Ruin was standing there.

He looked at me with a face full of dissatisfaction, and I couldn’t figure out why.

“It’s nice to see you here, Mr. Ruin. How pleasant.”

“Pleasant, you say?”

Ruin let out a cynical laugh. Why was he behaving like this? We had shared meaningful life lessons last time with Hanna and had a great time, so why was he giving me that look?

I felt a pang of disappointment at Ruin, who seemed to have forgotten the good old days.

Still, meeting here felt like fate.
I thought that if we talked it over as classmates from the Academy, things might be alright.

I greeted Ruin with the joy of our reunion.

“Is this our first encounter since we last met at the mansion? You left before seeing the lady, I believe.”

“What? Who?”

“The Lady Olivia Desmond.”

Ruin scoffed quietly.
Olivia Desmond.
His rival, the woman who had inflicted an indelible shame on him.

The name of the unforgivable woman sweetly rolling off the tongue of an unforgivable man.

Ruin was savoring his prey.

He had one reason to call upon Ricardo. He found it amusing that Ricardo, without a dime to his name, had come to ‘Friend of the Forest’.

He wanted to embarrass him in front of all these people and make him apologize for last time’s incident.

There was a white-haired woman carried on his back, but Ruin didn’t care.

Whoever was with Ricardo had to be of the same level as him he supposed, judging by the outdated dress she was wearing, she must be a fallen noble from the outskirts.

And Olivia had black hair.

Convinced that Olivia wasn’t here, Ruin spoke.

“So, where is your master? If you’re here, you should be with your master.”

“Huh?”

“And what sort of butler comes with another woman? Pretending to be on a date. Pfft. Do you even have any money?”

“Another woman? But the lady is right here.”

“What are you talking about?”

Ruin flinched, his shoulders trembling.

Ruin, who had only heard about Olivia through rumors, was unaware of many things.

Starting with Olivia’s hair now turned white to the fact she could be carried around for a simple walk, all he knew about Olivia was through rumors told by his friends. They had no desire to recall the girl they expelled, and the infrequent rumors were all he knew about Olivia.

-I heard Olivia’s crippled, can’t walk.

The rumor which started with a fact transformed throughout its journey.

-They say Olivia’s life is in danger.

Ruin, who received the exacerbated version, was under the mistaken belief that Olivia was languishing at home.

That’s why Ruin couldn’t recognize the lady behind him and blundered by confessing what he wished to see before Olivia.

I whispered to Olivia, who was busy counting tiles on the floor.

“Lady, that’s Ruin.”

“Ruin?”

Olivia lifted her head up innocently.

In an instant, Ruin’s shoulders shook again. Unable to meet Olivia’s gaze, Ruin kept his focus down on the ground.

Why is he acting like that?

Olivia tilted her head in confusion.

“Who is he?”

Olivia looked at Ruin with a truly puzzled expression.

“You know, the one at the Academy who boasted of being your rival.”

“The only rival I have is Yuria.”

“But he claims to be so.”

“Him?”

Olivia glanced back at Ruin.

Ruin twitched.

The Ruin who had been up in arms, demanding to see Olivia’s face when he visited our mansion, had now become as timid as a cat with raised fur.

He looked like he wanted to react, but feared retribution, caught in a pitiable state of indecision.

“Sigh.”
“How about it? Do you remember now?”
“Hmm…”

Olivia scrutinized Ruin, knitting her brows. Knowing Olivia’s excellent memory over the past 13 years, I could tell she would not be able to recall today.

“Is it the butcher’s son?”
“No.”
“Then, who?”
“The mayor of the Green Algae Village.”
“Aha!”

Ruin became indignant at the accurate introduction and shouted.

“It’s not that!”
“Then who are you?”
“I… I am…”

Ruin trembled in front of Olivia. Despite his character in the novels as one who always had a comeback, he was at a loss before true madness.

He had been the same at the Academy.

The turncoat who would excitedly gossip about Olivia behind her back, only to be shushed and flee the classroom when Olivia told him to.

I did not understand why he only acted like this around Olivia.

One thing was sure: Ruin was scared of her.

Olivia held on tightly to my neck. Her ample chest pressing against my back threatened the dignity of manhood, but I endured by mentally singing the national anthem.

“Let’s go, Ricardo. I’m hungry.”
“Just a moment, shouldn’t we find out who he is first?”

It would be complicated to move right now in many ways.

“Hmm.”

Olivia addressed Ruin.

“Who are you?”
“I… I-I… I am”
“Don’t stutter, speak clearly.”

Olivia’s stern command barely coerced Ruin into speaking.

“I’m an apprentice of the tower lord.”
“Oh, I see.”

Olivia raised her thumb up.

“Well then, enjoy your meal.”

At this moment, Olivia didn’t care if he was Green Algae Top Head or a side male lead; what mattered more to her was the meat in front of her eyes.

“Wait!”
“Why, I’m in a hurry.”
“You really don’t remember me? Ruin, the Fire Mage of the heatwave. I even got to be the vice top student of the Academy.”

Ruin was desperate to be remembered.
I pitied him as I watched.
I should’ve reminded the lady more often to remember names.

I felt sorry for Ruin in many ways.

“That time, I burned your dress with a fireball and you cursed me so much.”

Stop it, secondary male lead.
Don’t try to revive the lady’s memories with your dark past.

“I don’t remember.”
“Not at all? You should remember. You burnt my expensive clothes and tormented me with ice magic for 30 minutes. I thought I was going to freeze to death then.”
“Hmm.”

Olivia declared.

“I don’t remember.”

I called over a nearby waiter to preserve Ruin’s mental state.

“Excuse me, Manager, but could you prepare a table for two, please?”
“Sorry, we are by reservation only. May I know your name, please?”
“Oh… please show it, lady.”

Olivia had pressed two meal tickets firmly to her forehead. I had told her to keep them safe and not lose them; they were creased as if she had grasped with all her might.

“Heh.”

The lady smiled.

The waiter widened his eyes and began to show us the way.

“I’ll guide you to the private room.”

Ruin muttered to himself as he watched us leave.

“Special… room?”

Around the time we were out of Ruin’s sight, a pink-haired girl tugged at Ruin’s sleeve.

“Ruin, what’s wrong?”

Ruin, having barely come to his senses, replied reluctantly.

“Nothing. Yuria.”

***

Olivia and I sat at the restaurant.

A blissful atmosphere enveloped us.

The table was full of side dishes. There was a feast fit for a king laid out before us.

“Wow…!”
“You’re drooling, my lady.”
“It’s mine, so I’m marking it with my drool.”

I dabbed the lady’s chin with a napkin to wipe off the drool. No matter that the food was destined for her mouth, it was still troublesome in many ways for nobility to act so unreservedly.

More side dishes continuously arrived at the table.

Even just counting visually, there seemed to be over thirty varieties, and I didn’t remember ordering this much.

Worried that there might have been a mistake with our order, I cautiously raised my hand and brought my face close to the waiter’s ear.

“Excuse me.”
“Yes, sir?”
“We ordered the steak set, but it seems there has been some mistake with the order.”
“Oh, it’s alright. Since you’ve come with the meal ticket personally given by our manager, we should at least do this much for you.”
“Manager? I received these from Malik.”
“That’s right, Mr. Malik.”
“Huh?”
“Our manager.”

I brought my hands together in prayer, thinking of Malik somewhere swinging his sword, saying a prayer for him.

Wishing I could see him again.

Especially today, more than ever, I wanted to see the man who had repaid our debt and bestowed upon us these precious meal tickets.

We took up our forks and knives.

The sizzling sound as the steak, filled with juices, was sliced.

“Wow… Lady, look at the juices… I see you’ve already started.”

The lady stuffed her mouth full of meat, making a loud noise.

“Woah!”

Her eyes gleamed so brightly you’d think that Sim Bong-sa had regained his sight.

“It’s delicious…!”

I felt great.
This is why we endure everything we go through.

The lady chewed vigorously on her steak, almost as if she would dislocate her jaw.

She then momentarily paused, trimmed the steak smaller than her pinky, and extended it towards me.

“Ah.”
“Are you offering this to me?”

She nodded.

“Then please cut a bigger piece. Isn’t this too small?”

A spark. I opened my mouth, intimidated by the silent threat in the lady’s eyes.

Certainly.

It was delicious.
Just as described in novels, the juices came alive in my mouth, and it seemed as if I could see calves frolicking before my eyes.

“Wow.”
“Tasty, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it’s really delicious.”
“Hehe, eat a lot. I’m not the one treating, after all.”

And so, we completely emptied the table.

***

“Oh, I’m full.”

Rubbing her distended belly, Olivia smiled joyfully as we indulged in dessert.

With grease at the corners of her mouth and a loud belch, she looked nothing like nobility.

It was about time.
The evening had arrived, and the atmosphere was ripe.
It was time to serve today’s main course.

Finally, it was time to reveal that all our debts had been paid, and now we could live without fear of being chased away.

Ahem.

I cleared my throat and was about to speak delicately when—

“Ricardo.”
“Yes?”
“I have something to say.”

After the meal, the lady who had been watching me cautiously started talking first.

She looked around briskly, worried someone might see us.

Despite us being in a private room, away from anyone’s eyes, it seemed the lady had some important news to share as she kept checking our surroundings.

“Yep, no one’s here.”

The lady nodded, looking exceedingly cute.

Sip. She took a drink of her tea.
Then, Olivia began to pull out a piece of paper from between her breasts.

“No! What are you doing?”
“Huh? Searching my pocket?”
“That’s not a pocket!”

I spread my fingers and shielded my eyes.
I could still see clearly.
Although it’s wrong to peek at the lady’s body, it would be even worse not to practice the due courtesy of a gentleman.

Slowly, a newspaper emerged from between her breasts.

I wanted to keep this as a treasure for life.

Olivia proudly straightened up and declared,

“This is the biggest pocket.”

“No…”

Upon second thought, she might be right.
Olivia’s bosom is always correct, after all.
I couldn’t contest that.

Slap. Olivia spread the newspaper on the table.

A warm newspaper from her ‘chest pocket.’ Once again, I covered my nose with a handkerchief.

“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, just a runny nose.”
“Take good care of yourself. You have to be healthy after eating meat.”

Worried about me, Olivia pointed to a line in the article and cheerfully said,

“Hey, I want to work.”
“What?”
“Look here.”

[Help wanted to attach doll eyes.]
– 1 penny per piece

“How about that?”

She looked at me, seeking approval. I was proud of her initiative, but part of me felt uneasy.

How should I describe this feeling?

Like a son who’s never lifted a finger wanting the parents’ permission for odd jobs to buy a computer.

I felt a pang of wistfulness mixed with pride at her growth.

“Why?”

Olivia looked up at me again, her eyes shining brightly, asking for permission, and I was at a loss for words.

I wanted to praise her for being so admirable.
But all I could feel was my own inadequacy.

Olivia continued to talk, explaining why she thought the job on the newspaper was a good opportunity, as if trying to persuade me.

“I gave it some thought, you know, with us being in such difficult times. I shouldn’t just stand by, so I looked into it.”
“…”
“How about it? Isn’t it good?”
“Well, it’s just that—”
“I even considered selling the mansion.”

Olivia laughed awkwardly.

“The price for the mansion I’ve lived in has dropped quite a bit. They say it’s because a villainess lived there.”
“When did you look into that?”
“I sent a letter to a real estate agent.”

Olivia’s initiative made me feel both proud and heartbroken.

I should have done better.
I didn’t want to make her worry.
I stuffed dessert into my mouth, filled with a bitter sense of regret.

“Lady. It’s alright.”
“Why? I can work too.”
“I know. But it’s still not acceptable for you to work.”
“Why not!”

Olivia bent her arm to show off her familiar bicep. The muscle, smaller than a quail egg, was in clear view.

How could such frail arms stick doll eyes on? After about ten, she’d surely start getting sore.

Sigh.

How can I not adore her?

“It’s very commendable and I’m proud of you. But we’re not in such dire straits anymore.”
“What?”
“I’ve repaid all our debts. That’s why I brought you to this restaurant today.”

Olivia dropped her fork and shouted at me.

“I told you not to do dangerous things!”

Her face looked like she was about to cry.
She bit her lip and puffed her cheeks to scold, and her eyes began to moisten.
She stared at me intently and began chiding me.

-You shouldn’t have!
-That’s dangerous!
-Dammit! You shouldn’t follow someone just because they pay you a lot of money!

As I listened to the lady’s scolding, I thought—

I didn’t mind this nagging at all.