The Uninvited Guest in the Master's Bath
The moment was so shocking that Vivienne forgot how to breathe. His fluid upper body filled her entire field of vision. The loose collar suit suited him unusually well, perhaps because of those broad shoulders. His shoulders dropped in a precise right angle, as if measured.
Despite his sturdy build, the thin waist and long limbs made him look surprisingly neat. Even as he strode toward her, the image of him stepping out of the shower, dripping water, left her stunned.
“You’re here.”
His voice snapped her out of her daze. The color flooded her face like fire.
Kian shrugged the bathrobe on as if nothing had happened, then briskly shook his hair dry with a towel. Unlike her, who couldn’t decide where to look, he remained completely unfazed.
He walked straight over, then suddenly halted. His gaze dropped to her bare feet, and Vivienne realized her bare feet were shameful. Embarrassment made her toes curl involuntarily.
“Sit.”
“Huh?”
“Sit here.”
Kian gestured toward the single sofa. Without resistance, she obeyed her master’s command. He slipped off his bedroom slippers and dropped into a crouch right in front of her knees. Her blue eyes widened slightly.
Kian sat in front of her, studying the trembling woman intently. One by one, he reached for her slender ankles and then her snow-white feet. His slow movements looked like a beast eyeing the perfect spot to sink its teeth into.
He had walked here barefoot and probably gotten dirty. Yet he seemed to care nothing for such things. His eyes couldn’t meet hers out of shame.
He brushed off the dust on her feet and carefully slid the slippers onto her feet. The men’s slippers were far too large for her dainty feet, making them look comically oversized on her small toes.
Why was he giving her these? Was it pity for walking barefoot?
She couldn’t tell if the strange warmth in her face was humiliation or excitement.
“Why are you shaking? Who’s going to eat you?”
“…”
“The tea must be getting cold.”
It was a hint to bring the tea. As Kian rose, Vivienne stood unsteadily too. The oversized slippers dragged on the floor like her usual shoes didn’t. She moved carefully to the low table where the tea set waited, trying not to fall.
He leaned back against the sofa, unfurling the napkin on his lap.
Don’t shake. If I tense up and mess up, it’ll be bad.
Vivienne recalled her practiced movements and carefully lifted the teapot.
Clink—
With the sound of pouring, the water level in the teacup rose. The fragrant scent of well-brewed tea lingered in the air.
When she set the teapot down, Kian lifted his teacup with one hand and sipped it, lips brushing the rim.
Was there nothing wrong? Vivienne felt her blood run cold while studying his reaction.
There was no clear reaction at all.
He simply took intermittent sips and never once looked away from the newspaper.
Vivienne double-checked herself. She hadn’t poured too little or too much, and the tea leaves weren’t floating. The color was a bit deeper than yesterday, but there was nothing she could do about it now.
She had done everything possible. Once she calmed her heart a little, she could observe Kian more comfortably.
The water droplets in his hair sparkled in the sunlight. Were his eyelashes really that long? They cast soft shadows beneath his lowered gaze as he read.
She hadn’t known, but there was a small mole under his left eye. Even that tiny speck looked perfect on him. It was embarrassing, but she liked his sharp, focused eyes that stared somewhere unyielding.
Was it really good? After being treated that way yesterday…?
It was humiliating, but she had stared at him for so long that inertia had settled in her heart. Giving up easily was difficult.
Seeing the large slippers he had given her made it even harder.
Clink. Kian set his teacup down and folded the napkin. Only then did he pull his eyes away from the ones secretly watching him.
There was still enough tea left in the cup to cover the bottom. Elissa had said she only drinks tea while the master is using the bathroom. Once he finished the newspaper and set the cup down, she was supposed to remove the teapot and leave.
She approached carefully to clear the teapot.
“You haven’t finished it yet.”
“…Yes?”
“Prepare one more cup for me.”
Kian gave a short instruction and strode away barefoot to somewhere.
Another cup? Where was he going?
The unexpected variable left her mind blank, but it wasn’t a difficult thing. She carefully poured the remaining tea into the cup and waited again.
Then came the sound of pulling the cord. Moments later, he returned to his seat as if nothing had happened and lifted the teacup.
Soon, a maid entered and bowed.
“You called, Master.”
“Have you been summoned?”
“Yes? Summoned yet…”
The maid replied in confusion.
“Good. Tell all the maids from the main house to gather here.”
“Here?”
“Is it a habit of yours to make people say something twice?”
Kian’s sharp reaction made the maid pale and bow her head deeply.
“I-I’m sorry. I will convey your words immediately.”
“Leave.”
She thought everything had gone smoothly. But the atmosphere felt off. Had she really made a mistake?
Vivienne fidgeted with her fingertips, growing increasingly anxious.
A short while later, the maids gathered in Kian’s bedroom.
All of them stood with hands clasped in front as if they had done something wrong, heads lowered.
It was strange to suddenly call the maids to the bedroom, but there was a reason.
Vivienne, who was wearing Kian’s bathrobe and slippers instead of the master who should have been barefoot and in his robe.
The scene before her eyes was simply unbelievable.
Kian stood up from the sofa. Of course, he was barefoot.
“…M-Master. Shall I bring the slippers again?”
One maid asked carefully.
“Ah, is it that serious?”
When he raised an eyebrow, everyone froze.
As if casually inspecting the line of maids, Kian walked slowly and suddenly stopped at one point.
“Elissa, right? What’s your name?”
She had been the one who served the tea before.
“…Yes, Master.”
“Why did you tell Vivi the wrong time?”
Without preamble, he went straight to the point. Elissa’s face stiffened in tension as she answered.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. I clearly said exactly eight o’clock. I told her properly.”
“But why did this happen?”
Kian let out a dry laugh.
“Before that, I told her you couldn’t enter. It seems that friend got too carried away trying to do well.”
“Vivi. Is Elissa telling the truth?”
Vivienne shook her head instead of answering.
She had heard the word eight o’clock in the morning. But Elissa had said it was good to prepare in advance, so she had hurried for about thirty minutes.
She had never heard she wasn’t allowed to enter before that.
All eyes were on her. Clear hostility shone in them. Something inside her wanted to protest, but pressure made her muscles stiffen. She felt wronged. She hadn’t done anything wrong; she just wanted to run away.
“The two of you have different stories. I understand.”
Kian didn’t press further and nodded.
“Then who hid the slippers?”
The next words made the atmosphere drop instantly.
Of course, there was no one who could answer. With so many people, it was so quiet you couldn’t even hear a mouse squeak. Kian chuckled as if he had expected this.
At times like this, randomly pointing was the answer.
“What do you think?”
When Kian stopped in front of her, the maid’s face turned deathly pale.
“T-There’s no way someone hid them. Maybe the child just got flustered and lost them.”
“Well, that could be.”
He didn’t deny it and accepted the possibility.
“But it’s unlikely that two things happened at the same time to one person by chance. Am I wrong?”
This wasn’t a question. He was certain that harassment was happening among Larson’s maids.
“I also know there’s a hierarchy among you maids. But because of that… Can’t even have a cup of tea my way without watching the maids’ eyes?”
He stopped in front of Elissa again, head lowered to meet her eyes.
“Should the maid leave, or should the master leave.”