ICTV - Chapter 14

ICTV - Chapter 14

I Changed The Villain

The boy raised his upper body and looked blankly at Rika. The boy also had a confused look on his face, as if he had never dreamed that Rika, who seemed calm, would make a surprise attack.

“I have to buy cookies for my Lady! The other maids have already given the Young Lady a gift, but I was the only one who couldn’t give it to her!”

The boy sat down while rubbing the back of his head. I, who was watching this situation, tilted my head. This is because the boy's face revealed when the hood was removed was unusual.

"Do not be ridiculous! It’s mine because it’s already in my hands!”

There is no way a handsome pickpocket would be a supporting character in a romance fantasy genre, let alone any other genre. A handsome pickpocket also appeared in <Do You Know Your Flower>. He was caught trying to steal Female Lead's wallet and almost had his wrist cut off, but thanks to Female Lead's kindness, he got to work at the mansion.

“Just come near me! Are you afraid I won’t be able to defeat a well-bred noble Lady and a maid?!”

Later, the pickpocket dreams of becoming the Female Lead's escort knight and comes to truly respect the Female Lead. 

Then, could that kid be…? 

While I was looking at the boy in silence, the boy even took out a tree branch, the purpose of which was unknown, from his pocket.

“If you don’t want to look bad, give up your wallet… … !"

Rattle. 

Then the spice shop door opened and Mera and Becky walked out.

“Ugh, that won’t work. Just buy the book first."

“Who placed such a large order... What is it, Rika? why are you crying? Who is that kid again?!"

The boy froze. Rika shouted as if she was telling a story.

“That kid didn’t just steal my wallet, he threatened us!”

There is a saying in the world like this.

“A guy who doesn’t even have blood on his head dares not only steal but even threaten?"

"Uh?!"

“Take a look at my rough hands after working in the mansion all day!”

“In my time! No matter how hard or hungry I was, I never committed a crime! Anyway, kids these days don’t have grit, grit!”

The boy who was supposed to become the woman's loyal subordinate was crushed under the heels of the maids' shoes. I thought about stopping them but decided to just stay still. The reason was absurd. Because it was an original work and this moment was so fun and fresh.

***

“You have a lot of liver too. You have nothing to steal, so you put your hand into the wallet of a maid accompanying a nobleman?”

“If it had been any other nobles other than the Lady, you would have had your wrists cut off."

“You will have to live my life being grateful to our lady.”

“But why do you look like that? No, I'm nagging you like this because I'm thinking of you. You can't even say thank you..."

Afterward, Mera, who was sitting on the boy, blew on her fingers.

“It’s badly rotted?”

Mera folded her fingers and smiled.

“Shall we have a good time of repentance with sisters again?”

"Rather… … ."

"Huh? What?"

Mera pretended to lower her upper body. The boy tried to get out from under Mera but then spoke in a resigned tone.

“I’d rather hand you over to the guards, you witches.”

"Witch?"

Rika squatted down and touched the boy's chin. She picked it up.

“Then it’s not enough to just steal my things. Who are you that threatened us?”

"If Mera and Becky weren't there, if it were just the two of me and My Lady you'd keep assuming the bad side of things."

Rika stared at the boy with her blue eyes like glass beads.

“Are you a little devil?”

"..."

“Well, it’s true that we beat you hard.”

Rika stretched out her hand. Becky handed the tree branch that the boy was holding earlier. Rika held the branch close to the boy's face.

“If you had just stolen my wallet, it wouldn’t have gotten this far. But you threatened us while pointing a weapon at us, and things ended up like this.”

“...A weapon?”

“Yes, a weapon.”

The boy looked at the tree branch and Rika alternately for a moment. And asked again.

“Does this look like a weapon?”

The boy puts a tree branch in his arms. The reason he put it in was simply because he didn't want to steal empty-handed. Even if the boy wanted to buy a weapon, there was no way he could afford it because he didn't even have money to buy a loaf of bread.

Of course, there were sometimes bricks and glass pieces strewn about on the streets, but even those were picked up by other children. So, after much deliberation, he picked up a tree branch from a nearby forest. As he was taking it, he thought, who would see this as a weapon?

“For our Lady, everything is a weapon!”

“That’s right! My reflexes aren’t enough, I just don’t have the will to avoid it!”

There were people who felt it was a real weapon. The boy was dumbfounded even while his body was throbbing.

“What is that expression? He still has a soul. It looks like there’s less growth?”

Okay, the boy quickly put on a pitiful expression, but it was already too late.

“You have to get scolded by the sisters again..!”

“It’s okay, guys.”

I have been watching the situation so far. Without realizing it, the boy took a look at my pure white skin and intense red hair without any scars. He felt it at first glance when the wallet was stolen, but it was even more beautiful when he saw it from the front.

“We don’t have time, so let’s go.”

Above all, it's not fun anymore. I, who skipped the afterword, turned my back. Then, the murderous spirit emanating from the maids disappeared in an instant. The maids shouted charmingly.

“Yes, Miss. We are going now!”

“There boy. If you want to make money, work hard!”

“Wash your hands from now on!”

But the boy couldn't hear those words. The boy's eyes were still fixed on me. Just by looking at the shoes that were visible under the skirt, he could tell how precious I had grown up to be. The boy gritted his teeth. A fire rose inside.

“People who grew up noble like you don’t know how hard we live!”

My steps stopped.

“Just because you caught the umbilical cord well. Wouldn’t it be nice to eat something delicious and warm?! Besides, even if you stay still, the maids will take care of everything!”

"..."

“Nobles like you never know! How miserable we live! How cruel the back alleys are! Do you know how many children pick up pieces of glass and use them as self-defense weapons?"

“That guy…! Miss! Don’t listen!”

Mera blushed and pushed me back. But I still stood there.

“Why did I steal your wallet? Why didn’t I work? That’s because no one gives the kids from the back alleys a job! Even if we appeal to the nobles who work for the country, the situation won’t change!”

“Our lady… … !”

“Our young Lady is different? Don't be funny, nobles are all the same! Everyone is only interested in getting their fill! I hate nobles like you in this world! I will definitely get rid of it someday!”

Before he knew it, the boy had forgotten the pain and had raised his upper body. The maids looked at the boy blankly. His eyes were burning with hatred. While the maids were considering what to say, My body suddenly tilted.

"Miss...!"

“Why are you doing this? As expected, I was shocked to hear that... !”

I placed my palms on the wall and wiggled my shoe-clad feet. 

“There’s a rock stuck in the sole of my shoe.”

The tone was without the slightest agitation, and the maids and the boy froze.

“Well, then the one that stopped earlier. How do I remove something like this?”

"..."

"Yes, this is how we behave, Lady." 

The maids said nothing more. I looked back at the boy while the maids removed the stone from the sole of my shoe. The boy was still frozen.

It was a shame for the boy, but I wasn't the type to be shocked and hurt by the right words. The absurdity of the caste system was already acknowledged long ago. But... I who was lost in thought, called Mera.

“Mera.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Let’s take that kid to the mansion.”

"Yes?!"

Are you going to do something stupid again? These were maids who instinctively felt anxious.

***

The carriage that had been parked in the downtown area ran back to the Pale estate. The driver kept glancing at the carriage as he drove the horse. It was clear that he was embarrassed that there was one more person in his group than before. But what was embarrassing was the same thing for ‘that one person’.

“Don’t even think about running away.”

“Be polite to the Lady.”

The boy's shoulders shrank. 

'I'm crazy, I'm crazy! I was so angry that I ended up babbling.'

Thinking about his actions earlier, the boy seemed like a reckless little boy who couldn't understand the situation, but in fact, it was the opposite.

There is no way a child living in a back alley would not know my topic. As a child, the more difficult it is, the faster they mature.

The boy also knew his subject well. He knew very well what would happen if he stole something in front of a nobleman. Normally, he wouldn't have targeted it at all, but today the nobleman seemed even more suspicious, so he ended up putting his hand on it. And even verbal abuse...! The boy clutched his old clothes tightly.

“Miss, why on earth are you taking this child away?”

"..."

His heart was racing. The boy desperately hoped that I would answer, but I said nothing.

Damn, not talking makes me more anxious. Ominous thoughts filled his mind. It was clear that they were going to take him to the mansion and kill him or sell him as a slave. He has to get out somehow before something happens.

“Aren’t you covering your eyes?”

He doesn't have the confidence to get through those maids. The boy quietly lowered his eyes. A maid is stronger than a guard. Now that things are like this, he has to arrive at the mansion and wait for them to get off. But why is he feeling sick from earlier? That was when the boy covered his mouth.

“Miss, are you getting motion sick?”

But this time no answer came back. Eventually, Rika slightly got up from the carriage and checked the boy's condition.

"... She was already asleep.”

Was that the reason I didn't answer?! The boy was silently shocked. At this point, he started to wonder what this person really was.

“Just press your palm. Just like you did before.”

“Okay, Mera.”

Becky took the boy's hand. The boy was startled and tried to pull his hand back, but he couldn't. Why are her hands so strong? The boy was embarrassed, and Becky pressed her thumb into his palm. What was this? The boy's eyes opened wide.

"Don't worry. I won't kill you."

"Hey."

The boy, whose true feelings were revealed, flinched.

Becky made eye contact with the boy.

“We had a pretty turbulent life before we met her.”

***

The speed of the carriage gradually decreased. Becky continued, lifting her glasses with her other hand.

“Especially Mera, she was just a beast.”

Mera, who was looking at her fingernails, glanced at Becky.

“Why do you keep crossing the line from earlier?”

"Sorry."

Rika drops Mera and Becky, and she says the conclusion. 

“Anyway, the three of us never commit theft. I didn't touch it. So I can't sympathize with you."

"I will do it. Sorry."

Only then did the boy notice Becky's hand. More than half of the back of Becky's hand was covered with scars. The moment the boy's eyes opened wide, Becky let go of her hand. Mera sighs and shakes Rose.

Oh, I woke up. The carriage approached the Pale family mansion.

“Miss, wake up. We arrived."

 “Okay.”

Previous            Next

Support Novellate!