Fair Trade

Yuri remained motionless with his head down. The main hall was installed with cameras without any blind spots. Guilio’s armed men began to patrol and watch the mansion. However, they were few in number.

Giulio did mention going to the port.

The mansion felt strangely empty as if everyone was heading there.

“Oi!” Sei was called by Stephen Kuzmin.

Here, the man was called Stephen White. However, Sei kept biting the tips of her nails as if she couldn’t hear him.

Even after being treated by a doctor, Yuri’s condition did not appear to be improving. He appeared to be on the verge of passing out. Sei kept pacing around him.

Stephen, who was staring at her with a bewildered expression, suddenly stepped in front of her.

“Stop doing that. Can’t you see our hostage is becoming agitated?”

“You speak Italian quite well, Mr. Kuzmin.”

“It’s Stephen White.”

“Yes, yes, Mr. White. That camera can only record videos; it cannot record audio. So tell me…. Are you going to leave him like this? This injured?”

Giulio was the one who stabbed him and Yuri was the one who decided to do this stupid thing. Even though she knew it was them, not Stephen, who were to blame, her tone became harsher. The image of Giulio thrusting a knife into Yuri’s shoulder lingered in her mind, tormenting her.

But Stephen just looked down at Yuri, nonchalantly.

Frustrated by his attitude, she quickly put her hand in Stephen’s pocket. Seeing how his pocket knife vanished in the blink of an eye, he grabbed Sei and stopped her from approaching Yuri.

“Hey, lady. Stop. You’re worrying too much. It’s just a stab wound and the doctor has already treated it.”

“Just a stab wound?”

“It’s not like his limbs were amputated. Also, it’s Yuri.”

Sei looked at Yuri, dumbfounded. Yuri, who had his eyes closed, said calmly with his head bowed, “I’d like to drink some water.”

“Water, Stephen.”

She poked Stephen in the ribs. Then Stephan mumbled something and walked to the kitchen. With her hands on both sides of his waist, Sei circled around Yuri and then stood in front of him.

“I really want to check your wound first. But if I do that now, Giulio will kill you.”

“Sei.”

“I’m not sure I understand. I offered to assist, but I had no idea you’d take such a risk. Do you believe you have a hundred lives?”

Yuri smiled and raised his head. Yuri, who was covered in blood, resembled a living corpse.

Pale skin, red lips, and blue eyes.

Her grandmother Elena, who was a fan of the gore genre, might like him and think of him as the embodiment of Count Dracula.

“Will you let me lick that cheek?”

She was taken aback for a moment by his calm and weak tone, and she asked stupidly, “What nonsense are you…?”

“”Your face is splattered with my blood.  I think it’s very dirty. It doesn’t quite suit you.”

Yuri’s voice was low and cold. His gray-blue eyes showed no fear of that of a kidnapped person.

Sei rubbed her cheek with the back of her hand before taking a step back and beckoning to Stephen, who was standing far away. Stephan then brought two bottles of water and handed them to Sei.

She put the mouth of the water bottle to her lips while maintaining a direct gaze on Yuri. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to stop the water from dripping from her lips. Water streamed down her chin and neck and wetted her face. Sei looked down at him and said,

“Next time, please tell me whenever you have a plan. I’ll help you.”

“There was no such thing as a plan. I came here because… because of sheer whim.”

Sheer whim?

Stephen, who uttered a short swear word, seemed to know it would be so, and Sei clutched the bottled water she was holding. Giulio had left the mansion three hours ago. Going to the port means moving the ship as Yuri said. Sei held out her palm towards Stephan.

“Stephan.”

Stephan, who was amused by  their conversation, handed her a knife.

“What excuse will we give to Giulio Parenti?”

“Why is there a need to make excuses? We can just tell him that the hostage drank a lot of water and requested to go to the bathroom.”

Stephen cocked his brows. Sei gave a small wink after severing the restraints that held the piano’s pegs. Stephan then approached Yuri and stood behind him, wearing a strange smile.

He untied the tie around his neck and wrapped it around Yuri’s wrist. Stephen, who grinned, said deftly as Yuri turned his head with a grim expression, “I’m sorry, but I’m having a good time. When else would I have the opportunity to bind your hands? Don’t you agree?”

“Stephan, be careful with those hands.”

“It’s a privilege.”