Chapter 12
“Why are you being so obedient again?!”
“I’ve always been good at listening to people.”
My proud reply was met with a bewildered stare.
Joshua awkwardly got up, came to stand beside me again, cupped his hands like a flower, and looked up at the sky.
From the way his lips twitched hesitantly, it seemed like he had something to say.
I waited patiently without rushing him, and finally, his lips parted.
“You remember how I said I don’t visit Jer very often because I might have a bad influence on him?”
“Yeah.”
“So… I want you to take my advice and raise him well.”
“The boss is already plenty grown. Do you know how tall he is? Sometimes I can’t tell if I’m looking at him or at the ceiling. When we stand face-to-face, all I see is his chest. And that’s when he’s slouching — if he stood up straight, I’d probably be staring at his stomach.”
That’s the only height level that matches mine. It’s not like I want to be looking there.
Joshua listened blankly to my exaggerated rambling, then suddenly snapped out of it and shouted.
“That’s not what I meant!”
He jumped to his feet, fuming, then suddenly leaned down and bit my head.
“Stop it.”
Joshua didn’t stop. With my head still in his mouth, he enunciated clearly without slurring a single word.
“The truth is, Jer’s emotions fluctuate a lot — and not in a good way. It’s not that he wants it that way. It’s because of that influence…”
After saying that, Joshua glanced at me nervously and went on.
“Once he falls into something bad, he can’t get out of it. That’s why he turned out so socially inept.”
“Really?”
“He wasn’t always like that! He used to play pranks and pick fights all the time. He even picked fights with nobles! He didn’t care a bit about etiquette.”
Ah, so it’s trash-the-boss time now?
If that’s the case, I’m starting to think the boss has always been socially awkward.
“But two years ago, he started having a hard time talking to anyone but us. Those negative emotions — they’re not what he wants!”
“Hmm.”
Maybe I wasn’t looking serious enough, because Joshua bit my head harder.
Ow, that hurts, servant of the devil.
“Some Eclipse guild members came and went, but he just told them to ‘get lost.’ Talking to him was impossible.”
“I talk to the boss just fine these days.”
“Exactly! There’s hope!”
He brightened instantly, his eyes sparkling, and wrapped his arms tightly around my knees.
“He talks to you! Especially when he’s telling you to get lost!”
“He’s very good at that.”
Seriously, every time I say something, it’s “get lost.” It’s practically his trademark.
He buried his face in my knees, giggling, then lifted his head again.
“Ahem. So please help him, okay?”
“I’ve been trying really hard already.”
“You’ll do even better if you take my advice!”
“Alright, let’s hear it.”
Because honestly, I also wanted to pull the boss out of that gloomy, dark room.
“Jer’s sick — he doesn’t seem okay, but inside he’s even more rotten. So… make him smile if you can.”
“I’ll say this again — I’m not a funny person.”
Go hire a comedian instead.
“Then at least don’t get hurt by anything he says. No matter how much you want to give up, don’t. His body and heart are both in pain.”
I patted Joshua’s back as he grew despondent.
He really seemed more like the boss’s servant than the devil’s.
I didn’t know exactly what had happened between the two of them, but it was clear Joshua cared deeply about him.
It was even pitiful — a demon who couldn’t go near the boss because his presence might harm him.
Wait. Wouldn’t that be bad for other humans too — including me?
But since he was fine being around me and others, maybe there was something unique about his connection with the boss that I didn’t understand.
“I’m not planning to give up. If I give up on this, I might as well give up on my own life.”
I didn’t want to be trapped under William’s control, living life on his terms.
The boss was pitiful — but so was I.
Joshua’s voice rose sharply.
“Jer could get hurt because you’re too honest! Are you really doing all this for yourself?!”
“Wouldn’t it be stranger to say I’d do anything for the boss? We haven’t even known each other for a month.”
Joshua calmed down a little, nodding grudgingly.
“Fair point. Anyway, just be careful — when he can’t control those emotions, he can have outbursts. It’s painful for him, but don’t show that you’re scared.”
“I’m scared of him even when he’s not doing anything.”
“…Forget it. Anyway, don’t tell him why you’re here. I don’t want him to get hurt.”
“I already did.”
“What?!”
Joshua shot up again, glaring at me furiously. I raised my hands to calm him.
“The boss heard it and ignored it. Better that than letting him misunderstand later.”
The fury in his eyes slowly softened.
“…That’s true. You’re smarter than you look.”
“Thanks.”
Heh, got praised by the devil’s servant.
Despite his words, his nimble hands immediately grabbed a handful of my hair, so I had to pry him off.
Joshua’s words weren’t without effect — I did feel a little more motivated than before.
“Boss, guess what I prepared for you today?”
He ignored me completely, so I walked past him out the door and wheeled in a tray I’d left waiting outside. It was loaded with fancy dishes.
“They made all this because I said it was for you.”
“Not eating.”
“I figured. That’s why I had them make things I like instead. I’ll just eat here, if you don’t mind.”
“…You’re insane?”
“Not too much.”
I set everything up neatly and sat down, staring at the steaming dishes in bliss.
From now on, I’ll just pretend the food is for the boss and eat it myself.
Since I was eating right in front of him, even if I got caught later, I had plenty of excuses — I did ask if he wanted some, and he said no.
No guilt whatsoever.
I’m innocent.
Clink.
The sound of cutlery and my chewing echoed around the quiet room. It was so silent, even the crunching of my food was loud.
Then the boss got up and sat down in the chair opposite me, leaning slightly forward.
“Sit up straight! Why are you slouching like that!”
“Let me swallow first… You’re making me spit.”
He wiped his face with the back of his hand and glared at me. I cut a piece of steak and held it out to him.
“What?”
“You came here to eat, didn’t you?”
“No.”
Then I’ll eat it.
I tried to bring it back to my mouth, but he caught my wrist and took the bite himself.
“You said you weren’t eating.”
He just kept chewing and glaring at me.
“You’re not gonna steal all the food again, right? Last time you were sick, so I get it, but not this time, okay?”
The annoying shut-in read my anxiety like an open book and replied shamelessly:
“I just might.”
“No way!”
I hurriedly started shoveling food into my mouth, but he ate twice as fast, and in the end, he devoured more than half of it.
“You only eat when you’ve got competition, huh…”
He was like a kid. But maybe I was starting to figure out how to deal with him.
“You don’t look too happy about that.”
“No.”
I’m not.
I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his lips. He grimaced and pushed my hand away.
“Stop.”
“Hold still!”
I wiped the oil from his already clean lips until they gleamed. He struggled, but I finished my job and gathered the empty dishes onto the tray.
When I came back in after setting the tray outside, he was about to retreat to his usual corner, but I caught him.
“Now what…”
“Time to brush your teeth.”
“…”
He sighed heavily but let me drag him into the bathroom. I squeezed some herbal toothpaste onto his toothbrush.
Guess this really is a romance-fantasy world — they’ve even got toothpaste.
He wore a sour expression but brushed his teeth diligently. I stood beside him doing the same, energetically brushing in front of the mirror.
He looked at me in disgust and turned away.
After tidying everything up and returning the tray to the kitchen, I came back to find him, as usual, sitting curled up in his designated spot.
I sat down in front of him, just close enough that our toes almost touched, mirroring his posture.
“Why do you always sit like that?”
“It’s comfortable.”
“Doesn’t your back or waist hurt?”
“No.”
“Well, mine did.”
When I rested my chin on my knees, he lifted his face from his arms. His lips parted slightly as he asked,
“What do you mean?”
I spoke evenly, beginning the story of my childhood.
“Even when Viscountess Angela was around, I was bullied a lot by William. He was the neglectful type. When I was six, I got locked up in this tiny, wooden, rectangular box.”
Remembering that day, I clasped my hands tightly together.
