Chapter 94
# 94
94. The Still Strange Guest (8)
“You should have lunch.”
“I’ll eat later.”
“I think it would be good if you ate when you’re ready.”
“Just leave it anywhere. I’ll eat it in a bit.”
He definitely didn’t seem like he’d eat it in a bit. He seemed ready to skip dinner and go straight to sleep.
I peeled off the sheets and argued with him a few more times before giving up. I didn’t want to force him to wake up if he didn’t want to. As soon as I let go of the sheets, Ethan quickly moved to the other side of the bed. I shrugged and looked around the room.
The room was tidier than I expected. Due to Ethan’s unexpected stay, Audrey had hastily prepared a room for him with the maids. They removed the cloths that had been covering the furniture to prevent dust from accumulating, replaced the curtains and sheets with new ones, and cleaned the room once more. Ethan stayed in the room without much complaint. Although, he was keeping his eyes closed all day, so he probably didn’t have time to complain.
I looked around the room and then looked down at Ethan again. The figure that had run away to the other side of the bed to avoid me was motionless. It was a strangely familiar sight. I chuckled at the unexpected remnant of the past.
“Ethan, you could die sleeping like that.”
“…I won’t die.”
“I know a story about someone who died in their sleep, would you like to hear it?”
I told him in detail about a young man with a bright future who hadn’t been seen for days, so the villagers went to his house and found him dead in his sleep. Of course, the man had died from overwork, but I didn’t bother telling him that.
I had heard this story from colleagues I used to work with. There were many rumors about the man’s death, such as he was too exhausted to breathe, he staggered every time he walked, and he had a pre-existing condition, but no one was surprised by his death. Such deaths were common.
I was about to tell him in detail about the man’s dead appearance when the round figure wriggled again. Soon after, Ethan peeked out, wearing a rare frown.
“What did you tell me to do?”
“I said it would be good if you washed up and had a meal.”
I pointed to the lunch on the table. Judging by his behavior, he seemed like he was going to skip lunch again today, so I had brought him a separate meal. Ethan looked at it with a sullen expression and nodded.
I smiled brightly and pulled the sheet wrapped around his body. I had to get rid of it quickly, or he might change his mind and bury himself back in the sheets.
But then I paused, realizing that the body gradually being revealed was naked.
“Bring me some water, I’m just going to wash up lightly.”
“Ah, okay.”
I tried to hide my embarrassment and headed to the bathroom to get water for him to wash with. I filled the basin with water and checked the temperature. It was very cold, but I just filled it anyway.
When I returned with the wash water, Ethan was sitting on the bed as before, blinking. Looking at his dazed face, it seemed like he was trying to shake off his sleepiness.
I placed the basin on the bedside table and handed him the towel I had brought with me. Ethan, still half-asleep, scooped up some water and splashed it on his face, then his eyes widened. I secretly stifled a laugh as I watched his shoulders tremble slightly. It was punishment for making me suffer.
The cold water seemed to have chased away his drowsiness, and after that, Ethan finished his meal without any trouble.
“What should I do now?”
“Do something other than sleep. Like take a walk.”
“I don’t really want to leave the room…”
Ethan crawled back into bed, rubbed his face against the pillow, and grumbled softly. I neatly stacked the empty dishes and stretched my back.
“Then read a book or something.”
“I don’t really feel like looking at letters either.”
“Then lie in bed and look out the window.”
I picked up the cleaned dishes, turned around resolutely, and went outside. I went down to the kitchen, returned the empty dishes, and gathered various cleaning supplies. I was going to clean the room today. Ethan didn’t welcome other servants, so I was in charge of cleaning his room as well. Until now, I hadn’t been able to clean it properly because he was asleep until late at night. So now that Ethan was awake, it was my chance.
When I returned to the room, Ethan was lying on the bed again. His unfocused eyes were wide open, so it seemed like he had dozed off and woken up. I looked at him pitifully and then rolled up my sleeves.
“I’m going to clean, so would you mind leaving for a little while?”
“I’m fine, just do it.”
“The dust will be bad for your health.”
“It’s okay.”
Ethan rubbed his face against the pillow and shook his head. He didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving. If that was the case, I wouldn’t bother urging him and started cleaning.
I opened all the windows and first shook out the carpet on the floor. I folded the thoroughly shaken carpet to one side, climbed up the small ladder I had brought, and replaced the curtains with new ones. Then I went to the bed, moved him, who was lying there as if nailed down, to the side, and changed the bedspread and pillowcases.
I was about to change the sheet as well, but Ethan was wrapped up in it. I paused, facing Ethan, who was wrapped tightly in the sheet. He stared blankly at me.
‘Should I ask for it?’
I hesitated for a moment, but a fleeting look of annoyance crossed his face as he saw the new sheet in my hand. I could feel the determination in his hand gripping the sheet, not to let go. I shrugged and threw the new sheet on the bed. Let him do it himself.
I folded the used bedspread and pillowcases and placed them next to the carpet. Then I cleaned the fireplace, picked up the broom, and swept the floor. I swept carefully into the corners and wiped it with a mop.
I was happily admiring the shiny floor, wiping it until my hands were about to fall off, when I felt a gaze from behind.
Ethan, who had sluggishly climbed onto the bed, was watching me blankly. I thought he would just watch for a moment and then go back to sleep, but he leaned back on the bed, then sat up again, and now he was openly watching me with his chin propped up. On top of that.
“What are you applying?”
“I’m applying polish to make the floor shine.”
“Hmm, that’s interesting.”
At some point, he started asking me all sorts of questions, like what’s that, what’s this, how do you do that. After finishing cleaning the room by wiping the dust off the windows and laying the carpet again, he even dragged a chair over and sat down to watch when I went to the bathroom to clean the bathtub.
I tried to ignore his gaze and wiped the foam off the bathtub with water, then stood up. I stretched my stiff body and looked around the somewhat tidy room. This should be enough. I was satisfied with the room, which was quite clean after a round of cleaning.
I dried my wet feet with a towel, put on my shoes, and straightened my wrinkled clothes. I looked around the room again and picked up the cleaning supplies and the laundry I had gathered. Ethan, who had been watching me, asked.
“What are you going to do now?”
“I’m done cleaning, so I’m going to leave.”
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly got up. The sheet that had been wrapped around his body slowly slid down. I turned to the other side, then thought, ‘I should help him get dressed,’ and was about to turn back. But before I could, Ethan grabbed my shoulder and pushed me out of the room.
“Wait a moment.”
“Yes, yes?”
I turned around in confusion, but the door was already closed. I had been kicked out without realizing it. No, what’s with asking me to help him get dressed and then kicking me out? I was dumbfounded, but I waited quietly for now.
After a slightly boring time, Ethan opened the door and came out. But unlike his earlier appearance, when he was rolling around in bed, he was now neatly dressed. His hair was neatly combed back, making him look perfect.
Ethan handed me the sheet he had been wearing all along. I took it without realizing it and scanned him up and down.
“Are you going out?”
“No.”
Anyone could tell he was dressed to go out. Or maybe he had changed his mind and was going for a walk. I didn’t care either way, so I shrugged and turned around.
As I walked down the hallway, I heard footsteps following me from behind. The footsteps continued until I went down the stairs to the basement.
At first, I thought it was because we were going the same way. But when he followed me all the way to the basement, I realized something was wrong. The servants who were coming up the stairs glanced at Ethan following behind me. I stopped and quickly turned around. Ethan, who had been looking around, paused and slowly looked at me.
“You shouldn’t follow me down here.”
“Okay.”
A docile answer came back. I frowned and went back down to the basement. Ethan didn’t follow me anymore, so I guess he understood me.
I put away the cleaning supplies I had brought and handed the laundry to the laundrywoman.
“I was hoping to get a new one in advance.”
“Oh dear, I haven’t taken down the ones that are drying yet.”
The laundrywoman, looking troubled, turned around and told me to wait a moment. Then she stood in front of two baskets filled with laundry. Judging by the amount, it seemed difficult for her to carry them alone. I approached the laundrywoman, who was holding one basket and trying to pick up the rest.
“I’ll help you.”
She said it was okay and refused, but I smiled gently and lifted the basket. The laundrywoman hesitated, then muttered that one person was absent today, and accepted my help.
I followed the laundrywoman, who was leading the way, and went up the stairs. I was walking behind her, heading straight for the back door.
“Is your work finished now?”
Suddenly, someone popped out from the side.
Both the laundrywoman and I were startled and stepped back. I clutched my chest. I turned my creaking head and saw Ethan.
No, why is he still here…? Ethan popped out from the corner leading to the back door. I thought he had gone for a walk because he wasn’t there when I went up the stairs, but was he waiting here?
“Oh, ah, uh?”
The laundrywoman, who had made eye contact with Ethan, was flustered and fidgeting. I glanced at her and gave Ethan a look that said, why are you still here? Ethan, who was staring blankly at the laundrywoman standing in front of him, turned his head towards me as if he felt my gaze and smiled gently.
“Where are you going?”
“To hang up the laundry… Didn’t you say you were going for a walk?”
“I never said that.”
I was taken aback by his firm denial. Come to think of it, he didn’t say that. So he was really waiting for me? I was dumbfounded, but I changed my mind when I saw a servant who was walking towards us stop when he saw Ethan. I had to get out of here first.
I asked the stiff laundrywoman where to go, and she started walking hesitantly, as if the ice had been broken. I followed her, and Ethan followed me again.
What the heck is going on? An unintended situation was created where the laundrywoman, me, and Ethan were walking in a line. The laundrywoman seemed to have noticed that Ethan was following her and kept glancing back.
