The Male Lead’s Younger Sister is Still Sad Today

Episode 20

* * *

“Did you hear from the Duke that I can continue as an apprentice and learn more?”

Mr. Henry kindly smiled and handed me a document.

“Well, I set the probation period for six months. But the Duke said that you can extend it if you want. Of course, your salary will remain the same.”

“No, six months should be enough! Thank you.”

In reality, I had learned quite a bit, and my initial difficulties at the Ackrute estate were due to my belief that Raiden disliked me. But all that was resolved to some extent.

“You should thank the Duke for this favor, not me. It’s quite an exception.”

“I didn’t expect the Duke to be so generous like this.”

Mr. Henry quickly added as if he wasn’t trying to make me feel burdened.

“Well, Chase, it’s probably because you do your job so well. Talented people naturally want to hold on to what they like.”

I carefully read the document that Mr. Henry handed me. It was a contract.

But… I didn’t recall seeing a contract when Abel and I first came here.

“In the beginning, we didn’t think you would stay for long like others, so we didn’t use a contract.”

Mr. Henry quickly understood my question and added, still in a quiet voice. I replied with a smile to his words and continued reading the clauses in the contract.

First, the legally permitted period for me to stay at the Ackrute estate was one year. Among these, six months were probation, so from this section, I could see how considerate Raiden was.

Furthermore, the contract period could be extended at my discretion.

“In fact, that clause isn’t that necessary. Most of the servants here didn’t extend their contracts.”

There was no section in the contract that I found problematic even when I carefully read it. The clause stating that the Duke Ackrute himself would ensure my safety was more surprising than I had thought.

So I stamped my contract.

Mr. Henry, who had been watching me anxiously, seemed relieved once I’d stamped it.

After picking up the contract quickly, I seemed almost afraid to leave.

“Oh, by the way, is Abel going to quit just like this?”

“He probably will.”

Mr. Henry spoke with a bitter tone.

“However, no matter how much I think about it… If Abel’s thoughts remain the same, he only needs to work until the end of the banquet.”

“Then I’ll convey the message to my brother.”

“Since there’s a possibility he might change his mind, please try to persuade him.”

I responded with a bright smile.

“I’ll give it a shot.”

In response to my answer, Mr. Henry responded by slightly raising the corner of his mouth.

After concluding my conversation with Mr. Henry and about to leave…

“Oh, wait. Get your head straight!”

“?”

“Just wait a moment. The Duke has something to give you.”

Mr. Henry rummaged through a drawer and handed me an envelope.

“What is this?”

With a nod of his head, he seemed to be urging me to quickly check the envelope’s contents. I followed his advice and quickly glanced inside the envelope, finding two different-colored ointments.

“The apricot-colored ointment is for wounds, and the red one is for scars.”

Though I took it hesitantly, I couldn’t figure out why Raiden had given me this ointment.

“Why did the Duke give me this?”

Mr. Henry seemed to be perplexed by the Duke’s intentions, furrowing his brow.

Then, the gaze that had been focused on my face gradually descended, and Mr. Henry urgently turned his gaze to a particular spot.

He stared at the empty air for a moment and then mumbled.

“Well, you probably know that better than anyone else, don’t you?”

“…!”

* * *

I sat on the floor, propping my chin on the edge of the bed, while fiddling with the two pills Raiden had given me.

What kind of person was he?

I had been working at the Duke’s mansion for quite some time now, to the point where the seasons had changed.

Of course, I was aware that I had far from enough time to fully understand someone. But this was the first time I couldn’t even form a rough idea of the person’s character.

“I truly have no idea….”

I really didn’t.

But one thing was certain: this person couldn’t be neatly classified as good or bad. If it were certain that this man intended to kill Abel, I would have considered him an enemy.

Early on, Raiden Akarut had seemed sensitive, and it wouldn’t have been strange at all if this man had killed Abel.

However, the current Raiden Akarut…

Unconsciously, I let out a small chuckle and buried my face in the bed. Then, I raised my head and touched the ointments on the bed.

I thought of Isis, who used to apply ointment to my injuries back in Marquisate.

‘Is she doing okay?’

It had been quite a while since I last saw her. I wished for her good health, even if she no longer remembered me.

Actually, I didn’t even wish for my memories to return. I had already received more love from her than I could have asked for.

As long as she was happy, that was more than enough.

“You’re early.”

I was brought back to reality by Abel’s voice from behind. Since that day, Abel hadn’t said much. I couldn’t tell if they had decided to follow their separate paths as Peter had suggested, or if they had something else in mind.

“Yeah.”

“Did your work end early?”

In response to Abel’s question, I rolled my eyes for a moment and cautiously replied.

“Actually, I had a conversation with Henry today. He said you could work until the banquet ends.”

“You.”

Abel called me out with a stern voice. Frightened, I swallowed hard.

“Well… you need to live your life, too.”

“What does that have to do with me leaving the Duke’s mansion on my own?”

Abel rubbed his face with his hand and began to speak haltingly. He seemed concerned that our conversation might be overheard beyond the door.

“It does matter. Because I want it.”

“What if you earn enough money to live on your own? You don’t really think I’d be happy about it, do you?”

“The person who initially told me to study was who, anyway?”

“…”

Abel had no response to my words, so he just bit his lip.

“But this time, I really want to do it. Truly.”

I conveyed my intention steadily in response to his words. Then, after hearing my words, Abel chuckled softly.

“Is this really what you truly want?”

“Well…”

“Chase, don’t lie to me. From the beginning, you were hesitant even to set foot here. If you didn’t have a reason to come here, you would have discouraged me no matter what.”

The reason we came here was Owen.

I attempted to offer an excuse.

“The Duke is better than I expected.”

Upon hearing my words, Abel snorted.

“That’s ridiculous…”

When I shut my mouth, the room fell into silence within a matter of seconds. With Abel’s eyes on me, the words wouldn’t come out properly. But I needed to convince Abel somehow.

Every conversation we had was a deadlock. Looking at it, we both seemed to share a stubborn trait. Both of us had strong wills.

“Just having one person working at the Duke’s mansion would create a conducive environment for one person to study. But I don’t like reading books. I hate sitting quietly in one place, studying even more. But you’re different, big brother. Yet we still need to go through it together, despite that.”

“…”

“The answer is already set.”

I wanted Abel to learn more. If they did, they could at least gain some respect from others and stand tall beside Isis, the Grand Magician.

However, to do that, we needed money.

Without a doubt, money is essential to find happiness.

This is the only knowledge I’ve learned to find happiness from my days of wandering the streets. The desire to have what I want. When that desire is fulfilled, at least, I felt happy.

And for Abel to find happiness, he needed to be with Isis.

“You don’t have to sacrifice yourself for me anymore.”

“Chase…”

Abel tried to call me but kept his mouth shut, probably because he didn’t want to call me “Chase.”

“Really. You don’t have to feel sorry for me anymore. You can argue with me, get angry with me like parents do. I just… I just wish you didn’t.”

“…”

“I wish you wouldn’t tiptoe around me.”

I blinked my eyes. My eyes were dry without a hint of moisture.

I wished Abel would stop tiptoeing around me. I wished he would get angry at me like ordinary siblings, give me his annoyance, and play tricks on me. I hadn’t done anything wrong, so why was he so cautious around me?

Just when I closed my dry eyes, there was a sudden loud noise from the window, and shards of glass scraped my cheek. In that split second, Abel instinctively wrapped his arms around me to protect me.

I clutched Abel desperately while checking if he were hurt. Fortunately, Abel seemed to be unharmed.

Abel, too, checked if I was injured in a hurry.

“Your cheek…”

Before Abel could finish his sentence, my left cheek started to sting fiercely.

I absently raised my hand to touch the stinging cheek, and Abel gasped and grabbed my wrist.

“Don’t touch it; it’s bleeding.”

He rummaged through the drawer to find a bandage. But at that moment, Roel’s voice came from outside the room.

“Abel, is something wrong?”

The sound of the broken window had reached outside.

“Abel!”

Roel’s voice echoed loudly, and Peter’s voice was heard, saying we needed to open the door forcibly.

Abel and I exchanged urgent glances.

Many things were problematic among these issues, but the most critical one was that I was wearing clothes that were far too casual.

With a keen eye, anyone could tell that I was a woman.