If You're Being Held Hostage, Wiggle the Carrot! - Chapter 39
Ivan concentrated on his work in silence. His aides, sensing his sullen mood, eagerly awaited the end of the day.
Liam entered his office quietly, without knocking, and stood before him to report.
“I apologize, sir. No matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find the young lady. It’s my fault. Even though she said she would go alone, I should have followed…”
After lunch, Ruby, who had said she would take a short walk and return, did not show up for teatime. Thinking she might have lost her way, Ivan sent Liam to look for her, but there was no news until the sun began to set.
Ivan threw down the papers he’d been consciously studying and rubbed his eyes. A sudden wave of fatigue overwhelmed him.
“A guest disappearing within the mansion. Does this make any sense, right now?”
It didn’t occur to him that anyone would dare harm Ruby, who was staying as his guest. The estate was so large and old, though, so he supposed it was possible for her to go missing unintentionally.
“Tsk.”
Was there really that many ghosts that she still hadn’t returned from talking to them?
His impatience eased a bit as he remembered her face, shouting with confidence. However, with no particular solution in sight, he pondered over what he should do.
He propped his elbows up on his desk and rested his head on the backs of his overlapping hands, contemplating, until he felt a chilly touch on his shoulder that made him curse.
“Holy sh*t!”
The sensation he hadn’t felt in a long time was far from pleasant. In fact, it was more unpleasant than before, as if someone was standing beside him.
“…My Lord?”
Seeing Ivan’s face turn pale in an instant, Liam addressed the aides in the study. “It’s already this late. You should leave now.”
“…But, sir.”
“It’s better for everyone to leave quietly. I’ll speak to the master properly later, so don’t worry about it and go home.”
“Yes… I understand. It’s just… it’s strange all of a sudden. We’re worried about the young lady too.”
“Well, it’s after dark, so perhaps she’s wandering in the wrong place…”
As the aides prepared to leave for the day, they each left a comment about how they were concerned for Ruby.
Ivan, who had been acting as if nothing had happened, jumped to his feet as soon as they left.
“It seems that Ruby’s energy has exhausted its effects,” Ivan said with a faintly nauseated expression.
Liam scanned the surroundings with a serious demeanor, but there seemed to be nothing noticeable in his eyes. At that moment, as if to announce its presence to Liam, a stack of documents atop a aide’s desk fell to the floor like someone had pushed it.
Thud—
The sound of papers scattering on the floor echoed through the silence. Liam flinched at the sight of it.
“Look, did you see that.”
“…Yes.”
Knock, knock.
When Liam heard the subsequent knocking, he tried to rush to the door but he couldn’t.
Dundundundundundun…
There was a lot of banging on things everywhere, starting with the door.
“This…”
Ivan cursed under his breath at the increased intensity of the spirits’ actions, coupled with the chill he hadn’t felt in a while. He was terrified enough to want to flee immediately, but Liam’s presence prevented him from doing so. He couldn’t embarrass himself in front of his men.
“M-my Lord, what in the world…”
Hearing it was one thing, experiencing it was another. Liam, his face as white as Ivan’s, tried desperately to move his immobile body. Just as he was about to urge the master to escape, they both turned their heads abruptly at a sudden loud noise.
BAM!
Ruby burst into the room, breathing heavily and her crimson eyes flashing.
She threw her hands in the air, and said in an irritated tone, “Not the swarms of ants who found the sugar water, but you haven’t tasted the bitterness yet, have you?”
Ivan almost fainted at the sight of Ruby smiling wickedly. God, he was so happy to see her, he felt like he was going to cry.
