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Chapter 41

Although Irene was a little older than Rodion, the physique of the two was clearly significantly different. Even though Rodion was slender, it was because he had quite a muscular body.

It was because one summer day in the past, Rodion could not withstand the heat and took off his shirt in his sleep. That was when she realized how much of the clothes were covering up. Nonetheless, no matter how he looked, he was still so young.

‘Am I getting too old?’

No, rather than that, this was because he received a lot of buffs for the male protagonist.

Irene hurriedly corrected it.

The sleeping Rodion had an appearance that perfectly suited the term ‘beautiful boy.’ He has eyelashes that look longer than her own. Small thick lips and round eyes. His curvaceous face and wavy hair down to his shoulders sometimes made him look like a neutral girl.

Of course, this was the impression of Rodion, who was currently sleeping.

‘He’s pretty ferocious when awake…’

Essentially, the innocence of a sleeping person was quite lovely.

If such a pretty boy experiences the experience of getting involved in waking up every morning, it would be natural for him to feel a strange attachment regardless of his age.

​​’Is this what it would be like to have a pampered sibling?’
​​
It was too shallow for a connection, but it’s already become a habit to say it was not a relationship at all. A strange attachment that is stronger than a glass jar on a pole, though not as shiny as a glass bottle…

Irene knew something comparable to this relationship.

Shoes you wear often.

A pen that’s familiar to your hands.

Good tools that are easy to use… She was in such a position in this mansion.

‘It wouldn’t be funny if I was really favored by the Young Masters.’
​​
In the first place, this would be something envious through other people’s eyes. But, there’s no one here interested in her.

“Rea.”

At the call, Irene suddenly woke up from her thoughts.

When she glanced down, she could see Rodion, who, for some reason, raised his body without difficulty.

“Oh, yes. You woke up early today.”

“There was blood on your gloves.”

Hearing his words, Irene then looked down at her hand. There were tiny red-brown spots on the palm of the glove he was holding. It seemed to have happened when she put on the gloves first while it was still bleeding.

Rodion’s expression was serious as he opened his mouth again.

“Take off your gloves.”

“I’m fine.”

“What do you think is okay?”

He was frowning as though her wound was his own.

Nonetheless, Irene was calm.

“It’s really okay. I can hold the Young Master’s hand while wearing gloves.”

“That… What does that mean?”

“If I hurt my hand, I’m afraid that the Youngest Master will feel uncomfortable when he wakes up. So, it means that you don’t have to worry because it wouldn’t interfere with my work.”

At those words, Rodion’s expression became even more distorted.

It was something she couldn’t really understand.

Irene has been working as a Lavrenti employee for a long time, cultivating the spirit that servants should have better than anyone else.

So, it was fine.

It didn’t matter that she was a little hurt. What is important is whether that fact causes discomfort to Rodion. And, she thought she had blocked that possibility by putting on the gloves.

But, what’s with that expression…?

“More than me, you should care more about yourself. Rea… does it hurt?” Rodion said, carefully removing the gloves that were covering Irene’s hands.

He looked like he was about to burst into tears.

Seeing that, he felt somehow genuinely worried. It wasn’t that he was angry because the tools were broken, though because he was worried about herself as a human being… Perhaps, it would be wrong to imagine it like this as a maid.

Obviously, it didn’t feel so bad.

“I just fell down the stairs. Thank you for worrying about me.”

“Falling down the stairs… but, the wound wouldn’t be like you rolled on the dirt like this, Rea.”

Come to think of it, Rodion was also a member of Knox, so he knew quite a bit about wounds.

‘Should I have made a sincere excuse?’

While Irene was remorseful of her remarks for a moment, Rodion’s expression became a little more complicated. Even though she wanted to leave because it felt a little uncomfortable now, he seemed unwilling to let her go.

Rodion held her fingertips for a long time as if he had hurt himself. Then, he said,
​​
“You know, Rea.”

“Yes?”

“Have you ever been to a hunting ground?”

“That’s all of a sudden. I never have.”

“Well, I thought so. When I go to a hunting ground, the most common thing you see is a hunting dog. Every hunter always brings a couple of them, right?”

Not knowing why he was talking about hunting ground, he was talking about all of a sudden, but Irene nodded her head and listened intently. She couldn’t even shake her hand first because she was in a maid position in the first place.

Rodion, who was talking about hunting grounds, looked much better than his complicated face a while ago.

“Hound dogs are more useful than you think. He also tracks prey and fetches birds that have been shot. Of course, it also helps when catching big prey, but sometimes, it also plays a role of protecting when a hunter encounters an animal that is difficult to handle.”

“If you want to hunt, you probably need one.”

“That’s right. So, um…”

As he seemed a little embarrassed, Rodion smiled and wrinkled his nose slightly before continuing his words.

“I will be Rea’s hunting dog. Call me anytime you need me, and I will go and give you everything.”

Saying that, Rodion lowered his head a little. His exposed nape and the tips of his ears were red. She didn’t know how he could be shy after saying such a thing.

Knowing what Rodion was by nature, Irene nodded her head.

“Okay. I feel reassured.”

“You don’t look so confident.”

“Because I’m not a hunter, am I?”

“Since you’re not a hunter, it’s better to have a hound. It’s useful.”

That makes sense. As Irene nodded her head again, Rodion smiled softly.

“Don’t forget, call me whenever you need me.”

“I will. Thank you.”

At the time, Rodion may have thought that her words agreeing were just empty words. However, Irene didn’t forget about it after that and used the ‘hunting dog.’

So far, she called her ‘hunting dog’ three times.

This was the number of times, including what she had asked through Louise.

Once, when replacing the servants who bullied her.

And, another time…

Tap, tap.

Her steps as she pushed the door of the greenhouse came to a standstill. It was because a woman sitting inside her raised her body with a fuss. Irene escaped her recollections due to the disturbance that broke her thoughts.

Her cherry blossom-colored hair and a rather lovely face expressed her displeasure.

…Charlotte Eunice, today’s intruder and prey.

Catching her breath, she lowered her back slowly.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Irene, my lady.”

She was now quite confident in hunting.

‘Because I know the strategy of all the characters in this game well.’

Irene had seen Charlotte’s mischief as often as she had helped Louise’s mishaps. In 〈 Love or Die 〉 Charlotte used to ridicule and bother Louise by easily seething over really trivial matters.

So, her evaluation of Charlotte was as follows.

She was ambitious, and she was thirsty for love.

She couldn’t stand it, like a child, when she was so attached to something else that she was greedy for herself. Therefore, Louise had no choice but to become a thorn in her eye.

‘…The game is so cruel.’

A story designed to ruin a person by desire…
​​
In the end, it was Louise who, ironically, didn’t want anything, got everything here.

Of course, the process was a bit difficult, and if you do it wrong, you will lose your life, but…

‘I’m here to avoid that.’

With that thought, Irene took a shaky breath, then brought out her prepared words.

“I apologize, though the Master told me that it will be difficult to meet you today because of the busy schedule.”

“….”

“Also, other guests will be visiting, so I will provide you with refreshments with the courtesy of Lavrenti, but please return before the tea time is over.”

Then, she peered at Charlotte with suspicion.

It was because she thought something was strange.

‘…It’s strange.’

Considering Charlotte’s strong pride, Irene was sure that one of her hands would fly to her cheek at this point.

Why is she so silent…?

The moment Irene raised her head in wonder…

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