I'd Rather You Left Him Alone
Heste smiled sweetly at the Meliard family servant and asked, “So, did you find Reyan?”
The sunlight streaming into the villa caught her silver hair, making it shimmer as if it were glowing. With her true nature tucked away behind a perfect ‘mask,’ Heste looked every bit the flawless young noblewoman. Asking about a mere ‘commoner’ might have seemed strange, but since the question came from Heste, the servant didn’t dare question it. She was trusted that much.
“He appears to be at the Fairy Tail Guild.”
“Appears to be?”
“I was told a young man named Reyan had collapsed on Roxwell Street. A couple of vagrants stole his money and ran off, but a cat-beastkin lifted him up and carried him away. There aren’t many cat-beastkin around here—unlike wolf-beastkin—so it wasn’t hard to narrow it down. We couldn’t confirm his identity, but when we looked into people connected to that young man, the only one who stood out was the master of the Fairy Tail Guild. I’ve already sent someone, so we should have confirmation soon.”
“Understood. You may go. Prepare one carriage for me.”
“As you wish. You intend to head to the Fairy Tail Guild, I presume?”
“Yes. You know me so well, don’t you?”
“I have served you for over ten years, my lady.”
Heste barely managed to hold back a snort of laughter at the butler’s words. Ten years of service, yet only Claire knew her true nature. Not her father, not her mother, not even her worthless older brother—only Claire. Strangely, now that everything had been exposed, she felt relieved. The fact that Claire was using her made her heart race with a bizarre thrill. Knowing that the one person who understood her better than anyone else also knew sides of her no one else did filled her with excitement.
“Just a moment.”
Heste pulled three silver coins from her inner pocket and pressed them into the servant’s hand.
“…You did well. Take them and don’t say a word.”
It was a kind of reward for making her think of Claire. From now on, every time she looked at the servant, Claire’s face would come to mind. It was worth every coin. The servant bowed deeply in thanks and left. The moment he was gone, Heste stepped out of the study and headed for the bedroom.
He hates me, yet he’s using me for Reyan’s sake. Just wait. I’m necessary.
She knew those desperate eyes weren’t truly directed at her, but Heste still wore a satisfied smile. At least Claire was waiting for her out of necessity. The door creaked open as she entered the bedroom.
“…Did you find Reyan?”
Claire asked carefully. That caution wasn’t the kind one showed a slave who could be used however one pleased anymore. It was caution for Reyan, who wasn’t even in the room. Heste smiled at Claire and looked at her with the kindest eyes she could manage without feeling nauseated.
“Not yet.”
It was a lie. She had been sincere about helping Claire, but Heste also knew that the moment Reyan was recovered, her own usefulness would vanish. There were conditions attached to revealing Reyan’s location or helping mend their relationship.
…Their relationship has to deteriorate further, to the point they can’t escape me.
Or make it so Reyan can’t leave her side. Make Claire stay close out of jealousy.
“You said you could find him! You told me to use you!”
Claire stared at Heste, then squeezed her eyes shut. Unable to stand the smile still plastered on Heste’s face, she strode forward, grabbed a fistful of silver hair, and slammed her against the wall. A dull thud echoed as a groan slipped from Heste’s lips.
“Ah, ngh—.”
You’re the one who ruined everything. You’re the one who hurt Reyan. So how can you smile so shamelessly without taking any responsibility? Why are you talking like this is so natural?!
The anger in those words brought just as much pain crashing through Heste’s body.
“Haa, ah, I told you… it’s still… too early, Claire.”
Heste slumped to the floor, looked up at Claire, and coughed lightly. The impact against her back made it hard to breathe, and tears welled in her eyes. Her face flushed red. Collapsed on the floor, her breathing grew ragged. Then she spun another clever lie.
“I heard Reyan was completely drunk and headed to the guild with Runyang. Just the two of them.”
“Are you trying to trick me again?”
“That’s why I said I didn’t know for sure yet. I was going to tell you once it was confirmed.”
Claire was helplessly bound by love. She feared anyone coming between her and Reyan more than anything. That was why she had been deceived by Heste, why she fell for her honeyed words.
The simple phrase ‘just the two of them’ made Claire’s pupils tremble. It was obvious dark thoughts were flooding her mind.
Heste decided to push her even further. As if she wanted to be hit more.
“It’s Runyang, that cat-beastkin, that’s bothering you… isn’t it?”
As expected, Claire slapped her across the face. To Claire, violence had been the hardest thing she’d endured in her life. She believed that if Heste experienced violence too, she would cooperate better and stop hurting Reyan.
The problem was that Heste was twisted. She smiled even brighter, as if the pain felt like pleasure. Claire was the one who had struck her, yet it was Claire’s hand that began to tremble.
“…Prepare the carriage. I have to apologize to Lady Runyang anyway. I want to see for myself.”
“Yes, it’s already ready.”
Heste thought of Reyan. The butler’s words were clearly true.
From what she could see, Runyang felt more than simple fondness for Reyan. If she had picked him up off the street, his condition must have been dire. After we left him in that state just to fight in the villa, there was no way she would look at us favorably.
Heste deliberately kept that information from Claire. If Runyang and Claire fought or argued, it would hurt Reyan. And only when Reyan was in pain could she slip into that wound, forcing her way into staying by Claire’s side.
…
Runyang sat watching over the still-sleeping Reyan. She still hated Claire and Heste for abandoning him until he ended up like this. But every time Reyan muttered Claire’s name in his sleep, she couldn’t help but chuckle. Does he really love her that much?
“…Master, the young ladies from the Artifare and Meliard families have arrived.”
“Got it. Show them to the reception room and tell them I’ll be there soon.”
“Understood.”
Runyang drew a magic circle and channeled mana so Reyan could sleep comfortably. She had never had the chance to study magic properly, so it wasn’t anything impressive, but it would at least keep him from suffering a terrible hangover. It was the least she could do.
“…Still, I really wish you hadn’t gotten involved with Artifare, Reyan.”
After muttering to herself, Runyang almost left but paused to pull the blanket back over the sleeping boy. She stroked his hair two or three times before finally stepping away.
She didn’t like the idea of meeting the people who had tormented Reyan, but she headed to the reception room anyway.
In the reception room waited the beautiful young lady with snow-white hair, Heste, and the sole survivor of the Artifare family, Claire, whose crimson eyes sent chills down the spine.
Since there was no particular conversation to be had, Runyang simply sat down and stared at the two women. They had come to her, so they would speak first.
Tick. Tock.
The second hand of the clock moved steadily. Steam rose gently from the teacups prepared for guests, and birds chirped outside.
“…Lady Runyang. I came because there’s something I need to tell you.”
It was, of course, Claire who spoke first. She knew she had to apologize before asking about Reyan. She also remembered how Runyang had lowered herself for both her sake and Reyan’s. It was strange that gratitude made the apology even harder, but she gathered her courage and opened her mouth.
“…I… before… at the, the banquet… I l-lied and h-hurt you, Lady Runyang…”
“Is that all?”
“…Pardon?”
Runyang glared at Claire as if none of it mattered. Her sharp, cat-like voice cut through even the ticking of the clock.
“…Claire, do you even love Reyan?”
Claire’s eyes locked onto Runyang.
“…What? I-I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Exactly what I said. Do you love Reyan or not?”
“…Why are you asking me that?”
Runyang looked at Claire’s confused expression and let out a disbelieving chuckle.
“…What exactly were you doing yesterday? Enjoying the banquet while you left Reyan behind? Or maybe a commoner like Reyan wasn’t good enough, so you latched onto some noble instead? Even though you’re an Artifare, you’re pretty enough that men must flock to you, right?”
The sudden accusation made Claire’s eyes widen. She might have endured simple insults, but the moment Reyan’s name was mentioned, she couldn’t hold back.
“…What kind of rude thing is that to say? How could I ever leave Reyan behind…!”
Runyang had seen Reyan lying pathetically on the street. After abandoning the person she claimed to love like that, why was she getting angry? If anyone should be angry, it was her. She was the older sister here. She should be the one getting angry.
“You did abandon him.”
A heavy silence fell. The weight of the word ‘abandoned’ was no small thing. Claire seemed to lose her voice, unable to close her mouth. Abandoned?
“…Do you even know where Reyan was or what condition he was in? He was lying on the street, drunk out of his mind, calling your name over and over. He cried for hours—there were clear tear tracks on his face. He drank so much he wasn’t even conscious! Where were you? What were you doing? Do you actually love Reyan? When he was hurting that badly—when a kid who doesn’t drink or smoke was reeking of cigarettes and alcohol—where the hell were you, Claire?!”
It wasn’t hard to tell Runyang was telling the truth. Her genuine emotions were just as obvious. Her lips were quivering, her cat ears twitched unconsciously, and the skin beneath her eyes kept flinching.
“…You’re selfish. You only ever hurt Reyan. You make him suffer, then abandon him. I even called myself a beast to give you a chance, but you left him there. And instead of apologizing to him, you come to me first? Are you serious? Do you really love Reyan? Did you even think about him? If he’s done so much for you, shouldn’t you do the same for him?! I doubt it, but if you truly love him… then please…”
Runyang hesitated for a moment, then shook her head slightly.
“…If this is how it’s going to be, then just leave Reyan alone and disappear. Please. I don’t need your apology or your comfort. Don’t come looking for him again.”
To Claire, it was the cruelest thing she could have said.
“…Ah.”
A sigh mixed with countless emotions escaped Claire’s lips. She hadn’t wanted to imagine it, but the image of Reyan collapsed on the street, drunk and crying, rose in her mind and tore at her heart. It hurt so much she thought it was only natural for Runyang to hate her.
“…You’re an Artifare. You’ve survived just fine on your own. So let Reyan go already.”
At the cold words, Claire covered her face with both hands and curled in on herself. Runyang watched her for a moment, then stood to leave the reception room. Heste pulled a small wand from her pocket and pointed it toward Runyang’s side, as if to protect Claire. At that moment—
“…I was wrong, I really was. It hurts so much, please. Give me another chance.”
Claire rushed forward and grabbed Runyang before she could leave, sobbing. Though she was only a noble in name, she dropped to her knees and looked up at Runyang.
“…I was blinded by jealousy. I thought I was protecting Reyan. I only ever hurt him. I know that. But I can’t even imagine a life without Reyan. Calling you a beast, hurting you with lies, abandoning Reyan… it was all… all my fault.”
“Let go.”
“I love Reyan. I really do. I love him so much I’d rather be the one who gets hurt. He’s here, isn’t he? You can curse me for being an Artifare. You can pour hot water on me like the others did and I won’t move. You can hit me. If Reyan says he hates me, I’ll leave. Please, just let me see what condition he’s in—please!”
“I said let go!”
“No, please, I want to see Reyan. I need to make sure he’s okay. I know I was wrong, please…!”
There was no pride, no dignity left. The news that Reyan had lost consciousness in such a dangerous state on the street had made Claire throw everything away. Kneeling, she clutched the hand of the woman who had just condemned her and begged desperately. Tears and even drool ran down her face.
“…When did you ever care about hurting Reyan!”
“…The reason Reyan got hurt was because of friction with Duke Ephedrine—because of me. The duke received a document saying he would kill Reyan during the subjugation training. So I tried to stop Reyan from going… If we had just talked, none of this would have—…”
“Saying that now, after everything…”
“Please, believe me. Please—.”
Runyang stared at the broken Claire for a long time, standing there in a daze. Perhaps she felt a twinge of pity.
“…When Reyan wakes up, I’ll ask him and then let you see him. Rest here until then.”
With those short words, she left the reception room. Heste helped the sobbing Claire into a chair, then followed Runyang out.
“I’ll be right back from the restroom.”
She stopped at the corner near the office Runyang had entered and stood there silently, waiting for Reyan to appear. The sense of alienation she felt from the emotions Runyang and Claire shared left her feeling extremely unpleasant.