ORCA 13

Had I ever met the Young Master? No, no… when did the Young Master arrive? Has a month already passed? When? Young Master, Young Master… Yesterday… the lake… The Young Master, the Young Master—wait, why was I with the Young Master, why was the Young Master with me, why, at the lake, yesterday at the lake… The Young Master at the lake, I at the lake yesterday… Ah… uh… ah, yesterday. Yesterday I was at the lake, yesterday the Young Master was at the lake, I saw the stars yesterday, yesterday, at the lake, in the forest. With the Young Master, I was with the Young Master. While following the Young Master… Young Master, the Young Master, the Young Master came, I mean to the lake, Young Master, Young Master…

“Ugh, huff… Yo, Young Master… Ugh, I, I’m sorry…”

As he continued to speak, Niah’s head tilted. Orca supported the back of Niah’s neck to make him look up at him. His severely swollen eyes were bloodshot. Meanwhile, the tears that welled up flowed down his cheeks and even soaked Orca’s palm.

It was amusing to see him flustered in mid-air, unable to bring himself to grab Orca’s forearm with his mud-stained hands. Now that the goldfish had remembered everything, he was groveling while giving a clear reason. This wasn’t a face begging in ignorance and sheer terror anymore. The look in his eyes was different.

“You said you wouldn’t, you wouldn’t, huff… I’m sorry. Young Master… I, I forgot everything again, huff…”

At the mumbled words mixed with heated breathing, the corners of Orca’s mouth curled up slightly without him realizing it. It was pleasant to see him follow orders by holding his head up straight and whispering his apology. Unlike when he cried without even knowing who Orca was, this was quite decent.

“I see.”

Orca dismissed the situation with those few words, silencing Niah. Then, he gently stroked the back of Niah’s neck, where tears were still dripping down. Niah just chewed on his lips, terrified that the Young Master might grab his hair like he did yesterday.

He wanted to beg until the Young Master’s anger subsided, but he felt like he shouldn’t. Niah moved his hand timidly. His slender fingers carefully made contact with the tip of Orca’s shoe. He didn’t dare to grab it properly, just resting his fingers against it ever so lightly.

Only after hearing the small, stammering voice did Pepe realize that Niah was in front of Orca. He couldn’t hear exactly what was being said, but it was clear that Niah was crying.

In an instant, the situation clicked into place like a puzzle in Pepe’s mind. As if his previous confusion and panic had been a lie, he was suddenly certain.

What kind of trouble has this stupid goldfish caused this time?

He rolled his eyes quickly. He weighed various scenarios and did his best to calculate the best possible choice. Whatever happened, he wanted to at least prevent a situation where he would be in trouble.

The Young Master, as a scion of a prominent family, was used to crushing people with polite words. He would strip away the opponent’s momentum and gag them without using a single vulgar word. Sometimes, just his presence was chilling enough to make one’s skin crawl. It was only natural, as he was a person who could cut one’s life short in an instant if he so desired.

Because the Young Master had returned to the mansion after three years, he had momentarily forgotten that fact. He was suddenly overwhelmed with the feeling of a prisoner on the guillotine with his neck exposed.

Regardless, with a Young Master like that, holding him responsible for the poor management of Niah and kicking him out of the mansion would be a piece of cake. It wasn’t just him—it could be the entire gardening staff. Even if he added the word “if” to the situation, the frustration didn’t vanish, only his worries piled up.

The Wair family mansion was far better to work at than any other place. There were many servants so the work was easy, the sleeping quarters were excellent for servants, and there was no shortage of pay, food, or uniforms provided. Moreover, isn’t it the ‘Wair’ family? It was a family that guaranteed one could be treated well anywhere if they had proof of having worked here.

Conversely, if a rumor spread that even a skilled gardener like him had been kicked out of the Wair family, it was obvious that no mansion would take him in. There was no way the butler would write a recommendation letter while kicking him out. Even more so, if the reason was Niah, it wouldn’t be strange if he died of sheer resentment and rage.

Of course, before that happened, he would make that goldfish pay the price by any means necessary—whether boiling him in water, roasting him in an oven, or deboning him. Better yet, the best ending would be for him not to get kicked out of the mansion in the first place.

“You stupid idiot!”

To prevent any work-related issues, this was the easiest method. It was the most ideal choice he could make. There was no need for the Young Master to dirty his hands by scolding and punishing that tiny thing. It would just be a waste of his energy on a useless creature. He rolled up his sleeves and dashed out, intending to take the Young Master’s annoyance upon himself.

Pepe stomped his feet, hoping to even get a compliment from Orca. He moved forward without hesitation, even putting on a smile. He had never beaten Niah before, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t. It was his belief that Niah would surely take the beating without a single peep of protest. Besides, that was what he deserved.

If he happened to break a bone, that would be a problem in itself, but other things were more important right now. Staying at the mansion was far more critical than an increase in his personal workload for a few days. He even judged that it might be better to just make him crippled and nip the problem in the bud.

Niah, who had been staring only at Orca, flinched in surprise and gripped the shoe his fingertips were touching. At the same time, his wet eyes, which had been fixed on one spot, turned diagonally. Pepe was the only one who would swear at him as a stupid idiot.

This was the third time today that he had been scolded. Once when he was late for work, once when he dozed off while planting herb seeds, and now, the third time. A voice much louder and more filled with wrath than the previous two pierced his ears. He had committed a wrong against the Young Master, but he had never done anything to Pepe. Since the other servants left him behind and went to the cafeteria, he hadn’t made any mistakes that warranted begging for forgiveness. It was the truth. Yet, knowing that, he was still terrified.

The heavy footsteps stopped, and the formidable face of Pepe loomed over the Young Master’s shoulder. He knew that if he cried more now, he would be scolded by the Young Master—and he shouldn’t do that—but the tears burst forth anyway.

“What are you doing with your head held high?”

Niah shrieked and slammed his forehead into the ground. It wasn’t the soil tilled for planting crops, but the hard, bare earth. His body, which hadn’t moved when he tried to back away, tipped over easily to the side. As he left Orca’s presence, a cold air settled on his neck. In its place, his forehead burned hot as pain struck.

Pepe pressed down on the back of Niah’s head, intending to keep him from getting up at all. He even rubbed his face into the dirt. Niah struggled and whimpered, trying to pull his head away from Pepe’s hand.

“It hurts, it hurts, ugh, it hurts… Pepe, huff… it hurts.”

Pepe paid no mind to the plea and only watched Orca’s mood. Orca merely looked down at the prostrate Niah with a cool expression, saying nothing. His hand remained in the air, in the same shape as when he had been holding Niah’s neck.

Sensing the mood, Pepe suddenly grabbed Niah’s hair and yanked him up. Then, he dragged him to adjust his position toward Orca. Niah’s tear-streaked, mud-covered face was exposed to Orca once more. A moment later, his forehead was slammed into the ground again. This time, he didn’t even let out a shriek.

“What are you doing instead of begging? If you’re going to be stupid, you should at least be good at begging.”

True to Pepe’s words, Niah wanted to grab onto anyone and beg for his life. Contrary to his wishes, only wet, hoarse sounds leaked from his lips. If he had to keep hurting like this, he wished he would just pass out. He was terrified of what might happen if he woke up outside the mansion next time, but at this rate, he felt he would die before he was even kicked out.

Orca lowered his arm, which he had been holding up, and rested it on his thigh. He had an easygoing, relaxed attitude, as if he were merely watching a spectacle. His mind was peaceful. When he saw that face that had forgotten him, he had been so stirred, but now he was strangely calm. It was as quiet as a goldfish the size of two fingers swimming in an endlessly vast sea.