As You Wish
As You Wish
To tell the truth, the mansion I built for her had a few flaws.
Even so, it was more than enough for a person to live in.
I could confidently say that even if you picked this house up and moved it to another family's estate, there wouldn't be any issues. No, actually, the surrounding buildings would look shabby in comparison.
However, that wasn't the level I wanted.
It was a house meant for her, not just anyone.
It needed to be spacious enough to fill in everything she deserved in her past life, beautiful to look at, and safe from any threat.
By that standard, the mansion I intended to give her could barely scrape a 50, no matter how generously I evaluated it.
Still, I held out hope.
Even if it seemed lacking to me, I didn't know how it would seem to her.
Honestly, even to my eyes, it looked much better than the Jujak Family's main estate.
That goes without saying for its current state, reduced to ashes, but even compared to its magnificent appearance before the fire, it was true.
So, I hoped she might like it at least a little.
Hwari, who had entered through the main gate, looked around for a long time.
I couldn't tell if she was looking at the servants lined up to welcome her, or trying to gauge just how big the mansion was.
But I could read that she was surprised.
Perhaps I had some expectation that she might view it quite favorably, so I explained the structure of the mansion to her with all my heart.
Where things were, and where she should sleep.
However, her answer shattered my expectations to pieces.
"...It's not as good as the family estate."
Hwari muttered that while still clutching her bundle.
Rather than disappointment, pity came first.
It seemed like she meant for me to hear it. She sounded so drained.
...Now that I think about it, she hasn't eaten anything since leaving home.
I should feed her something before she sleeps.
That was what I thought.
Hwari, having said that, seemed to be thinking she shouldn't have said it, as she kept glancing at me while pretending not to.
It must have been something like the last shred of pride a frightened child could muster, that last comment.
I knew that, but when she said it, it felt like she was right.
As expected, could I not deceive the eyes of someone born a noble?
"That is indeed true."
"...Ne-het?"
She made a stupid sound, as if her crouching just a moment ago was a lie.
Whether she did or not, I sighed while looking at the mansion.
"I couldn't even implement half of what I had originally conceived."
"Ne, ne? Only half?"
"The layout of the main building is passable, but the decorations on the eaves were handled rather blandly. The detached building in the south is a defective product that doesn't block the winter wind, even if it gets good sunlight. The pond in the back garden lacked depth. I could have just drawn in more water, but those damn Daoists kept saying you shouldn't break the harmony of nature or whatever... Ha. They were so lazy, tsk."
As I spoke, I was reminded of the Daoists who ran away immediately after construction, and annoyance welled up for no reason.
"They said give us four days, and they'd draw in the earth veins in that time, but they ran away without even starting. They took the money, though. The laborers were the same. It's not like I asked them to build a garden in the sky. I just asked them to make sure the wind flows well in summer but doesn't blow in during winter, and they couldn't even do that simple thing..."
As I recalled the various noises that occurred while building the house, unpleasantness surged, but I soon stopped speaking.
Because Hwari was looking at me with a face that said, 'What the hell is this guy talking about right now?'
Hmm.
Did I talk about things only I knew too much?
"...Ahem, anyway. I meant there are a few flaws."
I almost spilled all my complaints about the workers and those Daoist bastards.
At least, those weren't things to say in front of young Hwari.
"Still, there shouldn't be any major issues for you to stay here, Young Lady. It's just that it doesn't meet the standards I hoped for, so I'm not satisfied with it."
She was still looking at me as if she couldn't understand.
That was to be expected.
I had sincerely responded to the words she said to maintain her pride.
"Nevertheless, I apologize, but I would like you to stay here for the time being."
When I said that, she blinked.
"Here?"
"Yes."
"...Me? Alone?"
"The people to serve you, Young Lady, have already been brought in. You are looking at them right now."
"...You mean all those people are going to serve me?"
"In addition to the servants who will serve you, Young Lady, there are guards, tutors, physicians, and cooks, all of them."
They were carefully selected after verifying not only their skills but also their loyalty and ideology.
Starting from a martial artist who owed me a debt and had their personal safety held hostage, to a girl who was once successful but fell due to a single mistake.
Though their backgrounds were diverse, their goal was one.
To serve Hwari.
"And, if there is anything uncomfortable, please tell me immediately. I will prepare it as quickly as possible."
She didn't answer.
She was just standing blankly in front of the door, mouth agape as if she were dumbfounded.
Since she had let go of the bundle she was clutching tightly, I could tell just how confused she was.
"So... you're telling me to use this place, by myself?"
"Yes. It is your house, Young Lady. So, please use it as you please."
She put her hand on her head as if she became even more confused after hearing that.
Does she think I said something nonsensical?
If you take away the circumstances, it was indeed a nonsensical act.
Buying her for a large sum, and building a house and gathering people for her before even deciding whether to keep her or not.
However, I had nothing else to say, so I just stayed still.
"My... house, you say."
"Yes. It is your house, Young Lady."
"This huge place?"
"That is correct."
"......Why?"
It was an obvious question.
However, I couldn't answer.
If I talked about regression, I would definitely be treated like a lunatic.
Though it seems I'm already being treated that way.
Besides that reason, there was one more.
If even one person who heard that story told Geumiseong, they might come to crush me personally.
Since my downfall in my past life was also because of Geumiseong, I wanted to avoid catching their eye at all costs.
"Because I judged it necessary."
It was a ridiculous answer, but I said it with the hope that she would believe me.
She looked at me blankly.
As if trying to look into my eyes somehow through the lenses of my sunglasses.
"...What are you trying to do, this."
She muttered in a weak voice, as if she didn't know what this was anymore.
"I was kicked out of my house because of you, and then you just give me a house for no reason?"
"...I am sorry."
This was something I had no excuse for, even if I had a hundred mouths, so I just bowed my head.
She sighed softly, as if she didn't want to be angry at me anymore, and then asked as if she suddenly remembered.
"Then what about you?"
"Pardon?"
When I asked back because I didn't understand, I finally realized what she wanted to ask.
"Where are you going to stay?"
Ah.
So she meant where I would live.
"I was planning to return to the residence I originally used."
"What? You're going back?"
Hwari's expression as she said that looked surprised.
"Yes. This is a house for you, Young Lady. It is not a place for me, so there is no reason for me to stay."
She wouldn't need me for her happiness, so it would be right for me to step aside.
Besides that reason, there was the realistic reason that my study was elsewhere.
However, Hwari's thoughts seemed a little different.
"That... is strange."
"What is strange?"
"You..."
She continued to speak, then suddenly cut herself off.
Did she decide to filter it through her head once before speaking this time? Or does she really not know what to say?
I waited quietly to see what she would say, and she finally continued.
"You... bought... me, didn't you."
There would be no point in explaining that it wasn't like that, it would only backfire, so I decided to just leave it as is.
Above all, since that's what she thinks.
"Yes. That is so."
"You bought me, and now you're going to leave me abandoned here?"
This... is an unexpected turn.
I was somewhat prepared for her to say she didn't want to see my face and to get lost, or to ask me to send her back home.
...But, I never thought she would cling to me, asking me not to abandon her.
It's not because she wants to see me.
I could tell just by the look in her eyes as she looked at me right now.
It wouldn't be because she likes me or trusts me.
She was just abandoned by her family, so maybe she's doing that because she doesn't want to be abandoned by me, too.
More than hating me, she must be more afraid of being left completely alone.
She realized that what she said might sound strange, and blushed belatedly.
"O, oh! Don't misunderstand! It's not like I'm doing this because I like you!"
"I never thought that."
"No, I mean... Ugh...!"
Maybe her thoughts were getting tangled, because her intelligence seemed to be disappearing from the words coming out.
It should have been a pitiful sight, but I felt like laughing.
Of course, I didn't laugh.
Because I thought she might really kick me if I did.
"I, if you bought me..."
She forced the words out as if she were swallowing medicine that tasted terrible.
"If you bought me, you have to take responsibility!"
"Responsibility, you say."
"Yes! So, if you bought me... shouldn't you at least keep me around you?! You can't just go far away!"
There was no such responsibility.
Whether you throw them away immediately after buying them, or keep them with you for life, that is the freedom of the buyer.
However, I liked seeing her be so unreasonable.
It made me think she still had a childlike side.
I couldn't have been more relieved that she still had the heart to be afraid of being left alone.
"...What will you do if I run away."
She tried to add one more word before her confidence disappeared.
When she has nowhere to run to.
If I said that, would she really bite me?
"So..."
She seemed to have completely lost her confidence now, and glared at me with a face that looked like she was about to cry.
"Shouldn't you stay with me."
As soon as she said it, she made such a miserable face that I could easily tell this was said while crumpling up even the last bit of pride she had left.
"If that is your will, Young Lady, I shall do so."
"...Yes?"
If that is what she wants, then I should do it.
I said I would do it without a moment's hesitation.
If she wants it, a place to stay is nothing.
I called Woojin, my confidant who also doubled as a coachman.
"Did you hear?"
"I apologize. I do not know what you mean. Could you please enlighten me?"
Did I call him while he was thinking about something else?
Well, it didn't matter.
"As of today, my residence will be here."
"...Did I hear you correctly? It seems you have decided to stay here starting today."
"Do not make me say it twice. The main building will be used by the Young Lady. I will use the eastern detached building. Move the luggage I left at the main base tonight. Tell them at the main base that I will be staying here from now on."
"But Junior Guild Leader, if you change it so suddenly, there will be confusion in the guild..."
"Take it as it is."
"...Yes. I understand."
As expected of someone who has watched me for a long time, Woojin understood my words immediately and drove the carriage away.
Only then did Hwari seem to come to her senses and asked me as if questioning.
"Wait, wait a minute."
"Yes, Young Lady."
"You didn't misspeak, did you?"
"What do you mean?"
"No, I mean. You said you'd use the detached building?"
"Yes."
"Not the main building?"
"The main building is a place that you, Young Lady, must use. How could I stay in the main building?"
"That... do you think that makes sense?!"
Hwari, as if she had forgotten she was wary of me just a moment ago, argued, telling me to say something that made sense.
As if she was so dumbfounded she couldn't take it anymore.
"It should be the other way around! You said you built it, so you should use the main building! I..."
"No. This house is not my house, but your house, Young Lady. Therefore, it is logical for you, Young Lady, to use the main building."
Hwari stayed still as if she was stuck for words at my response, then barely managed to squeeze out words.
"You said you were the Junior Guild Leader, right. Is it okay to just vacate it like that...?"
"Normally it would not be possible, but if you wish for it, Young Lady, there is nothing I cannot do."
Having said that much, she stopped speaking as if she had given up on understanding.
"...Do as you please."
In the end, the one who raised both hands first was Hwari.
Since she was still, I stepped back slightly and said to her.
"Please, go inside."
She walked into the main building obediently.
"...Hey, you there. Before the Young Lady sleeps, bring out some simple side dishes. She is at an age where she needs to eat well and sleep well."
"I will follow your orders."
After ordering the cooks like that, I headed to the detached building.
I had things to do on my end.