USML 27

Chapter 27

“You’re insane, Evan Dustin. You’re doing all this just out of revenge?”
His eyes, filled with malice and venom, took on a dark crimson hue.

“Let go…”
As I freed my ankle from Evan’s hand, he released me as if he had been waiting for the moment.

Could it be that it really wasn’t Evan who killed Vanessa in the original story? The thought struck me with a surge of fear, like molten lava erupting inside.
I fled the parlor in a frenzy, as if being chased by a beast.

Evan neither grabbed me nor looked at me. He simply sat there, motionless, staring into the empty air.

Descending the stairs from the top floor felt as exhausting as going down a treacherous mountain path.

“Miss Vanessa?”
“Miss, are you all right?”

My hasty descent caught the attention of the staff. Perhaps flustered, I tried to lengthen my steps out of impatience, but my foot caught on the threshold of the main door.

“Ah!”
As I staggered, a stranger’s hand gripped my shoulder.

“Robert?”
Looking up hastily, I found Robert there. He exhaled in relief and steadied me.

“Are you all right, Miss?”
Why was Robert here? The question barely crossed my mind before I realized that the Peard trade guild was his usual post.

His always neat navy hair was disheveled, the deep blue strands and eyes matching his calm temperament.
Robert’s ever-smiling, gentle nature earned him endless praise from those around him. Being diligent and responsible, he had more than enough merit to be trusted and liked by his peers.

“Thank you.”
I smiled awkwardly as I freed myself from his grip, but his stern expression didn’t soften.

“I’ll accompany you.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Assisting Miss Vanessa is part of my duties as well.”
“….”
“Please, do not refuse.”

“Huh? Miss?” Robert added, worry creasing his gaze as he looked at me. Seeing him like that, I sighed deeply—it was hard to say no.

“All right. Fine.”
It would have been difficult to reach the mansion in one piece otherwise. Nodding reluctantly, I turned toward the carriage, and Robert naturally followed.

Upon arriving at the carriage, I signaled the driver, who ran over as if expecting it, and opened the door.
As I stepped onto the footboard, a hand suddenly appeared in my field of vision. Robert’s hand.

“Be careful, Miss.”
Seeing his scarred hand made me think of Evan’s. Almost as if feeling Evan’s touch again, I rubbed my jaw and took Robert’s hand.

“Thank you.”
Relying on Robert’s hand, I climbed into the carriage. He followed gracefully, and once he sat diagonally across from me and closed the door, the carriage began to move.

Exhaling a long-held breath, I met his navy gaze.

“Do you know something?”
Robert asked suddenly, smiling brightly.

“When you visit the guild, all eyes fall on you. I’m one of those eyes.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It’s not just about appearance—”

His unusual gaze slid to my feet and returned.

“You shine.”
Seeing his navy eyes studying my reaction, I laughed awkwardly, unsure what to say. Robert shook his head slightly, as if to say he didn’t expect an answer. He turned his gaze toward the scenery outside the window.

“The guild is sensitive to trends, so rumors often circulate.”
“….”
“Especially regarding Miss Sherry and Duke Dustin. Many are curious about their romance.”

He took a breath and met my gaze.
Ah, he meant that day. The day we went to the capital—so many eyes in the restaurant were watching us. If you paid attention, you could probably infer that Duke Dustin’s proposal was to Sherry.

I didn’t want to think about them, even for a moment, rubbing my tired eyes.

“Robert, let’s not talk about that—”
“You two seem like a match made in heaven.”

Though my eyes were closed, his voice carried an inexplicable certainty. The sunlight scattered through my fingers, pricking my eyelids, which I used as an excuse to frown.

“Isn’t that so?”
I could only smile wryly, feeling conflicted.
“Yes, I suppose you’re right.”
There was no denying it.

“Vanessa, I’ll meet Duke Dustin and sort this out.”
“So it wasn’t good to leave me alone… This is all your father’s fault, Vanessa.”
“Vanessa, don’t be upset. The failed contract was all your sister’s doing, okay?”

Through the door, Dave, the Count, and Sherry’s worries came in succession. Sherry’s voice ended in a whimper.
After meeting Evan, I had avoided going out and had not met anyone except Donna. I acted to avoid emotional entanglement, but they became anxious once my self-imposed isolation began again.

“Where did it all go wrong?”
As I rested, my mind cleared, and the sudden fear subsided.
All that remained in Evan was stubbornness and revenge. How could I stop him?

I sighed deeply, calming my uneasy mind. Act calmly. If I panic, everything could fall apart.
Muttering to myself, I nodded a few times.

“It’s okay. Even if Sherry doesn’t know, Evan’s heart leans toward her. Because of her, he won’t kill me.”

The best solution was to leave here as soon as possible and disappear from their sight.
“Whether it’s in Cent or elsewhere…”

I turned to the letters from Jegerud scattered on the table. They contained sincere apologies and requests to reconsider a new contract. Most of it was self-protection, claiming a threat to life under Evan’s intimidation.

I had no intention of holding Jegerud’s hand. There was no need to pursue a contract that might entangle me with Evan.

Above all, I had plans for a significant business venture.
I intended to succeed in this venture, secure funds, and leave the capital. I had a conscience—no matter how much I had to escape Evan, I couldn’t rely on the Peard family forever.

“Perry will need to hurry up for that.”
Sighing, I looked over to find Perry fast asleep on my bed.

“Zzzzz…”
Usually neat and stylish, Perry looked disheveled, with dirt in his hair and one suspender half off.

“No wonder he’s tired.”
Helping with my business had reduced his nap time. Whenever possible, Perry documented “Top 10 Misfortunes from Contracting with Greedy Humans” in meticulous handwriting.
He claimed that the fairies needed to understand how dangerous human greed could be.

“Well, I can understand Perry’s reasoning.”
I recalled the day I sought his advice to finalize the business plan for the Anima project. His mouth had slowly opened, and the cookie he was holding fell.

‘What? Anima?!’
‘Yes, it’s possible, right?’
‘What are you saying, human! Sand is different from my magic—impossible!’
‘Even the great Perry has no method?’
‘Hmph! That’s nothing! I just need to find the sand imbued with the sand fairy’s magic left in the human world!’
‘Really?’
‘Yes! With the magic left by the sand fairy, even cultivation isn’t difficult for someone as great and amazing as me!’

Living with Perry, I’d learned how to coax him. Day and night, he searched for sand infused with the sand fairy’s magic.

“Ugh, Chokho…”
Turning my gaze, I saw Perry twisting in his sleep, muttering happily. Apparently, he was dreaming of chocolate.

“Can just thinking about it feel this good?”
I closed the window and gently tapped his rounded nose. Seeing no response, I pinched the tip of his nose with my fingers.

“Ugh!”
Perry scrunched his nose, opening his eyes, glaring like he would punish the one who woke him immediately.

“Who are you! Who is it!”
After verifying it was me, he sighed and curled into a ball, burying his face in the blanket.

“Damn human…”
“Where did you learn that? From a book?”
“Whatever.”
“Your words are getting rougher.”

His rough speech was due to the book he had been reading: How to Argue Well.
Though he hadn’t read much before, he’d recently developed a secret fondness for reading. I had to put the book away before his language got even worse.

“Ugh…”
While thinking this, Perry slowly rose, blinking like wet cotton, rubbing his eyes, and flew toward the basil pot.

After some time, burying his face in the leaves and inhaling deeply, he flapped his wings and took off, his face refreshed from sleep.

“Krmm, krmmk!”
What was that? Like a fairy who had never coughed? Perry puffed up, hands on his hips, looking proud.