Chapter 32: CH 29

There was a cold silence. My heart was thumping. My heart pounded wildly. A low, hushed voice fell from above as I waited for my death sentence.

“Whatever.”

“… just one more chance— Huh?”

When I lifted my head, I saw Kid’s nervous eyes. As someone who must be displeased, he seemed unsure.

“Do so.”

I didn’t understand exactly what he meant by “do so”, so I just blinked. I tried to reflect on his words but couldn’t really think of anything because of my fear.

It wasn’t until late that I realized he meant to spare me. Oh, a foolish sound came out of my mouth.

“T-Thank you. I’ll work really hard! Really, really hard—”

“By the way,” Kid suddenly crouched down in front of me. His face was cold, without a smile. “I was tormented all night because of someone yesterday, and now my body is sore.”

Your body was sore? Seniel hadn’t said anything like that. I quickly realized that it was just a lie to annoy me.

‘He’s doing it again. Why?’

“I think I should get paid.”

Don’t you think so, Seniel’s wife?

“… What can I do…?”

Kid ordered with an expressionless face. “Take the key and follow me.”

I was about to ask what key, but belatedly figured out what he wanted and got up. Thanks to the bright moon, it was easy to find the key in the chest of drawers, even without a lantern.

Kid sat and watched me, then slowly got up from his seat as I picked up the key. Without waiting, he quickly walked out of the room. I had a hard time keeping up with his fast pace.

***

Kid stood with his arms crossed and leaned against the piano room door, staring blankly at me as I opened the door.

‘If I drop the key, I die. If I drop the key, I die.’

I struggled to fit the little key in the hole while holding it tight. It took a few clattering before the door opened.

He entered with a wide stride when I stood holding the door to let him enter first.

Sitting on the couch, he nodded at the piano. I quickly sat down on the piano chair and straightened up.

I felt eyes staring at me. He didn’t have the crooked smile he usually wore, so my fear doubled over time.

Even though I was sitting on the piano, I couldn’t press the keys easily. He’d said I should pay. But the Kid I knew wasn’t such a benevolent person who’d be satisfied with a piano play.

‘Is he going to cut off one of my fingers every time I make a mistake?’

I got goosebumps at the eerie yet plausible deduction. There was a reason why he was called Kid the Killer.

Even though playing the piano was something I did well, I couldn’t think of what to play at the moment. The piano keys felt jagged.

I barely pressed the first key without knowing what I was trying to hit. I kept playing notes in a mess, and I couldn’t remember any of the next notes, so I stopped playing soon.

My hands on the keyboard trembled.

Tsk, I heard his tongue click. I winced and hunched my shoulders.

“Do you treat Seniel like this?”

“… N-No. I-I’ll try again.”

I repositioned myself. Contrary to my words, however, my hands did not move.

‘Hurry up and move! Come on!’

“Nevermind that. Stop and come over here.”

The question “What are you going to do with me after I come close?” came to mind. Although I knew it was better to move quickly to increase my chances of survival, I couldn’t get up because my body was stuck to the chair.

Kid looked and clicked his tongue again. “I won’t hurt you, so come quickly.” I barely lifted my butt, and my feet didn’t budge. Kid looked at me like that and said plainly, “If I wanted to kill you, I would have killed you yesterday.”

… That was true. Hesitantly, I stood in front of Kid. I was in a position overlooking him, but I never felt like I had the upper hand.

Kid rested his chin on his hand and looked up at me expressionlessly. “I even gave you medicine, but you couldn’t do anything.”

I didn’t apologize and chewed the inside of my mouth instead. Kid thought for a moment, then opened his mouth again. “The price of repayment should be the same as the original price. There’s no need to return it with something else.”

I couldn’t understand Kid’s words. What repayment? My fingertips trembled with the ominousness.

Kid looked at me and grinned. Then he pointed to his thigh. “Sit down.”

“… Yes?”

“Sit down.”

‘Don’t tell me when he said repayment should be the same…’

When I stretched out without sitting down, Kid grabbed my hand and pulled it toward himself lightly.

‘This is crazy.’

My body, unable to grasp the situation, hardened like a stone.

‘Right now, where I’m sitting—’

I could feel the hard thigh muscles down my buttock, the couch’s armrest, and his hand pulling me behind me. I screamed inside because I was close enough to reach his chest when he moved his body a little.

Kid glanced at me and closed his eyes, smiling.

“Pat me.”

“W-What?”

“How often do I have to say something before you understand?”

I imagined mild threats that my tongue would be cut off if I asked one more time. Now awake, I reflexively raised my hand. But the problem was, I didn’t know where and how to pat.

I couldn’t pat him on the back like he’d done yesterday because his back was so close to the couch. That left only his chest and shoulders, so I wandered around and didn’t readily touch him.

“You won’t do it?”

“I-I’ll do it.”

With a shaky hand, I patted Kid very lightly around the shoulder. After about ten very light pats, I made eye contact with Kid. His forehead was wrinkled.

“Why can’t you do it right?”

B-because I’ve never done this before.

“I-I’ll try again.”

I patted him again. Earlier, I was sweating out of fear, but now I was just confused because I didn’t know what I was doing.

He seemed to like it somehow when I patted him with the right intensity this time. Kid closed his eyes again.

My arm ached as I patted him with a lot of tension. I wanted to ask how long I should do this. Considering that he wanted me to repay him fairly, I thought I’d have to do it until he fell asleep.

‘And why are we doing this on the couch where it’s uncomfortable?’

As I continued to do this, rather than panic and fear, I had a genuine question, although I understood the usual concept of how Kid did things.

If he was doing this purely to bully me, he was doing a great job.

He didn’t like to be in contact with others. Was he annoyed at me for making him do something unnecessary?

‘But the Kid I know would’ve thrown me away as soon as he was annoyed.’

I positioned my body as hard as I could not to make contact with Kid, but I was slowly reaching my limit. My arms trembled, and I felt like I was going to have a cramp on my back.

Just a moment ago, I was determined to do anything to avoid death, but when the muscle pain came to my whole body, I wanted to overcome this situation somehow.

“That… You see, umm… Your Excellency, I don’t think you’ll feel comfortable sleeping here… And I’m sure you’ll feel more uncomfortable because I’m heavy…”

Kid opened his eyes and tilted his head to me, who muttered without confidence.

“Then shall we go to bed?”

Those words gave me goosebumps. If someone else had said that, I would’ve tried to punish that devil spawn, saying they had an impure intention. But when Kid said it, it sounded like he would send me to my mother’s side.

“N-No… That’s unnecessary. I think I can play the piano now, so I want to go play the piano again…”

“You’re going to do whatever you want without repaying me?”

“I’m not saying that. Really, I’m, uh, afraid of making Your Excellency uncomfortable… Right…”

Having lost my confidence, I huddled and blurred the end of my words. When I regretted my words, Kid stared at me and spoke.

“Call me Kid.”

“Yes?”

W-What did he say just now?

I opened my mouth like a fool. The hand that was patting Kid stopped. As soon as I heard Kid’s name, I felt all the blood draining from my body. Without realizing it, I wrapped my hand around my neck.

Kid narrowed his eyes as he watched me hurriedly defending myself.

“Seeing that you were scared instead of surprised when you heard my name, you must have known me long ago.”

“…”

No or yes couldn’t be my answer. Kid’s mouth was filled with a smile.

“How did you know? Did Seniel tell you? Since when did you know?”

I’d rather he continue to be coercive like before; it was scarier because he asked politely.

“You have to answer.”

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I felt like he would peel my skin alive if I didn’t answer.

“… A week ago, Seniel… told me… I-I didn’t tell anyone…”

Kid laughed out loud. On the surface, it sounded like a laugh out of a good mood.

“To think you’re still so bold even though you know who I am. It would be a shame to kill you. Why didn’t you report me right away?”

“… I thought it would be useless. I-I have absolutely no intention of reporting you in the future.”

“That’s a very wise choice. Sending me to prison won’t do you any good.”

I didn’t know why, but Kid seemed to be in a good mood. That was weird. I thought that if I knew his identity, he would kill me right away.

“Seniel’s wife is quick-witted. I thought you would run away within a week. But even though you knew my identity, you kept silent.”

My heart skipped a beat, not knowing what to say.

“Should I praise you for doing good?”

I let go of the breath I’d been holding at those words. However, I couldn’t let my guard down because I didn’t know if the compliment was literal or Kid-style nonsense.

I just had no choice but to expect good news from Kid’s smile.