170. monster (2)

In the eyes of Fleur, the maid, Leon Benning was in danger. Emotions were rarely shown outwardly. Although he had been close to him for a long time, Fleur had never seen Léon Benning laugh, cry, or be angry. Even on the day Clovis Benning died, Leon Benning listened calmly to the news with a cold expression.

“Thank you for your concern.”

The hand of Leon Benning holding Fleur’s hand was too cold to think of it as a summer day. Fleur cared more about the fact that Leon Benning’s hand was cold than the fact that he held it.

“Should I prepare some water, young boy?”

“… No, that’s it.”

Perhaps in a temperament similar to her older sister, Fleur has grown into a woman with a soft heart and a deep thought. It was a bonus that she was so beautiful that it would be a shame to have her as just a housemaid. When Clovis Benning first brought her to the mansion, many looked at her with disapproval, but after 15 years, she was able to rise to the position of a fully trusted servant. The same servants, in particular, cared for her terribly.

‘It’s nice to see you worrying about the young master. You work hard and do well. How can you hate a child like that?’

These were the words the head maid of the current mansion hinted at to the other servants while educating Fleur. The servants didn’t particularly dispute that, and all nodded in agreement. A sister’s sins are just a sister’s sins. Fleur was irrelevant. Fleur almost became Leon Benning’s exclusive maid.

‘Originally, I wasn’t a very talkative person, but after the head of the household passed away… Don’t you think people have changed?’

‘Yes. Should I have cooled down a bit? It seems that people have hardened.’

It would have to be said that people have become a little closer to their original selves rather than changed, but only Bernardo Lennon knew this.

‘Still, it’s good that Fleur is here. At least I’ve been helping the young master for a long time… .’

‘Please, I don’t think I should be affected by the young master’s cold personality… .’

After the death of Clovis Benning, there was support from servants who thought it would be of some help to Leon Benning, who seemed to have changed. Fleur, who was to serve on full duty, did not seem to dislike it too much. The wariness Fleur had with Leon Benning was soon shattered.

“… young master?”

Leon Benning stared at Fleur. Fleur was beautiful. Golden hair close to silver and dangerously shining light blue eyes. As a maid, she couldn’t dress up much, but Fleur was already making a name for herself as a pretty famous beauty in the estate.

“no. It is nothing.”

Of course, Leon Benning didn’t pay much attention to her appearance. The only reason he became interested in Fleur was the fact that he was the younger sister of a middle-ranking lady-in-waiting who died at the time. Memories of the first murder. A memory of that time that would soon be forgotten. In Leon Benning’s mind, the existence of a middle-ranking maid remained for a very long time because of Fleur.

“… Yes, Bocchan.”

Fleur turned his head away from Leon Benning, who was looking at him. Her white face was flushed red like a peach. It didn’t seem like it was because of the hot summer sun.

“Eggplant, Bernardo.”

“Yes, Bocchan.”

Bernardo followed Leon Benning and glanced back. As if trying to remember the feel of Leon Benning’s hand, Fleur put her hands together in front of her chest.

“It might be a little interesting.”

Bernardo Lennon glanced at Leon Benning as he murmured. A fishy smile, which was very rare, caught the corners of Leon Benning’s mouth. Bernardo turned his head to Fleur again. Fleur turned his head to look at Bernardo as if he felt their gaze.

“… ?”

Do you have anything to say? It was a gaze that seemed to ask. Bernardo moved his lips to say something, but then turned his head. Leon Benning was staring at Bernardo with that smile intact. Young Leon Benning had an aura that strangely led people. A cynical mouth, sharp but sculpted eyes. The nine-year-old had become the man the young ladies of society were paying attention to.

“Is something wrong, Bernardo?”

And, Bernardo got stronger. To the extent that he withdrew from the semi-finals of the martial arts competition because he did not want to become famous, and returned to the territory without incident. Bernardo himself did not revere strong or noble swordsmanship, but the world raised him to become the kingdom’s strongest knight, as if he were destined to become that way.

“I was looking at Fleur for a while.”

There was no particular reason to hide it, so Bernardo told me the answer. Leon Benning shrugged his shoulders and climbed the stairs of the mansion.

“She did have a really pretty face. It’s to the point where I can’t help but stare at it.”

Leon Benning said, subtly amused. Even going up the wooden stairs, there was not a single sound of footsteps or unnecessary movement. Bernardo suddenly guessed Leon Benning. It was a skill worthy of a descendant of a samurai family that was counted among the fingers in the kingdom. If he trained for 10 more years, no one in the kingdom would be able to handle him except himself.

However, Leon Benning always seemed to be a man of desire. No, to be precise, it seemed that she always had different desires from others. He used to wrap it up and say, ‘I think I can do it.’ Fifteen years ago, when he killed the maid, and when he killed his own father. He was always caught up in his own desires and looked at the world with eyes different from others.

Yes, you must be the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one.

Thinking so, Bernardo asked Leon Bening again.

“… Did you like it?”

Leon Benning turned his head to Bernardo.

“It is quite rare that you ask such a question.”

Leon Benning muttered an uncharacteristic sentiment, then raised the corners of his mouth again. It was a smile that would make the ladies of the royal capital faint.

“Okay. How does it look in your eyes?”

Bernardo Lennon’s eyebrows narrowed. He knew very well that lying was useless in front of Leon Benning’s expression. Bernardo shook his head slowly.

“I do not know.”

“Did you get an answer?”

It was rare. Because Leon Benning has always been a black and white person. If it’s good, decide it’s good, if it’s not good, decide it’s not good, and proceed with the work. Rarely had he displayed such a gray attitude as he does now. When Bernardo’s expression slightly frowned in question, Leon Benning let out a small laugh.

“If I had to say… .”

Leon Benning climbed up the corridor on the second floor and looked down. Fleur was absent from the lobby, as if he had already gone on other business.

“Yeah, I don’t know what you said.”

One word that Leon Benning had to say to the maid who had taken care of him for 15 years was ‘I don’t know’.

That night, Leon Benning embraced Fleur Denia.

The search for the source of interest soon led to the search for Fleur. When the quiet darkness over the summer land took away the beginning of the two people, the loud buzzing of grass insects vibrated in Beninga’s estate.

“young master… .”

Fleur Denia did not reject Leon Benning, who suddenly came to him at night. And in his arms, she thought of Leon Benning. The various faces he shows from time to time. From the usual expressionless expression without any emotion to a smile that doesn’t know what you’re thinking. Despite working for him for 15 years, Fleur had never known Leon Benning.

What was his expression as he stood at the door just now? Was he smiling, or was it his usual expressionless expression? Was there warmth in the voice calling him, or was it a dagger as cold as ice?

“Always, Bocchan… .”

I didn’t hear any behind the scenes. In Leon Benning’s ears, the sound of the noisy insects could be heard more clearly than Fleur Denia’s voice. Neither her wet, glistening eyes in the lamplight, nor the silvery blonde hair that spread like a peacock’s feathers on a cheap servant-only bed were factors that Leon Benning considered. Even when her hands touched his neck, back, and chest, there was no emotion.

Leon Benning remembered the time he had killed Fleur’s sister. He remembered the feeling of the first time his hand strangled someone. Above Fleur, who had a face almost identical to hers, the face of a middle-class maid appeared.

“… .”

Leon Benning looked at the face of Fleur Denia, who was sleeping next to him. Through the thin blanket that had flowed down, I could see the white nape of her neck. Leon Benning’s hand moved slowly to her neck, then stopped. Not really, I wasn’t in the mood right now. After waiting a little longer, Fleur slowly raised herself. Then he opened his eyes wide in amazement that Leon Benning was still sitting next to him.

“Bocchan, haven’t you died yet?”

Leon Benning did not show any reaction and just looked at Fleur. Fleur was a little afraid of what Leon Benning’s lips would say.

“Quit your maid work as of tomorrow.”

Fleur froze at the sudden notice of dismissal. Leon Benning got dressed, paying little attention to her reaction. The cries of grass bugs were barely audible. It meant that Mimyeong was getting closer.

“That word… .”

“From now on, you will work as my secretary. Come to my office for lunch tomorrow.”

Leon Benning spat out that briefly and stood up. This time, Leon Benning left her room, letting go of Fleur, who had been frozen for another reason. The sound of the door closing was dry. Fleur could only stare blankly at his closed door.

—

Leon Benning and Fleur Denia’s wedding did not take place until after the birth of their daughter. It was mostly because Fleur didn’t really push him, and Leon Benning didn’t show much interest in the fact that they had a child. Fleur didn’t blame Leon Benning for that. The vassals seemed to be dissatisfied with the marriage, which was not an arranged marriage, but none of the vassals had the power to remonstrate with Leon Benning, who became the head of the household.

“-The two of them swear to be together in both happy and sad times… .”

The wedding was not grand. Fleur did not want the ceremony to be held in a riotous manner. No nobles from the kingdom were invited, and the wedding was held quietly in the backyard of the mansion. The smile that bloomed on Fleur’s face as she wore a white dress and received a ring from Leon Benning was probably the most beautiful thing in the world.

After the reception, Fleur returned to her room with Leon Benning and sat near the cradle. The child’s hair was platinum blonde, like a mixture of her mother’s hair color and her father’s hair color.

“What about the child’s name, Theodora?”

Looking at the child who was soundly asleep, Fleur, who now had the surname of Benning, said that. Coincidentally, it was my sister’s name. Leon Benning nodded and smiled. Fleur looked at the smile that appeared on his face and raised the corners of his mouth faintly.

“Let’s do that.”

Bernardo became the child’s godfather. When Theodora grows up, Bernardo will be in charge of most of her swordsmanship training and education. Let’s say that. Fleur laughed, saying that it would be too strict.

Leon Benning looked at the two of them quietly. A man who has a child named after his deceased sister and the husband of the person who killed her sister. Leon Benning sat down on the bed, trying to hide the laughter that was about to burst out into a smile. With a happy smile, Fleur rocked the cradle slowly. without knowing anything

—

It seemed that the days ahead would be like this. Like the beautiful sunlight that fell on the wedding day, only peaceful days would last from now on, Fleur thought. Until one day, the note was delivered to him.

“Madam, this… .”

From an old colleague who now called herself his wife, Fleur received a small folded note.

“Who gave you this?”

“Go somewhere where no one is and read it. If you’re not going to read it, give it to me now. Throw it in that fire pit right now and burn it. If you’re going to read it, go up quickly. Come on, don’t let the master know!”

Seeing the servant looking somewhat urgent, Fleur involuntarily hurried back to her room and locked the door. The weight of the note placed between my fingers seemed subtly heavy. Fleur frowned and opened the folded note.

And, as Fleur read the first line of the note, his hands began to tremble. Perhaps, she will regret the decision to read this note the most.

– Rather, I’d burn it instead of unpacking it.

[Do you want to know the truth about the death of your sister, Theodora Denia?]