THTSN 10

Chapter 10..

Yubelline couldn’t hide her delight as she watched Zervant fail to give an answer.

“You’re upset because I came too late, aren’t you?”

“……”

“The truth is, I just got back from an engagement trip with Terence. You couldn’t come to the engagement ceremony, remember?”

Zervant’s jaw tensed hard. Only then did Yubelline realize her slip, cover her lips, and apologize.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to rub it in.”

Without even trying to read his feelings, she quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, something’s been bothering me. You’ll listen, right?”

Zervant stayed silent, but Yubelline chattered on regardless. His silence was nothing new—she’d long since stopped caring about it.

As if trapped in this darkness with no thought for his state of mind, she kept pouring out her own story.

“Even though Terence and I went on an engagement trip, we hardly enjoyed it. No matter where we went, people kept calling him a hero, so we just stayed in the mansion. Isn’t it only polite to pretend not to know in times like that? Don’t you think people were being rude?”

Zervant lowered his head as he watched her rambling, unable to tell if she was boasting or complaining. The only thing his lowered gaze found was the dark floor—cold and black, like his own future.

“Terence has been so busy. The moment we returned, he was back to work. He said he couldn’t come see you, but asked me to send his regards instead.”

Every time her lips spoke of their happiness, Zervant’s throat closed up tight. He clenched his teeth to stop any groan from slipping out.

An unbearable sense of shame and jealousy—this pitiful, ugly thought of why not me—kept stabbing at him as she spoke.

Was I always this pathetic?

To blame them when it wasn’t their fault—

Am I really that low?

Zervant felt his situation so wretched and humiliating he could barely stand it. They worried about him, and all he felt toward them was jealousy.

He envied their happiness.

Seeing Yubelline, who was doing well unlike him, sometimes made him feel relieved—but then his pride was smashed to pieces. He could no longer recognize the pitiful version of himself.

The Yubelline who used to blush shyly and never look away from him was gone.

Now her gaze carried a faint undertone of condescension. He wasn’t blind to it.

Damn it.

Pathetic bastard.

His fists tightened—but then a warm hand melted over them, like snow thawing in spring.

Startled, Zervant’s head snapped up. Yubelline was holding his hand with a gentle smile.

“It’s okay, Zerv. The curse will be broken someday, won’t it? Until then, I’ll keep watching over you.”

“……”

She was giving him hope she didn’t even believe in herself. And it made him hate her.

Even the saint’s power couldn’t undo this curse. That’s how powerful it was.

‘I’ll keep watching over you?’

She hadn’t replied to his letters, hadn’t even come to see him—and now she had the gall to say she’d stay by his side?

Stop making promises you’ll never keep.

But the words that rose to his lips sank back down his throat.

Unlike before, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything in front of Yubelline.

No resentment, no lament, no protest—nothing.

He’d been made unable to. Especially since…

“Zerv, I’m not your emotional trash can.”

Ever since hearing that from her, he had been too afraid to speak around Yubelline and Terence. Normally, he would have argued.

Normally, he would have cut ties. But since his confinement, Zervant had shriveled up.

Like a fool.

“If anything troubles you, tell me everything.”

Though she wouldn’t really listen.

“At the very least, I’ll hear you out.”

Even though she never truly would.

Her mocking words made him want to clamp her mouth shut.

And yet, Zervant couldn’t even bring himself to resent her properly. His crushed self-esteem wouldn’t allow it.

For two years, he had grown exhausted, isolated, and turned into a complete loser who couldn’t speak his mind.

He felt as though even the right to envy others had been taken from him.

“My dear Zerv…”

When that sweet voice made him want to cover his ears just to blot it out—

Knock, knock.

The door burst open, and something whizzed inside.

The first thing Zervant saw was a pair of playful, water-colored eyes.

Then came the sight of a bright red bicycle. As if to flaunt its boldness in the dark, Titia brazenly pedaled her way inside, circling the room once.

Both Zervant and Yubelline were too startled to react, simply staring.

After proudly completing her lap, Titia stopped in front of Zervant with a smug look.

“This room’s way too big and useless, don’t you think? Isn’t it such a waste to just sit here doing nothing? Even Mr. Vailt was worried Boss would lose muscle mass. So I thought, why not cycle in here while—”

Her nonstop chatter halted the moment her eyes locked with the saint’s.

As if burned, Titia panicked, scrambled off the bicycle, and bowed deeply.

“L-lady Saint! I thought you’d gone back to the temple. My apologies…!”

The taut string between Zervant and Yubelline snapped instantly, like it had never existed.

What the heck? They said the saint left!

That was why she had rushed in, pushing the bicycle mid-dessert.

She had prepared it ambitiously so that the boss, cooped up and hunched over, could finally try something active with her.

But she had barged in on the saint. Now the boss would kill her.

He’d probably rip off the bicycle’s wheels and throw them at her.

Nooo! I don’t wanna die!

“You…”

At the sound of the boss’s voice, her shoulders flinched high.

Panicking, she hurried to explain, complete with exaggerated gestures and a wounded look.

“It’s true, Boss! I really thought you were alone! Mr. Vailt said it was okay to come see you now, so I—”

“I never said the saint had left.”

Vailt’s shameless voice rang from behind.

Trying to ditch me, huh?

I glared at him sharply.

“Your tone sure made it sound like she had.”

“No, it didn’t.”

Don’t play innocent. How infuriating.

Was he trying to get me fired? Otherwise, why pull a stunt like this?

But right now, salvaging my blunder mattered more than scolding Vailt.

Unfortunately, my mind went blank—I couldn’t come up with any excuse. So I just tried to get out of there.

Putting my hands together and my most pitiful face on, I bowed.

“I truly apologize for disturbing you both. I’ll accept any punishment later. For now, let me just—”

I tried to pedal out quickly, but the pedals wouldn’t turn. Looking back, I found the boss standing right behind me.

Why stop me? To punish me immediately?

“Why, Boss? Are you going to scold me? But it really wasn’t my fault.”

He didn’t answer. Just lowered his head.

…Something was off.

Noticing the strange air between him and the saint, I timidly offered:

“Boss, want to ride behind me? I’m really good at biking.”

As if waiting for the invitation, the shut-in climbed onto the back seat.

I hadn’t expected him to actually do it.

Maybe he wants to avoid being alone with the saint.

So I pushed down on the pedals with all my strength, and the bicycle began to roll forward.

“Zer…!”

Before the saint could call to him, Vailt cut her off smoothly.

“Lady Saint, wouldn’t it be best for you to head back now? At this time, Boss usually enjoys himself with our kind Miss Tea-time here. It’s always such fun.”

So smug, after being the one to arrange their meeting.

He looked downright gleeful to see the boss refusing the saint.

“……”

“Besides, aren’t you very busy? The holy knights are waiting anxiously outside.”

The boss deliberately avoided her eyes. Taking it as a good sign, Yubelline smiled in satisfaction.

“All right, I’ll go. Stay well, Zer. And you too, kind Miss Tea-time.”

It’s kind Miss Titia, thank you very much.

“Please take care, Lady Saint. Forgive me for not seeing you out properly while I’m tending to the boss.”

“Oh, don’t worry. If my friend brightens even a little, I can overlook a little rudeness. See you later, Zer.”

Without a trace of regret, the saint left. Vailt smugly gave me a thumbs-up before shutting the door.

The room was soon filled only with the sound of my pedaling and gasping breath. Then suddenly, the weight on the back disappeared with a thud.

I stopped and turned around.

The boss had collapsed to the floor, looking even more broken than usual, hands covering his face.

Panicked, I jumped off the bike and ran to him.

“B-boss! Are you okay? I told you to hold on tight to my waist!”

“…Annoying.”

“Eh?”

“Pathetic.”

“Well, that’s fair. I am kind of annoying and pathetic sometimes.”

“……”

He lowered his hands and stared at me in disbelief.