Antidote

Lister led the knights to the outer wall. It seemed that the repair work had been slow due to the hailstorm that had been pouring down every dawn for the past few days.

The members of the Triumvirate aren’t happy about it, and even the Duke of Karlac seems upset. But what can they do? It’s the weather’s fault.

The servants whispered softly. Listening to their words, I returned to my room. As I lay on the bed, my heartbeat was so loud it hurt my ears. Even after taking medicine, the headache lingered, tormenting me. I could hardly eat and spent the whole day lying in bed.

Lister, as he had said, returned late at night, looking slightly irritated.

I didn’t want to upset him, so I deliberately offered him some wine. After drinking a few glasses that I poured for him, he forced me to drink three or four glasses in quick succession before his expression finally softened. When I began to hiccup from being drunk, he laughed heartily and, in a much better mood, went to bed.

After tucking the blanket up to his chest and checking the charcoal in the brazier, I was about to leave when Lister called me back. He made me stand beside the bed for a long time. I wanted to run away, but he reached out from under the blanket and grabbed my wrist roughly, leaving me unable to move.

It wasn’t until deep into the night that he fell asleep, and his hand, which had been gripping my wrist, dropped down.

I covered my mouth with my hand to keep from vomiting and left his room.

Hail was falling again.

My pace quickened little by little.

By the time I returned to my room, I was breathing heavily. Without stopping, I grabbed the coat hanging on the wall, slid my arms into the sleeves, and pulled the hat down over my head. Then, I cautiously cracked the door open.

A faint light from the opposite chamber illuminated one side of the dark hallway.

I glanced around. A few servants were sitting by the fireplace in the chamber, chatting. With the door wide open, it seemed impossible to slip outside without being noticed.

I bit my lip and closed the door again. I spent a long time pacing the room. My heart pounded more wildly by the minute. The headache throbbed violently inside my skull. I pressed my temples with my index and middle fingers. The pain subsided a little.

Finally.

It became quiet outside.

I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest.

I gripped my chest tightly and counted in my head. Only after counting past a hundred could I barely compose myself and walk toward the door. I pushed it very carefully. Creak. The sound of the hinges was so loud tonight.

The hallway was dark. The door to the chamber opposite was closed, with only a thin strip of light from the fireplace spilling through the crack.

I cautiously stepped out of the room.

Every sound—my footsteps, my breathing, even my heartbeat—seemed unbearably loud, to the point of hurting my ears.

Lister’s voice echoed in my head: “Stay still, stay still….” If he found out I had slipped away again… Ah. I stopped and lowered my gaze. I wanted to cry.

Two voices argued in my mind.

Get a grip, Slan. Lister can’t control your actions. Just because your body has become a slave doesn’t mean your mind has too.

Are you crazy? What will happen if you get caught this time? Have you forgotten what that wretched man said to you?

Then the hail started falling harder. The windows rattled, and large chunks of hail pounded the roof and walls. I stood frozen for a while before moving again.

When I reached the glass door at the end of the corridor, engraved with the crests of Karlac and Glenburg, my tension peaked.

The door opened. Cold wind and wet snowflakes hit my face. I pulled my hat down lower and stepped outside.

Right foot first,

then the left.

Nothing happened.

I closed the glass door and leaned against the wall, staring up at the sky for a moment.

Hard hailstones pelted my shoulders and head.

I pulled my coat collar tighter and quietly slipped into the narrow path along the northern courtyard. My steps grew faster, and the sound of the hail masked my footsteps. It was fortunate. In this weather, no one would notice me. Only the flickering torchlight from hundreds of towers and watchtowers illuminated the castle.

The colonnade was desolate. Wet snow had piled up to my ankles. Hail pounded loudly onto the dilapidated fountain ahead.

I ran toward the fountain. My disobedient left foot kept dragging on the ground, but I was too tense to feel any pain. My knees buckled as I reached the fountain, and my hands sank into the wet snow. Panting like an animal, I barely managed to lift my upper body. I stretched my right hand forward, feeling around the edge of the fountain. I dragged myself to the front of the fountain, sat down, and reached inside. The snow had piled up, melted, and frozen again repeatedly over the past month, and now the bottom was frozen solid. I scratched the frozen surface with the tip of my fingernail.

“Ah…”

Tears were about to spill, but the damp wind pushed them back.

I lifted my upper body and looked inside the fountain.

There were no coins anywhere.

Only thick layers of snow, frozen white.

My eyelids burned. But I didn’t cry. I just stood there for a moment, breathing heavily. White mist poured out of my mouth and nose, only to be hit by the falling hail. The hailstones pounded painfully on my back and shoulders.

After a long while, I stood up.

If I couldn’t meet Jiyod, I had to at least meet Ismion.

I shouldn’t go to the Great Canyon, I shouldn’t go to fetch Selcy, they said. They said that in midwinter, the Tanalan Great Canyon gets heavy snowfall, the paths are narrow and slippery, and if a carriage or horse were to slip, you would fall into that deep chasm where no one would ever find your body… And those who wish for such a fate for you are right here in eastern Karlac….

Just then, the hail stopped.

Perhaps it was instinct, or maybe a strange premonition.

I didn’t react, only slowly raised my head.

Jiyod had lifted one arm, covering me with his cloak. His expression was hidden. His hair was damp, wet from the storm. He wasn’t wearing a hat, not even a coat, and his bare hand, exposed to the cold hail, was pale and glistening.

How he came here at this hour, how he knew where I was—all those questions filled my mind, but none of them turned into words.

We stood there for a long time, saying nothing.

Maybe ten years… I don’t know. It felt like that much time had passed.

Jiyod raised his other arm slowly and wrapped it around my waist. I leaned into his embrace. My cheek pressed against his chest. It was cold.

“I…”

His voice was low and quiet.

“…I thought you had forgotten me again.”

Ah.

At his words, the tears I had held back finally burst forth.

I didn’t want him to see, so I buried my face in his chest. The tears wet my lower lashes and two drops slid down.

I wondered if I had forgotten you at some point, or if I had ever forgotten you before, or what it was that I had forgotten….

Jiyod’s hand found my cheek. He lowered his head and pressed his lips against my forehead.

“You’re warm. It seems like you have a fever… Let’s go inside.”

With those words, he draped his cloak over my shoulders.

At that moment, the reason I had run here came rushing back. Gasping for breath, I looked up at him.

“You can’t go to Soedergran.”

Those words came out abruptly, without any preamble.

“Don’t go to the Great Canyon. You can’t. The Duke of Karlac… the Triumvirate….”

I stammered, trying to get the words out.

“I heard it from Lister. They won’t let you return to Karlac. It’s winter, and the roads are slippery. If your carriage or horse slips, no one will suspect a thing….”

Jiyod looked down at me silently. His ash-gray irises gleamed, and a strange light flickered within them. After a moment, the corners of his lips lifted ever so slowly.

“Is that why you ran all the way here in the middle of the night, braving the hail?”

He looked down at me as if I were the most precious thing in the world. His gaze felt like honey dripping from his eyes. As I met his gaze, I forgot the situation, and my cheeks flushed.

“Because of that… I was just worried about you….”

“Worried about me?”

“Of course….”

My throat tightened.

His rough thumb brushed my lower lip as Jiyod’s eyes narrowed, the corners creasing slightly.

“Don’t worry. As for that matter… I don’t know what you’ve heard, no, I think I understand enough. There’s no need to worry. Those fools think they can pull off a shallow trick, but I’ve already anticipated it.”

He continued speaking, then let out a long sigh before lowering his head and pressing his lips to mine.

But I couldn’t calm down. My heart pounded, and my chest heaved with every breath. I turned my head to avoid his kiss and spoke again.

“How can you say not to worry? If you leave Karlac now, those people will….”

“Don’t worry, Slan.”

He grabbed my chin and kissed me again.

“How… Ah…!”

Our lips met again as my mouth parted slightly. He sucked on my lips, and when they opened wider, his hot and slippery tongue slipped in. My waist trembled. I closed my eyes. The sound of hail falling on the cloak over my head grew more distant.

The kiss didn’t last long. After pulling back, he softly licked my upper lip.

“You don’t need to worry. I’ve already prepared for that matter. I’m going this time partly because he pointed me out, but even if he hadn’t, I would have volunteered. I have business with that young duke of Kirdara. My lovely nephew.”

He smiled.

I blinked, unable to understand what he was saying.

“But… but Lister said…”

“That there’s a lot of snow in the Grand Canyon this season, and that the roads are so slippery that if the carriage or horses slide, we might not even be able to recover the bodies?”

“…Yeah.”

My breathing quickened, but Jiyod just laughed calmly.

“That’s true. On top of that, the horses and coachmen from Kirdara aren’t familiar with the snowy roads of the Grand Canyon. If the carriage were to slide, well… Oh dear. Unfortunately… they’ll have their young son with them too.”

His gray eyes narrowed as if amused. I gasped.

“What are you saying?”

“Exactly what I said. Well, who knows? It’ll be interesting to see how skilled the knights of Kirdara really are. I’m curious to see if those lunatics who claim to be ‘Seven-headed Dragons’ will live up to their reputation in the snowy Tanalan Gorge.”

My heart started pounding again.

“Are you implying…?”

“Don’t worry. After all, isn’t Selcie like a half-sister to me?”

He chuckled briefly.

“I’ll do my best to bring my precious sister and nephew safely to Karlac. Of course, as much as I can…”

After that, he tilted his head again and kissed the bridge of my nose. His lips pressed lightly on various parts of my face, making small kissing sounds.

“Were you worried I wouldn’t come back?”

His teasing voice made something well up inside me—either frustration or maybe relief.

“Don’t tease me…”

When I turned my head, he let go of my chin and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. Our bodies pressed together, and the coldness of our clothes quickly faded, replaced by the heat between us.

“I’m not teasing. I’m happy. Haha, the fact that you’re worried about me…”

He then pressed his lips between my eyebrows, gently rubbing them repeatedly.

“Let’s go inside. Your body is cold… and so are your lips. Have you been crying? Your eyes are swollen. You cried because you were worried about me, didn’t you? How cute… Let’s go in and have something warm. I’ll beat up the cook and have him bring some spiced wine with honey and cinnamon. Then we can… hmm, first, warm you up a bit and see. Take off those wet clothes…”

Suddenly, I snapped back to my senses and pushed against his chest.

“No.”

“No?”

He laughed as if he’d heard something absurd.

“You came running out here at dawn, crying from worry, and now you’re backing off? I know you’re shy, but…”

“No, I need to go back. I snuck out. I came to tell you not to go to the Grand Canyon… But now that you say it’s fine, even though I still don’t fully understand…”

Finally, practical concerns began filling my mind.

What time is it? How long have I been out? What if someone enters my room and finds me gone? Or worse, what if Lister wakes up thirsty and calls for me in the middle of the night…?

“You snuck out? Did someone shackle your ankles? Was it that fool from Glenberg? Does that guy have to have his knees completely shattered before he stops bothering you?”

“Ah…”

I shook my head.

“No, it’s just… it’s not a time where I can freely move around.”

I couldn’t bring myself to mention Lister’s disgusting threats against me. But maybe my answer wasn’t enough, because Jiyod covered my lips with his own and whispered impatiently.

“Since it’s not a situation where we can meet freely, when will we be able to see each other again? Even this is after a month… Am I the only one who is going crazy wanting to see you? Even when I was on the battlefield, it wasn’t this bad. You’re so close, right here in Karlac Castle, within arm’s reach, yet I can’t see you. A while ago, I even pressured Ismion to send one of his shadow chimeras to the Glenberg residence…”

He began talking about sorcery, and I was so startled that I covered his lips with both my hands.

“Don’t say things like that.”

I looked around, worried that some Karlac mage might have their eyes or ears near us. Of course, even if they were really spying on us, I wouldn’t be able to notice.

“Are you scared someone’s watching us?”

He slipped one of my fingers into his mouth, a playful smile appearing at the corner of his long eyes.

“There’s no one here. I, hmm, made sure of that beforehand. So, there’s nothing to worry about.”

His voice was sweet, but my heart was still uneasy. I gently pushed his shoulders.

“I really have to go.”

Jiyod looked down at me silently for a moment. After a brief sigh, he spoke quietly.

“I’m leaving for the Grand Canyon in three days.”

He continued softly.

“I’m glad I got to see your face before that. And I’m relieved to know you haven’t forgotten me…”

His voice was slow. And with those words, he let me go.

I took a step back. Then Jiyod grabbed my wrist.

“Wait, Slan.”

He took off his cloak and draped it over me. It was a thick, luxurious fur-lined cloak, still warm from his body, with a faint musk lingering inside.

“I can’t bear to see you walking around in that cheap coat. At least wear this.”

“But you…”

“I’m fine. I once survived for ten days in just armor in the middle of snowdrifts on the battlefield. Compared to that, this cold is hardly anything.”

I looked up at him. Ice pellets, smaller than before, were falling on his shoulders, clad only in a black tunic and pants. After a moment of hesitation, I stepped closer and stood on my toes to give him a light kiss on the lips.

“Come back safely, okay?”

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, then opened them again, gazing down at me silently for a long time. His slender eyes shone with a soft light.

His fingers brushed the back of my hand. He gave my hand a firm squeeze and then let go.

“I’ll return before winter ends. Stay healthy.”

I nodded and finally turned away from him.

I walked slowly, very slowly… slow enough that he wouldn’t notice my limping left foot as I left the corridor.

Fortunately, no one seemed to notice my excursion.

Glenberg Mansion remained as silent as ever.

I let out a small, thin breath, raised myself on my toes, and walked back to my room. As soon as I closed the door, I heard someone snoring loudly from the inner chamber across the hall. My heart sank, but the noise quickly subsided.

I took off the cloak and slipped into bed.

Jiyod’s cloak still held his warmth and musk. I hugged it close and buried my nose in it. A faint trace of his scent lingered, making me feel as though I was wrapped in his arms. My body relaxed, but tears welled up in my eyes.

A short winter…

I wished this winter would never end.

With that thought, I slowly drifted into sleep.

It was the sweetest sleep I’d had in a long time.

***

Time passed quietly.

Nothing happened in Karlac Castle.

One part of the outer wall repairs, which had long troubled the lord of Karlac, was successfully completed. Even Lister’s face brightened.

Constantly monitoring and repairing the ancient walls, which were as old as Karlac’s thousand-year history, was one of the most crucial tasks. For completing the repairs, Lister received high praise from the lord of Karlac, along with several valuable treasures. He called me over and proudly opened each treasure chest to show me how intricately the jade crown was crafted, how vivid and blue the sapphires on the necklace gleamed, and how large the diamonds in the rings were.

I stared at the jewels for a long time. It wasn’t because I particularly wanted them, but because it reminded me of a time when such jewels were so abundant that they’d get underfoot. Though perhaps I did want one, just a little…

As if he could read my mind, Lister chuckled and closed the lid of the jewelry box right in front of me, not forgetting to scold me for daring to covet such precious gems as a mere slave. He also threatened that if even one piece went missing, I’d be held responsible.

I must’ve shown my greed. Embarrassed, I looked down at the floor.

Winter passed quickly.

Whenever the blue sky peeked through the dark clouds, my heart would race at the signs of the coming spring. But then the thick clouds would cover the sun again, snow would fall, and my mind would settle back into calm.

The peaceful, slow atmosphere of Karlac Castle was suddenly overturned on one of those rare blue-sky days. That day, the castle workers had taken advantage of the sunlight to catch up on laundry, hanging sheets and clothes in the sun, so white fabric fluttered like flags beside one of the castle walls.

People gathered in pairs, whispering excitedly to each other.

Unable to contain my curiosity, I lingered near the kitchen, which was the most approachable place. After pacing back and forth by the door three or four times without asking outright, one of the younger cooks, who had clearly run out of patience, beckoned me over.

I quickly approached her as if I had been waiting for this. She glanced around once. At that moment, only a young servant was washing dishes in the kitchen. The cook sent the child out to fetch water, then leaned toward me and whispered hurriedly.

“They say Lord of Ipsen is coming back.”

My eyes widened.

“When?”

“I’m not sure. How would someone like me know? It’s just that…”

She trailed off.

Impatient, I pressed her for more.

“Just that?”

“There was a tragedy in Soedergran. The carriage slipped on the snowy road…”

“What!?”

My voice rose.

My breath quickened, and uneven gasps escaped my lips.

The cook shook her head.

“Lady Selcie. And her son too… It’s such a tragedy. They say the Kirdara horses weren’t accustomed to the snow. If they had been Karlac horses, that wouldn’t have happened, right? And those incompetent seven-drakes couldn’t even recover the remains of the carriage in the snowy gorge.”

My mind raced.

I felt dizzy.

“Selcie? And her son too? The carriage slipped—are you saying…?”

“Yes. It’s really terrible.”

She lowered her voice.

“Thankfully, though, the tragedy happened before they crossed the Tanalan Mountains. So, you see, Lord of Ipsen hadn’t even met with them yet. It’s tragic for the lady, of course… but goodness! If it had gone wrong, we might’ve ended up at war with Kirdara, don’t you think?”

Afterward, she pursed her lips tightly and looked up at me cautiously.

“You won’t tell the master that I said any of this, will you?”

“Of course not.”

I nodded.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing, just…”

She fell silent for a moment before shaking her head.

“Still, it’s a relief that Lord of Ipsen will return safely. Some look down on him for being an illegitimate child born of a slave, but I don’t feel that way.”

The cook opened her mouth as if to say something more but then closed it, shaking her head before giving me a faint smile.

What was she going to say?

But I didn’t pry. She’d already shown me enough kindness.

I left the kitchen before anyone else came in.

My heart pounded.

The words Jiyod had spoken that night under the hail echoed in my mind.

No way…

I stopped in the middle of the hallway.

It felt as if a flash of lightning had struck before my eyes, distancing me from reality, as if I were floating. But at the same time, my mind became sharp and clear. My brain, usually dulled by madness, started working at an unusually fast pace.

Selcie’s husband is the son of the Grand Duke of Kirdara. Unlike his other siblings, he was born without any disabilities and was an outstanding knight himself. He was destined to be the next ruler of Kirdara, and the alliance between eastern Karlac and Kirdara would have been solidified. The previous Lord of Karlac and Selcie’s father, Lord Stravin, surely chose him as Selcie’s husband for that very reason. But if Selcie and her son, the heir of Kirdara, had died…

A chill ran down my back.

Cold sweat trickled down the nape of my neck.

The situation in Kirdara has reportedly deteriorated. Taking advantage of the Grand Duke’s illness, the young seven-drakes are looking for a chance to tear each other apart. And Selcie and her son died just before crossing the border, their carriage slipping on the snowy road.

So, who bears the responsibility for this death?

No… Which side orchestrated this death?

Suddenly, the southern corridor became chaotic. Several servants were rushing toward the southern entrance. I quickly came to my senses and hurried after them.

It seemed the master of the house had returned.

Lister had come back earlier than expected.

The sun was still high in the sky.

There was a storm of noise—clanging steel armor, the rattling of swords, loud shouts, and annoyed murmurs. Lister had just entered through the gate with his knights. His face was twisted in frustration. He exchanged hurried, low words with the knights quickly following at his side. I knelt among the servants.

Lister paused in front of me as he was giving orders to his lieutenant.

“Bring wine and a hot towel to my room.”

He ordered me and then walked past.

I stood and sighed.

When I brought the wine and hot towel on a tray to his quarters, he was not in the bedroom but in the reception room with several knights. One of them noticed me, his expression conflicted. He seemed unsure whether to greet me, kneel before me as in the past, or treat me with the disdain reserved for slaves. Confusion flickered in the young knight’s eyes.

In the end, he chose none of those options. He simply turned away, choosing to ignore me—a decision that matched everyone else’s.

“Are they really saying Selcie’s death is our fault?”

“The Kirdara side is…”

“Hah! Ridiculous! If you think about it, it’s their own idiots who failed to provide proper escort! She died before even crossing the border, didn’t she?”

“They’re saying they need to continue the search in case someone survived.”

“Idiots! In this season! In Tanalan Gorge! What do the fools in the capital know about the Grand Canyon?”

Lister was yelling when he noticed me standing by the door.

He rubbed his temples with his right hand, frowned, and gestured for the knights to leave.

“We’ll talk more later. For now… ha, make preparations to depart. If Lord Karlac insists, we’ll have to comb through the Grand Canyon in the dead of winter to find some frozen corpses.”

He sneered, and the knights withdrew.

Lister then gestured for me to come closer. I approached him.

I poured the strong liquor into his cup and placed the hot towel, still steaming, on the small table. Lister naturally extended his legs toward me. Kneeling on the floor, I removed his boots and began wiping his feet with the towel.

Lister drank silently. As I wrapped the towel around his heels and gently massaged them, he suddenly spoke.

“Selcie’s dead. Her son too.”

I already knew this.

I quietly nodded.

“Kirdara says they’ll continue the search, just in case someone survived… Hah! What nonsense. No one missing in the Grand Canyon during this season ever comes back alive! Fools.”

He muttered a curse under his breath and brought the cup to his lips. His throat moved as he swallowed. After a pause, Lister spoke again.

“It was that bastard, for sure.”

My hands momentarily froze.

Though it lasted only a few seconds, Lister, sharp as ever, noticed and cursed again, this time more harshly.

“What? Are you worried?”

“Why would I worry about him?”

“Look up.”

I obediently raised my face and looked up at him.

Lister slowly examined my face, as if trying to see right through me. I did my best to keep my expression neutral. My heart was pounding, but I was determined not to let him notice.

After a moment, Lister let out a sigh, as if he were suddenly drained of energy.

“Of course. You have no reason to worry about that bastard.”

“…Why do you think the Lord of Ipsen killed Selcie?”

“Isn’t it obvious!”

Lister slammed the copper cup onto the table with such force that a few drops of wine splattered.

“Selcie was the wife of Kirdara’s heir. Their son was the Grand Duke’s only grandson! He was Kirdara’s successor! Do you think that bastard would just sit back and let the alliance between his father and Kirdara strengthen? If you knew the way he’s been behaving at court lately… But what would you know about that, damn it.”

As I continued to massage his feet with the towel, I focused on committing every word he said to memory.

“That lowborn Ipsen fool… ungrateful, bastard-born, treating his own blood sister like that…”

“But we don’t know for sure yet, do we? Besides, the carriage fell within Kirdara’s territory.”

“Not sure?”

Lister scoffed.

“That bastard recently moved his army to eastern Ipsen. Eastern Ipsen! And who’s there? Of course, his only father… The northern Lord Stravin, the High Lord of Soedergran, and our loyal Karlac ally.”

“Moved his army…”

“Yeah! An army! It’s practically treason. Damn it, the bastard claims he’s chasing Ipsen rebels, but who’s he fooling? He’s Ipsen-born himself! It’s obvious—he’s trying to keep his father in check. Do you think someone like him would leave Selcie and her son alone?”

I quietly lowered my gaze.

But didn’t they try to kill him first…? That thought rose to my throat, but I swallowed it back.

“Besides, there are rumors he’s been colluding with Kirdara.”

Lister poured himself another glass of strong liquor before continuing.

“Colluding? Kirdara is our ally…”

“An ally is still an ally with factions. Kirdara’s internal division is something that bastard is likely trying to exploit.”

A light of hatred appeared on his face—a strangely intense hatred.

I couldn’t understand it. Lister hardly ever had any dealings with Jiyod. Jiyod had spent most of his life on the battlefield since childhood, so he had little interaction with Lister, who was born and raised in Karlac Castle. I briefly considered this, then concluded that Lister’s hatred stemmed from his animosity toward Ipsen bloodlines.

After taking several more sips of liquor, Lister put down the glass.

As he seemed to be getting up, I quickly removed the towel from his feet and helped him put his shoes back on. He stood up steadily, and I swiftly fetched his cloak.

“I won’t be back for a while. I’m joining the search for Selcie and her son in Soedergran.”

He spoke reluctantly.

Without thinking, I looked up.

Lister’s face twisted into a scowl.

“What? Happy? Not having to see me?”

I couldn’t bring myself to say yes, but I also couldn’t lie and say no. I lowered my head again, fumbling for the cloak’s clasp near his shoulder. Lister reached out and grabbed my chin, his thumb stroking the hollow between my chin and lips. It sent a chill down my spine, but I endured it.

“Behave. If you act up while I’m gone like you used to… you know what’ll happen, right?”

His voice was cold, and my body trembled. I quickly nodded. But just before he left, I couldn’t hold back and asked a question.

“So, will the Lord of Ipsen return to Karlac?”

The question seemed to irritate Lister. His lips curled into a sneer.

“Why? Why are you asking that?”

“No reason… people were talking about him.”

My voice grew quieter, realizing it might’ve been a mistake. Lister, who was standing by the door, turned back and approached me. He placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned his face closer, a strange smile playing on his lips.

“Why are you curious, Slan?”

“Just because… everyone keeps talking about him…”

“Well, I suppose a servant’s curiosity is only natural.”