I'll End This Engagement

“You Excellency, please give the boy a proper punishment.”

Said Susan, who was quietly watching her master’s eyes.

“How dare he made a loud noise at the breakfast table of his superiors.”

“…”

“He should be punished severely.”

I looked at the woman silently.

Even when scolding the child, she seemed to have the ability to judge the master’s mood and situation sensitively.

‘Why is he in a bad mood?’

Even so, Davan didn’t look very happy.

The expression on his face, which had been insensitive until the child broke the glass, now feels quite chilly.

“I will change his job and send him to the stable.”

“…”

Davan did not respond to the woman’s words. Just looking at me with calm eyes.

“I will cut 20% of his annual salary according to the provisional law.”

The more there was no reply, the more severe the punishment that came out of her mouth.

‘What kind of glass did he break that the punishment had to be so severe?’

Davan still didn’t answer, and Susan’s gaze on the floor only grew awkward.

“Leah Prezis.”

Suddenly, Davan called my name.

When I turned my attention to the voice, the man asked me.

“Do you have any good ideas?”

“What… good ideas?”

I did have a good idea, but it was an awkward word because of the situation.

The more I looked down, the more relaxed Davan’s face became.

“Because you’ve been staring at me so much.”

“…”

“I thought you had something good in mind.”

Davan looked at me and smiled slightly.

Without realizing it, my forehead twitched.

In the midst of everyone’s silence, only the man’s smile was too soft.

“Hmm, if it’s a good idea…”

Nothing came to mind, but I forced my lips open.

Taking away the money one had originally given is the cruelest thing anyone could do! I was aware of this!

“Your Excellency. I will take the child to the slave market and sell him.”

The sudden interruption of the voice caused a sharp turn in the atmosphere. It came from Heins, who had been watching.

‘W-What?’

My eyes widened at the unexpected situation.

He had been quiet the whole time, so I didn’t expect him to make such a super-strong move at the last minute.

“How can we put such a foolish thing in Eirene Palace?”

“…”

“Y-Your Excellency, rather than the slave market… just fire him and kick him out of the palace.”

Susan hurriedly opposed it. She seemed perplexed.

“What should be done?”

Davan asked me. With a look of giving me the final decision.

‘Why the hell  are you asking me?!’

I wanted to scream at the sight.

I’d rather have Heins and Susan play rock-paper-scissors, so why give me the final say?

It wasn’t because of guilt, it was just that I didn’t like that the responsibility fell on me.

“Well, that…”

Again the sun changed direction. As soon as the sunlight turned into shade, my eyes collided with Davan.

“I will do…”

When our eyes met, the corners of Davan’s lips rose naturally.

“…as you wish.”

“…”

I couldn’t give any answers.

I had no choice but to look at Davan.

‘Is he trying to sound me out?’

Above all, I couldn’t understand what the man was asking me for.

Is he genuinely asking for my opinion, or is he trying to confuse me?

Besides, Davan’s smile was so much more than I was prepared for…

‘Leah would’ve fallen for it badly.’

When I saw the original work, I wondered why she liked him so much, but now I understood Leah’s mind even more.

“You must set an example by punishing the child severely.”

When I did not answer, Heins intervened again.

“But Your Excellency! Sending him to the stable or firing him is enough. It was an unintentional mistake—!”

“He is a child who served close to the superiors.”

Heins’ expression was calm but firm. He didn’t even raise his voice, but it felt harsh.

“Would it have been a mistake only when the master’s face was damaged by the glass shards?”

“That…”

“Our Eirene Palace is a place where not even a single branch of the tree should be accidentally cut.”

Susan looked like she had nothing more to say.

Heins turned his head coldly.

“If you are going to teach the servants such excuses, then you should leave as well. You have turned into a housekeeper of such a degree.”

“Still—!”

“The people talking in front of me are a sight to behold.”

Davan muttered, making the two people stop.

“When did I give you the power to decide?”

Davan’s voice asking them was soft.

At first glance, it seemed gentle, but the end was cold.  To the point where even I was chilling at the gap.

“…”

Heins and Susan quickly shut their mouths.

The room was quiet again.

The servants stood like mannequins with their gazes lowered.

‘Right. Let’s just ignore them. If I intervene, I’m the only one hurting.’

I thought that if I made fun of myself because of my mouth in this atmosphere, something big was going to happen.

Above all, Heins and Susan were the ones in command inside and outside the palace, respectively.

It didn’t seem like I would gain much if I took the side of one person here.

‘Can I really change my ending?’

I had a headache.

Life here felt like taking an exam every moment.

An exam with only two options, either 100 or 0.

I forcibly turned my head and looked down at the plate.

However.

’14 years old…’

The boy’s shoulders, lying on the floor, still lingered in my eyes.

That child’s trembling shoulders, whose weight of life will change completely if I say one word.

“Uh, look.”

Eventually my lips opened.

It wasn’t because I was nice.

It was just because I didn’t want to cause inconvenience because it happened because of me.

“…”

Even though it was a very small voice, Davan’s gaze immediately fell on me.

He seemed to have been waiting.

“I don’t think selling him to the slave market is a good idea.”

Davan just looked at me without answering.

‘It must have been those eyes.’

Those eyes were the same as described in the original. It was as cold as the twilight of a winter evening.

If I had to describe what I felt in one word, it was cold. It was so cold that I couldn’t open my mouth…

“My lady, let no private compassion enter into public affairs.”

“No. It’s not that I feel sorry for him or that I’m worried.”

I quickly responded to Hein’s words.

“I’m worried about the duke’s reputation.”

“…”

Heins’ gaze on me became strange for a moment.

It seemed like he was expecting me to say something along the line of “Save him because he’s pitiful”.

I bit my lips and opened them again.

“That child has absolutely no commercial value as a slave.”

It was quite uncomfortable to weigh the merchantability of a child as a slave.

However, it was only after seeing Heins’ attitude that I noticed.

The sound of floating clouds catcher in this world has no power at all.

[T/N: This is the metaphor of a person who says something vague or absurd]

“His status was not low, and I’m sure he has never done any work like this before.”

In fact, I had no idea what the status of the child was.

I was just guessing that because he was working in this palace, especially when he was working so close to Davan.

It would be possible only if he was a commoner or at least a fallen aristocrat.

“If one doesn’t have experience, they should be counting on their strength…”

It was difficult for me to continue speaking without anyone responding.

I’m definitely not a good person, but why do I feel so guilty?

“If you sold such a lousy child to the slave market, who would pay money to buy him? He is at a hard age to tame, not to mention.”

I blinked at Susan for no reason.

“Miss Susan. Don’t you think so?”

It was an implicit signal to agree with me.

“Yes, yes! As far as I know, he is from the nobility of the Patra Kingdom.”

Not knowing I would be on her own side, Susan answered quickly with a brightened face.

“Patra Kingdom?”

Davan’s brow wrinkled slightly.

“Are you referring to the kingdom of the southwest that fell a few years ago?”

“Yes, Your Excellency. At that time, the nobles and royals who surrendered obediently were not killed and belonged to the national treasury.”

Susan nodded her head and answered.

“It is said that they were sent to the imperial music troupe or to the galleries of the nobles because they are a nation with excellent artistry. That child volunteered to be sent to the duke’s residence himself.”

Listening to their conversation, I only opened my eyes wide. There was a part about war, and I wasn’t very interested in that.

‘He came here on his own feet.’

Only those words reached my ears.

“So, he’s not even physically strong? Who is going to pay a huge sum of money to buy a useless slave?”

“…”

“Even so, he has a pretty face. If he can play even just one instrument, he’ll only be sold to brothels.”

Having gained persuasive power from Susan’s words, I added more provocatively.

I felt like human waste.

But seeing Susan being robbed by Heins, I had to close my eyes and pretend I didn’t know anything about ethics and conscience.

“How can a servant who worked in the palace be sold to a brothel? What will be the status of the duke?”

“That’s right, Your Excellency.”

Susan kept responding to me. Heins only looked at me still.

“As if just anyone could talk about the status of the Khajans.”

He said it firmly.

“Especially those living on this continent.”

“…”

Uh, I ran out of things to say.

He took great pride in his master, and there was nothing to refute.

Certainly, Heins was a person who was difficult to deal with by logic.

Who would dare to talk about the duke of Khajans family who held the real power in this continent…

“Haha. Of course. They are very, very incredible.”

Truly incredible. And even more amazing to see it in person.

“…”

As if my words seemed strange, Davan’s gaze flew towards me.

“Seriously incredible.”

The more I said it, the more I smiled brightly. It was a compliment, you see? A compliment.