Chapter 11: CH 9.2

The greeting was quickly over, and there was an awkward silence in the dining room. I glanced at Seniel, who seemed to have no bone in his mouth.

Sitting opposite me, Seniel only played with the tableware without eating a bite. He made himself busy checking my eyes, occasionally flipping his food with a fork.

‘… I’m gonna have indigestion.’

I didn’t have an appetite in the first place. And it became worse when I tried to eat with someone who was conscious of me.

‘But I have to save my strength to hold out until I stow away.’

I forcefully put food in my mouth and mechanically chewed it. It must have been the most expensive food I’ve ever eaten, but it didn’t taste good.

“…”

Eventually, I put the tableware down. I looked straight at Seniel, and he lowered the fork as if he’d been waiting for that moment.

Seniel was waiting for me to say something. He had a face that wanted to ask me a question and continue the conversation earlier in the day with me.

‘I have nothing to say.’

Contrary to his expectations, I had nothing to say to him. I couldn’t hold back my gaze and asked honestly, “Do you have something to say?”

“… I want to know why you asked me to dine with you.”

Seniel seemed to think that this dinner meant something.

“I told you in the morning. It’s so I can survive Kid.”

At my calm words, Seniel looked as if he didn’t understand.

I understood why he reacted that way. To a third person, dinner and my survival seemed to have nothing to do with each other. But there was nothing else to explain.

Seniel frowned as if trying to understand but eventually got up. He looked as if hope had been shattered.

“I should leave now.”

“Sit down, please.”

Seniel did not listen to me and turned his back on me. The way I turned my back on the officiator at our wedding.

If there was one thing in common between me that day and Seniel now, it was that we couldn’t escape.

I said to Seniel, still sitting, “I survived last night. Trust me.” He turned to me again, nervously squeezed and opened his hand repeatedly. Seeing him shaking, not knowing what to do with my words without logic, I thought I knew how to persuade him. “Will you trust me?”

He needed certainty.

‘I don’t know if I’ll be able to open my eyes tomorrow morning.’

At least, like yesterday, Seniel had to stop provoking Kid. If I could convince him, I could pretend to be confident.

“… Then can you tell me what you have in mind?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t tell you that. But trust me.”

How could I say I would stab him in the back and run away?

‘You’ll have a relationship with the heroine. You will find beautiful love and the peaceful life you wanted.’

I pointed to his seat. “You must be hungry. Sit down, please.” Eventually, he sat back in his seat. “Great. I’ll greet you as soon as morning comes, so don’t be surprised.”

Seniel whimpered slightly at my words, then relaxed his expression. Then he nodded and said softly, “… I will stay still.”

Good boy. I secretly breathed a breath of relief so he could not find out.

I started eating again and looked sideways at him. He was eating with a lost look.

Seniel, who knew nothing and was completely obedient to my words, looked a little pitiful, but I didn’t want to comfort him. The reason was simple. I didn’t want to get entangled or get close to him.

I finished eating and put down the tableware. Seniel had no intention of eating in the first place, so he quickly followed me and put the dishes down.

There was no need to urge him to eat more, so I stood up, ignoring him moderately.

The subtle moonlight came in outside the dining room through the aisle window. Gradually, my nerves began to sharpen.

“Where’s your room? Let’s go together if it’s in the same direction.”

“… It is in the annex.”

Hearing the word ‘annex’, I unintentionally threw my gaze towards the distant building. I didn’t know where the annex was because I didn’t get a proper introduction to the building from the butler, but I thought the annex would be a separate building.

‘He lives far away.’

It seemed that flowers had to be given and we should part here.

“Then I will give you a present before we separate. Take it.”

I suddenly offered him a yellow tulip, like I was selling it.

“W-Why would you…?”

What did you mean, ‘Why would I?’ It was because of Kid.

“It’s just a gift. Make sure you put it in a vase, okay?”

Seniel couldn’t resist my stubbornness and sloppily grabbed the yellow tulip before his face. I guessed I looked like a madman to him.

No matter. What can’t I do to survive? I waved my hand to him. “I had a good dinner. Let’s have dinner together tomorrow. Good night.”

Don’t worry about me. I went ahead and left Seniel.

***

Seniel inadvertently walked as he watched Vivi get farther away. He almost offered to escort Vivi, who walked alone, but the words crawled inside his throat.

‘What qualifications do I have…’

Seniel stopped walking and looked at the tulip with a blank expression. It wasn’t just a gift, he thought. It must have something to do with Kid.

Maybe she had buried some colorless, odorless poison that could kill him if he inhaled it overnight. So maybe she was helping him to pay for his sins?

He put his nose close to the tulip. He could not smell anything but the scent of flowers.

‘Or is it a password?’

He couldn’t shake the thought. Still, he couldn’t help it because there was nothing he could do.

Whatever it was, Seniel was eager to have her alive.

***

7 PM.

Returning to the room, I quickly washed up with the maid’s help.

After taking a bath, I sent the maid out and brought out my protective equipment. I wore the gear and a nightgown over it.

‘Is it noticeable?’

It was satin pajama, so the curves of my body were revealed. The rough texture of the protective gear was faintly visible, but there was no other way.

‘It can’t be helped.’

I moved my hand behind my head, gathered my hair, and rolled it in a circle. I tied it as tightly as possible to prevent the possibility of getting caught in the hair or having my view obscured due to the hair.

It felt like I had another lump on the top of my head after I tied it all up.

I took the holy power shocker out of the drawer and put it under the pillow.

‘I’ve worn all the artifact rings and the protective gear. Great.’

Lying sideways, I put my hand under the pillow. The rigid body of the holy power shocker felt strong.

It was already 8 PM before I knew it.

I closed my eyes, trying to comfort my fast-paced heart. I had to have good stamina to last a week. It wa better to sleep as well as possible, so I counted sheep in my head.

Sure, Kid was scary. But I was so tired because I couldn’t sleep well last night.

***

In my dream, a soft cloth hit me on the cheek. It wasn’t painful, but it felt uncomfortable.

“… Stop it…”

I wasn’t sure if I said that in real life or my dream. That’s how vivid the dream felt.

The piece of cloth did not listen to me. It kept stroking my cheek and tickling me.

Reality was harsh enough, and even my dream bothered me. As nothing went my way, I was filled with sadness and anger. Unable to overcome my irritation, I swung my arms and screamed. “Stop it, you son of a-!”

Someone grabbed my arm.

I strained my arm and pulled. But someone held it tightly as if they didn’t want to let me go.

I groaned for a while, and then something strange flashed. It was a cold sensation as realization hit me belatedly before I even looked at the clock.

‘No way.’

As I opened my eyes, something yellow slapped me on the cheek again.

Focusing on it, the blurry image became clear.

I made eye contact with Kid, who was reflected in the lamp. His eyes were beautifully bent.

“So you know how to say things like that.”