Chapter 32: The Weak and the Strong (II) |
“Really? I’ve been calling your name and you haven’t heard?”
“Yes.”
“Liar.”
Judy thrusted his face before Sebastian’s.
Sebastian shut his eyes quickly, fearful of Judy’s cold glare.
“Hey.”
Judy seized Sebastian by the chin.
And, after forcedly opening his eyes, he gazed threateningly at him.
“You know why I’m here?”
“Do you think my father would stay still?”
“…….”
Sebastian wanted to boast about his father, but the grand duke was much more powerful.
After Sebastian showed no signs of apologizing, Judy sighed deeply and pushed him backwards.
“You touched my sister, didn’t you?”
“Sister? Touching your sister? I never did!”
Sebastian might have been a bit too loud this time.
“What did I hear then? Something about being worth half a penny. And that the eye and hair color are different.”
Judy’s eyes cooled.
He didn’t mean to hit Sebastian, but it was just too unbearable. Judy struck Sebastian in the mouth.
Puck— his lips burst immediately as the irritated boy failed to control his strength.
Sebastian, who had never been beaten or made to bleed by anyone, screamed and wailed as if he could faint.
“Aah! I’m bleeding… Ugh. I’m gonna tell my dad. It hurts! It hurts!”
Either way, Judy twirled his wrist as if aiming to hit him once again.
When Judy appeared to aim towards him unhesitantly, Sebastian wrapped both his arms around his face.
“I was wrong, Keough, I was very wrong, ugh… Please don’t hit me.”
“Fool, you’re hurting now that you’ve been hit?”
“Of course it hurts. Won’t it hurt!?”
Sebastian screamed, claiming injustice.
Judy punched Sebastian more.
“My sister was much more sickly than that, because of you.”
“I didn’t hit her.”
It was obvious Judy would hit him again, and this time he aimed for Sebastian’s massive stomach. It was a range appropriate for punching.
Puck!
Sebastian tore into the corner of the room.
“Are you stupid? Does it hurt to get beaten? You can heal your wounds, but she can’t because they aren’t seen. You blockhead!”
Judy shouted wretchedly.
Sebastian glared at Judy, holding on to his battered stomach.
His stomach hurt so much that he couldn’t speak a word in fear of Judy striking him again.
“My sister, she couldn’t even get up when you left.”
“…Because of me?”
“Yes.”
Sebastian’s eyes quivered as if it was shocking news to him.
Even though he had spoken those insolent phrases, his natural temper wasn’t too bad.
That was the only reason people around him supported his status, hence it was the prejudice Sebastian typically lived for, deeming status to be power.
His parents’ education was to be strong to the weak and weak to the strong.
Sebastian’s theory was correct, but it was fundamentally a matter of aristocratic society.
Sebastian became downbeat at the news that Esther had been sick for two days because of him.
He hesitated for a long time before quietly muttering the following words to Judy.
“…I’m sorry.”
“An apology to me means nothing. Meet Esther and apologize in person.”
“Judy, how can you say that?”
“Really? Then get hit more.”
Judy smiled and showed Seabistian the wooden sword that accompanied him.
As a result, Sebastian became very obedient.
It was quite pitiful to see him wiping away the thick tears that flowed down his chubby face.
“I will. I will apologize. I’ll meet her in person.”
Judy reached out to Sebastian, concluding this was enough for him.
“Good thinking.”
“Should I go right now?”
“What do you want to do?”
Sebastian stood up while holding Judy’s hand, still tearful.
He flinched at the small gesture, afraid Judy would hit him again.
After barely raising himself from the floor, Sebastian couldn’t bear the weight of his body and fell again.
“You know, if you don’t mind, can you come over to my place? I’ll show you my sister as a sign of apology.”
“Well, good. Then I’ll take Esther with me.”
A sudden invitation.
Judy squinted his eyes and tried reading Sebastian’s mind.
He wondered if there was something else going on with his mind, but resolved that Sebastian would never do anything else to Esther as long as he, her brother, was with her.
“Okay.”
Like grown-up children, the promise of reconciliation came to fruition after Judy punched and beat Sebastian unilaterally.
★★★
“Ha.”
Esther sighed deeply and gazed downwards, as though she wanted to pierce the floor.
As she stood by the window and observed the scenery outside, her gaze fell to the distance.
After sighing continuously, she looked down at her hand with a serious expression.
‘Why did you grab my hand?’
Although some time had already passed since then, Noah had yet to disappear from Esther’s mind.
It was because of his striking appearance, which was hard to forget once seen, but she also couldn’t easily forget his affectionate eyes and steady hands.
“Stop… stop thinking.”
Esther slapped both cheeks and shook her head.
She believed that she would not think about it anymore after she finished her incomplete drawing.
But it wasn’t that simple.
She had been scribbling a light sketch while absent-mindedly staring out the window.
On the paper Esther held in her hand, Noah’s portrait was perfectly complete.
She had only seen him once, yet the details on the sketch showed how much Esther thought of him.
“I must be crazy.”
Her cheeks burned red in shock.
Esther turned flustered and roughly inserted the drawing into a book placed on her desk.
She was fanning herself down when suddenly, a commotion was heard outside the window.
‘What’s going on?’
Esther peeked her head out the glass.
“Oh my gosh… You earned a big bite… Hans! Get a hold of yourself!”
“Ugh…”
“Hurry up and call up a doctor.”
“They’re not the type who would come just because we’re calling for them.”
There was a mixture of screaming and despairing voices.
When Esther focused and stared intently, she witnessed one of the kitchen staff lying down.
The scene was far away, so she wasn’t sure, but Esther seemed to understand well.
“Legs… Legs…”
“Hans?!!”
As he screamed in pain, appearing about to lose his breath any moment, all that movement suddenly came to an end. The pain was so severe that he appeared to have fainted.
The situation seemed very serious, just by observing his pale face and swollen legs.
Surprised, Esther ran outside without much thought.
“Lady? Where are you going!”
Dorothy called for her, but Esther was in too much of a hurry to answer. In the end, the maid could only follow behind the small girl.
Esther ran breathlessly until arriving at the garden.
She now had a rough idea of what was going on.
Hans was on the floor, and two servants were confronting the screeching snake.
“Did he get bitten by a snake?”
When Esther grew near, the servants turned frightened and halted.
“Don’t, my lady. It’s dangerous. There is a snake over here.”
“Yes, you can’t come.”
Dorothy also grabbed Esther by the waist and prevented her from proceeding.
At first glance, the snake seemed very dangerous and threatening, as it hissed at another servant.
Esther stood still and settled her thoughts calmly.
‘Is there a need to save him?’
Esther was confident that she could end the situation without difficulty. But if she saved Hans, her abilities would be completely revealed. She was worried about whether or not to take such a risk.
“Dorothy.”
“What?”
“Hans… Didn’t he make me a donut last time?”
“Oh, yes I think so.”
Under these circumstances, it was important for Esther.
After her illness, the kitchen staff took great care of her in many ways.
In particular, Hans made her delicious snacks. She also recalled him taking special care of the donuts, boasting the fact that he made them himself.
‘He’s too good a man to let him die like this.’
Esther finished thinking and removed Dorothy’s hand.
“Step aside.”
“But…”
“It’s all right.”
The strange mixture of strength in her words caused Dorothy to unconsciously loosen her hands.
Esther walked towards the snake that had come from an unknown source.
Its body was half the size of Esther, it was very large and lengthy.
Probably a deadly poisonous snake, given that it knocked out an adult with one bite. But for Esther, that snake didn’t seem dangerous in the least.
Esther gazed intently into its bright yellow eyes.
‘That snake, I guess it has babies.’
It didn’t communicate with them, but Esther knew. The snake attacked the man out of fear that it would harm it and its young.
The large body was still threatening, but in reality, it was the most afraid and just wanted to escape. The snake was gazing at Esther, pleading to escape the situation.
“I’ll do it.”
As Esther stepped forward, the servants stood in a panic.
“No, absolutely not. Stand down!”
“It’s very dangerous, my lady…”
To the people of the mansion, Esther was a very young and fragile lady.
When Esther said she would deal with the snake, they couldn’t possibly allow her.
They knew if Esther, the young lady of the grand duchy, was bitten by a snake, the responsibility would be on them.
“It’s all right. Get out of the way.”
Esther blinked languidly at such cautious servants.
When her pink eyes were deemed full of energy, the servants faltered. Somehow, they couldn’t disobey the little Esther.
Esther walked closer to the snake while everyone was watching.
The moment the tension rose to its climax as if something was about to happen…
An unexpected situation arose.
The snake stopped hissing and curled up gently. Far from attacking Esther, it paced backward and grew mild.
Esther observed the snake and asked the servants, “Do you have any baskets?”
“Ba, basket? If that’s the case…”
A nearby basket filled with fruits was brought.
Esther grabbed the basket and removed all the fruits.
She emptied it so that it could fit the size of the large snake.
“You can get in here.”
As Esther smiled and held out the basket, the snake entered as if it had understood.