"What are you doing? Let's go."
“……”
“Do you refuse?”
Daedric hesitated for a moment before rising, knowing full well that refusal would only result in a torrent of insults.
I prepared to leave the closet behind him, even though I couldn't stay out of it for long...
“But I can hold on for at least an hour, right?”
If there had been cupboards in the dining room, I would have moved straight in and hid there to watch. But unfortunately, there wasn't any.
Honestly, I think cabinets should be an essential part of any room, even the dining hall could use one as a decoration!
When she came out of the closet, Deidrick shivered, while Somerset smiled broadly, as if very excited about what was coming.
Is he really that eager to poison his younger brother?
“You little bastard.”
I shot him a harsh insult, making Deedric's shoulders twitch.
Yes, I know I look scary.
I wanted to reassure him with a touch on his shoulder, but considering how afraid he was, I just moved my hand as if I was falling over myself and said in a calm voice:
“It is not a deadly poison.”
No matter how reckless Somerset was, he would not go so far as to kill him. Daedric was still a member of the Blackwood family, after all.
Somerset is just a young man obsessed with hurting his half-brother, because he hates him so much.
He was unable to accept that Daedric, who had no supporters or influence, had been chosen as the candidate to succeed the Duke.
"He just wants you to suffer. But it will hurt too much, so don't eat it."
“……”
Daedric didn't answer anything, just continued to walk behind Somerset silently.
"Why don't you reply?"
“……”
“Oh, right. You can't talk now.”
If he talked to me, he would look like a madman. How is he supposed to respond in a situation like this?
“It looks delicious, so make sure you eat every bite.” Somerset said with a sly smile, amused by his plan.
“No, don't eat it. Do you understand?”
“……”
“Don't listen to that motherfucker!”
Deidrick tried hard not to look back at the girl following him.
Her long gray hair touches the ground, and her loose clothes hide her limbs, making her movements look awkward. Although she looked about his age, her tongue was surprisingly sharp.
"Do you want me to knock him down? Just nod and I'll do the rest." She whispered slyly.
Although she enjoyed pranks and tricks,...
“Can she come out of the closet?”
Daedric was surprised by this fact, but quickly regained his calm.
“She was out of it when we first met, so she must be able to move out of it.”
What intrigued him most was how she managed to get back to her.
There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but fear kept him silent.
“It's enough to nod your head.” I mumbled sadly.
Deedric straightened his neck, keeping his gaze straight ahead.
“Do you want me to force you to nod?”
Hearing her suspicious tone, he carefully raised his hands to cover his neck.
“What a strange monster!”
“This is it! A thick piece of meat with sauce on it—no matter how attractive it is, don’t eat it. Understood?”
I stood next to Daedric, staring at him intently.
“Yes, it looks tender and delicious, but don't even think about tasting it.” I said firmly, even though I couldn't stop myself from swallowing my saliva.
The smell of grilled meat filled my nose, and I realized I was hungry for the first time in a while.
“……”
Hesitantly, Daedric pricked the salad with his fork and began eating it instead of the meat, just as she had told him.
“At least he listens to me.”
Deedric was a kind and gentle child when he was young, so it made sense that he would be obedient.
“That's why he was completely powerless against the treasury monster in the past.”
While I was feeling pity for him, Somerset's shrill voice broke the silence.
“You won't eat meat? I'm tired of preparing it for you.”
“……”
When Deidrick hesitated, Somerset raised an eyebrow.
“The sauce is poisonous. But if you don’t eat it, it will still bother you. So just pretend to eat a portion without sauce, then pretend to be in pain and roll over a little.”
This way, Somerset would get what he wanted and would stop bothering him.
I crouched down next to Deidrick's chair, ducking under the table to get closer.
"Give him what he wants, then leave quickly. It's better than actually being in pain!"
“……”
"You don't have to put up with everything. If you're hurt, you have the right to say so."
I looked at him with pity, and gently touched the back of his hand with my finger.
Daedric shuddered immediately.
After a long hesitation, he cut off a piece of meat without sauce, put it in his mouth and began to chew it slowly.
"Now, fall off the chair! Roll on the floor and hold your stomach like it's in pain!"
“Come on, do it!”
Deedric hesitated for a moment, then dropped his fork and fell to the ground with a groan, just as I had asked him to.
"Are you well?"
There was no real concern in Somerset's voice, just a mocking laugh.
"Say exactly what I'm saying: I'm sorry, sir. My stomach hurts a lot... Can I leave?"
“I-sorry, sir... b-my stomach hurts a lot...”
Somerset did not wait for him to finish speaking, and waved his hand carelessly.
"Yes, go. Just sitting with you makes me feel sick."
Since Diderick feigned pain and fell down, Somerset was no longer interested in him.
Daedric groggily got up and left. Before he closed the door, he heard Somerset's voice issuing an order to the servants:
“Throw away all this food. And the chair and the table too. The place is dirty because of it.”
Daedric followed quietly. In the end, he was destined to become Lord Blackwood, and Somerset would one day be crushed under his feet. She looked at him worriedly, hoping he could take it a little longer.
"Is your stomach okay? You didn't eat even a little sauce, right?"
He didn't say anything, but walked faster.
When we got to his room, he immediately sat down at his desk and opened a book.
“What a hard worker.”
I crept up beside him, looking at his notebook full of complicated writing that made my head spin.
“You work hard.”
“……”
And suddenly—
Shoooop!
I felt a force pulling me into the closet.
“Hmm.”
I wasn't surprised. If I stay out of it for too long, I automatically come back.
“Monsters belong in closets, after all.”
I was about to leave when—
Click.
"Huh? Didric! The door doesn't open!"
“……”
I knocked on the door hard.
"I'm here!"
“……”
It is not possible…
Did that little bastard close it on purpose?