A Silent Quarrel

"Huff... Huff..." The cold air drove deep into my lungs. My heart hammered so fiercely it felt like it had risen all the way into my throat. I rounded the corner on silent feet. The frigid marble wall pressed against my back, its touch so icy it raised goosebumps across my skin. I drew in a deep breath, then quickly clamped a hand over my mouth, terrified that even the sound of my exhale might betray me.

"Hum~ Hummm~" There it was. Yua's humming. The gentle rhythm that usually coaxed me into sleep. But right now, it sounded utterly terrifying.

I instinctively flattened myself against the wall.

Has she already tracked me this far?

It made no sense. I was certain I'd shaken her off back in the corridor leading to the western archive...

Tap. Tap. The footsteps drew closer. Perfectly measured, without a trace of hurry. A leisurely gait that radiated absolute confidence. Just a little farther. If I could scale that single wall, I'd be outside. Freedom was right there, yet my legs refused to move.

I cautiously poked my head out.

Yua was standing there. No more than ten paces away.

She stood motionless, pulling out her writing board. The soft scratching of the pen against its smooth surface shattered the silence. Yua raised the board high with both hands.

I bit my lip hard. There was no way I was coming out obediently. If I did, I'd be bombarded with another lecture. Yua waited for a long time before writing again.

Silence fell. Not even a leaf stirred. Yua's brow furrowed slightly. She began breaking the numbers down further.

Her expression turned ice-cold in an instant, as if her patience had finally snapped. She slashed the pen across the board violently.

Yua turned away without a shred of hesitation. She strode back the way she had come, her heels clicking sharply into the distance. I remained pressed against the wall until the sound had completely vanished.

"Whew..." The breath I'd been holding exploded out all at once. My legs shook so badly I nearly collapsed on the spot. I had been genuinely terrified. Not even on the battlefield had I trembled like this.

Wait... why am I even hiding?

When I thought about it, the whole thing seemed absurd. I was the master of this estate. A celebrated war hero known to the world. Yua was nothing more than my servant. There was no reason for me to hide from her.

I am the young master.

Yua had no right to restrain me. And when you really examined it, this had all begun from something utterly trivial.

The spark had come three days earlier in the garden. Sunlight beat down fiercely that afternoon as I walked among the vividly blooming roses. As always, Yua was at my side. It had been a peaceful stroll like any other.

Then suddenly Yua stepped in front of me and thrust out her writing board.

"What? Why? All of a sudden?" I asked, startled.

"At least give me a reason. Did something happen?"

It was a ridiculous excuse. Yua's pen scratched across the board again.

She had struck the exact sore spot. It was true. Lately my body had been itching with restlessness. I had appointments with friends... I had been cooped up in this mansion for far too long.

That damned war hero. Fame I had never asked for.

"You said the same thing last time," I frowned. "Are you treating me like some helpless child who can't do anything on his own?"

Heat surged up from deep inside my chest. The inferiority complex I carried lifted its head. Incompetence. The trauma that had haunted me my entire life.

"Do I look that fragile? That incapable of handling even a situation like that?"

Yua's eyes wavered. She wrote hurriedly.

Her handwriting had grown rigid and sharp. Evidence that she, too, was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠angry.

"There it is again." In the end, it meant she didn't trust me. She would shadow me like a watchdog.

"Am I your toy?" The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

Huge tears welled in Yua's wide eyes, trembling on the verge of falling. The sight was so fragile and pitiful. Yet I deliberately kept a stern face and looked away.

Yua refused to yield. Her small shoulders trembled violently.

"Hah, is this insubordination?" I let out a hollow laugh. A servant trying to overpower her master. Some discipline was clearly needed.

"Do you really think I'll obey just because you tell me not to?"

Yua's lips quivered. She clenched her teeth so hard the muscles in her jaw stood out. It was a bad habit that surfaced whenever she was truly furious.

I was genuinely angry too. I couldn't understand why she was going this far to stop me from leaving. I stood there dazed, wondering if what I'd just heard was real.

It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had only been a request not to go out. A plea to endure a little longer because it was dangerous.

...Fuck.

The curse I couldn't voice scraped at my throat. For the first time, I was grateful I had no voice. Why did nothing ever go the way I wanted? What I desired wasn't anything grand... Just for you to remain safely before my eyes. That was all.

Is it really that hard to simply not go out?

Resentment rose from the tips of my toes. If he truly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had to leave, I had offered to go with him. To prepare the carriage and stand by his side to protect him. Yet Leo had shoved me away as if I were nothing but an annoying burden.

...I don't get it. Why is he taking it out on me?

My insides burned. What could he possibly accomplish by going out alone? He had no idea how precarious his position was. He didn't understand how the world, which called him a "hero," sought to use him.

If he goes out again... again...!

A horrific image flashed through my mind.

To endure that hellish time once more? I absolutely cannot allow it.

I knew that with my station I shouldn't behave this way. Leo was the young master, and I was merely the maid who served him. I knew he had been kind enough to overlook my behavior until now...

But fury filled my chest until it was hard to breathe. A tear dropped onto the back of my foot. I didn't even have time to wipe it away. My vision blurred, making his face waver. Before I realized it, my whole body was shaking. The fingers gripping the writing board had turned white from the force.

I refused to lower my head. With tears streaming down my face, I stared directly at Leo.

In the end, the words burst out.

"Do whatever you want! I'll do as I please too!"

With that, we turned our backs on each other. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cold war had begun.

Fights had never been unfamiliar between us. There had always been unspoken rules. Of course, this cold war had its own set of rules as well.

First, courtesy was unnecessary. Second, neither of us would set foot in the other's room. Third, no verbal interference. Physical obstruction, however, was permitted. In other words, I could flee, and Yua could capture me.

And so this hellish game of hide-and-seek had continued for days. The mansion was absurdly large. There were countless places to hide, yet actually escaping was difficult. Meanwhile, Yua knew my every movement.

But now, a perfect opportunity had arrived. Yua had stormed off in anger, and the wall stood right before me.

Should I climb it?

I looked up. The gray stone wall was smooth and tightly fitted. It towered more than twice my height. Impossible with bare hands. Just as disappointment began to set in, I glanced around.

Huh?

Thick vines clung to the corner. Each stem was as thick as my forearm, twisted and solid like ancient wood. A sturdy vine marked by the passage of years.

This is it.

I adjusted my leather gloves and gave the vine a hard tug. It didn't budge. It looked strong enough to support my weight easily.

A war hero can't even scale a wall like this?

Confidence surged through me. I had to move before Yua returned. I set my foot on a thick knot. The rough bark pressed heavily against my sole. The vine was as thick as my forearm. I gripped it tightly. The coarse surface pricked my palm, but it held firm. Even with my full weight, it didn't shift.

I can do this.

I tightened my gloves once more, wedged one foot between the vines, and began to pull myself up. Dry leaves crumbled with a soft rustle. I froze. My heart thundered. I glanced behind me. The corridor remained empty. I continued upward. Dirt clung to my palms. A sharp, grassy scent filled my nose.

One step. Then another. I felt for gaps between the stones as I climbed. My fingertips tingled. My shoulder muscles burned. I had scaled countless walls like this during the war. Yet I was far more tense now. Because if Yua caught me, it would all be over.

Finally, my hand reached the top. Trembling fingers gripped the edge. I lifted my face over the wall.

"Ha..."

The world outside the mansion unfolded before me. In the distance I could see the rooftops of the market district. I could almost hear the lively clamor of people. All I had to do was get over this wall.

I braced my arms and swung my leg up, hoisting my body onto the stone. The hard surface scraped against my stomach. Just a little more. Just a little more and I'd be over...

"Swish."

A sound came from behind me. More precisely, the rustle of clothing. No voice. But I knew immediately. A cold touch closed around my ankle. Slender yet powerful fingers gripped the hem of my trousers.

I slowly turned my head.

Below the wall stood Yua. She stared up at me with an expressionless face, one hand still locked around my ankle. With the other, she raised her writing board. She must have prepared the message in advance.

Her eyes curved into a smile. She was smiling, yet it didn't look like a smile at all.