I Became a Slave to the Man I Abandoned Novel (Completed) - Chapter 106

In the end, the healer came rushing back to Khalid, breathless, just as Nox finished changing. The answer he brought was a vague “I’ll see what I can do,” and then he left again. Nox found it amusing how Khalid seemed to be trying to read his mood. Actually, no  it wasn’t even funny anymore.

“He only acts like that when it suits him anyway.”

Nox knew Khalid was emotionally slow. He only ever showed anything when his feelings were so strong, they forced their way out. If something set him off again, he’d likely act on impulse like before. Though once Nox was reinstated, that kind of behavior wouldn’t fly anymore.

He straightened the collar of his shirt again, even though the servants had already adjusted it for him, then stepped out of the room  the first time in a long while. Back when he first woke up, even standing had been a struggle. Now, at least moving around wasn’t a problem. Moving like he used to  that was another matter entirely. But still, Nox believed he could get back, at least to some degree.

As he stepped into the hallway, the one remaining knight glanced his way before quietly falling in behind. Nox didn’t bother to look at him. He figured the man probably didn’t enjoy this job of escorting him any more than he did being escorted.

As he walked, a voice called out from behind.

“Where are you heading, sir?”

It was Marlene, the head maid of the estate.

“Stepping out for a bit.”

Instead of asking whether he had permission, Marlene asked something else.

“Shall I prepare dinner as usual?”

An elegant way of asking when he’d be back.

“Yes,” Nox replied.

Marlene nodded and stepped aside. Nox walked past her and out to the front gate, where he climbed into a carriage. Snow had started to fall, and the air was crisp and cold. Pulling his coat tighter, Nox stared out the window.

It looked like the snow wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.

Clatter, clatter.

The carriage jolted over the snow-covered roads. It wasn’t long before they arrived at Redmond Square. It wasn’t a place frequented by nobles; mostly commoners came and went here. Even in the snow, it was full of people bustling about. The knight seated across from him looked puzzled, clearly unsure why they had come here, but when Nox moved to get out, he quickly sprang from his seat and opened the door.

Nox stepped onto the footboard and descended, letting the cold wind brush across his face. The sight of so many people moving, alive and unaware, filled his vision. Despite the snow piling up underfoot, the square was loud and busy.

He took it all in for a moment  watching them with a gaze that said, they’re alive, unlike me. Then he began to walk, slipping quietly between people.

One might’ve expected him to brush shoulders with someone in the crowd, but Nox passed through like a shadow, leaving no trace. It was the knight behind him who bumped into others now and then.

“Ah, s-sorry! Just a second” Voices flustered behind him, but Nox never turned around. Khalid was the one who insisted on this tail anyway  he could deal with it.

Past stalls selling bric-a-brac, past merchants hawking winter herbs and vegetables, past general stores and taverns  the crowd began to thin.

The knight was still behind him, panting heavily, but keeping up somehow. Nox pretended not to notice and scanned his surroundings. Old pubs, run-down inns. He considered, for a moment, booking a room on impulse. If I didn’t return to the estate tonight… what would Khalid think? That I ran away again?

He shook the thought from his head.

Would he send people to look for me, or just sit and wait at the mansion for me to come back?

Truthfully, Nox didn’t care. He wasn’t even curious about how Khalid would react anymore.

Yes, not even that.

Nox came to a dead stop in the street. As he stood still, letting the falling snow settle on him, tiny snowflakes accumulated on his head. His warm breath froze, creating a visible mist. Nox turned his head to the side. He was in front of a pub. He stood before the pub’s door. He had no money, but the clothes he wore had plenty of superfluous gold buttons.

Creak—.

As he opened the pub door to enter, someone was standing just inside. He naturally turned his body, but the narrow doorway caused Nox’s shoulder to brush against the other person’s.

Thud.

At that moment, something the other person was holding fell. Nox stood there for a moment. It was an unconscious reaction. Nobles generally don’t pick up things that have fallen to the ground themselves.

“Ah.”

The other person said nothing, simply bent down to pick up what they had dropped. Nox, reacting belatedly, looked back at the knight. The knight at first didn’t understand what he meant, only blinking, then realized it meant to pick it up.

“I apologize. I wasn’t looking straight ahead.”

The man had dropped various items, likely for the pub. The knight picked them up and placed them on the man’s arm. The man, after gathering everything, straightened up and replied, “It’s fine. I wasn’t looking properly either…”

Their gazes met. Nox blinked slowly. He had seen that face somewhere before. No, he remembered that face. This man was definitely…

“Esterion Launder.”

“Esterion Launder,” Nox confirmed. Yes, that was the name. The man, whose name had been called, raised an eyebrow. Then, recognizing Nox, his eyes widened slightly. Nox knew the other person remembered him too.

“…Fancy meeting you here.”

“Indeed,” Nox replied. Their past conversation naturally came to mind.

‘I intend to return soon.’ ‘So, please wear this.’ ‘You can just use it and throw it away; I don’t mind.’

The man who had lent him a coat when his shirt was torn and he was stranded on the terrace. Esterion Launder. Back then, he had worn rather stylish clothes, but now he was dressed in an old-looking shirt.

Come to think of it, what happened to the coat he borrowed then? Nox unconsciously frowned at the thought. The events that followed weren’t memories he particularly wanted to recall.

“Hurry up and throw that out!” an old man, seemingly the pub owner, shouted. Esterion Launder, without a single grimace, walked past Nox with a polite “Excuse me.” Nox watched his retreating back for a moment before stepping into the pub.

Esterion Launder, Nox distinctly remembered first seeing him at an imperial palace party. That meant he was a noble. Yet, it made no sense for him to be working in a pub and taking orders from the owner like that. Curiosity. Ah, that feeling welled up within him for the first time in a very long while.

Nox approached the pub owner. “Does that person work here?”

“Huh?” The pub owner briefly examined Nox’s attire. As soon as he saw the expensive-looking clothes, the old man lowered his eyebrows and smiled.

“Ah. Yes, yes. Did he bother you? I’ll scold him when he gets back…”

“No, that’s not necessary. I just…” Nox looked at the door the man had exited through. Then, impulsively, very impulsively, he tore off a gold button from his sleeve. “I was hoping to borrow him for a moment.”

The gold button, torn from his clothes, was placed in the old man’s hand. The old pub owner’s eyes gleamed, and he rubbed his hands together.

“Yes. You can use him as much as you like!”

Nox ignored whatever the old pub owner said and sat down on a dilapidated chair in the corner of the pub. Seeing the knight’s hesitant glance, he gestured for him to sit far away.

“Just grab something to eat and wait.”

The knight scratched his head, acknowledged the instruction for now, and sat down at a distant table. The pub was quite warm, thanks to the heat from the kitchen and the burning logs in the fireplace on the left side of the pub.

Not long after, creak, the door opened, and the man returned. Esterion Launder. He went back to the kitchen, and after hearing something from the owner, he soon looked at Nox. Their eyes met, and he gave Nox a bow. Nox gestured instead of bowing back.

“What can I do for you?” Esterion Launder’s voice was low. He didn’t seem particularly displeased or cheerful.

At the question, Nox tilted his head for a moment. Indeed, what whim made me call him over? Instead of answering, Nox said, “Please, sit.”

Esterion Launder obediently sat down. Then he spoke. “Thanks to you, I can take a breather.”

“Do you work here?”

“Yes.”

“But you’re a noble.”

A noble doing work that commoners would do. That was quite a blow to one’s pride, not something to be easily mentioned even if seen. Yet, Nox asked, and Esterion slowly blinked for a moment before answering indifferently, “There are quite a few people who bear the name of noble only in title, wouldn’t you say?”

“That’s true.”

“Would you like something to eat?”

“I don’t feel like eating anything.”

“I need to eat something. Would it be alright if I used you as an excuse to get some food?” The man was quite brazen and straightforward. When Nox nodded, Esterion rose and headed to the kitchen. He exchanged a few words with the owner, then soon returned with two glasses of beer.

“The food will be out shortly.”

“Are you allowed to drink while working?”

“Why not? It’s been three hours since I had a sip of water. Alcohol isn’t a bad substitute for water, is it?”

“He must be working you quite hard.”

“He acts as if the money he’s paying is so precious, he won’t let me rest for a second. More importantly, how much did you give that toad for him to be so well-behaved?”

“Toad?” Nox glanced at the old man. Now that he thought about it, he did resemble a toad. Nox turned his gaze back to the man in front of him. He was chugging his beer. He emptied half the glass in one go, then set it down with a thud.

“Well, I was never taught how much a gold button is worth.”

“You handed over a gold button just to chat with me for a bit?”

“Something like that.”

“You should have given it to me. Then I could have kept you company all day.”