Crackle…


    In thedy''s room, where the sound of burning logs could be heard.


    Thedy, having awoken from a nightmare, leaned on my shoulders, which were wider than the Pacific, with drowsy eyes.


    Late into the night, the standoff between thedy, who tried to undress me, and a possessed soul full of Confucian ideals had dragged on. Now, tired from the fight as night fell, thedy offered a truce by raising a white g.


    -Don''t look! It''s dirty and petty…!


    -I must be the only butler who gets sexually harassed by hisdy.


    -What are you saying! You even know the color of my panties.


    -That''s because I prepared them for you. For the record, today it''s a modest sky-blue teddy bear…


    -Eeek! Shut up!Thedy always enjoyed pranks that surpassed my expectations.


    Waking up from a dream and wanting to see the butler''s naked body? That''s wholesome harassment.


    Besides, having secretly snacked on thedy''s treats every night recently, my abs had be somewhat blurred, making it awkward to show them. After all, showing off impressive abs when one is prepared was a butler''s duty.


    A month ago, I might have been shyly willing to unt my abs, but after being assaulted with food by Desmond, it was quite difficult to show my now faded abs to thedy.


    Unaware of the butler''s desire to only show his best, thedy looked at me with innocent eyes.


    "I hate you."


    "It can''t be helped."


    "Still, I hate you."


    "I can show you my arm, at least."


    Tempted, thedy''s eyes whirled as she gazed at my sturdy wrist.


    "Will you show it?"


    "Just showing an arm, why do you make it sound so alluring."


    "That''s because Ricardo is a pervert."


    "…That''s…"


    Indeniable.


    Thedy rolled up my sleeve and nkly stared at my forearm, where veins were pronounced. Seeing my forearm, where the heartbeat could almost be felt, she smiled in relief and gently prodded it with her finger.


    "Hmm."


    And then, she bit my arm.


    "Lady?"


    "Hmm?"


    Thedy looked at me with rolling eyes as my forearm was soaked with her saliva from her bite.


    It seemed envious yet slightly irritated.


    "It''s not food."


    "I know."


    "Then, why bite?"


    "To test if it''s healthy."


    Caught by thedy''s ambiguous gaze, I felt somewhat embarrassed, removing her mouth and wiping away the saliva on her lips.


    I wondered why she didn''t wipe off the saliva on my arm, considering cleanliness, I thought she was the world''s worst viiness in that regard.


    "Passed."


    "Is that good?"


    "Yes."


    Well, at least she said it passed.


    Nodding, thedy leaned back on my shoulder and stared at the burning bonfire.


    "Ricardo."


    "Yes."


    Thedy, who had given the pass, seemed downcast. I wondered if it was because she received a pass without fun, but that didn''t seem to be the case.


    Still not over the nightmare, thedy kept ncing at my body while holding my hand, continuing her naughty flirting.


    "Listen."


    "I''m listening, but could you let go of this hand first?"


    "Why?"


    "Because it''s too much of an honor for the world''s most beautiful woman to hold my hand. I''m afraid my heart might burst from excitement."


    "Heh… What are you talking about?"


    Pleased by the tteringpliment, thedy gripped my hand even tighter.


    "No… Ah…"


    I was serious about what I said. But it seemed thedy took it as a joke. Really, my heart might be in danger. Thedy, breathing seductively, buried her face onto my shoulder, swallowing a pleased smile.


    Thedy, gazing at the softly burning bonfire, asked me in a low voice.


    "I''ve been curious about something for a while. Can I ask?"


    "Ask and you shall receive pain."


    -Tightly…


    Thedy, upon hearing my cold joke, opened her eyes sharply. It was a joke I had studied from books. Feeling somewhat saddened by thedy''s cold reaction, I let out a hollowugh.


    "Just kidding."


    "That''s not funny. Banned."


    "I''ll try to refrain."


    "Don''t just refrain, stop it."


    "Hmm…"


    Thedy was firm.


    After a brief silence, I wondered what question she would ask. Since she had built up the atmosphere to speak, it seemed she was about to discuss something quite serious.


    Pretending to ponder, I nodded.


    "I''ll answer depending on the question."


    "That''s expensive."


    "Thedy I serve is a person of higher value, so I have no choice but to set a high price, please understand."


    "Alright."


    Thedy, who loved such jokes, shyly bowed her head with a small smile.


    "Listen."


    "Yes."


    "Ricardo."


    Thedy took a deep breath and asked in a trembling voice.


    "Why are you here beside me?"


    "That''s a rather sharp question."


    "I decided to ask today no matter what."


    "Could it be a bit less sharp?"


    "I can''t because today''s nightmare was too scary."


    "That''s… a bad nightmare."


    Thedy lowered her head, waiting for an answer. The fingers that tightly held mine seemed to tremble with fear of hearing the answer.


    Perhaps she was worried that I was beside her only because of the head of the household''s request, or maybe she thought I was sticking around just to im my overdue sry.


    Thedy once again reminded me of the reason for her question, deeming herself unworthy of having someone by her side with such a small and trembling voice.


    "Why are you beside me when I''m disobedient and broke?"


    "Hmm…"


    "Now that I can''t even walk and, as Ricardo said, have a nasty personality, why…"


    Thedy''s voice sounded tiny, like a cat hiding in a mouse hole. It was somber yet seemed to plead not to leave. It felt desperately touching.


    "Why are you beside me? You know, Ricardo… I have nothing left to offer."


    "I can''t afford fancy clothes like before, can''t indulge in luxuries, and I''m too ashamed to say I serve the Desmond family''s daughter in front of others, so why are you still here?"


    Listening to thedy''sints silently, I was quite shocked.


    For a viiness, she was remarkably self-aware.


    I was surprised that thedy, who always prided herself, had such concerns and felt sorry for making her say such things.


    Was it because of my regret that if I had worked harder, thedy wouldn''t have needed to say these things?


    The small silence that followed between the waitingdy and me, along with the sound of the logs burning, made our hands sweat.


    What she would hear, and what I should say, the silence created by our waiting made our hands sweaty.


    After a moment of silence as another log burned, I finally spoke.


    "That''s right."


    Foolishly, as always, my answer began with "That''s right."


    Because I didn''t know either.


    If I had sought sess, I would have left thedy long ago to find another path. Then, I could have surpassed Yuria and Michail as a prodigy.


    Yet, I cherished the existence called "thedy" more than sess.


    Honor.


    Wealth.


    Sess.


    I enjoyed the time spent with thedy more than these. With a calm voice, I carefully voiced the answer thedy was waiting for.


    "Being by thedy''s shining side has made me quite selective."


    "…"


    "Aren''t there many jewels disyed in a showcase?"


    "Jewels…?"


    "Yes, jewels. If you see a jewel you like among many, the others don''t catch your eye. To me, thedy is like that."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "Well, it means I prefer thedy''s existence over sess."


    "…"


    "It would be troublesome if you fell for me. I''m a person of great greed."


    "How shameless."


    "What can I do? I''m just that good."


    I let out a yful joke and smiled.


    "Anyway, I enjoy being with thedy."


    It was embarrassing and cringeworthy to say out loud, but the atmosphere created by the bonfire made it easier to say such mushy words.


    "The affection that has grown since we were young made the luster of the jewel shine."


    "Our first intense punch-up felt like a rough gemstone being finely crafted."


    "And…"


    I pinched thedy''s cheek and looked at the burning bonfire.


    "How can I help it if thedy, the gemstone herself, is so pretty? After all, aren''t jewels supposed to make you feel good just by looking at them?"


    "Ugh… let go."


    "No. Let''s bring out the shine of the jewel for once."


    "Ugh! It''s tearing!"


    "Puhaha!"


    I looked at thedy with a small smile.


    "I like this. Watching thedy living in self-admiration is fun for me."


    My old story is a boring tale.


    I think the story from our first meeting to now is boring and trivial.


    So. I try to put aside the story of the past for a while.


    Sometimes, I think a lot about the reason I serve thedy.


    Wondering why I should serve thedy who grumbles and gets annoyed.


    But.


    To me, thedy is like a shining jewel. Though her personality may be terrible, the memories of sitting beside her in the slums, begging together, were the funniest and most brilliant.


    Maybe that''s why I''m more attached.


    Suddenly, I remembered the old days.


    The memory of thedy, sitting at the desk because of etiquette lessons, dozing off.


    On a day when the warm sunlight was shining on thedy, I unwittinglyughed.


    -Ah. This is driving me crazy.


    It was like the sunshine in spring.