The Attendant in the Horror Game C12

Chapter 12

It was the perfect opportunity to kill Jade.
The man was sick, weakened, fast asleep—one clean strike of a blade would be enough.
Just the thought made Ian’s palms sweat. Could I really…?

“Go upstairs and sleep,” Jade murmured weakly.

“You’ll catch a cold if you sleep down here.”

When Jade didn’t move, Ian’s gentle eyes hardened, a glint of stubbornness shining in their depths. His irises caught the lamplight, shimmering like cut glass.

In moments like this, he seemed so much like a child his age again.
Perhaps that was why Jade often saw his own childhood reflected in the boy—the same quiet, watchful loneliness, the same need for warmth that was never freely given.

“Alright, let’s go up,” Jade said at last, pushing himself up with a faint groan and gesturing toward the stairs.

Really, could a child like this truly kill him after only two days?
He was too tired to think about it anymore. Besides, sleeping in a clean bed in a room he had painstakingly tidied would be far more comfortable than freezing on the floor downstairs.

The thought of propriety flickered through his mind for half a second—was it appropriate for a servant to sleep in the same room as his master? But then again, they were the only two people in this desolate villa.
Who cared about rules here? He didn’t even know the Empire’s etiquette, and Ian was still a child.

“Besides,” Jade said lightly, “what could be more important than obeying one’s master?”

“M–Master?”

Ian’s eyes went wide, so wide they looked as if they might tumble right out of his head.

He blinked several times, and then his cheeks flushed bright red. For someone normally so composed, his fluster was almost comical. Jade found himself embarrassed on his behalf.

“Well, isn’t that right? I’m a servant, and you’re the Young Master.”

That’s how it worked in novels and games, didn’t it? He scratched his head awkwardly.

But Ian’s face reddened to the tips of his ears. He couldn’t even meet Jade’s eyes, as if he’d been told something scandalous. Jade sighed softly, then took him by the arm and stood him up.

“Come on, let’s go sleep.”

“I–I said it’s fine!”

Ian, his face as red as a ripe apple, slapped Jade’s hand away and stormed ahead toward the stairs. Jade followed a few steps behind, keeping a respectful distance.

“Myang!”

Soondol fluttered his small wings and trailed after them. Despite the freezing air of the unheated villa, the night felt somehow less cold than before.

Jade, half-defeated by Ian’s stubbornness, sat down on the edge of the bed he’d painstakingly dragged into the room earlier that day.

“If you catch my cold, don’t blame me. I warned you.”

“I don’t get colds,” Ian said firmly, as though dismissing an absurd notion. “I’ve never caught one.”

Half a year in the northern wilderness without so much as a sniffle—Jade remembered reading in the setting notes that Ian never fell ill.
As expected of a protagonist blessed with unnatural constitution, he thought wryly. At least that was one less thing to worry about.

Now that he was in the room, Jade realized how foolish it would’ve been to sleep downstairs. In this condition, lying on a freezing floor might have been fatal.

“Ahh, this bed really is comfortable,” he sighed, collapsing onto it. Dust rose faintly, carrying that musty scent of old wood and age, but even so, it was infinitely better than the floor. With the new curtains up and a touch of order restored, the once desolate room now felt faintly warm.

He lay still, eyes on the ceiling, waiting for the dizziness to fade.
Of course, it wasn’t exactly proper for a servant to lie in his master’s bed—but Ian didn’t seem to mind, so… why not?

“Aren’t you going to lie down?”

Ian froze mid-step, startled as if struck. He jumped back, light as a rabbit, his hair bouncing up like a startled hare’s ears.

“You have to lie down to sleep,” Jade said, amused.

“I—uh—”

When Jade patted the mattress and beckoned him over, Ian hesitated as though he’d been given an impossible order.

Perhaps it was because he’d lived without human contact for so long. Six months of isolation in this villa must’ve left him unused to ordinary closeness.

“If you’re uncomfortable, I can leave,” Jade offered.

“N–No!”

Ian shook his head furiously, waving his hands as if to stop him. Then, without another word, he snatched one of the pillows and placed it neatly on the floor.

“I’ll sleep down here—”

“Then I’ll sleep on the floor,” Jade interrupted before he could finish, sitting up immediately. Without hesitation, he lay down right where Ian had placed the pillow.

“Wait—no—!”

Ian stared, speechless. His round eyes widened even further, the flustered expression on his face making him look all the younger.

“Why are you—why would you—”

The words came out jumbled and half-swallowed. His confusion was almost too endearing; Jade had to bite back a laugh.

When Ian tried to tug the pillow out from under him, Jade held on stubbornly.

“Would you rather share?” Jade asked, tilting his head toward the bed.

Ian glanced from Jade to the bed, then back again, his lips pressed tight. Finally, he lowered his head, cheeks still glowing pink.

“…Yes.”

It took him a long time to say that single word.

“Come on up, then.”

“……”

Jade, now lying on the bed again, patted the mattress encouragingly.

After a long hesitation, Ian climbed up, slow and deliberate, as though the bed were a mountain and he a wary explorer.

“If you’re uncomfortable, just say so,” Jade murmured.

“I’m fine…”

But his tone was soft and uncertain. Clearly, the boy wasn’t used to sharing a bed with anyone. Even after finally settling beside Jade, he turned his head to the opposite side, shoulders rigid.

Half a year of isolation—no wonder human warmth felt foreign.

“Myaaa… mya…”

Soondol was already curled up at the foot of the bed, dozing off. Ian nudged the creature aside to make space for himself—so timid climbing in, yet so merciless when it came to pushing his familiar.

“Myak?!”

The indignant little monster wriggled into the blankets, disappearing under the freshly washed—though not fully dry—quilt. The faint scent of clean linen filled the air, soft and comforting.

“It’s still a bit damp, but if we share it, it should be warm enough. Come closer.”

“……!”

The room was still cold, but nowhere near as biting as the floor downstairs. And there was no better cure for the chill than shared body heat.

When Jade moved closer, Ian stiffened instantly. Soondol squeezed himself between them, seeking warmth in the narrow space.

“Myang, myang.”

“Sleep well, Young Master.”

“Y–you too… I mean—yes, good—uh—”

Ian trailed off helplessly, burying his face under the covers before he could finish.

Soon, Jade’s breathing evened out, deep and steady. Soondol’s quiet purring joined it, a rhythmic hum of contentment.

“……”

From beneath the blanket, Ian peeked at Jade’s sleeping face.
Something about it unsettled him.

Maybe he should go back downstairs. He was used to sleeping on cold floors, after all. Having someone beside him felt… strange, almost suffocating.

And yet, the warmth of the shared blanket was soothing.

When had this villa ever felt warm before? Probably never. Since the day he’d been sent here, it had been nothing but cold, both inside and out.

Maybe this man is useful after all, Ian thought.

He still didn’t trust him—not completely. Jade might act kind, but he was still a servant sent by his uncle. Who knew what ulterior motives he had?

But killing him now would be wasteful. Whatever his true intentions, he was undeniably skilled—efficient, capable, resourceful. He had even saved Ian’s life yesterday.

And now, lying beside him, Ian caught that faint scent again—the smell of forest and earth that had clung to Jade’s clothes when he’d carried him. It was grounding, steadying.

He’s useful, Ian told himself again, as if reciting a fact. That’s all.

After all, the proof was everywhere. The man had turned this ruined villa into something livable in mere days. He worked fast, found supplies easily, and even discovered mushrooms in the snow—a feat Ian himself hadn’t thought possible.

How did he even find edible ones out there?

It was baffling. But impressive.

Yes… definitely worth keeping around.

The thought blurred as sleep crept in.

Ian hadn’t slept peacefully since arriving at this forsaken place. The howls of monsters in the night had always kept him half-awake, ready to fight or flee.

But now… his eyelids felt heavy. His body relaxed. The warmth spread slowly, seeping into his bones.

For the first time in months, the villa didn’t feel cold.

At the faint gray edge of dawn, Jade stirred. Something damp and cool pressed against his forehead and eyes, waking him from his slumber.