The Beast of the Albard Mansion - Chapter 11

I had often seen Hawk being scolded for his laziness and slow movements. Yet, he shamelessly continued to take naps on the hay meant for the horses. Hawk napped after lunch and again after dinner, making him a notably lazy servant.

I found Hawk’s brazen laziness amusing. Even though I promised not to talk to him, I still watched him from a distance.

“Hawk must be taking his nap right now.”

After delivering Desi, Hawk would have gone to the stables. Instead of feeding the horses, he would be lazing around, thinking he’d feed them after a nap. The hungry horses would be sticking their heads out and bobbing them up and down in the stable.

The chief attendant could come to check on Hawk, so I needed to act quickly. I felt this was the only chance to give Desi his freedom.

“Wait! I’ll be back.”

“…Be careful.”

I hurried out of the dungeon and ran towards the annex. I nearly tripped several times due to my cumbersome skirt. I wondered why the maids always dressed me in such clothing.

When I reached the stables, I saw Hawk sleeping on the hay, just as I had expected. The horses, frustrated by the delay in their feeding, were sticking their heads out and stamping their feet.

I moved silently towards Hawk. Taking something from a person off guard was called pickpocketing. Was I becoming a pickpocket now? Within a day, I had gone from being a thief to a pickpocket. The idea of a noble girl becoming a pickpocket felt both impressive and amusing to me.

Hawk seemed more exhausted than usual from his struggle with Desi that morning and was in a deep sleep, snoring away.

With trembling hands, I reached for the keys on his left hip. As soon as I grabbed the key ring, Hawk muttered in his sleep and shifted his position. I clutched the keys to my chest and quickly hid in the hay.

Just then, I heard the angry voice of the chief attendant.

“This bastard is sleeping again?!”

He struck Hawk on the head with his cane, producing a loud thud. Hawk woke up with a start.

“Mother!!”

Hawk had a habit of calling for his mother whenever he was frightened. Anyone overhearing might think she was dead, but she was very much alive, worrying about her son who had yet to marry.

“Forget your mother. Today, you’re going to get it good.”

The chief attendant seemed determined, rolling up his sleeves. Despite his gray hair, he was incredibly strong. He was as muscular as any young man. He had become the chief attendant due to his long service to the Albard household, but the other servants joked that he won the position by overpowering his rivals. While he spoke in an elegant, noble-like manner in front of my father, he was quite the thug with the other servants.

I knew this side of the chief attendant, something my father didn’t know. I used to secretly enjoy watching people from hiding spots around the mansion, a hobby I had to abandon since I started playing with Desi.

Sensing a severe scolding, Hawk bowed his head to the ground and started begging for mercy. I buried myself deeper in the hay. While I could probably talk my way out if Hawk discovered me, dealing with the chief attendant would be a bigger problem.

The chief attendant was always concerned about my wandering around the mansion. He would lecture me on the conduct and dignity of a noble lady every time he caught me running about. He even threatened to report me to my mother or etiquette teacher if I was caught again.

I found it absurd that wandering around my own home was considered unbecoming, but I nodded quietly to avoid being scolded by Mother. The chief attendant’s idea of noble dignity matched my mother’s demeanor.

I watched as the chief attendant kicked and cursed at Hawk, calling him all sorts of names—a lazy pig, a useless bum, and more. It seemed he was venting his own frustrations, likely from being scolded by my father.

After the chief attendant left, Hawk lay still until he was sure he was gone. When he finally got up, he spat on the ground.

“The old man still has quite a bit of strength.”

Hawk was so shameless that he didn’t take any of the scolding to heart. No matter how much he was cursed at, he would just pick his ear and forget it all. The chief attendant’s tirade had no lasting impact on him.

Hawk then grabbed a pitchfork and plunged it into the hay to feed the horses. I had to jump up to avoid being stabbed.

“Mother!!”

Seeing me emerge from the hay, Hawk was so startled he fell back, calling for his mother again.

“Lady! What are you doing here?”