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Chapter 15
The office bathed in blue moonlight. Sren, sitting in his chair, tapped the desk lightly with his fingers, lost in thought.
“Something about this just feels off.”
Rachel’s reaction had been different than usual. Sren, having always watched her closely, noticed immediately. She had always obeyed him silently, as if she were a mouse in his presence—but something had changed.
Then, suddenly, the events from earlier came to mind: Rachel had tied him up and revealed her possessiveness… Sren’s face flushed slightly. Hadn’t she even said she liked him? No, she had said she loved him.
That alone eased his previously twisted mood. A rare, soft smile appeared on Sren’s lips. At that moment, Phantom suddenly appeared, holding back a smile.
“You look quite pleased, Master.”
“……!”
Startled by his sudden appearance, Sren slammed the desk, taking out his frustration on it. Frowning, he warned harshly:
“Announce your presence next time. You startled me.”
“Didn’t you hear me knock several times earlier?”
“…….”
“What delightful thoughts have captured you that you failed to notice me, Master? I’m rather curious.”
“That’s none of your business. More importantly, what is it? Just get to the point.”
“It’s a decree sent from the Imperial Palace.”
Another tedious party invitation, perhaps? Sren took the letter indifferently. As he read it carefully, a dry laugh escaped him. Phantom, puzzled, asked:
“Why are you laughing?”
His tone suggested that Phantom wasn’t in the best mood.
“Seems like I’ve gotten myself involved in another bothersome affair. What is heaven doing? Why not deal with these unnecessary pests in the world?”
“Perhaps a major incident might occur soon?”
“Power in this world is strength, and rank is merely honor. Those who belong to no faction inevitably become bothersome sparks, and any force seeking something new inevitably stirs rebellion. Everyone is drowning in their own desires—pitiful beyond measure.”
The Helion Empire was in upheaval. It was an expected result. Under the rule of tyrants who imposed only their will, no one could stand idly by. Surely, at least one person would have expressed their opinion.
Sren understood the situation. The world never flows peacefully. With changing times, change inevitably comes. But what mattered most was that it affected him personally.
“What a nuisance… maybe I should just wipe them all out.”
Startled by his muttered remark, Phantom warned firmly:
“That’s not allowed. The Security Bureau is already watching your actions, Sren. You should be careful.”
“…….”
“I understand your feelings, Master, but your recent incident with Rachel has already drawn attention.”
“If only that idiot Adenhar Seperta hadn’t been around, this situation wouldn’t have escalated.”
Sren’s words carried a palpable intensity. Phantom, observing his expression with a bitter smile, commented:
“Who would have expected the Faminion family to suffer such misfortune the day after you took Rachel, Sren?”
There was a hint of reproach in his tone—an arrogant scolding for complicating matters. Sren scoffed, crossing his arms.
“So the Security Bureau thinks I’m the culprit. Quite amusing.”
“This is not something to take lightly. Rachel might misunderstand and believe that you orchestrated the annihilation of the Faminion family. All evidence points against you.”
“Then there’s nothing to do about it. If someone had to be the sacrifice for the sake of the future, it might as well be me. In fact, I wanted the Faminions gone anyway. In this case, it’s as if the work got done without my lifting a finger.”
Phantom was at a loss for words at Sren’s recklessness. Of course, he understood where Sren’s confidence came from—but as the head of a noble house, he should carry some weight for his actions.
Sren, sharp and decisive in most matters, always stepped back when it came to anything related to Rachel. Phantom dreaded having to report this to him later, already hearing the imagined scolding echoing in his mind. Pressing his temples, he calmly said:
“Still, it would be wise to explain at least somewhat. If Rachel finds out later, she’ll be shocked. She might direct her anger at you, even though you’ve been trying to get along with her all this time.”
“If I hadn’t earned that level of trust from Rachel, it would be unfortunate. But if she can only believe me if I explain, then I won’t bother with the fuss.”
“There’s no need to earn unnecessary resentment, is there?”
Sren smiled—a self-deprecating smile.
“Anyway… Rachel will blame me in some way, won’t she? Things can’t get worse. Even her hatred belongs to me. Just having her attention on me is enough.”
It was almost a fanatical possessiveness. Even being hated would be acceptable. Phantom chose to stop offering advice, knowing it would be meaningless.
Sren gazed quietly out the window. Tonight, the moonlight was exceptionally bright. Its blue hue reminded him of Rachel’s beautiful eyes. Naturally, she came to mind, along with her unusual behavior…
“Perhaps I should test her a little.”
The more he thought of her, the more intense his desire grew. This emptiness couldn’t be filled by anything. His insatiable heart barely knew satisfaction, and his greed felt excessive.
At sunset, Sren suggested we have dinner together. It was my first time dining with him. I had spent a long time resenting Sren for killing Adenhar cruelly before me, staying locked in my room, only eating meals brought to me.
Seeing Sren so excited, as if waiting for this day, left me conflicted. When he said he had prepared a delicious meal, I felt more anxiety than anticipation. Could I instinctively sense that a meal with Sren would never be ordinary?
Sren led me to the kitchen, covering my eyes to surprise me. Once we arrived, he removed his hands and smiled innocently:
“Ta-da! How’s this? A feast I personally prepared just for you.”
The dining table in the Crochette household was laden with a magnificent spread—fruits, salads, meats. I couldn’t help but admire the harmony of the dishes. Yet, what dominated my attention was the steak, still red and raw-looking.
Was it undercooked? Rare?
I had never eaten steak rare before, so I could only manage an awkward smile. Sren, meanwhile, pulled out a chair for me and helped me sit.
Why did this seat feel like a bed of thorns?
“Don’t hesitate, eat plenty.”
Sren said, swirling red wine that matched the red of the steak. He seemed to have a fondness for red.
“Thanks.”
I hid my unease and picked up my fork and knife. But each slice of the steak revealed red juices that reminded me of blood, making me queasy.
Seeing me hesitate, Sren, eating his own steak, asked with a raised eyebrow:
“What’s wrong? Haven’t even taken a bite? Don’t like it?”
“Uh, it’s not that…”
“If it’s not that, then eat it. I prepared it specially for you. Well, it’s what I usually eat anyway.”
Sren ate this raw-looking steak every day? Slicing it made me realize it was practically raw meat. Perhaps thinking of it as tartare might help, but I didn’t like raw meat—or raw fish in general.
Ah, I can’t eat this. I switched to the salad. Sren, observing silently, propped his chin on his hand and asked:
“Why aren’t you eating?”
“……!”
His voice was strangely cold. Was he upset that his effort was ignored? I couldn’t force myself to eat. I smiled calmly and replied:
“I’ve never eaten it like this before. I think it’s better cooked a bit more.”
Sren whispered with his peculiar, dark eyes:
“Ah, I see. It might feel strange at first. But try it. You won’t know unless you do, right?”
