Chapter 13:
“Your Grace?”
“…No. It’s nothing.”
He roughly scratched the back of his head.
‘No way.’
She’s just a child who was born and raised in a remote village. It must simply be that she hasn’t had much exposure to imperial-style clocks.
‘Perhaps I’m the one still wandering the battlefield.’
A self-mocking smile flickered across his relaxed face. It lasted only an instant—so brief that no one could have noticed.
I was flustered.
“W–what is this?”
Burly maid sisters had suddenly appeared in front of me, holding sharp blades. Of course I was startled.
“What else? We were going to tidy up that messy hair of yours.”
Hazel said with a gentle smile.
Every time she clicked the scissors, the muscles in her thick arms flexed.
Wow… such a soft tofu-like face, but a completely different kind of body….
“You’re going to cut my hair?”
The words slipped out before I could stop them. When I pulled my hair forward as if to hide it, the maids’ eyebrows drooped.
“Ah, Lady Rubian. You’ll hurt your scalp if you pull like that.”
Hazel treated me like a fragile straw doll that might blow away with a puff of air.
“The back of your hair is uneven, and your bangs are so long they must be uncomfortable, right? Earlier during breakfast they kept falling into your face.”
“Hmm…”
The reason the back of my hair looked like this was because I’d gotten caught by a fire-using dark beast. It had burned and tangled, so I’d cut it off roughly—and this was the result.
“Do you not want to?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to, but…”
For some reason, I just didn’t feel like it.
‘That’s strange. I’ve never cared about something like hair before.’
I sat on the edge of the bed and thought for a moment before answering hesitantly. Hazel waited patiently, meeting my gaze.
It felt bad to keep her waiting forever.
“Um… all right.”
Hazel’s face brightened instantly.
“Then shall we move over here?”
“Yes!”
Before I knew it, a large, fluffy chair had been prepared.
Sitting by the window where sunlight streamed in, I folded my hands neatly and sat stiffly. A soft cloth was draped over my shoulders.
“Hm? Lady Rubian, are you feeling hot?”
Hazel asked as she tied a knot behind my neck.
“No?”
“Then why are you sweating like this?”
Her voice sounded puzzled.
‘Huh, now that she mentions it…?’
I wiped the back of my neck with my hand. It came away damp with sweat.
‘Am I hot?’
Actually, I felt more like I was cold.
I tilted my head in confusion. The maid sisters briefly debated whether they should open the window for me or not.
“Rubian! Come to my room so we can play cards— …What’s going on here?”
At that moment, Void appeared through the open door.
His eyes quickly scanned the room. When they met mine, his expression twisted slightly.
“What are you doing?”
“Ah, Young Master.”
“Hazel!”
The boy ran in and glared fiercely at Hazel.
“Why are you bullying my sibling?!”
“Pardon? Bullying? Young Master, I was only trimming Lady Rubian’s hair…”
“Liar!”
What? Why is he acting like this? I stared blankly at Void standing in front of me.
At the same time, there was a knock at the door. Dozens of eyes shifted toward it.
“It sounded noisy, so I wondered what was going on…”
“Your Grace.”
“So crowded in such a tiny room. Feels like a marketplace in here.”
It was the master of the house, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed.
“Father!”
Void rushed over to him. Uncle looked down at his son and frowned slightly.
“Void, why are you here at this hour—”
“Rubian’s scared!”
“What?”
Our gazes collided in midair.
I just blinked, confused.
Uncle’s eyes slowly but thoroughly swept across the room.
Void spun around and pointed at me.
Well, more precisely—at Hazel standing behind me.
“The scissors.”
“……”
Uh… was that it?
An awkward atmosphere filled the room.
The most flustered person, of course, was Hazel.
“L–Lady Rubian. Were you afraid of the scissors? Is that why you broke out in a cold sweat?”
Hazel hurriedly put the scissors away.
Then she crouched down in front of me. Her face looked ready to cry.
“Oh no… I didn’t realize at all…”
“No, I didn’t realize either…”
I shook my head awkwardly.
‘Come to think of it… I was nervous.’
Because a stranger was standing behind me with something sharp.
Even though Hazel wasn’t a bad person, I must have gotten a little scared.
Maybe that’s why I didn’t feel like getting my hair cut.
“Put them away.”
Uncle strode over and gave the order with a frightening expression. His voice and face were ice-cold.
“Y–yes, sir.”
The maids hurried to move.
“Uh, it’s really okay… It would’ve only taken a moment.”
“I’m so sorry, Lady Rubian. I should have been more careful… I startled you.”
Hazel apologized again. I sat in the big chair, fidgeting with my fingers.
I suddenly felt like an overly dramatic little kid.
“I’m really okay. Really. I’m not even sweating anymore.”
“Ruby.”
At that moment, a large hand landed gently on top of my head. I turned around to find dark violet eyes staring straight at me.
“You don’t have to force yourself to do anything you don’t like.”
“B–but…”
“No one can force you. Not even me.”
I didn’t know what to say. I could only nod in a daze.
“Cut your hair later. Is it uncomfortable?”
“My bangs keep poking my eyes.”
“Then don’t pull them.”
Someone who had been listening quietly muttered,
“If only we had something like hairpins…”
At that, Hazel jumped up quickly.
“I’ll go buy some right away!”
“Wait.”
Uncle called out to her retreating back.
“…In the east room.”
“Pardon?”
“There should be something usable there. Go and bring it.”
“…Your Grace.”
The one who called Leviathan Uncle was Butler Adolf, who had been standing silently behind him.
But Uncle didn’t seem to care.
“Adolf, give her the key.”
“…Yes, sir.”
In the subtle atmosphere, Hazel and Adolf disappeared together.
‘What’s in the east room?’
I tried to recall if there was any original story setting I’d forgotten. Nothing came to mind…
Then Void quietly came over and poked my cheek.
“Are you okay? Your face looks like dough.”
Now that I thought about it, Void had been the first to notice. He realized my condition before even I did.
“Uh… I’m okay.”
Maybe he has a surprisingly sharp side to him.
Anyway… thanks.
“Thank you.”
Void snorted as if to say, “It’s nothing.”
As he watched Void and me, Uncle suddenly spoke up.
“By the way, Void.”
“Yes, Father!”
“What about your sword training?”
“Eh?”
“Training.”
A brief silence. Void slowly began backing away.
“R–right now…?”
“Right now.”
“I’m going!”
Whoosh—like a kid caught skipping class, Void bolted away at lightning speed.
“……”
Uncle watched the empty space where Void had vanished and scratched his eyebrow.
“I only asked a question. Why did he run away?”
“Didn’t you basically threaten him with your eyes?”
With that scary face and low voice, anyone would get intimidated.
“Ah. I forgot to relax my expression.”
Uncle scratched his eyebrow awkwardly.
“This is difficult.”
His voice carried a hint of genuine worry.
“Haah…”
Hazel, a maid of the Zevert Duchy, was feeling gloomy.
‘I didn’t realize because she looked so calm.’
Her face was clouded as she replayed what had just happened. Her footsteps down the hallway were heavy.
‘Idiot.’
She had thought she was being careful, but clearly it hadn’t been enough.
She suddenly remembered what the master had told the servants earlier.
“Don’t touch her without permission, and don’t bring up her past carelessly. She doesn’t like it.”
Hazel’s eyebrows drooped even further.
‘Something bad must have happened to her.’
She’d heard the child was rescued from a village destroyed by dark beasts.
So small and frail… how hard it must have been.
‘I need to do better.’
Hazel sniffed, her nose stinging.
“I was honestly surprised that His Grace mentioned that room.”
The maid walking beside her spoke.
In her hand was an old but well-kept key.
“He must care for Lady Rubian a great deal.”
“Of course he does. She’s adorable. The way she greets us every morning with eye contact—it’s heavenly!”
“I heard from Sir Leon that on the way to the North, she gave gifts to all the knights. Handmade ointment.”
“My goodness. And she’s so capable too.”
“Right?”
Hazel pictured Rubian’s sparkling eyes and mysterious silver hair.
Her soft cream-colored skin, round cute features, tiny hands and feet that never stayed still…
“She’ll definitely grow into a beautiful—”
Hm? Hazel trailed off mid-sentence.
“A handsome…? Dignified man…?”
For some reason, the words didn’t feel quite right.
But she couldn’t figure out exactly what was off.
