Twisted Fate of the Knight

Beggar

"Fine, we will go back there tonight so I will enjoy looking around the town since I will not have this chance again once we go back," I said as I stood up.

'How can you enjoy it if you don't have money?' He said so I stoned as if it struck me with reality since you can't enjoy it if you can't try the food in the stall.

"Yeah, right," I said so I got back to my seat because of what he said.

"I'm broke!!!" I shouted out of frustration. However, I ended up going to the town with or without money and Ash can't do anything since I run away from him before he restraint me.

I avoided going to the bakeshop because I might not be able to stop begging just to eat since all of my money was gone and even my other stones were sold or I used for something. I came back here without anything on hand except for Ash and my personal things such as my bandages, one old shirt, and pants that are smaller since I can't afford to buy new clothes as I checked my purse that was empty, and it almost a butterfly came out. I just look at the shops because I feel like I've been missing for a few years. 

'Master, just go back to the Collins state and take the lady to buy you clothes since you look like a beggar.' Ash said to through mind communication.

"No, I still have some shame so I will not do that," I said, so the sellers kept looking at me because I accidentally say it louder.

"Mom, is he okay?" 

"Shh, Let's go," 

'See? Even the child can distinguish,' He said, and I can imagine his reaction raising his shoulders and disappointment.

"Yes, and I don't care," I answered him but it was just in my mind.

'Good news, Master. The lady of the state is nearby so take this opportunity,' He said.

"No, I will go to her tonight not now," I said and jumped into the tree to see where will I was going without bumping into Lady Collins since I plan to enjoy my day before I go back.

'Master is so stubborn.' He said, and I am sure he is shaking his head while saying that.

"Thank you for the compliment," I said as I look for Lady Collins, and she was really near so I went the opposite way.

'Master, I am not complimenting you,' He said as I jumped to the bush but unfortunately, I ran into someone.

'Master, someone is there--'

"I'm so sorry?!" I said as I get up and I look the person and almost knocked me down again.

'I told you someone is there,' He said to me but I ignored him.

"What a reckless fellow we have here, I assume that you are ready for punishment," He said while holding his hair as he looks at me, and he was surprised when our eyes meet.

"A-avy?! what's with your clothes?" He asks as he gets up from the ground.

"H-hello, Marquess Alfinus. I am very sorry." I awkwardly greeted him and he just looks at me, or I should say he is inspecting me from head to toe since I really look like a beggar because my clothes are old and the sleeves are torn.

"Hm, are you really Avy? You look like sh*t more than a beggar," He said, although I expected him to insult me but coming from his mouth makes me really feel worthless. I just smiled at him with his face looking at me seriously.

"Oh, is that so?" I just said answered him even though I want to punch his face.

"Where have you been? Lady Collins even looking for you for the past years," He said.

"It's not your business, Marquess Alfinus so if you don't mind. I have to go." I said and turned to leave since he is not the person who will inform her Grace about me without gaining something in exchange. 

"Is that so? Now, I've thought of now Her Grace is currently here for some errands," He said as he acts so innocently as he looks at me while his right hands are in his chin. I was distracted when he said that as if he was saying that he will inform her Grace right now if I left him.

"What?" I ask him.

" Don't you think you should compromise me when you overlap with me a while ago, do you?" He said.

"Huh?! I said sorry and you don't look like your injured?" I said as I inspect him from head to toe.

" I didn't forgive you though," He said as removes my hand from his hands since I was holding it to check if he was injured but he is not.

"Then, it is not my problem anymore. Anyways, you don't have an injury so I have to go." I said so I turned around and walked away from him.

"Yeah, I don't have an injury but what about my clothes that were soiled from you?" He said so I turned to him even though I was already annoyed with him. Just what did he want from me?

"Look it is just small when you just change clothes and I don't have money to pay you right now," I said to him.

"I know, you don't have money by just looking at your filthy appearance, and don't you forget that I will punish you for bumping into me," He said as he holds my chin so I immediately backed away from him.

'Master, should I teach him a lesson?' Ash asks me.

'No, stay there,' I whispered.

"Who are you talking to?" He asks me.

"It's nothing for you to concern about it," I answered him as I look at him in the eyes trying to figure out what the hell does he want from me.

"Then, pay me with your body," He casually answered me so I was dumbfounded by what he said.

"What?!" I answered him when I got back to my senses to take in what he said.

"I told you that pay me by working. I don't know what's wrong with that if you don't have money then use your body to work to be paid," He said as he is smirking before walking.

"ah, yes, yes. I should do that," I said, and I want to beat him just even once.

"You should follow me since I think of a work that suits you," He said so I followed him to be able to pay him immediately since it is still early so I can finish it before the night comes.

"Where are we going?" I ask him since he was going to his carriage.

"We are going somewhere so get inside," He said as he sat inside and the carriage door is open and the knight is waiting for me to get in.

"It's okay, Marquess. I'll just follow you since I'll be fine without riding with you," I said since I don't really want to be with him in that flashy carriage.

"What if you will not follow me?" He said,

"I don't break my words, Marquess," I said since his knight is looking at me so disgusted so I especially do not want to enter.

"Fin-- I thought you'll be fine without riding a carriage?" He said while wondering because I suddenly got in the carriage and I closed it myself. I saw Lady Miary and Gin coming to where we were and I forgot that she was here. 

"My mind changes so I just accept your generosity," I said as I laughed awkwardly but my mind is I want to escape right now.

"Is that s--"

"Marquess Alfinus, Lady Collins is here," he said as his knight knocks so Ronan opened his window so I sat down to hide.

"Lady Miary, it's good to see you!" He said while smiling as if he intentionally open the window instead of going out to greet her Grace.

"Hello, Sir Ronan. It's rare to see you here." She said.

"Well, I just want to take some air," He said as he looks at me while smiling, a creepy one though.

"Really? That's odd when you really don't like going to a place like this," She said.

"Is that so? By the way, I found something interesting," He said so I was nervous there as I looked at him again but he did not look at me when I pulled the sleeve off his clothes.

"What it is?" she asks him so I pulled the clothes even harder while begging him not to mention me even though he did not look at me I noticed he is enjoying teasing me.

"I found some-- place that is really relaxing here. By the way, I have to go Milady," He said while smiling at her.

"Oh, then, have a safe trip," She said before we left and there I breathed.

"That was close," I said as I seat properly in front of Ronan. He is really a pain in the a*s and I really don't like him ever since. 

"Why would you refuse to see her when you are her knight," He said to me as he looks at me smiling and I don't like it when he was smiling since I feel like he knows a little why would I refuse to see her. First, my appearance is a given since I really look like a beggar right now. Second, I am ashamed because I did not write them a letter. And Third, I doubted that they will not accept me. 

"Hehe, that," I said as I looked down.

"Nevermind," He said as he looks outside so I looked at him and it seems something is on his mind.

"Don't stare at me, Avy," He said even without looking at me so I immediately avoided it because I did not realize that I was staring at him because the arrogance on his face is relaxed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just you look so relaxed for a while and not being so rude," I said as I smiled at him and he diverted his gaze as his cheeks a bit red. I didn't know he knows how to blush, fufu.

"Stop saying nonsense," He said as he smiled again, the smile that I didn't like.

We were in the carriage for a few minutes and it was a quiet trip to his house. 

"We're here." He said as he gets down. 

"Wait? Why are we here? I thought I'm going to work?" I said while looking at him in confusion.

"Yes, you will going to work here for a while and I know you don't want to show yourself like that, right?" He said. Yes, I agree that I don't want to show myself like this even though I said that I will go back to Collins State tonight but this is not a bad offer though.

"Yes, I don't want to show myself like this but working for you is a..." I said.

"What? Didn't I say that I am hiring you, for you to be able to pay for my clothes, right?" He said as we walk inside the house.

*Ronan Thought's 

Did I tell him that I'm gonna hire him? I don't think I told him. *

"Yes, you do," I answer while I was wondering if he had mentioned that he would hire me as a worker when I thought I'll just do some small errands.

"Then, go and take a bath first before you go to my office since you stink." He said as he commands his maids to prepare a bath and new clothes for me.

The maids guide me to the guest room and they prepare everything I need as they waited outside the room. I told Ash to guard while I am going to take a bath since he was following me secretly until here. I remove all my clothes since only now I can bathe sensibly again even though I bathed in the river earlier and I already have a guard so I am not in a hurry to take a bath unlike before since I might get caught but I still am careful though.

'Master, are you done?' He asks me since it's been an hour and I am still enjoying the warm bath.

"Not yet, why?" 

'It seems that guy is on his way to your room,' He said so I got up and immediately changed into the clothes they gave me that were quite large for me.

I opened the door and saw Ronan was about to knock on the door.

"What brings you here, Sir Ronan?" I said as I drying my hair with a towel. He looked at me from head to toe as if he was examining me.

"Hm. You look a decent person now unlike earlier." He said while nodding.

"Yes, yes. Thank you for your kindness," I said.

"Follow me." He said so I followed him to his office.

"What job will you ask me to do?" I ask him the moment he seated at his table as I am standing in front of him.

"As you can see, my personal attendant is not here," He said as he looks for the papers on his table.

"So?" I said.

"..." He didn't answer me as he continues what he was doing.

"Don't tell me, you want me to be a substitute of your attendant?" I said.

"Yes, only for two days and don't worry I'll pay for you." He said.

"Fine, only for two days since I need to show myself to his Grace and Her Grace," I said, and I started to assists him until evening.

*knock knock*

"Marquess Alfinus, the dinner is ready," A maid informs us so I looked around because I did not realize that it was night because of the amount of paper I was arranging.

"Okay, let's go eat first." He said as he puts down his pen so I stood up to stretch a little.

"At last, I am going to eat decent food," I said as we walk towards the dining area since he walks first so I just followed him.

"What have you been eating?" He asks as he seated and I seated also on his side since he seated in the head chair.

"Roasted animals," I answered him as I looked at the food in front of me and I swallowed.

"Let's eat before the food gets cold," He said, so I immediately ate what was on my plate and tasted the various dishes in front of me.

"It seems like you didn't eat for how many days," He commented as he sips to his wine.

"Not really, it's just I miss this kind of food since all I have to eat are roasted wild animals in the forest," I said after I swallow the food in my mouth.

"How many days you are eating those?" 

"It's been..."