I Tamed the Slave Male Lead Chapter 36

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Tap, tap.

The entire way down the stairs, a heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the sound of our footsteps. The butler’s back, walking ahead of me, was so stiff it looked like a wooden plank. It was almost pitiful to watch.

As I gazed at him for a while, I spoke in a gentle tone when we were nearing the first floor.

“You’ve had a lot on your plate lately with all these unexpected distinguished guests coming to the estate. You must be having a hard time.”

The butler stopped in surprise and turned toward me, waving his hands.

“Not at all. I’m merely doing what I’m supposed to do. I just…”

Unlike his usual personality, he couldn’t finish his sentence and trailed off awkwardly. I didn’t let it slip.

“You just?”

“Well, I’ve never had the opportunity to serve a member of the Imperial Family before… I’m simply worried I might be rude because I don’t know the proper etiquette.”

I noticed that his gray sideburns were damp with cold sweat.

‘I can imagine. From the moment Regita entered the estate, she must have been nitpicking everything and riding him mercilessly. That’s the kind of woman she is. Anyone she thinks is an easy target gets hounded relentlessly.’

I stared at his haggard face for a moment before slowly speaking.

“The Princess certainly has very particular tastes. Hmm, while I’m alone with her, why don’t you dismiss all the servants? Have only one person come in to prepare the tea.”

“Yes? Ah, yes, my lady.”

“For the tea, use white tea grown in the Kingdom of Tanaroth. Grind the leaves finely and steep them only briefly. As for the tea food, something simple with a subtle sweetness… Hmm, the madeleines the chef made weren’t overly sweet, so they should do.”

“Ah… Yes, my lady. I’ll do that.”

The butler lowered his head and answered respectfully, his eyes wide with surprise at my instructions.

He must have been startled to see me speaking calmly and giving useful instructions, after always seeing Arabella either depressed from being sick or snapping irritably at everyone.

‘The Arabella from before wasn’t incompetent. She acted that way because she was overwhelmed by the loneliness and despair of having no one in this household on her side, so she became hysterical.’

But in my eyes, that had been a terrible misstep.

‘If anything, that’s exactly when you should use every means available to make people your allies. Why push them away?’

Even something as worthless as dog poop can be useful as medicine if you need it. You never know when the person standing before you might become useful to you—even God couldn’t know that.

So when an opportunity presented itself, it was best to make as many people your allies as possible.

For that, a little smile or kindness was hardly too great an investment.

Looking into the butler’s eyes, I spoke kindly.

“Other than that, you have nothing else to do, so don’t draw the Princess’s attention unnecessarily and leave. She came here to harass me anyway, so if I take the brunt of it, she won’t have any reason to bother the others.”

“Yes? But then, my lady… will you be all right?”

His face showed both bewilderment and relief as he asked that.

“As for me, being harassed by Her Highness isn’t exactly a new experience. It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“…My lady.”

The butler lowered his head with a complicated expression. He looked as though he had more he wanted to say but didn’t know how to put it into words.

‘You feel guilty and sorry for me, don’t you? Hopefully, this will change your attitude toward me from now on. I want to be able to feel comfortable in this household, at least.’

Thinking that, I put a warm smile on my face.

“Well then, shall we go welcome our troublesome Princess?”

When we arrived at the drawing room, I saw Regita sitting almost sprawled across the sofa, wearing an elaborate hat with a veil.

“I arrived ages ago, and you’re only showing your face now? This household is absolutely hopeless at receiving guests, isn’t it?”

She immediately began sneering at me.

In front of her, a maid was kneeling and holding back tears. It was the same maid who always acted cold and haughty whenever she saw me.

Regita conspicuously looked past me as I approached. She was probably checking whether Yusiliph had come with me.

Thankfully, since I planned to spend the entire next day with Yusiliph, I’d told him to enjoy some free time today.

I approached at my usual pace and gave Regita a graceful bow.

“It is an immeasurable honor to receive Your Highness, the most noble Princess. May I ask what brings you to my humble residence without prior notice, Your Highness?”

As I spoke to her, I gave the butler a subtle glance.

He disappeared like the wind, then returned with a maid while I sat down and adjusted my skirt, quickly setting out the tea service.

Before Regita could find anything to nitpick about, he even whisked away the crying maid and disappeared from sight.

In the meantime, I carefully examined the veil Regita was wearing.

Not only the silk veil, but her entire outfit was completely different from usual. Her dress was designed to cover her neck, shoulders, and arms completely, and she was even wearing gloves so that not a single inch of skin was exposed.

‘She’s normally desperate to show off as much of her face and figure as possible. If she’s dressed like that, there must be some reason she needs to hide herself.’

Had Sota beaten her up again and left bruises on her face?

But he wasn’t stupid enough to do something like that where other people could notice.

‘More likely, Sota didn’t give Regita the elixir, just as he said back then. Her skin must have deteriorated because of it, so she’s trying to cover it up.’

Just as I finished piecing that together, Regita slowly stood and folded her arms.

I had expected her to start by throwing a teacup at me, but she spoke more calmly than I’d anticipated.

“Listen. I won’t waste time, so pay attention.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Please speak.”

She glared at me as I answered calmly, then immediately ordered,

“Give Yusiliph back to me.”

“I believe we’ve already settled that matter, Your Highness.”

“Please, don’t do this! Just—!”

Regita shouted in irritation, then seemed startled by the sound of her own voice and lowered it.

“I really need him. So tell me whatever you want, and give him back to me. Please, I beg… you.”

Although the final syllable came out slurred because she was gritting her teeth, I was honestly shocked to hear Regita, of all people, say the word ‘please’ of her own accord.

‘She must be desperate, indeed.’

Judging from how tightly she had covered herself, her skin condition was probably quite serious.

For someone who valued her beauty as much as her life, it must have been a nightmare.

I pretended to be deep in thought, deliberately letting the silence stretch before calmly speaking.

“You said I could name whatever I wanted?”

“Yes! I’ll give you anything you want, so please, just give Yusiliph back!”

“Anything…? Hmm, I’m not sure, Your Highness.”

When I pretended to be contemplating it, Regita grew even more desperate.

“I really will give you anything. I mean it. If you want, I can even persuade some nobles to support you in the Crown Princess selection.”

“Hmm.”

Just as she had done earlier, I folded my arms.

“That’s not what I want at all, Your Highness.”

“Arabella Maiona. Stop pretending.”

“Pretending?”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

Her voice gradually became more anxious.

“Since we’re already here, let’s speak frankly. You want to become Crown Princess, don’t you? That’s why you’re doing things you’ve never done before, all to attract my brother’s attention!”

“Oh. So that’s how you’ve interpreted my actions.”

“What other reason could there be? It does seem like you’ve caught my brother’s interest to some degree. But you need to know when to stop. Crown Prince Sota isn’t as patient as you might think.”

Regita lowered her voice as though she were revealing some grave secret.

I gave her an insincere smile.

I had not the slightest intention of granting her request.

But there was no need to keep pushing Regita into a corner and making things difficult for myself, either.

Just as with my conversation with the butler earlier, it was far more beneficial to make someone my ally than to become their enemy.

It wasn’t because I was particularly broad-minded.

It was simply far more advantageous for me.

And if the person in question was a direct member of the Imperial Family, a Princess no less, then the benefits I could gain were naturally enormous.

“Instead, there’s something I’d like to ask you, Your Highness.”

I spoke in a deliberately subtle tone.

“All right. Ask.”

Perhaps she finally thought I was willing to cooperate, because Regita couldn’t hide her impatience.

Looking directly at her, I asked clearly,

“How much do you know about the ‘Saint’s Staff,’ Your Highness?”

At my precise question, Regita froze.

“The… Saint’s Staff?”

As though I’d caught her completely off guard, Regita stammered for a moment before forcing an expression of confusion onto her face.

“What is that supposed to be? I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

‘Hmm. So you’re going to pretend.’

But judging from her awkward tone and the nervous way her fingers fidgeted, it was obvious that my question had shaken her considerably.

I didn’t bother responding.

I simply met her gaze with a faint smile.

After about ten seconds passed, Regita’s shallow patience finally surrendered.

“How… How do you know about the Saint’s Staff? Did the late Count Maiona leave some kind of clue behind? But no matter how close a child is to their father, unless they’re the official heir, he would never have told them about that matter….”

Got you.

I smiled brightly at Regita, who had just taken the bait.