My mind was filled with question marks.

The spell circle wasn’t there even this morning, but it was incomprehensible how it had newly appeared within a few hours. Erhan also narrowed his eyes as if it was truly strange and stared intently at Zachary’s neck.

However, in Erhan’s case, unlike me, he seemed skeptical since he didn’t have many occasions to see Zachary’s spell circle.

“I will tell you for the last time.”

At that moment, the servant who had been waiting silently opened his mouth with a cracked voice. My and Erhan’s gazes were instantly drawn to the servant.

“The Duke is calling for you.”

“You stay out of this-.”

“If you refuse to comply.”

The servant lowered his body. He swiftly placed a rope at Erhan’s feet. His hands were so fast that I couldn’t even see when he had taken out the rope.

‘It’s not just an ordinary rope.’

The rope he put down wasn’t a common one either. Judging by the numerous patterns engraved on it, it seemed to be a magical tool.

“He ordered to forcefully execute if necessary.”

…… Considering how far they were going, it seemed like he wasn’t an ordinary servant.

It was a very hardline attitude, implying that if Erhan didn’t follow the order, they would forcibly take him even if they had to tie him up.

‘Come to think of it, I think this is my first time meeting this servant.’

No matter how much they wore the same cloth, if you stayed in this mansion for a long time, you naturally became able to distinguish the servants.

However, this servant…… I had never seen him anywhere before.

He seemed to be one of the servants who closely attended to the Duke and worked in places that didn’t catch my eye.

“Are they all crazy, every single one of them.”

Erhan coldly muttered upon hearing the servant’s words about forcibly taking him. Even I, who normally wouldn’t have sympathized with Erhan’s words, agreed with him a hundred, no, a thousand times today.

‘They must have all gone mad.’

Erhan is the heir of Serpentine. No matter how urgent the situation is, two servants were collectively getting on Erhan’s nerves, so it was natural for Erhan to find it absurd. Even watching from the side, my mouth was agape.

“Fine, let’s go. Let’s go.”

At this point, the first to surrender was Erhan. He spoke as if chewing his words with a fed-up face.

“I have something to ask anyway. Let’s go right now.”

It was obvious that Erhan would ask about Zachary as soon as he met the Duke. How on earth are things turning out? With my current state of mind, I also wanted to go to the Duke with Erhan and ask what that new spell circle was and if he had possibly engraved it.

Erhan threw the bandage he was holding at Zachary’s face. However, Zachary showed no agitation even at Erhan’s insulting behavior.

“Thank you.”

“…… Ha.”

Why are you thanking him there? It’s not like you’re provoking him.

Instead, Zachary politely thanked him and started wrapping the bandage around his neck again. As his exposed neck was gradually hidden, Erhan frowned fiercely.

“Let’s go too.”

More than anything else, I had to check Zachary’s condition right away.

Why did the spell circle that had turned gray suddenly turn red again? And what was the reason he started speaking in front of others? He endured well without saying a word even just this morning.

“Yes, I understand.”

When I said let’s go, Zachary immediately answered. Zachary, who had been silently looking at Erhan, deeply bowed his head. Perfectly, without a single flaw.

Seeing that, Erhan furrowed his brows as if he was offended for some reason.

“Quickly…… huh?”

I was anxious that if we lingered here any longer, Erhan might pick a fight with Zachary again. When I pulled Zachary, he turned his back to me. After hesitating, I glanced at my foot and sighed, eventually getting on Zachary’s back. I had no choice but to quickly check the spell circle.

“Go to the room as fast as you can.”

Zachary moved his feet diligently without a word. However, I could sense that he was faithfully carrying out my words. Because the speed of his footsteps was noticeably faster than before.

Before we knew it, we had left the corridor. As the way to my room felt twice as long as usual, there was no one else in sight as we walked.

“Zachary.”

I whispered softly. But there was no answer in return.

Even though it was a situation where he could speak now, Zachary showed no reaction. As if brainwashed, like a devoted servant, he just walked stoically. I lowered my head deeply as I looked at Zachary’s straight neck.

The newly appeared spell circle on his neck must have been related to the Duke.

The scene I had seen in the dining room earlier came to mind. Before I left with Erhan’s support, Zachary had followed the Duke, and I thought it was strange. Then perhaps the Duke at that time……,

‘I’m scared.’

I leaned my face against his shoulder. Even though it was bandaged, the warm body temperature touched me. As I quietly placed my cheek against Zachary’s neck, he flinched. Then his steps slowed down noticeably, and he adjusted me on his back.

“What should I do if you’re under the spell again?”

I was afraid that Zachary might have been consumed by the spell once more.

I knew I could only find out the details once we entered the room, and it wasn’t the time to whine here. Nevertheless, I kept clinging to the warmth in front of me.

If he’s under a spell, we just need to break it again. Since we’ve already done it once, there’s nothing to be afraid of or worry about.

However, contrary to my resolution, my thoughts kept turning negative. I tried to shake off the bad thoughts. Zachary must be the most terrified and fearful one, so I couldn’t let my own emotions get the better of me.

“Sorry.”

I wondered if he heard my apology. Zachary walked at a steady pace as if he hadn’t heard anything.

But that wasn’t all. The warm body temperature slowly gripped my thighs. It was a movement that seemed to comfort and soothe me.

Those actions left me speechless. For a moment, I tightly shut my mouth, not knowing what to say. I knew it too. Perhaps it was a meaningless action. However, at that moment, I felt comforted.

As we got closer to the room, my body started to tremble slightly, and Zachary silently supported my body firmly.

“…….”

While walking, servants brushed past us. Each time, Zachary walked without making proper footsteps, not much different from them.

Even though it must have been heavy and uncomfortable to carry me on his back, Zachary didn’t show it at all.

Finally, my room came into view. With about three steps left, I put my lips close to his ear and whispered.

“Zachary. Let me down.”

As soon as I called, he stopped immediately as if he had been waiting.

“Give me the key.”

“No, I’ll do it.”

At my words, Zachary slowly lowered me to the ground. The moment I was put down, my weight suddenly shifted onto my feet. A stinging pain rushed from my ankle, and a painful groan inadvertently escaped.

“Thank you for bringing me all the way here. It must have been quite heavy… I’m sorry.”

While leaning against the wall, I thanked Zachary.

Zachary had already turned around and was looking at me, and even though he was covered with cloth, it felt like his gaze was clearly fixed on me.

Suddenly, Zachary lowered his body after staring at me. He squatted down like that and disappeared from my sight.

I lowered my head in bewilderment to see what Zachary was doing. He was pushing his hand under my feet.

“What are you…!”

Due to the pain, I couldn’t properly step on my feet and slightly raised my heels, but he pushed his hand to support my feet. I hastily pushed Zachary away.

“Get up.”

No matter how much Zachary was a servant attending to me, this was unacceptable. Putting his hand on the floor to support me. It felt like I was trampling on Zachary’s very existence.

As I pulled my foot out with a pale face, he did something even more terrible. He turned his squatting body and extended his bowed back to me. As if telling me to step on his back. The thought of Zachary’s back becoming the floor I stepped on was horrifying. An unbelievably unpleasant sensation followed. Zachary… was not someone who should be treated like this.

“Who told you to do this?”

I didn’t care about my throbbing foot. I defiantly bent down, grabbed Zachary’s arm, and pulled him up.

“Don’t ever do this again, understand?”

While brushing off the dust from Zachary’s hands that had touched the floor, I spoke sternly once more.

“Never again.”

My voice trembled without me realizing it.