“Anyway, this garden is dangerous. Let me help you up and let’s go to the quarters together. Um… I’d be grateful if you could show me the way too……”

That day, Aiden didn’t accept the maid’s support. Before he could open his mouth, a young servant appeared calling her name. The servant, who failed to notice Aiden’s presence cleverly hidden by the bushes, looked at the small maid who ran to his call with quite a foolish face.

“By the way May, who were you with? Looked like a boy……”

“Huh? Ah, come to think of it, I didn’t even ask his name. Since he said he’d be in the garden, he must be from garden maintenance…. Well, he said I’d see him soon, so I’ll ask then and tell you.”

“No, don’t bother! …Better not to know. More importantly, on the holiday. Would you like to go to the busy street with me?”

A face flushed red with youthful innocence.

‘…His eyes are properly crossed.’

That was the first blind fool Aiden witnessed.

Aiden suppressed the unpleasant memory from the past as he felt the carriage’s movement slow. Through the window, he could see quite an impressive mansion. A mansion on a hill with a vast sea spread out behind it….

His maid was there.

Greater intensity swirled in the blue eyes that had been filled with irritation throughout.

* * *

Though the lawyer said he couldn’t confirm an exact date due to having other cases, he promised to visit as soon as possible. Because of this, May believed without doubt that the one knocking on the mansion’s door would be Dominic.

“A guest has arrived.”

When Johan called her with a subtle expression, she came down the stairs with a bright face because of that belief. Her curly hair, half-tied up and falling abundantly, swayed with her hurried steps. Her attire was a light dress suitable for the approaching summer, with the medium-length skirt that revealed her ankles and calves fluttering with her steps.

It was quite a careless appearance, so Johan, who was following behind her, caught her waist. And before she could thank him for that,

“…May.”

A familiar voice was heard. A voice lowered almost murderously… her former master’s voice.

* * *

‘Not an old man.’

No, it was more than just not being old. The young man visiting the mansion appeared to be around May’s age. Perhaps he might even be younger than her. Johan raised his eyebrows at how he openly displayed his noble’s arrogance on his sensitive face without restraint.

Because of that, the roles of host and guest were lightly reversed. The man who suddenly visited without an appointment received the house owner’s service as if it was natural. Yet those blue eyes occasionally glared at Johan standing beside May who sat across from him. It was laughable behavior.

“If, if, if I had known Lord Aiden would come…. Um……”

The woman’s face, pale with shock, stammered worse than usual. It was obvious to anyone that she was frightened. And seeing that, the uninvited guest coldly sneered.

“Seems I’ve come somewhere I shouldn’t.”

Saying that, the eyes scanning May were cold. Acting like an old fogy despite being young. Meanwhile, Aiden was clicking his tongue while looking at things like her attire. It wasn’t even funny.

“No, no…. Since you came without notice…. I was just surprised and happy……”

That’s all it was…. Her voice, growing small, now had a sob mixed in. May, May… had all that constant calling of that name been driven by fear rather than familiarity? If so, Johan thought he should abandon his goal of taking that man’s place as of today.

May’s face fell as he openly wrinkled his brow while smelling the tea’s aroma and quietly set down the teacup without even looking at it, despite being an uninvited guest. Would that face change a little if he knew it was herbs she grew herself? Though curiosity arose, he had no intention of telling him. Though he did have thoughts of pouring that hot water over his head.

Johan raised the corner of his mouth with a smirk at Aiden’s blue eyes that happened to meet his. Seeing that, an exasperated look frosted over Aiden’s eyes. In fact, the anger felt was so intense that description was insufficient.

‘His anger threshold is too low.’

And Johan tends to like people with low emotional thresholds.

‘The impact feels good.’

Once again with a snicker, Aiden, who hadn’t taken his eyes off the intentionally smiling face, quietly asked May.

“…Is this servant someone you hired directly?”

The overbearing atmosphere and tone seemed full of intention to suppress the other person.

“Y-yes……”

At May’s answer, Aiden’s eyebrow twisted. When he twisted his lips, his canines showed and his already sensitive face became about five times worse. It was no wonder May’s face turned white at that.

Aiden stared at Johan with that fierce face. His brow wrinkled at the golden eyes that showed no disturbance at the aggressive gaze.

“You’ve brought in quite a stupid one.”

“Ah……”

“I recommend firing employees who serve guests this poorly early on.”

And at those following words, Johan smiled brightly. He cleanly took his gaze off that guest and looked at his master who was rolling her eyes around as he spoke.

“Master, rather than that… I recommend showing out guests who have no intention of receiving hospitality.”

May’s mouth gaped at the atmosphere that instantly froze terribly.

* * *

May clasped her hands together with a mind that felt like fainting. The inside of her cheek that she had been unconsciously chewing was already so ragged it was about to taste of blood. Yet her fear of the situation was greater than that pain.

Aiden’s face was frozen cold as he crossed his legs. May’s former master was not the kind of good nature to overlook insubordination. If anything, he would give even harsher punishment than other masters….

‘What should I do……”

Her heart felt like it dropped to her feet as that cold gaze slowly scanned Johan. She needed to get Johan out of Aiden’s sight before that careful observation ended. When she thought that.

“I wondered where I’d seen him……”

A voice like a sigh was heard. And before she could catch herself, Aiden rose and approached right in front of Johan. Reflexively standing up at the sight of him, she hesitated briefly before timidly inserting her hand between the two men of similar height and build.

Johan laughed playfully at that passive mediation. Not content with that, he even grabbed her extended hand and pulled her to his side. Bending his upper body to rest his chin on May’s shoulder, he embraced her waist. May’s mouth gaped at what happened in an instant. More than being surprised at the sudden skinship, it was because Aiden’s face looking down at her before her eyes was frightening.

“I’m scared, Master.”

A soulless voice was heard beside her face. Though it was a voice that anyone could see wasn’t scared, May wasn’t in a state of mind to distinguish that. Moreover, her head was filled only with thoughts that Aiden would harm Johan.

‘I’m scared too, Johan……”

Her terrified hand firmly gripped Johan’s arm that was wrapped around her waist. Aiden’s jawbone protruded at that unconscious action. Soon, a suppressed voice that clearly showed gritted teeth was heard.

“Who are you embracing in front of whom.”

“Th-that……”

“Get your senses back. That fellow is a cult member who even had a warrant out for his arrest.”

“…What?”

Seeing May’s eyes grow round, Aiden continued speaking. His face wore a sneer as if he’d known this would happen.

“I thought his face was familiar. The madman who went around destroying nobles’ valuables as he pleased. To think I’d see the protagonist of that wanted poster here.”

As he said this, he grabbed May’s arm and pulled her away from Johan. Johan surprisingly easily loosened his arm holding May.

He showed no sign of denying what Aiden had said. May suddenly thought of the story of his father who did ‘work getting rid of ghosts.’ Also how Johan had said he would ‘get rid of’ the compass.