# 94
94. That Strange Guest Is Still Strange (8)
"You should have your lunch."
"I'll eat later."
"It would be better if you ate when it's ready."
"Just leave it anywhere. I'll eat in a bit."
It didn't seem like he would eat in a bit at all. He looked ready to starve straight through to evening.
I pulled at the sheet a few more times, struggling with him, then gave up. I had no intention of forcing him awake when he clearly didn't want to be. When I let go of the sheet, Ethan quickly moved his body to the opposite side again. I shrugged and looked around the room.
The room was cleaner than expected. Audrey had brought maids and hastily prepared a room for him to stay in, since his visit was unplanned. They removed the cloths covering the furniture to keep dust from accumulating, replaced the curtains and sheets with new ones, and cleaned once more—hurriedly preparing the room to receive a guest. Ethan stayed without any particular complaints. Though, since he kept his eyes closed all day, he probably didn't have the chance to complain anyway.
Looking around the room here and there, I looked down at Ethan again. The figure who had fled to the opposite side of the bed to avoid me showed no movement. A strangely familiar sight? I chuckled at an unexpected afterimage of the past.
"Lord Ethan. You could die sleeping like that."
"……I won't die."
"Do you know the story of someone who died in their sleep? Would you like to hear it?"
I recounted in detail the story of a young man with a bright future ahead who hadn't shown his face for several days and nights, so the villagers went to his house and found him dead in his sleeping posture. Of course, the man had actually died from overwork because he had worked too hard, but I didn't bother mentioning that part.
I had heard this story from colleagues I used to work with. Regarding the man's death, there were many rumors—that he was so exhausted he could barely breathe, that he staggered every time he walked, that he had an underlying illness to begin with. But no one was particularly surprised by his death. Such deaths were common occurrences.
When I tried to describe in detail even the appearance of the dead man I had heard about back then, the round shape stirred again. Ethan, slowly revealing his face, was frowning—an unusual expression for him.
"What did you tell me to do?"
"I said I thought it would be good if you washed up and had a meal."
I pointed to the lunch on the table. Judging by how he looked, it seemed like he would skip lunch again today, so I had brought a meal separately. Ethan looked at it and nodded with a reluctant expression.
I smiled brightly and pulled at the sheet wrapped tightly around his body. If I didn't get rid of it quickly, I felt like he would change his mind and bury himself back in the sheet.
But then I paused, realizing that the body slowly being revealed was naked.
"I'm just going to wash up lightly, so bring me some water."
"Y-yes, I understand."
I tried to hide my fluster and headed to the bathroom to fetch wash water. I filled the basin and checked the temperature. It was very cold, but I filled it anyway.
When I returned with the wash water, Ethan was sitting on the bed, blinking, just as he had been moments ago. Seeing his dazed face, it seemed like he was trying to shake off the sleepiness.
I placed the basin on the bedside table and handed him the towel I had brought along. Ethan, still in a groggy state, splashed water on his face, then his eyes flew wide open. I swallowed a laugh when I saw his shoulders trembling finely. Served him right for making things difficult for me.
Perhaps the cold water drove away the drowsiness, because after that, Ethan finished his meal without any trouble.
"What shall we do now?"
"Something other than sleeping. Like going for a walk."
"I don't really want to go out of the room……"
Ethan, who had crawled back into bed, grumbled softly while rubbing his face against the pillow. I neatly stacked the empty dishes and straightened up.
"Then read a book."
"I don't really feel like looking at text either."
"Then lie in bed and look out the window."
Carrying the stacked dishes, I firmly turned around and went out. I went down to the kitchen, returned the empty dishes, and gathered various cleaning tools. Today, I was going to clean the room. Since Ethan didn't welcome other servants, I had become responsible for cleaning his room as well. Until now, I hadn't been able to clean properly because he had been fast asleep until late at night. So now, with Ethan awake, it was my chance.
When I returned to the room, Ethan had collapsed on the bed again. Seeing his two eyes wide open but unfocused, it seemed like he had woken from a nap. I looked at him with pity, then rolled up my sleeves.
"I'm going to clean, so how about you step out for just a moment?"
"I'm fine, just go ahead and do it."
"Dust will fly, and it won't be good for your health."
"I'm fine."
Ethan rubbed his face against the pillow and shook his head. He didn't seem to have any intention of leaving at all. If that was the case, I didn't insist further and started cleaning.
After opening all the windows, I first shook out the carpet on the floor. I folded the well-beaten carpet and set it aside, then climbed up the small ladder I had brought and replaced the curtains with new ones. Then I went to the bed, pushed aside the man lying there as if nailed down, and changed the bedsheet and pillowcase.
I was going to change the sheet too, but Ethan had it draped over himself. I hesitated as I faced Ethan, who had his entire body wrapped tightly in the sheet. He stared at me blankly that day.
'Should I ask him to give that up?'
While I hesitated for a moment, a fleeting look of annoyance crossed his face when he saw the new sheet in my hand. I could feel the determination in his grip on the sheet that he wouldn't let go. I shrugged and tossed the new sheet onto the bed. Let him do as he pleases.
I folded the used bedsheet and pillowcase and placed them next to the carpet. Next, I cleaned the stove, then took a broom and swept the floor. I swept thoroughly into the corners and wiped with a cloth.
As I was wiping with satisfaction at the gleaming floor, practically scrubbing until my hands fell off, I felt a gaze from behind.
Ethan, who had sluggishly climbed up onto the bed, was watching me blankly. I thought he'd go back to sleep after watching for a bit, but he lay down diagonally on the bed, then sat up again, and now he was openly watching with his chin propped on his hand. And on top of that—
"What are you applying?"
"It's polish, to make the floor shine."
"Hmm, that's interesting."
At some point, he started asking persistently—what's that, what's this, how do you do it. When I finished cleaning the room by wiping the window dust and putting the carpet back down, and went to the bathroom to scrub the bathtub, he had even dragged a chair over and was sitting there watching.
I tried my best to ignore that gaze, splashed water to wipe off the foam stuck to the bathtub, and stood up. I moved my stiff body around to loosen up and looked over the somewhat organized room. This should do. I was satisfied with the room, which had become quite clean after a thorough cleaning.
After drying my wet feet with a towel, I put on my shoes and adjusted my rumpled clothes. I surveyed the room once more, then gathered the cleaning tools and the laundry set aside in one corner. Ethan, who had been watching me that day, asked.
"What are you going to do now?"
"Since I've finished cleaning, I'll be leaving."
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up. The sheet wrapped around his body slowly slipped down. I turned my body to the opposite side, then tried to turn back, thinking I should help him dress. But before I could, Ethan grabbed my shoulder and pushed me out of the room.
"Wait a moment."
"Ye-yes?"
Flustered, I turned around, and the door was already closed. I had been unceremoniously kicked out in a daze. Wait, asking for assistance and then kicking me out—what was that about? It was absurd, but I waited quietly for now.
After a somewhat boring stretch of time, Ethan opened the door and came out. But unlike his earlier completely relaxed appearance while rolling around in bed, he was now neatly dressed. His hair was slicked back cleanly—it was perfect.
Ethan handed me the sheet he had been wrapped in the entire time. I took it reflexively while looking him up and down.
"Are you going out?"
"No."
Anyone could see it was an outfit for going out. Or was he changing his mind and going for a walk after all? It didn't matter much to me either way, so I shrugged and turned around.
As I walked down the corridor, footsteps followed from behind. Those footsteps continued even as I went down the back stairs and headed toward the basement.
At first, I thought it was just because our paths happened to be the same. But when he followed me all the way down to the basement, I felt something was wrong. Servants coming up the stairs noticed Ethan following behind me and cast glances his way. I stopped walking and hastily turned around. Ethan, who had been looking around, paused and slowly looked at me.
"You shouldn't follow me down here."
"I understand."
An obedient answer came back. I frowned deeply and went back down to the basement. Whether he understood my words or not, Ethan didn't follow me anymore.
I organized the cleaning tools I had brought and handed the laundry to the laundress.
"I'd like to receive the new ones in advance."
"Oh my, I haven't taken down the ones that were hung out to dry yet."
The laundress, looking troubled, asked me to wait a moment and turned around. Then she stood in front of two baskets containing laundry. Judging by the amount, it seemed difficult for her to carry alone. I approached the laundress, who was trying to pick up one basket and lift the other as well.
"I'll help you."
When I tried to pick up the remaining basket, she showed reluctance, saying she was fine. I smiled gently and lifted the basket. The laundress hesitated, then muttered that one person was absent today, and accepted my help.
Like that, I went up the stairs together with the laundress who was leading the way. I followed her as she headed straight for the back door, when—
"Is your work done now?"
Someone suddenly popped out from beside me.
Both the laundress and I were startled and stepped back. I clutched my chest. When I turned my head with a creak, I saw Ethan.
Wait, why was he still here……. Ethan had popped out from the corner leading to the back door. He hadn't been there when I came up the stairs, so I thought he'd gone for a walk—was he actually waiting here?
"Uh, ah, um?"
The laundress, who met Ethan's gaze head-on, was flustered and fidgety. I glanced at her, then sent Ethan a look asking why he was still here. Ethan, who had been staring blankly at the laundress standing opposite him, must have felt my gaze, as he turned his head toward me and smiled softly.
"Where are you going?"
"To hang the laundry…… Didn't you say you were going for a walk?"
"I never said that."
At the firm rebuttal, it was my turn to be flustered. True, I hadn't actually said that. So was he really waiting for me? It was absurd, but when I saw another servant walking this way notice Ethan and pause, I changed my mind. I needed to get out of here first.
When I asked the stiffly frozen laundress where we needed to go, she started moving hesitantly, as if ice had suddenly shattered. As I followed and took a step, Ethan followed behind me again.
What the heck was this. Suddenly, an unintended situation had formed where the laundress, I, and Ethan were walking in a line. The laundress also seemed to have noticed Ethan following, as she kept glancing back.