Chapter 54: Why Are My Feet Like This?

Chapter 54: Why Are My Feet Like This?

Creak-

“Ughaaa..”

As soon as the door opened, Scarlett’s tired voice was heard.

She approached me with hollow eyes.

Thump-

She suddenly hugged me.

Since we were both lying in bed, it became like an embrace.

I chuckled, feeling my body strangely heat up.

Scarlett looked truly exhausted.

“Welcome back?”

“I’m tired.. Ugh.. Hug me.. Kiss me..”

She doesn’t usually act this clingy.

It seems the place she visited yesterday was not an easy one.

I hugged her and gave her a short kiss on the cheek.

“Hehe..”

Then Scarlett smiled very happily.

And instantly fell asleep.

‘She must have been really tired..’

I silently stroked Scarlett’s head.

And laid her delicate body on the bed.

Even so, she let out very peaceful breaths.

I covered her with the blanket and looked at Lucy, who was wiggling her fingers beside me.

Perhaps because I used the treatment method Oli taught me yesterday, there are no withdrawal symptoms at all.

Instead, my body feels very light.

My feelings towards Scarlett haven’t changed at all, but.

This is a significant change in itself.

“Lucy. Let’s go downstairs and get some food.”

“Ugh!”

At my words, Lucy nodded with a bright smile.

Oli is still sleeping.

I considered waking her up, but Lucy’s head shake put that on hold.

For now, I just need to bring three portions, enough for Scarlett to eat.

We slowly left the room and went downstairs.

For some reason, the illusion magic is no longer installed.

Perhaps they felt it was no longer necessary.

“Now… let’s go quickly.”

As we went downstairs, the servants were bustling around.

Their gazes occasionally fell on me, which I found strangely frightening.

It seems they don’t pay much attention because Lucy is with me, but.

Tap, tap.

Finally arriving at the kitchen.

I knocked on the door a couple of times and entered the kitchen.

There, the burly chef was cooking as usual.

Sizzle, sizzle-

My stomach rumbled at the delicious smell.

The chef glanced at us and then took out two more woks.

He seemed to know we were here for breakfast without us saying anything.

Sizzle, sizzle-

As I was killing time by gently squeezing Lucy’s soft cheeks.

The chef brought out plates of beautifully arranged pasta.

“Are you going to eat here?”

I hesitated for a moment.

Since it would be difficult to carry three portions back anyway, maybe I should just eat here.

It seems like it will be a while before Scarlett wakes up.

“Yes. We’ll eat here.”

“I’ll pack Young Lady’s portion separately. Please enjoy your meal.”

His tone was like that of a restaurant server.

I took the tableware he handed me and started eating with Lucy.

As always, the chef’s cooking skills are truly superb.

The perfect blend of spices and ingredients creates a fantastic taste.

The aftertaste lingers even after swallowing.

Is he using good ingredients?

Suddenly, I became curious about where he gets his ingredients.

“Um… Chef.”

“Please call me Henry.”

Whew. Henry, who had finished cooking, sat down opposite me with a slight sigh.

He took out a handkerchief and wiped his sweat.

Then he looked at me.

“What is it?”

Although it might be a very normal expression for him.

Because he’s bald, he has a strangely eerie impression, and I got a little scared.

“Um… I was just curious about where you get your cooking ingredients.”

“..Is that so?”

What is it? Did I say something wrong?

I broke out in a cold sweat at his meaningful words, and Henry looked like he realized something.

“Um… After finishing cooking, it gets a bit hot. I was a little dazed, so please don’t mind it.”

“Ah, yes…”

Was that it?

Since I’ve been staying in my room lately, I’m not very comfortable interacting with strangers.

Is this also Scarlett’s intention?

Henry clasped his hands together and continued.

“We order ingredients in bulk from the mansion and designated stores. Young Lady goes out often, right?”

“Then, at that time…”

“That’s right. All the ingredients ordered yesterday have arrived, so I won’t need to go out for a while, but that’s the general process.”

Is it kind of fascinating?

I listened to his words while chewing on the pasta.

So that’s why she goes out sometimes.

‘Is the store very far away?’

I wondered why she was out all day.

I voiced the thought that came to mind without much consideration.

“Is the store very far away?”

“Hm? Not really. If it’s a business partner, it’s not far by carriage. What takes a long time is simply the Kingdom-“

Cut.

Henry, who had been speaking until then, stopped.

A moment of silence followed.

Judging by his expression, he seemed to have made a slip of the tongue.

I kept silent, eating pasta with a slightly awkward expression.

“..Please forget what I just said.”

Although it wasn’t intentional.

I overheard something suspicious.

‘The Kingdom?’

Was Scarlett related to the Kingdom?

I knew she was a noble, but.

I didn’t think she had that much influence or ability.

‘The Kingdom is trying to recruit many magical artifact technicians…’

At the current time, the recruitment of technicians is not very active.

Besides, this was an era when magical artifacts were developing slowly.

Or is there something I don’t know?

As I fell into thought blankly for a moment.

Poke, poke.

For some reason, Lucy poked me.

I snapped back to reality and nodded.

This is not the time to worry about Henry.

Seeing Henry with a slightly stiff expression, I smiled faintly.

And pointed to the finished pasta plate.

“Is there… any more of this?”

“Ah, I made plenty in advance, so eat as much as you want. Lucy, do you want more too?”

“Ugh!”

Seeing Lucy’s happy reply, Henry smiled.

He brought two more servings of pasta, emerging from his suspicious expression.

Right. This is not something to worry about now.

Now is the time to act like a foolish drug addict as usual and recover my body.

If I’m caught.

There will be no next time.

****

“Ugh..”

Scarlett opened her eyes on the quiet bed.

With a groggy head, she looked around.

There was nothing in the room but herself.

Cecil and Lucy were not in their places.

‘Did they go to eat..?’

I usually bring their meals, but.

At times like this, I had told Lucy to take care of Young Lady’s meals.

I must have fallen asleep unintentionally earlier, and not much time seems to have passed.

“Haaahm..”

I yawned and struggled to open my eyes.

The sun was setting outside.

Se-sek, se-sek..

The breathing sounds from my arms were Lucy’s.

She must have a headache from sleeping for too long.

Thinking so, I tried to sit up.

But my body felt a little strange.

My heels felt a little tingly.

Strangely, all my clothes were off.

“You’re awake?”

As I woke up and rubbed my eyes, Scarlett was sitting at the dining table, smiling.

There were two meals on the table.

“Young Lady.. When did you get back..?”

“When Cecil and Lucy were asleep. I brought food, so come and eat before it gets cold.”

We must have just missed each other. I shook Lucy awake and stretched.

“Hyaaaam..”

Lucy yawned cutely and jumped off the bed with a thud.

With a groggy face, she scurried to the dining table and sat down.

I should get up soon too. I’m not that hungry right after waking up-

Thump!

“Ah, eugh..”

As soon as I put my feet on the ground to stand up, my vision suddenly changed.

My unbalanced body toppled forward and crashed to the ground.

“Are you okay..?”

Then Scarlett immediately got up and crouched in front of me.

I really need to get a grip.

Thinking so, I tried to stand up again.

“Uh, uh?”

Thump-

‘Why are my feet like this?’

My body toppled forward again.

This time, Scarlett caught me.

What is it? Why are my legs like this?

Strangely, I can’t put any strength in my heels.

Could it be that my blood circulation is cut off from sleeping in a bad position?

Thinking so, I unconsciously looked at my heels.

And then, I saw it.

Clearly on my heels.

A knife wound.