The Impact of the Author's Intervention on a Blank Page - Chapter 22
“Therefore, it would be best if you stayed quiet for now. Wouldn’t it be enough to act spoiled after His Grace recovers?”
Why is he suddenly picking a fight? While Ja-hyun was bewildered, Emily fidgeted beside him. Well, given his position as butler, she wasn’t in any position to speak against him.
Looking as if she’d made a firm decision, Emily tried to comfort him instead of addressing the butler.
“Young master, please don’t worry too much. He’s saying this out of concern for you. As I mentioned before, even if His Grace shows a slightly different attitude for now, it won’t be his true feelings.”
“Sigh, what I mean is… your treatment depends entirely on His Grace.”
“……”
Ja-hyun held his aching head and tried to interpret what these chattering people were saying.
‘So now… they think my brother, who’s lost his memories, will torment me?’
Ja-hyun couldn’t help but laugh. Well, considering this world’s version of his brother was a poorly regarded Grand Duke, such thoughts might be natural. But brother was still brother. Yesterday proved that. Though his words were appropriately cold for his role, his touch remained gentle in the end.
While things were uncomfortable and the future uncertain, Ja-hyun couldn’t imagine his brother doing anything cruel to him. Even if he did, it would all just be roleplaying anyway.
“Don’t worry too much. He was fine when I saw him earlier today.”
But at those words, Emily and the butler’s expressions darkened.
Emily internally sighed as she looked at the sickly young master speaking such naive words. To her, Rijin was like a small animal approaching humans without thinking they might harm it. While the Grand Duke wasn’t the type to excessively punish servants’ mistakes, he also wasn’t one to show unnecessary kindness to others. After all, baseless rumors don’t exist.
“If… if His Grace were to raise a hand against you…”
Emily couldn’t finish her sentence and pressed her lips shut. He wouldn’t even need to use much force. The slightest gesture could grievously hurt this pale, thin, and gentle man before them.
The frowning butler beside her chimed in.
“His Grace isn’t someone who would do such things without reason. However, if he becomes irritated by the astronomical cost of your medicines, he might cut them off. Even if he doesn’t bill you for them, he might demand you earn your keep.”
Emily exclaimed in a shrill, quiet voice.
“Earn his keep…!”
Listening to their fuss, Ja-hyun felt bewildered inside.
What do these people take brother for? The medicine costs were one thing, but raising a hand against him…? While brother’s character settings weren’t entirely positive, that was just provided as a guide – there was no rule saying he had to act that way. There wasn’t any forcing mechanism either.
Still, their concerns weren’t completely incomprehensible. This world had a similar worldview to old Europe, with severe class distinctions. Until the Industrial Revolution, it was common for workers to sleep tied to ropes, showing how little concept of human rights existed. Perhaps it was natural for them to worry about his fragile life.
‘In their minds, it wouldn’t be strange if my brother threw me out on the streets right now.’
Even if that happened, he wouldn’t mind. Everything would return to normal once time passed.
‘But I’d prefer if he didn’t…’
“If those things they worried about actually happened, brother would probably feel terribly sorry towards him. He didn’t want to see brother suffering with guilt.
Regardless of Ja-hyun’s thoughts, the butler continued muttering with a grave expression.
“Just because His Grace treats you and us kindly doesn’t mean we should get comfortable.”
From the sound of it, the butler didn’t seem to be worrying about him out of pure concern. Rather, it felt more like he was bothered by the possibility of Ja-hyun acting rashly.
“Yes. I understand.”
Basically, you’re telling me to be nice and gentle with our Northern Grand Duke brother, right?
“I’m saying this just in case, though I hope it won’t come to this, but please avoid meeting with the Grand Duke alone for the time being. He’s already on edge because of his own issues.”
That request was impossible to grant. He had to complete the quest, didn’t he? Though he’d been internally whining about it, he had no intention of giving up just because the situation had turned out this way.
Besides, Ja-hyun was confident he could persuade brother while being well-behaved. Brother was rational and quick to calculate situations, not someone who would act cruelly due to emotional swings.
Those long years of butting heads with brother hadn’t been for nothing. Before they became close, he’d also worked hard as a brother’s subordinate.
