The Maid In The Reverse Harem Game Wants To Quit

It was true that this was right after Otis and Ahibalt fought to their hearts’ content. That was also the reason why the expression of the man in front of her wasn’t as bright as he listened to this ambitious plan.

Ahibalt opened his mouth with a very glum expression.

“I like all the plans. It’s good. Still, I wonder if Otis will join this plan.”

“…Originally, I was going to have a talk with both Young Masters.”

As Irene stared at him, if he got a strange feeling of reprimand from that gaze, it was certainly not because of his mood. However, if he saw that gaze and wanted to kiss her, then that must not be normal either.

He wouldn’t know again if he was utterly insane.

Nonetheless, it was also true that he accepted Irene’s silent rebuke with a complicated feeling and eventually shook his head.

“I know it was too much. So, why don’t you stop looking at me that way.”

“I’m sorry if I was presumptuous. Though, weren’t the two of you always on good terms?”

“There is a bond.”

The Lavrenti brothers were quite polite to say it was a simple brotherly relationship, but at some point, they understood each other just to be called very strangers. In fact, it was a strange relationship. When the three of them were in Lavrenti, they behaved so indiscriminately that it wouldn’t be awkward even if they were strangers.

The story of how that relationship had reached the present was simple.

“Because we were together in Lichpen. There’s a bond from being together in those years.”

“But, was the problem big enough to break that bond?”

He smiled bitterly and looked at Irene, who was asking an innocent question. He could neither affirm nor deny the matter. Regardless, her plan needed to convince Otis, so Ahibalt stood up instead of answering.

“…Anyway, I can’t deny that I’m responsible. I’ll take responsibility for Otis, so you don’t have to.”

As he was about to tell her to go back and rest…

Neiiiggh—!

Suddenly, the silence of the mansion was shattered by the sound of a horse neighing. At the same time, the stability remaining on Irene’s face crumbled like a thin layer of sugar.

“…Is someone here?”

“No, in that case, they would have been blocked from the front door before entering the garden.”

…Then, it was inside the mansion.

Thinking so, Irene jumped to her feet.

“Looks like it’s towards the stable, so I’ll go.”

But then…

Ahibalt grabbed her arm.

“No, why don’t we talk about your condition first?”

“Yes? How’s my condition…”

Irene, who was about to ask a question, couldn’t finish her words. It was because the moment she stood up in a hurry, she was greatly staggered back. In the aftermath of not having time to recover properly after being paralyzed, it was natural that she couldn’t drink enough water while stomping around the mansion all day long, worrying about Rodion’s condition.

Still, she didn’t roll onto the floor unsightly.

“Do you still think about how things are now when you see this?”

Irene blinked slowly, feeling extreme dizziness and fatigue. In her obliquely lowered field of view, only Ahibalt was contained. As he was holding her, who was about to collapse, his eyes gazing down at her were cold. Because of that, she wondered if he was angry.

“At this rate, there will not be enough infirmary rooms.”

Hearing his voice made her feel angry.

“I’m sorry.”

It was true that she had been impatient as her resignation date was approaching, and she had been overdoing it recently.

Irene admitted her mistake. Even though she tried several times to put strength into her body and escape her misfortune as she leaned against her master’s arms, the more she tried, the stronger the arms that held her.

“…I, I can stand up.”

“It doesn’t look like that to me.”

Saying so, he let go of her as if showing off. The moment her hand fell, her body jolted like a miracle, and the next moment, Irene returned to her seat…

…Right in the arms of Ahibalt.

‘Ever since I was paralyzed by the numbing scent, my body didn’t move as I wanted…’

Eventually, Irene squeezed out what was left of her strength, and after one more attempt, she closed her eyes as Ahibalt’s grip wouldn’t come undone before opening her mouth.

“Please let go, Young Master. I think I’ll be able to walk if I rest a little bit. I’ll just go to the stable for now, and then I’ll go back and rest. I’m worried…”

“Irene.”

“Yes?”

As she opened her eyes again, she could see Ahibalt, who seemed to be calmer than a moment ago.

“Let me ask you a question. How many maids live in this mansion?”

“Fourteen.”

“What about footman?”

“Twenty if you include people who commute?”

“Okay, I know that. Though can you explain why you’re the only one who’s running around l every time?”

Irene finally shut her mouth at those words. It was because Ahibalt pointed out her chronic habit of feeling overly responsible.

Meanwhile, seeing that she had calmed down, he let out a sigh of relief.

“Well thought out. You’d better lie down.”

She could feel Ahirbalt fixing his arms around her and being completely embraced by him. Because of that, the tips of her toes wobbled around his waist. The problem was that her energy to get out of this embarrassing situation was really, really gone.

‘Why now?’

Once I stumbled and was stabbed to the point, Irene ran out of energy as if she had been caught in some kind of magic.

The arms that were holding her were firm as she leaned against them. As Ahibalt changed his posture and held her more comfortably, she could feel his lean muscles twitching under the hem of the thin fabric.

…So, who does this beating heartbeat belong to?

‘Wooden scent…’

Irene closed her eyes.

Soon, something soft was against her back. She thought it was a bed because she could hear the sheets rustling.

‘Now, I’m lying down on the First Master’s bed…’

She was really living in luxury. The moment Irene thought to herself, the shadows over her closed eyes lifted.

“I’ll go to the stable, so you can take a break. This is an order from your master. I’m going to wait until you wake up after resting, so if you’re thinking of something nonsense, just close your eyes.”

After he ordered his overly loyal maid to do so, Ahibalt walked away.

Thud.

With the sound of the door closing, Irene’s forehead narrowed slightly. By the time the wrinkles between her brows became a little thicker, she raised her arms and put them on her face… as if she did that, the tingling in her chest would subside.

‘As expected, it’s too much.’

Ahibalt’s attitude was too much for a simple servant. It was too much for his cherished subordinates. Still, was there really a reason for that?

‘Ahibalt has someone he loves…’

His first love, who didn’t leave his side until Louise appeared.

The sadness on Irene’s face became sharper when she remembered the game story. Wouldn’t she have suffered so much if this cry had been directed at Otis or Rodion? It had been a long time since she loved Ahibald, but why is it that she still hasn’t given up her lingering feelings?

‘…I must be overworked.’

Because when her body was tired, her mind was also shaken. Perhaps when her body gets better, this tingling would go away…

Irene closed her eyes as she repeated that.

ﾟ· : * ✧ * :· ﾟ

It was true that she wasn’t well.

Irene suffered from a fever for three days after that. At least, it was the third day that she had suffered all day and night, talking nonsense due to the fever, and was gone.

The first thing Irene asked in her hoarse voice when she was about to get out of bed when her fever subsided was…

“What happened to the Young Masters?”

The person who answered that question was Ahibalt, who was guarding the bed.

“Otis went to Lowens with Charlotte. Rodion calmed down while I was waiting for you.”

It wasn’t just that. He had already completed all the measures regarding the vineyard and sent Henrietta to Lowens.

“I thought about it after spraying Phylloxera, but I thought it’d be better to be sure, so I made some deals with the absinthe manufacturers.”

‘If it were something I’m touching, aunt would turn away without even looking at it.’ Ahibalt smiled as he added that.

“Have I kept my promise enough?”

“…Yes. That’s enough.”

Irene involuntarily nodded her head without realizing it. Unlike her, who would be drenched in a cold sweat and haggard from the heat, he was neatly dressed.

The lightly pigmented eyelashes caught the sunlight and reflected as if embracing a haze, and the sleek and neat face and gently curved features harmonized.

When he smiled, the white teeth showed through his thinning lips as a shadow fell under the straight bridge of his nose. Every time he blinked, the eyelids that formed a line inside the eye socket resembled a magnolia that began to bloom little by little beyond the open window behind him.

Perhaps, it was because he had his back against the spring scenery… What made Ahibalt look so beautiful at that moment?

But, ironically, at the same time, she noticed the imperfect part of such a beautiful man.

A tie with a rough finish and open sleeves that looked foreign because the cufflinks weren’t fastened, and a pair of trousers crumpled above the ankle—It felt like all the immaturity of a man who pursued perfection referred to her void because she felt how detached she was from this beautiful man.

Irene involuntarily let out a dry laugh.

Beyond her fading gaze, she could see the magnolia outside the window swaying in the spring breeze.

At that moment…

‘Ah…’

She hated Ahibalt.