Chapter 17

“Eavesdropping on adults isn’t a good habit, you know.”

It was the first stern word that had come out since arriving here. From what point had he been listening? Though the conversation hadn’t contained any secrets that needed to be completely hidden from someone, sneaking around and spying like this wasn’t good behavior.

As they walked together through the manor’s dark corridors, Ash had mentioned that since childhood, he used to wander through the servants’ passages and secret corridors, eavesdropping on the servants’ conversations. The way he spoke—glancing around nervously as if worried Ian might be angry—was similar to what Clayton had told him, so Ian wasn’t particularly surprised. He thought simply advising the boy not to do it again would be sufficient.

‘That’s what I thought…’

For the first time, Ian felt disappointed and ran his hand through his hair.

Ian waited for an answer, but Ash remained still as if frozen. He sat motionless with his face buried in his knees. Just as Ian was about to place his hand on the child’s shoulder—

“…Why didn’t you tell me?”

Suddenly, a voice filled with great despair came from the small back, wet with tears.

“What?”

At Ian’s confused question, the small shoulders began to shake pitifully.

“You’re thinking of leaving me…”

“That… that’s still far in the future. Definitely not anytime soon.”

Suddenly faced with what wasn’t quite an accusation but felt like one, Ian found himself stammering without realizing it. The hand that had been hovering in mid-air settled on the hunched shoulders.

In an instant, Ash bolted upright and threw himself at Ian. Catching the suddenly embracing child and falling backward with a thud, Ian’s tailbone hurt, but he first sat up to check if the child in his arms was alright.

“A-are you okay? What if you’d gotten hurt doing that so suddenly?”

“…”

Ian looked down at the child who was clinging tightly to his waist without answering, not showing his face, with complex emotions in his eyes. Inwardly, Ian blamed himself. Even knowing that Ash had grown attached enough to him that they felt close, he had been careless.

‘He’s still young—of course he’d be shocked to suddenly learn that his guardian might disappear.’

The child who had been sniffling with his face buried in Ian’s chest for a while made a mumbling sound as he rubbed his face. His voice was so small that you could barely hear it unless you listened carefully.

“Please take me with you.”

Repeating the words quietly, Ash looked up. It was an expression more painful than if he had been hurt by bumping into something. The violet-colored eyes, soaked with tears, looking up at him were utterly pitiful. Small hands gripped his arms painfully tight with surprising strength.

“Or if you’re not going to take me, let’s live here together. You said you don’t have any memories anyway. I’ll do better from now on.”

“Ash, I’m sorry. That… it’s not certain yet. I just scared you for no reason.”

“I’ll do better. Please don’t leave me.”

Thinking that stopping the tears was the priority, Ian pulled the child close and comforted him. At those words, Ash wrapped his arms around Ian’s neck and shook his shoulders, crying like a young child again, heartbroken.

One shoulder became damp with tears. The sound of the child’s crying in his ear felt like it was cutting through flesh.

“Alright… I won’t leave… okay?”

Speaking words he didn’t mean, Ian slowly patted the child’s back. Though the back was a little broader than before, it was still small. He had thought Ash had grown a bit, but seeing this, he was still just a young child.

Ian waited until Ash had cried enough and could collect himself. By the time the fragments of light coming through the window had grown deeper, Ash, who had been held in his arms, had cried until he felt relieved and was quietly hiccupping in Ian’s embrace.

Meanwhile, it had grown dark outside the manor, and they heard knocking at the study door.

“Can you wait just a moment?”

Ian carefully separated Ash from himself. The child’s back was damp with sweat where his hand touched. Opening the door, he found Clayton as expected.

“It’s time for dinner, but neither of you has come down except for the teacher. Are you with the young master?”

“Yes, we’re about to come down.”

But Ian immediately changed his mind.

If anyone saw Ash, who had clearly been crying, that thoughtless teacher would tease him harmlessly as usual. So he quickly added:

“Actually, this is sudden, but today we’d like to eat in the study, just the two of us. Could you prepare that?”

Even at Ian’s words, Clayton didn’t seem particularly surprised and bowed.

“Then I’ll prepare it and bring it right up.”

After Clayton left, Ian returned to where they had been sitting. Seeing Ash standing hesitantly, looking down at the floor, Ian spoke in a gentle voice.

“Let’s eat dinner here together tonight.”

“Here…?”

When Ash blinked and asked back, Ian’s eyes widened.

“Don’t you want to? Is eating in the study uncomfortable after all?”

At those words, Ash quickly shook his head. Though his eyes were swollen from rubbing, seeing the clearly pleased expression that appeared on his face was gratifying. Just as Ian seated Ash in a chair, they heard knocking at the door.

Going out, he found the old butler standing with a wide tray full of food.

When Ian stepped forward to take the tray, the bushy white eyebrows drew together and he shook his head. At that stubborn reaction, Ian had no choice but to step aside.

Clayton, who entered, quickly glanced at Ash’s reddened eyes and cheeks but said nothing, setting down the tray he’d brought on the low table in front of Ash.

“When you’re finished eating, just leave it outside and I’ll collect it later.”

“I could bring it down myself…”

Feeling like he was causing unnecessary trouble, Ian’s words were met with the old butler’s firm face insisting he leave it outside, before he disappeared. After Clayton left, the study was filled with the fragrant smell of food. Ian hadn’t realized he was hungry, but smelling the food made his appetite stir.

The aroma from Mrs. Loska’s work—who had become even more enthusiastic about kitchen duties since Ian’s arrival at Raven Manor—was exceptional.

Looking at the cold meat pie, mashed potatoes, cooked peas, and well-baked bread, Ian suddenly remembered eating meals with Ash in bed when Dr. Sutton’s orders had prevented them from leaving the bedroom.

“You must be hungry, so let’s eat first.”

Saying this, Ian first handed Ash the water in a silver cup. After crying so hard, his throat must be getting dry. As expected, while the child who received the cup gulped down the water, Ian chewed on bread. As Ash was drinking water, he mumbled:

“I hope you don’t hate me…”

“…!”

Ian choked and coughed, and Ash hurriedly offered him the cup that had been in front of Ian. Ian took the water and swallowed everything that had nearly gotten stuck in his throat.

“There’s no way I could hate you.”

“I keep acting like a child and being troublesome…”

“Don’t think like that. I’m already worried that you’re too mature… Anyway, I’ll never leave you, so don’t worry and chew your food well. You saw how I just choked on my food, right?”

Seeming somewhat reassured by those words, Ash nodded and began eating his portion earnestly. Seeing this, Ian sighed inwardly.

After finishing their meal, he walked with the child down the corridor back to their rooms.

Before opening his own door, the child turned around.

“I’m sorry for eavesdropping earlier. I was curious about what you two were talking about.”

With his eyes and nose still red, apologizing so politely in an adult manner was endearing. After saying this, Ash bit his plump lips slightly and hesitated for a moment before continuing:

“And I’ll believe what you said.”

“…Right.”

Whether Ash was satisfied with Ian’s reluctant answer, he quickly opened his door handle and slipped into his room. Left alone in the corridor, Ian smiled bitterly as he looked at the firmly closed door before entering his own room.

Even before, Ash had studied diligently as if trying to absorb all the knowledge possessed by tutors he didn’t like, but now his intensity was even more fierce. Not only during lesson time, but with questions pouring out every time they met face to face, that thoughtless teacher began to show a tired expression on his slippery face.

“Say, Ash, how about reducing the questions a bit during meal times?”

When Ian, unable to watch any longer, said this, Ash nodded glumly.

Ian just felt sorry for that face, but sensing that questions would begin as soon as the meal ended, the eccentric teacher wolfed down his food as if dumping his entire plate into his mouth and fled.

Finally, one day Jeremy, who had thrown up both hands and feet in surrender, cried out at the dining table as if screaming:

“If you only study continuously, you’ll become stupid. Our student doesn’t know the meaning of ‘moderation.’ Drastic measures are needed.”

At Jeremy’s words, Ash made a displeased expression.

Seeing Ash like this, Ian quickly asked:

“What kind of drastic measures?”

“I need the Baron’s permission.”

“Permission?”

Looking at Jeremy with a puzzled expression, he frowned and spoke in a pleading tone:

“Rest. Rest is needed.”

“I think you’re getting plenty of rest, teacher… You sleep almost all morning and teach a bit in the afternoon…”

Though the student raised an objection, the teacher quickly continued:

“At this rate, I’ll die from overwork. The young master’s progress is severely faster than ordinary students. Don’t you know the saying that if you study too much, you become stupid?”

“You should be teaching your student…”

“It’s a teacher’s duty to instruct students and guide them on the right path.”

Ian, who had been silently listening to their exchange, spoke up:

“Well, teacher, could you tell me what kind of rest you want? Giving you a vacation would be difficult, but I’d like to hear what you want first.”

Thinking he had gained an ally, Jeremy’s face brightened noticeably.

“When the wind is blowing so pleasantly and the weather is so peaceful like now, staying inside the manor constantly is really a foolish thing to do. Winter will come soon, so before then, I’d like us to go on a picnic together to nearby fields.”

Ash, who had been making a disapproving expression while dismantling the food on his plate with his fork as if being evasive, glanced at Ian. His eyes were clearly full of expectation. Jeremy also looked at Ian with desperate pleading, as if asking to be saved.

Flustered by all the gazes directed at him, Ian nodded.

“A picnic would be nice to do before it gets colder. When should we do it?”

Come to think of it, he hadn’t thought about going on a picnic at all. Remembering how excited and happy he felt when going on school picnics as a child, Ian nodded, thinking it was a good suggestion.

“Once the date is set, I’ll tell the kitchen to prepare a packed lunch.”

When Clayton, who had been quietly serving the meal, spoke softly, Jeremy let out a cheer.

“Excellent! Since we’re talking about it, let’s go the day after tomorrow.”

With the date decided so quickly, Ian looked at Ash.

Seeing the child’s eyes sparkling brightly, then becoming shy when he felt Ian’s gaze, Ian smiled with satisfaction.

Two days later, they rode in a carriage driven by Gabe toward a place a little away from the manor.

Jeremy claimed he had spotted a wonderful location before and sat down next to Gabe, sticking close to him. After riding for about thirty minutes, they arrived at a low hill covered with dry grass where a single tree stood firm.

“How is it?”

Jeremy spread his arms wide as if showing off.

He looked as confident as if he were the owner of this magnificent hill.

Gabe stopped the carriage below and let the horses graze. The horses seemed to like the new place and munched on grass. Among them, the gray horse that had been pregnant was now thin again. A few months ago, the foal had suddenly died without completing its full term. Perhaps bothered by this, though his face was stoic, Gabe tenderly stroked the gray horse’s coat.

The others carried the luggage they’d brought in the carriage and climbed the hill, spreading it out in the tree’s shade. Bright-colored cloth was laid out and baskets containing the food they’d brought were set down.

After a brief bit of activity, the sky above them was completely autumn-colored, high and blue. Though it wasn’t a special place, everyone was excited about this rare outdoor excursion.

Jeremy, sitting on the spread cloth, rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a deck of cards, his eyes lighting up.

“I had completely forgotten I brought this.”

But seeing their blank stares, Jeremy sighed softly. With beginners in tow, Jeremy taught them a simple card game. It was Old Maid, where you try to find the joker among the cards your opponent holds.

However, Jeremy, who had taught the game, was terrible at hiding his expressions and often ended up being the thief, while Ian was hopeless at reading others’ expressions but good enough at hiding his own by making troubled faces no matter what he drew.

As they were concentrating on the card game, Clayton unpacked the basket he’d brought for them to eat. Despite the sudden news of a picnic, the kitchen had shown off its skills for the occasion, so the basket was full.

When they took out sandwiches with butter, cold meat, and vegetables between bread, along with bottles of soda water, several ripe red apples rolled out of the basket.

“As you said, teacher, we should have times like this more often.”

Ian quickly picked up one of the rolling apples and bit into it.

His mouth filled with the flesh and juice of the ripe fruit. Seeing this, Ash and Jeremy each picked up an apple too.

Meanwhile, a breeze blew and overturned Jeremy’s cards that he’d set down for a moment.

The figure of a joker in ridiculous clothes was revealed.

“Oops, this round doesn’t count.”

At this sight, everyone laughed as if they had no worries at all.