The Life I Refuse to Waste

Zeldryn's brows furrowed slightly.

"What long-term benefits are you even talking about"

"..."

Kera only smiled after hearing that.

Then...

He turned around.

Zeldryn's gaze naturally followed him.

The black rift Kera had opened earlier was still there beside him, while Gerald's head was still in his hand.

Without saying anything...

Kera put the head back into the rift.

Once Gerald's head completely disappeared inside...

Kera snapped his fingers.

SNAP

The black rift immediately closed.

"..."

After that, he started walking toward the door.

TAP

TAP

Zeldryn kept watching his back.

"Oi."

Kera kept walking.

"Oi, where the hell are you going, bastard"

Zeldryn's voice immediately rose.

"After saying something all mysterious like that, you're seriously not going to explain anything"

"..."

Kera only stopped once he reached the door.

His hand was already on the handle.

"You..."

He glanced back slightly.

"I already told you. You wouldn't understand."

"..."

"Well..."

The corner of his lips lifted again.

"At least you'll get to feel a small effect of it soon."

Zeldryn immediately frowned.

"What do you mean"

Kera only glanced at him over his shoulder.

"Use your brain, kid."

"..."

"I know you're not stupid."

CREAK

The door opened.

Kera walked straight out.

Then...

CLICK

The door closed again.

"..."

This time, he didn't slam it.

He didn't close it gently either.

Just normally.

Zeldryn remained where he was, staring at the door.

A few seconds passed.

'Tch...'

'After dumping this problem on me and talking all mysterious, he just leaves like that.'

Zeldryn clicked his tongue.

'What am I supposed to do now..'

"..."

Then he suddenly remembered something.

'Ah, shit. I forgot.'

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'He still hasn't explained why the servants are so terrified of me even though Gerald's head was with Kera...'

Zeldryn went silent for a moment.

He had been so busy trying to connect Kera to Anna that the whole thing had almost slipped out of his mind.

And ever since he returned to the mansion...

The servants had clearly been acting strange around him.

'Looks like I'll have to find out myself...'

Zeldryn walked toward the door.

CREAK

He left the room...

And started making his way through the mansion hallways.

...

TAP

TAP

His eyes occasionally moved from side to side.

He only needed to find one servant.

Anyone would do.

As long as they knew what had happened while he was gone.

He passed one hallway.

Then another.

Still no one.

Zeldryn kept walking.

Until finally...

A servant appeared from the opposite direction.

The moment she saw Zeldryn...

Her steps immediately slowed.

The expression on her face changed as well.

Her eyes briefly darted to the side before quickly returning forward.

They were already too close.

So she kept walking.

The closer she got to Zeldryn...

The lower her head became.

When they finally passed each other...

"G-Good afternoon, Lord."

Her voice was quiet.

"Yeah."

The servant immediately nodded.

Then hurriedly moved to the side.

One step...

Two steps...

Her next step became a little faster.

"Stop."

The servant's entire body immediately stiffened.

"..."

She didn't turn around right away.

The hand that had been hanging at her side slowly rose and gripped the front of her clothes.

A few seconds later...

Only then did she turn around.

"Y-Yes, Lord"

Her eyes briefly rose toward Zeldryn's face.

But the moment their eyes met...

She immediately looked down again.

Zeldryn watched her for a moment.

Ever since she saw him, it felt like she had only been waiting for a chance to get away.

'Ah...'

'Looks like I'll have to use some of the old Zeldryn's intimidation here, shit.'

Zeldryn's gaze sharpened slightly.

"I'll get straight to it."

The servant became even more tense.

"I want to ask you something."

"..."

"If you lie..."

Zeldryn paused for a moment.

"You know what'll happen, right"

The servant's fingers immediately tightened around her clothes.

Her body even jolted slightly.

"Y-Yes, Lord..."

She hurriedly lowered her head.

"P-Please ask me anything..."

"..."

"I-I'll tell you everything I know."

Zeldryn kept watching her.

This situation...

For some reason, it felt familiar.

'Shit...'

'I'm starting to get used to situations like this.'

'Is Kera going to stop this servant like he did in the kitchen'

Zeldryn still remembered what happened back then.

When a servant had almost said something, Kera immediately used his mana.

The servant's voice disappeared.

Her mouth was still moving...

But Zeldryn couldn't hear a single thing she was saying.

"..."

'If that bastard really wants to hide something, he'll make damn sure it stays hidden.'

Zeldryn looked back at the servant in front of him.

'So let's see...'

'Your fear of the old Zeldryn...'

'Or your fear of someone even scarier.'

"..."

"Why did all the servants suddenly start acting weird when I came back to the mansion"

The servant immediately gripped her clothes even tighter.

"U-Um, Lord..."

"..."

Her mouth opened slightly.

But she still didn't speak.

Zeldryn simply waited.

Meanwhile, his thoughts drifted back to Kera.

'Shit...'

'I seriously can't stop wondering if Kera is going to try stopping this servant.'

One second passed.

Then two.

"..."

Nothing happened.

The servant finally gathered enough courage to speak.

"I-It seems to be because of a rumor..."

"..."

"A servant found S-Sir Gerald's head inside your room..."

Zeldryn's eyes widened slightly.

'HUH'

'Shit, this is weird.'

'I'm glad I got the information this easily...'

"..."

'But for some reason, it feels like something isn't right.'

Zeldryn remained silent for a moment.

No mana moved.

The servant's voice didn't suddenly disappear either.

Kera didn't show up.

She really could just say everything like this.

"..."

Zeldryn looked at her again.

"Huh... Gerald's head"

The servant lowered her head even further.

"Why was Gerald's head found in my room"

"..."

"Who spread that rumor, and why do you believe it"

Zeldryn raised an eyebrow slightly.

'Who the hell would admit to something that stupid anyway. I need to defend myself at least a little.'

The servant immediately shook her head.

"M-My apologies, Lord..."

"I-I don't know..."

"..."

"A-And I don't believe it either."

She hurriedly forced a smile onto her face.

"Who would ever believe that Lord would kill Sir Gerald..."

"..."

Her hand was still gripping her clothes tightly.

And that smile...

It was painfully obvious how forced it was.

Zeldryn watched her for a few moments.

'She's just pretending, shit.'

"..."

"Fine."

The servant raised her head slightly.

"Let's say a servant really did find Gerald's head in my room..."

"..."

"Where did they take it after that"

The servant swallowed again.

"M-My apologies, Lord..."

"..."

"From what I've heard in the rumors..."

"Sir Gerald's head was handed over to Sir Kera..."

Zeldryn immediately fell silent.

'Damn... so that's how it is.'

'Now it all makes sense. Even though Gerald's head was with Kera, the servants still knew about it.'

"..."

His brows furrowed again.

'Wait...'

Zeldryn remembered what Kera had said before leaving.

Long-term benefits.

A small effect.

And then that bastard had told him to use his brain.

"..."

'Don't tell me he really planned something from the very beginning...'

Zeldryn looked back at the servant.

"Then..."

"..."

"Why is everyone afraid of me"

The servant's body tensed again.

Zeldryn raised an eyebrow slightly.

"..."

The servant became even more restless.

Her eyes briefly glanced toward the end of the hallway.

Her hand still hadn't stopped squeezing her clothes.

"M-My apologies, Lord..."

"..."

"B-Because that rumor has been spreading..."

She paused for a moment.

"Everyone thinks you killed Sir Gerald because he was corrupt."

"..."

Zeldryn remained silent.

The servant continued.

"A-And now..."

"Everyone is terrified of doing anything dishonest behind your back."

"..."

"So everyone's being extremely careful now..."

Her fingers had already crumpled the fabric in her grip.

"Because..."

"..."

"They don't want to be killed."

Zeldryn suddenly froze.

"..."

His hand slowly rose to his chin.

Gerald's corruption.

Gerald's head being found in his room.

Everyone thinking he was the one who killed Gerald.

And now...

They were afraid to do anything behind his back.

"..."

Kera's words from earlier suddenly came back to him.

'At least you'll get to feel a small effect of it soon.'

"..."

Zeldryn's eyes slowly narrowed.

'Ah... so that's what you meant, you damn Kera.'

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