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Chapter 10…
Did “special” really make him that embarrassed?
Such an innocent young man.
The mana charging ability was a rare power that was hard to find anywhere.
Honestly, calling it just “special” felt a bit insufficient—he was an unbelievable stroke of luck for me.
“Like a four-leaf clover. A long, unusually handsome four-leaf clover. Because to me, you’re luck.”
As I smiled brightly while holding his gaze, the corner of his lips twitched as if they might rise.
This is fun.
He was so far broken by the curse, and so innocent that he didn’t even resemble a villain who would end up twisted after never receiving the heroine’s love.
‘So Blake was originally this kind of person.’
I didn’t know everything yet, but one thing I had realized about him was that he seemed to get embarrassed by praise more than expected.
“Right now, the source of my power is you. Only you fill me completely.”
“Just… stop talking for a second, can’t you?”
He raised his palm and pressed it right over my mouth.
My lips, muffled under his large white palm, moved slightly in protest, and he quickly pulled his hand away again.
Judging from how naturally he acted, his guard seemed a little lower than yesterday.
I rolled my eyes and smiled meaningfully at him.
“How about it, Blake. Can you trust me a little now?”
“No.”
As if he had been waiting for it, he answered coldly in an instant.
“Why? Do I still look like some cursed object made by a mage, or what was it… what was the word again?”
“Beast.”
“Right! So I look like a beast to you?”
“…Not exactly. But you could be a spy sent from another noble house or an organization hostile to mine to kill me…”
As he spoke, he suddenly stopped.
It seemed even he realized how ridiculous it was—me, supposedly an assassin, lying sprawled across his bed sleeping soundly.
And on top of that, I had clung to him in my sleep and spent the night like that.
“…Anyway, you’re suspicious.”
“No, I’m not! I’m not suspicious!”
Am I?
Maybe witches really are suspicious beings?
Now that I think about it, Blake had never lived in the era when portals existed, so it made sense that witches would be unfamiliar to him.
To him, I probably was suspicious, strange, and unusual.
Admitting it cleanly made me feel better. I nodded with my arms crossed.
“Now that I think about it, I guess I am suspicious. A witch is the kind of thing you’d only see in fairy tales, right? So what, am I scary or something?”
“Not at all.”
He stared straight at my round nose as he answered.
“So you don’t want to kill me on the spot or anything?”
“If I wanted to kill you, I would’ve done it long ago. No matter what you say about putting me to sleep or not.”
“Then why haven’t you killed me until now?”
“That is…”
At that moment, a light knock broke our conversation.
Knock knock—
“Young master. It’s Ronald. Sorry for coming so early in the morning, but I came to ask if you’re alright. I saw your room window open while walking in the garden earlier…”
At those words, Blake’s gaze shifted toward the wide-open window. He silently watched the curtains swaying in the breeze, then slowly stood up.
When he opened the door himself, a man with slightly graying hair who looked like a butler appeared, inspecting him worriedly.
“I rushed here thinking something might be wrong. That window has never been opened before, so I was concerned…”
“No problem.”
“I’m relieved to hear that.”
The man—Ronald—exhaled in relief and continued.
“Ah, also, His Highness Crown Prince Edwin is scheduled to visit today. He should be arriving soon, so the reception room preparations are complete.”
“…I see.”
The door closed again, and when I looked at Blake, he was already fixing his clothes.
Just moments ago he looked shocked, but he recovered quickly.
Impressive recovery ability.
After finishing preparations in an instant, he glanced at me and gave a warning—or maybe advice.
“Stay in the room. I have to go meet an unpleasant guest. We’ll talk more after that. I need to find out what you are and where you came from.”
“Mm-hm.”
Wait, before Blake left, I feel like I was about to say something.
But I couldn’t remember at all, so I rolled my eyes in confusion.
Ahh, what was it! I definitely had something to say!
“…I told you to stay put.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“…I wish you’d at least pretend to listen.”
Still skeptical of me even in such a short conversation, Blake left with a doubtful look.
Click.
The door closed, and only then did I jump up in frustration and hit my forehead.
I remembered!
Blake has a bird’s nest on his head.
I needed to tell him that, but he was already gone.
“Well, whatever.”
He said he was meeting someone important, right?
That white-haired man at the door—he mentioned someone, but I couldn’t hear clearly because his voice was too quiet.
Whatever. He’ll handle it!
Surely someone will tell him?
Besides, since Blake had things to do, maybe I should start getting ready to go out too.
His words telling me not to go anywhere were already long forgotten.
Blake said to stay still, but—
“Yeah, obviously. How could I stay put!”
The weather outside was bright, and the human world, visited after 200 years, was welcoming spring with astonishing freshness.
Blake might not know it, but after already talking with Eren, I had nothing left to fear.
I can’t miss such a good opportunity!
Adventure was a privilege only the brave could take. Even if I ended up here by accident, I should enjoy it properly before returning.
“Ugh… ngh… heavy…”
I stacked about five books from the small table beside the bed near the door, grunting as I pushed them.
Finally, I reached the doorknob.
Click.
The door slowly opened, and I silently cheered in excitement as I slipped out quickly.
“His Highness Edwin said he would arrive by nine, so we have about ten minutes left. I assumed you would already be in the reception room, young master, so I was quite shocked when I saw your window open.”
“……”
Though there was no response, Ronald continued walking behind Blake as always without losing heart.
Servants they passed in the hallway bowed to them.
Ronald was the butler who served Blake most closely.
He had stayed by his side since Blake’s childhood, when he was gentle and bright, all the way to his present self—the silent and expressionless heir of House Leblanc.
Because of that, he knew Blake better than anyone, and today he felt something unusual in his back.
Blake’s usually slow, refined steps were unusually fast today.
He even kept glancing back at his room door.
‘What is this?’
Ronald tilted his head, looking at his unusually energetic back.
Mornings were always difficult for Blake.
Whenever the servants’ chatter could be heard in the hallway, indicating he hadn’t slept all night again, Blake would usually start his day with a deep sigh.
The concept of beginning and ending a day barely applied to him.
When exhausted, he would sometimes cover his face with a book and try to sleep, but he always woke up still drained.
Blake was originally a man of few words.
And when he did speak, it was usually blunt honesty that slipped out without filter.
‘That’s why he’s often misunderstood.’
A cold, quiet personality shaped by an unstable upbringing and a curse.
It was unfortunate. Without the curse, he would have lived a happy life.
‘Today won’t be easy either.’
He had to face Crown Prince Edwin without even being able to sleep.
Poor young master.
On top of that, neither the head of House Leblanc nor young Aaron was in the mansion, making the atmosphere even heavier.
…Well, the head of House Leblanc was similar in personality anyway, so it didn’t matter.
And the playful Aaron who sometimes made Blake smile had left for the monastery yesterday to pray for restful sleep.
‘He must be overwhelmed right after returning from war.’
As Ronald looked on with deep sympathy, something odd appeared on the back of Blake’s head.
What is that?
‘…A bird’s nest?’
A messy, spiky formation sat on Blake’s head like a bird could fly in and declare it home.
Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, Ronald gripped his sleeve and blinked repeatedly.
But no matter how many times he looked, it was unmistakably a bird’s nest.
Why was there something like that on the young master’s head?
Did he lie down awkwardly on a sofa and his hair just stayed like that?
But he hadn’t even rested long enough for that.
It was suspicious beyond belief.
That bird’s nest looked like the honorable mark of someone who had enjoyed a very deep, very satisfying sleep.
