“Yes, your Majesty.”
A tall man and woman suddenly appeared and kneeled in front of him. They were the members of the Barkley Unit who had delivered Kathia’s belongings and vanished.
Stunned by their swift movement, she never would’ve predicted they were hiding in the attic of her new home.
If Deon were to tell the already bewildered Kathia now, her eyes would begin spinning in confusion. But of course, he had no intention to tell her.
The slightly smiling Deon asked the shadowy figures.
“How was last night?”
Instead of the woman, who was unwilling to open her lips, the man by the name of Gary spoke in a subtly uneasy tone.
“She was a tad lost, most likely due to the unfamiliar surroundings…”
“So it sounds like the same story.”
Gary and Harper nodded synchronously.
Deon tapped on his folded arms with his finger. This habit came out when he was unsatisfied with matters.
“I already let you out as you requested, yet you’re still like this.”
While Gary thought the lowering of Deon’s dark eyelashes was shady, another question flew at him.
“Were the stairs not dangerous?”
“It was obvious she was about to tumble down the stairs multiple times.”
Tsk, Deon deeply clicked his tongue.
“Get rid of the potentially dangerous elements.”
“Understood.”
“Especially not to come towards the stairs…”
He changed his mind after thinking for a while.
“No, forget it. I’ll do it myself.”
“W-What?”
Doing it himself?
Similar to what happened in the palace, is he implying that he was going to come to see her every night? Even though, in all honesty, this situation of him coming here was unbelievable?
While Gary was flustered, he waved dismissively.
“Since she exited the palace, there’s no need for your Majesty to…”
“Too loud.”
Deon cut off Gary’s sentence as if there was no worth in listening to his words.
Normally, he would’ve shut his mouth right away, but Gary gathered up his little remaining courage and infused more strength in his voice. No matter how he thought about it, his Lord’s action was abnormal.
“B-But your Majesty, it’s just too dangerous to leave the palace empty every day. And to be precise, to your Majesty, she is no longer…”
A bit hesitant, he decided to not beat around the bush and clamped his eyes shut.
“Isn’t she no longer needed?”
“I need her.”
The clear, low tone of Deon repudiated his remark.
Gary kneeled with haste, his forehead touching the ground. He had a slight hunchー if he had spoken any more, he would’ve been killed.
The livid face and glare of this ‘man’ gave him the chills.
On the other hand, this was the first time that Deon Arc del Brezina looked his age.
“So don’t leave it alone to be ruined.”
An 18-year old boy. Perhaps this boy didn’t realize exactly how much weight his words held.
My god. Gary’s heart lurched and he bit down on his lips.
Up until now, perhaps the others around him were avoiding the inevitable hypothesis, which, as of now, was set in stone.
“That, right there, is mine.”
The boy who got imprisoned within his own maze was just murmuring with an inhospitable expression upon his face.
Mine. That’s right. It’s mine.
For the first time, he carefully examined his true feelings for her and after saying it out loud, he liked the nuance more than he thought he did.
From the day Kathia swore on her life, she was his.
So long as she was of use.
At least that’s how he thinks he feels the need for her.
“If she is no longer of use, then I would with my own hands…”
Deon spoke until that point and stopped. That was because his eyes met Kathia’s, who was at a loss at what to do next due to the havoc.
Unaware of Gary and Harper who had erased their presence, her eyes looking only at him were clear like always.
In his world of black and white, she was the only one who was clear.
Look. She’s still useful. I still need her. Still. I still…
“Kathia.”
Deon headed down the stairs while gazing at Kathia. Additionally, was the sudden change in his expression and voice.
Gary, who wanted to suppress his urge to scream, took Harper up to the attic and went back into hiding.