# Chapter 8
Honestly, looking at the boy before him, Ethan couldn’t imagine a situation where he’d become a mad dog. Though his personality seemed somewhat unique, he didn’t appear to be a complete delinquent. Most people would likely be attracted to rather than provoked by him, given his appearance and status. But there must be a reason he explained it that way. Did he have experience with this? Regardless, from Ethan’s position, he had no choice in the matter.
“Is confidentiality included in my pay?”
“Of course. You’re thinking ahead.”
“How much am I worth now?”
“When we first met, you were worth one silver coin, but now you’re worth one gold coin. How does that sound for now? I’ll give you a separate performance bonus for this job.”
It was an amount Ethan couldn’t even imagine. In the slums, many boys could eat for days with just a few copper coins. When silver and gold coins were mentioned, Ethan’s expression darkened, causing Del to tilt his head.
“I thought you’d be happy.”
“I am. It’s just that I’ve never handled that kind of money before, so it doesn’t feel real.”
“But you worked hard, didn’t you?”
“I was dirt cheap.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“I thought it couldn’t be helped since I was born this way. Well, being born this way means I get to enjoy this kind of luck too.”
Though Ethan tried to speak as lightly as possible, his misery must have shown through. Del, who had been quietly watching him, opened his mouth.
“Should I raise your salary?”
Del’s words startled Ethan.
“It was a monthly salary?!”
Ethan’s response startled Del in turn.
“What did you think it was?”
“For a year.”
“Wow, I’m not that stingy.”
“Everyone I’ve known has been, so please understand.”
“Oh, I see.”
Del blinked, unable to hide his surprise. Though he’d seen the slums with his own eyes, the poverty still exceeded his imagination. With each exchange revealing their misaligned perceptions, Del’s expression grew increasingly serious. Was he contemplating how much more miserable Ethan’s life was than he’d thought? Ethan decided not to dwell on it. They had been born differently and lived differently from the start. Within that reality, he had done his best to survive. That could be a source of pride for him. Del asked:
“Hey, I’m curious about something.”
“What is it?”
“What will you do with your pay?”
“Hmm… since this wasn’t in my plans, it’s a bit difficult to decide.”
“Wow. You actually make plans for your life?”
“Of course. And you’ve come into my life and stirred everything up, you troublemaker.”
“So do you dislike it?”
“It’s completely fortunate. You can cause this kind of trouble a hundred times.”
Del giggled. Ethan had often been told his way of speaking was insolent and that he should be more compliant, but living this way, he’d discovered some people actually preferred his demeanor. Del seemed to find everything Ethan said fascinating. After pondering the earlier question, Ethan finally had an answer. There were people he’d been thinking of.
“Since I’ll become richer than I expected, it might be good to buy a house and bring the kids out.”
“How touching.”
“I can share the luck I’ve received. They’re like family, after all.”
“Do they think of you the same way?”
“Probably similar. It’s just that our decisions differ based on the size of our luck.”
“You can’t take responsibility for them forever.”
“I don’t intend to. But having opportunities is different from not having them.”
Because in that place, nothing appeared as an opportunity or an escape route. Thinking of the corner house where not a single day of the year saw sunlight, Ethan spoke. The boys and girls gathered there each had different ideas about how they wanted to live. But they all shared the same desire to escape that place. That was enough.
Feeling a gaze on him, Ethan turned his head to find Del watching him with interest. It was remarkable how Del seemed to focus on every expression, tone, and gesture Ethan made. He smiled brightly and said:
“Those kids are fortunate.”
It didn’t seem like something a noble would say about slum boys.
“Why?”
“I never had that kind of family.”
“But you’re a member of that ducal house.”
“Let me correct myself. I’m the heir. My father is the Duke, and I’m the successor.”
“…I really don’t know if I should be so cheeky.”
“You’re fine.”
Having casually dropped that bombshell statement, Del rested his chin on his hand and murmured:
“We’re not in a situation where anyone protects anyone else or provides opportunities.”
“But you’re a ducal family?”
“That’s precisely why. It’s overwhelming just trying to protect oneself.”
“That sounds difficult.”
“It is. I’d like to explain properly, but that’s something like a family secret. I’ll tell you after about five years of loyal service.”
“I don’t particularly want to know. More importantly, how are you so certain I’ll work for you that long?”
“I don’t think anyone will value your labor as generously as I do. Am I wrong?”
“…You’re right.”
The truth stings even more.
The conversation seemed to be wrapping up. There was nothing more to ask, and even if Ethan wanted to ask more, he didn’t know enough to formulate questions. As the conversation concluded, Del smiled brightly and gave his first task as an employer.
“Go wash up. You know your smell is terrible, right?”
“…”
Is the smell really that terrible? In the slums, no one was as clean as Ethan. He sniffed himself, but could only detect the faint perfume scent from his new clothes. However, seeing Del staring at him directly, Ethan couldn’t bring himself to refuse—feeling that if he were stubborn, he’d be labeled the dirtiest person in the world—so he headed to the bathroom without protest.
The bathroom was about twice the size of the house where he had lived. As he entered the water, which was magically heated to the perfect temperature, Ethan briefly worried. The other boy would bathe later—would the water get too dirty? But if he didn’t wash, he’d be considered the filthiest person in the world, so he decided to just get in. The sensation of warm water enveloping his body was peaceful. It had been a stormy day, and despite the presence of the person who had brought that storm, the center was so tranquil and calm. Ethan closed his eyes and enjoyed a rest he hadn’t had in a long time.
After resting for a suitable amount of time, he scrubbed his body more vigorously than usual while washing. Even knowing it was unnecessary stubbornness, he strongly felt like doing so—especially since he kept being treated like someone who had never bathed in his life. After drying himself with a fluffy towel and leaving the bathroom, he found Del already lying on the bed reading a book. His wet hair and slightly flushed skin indicated that he too had already bathed. Del’s legs, which had been swinging up and down, stopped when he noticed Ethan.
“Are you done washing?”
“When did you take a bath?”
“Around the same time as you?”
“Are there two bathrooms?”
“No. I realized I needed to wash too, but there was no bathroom available, so I used the coachman’s bathroom. He said it hadn’t been used yet, so I used it comfortably.”
“But still, that’s…”
Just as Ethan was about to protest that it didn’t make sense to go to a man’s room alone to bathe, he remembered that Del was a boy like himself. But still, the coachman called him “young lady” and thought he was a girl. Ethan closed his mouth mid-thought. Why should he care where or how the other bathed? Today was the first day they had met, and they had just formed an employment contract. There was no need for Ethan to offer advice or show interest in Del’s actions. For some reason, his heart felt tightly constricted.
“Did you want to say something?”
“No.”
“You’re no fun.”
Del closed the book he had been reading and sat up. Every time Del moved, water dripped from his wet hair. Ethan silently watched the droplets falling on the blanket before grabbing a dry towel and covering Del’s head with it.
“What’s this for?”
“To dry your hair.”
“I don’t catch colds.”
“It’s for the safety of the blanket.”
“It would dry on its own… Aaaaah!”
He’s acting like some high-maintenance youngest sibling. Ethan plopped down behind Del and began vigorously drying his hair with the towel. While it was certainly hair drying, he put all his pent-up frustration into it. After finally finishing drying the squirming Del’s hair, Del said with a dazed expression:
“You’re the first person to dry my hair like that.”
Of course, the people who usually dried his hair probably wouldn’t express such frustration. However, Ethan responded casually:
“That’s because I’m not well-educated.”
Ethan expected a sharp retort, but Del remained quiet. He couldn’t tell what was contained in those eyes that were staring back at him. After a moment, Del said:
“I’ve been wanting to say this for a while now.”
“What is it?”
“Ethan. Those kinds of comments don’t make you look strong. They just make you look silly.”
“…”
“I like your insolent manner of speaking, but fix those things—the words that belittle your life.”
“What can I do about how I’ve lived?”
“You won’t be living that way anymore.”
At Del’s words, Ethan’s hands stopped. Yes, that’s right. Something seemed to flutter in his chest. His muscles tightened, and something lingered in his throat. A new life. New forms of something. His eyes gained strength, and his blurry vision became clear. The person who had given him this opportunity was right in front of him. Del, not realizing what he had given Ethan, was looking at him with disheveled hair. Ethan smoothed Del’s hair with his fingers. Del said:
“Let’s sleep for now. Starting tomorrow, we’ll be incredibly busy.”
Ethan answered, careful not to let his voice catch:
“Where should I sleep then?”
Ethan’s gaze surveyed the surroundings. There was only one bed, so he could use the sofa over there or a servant’s room if one existed. But Del seemed to have a different idea.
“Here.”
And he patted the bed. Ethan felt like all the emotion he had just experienced vanished instantly. Did Del think looking at him with bright eyes would change anything? Huh. Exhaling sharply, Ethan spoke. It was truly difficult to say it in a different way.
“After denying several times that you didn’t hire me for that kind of reason?”
“Huh? You get paid for using the same bed too?”
Only then did Ethan realize that Del was purely referring to “sleeping together” in the literal sense. It was hard to understand. Despite knowing what Ethan had been doing for a living, Del lacked understanding in this area. Ethan couldn’t tell if Del was thick-skinned or if he himself was possessed by some perverted demon. But it was difficult to think further. As soon as he leaned his body on the bed, fatigue overwhelmed him instantly. Ethan muttered as he crawled under the blanket:
“Then I’ll rest assured.”
“What are you being assured about, really?”
Though he heard a voice that didn’t understand what he meant, Ethan closed his eyes and was immediately dragged into the world of sleep. He was tired, but for the first time, he felt comfortable.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
