3.

It’s as if he’s saying that meeting Lucian requires his permission as if it’s obvious.

I responded with an expressionless face.

“Why should I seek your permission?”

“W-What did you say?!”

“As far as I know, the duties of a caretaker include monitoring the ‘special student’ assigned to them.”

Special student.

It refers to the student who is treated with utmost importance in the Rose Cross Boarding School.

Usually, when a student has the potential to cause a significant impact if their status is revealed to the outside world, they are designated as a special student and managed accordingly.

Upon hearing that, Victor frowned.

“Who authorized you to take charge of Duke Kalleid?”

“Well, I authorized myself.”

“Do you think that makes any sense?”

Victor clenched his fists.

But I didn’t bat an eyelash.

“You’re extravagant, ignorant, and don’t do any of the duties of a caretaker. You even find a small piece of bread wasteful.”

In an instant, Victor stiffened his shoulders in surprise.

Of course, these were all the criticisms he would often pour behind my back.

I smiled brightly, counting on my fingers as I spoke each one.

“So, I thought of treating you to my presence after such a long time. Is there a problem?”

“Well, um…”

Victor, who had momentarily had an angry expression, gritted his teeth and spoke.

“But it’s still not allowed. You know very well how important Duke Kalleid is as a student. I won’t allow…”

“For heaven’s sake.”

I burst into laughter as if I were listening attentively.

“Victor, is there something wrong with you?”

“…Yes?”

“Not Even Marquis, but a janitor blabbering about needing his permission. How amusing.”

I concluded my words with a cool voice, laced with laughter.

At my mockery, Victor’s face turned red with anger and shame.

However, he couldn’t hide his puzzlement.

‘Marquis.’

Perhaps it’s because of that title.

It must be quite unfamiliar for me to casually address Dante as “Marquis.”

In the original story, Elze was fixated on calling Dante by his real name.

Allowing oneself to use each other’s names in a romantic relationship is a proof of their deep affection for each other.

In the original, Elze seemed to take pride in being able to call Dante by his real name.

‘I don’t understand why people enjoy being close to a crazy male lead.’

I mocked inwardly and shrugged my shoulders as if showing off.

“If you have any complaints, well… Shall I report it to the Marquis this time as well?”

When I poked at his usual behavior of threatening me, saying, “I will report it to the Marquis,” Victor bit his lip until it bled.

“In that case, what will the Marquis say? Will he praise you for being diligent in your duties as a caretaker, or…”

I looked up at Victor’s face, as if subtly teasing him.

“Will he be angry, thinking that you are wasting his precious time?”

“…”

Facing a rare moment of speechlessness from Victor, I delivered the final blow.

“Well then, I believe that Duke Kalleid is under my responsibility.”

With a sweet smile directed at Victor’s distorted face, I passed by him without hesitation.

* * *

The next day.

I went to find Lucian again.

“Hello. Did you have a good dream last night?”

“…”

Lucian just stared at me with a wary look in his eyes and didn’t answer.

‘I’m on your side.’

I had hoped that he would at least confirm the truth of the words I said yesterday.

Feeling a bit disappointed, I asked a question.

“Excuse me, but may I help you take off the Duke’s clothes?”

At that moment, Lucian lifted his head in surprise.

‘Is this woman crazy?’

Seeing his skeptical gaze, I pointed subtly to the first aid kit I had placed next to me.

“You rolled on the floor while being restrained yesterday. I want to check if you have any injuries and treat them if you do.”

I shrugged my shoulders and added, “Besides, you should change your clothes.”

Due to the rain-soaked garden from yesterday, Lucian’s clothes were completely covered in mud.

They must feel quite damp.

However, as the prickly male lead who only shows tenderness towards the female lead in the original story, Lucian responded with a curse.

“Just get lost.”

But if I had backed off with just this kind of reaction, I wouldn’t have even considered trying to manipulate Lucian to be on my side from the beginning.

With a sly smile, I provoked Lucian.

“Don’t worry, younger boys than me are not my preference.”

“….What?”

Then Lucian’s expression became subtle.

It seemed like his pride was hurt.

‘Provocation was the answer after all.’

Lucian was the youngest among the three male leads.

Being at an immature age just past adulthood, even a light provocation like this could easily scratch his pride…

‘Wait.’

Suddenly, I narrowed my eyebrows.

Under Lucian’s collar, faint stains could be seen, mottled and discolored.

‘…Is he injured?’

I immediately grabbed hold of Lucian’s shirt.

“What are you…!”

“Stay still.”

I quickly unbuttoned Lucian’s shirt.

“Let go of that!”

Lucian reflexively tried to swat my hand away.

His eyes shot venomous glares at me, but I didn’t back down either.

“As the caretaker of this boarding school, it is my duty to take care of the Duke’s well-being.”

Lucian is the most important card that must be kept in hand.

It would be troublesome if he got seriously injured.

“I have no impure intentions. I just want to check for any wounds.”

I spoke firmly.

Lucian pursed his lips and furrowed his brows.

While discreetly observing his reaction, I approached him cautiously, like approaching a fully grown wildcat.

Though he appeared uncomfortable, he didn’t resist further.

“Here, I’m going to use scissors.”

I inserted the tip of the scissors into the part where the chain and fabric were connected, and once again made my request.

“Don’t move. It might hurt.”

Snip!

The fabric fell down.

At the same time, my eyes widened.

It was understandable, considering the wounds that were revealed on his body…

‘…You must have been in pain.’

It was more serious than I had thought.

Not only were there bloodstains all over, but there were also bruises in various places.

‘He must have been restless yesterday.’

I bit my lower lip lightly.

“Even though you are hurt so badly, you refuse treatment. You’re stubborn for no reason.”

“It’s annoying.”

Lucian gave me a disdainful glare.

I let out a deep sigh and turned Lucian around.

“Still, you need to take care of your health.”

In front of me was a dense back with well-defined muscles that made it hard to believe he was still an immature youth.

It was like a sculpture created by a god.

Seeing that beautiful body covered in wounds, a sense of pity naturally welled up within me.

“You need to be in good health if you want a chance to escape from the boarding school someday.”

“… ”

Then, I felt Lucian’s gaze on me, as if he was unexpectedly glancing back at me.

Of course, as soon as our eyes met, he immediately redirected his gaze to the wall.

But still, well…

Even if he just stops opposing me and silently cooperates, it would be a significant achievement, wouldn’t it?

I wiped Lucian’s wounds with a clean towel dipped in water.

Taking an ointment on my fingers, I carefully applied it to the area where the bruises were particularly severe.

“Ah…”

Lucian couldn’t help but let out a painful groan.

Surprised, I quickly stopped my hand.

“Does it hurt?”

Lucian gritted his teeth and turned his head to the side.

“Mind your own business.”

Hmm, he’s prickly.

“If it hurts, please let me know.”

I made my request once again, but Lucian didn’t even respond.

However, I noticed his occasional subtle shoulder tremors, indicating that he was in quite a bit of pain.

After a while, when I finished treating him, I took out the clothes I had prepared.

They were the uniform shirt and pants of the boarding school.

“Duke, it may be uncomfortable for you to move, so let me help you change.”

“… ”

A complex expression briefly flickered across Lucian’s face.

The reluctance to continue being in contact with an unwanted member of the opposite sex, the feeling of helplessness of having to wear the detestable boarding school uniform, and the frustration of being unable to refuse due to his own circumstances.

But even that was temporary.

“… Fine. Go ahead.”

Lucian glanced at his bound hands for a moment, muttered a curse, and nodded his head.

As I helped Lucian change clothes, I suddenly looked up at his face.

I hadn’t noticed it in the darkness yesterday, but the bruises on his face were more prominent than I had imagined.

To have bruises on that national treasure-level beauty… It’s a shame. What should I do?

“…You must have been hurt.”

With a sense of pity, I absentmindedly wiped the bloodstains off Lucian’s bruised lips.

“… ”

In an instant, Lucian’s pupils sank into pitch darkness.

“What… are you?”

Doubt and confusion, fear and frustration, the sense of betrayal towards the cousin he was deliberately avoiding, and a glimmer of hope that he couldn’t let go of.

All of this was directed towards the immature young man who had just emerged from the crossroads of adolescence.

“I already told you.”

I relaxed my gaze.

“I’m on your side, Duke.”

Hoping that my smile can capture even a tiny bit of his heart.