Chapter 28: Lord Connor Claye
From the moment Jin Claye stepped into the grand noble mansion of Lord Connor Claye, the atmosphere grew tense. The maids, who had been busy with their chores, quickly scattered, avoiding any chance of crossing paths with him. Everyone in the estate knew Jin’s reputation—he was a known troublemaker, a delinquent who had stirred up chaos in a neighboring territory.
Jin wandered through the hallway with no clear direction, his hands in his pockets, his eyes scanning the walls as if he didn’t care where he was going. His footsteps echoed against the polished floors, and the maids he passed lowered their gazes, not daring to meet his eyes.
One maid, carrying a tray with a steaming cup of tea, tried to move aside quickly. But in her nervousness, she stumbled. The tray tilted, and the hot tea flew through the air. Jin reacted fast, dodging just in time. The tea splashed onto the floor, and the ceramic cup shattered into pieces at his feet.
The maid gasped and immediately dropped to her knees, bowing so low her forehead nearly touched the ground. "I’m so sorry, young master!" she cried, her voice trembling with fear.
From the side, another maid whispered under her breath, "You are doomed."
Everyone froze, holding their breath. The hallway fell silent. All eyes were on Jin, waiting for his reaction. They expected shouting, maybe even a beating. After all, that’s what always happened when someone crossed him.
Jin looked down at the broken cup and the spilled tea, then turned to the maid still kneeling on the floor. His voice was calm, almost gentle.
"I’m sorry—I wasn’t looking," he said. "Could you just please clean the mess?"
The hallway fell into stunned silence.
Every maid within earshot froze in place, eyes wide with disbelief. Did Jin Claye just... apologize? And for something that wasn’t even his fault?
The maid on the floor slowly lifted her head, her expression filled with confusion. She blinked, unsure if she had heard him correctly. But when she saw no anger in his face—only a quiet seriousness, she scrambled to her feet and rushed off to get cleaning materials.