Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 9

“Why? Did he say he’s going to touch your name?”

“No…”

“Then why the reaction?”

It was clear. Eren had probably embellished some strange misunderstanding.

From the beginning, he had seen Macy as someone trying to seduce him physically, which is why he had called her actions foolish. He probably thought she was pretending not to know and intentionally touching the name.

And after that, he hadn’t mentioned it at all.

Now, if she tried to explain she really didn’t know, would he believe her?

“Why the reaction?”

Anna waved her arms, pressing for an answer as Macy hesitated at the crucial moment.

“I touched it. His name…”

“Really? Did it feel like what you described?”

“I’m not sure. The reaction seemed similar to what you mentioned, but nothing happened afterward.”

“Nothing happened?”

“Yes. He left as soon as he confirmed my name.”

“That’s strange. Maybe it’s different for everyone.”

Anna seemed deflated by Macy’s reply. She might have been expecting something more.

Some people view the name as a curse, but others like Anna harbor romantic fantasies about it—like meeting a prince from a fairy tale who would lead to a destined love that rescues them from an unhappy life.

“What about you?”

“I…”

How did Macy really feel about the name? She trailed off, lost in thought for a moment, then responded in a flat tone.

“…It didn’t feel like anything.”

“So, it didn’t feel like anything.”

Anna mockingly repeated her words, probably assuming Macy had some wild fantasy about it. Her slightly mocking tone made Macy uncomfortable.

“Do you want some bread I baked in the oven today? Is it too hard? Should I get some more?”

“Never mind the bread, tell me more about him. Anything else?”

“There’s nothing more to tell. I don’t even know what he looks like or what he does.”

“What about any conversations you two had? Huh? Macy.”

That day, Macy had to endure Anna’s relentless curiosity.

* * *

A letter arrived just before sunset, stating that the name treatment would proceed tonight. Despite the increasingly warm weather, Macy dressed in a high-necked garment and climbed into the carriage.

‘I was just at the cabin yesterday, and now I’m headed there again.’

It seemed the sessions were becoming more frequent. The thought of meeting him daily made her heart flutter a bit. Today, she felt unusually buoyant, as if walking on clouds.

‘It’s all because of Anna. She keeps saying such strange things…’

Throughout their conversation, Anna had incessantly asked about Eren.

When Macy mentioned she couldn’t see him, Anna curiously asked about his personality, his scent, his voice, and other details.

Macy hadn’t exchanged many words with him but felt his attitude was unfriendly. He often cut her off mid-sentence and his tone was so cold that sometimes she felt disregarded.

Anna had laughed when Macy noted that he seemed to avoid unnecessary contact with her, almost as if he had a phobia.

“But eventually you’ll sleep together, right? What’s a little phobia when your limbs are stiffening up?”

Macy had quickly changed the subject, embarrassed by the conversation, yet she couldn’t dismiss the possibility entirely.

Eren’s condition seemed to show little improvement from the treatments. So if he decided to escalate the steps, Macy realistically had no choice in the matter.

‘Perhaps it was naive of me to think I could just be good friends with my name’s master…’

It seemed odd to call someone a friend when there was a possibility of sleeping together, even if there were no feelings involved.

“It looks like we’re almost there.”

Lost in thought, Macy was brought back to reality by Kronen’s soft voice in the darkness.

The carriage jostled significantly as it hit a raised area near the entrance to the cabin — a familiar bump that signaled they were nearing their destination. Soon, the sound of hooves slowed, and the carriage came to a stop.

As usual, two guards were posted in front of the cabin.

“Good evening, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Phillips.”

“Hello, Macy. Seeing you again today. At this rate, I’ll see you more often than my own wife.”

“It’s because you never go home! Try to lay off the booze and head back tonight.”

When Macy greeted them first, they responded with familiarity. It seemed they had spent the previous night at the local tavern instead of going home. Macy smiled slightly and handed them a paper bag.

“I brought some bread I baked today. Thought it might be nice for a snack while you wait.”

“Oh, this looks really tasty.”

“Just what I needed, I was getting hungry!”

Morgan and Phillips salivated in anticipation, looking clearly delighted. As soon as Macy entered the cabin, she offered a bag of bread to Dia as well.

“This is for you, Dia.”

“I’m okay, thank you.”

“It’ll just go to waste after today anyway. I wanted to give it to you as a thank you for always taking care of things, so please don’t feel obliged.”

“But…”

When she hesitated, Macy insistently placed the bag into her arms, and Dia accepted it with an awkward smile. Regular interactions like these had gradually made them more comfortable with each other.

Initially, they hardly spoke beyond necessary greetings, and Dia was strictly professional in her duties.

Although Dia still maintained a formal demeanor towards Macy, it didn’t matter. To Macy, they were all appreciated individuals who helped the name treatment.