Chapter 04
After escaping the underground dungeon, we came up to the surface.
I stayed hidden inside Sion’s collar, peeking out with just my eyes as I looked around.
In the outdoor corridor, many servants and royal guards had already gathered.
“What’s going on?!”
“What happened?”
“I definitely heard something collapse underground!”
While everyone was in a panic—
“Move! Get out of the way!”
Assistant Luman pushed through the crowd. He grabbed a nearby servant by the collar and shook him violently.
“The underground level collapsed? What kind of nonsense is this all of a sudden!?”
“W-we’re not sure either…”
No matter how much Sion was discriminated against and oppressed as an illegitimate son, and even if he had been imprisoned under the Grand Duchess’s orders—if anything happened to him, the responsibility would fall entirely on Luman. His face turned pale white.
At that moment, Garen stepped forward.
“I just came back from checking it myself. Due to poor maintenance, part of the inner wall of the underground dungeon collapsed. Because of that, the young master had no choice but to leave the site.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Sion, who was covered in snow and dust.
“N-no way!?”
“Oh my!”
“Y-young master!!!”
Assistant Luman rushed toward Sion.
“Young master! You’re safe!”
Clutching the hem of Sion’s robe and crying his eyes out, Luman looked up as Sion spoke coldly.
“Assistant Luman.”
“Yes, young master!”
“Go repair the underground dungeon. Make sure there are no casualties from further collapses.”
“Yes, yes! I’ll see to it right away!”
Wiping his tears, Luman hurried off. No matter how you looked at him, he was far too timid to play the role of a villain’s lackey.
As the atmosphere calmed, Garen addressed everyone.
“Given the circumstances, the young master will be resting in his bedroom for the time being. Please clear the way.”
The servants and guards exchanged glances before quietly stepping aside.
Leaving the uncomfortable silence behind, we calmly departed the scene.
Click.
The sound of the door closing echoed.
That was my signal—I kicked off from Sion’s collar and flew up.
“Waa!”
My heart racing, I zipped around the room.
“So this is Sion’s bedroom!”
But—
“…Huh?”
What lay before me was simply a huge—ridiculously huge—yet extremely barren and shabby room.
It was impossible to believe this was the room of a duke’s son.
“What… is this?”
I looked at the worn-out furniture, the tattered carpet, and the faded wallpaper.
Through the frame of the modest terrace connected to the room, cold wind was whistling in.
“What the hell…!”
As I burst out in anger, Sion and Garen, who had just entered, flinched and looked at me.
“How dare they shove Sion into a dump like this!?”
“……”
“…A dump…”
Ignoring Garen’s stunned murmur, I fumed as I scanned the room.
There wasn’t a single spot that looked intact.
“My Sion lived alone in a place like this for ten whole years! In this freezing room that barely gets sunlight!”
As I trembled, Garen scratched his head.
“…Still, this room does face south, so it gets decent sunlight. It’s just that today the snowstorm outside is particularly harsh—”
“Hey.”
I raised my hand to cut him off.
“Knight Garen. Don’t get hung up on pointless details. Spend that time properly taking care of Sion’s room instead. Do you think he’s even been able to sleep properly in a place this worn and cold? Huh?”
At that, Sion let his robe drop and spoke.
“I don’t know why you’re so worked up, but that’s enough. Garen’s duty is as a knight, not as my servant.”
“…!”
“More importantly, how long do you plan to stay here?”
I quickly flew over and stuck myself onto Sion’s left shoulder.
“Until I renovate this awful room from top to bottom! From now on, Sion’s going to eat only good things and wear only good things. Got it?”
“……”
“On the way here from the main building, I saw everything. Those so-called retainers are all living well—wearing nice things, eating nice food. Thinking about it just makes me mad again! I should just—ugh!”
As I fumed and shadowboxed, Sion muttered to himself.
“…I thought so back in the dungeon too,
