2.7 Trust Me

"Where's Raphael?! He's so slow!" Theodore used his walking cane to hit the ground again and again as he grumbled impatiently.

Beside him, Ben chuckled. "It seems like you two are getting along well. Now, this servant can retire with ease."

Theodore glared. "Who is getting along with who?!" Giving a harrumph, he added with a milder tone yet still prickly nonetheless. "If you want to retire then just retire, why are you so naggy?"

Ben's lips curled up even more as he bowed. "Thank you for your generosity, Young Master. This servant only wishes for someone to accompany you. Now that Raphael is here, this servant can rest assured." Ben had been with Theodore since he was born so in a sense, he had taken the young master as his own child. However he had gotten too old to take care of the residence. After observing Raphael for a few days, he could finally conclude that this servant was truly genuine to serve Theodore and not like the other previous servants.

"So long winded," Theodore averted his gaze and clicked his tongue. "Seriously, where is Raphael? I am about to burn myself here—ah, there he is." He crossed his arms sullenly. "What takes you so long?!"

Lu Yizhou approached from afar. Under the sunlight, his midnight blue hair shone lusciously like the dawning sky where the light hadn't reached, perfectly complementing his pale skin and silver eyes. He looked like a nobleman that had come straight out of a painting. Theodore was dazed for a few while before coming to his senses, frowning. "Why is your complexion so bad?" He asked before Raphael could say anything. "Do you feel...sick?"

"No." The servant shook his head. "It might just be because the sun is too glaring." He wasn't lying though. He was already hungry to begin with and the last thing he wanted to do was to expose himself to sunlight. He didn't know how much he hated the sun until now.

Alas, God seemed to want to torture him longer when Theodore made a fuss. "My feet hurt! I don't want to walk anymore. You're the one who told me to get some sun. Such an audacity to leave me alone here!"

Lu Yizhou instantly knew that he wouldn't be able to free himself from this situation. He exchanged a helpless glance with Ben and crouched down in front of Theodore, beckoning. "How about this servant brings you inside, Young Master?"

That was just what Theodore wanted! His eyes brightened up as he handed his cane to Ben and climbed onto Lu Yizhou's back, his arms circled around the man's neck lightly. "If you say I am heavy, I will hit you!"

Lu Yizhou chuckled. He stood up without breaking a sweat. "How can Young Master be heavy? You're as light as cotton." He meant it, literally. Maybe having strength as great as Raphael had its own advantages. No matter how weakened he had become, he was still a hundred times stronger than average humans.

"Hmph!" Theodore turned his head away. "Showing off your own strength, shameless!" Nonetheless, when he buried his face into Lu Yizhou's soft curly hair, a tiny smile made its way to his face.

Lu Yizhou started to walk through the enormous garden with Theodore on his back. The latter caught him off guard when he suddenly said. "Your body is kinda cold. It's comfortable."

He hummed. "This servant's body temperature is indeed lower than average. It's good that Young Master likes it."

"W—Who said that I like it? I only said it's comfortable, okay?!" A hit landed on Lu Yizhou's shoulder. It felt kinda ticklish with no real intention to hurt. "Don't get too ahead of yourself!" The corner of Lu Yizhou's lips curled into an imperceptible smile. They walked across almost half of the garden when Theodore suddenly exclaimed. "Ah!"

Lu Yizhou paused. "Is there something wrong?"

"That…" He followed the direction of Theodore's fingers to find a land full of blue roses blooming magnificently. Theodore reached out his hand and Lu Yizhou complied by lowering his body, enabling the young master to pluck one off and to Lu Yizhou's surprise, slipped it into his hair. "The color." Theodore cleared his throat awkwardly under Lu Yizhou's stunned look. "It's similar to your hair."

Lu Yizhou's mouth closed and opened, unable to form any word for a moment. Giving a rose to a man? His young master was truly so...innocent. "Thank you—"

"Well, well, look who it is. Isn't it our infamous young master? What are you doing here in the garden? Still not learning the ways of a merchant with your parents?"

The sudden voice instantly broke the pleasant atmosphere between Lu Yizhou and Theodore. The latter's expression cooled down and he tapped Lu Yizhou's shoulder, requesting to be let down.

"Uncle Fred." Theodore murmured in a quiet voice after he stood up properly. Gone was the thorn in his tone everytime he spoke. In front of this stranger, he seemed almost...meek and submissive.

The other person continued with a chiding tone which contained a hint of mockery. "How old are you again? Fourteen? Fifteen? Look at my son, he's only sixteen and has even taken in a wife. On the other hand, what have you been doing? You aren't even studying!"

Lu Yizhou frowned and shifted his gaze toward the unwelcome visitor. Alfred Moore. The so-called distant relative who took over the Valmor Family's wealth and sold Theodore off as a slave. His eyes turned freezing cold in an instant.

"And who might this be?" That person's appearance was just too eye-catching. For a moment, Alfred stiffened because he thought it was a respected nobleman who came to visit but when he caught sight of the servant dress coat which Lu Yizhou wore, he let his guard down and jeered mockingly. "It's another new servant, huh?"

Theodore's eyes flew open and he clenched his fists so tight that they trembled. His whole body seemed as if it was on the verge of exploding. However, he could do nothing but endure. All of a sudden, a dark shadow fell upon him and he lifted his head to find Raphael standing in front of him, shielding him from gaze.

"It's better to introduce yourself first before asking another to do so, Sir." Lu Yizhou said in a courteous yet imposing tone, his eyes which stared at Alfred flashed crimson. "Have you arranged an appointment with Young Master Theodore?"

What...What happened? Alfred's back stiffened and he found himself unable to move under the servant's gaze. It was like his body was coiled by a coldblooded snake, one which carried lethal poison that could kill him in an instant. How could it be? That person was only a servant, for God's sake! How was it possible for Alfred to be afraid of him?! However, he couldn't deny the servant's intimidating aura which weighed heavily on him, rendering him unable to breath. He only snapped out of his thoughts when he caught sight of Theodore's head peeking out from behind the servant's back.

"H—How dare you!" He pointed at Lu Yizhou's nose. "Who are you to run your mouth in front of me?!"

"I am Raphael, Young Master Theodore's personal servant." Lu Yizhou said in a matter-of-fact tone. He narrowed his eyes and added. "It's my job to ensure that no suspicious person will come to Young Master's harm. Now, may I ask for your name, Sir?"

"Presumptuous!" Alfred hollered furiously. "I am a good friend of the master of this place!"

Lu Yizhou sneered. "Befriending the master of the house gives you permission to enter as you please? This is the first time I have heard of such a ridiculous rule." He tightened his lips and stressed. "I don't care what identity you hold, Sir. You enter Valmor Residence when the Master isn't present and you don't even make an appointment with Young Master Theodore, that alone already makes you an intruder. Now," Lu Yizhou stared down at him like one who looked at a corpse. "Do you want to excuse yourself or shall this servant escort you out?"

"You…!" Alfred glared and turned to Theodore. "This is how you treat your guests?!"

Lu Yizhou stretched out an arm to shield Theodore and stepped forward. With his every step, Alfred retreated until he stumbled and almost fell on his butt. "Today's incident has nothing to do with Young Master. It is fully my fault. If you have any complaints, you can relay it to Master Valmor. Let him be the one to decide my punishment."

Alfred gritted his teeth. "Just you wait!" Then, he turned around and left with tails tucked between his legs.

Lu Yizhou narrowed his eyes. [He isn't the protagonist, should I just kill him?]

[666: Err…you can?]

No! 666 regretted it one second after the sentence came out. How could 666 say that?! It was a pure, kindhearted system! Being with Host for more than a decade had corroded 666's data to the point it wasn't even surprised anymore everytime Lu Yizhou brought up the idea of getting rid of people! 666 has sinned… QAQ

A gentle tug on his sleeve cut off Lu Yizhou's line of thoughts and he turned sideways to find Theodore holding onto him tightly, his head hanging low. Lu Yizhou raised a brow. The hedgehog seemed to have mellowed somewhat?

"Are you angry at this servant?" He asked.

Theodore quietly shook his head then asked a question that Lu Yizhou never expected. "You won't...go to his side, right?"

Lu Yizhou felt so incredulous that he couldn't help laughing. "Young Master, do I look like that kind of person?"

"No, no of course you're not! Just that…" A flash of loneliness surfaced in his eyes. It made Lu Yizhou stunned because this was the first time he realized that Theodore could be this fragile. Thinking of the original plot where he was being sold as a slave sent a wave of discomfort over Lu Yizhou's heart. "...the previous servants, after Uncle Fred bribed them, they all took his side. They pretended to befriend me only to steal things or put harmful medicine into my food. Every single one of them. I thought—"

Realization dawned on Lu Yizhou. So that was why the Valmor kept on recruiting new servants. It wasn't Theodore's fault at all. He was a victim in this case.

Alfred Moore… Lu Yizhou noted inside his heart. It seemed like he would need to have a long, nice talk with that man.

"I won't side with him." Lu Yizhou cut off his words. Theodore snapped his head up, dazed as he looked straight into those earnest silvery pupils that seemed to hold magic spells in them. Each word resonated deeply into his heart. "I am Young Master Theodore's servant so the only order I will listen to is from him. Trust me, Young Master...I am different from all of them." Staring at the astounded Theodore, Lu Yizhou couldn't resist reaching out to pat his head, gently messing his hair up.

Theodore gingerly touched the place where he was just being patted, bewildered. Why...did it feel kinda familiar? As if once, a long time ago, he had also received a similar gesture…