Another Villainess

Chapter Four

As soon as I enter, a servant narrows his eyes at me. "Miss. . . I hope you know that you cannot bring just any stranger into this place."

"You speak as if you are the owner. I advise you watch your tongue." I snap, not in the mood to put up with anyone else today. "Take him to a spare room and call a nurse."

The servant clenches his fists and nods, putting his arms out to take the beaten man. But as I transfer him over, the man holds onto my torn sleeve.

I look at him, my eyebrows creased. But he only nods, his gratitude enough to make me smile, the first real one I've given since coming here.

But as you know, the more time you stay exposed to the wilderness, the more bugs will come and try to bite you. I turn around, hearing a scoff— again.

"As I expected. It was impossible for you to have just a peaceful walk outside. But to bring back a man? Tsk." Zachary Raiyus stares coldly at me from the bottom of the grand staircase. A dramatic entrance for a dramatic man.

"Are you following me?" I groan and put my hand over my face, irritation bubbling in my stomach.

"No. But because you are always either cooped up in your room or only focusing on your own misdeeds, you may not have noticed that I keep this place nicely managed while father is working. A task he entrusted me with personally. Did you think I wouldn't be notified if you brought an outsider in?"

The servant from before giggles a little, still holding onto the beaten man, obviously refusing my order to take him to get treated.

To my surprise, however, the beaten man attempts to stand and stretches his head out to look at Zachary, or rather to let Zachary look at him.

"Ah, it was you. Already raising a fuss as soon as you entered this place. No wonder she found you." Zachary grumbles, the knight looking down ashamed.

"Who is this? Brother?" I ask, smirking internally as he flinches and tries to keep his face from contorting again.

Zachary sighs and scratches his head. "He was recruited just yesterday as a knight. I see that even in a much more refined place, he'll still find a way to look filthy."

In my opinion, he is the least filthy thing in this rotten house.

"Talents wasted. . ." Zachary mumbles, shaking his head before continuing loudly. "Well, what are you waiting for? Take him to be treated and get him back to the knight quarters." He directs to the servant who rushes away— or rather, tries to rush away.

"How well did he fight to be personally recruited by such a high standing figure in this great family?" I say, sarcasm dripping from my mouth.

"Very well, helped round off around ten thugs alone when me and a few other knights were ambushed in Leisl Town, dirty place, but good information."

"How impressive." I say, truly uninterested.

"Yes but, as a powerful and wealthy house, all of our knights are impressive. Being hand selected here is no great feat, as many of them were. I must say, I do have an eye for talent and skills." He wastes no time boasting, and I feel my aptitude to respond diminishing.

"I will return to my room now." I turn and quickly walk, trying to retrace my steps from earlier back to my room.

"I hope you know that you could have simply told our nurse to go help him. Your want for attention is too disgusting." He calls to the back of my head, but his words are too obvious as an unimportant jab so I just roll my eyes and keep going.