Chapter 62
Chapter 62
Dinah’s glance lingered on his forehead. The mark was missing, so she couldn’t even say who was in front of her: a miserable low-ranking scum or a high-born gentleman with good manners. Anyway, she was well aware of the truth!
«Why are you still alive?» – Dinah asked him blatantly the question that had been burning her lips. It wasn’t something out of the ordinary, though. She didn’t often go to the training ground, and the servants didn’t give her any details. Anyway, the whipping boy could tell her everything himself.
Kyon was not going to bow down to Dinah, even if he’d better do so. She infuriated him too much to deprive himself of the pleasure of gloating. He stretched lazily and looked at her with a mischievous smile on his lips:
«Do you want me to die?»
It left Dinah speechless. Once again, the miserable slave was staring at her as if he owned her, treating her with no respect just like he did when they first met. Was it his true identity? Of course, not… He was so cheeky with her because Lady Juno had forbidden her to harm him in any way. He must have asked the lady for this order, and she suddenly agreed… As if her most trusted confidant was less important than a pathetic servant… It just didn’t make any sense!
Dinah had an urge to nail the jerk to the wall and punish him properly, but there was no way she could do it. Her body wouldn’t make a move against him because of Juno’s order.
«I would gladly kill you myself, but you seem to have convinced the lady of your non-existent value, little prick. How did you do that?» – She slammed the tray on the bench and folded her arms arrogantly, waiting for his reply.
Kyon gave her a wry smile. No one would ever suspect that he had branded Juno with a subjugating formation. Besides, he had already made up a cover story that fully justified his sudden value and high position.
«I’d love to tell you this interesting story, only… I won’t. If your lovely little sister asks me, I’ll tell her everything with great pleasure. But I won’t tell you a word.» – Kyon slowly approached the maid.
«That’s how you’re talking now… You got the lady’s protection, and now you have the nerve! You’ve stopped wetting your pants at my appearance. Look at yourself! You think you’re a proud lion, but you’re still worthless nullity. Bravo!» – Dinah smiled with contempt and clapped twice her hands, mocking him…
Unfortunately, her attempt to hurt him failed. Kyon was smiling ominously, getting closer and closer to her.
«And that’s coming from a noble, proud maid who wanted to finish me off because of some miserable sausage that Marina had brought to save me from starvation. You know, I’m even glad that master Jean has been using your cute little things for his dirty business. You totally deserve it and even more for your foul temper.»
Dinah gasped with shock and anger. He didn’t fall for her biting words. Instead, his blunt reply hit her like a bullet. His merciless words were like salt in the still-raw wound. She hadn’t healed after the past trauma yet. Dinah meant to reach for the dagger, but her hand froze aimlessly in the air.
Kyon enjoyed her nervous, helpless movement. He moved to Dinah step by step until she bumped against the wall.
* bang *
Kyon hit the wall near her head, cutting off her further retreat and said with a threat in his voice:
«Now listen carefully to me, pathetic maid. Starting with this moment, you will be in big trouble if you dare to make a move against me. Did you get the message?»
Kyon didn’t mean to say “pathetic maid,” but the words just slipped out. He was looking straight into her eyes with his heavy unblinking gaze of a seasoned killer.
Dinah was drowning in his eyes. A whole stream of various feelings and emotions overwhelmed her. She had never been treated like this. She had never been pushed or threatened… She had never been scared. And all of this coming from this miserable servant! Who was he anyway? Why was his aura so cold and overpowering? Why was he so sure of himself?
Just then, the gate creaked open again, and Juno arrived on the scene.
The cutie was wearing a pearl gray skirt, silver sandals, and a tight blouse with thin straps. Her bare white shoulders magnetized the eyes. Her outfit was not suitable for training. She was dressed like this to make Dinah suspicious. Juno always had a special uniform for her training sessions. She was trying to leave hints through the net of rigid orders but… When Juno saw Dinah pressed against the wall, she understood that she shouldn’t have bothered.
{What? Is it his sophisticated way to commit suicide?} – Despite her happy thoughts, not a single emotion reflected on the face of the high-born slave girl, all because of the orders.
Dinah instantly slipped out of Kyon’s grip. It was embarrassing to let Lady Juno see her like this.
«Forgive me, my lady. The cheeky boy was misbehaving. Will you let me punish him properly?» – Dinah asked slightly stammering, visibly red in the face. The young lady had seen the honor of the superior maid compromised.
Kyon bent over in a respectful bow. He imperceptibly waved his little finger and coughed politely, giving Juno a sign.
Juno promptly addressed the maid in a calm persuasive tone:
«My dear Dinah, please ignore this ill-trained servant. He has no manners whatsoever, but he has something else, no less important. I guess he has already told you all about it. That’s why I asked you to bring him breakfast. You are free to go now.»
«But my lady! This boy dared to…»
«Don’t worry, I’ll punish him myself. You’d better take care of your other duties.»
Dinah pursed her lips, visibly displeased. Then she bowed obediently and left. A ray of hatred pierced Kyon, but he only smiled at her playfully as if she were a sweet, harmless pet. It was a bad day for Dinah, a very bad day…
Dinah was heading home, tormented by curiosity. She had no end of questions, beginning with the possible reasons for the newly-minted servant’s arrogance (what if there’s something else behind his confidence?) and ending with the young lady’s strange behavior (why on earth did she protect him?)
As soon as Dinah got to the mansion and found her sister, she grabbed her by the hand and took her to the nearest empty room, without explaining anything.
«What’s the matter? Is it something important?» – Anna asked anxiously, alarmed by such an unusual behavior of her usually impassive sister.
«The black-haired upstart is still alive.»
«Uhm… Are you talking about… Is he really alive? I haven’t seen him for three weeks…» – Anna muttered in shock.
«But that’s not the point! The lady has ordered me not to harm him! And now… He is being a little too much! Anna, you must ask him everything in person, please. Everything you can. I have neither strength nor desire to do anything with this impudent street rat!»
«Oh! It can’t be true!» – Anna covered her mouth with her little hand in disbelief. For the first time, her sister let anyone see her feelings. And for the first time, Lady Juno had given an order to one of them. Something big was going on!
«I have no reason to lie to you. Be so kind and interrogate this little scoundrel properly. Torture him, if necessary. We are experts on tortures for a reason.»
Anna sighed with annoyance. Pity and sympathy for the unfortunate toothless boy still lived in her kind heart. She decided to spare him the suffering if he told her everything himself. Anna had no doubt that she would find out everything she wanted. She promised her sister to settle things up.
Dinah already had the usual cold and unemotional expression on her face. She nodded to Anna gratefully and left.
…
As soon as Dinah left the training ground, Kyon made Juno sign with his finger to check her formation. She shook her head, which meant no one was nearby or watching them with some concealment technique. Meanwhile, certain orders had expired in Juno’s formation, and she growled furiously:
«You’re insane! I swear to you that your death will be long and painful! If I don’t kill you, Dinah will do it someday!»
Kyon began eating his breakfast carelessly. «I don’t think she will dare when she finds out why I’m so valuable to you.»
«I would personally give away all the wealth of my family and the mansion to boot just to get rid of you! What value are you talking about?!»
«I am Marina’s friend. I also have incredible combat skills. These two factors are enough to justify my role as your servant.»
Juno hissed something angrily under his breath and ran to let off steam on a dummy, imagining you know whose sly face.
For the first time in a long, long time, Kyon had eaten his fill. He rose solemnly, straightened his back, flexed his shoulders. It was time to try out the pure energy in practice, figure out the average speed of his movements, and estimate the effect of his blows. All in all, he wanted to know what his body was capable of… He needed to determine what would happen if he met the little demon at the hot spring now that he had mastered the basic grade of pure energy. He was eager to punish her by himself (if he was ready.) Juno’s proper upbringing had just begun…