I Will Die for You, My Darling! - Chapter 15
Chapter 15
The head maid had been dismissed and imprisoned, and the head butler of the main house had temporarily relocated to the annex, taking charge of all the staff.
“This recent mismanagement stems from a lack of proper training,” the butler began, his voice quiet yet firm, addressing the assembled annex staff. “Before the item awakens, I expect you to thoroughly internalize these instructions.”
He paused, then prompted, “Respond.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
Someone’s clumsy reply sparked muffled giggles among the staff. The butler was old. He possessed the wisdom of years, enough not to be angered by such obvious mockery. A benevolent smile played on his lips as he walked steadily toward the offending footman.
Slap!
The blow, delivered with surprising force for a man of his age, snapped the footman’s head to the side. His cheek quickly blossomed with color.
Still smiling, the butler struck again. This time, the inside of the footman’s cheek seemed to split, a bead of blood welling up on his lip.
The laughter died. Only the sight of blood could sober these people, the butler thought, a mixture of contempt and pity stirring within him.
“You’ve all been enjoying a rather lax work environment. Do you know why?”
Silence. The staff exchanged uneasy glances, no one daring to answer.
“Because Big Cat had no expectations of your feeble minds. You are all Downstream vermin.”
It was true. Before their employment at the Glass Dome Mansion, they had all scraped by in Downstream, where robbery, threats, and knife fights were commonplace.
The life they knew, the life ingrained in them, was that of Downstream. They might mimic the ways of the upper class here, but their true nature remained unchanged.
“Still, I believed you possessed a basic survival instinct. To live, you must fulfill your assigned duties, wouldn’t you agree?”
Obedience to power was also a law of Downstream.
“Big Cat has been generously content as long as his item was maintained in pristine condition, regardless of your inner thoughts or behind-the-scenes activities.”
But the annex staff’s negligence had resulted in Arietta’s severe injury. She lay in a coma, her awakening uncertain. They had failed in their fundamental purpose—the reason Isaac had brought them to the Glass Dome Mansion in the first place.
“You all deserve to die. Do you know why?”
Silence again.
“Answer me.”
“Because… we failed to properly care for the one Master Isaac cherishes…” someone mumbled.
Fire flashed in the butler’s eyes. While partially true, the statement was dangerously misleading.
“Cherishes? Do you believe the item is Big Cat’s lover or mistress?”
The staff member who had spoken clammed up, eyes darting nervously. He was Gwen’s peer, and like her, he’d assumed Arietta was Isaac’s favored mistress.
‘She’s called an item,’ he’d thought, ‘but she’s human… Is there really that much difference between a mistress and an item?’
“No, sir! She is merely an item for display. There is no reciprocal relationship, like with a lover or mistress. Arietta is Master Isaac’s possession. However, she holds value for viewing… or for the fulfillment of desires… thus, we must always maintain her in optimal condition.”
Sensing the dangerous atmosphere, the staff member recited what he’d learned on his first day.
Fortunately, the butler refrained from striking him. He’d said the right things, albeit out of fear.
“Internalize this, don’t just memorize it. Understood?”
The staff member nodded frantically, feigning comprehension. He didn’t understand the nuance, but it seemed vitally important to Isaac, his master.
‘Why is it so crucial for Isaac to dehumanize Arietta and treat her solely as an object? Isn’t that very objectification what led to Gwen’s… transgression?’ He thought about Gwen’s incident. ‘Perhaps if she were considered a lover, everyone would be more cautious…’
“Now, let us resume our training.”
