Knock~knock
Knock~knock
A maid standing outside the door knocked again and again, but the sound of knocking didn't affect Noir one bit.
"Looks like Young Master Noir is still sleeping."
"Though as a maid, I shouldn't barge into my Young Master's sleeping chamber, it is the Eldest Miss's orders, so I have to do it—and the kind Young Master wouldn't mind it anyway."
The maid was thinking of going inside, but as she tried opening the door, it didn't budge—the door was locked from the inside.
"Sigh, why is the door locked?"
But before she could even question herself, the door opened. There stood the boy, Noir, yawning, indicating that he had just woken up from his sleep. His eyes half-opened, one hand holding the door, the other in front of his mouth.
But the maid ignored all of that, as her gaze was fixated on Noir's body—yes, it was chiseled, smooth, and seductive with his curves—but what drew her attention was the five deep claw marks. Her lips slightly parted, her hand shot up to her mouth, her eyes slightly widened.
"Ahm! Why were you knocking? Yawwn."
Noir asked, his voice sleepy.
But the maid didn't answer, which pulled him out from his sleepy state, and he noticed her staring at his chest.
~Sigh, this again.
He pulled her inside the room and closed the door, then pinning her against it, he put his hand on her mouth, blocking any kind of sound that could escape from her lips.
Looking deep into her eyes, he said, "Don't talk about what you saw—not to anyone, especially not to my sister."
The maid already had her eyes widened, looking at him with horror-filled eyes as he suddenly pulled her inside and pinned her against the door, but when she heard him asking to keep the wound secret, her nervous heart calmed down slightly, and she nodded with her eyes.
Noir, seeing that, pulled back, leaving her alone and free. The maid started gasping for air. Although he didn't block her mouth for long, the maid was a normal girl—it was enough for her to be breathless.
Noir, seeing that, felt bad that he did this to a normal person—but it was on impulse. He didn't want to do this. He didn't hate her, nor did he have any reason to hurt her. It's just, the matter of that wound is sensitive.
So, he took a step ahead and said in a sincere and polite way, "Sorry for doing that—suddenly holding a girl's mouth—I know I scared you, and the state you are in right now... I'm really sorry."
Recovering, the maid, hearing her Young Master's apology and looking into his guilty eyes, smiled and bowed. "Young Master, I am your maid. You don't have to apologize to me."
"And I understand—you don't want the Eldest Miss to know about your wound, right? You don't want to make her worry about you."
"Don't worry, I won't talk to anyone about this."
The maid, straightening her back, said with a smile.
"Ahh, thank you for your understanding."
"And again, I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Young Master."
Noir nodded and then asked, "By the way, why are you here?"
"Ah, Young Master, Miss Anne has called you for dinner."
Raising his right eyebrow, he muttered, "Is it that time already? How much did I sleep?"
"Did you say something, Young Master?"
The maid asked, thinking she heard him say something but didn't quite get it.
"No, I didn't say anything."
"Let's go."
"Young Master, your shirt??"
She asked, gazing at his body with her shy, avoiding eyes.
"Ahh! Yeah."
"Why am I in this state anyway?"
He whispered in confusion.
"I... don't know, Young Master."
"Don't worry, I wasn't asking you."
'Probably, it's related to him, I'm sure of it.'
Thought Noir inside his mind.
"Can you bring me something to wear?"
"I already have, Young Master."
"Wait a minute."
Saying so, the maid ran outside the door and entered again, pulling a trolley with her—elegant, white, and golden design—above which was a set of clothes for him.
"Did you have clothes ready?"
"Yes, Young Master, since you were in your academy uniform."
"Hm," Noir nodded.
And then asked her to go outside for a bit.
The maid understood and left him to his privacy.
4 minutes passed.
The door opened, and Noir walked out, wearing a newly ironed white shirt and black pants. The upper first two buttons of his shirt were open, revealing his smooth skin.
The maid sidestepped, making way for him, and then she tagged behind him as he walked forward toward their destination—the dining hall.
"Young Master, you didn't wear the coat?"
Glancing sideways, first he asked, "Why are you behind me? Come forward and walk with me."
"Young Master, me?"
"You know, there's no need to create distance between us. Since I'll be living here and you'll work here, let's get along well, okay?"
First the little maid was dazed for a second, then she nodded with a smile.
"Yes, Young Master."
"And for dinner, there's no need to dress up so much—it's just our family anyway. Yawwn."
"Hm, you are right, Young Master, but…"
"Forget about me, let's talk about you. What is your name? This is the first time I'm seeing you."
"Ah, sorry, Young Master, I forgot to introduce myself."
"It's okay."
Noir thought, 'Not many ask for a maid's name anyway, so I can understand why you forgot to introduce yourself.'
"My name is Marya. I started working here two months ago. My mother is the one who introduced me here."
"Your mother?"
"Does she also work here?"
"Yes, my mother is also a maid here in this palace, working since 20 years ago. Her name is Martha."
"You are Aunt Martha's daughter?"
He asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Yes, you know my mother, Young Master?"
She asked, shocked, as nobles generally don't remember their servants' names.
"Yes, I know her. When I was small, I used to come here often, and she was the one who, with other maids, used to make me wear…"
He stopped speaking as he just remembered what they did to him. His face blushed with shame.
"Wear what, Young Master?"
She asked curiously, looking at him with intrigued eyes.
"Ahm, nothing. We've reached the dining space."
He started walking faster.
Marya too followed behind him, her curious heart inquiring what her mother did to him—and why he was blushing.
Her curiosity only grew more with him trying to avoid the question.
'Hm, I'll ask Mother,' she thought with a resolute expression.
Pushing the door open to the dining space,
There was a big dining table that could accommodate at least 40 members—that's what he thought at first, since he didn't know the exact number of seats, nor was he interested in knowing them.
Pieces of silverware, plates, and candles were placed in the middle of the dining table, giving off a perfect noble vibe.
With him entering inside, his sister Anne looked up at him, smiled, and asked him to come to her.
He noticed his sister, but what caught his eye was the opposite seat of her sister was occupied too—and since he was behind the new occupant, as the door to enter the hall was behind that person's chair, he couldn't see her face.
He got curious, but first he sought to respond to his sister or he'd get scolded again.
Walking up to her, he tried to sit beside her left where there were seats available—as on the left was the one seat only that was of the head of the house.
But his sister caught his hand and indicated for him to sit at the seat of the head of the house with her eyes. He was uncomfortable with that request, as generally, it was his father's seat—and when he was not around, then it'd be his uncle's or anyone older in the main family.
So technically, his sister should've sat there.
He tried to say, "No, Sister, I will sit here."
Indicating the chair beside her with his fingers, he said.
"No, sit at your rightful place."
He looked at her eyes for 2–3 seconds, then relented.
'It's just a chair anyway, what's the big deal.'
Thought Noir, and sat at the seat of the head of the table.
And now he turned toward the deep, piercing gaze he was feeling—a gaze that felt like that of a predator.