stood up.
I stepped back unconsciously. He was a head taller than me, towering silently.
He opened his mouth.
“Ma…”
“Ma?”
“Matty.”
Matthias.
His voice trembled as he forced the word out. My face broke into surprise.
“Name.”
He pointed at himself with his finger.
“My… name.”
The man — Matthias — shyly introduced himself.
‘Ah, that’s his name.’
If only it had ended there.
“…Huh?”
By the time I realized how screwed I was, the carriage had already started moving.
A few hours later.
“Oh my, my lady!”
Sofia, who’d been waiting by the door, rushed out the moment she saw me.
I climbed out of the carriage, my legs shaking, and headed toward the mansion.
“Where have you been! Your dress is filthy—oh dear!”
She looked me up and down, nearly crying at my bedraggled appearance. Then, as if remembering something, she added quickly,
“Please take a bath first. And Lord Pusher stopped by earlier.”
“That bas— I mean, my uncle? When?”
“About an hour or two ago.”
Two hours ago.
So while I was out dealing with everything… he’d been here.
Wait, did he come straight after selling slaves?
‘Wow. He really has no shame.’
I knew it. He looked sleazy the first time I saw him.
Guess face reading is real science.
“But, my lady… who is that man behind you?”
“Oh, right.”
I clapped my hands and turned around. The man behind me stiffened awkwardly.
‘Seriously, anyone would think I kidnapped him.’
When really, he was the dangerous one. I swallowed that truth down.
“He’s my guest. He’ll be staying here for a while. Please prepare some clothes for him. There are plenty of spare rooms.”
Before, that might’ve been difficult — but since most of the servants had left, there were empty rooms everywhere.
“Your guest?”
Sofia blinked wide eyes.
‘Oh. Maybe this is the first time I’ve ever brought someone home.’
In the original story, Aria was reserved, proud of her family, and not the sociable type.
‘No wonder that jerk took advantage of her.’
Anyway, it was natural that Sofia was shocked.
Aria had never once invited a friend or guest over.
And this man — cloaked and silent — definitely looked suspicious.
I coughed and pulled Sofia a few steps aside. Then I whispered,
“I almost got attacked on the way here.”
“What?!”
Her face went pale immediately. Before she could panic, I quickly pulled one of my pre-planned excuses from my mental list of 123.
“He saved me. My life saver. How could I just leave him behind?”
“That’s right!”
Thankfully, Sofia fell for it completely. She clenched her fist, eyes burning with determination.
“Don’t worry, I’ll prepare the best room for him!”
“Good girl. You’re the only one I can count on, you know that?”
“Oh, my lady…”
Her shoulders drooped, and her eyes turned watery — remembering everything we’d endured together.
‘Yeah… she’s been through a lot, too.’
We hadn’t been together long, but the hardest times started after my parents’ deaths.
In a way, she’d shared all of it with me.
“Oh, and call a doctor. One who keeps secrets.”
“A doctor? Are you hurt?!”
“Not me. My savior’s been through a lot.”
“Ah, I see!”
She nodded vigorously.
“I’ll bring one right away!”
“Thanks. And prepare dinner for him too — have it sent to my office.”
“Wouldn’t you rather eat in the dining room?”
“It’s fine. I’ve got… a lot to take care of.”
I patted her shoulder and looked back at Matthias.
When our eyes met, he flinched slightly.
That timid reaction made me feel strange for some reason.
“…I’ll be in the office for a bit.”
As I stepped back, he took a hesitant step forward.
I backed up more and pointed to Sofia.
“She’ll show you to your room. Go rest for now. We’ll talk later over dinner.”
Good. That should do it.
Without wasting another second, I turned and hurried off.
“Ah, ah…!”
His anxious voice followed me, but I didn’t look back.
I needed time to sort my thoughts.
‘He won’t follow me, right?’
I ran up the stairs, slammed the office door shut, and slid to the floor.
As the chaos settled, his image flashed through my mind —
jet-black hair, burning red eyes, a slave’s shackle.
“Matthias.”
Saying his name made my chest tighten. I covered my face and groaned.
“I was supposed to partner with Benjamin, the protagonist…”
But instead—
“I just brought home the final boss… damn it.”
Matthias Frombell.
In the novel, he would one day become the head of the great Frombell Ducal Family — and the most terrifying psychopath in the story.
Well, fine. Every story needs a mad villain. That wasn’t the problem.
The real issue was that Matthias absolutely hated the main character, Benjamin.
The reason? Simple.
Matthias had been a slave, too — one of the lowest kind, sold into the pleasure districts.
Not born into slavery, either — he’d been abandoned there during a family power struggle.
So he hated himself for it.
He despised his own past more than his illegitimacy.
Self-hatred.
That was it.
After becoming a Duke, the first thing he did was destroy the pleasure district where he’d once been enslaved.
Outwardly, it looked like he was cleaning up illegal activity.
But he didn’t stop there — anyone who tried to control or insult him was cut down mercilessly.
Even the puppet Emperor couldn’t stop him. Matthias had become too powerful to oppose.
Until Benjamin appeared.
‘So… what do I do now?’
I knew he’d eventually clash with Benjamin.
And once I paid my debts, I’d have little reason to cross paths with him again.
That part was fine.
The problem… was right here and now.
