It was late midnight that day. Else, who had been crying all day, woke up and rang the bell as soon as she woke up. Then she told the servants who had been called out by the bell to call the boy. It was late at night, and even the horses in the stable were asleep. The maid's face was wrinkled as if she had bitten a bug. If she wanted to prepare early in the morning to attend to the lord and lord's wife, she had to sleep by midnight. At the very least, she had to wake up at 5 a.m. to clean and write in the castle and prepare for the day.
But the young lady insisted on seeing her slave. Finally, the maid went back and woke the boy up. When she woke the boy and told him to follow her, the girl who was sleeping next to him also got up and followed him.
“Miss, a black dog, and a gray rat have come.”
The maid said. Else, who had been circling the bedroom like a dog that needed to pee, waited for the boy to come in, and shouted in a bright voice, 'Come in!' The boy stood in front of her. Else looked up at the boy, who had become more tidy than at noon.
Instead of the rain-soaked poncho and boots, the boy wearing the shirt and trousers worn by the servants in the castle looked down at her with a dry face. The maid who had been called out while she was half asleep yawned and said she would be going back. Else nodded.
“Have you eaten?”
"Yes."
“Was it delicious?”
“Yes.”
Now that they were alone, he was a burden. She couldn't tell if it was him who was a burden or the feelings that came from him that were a burden. But her nose was tingling and her lips were pouting. What was she going to do after giving him the milk? The pictures Else had drawn in her head while calling the boy were all messed up.
“See you tomorrow morning.”
The boy turned around. Else finally glared at him, squealing. Else ran over and grabbed his arm tightly, turning him around. Then she started throwing punches. She punched him in the chest, arms, and stomach. She pinched and scratched the places she could reach, and she raised her nails.
“Hey, hey! You dirty little bastard! You’re dirtier than rat urine!”
Else cursed and swore. Swear words that were not likely to come out of the mouth of a nine-year-old noblewoman flowed out of her cute lips. The boy who had been hit with the round fist grabbed Else's arm tightly.
Else, whose breathing was rapid, glared at him with tears streaming down her face. Unable to use her arms, Else began to struggle and squirm. The boy's eyes were furrowed and he looked at her.
"Miss."
Else, who had been flailing, straightened her twisted limbs and looked at him. Her wrinkled eyes were fierce. Suddenly, she felt afraid. His thin and rough face, which was more slender than when he had stared down, was filled with contempt. It was not that she didn’t know, even though she was nine years old.
In fact, Else was used to others despising her. From her father up close to the servants. Sometimes even her nanny could not understand Else and kept her at a distance. Even those who had cared for Else since she was very young found her burdensome.
So it was easy for Else to read the contempt on people's faces. She knew when people despised her, and how much they were bothered and hated her. Knowing that didn't mean it didn't hurt. Else thought she wasn't hurt by them, but in fact, she was being worn down by all those stares and hardened expressions.
“You son of a bitch!”
Else screamed. A brat who will be trampled by pigs and made to drink shit and piss. A brat who will be thrown into a horse piss bucket. All the curses she uttered with her wet eyes were horrible. Perhaps after today, even her first love in front of her would despise her. Still...
“Whew!”
Else spat in his face. The boy who had knelt down on one knee before Else was hit with the spit. Else shivered as if her ears were raw. The girl behind him ran over and hurriedly took out a handkerchief and wiped his face.
The hand that was holding Else dropped. She stepped back, groaning, and looked at the two. The girl who had wiped the boy’s face glared at Else with boiling eyes. Else, covered in tears, stared at the girl with a frightened face.
She tried to keep her eyes open, but she couldn't help but lower them like a frightened dog. The girl turned her head and reached out to touch the spot where she had been spit on. Else bit her lips hard. She was angry. Her fingertips were tingling and her body began to tremble again. Else ran over and grabbed the girl's hair. She was still quite short, so all she could do was grab the tail of her braided hair, but Else grabbed her fiercely and tried to crush her.
"Ah!"
The girl staggered helplessly, perhaps because of the unexpected action. Else threw her punches at her as she fell to the ground. The girl, who had been blocking the young hand with her eyes tightly shut, muttered a curse in a low voice, saying, “This crazy girl!” No matter what curses she was uttering, Else’s ears were not listening. Her mind was filled only with the girl’s hand wiping the boy’s face.
“It’s mine! It’s mine! Don’t touch what’s mine!”
A scream, almost a scream, shook the bedroom. The bedroom door flew open. It was the nanny who had come in with a light because of the commotion.
“Oh my god!”
The surprised nanny put down the lamp and pulled Else away from the girl. Else started to struggle and scream. The nanny hugged Else and soothed her, saying, “Shh..."
“Ughhhhhh...”
“Easy-it’s okay, Miss. Those bad guys were bothering our Miss, right?”
Else, who had buried her face in her nanny’s chest and was crying like a child, slowly nodded her head. The girl looked at Else with a dumbfounded expression. The nanny, who had been patting Else’s back and comforting her, motioned for the girl to leave.
Else, who had been burying her face in her nanny’s chest and trembling, closed her eyes tightly and collapsed, feeling her breathing irregularly. The nanny laid Else, who was staggering with a fever, on the bed and stared at the boy. His numb eyes landed on the wheezing Else.
“Just go out.”
She turned her head. The dawn was beginning to fade into the sky. She rang the bell to wake the servants and called the doctor over.
After that day, Else was sick for four more days. During the four days that Else was sick, Ian was called to her father and then returned. Else was afraid that her father might have hurt him. Her father did not care about Else at all, but it was a different story for a slave to rebel against his master.
If he was punished by her father, it would not be for hurting her young daughter, but because the slave had disobeyed his master. The father was the lord, and the lord had the duty to look after the estate and maintain order in the castle.
But Ian was straight without a single wound. He must have eaten and slept well for a few days, and although his expression was still gaunt, his complexion was better than before, and he seemed to have grown half a span. It was a short change that had occurred while Else had not seen him before. Else pursed her lips and looked up at him. Behind him, the neat woman was clinging to him again.
But the young lady insisted on seeing her slave. Finally, the maid went back and woke the boy up. When she woke the boy and told him to follow her, the girl who was sleeping next to him also got up and followed him.
“Miss, a black dog, and a gray rat have come.”
The maid said. Else, who had been circling the bedroom like a dog that needed to pee, waited for the boy to come in, and shouted in a bright voice, 'Come in!' The boy stood in front of her. Else looked up at the boy, who had become more tidy than at noon.
Instead of the rain-soaked poncho and boots, the boy wearing the shirt and trousers worn by the servants in the castle looked down at her with a dry face. The maid who had been called out while she was half asleep yawned and said she would be going back. Else nodded.
“Have you eaten?”
"Yes."
“Was it delicious?”
“Yes.”
It was a monotonous answer. Like a broken soldier doll. It seemed like he could only say yes. Else stared at him blankly and moved her lips. Was it hard to talk when they were alone? Her lips, dry and not easily separated, were burdensome. Else, who had been feeling her fingers while holding her hands together, shouted as if she had remembered something.
“Ah! That’s right. You drink this.”
Else held out a cup from the table. The boy’s eyes landed on the cup. Else held out the steaming cup with a bright face. The boy did not accept it and looked down at Else.
“Drink it. It’s yours.”
"It's okay."
“It’s okay. No one hit you.”
Else had a clean face. She had asked for milk before she brought him in. She remembered what had happened that morning. Else had wanted to offer him milk ever since he had entered the castle, soaked in the rain. His cold lips had lingered in her mind. Else had reassured him that if he drank his master's milk, he would think that the servants would barge in and beat him.
“It’s okay, Miss.”
The boy took a step back and muttered softly. The long eyes that looked up were emotionless. Else wiped the bright smile on her clean face and pursed her lips. Heat rushed to her cheeks. Her face turned red from the emotion she felt for the first time.
It was when Else was holding the milk and blinking her eyes. The boy took the cup in Else’s hand and emptied it in one gulp. Then he put it back on the table. Her eyes trembled. Else pursed her lips and looked at him, suffering from a fever that she couldn’t let out.
“If you have no more orders, may I go back?”
Her lips trembled. A small laugh was heard from behind her. Only then did Else realize that the girl she had come with was behind her. When Else’s gaze reached her, she covered her lips with her hand, but her eyes rolled back the same.
Else was embarrassed. Her ears were hot from the emotion she felt for the first time since she was born. Else, who had been looking at the two with bewildered eyes, soon stared at the boy. His face was much drier than when he was in front of his father. Dry and without a drop of moisture. Under his disheveled black hair, his face was beautiful, but other than that, nothing else could be seen.
He was looking down at Else, but his eyes were not filled with Else. Seeing nothing, the surroundings were nothing to him. Else lowered his eyes that had been looking up to the floor and tried to calm her pounding heart. Her face flushed with heat, and her pulse went out of control again. When she tried to look up at him again, she was afraid to meet his gaze. Strangely enough, it was like that. He was a servant and she was the master...
“Ah! That’s right. You drink this.”
Else held out a cup from the table. The boy’s eyes landed on the cup. Else held out the steaming cup with a bright face. The boy did not accept it and looked down at Else.
“Drink it. It’s yours.”
"It's okay."
“It’s okay. No one hit you.”
Else had a clean face. She had asked for milk before she brought him in. She remembered what had happened that morning. Else had wanted to offer him milk ever since he had entered the castle, soaked in the rain. His cold lips had lingered in her mind. Else had reassured him that if he drank his master's milk, he would think that the servants would barge in and beat him.
“It’s okay, Miss.”
The boy took a step back and muttered softly. The long eyes that looked up were emotionless. Else wiped the bright smile on her clean face and pursed her lips. Heat rushed to her cheeks. Her face turned red from the emotion she felt for the first time.
It was when Else was holding the milk and blinking her eyes. The boy took the cup in Else’s hand and emptied it in one gulp. Then he put it back on the table. Her eyes trembled. Else pursed her lips and looked at him, suffering from a fever that she couldn’t let out.
“If you have no more orders, may I go back?”
Her lips trembled. A small laugh was heard from behind her. Only then did Else realize that the girl she had come with was behind her. When Else’s gaze reached her, she covered her lips with her hand, but her eyes rolled back the same.
Else was embarrassed. Her ears were hot from the emotion she felt for the first time since she was born. Else, who had been looking at the two with bewildered eyes, soon stared at the boy. His face was much drier than when he was in front of his father. Dry and without a drop of moisture. Under his disheveled black hair, his face was beautiful, but other than that, nothing else could be seen.
He was looking down at Else, but his eyes were not filled with Else. Seeing nothing, the surroundings were nothing to him. Else lowered his eyes that had been looking up to the floor and tried to calm her pounding heart. Her face flushed with heat, and her pulse went out of control again. When she tried to look up at him again, she was afraid to meet his gaze. Strangely enough, it was like that. He was a servant and she was the master...
Now that they were alone, he was a burden. She couldn't tell if it was him who was a burden or the feelings that came from him that were a burden. But her nose was tingling and her lips were pouting. What was she going to do after giving him the milk? The pictures Else had drawn in her head while calling the boy were all messed up.
“See you tomorrow morning.”
The boy turned around. Else finally glared at him, squealing. Else ran over and grabbed his arm tightly, turning him around. Then she started throwing punches. She punched him in the chest, arms, and stomach. She pinched and scratched the places she could reach, and she raised her nails.
“Hey, hey! You dirty little bastard! You’re dirtier than rat urine!”
Else cursed and swore. Swear words that were not likely to come out of the mouth of a nine-year-old noblewoman flowed out of her cute lips. The boy who had been hit with the round fist grabbed Else's arm tightly.
Else, whose breathing was rapid, glared at him with tears streaming down her face. Unable to use her arms, Else began to struggle and squirm. The boy's eyes were furrowed and he looked at her.
"Miss."
Else, who had been flailing, straightened her twisted limbs and looked at him. Her wrinkled eyes were fierce. Suddenly, she felt afraid. His thin and rough face, which was more slender than when he had stared down, was filled with contempt. It was not that she didn’t know, even though she was nine years old.
In fact, Else was used to others despising her. From her father up close to the servants. Sometimes even her nanny could not understand Else and kept her at a distance. Even those who had cared for Else since she was very young found her burdensome.
So it was easy for Else to read the contempt on people's faces. She knew when people despised her, and how much they were bothered and hated her. Knowing that didn't mean it didn't hurt. Else thought she wasn't hurt by them, but in fact, she was being worn down by all those stares and hardened expressions.
“You son of a bitch!”
Else screamed. A brat who will be trampled by pigs and made to drink shit and piss. A brat who will be thrown into a horse piss bucket. All the curses she uttered with her wet eyes were horrible. Perhaps after today, even her first love in front of her would despise her. Still...
“Whew!”
Else spat in his face. The boy who had knelt down on one knee before Else was hit with the spit. Else shivered as if her ears were raw. The girl behind him ran over and hurriedly took out a handkerchief and wiped his face.
The hand that was holding Else dropped. She stepped back, groaning, and looked at the two. The girl who had wiped the boy’s face glared at Else with boiling eyes. Else, covered in tears, stared at the girl with a frightened face.
She tried to keep her eyes open, but she couldn't help but lower them like a frightened dog. The girl turned her head and reached out to touch the spot where she had been spit on. Else bit her lips hard. She was angry. Her fingertips were tingling and her body began to tremble again. Else ran over and grabbed the girl's hair. She was still quite short, so all she could do was grab the tail of her braided hair, but Else grabbed her fiercely and tried to crush her.
"Ah!"
The girl staggered helplessly, perhaps because of the unexpected action. Else threw her punches at her as she fell to the ground. The girl, who had been blocking the young hand with her eyes tightly shut, muttered a curse in a low voice, saying, “This crazy girl!” No matter what curses she was uttering, Else’s ears were not listening. Her mind was filled only with the girl’s hand wiping the boy’s face.
“It’s mine! It’s mine! Don’t touch what’s mine!”
A scream, almost a scream, shook the bedroom. The bedroom door flew open. It was the nanny who had come in with a light because of the commotion.
“Oh my god!”
The surprised nanny put down the lamp and pulled Else away from the girl. Else started to struggle and scream. The nanny hugged Else and soothed her, saying, “Shh..."
“Ughhhhhh...”
“Easy-it’s okay, Miss. Those bad guys were bothering our Miss, right?”
Else, who had buried her face in her nanny’s chest and was crying like a child, slowly nodded her head. The girl looked at Else with a dumbfounded expression. The nanny, who had been patting Else’s back and comforting her, motioned for the girl to leave.
Else, who had been burying her face in her nanny’s chest and trembling, closed her eyes tightly and collapsed, feeling her breathing irregularly. The nanny laid Else, who was staggering with a fever, on the bed and stared at the boy. His numb eyes landed on the wheezing Else.
“Just go out.”
She turned her head. The dawn was beginning to fade into the sky. She rang the bell to wake the servants and called the doctor over.
***
After that day, Else was sick for four more days. During the four days that Else was sick, Ian was called to her father and then returned. Else was afraid that her father might have hurt him. Her father did not care about Else at all, but it was a different story for a slave to rebel against his master.
If he was punished by her father, it would not be for hurting her young daughter, but because the slave had disobeyed his master. The father was the lord, and the lord had the duty to look after the estate and maintain order in the castle.
But Ian was straight without a single wound. He must have eaten and slept well for a few days, and although his expression was still gaunt, his complexion was better than before, and he seemed to have grown half a span. It was a short change that had occurred while Else had not seen him before. Else pursed her lips and looked up at him. Behind him, the neat woman was clinging to him again.
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