The Secret of That Man She Saw -1-

Late into the night. Olivia, carried back to her room on Ricardo's back, couldn't fall asleep easily. No matter how high she piled the pillows. No matter how she turned toward the window. No matter how she buried her forehead in the pillow and lay face-down. Sleep wouldn't come, and her eyes stayed wide open, staring blankly.

Olivia rested her chin on the pillow and muttered like a jobless layabout.

"I'm tired... but not sleepy at all."

The scar she'd seen in Ricardo's room earlier kept flashing before her eyes. The grotesquely twisted skin and the blackened arm. It wasn't a scene she could just forget because she wanted to.

It was so gross.

Ricardo's faint smile kept resurfacing in her mind, leaving her heart unsettled. Sleep required a calm body and mind for true rest. If she stayed in this stuffy mood, she'd probably pull an all-nighter, staring at the ceiling until dawn broke.

Olivia sighed. With just the single lamp on the bedside table casting its lonely glow, she made a sulky face and murmured softly.

"I felt great for three days straight..."

Now I'm all gloomy.

Three days ago, Olivia felt happy every time she looked at the calendar.

She was excited for the birthday party of the fool of a butler who always forgot his own special day. It wasn't a grand affair with guests—just the two of them—but it was the first time she'd planned something for him since injuring her legs, so her heart fluttered.

Ricardo showed no interest in his once-a-year birthday.

-Birthday? Nah~ Why bother with that hassle. Just a bowl of seaweed soup and done.

-Seaweed soup?

-Soup made from seaweed.

-Sounds gross.

Last year and the year before, right before his birthday ended, he'd go, "Oh yeah, today's my birthday," then head to the kitchen alone for his seaweed soup ritual. She figured it'd be the same this year. He never remembered his own birthday but poured his soul into hers. She wanted to show this butler guy just how exciting and fun birthdays could be.

So Olivia prepared a surprise. She'd read about it in a book.

Ricardo's favorite book, filled with the world's truths and wisdom. He'd said it was packed with life advice. When she asked to read it together, he'd scribbled over half with black pen, but the content was pure gold. Affairs and messy love triangles. How to slap without leaving a mark. Even how to shake off a clingy vixen. Life hacks galore from Ricardo's beloved read.

On page 134: detailed instructions on creating unforgettable memories.

-Father-in-law was hiding in my wardrobe.

The rest was blacked out, but as a well-read intellectual, Olivia could guess what followed. The daughter-in-law must've loved the surprise. Her face flushed every time the father-in-law appeared.

Inspired, she planned Ricardo's surprise party. It took three grueling days. She desperately wanted to drop hints. Ask if he knew what September 21st was. Probe if he'd like her gift. But she held back—blunt questions like "You like this?" would give it away.

When the maid delivered the gift she'd commissioned, Olivia couldn't stop smiling. She forgot Yuria's words that her legs couldn't be healed and threw herself into preparing Ricardo's birthday with all her heart.

The day arrived swiftly. While Ricardo practiced swordsmanship, the maid wheeled her in on a tray. The tray ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dented under her featherweight—but it was cheap junk, so whatever. The butler would forgive her.

After twists and turns, she reached his room. It was pathetically shabby, beyond her expectations. Ricardo had converted a storage closet for outdated dresses into his bedroom. No insulation, no soundproofing—a harsh environment. No decor, no luxuries. Just a simple space made to hear her voice better. It made her feel melancholic.

A worn medical book lay open on the desk. Next to it, a notebook crammed with handwriting.

Not this one. Need to look for another book.

Try it once a week. Only as much as the young lady can handle without strain.

The thick notebook, filled with dense, hard-to-read script, sat on the desk. Olivia clutched her wrapped gift tightly. Imagining the butler—who'd hated studying and face-planted into books at the academy—hunched over this tiny desk made her heart ache. She should've gotten something better. Not a scarf and gloves from the market, but a tie from a tailor nobles frequented... Of course, her piggy bank savings wouldn't cover even that tiny tie, but regrets lingered, crumpling the gift in her hands.

Time passed. The maid left for the day, and Ricardo was due back. Olivia held her breath in the wardrobe.

Creak.

The door opened. Sweat-drenched Ricardo entered.

'Ha... tough day.'

He sighed, propped his sword against the chair, and unbuttoned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his shirt without hesitation, oblivious to her presence. Olivia clenched her fists at the sight of him baring his skin.

-...Shameless.

Forgetting her swelling emotions, she focused on the surprise, covering her mouth with her hand.

-He doesn't know I'm here. What an idiot.

Pop out of the wardrobe—ta-da! He'll be shocked.

'I wanna scare him. Quick. Quick, I wanna see him jump.'

Ricardo stripped slowly. Undoing his sweat-soaked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shirt, revealing chiseled abs like a threat. Gulp. She swallowed involuntarily. Her face burned. Where to look? She covered her eyes with her hand, but her fingers splayed wide.

'Ugh...!'

If he took off his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pants, it'd be trouble. Nosebleed incoming. Face beet-red with tension, Olivia steeled herself.

'If he goes for the pants, I jump out right away.'

Peeking through spread fingers at the butler's body.

Ricardo undid his shirt cuffs. Then peeled off the sweaty shirt.

Gulp. Another swallow. This was for the surprise party—he'd understand. Eyes locked, concentrating.

Then she saw the white bandages slowly revealed on his pale skin and froze.

'Huh?'

Bandages. Wrapped tightly around half his body. This wasn't a battlefield.

'What the...?'

A wave of unease hit. Something was wrong. The bandages covering half his torso were odd. He'd said only his arm was tattooed—why wrap so extensively?

'A tattoo? No, he said tattoos only on his arms.'

'It's nothing. Probably just covering the tattoo.'

She denied it. Deep down, she knew what lay beneath but refused the truth. She'd suspected since seeing the blue spear. Thought she'd prepared mentally. Planned to ask during his vacation.

'He said it wasn't an injury. He definitely said that.'

Her heart wasn't ready. Hands trembling, she watched him unwind the bandages.

Staring into the mirror, Ricardo's hidden wound gradually emerged.

Drip. A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Ah... no!"

'No...! Ricardo definitely. Definitely said...!'

Pointless whining. This couldn't be happening. That rotting right arm had nothing to do with her—she denied it over and over. But the vivid blue window pinned her escaping self.

'This doesn't make sense.'

Yuria's words flashed by.

-Huh? Didn't you say it was an injury from black magic backlash?

-Yeah.

-But why's it so clean...? This doesn't add up.

-Doesn't add up?

-Most black magic failures burn mana circuits on the spot for instant death, or the flesh slowly necrotizes, eating the body away. But Olivia, you're clean—no external or internal necrosis. Amazing.

Yuria's wondrous gaze resurfaced.

-It's a miracle. A miracle.

-Your legs should've rotted—that's normal.

-Holy power doesn't work, so yeah, black magic injury... but...

Burn scars twisting from her chest. The blackened right arm. Time froze. In three seconds, dozens of thoughts raced; her lips quivered like broken machinery.

So that's what he meant by "tree bark." Likening that arm to bark. Those dark, cracked wounds were the "bark."

Olivia trembled. Better if she'd never known. Better ignorant and brazen. A awful thought, but she couldn't face Ricardo. She prayed the wardrobe door stayed shut. Wanted to flee. Her useless legs never felt more hated.

The butler's hand drew near. Olivia pleaded inwardly.

'Don't open it.'

'Please don't open it.'

'Please... I'm not ready...'

But time didn't wait for fragile hearts. Her eyes met the butler's startled face.

"Ah... Young Lady?"

She'd committed the sin, yet he looked guilty. His flustered words shattered her heart.

"Ah... It's from a fall."

That moment, she thought:

'I'm real trash.'

In the empty room, Olivia stared vacantly at the blue window before her.

On the day the master she'd served for 13 years collapsed, Ricardo was there. No one knows what happened that day. Except one—her butler alone knows the truth of that day. Ricardo intends to hide it forever. The secret of that day, meant to pass quietly unknown.

(!) Uncover the secret of that day.

1. View Ricardo's hidden secret. (1/1)

2. Touch Ricardo's hidden secret. (1/1)

Olivia nodded.

"I'll view it."