TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 12
“Phew….”
Hanna blew on the hot green tea.
As she touched the teacup emitting white steam with her cold hands and sipped the green tea, Hanna trembled slightly.
Hanna awkwardly smiled with an apologetic expression.
“Sorry. It was too sudden, right? I have a personality where I must eat what I want right away….”
A retort came to mind, but I didn’t bother to say it.
Partly because I felt sorry for her, drenched by the rain.
And partly because I pitied her coming all the way here for tasteless green tea.
“Since the Young Lady has such a picky palate, I learned the tea brewing techniques from the East seven years ago. I thought you might feel that way because this technique enhances the tea’s flavor.”
“Haha…. Really? Somehow, it tastes better.”
“Hearing you say it’s delicious makes me happy.”
That’s a lie. Honestly, whether it was the East or anywhere else, as long as it steeped green, I just gave it to the Young Lady.
The Young Lady, with her cheap taste, preferred cocoa over luxurious tea.
I lied so she wouldn’t feel embarrassed.
I observed Hanna closely.
Her swollen eyes.
Eyelids red as if she had just poured out a torrent of tears made me hesitate to speak.
Rather than asking why she came here, she looked like she needed comforting instead.
I hesitated for a moment.
Honestly, I couldn’t imagine her coming here. I never dreamed she would come piercing through the downpour to this abandoned mansion. Especially to this estate, which doesn’t even get visitors. I thought it was a ghost.
The current time is 7 PM.
It’s the time when the sun is setting.
The sky outside the window hung gloomy, and it was still pouring rain outside.
Even without thinking hard, it was obvious.
A Noble Lady suddenly showing up at my house without any notice in the early evening, and for tasteless green tea? This was undeniable.
It seemed like Miss Hanna had run away from home.
Scrape. The sound of Hanna scratching the old teacup with her fingernail could be heard. She bit her lip and fell into deep thought.
The awkward atmosphere seemed uncomfortable for her.
“It’s raining a lot….”
“Indeed.”
“It’s a big problem because the laundry won’t dry.”
Hanna’s eyes met mine. Without speaking, I responded with a small smile.
If I asked what happened, would she answer? Probably not. What she likely needed now wasn’t intrusive questioning but time to think quietly.
I needed such time when I ran away from the orphanage. Back then, I spent time at the subway station with homeless men, but this world doesn’t have a meeting plaza like Seoul Station, so she must have come to my home.
Perhaps this place is like a subway station to Hanna.
A quiet hideout where she could escape the rain.
Seeing her reminded me of my past self, and it didn’t feel unpleasant. Quite the opposite—I wanted to treat her well.
Sip. I drank tea and looked out the window.
“Rainy days definitely call for green tea.”
“It seems to calm the mind.”
“Would you like some more?”
Hanna firmly replied.
“No, thank you.”
As expected, it seems our house’s green tea isn’t tasty.
If only I had some expensive tea leaves, I could show her the taste of heaven, but unfortunately, I already sold the expensive tea leaves second-hand.
“Next time, I’ll serve you better tea.”
“This is already good enough.”
Flinch. She trembled slightly.
Her pale lips made her look cold.
I had given her an outer garment, but it seemed insufficient.
I had planned to give her clothes to change into after she took a bath, but it felt like I should give them to her now.
Her faintly visible undergarments were also concerning.
She might catch a cold.
Feeling worried, I looked toward the window.
As time passed, worry deepened on Hanna’s face. It seemed her troubles weren’t resolving.
I thought time might help her sort things out, but it appeared to be a matter that required conversation more than time.
It was cold.
The temperature was dropping.
Hanna’s complexion was worsening.
Just as she was about to finish her tea, she began to gather the rainwater that had dripped onto the floor, preparing to leave the estate.
Squatting down to wipe the rainwater.
She looked so pitiful.
A musty smell rose from the old wooden planks. Unable to bear it, I reached out to grab the rag she was using.
“Oh?”
Our hands unintentionally overlapped.
Hanna and I accidentally held hands. It was immensely embarrassing. I had only intended to stop her from doing anything as a guest. I must have been in too much of a hurry.
Hanna….
She held onto the towel without any reaction.
Hiding my troubled heart, I spoke calmly.
“Please, just rest.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll be leaving soon anyway.”
“Are you trying to turn me into a useless bum?”
Even if she was a runaway teenager, I couldn’t forgive her for taking away the butler’s duties. Asking a guest to wash dishes might be fine, but making them clean the floor was something only Low-Rank Butlers would do.
And I didn’t want to make a runaway teenager do such things.
“Please, just sit down.”
“But it’s dirty because of me. I should clean it.”
“It’s fine.”
Hanna clutched the towel firmly.
She showed strong determination not to let go.
I waited quietly.
Until she loosened the strength in her hands.
Hanna hung her head low.
After a moment of silence.
When the warmth of my palm began to warm her cold hands. Drip. I felt a hot sensation on the back of the hand holding the towel.
A small water drop. Not a drop from her rain-soaked hair, but a slightly heavier one imbued with emotions.
“Hey, Butler.”
In the quiet estate, even a small voice echoed. Hanna’s wet voice softly resounded.
“Yes.”
I replied gently.
“Did you know? Today’s my birthday.”
“Oh…. Happy birthday.”
“But why can’t I receive any congratulations?”
Hanna was staring at the floor.
Even without seeing her face, I could guess what expression she was wearing.
Birthday.
It’s not an extraordinary day, but it’s a day you want to rest and be celebrated. I also wanted to properly celebrate the Young Lady’s birthday.
Even in my previous life.
Even when I was swamped with work, I made sure to leave early on my birthday to buy myself a cake. And the gift coupons my friends sent me, though not extravagant, were so appreciated.
In my memory, a birthday was the happiest day, yet oddly, also a day I felt the most loneliness.
Hanna spoke.
“You’re the first person to congratulate me today, Butler.”
“This is…. an honor.”
“Isn’t it?”
Hanna shook her head.
No matter how much she thought about it, it seemed she was facing something she couldn’t find an answer to.
“You know, Butler. What did I do so wrong?”
Hanna gripped the towel more tightly.
“I wanted Father to praise me too, and I wanted to be a proud younger sibling to Older Sister and Older Brother.”
Hot tears spilled onto the back of my hand.
“Is not having talent a sin?”
Her powerless murmur echoed through the estate.
Hanna’s warm tears on the back of my hand.
It made my chest feel heavy.
“Today, I told Father that I’d try to beat Senior Mikhail.”
She buried her forehead against the back of my hand.
“Do you know what Father said to me? He told me not to have presumptuous thoughts. Butler, do you think so too? No, right? No, you don’t.”
Hanna buried her head.
“Even if it’s just an empty word, can’t Father at least cheer me on?”
I’ve never had parents, so I wouldn’t know. But I do know that an ordinary parent wouldn’t act like that. The parents I once dreamed of were like that—encouraging and cheering me on. I wanted someone to be on my side, someone who would praise me.
I wasn’t confident in comforting her.
I hadn’t comforted others much, nor had I been comforted myself, so I thought I might say something hurtful.
But right now, at this moment, I felt like I had to do something. Even though I didn’t know much about Hanna during these two short weeks.
I decided to speak about the things I had come to know during that time.
“Miss Hanna, you know, I don’t invest in things without potential.”
“….”
“I’m a very calculative person. If I can’t see the outcome, I give up.”
“….”
“To be honest, if I thought Miss Hanna didn’t have talent, I wouldn’t have even brought up such a bet.”
Hanna cautiously opened her mouth.
“Do you think I have talent?”
“Yes. I swear to the Goddess.”
“But I’m less talented than Older Brother and worse off than Older Sister….”
“What does that have to do with me?”
Hanna lifted her head to look at me.
Her expression was one of disbelief.
Yet, she seemed to like my firm words.
[Hanna’s Favorability +15 has increased.]
Hanna looked up at me.
I felt relieved seeing her calmer expression compared to earlier. After only seeing her cry, this was much better.
“I’m selfish.”
“I know.”
“Saying that makes me sound like a really bad person, doesn’t it?”
“Pft…. Well, you are.”
“That’s true. So hurry up and beat Mikhail and put ten thousand gold in my wallet.”
“…”
“I’ll make it happen.”
Taking the rag from her hand,
I patted her head and said.
“As it happens, I have a knack for baking. Let’s have some birthday cake before you leave.”
Hanna looked at me.
Hanna’s wet gaze, staring at me with a somewhat blank expression, felt strangely intriguing. I quickly turned my head upon noticing her translucent undergarments.
“I…. have a promise.”
“Tell them the promise is canceled.”
Her promise doesn’t concern me.
She was probably planning to go to the Adventurer Guild.
After all, nothing clears one’s mind like swinging a sword.
Perhaps today was meant to be Hanna’s last day in the original work. She might have gambled out of sheer desperation.
Regardless. I’ve decided to have her stay at our house tonight. While I’m at it, I want to help her make some friends.
“Stay the night.”