43. Wall

“He was hovering between life and death, so I couldn’t lie to him.”

“Th-that’s……”

Already with my momentum broken, I felt the strength draining from my hesitant fist.

“Let’s say that’s the case. Then what about just now when you dragged me away?”

But there was no room for excuse in the action he had just committed. At least just now, there was no reason to use the young master as an excuse.

Because of that, I thought Robin Wellers wouldn’t be able to say a single word.

And it was as I expected.

Oh, or not.

“……Ha.”

Why are you laughing?

The corner of Robin Wellers’s mouth curved upward.

When someone who never laughs does so, it looked quite gloomy and suspicious.

With a faint smile, he bent his waist, which had been held behind his back, and looked down at me.

“Miss.”

“Wh-what!”

I took one step back.

Robin Wellers didn’t seem to particularly care either way. Furious again, I stopped backing away after just one step.

“I believe there’s something you should thank me for.”

“What are you……”

Robin Wellers stared at me with a complacent face.

What on earth do I have to thank Robin Wellers for?

“Think carefully. On the night of the fire, who brought you out of there?”

‘Last night, I heard that Chief Chamberlain Wellers came with you.’

Such a thing did happen.

I had completely forgotten about it because my anger toward him was so great.

“Now do you understand? That you should always be grateful to me, even if it’s not enough.”

How petty.

Or is it?

It’s true that this person saved my life.

But even so, isn’t it unfair to drag people around as he pleases?

“N-no, wait! I was grateful for that. I’m sorry for the delayed thanks. But isn’t this a slightly different issue? I want you to stop dragging me around. No matter how much I owe you my life, it doesn’t mean you can ignore my feelings, right?”

Yes, even if he’s the benefactor who saved my life, there are still boundaries that should be respected.

I gathered my pointed anger again and glared at him with all my might.

“If that’s how you feel, my thinking was shallow. Then let’s make a promise. Unless it’s related to the young master’s well-being, I will never do this again.”

Using the young master as an excuse again…

The repertoire is too repetitive.

But if it concerned the young master, I had no choice.

“If it’s about the young master’s well-being… I wouldn’t ignore it. If you explain properly from now on, chief chamberlain, I’ll follow without you having to forcibly drag me.”

“Good. Then, is our negotiation over?”

Robin Wellers extended his hand, offering a handshake.

I turned away sharply without even glancing in that direction.

It might be a childish and immature attitude, but I couldn’t help it because my feelings toward Robin Wellers hadn’t completely improved yet.

“Since you brought me here as you pleased, I’ll need to return home once within a few days. Please convey this to the Duke as well.”

“……”

He seemed to be looking at me, still with one hand extended in the air.

I had no inclination whatsoever to shake hands.

“Sorry, but the carriage I need to ride has been waiting for a while. I’ll be going now.”

I tried to return the way I had come, turning my back on him.

But for some reason, my steps were blocked again.

“Chief chamberlain, you’re really going too far!”

I couldn’t contain my anger toward the chief chamberlain who had suddenly blocked my path again.

“This forest is dangerous.”

“Huh!”

I was incredulous.

“What are you saying? Me walking through the forest has nothing to do with the young master’s well-being…!”

“It’s complicated to explain. I’ll guide you to a safe path, so please go that way.”

“I told you the carriage is over there!”

It was frustrating.

Talking with Robin Wellers was like shouting alone at a wall.

“I’ll take care of that carriage, but for now, it would be better to leave this place.”

He was unpleasantly stubborn.

“No……”

Robin Wellers grabbed my wrist again.

I shook my wrist to shake off his arm, but there wasn’t even a slight movement in his hand.

“Let go of me!”

“Let’s not waste energy on both sides.”

He mockingly pulled me forward while holding my wrist.

“I’m going to make this public. I’ll go to the Duke and say this is disrespectful to me, no, to our family.”

Had I ever imagined in my life that such threatening words would come from my mouth?

As someone who disliked verbal arguments, I had never been this sharp before.

“Go ahead.”

That imperturbability that didn’t care about my words at all.

That overwhelming strength that easily pulled me along no matter how much I resisted.

Though he was guilty of a serious offense and rudeness, I couldn’t understand what made him so confident.

My footsteps were following behind him as if my upper body was being pushed.

“I’m not just saying this.”

I made empty threats to him as I walked.

“I know.”

He still seemed to pay no attention to my words and just continued to drag me along.

I decided to pretend to obey him quietly while looking for an opportunity to slip away through a side path.

❀❀❀

“Ah, I think I’ve sprained my ankle.”

I murmured in the most pitiful voice I could manage. But incredibly, Robin Wellers didn’t even blink.

He just continued to make his way through the dark forest path as the day was ending.

Unlike before, he was now heading toward a place that seemed completely untraveled by people. The place was overgrown with bushes and branches, as if it had never been a path to begin with.

Could this person be going to a strange place?

My suspicion about his suspicious behavior was growing.

“B-bathroom!”

I quickly said.

Fortunately, this time Robin Wellers turned slightly to look at me.

With the most urgent expression I could muster, I spoke desperately.

“Really.”

Then Robin Wellers gently released my arm.

“Just go over there for a moment.”

I showed him a sulky face and shooed him away.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment.

Thankfully, even though Robin Wellers was stubborn, he didn’t seem like a terrible person who would kick away my dignity.

“You’re not thinking of making this difficult for me, are you? Despite appearances, I am the ‘young master’s’ fiancée.”

When I used the excuse he often employed, Robin Wellers turned his head and made way for me with a “tch” sound.

“No, that distance isn’t enough. Go further away!”

I shouted louder than before.

I heard Robin Wellers making noise as he moved further away through the undergrowth.

But it still wasn’t enough.

“Further away!”

After driving him further and further away like that, I finally stopped.

It was when the sound of him moving from the other side of the forest became faint.

Recalling the path I had walked when leaving the carriage earlier, I began running toward it.

Unexpectedly and fortunately, I didn’t hear the footsteps of Robin Wellers seemingly chasing after me right away.

I ran and ran for a long time.

Then I briefly stopped running to catch my breath.

‘He probably can’t chase me anymore.’

The trees made rustling sounds as the wind blew from somewhere.

Piles of leaves on the ground rose and rotated in a whirlwind shape.

I felt relief at finally being free from Robin Wellers.

But I couldn’t let my guard down yet.

Of course, his walking speed would be much faster than mine, and if I became careless, it would be easy for him to catch me.

With renewed vigilance, I quickly walked through the forest path.

Vines hanging from the trees brushed against my arms.

The grass scent stimulated my nose because of this.

The cumbersome dress hem rippled and kept hindering my running steps.

Even worse, unknown black filth had stained the hem, making it a mess. It was a shame since it looked much more expensive than any clothes I had worn here so far.

With regret, I walked along the path, firmly holding the end of my skirt with both hands.

Due to the rain that had fallen here recently, the path was wet and muddy all over.

In the end, it seemed I had failed to get an apology from Robin Wellers today.

But I succeeded in eluding him and getting on his nerves, so I should be satisfied with that for today.

At that moment, I heard something clattering from above.

My eyes automatically turned toward it.

I could see a large, heavy sack hanging in the tree.

Though the sack swinging in the wind was barely hanging by a single rope, it was tightly bound with a flawless knot.